Sunday, November 15, 2009
Blogger Help !!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Cookie Cutter Wool--Jacket Class Day Two
The following samples I made up quickly, and they are not as accurate as they would be if I were actually working on a garment. This is fun but not for the faint of heart! Those who like to play with embellishments and make art garments will find it challenging and fascinating.
Meanwhile, I cut out 6 long sleeve t-shirts. They are stacked up and ready to sew while I think.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Traveling Pincushion
I will be posting a pictorial of the "seamless piecing" technique that I learned. It's quite ingenious and something I had never seen.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Felted Jacked with Seamless Piecing Day One
Our wool fabrics were supposed to be pre-felted for class by washing in hot water/cold rinse and lots of agitation until felted properly. We were to have a muslin, fitted and sewn together. The instructor had us draw a design on our muslin. Here is my sleeve.
Next comes the fun part. We are going to cut design elements out of the jacket pieces, leaving a hole . As if you were cutting dough with cookie cutters. Only out of our fabric. Scary huh! Cutting a big old hole in a beautiful piece of wool! I will cut that teardrop out of my sleeve. The hole will be "plugged" with another piece of wool in a different color. It will be sewn into the hole using decorative stitching with heavy thread. Thus--"seamless piecing".
The teardrop shape will not be just one piece of fabric, but several pieces patched together like crazy-quilting, with decorative stitching.
So far, so good. My jacket is cut and ready for the embellishment process tomorrow morning. There were 20 people in class today. Twenty ladies who definitely know their stuff. These are all seasoned sewists. It was a great day. I am so looking forward to tomorrow.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Holiday Sewing
Bring on the holidays! No, not yet? What--you're not ready? DH and I went Christmas shopping and we are D.O.N.E. !! I try to have the shopping done by Thanksgiving.
I don't do a lot of holiday type sewing, but I like to have a "little something" for a couple of ladies. This year it's aprons. I made the 4-Corners Apron from Vanilla House Designs.
And then, I am finished with holiday gifts. The day after Thanksgiving, while people are out shopping in droves, I will be at home, hopefully in my sewing room, enjoying the day. Or-perhaps wrapping gifts!
Tomorrow I will pack my gear for the Felted Wool Jacket class on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm looking forward to two days of fun!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Free Invaluable Tool For Everyone
Christine Johnson has been producing her own line of patterns for many years and is an authority on fitting knits. She developed a wonderful tool for calculating ease using any pattern, any fabric with any amount of stretch. It's a PDF worksheet. She has you measure your pattern, and determine the amount of stretch in your fabric using her guidelines. Following her instructions on the worksheet, do the math--and you have the amount of ease your garment will have. And, it's free.
This worksheet allows you to calculate how much ease you will have using fabric with 25% stretch, 50% stretch, 75% stretch, or no stretch at all using the same pattern.
Go to http://cjpatterns.com/. Click on "Tips and How To's". When that list comes up, click on "Perfect Sizing Worksheet". She has a good explanation of how stretch factors in the fit of a garment. It is an invaluable tool. No more guesswork.
I hope you take advantage of this worksheet and that it helps solve the mystery of stretch. This is a good thing people. Go get it!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Finished !
The beading on my bag is finished. I want to find a silver chain to use as a handle, and I will make a lining for it. Nancy K asked if I will bead on garments. I have done some beading on clothes, but beads get heavy, so I've used them sparingly. There is a good sample of beaded embroidery on a dress in the current issue of Threads. This little bag is surprisingly heavy.
Next--I want to make a couple of aprons for holiday gifts. I have the fabrics washed. I'll probably get those started on Thursday.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Busy Beading
Also, I'm working on a muslin for the felted jacket class coming up. I have it traced and made alterations to the flat pattern. Tomorrow, I'll cut and sew it.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I Felt It
I'm trying to get supplies together for the Felted Wool jacket workshop next month. The way my life shakes out, I don't wait until the last minute because if I do, surely something comes along that takes my time.
These are my fabrics, all felted, ironed and ready.
The teacher, Barbara Skimin, likes Sulky 12 wt. cotton thread to do the decorative stitching. I ordered black, dark gray, red, red variegated, black variegated from http://www.speedstitch.com/. I won't use all of them, but I have enough to make a choice when the time comes.
Barbara Skimin is well know in Michigan. She wrote a book for Brother sewing machine company. She's been featured in Threads magazine. I took a photo of her "Felted Wool Jacket with Seamless Piecing Techniques" for reference. Here it is:
Note: This is the work of Barbara Skimin, not me. I didn't get a chance to examine this closely. But, I think what she's doing is cutting pieces of felted wool, butting them together, and doing a decorative stitch where they butt together. Then taking the pieced embellishment and laying it on the jacket and stitching down with a decorative stitch.
I may be wrong about the procedure, but that is what it looks like to me.
There's a couple of things I have to pick up at the local Jo when I'm out that way. Also, I am taking my cheap, little Brother machine with me to class, instead of my heavy Bernina(s).
Make some beautiful things this weekend!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Simplicity Sucks
I encourage any of you who do not like their new format to take a moment and drop an email to them. Perhaps if they get enough complaints they will revamp the site.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Books, Fabrics and All Things Good
Many of his techniques are different from the norm. His instructions are excellent, and he has a lot of ideas about embellishing. Those who are familiar with his work know his style is NOT boring! This is a good read, and I'm going through the book page by page.
I need long-sleeve knit tops for winter. Nothing cutting-edge, stylish or elaborate, but plain, scoop-neck, 3/4 length sleeve t-shirts to wear to the grocery and running errands. I found a black and a white solid cotton knit at Jo's that is adequate. I bought a couple of print knits from http://www.thefabricfairy.com/. I like cotton or cotton/lycra.
The crossword-puzzle print is a hoot! I couldn't resist! There's a black/red polka dot, a solid black and a solid white. I will cut these all at once, and line them up to sew.
There's socks on my knitting needles, the bead-work project on a board and a couple of holiday projects in the works. Last week, I had zero sewing time. This week looks more promising. Yay!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Bead Release Me, Let Me Go
The photo doesn't do it justice. There is beaded netting with beaded fringe on the bottom edge. There are crystals attached to the bag with beads using a technique called "crown rim setting". It's a beautiful piece of art.
The workshop was just great. I totally enjoyed the day. And the best part--I get to go back and do it again tomorrow!
Sewing-wise, I have a holiday project almost completed. I have to get to a fabric store to pick up an item to finish it. I cannot post it for another month. Also, I made two 3/4 sleeve length T's. One black, one navy. No need to post a photo of a black and blue T-shirt. Still, that's what I need in my wardrobe right now. I ordered a couple of pieces of fabric from http://www.thefabricfairy.com/ to make more. I like cotton/lycra fairly well for t's. I don't like rayon/lycra or poly/lycra. In fact, I don't like lycra at all. But I can tolerate it blended with cotton.
I've been busy, but have nothing to show for it at this time. The holidays are coming up fast and there are a couple of "gifty" things I want to get sewn right away.
Off to bed for me. 5:00 AM comes early!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Patterns Please
In addition to enjoying your posts, you are also enablers. A couple of weeks ago, I bought three patterns during the sale at Jo's, that I've seen on you. And here they are.
I found a blog unfamiliar to me. It is http://communingwithfabric.blogspot.com/ . Shams loves funky clothing, and seeks out designer patterns as well as drafting some very unusual pieces. Drop by her blog and check out what she's doing. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Have a great week! Make it count!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
PS to Previous Post
Please, no one else quit blogging. We all have time issues. We can't all whip up 3 or 4 garments a week. But, when you do make something, I am so happy to read about it--the good, bad and ugly of it. I love to hear your take on patterns, fit issues, fabric, techniques. These blogs are a great learning tool and inspiring. Your blogs are sometimes sad, sometimes funny.
Those of us who can't produce at lightening speed seem to feel the need to apologize, or quit blogging. It isn't a contest. I hope to see your blogs WHEN you're able to sew something.
I'll be reading. And sewing when time permits. And blogging it.
