Thursday, June 29, 2006

Dear Diary

We have had days of rain here in the Roanoke valley. My basement flooded again. The sump pump did not work, actually it was worn out! It was replaced with a larger, more efficient one. But early Tuesday morning, the power went out. Sump pumps don't work without power!!! So basement flooded again. Power was restored around 10:30 AM on Tuesday and pump started pumping. So now we have mud to clean up.

My problem is annoying but I have to tell myself I am not facing what folks in Mississippi and Louisana have been facing since last hurricane season. Thus my problem is more of pestering short term problem.

My company car had water standing in the passenger side floor. There is a panel in the window that was broken, thus the heavy rains came through the panel and thus flooded the floor, but it also damaged the A/C motor and resistor causing the A/C and blowers to no longer work. The car is in the shop being repaired.

Then one of the buildings that I am responsibile for almost flooded, close but no cigar! Thank goodness. However, staff and I learned from two years ago that the creekbed can overflow quickly. We thus evacuated staff, moved vehicles, got consumers out and raised the racks in the store to keep inventory damage as low as possible. Safety is job one!

Yesterday the sun was shining brightly, I got a good night's sleep and was able to face the world again with a smile. No time for sewing just thinking about it. I did rethread my serger last night in anticipation of sewing this weekend after cleaning the basement.

Dear Diary, thank you for letting me vent. Next time I will post on my sewing progress.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

75% off Vogue/Butterick Patterns at Hancock's

June 22 finally arrived and Vogue/Butterick patterns were 75% off. I have way more patterns than I can possibly make up but I still buy them. But 75% off is hard to ignore. Here are my patterns I purchased.




Change in sewing strategy

I got my "chores" done early and got in my 40 minutes at CURVES. I spent the afternoon cutting out my jacket and skirt pattern. I am glad I got all my pattern fitting issues done last night after work and dinner.

Instead of sewing at this time, my new strategy is going ahead with another pattern fitting session and cutting of that pattern. This is the dress pattern that is getting quite a bit of attention since seeing it made up on Erin's "A Dress A Day" blog . I purchased some fabric at Hancock's Fabric last week that is a bright yellow, coral and warm pink flowery polyester that has drape. I then purchased a solid coral fabric with a slight pattern to it (somewhat embossed, but small) to use as the contrast. I am going to make a combination of View B and C of McCalls 5137. Having read Erin's review on her blog and PR, as well as reading Gigi Louis's review also on her blog and PR, I think I can tackle this. Gigi is petite as well so I am going to re-read her comments on this pattern to see what the trouble fitting spots may be.

It's now dinner time so have to run. My next post will be about my 75% off Vogue pattern purchases. I am about as bad at buying patterns as I am fabric. But 75% off, what's a sewist to do!

Friday, June 23, 2006

New project started

I started my new fashion project this evening after having pizza with DH. I worked until 7:30 last night so I left work at 4:45 today. After we got home, I began the pattern fitting process for the Vogue Jacket and Skirt pattern mentioned in an earlier post. All jacket adjustments were made, which of course included my usual-forward shoulder adjustment (FSA), narrow upper back adjustment, swayback adjustment. I had to increase the bust and this time I used Sandra Betzina's Princess Seam Bust adjustment from her Fast Fit book. Less intense pattern adjustment. It is one I have used before. Interestingly I had to lengthened the waist line. I am long waisted for a petite. Though I thought the waist line would be short for a regular size person. I did shortened the length between shoulder and bottom armhole as well. I adjusted the sleeve pattern again using fitting tips from Sandra Betzina. I also narrowed the shoulder length about 1/4 of an inch.

Tomorrow the plan is to go to CURVES, come home and shower, get the grocery shopping chores completed. Then I plan to cut out the pattern and begin the sewing process.

More later!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Embellishing Experiment

About a month ago I took a class on Felting, by hand and with the Babylock Embellisher. The class was taught by a member of our ASG chapter. I am not a good hand felter. But I love the Babylock Embellisher and through this class I learned more about potential uses and experimented with various fabrics, fibers, yarn and roving. Our Chapter President asked us to make something from our embellished pieces.

Following the class I further embellished the fabric with several other fibers-wool roving, yarns, lace, polyester sheer fabrics, silk ribbons, silk flowers and tulle. There is some pleasure sitting at a machine, moving fabric around under seven barbed needles and watching the fibers and fabric meld together. There is no bobbin, thus no concern over bobbin thread breaking. There are no needle threads either. The biggest concern is adjusting the pressure of the needle bar over various fibers and layers. One needs to be concern that yarns or fabric or roving does not go over the top of the needle bar as that can cause a needle to break.

After completing my recent jacket project, I then made up the embellished fabric into a purse using a McCall's purse pattern. I lined the bag with fat quarter fabrics that have been in my stash for over some time. Here are the results of my embellishing experiment.








I am ready to tackle another project with the Embellisher. I have seen some lovely jackets where the fabric was embellished using this machine. I have some ideas floating through my mind. I just could use more time to play.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

My next sewing project

Here it is my next sewing project. Vogue Pattern 8004

This is the fabric I will use. It is pale yellow with golden brown palm trees with a touch of pink/coral.


I purchased this last year, possibly year before, from Sawyer Brook. It is a golden tan/yellow color, with golden brown with pink/coral palm trees. It is heavy enough to make this unlined jacket and pull on skirt. Yet light enough for a summer feel.

Originally I was going to make a dress-sheath style. I love this type dress on me but I need to venture onto something else next. My new shoes from Nordstrom's half yearly sale is perfect with this fabric. They are also perfect with my Talbots Knockoff Jacket and Dress.

I pressed the pattern and cut around the pieces. Next I will tissue fit. It would be great if I could just cut a certain size, sew it up and wear it. Tissue fitting, measuring, fitting adjustments are all part of the sewing process. Just not necessarily the part I like.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Thank you for kind feedback

Thank you for the nice compliments on my jacket. I am pleased with it and the dress. I have 3 business meetings Tuesday to attend and I plan to wear the dress and jacket.

Today I started sewing a McCall's purse pattern using the embellished fabric from a recent class on felting and using the Babylock Embellisher. I have completed the purse sewing; I will start on the lining next.

I have several projects I want to start this week. Starting means pattern fitting and cutting. I may have to set the purse aside so I can move forward on these projects. I really need some clothes for work for summer.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Jacket is Complete!

It is complete!! Here it is:



Sorry I lightened the photo some and the colors look washed out!

Here is a side view, interesting that when I sewed the bust to hemline darts, the front side part is on the bias and makes the plaids look different.



Here is the sleeve vent/hemline


Here is the topstiching and some views of the SNF lining

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Close, but no cigar!

The jacket is almost complete. I only have to hem it, insert the shoulder pads and topstitch the front and collar.

There are some things I would do different next time-wider front facings and tweak the fit a little more. It is snug in the high hip area and could have taken a deeper seam at the upper back. However this jacket will be OK! Since it does not button, nor was that intended the high hip will not be a big issue.

Going to CURVES has changed my anatomy some-Good Thing!-I just need to tweak my measurements for PMB as well as for fitting of other patterns.

When this project is complete, I am going to make the bag using my embellished fabric. I need a fun project as a break from "serious" sewing.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Photos of Jacket Progression

Almost done, but not quite. Here are photos of progress.




Jacket needs pressing to get rid of the dimples at darts. Seem more noticeable in photo than when I look at it.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Response to comments

It is nice to see comments on your blog.

I wanted to respond to some.

What is PMB? This is Pattern Master Boutique. It is a software program offered by the nice folks at Wild Ginger. You enter your specific measurements, there are several you must enter. From that you can draft dresses, blouses, skirts, pants, jackets and more. These will be drafted based on your specific measurements and then you can specify design ease. Really a nice program once you take time to get measurements correct and work with the program.

How do I find the time to sew? Hard! Because I work full time, I try to sew mostly on weekends. However I have "chores" to do like grocery shopping, etc. on weekends. I try to sew some in the evenings, have to drag myself away from the computer a lot. I also try to sew a few minutes before work each day but I have to be careful or I will be late as I forget I am only sewing for about 7 to 10 minutes.

This week I have been on vacation with DH and though we did not go to some exciting vacation destination we did do day trips here and there. Most evenings and yesterday I did a lot of sewing.

Talbots Knock off

Well Blogger was down for awhile yesterday so could not post or reply to some comments.

I am making great progress on my jacket. I am using the Stitch and Flip (SNF) method for the lining which has made sewing of it much faster. I love lined jackets but it always feels like you are making two jackets instead of the one. On Pattern Review several have suggested making the lining part first and then do the jacket. It seems to make it feel like it is faster. You can do most of your tweaking to the lining and then you can carry those tweaks over to your "real" jacket.

With SNF, you actually sew the lining and the jacket at the same time. One really needs to make sure that the jacket fits using this method as it will be difficult to adjust later. I took a chance on this one since I drafted using PMB. Since the pattern draft is designed with my measurements I should have a truer fit. However, if you do not allow for enough design ease, you could have a snug fitting garment.

I have sewn the body of the jacket and have stitched lining to sleeves. Next I will insert sleeves into the jacket. All that will be left is collar, front facing, and hemming. This jacket has no buttons or zippers to install. It is left open.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Sewing Blurb-6-06-06

I am making progress on my jacket to go with my new dress. I decided to use the SNF method for the lining. I think it will go faster this way. I have sewn the back darts, center back seam and added the lining per SNF. I serged the edges as jacket is silk tweed and ravely, but not overly so. I interfaced the front pieces and sewed the front darts. I then pin basted the sides and shoulders to be sure of the fit. I wish had added a little more ease. I may decide to remove or reduce the back waist darts. Though the jacket is not designed to button or zip, I am concerned a little about it being tight. I did not think about the lining when I cut this out and perhaps should have allowed a little more for that. Will see.

I am at the point in the making that if I am going to remove back waist or let them out some, I can do it now, not later.

More later.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Dress Success

I finished my sheath dress. Here it is.


Here is the Talbots dress inspiration.


I am pleased with the results. It fits very well. Most all of my PMB clothes do. I had planned to use Vogue 8188. But after making so many bust fitting adjustments I was concerned that it was too much. I overlaid my PMB sheath pattern over the Vogue 8188 and made neckline changes to the PMB pattern and used this one instead. Here is the Vogue pattern. http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?search=V8188&TI=20001&M=&pageSize=9&s.search.all.x=13&s.search.all.y=13

I have cut out the jacket pattern and will begin it tomorrow. Here is the fabric I am using for the jacket.


Here is the Talbot Jacket-

August Sewing Simplicity 7295

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