Internet Highlights

May 3, 2015May 3, 20151 Comment

Today I’m rounding up my favorite bits from the interwebs this week, things that I’ve found interesting, useful or simply entertaining.

I was planning to join the Indie Sew Jamie Jeans sewalong so in preparation I was looking around the internet for blog posts folks had written about their Jamies. I discovered over on Peneloping not just Ping’s thoughts on her Jamies but she shared a conversation she had with the pattern’s designer about picking the right denim for these jeans. Reading that was super useful.
The quilt templates over at Haptic Lab are blowing my mind right now! I think one of these may need to be my summer hand-stitching project. The only question is Boston street map or Northern Hemisphere constellations!?!?
I’m planning on making a Cargo Duffle at some point in the next month or two. This tutorial on modifying a two way zipper so that it opens in the center will definitely come in handy.

Off to stop procrastinating and get some paper writing done so that I can finally get back to all my sewing plans!!

-Hannah

Gifts for Some Special Kiddos

April 14, 2015April 14, 20152 Comments

In between all of the garments I’ve been making for myself in the last few months I’ve spent some time working on some projects for some special young ladies in my life. Three years ago I got the amazing opportunity to start nannying for the adorable daughter of some friends of mine. M is partly responsible for the name of this blog. For some reason she initially learned my husband Martin’s name as “Match,” and it has stuck. When I was thinking about possible names for this blog I knew I couldn’t pick “Hannah Makes,” that’s already taken, and I figured “Match Makes” would be a fun way to play off of that adorable nickname.

M was three months old when I started and just became a big sister a couple weeks ago. The first present I got to deliver to this new family of four was this whole cloth quilt. I ordered these fabrics from Etsy this fall. They’re both from the Flight Patterns collection by Tamara Kate for Michael Miller.

This was an easy peasy project. I got a yard and a half of each fabric and trimmed those to be about 42″ long so it would be fairly square. I sandwiched them with some batting and did some quick diagonal straight line quilting. I added some straight grain binding, sewn on by machine with a wide zig zag stitch and then ran off to the hospital to deliver this to new baby A.

I made two other quick things for the new baby. I got this fabric, which is a Kaufman Laguna knit, last fall and unfortunately when I washed it it got a bit tangled with a red jersey knit that bled all over it. I washed it again and got almost all of the red out but it still has a bit of a red/pink tinge. I also decided that as much as I loved the fabric, I maybe am not the kind of person who can rock a mustache print tank top.

It was however perfect for some baby clothes. These leggings are the 6-9 month version of the Baby Go To Leggings from Go To Sew. And the hat is the Top Knot Baby Hat from Pretty Prudent. Both of these patterns are free and they were very quick makes. I made both of these, and an additional pair of leggings and a hat, in maybe 90 minutes or so. I’m thinking I’ll try to start turning my knit scraps into baby leggings and hats because they’re such speedy projects and someday I’m going to need them for myself.

This little girl came a bit early so it’s going to be a while until she fits in either of these things but when she does she’ll most definitely be a styling lady.

My last project was an amazingly fun make. I remember so distinctly as an older sister how important it was to me when I got presents from people who were coming to meet my sister for the first time. So as soon as I knew that M was going to be a big sister I started to think about what I could make for her.

I’d first seen this bear carrier over on Olivia Jane Handcrafted, and I knew immediately that I wanted to make it. It comes from Liesl Gibson’s book Little Things to Sew. This book is adorable and I am looking forward to making a number of other projects from it.

The bear carrier doesn’t look like much without an animal in it and without it being on a kid. But I think it’ll be super cute and I look forward to seeing M wearing her dolls and animals while her parents and I are wearing her sister.

These were all very fun, very easy projects for some little girls that are so special to me. I’m glad I got to make them and show them off to you!

-Hannah

Internet Highlights

March 21, 20151 Comment

Today I’m rounding up my favorite bits from the interwebs this week, things that I’ve found interesting, useful or simply entertaining.

I’ve been looking recently at the Carme Blouse by Pauline Alice. At first I was wondering if it was a bit too stiff looking for me but this swiss dot version is absolutely lovely. I even have some swiss dot that I bought for a project I decided not to do. That’ll definitely be going on my project list.
I’ve made a couple different bags that I use as luggage, but it’s been a while since I made them and my skills have definitely improved so I’ve been thinking about making a new bag for some of the traveling that I will do this summer. The Cargo Duffle by Noodlehead has been on my list and this version from Coconut Robot that I found yesterday has inspired all sort of plans and modifications.
When my real sewing adventures began about two years ago, quilting was what I thought I’d stick with. I’ve moved on from there but am still inspired by the modern quilting movement. There’s something so satisfying about older blocks remade in the bright, vibrant quilting cottons now available. An instagram photo led me to sotosewn and I’ve been enjoying looking at her quilts.