The Staple Dress version 2

I am loving this pattern! Though I don't want to end up with the same dress in different fabrics so I am making adjustments along the way. I had a little sick man this week so we had a day at home (love carers leave!) and while he had his nap I got most of the dress cut out and sewn up! So my second staple dress is some gorgeous batik fabric a friend bought back from Indonesia. I really wanted to do the drop hem as this fabric has some drape - but alas did not have enough fabric. Instead I added a Peter Pan collar. I have never drafted a collar before but I somehow managed to do it. So here we are...

And for my next Staple dress I am thinking a maxi with a tank style top .... Stay tuned!

The Staple Dress

It has been YEARS since I have done any clothes sewing for myself. I think the last thing I made was a bridesmaids dress in 2006. I have been a regular op shopper for clothes for the past few years - I hate big name brands unless I can say I got it for less than $5 from Vinnies. Anyway, I decided to turn my wardrobe round since nothing fits me anymore (2 months of the worst chest infection ever straight after having a baby lost me a lotta weight - but I seriously don't recommend it) and have a more handmade focus.
So first off the rank is April Rhodes The Staple Dress. What an easy gorgeous fun pattern! No interfacing, no zips, no button holes - but there is shirring. But I was surprised at how easy it was to do - I even did 6 rows of it. I made it as a medium but I think next time I will do a small up top - it is just a bit roomy there! I also adjusted the neck line a bit - I just copied a neckline on a top I already owned and loved.

The fabric is a cotton poplin from Spotlight but I can't wait to do a voile dress in it! I think it would be divine!
Took it on its maiden voyage today - with a pair of leggings underneath and got lots of compliments and surprised faces when I told them I made it. Staple Dress number 2 is in the works - this time some lovely batik fabric a friend had bought me back from Indonesia.

Fly the Flag Quilts finished - and how I do my binding on kids/baby quilts

What fun these quilts were to make (part of the Aunty Cookie Fly the Flag QAL). And I managed to finish both of my twin quilts. They are very same same, but different.
First is the orange version. I included a cute little peekaboo under 1 flag on each row. I would have loved to have done more but I think I would have gone a bit crazy!

 

And then the Aqua version... 

I used up some scraps for the binding. With kids quilts I figure they are going to be grotted up quickly and washed heaps, so I always use a zigzag stitch on my binding for extra durability. Plus I hate hand binding and will only do it for the specialist of quilts.
So here is how I do bindings (This is mainly for my friend Adrienne who I have recently being teaching how to quilt!)
I usually use a 2 1/2" straight binding strip (thought these quilts I have done using 3"). How I join them depends on my mood - either using a 45 degree angle or just straight. I first sew the binding on the wrong side on the quilt.

Again depending on my mood I will join the binding up using whatever I feel like doing at the time!
I then flip the quilt over and use a zigzag stitch to secure the binding down. I stretch the binding just over the line I have just sewn and zigzag just off the binding. I like to do it this way as I feel as through I have more control on the look of the binding on front. I would rather have wonkiness on the back - though I lately feel I am being much more tidier with it.

When I get to a corner I use a pin to secure it neatly in place. I then zigzag to the where the seam meets the other seem, put my needle down and rotate the quilt.

 

So that's how I basically do my binding on kids quilts.