Big Sale at Gorgeous Fabrics, and a Shameless Plug

Hello my dears! This weekend is July 4th, which is a big holiday here in the US. And to celebrate said big holiday, we're putting almost every fabric on sale at Gorgeous Fabrics for a whopping 21% off, including all the new fabrics that I've been putting up, like this fabulous extra-wide cotton jersey!
Normally this baby is $14/yard, but through Sunday, it's on sale for $11.06/yard!

Click Here to Shop the Sale

Why 21%, you say? Well, that's the question of the day! And in fact, the first three people who send me an email with the correct reason that we chose 21% will get a $10 gift certificate to Gorgeous Fabrics! Here's a hint - it's not because it's one more than 20%, though that's a good reason too. Send your emails to Ann "at" gorgeousfabrics "dot" com. I'll post the winners here as soon as I have them. Good luck!

Another Shameless Plug
I'm not the only one running a great sale right now. My friend Pam at Fashion Sewing Supply has put all of her interfacings on sale. I use her interfacings exclusively, and in fact I just put an order in for 10 yards each of black and white Pro-Weft, so I can heartily and knowledgeably endorse her products. NAYY aside from being a very happy customer and a friend.

So what are you waiting for? Get shopping and have fun!

The caveats: Sale pricing is effective through Sunday, July 5, 2009. Sale prices do not apply to muslin, swatches, gift certificates or EMc2 for Sewing Hope fabrics. Sale prices may not be applied to prior sales. Sale prices can not be combined with other discounts.

Oh, Don't Try to Give Me That Excuse!

The Burda LBD is almost done. I only have to finish one armhole and hem it and I'll review it tomorrow. I'm too tired right now to finish it. I'm afraid I'd get this far and manage to bollix something up, you know? So I just put on the kettle for a cup of mint tea. The kids are in bed, DH is at a horn sectional for Booty Vortex and Hoover is snoozing under the desk at my feet. It's quiet....

So I will now answer some questions and give a lecture!

L T asked, "Are you lining this dress? It's double knit, right? Curious to know how you are treating the seams if you are not lining it."

I'm not lining it. I am sewing it on my zigzag machine using a stitch width of .5mm, then using the serger to finish each of the seam allowances separately and pressing them open. I think I could easily get away without finishing the SAs, but decided to go ahead and finish them. I'll post pictures in the review tomorrow.

Eliz asked, "I have a question, what kind of material do you use as a muslin for knits? You'd have to use some kind of knit, right? Or do you even do a muslin for knits because fit isn't as much of an issue?"

Fit's an issue with knits too Eliz. I do a muslin for knits with some cheapo fabric. I have access to all sorts of knits: great, good, bad and icky (you guys just never see the bad or icky). I try to generally match up the stretchiness of the knit muslin to the stretch of the garment fabric. I don't get too wound about trying to match weight. The difference with knits is that I don't use the muslin as a pattern in most cases, like I do with wovens. What I do is make notes and changes on the pattern itself about the changes that need to be made. I will also use the adjusted muslin pieces to re-draft the paper pattern so it fits better. Does that make sense?

One other thing I want to mention here, I used a brand new (to me) interfacing for this dress. Pam at SewExciting just came out with a new low-temperature fusible interfacing called Pro Sheer Elegance. I bought 5 yards of black and 5 yards of white back around Thanksgiving, and this is the first use I have made of it. I. Am. In. Love! Honestly, this is my new favorite interfacing. NAYY. Pam's a friend, but I bought this on my own and I'm plugging it only because it's fantastic. Get some! You will not be disappointed.

Okay, so now to the title. Several people have commented how nice it is to have Phyllis for a sewing/fitting buddy. It is! I have had the pleasure of being friends with Phyllis for more than 5 years. But you know what? I can count on less than one hand the number of times that she and I have gotten together to do any fitting. I think this was the third time evah! I sew, check, and adjust almost every muslin by myself or with minimal help from my DH.

Put bluntly, you do not need anyone else to help you fit a muslin. Sure, it's great if you can have someone, but with patience, a mirror or two and perhaps a digital camera, you can do it yourself. So don't use not having someone as an excuse not to do a muslin.

Well, DH just came in from rehearsal, my tea is gone and Hoover is demanding attention. So good night, don't forget to make a muslin and...

Happy sewing!

Leave Work Early, Kittens!

Image: Project Rungay

Heads up! Tomorrow, my BFAM Emmett (thanks Linda!) will be on QVC at 4:00 Eastern, hawking showing his fabulous collection of Equation by Emmett McCarthy handbags. I know I'll be glued to the TV, phone in hand on speed dial. The first two he showed at Bryant Park on Monday sold out in under 5 minutes! GO EMMETT!!!

So plan to take an early weekend and get yourself a gorgeous bag!

Pattern Review - Jalie 2682 V-Neck Top

I bought a bunch of Jalie patterns recently. I love the "Buy Three get the Fourth Free" deal that they have on their website. This was one of my acquisitions. Yesterday I had a little time, so I pulled it out, traced it off and ran it up.

Pattern Description: From the Jalie Website, "Stylish V-neck top, raised neckline at back, with or without sleeves. View A has a zipper at front neckline for more coverage." I made View B, the sleeveless V-neck

Sizing: All of them, from little children's to plus size. I made a size U. I think I could have gone down to a T with no ill effects.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes!

How were the instructions? They were good. The front bodice is self-lined, which I really like. It took me a couple of minutes to figure out the construction, but the illustrations (once the coffee started to take effect and my brain started working) were quite clear.

Fabric Used: Fan-Dango jersey (alas, now sold out) from Gorgeous Fabrics (natch).

Any changes? FBA on the front bodice. Other than that, nothing. On the next one, I think I'll play around a bit with the upper bodice and V, to shape it a bit more.

Likes/Dislikes: The construction on this is really clever. I love the bodice, and I think the style lines are very flattering to many figures. I also really like the length (Jalie makes their tops nice and long, so I don't have to worry if I'm wearing lower-cut jeans, or if I want to tuck the top in.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? A resounding "Yes!" to both questions. I will definitely sew this up. It takes less than a yard of fabric in my size, so it's a great way to use up stash scraps. I can also see this being a fave-rave for sleeved tops in wool or silk jersey for the winter.

Conclusion: I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover the joys of Jalie. I'm totally hooked on their patterns. They have three more being released in the next couple of weeks, so I suspect I'll be buying more very soon.

One other little note. I highly recommend buying from Jalie's website. I was very happy with the speed of delivery and the ease of dealing with them. Excellent patterns, excellent service. NAYY, just a satisfied customer.

I'll post a picture later today. I'm having lunch with Carolyn, whom I haven't seen in a dog's age, so I'll get a picture then.

Happy Sewing!

Oooooh! Lookit What I Just Got!

(Top: Kai Professional Sheers. Bottom: Kai Dressmaking Shears)

New shears!

I have been a devotee of Kai Scissors' products since I first heard about them. I bought the gift set a couple of years ago, and I have been nothing but thrilled with them. I'm wicked hard on shears. I don't abuse them, and I certainly don't let my kids near them. But I was going through Ginghers, Fiskars, and just about every other brand at a 6-month clip. Even with JoAnn coupons, the dollars start to add up. Even more aggravating than the cost was the frustration of cutting a fabric and then having to recut parts of it because the scissors would leave nicks where they were dull. Then Jennifer Sauer (a former Threads editor) told me about Kai. I invested in a set and from the minute I got them, I was hooked. That was almost three years ago. They have stood up to the test of Ann quite well. But three years in my sewing room is like a millennium in other places. It was time to get another pair.

This time, I decided to upgrade to the Professional Shears. For not a whole lot more money, they promise to last longer. They are easier for me to handle, even than the Kais I already have. And they cut beautifully! I'll let you know how they stand up over time, but I can already recommend them. And now I'm off to use them!

Happy sewing!

A Slight Diversion and Shameless Plug

Photo: Mr. Nailhead

I was reading some posts on a sewing forum, and one of the threads is about making ballroom dance dresses. I don't make them, and I won't have to, thank goodness. But in talking with my son's teachers and some of the moms of girls who do competitive dance, I hear the same complaint. Crystals are expensive, and you need a bazillion of them for competitive dance dresses. So here's a good source (thanks, Phyllis!) for nailheads and crystals at good prices: Mr. Nailhead.

I've bought from them, and all the teachers at the dance studio do too, now. They have excellent service, good prices and great selection. So are you looking to bedazzle? Give them a shot. NAYY, of course.

Happy sewing!

Shameless Plug - Sewn Magazine

Well, it's a shameless pre-plug, actually. My friend and fellow sewist, Lisette is launching Sewn Magazine, an e-zine specifically geared toward apparel sewing, on November 15. So be on the lookout for that, and if you want to subscribe to it (I already have) you can do so from that link.

As I said on one forum, I am happy to see any sites that promote sewing, especially garment sewing! So go check it out on the 15th. Here's hoping it's wildly successful!

A Shameless Plug

Oh boy, this is the week when the kids camps are all done, but school hasn't started yet. That's next week and guess who's counting the nanoseconds? But they have been awfully good about letting me work, so this afternoon I'm taking them to Tomb in Boston. It's supposed to be a great fun time, and I am looking forward to it!

But before I go, allow me to put in a shameless plug for Pam Erny and her site, Sew Exciting Fashion Sewing Supply. I've gotten to know and become very fond of Pam over the last several months. She carries fabulous products that are great quality, and she's a doll. She sent me a gift of some Pro-Weft interfacing a couple of weeks back. I'll do a formal review on it when I finish a jacket, but I did use it on my McCalls jumper, and I just loved it! It has a wonderful hand that isn't too stiff, but adds good body. I'd like to add that Pam didn't ask me to review her site or her products, she just sent me the interfacing as a thank you for something I did for her.

I've purchased from her in the past, and I've loved (!!!) the tricot interfacing and elastics I have bought from her. I like her products and service so well that I link to her from Gorgeous Fabrics. So while this may not be a totally unbiased opinion, it is a sincere endorsement of a really great lady with really great products.

Happy sewing!

Another Shameless Plug

I've been so busy lately that I have barely had time to sew, never mind post! There are tons of things in the works right now, and you'll see the fruits of all my labor starting soon. First up will be the newest Cosmo dress, as soon as I make the buttons (covered, I gave in), then in about a month, the ol' "Super Triple Secret Project" will see the light of day. And in the meantime, I'm working on a couple of articles and such, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I want to put in yet another shameless plug for a great supplier. Sew Exciting. Pam owns the company, and I use her interfacings for every project. She gets THE BEST stuff! I love her elastics, too. The service is great, and if you call to talk to Pam, she's just a delight.

So, if you need high-quality interfacings and notions, get thee to Sew Exciting. NAYY, but I use her things, and I can personally give a big thumbs up.

Happy sewing!

Another Shameless Plug

I just ordered and received a zipper assortment from ZipperStop in New York City. The company, formally known as A. Feibusch Corporation, has been in operation in the downtown area for years. They have great product and great service. They carry YKK, Talon, Swarovski, and Riri zippers. They also carry lots of other supplies for sewing and the garment industry. And happily, they are not affected by the rezoning of the Garment District. They are located on the Lower East Side. I spoke with Jeff Feibusch the other day and realized that I was staying within just a couple of subway stops from them when I was there last month. Ah well, I will make it to their storefront next time I'm there.

But if you make it to New York, do stop by their store. And you can order from their online store at eBay. I've done that many times, and the product and service are always top notch. I buy in bulk from them most of the time, but I'll also buy specials on occasion. They'll work with you to get you exactly the closure you need for your project.

They are located at:

A. Feibusch Corp.
27 Allen Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-226-3964
Fax: 212-226-5844

Thanks to Lorna for pointing out that I forgot their eBay store. You can visit them on eBay here:
ZipperStop eBay Store

I have no association with these folks other than as a very happy customer.

Happy zipping!