Stitcher's Guild

I'm starting a continuation of the Sharing thread because the old one was getting long.  I'll keep the same naming convention that we had on SewingWorld, so there won't be any confusion about what is the current thread.  Just as a tiny point of order, should we continue the convention of using Roman numerals for each new continued thread, or should we go to Arabic numerals?  Does anyone care one way or another?


So, good morning, it's a new day and a new old thread for us!

Oh, I think Roman numerals are nice, and that's what you've got, so let's keep them.  I think splitting this topic into sections makes it much nicer, and will facilitate searching, etc., although if you haven't tried the Search feature on this board, it is amazing, especially compared to many others.  I was just beginning to wonder if we were on our way to page 328 or something! ;)  This will be much handier. 

SusanW,  Thanks for the very kind wishes!  I hope your flooding wasn't too bad, although any is too much, IMHO! :o  I see that LindaL is having water problems too.  Hope you girls dry out soon.  I'd love to take some of your rain off your hands, as we're starting to suffer from what I'm afraid is the continuation of the last couple years' drought.  We've been just on the edge of real trouble from it for a few years, and can't seem to shake it.

Amy,  I enjoyed seeing your niece's dresses.  I hope all events went as planned, and obviously everyone involved looked stunning! 8)

I too agree about the Roman numerals - nice touch. Does any one know how/why the convention started on SW?

I'd like to thank everyone who has commented on my tee. A word about the Italian fabric and the local shop it came from. Here in Birmingham - UK - there is a large immigrant population, mainly from Pakistan, who do a lot of dressmaking. There are many Pakistani shops selling fabrics to cater to their needs. They are mainly the bright coloured silky fabrics that we associate with the sub-continent that don't translate well into European clothing, although I do sometimes use them as lining. And apart from some absolutely fabulous embroidered wedding silks - at equally fabulous prices - they are at the lower end of the market.

The reason I have said all this is that the Italian shop is aimed at this market. So it doesn't carry the wonderful fabrics that I can find in Rome for example. There is a lot at under £5 a metre - that's inexpensive here - and nothing really over £10.
But it does have some interesting haberdashery which is why I visited this time. Perhaps I should go more often?

And now I'm off to look at pictures and blogs in the hope that it may warm up enough later for me to actually wear my new tee.

The Roman numerals started purely by happenstance.  Leanna Lee, who started the Sharing thread on SW under a different title, was originally responsible for starting the continuing Sharing threads as the pages quickly filled by sewists looking for a warm, supportive, vendor-neutral site that spoke mainly to garment sewing, with other sewing (and knitting, and gardening, and ...) topics welcomed as well. She used the Roman numeral format, so we all just carried it on. 

I am happy to have this topic alive and in such great hands as DL and Lisa.  The numerals are fine either way to me.  I just didn't want to loose the group and their wealth of information.

The flooding has finally abaited here in Virginia.  What a happy thing to not have to tell someone ground water and sump pump failure are not covered. 

I wonder if anyone knows about beading?  I bought  bugle beads to put two rows around the neckline of a top.  Do you prestring the beads first?  I have the needle and thread, but wasn't sure and snoop shopping has not been successful.

Kathryn are your going to do "the coat"?  I was so thrilled to be able to order both the coat and the great pants suit. 

Susan

AnnRowley

I had a look at your new tee this morning.  It looks so nice and I especially like the side view of you wearing it.  That's a really lovely picture of you Ann.

Deirdre

SusanW,
While I'm no beading expert I think you want to individually sew each bead on for safety's sake. You could prestring them and then couch them on, but that would be less secure. Also, the few times I've done this, I used a kind of backstitch and knotted occasionally as I went.

We lucked out here (in the mid-upper Shenandoah Valley), only 7 inches of rain as opposed to over a foot just northeast of us. And we live on the top of a hill so our basement stayed pretty dry. My sister had some real finished baesment damage in NH last month. Too much water... wish we could spread it around to places that need it more (like Liana).

Kathleen C.

Susan, I am glad that the flooding worries are subsiding for you.  We went through a spring flood here in Fargo, but lucky for us, DH and I live quite a way from the river and stayed dry.  It is worrisome though.  Let's see if I can give you my two cents worth on beading.  I do a lot of bridal beading, obviously, and glass bugles are some of my favorite trims.  There are a number of methods to use them as a trim around a neckline or waist, but I'll share with you the quickest and easiest I have found.  Let me start by saying that beading success or failure is dependent mostly on your choice of thread.  I have tried everything from specialty threads to dental floss -- yes, really.  I have settled exclusively on nylon upholstery thread.  It is strong, disappears in the beads, and does not knot up on me.  You will also need to purchase some special beading needles, as the eyes are smaller to go through the beads without catching.  They are very inexpensive and available at nearly any fabric shop.  It is difficult, but not impossible to thread the beading needle with the upholstery thread.  Once you get the hang of it, it is like second nature.  For a trim, I am imagining that you mean to place two rows or a cord of beads around you neckline, right?  If you look in my album, you will see that I use this trimming on a few gowns, one that is ivory satin with just a cord of beads over the neckline and straps, and on my own quickie dress that I am wearing in my cousin's wedding photos around the empire waist line.  

I actually like to use two strands of beads twisted together for added sparkle.  I sometimes use two strings of bugles, sometimes one string of bugles and one string of matching seed beads.  To do this, I knot the end of a long thread, pull through the starting point on the garment, then string the beads onto it to the desired length.  I leave this string attached to the garment, leave the needle on it, and stretch it to the side.  I then repeat the process with a second thread and needle to make the second string.  Now, pull the strings out to their full length and twist them together.  I then pull the needles through the garment at the desired stopping point for the strings -- the other end from where I started.  Now go back with this continuous thread and tack them down, stitching between every few beads on each string.  If you do not want to twist them, I use the same method, just eliminating the twisting step.  The most important thing is to get the strings the right length, so keep measuring and stretching them to see if they fit as you string.  

There is a second method for a single string, but the results are not as smooth.  If you have trouble getting the strings to the right length, you can just knot the thread, pull through the garment, string a few beads (10 or so), the pull through the garment again and stitch between every third bead or so.  Then, go back to where you ended and pull through to the right side again and start another short string at the end of the first.  The danger here is that those breaks tend to make a more disjointed look, or not smooth string.  Hope this long winded explanation helps!

Marianne, thanks for you compliments to my nieces dresses.  The confirmation went very well.  It was somewhat odd, though, to see the whole family in my sewing.  :)

Liana, thank you also for your kind words on my nieces dresses.  I do hope you see rain soon.  We seem to be having plenty up here in Fargo -- more than a former desert of Colorado resident is used to.

Kathryn, thank you for your compliments to my bridal work and nieces dresses.  And, my vote is to stay with the Roman numerals too, although the multiple X's do make a rather funny delimma when we get to parts 20 and 30, as I recall from SW.   ;D

Amy ~ it is so good to have you here!  The pictures of your nieces and nephews outfits are just darling!  I am sure they all looked wonderful that day in the church.

Wow! The inspiration in this folder is unbelievable! I want to spend hours just going through everyone's photos!

First off, I hope all who are in the flooded areas out east are in the clear. I am sending dry vibes your way.

Second, thanks to all for the wonderful pattern images. Phew! Those Vogue patterns are wonderful, as are the others - Sherril, I was loving the Simplicity wardrobe patterns you mentioned. I saw your reviews at PR and want to go back and look more carefully.

Amy, your work is stunning. Thank you for sharing it here. Absolutely beautiful.

Ann, I love your new Burda tee. You are forcing me to go through my piles of WOFs to look for the patterns you've whipped up lately. Just wonderful, and you look beautiful wearing the pieces. I always love seeing the garments displayed in multiple ways, and most importantly on the people who made them! What a treat.

I think it was Mardel who said, "if I left anyone out, it was unintentional." There is so much to enjoy here and so much to say. Kathryn and Liana, thank you for keeping our conversation going along so smoothly.

As for me, I finished another New Look blouse, this time in blue stretch chambray. Here's a pic:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=169bscd.jpg

I really love the buttons. My husband helped me select them from my "collection." I think I'll give him the button-picking job, from now on. Here's a close-up of the buttons:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=4a12scd.jpg&.src=ph

I also finally got around to making Louise Cutting's One Seams. I liked the results, and will definitely use these for beach and pajama pants. This is the straight-legged view with self-lined patch pockets:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=9100scd.jpg&.src=ph

Funny how shoes with heels can make pants that are too long in stocking feet look too short. Here's the stocking feet picture, which also shows up how short-waisted I am! I never wear tops tucked in..... I look as if I've pulled my pants up to my ears, but they're actually just sitting at my waist  :smug:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=36a1scd.jpg&.src=ph

Diane ~ I absolutely love the buttons!  They make the shirt sing!  It is truly a beautiful shirt something you wouldn't find in RTW.  I am glad that you got the One Seam Pants to work for you, also.  You have been quite productive!  :)

Okay, here I am again. Kathryn, your jacket blog is fabulous and I'll have to print it out as a tutorial. Wow. That represents a lot of thinking and work and a big gift to all who read and heed.

Then I went to your photo albums, which I've looked at before, but not recently. Too many wonderful things. Much browsing to be done. What really caught my attention (among a million other things there), was your stitchdiva shrug. Have you worn it a lot? What do you wear it with? So pretty, and looks like a wonderful summer piece. I haven't crocheted anything since  the mesozoic era. Was it difficult? I'm a pretty decent knitter but crochet? hmmmmmm....... do I want to open up that pandora's box of goodies  >:D

Thanks, Carolyn. You are amazingly productive, so I feel complimented! I just read your blog and your question about remedies for sewing slumps. I wanted to say how sorry I was that you had that sad experience with sewing for your daughter. It is so challenging to be a mother sometimes, and to give so much and then have to let them fly as they wish. I have a thirteen year-old and she hasn't let me sew anything for her for years. I keep wishing I could teach her to sew, but she would rather go to thrift shops - she and her friends have just discovered them  :'( So my heart hurts for you. You had a very graceful reaction to the whole experience and I admire that so much!

As for sewing slumps....... I end up desperate for something to wear, and if I'm in a terrible slump I will actually go out and try to find something in RTW and then I am jolted back to reality when the only thing I can buy is a new lipstick. I am propelled back to the sewing machine by schlocky designs and shoddy construction  ::)

Diane, what a wonderful chambray shirt!  I agree with you, that your DH should be the "button chooser" in your house--he really chose well for that blouse. Your topstitching is so perfect, and the band really sets those buttons off nicely. I'm glad to see the one seams made up and worn on you.  They look fantastic--so comfortable and cute.  They are not as bulky as I had imagined, judging simply from the pattern.  What fabric did you use?  Great job on your two new projects!

Thank you so much for your compliments on my "How to make a Jacket" 'blog.  It is hard to imagine that I wrote it over 18 months ago.  How time has flown!

I'm flattered that you like my photo album site, which is really getting chock full. I may have to start a new one!  I have no idea how long it takes that page to load, since I have high speed cable service, and the loading is pretty quick.  I don't know about the other services, though, which is why I'm thinking of starting a new album.

That www.stitchdiva.com shrug is a delight to wear.  It's perfect over a sundress or a tank or tube top.  I wear it a great deal, mostly with white in the summertime, and with black and autumn colors in the cooler months.  My DH says I'm like a crow, attracted to anything sparkly, and I guess he's right, because I love the subtle sparkle of that shrug.  It is an easy project to crochet.  While I prefer to knit, a crochet project every now and then is a lot of fun, and a nice change of pace.

Amy, once again, your beading instructions are print-worthy, and have gone directly into my "Tips and Techniques" folder on my computer.  Thanks so much for the great information!

Diane, love the chambray shirt.  Great style and it is so beautifully made; of course I would expect nothing less.  The buttons really elevate the blouse into somethng special.  How lucky to have a husband with such a good eye.

Diane, beautiful blouse, the buttons are wonderful. Congrats on getting the fit right on the one seams. They are addicting. So easy, instant gratification.

DS1 and his fiancee are coming for a visit for my birthday,thank you for asking Kathryn. I have asked for some fabric-complete with links to the sites, some gift certificates and an 18" doll for the heirloom doll dresses I am making. My DB sent me a professional grade garment steamer, bless his heart! You have a vacuum table, don't you?

Oooooh, sounds like impending gifts galore at your house, Marianne! They sound perfect.  What a nice gift from DB.  I have one of those professional steamers as well, and love it for steaming suits and eveningwear that have been hanging in the closet and need freshening (as in getting out the soft folds from hanging) before wearing.

I have two vacuum ironing tables, one a Pfaff, and one a Euro Pro that came with an attached steam generator iron that has since bit the dust.  The vacuum table portion still works great, though, so I tossed the Euro Pro iron and replaced it with a Naomoto gravity feed iron which is used with that Euro Pro vacuum table.  That Euro Pro table is wonderful because it has a separate vacuum board that has a tailor's ham on it, which also can be used with the suction feature.  I also have a separate steam press with a vacuum suction option.  Major suckage in my sewing room!  ;D ;D ;D

I hope you have some elaborate festivities planned for this upcoming birthday, Marianne.  Dancing in the streets, fireworks, etc...

Diane,  What a great shirt!  I love the style, and the buttons are wonderful.  I can see why you've made it more than once.  It would be fun to see it on you, too.

Marianne,  Sounds like you have the birthday deal all figured out, and that your family is well-trained in coming up with good gifts for sewers!  :)

Well, it's been bookwork to the max today, as it's nearing the end of the fiscal year.  I did get ONE dart stitched ::) and that was very satisfying, actually.  I'm trying the DMC cotton thread, and it appears to sew like a dream.  (I did make a sample, so it's not just one dart's worth I'm basing my report on.) ;)  I ordered some Presencia cotton thread from Fiber on a Whim (http://www.fiberonawhim.com/), a really interesting website for a store in Atlanta, I believe.  They seem to cater to surface design enthusiasts, as well as quilters.  They also have some really neat buttons.  I've been going to try this brand of thread for a while, just never got it ordered, and this is a different place that carries it.  It's supposed to be great, and almost lint-free, so we'll see.  I believe it's from Spain.

 

AmyH, thank you for posting such a useful and  detailed reply to Susan's beading question. As I'm sure many people, as well as me, will find it very useful I asked Lisa to move it to the Pearls (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,320.0.html) thread so that it can be found easily as a reference.

Diane, great shirt, fabulous buttons.

And thanks for the further comments on my tee.

At the moment I am on the lower end of my moderating learner curve so forgive this rather brief reply as I go elsewhere to exercise my grey matter.

Thanks, Anne, for correcting my recollections on how we fixed my jacket sleeves. We did not remove anything from the sleeve itself; just the armhole. Feel free to add anything else that I may have forgotten!

Carolyn, I did not get this particular piece of fabric from Anne. I did, however, purchase it in it's pink version from her..pink background, white, darker pink, yellow and green lifesavors. I love it! She also carries it in a white background ..can't remember the lifesavor colors, blues and greens, maybe..both were on her website.

Yes, Liana, my day spent at AA sewing camp was so much fun. Another one is scheduled for July 21 and I have hopes of attending. I just love being with people who share my love of sewing, fashion,creating.

Ann, your tee looks great on you. I love the fabric ; I know that you don't do a lot of sewing with knits, but this knit is classy but funky.Just a matter of finding just the right knit and you did.  By the way, I thought you might like to know that I used your Terry Fox sleeve wrap on my lifesavor jacket and really like the technique and results. Keep those techniques coming.

Diane, I have always enjoyed your postings on PR and invariably add to my ever growing list your most recently reviewed pattern! You have such a great eye for selecting patterns for me!!  Thanks!! No exception here. I purchased your latest blouse pattern  after seeing your first one. You also led me to the Mimosa top and pant, both of which I have made. You can see the results of your inspiration in my albums.

I actually sewed some last night!  Not much but about 15 minutes worth.  This effort was given over to the black/creme circle linen pieces that I might actually finish and get to wear before the summer is over.  I really want to take these pieces on vacation with me since we will be attending the Baptist Church my mom grew up in for two Sundays so I need some real finery that will go with the only two hats I own!  Hopefully spending that little quality time with my sewing things will encourage me to spend more, soon!

Diane - the 13 yr old will let you sew for her once she is in high school and needs those beautiful eveningwear pieces.  It is amazing how fast they run back to your sewing skills then!  My second DD learned to sew around 13-14 also.  I think she is such an avid sewer because I have everything available and the possibilities are limitless in what she can make!  Hopefully yours will want to learn soon!

Amy ~ can I make a request?!  Can you post your, "How to use silk organza" tips again.  For everyone who hasn't seen or copied these from one of the old Sewing World folders, you are in for a treat!  I rarely used silk organza as an underlining before Kathryn and Amy got me hooked.  Kathryn because her outfits are so beautifully constructed with the silk organza underlining and Amy because she provided the easiest tip for using it in construction!  So please, Amy can you provide them again!

Fran G ~ I really hope that you make AACamp on July 21st!  And if you do, make sure that you share what you make and learn with all of us!

Marianne ~ boy are you gonna be a happy girl when all of those wonderful birthday gifts arrive!  Happy, Happy Birthday in advance!

Diane, thank you so much for your compliments to my sewing.  Let me add my praise for your chambray blouse.  The buttons are just a perfect touch and the blouse is beautiful. 

Ann, I am flattered that you think my beading advice is Pearl of Wisdom worthy.  Lisa has moved it to that thread.  Thanks! 

Kathryn, let me add my cheer for your jacket blog as well.  I refer to it often -- especially now as I am embarking upon suits for myself.  If there is anyone who has not refered to this blog, it is a real treasure of knowledge.  Thank you for sharing it with us, Kathryn.

Carolyn, thank you for your compliments to my recent sewing for the nieces and nephew.  I will post the silk organza instructions in another post for anyone who is interested.  As I cut out the first in my new series of planned suits today, I am thinking of you, Carolyn. I have chosen to use the skirt pattern that we were all calling the "Carolyn skirt" -- Simplicity 5914.  I am using it for a beige gaberdine.  I am cutting out a silk tweed jacket with a collar  to go with it as a sort of feminine casual suit.  I love having suit separates that I can mix and match, and I think that "Carolyn skirt" pattern will be just the item.  I fell in love with that pattern after you made a few lovely renditions of it, then I used it for my mother.  Now, it's my turn.  :)

Oh my gosh, Fran, your albums are full of inspiration for me!! I love the fabric painted napkins - those are lovely and special. What is your favorite fabric paint? And tell me that you don't literally wear the "garden gloves" for gardening? I love fingerless gloves. Later on I'll try to remember to post a pic of the "elegant gauntlets" I made using Sally Melville's pattern from "The Knit Stitch." I used the recommended Koigu, and those long fingerless gloves have been worn to death.

Love love love the Mimosa pant in brown knit, and the two tops are perfect. Thanks to you I'm reminded of the wonderful pieces the Mimosa produces. We are headed to New Zealand at the end of July, and you've just given me an idea for a pair of versatile pants for that trip - a pair of Mimosas in olive green double-knit. Will have to think about  that one; perhaps that's a good starting point for a capsule. Also loved the Mimosa top. What a great idea to underline it in silk organza!

What pattern did you use for your "Lifesaver Jacket"? And the shawl in your "shawl" album? Absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at it all. Thanks!

Per Carolyn's request, I'll try to post my silk organza tip.  I tried to search SW to see exactly what I had said over there, but to no avail.  SW doesn't seem to want to load for me today, so I'll see if I can go from memory -- please let me know if this isn't the tip you had in mind, Carolyn.  


Underlining with Silk organza:  
I love silk organza as an underlining.  It is lightweight, sturdy, and works particularly well to underline evening and bridal fabrics.  I underline all brial and evening bodices, especially those that will have beading.  This gives support for the beads, and makes the garment fit smoother and lay nicer when finished.  

The problem with silk organza is that it is so light that it can be difficult to work with.  It has a tendency to slip and shift, making it difficult to align underlining pieces with cut out garment pieces and stitch them together.  To speed this process up, I do not cut out my underlining pieces using the pattern piece.  I cut out the garment as usual, then cut blocks of silk organza big enough for each pattern piece to fit on.  I lay the block of silk organza over the cut out garment piece on a hard surface and pin it is place using lots of pins.

Pins are the most important part of this process.  When I say lots of pins, I mean an obscene, ridiculous, insane number of pins.  I pin the organza down not just around the perimiter where I will stitch, but over the entire piece.  I place pins all over the center of the cut piece to secure the organza in every possible direction.  It is important here to set the pins in two different directions -- some vertical, some horizontal to the grain.  I even place a few on the diagonal on occasion.    After the center is pinned thusly, and the piece looks completely ridiculous with so many pins, I then pin around the perimeter where I will stitch, placing pins normally, so they can be removed as I stitch.  When completely pinned together, I have a garment piece with a block of organza laying over it that is nearly covered in pins.The perimeter pins are the only ones I remove as I stitch.  I baste the pieces together with the organza side and all those pins up, removing perimeter pins.  Then, I lay the piece flat on my counter again, remove all the pins from the center, then trim the organza block so that the edges match the cut garment piece.  

Trimming the organza after stitching in place saves time, and is so much easier, as you will not have to worry about the pieces slipping slightly.  The pinning seems a bit excessive, and looks really funny, but works very well.

Hope this is what you had in mind....

Liana, I am stunned by your gorgeous work - I've been tucked up in bed with my laptop looking at your beautiful knitting and all the lovely things you've made. I cannot do any of it justice with my comments. I said something similar at PR, but it bears repeating: I really appreciate the care you take when taking your pictures and writing your reviews. Each review (and I'm in the process of taking a tour) is full of great information and inspiration.

Also, I just read about your recent bad luck. Oh brother. What a series of unfortunate events. I hope things are turning around now. When one is  as creative and artistic as  you, it has to be more than dreadful to be unable to easily move around.

Reading through your blog and looking at your pictures reminds me of a movie I saw recently - "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio." All your vintage and couture touches made me think of the dresses Julianne Moore wore in the film. Have you seen it? She looks perfectly turned out in every scene, with one terrific dress after another.

Have you always had this finely honed sense of style? or have you taken the time to learn it?

I have "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio" (just down the road from me, actually) on my Netflix list.  I'm also dying to see "The Devil Wears Prada" when it opens, because I love fashion and I love Meryl Streep, so that combo has me salivating.  I didn't read the book, thinking it was too fluff a piece for something besides vacation reading.  If I like the movie, though, I may get the book from the library, even if I'm not on vacation.

Amy, thank you for your kind comments about my "Jacket How To" 'blog.  I'm so happy that someone with your sewing talent can pluck a few good bits of info as well from that epic!  Let us know how your jacket making progresses.  You've made such wonderful ones in the past!

Thank you, too, Amy for reposting your information about underlining with silk organza.  I've called it "Amy's method" for so long I don't think of calling it anything else.  I even referred to it on a patternreview review that I did.  See, you're famous! ;D

Just a guess, but I bet the movie will be better than the book was.  I didn't think enough of the book to recommend it to anyone, and I like chick lit as much as anyone.

So that's why those sleeves look so good! - not , of course forgetting AnneK's help. It's a really useful technique and one of several that I learnt from Terry Fox. I'll add it to the Pearls thread in due course - it looks as though I shall have a busy w/e as I also think Amy's Silk Organza notes need to be there too. Very clear description Amy, and I really appreciated the "insane number of pins" that you used.

Thank you so much Amy for the beading instructions.  I looked and looked on line and really nothing for garments, so your help is very special and appreciated.  Thanks to for the organza instructions.  I agree they should go up to Ann's pearls of Wisdom.  It is going to be so nice to have a data base of "how to's" for those rusty or frustrating moments.

Diane E. loved your blouse and the one seams.  It is too funny what a pair of shoes can do to change the look of pants.

Kathryn's blogs on the trench coat and the jacket are favorites of mine and saved into my special book of tips that in always lead me through sewing problems.

Susan

Diane,  I am speechless!  What very kind words.  Thank you for the good wishes too, and I hope you aren't "tucked up in bed" being ill, but just having a nice rest. :)  I haven't seen that movie, but it's on the list as of now!  I think style is like anything else, in part.  Once you really start paying attention, you notice more.  I also think that after a certain age, it becomes easier to find one's own style, and comfort level, as we don't need to try to dress to impress, or please others, or to attempt to fool others (or ourselves) with a style which isn't truly ours, and it seems to take a while for most of us to realize what our style is.  As a young woman, we spend a lot of time "trying on" styles and personalities to see what clicks.  I often say that it's almost always too late to try to impress anyone we would truly wish to, because the people we love and admire already know us as we are, and so we'd better just try to impress ourselves.  I mean that in a good way, as in trying to be a better person, etc., not self-delusion, which can also be tempting at times! ;D  Sorry, getting philosophical, here. ::)  Trying to live up to the standards set by the wonderful, generous women on this thread has helped me in so many ways.  It's a daily challenge to aspire to be part of this very (I think) select group. :) 

Amy,  Thank you for the silk organza info!  I remember reading it on SW, but a refresher was definitely due!  Did you ever find a brand of pins you really liked?  I think I remember you bought a pound of pins once to try, but they weren't really what you wanted?

Ann,  I had completely forgotten the sleeve wrap info.  I too am looking forward to seeing it again!

SusuanW & Diane,  I am finding that all my summer pants from last year were made for flat, flat sandals, and they brush the ground with them, but any slight heel makes them look too short.  Very annoying!  So, it's on to more pants, and I stayed up till 2:30 last night working on a pair.  I cut them 2" longer than last year's, which should be plenty I hope.  I was on the ragged edge of not enough fabric, so if they need more, I'll just face the hems.  I don't know why I forget that, as we had to do that to almost all RTW pants when I was growing up.   

Hi, here's a little teeny gripe  :'(

Why would I have every crochet hook under the sun, but not the one that I need for the Stitchdiva shrug?  I saw this fabulous piece in Kathryn's photo albums and had to make for myself; I downloaded the pattern last night (love that instant gratification); I found a compatible yarn in my stash (Koigu merino); and then I looked through all my crochet hooks - why do I have so many tiny ones but not one that will most likely give me the gauge.......  ??? 

I suppose I'll have to trot down to my local yarn purveyor  ::) where I will get distracted by all the new goodies (haven't been in there for a very very long time because the only way to manage my yarnaholism is to go cold turkey).

Wish me luck!!!  :o

p.s. seriously Kathryn, thanks for the idea  ;) looks like just the right little summer piece for my wardrobe!

Wow, take a couple of days off and I miss so much.  Suffice it to say, it will be a long while before I can match any of you for output (work, housework, yardwork!!!!!) but I'm still plugging along. I too am not going to call any names for fear of missing someone, but I am totally blown away by the work you women do.  I also want to say a word of thanks for all the caring and sharing that go on on this board.  Since we had a rain day Monday, I took a PSD (thanks Towanda!).  Using the comments you all made on my green dress, I worked at fitting a tank top.  I used Fitting Finesse, the Singer reference The Perfect Fit and my digital camera to tune the fit.  I used a size 12 for the front and a 10 for the back. The digital camera was a great help and even better after I ran out and picked up a tripod (thanks Susinok!). I was then able to see the tank from all sides.  I did a FBA for a "C" cup and everything fell into place.  I finished the muslin and a wearable muslin Tuesday.  I'm going to try one in fashion fabric this eveing.  Then I'll put up some photos.  I imagined you all as my very own cheering section.  Thanks again for the encouragement, you'll never know how much it helped.

Oh, Diane, you're singing my song.  I want to give sock knitting a try but need to avoid the LYS at all costs, since I already have waaay too much yarn (but nothing that suits my fancy for socks), and when I go there, I just know I'll come back with more yarn than only the little bit needed for socks.  My will power against yarn and fabric is the puniest thing on the planet, I think!  ;D

I hope you get the right crochet hook--around here they sell them at the chain fabric stores and at some of the craft stores, which are not as tempting as the LYS.  Maybe the same will work for you there.  Good luck!

Yay, Melodye!  Isn't fitting success the finest feeling?  It's going to be great to see your photos.

Diane, the correct size crochet hook is sitting with the remainders of your last crochet project. I have a beautiful hook case/pocket thing, but I never put my hooks back into it when I finish a project. I always find the hook I need in the bottom of my project bag ::)

Thanks Kathryn and Marianne, I did end up going to the yarn shop and bought ONLY the crochet hook. I began working on the shrug.It will be a fun project, once I get the gauge correct. I knit loosely and I think I also crochet loosely. Rather than try to find anothe crochet hook  :o I think I'll just size down. Anyhow, we're going away this weekend, and this will be the perfect take-along project. (not that I don't already have several started - why do NEW projects always have more cachet???? This seems to apply to any handwork or craft or work project - I always seem to want to finish baking brownies once I've started......  >:D

Ahhh!  But with brownies, the end result, and gratification, is much more immediately achieved!  Besides, chocolate!  There is a pull perhaps even stronger than yarn or fabric.

Have a good weekend Diane, and have fun with your new project!

Good Morning~  I am officailly coming out of lurkdom and love that I can post since Sewing World would never let me. 

I figure if I post what I need to sew, I will actually do it!  I just graduated with a BS in Clothing and Textiles...finally!  I need to get a working wardrobe going again and it's tough...some places I have interviewed at are ridiculously  casual and others are dressier/trendier like I expected.  What's a girl to do?

I have decided to spend some sewing time on  jackets...these can easily mix/match with casual or dressier bottoms and I will get more bang for the buck.  The other hard thing for me is that some of the companies will most likely want me to wear their clothes, understandable, but I hope I can interject my own things as well!

I look forward to participating.  You all don't know it, but thru 3 18 hour semesters you ladies got me thru and fed my sewing cravings when I was stuck on  group projects with sweet girls that didn't really know how to sew but had grand ideas...it still boggles my mind that so many come itno a fashion curriculum and never have even seen a sewing machine!

Gee, you go away for a few days, and there are five more pages on this thread when you get back... ;D Not that I'm complaining. It's nice to see people finding the thread and contributing. Like everyone else has said, I'm sure I'll miss someone in my comments, but it wasn't intentional.

I should first thank Patti for making me feel not so guilty for rambling on about moving and gardening, when I didn't really have anything fiberly to add to the conversation recently. I'm glad you found it helpful.

Debbie, I'm so glad you're feeling better, and cute panties! I'm sure I'll never have the patience to sew such fiddly objects, but I really get a kick out of seeing the tiny ghosts of your projects past ;D.

Diane, what a pretty blouse -- and DH definitely should be the chief button chooser in your household :D. You've inspired me to get that pattern out and try it again. My first attempt was woefully large in the shoulders -- I guess it's true about choosing pattern size by full as opposed to upper bust, although I'm not particularly busty. I hover between a B and a C cup, so I''m not sure why I have such a problem with the shoulders.

Ann, I love your t-shirt. It looks fabulous on you. You've encouraged me to think outside the box when looking at a fabric I wouldn't normally consider buying, even if I really like the colors.

Liana, I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better, even if progress is slow. I'm looking forward to photos of you in your new, long pants. And the new cardigan.

I'm laughing about the lack of willpower conversation, as I really have a comlete lack of.... Ahem -- Shall we call it moral fiber, when it comes to resisting temptation. I just came back from Montreal, and what do you suppose I bought there if not fabric. I live less than an hour from NYC and I buy fabric in strange "foreign" cities... How dumb is that? But I have to say that I was quite excited to find a jacket length of real Harris tweed that is precisley "me", along with a too large assortment of other, less expensive, goodies that I feel more up to the task of sewing. I spent an hour or so in one shop petting all the Zegna fabrics the owner kept dragging out for me to admire. It was a slow and rainy Monday afternoon, and he seemed to feel the need to amuse me once he knew I sometimes shopped in NY and got swatches from Michael's Fabrics. There were a couple of things that made me whimper, but wool/cashmere/silk at $140 CDN/yd is not in my lifestyle or budget, no matter how pettable it is, or how discounted from the original retail price :'(. I did succumb to a couple of other more wearable (for me)  small pieces from this store, even though he was fairly pricey. I'm just thanking my lucky stars that I did not encounter a yarn shop in my perambulations. My ATM card is smoldering as it is...

We have a four day weekend coming up, and I hope to spend some of it finding and installing a window air conditioner in my beading room, and getting beads and/or sewing machines out and ready to use. I still have plenty of outdoor work to do, but any rainy time will be spent at this task. It's time.

Happy 4th of July! Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Melodye, you put your finger on something really important. Sewing can be such a solitary undertaking, and the support from friends here is something that keeps one going. As Karen also pointed out, posting an intention to complete a project can propel one toward finishing and then posting the results. Someone actually cares and is waiting to hear about how the project turned out!

Congratulations on your fitting success, Melodye! It's such an engineering exercise, getting all the spheres and angles figured out. Have you ever taken a draping class? Our ASG chapter did a pants draping session several years ago, and that was an eye opener for me (although I still struggle mightily with pants).

On another note, Kathryn and Redhead mentioned "The Devil Wore Prada," I thought I'd post this link from today's "LA Times." I hope it works http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-devil30jun30,0,1220161.story

The Times writer says the movie is better than the book. Redhead, I also enjoy "chick lit" and that book was a trial. I do look forward to the movie, though!

Nora, in my limited experience with New Look (three patterns so far), I think the shoulders are wide. I am nearly done with the ubiquitous wrap dress, NL 6429, http://simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=thumbnail.cfm&cat=6&type=26&sec=0&id=86&StartRow=19
and I still need to shave about an inch from the shoulder and reset the sleeves, just to avoid the dreaded shoulder droop. I also made NL 6430, http://simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=thumbnail.cfm&cat=6&type=28&sec=0&id=91&StartRow=10
and had to take it in at the shoulder and the sides. Some of this was a function of fabric, but a lot was the design.

If you look at the pictures on the pattern envelopes, you can see those shoulders sneaking down past the model's natural shoulder line - I cannot take credit for that bit of common sense - my favorite sewing teacher, Sandra Betzina, helped me with this at sewing camp. I was working on the aforementioned 6430, and she picked up the pattern envelope and said something like, "be careful about those shoulders - look at this picture - those shoulders are very wide....."

Since then I've paid a little more attention, although I'm still too nervous to cut the right size at the shoulder (probably at least two sizes smaller). I've made the adjustment when fitting the basted garment. Having said all this, that shirt pattern I've been crowing about seems to fit fine in the shoulder. Perhaps it's the crisp shirt fabric?

Liana, the pin hunt for me has ended.  I did purchase that pound of pins through Active Trimmings, and for now, they are doing the trick.  They are much nicer than the cruddy ones Dritz/Prym makes that you get at every fabric store.  They are stronger, sharper, and I was able to get the 1 1/4" length, which I like better than the standard 1 1/16", especially for long bridal skirts.  The biggest improvement over the Prym ones is that the plastic heads don't pop off all the time.  The only drawback I can see is that when they are new, these pins are coated with some kind of goo that takes a while to get rid of.  The first few uses, they stick as they go into the fabric.  I have found that running them into a sand filled pin cusion a few times helps solve the problem, but it is a pain every time I use new ones.  After this original coating comes off, though, they are great pins.  I would recommend them any day over the Prym/Dritz ones.  With a pound of them to go through, I suspect that I won't be buying pins for many years.  I seem to throw away far fewer and go through them slower than the cheap ones from the fabric store.  

I cut out my tweed jacket yesterday, but will have to delay sewing today until I get the oil on my serger changed.  I hate that job.  So messy.  Anyone out there with an industrial serger have a tip on how to drain the oil pan without the oil making such a mess?  I just got the new gallon of oil in the mail yesterday, so better bite the bullet and change it -- hasn't been done in about two years.  

Susan, I am glad you found the beading advice helpful.  I do hope that you will post pictures of your beaded project when you finish.  I can't wait to see it.  

Well, off to change the serger oil -- yuk.

Diane ~ thanks for the links to the review for "The Devil Wears Prada!"  We are off to see it tonight after work and I can't wait!  Had to order tickets at 9:00 this morning and some of the evening shows were already sold out!  You know everyone and his brother is probably trying to see it here in NYC!  I *never* wanted to read the book and from all the other reviews I have read of the movie, it sounds like it is going to be absolutely fabulous.  I will definitely let you know what I think!

Diane,  Thanks for the link.  I didn't read the book either, but this review makes me glad I waited.  The movie sounds much more entertaining, while the book always sounded a little like a pity party.  I am impressed by your LYS willpower! I never have the right size needle when I want it either, although I think I have at least 2 of every size crochet hook known to man, at least in the teeny sizes, as I inherited my DGM's collection.  I did have to share with my sister though, but my GM was very hot on crochet, and had been gathering implements for years, so there were plenty to go around, although we scuffled a little over the "best" size 15. ;)  Knitting needles are mostly what I've bought myself, and I've been replacing a lot of them recently with Bryspun needles, as they're silent.  They finally started making circulars, so that helps a lot.

Carolyn, and anyone else who goes to that movie, please report!

Amy, Glad to know how the pins turned out, but what a mess to have to almost wipe each one clean!  Glad you've got them in good shape finally. 

Melodye,  I want to add my congratulations on your successful fitting efforts!  It really is wonderful to have something "just right". :)  Can't wait for the photos!

Karen Combs,  Welcome, and congratulations on getting your degree!  I predict you'll be posting photos of some very intriguing garments soon, from the sound or your plans. :)

I had hoped to finish the pants I'm making last night, but I wasn't in shape to do the trying on necessary, so I just knitted instead.  I'm combining 2 patterns for a top, and I think it's working.  I should have changed patterns entirely before I ever started, but this should work just fine. (I hope!)

Definitely report on the movie!  I am really hoping to go this weekend.  I hope I don't have to order tickets in advance up here  but I'll check in the morning.  Tonight is the first night of summer concert season and we are going up to Tanglewood for an al fresco feast and concert.  This promises to be the first day without rain for a couple of weeks! 

Congratulations Melodye on the fitting success!  The thrill at getting someting just right is just so great, and we all know the effort that went into achieving that little bit of perfection! 

Welcome to the group Karen and congratulations getting the degree.  I am looking forward to hearing more from you.

Welcome, Karen!  How nice to have you out of lurkdom!  Your last few semesters sound grueling, and I imagine that you're chomping at the bit to hit the ground running with some interesting sewing projects, (to mix a couple of metaphors  ;))  How interesting that fashion design/sewing/textiles students wouldn't know how to sew before getting into the field.  Hopefully they learned before getting their degrees!

Oh, Nora, your Montreal fiber dalliance sounds wonderful.  Don't feel guilty, just enjoy! Will power, schmill power!  ;D

Oh, goody, Liana, another knitting project.  I'm going to head for your 'blog to see what info is posted there.

Diane, where did you take a sewing camp with Sandra Betzina--in San Francisco, as Mardel did?  Wherever you attended, it sure sounds great.

Yes I'm delighted to say that I've been to Sandra's sewing camp in San Francisco. In fact, last year I had the pleasure of meeting Mardel in person. She is exactly as you would imagine: beautiful and gracious and talented.

I'll admit to being a Sandra sewing camp addict. I've been so many times I'm embarrassed to admit how many!  I have met some really good friends there over the years. Since I live fewer than 15 miles away from SF, I don't have to make anywhere near the effort to get there that most campers do. Also I stay in the hotel and pretend to be a visitor to San Francisco. I also make believe that I don't have children or obligations or a life other than that of someone totally in love with sewing (and all things fiber-related). Another embarrassing admission is how easy it is for me to forget my other life (and believe me, the guys at home are making hay while mom's away!).

I really like your NL blouse and your DH did an excellent job on selecting the buttons.  I read your review on PR about LC One-Seam Pants.  Yours look good on you.  I have not made a pair in a couple of years but thinking I could use a pair for summer.

Congratulations on getting your degree :D  I think your decision to spend time on jackets will prove to be a good one.

I haven't been here for about 3 weeks, and I am not sure when I will catch up on all the posts...you are all a chatty group!!!

I finished a painted silk scarf to go with a black faux wrap dress in early June, and then I got a silk knit twin set made with a raw silk skirt for an Alaska wedding.  The night b4 I was to leave my daughter told me I looked rediculous( I did) so I made a linen skirt to go with the twin set, and it looked better.  It was a "typical Alaska wedding", some people in jeans and cowboy boots(men and women) and some people in heels(only women!).

For our Anniversary, my DH gave me a new digital camers, so as soon as I get the softwear loaded I will try taking pics and posting them.

My biggest excitement was when a well known silver artist saw my silk scarf, she suggested we barter some of our work!  That was a nice compliment.   

Thanks to all of you who pushed me forward when I was dragging!!!! :)

Kathryn, don't get started on the sock knitting..it is totally addictive!!!  I wanted to take a small project to Alaska, so I spent $65 on new needles and 2 different sock yarns!!!  Like the $1200 plane ticket wasn't enough.  We all sat around the fire knitting and singing each night, until the neighbors called the police on all of us rowdy 40-50 year olds!  All of the women were knitiing socks, they are so much easier to transport than sweaters!!!

Diane, I can totally relate to "forgetting" all of your family responsibilities....I had a week away, DH was in Brussels and both kids were with friends on a "parent free vacation".  I need to do that every year, not every 15!  It is very hard to be home, almost depressing to have to get back to child/parent care, housework etc.  I will have to carry all of that positive energy forward!

Welcome back, andib!  It sounds as though your trip to Alaska was perfect.  Isn't it funny how our DDs don't hesitate to give us fashion advice, as if we haven't been successfully dressing ourselves since way before they were born!  However, a fresh pair of eyes is sometimes needed to pull the right elements of an outfit together. 

I'm so happy that you got your sewing done before the trip, and that it all worked out well for you!  How wonderful that you got to enjoy a carefree vacation and hear compliments about your projects at the same time.  It's great that you have delightful memories of your time in Alaska to recall as you do the family chores, back once again in the real world.

So what will your next sewing project be?

Well, Diane, I am truly green with envy over your proximity to SB's sewing camps.  They must be lots of fun.  No wonder you sew so well!

Thank you Diane, for the lovely complement.  I would have said the same about you, "beautiful and gracious and talented" and add warm and welcoming.  I am also a Sandra sewing camp addict and can't wait until fall, when I can go again.  I am also completely conflicted and desperately hoping that grandchild to be comes early or (even better for me but not the poor mom) late, so as not to interrupt any of my sewing camp time.  I suppose the pure selfishness of this thought proves that I am indeed only a step-mom.

Welcome back andib!  It sounds like your trip to Alaska was wonderful and I am glad you got your sewing done before the trip.  It sounds like you had tremendous success with your projects.  You are right as well, socks are addictive, and so portable, that they are great for travel or just running around.  Be warned Kathryn.  Of course I am in a double bind because although I see how I can get totally hooked into knitting socks, but I unfortunately don't wear socks much, except to the gym.  Unfortunately they don't tend to go with the pretty heels and dainty skimmers I tend to prefer to wear. 

Up here in the cold north, you can only go so many months without socks!!  I was wearing socks in Alaska...their driest and warmest month is June....avg hi 55, low 45...rainfall 3"......winter is hi 45- low35  rainfall 11"......there are good things about th esnow!!

On the subject of birthday wish lists, as introduced by Kathryn, what are you asking for this birthday, Mardel?

Yeah, Mardel, I hope it's something precious and rare, like three days of uninterrupted sewing time!  Wouldn't that be wonderful!

Kathyrn, that would be wonderful!  :) :) I don't think I could manage it unless everyone went away.  I am hoping for at least one uninterrupted day of sewing (or almost uninterrupted as I will have to run up to the farm stand early, but after that I am free). 

Monday is a working day and I am hoping to get a lot done, office wise and home wise as we have various houseguest visitations and social obligations over the next week.  Although there are no children at home, all grown with families of their own, my DH has reached an unfortunate stage where he is no longer as self-sufficient as he once was, nor as much as he'd like to be, and I can't always count on sewing time as he frequently needs help with various things.  I am hoping to get a few hours of sewing time in on the 4th itself though, between a few other obligations.  I can think of no nicer way to spend a holiday.

Frustration Alert!  Non-sewing Ranting to follow!

Houseguests anticipated on Thursday or Friday are now arriving mid-day tomorrow!  Not their fault really, all the rain has caused their lake house to be flooded out, the docks are washed away, the minimal power is out and so forth and so on.  They have no where else to go and we are on the way home......

but it kind of messes up my plans for the week, and potentially my sewing plans as well  :'( There certainly won't be any Fourth of July sewing and I'll be lucky to salvage any on the 5th as well.

Thank goodness everything here is pretty well organized (even though I tease about how scatterbrained i am).  Let's see how much of Monday's work I can get done this afternoon so maybe I can sneak some personal time in early Monday.

I am still going to see "The Devil Wears Prada" tonight, no matter what!!

My sewing plans have been temporarilly derailed as well. I finally got a quote on repair for my car's a/c and it's three times the blue book worth of the car! So I'm going car shopping unexpectedly.

The serger is going to have to wait a few years! Sigh.

The 4th is reserved for sewing, however, no matter what the state of car buying. I have a friend coming over to sew with.

Susan

Oh, Mardel, I hate that "on the boundary line" feeling. (Our beloved late dog used to meander his way over to the boundary line between our property and dog nirvana - out there. Once he got close to the line, we'd call his name and he would stop, turn around toward us and then glance back over his shoulder toward - out there. Sometimes he would look between us and - out there - several times before he doggy-shrugged and came on back to us.) I feel that way every time I have sewing time planned and real life gets in the way. I look toward reality then I look back over my shoulder at my sewing room....sometimes I have to look at reality a whole long time before I decide it wins. I hope your company appreciates your sacrifice. Have a wonderful visit - and birthday.

Mardel ~ I hope that you got to go to the movies last night and I also hope that your guests stay long enough for you to enjoy them yet depart in a timely enough fashion for you to get a few hours of sewing in!  No matter what, please have a very Happy Birthday!

I am off this week from work ~ we had planned several days in Atlantic City but changed our plans when one of the DDs needed to attend summer school which starts on Wednesday.  Doesn't seem to matter anyway since it looks like the casinos will close on Wednesday due to the state shutdown.  Maybe I was meant to stay home and sew.  Which normally would be a good thing but since I am moving rather slowly back to a state of sewing frenzy, I am concerned that I am going to end up sitting in front of the TV and watching it for 7 days especially since I just discovered (months after everyone else in my household) that we have OnDemand!

Since I was not sewing, I did take the time to put away all the fabric that had been laying around...and I now have fabric closet issues.  I don't think I can jam another piece into my closet!!!!!  I am totally amazed that in a little over a year's time I have managed to fill up all of the empty shelves in there.  Drats!  Now I am going to have to sew up quite a bit more before I can buy anything else!!!  I have several heavy & bulky sweater knits that I purchased from FM during the last winter blow-out, that I want to make up as sweater coats for fall.  Making up the sweater coats will ease up some space in there but I have now thrown away my list for Fashion Fabrics Club.  Makes no sense to buy more at this point to try to stuff into the closet.  *Sigh* I will have to wait.  But I am totally bumming!

Last night I did finally get the black/creme circle linen pieces completed ~ you know the leftovers from the disasterous "One Hit Wonder" dress.  The bodice of the dress became a top with the lovely black satin piping and some really cute buttons which emulate the circles.  And the bottom of the dress became a TNT flare skirt that I added ribbon embellishment to so that it would break up all of those circles.  I am also cutting out a black rayon/linen tank dress to go with the jacket to give the pieces a little more flexibility.  Due to the end of school activities there are no batteries in the digital camera, so I will have to get some more before I can take pictures.  Will post them as soon as I have some!

Marianne, what a perfect description of that "boundary line feeling" between sewing time and the nagging reality that causes us to wistfully look back over the invisible boundary once more before heading back to reality.  Oh my, have I been there many a time.  Maybe if I perfected that hangdog look that your pooch affected, it would have some impact on my family and their demands.  Probably not.  I've got the non-sewing martyr look down pretty good, though. ;)

Mardel, you must feel sometimes like your time is never your own, with your DH's increasing need for assistance and companionship always there.  Is his study adjacent your sewing room, so you two can occupy the same area of the house together, at least?  Oh, and I hope that that DGB decides to come at a time that is convenient for your SB sewing camp getaway in September.  That's a great time to be in San Francisco, and meeting up with sewing buddies must make you look forward to the trip even more.

Carolyn, there's nothing like reorganizing one's stash to put the brakes on fabric buying.  When I die, they won't have to cover my grave with dirt--they can just cover me with my stash instead. The ultimate recycling. ;)

Susan, I hope the car buying goes smoothly and quickly so you can enjoy your sewing time with your good friend.  It sounds like fun.

I spent the last two days working on curtains with DD in her new apartment.  Once again I have learned why I dislike home dec!  All those boring rectangles, without a dart in sight!  Actually, we had fun with the planning and designing (read: changing our minds a half a dozen times, and then trying to figure out if we had enough fabric for the final design--we did).  We're in the "just before the big impact" stage now.  The valances are finished but the curtains with light-blocking lining have yet to be assembled.  The borders are on, though, so it's down to simply sewing up the big rectangles and hemming them up.  I bought my DD an entry-level Janome machine on Saturday and took my "son of serger" over to her apartment to speed the edge finishing a bit.  She is not a sewist--never has been much interested in it, so I think she would rather have had a gas grill than the sewing machine, quite honestly!  Poor deprived child!  Honestly, the hardest thing was working in the non-air conditioned apartment, since DD doesn't want her electric bill to skyrocket this month.  Schwitzing with oscillating fans while sewing on entry level sewing equipment brought back memories of myself at her age. :)

However, yesterday she did ask me to bring over these fabrics (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/album?.dir=fdd4re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/my_photos) for her to try to make her own Folkwear Hapi Coat on her new Janome, since I have not been able to get to it as yet.  Maybe she'll get bitten by the sewing bug after all!  How delightful that would be.

I'm not going to let myself get too excited just yet, though, since the fabric was also on a list of other things that she hoped I could bring from our home to her apartment.  About twice or three times a week, she stages a raid on our house, carrying back light bulbs, paper towels, baggies filled with different spices (she has discovered the cost of spices, among other things, so taking small amounts from my spice cabinet seemed like a good idea to her), etc.  My favorite story is when she came over a couple of weeks ago and asked if we had any "spare meat" that she could take.  ;D  As if we kept half a cow in the basement just for emergencies!  ;D ;D ;D

Anyway, I'm thinking that if she gets the sewing itch, my sewing room may be the stage of the next raid.  Somehow, though, I don't think I would mind, especially if it meant that I was getting a new sewing buddy in the bargain.

Marianne, that was a wonderfully evocative description of the "boundary feeling"; thank you so much for sharing.

"Spare meat" indeed, Kathryn!! :) Thanks for bringing a big smile to my morning!

I did see the movie, "The Devil Wears Prada", and loved it, loved it, loved it.  I was just grinning for the rest of the evening.  The story line was weak, not all the acting was great, the boyfriend was a real whiny wimp and the whole working woman/morals/dreams/ story line was a little heavy handed, but none of that surprised me.  The movie was just fun! :) I loved the clothes, loved the specatacle, and was just completely entertained from beginning to end.  Meryl Streep was great, almost like a separate little universe around which the rest of the movie flowed. I don't care if it was accurate or not; nothing every satisfies everyone anyway.  I want to see it again and I can't wait for the DVD.  It would be great to sit down and watch it and freeze scenes and get a really good look at things that just flip by in a moment.

Before I knew I was having houseguests today, I decided to clean out one of my closets:  the shoe/sweater closet.  The primary motivating force was that I have more sweaters than I can store, so weeding was required.  The end result was that my sweater collection is fine but I have way to many pairs of black shoes!  Of course I "need" every pair.  At least they are neutral.  Pink shoes are a little strange aren't they?  But I love mine anyway.

I also keep fabric in the top of that closet, on the shelves I can't reach easily on a day-to-day basis.  This is the one closet that never got indexed when I organized, sorted, and indexed my fabric collection because I would think "I can just open the closet door and see those fabrics right there".

Bad Idea!  I found a big beautiful piece of navy wool melton -- enough to make a long ankle length coat -- and I don't have the foggiest notion when I bought it.  I probably looked at it 3 or 4 times a week and never saw it; I didn't know it was there.  Now I have a lot of fabric, but i "know" every piece, or at least I thought I did!  Egads!  Now I have another coat to make because I don't want to put that fabric back in that closet.  I need new coats next fall, or I need to lose 20 pounds. 

So now I have three pieces of fabric that I don't want to store anymore, so three coats in the pipeline.  But what am I going to make of the melton??  It can't be too styled or tailored.  It must be simple.  If I make a long coat, which I would like, I should be able to belt it, or the entire weight of the coat will hang from my shoulders and will become quite heavy.  Of course, it is so heavy I might not like it belted.  But I would like a warm long coat.  Considerable thought is required here, as well as a perusal of the pattern stash.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday as I made a new cover for our down comforter.  I was running those long, straight seams and wrestling with the bulk of fabric while I was dreaming of princess lines and collars.  Oh, well.  You save a small fortune with a little home dec sewing.  Depending on the fabric and style, I bet one or two windows' worth paid for that entry-level Janome.

Glad to hear that The Devil Wears Prada is visually interesting if nothing else.  I am dying to see the movie about the Kabul beauty school that was featured in Vogue a while back, but I think I missed it when it came to town.

Oh, Kathryn, "spare meat"!!!! ROFLOL! DS1 used to come home and devise a reason to 'run to Giant Eagle' and ask me to 'ride with him'. This always resulted in several packages of beef and chicken making its way into my basket. He'd spirit into the house and freeze it, so it would stay cold on the trip home. DH was well aware of the complete ruse but never said a word to spare DS's pride. It only lasted a short time, by September he was on a budget he could handle. The first summer after DS2 graduated I always had gallons of frozen marinara sauce and chili for him to 'help me use up'. But they didn't take my spices!!!!

Isn't it fun to help them set up their new nest? But home dec sewing is deadly dull. :P

Mardel,  Happy Birthday!  I hope you get some unexpected sewing time this weekend after all, or at least a little knitting.  I love the sock yarns you've been showing on your blog!  I am so impressed that you can knit in the complete darkness of a movie theater!  How exciting to be headed for Sandra Betzina's sewing camp again!  I add my crossed fingers to hoping your new grandchild holds off a little, or comes early. ;)  I really envy you and Diane your association, as well as the "camping" experience.  The shared inspiration from just being in a group with that many very serious sewers must be quite thrilling.  Glad to hear about the Prada movie.  Sounds like something I will have to see.  On DVD does sound perfect, to see all the clothing well.

Kathryn,  Glad you're about done with the Home-Dec-thing for a while!  :P  I feel just like you about it.  Just a word of caution.  When using the blackout curtain lining, make very sure that your curtain rod hardware is attached to the studs, as they will be very heavy.  Here's hoping you gain a sewing buddy out of the whole deal.  That would make the H-D sewing very much worthwhile.  Hope you've got that "spare meat" situation under control now! ;D  (I knew you had quite the stash, but wow!)

Add me to the group who likes to knit socks, but doesn't really wear them much.  I also love the stripy sock yarns, but I am more a plain color sock person, but lacy socks...there's my thing! ;)

I've been just grabbing spare moments (very spare! >:() lately to sew a little and knit a little.  I'm closing in on the finish line for the Elsebeth Lavold tank, and I did finally finish the pants and bias top I was working on.  No photos yet, but I'm hoping today I'll get to it.  Now I have to rush to get ready for a 4th of July parade in the next neighborhood that starts in 20 minutes.  It's very casual, and all I have to do is watch, thank goodness!  Today is a "being an audience" kind of day.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day, doing what you want, or at least enjoying what you're doing. :)

Kathryn ~ I loved the "spare meat" story!  I haven't had food taken but I have had sheets, blankets, cleaning supplies, etc. "borrowed."  Still waiting for them to come back home!  ;D  And you are not alone in hating home dec.  My mother is always amazed that I will look at curtains, first before finally breaking down and making them.  To her, I sew so I should just make them.  To me, I hate sewing home dec so I search until I become frustrated and realize that I can make them better and more like what I want.  Sewers do seem to break down into types....I am just a garment type!

Kathryn, You'll be surprised to learn the red Armani coat you wished to make last season has a split second cameo in The Devil Wears Prada!  Mardel, did you see the coat shown in a store window? We spent the afternoon watching this wonderful fluff and loving Meryl Streep. She does a fabulous, believable job and I for one am quite happy I don't work for her. Oh the pressure!!!

Andrea reminded me of Rachel ( my 30 yr old mentoree) who until recently worked full time for Maggie Norris Couture.  She was Maggie's assistant and worked insane hours under tremendous pressure to meet deadlines and keep the customers happy. She now just works on special projects due to a relocation to CT.

During a recent Thursday morning sewing class at AAF, two college age young woman shared their millinery projects with us. Emily began sewing with me when she was 7 or 8 and had spent most of this week with me sewing. She just graduated from the University of VT with a Theater Arts degree and was headed to the Cape for her first real job as a costume designer.  Sydney, who was working with me that morning, will be a third year student at FIT majoring in childrens wear.  Love being surrounded by all this talent!!!  Check out the album titled Millinery 101.

Kathryn,
Love the spare meat story it is too funny..  I lost upright vacuum cleaner to my son and his roommates apartment.  He figured I won't be needing it being we have replace all the carpeting in our house with pergo flooring over the last few years.  He also took an extra set of dishes I had.  He hasn't  come looking for food yet I did give him some of my spicy hot salsa to try out. Him and his roommates got the receipe and made some of their own last weekend.

Anne,  As a hat person, I have to say Wow!  What great hats!  Were these things they had made in a class together, or both just happened to bring their hats?  You know the most interesting people!

Carolyn,  I think almost everyone on this thread would agree with you.  Home-dec is definitely toward the end of the line of favorite types of sewing.  We all love the results, but can we all say BORING?  ;D ;)  Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I do believe we all consider garment sewing to be our first love.  :)

I finished the extra long pants I was making, and the top to go with them, and they're posted on my blog here (http://sewintriguing.blogspot.com/2006/07/lime-pants-apple-top.html).  The bias top was more challenging than I'd thought it would be, as I'd used the pattern before, but this fabric....it had its little quirks. ::)  I like it now, but oh my.  The hem (just a plain hand-stitched hem) took over an hour and a half because I had to literally hold each stitch in place as I took the next one, or it would slide around, and even try to pull the thread I was catching right out of the weave.  I have never had such problems with a simple hem.  The fabric is a georgette, and I think it's rayon, but perhaps poly.  It sure wrinkles like rayon, though!  I've sewn with lots of georgettes before, and have never had one that was quite so loosely woven.  It makes a lovely fabric, and it's great for hot weather, but what a challenge! 

Liana,.    Your pants and top are really cute I love the color and the look on you.

Anne, I too noted the cameo of the red Armani coat. In fact, as I "had" to go to JoAnn this afternoon to get a zipper (to replace one in a pair of pants that had a complete failure after only a couple of wearings -- but that's beside the point here), I picked up the Vogue pattern that's a pretty close cousin to the coat. I think I'm more likely to make it as a short jacket than a full-length coat, but I'm not all that close to doing winter sewing yet.

Anne, when I went to your album to look at the hats, which were really, really spectacular (and I love the sense of style those two young women have), I noted the new Burda jacket you posted. I love it! As others have noted, you have a great eye for detail -- piping, trim and buttons especially. Thanks for sharing.

Pam

Anne, thanks so much for sharing the photos of the young girls and their hats.  What a wonderful set of pictures, each hat more creative and interesting than the previous, if possible!  That sparrow hat is TDF!  And the simplicity of the perfectly formed beret is lovely as well.  They're all lovely.  It would be hard to choose a favorite.

Liana, that's such a cool, summery concoction that you have just finished, the comfy pants and the lovely georgette top.  It looks so fresh, and the colors are wonderful on you.  You've gotten a lot of mileage out of that Little Blouse pattern that you drafted.  It fits you perfectly. I hope the pants behave after they go back into the wash.

I'm loving hearing all of the "house raid" stories by kids who have recently flown the nest. Home comforts look a lot better from afar, for sure!  Hopefully our kids will smile as well when their children do the same to them, several years hence.

I have yet to see the Devil/Prada movie, and am purposely avoiding reading the thread dedicated to it until I do get the chance.  Hopefully this coming weekend my DD and I will go--we're planning on following the show with a stop off at a nearby "watering hole" where we can sip chocolate martinis and dish on the fashions.  Should be fun!

I just pre-ordered my Fall/Winter 2006 Marfy catalogue directly through the www.marfy.it website.  I was hoping to see some of the new styles on the site, but although the styles are annotated as being from the Fall/Winter 2006/07 catalogue, I recognize several from last season.  I'm guessing that the site has yet to be updated with the new pictures.  The website says that the new catalogue has 8 free patterns in 4 sizes included.  I only recall getting 2 free patterns in past catalogues, unless my memory has failed me.  Eight free patterns sounds like a pretty good deal to me.  I really love getting that Marfy catalogue--there is so much inspiration contained in those pages!

Liana, love your outfit. Alas, last summer I had a pair of white one seams that grew every time they were worn. I fiddled with them for a while. My solution was just to wash them after each wearing. Ironing wouldn't relax them appreciably, but wearing sure would.

When I was growing up, the lady next door was running a custom drapery business out of her basement. Every day, she sewed from breakfast to dinner. I was absolutely amazed, at age 5, when she came over one day asking all sorts of questions about making a dress for her daughter. She sewed more than my mother did. When I asked my mother, she explained that Mrs. Greg did a different kind of sewing. I still didn't understand because I knew my mother made drapes at times. I always felt kind of sorry for Mrs. Greg after that...

Ann ~ I did see the red Kathryn coat in the window but I was kinda holding that back and waiting for Kathryn to see it!  I really loved the new Burda jacket and the picturesque setting that you used to highlight the jacket.  Your gardens make such a wonderful backdrop to your clothing.  I also really enjoyed all of the special details like the bound button hole and the fringe.  It is what truly makes your garments so beautiful!

Liana ~ the new pieces are very summery and pretty.  I love how you added the green detailing to the neckline of the top!  I hope you solve the fabric growing issues.  Your Double Burda pants are a winner yet again!  Don't you just love TNT patterns!

Re:  The Devil Wears Prada ~ The bad thing about everyone seeing a movie and loving it is that they start to discuss all the good parts before everyone else has seen it.  It makes it a little difficult for someone who hasn't seen the movie to then go and see it the same way as we did.  It was why I purposely started the discussion in another thread that way people would have the choice of reading it or not.  Not to say that we shouldn't discuss it here but I just remember how I felt after seeing The Sixth Sense after most people had seen it first.  It was very anticlimatic for me and I didn't experience the fullness of the movie!  So I am always acutely aware of how much I share about a movie until everyone (or almost everyone) has seen it.

Well I am off to bed ~ it is after midnight here on the East Coast.  Maybe I will sew tomorrow?!

Thank you all for the very kind words on my pants and top! :)  Carolyn, I did think of you when I did the binding on the neck and armscyes. ;) Marianne,  I hope there will be some kind of solution to this fabric.  I pressed it after prewashing it and before I cut out, and it didn't seem to change it much, although I will admit I didn't really try to stretch it back to its original size, as I like the slight crinkliness, but I did give it a chance to go back to size, as I didn't want something like this to happen.  As you say, maybe it wouldn't have worked anyway.  I'll just have to see.  I hate to just routinely wash things every single time I wear them if they don't need it, as I think it makes them look tired so much faster.  That may be what it takes here, though.

Kathryn,  I just ordered my Marfy catalog too!  :) I can never figure out the Mail/Courier dilemma without trying each one to see how it adds up, as they aren't very clear on the Marfy site about what's what, or at least I can't figure it out.  But, it should come soon!  I recall the last one came quickly even with the mail method.  A friend was telling me the other day that her children (long gone from home) are still slightly annoyed when she attempts to get them to take the last box or two of their "stuff" that's still in her home.  She wonders if she's "Mom's Free Storage". ;D  I remember that my Mom used to gleefully hand me a box of books or something every time I showed up, saying "Here!  This is yours." :smug:  Well, it was my stuff,  :P so I can see how she was dying to get rid of it. 

Anne, Silly me, I was so busy drooling over the hats that I didn't notice the new Burda album!  What a gorgeous jacket!  It's so you.  Lovely color, beautiful execution, great details and of course, a unique and very au courant style.  That's a wonderful button, too.  The dress in that pattern looks very nice also.  Have you made it up also?  You have such a good eye for styles; I'm not sure I would have looked too hard at that pattern, but what a great design!

I'm suffering serious withdrawal symptoms here  - my Broadband connection has been only working intermittently for the last 24 hrs  - there are thunderstorms all round. I 've finally managed to get here to read the posts - just hope I can post my reply.

Anne, how wonderful to see your student's millinery projects. I just love this time of year when all the final shows are up. There's a wealth of talent out there that's awe inspiring. All the shows here have a strict No Photos policy so I can't share like you've been able to. Thanks.

Lovely pants and top, Liana. I've got pants that "grow" too. Linen, and although they look lovely for the first hour or so I'm always appalled by the seriously baggy look when I come to take them off. I haven't found any solution apart from washing; no amount of pre-shrinking seems to make any difference.

Still connected - so I'll post...

Anne, the hats are truly wonderful and what a talented pair of girls and what excellent creative work!  Wow, I am stunned.  Perhaps I will have to pull my hats out again, now that my hair is short again (I never liked them on me with longer hair).  Oops, sorry I'll reveal the short hair eventually.

Anne, I also love the new Burda jacket and the wonderful setting in which you photographed it.  I thought the pattern was mildly interesting, but didn't really think more about it until I saw your wonderful version with your meticulous attention to the details.  Time to rethink.

Liana, your pants and the little georgette top are just wonderfully fresh and summery!  YOu look fabulous.  I hope you find the solution to the "growing" pants.  I have a few like that  and have only had success with washing.  Good luck!  The outfit is awfully nice though.

And I just ordered the Marfy catalog as well.  I was quite disappointed however to see that the new patterns aren't on the website yet.  I really wanted a little more of a fall preview.

And as to home dec, I agree wholeheartedly, although I did end up making TONS of curtains for Miriams first apartment when she moved down to Knoxville.  She helped select the pattern and hang them I think, and might have sewn a seam or two.  She has told me that she has used the sewing machine I got her though, only occasionally, to make Christmas stockings and gifts.  I really did enjoy helping set up her first apartment though, and we had a great time this summer shopping for paint colors for the new nursery as well.  I still have to make the Nursery set I promised, but the baby is a couple of months yet, and they don't have a matteress for the crib yet either.    I do remember Miriam taking a few things each time she came to visit -- too far  for it to be a regular raid.  And Liana, yes, we still have boxes of stuff we wish the kids would take.  They insist the items contained therein are FAR to important for us to discard them, but they are obviously not so important that they feel the need to take them home with them.

Ann, so sorry about your broadband connection.  Hope it stays connected.

Liana, top and pants look great.  I commented on your blog as well.  :D

Liana, gorgeous pants and top! My favorite colors, too. Well one of my favorites... I have so many, LOL.

I finally got some sewing time in this long weekend. A friend came over and I showed her how to make a skirt. We got hers and mine done, and we'll be hemming them today. Right now they are both on my dressform letting the bias set. Pictures here on my blog: http://www.susinok.com/?p=223.

We'll hem them tonight and I'll have modeled shots up. Gotta run, time for work!

We used Butterick 5431, one of my basic TNT patterns that I'll use again and again. I love colorful bias skirts!

Well, my goodness, Anne, like Liana, I just blew right past the new Burda jacket pix on my way to ogle that millinery album!  Thanks to Carolyn's eagle eyes, I got the heads up to put on the brakes and stop at the Burda jacket album.  Wow! What a great jacket!  I love the color, the button, the trim, the fabric, and the silhouette.  Did I leave anything out???  Really, it's beautiful.  A perfect summer topper to a sheath or sundress.  You make me want to run into my sewing room, lock the door, and not come out until I've sewn some straw into gold, as you do.  Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Liana, I confess to not even considering the courier option--it just sounded expensive!  I always choose the postal delivery option.  Even with that, the delivery charges are more expensive than the cost of the catalogue itself.  However, I look on it as buying a wonderful sewing book, because I refer to my Marfy collection often for inspiration.

Susan, cute skirts!  I love your choice of fabric with the big flowers.  So summery and flirty!  Enjoy that new, kewl, (and cool, thanks to A/C that actually works!) car!

Thanks to the combination of a HUGE AND SCARY thunderstorm and an outside drain clogged with leaves, we got some rainwater into our basement laundry room and my DD's stained glass studio down there.  Ugh!  The Shop Vac and I bonded for several hours as I suctioned up the water as fast as it was pouring in.  Thanks to my insomniacal tendencies, I just happened to be in the basement laundry room when the water first started coming through (about 2am), so I was able get on top of the situation quickly.  Even so, the carpet cleaner/dryer folks have come and gone, leaving big blowers and dehumidifiers to run day and night to dry the indoor-outdoor carpeting that covers that entire area.  Then, when it's all dry, they'll come back and clean the carpets (getting them all wet again) and dry them.  I have a good deal of fabric storage in white cabinets in that laundry room, but fortunately, the fabric remained high and dry.  What aggravation, all from a few leaves blocking a large outside drain!  As soon as I cleared the leaves away (with lightning flashing all around and me trying NOT to conjure images of Ben Franklin and his doggone kite and key) the water swirled happily down that drain in a matter of minutes.  Must have been a bad karma night. :-\

I'm on the fly here... Too much to get done today. But I wanted to say thanks to Diane before too many posts rolled by. I appreciate your telling me that the shoulders on that NL pattern are wide in general, and it wasn't just me. Of course, that means that I am too inexperienced to check first, but we knew that.. I've actually disassembled a cheap shirt that more or less fits since then, so I can use that as either a pattern, or as a tool to check other patterns.

Liana, your new outfit is very pretty. I love those colors, although I cannot wear them well. You look so fresh and summery in them though. I hope you can solve the problem with the pants growing because it really is too pretty an outfit for you not to be wearing it.

Anne, your Burda coat is beautiful. as always. The hats are only showing up in the thumbnail views for me, so I will have to go and look later :(

Susan, congratulations on the new car, and the skirts look great!

Kathryn, my goodness... What a story! You're a brave woman, running around clearing leaves out of drainpipes in the middle of an electrical storm. I'm glad you're still around to tell us about it.

Mardel, happy belated birthday. I hope you're enjoying your houseguests, depite the postponement of your sewing plans.

Not much new for me this weekend. I was feeling a bit under the weather, so not a lot got done. But our bedroom is finally completely set up, and the pictures hung. There were extraneous pieces of furniture in there, and the walls were bare. DBF, typical male, doesn't care one whit, but I'm happier ::) I'll be even happier when it's not a too bright shade of blue, but that will have to wait until fall. We did get some yard work done, and purchased a pallet of stone for a rock wall. Unbelievable how much a (fairly small) pile of rocks can cost... No comments about the rocks in my head being sufficient are necessary here ;D

The Burda jacket which many of you discovered on your way to the Millinery album ( no secrets here!!!) was to be previewed today. It was my hope ( with the aid of my teenage niece ) that I would be able to link my post with my pictures. There's nothing like a teenager to get one up to speed with the computer.

At any rate, this Burda jacket was recently finished but has yet to be worn. A new green linen arrival will make just the perfect sheath to wear underneath it and I had better get started or the summer will be over!!! One of the advantages I have in teaching others to sew is that I get to see garments made up on a daily basis.  A student had made this jacket for her sister and I had quite liked the lines . And although I like all the components of the jacket, I'm not 100% certain that I love the style on me. The few times that I have tried to wear it with light neutrals, I have taken it off. There will be no waist-envy with this jacket and perhaps a more fitted silouette is what I have become accustomed to wearing. And who knows, maybe one the green dress is complete, I will love the look!!!


Thank you Pam, Liana, Kathryn, Carolyn,and Mardel for your wonderful comments. Carolyn a special thanks for noticing my work-in-progress garden.  I seem to be spending more and more time outside with no end in sight!!! Liana, speaking of interesting people I encounter in life, the dress form that I use to shoot outdoors was given to me by an elderly student who relocated to a warmer climate. Majorie is a lovely woman who's mother was a survivor on the Titanic!!!


So glad you all enjoyed the Millinery album. Sydney and Emily had not crossed paths until that morning.  I had encouraged them both to bring in their hats for show/tell. It would be a tough to choice a favorite although I am partial to the bird hat.

Liana I love your lastest pants and apple top.  Very becoming and I am dying to know if the shoes are the same color as the pants.  All of my rayons have the same growth problems.  Recently I have taken to remarking/re-hemming skirts and dresses. Wish I had the answer.

Home dec is not even on my list. As a new bride, I tought I'd be divorced before my first anniversary due to my glacial-like pace in making bedroom curtains!!!