Mission Accomplished

Martina threw me for a loop earlier in the week when she told me she had nothing to wear to the Father/Daughter Dance, which is this evening.  Determined to save money, I scoured the interwebs for a relatively easy dress pattern.  I found it in the Marissa Dress (according to reviews by others who had used it). 

The theme of the dance is Alice in Wonderland, so I dove into my stash to pull a print that might be appropriate for a garden tea party.  I came up with an Amy Butler print, but Martina nixed it (though she has designated that fabric as a future skirt).  She chose, instead, a couple of Art Gallery Fabrics prints.

I've had this Spellbound print for a couple of years and haven't known what to do with it.  I think Martina made the perfect choice for the Alice garden party theme.  She's wise beyond her (nine) years.  Here's a close-up of the cummerbund:

   
I absolutely adore Floral Elements.  I have about ten colors sitting in my stash waiting to be turned into something beautiful. 

I'm really pleased with the pattern.  It looks complicated, but the instructions are very clear and easy-to-follow, complete with pictures (or images) of each step.  The only trouble I had is with the zipper installation, but that's user error and no fault with the pattern.  I may purchase the Jamie Dress pattern (the grown-up version of this dress) and make one for myself!

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Squeaky Wheel

The next couple of projects are all about Martina.  After Antonio's quilt was finished, of course she asked about her quilt, and rightly so.  The first quilt, blogged here, just needs the binding stitched down.  She's going to use it until her Poetica quilt is completed, at which time Old Girl will become a family quilt.

My February entry for ALYOF is said Poetica quilt.  I've either got a few more blocks to make, or I've got too many.  I put them up slapdash on my makeshift design wall (which has since fallen into a sad heap on the floor, blocks and all) and think it may look a little too busy.  I think it needs sashing to calm down the crazy, in which case there will be extra blocks.  Martina may get a pillow as well!

Before I start piecing the Poetica quilt, however, we have a little bit of an emergency project .  Martina's school is hosting a Father/Daughter dance Friday evening, and Martina informed me she has nothing to wear.  She's gone through a growth spurt the past couple of months, and her dresses are too short or snug.  I spent the morning searching for a dress pattern and purchased the Marissa Dress at Jennifer Paganelli's Sis Boom shop.  I'm considering these fabric combinations:

Of course, it's all subject to the little lady's approval.  She may go rogue and choose neither of them.  We shall see what she decides when she gets home from school today.

Linking up to A Lovely Year of Finishes at Fiber of All Sorts and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Block for Mia

Last year I responded to a call for donation blocks from Val at Pink Please!  String blocks, donated by quilters everywhere, were made into a gorgeous quilt by Val and auctioned off by the Heroes Foundation.  The quilt raised a whopping $1,000!  You can see that wonderful quilt and read about it here.

This year, Val is asking for wonky improv circles.  I put off making the block for as long as I could because it's outside my comfort zone.  Once I started working on the block, it was actually quick and quite fun.

When I made last year's string block, I didn't know anyone personally who had passed away from cancer.  This year's block has special meaning for my family.  We lost a friend to cancer on Christmas Eve.  And because I am getting teary-eyed as I write this, I will not go into her story just now.  But Mia, my friend, this block is for you.