Mod Meow - RBD Project Tour, Tutorial & Giveaway!

A tisket, a tasket, it's a cute little basket!

Bloem Basket featuring Mod Meow by Amanda Niederhauser for Riley Blake Designs

Mod Meow fabrics have a fun retro vibe to them, reminiscent of the colors of Pyrex glassware we used when I was a kid.  Plus, kitties!

Love this border print!  It was perfect to feature on the bag.

And I can't get enough of these selvages!

The kitty motifs inspired me to make a darling ensemble for my little granddaughter's 2nd birthday.  For starters, I made this fun bag at a recent quilt retreat (socially distanced, of course!).  It's a combo of a drawstring bag and a sturdy basket.  What's inside??  Let's tuck the drawstring section down inside the basket and take a look!

It's a T-shirt dress!  Perfect for a two-year-old!  

I've made a few of these in the past for my own little girls and for charity projects.  Here's how:

Supplies:  
One size 2 t-shirt, pre-washed.

1/4 to 1/2 yard cotton fabric, pre-washed.

Instructions:

1)  CUT the skirt piece 8-1/2" x 40".  I measured the circumference of the shirt, then doubled that for this full of a skirt.  You know, so she can twirl!  For smaller-sized t-shirts like this, it's about the width of fabric.  (For less gathers, measure 1-1/2 times the circumference of the shirt|). For the length on a small child, measure from the hip to about the middle of the knee cap.

2)  Make a French Seam.  With wrong sides together, STITCH the short ends of the skirt piece together using 1/4" seam allowance.  Trim the seam to 1/8", then press the skirt right sides together along the seamline.  STITCH again using 1/4" seam allowance, enclosing the raw edges of the seam.  You now have a nice seam that will never fray, and a large circle for the skirt.

3)  PRESS the hem up 1/2", then tuck the raw edge inside that fold and STITCH 1/4" hem.

4)  TRIM the bottom of the T-shirt straight across, about an inch or two below the waistline, then MARK the center front and center back.  MARK the skirt tube in quarters either with a small notch or pin.

5)  GATHER << (see tutorial) the raw edges of the skirt by stitching a couple of rows of long stitches, about 3/8" and 1/2" from the raw edge.  Turn the skirt inside out and insert the T-shirt.  With right sides together, MATCH  the center front, center back and side seams of the shirt with corresponding marks on the skirt and PIN in place. GATHER the skirt to fit the t-shirt.  Use plenty of pins to secure.

6)  STITCH the skirt to the t-shirt using 5/8" seam allowance.  Finish the edges with a serger or overcast stitch, and PRESS the seam toward the shirt. Click HERE for a general printable instruction sheet.

 

A little leftover snippet from the border print makes a cute pocket!

But wait, there's more!  IT'S A KITTY!!  All wrapped up in his own little quilt!

Introducing "Cat Nap"!  This charming little mini quilt was made using precut 5" squares.  

"Cat Nap" mini quilt, 15" x 18" featuring  Mod Meow and RBD Stripe Basics

This was such a fun little quilt to make, and the lap quilt version is just as fun, using 10-inch precut squares!  I'm working on that one in my spare time and will write up the pattern soon.  Stay tuned!   

I ♥ the stripe for binding on this little quilt and on the bag.  

All in all, it made a sweet ensemble for my sweet little granddaughter on her birthday!!  

And when she does let go of the kitty (if ever), it will have a nice little place to sleep!

Mod Meow is now in shops! Amanda, aka @jedicraftgirl has compiled this LIST of retail and online shops carrying her fabric, or you can look online or ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Find more inspiration, visit
Jessica @ JessicaDayon
Carol @ JustLetMeQuilt.com 

Kari @ That'sSoKari

Happy Quilting!

~~~

Now for a GIVEAWAY:

Would you like a little stack of 5" squares, supplies, and the first draft of the Cat Nap quilt pattern to make your own little "Cat Nap" mini quilt?  

To enter, answer one of these questions: 
* How many kitties did I have to make for the mini quilt?  Take a guess and leave a comment. 
* Can you think of a different name for the quilt?    I wanted to call it ConCATenation, which means something about string theory, or stringing a series of items together and these are strings of cats... yeah.  I thought not.  So I settled on Cat Nap - which I thought was perfect for the mini quilt.  Maybe you have a better idea for a name? Leave a comment.

* Answer both questions for two entries.

I'll draw for the winner on March 5th after 5 pm.  Meow, good luck!

All Aboard! RBD Project Tour

Welcome, Thomas!  Thomas the Tank Engine, that is!  

Thomas is a loveable little steam engine character from "The Railway" series of books written in 1945 by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry.  My kids have been friends with Thomas since they were small and could watch his sweet little show on PBS. 

Now it's time to introduce the next generation to Thomas the Tank Engine!  This is an adorable line of fabric, All Aboard! with Thomas and Friends, licensed by Guilane (Thomas) Ltd. for Riley Blake Designs. 

Thomas is the star of this sweet line of fabric, also featured in a panel.  With such fun details, it needs nothing more than a few borders to grow it into the perfect-sized lap quilt or kid's quilt.  My go-to is a Simple Sadie, the quickest quilt in the west; minimal fabrics, maximum results!

All Aboard! Simple Sadie lap quilt, 53" x 61" by Deonn Stott

We have a little train in our small town affectionately called the "Heber Creeper", and often enjoy train rides through our picturesque valley.   Thomas the Tank Engine himself has come to visit our train station in the past!  Click HERE to see when he may come to your town for a visit!   

Down by the station, early this morning was a perfect setting for our photoshoot!  (Are you singing that train song in your head?)  ♪♫ Chug, chug, toot, toot!  Off we go!

Engineer Devin said "Hi" to Thomas.

And somewhere on the tracks.... 

Can't wait to introduce Thomas to my little grandson!  Find All Aboard! with Thomas and Friends fabrics online or ask for it at your local retail quilt shop!  

Happy Quilting!

For more inspiration, visit:
Jessica Dayon
Bee Sew Inspired

New Challis Blouse ~ RBD Project Tour

Showcasing some of Riley Blake Design's new Designer Apparel fabric this week! It's 100% Rayon Challis (pronounced "shall-e") by Mimi G Style for RBD, and I think my new blouse turned out really fun!  

This fabric feels so soft, is lightweight, drapes beautifully, and for a silky-slick fabric, it was decent to sew.  Before I started, I looked online for practical tips for sewing with Challis.  It's recommended to pre-wash before sewing, then hang to dry, but I went ahead and dried it in the dryer before I cut it out.  I know myself. *Ü*

I lowered the heat on the iron and tried to be careful not to press folds where I didn't want them, as it seems to hold a press, probably until the next washing.  It responded well to starch too, the clear kind.  I used super-fine glass-head pins - lots of them, which was also helpful.  I broke out the serger, which I haven't used for ages, and which really helped tame the edges when it came time to hem.  I even used the arm of my sewing machine to edge-stitch the bands around the sleeve.

Kwik Sew pattern 3601 was a great pattern to use - simple lines, easy "inside-out" facings, and was a nice way to try out this specialty fabric!  Sometimes in my quilting frenzy, I forget how enjoyable it is to make garments for myself.

All in all, it was a pleasure to sew, and now I have a cute, fun blouse that may even up my game as a Groovy Granny. Who knows?

Check out some practical tips for sewing with Challis HERE.  Mimi G Rayon Challis is available now at local and online quilt shops.

More terrific Challis projects:
Becca @ SunflowerSeams
Kari @ That'sSoKari
Ang in La-La-Land