Sewing: August 2010 Archives

Oh, how I love to paw through the new quilting collections when they come in. I love all the coordinated fabrics, the different patterns, the combination possibilities just waiting to be discovered. Trouble is, I'm not really a quilter. I've made a few quilts here and there, but my true passion is apparel sewing. How do I combine my love of cotton print groups with my love of clothing (and kitschy clothing at that)? Collage skirts, of course!

Being a full-fledged, pledge-swearing Disney nerd, I was so excited when the Thomas Kinkade Disney collections arrived. I could not WAIT for the Snow White collection in particular (she's my fave Princess, without a doubt). Looking at the deep hues of the wooded glade where the dwarf cottage nestles contrasted by the parchment style script print gave me an idea for a summer skirt that would have a slightly rustic feel. I cut a simple a-line skirt with a band of green color on the bottom, assembled it, and then started to have the real fun. I cut the large portrait of Snow White from the collection's quilting panels, and multiple small elements from the patchwork print, and then I just had fun playing with placements until I got the look I wanted, then I straight-stitched everything in place, leaving the raw edges exposed. The wave live of smaller pieces wraps all the way around the skirt.

A quick run through the laundry to get some fray on the cut edges was all I needed to complete the look - a slightly grown-up take on the adorable Disney Princess clothes I see little girls wearing, but can't fit into myself!





Alice in Wonderland has been incredibly popular this year, thanks to Tim Burton. As much as I love the design of the movie, it made me think back, longingly, to the wonderful Alice illustrations of Sir John Tenniel. Lucky for me, the British Library Board licensed Tenniel's drawings to Quilting Treasures to create a cotton print collection! This particular project was a very quick affair, a mishmash of colors and patterns all jumbled together, much like Alice's time spent in Wonderland.  I just cut 6 panels of equal size from various fabrics, with a waistband cut on the bias and cinched slightly with elastic. A "garland" of imagery around the bottom and voila! A patchwork vibe skirt that keeps me relatively cool in the Georgia heat, and makes me smile every time I look down.



I've got plans for more endeavors of this nature, all in the long project queue. Skirts like this are like art therapy for me; there's no wrong or right way to combine things, and they go together quickly so there's a sense of immediate gratification.

I've got plans for a dress made with the Haunted Oz collection, a Royal Peacock skirt, some kind of delicious silliness made with Viva! and heaven only knows what else. I have no doubt that some other collection will come through the door and trip my creativity circuit. I can't wait!

We all seem to be in a continual state of home redecoration. This is no more so than with me, though I do not really consider it REdecoration as much as decoration. You see we purchased our first house a few years ago and that coupled with our first child has not allowed me much of a decoration budget (good thing I can sew!). So I do a little here and there as I can. The priority now is our bedroom with bed linens being chief. I purchased some Waverly and Amy Butler  that I think will go wonderfully with the yellow Dupioni silk drapes I made a few months ago. I am starting with the pillow shams. I choose to start with them because they are quick and will give me a good visual for the rest of the fabrics needed for the room. Once the shams are done, I will be able to see if the bed linens I choose will work for my vision of the room (if you want me to label my vision I guess I will call it regency with milder colors, mostly black, grey, white, yellow and some unknown accent color). I have made beds thousands of times so a pattern wasn't needed to complete my shams. Though I wanted to add a flange that did not work out due to poor planning and math. But in the end I managed to convince myself that I did not really want a flange anyway. Perhaps on some throw pillows, I told myself.

I measured my pillows' width and length and added a 1 in.for a ½ in. seam allowance for 2 front pieces. Next I added 6 in. to the length for 2 back pieces which I then cut in half. This left me with 4 pieces half the length of the front but with an extra 3 in. each for a 2 in. over lap and a ½ in. double turn hem.

Pinning the back pieces to the front (right sides together) overlapping the back pieces (after you complete the double turn hem) and stitch all the way around with a ½ in. seam. Clip the corners and turn right side out with a turning tool for the corners. Insert your pillow and done. Don't forget to prewash your fabric and press thoroughly beforehand. This is very important for pillows since you don't want them to shrink in the wash and they will need plenty of washing.

Once I placed my shams on my bed and placed my yet-to-be-made duvet fabric underneath, I was smiling from ear to ear. They looked great with my drapes and with the duvet fabric. My days of a miss-matched bedroom are slowly coming to an end and I cannot wait to see what it looks like in the end. I hope to add an upholstered chair, a repainted dresser or two and some new nightstands. 

As the summer draws to a close, so too ends yet another wedding season, leaving closets full of retired bridesmaid's dresses.  I know, bride's are always saying, "But I picked a dress you can wear outside of the wedding!"  Let's be honest - you never do. 

I have had several bridesmaid's dresses over the past few years (luckily, I have been a bride as well).  Some I have donated, some I have burned (come on, you've been there, too...), but there have been a few I can't stand to just be done with.  Two brides in particular have been fantastic friends, and I have always wanted to do something special for them.  

The first bride, Alyson, was married to my husband's best friend (and the best man at our wedding) in July of 2009.  Chad, my husband, reciprocated best man duties, and I was a bridesmaid (actually, my main job was keeping the bees from stinging the flower girls during the outdoor ceremony).  Our dresses were a taupe colored and tea-length with a halter top and a brown sash for accent.  The wedding was in the Lake Tahoe area (GORGEOUS!) and the weather couldn't have been better.  The ceremony was beautiful, the reception was a blast, and the bride and groom were as wonderful and gracious as could be.  Much fun was had by all, and the couple is still happily married and still very good friends with us.

I will confess that I started out with the intention of making something for myself out of the dress.  I never seem to have a clutch that can function with both a dressier outfit and something more casual, so I sought to find something to pair with the satin to balance out the elegance.  By the time I finished, I decided that I loved the bag so much that I simply had to give it to Alyson (my mind works like that).

Here's a quick summary of my project:

* For the pattern, I chose the Ruthie Clutch from Anna Maria Horner with a few small edits. 

* I made the main body of the bag out of the satin from the dress (unpicked and cut carefully so that I had plenty left over).  You could recreate this look with duchess satin.

* The top band and the flower are made from a lilac colored microsuede, which was a little more difficult to work with than a regular cotton would have been since it is thicker and didn't make fusing the peltex an easy task.  Still, I like the contrasting texture against the satin.

* The pattern calls for a button closure with an actual button hole in the strap.  I'm too lazy for that (I'd just leave it open all the time) so I modified the pattern to include a magnetic snap closure.  I still used a pretty button for decoration.

* The lining and closure strap are made from a cotton print I had laying around (for the life of me, I can't remember the name of the collection).

* I used some pretty, complimentary trim to hide the craziness of my seams... I mean add an elegant accent.

* The flower is from a tutorial (that I LOVE), found here.

The pattern was mostly straight forward, but it got a little tricky when it came to putting the stabilizer in the band.  Admittedly, it probably would have been a lot easier if I had read all the instructions before jumping right in.  It wasn't hard enough for me to give up.  It did, however, make me realize how badly I needed a pressing ham (the most underrated tool ever).  In the end, I decided that I couldn't keep it.  Instead, I am giving it to Alyson for a rather belated birthday present.  I hope she enjoys it.

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for the answer to, "What the heck do I do with a full length, ball gown bridesmaid's dress in midnight blue satin with a whole lot of fabric (to accommodate my then-pregnantly-round figure)?"  I'll give you a hint - both the bride's daughter AND son should benefit from my creativity (if I can disassemble the dress correctly).

Happy stitching!

When starting a new project, you often consider the big items: fabric, interfacing, buttons, zippers, etc but often it is the little things that can really throw off a project and need to be considered just as fiercely. Like making sure your #2 pencil was sharp before a big test, it's the little things that can make a project a breeze or a nightmare.

·         Stock up on machine needles of all sizes, universal, sharp and ball point. Start every new project with a new needle. It will keep your sewing smooth, be still the tangles and prevent needle breaks. Also, make sure you match the needle to your project. While a universal 80/12 might seem to work well for most of your projects, there is a real difference when sewing knits with a ball point. Keep your needles in a handy place that is easily reachable from where you sew. You are more likely to change your needle as often as required if you do not have to get up and cross the room.

·         Bobbins are huge. It is houses half your seam. Be sure you have the right size bobbin for your machine. Be exact. Bobbins are much more temperamental than your upper thread and depending on your machine, not so easy to adjust. The wrong size bobbin can cause severe tangles, mess up your tension and simply mess with your head by causing intermittent issues that are difficult to determine cause. Wind your bobbin carefully. Make sure it is straight and tight. Any looseness in your bobbin can cause major issue.

·         Keep a good pair of scissors close by. Keep them sharp. Mark them in some fashion and sit your family down and announce that these are "Mommy's good fabric scissors and you are not to touch them except with Mommy's express permission (that goes for you too, husband) and if Mommy catches you touching her good fabric scissors she will use them to give you a special hair cut". But of course you can paraphrase; this is just what my mom said to us growing up. Use them to rescue tangle bobbin threads that have sucked in your fabric, clipping your thread as you go (we all dream the dream) and even as a turning tool.

·        

Pincushions are not made of gold so there is no reason to just have one. Make several. You may remember from my sewing room video that I have about a half dozen (and counting). I keep them all over my sewing room because you are always in need of pins and they are always out of reach. Pincushions are cute, sassy, fun and quick to make. I have one for hand sewing needles; I have another to store my machine needles if my project calls for multiple needles and then the rest house my pins. With every project, one goes on the right side of my machine and one sits on my cutting table. As one gets empty and the other full, I rotate.

We have just covered a few of the little things needed to make every project go smoothly. Look around your sewing room or think back on a particularly trying project and contemplate on little things you can set up in advance to make your future projects move quicker, easier and more relaxing.     

P.s. The above pictures are (from top to bottom): Heather Bailey's Effie and Ollie & Heather Bailey's Henrietta Turtle

If pressed, I would call it the fabric equivalent of Ravelry. That is one way of describing Sewing Pattern Review to a 'T' but also missing it entirely. Sewing Pattern Review (SPR) has an awesomeness that is its own; this makes it a valuable tool for sewers and seamstresses. You can find pattern reviews there, sure, but you will also find reviews on sewing tools and machines, contests, forums, and online classes. It is a Girl Scout camp for the fabric minded. Before I purchased my new sewing machine (I say new but she and I have been together and happy for 3 years now) I scoured the internet for reviews. No site had more useful info than Sewing Pattern Review. If it wasn't for this gem of a site I would be shackled to another machine I had my heart set on that would have spent more time in the repair shop than my sewing room had I not read the reviews.

I have found many a good tip for a planned pattern on SPR that has saved me time, frustration and one or two times, I just put the pattern aside. When I was a beginner, it virtually held my hand while I attempted more challenging projects. I have not utilized the site as much as I should. Well, that is not true. I have used the heck outta SPR but I have not given back as I should. I only house two reviews of my own on SPR and those are just recent. But writing this blog has brought this problem to light and I will rectify it. My two patterns reviews are the Nancy Dress and the Bossa Nova Skirt. Submitting and writing your pattern is easy. There is a template you can use to write your review and you need a good picture of your finished project. Submitting your own may lead you to check out others and inspire you to make another from a fabric or with a technique you saw from another review. The same can be said for your review. Inspiration runs wild on this site so prepare your wallet and be still your heart. I would love it alone just for the window shopping. I encourage all to use this site; it is wonderful, helpful and an unending resource for all that is sewing. 

I feel ashamed to say that the Bossa Nova Skirt is my first Hot Pattern experience. I have long coveted the patterns but my plate has been so full since I first discovered them that I kept putting it off. The Hot Patterns free pattern downloads for Fabric.com have given me an excuse to clear my calendar for some quality time with my machine and a good pattern. Let's get started

I loved the Bossa Nova Skirt! Most of my love was gained because it was so quick and easy. It was laughable how quick and easy. About 2-3 hours from prewashing, ironing, laying out, cutting, pinning, sewing and finishing. This is definitely for a beginner. The Bossa Nova skirt should be a first project for most beginners because it will make them feel so confident that they will never want to stop sewing. Another significant portion of love is due to the fit and form of the skirt. It is just as cute and glam on as in the stylize rendering on the pattern download page. I scoured my closet for an equally cute shirt to match the model but I had to settle for something different but no less good looking (I am sure you will agree). The skirt is very flowy, swishy and forgiving, perfect for a night out, date night or luncheon with the girls.

The variety of fabrics that this skirt can be made from is another notch under the Love column. Woven and knits alike. You can make it casual with some Rayon Jersey, glam it up with some Ultra Sateen, or let out your wide side with Animal Print Satin Charmeuse. I was amazed with the variety. Since it is a gored skirt you can even make it bolder by alternating colors or coordinating prints on each gore. The skirt also uses a small amount of fabric, just 1 ½ yds. I choose some Hanky Weight Linen because it is still hot 

here in GA and I love a good linen skirt. I choose a neutral to try something different (you all know how I love bright colors). With the hanky weight, I definitely recommend a slip under the skirt but the weight is very nice for swinging and swishing that I love in a fuller skirt. I over-locked the edges to prevent fraying so I just pressed all my seams to one side instead of open (as recommended in the pattern). I am playing around with an idea to either embroider the skirt around the hem a bit or add some ribbon detail down there. Jury it still out. The hem length is just right for me; I am tall -- 5' 7'' --   so if you are shorter, I suggest playing with the hem before the final stitching.  

I am putting this pattern on my list of favorites and will make another out of some jersey in the near future. I think the gathers around the waist and the fullness of the pattern will lend itself well to a lightweight knit, maybe in a fall color to wear with boots or leggings. I think leggings will call for a shorter hem. Oh, the possibilities!

Throughout my years of sewing, I have stitched countless custom gowns for brides to wear on their big day, including my own. I always feel incredibly honored to be the person trusted with creating the dress that is so central to the moment that two people are united as one. In situations where I have the freedom to create a gown that has a historical slant, I am in total bliss. I adore historical costuming, and I think weddings that borrow style from times gone by have the perfect combination of flair and elegance. Here are two of my favorite bridal projects, created for two of my favorite people!

My friend Stephanie has always had that vibe that she's actually from another era. She's also cute as pie, so I have used her as a 1:1 scale doll on several occasions throughout the 14 years we have known each other. She's an incredibly good sport.

Back when Stephanie and her now husband began dating, I was flipping through a book of historical garments on display at The Kyoto Costume Institute, and I came across a photo of an incredible beaded gown from 1911. Stephanie and I were working together at the time, and I walked to her desk and said, "If you and Josh ever get married, I found your wedding gown." When I showed her the picture, she loved it and asked, "But where am I gonna get that dress?" "I will make it!" I replied.

 

I'll admit: at the time, I thought Josh was a rebound boyfriend. Little did I know, I'd have to make good on my offer! (I was thrilled to do it, though.) The dress was made using a silk charmeuse under slip and an overlay of english net, which I spent the next five months beading. Seeing her descend the grand staircase in the venue where she was married was worth every moment spent hunched over all those hundreds of thousands of teensy beads. Every inch of the dress was covered - some areas with clear, slightly opalescent seed beads to give it a bit of soft sparkle, others with more obvious pearls and silver beads to replicate the design we so loved on the original garment. She wore the dress beautifully, and it meant the world to me to have contributed to her wonderfully unique big day.

Carrie is another dear, darling friend, and when she first got engaged, I immediately wanted to talk about her dress. She and her husband are film buffs, so I began instantly trying to think of fun ways to borrow from classic movies to find the perfect gown for her. We even talked, at one point, of subtly referencing Elsa Lanchester's gown from Bride of Frankenstein.

 

Carrie wanted something unique, but she also wanted to please the members of her family who had envisioned something slightly more traditional. We talked about iconic movie gowns for a looong time. I have always thought Carrie would look divine in a Victorian bustle gown, and thankfully, I had a flash of inspiration and Carrie loved the idea. We decided to use Mina's red gown from Braham Stoker's Dracula as our inspiration, but we chose a subtle shell tone of dupioni silk instead of the red fabric used in the film. I altered some of the details to suit Carrie's taste and make it more wearable for a full night of eating, dancing and celebrating.

 

This dress had to be assembled from the ground up, meaning the lovely bride needed historically correct undergarments to create the proper shape for the gown and support the bustle. Under this dress she's wearing a Victorian combination (bloomers and camisole combined into one garment), steel-boned corset, two petticoats and a bustle pad. Yet she looks so relaxed! And I can vouch - she danced all night long.

 

The best moment of that wedding? Carrie's adorable mother Polly telling me I had created the perfect dress for her little girl. We had so wanted to please the fantastic Mother of the Bride, and we had. Mission accomplished!

 

Do you have a bridal gown project in your future? Are you a bride-to-be yourself? If so, I highly encourage you to take a trip through time to find that perfect look for your wedding day. It ensures a one-of-a-kind look and adds a special touch to the proceedings that is completely unforgettable.

Don't forget to check out our entire collection of Special Occasion Fabrics when you're tackling your next formal wear project!

 

Monique Dress

I will not mince words: this will be a bittersweet review of the Serendipity Monique Dress (Bittersweet like chocolate chips. Yummy chocolate but not as smooth as milk chocolate). I will summarize than expand. I love the finished dress and I will make more in many different fabrics because the design is versatile enough to be more or less fancy depending on the fabric used (more on this below) but the pattern gave me trouble and needs some tweaking to be as easy as it should be. I give the dress an A but the pattern a C.

Let's deal with the pleasantries first since that is more fun. I love the dress. It makes me feel very pretty when I wear it. The skirt flares a little when I twirl (Bonus!). The details and embellishments included in the pattern are the cat's meow. I love how you can "choose your own adventure", if you will, with ruffles, trim, hems, and flowers. The pieced bodice option is also very fun and looks amazing. I went with Variation 4, which called for 2 fabrics. I choose a lightweight rayon blend fabric as the main fabric and Chateau Rococo by Free Spirit as the trim fabric. The fabric combo turned out much more fancy than I had anticipated from the pattern. The pattern images gives the impression of more of a sundress, fun and flirty, but I have learned that if you choose your fabrics carefully you can have a fun, casual dress (Retro & Mod quilting cotton) or a sleek cocktail dress, fit for an evening wedding (think Dupioni Silk in tonal colors). I love the versatility of this dress. The fit was another plus. I did not make any additional alterations to the pattern to fit my shape; I made the pattern as was to give a good account to you in the fit department. The dress fit exactly in the bust and waist. I was amazed. It should be noted that I am busty so if you are not, you may want to fiddle with the darts before you call the bodice finished and move onto the rest of the dress. I made a size small which was based on my measurements taken as specified in the pattern and the fit was wonderful.

Now for a quick run through of the stumbles I came across in the pattern. The front neck facing was too big and when I sewed it onto the dress, it pulled the front of the neck out for a very unsightly look (I left this intact in the pictures to give a true representation. The facing was about ¾ in. too long. Also the notches on the neck facings didn't match leaving me to refit 2-3 times before they lined up. Lastly the front and back bodice pieces do not match with the front being ½ in. too long. All problems were fixable and not huge deals but for a beginner sewer they would have been. These are also not issues I expected to have.

The hem was a good length. The overall shape of the dress was very complimentary. Oh, I almost forgot: I decided to go for the whole visible zipper as a design detail and it worked well. I really like the look. It gives a different feel to the dress in the back but you should be warned this may be a dress you need a hand to finish zipping up. That being said I can't wait to get back to my sewing room and make another!

You can see more pictures on our Facebook page!

Type "Sew Charity" into Google and you will find over 5 million hits. Outrageously overwhelming but also heartwarming at the same time. What is a sewer to do with all the love? How do you pick just one? Well, start close to home. I am an animal lover (big time) so that is where I always choose to start. Both of my hounds were shelter dogs, as were all the animals that have ever shared my home. Working in a shelter is for braver folks than I but, then again, that is the basis of most charities. You give what you can because sometimes you don't have the strength, time or ability to give any other way. In this economy, monetary gifts may not be possible for most families but you can give your time and blessed skill by sewing for charity. Pick your favorite; I am sure it won't be hard. There is something for everyone. For you wafflers we will narrow the field to make it easier for you or to give you a starting point. The big three (As I like to refer to them) are children, military and animals (in no particular order). Let's explore shall we?

Sewing for your kids is easy but sewing for others can be just as fun and fulfilling. Project Linus specializes in blankets for ill or traumatized children. Just reading about this wonderful charity makes me think of warm, fluffy blankets entwined in a child's arms. I need a hug now.  Newborns in need asks for gifts of clothing and other goods for children with illness, born premature or in need to ensure a brighter future. This charity urges me to whip out my brightest and most fun prints and patterns and start creating.  Sewing for Babies will accept any small toy, quilt, quilt block or fabric which is donated to an area hospital for babies in need.

My favorite charity to sew for is Project Snuggles which encourages crafters of all kind to create blankets for shelter animals to cuddle in while they wait for new homes and so they can have something familiar when they make the transition from shelter to loving home. They have a great search feature so you can find a shelter near you to drop off your goods. I just sent an email to my nearest letting them know to expect some donations soon (See picture above of blankets waiting to go).  

We covered the military in my post for Independence Day but I encourage you to sew for your troops every month of the year.

Last, giving the gift of your sewing can brighten hearts everywhere but teaching those who are willing to learn can brighten hearts that you may never reach. The old adage is: give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for life. Giving the gift of skill can only increase the circle of charity. You teach them to sew and they sew for charity. You have just given the charity world another hand to help and that is the best gift of all.