In Sewing News Today...

There is some new fabric in my stash. I found some lining and light-weight fleece fabric for my winter coat project. Over on Pattern Review there is a beautiful coat where it was mentioned that it was underlined with a micro-fleece. What a great idea! Especially since the Farmer's Almanac is predicting another brutal winter [fingers crossed it ain't so]. But just in case the Farmer's Almanac is correct, the fleece underlining will make the coat toasty warm.  

I'm all set with all the fabrics. I just have to clear some time in my sewing schedule to get to work on this project. 

And also waiting to be made: I wanted to make a tailored jacket using Vogue 8333 for quite some time. While at Marshall Fabrics (where I found the lining fabric above), I came across this lovely tweed fabric.

It is brown with pink specs in it. I know there is a lot of pink tones in these fabrics--I don't know what has come over me. I can't believe I'm saying this but I like pink and browns together. Mama R also likes it and would like a jacket out of it if there happens to be any left over. I will have enough for two jackets. Looks like I'll be busy making jackets and coats this winter.   

In other sewing news, one of the students at the school I work at stopped me in the hall to ask when sewing club will be starting. How cute is that! I think I might be more excited about this activity than the kids (if that is even possible) because I was off to High Tea Bakery to see if they will be willing to make some sewing themed cookies for our first "sewing class." I figure that since we plan to have our first sewing class before the end of September and September is National Sewing Month it would be a nice way to kick things off. And they can do it! I just have to finish off the sewing kits and my co-worker is working on a cross-stitch sample and then we are ready for the big day. I think I'm as excited as that student who stopped me in the hall. I can't wait.

And, talking about being super excited, I finally got my hands on a copy of The Lost Art of Dress by Linda Przybyszewski.

This will be my next read once I finish The Pink Suit. The book is on the back burner while I finish off the sewing kits. So Sew much to do, sew little time!

Happy Sewing!

Book Review: Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing

Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing Step-by-Step Techniques for Making Clothes and Home Accessories

Published by Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

Consulting Editor: Susan Huxley  

ISBN:  978-1-60652-208-0

Retail:  $39.95 (Cdn)

I was quite curious about the 2011 edition of the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing. I have the 1978 edition in my personal sewing library which has been a valuable resource over the years. I was curious to see what makes this latest edition "new" and when I came across it at the public library a couple of weeks ago, it was my chance to see what I was missing.  

The most noticeable difference is that the 2011 edition is smaller. Significantly smaller with 144 pages less than the original edition. It is more streamline with glossy pages and update photographs. 

The updated version boasts "all-new projects from Simplicity patterns" on the front cover. Simplicity 2652 is used to illustrate French seams.  Simplicity 3565 is highlighted for dress pants with a waist binding and darts. Basically, these examples are eye candy promoting the pattern company but it is nice to see techniques matched up with a pattern. I do like the example of the little girl's smocked dress where Simplicity 2767 was modified to for the smocking on the bodice front. The Simplicity patterns that are matched up with sewing techniques date this book as the examples listed here are now out-of-print patterns.  

In the 1978 edition, the patterns shown as examples can easily be made today as they are mapped out on grids and include cutting measurements where the new book guides you to a pattern that you need to purchase.  

The line drawings for the most part are exactly the same as in the original version. The original  edition credits The Singer Company with technical assistance in the preparation of book and the latest version does not. I found this to be interesting because the line drawings for the most part (exception is colour shading) are exactly the same as in the original.  

I was sad to find the two pages dedicated to the invisible zipper omitted from the newer version. Why the editors would decide on this I don't understand.   

Another noticeable difference is the "Sewing for the Home" chapter in the original version has been replaced with a chapter on "Patchwork and Quilting." It includes a page dedicated to the history and revival of quilting since the 1970s to the emergence of art quilts that find their way into museums. Instead of a chapter on "Sewing for the Home," curtains were a featured as one of the projects without a dedicated Simplicity pattern example.  

If you were to ask me which book I prefer, I would have to say the original. I prefer the detail in the 1978 edition over the glossy pages and colour photographs that are forefront in the later version. That said, it is a highly recommended reference book. I just prefer the original. Why mess with a good thing?

Happy Sewing!

One Last Pair of Pants

Stash busting 2014:  Vogue 1325 Wool Pants

Fabric:  2.1 metres of 100% British wool
             0.1 metre of fusible interfacing

Zipper:  7" regular zipper

Snap:     1 set of metal pant hooks.

Thread:  I finished off another spool of thread during this project.

These pants are my latest version of Vogue 1325. This is number six and I think I'm all set in the pants department.  

I'm quite smitten over this pattern with the raised waistline, front pockets and wide legs that can easily hide the knee brace. They are a conservative style that it will keep the workplace bosses happy too. What is not to love about this pattern. I would highly recommend this pattern without hesitation.  

That said, after six pairs of these in my closet, I do believe it is time to retire this pattern. But I will keep the pattern in my collection. You never know when another pair is needed. Do you have a favourite tried and true pants pattern that you love to sew?  

The fabric is a medium weight British wool that I picked up for 70% off at Fabricland earlier this summer. You can't find pants like these in RTW for how much it cost to make. Gotta love it when that happens! The zipper was a rescue from a other garment that was destined for the donate pile. The pant hooks were busted from my notion stash. And the thread was whatever I found in my stash that was a close match. I don't sew a lot of taupe / beige coloured projects so I wasn't keen on adding anymore thread just to match it perfectly. I was able to polish off a partially used spool of thread. Yeah, stash busting!   

Happy Sewing!  

Tackling the Ever Growing Mending Pile...

Part I

Oh what is it about mending and alterations that I just don't like? Let me count the ways... 

1. mending is tedious, in the dull sense of the word.  
2. It cuts into my creative ventures.
3. It bores me silly. 

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You get the gist, right? Sometimes I can justify taking in my own mending and alteration pile to a professional like this project that I feared.  

My favourite jacket, sized as a petite, had sleeves that were much too long. I wore it a few times with the sleeves turned up but I longed to have them turned up. The functionable buttonholes and mittered corners stumped me so I took it in to have it altered. Stitch It Clothing and Alterations fixed it for me. 

They did a great job even without being able to save the functionable buttonholes, they did a way better job that I could. I wish I could afford to give them all my mending and alterations.

✄ ✄ ✄  

One of my knickers made it to the mending pile when I poked a hole into the knit fabric with my finger nail. Totally by mistake. All it needed was a dab of Fray Check and just to have a needle and thread run through it--a five minute job that waited weeks to be done. And then I clipped my nails down to a less-dangerous length.

✄ ✄ ✄ 

Mama R threw some of her mending and alterations my way. How can you say "no" to your mom? I wouldn't want to anyway. I'm lucky to have her in my life, even if she does give me her mending to do. This RTW shirt needed to be shortened. I had to dig out my jean-a-ma-jig to help with the bulky sections but again, it was another quick fix that waited too long to get done. My bad.

✄ ✄ ✄   

Okay, I had a really good excuse for these pockets taking so long to materialize. I spent some time searching for the left-over fabric that I mis-placed while cleaning up my workspace.

Mama R wanted pockets added to her housedress. Yes, I made this dress back in May. That is how long she has been waiting for pockets to be added to her dress.

Have I mentioned how patient this woman is with me?

I was lucky to have enough of the navy fabric left over to squeeze in a band on the top of the patch pocket. Mama R didn't care if it had the navy trim, she just wanted pockets. But once the pockets were done she was happy that it matched the upper portion of the dress. Although, I'm not sure if it made up for the time it took me to complete this request.

I can't take all the credit on this mending and alteration job. Mama R let the dress out herself. Armed with a seam ripper, she let out some of the seam allowance on the curved dart in the front and restitched a new seam allowance. It worked out perfectly giving her the desired amount of ease.

Much more on the mending pile, stay tuned for Part II.

Happy Sewing!

Pattern Give-away Winner: The Mad [Wo]men Package

Good morning, 

It is very early and I have a few moments before I head off to work so I won't take too much time...

the winner of The Mad [Wo]men Pattern Package is... 

Mary Maryall!  Congratulations! Thank you for leaving your email address, I'll send off a message right away.

Thank you to everyone who entered the pattern give-aways this summer. I hope you have fun sewing them all up!

Have a great day and Happy Sewing!

Mismatched Plaid

Stash busing 2014:  Loose-fitting Very Loose-Fitting Vest

Fabric:    2.3 metres

Buttons:  2

Pattern:   Butterick 6064

I loved the look of the draped neckline on this vest when the pattern came out. I'm not quite as excited about this pattern while sewing it up though. It is not a bad pattern, I just can't pin-point when my enthusiasm became deflated.

I love the fabric and goodness knows I love a plaid. So, that is not it. The fabric is a silk and cotton blend that I found at Fabricland. It has blue, beige and gold tones in it. I did a horrible job at matching the plaids at the side seam because I was too cheap to purchase extra fabric to match the plaid. I'm good with my cheapness. The pockets are designed to be at a slant so there was no way of matching them with the fashion fabric. The pattern does say that it is unsuitable for diagonals. I'm starting to think it might not be suitable for plaids as well.

The buttons were found in my button stash. I used a clear button for the interior button and I found a button for the exterior that picked up on the colours in the plaid. The armholes are finished with bias strips cut in the fashion fabric.

The pattern is nice. kAtheRine Tilton did a good job with the instructions and drafting this pattern around the corners. The miter corners were simple to construct and the pleats on the pockets are nice. It is a nice pattern--not exciting or challenging, just nice. 

I did shorten the vest significantly since I'm shorter than the average model that the Big Four pattern companies use. And I still feel it is long on me. Because of the length adjustment I waited until the vest was constructed before I sewed the pockets in place. I also left off pleats on the back section. They looked as if they were too close together on the pattern piece and after I checked out another version of this vest on Pattern Review, I decided to skip this step. Those were the only changes that I made to the pattern.

Maybe I shouldn't have skipped the back pleats because this looks big (or should I say shapeless?) on me. Maybe that is what is stopping me from loving this vest?  

I'm sure I will get a lot of wear from this vest as part of my work wardrobe as the pockets are my favourite feature. But I don't see myself making another one. It sort of feels like I'm wearing an apron, a fancy silk apron, instead of a vest. It will be perfect for those I-feel-fat days.  

Happy Sewing!  

  

Happy Labour Day!

Labour day is always a wonderful holiday because it marks the end of my summer lay-off. [insert happy dance here]

I'm excited to head back to work tomorrow, even if it means less time for sewing and it unofficially marks the end of summer,

because if anyone knows me they know I love this time of year. The autumn colours, crisp morning air, pumpkin everything, apple pies, plaid fabric, and new jackets, what's not to love? I will just have to get re-acquainted with wearing shoes all day. No biggie.  

Happy Labour Day!