NPRINS

Dear readers, I try to blame my lack of sewing mojo on excessive travel; but really, I had trouble setting up my sewing machines each time to sew.  So, with a little re-arranging - voila!  A dedicated sewing space! Below:  My stash (I keep it scaled down since I live within an hour to LA's fashion district (unlike my quilting days) and a selection of patterns.  I also organize the stash by: knits, bottom shelf, wovens, second shelf, home decor (canvas, heavy linen), third shelf, and sport material, top shelf. We live in a small house overlooking the ocean on a hillside - so space is at a premium in our world.  It may be small but I love this little area. Below: On the window-sill, I see I need an artbin for my serger spools.  I use an old stainless steel table as my cutting table (with the wheels off). As you can see by the oak tag paper - I'm in the middle of a continued pattern-making class at Sew LA , consisting of making a sloper for the bodice, and lea...

Dear readers! My sewing mojo ("sojo") continues. . . . I finally finished my Kwik Sew shorts this weekend!  I lost one of the buttons for the final finish but luckily J. found it vacuuming on Monday morning!  I present to you Kwik Sew 3854 View B:  Here is a view of the waistband - it's a bit high but I lowered it an inch as an alternation: Other changes:  Took out at least 5/8 inch out of both sides (and I think I can take the buttons over a half of an inch).  I always seem to make my clothes slightly too loose!  Do you? The obligatory booty shot: My other alterations include I carved out the crotch seam deeper in the back of the short - J. Stern suggests this in her jean tutorials - and she states that jean designers do the same - I always wondered why my RTW jeans fit so well.   By the way, her website is JSterns Designs .  Her jeans tutorials start around April 2009 and go to Fall 2010. Although I don't show it the insides have a clean serged ...

Finally dear readers, I embarked upon some irresponsible serging and I am happy to report my mojo is back with New Look 6939.  I started late this afternoon and wore the top on my way to sushi - The New Look top runs very large.  I have had it cut out for about 8 weeks. I actually ran out of fabric cutting it out and added some white jersey for an additional flounce.  I cut a 16 (38 chest) and have linebacker shoulders.  Yet, I didn't fit it - merely started serging!  My bad - it hangs off one shoulder.  I bought the fabric - a jersey knit from Mood. Here it is on the dressform: I ran out of flounce fabric - so I picked some white jersey knit and I think it adds some interest: At sushi: Would I make this again?  Perhaps - it's super easy - it's not form fitting at all (just like the picture) - but I would cut a 10 I believe to ensure a better yoke fit.  Again, I wanted to get my mojo back.  Here is a picture of the pattern below: It's wearabl...

I tried on this henley tank in Target the other day and loved the shape, but not the fabric.  It was polyester and already clinging to me in the dressing room.  Fortunately I've got a nice stash of silk prints, including this Cynthia Steffe print from Emma One Sock a few years ago. I used some old poly to drape the shape on my dressform, cutting and pinning until I was happy with the neckline, armholes, and width.  Then I took it apart, traced the pieces onto butcher paper with my tracing wheel, and balanced the pattern so both sides would match.  I added seam and hem allowances and the pattern was ready to go. I used my favorite neckline/armhole binding technique, applied with my industrial right angle double-fold clean finish binder, then turned to the inside and topstitched.  I chose not to staystitch the armholes, but ended up handling the fabric more than I usually do so I got some stretching in that area.  It's not horrible but usually this binding ...

Dear readers, You're probably asking yourself is this blogger ever post about completed projects ever again!  Answer:  I hope so!  I am at home (not traveling for work) for the next six weeks. Here are my projects cut out (one for muslin and one in fashion fabric) and ready for the machine and/or needle - I just haven't had time to set up my machines, get out my supplies and complete them!  Darn it! Kwik Sew shorts (I'm dying to finish these): I intend to make View B with this fabric below (I don't love the fabric but for summer - it's a good test fabric. . . .) I am making a muslin so that I can craft the "perfect shorts." Fun tunic: View A, with this fabric: I literally am sick of seeing these projects laying around, unfinished, glaring at me to finish them.   I especially want to make the shorts - after the red fabric, if I like them I have some high-tech fabric for hiking I want to use that I scored when I visited Seattle Fabrics. Pam

Dear Readers, Why haven't I posted?  Well, I've gotten a promotion and we're down one person.  As a result, I have been traveling a heck of a lot more (for example, I was in Florida and DC the last two and a half weeks!).  That, and the fact that I don't have a sewing room permanently set up has slowed my progress considerably!  I do have two projects cut out and waiting to come together. . . (I'll show on my next post)! BTW, I actually wrote this post before my recent travels and am JUST now posting it (took some time for the links below). I do become free from teaching and traveling this summer - so hopefully, I can spend the summer sewing, sewing, and sewing, among other relaxing activities.  At the beginning of the year, the wonderful Sue from www.sew-misunderstood.blogspot.com  nominated me for the stylish blogger award.  She's a fantastic home seamstress (who's quite the producer of beautiful and funky items), and a great singer and rocker. ...

Dear Readers! Finally, I finished my Burda 07-2010-127 Sew-Along Pants.  Normally, it is not a style I would have chosen as it has pleats.   I am a complete rectangle and fit Vogue and Kwik-Sew out of the box (no alterations, normally) and shun pleats.  But I couldn't resist the allure of the sew-along and learning pants alterations (which I did, thanks Sunni!). By the way, I wanted to wear a different set of oxfords, but the little "P" you see in the picture there ate a strap off my Mary Jane Oxfords so I am off to see the cobbler in my saddle shoes.  These pants were tall - and had quite a bit of ease - so I did two muslins and some significant alterations - they fit almost perfect for the pattern.  I also hand-picked a back zipper (instead of a side zipper, which always irritates me for some reason).    The following pictures are over-exposed so you can see the fabric a bit more closely: Another, The waistband for me was most troublesome - I made tw...