Summer Tops and Dresses Expo 2012 and Butterick 5485 Pattern Review

Well I had to give it some kind of fancy name.

I have a plan to sew up a lot of dresses and tops for this summer. This is like my final for Professional Custom Clothing. I'm getting all my practice in and then bring it on! Clothes that fit YOU, in styles YOU want, and the fabrics YOU pick. None of us want to be at the mercy of those evil ready-to-wear companies that think we all have one body shape.

First is my Linen Blend, Kiwi colored sundress. I used Butterick pattern 5485.









This is the result. I didn't like the overlay extending beyond the skirt hem as the patterns goes, so I went back and shortened the overlay hem above the skirt hem. Just one more nice thing about custom made.

It actually fits me better than the dress form. I used a full bust adjustment (FBA) and increased the waist some. Amazingly enough, the hem is exactly the length of the original pattern. Normally I hem shorter since at 5'4", I am just between Petite and Misses sizes. Loved sewing this dress but next time I'll know to be extra careful with the grainline, and pinning and cutting. This fabric likes to shift. It was worth it though because it is a soft, drapey fabric that feels good on and in the summer that will be a huge plus.

Next up: McCall's 6503 using a cotton, smocked shirting in brown and white plaid with subtle silver threads.


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Pocket Wall Hanging Tutorial

 Hi! Wow, I haven't blogged in over a week. That would be the week before school starts so I got very little done much less any sewing. But here I am with a tutorial for pocket wall hangings. This is not complicated stuff. It's also not completely original either. There are other tutorials and patterns out there for similar things but I want to show you how easy it is to make these things and to customize them to your needs. This is where you say, "Who needs Pottery Barn?"

It all started with baby slings I was making for my two expectant cousins. Click here  for that great tutorial from My Karma Baby.com. I had leftover fabric and decided to make a few more things to go along. This is my knock-off Taggies bitty-blanky.

So simple. Two pieces of fabric with ribbon loops sandwiched in between. Stitch, turn right side out and top stitch. Done.








The Pocket Wall Hanging is just as simple, it just takes a little more work. I designed mine as a quilt because my left-over fabric was in smaller pieces. Cut fabric squares to equal size and lay them out in a pattern that you like. Stitch the squares of each row together and press seams open. You could opt for larger pieces or strips instead of squares or even one large piece.

Now we are ready to make pockets. Decide how many you want and how big. My pockets are simple slip pockets but you can provide more space by cutting the pocket larger, pleating the bottom and adding elastic in a casing to the top. I like my pockets lined so I stitched two layers right-side together, turned and pressed. If I had been thinking at the time I would have laid the raw edges of the pocket along the raw bottom edges of the square and stitched them into the seam. But you can also fold the raw edge to the inside 1/2" and once more to make a smooth hem and then top-stitch the pocket to the square. You can add as many pockets as you like. I choose to just make four.

Next stitch your rows together and press seams open. Now you need to decide how this wall hanging will hang. I made loops out of the remaining fabric. You could use grommets or ribbon or make a rod pocket like for a curtain. Baste your hanging apparatus to the right side of the front piece. Lay your backing piece (cut to the same size as your assembled front piece) right sides together and stitch across the top.

Turn and press.

Finally, baste the raw edges together and bind. Make your own matching or coordinating binding if you have enough fabric or use store bought. 



Let me know if you have any questions.

This project has so much potential. I'd love to see pics of your finished projects.

Easiest Pillow Slipcover, Pillow Sham Tutorial Ever!

I found this great fabric that my girls just love. It's fuzzy and stretchy. Why do little girls love fuzzy so much? It makes me sneeze. But this is what we do for those we love.


 Anyway, most home dec fabrics come 54" wide which is plenty to wrap around a standard or queen size bed pillow. For a standard pillow, using this stretchy fabric, 1/2 yard of the fabric works perfect. For woven fabrics maybe get 3/4 to 1 yard and trim it back to fit.

Since we didn't cut off the selvage edges, we don't have to sew them but feel free if you want a more finished edge.

 With pillow laying on fabric, overlap long ends creating the envelope you need for a slipcover. Pin one side along the edges and pull out your model pillow from the other side. Now finish pinning the remaining side.















 

Simply stitch down the long raw edges. If you are using a fabric that frays easily or is fuzzy as in this case, you can finish the edges with a serger or zig-zag stitch.








Turn the cover inside out and stuff with pillow. You're done! Easy peasy.

And two very happy daughters!

Day One

Why do I want to start a blog on sewing? Because I love creating things and I want to help you create things too. Most of us today can't spend all the money we want on clothes and decorating our home so it is time to learn to do it ourselves. I also find that it is extremely liberating and self-affirming to be able to make something yourself rather than relying on someone else to do it for you. And they are going to charge you more for it. You can save money by sewing, you can get things in the colors you want and when you learn to fit clothes, you can get things in the length, color and fabric you want.

Why do I think anyone can sew? Well for one thing because I can. Come on, I'm impatient, somewhat dyslexic, have a short attention span and get angry when I can't do something. But I realized the other day that none of that matters. If you want to learn to do something, do it.

My 8 year old daughter has been sewing for two years. She started with this quilt. It was the same way my Mother started me out. Hand stitching with a big needle. She even cut her own fabric. I'll save this forever!



As she got a bit older I introduced her to the sewing machine. Today's machines are awesome. This one has three speeds and so of course I set it on the slowest speed and off she went.

Here is one of her recent projects. Her lines are getting straighter and she is becoming more confident. Now she is constantly asking me what we can make next. So...next on the list is a design of her own. I have software from Wild Ginger that allows us to put the design together and draft the pattern to her measurements. You'll have to come back to see that creation. I'm telling you, sewing is fun!


I'll try to keep this blog moving at a rapid pace so we can keep the momentum going. I'm not only going to help you learn the easy way to sew but also what patterns are easiest to sew, which fabrics work best, and other things to bring out the joy of the craft. There are so many awesome other blogs out there so often times I will just send you to their tutorials. The internet has got to be one of the best things ever invented (well besides "Moms Night Out"). I have learned so much and I want to help you learn it too.

Just remember, there are no stupid questions. Send me anything you are wanting to learn and I'll find a way to help! Man I'm excited!