Requested pictures for Lauren

I have a new follower for the blog - Lauren - and you can surely tell she's new to my blog because she has requested pictures.  I guess it's been a while since I have shown my notorious lack of photography skills here.  The request is for pictures of the shirt pieces in the Simplicity 4059, which I made the one doublet and cap for my Ren Faire accomplice up in Tennessee a few years back.  He preferred the shirt from a different pattern, so I have not made the S4059 shirt myself.  These pics ought to help anyone decide whether or not to special order or put a hold on this pattern:

S4059 shirt pieces layout

S4059 shirt instructions, part one

S4059 shirt instructions, part two

S4059 line drawings and pieces' shapes

I do hope this helps.  As for last evening ... y'all didn't want to read a post from me while I was in that kind of mood.  Nothing like checking in for an appointment on time, then waiting for about an hour with the TV on too loud in the waiting room, and me without my knitting because I figured since I'd be driving myself then I wouldn't have time to knit.  OK, so I am still a bit irked.

Progress

This picture is worth at least a thousand words:

new sewing room, finally usable!

Guess what I've been doing this morning!  Hint: I found my mending projects.

Can I get a "WooHOO!" from y'all?

ChatRoom Gift Exchange received

About a month ago, Val (of the corset challenge fame) proposed us chatroom degenerates should do a handmade gift exchange.  Gloria volunteered to coordinate who was making a gift for whom as she didn't think she would have time to participate, and no one else knew who was making the gift they would be receiving.  Personally, I hate suspense, surprise, and waiting ... but the rules were secrecy until a gift shows up in the mail.  My box arrived Saturday, from Val, but it's been too dark and cloudy to get decent pics (we all know about my lack of skill with the digicam).  The clouds broke yesterday afternoon, and this morning the dining room has frosty sunlight streaming in ... so here it is!

gift from Val - BDU bag

Yes, that used to be a pair of summer BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform - better looking army uniform than the current ACUs) that has been cleverly repurposed into a purse/bag!  Both back pockets and both cargo pockets are intact and functional, too, complete with belt loops to hang the keychain clip!  Val pulled out ALL the stops with this and went all-out.

functional cargo pockets on each side of BDU bag

Check this out ... I used to live out of all my pockets on my BDUs when I was still in, so having this many makes me smile.  Now, for the reason this will stay MY bag ... and not hubby's bag:

inside PINK pockets of BDU bag

Yes indeedy, that is very pink inside!  In fact, those (fully lined!) pockets are a pink camouflage fabric.

pink camouflage fabric - perfect!

Val mentioned in chat the pattern (? - give up the name/# or link, Val!) called for an unlined bag which she felt just would not do.  So, these pockets and the lining are 100% Val.

Oh yeah, it came with a card inside, and a little coin purse/billfold thing that I totally forgot to snap pics of ... and even a new project for me.  Makes me so glad I haven't gotten out to the post office to mail mine, because putting together cute gifts isn't my strong suit ... lately I have been trying to avoid even wrapping presents.  Must make a little card.  I have parchment paper and calligraphy pens that I hope have not dried out yet.

Now, for the truly important part: isn't this just the most clever and customized gift?  And - even more importantly - shouldn't Val start posting on the blog we talked her through setting up???

Stitchin' it Old School

I figured today's "little" project would be easy once I got everything set up ... I thought wrong.  Last night I tucked Camster into her cabinet and folded it up, which makes it easy to see how she spent a year impersonating an end table, then broke out Timex, my ridiculously sturdy $80 WalMart Brother LX-3125.

Timex, my Brother LX-3125 mechanical

Timex is so named simply because he survived my first six months of sewing.  This is the little mechanical that could ... sew through poly boning both length-ways and cross-ways, go through an entire Elizabethan corset corded with hemp craft cord, and plow through through five layers of heavy drapery for my pirate coat.  I treated this poor little bottom-of-the-line plastic machine as if it was a heavy-duty industrial model ... and it still sews.  But this morning, Timex met his match ... my son's "papa-san" chair.

I tried to sew using upholstery thread, a topstitching needle ... and probably too many layers of fabric.  So I am resorting to hand-stitching this thing back together.  When I was up in Indiana, I managed to find a pair of Machingers gloves recommended to me a few months ago by Nay, an avid quilter who also has done bridal sewing and gave me all kinds of useful advice on sewing my silk charmeuse tunic.  These do help grip the needle for pulling it through the layers, but don't protect me from accidentally putting the needle point up and under my thumbnail.

So I have one corner fixed, halfway through the other, and still one more to go.  Then I have the fun of putting the "pillows" pieces back in right.

Something unusual from last night: my usually camera-shy Cuddle Kitty posed just long enough for me to snap a pic of him.  This time, he wasn't posing on the new Camster cabinet (I have been shooing him and the Terrorist Kitty off that cabinet since I set it up!) or a pile of fabric.  So I now have a cute pic of my only skinny cat:

my camera-shy Cuddle Kitty

Now y'all know where the darker cat hair comes from ...

RIP my Trusty iron

It's been a good run, but something is wrong with my trusty old Black & Decker Quick & Easy 300 iron that I bought in the spring of 1998 at the Fort Gordon, Georgia PX for only about $20.  It's not steaming right, and the water tank won't fill right ... it runs out the steam holes in the plate immediately.  I'd say I got my money's worth out of it!

Trusty B&D iron, 1998-2011

While at Lowes last night, I spotted another Black & Decker iron, and popped it into the cart.  This was after our excursion to Hobby Lobby and then Home Depot, where we walked most of the store trying to find stuff for nonsewing projects and left empty-handed.  So I was kind of tired by the time we got to the small home appliance aisle in Lowes ... and didn't notice this until this morning:

Eek!  Auto-shutoff on this iron!!

I DESPISE auto-shutoff on irons!!  And with only a 30-second window on the using angle ... oh **** no!  This is going back in a few minutes, unopened.  I'm just glad I noticed before opening the box, as I can see myself cussing and throwing a hairy cat fit every time it decides to shut itself off as I am interfacing a low-temp fabric like rayon or silk.

Since this one was the only Black & Decker model on the shelf last night, I went surfing online.  I guess we sewists are a tiny minority of iron buyers ... most of the B&D models have that extremely annoying feature.  However, I found the perfect model ... and am puzzled that it is also one of the lowest-priced ones.  Here is the Amazon link for it:
With that, I do need to mention I found a lower price from Black & Decker's website, especially after checking retailmenot's page.  So, I ordered two of these cute little very useful sounding irons.  I'm including all links here for anyone who may have Amazon gift certificates or special codes for that site.

This leaves me without the steam portion of my iron until FedEx brings me my two little irons.  I'm really excited about the temp light feature which will let me know when it has heated to the right setting.  And a dial-a-steam knob?  Sounds like exactly what I need!  If it works as I am hoping, I will be able to do high dry heat without needing to empty the tank first ... which may have contributed to the demise of "Trusty".

So ... am I the only one who thinks it beyond strange that the iron that has all the features I want - and definitely does NOT have the feature I hate - is also the lowest priced model on the manufacturer's site?  Maybe I am just weird (okay, we all know I am, but still!).  I am definitely not complaining about getting two of what I want for the price of the one I am returning (not counting shipping) ... but it does seem a bit odd to me.

Since I can't do wool, cotton, or linen without the steam settings, I guess this means I have no excuse for not playing with my rayon challis for about a week!

Kenmore 148.12190 anchor

This morning I mentioned my (new-to-me) Kenmore 1803 Camster wasn't the heaviest thing to follow me home from Indiana ... even with its lovely wood cabinet.  Let me introduce y'all to my heaviest aircraft carrier anchor ... err .. sewing machine.  Interestingly enough, it's also the one I have technically owned the longest.

Kenmore 148.12190 sewing Anchor

Yes, I have indeed named this poor bedraggled machine "the Anchor" just as the other sleek and beautiful Kenmore 1803 is officially now named "the Camster".  (Wait until I introduce Timex ...)  I managed to clean off the surface ick enough to snap a pic, but there will be no sewing until it gets an official inner clean and servicing.  Honestly, I cannot recall sewing on this thing for at least twenty years.

Yeah, twenty years ... my Mom brought this home for my tenth birthday back in 1983 when it was traded in at the Sears store she worked at and none of the other employees were interested in it.  Mom says two things about that: 1) She only paid $5 for it at the time, and 2) I was (once again) disappointed because it was not the horse I asked for each year starting with my 5th birthday.  My comment to Mom today was that at the time she gave it to me, the Anchor weighed more than I did.  After she had a good laugh at that, Mom agreed.

By some strange twist of fate, this has to be the clearest pic I've posted in quite a while here ... for a machine given to me 28 years ago and has been missing/misplaced/hiding for at least the last dozen years.

When I remarked to Mom over the phone today about how amazing I find it that both the Camster and the Anchor were sitting in Sears store at the same time, Mom informed me that the Camster was considered top-of-the-line at that time ... while the Anchor was considered low-end ("bottom-of-the-line") and their prices were inversely related to their weights.

Oh last note: Mom couldn't recall who made the "148." machines ... so I googled.  Then I tried Bing, Yahoo, and even Wikipedia out of desperation.  Finally got an answer over at PatternReview's message board from member FrBasil, who informs me that a company called Soryu made it for the Kenmore brand.  Another public thank you for that!

Hey Google: Soryu manufactured the 148.12190 for Kenmore.  I'm still peeved that I couldn't find that out just by googling no matter what search phrase I tried ...

So between the three of us 1973 year models ... the Anchor is definitely still the worse for the wear.  The Camster still looks the best for her age.  And I am somewhere in the middle of the two.  LOL

In-cabinet Kenmore 1803 Cam-ster

I finally got it some floor space and set it up and got a somewhat-clear (for me!) photo ... so here she is ... the largest piece of loot brought home from Indiana (although not the heaviest - that is another post).  This little beauty is from Dad's wife, not Mom ... Mom would have never given this up as she had one back in the 1970s that she loved and had stolen out of her car.  A pic for the visually inclined ... then a typical wall-of-text to tell the story:

In-cabinet Kenmore 1803 with most of its accessories

Isn't she pretty?  Dad's wife found her at a garage sale over a year ago, minus cams and a few accessories, told it didn't work anymore, but the manual and most of the feet came with her in the cabinet which is in beautiful condition.  Now, for the part that will make most of us eat our spleen with envy ... she got it for only ten dollars!  Afterwards, she took it in for a service and tune-up, after which the "Kenny" worked again.  So, price at garage sale plus $40 for servicing ... still only $50 in this beauty ... and when she told me about it last year when I was up there I am sure I turned a sickly bile green because somehow I never seem to hit the right garage sales to find something like this.

When I mentioned to Mom someone I knew had a 1803 but not the cams ... Mom spent a total of 4 minutes digging up the box of cams for it.  So last June when I took the cams over, I told Dad and his wife that if it didn't get used in a year's time I would claim the machine.  And so it came home with me this year, after about 54 weeks of serving as a pretty end table because it folds up so neatly into the perfect size for that.

The handwriting on the front of the manual includes the date "1973" so that means this lovely machine is as old as I am.  Mom was in Kentucky and southern Indiana that year ... but it is possible that Mom had the original owner of this machine in one of her sewing classes at Sears a few years later if she kept coming to classes.

I've had to promise Mom I will read the manual before attempting to sew on this old cam-ster, so that will need to wait until the rest of the loot is unpacked and put away.  If it runs as good as it looks, Mom says I will absolutely love its stitching.  She loved hers up until she got the then-new 1914 to replace hers (which she still uses regularly).  Oh, the official model number handwritten on the front of the manual says 158.18032 ... which Mom informs me means it was manufactured by Brother .... which keeps up my "Band of Brothers" motif in machines.

Some special dishes

My mom has a sense of humor.  Sometimes it's a little on the strange side (and this is coming from ME!) but sometimes it is just too appropriate. After listening to me grump about how well my sewn clothes fit my sister, and the new pattern alterations I need to try in my quest for a nice-fitting top ... Mom went into her cupboard and pulled out this coffee mug:

"I'm having a fit!" coffee mug

She then said it needs to be mine for upcoming pattern work ... not only cute, but all too fitting.  Yes, the pun is intended.

While rummaging through old boxes in her pole barn, I found these:

Blue glass Avon dishes set (almost)

Mom bought these back in the 80s for my "hope chest" from Avon back when she and I sold it.  At least I think it was the late 80s.  I'd have to google to be sure ... but Mom has already warned me these are highly sought collectibles now, so if we can't locate the other two water goblets, it may cost me a pretty penny to re-complete my set of six.  I have six plates, six bowls ... and four goblets.  This is the only set of dishes that wasn't handed down, or bought at a garage sale or Big Lots.  It's also very beautiful, and the shade of blue you see at the bottom of the goblet stems and in the stack of bowls is the glass's actual color.  I haven't seen these since 1997, and thought they had been lost in one of my too-many moves.  Instead, they were tucked away in a mismarked box and not a single piece has so much as a chip or crack.

Color me happy, in that lovely shade of blue glass.

Clothing gifts for sister

These were the planned fabric gifts for sister described before the trip, and as expected they fit her perfectly.

Little sister in green tunic S2371

I probably should have let her have it back in October when she visited and tried it on.  That is a genuine happy smile - sis loves the fabric and the decorative stitching on this, and will probably wear it to rags.

Sis in S2705 jacket and top

Sis in S2705 top

Once again, perfect fit.  It should be interesting to hear if she learns how to get wrinkles out of the linen/cotton blend fabric I used for these two pieces.  She says she doesn't even own an iron, so I suggested hanging them up in the bathroom during nice hot showers after pulling them out of the dryer still warm.  They're both good colors on her.

The difference between sister wearing these, and me wearing them, is night and day on fit ... and has triggered an almost obsession-like desire for me to get the pattern alterations down to make myself a top that fits this nicely.  I want, I want, I WANT!  No top has fit me like this since I was a sophomore in high school and hit that "out" growth spurt and got both hips and bust ...

Couch-surfing at sister's house for the trip was an interesting experience ... because her golden retriever thought it was wonderful to have people in the living room in the (*EARLY!*) morning.  He didn't jump onto the hide-away bed with us, but it's been a while since I've woken up to dog breath.

When I showed my mom the pictures on the camera of sister in the clothes I originally made for me, even she commented that my sister is making out like a bandit on my sewing, practically getting a new wardrobe just with this visit ... not to mention sister's request list.  Along with the tunic sister asked for in the fall, she also wants a twirly skirt to wear for her ballroom dancing lessons ... and after I let her try on my denim Victorian ... sister wants a corset of her own.  She's even picked out a specific pattern from Jill Salen's Corsets book, which she had sent to me as my Christmas gift.  Sis wants the "Large blue jean corset, 1890-1900" on page 66.

Mom wants ... well, that's a whole 'nother post.  Let me just give a word of warning to those of y'all who are making corsets: Don't let family try them on!  Unless you want to have your to-sew list grow ... Mom and Sis will no longer ask how I can stand to wear them, or remark how uncomfortable they look anymore.  Figuring out when they can come down to be fitted will be an interesting challenge.

New thread test SUCCESS!

Since I still wasn't quite satisfied with yesterday's thread tests for the silk charmeuse, I looked again at the thread section at Hancock (yes, hubby also included hitting Hancock as part of yesterday's anniversary outing).  Something *shiny* caught my eye this time: Sulky viscose/rayon embroidery thread!  They had two types, and I got the high quality one (after all, this IS for silk charmeuse) with the 943- in front of its SKU number.

I just finished a test on one of my few remaining scrap pieces, and am pleased.  I have found the right thread for this project!  Other than forgetting to trim the edge on the french seam, this one came out pretty much perfect:


Sulky rayon thread on silk charmeuse

 If you click through to the larger image, the label on the spool came out in focus and is readable.  I'm getting a better feel for pressing the silk charmeuse as well ... I just need to let the iron sit on top of the press cloth a little longer than other fabrics.  Pictured is my best seam so far ... and it even looks like the thread smooths out a bit when pressed.  Did I mention the rayon's shiny sheen closely matches the silk charmeuse's shine?

While exploring Hancock's thread section, I discovered the problem with the Gutterman cotton thread: I bought the wrong kind by accident.  In our local Hancock, the 200m spools are handquilting thread.  The 100m and 800m spools are for machine use ... strange.  But it does explain the stiffness in the seams.  I have moved this spool and what remains on the bobbin here to my desk where I do all hand sewing.  The Gutterman machine cotton thread looked like it would probably work, but it didn't have the shine that the rayon thread does.  "Shiny for the win!" as my hubby and son would say.

NOW I am finally ready to put this blouse together ...

New project - B 5355 raglan tunic ... in silk charmeuse!

All those carefully laid (half-baked?) Ren Faire garb sewing plans and corset plans went out the window with Friday's mail.  My son has another sports award banquet scheduled for the 17th, and I have no warm weather nice clothes.  As I've learned more about fitting, I've learned there is just no possible way I can buy clothes at a store that will fit me, so sewing it is!  Besides, I have some really nice fabrics I've scored on sale, that sit and look pretty and inspire dreams of beautiful garments ...

My silk charmeuses are a good example!  I knew when I bought them back in January I wanted drapey-flowy tops of them ... and I have now started on the first one: Butterick 5355 raglan tunic, in this silk charmeuse:

B5355 silk charmeuse

The pattern cries out for drapey-flowy fabric, just as the fabric cries out for a pattern to show off its fluid finery.  And the word "fluid" is especially appropriate for this silk ... it really does want to find its way to the floor!  Getting it laid out is the first major battle on the cutting table, because it loves to slide around on itself, even when folded wrong side together, right side out.  It's ten times worse if you try to fold the right side in ...!

Before I even dug the lovely silk out of its hiding spot, I asked for tips, tricks, and advice on cutting and sewing it in the PR chat room.  Here is what I was told would help preserve what little sanity I have:

• Make sure cuticles are trimmed and fingernails are filed ... charmeuse snags easily!
• Get a pinking blade for the rotary cutter, and have a good mat to cut on ... Olfa was recommended by name for both.
• Silk pins help ... I bought a new (PINK!) tomato pincushion to keep my silk pins separate from the normal ones.  If you are inclined to pin your pattern pieces, do so only in the seam allowances.  I pinned the selvages, then weighted the pieces with votive candle holders.
• Use cotton thread - Gutterman was recommended by name.  Test on a scrap before sewing to see just how small of stitch looks best - 1.5 to 1.8 was recommended (mm, I *think*).
• French seams to sew silk charmeuse, which automatically finishes the inside.
• Quilting gloves called Machingers were also recommended, but I have no way to get them in a timely manner.  I may order them anyway since I do have the two couture silk charmeuses, plus the silk brocades.
• Sharps needles ... I thought I had size 8, but I only have size 10s.  The size 10 Sharps still sew better than size 8 universals in my test.

I'll spare y'all all the whining and blubbering of the past week ... except to say my son looked dashingly handsome in his rental tux for prom, and we had two and a half days rainfree which included the kids getting to prom without getting wet.

A little more coffee, and I'll go wrestle the silk charmeuse into place to cut the wide billowy sleeves .... then the sewing silk adventure will start!

Bustier versus corset

I am taking Kenneth King's bustier class at Pattern review, and am learning some very interesting things.  First, the most important thing: the difference between a bustier and a corset!  The second thing I am learning is ... I don't really want to sew a bustier!  Third (and this was well worth the cost of the class!) why my Kwik Sew 3850 bustier-made-corset-style flopped ... which relates back to the major difference between corsets and bustiers.

Before signing up for the class, someone had asked on the message board class pre-registration Q&A thread if any of it was applicable towards making corsets, and KK replied "Yes."  I am happy to report there is "truth in advertising" here ... I am picking up some really good tips for construction.  I just don't feel it would be ethical for me to post them, because KK earns money from both his class and his CD-book.  However, I will say that for me this class is worth the fee.  Then again ... I've been the adventurous newb frustrated by lack of info available for free on the web who has been learning by mistakes ... err, "learning opportunities".  As y'all recall, I had quite a few of those with the KS 3850 bustier-corset ... and hadn't figured them all out on my own.

I suppose with enough Googling and reading, the difference between a bustier and a corset can be found on the web ... it's a small but important difference in patterning.  A bustier is designed to have zero ease ... lay against the skin like a second skin.  In contrast, a corset has negative ease and shapes the body with more solid and more support (boning).    The bustier takes its shape from the body with no wearing ease, whereas the corset shapes the body (even just smoothing things out is a form of shaping).

Which brings me to the second thing I've learned ... since a bustier doesn't shape the body, I am not actually wanting to make a bustier.  Which means my Kwik Sew and the new McCall bustier patterns will need to be modified on a fundamental level before using them.  I like the looks of both KS 3850 and M 6325 ... but I don't have the body to pull off either one as a bustier.  Time for me to learn fundamental theory of corset-drafting ...

Which brings me to a more informed analysis of why my KS 3850 bustier-corset flopped - other than the fact that bustiers and corsets aren't quite the same.  Along with the over-engineering in the bust cups, I didn't have near enough support in front (unlike my denim mid-Victorian) combined with too much ease despite it hugging me through the waist.  For a corset, zero ease is still a bit too much.  Also ... and this may be a biggie ... I am not sure the KS bustier can be made strapless.  From wearing mine a few times (granted, I didn't follow the instructions for it!) it does feel like it hangs from the shoulder straps ... whereas the McCall's bustier pattern has two of the four views as strapless.  Ideally, a bustier should have enough support to do strapless, and not hang from the shoulders.

I am kinda-sorta-not really sewing right now ... a nasty storm front hit us Thursday night and I am still hearing thunder now on Saturday afternoon.  Today I've been playing with my embroidery machine a bit, and also discovered the "air dry" fabric marker I used Sunday afternoon was not a good idea, as most of the marks have disappeared because I've taken so long to get back to it.  Oops ... new note from Sergeant Obvious: Don't use the air dry fabric marker unless you are certain you will get back to the project before the marks "dry" away!  Yup, live and learn ... and pics will need to wait until tomorrow because it is just so grey again today.

Too many ideas, not enough time

Today I have more ideas than hands or time swirling in my tiny coffee-inspired brain.  Those last two working brain cells are in a hyperactive tizzy, throwing ideas and schemes and options out:

• I still have the handkerchief linen on the table to finish cutting out out my Renn Faire smock ... and my embroidery machine whispers about too much inactivity.  I am planning to use it to embroider the neckline, plus use the scraps for gift hankies.
• I want to do up at least one more mid-Victorian in denim, tweaking the fit and adding improvements after wearing my one almost daily since I finished it.  I have a light colored denim that matches a pair of jeans perfectly, and I also want one to match my black denim jeans ... I also want to try out view C to compare how that fits me.  And feel free to laugh, but right now I am wearing my denim corset with dark red colored sweatpants.
• I still want to redo my Elizabethan pair-of-bodies, and in that white silk brocade with boned tabs this time.  Oh, and this time I'll need to use a NONstretchy fabric for the core layer ... trying it on the other morning made me realize that it has finally stretched to a point of no longer providing proper support.
• What got me thinking of the silk brocades is Jo is finally back at Bridges on the Body, working on the 1844 pattern from Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines which I have decided is THE perfect pattern to show off the red floral silk brocade ... which still beckons even though I am still chicken to cut the fabric until I have the pattern mocked up perfectly.

So I need at least three more of me to get all these ideas done up simultaneously ... errr ... so maybe I need to prioritize ... the linen is on the table so I guess that one gets cut out first.  Maybe the third cup of coffee wasn't as good of an idea as it sounded ...

Almost done with B4254 D

I spent yesterday putting on the bias binding after making some up in the denim left over.  My fingers are still protesting because I sewed half of each bias binding by hand ... yes, your handsewing-hating blogger is still handsewing!  For good reason ... this is the first time I've done bias binding that I don't hate once it's finished.  No wrinkles, nothing kinked under, nothing gone wabberjawed ...

I did try to do continuous bias binding, but somehow hosed up sewing the crooked tube and my lines didn't line up, so I ripped that seam out and just did strips.  Machts nicht ("mox nix") since each strip did a top or bottom with a little bit left over.

I did attach the bias to the front of the corset halves by machine.  While my machine sewing still isn't *all that* it does look straighter than my handsewing, and is quicker to boot.  After the first bit of binding, I had the smart idea to trim the corset layers before folding the binding over.  This made it both easier and much less messy, as the edges were trying to fray after so much handling.

Now, about that handsewing that my poor fingertips are still complaining about ... do it!  When someone who avoids handsewing (when possible) heartily recommends sewing something by hand, there is a darn good reason.  The results will speak for themselves, but - especially on corsets - handsewing is worth the time and sore fingers.  Apparently, the way I did my binding is the same way quilters do theirs, so if you don't believe me ... go ask a quilter.  LOL

I don't have in-progress pics of the binding ... I guess I got a little excited about getting it done before bedtime.  This morning I am setting the eyelets, and will *TRY* once again to get clear pictures of this step-by-step as has been requested since the waist corset I made in December.  It's almost 10 AM here, and I am still waiting for a bit of sunlight ... it is so grey today I need to turn on the lights even with an east-facing window in the sewing area (that hubby and son still insist on calling "the dining room").  I do have the eyelet tools gathered up and the spacing figured already.

I marked the waist by feeling for the waist tape I put in, then figured out from there with the two eyelets-to-be right next to the waist being a tiny bit closer than the others, as these will be where the "rabbit ears" will be.  I have both satin and grossgrain style ribbon that matches the lace ... right now I am leaning towards the satin.

I need to find my FrayCheck, as the lace is trying to fray at the cut edges.  Since I don't have buckram in the lacing panel, I'll want to use it around the eyelet holes as well.  I just straight up forgot the buckram this time ...

Hand basting B 4254

You read that post title right ... I am hand basting the seams on my Butterick 4254 corset.  No, this is not a guest post.  No, I am not a pod person left in place of your handsewing-hating blogger after her abduction by aliens ... at least I don't think I am!  And no, I haven't suddenly developed a love for handsewing either ... and yes my fingertips are still letting me know about it.

We've been having some lovely spring weather, so I have been running errands and admiring the cheery bright yellow daffodils and watching the white and pink dogwoods bloom.  Yesterday after some errands I cut out the canvas core layer for my B4254 corset ... and while leaning over the last piece to cut with the rotary my back gave me a warning that it was not about to tolerate sitting at the sewing machine after all the errands and cutting.  So, no putting it together ... unless ...

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but determination and stubbornness are what tend to get things done for me.  I still wanted to put the pieces together - not just to make progress, but to keep my furry feline faction from "playing" with it as I slept.  My cats may be cute, but they are still ornery mischievous monsters.  So yesterday evening I hand basted all the seams except the side seams and the seam in the center of the bust cups.

I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee, took time to clean my machine and change the needle, dig out light pink thread ... and it still isn't even noon.  I have all those seams machine-stitched, pressed, pinked, and even topstitched.  Already.  Seriously!  Even stitching up the bust gusset curves was easy.  And here is the obligatory "Prove it!" pic:

I basted with the dark green that is still on my desk after the velvet ribbon handsewing for my friend's doublet.  I used up the last of the lavender thread in a bobbin ... errr, I don't recall what project that is left over from.  For the canvas layer, I am pressing the seams the opposite way - towards the front - as the outer and lining layers will have their seams pressed towards the back and I am not thrilled with the idea of sewing through 12 layers when I put it all together.  I've also decided to do only three layers instead of four.

I've come to the conclusion handsewing is like exercise: while I don't really enjoy the process, I do like the results.  Now, to hand baste the remaining four seams ... then cut out the denim and indigo linen/cotton for the lining so I can hand baste them this evening.

Scrap fun and function

Last week, Rebecca at WannabeSeamstress asked "What to do with fabric scraps?" and I promised her a post about all the things I do with them ... because I only throw away the pieces too small to do anything with at all.  I just got finished putting a second denim scrap to use for today repairing/patching the pocket of hubby's jeans, after doing the same to a pair of son's jeans this afternoon.  For both, I had to use my denim scraps wrong-side-out due to the fading of the jeans' denim, and with both being lower section of the back pockets that meant handsewing since I am not inclined to take the pockets off then reattach exactly plus topstitching.  If you and your family wear jeans, save denim scraps for patching.

The past couple days you probably noticed the cotton duck from my friend's doublet showing back up as boning casings for my corset fitting muslin.  I briefly thought of using the canvas scraps from mine and hubby's KwikSew barn coats I made in December to do the actual fitting muslin, but opted to use my unbleached canvas because it is heavier.  I might still use those scraps for fitting muslin #2 ...

But what about the nicer scraps?  This is where I need that smiling devil emoticon here .... I have an embroidery machine that I paid more for than my three sewing machines combined ... and I ain't afraid to use it!  A decent-sized scrap from hubby's linen/cotton longsleeved shirt became an embroidered monogrammed handkerchief for my grandmother-in-law, who declared it "too good to use!" and tucked it away to keep it nice.  Here it is:

It's all good ... I have another scrap the same size to make another hankie ... I also have embroidery designs for small gift bags!  And tissue holders, and eyeglass cases ... if you have an embroidery machine, that opens up a whole lot of uses for the nicer fabric scraps.  Leftover pieces of fabric from projects (like my brown linen pants) can also become nice kitchen towels to hang next to the coffeemaker.

Printed and solid color cotton scraps get saved for quilters ... and they don't need to be huge either.  I have a bag I need to pass on to a local lady who makes charity quilts that I met at Hancock's cutting table.

Home dec scraps?  I of course have some of those ... and intend to whip up drawstring bags for my gaming guys to use as dice bags.  I think the rayon challis scraps will make nice linings for those ... especially the scraps from hubby's beloved parrot shirt.  At some point, I will have faux fur scraps ... and if they are too small for anything else, I will just make stuffed "mice" for my cats to play with.

Have I covered the offbeat uses for scraps?  I think I shall tag JillyBe for her to post about what she's done with her very nice scraps ... she needs to do a blog post about it anyway!

My senior prom dress from 1991

The other night in chat we ended up discussing prom dresses, as a gal is making hers.  This brought up the one garment I have held onto tenaciously: the prom dress my mom made me in the spring of 1991.  I drew my mom a sketch of what I wanted, and she said "No problem!" as she had seen a pattern close enough to it to make what I had drawn.  We picked out fabric ... of course even then my tastes in fabrics were expensive, but I paid for it with my weekend job because I wanted a *wow* prom dress for my senior prom.

Pictures have never done this dress justice.  Let me say that right off the bat.  The flounce and outer layer of the skirt are an iridescent fabric that changes from blue to purple depending on the angle you're looking at it from.  The bodice is a black velvet that will shine when the light hits it right.  It's also still in great condition ... it just doesn't fit me anymore.  Even dialing Mathilda's adjustments down as far as they would go, I still couldn't get the zipper in back all the way up ... has my shape really changed this much?  Here it is:

Sooo ... this is the standard I aspire to: making a garment that not only lasts 20 years, but one that the recipient wants to hold onto for 20 years (and counting).  I've learned a little more about linings and its construction doesn't seem as mysterious now, but Mom is very technically proficient.

Oh ... did I mention I have worn this dress more than just for prom?  In 2004, I wore it to my last battalion formal as active duty, then wore it again in 2006 to hubby's battalion formal.  Both times it got as many compliments as the first time.  No one could believe it was my prom dress from high school!  Given the 80s-retro look in the mall right now ... I bet it could be worn to a high school prom this spring and garner even more compliments.  I just doubt my son will wear it!  LOL  So it will go back into the cover and back into my closet, waiting for a girl who is the same shape I used to be to appreciate it.  If it takes a couple more decades for that to happen ... no problem.  The dress will still be in good shape then as well.

I thought you made that

"I thought you made that!"  That's what my son said this morning about my *purchased* light jacket with extensive embroidery on it.  I thought I had a pic of it, but I can't find it right now.

Actually, I bought this jacket down in Florida the day after Christmas on sale.  It's a simple, unlined, zipper-front beige canvas band-collar jacket with white and blue floral embroidery all over it, very casual and without pockets (which I would have put in if I made it).

So my son mistaking a retail jacket for something I might have made says either:

• There are people in retail apparel manufacturing with as tacky of tastes as I have ... 1980s revivial, anyone?  LOL
• My *successful* projects are now up to retail quality ...

I just found that amusing this morning.

Excessive pinning

My mystery home dec fabric has a velvet-like pile to it, which means it wants to wiggle and not feed evenly.  Since I don't have a walking foot (although I am seriously thinking of getting one before the forecast ice hits tomorrow night) I am making do with excessive pinning ... cussing is optional.

Yes, the long pleat pin is under the presser foot, by quite a bit ... but it is pinned about 1/4 inch from the edge, while the needle is in the left position and stitching at the 5/8 inch seam allowance.  Once I get it this far, I stop, lift the presser foot, and reposition the fabric.  Takes a while ... but it works.