Time to quit!

Well, I began the embroidery process and finalized the designs I was going to use. Printed out the template, etc. The first design stitched out beautifully. I then ran out of bobbin thread and in the process of removing the hoop, the embroidery unit locked up. After doing different things to unlock it, besides shutting the machine down, I save the design combos and restarted the machine. I was simply unable to get the design to line up correctly.

I decided that salvaging my skirt is just not in my cards. Nor do I want to keep futzing around with it. I found in my fabric collection another blue fabric piece that I will use to make me a blue skirt. It is the right shade of blue to go with the floral print fabric.

I am cooking dinner now and hope to cut out the new blue fabric, using the same pattern. I have run out of blue thread that matches. Tomorrow I am pin fitting top patterns to make the top for the other skirt I completed as well as make the top from the floral print for the blue skirt. I am also considering some other tops I have made and perhaps use those patterns instead.

Mayday Solution

I want to thank all of you who left comments about my center faded color on my skirt.


I tried using fabric pen in similar color, on left over fabric; and Paintstick in similar blue. Not happy with results. As to throwing it into a vat of Ritz dye, gave that real thought but decided the lighter/faded area would still look off from everything else.


I had an idea about embroidering on the front as did Angela. I was flipping through Designs in Machine Embroidery and that was the initial inspiration and then taking Angela's comments I have found two designs that I think will work great. As another person suggested, use a wider design so it is not right down the center. I will use that suggestion as well.

I have the right blue tonal thread to use and will be giving this a try today. Wish me luck

I love Holidays!

We get two floating holidays a year where I work. Yesterday was one of those holidays!

I had made an appointment 6 months ago with my doctor for checkup and of course I made it for yesterday at 8:00, so no sleeping in for this girl. Worked out just fine in the end. Unfortunately I have to go to an orthopedist regarding a knee problem I have; we think it is torn cartilage.

After doctor visit, I went to Panera Bread for a latte and cinnamon roll. Then stopped at grocery store for a few items and then home to sew. I did not get a lot of actual sewing done but I did work on fitting several patterns while I ran my embroidery machine. I don't embroider as much as I use to and yesterday I found that I missed that.

Go here and here to see what I was working on. While that was embroidering, I pin fitted and adjusted this pattern.

It is an OOP pattern that I bought on eBay several months ago. I love the look of it and most particularly the front tie. I am going to make the sleeveless version.

The front and back pieces are full pieces and will be cut on the bias. I needed to make a one inch FBA, so I had to adjust the pattern this way. I added 1/2 inch on each side to get the one inch. I used a combination of FFRP and Linda Maynard's technique to make this adjustment. I have not sewn a bias garment in ages so this will seem like a new sewing technique for me.

I also started the fitting process for the McCall's dress and the Butterick jacket pattern also.

All in all I felt my day was pretty productive.

Multi projects

I did spend time on my jacket today and I also started an embroidery project that has been percolating for a number of weeks.

Here is the embroidery I did using my Janome 300E. The design was acquired from BFC-Creations. The designs were light stitches and then you add crystals using the Kandy Kane or similar wand to heat the crystals to be affixed to the cloth. This is still a work in progress.

Here are some shots of my jacket.

View of the front, all darts sewn in front and back. Band attached through front darts but not fully stitched down to jacket.

Close up view of front. I worked hard to get front pieces to line up when all is sewn and done.

Back view. Band was pinned to jacket.

I still may have some fitting adjustments to make so did not attached the band that runs from front dart all the way around to the other front dart on the opposing front piece. I had to reduce side seam allowance from 5/8 to 3/8 from waist to hip. This may be due to the fact that I lengthened the jacket and now it falls on a point on my back hip "fluff" that required a skotch more room. The front lining pieces' darts have been sewn.

This is great piece of fabric to work with. It is a cotton pique. Since I am lining the jacket, I decided not to serge finish the seams. The fabric is not raveling a lot so I find that I don't need this step in the process.

Navy Shell Complete

Yeah! it is complete and here are the photos:
Front view of the shell

Close up of embroidery I did on my embroidery machine and then attached to neckline.

This was a quick and gratifying project. If I had not done the lace it would have been quicker. But I like what I did with this and will consider some other embroidery for future shells.

Saturday sewing

I am working on the Shirley Adams/PMB shell. I started on it yesterday morning as I was off for Good Friday holiday. I decided that I was going to add some lace trim to the front neckline of the shell. Furthermore, I also decided that I would embroider the lace trim myself, using a design from Sadias Designs. I purchased the lace CD at ASG national conference in August of last year.

Because I did all of my grocery shopping yesterday I had all Saturday morning to sew. While I continued sewing on my shell, I had my Janome 300E embroidering the lace trim. The shell is ready for me to stitch the lace trim onto the front neckline. I have sewn up the side seams, but need to check the fit one more time. Then I will hem the top on the sewing machine.

I had thought about adding lace trim to the bottom. But I want to try doing that on another top and using a different method.

I will post photos later when garment is finished.

DH and I are going out to dinner and I need to finish getting dressed.

WIP's

I have cut out a shell pattern using some fabric in my stash that I got for free from an ASG member over a year ago. It is navy shantung type fabric.

I then made fitting adjustments to a Simplicity pattern. I am going to make the skirt and top in the right hand corner of the small views of the various looks. I am using buttermilk knit fabric acquired from EOS prior to Christmas. The usual adjustments I normally make were made and I plan to cut out the fabric tomorrow.

I am thinking that I will move forward and cut out some other patterns tomorrow. While I am doing that I can finish embroidering a t-shirt I started some time back and posted a photo on this blog. I just don't think that it looks quite finished yet. Besides it will give an opportunity to work with my new Magna Hoops.

I want to move forward with the vintage pattern for the 1945 skirt. I have leftover fabric from my sheath style dress I made last year that was a knock off of a Talbot's dress and jacket. This fabric has pretty nice drape and this skirt needs that.

T-Shirt Embroidered

Last weekend I mentioned embroiderying a t-shirt. I thought I would post a photo of it. The shiny part is the water soluable clear stabilizer placed on top of the t-shirt to allow the embroidery threads to stand up on top of the knit, not sink down into it. I have not yet washed the t-shirt to remove the stabilizer.

I want to add some other embroidery at the hemline. I edited a design to use at the bottom. I can transfer the design to another embroidery format and then can use my embrodiery only machine while I continue to sew my New Look 6619 jacket.

Sewing Progress for PMB Jacket

I have been busy with drafting, printing, fitting and starting my PMB Jacket. I used the Classic Style draft for the jacket using PMB software. I then removed all waist darts and kept only the side dart. For front closure, I chose a zipper closure, only because this will allow me to keep the front with no closure and no overlap to have to cut off. I lengthened the jacket from my original draft after fitting I discovered that with 1 1/2 to 2 inch hem, the jacket would be too short. Thus lengthening gives me a deeper hem allowance and a jacket that will fall close to hip area.


I embroidered the fronts using my Endless Hoop which allows for easy alignment of an endless embroidery. Photos below show my progress.

Pattern laid out with extra fabric around edges to allow for loss with embroidery.



Other pieces laid out for cutting.




One front piece with embroidery down the front opening. Blue lines
are for alignment and are outside the final cutting area.




This shows the Endless Hoop used with a print out of the embroidery on
paper to help align the design where you want it.

3D Embroidery Upgrade

I upgraded my 3D Embroidery software program today. I traded it in and upgraded to 3D Professional. This will give me lots of embroiderying opportunities and possibilities. I am really excited about. Just got back from visiting the sewing/fabric shop in Forest, VA about an hour ago.

I am trying to finish my Vogue top. This has become a challenge and I just will not throw in the towel. Review and photos to follow. All I have to do is hem it! Given the softness of the knit, this may provide another sewing challenge.

Later!

Early Christmas Present

Previous photo link to another photo hosting website did not work. Here is the back of the jacket now complete.

I realized in an earlier post or on my Flicker site, I may have listed the embroidery designs as Dakota Collectibles designs. Actually, the center back designs come from the Mod Pak for the DC designs. The side back designs are actually from a Husqvarna embroidery design-Geometric Designs. I edited the design as it was a large design. I just wanted the flower and swirl to go with the swirl in the center back.

I have to decide what I am going to put on the front of the jacket.

Embroidery progress

With so much activity for Christmas preparation and such, sewing time has been brief. I also experienced a reluctance to get in the sewing room and sew. Friday night, I did cut out another knit top-Vogue 8323 scoop neck.

I resumed the embroidering on my denim jacket. I have to say this was an idea I had about a month or more ago. The Designs in Embroidery Magazine came out with an issue relating to embroidering denim. That added to my desire to work on this jacket. I had embroidered one center back panel several weeks ago. Friday and Sunday I completed the other center back panel. Matching up the designs to mirror and stitch in alignment with the other side takes time, measuring, hooping and adjusting. I am pleased with the outcome.

I then embroidered the right, side back with flowers. All of these designs come from Dakota Collectibles-Mod Pack designs. Here are photos of my progress thus far: