Modified J.Crew

I bought this silk top from J.Crew on super sale a couple of months ago. It is a gorgeous color but the shape is kind of boring and matronly. The neckline accentuates the gathering at the waist and the overall effect is like a potato sack. But it cost money and I lost the reciept, so why not try to alter it? As you can see on the top right, it is also a little big.

So I tried to redo the neckline and take the sides in just a bit. The finished result is imperfect, but at least I'll probably wear it once now to try it out. Better, right? The neckline is not as
smooth as it could be, but it's okay.











Update 1/9/09: I'm wearing the shirt at work today. This confirms that the project is a complete success because I never would have worn it otherwise. Also, Brian said I looked nice and he probably doesn't even remember hating this shirt the first time around!

My group quilt project

I have been quilting lately with a group of 6 other women who also belong to the San Francisco Quilt Guild. Our guild is having a quilt show next March, and we decided to enter a group quilt in the show. We debated a bunch of ideas for a group quilt and decided on this one: we are taking this landscape image, which is from a calendar that one of the women had.

We printed a large copy of the image and cut it vertically into 7 sections. Each of us will make a quilt panel 10" wide by 46" long depicting our "slice" of the image. Then we will hang them all side-by-side to reassemble the image. We are all going to aim for the same size panel, and the general color scheme in the picture, but otherwise are free to make the image with whatever techniques we want. Hopefully when it's hung up, the picture will be recognizable! I've never even seen a quilt done this way, though some of the women have. It sounds like a fun project!

At our last meeting, we cut up the photo, and here is my "slice":

I think I got a good section, with a little bit of everything in it. I haven't started yet, but have been looking at books and magazines for ideas, and I have a pattern printed out on a big sheet of paper to use as a guide.

I will post progress as I make it. The whole quilt has to be done by Feb. 1 so I think I'll get busy on it once the holidays are over.

Cool Blanket

I was visiting Pittsburgh a week ago and stayed with my friend Maya. She had this great blanket in her guest room. It is basically an incredibly simple quilt with no batting and very large stitches, but the stitch pattern was really pretty and looked great on both the pattern side and the solid back side. Thought you all might like it!

In need of some ideas...

In addition to fabric, I have been collecting yarn, buttons, and ribbons galore! I need some ideas for things to make out of them! Not that I don't have enough projects to work on, but I keep coming home from flea markets and discount stores and house sales with more raw materials. I was thinking of making some jewelry with some of my buttons, but don't really know how to do that. I tried browsing some of the craft websites, but I found Craftster hard to navigate, and I've pretty much exhausted Martha Stewart's site. In addition to the things pictured, I have a drawer full of wool felt, which I love, but I don't have any good ideas of what to make out of that either! So help me out with some ideas/patterns/websites or something, please!

Frozen Apple Pie

I was a little over-zealous and purchesed way too many Maryland apples last week. They're ripe and there's no way I can finish them before they get too ripe. I already made an apple cake and wonder if anybody has that frozen apple pie recipe. I think it was Grandma's. Help?

Baltimore Update

I haven't posted in awhile mainly because I haven't made anything worth looking at in awhile. This weekend, though, I bought a sewing machine! It's a very simple (and cheap) Kenmore almost exactly the same as the one my mom has had for 30+ years. I haven't sewn a single stitch yet, but bought fabric for some curtains at Ikea and will hopefully create something soon.
During my craft hiatus, I've had a lot of fun with Brian and Izzy discovering new hiking trails near the city. We found a huge network of state park trails this weekend that will be fun to explore as long as Izzy doesn't see any deer. She likes to run off in pursuit, leaving Brian and me wondering if she'll be back.
The morning glories are blooming on our back porch, making it a lovely place to have a cup of coffee or read the paper in the mornings.
The last picture is our new art aquisition. There's an African art dealer in the neighborhood and he sold Brian this nail fetish. It's a wooden sculpture with nails and antelope bones. I'm a little afraid of it, but it's a cool addition to the living room.

Shameless Knockoffs

Here's my latest craft. I saw something similar (but not as nice) in Anthropologie. They were $12.00 for a card of four. I made them from my quilting scraps. I made about 30 just last night while watching the Republican convention. I was a bit agitated. Aren't they cute? I need to find a place to sell them now, because I have a lot.