Category: Uncategorized

Of Doors and Windows

Sorry to keep you hanging-if you didn’t make it to a Fashion Sewing Club meeting in March-but here’s the scoop:
After much heartfelt consideration Laurel has decided to move on to the next phase of her life and no longer be an integral part of Material Girls. She has thoroughly enjoyed all the people and will continue to attend Club meetings (she already has fabric and ideas for April) but wanted to cut down on the late night sewing and last minute pressure of the monthly meetings. We will miss her contributions but will continue to call on her for fit and tailoring consultations-she pins a mean dart!
Anyone who would like to send an email to Laurel can do so at lely10@comcast.net

The other big door that closed this month is our Hancock/Bernina/Southtown location. As of March 9th the corporate Bernina store is no longer. However, a private Bernina (and Elna) dealer is supposed to be opening up sometime in April.
That leaves us at Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul and Make It Sew in Chanhassen.
The Fashion Sewing Club calendar will stay the same for the Treadle meeting on the second Tuesday (continues to be the largest group) and the second Saturday (15 attendees in March!!)
The Thursday meeting (still the second Thurs. of the month) will now take place at Make It Sew at regular times of 10:30 and 6:30. No need to preregister-the meeting will always happen just like at Hancock. There will be no more Monday Club meetings at Make it Sew.
And for the month of April, the Make It Sew meeting will be free-just to make it a bit easier to find the store the first time 🙂
We hope these changes are easy to follow-if not, ask questions. Show and tell at all meetings is picking up and that means you are being inspired to sew. That has been our goal all along.
Have a happy Easter and we’ll see you in April!

PS-March Club pictures and sheets have been posted under Club Sheets/Garment Photos.

He’s gone country!

My husband is very supportive of my sewing, in fact he likes to hound me to make things for him. This year for his birthday, Dave asked me to make him a western shirt. So, to encourage my husband’s country songwriting and guitar playing, I decided to find a pattern for a western shirt. My husband was really excited when he saw the pattern I bought and even came with me to pick out the material. I tried to encourage him to go with a fun contrasting fabric for the yoke, but he was too nervous. However, I did manage to talk him into adding a nice trim. Of course, Dave wanted this shirt to become my number one priority so I reminded him that he could speed up the production process by helping to prep the fabric and cut out the pattern. I have to say he did a great job and even put on the pearl snaps when the shirt was finished. BTW we bought extra snaps which was a good idea- because as careful as we were – we still messed up a few snaps.

I used McCall’s M6044. It went together easily. The only adjustment I made was to lengthen the cuff (and shorten the sleeve accordingly) so it would fit three snaps. Well, Dave’s excited to wear this shirt when we go see Garth Brooks in March!

Late breaking news!!! What Carrie doesn’t say is that she entered the shirt in a Pattern Review contest and won 2nd place!!! Check it out here.

From Princess Wrap to Princess Dress

Recently in an active wear catalog I found a dress with a center panel and ruching at the midrift area along both sides of the center panel. I thought – now that’s a clever way to hide a stomach pouch! I already had the Christine Jonson Princess Wrap Top which has a center front with ruching on one side.

First I made the top to try out the fit. The fit was fine – but the v-neck was a bit deep for me. To make the dress I added an inch to the neckline to give me more coverage. I also added a back center seam which gave me the ability to add shaping to the back. In order to create ruching on both sides, initially I tried to follow the model of the pattern which – because it is gathered on only one side- the pattern bows out along the gathered side to create a nice drape on the opposite side. Well, trying to create this on both sides of my center panel piece just wasn’t a good idea. A much simpler path would have been to keep both edges of the center front straight and then extend the length of the panel to account for the gathering. (The reason my initial idea didn’t work is because it created a ‘drape’ of extra material in the front area. You don’t want drape across your stomach – that added to the pouch.)

To determine the appropriate width and line of the skirt I followed the skirt pattern from Christine Jonson’s Wrap Dress. I found the key to ensure the gathering around the midriff is flattering is to keep the ruching under the bust and not too far down into the stomach region. Also – keep the gathering even on both sides and fairly tight across the front – if it looks to loose, it looks sloppy and like extra weight. Sorry the pictures with the pattern fabric I used make it a bit difficult to see the ruching.

Sometimes Things Fall Right Into Your Lap

Debbie and I were at Treadle yesterday-6 students and 6 different makes of sergers, 3 pressing hams, sleeve rolls and a small sawdust mess…and can you believe it, they had new fabric!

This is a 90% high wicking, poly microfiber and 10% lycra and such great prints. It may be more suitable for the yoga studio and running, etc. but my pieces are going to be worn on the golf course (and if you’ve done any pro shop shopping lately, I think I’ll fit right in). I’ve been waiting for something like this for ever and now I have no excuse not to sew them up and then no excuse not to play golf (or so my husband would say). Now just for some performance fabric in neutral colors for pants.

Unfortunately these aren’t the only new fabrics…fine linens with a metallic sheen, mesh knits…but you really have to see them for yourself 🙂

What’s Up With Material Girls

We hope you are enjoying the beautiful winter weather and a little bit of sewing. Just want to keep you posted and let you know that each week we seem to meet another wonderful person that sews and this inspires us to keep on sharing what we love to do.

Monday-after weather and illness have taken their toll, we’ll finish our Fit Me training.
Tuesday-a full morning class of Basic Sergers at Treadle
-afternoon-either Tailoring Tools (if we get one more) or open appointments for Fit Me sessions
-Sew Studio at Bernina/Hancock from 6-8:30 for anyone in need of assistance
Thursday-Open Sewing or Fit Me sessions at Lake Riley Sewing Studio (Chanhassen) from 3-8

Next Monday our Wool Coat Class meets again and we hope to get all coats assembled. Email or call 952-201-3863 with questions in the meantime.

Speaking of wool-Make It Sew has 30% off wool and wool blend fabrics and machine luggage and rolling bags through Feb. 3 (Friday)

And then it’s time for Fashion Sewing Club beginning Thursday at Bernina/Hancock. What will you bring for show and tell?

January Fashion Sewing Club

Another fine showing of creativity from both Treadle and Hancock this month. The mild winter seems to be helping-if you can’t ski you might as well sew (haha!) sorry 😛

Anyway, Roseanne continues experimenting with Christine Jonson’s patterns. Below is the top and skirt from Travel Trio 3.

Judy was inspired to make a wool coat to display a beautiful silver heart from Norway-

Carol attended a zero waste Vionnet-inspired class at the Textile Center and put together the tunic with vintage jewelry and then made the velvet jacket and pants to complete the ensemble.

Fur scarves also made an appearance at both locations. Sorry I didn’t get a picture but suffice it to say that the oooh’s and aaah’s pushed fur fabric sales for the stores. Scarves were made from the width of the fabric by 9-12 inches. No twist (as in the Infinity Scarf). Twice around the neck would be wonderful on a cold day like today! Negative nine degrees as I read it.

Thank you all for the wonderful show and tell that didn’t get featured here. The more the merrier (or shall we say inspirational). We will revise Club sheets again for next month-your patience and feedback is appreciated.

Click and drag on Club Sheets and Garment Photos above or January 2012 in the right hand column to see the latest offerings from the Material Girls.

Stay warm!

It’s all about the fabric

I bought this beautiful fabric at Treadle before leaving MN.  It was so beautiful- and I didn’t really know what I wanted to make with it – but I knew I had to have the fabric.  I bought 2+ yards of it and I’m so glad I did.  I’m learning that if I really love a fabric – buy 2-3 yards because it will give you the flexibility to make one bigger item (like a jacket or dress) or a couple of smaller items. It’s similar to the theory that if you like a pattern and get it to fit you well – make two or three more!

First, I made Vogue 8597 with this fabric.  I did check out Pattern Review first – and there were a few complaints, pretty minor, most people had good things to say.  One person wanted more drape in the neckline so included instructions of how to create more drape.  However, I’m very happy with the drape of the neckline and I think it really has to do with the choice of fabric.  Isn’t that the best part of sewing – when you hit the right combination of fabric and pattern choice? I’m so glad even some of the experts recognize that this can be a difficult thing to do! This fabric works perfectly for this style.  (One note on the fabric – I did find that it seemed to catch on the metal plate of my Elna Lock, so I had to keep a close eye on feeding the fabric through my serger.) I’ve been finding that when making knit items using Vogue patterns, if I use my regular pattern size -the finished garment ends up too big. So, for this top I compared the finished bust measurement to other patterns I’ve made and either liked or didn’t like the fit. Based on the finished bust measurement of this pattern I decided to size down and it fit exactly how I wanted the first time around. Overall the top came together quickly, nice and easy!

Next on deck for this fabric is a t-shirt using Vogue 8536. I’m always looking for a great T-shirt pattern! I know other ladies at club have made this pattern and it is a great basic fit. They’ve dressed up the basic T by adding a bit of gathering on the side at the bustline and an easy-to-hem side vent. I like that this pattern includes several options- vneck, cross over, sleeveless…great to have in your pattern stash.

One more note on the fabric, I first saw this at Treadle over a year ago, I have since seen variations at Mood in NYC, Christine Jonson online, and even a local independent fabric store – so if you like it you should be able to find it some where!

The Loss of Lois Ericson

Sad news-this email was sent to me so I am passing it on to you-I had to look online to be sure who Lois was.  I have some of her patterns even though I haven’t met her. Her daughter teaches classes with Marcy Tilton and does lots of other things.  I especially liked the last few lines-

Diane has asked me to let you know that her mother, Lois Ericson passed

away peacefully on Monday afternoon after suffering a massive stroke last

week. Diane and her two children went up to Reno as soon as they heard, and

all 4 of Lois’s children and all of her grandchildren came to be with her,

so the entire family had a chance to be together at one time surrounding

her with their love. Her magnificent creative spirit has touched so many

and she will continue to be an inspiration.

There are no plans at this time for a memorial service. If you want to

honor Lois, follow her lead….go into your studio and create, make,

invent. Teach. She continued creating right up to the end, pursuing a

renewed passion for watercolors, and always, always, always fabric and

fiber. She was beloved by many, and forged a path in the fiber arts that is

a foundation of the work we all do today.

Upcoming Fashion Sewing Club Week

We hope the new year is inspiring you to spend time on your favorite craft-garment sewing. Did you see some of the pattern companies have released spring fashions!

This month’s Fashion Sewing Clubs will be held at the following times and places:

Tuesday, 1/10, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul, 10:30 am
Thursday, 1/12, Bernina/Hancock/Southtown, 10:30 and 6:30
Saturday, 1/14, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul, 10:30 am
The Monday meeting at Make It Sew won’t be held this month but we’ll try again next month.  Thanks for hanging in there while the Bernina/Hancock location gets figured out.
Some of you also caught my typo-Bernina/Hancock subscription should be $17.50 for Jan/Feb. Oops!
Hope to see you and your sewing next week!

JAY -lee, Jolly, how do you say Jalie?

The first Jalie pattern I made was the woman’s Twist Top, and although I liked the fit of the top I wasn’t a fan of the format of their instructions. Instructions are printed together with all construction pictures grouped together – not integrated into the text – and I won’t mention the small the type face… But in the end, the top was fairly easy to put together, the style is feminine and flattering. I’ve made two so far.

Last month I made the Scarf-Collar Top. I was able to put this top together in a couple of hours – and I quickly had a comfortable, fashionable top to wear to work. Jalie has an interesting method for sewing the scarf onto the neck line so that there are no exposed seams. Jalie hit the mark again – another fashionable, feminine, well fitting, easy top! (P.S. please excuse the wrinkles in my picture – my photo assistant wasn’t doing his job ; ) )

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Posted by Carrie Diamont