Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Trick or Treat!

I just learned that I have had 11,425 visitors to my blog. I think that is great! I have not done anything extraordinary to promote my blog and had not intended too. Through various sewing boards, digests, etc. I have my blog listed under my signature and sometimes with pattern reviews I reference and suggest people come and visit to see more information.

I will have a whole year with this sometime next month. I will have to check out the beginning date.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by. I love reading other bloggers and I think this is a great way to share our sewing passion.

Design Changes


I really should make design changes before I get to the end of the project! I guess sometimes I don’t think about them until the end. Not exactly true with this project. Anywho, I decided that I did not want a straight hem on my blouse, as I will not wear it tucked in. I read somewhere, perhaps a Sandra Betzina article, about wearing curved hems on blouses to be worn on the outside as it will give the illusion of length and yet cover a tummy nicely. I agree with this concept as I always prefer this look and always seem to get comments (positive) from others when wearing this style.

I however had this thought in mind when I started this blouse but not until all was sewn did I institute. As a result I am not happy with the hem on this blouse and decided to redo it. Thus dear diary reader, you have not seen the finished project.

Other design changes I made and not following pattern instructions have to do with the sleeve bindings. Here is a photo of the neck binding using the pattern instructions which has the binding attached and sewn putting right sides together and then turning binding to wrong side. Then topstitching on the fabric right side and securely attaching the binding. This binding was cut two inches wide and using a 3/8 seam allowance. The instructions did not tell you to trim the seam allowance to allow a nice turn of the binding. Experience has taught me I need to do this. Otherwise the turn does not do so well and you have extra bulk and potentially fabric threads poking out on the inside.

With the armbinding, I cut 2 ¼ inch wide bias strips, then initially sewed to wrong side of armhole using 3/8 inch and then trimming a 1/8. I then turned the bindings to the right side and secured by stitching close the outer folded edge of the binding. IMHO, this looks nicer and more ready to wear. I wish I had done the same with the neck. I am not undoing the neck binding and then redoing. I think that could be fatal and I actually have only scraps of fabric left and can not cut out new binding. It will be okay! Here is a photo of the armhole binding.

This also added a little more width to armhole and thus does not seem as low.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Jacket Idea

This jacket from Sewing Workshop peaked my interest this past August while at the National ASG conference and I purchased it while there. I have not purchased SW patterns in a long while. I have had good success with some SW patterns and not so good with some others. But isn't that they way it is with most pattern companies?

I thought about using the boucle fabric shown in an earlier post with the blouse/skirt fabric. I had this idea about two weeks ago. I then got a Nancy's Notions catalog in the mail and actually saw a similar,though darker fabric, made up in a SW jacket pattern. It seemed to be saying, "See your idea was a good one".

However, these jackets seem to look better with pants. I really want to use the fabric for a jacket to go with the blouse and skirt.

Then this morning while working on my blouse, I got another idea. I thought of using the double knit fabric that is a teal color like the flowers in the blouse/skirt fabric. It is a heavier double knit and not sure that using it for pants or skirt is the right use of the fabric. According to the fabric suggested listed on the pattern back envelope, wool double knit is suggested. This is not a woold double knit. With this pattern, the wrong side of the fabric will show. I think that the double knit will be okay for this.

I'll try to post a photo the fabric soon. That's it for today.

New Look Blouse progress

I sewed some this morning before going grocery shopping. This is a simple blouse pattern to sew. It could be completed in a couple of hours if one was allowed to just sew. I hope to get a day like that again in the future.

The front neckline is gathered slightly in the center and a neckbinding is then attached. The gathered neckline starts out at eight inches to be gathered down to 4 inches. I used my gathering foot for my D1. It can be used to gather fabric as I did and it can be used to gather two pieces together. I have several specialty feet for my machine and have to remind myself to use them. Sometimes they improve the sewing; sometimes though they are frustrating as the foot is not so easy to use. Thus sometimes not aiding the process.

I gathered the center neckline; I then sewed the shoulder seams. I basted side seams to try on the pattern. I hate that the additional area that I added to the front armhole area still was not quite enough to keep the front armhole area from being lower than I like. I remedied this slightly by taking a deeper seam from mid shoulder to shoulder, bringing the lower armhole up slightly.

In pin fitting the pattern, I did a FBA and added two inches. I found that I did not need the full two inches and took an additional 1/2 inch off at the bust side seam area.

I have pinned the neckbinding to the neckline and will be ready to sew this in the morning. That leaves armhole bindings, hemming and adding hook and eye at the back neck opening. I hope to begin and possibly complete the skirt pattern as well.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Is it me or Is it Blogger?

Yesterday I could visit my blog but couldn't read comments to postings. Couldn't seem to post. Got all sorts of error messages. Took me two attempts this morning. So here I am.

I wanted to post that I cut out the KS skirt pattern. Last night after getting off work and leaving Curves, I came home, ate light dinner, showered and then went into sewing room and started on the blouse/top. I sewed the front darts, then serge finished the back pieces. Tonight the plan is to press darts, serge finish the front piece and then begin the construction of the rest of the blouse. I need to read through the directions as I am not sure at what step I do the neck gathers; I assume after sewing the shoulders together.

I think I will have the top and skirt complete during the weekend. The next project will be the jacket. Still undecided about the jacket. I have an idea in mind but need to see the completed blouse and skirt. I am thinking a Sewing Workshop pattern which takes the jacket out of my usual style, but one I hope will work.

Later, gator!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Sewing for Today

I made the buttonhole and sewed the button on my jacket. Now that project is complete.

I then repaired a torn place on my DH’s shirt that he has been patiently waiting for me to do. Another project complete!

Next I cut out my New Look 6145 blouse pattern. This is an OOP as far as I can determine as I have not found it on their website. I am making View B. After cutting out my size(s), I then pin fitted the blouse on my dress form as well as me. It was apparent that I would have to make a FBA, even using the largest size which according to pattern will exceed my bust size. I don’t think so. In doing this, I decided to keep the resulting dart.

I then traced the KS skirt pattern referenced in an earlier post. I did not cut out the pattern as I had to stop and make dinner! I need a take home chef!

Not exactly what I had hoped to accomplish for today. Yet, I do feel good though as I am now starting new projects. I have to remind myself that pattern fitting is also part of the sewing process. It is either that or making a muslin. That would take even more time.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Button Purchases

Here are my buttons from Fabric Hut. They are really nice buttons and regretfully I am not a good photographer so for the black ones particularly I have not done them justice.


These are the brown buttons for my last jacket. Will finally get closure to this project. I am not sure if this has been a blocker for me to get going on other projects in addition to not being in town for several days. They are a real rich chocolate color to go with the chocolate color in the jacket.



I love these buttons. They are truly a vintage look and this picture was ligthen to show some of the detail but still does not do them justice. I have an image in mind of the jacket and these buttons.
Last but not least are these unusal square buttons. The center is a light color, sort of putty with a tortoise shell brown trim.





Thursday, October 19, 2006

Fabric Hut Purchases


Call me crazy but here is a photo of the bag my purchases were in! New store to me so thought I should put it into my photo archives.










Here are my two fabric purchases. I really left behind some other great fabric that I would have loved to purchase. With only an hour to shop for buttons and fabric what's a Danvillegirl to do!The black and warm rose fabric is silk. It feels great. I know I will need to interface it to keep it from raveling so much. I had one idea for a jacket while in the store but traveling home, I thought about another idea. Interestingly enough, when I got home I had a new Nancy's Notions catalogue and one photo showed a more nontraditional jacket using a classic or traditional fabric for the jacket. Which is similar to my idea for this fabric.


Here is the wool fabric, made in England. This will become a more fitted jacket. I have several Simplicity patterns in mind for this at this time. Perhaps maybe another of the retro jacket I just made. Will see.
.

I will post photos of buttons later. Time for me to go finish getting dressed for work.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

I'm Home

I made it back from Norfolk late afternoon/early evening.

My visit to Fabric Hut was great! What a nice store. I wrote a review of them on Pattern Review this evening. This store has it all-apparel fabric as well as quilting and home dec fabrics. Very nice employees. They had numerous tables of very nice wool and wool blend fabrics. Some rather pricey and some very reasonable. The pricey ones were really top quality wool IMHO. They had tables of silks, linen and blends thereof. They swimwear knits, as well as matte jersey, wool jersey and more.

Buttons galore! I found buttons for my jacket. One set of buttons I found I truly loved but they were intended for washable fabrics only. My jacket will be drycleaned. I found some other suitable buttons for the jacket. I also purchased a set of retro/vintage looking black buttons as well as a square type button with brown trim around a lighter shade center. I have nothing at this point for their use but thought I need to have more buttons in my stash.

They had patterns as well as a bridal/formal wear fabrics and gown patterns section. There were lot of notions, threads and zippers.

I only alloted myself about an hour of shopping time. Wish I had had more time but really needed to get on the road to avoid some potential heavy traffic later in the day.

I did purchase some wool fabric as well as silk. I will take photos of all and post tomorrow.

Glad to be home. Tomorrow's return to work will be hectic catching up on three days worth of work.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Going home

Well my business trip is coming to an end and I will be traveling home tomorrow. I am going to stop by Fabric Hut, here in Norfolk, as it is pretty much in the same directon as I have to travel and it is off of I-64. Just a few turns here and there.

I love going to new fabric stores when I am visiting somewhere. I hear good things about this store so looking forward to seeing what they have.

I will be glad to get home and return to 'regular' life again. Which I plan to include sewing time once again.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Travel day

I spent five+ hours on the road today traveling to Norfolk, VA. I am attending a business trip for a few days. I did not sew any this weekend. Thought about it a lot and visited blogs seeing what others are doing. I had too much to do to get ready for trip so I did not get to trace patterns for fitting and cutting.

I found out about one fabric store I need to check out if I can find time to do so and find the place. Not sure that I will be able to do that or not. Thank goodness there are fabric websites or I would be in the world of hurt for fashion fabrics.

I did buy two patterns yesterday at Hancocks. I went looking for a button for my jacket that I have not finished yet because of not finding the right button. Did not find one at Hancocks either. Between them and JoAnn's, they normally have the better selection of buttons.

Here is the KS pattern I bought. I also purchased a McCall's Pattern.



I saw both patterns on Debbie C's and Erica B's blogs. I of course went right out and bought them. While at ASG in DC this past August, several of our ASG members went to a mall and window shopped. We saw numerous examples of the McCall's jacket on display.

Okay, I am tired now and ready to call it a day. Traveling can be tiresome.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Top and skirt

I have decided on the top I am going to make using the brown/teal floral rayon fabric. It is a New Look blouse that I have had in my stash for years. It is sleeveless and I am having mixed feelings about that. Partly because it has gotten cooler now and I think I should have something with sleeves. BUT!, I am over 50, still have power surges, can be hot one minute and cold the next. Since I plan to wear this with the jacket, I think my personal thermostat will better maintain itself. At this time I am considering two KS skirts, one is a gored skirt and the other is a panel skirt, KS 3287.

Debbie Cook at Stitches and Seams just completed this skirt and I saw another version on Pattern Review. So, now it has become a pattern I want.

I will post more later. DH has just gotten up and is suggesting we should go have breakfast! Any time I don't have to cook is okay with me!!!!

Friday, October 13, 2006

New Pattern

I decided to buy the new Zona Jacket pattern from the Sewing Workshop since it was at a special price. It will regularly sell for $22.95, which I think is a little pricey. Even the $16.95 I paid was pricey. My pattern arrived in the mail today!

This jacket has an interesting and unusual look to it. Now what fabric to buy?!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Feedback on what to make

Thanks for your comments and suggestions on what to make using the floral print. I do have enough to make a skirt and a pull over type top with short sleeves or sleeveless. I just can't decide on what skirt and top pattern to use. I am searching. The decision will also impact the jacket.

I have numerous jacket patterns and those that I keep coming back to are those that will look better with pants. So I am still searching through my current stash of patterns for the right inspiration.

Monday, October 09, 2006

What to make?

Here are the next two fabrics I want to work on.



I have some lovely Java Brown Gab coming from Sewing Studio. It was on back order but I am so happy that they were able to get more. This will be a skirt that will go with my new jacket and to be used with the boucle fabric shown above.

I just am not sure what to make of the brown with teal flowers fabric. It is a soft rayon fabric from FFC; I have a little over two yards and it is 60" wide. I thought about a sheath dress, but it is so soft. I then thought about KS gored skirt pattern with godets and a pull over top. I also want to use the boucle with this but not sure it works with it or not. Part of me says it does and another part says no.

Feedback from readers is appreciated. Will these two fabrics work together or not? I have some lovely teal double knit fabric that goes beautifully with the teal in the boucle fabric. I just don't know what to make with double knit. This is a beefy double knit, not soft. All my knit patterns call for 25 to 35% stretch, this only has 10% if that much. Again comments appreciated and sought.

Photos-Simplicity4081

This is the pattern.



I made View B. Because of the paisley pattern, I did not use the decorative trim as suggested for this view. If I had made a solid color jacket as this view is depicted on the pattern envelope then I think would be a nice touch. This photo is of the jacket unit before attaching to lining.



I sewed the shoulder pads in using a zigzag stitch set to .5 length and 3.0 width. I locked stitches in place at start and end. I normally attach by hand but decided to sew by machine and hopefully secure better. I always sew each end of the shoulder pad, placing it about 1/2 inch beyond the sleeve cap. I then sew the opposite side to shoulder seam.



Here is the almost completed jacket front and back. As noted in previous post, I need to add buttonhole and button, once I find the right one.


Lastly here is a close up with arrow pointing to decorative stitching in the princess seam upper chest area. This is great place to add another fabric color adding additional design detail to this jacket. This is somewhat like a slot seam. Because of the paisley print, I decided just to use the same fabric. I used a triple stitch from the quilting stitches menu on my Designer 1. I suppose I could have used a diamond type look but decided to use a square.

That's it for now.

Trying to post updates on my jacket

Maybe it's me but probably not. I have had a hard time trying to log in and publish to my blog. Not sure what's going on with Blogger.

Anyway today has been a partial PSD. I say that as I had anticipated having a full day to sew. I spent most of the morning sewing and have just about finished my jacket. For a not so difficult pattern, it seems to have taken me forever. I will hopefully post some photos. I have concerns with blogger today.

I started out making the lining for this jacket first allowing me to make fitting adjustments. I made those same adjustments with the jacket body. Yesterday I mainly worked on the body of the jacket, inserting the sleeves using Peggy Sager's tie interfacing method which worked great! Today I added shoulder pads, then attached the lining unit to the jacket unit. Amazingly this jacket pattern gives instructions for bagging a lining. Why they have not done this before is beyond my comprehension.

I did a lot of pressing and understitching with this jacket. Pattern does not address understitching at all but to me it just makes the facings and lie nicely. All that is left to do at this time is to press hems in jacket, stitch in ditch to secure the hems and let the jacket hang for the lining to drop down and then press in the fold.

I do need to find a nice button. I thought I had something in my button stash but did not have anything I particularly liked.

I need to edit my photos a little and will post them next. Again providing Blogger cooperates.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Lovely dress



Isn't this a a lovely dress? Erin from A Dress A Day blog wrote about this dress today. It is on sell on ebay. My fascination with the dress is the cowl neckline and the lace sleeves and how part of the lace is sewn/appliqued onto the green velvet. Very stunning.

You can click on the title above and it will take you to the eBay site where it is up for bid.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Photos of lining-Jacket in progress



This the front and back views of the lining for jacket. The diagonal folds are due to the way lining is on the dressform. They don't show up like then when I have them on me. Got to run and sew now before work. Later!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Jacket is progressing

I have decided to spend time each morning sewing on my jacket instead of sitting at computer reading blogs or going to fabric sites. Taking a suggestion from a reviewer or two at Pattern Review, I made the lining for the jacket first. This proved to be a good idea as it is works somewhat like a muslin. I am tweaking the fit with the lining.

So far, I have had to take a deeper seam through the upper chest area. Easy to do with shoulder princess seams. I also added several inches at the waist and hip area, which worked well in the waist/high hip area of my backside. I ended up taking deeper seams on the sides at the waist and hip. I did not need the extra there. I also ended up letting out the back princess seams through the upper back area. Normally this area fits very well and in some cases I end up taking deeper seams. Not with this pattern. Perhaps I am beginning to see more rounding of the back and narrowing of the chest. Sandra Betzina talks about this and supposedly adjusts her patterns for this aging phenom. Ach! aging. I am trying to do it gracefully.

Alma Marie, my dressform, revealed some of the same fitting issues when placing the lining onto her before making these adjustments. Yeah!, that is what a dressform is for, right?

I took some pictures of my jacket lining but I am too lazy to go get the memory stick and download photos. Tomorrow.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Etsy Purchase

I need to post about my Etsy purchase. Here is a picture of my purchase from the Etsy website for Setpember. I purchased these from ChristineRenee. They were listed as buttons and then after ordering I fully read that they are not really buttons as I think of but a small badge. They look like what you see here and are really cute. I had thought about making some aprons and using them on that. The seller was very prompt in responding to my purchase and shipping them. I received them in about five days of ordering. They came from Chicago. She also send me a button (badge) of a squirrel. I love squirrels and she had no way of knowing that. Thanks Christine.

Please click on the Etsy photo at the bottom of my blog to go to this really nice website. Some very talented people offering very nice items for sale.

August Sewing Simplicity 7295

 I am not doing well as a blogger. I have been working on this project since July 30. Today, I finally finished it. It has been a stop-and-g...