Robin's Mostly Sewing Blog

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Pat asked about the machine quilting on a Chanel-inspired jacket:

The boucle fabric used in a Chanel-inspired jacket is loosely woven and needs stability, so it is quilted to the silk lining.  The quilting can be done using couture hand-sewing techniques, or it can be done by machine.  Carolyn wrote a wonderful post in her blog "Diary of a Sewing Fanatic" with photos of machine quilting her Chanel-inspired jacket.

Threads magazine has featured more than one article about these beautiful garments.

I bought this gorgeous tapestry from Emmaonesock and I had intended to make a jacket from it.  
When it arrived, I felt nervous at wearing those shades of green so I nixxed the jacket idea and made a straight skirt instead.
Well, I LOVE it!  It really looks great with black tights and boots and my leather jacket.  Plus, there are a gazillion colors in here and I have other sweaters and tops it will work with.

I used Bernina My Label for this pattern.  It is just a simple skirt with an invisible zipper and a vent in the back.  There are waist darts, a facing and a lining.  Again - it fit me straight off the printer.
I love a quick and easy project.

I have to say I love this new software put out by Bernina.  You enter many measurements, and the program generates a model who really looks like me.  Then you select the garment you'd like to make (there are 20 to chosse from).
When you similate the garment on the model, it looks almost like animation, as the fabric is draped on her body.  At that point, you have the option of changing measurements on the garment.  I increased the length from the center back neck to bust point and center back neck to front waist.  That  accomplishes a FBA ( full bust adjustment).
Click on erase, click on simulate, and it drapes a new garment with the new measurements.  You can fiddle with it as many times as you like - then save it and print it out to sew.
I have not yet looked at the sewing instructions - this was easy enough to sew up without looking at directions.

It called for a facing, but since this is sheer fabric, I thought a bias tape edging would look better.  The fabric is black & brown burnout from G Street (a couple years ago).

I have never, ever sewn a tunic before- it did not strike me as something that would look good on me.  But, I have to say I will sew more.  It was easy to make and it is a very easy style to wear.
Oh and the fit?  It looks and feels great to me!!  Yep, I'd already say this software is pretty cool.

One last thing!!  I LOVE this fabric that Nancy has in her current newsletter.  She calls it Red Prisms and it is kinda like waleless corduroy.  Or maybe a little like upholstery fabric!  

I wanted a light jacket for Fall, but the pattern was a lot closer fitting than I intended.

I plan to add a separating zipper to the front and wear it over a tank top or a camisole or something.
It is a little too warm with anything more.

I learn something new with every project.  Nothing ever seems to turn out exactly as I intended, but that is half the fun of sewing.

This is the pattern that was fitted to me in the workshop I attended with Sandra Betzina.  It is close to my TNT pants pattern, but better.  The princess seams allow shaping that really skims over our lovely middle-aged fluff and scoops out any baggy seat situation.  I used wonderful rayon /poly /lycra from Timmels Fabrics and wow are these pants ever comfy!

And since I was having such good results from Sandra's line, I picked up this blouse pattern.  I've been longing for a simple blouse pattern to use for all the silks I have acquired.  This particular silk comes from A Fabric PLace (the big sale last summer) and it works with my SWAP plans.

Oh- yes I made modifications to this blouse to accomdate my mistakes!!  When I was sewing the seam on the sleeve, I accidentally sewed it all the way down to the wrist so I no longer had a place for the opening for the cuffs! oops.  SO I just sewed the cuffs into bands and inserted elastic.  And I really wanted to make the collar stand using her instructions because it looked so do-able.  But I LOST the pattern peice for the collar stand and I was too lazy to draft a new one from scratch.  So- another time saving trick I fall back on is the tie.  Just strap on a long piece of fabric, tie it up and say, "I meant it to be this way".







Thanks to DH for the photo shoot! 

I've been sewing up a storm using Vogue's "Today's Fit" patterns by Sandra Betzina.  In tops, I only need one alteration.  On the bodice front, I remove 5/8" starting at the outside shoulder seam, down along the front of the armscye.  That makes the shoulder seam on the bodice back 5/8" longer than the front, so I ease in the difference or add a small shoulder dart.

I started with an extremely easy pattern: # 8089

Oh, yes, I have to lenghten for my height and on this one I forgot to lengthen the collar! I was out of fabric so there is no collar.  I lined it and I need ideas to trim it up, add buttons or frogs - SOMETHING.  Right now there are pins along the edge - I think it needs some top-stitching, too, for stability.
Anyway, here is my first jacket.  I didn't even sew a muslin.  I tissue-fitted, though.





This was going to be an unlined jacket til I tried it on and found it hung up on my hips all the time.  So I sewed twill stay tape all around the edges and bagged the lining withe Ambience. cosy.  I wish I had machine-quilted it a la the Easy Method Faux Chanel method.  But.... anyway, now I need ideas to finish it off somehow.

 I just had THE BEST weekend. 


(by the way...Dorothy is digging :) for answers on my striped silk shirt.  I have not yet washed it!  I have only worn ir a few times and I just air it out and steam it a little.  Sooner or later I'll handwash it in cold water with a gentle detergent)

DH and I went to the movies on Sunday, we went out  for dinner on Saturday night, I heard from DD who called to tell me she LOVES her yellow & black plaid bomber jacket I sewed, I made a really cute jacket on Sunday, I unloaded a bunch of fabrics that were just making me feel guilty.
AND...

I met Sandra Betzina! Woo hoo.

She gave a  "Today's Fit"  workshop at the G Street Fabric Store in Rockville.  It was extremely interesting to watch her fit about 20 ladies in one of her jacket patterns and one of her pants patterns. 

She had multiple jackets and pants made up in all the sizes so we could try on samples.  She also brought samples of all her other patterns, including the jackets featured in this month's Vogue Patterns magazine.

 I was one of the last ones, so I got to watch her in action.  
Basically, it seems that ANYBODY can wear one of her patterns if they know how to tweak the fit.  I saw (all beautiful)women (of all shape /size /color) who were told what their personal adjustments should be.
One might use one size on the back and a different size on the front. Or -  another might use one size for the shoulder area, then follow the cutting lines for another size in the bosom and yet another in the hip area.
Or - add a smidge to a particular seam.  Nobody had a ridiculous list of fitting adjustments and everybody walked out with a piece of paper that showed her own personal adjustments.

For me, halleluia, the jacket pattern in a size D fit perfectly and all I have to do is reduce the shoulder seam on the front piece by 5/8" all down the front of my arm.  That will make the shoulder seam on my back piece 5/8" longer but I just ease that in when I sew the front to the back.  Sweet!
The pants need a one inch increase in length at high hip /waistline area, one inch increase to length in thigh and 1 inch increase in shin.  The front piece need extra added to the inner seam, I forget how much.
ANYHOW, these patterns were all sold out at the store, so I ordered them from Vogue patterns online.
Woo hoo!

And here is my easy-peasy jacket made from boucle I bought from Julie at Timmel Fabrics:



I used the casual jacket pattern from Wild Ginger Pattern Master Boutique- and I used the front should adjustment I had just learned from Sandra the previous day.  I do like the fit!

All the muslins I made over the last couple of weeks have paid off.  The workshop with Sandra paid off.
Thank Al Gore for inventing the internet.

Hi All, Today is Veterans Day in the US, so the Post Office is closed for the holiday.
I will mail out your fabrics tomorrow .
It was so nice to "meet" all of you who contacted me via email. 

Happy Sewing!!

I have a stack of fabrics that will never see any more action from me, so I am offering them up to someone else:


Several of these came from Kashi of Metro Textiles in NYC.  (I bought them sight unseen over the telephone!  That was fun but I only did that one time- since then I always ask for swatches first!!)


UPDATED 11/12/07 at 9am Eastern Standard time
Some of them are colors that don't work for me:
Green suitweight wool woven with lycra, 60" almost 5 yards-> nabbed by E.V-C.
Cranberry suitweight wool woven with lycra 60" 4.25 yards.-> going to D.G-S.
Tan suitweight wool woven with lycra 60" 4 yards. -> nabbed by N.V.

Some of them are leftovers.  If you look through older posts, you can see that I made from these fabrics.
Medium brown woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 2.5 yards.-> goes to N.C.K.
Dark brown gabardine woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 2.5 yards.-> the winner is C.W.
Black /brown heathery woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 2.25 yards.-> goes to L.T-S.
Olive twill-like woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 3 yards -> nabbed by L.T-S.
Black with cinnamon pinstripe woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 1.125 yards. -> kept by R.D
Black with royal blue and white horizontal pinstripe woven wash 'n' wear synthetic with lycra 54" 4 yards.-> kept by R.D

From A Fabric Place in Baltimore:
Brown print with white stripes and blue flowers- cotton woven 50" 2 yards. -> goes to E.V-C.

From Gorgeous Fabrics website:
Floral cotton knit 60" 1.325 yards -> going to B.V.

From G Street in Rockville, MD:
Floral cotton pique woven with lycra 52" 1.25 yard -> goes to L.T-S.
Denim cotton woven 58" 1.325 yard -> kept by R.D.

Left by previous owners of our house:
4 panels tab-top curtains in stiff muslin type fabric.  Each panel 40" wide by 48" long -> kept by R.D.

I guess I'll leave this up for a few days and whatever is left will get sold on EBay.
My name on eBay is "rockloverockville"

YAY- Everything it spoken for so no need to hassle with EBay!
Thanks to all you lurkers!!

HAPPY SEWING!!!!!!




 

Here is my first draft of my story board.  I'll add more details as we go along.
Today I bought a central fabric for the collection - a lightweight wool menswear suiting in charcoal gray with cinnamon and blue windowpane.
All of my blouse fabrics go with it, as well as the grays and black.
woo hoo.

 Here is my fabric for the Timmel SWAP 2008.  I plan to make:
A jumper out of the black wool crepe (Vogue Fabrics bought at the Chantilly Sewing Expo)
A cardigan out of the cinnamon wool rib knit (from A Fabric Place - summer 2007 sale)
Blouses out of the silks (Black rayon print from Vogue Fabrics, Mauve deco print from G Street, green silk from A Fabric PLace)
Pants & skirts out of the black menswear lightweight wool fabrics.  (G Street and Michael's Fabrics).
The swatch is a wool blend boucle from Timmel fabrics, to become a jacket.


And that is my foot.  Haaaa hAR!!

I really love all of these fabrics - I should, I sure had fun collecting them over the last few months.

Here is the pattern I'll use- only I'm making the dress as a jumper.



And here is the coat pattern & fabric.  I am using View D- the knee length coat.



This lovely wool mohair came from Emma One Sock:


The inspiration came from my trip to Heidelberg last Fall.  What a lovely town.  Everyone looked chic and pulled together even when dressed casually.  I saw a lot of knee length coats and boots.  I bought a pair of black boots while I was there and I have a pair of brown boots.
So that was my starting point for Wardrobe Winter 2007-2008.

 

Woo hoo, finally got around to finishing this.
I used fabric from Nancy Erickson's Fashion Sewing Group and her jacket pattern 1945.  The front facing is dark brown Ambience lining fabric and I made bias tape out of the Ambience to hem it.  There are little squares of interfacing fused where the buttons and buttonholes are sewn. 
I am also making a pair of dark brown wool crepe pants to go with it.  I'll wear this over a crips white blouse, or a lightweight denim short or perhaps a red silk blouse.  

I sewed this jacket for Laura as a Welcome Home gift.  She was so enthusiastic about the style & fabric.  I said, "Oh that will be easy."  Har Har, favorite last words.
I used Kwik Sew 3157, view A. 
I sewed a practice muslin first and took Laura to Sarah Veblen for a fitting on the bodice only.  I re-drafted the sleeve myself, using knowledge gained from Sarah's class about set-in sleeves.  I sure am happy to be able to draft a sleeve from scratch, and it looks great! (If I do say so myself :)
I added a lining - stuff called "sunback".  It is like satin on one side and flannel on the other side.  It is supposed to block wind.  The fabric is a wool flannel in yellow & black plaid from the Rockville G Street.
I ordered the zipper and the rib knit from Seattle Fabrics online.  That rib knit was hard to find.
And the zipper- it looked GINORMOUS when I first opened the package.  But it looks fine now that it's in the jacket.
Whew!
Matching those plaids, adding the lining, finding the notions ... it was not as easy as I thought.
But it was so much fun to sew!


The back:


A glimpse of the lining:


Woo Hoo!  On to the next project!

 I originally set up my blog at the same time DD created a blog to record her year of study in Germany.  Her blog existed to share glimpses of her year abroad and my blog existed for much fo the same reason (to let her know what I was doing back at the ranch).
To give my blog focus- I concentrated on my favorite hobby: sewing.
Now she is home and (yay!) I get to see her more often and we get glimpses of each other more easily.

So, I have decided to scale back  on the blogging.  After all, it does consume valuable time and I NEED TIME- TO SEW!!  
There are about a zillion fantastic sewing blogs out there.  Here are just a few of my favorites, in no particular order.
Click to link for fun reading about sewing:

Carolyn's Diary of a Sewing Fanatic
Laura's Sewing Room
Ann's Gorgeous Things Blog
Vicki's Hongkong Shopper
Cidell's Miss Celie's Pants
Liana's Sew Intriguing
Marji's Fibers Afloat
Tini's World of Fiber Arts
Dawn's The Secret Pocket
Debbie Cook's Stitches and Seams
Sigrid's Sewing Projects
Sharon Sews
NarcissaQTPie's Sewl Sista #1
Erica B.'s DIY Style
Linda's Patterns, Fabrics and Thread - Oh My!
Isabelle's Kitty Couture
Shannon's Hungry Zombie Couture
The Sewing Divas


Enjoy!









 

I sewed up that Vogue blouse in a beeeyootiful navy blue silk shiffon that I bought as a remnant for only a few dollars.  I was so tired of testing my blouse muslin in a boring fabric.  It took quite a bit of effort to alter this pattern to fit me.  I used "For the Fit of it" instructions to alter the bodice.  I whittled down the crazy-long "Road Map" into a list of 6 adjustments.  It took an hour to trace the tissue  and do the adjustments.
(last time I did FTFOI alterations, the pattern was demolished & unuseable by the time I was finished.  I learned my lesson).
Then I sewed 3 muslins to fine tune the fit.  I used techniques I learned from the class on set-in sleeves at www.patternreview.com.  Now, after the class ended a week ago, I have finally done my lessons.  What a valuable class.  I am so lucky to have Sarah as my teacher.

Sooooo, I just really wanted to work with something luxurious and that chiffon is truly luscious.  One must enjoy the journey to work with chiffon.  It takes 100% attention.  Very demanding fabric!  But I so love it.
Also went to see drag racing today!  Yep, I really enjoyed that.  
But time.  Wow, time is precious these days.  It is hard to get as much as I want for my sewing.
That is OK.  
I have sacrificed my blogging time over to sewing.
That's OK, too.

Next week I'll sew a muslin of a jacket for Laura. Fun!
And I talked to Kelly lately about possible projects for her.  A dress sounds fun.
Something to ponder.  I am very interested in fitting somebody besides myself.  
Lotsa good blog posting out there .... I need to go read what these ladies are up to .....

 I have just spent about 15 minutes trying to figure out how to post a badge - my Rocking Girl Blogger badge that  LauraLo gave me!  I can't figure that out, or can I figure out how to list all the other blog that I visit.
I need a side bar! I want a sidebar!
There are so many wonderful women sewing out there!!
Well here is a picture of it:


Tonight I came home and altered the pattern Vogue 7935.  Tomorrow night I will cut out a muslin. 


Last week I did a little bit every night and by the weekend I had a new cinnamon colored shirt.  Over the weekend I made a pair of dark navy cotton pants.  I am sewing but don't has as much time for blogging lately.
I am really enjoying my Fall projects.  I have some leopard prints on the way!! Yay!

Now that I am back to work fulltime, I am more careful with my free time.  So I'm not posting as much these days, but I am sewing and I will post pics as I complete things.   
My main goal right now is to sew year-round clothes.  Short sleeved tops that can go under sweaters & jackets.  And I'd like to sew some long sleeved chiffon blouses to wear over camisoles in summer and under sweaters in winter.

I felt so good last weekend I cleaned the whole house.  I also re-arranged the furniture!  Yep.  I spent a lot of time this summer watching tv shows that taught me how to Design on a Dime ... Design to Sell ... etc.
There was no premeditation, I just woke up one day full of energy and ideas.  It was fun. 

I finished my silk blouse:

Daniel likes to sew and he is good at it!  Here is an fine example of his applique work. Note the artistic zig-zag stitching around the perimeter:


Daniel's first sewing project was hand-sewing applique.