Sewing Staycation Update: Day 2

Good Morning!

I’m happy to report, some stitches were sewn!!! Here is how the day went………

The Day Begins……

• Got up, made coffee and made the scones. They were mixed berry scones made with raspberries and boysenberries. Super good and summery tasting. I’ll put the recipe at the end of the blog.

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  Scones before the oven…..

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  In all their baked-berry-goodness!

• Watered and fed plants, dog, and cats. (because even on a sewing vacation the pets and plants expect their breakfast!)
• Set up tables, chairs and took sewing machine out to the patio.
• Took plastic bins onto the grass and started going through their contents.
• So many choices!!!!!!
• Started sorting the many, many, options into piles.

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  All set up and ready to go!

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  Doesn’t this remind you of when a couple gets in a fight and someone’s clothes get thrown in the yard? Hah!!

The Day Progresses…..

• Joy of Joys (!!!) Sewing Sister came to join us!! There was singing, dancing and much belaboring over the piles of options.
• SS also did my nails. Which is a real stretch for me, as I am not a “nails” girl. However, yesterday during our distractions, we picked up this nail-polish film-like product that you stick on your nails like…….I don’t know, I guess like nail-polish saran wrap. Who knew there was such a thing??????

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  Sewing Sister!!! What is that fabulous thing you are working on??

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  My new saran-wrap nails.

• After the saran-wrap manicure, went back to the piles and made my selections……a stretchy white skirt (with a lace overlay), and a vintage yo-yo quilt top that I picked up at the Goodwill Bins in Portland.

No idea what I am going to do, but I like how they look together.

These pieces offered a lot of choice-points. First, was I making a garment or something else? When I originally purchased the quilt I thought it would make a great purse. It still would. But I imagined a a tote with a lining and shoulder strap. That didn’t seem like enough of a challenge. Not for a Sewingjourney anyways.

I liked the idea of making a summery-something out of the quilt, but one of the Sewingjourney rules is “no patterns”. So what could I make that wouldn’t require a pattern? A skirt seemed too easy, an A-line dress seemed too hard.

And what was I going to do with the lace skirt?

• So, I had one last cup of coffee, ate a second scone and stared at my options. Then I looked in the mirror. This is what I was wearing……..

This is a “Today’s Fit by Sandra Betzina” design, Vogue V1442. It is one of my favorite summer dresses. There are oodles of aspects I like about this design, but my favorite is the asymmetrical sleeve and strap. I wondered, could I do something like this with the quilt top?

At this point, it occurred to me that a person could slide the elastic waist of the skirt over one’s head so that half of the skirt was above a shoulder and the other half was below. That little “aha!” was all I needed to get started.

The Day Falls Into Place…….

• First I cut the lace overlay off the skirt and opened up one of the side seams to the bottom edge of the elastic.
• Then, I stitched the the yo-yo quilt to the top edge of the elastic. I started and ended at the open side seam.
• Then I (sort of) measured how much space I would need for an armhole and restitched the side seam so I had a sleeve opening.
• Finally, I stitched both edges of the quilt to the edge of my sleeve and side seam (I only had one seam on the whole top) and left extra fabric to dangle at the side.
• Here’s what those steps looked like…..

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  Cut off overlay and take out side seam..

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  Stitch top of quilt to top of elastic

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  leave an opening for a sleeve…..

This is what I had at the end of the day……

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  This part is okay. I like the asymmetrical look…..

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  Not so sure about the dangle…..

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  This really is ALOT of extra fabric. Kind of reminds me of a superman cape for your Grandma.

I think it is imperative that I remind myself (and everyone else) that this…….dress?….top?…half cape?…..is still a work in progress. We have a whole day tomorrow to fuss, fit, and figure out.

The Day Ends……

• My fingers are tired and I’m a little cross-eyed from looking at all of those little yo-yo pieces. Time to declare the day “Over”.
• Here is the recipe for Very Berry Scones and I will talk to you soon!!

Very Berry Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
• 2 cups mixed berries (I froze mine ahead of time)
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the butter with a pastry cutter. Pour in the heavy cream and frozen berries. Mix only until everything holds together.
3. Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape into a circle. Cut 8 scones. Place them on a cookie sheet and brush them with a little heavy cream.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Eat while yummy!!!