In Sewing News Today...

I don't know if you heard, Winnipeg is getting their own Ikea store. It is huge news in these parts. I'm super thrilled because Ikea has a textiles department.

Yes, more textile options in a city that has seen way too many fabric stores close up shop. I can't wait to have more fabric choice at my finger tips.

I know these are home decor fabrics but anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for a awesome print. And Ikea has awesome prints.

One more month until they open their doors.

Until then I need to get busy sewing the projects I have on the go before I start dreaming about adding to my fabric stash.

Project #1 & 2:

Simplicity 5540, this project should have been completed months ago.

I'm holding my head in shame that it is not finished yet. I did start it, the interfacing has been pressed to the fabric and the pattern markings are all set to go. But then I lost my sewing mojo.

I seriously have to get this done and a little denim shirtdress in a girls size 8 before my next massage appointment.

Project #3 & 4:

Vogue 1247 is one of my favourite patterns and I really can't explain why these have been sitting in my sewing drawer collecting dust.

On the left is a half completed top. And the right are all the pieces for another version of the skirt in a navy heavy weight cotton. It should be good for the winter.

Project #5 & 6:

Vests!  Oh my goodness, I have to get busy on these vests that my nephews have requested. I'm using Simplicity 4762 which has received some high praises.

Maybe I need to tackle these two vests first.

Project #7:

I've been meaning to sew a new nightshirt / pj's for some time now. And now I have no excuse because I recently found the pattern that I want to use.

I want the nightshirt with the two front pockets. I have the flannel ready to cut as soon as I get the other projects out of the way.

Project #8 & 9:

This project has been on my wish list for quite some time. Lets see, it has been a year now! It is a project from the October/November 2011 issue of Vogue Patterns Sewing Magazine.

Where has a year gone?

I still want to give this a try. Even the apron pattern that was modified for this outfit is cute. Maybe? Oh and then there is another version of Vogue 1312 that I would like to make.

That will make nine projects in total that I need to clear off my sewing table before I can think of anything else.

I wonder if I can get these done by the end of the year?

Anyway, that is all in sewing news today.

Happy Sewing!

Vogue's Winter Holiday Collection

Vogue's Winter Holiday Collection came out this evening. I don't think that I'm feeling all that festive yet. The holidays are two months away, the downtown was being decorated with Christmas lights this afternoon and not even that the Vogue Holiday Collection jump started my festive spirit.

Despite the lack of festive HO! HO! Holiday spirit, I did manage to find a couple of patterns that I wouldn't mind making from the Winter Holiday Collection.

Of course, one of them is a KaTheRine Tilton pattern. It is a jacket, Vogue 8863. However, I am not in need another jacket. I'm just admiring the design detail. I like the sleeve detail on this pattern. It has knit sleeves sewn from the lining. I think that it is cute.













The other pattern that caught my eye was Vogue 8854. I could see this in a sweater fleece fabric.

I will say that I was a wee bit disappointed that the hemline on the dresses didn't fall. Most of the dresses were knee length or shorter with the exception of Vogue 8858 a Marcy Tilton skirt that has long versions included in the pattern. That said changing a hemline is a simple thing to do and I will admit that I do think Vogue 1326 and Vogue 1327 are very cute dresses. But then again, I don't need another dress either.

A fleece it is!

Happy Sewing.

Never say Never

The mattress cover is something that I never thought I would sew but I did.

Mama R is thrilled with it. See, she's smiling!

Actually, I'm quite thrilled with it too. It is soft like a pillow.

Besides the pillowy softness I'm also thrilled that it is done almost done.

Mama R requested elastic all around the edges. It turned out nicely but my fingers are sore from all that stretching of the elastic. I couldn't say no to her request because she was an amazing assistant with this project. I honestly wouldn't have been able to complete it without her help.

All that is left to do is test it out. I'll find out the final verdict tomorrow.

Happy Sewing!

UPDATE:  The mattress cover passed the nap test.

Mattress Cover: The next step

Tonight's sewing was quite basic stuff. It was all about sewing straight lines. Boring stuff really.

I stitched through four layers of batting between two layers of fabric.

It actually feels like a mattress pillow compared to the store bought mattress covers Mama R found in the store.

Mama R was a huge help in this process. I couldn't convince her to help me baste. I tried.

She made sure that the mattress pillow didn't slide off the table. This was a huge help.

After I measure the pillow top, the sides will be the next step. The next step, however, will have to wait until tomorrow.

Happy Sewing!

Now for something completely different...

Guess what I am busy sewing?  

Okay, one hint. I never thought that I would be sewing a project like this one.  

Nope, it is not a quilt.  

I'm sewing a mattress cover for Mama R. She has been searching high and low for a decent one that doesn't make a crinkling noise when you lay on top of it. And that is soft as a pillow. Oh, and it has to fit a twin size bed.

Who would have thought it would be so difficult to find.

After many trips to various shopping outlets looking for a mattress cover that is just right. I finally blurted out, "Why don't I make you one?"

It just came out before I could stop myself. I knew there was a reason why Mama R asked me to take her shopping. She's a very clever woman.

Joking aside, I can't take all the credit on this project. It is totally a joint effort. And I'm enjoying our time together working on this one.

But right now it is time for a tea break.

Happy Sewing!

Things I Learned While Sewing Advance 8436

The Women's Shirtwaist dress, Advance 8436, is finished. And I absolutely love it.

I had to do some tweaking to get to this point. And if I sew another one, which I plan to do, I will have to consider some of the changes that happened.

• Several inches were cut from the hemline.  
• Next time I will shorten the sleeves to achieve the three-quarter length.  
• and the waist, oh my goodness the waist!  

I learned that it is a good thing to do some research when sewing a vintage pattern. This pattern, I suspect, is from circa 1950s. It was a size 16 and the measurements corresponded with modern body measurements from a Vogue size 14, which is the size that I typically sew. I thought I wouldn't have any issues. Boy was I wrong. 

Where did I error? Well, that would be in omitting any historical research into this era. My bad.  

Post-cutting I discovered that gals back in the fifties were into a form of body modification called waist training. My ribs hurt just thinking about it.  

Gertie blogged about Corsets of the 1950s and it seems to be the important detail that I neglected when I started working on this dress. This might explain why I had ample room in the bust and hip area but I had to let out the waist area over three inches! 

It was either that or do this. And I don't do diets. Yeah, there is a diet that goes with waist training. Sew, letting out the dress was my only option. And to think that waist training is apparently making a comeback. Who knew? And why?  

This might explain the high placed bust darts, no? {Source} 

There was another issue with the Advance 8436 pattern, the ill-placed darts. Or are they ill-placed? It just seemed so odd. I know I recently had a birthday but the girls are not sagging. The armhole and ease around the bust seemed fine but the darts seemed high. And then I found this photo of Deborah Roberts of ABC News.    

I suspect that if I were wearing a corset (such as Ms. Roberts is wearing or a waspie mentioned in Gertie's post) the darts would be perfectly placed for the pushed up girls.  

I'm still not convinced to dabble in a bit of body modification, I'm going to work on the pattern instead.  

The plan, remove the darts completely. There is ample ease around the bust they won't even be missed. I wouldn't mind keeping the tucks the way that they are on the pattern but that will mean adding to the side seams on the bodice.  And then I will also add to the skirt pieces where they meet at the waist. 

I don't think there is anything else that I would change. The pockets and the button front are my favourite detail.  

And I really did like they way the tucks looked before I had to let them out significantly. 

With these things that I learned while sewing the shirtwaist dress in mind, I think I'm ready to tackle the dress in the plaid fabric.  

But first, I have some sewing for others to clear off my table.  

Happy Sewing.  

Check, Check, Check and Check!

I've gathered the sleeves, attached the cuffs, stitched twelve buttonholes, seam ripped two buttonholes and restitched them and I even found the mis-placed buttons. I can check these items off the list. What's left?

I really need to clear off the sewing table and see what other mis-placed items are to be found.

But for now I'm done for the night.

Sewing the twelve buttons will just have to wait for another time.

Until then, happy sewing!