February wasn't as good to me as January was sewing wise. I only finished three pieces - two pairs of lined pants and a jacket...way below the 10 pieces needed to meet my annual goal. Hopefully I will make it up when summer comes and I start blowing through those pieces. But who knows since the garments that I will add to my wardrobe this year will be more detailed and tailored...ah the dilemmia!
However, I do have my Tamoutsu dress hanging waiting to be finished and a jacket semi-completed that I am dithering on. I am definitely going to get the rest of my SWAP pieces completed this month so I have a plan and know where I am going...well hopefully! *smile*
Fabric *sigh*...well I started the month strong. I was even good in the middle of the month only acquiring 15 yards of fabric...pieces bought to make more corporate chic garments. But then the end of the month snuck up on me....and I stopped by Fikret Fabrics (one of the few fabric stores left on 40th Street) after seeing the Ralph Rucci Exhibit and I had to offer a little support...so 4.5 more yards followed me home. Now I was up to 19.5 yards...still not bad...I could work that out.
Then "the manilla envelope" arrived in the mail...and all sense of rhyme and reason flew out the window! Now before you start moaning let me explain why! First you have to be a member of Fabric Mart's Sample Club which you earn by paying a fee. Half of the fee is returned to you in a $25 off coupon that you can use anytime during the year...I have never held onto the coupon longer than three months...but I digress. Then FM offered 20% off all the sample cut fabrics, the website and all of the notions...I might not have fallen and so hard at that, but they also let me use my coupon alongwith the 20% off!!! The only good thing about falling is that the fabric won't arrive until March so it will go against my March totals.
Finally fabric out this month - 7.5 yards vs. 19.5 yards in. My YTD totals are 9 garments made, 16.5 yds of fabric used and 21.5 yards of fabric purchased....those other yards aren't here yet so they just don't count now! *LOL* I have a ways to go to meet my goal of 100 garments constructed this year but it is too early in the year to call uncle yet!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Ralph Rucci at FIT
(credit: www.style.com - Chado Ralph Rucci collection - Spring '07)Ann (Gorgeous Things) and two of the other Sewing Divas - Gigi & Phyllis were in NYC last month and went to see the Ralph Rucci exhibit at FIT. Their adventure reminded me that I had planned on seeing this exhibit but hadn't yet made the trip. So yesterday, my daughter and I went into the city to see the exhibit. And it was absolutely fantastically, amazing!
Of course the clothing was awesome....I mean c'mon its Ralph Rucci. However, the idea that stayed with me even after leaving the museum, was how he embraced his vision and remained true to it. One of the wall plaques in the exhibit stated that Rucci knew his evening gowns were so couture that they wouldn't be worn on the red carpet and that he did more busness in daywear and suits. Even though he understood this, he continued to design evening wear that reflected his vision. Those words really struck me.
Then there were the clothes...
The exhibit opens with a white doublefaced wool jacket that is embroidered with words. The jacket is paired with a pair of chocolate brown leather pants that has words printed onto the leather. I stood at this outfit for a while looking at the attention to detail. The words on the jacket were only on the jacket fronts - not the sides and only a single layer of words ran down the center of each sleeve. It was astounding how the two pieces were placed together, the type of fabric used and the embellishment technique. It made me want to run right home and start sewing.
The next outfit that stayed with me was a jacket and skirt made from double faced wool (which he uses alot) that had pieced inserts on the jacket front and sleeves and also inserted into the matching skirt. The entire outfit looked to me like felted wool jersey and of course, my mind rocketed back to the bag of felted wool jersey scraps I have been holding on to.
I mention those two outfits specifically because they struck an inspirational chord within me...something I could come home and replicate in my own wardrobe. That is not to say that there weren't some other amazing outfits in this exhibit. He uses alot of wonderfully rich and luxurious fabrics. He uses interesting and different embellishment techniques. His attention to detail is amazing and it is hard to describe his construction details without tripping over superlatives.
As we were leaving the exhibit, there was a glass case that held one of Rucci's small sketch books opened to a page showing a sketch he had made, a fabric swatch and some notes. My daughter noticed it first and motioned me over. We both just stared because it looked exactly like the notebook that was in my bag! And if I had opened it, there would have been a page with a sketch, a fabric swatch and some notes...that was so thrilling to me!
Of course the clothing was awesome....I mean c'mon its Ralph Rucci. However, the idea that stayed with me even after leaving the museum, was how he embraced his vision and remained true to it. One of the wall plaques in the exhibit stated that Rucci knew his evening gowns were so couture that they wouldn't be worn on the red carpet and that he did more busness in daywear and suits. Even though he understood this, he continued to design evening wear that reflected his vision. Those words really struck me.
Then there were the clothes...
The exhibit opens with a white doublefaced wool jacket that is embroidered with words. The jacket is paired with a pair of chocolate brown leather pants that has words printed onto the leather. I stood at this outfit for a while looking at the attention to detail. The words on the jacket were only on the jacket fronts - not the sides and only a single layer of words ran down the center of each sleeve. It was astounding how the two pieces were placed together, the type of fabric used and the embellishment technique. It made me want to run right home and start sewing.
The next outfit that stayed with me was a jacket and skirt made from double faced wool (which he uses alot) that had pieced inserts on the jacket front and sleeves and also inserted into the matching skirt. The entire outfit looked to me like felted wool jersey and of course, my mind rocketed back to the bag of felted wool jersey scraps I have been holding on to.
I mention those two outfits specifically because they struck an inspirational chord within me...something I could come home and replicate in my own wardrobe. That is not to say that there weren't some other amazing outfits in this exhibit. He uses alot of wonderfully rich and luxurious fabrics. He uses interesting and different embellishment techniques. His attention to detail is amazing and it is hard to describe his construction details without tripping over superlatives.
As we were leaving the exhibit, there was a glass case that held one of Rucci's small sketch books opened to a page showing a sketch he had made, a fabric swatch and some notes. My daughter noticed it first and motioned me over. We both just stared because it looked exactly like the notebook that was in my bag! And if I had opened it, there would have been a page with a sketch, a fabric swatch and some notes...that was so thrilling to me!
(credit: www.style.com - Chado Ralph Rucci - Spring 2005 collection)So what did I take away from the exhibit:
1. Hold tight to your own vision and incorporate it into the clothing you make.
2. Don't be afraid to experiment with color, texture and design.
3. Details, details, details ~ the care he took with the details many times made the garment!
4. Don't go anywhere without my sketchbook!
If you can get to New York City before April 14th when the exhibit ends, please plan to spend some time at The Museum @ FIT visiting the Ralph Rucci Exhibit ~ "the Art of Weightlessness." It's free so there is no reason not to go!
1. Hold tight to your own vision and incorporate it into the clothing you make.
2. Don't be afraid to experiment with color, texture and design.
3. Details, details, details ~ the care he took with the details many times made the garment!
4. Don't go anywhere without my sketchbook!
If you can get to New York City before April 14th when the exhibit ends, please plan to spend some time at The Museum @ FIT visiting the Ralph Rucci Exhibit ~ "the Art of Weightlessness." It's free so there is no reason not to go!
And if you won't make it to NYC before then, you can see his Fall '07 collection here and his Spring '07 collection here. All outfits pictured in this post are shown in the exhibit.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Yeah, I Said It! - Sewing News has reached the local level
Everyone knows that I LOVE sewing! And recently there have been several articles in the news magazines (Time) and segments on the national morning news shows on the resurgence of sewing. Well that news has now filtered down to the local level because about three weeks ago I was interviewed for a sewing article in my local area newspaper. It was really interesting because the author of the article found me through my blog! Too kewl, huh!
Because I like to share...the article is listed below:
The Times of Trenton Archive
COPYRIGHT (c) The Times of Trenton 2007
Millions of sewing enthusiasts are finding fun, friends and fulfillment as they stitch away
By NORA O'DOWD
STAFF WRITER
The way Elizabeth Anderson sees it, "If everyone in the world sewed, it would be a much better place."
While it's unlikely that everyone will pick up needle and thread, each day more and more people are joining the estimated 35 million stitchers in the United States.
Classes at area sewing centers such as the ones Anderson and her husband own are bustling, while dedicated seamstresses are blogging about their latest projects. Teens look forward to their sessions on streamlined machines that bear as much resemblance to those cranky old black Singers as PT Cruisers do to Model T's.
Experts chalk up the surge in sewing to various reasons: the influence of home-makeover programs and shows such as "Project Runway"; an urge for self-expression; a surefire way to stretch a wardrobe.
"It's part of the do-it-yourself craze," says Karen Koza of the Home Sewing Association, a national nonprofit group that bills itself as "the authority on all things sewing."
Sewers, "young and old, want to look like their contemporaries, but also stand out," Koza says.
That's an aim Pat O'Brien, a sewing instructor with Stony Brook Sewing and Vacuum Super Stores owned by Elizabeth and Howard Anderson, knows all about.
"Kids now want to stand out, they want to personalize their stuff," she says on a break between classes at the bustling store in the Hamilton Marketplace. "When I was a kid, all we wanted to do was blend in, make sure we were all wearing the same thing."
It was a fact demonstrated yet again at the beginning of the school year when her two teenage daughters got rave reviews for the fabric-hemmed skirts they'd fashioned from old jeans.
"Sewing skipped a generation," says O'Brien. "My generation."
As a teenager in the '70s, O'Brien was taught to sew by her mother. But she was reluctant to wear any of the clothes she made for fear of being seen as poor or, worse yet, different.
" 'What, you can't afford to buy your clothes?'" was a typical reaction to her homemade ensembles, O'Brien recalls.
The women's movement then relegated sewing to a quaint domestic science soon expelled from schools' curricula.
"As the baby boomers became mothers and grandmothers, retiring from the work force, they've turned to sewing as a creative outlet," continues O'Brien. "And their daughters have become interested. But there's no one to teach them." That's where O'Brien and thousands of other sewing instructors across the country come in.
At the Stony Brook centers, classes run the gamut from quilting to embroidery to home decorating.
A recent class was devoted to making panels for quilts that will be raffled to raise money for breast cancer research. The buzz of activity suggested a hive; questions ("Do we stitch the binding on or quilt first?"), comments ("There's a dog hair in my quilt!") and encouragement ("Just like that, that's it!") ricocheted around the quilt-paneled room.
Some of those quilts are works of art: Two, placed side by side, materialized from different interpretations of the same pattern. One shows gardens of demure and diminutive roses while the other is an explosion of bright insistent flowers. Some fan out their colors in peacock fashion; another uses the copper hue of new pennies and the brown of old ones.
Lisa Dekovitch, one of O'Brien's students, describes the joy of translating colors and fabrics she loves "into something that everyone can enjoy as much as I do.
"Quilts know no age limits, everyone from infants to the elderly loves to be comforted by them. I love mixing different fabrics and textures together and making it a `Lisa quilt.'
"A part of me is thrilled that I possibly could make something that could still be loved many years from now," says Dekovitch of Bordentown.
But quilting is just one aspect of the needlework being done by men, women and children.
Teens gravitate toward the "Make It You" line, says Elizabeth Anderson. That includes patterns for bags, belts and pillows in candy-color fabrics and sparkling accessories.
"Sewing now is for entertainment," she says. "Maybe you won't be able to compete with the outfits at the store, but it's a creative way of expressing yourself . . . it's doing something creative for your soul."
Once a technique is learned, it can be applied to other projects.
"You can translate the techniques of quilting onto garments, home decorating . . . it's not restricted to one area. There's a blurring of the lines," says Anderson.
Classes are a give and take, chimes in O'Brien. "Students ask for projects requiring specific skills. Some are afraid at first, but I tell them, `If you can turn on the machine and sew a straight line, you can learn.'"
All agree that sewing machine innovations have hastened the revived interest.
At the Stony Brook center in Hamilton, pale machines proceed along a shelf like a sleek train. They're computerized, portable and second nature to a generation that thrives on technology.
Older sewers may be a bit intimidated at first by the variety of options, such as pushing a button to accomplish a buttonhole, but once they see the results, they're sold.
"The technology has helped tremendously," says Koza of the Home Sewing Association. "The new machines are fun to use."
Anderson talks of struggling with treadle machines, while O'Brien recalls tensions - never being able to get the right setting on the machine and the resulting tensions with her mother as teacher.
"All that headache stuff is gone now," says Howard Anderson of the sleek machines, which can cost anywhere from $79 to $7,000.
Barry Yellen, manager of the American Sewing Center in Princeton, says he has noticed a lot of first-time sewers visiting his shop in the last three years. "More people are taking lessons, and the classes with younger people are growing," he says.
Sewing classes also are offered at area schools, whether as part of the curriculum or as an afterschool activity.
In the Ewing Township School District, for example, students can get a taste of sewing in middle school then take more in-depth courses at the high school, according to Brian Bittings, a district supervisor.
"The kids love it," says Bittings of the high school courses on designing contemporary clothing and apparel design and construction.
Both elective classes are well attended, says Bittings, and a few of the students are boys.
Then there is Sew Trendy, created as a partnership between the Home Sewing Association and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc. It's intended to involve select high schools, including many in New Jersey, and their communities in a yearlong sewing and design project, says Koza.
Sewing as they reap
For Carolyn Norman of Somerset, sewing has been a passion for most of her 47 years. Home-ec classes were complemented with instruction at home from her grandmother. By the time she was 11, Norman had learned to sew. "I sew everything!" she says, including her wedding dress, maternity clothes, prom dresses for her daughters, school clothes. "Everything!"
Only one of her three daughters sews, and very few of her friends are interested in sewing. Working as an executive assistant in New York, she leaves for work at 8 a.m. and does not get home until 7 or 8 in the evening.
With no time for a sewing group, Norman treasures her virtual connections.
She keeps a sewing blog illustrated with photos of finished projects and regularly converses with other sewers online.
Like crowded pin cushions, the Web sites are bristling with advice, patterns, questions and answers. There is solidarity in sewing.
"This is really a solitary thing, but you can log onto that board and talk to anyone, around the world, anytime. They have the same sensibility, and it really fosters a community," says Norman.
That sense of community is something the Andersons and O'Brien have noticed about those who sign up for classes at their stores.
"Sewing groups are like the old-fashioned quilting bees, it's a way to connect people of different backgrounds. People who never would have met otherwise are going out to lunch together after class," says O'Brien. "Some are coming to class even if they are not going to sew." Howard Anderson puts it this way: "There's no backyard fence anymore. It's the backyard fence."
Karen Sowney, another student of O'Brien's, talks about gaining expertise with every class until she was able to make a very special gift. "The first quilt that I made was a `memory' quilt for my 84-year-old mother with pictures of our family, which she absolutely treasures," says Sowney of Burlington Township.
The positive energy of sewing may be an antidote for the doldrums.
"I was very depressed last winter when my friend suggested that we take a quilting class together." says Mary Fowlie of Mount Laurel. "That may be one of the best decisions that I ever made. Not only did I learn how to quilt, but it's hard to stay depressed when you're making something lovely. Quilting has helped me so much that I convinced my daughter to try it and she loves it as well. And I've made some very nice new friends."
Koza of the HSA recognizes both the experience of Norman and the camaraderie of O'Brien's students.
"One of the best things about sewing is that it can be as social as you want, and as solitary as you want," she says.
And whether it's a vest passed for admiration from person to person in a sewing circle or a picture of an stunning outfit posted on MySpace, the creativity comes across loud and clear.
Hope you enjoyed the article - Happy Sewing!
Because I like to share...the article is listed below:
The Times of Trenton Archive
COPYRIGHT (c) The Times of Trenton 2007
Millions of sewing enthusiasts are finding fun, friends and fulfillment as they stitch away
By NORA O'DOWD
STAFF WRITER
The way Elizabeth Anderson sees it, "If everyone in the world sewed, it would be a much better place."
While it's unlikely that everyone will pick up needle and thread, each day more and more people are joining the estimated 35 million stitchers in the United States.
Classes at area sewing centers such as the ones Anderson and her husband own are bustling, while dedicated seamstresses are blogging about their latest projects. Teens look forward to their sessions on streamlined machines that bear as much resemblance to those cranky old black Singers as PT Cruisers do to Model T's.
Experts chalk up the surge in sewing to various reasons: the influence of home-makeover programs and shows such as "Project Runway"; an urge for self-expression; a surefire way to stretch a wardrobe.
"It's part of the do-it-yourself craze," says Karen Koza of the Home Sewing Association, a national nonprofit group that bills itself as "the authority on all things sewing."
Sewers, "young and old, want to look like their contemporaries, but also stand out," Koza says.
That's an aim Pat O'Brien, a sewing instructor with Stony Brook Sewing and Vacuum Super Stores owned by Elizabeth and Howard Anderson, knows all about.
"Kids now want to stand out, they want to personalize their stuff," she says on a break between classes at the bustling store in the Hamilton Marketplace. "When I was a kid, all we wanted to do was blend in, make sure we were all wearing the same thing."
It was a fact demonstrated yet again at the beginning of the school year when her two teenage daughters got rave reviews for the fabric-hemmed skirts they'd fashioned from old jeans.
"Sewing skipped a generation," says O'Brien. "My generation."
As a teenager in the '70s, O'Brien was taught to sew by her mother. But she was reluctant to wear any of the clothes she made for fear of being seen as poor or, worse yet, different.
" 'What, you can't afford to buy your clothes?'" was a typical reaction to her homemade ensembles, O'Brien recalls.
The women's movement then relegated sewing to a quaint domestic science soon expelled from schools' curricula.
"As the baby boomers became mothers and grandmothers, retiring from the work force, they've turned to sewing as a creative outlet," continues O'Brien. "And their daughters have become interested. But there's no one to teach them." That's where O'Brien and thousands of other sewing instructors across the country come in.
At the Stony Brook centers, classes run the gamut from quilting to embroidery to home decorating.
A recent class was devoted to making panels for quilts that will be raffled to raise money for breast cancer research. The buzz of activity suggested a hive; questions ("Do we stitch the binding on or quilt first?"), comments ("There's a dog hair in my quilt!") and encouragement ("Just like that, that's it!") ricocheted around the quilt-paneled room.
Some of those quilts are works of art: Two, placed side by side, materialized from different interpretations of the same pattern. One shows gardens of demure and diminutive roses while the other is an explosion of bright insistent flowers. Some fan out their colors in peacock fashion; another uses the copper hue of new pennies and the brown of old ones.
Lisa Dekovitch, one of O'Brien's students, describes the joy of translating colors and fabrics she loves "into something that everyone can enjoy as much as I do.
"Quilts know no age limits, everyone from infants to the elderly loves to be comforted by them. I love mixing different fabrics and textures together and making it a `Lisa quilt.'
"A part of me is thrilled that I possibly could make something that could still be loved many years from now," says Dekovitch of Bordentown.
But quilting is just one aspect of the needlework being done by men, women and children.
Teens gravitate toward the "Make It You" line, says Elizabeth Anderson. That includes patterns for bags, belts and pillows in candy-color fabrics and sparkling accessories.
"Sewing now is for entertainment," she says. "Maybe you won't be able to compete with the outfits at the store, but it's a creative way of expressing yourself . . . it's doing something creative for your soul."
Once a technique is learned, it can be applied to other projects.
"You can translate the techniques of quilting onto garments, home decorating . . . it's not restricted to one area. There's a blurring of the lines," says Anderson.
Classes are a give and take, chimes in O'Brien. "Students ask for projects requiring specific skills. Some are afraid at first, but I tell them, `If you can turn on the machine and sew a straight line, you can learn.'"
All agree that sewing machine innovations have hastened the revived interest.
At the Stony Brook center in Hamilton, pale machines proceed along a shelf like a sleek train. They're computerized, portable and second nature to a generation that thrives on technology.
Older sewers may be a bit intimidated at first by the variety of options, such as pushing a button to accomplish a buttonhole, but once they see the results, they're sold.
"The technology has helped tremendously," says Koza of the Home Sewing Association. "The new machines are fun to use."
Anderson talks of struggling with treadle machines, while O'Brien recalls tensions - never being able to get the right setting on the machine and the resulting tensions with her mother as teacher.
"All that headache stuff is gone now," says Howard Anderson of the sleek machines, which can cost anywhere from $79 to $7,000.
Barry Yellen, manager of the American Sewing Center in Princeton, says he has noticed a lot of first-time sewers visiting his shop in the last three years. "More people are taking lessons, and the classes with younger people are growing," he says.
Sewing classes also are offered at area schools, whether as part of the curriculum or as an afterschool activity.
In the Ewing Township School District, for example, students can get a taste of sewing in middle school then take more in-depth courses at the high school, according to Brian Bittings, a district supervisor.
"The kids love it," says Bittings of the high school courses on designing contemporary clothing and apparel design and construction.
Both elective classes are well attended, says Bittings, and a few of the students are boys.
Then there is Sew Trendy, created as a partnership between the Home Sewing Association and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc. It's intended to involve select high schools, including many in New Jersey, and their communities in a yearlong sewing and design project, says Koza.
Sewing as they reap
For Carolyn Norman of Somerset, sewing has been a passion for most of her 47 years. Home-ec classes were complemented with instruction at home from her grandmother. By the time she was 11, Norman had learned to sew. "I sew everything!" she says, including her wedding dress, maternity clothes, prom dresses for her daughters, school clothes. "Everything!"
Only one of her three daughters sews, and very few of her friends are interested in sewing. Working as an executive assistant in New York, she leaves for work at 8 a.m. and does not get home until 7 or 8 in the evening.
With no time for a sewing group, Norman treasures her virtual connections.
She keeps a sewing blog illustrated with photos of finished projects and regularly converses with other sewers online.
Like crowded pin cushions, the Web sites are bristling with advice, patterns, questions and answers. There is solidarity in sewing.
"This is really a solitary thing, but you can log onto that board and talk to anyone, around the world, anytime. They have the same sensibility, and it really fosters a community," says Norman.
That sense of community is something the Andersons and O'Brien have noticed about those who sign up for classes at their stores.
"Sewing groups are like the old-fashioned quilting bees, it's a way to connect people of different backgrounds. People who never would have met otherwise are going out to lunch together after class," says O'Brien. "Some are coming to class even if they are not going to sew." Howard Anderson puts it this way: "There's no backyard fence anymore. It's the backyard fence."
Karen Sowney, another student of O'Brien's, talks about gaining expertise with every class until she was able to make a very special gift. "The first quilt that I made was a `memory' quilt for my 84-year-old mother with pictures of our family, which she absolutely treasures," says Sowney of Burlington Township.
The positive energy of sewing may be an antidote for the doldrums.
"I was very depressed last winter when my friend suggested that we take a quilting class together." says Mary Fowlie of Mount Laurel. "That may be one of the best decisions that I ever made. Not only did I learn how to quilt, but it's hard to stay depressed when you're making something lovely. Quilting has helped me so much that I convinced my daughter to try it and she loves it as well. And I've made some very nice new friends."
Koza of the HSA recognizes both the experience of Norman and the camaraderie of O'Brien's students.
"One of the best things about sewing is that it can be as social as you want, and as solitary as you want," she says.
And whether it's a vest passed for admiration from person to person in a sewing circle or a picture of an stunning outfit posted on MySpace, the creativity comes across loud and clear.
Hope you enjoyed the article - Happy Sewing!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Chapter Two Suit Completed
I have finished the Chapter Two suit which means two more SWAP pieces finished too! I usually don't hop around in my sewing projects. Normally I conceive a project and work on it until its completed and I can wear it out the door. But this time, even though I am pretty far along into the boiled wool/glen plaid pantsuit (Chapter One Suit) and actually did some more work on it last night, I really had an urge to move onto Chapter Two.And to let you know, this is very similar to how I read a novel....just when the story starts to get really intense, I skip to the back of the book and read the ending. Yeah, I know its kinda sad but knowing how the story ends allows me to calm down and enjoy the minute details of the story otherwise I skip right over them in my hurry to find out what happens. I had reached some challenges in the Chapter One suit and since all the pieces of Chapter Two were sitting there waiting and I had started to dream about them....I moved onto Chapter Two.
The Chapter Two pantsuit is a stand alone outfit and also meets two of my requirements for my Dress SWAP. I used what is fast becoming a very wonderful TNT pattern: Vogue 7944 which it saddens me to say is now "out of print" but still available if you move quickly on Vogue's Pattern Site.The pattern description listed on the back of the pattern is: MISSES’/MISSES’ PETITE JACKETS AND PANTS: Unlined long sleeve jacket has topstitched collar and front opening edges. View B has slits at sides. Pants have waist facing and back zipper closure.
I used five yards of black wool crepe from Fabric Mart to construct these two pieces. 2.5 yards of the fabric was felted slightly by washing and drying it two times. This piece was used for the jacket. The fabric had a real sweatery feel after going through the felting process so I opted not to line it and instead finished all the seams with black Seams Great. My thought was that by using this tailored jacket pattern in a softer fabric that it would give the resulting pantsuit a softer look...a slight twist on the typical corporate black suit.
The Seams Great idea was wonderful in theory but a little more interesting in real life application. The felted wool crepe needed a lot of steam to make the seams lay flat. All of that steam, of course, melted the Seams Great. So I needed to use two silk organza press cloths to get the steam that I needed without damaging the Seams Great that was used as a seam finishing. That challenge aside, the pattern advises you to topstitch the collar and front jacket openings. Since I was opting for a sweater type look, I nixed the topstitching which meant I used my clapper alot to achieve a flat collar and front opening things topstitching definitely assist in achieving.
Because I did not manipulate the fabric used for the pants - the wool crepe is sleek and smooth. I made my regular TNT pants adding a lining and the resulting pantsuit has an interesting look. The jacket fabric is slightly darker and blacker because of the felting process and the pants are a shade lighter but it is a kewl and different look - well at least to me!
I am heading back into my sewing room to work on my black wool crepe version of the Tamotsu dress which I am lining in a lightweight gray sueded silk. I am also changing the sleeves from short sleeves to full length sleeves. Here is a picture of my SWAP so far:
And a picture of the Chapter One suit in progress....
I hope to have it completed soon. BTW, the reason I am not posting pictures of me wearing my SWAP garments is because I am leaving that for the final presentation! Hope you had a productive sewing weekend also!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
President's Day Weekend
A three day weekend....Yes!!!!! It is Saturday afternoon and the errands have been done, bills paid and other life intruding on my creative process tasks accomplished so I am off to sew! Three days (well 2.5 now) at home to finish working on the Chapter One suit and the Chapter Two suit (yeah, that will be another post!) but suffice it to say that I have two suits in varied states of construction that I should be able to finish up this weekend.
The two pieces of fabric that I purchased from Fabric Mart for more suits ~ five yards of a brown/wine wool crepe (which is no longer on the site) and five yards of a herringbone 100% worsted wool crepe arrived yesterday. These are great cuts of fabric - medium weight with a little heft to them...in colors that no one else is queuing up in the office. I am starting to stand out because I am in corporate gear just not navy, black or grey. Mission accomplished!
I also want to make a black wool crepe version of my Tamosotu dress which will finish off one more required element of my dress SWAP. I can tell I am going to be sewing like a fiend at the end of the SWAP competition this year because I have been working very slowly on completing these pieces.
The two pieces of fabric that I purchased from Fabric Mart for more suits ~ five yards of a brown/wine wool crepe (which is no longer on the site) and five yards of a herringbone 100% worsted wool crepe arrived yesterday. These are great cuts of fabric - medium weight with a little heft to them...in colors that no one else is queuing up in the office. I am starting to stand out because I am in corporate gear just not navy, black or grey. Mission accomplished!So I am off to sew! Hope you enjoy your President's Day weekend also and if you get a chance hit up the local brick's 'n mortar fabric stores and enjoy the sales!!!!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
What Is Your Trademark?
Clothing designers have them...certain details that are always present in their collections. Details like how they cut the fabric or a type of fabric that appears in many of their collections, specific colors they use, or the way they fit a garment. Sewers have them too...fabric types that you gravitate towards, certain pieces that you make more often than others, or seaming details that you use repeatedly.
My sewing trademark would be sleeve detailing. I pay particular attention to my sleeves so that I can hide a figure challenge ~ notice that I did not call it a flaw! I do certain things to sleeves to make them work for me...short sleeves are cut a certain length to camouflage but still give a flair to the garment or its cut on the bias to add a little more space to the bicep area without changing the overall shape of the sleeve. Jacket and cardigan sleeves get particular attention because you want to have a well-fitted garment and the sleeve treatment if done improperly can definitely shout, "made with loving hands at home." Not only do I take extra time to measure, fit and adjust sleeve width but I usually add some sort of a seaming detail to give the finished sleeve a slimmer effect.
But this is my trademark...you can see these features in almost every sleeve I make on almost every garment I construct. So what would be your sewing trademark? What detail do you constantly add to most of your garments? What sets them apart as a "fill in your name" original? Or have you ever given it much thought? Examine your garments and see what sewing, cutting or fitting detail they all share and realize that you have a trademark too!
My sewing trademark would be sleeve detailing. I pay particular attention to my sleeves so that I can hide a figure challenge ~ notice that I did not call it a flaw! I do certain things to sleeves to make them work for me...short sleeves are cut a certain length to camouflage but still give a flair to the garment or its cut on the bias to add a little more space to the bicep area without changing the overall shape of the sleeve. Jacket and cardigan sleeves get particular attention because you want to have a well-fitted garment and the sleeve treatment if done improperly can definitely shout, "made with loving hands at home." Not only do I take extra time to measure, fit and adjust sleeve width but I usually add some sort of a seaming detail to give the finished sleeve a slimmer effect.
But this is my trademark...you can see these features in almost every sleeve I make on almost every garment I construct. So what would be your sewing trademark? What detail do you constantly add to most of your garments? What sets them apart as a "fill in your name" original? Or have you ever given it much thought? Examine your garments and see what sewing, cutting or fitting detail they all share and realize that you have a trademark too!
Monday, February 12, 2007
A Revelation
It kinda hit me this weekend, I mean really hit me...that 90% of my wardrobe is made by my own two hands.
As you know I have been struggling with forming a suitable corporate wardrobe after years of working in a "business casual" atmosphere. But on the East Coast this last week the temperatures dropped into the single digits and I was forced to reach into the back corners of my closet to find really warm clothing. And back there, I discovered a treasure trove of tailored jackets.
See my closet is organized by pieces ~ all jackets, skirts, pants, blouses etc. are hung together. Its been this way for years because it "allowed" me the freedom to mix and match pieces which stretched my wardrobe. When I found those jackets (made in a few tailoring classes with the amazing Colleen Jones!) I realized how "deep" my closet actually is and how many pieces I have made.
Now this might not seem like a big deal but lately I've felt as if I wasn't being as productive sewing-wise as I would like to be. Some of this is due to life changes, i.e., the new job and some of this is due to other changes but mostly I have just felt pressured to complete "suitable" outfits quickly. And we all know how hard it is to produce an awesome, high-quality garment under pressure. However, I have had an epiphany...I have reached a turning point. After putting together some new outfits using the long forgotten pieces in the back of my closet, I am realizing the depth of my wardrobe as well as how successful I have been in making a well-rounded and cohesive wardrobe.
I can step back now, bask in my accomplishments and breathe. But more importantly I can enjoy the process. I know I talk about enjoying the journey alot but if you aren't enjoying the process, how long will you continue to sew? It is way tooo easy to clothe yourself by buying ready to wear. It's everywhere and in every price range...
My revelation is this...that over the years I have made many wonderful pieces of clothing and that they do reside in my closet. Also these pieces were done in periods of creative freedom that held no stress or pressure to create and that I enjoyed the process ~ that is why the jackets have so many pretty details. So that is what I am going to strive for in 2007 ~ the ability to create garments that stretch my sewing skills and give me a greater creative outlet and more satisfaction.
As you know I have been struggling with forming a suitable corporate wardrobe after years of working in a "business casual" atmosphere. But on the East Coast this last week the temperatures dropped into the single digits and I was forced to reach into the back corners of my closet to find really warm clothing. And back there, I discovered a treasure trove of tailored jackets.
See my closet is organized by pieces ~ all jackets, skirts, pants, blouses etc. are hung together. Its been this way for years because it "allowed" me the freedom to mix and match pieces which stretched my wardrobe. When I found those jackets (made in a few tailoring classes with the amazing Colleen Jones!) I realized how "deep" my closet actually is and how many pieces I have made.
Now this might not seem like a big deal but lately I've felt as if I wasn't being as productive sewing-wise as I would like to be. Some of this is due to life changes, i.e., the new job and some of this is due to other changes but mostly I have just felt pressured to complete "suitable" outfits quickly. And we all know how hard it is to produce an awesome, high-quality garment under pressure. However, I have had an epiphany...I have reached a turning point. After putting together some new outfits using the long forgotten pieces in the back of my closet, I am realizing the depth of my wardrobe as well as how successful I have been in making a well-rounded and cohesive wardrobe.
I can step back now, bask in my accomplishments and breathe. But more importantly I can enjoy the process. I know I talk about enjoying the journey alot but if you aren't enjoying the process, how long will you continue to sew? It is way tooo easy to clothe yourself by buying ready to wear. It's everywhere and in every price range...
My revelation is this...that over the years I have made many wonderful pieces of clothing and that they do reside in my closet. Also these pieces were done in periods of creative freedom that held no stress or pressure to create and that I enjoyed the process ~ that is why the jackets have so many pretty details. So that is what I am going to strive for in 2007 ~ the ability to create garments that stretch my sewing skills and give me a greater creative outlet and more satisfaction.
What are you looking for creatively in 2007?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Its Time to Restock
I don't know about anyone else but late January/early February always finds me restocking my sewing notions. When I sit down to sew, I like to have everything on hand. I hate to run out of thread or hooks 'n eyes, etc. in the middle of sewing a garment....anything that stops the project just annoys the heck out of me. So once a year, I restock.
I keep lists of notions that have been used during the year and place large orders to restock them. What do I buy in bulk and keep on hand? Elastics in all sizes, thread - both for my sewing machine and serger, interfacing, silk organza, needles - both for the sewing machine and hand needles, zippers, and shoulder pads to name a few things.
I restock from places like Atlanta Thread and Supply, Home Sew, Newark Dressmaker's Supply, Nancy's Notions, Thai Silks, and Joann's. Carefully going through my notion supply, I make lists of everything that is low and then I just start ordering. Most of my restocking is done through mail order but I do purchase some goods from Steinlauf and Stoller in NYC.
What do I replace? Thread from Atlanta Thread & Supply - they sell Gutterman Thread for $2.95 for 1100 yards; Maxi-Lock serger thread is $1.99 ~ though I buy my basic colors in the 5,000 yard cones...don't need to reorder as often. I buy elastics from Home Sew and Newark Dressmaker's Supply in 25 or 50 yard rolls. Home Sew also has a great selection of shoes/hats/purses for 18" dolls. Silk Organza is purchased from Thai Silks in three colors in 20 yard lengths. From Nancy's Notions ~ things like snaps, interesting notions, etc. mostly whatever interests me from her catalogue. Steinlauf and Stoller offer gridded pattern paper, zippers in all sizes and rayon hem tape in every color under the sun!
I do this religiously at the beginning of the year because it allows me to sew without worry the rest of the year. So do you restock? Or do you purchase notions as needed? Do you purchase online? Or do you run out to Joann's or Hancock's? How do you keep your notions stashed?
I keep lists of notions that have been used during the year and place large orders to restock them. What do I buy in bulk and keep on hand? Elastics in all sizes, thread - both for my sewing machine and serger, interfacing, silk organza, needles - both for the sewing machine and hand needles, zippers, and shoulder pads to name a few things.
I restock from places like Atlanta Thread and Supply, Home Sew, Newark Dressmaker's Supply, Nancy's Notions, Thai Silks, and Joann's. Carefully going through my notion supply, I make lists of everything that is low and then I just start ordering. Most of my restocking is done through mail order but I do purchase some goods from Steinlauf and Stoller in NYC.
What do I replace? Thread from Atlanta Thread & Supply - they sell Gutterman Thread for $2.95 for 1100 yards; Maxi-Lock serger thread is $1.99 ~ though I buy my basic colors in the 5,000 yard cones...don't need to reorder as often. I buy elastics from Home Sew and Newark Dressmaker's Supply in 25 or 50 yard rolls. Home Sew also has a great selection of shoes/hats/purses for 18" dolls. Silk Organza is purchased from Thai Silks in three colors in 20 yard lengths. From Nancy's Notions ~ things like snaps, interesting notions, etc. mostly whatever interests me from her catalogue. Steinlauf and Stoller offer gridded pattern paper, zippers in all sizes and rayon hem tape in every color under the sun!
I do this religiously at the beginning of the year because it allows me to sew without worry the rest of the year. So do you restock? Or do you purchase notions as needed? Do you purchase online? Or do you run out to Joann's or Hancock's? How do you keep your notions stashed?
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Randomness From Fall 2007 Fashion Week
Below are a few pictures of garments that caught my eye while trolling through the websites featuring pics of Fashion Week Fall 2007....
I like this from Jason Wu's Collection. Look at the glen plaid fabric that he used and how he matched the plaid! I could definitely rock this next fall ~ well an "interpreted" version of it!
And this one from Diane Von Furstenberg made me think - yeap should buy a few yards of that wool doubleknit from Fashion Fabrics Club that is on sale this week for $16.95. Wool doubleknit is going to be soooooo hot next fall!
I am not a huge Betsy Johnson fan but I could see this one toned down (smaller collar & bow - shorter length jacket) with a cute pencil skirt as a suit for fall...
Loved, loved, loved how the pinstripes were manipulated in this very classic suit from Bill Blass! I really liked so many pieces in the Bill Blass Collection ~ see it here.
I am probably one of the few people who were disappointed in the Carolina Herrara collection...nothing just really floated my boat. But then again I am eyeing the collections differently this year...with more of a corporate slant so the Carolina Herrara collection had a nice ladies that lunch flavor but it just didn't do much for me!
And what is with Michael Kors...all the models had long straight hair aka the '70s and I definitely saw shades of Laura Bennett's Project Runway creations in there!
I like this from Jason Wu's Collection. Look at the glen plaid fabric that he used and how he matched the plaid! I could definitely rock this next fall ~ well an "interpreted" version of it!And this one from Diane Von Furstenberg made me think - yeap should buy a few yards of that wool doubleknit from Fashion Fabrics Club that is on sale this week for $16.95. Wool doubleknit is going to be soooooo hot next fall!I am not a huge Betsy Johnson fan but I could see this one toned down (smaller collar & bow - shorter length jacket) with a cute pencil skirt as a suit for fall...Loved, loved, loved how the pinstripes were manipulated in this very classic suit from Bill Blass! I really liked so many pieces in the Bill Blass Collection ~ see it here.I am probably one of the few people who were disappointed in the Carolina Herrara collection...nothing just really floated my boat. But then again I am eyeing the collections differently this year...with more of a corporate slant so the Carolina Herrara collection had a nice ladies that lunch flavor but it just didn't do much for me!
And what is with Michael Kors...all the models had long straight hair aka the '70s and I definitely saw shades of Laura Bennett's Project Runway creations in there!
And this from Lela Rose is my Oscar dress pick ~ well if I were going!
I am off to sew...real clothes for a real body! Hope you are enjoying fashion week...check it out at www.style.com and Mercedes Benz Fall 2007 Fashion Week's Official Spot!
Monday, February 05, 2007
A Tale of Five Suits - Chapter One
In my continuing quest to revamp my wardrobe...ain't this getting to be a tired old song...I am making suits. Now this would be a much easier task if I just took one pattern and picked out five pieces of fabric and made the same suit, over and over and over again. But no, I can't be that common...I have to have different jackets, details and stylings so that each suit is an occasion unto itself! I was originally going to title this post..."I dreamt a dream of you!" Because I literally fell asleep on the bus one morning and woke up with this outfit all worked out in my mind. It really came into being when I got home from work and found that the fabrics in my collection actually matched and all the trims were on hand. Well, not quite...but isn't that always the case. In the dream, I saw a shawl collared jacket made from a Brooks Brothers Boiled Wool in chocolate brown that I just happened to get a piece of from Fabric Mart last year. The pants were made from a brown/black/tan worsted wool glen plaid that I picked up in Paron's 50% off store when it was a separate entity on 40th Street. Wow! I need to take a minute here...I miss that store sooooo much! And underneath the jacket was a SW Mission Tank in a dark chocolate sueded silk - again from La Fabric Mart!
I also saw the shawl collar trimmed in a black foldover braid with these black well-shaped buttons with a brown bead inside. I am dreaming with some detail here, folks! After searching through my extensive pattern stash I find a shawl collared jacket that will fit on the 2.5 yards of 45" wide boiled wool OOP Butterick 4265 published in 1995 and the pattern description says:
I want to close with a picture of my sleeve alterations. It is rare that I pull a pattern out of the envelope and there is enough space in the biceps for my bodacious arms. The easiest method that I have learned to add space to the biceps without changing the sleeve cap or the diameter of the hem is from Cynthia Guffy and her book, "Cynthia's Precision Measuring & Pattern Alterations for Bodice, Skirt, Jacket."
Loose-fitting, unlined, above-hip jacket has collar, slightly extended shoulders, shoulder pads, flaps and long sleeves.
After an afternoon of pattern alterations that included narrowing the shoulders, lengthening the body of the jacket by two inches, changing the sleeves, and adding a lining to the jacket, OOP Butterick 4265 is just the "inspiration" for my shawl collared jacket! The jacket is not quite ready for prime time yet...the lining still needs to be inserted and a host of finishing details added but I am happy with it so far.
I want to close with a picture of my sleeve alterations. It is rare that I pull a pattern out of the envelope and there is enough space in the biceps for my bodacious arms. The easiest method that I have learned to add space to the biceps without changing the sleeve cap or the diameter of the hem is from Cynthia Guffy and her book, "Cynthia's Precision Measuring & Pattern Alterations for Bodice, Skirt, Jacket." Her method has you draw a line across the bicep from side seam to side seam, and then draw another from the bicep to the bottom of the seam line on the sleeve cap. Next you slash through the sleeve seam allowance below the underarm seam and up to but not through the cap seam allowance. After that swing out half the desired amount on each side. Finally re-align the side seams to the bottom of the sleeve. That's it and it works everytime! I get perfect fitting sleeves without altering the sleeve cap or making the seam hem wider. Hopefully you can see from the picture how you slash and add to the side seams.
Next time I will have more on the jacket and pants! I am hoping to get four workable pieces out of this grouping so that I can do a little mixing and matching but still look "Corporate Chic!"
Monday, January 29, 2007
Sewing Randomness
Just wanted to share a few sewing thoughts that have been floating through my mind today:
There was even a sample one made up in a coral jersey knit. Then I remembered that not only did I have the pattern but I had three pieces of fabric purchased from Fabric.com to make this pattern. Yes, I know that three pieces is a bit much but the fabric was only $1.99 per yard and you know that you can't purchase just one piece of fabric for $3.98 when you have to justify the shipping and handling charges! So I bought the fabric in lavendar, pink and an ivory color. Now, I think I can actually use the ivory version in my SWAP.
1. Look what I found....
Why is this so special? Well, I keep my patterns in letter size expandable folders but they have a plain front. This version has lines and boxes where I can record information pertinent to the pattern. Now when I pull a pattern to use, at a glance I can tell how many times I have made it, any corrections to the pattern and if I really wanted to I can include a swatch of the fabric! This is so much better than my current system of listing all of this information on a piece of paper and including it in the folder. Now to order a box of these to keep ready in the sewing area.
2. New Pattern
I was flipping through the Nancy's Notions catalog and saw that they were selling Silhouette's Dana pattern.
There was even a sample one made up in a coral jersey knit. Then I remembered that not only did I have the pattern but I had three pieces of fabric purchased from Fabric.com to make this pattern. Yes, I know that three pieces is a bit much but the fabric was only $1.99 per yard and you know that you can't purchase just one piece of fabric for $3.98 when you have to justify the shipping and handling charges! So I bought the fabric in lavendar, pink and an ivory color. Now, I think I can actually use the ivory version in my SWAP. 3. More SWAP News
I haven't sewn much on my SWAP since I finished the initial three pieces but I do have a three-day weekend coming up soon and I think I can knock out two or three of the dresses then. And I have found a piece of lightweight rayon in an "explosive" red & purple print that I want to use as the lining for my second jacket...and maybe one more SW Mission Tank if there is enough left over after making the lining. I can see the finished pieces in my mind so it was lovely to find a fabric in my collection that looked like what I was "seeing" and not to have to go and scourge the internet looking for it! Here is a picture of the two pieces together:
4. Monthly Totals
I did really well this month in the fabric department. I only purchased two metres of a brown/pink pinstripe from Timmel Fabrics. I bought this additional piece to match a piece I already owned from Julie. The original piece was obtained to make a pair of lined pants to match a pink sweater set in my closet. However, since I am now dressing Corporate Chic, I decided that a jacket would look good with the pants...so two more metres made it across the border to my sewing area. And at least the pants have been cut out and the jacket will be next! These pieces didn't even make it to the fabric closet! Yes!!! Also the pink fabric from the first section will be the first Dana top that I will attempt to go with the pantsuit. Not bad....
I will end the month with six garments made. Not a bad start to 2007 but I would like to make 100 garments this year. I mean why not! It is not like I don't own the fabric, notions, trims, patterns, etc. to accomplish this goal...and the 100 pieces don't necessarily have to go into my wardrobe! I would just really like to see if I could do it...y'know! So I figured it out that I would need to make 8.33 garments per month. I am 2.33 garments short this month but it's a goal...not something that I am going to beat myself up over because I do own six new pieces that all except for one piece came from the fabric collection! Which is another one of my sewing goals for 2007 ~ try to sew from the collection more!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Quilts of Gees Bend Posts on Artisans Square
This discussion reminded me.....Since childhood, sewing, quilting and painting have been the ways, that I return to sitting in my heart in silence, total presence in the moment, listening to whatever might arise from within. The final product didn't matter as much to me as the process of working in silence, doing my best. When I would put on one of my jackets, I would notice an energy of love in it. It would feel like a hug. Wanting to know the truth about it, I would ask anyone who complimented me on my jacket, if they would like to try it on. If they said "Yes." I would watch and listen, to see their reaction. They would comment that "something in it felt so good" We are in the habit of looking and judging with the body's eyes. If you close your eyes and just lay your hand on something, listening, you may discover that you can feel the love with which something was made, the essence of the maker.
Written by Akshara on Artisan's Square
You can read more of the discussion here
You can read the article from The Smithsonian Magazine here that started the folder
I have to tell you I rarely venture into some folders on Artisan's Square...quilting being one of them because I just can't get to cutting up little pieces of fabric and putting them back together. This is not to say that it is not art and that others shouldn't do it, it's just not for me. I stumbled across the Gees Bend Folder and started to read because I have read articles about the Gees Bend Quilts before. The posts in the folder are very opinionated & emotional, but the words above made me break down and cry.
I want to say a few things about the discussion and these words...and I will try not to ramble. First, I am going to admit upfront that my perspective is from that of a Black woman which is totally dissimilar from other people living in America...it has to be because I have had different experiences...even everyday events occur differently for my family than they do for any other ethnic or non-ethnic family in America.
Second, it enrages me when others belittle art. And it infuriates me when we who create belittle our own creativity and doesn't recognize that it is a form of art! Even if you buy a kit for a quilt, a dress or an apron from Joann's and use the kit exactly as it was sold to you...you have still created something and it is still ART! I mean we call little children's drawings art. Why can't the thing that you have labored over and poured your heart and soul into be art, also!?!
Dictionary.com defines art as:
art–noun
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2. the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings: a museum of art; an art collection.
3. a field, genre, or category of art: Dance is an art.
4. the fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture: art and architecture.
5. any field using the skills or techniques of art: advertising art; industrial art.
6. (in printed matter) illustrative or decorative material: Is there any art with the copy for this story?
7. the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning: the art of baking; the art of selling.
8. the craft or trade using these principles or methods.
9. skill in conducting any human activity: a master at the art of conversation.
10. a branch of learning or university study, esp. one of the fine arts or the humanities, as music, philosophy, or literature.
And third, I absolutely hate when people put down poor black people for whatever reason. Damn, we were poor and hated for so long that it is no wonder that we are amazed and filled with pride anytime there is some recognition for anything that we have achieved or accomplished. I didn't post to that folder because I didn't want to start anything but again the insensitivity of others is so demeaning. Maybe you don't think it is art. Maybe you don't think that the quilts of Gees Bend are anything special...maybe your grandma did make something like them...but and here is my great big but...these women prevailed when everything was against them. They loved, they laughed, they cared for their families when the world made it extremely hard for them to do so! And even legislated against them doing so. I am not saying that everything in that folder was negative - please do not walk away with that! I am just saying that once again maybe we should edit our thoughts before we post them before the entire internet world! God, I am starting to sound like the thought police! And I don't mean to!
Look my grandmother who taught me to sew made quilts for warmth for her family. They were "utility quilts" ~ made from the scraps of worn out clothing, pieces of fabric left over from items she had made and even old quilts that were worn out. She kept a basket full of these pieces and used them when it was time to make a new quilt. When she died my family rescued the few quilts that were left. My mother keeps them wrapped up in her linen closet treasuring what she has left of her mother. Those Gees Bend Quilts are treasures and art too. Because they represent a period of history in America. Because they represent the hopes and dreams of a people and mostly because they represent preserverance when everything directed at these women should have made them fail.
Yes, I am emotional about the subject. And yes, I will defend my people with every breathe in my body. I am proud to be a black woman living in America. I am proud of the things my people have accomplished in a nation where at every turn we were bullied, lynched, legislated against, hated for the color of our skin, and in some places even now still hated for those reasons. But we have preserved, we have accomplished, we have contributed and continue to do so! And I will speak out about it. Don't wanna read it ~ move on! Cause today I am having my say!
But mostly I want all of us to think about the words of Akshara:
If you close your eyes and lay your hands on something, listening you may discover that you can feel the love with which something was made, the essence of the maker...
Feel the love, people! That's all I am asking....
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Look what came in the mail...
Or as a subtitle, "My Continuing Quest to Remake my Wardrobe into Corporate Chic!"
This Tamotsu Pattern ~ Vogue 2770:
This Tamotsu Pattern ~ Vogue 2770:
Pattern Description:
Misses'/Misses' Petite jacket, Top, Skirt and Pants - lined jacket has princess seams, front buttonhole and button, front darts and two piece sleeves. Lined top has princess seams, concealed buttonhole and button closures and contrast bind. Mid-knee lined skirt has front slit (not!), darts, back zipper and shaped waistband 1/2" below normal waistline. Topstitching detail at center front and waistband. Unlined pants have fly zipper, sice vents and shaped waistband 1/2" below normal waistline with topstitching detail.
I bought this pattern for the jacket and the top. Two really cute elements that I can work with. The skirt and the pants are a no-go with the waistband on both starting 1/2" below the normal waistline?!!!! Who are they kidding ~ in this plus size body that means fat hanging loose and free in the breeze - I don't think so! Click on the hyperlink to see the back of the jacket! With all those seams there are a lot of fitting opportunities - where I can give the jacket the appearance of being closely fitted without it actually being so. I think this pattern will work for three of the four seasons - since I am sticking with alot of my already sewn summer gear!
This Wardrobe Pattern - Vogue 2939:
Pattern Description:
Misses' Jacket, Skirt, Dress, Shirt and Pants ~ semi-fitted, lined jacket has darts, pleats in front, princess seams in back, long sleeves with pleats, shoulder pads, fabric loop and button closure. Shirt and dress have darts, notched collar, two-piece long sleeves with slit (ooohhhlalala!), topstitching and snap closures. Semi-fitting straight skirt, below mid-knee has front princess seams, back pleats and side zipper. Straight pants have darts, faced waist and mock fly closure.
I like this pattern for the blouse, the dress and the skirt. I am not sure that the jacket would work for me...those folds in the front at the abdomen sort of say...."looky looky she has a big fat stomach!" Nah, not the look I am going for! However, I do like the seaming detail on the back of this jacket so I might work with those folds, maybe I can just tape them close and make a muslin up and see how that works...but it is really the blouse/dress that has me smiling. I already know what fabric I want to use for both pieces! They will be spring/summer/fall additions, since I just can't manage a dress when the temps are 30 degrees or less. I love the details on the skirt, princess seams in the front, pleats in the back - you can get them coming and going! These three pieces can be workhorses in my new Corporate Chic wardrobe!
And finally this "Five Easy Pieces" pattern ~ Vogue 8137:
Pattern Description:
Misses'/Misses' Petite Jacket, Top, Dress, Skirt and Pants ~ lined long sleeve jacket has patch pockets (I don't think so!) topstitching and optional purchased belt. Unlined sleeveless top and dress have topstitched neckline and princess seams. Top has separating zipper ~ whyyy? Straight skirt and pants have back zipper closings. Skirt has back slit.
I am a dress girl! Have been since well probably since my mama first put me in one. I love how dresses make me feel like a woman so I probably have way more dress patterns than I will ever sew! But I just loved the seasonlessness of this dress & jacket combo - in linen it's great for corporate meetings in spring and summer...just take the jacket off when I hit the street. In fall made up in a nice wool doubleknit it will be classy & elegant and allow me to look pulled together with minimal effort which is necessary at 5:30 in the morning!
So this is what came in the mail...my youngest daughter has taken to calling these things, patterns, fabric swatches, magazines ~ just about anything related to sewing: "Fabric Porn!" She says that I get this look on my face that is almost like rapture. So she will say, "What fabric porn came today!" Children...you had to teach them to talk 'cause you got tired of trying to intrepret the different cries but sometimes....
Anyway, sewing dreams arrived today so I am off to gaze at them lovingly, to plan and to dream. Did anything good come in the mail for you today?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
"A Moment of Reflection...."
In this week's issue of, Newsweek (January 22nd) the last article in the magazine is by Anna Quindlen and it is called, "Write for Your Life." The article is about the movie, "Freedom Writers," and how writing in journals affected the students lives.
While reading the article I thought about all the different types of creative blogs there are in the blogsphere. I have been to so many of them in the last couple of days because of the "Tag Your It!" game. Reading about what is closest to all of these women's hearts - their craft, their art, their passion - and also reading just enough personal details to flesh the individual out even more has been enlightening.
There is something else in Anna Quindlen's article that really touched me. It was used to describe how family members felt about loved ones lost in the Twin Towers....
So all these bits that we write in our blogs, pictures we take, links to photo sites, etc. can someday become treasured memories for our family and friends. It gave me pause...but it also
encouraged me...we are all writing living memoirs about the things that we are so passionate about! I plan to keep writing, to keep sharing and to keep adding to this "living testimony!"
I hope you will stay around for the journey....
While reading the article I thought about all the different types of creative blogs there are in the blogsphere. I have been to so many of them in the last couple of days because of the "Tag Your It!" game. Reading about what is closest to all of these women's hearts - their craft, their art, their passion - and also reading just enough personal details to flesh the individual out even more has been enlightening.
There is something else in Anna Quindlen's article that really touched me. It was used to describe how family members felt about loved ones lost in the Twin Towers....
"Wouldn't all of us love to have a journal, a memoir, a letter from those we have loved and lost? Shouldn't all of us leave a bit of that behind."
So all these bits that we write in our blogs, pictures we take, links to photo sites, etc. can someday become treasured memories for our family and friends. It gave me pause...but it also
encouraged me...we are all writing living memoirs about the things that we are so passionate about! I plan to keep writing, to keep sharing and to keep adding to this "living testimony!"
I hope you will stay around for the journey....
Saturday, January 20, 2007
The Joy of Sewing TNT Patterns
I have three tenets of sewing:- 1. Planning is key
- 2. Assemble all of the key ingredients before you start - then all you have to do is sew!
- 3. Must use TNT patterns
I am in awe of people who use a new pattern for each garment ~ never or rarely revisiting a pattern! To me it is amazing that they take the time to fit each pattern and then put it away.
Of course I am the exact opposite. I "love" the journey of working with a pattern and making it mine. I love exploring the possibilities of a pattern. How fabric affects the drape of the garment and its final outcome. How by adding or subtracting seams you can change the silhoutte and look of the garment. I love working with a pattern until I understand it inside and out....And then there is the laziness factor...yes, I will cop to that! It just seems that after I have gone to the trouble of altering a pattern that I should get as much use out of it as I possibly can.
To me it's like a cook...most cooks don't make a meal or a dish just once. No, they prepare it again and again, adding ingredients...subtracting ingredients essentially making the dish their own. And a great cook or chef usually becomes known for a certain style of cooking or particular type of dish. How about a woodworker? Doesn't he or she use different types of wood (i.e. fabrics) but ends up preferring to use one type over another and then making several pieces (patterns) from it again and again? Truly, there are only so many ways to interpret and build a table and chairs!
This is how I feel about a pattern. A new adventure awaits me when I pull those pieces from the envelope. And as I make it again and again an intimacy develops. I KNOW what the pattern can be and I want to experience all of the versions I can before I come to the end of the journey.
The photos are of my latest TNT pattern obsession - The Sewing Workshop Mission Tank. I have made this tank about 10-15 times. I have included pictures throughout the post where the fabric is key, where I have lined it, I have used it as part of an evening ensemble and pieced the silk duppioni, I added seams to the front and back and my latest rendition where I just embellished it. It looks different every time and that is why I like working with TNT patterns...it allows me to design something and then just sew!
If you have not taken this journey, why not try it? Why not take the next pattern and dream? If you open your mind to the possibilities, the boredom factor will disappear! Maybe as you work with it a couple of times, you will experience the same joy that I have experienced. We sewists are always looking for a challenge so I am issuing one. Take a pattern that you have used once and then make it at least four more times. Change it up by using different fabric, try some trim or embellishment, add or subtract some seams...but most importantly enjoy the journey! You just might learn something new about yourself and your sewing and in the process develop your own set of TNT patterns!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
This is so me!!!!!
| Your Birthdate: May 30 |
 You have the type of personality that people either love or hate. You're opinionated, dramatic, intense, and very outspoken. And some people can't get enough of you - they're totally addicted. Others, well, they wish you were a little more reserved.
|
I have been tagged...
I was going to write something today about TNT patterns but I have been tagged by Mardel of Purls and Murmurs so instead I am going to answer the five questions and toss it off to someone else...
Let's see five things that I have not already divulged on my blog....
Let's see five things that I have not already divulged on my blog....
- I am the firstborn in my family carrying with it all the hopes, dreams and pitfalls of being the firstborn. I have a brother and sister who are supremely confident and sometimes at family gatherings I am glad that I am the firstborn. It is something that neither of them can boast about!
- I have a beautiful first soprano voice. I have sung in concert choirs, opera ensembles, church choirs and in my younger days did a little community theatre. My youngest use to ask me to sing "Oklahoma!" for her friends because none of them could believe that I could hold the high notes that long.
- I am secretly (well secretly no more!) addicted to Joan Rivers Classic Collections Jewelry. I have not yet quite attained the status of QVC junkie ~ though I am not sure the UPS man thought that around Christmas time! Hey easy-pay is a wonderous thing and I never had to leave the house! But I digress...Joan Rivers Jewelry just does it for me. I especially love the interchangeable pieces and when she was doing pearls seriously, I was breathless, breathless I tell you watching the shows. I own enough of this that on any given day, I could have accessorized an outfit with at least one piece of my Joan Rivers Jewelry!
- With my second child I was pregnant with twins...however, I lost one and carried one to full term....and boy is she a handful all by herself...can't imagine if there had been two of her!
- I frequently change the lyrics of songs to things I like better. Drives my kids crazy. Jay Z has this song with the hook that goes, "Show me what you got pretty lady!" and I sing it, "SEW me what you got pretty lady...go on and sew something, sew something!" LOL! Makes my kids absolutely nuts!
And since we are daisy chaining, here is a picture of my pincushion too!
So Erica, Sharon, Gaylen, Marji, and Wendy consider yourself tagged! So show me what you got sewing ladies!!!!! *big grin*
Back to regularly scheduling sewing chat tomorrow! TGIF!!!!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Six Pieces and counting....
Okay this is a little bit of a brag...but for a girl who couldn't buy a sewing vowel late last year to have made six new pieces ~ this is AMAZING! Or as Liana of "Sew Intriguing" fame said the other day - my sewing mojo is back!
Now flow with me here ~ I need to list these pieces...
Now flow with me here ~ I need to list these pieces...
- Brown poly blend unlined jacket - that matches SWAP pieces from last year!
- Silk paisley Sewing Workshop Mission Tank - TNT pattern - I love the versatility of this piece.
- SW Mission Tank in white sandwashed silk w/battenburg insert - see there it is again!
- Black lined wool crepe pants made from another TNT pattern
- Black/white/gray sweaterknit jacket with black lace trim - egads! yet another TNT pattern!
- "Cashmere Dreams" this is a collection of garments that I have made and am still working on from a wool/cashmere blend that I bought way too many yards of from FM last year.
Do you realize that if I stopped sewing right now that I would have more pieces than there are weeks in the month! Yippee! So if you will please pardon this brief interruption for braggidicco, I will get back to serious sewing chatting soon! Just need a minute to bask in my accomplishments! *smile*
Maybe my next post should be, "The Joy of Sewing a TNT Pattern!"
Monday, January 15, 2007
My Version of a St. John's Knits Jacket
It's Monday and I want to update my blog before the day gets any further along. I finished three SWAP pieces - a sweater jacket using fabric from EOS, my TNT SW Mission Tank from a sandwashed sueded silk from Fabric Mart and a pair of TNT lined black crepe pants - fabric also from Fabric Mart.
Here is a picture of all three pieces together:
Here is a picture of all three pieces together:
The reason that I am calling the jacket, my version of a St. John's Jacket, is that it is made from a sweater knit using Vogue Pattern 2285. I think this is an out-of-print pattern now but I used a modified version of it last summer for the eyelet Coldwater Creek knock-off jacket. However, since this is a knit the pieces had to be sewn together using bigger seams which were serged off after fitting to have a neater inside appearance. I also used fur hooks on the inside of the jacket as closures where the original had no closures.
Finally there is the trim....last year I wanted to knock off a Dolce & Gabbana black & white plaid skirt with a huge lace/ribbon/pearl trim detail at the hem of the skirt. I didn't get around to making the skirt and this year the embellishment looked dated to me. Problem was that I had already spent time combining the elements to make the lace/ribbon/pearl trim - what to do? I cut it apart and used it on the jacket.
This is a close-up of the final trim application. More shots can be seen in my Yahoo photo album. But believe me there was much trial and tribulation to get to this point. The center of the lace without the pearls was finally added to the front of the jacket because it wasn't as gaudy as the trim with the pearls. And due to my new corporate environment - it would have just been too over the top. I think even this trim is pushing it but...hey, I just got to be me! There is also a lace trim on the sleeves which was the edge of the original lace trim.
Here is a picture of the tank by itself.
The sueded sandwashed silk was purchased from Fabric Mart last year. I think it was the last piece that they had and boy am I glad that I bought three yards of this. The tank took 1.25 yards and I embellished it with a battenburg lace insert that I got from Daytona Trimmings. I also added three pearl beads to it to give the lace insert a little punch. I am using the remaining piece of this fabric for one of the four dresses I have to make for the Dress SWAP. Here is a detailed picture of the battenburg lace insert:
The pants are made from black wool crepe also purchased from Fabric Mart - I think I buy 10 yards at the beginning of every fall season now...in my quest to own five pair of black lined pants for winter - never seem to get them made every year...up to three pair this year with this new pair! Maybe this year will be the year that I make the five pair!
The name of my SWAP is "Corporate Chic!" (Thanks again Mardel!) It is clothing made to wear in my new corporate environment. It probably should be called Corporate Embellishment Chic since I think almost every piece in my plan has some type of embellishment, trim or interesting buttons added to it - well except for the pants! Again, this is part of my need to be "me" in my new environment.
More pics can can be seen in my Yahoo album - Corporate Chic! I promise I will add pictures of me in the outfit later, I just want to get a pair of pants completed for another outfit (not SWAP related) to wear to work this week!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Happy Belated Birthday to me!
Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my blog and I meant to post about it here but somehow life just got in the way.... I am working on that since it is one my goals this year...to remember to plan time to sew even when my life is challenging! But I digress!
On January 8, 2006 I made my first blog entry. I remember feeling a little nervous but I was looking for a place where I could just ramble on about what I was sewing, my love of fabric, and how much sewing factors into my life.
Along the way I shared some of my triumphs - making my daughter's prom dress, creating a couple of SWAPs...and my disappointments - my other daughter's refusal to wear the pants outfit I made her...*sigh* and the one hit wonder dress. I have even discussed some of the finer points of sewing - like quality sewing, my love of binding and my overexuberance at a good fabric sale! *LOL*
But mostly what has made this year so memorable and remarkable is the number of people who read and commented on my blog. I read every comment and tried to respond to any questions asked. I so appreciate the time that everyone takes out of their busy lives to stop by and see what I have made or what is making me speak out today! I know that one of the truest blessings of this forum is when someone takes time out of their day to agree or disagree with something that I have written about or to give a compliment on a garment/outfit or pair of shoes *smile* that I have posted a picture of....I think that was a "dangling" something!
So thank you for sharing your thoughts, sharing your time and stopping by to stop and read awhile. It means more to me than you will ever know! Hopefully 2007 will bring even more amazing sewing adventures!
On January 8, 2006 I made my first blog entry. I remember feeling a little nervous but I was looking for a place where I could just ramble on about what I was sewing, my love of fabric, and how much sewing factors into my life.
Along the way I shared some of my triumphs - making my daughter's prom dress, creating a couple of SWAPs...and my disappointments - my other daughter's refusal to wear the pants outfit I made her...*sigh* and the one hit wonder dress. I have even discussed some of the finer points of sewing - like quality sewing, my love of binding and my overexuberance at a good fabric sale! *LOL*
But mostly what has made this year so memorable and remarkable is the number of people who read and commented on my blog. I read every comment and tried to respond to any questions asked. I so appreciate the time that everyone takes out of their busy lives to stop by and see what I have made or what is making me speak out today! I know that one of the truest blessings of this forum is when someone takes time out of their day to agree or disagree with something that I have written about or to give a compliment on a garment/outfit or pair of shoes *smile* that I have posted a picture of....I think that was a "dangling" something!
So thank you for sharing your thoughts, sharing your time and stopping by to stop and read awhile. It means more to me than you will ever know! Hopefully 2007 will bring even more amazing sewing adventures!
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