Thursday, December 27, 2007

New patterns!

While having my van oil changed, I decided to take a look at the pattern books. (The fabric department is next to the auto section of the local mega-retailer.) Imagine my surprise to find the newest Simplicity catalog!
I am happy to report that the new crop of patterns is fun, inspirational, and three of them made their way into my basket. The newest batch of Project Runway patterns is much more to my liking than the first set, with designs closer to what I was imagining for this series.
I'll post the numbers later...for now, I still have a few stitches left on the coat.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

In the kitchen

Today, I'm preparing for our office party. Several guests (employees and family) will be joining us for grilled chicken and all the fixin's. This morning I made two pavlovas, 16 red velvet cupcakes, 16 key lime cupcakes, put homemade roll dough on to rise, made homemade croutons for the salad, mixed the potato casserole, and set the chicken in the marinade. I'm headed to the movies with the kids and all their friends (we're talking ALL their friends...should be a theater full), and then back home to have a terrific party with great friends.
Needless to say, the coat is on the back burner. The buttonholes turned out beautifully (bound, with leather welts). All that remains is to do the back side of the buttonholes, hem the coat, attach the hem of the lining (I'm bagging it, so that will take no time at all), sew on the buttons, and give it a final press. I'm thinking an hour, tops. Maybe I can finish it tomorrow afternoon...after my nap:)

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Grrrrrr.....

A bit of a setback with the coat.
I finished the shell, put in the shoulder pads and sleeves and tried it on.
The pockets are about 4 inches too low on the seam. Even my long, orangutan arms are uncomfortable trying to make use of them.
So I have to rip out the pockets (including the leather welts) and redo them. That's good for about an hour's worth of frustration. Wonder if there's anything good in the movie cabinet?

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Halfway!

I'm about halfway done with the faux fur/velvet short coat. It is going to be such fun to wear this!
In retrospect, I probably should have chosen to make a jacket rather than a coat. The fabric is drapier than expected, but that does contribute to the lay of the collar.
I had thought about using leather covered buttons for this coat, but covering the buttons was tricky and inconsistent. There were errands to be run, and one was at a knitting shop about 20 miles away. I was looking through their button collection and found the perfect choice! It's a large, teardrop shape in black, similar to the "animal-esque" spots on the fabric.
All that remains to do is set in the sleeves, put in the lining, and hem. I can't wait to wear it!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Just for fun

Next up...a short coat. No, I don't need another one....this one is just for fun.
I ran across a faux fur print velvet at Hancock's a few weeks ago, and the price was right. The fabric will become a short pea-coat, with leather trim. I'm off today to find the right buttons...the coat is cut, fused, and marked, ready to sew when I get home.
Never mind the fact that assorted teens are coming to the house tonight for a holiday party. I have a coat to sew:)

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Photos don't lie....



...and these are telling me I need to repad that dress form. The shape is no longer reflective of my shape.

Apologies for the dressform aside, here is the jacket!

Fabric is upholstery faux suede in cranberry red from Hobby Lobby. Trim is home dec beaded ribbon, again from Hobby Lobby. Lining is Bemberg Rayon in cocoa brown. The pattern is Simplicity 4375.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Spiffing it up a bit

The suede jacket was finished, with the exception of buttons, and hanging on the hangar.


It was boring. Nicely made.....beautiful color.....great fabric.....no pizzazz.

So I rummaged through the stash, and found a home dec trim that has beading on a sheer ribbon backing. It has been in the collection for oh, about five years, with no home in sight, and the colors are perfect to tie the jacket to the skirt with which it will be worn.

So I am now hand-sewing this ribbon to the jacket. It's perfect. I should have it finished tonight; photos in the morning!

Monday, December 3, 2007

A little non-sewing rant

We were robbed.
My beloved Dawgs were the victim of media favoritism and hype. Nevertheless, Coach R spoke with decorum and his trademark gentlemanly manner.
Next year, oh yeah, next year!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Faux suede

It's almost done! This fabric is working out beautifully. It does require a good bit of topstitching; the dense weave renders a flat pressing difficult. But the topstitching takes care of the problem, and it is appropriate for the style.
All that remains is to bag the lining and the jacket will be done. I'm on the fence about the closures right now....found some fabulous buttons, but I'm not sure they are just right for this project. I'll think about that tomorrow:)

Friday, November 30, 2007

Pulling from the stash




You'd think with the holidays approaching, I'd be making gifts. Not so. I'm selfishly making things for self! With the physician imposed weight loss, I'm finding that things just don't fit like they did a few months ago, and it's time to update some things in the wardrobe.


Not only the weight loss, but also the problem of dividing sewing into "I need to make this" and "this has to be done yesterday" keeps me from getting as much personal sewing done as I'd like. However, the sports sewing is done for another season, so I can be selfish:)


First on the docket were a couple of jackets. I've had Simplicity 4375 in the stash forever. The pattern is now out of print, but the jacket is one of those styles that will be around for at least a few more years. I've had a piece of burnt orange lightweight faux suede in the stash for awhile, and thought the pattern would work well in this fabric. I also had a great piece of corduroy with terrific silly-string-like yarns applied all over the fabric. This was destined to be the first of the two jackets.

I made the standard alterations, and found that I needed to lengthen the sleeves a half inch. The muslin looked good, so I made the first jacket from the corduroy, with the zipper front as the pattern indicated.

Looking at the pattern envelope was deceptive; I thought the jacket would hit me at the high hip area. It's almost at my waistline. Granted, I have a long back waist measurement, but this is really short! Version number two, the suede, will be at least three inches longer to have the proportion that is envisioned by the pattern envelope.

So I now have a jacket that is a bit short for my taste, but otherwise, I love it. It has just that spirit of fun that I like in clothing, without being over the top. The suede version is about 75 percent done, and it looks like it will be one of those staple wardrobe pieces. Photos to follow in a day or so when the suede jacket is finished.

Next up will be things to go with the two jackets. Those black pants that are seven years old.....well, it's time to retire them:)

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Umm.....I expected a bit more....

Yesterday, I took a look at the new Simplicity "Project Runway" patterns. I had very high hopes for these, thinking that they would be fashion-forward, perhaps a bit edgy, and reflective of the creativity that comes to mind with such a title.
Sigh.
These patterns are okay, but they look like repackaged versions of the same patterns that the Simplicity line already offers. I expected more.
Granted, I have not looked at the instruction sheets...yet. Perhaps there is something inside the envelope that does not translate to the cover. I hope so. A good showing of these patterns could be a shot in the arm for the sewing industry.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Wouldn't you know it?

Now that football season is over....it's time to move to basketball. And, as you may have guessed, the guys need jerseys.
These will be easy-peasy.

Of course, I do have to make myself some new things to wear. A few weeks ago, I found some facile/ultrasuede in ice blue, and fell in love with the color. I'm anxious to get started on the jacket that is in my mind, made from that piece of fabric. There is a big luncheon coming up, for which I am the hostess, and it would be great to have that jacket for the occasion.

Also, a young-ish friend approached me this morning and asked if I'd like to take a small bag of antique lace off her hands. The small bag turned out to be the size of a large garbage bag, and is packed to the rim with interesting things. Among them is a Dritz bound buttonhole maker! There is also an old pattern marking tool, a box of belt buckles, and some silk-covered tiny snaps. The lace is pretty, too:)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A little home dec, a little personal stuff

With the move into a new house came the need to change a few things. One glaring change was with the chairs in the breakfast room. The wallpaper has ivory, green and poppy red; the chairs are oak, but had really ugly taupe seat covers. I've disliked them ever since we bought the furniture, but we've been in "moving limbo" for the last six months, not knowing what we would be buying or what the rooms would need. Now that we're officially in the new digs, I decided to use up some darker red geometric and cover the chair cushions. It looks LOTS better....photos to follow:)
I've also been in need of some new personal clothing. I'm in the process of what will be a significant weight loss (doctor's orders, so I know this will happen), and I'm leery of making too many things that will require future alteration. Here is the plan as it stands right now:
Two pair of one-seam pants, in khaki and black. These will last through about 30 pounds. I use a draw-cord elastic instead of the recommended sport elastic; as I lose weight, I can pull up the cord. The drape of the pants will be fine if I use a softer fabric.
Several colorful long-sleeve tees, in patterns if possible. I'll fit these fairly snug right now, and they'll be more comfortable as the pounds are shed. Prints hide the picky fit issues for awhile. Besides, tees are easy to run up on the machine; you get a lot of bang for the buck.
A few really beautiful shirts, which can later be used as 'shirt jackets'. This will pull things together and make things look like outfits. I don't want to invest time in fitted jackets until I'm within 15 pounds of the goal. I do not like to alter jackets.
Two skirts. I'm using a four-gore elastic waist pattern for both. I can use the drawcord elastic for these, too. One is complete; it's black "peachskin crepe", which is an inexpensive but very drapey fabric. The second fabric is still up for decision.
There are about half a dozen really nice sweaters in the closet that will work with all of this, and by spring, I'll be ready for a whole new wardrobe:)

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Farewell


To the man who wanted opera to be for the masses....
The glorious high c...
The ebullience, the energy, and the presence.
Farewell.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Jerseys are done!

All 58 jerseys are done! Yippee!
Now I can do some "me" sewing!

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Streamlining

The jersey work has begun in earnest. It took awhile to redraft the pattern for these to meet the needs of the players. Then I had to do a good bit of math to adjust the draft to streamline the production of the jerseys, from cut to finish.
My first step was to analyze the pattern, and see what could be done to make it easier to cut. The yoke piece and the side panel were tesselated so that I could make one cut instead of two. The front and back panels were adjusted so that they could be cut from one length of fabric (conserving fabric in the process.)
I did a mockup and tried it on ds, who happens to have a set of football shoulder pads in his room.
The sleeves were too long. WAY too long. We decided to cut about half of the current sleeve length off, so that the end of the sleeve would fall just beyond the shoulder pad end. This is a safety issue as well as comfort; long sleeves can be pulled by opposing players to accomplish a tackle. We also determined that the neckline needed to be drafted slightly smaller for the same reason; a loose neckline can be grabbed by the opposition! This needed to be balanced with the need to fit over our largest head size; therefore, instead of making the opening smaller, we chose to make the ribbing in the neckline tighter.
So, after making all the jersey design changes, I set out to cut. By making the tesselating pieces, I was able to cut my cutting time almost in half! Careful planning of pieces, and a redesign of the larger fronts and backs, cut the amount of fabric needed by 25 percent.
The final step in the equation was to create a detailed stitching outline and instructions for the next time I have to do this (next year).
Then, to sew. I have finished 1/4 of the necessary sewing work, a total of 15 jerseys, in two days. 15 more jerseys are about halfway finished, and the remaining 30 have three of the seven pattern pieces cut. I should be finished by the weekend!
And then......
The big news is a new house, with a big, we're talking huge, sewing room! Moving day should be August 3.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Art or Craft....or both?

Do you sew for art, or for craft? Perhaps for both?
This question has been on my mind lately. I have seen evidence of both in my own sewing. Sewing for "art" indicates a desire to reflect my personality in the finished product. A manifestation in fabric of my thoughts, feelings, state of mind. Art sewing, for me, will often be done with reckless abandon, foregoing all the standard rules and methods that are taught for construction. I'll throw together fabrics, slash pattern pieces, move things around, and embellish until my mood wanes.
Sewing for "craft" is when my perfectionist-side kicks in. I'm not talking about "crafty"; rather, this is when the craft of sewing as a fine skill takes over. I'll fuss over every thread, tying them off and knotting them and pulling them between the layers of fabric. Stitches will be counted, yes, counted, in specific areas so that symmetry will be precise. I've even been known to count the threads from the selvedge so that the grainline will be perfect....but only when I'm in the "craft" mood.
Most of the time, however, sewing is a combination of both. I want to reflect my personality, yes, but I want the construction to be as fine in quality as possible....within limits. If this is for every day wear, to be donned for visits to the grocery store or to take the dog for a walk, I'm not going to count threads. Precise sewing methods are generally saved for special garments. But I do want things to look good, and to last.
How do we balance art and craft in our sewing? We have to decide where we will fight our fabric battles. Is this garment worth hand stitching three rows of hemming stitches? Will I wear this more than once? Am I looking for a classic piece that will live in my closet for years? If I use fusible interfacing instead of sewn-in interfacing, will it shorten the life of my garment? Will it matter?
For me, a garment that will be worn almost daily...for instance, a pair of black pants....will be sewn with great care. Yes, three rows of hemming stitches (I'm rough on hems). The grainline must be just so....the fabric treated with care. I want to wear these and never have to worry about resewing the button, or fuss with scratchy inner seam allowance edges.
But for something that will be worn once...or twice.....such attention to detail seems superfluous. I'd rather make those one-wear pieces more artsy, with the excuse that my artistic soul needs to be fed. Yes, I'll do good work...but it won't be at a perfectionist level.
Do YOU sew for art, or for craft?

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Evidence of coming things




The fabric for the football jerseys has arrived.


The first order of business was to make a prototype of the desired design. Our previous jersey was fine for a beginning, but could stand some improvement in certain areas. After sketching and conferring with assorted players and coaches, we settled on a simple raglan sleeve design with elastic at the sleeve. The prototype is on the left above.
Well, even the best plans need refinement. After trying the jersey on a player while he was wearing shoulder pads, we discovered that the raglan will work fine in the back, but it tends to clog up under the pads in front.
Back to the drawing board!










Tuesday, June 5, 2007

And so the season ends...and another begins


With two sons and a coach in my life, I spend a lot of time on bleachers. This year, baseball season has been great fun! My youngest son's team placed 2nd in the county. I'm proudest of the fact that he has learned base-running this year.

Our next phase will be football. Spring practice has already begun, and with it comes the measuring and preparing for making jerseys. I'll be working on those through the month of June. Football jerseys are not rocket science to make, and I enjoy contributing to the team in this way.
In the meantime, I have some personal sewing to complete. I finished making a long-ish jeans-jacket-coat from stretch cotton poplin with a novelty print. I also made some new jeans. Today I'm planning to work on a wrap top which is a copy of an Anthropologie top I've been admiring. Hopefully, everything will be done in time for an out of town trip this weekend...nothing like a new wardrobe to lift the spirits!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Motivation

Sometimes it's hard to force myself to get behind the sewing machine. There are too many books to read, too much housework to complete, and too many people around the house who demand attention (albeit in a kind manner). The surest way to motivate myself to get to work is to look at a looming deadline, and think of all the other things I'd rather be sewing! Such is the case right now. I need to be writing several pieces for a variety of uses, but I want to make summer things....white blouses, eyelet jackets, linen pants, silk dresses. Those will all be needed in the very near future, as the temperature is hovering around high amounts even this early.

What I need to do now is organize things. I know there are several white pieces in the pile, so I'll do them first. It makes sense to only thread the machines once and sew several pieces of the same color. That should put a dent in what needs to be done. White seems to be my "go to" color for summer. I have two or three white pieces that I wear constantly; a white linen jacket with a hood and pearl buttons that goes with everything. A white lace topper that pulls the simplest pieces together. A white embroidered spring coat that always lifts my spirits.

The new white pieces are as follows: eyelet, to be made into a shirt style/jacket/throwover piece that I can use as a third layer for pulling an outfit together......pique, to become a very casual 3/4 length jacket.....a tone-on-tone dotted jacquard to become a more dressy jacket....and assorted cottons and shirtings to make tops and shirts. I can also sew up a few of the jerseys and knits using cotton thread, as the primary color of these fabrics is white.

Somewhere in there I need to fit in a few pair of summer pants. Khaki......rust....navy.....I have the fabric, and I have the thread and notions and the patterns are fitted.

Time to get motivated.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Easy sewing

This week has been spent finishing up some easy sewing. I had cut out several pieces to use as potential photographs for the newsletter, but the colors and styles were too similar to create an interesting photo layout. The best three were reserved and completed for newsletter use, and the rest of the fabric was placed in a file to "percolate" awhile.
Of course, when fabric is piled up, it decides to change its mind. It doesn't want to be what I originally intended, and it speaks very loudly when I try to force it into submission:)
So, what had originally been intended for a pair of silk satin pajamas has become a silk satin nightgown. The applique that was to be used on the pocket was filed away for future use, and simplicity decided to rule the day. I think I like the simpler design of the gown for this fabric, and I'm sure I'll wear it more often than I would wear pajamas.
Sleepwear, lingerie, and robes are pretty easy sewing. It's easy to run though a pile of fabric stash in no time when the pattern being used has only two or three pieces. If I had used my brain and bought similar colors, there would be very little delay between pieces. As it is, I'm trying to group things so that I go from light to dark in the shades of color.
After the pile is cleared, I have three suits to alter for a friend. He has recently lost a good bit of weight, so we're having to take in the suit jackets as well as the pants. Stay tuned; this might make a decent tutorial.
Shannon

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Expo report

The last two days have been a whirlwind! I left early Thursday to attend the Atlanta Sewing Expo. This is the sewing highlight of my year; I get to visit with like-minded enthusiasts, do a bit a stash improvement, and fill my brain with inspiration. This year was not a disappointment.
I ran into several of my sewing buddies, internet-based and otherwise, and even met a student from one of my online classes (Hi, Pat!). Thursday night dinner with the internet sewing circle is a tradition, and we had a nice crowd at the restaurant this year.
The fabric selections this year were varied and interesting. There were hand-dyed silks and cottons, inexpensive designer end bolts, gorgeous woolens, and interesting knits. My favorites this year were the summer weights of silk; chiffons, georgettes, and lightweight crepe. I choose a nice balance of prints and solids.
There was a small booth, tucked away in the middle of things, with European laces. I almost missed this one! The proprietor is Dutch, and he travels around the world with these bargains. The laces are not scratchy like many of the fabric store laces we normally encounter. These were very soft and supple. The colors were mostly beige and white, but I did manage to find a coffee-on-black piece, a bright orange, and a burgundy.
So....next on my project list is to find space for all the loot!
Shannon