Cupro and More

I tried my best to avoid any Black Friday buying, except for my LQS's sale. Harts Fabric is always 

 fun for getting clothing fabrics, and they had a new one called Sandwash Cupro (which auto correct just changed to Cupronickel!?) The description of the fabric was intriguing so I decided to try some and go pick it up in person. While there, I fell prey to the W.o.W. fabrics and other white prints to use in the Lupine Mystery quilt.

I love that they suggest buying a matching color of thread in their online ordering. This color is Cognac.

This is one of those fabrics because of the surface treatment of "handwashing" means it catches the light very differently. Look at that color change! Hopefully this isn't a "nap" fabric that you have to match up so that it's all going in the same direction of your garment. It's a flowy, beautiful feeling fabric, so I'm looking forward to wearing it.

From Folkwear, a pattern for a tunic, a Sashiko kit, and a Clover buttonhole cutter.  And from Amazon, two more Clover notions that were recommended on SewShare. A Hot Hemmer, and a pattern cutting guide. Both of those will get a tryout when I make the tunic. And then from a recent museum visit, the show catalog which is a big beautiful giant book: Routed West: Twentieth-Centruy African American Quilts in California.

Travel Shop

 

The fabric shopping on the way to, and in Portland with friend Jaye, was pretty great. The above picture is  what I found at Sewlarium. First is the new Ruby Star toweling, I'll be making napkins out of this beautiful stuff. I think it'll go well with my pride month table runner. FQs of the PDX airport fabric, a black on grey houndstooth, and odd yellow grid, a pink/caramel ribbon print. A mushroom print that I plan to make a pillowcase with, a really interesting print with odd yellow shapes (I thought it looked like a tile floor), a beautiful (instead of ugly) Frida Kahlo print, and an on-sale pearl bracelets in a dark grey almost black. 

At Pioneer Quilts, I found more of the Ruby Star toweling, because I hadn't bought enough at Sewlarium. An odd grellow star print, a pretty purple halloween print and then the ingredients to make the witch hat "pin keeper" (not a pincushion I guess?). They have a great selection of wools in this shop.

At Mill End, I think I was fabric shopped out/overwhelmed with the vast array of choices, so I only got a couple buckles and a Tombow textile glue that I'd never seen.

In Eugene, we stopped in at Paramount Sew-Vac, a really great store, especially for sewing machine selections as they had all the brands and tons of room displaying them, I found a great remnant of this white and grey print, and then was excited to see Marcia Derse print on a lovely cotton jersey, I got enough to make myself a top.

In Ashland, we checked out Sew Creative and I found that I was really drawn to the Australian Aboriginal prints, they have a huge selection, but I managed to narrow it down and chose three and then found another print that I thought would work well with them.

The last shop we stopped at was Purple Frog Quilt Shop, where I found these 4 FQs, a Peanuts print, blue Grunge, and two lights on a string one dark green and one charcoal. They had a great selection of the American Made solids, so I bought the last of the light grey, a little over a yard. And a new nail file, because my travel one is worn out now and needs replacing.

And finally, at Powell's Books, I found this book, Ahead of the Curve(which includes 5 patterns!) by one of my fave curvy pattern designers, Jenny Rushmore of Cashmerette.

That was plenty of shopping to last me for quite a while, and now I get to add the new fabric purchases into my fabric tracker. At the last update, I was previously at a net increase of 11.8 yards. After adding all this new stuff in,  and subtracting out what I've been sewing since the last update, I'm up to a net of: 18.3 yards. I better get to finishing some big things before year's end to get that number down!

Purple Pattern Weights

 

I'm tracing the patterns for the top I'm in the process of making onto Swedish Tracing Paper. It works very nicely, just see-through enough to make it easy to trace the lines and markings accurately.

The cute little purple pattern weights are finally in use.

And one of those head scratcher items seen at Costco, Quail Eggs? In Costco sized quantity of 36 of course. I wish I knew what to even make with them.

Piecing Together Paper Patterns

 

Oh my goodness, this was just too much. I printed out the first pattern for the Garment Sewing Academy course that I was talking about yesterday. This is the first time I've ever tried to use a .pdf pattern for clothing. So. Many. Pages. Like as many as when I print out our taxes every year. Whooo boy. Never again. Not only do you have to tape all the pages together, but you have to trim them first to match the lines up correctly. I really really should have paid for the printed pattern, next time.

After the couple hours it took to do this, I contacted the local copy shop and they'll print patterns out on gigantic size AO paper for me for not very much $$. In fact, it's just about the difference between the .pdf pattern and the printed one. Lesson learned. Definitely going to get the other two patterns printed out from them.

This was so much nicer than fooling around with zillions of pages and trimmings. Getting to have a good lunch outside on a lovely afternoon and noticing the view through my empty bee glass.

Cotton & Linen Please

 

For the Garment Sewing Academy, our first project is a fairly simple woven top, the Cielo from Closet Core Patterns. So off to Harts Fabrics I went. In my opinion they have the best selection of garment fabric around here. It's so nice to be able to touch everything too, to make sure the weight and texture of the fabric will work for me.

First up is the busier print which is a Kokka cotton voile in Stone. 

I also got the Elodie linen blend in Sun, a linen/rayon blend. I decided to try some Swedish Tracing Paper, apparently this is sewable so you can sew together the pattern paper and try it on? Kind of wow, if true!

Simple-Elegant Tee

Just bought a new clothing pattern, the Simple Elegant Tee. Just about all the patterns I have are much more complicated and I just wanted to try to make something simple. Also found a slightly patterned black on black fabric and another random package of needles to add to my stash. Thanks Scruffy Quilts.

 Now to search my stash of clothing fabrics and try this out before I go buy even more fabric. I think I'll make a long tee that's got the dolman sleeve. 

Coat Class

 

I'm so excited to finally get to take a class with Rachel D. Clark in June with one of my guilds, South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild! It's on Zoom of course, someday soon we'll be able to be meeting up in person I hope. The class is going to be about making one of her famous quilted jackets. Not that I'll be needing a jacket anytime soon, but maybe I'll get it done by the time it gets cold again.

I went ahead and bought one of her patterns as well as her booklet about the special techniques she teaches. I chose the classic A-line because that's usually pretty flattering. 

Now to plan out what fabrics I'll be using....My first thought is something monochromatic and neutral. Like all dark greys, I think that'd be pretty and easy to wear. Especially since it's a long coat. But maybe I should go for color color color? Ack! 

So Purple

 Here's one of the finishes I have for the first quarter of the Finish-A-Long. Made from the Park Bench Pattern Griffith Park skirt. **No longer for sale from the company, that's an etsy link.

I was sewing the hem by folding up and ironing it at the CQFA retreat in January, until friend, Jaye said why aren't you using a hemmer foot? Duh! I had to look up a how-to video, and then I used mine. It did a bang-up job, very easy once I remembered how to work the thing. And now my skirt is done and hanging in my closet ready for a nice day.

Decisions Decisions

I bought this lovely Jennifer Paganelli citrine floral to use in making a summer top. I bought two new patterns from Indygo Junction, the Slight Sleeve top/tunic and the Urban Tunic.  because they had MeMadeMay sale. So now I have to choose between those two and the Ethel top.
So do I go sleeveless, long or short? Decisions decisions. And hey if I get one of them done, then next May, I'll have something to wear and post about if they still have MeMadeMay going.

Adding to the To-Do

Some recent additions, a few fabrics with maps, ye-olde writing, book-keeping and then a Jennifer Paganelli citrine floral for a summer top.  I haven't decided on which pattern to use with it yet, probably will go with my first try at the Ethel top .

Also there in the picture is a new tool, I'm finally trying out a Chaco Liner for marking the lines for the last color on the Triangle Study. Since I'm drawing the lines on the pieced top, the chalk pencil lead keeps breaking when I go over the bumps of the seams. This is a chalk dust dispenser, so hopefully it'll work a bit better. I considered a really fine-tip chalk mechanical pencil from Sewline but that seemed like the wrong solution. That looks like it'd be awesome for drawing sewing lines on un-pieced fabric.

My First Apron

 Last weekend I was at the CQFA retreat, and the very first thing I finished was this apron. I used the open tables before everyone got there to lay the fabric out and cut the pieces out.
 I just realized that I've never made an apron before, and I'm glad it was this one, and that it's actually for me.

I bought the pattern and fabric from Heartway International/Patpourri at PIQF last year.

I made sure that the pocket was the right size for my cellphone!

 The pattern was super easy to figure out, the directions were clear, and I loved that it wasn't a paper pattern, but instead a lightweight interfacing.

 I used a two-sided printed fabric with the idea that it could possibly be reversible. It is a very lightweight canvas feel, so it has a nice weight to it, and I think it'll stand up to being washed. As you can see it is quite bright, sooooo....no one will be running into me in the kitchen with this thing on.

Apparently I was so pleased with myself for actually finishing something I couldn't manage to keep my eyes open. Photo credits to friend Jaye.

Stacks and Stacks

Spent a long time cutting out all the rectangles and squares for the sweatshirt jacket I'm working on for my aunt. The pattern calls for 8 FQ's but I used a few more than that and just adjusted. And yes there will likely be left-overs. Maybe I can make her a matching bag or something with them?

It's going to be one of the projects I work on at the CQFA retreat at Asilomar in 8 days (count down has begun). It takes some table space when you lay it out and pin it so that'll be good.

I'm way too pleased with myself for A) Planning Ahead For Once and B) Choosing Good Fabrics
I think the selection of blues along with other colors will make for a lovely jacket once it's done.

Another Jacket

I'm starting in on making a new sweatshirt jacket. This time it's for my aunt, who has been coveting the one I made my mom a few years ago:

My aunt asked for mostly blues, royal and midnight blues. So she's going to be getting a whole lot of those blues. I actually went and bought these FQ's, since I used so much of the selection of my stash of blue batiks on the solstice quilt. The first step is cutting it all up into squares and rectangles of various sizes. As in the previous three sweatshirt jackets, I'm using the Gail Abeloe pattern "I Can't Believe It's A Sweatshirt" pattern from Back Porch Press.

First Skirt In Ages

Honestly, I can't even believe it myself. An actual finished wearable project. **With pockets!
I totally forgot how hard it is to crawl around on the floor cutting out a clothing pattern though. I'm pretty sure that was the hardest part of the whole process. I've already worn it a couple of times.

Here's the pattern in case you're curious, Butterick 6305. Nothing exciting, except for the fabric of course.

70's Flashback

This fabulous Alexander Henry print reminded me too strongly of my favorite designs of the 70's. It is going to be made up into a skirt, a simple one with pockets. Any details would be lost in the face of this exuberant print. I briefly considered making a tunic top, but the print is a little too crazy for that.
I haven't done any garment sewing in quite a while, so it will be interesting to see if I remember to not do a 1/4" seam, etc.

Lists Being Made, Plans Being Hatched

 My list of what to sew first when my hand is recovered enough is steadily growing.  But this is near the top.  I'll be making the short version of this tunic top, with the fabric on the right as the main body and the fabric on the right as the contrasting cap sleeves.  I'm planning to use the contrast fabric to cover buttons. Yes it buttons in the back (?!). 
I chose the main fabric because it reminded me of all those Spirograph designs I used to love to make.  You know the relatively uncomplicated  one that was the "wrong way" around the outside, making the loopy flower shapes.

I also picked up this strange fabric off the remnant table.  (Gotta love the remnant table at Hart's Fabrics!).  I believe it is a Japanese print and it is a lovely crisp, rough woven fabric, maybe part linen.  I just really dug the designs of the old transistor radios, and the color combinations that were used.  I'm thinking of using part of it on a t-shirt as a central patch. 

Squids Will Be Squids

Have you noticed that squids seem to be talked about a lot more than usual lately? Lots of tv shows feature them, how hard the giant ones are to research, giant squids vs. giant shark monster movies, news stories about squids taking over in unusual places because of the warming oceans. etc. etc. This book pictured here, Squids Will Be Squids (Picture Puffins) was one of my favorites to read to my boys when they were younger, it is an absurdist, highly sarcastic, wry approach to Aesop's Fables type of stories.

I find them endlessly fascinating and always have to be pulled away from the squid tanks at aquariums. The way they move, the inventiveness of their body structure, their delicate strength, all of it makes squids one of my favorite creatures to watch or learn about.

I didn't ever consciously realize it, but I have always wanted clothing with squids on it. This realization became an imperative when I recently found some fabric that has some lovely blue and gold squids on an earthy/rusty orange/brown background from Heather Ross.


With the contrasting kelp forest fabric it will make a great: The shorter tunic on the left.
Time for trying out a new pattern. I had good success with the last Indygo Junction pattern I tried, so here goes.

Almost Dressed

Surprise! Actual sewing content is contained in this post. I started making a dress to wear to my son's middle school graduation from the Indygo Junction pattern I showed you back in January.

I'm using three fabrics from Moda's Urban Couture by BasicGrey, which I specifically bought to use with this pattern. Always hard to figure out if you're buying enough when you're doing contrasts on clothing pattern, but it worked out. Except that the neckline facing patterns weren't with my pattern, so I had to draft my own. Almost done except the sleeves and buttons for the back "tie belt".
I really like the pocket detail on this pattern. And I found a really cool old button in my vintage button stash to use.

I'll try to remember to show you a picture when I finish it completely.

Two More To Do

Here are two new patterns I've bought recently, they're both from Indygo Junction.
Now normally, I wouldn't buy something from a company that intentionally (at least I hope so!) mispells one of the words in their company name. That kind of thing just irks me, not sure why, but it does. Don't get me started on Disney's Winnie the Pooh. arrrggghhh, not helpful when you're trying to teach your kid's to learn to read and spell!
But the designs were eye-catching to me to get past the company name, as well as the interesting fabric choices in the models made up on the front.


I am admitting to myself (and you), that I know that I suffer from an addiction for buying clothing patterns that I don't always get around to actually making. I have several projects that have been cut out, (which is where most of my missing pins are, the pins are still holding the pattern paper to the fabric pieces!), and I have a few in-process projects in various stages of sewn-together-ness that have been in-process for so long, they are probably honestly never going to make it into my clothing closet.
But this particular pattern caught my eye. Probably because I made a skirt out of the fabric on the lower left part of the left-hand dress. But I'm looking for new ideas on what to wear during the day. Knit pants and tops or knit shorts and tops is just getting too boring. I did find that I liked wearing the skirts I made myself last year, so maybe a dress or two in spring-y fabrics would be a good bet for breaking out of my apparel rut.


Just look at the detail of the hem on the left. That was what made me buy this pattern. Oh, that and the cool fabric choices shown. And probably the assymetrical closure. That and I need new pj's and haven't much in the stores to my liking. Now to go shopping in my fabric stash for likely candidates to make these up. Maybe even in my box of Asian fabrics... I'll let you know if I actually start/and/or finish them.

New Holiday Duds, I Hope

Last year, about a week before Christmas I got the crazy idea I was going to sew myself something new to wear to our family doings. I don't know what it is about the combination of misplaced enthusiasm, fabric store pheremones and 50% Off SALE signs, but apparently I am mortally susceptible. Usually I wear a Christmas fabric vest that I made years ago out of various holiday fabrics. It no longer pleases me, so much, even though I only wear it once a year, it isn't that I don't like it anymore, I think I'm bored with it. Also, it never really fit quite right as it was made from a unisex pattern, meaning it wouldn't fit anyone right, doesn't it?!
So I chose these fabrics from the holiday offerings at my local quilt shop. I think they will combine to make a very nice, new vest. I'm starting on it today using this pattern, ZEA Vest Collection #799 by LJ Designs. I'm not sure which view I'll be making, maybe one of the shorter ones.

And to go with it, a new holiday skirt. This horrible picture shows you, well not very much. I forget why, but red is particularly hard to photograph and I obviously haven't figured it out have I ?! This is a nice heavyweight cotton, in a deep Christmas red, that is pre-pleated and stitched. I'm looking for the picture simple long skirt to make with it. With the pleats running vertically. Not sure about how the pleats would'd look maybe slightly on the bias, hard for me to picture. So, will there be a picture of me wearing a new holiday outfit sometime soon?

Perhaps.Perhaps.Perhaps.