and one more

Whenever I make a bunch of purely functional receiving blankets, I like to also include one particularly lovely not-just-functional one.
This is it.

I started with a 45in square of flannel. This one has tiny lilac flowers. Then I cut coordinating lilac checked flannel into 45 X 9 in strips. For the corner pieces, I cut 9 in squares.
I sewed 2 squares to the ends of 2 of the checked strips, and attached them to the flowered square at opposite sides, attaching the remaining 2 strips to the other 2 sides, sewing all the way across. No, it does not work to construct the strips into a square, and attach it. Flannel sometimes stretches while sewing, so attaching one strip at a time allows you to make adjustments as you go.
The border attached, I then pressed under a 1/4in finish all around, then folded the border's pressed edge to the wrong side at the seam allowance (encasing the allowance, as I press).
Before stitching the border down, I mitered the corners, trimmed, turned and everything went smoother.
After the border was stitched, I attached eyelet trim, beaded with lilac satin ribbon.

Would anyone care to see a mitering tutorial, step-by-step????
I can do that.

Blankies!

This does not represent the greatest challenge to my skill, but I love making receiving blankets for new babies!!
These blankies are for my newest grand-daughter, Emma Rose Jones, who is due in late July.
I make the blankies bigger than standard receiving blankets -- they are 45 in square. This way they will be used for a long time -- from swaddling to summer naps to flags for living-room forts. After washing in hot water for maximum, and final, shrinkage, I true up the edges by folding a selvage to a cut edge, and clipping, then ripping the excess. Then, I search my stash of pretty colors of wooly nylon and serger thread. {note: the variegated purple is new for this project -- what do you think?}
Setting my Baby for 3-thread operation on a medium-narrow stitch, with short length, I then overcast the edges, changing threads as needed -- or as the mood strikes.
Next project for Emma Rose is a quilt made of Minkie and flannel. My grands deserve the cuddliest blankies ever!!!

Help request

I promised that I would make up the teal interlock I had bought to go with my new pants. Towards that end, I have gotten as far as washing the fabric, and trying to select a pattern. And herein squats the toad.

I cannot decide between these 4 patterns. Each has much to recommend it. Some of them I have used before, and know what to expect, others I have not yet used, and am anxious to do so. 2 of them are surplice front (so: I am not considering the other views in these 2 patterns), yet each wraps in a different direction (meaning that one of them is the traditional female right-over-left, and the other is avant garde!) Of the other 2, one has a built-in faux shrug, that I think is adorable, but the neckline looks a tad low, and broad for modesty. I can adjust that -- but, do I want to?? The other has a cunning mini-boat-neck cum cowl. Very interesting construction on this one.

What do you, dear readers, think?? Remember: I have a short, squatty neck, full, high bust, and soft, pudgy midriff.

The fabric, on which the patterns were photographed, is 97% Sea Island Cotton/ 3% Lycra. Very soft, has a lot of drape, a little on the thin side -- quite sumptuous.

I anxiously await your opinions.

Paris Pants!!

I finally finished a project for moi! It was an extremely easy pair of pants, yet still took a couple of weeks to complete! s * i * g * h

The fabric is a wonderful loose-ish weave linen that I purchased recently at Sewing & Stitchery Expo. The pattern I used (LaFred's Thalia pants) were purchased at S & S Expo 4 years ago. Okay. So it took me a while. I get around to using everything I buy, eventually.

I really struggled over the best use for this fabric. I purchased it with not an idea in mind as to what I would make of it -- only that it was bottom weight or jacket weight, and I really didn't want all that busy-ness near my face. So, it would be a skirt or pants.

After I got it home, and washed it in HOT water, I was happy to discover that it wrinkled only slightly, and not unattractively, and shrunk hardly at all. Quality is always worth the investment. [read: not the cheapest fabric I've ever bought.]

Much searching, and not a little angst was involved in choosing a pattern. When I purchased the Thalia pattern, I envisioned rendering it in a soft, challis with a soft hand and a lot of drape. (I still intend to do that.) So, I had a hard time reconciling myself to using this full-bodied fabric for this project. I'm glad I talked myself into it!!

The pants are very comfortable, were easy to fit, and look nice enough for work. I immediately set about searching for a great interlock to make a t-shirt to coordinate with this, found a lovely teal for that purpose; but got sidetracked by a dear friend.
This past month at our local Quilt Club meeting, I presented a class on all of the seminars I had taken at Expo, and brought with me all of the patterns, books, CD's, and fabrics that I had purchased. One of the members admired this fabric, and remembered that she had an applique in her stash that would look wonderful with this print. She brought it to my office the next day, and I knew that I had to put it on a simple white tee.

Alas: a thorough search of all local fabric stores failed to offer the quality of interlock I was after. I wanted to wear it too soon for an Internet order to arrive, so I had to [gulp!] go to a department store and purchase a t-shirt ready made! Can you imagine? I simply couldn't find the same quality of fabric on the bolt. Where does Ralph Lauren shop for fabric?? He found just what I was after!!

I don't normally go for a 'cute' look -- but, Barbara was right: this adorable applique was just the thing for this ensemble!
I'll get that teal t-shirt made someday.

A-a-a-a-r-r-r-r-gh!!

My next project will be utilizing one of the pieces I bought at Expo, this past Feb. If you recall (scroll down to previous posts, if you don't), I bought a fun linen print, of Paris Cafe scenes in teal, black, lime on natural linen.
Last night I pre-washed it in hot water, and machine-dried it, so as to incur all the shrinking it will do. Then I measured it.
I have 2 yd, 17 in of a 54 in wide fabric.
54 inches wide!?!
Who does that anymore?
Worse, I am hard-pressed to find a pattern in my collection that includes fabric yardages for 54 in fabric. Once, all patterns did.

Why don't pattern companies include yardages for widths of fabrics that mills still use???
And no, David, calculating the total square footage doesn't help. Not all problems in life are solved by a standard geometric principle.
A-A-A-A-R-R-R-R-G-G-G-H-H-H!!!

Decades of Style -- hours to sew

I love vintage fashions, and my sweet husband bought this pattern for my most recent Birthday.
It is from the company: Decades of Style. (www.decadesofstyle.com) This design is adapted from typical, feminine skirts of the 1930's -- this particular one is from 1936. Decades of Style pattern company faithfully recreates American women's fashions from each decade of the 20th Century. They do not, however, dictate vintage sewing techniques. I like that! The construction techniques detailed represent some of the best industry techniques, and tips I have ever seen. A couple of steps looked strange to me, as I read the instructions, but made perfect sense as I performed them. I shall purchase and sew up these patterns again!





The shaped seam is not accomplished with a typical 301 butterfly (right sides together, press open); but rather, the seam allowance on the RF is turned under and pressed, then lapped RS's up, over the LF and topstitiched. I finished the seam edges first with a 3-thread narrow overlock (have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE my Babylock!!!), and topstitched with one of the decorative stitches on Pfaffie (have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE my Pfaff??), using rayon embroidery thread.










I'll make this pattern again, but next time, I'll lengthen it about 4 inches. This time I used a lightweight, loosely woven linen; but I have a lovely warm brown wool tweed that I bought last summer at Pendleton, that will make this up nicely. I didn't line this one, perferring, instead to wear a Swiss batiste slip under it -- the wool will get lined with my usual favorite Bemberg rayon.

Although I didn't need to make any adjustments for fit (some days, you just get lucky), the designer has some wonderful advice about that. Allow me to quote: " This pattern conforms to a fictional standard size." Fictional. That about sums up standardized sizing.

Brody Bear Overalls

For Valentine's Day I made my grandson, Brody a pair of corduroy overalls with a little bear embroidered on the pocket; and coordinating long-sleeved T-shirt, on whose pocket I embroidered a heart, and into whose pocket I tucked a note that read, "Oma liebens Brody". He may not be able to read just yet, but I know he understands. I think they were adorable.




It is, of course, too hot now in South Texas for corduroy, so Brody needed new overalls. I had a great piece of blue chambray that I didn't disburse, so I cut it up into short overalls. I took the embroidery up a notch by combining an image with alphabet. 2 completely different programs on my machine that had intimidated me in February, but I was determined to conquer now. It turned out to be pitifully easy. I had to use the "edit" button. s*i*g*h

The facings are cut from a lovely vintage Battenburg Lace-edged linen table topper that I inherited from somewhere (I've had it a while). I cut off the Battenburg lace and saved it (look for it to grace the edge of a new blouse for me), and I hope to have enough linen left to get Brody a little shirt to go with his new overalls.

Check out the adorable wooden bear paw buttons. There's a little story behind that. I rarely (despite my recent disbursement) get rid of anything, so if a garment is otherwise unusable, but has great buttons, zipper, piece of lace, etc., it is saved. About 30 years ago, when we lived in Germany, I made a little jacket for James, Brody's father. A long, but fun tumble down a snowy, slushy hill resulted in tears and stains in the jacket that could not be remedied. 2 of the 4 wooden bear paw buttons were broken, but I managed to save the other two. Now James' son can wear them. Cute, huh???