What I've Been Enjoying

The library's sale shelves. I've gotten some great stuff for very little, and I enjoy supporting the library. I try to stop and check at least once a week.

My orchids are all blooming at once.

We spent a few hours in Indianapolis, and I truly enjoyed fabric shopping at the French Seam fine fabric store. I got several stunning pieces to make summer things for Daisy. If you're in the midwest, go there.

I'm finishing up my poetry collection and turning it in tomorrow. 

I've been working at the Sisyphyean task of using up my scraps of jersey by piecing a string quilt. You cut your scraps into strips and sew them to a fabric base. I'm using 10-inch muslin squares and I need to make 81 of them. I do about two a day. I'm not racing through this project, but it is so satisfying to see the scrap heap diminish.

Kale from the garden!!

A Bear for a Baby

I found a cashmere coat at the thrift store in the perfect color, if you were wanting to make a bear for a baby, which I was.

In fact, I've made two. I machine-stitched the pattern pieces together, but then the head, body, arms, legs, etc. all have to be joined by hand, which is always awkward until I get the hang of it.

Navy Wool Cape

When I get time to sew these days, I'm still busting away at my stash. This cape used up two lengths of vintage wool--navy for the outside and gray for the inside. Shop here if you're interested!

I Got All Boho in the Sewing Room

I started with a little 70s-style needlepoint of a fruit basket. It went from there.

The back has got a pocket from a dress.

Shop here!

Very Practical Sewing: New Napkins

Some *really* down to earth sewing--cloth napkins. We've been running low so I bought enough of this cheery print to make fifteen. That's a lot of little hems to press and then stitch, so I did it in very short sessions. After a week, they were all done.

The Dottie Angel Wrap Dress

This is the Simplicity 8186 pattern I wrote about earlier.

It's comfortable, cool, and practical, and I'll make it again.

Simplicity 8186: Dottie Angel Wrap Dress

I'm always on the lookout for a good wrap dress. I've made some spectacular fails (now living as quilts or skirts) so I approached this pattern with caution.

I'll skip to the end--it made a very nice garment. No facings or collar, and very simple styling, which is just what I like. 

BUT!!!

Oh my word, as my niece would say. This was the poorest pattern ever. 

1. The front of the bodice at the shoulder is ruched, and has a rectangle of fabric stitched on behind it as a stay. Three of the stay's edges are hidden in other seams. But the fourth, free-floating edge? You are never instructed to finish it. Folks, finish it.

2. The ruching is formed by running several rows of gathering threads across the piece of fabric, and then topstiching over them. The gathers begin and end in plain sight--they are not hidden in a seam. And yet the pattern does not instruct you (as it should) to leave long tails on your threads, and thread them into a needle so you can pass them to the wrong side of the dress, tie them, and cut them off.

3. The bottom edge of the sleeve (where there would be a cuff) is pleated. Fair enough. But you are just supposed to baste the pleat down at the raw edge, then turn it under for its inch of hem. Don't do it! Topstitch the pleat down. You don't/ can't just turn a pleat over and hem it uncontrolled.

4. Last bit of nonsense: the front edge of the dress is finished with bias binding which is turned over to the wrong side and topstitched down. The pattern (ridiculously) has you understitch the seam allowance to the bias binding before turning and topstitching. This is totally unnecessary--understitching is for when you have a lining or facing that might want to roll to the right side, NOT for when you have a binding that will be stitched in place.

With those caveats, I recommend the pattern because it makes a nicely-shaped housedress. It doesn't need to look like the baggy garment the pattern cover shows--just choose a size that has the right amount of ease for you.

. . . And Two Totes

Also, two fun totes available.

Alabama Chanin Walking Cape

I've been interested in the Alabama Chanin Walking Cape ever since I saw it in the store and admired its secret inside pocket. And outside pockets! Last year the AC website offered the pattern as a pdf purchase, and this week I bought it and made it up . . . but in a woven, not a jersey.

I chose a light gray wool woven because 1. I didn't have four yards of jersey to use and 2. I had this free wool. I fully lined the cape with a second layer of the wool, machine stitched it, and (as you see) put rounded pockets on the outside. There's a square inside pocket that's perfect for phone and keys if you are, in fact, walking. Or use the pocket for a tissue if you're going to wear this cape to the movies with your husband to see Lion.

A super-simple project and one I look forward to sewing up in jersey.

Needs a Dachshund

I recently made a plaid wool tote, and it looked a little plain.

"This needs a dachshund," I said to myself.

($30, send me an email if you want it.)

Clara Presses Forward on Her Bridesmaid's Dress

Closing in on the end of the bridesmaid's dress--just the charmeuse sash and the hem are left, and the hook and eye.

I Had a Minute to Sew

I had a minute to sew! And was determined to use up some of my stack of wools. I made four bags assembly-line style, and this pair of blankets for the car. I like to have something to cover up with if I'm traveling in cold weather.

They're available in my etsy shop and all the sale proceeds will go to a young family hit with unexpected medical expenses due to a premature birth and complications. 

Scissors on the Windowsill

The windowsill by the woodstove becomes my temporary sewing table.

Cashmere Capelet

Most of this super-soft sweater has gone for other projects--but the top of it makes the coziest, most beautifully shaped little capelet. All I did was cut it off right above the underarm seam, leaving the top of the sleeve intact, then finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch.

And then sew on some bugle beads, of course. That was the best part.

A Line in the Sand

Clara and I have managed to reupholster the couch to this point--it's only lacking the bottom fabric and the fronts of the arms. Meanwhile, I've been making the cover for the seat cushion, but today the sewing machine drew a line in the sand. Stopped me in my tracks. Said it simply wasn't capable of sewing through six layers of upholstery velvet where the piping has a seam and is being sewn to two panels.

I was almost immediately okay with that, and found a shop in town that will finish my cushion cover at a very reasonable price. I got it over there today with a huge feeling of relief. No more green velvet to sew for the forseeable future.

A Stack of Wool

My neighbor brought over all this and more when her sister cleared out her storage. I will put on my thinking cap. It's all wool!

Favorite Knit Top, for Now

This Simplicity 1716 is currently my favorite knit top, made up in the cowl neck with 3/4 sleeves. I've made it up in cotton jersey (don't do this) and also a much more drapey fabric (do this). The cowl is just the right magnitude, and the shirt has that handy center back seam to accommodate those of us who need to make a swayback adjustment. And it's super easy.

Daisy's Floral Shorts

Ignore, if you can, the sight of Sister gathered up like an armful of laundry, and instead see that Daisy made herself the cutest pair of floral shorts yesterday! She did everything herself, from cutting, to finishing her seams, to putting the elastic in her waistband.

Soft Babies

 In my very very few spare moments recently I've been sewing these Soft Babies. Their faces and limbs are made from cotton jersey, and their dresses are cashmere (from thrift store sweaters). The one on the right is the prototype, and her sister on the left has her head trimmed into a more human shape.

The creative impulse is mysterious and unpredictable--for now it has me stitching up these very soft dolls. Clara and I are also painting the sewing room (ouch!!), but when I have a few more made I'll be putting them in my shop.

Jersey Dress Success

This is my new pattern! I'm really liking it--even better on, since it's made to fit me and not my out-of-date Lucille (time to make a new duct-tape dress form).