Wednesday, December 30, 2009

BWOF Skirt 112-1/2009

I pin fitted this skirt today. I really I needed a larger size than their largest for the waist area. I am truly proud of myself. I made fitting adjustments in the four waistband pieces and for the skirt portion and after making those, everything lined up perfectly! Now let's hope that it does so for the actual skirt when making this one.

I am still considering what fabric I want to use to make this skirt. I am glad I have some choices. More later.

Awards




The past two weeks I received the above awards. Maricou with La Machine a Coudre presented me with the Honest Scrap award and Sherril of Sherril's Sewing Saga presented me with the Sugar Doll award. Thank you both for thinking of me.
With both awards you are to acknowledge the person who presented you with the award and to tell 10 honest things or 10 interesting things about yourself. You are then to present the award to others and post that information here and link to their blog.
So perhaps I am cheating a little by combining the 10 things for each award, but 10 things are 10 things. I am not sure that I could come up with 20 different things. So here goes:
1- I am an only child. I mention this because one of Sherril's 10 items was that she wished she was an only child. It has its disadvantages as well as advantages.
2-Santa Claus gave me a Sony Reader for Christmas, which I love, love, love! I am currently reading 3 ebooks from it at this time ( and I only have to carry one reader vs 3 books). One of the three books is a non-fiction titled "Only Child".
3-I have been sewing since junior high school. That was a long, long time ago.
4-I currently own a sewing/embroidery machine; a stand alone embroidery machine; a serger; a coverstitch machine and a felting machine.
5-For Christmas I gave myself two presents-the bias tape maker machine from Simplicity with additional bias tape makers for the machine; a subscription to Fabric Mart Sample Cut.
6-My mother died from Alzheimer's several years ago and my father is now in an assisted living facility for same. Thus I am truly concerned for myself. I am hoping that it skips right over me.
7-I learned to sew from my grandmother.
8-I moved around quite a bit with my career and loved it as I got to learn more about various cultures and a lot more about the different areas of the United States. My favorite two states-Texas and Florida.
9-I am a terrible housekeeper and cannot believe how fast dust accumulates from one cleaning to the next.
10-I will have been married 37 years come February 2010.
Not sure if any of the above was very interesting; but all 10 items are honest items.
Now to whom should I present these awards:
There are so many blogs that I follow. Everyone has had some influence on me regarding sewing. I am sure there are more blogs I could link to for these awards but I have run out of blogging time for now.

back view with overlap zipper

Here is a shot of the back view with lapped zipper. This is area I screwed up originally. More to post on that later.

Another view of overlap and contour waistband

This is photo I took on Monday showing WIP for the New Look skirt.

What happened on the way to sewing

I started my vacation 1/2 day on Wednesday prior to Christmas. Again I had ambitious plans to do a lot of sewing. I am not doing very well with those plans. So far I have completed two skirts, that's it.

Christmas Day I woke up with a terrible case of vertigo and have suffered with it off and on since. Yesterday I went to the doctor and was given some medication to deal with the nausea and the dizziness. Let me say that I think I slept most of the day away after taking one pill. The doctor and I think I am suffering with a sinus infection though I have not had a cold/runny nose, etc. but there is tenderness in certain areas of my face that would lead one to believe that sinus issues are present, so taking an antibiotic for that.

Late evening, after eating some dinner, I felt awake enough to hem my skirt and lining. So the New Look skirt pattern is now complete. I like this skirt and can see making another one in the future. I have to share true confession-I really screwed up this skirt earlier on in the process for not clearly reading through the instructions. It is fixed now and will be wearable. I will post more on this later.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Back to sewing

Today I will get opportunities to sew again. Celebrating Christmas has left me with only short bouts of time to sew. I will complete my gray skirt today and then give thought as to what my next projects will be.

I am leaning toward dresses next but still have a few skirts that were percolating before Christmas. The good thing is I am off all next week so plan to use that time sewing wisely.

After visiting MIL yesterday, last evening I spent time reading blogs and actually spent time at Stitchers' Guild reading posts. Always inspiring and fun to see what others are working on.

Off to sew now!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

I wish and hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas. Enjoy time with family and friends.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

One more sewing gift from me to me

My last gift to me came yesterday. http://www.simplicity.com/p-2902-bias-tape-maker.aspx
The bias tape maker. I got mine from Nancy's Notions on sale for $20 less plus I had a coupon. I also purchased the additional bias tape attachments so I can make other sizes of bias tape. I hope to play with it later today.

Little progress made on my gray skirt and have plans to work on it tonight as I await Santa Claus's arrival.

Facing for invisible zipper

Someone requested the information regarding El's facing technique. There is a wealth of knowledge from the Sewing Divas blog. Here is the link to the facing technique. There is another technique discussed at Fashion Incubator website, but unfortunately I cannot find the link at the moment. Hope you find this technique helpful, I have.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Back facing

I used Els' technique for attaching a facing to skirt. Very clean finish.

Back facing
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl

Lining above ruffle


Lining above ruffle
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
I added a lining. I lined to top of the ruffle.

B5249 back view with ruffle


Close up of pockets-skirt 3

I love the pockets in this skirt.

Butterick 5249 w ruffle flounce

Here is the front view of the completed Butterick skirt. I used the view with the ruffle at the bottom.

Enough is enough

Okay, the winter wonderland is over now. We had over 16 inches of snow. It is pretty coming down and looks great when you look out at it. However with a hilly driveway and having to go back to work on Monday thus requiring one to shovel snow, the beauty has now faded. What a chore shoveling can be.

DH and I shoveled snow a little yesterday and a lot more today. I am glad I go to CURVES and work those arm muscles 'cause shoveling is WORK!!! The temperature is suppose to be in upper 30's/low 40's tomorrow thus aiding the melting of the snow.

Well enough about snow.

I completed the Butterick skirt and will have photos to share later. I began work on the New Look skirt pattern. I wasn't going to line that skirt but I have since changed my mind. It really could use one; I think it will give it that extra touch that will make it a better skirt. So far the pattern has gone together well. I have not gotten as far as I wanted to with the skirt for today. Right now I am resting from all that SHOVELING! Plus I have laundry that is requiring my attention.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Let it Snow

Here are some shots of the snow
You can go here to see more.
Back to my sewing room. Later

Winter Wonderland

We have been hit with a big snow storm! It started snowing in Roanoke around 2:00 yesterday and at 8 AM Saturday it is still snowing! Anticipating 12 inches or more. I think we are at the "at more" level now. My twenty minute commute from office to home took me over an hour yesterday evening. My DH and I have not seen this much snow since living in PA. It is really very pretty coming down.

Last night I spent time on my skirt and it is almost complete. The gathered ruffle has been attached, center front panel sewn in. Lining complete. I now have to attached waist facings, and hem! I have a grey skirt cut out and ready to sew next.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Christmas Present to Self

I decided to once again subscribe to Fabric Marts Sample Cut Club. It has been a couple of years since I had my membership. We will see what the 2010 year will bring.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Butterick skirt with ruffle


I made progress on the Butterick skirt today. This is my third skirt from this pattern. I deviated from the other two by making the view with the ruffle. I tried using my gathering foot to gather the ruffle directly to the skirt, didn't work well. Nor did stitching a long stitch and pulling the threads work as fabric is too heavy and the piece was too long for that. Thus I used crochet thread and zig-zagged over the thread leaving a long strand of crochet thread at the beginning and end. I then pulled the crochet thread and created the gathers.

I now need to sew the ruffle to the skirt, attach the center panel, complete the sewing of the lining, attach that, hem and viola! another skirt to wear.
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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Sewing start up

DH and I had to do some Christmas shopping today. When we returned this evening, I spent some time in my sewing room--yeah!!! I cut out the lining for the Butterick skirt and then re- threaded the serger. Even though I am going to line the skirt, this wool herringbone is prone to ravel, so wanted to serge finished the skirt seams. Got all of those completed.

I will be sewing in the AM and hope to make pretty good progress with this skirt. This is the third time around, so should go fairly quick.

Too little time

Work is consuming me again and have not even had time to post. Not really much to post about since I tend to glance into my sewing room but can't linger and sew.

I did get some new fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics this week. Hope to take a few shots of it and will post later. Both are double knit pieces. Took advantage of her sale.

Later.


P. S. Thanks for comments regarding marking paper.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Marking paper

I am asking for some feedback, particularly from those of you who live in an area, like NYC that has numerous sources for marking (tracing) paper. I use Dritz marking paper and one or two others that I can acquire from JoAnn Fabrics. Do you know of a source for better quality marking (tracing) paper and can hopefully be acquired on line? If so, please share that information with me.

I either end up using marking paper that smears/bleeds colors onto the fabric when you get ready to trace markings, like darts. Or the paper hardly marks the fabric at all and you trace several times just to get a mark.

Thanks for your assistance.

Skirts

After the MOT, I decided to make a few skirts. I cut out my TNT Butterick pattern B5249
(Photo courtesty of Butterick Patterns Website) this morning. I decided to make View D with the ruffle. I used the recently purchased brown, wool herring-bone fabric purchased from Fabric.com. I have perfected the fit of this skirt and this will be my third version so should be fairly easy to sew. The pattern does not call for a lining but I use the pattern pieces to make a lining. I can not wear wool against my skin without itching.

I also pin fitted this pattern, a new one for me, New Look 6918. (Photo courtesy of Simplicity Patterns Wesbite). I plan to make View E (the yellow one). I am going to use a dark gray fabric that I acquired a couple of months ago from Schoolhouse Fabrics in Floyd, VA. I have not cut this one out yet, but plan to do so shortly. I still have a few BWOF skirt patterns I plan to trace and cut out as well.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Where did the week go?

You go on vacation, then go back to work and no sewing. Though I am thinking about it and planning projects. I had even planned to purchase some fabric from Vogue Fabrics and the material I wanted was sold out! I am angry with myself as I had several opportunities to place the order and didn't.

I was in Richmond Thursday evening and all day Friday for business. Unfortunately I was not able to find a moment to go to any fabric store while there. Today is our ASG's Christmas luncheon so no sewing this AM and DH and I are doing some family shopping this afternoon. Hopefully this evening I can advance my plans to cut out some skirt patterns and is some cases trace the BWOF patterns for fitting and cutting.

I am taking a few moments this AM to read blogs and see what others are up to before getting ready to go to luncheon. Happy sewing to all.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

MOT and what next

I had a great time participating in the Month of Tops sew along with Faye Lewis. Thanks again Faye for doing this. This sew along got me out of the sewing doldrums I was in. Now that I have completed several tops, I am going to make some skirts.

There are a couple of BWOF skirts I have been wanting to make and I am trying to use fabric in my fabric collection. I did buy a brown herringbone wool fabric recently from Fabric.com that I will include in the skirt projects. I have a favorite Butterick skirt pattern from which I have made two skirts , so will be making another one from this pattern. The fit is perfected now and I can probably sew this in my sleep.

So many skirt patterns and such limited time.

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...