Sharing, Inspiration and Project Photos XVIII

[shams]

Thanks, Ruthie, Leslie and Ann! 

Ruthie, I love your restyling of the red cardigan.  Super cute!!!

Here is my holiday jacket.  It's the Sewing Workshop Plaza jacket (with a few tweaks) made out of a chiffon fabric with fused denim dots.







And here is the gift I made for my sew group's gift exchange.



And the inside:



More about both on my blog.

That's it, I'm done posting new things for awhile. 

[fzxdoc]

Oh, everyone is so productive!

Ruthie, that top is really cute, and the sweater morph is amazing! Great job.

Shams, I've been waiting all day to see the gift you were taking to your sewing group's dinner.  That's a wonderful bag. I like the way you hid the strap supports on the inside so as not to mar the beautiful fabric on the outside.  And your top is absolutely wonderful.  I am amazed at the interesting fabrics you find. But then you live in a real fabric mecca, so it's little wonder that you have some real gems to sew with.  Thank you so much for sharing the photos. I'm heading off to your 'blog to soak up the details!


Ruthie, Leslie, Ann, and Betsy, thanks for the compliments on the little Knitter's Tote gift that I made.

Martha, I did indeed buy my 300E from the local Janome dealer, but I never took a lesson. It's all very intuitive with that machine.  I agree with Stash that I don't see the need to upgrade to the 350E since the flash card works just fine for transferring designs from my computer to the embroidery machine.  You can get 300E models at Hancock fabrics now, since the newer Janome model has been out for a while.

Kathryn

[AnnRowley]

Lovely new red top Ruthie!  (Whisper... is it crossing the right way? )  And what a great makeover of your old cardigan; what a good idea!

Shams, interesting fabric for your jacket, and a pretty bag.

[vtmartha]

Shams, I love your Plaza Jacket, especially in that fabric!  That bag is pretty spectacular too.

Kathryn and Stash, thanks for the info on the embroidery machine.  A card would actually be easier for me to use as my laptop does not have PC functionality.  I bought my CS machine from Ken's without problems.

[fzxdoc]

I finished a knockoff of a skirt sold by Anthropologie that blessedtosew started a topic about here, and Shams wrote a wonderful tutorial about here.

I made the skirt in a menswear fabric, dark navy with light blue pinstripes, and am delighted with the way it turned out.  I started with a Vogue pattern and morphed it into the skirt.  That pattern is barely recognizable, I made so many changes to it. But it was a fun project.

Here is the skirt and a photo of the Anthropologie original.

Mine:
 

Theirs:

photo credits at www.anthropologie.com

I wrote about my experience, along with photos of the final pattern pieces, etc, on my 'blog  .

Kathryn

[marciae]

Great skirt - off to read your blog.

[Karen Roth]

I'll leave people out if I comment individually.... all I can say is...WOW.  This is such an incredibly talented group.
It's amazing how an unusual fabric with even a simple pattern turns into something that would be three or four figures at Neiman Marcus.  And I love the menswear fabric with the ruffled skirt- I love using fabrics thought of for one use for something totally unexpected, THAT's edgy.
Shams, do you have a pic of the pattern for your DD's top?  It looks remarkably similar to a single Burda pattern I have... I rarely wear the top because I really don't like the quality of the turned/topstitched edges which no one else probably notices yet have never worn it without compliments. A very simple knit with keyhole/tie front. Maybe I should try it again...  Your daughter looks lovely and very happy!

[shams]

Thanks, Kathryn, Ann, Martha and Karen.

Karen, if you look at my blog, I have a photo of the line drawing there for the Burda twist top.  I am planning to draft it in my size.  Maybe I'll post that as a tutorial.    Here's the post:
http://communingwithfabric.blogspot.com/2009/12/burda-world-of-fashion-knot-front-top.html

Wait, here's the link to that (blurry) photo.  I had to take it without flash because the flash made it impossible to see the line art:


Kathryn, I commented on your blog within minutes of you posting that entry, I think.  I was SO excited to see your gorgeous rendition of this skirt!!!  I am thrilled to have contributed to the process.  Your workmanship (as usual) is impeccable and that skirt is perfection!  I wish my daughter had liked the skirt - I would have made it up in fashion fabric for her. 

[AnnRowley]

Kathryn - very many congratulations on your fab skirt!  Great result.

Anyone who still thinks that garments like this "just happen"  should read, with awe, Kathryn's blog on all the thought and trial and error that brings this sort of result.
 An object lesson to us all  - thanks Kathryn!

[RuthieK]

Fun jacket and covetable bag Shams.
And Kathryn, wow what a work of art that skirt is.

I have finished my third red piece in my new Christmas Collection, despite having to sew on my 25 year old basic Toyota machine as my Janome is in for servicing (for up to two weeks). Its made from a remnant of lovely red slinky. I used Butterick 3344 though I had to recut the body/sleeves as it was way too big to start with (grrrr).


I think I shall change to black thread for my next few projects though quite how I am going to insert my invisible zippers without my lovely invisible zipper foot I don't know (it doesn't fit on the old machine). I hear it is possible with a basic zipper foot but I guess a lot more difficult.

[cmarie12]

I'm just showing back up again after a little bit away and everyone has been making such wonderful things!

Stash - I love the picture of you and your grandchildren!  It's beautiful!

Ruthie - you certainly have been productive!  So many new and beautiful garments!

Kathryn - it is so good to have you back sewing.  I always love how you take a pattern and make it your own!  I am sure your DD is loving her new skirt.

But I have to say Shams that your Plaza jacket is mouth-dropping, awe-inspiringly gorgeous!  What a wonderful use of that amazing fabric!!!  I'm not a sewing workshop kinda girl but I would wear that jacket in a heartbeat!  What a great garment to have created and to wear!!!

[Marji]

I checked in earlier today but knew I'd need to come back before taking time to comment, and now there is so much more.
Shams, that topper is fabulous! The fabric has denim dots that are fused to the sheer? It's so interesting, and works so well. After looking at it, and seeing that you bordered the whole thing in denim, I'm wondering, did you fuse all the dots and make the fabric yourself?

And Kathryn, LOVE that skirt. Must go read your blog about it.

And to everyone else who's being productive and posting here - keep it coming. It's all so inspirational.

I may even have something to post before the end of the week. Right now I'm trying to balance work with house activities with sewing.

[stashpanache]

Ann: 

Anyone who still thinks that garments like this "just happen"  should read, with awe, Kathryn's blog on all the thought and trial and error that brings this sort of result.

Ann, like I commented on her blog, it made my brain hurt.   But, you are absolutely right.

[Liana]

Shams,  What a great use of that unusual and very tempting fabric!  You have a very unique piece, there.    Very nice bag for your group's gift exchange as well. 

Kathryn,  Your skirt is beautifully done, and as Ann said, a real example of how good things generally don't "just happen" by a happy accident.  I love your fabric choice, and that blouse is perfect with it.

Ruthie,  I love your red, and what a great re-make.  You always seem to make the most of what you have, and tweak things until they're just right.

[LauraS.]

I've been lurking around this thread, but must pop in to say how absolutely Wow the wow factor is here!  Ruthie, do you ever stop sewing??  To sleep?  Eat?  I love your garments.  Ann , of course, is dead on with her statement about the time and effort it takes to work out a design.  Unfortunately, it's not where I'm at right now. (I'm still working out details -- hence all of my UFO's.)  It feels like I've been piddling with my sewing for the last several months.  Nothing very productive has come out of the SR.  Using Katheryn's and Sham's guidelines, I'm going to pencil in this lovely skirt during the New Year holiday.

Shams, I like your Plaza Jacket.  You've inspired me to use a velvet burnout that I purchased at Textile Studio a few years ago.  I knew a drapey simple jacket was the way to go, but you know how you can't see the forest for all the trees?  I do love the cascade skirt you posted a pic of a couple of days ago.  Will have to research that design and see if I can make it happen.  Any help or suggestions is more than welcome.   

LauraS

[fzxdoc]

Thank you all for your heartfelt and generous compliments on the skirt that I just finished. Marciae, Linda(Movinon),Ruthie, Carolyn, Margie, Stash, LauraS, and Liana, your comments sure make me happy! AnnRowley, your generous compliment made my day. Thank you so much! Stash, I hope your brain feels better! That is such a cute comment!

In truth, the making of that skirt took much longer than I had planned, but it was a great learning experience and really honed my pattern drafting/alteration skills.  It's a really wonderful feeling when a sewing project like that satisfies one's sewing passion on so many levels.

I'm working on a very simple Burda jacket now.  I'll either get it finished in a heartbeat or overthink it and make it another mega project. It could go either way right now, because that's how I roll.

Shams, I have to say, after reading your 'blog, that you win the prize for the best use of interesting/challenging fabric for a jacket. You couldn't have picked a better style to show off that fabric you found.  The stars must have aligned for you to make it, since the owner pulled a bolt out of the back room to give you the additional yardage you needed.  Your fellow sewists must have been in awe at the party when you walked in with the jacket and the beautifully executed gift.  They'll be lobbying for a peek at your closets, I'll venture to guess, to see your other creations.

Kathryn

[mardel]

Oh so many fabulous things to look at here.  This is a great treat for my discombobulated brain.

Ruthie, fabulous reds and that red print top is just gorgeous.  Love the remodeling too, and the lovely scoop neck slinky top looks so cheerful and versatile.

And the gift exchange treats are continuing to be inspiring as well.  Shams, that is a lovely bag you made, stylish, practical and beautiful both inside and out. I love the way all the structure is on the inside but still stylishly done.  wonderful planning.

And really, Shams, that holiday jacket is just TDF, and it looks fabulous on you.  I admire the way you find the most interesting fabrics and use them; your garments seem so perfect, and yet not at all run of the mill.

Kathryn, I love your Anthropologie knock-off and am so thankful and grateful for all the knowledge and attention you bring to your projects and the generosity with which you share this knowledge.

[Janis]

There are some beautiful, beautiful garments here, as usual.

Ruthie, I just love your reds.  I think my favorite is the jacket you repurposed.  It turned out wonderfully!  I just can't stop looking at it.  Must get that pattern!

Shams, your Plaza top is to die for.  That fabric is so interesting, and works perfectly for that top!  I just love the way you combine fabrics and patterns -  something I'm not so good at, but keep working on.

Kathryn, what a beautiful skirt!  Your daughter must be thrilled with it!  I love the way the strips add so much to the detail of the piece.  Just lovely!

[Ann]

I am off today as I have a doctor's appointment and blood work to be done. Thyroid check up time.  I was thrilled at what new has arrived. 

Ruthie, I too wonder if you sleep, eat, and work with how you can turn out such nice clothes. You are one focused lady in that department. I love your red pieces to death and am waiting to see what you are making next to go with your holiday 6 PAC. Ruthie, I looked at the jacket pattern (OOP now) as I want to make myself a bolero to wear with some nice clothes I am going to make next fall. I am trying to keep the style simple and add just a few embellishments.

Shams, That chiffon fabric with denim dots is very unique and you chose the right pattern to show it off. I love how you creatively incorporated the selvage for facing and to give the jacket stability. Your gift exchange bag is fantastic and it is fun to watch a popular item get stolen over and over again. It happened to my gift this year at our Count Down to Christmas retreat. I didn't realize how many people like cardinal fabric.

Kathyrn, the skirt is wonderful and looks so like the store bought one. Congrats on doing a wonderful job of drafting. Your daughter will look both stylish and professional when she wears this skirt to work and it will look great with the right top for a night out.

Right now I am working on a messenger bag from Embroidery Club. I am only able to fiddle with it as I am suppose to be writing report cards which will take a lot of my hours today. I have finished another gift bag that I will put in the next post. It is mine and done in the very popular cardinal fabric. I really like it and have a wall hanging cut out to make in the new year. I won't have time prior to Christmas. 

[Ann]

Here is the gift bag I made for my Christmas "stocking".

Ann

[shams]

Thanks for your great comments, Ruthie, Carolyn, Marji, Liana, Laura, Kathryn, Mardel, Janis, and Ann!!  Really, you guys made my day.

Marji, no I didn't make that fabric, it came with those dots fused on. 

Very cute little holiday bag, Ann. 

[LauraS.]

    But, Shams, as a sewist, you should have said (regarding making the fabric).... I could have made it!   

LauraS

[cmarie12]

It could go either way right now, because that's how I roll.

Kathryn - I've been chuckling over that comment for the last 5 minutes now...seriously!    However, I'm glad to see that you have taken up residence in your sewing room and starting to produce things that I can oooohhhh and aaaahhhh over!

Ann - what a cute holiday bag!

Back to work but Kathryn thanks for brightening my day! 

[RuthieK]

To those who are surprised at my rate I think its a few things.

- I had a very high pressure spell at work, long hours, lots of stress and no sewing really at all.
When that period finished (because it got too much) I had a pent up amount of sewing that had not been done, so the 'Inspired By the Sea' collection and the new 'Christmas Collection' are in part born of the frustration of hardly sewing at all in September and October, and making up for it in November and on into December.

- I sew a lot of simple things. Knit tops. Pants with side zips and facings. I am not producing beautifully tailored designer items, I am producing RTW quality basics which fit me.

- Other than a bit of simple jewellery making and baking, I don't have a lot of other hobbies. I don't knit or quilt any of those other things many of you very creative people do, and my DH does his own hobbies in the evenings leaving me to my own devices and we don't have kids or other family responsibilities.

- I love collections, wardrobes, Swap etc. I really like to sew things in groups which work together. Both in terms of the way they co-ordinate at the end but also I like to sew in bursts of colour - you have probably seen this. Teal, then navy, then a switch to red and so on.

Anyway thank you for all of you who have said nice things about my simple pieces. I don't have any sewing friends in my local area and so it means a lot to me when I get encouragement here.

[Patti B]

Ruthie, I too am in awe of your productivity! And you're smart enough to develop and then USE some TNT patterns which definitely speeds up the sewing. I like both of your wardrobes!

shams, wow, what fabulous fabric and what a great combination of fabric and pattern. Love it. The gift exchange bag is lovely. I'm beginning to think that I need to be in a gift exchange what with your and Kathryn's creations.

Kathryn, omigosh, I am stunned by your work on the amazing skirt. Like stash, my brain hurts. I think I can see the scientist part of you working through the process, ever refining, until success is at hand. Lucky daughter! Do make one for you too.

[Jacs]

Wow you all have made my day - what wonderful creations here. I salute one and all and go to clean the house and then work instead of into my sewing room but happy because of all your wonderful creative efforts. 

[fzxdoc]

Your all's kudos mean so much, Jacs, PattiB, Ann, Janis, and Mardel.  I'm happy that you enjoyed reading my 'blog about the skirt.

Ann, yet another very nice gift bag.  They make such a nice giftable, or, for that matter, pretty things to put pretty things into!

Kathryn

[Ann]

My messenger bag and I had a fight. I got it together and realized it didn't have the magnetic closure on it. As I sat staring at it I noticed the embroidery on one side was upside down (did it again!! ) so have ripped it apart to do properly. This was the third time I unstitched the lining. Oh well such is life.

I was out in the very cold yesterday to do a mini wall hanging from Patch Abilities. These little guys are only 6" wide and around 17 - 20" long. I got the pattern at a gift exchange so used it in the class as it had fabric included. I changed the background and border fabrics and love the folk art look to it. I have 4 more to make and these only take a day to make.

I am suppose to be writing report cards so had better get with it. Need to set up my other computer for my information. But as usual I am procastinating. Will get them done though.

Ann

[MaryPat]

Kathryn, such a cute little skirt.
Ann, I love your bag andwall hanging. Sometimes a smaller item can be very satisying- especially when it goes together smoothly.
Shams, your things amaze me. You always look so stylish!
I have taken my 3 year old out of daycare except for 2 days/week right now. It leaves me without much time for personal sewing, so I really enjoy seeing the creations on here.
RuthieK- your output is amazing and I take great vicarious plesaure in it. Please keep it up and keep showing it!

[tumblina]

Pre-SWAP sewathon! aka DH's Tshirts are unbelievably holey, and I can't leave him cold until May .



2 long sleeved V-neck tees, 2 short sleeved V-neck tees, and 2 turtlenecks. The original tester short sleeved version isn't in the picture, because I can't get it off him. He's a tall guy, and having a shirt that stays tucked in when he sits down is a lovely thing in winter! Sadly, no modelled pics, he's in the midst of exams.

The turtleneck is Kwik Sew 3186 (with a S/M turtleneck, M neckline, L body, with extra length in the sleeves and body), the t-shirt is my own draft.

And a bonus for me - any time I cut out knit tops, I usually manage to find enough space to put down my underwear pattern:



(ok, on the yellow, I found enough space for three ). The pattern is the latest in an ongoing tweak-fest - it started out as a morph between the Kwik Sew pattern and a Burda magazine pattern. I guess they are now "hipsters" (higher than boy shorts, lower than the original Kwik Sew). I finally ran out of elastic! (I'd been picking some up every time Fabricland had a sale - I moved to a province without a Fabricland almost 4 years ago!!)

[marciae]

Looking good - - Looks like you've been busy!!

[marciae]

Just finished this 'bib' for my DGGD - we're going to dinner tonight so will take it to see if it fits him and IF he'll wear it - he's 10mo.  This is a pattern I saw made up at the local quilt shop.  Its a Pieceful Expressions pattern - NAYY

[fzxdoc]

Marciae, is the bib for your Great Grandson?  I like the cow patterning in the print.  

Is it flannel or just a smooth cotton? And what is the flap at the bottom of the bib for? Is it supposed to be like chaps? I apologize for sounding like an idiot, but I'm not familiar with the pattern you used.

Also, did you line the bib with a contrasting fabric or is it self lined, or not???

Just curioius,

Kathryn

P.S. Tumblina, what a nice selection of shirts (I love the fresh colors!) and such a great bonus that you get some panties out of the leftover fabric.  Great job!

[fzxdoc]

Marcia, I may just have answered a couple of my questions about the Pieceful Expressions Overall Bib:





Kathryn

[marciae]

Yes, you probably did answer your questions - but, just in case it is lined in yellow flannel.  The "things" that I left showing are tabs that go arounde the legs and hook with velcro.  We just returned from dinner - the 'bib' fit him - however I think the leg pieces need to big bigger.  His Dad is 6/4 and it looks like he's going to be big.  Good thing - DGD is just 5'!!