The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo 2012 Atlanta

Hi,

Did you miss me?  Sorry but things are really crazy around here.  I’ll explain in another post.  Hopefully, things will settle down in the near future!

Here’s my experience at expo.  This year, I spent a half a day at the expo.  I was there to shop!  Here’s what I bought.

I bought three spools of silk thread from  YLI Threads.  I bought hemostats from  Specialty Product Sales-Famore Cutlery or “the Scissor guy”.  I’ll use the hemostats when I do burn tests on my fabric.

From Vogue Fabrics, I bought two The Sewing Workshop patterns.

I’ve wanted the Quincy Top & Pants pattern ever since I saw Martha’s version.  I’d wear it as a jacket during the summer.

I love twin sets and this pattern is just different enough but still stylish.

Finally, I bought fabric from The Wool House.

The fuchsia fabric is wool crepe the navy is tropical weight wool.  I bought two yards of each.  I later found similar fabric at my favorite fabric store in Atlanta, Gail K,  for less.  Oh well, live and learn.

I didn’t take any classes this year because I plan to take longer,  hands-on classes offered locally.  That’s it for now.  I hope everyone had a happy Monday

Pants…again

Last year, I participated in a Trouser Sewalong hosted by http://www.afashionablestitch.com/.

The Cupcake Goddess

I didn’t succeed in sewing a pair of pants that fit me.  Simplicity 2700 is the pattern I used.

Last year, I did sew a whole bunch of muslins.   Fortunately, I kept them.  Over the last few months, I’ve lost weight and none of the muslins fit.  So, this weekend I made a new muslin using all the knowledge that I’d gained from last year.   I’ll post pictures later in the week.

The good

• added 2 inches, yes, 2 inches to the pants back at the crotch line and woo-hoo!  No more wrinkles at the inner thigh!  Success!

• added 1 inch to center back and tapered to zero at the side seam for additional crotch depth.
• add 1 inch in length.  I’ve got long legs.

The not so good

• didn’t take into consideration my tilted waistline so the front waistband is a little too high
• need to deepen the crotch curve for my low rear end.  See page 35 of Pants for Real People
• zipper stop needs to be 1/4 inch below the large dot in the front.
• I still have a tummy so I need more room in the front.  According to Pants for Real People, I can  straighten the front curve for a full tummy. There are no front darts on this pattern.  See page 35 of Pants for Real People again.

I think I will get a good fitting muslin by making the changes on the not so good list.  I plan to make another muslin with the changes this weekend.

It’s amazing how much I’ve learned since last year.  I really believe I’ll have a well fitting pair of pants soon.

Burn baby burn

On Saturday, the City-Wide Couture of Atlanta had a program on burn testing fabric.  It was an awesome program.   We burned a variety of fabrics and studied the results.  I didn’t take pictures because I was too busy setting fabric on fire   The equipment used in the class were:  disposable metal pan, water, long tweezers or hemostats, matches or lighter, fabric and a Fiber Burn chart.

I’m so glad that I attended this program.  There are a few fabrics in my stash that I will be burn testing.

Other fabric burn testing resources

http://griffindyeworks.com/?q=burntest

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rvC7E4iaUY

Here’s a video of burn fibers test.

Books

Claire Shaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide by Claire Shaeffer

More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina

Enjoy

Have you seen her…tell me have you seen her?

 

Has anyone seen my sewing mojo? Would you please tell her to come back?  Thank you

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello everyone,

It’s been a while since I’ve posted but things have been going on in my sewing world.  Look for more posts soon.  I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving has a happy and safe holiday.

Butterick B5567 view D pictures

Here are the not so great pictures of Butterick B5567 View D.

I really need to start smiling when I take pictures.  This is the muslin.  I would add a snap in the front.  I think the back is fine but someone at work suggested I do a sway back adjustment to make it more fitted.  I don’t know I like the loose fit.

What do you think?

Butterick B5567 view D

source Butterick McCall's patterns website

I finished the muslin for Butterick B5567 late tonight. Looks good to me but pictures don’t lie. I will take some photos tomorrow and post. I hope this will turn into a tnt pattern.

Take care,

 

Carla

TnT = Tried and True Patterns

Believe it or not, I have a few tried and true (tnt) patterns.  I don’t utilize them as well as Carolyn of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic does with her tnt patterns.  I believe I don’t use my tnt patterns for the following reasons:

1.  I have pattern ADD.  There are so many patterns in my collection and new patterns that other bloggers have made that I don’t use my tnt patterns.

2. I really don’t know what looks good on me.  I begin to doubt the garments I make with my tnt patterns.  I hate shopping for clothes.  Really. Hate. Shopping. For.Clothes but that’s one way of discovering what styles look good on my body.  I’m going to make a point of trying on clothes and taking pictures.

3. I don’t have enough of the right fabric.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I have a lot of fabric but the more I sew, the more I realize that the fabric I purchased when I first started sewing isn’t the best.

4.I don’t have a plan for sewing.  I should participate in the Stitchers Guild Six Pack wardrobe plan and just use my tnt patterns.

So here are my tnt patterns.

Skirts

McCalls 3830 View C pencil skirt.  I’ve made this skirt twice.

McCall's 3830 black done

McCall's 3830 view C front

New Look 6899 View D.  I have the muslin of this skirt.  It fits great but I haven’t made a single garment!

Tops and Blouses

Simplicity 2598 view E Knit top – shell

Kwik Sew 2740 view B Knit mock turtleneck

Front

Simplicity 3887 View D woven pullover top

Black and White Simplicity 3887 view D

These are the patterns that I can sew and actually wear the item in public.  That makes them tried and true to me.  I’m still working on the dress that will not end.  At this point, I just refuse to quit.  I don’t think the dress is a good look for me but whatever.

In my stash, I have fabric for 5 of  McCall’s 3880 view C skirt.  All I need is lining.

Close up of plaid

Five fabrics for McCall's 3880 skirt

close up of pinstripe fabrics

I have one piece of fabric that would work for New Look 6899.

brown and green floral for New Look 689

I could really use the skirts now that it’s hotter than all get out in Atlanta.  Most of the fabrics are lightweight with the exception of the blue/black wool in the lower left of the picture with all 5 fabrics.

I know I’m not going to sew these skirts back to back.  If I can sew them all before the end of October that would be great.

ETA:  I’ve given up on the dress that wouldn’t end.  If the garment doesn’t look good or feel comfortable in the muslin stage then it’s time to let it go.  I’ve traced Lisette 0459 view A dress.

Now if I can figure out how to do an FBA on the front pattern piece.

I’ve also fallen for Simplicity 3833 view B.

I’ve cut out the muslin for Butterick B5567.  See, I told you I had sewing  pattern ADD.

Enjoy

Designer Patterns

I made a quick stop at the my local Goodwill Store.  I saw this bag and bought it for $7.97.

Some of the patterns that was in the bag:

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Some are uncut and not ONE of them is my  size.  I went online to learn the prices of some of them.  I’m thinking about selling them but I will have to research the different store options (Etsy,  Ebay, etc.)

I’m still working on the dress.   I hope to have pictures of a better fitting muslin this weekend.

Take care.

Who did that!!?!!

Hi everyone,

I’ve been a bad, bad blogger.  I’ve been sewing or making lots of muslins.  Recently, there’s been a whole muslingate  and here .   I make muslins.  I like muslins.  They work for me right now.  In fact, I’m glad I make muslins because it prevents stuff like this (see photo below) from happening to fashion fabric.

Okay, who did that!  You know it couldn’t have been me? Oh, wait.  It was me   I can’t believe I messed up the back so royally.  I was too busy making sure that I inserted the invisible zipper that I forgot to mark matching locations for both the  zipper and muslin.

So what went wrong on the back…

• incorrect invisible zipper insertion
• one size too big at the hip
• shorten bodice (wrinkles)?

Let’s look at the front

What went wrong with the front

• someone forgot to change the facings to match the dress front.
• one size to big in the hip
• need more waist shaping at the side seam otherwise it looks like I’m wearing a sack.

This morning, I removed the facings and the zipper.  I’m going to make some changes and try it again.   When I get the fitting issues resoled, I’m using these fabrics from Gail K.  I want to make two dress.

Have a great weekend

Carla