Holiday Wishes and Holiday Sewing

It's still the holiday season at our house so I like to think that this post isn't later than planned but is just part of the festivities in and out of my sewing room.  

Mr. Lucky and I have had an interesting last two months because of something that didn't happen, not something that did.  After many visits and long discussions, we made an offer on a house in late October.  I won't bore you with real estate blow by blow (this is a sewing blog after all) but after two weeks the sale did not go through...although we were already acting like it would, thinking about furniture, making dump trips from our back shed, tackling fabric stuff in the attic, and deciding what would go with us and what would go elsewhere.  We are fortunate that right now in our lives we could buy a "next house" and then put ours up for sale so at least we weren't caught in a no home dilemma when the seller reneged on the contract.  Long intro to say that I did do some holiday sewing but it fell into the quick and mostly easy fashion version.  Thank goodness for tried and true patterns that I know will work.  It wasn't very exciting but it did mean I had several new outfits for the round of festivities in the last six weeks.

TNT number 1 must be these Jalie #3461 Elenore Pull on Jeans. Jalie Elenore Jeans I streamline them even more by eliminating the faux front pockets and zipper since I haven't tucked a top into my jeans since the 80's.  These are two versions from Fabric Mart stretch poly charmeuse. They aren't warm but I loved the colors and a mild so far two months meant they served their purpose and can now retire.  Hmmm, maybe I'll just pack them away with the autumn and Christmas decorations.

Jalie Elenore Pull on Jeans

Jalie Elenore Pull On jeans

Another quick and easy pattern is Pamela's Patterns Magic Pencil Skirt. Pencil Skirt When we were six month snowbirds in Florida six plus years back I made these by the dozen.  This version is Fabric Mart stretch lace with sequins where I used the finished edge for my hem. 

 I think the magic happened that night when I wore it dancing for several hours which was fabulous after that terrible Grade 3 sprained ankle in late summer and physical therapy all fall.  And the other magic was getting an unsolicited compliment which you know sewists love to hear.

We usually dance to this marvelous Maryland band, Mood Swings, in outdoor venues on concrete but the Dec. Holly Ball has become a new tradition and the dance floor is a dream.    

Mood Swings sets the holiday mood

I have several tank patterns that are my go to answer for adding a new color or in this case texture to an outfit.  This is a Vogue 8699 shoulder princess seam tank that I made in a stretchy I think nylon/poly textured piece from Fabric Mart with a thin black knit lining.  I used the selvedge as piping along the neckline and I'm happy with how it took the Banded Front Cardigan Banded Front Cardigan also from Pamela's Patterns from nice to nicer.  

Vogue 8699,  Princess shoulder seams front and and back

Selvedge as front binding

Hmmm, animal print with animal print but my demure version

The last project for winter parties was inspired by a treasured piece of fabric.  As part of that anticipated house move I started tackling the enormous amount of fabric I have in my resource center.  I've spent many hours since that failed sale back in the resource center labeling and organizing the fabrics that I love and want to use and sending the other pieces on to their next homes.  More about that in an upcoming post or two.  
I reached deep into a closet for this paisley silk rayon velvet from Fabric Mart which must be at least ten years old and is part of a collection of silk velvets that I have been avoiding.  I've always heard how hard it is to sew, how much basting is needed, how maybe I should use spray adhesive.  I watched videos from Linda Lee and Kenneth King  on Bluprint (formerly Craftsy.)  I read a fabulous tutorial on the Emmaonesock site by the oh so talented Kathryn Brenne  Silk velvet Tutorial by Kathryn Brenne  I read and fretted and worried and finally sat down with a scrap of fabric.  I attached the HP plate (straight stitch plate) to my Janome 9400, new to me last Christmas, and then the narrow HP2 foot which is basically a narrow straight stitch walking foot.  When I started the sew I was shocked.  My machine treated that silk rayon velvet just like any other woven fabric.  Minimal slippage or bunching.  Hooray, this jacket project was going to be  a lot easier than I had ever anticipated.

I wanted a loose, flowing type of jacket for casual holiday parties.  I had worn a Fit for Art jacket recently and got several compliments so decided to duplicate the swing panel version with this fabric.  Tabula Rasa Swing Variations by Fit for Art  
Ok, sewing machine ready.  Pattern tested and ready.  Big velvet decision:  which way to place the nap?  Most of the time the nap on velvet is placed so that when wearing it you brush downward for a smooth feel.  But when I draped the fabric over my dress form, I liked the side where the nap headed up because the colors were deeper and richer.
In this photo I selected the right side, not the left.  The left was brighter and more detailed but I wanted this jacket for night time wear so went with the right side.  You might decide differently and isn't that the fun part of sewing your own clothes!

For the lining I used washed silk charmeuse from Fabric Mart.  I loved Kathryn Brenne's silk jacket which she underlined in silk organza and then lined but I was doing this too last minute to even consider that option.  

I did lose some of the burn out effect by using the lining on this particular fabric but this time of year I am always cold so I did enjoy that charmeuse lining the evening of the party.  It also made it slide nicely over my bottom layer.  Some of those other burn outs in my resource center will be just single layers worn over a tank top. 
For my final decision I did turn the jacket band with the more contrasting velvet design.  And wow, silk velvet around your neck feels wonderful.
Final evaluation:  I liked it, it was cozy and fun but I'm still looking for something kimono like with flow but not baggy and shapeless.  

Off to eat, drink and enjoy another holiday gathering.  

Here's hoping that your holidays have been merry and bright.  Next post I'll let you peer into that "resource center." 

Cleaning Up

April is the month when cleaning up is happening everywhere in my life.  Mr. Lucky is doing the heavy digging in the garden beds, transplanting plants that I want moved, removing ones that have died and turning old leaves and plant matter in the big compost bins to make more "black gold" for the perennials, new bulbs and some annuals that are coming soon.  In the house I am making a seasonal closet change which is a good time to evaluate items.  Already I have bags of items heading to charity shops.  I am finally putting away my sewing supplies from my recent vacation and winter sewing retreat and relegating some unsewn projects to the "future" bin.  And I am cleaning up my project blogging list by showing you the last of the winter projects.  I'll start with the one making me most happy, this wool double cloth fabric topper jacket.   

The pattern, Vogue 7627, I decided to use was a surprise.  I thought I was interested in making a faux fur lined winter coat and had Sarah Veblen do a coat fitting two winters ago. 

But as I see myself getting bulkier around my mid-section I decided that a fur lined coat was the last thing I needed.  Yet the pattern kept calling me...the lines of the pattern itself are nice....princess seams up into the armscye of the two piece raglan sleeves.  I was thinking of a lightweight wool topper jacket for wearing over the longer tunics I have been adding to my wardrobe.  I'm going for a sort of Eileen Fisher, simple silhouette in a classy fabric and I'm happy with the final result...which is not really my final result quite yet. 
I have had this plaid fabric for perhaps fifteen years, purchased from the long gone Winchester Woolen Mill.  I have debated over what to do with it forever, boring my sewing friends by dragging it out and petting it while asking their advice. 

Auditioning the fabric on my dress form

Finally, as part of my "use it or lose it" theme I decided to try out a pattern.  If it didn't work, at least I would have had some "sewing lessons" and I would no longer be haunted by the fabric. 










It took me perhaps a half day on my dining room table to cut this project out.  It's a subtle plaid and I cut each piece single layer making sure that the hemline was the start of the plaid matching.  

Match, mark, cut a layer....then drink a cup of coffee

I did the cutting out at home then took it as my sewing retreat project.  I hand basted each seam before machine sewing it at the retreat.  I think this might be the first plaid garment I have ever sewn where I cared about paid matching and am proud that it all worked nicely...even if I had to sew some of those seams twice to get them to match.

I took the jacket to Florida for our vacation since I have a lot of hand stitching in my future before this project is fully complete.  This double cloth is wonderful but the seams do not press flat enough. 

I have a heavy metallic royal blue thread selected and I am going to hand top stitch each one of these seams.  I like hand stitching and thought I would get to it but the results would prove me wrong.  Too much fun doing other things in February and March.  So here are the local Baltimore pics of the still unfinished jacket on me.  I'll put shoulder pads in and get that top stitching done and will enjoy wearing it next fall.  

Checking out the weed status

Just long enough to cover that tunic

Still needing shoulder pads and top stitching

Yes, many times my projects need to percolate for many months before they come to fruition.  Then sometimes, they are quick and easy, peasy ones.  At the sewing retreat I whipped up two more Pamela's Patterns Magic Pencil skirts 

The houndstooth one reminds me of a skirt I wore in high school and I got to wear it when visiting with two grade school classmates in the Atlanta area on our drive south.  I love the border print on the second one and only regretted that I hadn't packed a navy top for the Florida trip.  
I did pack a lace RTW top that I enjoy and wore it several times with these latest Jalie Elenore pants when Mr. Lucky and I went out dancing.

Jalie Elenore pants

All of these, of course, are Fabric Mart fabrics.  These pants made me smile while I was doing snoop shopping in Naples during those two months.  A new friend at the dogpark we got to every morning shared how popular a brand of pants were in her trendy boutique.  She said they were flying out the door and sales were better than they had ever had.  Hmmm, I just had to go visit those magic pants.
Turns out they are a brand from Canada, Up Pants Up Pants  When I tried them on, they are basically a pull on stretch woven pant...gee, just like the Jalie Elenore pants.  One cool idea that I will be incorporating in my next versions....rather than use the fashion fabric for the inside of that wide top band, they use heavy slippery stretch power net fabric.  Hmmmm, I think that may mean you could even eliminate the 2" elastic that I currently use and just rely on the power net.  The other difference was that some of the pants had a wider band as seen in the picture below.  Otherwise, my $8.00 fabric cost version looked remarkably like their $120 versions.

Some versions have a wider band at the top for more tummy control.

Moments like this make me soon happy that I sew.  
I did a lot more snoop shopping for my next projects but that post will have to wait.  I have a big family wedding in South Carolina in the middle of May and then two weeks later we will be on our much anticipated bike and barge trip from Bruge to Amsterdam.  Of course these will be fun in their own right but sewing something for each of them will also be part of the fun I am having back in Baltimore.  In the meantime, I hope you are planning and enjoying projects in your sewing room.

Holiday Glitter and Pattern Giveaway, Week 2

First remark, please check back to the earlier post for this week's pattern giveaway...Week 2 Pattern Giveaway and make a comment or email me by tonight.  Winners to be announced tomorrow.

Now on to the latest...
My already limited photography skills have met their match in trying to take pictures of a sequined skirt that I just finished in time to wear to a holiday dance last night.  So I will try my best to describe this quick but fulfilling project.  

Pamela's Patterns Magic Pencil skirt in sequins

I have made many, many versions of Pamela' Patterns Magic Pencil skirt Pamela's Patterns  I pulled this easy but flattering pattern out of my collection when I learned a few weeks ago that our favorite big band, one that we only get to dance to at the summer wineries, was going to play a "Holly Hop" locally.  
I wanted something festive to wear and had this sequined fabric waiting in my resource center for just such an occasion.  Mr. Lucky and I do not go to fancy dress balls for charity or corporate galas and I won't be seeing our pictures in the society pages next week.  Years ago friends had invited us to their community holiday dance and I saw a woman wearing a black sweater and sequined skirt.  I thought that's exactly the look that would fit my sense of style, dressy casual.  Finally I had a winter event to bring that memory to life.  

My camera doesn't like the sparkly mini sequins

The fabric is from a Fabric Mart sale from a very high end store going out of business sale.  It is a stretch mini-sequin lightweight knit with metallic, not plastic sequins.  I did my research before tackling the project  and had some luck with my choice.  Most of the time the recommendation is to remove the sequins from all the seam allowances.  But I also watched a youtube video from Mimi G that didn't do this and the skirt seemed to look just fine. 

 So sue me, I took the shortcut and didn't remove the sequins, sewed the darts and seams as usual, pressed with a silk organza press cloth and I'm happy with the result.
I did thread trace my darts and didn't even have to cut them down to get them to press flat.

Thread traced dart

Pressed dart

I did follow the Sandra Bettina tip to face the hem and since this is an elastic waist skirt I also faced the waistband so that the sequin fabric would not irritate my waist nor get caught on my pantyhose or tights.

Faced waistband

Faced hem sample

I went through two needles and ended up doing most of the sewing with my straight stitch plate and quarter inch foot for the most control.

Sewing metal sequins is hard on needles so two metallica needs bit the dust in service to this holiday outfit.

Mood Swings, our favorite band, warming up 

Last night we danced for hours, made some new friends and had a wonderful holiday celebration.  Here's hoping your sewing is bringing you good times, too.