Made By Meg

Sewing Swap Reveal!

This year I have had the pleasure of participating in the Spring Sewing Swap sponsored by Kestrel Makes. I was paired up with the lovely Sally of The Quirky Peach, whose sewing I have already admired.

Well, the package came last week and I believe I audibly gasped when I opened it - so pretty!

We had already discussed our love of the Scout Tee, and so that soft chambray is destined to become my very first one, perhaps with some two-tone coloring or piping and a pocket. The polka dot is a jersey with metallic gold, which I'm already thinking would make a very cute birthday peplum top for the end of this month. On top of that, I have some thread and buttons to work with, and my boyfriend has been eyeing the set of vintage postcards that came in. Sally, you really do think of everything!

The sewing swap was also fun in terms of shopping for someone else. I found that I was much more conscious of the fabrics I chose, and wanted to really get something that would be high quality! You can check out what I sent Sally over at her blog.

Now, to finish the final touches on setting up my apartment and get sewing. Rebecca - I have been naughty and not set up my sewing machine yet like I promised :( There were bills to pay!

Navajo Quilt Inspiration

Labels: inspiration -

Another quilt that has captured my imagination was this Navajo-inspired log cabin design. It seemed easy enough to make up with just squares, and some gingham + black has provided some funky inspiration:

My design

Wide Quilt Backing in Black + Printed Gingham Linen

Wide Quilt Backing in Black + Hill Farm Gingham

And here's the line drawing: 25 x 29 squares:

That's 725 squares: 344 gingham squares (47%) and 381 black squares (53%). So I will be ordering 5 yds of 108" black backing for the the black squares and the back, and 5.5 yards of 44" gingham for the other squares.

For other things you can create in Excel, check out this guy!

Chevron Quilt Inspiration

Labels: inspiration -

From my quilt post earlier this week, I have been particularly inspired by this fabric, which I think would make a great print, and could easily be done with a simple chevron quilt pattern:

Ghastlie Angle Green

Basic Chevron Pattern

So I mocked up some color combinations to see what my version might look like. Here are three options. Virtual quilt-making sure is easier than the real thing!

Tiny Square Stripe Black +Broadcloth Bright White + Kona Cotton Black

Michael Miller Faux Bois Stripe + Broadcloth Soft White + Kona Cotton Ash

Gilt Trip Line Work Metallic + Broadcloth Straw + Cotton Supreme Solids Navy

Quilts: Inspiration and Patterns

Labels: inspiration -

Our new bedroom is soft grey with a black accent wall at the head of the bed, and filled with neutral woods and furs and things. Since we need new bedding, I have been thinking that this might be the perfect opportunity to make a quilt. I would love to do a white, black/grey, and brown/tan color palette. Here are my inspiration pics on the left, with potential patterns on the right:

Architectural Digest quilt made with Ocean Waves pattern

Design Sponge pillows made with Peppermint Frenzy pattern

Navajo Meets Chevron Quilt inspired by Anthropologie

Clockwise from top left: Ikat Black Queen Quilt, Grey and White Herringbone Quilt pattern, Navajo Log Quilt pattern, Antique Navajo Blanket

Tucson Tapestry pattern

Inspiring Fabrics:

Clockwise from top left: Richloom Ikat, Swavelle Mill Creek Ikat, Ghastlie Angle Green, World Wide Ecuador Ikat, Premier Prints Ikat Dots, Richloom Kashan

Baby Girl Spring Dress

Labels: baby, cotton, easy, sew, warm weather -

Pattern: See Kate Sew's Baby Dress and Ruffle Diaper Cover
Fabric: 1 yd quilting cotton
Cost: stash-busting (we'll call it free - this piece has been in the pile for years!)

On Saturday, my coworker gave birth to a beautiful little baby girl! It was a perfect opportunity for me to take advantage of some of See Kate Sew's amazing collection of free patterns, including her very own Baby Dress and Ruffle Diaper Cover.

I made these up in a girlish but not pink fabric, which I thought was fun but not too feminine, and perfect for late spring. Since the diaper cover is for 0-3 months and the dress is for 3-6 months, I more or less randomly sized the dress down so they could all fit the same child. Baby proportions are so weird I hope I more or less got it right!

The dress is finished with a machine-made scalloped edge, which is always fun even if I probably don't do the technique right. Actually, the whole dress was a ton of fun to make, with french seams and little touches, as it was pretty straightforward compared to all the bra- and pants-fitting I've been trying to take on lately.

The only challenge with the diaper cover is that my elastic didn't work as well with it, so I don't think it quite draws in or stretches out enough. But they sure are cute!

Happy BIRTHday little Charlotte!