Worse than Curtains

Warning: I've discovered something worse than curtains.

Not to say that curtains are not useful, or are harmful, they're just...boring.  

Sewing curtains is boring.  

They are big, dumb rectangles of boring.  And then you go and do something stupid in your boredom, and they become big, dumb, stupid, f&9a&% curtains.  

This is why I buy curtains.

Sometimes, though, you can't buy what you want.  You look and look and look, and there are just no replacement seat cushions for your porch chairs.  Anywhere.  Not the right color, not the right fabric, not even the right size.  And the fabric on your current ones are rotting away in the sunlight.

Nothing says, "Welcome to our home!" quite like rotten porch chairs.  It makes the accidentally forgotten-to-water-and-now-dead mums look intentional.  Grisly.  Adams Family-y.

Hmm.

So I sucked it up, and recovered my porch chair cushions.

And the weather promptly turned cold and snowy, go figure.

To be fair, the first one wasn't boring, the second one was okay, the third one took a while to get going on, and the fourth was still sitting on my ironing board cut out, as of last night.  I powered through, telling myself I couldn't move on until it was done.

I powered through after these pictures, and finished. 

Chairs are summer popsicle ready, whenever it decides to come.  I'm still planning on re-painting the front door, but honestly, it might be June before warmth and time collide.  

The Details: 

Fabric: Sunbrella outdoor canvas, Capri blue: 4 yards

Notions: Coats and Clark UV resistant thread, poly foam fillers from previous cushions, 

sew-in velcro for loops, motivating beverages

Time to complete: Not unlike childbirth, I've forgotten the specifics

Pendralma

Pendralma

or

It's Late, and That's the Best I've Got

Today was a long day back at work after a wonderful warm and sunny vacation.  Sunshine, Floridian beaches, shorts, night swimming, and bare toes digging in the sand were all a wonderful respite from the loooonnng winter. But spring had come here, too, while we were gone: my tulips and irises had started  bursting forth--sure signs that winter won't last forever.

Sand Angels

It's late, and I've worn this all day, so you're getting wrinkly kitchen photos.  

I love sewing hard things.  I like the challenge of new things.

But I also love quick and easy things.

Enter: Pendrell blouse + Alma collar + bias binding for neckline.

Not hard; just right.

There's not a whole lot to say here; I traced the Alma neckline onto the Pendrell bodice pieces.

And I used bias binding on the neckline rather than facing.

I hate facings.

Close-up of collar, because it turned out well.

This photo probably is the best depiction of the colors in the shirt.  

About the only thing I messed up here is the width of the bias binding on the neckline. I  trimmed the seam allowances down before attaching the binding, and it ended up really wide.  BUT, the top-stitching is covered by the collar, and I'm pretty sure most people will never know.

I also stuck a tag over the ugliest part where the seam binding meets. 

Because it's late.

Details, in the briefest way possible:

Pattern: Sewaholic Pendrell + Sewaholic Alma neckline and collar

Fabric: Tula Pink The Bees Knees cotton voile

Notions: Pro-sheer interfacing for collar

Alternations: took 3 inches off length of blouse.

And, I'm off to sit on the couch with a drink, and avoid thinking about argumentative essays.

For as long as I can.

"Where's Waldo?"

Okay, so I was sewing along with the Project Sewn themes, and rocked my Twiggy dress.  And by "rocked it", what I'm really saying is, "I finished it."  Then came the pink project, and I faltered.  Long story short, it broke me.  This is not that dress though.

The Details:

Pattern: Burda Long Sleeve Top 2/2010 #112A

Fabric: Riley Blake 1/2" cotton/spandex jersey 1/2" stripe 

Notions: 1/2" knit stabilizing tape for neckline, 1/2" clear elastic for stabilizing shoulder seams

Notes: 

     This is the third fourth time I've made this shirt, and each time I messed around with the neckline.  I think the pattern calls for you to draft a strip to face the inside with, but who reads Burda instructions?  On this one, I used knit stay tape (this one)on the wrong side of the neckline, serged the edge, folded it under, and top-stitched it.  Previously, I used clear elastic to stabilize the neckline; mostly because using the folded under strip for facing seemed too bulky.  If you're wondering, the clear elastic works, too. On yet another version, I added a funnel neck collar, which also worked.  

    

That none of these others are blogged is more a testament to my picture taking than my sewing.  But here's the best I've got of the funnel-neck one: 

Yes, that's a Batman mask, and I'm laying on the floor.

     Back to this one, I also think the pattern may call for you to stabilize the armhole seams, 

but I didn't do that either.  And it's fine.

All I can focus on is that *&^% broken bead and the slightly askew stripe matching...and now that's all you can, too...  

   

Construction wise, I serged everything, and coverstitched the sleeves and hems.

Glorious hem...

At the end of the day, I usually come home, take off my cute shoes, and put on slippers.  

Can you tell the slippers happened before the pictures?

And as for Waldo?  Only one student alluded to that elusive man all day.  I call that a win.  : )

Project Sewn: Fashion Icon Challenge

4 surprise snow days + last minute inspiration = down-to-the-wire submission

I had the pattern; I had the fabric, I had the time....all I needed was the big fake eyelashes to 

unleash my inner Twiggy. 

Well, Twiggy style.

I tried to "Twiggy" pose, but was lost, so here goes:

The Facts: 

Pattern: Simplicity1609, the "Jiffy" Dress

Fabric: Inherited cotton/wool blend, which admittedly was silkier before I washed it.  Oops.

Notions: 22" zipper, interfacing, hem binding, and big fake eyelashes.

Here's a gander at the back: 

Details: 

So, this is actually the second time I screwed up the directions on this pattern, but at least this time, I screwed it up better.  I prefer to put zippers in flat, so I did that again, contrary to directions.  So in order to attach the facings neatly, I sewed the back facing to the back piece neckline and sleeves, and the front facing to front neckline and sleeves.  Then, I sewed the shoulder seams of the outside only, and handstitched the facing seams closed.  Much easier than the crazy origami thing I did last time.  But it does look clean. : )

Also, I used a lapped zipper instead for a Twiggier (more vintage) look, and hacked an extra 2" off the hem.

If I might add in here, I thought this would be easier fabric to use than the linen I used last time, and it mostly was, but good Lord, matching up those checks along the front seam about drove me crazy.  It's a good thing the snow just kept coming, because I probably re-did that seam 4 times.  Then I remembered that perfectionism is a disease, and declared it close enough.

I really have to thank my grandma for her wonderful taste in fabric--this stuff is awesome, and I had just enough for this.  The woven houndstooth pattern made it super easy to hide my handstitches for the invisible hem.  Plus, it is toasty warm, especially when paired with a wool sweater and tights.

In fact, my 6 year old told me I looked so beautiful when I came down for pictures, that I should wear this to work, and I will...maybe without the eyelashes, though.

My neighbor helped take most of the pictures for me, but before we stopped, my husband took this last one.

And in return...

I'm off to Project Sewn to check out the other amazing creations.