Simplicity 9570 Skirt: Finally Completed!

This project has been on the back burner for a long time. I originally blogged about starting this skirt a year ago. I covered the pattern details pretty well then so I'm not going to repeat them here; I hope that's ok. I have no idea why I delayed this one over a year. After all, I've used this pattern many times and I love the fabric. Life just got in the way, I guess.

The fabric is a polyester from JoAnn's that dates back to 2006. Proof that even they get it right sometimes! Nice print, good colors, no sequins or glitter. The base fabric is more substantial than is typical for JoAnn's chiffon/georgette types and has a twill weave. Unfortunately, it appears to be a one-off, as I haven't seen another bolt of anything similar.

I added a lining even though the fabric didn't seem especially sheer. For that, I just cut the front and back skirt pieces from the lining fabric and basted the assembled pieces to the fold of the casing. I trimmed the excess lining near and pressed the casing down. I edgestitched at the fold to keep the lining in place, then completed the casing as normal. The lining is hemmed with the chiffon hem from Claire Shaeffer's book, High Fashion Sewing Secrets. I wish I had done the same for the flounce hem, but it's acceptable, and I'm not ripping it out at this point for a relatively minor adjustment. However, I'll need to remember for next time since it's such a nice finish.

I'm a Little Superstitious...

photo courtesy City-Data.com

...So that's why I haven't commented about an upcoming life change. I'm starting a new job today!!!

I'll be working at a company located at Albuquerque's Mesa Del Sol. The pay is not anywhere near what I was making at The Big Red Square, but on the other hand, the aggravation should be a lot less.

The site is interesting. It's just south of downtown and the airport, but looks like the middle of the desert. The commute is longer than before but not by much. One of the major occupants is the studio that produces Breaking Bad, so I'm hoping for the opportunity to see some filming.

And the photo above? A major feature at Mesa Del Sol is the rattlesnake sculptures as you enter. There are two of them, and they're enormous!

I'll still be blogging, posting, and Facebooking, but on a reduced basis. I'm sure you understand.

Crazy Feet

Are you familiar with 6pm.com? It's the outlet division of Zappos. Through the wonders of e-commerce, they send a daily email. Usually I click it right into the Trash file, but I saw these on sale last week:

And those were a pretty close copy of these Kork-Ease that I'd been coveting:

 

At a price of $24 vs. $150, I clicked to buy. They arrived at my house on Tuesday. Hoo boy, I like them but they're a bit more extreme than I was expecting.  They're tall--1 5/8" in front, rising to 4 1/4" at the heel. In spite of all that, they're surprisingly comfortable because the foot itself isn't bent into a Barbie doll angle. Yes, I wore platforms the first time around in the 70s and the time after that, so I guess I'm not a believer in the adage that you shouldn't wear a trend again if you wore it the first time.

The other pair was more reasonable: 

These are Clarks and the second pair I've bought in this style. They'll look fine with trousers and skirts, are walkable, and are not overly "comfort shoe" looking. I had a neuroma in my left foot last year, and although I'm hanging onto my business banking heels for now, I'm trying to spend most of my time in shoes that don't crowd my toes or force them forward. That means wearing shoes that are somewhat sensible, even though I may veer into crazy platforms from time to time. 

The podiatrist has signed off on this, probably because she knows I'll comply better with fewer restrictions. Yes, she understands how I am.

Chicago Fabric Shopping

As previously noted, we visited two fabulous fabric stores during the Chicago Weekend. Or at least I was there for two stores, as the early arrivals and late departures got to visit a second location of Vogue Fabrics and a Chicagoland outpost of JoAnn's.

At any rate, here are my spoils from our Saturday expedition. The first two selections are from Fishman's:

 Cotton by Michael Miller. Love this design!

Cotton batiste. Ann spotted this one and I couldn't resist those colors!

I also bought some chartruese cross-weave silk dupioni for the long-delayed vestment project, but that's nothing new. On to Vogue Fabrics:

Wool and cotton blend challis-type

Wool gauze, an Anna Sui print. Yes, safety pins!

Cotton retro-style print. Louise Cutting brought this fabric (in pink) around to the sewing expeditions a few years ago.

So what am I going to make with this? As usual, I don't buy for a particular project but I do keep a general idea in mind. 

• The Italian print is crying out to be a shirt of some kind.
• The floral batiste will likely be a little summer blouse or tank top.
• Same with the green, gray and white bow print.
• The scribble print could be a shirt-jacket or even a skirt. The weight would be fine either way.
• The wool gauze safety pin print will probably be a TSW Now Shirt.

I would be in real trouble if I lived in Chicago. On the other hand, maybe not. Perhaps I'd let the stores hold my stash instead of bringing it home. Still thinking of some of the ones I left behind, but I can always come back...

TSW eShrug Sleeve Tutorial

I've had a couple of requests for more information on lengthening the sleeve on the eShrug, so here goes.

First, a bit about the pattern. The original eShrug pattern comes with a separate sleeve (good) that's cap length (not my favorite). It fits into an armhole formed by sewing together the shoulder seams; there is no side seam. As a result, the sleeve is sewn in the round vs. flat. Select the shrug size you want. I found the size range to be roughly that of the "Shapes" patterns at the TSW and Louise Cutting web pages. This isn't a fitted garment and is forgiving in shape. I recommend a knit with a floppy hand for the best result.

For this tutorial, I'm using a leftover scrap of knit from this project. I'm also using markers so you can see what's going on. You'll want to use chalk or similar, OK?

On the armsye (top) of the sleeve pattern, mark 5/8" on each side.

Then fold the arm seam below the marks out of the way.

Lay out your fabric (2 layers, like sides together) and pin the pattern in place, leaving room for additional sleeve length.

Then I laid a TNT long sleeve pattern piece over, just to get an idea of the length I'd need. This one is from a t-shirt pattern that I use all the time. You can also measure from a RTW sleeve, but it's probably best to compare knits with knits. Notice that the pattern pieces vary in width, but the location of the seams under the arm align.

Mark a small horizontal line at your desired length. My sleeves have a raw edge, so the line is at the desired length; there is no hem allowance. Remember to add one if you're going to hem the sleeve.

Using the armscye dot on the pattern as your guide, make a small vertical mark on the line you just made. This is the center of the sleeve.

Then figure the desired circumference around the wrist. Mine is 8".

You can take this from an existing (knit) garment or just measure around your wrist.

Divide that number in half, add 5/8", then mark the result on either side of the center mark. Following my example: half of the wrist measurement is 4" so I'd draw a 4 5/8" line from either side of the center mark (4" lines in pink, seam allowances in purple).

Draw a chalk line from the ends two wrist lines to the armscye lines you made on the pattern (green ink).

And here are the sleeves, ready to be cut out. You did remember to lay out your fabric double, didn't you?

And remember you can always cut off a sleeve that's too long but you can't lengthen--if in doubt, be generous. Same with sleeve width, you can always re-sew and trim off if the sleeve is too wide but it's harder to repair a sleeve that's too narrow.

This is a quick and dirty, on-the-fly method. I chose not to invest a lot of time in getting it "right". And it worked for me. If you want to use a French curve or work it out on paper first, go for it, but you don't have to.

Chicago Weekend

I spent last weekend in the company of several sewists I knew through the internet--Ann, Kay (and husband Don), Liana, and our host Patti (and husband Norm). We also had the opportunity to spend time with Chicago sewist and blogger Cennetta.

I arrived Friday afternoon from Albuquerque. Patti met me at the airport and escorted me to Evanston on the train. From there, the weekend became a whirlwind of activity. As soon as I checked in and dropped my bags at the room, we were off to dinner at Addis Abeba. The cuisine was a new experience for me, since I'd never had Ethiopian food before. It was delicious and I'll definitely try it again!

Saturday, we went in search of fabrics, with stops at Fishman's and Vogue Fabrics. After making our purchases, we headed to Manny's. OMG, massive deli sandwiches! We each divided one and they were still enormous. Cennetta joined us for the morning, and it was so nice getting to know her.

  Ann, Liana and Kay

 

 Liana and Kay

 Cennetta and Ann

Thanks Fishman's and Vogue! Of course, I got some fabric, and I'll be posting the pieces later on. It must be wonderful to have access to such great sewing resources.

We headed downtown for the afternoon and an architectural tour through the Chicago Architectural Foundation.  This was the perfect way to see many landmark buildings up close and learn why they were significant. Our docent, Harry, was very knowledgable and energetic, obviously loving what he does. Here's Harry with the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower in the background:

And then Tapas Barcelona for dinner, another new dining experience that I'd like to repeat! I just hope there's a tapas place in Albuquerque that I can go to--you'd think so, but various Mexican venues rule the day here. But I digress. We continued our evening with cocktails and conversation at the hotel's lounge.

The next morning, we set off to experience the Haute Couture Club of Chicago's annual extravaganza at the Merchandise Mart. Cennetta joined our table for lunch and had several ensembles in the fashion show. Patti also introduced us to Rhonda Buss, another sewing fashionista who appeared numerous times in the show. Lots of talent in that group!

I brought my luggage to the show and cabbed it to Midway with minimal drama. Gotta love these big city cabbies--they get it done.

It was all over too soon, but it was a wonderful time. I enjoyed being with each and every one who could come. Thanks Patti, for organizing our visit and schlepping us about. And another thank you to her husband, Norm, who also spent a lot of time driving us around and listening to a lot of sewing chatter. I'm sorry that Linda was unable to make it, but hopefully next time.

JAM 4: TSW eShrug Version 2

...and this one's a keeper!

After posting the first one, Terri K and Jane M suggested that fleece might not be the best choice and to try again with a different knit. Since my choices in Albuquerque are limited, I headed to another JoAnn's near Cottonwood Mall. No skull knits there, but they did have an assortment of "mohair" sweater knit in the red tag section. Most of the colors were cheap-looking, and it was obviously not from nature. However, it felt soft and there was black, so I brought some home. It's heathered, with little white fibers among the black, so white cat fur will not show! It only looks gray because I lightened the photo to show detail.

After prewashing and drying, I laid the fabric out Sunday afternoon. It was only 58" wide, just a touch too narrow for the main pattern piece. Don't you hate it when that happens? As it happened, I had read a tutorial about cutting knits crosswise earlier that day, so that's what I did. And it worked! Thanks, Marcy Tilton! The pattern piece also suggested this solution, since two grain lines were provided.

I also changed the sleeve from cap to full length. It suited the fabric and will work better for an upcoming visit to Chicago this weekend. I basically winged it by pinning the original sleeve in place, laying my TNT t-shirt sleeve over to gauge the length, then chalking the new cutting lines right onto the fabric. No pictures since I was working on black in the evening, but if you all want me to, I can work up a little tutorial. What do you think?

As before, the sewing was quick and easy, just shoulders and sleeves. I left the edges raw. Technically, this "mohair" is knitted like french terry; it has a stockinette side and a looped side. There was some shedding around the edges where loops were cut. I ran the shrug through the laundry again after completion, which has solved the problem.

This One's for Peace Bang

I follow a blog called Beauty Tips for Ministers. I'm not a minister, not in the least, but I enjoy the writer's take on fashion and style. Recently, she posted about shoes, I remarked on a favorite pair of mine, and she asked for a picture.

So Peace Bang, here you are, a picture of my favorite pair of peep toe tan suede platforms:

They came from Nordstrom's in Portland OR circa 2003 or so. They're extremely comfortable, having been the only pair of decent shoes I could wear at work when I suffered a severe ankle sprain a few years ago. They dress up or down, so I expect to have and wear them for several more years. At the time, they were the most expensive pair of shoes I'd ever bought (Full price! Nordstom's!!) but they were worth the money.

Another Small Fabric Purchase

I've been trying to be good since becoming job-free several months ago, and generally I've succeeded. Yes, I've added to stash but much more slowly than my typical rate in past years. However, I do occasionally succumb to the call of fabric.

I found this little cutie at JoAnn's, of all places.

I love how it looks like an innocent floral, until...until...until you look a little closer and notice that those petals are not what they seem. Yes, I'm a little crazy sometimes, or maybe it's just that regional fascination with Dia de los Muertos.

And actually, the fabric isn't bad. It's rayon jersey, which I was surprised to find there. You will see this again when it becomes a t-shirt. Hopefully soon.

TSW eShrug

I thought I'd posted this already, but not even a draft exists on Blogger. So this one is a little late.

The eShrug is the latest pattern offering from the Sewing Workshop, and its first downloadable pattern. It was introduced at the recent Puyallup WA sewing expo.

There's always a flurry of activity in certain circles whenever a new TSW comes out and this one was no exception. This is a fairly modest offering for the line; looks to me like Linda & Co. are dipping their toes in the water to test the e-concept.  Basically, it's just a little cardi to throw on when you need or want another layer. Very simple--no side seams, no edge finishes.

Of course I got the download. It was pretty easy to print out and assemble once I found the borderless setting on my HP. I whipped it up in fits and starts, probably no more than a half hour or so altogether.

I can't say I'm totally wild about it, but I think it's more a function of the fabric than anything else. I used a mystery piece from stash that I'd describe as a lightweight fleece. The colors are a little blah and the edges neither lay flat nor roll nicely. It also has a velcro-ish tendency to grab the layer beneath. I'm planning to make another as soon as I can figure out what to use and how to lay it out. The main pattern piece is almost 60" wide and will require a crossgrain layout on most fabrics unless I decide to add some seams. We'll see.