WRAPPING UP THE MONTH - VOGUE 9057...

...after seeing my sewing friend Cecil wear this top on one of our JoAnn's pattern buying meetups, I decided that I needed to make one too.

I actually cut out View B several weeks ago but then became heavily involved with my Mother's cape, so I just had to set it aside for a bit.  I rarely cut two projects at once.  It's one of my methods of preventing the possibility of UFO's in my sewing room.  Secondly, I ALMOST ALWAYS complete a project before starting another one.  I just don't need any UFO's flying around in here.  I have far too many distractions already than to add that to the list.

This Marcy Tilton pattern was made as a wearable muslin to allow me a chance to check the fit.   The fabric is a self lined waffle knit gifted by my Alabama friend Brenda of Ms._bstyle.  (NOTE:  If you want some real sewing inspiration check Brenda out on Instagram.)  The tunic is long and gives ample coverage back and front for wearing with leggings. It is wearable, but I will need to make a tiny adjustment in the shoulder area when if I make the pattern again...

VOGUE 8959 FULL LENGTH CAPE COMPLETED...

...it took me longer than I thought it would, but I completed the full length cape for my Mother.  I finished on Saturday just in time to make it to the post office to mail before 3:00 p.m..

My pictures don't do the cape justice, but it felt really good to complete the project and place it in the mail today.  I hope my Mother enjoys it and gets lots of wear from it during her New York winter season...

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - FINAL PATTERN GIVE-A-WAY...

...hosting the 4th week of Sew Much Talent GR's January Challenge - Outer Wear was a wonderful experience for me.  I'm glad that it turned out so well, and hope that viewers were able to benefit from the information that I shared via those three Periscope sessions.  I offered a free pattern give-a-way after each of the scopes.

Final Give-a-Way Pattern:  VOGUE 9133

The Winner is:

CATHERINE P

Catherine please message me or email me your mailing address and I'll get the pattern right out to you!  

A big thank you to everyone who listened, entered, or read my segment on outer wear...

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE Part 3 (MY TAKE ON OUTER WEAR)...

...the third Periscope of my OUTERWEAR session aired tonight. In case you're wondering just how all my scoping shenanigans began, here's the short version:

In Fall of 2015 I discovered that the SEWING COMMUNITY had spilled on over into the Periscope realm -  you know I had to check it out - and thus became an avid follower of many sewers who scope.  I'm such a fantastic follower, and a great background person.  Being the "ever learner" that I am, I'm not afraid to ask questions during YOUR scope to constantly fill my learning tank; but scope myself - only on rare occasions!  After gleaning so much information from FaceBook's Sew Much Talent GR, I thought it was high time that I gave back in some way.  So I volunteered to assist the group in any small way that I could.

I was shocked, after volunteering, when Alethia asked me to moderate the Stash Smashing Week 4 Outer Wear segment during January's Challenge.  So after opening my big mouth to volunteer I had to see my commitment through!

Not that I know nearly enough, but I do know a little bit, and it was time to share.  The third segment targeted the infra-structure of Tailored Jackets and Coats (watch here, if you dare):

• Interfacing types and weights
• Shoulder Shields
• Back Shields
• Under Collars
• Pad Stitching
• Tailoring Supplies and Resources

 THE WINNER OF THE PATTERN FROM THE SECOND SCOPE IS: 

Rebecca

Rebecca please message me or email me your mailing address and I'll get the pattern right out to you!

 Tonight's pattern give-a-way:  Vogue 9133

 If you don't have this pattern in your stash, please leave a comment below to enter tonight's drawing. I'll announce the winner here on Sunday...

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE Part 2 (MY TAKE ON OUTERWEAR)...

...tonight I did the second of three Periscopes on outerwear in support of Sew Much Talent GR's January Challenge - "New Year's Resolution (Stash Busting)".  Week 4 of the challenge focuses on outer wear.  In conjunction with my scopes I am doing a outer wear pattern giveaway.

THE WINNER OF THE PATTERN FROM THE FIRST SCOPE IS:

 LYNETTE PATRICE

Lynette please message me your mailing address and I will get this pattern in the mail to you.

My second scope focused on light weight outer wear such as: Cardigans, light jackets, ponchos, wraps, capes and rain coats.  I showed my collection of light outer wear garments.  The scope can be watched here. 

Tonight's pattern give-a-way

If you don't have this pattern in your stash, please leave a comment below to enter tonight's drawing.

My final scope for Sew Much Talent's January Week 4 on Outer Wear will be on Friday evening 1/27/17 between 7 and 7:30 p.m. est.  Please join me if you can...

 

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE (MY TAKE ON OUTERWEAR)...

... by now you surely know that I LOVE making outerwear.   Whether it's a cardigan, jacket, wrap, cape, poncho or a coat - I love them all!

Alethia Hudson of Sew Alethia, and administrator of Sew Much Talent GR, sponsors a sewing challenge month of the year.  January's challenge is "New Year's Resolution (Stash Busting) that incorporates a different challenge each week.  This week it's OUTERWEAR - so tonight I did a periscope in support of  the challenge called "Baby It's Cold Outside".  You can watch it here.

Nervous as heck, I talked about:

• Just what is outerwear?
• My current outerwear project
• types of outerwear
• Fabric selection, and
• Pattern suggestions

I will continue discussing OUTERWEAR on Periscope on Wednesday and Friday evening of this week, and will be holding a pattern give-a-way after each scope in support of the SMT GR.  Tonight's pattern give-a-way

 If you are interested and would like to have this pattern, please leave a comment below...

#FAYE'S SEWING LIFE (HELD HOSTAGE BY MY SEWING PROJECT)...

...being held hostage by a sewing project isn't ALL THAT BAD!  After all, it's a rainy day in Georgia and I do have my cup of Superwoman Tea  (White Mangosteen Peach Green Tea) to power me on through with this project (Vogue 8959).

Vogue 8959 is still in process.  Started this cape for my Mother last Friday evening and of course I thought I'd finish it last Monday.  I always underestimate the time it will take to complete my projects.  I forget to factor in interruptions, the fact that I work full time, and that some evenings I'm mentally tired and just can't get any sewing done at all.  I allow myself to be HELD HOSTAGE BY MY SEWING PROJECTS in order to avoid UFO's - which really is a GOOD THING because I have so few of them in my sewing room.

What sewing project is holding you hostage this weekend???




.......................

REMEMBERING THE DREAMER...

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VOGUE 8959 IN PROGRESS...

...it always takes me a while to get started on a "big" project.  I finally got down to work on the Vogue cape I'm making for my Mother.  It's not a hard project at all, just a whole lot of fabric to deal with at one time - 5 1/2 yards.

The fabric had already been prepped so I was able to cut on Friday. Then I thread traced/marked and started construction on Saturday.  I also drafted 4 new pattern pieces (a two piece bias under collar - trimmed 1/4" smaller than the upper collar to facilitate turn of cloth,  a collar stand for interfacing (so the collar would fold over better,  back neck facing and front neck facing). 

Today I finished construction of the outer shell:  pad stitched the two piece under collar, applied the  collar stand interfacing and hemmed.  Sheilaz_CKT saved the day (and my Mother's cape) by advising me to stabilize each of the cape's 6 long seams with 1 1/2" strips of interfacing because the cape had actually started to grow (stretch) in length.  Wonderful advice - thanks a bunch Sheila!

This cape is a whole lot of area to hem.  Thank goodness I have this Pin Skirt Marker tool to assist me.  It really made marking much, much easier and quicker.  Tomorrow I will work on the lining that will be attached to the newly drafted front facing/front neck facing and the back facing, and hopefully make the 3 buttonholes.

Hope everyone had a wonderfully productive sewing weekend!!!

WORK WEAR WEDNESDAY (A Day Late)...

...so I actually decided to pull it out of the closet - the Chanellish Jacket that is.  It's 7 years old, and I thought it might be a bit snug - but it wasn't!  It fit just like it did originally.

I only used vertical quilting.  Next time I'll incorporate more quilting by using vertical and horizontal stitching.  It still amazes me that the quilting stitches do not show at all on the public side.

The Inside: 1)Jacket Front  2) Self made bias tape bound sleeve seam  3) Hem Chain  4)Back

Even the kids said that they loved it - or is it that they just love me?(hahaha)  I think I need another one of these in my life!  I'd love to work with a three piece sleeve next time if I could ever get my hands on a pattern like that.
Have you ever thought about making a Chanelish Jacket????

GO CHANEL, OR GO HOME...

...my friend Smoking Needles is currently making what I am sure will be a beautiful Chanelish quilted jacket.  Talking to her tonight brought back memories of the time I made my own Chanelish jacket.  It was back in 2009,  when some how I got up the nerve to join the "Go Chanel or Go Home" jacket challenge.  Plans to make this type of jacket had actually begun a year before when my mother gifted me a beautiful boucle fabric that she said had been in her attic for quite some time.  It was perfect for a quilted jacket - it had pink in the print - PERFECT!  But then I chickened out until the jacket challenge came about one year later.

This jacket created a whole lot of first's for me:

• first two piece sleeve
• first time working with boucle fabric
• first time quilting a lining
• first time working with trim
• first time making my own bias tape

It was seven years ago that this project stretched my sewing skills further than I had ever dreamed! 

I still can't believe I matched the stripes so well!

 

I went back to review the process and found that it took me 22 days to complete.  At which time I was working full time and taking classes at night towards my degree.  Where did all that energy go???

SEWING BLOG CONTESTS...

...there is nothing like throwing your hat in the ring.  Who knows you just might win!, like I've done twice recently. 

I entered Emerald Sewcial Club's giveaway last month, and received this in the  Happy Mail today.    "Sew Many Dresses Sew Little Time by Tanya Whelan (complete with pattterns), Sew News' Secrets for Success Sewing dvd, and 3 yards of  marvelous silky print that I can't wait to use as a coat lining.  If you haven't visited Emerald's blog yet, please pay her a visit and learn all about her Annual Sewing Retreat that will be held in Texas in March.  Thank you Emerald!

In addition, I also entered Kyle's giveaway at Vacuuming the Lawn and received one of her 2017 Bag calendars as a prize.  Pop on over to visit Kyle - She makes THE most professional bags of all types in addition to wonderfully tailored clothing.  As a matter of fact she's stirring up a lot of  "jean" inspiration that might just coax me into trying a pair myself.

What can I say?, I love winning!  But I realize that I need to spread the sewing love as well.  It's high time for another Faye's Sewing Adventure Giveaways as well.  Be on the lookout for one soon...

MY SUGAR FIX...

...don't we all have plans to be more organized in the New Year?  I know that I do!  I have organizational plans for every room in my house starting with my sewing room.  My plans of being more organized extend over to my blog.  A while ago I set a goal to write a minimum of 100 posts a year, and for the past 4 years I've been able to exceed that goal.

My most productive blog posting month of the year has been in November, because I've participated in the 30 day Blog-Like-Crazy Challenge.  My being successful in the challenge depended largely on a blog post editorial calendar that I used.  That calendar helped me plan and organize blog posts for the entire month.   I asked myself, "What could I accomplish (blogging wise) if I used an editorial calendar each month of the year?"

Today I picked up my sugar fix.  I love, love, love Sugar Paper Products.  They have just a tiny bit of bling and are so girly and elegant.  Of course I won't be posting everyday, but I'm going to see if  I can keep up with this blog editorial calendar all year long.

What type of planner/calendar do you use?
Do you keep an Editorial Calendar?