Stash Busting: Cotton Sateen Curtains

One more set of curtains rolled off the worktable this weekend.  This pair is made out of 100% cotton sateen sheet fabric.  I'm not upcycling here, this is a new fabric that I pulled from the stash.  Well, not really new, its been there for years.  But I digress.  

The open panel shown here is one 1/2 of the width of the fabric.  I actually cut it down the centre.  Same finishing as the previous version, a three inch upper casing for the curtain rod and a two inch hem.  

Sewing IS Political

This is one more Canadian made and tariff free project.  The fabric was in the stash for many years and was discovered in the home décor section at Marshall / Northwest Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The thread was pulled from the stash and is another item that has been there for years since I stopped purchasing Coats and Clark thread.  The fabric scissors used to cut the fabric are Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.   

Project details

Seams:  3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, ruler, measuring gauge, measuring tape, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, walking foot, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, back brace and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.   

Stash busting: Anneli Tee / Named Clothing Patterns

Now that the toile version of the Anneli Tee has been out for a couple of wears, fabric for a second version made it to the cutting table.  And sewn.  

This is one comfortable tee and it does satisfy my love for a wrap design and plays into the ability of styling it with brooches.  The colour of this tee will be perfect to wear with a vintage lemon print skirt I found many moons ago.  And with a little more ease added at the back, it can be worn comfortably over the back brace if I chose a different separate to wear with it.  

Other than the extra ease, I cover stitched the edged of the neckline and shortened the length by two inches.  Oh and the neckband was stitched with a half inch allowance.  

The fabric is a medium weight cotton knit.  It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the cutting table.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free garment.  The pattern is by Named Clothing and was purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The fabric has been in the stash for years and came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors used to cut this project were made in Taiwan and were purchased at Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  Most of the threads were pulled from the stash and purchased from Fabricland many moons ago.  The exception were Mettler threads for the cover stitch machine.  They were made in Europe and purchased at Lilax Studio, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company and were picked up online.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged, Coverstitched

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Pattern:  Anneli Double Front Dress & Tee by Named Clothing

Label:  1--"Look After Me" label by KATM

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, tailor's chalk, pins, wrist pin cushion, fabric scissors, thread clippers, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome 1000CP CoverPro machine, Janome 2000D AirThread serger, threads, thread clippers, tweezers, iron and ironing board, hand sewing needle, tailor's ham and seam ripper.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Gift Sewing: Cardigan / OOP Butterick 5760

It's been a few years since I made a cardigan with out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 5760.  The last time I made one was in 2018.  And then another request came for one with pockets and more ease.  I'm not quite sure what happened to my original copy of the pattern, lost in time I guess.  So I felt very grateful that I found an uncut copy of this pattern through a reseller.  

There were a few more changes to the pattern this time around.  The shoulders, armhole and neckline were cut at a size fourteen.  The sides were cut at a size twenty-two and the lower centre back was fanned out from the neckline to the hem on the centre fold to give a little more ease.  The sleeves and bodice pieces were shortened.  And front patch pockets were added.  

The fabric is a bonded knit that I found at Marshall Fabrics and one that has been seen before.  I used this fabric to make this top.  I found that this fabric worked best with OOP Butterick 5760.  It was a lovely fabric for the cardigan.  The fabric was previously pre-treated and ready for the cutting table.  There is still a couple metres left so there may be another appearance in the future.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  Everything used to make this cardigan, except for the pattern, was found in the stash.  The fabric, as previously mentioned, came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The out-of-print pattern, circa 2012, is a product of the U.S.A but did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff econony.  I found the new copy of the pattern through a Canadian reseller.  The scissors used to cut this project were made in Taiwan and were purchased at Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine is Gütermann threads and were made in Greece.  The threads used in the serger were from H. A. Kidd, a Canadian company and they were made in China.  All of the threads were purchased from Fabricland.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.6 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5760, circa 2012

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, tailor's chalk, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, paper scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Jean-a-ma-jig®, thread clippers, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, iron, ironing board, measuring gauge, clapper, sleeve roll, good tunes and tea.  

Elbows up and keep sewing.  

Pullover Top: OOP Butterick 5561

I've made a few versions of out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 5561 over the last decade.  Most were gifted and there is only one currently in the wardrobe.  It fits over the brace so I thought I would revisit this pattern.  

This is the latest version.  Yes, a floral print for spring.  Actually, it was the egg shell blue colour that drew me to this print.  

The fabric is a lovely cotton fabric that reminds me of a Liberty cotton print.  It's not a Liberty cotton.  I found this in the quilting side of the local Fabricland.  It's not a stiff quilting cotton.  It's actually quite lovely both in the print and texture.  I picked up the last two metres just because I was seduced by the colour, print and feel of the fabric.  Oh and it was on sale.  That helped too.  But I digress.  The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble through the wash cycle and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press.  It did have a shrinkage rate of about five percent.  Thankfully, with shortening the sleeve length, there was enough yardage of this 114 cm fabric to make this top.  The pattern calls for 2.4 metres.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  This current copy of OOP Butterick 5561 recently came from a Canadian reseller.  The original copy I had of this pattern is lost.  The fabric and interfacing came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The paper and fabric scissors used to cut this project were made in Tiawan and purchased at Fabricland.  The cotton Gutermann threads used in the serger were made in Greece and the silk thread used in the sewing machine were Swiss made.  The cotton threads were purchased from Marshall Fabrics and the silk thread came from Fabricland, both are Canadian fabric outlets.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres (115 cm wide)

Interfacing:  0.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5561, circa 2010

Additional Tools and Supplies:  cutting table, paper scissors, fabric scissors, pins, wrist pin cushion, measuring tape, ruler, tailor's chalk, canned air, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, iron, ironing board, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, tweezers, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax, sleeve ham, heat pad, many breaks and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Merino Wool Cardigan / OOP Kwik Sew 4192

 

Out-of-print (OOP) Kwik Sew 4192 hit the cutting table one more time.  And I am almost finished stash-busting the last of this black merino wool fabric.  Looking back on the blog, this fabric has been in the stash for at least nine years.  There is not enough left-over fabric for another cardigan, but maybe a sleeveless turtleneck?  Or more socks?  But I digress.  This cardigan is another piece that will fit into my Sudoku Wardrobe grid as a layering piece.  

The fabric is a lightweight merino wool that I found at Marshall Fabrics many moons ago as a bolt priced at $3.99 / metre or 99¢ if I purchased the whole bolt.  It was part of a collection of used bolts from a closed dressmaking shop.  And it was a bargain unheard of today.  How times have changed!  Of course, I took the whole bolt.  I can't remember how many metres were on the bolt but over the years, I've made five sweaters, many socks and a maxi-length turtleneck dress that is now re-fashioned as a skirt.   

There were a few modifications made to this version.  I added more ease at the side seams.  And pivoted at the centre back fold line at the neck adding more ease at the hemline at the centre.  I decided to leave the edges unfinished.  The previous versions have a rolled hem finished on the serger.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free garment.   The fabric, as mentioned, came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Kwik Sew pattern entered and left the stash before the convicted felon started a global tariff war.  I made a copy of the cardigan pattern before I resold the original pattern.  The scissors used to cut out this project are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company, purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Gütermann threads were pulled from the stash and likely came from Fabricland or Marshall Fabrics, both Canadian fabric outlets.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Pattern:  OOP Kwik Sew 4192

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pattern weights, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, pins, wrist pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Black Wool Knit Palazzo Pants / OOP Vogue 1334

Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1334 is all about comfort.  It has an elastic waistband that I can slip over the lower part of the back brace.  And I love the wide legs on these palazzo style pants.  It has a retro vibe that remind me of late 1960's Italian fashion and designers like Emilio Pucci.  Minus the vibrant patterned fabric, this pair is all about comfort in a neutral colour.  

This is a Today's Fit pattern by Sandra Betzina.  They actually turned out better than I hoped after reading some insights found on Pattern Review.  I have no dislikes to report.  This is an easy pattern to sew and came together quickly.  I would absolutely recommend this pattern for a beginner willing to give sewing knits a try.  Sandra Betzina lays out different fabric, fit and fabric scenarios to help make this pattern a success.  I highly recommend reading the "Before You Start" section of the pattern instructions. 

The only changes to the pattern was to cut the pants at a size F with the exception of size G at the side seams which I graded back down to F by the notch marking.  I wanted the extra bit of ease since I will be wearing these over the brace.  The hem length were cut at the smallest size.  The elastic width that the pattern calls for is a one inch width but I thought that the crotch length looked too big so I went with a two inch wide elastic.  I could have gone with a one and a half inch elastic if there was any left in the stash.  I was working with what I have on hand.  I would like another pair of these pants (they are that comfortable!) and I do have some gray French terry to make another pair, so I think there might be an elastic run in the near future.  

The photo of my pants do look much wider than the photo on the pattern envelope.  I wonder if this a reflection of the "Make the legs narrower" instructions listed within the "Before You Start" section?  Or maybe the pants on the pattern photo were made in a woven fabric?  Sandra Betzina also outlines how to make the fabric switch.  I wish the patterns would mention what fabric was used in their samples.  Anyway, these are the only things that may explain why there appears to be a difference in the drape and width between this project and the sample photo on the pattern envelope.  

The fabric is a medium weight wool knit and it has a lovely drape.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the dryer along with damp towels. 

Sewing IS Political

This is a Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the supplies used to make these pants were found in the stash.  The medium weight merino wool is the same fabric used for this hooded scarf and has been in the stash for a couple of years prior to the convicted felon's tariff war.  It came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue pattern is a recent Etsy purchase from a Canadian reseller.  The threads are Gütermann Threads and have been in the stash for a long time, likely from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors are from Taiwan and were purchased from Fabricland.  The elastic is also came from Fabricland.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  4.5 metres (this fabric was 110 cm wide)

Elastic:  1.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 1334, circa 2012

Label:  1--"one off" KATM label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, cardboard cutting mat (for table extention), pins, wrist pin cushion, paper scissors, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, safety pin and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Scoliosis Brace Cover / Body Sock

 

One more extended tube top / scoliosis brace cover / body sock.  Chose your label.  This is an undergarment that I can wear under the brace and turn it up from the bottom to cover the velcro straps and hopefully protect my clothing that I wear over the brace.  I copied the genius design from Brace Buddies, they get all the credit.  I highly recommend their products, I'm just trying to use up the stash and make a few at home. 

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  I should also mention that my inspiration from Brace Buddies is also a Canadian company--Go Canada!   The fabric is a cotton knit French terry from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The fabric scissors used to cut this fabric is a product from Taiwan, purchased from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were pulled from the stash, all Gütermann Threads.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine was made in Greece.  The polyester thread used in the serger was made in the U.S.A. purchased prior to the boycott.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre

Pattern:  None used, copied shape from a previously purchased Brace Buddies body sock.  

Additional Tools and Supplies:  cutting table, pins, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, measuring tape, measure gauge, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting and Revisiting a Favourite Issey Miyake Pattern: OOP and Vintage Vogue 2334

This top will see a lot of wear.  The fabric is a wool overlay on a knit, it's beautiful and warm.  I could really use some warm pieces right now.  The pattern is one of my favourites, a vintage Issey Miyake design, that is making a reappearance on the cutting table.  

This is a fun project.  It has some basic shaped pattern pieces that drape into an unique style.  The band on the bottom is off centre creating draping to one side.  There is more volume in the front to help with the draping effect created by the neck hole being cut on the back piece and having the circle piece drape over the shoulders into the front.  

The fabric is a black wool overlay with some lace like designs on top of a white knit.  I used the dryer and damp towel method to pre-shrink this fabric.  This fabric is warmer than the sweatshirt fleece fabric that I used on the first version.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made project.  Everything used to sew this project came from the stash.  The fabric originally came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The pattern in a vintage and previously used item pulled from the stash.  It was sadly a tariffed item after the convicted felon started a tariff war with the world.  I have since learned my lesson about not jumping off the boycott wagon even for an Issey Miyake pattern that I was searching for over the past few years.  It is not a mistake that I will repeat.  The scissors are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company.  The threads were from Gütermann, a German company and were made in Greece.  All of the threads were purchased at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  partially serged

Fabric:  2.1 metres 

Pattern:  Vintage and out-of-print Vogue 2334, circa 1989

Label:  1--"circa 2025" label by KATM (I'm trying to use them up)

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, cutting mat, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, measuring gauge, tailor's chalk, tailor's ham, fabric scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, thread clippers, canned air, seam ripper, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

An Accidental Design Change: Saddle Sock

The first saddle sock worked out perfectly and there were plans on making a couple more exactly like the first.  And then an accidental redesign happened when the latest version didn't fit quite like the original.  

This happened because of the fabric choice.  There are two made with an organic cotton fleece and this fabric does not have the stretch of the merino wool version.  I struggled to pull the curved end over the section of the Gensingen brace without success.  But that is okay because it is so incredibly soft that words can not properly describe and it covers the portion of the brace that most needs covering.  

Back to this fabric, there is absolutely no comparing this fleece to the polyester imposter typically found in most fabric stores.  I found this fabric at Marshall Fabrics and walked over to the polyester fleece only to see the difference.  At first touch, I was sold on the cotton fleece.  I want all of the saddle socks made in this fabric even if it means that the front tip is not covered.  Bonus point:  cotton fleece is breathable and hypoallergenic.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  None, it's fleece

Fabric:  0.3 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, paper scissors, pins, thread clippers, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing. 

Gift Sewing: OOP McCall's 7367

I thought my days of sewing vintage and out-of-print (OOP) McCall's 7367 were well behind me.  All my friends are well past the days of starting families and I no longer have workplace baby showers to attend.  I was wrong, there will always be beautiful babies to welcome into the world.  And for this occasion here is the latest baby jumpsuit.  

This is such a cute pattern.  Sewing vintage and OOP McCall's 7367 puts a smile on my face.  Although, working that ribbing around the armholes and legs can prove to be a bit of a challenge.  This time I didn't have to struggle as my cotton ribbing had ample stretch.  It's a well-drafted pattern. 

The fabric is a cotton sweatshirt fleece that I has been in the stash for so long that I don't recall where I found it.  It is left-over fabric from this project.  It was previously pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer.  The cotton ribbing was a recent purchase that was not pretreated before cutting out the cuff pieces.  My bad.  I know that if I were to shop for cotton sweatshirt fabric like this today, I would leave the store empty handed.  Fabricland is selling cotton sweatshirt fabric for $50 / metre and now-a-days it rarely goes on sale.  Let's just say that I'm so grateful this fabric was in the stash because it's really cozy and cute.  

Sewing IS Political

This is the latest Canadian 🍁 made and tariff free project to come from the work table as the convicted felon and his cohort down south escalates his global tariff war and annexation rhetoric.  As inflation is again creeping upwards, it's nice to know that there is a stash to draw from and avoid some of the higher costs that are hitting the stores.    

The fabric was in the stash from non-tariff days.  The snaps were from the stash and were lingering in there for years.  The twill tape is a recent purchase from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The out-of-print vintage pattern has been in the stash for over three decades and when I pulled it out my heart sank at the discovery that the back pattern piece was missing.  I was thrilled to find another copy of McCall's 7367 online find from an Ontario reseller.  Although, the pattern is a McCall's pattern and was originally printed in the U.S.A., no funds from this purchase supported the convicted felon's economy.  Same goes for the U.S.A. made Fray Check used on the tie ends as it was in the stash for years.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company and was purchased directly from the company.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  0.9 metres + 0.3 metres ribbing

Twill tape:  0.5 metres

Snap:  1 medium sized 

Pattern:  vintage and OOP McCall's 7367, circa 1994

Label:  1 "P.S. I LOVE YOU" label from KATM

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, paper scissors, fabric scissors, measuring tape, pins, pin cushions, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, AirThread 2000D serger, hand sewing needle, tailor wax, tailor's chalk, iron, ironing board, tweezers, lint brush and threads.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Children's Top: McCall's 7709

This is another gift project made with McCall's 7709.  

The fabric has made a previous appearance here and here as adult tops.  This project is made with left over fabric that turned out to be enough for a wee gal's top.  It is a lovely medium weight cotton and spandex knit that I found at Marshall Fabrics a couple of years ago.  It was previously pretreated and ready to cut.  

The pattern, McCall's 7709, was an easy project to sew.  No issues to report and it is recommended for a beginner willing to give sewing with knits a try.  The only thing that I changed was the length on the hem, shortening it by one and a half inches and sewing an one inch topstitched hem.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian 🍁 made and tariff free project.  No fabric or supplies used to make this top contributed to the convicted felon's economy.  The fabric, purchased a couple of years ago, came from Marshall Fabric, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The "designed and printed in the U.S.A." pattern was purchased during a liquidation sale in part of the consequences of the convicted felon's global tariffs.  To be honest, I don't think I would have added anymore children's patterns to the stash otherwise. The threads were all pulled from the stash and are Gütermann threads.  The fabric scissors used are Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom business and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company, purchased directly from their website.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged  

Fabric:  0.8 metre

Label:  1 KATM  "You Are Loved" label

Pattern:  McCall's 7709

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, Janome 4190 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, lint brush, tweezers, threads, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing!

Copy Cat San Francisco Baby Nursing Cover

This project is a request that recently came across the worktable, a baby nursing cover.  From the photo I was sent, I would be guessing at the details but thankfully there were more clues to be found within the advertisement.  

It is listed as 100 x 70 cm and it basically looks like an oversized rectangular shaped apron.  Sounds easy enough.  I had a piece of 100% cotton French terry leftover from these tops that fit the bill.  There was even enough to cut straps.  And the best part is that this piece was previously pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer.  I was all set to get to work.  

At first, I really didn't get the appeal of this project.  The frugal part of my brain thought why not just use a bath towel or blanket to cover up during breast feeding?  But it's the interior details that I started to "get it."  Yes, having those interior pockets can be helpful for having easy access to a burping cloth or soother for after the baby is fed.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian 🍁 made but sadly not a tariff free sewing project.  I've been trying hard not to avoid American products that could contribute to the convicted felon's economy or tax dodging oligarch's companies.  This is the first project this year that I purchased an American product to complete a sewing project.  

This project was finished with Tailor™ magnetic fasteners.  The package states that it's imported by Rose E Dee International Ltd. and was made in China.  Packaging information can hide some information from consumers but a little online research reveals that Tailor brand sewing notions are indeed an American company, founded in 1907 by professional tailor Frank Wawak.  Since these snaps are made of metal this project was impacted the tariff war.  I could have found a less expensive alternative to these snaps but I was considering the ease that these could provide while breast feeding.  I do like the product, I just don't like the tariffs and if it weren't for a gift project, I would have forgone this notion at this time.  

The fabric has been in the stash for quite some time and was originally found at Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads used on the sewing machine and serger were pulled from the stash and included some Coats and Clark threads that I'm trying to clear out of the stash.    

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Label:  "Made with Love" by KATM

Snaps:  2--25 mm magnetic 

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, ruler, measuring tape, measuring gauge, fabric scissors, pins, pin cushions, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, Jean-a-ma-jig™, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax, computer research, chai latte and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.   

It Has Pockets! The Assembly Line's Tulip Skirt / S:402

I've made a few Tulip dresses in the past but this is my first Tulip skirt which has some of the best design elements of the Tulip dress.  I am a fan of the front side pockets and the tulip shape of the skirt.  

It is a comfortable skirt and I do recommend this pattern.  I cut a size large knowing that it was going to be too big if I sewed the recommended seam allowance.  I thought if I sewed 5/8" seam allowances I would come closer to the fit I need.  In the end, I think I should have cut a size medium and could still have sewn a 5/8" seam allowance and achieve a good fit.  

The length was shortened two and a half inches and there is an one and a half inch hem.  The pockets were raised about an inch, three inches down from the waist cut edge.  

The fabric is a medium weight cotton sateen with some stretch that I pulled from the stash.  It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam pressing.  

Sewing IS Political

This skirt is the latest Canadian 🍁 and tariff free make.  Most of the material and supplies were found in the stash.  Some of the threads were new for this project.  

Sewing is a reprieve from all the chaos in the world.  After a recent visit to Canada from a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and listening to Senator Kevin Cramer during the press conference just makes me want to boycott American products more than I already am, if that is even possible.  It's not just the convicted felon's rhetoric regarding tariffs and annexation, it's also those who support him that is beyond belief.  And as a Canadian and consumer there is no way I would contribute or support the American economy while this is happening.  No means NO!  What part of that do these republicans and MAGA supporters not understand about no?  Even after the King of Canada read the Throne Speech, the annexation rhetoric continued to echo from across the border.  Let's not get me started on the U.S. Ambassador to Canada's view of the 51st comments and boycott of American products.  Again, mind blowing.  Trust me when I say there are plenty of American products on the store shelves in the hardware, grocery store and fabric stores, no one is buying it while the economic war, tariffs and annexation / 51st state rhetoric continues to circulate.  But I digress.  

Let's count the ways that this lovely project did not contribute to the convicted felon's economy.  

1. The Tulip skirt pattern is from The Assembly Line, a pattern company from Sweden.  I picked up this pattern after I stopped shopping American products which sadly meant saying good-bye to any future Vogue patterns.  I don't miss the American line of sewing patterns anymore, I actually found some beautiful patterns in queue from across the pond to keep me busy for the next while.  This Tulip skirt pattern is one of those patterns.  
2. The cotton sateen fabric was found in the stash and purchased before the convicted felon took office for the second time.  I found it in the discounted section of Fabricland, a Canadian fabric store.  
3. The scissors used to cut the fabric are Merchant and Mills, a company from the United Kingdom.  They were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian company.  
4. This project was sewn on Janome machines, a Japanese company.  
5. The zipper is a recycled 22" zipper from a previous project that was cut to size.  
6. Some of the threads used in the sewing machine and serger were Gütenmann threads from Europe and were purchased at Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric store.   There were some vintage spools of Ballet® brand threads found in Mom's thread box that were a close colour match and used in the serger.  
7. The label is from Kylie and the Machine (KATM), an Australian company and purchased directly from them to avoid shopping on Etsy.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  serged

Fabric:  2.5 metres

Basting tape:  0.60 metres

Zipper:  20 centimetres

Pattern:  The Assembly Line S:402

Sewing Label:  1--KATM "me made" label 

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, paper scissors, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, pins, wrist pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, invisible zipper foot, regular zipper foot, blind hem foot, screwdriver, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, lint brush, mini vacuum, tailor's wax, hand sewing needle, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing!

Stash busting: Merchant and Mills Trapeze Dress

I do love a loose A-line style dress so when I saw versions of the Trapeze dress from Merchant and Mills popping up I was sold and wanted to make one of my own.  I've been holding onto this pattern for sometime and finally can check this off the sewing wish list.  I like the nineteen sixties vibe of this style.  

The pattern is a simple dress design with a few variations.  You can make it sleeveless, with short sleeves or three-quarter length sleeves that actually would be long sleeves on me.  I did want to have sleeves but after reading review I thought that I should try this pattern out in the sleeveless version.  

Even though it appears in the line drawing to be drafted with no sleeve cap gathering, just easing.  There are a few versions out there that appear to have the sleeves gathered into the sleeve cap.  It is not a look I want.  I was also worried about reports that the sleeve opening is tight and I thought if I went with the sleeveless version, alterations would not be so challenging.  

There are also options for the centre back design.  It can be made with a centre back seam or centre back button closures.  I opted for a seamless centre back so that I didn't mess with the circular prints on the fabric and cut my fabric on the fold for both the front and back pattern pieces.  

I am disappointed there is no pattern for pockets included here.  It would have been nice.  Of course, that didn't stop me from adding side pockets.  I borrowed the pocket pattern piece from The Assembly Line's Tulip dress pattern.  There is no marking for where the waist or bust lines on this pattern, so pocket placement was figured out after a fitting.  

I did struggle with turning over the facing.  I am not sure with what I did wrong.  In the end, I cut open the neckline, ironed a narrow allowance on the facing and dress and then wrong sides together I hand stitched the neckline closed.  I guess this wasn't such a simple design or I just needed a cup of coffee.  

As far as the fit, I think I would have been okay going down a size.  I didn't find the armhole opening to be too tight as others have described.  There is good coverage in that area where undergarments are well hidden.  

Sewing IS Political

This project is completely Canadian 🍁 made 💕 and tariff free.  

I don't know if you've been hibernating this winter and just emerged to the news that the convicted felon down south and his cohort have declared an economic war on Canada and other countries around the world.  Right now the convicted felon has a global steel and aluminum tariff and Canada and other countries have rightfully responded with tariffs on American goods.  That means if I go to the fabric store, many sewing and fibre art supplies are more expensive.  I don't know if this was necessary since most Canadians are not touching, looking or buying American goods and add to that Canadians are not traveling down south like they did before.  But I digress.  

Thankfully, everything I need for this project did not originate from the United States and was already in the stash.  The fabric is a Japanese cotton that I picked up a few years ago at a Canadian fabric store, Marshall Fabrics.  The fabric scissors and sewing pattern are from a United Kingdom business, Merchant and Mills picked up via a Canadian fabric store, The Workroom.  There were no Coats and Clark threads that touched this fabric, all threads used were Gütermann threads.  And my sewing machines are all non-American machines.  

The Fabric

A swatch of this medium weight 100% cotton fabric was previously pretreated in the washing machine on the normal setting and the gold dots faded.  This time, I pretreated the fabric on the delicate cycle both with the washing machine and dryer.  It was followed with a steam iron pressing on the wrong side of the fabric.  Thankfully, it turned out beautifully.  I will have to take the same care when laundering the finished garment.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Pattern:  Trapeze dress by Merchant and Mills

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, iron, ironing board, measuring gauge, pins, pin cushions, Merchant and Mills fabric scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, seam ripper, wrist brace, back brace, tea, and many breaks between episodes of sewing.  

Stand Strong and Keep Sewing.

A Wool Wrap Skirt: OOP Vogue 2327

This wool wrap skirt is made with out-of-print (OOP) and vintage Vogue 2327.  This is the first time I'm working with this skirt pattern.  There was a moment during the construction process that I feared that it might not fit but the fit of this skirt is perfect.  I did use the petite markings on this project.  If I revisit this skirt pattern I wouldn't mind extending the front width, maybe to reach the front darts, to provide a wee bit more coverage.   

I didn't sew a loop for the one button suggested in the design.  Instead, I sewed buttonholes and two leather buttons on the left side plus one medium sized interior snap on the right side.  I think I will like to add one more snap just below the buttons for more coverage even though I plan to wear a slip with this skirt.  One end of the facing only allows for a quarter inch seam allowance and I don't understand the logic behind this, next time I will add a wee bit more to the facing end.  Otherwise the only other change worth mentioning is the length.  The pattern calls for a two inch hem but I thought it would be shorter than I like so I did a 5/8" top-stitched hem.  

This is my latest Canadian-made 🍁 and tariff-free sewing project.  All of the materials, tools and equipment used to make this skirt were pulled from the stash.  The wool fabric came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric store.  The pattern, although an American product when it originally came out in 1999, is a vintage and second-hand find purchased from Winnipeg Sews.  The buttons are upcycled.  The threads are a combination of Gütermann and Coats and Clark thread, all from the stash.  I'm clearing out the last bits of Coats and Clark threads and not replenishing them after they're cleared from the stash.   

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.8 metres wool 

Interfacing:  0.8 tailor's interfacing

Buttons:  2--1" leather buttons + 1--1/4" button

Snap:  1--medium sized snap

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 2327, circa 1999

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Folding table, Merchant and Mills fabric scissors, thread clippers, ruler, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, threads, clapper, buttonhole cutter, cutting board, measuring gauge, tailor's chalk, tailor's wax, hand sewing needle, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, vintage Brother sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, mini vacuum, tweezers, lint brush, screwdriver, scrap pieces of fabric to test buttonholes, iron, and ironing board.    

Stand Strong and Keep Sewing!