CLD Discover Something Novel

There's nothing like a flu bug to put a damper on the holidays.  I'm taking antibiotics that I'm hoping will knock this crud out of me before Wednesday, because I'm scheduled for cataract surgery.  I don't want to have to cancel the surgery and start that whole process all over.

I noticed this vest in Threads.  It's Louise Cutting's Discover Something Novel. 

The pattern:

I love this vest.  It is a good pattern if you like to embellish.  The right front has two pieces, the back is asymmetrical, split into two pieces, and the peplum is separate pieces, back and front.  Mine is made from black velveteen, black velvet embossed twill, and white shantung.  Here's the front:



The side, showing the peplum is is split at the side seam:

And the back:

It's hung over a white t-shirt, but it would look pretty over a shiny, long-sleeved shirt and velveteen pants.  Although the pattern doesn't have a lining,  I lined mine with a black/white print.  Love.

A few weeks ago, I took a workshop called "Mixed Media", where we played with a lot of different mediums--paints, inks, etc.  We did silk screening, stenciling, dying,  sun printing, and many other techniques.  I was introduced to something called Zentangle, and was hooked immediately.  Zentangle is basically doodling repetitive patterns.  When I realized this could be done on fabric, I was ecstatic!  I bought this piece of fabric from the instructor.  It's cotton fabric, drawn on with a Sharpie marker.

Isn't that gorgeous?  The gal who did this piece drew it while standing by her kitchen counter.  My goal is to be able to draw that on something--fabric, a shirt, white tote bags.  It could be done in color, or this black and white drawing could be hand embroidered.  Lots of possibilities.  I love to sew, but I equally love playing with pens and inks.

Wishing all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year, filled with fabric and patterns!

My Cutting Line

Oh, when will I ever learn?  I needed a black, sleeveless shell to wear under suit jackets.  I had some poly-silky in my stash that I decided would work just fine.   Guess I forgot how horrible that fabric is to work with.  Slippery, ravelly, miserable.  I spray-starched it, which helped in controlling the beast.

I bound the neckline and armholes with 1/4" finished binding.  Sandra Betzina, in her Power Sewing book,

suggests stabilizing near the seamline with a strip of something lightweight.   I used Seams Great.

The top (and binding) turned out nicely but has to be washed to get rid of the spray starch.  Right now, it can stand on it's own!

ShirleyAdams is retiring at the end of this year.  She has been such an inspiration, and I've learned so much from her.  Her pattern line, called Alternatives, are phasing out, so I bought a few that I wanted before they are gone. 

Also, I bought a couple of CuttingLineDesigns patterns.

I love the color blocked coat.  Pulling together three colors of wool is not going to be easy.  I've searched online stores for a couple of days, trying to find the right combo.  I had my heart set on a dark and a light olive along with  a maizey-toned yellow.  I can see I'll have to give that up and try for another color-way.  

Meanwhile, I've cut a muslin of the My Hearts a Flutter overblouse.  It runs very, very large, which is ok, knowing that in advance.  Louise Cutting prints the finished measurements on the pattern envelope.  Genius!    Shams made it, and it is as cute as can be.  The muslin is ready to sew.  I have hopes for it.  We'll see.