Stolen Moments » my quilting, sewing, and crafting blog

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  • Welcome to my blog!

    Hi! I'm Traci. As a wedding and portrait photographer, I have a photography blog that shares the work I do for clients. This blog is for my other creative side. The side that goes weak at the knees over fabric, adores anything crafty, and gets cranky without some sewing machine time!

    I great big puffy heart *love* comments, so please let me know you visited! I try to always reply!

Let the parade of dresses begin

Monday, February 27, 2012 Posted in clothing, kids, summer

I went on a retreat with my quilt guild this weekend and it was the most amazing time.  I got to read, nap, sew, chat, eat, drink, enjoy quiet…whatever I wanted for 48 hours!  I cut out fabric last week and had a bunch of dresses cut and read to be sewn when I arrived.  I got three done the first night and four on Saturday.  Sunday I decided I was burnt out on sewing and opted to spend my last hours of freedom resting, reading, chatting, and trying to draft up a pattern based on an awesome vintage top one of the women brought.

I made two Claire dresses (a Portabello Pixie retired pattern that I bought when I had a two year old boy).  I thought this one would be my favorite since I love this pattern and I love Children at Play, but when it was all sewn up I regretted following the example and making the dress and apron bands from the same print and color.  Oh well.  It’s still Ellie’s favorite.

 

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Kristy - I think it’s darling!!! She looks so sweet wearing it too!

Audrey - It is so cute! I do love how it turned out, and I am so glad the bodice part fit! (maybe I made mine wrong…)

Joyce Theresa Power - reminds me of when I first started sewing when my girls were little.

sandpiper top for ellie in children at play

Thursday, February 16, 2012 Posted in clothing, kids, summer

Since summers are our busy season, I started a tradition last year of sewing Ellie’s summer clothes in the winter and spring.  It’s disappointing to trim the last thread and tuck them into a drawer, but oh so satisfying to know that we won’t need to run to Gymboree when the weather turns warmer!  Today I whipped up the Sandpiper Top from Clever Charlotte.  Here’s what I want from a kid’s pattern:  for it to be cute, and for it to be easy.  Emphasis on the easy.  If it takes me more than a day to make, I’m not in love.  This top delivered–super simple construction, with an absolutely adorable back. I’ll be making more of them for this summer for sure and luckily the pattern will be good for many more years of bigger sizes–this will be an annually revisited top!

I made this fully reversible so that when Miss Eloise spills on her front we can simply whip it around for a fresh change. Warning to anyone who might do the same: be careful to sew the buttons on loosely, since the button behind limits the range of motion as you try to fasten the strap.

I’m thinking this would be really cute as a dress with bloomers, so I might monkey with the pattern to see if I can elongate it without totally honking it up.  Wish me luck!

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Marta - This is pattern is adorable and spunky! Love it. Now, if only I had a little person to sew one for.

For now, this blog post shall live in Evernote. Beautiful work, Traci.

Jessia - i. love. this.

Chrystal - These are adorable! It looks like you did a very professional job on them :)

debby - I love this top!!! Cute and sassy I am going to have to get the pattern for our grands, they would be perfect, thanks for sharing

Audrey - This is adorable! You need to bring this pattern to the retreat! I have one that is open back that seems similar that I will bring-it is more rounded but crosses in the back, too.:)

Erin - This is lovely! The balloons are so happy and make us wish summer was here!

Lani - What a great idea. Love the top, so cute…I wore something like that when I was little. My little Lizzy would look adorable in a top like that. She’s such a little girly girl! Fun, fun, might have to go sew something to spare my brain while working on books!!

britney - this is super adorable! where can i get the pattern?

A cautious step into the world of vintage patterns: Simplicity 6990

Monday, February 13, 2012 Posted in clothing, kids, summer, vintage pattern

One of my goals for 2012 is to actually sew with some of the vintage patterns I’ve collected.  Yesterday I made a decent start at it, using a simple pattern from 1967 that I bought from Amy at our guild’s fabric yard sale this weekend. I used an old print from Moda Wonderland (I think) for the dress and a yellow DS Quilts print for the facing.

It’s intended to be worn over bloomers, but looks cute with leggings, too!  I’m not crazy about the way it bunches in the front near the neckline but I’m guessing as we get nearer to summer and she grows that will size out correctly.  It’s also even around the hem, but the only front on shot I could get of Miss Eloise was showing me her chalky hand.

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nicke - it is very cute and so is she! ;)

beth lehman - it’s beautiful and timeless. i love it!

Dolores - So cute! The fabric is from Moda Hunky Dory. :-)

randi - very cute little top for an adorable girl!

Susan Phillips - Wow! That was fast. It looks very cute on her.

debby - Aww, so sweet. You do such nice work!

Denise - Wow! I actually still have that pattern from when my daughter was a little one. I made many of the reversible sun tops for her. Thank you for being back oh-so-fond memories. :D

another wiksten tova top

Monday, February 13, 2012 Posted in clothing

I absolutely love my flannel tova and have wanted to make another long sleeve version.  It also just so happens to be the perfect top for holding babies, since it’s snuggly soft and has no buttons or anything else to bother little faces.  This one came together just as easily as the rest!  To turn it into a long sleeve top I simply extended the sleeves straight down and excluded the cuff.  Next time I might try to shape them a little so they’re a big narrower at the wrist, but we’ll see.   I was too lazy to bring back the shoulder sizing on this one, but I swear I’m doing it next time (I’d increased the shoulder width by just a little too much with my original alteration but am too lazy to fix it on my pattern).  Please ignore my dirty mirror.  I’m sorry to say I actually cleaned it before taking this photo, too.  Just keepin’ it real over here I guess! :P

Will gave me the best compliment on it when I asked him “do you like this shirt that I made while you were at school?”  “Oh!” he answered “I didn’t know you made it–I thought you bought it!”  Well played, young man, well played.

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beth lehman - lovely! i’ve only made one (my sizing was off) so i need to try again!

nicke - i love it, it looks great! and honestly, what an awesome compliment! :)

Ruby Patchwork- my first quilt finish of 2012!

Friday, February 3, 2012 Posted in quilts

Usually by the time I finish a quilt I have gotten my fill of that particular fabric line.  But I am still head over heels for Ruby!  I had a request for more ‘soft quilts’ after the fleece backed Halloween quilt came out in October, and I knew just what to do.  A charm patchwork quilt with one of the coordinating flannel prints on the back!

My Nana was visiting us this week, and she helped me sew on binding.  I’ve been joking about it because we watched The Bachelor while we worked, and you’d think that that would be the novel activity for my 88 year old grandma.  But no–watching The Bachelor is a normal Monday night activity for her…it’s quilting that isn’t!  It was so special to have her sew this with me, and with two pairs of hands we knocked it out in two nights!  Since I don’t have an extra thimble, though, I felt like a bit of a sweatshop owner…I need to remember to pick up an extra thimble for when I put my guests to work!

 We finished it the night before she left so I hurriedly washed and dried it so she could see it in all its crinkly glory before flying out!

Ooooh I absolutely adore a soft crinkly stippled patchwork quilt!

Ellie decided to wake up at 4am on this cold snowy morning, school is cancelled, and Nic’s attempt #1 to drive into work was thwarted by too deep snow, so this one is on the sofa this morning as we all snuggle beneath the flannel!

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Katie - I love Ruby! Your Nana looks pretty happy to be sitting there helping you work in the quilt :-)

Leslie - I have a Ruby jelly roll I plan on working with today! I live in Monument. It is definately snowing up here today. The kiddos are happy!

Alli - Oh my goodness, if I had a quilt my grandma helped me finish, it would be my favorite quilt in the WORLD. Yay for your beautiful quilt! :)

Margery Daw - I really love the colours and patterns of the fabric. Maybe I will use it for my next quilt. It looks like we are due to have a little snow tomorrow over here in England, so the quilts will comig out!

Deb - Beautiful grandma, beautiful quilt! I’m glad your quilt is being put to good use so soon! How many charm packs/ charms did you use?

Sew Create It - Jane - Gorgeous quilt and even more special that you’ve had your Grandma help with the binding…what a treat.

Gorgeous photos too…your Gran looks fabulous in those pictures :o )

Sandra in WA - What is it about snow days that brings out the quilter in all of us? 3 weeks ago the PNW and Seattle area was covered in snow and ice. We were snowbound for 5 days, but thankfully our power never went out. I started and completed a quilt in 4 of those days. On the 5th day, it was cold and sunny, so my quilt got to pose for photos laying on the 9 inches of clean white snow and ice in the yard.

I made the “Jelly Roll Race” pattern, but cut my own 2.5 inch strips from random novelty prints in my stash. It looks marvelous!

debby - Holy Hannah!! The quilt is so pretty, I think I might have that fabric in my stash, I am sooo going to make this quilt. Your Grandmother looks way younger than her age!! How fun to be able to share this special quilt with her.

Susanne - so pretty!! It’ll be a classic for sure!!!

Audrey - It is beautiful! I love that line of fabric, too, and it was so sweet of your grandmother to help you finish!

Lori Ferguson - Your colors are gorgeous. I think your work is exceptional…especially for your first time. Please keep posting your beautiful results. Thank you for sharing.