Despite my best attempts to resist it, I have fallen down the quilting rabbit hole. Only temporarily though–and I’m not sure my somewhat feeble, amaturish attempt can be called quilting. But the quilt we have draped over the sofa in our living room is far past the point of needing to be repaired (it’s threadbare and has bits hanging off it–I hide it when we have company over). It was a special quilt because it’s the one I had as a child, but it’s just too old. I spent the last few months we were in Florida scouring the thrift shops for pretty, vintage pillowcases to use in a quilt top. But then of course, we moved and I got distracted by other things!
Until one evening in the past month when in a fit of insomnia, I pulled the stack of pillowcases out and promptly cut out a series of 12″x12″ squares and whipped them together to form a quilt top! (Pictured above.) But now, I’m stuck. I’ve Googled and looked at books, and I’m afraid I’m just getting more and more confused about quilting. All I want is a simple quilt–no fancy stuff–with a wide border, a colorful binding and calico back. Machine quilting too (I’m not going to have the patience for hand quilting, as much as I like the look). So I thought I’d ask my knowledgable readers: if you quilt, what are your favorite, not-intimidating quilting how-to’s? As I said, I’m just looking to make something simple–and I don’t think I’m going to become a die-hard quilter (garment sewing really is my true love). So just the basics, I guess–but in plain English!
So any help would be appreciated. The sooner I can wrap this project up, the better our living room will look without the ragged quilt that is gracing it at the moment (though I’m eying the bits that are still intact for repurposing into something else… What, I don’t know yet!).
February 17, 2012 ·
72 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing
· tags: 2012 sewing, quilt, sewing
Have you heard about the Sew Grateful Week event Debi is hosting? Such a brilliant idea! Lots of giveaways, reflections, tutorials and projects are pouring in from sewing blogs. I think it’s a fantastic way to celebrate the amazing sewing blog community, so of course I wanted to participate. Unfortunately, because this week has been insane for me and my mind has been elsewhere, I didn’t get my ducks in a row as I would have liked. But I thought I’d combine a reflection post with my weekly vintage inspiration anyway!
It’s rather funny how Debi’s event falls right after I passed the eight-year mark of blogging; in a way it’s made me realize how much the online sewing community has changed in less than a decade. We’ve gone from a tiny handful of blogs scattered across the internet, to an enormous community spanning a variety of sewing interests, countries, ages and skill levels.
I can honestly say that without the internet community, I wouldn’t be at the point where I am with my sewing. While I’ve always been the bookish sort and loved to raid the public library for sewing books, the amazing variety of knowledge shared on other sewing blogs means that there is something new crossing my radar all the time! I have learned how to padstitch and the fundamentals of tailoring thanks to Gertie, beading from my (real life!) friend Jenny Rose, pattern drafting techniques from countless individuals, clever fitting and construction from Sunni, embellishment touches from the team at Colette Patterns, and clever techniques from Tasia.
But it doesn’t end there! The inspiration from sewing blogs is another vital componant to our little community. People like Lauren M., Jane, Tilly, Lauren T., , the entire group of Sew Weekly contributors, and Patty. Even when I’m feeling a bit burnt out or indifferent to sewing (usually when life gets too busy to have time to sew!), these blogs excite me with ideas, fun details and fabrics, and new patterns.
The amazing thing is this is just a small sampling of all the informative and inspiring sewing blogs out there. We’ve gone from just a handful (literally!) of bloggers writing about their handcraft of choice, to thousands. So I’d just like to take this moment to thank all the fanastic blogs out there who have influenced, taught and inspired me over the years. I can’t wait to see what the sewing community will be like in another eight years…
What are a few of your favorite sewing blogs that you’re “Sew Grateful” for?
(And just so this post isn’t completely pictureless, I decided to continue posting a few more of my favorite patterns from my grandmother’s collection! Enjoy the sewing eye candy!)
Be sure to check out the back of the envelope for full details!
This post is part of an ongoing series cataloging a collection of my grandmother’s patterns. To view previous posts, please click here.
February 8, 2012 ·
18 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing,vintage inspiration
· tags: links, nana's sewing patterns, sew grateful week, vintage inspiration
Remember that 50s Simplicity pattern I posted recently? Well, curiosity got the better of me, and I just had to try it. Don’t mind the fact that it’s really too chilly for a short sleeve top (that’s what sweaters are for, anyway)–the simpliness of the top appealed to me. Would it look a flattering as the envelope illustration?
The pattern piece is just a large rectangle. For a size small you only need 5/8 yard of material, for a medium-large 3/4. The pattern calls for a jersey material, so I opted for a beautiful pink, wool-blend jersey I picked up on a recent fabric shopping trip. I love the drape, although 100% wool jersey is still far superior–though a bit too expensive for my pocket book at the moment!
The only seams on the top make up a T shape along the back. The two short ends of the rectangle are sewn together to about halfway to allow for the waist-split, and the one of the long edges is sewn together, leaving an opening at either fold for the arms to pass through. Super easy! The edges are turned under and hemmed with catchstitches and a hook and eye sewn at the waist. I serged all the raw edges just to keep things neat as well. The top took me less than an evening to complete from start to finish.
Putting the top on and arranging all the fullness that falls around the neckline is a bit tricky, which is why this top won’t go on my list of “favorite blouses I wear all the time”. Because it is a bit fiddly to wear. I could tack down the folds permanently with stitches, but too be honest, I’m on to other projects right now and just don’t feel like dealing with it. lol. It’s a sweet top, but will probably be relegated to occasions that I’m not engaged in a lot of movement (on most days I sprawl and flail about a lot)–so things like dinner out.
Also wearing: thrifted skirt and brooch | MAC Viva Glam I lipstick
On a humorous note, I only realized after taking these photos that I resemble a giant pink Valentine! It’s still a little too early for that… lol. (More photos here.)
Pattern: Simplicity #4538 (1950s vintage). I made the original size to fit a 30″ to 32″ bust.
Fabric: Wool jersey blend.
Alterations: None.
Techniques: Catchstitching and serging the edges (if that can be called a “technique”).
Make Again? Perhaps. Although I’d be curious to see this in a tshirt jersey, I’m not rushing out to make it right away. Maybe later in the year!
January 30, 2012 ·
95 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing
· tags: 2012 sewing, sewing, simplicity, vintage sewing
Note: I had a finished project to show off today, but the photos weren’t turning out right (my fault for waiting until the evening to take them!), so that will come later in the week. Instead I decided to share a post on sewing failures that I had in my draft queue and had been tinkering on the past few weeks…
You all know I’m not a magical seamstress who has every project turn out perfectly, right? Good!
I, like everyone else, have had more than a fair share of projects that hit major snags or just bombed completely and were discarded in frustration. Just in the past year my two biggest sewing-disappointments were a 1940s swimsuit (above) I tried to make, which turned into a nightmare scenario of of fiddly fit and deciding I really wasn’t sure I like how the high-waist bottoms look on me with swimwear. The other was my version of Colette Pattern’s Lady Grey pattern. The latter has been a big frustration for me, and yet I can’t motivate myself to finish it. My first version used a wool I had bought online that was just too thin for tailoring, so I ripped all the horsehair canvas pieces I had handbasted and padstitched to the coat, and cut out another jacket from a boucle suiting I had in the stash. Problem is, I’m not crazy about the fabric or the style of the coat (on me–I love it on everyone else. I think I tend to gravitate towards more loose, trapeze style coats). So I’ve just kind of been dragging my heels for over a year on this one. Every time I look in my drawer of “unfinished projects”, the half-tailored pieces mock me. Maybe one day I’ll finish it, but I’m too ambivalent on the project right now to work on it. (I’d much rather sew a pretty dress, frankly.)
But even in the midst of some of these projects that have ended up in the scrap bin (which is highly frustrating!), I have learned quite a few lessons about sewing and myself:
- What I dream up and am super excited about, no matter how much planning I put into it, won’t always live up to my expectations. I don’t have to feel bad about it–that’s just the reality of translation from an idea to an actual garment.
- Putting a project aside–even for a year–gives clarity as to why it’s not working or I’m not as enthusiastic about it. Sometimes this means the project ends up in the scrap pile, other times it just needs to be reworked and seen with fresh eyes.
- In relation to the above, it is sometimes quite helpful to have a few close sewing friends who can give you honest opinions about what is going wrong, offer troubleshooting on things that have you stumped, or be the ones to agree that it’s a hopeless case.
- No project is ever a complete “failure”. Rather, they’re learning experiences! Through the Lady Grey jacket, I learned about tailoring and discovered my love of padstitching. Sewing the failed swimsuit meant I gathered a lot of information on sewing swimwear knits and how to properly line everything. Which I’m sure will come in handy in the future!
- The most important thing is: no matter how long you’ve been sewing, you’re constantly learning something new! I think the “failures” are a great way to keep one on their toes and searching for new techniques and stretching their skill set. Without mistakes, how would we grow?
So what is your biggest sewing disappointment? Is there a project that just frustrates you every time you look at it? What lessons have you found helpful when dealing with these “tough” projects?
January 23, 2012 ·
46 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing
· tags: sewing workshop
So this is my last 2011 sewing project! I usually prefer to model finished projects, but this week got super crazy and the time I had set aside for photography ended up tending to a mess Mr. Freckles made (augh!!!), so the dressform had to do! (More about this dressform below–I’m really excited about this!) So now that I’ve made this rather long-winded explanation, on to the skirt!
RIght before we took off to visit family for Christmas, I crazily decided to whip up a skirt for myself. I used some gorgeous wool fabric I won on a blog giveaway last year and a half circle skirt pattern as my base. It’s one of those projects that goes together in an afternoon (well, not counting the time you need to let the bias stretch–vitally important!)–with just one seam it’s super easy! Even despite using a invisible zipper–usually the bane of my existence. I’ve been wearing it at least once a week since I finished it! Plus it’s got a super-cute, surprise lining: bubblegum pink satin!
Pattern: Loosely based on Chie’s half circle skirt pattern (just lengthened), but you could also easily draft your own. Note: the lining is cut from the exact pattern, just 1″ shorter at the hem.
Fabric: Lightweight 100% wool for the outer shell, and pink satin for the lining.
Alterations: Since I was using Chie’s pattern, I opted to leave off the scalloped waistband and just drafted a straight one. I also lengthened the skirt to hit at mid-calf (more of a late 40s/50s length) rather than knee.
Techniques: Double interfaced the waistband for more stability, used a machine rolled hem for both the wool and lining.
Make Again? Yes!!! I need more of these in my closet…
I need your help! This lovely dressform (I’m still pinching myself she’s mine!) was a very generous gift from my inlaws for Christmas. I’ve been wanting to upgrade from my Dritz adjustable form for awhile to a professional style form. While the adjustable served me well for many years, I wanted something I could easily drape on and pin into. Enter the PGM dressform. Plus she has collapsable shoulders, which makes getting garments on and off a breeze! I noticed many seamstresses name their dressforms, and figured now that I have a fancy one, it would be cute to give her a name. Any suggestions? I’d love to hear what name ideas you have! (I’ll be taking suggestions for a bit and then I’ll announce my favorite sometime next week… )
January 13, 2012 ·
94 lovely thoughts
posted in sewing
· tags: 2011 sewing, sewing
