Polka Lots Skirt

Maybe it is the subtle signs that Spring may be on it's way, but lately I've had a real hankering for new skirts.  I have some great fabric in my stash that is begging to turn into something beautiful.  This sheer overlay a-line skirt is something that has been in the plans for months.  I finally sat down and sewed it up.

I thought I had worked out all of the construction issues in my head, but unfortunately, my head hadn't done it's job.  The skirt was a bit of a bear to sew.  It seemed that for every seam I sewed, I had to unpick two.  It is finally finished however, and I'm relatively pleased with how it turned out.

The biggest challenge was the zipper.  Zippers aren't difficult, but with a sheer overlay I had to worry about how to insert the zipper, attach it to the lining, and make the visible seams look a little better.

It's not perfect, but I'm glad it's done, and I am 85% pleased with the results.  There are things that I'd still like to go back and edit, but I'm not so sure that it will be happening anytime soon. My sewing station is currently packed up, and my sewing table is the new work bench, as we remodel our bathroom.

Pincushions: Piping, Polka dots, and Puckers

Since I have been doing a bit more sewing lately I decided that it was time for some new pincushions.  My previous pincushion was not deep enough to handle the pins.  I would end up pricking my fingers when I picked up my pincushion because the ends would be pricking through the other side...isn't one of the main reasons for a pincushion to avoid that problem.  Anyway I set out to create my own pincushion that would be deep enough to resolve that issue.

I used scraps of eco felt that I had left over from my Quiet book project, and scraps of cotton from a previous apron project.  The colors are a bit girly, but all in all I like them.  There are issues that I'd need to resolve if I were to attempt this project again, but it sure is nice to add something new to the craft box.  I  chose to make two pincushions,  I don't know about you, but I am always throwing things into one place or another as I madly clean up to make dinner or move onto the next thing on my to do list.  I figured that by having two I would at least have a better chance of finding one of them when I need it next, but knowing me I will throw them both into the same place and lose them both to the craft clutter.  Finding my pincushions when I need them should be reason enough to organize my craft room...right?

When I showed my mom the pincushions that I was making she said "hmm...I've never seen a pincushion like that".  I think that she was caught off guard by the shape of the cube-like one, but I really love the size and shape.  I think that we have any more kids I would consider using this same idea to make some soft baby blocks.  

The felt discs one the taller pincushion were inspired by Harper and Henny, she makes these great throw pillows, I have seen one that she makes with bright contrasting colored discs. It is really visually stimulating, I think that the discs are a bit to large and far apart for the shape of my pincushion, but I had a lot of fun with it.  Next time, changes will be made.