Gardening Warrior Basket (with Voodoo Rabbit!)

Gardening Warrior Basket

This is a gift basket for a man who is an enthusiastic gardener.   He also has a never ending battle over that garden with rabbits.  It's going to accompany a gift card, and I had a lot of ideas for something cute and kind of funny, so I was elected.  I thought it turned out so cute that I had share.  I hope you think it's cute too.

It includes:

Garden-themed Potholder

Carrot-shaped Candy Bags

Potting Soil

Rabbit-shaped Candy Peeps

Rabbit Voodoo Doll

      and....

Ammo, in case Voodoo doesn't work.

Sequin Dress Finished (with Photos!)

This is my New Year's Eve gown.  I was rather pleased with how it turned out, especially since I didn't cut it out until about 3pm on the 30th.  It was all done but the hem by about 9:30.

This is good old Vogue 1250 lengthened and with a baby train.  Very similar to a tan knit gown I made and have loved.  This is however, the first time I've worked with a sequined fabric.  Nancy and Sharon found this for me in Santa Fe and insisted that it was 'me'.  It was also a fantastic bargain, and I was an easy sell. 

I think I was very lucky in the construction of the fabric itself, as it's a 2-way stretch knit (widthwise, which is the usual), and I didn't have a lot of trouble with sequins coming loose when I cut the fabric.  A lot of the information I read talked about taping the cut edges, etc., and I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do that.  I did end up doing almost all of the sewing by hand, with a backstitch.  The end result was much more attractive that way.  The way the sequins were applied, they 'lined up', and I could sew between them, and then  pull them out onto the face of the fabric from the allowances where I needed to.  The holes in the sequins were very near one edge, and so if you happened to stitch through one, or close it into the allowance when it really needed to be on the right side, you'd have a fairly large gap.  You can see that the face is not perfectly even, and so a little variation isn't noticeable, but I didn't want 'bald' seams.

One 'exciting' revelation (to me anyway) was how very uncomfortable sitting in such a gown can be.  I think this is a fabric which is made for standing and just looking decorative.  It's also kind of 'noisy' when you walk.  It's not so heavy when you're wearing it, but there's noticeable weight when you handle it, or put it on or take it off.  I would caution others with a similar plan to watch out.  I kept shoving sequins under a fingernail when I was trying it on, and I actually bled.  Very painful, too.

You can't see much of the train, but there isn't much of a train, really.  That's why it's a baby train.  The top photo especially has the skirt in a strange position at the hem.  It really does hang nicely though, and I think you can see it better in the back view.  It reads mostly as a column, which is my kind of thing anyway.  The 'train' is just a little extra fun, swishiness.

I wore this for a New Year's Eve party, and will wear it again Saturday for another.  I'm sure it will be a handy thing to be able to pull out of my wardrobe.  The color, a very dark navy which sometimes seems to aim toward purple and sometimes toward gunmetal, will be appropriate for any number of occasions, I think.

Hemming

Going to Jane's to get the hem pinned up on my New Year's Eve dress.  Finished it last night.  Pictures will follow.  This is the dark navy sequin fabric from Santa Fe, and Vogue 1250 floor length.  Very swishy!

Graphic Dot Swimsuit

I was running out of PowerNet which I use to do a front lining/shelf bra in my swimsuits and got some at the ASG Convention Vendor Hall from Anne St Clair of Needle Nook Fabric.   I've been collecting fold over elastic for a while and I have some fun prints and colors.  I decided this crimson with black dot elastic would go beautifully with the graphic black and white print.  The fabric is some I got in the LA  Fashion District with Kathi Rank. 

I thought it needed a little something extra so I added a bow, and I have to say I think it's darling.   Who doesn't love a bow?!

ASG Marfy Magic Classes

I've already told you that I attended and taught at the ASG Convention in St Louis, but I never really got to say a lot about it.  My last class was Sunday morning until noon, then we packed all my Marfy garments and everything else in the car and drove straight home to Lincoln, Nebraska.  I was home for a whole 9 hours before I left to get on a plane for a week in Sacramento, California attending the Mu Phi Epsilon Triennial Convention.  That's my music fraternity and we had a wonderful time, but nothing sewing related, except I did get to wear things that I used for display in St Louis, so packing was a lot easier at least.   

Here's the back seat of my car with some of the Marfy garments I took for the Trunk Show/Class.

Naturally I was nervous about how my classes would go, but they seemed to go very well, and I think the attendees enjoyed them too.  This is the Marfy Magic class, which was offered twice.  I have a few photos of the beginning and end of the first class.  

It's fun to work with a crowd that's so interested in Marfy.  As you probably already know, I have no connection with Marfy other than just being completely sold on their patterns.  I find I get my best results using a Marfy pattern, and so that's almost all I've used for quite some time, although I'm not giving up my TNT patterns, of course.  Some of them are Marfy too, though.

I was able to answer lots of questions and allay a lot of fears about using Marfy patterns.  They are really so well made that there is little difficulty in making up your garments even without instructions.  I think that the lack of instructions forces you to make choices based on your fabric, preferences and vision of the finished garment, and it forces you to think about it much sooner than you might if you just dove into a garment following the instructions until you suddenly realized you wished you had done something a little differently.  And then it's either too late entirely, or you have to backtrack a lot.

I really enjoy doing this class and it can be expanded into a longer workshop or hands-on event, so if your guild or group wants a program, I am probably available.  I've had many positive comments from those who've taken it.


Next I'll tell about my other class:

• Clever With Your Needle

Nancy Zieman and Me

And 600 other sewers...  Nancy Zieman of Sewing With Nancy was the keynote speaker today, and she was very entertaining.  She spoke about her new autobiography,  Seams Unlikely. I got a signed copy, as did many of the group. 

ASG Convention is The Most Fun!

Yes, I'm having a good time.  Everyone has been so nice and as you would expect with fellow sewers,  they are smart and funny and oh so talented.  Today I taught my first class.  It was the first section of the Marfy Class/Trunk Show. A big crowd, over 50 people, and we had a great time.   I do it again on Sunday.   Tomorrow (Saturday) is Clever With Your Needle, and the fashion show.  Here are a couple photos of the rehearsal. 

July 4th Knitting

I finished these in time for the 4th, just didn't get them posted.   I'm especially loving the little round scrubbies. (Scrubby pattern here.)  They are so quick and fun to make.   The dishcloth and matching scrubby are Sugar&Cream.  (Dishcloth pattern here.)  The all over blue and red is Blue Sugar&Cream knitted along with Red/White twist Baker's Cord by Aunt Martha. 

These are my nails right now.   Annie at Sicillia does the best designs for me!  It's about time to go see her again.

 

Wild Weather

Amazingly gorgeous clouds.  Very much like VanGogh or some of the impressionists.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  I took these from the top deck on the house, over the roof, to the North.

 

We could use some rain, but we don't need a bad storm.

Versatile Tee Pattern - FSG 1960 Part 2: Tee

As I said in Part 1, most of you probably know by this time that my very favorite TNT Tee pattern is Nancy Erickson's FSG #1960.   I change it around quite a bit, but the 'bones' remain the same.  This version is called Tropical Palms.

FSG#1960 Tropical Palms

 This fabric came home with me from Santa Fe Fabrics in April.  It's only July, so almost immediate gratification!  I loved this print, which is a horizontal stripe, not usually my choice, but with the changing colors and the palm tree print behind the stripes, it has enough interest that the stripes recede in importance a bit.  That's my story, anyway.

FSG#1960 Tropical Palms Back

I bought ONE yard only, and it was plenty, but only just.  The sleeves are this length because that's how much fabric I had.  I ended up cutting them lengthwise (which I think looks cuter than they would have the usual horizontal way, since the stripes continue over the shoulder seam) between the front and back pieces.  I needed the remaining length to cut the neckline binding.  It's a crosswise strip cut carefully following the stripes, and I think it turned out really cute.  Of course I used the No Fail Binding Method.

FSG#1960 Striped Neckline Binding

You can see how following the stripe made for a cute binding on this striped fabric since the neckline has a curve.  There was nowhere near enough fabric to do a bias cut, and I think the effect might have been lost in all the stripes, curve, palm trees, etc.  This worked out just very well.  And yes, I know my 'in the ditch' stitching wandered slightly for a while.  It happens.  But this is a quick summer top and it's fine.

The hems on the sleeves and lower edge are stitched with a straight stitch, fairly short.  I stretched the fabric quite a bit but not excessively and steamed it back into shape.  It doesn't show any signs of popping, and I think there's enough thread in the stitching that it should be all right.

Versatile Tee Pattern - FSG 1960 Part 1: Dress

Most of you probably know that my favorite TNT Tee pattern is Nancy Erickson's FSG #1960.  I've made it numerous times with lots of different style changes from turtleneck to huge cowlneck, deep scoop, collared scoopneck, and so on.  I've done sleeves from long to 3/4 to elbow to sleeveless.  They're all good because I have the base tee pattern just the way I want it, which includes a bust dart and a CB seam to allow for a swayback alteration.  As you can see, this time I did something really different.  A dress.

FSG#1960 

FSG#1960 Flat

The top part is a very thin burnout knit with ribs although I wouldn't really call it ribbed.  There's more textural interest than mechanical stretch from them.  I got this in Chicago I believe, at Vogue Fabrics.  The skirt and sash are a printed knit from JoAnn's.  I was thrilled to find something that went so well with the bright cherry of the burnout, and it has kind of a Monet feel to it, I think.   Since the burnout is so much lighter than the print, I steeled myself for some trouble when I stitched the top/skirt joining seam.  Amazingly enough, it sailed through the machine like butter.  I think my Pfaff IDF helped of course, but I think some of it was just due to good fabric, and maybe luck.

You can see in the photo where the dress is laid flat, that the top part is quite long.  The sash is a double width of fabric, doubled into a wide tube, wrapped around twice and tied.  It covers the join totally.  The dress is wearable without the sash, and may get worn that way when it's really, really hot out. 

I knew I wanted something different for the binding on the neckline and sleeves and that's when I went looking and found the printed knit and decided a skirt would be really nice.  You can see a closeup of the binding (I used my favorite No Fail Binding method) and the twin-needle hem.

FSG#1960 Neck Binding

FSG#1960 Twin-Needle Hem

Techniques - No Fail Binding Method

This method makes 1/2" binding from 2" strips, using 1/2" seam allowances, and allows you to have a nice unobtrusive join in your binding strip without agonizing over the length.  It works every time.

You can see the join in the print binding just to the left of the CenterBack seam.  You may have to enlarge the photo to really see it well.

The binding join seam is more obvious in this photo of a bound neckline with a collar added above.

For 2" binding (1/2" finished width) you mark a point 3 3/4" from the end of the binding, and a point 3" on each side of your desired finishing point on your garment.  Match the marked point on the  binding to the marked point on the garment and stitch, stretching binding as needed, but NOT stretching the garment, until you get to the second marked point on your garment.  Now mark 3 3/4" on the binding from your stopping point and cut your binding there.  Now match the binding to itself, RST, with cut ends at a 90 degree angle, having a square of binding overlapping.  Stitch from point to point lengthwise.  (Pin first to check you have it placed correctly.) Trim allowances on stitched seam.  Then stitch the joined binding to the garment edge.

I usually do this RST and finish with a handstitch on the inside, but you can also stitch in the ditch.  For a very flat finish, don't turn in the last allowance on the inside, leave it flat and trim close after stitching.  This only works for knits or other non-ravelling fabrics, of course.  

 

These instructions were first seen by me in a book called 19 Shirts from One Pattern that I received as a premium at the State Fair one year.  Its designs are not as dated as the styling might make you think, and the fundamentals are great.  After all, there's only so much you can really do to a Tee without turning it into something else completely.

Bird Print Skirt

This is a wonderful cotton twill from Santa Fe Fabrics and my trip with the Fiberlies in April.  I fell in love with the bird print and knew it would be perfect in my favorite Marfy A-line sporty summer skirt, #093. 

It's the skirt on the left in the pattern drawing below, without the belt carriers or patch pockets, and lengthened just over 5". 


The pockets I have are kind of an inset apron pocket, copied from an Alice+Olivia skirt.  I've made this skirt quite a few times, never have done the belt carriers, and although the original pockets are a little small in my opinion, I have used them at least once.  I've done other patch pockets and this pocket several times.

Here's the inside of the skirt showing the pocket construction.  

Skirt Front

Skirt Back

Inside Skirt Hem

  The rest of the skirt is quite simply done, with a faced waistband, interfaced of course and stitched through all layers at the darts and seams.















 Centered back zipper with a hook at the top for security.














 And of course a hand stitched hem for invisibility.

Marfy Scuba Dress

I've been doing more sewing than blogging lately, which is probably a very good thing.  I fell in love with Marfy 3507, and decided I had to make it in a neoprene/scuba fabric.  I wanted a print rather than just a plain color and I found an unusual gray floral print at Elliott Berman Textiles.   



I'm not usually a floral person unless it's large and somewhat abstract, and this was small/medium and very traditional.  The style is traditional as well, a coat dress, but the zippers definitely update it.  I did a lot of alteration, and ended up making a trial garment which I didn't hem but is otherwise finished, out of a heavy dark green knit.  I adjusted the front waist size smaller and went on to begin anew with the neoprene.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fabric was a dream to sew.  It's got body galore, and pretty much did whatever I wanted it to.  No ravelling, no 'squirming' around, it just stayed put.  It did require understitching on the collar and front edges. I used Pam's Pro-Tricot Fusible Interfacing on the collar and the lapel point areas, and that was all the interfacing it needed.  

 

 You can probably see that I used some interesting zippers for this dress.  These are Coats & Clark's Cutwork Zippers and they were very easy to apply.  The only problem I had was that they only came in 2 sizes, 7" and 22".

I ended up using the 7" zippers instead of flaps for the faux pockets.  They worked perfectly. 
However, the 22" zipper was too short to be both as high as I needed it at the neckline and as low as it needed to go on the skirt hem to make the dress really wearable.   So, I took another zipper and installed it from the bottom up, stitching the lower one over the upper when I got to the join.  It's not really noticeable when worn, especially with the somewhat busy fabric.  I like to have it unzipped from the bottom for a few inches for walking ease. 

The dress fits like a glove and is very comfortable, if also really, really warm to wear.  It will be a great winter dress, although as soon as we were done with the photos, I knew I wouldn't be wearing these shoes with it.

  The color is not good on the side view, but I thought the shaping was important to see.  I think this is a great basic pattern and it would be very easy to add a buttonhole extension to it, although the zippers are fun.  Once the alteration work has been done, I like to reuse a pattern if I can.

Leaving Santa Fe

It was such a wonderful time with wonderful women in a wonderful place. We made memories. Nancy (and Tony, who learned quite a lot about the ways of sewing friends, and that Nancy's behavior re textiles is perfectly normal) were perfect hosts and guides, and everything went so smoothly. Her suggestion that we stay at La Fonda masse for a wonderful stay. I recommend this fabulous hotel for anyone wanting a relaxing, pampered getaway. Meeting Margy and Sharon (Shams) was so much fun, and I know we'll be getting together again. Ann was with us for what seemed like a very short time. She is such a delight that we wanted more. And Patti. The originator of our group, she is a masterful mixer of personalities, always congenial and of course, she's a Legend! This dragon was in front of a gallery on Canyon Road, a delightful art district with lots of outdoor art as well as lovely shops. Jan and I took a short walk from La Fonda on the advice of Margy, and it was well worth it. I loved this little Frog Prince. We enjoyed visiting the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Palace of the Governors, which is also a museum. We had the most fantastic tour guide there,a former librarian from USC, who really made it comes alive, and drew everyone into the narrative. I will probably be writing more later about this trip, and especially about the wonderful Snoop Shopping we did. Santa Fe Dry Goods, you are a wonderful place!