Sunday, November 5, 2017

It's been quite a week. Or two.

Time has a way of getting away from me, it seems.  I just realized I haven't posted in almost forever...
Not much happened in the RSC realm.  I was much busier doing some costume sewing than I was piecing quilt blocks.
Like this:


(I had to chop off my son-in-law's head to show you that picture...)  (It'll grow back, I'm sure)

That project all started when I said, a couple of months ago, "I've always wanted to make a pirate coat, but didn't have anyone to make it for."  At which point my daughter pointed at her husband as he raised his hand.
But the pirate coat morphed into a colonial coat, as we all fell in love with Hamilton.  We found a pattern for a pirate coat, which I modified the dickens out of in order to make this green linen coat.  The pattern had decorative pocket flaps, but no actual pockets (that HAD to be fixed!), and was unlined.  I added the pockets and a full lining, learning how to do a bagged lining in the process.  (Note- if you do it wrong, you end up with a klein bottle instead of a coat.  That'll teach me to think I remembered the video instructions a couple of months after viewing it...)  I also added the collar and front trim, and modified the cuffs to something less pirate-y.  I finished sewing on the twenty-eight (28!!!) buttons the day before the costume party it was crying to be worn to.  And hey, look!  I actually finished something!

Then I headed for home, and it rained for a week.  Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but my car, which had been parked in the dooryard at home for the 6+ weeks I'd been gone, apparently decided I was never coming back.  It threw such a snit-fit that both the battery and one of the tires were flat.  Since I didn't really want to deal with either of those issues in the rain/drizzle/rain, I had to wait it out.
Finally.   Battery charged, tire pumped back up, all my sewing luggage packed up to head down to the studio.  Yay!

So, now my machine is set back up, I've spent some time organizing and getting ready for serious sewing again.  Four patch blocks, nine patches for Burgoyne cornerstones, and RSC blocks, here I come!  (Oh, and it occurs to me that there's a major gift-giving holiday coming up that I might want to do something about.) 

I even got fabric pulled for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt "On Ringo Lake," which will be starting later this month.


I had plenty of aquas on hand, since it's in the range I'm using for my Storm-at-Sea/Sea-of-Tranquility quilt.


I had more coral/melon than I thought I did, since it falls in that pinkish-orange/orangish-pink valley.  More than once, I've bought something that I thought was orange or pink, but turned out to be neither.


And browns aren't a problem at all.  I'd been collecting them for my 365 Challenge quilt (blue/red/brown color scheme) (which I'm still months (and now years!) behind on), so I've got lots.  (I may or may not keep that bacon fabric in with my browns.  For now, it amuses me to see it in the stack.) 

I had intended to change colors this year if I did the mystery again, but since this is a grouping that I normally wouldn't work with, I'm going to go ahead and roll with her colors.


Life is all about the challenges, right?

Since it's all about the scrappy quilts, I'm linking with Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework for Oh Scrap!  Come join the fun!


18 comments:

Libby in TN said...

Your SIL's coat looks very realistic and professionally done. I like Bonnie's color selection this time and could manage to find it all in my stash, but I am absolutely going to resist this year. And you are charged with holding me to that!!!

PaulaB quilts said...

You did a masterful job on that costume, very impressive. Have fun doing the BH mystery. I won't be dong it again. But are you aqua cats going to drown in the lake?

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Great coat!

Chantal said...

Congratulations!! That coat is fabulous! Love it. I don't do Bonnie's QAL. (I tried last year and failed miserably) but these colors are what I love (blue and orange). My! how can I resist? I feel like I'm being sucked in, lol.
;^)

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Wow, Gayle! The coat is fabulous! I'm so impressed that you gave that a try and that it worked. The fabric you picked for the mystery quilt is great, too - it will be fun to see that come together!

Cathy said...

Missed you! Great job on the colonial pirate costume. He must have been the talk of the party!

I love the colors of BH's mystery quilt but I'm going to resist and just watch you sew yours. Hopefully you will blog about it now and then.

kmkat said...

That coat! Once again you have dazzled me with your skill and talent in the crafting arena. (The first time was when you improvised a pair of double-knit socks.) Go, you!

Kate said...

The coat turned out brilliantly! I haven't sewn clothing in so long, I'm not sure I remember how to. You've got a great selection for Bonnie's mystery.

Bonnie said...

Congratulations on making a great coat. Hopefully it will see many wearings. Look at you already ready for On Ringo Lake to begin. I'm going to be a bystander on this one. Must finish one or two current Bonnie projects before embarking on another.

Cathy said...

The pirate-Hamilton coat turned out wonderfully! I’m sure there was lots of fun problem-solving involved. I’ve pulled my BH fabrics too, but had to switch out the browns for grays. And it’s good to see you back!

Louise said...

I'm so impressed by the coat! That kind of garment sewing seems like mysterious magic to me :)

Vroomans' Quilts said...

You did a beautiful job on the jacket! Watch out, you might get inquiries from the reinactors. I have lots of this colorway for the BH mystery, so sticking withit too. The nautrals may be all one piece instead of a variety though.

Ann said...

A wonderful jacket. I'm glad it was finished for the costume party. How clever to make all those alterations.
Love the fabrics you've pulled. A few are in my stash, too. That's always fun.

Mystic Quilter said...

Oh you have some beautiful fabrics in your selection, I love her colour choice for this year. You were brave taking on the pirate jacket, how long id it take?

Angie said...

WoW - great lookin' coat! Kudos for finishing it!
Love the new mystery quilt colors - I don't think I'd change them, either.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Great fabric choices for the mystery quilt! And wonderful costume sewing too!

de said...

WOW the pirate coat!!!!

some of us ( like ME ) can just have barely mastered ( if we are lucky)) one skill set in this lifetime :)

I SO admire you are able to do so much more, and so well :)

Nancy said...

So I read this post a few days ago and thought I commented but I guess not. I can't tell you how impressed I am with your sewing skills to create such a wonderful coat and especially to make so many alterations and THEN have it fit so well. You have awesome skills! The colors for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt are right up my alley (except maybe I'd lean a little more toward blue than aqua/turquoise) and I actually have those fabrics in stacks but I can't yet commit to this quilt just now. I'll watch the progress and maybe make one later.