Stash busting: Boy's Winnipeg Jets Shirt / McCall's 8537

This is a gift sewing project, a boy's NHL print shirt featuring the Winnipeg Jets logos.  The fabric stores have a selection of sports themed fabrics to satisfy sports fans across the hockey league and other sports franchises.  And this shirt is going to be gifted to a big sports fan.  

The fabric has been in the stash for awhile, picked up on a rare occasion when the NHL line of fabrics went on sale.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam pressing before moving onto the cutting table.  There was noticeable shrinkage in this 100% cotton fabric.  

Let's talk about McCall's 8537, it's a keeper and I only made the shirt.  I bought the pattern for the vest.  This is a well drafted shirt pattern, everything pieced together perfectly.  The instructions are well written and thoughtful.  Like all patterns there is a glossary of sewing techniques that are also highlighted within the instructions.  I was quite surprised that find an explanation for staystitching that felt like encouragement not to skip this step.  And the instructions include a QR Code linking the customer to sewing videos.  I didn't view the videos but I can appreciate how this would be a welcome tool to the younger sewing audience.  Oh, I just dated myself there without displaying my vintage Vogue Sewing book from the 1970s.  But I digress.  It is a beginner friendly pattern.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  This fabric came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The McCall's pattern was printed in 2024, the year that the convicted felon was elected back into the white house and escalated his anti-Canadian and tariff war rhetoric.  This pattern was not on my radar until it was discovered in the discounted basket as Fabricland announced their discontinuation of sewing patterns.  Although I jumped off the boycott wagon to pick this pattern up, I'm glad I did as the big four patterns are a scarce find lately.  The patterns were deeply discounted and Simplicity website no long ships patterns internationally.  It's the end of an era.  The fabric scissors are from Merchant and Mills, a United Kingdom company and were purchased at The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The buttons were recycled and found in Mom's button stash.  They were gifted for this project.  The label is from Kylie and the Machine (KATM), an Australian company and were purchased from their online site.   

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.9 metres (115 cm width)

Interfacing:  0.7 metres

Buttons:  6--1/2" recycled buttons

Pattern:  McCall's 8537, circa 2024

Label:  1--"original" label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, measuring gauge, fabric scissors, paper scissors, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, Brother vintage sewing machine, threads, thread clippers, buttonhole cutter, cutting board, hand sewing needle, lint roller, tailor's wax, sleeve ham, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

New Raincoat: OOP Vogue 2571

It's November, there is no snow on the ground and a raincoat project hit the worktable.  There might be a chance to wear this before spring since the temperatures are lingering in the plus side.  But I digress.  

The fabric was spotted in the discount section of the fabric store.  It's a polyester waterproof fabric that has a fleece backing.  I failed on the "No More Polyester" pledge with this fabric.  But it's a cute print and water rolls off the surface.  

The pattern is a repeat project with out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 2571.  I used this pattern to make a winter jacket and figured that it could work as a spring / fall jacket as well.  Since this fabric has a fleece backing, I did not make this a reversible garment.  The fabric doesn't fray and I'm cool with leaving the edge unfinished.  The pockets were omitted and the sleeves and coat pieces were shortened to the petite markings.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian and tariff free project.  The fabric was found at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue pattern is a U.S.A. product but came into the stash in 2023 via a Canadian pattern reseller.  It did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff economy.  The scissors used to cut the fabric were purchased at Fabricland.  The polyester thread were pulled from the stash and likely came from Fabricland.  

Project details

Seams:  3.5 straight stitch

Seam finish:  None needed

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Velcro:  7--3/4" circular shaped, stick-on Velcro pieces

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 2571, circa 2001

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, fabric clips, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot and thread clippers.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

In Sewing News Today

Sewing IS Political

And congratulations U.S.A. on your mid-term election results.  Kindness prevailed.  Thank you.  The world is breathing a sigh of relief.  I cried at this imagine that appeared during the news coverage last night.  Thank you.  I needed that cry.  

Sewing is political.  All the chaos and corruption affected the sewing mojo and costs at the stores and the availability of supplies.  I can breathe a little easier and I actually felt the desire to cut out a project and sew today.  The past two years of the convicted felon's rule is not over, that is understood.  The boycott is not over.  But there is hope.  

Sewing is political.  The budget will be released tomorrow and sewing entered the political sphere with the finance minister's tour of Pajar, a Canadian manufacturing facility.  It is not just a tour, the finance minister will assist in making footwear before picking out a pair of shoes.  Here in Canada, there is a tradition of wearing (or not wearing) new shoes as a signal of the direction the budget will take.  It appears the budget will focus on supporting our Canadian manufacturing sector.  We'll see if that is the correct visual message tomorrow.  In the meantime, I should get back to that sewing project while I still have some sewing mojo.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.   

Monday's Mending Pile

There has been way more mending, repairing and just simple caring for the me-made of the past and other items around the house.  This has been a shift in this sewing journey.  Once upon a time, I really did not like mending and the mending would pile up.  Not so much lately.  I like my clothes and want to keep them in rotation while they are still functionable and fit.    

This reversible jacket was showing some wear around the cuff area.  It just needed some care and love to get it back to looking like new.  

Tools & Supplies:  Lint brush, thread clippers, WonderLint fabric shaver, ironing board.  

A fitted bed sheet became a mending item when a tear was discovered near the elasticized corner.  It was patched with a sewing machine stitch.  

Tools & Supplies:  Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, thread, and thread clippers.  

These pants ended up having a small section on the back crotch seam fixed before I accidently put them in the washing machine in a regular cycle and shrunk them.  If I lose some weight and never bend down while wearing them, maybe I will be able to wear them again.  I defiantly can not put my hands in the pockets anymore.  They are a little too snug in the hip area.  There looks like a refashion project just might be in the works.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

 

Stash busting: Instead of Curtains...

This morning it was back at the sewing table to make a narrower width of the curtain.  This one will fit more like a panel over the window.  The final decision of gathering or not is for someone else to make.  Although I do have an opinion on which one I prefer.  This is purely a gift sewing project so I'm leaving it to the gift receiver to make.  I'm done at this stage, I just have to finish the bottom hems once a decision is made.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  left over piece from yesterday's project

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, fabric scissors, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: New Silk Curtains

There was some more home décor sewing happening this afternoon.  This curtain panel was made for a tall narrow window.  It is seventeen inches wide and eighty-eight inches long.  The fabric is a home décor silk fabric that I found in the discounted section many, many moons ago.  Held up to the window, it did let more light through than wanted so this was double for more coverage.  Another easy peasy project.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  The fabric was pulled from the stash and entered before the convicted felon started his trade wars with the world.  This beautiful silk was found at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  No pattern used but there were rulers and measuring tapes utilized and were from the stash as well.  The fabric scissor used to cut this project are from Merchant and Mills, a U.K company.  They were purchased from The Workroom another Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were all pulled from the stash and were likely picked up from Fabricland.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.3 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, straight ruler, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, regular presser foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, seam ripper, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Refashioning the Wrap Dress Into Something I Will Actually Wear

Many moons ago, I scored the original copy of a DVF wrap dress pattern, vintage Vogue 1610.  Today, you can find a copy via Vogue patterns as many DVF patterns are being re-released.  This re-released wrap dress design is now listed as Vogue 2040.  It's a lovely pattern and if you do fancy yourself a wrap dress, I would certainly recommend it as a pattern to try.  

My wrap dress wearing days are behind me, due to scoliosis, this is not a flattering look on an asymmetrical body no matter how loud fashion influencers and fashion writers claim it's a miracle garment design.  It's pretty darn close though.  But I digress.  Other than to say, wear whatever you feel good in.  The wrap dresses are not so much doing it now-a-days.  Even so, I could not let the dress go.  It was the fabric.  That gorgeous cotton knit that came from Emma One Sock many moons ago.  Swoonworthy is the fabric.    

I got to work deconstructing the dress to see if I can salvage enough of the fabric to make something that would actually work in the wardrobe these days.  And I came to the conclusion that I need want  another sleeveless polo neck (turtleneck) top.  I cut the pattern pieces so that I could keep the hem from the dress and everything worked out nicely.  I did add a bit more ease to the polo neck (turtleneck) pattern piece and added as much ease as I could at the sides, centre front and back.  That's about it, easy peasy.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  The fabric came from a company in the U.S.A. before the convicted felon started his trade war with the world and made fabric shopping from the U.S.A. crazy expensive, unless you're a billionaire.  I am not, so no more EOS shopping has been happening the past few years.  The vintage pattern is also a product of the U.S.A. and I'm happy to report it contributed to the local economy.  It came from a Canadian reseller.  The fabric scissors are from Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were pulled from the stash and were purchased at Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company that now ships from Canada so that we can avoid paying tariffs.  Thank you KATM!   

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged and cover stitched

Fabric:  Skirt portion of one wrap dress

Label:  1--"me made" label

Pattern:  Vintage and OOP Vogue 7323, circa 2000.  

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, seam ripper, fabric scissors, pins, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, regular walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, Janome 1000CP coverstitch machine, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle, silk thread for basting, clips, pin cushion, pumpkin spice latte and a wee little break.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.