August in Review...

As seen in the collage, my creativity is still on hiatus. I wish I could say that I spent my time doing something fun. I can not. What little time I did spend sewing was none-the-less enjoyable and practical. And I'm pleased that I can finally cross sewing jeans off the sewing bucket list. 

This month the following was stash-busted:   

• 4.8 metres fabric 
• 2.3 metres of interfacing
• 2 - 7" zippers
• 0.7 metres elastic
• 2 - metal jean buttons
• 1 metal hook and eye
• 1 new pattern 
• 1 free PDF pattern

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

Now that I finally found an appropriate sized box, I need to pack these up, head to the post office and get these shipped.  It's another batch of scrub caps that I've been sitting on for way too long.  

This project kept my hands busy and provided a sense of helping out during the pandemic even though this has been in a very small way.  It has also been a great way to use up some fabric scraps. 

The solid yellow cotton and yellow floral silk/cotton print (shown at the bottom) were remnants from slip projects.  The blue and white Japanese cotton and pink lightweight linen scrub caps were made from new yardage.  The red polka dot cotton fabric was left over from little girl dresses.  The blue chambray scrub cap was made with left-over fabric from a Dad and little boy set of shirts.  The blue bird cotton print fabric was left over from a dress.  The blue bee printed cotton was a quilting cotton picked up with the thought of making microwave cozies.  They are going to some hard working nurses at a long-term care home who were working during the pandemic.  I hope these provide a sense of appreciation for all that they do for the people they're caring for during this challenging time.  

I'm going to move onto sewing face masks.  There has been a call from local homeless shelters for these and there is still small pieces of cotton fabrics that I can use for this project.  I'm going to try another pattern though. 

In other sewing news, my version of the Strassburg Sock works. It's not my fanciest sewing but it is one of my projects that I'm most proud of, go figure.  

This week I was shocked by a Alexander McQueen jacket with Melania's not so subtle attempt to highlight her husband's "law and order" rhetoric. There was something so very ominous about the outfit choice for a political speech.  

Her costume choice spoke volumes over her scripted speech. Not all communication is verbal as noted in Bethan Holt's piece "Battle-ready:  What's the Meaning Behind Melania Trump's Military Jacket." Considering that McQueen's earliest collections earned him a reputation for controversy and shock tactics perhaps the decision to go with a McQueen military jacket for this event shouldn't have surprised anyone. 

All this military costume dressing makes me want to sew a white pants suit. Or at least something more cheerful as the state of the world makes me shake my head at times.  

It might be time to break out Butterick 5898 and a lama print to create a wrap dress. I could really use something cheerful to wrap myself in just about now. Or it might be a t-shirt, pajamas?  I still have some time to decide as I get to work on more face masks.  

Well, that's all in sewing news today.  

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

When It's Not in the Budget: Night Splint

Sewing this summer certainly has focused, more than anything else, on pandemic sewing:  face masks, scrub caps, and repeat. All this medical-inspired sewing has prepared me for another challenge. 

This little contraption is called a night splint or The Strassburg Sock. It's used to help people with heel pain and even though there is no defiant scientific proof that it works I'm willing to try anything at this point.  I'm just not willing to spend $60 Cdn for one sock especially when I believe that I can make one.  

Why not?  The story of The Strassburg Sock started out this way.  

In 1993, using a tube sock, a piece of material, and my wife's sewing machine, late one night I devised a crude device to hold my foot in position while sleeping. The next morning I felt a significant reduction of pain as I took those first steps out of bed.

If it could work for the creator of The Strassburg Sock, I thought I might be able to save myself some cash. 

I think this might actually work. I'll be testing it out tonight.  

Happy Sewing!

 

Bootcut Jeans: Butterick 5682

These are my first pair of jeans post-toile.  And it really is a fluke that I've just sewn "this season's It jean."  Who knew bootcut jeans were back in style?  It's not the reason I've sewn this style.  I'm more about sewing comfortable clothing than sewing trends. And trust me no one wants to see me in skinny jeans. Oh wait, those aren't in style anymore. This couldn't have worked out more perfect.  

I did tweak the pattern on this version. I raised the crotch length about 3/8" and adjusted the shape of the front pocket for more depth. Oh, and the front fly is not as instructed, I didn't cut down the 7" zipper, rather I lengthened the front fly pattern pieces and kept the zipper it's length. The belt loops were left off because I never wear a belt.  

The 100% cotton denim has been in the stash for many moons. To be completely honest I can't remember when or where I picked this up. It's a heavier weight denim and these jeans will be perfect for doing yardwork. They're strong enough to handle the work. 

The fabric was pre-treated with three washes before hitting the ironing board for a good steam pressing. I don't usually pretreat fabric in this way but I wanted to be certain there won't be any shrinkage or fading once they hit the cutting table. For the final drying process I hung the fabric outside to dry.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 length

Seam Finish:  serged and top-stitched with jean thread

Tips:  If you can find a Jean-a-ma-jig, it's worth having around for getting over the extra thickness of fabric while top-stitching.  

Fabric:  2.10 metres denim

Lining:  0.20 metres

Interfacing:  1.10 metres fusible

Closures:  7" metal jean zipper and 2 metal "no sew" jean button (ruined the first button)

Pattern:  Butterick 5682

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, measuring tape, tailor's chalk, measuring gauge, clear ruler, seam ripper, sewing machines (Janome for most of the construction and the vintage brother sewing machine for the buttonhole), zipper foot, clear presser foot (for topstitching), basting tape, hand sewing needle, thimble, clapper, iron, ironing board, thread clippers, pin cushions, cutting board, hammer, screwdriver, the jean-a-ma-jig and a wee break for some birthday cake.  

Happy Sewing!

 

Back to School Face Masks

These polka-dot cotton face masks are to be gifted as part of require back-to-school gear. Not much to say except, of course, I revisisted the Dhurata Davies face mask pattern. This pattern has become my go-to pattern for sewing face masks. It's a bit more effort than the Craft Passion face mask but the fit makes it worth the extra effort.  

The outer fabric is a quilting 100% cotton recently picked up for this project.  Two masks are lined with white 100% cotton pique fabric left over from this project. The third mask is lined with 100% cotton fabric, left over from this project. All fabrics were previously pre-treated.  

The Stats

Fabric:  0.40 metres (for 3 face masks)

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  Free Dhurata Davies 

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, tailor's chalk, measuring gauge, iron, ironing board, sewing machine, serger and tea.  

Stay Safe, Be Kind and Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

I think I'm hooked.  

There's currently 2.1 metres of denim being laundered in preparation for another pair of jeans.  

The turnover on a project from toile to willing to cut into a precious fabric has never been this quick.  

Who knew that making jeans would be what kick-started my sewing mojo?  

I haven't been able to stop wearing the white jeans since I made them.  

They're that comfortable.  

And I can't wait to get started on the next pair.  

I heard that you should pre-wash denim three times before cutting it to make sure there no more risk of shrinkage.  

That's what I'm doing.  

In the meantime, there is more mask making projects in the works.  

Ontario was the first province in Canada to mandate mandatory face masks for grades 4 to 12 students returning to classes next month.  

Alberta announced the same measures yesterday.  

Fingers are crossed that Manitoba will follow with this measure.  

I don't like risks when it comes to denim and viruses.  

Better safe than sorry.  

I'm sewing masks for my friend's daughter.  

They're lucky enough to live in one of the provinces that have a mandatory face mask policy at schools.  

Her favourite colour is purple.  

There is not a lot of purple cotton or linen fabric in my stash.  

I found this polka dot white and purple fabric at Fabricland.  

I feel safer shopping there. 

They make the customers wear face masks from the start of re-opening.  

That in itself deserves my business.  

Everyone in line to get their fabric selections cut were purchasing fabric for facemasks.  

Every. Single. Person. 

Several of them were sewing masks that they sell on Etsy.  

Many were waiting for the bolts of NHL hockey print fabrics to be passed along.  

Funny, no one else seemed interested in the purple fabric.   

This is perfect.  

Because I might have to go back to get more.  

That's all in sewing news today.

Stay Safe, Be Kind and Happy Sewing!

White Jeans: Butterick 5682

Sewing a pair of boot leg jeans has been on my sewing wish list for a long time. These are a wearable toile.  

It all started with Butterick 5682. It's a pattern that has been in my stash for about as long as I've been thinking about sewing my own jeans. 

I picked up this pattern because its description states that it sits at the waist and I really didn't want to have a pair of low-rise jeans. It's not a good look on me. During the sewing process, I feared that these may also be ones that sit a bit lower than the waistline. 

It didn't help when I was confused with this note found on the waistband. They do indeed sit at the waist, much to my relief. I'm not so sure about the fly front though. It calls for you to cut a seven inch zipper, I think the next pair I'm going to adjust the fly and fly facing pieces to modify this part. And perhaps adjust the crotch depth.   

Next pattern fix, I will be adjusting the size and shape of those front pockets. The front pockets are more decorative than functionable. I need functionable pockets. And since I do have a tummy issue, I would even consider extending the width of the pockets all the way to the fly facing pieces as I have seen in RTW jeans.  

And the length, I didn't quite get it right when I shortened the pattern piece. I missed the mark. It's just a little bit short, actually they're perfect unhemmed. To finish the hem I used seam binding. I'll correct the length on the next pair.  

Since this is a toile, I didn't complete all the top-stitching in the crotch seam. 

The pattern is worth a re-visit and there is some dark denim that I'm willing to cut into for the next pair.  

The fabric used for these white jeans is a 100% cotton soft denim that I found many moons ago at Northwest / Marshall Fabrics. It's the same fabric that I used for the first batch of face masks so I actually have a matching face mask to wear with these. The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a good pressing.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 stitch length and 5/8" seam allowances, 2.8 stitch length for top-stitching.  

Seam finish:  Serged

Tips:  Double check the pant leg length with a pair of trousers or jeans that you already like and wear. (This is a reminder for myself).  

Fabric:  2.10 metres

Interfacing:  1.2 metres fusible

Closures:  7" zipper and metal hook.  

Pattern:  Butterick 5682

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, scissors, measuring gauge, thread clippers, tweezers, hand sewing needle, bandage, sewing machine, clear presser foot, zipper foot, serger, threads including jean thread for top-stitching, and tailor's wax, 

Stay Safe, Be Kind and Happy Sewing!