Saturday, May 29, 2010
New Banner
A while back, I asked my daughter to draw me a new banner for my blog. I think it turned out pretty cute.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Slow going
The Sewcation is going slowly this year. I've only finished up one thing so far; Simplicity 4223 for my daughter. I'm going to try to make one for myself as well, but it's not likely to get finished up completely before I have to go back to my regularly scheduled program.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Let the Sewcation Begin!!!
Actually, I started doing some work yesterday. But today is the "official" beginning of my week long "sewcation"
Woo hoo!!!!
Woo hoo!!!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Getting Ready for Sewcation 2010
I've got my time off from work approved and in the calendar! Sewcation 2010 is set for mid-March!!
Yay! I had a really, really good time doing last year's sewcation. I didn't get to do a whole lot of personal sewing between then and now though. In part because I took about 35 pounds off the old bod and now I need to rework everything. I also started a 4-H sewing club in the Fall and I've been spending a good bit of my sewing time working with the kids.
Speaking of which, we took a field trip to Joann's last weekend and talk about timing! They were having their President's Day sale going on. Who knew? I'm sure lots of people knew, but I didn't. I can't seem to keep up with that sort of thing.
My mother-in-law came with us and she wanted to get me a birthday present because she hadn't already. What a wonderful confluence of events! Loads of stuff on sale at Joann's and a birthday pressie waiting to happen!
I picked up 10 Simplicity Patterns for $1 each. WhooHooo!!! I'm going to mix some of these with some of the projects I didn't finish in 2009 to build my project list for this year's Sewcation.
Here's what I got:
There are a few dresses in the mix, which is unusual for me, since I rarely wear dresses. But, the hubby likes me to wear them at least occasionally so I thought I'd see if I couldn't make something that we both would like.
Yay! I had a really, really good time doing last year's sewcation. I didn't get to do a whole lot of personal sewing between then and now though. In part because I took about 35 pounds off the old bod and now I need to rework everything. I also started a 4-H sewing club in the Fall and I've been spending a good bit of my sewing time working with the kids.
Speaking of which, we took a field trip to Joann's last weekend and talk about timing! They were having their President's Day sale going on. Who knew? I'm sure lots of people knew, but I didn't. I can't seem to keep up with that sort of thing.
My mother-in-law came with us and she wanted to get me a birthday present because she hadn't already. What a wonderful confluence of events! Loads of stuff on sale at Joann's and a birthday pressie waiting to happen!
I picked up 10 Simplicity Patterns for $1 each. WhooHooo!!! I'm going to mix some of these with some of the projects I didn't finish in 2009 to build my project list for this year's Sewcation.
Here's what I got:
 |
| From New Patterns |
There are a few dresses in the mix, which is unusual for me, since I rarely wear dresses. But, the hubby likes me to wear them at least occasionally so I thought I'd see if I couldn't make something that we both would like.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Sewcation Days 3 to 7
I can't believe I never went back and finished up my notes on my 2009 Sewcation. And here it is time to start planning this year's fun!
So, for my own sense of closure, here are days 3 through 7.
On day 3, I finished up Simplicity 7086. It turned out pretty well - I don't think the pictures really do it justice. I had to take it in almost immediately after making it because I had been losing weight and lost enough that it started really looking like a sack on me.
After finishing up Simplicity 7086, I went on to Simplicity 4076 - View D. I'd made this one before, but wanted to raise the neck line a bit and give it another go. I ended up raising it by 1 and 1/2 inches and made it up in a nice green and pink fabric I picked up from FashionFabrics.com.
This was my favorite out of the 3 that I completed during the week.
A couple days later, I finished up McCall's 4872 - View B done up in a knit from Crybabys Boutique. This was pretty much just a re-do of a basic t-shirt pattern I've used before.
I started in on a 4th shirt - Simplicity 3759 View B - which is a redo of the blue paisley blouse I had done before. I did eventually finish it up. But I wasn't happy at all with how it turned out, so I didn't even take final pictures.
OK. Now I can move on to planning for this year's Sewcation!
So, for my own sense of closure, here are days 3 through 7.
On day 3, I finished up Simplicity 7086. It turned out pretty well - I don't think the pictures really do it justice. I had to take it in almost immediately after making it because I had been losing weight and lost enough that it started really looking like a sack on me.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
After finishing up Simplicity 7086, I went on to Simplicity 4076 - View D. I'd made this one before, but wanted to raise the neck line a bit and give it another go. I ended up raising it by 1 and 1/2 inches and made it up in a nice green and pink fabric I picked up from FashionFabrics.com.
This was my favorite out of the 3 that I completed during the week.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
A couple days later, I finished up McCall's 4872 - View B done up in a knit from Crybabys Boutique. This was pretty much just a re-do of a basic t-shirt pattern I've used before.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
I started in on a 4th shirt - Simplicity 3759 View B - which is a redo of the blue paisley blouse I had done before. I did eventually finish it up. But I wasn't happy at all with how it turned out, so I didn't even take final pictures.
OK. Now I can move on to planning for this year's Sewcation!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Sewcation - Day 2
I'm about as slow blogging about my sewcation as I am at actually sewing. It doesn't help that in order to use the computer, I have to kick someone off of it!
Did I mention I was slow? I spent most of day 2 on this page.
This is why I've been working on knits for soooo long. The knit shirts I've been working on have 3, maybe 4 pieces. This thing had 7 pieces - some of them twice (i.e. two fronts, two front facings, etc), plus 3 had to have interfacing as well. I'm also still getting the hang of collars since I've only done a few.
By the end of the day, I had gotten all the major pieces together and lacked the armhole facings, the hem, the button holes and the buttons.
If the garment looks unpressed it's because I was having brain farts with my iron. I can't remember why now, but I got it straightened out the next morning and re-pressed everything. After that, it didn't look quite so sloppy.
By the way, the camera doesn't do the fabric justice - which is common enough I guess. It's not nearly as PINK as all that. The little flowers are pink, but the background is almost a very pale lavender color.
Here's where the day ended...
Did I mention I was slow? I spent most of day 2 on this page.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
This is why I've been working on knits for soooo long. The knit shirts I've been working on have 3, maybe 4 pieces. This thing had 7 pieces - some of them twice (i.e. two fronts, two front facings, etc), plus 3 had to have interfacing as well. I'm also still getting the hang of collars since I've only done a few.
By the end of the day, I had gotten all the major pieces together and lacked the armhole facings, the hem, the button holes and the buttons.
If the garment looks unpressed it's because I was having brain farts with my iron. I can't remember why now, but I got it straightened out the next morning and re-pressed everything. After that, it didn't look quite so sloppy.
By the way, the camera doesn't do the fabric justice - which is common enough I guess. It's not nearly as PINK as all that. The little flowers are pink, but the background is almost a very pale lavender color.
Here's where the day ended...
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sewcation - Day 1
The first day of my Sewcation was on 3/16. I started pretty early - around 6:30 am, and finished the day around 8:45 pm. With a break for lunch, a break helping clean out the back fridge, a break to go grocery shopping, a break to cook dinner, and finally a break to eat dinner. Heh heh - it might seem like I didn't have time for sewing at all!
But I did.
This first day, I started on Simplicity 7086 - View C. I made View B a couple of years ago. It was a project I meant to blog about after I stared blogging, but never got around to it. Here's the original review on PatternReview.com though: Simplicity 7086 - View B. I meant to work View B up again with this really pretty pinkish with little spring flowers on it fabric I found at a local quilting store. But I did not get enough fabric to make the sleeves. So I worked up View C instead.
If you look behind the pattern, you can see my window - it's still dark outside.
When I first used this pattern, I was tracing my patterns onto visqueen. I didn't really like the visqueen very much, so I stopped using it sometime back, and now I use "sewing" fabric (it's actually soil separating fabric) from Carriff to trace my patterns. It took a few hours to get the pieces retraced. Luckily, I had not altered the original pattern any, except to lengthen it by .5". I added the two new pieces needed for the armhole facing.
It took me the rest of the day to cut out the fabric (I trace around the pattern, then cut to minimize damage to my pattern), cut out the interfacing, and to get the first dart made.
Here I am tracing around the pattern pieces...
Did I mention I'm slow? I really am.
Here's what it looked like outside my window once the sun came up. Spring has sprung in our neck of the woods, and we have a really nice crabapple tree in bloom.
Here we are with all of the pieces cutout. There's still the interfacing to do.
One final pic. My DH homeschools our two children. Afterschool, the younger one, my DS, decided he needed to share my workspace to play with his SnapCircuits.
But I did.
This first day, I started on Simplicity 7086 - View C. I made View B a couple of years ago. It was a project I meant to blog about after I stared blogging, but never got around to it. Here's the original review on PatternReview.com though: Simplicity 7086 - View B. I meant to work View B up again with this really pretty pinkish with little spring flowers on it fabric I found at a local quilting store. But I did not get enough fabric to make the sleeves. So I worked up View C instead.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
If you look behind the pattern, you can see my window - it's still dark outside.
When I first used this pattern, I was tracing my patterns onto visqueen. I didn't really like the visqueen very much, so I stopped using it sometime back, and now I use "sewing" fabric (it's actually soil separating fabric) from Carriff to trace my patterns. It took a few hours to get the pieces retraced. Luckily, I had not altered the original pattern any, except to lengthen it by .5". I added the two new pieces needed for the armhole facing.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
It took me the rest of the day to cut out the fabric (I trace around the pattern, then cut to minimize damage to my pattern), cut out the interfacing, and to get the first dart made.
Here I am tracing around the pattern pieces...
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
Did I mention I'm slow? I really am.
Here's what it looked like outside my window once the sun came up. Spring has sprung in our neck of the woods, and we have a really nice crabapple tree in bloom.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
Here we are with all of the pieces cutout. There's still the interfacing to do.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
One final pic. My DH homeschools our two children. Afterschool, the younger one, my DS, decided he needed to share my workspace to play with his SnapCircuits.
 |
| From Sewcation - March 2009 |
Sunday, March 22, 2009
March Madness - My Sewcation
Take a look at the "2009 Projects" list to the right. That's the list I started out with for my very first "Sewcation".
I took a week off from work to sew, sew, sew. And it was FUN!!!!
I lost two days going camping with the family, but that was fun too. Otherwise, I spent most all of this past week, and this weekend getting in some much needed sewing time.
I started with 10 things on my list and finished 3. HA! Definitely a case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach. It wasn't for lack of trying though. During the week, I woke up at my normal time, and most days was at it by 6:30 am. I usually didn't call it quits until about 8:30 pm. Seems like a lot I suppose, but there were a number of interuptions. Still, I was able to stay pretty focused the entire time. But I'm also a slow sewist, so there ya go.
Pictures and stories will be forthcoming I hope. I meant to do a blog entry each day as I went along, but I always seemed to run out of time for that. And frankly, I wanted to sew, not blog :-)
I took a week off from work to sew, sew, sew. And it was FUN!!!!
I lost two days going camping with the family, but that was fun too. Otherwise, I spent most all of this past week, and this weekend getting in some much needed sewing time.
I started with 10 things on my list and finished 3. HA! Definitely a case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach. It wasn't for lack of trying though. During the week, I woke up at my normal time, and most days was at it by 6:30 am. I usually didn't call it quits until about 8:30 pm. Seems like a lot I suppose, but there were a number of interuptions. Still, I was able to stay pretty focused the entire time. But I'm also a slow sewist, so there ya go.
Pictures and stories will be forthcoming I hope. I meant to do a blog entry each day as I went along, but I always seemed to run out of time for that. And frankly, I wanted to sew, not blog :-)
Monday, September 01, 2008
Simplicity 3759
I finally finished View B of Simplicity 3759. I swear I think I'm the slowest sewist on the face of the earth!
Here's the final deal:
It took two muslins to get there, but I really, really like how it turned out. I absolutely LOVE the blue paisley fabric (from Gorgeous Fabrics).
Speaking of muslins, the 2nd muslin turned out nicely enough that I spruced it up with some beads so it could be a "wearable" muslin. Made the necklace to go with it too.
Here's the official review for PatternReview.com.
Pattern Description:
Cropped pants or city shorts and knit dress or top, tunic or cropped top and sash.
I made View B - Raglan Tee with gathering at the front.
Pattern Sizing:
Multiple sizes available. I started with a size 18 and adjusted from there.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yep.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Pretty much, although I did not really follow them closely. As others have done, I modified the construction order:
- Attached the sleeves to the front and back
- Attached the neckband
- Sewed the side seams
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the amount of ease that's built in. It's less form fitting than other knit patterns I've tried, and in this case, it works well.
I didn't like how much the scoop neckline scooped, so I raised it by about an 1". (That's a personal taste thing though - no fault of the pattern).
Fabric Used:
Blue Paisley Knit from Gorgeous Fabrics.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
- Widened the sleeves, waist, and hips to fit me better.
- Raised the neckline by 1"
- Narrowed the neckband by about 3/8"
- Shortened the neckband by about 1"
I also stabilized the entire neckline using fusible bias tape, as the neckline stretched somewhat during the construction of the muslin.
I got the basic idea for this from here, and altered it to fit the circumstances.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes and yes!
Conclusion:
I really like how this top turned out. The paisley fabric looks great. The pattern is reasonably easy to alter to fit and seems well drafted.
Here's the final deal:
It took two muslins to get there, but I really, really like how it turned out. I absolutely LOVE the blue paisley fabric (from Gorgeous Fabrics).
Speaking of muslins, the 2nd muslin turned out nicely enough that I spruced it up with some beads so it could be a "wearable" muslin. Made the necklace to go with it too.
Here's the official review for PatternReview.com.
Pattern Description:
Cropped pants or city shorts and knit dress or top, tunic or cropped top and sash.
I made View B - Raglan Tee with gathering at the front.
Pattern Sizing:
Multiple sizes available. I started with a size 18 and adjusted from there.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yep.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Pretty much, although I did not really follow them closely. As others have done, I modified the construction order:
- Attached the sleeves to the front and back
- Attached the neckband
- Sewed the side seams
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the amount of ease that's built in. It's less form fitting than other knit patterns I've tried, and in this case, it works well.
I didn't like how much the scoop neckline scooped, so I raised it by about an 1". (That's a personal taste thing though - no fault of the pattern).
Fabric Used:
Blue Paisley Knit from Gorgeous Fabrics.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
- Widened the sleeves, waist, and hips to fit me better.
- Raised the neckline by 1"
- Narrowed the neckband by about 3/8"
- Shortened the neckband by about 1"
I also stabilized the entire neckline using fusible bias tape, as the neckline stretched somewhat during the construction of the muslin.
I got the basic idea for this from here, and altered it to fit the circumstances.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes and yes!
Conclusion:
I really like how this top turned out. The paisley fabric looks great. The pattern is reasonably easy to alter to fit and seems well drafted.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Quote quiz
A couple of posts ago, I used the quote "Where HAVE you been!" as the title and left it as an exercise to the reader to guess where it came from.
I only had one taker - gorgeous things said that it sounded like something Katherine Hepburn would say.
But, as much as I love Katherine Hepburn, the quote didn't come from her. (Ever see The Philadelphia Story? If not you should. My husband and I like to occasionally torture our children by belting out a completely out of tune rendition of "Lydia". A movie that stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, AND Jimmy Stewart? How can you go wrong?!)
The quote came from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (the movie, not the book). It was said by Molly Weasley after Ron and the twins rescue Harry from his uncle's house.
It goes something like, "Where HAVE you been! Beds empty, no note, car gone! You could have died! You could have been SEEN!!" I might not have it exactly right, I'm going from memory. Love that quote! Love the lady they picked to play Molly; she does an excellent job of it.
Well, I guess I should say something about sewing, as this is supposed to be a sewing blog. Lately, I've been working on View B of Simplicity 3759. I've made one muslin, which didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. But I'm not ready to give up yet, so I'm on to muslin #2.
I can't wait though until I get enough experience behind me to move things along a little more quickly. Sometimes it seems like I'm NEVER going to get done with a project.
See ya next time!
I only had one taker - gorgeous things said that it sounded like something Katherine Hepburn would say.
But, as much as I love Katherine Hepburn, the quote didn't come from her. (Ever see The Philadelphia Story? If not you should. My husband and I like to occasionally torture our children by belting out a completely out of tune rendition of "Lydia". A movie that stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, AND Jimmy Stewart? How can you go wrong?!)
The quote came from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (the movie, not the book). It was said by Molly Weasley after Ron and the twins rescue Harry from his uncle's house.
It goes something like, "Where HAVE you been! Beds empty, no note, car gone! You could have died! You could have been SEEN!!" I might not have it exactly right, I'm going from memory. Love that quote! Love the lady they picked to play Molly; she does an excellent job of it.
Well, I guess I should say something about sewing, as this is supposed to be a sewing blog. Lately, I've been working on View B of Simplicity 3759. I've made one muslin, which didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. But I'm not ready to give up yet, so I'm on to muslin #2.
I can't wait though until I get enough experience behind me to move things along a little more quickly. Sometimes it seems like I'm NEVER going to get done with a project.
See ya next time!
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