Feather Day Dress

My friend bought a Craftsy class for the Tia Dress pattern and asked for some help with it. She has done some home sewing, and alterations of her clothes. The pattern was a little more complicated than I had ever done, with piecing the bodice and lining it.

We got together a few times to buy the fabric, cut out the pattern and started construction. There were a few confusing spots, perhaps because we didn't watch the video more times. She decided to not put on the sleeves, and I think it looks good without them. She also didn't put on the pockets because we weren't sure the pocket shape would show up well due to the bold pattern.

Anyway, the dress is almost done besides the hem. She wants to shorten it perhaps to knee-length. 

We both learned a lot from making the dress, and I may look for my own craftsy class sometime after I finish up some projects. 

With learning a lot, I'm sure if we did it a second time we would do several things differently. (We got the zipper in but it could have been put in better with the right zipper foot). I'm also pretty sure we did the lining incorrectly, but what we did worked okay and still fits. 

Anyway, we are both grateful it fits her and that she likes it and that it was all worth it in the end!!! The patterened fabric is very forgiving and hides a few mistakes. 

 We worked well together, so I look forward to our next project whatever it may be. It did speed up time, like cutting out the pattern quicker and being able to have one person sewing and the other one ironing at the same time. Plus (the best part), it gave us several excuses to hang out and chat more often than normally.

One thing we wished we'd had when making the dress was a sewer's ham. Today I found a tutorial online so I printed the pattern and will make one sometime. I'm not sure about filling it with sawdust and will probably try using wool scraps.

Today I am embroidering pillowcases and working on binding the denim quilt. (Photos to follow when I can share them, they are both gifts).

Watching: North & South
Listening: Knitting Pipeline podcast

New stash items!

Just thought I'd share some recently purchased fabric. On the left is a white and light blue/teal print that I'm hoping to make a Sobetto top by Colette Patterns. The black and white Gingham is for Colette's Hazel dress. The kitty fabric I got for free and maybe will go into a future baby quilt. With some tax return money I got an invisible zipper foot, so I am hoping that will make zippers much more easy to put in.

The yarn, hand-dyed by my friend at Bumblebirch... so pretty. It is fingering weight and I am going to look for a perfect project for it. I also just ordered a yarn winder to make center-pulled cakes. I have a swift already, so I will be set!

Still working on the denim quilt. More photos later.
Happy Valentines day!! (We're making strawberry waffles with whipped cream for dinner!)

Snow Days

Yesterday work was closed due to snow that has been here for the last few days. I spent part of the day sewing a quilt in my new studio space. (I'm not sure if I shared yet that I moved upstairs to a new area). I love the light in the room, and the red carpet that already has stains on it. Mainly I love that there is floorspace and I can lay out quilts. There are other roommates, but they are on the other side of the room for the most part and we seem to rarely be there at the same times.

Denim quilt for a friend. I'm planning on using a black fleece fabric for the backing. It will just be the two layers. I may embroider a little bit on a few denim squares, we'll see... (I have an idea, just not sharing it yet). I also started cutting jeans/cords for 2 other quilts for friends... Yay!! I love how simple they can be and I love making useful items for friends (especially if it is from their own old jeans...

I have More! quilts on the brain. Baby quilt for a friend... Perhaps a medium-sized hexagon quilt? I have been favoriting things in pinterest. I don't know yet what colors.

Also I have cut many black and white quilt triangles for a quilt and was going to go with a pattern I have in a book. It is hard to describe but sort of plays with 4 values of light to dark. It was hard to lay out as the values of the patterns kept changing (being relative in value to the fabric I placed next to it) I think I will instead go with a chevron idea which will be easier since I can just play with lights and darks. I am already much more excited about finishing that quilt. It doesn't seem so daunting.

Here is some snow!!




We had about 5 inches or so, it's hard to tell... it seems deeper some places. I'm definitely glad I have friend's kids I can borrow to hang out with in the snow. I also did a tiny bit of tobogganing. And jumped on a trampoline with snow on it.


Podcasts listened to:
Stash & Burn
Stuff You Missed in History
The Moth
This American Life (Beach episode!)

Sewing machines.

Just thought I'd share my sewing machine I got this spring from a friend. I'm so grateful to have a machine that works well!!
I grew up sewing on a simple white machine (I don't know the brand). It had tension problems and seemed to just give up one day even though my dad is usually good at fixing things and I'm sure he looked at it several times.
Then we adopted my grandmother's brown Singer Slant-o-Matic. My mother still has that one. It is true that they don't make things like they used to. It is a great machine, I have sewn several quilts and dresses with it. Probably most of my projects for about the last 10 years.
I also have a very heavy black/dark gray machine (I also can't remember the brand, sorry, it may be a White) that my uncle gave me as a Christmas present. It has never had the correct cords, though I assume I could find them online. For how heavy it is, I'm not sure how practical it is unless it was put in a table.
I also have a white New Home machine my dad found for me at a yard sale a few years back. I'm sure it just needs someone professional to get it running better. I used it a little, but the tension and other issues just made it a hassle.
And just in the summer, I got a gray vintage machine (I believe it is a Kenmore) from my father in law. I have yet to clean it and try it out. It did come with a box of presser feet and extra goodies.

It's amazing how many machines one can collect and hopefully I will get more of them up and running, even if I pass them along. It would be nice to keep one of the vintage ones perhaps if they work well.

Growing up the sewing machine was always something we had to set up and clean up once done (or once my mom was tired of it taking up the dining room table). I'm so grateful to have the space to leave my machine up.

Now I just need to make a cover for it!

2014

Amazingly it is 2014 already!
Last year I got married, moved across town and gained a sewing machine and some sewing stuff from a friend. With moving, I moved Most of my crafty stuff, and months later I am still trying to get things figured out in my (possibly temporary) awesome sewing studio!! I have been doing a little bit of knitting, and am hoping to do more sewing! It has been hard for me to carve out time to come in and work on things but it's a new year and I am feeling good about it.

So, I know it has been forever since I have blogged. And maybe no one reads it much anyway, but I feel like it helps me keep organized a little bit.

This year I'm hoping to finish some projects already in the works and to choose specific clothing items I hope to sew and try to gain some skills!  My fabric collection (much like my yarn collection) is full of odds and ends from previous projects. I'm hoping to go through my stash and find a way to label/keep in mind how many yards I have of my fabric.

Winter/Spring:
-I have made two Sorbettos by Colette Patterns and I am hoping to make more! They are a great stashbusting project. A simple, but awesome top that you can make too since the pattern is a free download!

-I bought couch pillows with the intent to make envelope covers for them. I have yet to buy fabric or look at my stash to see if I have enough fabric that I like to make covers.

-PJ pants. I have made a few pairs but they have been in weird prints like cats or crazy stripes. Maybe a solid color or small floral design.

-Quilts. Oh my, I'm in the midst of many quilts, not really working much on them, but I hope to start figuring it out.

I'm forever making lists and then putting things off to make other spur of the moment things. I know I may not stick to my goals... but I will just throw these ideas out and hope it will help guide my sewing.

Some skills I want to work on:
-Invisible zippers (I wonder where my presser foot went and if it will fit my new machine?)
-Buttonholes (we'll see, I'm so afraid).
-Making patterns fit me better, by sewing more muslins and hopefully not getting upset right away.
-Finishing the insides of garments better.
-Etc.

Long Time No See

So, it has been ages since I did a post. October...hmm. It's now nearing the end of March. A lot has been happening to keep me away. I'm getting married in May! Besides that, just work and i guess being lazy about posting. with christmas i had several gifts i couldn't share about until i gave them. even now, I know 4 babies arriving this spring/summer and i cannot yet share  all those photos. I have been trying to complete a few things for the new apartment like curtains and finish up some things. i know after im married i will have less time to work on big projects.  im really excited though because a friend gave me a sewing machine, and i lucked out on some studio space which is amazing because i would not have much room for it at our apartment.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hey and that I'm still making stuff. hope to share some soon, but my only internet may be my phone in a month or so... we'll see!

Dresser Finished

 Yay. I finished my dresser a few weeks ago. So shiny.

 Wood. I also learned that it was my dad's dresser when he was growing up (crazy.)

I had to remove my indie-pop upsidedown cat doodle I drew on the side of it probably in 2005ish.

Swim Swim

A few years ago (was it last summer, or the summer before?) I started sewing a swimsuit.

It is a vintage sewing pattern: Simplicity 5696  Really it's a swim dress, and could easily be a tennis dress in different fabric. The suit is not super form fitting though it is fully lined. Fabric was found at Mill End in their flatfolds.

I got part way through, took a break and then this summer decided I needed to get it finished. What was left was shortening the shoulder straps, hemming it, and making the shorts. I bought a second pattern to make shorts that I thought I would like better. (See figure B). The shorts fit well with no alterations, I just added elastic at the waist and legs. I bought a strapless bra type of thing you can sew into a dress/swimsuit. This summer I decided instead to sew an old bra into the suit. I think it will work much better and be more comfortable.

Anyway, I'm very happy with the result, and I'm pretty sure I will be wearing the suit tomorrow on my vacation! I don't swim much, and I have not had a real swimsuit for like at least 6 years. (sad but true).

Overall, the fabric was not to hard to sew. The machine did not like it if I tried to use zigzag stitch, but straight stitch worked pretty well. It is sort of a heavy suit because it is fully lined and it is a dress, so there is a lot of fabric. Anyway, I am really pleased with it, and I would recommend these patterns to intermediate sewers who are interested in trying out something new.

I researched off and on for shapes I liked and I think that if I did another suit some day I might make the back not so high necked. Yes it does have a zipper. I know, right?!! Just makes me think of the vintage suits we tried on at my grandma's house when we were kids.

a few links:
Glamoursplash a cool blog about vintage swimwear, etc.
Popina buy vintage inspired swimwear in Portland.
Retronaut Vintage Jantzen ads  Jantzen is super cool, with its history in Portland, and there are lots of vintage suits for sale if you want to spend the money.
I also spent a while on Etsy looking at vintage suits, and also just looking at vintage photographs.
Etsy link 1, Etsy link 2, Etsy link 3

Summer Projects

 Today I finished stripping the last 3 drawers of my dresser. I started last summer, and it feels so good to be making progress. I love real wood, and hopefully next week or so I can tackle the rest of it. I think I will stain it maybe a medium tone, or maybe even a red of some sort.

This is the first of my Afterthought Heel socks. I'm very pleased with them, and the whole process was much faster than usually when I make socks. I will start the next one soon. The yarn is Heritage Paints sock yarn by Cascade.

Tonight I also finished up knitting the felted red slippers I am making. I just need to seam together the soul and felt them. Today I also cut out triangles for a black and white quilt I have been planning for some time. The last time I tried to lay out the quilt I got overwhelmed by the pattern. There's supposed to be darks, whites, and then like a dark "gray" and light "gray" of values. Each piece's value is relative to those around it, so I kept moving pieces around and then gave up after a while. I have a few more fabrics added now, and I'm also contemplating making the quilt smaller, like a twin perhaps just to help make it less overwhelming, and also to have room to lay it out on the livingroom floor.

Vacation time!

 I went on vacation over the weekend and finally got to meet Oscar! He is a very fine (yet a little wild) cat.

 While there, I did not get much knitting done. It was soo nice to have a break and just relax. I did finish hiding ends in one of my red slippers from this pattern everyone has done. I still have to do the second one and then felt them. I also started an Afterthought Heel sock from the pattern by Laura Linneman. I'm pretty excited about it, it was a perfect project for movie watching and driving. I just got past the first heel placement marking and I will be driving a lot tomorrow, so I will try to keep working on it.

(Ignore the dirty windshield.)