Wearing my linen work jeans around the property for chores has made me want MORE! More linen work clothes! And then, right before a stronger-than-normal summer storm hit the other evening, inspiration hit me first.
For over a year now, my precious linen/cotton denim chambray has hovered near the top of the fabric piles, and sitting close to it in my imagination is of course Simplicity 8447, the Rosie the Riveter overalls, along with two blouses and the pants without the overall bib. I now intend to make the pants in a heavy linen from Fabrics-Store (in the patriot blue color), get those fit well, then the overalls, the regular blouse in a medium blue handkerchief linen I think I got from Fabric Mart more than a few years ago.
While I was pulling out the overalls pattern, I grabbed up Simplicity 8243, a 1940s sportswear pattern with a short sleeve blouse that caught my eye when Mom and I were doing some shopping the day after son's wedding up in Chicago. I have some red bandana paisley cotton from WalMart I think would be cute.
Today, the rules for the PatternReview.com mini wardrobe contest were posted, and it is work themed ... but you need 5 garments to create 6 looks. Oh, and all five must be cut and sewn between 1 September and 30 September. I hit on an idea for a fifth garment this afternoon, if it's ruled as a garment: Simplicity 4282, view C vest style apron, and I'll tweak the pockets to make it an egg-gathering apron. The pockets are more to the side, so I'll be able to scrinch down to get the egg laid in the smallest part of the corner of a tractor, because you know there's always one hen who must make it an obstacle course for you.
So, that's my inspiration and plans. Now the big question is: how long will it take me to sew all these up? Only one way to find out.
Showing posts with label fabric acquisitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fabric acquisitions. Show all posts
23 August 2018
22 August 2017
My precious fabric has arrived
I picked it up at the post office today, and had to wait until I got home to get it open. Fabric Mart is thankfully dumped FedEx's SmartPost in favor of the USPS Priority mail, which means I get my order 1-3 days sooner. It does look as photographed, although it is a lighter weight than I like to use for jeans ... so now for a Plan B. I have this pattern:
Yup, I intend to dress up as Rosie the Riveter come autumn, when it is rumored first the overnight lows may actually get lower than 70F, and then the daytime highs may actually go below 85F! A nice linen and cotton blend in this weight ought to work no matter what the weather does when Hallowe'en comes around. It could be some fun.
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| Simplicity 8447 "Rosie the Riveter" pattern |
18 August 2017
Finally found my Precious
I have been saying for years I want to find and use linen denim, and have a nice collection of linen twill (mostly suiting) fabrics in ye olde fabric stash ... but I have finally found actual linen (blended with cotton) denim! And in all places, Fabric Mart. The down side of this is, they may not get any more in for a decade or so. The good news is, it's at a Fabric Mart price. They're what's called a jobber, in that they buy leftover fabrics from manufacturers and other retailers and sell them quite low. This is under the Sales section, in their "Precut Buyout"subsection, so when they sell out they are truly out. For the record, since they are selling it in 2.5 yard pieces, and I need 2.75 yards to make a pair of jeans, I bought two pieces. I got the shipping email yesterday.
I emailed Fabric Mart yesterday asking permission to use their photos of this fabric because they are SO much better at photography than I'll probably ever be, and this morning Julie emailed me permission to use, with a note that I should stress this is a buyout fabric and when it's gone then it is totally gone. I promised a link to the page, if anyone wants to get their own 2.5 yard piece of linen/cotton denim (if you don't see that fabric anymore, then they are sold out).
I am really stoked about finally finding this. Even if it's a lighter weight than I like to use for jeans, it will still make summer go-to-town jeans. FabricMart lists it as "Light/Medium; Falls Moderately Away From Body" so I am not expecting 12 oz weight denim here (although that would certainly be nice), but they do recommend using this fabric for pants, jackets and waistcoats (vests) so I am expecting bottomweight at the least.
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| linen/cotton denim photo used with permission |
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| linen/cotton denim photo used with permission |
I am really stoked about finally finding this. Even if it's a lighter weight than I like to use for jeans, it will still make summer go-to-town jeans. FabricMart lists it as "Light/Medium; Falls Moderately Away From Body" so I am not expecting 12 oz weight denim here (although that would certainly be nice), but they do recommend using this fabric for pants, jackets and waistcoats (vests) so I am expecting bottomweight at the least.
16 April 2013
I could not resist
So, I am still on FabricMart's email list, and get notice of sales and specials ... well, last week I decided to browse about their website and of course I ended up in the linen section. I filled my cart, but then hesitated. Then I did the same over the weekend. Hubby noticed this and said I should just go ahead and buy since I was putting the same fabrics in the cart. Then, yesterday morning ...
Email from FM said "Special offer for premium members" so I opened it up, and there it was! Linen fabrics 50% off ... and y'all know how much I adore linen. Back to the cart, and those two twills were still in stock. Yup, linen twill in two colors I can wear (as in, not the daffodil yellow). The only thing better would have been to have denim weave twill, to make it easier to see the grainline for me, but a nice grey solid twill and then a cream and black houndstooth twill will do the job nicely enough.
Pretty soon, it will be too hot in the afternoon to do much outside, and then the sewing lair WILL be officially unpacked, fabric WILL be cut, and new clothes WILL be made. Also, hubby will be roped into re-measuring me. I am down to retail size 12 in jeans, comfortably, and I can even fit back into my garrison BDU pants.
Email from FM said "Special offer for premium members" so I opened it up, and there it was! Linen fabrics 50% off ... and y'all know how much I adore linen. Back to the cart, and those two twills were still in stock. Yup, linen twill in two colors I can wear (as in, not the daffodil yellow). The only thing better would have been to have denim weave twill, to make it easier to see the grainline for me, but a nice grey solid twill and then a cream and black houndstooth twill will do the job nicely enough.
Pretty soon, it will be too hot in the afternoon to do much outside, and then the sewing lair WILL be officially unpacked, fabric WILL be cut, and new clothes WILL be made. Also, hubby will be roped into re-measuring me. I am down to retail size 12 in jeans, comfortably, and I can even fit back into my garrison BDU pants.
07 January 2012
Wools for hubby
So hubby has been wanting to get back into camping, and on a couple of sites he's been reading they offer up wool blankets for sale: the one he was really looking at is about 72 inches by 56 inches ... and they want either $25 or $30 for it! He showed it to me first before clicking "add to cart" (thankfully!) at which point I explained to him that is a standard two yard piece of wool with some kind of hem to keep it from raveling. Then I mentioned my wool stash ...
I know some of y'all recall my huge wool-buying spree last January, and the morning it hit an overnight low of 17F here, of course FabricMart sent me an email regarding a wool sale ...
The box arrived yesterday afternoon, and hubby brought it in for me. After I opened it, I carried the two wools I bought for him to him "to fondle".
He did just that! Then, he asked just what my plans for these two lovely wools are. I told him I bought enough of each (3 yards per wool) to make him both a wool blanket that will be 72x58 inches, and have enough to color-block a coat for him. Right now, with the dearth of men's coat pattern out there, he is leaning heavily towards the Burda 7419 pattern for it.
As for the blanket idea, I plan to use one yard of each, with the solid burnt sienna piece cut into half and flat-felled onto the plaid before hemming. Y'all didn't think I'd make a plain blanket, did you?
Oh, that third wool in the stack? It was a "Sue's Pick" at FM about two or three weaknesses ago ... I swear it jumped up and down on my screen screaming "Buy me! Buy me! Buy me!" and when it arrived and I opened up the box, it started screaming for the 1975 Simplicity 7123 unisex coat pattern that followed me home from Mom's over the summer. Seriously, this is the perfect houndstooth for a mid-70s coat. It easily outshouted the light blue mini-houndstooth wool I got last January.
We are going to need to clear off the table before WE (emphasis on the plural!) start cutting the wool today, as last night I felt obligated to show hubby what my old Girl Scout troop used as firestarters back in the day. While hubby acknowledges the simple brilliance of the cardboard egg carton with wood shavings and paraffin as a really effective way to get a fire going ... he thinks it is somehow cheating that we had three wooden matches to get the fire going. Either way, it still needs to be packed up if we are even going to have room for eating breakfast ... and he was all about helping me to cut this wool yesterday before we started indulging our pyromania.
Blanket first ... and I am wondering over coffee if he'll like the idea of fringing the hem.
I know some of y'all recall my huge wool-buying spree last January, and the morning it hit an overnight low of 17F here, of course FabricMart sent me an email regarding a wool sale ...
The box arrived yesterday afternoon, and hubby brought it in for me. After I opened it, I carried the two wools I bought for him to him "to fondle".
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| Top two wools are for hubby |
He did just that! Then, he asked just what my plans for these two lovely wools are. I told him I bought enough of each (3 yards per wool) to make him both a wool blanket that will be 72x58 inches, and have enough to color-block a coat for him. Right now, with the dearth of men's coat pattern out there, he is leaning heavily towards the Burda 7419 pattern for it.
As for the blanket idea, I plan to use one yard of each, with the solid burnt sienna piece cut into half and flat-felled onto the plaid before hemming. Y'all didn't think I'd make a plain blanket, did you?
Oh, that third wool in the stack? It was a "Sue's Pick" at FM about two or three weaknesses ago ... I swear it jumped up and down on my screen screaming "Buy me! Buy me! Buy me!" and when it arrived and I opened up the box, it started screaming for the 1975 Simplicity 7123 unisex coat pattern that followed me home from Mom's over the summer. Seriously, this is the perfect houndstooth for a mid-70s coat. It easily outshouted the light blue mini-houndstooth wool I got last January.
We are going to need to clear off the table before WE (emphasis on the plural!) start cutting the wool today, as last night I felt obligated to show hubby what my old Girl Scout troop used as firestarters back in the day. While hubby acknowledges the simple brilliance of the cardboard egg carton with wood shavings and paraffin as a really effective way to get a fire going ... he thinks it is somehow cheating that we had three wooden matches to get the fire going. Either way, it still needs to be packed up if we are even going to have room for eating breakfast ... and he was all about helping me to cut this wool yesterday before we started indulging our pyromania.
Blanket first ... and I am wondering over coffee if he'll like the idea of fringing the hem.
01 August 2011
Why I am not buying fabric right now
A picture is worth a thousand words, so they say:
Ever since he returned from his tour in Korea, hubby has been talking about wanting a small woodworking shop. When he came back from Afghanistan, this picked up as he was one who helped build a new camp out of plywood and 2x4s. On the way home from Indiana - without either of the two bookcases we intended to bring back - the subject came up again ... and over the past month of discussion we agreed on a big, fun project for hubby: custom oak bookcases for the living room.
This is the start of the first one. We wanted to buy enough to do the frame of both, but Lowe's only had two sheets of the 3/4 inch thick oak in stock yesterday. At the store, and on the way home, hubby was talking about how he'd put it together slowly to avoid mistakes ... that didn't last long and a couple hours later he was asking me to hold the side boards up so he could attach them to the already-put-together base.
This bookcase is 7 feet 8 inches tall and a smidge over 4 feet wide. It still needs a back, and trim (oh yes, I can pick out pretty trim for it!), and hubby wants to build the second one before staining and finishing so they come out the same shade. My original request was for "real" bookcases that would last a good twenty years, as I am tired of replacing them every other time I want to move them from one room to another (and that's if they are the good ones!). Hubby's stated goal: "I want to make them last a century!" That would be cool!
When both are done, and the books are moved onto it ... I will have two particleboard cheapie WalMart bookcases to store my fabric on in the soon (?)-to-be sewing lair, which will open up floor space that is now occupied by boxes (the wools and silks will still hide in tubs from both cats and insects!).
So right now, my fabric funds are instead buying wood, wood supplies, and of course woodworking tools. I get oak furniture, and hubby gets his small woodshop. Sounds like a win-win deal to me!
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| Hubby's project: oak bookcase(s) |
This is the start of the first one. We wanted to buy enough to do the frame of both, but Lowe's only had two sheets of the 3/4 inch thick oak in stock yesterday. At the store, and on the way home, hubby was talking about how he'd put it together slowly to avoid mistakes ... that didn't last long and a couple hours later he was asking me to hold the side boards up so he could attach them to the already-put-together base.
This bookcase is 7 feet 8 inches tall and a smidge over 4 feet wide. It still needs a back, and trim (oh yes, I can pick out pretty trim for it!), and hubby wants to build the second one before staining and finishing so they come out the same shade. My original request was for "real" bookcases that would last a good twenty years, as I am tired of replacing them every other time I want to move them from one room to another (and that's if they are the good ones!). Hubby's stated goal: "I want to make them last a century!" That would be cool!
When both are done, and the books are moved onto it ... I will have two particleboard cheapie WalMart bookcases to store my fabric on in the soon (?)-to-be sewing lair, which will open up floor space that is now occupied by boxes (the wools and silks will still hide in tubs from both cats and insects!).
So right now, my fabric funds are instead buying wood, wood supplies, and of course woodworking tools. I get oak furniture, and hubby gets his small woodshop. Sounds like a win-win deal to me!
12 July 2011
Fabrics out of season
So, it's been ugly-hot this week, with temperatures in the mid-90s (Fahrenheit) and relative humidity close to that. There's even an "Extreme Heat Warning" in effect this week according to the radio. So ... what does my friendly USPS carrier bring me today? A FabricMart box with ... two new wools!
The top one - blue and cream houndstooth Shetland wool - is a repeat order, since I now have a real 1975 coat pattern that is just begging me for a houndstooth fabric. The bonus is this time it was a dollar less per yard than the January sale on Shetland wools.
The bottom one was a couldn't-resist wool suiting, and WOW is it soft feeling! It's definitely a heavier, fall/winter suiting, and I adore the stripes in addition to the colors. Note to self: Start working on the blazer/suit jacket idea.
This morning, I declared today to be a "slug day" where I wasn't intending to even get dressed, just lay about the house like a slug. I accomplished this ... not much else, but after all the road-tripping and errands I've been doing the past 4 or 5 days I needed it. I briefly thought about pulling out fabric and pattern tissue, but that sounded like too much effort. I have been working on a slow-hand-embroidery project, and do owe maggie a post on that ... but I am so close to done I'll wait until tomorrow for it.
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| two new wools from FM |
The bottom one was a couldn't-resist wool suiting, and WOW is it soft feeling! It's definitely a heavier, fall/winter suiting, and I adore the stripes in addition to the colors. Note to self: Start working on the blazer/suit jacket idea.
This morning, I declared today to be a "slug day" where I wasn't intending to even get dressed, just lay about the house like a slug. I accomplished this ... not much else, but after all the road-tripping and errands I've been doing the past 4 or 5 days I needed it. I briefly thought about pulling out fabric and pattern tissue, but that sounded like too much effort. I have been working on a slow-hand-embroidery project, and do owe maggie a post on that ... but I am so close to done I'll wait until tomorrow for it.
05 July 2011
Lovely wool gifts from Mom
I am still working through the loot brought back from Indiana ... and alongside the fleece piece that came back are a couple of new-to-me wools Mom has had tucked away for years. Both of these are truly impressive in different ways.
First up, the mostly-constructed wool ... Mom says she was making this as a custom order from a lady back in the 80s, but after the lady needed some alterations ... it has hung up in her basement/sewing room with the bottom hem and underams unstitched to add gussets. When I mentioned pattern sizes (plus pattern alterations I need to learn) Mom directed me to where it was and said if it fits me I can have it:
When I first looked at it, I thought it had been purchased retail and just needed altering. Mom corrected this: she made it to the pattern (she doesn't remember which pattern) and then the lady wanted more room to move her arms. What threw me off were the tags inside the jacket, which Mom says came with the wool itself. Along with the "Dry Clean Only" tag, there is a large flat one below the back of the collar that says
"Hand tailored from
Pembleton Woolens
Pembleton Woolen Mills
Pembleton, Oregon
100% virgin wool
Made in USA"
A quick bit of Googling shows they are still in business, still in Oregon, still sell yardage of wool fabrics ... and are still considered high-end. Along with the "wow" factor on this nice fabric, all I need to do is sew three seams to have a really wow fancy wool blazer. This gives me a reason to actually look forward to cooler fall weather!
As "wow" as the blazer is ... Mom really floored me when after she saw my pics of the Stewart wool vest I made in January, she asked if I would like a pink plaid wool. Those are three words I love, all said in one breath! Pink. Plaid. Wool. Even that didn't prepare me for what she pulled out of her closet:
That isn't a "retro" looking wool ... it's the real thing from when Mom was still in high school! Mom says Grandma bought it for her, then carefully preshrunk it and then just as carefully pinned the stripes together so they wouldn't shift. There's two yards of it, and Mom said she just never could make up her mind what to make from it, and didn't want to cut it until she was sure. Mom says she thinks it would do Grandma proud if I made something from it, even though it was purchased before I was ever thought of. Right now, I am leaning towards the idea of making a late 50s/early 60s style jumper with it, but I intend to take my time on the idea. I'm also open to suggestions.
Aren't these two wool pieces inspiring?
First up, the mostly-constructed wool ... Mom says she was making this as a custom order from a lady back in the 80s, but after the lady needed some alterations ... it has hung up in her basement/sewing room with the bottom hem and underams unstitched to add gussets. When I mentioned pattern sizes (plus pattern alterations I need to learn) Mom directed me to where it was and said if it fits me I can have it:
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| Wool blazer, almost finished |
"Hand tailored from
Pembleton Woolens
Pembleton Woolen Mills
Pembleton, Oregon
100% virgin wool
Made in USA"
A quick bit of Googling shows they are still in business, still in Oregon, still sell yardage of wool fabrics ... and are still considered high-end. Along with the "wow" factor on this nice fabric, all I need to do is sew three seams to have a really wow fancy wool blazer. This gives me a reason to actually look forward to cooler fall weather!
As "wow" as the blazer is ... Mom really floored me when after she saw my pics of the Stewart wool vest I made in January, she asked if I would like a pink plaid wool. Those are three words I love, all said in one breath! Pink. Plaid. Wool. Even that didn't prepare me for what she pulled out of her closet:
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| Pink plaid wool from 1966 or 1967 |
Aren't these two wool pieces inspiring?
05 May 2011
Scrap thread testing - silk charmeuse
Maggie is wanting in progress pics ... fair enough, since I did bug her about progress pics when she was working on her denim corset. LOL I waited more than 48 hours before bugging though .... but in her defense, she does have this same silk charmeuse so I can understand her interest in this project.
I spent yesterday testing thread, stitches, and practicing french seams on scraps of the silk charmeuse ... and I am starting to run low on scraps! I tried out different stitch lengths on my Brother CS-770 (my daily driver and delicate fabric machine) and decided 1.8 setting is too long as it starts to have a gathering effect on the finished seam (note: this may come in handy for the neckline). The 1.6 setting looks good - little puckering, but not the too short bulletproof look that begins to resemble perforation that the 1.4 setting started to look like.
Now, about the thread itself ... I had gone out and bought Gutterman cotton thread on Nay's advice, because she has done bridal work and sewn much more silk than I have (recall this is my first time sewing silk!). She verified in chat that I had the right thread by its color number, so that part was good ... the problem I am seeing is this thread seems too stiff for this silk charmeuse! Honestly, it has a "light boning" effect, especially on french seams (where it is sewn twice). So I tried what Gloria recommended: embroidery machine thread. While it still is stiffer than unsewn silk, the effect is noticeably less ... here is my *attempt* to capture this on pixels:
The stiff part shows, but the curve on the machine embroidery thread sample isn't as obvious. This is after trying to press both samples, as well. About that ... this silk charmeuse does not like taking a press. I should have guessed that when I laid it out and there was hardly any wrinkling even though I had to hide this fabric in a box to keep inquisitive and destructive felines away from it! I am using a press cloth (don't want any accidental marking of the silk from my more-than-a-decade-old iron) but am just not brave enough to try increasing the heat beyond the silk setting. I don't have enough left over to cut any new pieces. (Go ahead and call me chicken! LOL)
Now, for a little fun and fabric acquisition with little expenditure: here is the "to iron" pile on my ironing board, with my newest acquisition on top: the rayon floral Maggie mailed me left over after she made the very lovely classic keyhole tunic last week (that she hadn't worn as of last night!).
It's about 2 yards ... just enough for ME to make a classic keyhole tunic just like this one ... except in my size. Not only did I have fabric envy when she posted this ... I had finished garment envy, and since Maggie is iffy about this project I first had to find out what size she made. Maggie and I do not wear the same size ... I need a size 18 for my shoulders (too many push ups as a mouthy private in the army ...) so I couldn't trade for the finished tunic. If she ever gets over her "tablecloth fabric" idea and actually wears this lovely tunic she's made ... we'll have matching garments sometime this summer! Oh and fabric lovers ... fear not. This rayon floral is now in a truly loving home, where its beauty and classic print will be truly appreciated. Did I mention its even prettier in person? It has a second floral motif in subtle white-on-cream to go along with the very pretty pink themed roses that the camera doesn't pick up too well. Maggie is getting about 2-1/4 yards of my white handkerchief linen with a couple swatches ... the prop in the first pic. She hasn't been bitten by the linen-love bug ... yet ... but I am intending to fix that with a sample swatch of the FM couture linen (which I now own four colors of ... they're under the rayon in the to-iron pile).
I may not make much progress today, as it is our anniversary and hubby is taking me out (to include hitting Hancock!) once my clothes dry. I want to wear my simple skirt, a bright pink matching knit top, and my denim mid-Victorian corset.
I spent yesterday testing thread, stitches, and practicing french seams on scraps of the silk charmeuse ... and I am starting to run low on scraps! I tried out different stitch lengths on my Brother CS-770 (my daily driver and delicate fabric machine) and decided 1.8 setting is too long as it starts to have a gathering effect on the finished seam (note: this may come in handy for the neckline). The 1.6 setting looks good - little puckering, but not the too short bulletproof look that begins to resemble perforation that the 1.4 setting started to look like.
Now, about the thread itself ... I had gone out and bought Gutterman cotton thread on Nay's advice, because she has done bridal work and sewn much more silk than I have (recall this is my first time sewing silk!). She verified in chat that I had the right thread by its color number, so that part was good ... the problem I am seeing is this thread seems too stiff for this silk charmeuse! Honestly, it has a "light boning" effect, especially on french seams (where it is sewn twice). So I tried what Gloria recommended: embroidery machine thread. While it still is stiffer than unsewn silk, the effect is noticeably less ... here is my *attempt* to capture this on pixels:
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| Machine embroidery thread versus Gutterman cotton thread |
Now, for a little fun and fabric acquisition with little expenditure: here is the "to iron" pile on my ironing board, with my newest acquisition on top: the rayon floral Maggie mailed me left over after she made the very lovely classic keyhole tunic last week (that she hadn't worn as of last night!).
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| Floral rayon - It's MINE now!! |
I may not make much progress today, as it is our anniversary and hubby is taking me out (to include hitting Hancock!) once my clothes dry. I want to wear my simple skirt, a bright pink matching knit top, and my denim mid-Victorian corset.
03 April 2011
I'm gonna go cry now ...
It was a beautiful dream ... truly lovely dream ... and I had even snapped a pic of this dream with every intention and desire to make it reality:
On the right is my new salt-and-pepper color linen, and I dug up the cuss-inducing slippery as **** rayon challis to use as a lining, and fished out the chosen blazer pattern. My resolve strengthened as I ironed the linen and admired the textured weave and play of colors ...
I even preread the instructions and looked the suggested layout over, as KwikSew patterns tend to have very reasonable pattern layouts ... FAIL!!!! Oh, the agony of reality as it came crashing down on me. I had only ordered two yards of this 44 inch wide fabric, and this blazer requires 3-1/8 yards of 45 inch wide fabric. Did I mention KS does reasonable and fabric-conserving layouts in their instructions? I can see no way to bend the laws of physics enough to make this idea work, even if I shorten both body and sleeves.
So it is with a heavy heart and shattered dream that we get this latest gem from Sergeant Obvious: Make sure you have enough fabric before getting too carried away with a beautiful sewing idea!
I guess this gorgeous linen will end up being culottes or capri-length summer pants ...
I even preread the instructions and looked the suggested layout over, as KwikSew patterns tend to have very reasonable pattern layouts ... FAIL!!!! Oh, the agony of reality as it came crashing down on me. I had only ordered two yards of this 44 inch wide fabric, and this blazer requires 3-1/8 yards of 45 inch wide fabric. Did I mention KS does reasonable and fabric-conserving layouts in their instructions? I can see no way to bend the laws of physics enough to make this idea work, even if I shorten both body and sleeves.
So it is with a heavy heart and shattered dream that we get this latest gem from Sergeant Obvious: Make sure you have enough fabric before getting too carried away with a beautiful sewing idea!
I guess this gorgeous linen will end up being culottes or capri-length summer pants ...
02 April 2011
The sound of silence? Not quite
I haven't posted since the very beginning of the week. For the first half of the week, that was because my back was bothering me and I didn't wish to inflict my crankiness on the blogosphere ... I tried to work on the apron during it and made so very little progress ... it may be a quick and easy project under normal circumstances, but cutting anything out of fabric with back pain is akin to torture. Things got a little better on Wednesday, so all the pieces *are* cut out.
I was starting to put the apron together Thursday, when a box arrived in the afternoon ... yes, another from FabricMart! Then Thursday evening hubby took me out to dinner then we scooted down the road for a little shopping: I dropped him off at Hobby Lobby then ventured down to Hancock with a calendar coupon and sales flyer in my hot little hands, with my intended target being the linen selection that had just gone on 50% off sale ... and the coupon giving me an additional 50% off that!
It's rare for me to escape Hancock without unplanned fabrics jumping into my cart ... and this was no exception as they already had four tables set up for their unannounced "clean sweep" sale. Best of all, the gems were on the $1/yd table:
Very front is 110" wide sheeting ... only 1-1/4 yd left on the table but that's enough to make four pillowcases. Left front will be a new simple skirt, as I am certain I have a cotton to make a matching pink tunic or blouse! The olive and maroon cotton will be a shirt for hubby ... who at first didn't like the fabric but last night was asking if that will be the next garment I make. That big white blob is my actual target: handkerchief weight 100% linen I got for only $4/yd ... I took all 7 yards and 25 inches Hancock had left. The best part is leftovers and decent sized scraps can be made into monogrammed and embroidered hankies as gifts ...
The FM box:
Linens to left, cottons to the right ... and stuck in the middle is a rayon challis whose colors I could not resist. (apologies to Stealers Wheel) This box ended up having a couple surprises: the beige cotton I had thought would be shirting fabric is actually a nice sturdy bottomweight that will make ME killer shorts or capris (emphasis on ME since son doesn't like it). And that grey-looking salt-and-pepper linen on the bottom left washed up a bit coarser than I anticipated, but will make the absolute perfect summer blazer to wear over a classic blouse in that awesome tidal blue "couture"/heirloom quality linen that I pretty much splurged on just to see what it was like.
So yesterday I was bouncing between the sewing area and the laundry area, trying to get all these new fabrics prewashed along with a few previous acquisitions to round out laundry loads. The apron is close to done, but it should gets its own post.
I was starting to put the apron together Thursday, when a box arrived in the afternoon ... yes, another from FabricMart! Then Thursday evening hubby took me out to dinner then we scooted down the road for a little shopping: I dropped him off at Hobby Lobby then ventured down to Hancock with a calendar coupon and sales flyer in my hot little hands, with my intended target being the linen selection that had just gone on 50% off sale ... and the coupon giving me an additional 50% off that!
It's rare for me to escape Hancock without unplanned fabrics jumping into my cart ... and this was no exception as they already had four tables set up for their unannounced "clean sweep" sale. Best of all, the gems were on the $1/yd table:
The FM box:
So yesterday I was bouncing between the sewing area and the laundry area, trying to get all these new fabrics prewashed along with a few previous acquisitions to round out laundry loads. The apron is close to done, but it should gets its own post.
02 March 2011
Fondling fabrics and formulating plans
Yesterday was a general "fun" day for me, as I overcast raw edges and prewashed a whole heapin' mess of fabrics: cottons, linens, and a couple rayons went through the wash and I also fondled - err, overcast the raw edges - on the two fancy silk charmeuses. Note to self on the charmeuses: a sz 12 universal needle left holes as if I used a wing needle! I'll have to see how a sz 8 does on it. The beautiful silks are very slippery, slinky, and will probably need all seams hand-basted before going under the presser foot. Also, file all fingernails! Thankfully, the snag was on the selvage ... Now, for the wash-n-wear fabrics:
The only fabric I was disappointed with is the graphite print rayon (on top of the pinks). Even though it looks like a normal weave (versus a satinesque weave) that bugger is quite slippery, and reminds me of a lightweight rayon challis print I have ... and will be assigned the same fate to be used as jacket, coat, and corset lining.
Meanwhile, I have pulled out a denim remnant I got a while back ago and begun pattern work on Butterick 4254, view D. I originally planned this corset back at the end of October, and it was the reason I started up my Corset Sew-Along over at PR, but then gift sewing got in the way and although it's been in a dark corner of my mind for months I am just now pulling it out. I had thought I'd do up embroidery on my machine for it, but wrapped up in the denim remnant are some very pretty pink floral-themed appliques. I haven't done appliques yet, so I'll probably give that go just for the new experience (and adventure! LOL). Two major caveats in the previous reviews: the sizing runs big (like most Big 4 corset patterns), and this one runs short in the torso with no lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern. However, I have seen the waistline marked on at least a couple pieces so that can be a good reference point. I'm going to start off with a muslin in my unbleached canvas so I can mark it up with a Sharpie marker. Official start pic:
Meanwhile, I have pulled out a denim remnant I got a while back ago and begun pattern work on Butterick 4254, view D. I originally planned this corset back at the end of October, and it was the reason I started up my Corset Sew-Along over at PR, but then gift sewing got in the way and although it's been in a dark corner of my mind for months I am just now pulling it out. I had thought I'd do up embroidery on my machine for it, but wrapped up in the denim remnant are some very pretty pink floral-themed appliques. I haven't done appliques yet, so I'll probably give that go just for the new experience (and adventure! LOL). Two major caveats in the previous reviews: the sizing runs big (like most Big 4 corset patterns), and this one runs short in the torso with no lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern. However, I have seen the waistline marked on at least a couple pieces so that can be a good reference point. I'm going to start off with a muslin in my unbleached canvas so I can mark it up with a Sharpie marker. Official start pic:
18 February 2011
Silk splurges and sales acquisitions
I mentioned last week about my sewing being interrupted by the arrival of a box of fabric splurges and promised pics ... the procrastination on that is over as I had this urge to pull out my latest splurges and fondle them, so why not snap pics? This time, instead of laying them on my table I draped them over Mathilda since the prints are huge (and there's currently a very yummy chocolate cake on the table since yesterday afternoon!).
Not surprisingly, these come from that "ebil enabler" site, FabricMart. When I first saw these two silks back in late November, they were $35/yd, so they truly put the "wish" into my wishlist and I joked that the only way I would get them would be if we won the lotto ... I was wrong. First FM marked them down to $30/yd ... then put them in the 50% sale. Hubby spoils me rotten at times, plus has a wishlist of things he wants me to sew for him, so he gave this splurge the green light. This time, my pics turned out!
On the utility fabric acquisition side of things, today I picked up cotton muslin on sale again for 99c/yd, a bit of cotton twill at $2.50/yd, and last week grabbed a couple yards of cotton down-proof mattress ticking to try out for corset cores. The ticking is lightweight, strong, and has little bias stretch and will be the core of my next attempt to turn KS 3850 into a four-layer corset.
Before I dive into version 2 of the bustier corset, I think I'll finished sewing up the Vogue coat mockup, as all three of my cats have discovered the outer shell and all three think it worth the effort to jump up and lay/shed on it ... even my oldest, fattest, and by far my laziest cat. It doesn't take too many days of decent weather for these furry monsters to start shedding like mad ... so I need to get the mockup done and hung up! Just for fun, here's all three napping (and shedding) on our bed:
Not surprisingly, these come from that "ebil enabler" site, FabricMart. When I first saw these two silks back in late November, they were $35/yd, so they truly put the "wish" into my wishlist and I joked that the only way I would get them would be if we won the lotto ... I was wrong. First FM marked them down to $30/yd ... then put them in the 50% sale. Hubby spoils me rotten at times, plus has a wishlist of things he wants me to sew for him, so he gave this splurge the green light. This time, my pics turned out!
Charmeuse #2:
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Before I dive into version 2 of the bustier corset, I think I'll finished sewing up the Vogue coat mockup, as all three of my cats have discovered the outer shell and all three think it worth the effort to jump up and lay/shed on it ... even my oldest, fattest, and by far my laziest cat. It doesn't take too many days of decent weather for these furry monsters to start shedding like mad ... so I need to get the mockup done and hung up! Just for fun, here's all three napping (and shedding) on our bed:
19 January 2011
Revelling in fabric
I've made some recent fabric acquisitions, along with a couple fabric splurges ... aided and abetted by sales, of course. This afternoon, I decided to pull out my fabrics and take photos - always a good excuse to fondle the fabric! Here we go:
From left to right: charcoal grey wool coating, lavender silk dupioni, emerald silk/rayon satin, a cotton that has the texture of linen, and a soft cotton flannel. Not pictured is the 15 yards of unbleached cotton muslin I scored for only 59 cents per yard. Now, for the splurges:
This one I paid regular price for ... a red silk jacquard. It's a bit difficult to photograph properly, but I think y'all can get the idea from this. Another splurge (on sale even!)
Silk charmeuse, that has been on my "wishlist" at FM for well over a month ... and it finally went half off! I adore the wild large print and the colors. I need to find the "perfect" pattern for a long tunic to show it off.
Now, I have some mystery bundle fabrics ... and I am still on the fence about getting these or not. First, the fabrics I think I can do something with:
I just discovered this afternoon the teal on the far left is silk ... a ravel thread was stuck to the glitter stretch velvet, and I tried to snap it. No dice. That's when I finally saw the small piece of tape in the corner: "2-silk". The burn test confirmed this. I'll certainly think of something for it ... now for fabrics where I am scratching my head - or working on a trade:
Knit - knit - stretch woven. There's also a white knit and a brown stretch woven that didn't want to photograph right. The salmon/coral on the right is not accurately depicted, and neither is the light taupe-ish knit on the left. Heck, for that matter the dots on the knit in the middle are a very pale peachish. Oh well ...
And oh joy ... the other silk/rayon brocades went half off yesterday! I have no willpower when it comes to these ... had to get 3 more to complement my lovely red floral splurge. Hopefully, that box will arrive by Saturday.
Now, I have some mystery bundle fabrics ... and I am still on the fence about getting these or not. First, the fabrics I think I can do something with:
And oh joy ... the other silk/rayon brocades went half off yesterday! I have no willpower when it comes to these ... had to get 3 more to complement my lovely red floral splurge. Hopefully, that box will arrive by Saturday.
16 January 2011
Pink faux fur revisited
No, I haven't pulled out the faux furs that shed even more than my cats, but the pink faux fur is still a bit of a running joke in the chat room. Folks who missed the pic the first time around tend to disbelieve it exists ... those who saw it say they still can't believe I would buy such a monstrosity. Especially the small but vocal "Anti-Pink Brigade".
The whole pink fur idea goes back the the Tacky 80s, when I was a kid and begged my mother to buy me a dyed hot pink rabbit fur coat one year. Mom not only told me I was dreaming, but that the only way I'd get one is if I buy my own when I grew up. If I could find on in good condition, I would ... but until then this pink-mauve faux fur will have to do and it is destined to become the vest in M 5983, another which just recently went out-of-print.
So, for those who missed it, here once again is photographic proof that my tackiness knows no bounds:
Now, to my surprise, maggie says she not only likes it but would like some for herself (just at a lower price point than what I paid, which was half off!). And yes, "Fabric Ripper" is another chat joke ... one frustrating night someone asked what "dfr" stood for and I quipped that at the time it meant "Diningroom Fabric Ripper". The nickname stuck - particularly on evenings where I mention doing a lot of seam ripping.
Of course maggie has no call to be the least bit jealous of my fabric acquisitions, especially after this latest round of bragging about what nice fabric she scored from a Fabric Mart mystery bundle. I said a few words that I wouldn't type here or in her comment zone ... mostly about the silk suiting, which stung even more since they sold out of the herringbone wool suiting they ran for only $5/yd last month.
So ... am I bringing all this up to avoid admitting to not accomplishing much today? Meh, I suppose it depends. I did cut out and sew another faux sherpa beret from M 5996, this time in medium ... and gave the large to my partner-in-crime for Renn Faire since he not only wears a larger hat size than I do, but also collects hats like some women collect shoes. I also cut out another left handed fingerless glove, but haven't sewn it just yet. It's a good thing only one glove needed to be redone, because there isn't enough left of the scraps now. A smidge over a dollar's worth of uber-sale sherpa (26 inches and I think it was 60 inches wide) and I have two berets and three fingerless gloves.
My mom called while I was sewing the band on the beret, and when I mentioned the fingerless gloves she said that was something I can make her (and she doesn't need to give me her measurements still!). I've asked if she just wanted the pattern, so she can make multiple pairs. Yup, so at some point soon I'll trace off another copy of the gloves, or just send her the tissue copy since I have it traced off on the red dot stuff already. Oh - the red dot stuff sticks to fleece and sherpa nicely. I guess there actually IS a good use for static electricity.
The whole pink fur idea goes back the the Tacky 80s, when I was a kid and begged my mother to buy me a dyed hot pink rabbit fur coat one year. Mom not only told me I was dreaming, but that the only way I'd get one is if I buy my own when I grew up. If I could find on in good condition, I would ... but until then this pink-mauve faux fur will have to do and it is destined to become the vest in M 5983, another which just recently went out-of-print.
So, for those who missed it, here once again is photographic proof that my tackiness knows no bounds:
Of course maggie has no call to be the least bit jealous of my fabric acquisitions, especially after this latest round of bragging about what nice fabric she scored from a Fabric Mart mystery bundle. I said a few words that I wouldn't type here or in her comment zone ... mostly about the silk suiting, which stung even more since they sold out of the herringbone wool suiting they ran for only $5/yd last month.
So ... am I bringing all this up to avoid admitting to not accomplishing much today? Meh, I suppose it depends. I did cut out and sew another faux sherpa beret from M 5996, this time in medium ... and gave the large to my partner-in-crime for Renn Faire since he not only wears a larger hat size than I do, but also collects hats like some women collect shoes. I also cut out another left handed fingerless glove, but haven't sewn it just yet. It's a good thing only one glove needed to be redone, because there isn't enough left of the scraps now. A smidge over a dollar's worth of uber-sale sherpa (26 inches and I think it was 60 inches wide) and I have two berets and three fingerless gloves.
My mom called while I was sewing the band on the beret, and when I mentioned the fingerless gloves she said that was something I can make her (and she doesn't need to give me her measurements still!). I've asked if she just wanted the pattern, so she can make multiple pairs. Yup, so at some point soon I'll trace off another copy of the gloves, or just send her the tissue copy since I have it traced off on the red dot stuff already. Oh - the red dot stuff sticks to fleece and sherpa nicely. I guess there actually IS a good use for static electricity.
15 January 2011
Sherpa bought and sewed this quick
So I headed out to Hancock yesterday afternoon, waiting for the warmest time of the day to leave because not only do I despise cold weather but this cold snap is lasting too long this time. My goal was to grab about 3 patterns on sale and snag as much of the on-sale cotton muslin as I could ... last time they ran a good sale on muslin the quilters bought it up in less than 24 hours after I got my 10 yards. I know because I tried to go back for more!
This time, I bought 15 yds of 45" wide unbleached muslin ... for $0.59/yd. That should do me for a year ... Renn Faire is coming, and I have things to line and undergarments to make! Hopefully this year I'll get outer garments made so I am not walking around the Realm in my underwear LOL
Now, I mention sherpa in the post title ... on the uber-sale table in the back near the muslin aisle, I discovered a double-sided sherpa piece. Not much left of it ... it measured only 26", but at $1.50/yd I could so live with tan. The sun had set and the temperature was dropping like a rock as I left Hancock. My plan: warm hat and gloves!
This plan was accomplished quite quickly: I think I spent more time hunting up all the pattern pieces on McCall's 5996 than I did sewing (not counting time to stop and wind a new bobbin). This is the beret after a run through the washer and dryer .... did I mention this fabric is quite stretchy?
I'm not exactly a fashion model in the morning ... and I may actually need a medium instead of the large I made ... but it covers the tops of my ears and will keep my head warm. For S&Gs - err, the fun of it - I sewed the seam on the outside instead of the usual right sides together, and also sewed the band in "wrong" side out ... although I'm not sure this fabric has a real "wrong" side.
It took maybe 10 minutes to actually cut out, and roughly half an hour to sew once I figured the best way to cuss ... err, persuade the fabric to stick to itself and go under the presser foot the way I wanted it to do. Definitely lengthen your stitches if you use this stuff! It's really fluffy.
After seeing the pattern picture for the fingerless gloves/mittens combo in this same pattern, hubby wants one also. He's reminded me I mentioned a fleece cap for him, so I showed him M 4681 that I bought for that purpose. Of course, he likes the more complex fingerless gloves from that pattern more ... He also prefers a solid colored fleece, instead of the remnants of his plaid fleece from his coat. I boxed up the solid fleeces and put them in my closet already because I had planned to use up the remainder of the plaids ... so much for that.
We'll see how motivated I get today and tomorrow.
This time, I bought 15 yds of 45" wide unbleached muslin ... for $0.59/yd. That should do me for a year ... Renn Faire is coming, and I have things to line and undergarments to make! Hopefully this year I'll get outer garments made so I am not walking around the Realm in my underwear LOL
Now, I mention sherpa in the post title ... on the uber-sale table in the back near the muslin aisle, I discovered a double-sided sherpa piece. Not much left of it ... it measured only 26", but at $1.50/yd I could so live with tan. The sun had set and the temperature was dropping like a rock as I left Hancock. My plan: warm hat and gloves!
This plan was accomplished quite quickly: I think I spent more time hunting up all the pattern pieces on McCall's 5996 than I did sewing (not counting time to stop and wind a new bobbin). This is the beret after a run through the washer and dryer .... did I mention this fabric is quite stretchy?
It took maybe 10 minutes to actually cut out, and roughly half an hour to sew once I figured the best way to cuss ... err, persuade the fabric to stick to itself and go under the presser foot the way I wanted it to do. Definitely lengthen your stitches if you use this stuff! It's really fluffy.
After seeing the pattern picture for the fingerless gloves/mittens combo in this same pattern, hubby wants one also. He's reminded me I mentioned a fleece cap for him, so I showed him M 4681 that I bought for that purpose. Of course, he likes the more complex fingerless gloves from that pattern more ... He also prefers a solid colored fleece, instead of the remnants of his plaid fleece from his coat. I boxed up the solid fleeces and put them in my closet already because I had planned to use up the remainder of the plaids ... so much for that.
We'll see how motivated I get today and tomorrow.
07 January 2011
Second batch of Shetland wools
I got nothing done yesterday on the vest or even the pattern FBA ... here's part of the reason why:
My second order of Shetland wools arrived! The chelsea pink was darker than I expected ... but hubby's heathered alpine green is simply gorgeous in a subtle understated way. I also discovered last evening hubby had thought his color he asked for was grey, not green ... but when he looked at it in person he loved it. Hubby does like darker greens, and the muted hue of the wool is right up his alley. The wedgewood blue is nice and cheerful, and the cranberry red is just rich looking. Color me happy with this batch of wool coatings.
I still need to get a plastic tub just for my coatings (I think I'm up to 12 now?) and the no-smelly "mothballs" to protect them for our annual battle against the bug invasion that seems to occur every spring. I am planning a trip out with hubby's truck tomorrow when he gets off his 24 hour duty, as the size of tub I need just won't fit in my tiny Ford Escort. I do NOT want to lose these nice wools ... remember I have a year-long project for these beauties. Plus, I have 3 cats ...
Another reason I got nothing done yesterday is I did some housework. Don't fall out from shock ... it does happen occasionally! While I often maintain that a clean house is a sign of a broken sewing machine, there are occasions when things just need to be done even though the sewing machines are all functional. I figure I did enough yesterday to cover the entire month of January LOL
I still need to get a plastic tub just for my coatings (I think I'm up to 12 now?) and the no-smelly "mothballs" to protect them for our annual battle against the bug invasion that seems to occur every spring. I am planning a trip out with hubby's truck tomorrow when he gets off his 24 hour duty, as the size of tub I need just won't fit in my tiny Ford Escort. I do NOT want to lose these nice wools ... remember I have a year-long project for these beauties. Plus, I have 3 cats ...
Another reason I got nothing done yesterday is I did some housework. Don't fall out from shock ... it does happen occasionally! While I often maintain that a clean house is a sign of a broken sewing machine, there are occasions when things just need to be done even though the sewing machines are all functional. I figure I did enough yesterday to cover the entire month of January LOL
01 January 2011
Buttons and faux fur
Just got back from Hancock, using an online coupon posted over at PatternReview above and beyond their 2-day New Year's sale ... and yes I still have the happy "I win!" feeling and my playlist just started up Santanna's classic hit "I'm Winning" for the ultimate in appropriateness.
Along with the 3 Simplicity coat patterns I ventured out to find, and the obscene amount of coat-appropriate buttons (which hubby says is quite practical given my recent wool purchases!) I also have this bag:
Yes indeedy, the faux furs finally went on sale low enough for me to buy! I've had my eye on that pink-mauve fur ever since they first got it in early fall fully intending to make a vest of it, and the grey that looks kind-of greenish is just lovely and feels soft. I'll need to check how it matches some of my wools, in particular the heavy black coating I have set aside for a Currier & Ives style cloak. When I mentioned to hubby I bought faux furs (without him seeing them yet) he said he has been meaning to make a "silly request": a dark brown or black Dr. Doom cloak with fur trim around the hood. I had to laugh ... not because I have anything against comic book characters if that is what gets him into a classy cloak ... but because that is the third faux fur! A very dark brown and soft feeling fur that immediately had me trying to think of a way to work it into something for hubby.
Next weekend, I intend to hit Hancock again for faux shearling and thread, plus the Butterick and Vogue patterns on my to-buy list. I had misread the flyer on when the Vogues are on sale, but that's okay since they are out of my size range right now.
As for the faux furs, those will stay in the bag until I am ready to work with them. They shed like mad! The tip I got at the cutting table - as the fur was flying - was to have the vacuum cleaner within arm's reach when I go to cut and sew. I've also read on the message board that clippers help reduce the buk on the seam allowances (but just be careful to not shave more than the seam allowance). I've also read about using a yarn needle to pull the fur out of seams as well.
Anyone have more tips on dealing with faux fur ... and the mess associated with it?
Along with the 3 Simplicity coat patterns I ventured out to find, and the obscene amount of coat-appropriate buttons (which hubby says is quite practical given my recent wool purchases!) I also have this bag:
Next weekend, I intend to hit Hancock again for faux shearling and thread, plus the Butterick and Vogue patterns on my to-buy list. I had misread the flyer on when the Vogues are on sale, but that's okay since they are out of my size range right now.
As for the faux furs, those will stay in the bag until I am ready to work with them. They shed like mad! The tip I got at the cutting table - as the fur was flying - was to have the vacuum cleaner within arm's reach when I go to cut and sew. I've also read on the message board that clippers help reduce the buk on the seam allowances (but just be careful to not shave more than the seam allowance). I've also read about using a yarn needle to pull the fur out of seams as well.
Anyone have more tips on dealing with faux fur ... and the mess associated with it?
Wools, wools, and more Shetland wools
Around the middle of December, that "ebil" online fabric-monger FabricMart ran a sale on their Shetland wools (45% off) and I couldn't resist:
Yes, I did indeed buy 5 colors of the Shetland wools: behind the colonial blue and offwhite houndstooth and the solid colonial blue is the heathered grey that hubby liked, next to the concord blue and concord blue and offwhite herringbone. For the record, I bought the heathered grey for my top secret project, not for hubby who had said he didn't need a wool coat with the canvas coat in progress at the time of ordering. Once he saw the wools, though ....
FabricMart solved that situation yesterday by putting the Shetlands back on sale, 50% off this time. I had hubby look at colors, and he likes the heathered alpine green better now. The order is placed, along with chelsea pink (which I almost bought the first time), a lovely cranberry red, and wedgewood blue, which falls nicely between the concord and colonial blues in hue ... also another I almost bought the first time.
I am also on the lookout for nice classic coat patterns. Hubby has already picked out Burda 7704 as his coat, which means I'll need to order it online since our local Hancock does not carry any Burda patterns. In my possession are Buttericks 5295 and 5425, similar styles but big difference in yardage needed. On my coat pattern wishlist are Butterick 5401, Simplicity 2285, 2311, and 2508, plus Vogue 8674. Simplicity and Vogue are on sale this weekend at Hancock, and Buttericks are on sale next weekend, so that just leaves me the Burda ... which can't be bought locally that I know of.
It's probably very obvious I am planning to make a bunch of wool coats ... but why? Hmm, that's classified information! Unless you'd believe me if I say I just want to practice my coat-making techniques ;) I've made 3 coats now: 2 from the KwikSew barn coat pattern and the pirate coat (Simplicity 3677) from fall of '09 that I gave to my sister this past summer because it fits her better than it fit me. IMO coats are well worth the time and expense of sewing myself versus buying in the stores. A 100% wool coat with no poly or acetate in it anywhere but the thread costs a small fortune ... IF you can find one! I have some silk satin/charmeuse from the clearance table, and some rayon satin I've ordered online, plus a rather frustratingly slippery rayon challis ... all perfect liners to my tastes. If I want to get really fancy, I have the grey rayon jacquard now as well.
This project should keep me busy all year, but I intend to have lots of fun with it.
FabricMart solved that situation yesterday by putting the Shetlands back on sale, 50% off this time. I had hubby look at colors, and he likes the heathered alpine green better now. The order is placed, along with chelsea pink (which I almost bought the first time), a lovely cranberry red, and wedgewood blue, which falls nicely between the concord and colonial blues in hue ... also another I almost bought the first time.
I am also on the lookout for nice classic coat patterns. Hubby has already picked out Burda 7704 as his coat, which means I'll need to order it online since our local Hancock does not carry any Burda patterns. In my possession are Buttericks 5295 and 5425, similar styles but big difference in yardage needed. On my coat pattern wishlist are Butterick 5401, Simplicity 2285, 2311, and 2508, plus Vogue 8674. Simplicity and Vogue are on sale this weekend at Hancock, and Buttericks are on sale next weekend, so that just leaves me the Burda ... which can't be bought locally that I know of.
It's probably very obvious I am planning to make a bunch of wool coats ... but why? Hmm, that's classified information! Unless you'd believe me if I say I just want to practice my coat-making techniques ;) I've made 3 coats now: 2 from the KwikSew barn coat pattern and the pirate coat (Simplicity 3677) from fall of '09 that I gave to my sister this past summer because it fits her better than it fit me. IMO coats are well worth the time and expense of sewing myself versus buying in the stores. A 100% wool coat with no poly or acetate in it anywhere but the thread costs a small fortune ... IF you can find one! I have some silk satin/charmeuse from the clearance table, and some rayon satin I've ordered online, plus a rather frustratingly slippery rayon challis ... all perfect liners to my tastes. If I want to get really fancy, I have the grey rayon jacquard now as well.
This project should keep me busy all year, but I intend to have lots of fun with it.
28 December 2010
Back home with fabric withdrawals
We successfully hid from the holiday storm system in NE Florida, getting mostly rain with only about 20 minutes of sleet/ice/frozen mix ... although we did not escape the cold temps! It ended up being an effective test of the KwikSew 3123 his-n-hers coats I made of canvas and poly fleece:
The coats work best with layering as the temperature drops, but the canvas does make a decent windbreak. We has forgotten our garment bag, which had my "just in case" sweater in it, but hubby had brought two sweaters so I wore one of his on the way home as the thermometer on the truck's rear view mirror went from 47F down to 18F (eeekkk!!!!) as we travelled north. Around here, folks say if you don't like the weather - just wait five minutes and it will change ... by the weekend we are supposed to be in the mid-60s F! Layers are the only way to survive our variable winter weather.
Being over 600 miles away from my fabric, I could only plan my next project: a decent winter outfit for my teenage son's football banquet ... since my 13th century sideless surcoat and chemise won't do, according to the teenager. So, to avoid having my only child DIE from embarassment, I've picked out a modern outfit he actually approves of:
Slacks: Simplicity 2562 in black woven mystery bundle fabric
Blouse and vest: Simplicity 2566 in white Michael's Fabrics shirting (no longer on their site, a shame because it is truly wonderful dress shirting that just won't photograph properly) and the Black Stewart dress plaid wool that was even better than I had hoped when I ordered it, to be lined in my black 50/50 cotton/linen that I made my short gaucho pants from ... and still have yardage left LOL
Deadline: evening of January 13th ...
Guess I'd better get started!
Almost forgot: the M 4861 back brace worked great for the trip, and held its shape almost perfectly. The only place it didn't was the bottom front, where my "baby pooch" sticks out from the emergency C-section over 17 years ago. As y'all can see from my next project, I am still living with the "side effects" of that surgery (*snicker, chuckle*)
Being over 600 miles away from my fabric, I could only plan my next project: a decent winter outfit for my teenage son's football banquet ... since my 13th century sideless surcoat and chemise won't do, according to the teenager. So, to avoid having my only child DIE from embarassment, I've picked out a modern outfit he actually approves of:
Slacks: Simplicity 2562 in black woven mystery bundle fabric
Blouse and vest: Simplicity 2566 in white Michael's Fabrics shirting (no longer on their site, a shame because it is truly wonderful dress shirting that just won't photograph properly) and the Black Stewart dress plaid wool that was even better than I had hoped when I ordered it, to be lined in my black 50/50 cotton/linen that I made my short gaucho pants from ... and still have yardage left LOL
Deadline: evening of January 13th ...
Guess I'd better get started!
Almost forgot: the M 4861 back brace worked great for the trip, and held its shape almost perfectly. The only place it didn't was the bottom front, where my "baby pooch" sticks out from the emergency C-section over 17 years ago. As y'all can see from my next project, I am still living with the "side effects" of that surgery (*snicker, chuckle*)
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