Marcy’s Jacket Finished

What began as a great pattern, ended as a great pattern. Here is the finished product. I was thinking it would be scary to have Marcy see it up close but the sewing techniques make it fairly easy to avoid many of the “this is so homemade” telltale signs.
I’m very pleased with the way the different elements of the fabric came together-even if it is subtle. I’m wearing it today to the Puyallup (pew ahl’ up-according to the locals) Sewing and Stitching Expo in Washington. Having a great time-cherry blossoms and daffodils are out-raining and fifties. An added bonus is that I’m running into my Paris traveling companions!
More later…

Ripping Stitches and Beyond

So I’m working on Marcy Tilton’s t-shirt (V8497-see Laurel’s version in January Club Garments post) and I think I’ll be clever and use my new roll of one inch fusible interfacing (a Sewing and Quilting purchase) to mark the hem and give it more stability. Well, I kept getting puckers on the right side fabric of the hem. Did I mention I’m using my Babylock coverstitch? I tried using the differential feed but that didn’t help. As I’m ripping out the hem stitches for the third time, I decide to look in some of my serger books to see if there’s an easy way to rip coverstitch. To quote Singer Sewing With Your Serger, “Remove cover-stitch threads just as you would remove chainstitch threads. With a seam ripper or a straight pin, remover the last two or three stitches formed by each of the needle threads. Turn over the fabric and gently pull on the looper thread until all the stitches unravel. Remove the loose needle threads.”

I tried. It didn’t work. Several times, I tried. I’m wondering if the Babylock stitch formation is different? I settled on this method: Slide seam ripper between needle threads and under looper stitches on the wrong side. Pull needle threads out-they should come easily in one piece. Use your serger tweezers to pull out small pieces of looper stitch to save your fingers and get a few more at a time.

Getting back to the hem-I removed the fusible interfacing from my hem and the problem went away. Maybe the puckers wouldn’t have happened if I had applied the interfacing at the 1″ hemline and above but then it wouldn’t have saved the measuring. Or if I stitched the hem with the hem allowance/interfacing next to the presser foot, would that have helped? But then I’d have the looper side of the coverstitch showing on the right side.

Any suggestions? Ripping out coverstitch or turning up a hem with fusible interfacing strips are the challenges for today.

Looking for fashion forward events?

U of M’s Design Department has its senior student style show, Insight, this Saturday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 and 8. Tickets are $15 purchased online.

Fashion Sewing Club meets next week-Tuesday, Feb. 9, at Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul and Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 11 and 13 at Associated Sewing in Bloomington.

Dress Your Best is Saturday, Mar. 6. Pick up fashion, makeup and image tips from several speakers.

Christopher Straub from Project Runway, Season 6, will speak at The Sampler in Chanhassen on Friday evening, Mar. 12. Call to reserve your $30 ticket-952-934-5307. At last look, it wasn’t on their website.

New Classes for Winter ’10

And what a winter it’s turning out to be! Actually it’s very conducive to sewing. But I digress. We have a new listing of classes-Skirts That Fit, Jacket Techniques, Love Your Serger, Beginning Sewing-and then our two events-Clear Your Clutter Stash Swap and Dress YOUR Best. Check them out and sign up!

Speaking of the Stash Swap-this is a great time to be cleaning out closets and reevaluating the fabrics you have collected. Bring your items to January Club meetings (or arrange a drop-off) and we’ll give you “cash” to spend at the Swap. Then let’s all get together on Jan. 30 and get that creative energy flowing. Change is good.

Love Your Serger was the best I could come up with for a name for a hands-on serger class. I toyed with “Exploratory Sergery” but that’s as far as I got for catchy names. Any wordsmiths out there that can come up with a better option?

It’s been some time since I’ve had to update the site so please advise me of any errors you see. Thanks to those of you that keep at me to get classes posted. And as always, feedback is crucial. Are these the classes you want to take? Too cheap? (just kidding) Wrong times? Let us know how we can best meet your creative sewing needs.

Procrastination as an art form

If you subscribe to that belief then I am an artist-just kidding! Procrastination is one of my strong suits and this being very close to the end of the year, I have a few ends I really must tie up.

First off, Material Girls is on Marcy Tilton’s list of websites to check out (click here to see her December newsletter). Thank you, Marcy! Her newsletter is great and includes more Paris info and some great things that I missed.

Second, the new Threads magazine features our favorite ponytail holder technique and alot of other very cool ideas.

And third is the first installment of the December Club garments. Debbie’s pictures have been in my possession for longer than I care to admit so here they are. If weather or Christmas chaos kept you from getting to Club, you can get the sheets by email for free if were are a subscriber–$3 if you not. Click here to email.

Debbie's gored skirt with ruffled lining
Debbie's gored skirt with ruffled lining

Debbie's black crepe jean jacket and Silhouette blouse
Debbie's black crepe jean jacket and Silhouette blouse

Detail of blouse fabric
Detail of blouse fabric

Detail of jean jacket lines
Detail of jean jacket lines

Cowl with Parisienne tuck
Cowl with Parisienne tuck

Laurel and Kristin’s garments will be added before 2010 🙂

Paris: The Final Installment

Yet another wonderful day in beautiful Paris. The day looked like yesterday, which was warm, but it was decidedly cooler.

We headed over to the Sunday flea markets-a great mix of antiques, junk and the button guy! I mixed and matched until I got what I wanted to have and matched my budget.

By then fingers and toes needed warming. The potty break included the first squatty potty but, oh, the chocolate was good!

The second flea market had fresh produce, seafood (sold by the fishermen that caught them) and scarves.

We took a bus back to the hotel to warm up and add layers. Then a bus to the Arch of Triumph. Parisiens, and all of us tourists, have a way of spending their Sundays. Everyone was out, the dogs, the kids and their scooters, the grandparents and teenagers. Many Christmas decorations are lit and the ferris wheel was taking passengers.

Four of us walked all the way back to our “neighborhood” stopping for croissants and sweets. I was feeling confident in my French and asked for “deux croissants”. The nice young man got a big smile on his face and said, “English?” I told him American. I guess I can’t fool anyone. He told me America was better than Paris anyway. I told him it was all beautiful. And it has been beautiful and the French people have been wonderful. I have made great new friends on this trip.

This “Paris Tilton” trip has been the perfect way to start the second half of my century here on this planet.

Almost forgot-we had dinner at the restaurant featured in “Something’s Got to Give” last night and they sang Happy Birthday” to me. Tres bien!

Home tomorrow.

Paris: Take Three

Hopefully this will go better tonight but I’ve just been to the local wine shop and tasted a few plus having a glass with my purchases from today- goat cheese and a whole wheat pretzel looking bread with raisins. I’m finishing the glass of wine with chocolate.

Today was a perfect day for me. It started with a bus ride to the D’Orsey Museum. It’s got mostly Impressionist art. I discovered artists I didn’t know of before. It was a very alive place with many school groups.

We proceeded to the Bon Marche (yet another large shopping mall) where I joined up with my new friend, Brown, and proceeded to spend an hour in the amazing grocery area. Clothes I have a hard time shopping for but give me a grocery store and I have no problem. It’s such a great way to see how everyday people live. Of course, this grocery store was equivalent to nothing I’ve seen in the States. Think Kowalski’s times ten. Fresh seafood, poultry, bread, deli and gift items galore. My 10 euro gourmet grocery bag is my prized possession!

After today, I can really see why people love Paris. We sat and had a simple tuna on toast salad-sitting outside, yet again and getting typical Parisien service from our waiter. No one has been impatient or rude to us even tho we are a group of twelve or so. I have never felt unsafe although I think I’ve experienced most of the scam artist tricks by now. The day was very mild and the sun was out for most of it. We walked to Notre Dame and walked right in- no lines. Then walked along the Seine to Ile St. Louis and ate magnificent ice cream and drank tea. The island of St. Louis was noticeably more quiet. Beautiful, and the sun was setting.

A solid walk back via Rue de Rivoli and Opera, my own private wine tasting with my grocery purchases and I call it a magnificent day in Paris. Tres bien!

Paris Take Two

Sitting in the hotel lobby with my wine and chocolate. Tuesday was great trip to a flower making atelier. Such a wonderful place, family business with clients like Dior but the owner spoke like he was one of us-in French of course. And original petal cutting forms.
We have seen so many beautiful clothes and eaten great food. I went inside St. Paul’s church today-first church.

This blogging from my iPhone is proving a bit difficult or maybe I’m just tired. So here are a few pictures to tell the story.

A bientot!

Paris: Take One

So this wonderful trip has begun-it’s Tuesday morning and we’re up early to take in the Eiffel Tower. Sunday was a lovely boat ride on the Seine. My roommate is fun.

Monday was a trip to the Little Black Dress shop and a lecture from its classic French woman owner, shopping at Monmartre, an old notions and hat shop, French shoes and a wonderful dinner at a local’s favorite restaurant.

A bientot!

November Garments

November has been a busy month but very productive. Expo was great. We hope to see some new faces.
Here are garment photos to help you remember what the Club sheets are talking about. As always, we can send you the electronic copies free if you are a subscriber or $3 if not.
Remember that Silhouette patterns tend to run small in the arms and Decades of Design measurements may be the finished garments.
Photos in order of appearance should be:
Debbie’s ruffle lined jacket
Debbie’s sweater with ribbed bands
Laurel’s boiled wool jacket
Laurel’s Decades of Desgn jacket
Kristin’s swing dress
Kristin’s silk blouse
Kristin’s boiled wool jacket
Kristin’s wrap skirt
Kristin’s corduroy bias jacket