I make FLAT things......

Anyone who knows me knows I say this ALL the time!!  I make flat things, like QUILTS, I am NOT a garment or a bag sewist....... I just make flat things.  It is actually a joke around my quilty friends.  The thought of making a bag puts me in a cold sweat and I have been known to hyper-ventilate at the thought of a zipper.......Why are we even talking about this you ask..... well it turns out, I really like to be able to custom design my own clothes using all the AMAZING fabrics we have available to us in the quilting industry.  But I still only sew FLAT things.....

My sweet Friend Maddie Kertay over at Spool (ever heard of her, LOL) tempted me last fall with a pattern for a tunic I REALLY wanted to try. http://www.spoolquilt.com/shop/Patterns/Serendipity-Studio/p/The-Tori-Tunic-x1970187.htm I bought the pattern knowing that I had a retreat coming up with my  mom and she could help me tackle this project....... (my mom was a seamstress first, then a quilter, she made my wedding dress for me).  I did make the tunic,it is adorable but I needed TONS of help, LOTS of reassurance and a healthy amount of alcohol to keep me calm....... I do NOT sew garments was my decision. 

trying to figure out if I have the courage to do this.......

the FINISHED tunic (which I LOVE)

I used this same answer anytime someone asked me about making something like a Halloween costume or a purse....... I only make FLAT things.  Then I went to International Quilt Market........

I met the beautiful Maddie Kertay in person after 2+ years as facebook friends and I discovered that there are SOOO many beautiful patterns for garments available now...... go here to see the ones Spool has available.http://www.spoolquilt.com/shop/Patterns.htm.

My traveling partners and I talked about a really simple tunic for summer that was actually the bathingsuit cover of one of the crew.  She set out to create a pattern for this tunic and yet again I realized I was going to have to try making ANOTHER garment.  This Square Tunic really IS simple and is FLAT too so I felt like I could tackle it myself, without any moral support from Mom.  ( I will give you the pattern at the end....)

I chose some fabrics perfect for summer and jumped right in.  As it turns out I can sew garments by myself but I really MUST confess this hardly counts as a typical garment.  A beginner can make this one I promise you that!! 

I followed the pattern that I received from O'Susannah's Quilts and Gifts http://www.osusannahsquiltshop.com/ and it came out perfectly!!  I made the large size ( I usually wear a medium but I was blessed with a bit extra up top so I went for the large and it fits snugly over the girls),

HERE ARE THE  DIRECTIONS......

Square Tunic

This is a one size/all tunic which can be made smaller or larger by cutting the fabrics narrower or wider.  The pattern is written for large size (I usually wear a medium and this large fits me perfectly), with small size in parenthesis.  Use a 1/4" seam allowance.

(NOTE FROM MANDY- I used french seams when I made the second version of this tunic so my inside seams were all finished and it didn't ravel, to adjust for this I cut my pieces about a 1/2" bigger than the original pattern called for.) not sure how to do french seams... check it out here http://andreasnotebook.com/2014/07/how-to-sew-a-french-seam.html#_a5y_p=1949911

french seams make it so neat and tidy inside!

Fabric requirements
THis Tunic is made from 6 panels.  Five of the panels are cut from 2 different fabrics, the 6th one is made by sewing pieces of both fabrics together.  If yo do not want to use a pieced panel you will need to purchase and extra 1/4 yard of fabric B.

Fabric A        3/4 yards        Center front & back panels
Fabric B        1 1/4 yards      3 panels plus pieces for panel 4
Fabric C         1/4 yard         Bottom band

Cutting
Fabric A         Cut 2             12 1/2" (10 1/2") x 30 1/2" strips
Fabric B          Cut 3            12 1/2" (10 1/2") x 30 1/2" strips
Fabric C         Cut 2             3 1/2" x WOF strips

Sewing instructions

1. Make the 6th panel: from the fabric pieces cut off of fabric A & B to make the 30 1/2" strip, create a panel that measures 12 1/2" (10 1/2") x 30 1/2".  This panel will be striped.  This adds a little fun to the tunic and saves fabric.

2. Make a front and a back: Sew 3 panels together lengthwise A-B-A. Repeat.  Press the seams open. ( I used french seams so I didn't have to press seams open)  Add fabric C to the bottom edge of each panel.  Each piece will measure approximately 36 1/2" (30 1/2") x 33 1/2".  Set aside.

3. Make a casing for the drawstring:  Cut 2 strips 1 1/2" x 18 1/2" (16 1/2") from the leftover fabric pieces.  They may have to be pieced together to get the correct length).  Turn the raw edges over a 1/4" and press/  On the wrong side of the front and back panels, measure down 15.  Center and pin the casing in place.  Top stitch in place.  This placement can be adjusted to be at your waist or just below the bust ( it worked out PERFECTLY for me just as they stated).

4. ( I put the panels to my body to check the length at this point and decided to trim about 3 inches off of mine) Sew the shoulder seams together.  Leave and 8" (6') opening in the center panels.  This will be the neck line.  Your head WILL NOT fit through this opening.

5. Create the V-neckline.  Fold the top in half lengthwise down the center panels.  Line up the seams.  Measure down the fold approximately 6" and mark.  Measure in 2" from the front seams on BOTH sides of the front panel and mark.  Draw a line between the two marks.  Cut 1/2" larger away from the line.  Cut the back neckline on a slight curve.  Check to make sure the neckline is where you want it. ( I had to make the neckline a bit deeper on mine at this point).

sewing in the neckline.... tricky on the curve but a beginner can do it!

6.Roll hem the neckline and all 4 sides of the tunic.  Press raw edge over 1/4" and then a second time and top stitch. 

7.  Make the sleeve openings: WRONG SIDES together, lay out the tunic flat on your work surface with the front panel facing up.  Measure down from the shoulder seam 10" and mark.  Measure UP from the bottom 10" and mark.  Sew a straight line between these marks, 8" (6') ( I needed 7.5" to have room for the girls) in from the outside edge on each side.  Do not measure in so far that you will be sewing over your casing.  This creates your arm opening and the body of the tunic.  This measurement can be adjusted to fit different body types.

8. Create a draw sting: Cut 1 1/2" wide pieces of fabric and sew together end to end to measure approximately 72" (60").  Fold in half lengthwise, find the center and press.  Open, fold each side into the center and press.  Fold in half and top stitch.

9.  Make a small slit in the front panel center over the casing to feed the drawstring through.  Hand stitch around the opening to prevent raveling.

Enjoy your tunic with Capri pants, shorts, slacks, as a bathing suit coverup or over leggins, the possibilities are ENDLESS!!!!



PLEASE pop on over to O'Susannah's Quilts and Gifts Facebook page and thank them for this pattern, they were kind enough to share it.......https://www.facebook.com/osusannahsquiltshop

As a quilter I confess I still don't feel like I can make garments without moral support from my mom and alcohol however I am getting more brave.  I still stand by my statement I ONLY SEW FLAT THINGS...... but maybe, just maybe someday.......

Thank you Miss Maddie Kertay for inviting me to Guest blog with you all today!!

Leah Day the inspiration for freehand DOMESTIC machine quilting the way I tackle it!!

After Spring International Quilt Market I was approached to write about a quilter whom I have been admiring and following for years.  She is a domestic quilter but her work has inspired me in many of my longarm quilting adventures.  During Market this spring I got the pleasure of meeting both her and her husband since they were staying on the same floor of our hotel.

I found Leah Day more than 3 yrs ago and have been subscribing to her emails since then.  You might as well follow the link and sign up now you wont regret it!! http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/p/free-newsletter.html  Each email is PACKED full of amazing information and free links to online video tutorials on over 400 designs...... yes you read that correctly, FREE and over 400 designs.

Now a bit about Leah and her 365 freemotion fillers project.  Leah is a mostly self taught absolutely delightful down to earth creature with a heart of gold!!   Her creation of the 365 project was born from frustration with a lack of fill designs available to her.  She began searching and the frustration led to a decision to challenge herself to create a new design each day for the next year.  That is how the 365 project began.  On August 14th 2009 she launched the project with a short blog post about the rules she had set for herself and the first design.  WOW did it snowball from there!  Follow this link to hear more of Leah's story in her own words.  http://www.leahday.com/about/

The 365 project eventually led to a quilt consisting of small blocks made during the design process.  The blocks were joined together and sandwiched just like a quilt, those sandwiches eventually became a quilt which was FINALLY completed in May of 2014 just a few short years after it started (she discovered it takes a LONG time to hand bind over all those seams on the back from joining the blocks). http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/p/365-designs.html

the 365 quilt at market

i was able to admire it in person

it was SUPER cool!!

Each of the blocks in the quilt were photographed and a video was created of Leah stitching out the designs.  These videos can all be accessed on their site.  Many changes in the video techniques occurred thru the process and improvements have been made along the way compared to the beginning but one thing that has not changed is Leah's view on providing her inspiration to others.  Her designs are FREE, you do not have to join a group or pay a fee to access her site.  You will not find a cost associated with her designs or videos.  She believes that inspiration lies within sharing knowledge and helping others to learn not in the profit which can be made.  This philosophy has served her well as her designs and inspiration has reached over 5million people since she began in 2009.

This year Leah's husband Josh decided to learn to quilt and you will now find videos of his progress as he learns to freemotion quilt Leah's designs in her latest project.  2014 began a new adventure called the buildingblocks quilt along http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html.  You can join the quilt along at any time and learn new designs each week to boost your freemotion design library.  This project along with the help from Josh and his bobbles and trips has been a fun adventure for them both.

I was delighted to find out Leah's original 365 freemotion fillers book (which I use CONSTANTLY) has a new design and will be available exclusively at quilt shops.  The new design includes a spiral binding which is completely awesome!!  I cannot wait to get my hands on it!!  Keep your eyes out  at our local quilt shop and ask if they can get the new book for you if you don't see it!!

During Market I talked with both Leah and Josh a great deal and they did not disappoint me, they were just as I pictured they would be.  Sweet, honest and willing to inspire at every turn.  Take a bit of time to explore all they have to offer and sign up for the news letter it is amazing!! Here I am with Leah in front of the 365 quilt at spring quilt market when she signed my little book 50 feather to flames designs ( Josh is in the purple on the left of the quilt).  

You can also find Leah on Craftsy where she has more than one awesome class to help you learn the tips and techniques of domestic freemotion quilting.  If you haven't explored Craftsy you should pop on over there and check them out, they have great classes on a HUGE range of topics and the platform is amazing, videos are awesome and you can access it as any times as you want FOREVER.  Worth every penny, its like taking a class right from Leah in your own home!!  http://www.craftsy.com/search?query=leah+day&type=&categoryUrl=quilting.

Leah helps take the scary out of domestic machine quilting and proves that it can be done on a domestic machine, it just takes a bit of practice.  Come on, join us and start finishing your UFO's and quilt tops with beautiful designs to accent your work. 

Affinity and new class samples for fall!

I have been teaching Domestic Machine Quilting classes for over a year now.  The Classes are SO much fun!  Each time I finish one the students ask me when I am teaching the next one it seems.  I have now developed 6 classes which get progressively more complex each time.  The classroom samples however have left a bit to be desired.  I sort of wasn't sure how to tackle that at first.  After a year I KNEW it was time for some new ones!!

I decided to redesign them for the roll out of Fall classes and chose beautiful fall colors of solids to create them.  A little bit of strip piecing and I had 6 coordinating little quilts to show off the classes.  After I had pieced the little quilts I set them aside for a bit to get some time to tackle them.  It MUST have been fate because my FAVORITE ( and the only kind I use) thread maker, Fil-tec released new colors in their variegated thread line called Affinity, you can find it here http://www.bobbincentral.com/quilting/top-thread/affinity.html .  To release the new colors they did a little Facebook giveaway, if you could answer the questions correctly you were entered in a drawing to win the color of the day.  I WON!!  My winning color was SUNSET and it is stunning!  I have about 12 colors from their original color selection and had per-ordered one of the newest colors to be released after I received a sample cone of it at market, but I didn't have anything like sunset.

It was the PERFECT color for my new samples, when it arrived I was knee deep in other projects and the first few days of summer vacation for my kids and I couldn't try it out, it was calling to me EVERY TIME I went into my studio and I wanted to try it out so badly.  The time finally came yesterday and it really was PERFECT.  The thread stitched perfectly, and the color changes were absolutely beautiful!!  As I knew it would be the colorway was just perfect for my project and the samples came out stunning I think!!

I still need to put the binding on the little quilts so that I can hang them but they are just perfect!!  I think you should hop on over to http://www.bobbincentral.com/quilting/top-thread/affinity.html  and try a bit on my favorite thread ( they have large cones for Longarmers and smaller cones for domestic quilters).

If you want to take these Domestic Quilting classes with me I will be teaching them at O'Susannahs Quilts and Gifts in Watkins Glen so pop on over to her site http://www.osusannahsquiltshop.com/quilting-clubs.htm and explore the classes I am offering and jump in to learn how to finish your quilts at home on your domestic machine!!

Here are the samples for the 6 classes I will be teaching!

MQ1-Straight lines

MQ2-Circles and Curves

MQ3-Vines and swirls

MQ4-Beginning Feathers

MQ5-Background fillers

MQ6-Fancy Feathers

Don't you want to come and learn how to do this quilting with me!!