Singer and Sew

Book Review: Easy Guide to Sewing Tops & T-Shirts by Marcy Tilton

2011-06-15T07:29:00.000-04:00

I don't have a scanned copy of the cover of this book because I bought it as an e-book on the Taunton website. If you wait for a sale, you can purchase this e-book for half off.

Title: Easy Guide to Sewing Tops & T-Shirts
Author: Marcy Tilton
ISBN: 1561582395
Publication Date: 1998
Pages: 128

Overall impression, I like this book and would recommend it to others. I consider this book a must have if you want to take your sewing to the next level. If you want quick and easy, this may not be required reading. Many of her suggestions for getting the most out of your fabric or pattern design will add to your construction time. I learned quite a bit and most of the book is very detailed. There were a few instances where I found Marcy's description of a technique a bit inadequate (for my understanding anyway, you may think she was very clear). There are more photos than drawings but I wish there was an illustration for each step when she is explaining a technique. Usually there are only 2 or 3 photos for a 7-step process and sometimes I found myself scratching my head wondering how she got from picture 2 to picture 3. She does a great job giving you ideas on how to venture away from the basic pattern construction, such as manipulating a fabric to showcase it's best properties. I particularly enjoyed the section on changing on-grain patterns to a bias grain. She goes into great detail about which fabrics are best for bias work and how the pattern will need to be modified. For those of you thinking "Why bother?", read the book. Her description helps you realize that you don't need to purchase a new pattern for each design detail you like. Have a handful of patterns you've used in the past quite successfully. Now put a spin on the design, add an interesting neck binding, cut the fabric on the bias, embellish the fabric, and now your tried-and-true pattern looks like a completely different top.

The construction chapters are broken down by woven vs. knit top construction, which is very helpful. She starts the discussion with a list of steps and then goes into great detail on the following pages. She gives recommendations for fabrics for those just starting out. For instance, silks are lovely to wear but not a beginner fabric. Rayons, although nice to touch, are more difficult to manipulate on the bias so save those for when you are more experienced.

Marcy talks a lot about "staystitch-plus" (or easestitch-plus) as a method of easing a longer section of fabric to match a shorter section of fabric as you sew. I had never heard of this term before so I had to read the description of this several times. (I found a decent description of it here in regards to hems--scroll one-third of the way down the page.) I can see how this would be a great way to set-in sleeves and such. I find the technique confusing regarding topstitching (and Marcy recommends using it in topstitching quite a bit). Wouldn't that give you bumpy topstitching? With natural fibers, you could probably steam out the bumps and give it a nice look but I still don't understand why you would want to ease a hem's topstitching. Ease the hem's raw edge before pressing the hem and topstitching, that I get but easing the topstitching?? Maybe that is what Marcy meant but I've re-read that section several times (and she mentions it elsewhere and I've re-read those as well) and it just doesn't sound right to me. If you follow the link I gave above (link here), you'll see this author specifically says not to staystitch-plus a hem's topstitching, as in a turn-and-stitch hem. Anyway, I haven't tried to use this technique on a hem yet so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

One technique I do disagree with (and have ample experience with) is Marcy's recommendation to not use double-needle stitching on hems for double knits. I have done this successfully with every double knit I've used (mostly poly blends or rayon) and I've never had any stretching or rippling that she warns will happen. (Perhaps a silk double knit would ripple with the double-needle topstitching.) I have, however, had skipped stitches and thanks to her recommendations for needles when sewing knits, I now know why. She does a fantastic job explaining how to add a strip of interfacing to a hem. I thought you fused the interfacing to the hem allowance, pressed up the hem and then stitched. She recommends stitching the interfacing to the hem first (interfacing is fusible side up, so nonsticky side is stitched to wrong side of fabric), press up the hem (which fuses the interfacing to secure the hem), flip to the right side of the fabric and topstitch. With the hem already fused in place, no slippage while you sew. So simple but very handy.

Marcy's section on use of the bias grain is fantastic as well. She even shows you how to use the bias (with center seam) on a sleeve to make an interesting effect with a striped fabric. It is stunning and I will have to try that some time soon. My only quibble with this section of the book is the recommendation to stretch the fabric as you sew a bias seam. She says you stretch the fabric as much as possible while you stitch and then steam it flat. I've not had luck with this in the past but perhaps I was being too gentle with my fabric. I took a couture sewing class with Susan Khalje last summer and she showed us a great way to sew bias seams stitched in short segments (described very clearly in each of her books). This method doesn't sound like it would work but one of the ladies in the class was sewing silk with bias seams and it looked great. I've never seen a bias seam look so good before. It hung beautifully, not a ripple in sight. I will have to compare these 2 techniques and see which I like better.

The best section of this book is the "pattern proofing" section. She spends an entire chapter talking about little tweaks to make to your pattern before you cut your fabric. Adding a little extra width and length at the bust area for large busts. Curving the shoulder and sleeve hems to hang nicely. Those are just a few but they make sense because fabric drapes and your body isn't flat like pattern paper. These little tweaks help take a flat pattern to a wearable garment that works with the body's contours instead of against it. I probably spent the most time reading this one chapter alone.

This book was a great read, and even a fast read because it was so enjoyable to read. Even though I disagree with a few of the recommendations, I found the majority of her recommendations to be very helpful. The nice thing about sewing is the fact that there is usually more than one way to accomplish a task. You find what works best for you and use that, even if other experts say that technique won't give you the best results.

We deserve better

2011-06-12T09:01:00.000-04:00

We meaning you and I and every other person that has amassed a large collection of books and DVDs, spent hours on the internet reading tutorials, and spent hundreds of dollars for just a single class all in the name of improving our sewing skills. We deserve better. Our skills and years of experience are worth more than just minimum wage. I'm referring of course to the practice of charging very little for sewing lessons or those that are paid peanuts to teach sewing classes at retail stores. We deserve better.

I am still unemployed and it makes me a little crazy and a little desperate. To maintain my sanity, I decided to start teaching some sewing classes. I love sewing and figured this would be a great way to earn a little extra money and keep me out of trouble while I look for a decent job. Instead, I've put myself in a very uncomfortable situation and I've got a massive headache. I applied for an independent contractor position with JoAnn Fabrics. Independent contractors aren't paid by the store. The store collects the fees for the sewing classes, maintains a classroom and equipment, and coordinates the registrations for you. You make a sample and teach the class. JoAnn supplies the pattern but you supply the fabric and notions. (You do get to keep the sample, you can make it in your size and you can use whatever fabric you like.) JoAnn's gets 40% of the class fee and you get 60%. I admit 40% is rather high for the store but I decided it was still worth my time if at least 5 people signed up for the class. Besides, JoAnn is supplying the machines, irons, ironing board, etc. (per the Education Coordinator). Each month the store hosts an open house to introduce the instructors to the customers. The instructors don't get paid for this time but they did give me two "20% off your entire purchase coupons." Hmm, coupons only have value if you buy something to use the coupon on.

I showed up for the first open house yesterday and when I walked through the door, I saw the "50% off select classes" sign. I asked the Education Coordinator, "does that include my classes?" Well of course it does and now I only get 60% of the 50% the customer paid for the class. So let's do some math:

$55/class, 4 hours total class time = $13.75/hour
Customer paid for the class at an Open House so hourly rate is now $6.88.

Per hour: JoAnn's share is $2.75 and mine is $4.13

According to the other instructors, usually only 2-3 people sign up for a class.
My hourly rate for 2-3 people is $8.26-$12.39

I must pay the self-employment tax quarterly, which is reduced for 2011 only: 10.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare. I must pay the federal taxes annually--depends on your total annual income so I'll leave this out of the equation.

Hourly rate for 2-3 people (after taxes): $7.16 - $10.74/hour

Factor in costs of fabric, notions, and gas to/from store.
This can vary by project but I'll use my cheapest sample as a guide.

Extra costs:
2 yards of knit fabric from stash: $4.00/yard x 2 yards plus sales tax = $8.74
1 yard of 3.25-inch lace trim I had to purchase to make the shirt the way JoAnn's wanted it: $3.99/yard x 10% American Sewing Guild discount plus sales tax = $3.92
Small spool of thread from stash: $1.33 plus tax = $1.45
Gas to travel to store for 2 class sessions and the unpaid Open House = 3.5 miles one-way x 3 round trips x $4.00/gallon with 22 mpg = $3.82
Total extra costs: $17.93
Hourly rate after taxes and extra costs = $2.68 - $6.26/hour
(FYI...U.S. minimum wage is currently $7.25/hour.)

I forgot the best part. JoAnn's has sewing machines but requests that customers use their own. They supply ONE iron and a crappy desktop half-size ironing board. Classes are only conducted during normal store hours so it really doesn't cost the store anything but the credit card charges for accepting customer payments. For all this, they get 40%. I bust my hump to meet all their demands, including not getting paid for any JoAnn employees that wish to take my class, and I get get a whopping $2.68-6.26/hour! Some may call me a snob but I've spent years reading books, watching DVDs, taking classes, learning wherever and whenever I can. My time is worth more than $6.26 per hour. I may not be certified or hold a fashion design degree, but my skill set is hardly minimum and therefore worth more than minimum pay.

Now some of you are probably saying, "It serves her right. She should have asked questions." I did ask questions. I asked lots of questions. I was told half-truths. I feel that the Education Coordinator deceived me by leaving out crucial details, such as "your classes are offered half off once a month, which means you get only half the pay we promised you," or "we don't really supply machines and your ironing board is barely bigger than a postage stamp."

Needless to say, I'm headed to JoAnn's today to tell them to take a hike. This lousy deal isn't store policy either; it's a corporate policy. I'm so disgusted that I am seriously considering never shopping at JoAnn's again. I don't buy fabric there anyway. I just shop the pattern and notion sales. I'd rather give that money to someone else. Someone who isn't trying to screw the little guy.

So in conclusion, next time someone says they'll pay you to teach a sewing class, consider your skills, experience, and added costs before you agree to it. Chances are they are receiving a much better deal than you are. Your skills are worth something and if you don't insist on proper compensation, the person receiving your services won't place any real value on your services. You are worth more.

--Julie

I have them all!!

2011-06-04T01:26:00.000-04:00

I now own all of the Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture patterns for Vogue...I think. I have searched underneath every rock I could find and I believe my collection is now complete. Of course, this is more than a collection. I intend to make each one of these patterns (even if I think the garment is ugly) so I can practice couture sewing techniques.

The final patterns to complete the collection are:

Vogue 7718
This pattern is rated for average difficulty and it was printed in 2003. Not exactly a top I would wear but maybe a different fabric could make it more modern-looking.

Vogue 8732
This is the latest edition to the collection; printed in 2011 and is rated average for difficulty. What girl couldn't use a jacket like this?

Vogue 7658
This is your basic mock wrap dress but the design is in the details. This pattern is rated average for difficulty and was printed in 2002.

Vogue 7634
Printed in 2002, this is the purple velvet coat that many have drooled over. Heck, I might even make it in purple! This pattern was printed in 2002 and is rated average for difficulty.

The most difficult patterns to find (in my size anyway) were #7634, #7658, and #7718. Every other pattern is readily available on eBay or for sale in a sewing forum somewhere. I stumbled upon these 3 patterns in a Yahoo group for selling sewing-related items. I ran a quick search for Claire Shaeffer items and found a very old post advertising these 3 patterns for $5.00 each. (Yes, I know. I basically stole them.) I contacted the seller and she still had these patterns more than a year later. In less than a week, my search was finally over.

So which pattern from the entire collection is my favorite?

It has to be #8333. That was my first purchase and what prompted me to buy the whole collection. I love a smartly tailored jacket and the pocket detail is so great.

My least favorite has to be the skirt. I hate the color but once I put that aside, my eyes are immediately drawn to the gathers at the waistband. Not sleek and modern at all but maybe the gathers will hide my belly. (Or maybe I should just stop eating so much Mint Oreo ice cream. YUM!)

Vogue 7803
This pattern is rated average for difficulty and was printed in 2003. Oh, yeah. And the color is awful.

On a side note, some people have asked why I haven't been posting. Honestly, I'm flattered that anyone is reading this often enough to notice that I'm slacking at blogging. I've had many balls in the air. Some are things I want to do and some are things I have to do. Like find a job, for instance--don't want to do it. This economy is just awful. I was blind to how bad it was when I was employed. DH and I had been paying down debt and building up savings for quite some time so I was sheltered from the impact of a bad economy. Now that I don't have a job, my bank account balances have been on my mind daily. I've decided to take matters into my own hands. I've applied for at least 50 jobs...seriously. I've had 3 interviews. I'm fed up with trying to make others see my worth, my value as a potential employee. What's worse is I haven't enjoyed my work for the last 4-5 years anyway. I've contemplated starting my own sewing business for several years now. I'm finally putting this plan into action. It will be in baby steps but I feel a sense of relief knowing that one day in the forseeable future, I don't have to answer to anyone but myself AND I will love my job. An added bonus, my husband is proud of me for following my dreams. He's a keeper!

So that's what I've been up to lately. I spent yesterday refolding and organizing my entire fabric stash. I know, it's a little obsessive-compulsive but it gets the creative juices flowing. I have 2 very large piles of fabric prepped for cutting and projects picked out for all of them (mostly totes, clutches, knit tops, and pajamas). Next up is pattern alterations and cutting out the fabric. I'm in my happy place right now.

May your happy place be in your sewing room (without interruption from pets and husbands)!

--Julie

Claire Shaeffer's Pattern Collection

2011-05-02T01:44:00.000-04:00

I've been collecting these for the past 2 years. There are still a few out-of-print patterns I don't have but I wanted to share the ones I do have with you. Each pattern highlights a few couture techniques. With the exception of a few of these, I can see myself wearing them if made up in the right fabric. My plan is to one day have made up all of these patterns. Contrary to popular belief that "couture" equals "difficult", a few of these patterns are rated "easy", some "advanced" but most are "average." Of course, that doesn't rate the amount of time it will take to complete a garment.

#7467 OOP
I call this one the 80's jacket. Printed in 2001, this is the only pattern in my collection that uses both sew-in hair canvas and batiste for interfacing. This jacket uses pad stitching, welt and patch pockets, sleeve interfacing and shaping, and a 2-piece vented sleeve.

#7468 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2001, this pants pattern is a double-pleated, straight leg pant with a mock fly zipper, side front pockets, and a button-front waistband.

#7539 OOP

Printed in 2002, this very loose-fit jacket includes great instructions for using stay tape (couture "stay tape", where to put it and how it affects the way the garment hangs). I also found a great tip for pressing perfect seams in wool fabrics. I would love to have this jacket in the pink plaid fabric that Claire Shaeffer used.

#7540 OOP

Printed in 2002, a straight dress with welt pockets that is fully underlined. This pattern includes instructions for making dress shields, a belt and hand buttonholes, interfaced hem, handpicked zipper and covered snaps.

#7881 (currently available)
Printed in 2004, this is great pant has no darts (shape the fabric with steam), a mock-fly, and faced contour yoke.

#7908 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2004, this is a beautiful fitted jacket with an interesting pocket design. The instructions also include details about balanced darts and lapped seams. This jacket has a 2-piece sleeve and includes pad stitching, reinforcement for corners and curved edges, more advanced pressing techniques and hand buttonholes. I think the unusual pocket design is the reason for the advanced difficulty rating.

#7966 OOP
Printed in 2004, this dress has a tucked princess design with split neck and handpicked zipper. The dress has dress shields and lingerie guards and is rated advanced difficulty.

#8087 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2005, this jacket is an advanced pattern. This jacket has pad stitching, welt pockets with flaps, and a 3-piece sleeve.

#8156 OOP
Printed in 2005, these straight-legged pants have a contour yoke, mock fly zipper, cuffed hem and back welt pocket with flap.

#8259 OOP
Printed in 2006, this pattern is rated difficult and often used for French jackets, aka the "Chanel jacket." Claire Shaeffer gives instructions for a 3-piece sleeve, quilting fabrics together, and a stand collar.

#8333 (currently available)
Printed in 2006, this is the pattern that first caught my attention in the Claire Shaeffer collection. I was more intrigued by the jacket and unusual pockets (hidden in the pleats) than learning couture techniques. This pattern is rated advanced difficulty and includes interfaced hem, 2-piece sleeve, pad stitching, sleeve head, and hand buttonholes.

#8369 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2007, you finally learn how to add chain weight in the hemline (this is for you Chanel ladies out there). You also learn how to make Chinese ball buttons, insert a sleeve head, and interface a hem; jacket has a 2-piece sleeve.

#8400 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
I call this the clown jacket. Printed in 2007, the fabric is very off-putting in this jacket and the instructions only explain one new technique, a bound buttonhole.

#8428 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2007, this jacket pattern includes instructions for pad stitching, bias tubing, hand buttonholes, interfaced hem, 2-piece sleeve and sleeve heads.

#8449 (currently available)
Printed in 2007, this is the first pattern that has better pictures showing you how to do the hand stitches. You also learn several bias techniques (like lap basting), bound zipper placket, and tons of practice with staying edges. This dress is not lined.

#8481 OOP
Printed in 2008, this jacket pattern is rated advanced difficulty. It includes pad stitching, quilted lining, 3-piece sleeve, hand buttonhole, and sleeve heads. Skimming the instructions, I don't see why this is an advanced pattern or why the lining is quilted. I've also noticed that all of the patterns with sleeve head instructions don't indicate what will be used for the sleeve head (in the instructions or on the back of the envelope), except for one. Sleeve heads were made of lambswool in haute couture but you can improvise with fleece or wool/cotton batting. I've seen them sold at tailoring shops with 2 pieces of muslin and polyester batting sandwiched in between.

#8498 (currently available)
Printed in 2008, this pants pattern uses a French fly, pleat stays, inseam pocket, and "straight fold over" (or what I've always known as "cut-on") waistband that is interfaced with either double grosgrain ribbon, double hair canvas or single Petersham ribbon. There are also instructions for hanging loops and weighted hems.

#8519 (currently available)
Printed in 2008, the sharp look of this jacket caught my eye. Looking more closely at the instructions reveals some new techniques, such as reverse corners and curves. The buttonhole is placed in the center front seam. This is the first pattern to indicate on the envelope that you need lambswool for the sleeve head. This pattern is rated advanced difficulty.

#8578 OOP (available online at Vogue Patterns)
Printed in 2009, this is the only pattern designed for knits. China silk is the interfacing for this garment. The "bias waist stay" is actually an elastic waistband enclosed. There are also waist pleats and inside corners to navigate.

#8621 (currently available)
Printed in 2009, this jacket pattern has an interesting design detail. The sleeve is raglan in back and set-in on the front. I can't even wrap my head around this idea. The jacket has a keyhole neckline, bound buttonholes, welt pockets, and a waist seam (no special treatment for this detail).

#8652 (currently available)
Printed in 2010, this pant has a bound buttonhole, French fly, cut-on or straight fold-over waistband with grosgrain or Petersham ribbon for interfacing and a partial lining (only to knees). The instructions have great drawings for all the hand stitches (why doesn't each pattern in this line has such great drawings?). These pants are rated easy for difficulty.

#8692 (currently available)
Printed in 2010, this jacket has interesting bust darts and the usual welt pockets, bound buttonholes, and 2-piece sleeve. No collar stand but the collar and lapel supposedly have some "interesting edgestitching." This pattern is rated advanced difficulty.

#8732 (currently available)
Printed in 2011, this is the newest addition to the collection. This unlined jacket pattern has welt pockets with flaps, padstitching, hand buttonholes, 1-piece sleeve, and interfaced hem.

pic 8732

There at least 3 other out-of-print Vogue Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture patterns missing from my stash but otherwise complete.

10 Wardrobe Essentials

2011-05-01T23:42:00.001-04:00

S.W.A.P. (sewing with a plan), 5-piece wardrobe, 10 essentials...all ways of creating pieces to build a versatile wardrobe so you don't have to stand in your closet and cry out "I have nothing to wear!"

I have read one of Tim Gunn's earlier books and decided it wasn't a keeper for my ever-expanding library of sewing and fashion. I am intrigued, however, by the idea of sewing with a goal in mind instead of randomly selecting pieces like I usually do. There aren't any real surprises on this 10 essentials list by Tim Gunn but I enjoy him on Project Runway so let's give him credit for a great list.

You can view the whole list on InStyle here.

Little Black Dress: I don't have one. I know, it's shameful. Every time DH says we have an event to go to, I fail to plan ahead and then find myself at said event wishing I had a basic black dress to wear for these occasions.
Trench Coat: I actually have a beautiful trench I bought several years ago but it no longer fits. Darn coat must have shrunk.... Oh well, time for another.
Classic Dress Pants: I have 3 pairs I purchased from Eddie Bauer some time ago. I'm slowly getting around to hemming them. They are nice and fit pretty well but I want a perfectly fitting pair of pants so I'll add these to the list.
Versatile Skirt: What instantly comes to mind is a basic skirt, solid color or very subtle pattern. After looking at Tim Gunn's selection, I see that an interesting pattern would be a better choice. A statement skirt.
Fitted Blazer: As I am currently going on job interviews, I needed a jacket that fit superbly and I needed it now. I was shocked to find some RTW jackets that fit beautifully. Jones New York, I should've known. I've always admired the look of their jackets. I do have a smart-looking Vogue Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture pattern I've been dying to make so now's the time.
Classic White Shirt: I LOVE white shirts! Tees, button-downs, doesn't matter; white looks great next to my skin.
Day Dress: Tim says this is not a cocktail dress alternative; more like a shift, wrap or shirt dress. I have several fantastic shirt dress patterns and a few knit wraps that I'd love to make.
Cashmere Sweater: Can't sew this one...or can I? I see great sweater knits online all the time. I did have a cashmere sweater once and I wore it at least once a week. Cashmere has the bonus of being as soft as angora without covering you with hair.
Perfect-Fit Jeans: Amen to that! This may be my holy grail if I could ever find or make a pair.
Alternative to the Sweatsuit: "Casual with sophistication." I have to think about this for a bit. I don't wear sweatsuits but I have some black knit pants and baggy T-shirts that are so comfortable. What would be as comfortable and significantly more flattering?

Now for the patterns....

Butterick 5321: With short sleeves, can be worn in warm weather and with a jacket for cooler temps or cold rooms. I wonder if the inverted pleat at the waist would be a good belly and hip minimizer.

McCall's 5525: The classic trench, perhaps with the Peter Pan collar

Vogue 7881: classic dress pants

Simplicity 2367: Skirt in an interesting fabric or a solid with some contrasting topstitching

Burda 7618: Not THE essential blazer but in the right fabric, this jacket could be quite versatile.

New Look 6598: I've had this pattern for many years. This pattern deserves better than to waste away in my stash.

Simplicity 2403: Not the double-breasted version

Vogue 1034

For my alternative to sweatpants: I think I actually need 2 kinds of alternatives. One type of outfit that I could run out to the store in and not look like a bum. Another type for lounging around the house.

Alternative #1:
Vogue 1197

Alternative #2:
Butterick 5216: Views C and D can hide the belly and if I add some discrete coverage to the front bodice, I can skip the bra. Bras are evil.

Simplicity 2367: The pants or capris

Of course, the essentials only work if you have the right accessories. This is where I am in need of serious help. Tackling one area at a time....

Sewing groups

2011-04-24T13:10:00.000-04:00

Do you belong to one? I always shunned these before. I figured they were full of women talking about kids and quilts. Neither of which interested me. Now I'm the president of the local chapter of the American Sewing Guild. Clearly I've changed my opinion about sewing groups. What did it? Well, maturity for one. I'm in my 30's now and find myself much more open to trying new things without making assumptions first.

Probably the most significant event that changed my mind...I signed up for a week-long sewing class. Some of you may remember my Nashville Chanel and wrecked car, that is the very week I am referring to. The class consisted of 10 women, all but one of them older than me. We had very different backgrounds...pilot, court reporter, nurse, small business owner, fashion design instructor, etc. We all had very different skill levels and goals for the class...make a bias skirt that doesn't have wonky seams, design a complex dress from scratch, make a date-night dress for evenings with the hubby, and for me, just learn something new. I didn't even have a project of my own to do. I asked a friend if I could make one of her Victorian dresses for her because I wanted a complex project that would allow me to learn the most. If you've read this blog in the past, you know that dress never materialized but I did start a classic French jacket that makes me feel like a talented seamstress and smart, successful woman. Not too shabby for not having a clear goal upfront.

I was nervous about signing up for this class. I have solid basic skills but hadn't sewn much over the last 10 years. I figured a $1,000-class would bring in experienced seamstresses with expensive machines. I own 2 basic Singer machines: $150 mechanical one purchased at Target and my $400 commercial machine with a jet engine. No Bernina, Janome, Viking or Pfaff for me. When I showed up, I realized I did have the cheapest, least jazzy machine there. I also had the loudest machine. I was self-conscious at first but quickly realized no one cared. They even came by to look at my machine and learn about its features. Surely something that loud was interesting as well.

Over the course of the week I discovered I didn't feel nervous or out of place at all. I belonged right where I was at that moment. These ladies were fun, interesting and supportive. We each had very different styles but somehow found each other's project beautiful and wanted to learn more. Maybe we bonded over the fact that we each spent a buttload of money to be there. I think we bonded more so because we shared a common interest: wanting to improve our sewing skills and learn from others.

I've missed that group of women since the class ended. I also realized that I can prep, cut and sew much faster than I ever have. I'd like to believe the comaraderie got the creative juices flowing to the point that I didn't stop to doubt myself or think too much about the next step. Just do it.

The point of this long-winded rambling is I decided before moving from Memphis to Chattanooga that I wanted to join a sewing group. I was going to put aside the idea that all sewing groups are a bunch of older ladies making quilts and talking about kids. Problem was that Chattanooga didn't have a formal sewing group that I could find; no BurdaStyle Club, no American Sewing Guild (ASG) chapter, nothing. (I have since learned, now that I live here, that there are a few sewing groups around but they aren't that easy to find.) By contacting the ASG chapters surrounding Chattanooga, I found a few locals that were also interested in forming a chapter. So now I'm the president of the Chattanooga chapter of the ASG, go figure. And most of the ladies I've met are old enough to be my mother, and they talk about their kids, and they all quilt. And I love spending time with them. I even want to learn to quilt. They want to learn to make clothes. We inspire one another. Isn't that what sewing groups are really all about?

As the president of the local ASG chapter I extend an invitation to all those that sew. Young or old, beginner or advanced, those with fancy tools and those that bought their gadgets in the same store they bought toilet paper and apple juice. No matter if you only sew clothes, quilts, or slipcovers. All are invited because your companionship warms my heart. I want to know what you know. I want to see what you've made. You inspire me. I hope that I can inspire you as well.

The Chattanooga chapter of the American Sewing Guild will be meeting the 3rd Tuesday of every month (except in June) at 6:30 pm at St. John United Methodist Church (3921 Murray Hills Drive).

Our upcoming meetings are:

May 17--Meet & Greet, Show & Tell (bring your current projects, UFOs, favorite fabric/book/notion, anything to share)
June 14 (2nd Tuesday)--Paper Piecing demonstration

Contact me for more details: julstech at gmail dot com

A pathetic follow-up

2011-04-23T22:49:00.000-04:00

It has been 13 days so time for an update.

How many hours per day/week do you sew?

None since April 10th. Now if you count anything sewing-related, I spend time "sewing" every day. I either read, plan or organize. Like I said in my previous post on this topic, I am a "thinker" so I don't spend a lot of time "doing."

What are you spending/wasting the rest of your free time on?

Applying for jobs and actually going on job interviews. I will forgive myself a little bit since getting a job is definitely more important than sewing (how else will I afford more fabric?). I spent yesterday afternoon tidying up my sewing space. I consider that productive as the mess was stifling any creativity I had. Oh, and I've been reading about sewing. I started drafting my moulage a la Kenneth King.

When you do sew, how do you feel before, during and afterwards?

No sewing equals nothing new to add here.

What factors are you aware of that impact upon when you make time to sew?

Mostly my mood. I'm a little down in the dumps right now; being unemployed does that to you. Making time to sew (rather, work on sewing-related stuff) does help improve my mood though. Seems like a no-brainer (sewing=improved mood) but motivation is lacking some times.

What are you learning about sewing productivity from this process, if anything? What tips can you share?

Just do it. Even if you only have 30 minutes, do something to move your projects along.

An experiment in productivity

2011-04-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

I've written about trying to make better use of my free time for sewing but I've never found the "trick." Truth is, I'm lazy when it comes to free time. I'm an efficient, organized person at work and a complete mess at home. Tilly had a neat idea to compile a list of our productivity pitfalls. I'm going to participate by airing all my dirty laundry for the next 2 weeks. Of course, now that I'm logging how I spend my time, I'm sure I'll clean up my act a little bit (kinda like dieters who eat better when they keep a diary). Maybe that is my trick, keep a log. Here goes....

How many hours per day/week do you sew?

Ummm, none in 2 weeks. Does reading about sewing count?

What are you spending/wasting the rest of your free time on?

Computer and books, mostly. A group of ladies and I just started the Chattanooga chapter of the American Sewing Guild and I was coerced into being the president. I've been making a lot of arrangements for this group. I also have been reading about starting my own sewing business and researching ideas and resources for that.

When you do sew, how do you feel before, during and afterwards?

I don't recall how I feel before I sew but I definitely feel energized when I sew, like I have a very important task to complete. As I get close to finishing, I can hardly sit still in my chair because I'm excited to finish a project. Afterwards, I feel like I've accomplished something and I admire my work proudly. I probably spend a bit too much time admiring it.

What factors are you aware of that impact upon when you make time to sew?

Somehow I found time to sew a few weeks ago when DH was expecting me to finish some curtains so he could hang them up over the weekend. I think deadlines help; not wanting to let someone else down. When DH comes home in the evening, I prefer not to sew because I see so little of him. I should sew on Saturday and Sunday mornings because he sleeps in and I get up rather early. Like right now, I'm blogging and generally goofing off on the internet instead of sewing.

What are you learning about sewing productivity from this process, if anything? What tips can you share?

Do, don't think. I'm a thinker. I spend way more time thinking about stuff I want to do than actually doing them. I'm also highly motivated by people's expectations. I don't ever want to let someone down so I will work like mad to get something done on time. Somehow my personal deadlines aren't nearly as important to me.

Tools of the Trade

2011-04-10T10:22:00.000-04:00

Everyone has a few sewing tools they can't live without and a few more they can't believe they wasted money on. The process of packing and unpacking my sewing stuff has given me pause for thought. My sewing tools fall into 4 categories: (1) Love them, use them all the time, (2) Neat tool for specific situations, (3) Looked cool in the store, haven't used it yet, and (4) I want a refund, what a piece of crap.

#1--Love them, use them all the time

Sewing gauge
A handy, multipurpose little gem that doesn't cost much. Unfortunately, I still haven't found mine after 3 days of unpacking. At least I know where the JoAnn's is in my new town.

Retractable tape measure
It measures, it retracts, and it's a cat toy. Oh, and cheap. If you buy one in 5/8-inch width, it also helps you quickly and easily mark sewing seam allowances on your Big 4 patterns.

Chalk
I have several types of marking items (see the "I want a refund, what a piece of crap" category) but my favorite has always been the basic hunk of chalk, preferably in a holder with a sharpener available.

Magnetic pin cushion/wand/nest
One can never have enough magnetic gadgets for picking up or holding pins. The "nest" is the best for traveling and the wand works great for finding pins in the carpet.

Paper medical tape
This little gem earned me a nod in Threads magazine. I use it to hold "cording" in place for my corded buttonholes. I mark seam allowance guides on my machine. I tape patterns together after altering (or attack from kitty claws).

Over-sized cardboard mat
I use this mat for cutting out patterns, adjusting patterns, laying out fabric, measuring fabric, protecting fabric from rough table edges and as a work surface in general. It's not a huge investment ($15-25 USD) but I guard it against cat claws and husbands that want to jot a note down and see this surface as a table to lean on.

Wooden yard stick
I misplaced it once and had to buy another. Unfortunately the store I went to only had metal ones. I dislike metal rulers. They don't feel right in my hand. Plastic and wood are more comfortable to work with. Wood is great because I haven't broken one yet. The plastic rulers haven't fared so well.

Cheap ink pen and Sharpie
Sometimes this is a better marking tool than chalk. I use those crappy hotel pens to mark patterns and fabrics (in places it won't show). The cheap pens are also good for writing on muslin when you are recreating a pattern. I also use Sharpies for marking up muslins during fitting.

Rowenta steam iron
Do yourself a favor and invest in a good iron. I can't afford the fancy steamers but I did upgrade to a nice Rowenta iron (on sale and it came with a rebate at Bed Bath & Beyond). I used to hate ironing and now I find it almost enjoyable and most definitely easier.

Seam ripper
I have 2 styles that I love. One is the basic cheap seam ripper that you can buy in any store. The other is like a scalpel and I have 2 different styles, a curved one designed for ripping seams and the other is supposed to be a buttonhole cutter. The cheap seam ripper is great when the fabric you are handling is sturdy or you want to pull the thread out as opposed to cut it. The scalpel seam ripper works well with delicate fabrics, when you need precision control, and I sometimes use it for pulling out threads (I turn it so the dull side can be used). I also use the buttonhole slicer for cutting/ripping seams and cutting open buttonholes. In a pinch, I use cheap razor blades for cutting buttonholes as well.

Accessory feet

I found a retailer that sold just about every accessory for my sewing machine so I waited for a sale. I ended up spending over $200 USD just on accessory feet. With the exception of one, I've used them all and found them very handy. The ones that get the most use are the edgestitcher, walking foot and the stitch-in-the-ditch feet. My topstitching has improved by leaps and bounds with the edgestitcher. I now understand why some people only sewing with a walking foot. Sure you could pin fabrics together to align the ends perfectly...or you can just use the walking foot and stop cursing and stabbing yourself with pointy pins. I also found an automatic buttonholer for my Singer (the kind that comes with tons of buttonhole plates). This thing has always worked so much better than any buttonhole function on any machine I've ever owned.

Beeswax
The packaging doesn't tell you how to use it and I couldn't understand how it would work (and not damage your needle or fabric). Then I had a "duh" moment in a sewing class...you need to heat up the wax. Don't I feel silly. I hated hand stitching until I finally figured out how to use this stuff. What a time saver! In my defense, every packaged beeswax I've ever picked up says nothing about using heat, just to run your thread through it. I suppose you could use it without heat but I like it iron it.

#2 Neat tools

Tailor's ham & Point presser/clapper
I just bought these last year. Before that, I used to create really odd contraptions to iron hard-to-reach places. Besides, "clapper" just sounds funny.

Buttonhole gauge
Looks like an accordion and really isn't a necessary tool but makes life easier when your brain won't do basic math. Figure out how many buttons you will have, put point one at the first buttonhole and the last point at the last buttonhole...ta-da! Buttonhole spacing is perfectly even every time. When I took my couture sewing class in Nashville last summer, we went shopping at Textile Fabrics. I was so excited to shop in a store with nothing but fashion fabrics but when I entered I felt overwhelmed. I ended up buying this buttonhole gauge, the above-mentioned clapper and buttons for my Nashville Chanel. Even the salesperson was surprised I didn't buy fabric. The store was even having a sale on every piece of fabric and still I bought none. Do you see how overwhelmed I was?!!

Sewing needle pin cushion/storage
Everyone has their system for keeping track of what a needle is and how much use its had. I've never been able to maintain a system. I found this little gem in JoAnn's and I use it consistently every time. I'm still not sure how you are supposed to estimate how many hours you have sewn with a particular needle so I probably change them sooner than I need to.

#3 Looked cool, haven't use it yet

Jean-a-ma-jig
We all have them. Do you use yours? When I get to the seam that could use a boost to stitch over, I just plow on through instead of stopping to find my Jean-a-ma-jig. I think it's still in the package too.

Serger foot for conventional sewing machine
Yes, I know it doesn't make your sewing machine function like a serger but it supposedly stitches and trims at the same time. Sounded handy but I've never used it. It was the most expensive accessory foot I bought too.

#4 Piece of crap

Chalkoner
Seriously, how do you make this thing work? Mine won't work on any fabric. I even have 2 of them and neither will mark so clearly I'm doing something wrong. In the meantime, I'm blaming it on the Chalkoner.

Marking Pens
Disappearing ink, different colored ink, wash-away ink, doesn't matter. I dislike them all. They make me nervous (what if the ink doesn't come out?). I trust chalk. I can make it disappear every time. If I mark incorrectly with chalk, I can fix it immediately without waiting for ink to disappear or finding a wet sponge to remove ink.

Uniquely You dress form
First, the service sucks. Doesn't matter who you buy it from because the retailer will have to contact the manufacturer (one-person shop) to send it to you. He is slow to ship, didn't include every part I needed, and then refused to return my calls or phone calls from the retailer I bought it from. I finally did receive everything but I think this dress form is already ruined for me. The cover was a pain to fit so I'm making my own. I now wish I had saved my money and bought an adjustable Ronis instead.

Snips
This is more of a danger to me than a piece of crap. Everyone said "you must buy snips/snippers, etc.", so I did. I've cut my fingers (deeply, I might add) on many occasions. I've decided I simply can't afford to keep replacing fabric I've bled on so my Fiskars snips stay safely in my drawer.

Where did the time go?!

2011-03-19T10:25:00.000-04:00

Wait, I know where the time went. DH and I moved further into TN last week. We now live in Eastern Time Zone so we lost an hour coming from Central. Then on Sunday morning we lost another hour. Losing 2 hours has really messed with our internal clocks. I'm adjusting a bit better than he. I've spent most of my life on EST. I will admit that CST is better because you can still watch all your favorite late TV programs without staying up too late.

The move was extremely tiring and stressful and it felt that way from the very beginning. My fat cat peed in my new car; not just in the car, but on the car seat. Resolve carpet cleaner works wonders, in case you didn't know. Before she peed, I spent 5 hours driving and listening to a chorus of yowls and whining from our little runt, the vocal cat, and our fat, older cat who is normally very quiet (and litter box trained). You would have thought I was abusing these cats based on the terrible noises they made. If you happen to only ride with one cat in the car, drape a blanket over the pet carrier. The cat should settle down in no time. Unfortunately, I had 2 cats and they were talking to each other. I'm betting the conversation went like this.

Fat cat: This sucks!
Runt cat: Dude, this really sucks!
Runt cat: Do you smell something?
Fat cat: Sorry, I peed.
Runt cat: Thanks for the stink, butthead.
Fat cat: Bite me, you little runt.
Runt cat: THIS SUCKS! I want a lap to sit in.
Fat cat: I want a snack...and a clean bed.

I couldn't be mad at fat cat, partly because I felt sorry for her but mostly because I walked into our new home to find it trashed (thanks to the previous tenants). After the cat pee and dirty house, the move went as moves typically go; many trips to Lowe's and Wal-mart, lots of boxes and paper strewn about, and endless decisions about where things should go. I didn't get a dedicated sewing room but I did get 2 closets to store my supplies and fabric, an much better fabric storage system, and great natural light for sewing. Not too shabby at all. With our next move, I'm hoping for a little more space so I can have a room all to myself.

My first sewing project is window treatments for the house. I've never successfully made window treatments before but I have 4 Singer books just on window treatments so I'm optimistic this time. Wish me luck.

--Julie

Happy Birthday!

2011-02-24T21:35:00.000-05:00

Well, technically a belated birthday. I can finally show you the gifts I made for my sister because her birthday was yesterday. First up is the "snood", or what Bernat calls a "hooded cowl." DH says it is half-scarf and half-hood, hence "scood."

Snood, aka "Scood"

This was super easy to crochet but I made mistakes anyway. I'm not diligent about stitch counting or marking, and you need to do that when you crochet in the round. The busy yarn is hiding my mistakes nicely though. I used Melody Bulky Wool blend yarn in Harlequin. The cowl is basically a really tall tube so an adventurous crocheter could change the stitch design easily.

My sister fell in love with some fingerless gloves I made over the Christmas break. I found the patterns at NaturallyCaron.com. I made both pairs of gloves with Naturally Caron Country yarn.

Slouchy Gloves in Charcoal and Silver Service (Charleston Fingerless Gloves)

These gloves run super large. I know they are supposed to be slouchy but they would fall right off if you made them in the size you would normally wear. I used a smaller crochet hook to shrink the size some but the palm and wrist are still too big. Just a warning in case you try these for yourself.

Peacock Gloves (Memphis Fingerless Gloves)

These were made according to the gauge and look small but actually fit quite well.

I'm actually making another pair of the Peacock gloves for myself. The color is just gorgeous and the yarn is so silky to the touch.

My mother's birthday is just around the corner. DH and I are moving on my mother's birthday so I've decided it was crazy of me to attempt to sew anything for her. I've been working on a cowl. She just might get that as a present instead.

My sister-in-law liked the baby Converse I made for her son. I think they are pretty cute too but I cursed throughout the construction process so I won't be making those again.

It's moving time. DH has politely reminded me several times that the moving truck is coming in a week so I need to wrap up my projects and start packing. Honestly, I'd rather struggle with a poorly fitted muslin than pack and organize our belongings. We're off to a better place and hopefully a promising next chapter in our lives so I guess I'll quite griping.

I'll post next time from our new home.
--Julie

Rihanna at the Grammys

2011-02-15T14:59:00.001-05:00

(www.huffingtonpost.com)

(Photo credit: laurieire on Photobucket)

If Rihanna had used a 3-ply roll, she could've finished the dress.

Still hookin'

2011-02-05T16:50:00.002-05:00

Still hookin' with a crochet hook (not on the street).

I'm almost finished with crocheting my sister's presents. I'll post them after February 22 so she doesn't get a sneak peek on this site. I was searching the web for some free patterns and stumbled on some crochet blogs. Some are so funny that I almost spit out my lunch because I was laughing so hard. I have also found tons of amigurumi patterns online. I'll admit I'm fascinated by the amigurumi technique. Granted, many items fall into the why-would-you-bother category but others would make great gag gifts or fun toys for kids. I'll hold onto the why-bother patterns for my later years. My goal is to be the crazy lady on the block with purple hair, ridiculous housecoats and 20 cats. Wouldn't a collection of crocheted tea cups and vegetable/fruit platters fit in nicely?

But I digress...the award for "So Funny I Almost Peed" goes to....

What Not to Crochet

Seriously, check that site out. Who would crochet this stuff?!!

If you are looking for amigurumi patterns, this site delivers on a regular basis: Free Amigurumi Patterns
Granted, there are some why-bother and what-the-hell patterns, but I enjoy browsing nonetheless.

In case you're wondering if I've forgotten that this is a sewing blog, I haven't. My mother, who doesn't read my blog or even know what a blog is, will probably receive some sewn tops/jackets from me for her birthday. (Notice the word "probably"--gives me a an easy out if I fall behind and can't produce the gifts on time.)

I have a huge stash of fabric to purge but it just occurred to me that several of those fabrics, although not in good colors for me, are of good quality and possibly in better colors for my mother.

My mother is a fan of baggie tops that fall below her hips and she loves turtlenecks and oversized button-front blouses. It's difficult to sew clothes to fit someone who lives too far away to be available for an actual fitting. I guess I'm lucky she prefers baggie clothes to fitted ones. There were several contenders for her birthday present but I have narrowed it down to two.

Butterick 5467

View C is basically what she loves to wear but it doesn't have buttons and it is a tad shorter. Somehow wearing a shirt open looks better when it doesn't have buttons, therefore, it is a jacket. I have a pretty pink poplin or a light blue with white stripe broadcloth-like fabric to use for this.

Butterick 5254

Love, love, love this pattern! Several different fabrics are suitable for this, including fleece. I have a charcoal gray and a navy fleece; both with just enough yardage to pull off view A or view D. I'd like to use a nice wool but I promised myself (and my husband) that I would shop from my stash only. The pink poplin and blue broadcloth are also from my stash. Heck, I even have threads, buttons, and interfacing!!

Keeping my fingers crossed that I finish at least one of these tops. It would be nice to actually show you some sewing progress.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

-Julie

Threads Magazine is publishing a sewing book

2011-01-21T17:00:00.001-05:00

You had to know this was coming...Threads editors are publishing a comprehensive sewing book. It isn't just clippings from the past 20 years of Threads magazine either. I was doubtful this book would be worth purchasing since a) I have so many books, and b) every comprehensive sewing book out there claims to have everything in it and they never do. First off, this book already appears to have some nice diagrams and explanations of concepts that other books usually gloss over. At this point in my sewing, I don't need those details because I've already figured it out but they would have been helpful 5 years ago.

There is a nice preview (meaning you can look at tons of the pages instead of just 5 pages) on the Taunton website. After skimming the preview, I am intrigued but the section on threads is basic and inadequate as in most books. The zippers chapter is much better than others; lots of photos of each type of zipper and an actual comparison of metal vs plastic vs coil teeth. I've only seen one other author cover that in a book (Making Trousers for Men & Women by David Page Coffin). There is an interesting section that describes measuring yourself to estimate how much yardage you need for a particular garment; nice idea for those that work without patterns or have no specific pattern in mind for a must-have fabric.

One gripe...all skinny, young models. Where are all the REAL women? If you need a model with wide hips, a large, round booty, and a stomach pooch, call me. I'll show my crazy curves in exchange for a free copy of the book (and a lifetime subscription to Threads).

For more details on the book, check the Taunton website. I'm on the fence about this one. I'd like to see it in a bookstore first. You know, sit down and basically skim every page in the book before I commit to buying it. So as you are walking through Barnes & Noble, please don't trip on me. I'll be the lumpy, curvy chick sitting on the floor because all the skinny, coffee drinkers took the chairs.

Threads Sewing Guide, available April 4, 2011

Dimensions 9 3/16 x 10 7/8
Pages 392
Photos 1010
Drawings 229

Book Review: Customize Your Sewing Patterns for a Perfect Fit by Mary Morris & Sally McCann

2011-01-21T16:18:00.002-05:00

Paperback, 144 pages
Published in 2002
ISBN: 9781579903244
Suggested retail price $14.95 USD, OOP, available used on Amazon

This book is written by two of the G Street Fabrics sewing instructors. Initially I was really excited about this book but when I tried to apply the techniques, I made a huge mess of my project. I think you need to determine how your mind works, how your creative process works best in order to pick a fitting technique that will work for you. This book relies on measurements and calculating widths to add and subtract from the pattern pieces before you make a muslin. I figured this was right up my alley because I've always been great at math. Problem is that math doesn't fit into my creative process very well. I'm a fan of the pinch a little, tuck a little method. Muslins allowed me to do that. If you feel more comfortable fitting by measurement, then this is the book for you. If you prefer to pinch, tuck and pull, then get Palmer/Pletsch's Fit for Real People. I also feel like Fit for Real People addresses more fitting issues than this book. Another great source for people who like to use a little of each fitting method is the Fitting & Pattern Alteration: A Multi-Method Approach to the Art of Style Selection, Fitting, and Alteration by Liechty, Rashband, and Pottberg-Steineckert.

For the time being, I'm going to shelve this book. I may find a use for it in the future.

Book/Chapter Headings:
1. Getting Started
Basic introduction with a glossary and explanation of alteration methods, including the slash-and-pivot, wedge-slash-and-pivot, the L-slash, and the Box methods.

2. Understanding and Comparing Fitting Patterns
Explains how to determine pattern size, particularly when you would use your bust vs. high bust measurements. There is a really nice chart of all the major pattern companies and the differences in sizes for their basic bodice, sleeve, and skirt patterns. I've seen variations of these charts before but this is the most comprehensive I've ever seen. The pants pattern comparison and an additional lower body measurement chart are in the chapter about pants fitting.

3. Taking Your Measurements and Preparing the Fitting Pattern
A few nice pictures of where you should measure yourself but the best part of this chapter is the detailed measuring chart and instructions. More pictures would make this chapter gold. There are also a few line drawings demonstrating exactly where to measure a pattern piece to compare to your own measurements.

4. Fitting Problems and Solutions
Lots of pictures of REAL women wearing poorly and properly fitting clothes. Helpful but I think the Palmer/Pletsch's Fit for Real People covers this better and with many more pictures.

5. Fitting the Bodice
The authors recommend doing the bust adjustment first, and saving the shoulder, front chest and upper back adjustments for a tissue fit. I suppose this could work if you have the side seams and shoulder seams in perfect position before starting. Personally, I find that if I fix my shoulders and upper back first, the bust alteration is either not needed or not as extreme. Good illustrations of the concepts explained. There is a detailed explanation of a tissue fit as well. Again, I prefer Palmer/Pletsch's Fit for Real People because there are many more pictures and they are in color which helps highlight wrinkles in the tissues, etc. Like I said earlier, this section was a nightmare for me. After many measurements, slashes, and pivots, I had destroyed my pattern and was no closer to a nice fitting bodice. At this point, I simply skimmed the rest of the book and then shelved it. I haven't referred to it since.

The remaining chapters follow the same pattern as the above chapter: explanation of which adjustments to make first, what qualifies as a major or minor adjustment, diagrams to demonstrate whatever alteration method is recommended, and a couple pictures of the final muslin.
6. Fitting the Sleeve
7. Fitting the Skirt
8. Fitting Pants

9. Preserving and Using Your Personal Fitting Patterns
There is a nice figure showing you what a dolman vs raglan sleeve is, basque waist, princess seam, etc. The figure is very basic and leaves out quite a bit but this would be a good starting place for a beginner. This chapter also uses line drawings to demonstrate how you use your fitting pattern to make adjustments to your fashion patterns.

10.Using Your Personal Fitting Patterns as a Design Tool
This is a very basic attempt to show you that you can use your fitting pattern to design your own garment. I think the following 2 books do a much better job: Make Your Own Patterns by Rene Bergh and How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald McCunn.

11.Next Steps and New Directions
Appendix: Finding a Fitting Buddy
Annotated Bibliography

At this time, I don't think I would recommend this book to others. I have other books in my collection that cover fitting topics more comprehensively than this book.

Stitching but not sewing

2011-01-21T10:35:00.001-05:00

I've been crocheting like mad. At least I'm stitching something.

I got the brainy idea to make birthday presents for my sister and mother. Something has possessed me because I also wanted to make booties for my newest nephew.

These little booties were a lot harder to make than you would think. I still need to re-stitch the laces (too short) and make a second "star" for the right shoe.

I made these long wrist warmers for myself while trying to use up some really old acrylic yarn in my stash. The pattern is from Naturally Caron and it's called Memphis Fingerless Gloves. I made a ton of mistakes on one glove but I'm still pretty happy with them.

My sister loved them so I'm planning a pair for her. I'm also making a few other things for her but I can't go into detail now because occasionally she reads my blog.

Even though I still have several crochet projects planned, it is time to hit the sewing machine. I bought several pairs of pants from Eddie Bauer about a month ago. I haven't worn them because I haven't hemmed them. (Lazy, I know.) Well, the only 3 properly hemmed pants I own have officially shrunk from so much washing and drying. If I don't hem my newly acquired pants soon, I may be going pants-less! In Memphis, no one would probably bat an eye but I'd rather cover myself nonetheless.

Have a great weekend!

Spring 2011 patterns!!

2011-01-16T13:08:00.001-05:00

I've shown incredible restraint with the new patterns being released but with the release of Vogue patterns, I cannot control myself anymore. Simplicity and McCall's had some cute patterns but not much that I just HAD to have. When I received my Vogue patterns magazine 2 weeks ago, I got a glimpse of the new spring patterns and I've been stalking the Vogue website and all the Hancock's and JoAnn Fabric stores in town. WHEN WILL VOGUE PATTERNS BE IN THE STORES?!!!!

So here are my picks from Simplicity, McCall's and Vogue. I'm not going to post all the Vogue patterns that everyone else is drooling over. I only liked a few of them anyway but I did see some real gems in the rest of the line-up.

McCall's did have several cute patterns but most looked like patterns I already own. The latest Palmer & Pletsch is worth picking up though.

McCall's 6282

Despite the cute factor in all of the Cynthia Rowley designs, I don't see myself wearing any of them, except for #2857. There were many cute patterns in the Simplicity Spring 2011 release but these are the only ones I bought.

Simplicity 2248 (try this link for a better view)
I love the slimming effect of the midsection and the sleeve options.

Simplicity 2256 (better view)
I can't help it. I like the ruffled collar. I admit that with the wrong fabric, this jacket could go from cute and sassy to clown-ish.

Simplicity 2261 (better view)
I actually bought this one for the tee with pleated trim at the neck/shoulders.

My less popular Vogue picks are all very wearable and (hopefully) won't languish in my pattern drawer for years.

Vogue 8715
I love View B. The simple lines with the fullness in back.

Vogue 8718
I'm still on the fence about the jacket. The sleeves are great but the fullness of the peplum front may make my hips look even bigger. The lines of the shirt and dress are nice.

Vogue 8721
Another great Elizabeth Gillet design for shrugs and other eveningwear accessories. The deep silver/gray button-front jacket is gorgeous.

Vogue 8710
Even DH loves the striped long-sleeve top. I'm not a fan of the big sleeves on the short sleeve tops.

Vogue 8712
I would never wear these pants to work but the pull-on pants could be great for loungewear or even exercising. I'm weird. I don't like wearing shorts to exercise. I prefer capri length or long pants.

Vogue 8714
Definitely wear the jacket open. Just lovely.

Vogue 8722
I just might try to make some belts too!

I need more patterns like I need a broken-down car. I tried to curb this obsession but bottom line...they're cheap, they don't take up much space (at least they didn't until I bought hundreds of them), and I WANT them. Do you watch Hoarders on A&E? They need to start a reality show about people who craft. Come into our homes and find all our stashes of fabric, notions, patterns, books, yarn, etc. Our houses won't be messy. After all, messiness stifles creativity. But the sheer volume of stuff could be funny, embarassing, and a tad sad...just what reality TV is all about. Darn it. Now I need to find something to get rid of so I can make space for new patterns.

I have a blog?!!!

2011-01-04T07:39:00.002-05:00

I admit it. I gave up on the blog last fall because I was overwhelmed with school and had no sewing to blog about. Who wants to read about endless sewing ideas that never come to fruition? I've been sewing vicariously through all my internet sewing friends. Y'all have been quite productive and creative. Kudos to you!!

2011 is all about new things for me. New town, new job, new free time, new hobbies, new sewing knowledge, new sewing confidence...

I've struggled a lot over the last year with managing my time, maintaining my focus on my sewing tasks, and finding inspiration and confidence in my sewing abilities. How will I address this? I'm not going to make up a list of sewing resolutions. I did that last year and I failed miserably. I'm going back to the beginning. I have several comprehensive sewing books designed to teach someone how to sew. My favorites are the Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing and the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing. Each thoroughly explains the techniques and the Reader's Digest book lays out projects for you to practice the techniques. I'm going back to Sewing 101 to get back into the swing of sewing, develop some confidence and focus on my sewing...and to finally start chipping away at the fabric mountain that has been growing in my closet.

Over the holidays I picked up an old hobby again. (What?! She can't even manage the one hobby this blog is about. Now she has 2 hobbies!!--Yes, now I have 2 hobbies, soon to be 3. Sometimes you just need to be crafty and don't want to be limited to one craft.) I figured it would be easier to bring plastic crochet hooks and yarn on the plane than scissors, pins, needles, seam ripper, fabric and thread. The TSA is funny about sharp metal objects.

I crocheted a pair of long fingerless gloves during my holiday break (pictures coming soon). They are chock full of mistakes but I still love them. My sister has even asked for a pair for her birthday. I'm also crocheting baby Converse sneakers for my nephew. My third hobby will be knitting. I knitted one scarf many years ago. My stitches were so tight that the scarf rolled up and would never lie flat. I referred to it as the "noodle" over the years. I've since retired the "noodle" but still have a desire to learn how to knit beautiful sweaters to go with my sewn wardrobe.

Crocheting and knitting means joining the Ravelry crowd. LOVE that site! I wish sewers had a great site like that so we could easily catalog our books/patterns/fabrics. Ravelry is also where I found the best, most authentic-looking pattern for baby Converse sneakers. (When I find the pattern link again, I'll post it with credit for the author.)

So that is the update from my little corner of the web. Best wishes for a great year for all of you!!
--Julie

2010-12-19T09:26:00.001-05:00

That's me in 1994 at my high school graduation. It's not a great photo but it is a special photo. My high school graduating class was 600+. The ceremony was at a very large pavilion. I don't know how my father did it but he figured out which entrance the graduates would be entering from. He made his way through the huge crowd and secured a prime spot on the bleachers overlooking the graduate entrance. When I walked through the door following behind 500 other students, I immediately began looking for my family. I was overwhelmed by the huge crowd. I just happened to look up and see my father scanning the graduate processional looking for me. I yelled, "Dad!" Out of all the fathers standing on those bleachers looking for their son or daughter, only my father responded to the call for "dad." He snapped this photo. I later asked him how he heard me over all the noise. He said, "I know my little girl's voice." And now I'm tearing up all over again. My dad is awesome.

I graduated again for the 5th time on Saturday, December 18, 2010. This was a special one for me because I'm never attending college again. I know people say "never say never" but I'm saying it. I'm tired and still in debt with student loans. I'm NEVER attending college again. I didn't go to this graduation because I'm tired of college. I have 4 college degrees. My public service announcement for today is choose your college degree program wisely. Future employment opportunities are very important to consider, especially since lenders insist on being paid back, whether you find a good job or not.

The 2nd most positive thing about finishing my 4th degree (besides always being "in demand in the industry") is now I can spend all my free time sewing. I haven't sewn a single stitch since August! I was so in withdrawal over not having time to sew, I bought sewing books instead. I've acquired several out-of-print books, like Susan Khalje's Sewing with Knits. I also was lucky enough to locate the entire Singer Sewing Reference Library from one seller on eBay. That series is gold, by the way. Buy them if you can find them. The pictures may be out-of-date but the information is still very good and tons of ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

Looking forward to sharing some actual sewing progress with you in the future. In the meantime, best wishes for a happy holiday with your dearest family and friends.

(Flickr: Dr. Hemmert)
Be safe this holiday season. Borrow someone else's photo of their dressed up cat so you don't have to visit the emergency room yourself.

Weekend Project Part II...FINISHED!

2010-09-06T23:28:00.001-04:00

I have 317.875 yards of fabric (including linings) in my fabric stash.

(Flickr: pfaff)

I didn't include muslin or interfacing in this total. Is that cheating?

(Flickr: Ebonezar)

I found small stashes of fabric in just about every room of my home. I don't have a dedicated sewing space so keeping it all stashed in one place is impossible. I highly recommend that anyone with more than one fabric stash put together a fabric stash notebook. At least now I know what I have when I can't see it in the first place.

Get your fabric stash book at STITCH magazine!

Weekend project Part I

2010-09-04T13:43:00.002-04:00

Since Hurricane Earl completely trashed my Labor Day vacation plans, I'm staying in town and organizing my fabric stash. I've spent almost every evening for the past week paring down my pattern and fabric stash. I never realized how many duplicate patterns I had. I actually had 2 of some patterns and others are just so darn similar that I couldn't justify having 5 of the same style. I also found many pieces in my fabric stash that I still love but they just aren't flattering colors on me. Trying to be good and only keep fabrics that fit my colors. I've weeded out about 25% of my patterns and almost as much fabric. If you are a pattern and fabric hoarder like me, get yourself over to PatternReview to snatch up these goodies (I'll post the fabrics in the next few days). I'd rather sell them cheap to other addicts than sell them on eBay.

I haven't bought any fabric since February. (The Nashville Chanel fabric from June doesn't count. I was hanging with Susan Khalje and Helen Haughey. I HAD to buy fabric!) STITCH magazine has a neat fabric stash book for free download. It comes in 2 versions: 8-1/2 by 11 for binders and notecard size for storing on a ring. I love how the example fabric stash book has blank spaces. (snicker) Whose stash only has a few pieces in it?!! I also found several other great freebies: video tutorial for flat-felled seams and a fabric guide for silks. They also have some free ebooks and patterns. If you quilt, they have tons of freebies.

I love freebies...but not as much as I love patterns and fabrics!

Distractions...projects not Chanel

2010-08-22T11:05:00.001-04:00

I estimate that I've spent 60-70 hours on my Nashville Chanel and I'm still not done. I do work slowly but this is starting to feel like a marathon...without all the sweaty runners. I need a break. I also need some tops because I've become even bustier over the last 6 months. All my RTW tops are not exactly work-appropriate anymore.

I'm distracting myself with these projects:

Vogue 8392 view A in a white stretch poplin from Fabric.com

Vogue 1197 view A in a navy colored "slubby" single knit from Fabric.com

Butterick 5495 view C in a white "slubby" single knit

Butterick 5498 view A in the navy "slubby" single knit

Butterick 5525 view C front with view A sleeves in a teal and also a turquoise "slubby" single knit

Butterick 5328 view A in a turquoise stretch poplin from Fabric.com

Vogue 8391 view B in the white stretch poplin

Simplicity 2601 view D (pink shirt w/ cap sleeves and collar, no ruffle) in a white stretch poplin with turquoise floral embroidery from Fabric.com

There is the possibility that DH and I will be moving to a new home in the next 6 months and I dread the idea of packing up all my fabric. I decided to sew it up in bunches and the first pile I came across was the white/blues/greens purchase from Fabric.com. The "slubby" knit wasn't at all what I thought it would be but it is very lightweight and only $1.99/yard. The knit is so lightweight and sheer that it almost feels like one of my sister's beloved tissue tees from J.Crew. If so, they should be super comfortable in this dreaded Memphis heat. I have some knit linings from Lucy Fabrics (before she stopped selling fabric). I was planning to make some camis to wear under my blouses. The above projects and the camis would account for 28 yards...not even a drop in the bucket. Sigh. To further complicate things, my classes start up again on Monday. I'm taking twice as many credits this semester so I can graduate in December. Hmmm, might be packing up all that fabric after all. Ladies, don't stash fabric!! I store mine in these 6-shelf sweater organizers. One was so heavy it tore away from the hanger and fell on me yesterday. It was like wrestling with a 100-pound snake! I nearly threw out my back trying to stack it up against the wall. Who says sewing isn't dangerous?

How many types of sewing machine needles are there???

2010-08-17T16:50:00.001-04:00

I used to buy the Dritz Universal needles and use them for sewing any type of fabric. But that was before I discovered my love of silks and knits. Then I bought Dritz ballpoint needles. Great for knits but I was still looking for something more appropriate for my silks. Then I bought Schmetz Microtex. Perfect! But why are they so much more expensive than Dritz? Now I found Organ and Klasse needles online. And now I'm confused.

I understand that certain fabrics need certain types of needles. You should also buy needles based on the weight of the fabric. Got that too but what's with all the different brands of needles? Is any one really better than the other? I have Singer sewing machines. I know I don't need to buy the Singer branded needles but I don't know that the Schmetz I've been buying are any better than the Dritz. The Schmetz packaging is certainly nicer than the Dritz and more expensive...so they are better, right? Ugh....

I've searched high and low and it seems like it's a matter of what will work on your machine and what you like better. There doesn't seem to be a clear consensus except that Organ is cheaper with good quality, Schmetz is more expensive but easier to find, and everything else is a toss up. For instance, I still have a few Singer branded needles that came with my CG-590. The "denim" needle supplied with the machine works well and fits perfectly. The Schmetz "denim" needle won't even fit into the needle clamp...but it fits my Singer Esteem just fine and works great. So I guess you are just S.O.L. if you buy a needle that should fit and doesn't.

If anyone wants to sound off on this, please do because I'm lost. In the meantime, I guess I'll stick to my plan to buy Schmetz when they are 50% off at Hancock's and JoAnn's or buy Organ/Schmetz in bulk online. Why not buy the Dritz? The packaging just isn't as pretty. Weird, I know.

During my internet search, I did find several good references about sewing machine needles and even some good sources for bulk supplies. Enjoy!

For the history buffs...History of the Sewing Machine at the Museum of American Heritage
Threads magazine articles: Sewing Machine Needles--An Overview and Machine-Needle Know-How
Every possible Schmetz needle described: Schmetz ABC Pocket Guide
Description of Organ needle types by Diamond Needle Corp: Organ Needles
Stores selling needles in bulk (in no particular order):

AllBrands.com
Schmetz (more expensive but better selection)
Discount Embroidery Supply (can order less than 100 of each type)
CTS USA
Atlanta Thread & Supply Company

Book Review: Power Sewing by Sandra Betzina

2010-08-16T22:35:00.002-04:00

Power Sewing Step by Step by Sandra Betzina
Published in 2000, 232 pages, hardback

The chapter headings are by garment type: jacket, vest, skirt, pants, dress, etc.

There are quite a few pictures for each technique and a thorough explanation of the technique. If you can get past the outdated garments, you will find some great sewing techniques. Sandra credits Margaret Islander for several of the techniques described in the book. I actually liked those techniques the least. It makes me wonder if I would like any of the Margaret Islander techniques. My initial impression is that the Islander sewing techniques are geared towards fast results, not fine sewing. I used to be all for fast results but after Susan Khalje's couture sewing class, I have a real appreciation for the sometimes time-consuming couture sewing techniques. The results are just better in my opinion. But I digress.... I enjoyed many of the sewing techniques presented by Sandra Betzina.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Eliminating seams
Armhole gaposis fix (use crowding, pulling the bobbin thread, or apply fusible twill tape)
Lining vests/jackets/etc. without fashion fabric curling up (so the lining is exposed)
Many examples of cutting on the bias to fix certain problems with draping, fit, or edges curling
How to work with the feed dogs (keeps edges matched, easing, etc.)
Blocked shaping of pants legs
Underlining pants for a wrinkle-free look
Add extra fabric for a protruding tummy (ease into the waistband)
Why front & back inner leg seams are different lengths (pants will cup the booty nicer)
Zipper in a pants/skirt pocket
Petersham waist facing
Tailored waistband with elasticized back
Flat-fell seams on pants with in-seam pockets
Fixing the hip pocket on pants so they don't gape
Finding the most flattering grainline for your fabric and garment style (it's not always what the pattern suggests)
Faced hems
Add center front length and side seam width at bust only for better bust fit in knit tops
Stabilizing the neck in knit tops
Better shaped V-necklines
Adjusting the sleeve cap ease
Contoured shoulder pads
Accurate spacing of continuous button loops
Cornering with a twin needle
Block fusing to keep fused facings and fashion fabric the same length
Establishing roll-line memory in lapels or collars
Weighted hems

Sandra gives you charts for determining ease or adjustments in tops for various cup sizes. She has several great suggestions for making tops that fit better, now matter what your bust size is. Most of her interfacing recommendations are for Pellon products found easily in any Hancock's or JoAnn's fabric store. The resources section is very brief and somewhat outdated. For each garment category, the chapter starts with an outline of all the steps for constructing that garment. You'll never depend on the pattern instruction sheet again.

I definitely recommend this book. When I first flipped through it, I didn't think the book was worth keeping. I think I let the outdated garments turn me off. Look closer. There are many gems to be found here.

Wookie

2010-08-14T21:11:00.001-04:00

BEFORE

AFTER

(Chanel Fall 2010 RTW)

Have a nice weekend!

Progress on my faux-Chanel jacket, aka "Nashville Chanel"

2010-08-02T17:42:00.002-04:00

I've made some progress (and some oops) on my classic French jacket I started in Susan Khalje's Couture Sewing class in Nashville this past June.

(I still haven't made a properly fitting cover for my Uniquely You dress form so don't judge the fit of the jacket.)

My bust point sits quite a bit higher than the torpedo bust on this foam dress form. Who knew something on my body was still perky?!

Something became obvious to me on the dress form...my side front panels don't match the pattern direction on all the other jacket sections.

My right front (your left) is the worst side. Do you see how crooked that is?!!

My left front (your right)

This is disappointing but I've got bigger problems if someone on the street is staring at my chest close enough to notice.

I cleaned up the neck and shoulder seams first. This involves tons of pinning to line up the turned in edges.

The neck was so much easier than the armscyes, however. For the first armscye, I used the ham to help me smooth out the shape with pins and then close with fell stitches.

When I checked the finished look of the lining armscye, the dress form once again revealed crookedness.

Turns out matching up the lining edges and pinning together while on the dress form will yield a much nicer armscye shape.

Well, at least it's on the inside.

Next up is the center front edges. I need to attach the hook and eye closures while I'm doing that. My boucle seems to have a much looser weave than others so I was worried about pulling/stretching. The lining is supposed to hide most of the hook or eye so you only attach the hook or eye to the boucle. I found a neat tip in Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide: insert fusible web between the folded boucle edges. Hmm, that might work! More updates later.

Hand Stitches: Overcast, Blind Catchstitch, Cross Your Hand

2010-08-02T17:09:00.002-04:00

Prepare to giggle at my expense. I wish I could make the insides of my garment look as pretty as the outside but life's too short to fuss over tiny details. My name is Julie and my hand-stitching looks like a 5 year-old did it. Well, 5 years times 6...and a half.

I realize many aficionados of the sewing arts already know about waxing thread but I wanted to share the pros of beeswax with all. When I learned how to sew, I was taught the very basics which included cutting many corners and not one iota of information about hand sewing. This is why my hand stitches always look amateurish and why I hate sewing unless it involves a machine. Correction, hated sewing without a machine. I've failed to complete so many projects because it required a hem to be hand sewn or a button to be hand sewn. I've cursed and thrown things, all because of twisted, tangled, knotted thread.

I bought some beeswax in preparation for Susan Khalje's sewing class. Flip the package over and there are no instructions about how to use the beeswax. So the following video shows you how to melt the beeswax and I had a "duh" moment. Hand sewing is no longer a huge pain in the you-know-where. It's actually kind of relaxing.

Wax the thread first! (Fast forward to 45 seconds in this video). You'll never curse thread again.

So I was feeling pretty impressed with myself and decided it was time to learn some proper hand stitches. First up is the overcast stitch. I generally use my sewing machine to zig zag the edges to keep them from raveling. Sadly I was on a business trip sans sewing machine and in need of a hem for three pairs of pants. I did a single row of overcast stitches on the raw hem edges of all 3 pairs of pants.

This pair of pants below has been through the washer and dryer twice since I hemmed them so I'd say I did a pretty good job of keeping the raw edges from raveling.

My overcast stitches were running vertically, instead of slanted so I hold the needle with my right hand and use my left thumb (just to the right side of the thread) to guide the thread to a slanted angle. Claire Shaeffer recommends a second row of overcasting in the opposite direction for heavier materials. This technique is called the "cross your hand" stitch and should look like a row of "X" stitches. I stress should look like an "X."

Hmmm...not exactly right and also a waste of effort on this particular weight of cotton twill so I didn't bother trying this on the rest of the pants.

I had much better luck with the blind catchstitch. I like invisible hem stitches and the blind catchstitch also provides some stretch in the hem.

(Sorry about the cat hair. Darn cats!)

For details about the function of these stitches and how to do them, check this out:
Hand Stitches (University of Kentucky)

"Cross your hand" may not be my thing but I can do a mean fell stitch!

Window shopping

2010-07-23T16:13:00.001-04:00

Darn it, I bought Vogue patterns. (banging head on desk) But I really needed these...honest.

I've been sewing (and shopping) over the past weeks but my pics are at home so I'll post more later. What have I been working on? My Chanel-style jacket, of course! So I've been hot and cold with my sewing lately. It dawned on me earlier this week that my closets are full of uncompleted projects...cardigans with no buttons, pants with no hems, and stuff that was supposed to be something but it's been so long I don't know what the heck I was making it for. No more unfinished projects! (Anyone care to take bets on how long this resolution lasts?) I desperately need pants but I want to finish my Chanel-inspired jacket before the summer is over. I'm going to work on that jacket everyday until I finish. I'm making great progress but I have to push on or it will languish in my closet for 6 months. And DH will never let me hear the end of it. I can't decide if the thrill of finishing the jacket or the desire not to be nagged by DH is pushing me along.

I couldn't bring my jacket and all the necessary sewing notions with me on my trip so I brought other unfinished projects. I've been hemming 3 pairs of semi-crappy pants (bought at Target out of desperation). I could've knocked these out in one evening but I wanted to work on hand stitching. So I've been perfecting the overcast stitch and blind catchstitch. I'm still working on the "cross your hand" (overcast again but opposite direction). My "cross your hand" stitches look more like "crazy with the needle" stitching. Yes, I'll embarass myself and post pics of my hideous hand stitching...but later.

I enjoy shopping and I enjoy enabling so for those that didn't already know, Claire Shaeffer has a 2-DVD set coming in late August, Couture Techniques Workshop Basics. You can pre-order now. I'm certain these DVDs will be a great addition to my sewing library as I am currently enjoying her book, Couture Sewing Techniques.

Happy shopping!

Where do I begin?

2010-07-10T10:59:00.001-04:00

It's been a crazy month but I'm back. I attended the opening of a haute couture fashion exhibit in Nashville, wrecked my car, attended Susan Khalje's week-long sewing school, partially finished a classic French jacket (faux-Chanel), bought a new car, and went on vacation...twice.

I didn't post much initially because I was trying to finish Nancy's muslin before my trip to Nashville for a 6-day couture sewing workshop. Wednesday as I'm driving home from work thinking about errands to run, a white Lexus appears out of nowhere headed for my passenger side front bumper. Next thing I know, I'm upside down skidding across the road. My car's totaled and now I'm making car payments again because some kid was chatting on her cell phone while driving rather than watching for traffic.

I'm currently looking for a bumper sticker that says, "Hang up the phone!" Seriously, when did we become so obsessed with these things that you can't even make a 5-minute drive without calling someone. I challenge everyone to spend just one day not using your cell phone in any way while you are driving (this includes sitting at stop lights). I'm amazed at how badly people drive and I never noticed because I was on my phone, playing with the radio or eating/drinking. Once you turn your full attention to the road, you will discover what a scary thing driving is. (stepping off soap box)

Nancy's muslin wasn't ready for the start of class on Monday so I started from scratch on a Chanel-style jacket for myself. $550 in fabric/notions later and this is what I've finished so far.

By the end of the class, I was at the point where I needed to clean up the shoulder seams.

Here are my fabrics up close:

I've always wanted to make this type of jacket for myself; even planned one for a sewing contest last winter. I'm glad I got the benefit of making one with face-to-face instruction from someone who can do these in her sleep. Here's a look at some awesome buttons and trim I found for this jacket. (The trim is actually 2 trims that will overlap.)

I think it's so cool that I found buttons with a design that matches the weave of the fabric.

I enjoyed Susan Khalje's class for many reasons. You will learn about other techniques not included in your project. I'm a visual learner and some of the couture techniques I've read about were difficult to understand. Now I understand exactly how to use these techniques. I also learned some hand stitches. So much better than my usual make-it-up-as-I-go method. It was also great to meet other TN-area sewers. Sometimes I think I'm the only person in Memphis that sews clothing. It was really nice to get a fitting from someone else. DH is terribly patient while I bark orders at him as he pins my bodices but they never seem quite right. Now I have a great muslin pattern with shoulder princess seams that I can use to alter any paper pattern. DH was thrilled when I told him the news.

I finally got to see inside Textile Fabrics. I didn't end up buying any fabric there because: (1) I was overwhelmed by the selection, (2) I had already seen the perfect boucle for my project from Helen's stash, and (3) I just didn't see anything I wanted--did it finally happen? Am I officially fabric-overloaded? By the way, the owner of Textile Fabrics is very generous. Several people in the class needed additional supplies for their projects but we didn't want to sacrifice class time to shop (class ended at 5:30 pm and the store closes at 6 pm). The owner agreed to stay open late for us so we wouldn't lose any class time.

Ramble alert! I think I'm pattern-overloaded as well. I've looked at the new McCall's and Simplicity early Autumn collections and I couldn't find a single thing I wanted. Probably a good thing because my pattern drawers are packed to the max.

Anyway, I haven't worked on my jacket since returning home 3 weeks ago. Last night DH wanted to know why I haven't worked on the jacket? He wants to know if I've lost interest and won't finish it. I could've slapped him. I've been on the phone with car salesmen, insurance agents and banks for 2 weeks. What spare time I did have was devoted to catching up with my course work for my degree. What have you been so busy with? (As if he didn't know.) I've been busy trying to find this:

I've never had to work so hard to spend money in my whole life. I called 5 dealerships before I finally found someone willing to make me a decent deal and then we had to drive 3.5 hours to get the car. In the end I'm very happy with the result and even happier to put this whole wreck behind me.

Another ramble! My best advice for car buying (if you want to buy something off the lot) is to do tons of internet research on the MSRP and dealer invoice prices, all the hidden fees and then search the inventories of all the dealerships within a reasonable driving distance. Contact their internet sales managers and play the "can you match the deal I just got" game until you get a price you can live with. Get the buyer's order written up before you go so there are no surprises when you show up to pay for the car. Apologies to any car salespeople reading this but offering me MSRP and acting like I'm stealing from you is extremely infuriating.

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Latest pattern haul

2010-06-04T00:52:00.003-04:00

I've been buying patterns here and there for the last month. I need more patterns like I need more fabric...but that doesn't stop the patterns from calling to me. I have managed to not buy any fabric for several months now.

Quite possibly my favorite acquisition is Butterick 5498 from the Summer 2010 collection.

McCall 6111 is meant to be a summer dress but I'm too modest to wear this out in public. This would, however, be a cute summer nightgown.

McCall 5712 is OOP but I was able to get it cheap from a fellow PatternReview member.

McCall 5670, also OOP, is not normally something I would like but this could be a great loose top to wear when I feel like a fat, lazy, bloated mess. (Don't judge. You know you have those days too.)

I've been a fan of Maggy London prints and the Butterick patterns for some time. I finally caved and bought #5455.

I stumbled across this OOP Vogue (#8266) while searching for another Vogue OOP. This has the potential to age me but I can't get the vision of a black pants suit out of my mind.

Vogue 8531 is a great example of wearing summer clothes in the winter as well.

My shopping didn't stop with these patterns but an addict always tries to hide at least some of the evidence!

Inspiration

2010-06-01T23:23:00.002-04:00

I have a problem when it comes to sewing. I have lots of great ideas (at least I think they are great) but fear of messing up the fabric holds me back. I don't mean expensive fabric, ANY fabric. I hate to waste things. Messing up fabric because I didn't plan the garment correctly or I made silly mistakes along the way...fear, plain and simple. It took me 5 months to work up the courage to cut into my lace and satin fabrics for my wedding dress. It took me almost a month to cut into the muslin for Nancy's dress. Normally I don't mind messing up muslin but Nancy paid for the muslin. The dress pattern was very different from anything else I've used so I was afraid of making mistakes.

On the flip side when I finally ignore the fear and dive into a project, I love my finished garment even if the fit isn't ideal or the fabric doesn't behave the way I thought it would. I made up four V-neck, button front, double knit cardigans in January. The armholes are too big and I didn't do a FBA so the cardigans pull across my bust in a weird way. The rayon-poly blend double knit fabric has lost it's silky feel and started pilling due to all the wash and wear. Basically, they aren't that great but the cardigans are my first knit garments in almost 20 years. Knits always scared me before and now I think I prefer them.

As for Nancy's muslin, it looked like an amateur mess last night. The side back panel was almost 4 inches too long to ease into the center back seam. The armholes were HUGE. The bustle was a big lump of fabric. I became so stressed that I didn't even sew the skirt or add the top skirt pieces to the bodice. I did work up the courage to bring my muslin disaster to Nancy's house this evening for a fitting. I armed myself with my Palmer & Pletsch Fit for Real People book, tons of pins, scissors and all my favorite marking tools. Nancy didn't even bat an eye when I pulled out the crappy muslin. I put it on her and acted like I knew what I was doing. After 5 minutes, I found my direction and went to work. I'm still patting myself on the back. That muslin may need a ton of alterations but it actually looked good on her when I was done pinning. I might actually be able to pull this off! I left Nancy's house anxious to get home and start ripping the muslin apart. (That didn't happen due to a number of errands on the way home but I'm still looking forward to working on the muslin tomorrow night.)

The point of this rambling post is fear will hold you back with your sewing. Fear will not help you improve your skills and confidence. Fear only results in a closet full of fabrics, patterns and unrealized potential. If you didn't read the career advice article on Threads today, check it out. Kenneth King's comment really hit home with me.

"Perfectionism is a disease, and a form of fear."

I can't say I won't still have fear but I will try to be more fearless. Most of the fabrics in my stash were a steal anyway. What am I really losing if I take a chance and mess up? Or more importantly, what am I losing if I don't take a chance at all?

Fabrics for Nancy's dress

2010-05-29T12:51:00.001-04:00

I think I'm so indecisive about this dress because it's the first time I've made anything for someone else. I'm starting to doubt my choices. Let me back up to 2 weeks ago when I started getting all the fabric samples.

Just a reminder...this is the dress,

with this neckline (pleated partial collar with lace trim fully outlining the V-neck),

and these are the suggested fabrics.

Nancy wants a blue dress, originally all solid, until I found some pics of great striped polonaises. I called several stores, including the store in Nashville where Susan Khalje will take us shopping (did I mention I'm taking a sewing vacation this summer? Susan Khalje's week-long couture sewing session!!!). I asked specifically for lightweight cottons and silks (gave them a list of fabrics) in blue, suitable for a polonaise, "fine" fabrics, preferably 57-60 inches wide, no more than $17/yard, in solids or wide stripes and NOT shirting fabrics.

My first batch of samples came from Textile Fabrics in Nashville, where we will take our shopping trip for the class. Let me just say this process was extremely easy, the samples were generous in size and quantity with enough fabric and price information, they were thoughtful in their selections, fast turnaround and best of all, the samples were FREE. The store also carries the Buckaroo Bobbins pattern line so I could tell them exactly which pattern I was using. This is what they sent me.

Several of the samples are overlapping but from top to bottom they are:

Light blue cotton lawn, 45", $15.98/yard
Light blue satin batiste, 45", $18.98/yard
Light blue cotton batiste, 45", $18.98/yard (this one is kinda folded over the first dark sample)
Black-navy swiss dot cotton, 57", $18.98/yard
Navy silk satin chiffon, 45", $18.98/yard
Royal bluish China silk, 45", $12.98/yard
Light blue silk/cotton satin, 45", $19.98/yard
Royal blue rayon gaberdine, 57", $26.98/yard
Navy rayon gaberdine, 57", $26.98/yard

That's right, folks. They sent me nine samples, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches wide by 8 inches long, for FREE. Several fabrics weren't right for Nancy's dress (#5 chiffon--wrong material and #1-3 are so light colored that they are too sheer). Nancy and I vetoed #7 (the blue is too light on her), #4 (black-navy is also not a good color on her), and #8-9 (too expensive). #6 china silk is the only viable option but at 45 inches wide, we would need 13+ yards. Nancy's budget is $300 for fabric and notions. It's probably doable but I might have to go cheaper on the lace trim. Anyway, the #6 royal blue china silk is an option.

Seeing and feeling these fabrics from Textile Fabrics has me worried that the $600 I had saved for some personal shopping won't be enough. Most of these samples were simply beautiful. I'm loving the rayon gaberdines in particular. I've GOT to have them! So I head over to their website to grab the link to include in this post and what do I see? A month-long sale!!!

Shop the Early Bird Sale June 1st - 26th!
All fabric is 50% off and all remnants are 75% off.

Are you kidding me?!!! I will have to find a shopping buddy with incredible self-restraint or I'm doomed. I just spoke with one of the staff and she giggled at my excitement. They must do this every summer. If you are shopping in Textile Fabrics in June and a short brunette grabs fabric from your hands, please forgive her. She doesn't have access to good fabric so this shopping excursion has brought out the worst in her.

Next up is Banksville Designer Fabrics. They have a sample club of $10 for 36 samples. I've read several reviews that indicated the best way to order samples is by phone and that the samples are free in the future if you buy from them every so often. Anyway, I paid for the sample club online with PayPal. Never received a confirmation so after a few days I called them to place an order. The rep was a little short with me, like she was super busy, but she stated she knew exactly what I needed and wouldn't send any shirting materials. Everyone else raves about this store so I was hopeful. This is what they sent:

Your eyes do not deceive you. There are striped shirting fabrics included in this packet that I paid for. The samples are generous in size, at least 2 inches wide by 10 or more inches long. From top to bottom, this is what they sent:

Blue "cotton" (no other description), 56", $7.99/yard
Another blue cotton, 56", $7.99/yard
Royal blue cotton, 56", $7.99/yard
Darker royal blue, almost navy silk caddy, 45", $22.99/yard
Jewel tone turquoise-like silk charmeuse, 45", $16.99/yard
"Silk" white with light blue stripes, 54", $22.99/yard (this one looks like lining material)
White multi-colored striped cotton , 60", $12.99/yard (linen-look)
Medium blue with stripes cotton (aka shirting), 60", $8.99/yard
Light blue with dark blue stripes cotton (another shirting), 60", $8.99/yard

I'm annoyed. No other way to describe it. They wasted one-quarter of my sample allowance on stuff that both the rep and I agreed I couldn't use. #1 and #2 are not high-quality cottons. #3 is better but still not high-quality. #4 is too heavy to wear 13 yards worth, feels like polyester, and is way above my price range. #5 is beautiful, wouldn't mind having some for myself but the color is wrong for Nancy and too much sheen. #6 is a joke. It's lining material at best and so incredibly sheer. #7 is linen-look for a summer dress. #8 and #9 just piss me off. I specifically said "no shirtings" and then the rep said all the striped blue fabrics they had were probably shirtings so I said "don't send them." The only samples that they should have sent were #5 and #3. I can see throwing #4 into the mix if you are desperate but none of these other samples should have been included.

My initial impressions of Banksville aren't good but I will probably request other samples because (1) I paid for them, and (2) everyone else raves about this place. I'll probably request wool coatings, suitings, and boucles in the future...way off future.

Next up is Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics. I requested my samples via email, had a personal email response from the owner by the end of the day and a phone call from the rep filling my request before the owner even had a chance to respond. Very quick response but not much to offer. Granted my project is pretty specific but they were honest about what limited choices they had to offer me. We agreed upon 3 free samples of solid blue silks.

I tried to blow these up to help you see them better but the fact of the matter is they are only 1/2-inch wide by 10 inches long. By the time I spoke with Stonemountain & Daughter, my request had become more specific to include "no baby blues or black-navy."

Teal silk jacquard, 36", $15.00/yard
Steel blue silk dupioni, 44", $14.00/yard
Teal/burnt red silk dupioni, 44", $14.00/yard

I hate silk dupioni. Don't ask why. I just don't like it. The silk jacquard would be nice for a Vogue pattern I have but not for Nancy's dress. All 3 samples have too much body to work for this dress. Oh well. I'd give them another try though because they were very nice. Plus I've never found a fabric I like for Vogue 1026 so I might just have to order this silk jacquard.

At this point, I was losing hope that I would find a nice blue stripe for Nancy's polonaise so I decided to focus on solids. I went back to A Frayed Knot and bought several 1/8-yard pieces of fabrics I liked. Option #1 is light blue with white stripe cotton jacquard, 60", $12.00/yard. I pictured this as the bodice/bustle portion and a coordinating navy for the skirt. The white stripes have a slight sheen to them and it's just lovely in person.

Option #2 is a royal blue with purple sheen cotton "Lavinia" dobby, 60", $10.50/yard. I would use this for the entire dress. The purple sheen is lost in this picture but Nancy and I thought it was cool.

Option #3 is a blue floral cotton, 60", $13.50/yard for the bodice/bustle and a darker blue with lighter blue undertones for the skirt, 60", $12.50/yard. Nancy hated the floral and wasn't fond of the solid blue either.

Nancy and I agreed on option #1. Without a sheen in the white stripes, this fabric probably could have passed for a shirting but the sheen dresses it up. I'm also looking forward to playing with the stripes directionally on the sleeves and upper skirt edges. I went ahead and bought the 4-1/2 yards for the bodice/bustle. If Susan Khalje looks at it and disagrees with our plan, Textile Fabrics might still have some fabrics for me to try (and at half price!). I can just use the yardage I've already bought for a blouse and some yummy-feeling pajamas. I haven't found a suitable navy to coordinate with so Helen Haughey is looking for me. She's coming to the class and bringing some fabrics with her.

Gotta tell you...I'm exhausted. From finding samples, discussing with Nancy, and then my own deliberations about what would really work, I'm freakin' tired. I haven't even told you about my exhaustive search for buttons and laces yet. I'll save that for another post. Nancy's fitting is on Tuesday so I need to finish cutting out the muslin.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and don't forget to thank soldiers, both past and present, for their service to our country. Trust me, they appreciate hearing it.

Sewing articles, links and tutorials

2010-05-20T16:59:00.042-04:00

Terminology
Glossary of Fashion & Fabric Terms at Kohls
Glossary of Fabric Terms at Kwik Sew
Glossary of Sewing Terms at Kwik Sew
Glossary of Sewing Machine Terms at Kwik Sew

Sewing Organizations
Association of Sewing and Design Professionals

Sewing Machine Maintenance & Repair
Checklist of Common Machine Troubles at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Sewing Machine Maintenance at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
YouTube videos by robgolmsted:

Sewing Accessories & Notions
Hand Sewing Needle Guide 22.110 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Foot Fetish in Australian Stitches (presser feet article)
Sewing Machine Needle Charts 22.115 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Singer Presser Feet

Magazines
Australian Stitches
Sew News
SewStylish
Threads

Workshops
Academy of Fine Sewing and Design with Kathryn Brenne in Canada
Alterations for Professionals with Linda Stewart
Bra Making with Anne St. Clair of Needle Nook Fabrics
Fashion Design classes with Sarah Veblen in Maryland
Fashion Education Group with CG Garment Designs in Vermont
Couture Sewing School with Susan Khalje
Palmer/Pletsch workshops in Oregon
Sit and Sew with Kenneth King and Susan Khalje

Free Patterns and Tutorials
Purses & Totes
DIY Bag Lover

Vintage
The Costumer's Manifesto (design, pattern drafting, supplies, etc.)
Sense & Sensibility (books, patterns, many links for costume research, other patterns and fabrics)
Vintage Sewing (online books, dressmaking, sewing, pattern design, glovemaking, millinery)
Vintage Victorian (1880's-1900's day and evening fashion)

Fabrics
Working with:
Border Prints by UK Clothing & Textiles
Embellished Fabrics Part I and Part II by Susan Khalje at Threads
Interfacing by UK Clothing & Textiles
Plaids by UK Clothing & Textiles
Sheer Fabrics by UK Clothing & Textiles
Sheer Success in Australian Stitches (sewing sheer fabrics)
Slippery Fabrics by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Soft Fluid Fabrics by UK Clothing & Textiles
Stripes by UK Clothing & Textiles

Fabric Types:
Selecting Interfacings, Underlinings and Linings (chart for fabric types) at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Sewing Guides by Shannon Gifford at Emma One Sock (history, pretreatment, suggested needles & thread, sewing instructions, interfacing suggestions and suggested fabric uses for TONS of fabrics)

Cashmere by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Fleece by UK Clothing & Textiles
Knits by UK Clothing & Textiles
Linen by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Velvet (stretch) by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Wool Gabardine by Candlelight Valley Fabrics

Fabric Care
Pressing Pointers at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Pressing Techniques by UK Clothing & Textiles
Ohio State University OhioLine has the following articles:

Hand washing Wool by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Stain Index from A to Z by MU Extension
Steam Pressing Dry Clean Only Fabrics by Candlelight Valley Fabrics
Quick Stain Removal Guide at Texas A&M Cooperative Extension

Sewing Techniques
Buttons & Buttonholes
Bound Buttonhole by UK Clothing & Textiles
Buttons & Buttonholes by UK Clothing & Textiles
Machine Buttonholes Made Easy at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Machined Buttonholes in Australian Stitches

Collars & Lapels
Collars by UK Clothing & Textiles
Lapels Made Easy by UK Clothing & Textiles

Fitting & Alterations
Measuring and Basic Pattern Alterations by Kwik Sew (instructions for measuring yourself, measuring pattern pieces, incorporating ease into measurements, and how to do basic pattern alterations)
Pattern Alterations at Texas A&M Cooperative Extension (all kinds of fitting issues)
Simple Pattern Innovations 18.230 at Sewing & Craft Alliance (eliminating & adding seams)

Hand Sewing
Diagonal and Slip Basting 15.240 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Hand Stitches by UK Clothing & Textiles
Hand Stitches 22.140 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Otis College of Art and Design YouTube videos:
Stitching Techniques for the Tailored Jacket (waxing the thread, basting, tailor tacks, diagonal basting, thread tracing, prick stitching, catchstitch, padstitch)

Linings
Jacket & Coat Linings Made Easy by UK Clothing & Textiles
Jacket Linings in Australian Stitches
Selecting & Using Supportive Fabrics by UK Clothing & Textiles
Skirt Linings by UK Clothing & Textiles

Pockets
Hip Pocket in Australian Stitches (pants back pocket)
Jetted Pockets in Australian Stitches
Patch Pockets by UK Clothing & Textiles
Patch Pockets Part I (18.210) and Part II (18.211) at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Slot Pockets by UK Clothing & Textiles
Welt Pockets (standing) by UK Clothing & Textiles
Welt Pocket with Flap by UK Clothing & Textiles
Winning Welts in Australian Stitches

Seams, Hems & Finishing Edges
Bobbinwork 17.225 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Blindhem machine stitch 16.120 at Sewing & Craft Alliance (includes advanced techniques)
Darts, Ease, Gathers, Pleats, Shirring & Tucks by UK Clothing & Textiles
Facings by UK Clothing & Textiles
Hems by UK Clothing & Textiles
Hems at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Quitting Clipping! (alternative to trimming seam allowances to reduce bulk) in Australian Stitches
Machine Blind Hem in Australian Stitches
Pebble Piping (decorative binding) in Australian Stitches
Pintucking 17.222 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Seams & Seam Finishes by UK Clothing & Textiles
Splitting Seams (reducing bulk) in Australian Stitches
Weighted Hems 12.360 at Sewing & Craft Alliance

Sleeves
Continuous Lap Sleeve Placket 12.340 at Sewing & Craft Alliance
Sewing Sleeves (types of sleeves, methods for sewing all types) at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Sleeve Plackets & Bands at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service
Sleeve Savvy by UK Clothing & Textiles (types of sleeves, methods for sewing all types)

Swimwear
Sewing Swimwear by Kwik Sew

Tailoring
Jacket Making part I and part II in Australian Stitches
Mens Trouser Finishing Touches in Australian Stitches
Tailoring jackets by UK Clothing & Textiles
Blissful Bonding (interfacing basics) in Australian Stitches

Waistbands
Waistline Stay by UK Clothing & Textiles
Waistline Treatments by UK Clothing & Textiles

Zippers
Hand Zipper Application by UK Clothing & Textiles
Insert Zipper with Bag Pocket by UK Clothing & Textiles
Trouser Fly in Australian Stitches
Zippers by UK Clothing & Textiles
Zippers Made Easy at New Mexico State Univ. Cooperative Extension Service

Lucy's Fabrics Close-out sale

2010-05-17T06:40:00.001-04:00

Don't worry. Lucy's Fabrics isn't going out of business but she is getting rid of her fabrics and will just sell trims in the future. It's a shame because I like her linings and have bought several nice knits from her in the past. Click here for details of what's on sale. Bonus: Save 30% off a fabric order of $100+ and as always, free shipping on orders over $75.

Favorite Shops for Fabrics & Supplies

2010-05-03T14:46:00.087-04:00

A little more blog clean-up....

Threads Magazine Online Shopping and Resource Guide

Trims
Allbrands.com has lace trims
CheepTrims.com
M & J Trimmings
Simplicity
Sew Sassy has lingerie & bra items

Accessories/Notions
Allbrands.com has Schmetz needles (100 ct) and Presser Feet
B. Black & Son has fine hand sewing needles, tailoring supplies, basting thread, pressing aids, pattern paper & basic buttons
Button Drawer unfortunately has a limited return policy but huge selection
Fashion Patterns by Coni has patternmaking books/DVDs and supplies
Greenberg & Hammer has wax-free tracing paper, hard-to-find needles, interfacings & closures
Sew Sassy has lingerie & bra items

Interfacing
B. Black & Son has hymo and 60" interfacings
Fabric Depot has PerfectFuse interfacings
Fashion Sewing Supply

Books & DVDs
BookCloseouts.com
Bramcost Publications has vintage sewing books

Vintage
Wearing History has reproduction vintage patterns
EvaDress has patterns from 1800's to 1950's
Vintage Fashion Library has patterns (1880's to 1970's) and books
Vintage Pattern Lending Library has patterns from 1860's to 1980's
Vintage Sewing Patterns Directory is not a store but a list of stores selling vintage patterns
Bramcost Publications has vintage sewing/fashion books
Vintage Victorian has vintage fashion books

FABRICS

Emma One Sock
Fabric.com
Fabric Mart
Fabrications (good selection of basics: cottons, silks, denim, wools and knits; also eco-friendly wool wash)
Gorgeous Fabrics
Mood Designer Fabrics
ThunderLily has great cotton prints, silks and wool fabrics
Vogue Fabrics
Waechter's Fine Fabrics

Knits
Bamboo Fabric Store
Sew Baby has cotton terry, jersey, and sweatshirt fleece

Sew Sassy
Spandex House has any fabric with stretch, including moisture-wicking

Trim Fabric has double knits and jerseys
Wazoodle has sweatshirt fleece and Bamboo knits

Wools
B. Black & Sons (many types & cashmere too)
Dollar Fabric has wool crepe

Fabrics.net
Michael's Fabrics (wool blends)

Cottons
5BucksaYard.com has quilting cottons
AK Fabrics has stretch polished cottons
Allbrands.com has Fabric Finders and Bearissima Swiss Batiste
Atlantis Fabrics has seersuckers, organic cottons, madras and patchwork madras
Contemporary Cloth has cheap high quality quilter's cottons
Fabrics on Mill Street has limited selection of high quality basics and prints
GotFabric.com has Hawaiian prints
International Fabric Collection has sateens
Michael's Fabrics has high quality cottons
Sew Baby has nice quilter's wovens

Silks
Delectable Mountain Cloth also offers sample packs
Fabrics.net
Fabrics on Mill Street has limited selection of basics

Michael's Fabrics (silk blends)
Thai Silks

Denim
Lura's Fabric Shop has stretch denim and twill

Linings
B. Black & Sons--menswear linings and Bemberg
Dollar Fabric has best price for Bemberg
Fabrications has some Bemberg
The Sewing Place has Bemberg
Vogue Fabrics has Bemberg

Linens
Grayline Fabrics

Outerwear
B. Black & Sons has wool coatings
Haberman Fabrics charges $5 per 5 swatches
Mill Direct Textiles has Polartec and swatch kits
Rockywoods Fabrics has Polartec, Thinsulate, athletic mesh, board shorts fabric/patterns, wickaway, waterproof breathable & sun protective
Seattle Fabrics has Gore-tex, fleece, wicking fabrics, sample packs

Prepared for Dyeing
Dharma Trading Co.
Exotic Silks

Swatching Service
Banksville Designer Fabrics has a swatch club of 36 samples for $10
Britex Fabrics charges $10 for each swatch request
Fishman's Fabrics
Linton Tweeds
Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics
Textile Fabrics offers free swatches, generous in size and wide variety of fabrics, fast turnaround

My Colors!!

2010-04-28T00:37:00.001-04:00

Today I received my colors from StyleMakeovers.com. I'm a "clear winter." I can't wait to go shopping with my swatch book in hand.

A full swatch set is about $60 from most sellers. I opted for this $25 version instead. The swatches are smaller but the carrying case is handy.

Wish List Sewing References

2010-04-28T00:11:00.003-04:00

Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear by Roberto Cabrera

Designer Bead Embroidery: 150 Patterns and Complete Techniques by Kenneth D. King

Draping for Apparel Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong

Full Busted? Sew Clothes that Fit DVD

Jackets for Real People by Alto, Neall & Palmer

Making Your Own Dress Patterns by Adele Margolis

Singer Instructions for Art Embroidery and Lace Work

Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket (similar to Singer's old Tailoring book)

The Fashion Designer's Directory of Shape and Style: Over 500 Mix-and-Match Elements for Creative Clothing Design

On My Shelf

2010-04-28T00:08:00.018-04:00

Adventures with Polarfleece: A Sewing Expedition by Nancy Cornwell

Altering Women's Ready-to-Wear by Mary Roehr

Altering Men's Ready-to-Wear by Mary Roehr

Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje

The Business of Teaching Sewing by Pati Palmer and Marcy Miller

Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaeffer

Couture: The Art of Fine Sewing by Roberta Carr

Customize Your Sewing Patterns for a Perfect Fit by Mary Morris & Sally McCann

De-Mystifying Fit by Lynda Maynard

Dress Cutting: Instructions and Illustrations for Sewing 26 Vintage 1930s Fashions by Margaret Ralston

Easy Guide to Sergiing Fine Fabrics by Kitty Benton

Easy Guide to Sewing Jackets by Cecelia Podolak

Easy Guide to Sewing Linings by Connie Long

Easy Guide to Sewing Pants by Lynn MacIntyre

Easy Guide to Sewing Skirts by Marcy Tilton

Easy Guide to Sewing Tops & T-shirts by Marcy Tilton

Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques by Nancy Bednar & JoAnn Pugh-Gannon

Fabric Sewing Guide by Claire Shaeffer

Fashion Sewing for Everyone by Adele Margolis

Fashionable Clothing from the Sears Catalogs: Mid-1930s by Tammy Ward

Fashions of the Thirties: 476 Authentic Copyright-free Illustrations by Carol Belanger Grafton

Fine Machine Sewing by Carol Laflin Ahles

Fit for Real People: Sew Great Clothes Using ANY Pattern by Pati Palmer & Marta Alto

Fit for Real People: Basics DVD

Fitting & Pattern Alteration: A Multi-Method Approach to the Art of Style Selection, Fitting, and Alteration by E. Liechty, J. Rasband, and D. Pottberg-Steineckert

Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57 by Claire Wilcox

High-Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers by Claire Shaeffer

How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald McCunn

Jackets for Real People DVD

Learn to Sew a Shirt or Blouse DVD

Linen and Cotton: Classic Sewing Techniques for Great Results by Susan Khalje

Little Black Dress: How to Make the Perfect One for You by Simon Henry

Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-By-Step Guide to Making Over 60 Dressmaking Patterns

Making Trousers for Men & Women: A Multimedia Sewing Workshop by David Page Coffin

More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina

More Polarfleece Adventures by Nancy Cornwell

Mother Pletsch's Painless Sewing: With Pretty Pati's Perfect Pattern Primer by Pati Palmer & Susan Pletsch

The Moulage by Kenneth King

Pants for Real People: Fit and Sew for Any Body by Pati Palmer & Marta Alto

Pants for Real People: Fitting Techniques DVD

Pants for Real People: Sewing Techniques DVD

Pattern Making: Drafting 1930s Lingerie, Blouses, Skirts & Sportswear Fashions by Gertrude Mason

Perfect Fusing DVD

Power Sewing Step by Step by Sandra Betzina

Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing

Sew to Success: How to Make Money in a Home-Based Sewing Business by Kathleen Spike

Sewing Stitch & Textile Bible by Lorna Knight

Sewing...Good to Great: It's in the details DVD

Sewing with Knits by Connie Long

Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing by David Page Coffin

Shirtmaking Techniques DVD

Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book

Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing

Singer Sewing Reference Library:

Sewing Essentials
Sewing for the Home
Clothing Care & Repair
Sewing for Style
Sewing Specialty Fabrics
Sewing Activewear
The Perfect Fit
Timesaving Sewing
More Sewing for the Home
Tailoring
Sewing for Children
Sewing with an Overlock
101 Sewing Secrets
Sewing Pants that Fit
Quilting by Machine
Decorative Machine Stitching
Creative Sewing Ideas
Sewing Lingerie
Sewing Projects for the Home
Sewing with Knits
Sewing for Special Occasions
Sewing Update 1988
Sewing Update No. 2
Creating Fashion Accessories
Embellished Quilted Projects
Quilt Projects by Machine
Quick & Easy Decorating Projects
Halloween Costumes
More Creative Sewing Ideas
Quilted Projects & Garments
Upholstery Basics
Sewing for the Holidays
Holiday Projects
Window Treatments
Quick & Easy Sewing Projects

The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook by Charlene Phillips

Threads Magazine Archive 1985-2009

Trouser Draft by Kenneth King

Vogue Sewing

My Sewing Pattern Stash

2010-04-27T23:58:00.004-04:00

To keep me from buying duplicates like I did today...

KWIK SEW

SIMPLICITY

BUTTERICK

VOGUE

NEW LOOK

MCCALLS

BURDA

Polonaise inspiration

2010-04-27T22:47:00.000-04:00

So what is a polonaise?

From Encyclopedia Britannica, Fashion Era, and the pattern company, Buckaroo Bobbins:

This item of clothing has changed in appearance and function over the years. It originally began as a coatlike dress worn by Polish women in 1770s and 1780s. As you can tell from the pattern above, the bodice is fitted and the dress has 2 skirts. A full skirt is connected to the fitted bodice and is draped in such a way to create 3 "loops." This is usually accomplished by draping the skirt from the waist and pulled up at the sides in back. The theory behind this draping technique was maids would pick up the sides of their skirt and tuck them into their pockets to allow them to complete their work easily. The underskirt is sometimes called a petticoat but it is often decorated and displayed prominently. The polonaise was revived in the 1870s and 1880s. The top skirt was very full in the rear and supported by a bustle, which sometimes looks like a crescent moon-shaped pillow situated over the rear. The full sides of the skirt are called paniers. The bodice is worn snugly over a corset or if you are a "loose" woman, no corset! (Shh, don't tell Nancy.)

Fabric Hunting
Nancy's polonaise sent me on a hunt for fine fabrics in some of the lesser known fabric stores in Memphis. Sure, we've got Hancock's and JoAnn's but I need fine cottons and silks. We have TONS of home dec shops around here but very little in the way of fashion fabrics. An inexpensive option for silks would be to order from Thai Silks but Nancy doesn't want to mess with ordering fabric sight unseen. This is a worry as we need 11-15 yards for the polonaise and skirt. How often do you see 11 or more yards on a bolt in the store? The Memphis Yellow Pages that was recently delivered to my door was useful for once. Lace Cottage and A Frayed Knot sells fabrics for heirloom sewing, smocking, etc. More expensive than ordering online but the prices are fair and they both sell Fabric Finders, which is almost always 60-inches wide!

I trekked out to A Frayed Knot last week. For all those in Memphis looking for fine cottons, you don't want to skip this place. I didn't get to meet the owner because she had just stepped out but her husband was very helpful. You won't find this gem of a store in a shopping center. It occupies the back of the house but it is packed full of goodies from floor to ceiling. I found some great hand sewing needles that you can't find locally. I also found some Wash Away Wonder Tape, also hard to come by. Almost every bolt in her store is 60-inches wide and tons of yardage per bolt. Most of the nice cottons are $10-$15/yard. Some of the fine batistes were $20+/yard and all the silks start at $25/yard.

I liked Lace Cottage but don't see myself buying anything but an occasional trim from there. The fabrics are about $5 more per yard than A Frayed Knot. Also, they don't have as many fabrics. All their trims are hidden away in books but they do have quite a selection of lace trims (those are the only ones I asked to see). Again, the trims are pricey in my opinion; $6-$10/yard for most. I didn't see any sewing notions laying around either.

Nancy wants a blue, just about any blue for her polonaise dress. I was thinking of using a darker, solid blue until I found THE fabric. A light blue with 1/2-inch stripes of a darker blue just spoke to me. It hadn't even occurred to me use stripes but after a quick internet search of "striped polonaise dress," I was convinced.

My favorite example of a striped polonaise is from ModeHistorique.
Here are a few other examples:

Stahlroses Robe a la Polonaise by HistoricCostume
c. 1789 robe a la polonaise from a private collection
Green striped polonaise at Tayloropolis

The skirt will be a darker blue. I would love to play with changing the direction of the stripes on the sleeves and on the finished edge of the polonaise.

I'm a little stuck on the buttons. There are 36-48 shank buttons, depending on which neckline you use. I'm leaning towards the V-neck.

I'd like to use something a little dressy but I can't find an example to get an idea. Picking out buttons has always been really tough for me. All the button examples I could find are covered buttons and there are only 10-20 of them.

Examples:

Frocks of Ages Victorian dress
Christine Hall polonaise
Colonial polonaise on Etsy

The gathered scallop detail (on the skirt over the pleated edge, along the Basque waist, and along the gathered edge in the leg-of-mutton sleeves) is actually a hand-basted scallop of self-fabric that is attached later. I think the sleeves and waist should have the striped scallops but I also think the striped scallops might be a nice contrast on the skirt. I can't find an example of that but linked below is a pic of a similar skirt with pleated edge in matching fabric.

Victorian 1882 Silk Wedding Gown

There are a ton of notions for this dress. Thankfully, Nancy is purchasing a bustle. One less thing to make.

This dress linked below is the only good example of a polonaise dress with lace but it's a bit difficult to see the lace. (Check out her other dresses. Very pretty!)
JulieGale.net Polonaise Dress c. 1880

Hmm.... Lots to think about.

Dreaming of Bernina

2010-04-27T17:42:00.000-04:00

If money were no object, I'd buy the Bernina Aurora 440 QE. No, I don't quilt but this machine has everything.

Speed control with a sliding button
Separate motor for the bobbin winder
Large, already filled with goodies, accessory box that is easy to remove
Clear slide on table with easy-to-read seam guides
Excellent lighting, which supposedly illuminates all the way around the needle
You can select stitches by numbered buttons and a card with a better illustration of the stitches is included
One reviewer said the manual is VERY helpful, unlike the vague Singer sewing manuals
It will tell you when to oil the machine and when to get it serviced
Stitch regulator so you can create consistent stitches with free-motion
Will sew through anything
Tested great with Consumer Reports and tons of great reviews
There is a lever you can push with your right knee that will lift and lower the presser foot so you don't have to move your hands
Comes with all but the overlock presser foot
You can manually adjust the upper thread tension
One reviewer says you can use several different brands of needles. One of my Singers will only take Singer needles.

I'm dying to go try one out but I can't purchase right now so why torment myself.

FYI...

This machine scored great on everything, while many machines in the review have trouble sewing one or more types of fabrics. I think that's what impresses me the most...sews through anything reliably. DH almost had a heart attack when I told him the price. Guess I'm saving my fun money for quite some time before I can afford this baby.

This brochure is helpful with understanding some of the features.
Bernina 430/440 brochure

Two weeks! Two weeks!

2010-04-14T23:56:00.003-04:00

Where are all my "Money Pit" fans?!!

I read somewhere that people either saw "The Money Pit" and loved it or they never saw it at all. In other words, no one who has seen this movie can hate it. I tend to agree.

As you can gather from the trailer, this movie is centered around the renovation of a house that should have been condemned. My favorite quote from the movie is...

[Walter has missed a meeting with the permit man, who got steamed and left]
Curly: If he ever does come back, you call me and we'll finish the job.
Walter: When I do get the permits, how long will the job take?
Curly: Two weeks.
Walter: Two weeks? Two weeks?
Curly: You sound like a parakeet there. "Two weeks! Two weeks!"
Walter: Well, two weeks. It- it's amazing.
Curly: Amazing nothing. It'll be a regular miracle.
(from IMDB)

Throughout the rest of the movie when something else breaks on the house, Tom Hanks' character (Walter) has to call yet another contractor who promises to be done with the work in two weeks.

This isn't a post about one of my favorite movies. This is a warning about future posts about...THE DRESS.

Last year I discovered Susan Khalje's book, Bridal Couture, while making my wedding dress. I then discovered her couture sewing workshops. Having no time or money, I couldn't attend one of these workshops to get some much needed help with sewing my dress. I did alright with my limited sewing knowledge and skills but I still wanted to learn some fine dressmaking skills. DH initially protested about the $995 USD price tag but quickly changed his tune. "It'll make you happy to go to this class and you deserve this for yourself." (I know, he's a keeper.)

With such a significant upfront investment, choosing a worthy project to learn couture sewing techniques was absolutely necessary. One of my co-workers participates in western reenactments. She showed me a polonaise dress pattern that she wanted to make. This dress is perfect for my class project! It just about has it all...boning, tons of buttons, pleating, bustle, lace and ribbon details, and petticoat.

(further information here)

So what does the dress have to do with The Money Pit?

I know there's no way I can finish this dress in a month or two. It's going to be a ton of work and I don't have tons of time. I already told my co-worker that there was no way I could have it done by the end of the summer. So when will it be done? Two weeks. And when she asks about the dress two weeks later, it'll be two more weeks. Two weeks, two weeks, two weeks.....

Thankfully she's in no hurry to get the dress done...because I'm going to need another two weeks. Anyway, you've been warned that there will be tons of posts in the future about the progress (or lack of progress) on THE DRESS.

Enjoy a classic Money Pit clip!

What's your season? What's your shape?

2010-04-12T23:37:00.003-04:00

This post started out as a review of a Palmer/Pletsch DVD, "Looking Good." Watching the DVD sent me on a quest to find my colors. It also got me thinking about where we get our fashion advice from. I'm a huge fan of "What Not to Wear" with Stacy and Clinton. They do an amazing job of cleaning up everyday people. (If it wouldn't be so embarrassing, I'd volunteer for the show in a heartbeat.) As I look at my bookshelves, I see a ton of sewing books next to some beauty and style books that don't get much use (the beauty & style books, that is). I think I've given up in the past. Now that I'm focusing on making flattering garments, I flipped through these books again.

If you've never done some introspection with regards to finding your best, most flattering looks, than this DVD (and accompanying book) might be helpful.

This DVD is pretty basic. It talks about colors and briefly goes over the gold-silver test. There are some great examples of sewing pattern pictures where models are best dressed in their colors and those where they aren't. What cracked me up is 2 McCall's patterns come to mind as blah and those are 2 of the "wrong color" examples she used. The instructor also goes over the 5 basic body types and a very generic what to wear/not wear. She then starts talking about visually appealing lines, shoulder pads, and supportive undergarments...and that's when I fell asleep. Like I said, pretty basic. One thing she does really well is give you lots of picture examples on real women and models of what to do and what not to do. I didn't find it helpful enough to guide me in a shopping excursion. Maybe that's why there is a book to go with the DVD.

I was intrigued by the color analysis, which she only says "get a professional one done." I've never had one done and will never pay for one. I did find a reasonably decent color analysis using the 12-season system here. Basically you are warm or cool, then pick a season and then pick 1 of 3 variations of the season (light, clear, deep). I'm a clear winter (cool).

Though I've never tried wearing yellows, I will say I tend to wear most of the colors above. I also wear tons of pinks and reds. I've noticed lately that the pinks/reds aren't as flattering on me as I once thought. This color analysis reveals that I have quite a few fabrics in my stash that aren't the best for me and I'll have to be creative in how I use them. Anyway, good to know. I'll keep this info handy next time I start buying fabrics for no apparent reason.

This brings me to what's flattering and how to fill your closet with an interchangeable wardrobe. I'm no fashionista but I can tell what looks crappy. (I choose to ignore that fact when I'm in a mood. Much like when my husbands asks, "Does this go together?" and I respond, "No." He was just confirming that it looked bad but he'll wear it anyway.) I have 2 books on my shelves that just about cover what I need to know.

I like the show and their book is pretty helpful. They cover men's and women's styling. For women they talk about curvy, extra curvy, top heavy, bottom heavy, extra in the middle and straight body types. They further break it down by petite, average and tall. For men they cover tummies, barrel chests, athletic builds, and small frames; again by the 3 height categories. Each body type is dressed in a day, evening and work look. You do have to read the whole book because there are little gems everywhere. TONS of pictures in this book.

This book is different from other style books because they don't focus solely on body types, just how to make certain style of garments work. What style and length of coat will work with long, straight skirts compared with long, full skirts? This seems like "duh" to some people but I found it very helpful with all the great visuals they use to show why one coat won't work for all garments. They give a great breakdown of what basics you need in each category, including shoes, purses, undergarments and outerwear. For example...

PANTS
You're totally covered if you have

3 pairs of winter work pants (tropical wool, etc.)
3 pairs of summer work pants
2 pairs of all-season weekend pants
1 pair of lightweight evening pants

If you never wear skirts, add

more winter work pants
a pair of fun pants
more summer work pants
a pair of velvet or satin evening pants

Then they demonstrate how to wear the same pair of pants for day or evening, summer or winter, and work or casual (numerous examples). Some nice information about finding the right fit for each particular garment is also included. In addition, which garments to splurge on and which are okay to bargain shop for.

The only beauty book still on my shelves is by InStyle. I haven't done too much with this one but I will say my eyebrows are fantastic thanks to this gem of a book. I get compliments on my eyebrows all the time. This is basically a DIY salon book. I really liked the step by step instructions for applying eyeliner and eyeshadow. This book covers hair, skin, makeup, and body care but nothing about nails.

I haven't read all the fashion and beauty books out there but these are a few of my favorites.

Wish List Patterns

2010-04-10T10:53:00.010-04:00

I need a sewing patterns wish list that I can access anywhere to keep me from buying duplicates. Since "Big Brother" blocks all the photo sharing websites, I'll keep this list here on my blog. Feel free to peruse...but don't buy them before I do!

Burda 8275
Kwik Sew 3167
Kwik Sew 3813
McCall's 5180 OOP
McCall's 5242 OOP
McCall's 5269 OOP
McCall's 5535 OOP
McCall's 6120
McCall's 6130
McCall's 6171
New Look 6599
New Look 6823
Vogue 8118 OOP
Vogue 8666

Attention Threads magazine subscribers!

2010-04-09T23:30:00.000-04:00

Kudos to Ann from Gorgeous Fabrics for alerting everyone to this scam. In case you don't read her blog (seriously? check it out!), here is the info:

Please do not pay billing or renewal notices from:
Publishers Billing Exchange in La Habra, CA
Publishers Billing Association in Las Vegas, NV
Magazine Billing Network in Reno, NV
Subscription Billing, LLC in Tarrytown, NY
Publisher's Distribution Services, Inc in Brea, CA
National Magazine Services, Inc in Elmsford, NY

The official Taunton Press notice is here.

Updates

2010-04-09T13:14:00.002-04:00

Not getting any sewing done this week. I had my surgery yesterday. Between the drugs and not being able to eat, I don't have much energy. I did get a few things resolved however. I got my refunds from SmartFlix and Denver Fabrics. I worked on fitting the cover for my Uniquely You dressform last weekend but it didn't go well. The boobs on the cover are weird. There are two parallel horizontal long darts from one bust point to the other. When I fit the bust to my own, I end up with pointy boobs because of the extra seams from the horizontal darts. The cover also does not come close to covering my hips. I estimate the sizing on the cover is smaller than stated by 2 inches in the hips. I didn't check the bust or waist as those were plenty big for me. It's funny but I could almost get away with not fitting a cover to the dress form. The bust and waist on the dressform are both 1 inch larger than me. The hips are 2 inches too small. I haven't checked to see where the bust falls in relation to my own. I figure a little bit of padding on the hips and a tight bra would just about fix the form.

I've decided to follow the lead of others that have bought this form. Some reviews I found on PatternReview indicated that they used an electric knife to trim down the form. Others salvaged the zipper from the cover that came with the form and then made their own cover. I'm not going to cut into my form but I will make my own cover. A fitted dress shell is all you need. It will be easier to start from scratch than to fit the cover that came with it. The inseams on the cover all face the inside so when you pin, you are pinching from the right side and then have to transfer the markings. This is not how I sew because I always make mistakes when I alter that way. I ended up with pointy boobs that were flattened above the bust point and a bit too tight below the bust point. The back panels ended up giving me a "shelf" butt. The front princess seams ended up wonky as well. Not to mention that the hip area was not wide enough to cover me to begin with. DH was a good sport though. I hope he's up for fitting me again this weekend....

I'm going to spend the rest of the day mimicking my cat.

Happy Friday!

Cat in the sewing room

2010-04-02T23:45:00.001-04:00

This is a totally random post but it's Friday and the sun is out and the birds are chirping.

We own 2 cats. The fat, older one is a bully and kinda moody. She's my favorite. She squeaks at me and always greets me at the door. The younger one is a skinny runt that I refer to as the "junkyard kitty." She is a noisy little lap cat. She was supposed to be my cat but she doesn't like me. The older cat, that we call "Tubby" is DH's cat, but she bites him. So basically his cat is mine and my cat is his.

Since we got the second cat, Tubby has been keeping to herself a lot. She doesn't like Junkyard Kitty any more than I do. One thing I've noticed over the last year though is Tubby will come out from hiding when I sew. I like that it's just the 2 of us. It's like our bonding time.

It starts with the paper patterns. The moment I start pulling out the sheets, Tubby comes to investigate. I lay the sheets on the dining room table to figure out which pieces I need. Here comes Tubby, up onto the dining room table, walking all over the paper. As I cut the pieces out, I ball up the scraps and toss them to her. She bats them around for awhile and then comes back to lay on my pattern paper. When I iron the pieces flat, she weaves around my legs rubbing her big belly on me.

Time to tissue fit. I can only imagine how crazy this looks to her. I've got half a pant on and it's made out of paper. The only thing keeping it together is a ton of pins, which are stabbing me in the crotch and waist. I wander from bathroom to bathroom trying to get good light and a better view of my tush in my paper pants. She, of course, follows me; stopping to sniff the dirty laundry basket, door jam, trash can, tub, and all the pins falling off my paper pants. The paper pants don't fit my tush, naturally, so it's time to add more paper.

Back to the dining room table to tape more paper on the pattern. She's back up on the table, sniffing everything in sight. Just for giggles, I put a piece of tape on her paw once. (Don't judge me.) I only did it once because I felt a little guilty but it was darn funny watching her try to get the tape off. Anyway, the taping is now done so the walking paper pant parade begins again.

Back to the dining room table to lay out fabric and cut. Now this is when I fuss at her. She eventually gives up trying to get on the table and just sits on a chair watching me. I toss the fabric scraps onto a pile for her to lay on. It's like a magnet. Works every time.

I think the rest of the sewing process is a little boring for her. No new paper or fabric scraps. No space on the sewing table for her to lay down. She usually sits next to my chair with a "Mother, may I?" look on her face as she very politely asks to get up on the table. I redirect her to the bed 2 feet away. Then she just sits and supervises. She's a crappy supervisor though. I catch her napping and licking her butt quite a bit. Really inappropriate behavior. I still praise her grooming marathon though every time I get up to iron a seam. Her reward for a hard day of supervising is a good face brushing. She loves to be brushed but her favorite part is when you brush up her cheeks towards her ears. Is that weird? I've never seen a cat ram it's face into a wire grooming brush before.

What I left out of this random story is the pinning of fabric on my body before I sew the seams. That's where DH grudgingly helps me. He got fed up with it and insisted I buy a dressform. I don't know what he was complaining about though. He has gotten quite good at pin-fitting me. Now that I have the cover for my Uniquely You dressform, a marathon fitting session will start this weekend. He's griping already but I keep reminding him that the dressform will take the place of him. (When I re-read that statement, it just doesn't sound right. ha, ha) Here's hoping I have some finished dressform news to report by Sunday.

By the way, the cats' names aren't really Tubby and Junkyard Kitty. Misha is the sewing supervisor and Millie is the runt. They came from the shelters with those names. I don't have kids so I'll bore you with cat photos instead.

This is my sweet baby, Misha. In addition to laying on my patterns and fabric, she enjoys shopping bags...

Open drawers...

Christmas tree skirts...

And paper bags.

This is Millie, the noisy lap cat, getting her "Welcome to the family" bath.

Misha didn't like Millie much when we brought her home.

Glasses of water are not safe in our home.

She had a problem with eating too fast when we first got her. I got tired of cleaning up vomit so I took the vet's suggestion to spread out her food in a dish. (I improvised.) The dingbat sat on her food.

She's also afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

Happy Easter!

Sale Alert: Connie Crawford, Fabric Depot, and JoAnn's

2010-04-02T23:34:00.000-04:00

It's Friday, which means payday for some of you. Here's where you should spend your money this weekend.

Today is the 25% off total purchase at JoAnn's Fabric Stores. Coupons are in the sales flyer or in your email if you are on the list. I believe Simplicity patterns are also $0.99 through the weekend. Not that any of us need more patterns but that's never stopped me.

Hancock's has $0.99 Butterick patterns this weekend.

Fabric Depot is offering 30% off everything not already on sale.

Fashion Patterns by Coni is offering 20% off any DVDs, Patternmaking Made Easy book, or any pattern from her website (coupon code: APRIL20PERCENT). I think this offer is only good for the email subscribers so you might need to register before using this coupon code. It expires at the end of April.

I didn't get paid today but apparently I have $800,000 USD waiting for me in the form of a check to be delivered by UPS. I only need to pay $150 to Stephen Efe to claim my money. I'll get right on that. SPAM!!!!!!!

Happy shopping!

Palmer & Pletsch videos are my new best friends!

2010-04-01T16:50:00.001-04:00

I recently bought the Palmer & Pletsch "Pants for Real People" fitting and sewing DVDs. L-O-V-E them! I'm a visual learner and the books are good but I was having a little trouble visualizing some of the fitting instructions. There's something about the use of "real" women in these videos that appeals to me. I've watched some other videos and it really irks me when they bring out the perfectly proportioned woman to demonstrate fitting issues. I have the Connie Crawford "Custom Bodice" DVD and she uses 2 models. One is a young girl with perky parts that fit the pattern perfectly. She had to make up stuff to correct or "fit" to the model.

Last week I popped the "Pants for Real People" fitting DVD in with hopes of seeing some real fitting going on. It was great. Pati Palmer walks out in a leotard and tights and demonstrates how to fit yourself. Every lump and bulge is there. No Spanx to smooth things out. Finally, a real fitting. What is even more amazing is how awesome her pants looked. I keep seeing these "What Not to Wear" and "How Do I Look" shows that preach wide, straight leg pants with flat fronts for women with hips or bellies, etc. Pati Palmer made a tapered leg, double pleated-front trouser and a another tapered leg fitted pant and they looked amazing. She's not obese but she seriously looked 10 pounds leaner after putting on her finished pants. She was very picky about the fit too but it paid off. At one point she commented about a "little pillow" showing on her left hip and how she would hide that. Hey, I've got "little pillows" everywhere and I just figured they would always be obvious because I'm overweight. Nope. There are tricks to hide these under a well-fitting pant. These little subtle fit adjustments aren't so easily explained in the accompanying text but the DVD makes it all clear.

I haven't finished the "Pants for Real People" sewing DVD but I learned something within the first 5 minutes of the DVD. I've never had a great looking invisible zipper. Marta Alto cleared it up for me in one simple step and she didn't use an invisible zipper foot. Plus she's a bit silly so she's fun to watch.

If you're an accomplished sewer and never have the same little fitting and sewing problems over and over again, then these DVDs aren't for you. If you learned how to sew from reading books and just trying to figure it out for yourself, you will have nothing but "a-ha!" moments while watching these DVDs. A cheap investment for my sewing with huge payoffs. Highly recommend!

This is why Denver Fabrics/Fashion Fabrics Club doesn't deserve your business...

2010-04-01T10:40:00.000-04:00

I ordered 22 yards of fabric from Denver Fabrics on March 5th. I received a notice of shipment containing only a tracking number for FedEx SmartPost. This package was shipped March 10th. After two very frustrating phone calls with FedEx, I discovered that the wrong delivery zip code was put on the package and it was returned to Denver Fabrics. They just received the package back yesterday. I called Denver Fabrics to resolve the situation. A rude and impatient woman answered the phone. She said I entered 6 digits for the delivery zip code and that the shipping information is automatically entered onto the shipping label. So I politely asked if there was any system in place for resolving shipping information that was obviously wrong. She cut me off and stated: "If you didn't catch it, why should we?" Seriously? That's how you speak to your customers? My billing and shipping information is the same but they don't look at either apparently. I tried to ask a few more questions so I could understand their process but she didn't care to let me speak. So let me sum up my several Denver Fabrics shopping experiences for you so you know what you're getting yourself into when you order from them.

Fabrics are packed into boxes or plastic mailers without a plastic bag to protect them.
Customer service hours are limited (9am-4pm CST, Monday - Friday only).
They don't return emails.
They don't return phone messages.
The customer service reps are rude.
You don't receive an order confirmation (at the end of your order or in an email). This would have been very helpful in catching the zip code error.
There are no labels on the fabrics when they are delivered to you.
It usually takes them at least 3 days to process your order. Much longer if you have a large order.
Apparently they don't contact you with questions regarding your order.
They run out of fabrics in your order frequently. Sometimes you get an email or phone call to alert you and sometimes you just get a note in your package.

This is all very disappointing because they have a large selection of affordable fabrics and I like all the information they provide on their fabrics (care, fiber content, close-up swatches that are pretty accurate, suggested uses, etc.).

I liked Denver Fabrics because their selection of silks, wools and jerseys was better than Fabric.com but I don't get any attitude from Fabric.com. They are super fast, super affordable, and super helpful. Oh, well. Lesson learned. If you have any great sources for silks, wools and jerseys, please let me know.

I give up!

2010-03-27T10:44:00.000-04:00

So I thought March was a great month for shopping since all my sewing projects fell apart. Not so much. This has also been a terrible month for shopping.

This first shopping story isn't really a problem, just weird. Consider it a warm-up for the latest shopping disasters.

Back when I was trying to make a nice evening outfit for DH's banquet, I purchased 10 yards of Bemberg black lining and 2.5 yards of a tan Bemberg. This is how it arrived.

Huh? I love that they rolled the black lining. Awesome, thanks! But why is the tan lining haphazardly wrapped around like a Tootsie Roll. This is just weird. I'm guessing they have men who don't sew working in the orders fulfillment department. I know it doesn't really matter but if you were fulfilling fabric orders, would you ever treat someone's fabric like that?

So then I ordered several wool jerseys and cotton lawn fabrics on clearance from Denver Fabrics on March 5th. I still haven't received this package...because they chose to ship by FedEx SmartPost. I've only received one other FedEx SmartPost package and that was a disaster too. I ended up having to go pick it up myself. The way it works is FedEx rapidly delivers your package to the destination city and then the USPS is supposed to take over from there. You do get a tracking number from FedEx that tells you what is going on when it is in FedEx's hands. After that you should expect another 2-3 business days before USPS finally delivers it to you. So the last scan on the Denver Fabrics order is from March 12th and it says the Memphis USPS has it. I gave it 6 business days before I called the post office to find out where it was. They claimed they have never received it. So then I called FedEx. Their rep says they delivered it as far as Memphis and then sent it to Arkansas, where it has sat in a warehouse for 7 days. Folks, Memphis is the freakin' NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS for FedEx. The airport is busiest at night because of FedEx. You can't find one person in this town that doesn't know someone who works for FedEx. Yet, they can't manage to deliver to Memphis. "You'll get it in a week or two." No apology. No "how can we make this up to you?" Just a "take it or leave it." And that's the answer I got from Denver Fabrics too. They could care less that I still haven't received my order. They just lost a customer. I've spent hundreds of dollars with them in the past but I'm finding lately that I would rather spend a little more and be treated fairly. Bye, bye, Denver Fabrics!

So next up is my dress form. I finally caved and bought a dress form. After much online research and consideration of my budget, I opted for the Uniquely You. I bought from Atlanta Thread & Supply Company for $159.00 USD and they threw in a free pair of Mundial 8-inch bent trimmers. The scissors arrived immediately and the dress form came faster than expected. I was giddy with excitement. Until I opened the large box to find my dress form isn't complete. This is what I have:

A foam dress form and the base. No cover. No alteration instructions. This dress form doesn't work without the cover. A little bummed but still optimistic, I called Uniquely You and left a message. I called a few days later and left a message. I called ATS and asked for their assistance. They promised to re-fax my order to Uniquely You to "pressure" him to fulfill my order. "He's a one-man operation and doesn't return phone calls." So why the hell are you doing business with him?!! I paid you, ATS, and at no point did you indicate that another supplier was filling this order. You simply said it was shipping from another warehouse. I've had this big-busted foam contraption in my home for a week now with no cover and no return call from anyone. I'm glad I put this on my Visa because I have a real bad feeling about this.

And there is the SmartFlix drama, of course. Apparently they have cancelled my subscription but I have yet to see a refund.

And lastly, not a sewing or shopping-related issue but money to spend nevertheless. I'm scheduled for a minor surgery on April 8th. Yesterday I went to the hospital to complete my pre-surgery work-up. They had the nerve to ask for my deductible and co-insurance...2 weeks before the surgery, even before they drew any blood or anything. "We haven't done jack for you yet but we want to be paid now." (I'm paraphrasing, of course. They didn't actually say that.) I've spent hundreds of dollars over the last month and don't have much to show for it so no, you won't get my money until you actually provide me with the agreed upon service.

I love to shop. I mean L-O-V-E to shop. I love it even more than chocolate, which is saying a lot. Yesterday was payday and I didn't want to buy anything. These retailers have killed my shopping spirit! I guess I don't really need anything (except all the crap I've already paid for). I guess it's back to sewing now since shopping isn't going well for me. I did finally watch my Palmer & Pletsch pants-fitting DVDs (fitting and sewing) and they are AWESOME! I wanted to buy the rest but I'm not shopping...until I get all the other crap I've paid for.

Breaking up with SmartFlix

2010-03-22T12:19:00.000-04:00

I've read some very brief reviews from others regarding this service and they were either happy with it or just thought it was a good idea. I think it is a fantastic idea but it isn't executed well.

Through SmartFlix you can either specify a few DVDs you want and pay a fee for each rental, or you can pay for a subscription. I purchased "Sewing University" that promises 3 DVDs a month for $22.95 USD. Their sewing library is quite impressive, 95 DVDs so far! So this is where things start to go wrong.

There are a ton of quilting and serging DVDs in Sewing University. I don't quilt and don't own a serger so I wanted to skip these DVDs. Supposedly you can just send an email specifying what titles you don't want. Immediately after making my payment, I sent an email stating I only wanted garment sewing DVDs and I specified Islander Sewing, Palmer & Pletsch, Nancy Zieman, etc. Several days later I get a response that I must specifically list the titles. No problem....except this email conversation was so slow that they already shipped out my first 3 DVDs; two of which I didn't want. Customer service promised to ship 2 more DVDs "immediately." This promise was made on March 3rd. They weren't shipped until March 16th.

I finally receive my first shipment of the 2 DVDs I didn't want and 1 DVD I did want. The Nancy Zieman DVD is broken, physcially cracked. How does that happen when it is mailed in the same mailer with 2 other DVDs? I tried to report the broken DVD online using their system and the web page froze 2 times. I sent an email to customer service reporting the problem. March 9th I was promised a replacement. I actually received 2 copies of the broken DVD the next time around...and nothing else.

I posted a quick "what's up?" on my blog and the company's president posts a comment on my blog. He promised to look into the problem and credit me 2 months. Fast forward to March 20th. It basically took 3 weeks to get 2 viewable DVDs for my first month. (One of the replacement DVDs they sent was also broken. I checked the packaging; no damage there so what gives? I don't have these problems with NetFlix.) I now have 5 DVDs in my possession: 2 copies of the same Nancy Zieman DVD, 2 other DVDs I wanted (one of which is broken) and a miniature-making DVD--huh? Dolls and miniatures aren't even in the Sewing University subscription. I finally receive another email from the company's president stating he's been busy dealing with "a ton of website problems" but can now deal with my subscription problems...a week after his first email.

Bottom line: My husband gets to gloat on this one. He told me to cancel when they messed up the first shipment but I like to give people chances. After all, I mess up sometimes too. Well, DH was right about this one. I've sent my cancellation and refund request. This service isn't worth the hassle, which is a real shame because I really wanted to watch so many of those DVDs.

Sale Alert: Denver Fabrics

2010-03-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Denver Fabrics is offering free shipping on orders over $40. This offer expires on March 29, 2010. Write "FREE SHIPPING" in the comments box. They still have a bunch of fabrics on sale until March 22, 2010 too.

Sorry to enable...but fabric shopping is great retail therapy!

Friday Laughs

2010-03-12T16:25:00.001-05:00

I'm not even sure how I stumbled on this page of "Clothes you can't wear to work" but it would be selfish of me not to share these with you.
-------------------------------------------------------
I swear there are mornings where I wake up feeling like this...

Or feeling like this...

And I just want to wrap myself up in a haute couture Snuggie.

Instead, I get up and go to work armed with brain power...

And a gas mask because my building sometimes has sewer troubles.

I avoid the creepy water cooler guy at all costs.

After work, I go to class.

Thankfully class is online.

______________________________________________________________

Happy Friday!

Review: Threads Magazine Archive DVD: 1985-2009

2010-03-11T07:04:00.000-05:00

I finally bit the bullet and bought this for myself. AWESOME!!

This DVD is awesome because:

It saves space. 1 DVD or 24 years worth of magazines? Easy decision.
Cheaper than a 24-year magazine subscription. Penny pinchers take note!
It's searchable!! I searched "button" and immediately found 2 great tips for sewing buttons on faster and stronger.
Search terms are highlighted. Much easier to see at a glance if the article is what I needed or if it only mentions my search term once and for a completely unrelated reason.
Search titles and/or keywords. Not a novel concept yet many programs won't let you distinguish between the two. If I search "buttonhole," I want an article about buttonholes not every article that ever mentioned a buttonhole.
You can zoom in and read. I prefer to read paper and not computer screens but the zoom feature makes it easy to read on the screen.
You can save your favorites. You can't name your favorite article but you can create folders for your favorites to organize them easily.
You can print. If you must, you can easily print the article.
It's all relevant. The fashions may have changed but they still had fitting issues and interfacing questions in the 80's.
80's fashion!! Those pics are hysterical.
You can flip through an issue. It's just like having the magazine.
Knitting and crocheting are included. I haven't seen much of this in the past few years but earlier issues contain some great articles about knitting and crocheting as well as sewing.

The only downsides I see so far are that you must download this onto your computer (you need 3GB) and I can't take this with me to work. If you don't have permission to download a program onto your computer, you can't use this DVD. Once it is downloaded, you are done with the DVD. I would love to do some light reading on my lunch breaks but Big Brother at work takes away all the fun (no photo-sharing websites, no YouTube, no downloading fun games and no forwarding jokes).

At $150 USD, this was a good investment for me. If you like to buy sewing books, you probably spend that much in a year just buying books. You could save some money and buy this DVD and never be able to read all the articles in a year. Just my 2 cents.

SmartFlix drama

2010-03-11T06:43:00.000-05:00

Have you tried SmartFlix.com? I purchased the "Sewing University" membership on February 26th and I've had nothing but problems since then. The way it's supposed to work is you pay a monthly fee of $22.95 USD to receive 3 DVDs that you can keep all month. They have an extensive list of sewing-related DVDs. You don't get to pick the DVDs you get each month so you have to send them a list of the DVDs you don't want from the list. To date, I've received 2 DVDs I didn't want and a broken DVD I did want. To make up for it, they are sending me 2 copies of the same DVD. So far I've paid $22.95 USD for basically one DVD rental. I could've bought that DVD for less!

I think this all could have been prevented if customer service responded within 1-2 days of your request. I sent one email on February 26th stating I didn't want several of the DVDs on the list and asked how do I cancel those. I didn't get a full response until March 2nd, after 2 unwanted DVDs shipped. I was promised replacements, which I still haven't received. When the unwanted DVDs arrived, a 3rd "wanted" DVD was included and it was broken. I reported the problem only to find that 2 copies of this broken DVD are on the way to me. Huh?

I'm not going to bail on them yet because they offer a 60-day money-back guarantee. So far I'm not impressed though. Has anyone else had an experience with SmartFlix? The reviews I found initially were quite promising. Maybe this just isn't my month for sewing. Can't get the right DVDs, can't get my fabric on time, can't get my garments to fit,....

I did manage to snag some Palmer & Pletsch goodies at 40-50% off thanks to Victoria's tip (at "Ten Thousand Hours of Sewing"). This may not be the month for sewing but it is definitely the month for shopping. I've secured tons of great OOP patterns that I've been hunting for! Anyway...I've wanted these Palmer & Pletsch items for awhile but couldn't bear to pay full price online or in my local Hancock's. I'm a bargain shopper and it seriously pains me to pay full price for anything. I called Hancock's and got the scoop on their coupon policy. They will accept competitor's coupons, like JoAnn's, but only one coupon per item per transaction. I wanted 2 DVDs and a book so I had to pay for 3 separate purchases. I can feel some of you rolling your eyes now. Yes, I am that shopper with the fist full of coupons holding up the line. In my defense, I will only do separate purchases if there is no line. I also look for the longest line when I have a fistful of coupons and stand in that one so I don't make a shorter line unnecessarily slow. I also make sure the person standing behind me knows I have 20+ coupons. For some silly reason, they stay in line behind me anyway and then impatiently tap a foot on the floor. Tap away, honey! You were warned and I won't leave my hard earned money in the store.

These $20 DVDs were $12.80 each including tax.

This $30 book was $19.30 including tax. And I didn't have to wait for it to ship to me!!

I've done way more shopping this month but more on that later.

I was right the first time...the sewing gods are cruel

2010-03-10T19:48:00.001-05:00

My jacket lining showed up on Friday. Gee, THANKS! That's plenty of time to finish my jacket for Saturday. So I had to go shopping Friday night. That was awful. I haven't bought pants in quite some time but I did discover that a size 1 or 2 petite in Lane Bryant bottoms fits me decently. Since I really needed pants, I headed to Lane Bryant. What a mess that store was and nothing in my size either. To make matters worse, I purchased a cheaply made jacket for $89!! The jacket fit me perfectly. I didn't bother to check the price tag until I got to the register. I was so desperate to get out of there, I would've paid anything. Maybe that was their strategy.... Anyway, $150 later I had a complete outfit for Saturday. I will be wearing it again this Saturday as I head to yet another of DH's banquets. Socializing with strangers is exhausting. I'd say he owes me one but he is paying for my sewing class this summer, Susan Khalje's week-long Couture Sewing!!! I don't have any real complicated projects to work on so I'm sewing a reproduction gown for a co-worker. This dress has it all...polonaise, bustle, boning, leg of mutton sleeves, full skirt, lace, a million buttons...you get the idea. I should get my money's worth out of this class and practice fitting a body other than my own!

But I digress...this rant started with the sewing gods punishing me for not planning ahead. Let's backtrack and see where I went wrong.

Did not have all materials on hand before beginning project (linings and thread)
Did not preshrink all fabrics and notions beforehand (I didn't preshrink ANYTHING!)
Sewing with a fabric or pattern that I hated (Vera Wang Lavendar collection brocade--hideous)
Didn't give myself enough time to finish the projects (10 days for lined jacket and pants with knit top?!)
Didn't stick to my New Year's sewing resolutions: sew 1+ hours per day, work on Singer sewing techniques every week, etc. ('nuff said)

Did I leave anything out? Basically, I was doomed to begin with. It's time to regroup. I have lots of wardrobe needs and lots of possible projects but very little time. I also have a new machine, new presser feet and various other gadgets that I'm trying to become comfortable with. I think the best plan for me is to work on groups of similar projects at the same time, regardless of the wardrobe or outfit. I plan wardrobes but it is easier to sew a bunch of similar items at once. With this in mind, I have already ironed pattern pieces for several knit tops, dress pants, and pajamas. First up, probably the pajamas. They're easy to make. I'm already comfortable with elastic waistbands (which I need to post). I've got the fit worked out...and fabrics preshrunk--there's a shocker! (Yes, there is fit involved with pajama pants. I don't like when my bootie pulls the back of the pants down when I sit.) I think next up will be the knit tops. I have very little sewing experience with knits so I still don't know which needles are best for which fabrics or how and where to stabilize the knits. As much as I need pants, they will have to wait. I'm still having a lot of fit issues with them. I need to make a bunch of garments really well first before setting myself up for possible failures again. Failures..bring...me....down.......

Still here...but dying of laughter

2010-03-05T23:16:00.001-05:00

I got this email from McCall's about the early summer 2010 preview and I couldn't resist sharing it with you. The patterns are generally pretty basic. There are a few that I might like for lazy summer days but generally the preview screamed "crazy" and a little...(looking for a polite way of saying this)..."not appropriate for a lady of good moral character."

I've been looking for a way to wear my Runts candy bits on my shirt and now I've found it!!
McCall's 6068

For Halloween (I like to plan ahead), I'm going to be Jennifer Lopez circa P. Diddy.
McCall's 6075

Or I could just wear my bedsheets.
McCall's 6079

At any rate, I need to borrow someone's baby so I can dress them up in one of these. Mind you, I'm not calling these "crazy." I think they're hysterical!
McCall's 6105

Last, but not least, I will use up some neon paisley fabric I have to make DH a shirt like this.
McCall's 6086

I am concerned that he might enter this shirt into evidence at my competency hearing but I think the law is on my side!

McCall's is claiming that maxi dresses, cowl necks, and bejeweled apparel are in. Maxi dress? Depends on the look. Cowl neck? Almost always love these. Bejeweled? Only if I can use Runts candy. They're too hard to eat so I might as well wear them.

I am considering upgrading my summer look from boring T-shirts and shorts to some easy summer dresses. Might as well look cute while I sweat through another extremely humid Memphis summer.

McCall's 6070

McCall's 6072

McCall's 6074

I do enjoy a nice cowl neck!
McCall's 6078

I'm not really a fan of tunics but this could be cozy lounging around the house. DH would probably appreciate the upgrade from super baggy T-shirt.
McCall's 6080

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I've been sewing every spare minute I have so I can complete my outfit for Saturday night. The sewing gods are not being kind or they just have a really sick sense of humor. My pants lining just arrived yesterday and I still haven't received the lining for the jacket. The New Look 6920 jacket "muslin" fits great and only needed some minor adjustments. (I say "muslin" because I don't make muslins for any of my projects anymore. I am teaching myself some Palmer & Pletsch techniques, like tissue-fitting the pattern pieces and then pin-fitting the fabric sections BEFORE sewing. See Fit for Real People for some details.) My first Kwik Sew pattern ever is also an easy fit. The directions are weird though. Nonfusible interfacing on the neck facings on a knit top??? I'm fusing some Pro-Sheer Elegance interfacing to the neck facings instead. I feel the same way about sewing directions like most people feel about speed limits and stop signs....they are merely suggestions.

The pants are not going well. I wasted an entire evening pin-fitting McCall's 5710. Disaster. I cut the largest size out. The front fit pretty well after adjusting the crotch depth and length. The center back was 5 inches from my center back and the waistline was 4 inches lower than my back waistline. Did they design these for women with absolutley NO hips and NO bootie?! After messing around for over an hour just adjusting the back, I balled the pattern up and threw it away. I'm moving on to Vogue 7881. As I worked on that, I realized that I hadn't preshrunk my fabrics yet. Great, another evening lost to washing and line drying some fabrics that will still need to be pressed.

This brings me full circle to my New Year's sewing resolutions. Sew smarter. Preshrinking, gathering supplies, reading the pattern directions before cutting the fabric, etc. I'm a work in progress, I guess.

Shopping Happiness

2010-02-20T16:28:00.001-05:00

Today I have showered myself with sewing goodies of all kinds from many places. My 1930s fashion and sewing books arrived today. All of these books are looking promising but my favorite so far is the book of illustrations only, Fashions of the Thirties. They're copyright-free so here's a peek:

If I could go back in time, learn some drafting and pattern-making, and buy this book last year...I would have made this for my wedding dress (minus the widow's peak hairdo). How feminine and glamorous is this?!!

I also received my first Bemberg linings from Vogue Fabrics! These are even better than the samples. I can't wait to line some pants and jackets. So very silky! I also got some crappy tricot lining from them--yuck! I must give a shout out to Lucy's Fabrics for sending me some yummy tricot lining samples. The Whisper is like butter. The Helenca is so much nicer than the tricot I just received from Vogue Fabrics and quite a bit cheaper. Definitely ordering some of these.

I also hit Hancock's for the half off notions and $3.88 USD Vogue patterns sale. Vogue 8633 still eludes me but I got all the other patterns I was lusting for.

Vogue 8635: I'm loving View C.

Vogue 1169: I think this is too pretty for work. If I had time (and a smaller rear), I'd make this for DH's employer's banquet in a few weeks.

Vogue 1161: Why hello, little black dress!

Vogue 1154: I'm hoping one of my friends gets married this year so I have an occasion to wear this (not in white).

Vogue 1158: Just because. Next to Badgley Mischka, Tracy Reese is my 2nd favorite Vogue designer patterns.

I also purchased my first New Look pattern in years. I've been debating what I could throw together for this banquet in 2 weeks. I need to "look the part" for this event and not wear my usual mismatched, last minute outfit. I was debating on making one of these dresses from materials already in my stash:

Purple poly/rayon jersey in Butterick 5243 (view B)

Royal blue crepe in Butterick 5350 (view B)

Purple pique in Simplicity 2648 (view with cap sleeves and V-neck)

Problem is I would be more comfortable in pants and a jacket. And then this little gem jumped out at me at Hancock's.

New Look 6920

I have a Vera Wang Lavendar brocade from Fabric.com that was disappointing when I pulled it out of the box. The flower pattern is huge and screams "upholstery!" The wrong side, however, is gold with lavendar hues and a much smaller pattern. Gold, really? Yup. When I saw this pattern, I knew what I had to do. Even DH agrees this will look sharp.

I have some black/grey wool suiting-like fabric for the pants and I have 2 different shades of purple poly/rayon jersey for a quick tank. I can do this...quickly. I think I can, I think I can.... I may need a back-up plan.

Book review: Fit for Real People by Pati Palmer & Marta Alto

2010-02-16T20:30:00.001-05:00

Paperback, 256 pages
Published in 2007
ISBN: 9780935278651
Suggested retail price $24.95 USD, Amazon link

I enjoy reading Palmer/Pletsch publications but do find them a bit quirky. They repeat the information quite a bit and show you more than one way to accomplish something. They also make references to other P/P publications (by page number) or to other places in the same text that relate to the current topic. This is pretty handy for a reference. I sometimes think the chapter placement or content placement is a little backwards. In this book, for example, there is a chapter comparing a size 10 basic bodice pattern from several different companies. The last chapter in the book shows those pattern pieces laid on top of one another for comparison. Wouldn't it have made more sense to put this in the front with the rest of the bodice comparisons? Overall, a good book and I saw immediate improvements in my garment fitting. With the exception of more intricate designs, you can replace muslins with the tissue-fitting techniques they demonstrate in this book.

Book/Chapter Headings:

1. The Palmer/Pletsch Approach to Fitting
The basic steps of the P/P fitting techniques: Buy the right size pattern. Tissue-fit the pattern. Alter and re-fit the pattern. Pin-fit-as-you-sew the fabric pieces. The rest of the book is spent elaborating on these steps. You can skip much of this book and still learn the P/P fitting techniques, apply those techniques immediately, and enjoy better sewing results.

2. A History of Pattern Sizing
Interesting history of what pattern and clothes sizing used to be and what they are now. To sum it up, today's sizing is basically vanity sizing. Forget about the size number and just find what fits you. European sizes are discussed as well as a comparison between pattern sizes and RTW sizes.

3. Fit Facts
Nice side-by-side comparisons of fitting pattern muslins from Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity, Style and Burda all in the same size on the same model. They basically all fit the same so a 12 in McCalls will fit the same as a 12 in Vogue. Explanation of what minimum ease should be at the bust, waist and hips. Short versus petite sizes are compared on real women's bodies. Fitting for the mature body compared to the youthful figure. Other tidbits of information like a size Medium (12-14) is sized for the 14, patterns with more seams are easier to fit, and patterns are designed for a B-cup bust.

4. Buy the Right Size
How to properly measure your bust and hips and which measurement to use for determining pattern size. When you're in between sizes, buy the smaller unless the garment is very fitted. Includes a table comparing Burda and American pattern company sizes.

5. But the Pattern Doesn't Come in My Size!
P/P philosophy is all patterns can be made into petite, tall, wide or narrower sizes. I love the diagram explaining how to grade a pattern for a different size.

6. Special Sizes
P/P explains that most patterns are sold in Misses' sizing because pattern manufacturers can sell more of these. Explanations of the following sizes are included: Miss Petite, Half Size, and Women's. Girls' and Misses' sizing is also compared. Explanations of what happens to a woman's figure as she ages and how this affects the fit of a pattern.

7. What About Ease?
Minimum ease versus design ease, which fabrics have more or less give and how that will affect the finished garment, and how fashion over the years has changed design ease. Tips for determining how much ease you may want in your finished garments by using the pinch test, tape measure test and clothes-in-your-closet test. Nice illustrations with comparisons of close fitting, fitted, semi-fitted, loose fitting and very loose fitting styles in tops, bottoms, coats, etc.

8. Analyze Your Body
Basic body shapes (hourglass, rectangle, triangle, etc.) and how to analyze your shape to identify fitting issues. Detailed steps for making a body graph or body map.

9. Make a Body Map
How to make an adjustable basic pattern, prepare a tissue pattern for fitting, and what order to fit the pattern pieces. Benefits of using gingham as a fitting muslin.

10. Tissue-Fit & Fit-As-You-Sew
Checklist for fitting and sewing

11. Two Ways to Alter Patterns
Cut into the tissue and move tissue until the pattern piece fits OR add tissue to the outside edge of the pattern piece.

12. Professional Alteration Tips and Tools: Ten Steps to Perfect Fit
Tools: gridded cardboard surface, pattern alteration tissue, rulers, french curves, tape, pencil, pins, mirrors. Tips for altering tissue: cut up to the stitching line only, true the lines, blend lines, press the tissue, mark final seam lines, and cut tissue accurately.

The following chapters explain how to fit various trouble spots:
13. Length & Width

14. The Back

15. The Neck & Chest

16. Darts

17. Bust

18. Shoulders & Armholes

19. Sleeves

20. Waist, Hips, Tummy & Thighs

Tons of examples of fitting issues on real women:
21. Real People

22. Fit Decisions

23. Make It Flattering
Examples of ideas for altering the design of a pattern to make it more flattering on your figure type.

24. Sewing Techniques that Affect Fit
Fabric choice, print placement (in other words, don't put the big flowers on your boobs), changing grain to improve fit, finding/straightening the grain, dart techniques, pressing, gaping V-necks, etc.

25. Designing and Redesigning
Brief overview of draping, flat pattern making, computer pattern drafting, and dress forms. This section is not intended to show you how to do it but to get you thinking about changing design elements when you wish a pattern was just a little bit different.

26. Pattern Company Basic Bodice Comparison
McCalls, Vogue, Simplicity and Burda bodice pattern pieces are laid on top of one another for comparison. They are all the same size but may differ slightly. Example: A Simplicity pattern may be wider at the waist on the front section but narrower on the back section so the total circumference is the same as a Vogue pattern.

Does this book have clear illustrations or photographs?
This book does have many great photographs of fitting issues and solutions for REAL women; no runway models here. The bulk of the book has great line drawings for illustrating what pattern adjustments will be needed for various fit issues.

Would you recommend this book as a MUST HAVE?
Absolutely. The techniques are illustrated over and over again for various fitting issues so it was easy to apply this information right away. I saw immediate results in my sewing. Better fitting and less time getting the fit right in my garments.

What is your favorite decade for fashion?

2010-02-14T11:50:00.001-05:00

Don't get me wrong. I'm pretty happy with today's fashions, particularly for sewing. I've been toying with sewing some vintage fashions lately but I can't see myself wearing them. I've bought several of the Butterick and Vogue reproduction vintage sewing patterns lately.

I just don't know when and where I would wear these. I'm guessing I'll just have to make them and find excuses to wear them. What I've noticed about several of the reproduction patterns available in stores right now is they include full skirts mostly. If you're 64 inches tall with a VERY large rear, bulk on the bottom half is not a good idea.

I stumbled onto a vintage sewing pattern website today and realized I'm not even a huge fan of the 1940's and 1950's. I love the 1930's! From my brief internet "research," the fashion of the 1930s was impacted by the Great Depression and resulted in more conservative, womanly clothes. Shoulders were emphasized, rayon became a popular fabric and the zipper was introduced. Skirts were longer and more A-line and waistlines were returned to a more natural position. Gloves were worn with evening and daywear. (In today's germophobe society, those gloves would be a great idea!) Bias cut was all the rage and Madeleine Vionnet was its master.

(Source: www.metmuseum.org)

I found much within the 1930s that I would wear day-to-day.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Exactly! Time to find some books about 1930s fashion and pattern making. Glad we're on the same page.

I ordered these today:

Pattern Making Drafting 1930s Lingerie Blouses Skirts & Sportswear Fashions

Fashions of the Thirties 476 Authentic Copyright Free Illustrations

(Source: amazon.com)

I wonder though...how glamorous do these fashions really look without the hat and gloves? Purse and shoes, no problem but I don't wear hats and gloves are for winter only.

What is your favorite decade for fashion?

Sewing but not posting....

2010-02-09T21:28:00.001-05:00

I have been sewing quite a bit lately but given the choice between sewing or posting, I'll sew. In the meantime, there are about 15 posts in the works. Sounds like my sewing UFO pile!!

Here's what's coming:

Buttonhole tutorials (1-step, 4-step, corded and universal buttonholer)
Separate shirred elastic waistband tutorial
Twin needle stitching troubleshooting
Book reviews: Fit for Real People and Customize Your Sewing Patterns for a Perfect Fit
Pattern reviews and completed projects: McCall's 5978 Double knit cardigans, McCall's 5248 cami and pajama pants, McCall's 5925 Very loose-fit dress, aka the "doomed nightgown"

As I predicted while cutting out McCall's 5925, this project was doomed. I hated it from the start but decided to push on. It sat on my desk, taunting me for weeks, stifling my sewing mojo. I decided to knock it out one night and never look at this pattern again. As all sewers know, that attitude will have you making really stupid mistakes and tossing the garment out.

What you are looking at here is the front and back yokes, self-lined and already sewn together. I was adding the top ruffled edges to the yokes and got my left and right mixed up. So now I have a left front ruffle stitched to a right front yoke.

This is what it is supposed to look like:

DH had a great laugh about this one but still thinks my disastrous petticoat is the ultimate mess-up. Yes, this garment could be fixed but I just didn't care enough to do that. The whole time I was working with the pieces and reading the directions, I kept thinking to myself, "There has to be a better way of doing this." It's not a bad pattern; just not a great one. It was only going to be a nightgown anyway.

I'll leave you with this great article by Susan Khalje; the first in a 2-part series. Working With Embellished Fabrics is a great teaser for her OOP book, "Bridal Couture," which she is now putting on CD-Rom. She has a nice way of making a seemingly difficult concept easy to understand so you have the confidence to try it yourself.

I must speak...Project Runway is definitely a designing, not sewing challenge

2010-02-09T21:10:00.001-05:00

Did you see the latest episode of Project Runway? I was astonished by how poorly all the garments fit their models. The construction was pretty crappy on most too. I've seen several mistakes made by contestants again and again. The two worst ones are (1) not understanding the properties of the fabric you have chosen and (2) not comprehending construction techniques well enough to fully execute your design. I'm convinced that many of these great designs on paper would look fabulous in person IF the designers had a better knowledge of fabric and construction. With this episode, the designers committed a third sin: not understanding a woman's body. Here's a tip, anything more than an A cup needs support.

I actually like Jonathan's design but the low-hanging, ski slope boobs were very distracting.

Other designers with boobie issues: Amy's winning design (floppy, loose bodice on a full-busted woman?!), Emilio (mashed boobies with seams out of place), Jay Nicholas (covered up the boobies with a distracting design that won't lay flat), and Jesse (more mashed boobies but they are also popping out of an ill-fitting dress).

Seth Aaron got the boob placement right but the dress has gaping at the armholes. Real women have REAL curves. I'm starting to sound like Heidi--it's all about the boobs! If you get the boobs right, it will make up for other problems.

Best boobie award goes to this week's loser, Jesus. The man can sew but his designs were always just a little off. I guess it's fitting that the hooker dress has the best boobies.

Maya's design was my favorite. The boobs were where they belong. The construction was good and the draping was beautiful. The choice of fabrics was great. I love how she incorporated the heart shape on the chest without being really obvious. I've often thought adding layers of fabric to a hip area was a bad idea but this woman can pull it off because she has a nice, lean shape. This dress was very different from all the others and different from anything I've seen elsewhere. Maya was robbed and I think she knew it.

I think Mila, Emilio and Amy are my favorite designers. Mila is the most consistent. Her Campbell's soup dress immediately makes you think of Campbell's soup so she accomplished this task the best but I'm just not a fan of a huge star on a dress.

This post was especially catty for me but I couldn't help noticing how many designers had so much trouble with boobs...and any other curve on a real woman. Here's hoping future challenges reveal better results.

Are you a snobby sewer?

2010-01-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

I find people's sewing preferences interesting. You tend to shop the same store, use the same brand patterns, frequently buy fabrics in the same colors, and various other preferences. That's fine with me. When someone develops a preference for one item over another, it tells me that this item is better (in that person's opinion) than another and I want to know why. What's not cool is snobbery. Generally the snobbery isn't coming from the blogger themselves but more so from the people following the blog. Some comments are just mean at times. I think the straw that broke my back was reading some of the comments to a post about online fabric shopping. (I'm not giving you anymore details than that because I hate blog piggybacking.)

From reading various online sewing forum posts and sewing blogs, I'm come to the conclusion that all of the following are considered the generic store brand of the sewing world:

Singer sewing machines
Dritz sewing notions
Pellon interfacing
Big 4 patterns (Vogue, McCall's, Butterick, Simplicity)
JoAnn's
Hancock's
Fabric.com
Denver Fabrics/Fashion Fabric Club
Polyester anything
Coats & Clark thread
Any zipper not YKK

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few but you get the idea. If it's not expensive (or everyone's favorite), it's crap.

Now this is just a theory but I think some people (notice I said "some", not all) are unsure of how to spot a good bargain on a quality product. To verify that they are buying a quality product, they look for something expensive instead. If it costs more, it must be better, right? Depends.

The first time I got my hands on some silk double georgette fabric, I swore off JoAnn's and Hancock's challis solids and prints FOREVER. (I bought the silk at Denver Fabrics, by the way.) Many times you can feel quality. You know it the second you pick it up. Ah, yes! This is good stuff. If it's good fabric, you want to wrap it around yourself and wear it like a toga everywhere you go...or until your DH threatens to drop you off at the looney bin. The yummy silk double georgette I bought was $6.00/yard (sale price). Sure, I could have shopped NY Fashion Fabric Center for $17.99/yard but I like a bargain. I don't buy something just because it's on sale. I buy it if the quality is good, the price is cheaper than the usual cost, and I need it. (My definition of "need" changes based on my checking account balance.) The point is there are many who would have turned their nose up at the idea of buying silk at Denver Fabrics. They'd prefer to pay more at another store because it is considered by others to be THE place to buy quality fabric. That's fine by me. If they aren't shopping where I shop, then there is more for me!!

I love many of the Jalie, Hot Patterns, and BWOF designs but I don't buy them. I can always find something similar in the Big 4, buy it on sale, and never come close to paying what you did for the Jalie pattern. I'm not calling anyone silly for buying the more expensive fabric, or the more expensive pattern. I am asking you to stop judging me and others like me. If we both end up in the same place but got there by different routes, what right do you have to say your way is better? Our creative processes work differently. That is one of the reasons I enjoy reading blogs. It's a great opportunity to learn about different ways of doing things.

Think about that next time you want to post a nasty or underhanded comment about someone else's choice in materials, fashion sense or sewing ability. Creativity does not have a minimum standard and knows no brand names. You may catch me shopping at the hip fabric stores but I'll be holding a coupon in my hot, little hand.

Happy sewing to ALL!

#65 Cut-on elasticized waistband with casing

2010-01-21T19:44:00.001-05:00

Step #1: Add length to your pattern pieces for a waistband casing.
If your pattern already called for a waistband with casing, you will see a waistline marked a couple inches below the top of the pattern piece. If your pattern does not have this already marked, extend the pattern piece two times the width of the elastic plus 5/8-inch. Example: 1-inch elastic, add 2-5/8 inches to the pattern piece (add to the waist height, not width)

Step #2: Finish the raw edge at the waist.
Overlock with a serger, overcast with a sewing machine and overcasting presser foot, or zigzag the edges. Zigzagging the edges isn't ideal as the fabric may curl within the zigzag stitch (see below).

Step #3: Fold over fabric to wrong side (fold over amount = width of elastic plus 1/2-inch).

I actually folded over 1-5/8 inches because I intended to turn under 1/4-inch to close the casing (more info in later steps). I folded over and measured all the way around the waistband, pinning as I went. If you place the pins closer to the raw edge, you can press the folded edge without moving the pins.

Step #4: Edgestitch close to the folded edge.
Again, having the pins closer to the raw edge means you can leave them in while you stitch. I don't have a presser foot with a guide for accurate edgestitching so I improvised with a zipper presser foot.

This is where my technique differs from the Singer book. The Singer guide then recommends joining the ends of the elastic that you have already pre-measured for your waist. Singer then has you place the elastic underneath the waistband casing, which is edgestitched along one length/edge and open on the other. Then you would use a zipper foot and stitch close to the elastic all the way around the waistband, shifting the fabric around the elastic as you go. This method has one advantage in my opinion, you won't have to insert the elastic into a sewn waistband and try to keep the elastic flat as you are doing this. The disadvantages of this method are: (1) an ugly overcast/zigzagged edge is now visible and makes the garment look home sewn, (2) you must stitch accurately or risk catching the elastic in the seam, and (3) the cumbersome technique of sewing and shifting fabric around the elastic, which has already been stitched in a circle. The following steps are my preferred method for finishing the waistband casing.

Step #5: Turn under and edgestitch the overcast/zigzagged edge. Insert the elastic.

Turn under the overcast/zigzagged edge of the waistband casing and press. Edgestitch the turned under edge all the way around the waistband but leave a 2-inch opening for inserting the elastic. Insert a large safety pin in one end of the elastic (not too close to the end of the elastic, especially if the elastic ravels easily). Thread the elastic through the sewn waistband casing, shifting the fabric along the elastic as you go. You can pin the other end of the elastic to the opening in the waistband casing to prevent losing it in the casing.

Step #6: Join the ends of the elastic.
When you reach the other end of the casing opening, pull several inches of each end of the elastic out so you can join the ends. You may overlap the ends or butt the ends. In either case, use a wide zigzag or 3-step zigzag stitch.

Step #7: Close the waistband casing opening.
Edgestich closed.

Step #8: Distribute the fabric evenly along the elastic. Stitch in the ditch to anchor the elastic.
After distributing the fabric, you should anchor the elastic at the center front, center back, and 2 side seams of the waistband to keep the fabric evenly distributed. You can use a stitch-in-the-ditch presser foot or a zipper foot.

#64 Elasticized waistbands

2010-01-20T00:34:00.000-05:00

I actually have 2 different types of elasticized waistbands on my Singer 2010 list so I think #64 is a typo. I'll use this post to summarize some general information from the Singer book.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELASTICIZED WAISTBANDS

1. Can be cut-on or separate

Cut-on waistbands are basically an extension of the garment. From the point where the garment should hit your waist, you add more length to the fabric. This extra length gets folded over to make a waistband.

2. Cut-on waistband types

With a casing: more casual look; firm braided or woven elastics work best; elastic can be adjusted for a better fit later because the elastic is not caught in a seam
Topstitched: number of topstitched seams and spacing can vary according to your preference; can use drawstring elastic for this

3. Types of separate waistbands

Smooth: best for a slim-fitting garment because the waistband will look like a traditional waistband when stretched around the waist; firm elastic is best (1-1.25 inches wide)
Shirred: best for fuller styles like a full skirt; works well with wide elastic; firm elastic is best; waistband can be topstitched

4. Elastics

Firm: nonroll elastic is an example; the length of elastic should be cut to your waist measurement or 1-inch smaller
Soft: knit elastic is an example; the length of elastic should be cut 3 to 5 inches smaller than your waist measurement

This is a knit elastic pictured below.

Topstitching: can cause the elastic to lose some stretch; shorten the elastic up to 1-inch to get a better fit

5. Joining Elastic Ends

Overlapped method: best for soft elastics; overlap the elastic ends and use a wide zigzag stitch to secure; a 3-step zigzag stitch can also be used

Butted method: best for firm elastics; bring elastic ends together ("butt ends") and secure with a wide or 3-step zigzag stitch

Before reading this book, I always used nonroll elastic and I always overlapped the ends. The problems with overlapping on firm elastics are needle breakage and thread jams. Use a midweight/heavyweight needle and hold onto your thread ends when zigzaging the overlapped ends.

Book Review: Mother Pletsch's Painless Sewing by Pati Palmer & Susan Pletsch

2010-01-17T11:53:00.000-05:00

Paperback, 128 pages
Published in 2002
ISBN: 978-0935278545
Retails for $9.95 USD
Details on Amazon here

Book/Chapter Headings:

1. "But I Don't Have the Patience to Sew"--basic intro chapter

2. How to Sew Fast--10 tips for sewing fast (grouping tasks in blocks, faster pinning and cutting, preventing machine jams); organizing your sewing space (generic tips here); sewing wardrobes and coordinating pieces. The only gem here is the 10 tips for sewing and only a few of them are gems.

3. From Fiber to Fabric--This is my favorite chapter. Synthetic, natural, and blended fibers/fabrics are covered here. Great explanations about how the fabric will wear over time, absorbency, and choosing fabrics in the store.

4. Textile Love and Care--contains a nice chart about caring for washable fabrics (why you use detergent when preshrinking, best temperatures for reducing wrinkling, etc.).

5. Tools of the Trade--A nice shopping list for the beginner with no supplies yet. Basic comparison of threads and how to choose a thread for your project; features to look for in a sewing machine or serger. No information here regarding essential presser feet to own, however.

6. Quick Shaping--This chapter is another gem for the beginning sewer. The differences between lining, interfacing, and underlining are explained. Interfacing choices are clearly explained, as well as how to use them (fusible vs. sew-in) and preshrink them, which ones to always have on hand, and of course, a plug for the Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse interfacings. There is a nice chart showing you where to interface garments (facings, collars, cuffs, yokes, etc.). One great tip I picked up here is the "glue and fold" technique for underlinings. When I underlined my wedding dress skirt, the finished dress has some slight rippling on the outer skirt. I could have prevented this by making the underlining slightly smaller in width. The "glue and fold' technique is a quick method for figuring out how small to make the underlining and keeping it matched up correctly.

7. Pretty Pati's Perfect Pattern Primer--This is where you will see significant overlap from the "Fit for Real People" book by Palmer/Pletsch. The "Fit for Real People" book does a better job here. This chapter contains information on measuring yourself to determine pattern size, design ease vs. wear ease, how to tissue-fit your pattern, making a body graph (a Palmer/Pletsch technique for determining your individual body shape; MUCH better explanation in the "Fit For Real People" book), a fit glossary of common problems (again, MUCH better in the "Fit For Real People" book), and how to fit as you sew. This chapter is basically the Cliffs Notes version of their other books. I recommend buying the other books instead.

8. Mother Pletsch's Truths--How to straighten the grain, importance of staystitching, more fast sewing tips, reducing bulk, and understitching.

9. Pretty Pati's Pointers--a couple of other time-saving tips

10. Press As You Sew--Necessary tools for pressing and how to use them. How to press; don't laugh, I never learned properly so this was helpful.

11. Necessary Details--Tips and how-to for plackets, setting in sleeves, shoulder pad placement, hem finishes, centered zipper, lapped zipper, invisible zipper, faced necklines, buttons and buttonholes (including corded buttonholes), and pockets. A basic sewing book covers these with more pictures and instructions. I also imagine that the other Palmer/Pletsch publications will give your more detail than the snippets here.

12. Designing to Individualize--Ways to change the pattern to suit your style (adding/eliminating seams, converting darts, changing grainlines, etc.). The "Fit for Real People" book gives you MUCH more detail. I also own "How to Make Sewing Patterns" by McCunn and it has great ideas for changing collars, necklines, etc.

Does this book have clear illustrations or photographs?
For as small as this book is, there are tons of illustrations. No photographs, just black & white illustrations. The illustrations of pattern alterations and sewing techniques are clear. The illustrations of people (aka cartoons) are corny. They give you the impression that this book isn't to be taken seriously.

Would you recommend this book as a MUST HAVE?
No. All the Palmer/Pletsch publications repeat information over and over again, which is nice for learning, but they also share information. This means my "Fit for Real People" book contains some of the same information found in this book. All the Palmer/Petsch publications also refer you to their other publications often. I did enjoy this book for a quick read but the highlights (fiber information, tips for faster sewing, and pattern alterations) can be found somewhere else. I posted my favorite tips from this book here. The fiber information can be found online. All the Palmer/Pletsch pattern alterations can be found in their other books. I'm still reading the other 2 books I own (Fit for Real People and Pants for Every Body) but I'm guessing there is a lot of overlap there as well. This book falls into the recommendation category "borrow or steal" but don't buy.

Book Review: Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques by Nancy Bednar & JoAnn Pugh-Gannon

2010-01-16T12:02:00.000-05:00

Paperback, 336 pages
Published in 2007
ISBN: 9781402742934
$24.95 USD
Details from Amazon here

This book is organized as a reference how-to book, meaning you just look at the Table of Contents, find the technique you want, and flip to that page. This isn't a book you would read cover to cover. In that respect, it is an easy reference book to use. The techniques are organized by categories of usefulness: decorative and indispensable. My only complaint about the book is the paperback binding. It does have a sturdy cardboard cover but spiral bounding would be more user-friendly. For every sewing machine technique you will find a summary of why and when you would use that technique, machine set-up (stitch length and width, presser foot, needles, thread, tension and other recommendations), suggested fabric choices, and additional supplies that may be necessary. Each technique has excellent step by step full-color pictures and then a picture of the completed garment. Although it's not necessary, a picture of the completed garment or project just gives you ideas for how you might use this technique in your own sewing. For people using basic mechanical machines like myself, some of the techniques may also be accomplished with alternative stitches and the authors provide that information whenever possible. Probably the best thing about this book is the inspiration you will get from it. I am willing to try some decorative touches with my sewing because the instructions are so well-written.

Book Chapter Headings:
1. Creative Techniques

Applique: basic satin, bias bar, blanket, decorative, frayed edge, madeira, mola, net, reverse, shadow
Battenburg
Bobbinwork
Charted needlework
Circular embroidery
Cording: monk's, on scalloped edges
Couching: beads, sequins, cords, braids, and bulky fibers
Criss cross chain stitching
Cutwork
Drawn threadwork
Entredeux: basic & corded
Embroidery: eyelet, free-motion
Fagoting: traditional, bobbinwork, bundled
Folded flourishes: shark's teeth, prairie points
Fringe: long, short
Heirloom sewing (5 techniques)
Hemstitching: double and single wing needles
Lacemaking
Monogramming
Quilting styles (numerous)
Ruching
Ruffling
Scallops
Silk ribbon machine embroidery
Smocking
Stippling
Tucking: Mexican, picot-edged, single needle

2. Indispensable Techniques

Bias binding
Buttonholes: corded, bound, decorative
Edge finishes: picot, rolled, wire-edged
Gathering: basic, clear elastic, over cord
Hem finishes: corded, decorative stitch, double & triple needle, hemmer feet, hem stitched, raised double needle, shadow
Mitering corners
Seam finishes: edge-stitched, flat-felled, French, Hong Kong, tricot-bound
Topstitching
Zippers: centered, invisible, placket, hand-picked

3. Important Information
This section contains contact information for all the sewing machine manufacturers.

Index

Photographs: Tons!! See comments above.

Would you recommend this book as a MUST HAVE?
Yes. Great reference book of not only decorative but essential techniques with well-written instructions and great pictures.

Book Review: The Sewing Stitch & Textile Bible by Lorna Knight

2010-01-16T03:38:00.000-05:00

Hardcover, spiral bound, 256 pages
Published in 2007
ISBN: 9780896895270
$29.99 USD
Details from Amazon here

Book Chapter Headings:

1. Tools and Equipment
Nothing ground breaking here. Essential tools for cutting, measuring, etc. This is the first book I've seen that listed the different types of irons (including a tank iron) and hand sewing needles. Learning the differences between hand sewing needles can be easily done in the store, however, by reading the packaging. Basic parts of sewing machines and sergers are included. There is a small section on presser feet with pictures. This section gives a beginner a great shopping list for basic presser feet to own (straight stitch, invisible zipper, blindhem, narrow hem/picot, overcasting, walking/even feed, pin tuck, gathering, and clear/embroidery). I do like the small section about threads, including all the basics plus bobbin fill, basting, top stitch, wooly nylon, and embroidery floss. I haven't seen other books that included so many thread options.

2. Stitch Directory
For each stitch you get: step by step directions with colored drawings, recommendations for use, fabric selection, notions and stitch size, pressing/finishing, and alternatives (how to duplicate a hand stitch on the machine and vice versa). Most of the alternatives are pretty self-evident. I'm pretty ignorant of hand stitching and I've always just made up whatever worked for the situation. The only section of this book that I really like is the pages with hand stitches on them. Serger/overlocking stitches are included in this section. There is a section of decorative stitches (pin tucks, knotted hem stitch, smocking, etc.). This book includes more decorative stitches than other books I've seen so this book could be a supplement for those that use lots of decorative stitches but I'm guessing there are other more complete books on the market.

3. Techniques and Finishes
Includes all the different types of seam finishes, including Hong Kong, flat-felled, interfaced hem, horsehair braid, boning seams, etc. Sewing buttons, buttonholes and zippers are included. I do like that this book included tips for buttonholes in stretch fabrics, when a keyhole buttonhole is appropriate, corded button loops, and making eyelet holes.

4. Textile Directory
This fabric guide section is useless compared to the wealth of information you can get from either of the 2 popular fabric guides: More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina and Claire Schaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide.

Additional information:
This book has many photographs, pretty detailed but many are small.

Would I recommend this book as a MUST HAVE?
No. I would recommend checking it out of the library or borrowing someone else's copy for some great tidbits of information. If you are a beginner, this book could be a great supplement to your basic sewing book. Several sections of the book just aren't helpful but there are some real gems in a few sections.