Cutting Day

Today I've been cutting...and cutting...and cutting!

I have 3 projects cut and ready to go. I rented Margaret Islander's Industrial Tips video tape and one of the tips was to take a day and just cut out projects. Gather all items together (threads, buttons, seam binding,etc.) and tie with a scrap of the fabric.


The project to the left top is my next pair of pajamas. All my PJ's are too large now so it is time to make a new pair. I bought this fabric at Nancy's Notions online quite awhile ago. It is quilting cotton from one of Michael Miller's collections. I'll be making a short sleeve tunic style top and capri length bottoms. This will be #3 to sew in the cue.

The project on the right top is my Talbot's knockoff top. I mentioned this one earlier in one of the posts. This is #2 in the cue.


The fabric is a knit that was purchased in New Orleans at Promenade Fabrics.

And the front project is my jacket that I am going to enter in the PR Lined Jacket Contest. This the same pattern that I made for the Stitch and Flip Jacket class that I took from PR in July.

The fabric is a Home Dec that I bought in Mandeville a few weeks ago. The fabric is a blend of Linen/Rayon...we think! It steams/irons very nicely, but I will dry clean. The fabric is very similar to the fabric in a jacket that I had years ago. I'm using Ambiance lining fabric that I ordered online. I'll have to get to work on it tomorrow because the deadline is Oct 1 and I'll be leaving for Mexico on Sept 22 and not return until Oct 1...so I have to have it finished and photographed and my review written by the 22nd!

Now onto a finished project. I took another class Building a Better Blouse from PR in August and I put the finishing touches on it Saturday. This is a pattern that I blended from PMB and a Kwik Sew pattern for the sleeves. I am pleased with the way it fits. Not sure about the fabric though...maybe a little too "old lady" looking. However, I do LOVE me some paisley!


Oh, and I'm down another 1.2# for a total of 44.8....yes, .2 from an even 45#. Urgh! And it has been 35 completed weeks!

I have been sewing....really!

I really have been sewing, but not posting. It takes a lot of time to do both!! This is the top Butterick 4817, that I finished early July.


The rest of July I've been working on my Stitch and Flip Jacket class. I'm almost finished, just the tacking of the facing and the hem is left. Here is what it looks like now.



I'm taking another class on PR and it starts tomorrow. It is the Build a Better Blouse Class. I'm going to be using Kwik Sew 2849 .

While I'm preping the pattern for that class, I'm going to start work on my Talbot's top knock off. I found this top at Talbots and then found a pattern just like it!! The Talbot's top is on the right and the pattern photos are on the left. Doesn't it look just like it?

I also added something else to my sewing room! I went to visit my daughter in Orlando last weekend and I went to IKEA and bought an Alex chest. It now houses my ironing press instead of that large table.

Homework

My class started yesterday on PR - Stitch and Flip Jacket and I did some homework last night. We were told to sew scraps of fabric together using the technique and finish the edges with trim, binding, etc. Here is my finished homework....it's pretty!

I have NO idea what I'm going to do with it....but it is pretty!!!

Updating the sewing room ---- AGAIN!

I know, I've a "sick mind" as my sister says!!! I wanted to start using the clam shell ironing press that Jayne gave me and I had no room with the way the room was laid out. So....I ask my DH to build me shelves to free up some floor space and this is how they look! I love them!!!
Then I was able to put a table under them to house the ironing press...see!
Then, since he was building stuff, I asked him to cut me a piece of peg board and this is how it came out! I even found some cute baskets that fit on peg board. I found some really cute 3 ring binders, boxes and magazine holders at Office Depot, so I think I'm really finished with the organization of this room.....maybe???
More pictures:



My next class through PR started today, Stitch and Flip Jacket! The first lesson download was today, so I found out that the pattern I wanted to use wasn't a good choice for this technique, so I went out at lunch to Hobby Lobby and bought this pattern to use

I'm going to use a fabric that I bought while in Seattle and a lining that was in the stash from Vicki. I'll post when finished.

Plus yesterday I made the muslin of another sleeveless top that I will try to cut out this week. It is a simple top and should be easy to sew in a night or two. Another project I started this weekend was to put the measurements into the PMB software and make the fitting garment. I've sent the pictures to the company for their critiquing, we'll see how well we did. Thanks to Jill for her help!!! Also, today I bought a Light Box to help put the PMB patterns together. Jill brought hers for me to use on Friday and I immediately saw that this was a much needed item.
She went through the pattern stash that I bought at the garage sale and she found several she wanted. Now, I have to post the others online for sale. That will be for another day and another chore!

Patio Furniture Makeover DONE

I finally finished the patio chair cushion project that was started a little while ago. I got disgusted with the whole project after the first cushion was made and my velcro didn't stick. I used the non-sew velcro and I didn't follow their directions like I should have. A full minute is quite a bit longer than one would think it is! So, I put the velcro on the remaining 3 cushions as the directions stated and guess what? My fabric shrunk a full inch, so then the closure pieces didn't fit the rest of the cushion pieces. That is when I decided to toss it in the corner. Now after Tommy repainted the 4 chairs and table, I promised to finish the cushions. So back to the drawing board.

I ended up cutting pieces to add to the closure pieces so that they would be the correct length and it worked out very nicely. Here are the pictures:

The last 2 cushions may not make it through the summer - only was able to sew them with a 1 needle serger finish. While putting the new covers on the back cushions, the seam on the bottom that forms the box came unsewn. The seam didn't hold....oh, well. I'm done and next summer I'll just buy new ones because I will not be making them again! The fabric is a Waverly Outdoor fabric from http://www.housefabric.com/defaultproduct.asp and this is the pattern name http://www.housefabric.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=28498.

I used Coats and Clark outdoor thread http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=6f724c89-ff6c-49a0-af50-2ec09889a5c6 with a topstitch needle in the sewing machine and size 14 in the serger. The weave of this fabric is very loose and I think that is also why the 1 needle stitching doesn't hold up to stress.
Oh, and to get those new cushions into the new covers.....my Mother gave me the idea to put them into a garbage bag so it would slide right in, but someone on PR website went a little further with that idea. You put the cushion into a very large garbage bag then take your vacuum hose and suck the air out, then slide it into the cover, turn the vacuum off then cut the plastic bag off and pull it out of the cover. Worked like a charm!

Sewing update!

I finished the blouse last night and I really like this one, the fabric is so much better.

I made a fantastic purchase this morning on my way back from Weight Watchers (another 2.4# BTW!!) at this garage sale. I bought 4 boxes of patterns and 3 rulers for $30....I had $100 worth of fun just going through the patterns. Even Mama looked through them, I think she had that much fun looking through them too, and she doesn't sew! Here are pics of what 2 of the boxes look like after I went through them. And here is a picture of the fabrics I bought last weekend in New Orleans.

The one on the left is a paisley knit, then a pique polka dot, navy linen and then the paisley cotton/stretch. I need to get them washed. The polka dot needs to sit in vinegar and water to set the colors so they won't bleed. This was suggested by the owner. And I did a little online purchasing during the week and all of it arrived in the mail today.

I bought more Palmer Pletesch interfacing, waist band interfacing, pattern tracing paper and then from Pamela's Patterns, The perfect Tee Shirt, The Perfect Tank Top and the T-shirt makeover pattern along with some Heat'n'Bond for the hems of the T's.

Also, I broke down and purchased Pattern Master Boutique 4 from Nancy's Notions and it has shipped so I should get it next week sometime. Plus I registered for the making pants better online sewing class at PR which begins in June.....whew...I'm going to be very busy!

I'm back in the sewing room!!!

Since I've been losing weight (31.4#!!), I was able to use one of those patterns that I was trying to sell over on PR.

I made 3 muslin's before the fit was right.
I used size 22 and made a FBA of 2" and I had to shorten the shoulder width by 1/2".

Here is the finished blouse.
I dislike this fabric very much, it is a rayon blend and it was very difficult to cut, sew and hem. After I finished it I threw it into the washer and dryer and all these little frayed edges stuck out from the hem. It was just too difficult to turn under without a wavy hem. I'm wearing the blouse today to see how it wears, but I'm thinking it will not be a favorite! I'm working on another one with sleeves that I will post just as soon as I'm finished.

This weekend my new PR friend (Jill) and I traveled to New Orleans to Promenade Fabrics on St. Charles Avenue. What a wonderful shop! The gentleman (that I'm guessing was the owner) was a character and he knew his fabric. The best selection of linen and silk that I think I have ever seen. All of his fabric is from Europe. I didn't know there were so many varieties of linen! I bought 4 pieces of fabric! A navy linen, a piece of cotton pique that is white with navy polka dots a really nice brown paisley knit and a wonderful stretch cotton with orange/green paisley on white. Jill bought a few pieces as well, but she almost bought this fabulous lime green silk, but she decided she just couldn't pay that much for fabric and then she would be afraid to cut it!!! I totally understand that because I have a $25 yard Italian cotton that I haven't cut either! The gentleman even suggested that we go across the street for lunch at Hoshun Restaurant http://www.hoshunrestaurant.com/accolades.html, and he was right. The food and atmosphere was wonderful! Then we headed back to Metarie to Joann's and Jill bought a few peices of this wonderful silky feeling fabric for some blouses. Then we headed home. It was a wonderful day and I was so glad to finally meet JillRN1995, we will be going on another fabric shopping expedition in the near future.