My Sewing Space

Figuring out how to dress for work (alluded to here ) has led to some experimentation on my part. If I’m going to need new clothes, I might as well try some different things.  Awhile ago I included a couple pieces of silk crepe de chine in an order from Fabricmart . My experience with silk is pretty limited – both the sewing of it and the wearing of it, but I was curious if I’d like to do more with it. The pieces I bought were a good deal and good for experimenting.     I really liked McCall’s 7094 and thought it would be a good match for a drapey silk. I preferred view D, but didn’t have the yardage it required. The blue silk matched the blue in this wool , so I figured if the top turned out I could wear them together. As other reviewers note, the top has a lot of ease through the bodice. I chose my size based on the width across the shoulder yoke. After basting the bodice together and trying it on, I took some width off the front at the side seams an...

I made this pair very shortly after the first version , with only a couple of changes to the pattern. I took out some height at the CB (I don't remember exactly how much), tapering to nothing at the side seams. I also changed the size of the pocket bags. I'm happier with this pair, but still need some more changes. Half grimace, half smile. It was so cold and windy. I thought outdoor pictures would be better, but the sun was so bright (not complaining!) that it makes it hard to see any details. The fabric is a black and blue loosely woven wool. From anywhere but up close, it looks like a very dark navy. It is the same fabric used in the Lisette moto jacket sew-along . I think I used what would be considered the "wrong" side of the fabric, but I liked it better. Other than the fact that it frayed pretty quickly, the fabric was easy to work with. Most of the pattern details are the same as the last pair. The fabric pressed well and the finished pants are...

I work part-time as a bank teller. The bank has a pretty tight dress code (but not uniforms) and the town where I live and work is pretty conservative. While my position doesn't have much (if any?) authority, I think it's important to look professional and I would prefer to be overdressed rather than underdressed. I also walk to work and during the winter that means I need my legs covered. All that to say, it was time to revisit making pants. Not faux-leather leggings , not pajama pants , but real trousers. The last pair of great trousers I made are too small for me now. Truth be told, they were always a little small. They were fine when I was standing, but were uncomfortable when sitting. The pants I copied for the pattern had just the slightest bit of stretch. I thought it was slight enough that I could make it work with a non-stretch fabric, but that little bit of stretch did matter. So, then I debated about starting from the beginning with a new pattern or revisit...

Remember this bag ? I like that bag. It's quirky and unique and I get funny comments about it when I carry it. However, The Preacher does not appreciate that bag. He claims to be embarrassed to be seen with me when I have it. That doesn't usually stop me, but now I have a second option when I need a very large (and respectable) tote bag. This is the Mondo Bag from Quiltsmart . The pattern was a gift from my mother-in-law, who works at a quilt shop. The pattern includes fusible interfacing printed with a grid for doing the patchwork. The technique is similar to the one I used here . You produce four patchwork rectangles and then sew them together in a swirled plus-shape. That’s the best description I can give - it's rather unique and the final result looks more complicated than it actually is. The fabric I used for the outside is from CherrywoodFabrics . I purchased a pack of fat quarters at Quilt Expo to use with this pattern. I would not have combined th...

Shortly before Christmas, I made all three kids some new pajamas. Then I made them each a set as a Christmas gift and my mom gave them each new pajamas, too! Pajama overload perhaps, but it was really a good thing. Even The Preacher got new pajamas. The ability of good pajamas to bring comfort and joy is not to be underestimated. My pajama drawer and I were feeling left out. Finally last week I was able to remedy that. I do not enjoy the bunching up around the legs that happens with traditional pajama pants. I had been wearing leggings and tunics as pajamas for awhile and that worked well. Last fall I made a pair of sweatpants (track pants? lounge pants? I don't know exactly what they are...) using Ottobre 5/2011 #5  and I really liked them. Combined with the plentiful race T-shirts I have, they would be great as pajamas - comfy, stretchy, and tapered at the ankle so they don't bunch up. I bought two pieces of cotton interlock from JoAnn's and made them...

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here and I'm finding that I miss it. This past year has been full of changes and transitions for our family and this blog couldn't be a priority. We're settling into a new community and I've returned to work part-time. Time has felt tight over the last several months, but I have been sewing when I can and continue to enjoy a dedicated sewing space in our new home. Sewing and blogging come from the same pool of "free" time. When made to choose between sewing and writing about sewing, I will always choose sewing. I appreciate having this blog as a record of what I've made, just to help me remember some of the actual articles I've made and also as keeper of notes, links, and details that are helpful for current and future projects. I also just miss the writing. My day-to-day life doesn't require a lot of writing, but it's a skill I value and think it needs to be treated like a muscle: use it...

My older daughter is 10 years old now. That puts her in the "tween" age category. When trying to come up with sewing plans for her, I felt a bit stumped. This is new territory. Combining her preferences, my "guidelines" (leggings are not pants!), and this new age category in a successful way is a challenge. We talked through some options together and looked at fabrics together and we have a bit of a plan. This dress was the first part of the plan. We had an idea of what the dress should look like and then combined a couple different Ottobre patterns to get what we wanted. There was a fair bit of basting and fitting as we went and in the end, we both think it was successful. She picked out the fabric - a purple pique knit. It's pretty stretchy with very good recovery, so it wasn't too difficult to handle. The black trim is a cotton/lycra jersey. I added the keyhole at the front neckline for interest. The binding was done on my sewing machine with a ...