IF THERE'S A GAP...

...you can be sure she will fill it with creative flair!  What attracts us to different blogs?:  content, gorgeous styles, what about photography?  You're sure to find all of the above and then some when you visit Margo's at CREATING IN THE GAP. I love her pictures and I'm sure you will too!  When you go there, make sure your read her very first post that thoroughly explains her theory on CLOSING THE GAP.  I was hooked on her blog the minute I saw this coat - which I still haven't gotten around to making,  but I know I will - one day.   Just in case you haven't read at Margo's before, here's a little intro...

Can you tell us about your sewing progression?  When did you start/classes you have taken?

MARGO:  I began sewing at an early age and would literally stalk my mom and her sewing machine. It was so bad that it forced my mom to sew after I had gone to bed….but if I heard the machine going, I was up and at her side in a flash. I got my own mini Kenmore sewing machine when I was about 9 years old and while I loved it….it didn’t do what I knew my moms machine could do. She taught me to use hers and I used it until I got my own when I married and moved out. It was a Brother that I got using coupons that the gas station passed out. It makes me smile because my husband and father in law helped me save them up…I was super excited when it arrived.

 

I took sewing in Home Ec. at school and liked it but I was quickly bored. I took the odd class… one to learn to use my serger, a tailoring class (which was a total waste of time and money), but my best teachers and learning tools have been those I have had since I discovered sewing bloggers!

What triggers your creative process? How do you decide what garments you are going to make?

MARGO:  My creative sewing process….hmm.. I guess I use the “no process creative process”. It’s always different for me. I might get inspiration from Pinterest, a magazine, the fabric or pattern. I don’t pledge to have an entirely handmade closet so I don’t have to fill any gaps in my wardrobe. This leaves me the freedom to sew whatever I want. My only self-imposed requirement is that I can work it into my everyday life. I do this…for the most part.

 

What are your favorite fabric sources?

      MARGO:    I rarely purchase online unless it is something another blogger has highly endorsed. For the most part, I get my fabrics at my local fabric chain store but I also like to check out thrift stores and yard sales for great finds.

       What garment(s) to date would you call your masterpiece? 

      MARGO:   I don’t think that I ever seek out to make a “masterpiece”… nor do I think that I have one yet. My hot red paisley coat would probably come closest to holding the Masterpiece title.

      What are your favorite fabrics to work with, and why?

MARGO:  Favorite fabrics…oh gosh…how do I choose one? I like all fabrics but all for different reasons. I love using with drapery and upholstery fabrics for apparel...the prints are fun and the fabric is generally easy to work with. Rayon can be finicky to sew with but is so lovely to wear that it’s worth it!

 

I loved your interview with Vogue Pattern Magazine?  What was that experience like?

       MARGO:  The interview was a great experience. I was contacted by Daryl Brouwer, the writer, asking if I would do an interview and after I picked myself up off of the floor, I said, “of course!!”.   I answered a series of written questions and then we spoke over the phone so I could answer a few follow up questions. Then I waited. I wouldn’t let myself believe that it was real until I had the magazine in my hands. I thought for sure that my interview would hit the editing room floor. Maria of the blog How Good Is That?, was in New York visiting McCall Pattern Company where she was given a copy of the magazine and posted a pic of my interview on Instagram. That was the moment I knew it was real. Maria’s excitement for me was so sweet, I loved that it was shared with my fellow bloggers this way! It made it even more special for me. 

     What do you like most about your sewing room setup?

       MARGO:  Answering this question is an easy one…my cutting table. A good surface to cut on is a game changer in the sewing room. Mine is an old dresser that I painted red and mounted a vinyl covered plywood top to. My husband gave me a large self-healing cutting mat that fits on top of that. It sure beats cutting out on the floor!

Can you tell us a little about your sewing machine arsenal?

       MARGO:  I have three sewing machines. A Kenmore embroidery machine that I love but never use to embroider. This is a feature that I wish I had thought about more before I bought…it’s wasted on me. I have a Kenmore serger that has been a workhorse. I also am fortunate to have a Janome Coverpro. I am still learning to use it but it has opened up the world of knits to me.

  If you could only have five (5) patterns, which five would that be and why?

 MARGO:  Five patterns...just five!  Almost impossible!

       JEANS... always a must in my wardrobe. I haven’t officially completed a pair of Gingers but am working through my first pair now. With complete optimism and the raving reviews from countless bloggers, I would put Gingers on the top of the list even before my own pair are finished.

McCalls 6083 makes the list due to its versatility. The bodice could be lengthened to make an open kimono-ish cardigan. The pants fit well and would work equally well in a nice knit. This pattern gives lots of options for easy casual garments.

For coats, I would have to pick Burda 6722. I made this one in a heavier brocade and lined it with a flannel backed satin which worked out perfect for cooler days but would also be nice in lighter fabrics for spring and summer months.

This list wouldn’t be complete without M6706…. I have made this skirt so many times!! It is a timeless look that works in many different fabrics and I’m sure that I will go back to it time and time again.

 Five patterns just wouldn’t cut it! There are so many great patterns and options out there to choose from. That is the great thing about sewing…the possibilities are only limited by my imagination…and maybe by the number of patterns in my stash… ;)

            MARGO:  My most used sewing tool would have to be my snips. They are little metal snipping scissors that I found in a sewing store in Alberta.  I liked them so much that my husband bought two boxes of them! I use them instead of using a seam ripper and they are beside me at all times….

Thanks Faye for featuring me. I have been a longtime fan/follower of your blog!

Cheers,

Margo

Many thanks to you Margo for helping me with my blog interview segments - it really means a lot to me and to my readers! 

Isn't it so nice to have a look into the sewing rooms and sewing processes of some really great sewists.  So if this was your first look at Margo and her wonderful blog CREATING IN THE GAP, please be sure you follow her there (she's given her blog a wonderful new look)!  You can also watch for Margo's gorgeous designs on Instagram and on Pinterest...