CURTAINS...

 ...FINALLY, got some sewing room curtains finished and up.  This is the second pair I've made for this room - didn't like the first ones (pink and white stripes reminded me of a circus tent).  Just wasn't the look I was going after. 

 This second pair are only temporary though,  because now I've come up with the bright idea that the curtains for this room should match my picture...

- makes sense to me. Just got to find the right fabric.... 

MLK CONVERSATION...

...
Me:  I am so sorry Dr. King was assassinated.

Students:  My God, were you alive then???

Dr. King still inspires a multitude of dreamers.  I need to get back to work on a few of mine...

ODE TO JOE TEX...

... and don't you worry about a doggone thing at all

    because there's some man some where who'll take

    you baby, skinny legs and all...

Guess you're asking, what in the world do the lyrics of this old song have to do with sewing??? I remember this Joe Tex song from long, long ago - maybe from my Junior High days.  You know, when kids just have to find something to pick on you about.  Chants of this song from classmates dented my little self esteem; but not to worry, by the time I entered High School I had fully embraced being comfortable in the body that God gave me, and was able to be thankful that I had 2 functional legs - skinny or not.

That brings us to the subject of boots of finding boots that fit properly.  Boot/shoe fit presents a serious problem for me.  One time I took a pair of boots in to a shoe repair place - asked them if they could take up the slack in the leg of the boot for me and they said they couldn't help me.   But; alas, I've devised my own solution.

I have a heavy - duty metal machine for just a time as this.  So with a little time and a denim needle I'm able to make the boots  work for me.  I've applied this fix to 2 pair of suede boots, and one light weight faux leather pair.  I simply measured the amount to take up in the back seam of the boot and sewed a dart/wedge to take up the excess.  The dart has not caused discomfort in wearing.

Thought I'd  do a post about this just in case I'm not the only one out here with SKINNY LEGS AND ALL...

WEEKEND SEWING SAGA...

...not really much going on in here this weekend - I had to do a little pause because I'm having my floors redone and can't get into the laundry room to pre-treat fabrics for my next projects.

The floor is still tacky after almost 24 hours but isn't it pretty!

I did; however, work on Vogue 8731. I made view C (the print one in the picture).  I've been wanting to make up some simple tunics to wear with the leggings that I LIVE in when I'm at home, especially during the winter months.  I thought the length of view C would cover better just in case I want to make a run to the store - I'd be covered properly.

I haven't made any tops recently since I've been on a heavy dress kick since October.  I took a few headless shots just to check the fit.  Headless, because refinishing floors and hairdos really don't go together.

The fit of the pattern is just o.k. due to an "oh, I know what I'm doing" alteration that resulted in a "guess I shouldn't have done that" finished product.  Want to know what I did???  I lengthened the shoulder area of the pattern (about 2") because I really... it looked awfully short to me.  And although I also raised the neckline 1 1/2" - because it looked too low for my liking - raising it was null and void because of the shoulder alteration I had made.  I really over-thought this project.

Besides the miss-judgements I made on my alterations, my fabric was soooo very uncooperative.  How could this pretty printed knit that I bought all the way from New York's fashion district last summer be so unsuitable FOR ANYTHING!  First of all I actually had to have help laying it out on the cutting table.  Don't think we ever really got it on the straight of grain!  I thought about ditching this project several times, but noooooooo, me and my "must finish every thing I start" philosophy couldn't let it go.  Mind you I liked this print so much that I bought not one, but two 2 yard cuts of it - so there is still another piece left.    The fabric fought me on the serger and on the sewing machine.  And please don't ask me what it is... some sort of poly-cotton-slinky-sticks-to-its-self -maybe-some-jersey-in-it-stuff!

 This will definitely be an at home with leggings top - so I will get some wear out of it even though it's not perfect.  Glad I chose to make a top rather than a dress - cause with this fabric that would have been an even bigger mess.  I did manage an infinity scarf out of my scraps that I've tied slightly different from my others.  The scarf was even a mess to sew.

I will make the top again some time soon.  After all, it's only three easy pieces with the most time consuming part being the darts/tucks.  Oh yeah, I used a self bias fabric for the neck binding rather than bias tape as the pattern suggested.  The self binding is just a little bit easier on sensitive skin.


About the only other thing I have planned sewing wise with what I have left of the weekend are two more scarves.

WHAT'S ON YOUR SEWING TABLE...

...my 2nd project of the new year is an effort to get back to my Fall Hit List project.  I've strayed, as you may have noticed, and was starting  to feel just a wee bit guilty about it.  So to make myself feel better, I went back to my October 18th post to read the disclaimer I included - which read:

"Funny thing, my Fall Hit List has not been stressing me at all.  Normally I obsess over lists, or goals, or challenges - that's just how I am.  I guess I'm not stressing because:

• there is no real deadline.  It's a Fall Hit List but I've given myself both the Fall and Winter Seasons to complete it.
• my list is not at all stringent.  It's not written in stone, so  change is highly probable somewhere down the line."

So I guess sewing straying is o.k., especially if you've built in an escape route.
~~~~
I purchased this fabric in early fall knowing full well that I wanted to knockoff an iconic DVF wrap dress with it.    I even envisioned two of them on my Fall Hit List.  So using the very popular and highly reviewed Vogue 8379 I finished one of those dresses last night.     This is the second time around with this pattern, so I had no problem at all with it.

Changes made to the pattern:
.  I chose view B, but opted to go  with regular full length sleeves rather than a 3/4 sleeve with a cuff
. Decreased the sleeve cap ease 
. Decreased skirt fullness by 6 inches
. Added 1 1/2" to the bodice length
. Added 2 inches to skirt length.

My only regret with this dress is the seam tape I used to stabilize  the shoulder seam - it's a bit stiff.  Maybe it'll soften up after the first wash because it's too late to change it now.

The sewing cave a hot mess ~~but I'm not in the mood for cleaning  because my next project raring to go...

        

OOOOOPS....

...forgot to show it

 

IT'S A WRAP...

...I'm referring to the year 2011 and my first completed project of the new year.  My year ended sharing time and much sewing lingo with friends - Ebony and Lisa - and this is how the evening went:
. we had snacks while we enjoyed a round of show and tell.  We all LOVE show and tell - its informative as well as inspirational.  It's all about showing what we've created since out last meet up, providing information on  patterns-fabric-sewing techniques, and answering all the questions that follow.  Believe me, show and tell is a real learning experience for each of us.

. Afterwards we had a nice little potluck dinner, and
. then settled in for a evening of sewing and related talk.  To be honest, I never actually get much actual sewing done during our sessions - I guess I talk too much (lol).  


I did complete my first project for 2012 this evening; which by the way has nothing to do with my Fall Hit List (I must get back on that thing!).  A couple of days before Christmas while cruising the web I happened upon a cute little pattern that I could not resist from Fashion Patterns by Coni.

It's a spiral wrap & I'm in love with it!  I swear this thing can be wrapped at least 10 different ways - probably more.  It's so easy to make taking only 2 yards of fabric; and can be made from almost any fabric.  The hardest part about it was deciding what fabric to use.  I settled for a brown patterned ponteroma because I wanted it to be warm with just the right amount of drape.  Had my serger not UN-threaded itself  - the wrap would have taken only 45 minutes to complete start to finish.  I'm thinking about making this up again in a black light weight double knit.  Mmmmm, we will see.  In the mean time Happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to one and all.


I'm off to hit that list again...

IN ANTICIPATION OF COLDER WEATHER...

...I made up Oop McCall's 5996 (view F).  I purchased this pattern and fabric from Hancock's at least three years ago thinking that I would get around to making hood/cowl/shrug thingy.  It's a wonderful winter white knit fabric that I wish I'd bought more of - it would have made the most wonderful dress.  But I had just a smidgen over one yard -  as they say, hind sight is always 20/20.

I saw a lady wearing something similar several years ago and thought it was the most wonderful thing.  She wore it with a turtleneck top, skinny jeans, boots and gloves on a very cold day.  I'm looking forward to creating that look that I've had in my mind for so long.

FRONT

BACK

This creation can also be worn as a head cover as shown on the pattern envelope.  It's a cute little pattern, but there is a major glinch in the pattern instructions just in case someone else would think about making it.  It cannot be turned as illustrated by the instructions!!!  Turning it caused me major frustration, so I ended up simply surging the bottom edge in matching thread.

I'd like to make another like it in a darker color.  I have another wrap planned from a new pattern that I happened upon just recently coming up soon.

THREE FRENCH HENS...

THREE FRENCH HENS

 ...couldn't help myself.  That phrase just popped into my spirit when I was standing back looking at the project that I started and completed last night.  Although this symbolism stands for the theological virtues of Faith, Hope & Charity, I think it can also be the title for my project.  I can hear myself asking "where in the world did I put Hope, I want to wear her today"...


Now more about this project:  Vogue Pattern Magazine featured a quick and easy tutorial on making infinity or circle scarves in its Oct/Nov 2010 issue (page 10).  I finally got around to making one back in March and really have enjoyed wearing it.  I kept saying that I was going to make more because it adds just the right pop of color to a monochromatic outfit.  And because it has multiple colors I get to wear it with several things in my wardrobe.
 

My first Infinity Scarf

 Carolyn's recent custom made Christmas gifts encouraged me to get some additional scarves made up.  I was in Hancock's for just a minute on Christmas Eve and took the opportunity of choosing three prints for the project.  Their sheer, chiffoney fabrics were 50% off - of course I couldn't remember how much was needed for a scarf so I just got a yard of each.  Total Cost:  3 yards $11 something.  I jumped right on the project while the motivation was hot.  By the way you only need 2/3 yard of 60" fabric per scarf.

Each scarf can be completed with a serger or machine and a little hand stitching to close the circle in 30/45 minutes tops.
HINT in case your thinking about making this:  Where the tutorial mentions starting and ending the stitching 4 to 6 inches from the ends, decrease to 2 or 3 inches - this makes the amount of hand stitching used to close the opening to a very minimum, or just machine stitch the opening using matching thread.

The Christmas miracle of the whole scenario is - I was able to get not 3 but 6 scarves from 3 yards of fabric having not a scrap left. 
The tutorial suggests cutting the scarf  24", so three of mine were cut at 24" and I used the remaining 12 inches for each additional scarf.  Therefore the scarf can actually be any size you want.

I'm kicking myself now, because if I had thought about doing this earlier - the 3 extra ones could have been used as gifts.  Oh well, another lesson learned.  I'm thinking about putting them back for next Christmas.  A big thanks to Carolyn for the scarf inspiration. 


My next project is forcing myself out of  the sewing room this morning so I can clean the rest of the house...