Choir Wardrobe 112413

Burgundy, brown and burnt orange and a photobombing cat.

The dress is Sewing Workshop's OOP Cityscapes dress, in burgundy slinky.

I have three Cityscapes dresses in slinky...black, burgundy and teal green, and I love them for the holidays.  Very, um, forgiving...

The cardi is my new Pamela's Patterns 110 (Drape-front Cool Cardigan) , from brown wool jersey.  That's going to be a serious supporting actor in the fall/winter wardrobe, I do believe.

The scarf...a remnant, finished off with rolled edges on the serger.  But one of the serged ends was pulling loose, and I did a quick mending job on it a week or so ago.  Carefully trimmed away all the frayed ends, applied Fray Check (VERY carefully!) to the edge, let it dry, the hand stitched the rolled edge onto the new, pretty stiff fabric edge.

It looks a little weird up close, but, well, no one looks at it that close.  And I can roll up the scarf so it really doesn't show.

I have never paired that scarf with that dress...but it works.  

The knit skirt just needs the elastic applied to the waist and a hem.  Just couldn't manage to squeeze it in this week. Maybe next week amongst the cooking.

Next week, Christmas colors...Red, black and gray.

Work Wear 7

On the Just for Fun side...

I mean, any time you put on a garment with a  red, black and taupe animal-not-found-in-nature print, it has to be just for fun, right?

Have never put the Burda 2/2009/108 boatneck t with the red rendition of Jalie's 2919 pleated cardigan, mostly because I didn't think the 3/4 length sleeves would work over the long sleeves.  But, given the kinda patchworky look that's in now, once I tried it, I kinda liked it. 

And it meant I could wear the red shoes, too... ;-)

I'll bet I do this again.  Just for fun. 

Choir Wardrobe 11 17

I had real hopes of wearing a new garment for the second week in a row; I have some lovely brown RPL double knit that I cut into pants and a skirt Friday; with intentions of at least getting the skirt made for today.

Both garments have pockets, natch, and I put fusible interfacing on the pocket opening on the seam of the skirt so the knit wouldn't stretch out of shape.

Only somehow I ended up putting the fusible on the FACE OF THE FABRIC on one side of the skirt.  Didn't realize it until I saw that I had two left fronts...the face and the reverse are so similar.

But not indistinguishable.  I pulled it off, then spent pretty much the rest of the evening trying to melt the adhesive into scrap fabric to pull it off the skirt.

It only worked a little, but most of the adhesive was in the seam allowance anyway and I know that most of the time I will be wearing tops over the skirt (well, all the time, now..), so I finally just gave up and moved forward.

But I didn't get the skirt finished.

So, today's choir wardrobe was Old Clothes. Colors of the Month are burgundy, brown and burnt orange, and I wore the same burgundy slinky Textile Studios Monaco Shell I wore last week and my brown rayon jersey Jalie 2566 cardigan.  Lee jeans.  Boring but serviceable.

Maybe I'll have the skirt done next week. ;-)

Giveaway Winner!

So, I had a total of 13 comments, excluding Kathleen, who had plenty of patterns and asked to be excluded from the drawing.

I wrote each name on a little bit of paper, folded them all equally and threw them in a box thusly:

 
I shook them well, and looked at my Sweet Babboo and asked, 'Can you do me a favor?'

His answer was to close his eyes, turn his head away and hold out his hand.  So I stuck the box in his reach, and he pulled out this name:

That's Gaylen of  G Marie Sews !  Ima gonna trot over and let her know so we can connect up and I can get her pattern pack on its way...

Thanks to everyone who left comments and to everyone who has been reading along with me for 8 years!!

Choir Wardrobe 11-10-13

So, yeah, I totally forgot to take a photo last week.  No excuses...just forgot.

But we remembered this week.

And, no surprise, I wore the hot-off-the-machine Pamela's Pattern Drape Front Cardigan  and decided that the wool jersey is NOT too itchy.   :-D

Lee?  I think?  Boot cuts, a remnant scarf and a burgundy slinky Textile Studio Monico Shell funnel-neck top, which is probably about 6 years old...

And red shoes!  I love it when I get to wear my red shoes... ;-)

Oh, colors for November are brown and burgundy, with burnt orange for accent.

My scarf actually is in need of repair.  I just rolled the edges on it, and the rolled edge is actually pulling off one of the short ends.  I've about decided that I need to fray check the end where it's pulled off, then hand whip that rolled edge back onto the scarf; I'll never match the existing rolled edge and I really don't want to trim it all off to make a new roll.  Maybe I'll get to that this week (I'ma gonna need that scarf again this month...) and let you know if it worked...

Oh, I re read yesterday's post and decided it was kinda vague.  My original intention was that I would do the 8-year giveaway  from comments on that post, but I'm afraid I confused folks so I'll draw from any comments left on any of this week's posts.  ;-)  Basically just say 'hi' and you're in...

A Cardigan in a Day

Just when I decided I needed some brown knits, one of my favorite online vendors put her knits on sale.

So of course I ordered some.

It arrived last week, and, wonder of wonders, I actually turned one piece into a garment!

Hey, it happens sometimes...

I had a couple of cardigan patterns I wanted to try; I've already got another new piece pegged for one of them so I decided to try the other one on the brown jersey I got.

Started off today by tracing the pattern...Pamela's Patterns # 110 - Cool Cardigans -Draped Front .

Based on the instructions, I picked my size based on my high bust measurement, which put me solidly in the 'Medium' range.  My full bust measurement was about 3 3/4" larger than my high bust; the instructions said to use the full bust front piece if the full bust was more than 3" larger than the high bust.

So I traced the full bust front.

She includes line for petiting the armscye, but I'm not sure I agree 100% with the method presented; if you fold out that extra as indicated, you will not only raise the underarm but you will raise the bust shaping, raise the waistline and shorten the overall jacket.

So I did it a little differently.

I traced the pattern from the underarm, around the bottom, up the center and around to the top of the petite adjustment lines (I did the same thing on both front and back; the back is pictured here.)

 Then I slid the pattern down the grainline/center back line until the end of the tracing on the armsceye was at the bottom of the adjustment, pinned it down and traced the rest of the armscye, blending the cutting lines.

You can see that the  side seam notches did not move; the bust shaping is still where it belongs.  But the side seam has been lengthened above the notches to shorten the armsceye.

I made the corresponding adjustments as directed on the sleeve cap.

The only other adjustment I made was typical for me...I shortened the sleeve 2 additional inches.

This was actually my first go ever at a wool jersey garment.  I was afraid it would be contrary, but it's actually easier to sew than the rayon jerseys I've been sewing for forever now.  The jury is still out on whether I'm going to find it too itchy; we'll see...

Overall, I think I like the lines.  But the 'drape' is supposed to come from the shirring at the neckline, and it doesn't really look to me like it has made much of a difference. Maybe I just need to fuss with it a little bit.

 The edges are all turned under 1" and topstitched; the front edge wants to roll to the outside so that the raw turned under edge is visible.  In today's world of unfinished edges that may not be a big deal, but I think I would prefer something that looked a little more polished.

But, hey, I made it all in a day that also involved some errand running (I had to get some brown thread, among other things) and sitting through 'Enders Game' with The Actor.  So for something so easy to put together...it ain't bad, it ain't bad.

This will likely show up in tomorrow's choir wardrobe post.. ;-).

And, just a reminder, if you haven't left a comment on my 8 year blogiversary post to put your name in the hat for an 8 -pattern giveaway, you still have time.  I'm going to draw sometime after 8 PM CST on Monday so click through and let me know you're here!

ETA:  Just posted the review and realized it's been over a year since I reviewed a pattern.  Yeesh...

A Little Tote Bag Project

This summer, I found out about a ministry that provides some basic diaper bag-type items for new moms in a foreign ministry. (I'll post more on that when I show the finished bags the girls did).

We just finished a unit on sanctity of life in the high school girls' ministry class, and I thought it would be fun to make the little tote bags that we are to put the goodies in.

They just asked for the cheap poly bags from the dollar store...sort of like this one ---->





3/4 yd of 45" decent quality cotton fabric is plenty; that leaves enough to square the ends up, assuming it wasn't cut wildly off grain.

So..for the straps, tear two 4" strips across the entire length (they will be 4" x 45"); if the selvedges are an issue, just trim them off.

For the bag body, cut two rectangles 15 x 13, with the longest dimension running along the grainline.


Step 1: make the straps.
Fold the strap pieces in half lengthwise, with the wrong side out, and stitch the length of the long seam with a 1/2" seam allowance.

Tip:  Press the seams open, one side at a time, but be careful not to press the fold.

  Turn strap; press flat with the seam centered on one side.




Step 2: Pre-press top hem:

Fold top edge under 1" (use a cardstock template, if you can)  on each body piece; press.  Turn under a second time and press. Do not stitch yet.

Step 3: Apply straps

Matching one raw edge of strap to bottom raw edge, place strap so that the center seam is towards the bag and lies 3.5 inches away from the side edge..  Then carefully, without twisting strap, bend it back  so that the opposite end is aligned with the bottom raw edge again, with the strap parallel to the other vertical edge, 3.5 inches from the vertical raw edge (I did have a photo of that, but somehow it has gotten misfiled.).


Mark the strap 2" below top folded edge of bag.

Edge stitch strap from bottom raw edge, up to pinned mark, across strap at the pin, and back down to the bottom raw edge.  Repeat for other end of the strap, and repeat entire process for other bag body piece.






Step 4: bottom seam

Lay both body pieces right sides together.

Spend a little time entertaining the sewing assistant, who is obviously feeling neglected.






Stitch bottom seam w/a 1/2" Seam allowance.  Zig-zag edges of seam together, press to one side and topstitch down to give a little more reinforcement to the bottom seam.










 Step 5: Side seams

Fold body pieces right sides together again; open out pressed hem edges and stitch from lower seam to top raw edge w/a 1/2" seam allowance.  Finish edges together; don't press them just yet.





 
Step 7: bottom corners

This is the trickiest part of the whole bag.

Turn bag wrong side out and pull out one corner to a point.  Match side seam and bottom seam as they go away from the point (you should have a right angle, with the seams lined up running right up the middle).  Lay a flat ruler so that the 2" mark is right on the seams, slide 2" mark along seam until the 'zero' of the ruler is at one edge and the 4" mark is at the other.  Draw a light pencil mark along ruler and remove the ruler, being careful not to disturb the bag.  Pin across pencil mark to secure, then machine stitch on top of pencil mark, securing stitches at either end.

Trim corner off, leaving 1/2" seam allowance; finish edge of seam allowance.

Repeat for other corner.

 











Step 8: Top hem  

 Press side seams to the side they were stitched down on the corner seam.  Re fold and re-press top edges at the seams.  Turn bag right side out and, with right side against feed dogs, edge stitch hem at inner fold, being careful not to catch straps.

Bad picture of a nice little bag, eh? ;-)

3 Plus 1 Pillowcases

As I'm sure many of you know, Rhonda Buss is doing a pillowcase drive for Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.  Her goal was to accumulate 900 pillowcases...roughly the amount needed for one month's worth of giveaways.

I wanted to participate, but I don't have a big stash of printed cottons and I just hadn't managed to go hunting for suitable fabric and wasn't sure I was going to get something suitable in time to get them in.  But at the Sewing Expo last month, a pizza-printed cotton caught my eye, and I found that there were also hotdog and hamburger prints.  They were kinda pricey for pillowcases, but, hey, it's for kids, right?

So I brought 'em home and, like every other project I've been sewing for the last six months, I worked on 'em fifteen minutes at a time.

During the course of the little-bit-at-a-time pillowcase project, my high school girls club had a sewing night and made some tote bags from the three cotton prints I could scrape out of my stash (more on that later, with photos...).  I had a remnant left of one of the prints that was just enough for a pillowcase, so I have the three food pillowcases...plus the one random one.

These will go in the mail tomorrow (I hope!);  Rhonda is only 6 pillowcases short of 900 as of her blog post today, so I'm sure mine will be extras, but I'm glad to get to send some along.  It has been fun to see what everyone has done for this.

It's Been 8 Years...

...since I started Sew Random to chronicle a frantic costumer's dash to 'The Gospel According to Scrooge'. 

There's been a lot of thread through the needles since then.

But I thought I'd do a little giveaway to celebrate.  I went to the pattern cabinet and pulled out 8 patterns to put into an envelope and mail to one interested Sew Random reader.

All of these are new and uncut, although one or two may have been unfolded and inspected and put back.

I tried to get a smattering of designs and pattern companies...and I will admit that a couple of them hurt just a little....those Big Envelope patterns , well, you know...

But a giveaway ought to be worth doing, right?  And the winner can either keep all 8 patterns, or pull out the ones they're interested in, add a couple from their stash and give it all away again and we'll call it a pattern pyramid.

Anyway, a week from today I'll randomly draw a name from everyone who leaves a comment on this post and bundle up the lot and send them to you.  And if I have to spend $$ on postage to somewhere overseas, well, I will.

Cause you guys have hung with me through a lot of good, bad and ugly, and I'm grateful!