Danvillegirl Sewing Diary

Well, I completed by KS 3108 skirt. Easy to sew but sew many pieces! I do need to hem the skirt but other than that, it is done and I have a new skirt for spring.

Will post photo later.

Yesterday evening I pin fitted several patterns. One jacket, one blouse and one dress. I really need to go back and start using PMB more. Less alterations to make before sewing up a pattern. At least the PMB patterns are to my measurements, not a generic size.

I plan to cut out the patterns later today. Hopefully we get to sew on them this weekend. DH and I will be going to big D, this weekend to visit my MIL.

My new embroidery card came in and I am going to Q&S to pick it up today. Then back to do grocery shopping and such. Hopefully can get some sewing time in this afternoon. Have to do some work for work this weekend so will not hit me all at once when I return on Monday.

Sew many things to do and sew little time!

I started a new skirt last night and worked on it off and on today. I had 2 yards left of the fabric I used to make my "wadder". I used this pattern for the skirt.

I am making view D. It is not a difficult skirt to make but it is time consuming sewing gussets/godets to 8 fabric panels and then sewing and serge finishing edges of all pieces. I have completed all of this and have serged finished the hem line. Skirt calls for a 5/8 hem. I will do that by machine. All that is left is to attach elastic. So did not waste too much of the fabric. I think I can use the fabric from the 'wadder" for a purse lining or something. Thus not a total loss. Just a loss of my precious sewing time.

I will look at it also as a lesson in matching fabric and pattern.

I am not happy with my PMB drafted skirt. Perhaps the style is not right for the fabric, whatever! it is not coming together well at all. I have spent more time trying to get the fit right, the yoke to line up on the sides, added more darts. No matter what I did, it just does not look like it fits and it really doesn't. It is now a wadder! The bottom at the side seam just drapes too much. This was not what I had in mind when I drafted it.

But I have 2 yards left so I plan to make a gored skirt using a Kwik Sew pattern. I will trace and make tomorrow. I have some knit fabric I need to wash so I can make these up into tops. I also have 1 or 2 blouse patterns that I plan to make.

There is an interesting discussion or thread on blouses and tees at the new Artisan Square forum. In responding to this thread this morning, I realized I have not made a blouse pattern in over two years. The last one I made was using PMB. I have purchased several blouse patterns over the past seve…

Reading others sewing blogs, as well as, following various threads on sewing forums, I have decided to try to inventory my fabric collection. I decided I could create a database using a database program that came with my computer when purchased several years ago.

I have noticed that many sewists record not only the fabric they have currently purchased but are noting what they have used as well. This will prove to be eye opening I am sure. The fabric used in my skirt noted below was one of the first pieces I put into inventory. I set up a column to note how much of a particular fabric I had, another to note amount used and then will note amount left, if any.

Stay tuned.

I decided to draft a yoked skirt using Pattern Master Boutique. I see a lot of yoked skirts in sewing and fashion magazines. I even have a few yoked skirt patterns that were part of a coordinate pattern. I haven't used PMB in awhile so thought I would use it for drafting a skirt. I normally have good results.

After printing, taping and then pin fitting the pattern, I cut it out. The PMB pattern drafted with a front and back yoke, as well as, a front and back skirt piece. It also drafted a facing for the yoke. I decided I did not want that, so I cut extra yokes and will use them as the facing. The front yoke and skirt was to be on fold. Through the pattern editor part of the PMB program, I added a front seam allowance to both. Hopefully it will work as I invisioned it.

I am using a fabric that I purchased from Vogue fabrics at least one maybe two years ago. It is a pea green background with small fushcia and orange flowers.

Here is a scanned image of the fabric.

I completed the Butterfly Bag! A challenging purse as instructions were not complete. The real challenge was the tapestry fabric and the fusible fleece. Just too much fabric at times under my sewing machine presser foot. The fabric was acquired from eQuilter about a year ago. I will make this pattern again but will use different interfacing.

Here are some photos of the completed bag.

Here are photos of the completed Swing Jacket. It has turned cold again so can wear it.

I keep on cleaning out my pattern stash. I have posted some more patterns for sale on Pattern Review. Some Vogue, another KS, and two Stretch and Sew.

The Butterfly Bag is complete. Boy was it a challenge. The instructions are missing some steps and line drawings helped with the missing steps, but...I had to do some ripping and sewing and ripping and sewing. Part of the challenge was my fabric and my choice of fusible fleece interfacing. I wanted body for this bag. I got and then some.

At points I had so much fabric under the presser foot, that my machine gave me the Presser Foot too high! warning. Never got this before. I may make this again now that I know what I know but will not be anytime soon. I need clothes!!!

Will post photos soon. Need to find batteries.

I began the Butterfly Purse by Loes Hinses this morning, well actually started it last night. This pattern has been an UFO for sometime now. I decided I had to make it now, so I could begin my other projects.

It is an easy purse to make; but pattern instructions are missing some steps. Once you work through this, it is okay. Not for beginners.

My difficulty was the fabric and the fusible fleece interfacing I decided to use. I wanted the bag to have some body. The purse is similar to one that I purchased at Talbots. That one has some body to it and I wanted this to be the same way.

Here is the pattern.


I am using a tapestry fabric that is warm, multi colors. I purchased this about a year ago from eQuilters fabrics. The lining is a dull gray but it was what I had available that was neutral at the time. With that fabric thickness and fusible fleece, I have had to hand turn the sewing wheel at certain points, particularly with the handle loops. There is like four layers of fabric plus fu…

It is always so nice to come home from work to learn that a package has arrived. My fabric from Vogue Fabrics came yesterday. Everything looked in good order. The pale aqua fabrics I purchased looked so springish. I also got a teal solid rayon/polyester and teal with black/white geometric designs.

The other color I got was a buttery yellow fabric. It is silk and cotton and feels so great!

My DH looked at the fabric briefly, shook his head and asked if everything was okay? Oh yes! was my reply. I also noticed that he was staring at the mounds of fabric laying on the ironing board as well as other fabrics on the cutting table. All of those are ideas or projects in work.

I need time now to cut, fit, and sew.

Penelope Jacket has been sold, plus KS 3108.
Hot Patterns Tunic sold also.

I am spring cleaning my pattern stash. I have listed numerous patterns for sale on Pattern Review. Go to www.patternreview.com and click on classifieds. Look for patterns for sale posted by Linda L.

Or you can click on the my Sewing Photos link in the sidebar of this blog. Once there go to the Patterns for Sale photo album.

I am selling the Kwik Sew patterns for $5.oo except #3334. That one I am selling for $3.00 as it has been traced but all pieces are in tack. If interested you can comment on my blog and I will follow up with you. Shipping cost is $1.00 within US. The Hot Patterns pattern I am selling for $8 as I have traced that one also.

I also have LaFred's Penelope Jacket for sale $11, never used I purchased for $15 and I believe they now sell for $16.95. Go to www.lafred.com to see this pattern.


Finally I have Sewing Workshop New Yorker Jacket for sale also. This pattern has never been used either. I am selling it $15.00. Go to www.sewingworkshop.com to see this one.

Now that jacket is complete and I moving forward with my spring sewing. I went through my fabric collection and pulled out several fabrics that I have had for over a year or more. Some from Sawyer Brook, Fabric Mart, Vogue Fabrics and JoAnn's.

I think set down and went through my pattern stash and decided on some to try. Next I put fabric and patterns together and came up with my sewing plan for each fabric. A couple of pieces I paired with two patterns as I will have enough fabric to make both.


More on this later.

Yeah! Jacket completed. Finished it last night. I need to spray the embroidery designs to remove the water soluble stabilizer. The jacket is a wool blend I purchased from Nancy's Notions and it was washable. I washed it three times before cutting it out. It looks more felted now and almost like a blanket.

I hope to take pictures later. In spite of my goof in sewing, it is not a difficult jacket to make. If I could have a full three hours of non-interrupted sewing time, it could be cut and sewn during that time.

Last night's ASG meeting was a good one. We met at a new place, better lit, more accomodating I thought. The program was on embroiderying on leather and suede.

I am ready to take the plunge!!! The key I think is using a not so dense design. Some of the redwork, blackwork or bluework designs will do up nicely. There was one sample with a green pepper embroidered on it and that was a more dense design. Really looked good on the sample.

I will be going to one of our thrift stores to purchase some leather goods to give this a try.

Well I got about 20 minutes to sew on my Swing Jacket tonight. I serge finished the jacket front edges as well as the collar. I pinned the collar to the jacket to make sure it was even on both sides since there are no matchining notches or points. Nailed it!

I am so happy about the embroidered designs on the collars matching so well. I will have the jacket complete and probably won't get much wear out of it as the weather is warming up and up here in Roanoke. This weekend will be very warm, in the 70's.

But I am starting to think and plan my spring sewing. I purchased some fabric from Vogue Fabrics this morning. I pictured some of these fabrics earlier this month or late last month on this blog. I ordered all of these plus another piece as well. I went through some of my fabric collection also for inspiration. I am ready to cut and sew.

I thought I would finish jacket today! Not!!!

I have been sewing since 1960's with some breaks in between. Today I did the dumbest thing. The jacket front is kimono style jacket so sleeves, shoulders, neck, front are all one piece. Somehow I turned around the pattern piece for one jacket front and sew the front to the back shoulder. I knew when I was pinning the piece that it was hard to match up from neck edge to sleeve edge. I then basted the side seams to check the fit. At one point in my sewing I would not have done this. But now I do this regularly as I have gotten better at fitting while sewing.

After basting and putting jacket on, I thought I had really done a terrible job of cutting out the pattern pieces. I had traced a right and left front piece to cut out the fabric since I had limited fabric and was in line with the pattern instructions. I decided that I needed to undo the sewn front to back shoulder seams and then match up both front pieces. In doing this, I learned wha…

I embroidered the collar of the jacket today with the same design as the back, though modified. I was pleased at how well I aligned both sides of the collar so the designs are mirrored and positioned well.

I began the sewing of the jacket after embroidering the collar. I had to stop as it was time to fix dinner. I should be able to finish it up tomorrow. This will be my last winter sewing project. I am ready to sew up some new spring clothing for work.

Here are some fabric samples from Vogue that I am contemplating buying and making up into some outfits.



I have the samples from the Early Spring 2006 mailer. The dark teal with square patterns appeals to me as I can use with black or the other solid dark teal color. The multi fleck sample top left is a tussah silk in a pale aqua color. I am thinking of a jacket for this one. The yellow is a paler shade than it shows here and I was thinking of a blouse of some sort. Other fabric samples with this one in my mailer are calling my name as well. Did not download those yet.

I was at a business planning retreat this past Thursday and Friday, so no sewing time at all. Thinking about sewing though.

I was reviewing my recent Vogue Fabric Mailing. I have some great design ideas for several of the fabric pieces. The winter weather here as been very mild. I did wear my new coat/jacket yesterday. Today did not really need one. Tomorrow to be in the 70's!!!

Spring clothing is a must. I really need to look through my fabric collection as I know I have some great fabrics there waiting to made.

Tomorrow I go on a strategic planning retreat for work. I have several sewing magazines to take along for evening reading. I will not have access to computer either!!!!! EEEK! I am feeling withdrawals already. At least with magazines I can visualize some new outfits for work.