My friend Michele finished her tiny village:
And I made a couple of tops for myself.
Both these were made from quilting cotton. The one with all the letters (they say nothing, so don’t try too hard) was from the sale shelf and I made this boxy top to try out a pattern. The border print was a bolt end that I found while browsing (when I probably should have stayed home, but oh well).
So it was a fun, low-stress week! Do you make clothes? If so, what patterns do you like?
Zippy Quilts 
I started sewing clothes around fifth grade. Some outfits I liked and some I didn’t. When knits were new I learned to make lingerie. I also learned to make jeans and made some with counted cross stitch designs in the back pockets—that was when pocket design was “in” but it didn’t yet have to be brand-name. Then my girls’ tastes changed.
Then i got into quilting and abandoned garment sewing.
http://knitnkwilt.wordpress.com/
Really, I mostly make quilts because they’re WAY more likely to fit than the clothing I make…
My sentiments exactly!
I like the arrangement of the tiny houses in a wedge/pointy circle – very creative.
Ma taught me to sew (on the machine) around when I was in 5th grade. In girl scouts, I had to make a dirdle skirt for some sort of badge – it was unwearable as it made me look like an elephant in a tutu (and I wasn’t fat, either!) After that introduction to patterns, my first successful wearable item was an A-line skirt complete with zipper in later sessions with my Ma. I continued to sew clothes throughout my growing up & adulthood & for my kids, etc. I even stitched up the ring bearers dress for my eldest daughter & my own bridesmaid dress – both in slippery satin – for my brother’s wedding back in the day! UGH!!! I’m happy to have this skill, but get frustrated with the actual patterns I choose. So I haven’t attempted anything in quite a long time.
In truth, about 1 out of 4 items I make is actually wearable in public, so it’s not cost effective. But making clothes doubles as entertainment and of course a challenge!
I think in terms of being cost effective and/or thrifty, that stopped sometime in the late 70s.
Those are so amazing finishes! The village quilt is adorable and I really like the top with the typewriter letter fabric!
Thanks, Tierney!
Nice shares, Mary! I’ve seen that circular town/village quilt numerous times, and each one looks a bit different depending on fabrics, of course. And I like your tops too! I believe the one on the left is a Cielo top, right? That’s a pattern I’ve made four times, though the first two are different sizes than three and four! Yep, resizing patterns is typical for me. And, since February I’ve lost 12 pounds, and that has drastically changed the size of my upper torso (Why does weight always come off where you don’t want it to come off?) Like you, I think it’s a bit challenging but also fun to sew clothing, for a change from quiltmaking. Now I’m attempting to crochet a summer cardigan for myself! Let’s see how that ends up fitting! (Yikes!)
You have made some very nice clothing, but it certainly isn’t as easy to fit as a quilt!
Exactly! It takes time and patience to make a pattern fit one’s body. Well… it takes time and patience to make a quilt too, but “fit” doesn’t matter. 🙂
Lovely tops.
I don’t much enjoy making clothes, but do make my own nightshirts — also from quilting cotton
Times have changed from when we used to make almost all our clothing! Probably for the better.
Just climbing back into garment sewing, encouraged by my sister, who is a Merchant & Mills devoteé, so I’ve purchased some of those myself and have made a couple of dresses. Fun to see the tiny village quilt — always a winner!!
Thanks. I did check out Merchant & Mills.