Sharing, Inspiration and Project Photos XIX

[fzxdoc]

I just finished a lined silk sheath for my DD, and I am so pleased with how it turned out. I made it from some 100% silk suiting that has been marinating in my fabric collection for many years. It was nice for that fabric to see the light of the sewing room!

Here is a photo. If you click on it, you can see a couple more photos of the sheath on my photosite:



And here is a link to my 'blog, where you can read more about it, if you would like: 

I hope she likes it!

Kathryn

[marciae]

Whats not to like!!   The dress is gorgeous.  I love the way you've used the fabric - very elegant!!

[sdBev]

Absolutely beautiful!!!

[LauraS.]

I have to second what Marcie said.  Beautiful dress!  You know she's going to love it.  And I'm sure she's got some great shoes to go with the dress.

[shams]

So beautiful, Kathryn.  I can really imagine it on your daughter.  So elegant.

[AnnRowley]

Great dress Kathryn - I do hope your daughter realises how lucky she is...   I like the play of the straight and bias grain; works well with this large check.

Susan (in Miami), I hope I've inspired you to pick up your knitting needles again!  I find knitting really relaxing after a day's sewing - and not just because I'm siitting in an easy chair in front of the TV!  Uses a different bit of the brain I guess...

[Karendee]

Kathryn,

Your daughter's new silk dress is TDF. I love the contrasting bias sides and all the perfect matching plaids. This is just another amazing dress from your wonderful sewing studio.

Karen

[BetsyV]

Kathryn I saw this dress on your blog earlier this morning (SG wouldn't load) and was very impressed. I still am! Thanks for the thoughtful review of pattern and fabric, too.

[vtmartha]

I, too, think the dress is terrific, Kathryn.  There must have been a bunch of us at Kathryn's blog this am, waiting for SG to wake up. 

[MaryPat]

Kathryn- your dress is gorgeous! I love the way you changed the direction for effect. You must have a well dressed daughter!

I spent a large part of yesterday making some scarves from bias strips. There was an article in Threads some time ago that did this with chiffon, but I couldn't find it so I had to experiment on my own.
I had a lot of bias strips in different colours and fabrics, all sorted together by general colour in little ziplock bags and had been wondering what to do with them for ages. Here are the results:

The purple is all one fabric in a bias cut burnout chiffon. The teal is varying fabrics including acetate satins of different weights, silk dupioni and  metallic silk. I used a really dense three thread stitch on my serger, stitched the strips together to form strands then stitched the strands together, pulling as I stithced to create the ripples. Once the strands wer together I cut them apart at a 45 degree angle and stiched them together again to make the colour placement more random.
With the burnout I used a less dense stitch because it pulled out of the fabric. Instead of changing colour, I alternated the right and wrong sides to change the texture. The velvet is synthetic and created a lot of springy little bits that have gotten everywhere. I am still picking them off my face and clothing as well as off my children and out of food.
There is more information on the blog below if anyone is interested.

[LauraS.]

Your scarves are really very nice, MaryPat!  I particularly like the velvet burnout scarf.  A great idea I'll have to borrow in the future. 

[vtmartha]

Wonderful scarves, MaryPat!  I'm partial to the teal one. 

[sdBev]

Mary Pat

Your scarves a beautiful and very interesting. 

[mardel]

Beautiful scarves Mary Pat.

Kathryn, that dress is just gorgeous.  You really think of the nicest ways to transform fabric into elegant dresses.  It is cooler today here, which is good because I exhausted my summer wardrobe in just two or three days.  I've got muslin and a pattern out.  May the cutting and sewing commence.

[fzxdoc]

May the cutting and sewing commence.

Indeed, Mardel! It will be fun to see the outfits that you come up with to replenish your summer wardrobe.

Mary Pat, I just last week got an email from Threads focusing on that bias scarf technique.  You have really done a lovely job with them. I like the colors you chose, giving kind of an "ocean wave" look to the ripply scarves. The deep violet burnout one is beautiful as well. I always love seeing your work and following along with your methods.

Here is a link to the Threads video and article on bias strip scarves.  Of course I'm partial, but I think your scarves are way prettier.

Thank you, Marcia, Bev, Laura, Shams, Ann, Karen, Betsy, Martha, Mary Pat, and Mardel for the nice compliments on the silk suiting sheath. I had sent my DD a photo of the fabric draped over the dressform, so she has an idea of what she is getting, but as with all things for that child, the proof is in the wearing. She has been wearing more professional-looking clothes for the past year, so this should fit right in with her wardrobe.  Laura, how did you know that I was looking for heels for her? I should let her have my pair of black-with-yellow-trim heels, but I still love wearing them! Selfish Mom, I know.   We'll see what my hunt for the perfect shoe for that sheath turns up.

Kathryn

[DeniseM]

MaryPat, you know, those scarves are all my colors and my birthday's coming up... So pretty. I can see myself in each and every one of them.

Kathryn, that dress is simply gorgeous. What a great job you did, as usual.  Now if I were small enough to fit into That dress, it might look great with one of MaryPat's scarves for my birthday

I can't even imagine keeping up a sewing blog. I bow to your abundant energy.

[Patti B]

Kathryn, if your DD doesn't like that dress, you might need to trade her in for another model! I'm sure she will love it and look ever so professional in it. Your meticulous (and creative) sewing is such an inspiration.

Mary Pat, what a wonderful collection of scarves. My bag of bias strips is so so boring in comparison.

I'm off to a one day workshop with Marla Kazell tomorrow. We'll be doing fabric collage a la Koos van der Aker. I think I am bringing half of my sewing room!

[marciae]

Mary Pat - beautiful scarves!!!

[AnnRowley]

MaryPat - I just love your scarves! 

But do tell us why/how you come to have bags full of bias strips?  I admit to having some bits and pieces around my sewing room  - but no bias strips.

[BetsyV]

Mary Pat the scarves are really beautiful. And don't pay any attention to Denise - She thinks ALL colors are HER colors   

PattiB we expect a full report on this fabric collage workshop, you know. You can't mention doing anything here without having to prepare a field report 

[Ann]

MaryPat, your scarves are beautiful. Such a creative use of left over bias strips.

Kathyrn, the dress is very creatively done for DD. I am sure she is going to love it. I do how you used the lines in the fabric for this dress. It turned out very cool.

Oh, by the way, Myrna is at a Sandra Betzina and Ron Collins workshop this weekend and she will need to give a full report on what she learned. I am so excited for her as I would loved to have gone but work interfers with play. Hmmmmm shouldn't that be the other way around.

Ann

[ClaireC]

Happy Saturday! 

It's been a long, long time since I've posted.  I have done some lurking on my lunchhour at work.  There is so much eye candy here.  Everyone's projects are beautiful and inspirational, as always.  I love viewing all the dresses, scarves, sweaters, tops, etc.

The sewing bug is finally biting me again.  I found some people in my area who sew, through a group at work, no less....

This could mean that sometime in the near/far future of 2010 you might just see a project from me.   

[cmarie12]

Kathryn - the dress is lovely!  And I'm sure that you will find the perfect pair of shoes for your darling daughter so that you won't have to part with your own!    I hate to ask because I'm sure I'm starting something...but is there a jacket to go with the dress?

MaryPat - you make the very best accessories!  I think of them all the time but I buy instead of making them and you do such a fabulous job!  The scarves are just wonderful and I'm in line behind Denise.  If you need to find these lovely treasures homes...just let me know!  I would be more than willing to help you out! 

[stashpanache]

Mary Pat, your scarves are beautiful.  Can I put in an early Christmas order? 

Kathryn, I love the dress for DD.  Gorgeous!

[mom2five]

Oh goodness what gorgeous things posted!  I don't want to name names becuase I'm afraid of leaving someone out but I've loved everything I've seen. 

My latest project was a Kwik Sew jacket.  I did a review on it at the other site... I can't remember if it's okay to post the link so I'll pass on that.  I loved making it though and Highly recommend it. 

[marciae]

great looking jacket!!!

[Remnant]

Great jacket!

Can I ask - what is that fabric?

[mom2five]

I think it's a cotton twill, not really sure.  I used my dining room curtains thinking that this would just be a muslin but I think it came out good enough to wear.  I still need to put on buttons and buttonholes but it will be a little while yet before that gets done.

[fzxdoc]

Great jacket, mom2five! Your dining room curtains? Were you heavily influenced by Scarlett O'Hara's green velvet dress at some point in your sewing life? You sure put that fabric to good use. I like the way you have belted it--maybe you don't need buttons and buttonholes. Oh what am I saying...of course you do. But the belt works for the interim. Plus that green is a great color on you.

I'm assuming you used this Kwik Sew pattern 3534:


photo credits at www.kwiksew.com

Did you find anything that you particularly liked or did not like about the pattern? Did it fit true to size?

Thanks so much for sharing your project, mom2five. I really enjoyed seeing it.

Stash, Carolyn, Ann, PattiB and Denise, thank you so much for your compliments on my DD's dress. Carolyn, DD wears a white professional jacket over her workaday clothes, so I don't think I'll be whipping out a jacket for that dress any time soon. In fact, another dress for her is already laid out on my cutting table. Denise, I think you could fit into this dress, no problem, as tiny as you are!

I've got another 4 yards or so of that silk suiting fabric left over. Don't ask why I bought so much except that it was on sale at a great price. It will probably marinate in my stash for another 4 or more years, unless inspiration hits unexpectedly, as it did for this dress for DD.

Kathryn

[mom2five]

Kathryn, lol, I remember thinking Scarlett was absolutely beautiful in her curtain dress when I was little... I was always a little bothered by that big tassel though. 

I replaced the curtains and knowing I would never use them again I put them in the fabric stash.  Not a very interesting story really.  I think I'll just tell everyone that inspiration hit so I ripped the curtains off the wall and didn't look back.

I loved everything about this pattern.  I was lucky though becuase I looked at the finished garment measurements and made a size smaller than suggested on the back of the envelope. They said I should make a Large and I made the Medium.  That's the only thing I would caution anyone about.

Thank you for the compliments.

angel

[Martha Domke]

Kathryn, first of all, that is a beautiful dress for your DD.  One lucky girl, she is.  Next is a question.  What are the sizes on that pattern?   Do you think that one, "older" woman, with middle fluff could wear that style?  It would make a wonderful summer dress, and maybe have a short sleeve jacket to "go with".

You do such outstanding work.  Do you suppose I could be your Mother, and you could sew for me??     LOL

[fzxdoc]

Martha, being a relative indeed qualifies for my sewing largesse. When people ask me if I will make something for them, I say "I only sew for those I love", to which a friend once quickly replied "Well then, just love me for the weekend!" 

Seriously, that is such a wonderful compliment--thank you!

Yes, I think that design would be perfect for a not-as-young-as-the-pattern-envelope-photo shape. As I was making it for my DD, I was thinking about how I would like it as well.  There are two size ranges available, 4-12, and 12-18.  One very nice feature about the pattern is that it has bodice pieces sized for cup size, A/B, C, and D.

If it were to make it for myself, I would widen the shoulder straps a bit to keep bra straps from showing. I inserted a ribbon/snap assembly in this one to keep the bra strap in check. The narrowness of the shoulder straps also preclude sewing a lining in "burrito method" or with the technique where the back seam is left open, the back pulled through the strap area to turn it inside out. I dislike the method of sewing the shoulder seams last, but it had to be done with this design.

Angel, (mom2five), thanks for the extra info about your nice jacket and the pattern you used.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

I guess I'm officially a quilter, because I have completed my first quilting project. I'm so thrilled with it!

You can read about it on my 'blog here, or just look at the photos below:





I have always shied away from quilting, thinking that garment sewing is so much faster and easier. But I have to say I really enjoyed the creativity of this project. It was also fun to take it in a class with others. Since they all were experienced quilters, they were very helpful, as was the teacher.

My wallhanging differs from the classroom sample in several ways

1.  I added additional rows of blocks to the top and bottom
2.  Instead of a single color (single fabric) background, I chose to put tumbling blocks into the background.
3.  The classroom sample was pentagonal, I chose a hexagonal shape
4.  The classroom sample's backing was stitched and turned. I chose to add a binding, and add a shot of color to that binding.

It was fun to make the changes and to learn so much in the 4 classes.  I also learned a great deal here on SG on a topic I started to ask my noob questions in. In fact, I double posted these photos to that topic as well.

Kathryn
 

[RuthieK]

Kathryn
the lined silk dress for your DD is amazing. I love the way you have used the fabric so beautifully. Your DD is very lucky!
Your wall hanging is so different yet also shows that same fantastic attention to detail.

MaryPat the scarves are adorable. Its a great way to use those bias leftovers from all those Irish Dance dresses.

Mom2Five love the Safari Style jacket. I bet that will work with loads of neutral pieces. I love those dusty greens with coral for pop.

[mdmcgrath]

Mom2Five,
Your jacket is great.  I can't believe its former life was curtains.  When I think of Scarlett O'Hara I can't help but think of the Carol Burnett skit of Gone With the Wind.. 
It makes me laugh just thinking of it!