A Little Cleaning Out

We are on a waiting list for a home in a local retirement community and waiting is certainly descriptive since we have been doing that for nearly 3 years!  At least with no hurry, it gives me a chance to take a very close look at what will go with us and what won't.

While I have a wonderful sewing room in this house and I have loved being able to close the door when necessary, it will not translate to the new place when it finally happens.  I do happen to be the messiest sewer around, with projects everywhere in various stages of completion.  More than likely, when we finally move, my sewing will consist of mending and maybe an occasional project which will require the machine to disappear when it isn't actually being used.

So, I am posting pictures of some of my favorite sewing things I have collected over the years - an antique sewing bird, complete with both original pincushions.



This sweet pincushion/thread holder with what looks to be the original pincushion.
  

An old child sewing machine
  

If you would have an interest in any of these or would like better pictures (especially of the sewing machine, just let me know  (mamurray1120@gmail.com)  The price on the sewing bird is $100, the thread holder/pincushion and sewing machine are each $50.  Shipping would be extra on each of them but probably wouldn't be much.

Utilitarian things are already going away but I'm not seeing much space cleared yet!

New year, new post

A good blogger I'm not - obviously!  About 1 post a year seems to be all I can come with.  It's a shame that I know so little - I started a post about this robe and saved it (so I thought) but it doesn't seem to be here anymore!  So this is a start over!

I'm determined to sew up some of the fabric I have accumulated - not a lot by any means - but we are going to go to a retirement community, hopefully in the not too distant future.  I have made a decision to give up my sewing room and all the wonderful things in it.  Any fabric I haven't been able to use will go to someone who would appreciate it - I hope.  I will take my sewing machine - there is always mending of some sort to do - and thread, odds and ends.  I actually like buying clothes and I can usually buy a better fit than I can sew.

The Robe!  No, not the movie!  Pattern called for about 4 yards of 45" - I made it last year but made it too big so this was a second attempt.  I only had 2/1/2 yards of a black & white print purchased in Hawaii 15+ years ago so I was definitely setting myself up for frustration.  I ended up cutting 6" off the length, about 3" off the sleeve length then cutting a solid black to add back to the bottoms.  I ended up having to piece the front facings to get the length.  I added inseam pockets - also out of plain black and got them a little too low but they will work.

The robe I made last year went together to easily - I think I did most of it in an afternoon - but this one has been a multi-day nightmare.  If anything could go wrong it did!  But - it is done and I'm not sure I would ever do it again.
So, in all its glory, I present my new robe:

With a closeup of the pieced facing.

 

I'm actually sort of pleased with it after all - the buttons are a little small for the '"rat tail" loops and may have to be changed at some point but for now they are staying.

Next project will be finishing a green linen dress I cut out last spring and never got around to it!

Rainy May and almost half the year is over

With all my good intentions to sew more, I have been trying!  I was lucky enough to find a huge bag of laces that were dropped off to the senior craft shop donation table - many quite old, many very beautiful.  I trusted Oxo-clean to work its magic and have saved what I wanted, put the rest back on the donation table.

My first use was on a nightgown.  Several years ago, I was going to copy an old Barbizon gown, I bought some beautiful fabric and lace and proceeded to use my embroidery capability to begin the top part of the gown.  To be truthful, I really don't have the sewing ability to do some of the things I try and when frustrated, tend to give up and start something else.  That fabric, cut up gown, embroidered pieces and lace got moved from drawer to box, closet to closet over time.  I think I had cut chunks for the gown back and top but didn't attempt to continue.

Ok, fast forward to April 2016, I looked at that box and decided to get busy - I bought a gown pattern that looked simple, tossed out the old cut up gown and laid out the new pattern on the fabric pieces - oops, not enough width.  So, pieced enough to cut out the pattern, and sewed it up, using my serger to apply lace to the neck and armholes.  The bottom was sewn with a rolled him.  DONE!  No, you aren't going to see a picture - it needs ironing and I'm not going to do that but I am happy with it, it is comfortable and the pieced sides don't bother me at all!

Next project, golf wind shirt!  A friend gave me the fabric several years ago - I think she bought a lot to make one for herself and then had enough to share.  It, too, had been sitting for several years - aging?  I had the pattern because I had made one a long time ago.  I cut it out one afternoon, made the shirt the next day except for sewing on the bottom band which I did the following day - another DONE!


guess what - I don't play golf anymore!

One more project - I guess I can call it done because I'm not sure what else to do with it!  I've had Vogue 8430 for a while and wanted some boiled wool to make it.  Last fall, when we were in New York, I picked up some wool Melton with the thought of using it for the jacket.  I have read reviews all over the place, made notes of the hints that other people used in making the thing and finally bit the bullet and cut it out.  Carefully followed all the directions on the pattern, which were very limited - I need exact directions people!  I made a muslin, something I have never done before, and after looking at those pictures, I wasn't sure I even wanted to make the thing!
   

What a lot of fabric using the medium size!  The sleeves look enormous!  I tried folding out some fullness from the sleeves - didn't work so sleeves stayed.  I went straight to the small size, extended to front to match the back length and cut out the jacket.  It sat around for a couple days but I finally put the thing together - it was actually very easy to to.  I added the sleeves before sewing the side seams - not sure why the directions have you set the things in.  After I finished it, I took it to the dry cleaners for a good pressing and here is the result in an awful iPhone picture in the bathroom mirror!
                                             

It feels too big and I can't figure out what to do with it as far as closure.  I think my fabric was actually too heavy for this pattern - I don't think it will ever hang open like the picture on the pattern envelope.  A button or something might bring it in enough that I can wear it.  Really like the color though!

Next project is to work on t-shirts - I've made one that I rather like but want to do several at a time so that I don't have to keep dragging out directions each time.  I have a piece, actually 2 pieces of silk that I would like to make as a dressy T.  I saw one on Pinterest that was over $300 - surely I can put one together for a little less than that!  There is also a piece of linen that is waiting to become something wonderful - not sure what as it is only 2 yards (what was I thinking?)  A really wild piece of cotton voile is probably going to be another nightgown.  I had better get busy and sew some of this up - back to NYC next November and the garment district is calling me!

Another year already?

We all know about that favorite road, the one paved with good intentions.  I certainly seem to have worn quite a path in that thing, I've ordered fabric, I have bought fabric in NYC but I certainly haven't been sewing!  Right now I'm in Florida, with neither a JoAnns or Hancocks anywhere around and since I won't be home for another 6 weeks, I'm resisting the urge to order several patterns.  I keep clicking around the Grainline site and a few others - I probably need to not even look but I see something that a faster has posted and off I go on another search.  Maybe this time would be better spent working on a sewing schedule for when I get home - what pattern with which fabric and then stick to it!

I'm anxious to see Sarah's 40 this year - love the khaki pants - Mulberry Silks has the pattern so I will make a stop there on a spring road trip to visit relatives.  I fell in love with a silk T that I saw online so I bought silk in NY to try and recreate a $300 shirt - just wish I had made a note of the pattern I saw that should work for that.  I bought a really nice piece of red melton with the idea of using it on a Marcy Tilton pattern but now I'm wondering if it might be too stiff to fall well - will play with that as well before it gets hot.  Good intentions abound this year - since a move may throw a monkey wrench in all that, maybe I had better learn to sew fast!

Happy sewing all

I'm Back!

Obviously I'm not very good at blogging!  Would you believe that I found at least 3 unposted posts that were saved but never finished?  Sure you would - sort of like my sewing - started but not finished!

Today I am wearing my Style Arc "Barb" (or is it Barbara) black denim jeans and they feel pretty good - sure wish they had pockets though.  I like the pattern but not happy with Joann's stretch denim.  Without ordering though, that is about all that is around here.  My first pair were gray bengaline - don't remember where that was ordered from but I made them without washing the fabric first (gasp!)  Wish I had . .. . they shrank.  They went in the dryer as well - only added insult to injury.

What I have been sewing:  lots of tote bags for our local craft center which has crafts made by those 55 and older.  Younger crafters can join as well but it isn't cheap for them.  Beginning in October, purchases over $25 are put in a handmade tote bag.  Last year, they used over 450 bags so it was a good idea and helped increase sales.  No, I haven't made that many but I have tried to do my part by probably making 25 or so.  There are a few more hunks of fabric (all donated!) upstairs to cut and sew - I will finish those up before October 1.

I have made a dress - a Maria Denmark pattern "Audrey" in a gray with large black polka dots.  It fits but I don't think it looks very good on right now - 5 more pounds will help so I may photograph it then. I don't think it is ready for public viewing yet.

I found a book in my sewing room that I had forgotten about - very simple sewing - t-shirts and variations.  The patterns are by Simplicity but called Built by Wendy.  I've made two and I think I am pretty happy with the fit here and there.

This was the first attempt, using a size medium.  All done on the serger which included turning the serged neck edge and turning it under.  The sewing machine was used to top stitches the neck and hem the sleeves and hem.  I found a major problem with the sleeves - they ended up really wide at the bottom.  Hated the way it felt and looked so I pinched out a tuck at the bottom and stitched it right across the hem line.  Not the ideal fix but it's ok.

Next up is the second try made by using the small size rather than the medium.  I think it is a better fit but am considering cutting somewhere between the two for the next one.  I used a sleeve from another pattern, with a shorter cap and 3/4 length which I usually wear.  Short sleeves aren't friendly to old (mature!) arms and I don't think they are that much cooler in the summer.  this one was probably done about half serger and half sewing machine.  It has a neck band rather than just turning it under.  Sorry for the iPhone photos taken in the bathroom - rainy day and only place the light is light!  Guess I need to buy a tripod again.

Presto Popover!  The buzz word among the RTW fasters recently.  Inexpensive pattern that everyone is loving because it is so simple.  Weeeeelllll - not simple for some but I got it done.  Burrito - that is something to eat but it seems to mean something else is sewing - I understood what the final product was supposed to be but the folding and turning and all sorts of other things never did click - I just did it my way and got it together - but the pattern didn't match in the front.  I''m still not sure about the whole procedure - this was not a fun project - very slippery, slidey, thin material that fought me constantly.  BUT I am going to make another - blue/black animal print that I bought on eBay - love it!  It is heavier than the multicolored and might be easier to work with.  Not sure how the 2 layer front is going to be but it is worth another try.  The collar might do and look better with the heavier fabric too.

This hasn't been hemmed yet - actually it was but I didn't like the way it looked so I cut it off and now it is a little short so the new hem is going to be very narrow!

Long post but I think I am caught up until the next Popover is done - I will try to do better!

June already?

I'm a RTWF failure - I admit it, I bought a couple of tops for a trip - I just can't seem to get my sewing act together!  We just got back from two weeks in Italy and my one chance to maybe buy some silk in the Lake Como area didn't materialize.

I lost weight two years ago and was sort of ok with what didn't come off but somehow, that 10 has begun following me around again - I don't have a lot of interest in trying to fit what is here so I expect my summer sewing will be tops that can fit just about any body.  I have a piece of voile that will be cool and comfortable and that is going to be tomorrow's project, along with a petal skirt that was a free pattern from itch-to-stitch.com.  Hopefully both can be completed over the weekend - wish me luck!

The one thing I have managed to finish was another top, using the pattern from Marcy and Katherine Tilton's Craftsy class.  I don't love the fit of it but it is wearable.  I only used the small collar from the pattern - zippers along the edge of the collar didn't appeal to me and would have been too heavy for the fabric.  The close up of the neck shows about the way it looks all the time - not great but ok.

The wrinkles going from the armhole to the neck are only there because of how I was trying to hold the camera and photograph the thing - how awkward it is to take your own picture!  Unfortunately, the neck wrinkles stay no matter how I hold anything!  I don't remember where I got the fabric but it was an online order.  It washes and dries well and also travels well, as do all my tops.  Love being able to shove them in tiny places in the suitcase!

Shirt photos

Since I don't have anything to show yet for 2015 and an ironing board cover really doesn't count, I'm posting the only things I made last year.  Three tops/shirts from online somewhere, all of which have been worn repeatedly.

This one you have already seen but the photo shows more of the fabric - I can't tell you how silly I feel standing in front of a blank wall trying to take a picture of myself!  Maybe everyone feels the same?   Number 1:

I should have pulled the bottom down a bit - but didn't in any of the shirts.  Number 2:

Another with the bottom hiked up - I got tickled thinking about posing for photos!  And, finally, number 3:

As I put these on for the posing session, I realized how much I have learned just by reading your posts and looking at pictures.  I know now that I have some fitting issues that have to be dealt with - I never learned fitting in home ec classes in the dark ages.  I think we took a few measurements, bought a pattern and fabric, cut it out, sewed it up and wore it!  The shoulder is a little wide in all of these and I can't believe it but some wrinkles indicate a full bust adjustment is needed.  ME, needing a
FBA - amazing!  Sort of poor fit or not, I have loved these tops.  We travel a lot and they are wonderful to ball up in tiny spaces in the suitcase, never wrinkle, dry overnight and are comfortable no matter the weather.  I have yardage for several more but will search for a better pattern than what I cobbled together!