December Wrap Up

Yes, I'm still here and finally coming up for some air now that the holidays are almost over. I've been crazy busy at work since a lot of people took time off between Christmas and New Year's. Reminder to self: be one of those people in 2012!!

I haven't been a total drone, oh no. DH and I escaped to Las Vegas last weekend for dining and a show, specifically "Jersey Boys" at the Palazzo. It's a fun musical biography of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Do go see it if you can, especially if you like 1960s rock and roll. Amazingly enough, the trip was less expensive than a trip to Santa Fe--yes, including air fare. The hotels have crazy deals at Christmas--we stayed at the Mirage and the room cost $65 Friday night, and $85 Saturday. Plus resort fee of course, but that's still quite a deal!

My big splurge over the weekend was a new iPhone, purchased at the Fashion Show Mall, which has every major department store from Dillard's and Macy's to Saks, Nieman's, and Nordstrom. Amazing place. We even saw a Christmas floor show pageant, complete with Santa and his very svelte showgirl elves. Anyway, I'm all set up with the new 4S. Siri and I are trying to reach an accommodation; the girl has attitude.

And of course, I managed some sewing between the last post and this one.

Like many others, I made Shams' famous TableCloth skirt. However, I ended up making some alterations to it after its first wearing. I have hips about 3-4" below my waist and carry most of my (excess) weight there as well. So for me, the original pattern just had too much fabric in that area, and I felt very wide. I ended up taking off the waistband and making darts at each corner of the original square to eliminate some of the volume. I think it helps but I have to confess that I've had the revised version on around the house but haven't actually "worn" it yet. I hope it works out in a real wearing, as I really like the fabric and the asymmetrical hem. If I like the revised skirt and want to make another one, I'll convert the square into 4 trapezoid-like pieces rather than making darts. It's worth playing around with, and a warm-weather version would be nice to have.

I also made yet another Loes Hinse Cowl Top, finishing it up last night. I love this pattern--it goes together so quickly and is comfortable and flattering to wear in both the short and tunic lengths. This version is an acrylic blend sweater knit that I ran across at Hancock's Fabrics last fall. This is a revival of the same fabric as the vintage cardigan that I made from stashed sweater knit. It's very soft and feels very much like real wool. I think I'll wear it a lot this winter, with jeans and more dressed up clothes. I have another piece of it in the Sewing Cave, so I may make another version soon.

I'm not big on year end wrap ups for myself nor lots of resolutions. I've tried both in past years and I'm just kind of "meh" about doing it again. 2011 was a mixed year for me, but I'm hoping (as always) that 2012 will be better.

As far as sewing goes, I want to continue to make it a priority, but I think I'll lay off the sewalongs in 2012. I did garment-a-month and jacket-a-month this year and was relatively successful. I made at least one garment every month in 2011 and ended up with 8 jackets. I think challenges and sewalongs can be helpful in kickstarting sewing mojo, but they can also become production for production's sake.  I'm planning to continue to sew down my stash  in 2012, but with a few well chosen fabric acquisitions too. I want to keep sewing fun. For me, new fabric is part of my sewing enjoyment so I don't see myself stopping the acquisitions altogether.

Have a joyous and safe New Year!!  See you in 2012!

Stella is Done!

I love this top! It was a lot of fun to make, I solved the dye issue, and I've got something new to wear for the holidays. I'm even looking forward to making more.

I did make a couple of changes from the pattern--not that there's anything wrong with the pattern. These were just modifications that suit my own personal preferences. I narrowed the sleeves to a smaller circumference, better with a knit and my small wrists. I also shortened the top 2", a better length for my short-waisted self.

The dye issue appears to have been solved with a wash in Synthrapol followed by another complete wash cycle in plain water after that. No dye on my hands during the final stages of sewing, hooray!! Now I can wear it without worrying about turning my skin a different color.

A couple of other things-- the sleeves appear to be bracelet length on the pattern illustration, but they're full length on me. And that's fine. Just something to remember if you're a shorter person (I'm 5'4"). I also cut out the cowl on grain since I used a knit, and I increased the depth of the neck's facing/hem. I would have cut it double but didn't have enough fabric. I think Terri K. was the one who made both of these changes on a knit dress she made from this pattern, but darned if I can find the post!

I can easily see making this again. It's a great top, but it would also be great as a tunic to wear with leggings or as a dress.

A Work In Progress and a Recent Completion

Thanks everybody--I appreciate all the lovely comments on the Fail. I got back on the horse today, so to speak, and started another garment I traced and cut out at Material Girls last Sunday.

This one is another Sewing Workshop pattern called the Stella Top, the one on the left below.

I believe it's the newest of the printed patterns in this line, and it's a re-do of one of a circa 80s pattern. It's been resized and there's another cowl pattern in the envelope as well called the Luna Top, the yellow one on the right.

Another stash project because I used some stretch velvet that I've had for about a decade. The base fabric is black, then it was embellished with what appears to be gold spray paint. I got pretty far with it this morning. All that's left to do in the Sewing Cave is attach the sleeves, sew the side seams, and hem. Then I'm planning a wash in Synthrapol to (hopefully) pull off the excess dye. It's been staining my fingers as I work with the fabric but washes off easily. No crocking onto anything else, a good sign (I think). I just pinned the sides to the dress form to give some idea of what Stella looks like. So don't judge the final fit by this.

I also wanted to share a recently completed project. Yes, it's the Smudge Vest! This one I made of some white faux fur that I got for free from an ASG giveaway.

The pattern I used was Butterick 3257, circa 2001. I made View C:

This pattern is out of print, but I think it's one of those BMV patterns that returns from time to time with different envelope art, company, and number. I know there was a Vogue version of this as well.

The lining came from Gorgeous Fabrics, a really pretty poly charmeuse.

I love the colors and print; the tropical design is a perfect counterpoint to the faux fur. I couldn't get a really good picture of it even without flash, as the charmeuse is very shiny.  I used a gray zipper mostly because of the gray markings on Smudge's head; also, it just looked better than cream or white.

In Search of Dark Green Pants

I've recently made two different pairs of pants from the same fabric. I've concluded that I have a lot of green tops in my wardrobe and need something to coordinate with them. Both pairs were made from Sewing Workshop Patterns; I've had decent luck with their pants in the past.

The first pair was made from the Mimosa Pants pattern.

They came out all right, but not my favorite. I think the time for this style has passed for now. I found the legs too wide for my taste.

 I'll keep them for a while though, and maybe I'll like them better next time I wear them. If not, then they'll go to the donation pile. Life is too short, you know? One good thing--I really liked the instructions for installing the invisible zipper, so I'll use them as a reference. I also had a chance to use a Bernina invisible zipper foot that I've had for over a year--such an improvement over the plastic ones!

I still had plenty of the fabric left over after completing the Mimosa Pants, so I decided to use it to try out the new Quincy Pants pattern.

Now, these I love! Although they're elastic waist pants, they have a slim fit.  The hanger shot is a little wonky, but they hang nicely when on. The drawing is fairly representative of how they hang on a person.

I cut and sewed a size smaller than my current measurements but they worked out fine. I included the loop and button feature on the side seams, but it would be pretty simple to leave them off. Just redraw the lower edge of the pants so they're perpendicular to the grain. I think I'll be making more from this pattern, as they'll be perfect with tunics and sweaters. I rarely wear a tucked in shirt anyway.

The fabric is a very dark shade of green. Even with lightening the photos, I'm not sure if you can see much detail due to the color. However,  we haven't switched from swamp cooling to heat yet and the house is cold. I'm minimizing clothing changes as much as possible since temperatures are in the low 60's in here.

The fabric is a rayon/tencel blend that I bought from the Fashion Fabrics Club in 2003. Nicely aged.

JAM 5: Another TSW eShrug

I've really enjoyed wearing the black eShrug I made earlier this year. It's the perfect little cover-up when traveling and has gone on several trips with me.

Incredibly, I recently found a pretty print sweater knit in Joann's bargain section. I bought it to prototype with since the wool/rayon I bought at Santa Fe Fabrics last winter was too pricy to use with an untried pattern. Well, it didn't work out that way, because I ended up using the Joann's knit for another eShrug instead.

 I'm still getting used to seeing the reverse side due to the drapey lapels, but I have a lot of purples and greens I can wear this with now that it's cooler. I've been sitting on this one since September 11, when I made it as a respite from the unending 10th anniversary coverage but it's been too hot for it until recently.

Hot Fun in the Summertime

It's cooled down and breezy enough to write out here on the back patio this afternoon. 91 degrees is positively temperate compared with the triple digits we've been experiencing lately. Yes, it's a dry heat and all that, but enough is enough. Supposedly there will be storms tonight, a rare event for us. Let's hope so. We've been enjoying the patio in the evenings once the sun starts setting. Computers and iPads are very convenient for enjoying music and twilight reading outside. We'll be adding some solar lights soon so we can use even more of our outdoor space. And for the fall, a fire pit--once I borrow a truck so I can get it over here. Sometimes I really miss my little Hyundai Santa Fe.

I had a chance to spend several productive hours in the Sewing Cave this weekend. I made another version of Louise Cutting's Pure and Simple Shell, remade a failed sundress into a  skirt, and even traced off Loes Hinse's Tank Dress pattern.

Here's the shell. The colors will work for different seasons. I have a few cardigans that'll coordinate nicely with it, so this one is mainly for the office. I do need an olive pair of pants, though.

And the skirt.

This one was originally a sundress that I made for last winter's trip to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, I hated it and was tired of trying to make it work as a dress. So yesterday, I removed the elastic, cut it off at the armholes and converted it into a longish summer skirt. And of course, it took longer to remake than to make it from scratch, but that's the nature of remakes, isn't it? That stupid dress had an incredible amount of ease even with my previous efforts at narrowing it down. I ended up taking out another 2 3/4" of ease, and it's still has a flowy fit. But at least I have something I can wear now, because I do like the fabric. I eventually want to make another dress in this style, but I have other patterns that'll work better, including a favorite nightgown (!) pattern that I could modify. Butterick 5225, you are dead to me.

The container garden is doing well. I'm watering just about every day. Several tomatoes have developed, still green though. You can see peek of them with the Pure and Simple Shell, above. The basil and the mint are ready for sampling. I also acquired squash and bean plants from a neighbor who's in the process of moving to South Carolina next month. Talk about hot!

A Long Weekend and a Wadder

Independence day weekend is here, and an extra day off comes with it! DH and I are staying in town, what with fires up North. I've been sewing a bit, although the ending of the Casey Anthony trial has sucked us both in.

First up was another pair of linen TSW Hudson Pants that I cut out last Sunday at Material Girls. This pair was made of beige linen and a bit shorter than the others. When I laid out the pattern, I didn't have quite enough fabric. I was able to "make it work" by folding out 4" of length, so these are more like capri pants than the others. I got them finished Saturday afternoon. Then I wore them Sunday and hated them--much baggier looking than previous pairs. Even after tweaking the fit Sunday afternoon, I still don't like how they look. Into the donation bag they go!

So here's the lesson learned--fabric choice. I used a linen, which I've used before for this pattern. However, this particular piece was heavier and stiffer than the others, causing it to be a bad choice for this style of pant. Oh well. At least I know what not to do with the other, similar piece I have. It will be used for table linens vs. garments. DH loves heavy cloth napkins, and they'll be perfect for that. I hate having a wadder, but the fabric was an ASG acquisition, meaning free or near free. It still bugs to have nothing to show for limited sewing time, though. KWIM?

I think I'll give the pattern a little rest, although I'll continue making warm weather clothes for a while yet. The weather doesn't seriously cool down until late October and sometimes later. Next up is another version of the Cutting Line Designs Pure and Simple Shell. This will be the third one I've made. I also cut it out at Material Girls.

Another Weekend Getaway and Some Sewing

Normally, we wouldn't take two getaways so close together, but DH got 3rd row tickets to Jay Leno for my birthday. The show was at the newest of the luxury Indian casinos in the area, Buffalo Thunder, so we were on the road for a quick overnight visit. Buffalo Thunder is just north of Santa Fe in Pojoaque, one of the major pueblos in the area. Very nice! The casino part was actually tucked away from the restaurants and ballroom, so minimal smoke and clanging bells, a nice improvement IMO. In addition to the show, we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant on the property, Red Sage. The resort is full of Native American art from all the tribes in the area, with many contemporary and traditional pieces.

Because we didn't leave until Saturday afternoon, I had some time to do some sewing! Both projects were cut during the last Material Girls meeting in May--so you see, I actually do stuff other than collect fabrics there!

I made the Loes Hinse Tango Skirt Friday evening. It was my first project ever with Slinky. Yeah, I realize that particular fabric fad is over, but I love the colors in this print from Emma Seabrooke. It wasn't really hard to sew with, just weird. I've made this pattern a bunch of times so it's an easy one for me. I ended up shortening it from the top about 3" after trying it on, so it hits me right below the knee. No hemming on this one, just a raw edge at the hem.

Saturday morning's garment was another TSW Mixit Tank. I made it from some polyester that was left over from another project I made several years ago.

The original garment is long gone, but I still have the cardigan that went with it. Now I have a sort-of twin set that I can wear to work.

Sorry for the hanger pictures, but I'm not photo-ready right now and Ms. Acme is on loan to the ASG. She was used at the Fiber Art Fiesta last weekend for display purposes. 

Update, Q and A, and a Big Thank You!

I've completed 2 weeks at my new job. It's mentally exhausting learning all the new systems, but I like the company. One advantage of starting a new job with a class is that we can teach each other as we learn, and I can see some close bonds developing. Several of my team members are really young, as in right out of college. And then there are the rest of us, umm, "experienced" people. There are 14 people on the team, plus a team lead, analyst, and manager who transferred here from North Carolina.

I've even found bits of time for sewing. You've already seen my latest skirt in the last post, but I also made another pair of TSW Hudson Pants from the green Santa Fe cotton. I wore them out to dinner last night. I love this pattern and foresee future versions with variations. However, my next project will probably be more vestments. I got some of the matching fabric I needed while in Chicago, so I'll be making some gold stoles similar to the green ones I made last fall.

The weather has finally decided to be hot after a late freeze last weekend, so I've also made a minor attempt at culinary gardening:

I'm using containers, along with terra cotta ollas for irrigation. I planted 3 plants: tomato, basil, and mint. I planted basil (left) last year using the same system, and it did pretty well. Mint (front) is easy, so no worries there. I've never had much success with tomatoes (right), but we'll see. Even a few would be nice. Note to self: get a support for that tomato plant!

Laney asked if the new Simplicity 9570 skirt is something I can wear to work.

Actually, it is! The new workplace is business casual, and I'm not seeing many skirts. But I see no reason not to wear it, especially now that summer heat has arrived. I will have to be diligent in wearing the fake tan stuff and maintaining my pedicure, as panty hose aren't required and sandals are ok. 

Jules asked about the Michael Miller Italian fabric and asked for details. 

This is the fabric she's asking about: 

I bought it at Fishman's in Chicago, but it's currently on several fabric websites including eQuilter and Fabric Depot. It's a current Michael Miller fabric called "Parole Italiano".  It also comes with a black background.


judidarling commented on my new header with the cacti blossoms.

I took that picture last year or the year before. Unfortunately, that particular stand of cacti is gone due to some landscaping we had done. There are several other specimens around the property. We have some other varieties of cacti, too, but the orange ones are always the first to open up.


Several of you mentioned the rattlesnake statue, so I'll expand on that a little. Albuquerque has a program called 1% for Art, which means that part of the development budget on large projects has to be spent on artwork. In addition to the snakes, the program has resulted in some other interesting pieces around town, including the quirky "Chevy on a Stick" and many others.

Lastly, thank you very much for all the words of encouragement that you've left for me! I appreciate your support and kind wishes!!!

JAM 4: TSW eShrug Version 2

...and this one's a keeper!

After posting the first one, Terri K and Jane M suggested that fleece might not be the best choice and to try again with a different knit. Since my choices in Albuquerque are limited, I headed to another JoAnn's near Cottonwood Mall. No skull knits there, but they did have an assortment of "mohair" sweater knit in the red tag section. Most of the colors were cheap-looking, and it was obviously not from nature. However, it felt soft and there was black, so I brought some home. It's heathered, with little white fibers among the black, so white cat fur will not show! It only looks gray because I lightened the photo to show detail.

After prewashing and drying, I laid the fabric out Sunday afternoon. It was only 58" wide, just a touch too narrow for the main pattern piece. Don't you hate it when that happens? As it happened, I had read a tutorial about cutting knits crosswise earlier that day, so that's what I did. And it worked! Thanks, Marcy Tilton! The pattern piece also suggested this solution, since two grain lines were provided.

I also changed the sleeve from cap to full length. It suited the fabric and will work better for an upcoming visit to Chicago this weekend. I basically winged it by pinning the original sleeve in place, laying my TNT t-shirt sleeve over to gauge the length, then chalking the new cutting lines right onto the fabric. No pictures since I was working on black in the evening, but if you all want me to, I can work up a little tutorial. What do you think?

As before, the sewing was quick and easy, just shoulders and sleeves. I left the edges raw. Technically, this "mohair" is knitted like french terry; it has a stockinette side and a looped side. There was some shedding around the edges where loops were cut. I ran the shrug through the laundry again after completion, which has solved the problem.

JAM 3: Vogue 8430 by Marcy Tilton

I made this jacket because I had this big piece of polarfleece laying on the Sewing Cave floor, and I didn't even want to attempt to stuff it back into the fabric closet. It's another that I've had in the stash for a while, dating from 2003. It has a base of solid black fleece, but one side has sage green pine trees, stars, swirls, and dots. I'm guessing it's some sort of stencil, because the motifs have a painted texture. Regardless of how it was done, this is the only piece like this I've ever seen.

Because each side of the fleece can stand on its own, I decided to make this a reversible garment by sewing what I call a Raw Edge Flat Fell Seam. Basically, you make it like a normal flat fell seam by sewing the seam edges right sides together and trimming one edge close to the stitching. But instead of folding the wide side under and stitching it in place, I just stitched the wide side down 1/4" from the first line of stitching, then trimmed. It works because the fleece will not ravel and saves bulk on a thick fabric. I used sage thread for the second stitching. It doesn't show up as much as I'd like on the black side, but it does blend nicely on the printed side. I also used sage thread for the sleeve dart and on the zigzag stitching I added around the edge "just because."

It's a little late in the season for polarfleece, but it should be perfect for a retreat I'm taking in Northern New Mexico at the end of the month. I envision it as an extra layer I can throw on in case the lodge is chilly.

I'm not sure I mentioned it when I made the last one, but I lengthened the 2 fronts so they're the same length as the jacket back. This time, I also lengthened the sleeves by 2", short enough to leave as is but also long enough to turn up cuffs if desired. 

I wore the jacket to church on Sunday and made an interesting discovery--it glows in the dark!! That is, the sage green portions do, which makes the fabric even weirder, but that's cool. I wish I knew why it was manufactured this way, and for what purpose. At any rate, the jacket was nice for today's weather in the 50s (Fahrenheit). DH also gave it an unsolicited compliment and since he's not a Fashion guy, that means it looks good on me!

Puerto Rico Wardrobe, TSW Mixit Tank & CLD Pure and Simple Shell (Part 5)

Woo hoo, I completed the first sewn item for the Puerto Rico Wardrobe Saturday afternoon! This is the Sewing Workshop Mixit Tank that I've already a couple of other times: a green linen one that was basically a wearable muslin and a fuschia cotton/linen one that was modified by shortening it through the bodice body to create a flared silhouette.

I used a wonderful piece of cotton lawn that I bought from Louise Cutting a couple of years ago for this version. Beautiful stuff, very soft, very thin, semi-sheer.

I had tweaked the pattern slightly after making the green one--lowered the neckline a touch and narrowed the front armscye by removing a tiny wedge at the top of the side seam. I used the same version this time, except shortened by 3" since I'm short waisted. I plan to make any future versions this length as well.

I also completed the second item last night after the Super Bowl--the Pure and Simple Shell by Louise Cutting's Cutting Line Designs.

I've also made this pattern before, so it went together relatively quickly. It would have been faster but I decided to use silk organza for the facings as I was worried about shadowing. The sheer organza was great for that--it virtually disappeared behind the white linen and was firm enough that I could eliminate interfacing. However, it became tempermental when turning the edges, especially on the neckline. But I was able to Make It Work, and I'm pleased with the finished result.

Here's a detail shot of the shell's reverse side, showing the organza facing:

Oh and speaking of shadowing, I experimented with the rayon print's lining this morning. The photo below shows the print fabric folded with white challis in between.

I'll throw the combination over Ms. Acme today for further consideration, but I think the combination of the two fabrics will work well.

We're leaving in less than two weeks for vacation. At this pace, I might be able to get three more garments done but I don't plan to kill myself like I did for the wedding and Kauai. My plan is to take a rest from brightly colored semi sheer prints and make the black linen TSW Hudson pants next, then the dresses. I have a TNT for one of them, the Hearts Fluttering in Vogue morph and I'm still figuring out the other.

Loes Hinse Cowl Tops: Last Garment of 2010 and First Garment of 2011

I talked about this pattern the other day and got around to a quick photo shoot this morning. Really quick, because my camera really needed immediate recharging!

I made the blue one per View A out of a beefy rayon blend knit from the late Lucy's Fabrics. I think Gorgeous Fabrics may have something similar. Nice weight, and cosy to wear.

I made the olive green one on New Year's Day. It's View A without the cowl. The fabric is a acrylic/cotton knit blend I got several years ago from Fashion Fabrics Club. The fabric is 2 layers--the face layer has a sweatery feel and is knitted to the back layer in a diamond pattern, forming the quilted texture. I omitted the cowl, feeling that it would be too many thick layers at the neck.

I lengthened both tunics by 2"; when I made this pattern last year, I felt like the length was just a skoash too short when worn with skinny pants. The extra length also allows me to add a belt if I want to.

TSW Now Shirt and Kwik Sew Cardigan: Done at Last!

A partially frustrating day yesterday--I pulled out the Christmas decorations and discovered that the "pre-lit" Christmas tree would not light. And on top of that, I ended up with several scratches on my hands and forearms from wrestling with the stupid thing. Ultimately, I decided there would be no tree this year. In the future, yes, but not in 2010. DH isn't a big "tree" person, and I don't feel like spending the money on it because I'm still not working. As a result, the old tree is in its box on the curb waiting for today's charity pickup. The house still looks festive for the season with the remaining decorations, so no worries there.

DH came home exhausted from work and decided to go to bed early, giving me the opportunity to work on the Now Shirt and Kwik Sew cardigan. I had made the buttonholes over the weekend--thanks for your encouragement for helping me to power through!! Many samples later, I used the automatic buttonholer on the BabyLock Audrey. It worked surprisingly well for both garments, considering that it's  a relatively inexpensive little machine and the fabrics were so different.  Last night, I cut open the buttonholes and attached the buttons--there are 5 on the cardigan and 5 on the shirt, so a lot of button sewing! Well, that's one of the reasons we have TV, right?

Photos later--

Pajama Sewalong: Finished!!

I worked on them yesterday afternoon and finished them this morning. I don't have too much to say about their construction, except that I think I need to retire this pattern. Not because I don't like it, I do. However, the tissue is coming apart and is just about done for. I have some other pajama pants patterns that I can adapt using this one, so it's ok.

I made these for me. While they make great gifts, my Christmas list is small. My sis and BIL are getting a shipment of New Mexico green chile, and my SIL and BIL will be getting a shipment of salmon. DH and I are planning a holiday getaway to Santa Fe, so that will be our gift to each other.

Thanksgiving day was very relaxed. DH and I went out to dinner and had a lovely meal of buffalo prime rib, root vegetables, a green chile popover, and mashed potatoes. Also included were a soup course (lobster bisque), salad course (endive with blue cheese, candied pecans, cranberries, and tangerine vinaigrette), and dessert (a pumpkin cheesecake). Delicious but way too much to eat in one sitting, so we will have Thanksgiving leftovers this weekend.

Pajama Sewalong

Ann (Gorgeous Things) organized a pajamas sewalong for Thanksgiving time, and I'm participating. I'm making my usual pajama pants from McCall's 2476. I usually make a few pairs every year, so I'm about due for 2010.

I picked out 3 cottons from the stash last night and washed them to knock out the storage creases. Yes, you read it right. There are 3 pieces, meaning I'll be making 3 pair of pjs at the same time, using my big mat and rotary cutter. Each fabric is quilting weight cotton: batik ferns, retro Route 66, and an anime-inspired cat print.




Producing multiples is simplified by stacking and cutting all pairs at the same time. Stacking is a utility sewing technique--the fabric is stable, no design matching, and the pattern is a simple 2 piece TNT.

For the layout, I fold each of the freshly laundered fabrics lengthwise and press them, then lay them out on the table, aligning the folded edges. They're stacked from wide to narrow and the printed (white) selvedges are placed so they're visible.


Once stacked, I check to make sure the fabrics are smooth and uncreased. Then it's time to cut!



This stage goes really fast, so now I have 3 pairs of pj pants ready to go. My next steps will be to pre-press the casings and hem allowances. I also need to choose serger threads that will blend with all 3 fabrics--not the easiest task, given all the different colors in the fabrics I chose. Even with a BabyLock, I don't want to do much changing out of cones. I like to sew these in an assembly line manner as much as possible.

The New TSW Now Shirt Continues, Plus

I went to Joann's Wednesday afternoon on a button hunt. I found nothing on the sizable LaMode and JHB displays--everything was too ornate, too shiny, or too light. In other words, exactly what I didn't want for this project. I was getting ready to leave and head towards Hancock's when I noticed the tiny Slimline rack, where I found a couple of likely candidates--dark gray faux mother of pearl and matte-textured black buttons. Each card of 6 cost a whopping $1.00. And the winner is--the black! The texture and color blend well with the charcoal shirt, so I'll be making buttonholes, attaching buttons and wrapping up this project soon.

Yesterday, I had some errands to run near Anthropologie. I like their quirky vibe, although the prices are higher than I care for. I found a couple of things I liked well enough to try on. I talked myself out of these pants--although they were cute and well-fitting, I don't need linen right now.




I took a couple of cell phone pictures for the details, which may appear on a project later on. I bought this sweater:

It got mostly bad reviews on the Anthropologie website, but it appealed to me. I'll be wearing it with skinny legged pants. The maroon ruffle at the lower edge is actually a separate layer that wraps around from the back. The cardigan layer is only the front and sleeves.

I saw some other items that I liked but just as inspiration. I don't need to be buying a lot of new clothes when I have a closet full and a stash besides.

This year's Threads archive DVD was in the mail when I got home. It's not just the supplement, it's every issue, but it had a special price if you purchased it last year. A couple of things have been fixed. For example, I can now print pages if I want to. I had a fun time looking through it last night--a different experience than leafing through the actual back issues, but satisfying to be able to quickly search and then bookmark favorite articles.

TSW Now Shirt, Version 2

I've planned to make another Now Shirt ever since the last one I made in early 2009. I finally got started with Version 2 on Saturday afternoon. It's still in progress, but mostly done.


This one is made out of charcoal gray gauze. It's an extremely wiggly and ravelly polyester that's been in the stash since 2001. However, it worked up well in spite of all that. In retrospect, I probably should have just punted the French seams called for in the pattern instructions because they required so much handling, which made the raveling worse. Note to self: serging is a perfectly acceptable seam finish when faced with this type of fabric! Really, it's ok.

I need to pick up some buttons and more thread before proceeding with the front closures. You'd think with all the buttons I have, something would work--but no! Nothing really works for me the way I want it to. I envision this shirt as being a showcase for accessories--necklaces, scarves, etc.--so I want really plain buttons that won't compete. Worse comes to worst, I'll make covered buttons with the fabric that's left, but what I really have in mind is charcoal mother of pearl or even similar man-mades.

TSW Urban Pants Questions

I've had a couple of questions about the Urban Pants that I just posted about.

meredithp commented: These look really nice-I like the seam down the front. Any reason you haven't done the button/tab thing?

I haven't done the detail because I thought it might not look so great on a full length pant. The Urban Pants design is cropped. Plus, I didn't see making ventilated pants now that the weather is getting cold. Someday I'll get around to making the cropped ones and take the time for it.

Mary also commented: Recently having 2 disasters in a row with SW patterns, I wonder if these run true to size?

I'm not exactly sure what "true to size" means with respect to patterns. I mean, people's bodies vary a lot and so do their fit preferences.

I remember the first time I made the Plaza Pants, which are based on the same block. It was at a Sewing Workshop Getaway in 2007. Based on my (then) weight, Linda Lee recommended cutting out a Large. Linda likes her clothes to have an easy fit (like Eileen Fisher), but I knew how I am, so Linda was able to show me how to make the Medium work for me with a couple of minor fitting tweaks. The fit was OK, not perfect, but improved when I got them home and shortened the crotch seam by taking off the waistband, trimming the top of the pants, sewing it back on. I'm still basing my pants on a Medium even though my weight has creeped up a little bit--I've only had to make some minor adjustments to make them work. Plus, I still think I can lose 5-7 pounds.

Still with me? My conclusion is that these pants are true to my size. Your mileage may vary, but these do not seem to be designed to be overly loose fitting. I like them.

And I like the front seam too. Not exactly princess seam pants, but I do like the vertical line. Not as distinctive as the Plaza Pants with the big pleat down the front, and the seam also provides extra opportunities for fit. I'm planning on morphing this pattern into a version of the Valencia Pants, again the same block, but in a one-seam version.

TSW Urban Pants, Versions 2 and 3

I've been feeling the need to wear long pants. It's been warm enough to wear cropped some days, but it no longer seems right. And I don't feel like wearing "work" pants at home; that doesn't seem right either. I could get away with wearing jeans all the time, but I want some variety. As a result, I've made up some pants that bridge casual and work so I have something to wear while gainfully unemployed.

This pair was made from a mini black and navy check suiting that's been in the stash since 2006. According to my records, it's a poly/rayon blend. Even after cutting out the pattern, I have several yards left, so you're probably going to see it again, in some other form.


I've made up this pattern before so it moved along pretty quickly. I actually completed them at mid-month but I'm a little behind in blogging my sewing projects. Like the last pair I made, these are full-length without the slit/facing/button and loop featured on the original pattern. I've also played around with the fit a little bit, adding 1/8" to each of the center front seams and making a slight adjustment to the center back seam. Actually, this is the same adjustment I made to the Plaza Pant pattern, but the basic draft is the same for both patterns so it works for Urban Pants too.

I just finished up another pair this morning. I used a similar fabric for these in camel/black mini houndstooth. The fabric is similar to the black and navy I used on the other pair, but a slightly heavier weight.


I really like TSW's Plaza/Urban/Valencia pants for me. I think I could use a pair in olive, then I'll be set with pants for a while.