Tag Archives: Sewing

Warm Winter Flannel, Take Two

Posted on December 13, 2012 by | Comments Off on Warm Winter Flannel, Take Two

In between working on my new plaid dress I have been working on finishing up flannel pj’s for the girls.

You know, because it is so cold out (insert crazy sarcasm here).

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I used the “Little Nighty Night” pattern from Favorite Things for the pants (it’s actually a pattern for shorts – I just lengthened it).  The shirt was a random white tee shirt I sewed a matching pocket onto. And voila! Jammies!

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Perfect for her favorite activity: laying in front of the fireplace, reading (even when it is 70 degrees outside.  Clearly these kids are not mine).

 


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Celebration Season

Posted on December 10, 2012 by | Comments Off on Celebration Season

Celebration season has officially started.

Last night was my book club’s Christmas meeting, where we all go a little more overboard with good food and wine than normal, and we exchange books (I gifted Jenny Lawson’s “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”)  and ornaments.

It’s always the second Sunday in December, and for me, it is generally the first “event” of the holiday season.

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We read “See You In A Hundred Years” by Logan Ward, and, though we started discussing it pretty late into the evening, it looks like everyone enjoyed it.

Or, it could have been all the wine we had by then.

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Maddie and I made everyone felt poinsettia pins using Heather Bailey’s Fleur Debris pattern.

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My friend Gabi brought latkes – I had so been looking forward to them.

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Every year that we continue on with our traditions seems to make it become more exciting, more fun, more full of fond memories. Every year we are more determined to still be doing this when we’re old and gray.

Building a lifetime of traditions with friends and family is the best gift you can give or receive – and I challenge each of you to keep with your beloved traditions or start new ones.  It’s well worth it!


Tagged: Seasons, Sewing

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WIPS: quilt, sew, knit…

Posted on December 6, 2012 by | Comments Off on WIPS: quilt, sew, knit…
Just to fill you in on projects from earlier this year.  My 2012 resolutions still stand for the most part, and my biggest gap is that I may not be able to finish this quilt in time!

Here's my progress so far...



I'm so close, right?  Since I took this photo, I've already stitched in the ditch 60%, but the free-motion quilting remains to be done as does the binding.  I'll keep you posted!

In knitting, I've finished the final worsted weight project in a line for boys' knitted garments... a cute 2-color shawl collar pullover.  It's still blocking and drying.


I'm also halfway through the body of a knitted vest design I'm working on... but more pressing deadlines have taken over since the vest will be a self-published project.


And in the sewing world, I started to lay out the couture dress from Susan Khalje's Craftsy course, but am thinking the full skirt is too full.  So, I embarked upon self-drafting my very own half-circle skirt!  Why not?



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Warm Winter Flannel

Posted on December 5, 2012 by | Comments Off on Warm Winter Flannel

That’s right.  I am in the midst of making everyone warm winter jammies in the midst of a freaking warm spell.  It’s been in the mid seventies for days now, and it isn’t going to get much cooler for awhile.  See what I meant about how you can’t predict the winter based on fall’s weather?  A week or so ago we were getting hard frost.

This is probably due to the fact that we just had a gigantic propane tank installed for the fireplace so we could be all cozy for school and for reading and knitting in the mornings and evenings. Now we’re just sweating in there, and the propane hasn’t been turned on once yet.

Of course, if I had my way the fireplace would be wood – burning……but you can’t win ‘em all.

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Oona gets a flannel nightgown, courtesy of this picture I found on Pinterest.

I pretty much just fudged my way through it.  The fabric is “Nordica” flannel by Robert Kaufman.

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She’s been pretty much living in it non – stop since I made it.  I think I may have to make her a whole week’s worth of them.  Especially as it goes rather well with a snappy pair of red cowboy boots when you’re sweepin’ the front porch.

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Heffalumps and Woozles

Posted on November 27, 2012 by | Comments Off on Heffalumps and Woozles
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Recently I stumbled across this adorable pattern and new it would be a fabulous birthday present for Madame Purl. It arrived double quick , along with a kit, and I sewed it up immediately and popped it right in the mail. It seems the mail system hasn’t yet recovered from Sandy as it took a couple days longer than usual to arrive so it was a bit late for her actual birthday. It’s a really fun little pattern and very detailed. I think it turned out pretty nicely and I was able to use some of those vintage buttons I keep collecting.

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The Edie Coat, Vogue 7239 (1967)

Posted on November 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on The Edie Coat, Vogue 7239 (1967)
As originally posted in The Sew Weekly for the 1960's Challenge..


The Facts
⁃ Fabric: 3m wool, 2m lining, interfacing
⁃ Pattern: Vogue 7239

⁃ Year: 1967
⁃ Notions: 3 buttons
⁃ Time to complete: several weeks in October
⁃ First worn: end of October
⁃ Wear again?  Since it's been cold, I haven't stopped wearing it!
⁃ Total price: ~30EUR =  7EUR/m for wool (21EUR), $2.50/m China Silk Poly for lining (5 EUR), interfacing, thread, etc...



Pattern Story - I won this pattern from a giveaway on the Seamless Blog, and will give it away once this is published on the Sew Weekly.  Look out for a blog post from me if you're interested in entering the giveaway.

I loved the pattern.  There is one funny bit around the neckline, and the finishing of the neck band, but other from that it was smooth sailing.  I had help from the Threads book on tailoring, and my Claire Schaeffer's fabric guide book.  I was set.  I didn't have to change a thing in the pattern except length of the sleeves and hem.  That was nice!


Here are some of the inner workings...
bound buttonholes

feather stitching, fuchsia lining

groovy pocket fabric

I had a lot of fun working on this coat and once it was finished, I realized this one was a true keeper.  I've been wearing it regularly ever since.  The coat reminds me of Edie Sedgwick for some reason.  Something about my haircut these days, perhaps?


Pupp-o decided to get in on these shots. Hey there, puppy-face!

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Jacob’s ladder progress

Posted on November 24, 2012 by | Comments Off on Jacob’s ladder progress

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These are not fast squares to sew but they are a lot of fun! There’s a lot of cutting and trimming involved so they start off really slow and then finish up fast. I also had a chance to make some soy candles for Daniel. I added half an ounce of scent per pound of wax and learned to let the wax melt thoroughly before pouring. I used paper plates with holes in the middle to keep my wicks centered as the candles cooled. They turned out pretty nicely!

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Iris Pullover

Posted on November 23, 2012 by | Comments Off on Iris Pullover

I'm glad to finally be sewing again!  Here's a quick project I made in the in-between times.  Knitwear design is still taking the priority spot on my agenda, but hopefully I'll have some pretty samples to show for it in the near future!

In the meantime, here's the Iris Pullover from Schnittchen® - einfach nähe...
Schnittchen's downloadable patterns are much in the style of Burda and Knipmode in that you print out a large sheet with multiple sizes, and then you mark and trace just your size.  The patterns are unlike Burda/Knipmode in that they actually include seam allowances!  Woot!

For this kind of oversized garment it was nice to have the seam allowances already done... makes for quick, quick, quick sewing when it's just ~1/4" seam allowance (width of a sewing foot) and go go go!  It took me just a few hours to sew, and you don't need an overlocker (though it would make things even faster!) just a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch.

So here it is!  My Iris Pullover...

This jersey knit fabric was lovely to work with albeit on the thin side.  I am definitely going to make another one when I can get my hands on some sweatshirt fabric at a reasonable price.  Suggestions are welcome for sweatshirt fabric resources in the EU!

The Facts
⁃ Fabric: 1.5m x 1.5m striped knit jersey from TST-Stoffen (at Stoffmarkt Holland fabric market)
⁃ Pattern: Iris Pullover from Schnittchen (has link to photo instructions)
Also, check out some of the free patterns on the site here.
⁃ Year: 2012?
⁃ Notions: none
⁃ Time to complete: 4 hours
⁃ First worn: Nov. 16, 2012
⁃ Wear again?  YES, I love it.  It's really comfy.
⁃ Total price: 5 EUR for the fabric

I love the way this pattern turned out.  I love the over-long sleeves so I can hide my hands inside the cuffs, and the long body so it covers everything.

Possible Mods for next time
It's too bad I didn't have a little more of the fabric, otherwise I'd have made it with the hoodie.  (Instead, with the little extra I had left, I'll be making some undies.)
I think I may also include a thumb gusset so I can stick my thumbs in the cuff and use the cuffs like pseudo-gloves.  Why not?


Overall Review
The Iris Pullover pattern is do-able for beginners with a machine that has a zigzag and a straight stitch.  Only special tool needed was a needle for elastics.  I used a Schmetz Stretch 75/11 needle.
Happy Sewing!

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Working On: A Red & White Quilt

Posted on November 21, 2012 by | Comments Off on Working On: A Red & White Quilt

Did I ever tell you that Zac and I were hand-piecing and hand-sewing a quilt together?

It’s the Irish Chain pattern from Modern Quilts, Traditional Inspiration.

Just in case the sentimental factor isn’t sky high enough, I stole Zac’s rattiest work shirt and cut it up, so it’ll be the accent bit of blue.

The very idea of co-quilting a quilt is, in my mom’s words, “DisGUSting!”

“Is it a divorce-quilt?” asked a friend of mine, over drinks, when I told her about it.

But I think they both meant it in an affectionate way.

I mean, it isn’t yet.


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Rice bag update

Posted on November 15, 2012 by | Comments Off on Rice bag update
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When the boys were in school, they learned to make their own rice bags for microwaveable warmers. Periodically Daniel’s needs replaced and the job has fallen to me. It only takes about 5 minutes to whip one out. The hardest part is finding fabric that’s not too “girly”. Here’s this year’s warmer.

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