Featherty Sews

ISO UFOs

2011-08-12T10:49:00.001-05:00

Wow, it's been almost two months since I've posted. It seems like the blink of an eye, and also an eternity. Two months ago, our house has just gone on the market and the summer was stretching out in front of us with loads of possibilities. Two months later, my husband and I are separated, the For Sale sign is gone, and our uncertain futures are stretching out in front of us.

It's been quite a summer. To give you some idea of what it's been like, I started this post two weeks ago.

You'd think with all of this I'd need a diversion and would maybe have been sewing and posting, right? Well, apparently sewing takes way more brain power than I have right now, because the few things I have tried to put together haven't gone so well.

I made shorts from Burda 06-2011-111. I had found what I thought was a super cute linen-blend with wild zebra print all over it. Perfect for a mini skirt or a pair of shorts, so I thought I'd have a go of the shorts pattern. YUCK. The pattern is fine, but I decided to include the front pleats, which I hated. The fabric's weave was too loose for clothing and too stiff for pleats. The combination was a colossal fail.

Then I fell in love with Amy Butler's new Soul Blossoms rayon prints, and ordered this pink border print from Fabric.com. I cut it out in Burda 07-2011-101. No big deal, right? Simple dress. Except that I somehow managed to cut the front and back all wrong, leaving my front six inches longer than the back and forcing me to cut the border print off!
Anyway, the moral of the story is I am not quite yet emotionally ready to sew again. So instead I've set about finishing some unfinished objects, with mixed results. So far I've managed to take off the uninterfaced waistband on these trouser jeans, interface it, and re-attach it. I still haven't hemmed them.

Thanks for your patience. I'll be back soon, hopefully with the Soul Blossoms rayon dress to show for my absence. **crossing fingers**

the Lekala drawstring top

2011-06-06T11:24:00.005-05:00

I'm sure you've all read by now, but the Russian pattern site Lekala has their designs free for download, as long as you can use a Burda size 44. I went to the site, and fell for this dress, drawstrings and all.

So off I went, printing and taping the pages together, cutting and plotting how I was going to make a size 44 fit. I'm usually a 40 or 42. I found that the Lekala patterns whose lines are printed single, do not include seam allowances. I double-checked, and my pattern was single so voila! I would simply stitch it up on the serger, reducing the seams by about 1/4" all around. Remarkably, this worked and the top fits.

I wanted to make it up as a top in order to determine how well I'd like it as a dress? I'm still torn. It's pretty fitted and I don't know that I want to put that over my butt. Also, the back pieces are different, so there's a center seam down the back and that means there's a possibility of a crooked seam running over my butt.

I had this piece of stripe left over from a previous project, and I like it. Of course I like it, I like stripes! But I could kick myself - I cut the bottom off about two inches too short for my taste.

Anyhoo, if you haven't checked out Lekala's patterns yet, take a gander. You may have to tweak the sizing and there are no english instructions, but a free pattern is a free pattern! I translated the instructions from Russian on two different sites and still ended up winging it.

Whew, two projects snuck into my "no sewing" time. Score!

the I love stripes and ruching top - McCall's 6356

2011-06-04T12:03:00.004-05:00

Whew, I snuck this one in with barely anyone noticing. Shhhh! I'm not supposed to be sewing. We put our house on the market last week and it's been all I can do to make sure it remains organized and clean. Clean is an understatement, it actually appears antiseptic right now but apparently that's what buyers want.

After all the organizing, staging, decluttering and more decluttering, I snuck downstairs one evening and cut out this McCall's 6356 pattern in a lovely lightweight knit I picked up at Hancock's for $2 a yard. My husband was fiddling with one of his old cars, I knew I had a short window of time.

Have I mentioned before that I love stripes? And that I love ruching? In my mind, you could ruche every surface of my body and I'd be happy. So I thought this pattern would be the perfect marriage of figure-flattering and stripes. Because I love me some stripes.

I can tell you I will wear this top all summer long. It's lightweight like a whisper and since it's already 97 degrees here today, that's very welcome.

What I don't like about it, can you see how far down those armholes dip?! It's insane! I am shocked my bra band doesn't show, but it doesn't. Oh, and my twin needle gave me fits on this feathery fabric and rolled the neckline collar, piercing a huge hole in it. I just turned it down some more and stitched it again.

I left the hem natural after that disaster, and with all the ruching and rolling I think it looks fine.

My next project is another stripey knit top, already cut out and waiting for 30 free minutes when I don't have to fold and put away laundry. Or wipe down a bathroom surface. Or empty trash cans. Or cut the grass.. sigh.

Does wishing count?

2011-05-15T13:06:00.003-05:00

I'm not sewing right now. My recent trip to Vogue Fabrics was a bit of a bust. I was in such a mood, I only walked out with one piece of silk fabric to make the Vena Cava shift dress from Vogue.

For whatever reason, I struggled through the construction of that very simple dress. At one point in trimming seam allowances for the French seam, I cut into the body fabric. At every turn, my own mojo (or lack of) was pushing against me. Finally, I set it down and walked away.

See, we're going to be listing our house for sale in a week or two, and I kind of think this was God's way of telling me "Heather, you're supposed to be staging and de-cluttering, not sewing." Ok, ok.

So de-cluttering it is! No more new messes, cleaning up the old ones. I have a basket full of fabrics and patterns I need to give away. If I get organized enough, I'll just post them here for the takers. If not, I'll have to drop them at a Goodwill. Can't keep everything!

But you know what's a silver lining in all this lack-of-creativity? I was working in the sewing room yesterday, de-cluttering, organizing, packing things away into Rubbermaid containers. I stopped to lose myself in my back issues of Burda magazine, and there it was! While I can't sew for the next month or so, what I can do is trace patterns.

All of the designs that I hated when they came out? Now I love them! I must be about a year behind the Burda designers. What I thought was weird last summer I think is genius this summer.

So my roll of Swedish tracing paper is at the ready, as is my newly purchased tracing wheel (apparently my three-year-old's favorite tool of mom's to lose is the tracing wheel). Hopefully by the time my mojo returns and my domestic situation settles, I'll have all sorts of patterns to choose from. Wish me luck.

By the way, does anyone need a box full of silk scraps from old kimonos? They'd make an awesome obi belt. Email me.

To the holy land, via Southwest

2011-05-01T14:03:00.003-05:00

I have to travel again this week for work. I was quite pained when I heard this news, until I heard where I'll be going. Chicago.

Suddenly, although the pain of travelling and missing my kids wasn't lessened, there seemed to be a little light at the end of the tunnel.

Vogue Fabrics. I haven't stepped foot in that store for something like 18 years? My mom and I went a few times when I was in high school and college. It will be so great to be in there as an adult, with my re-found interest in sewing for myself.

I set about making my travel plans with two things in mind - I wanted to leave after my kids go to school so I can see them off in the morning, but with enough time to cab it over to the store and back before my meeting starts.

I chose the lovely Southwest Airlines as my carrier. I love Southwest. They're cheap, they're friendly, their flights are on time almost all the time, and best of all - bags fly free! I'm packing this afternoon, and although it feels a little crazy, I'm actually packing my smaller roller bag and then I'm going to zip it into my large roller bag. That way if I do happen to find any lovelies at Vogue Fabrics, I'll have plenty of bag space to bring it home - for free!

I'm going with my new determination to dress more chicly in mind. Silks will be welcome, especially ones that are washable. I have plenty of jerseys and knits but I wouldn't be opposed to welcoming something new into the mix, like silk or linen jersey.

Wish me luck, I hope to be back with a post full of excitement from my trip to the Holy Land.

Coverstitch or Blind hem machine?

2011-04-30T10:43:00.003-05:00

I ~~need~~ want a new toy. I thought I wanted a coverstitch machine, and the lady at my quirky little Eunice Farmer fabric store almost had me convinced to get a BabyLock a few weeks ago. Now I'm not so sure.

What's the difference between a blind hem machine and a coverstitch machine? I basically want the ability to make clean finished hems on knits (the double-needle version without using two machines), and I'd also like to be able to add some of those fancy external seams on knit shirts that are all over my ready-to-wear clothes.

To see an example of the fancy seams, check out this jacket from Lululemon. If you look at the detailed picture, you can see what I mean. Maybe I could replicate the look just by topstitching on my sewing machine? I've convinced myself I'd sew more for my boys if I could make knits that have those details.

Any insight y'all could give me would be awesome, as I'm totally clueless when it comes to anything outside of a serger or sewing machine. Let's face it, the serger is a mysterious creature to me, too, but we've developed a happy little friendship despite the fact that I never change her needles.

Also in the news around here, I've found a new source of inspiration. My next door neighbor is a bench scientist at Wash U. His lab has some sort of sister-school-lab in Sweden, and this year there is a young couple from Sweden doing a rotation here.

The wife, Elin, is one of the most chic women I have ever met. The first time I saw her was at a barbecue, where she was wearing an adorable shift dress in the most outrageous red and purple zebra stripe I've ever seen. Somehow, instead of looking garish, it was phenomenal. The next time we met, she was wearing black leggings under a taupe silk tunic/dress with military details like gold buttons and epaulets on the shoulders. Even their baby girl dresses better than I do.

Oh, and before I forget? She's pregnant. So she probably looks even more pulled together when she's not pregnant. Anyway, I've decided to try to track down Swedish fashion resources as inspiration because I am completely dismayed at my frumpy closet. I've spent the last few weeks pulling out my summer things and putting away winter, and it disgusts me.

I'm dressing so casually I think I've have to dress up to go to yoga class (not that I do that, but if I did). I only wear pants or shorts. My tees are overworn and overwashed. My work clothes are OK, not phenomenal by any means, but it's the casual clothing that's embarassing.

I have a stack of darling silks just ready to make up, so I'm going to work on my plans while I wait for my sewing machine to come back from the shop. {sound of fingers drumming on desk} Where is that machine already?!!

Christian Dior

2011-04-25T19:07:00.003-05:00

It was raining this afternoon when I picked my kids up from school. What to do? Why, stop at TJMaxx, of course. The real reason was that I have to go to Denver for another meeting this week and I feel sorely lacking in anything to wear. So I was hoping to come upon something lovely to take with me. Didn't happen.

What did happen, was I lucked upon this blouse. A Christian Dior blouse. For $399.99.

To clarify, this is the TJMaxx that carries high end designer labels. Chloe, Gucci, Prada, etc. I got a beautiful Gucci bag there a few years ago that is still my daily handbag.

This blouse caught my eye for one reason alone - the price tag. Four hundred dollars, for a white cotton short-sleeved blouse. I inspected it inside and out, trying to determine what could have possibly been worth the original price tag of $750 and I'm sorry to say I came up empty-handed.

It's white cotton, albeit a very fine cotton with a lovely hand. It has a banded collar and an open placket that closes at a very cute, refined bow. It has a skirted bottom section that's simply gathered. The most detailed part of the entire blouse are some well-placed tucks in the front placket that form fullness for the bust.

To be fair, I did not try this on. Maybe once I did I'd be awed by the fit and have a moment whereby angels sing on high and I suddenly support the price tag. I doubt it.

Instead, what I have is inspiration! I love some of the details on this blouse, so I've added it to my already too long To-Do list, and I hope to get started just as soon as I get back from Denver. Again.

the Francophile giveaway - Marie Claire Idees magazines

2011-04-24T18:19:00.000-05:00

Onward and upward with the de-cluttering giveaways. For the last few years I've subscribed to the lovely magazine from France, Marie Claire Idees. It really is a wonderland of creative inspiration. Check out these covered buttons, they're embroidered!

From skincare to decorating to sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, and cooking, this magazine covers it all. In the back of each issue is a glossary of patterns and instructions on how to make each of the projects. I know I've received more than five issues, but thanks to my stellar organizing skills I can only find five issues.

This giveaway is for five issues of Marie Claire Idees magazine, namely Nos. 76, 77, 78, 83 and 84 (now I know what's missing, eh?).

I'll ship them anywhere in the world. To enter, just leave a comment (with your email if it's not included on your Blogger profile), and the winner will be chosen on Friday, April 29 at 5:00 p.m. CST by random.org. Good luck!

And just in case you missed it, I'm also giving away four knitting books, so check this post for details.

Do you knit? Do you want a knitting book? Then this is the giveaway for you.

2011-04-23T20:12:00.006-05:00

Le sigh. We have reached the point in every spring when my husband and I vehemently agree we can no longer live in this house, and we agree that we will sell it and move to a more appropriate house forthwith.

At which point I feverishly set about decluttering, organizing, cleaning and stressing. In the past, which of course will NOT be this year, things very rapidly fall apart after this point aannnnnd we're still in this house.

'What's wrong with the house?' you ask. Eh, this is a sewing blog which means I try my best not to swear and bore you with details about heating and cooling systems or water drainage. Let's just say it's not for me. I bought it as a single lady and things have changed.

Anyhoodle, I spent the better part of yesterday and today attacking my home office. I work out of my house, so this was quite a daunting task. Mixed in with sixteen hundred power cords to various computer gadgets I no longer own was a wealth of books that I am no longer interested in ~~moving to the next house~~ reading.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some books. I buy sewing books just so's I can look at them. And no too long ago I bought knitting books for that very same reason.

I can knit. I can, really. I just don't. One of these days (today! I vow it is today!) I will realize that and stop buying knitting books.

So, my ~~OCD~~ clutter problem is your gain. I am hereby giving away four lovely knitting books (along with a photo of one of the darling projects that lured me into buying it).

Itty Bitty Nursery by Susan B. Anderson (hardback)

easy baby knits by Claire Montgomerie (softback)

Modern Top-Down Knitting by Kristina McGowan (hardback)

Stitch 'n Bitch by Debbie Stoller (softback)

If you would like to be the new owner of one of these lovelies, just leave a comment as an entry by Friday, April 29 at 5:00 p.m. CST. If you have a preference for which book you'd like, let me know that in your comments. If your email is not linked to your blogger profile, please leave it so I can get a hold of you.

I'll ship these anywhere (just not to my new house), so international entries are perfectly fine.

Good luck!

I'm not supposed to be sewing while I'm organizing so my machine is conveniently at the shop. Stay tuned, I may get inspired to give away something else tomorrow (when I tackle my sewing stash).

Vogue 1250 - the easiest Donna Karan dress, ever

2011-04-16T17:47:00.001-05:00

I had to fly to Denver for the day yesterday (I live in St. Louis), and happened to find myself parked next to a Joann's on my way to my lunch appointment. Well, looky here, the Vogue patterns were on sale for $3.99 and me with an hour to kill...what to do, what to do.

You know what I found out? Reading through pattern instructions is an awesome way to kill time on a plane. I picked up eight of the new ones that I'd been eyeballing, and by the time I got home last night I was super excited to start Vogue 1250, a cowl-neck Donna Karan dress pattern for knits.

This past winter I bought one of my favorite fabrics ever online, a black and cream Theory knit from Emma One Sock. It was $20 a yard, probably one of the most expensive fabrics I've ever ordered! When it got here, though, it was worth every penny. It feels like heaven and I love the graphic sweater print.

As soon as I saw Vogue 1250, I knew it would be perfect for this fabric. It also helped that the lovely and talented Carolyn made this same pattern this week in a black and white print, so I knew it would work.

The pattern does not disapoint. I cut a straight 14, adding an inch at the waistline and 1/2" at the hem because that's all the fabric I had. I also extended the cowl by about 1/2" but there is easily room to add 3" or more to make sure that baby stays tucked down while you're wearing it.

I ended up tacking the cowl in the center front to make sure it won't flip. You can't even see seams in this fabric, so I knew a few tacking stitches wouldn't show.

The worst part about the whole project was my own serger. The seams were rippling, the stitches were packed together, the whole experience was frustrating me! It was literally almost the very end (of the very short five-step patterns) when I realized I'm a complete idiot. The tension setting bar had been pulled down (two guesses who did that) and it was set to ripple! So the serger is happily doing exactly what I asked it to do, and I was all boo-hooing my ripply seam over my butt.

After I adjusted it and fixed the offending seams, I was much happier and the dress looks better.

I think this is a super versatile pattern because in a solid you can appreciate the seaming and lines, and in a print there aren't too many construction details to break up the pattern. Also, in a sweater and boots it's totally practical for winter-ish weather too. Don't get me wrong, I don't expose my legs in the dead of winter, but there are plenty of weeks before and after that to wear this.

The fit is pretty good. If only I could come to grips with the fact that my bottom half is a 16, not a 14, I think it would look better. Oh, well, live and learn.

What would a blog post of mine be without the resident co-dependent dog joining in the fun?

Next up on the cutting table, a pair of camel tropical wool trousers for work. I'm going to tweak Simplicity 2700 again and get it right this time, if it kills me. Also? I'm determined to add a tuxedo stripe down the side, don't ask me why. Stay tuned...

the Crissy Snow top

2011-04-06T20:33:00.010-05:00

I could also call this top "Here Comes Some Cleavage."

A while back I spent an entire evening scouring the vintage pattern offerings on Etsy and eBay, looking for something that I could make out of knit. My daily (non-working) uniform tends to be jeans or shorts and knit tops, but my sewing patterns were kind of lacking in the knit tops arena.

I came away from that with this beauty, Simplicity 7836, circa 1976. My initial plans were to make it into a mini-dress this summer.

Then I found a cute little pink and gray knit in the bargain section at Hancock's that totally reminded me of the whacky prints I find at Anthro, and I decided to make this pattern up in a top for my vacation next week.

As you ~~can~~ can't see, this top is awesome if you really like a looooow cut. Next time I'll bring the front up an inch, and probably the back too. I played with the idea of raising the shoulder seams, but I liked where the interesting yoke seaming hit and didn't want that any higher. So, cleavage it is. {Please excuse rumpled appearance. Spent the evening with my boys in the Chick-Fil-A playzone.}

The pattern was a size 12, which is at least one size smaller than what I normally cut, but considering knits in the seventies didn't stretch too far, I thought it would be ok. It fits remarkably well in the shoulders/bust area, just a small amount of gaping in the back that I could fix by using some clear elastic in the seam allowance. Luckily the fit is so good when I bend over there is no flashing.

I ommitted the center back zipper and cut it on the fold instead. Also, I wanted a little bit of fullness in the back as well as the front, so I basically cut the bottom skirt as a big square, and gathered the center section a little to match the back yoke.

I think it's actually kinda cute, and fairly current-looking. Either that, or I've totally gone off the vintage-pattern deep end. I hope not, I have a second vintage seventies pattern on the work table now and just inherited a box of kicky patterns from my mother-in-law. Yeehaw!

Lunar cycles top - an Anthro knockoff in progress

2011-04-05T09:00:00.006-05:00

I swear I'm not the queen of knockoffs, it's just that lately there have been quite a few things I've seen in stores (usually Anthropologie) that I think would be super easy to make.

Take the Lunar Cycles top, for instance. When I saw it in the store in February, I fell instantly in love. I was born in '72 and have a strong hippie streak running through my closet.

Despite its +$100 price tag, I brought it home with me.

Behold, the Lunar Cycles top. No longer available online or in stores because it was crazy popular. And behold the giant brown dog licking my feet as I posed for self-timed pictures. "Ruby! Don't lick off my self-tanner!"

Then I set about making another Lunar Cycles top, this time out of a black wavy patterned cotton eyelet I found at Joann's because you can never have too many Lunar Cycles tops, and if I have to type the words Lunar Cycles again I might shoot somebody.

Honestly, I'm just eh about my knockoff. I haven't quite gotten the elastic right in the front and back, the sleeves are a few inches too long, the bodice doesn't fit quite as snugly as the original, and I'm not loving the black.

Other than that, it's a total winner.

Sorry for the craptastic photos. Our kitchen is the only bright room in the house but morning sun isn't kind to the lighting. And I had just gotten out of the shower. I would have taken the pics on Lydia, but this top shows much better on a human with arms.

I will continue to tweak this top as I think I just may end up liking it after all, and oh by the way? I just realized I was wearing it backwards in these pictures. Oops. Remind me to install a tag, ok?

I've already started on a new knit top to take with me to Florida. It looks like my mojie may be making a comeback after all!

I need help.

2011-04-02T17:31:00.006-05:00

I have a bit of a problem. I'm hoping someone out there can help me.

With their entire stock 20% off recently, I knew I had to order this lovely charcoal gray silk piece from Fabric Mart.

When it arrived home, it was love at first sight. The stripes are horizontal and because they're made with contrast stitches, they add a very dimensional feeling to the fabric. I just think it's super cool.

I usually launder my silks before working with them but this piece had a fairly delicate feel to it, almost like I could break it if I tried. So instead of laundering it in my new machine (whole 'nother post on learning how to love a new washing machine coming up), I decided to treat it like I would a nice piece of interfacing, and just soak it in hot water and then hang it to dry.

Well, this is what happened when I did that. Holy cow. The "white" stitching isn't white, thank goodness, because the gray ran as though I had added RIT dye to the tub. I added salt to try to lock the color, but I don't think it did anything. Eventually I ran a cold rinse, and even that didn't run clear. It's still dripping dark gray water on my drying line.

So what would you do? Forge ahead and make the blouse I'm planning, but be sure to dry clean this piece every time? Or wash it in the machine and hope the color stops running? Is there a better way to lock the color without damaging the silk?

I imagine the hot water did the pre-shrinking trick, now I just need to figure out what to do about the color. I don't want to have a charcoal gray torso after wearing this thing!

Mojie?

2011-04-02T11:25:00.006-05:00

It's official, friends. I have lost my sewing mojo. I started two projects this past week, after hemming and hawing forEVER about what to make next, and both were tossed onto the UFO pile in disgust.

First up, a replica of Anthro's Intersecting Angles cardigan. It snowed seven inches here last weekend, and during my extreme hissy fit over that bit of bad news, I decided to make a warm stripey cardi. It just didn't quite work out that way. The body and sleeves are put together, but I'm not happy with the collar.

Turning instead to something I might be able to take with me on vacation, I made a mock-up of the Lunar Cycles top, also an Anthro offering (but no longer even pictured on the website?). I bought the original, so there was little I had to do except trace off the sections.

And guess what? I hate it. I made my knockoff out of black cotton eyelet and it's just not the same. I might finish it and give it away, or it might languish in the UFO bucket until I like it again.

The funniest part of all this was this morning, when I went down to the sweatshop to clean it up. My youngest son (he's three) came flying down after me and asked me to sew something.

"You sit here and sew, mommy, and I'll do the vackaboom."

"I can't sew right now, Grif, I can't find my mojo. Can't sew with no mojo."

"Oh. Mooojieeee! Where are you???!! Mooooojieeeeeee!"

So I obliged him, and started sewing up the beanbag chair covers I promised my mother-in-law sometime around Christmas. Oh, well, no time like four months past, right? I hope my mojo (and energy) comes back soon. I'm exhausted and ready for some fun.

It pays to shop around

2011-03-28T19:43:00.003-05:00

I'm peeved. Mostly at myself. I recently ordered a few rayon jersey ITY prints from Fabricmartfabrics.com and lo and behold, I just now saw that they're carrying the exact same prints at Fabric.com for $3 a yard less (the sale ends TODAY, so don't delay). Not to mention the free shipping once you hit $35, which I always seem to hit.

In case you're in the market for some cute jersey prints, check these out.

I ordered this green number, kind of whacky but I think (hope) I'm going to love it.

I also got this beautiful coral ikat jersey. LOVE. It's soft, and the colors in person are so summer.

Yes, I bought the purple peacock print. Love it, love it, love it. I am planning on making it up in a nice dress I can wear to work. Are peacocks appropriate for work? I think so.

This black abstract stripe is stunning. I didn't buy it because I have enough "darks" in my stash, but I think it's beautiful.

Anyway, hurry to Fabric.com if you're in the market for some fun ITY jersey prints. And remind me to shop around next time I fall in love online.

Making a Swimsuit - Constructing the Bottoms

2011-03-21T09:46:00.006-05:00

Oh sweet jellybeans, the bottoms are done! And if you've survived making the top, which isn't so bad right?, then the bottoms will seem like a breeze.

When last I left you, I'd finished the tank portion of the tankini, and all that was left was to whip up the -ini. Well, we had an interesting weekend full of stomach flu and lovely weather, so when we weren't inside tending to illness, we were outside cleaning out garden beds and getting the yard ready for spring. Trust me when I say, the bottoms take 30 minutes or less to construct.

As a reminder, I used Kwik-Sew 3608 for the bottoms, the same pattern I used in my first tankini. This time, I cut the Large because the Medium really liked to cut into my flesh, not an attractive look.

First, I serged the lining to the fashion fabric around the sides.

Serged the crotch seam together (pictured), then the side seams (not pictured).

Measured the clear elastic according to the Kwik-Sew instructions, and managed to finish with exactly the right amount of elastic! Whoo-hoo!

I followed the instructions to zig-zag the clear elastic to the leg openings, not stretching it along the front leg openings until you got down near the crotch, and then stretching all the way around the back. Essentially, you want stretch where you really want the bottoms to cup in and not flap loose, which is your crotch and bum.

Zig-zagged clear elastic around the waistband. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of these steps, but they are the same as the technique used in making the bust cups.

Turned the waistband and used double-needle to top-stitch waistband and leg openings.

Voila! Try it on, see what you think.

You know what I think? The Large definitely fits better than the Medium I made for this suit, but there are a few minor adjustments I could make next time.

I think the crotch is a touch wide. There's a bit of adundance in fabric down there and frankly, that isn't an area that's flattering with extra fabric. So next time I'll shave off 1/8" on each side, that should take care of it.

Other than that, I am pretty happy with how they turned out! I forgot to add a second pantyliner (I was concerned about modesty with the giant white dots) but so far I think it's going to be ok. I can go back and stitch one in later if I think it needs it.

So there you have it, a swimsuit with the process documented.

I've thought of a few edits to my prior posts, so if I go back and add them I'll be sure to add them in a different color so you can see what I realized after the fact.

Thanks for following along with me! Now, I must take a break from swimsuits. If I see another piece of lycra, I might want to hurt somebody. STEPPING AWAY FROM THE MACHINE.

Making a Swimsuit - Constructing the Top

2011-03-19T11:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to the blogodyssey that has become the Making a Swimsuit series. When last I left you, I had reviewed a few options for bust support after making a trial version of my tankini top and realizing it needed more support and I hated the back.

Today, I will outline in detail how I constructed the top to my orange and white polka dot tankini.

As a reminder, I used two Kwik-Sew patterns for a jumping off point - Kwik-Sew 3779 and 3608. I loved the styling of 3779 but I hate one-piece swimsuits so I borrowed the bottoms from 3608, which is a tankini pattern.

If you're going to make a Kwik-Sew pattern exactly as it is pictured, just follow their directions as I found them to be super. The construction order I'm using is slightly altered to accomodate my suit being two pieces with a different back design. Alrighty, here we go.

First, I basted the two sides of the midsection fashion fabric, gathering the sides to match the length of my lining fabric. I have found gathering swimsuit material and then stitching it onto another piece of fabric to be the absolute trickiest part of sewing a swimsuit! Those gathers want to flatten out as you sew. So, I pinned them well and then basted the lining and fashion fabric together with zig-zag stitches, pushing the gathers under the needle in an orderly fashion with a needle.

I wanted lots of shaping in the bust cups, so I then installed my swimsuit cups. I situated the cups for placement, then pinned and zig-zagged the cups around the lining fabric.

I attached the lining/cups to the bust pieces by serging all edges together, forming one piece.

I cut a piece of clear elastic two inches shorter than the neckline edge and a piece two inches shorter than the armhole edge, and zigzagged that elastic to the serged edge, stretching as I sewed to ensure it fit from end to end.

I turned the clear elastic to the inside, and used a stretch double-needle with polyester thread in the needles and wooly nylon in my bobbin to top-stitch down the neckline edges on both sides. As you can see, on one side my stitching got a little wonky, but I'm ok with it.

I gathered under the bust cups and pinned the bust sections to the top of the midsection piece, ensuring the lining was caught into the seam as well. Zig-zagged the seam to lock in the gathering stitches and test for placement, then serged over that zig-zagging to clean up all exposed edges.

I measured a piece of clear elastic 1.5" shorter than the width of the midsection/bust seama and zig-zagged it onto the seam allowance of that seam, stretching to fit end to end.

I was now at the point where I had to decide what to do about the back - do I make halter straps that tie behind my neck, or bra-like straps that attach to the back of the tank? I think I've decided on halter straps; they have a slightly more retro feel that goes along well with the giant polka dots. I went with halter straps.

In order to finish the back and armholes before installing halter straps, I cut a piece of clear elastic 15" long and zigzagged it to the upper edge of the back fabric. In hindsight, I think I would cut it a little longer, maybe 15 1/2".

I then turned the entire edge (back and armhole run together), and used my double needle to topstitch the edge all the way around.

I made halter straps by cutting two 2" wide strips of fabric, about 12" long (I wasn't sure how long I'd need them to tie). I serged them right sides together, and then inserted a safety pin as a bodkin at the top of each bust strap, feeding that into the strap, stitching closed, and then turning the strap right sides together.

Now for the LAST STEP!!! Double-needle topstitch your hem at the bottom of the suit. That's it, your top is done!

Wow, those are some powerful bust cups, huh? Next time, I think I'll go with a more low-profile insert. Live and learn.

Stay tuned tomorrow, we'll make the bottoms and then wear this baby out in the sun!

Making a Swimsuit - More about the girls

2011-03-17T18:12:00.007-05:00

I've gotten a lot of questions by email and comment, regarding support for the girls when making a swimsuit. As you can see from the first suit I made, I am dealing with two issues:

1. I really don't need a whole lot of support, sadly. Sniff, sniff. And,
2. I have a lot to learn about supporting what I do have.

So I've been researching both for myself and for anyone reading along with me, and I have a little bit of helpful information to report.

First, I did some retail reconnaissance over the past few days. Which means I spent a few hours browsing through Nordstrom and Everything But Water (a swimsuit store) to study the details of how expensive swimsuits are put together. Why expensive ones? I don't know, I was hoping to find some magic that made those suits worth $125 versus the ones I find at Target for $25.

I'm happy to report there are a few differences that are immediately evident.

First, bust support is critical.

You remember my first strapless tank? Well, lo and behold, not only did I probably need to stitch in bust cups and/or an underwire to defy gravity, but I also needed to add boning to the sides of the bust area for support. Boning! I forgot all about that when putting it together, and sadly Kwik-Sew didn't mention it at all. I will be going back and adding two strips of boning to the sides of my first tank to give the girls a little more oomph and keep the bust section from drooping.

Second, most of the expensive suits (Miraclesuit, Tommy Bahama, LaBlanca, etc.) had sewn-in bust support in the form of molded cups attached to the shelf-liner. So I am doing that with the current suit I'm making and I'll be sharing that technique in the first construction post, coming up.

I know a few people really need an underwire. In fact, most people can benefit from it so I think it's helpful to share this info. I found that many suits, even if they only had a shelf-liner for the bust, also had sewn-in underwires.

You can order the wires for an underwire at Sewsassy, as well as the channeling for the wires, which you'll need unless you like painful poking. A cheaper, greener way of avoiding all of that is to take an underwire bra you no longer wear and cut the banding and wire section off of it to sew onto a swimsuit liner.

I found my bra cup inserts at Hancock's, and since they're a Dritz notion I'm pretty sure you can find or order them almost anywhere. They ran kind of pricey at $11, though, so I recommend you stock up when you find a 40 or 50% off coupon.

Sewsassy also has a great selection of inexpensive swimsuit bra cups, so I am ordering a few of their different options so I can report back on how they look and feel.

I've also read quite a few people have used a Microtex needle (super sharp) when sewing nylon/lycra for swimsuits. I haven't tried that needle on this fabric although I do swear by them on finer cottons, so if you have experience using them then I say go for it.

Alrighty, I think that about covers the research I've done and hopefully my next post will be full of the putting together bits, yay!

Making a Swimsuit - a sidetrack of sorts

2011-03-16T17:55:00.001-05:00

I'm going to be re-cutting a new top to my swimsuit, so my first post on construction is delayed by a day or two. Why? Cause I don't like the way this looks in back. Instead of the u-shaped straps, I'm going to go with a sraight-across tank style which means changing the front straps to halter-style.

It's too short in the back. Once I hem it, it will be higher than I'd like. I adjusted the front for length, but forgot all about the back.

Once I get bra cups installed and the elastics hemmed and finished, I do think I'm going to like it.

Oh, and maybe there was a little bit of this going on. Oops! It's not that I don't want to show my failures, Lord knows there are plenty of them. It's just that I'd rather have a clean shot of construction without all my oops included.

So stay tuned! More progress on making a swimsuit tomorrow....

Making a Swimsuit - Preparations

2011-03-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

This is the first post in at least a two-part series on how to make a swimsuit. Make no mistake - I am no expert! But I recently finished making my first tankini and was remarkably surprised at how easy it was and how few resources there are out there in blogoland on how to make one. So here you go.

First, let me say that making a swimsuit is cheap-ER than buying ready-to-wear, but isn't exactly dirt cheap. There are a few specialized supplies you'll need, and I'll break down my costs as well.

You do NOT need a serger to make a swimsuit! I only used my serger on the side seams of the first suit I completed, and I could have easily skipped that and used my machine instead.

I'll be making Kwik-Sew 3779, View B (slightly modified) which looks remarkably similar to this Miraclesuit, doesn't it? In fact, View A looks remarkably similar to this Miraclesuit! Hmmm....

Supplies
You'll need a few specialized things to make a swimsuit.

First, nylon lycra fabric. Swimsuits need to stretch a LOT, so 3% lycra isn't enough. The fabric I am using is 10% lycra/90% nylon. It needs that much lycra for recovery. Thankfully, you can usually find swimsuit fabric at the major fabric chains, although the selection is horrible. I found the orange and white polka dot online at Spandex World. Another great resource is Spandex House, although you will need to call in a credit card to order with them. I paid $10 per yard for my fabric, and needed approximately one yard.

You'll also need swimsuit lining. This is a critical item because without it you'll have a bit of trouble maintaining any sort of decency. There are different levels of quality, stretch, and cost to swimsuit lining. The first piece I tried stretched quite a bit (good) but was fairly meshy and didn't recover very well (bad). Lining that doesn't recover ends up bagging in the butt when your suit is wet. I found a nice, smooth, stretchy nude lining at Joann's for $10 per yard. I only needed 1/2 yard of lining.

Another option for swimsuit lining is the more expensive Powerknit, also called Powermesh or girdle fabric (pictured below). You can find it online at Sewsassy and Spandex House, as well as eBay and a few other sources. It usually has 15% or 20% lycra, and can be used to line a swimsuit when you'd like to replicate a Miraclesuit with the control panel. It's powerful! I am not using it in this project, but in a future suit I'll be showing how to line the front with Powermesh and what a difference it makes.

Bulky Nylon thread. I used this in each of my serger loopers (dusty serger back pictured), as well as in the bobbin of my sewing machine. It stretches very nicely and can hold up to water, chlorine, perspiration and sunscreen. The downside? It's expensive. Each spool at Joann's cost $5.99, so I stock up on them when thread goes on sale. Last time I paid $3 per spool, but it should last through quite a few swimsuits. To wind my bobbin, I set the machine speed at the lowest so it wouldn't stretch the thread too tightly as it wound.

Stretch or ball-point needles. I'm using a Schmetz 75-11.

Clear elastic or swimsuit elastic for the leg and neck openings. For an under-bust shelf liner you can use regular elastic, although the type with one brushed side is more comfortable.

Another option to basting on the machine (you will be basting the lining pieces to the fabric) is to use double-sided Magic Tape, which washes away in water.

OK, I think you're ready to get started!

So, first thing? Have a little patience. Lay out your fabric and lining, and let it breathe overnight. It sounds crazy, but lycra needs to rest and retreat to its natural weave before you cut into it. If you pull it straight out of the bag and starting cutting, you can end up with pieces stretched out of shape or off grain, and when the lycra goes back to straight grain (it will go back to straight grain, I promise you) then your entire piece could be off-kilter.

Once it's laid out for a minimum of twelve hours, you can cut out your pattern. I traced my Kwik-Sew pattern onto gridded pattern paper first, making my adjustments (tankini vs. one-piece, wider straps in back, etc).

Be sure to pin within the seam allowance on nylon-lycra, as pins can leave permanent holes in the fabric.

I take my cut pieces and lay them on top of my lining fabric, cutting that with a rotary cutter. You can cut the entire thing with a rotary cutter if you have space, but sharp scissors work just as well. One tip I have is to cut your lining fabric an 1/8" of an inch smaller on the sides than your lycra. This will cause it to stretch and not bag in the center. I only did this on the bottoms.

And now you're ready to get started sewing!

The one where I make a swimsuit and realize I need to go on a diet

2011-03-13T16:52:00.003-05:00

GULP. This is like posing in your underwear.

I made a tankini this weekend. I don't know why, because it's 45 degrees and cloudy outside today, but I have been craving warmth and sunshine so badly I decided to try my hand at swimwear.

And I'll be damned, I made a swimsuit. I'm kind of stunned, because swimwear and bras are the two things I've never considered making for myself. Ever. Well, I take that back. I considered swimwear last year but chickened out.

I started out with Kwik-Sew 3779. I like strapless swimsuits, despite my clear lack of natural uplift. I don't like tan lines. Instead of a one-piece concoction, which I cannot wear due to some weird misengineering of my body, I wanted a tankini. So I stole the bottoms pattern from Kwik-Sew 3608. I made a Medium in both pieces, which is clearly too small on the bottom half and possibly too small on top. Check out how it cuts into my sides? Yeah, that's cause it's too tight.

I wrote up a pattern review here, but I wanted to add some of the more gory details.

For one, I threaded my serger with wooly nylon. It's actually called bulky nylon if you go looking for it in stores, and I've only found it locally at Joann's. That was some feat because my serger is a jet-air threader and those wooly threads don't love being forced through the machine at jet speed.

I also threaded my sewing machine with wooly nylon in the bobbin thread and 100% polyester thread in the needle. I wound the bobbin on the slowest speed so it wouldn't stretch too tight.

I made the top with this method, and so far it looks like it was a good idea. When I made the bottoms, I switched to wooly nylon in the needle of the sewing machine and had nothing but problems, so I guess I don't recommend that. But my Bernina, she can be feisty. And right now she's in the midst of breaking down so it may have been a combination of all of the above that caused my problems.

When I had the wooly nylon in the bobbin and the needle, the needle thread kept fluffing up on me. So much so that I actually had to take my small scissors and trim the fluff afterwards.

I used clear elastic for the leg openings and the waistband on the bottoms, and then for the top it calls for 3/4" elastic. So that's what I used, just regular old elastic. No complaints here about any of that.

I lined the top with a stretchy swimsuit lining I think I ordered last year from Spandexworld.com. Honestly, it's crap. It's kind of a very stretchy mesh and you can just tell when it gets wet it's going to stretch out and droop. So I lined the bottoms (much more critical lining technique unless you want baggy pants) with a very stretchy smooth nude swimwear lining I bought recently at Joann's. If you want more control over your tummy, you can use girdle fabric as lining, too. I have some Powernet I ordered from Sewsassy.com but didn't feel like this busy pattern needed it.

Let's see, what else? Oh, yeah, the boobs. This design is strapless with a shelf liner. I doubled the liner and on the layer most close to the body, I left the sideseams open so I can insert those little boob cup insert thingies you get in RTW swimsuits. I have a million of them floating around in my drawers. To keep the cups from migrating together, I stitched the center of the two linings together. I have yet to try this out, I'm hoping it's a successful experiment.

Honestly, sewing swimwear wasn't hard, per se. I just find working with pure spandex like this to be kinda tricky. It wants to move around a little bit too much for my taste. I considered using Wonder Tape to keep it all together at critical points (like the center fronts with two gathered edges and a bias flounce) but ended up just going slow with a few pins and a lot of patience. That alone is a miracle, since me and patience are like oil and vinegar.

This pattern didn't let me down. They tell you exactly how long to cut your elastics, which is a godsend. They tell you exactly how to assemble it, where to sew the elastic, etc. You can't go wrong with a Kwik-Sew swimsuit pattern.

So, onward and upward my friends! I have another tankini laid out and breathing*, ready to be cut tonight. And in true Heather fashion, I have plans for another dozen swimsuits. So I'll probably make two more? Sounds good.

* Forgot to mention, you always want to lay stretch fabrics out flat for a day (or as long as you can stand to) before cutting them out. Especially with spandex, you want it in its original shape before you cut into it, so don't let it sit in a wad and then try to cut it out right away.

** Post Post edit: I'm thinking of documenting my construction of the next swimsuit and posting it in stages? Not a sew-along, really, but as I was thinking about starting this project I really couldn't find any blog posts about swimwear that were detailed. What do you think, would it be helpful?

**Ok, I've started the series on making a swimsuit. If you're interested, click Here for the post on getting ready and links to the following posts as they appear.

Not Hobie, but not too shabby - Burda 7498

2011-03-11T18:50:00.000-06:00

In the midst of working on my March mini-wardrobe, I took a little detour this week to finish Burda 7498. I'd cut it out a few weeks ago and found it buried under the pile of pattern pieces after cleaning up from last weekend's flurry of activity.

{Little did my co-worker know I was talking to him and taking pictures of me in my new jacket at the same time. Tee-hee.}

What I originally had in mind when I landed on this pattern was a Hobie-inspired babycord jacket. When I think of Hobie (I'm a child of the seventies), I think of those cute corduroy surf shorts that were crazy popular in the early eighties. I was originally going to modify Simplicity 2443, the ubiquitous Cynthia Rowley jacket that everyone else has already made. I wanted it in a dove grey babycord for spring. For whatever reason, I got cold feet about that pattern and when the new Burda catalog came out, I cut out 7498 instead.

I followed the instructions to a T, including sewing the sleeve lining by hand at the armscye. In my determination to follow the directions, I failed to test fit it at some very critical points, and what we have is a beautiful jacket that is one size too big. Everywhere, the shoulders, the bust, the waistline. It's all one size too big.

It's not unwearable at all, I just like my clothes to fit much more closely. I'm already tall (5'10" on a short day) and when I add width to the equation I end up feeling enormous. I have a vague memory of a man in college saying something to the effect of "cornfed, Midwestern bred Amazonian" but I try to block that memory as best I can.

I know, white isn't practical, right? I have two small boys. So I'll probably wear it a few times and then dye it grey. Right around the time that the edges turn grey.

The pattern is fairly easy to put together, with one caveat. The welt pockets are too tiny for my Amazonian hands. Seriously, I wear a size 7 glove so my hands may be bigger than some, but they aren't man-sized. And I can really only comfortably fit the first four fingers in these pockets. If I were to make it again, I'd extend the welt upwards by an inch.

I haven't finished the tiny little details. I need to find white hook-and-eye closures for the front and my one stop at Hancock's was a bust. I'm sure I can find them online somewhere. I also have plenty of hand-sewing of lining to finish tonight, the perfect task for sitting on the couch with the TV on.

All in all, it's a lovely pattern and a lovely finished product that I think I can actually wear. And I will probably still take a stab at creating the Hobie-inspired cord jacket later this spring.

Two white tops and a giveaway

2011-03-06T15:34:00.004-06:00

What a weekend. I managed to do 99% of the childcare and still whip up two white tops.

For some reason, I lost my sanity and signed up for Pattern Review's mini-wardrobe contest in March. March is set to be the worst month of the year for me, schedule-wise, so why not add to it a self-imposed goal of sewing up five wearable garments at the same time??!!

You are starting to get a glimpse into the insanity, no? This also happens to be why we have two sons, not one, and why we have a giant brown one-year-old lab bounding around the house. But I digress.

The first white top I made is from Burda 7518. I'm taking my boys to Florida in April and my little mini-wardrobe is going to be a combination of workwear and warm-weather casual. This top is a little different, which is nice.

You can read the full pattern review here. I'm happy with the finished product and it went together quickly, always a plus. It's a little large across the shoulders and the cleavage factor is a little extreme. Burda sure likes their boobs. Other than that, it's a keeper.

Then I had the bright idea of making Burda 7379 out of white jersey. It's not a pattern drafted for knits, but that doesn't usually stop me. This time the results were eh. My full pattern review is here if you want to read it. I feel slightly shameful that I even posted a review without hemming the shirt, but I still have some fixing to do on it. Me and fixing don't go together so well, so I figured if I don't post the review now there's a very strong chance I never will.

One armhole is normal, and the armhole with the gigantic ruffle over it gets gathered. Apparently I either miscalculated my gathers (highly possible) or the jersey stretched out, or a cosmic shift occurred (probably one of my kids sitting under my sewing cabinet had something to do with it). Either way, that armhole gapes open quite dramatically. I plan on removing the bias binding and inserting some clear elastic into both armholes and neckline, finishing with a double-needle hem.

While I'm mulling over those fixes, I've already started on Burda 7498.

To celebrate something, I'm not sure what (maybe your patience in getting to the end of this post), I'm giving away eight backcopies of Sew Hip magazine from the UK. Numbers 9 through 16, chock-a-block with fun projects from quilting to garment sewing to crafty things like making stuffed animals and shoe decorations. If you want these lovelies, just enter a comment by Wednesday, March 9 at 5:00 p.m. CST and I'll announce the winner. I imagine if I have more than one entry I'll use random.org to choose the lucky winner.

Finland vs. Germany

2011-02-26T17:25:00.006-06:00

I got home from a weeklong meeting in Nashville to find the Spring/Summer women's edition of Ottobre, as well as the March issue of Burda Style. I loved them both!

On the Burda front, once again, I loved the designs but can't see myself making anything from this issue.

Ottobre, on the other hand, has at least three designs I could see making up right away.

I'm taking my sons to Florida in April and at the very end of the magazine is a perfect tankini pattern! Ruching on the sides, halter top and bikini bottom. I have lots of swimwear fabric down in a Rubbermaid container, just waiting to be made up. I see this in a splashy orange and white polka dot! If I was bold, which I am not, I might even making the bottoms out of white lycra. Eek.

I also absolutely LOVE this cardi pattern. I plan to immediately make it up for myself, and one for my mom who is hosting us in April (lucky ducks are snowbirds). Even though Florida is warm, she and I are always cold in restaurants, and so my mom is smart and keeps a cardigan in her car at all times. I think this would be a lovely car cardi, probably shortened to hip level.

Last but not least, this cropped pants pattern caught my eye for some reason. Both the illustration and the photos make it appear to have a very current fit, which is sometimes hard to find in pants patterns. I'll give it a go and report back.

If I can get two or three things made up by the first week of April I'll be thrilled. My work schedule for March is already scaring me!

apropos of nothing top

2011-02-20T11:37:00.001-06:00

The other day I was cruising the Anthropologie website when I came across this super cute top. It was a boatneck top - navy collar bands, hip band and sleeve bands, and a white and green striped bodice. "I can make that!" I thought.

I've been playing around with boatneck style options since I made the muttonchops top, and this looked like a fun variation. Fun seventies-inspired tops are all over the place right now, and I really like it. They're loose in all the right places, you know what I'm saying? If you don't, then you didn't carry two ten-pound baby boys in your belly for more than 40 weeks.

It's springy and fun, and made using stash fabric so even better. The only thing I would modify if I made it again is to drop the front neckline an inch more, and lengthen the back bodice fabric an inch. Maybe if I ever learned how to stand up straight it would hang better, but the odds of that are slim.

Now, on to an even more exciting Anthro knockoff - the Lunar Cycles top! I actually bought this one because I love it so much, but I'm also really excited about making a knockoff and sharing all the various ways to create a completely different look with one pattern. Stay tuned....

Kwik-Sew sale

2011-02-19T17:36:00.002-06:00

If you live near a Hancock's, mark your calendar. If you don't, reach out to someone who does! Kwik-sew patterns will be 20% off February 24-March 16. They very rarely go on sale and 20% is the most I've ever seen, so I guess this is as good a time as any to snatch one up?

the butterfly blouse

2011-02-14T20:38:00.007-06:00

Last fall, I stopped in to a local indie fabric store to see what she had stocked. I don't go in there very often for a couple of reasons. There's the part where her fabrics are fairly expensive and I know for a fact they're sold elsewhere in the country for much less. I don't like that part.

Then there's the part where the shop owner is ummm, how you say? not very nice. That bothers me too. Shouldn't small business owners be friendly? This lady, she is not. I digress.

Anyway, I fell in love with one of her silks. It's white charmeuse with giant black butterflies all over it, and I knew I had to have it. So of course, I waited until she almost had none left before I bucked up the $30 a yard for it. I got exactly 42".
So. What to do with 42" of silk charmeuse? First, throw it in the washer and dryer.

Yeah, you read that right. I said something to Princess Charming about being careful with it, and she scoffed at me (which she does every time I'm in there, so I'm used to this). She said "I wash and dry everything in this store."

Hrmph. I figured if Princess Charming could do it, so could I and that would also cure the problem I have of wearing silks, which is I have small children and how can I keep dirty handprints and Cheetos crumbs off of silk????

I needed a quick and easy top pattern to use this beautiful silk, so inspired by a vintage t-shirt from the seventies and a vintage pattern I have in my stash, I created something that's either totally cute and modern or way hideous and unwearable. I'm hoping it's the first one.

This is the easiest top to make. A poly jersey yoke, a silk body and a poly jersey band at the bottom. Voila! Spring and summer top. The vintage pattern I used for inspiration had me double the knit yoke to form a self-facing, but I didn't want all that extra fabric at the top. I tried it when I made my prototype and it was a little too bulky.
Originally I had arm bands around the sleeves and a ribbed neckline and didn't like the way it looked at all, so I cut them off and narrowly hemmed the sleeves and neck. This is why the neck gapes a lot more than I'd like it to.

I plan to make another version with longer sleeves in rayon knit that will be a lot less....voluminous? The word ease doesn't even begin to describe the air conditioning factor of this top. Anyhoodle, when I get that one made up I'll share the pattern in case anyone else is interested in making this.

Fail, possibly fail, and TBD

2011-02-06T18:12:00.002-06:00

Ok, you know how most sewing bloggers don't post their failures? Well, I'm going to take a detour from that route and show you some colossal (well, one colossal and one minor and one yet-to-be-determined) fails that came out of my sweatshop this month.

It's a tale of three dresses, two patterns, two fabrics, and one sew-ist. Sew-er. Whatever. I still am not happy with the words for "people who sew."

The story starts with a piece of black and ivory floral ITY jersey knit from my stash. I bought it at JoAnn's many months ago and pulled it out a few weeks ago to make the dress version of Vogue 1020. I had seen Victoria's stretch lace dress and LOVED it. I also bought the lace print, which we will get to later, but for now let's just focus on the print that wasn't to be.

I had just enough fabric to make the dress, and I wanted to branch out of my comfort zone and underline the entire thing with power mesh to keep my bits from jiggling. Also, I didn't want to have to wear Spanx.

I cut it out, and tediously tacked the lining to the main fabric, then started in on sewing. I had assembled the shoulders and sleeves and was set to put the sides together (because of the ruching, that's how the assembly went this time), when I had my MOMENT. The moment in most of my sewing projects where I say OH CRAP.

I had failed to flip one of the pieces right side up when cutting it! The front and back sections on this dress, and others like it, aren't straight up and down. They take a huge curve to get extra fabric for you to ruche. So instead of two matching Cs, I had two opposing Cs! I crumpled it up and threw it in the UFO basket. A month later, I've pulled it out, ruched both sides instead of just the one, and put it together. Maybe it'll be ok? I'm going to let it hang and simmer while I think on it a bit. The jury is still out on it.

I loved that print, I have no idea why. So I went back to Joann's for more, only this time I was going to be super smart and do an entirely different pattern.

I chose McCall's 6163. Most of the reviewers loved it, and I liked some of the different style points - the sleeves, the ruching, the back shaped seam. So in I started again, tediously lining the front and back sections and putting it all together.

I had checked my measurements and cut my standard 14 again. Only, instead of adding a few inches to the length as I almost always have to do, I had this vague recollection of a tall pattern reviewer noting this pattern ran long. So I didn't do that.

Whoo-eee! This is the tightest, shortest dress I think I've ever made for myself! I wear an 8 or 10 in RTW and this easily would fit someone who wears a 6 or even smaller. Also? The length unhemmed is above my knee. Now, to be fair, the pattern does call it an above-mid-knee dress, and in going back over the reviews I can't find anyone who says it runs long, so I'm sure I imagined that in my own mind.

Pfft. Crumpled it up, set it aside. There is no way I am going to assemble and attach the collar and stand for a dress that wouldn't have fit me in the seventh grade. This one is the colossal fail.

Sigh. On to the third dress of 2011. Like I mentioned earlier, I bought the lace print ITY jersey at Joann's after seeing Victoria's version of Vogue 1020. I hadn't intended to make the exact same dress, but after screwing up the first version I was determined to get it right.

This time, all went well! I got the curves cut right, the fit was good, I didn't line the sleeves (found out after doing that that it added too much bulk to the sleeve seam and was unnecessary as I don't typically wear Spanx on my arms).

I hemmed it up and promptly stuck it in my suitcase to take to a work meeting out of town. The day came for me to wear it, and my heart sunk. Not only is it a wee bit short (?), but I failed to let it hang and in hemming, the fashion fabric hangs over the hem of the underlining power mesh. Poop.

That one, I think I can fix. I just have to take out the double-needle hem (drat) and let it breathe, and then hem it up again, this time a little longer.

So there you have it. Possible fail, colossal fail, and a goof-up. All in the month of January, and all with two jerseys from Joann's.

I really had higher hopes for February, but so far.... I've decided the Sherlock Batman Holmes coat-cape will never be. The fabric just isn't right. It is too heavy and doesn't drape well enough to let those sleeves be themselves. Plus, I interfaced the sleeve seams as directed and I shouldn't have.

The lesson to all new sew-ist-ers out there? Just keep plugging away. I've been sewing for 26 years and I regularly make mistakes and screw things up. You'd think I'd learn, but with my slash and burn ways, well....it doesn't look hopeful.

Dinos like tees too

2011-02-03T21:17:00.001-06:00

In my quest to sew down my stash, I decided to try to replicate the cutest top I saw recently. Right before Christmas, I stopped in to Lululemon, a pretentious little yoga/pilates boutique that sells their own clothing line for men and women and also holds spontaneous yoga classes (???).

By the way, it's pronounced Lulu Lemon, like the fruit, not Lulu Lemahn like the French race (with an S).

Anyhoodle, there was a girl working there with an adorable long-sleeved top on. Regular tee in front, ruffled strip down the center back. She was snooty about it when I asked, and explained it was "long gone" and there was no way I could ever own one. Pffft.

A month or so later, and I finally got it hemmed and pressed so I can wear my version of it. My version looks a little bit like a spine or a stegosaurus instead of a dainty ruffle, but that's ok. I can live with that. The fabric I used was one of my Hancock's value knits instead of a performance stretch jersey, so that accounts for that.

The most fun part was using a vintage pattern from the 70s - Simplicity 7980. I made the size 10, bust 32. Now, I am at least a 36 bust, probably more like 38, so you can see how different knits were thirty years ago. I didn't use the full 5/8" seam allowance, so that probably added another 1" around, but still. I do think the armscye is too far forward in the back, it extends too much into my arm so if I make the pattern again I'll fix that. Otherwise, not too shabby for a $3 t-shirt.

Please disregard tank top peaking out from underneath the hem. In the winter I wear a tank or camisole every. single. day. Partly because I'm cold, and partly because I've developed a nasty reaction to wool. Even my nice Vince cashmere sweaters give me hives by the end of the day.

I had originally planned to add the ruffle to princess seams in front a la a Zella top I have from Nordstrom's, but once I laid it out all that ruffling was a little obnoxious, so I stopped with the stego spine.

Now on to a babycord project that's been jumping around in my noggin for a bit too long. Very springy, perfect for the winter blahs.

NOTE TO SELF: Wait to take pics until hubby comes home. Self-timer = crappy photos.

The coat-cape continues...

2011-01-30T17:28:00.002-06:00

I really wasn't sure for a while there if I was going to continue down the road to completion with my cape-coat-cape. Those interfaced sleeves are just really bugging me and sadly I do not have more fabric to do them over again.

So I let it sit for a few weeks. My dressform, Lydia, wore it silently and I looked at it every time I walked by her. Which was a lot, considering I have yet to move Lydia from my dining room to the basement sweatshop.

I started a minimum of four more projects in the meantime. ~~One~~Two, total wadders. One, a prototype of something super exciting I hope to share the pattern for this spring (free, of course). And one a vintage knit top waiting to be hemmed.

And still, I just couldn't find the energy to tackle Sherlock again.

Until today! Voila, out of the blue, I just wanted to work on it. I need to start trusting my instincts now and again. Today's progress was at least forward moving. I got the pockets installed and the princess seams tweaked. I put together the collar and attached it. And then...then I had the moment that I dread in every project. That moment when I put my hands to my cheeks and say "oh chit."

In a moment of inspired lunacy during cutting out the coat-cape, I put off cutting out the center back facing. I had added width to the pattern pieces and since that piece is a curved piece, I decided I would wait to cut it out until I had the body put together and knew the exact measurements.

And then I threw away my scrap fabric.

Yep, you got that right. I threw away the fabric before the project is even close to being done. I don't remember doing it, but I'm sure my thought process went something like "Oh, I don't have enough to save for anything big like another front section, and I'm pretty sure it fits ok, and I'm not even sure I'm going to finish it, and I took a pledge to keep my sewing area clear this year...." and so on. Scratch that part where I trust my instincts. Clearly, they can't be trusted.

So now I must wait until tomorrow when I will be scouring the local fabric shops for 1/4 of a yard of black melton wool to match my 20 year old fabric. The odds are less than excellent.

However! This post is not entirely a downer. I did manage to snap some photos of something that might help someone.

You remember how I made bound buttonholes? Well, this coat's front is self-faced, and for the longest time I could not find a tutorial on bound buttonholes that actually explains what to do on the underside. I finally did run across a paragraph (no pictures) in an ancient Singer book that tells you to "make buttonholes" on the facing side and stitch in the ditch to attach the pieces before moving on.

So I did that. I made three buttonholes that match perfectly to the bound fronts, and as soon as I sit back down at the machine I will be stitching in the ditch to attach them. And praying I interpreted that right?

That's it for me. I hope to be able to share pics soon of the three (yes, THREE) dresses I made in the last few weeks that I can't wear. Maybe someone out there can help me....

A pattern sale? Why yes, thank you.

2011-01-27T14:15:00.001-06:00

I need more patterns like I need more night terrors. Nonetheless, need has nothing to do with why I sew or collect pretty things like fabric and patterns.

Today, Joann's put their Vogues on sale for three days. New Vogues? Yes, yes, they're finally stocked too. You can see the ones I chose. I did not choose the bondage wiggle dress. No one needs to see me like that. I also didn't care for the parfait chiffon thing. But the Anna Sui dress is my favorite, followed closely by the gray Donna Karan. And I think 1222 has been highly overlooked. Look at the lines! The seams! Beautiful.

I also picked up a bunch of new (at least to me) Burda patterns. Some of their new patterns are super cool. The strapless dress with chiffon strap things that can tie in many different ways (the first pic in my post is the line drawing)? I love it! The little shift with the ruffle shoulder? LURV. I think the two on the bottom row are older, but still worth purchasing for $5. I could probably download them but for $5, I'd much rather just cut out the tissue than tape and cut and print and tape and curse and tape.

New Look had new patterns, too. Somehow it seems a little expensive to be paying $3.99 for a New Look pattern when the Vogues are also $3.99? Eh. I'm OK with it. I thought their two or three newer tunic/dress patterns were cute, with a little interest at the top.

So. Now I sit with way too many patterns than I could ever make up, far too much fabric, and no time. Better get crackin.

Making progress - vintage Vogue 7044

2011-01-14T17:27:00.006-06:00

The Batman coatcape is taking shape. Now I know why I don't make a lot of coats. They're crazy time-consuming! I like instant gratification in my sewing projects, not projects that drag on for weeks, as this one literally could considering my other commitments for time (kids, job, husband, house, kids, kids, job, etc).

I squeezed in an hour of sewing today and got the body constructed, at least loosely. You know what? The fit isn't that bad! Apparently my pattern upsizing (from 32 bust to 38) was at least a success, that's good news.

The bad news? Those cape sleeves probably shouldn't have been interfaced. I know, the pattern called for it but with the interfacing they tend to hold their bow shape a bit too much and kind of bell out. Also? That line of interfacing along the seam is a little bubbly. I did steam-shrink the interfacing before pressing, but it was a bear to press along that seam crease using my ham.

I need to adjust the shoulder line on one side, can you see how it's sticking up?

More good news - the bound buttonholes look lovely, and the pocket placement (I raised it a little) is spot-on. I'll be shortening the length to hip level sometime this weekend. Maybe. If I get time. And if I can stop thinking about a jersey knit dress I want to make for my meeting in Atlanta next week.

See, a jersey knit dress is a one-day project. I like one-day projects. This coatcape thing is becoming a two-week project.

One interesting note about the construction of this capelike garment - it's actually a lined vest with the cape sleeves attached at the princess seams. I was so confused about the assembly and just followed the directions, and voila - it suddenly became obvious why they were asking me to sew the front and back together at the sides and shoulders!

Forging on....

Oops

2011-01-13T19:45:00.001-06:00

I had made a private resolution to myself (or did I make it public, I can't even remember) before New Year's that I was going to sew down my stash. Absolutely NO NEW FABRIC unless it was a lining or something I needed to complete a stash project. I even signed up for Pattern Review's stash busting contest. Not that I thought I'd win, but I was excited about the potential of really reducing my fabric collection. I'm on a consume less kick.

And then this happened.

Hancock's put all their value fabrics on 50% off this weekend. If you've read this blog or any of my pattern reviews, you'll know I really like to buy knits from the value section at Hancock's. I was told by an employee once that these are discontinued fabrics, often from other vendors.

I have found some really great French terry, stretch cotton knits with lycra, doubleknits with unique drape, all for $2.95 a yard. A lot of the fabrics are total junk, you just have to be very careful and selective, but sometimes there are some real pearls in there. You can imagine my delight when that price went down to $1.47 a yard today!

You'll also note that I jumped for joy and tried to hide my delight when I found 100% silks marked down from $15.99 a yard to $4.95 a yard and then another half off that!

I can see a few summer sewing projects taking shape. Dresses like this Tracy Reese, or this Rebecca Taylor, in a light and airy silk chiffon.

Out of this lovely red and cream silk, kind of has a texture like crepe de chine.

Or this dress out of a lovely pink silk chiffon print.

I did buck up and spend $10 per yard on the red and the blue prints, primarily because they both are so ME I felt like if I didn't buy them I'd regret it all summer.

A top out of the blue, maybe?

And this bubbly silk twill could make a beautiful lining on a winter coat! I got four and a half yards of it, the bolt end. It cost me all of $11.

I even grabbed an awesome piece of charcoal gray matte jersey for $1.97 a yard.

Now back to my regularly scheduled stash-busting. NO NEW FABRIC.

Sherlock Holmes? Why yes, Batman, indeed it is. Vogue 7044

2011-01-12T17:13:00.000-06:00

When we last left our ate-up heroine, she was steadily plodding along with the underlining of her vintage Patou jacket project. Sadly, that jacket has been moved to the side due to some misgivings I have about the general fit. Not to worry! I picked up a new vintage project last week and that's what I'll be making for the Great Vintage Sew-Along.

I like to call it the Sherlock Holmes-meets-Batman coatcape. It's a coat with cape sleeves, and I'm making it out of black melton wool my mom gave me that had been in my grandma's stash for a while. We're 99% positive it's Pendleton, as all of her woolens were Pendleton.

On a whim, I decided to forego the muslin this time and just give it a go. Muslins haven't served me particularly well, considering I made two for the Patou jacket and it still doesn't look like I got the fit right? This may turn out to be my Waterloo because I had to resize this pattern from 32 bust to 36. Who am I kidding, I'm probably more like a 38.

I started off by interfacing the entire body with Palmer Pletsch Pro-tailor interfacing, recommended by quite a few better sew-ists than me who recently completed the Winter Wear contest on Pattern Review. It was on sale over the New Year so I splurged.

After spending all that time cutting and interfacing, I was so excited to get started on the project! Note to self in choosing sewing projects - cutting fabric, lining, underlining and interfacing and then ironing on all said interfacing takes SO STINKING LONG. Reconsider coat projects in the future. I digress.

I finally got to start sewing!

First step? Make three bound buttonholes. Something I've never done before. But I've made plenty of welt pockets so I followed this tutorial and carefully measured, marked and stitched and I am really happy with how they've turned out.

As you can see, my first buttonhole was off by exactly one stitch. Easy fix, thank goodness, since they have to line up exactly the same.

The second step is assembling the cape sleeves. I'm underlining the coat with houndstooth flannel, hence the crazy print on the inside. The seams and hemline are also interfaced with more Tailor-pro.

That's as far as I've gotten. I hope to get the sleeves lined and attached tonight, and then hopefully start in on the body work maybe tomorrow night? I have a three and four-year-old underfoot so my sewing is usually done in very short spurts! Here's hoping for another long stretch.

Inspiration

2011-01-07T18:33:00.000-06:00

Just in case you missed it, there's something really awesome going on at Talbot's these days. For the past few seasons, they've really been trying to re-vamp their image and put out a product that's a little younger, a little more streamlined, and a whole lot cool.

I got a new catalog in the mail today, and there is so much good about it I have to share it (also because my memory is so poor I have to post the things I love so I can remember in two months when it's time to start sewing for spring).

In no particular order, these are the things I would love love love to make:

The lace top.

The swing jacket (that color! I swoon).

The ruffle jacket.

The mum skirt.

The skinny dressy cargo.

The wrap dress.

The satin glamourak jacket (I dunno what a glamourak is, but me likey).

The mac trench.

The double pocket jacket.

Don't worry, I don't plan on making all of those jackets. I need more outerwear like I need more acne, but I do like the ideas.

Oh, and I started another vintage project yesterday, shut up! I know. It's another coat. I said shut it! I can overindulge in outerwear if'n I want to. I hope to post progress this weekend. We shall see.

i love mutton chops - Vogue 1109

2011-01-06T05:57:00.001-06:00

I have to start this post by saying that I LOVE THIS TOP. Yes, I freely call it my mutton-chops top, but I love my mutton-chops top!

It started out as Vogue 1109, a Sandra Betzina Today's Fit pattern. Kinda mature looking? Which is polite for saying my mom might like the seaming and colorblocking a whole lot more than me.

But those sleeves! The neckline interest! Those sleeves! It kept rattling around in my brain, begging to be made up.

New Year's weekend was my massive sew-stravaganza, and I made the white muslin of my prototype that weekend. I call it a muslin now because I totally screwed it up and it didn't fit right, but to be honest it was meant to be the final product.

See the big fat seam on the sleeve? That's because I sewed it inside out. Yay!

That's ok, I'm not ashamed to show my wadders. The prototype taught me a few things - the sleeves were way too short, the seam needs to hit below the elbow for the pleats to have their best dramatic effect. And let's see, what else? Oh yeah, be sure to sew both sleeves on the correct direction, that always helps tops look nice. Oh, and the neckline was a little chokey in front, so I lowered that by an inch.

A few days passed and I managed to cut out the second (and final) version, this time in a gray cotton/poly knit I scored at Hancock's in the super bargain section for $2.95 a yard. I can't remember exactly, but I think I used about 2.25 yards for this top? I cut it super long, it doesn't really need to be that long. I fully expect it to retract in the washer and dryer, so there's room for that.

After adding three inches of length to the upper sleeve and lower sleeve bands (both), and adding a little to the bodice length (OK, a lot, bordering on too much but ignore that part), I have what I call the perfect mutton-chops top. Soft, a touch slouchy without being sloppy, with full distinct sleeves you just don't see on every Mossimo t-shirt from Target.

I can't wait for spring, I have BIG PLANS for these mutton-chop sleeves again. Stay tuned.

Dalsland Wrap - post post

2011-01-04T14:28:00.007-06:00

I had some thoughts today about the Dalsland wrap tute I thought I should share, in case anyone out there decides to make their own version.

My shoulders measure 21" across the back. If yours are wider, you'll need a length of fabric longer than my original 116". So the wider the fabric you can find, the better. Or if you happen to have a long strip of fabric left from a different project, you could practice to see how long you'll need. You can always hem up the bottom shorter once it's done so the tails don't drag on the floor.

If your shoulders are not as wide, you can either keep the 116" length and simply make the armholes longer than 9" (giving you extra fabric coverage in the front), or you can adjust your length down to 98" or so (the length I used in my cream colored prototype that didn't fit me).

The Dalsland wrap in the store is made out of a patterned doubleknit that is almost reversible, and I saw a few options online that I could see would be awesome. Something like this or this? That way, when the inside shows, you get a flash of a different pattern!

If you do make one or need help, just email me! Happy sewing.

Dalsland wrap - an anthro knockoff - with tute

2011-01-03T18:01:00.003-06:00

I stopped by Anthropologie the other day, just to see what was on sale and what this Spring is going to look like. I do shop there occasionally, but what with my whole "buy less, sew more" mantra these days, I am trying really super hard not to bring home anything I don't really really really need.

I did find something super darling, though! It's called the Dalsland wrap, and there was only one of them in the store. I totally scoped it out, even sitting down on their couch to take measurements and figure out how they constructed this doohicky. It's made out of a lovely substantial doubleknit.

Then I came home and scoped it out online some more, and then I made a prototype out of cream organic cotton sweatshirt fleece on my shelf.

The great news is that out of ten reviews, it gets almost five stars! The bad news is the prototype doesn't fit me, sadly, but I learned a lot from it and in my second try ~ voila! My own personal version of the Dalsland shrug in alpaca/wool/nylon yardage from my own stash (plus), and the whole thing cost me $12 instead of $118 (another plus). ~~If there's anyone out there reading this who wears a size 4 or possibly 6 and wants the cream sweatshirt wrap, just send me an email and I'll mail it to you.~~ Thanks, she found a home!

Here's a quick tutorial, with diagrams instead of pics because it's a tad confusing.

I am a tall size 8 or 10 in RTW, so these measurements are based off of that and off of the Medium sized shrug in the store. The prototype I made would fit someone with smaller shoulders, maybe a 4-6?

You need a long strip of fabric, 24" wide by 116" long. I cut two pieces of sweater knit, each 24" wide by 58" long. Serge all four long edges. If you're buying yardage, that means you will need 1 1/3 of 60" wide fabric, and cut it in half.

Because I didn't have one continuous piece of fabric 100" long, I seamed my two 58" pieces in the middle, and made it a flat-fell seam because you may be able to see it when or if it folds over. This is optional (the flat-fell part, you really do need a seam).

Then fold the piece, right sides together, at the center back seam. You will be stitching closed the bottom 20".

Now for the hardest part, and it's not too hard. You will open up the piece by holding the center back seam and the seam you've just sewn in each hand, right sides together, matching the two seams up and pinning them together. Leave 9" (or more, this becomes your sleeve opening) open at each end, and stitch this seam closed.

To finish, turn under the serged edges 1/2" and stitch the hems down. I also stitched down a 1/2" around the armholes.

This is the easiest project! The hardest part is envisioning the "envelope" when you pull the two seams to the sides. The great thing about the Anthro site is you can zoom in on their finished product and actually see some of the construction of it.

I'd love to see if anyone else makes one of these wrap/shrugs/cardi/thingies!

Enjoy!

**Edit: I've added some additional thoughts on sizing and fabrics in a second post, here.

My goals

2011-01-02T07:42:00.009-06:00

I started a "that what I made in 2010" post a few days ago, but after spending what felt like sixteen hours and realizing I was only through April, I junked it and decided to focus on what I'd like to accomplish in 2011.

Last year I started off with the lofty goal of sewing my way through the Twinkle Sews book. I'm sad to report that I never even completed one of the projects in the book, as I was waylaid early on with the Jazz Hall skirt and its flounces that didn't fit. Maybe I'll pick it up again this month and give it another shot. Or not.

Here's what I do know I'll be doing. I'll be spending the next few months sewing only with fabrics already in my stash. My goal is to keep my fabric additions to an absolute minimum, and sew up as many projects as I can with fabric I already own. I signed up for the Pattern Review stash-busting contest so that I could keep some sort of record of it, but I'm fairly confident I won't come close to winning.

I have a real drive to reduce my consumption right now, and to not let my hobby become excessive. I had some fabric in my checkout basket at Fashion Fabrics Club the other day (luckily, located here in town so I don't have to pay for shipping) and I deleted it, telling myself "that's excessive, you do not need more fabric, Heather."

I've written over the past year about my ambivalence towards things I make. I don't tend to wear them, for whatever reason. I have already started trying to focus my sewing on things I will actually wear. It sounds simple, but it's actually very difficult for me. The physical act of sewing is very cathartic for me, as is the cutting and planning that goes before that.

I think a lot of my troubles with wearing my own made items come from my childhood, so you may have to tolerate some pop-psych posts as I try to work my way through those hang-ups. If I don't, I may never get to actually enjoy the product of the craft that I love so much.

I'd also like to get really really good at something this year. I haven't quite decided what it's going to be yet. I imagine setting some sort of goal like becoming expert at sewing with knits, or setting in welt pockets, or fly zippers, or pattern drafting.

Anyhoodle, enough blabbing! I have to get back down to the sweatshop and start cranking out some knits. Stash busting? Check. Sewing with knits? Check! See, I'm already on a roll.

the Liverpool interruption

2010-12-29T11:51:00.000-06:00

I've taken a short break on sewing the vintage Patou jacket. Partly it's because of Christmas, partly because my mojo is missing right now, and partly because I wanted to make my mom a Liverpool shirt to take with her to Florida.

She came over today, so I showed her the progress and she ended up taking it home to finish the hem and buttons! Honestly, I did not mean to do that to her this time but she insisted.

She had admired the pattern cover photo with the shirt made up in this print, so I decided to use up some fabric stash and make it for her. Little did I know this time the pattern was going to give me fits. I put the collar on three times. The cuffs twice. By the time I sent it home with her I was glad to see it go!

Now, back to my regularly scheduled jacket sewing. Maybe.

Vintage Vogue 1593 - Underlining

2010-12-23T19:02:00.000-06:00

I have had the great fortune this week (and next) to be on vacation from work. This means I've had plenty of free time to sew, right? Well, not exactly. My oldest son has also been off from his preschool, so while I've had a little bit more free time than usual, the schedule is also plenty full.

I managed to get the body pieces of the vintage Vogue 1593 Patou jacket underlined and sewn together this morning, which was some feat considering what I finally decided to use for underlining fabric!

While I worked on the muslin of the jacket (made out of an old bedsheet), I noticed that each pattern piece instructed me to cut one of fabric, underlining, and lining. Knowing absolutely nothing about underlining, I posted on Pattern Review's board asking for advice. Bingo! A very kind expert weighed in with the suggestion of using silk organza. I shuddered in fear, but she was right.

Silk organza it is! I wanted a little body with no extra thickness or warmth. Thus, flannel was out. Cotton batiste or broadcloth would have been ok, but I really like the body of silk organza. I bought two yards (this substantially increased the cost of this project, so I hope I LOVE it when it's done!), washed it on hot and dried it to the bone in the dryer.

(You can tell I was sewing with a child around, hence the anteater and kitchen tongs on my cutting table.)

Then I cut each pattern piece out with about one inch extra seam allowance. Why? Because the way silk organza moves underneath my hands, I didn't want any risk of not having it entirely underlining a section. Does that make sense?

I read various suggestions on the technique of underlining, but the one that seemed the best suggested not machine basting the underlining to the fabric pieces because of the risk of rippling. Instead, she suggested rolling the piece over your arm and pinning or tacking the underlining after doing that. The roll makes up for the curvature of your body, and the difference in the two fabrics' body. Wow, that was wordy.

Anyhoodle, the underlining of the front and back sections is done.

And Merry Christmas to me! My new dressform came today by UPS. I haven't had a dressform since I sold my rickety adjustable one in my giant fabric stash yard sale last spring. I love my new one, as much for its form as its function. According to my misshapen body, I should be a 10 on top and a 14 on the bottom. So I ordered a 12. It's close enough (1/2" off at most) in all the measurements to be good enough for me, and cost approximately $220 with free shipping versus $800 for a dressform made to my own measurements.

Up next...assembly, sleeves, and lining. I hope to be able to show you progress on the Patou jacket on the new dressform. Exciting!

Up next... vintage Vogue 1593

2010-12-22T13:12:00.000-06:00

In between eating Christmas cookies and eating more Christmas cookies, I've started a new sewing project. Good things it's not pants, because they wouldn't fit.

I bought this vintage Vogue Patou pattern off Etsy a month ago and couldn't stop thinking about it. The green! The tie! I love it. I wanted to find green wool just like what is pictured, but sadly no one had anything quite that... bold. So I took a great leap of faith and ordered a pink/peach/coral/rose wool flannel from Gorgeous Fabrics.

This is my first online order of fine fabric, can you believe that?! I've ordered other fabric online, but I'm always leery to spend a lot of money on something I can't see and touch. Luckily, the wool flannel feels lovely and looks exactly like what I expected. I ordered two yards but when it arrived, it's even wider than I expected and I only needed 1 1/4. So I believe a slim coral pencil skirt may be in my future.

The cutting has begun. Each pattern piece is both underlined (I am using silk organza) and lined (the polka dot charmeuse). Cutting should only take me sixteen hours or so.

AND I made a muslin this time, can you believe that?! I'm not picturing it because I made a huge goof and sewed half the thing inside out. I know, it doesn't make sense but believe me, that's what happened.

I figured I should test out the fit before cutting into my expensive new wool. Because ladies were considerably shorter in the 60s than they are now, I will be adding four inches to the bodice length in order for the jacket to clear my waistband. I am not a fan of the bolero look.

Wish me luck, progress updates to follow....

Simplicity 2700 - Close, but no cigar

2010-12-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

Now that I'm sewing again, I'm determined to only make things I want to wear. It sound obvious, right? Sadly, for me, it isn't always that simple. I tend to enjoy the process of sewing a whole lot more than wearing the finished product. I will never be one of those people who makes their entire wardrobe, I know that much.

But I do enjoy sewing and I love fabric, so I'd really like to occasionally be able to make something that adds to my wardrobe and certainly doesn't scream I MADE THIS AT HOME.

Here's where my latest project comes in. For work in the winter, I typically wear dress pants and a blouse or sweater. I used to exclusively wear Banana Republic pants and suits because they fit me the best, but their fit and sizing had changed in the last few years so now it looks like I'm wearing mostly J Crew dress pants, suits, and blouses.

I have had this beautiful piece of black pinstripe wool/lycra in my stash for the last two years, so I pulled it out this week, determined to make an exact duplicate of the RTW pants I love so much. I even traced the front and back of my J Crew pants and made a muslin of those, contemplating the idea of drafting my own pants pattern. Then I scratched that idea and poured over every single pants pattern I could find. I spent countless hours on Pattern Review.

And then I chose Simplicity 2700.

That was my mistake.

Here are my thoughts on this pattern. In no particular order because I'm tired and frustrated and considering taking a class in trouser construction/pattern drafting.

The RTW pants I love have side seam pockets, and S2700 have diagonal slash pockets. This is a HUGE difference. The look is just not the same. I cannot get the hips to lay flat to save my life, and I'm convinced it's because of the pockets.

I insist on welt pockets on the back of all my dress pants. Not because I want to stash a bunch of things, but because my fanny looks bad unless it has some extra construction framing it. That sounds strange, but it's true. My butt needs more covering than a single layer of fabric.

The waistband on my RTW pants looks to be constructed separately and then applied to the pants. In S2700, they instruct you to sew the waistband pieces to the leg sections and then stitch the pants together. In my opinion, this creates a look of a yoked pant instead of dress pants with a waistband. Come to think of it, I have some J Crew yoke-style pants with diagonal slash pockets and no back welt pockets, and they aren't my favorite. They tend to "grow" as I wear them, falling down on my hips. I digress. I also found the waistband to be way too wide and the rise to be about an inch too high for my taste. That was an easy fix, though.

If you're new to sewing, DO NOT BUY THIS PATTERN. The instructions for almost every step were ridiculous. The zipper?! Holy cow, they must not have wanted anyone to ever attempt a zipper fly insertion ever again. I didn't even follow the rest of the instructions because I was so peeved with the zipper portion.

The finished product is okay. I'll wear them, I'm sure of that. I just don't love them and I really wanted to love them.

I cut the Slim version, after comparing Slim and Average and realizing there is very little difference. I often find patterns for clothing to create a much more voluminous end product than what you find in RTW.

Final judgment? Close, but no cigar. Next time I think I'll actually try to use my self-drafted trouser pattern to re-create the J Crew pants I love.

Pattern sale? Why yes, thank you.

2010-12-07T19:01:00.000-06:00

If you happen to live near a Hancock's Fabrics, then mark your calendars (and if you don't, keep on reading til the bottom). They're having two great pattern sales in December.

December 9-12:
McCall's and Butterick patterns are $1.99

December 16-24:
$1.99 Simplicity
$2.99 Butterick
$2.99 McCall's
$3.99 Vogue

Merry Christmas to me, right? This is the only time I really buy Vogue patterns, when they're $3.99 or sometimes when they're 75% off. So stock up for the cold long winter nights.

And if you're not so lucky as to have a craptastic Hancock's near you, just email me. I've been known to ship patterns to fellow addicts!

- H

Fabric. And lots of it.

2010-12-05T19:29:00.000-06:00

Well, it appears as though I'm back. Although I will be honest, I am going to try super hard not to let this blog take over my life! So my posting may be sporadic and lame, and hopefully will only record my progress on actual projects I'm sewing so I don't let my hobby run me over.

Anyhoodle, onward and upward, right?

A year or so ago one of our local fabric stores closed and they sold off all their stock in a big clearance sale. I was into fabric hoarding at the time (I've since placed myself on a strict no-fabric diet which is working about 60% of the time, thank you very much) and so I snatched up a bunch of their better woolens at 75% off.

I don't remember exactly, but I think I ended up paying less than $10 per yard for these Pendletons. And I haven't sewn a stinking thing with either one. Luckily, the moths found one of my better cashmere sweaters and not my wool stash, so they're in great condition. I steamed them this evening and I'm ready to make a decision.

What to sew?

Here are the fabric choices. Four and a half yards of lovely British khaki with one-inch windowpaney checks. Why so much? I have no idea! For a split second I considered making the Lady Grey out of it, but my mother's wisdom prevailed. It's all wrong for that pattern.

You can see the size of the check, as my cutting board underneath is in one-inch increments. Increments, check me out with the big words.

And two and a half yards of a winter white with 1/2" navy and brown check.

Both have a lighter feel to them. Not exactly tropical wool, but not heavy coating either.

I am considering making Simplicity 2648 out of one of them, I'm just not sure which one? And that pattern is not supposed to be lined, but I will be lining whatever I make with this stuff.

So. That's the problem. If you have any pattern suggestions, please throw them my way. I have tons and tons of current and vintage patterns.

I leave you with a gratuitous puppy shot. Except my gratuitous puppy is an enormous goon now who takes up quite a bit of square footage in this house. She was in desperate need of a bed for her "spot" in the kitchen, so I made something with fleece for the first time in for-EVER. Hate fleece! But she loves it, especially with the zebra on the one side, leopard on the other, and a foam pad in the middle. Ruby's in doggy heaven.

I'm coming back

2010-08-27T19:27:00.000-05:00

Yay, my self-imposed exile may be coming to an end! I'm so happy, I've missed sewing and at the same time had absolutely no interest in it at all. Life in all other areas was way too chaotic to even consider going downstairs to sew, I think that may have had something to do with it.

It's not that things have calmed down any, but I found some inspiration last month that has helped me get over the hump.

I found Kelly and Sewing In No-Man's Land.

Have you read this blog yet?! It's awesome!

Kelly does exactly what I always wanted to do with this blog. She drafts patterns for her own designs, and then she posts them for FREE on her blog, along with the tutorial and beautiful pictures. It doesn't hurt that she lives on an island near Indonesia with her adorable family, and she's a professional photographer. So her blog is stunning to look at, and helpful and fun.

Check it out, you're going to love it. And maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to take her lead and finally get some of my ideas out of my head and under the needle.

My future

2010-07-10T21:38:00.001-05:00

It's been such a long time (months!) that I've really sat down to sew anything serious, that I'm trying to get my mojo back with some ideas first.

I bought this book, Sew Serendipity, and luckily for me there are a ton of projects I could see myself not only making, but wearing. Wearing is always the hardest part for me.

The skirt on the front cover is at the top of my list. I even have most of the fabrics already lined up! I plan on making it in a natural and black color pattern, with ticking stripe and natural linen mixed in there somehow. I know it sounds nuts, but it's all based off the most adorable octopus apron I saw last week.

I even own this yellow and gray fabric! I don't think I'll make this coat in this fabric, but I thought it was funny that this print from JoAnn's made it into the book.

I do so love this little ruffly jacket, I think she made it out of silk and linen. I think it would be adorable in vintage fabrics? I have a little vintage apron that would be great as the trim ruffle and color overlay... I might just have to do some fabric shopping this week for the body, which I think would be super cute in a washed out barkcloth, or a heavily textured linen.

Then I also got the latest Ottobre kids magazine in the mail this week, and there is the most perfect little boy's coat pattern (#18, the Naava coat)! Every year I buy each of my kids a coat like this, usually from Janie and Jack or Gap Kids. This year I'm going to make one, if it kills me (and it just might).

They call for fusible fleece as an underlining. I've never used it on a garment before, so it should be fun. The kind of fun that makes me question why I chose sewing as a hobby?

On the last page, they always show a little teaser for the next issue. This time, it's going to be the women's magazine for fall/winter, chockablock with coats and jackets. I love getting Ottobre in the mail, even if I rarely get a chance to sew from them anymore.

My first dip in the pool

2010-05-26T21:29:00.000-05:00

I've never made swimwear before. We went to Hawaii last Thanksgiving for a family vacation, and I started thinking "why can't I make a swimsuit?" It's not like there's a lot of fabric involved.

So when I got back I read a few online tips on sewing swimsuits, and promptly put it all away, not to be seen again until this week when the weather turned freakishly hot and suddenly we're longing for our neighborhood pool to open to we can go swimming.

I didn't want my first swimsuit project to be for me. Let's face it, after it carried two rather large (9 lbs and 9 1/2 lbs) boy babies, plus the accompanying 50 pound weight gain with each of them because I really like to gain a lot of weight when I'm pregnant, my body has issues.

She ain't what she used to be.

Much study will be involved when I finally get down to making a swimsuit for myself, and there will be control-garment textiles involved.

But my boys are another story. I recently got the Boden Kids catalog and in it were these so-cute-it-makes-me-sick swim trunks. My boys don't have body issues, they just like to have fun.

I dug out my 3/2009 issue of Ottobre, the one with the adorable spandex swim trunks (style #40), and set about recreating Boden's latest cuteness for a whole lot less money.

I wish I could find spandex with sharks or alligators on it. I can't. I did find a nice bright blue stripe, though, so that's what I used for my first attempt at trunks for my older son (4).

The first attempt went in the garbage can. But! The stripes matched. So that's a plus.

The piping, on the other hand, was from hell. I started off by basting it to the front section with my sewing machine. In the second version, the version with non-matching stripes because I'd used up all my matching-stripes lycra, I sewed the piping to the front section with my serger. I'll post all my tips below.

These are the second attempt.

I didn't take a picture of them on my son, so you'll have to take my word for it how cute they are. Let's just say I could barely contain myself when he put them on, they're so stinking cute. I gushed. I oohed, I aahhhed. Even my husband gave him a high-five and we told him he was destined to be the fastest swimmer in the pool in these trunks.

I know in these pictures the stripes and the entire finished product looks kind of wonky, right? Well, I think that's just how spandex fits on my mannequin. On my son, they fit super nicely and lay flat and everything you'd want them to do. And the mismatched stripes weren't at all so offensive.

The fit, as I've found with all Ottobre kids patterns, is perfect. Here are some of the finer details I didn't photograph:

1. I used bulky nylon in my serger, for all four threads. I only had four colors of bulky nylon thread, so I used all of them and it really didn't turn out too bad! I'd never worked with it before, but I'm really happy I did. Bulky nylon is just made for spandex, that's all there is to it.

2. For the waistband elastic, I used a large zig-zag on my sewing machine (and a stretch needle in size 80), and stitched 3/8" clear elastic onto the inside of the waistband, stretching it a little as it went along. I stitched down the waistband, then I threaded a nylon drawstring through the channel and that's the tie you see in front. The worst part of the whole waist assembly was the buttonhole I had to sew on the spandex. Yikes! I interfaced it, thank goodness, and it was still hell.

3. I used a stretch double needle for the leg hems and for the waistband attachment, because of its stretchiness. I didn't use bulky nylon on those seams, but I think in the future I would get another spool and use it on everything, or simply swap it out from the serger. I was lazy, I used polyester Gutermann thread for the hems and topstitching.

4. Spandex walks, and it stretches. It was much easier to work with on my serger than the regular machine, if you can believe that. I don't usually think sergers are easy to sew on, but this time I was wrong.

The weekend sewing disaster

2010-05-22T21:54:00.000-05:00

Last weekend had such potential, at least with regards to my sewing. My mom had made plans to take my older son (4) for the day on Saturday, kind of a grandma-and-Cooper bonding time. This left my husband and I to split duty on only one kid! This is somewhat like winning the lottery, except I’ve never won so I wouldn’t know.

Sure enough, I was able to sew. I had a beautiful piece of light blue cotton/silk lawn with tiny white polka dots that I’d already cut out from Vogue 8252 a while ago, just sitting in my To Be Sewn projects box. Since I wanted to be able to take at least one handmade item to my meeting in Atlanta this week, this blouse seemed like it was going to be the most appropriate.

On a total sidenote, this pattern is now out of print. But it looks just like a lot of the blouses J Crew has in their current collection. Huh? I don't get pattern companies, that part is clear.

I decided to needle-down and was working with a Microtex super sharp needle in a 70. In hindsight, I could say a 60 would have been better, I think. Just a tip if you’re ever sewing on a cotton that’s very whispy, go sharp and go down in size. I find most gingham to be lighter than usual, too, and usually go down to a size 70.

Anyhoodle, I had made my way through most of the hard stuff. I'd checked the fit (that's when I made my husband take these pictures).

I'd even put the collar and collar stay on, at least three times. The first time I attached the collar band, I realized I'd omitted the most important part - the collar. So I took it off , took it apart, inserted the collar, and reattached the band. Sounds like fun, right? Yeah, I kind of wanted to scratch my eyes out by that point, but I was determined to keep sewing.

See, I was leaving for a weeklong meeting and for the first time in my life, I planned on wearing something I'd made at the meeting.

It was not to be.

Shortly after attaching the collar correctly, I decided to step over to my laundry machines and switch loads.

Right about this time, my two-year-old decided to step up to my project table with a tiny pair of scissors in his hand and take a swipe at my blouse.

I can still see my body, lurching across the room in slow mo. Screaming "nooooooooooo!!!!!" But it was too late.

The delicate voile had taken a hit, and it was in the worst possible place. I hole in the fabric about the size of a large plastic pin head, right under the face at the top of the button placket.

I don't know if you can see it or not, you may have to click the photo to enlarge it. It's there. It's not repairable, unless I somehow figure out another way to construct the blouse that would allow me to cut all that fabric off? The problem is the fabric is pretty sheer, so any type of interfacing or repairwork will show up like a gigantic Spongebob band-aid under my face.

So, I stopped sewing right then and there. I don't mean for life, I mean for that day, and on that project.

*sigh* Sewing and small children often don't mix well. They both take a very large amount of concentration. This weekend I haven't done any sewing at all because my husband and I were like ships that crossed in the night on Friday and I've been a single parent since I returned home, but I'm hoping next week will bring with it some down time worthy of working on one of my Jalie patterns, or anything else in my UFO box.

I need one week.

2010-05-14T21:26:00.000-05:00

I need one free week. Where I don't have to go to work, and I don't miss out on time with my kids, where I'm fully rested and my house is clean, where the laundry is always done, folded and put away, and the dishwasher is also empty.

If I had that week, then I could catch up on all of the projects rattling around in my head and on my work table.

I have a white version of Wenlan's Twinkle bouse from BurdaStyle waiting to be started. Thankfully, I've mentally walked through the construction steps this week so it shouldn't be too confusing when I sit down with virtually no instructions to assemble it.

I am dying to make a white stretch lace top like one I saw when I was in a cute boutique in Kansas City's Plaza a few weeks ago. This little shop had an entire section of white and lace things, so I'm fairly certain it's in style right now.

I need to finish my white Jalie jeans.

I have a cute summer dress partially complete, out of shimmery metallic (subtle) flax linen. All I need to complete is the zipper and the facings, just haven't found the motivation to do it yet.

I have a few Jalie knit tops on the pile of To Do. Lots of lovely jersies on the stash pile that I kept, all just waiting to be cut up and worn.

And that isn't counting the half-dozen Ottobre patterns I want to make.

Or the Mariposa top from Anna Maria Horner's new book. I have the perfect red and white check cotton picked out for it, too.

Instead, I don't have a free week. I have a week where I'll be out of town, without a sewing machine. Plenty of free time in the evenings but no tools. This is where hand-sewing would come in handy, eh? Well, I'll just have to compensate by making a trip to Atlanta's Whipstitch. That ought to cheer me up.

Stars on my arse

2010-05-11T18:43:00.001-05:00

The back pockets are the first step on the Jalie jeans? Seems strange, but who am I to judge.

See, I knew there was a good reason to obsess over the pocket decoration before starting the project.

I copied the pockets on the "Bella" version of People's Liberation jeans. Here's an example from Ebay so you can see them.

You may have to click the picture to enlarge it to see the stitching? Or you may have to take my word for it.

It's really super hard to see on the white denim, and if I had any brain in my head I would have used graduated grays for the thread. But I don't. So the stars are white, which is fine for this pair. The next pair I'll practice more, I promise.

Oh, and check me out! I saw the prettiest cotton at Hancock's today when I was buying needles, and I refrained from ~~hoarding~~ buying it! Can you believe that?! It's like I'm getting better or something.

The infamous Jalie jeans

2010-05-10T21:11:00.000-05:00

I am succumbing to the peer pressure of the Jalie jeans. Since everyone else on the planet has made them and raves about them, I'm finally going to try my hand at them.

So far, I have not had the easiest time of it. I decided to use up stash fabric and make my first pair out of white denim I had on the pile. It's not stretch, and the pattern calls for denim with 20% stretch, so I'm cutting a size larger than I usually would (I would have cut a V but now I'm cutting a W).

Jalie patterns are printed on very large heavy white paper, not pattern tissue. They also include sizes from 2T to way past mine, whatever that is. I was looking forward to making a pair of the regular-rise jeans for my mom if the low-rise pair works out for me.

After unfolding the pattern, though, I couldn't wrap my scissors, head, or tracing paper around how to go about cutting out my size without ruining the ones above it? I ended up tracing directly onto my denim with blue tracing paper. I was having no luck tracing the pattern onto tracing paper for some reason.

Well, anyhoodle, now they're cut out and the true test begins. I'm wondering if I should have bought a stretch denim. But then there's the issue of the large stash of fabric I'm trying to sew down. I have a really nice pair of dark denim, too, but it doesn't have stretch either.

Oh, and there's the added bit where I think about and stress about the pocket decoration stitching all day long. That can't be healthy, right? I think I've decided on some sort of star motif. Kind of like the stars that decorate the butts of People's Republic denim. I like them, so maybe I'll try to replicate something like that? And the h's from Citizens of all Humanity are cute, too. So we'll see.

My stint in jail

2010-05-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

I made another New Look 6936 dress, this time in a lovely soft striped jersey I bought for $2.95 a yard. Score! I have enough fabric left over for a top and I have plans in mind for something with drawstrings on the sides.

I even broke out the twin needle for the hems! I have a confession to make. I have never used a twin needle before in my life. Isn't that lame? It was the easiest thing ever, and kind of neat how the bobbin thread gets intertwined between the top threads. I guess that's what makes it stretchy, I don't know.

What I do know is I love this dress, and I'll be wearing it to the pool and to Target quite a bit this summer.

I'm on the Train to Crazy this week!

How to make $1,000

2010-05-08T14:04:00.000-05:00

First, you have to spend waaaay more than that.

I had my gigantic Fabric and Crafts DeStash Yard Sale today. I am tired. I am sore. I am cold to my bones because it was only in the forties and early fifties with the wind blowing hard the entire time.

I have about $1,000 I didn't have yesterday, and I don't have about 500 yards of fabric I did have yesterday.

I can't believe it, almost every single piece of designer cotton I had is gone! The crowds showed up a little before 8:00, hovering on the sidewalk until I said it was ok to come down. Ladies battled over prints, standing in line together if they both wanted something, snatching up pieces that were about to be put back on the table before they could get there. There was a lady here who bought tons of fabric, and she doesn't even sew! She called her seamstress to come over and help her pick fabrics.

It was a madhouse.

If I'd had a camera, all you would have seen was blur.

All of these pictures from the night before will have to do. I had everything stacked in my office, ready to go. Fabric prints, apparel solids, knit jerseys, ribbons, trims, buttons and zippers. All color-coordinated and separated by width and by use.

Yeah, the color coding last all of ten minutes when the hoard descended. They were like vultures, snatching fabric out of each other's hands the second it looked like it was a discard. At least a dozen times I saw people on their cell phones, saying "you have to get over here, you'd love it," or "I picked some stuff out for you, hurry up!"

My mom and I were at the cutting table and my dad was taking money. We could have used at least two more cutters the first two hours, but after that it was over. As quickly as they came, they were gone and so was my gigantic fabric stash. Gone!

And you know what? It feels kind of good. As I was sorting and separating yesterday, I was totally bummed. I'd look at each piece and say "oh, I love this one!" But then I thought about it some more, and realized that even if I sewed every single day for a year, there's no way I'd ever use every piece of fabric in my Keep pile, let alone the ones I was letting go. So I added more to the Sell pile. And more. And then this morning some more.

I still have a lot of fabric left, but most of it is apparel fabrics, most of it is 60" wide. To my surprise, the apparel fabric didn't sell as well as the designer cottons, probably because it's a smaller audience that would use it.

All in all, it was a huge success. I feel lighter already. Now if only someone would go downstairs and re-organize my sewing room, I'd be totally set!

I'm off

2010-05-06T19:35:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, I just know I'm taking a little bit of a sewing break for a few days.

I finished my striped jersey dress last weekend and haven't sewn anything since then.

I do love it so (the striped jersey dress). I love the stripes. I don't care what anyone else thinks, to me it's summer fun in a breezy package. I'll share pictures soon, just as soon as I take them. I would love a cool obi belt to wear with it. Oh, that's right. I have ordered the perfect fabric to make into the mostest awesomest obi belt on the planet, thanks to that cool new book I have.

The biggest thing on my plate right now is my Gigantic Fabric De-Stash Mother of All Yard Sales this Saturday. That's kept me remarkably busy. When I first decided to do it, I just thought I'd slap out all my excess fabric, sell it all, and be done with it.

As it turns out, there's quite a bit of excess fabric, and even more odds and ends that need to go. Two vintage sewing machines and one teeny tiny mini Janome. Trims, ribbons, and notions coming out the yinyang. Vintage and modern patterns of all kinds. Knitting supplies and some beautiful yarns, because although I'd love to, I don't knit. Sewing books that I've found completely useless but I know someone else might love it.

Then there's the random household items I see and decide to slap a price tag on. Two high chairs. A coffee table. Some framed artwork I no longer love. The more I walk around, the more I want to sell. My four-year-old has even gotten in the act and says he wants to sell all his toys, too.

It's taken on a life of its own and most of my free time this week has been spent getting ready for The Sale. I hope to have a moment to take pictures before the crowds show up. Oh, and I hope to walk away from it all with some cold hard cash.

Plus, (I'm back to talking about why I'm not sewing) I can't decide what to sew next! I have a darling little top cut out in the most darling cotton and silk voile. I have another darling top cut out in the remaining white french terry. I have the rose denim pants to fix, and the other denim trousers to finish (oh, right, fix the pockets first, then finish). Then there are all the new Jalie patterns that arrived this week, including the infamous low-rise bootcut jeans I'm dying to try. See? Too much to do and no motivation is not a good thing.

handmade beginnings - a book review of sorts

2010-05-05T20:02:00.000-05:00

I had to take my car to the Firestone station today and there's a Barnes & Noble very closeby. Soooo, naturally I bought a sewing (in this case, more of an inspiration) book for my reading pleasure while I waited for my service.

Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner

I haven't really read anything about it (duh, it was only published this week!) and I haven't had much luck with books like this in the past, so I picked it up off the shelf to glance through it, rather than with any intention of buying it.

I was so happily surprised to find at least six projects that I would love to make, and so I bought it!

After reading the introduction (and the title is a dead giveaway, eh?), it seems as though the book is totally about sewing for pregnancy and newborns. BUT I really feel like most of the projects are super versatile. For instance, for the three clothing patterns for women, AMH includes instructions on how to make them in both maternity and non-maternity versions.

I haven't yet tried sewing any of the patterns so I can't speak to their accuracy. Honestly, I'm not expecting much. This is where designer books tend to go astray, in my experience. The pictures, colors, and concepts are great, but when the rubber meets the road (or presser feet come down, in this case) things fall apart. This book, like many on the sewing shelves, is probably more geared towards quilters that are bridging into clothing construction rather than people who prefer to sew couture or ready-to-wear knockoffs. For me, I like them both so I'm super excited about it.

For the price of the book ($18 online at B&N), I saw five or six projects/patterns I plan to make this summer and at least a few that would make great baby shower gifts for the future:

There's a beautiful skirt, complete with instructions on how to convert it from a maternity skirt back to a regular size, that I totally plan to make. Of course, it calls for hand stitching the seam lines for embellishment, so I'll have to figure out how to bypass that and still maintain the cuteness factor.

There are two adorable tops - the Mariposa tunic/dress and a tank-style shirt that can be made into a convertible nursing top (but clearly I won't be doing that).

There's an awesome hooded jacket for kiddos that one or both of my sons will be sporting in the fall, when jackets will be necessary again. It's weird to think they won't be needing one for that long again.

There's a cute little dress pattern for toddlers that will be made up very soon. There's nothing more gratifying than sewing for kids. The pieces are so small and they tend to make up very quickly. Plus, there's no odd body shaping issues to deal with!

I am in love with this beautiful strip work obi belt. I have plans for it already.

And the diaper bag design is perfect.

I spent my lunch hour reading through the instructions on a couple of the projects and I will warn you - they don't seem written for a complete beginner. In fact, the lack of pictures and some of the descriptions could lead to total disaster if you don't have a basic knowledge of clothing construction, or at least a guide who can help you translate.

Hey! Maybe that's how I'll incorporate this book into the blog, I'll do each project as a sort of sew-along tutorial, complete with pictures? It's an idea. Stay tuned.

Whew! I feel like Cinderella at the ball, but the part before she finds her slipper.

2010-05-04T07:06:00.000-05:00

Yay, another top made it into the top 60! So if you care to vote again today, here's the link to the page.

I'm exhausted with the excitement. I want to go back to bed.

That also could be because my 2-year-old was up at 12:30 crying and came into bed with us, then the puppy wanted to go out because she heard all the excitement, then the puppy was up at 3:30, then both boys hogged my side of the bed and I had to sleep sideways at the bottom, and then I got up at 6:30 with the puppy while my husband did his beauty routine in the bathroom. Grrrrrrrrrr.

Time to vote! (and $$ rewards for those who vote for me)

2010-05-03T06:02:00.000-05:00

***EEEEKKK!!! I just checked the page and saw my Liberty Liverpool awesome tunic-from-hideous dress made it into the first round of voting!! YAYYY!!!!*****

Spring Top Week is upon us, people. So it's time to go vote for the tops you like the best!

Check out Made by Rae each day this week to vote for that day's fave top. I have no idea how the votes are tabulated, but I think it's awesome to encourage fellow sew-ers in their creativity.

And now that I am in the voting, I will reward you greatly for voting for me. Although there's another top in that round I'd like to vote for, but I'm not telling until it's all over....

Any Spanish speakers out there? with an edit

2010-05-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

I have this copy of Patrones magazine, and there's a skirt I'm thinking of making for someone other than myself.

SKIRT in beige cotton with hip piece, roll on the base and applications stitching sewn with black cotton. Side zip.

The thing is, I don't speak fluent Spanish anymore. OK, I never did, but I could get by when I was in Spain.

I've run the text of the instructions through Babel Fish and it came out sounding like a different foreign language, only written in English. So I'm going to post the description and instructions here and hopefully someone can either email me or comment to tell me what's going on?

Colocar adomo de flores y hojas en falda delante y detras segun modelo y coser con un pespunte estilo hilvan en hilo torzal quedando recortadas y deshilachadas. Pasar un doble frunce en los angulos de la falda delante y detras y coser a una pieza cadera delante y detras tensando los frunces segun formas, coser y cerrar lados falda hasta senal final cremallara lado ezquierdo, aplicar esta invisible.

Translated, it supposedly means: Adom Place flowers and leaves in front and back skirt and sew according to the model with a basting stitch yarn style clipped and frayed twine. Spend a double pleats at the corners of the skirt front and back and sew in a piece hip front and back by tightening the forms according gathers, sewing and close sides to sign final lap side zip ezquierdo apply this invisible.

My main question is how the top half goes together? Is the yoke piece at the top simply topstitched onto the skirt, or are those keyhole boxes actually turned with right sides together, clipping at the corners? It looks like the flowers are just stitched on top of the skirt, allowing the edges to fray? The person I'd be making this for wouldn't like that, so I'd have to come up with a different method of stitching them on.

Thanks for your help!

**Thanks to the wonderful okiethfairy, I am now including a photo of the pattern pieces. They lead me to believe it's put together like the key/pattern pieces and not appliqued. What do you think?**

A pink pair of pants

2010-04-30T15:27:00.000-05:00

I am almost finished with my perfect pink pair of pants. They're technically a muslin for a pair of trouser jeans I loved with all my heart until they died after many years of wearing.

Here are the originals, a pair of Meli Melo trouser jeans with a cute braided pocket band detail that made it nearly impossible to actually use those side pockets. So I omitted that detail for now. By the way, Meli Melo went out of business shortly after I bought these jeans, so I think it's ok to knock them off, right?

They got kinda tight over the years. Stupid washer and dryer! Shrinking all my clothes on me, even the ones I hang to dry. Couldn't be me, certainly not.

I cut them up after they split up the center back and used the pieces as a "pattern" of sorts. I found this stretch rosey denim at Hancock's for $3 a yard. The only drawback now, in hindsight, is that the rose denim has quite a bit of stretch and the original jeans weren't stretch at all, although they acted like it. They were 80% cotton, 20% poly, which is probably why they were so soft and acted kinda stretchy.

Because the originals had gotten a wee bit tight, I cut the pattern pieces with a one inch seam allowance, to allow for some adjustments should I need it. The stretch in the rosey denim took care of that, though, so I ended up not needing it.

I am really really really happy with the almost finished product, considering I was basically winging it. Had I remember these were a 'muslin' I might not have spent so much time getting the welt pockets just right, but I did anyway. They aren't perfect and there are still threads I need to snip, but they look pretty darn good from a distance.

I still have to take the waistband off and do some fixing so I haven't sewn on the button or buttonhole yet. For one, I totally forgot to interface it! Spaced out completely on that. So I wore the pants in to Ben Franklin to buy buttons and by the time I got home the waistband had grown considerably.

Sorry for the gross belly shot.

I created a curved waistband with some cotton on the interior, but I will be adjusting it and curving the center back seam even more to fix the gaposis that occurred while wearing. Not too noticeable in these pictures, but definitely there.

All in all, I'm really happy with them and I'll be trying my hand at a second pair and possibly a pattern posting soon.

Clearly, I can't be trusted

2010-04-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

I think I am going to develop some sort of voting system, whereby I can post up my patterns and then as the urge to cut into some pretty fabric overtakes me, I stop and share this urge before cutting, so you all can weigh in and tell me whether or not my instincts are bad or good.

Let's face it, most of the time they're not good.

Although today, get this - I made a muslin! Get OUT! I know, I was shocked myself.

I bought this lightweight jersey knit in a darling little camouflage print for $1.95 a yard at Hancock's a while ago. I know, you're shocked by the price, right? Me too! I just thought it could be cool, or it could totally end up looking like I want to be on the A-Team. Either way. This picture kinda leans towards A-Team.

Then after getting the camo jersey I came across a lovely lovely black and off-white, sort of muddy white, stripe jersey that I looooove. Because I love stripes. Love them.

On to the story. I wanted to make this New Look dress pattern out of the stripes. But you know, my track record with picking crap fabric for nice patterns and vice versa isn't so great. So I decided to make one of the only muslins I've ever made, and it turns out I'll probably wear it as much as anything else in my summer closet!

I also learned that I really like this pattern. It's breezy, it's not clingy but there's some shaping to it what with the elastic thingy under the bust and all. I have plans to girlify the camo dress some, so hopefully I'll actually get that done before it turns cold again. But if not, I'm cool with how it wears today. Oh, I guess it still needs a hem. Oops.

There's really nothing funny going on with the sleeve, it's just the way I was so fantastically posed in this picture. I had to put my modeling career on the backburner while I raise my two kids.

And I've taken notes on what could be improved with this pattern - lengthen it by 3", lengthen bodice by 1", make the front more like the back (boatneck instead of cross front). Other than that, no changes!

So the stripes have been cut out, in version E I think? The boatneck longer version. Can't wait for a spare 30 minutes to slap it together. Seriously, it goes that quickly and that's with the cross front!

I think I should concentrate more on making simple things like this until I find my sewing mojo. Oh, wait. I am halfway through the two pair of denim trousers I'm working on, so they don't count. I'm just trying to work s l o w l y on those so I don't screw them up. Hope to have finished products this weekend, complete with photos and pattern tips. I've already totally goofed the sideseam pockets on the blue pair, forgetting that when sideseam pockets stretch you can see inside the pants, so you don't put the fancy contrast fabric on that piece, you put it on the piece that lays against the front. Just waiting to pick apart all those stitches. Exciting!

Federico Forquet - a big stinker

2010-04-27T19:04:00.000-05:00

Whooo-ee! Federico Forquet, what were you thinking, man? This vintage Vogue dress pattern I started for Pattern Review's vintage pattern contest is uuuuuuuuggly!

I have never laughed so hard as I did when I tried it on and found the weird kangaroo pocket hangs below my crotchline. And I am tall! I have long arms and I seriously have to stretch a little to stick my hands in the pockets.

Seriously.

When my husband saw it, and saw that I was laughing so hard I was crying, he said "wow. There's a lot going on there. Maybe in a solid?"

It kind of reminds me of the time in high school I was sewing with my mom and my grandma in the room and ended up sewing the four seams of two legs together, creating one big stovepipe. I laughed until I thought I was going to throw up.

This dress is actually more flattering in these pictures than it is in person, if that's even possible?
I still have to finish the neckline and armhole facings and hem it, but I can't decide if I should even do that much more work! Should I cut it off above the kangaroo sack and turn it into a top I could wear for work? Ack! Oh, well, at least this time I know it wasn't me, it was the design. What should I do with this? Is the fabric ugly? I'm so at a loss.

Yay, something I'm good at!

2010-04-27T06:05:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say I was able to start on a long-awaited project last night that's going to be super fun!

Actually, I started two projects, but the thing is, they're very similar.

One is a re-make of these jeans, my all-time favorite trouser jeans, that have seen such better days it wasn't really a surprise when the center back seam did a splitter on me while I sat on the floor at Barnes & Noble (reading sewing books - ironic?). They had gotten really tight (washing machine keeps shrinking things, eh), and you can kind of see how the silk inside the waistband had deteriorated over the years of washings. I'd already decided I was going to cut them up to make a "pattern" and try to re-create them when they died.

I went to Hancock's and bought an inexpensive piece of rose stretch denim. Rose? you ask. Yes, rose. I don't tend to like denim sold by the yard, it's never the same as denim you see on ready to wear, probably because of the washing/weathering techniques the RTW companies use after construction. So I thought a nice rosey pair of trouser jeans would be fun.

I also have an awesome independent pattern for a pair of trousers with a yoke back that I wanted to make and the perfect stash fabric for them - a stretch denim with this interesting weave, kind of like vertical slub lines running through it? I'd read on Gorgeous Fabrics' blog about laying out stretch fabrics overnight before cutting them out, so I actually did it this time. I laid the denim on my parents' pool table to let her breathe, and then cut the pants pattern the next time I was out at their house. It rested for a long time. I'm currently resting the rosey stretch denim, and hope to have it back home by the end of the week. Initially I thought I'd make both pair of pants in an assembly line but sadly I don't think it's going to work out that way.

I so love making pants. Not because they're easy, just because I wear a lot of pants. And I'd really like to get better at some of the techniques, like curved waistbands, pockets, zippers and fly extensions, not to mention fitting. I put the zipper into the denim pair tonight while watching Sandra Betzina's fly front zipper video tutorial (pretty good, but sadly lacking any description of what side she's talking about?) and it went really well. Now all I have to finish is the side seam pockets and I'll be ready to model them for you. Sounds pretty easy, right?

Hah!

Side seam pockets are a really difficult area for me. I can do welt pockets till the cows come home, but sideseam pockets? Totally foreign. I'm still trying to visualize the steps in my mind before I attempt to do them on the machine. That's kind of how I work, I lay in bed at night thinking through the process before sitting down at the machine to do it. Am I the only one who does that kind of thing?

That's also kind of why shirring was so frustrating for me - there's no technique to learn, it's just straight or zig-zig stitching, and it wasn't turning out right! I understand when a fly zipper doesn't turn out right, but straight stitches?

So if all goes well by the end of the week I should have two new pair of pants to share with you. Maybe I'll just wear them around the house, we'll see. Sometimes my dreams are much better than the reality.

And if the rosey trouser jeans fit well, I'll try to post up a pattern for others to adjust to their own measurements and use. Now I just need to learn how to draw....

Woot woot!

2010-04-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

Doing a little happy dance! Lookie who made it to Rae's front page ~

That very first top up there is the lovely Sonja, a friend from the blogosphere that I met last spring during Sew, Mama, Sew's May giveaway day. She won my giveaway! And I was so glad to have found her, she's a great artist. She makes the most intricate, beautiful hand-felted cake toppers in her Etsy store, although I think she's on hiatus while her family moves cross-country. Oh, and she happened to have made the tank dress out of the latest Alabama Stitches book so that makes me kind of hate her just a little, if that's even possible.

Then my Japanese tank top made the second row! Whoo-hoooo!!! It hasn't been hot enough yet to wear it, but I see it in my dresser and smile.

I can already count way more than ten tops that I would vote for, so it's going to be a real competition! I'll remind everyone when the time comes to vote, not so you can vote for me or Sonja (although that would be super cool), but so you can support home sewers!

First and last

2010-04-25T17:52:00.000-05:00

Well, thanks to the lovely and helpful Mikhaela, I did finally manage to shir something. And I can say, hands down, with no equivocation, that I will never again shir anything. Ever. Unless the gods somehow bless me with a sewing machine that loves elastic bobbin thread, that is. And when I say loves, I mean a machine that will buy the fabric and cut it out, too.

Until then? Nope. Never again. (Can you tell I haven't finished the top yet? It still needs buttons down the front of the ruffle and I haven't stitched down the ruffle.)

I started this top almost a year ago. I had purchased this lovely imported Japanese cotton print from Hart's Fabric and I didn't really know what to do with it. On the screen the colors looked clear and crisp, but in person they are much grayer. Muddier. Whatever, they aren't crisp and clear. I still like it, but it wasn't what I expected.

Then shortly after buying the fabric, I ordered this Jamie Christina pattern off Etsy for this cute little shirred top and dress. This was before I realized shirring just involved cutting a box and sewing straight lines. More on that later.

So the idea was born, marry the Japanese landscape print that has a texture like linen but is really cotton with the shirred ruffle button top.

Only, my machines won't shir with elastic thread in the bobbin, as I've shared only too many times.

Mikhaela of Polka Dot Overload recently posted a similar problem with shirring, and mentioned that she'd finally developed a technique that did not involve elastic bobbin thread. So I emailed her and she was gracious enough to share. I'm not going to copy her email because that would be wrong, plus I think she'll post her story on her own blog, but I will condense the instructions and share what I did with my own top.

Mikhaela's advice was to use the elastic thread but to zig-zag over it. After experimenting a few times, I finally came up with this system, and I took a picture (gasp! a picture during the process is so unlike me) so I hope you can see what I was doing:

1. Cut a piece of elastic thread 18" long. My bust is about 36" around, so I arbitrarily chose half that measurement.
2. Tie knots in each end with about a 1" tail.
3. Start each row by staystitching just after the knot, effectively "locking" it in place so when you're stretching the thread as you're sewing it won't come undone.
4. Zigzag (length 3, width 3) over the elastic thread, keeping the lines about 1/2" from the previous row. I managed to do this easily by using my larger 9mm presser foot and following its edge.
5. When I got to the end of a row, I'd turn down the dials and staystitch just before the knot again.
6. And for good measure, I tied the two knots together in one knot and then continued my zigzag over that to lock the tails in place.

Whew. That's a long process for a little payoff.

I even timed myself towards the end (actually, on the eleventh row of shirring as I was cussing the slow progress), and it turns out it took me almost ten minutes per row with all the steps involved. That is insane.

After I added up all the failed shirring rows that I had to rip out, plus the eventual successful rows and then the minor details of straps, ruffle and buttons, this simple little summer top took hours upon hours of labor. Let me tell you friends, IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

I have decided if I ever want a shirt with shirring, I'll go to the store and buy one, or take my lovely friend Cara up on her offer to let me use her Brother (since it seems to like it fine).

So there you have it. A partially finished product and a whole lotta wasted time. I could have completed my vintage pattern contest entry in the time it took me to shir this stinking top! And that includes underlining it!

BUT, I'm glad I did it. Cause now I know, and otherwise it just would have eaten away at me.

Now on to my next rant. I mean this in the most respectful way. Bloggers, sew-ers, crafters, everyone out there that is doing this needs to stop, in my cranky-just-spent-way-too-much-time-shirring opinion. STOP "designing" patterns people are asked to pay for and then pretend that it's an original design that should not be copied for resale purposes. For example, anyone who is releasing a design today for a shirred top or dress just exactly like the one I just made. PEOPLE! This is a box with elastic thread at the top. That does not constitute an original design, nor does it require a huge amount of design effort. It's totally cool if you want to upload a pattern for others to follow, I just find it greedy to ask for money for that "pattern," and then to demand some sort of copyright privilege and expect people not to use the pattern to sell finished items.

I've seen this over and over in the craftoblogosphere. Someone "designs" a zippered pouch, packages their pattern for sale, and then claims people can't make zippered pouches for sale based off their "original" pattern. Give me a break. You know who totally impress me for their completely original designs? People like the girls behind Sugar City and Sarai of Colette Patterns. Now that's original design. Zippered pouches, shirred boxes? Not original.

OK, end rant. I hope I haven't offended too many people, and this was actually not about Jamie Christina. I love her fabric shop and the dresses she sells on Etsy. I'm more irritated with a big name blogger who has just recently released an "original" shirred dress pattern that you have to pay for. I have big magnanimous plans for uploading and sharing lots of patterns, just as soon as I can get around to it. Pants patterns, reversible cross-back top pattern, etc. I may even throw in a shirred dress pattern, just to tip the scales in favor of something free.

Copycats

2010-04-24T20:10:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to take pictures of a project that was finally finished today after languishing in my UFO pile for over a year. It involves shirring, if you can believe it. Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to take pictures and post it up.

But this post is about fashion's knack for reinventing itself. How history is bound to repeat itself. How there's nothing new under the sun.

And let me say, that is not always a bad thing. I got the latest Talbot's catalog in the mail today, and for the first time in a long time I actually sat and paged through it. I am really drawn to the colors they are using in this season's line and although I don't buy clothes from them, I always like to look at pretty things for inspiration.

One of the dresses that I adore is this cross-front number in a pretty, summery cotton print. Sorry, the Talbot's site won't let me copy their pics. I knew I'd seen something like this in my vintage patterns, so I ran downstairs and look! I borrowed the picture from Wikia, but I have this pattern in my size:

Vintage McCall's 8297 from 1966. The shape of the skirt isn't exactly the same. The pattern's skirt is a slight a-line, and the Talbot's dress is more of a straight skirt or even pencil cut.

I have a feeling this vintage pattern has just made her way to the top of my future project pile, which makes me think of something I've been meaning to write about for a while ~ fabric sourcing. In my opinion, the worst part about sewing is finding the right fabric at a price that doesn't make it cost-prohibitive. Especially if you live in an area where there aren't a lot of great choices in apparel fabrics. Online shopping can be tricky. Like Fashion Fabrics Club, where the prices are great and the pictures look ok, but in real life their fabrics can be really bad sometimes. Really good other times, but the really bad ones stick in my mind. Luckily their warehouse is here in Saint Louis, so I don't pay for shipping and I go pick up my packages in person. You'd be stunned if you knew what that operation really looks like. Yuck. I'll have to take pictures next time I go. Their returns pile is enormous.

I've been doing really well with my goal of finishing a lot of the UFOs that have been sitting around here and it'll be nice to get to some new projects. I finally broke down and ordered four Jalie patterns for the first time from Pattern Review. I can't wait for my fabric de-stash yard sale, my workspace is going to seem empty!

oui oui

2010-04-23T20:59:00.000-05:00

I feel myself hitting my stitching stride again. Feeling good about something I've made instead of bad, which is a nice little change.

I was in a boutique here recently when I came across this super cute top. I took a stealth Blackberry photo at a bad angle but didn't want to be accused of fashion espionage or something.

The more I thought about that top, the more I came down with Sew-er's Sickness. You know the drill. "Oh, this is so cute. I can make this!" I don't even think the original top was that expensive. But my brain started to list the reasons I could make it.

- It was made out of white French terry, and I had a stash of white French terry I'd bought at Hancock's for $2.95 a yard on my fabric shelves, just waiting.
- It was a simple shape, a button-down top with little flutter sleeves and a waistband. I knew I'd seen a similar pattern somewhere.
- The cuteness of the top relied on some craftiness - the designer had added little ruffles edged with navy serging, and pick stitching along the waistband pieces. All things that are easy enough to create at home.

So....this is what I came up with, complete with my poor posture. It really looks nothing like the original inspiration, but I like it nonetheless. Oh, and I took these pics before I remembered to hem the bottom. Oops.

I downloaded the free JJ top pattern from burdastyle.com and made the following changes to it.

First, I omitted the collar and cut the neckline a little lower so I'd have a scoop neck. Then I used some gingham in a bias band to create a little neck binding. I used that same gingham for the sleeve bands and then got a little crazy and made covered buttons - huge covered buttons.

Why stop with all that? I ended up decorating the princess seams with a stitch from my machine's library. It's like a giant X with a dot in the center.

I cut a size 44 according to my measurements because I falsely thought French terry didn't stretch very much. Well, it does. So I ended up taking in the side seams by at least an inch each and the princess seams by about 1/4" under the bustline. I could probably stand to cinch it up a little more, but I don't want the front to gape open.

I really like the finished product. In my house, there aren't many un-attended photo shoots and this one was no different. My oldest son wanted me to read his fortune cookie fortune while I was on the timer.

1. French terry is pretty hot. It got muggy today and was 78F out and I was hot in this top! So it's probably going to be a spring/fall top, but that's fine with me.
2. The pattern that would have been an exact match to the top I saw in the boutique is Simplicity 2601. After I cut out the JJ I realized my mistake. That's ok, I have plans to make the Simplicity pattern, too! Can't have too many cute tops in my closet, right? I may even try it in a stable knit. I seem to wear a lot more knit tops than woven.
3. I really really love gingham. I think it would be totally cute to make a navy gingham top with white ruffles.
4. I hate making covered buttons. I need three hands. Or two people. Either way, they were my least favorite task from this project.

All told, this top cost me somewhere around $10. I think if I used a total of two yards at 2.95 a yard, there's almost $6 in fabric and two packages of covered buttons at $2 each. Not bad, eh? Way better than the $89 the original top cost.

The Liverpool tunic lives

2010-04-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

Remember how I started off with such good intentions of making a western-style dress a la Ramonster from Amy Butler's Liverpool dress/tunic pattern? Only it turned out hideous on me?

This was the dress with piped pockets. Eh. Not bad, but the pockets needed to come in quite a bit and I wasn't quite sure I was ready for the Rhinestone Cowgirl look just yet.

I took off the pockets. And then I felt like a housemaid. Like Alice from the Brady Bunch.

So I whacked off the bottom six inches and now it's a tunic. And I love it! I hemmed it quite wide, so I think I'm going to go back and put in a narrow hem, maybe a half-inch. That will give me another inch or two in length, which would be good. Gotta cover the buns if I can.

I wrote a review of the Liverpool pattern on Pattern Review but I'll repeat some of it here - I love Amy Butler clothing patterns. The fit is excellent for me, I only have to make the small adjustment to add length to the body. Other than that, the fit was exactly what I would get from a top at JCrew or Banana Republic. Maybe even a little better.

If you don't remember, I used two Liberty of London scarves I bought at Target. They're a lawn-like weave, 100% cotton. I piped it with white mini-piping made for children's heirloom sewing (it's not so thick and obnoxious and the bias fabric is much nicer), and put snaps up the front instead of the covered buttons the pattern calls for.

I am definitely going to make another one of these tops. I made elbow-length sleeves this time and next time I'll probably either do long-sleeves for fall or 3/4-length.

I was so prepared when I made this shirt, I didn't even cut the pattern lines! I carefully folded the pieces so I could cut my size and save the pattern to use in a larger size for my mom. It's like this pattern and me? We were meant to be.

Some exciting news - I managed to cut out three new projects last night, so I'm excited to get started on those and share my ideas. I stopped in to a cute little boutique while waiting for an appointment the other day and in ten minutes stocked up on so many cute sewing ideas!

Back on track

2010-04-20T19:49:00.000-05:00

I took my machine to the shop tonight, and luckily the talented and kind lady that works there took pity upon me and fixed her on the spot with no charge.

My Bernina has a rotary hook bobbin case, and apparently the teeny tiny little screw (one of them) had fallen out during my shirring fiasco. That was what was causing all the noise. Oh, that and the fact that I DON'T OIL MY MACHINE ENOUGH and the lady was talking in baby talk "oh, is she thirsty? she's so thirsty!" It was kind of weird. Buuuuut, when they're fixing my mistakes for free, I just smile and nod and promise to oil the machine more often.

Which is kind of funny because for the first twenty-five years of my sewing life I never oiled a machine once. And now I need to do it almost every day according to her.

But it does sound better and is forming real stitches again, so all is good with the world. I'm back in the game, baby! I hope to start my vintage pattern contest entry tomorrow, if all goes right and there are no more catastrophes like me ruining my sewing machine or losing another Blackberry. No, those foibles were from the past. My future is looking really good.

Craps or how shirring ruined my sewing machine

2010-04-20T06:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm going to call it. Shirring 1, Heather 0. I will probably never sew anything with elastic thread, ever again.

I've tried, many times. I tried on my Grandma's Bernette (from the 80s) that's a straight-up mechanical machine. No bells and whistles, no automatic buttonholer. It wouldn't happen. The elastic thread just would not stretch up. I put it aside and waited a year.

Then Mikhaela wrote about her shirring struggles, and the project was still sitting in the UFO box, staring at me. Taunting me. "Come on, Heather, everyone who can operate a sewing machine can shir. All you need to know is how to sew a straight line. Jeez, loser."

So I got out the elastic thread again and made a fresh attempt. I dialed down my machine's tension and hand-wound the bobbin. And I sat back, just waiting for my shirring masterpiece, my shirring breakthrough, the moment when shirring was going to change my life, to happen.

Well, friends, all I can say from that fiasco is it took me a half hour to pick all the stitches out and my machine is officially broken down. She just got back from the shop a few weeks ago, and she is heading to the shop this morning because I swear on anything holy or whatever, that I have broken the bobbin carrier on my Bernina using elastic thread. There's a little doo-hicky on the side of the bobbin carrier that captures the thread and keeps the tension, and it is literally hanging off the side, limp. Dead. That would explain the awful chunking noise that occurred shortly after starting the ill-fated shirring stitches and continued on for three rows.

So now it's back to sewing on Grandma's old Bernette. I care too much about that machine to allow elastic thread to work its evil magic on her. Maybe I could try the technique Mikhaela finally used to successfully shir - zig-zagging over elastic instead of using elastic thread? I don't know.

Sooo bummed. Also, v. bummed that my vintage pattern contest entry may be either dramatically delayed or cancelled altogether due to devastating loss of sewing machine.

{weeps silently}

There may be a wee bit of irrational emotion going on around here, due to sleepless nights due to crying pupper dog. Whatever the case, I will update all on the fate of Bernina after she's diagnosed.

Hello?! I am supposed to be WORKING, people!

2010-04-19T04:47:00.000-05:00

Remember how I wrote about my contest entry for Pattern Review's vintage sewing contest? And how the instructions call for underlining the dress in the vintage 'sandwich' method, but I thought I'd be all smart and easy and modernize it and line it with a separate shell attached at the neckline and armholes?

Yeah, well.

That was before the Slapdash Sewist posted one of her newest creations, using this cheater faux-Hong-Kong-finish-underline method she read about from someone else. (And she made it in a most lovely blue polka dot that I really like but don't need at all right now, so NO I am not going to try to find any of it.)

I love it.

I even understand how to do it.

How cool is that?

And the only sucky thing is that I am at my desk, supposed to be working right now, and I should not be daydreaming about how I'm going to one day finish the seams of my newest vintage pattern creation.

I have decided it would be much better if there were more hours in the day. Only for crafting. Not for laundry. But I need about three more hours. Thanks.

What's your ballyhoo?

2010-04-18T21:51:00.000-05:00

I don't even know what the word ballyhoo means. I have a feeling it means that thing that you get stuck on every time. Something you're not good at or don't like or something that trips you up.

I ask the question because if there is one thing I really like about sewing, it's cutting out my projects. I could cut cut cut all day long and be soooo happy. And then, of course, I would have nothing but fabric cut out in piles sandwiched with tissue paper. (This is somehow different from my current reality how?)

I was in our little Eunice Farmer fabric shop here recently when I totally hit the jackpot and drew a 50% off your entire purchase Easter egg from the basket. So I wasted no time in amassing a ridiculous amount of beautiful cotton voiles that would make the uppity folks at Liberty drool. OK, maybe not, but they're still really pretty.

As the saleswoman was struggling to ring up my purchases, she offhandedly made a comment about how I'd have to actually cut all this out, and how much that would stink. I said something to the effect of "are you nuts?! That's the best part!" We laughed. If only there was a sewing talent pool, a club where you could bring your projects at the point you hate and have someone else who loves that particular step help you out.

For me, it would be finish work. I hate it. Hate hand sewing linings to zipper facings. Hate hand sewing anything, really. Hate hemming. If I could hand a project off at the 90-95% point and have it come back to me as ready-to-wear, now that would rock.

I'm just curious, what is it for you? What's the step in sewing you don't like?

How I'm going to spend my summer vacation....

2010-04-17T20:18:00.000-05:00

I would love to say I will be happily ensconced down in my cool basement sweatshop this summer. But you know what? I just got a baby girl this morning. So, it looks like there will be some walking, cuddling, and training mixed in with my sewing.

What would my life be like if it weren't chaotic? Boring.

We call her Ruby. She's pretty cool.

My contest entry....

2010-04-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

I read on Peter's blog that Pattern Review is hosting a vintage pattern sewing contest. So....I decided to forego all sanity and enter.

I know, I know, everyone else in the world is enthralled with forties and fifties styles. But not me.

I'm a sixties mod kinda girl.

So this is my contest entry - a dress made of stretch silk/cotton out of this vintage Vogue couturier pattern by Federico Forquet. I think it dates to the winter of 67/68.

There is some weirdness I'm going to have to modernize after reading the directions. It calls for lining the dress (yay! I believe all serious garments should be lined), but instead of making two shells and joining them at the neckline, they want me to basically sew each piece as a sandwich, lining on top of fabric. Then join another "sandwich" at the seams. I don't like it.

I talked to my mom about this technique since she was sewing in the sixties and I wasn't even a speck on the horizon yet (didn't make my grand entrance til seventy-two). She said that was a common technique, lining garments in an underlining sort of manner. But since the fabric I'm working with has some stretch to it, we both think it would be wiser to make a lining shell and put it all together at the neckline and armholes as I would a modern pattern.

So, it'll have a few modifications but otherwise the original pattern will be used to a T.

Now, I just need to get crackin cause the contest ends in two weeks! Yikes. I've not spent a lot of time on Pattern Review, although I'm trying to refer to it as I contemplate using commercial patterns. I'm hoping it'll help me avoid disappointment!

I have two copies of this pattern so if it turns out ok - meaning, non-hideous - I'll prolly give one away in a grand giveaway to celebrate completion.

Quick update

2010-04-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

I have decided to have a yard sale. Every time I thought about how many Rubbermaid containers I have of fabric, I felt like throwing up.

I want to wait until my mom is back in town and can help me. So Saturday, May 8, is De-Stash Day! I think I'll sell it all for $2 a yard, maybe bits and pieces for less and something super great...well, who am I kidding, I'll be keeping the super great stuff.

If you're in the Saint Louis area on that Saturday, stop by and take a browse.

By the by, if anyone wants some of my babywale corduroy stash, that's now selling for $2 a yard too, but I'll throw in free shipping. I have tons of the alphabet print (bought the whole bolt) and at least three yards of most of the rest. Email me if you're interested.

See, I always wanted to open a fabric store!

The photographic evidence

2010-04-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

I do not want to end up on Hoarders. I want to make that very clear.

I lamented my gigantic fabric stash in a previous post and Cara said I should include pictures. So now that my camera and her SD card are together again, I shall show you my work in progress.

Let's begin.

This is the biggest problem right now. These my fabric shelves, and they are out of control. Yesterday I had them all cleaned up, color-coordinated and straightened but then I needed a spot to mound up a bunch of other fabric I pulled from various places last night, like under my sewing table, and so now it's a mess again. I hope it won't look like this tonight.

This is the wall, pretty organized, right?
Here's the sewing table, from one side. The other side is where I'm supposed to cut things out. One of these days that will happen.
This is under the shelves. Much better! This used to look somewhat like the shelves. And check out the Large Cube Space Bag. It's awesome, I have eight of these babies packed already.

A pile of babywale corduroy I need to find a home for. I had such lofty goals for all of this. Anyone want any babywale corduroy?
The color-coordinated pinks! I love this stack.

A bag of scraps that's headed to Cara's doorstep.

Oh, look, there's more fabric on shelves in the basement room.
And a box of knits.
Uh, oh, the ironing board isn't clear either.
And that's not counting the four rubbermaid containers at my mom's house.

Yes, this is going to be a long process, for sure.

How many football fields is too many?

2010-04-13T20:59:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered how many yards of fabric you are keeping in your stash? The just-in-case-when-I-find-the-right-project-I-can't-possibly-pass-this-up-it-feels-like-heaven-what-if-it's-gone-when-I-come-back fabric stash? I don't know how much I have, I only know I have a lot.

I know this because I've been packing it all (hah! all would be a stretch. 90%. 80%.) away in Space Bags for our impending home sale. God love the Space Bags, they allow me to literally double my storage in Rubbermaid containers. They have these new Large Cube sized ones, that form a, um, large cube. Perfect name for them, really.

I can't actually lift the Rubbermaid containers when they've been filled with two Large Cubes, but that's not a huge deal, right? That's what movers and husbands are for.

As I was moving through the zen-like motions of de-cluttering and tossing old spools of nearly empty thread tonight, thread I inherited in two Ziploc freezer bags from my Grandma Clare who passed away seven years ago, I wondered about it....if each piece of fabric is two to three yards long, and if I put them end to end, would I reach Rhode Island? Or at least West Virginia?

Why am I keeping all of this? Why did I collect so much of it in the first place, and so quickly? Two years ago I didn't have all this fabric, or all of these patterns. Two years ago I had one Rubbermaid full of old home dec fabric scraps. Maybe a dozen patterns, old ones my mom made me take back when I bought my first house.

I have piles and piles of fabric now designated with various tags - the Free Friday Fabric giveaway pile (there's some really nice ones in there), the cut scrap for some crazed quilters pile, the not good cut scrap for the Newborns in Need charity here, the piles that need more Large Cube Space Bags, and so on. My shelves are neatly organized, though! All of the apparel fabric I plan on sewing down on this summer is neatly lined up in rows, color coded and separated by woven or stretch. I will post pictures for your viewing pleasure as soon as my camera and its SD card are reunited. Great, now I'll be humming Peaches and Herb all day. Or is it Peaches and Cream?

Still, the pattern boxes overflow. Four boxes of vintage patterns I don't plan to keep for myself. One box I do. Oliver & S patterns in sizes sadly too small for the little girls I know now. I even unearthed a black and white UFO in my piles, of an adorable Oliver & S skirt and top! Too bad it never made it. Poor thing. Maybe I'll find a home for it, a sew-ist willing to give it life.

So how many yards do you have, just sitting around? Do you think it's a problem?

I guess I'm not a Parfait kinda gal.

2010-04-13T18:24:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you remember the Sad Parfait story. I really really really wanted to like the Parfait dress pattern by Colette Patterns. It looked so much like it could be super cute. And everyone else was making it and loving it, and I'm totally sucked in by that sort of thing.

I guess I should have taken the first experience as a bad omen. Cause my second shot at it was not only no better, but possible even worse. I wish I had great pictures to show you, but my camera's SD card was in my house while my camera was with me at my mom's house. Where I was doing all this ill-fated sewing.

The Parfait pattern now sits forlornly in a garbage can in my mom's sewing room.

I did manage to salvage the bottom half, I guess that's something, right?

So here's what went wrong, in no particular order.

I did a small bust adjustment based on my previous experience with the bust area being HUGE. I wear a 36C bra, so I never considered myself super flat, but apparently to Colette I am. Still, after doing the SBA according to Gertie's instructions, the bust was gigantic. Lots of fabric gaping.

Then I put together an alternate bust, based on a lingerie design. This is similar to the shape I'd designed, and I adjusted the midriff to fit with this new bust piece.

Only, it didn't. There was gappage again.

Also, this dress is not for the tall. Last time I made it I made the mistake of not adding anything to accommodate my height (5'10"-5'11" depending on the day). This time, I was totally prepared. I added at least 4" to the midriff section so the skirt wouldn't start way up under my ribcage, but rather at my waist like a normal person.

Yeah, that didn't happen either. The waistline was still going to be at least two inches too short.

According to my measurements I should have cut a size 8. Except last time I couldn't zip the damn thing up after making a size 8, so this time I cut a size 12 for good measure.

The 12 is HUGE on the bottom. The midriff was going to be tight, barely come together at the seams tight, the bust was huge, the skirt is huge.

So...I wadded the top half and threw it away. Sick as it made me to do, I decided my time is the most valuable commodity I have right now and I simply don't have time to waste trying to make a round dress fit a square peg.

I kept the bottom half of the dress. I hope to turn it into a summer skirt. After I take it in by about 2-3" on either side, add a zipper and a waistband. But you know, after all those things. Or I could give it away, maybe someone who wears a size 12 would like a lovely linen a-line skirt with pretty pink drawings?

Whew.

I have started to really worry. I ordered the Lady Grey coat pattern this weekend after reviewing the purple version I'd seen online. I don't know now. I know a muslin is definitely in store for that one, I'm just scared of what I might find. I think maybe Colette patterns just aren't engineered for me?

Uh-oh, another project is creeping up on me....

2010-04-10T16:05:00.000-05:00

I got a few new Japanese sewing books in the mail last week (I know, I'm trying to reduce my load of things, bear with me).

These books are for children's sewing so it doesn't count. Right? But I have to admit that there are a few ideas from these books that I'd like to try to translate into an adult version for myself.

In the summer I like to wear breezy tops. I know, there's a trend to more formfitting clothes, but I'm not on board with it. It gets freakishly hot here, and very humid. So belting something is out of the question. Plus then there's the whole issue of the muffin top I'm left with after my two darling children left my womb.

This top really speaks to me for some reason. It reminds me of a little Greek tunic my mom bought me on a trip to Greece when I was a kid. It was white with turquoise stitching down the front.

It also kind of reminds me of the pattern Rae posted last year during Spring Top Week.

I know, I'm not supposed to be adding to my list of things to do right now, but I might just sneak it in somehow. I think I'll need to make a muslin of the pattern prototype first, and then if I have the fit right then move on to the decorative stitching. After all, I'm fresh off the debacle that was the last Japanese sewing book pattern I tried. The one without a bust included in the pattern pieces?

This one sounds like fun, though. I need an intervention.

Free Fabric Friday - we have winners!

2010-04-09T06:28:00.000-05:00

Whew. That was really hard work! Here's my super scientific way I chose the winners. I went to Random.org and asked it to pick a number. Then I went down and found the winner, who happened to choose the poppies print. Then I asked Random for a new number, and so on until it found someone who didn't choose the poppies! I had a string of poppies on my hands for a while. Luckily, the string was broken and it quickly found a pink winner and then the Alexander Henry. So.... the winners are...

Poppies - Wren315
Alexander Henry - Lacie Bug
Pink - Jeannine

Congratulations! I'll be sending you emails to get mailing information.

Oh, lookie, I'm changing things up today! Instead of the typical vintage pattern giveaway, I have a little fabric destashing to do. So there will be three winners of these three pieces of fabric.

First up is a lovely piece of pink something or other. Honestly, I have no idea what it is because I bought a grab bag of fabric online and this piece was the oddball. It's marked 2 1/2 so I know it's around two and a half yards, it's 58" wide, and it's fairly sturdy. I don't know how the pictures are showing on your computer, but this is true bubblegum pink and is a little lighter and brighter than my screen/pictures are showing.

I'm guessing it's a cotton or cotton blend, with a little woven jacquard design in it. It would make a lovely springtime overcoat for a girl or a peplum jacket for a lady, and there's enough fabric to make anything you'd like. It would be nice lined, but has enough body to stand on its own as well. It has no stretch or give to it at all, as far as I can tell.

It's probably machine wash and dry, as all the fabric I buy has to be durable! I machine launder silk, if that tells you anything.

The second piece of fabric for giveaway is soooo pretty - red, white and black floral print. Pretty pretty pretty! It's 100% cotton but feels very soft so it's perfect for apparel. In fact, the only reason I'm giving this away is I've already made a garment out of it and this is leftover. I made an a-line skirt for my mom out of this print, and it's beautiful. I can't remember if I've pre-washed this piece or not? It doesn't feel like it.

I think the flowers are poppies. What do you think? Maybe they're rhododendrons. I can't tell. They're pretty, that's for sure. It's 45" wide and there is 59" of it (over a yard and a half). Plenty to make a cute little summer top or skirt!

And the third piece for today's giveaway has a little sass to it. It's Alexander Henry's tattoo print called "zen charme," 100% cotton, 45" wide, and there is two yards of it. I made an a-line skirt for myself, a friend, and sold one on Etsy last summer out of this print, I love it so much. I have not laundered this piece yet.

I think it would also make an awesome sundress for the right person.

In order to win one of these lovelies, leave a comment with your email address by 9:00 p.m. CST on Friday, April 9. If you don't leave your email I can't choose you! If you have a preference of pattern, you can tell me that in the comments. I'll email the winner directly and you'll need to provide your mailing address in your email to me. (You can use spaces in your email to prevent spamming, I just need to be able to contact you somehow.) I will mail prizes to anyone, anywhere at no cost, so don't be afraid to enter.

Good luck, happy sewing (or de-stashing, in my case!) ~

Focus, Heather, focus.

2010-04-08T12:25:00.001-05:00

I have a little problem with focus these days. I feel like my brain and energies are being pulled in a million directions.

There are the two little people running around, they seem to occupy most of my thoughts.

Then there's the job that I work to feed the family, that one always takes a big part of the day - and night - and I don't ever really get away from it since I work out of my house. It's relaxing, getting text and email messages on your Blackberry at 10:00 p.m.

There's the part where we're trying to get our house ready to sell this spring. Fun! I recommend this for people who enjoy root canals and the occasional colonoscopy.

My garden is coming up fast. I have a Master Gardener certificate, did I ever tell you that? Yeah. So it kinda bothers me when I notice my perennials have been overrun by wild onions or I haven't found the time to mulch my beds yet.

Oh, and then there's my other hobby. Sewing. By last count I have at least four projects cut out on the table, ready to go. The Parfait dress in linen, the Midtown Trench that's half-completed in Amy Butler twills, a stretchy robin's egg blue work dress for summer, a shimmery metallic linen sundress from a vintage pattern, and a beautiful blue knit top. Crap, that's five. And maybe sixteen, seventeen? other things rattling around in my mind that I'd like to get to.

Like this dress. I have a lovely beige silk with light blue flecks that I plan to make this out of. Some day.

And this! Who can forget this? It's my favorite vintage pattern of all time (at least today it is, I'm kinda fickle like that). I have a beautiful stretch silk/cotton print in blue and brown that is slated for this dress pattern. I happen to have two of this pattern (long story) so I'll be giving away the extra one soon.

The ubiquitous shirt dress pattern I've had on my table for two years now. I have a great stretch poplin in grass green I'd like to make it out of. When I have the time.

Oh, I almost forgot about this skirt! With summer coming up I think it would be so cute to have in my closet. But what would I make it out of? There's an adorable orange and white twill that would be cute. I just don't own it (note to self, place order with Fabric.com - wait, no! No more fabric!).

No wonder I do things fast. There's too much to do to be slow! But it's not fun, really, to be rushing through projects like this. It would be much more enjoyable if I could take my time and work on one thing at a time.

I'm going to continue the massive de-stash and sell at least one sewing machine on EBay. I have an older Bernina Record (800 series) that I'm planning to list soon, and maybe my newer Bernette 66? I can't remember the model number, but I'm not happy with it at all so it needs to go. And there's the two vintage beauties, the Singer 99k and the Elgin...yikes. It's not pretty when I start listing it all out.

In fact, I'd planned to have Free Fabric Fridays for a while, but there's so much fabric I need to de-stash, it's overwhelming! Maybe some of it will just need to go to St. Vincent de Paul or something. I took four bags of scrap to Newborns in Need last night. I have another two ready tonight. I wonder if I catalogued it all, would anyone be interested in just first-come-first-grab free-for-all over the internet? Kinda like a giveaway, except with a lot more things going out the door in a really rapid procession?

I think I need an intervention.

Vintage pattern giveaway #4, #5, and #6

2010-04-08T06:20:00.000-05:00

**Winners! We have winners! Liz won V8120, DJE won 5668 and Kerry won 6839~! Thanks for playing, everyone. Check back Friday when I have at least three cuts of fabric to giveaway. Maybe more if I get my act and my camera together super early in the morning.**

Simplicity 6839 - size 14/bust 34 - circa 1966

I just love the floral pattern you chose, Margene.
Oh thank you. I simply adore how you and Linda managed to coordinate today with the cutouts in your dresses, you both look darling.

Vogue 8120 - size 16/bust 38/hip 40

Good luck with your interview today, Charlotte.
Hmm, you too, Mary. May the best woman win.
Oh, she will. I'll be sure of that.

Vogue 5668 - size 18/bust 38/hip 40 - marked Vogue Special Design

What did you think of the play, Jenny?
Oh, it was alright, I guess, if you like that sort of thing.
What sort of thing?
You know, talking and singing. I suppose it was ok.

As usual, to win, leave a comment with your email address (use spaces to avoid spamming if you want) and the pattern you'd like by 9:00 CST (Chicago time) tonight, Thursday, April 8. I will email the winners directly. If you don't leave your email I can't choose you!

Check back every day, my plan is to post at least two or three patterns a day until they're all gone, and Fridays are going to be Free Fabric Fridays for a while - tomorrow has three awesome cuts of fabric up for grabs. The excitement never ends around here....

Vintage pattern giveaway #3 - Hollywood patterns

2010-04-07T10:17:00.000-05:00

We have a winner! Comment #16, Caitlin, will be the new owner of this lovely. Thanks for entering everyone!

**If you haven't noticed, I kinda want to speed this process up a little bit now that I'm motivated to destash. So I'll be listing at least two or three patterns a day for the giveaways, and maybe one or two fabric pieces a week until it's all gone! Yikes, that's a scary thought.**

Oh, another lovely lovely pattern for a vintage pattern enthusiast. This one is showing her wear, the paper is fragile, the envelope is worn, but it's still so darling and retro and all that.

Hollywood Patterns - Size 14/32 bust/35 hip - from the early fifties?? - with Ellen Drew of Paramount on the cover

Hello, Mr. Grant. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?
Why yes it is, Miss Drew. Would you care to join me for a stroll in the park?
Oh, that would be wonderful. I don't have to be back on the set for an hour.

As usual, the winner will be chosen by random number at 9:00 p.m. CST (Chicago time) tonight, and I'll email them the announcement. So to enter, please leave a comment with your email address (otherwise how could I let you know you won??) by that time. If you don't leave your email I can't pick you!

Good luck!