Working On...

Lots of stuff. This is the last weekend before the kids head back to school (Halleluia!!!!), so we've been out enjoying the last little bit of freedom before we all get back to work. I've cut out the muslin for the Colette Lady Grey trench coat:

I'm going to make it from a French lace that has been aging in my stash for several years. I bought it wanting to make a Burberry-Prorsum style trench, but all the patterns that I've found for trenches just didn't do it for me. Then I saw this one and was intrigued. I have never sewn a Colette pattern, so I'm making a muslin of the size 8 to check it out. I'll post my progress.

Speaking of this pattern, there is a sew-along starting up using this pattern on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. I'm not going to officially participate in the sew-along. I can't commit to sew-alongs because I can never tell if I'll be able to finish it in the timeframe, but I will be following it and maybe even contributing a little bit here and there!

I've also been working on doing some preliminary editing on a book (not mine - I'm really just helping the author out). But as soon as I can tell you about it, I will, because it is going to be amazing!

Also, did you know that there is a Huge Labor Day Sale going on at Gorgeous Fabrics? Well there is! Every fabric, except muslin and swatches, is marked down until next Monday (Labor Day, September 6). So get your bad self over there and snap up some bargains! We're selling out a bunch of the new fabrics; don't wait if you've been eying them. They aren't going to last.


Parting Shots - Sewing Machines on Newbury Street
Today we took the kids to Newbury Street in Boston. Newbury Street is the high-end shopping street in town. Though it's disheartening to see how many shops are closed up and how many "For Rent" signs there are. I hope this recession ends soon.

Anyway, we were walking down the street, between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets, when we came upon a store whose windows were chock full of GORGEOUS antique sewing machines! I had to snap pictures from my phone. Sorry for the reflections off the glass. I tried to get pictures at angles that would minimize the reflections, but it was impossible with the phone. But still, this was amazing display. I want to call the store tomorrow and find out if they would be willing to sell any of the machines!

Le sigh... Happy sewing!

I Got the New Vogue Patterns Magazine

And you didn't! Neener neener neener!

Oh wait, that's not terribly gracious, is it? Sorry. But I am totally excited about the October issue. One of the nice things about being an advertiser is that I get slightly advance copies of the magazines. This month, VPM has undergone quite the makeover! The change is obvious the minute you see the font on the cover.

But what made my little heart go "Squee!" was when I flipped through and came across an article by the Blogosphere's very own Selfish Seamstress.

Yay for the SS! It's a very funny article, much like her blog. Speaking of which, if you don't read it already, you should. She's cute, funny, an amazing sewist, and smart. I'd hate her if I didn't love her so much. And her haiku totally cracks me up!

Well, I have to get back to work. Happy sewing!

As If I Need Another Reason to Love Helen Mirren

In the current issue of Vanity Fair, Dame Helen is the last-page interview, answering a Proust-style questionnaire. Here's an excerpt:

What is your favorite occupation?
Probably gardening. Also dressmaking.

Love. Her!

Material or Fabric?

Here's a question for you. Do you refer to the "stuff" out of which you make garments as "material" or as "fabric"?  My mom always used to call it material. I've called it fabric at least since I moved away from home. I've seen and heard it called both.

I used to work in supply chain when I was in high-tech. Supply chain refers to the things and processes that take a product from raw, well, material to finished goods. So "material" in my world is a general moniker for physical things, while "fabric" refers specifically to textiles. So I call it "fabric".

How about you? What do you call it?

Happy sewing!

Dance Comp Day!

Okay, so can I tell you about my week? Here it is. Work about 50 hours, no big deal, who doesn't, right? But interspersed within that 50 hours I had to get kids to rehearsals for "Thoroughly Modern Millie", Band Camp (don't even THINK about making comments about that, mmmkay?) and prepping for the Eastern Dancesport Championships with DS the younger. Good God, I felt like I wanted to, well, nevermind but it wasn't good. And DH is the tech lead on readying the launch of the site for a HUGE company (hint - if you watch PR, you've heard of them), so he can't help. Gah!!!!

Anyway, things went well. "Millie" was a great success. Band camp is progressing well. And DS the younger and his partner placed first in every heat! Here's a picture of them doing the Paso Doble.

Tomorrow, I sleep late.

Happy - um, dancing?

Pattern Review - Burda 08-2010 112 Top

Found the picture, thanks to Katia and absolutely NO thanks to Burda

Pattern Description: This pattern is for a double-layer top. The under layer is offset about 45° at the sides, creating a cool bubble effect.

Sizing: 34-44. I used a 40, though next time I'll go down to a 38 and do a FBA.

Fabric Used: For the underlayer, a (sold out) paisley jersey. For the upper layer, Rayon Jersey in Amethyst. Both fabrics are from Gorgeous Fabrics, of course.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 70/11. Polyester cone thread. That's all.

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

How were the instructions? Burda typical. I actually didn't like the way they have you put together the shirt. They tell you to sew the shoulders and bind the necklines of each of the separate tops. The underlayer top is sleeveless. They have you attach the underlayer to the upper layer at the hem, and leave the rest of the top free-floating. To me, that didn't make sense. So I did my own thing. I'll show you below.

Construction Notes: Here's how I put the tops together.

1 - Sew shoulder seams and bind the neckline for the underlayer top. Sew the side seams. Repeat this process for the upper layer top. Do NOT sew the sleeves yet. So you end up with two sleeveless tops:

2 - Put your underlayer top inside your upper layer, with the Wrong Side of the underlayer facing the Right Side of the upper layer. Sew the two layers together at the hem. Here you can see the two layers and where they are attached at the hem.

3 - Pull the underlayer through so the Right Side of the underlayer faces the Wrong side of the upper layer. Match the shoulder and side seams on both tops. Baste both layers together at the armhole.

4 - Attach sleeve to basted garment layers. Ta daaa! Easier and (to me anyway) more logical way to construct it. Plus, this way you don't have to futz with the shoulder seams and such when you put it on.

Any design changes? Only very slight. The original pattern calls for sleeves that are roughly 4 inches longer than the average arm. I didn't have enough fabric and I was too lazy to go cut more, so I just made them wrist length. Other than that, nope.

But if I make this again, I'd probably cut the underlayer about a half-inch shorter than the upper layer, to eliminate any possibility of the underlayer peeking out at the hem.

Likes/Dislikes: This is cute and will be a great top for fall into winter. For my dislikes, see This Post Here.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I might do it again. I don't know if I need more than one of this top. But I do recommend it, if you can get past the damned pattern sheet in the magazine. It's cute and it's comfortable. And it will look fantastic on me with a pair of jeggings! ;-)

Conclusion: Cute cute cute! Here's the finished product on Shelley:

Oh, you know, this picture reminds me. This top is quite long. I'm 5'6" with a pretty average length torso. I think if I do make it again, I'll take about 2 inches or more of length off. You might want to check the length on you before you sew it up.

Parting Shot: Pincushion
My friends Bill and Ed, who own The Farmhouse Store in Westfield, NJ gave me this lovely little Nantucket Basket Pincushion when we met for dinner in New York. How fabulous is this???

You may remember them for another lovely gift they sent me - my Chemo Bling Ring. They are such dear people, and they have such gorgeous things in store (and I know from Gorgeous Things). If you are in the area, do stop in and tell them I sent you!

Happy sewing!

Notion Review - Bienfang Canary Sketching and Tracing Paper

Image: Dick Blick Art Materials

What it is: This is a lightweight tracing paper in a soft canary yellow. I bought this when Charette was having their going-out-of-business sale (sniff!). I wanted white tracing paper, which I had bought there on many occasions, but they were already sold out. It turned out to be a happy circumstance. I opened this up today for the first time when I was tracing off the damned Burda pattern.

What did you think of it? Love. It! Seriously. This is much better than the other tracing papers I used. It's about halfway between the weight of standard pattern tissue and the white tracing paper that I always bought. I can see the Burda lines much easier. So on a more sane pattern, this will be a joy. I can't wait to use it on a Jalie or HotPatterns.

Worth it? Yes, definitely.

Where did you get it? As I say, I got my rolls (I buy my tracing paper in 100 yard rolls in different widths) from the late, lamented Charette. But you can get it at most art supply stores.

I'll post a picture of my traced pattern over the damned pattern sheet tomorrow, so you can see why I like it.

Happy sewing!

Grrrrrr.... (Rant Ahead)

See the current issue (August) of Burda? Check out this top, 112, a super cute double-layer tee:
.
.
.
Oh that's right - you can't! Burda has decided, in their infinite lack of wisdom, to eliminate the online previews, archives, and just about everything else about their patterns. I understand that you can still see them, in Russian, but no luck for anyone who doesn't have command of the Cyrillic font and Russian language.

Adding insult to injury, Burda has cut the number of pattern sheets from two per issue to one. Take a look at the sheet on which the three pieces for top 112 are printed:

 
Find the top.

I've always had a tenuous relationship with Burda. I'm lazy and I'm the first to admit it. I don't like tracing, and I don't like adding seam allowances. I do like Burda's styles and their drafting. But they are making it really hard for me to love them the way I should. I want to recommend their patterns, but...

Philosophising...

I lean toward the first option, myself.

So here's a question for you, since I've been cleaning rather than sewing. If you had the choice, would you rather travel to somewhere special and amazing, or would you rather stay home and receive a really special and amazing gift (not of travel)?

No, you can not say you want to receive a special gift while traveling somewhere amazing.

Talk amongst yourselves. I'll be back when the swatch bins are up to date.

Happy sewing!

Kona Honu Divers rock!

Three Hour Flash Sale at Gorgeous Fabrics Today!

I ♥ Flash Sales

Do you know about our Flash Sales? They are three-hour long sales that put a specific group of fabrics on sale for fabulous prices! Well, today we're running a flash sale on Velvets and lots of selected fabrics from our Oo-La-La category. From 10 AM to 1 PM (EDT), these fabrics will be priced 25% off our regular great prices! It's a great opportunity to stock up on fabrics for fall, special occasion and holiday sewing!

But remember, the sale doesn't start until 10AM, and it only lasts until 1PM. So fill your shopping bag and get ready to hit that button, because it will be over in a flash!

Click Here to Start Shopping the Sale (but not until 10AM)

Sorry - the flash flashed and now it's over. But there will be others!
Happy sewing!

While I was Buying Thread...

... to make my Marrakesh pants, I picked up a couple of Vogue and McCalls patterns at JoAnn. They were having a sale on them, so I figured I'd get a couple. First one, and this is out of my usual comfort zone, is this Donna Karan:

I really like the skirt. I think it could be a great wardrobe element this fall. I like the top, but I don't know how I could ever wear it. I think you need to be slight-busted and, um, perky. There isn't enough duct tape in the world. Yeah, I'll pass on that one.

Second, I got this Michael Kors.

Love this one. It's perfect for any of the rayon jerseys on Gorgeous Fabrics. I may need to do some altering of the pattern to make the V-neck a little less deep, but I'll muslin it up and see where it actually falls.

Then I got this Anne Klein:

I need a dressy LBD, and I think this will work well. It will look less MOB done up in a solid color. I'm thinking 4 ply silk crepe. I may even unleash my inner Kenneth King and do (just a tiny bit of) beading at the pleated side seam.

Last, I finally caved and bought these McCalls leggings:

 I'll definitely pass on the disco glitter and sequined versions, appealing though they may be to the Jamaica Plain girl in me. But in a plainer rayon jersey they will work well with some of the tunics I've amassed recently, as well as some short skirts I've made. Interestingly enough, when I looked for them in the pattern bins at my local JoAnn, they weren't there under that pattern number. Instead, they were under MP356.

I'm going to make the Jalie top next, but those will give me some projects for "pre-fall".

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - Hotpatterns Marrakesh Pants

Pattern Description: From Hotpatterns' Website - "Fabulously relaxed glamour in these stunning pants, designed for a drapey pants-weight fabric...try a fluid washed linen, heavy rayon blends, single or double knits or heavy crepe. Relaxed-fit straight leg pants sit around 1” below the natural waist and feature a drawstring waist with fly front zipper. Side seam pockets are topstitched down. Pants finish with a deep hem; optional buttoned tab allows the pants to also be worn rolled up. These are the perfect relaxed Pants and an essential addition to your HotPatterns wardrobe... relaxed at the waist but sleek over the tummy, hips and derriere. Make them in crepe and wear with a sequined tank for a modern night-time look; try them in a slouchy, fluid linen with a drapey knit top and soft jacket for everyday chic, or wear them in a stable cashmere knit with a matching Tshirt for superior lounging gear."

Sizing: 6-24. I made a 10

Fabric Used: Italian Stretch Linen in a deep olivey green, from Gorgeous Fabrics, natch.

For the waistband and pocket linings I used a cotton batik from Androsia in the Bahamas that I found hiding in my stash. It's at least 6 years old, probably 7 or 8. It has a lovely conch shell motif on it.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 11/75 needle, a couple of scraps of woven fusible interfacing, 5/8" elastic, one snap, a 7 inch zipper, Gutterman thread.

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

How were the instructions? Meh. They aren't terrible, but I wasn't really thrilled with them. There are mistakes that should be fixed. Things like telling you to cut strips of interfacing for the fronts where the zipper will be placed. The instructions tell you to cut them 9 inches by 1 inch. In fact, the zipper closure for size 10 is 6 1/2 inches. So if you follow the instructions, you'll have interfacing extending into the body of the garment.

Also, the instructions tell you to cut a piece of elastic 1/3 the measurement of your waist. In my case, that was too long. I took 5 inches off the elastic. That worked much better.

Construction Notes: First, if you are taller than 5'6", you will want to add length to the legs. I'm 5'6" and to get the length I want for these pants, I used a 1 inch hem. If you're tall, be prepared to add on to the legs.

I cheated on the waistband. I'll admit it. I copied a pair of Loft pants that I have and just sewed both raw edges of the waistband to the raw edge of the pants. Then I finished the edges with a three-thread overlock. I tacked down the SA's at the side and back seams, and at the front. Hey, it works!

I also decided to have a little fun with the seam finishes, and I used bright red thread in my overlocker.

 Nail polish color: Fiercely Fiona by OPI

Likes/Dislikes: I like the style of these pants. I like the fact that they go together easily. I like the way they look on me.

Now for the dislikes. Okay, first let me say that these pants turned out really well. So, none of the issues I'm about to discuss are dealbreakers. All of the following are what I call "broken shoelaces" - little things that are minor irritants.

First, I'm not satisfied with the placement of the buttonholes for the drawstrings. They are (IMO) too close to the center front. Do yourself a favor and do a quick mockup of the waistline and determine where you want the openings. I think you will want to move them.

Second, the pockets are one size fits all. That's fine for sizes above 10. But if you are making a 10, 8 or 6, the topstitching for the pockets and the topstitching for the fly front will intersect and/or conflict with each other. I ended up topstitching a second time over the fly, ending at the curve of the fly-front. Then I turned the garment over and, working from the back side, I stitched the rest of the way around the pocket. You can see a picture here:

If you look about halfway down the pocket, you'll see where I stopped the stitching on the front and picked it up again from the back. This works because I was using matching thread. If you want to use contrast thread, you will need to work out your construction steps differently.

There were also a few other really minor things that I wish were different. For instance, there are next to no notches on this pattern. There are notches at the bottom of the pant legs, and there is a double notch at the back seam. That works fine for me. But I could see the usefulness of having notches or markings at the bottom of the pockets. Also, there is no marking, at least on the pattern that I have, for the button/buttonhole placement at the top of the zipper. Deal breaker? No. But the pattern is listed as being appropriate for advanced beginners, so I think it would be nice to have these things laid out explicitly.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I may do it again. I would recommend it for confident sewers. It's not difficult, and it does produce a great result.

Conclusion: Here's a picture on Shelley

Now What?

Have you ever had one of those days? I've had two. In a row. I'm not going to bore you with the details, but I can say that one of the problems was of my doing, the rest were not. Give me a gun and a bottle of scotch.

Edited to clarify - the problems didn't have anything to do with cancer. One was that I inadvertently hurt a friend's feelings and the others had to do with a supplier to my business. I'm okay, really! Thanks for the concern!

Anyway, now that life is settling back into normal, I need a project to get me through the rest of summer and into transitional. So I think I'll hop on the Marrakesh Express and make a pair of pants:

I think I'll make them from this Stretch Linen

I like it because I can wear it now through the cold weather. If we ever get cold weather, that is. I know, the Northeast hasn't been hit as hard as the rest of the country so I shouldn't whine, but it's been that kind of two days.

I also dug this Jalie pattern out of my stash:

I've had it in my stash for several years. I think I'm the only person in North America who hasn't made it yet, so it's time to get on it. I'm just going to make it from a White Rayon Jersey. I may also make the sleeveless version in a White Silk Jersey (sold out right now, sorry!) that I have in my stash. Those projects should keep me busy and out of trouble for a while, I hope!

Happy sewing!

All's Clear on the Western Front

 Here's hopin'

At least that's what it looks like for now. Fingers crossed! But I won't have to see the inside of a doctor's office again until November.

Oh, and if (heaven forbid) you ever have to go through it, here's a little secret they don't tell you about chemotherapy. They warn you that it may cause loss of hair and loosening or loss of fingernails. The hair loss starts within about 2 weeks. The fingernails take several months. I haven't lost mine (touch wood). That would be much more traumatic for me than the hair. But I am seeing some of those effects, kind of like I hit a couple of my fingernails with a hammer. I'll just keep them short until that grows out.

Anyway, back to the story at hand (so to speak). Woot woot!!!!

Happy weekend!

Fab Finish for Knits: Bound Edges

I love the ease of sewing with knits. And one of my favorite finishes for knit garments, especially necklines and armholes, is a self- or contrast-fabric binding. It produces a clean, elegant look, and it is really easy to do. Let me show you how I do it...

Measure your bound edges
First, measure the edges you want to bind. In this case, I’m binding the neck edge of a wrap-top. Use a flexible measuring tape for greater accuracy. I don’t worry too much about getting the exact length of the edge. I usually make extra long strips of binding and trim off the excess when I’m done.

Next, cut your binding strips. I cut strips of knit fabric on the crosswise grain, which has the most stretch. To figure out how wide my strip should be, I first decide how wide my binding will be on the outside of the garment. I multiply that number by 3 and add a scant ¼ inch. For example, if I want my visible bound edge to be ½ inch wide, I use the following equation to figure out how wide my strip needs to be:

3 x ½ inch = 1 ½ inches. 1 ½ inches + ¼ inch = 1 ¾ inch total width.

This will give me enough width to bind the edge with a little extra on the inside. If you prefer, you can make your binding even wider, and go back and trim the excess when you are finished.

Apply the Binding
Once your binding is cut, you need to do a little prep work on your garment fabric. First, trim off the seam allowance from the edge that you will be binding. Placing right sides together, sew the binding to your garment, keeping the raw edges even. Press the seam toward the binding, as shown.

Next, fold your binding over your garment edge to the wrong side and pin:

Working from the right side of the garment, sew very close to the binding:

This will catch the folded binding on the inside of your garment, enclosing the edge and making a clean finish, as shown:

Ta Daa!
Here's the finished neckine:

That’s all it takes for a beautiful finish. One of the fun things about this is that you can use any contrast knit you would like to create a great garment with a designer touch.


A couple of afterthoughts:
I got a couple of questions in the comments section that merit some additional information here. First was a question about stitch type. You can see a primer on sewing knits that I wrote for Taunton Press here on their CraftStylish website.

Second was a question about whether to shorten the length of the binding to "snug up" the closing. The answer is that it depends. It depends on the style of the garment that you are making and on the fabric of the main body. I'll use a neckline as an example. If the neckline pattern has a facing, compare the measurements of the facing's neckline edge against the measurement of the neckline. If the neckline facing is shorter, then it's a good bet that the designer intended for the "snugging" effect. In that case, go ahead and do it, using the length of the facing as your guide. If not, you need to make a judgment call whether the garment opening needs it and how much.

Happy sewing!

© Ann Steeves 2010, all rights reserved

Quick Tip - Masking Tape to Mark Notches

I've tried all manner of marking notches and dots and other pattern markings. When working with knits and many wovens, I'll either use tailor tacks or little snips in the seam allowances to mark things. But those aren't always useful when working with sweater knits, certain coating fabrics or fleece. I've tried using WhiteOut in the seam allowances. But the WhiteOut gets gunked up easily with fibres, and it dries out quickly once the fibres get in the bottle. Plus, you can't use it on the body of the fabric. So instead, I found a great solution. Cut small notches out of masking tape and use those to mark the fabric. You can use the masking tape in the seamlines, and you can also use it in the body of the garment. It's precise, it stays, and it comes off easily. You can also use painter's tape, which is even easier to remove. I have also tried PostIt notes, but I found that they come off too easily. So I stick with (ha ha - get it?) masking tape.

Seamline Notches

 

One other thing - when marking the point of a dart I cut a little arrow shaped piece of tape and have the tip of the arrow point at the end of the dart, as you can see here:

Dart Legs and Point

I sew the dart with the point of the dart coming right up to the point of the arrow, so I know exactly where to stop.

Sewn Dart

Remove the tape (it tears easily away from your thread if you sew through it) and you're done.

Happy sewing!

Pattern Review - McCalls 6074 1 Hour Dress

It's hot here, so I wanted to make a little dress to wear and stay cool. I wanted to make it before I left on vacation, but alas, life got in the way so I made it today instead.

Pattern Description: From McCalls Website, MISSES' DRESSES IN THREE LENGTHS: Pullover dresses A, B, C, D have front elastic casing detail, deep V-neck, flare skirt and stitch hems; dress A has purchased iron-on trim; dress B has contrast hem band; dress D has cap sleeve; dresses A, B lengths are 2" above mid-knee; dress C is evening length; dress D length is 2" above ankle.
I made View A, sans the crafty shit purchased iron-on trim.

Sizing: 6-22, I made a 12.

Fabric Used: Über Soft Italian Rayon Jersey in Soft Red.

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 75/11, a couple of scraps of fusible interfacing, 1 inch petersham ribbon, 5/8 inch elastic, Metrosene thread.

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

How were the instructions? I didn't use them. I took a quick look at them and they seemed fine.

Construction Notes: I serged all the seams and ran the neck and armhole hems on my regular machine. I used a 3-thread serger stitch for the bottom hem:

I reinforced the back shoulder seams with fusible interfacing before I sewed them. I used a length of 1 inch cotton/rayon petersham ribbon (purchased from Susan Khalje) instead of the casing piece in the pattern. I think it works just as well and looks nicer. The petersham doesn't add any appreciable bulk.

It's worth noting that this pattern runs a little large, especially if you use a jersey with a lot of give like I did. I made a size 12, but I think I could even have gotten away with a size 10 with a FBA.

Any changes? The bust point on this pattern is pretty high, so I lowered it. I also lowered the placement of the elastic/casing by about an inch to sit nicely under my bust. I did a FBA.

Likes/Dislikes: Easy, fast to make and comfortable to wear. I do have one teeny little quibble. They call it a "One Hour Dress" on the pattern envelope. I'd say it's more like two or three hours, but it's still an easy sew.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes. A cute dress that is comfortable and easy. What's not to love? Here's a picture of the dress on Shelley

Parting Shot: Anniversary Dinner!

Everyone loves the Pink Wig.

Happy sewing!

Decompression Time

Happy... whatever!

Thought for the Day

A Haiku

Being Beautiful
On the inside is the point.
Ha Ha, not really!

Quick Tip - Fold Over Elastic for Binding Raw Edges

Here's one that is very useful for summer sewing. When making certain garments, like camisoles, I use fold-over elastic to bind the raw edges. This gives a bulk-free finish that looks very RTW. To do this, remove the seam allowance from the edge to be bound. Then, fold the elastic over the trimmed edge and stitch using a narrow zigzag stitch (I use 1mm width on my Pfaff). Don't pull the elastic as you sew. You want a 1:1 ratio of length of elastic to garment edge length. If you are making a camisole, or other spaghetti-strapped piece, you can then extend the fold-over elastic to create the straps. Here's a (not so great, sorry) picture of a camisole I made using this technique.

Happy sewing, and Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans!