My Sewing Space

So it seems that the last thing I'll sew for summer is a swimming suit. I know it is strange to do it at the end of summer, but I had real need for a new one before last weekend, so I snatched up every spare moment in a very busy week to get this one together. I used Kwik Sew 3238 - the top is view B and the bottom is view A. I found the midriff part of the top pretty short, so I added 2 inches in length.  I wanted the top and bottom to meet, but I have a long torso and used the lower rise bottom. The additional length turned out to be good, but I didn't like the flat stripes, so I added a ruched layer on top. The bust/cups part of the suit is shaped with darts.  I tried using the darts but had a really difficult time getting them smooth.  I wasn't keen on having that part of my body look pointy, so I filled in the dart on the pattern piece, re-cut it, and then gathered it to get the same shaping. It looks smoother and is less disruptive of the stripes. The patte...

I've decided that I'm going to give myself this week to keep sewing for summer and then I'm going to hang it up and move on to fall.  There is no way that I'm going to get to all 14 of the things I want to - oh, wait!  Make that 12, since I finished these two items yesterday.... The skirt is my third edition of Burda 02/2010 #104. (The other two are here and here ). I added a center front opening with tack buttons and buttonholes. I didn't want the bulk of a CF waistband closure, so I left the waistband the same with a zipper at the center back. The buttonholes are fully functional, but I can't use them to get in and out of the skirt. For the top, I used Jalie 2804 . I liked the sleeveless version, but knew that the ends of those shoulder ties would always feel like flies crawling on my arms to me, so I left them off. I cut the top two sizes larger than what my measurement suggested on the pattern envelope because I really didn't want to it be too tig...

My daughter is in the middle of swimming lessons now and her other suit was looking too small, so I made her a new one last week. Kwik Sew 2605 worked well for me the last time , so I used it again, this time making the two-piece version (so much easier for bathroom breaks). I cut a size five and the only change I made was to take it in ½” on each side of the bottom. The racer-back is as nice as I thought it would be - no straps falling off the shoulders. I considered using a double needle for the hems, but went with the triple zigzag instead. Sewing this suit felt pretty putzy while I was doing it - quartering all the elastics and suit openings, getting it all lined up, serging the elastic on, etc.   But, really, it didn’t take very long. It was faster than shopping for a suit, I’m sure. There are no less than 14 things I would still like to sew for summer.   There isn’t that much summer left and I’m working on some window treatments again now. Soon I’m going to have ...

One of my goals for 2010 was to work on projects for an art sale that I'm participating in continually throughout the year.  The sale is scheduled for the beginning of November.  I've done a terrible job with this goal.  There's always been something else that seems more urgent. Anyway, I completed six lad bags for the sale earlier this week. Since I had problems with the pencils falling out of the last version, I added a flap to keep the pencils in.

Four weeks ago, I started running. Those of you who know me might find this surprising.  But, believe me when I tell you that you are no more surprised than I am.  I've tried being a runner before and never liked it.  I'd even get to the point where I could do it without it being painful and I still didn't like it, so I never stuck with it.  For some crazy reason, right now I'm loving it.  I don't understand it at all, but I'm not fighting it. My initial goal was to run three miles in 30 minutes and I'm just about there. Everything about it feels good. NOW everything about it feels good because I fixed the problem of having nothing suitable to wear while running. I learned early on that sleeves feel like they are in my way and I don't like them.  I also learned that shorts that ride up are no good. (But, really they only ride up for the first half of the run - after that I'm sweaty enough that they stick in place.  Lovely). Since I was really on...

Thanks for the compliments on the tote bags.  It's good to know that many of you liked them - hopefully people buy them! When I dropped off the tote bags, I also dropped off three purses. The first is my own "design" - a combination of a purse I saw my sister use awhile ago and the one that I currently carry. It has a long adjustable strap and I pictured it worn across the body, but it could go over one shoulder, too.  The top folds over and doesn't have any fastener. I wanted the sides of the bag to be straight, not angled toward the bottom (like the tote bags ), but wanted boxed corners, so I followed the same tutorial as I did for these little pouches , just with different dimensions. It worked well, but since I kept the bag pretty flat/narrow (from front to back) any angle from boxing the corners the regular way probably wouldn't have been noticeable. The tab with rings is primarily decorative, but works as something to grab to easily open the bag, t...

Back in late June, M asked me to make some tote bags and purses to sell in her shop.  I just finally finished them last week. For the tote bags, I copied the shape, size and style of my Land's End medium tote bag . I wanted them to be attractive and interesting, but also very functional and sturdy. Unlike my Land's End bag, these have a lining and an interior pocket. This zebra print fabric is leftover from this skirt . The contrast fabric is a heavyweight linen. The straps are cotton webbing and have reinforced stitching at the top of the bag. The inside of the bag has a double pocket - the front part zips and the back part does not.  A key clip is sewn to the binding of the side seam. The other two bags are the same size, but have slightly different features.  The patchwork bag doesn't have any exterior pockets. There is a patchwork strip on the back of the bag, too. The straps are strips of patchwork covering a double layer of cotton canvas.  T...