Thursday, 27 January 2022

Remote Control Armchair Caddy

No pattern needed to make this, just a measuring tape, scissors and a steady hand.  It's a remote control caddy that will fit over the arm of a couch or armchair.  One end tucks into the seat cushion edge and the other drapes over the arm of the furniture.  

The pocket is big enough to hold a book or newspaper and glasses.  People still read newspapers, right?  Maybe I should say it could hold a device that you would read the news on?  But I digress... 

Let's just say, it could hold almost anything you like.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre upholstery fabric, 100% polyester

Additional Supplies & Tools:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, clapper, sewing machine, serger, walking foot, threads, iron and ironing board.  

Stay Safe & Keep Sewing!


Sunday, 16 January 2022

Waterfall Coat: Butterick 6244

 

This project is to be gifted to a very special and patient lady who has waited over a year for me to sew this up.  It is made with Butterick 6244, circa 2015.  

I didn't change anything about this pattern except for switching flat-felled seams for serging the interior edges.  And switching the narrow hem for a rolled hem sewn with the serger.  


I like this technique for the simple fact that it avoids the bulk of a narrow hem and doesn't distract from the embroidered border of the fabric.  

This fabric has made an appearance twice on the blog.  I picked up this wool blend fabric when it went on sale and there was enough to make a cardigan and another coat.  To take advantage of the emboidered border, there was some creative folding and pattern piece placement on the cross-grain of the fabric.  


Project Details

Design Features:  Rolled hem, draped front extending collar, shaped front hemline.  

Seams:  2.4 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.4 metres

PatternButterick 6244

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, measuring tape, scissors, clapper, iron, ironing board, sewing machine, serger, screwdriver, threads and a break or two.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!


Saturday, 15 January 2022

In Sewing News Today...

Happy National Hat Day!  

Source

This part of the world, tuques rule my winter wear selection.  If tuques are not your thing, there is good news:  Hats are on trend for 2022.  There are many styles to chose from and celebrate.  And if you're looking from something more up-and-coming Alex Kessler wrote a piece on milliners to watch for Vogue Club.  

Now, that I chopped off my hair into a pixie cut, I might have some fun pulling out the hat collection.  

I received feedback on the squirrel print cardigan.  

I failed on the fitting portion of the project.  Boo!  Which is kind of weird because I've previously make two versions of this cardigan / jacket and going by the bust measurement, I was able to get a good fit but for this one it turned out to be "too big."  It made me sad when I think that I wasted that beautiful fabric on something that doesn't fit the person it was made for.  I wonder if it could be fixed?  I have to reach out and offer.    

Sewing bloopers seem to be a thing around the sewing workspace of late.  

Maybe I need to step away from the machine for a bit? 

But there are items waiting to be sewn for others.  

Fingers crossed the upcoming projects are more successful.  

Well that's all in sewing news today.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!  


Thursday, 13 January 2022

Still Sewing Face Masks: Aplat Patterns

Four more 3-layer face masks came off the work table and have been gifted.  For this project I revisited the Aplat face mask pattern, available here for free download.  They are made with a Japanese cotton that has been in my stash for many, many moons.  These actually have the wrong side of the fabric showing, as it was requested.  


The masks are not sewn as per instructions.  I opted for elastic instead of a cord and inserted the elastic after all the top-stitching, prior to folding, was completed.  The website does make a point about elastic deteriorating after washing but these will be hand washed.  

Easy peasy make and a comfortable fit.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.4 straight stitch

Fabric:  0.5 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

PatternAplat face mask

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, clapper, pins, tailor's chalk, scissors, sewing machine, thread, hand sewing needle, thread clippers, safety pin, iron and ironing board.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!

Wednesday, 12 January 2022

Alterations / Mending Project: OOP Butterick 5263

Many moons ago, an apron left the sewing work space and since then it returned for some alterations


It came with a request for a lowered neckline and an alternative to the stitched back.  I cut off the seam binding just below the top-stitching and reinserted another row of seam binding widening the width of the neckline.  


The original pattern calls for a buttoned closure but since this is a single layer of fabric a button and buttonhole closure was not the best option.   


A medium sized snap worked best for this change to an opening in the back from a pullover style.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!

Monday, 10 January 2022

Men's Shirt: McCall's 2447

This project, McCall's 2447, has been weeks months in the making.  Actually, it was coming close to a year.  The fabric was chosen and pre-treated last year, in the spring, and then it sat waiting to be pressed and folded so that it could hit the cutting table.  

McCall's 2447, circa 1999, is still in print and has been a tried and trusted pattern over the years.  Usual modifications as the last version with one addition.  

The addition of interior elbow patches.  

An outline of the edge stitching is visible on the right side of the sleeve.  

The shirt yoke has been sewn with the couture yoke method and instructions from my Reader's Digest sewing reference book.  If you interested in exploring this technique the more modern name for this is the burrito method and there are a bazillion tutorials to be found on the web.  Same technique, different names and reference sources.   

The fabric, oh what a fun print!  I found this stretch cotton at the local Fabricland store.  It was lovely to sew.  The fabric was pretreated in the washing machine followed by a tumble in the dryer and then a steam pressing before hitting the cutting table.  


Project Details

Design Features:  Front pocket, couture yoke, sleeve plackets, interior elbow patches.  

Seams:  2.4 -- 2.6 Straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  3 metres

Interfacing:  1.5 metres non-fusible

Buttons:  11 

Pattern:  McCall's 2447

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, measuring tape, measuring gauge, scissors, threads, hand sewing needles, thimble, thread clippers, sewing machine, blind hem foot, regular sewing machine foot, buttonhole foot, tailor's chalk, ironing board, iron, serger, tweezers, sleeve ham, cutting board, buttonhole cutter, clapper (I couldn't find the hammer), and some quality time with the seam ripper. 

Stay safe and keep sewing! 

Tuesday, 4 January 2022

Celebrating Strength, Resilience and Womanhood: Ribbon Skirt Day

January 4, 2022 marks the first Ribbon Skirt Day here in Canada.  And it is all because of the strength and courage of this young lady, Isabella Kulak that evolved out of an incident illustrating that as a country we have a long road to travel to get to reconciliation.  Isabella and her family are a light and guide for those who are willing to learn.   There is currently a bill receiving a second reading to commemorate National Ribbon Skirt Day annually.  

Source:  CBC News

I love that for the school acknowledgement of this day, Isabella wore a ribbon skirt that she created herself.  The school she attends teaches ribbon skirt making and her mother is one of the teachers sharing this knowledge.  

What a beautiful story of an inspiring young seamstress to begin the New Year.  Do you want to learn how to sew a ribbon skirt and the meaning behind it?  Check out this link.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!


Children's Leggings: McCall's 7709

One more gift sewing project, the leggings, from McCall's 7709 .   I will have to give this a good pressing before I wrap this one up.  ...