Jenna Cardi Complete

I have completed the Muse Jenna Cardi. I took some pictures of the completed cardigan as well as some works in progress photos.

This was where I ended Saturday night with all sewing complete and copper looking snaps were affixed to one side. I used my Snaps Setter, with size 24 base to accommodate the larger snaps.

Here is a photo of the completed cardigan:

I am pleased with the outcome in spite of the fiddly knit fabric. The next one, now having completed this one, I will use a different knit.

Here is a close-up of the snaps:

I'm happy with how the snaps lined up. There is always potential for the bottom snap not to line up correctly. I took my time measuring and marking. I will post photos of me wearing later this week. There is a contest on Pattern Review called New To Me Pattern which is what the contest is about.

Now that this is completed I think I have time to make another new to me pattern and will plan to enter that also. My next new to me pattern will be Handmade by London-Victoria Blazer.

More information later.

ASG Meeting

Last evening I attended our local ASG meeting; I have not been able to attend this year as I would like and it was great to be among such talented sewists.  Our guild celebrated its 20th anniversary.  The founder and most all of the past presidents plus current one spoke to the group about its history and growth.

Of course we had sew and tell.  I wore and presented my recently sewn McCall's blouse.

I saw on Pattern Review this morning the winners of the fitted blouse contest; though I was not a winner it was fun to participate in a contest.  The blouse is a winner for me as it has passed the "wearability" factor as well as the washing, drying, no ironing test.  I do see me making some more blouses, not this one for now, as I do have some other lovely fabrics in stash that have aged enough to become something besides just fabric.

I had a great time talking with my sitting partner last night.  It was fun for both of us to learn how much we love shoes and don't really need more but ........  We also seem to be patternaholics as well.

Weekend sewing plans are to make the McCall's knit dress mentioned in an earlier post.  I have pin fitted the pattern and need to make a FBA-no surprise there.  I made the usual forward shoulder, upper round and horizontal tuck for upper chest and upper back.  Still need to make the swayback adjustment.  For the FBA, I really need to figure what technique I want to use so that I can eliminate the resulting dart.

Off to get ready for work.  I am wearing my Butterick dress with front ruffles today.

We have a special employees luncheon today and I am making a presentation of an award to one of my staff.  I have not worn this since late fall; this is one of my favorite dress patterns.

Updates later.

Made the deadline!

Made the deadline for Blouse Contest at Pattern Review!!!!!!  Here is view of the front.

Back views!

Semi side view.

This is my March Garment of the Month also!!!

Deadline looming

I have attached the collar stand and collar to the blouse.  You can see this here and here.  I look photos with my iPad last night and uploaded to Flickr.

Sleeves are ready to be inserted, sleeve cuff to add, buttonholes and buttons.

I ran into some issues attaching the collar stand and collar.  Perhaps neckline stretched some, though I did stay stitch earlier on.  I don't recall having this issue when I made previously and had no notes to myself on the pattern instructions that this was an issue.  After several attempts I finally got it attached okay.

I have to find buttons.  I just don't have enough on hand so will visit JA's today; sometimes they have a good selection and sometimes not.  Praying today is a good day.

Updates later.

Blouse update

I am making slow but steady progress on the M5522 blouse.  Here are a few photos:

The blouse has been hemmed, required to do before attaching front band.  Front band attached and edges topstitched.  The piping truly added some depth to the ruffles.  Here is a close up:

I have also stitched the collar and is read to attach to the collar stand, no photo yet of that.    Not sure what color buttons I will use and need to purchase.  I am thinking black.  The princess seams are to be topstitched and I am holding off on that until the end in case I may need to take in the princess seams.  My second fitting created a doubt in my mind that the blouse was fitting enough; and if taking deeper side seam would work or not.  I still have some time to complete this for the PR contest, but feeling a little pressured now.

I love this fabric but it can be fiddly.  I found when I attached the front band that  fabric "crept" into that stitching and I had to go in and remove stitches and fabric that got caught up in the sewing of the band. 

Will add more photos later.

Ending and Beginning

I added the neckband to the New Look top.  Sorry, no photo to show at this time.  With all the adjustments I made I am not happy with this top.  There is still something off about it.

After attaching the neckband, the right back shoulder area looks stretched out of whack.  I snugged up the neckband on that side and it still stands away from my body but the left side fits as it should.  I have decided that this top will be something I will wear around the house.  I have spent enough time on it and I can say I learned something about fitting adjustments that I know now that I can use in the future.  Thus I am ending this project and have decided to also end my cold weather sewing.  It is still cold here in my neck of the woods, I am just ready to move onto spring sewing.

With today being March 1, it is time to begin work on my March Garment of the Month.  I had previously posted that I would make a Vogue knit dress, that will be later in the month.  I also signed up for the Intermediate Fitted Blouse Contest at Pattern Review; not the first time I have signed up for PR contests.  I either don't finish in time or others use more patterns or use more fabric to win the stash and pattern contests.
Thus to meet both deadlines, I have decided to sew a blouse for the garment of the month.

From McCall's Patterns Website

This is the blouse.  I made this blouse a couple of years ago.  I made view B previously but did not include the ruffle.  I have auditioned several fabrics from my stash-decisions, decisions, decisions!

Winning!

I just received earlier this week this lovely vintage sheet and pattern from Lynn at Wonderfully Made.  She was doing a giveaway contest and I WON!!!  

I have always been amazed by garments made by others using sheets or the like.  I am looking forward to making this up soon.  Maybe if I sew this soon, it will actually stay sunny and bright as most summers seem to be to me.  We have had the wettest July since I have lived in this part of Virginia--almost 10 years in September.

Thanks again Lynn for selecting me as the winner!

Sewing Christmas Gifts

Several posts ago, I spoke about doing some sewing for Christmas gifts. While reading others' blogs many other people have similar idea. I received the following email about a contest related to swing holiday gifts and agreed to share with you:

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Holiday Gift Ideas: Sewing, Hobby & Craft Sew a gift this holiday season or give the gift of sewing to a family member or friend with a SINGER®, HUSQVARNA VIKING® or PFAFF® sewing machine. Consumers can also enter a contest this holiday season to win a featured sewing, embroidery or quilting machine and a $1,000 shopping spree. "Sewing is an ideal holiday activity and gift because it keeps on giving," said Don Fletcher, CEO of SVP Worldwide, www.svpworldwide.com. "Giving the gift of sewing is easy with the new SINGER, HUSQVARNA VIKING and PFAFF sewing, quilting and embroidery machines. These dependable machines are loaded with features and benefits that are perfect for holiday sewing, hobby and craft projects." To enter the GIFTS BY YOU contest presented by SVP Worldwide and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), upload a photo of a sewn project at www.marthastewart.com/sew between November 17, 2008 and December 31, 2008. Images of the uploaded sewn projects will be displayed on the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia website at www.marthastewart.com during this time. Entrants will be asked to enter their project to be judged in one of the following four categories: home décor/crafting, fashion, machine embroidery and machine quilting.

Each person who uploads a photo of their own project will receive a $5.00 gift card they can use at authorized and participating SINGER, HUSQVARNA VIKING and PFAFF retailers throughout the U.S.-it's SVP Worldwide's holiday gift to sewers. One project in each category will be selected by a panel of sewing experts from MSLO and SVP Worldwide. The winner in each category will receive the following gifts:

Home décor/crafting category: SINGER® CONFIDENCETM 7470 sewing machine

Fashion category: PFAFF® EXPRESSIONTM 2.0 sewing machine

Machine embroidery category: HUSQVARNA VIKING® DESIGNER DIAMONDTM sewing and embroidery machine

Machine quilting category: QBOTTM-the robotic automatic quilter, Imperial Quilt Frame, and the PFAFF® Grand QuilterTM sewing machine.

Grand prize: The Grand Prize Winner can choose one of the three featured sewing machines plus receive a $1,000 shopping spree to their local authorized SINGER, HUSQVARNA VIKING or PFAFF retailer, and the winning project will be featured in one issue of Martha Stewart Living in 2009.

Whatever the price range, SVP Worldwide has the perfect sewing gifts to fulfill every holiday wish list. Among its sewing, embroidery and quilting products, the following four products provide a breadth of features and benefits for the beginner to the experienced sewer: SINGER CONFIDENCE sewing machine: Beginning and skilled sewers alike will appreciate one-step functions, push button controls and automatic capabilities that streamline the sewing process to enhance their creativity. Extensive global consumer research has shown that sewers want a bobbin that is fast and easy to thread, larger buttons and knobs to operate the machine, more light for the sewing surface and fashionable machine colors with a contemporary feel.

The new SINGER CONFIDENCE line was designed with these desired features in mind.PFAFF EXPRESSION 2.0 sewing machine: The spacious, bright and precise features on the new EXPRESSION 2.0 machine give flexibility for quilting, fashion design, and home décor projects. With 250 mm / 10 inches of space to the right of the needle, dual lighting, 37 different needle positions available for a straight stitch, and the Original IDTTM feature, PFAFF has brought affordable high quality features to sewers around the world.HUSQVARNA VIKING DESIGNER DIAMOND machine--the world's new top of the line sewing and embroidery machine. Now, sewers have the capability to create, view and customize embroidery designs in stunning detail on the largest and brightest, interactive VGA touch screen available in the sewing industry. At the touch of a fingertip or stylus, the DESIGNER DIAMONDTM machine will automatically embroider the sewers creation on the largest sewing and embroidery surface available. The new DESIGNER DIAMOND machine gives sewers and quilters the fastest, easiest path from concept to completion through its generous capability, remarkable convenience and exclusive sewing innovations.QBOT: The new robotic quilter brings professional quilting into the home. Rather than hand stitching a quilt as it has been done for hundreds of years, home quilters can now attach the QBOT to their sewing machine and it will automatically move the sewing machine across the framed quilt while stitching perfect designs. For additional information about the GIFTS BY YOU contest visit www.sewingideas.com/GiftsByYou

For more information contact: Stephen Whyte or George BowieWestmoor ConsultingProvo, Utah, USATelephone: 801-377-2354E-mail: stephen@westmoorconsulting.com or georgebowie@westmoorconsulting.com


Many of you like to enter sewing related contests so this may appeal to you. This is an opportunity as well to get a great top of the line sewing machine/embroidery/quilting machine.

Sewing for today-Oct 4

I was able to get some personal sewing time in this AM. DH went out on the motorcycle for a couple of hours. I began the pin fitting process for the dress, making a few adjustments. Tomorrow we have plans to attend a motorcycle rally here in the "valley". May find a few moments tomorrow night to cut out the dress fabric and lining.

I got sidetracked this AM from working on the dress pattern as I wanted to play with a new sewing toy. I purchased the Free Motion Fabric Mover for my sewing machine. I spent some time learning how to move the fabric mover and control the free motion stitches. I will say that the fabric mover makes the free motion stitching a little less stressful. Still a learning curve to do this. I did not break any needles as I usually do with free motion stitching.

I am also trying to plan my next sewing projects that will follow my dress. I am thinking skirt, jacket and top or blouse. I still have another dress that I want to make with another cropped style jacket.

Our ASG will be having their annual Christmas party in December and been thinking about what to make for the fashion show. I have not participated before but that I might want to take the plunge. It has been a while since I have made something "artistic". Sew many ideas and sew little time.

I won!

I won! Recently I subscribed to the Well-Heeled Society after learning about this site from reading Shannon's blog-Hungry Zombie. By subscribing I was registered to win a book called "New Shoes: Contemporary Footwear Design". I learned yesterday that I was the winner! See announcement here.

I am again tickled pink about winning. Next to fabrics, patterns, cosmetics, I love shoes. I mean one can never have too many of any of the above.

My contest fabric!

I forgot that I had not posted that the fabric from Burda/News came this week. I still find it neat that I won something.

I am not sure what type fabric this is. I believe it is a cotton fabric, rather thin. It was in a Mood Fabric bag. It is not a piece of fabric that I would probably purchase myself. I was also surprised how design is on this fabric. I took some pictures and did a collage view so you could see where the flower design ends and then there is a lot of white from design end to selvage.

I am not sure what I will make from this. I will make something though. I am thinking some sort of top.

Fabric Contest

Rosemary aka fabric fan wanted to know what fabrics matched up with what patterns. The Burda answers were A-5, B-7,C-3, D-1. My answer was A-5,B-6, C-3, D-1. My choice of fabric was for the skirt, the dress or the top. The skirt fabric was no longer available, so the dress fabric is what I won.

That's all I know at this time.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow-Wednesday, my surprise will be revealed. I am truly tickled that I won this contest. And to think I almost did not respond.

What did I win, you ask? Fabric! I am told tomorrow I will be featured on the site's newsletter.

So tomorrow when you get a moment, go here----Burda/News.

I hardly ever win anything, so to respond to a pattern/fabric contest and to be told you won, well I am just truly tickled pink. Given my situation last week this is just a nice little gift and shows me that life is always an adventure or as Forrest Gump said, Life is just like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get.