Re-Publishing the Stitcher's Guild Backstory and History

I originally published this in July, 2013.  I then took this post down  as a courtesy to Julie Ford (DragonLady on SG), but I see no reason not to re-publish it at this point.  I have not been reading SG or having anything to do with it since this time, and since Julie has never seen fit to acknowledge either my (or Kathryn's) genesis of the whole thing, or my acquiescence to her request to remove this post, it's going back up.  Obviously it doesn't matter to her, so why should it matter to me?

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a long time, or who remember me from Sewing World, may remember that the very first Announcement of the new sewing board, Stitcher's Guild (originally and very temporarily, Sewing World Refuge) was made here on Sew Intriguing, on March 20, 2006! By March 29th, we had been temporarily shut down by our host because we exceeded 100 (!!) members. It's hard to believe it's been over 7 years since Kathryn (Fzxdoc) and I put our heads together to figure out a way to keep in touch with all of our wonderful sewing friends when Sewing World finally ground to its inevitable decline. As we said then, we had no real desire to 'usurp' SW's place, but it was slowly dying from neglect, and there was nothing to be done other than make a place where we could all begin again, and carry on.

Much time, thought and effort was put into making the transition as friendly as possible, and to that end, since Kathryn and I are experts at sewing, not with computers, we thought we would ask DragonLady (Julie) to help us create the sewing board of our imaginations. She did this very ably, though of course everything was done with a consensus of the three of us, then Lisa came on board to help us, and it became four of us. Eventually Ann was added to our leadership group, and we have worked long and hard over the years, much of it behind the scenes, to make it all run smoothly. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the many little contretemps and disagreements over various topics and posts which became controversial for one reason or another. We think we have the greatest group of posters and members anywhere, but a little diplomacy was called for now and then, you'll agree!

As our project grew, we each gave many hours and put a lot of effort into it. The Moderators read all of the posts, heading off trouble where it looked likely, moving posts to make our search function more user-friendly, and more successful, something we all agree is vital to the serious sewer looking for answers, and generally welcoming new members and making wonderful friendships ourselves. We help fix/edit member's posts and photos where and when necessary, which takes time and knowledge on our part and is no small assist to the look and feel of the board. Julie was vital to it all, and she has gotten the credit she deserves. Perhaps the rest of us have not.


Now it seems that a major change is coming to Stitcher's Guild. Julie first approached the Mods in April of this year about an offer she had had to buy the forum. She was considering it, and we had lots of questions, which she said she would answer, but we're still waiting for those answers and the promised discussion. After Stitcher's Guild had problems in the last week, and was down for a few days, major changes were publicly announced by Julie. We are very aware that she puts a lot of work into Stitcher's Guild, as do we all. We have also become very aware at this point that the entire board has been registered in her name, and she has claimed ownership of it. In looking at the stats from Stitcher's Guild, it becomes obvious that in time spent on the board and number of posts, Lisa and Kathryn are clearly in the lead, by thousands of posts, and thousands of hours. We each have our strengths, and I think that when it perhaps happens that the Mods are no longer cleaning up the board, moving things, editing, fixing, creating new threads, etc., it will no longer be quite the place it was. That will be sad, but free labor only lasts so long, especially when it becomes clear that it's only going to be some of us who will be working for free, and not only free, but with no consideration of any kind, and for the financial benefit of others. We have been working for the benefit of others (all of the members and ourselves) all along, but it's a little different to work without remuneration, for the financial gain of others.

When we began this board, it was on the Ladies Club format, where everyone was a volunteer working to provide enjoyment to all. When something was required, we asked for volunteers and/or donations, and those were forthcoming. Now that it seems likely that Julie is planning to run it as as business, the club model is no longer applicable. It has its limitations of course, but it also has a lot going for it. It will be interesting to see just what finally occurs.

As most of you also know, I have been almost totally absent from the board since the death of my DH, Pearle. My life changed so much I just couldn't manage to keep up with it, I couldn't even sew, which was soul-killing in its own way. Any of you who have been through a similar event will understand when I say it was all I could do to just keep my head above water and let the future take care of itself. It was a very dark time, and I was so glad that Kathryn, Lisa, Ann and Julie all were very gracious and let me just slip away.

I am finally (I think, and hope) back to normal, or whatever normal is going to be now, and I thought a little reminiscing was in order. It's been wonderful. I feel that I have friends all over the world through it, and I wouldn't trade the experience of starting and caring for Stitcher's Guild. I don't want to fight, but I don't feel like I should just walk away without a discussion either. It's worth more than that to me. If Stitcher's Guild's time to change into something different has come, it has come. I think we need a discussion at least rather than just announcements.

Links in this post:
Original Stitcher's Guild Announcement
March 29th, 2006

Anonymous said...

Thank you for a gracious, gracious post, Liana!
I'm another troubled by the dynamics of the latest leadership twist - which marks another grieving period for me... one I will probably ponder while I continue to sew in solitude.

I understand your courage in finding a new normal. I am working through a similar period myself and you are a representative of hope.

Meanwhile, thank you for your hours of contribution to the forum. I will continue to follow your blog.

Brenda

7:46 PM, July 21, 2013

OzAnnie said...

Thank you also for your gracious post. Like the others have already said, I was not aware of the background of the SG Forum and assumed that all mods had been included in discussions about what is to be the future of the forum.

I thank you for all your contributions to the Forum as mod and a member and I wish you well for the future.

Kind regards.

9:16 PM, July 21, 2013

Sandra said...

Dearest Liana, Thank you for taking the time and energy to write this post. I am sorry for the difficulties that this current situation presents to you and the other moderators and Julie, too. And I hope that what come from it is fair to all of you. There's always more to the story, isn't there, at least for me who, about this topic, was completely in the dark. Blessings and peace...

10:35 PM, July 21, 2013

Marie-Louise said...

It was very enlightening to read your side of the story; it certainly adds a different perspective to the suggestion that we pay to use the site. Dragon Lady made this sound like it was a sudden problem due to the site crashing, not something that has been under discussion for months. She was not being honest with us and certainly not fair to you and the other co-founders and moderators.

I suspect that a lot of the new members came after Ann Rowley became famous-as did the offer to buy the site. If that is true, after all Ann has done for Stitcher's Guild, this will be an even sadder story.

Thank you so much for sharing this information. We needed to know it.

9:58 AM, July 22, 2013

BetsyV said...

Thank you for the thoughtful, articulate, and lovely post.

9:59 AM, July 22, 2013

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting another perspective/information. As with everything there are always two sides - sometimes more. Hopefully this will resolve for the betterment of all and continued sharing of knowledge and experience for SG "members", paid, otherwise, whatever becomes. As a long time volunteer for other organizations I agree that when an enterprise becomes for profit, with so many other obligations and things to draw our time and attention, working without any compensation is an option only if you're a college intern or otherwise working for hands on experience where you have none.

Thank you and all the mods for all the time you have so generously donated so far.
Karen

1:30 PM, July 22, 2013

Martina said...

Hi Liana,

Oddly, my sisters and I were talking about the difficulties involved when you volunteer, and the biggest piece of it is managing all of the personalities involved. I think all of you mods do a tremendous job, and I hope that whatever happens to SG works out for the benefit of the entire group, and not just one member. I love seeing what you sew, and I'm glad you're finding your way back after such a difficult time.

Best,

Martina

3:50 PM, July 22, 2013

Linda said...

Thank you for sharing this. I came over to SG soon after inception and know of all the work you and others did behind the scenes. I have not been on the site for a very long time now, so many blogs and other sites I visit that I just don't have the time. Change is inevitable and constant. I do hope that this ends well for all.

Somehow I did not know that your DH past away. I knew I had not seen new post on your blog nor seen reviews on PR. Truly sorry to learn of your loss; I can imagine how difficult the transition has been in your life. I hope that things are turning around for you now.

6:30 PM, July 22, 2013

Diane said...

Liana: So glad to see you back sewing and sharing your love of all things creative. As one of those who transitioned from SW to SG, I so appreciated all the hard work you and Kathryn put in to create a site for all of us. I hope you know what a great joy your knowledge and creations have provided.

9:33 PM, July 22, 2013

Janis said...

Liana, I am one that would love to hear the suggestions of the mods. I understand, as I read between the lines, that DL has managed to become the owner of the site, despite the fact that the mods have done the majority of the work. Sorry, I just hate to beat around the bush. It has taken several days now to figure out what's happening. What can we do to keep SG together in some form. Do the mods have any ideas?

It looks like Debbie Cook has offered up a web address. What else is needed?

10:32 PM, July 22, 2013

Ruth said...

Liana, I post very infrequently on SG, but, as with others was a part of SW, then made the switch to SG. I have also been around long enough to remember the genesis of Pattern Review at SW, and the subsequent development of the PR business model. I support many of the comments of others and would also add the following.

There is a whole herd of elephants in the room, possibly the same one that was in the PR room and it is in danger of being ignored. The true value in SG is the knowledge, wisdom, support, advice, cheering on etc of the moderators and others who post, not the technical side. In other words it is the people, not the IT platform that makes SG what it is.

I guess as a group of moderators (and there are some key contributors to SG as well who should be included in here)you need to decide whether you are willing to give away your Intellectual Property to someone for their financial advantage (and there are good and valid reasons for and against this). But fundamentally why do you share your knowledge and how much control do you want to retain control? Certainly there were major issues with copyright and signing over IP at PR that went against the grain for me.

If you are comfortable with a for profit / some sort of financial model what are you most comfortable with? Interestingly the SG situation mirrors the PR situation where the potential "owner" is the one with the IT skills, but not a principal content contributor. Maybe the mods should be the "owners" and employ DL if you do support the membership payment model.

Alternatively I belong to other forums where there is no compulsory membership fees but there is an option to be an angel and contribute to the hosting and other costs.

Sorry for the ramble, and for being a cynic, but once something becomes "for profit" it seems to fundamentally shift in spirit and a number of good people get trampled on/exploited, maybe inadvertently but that's not the point. I would hate for you or the other gurus at SG to end up in the same boat, you're too valuable to lose.

Thanks for being brave enough to point out the elephants in the room.

Good luck

11:49 PM, July 22, 2013

sewsy said...

Hi Liana. I have checked your blog from time to time, and didn't realize that you'd begun posting again until reading about it on SG.

First, I'm glad that you are feeling better. I worried about you after your DH's passing, and hoped to see you up and about online as soon as you felt up to it. I would see your name over on SG from time to time, but then after awhile, I'd see the "hidden" tag, and figured it was you. Glad things are beginning to right themselves, and you are arriving at, as they say, "a new normal."

Also, I'm thrilled to see that you are once again in front of your sewing machine! It would have been a terrible loss to the garment sewing community if you stopped sewing.

Thank you for this explanation. Of course, most of us had no idea as to the way Stitcher's Guild was started, and more importantly, WHO EXACTLY started it.

Without reiterating anything, I'd like to say that it will be interesting, knowing what we do now, to see how this all plays out. You and Kathryn have my utmost support.

Hope all turns out well.

8:38 AM, July 23, 2013

Stitcher's Guild - A Little Reminiscing

Edited on Tuesday, July 23, 2013.  Commenting has been suspended.  Thank you to all who did comment.  It's wonderful to know how many remember the fledging of SG.  It seems this is causing more controversy than I had expected.  I simply wished to publish a little history of our beginnings, and I hope that we are headed for a bright future as well.



Those of you who have been reading my blog for a long time, or who remember me from Sewing World, may remember that the very first Announcement of the new sewing board, Stitcher's Guild (originally and very temporarily, Sewing World Refuge) was made here on Sew Intriguing, on March 20, 2006! By March 29th, we had been temporarily shut down by our host because we exceeded 100 (!!) members. It's hard to believe it's been over 7 years since Kathryn (Fzxdoc) and I put our heads together to figure out a way to keep in touch with all of our wonderful sewing friends when Sewing World finally ground to its inevitable decline. As we said then, we had no real desire to 'usurp' SW's place, but it was slowly dying from neglect, and there was nothing to be done other than make a place where we could all begin again, and carry on.

Much time, thought and effort was put into making the transition as friendly as possible, and to that end, since Kathryn and I are experts at sewing, not with computers, we thought we would ask DragonLady (Julie) to help us create the sewing board of our imaginations. She did this very ably, though of course everything was done with a consensus of the three of us, then Lisa came on board to help us, and it became four of us. Eventually Ann was added to our leadership group, and we have worked long and hard over the years, much of it behind the scenes, to make it all run smoothly. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the many little contretemps and disagreements over various topics and posts which became controversial for one reason or another. We think we have the greatest group of posters and members anywhere, but a little diplomacy was called for now and then, you'll agree!

As our project grew, we each gave many hours and put a lot of effort into it. The Moderators read all of the posts, heading off trouble where it looked likely, moving posts to make our search function more user-friendly, and more successful, something we all agree is vital to the serious sewer looking for answers, and generally welcoming new members and making wonderful friendships ourselves. We help fix/edit member's posts and photos where and when necessary, which takes time and knowledge on our part and is no small assist to the look and feel of the board. Julie was vital to it all, and she has always gotten kudos for her contribution.


When we began this board, it was on the Ladies Club format, where everyone was a volunteer working to provide enjoyment to all. When something was required, we asked for volunteers and/or donations, and those were forthcoming. Now it seems that Julie is thinking about changing it to a business, the club model is no longer applicable. It has its limitations of course, but it also has a lot going for it. It will be interesting to see just what finally occurs.

As most of you also know, I have been almost totally absent from the board since the death of my DH, Pearle. My life changed so much I just couldn't manage to keep up with it, I couldn't even sew, which was soul-killing in its own way. Any of you who have been through a similar event will understand when I say it was all I could do to just keep my head above water and let the future take care of itself. It was a very dark time, and I was so glad that Kathryn, Lisa, Ann and Julie all were very gracious and let me just slip away.

I am finally (I think, and hope) back to normal, or whatever normal is going to be now, and I thought a little reminiscing was in order. It's been wonderful. I feel that I have friends all over the world through it, and I wouldn't trade the experience of starting and caring for Stitcher's Guild. I don't want to fight, but I don't feel like I should just walk away without a discussion either. It's worth more than that to me. If Stitcher's Guild's time to change into something different has come, it has come. I think we need a discussion at least rather than just announcements.

Links in this post:
Original Stitcher's Guild Announcement
March 29th, 2006

Boiled Wool Marfy Coat 3196

All photos in larger sizes available here.

I'm giving a class on Coat Construction tomorrow to the Omaha ASG chapter, and thought I'd better make a new coat. This is Marfy #3196 from the new 2013 catalog. I made a few changes, of course. Here's the original design.


I didn't like the belt-like hold-ups on the sleeves, and actually, much as I love 3/4-length sleeves, they're really not practical during our winters. So, I thought I would try something else.

The fabric is from Pendleton, originally a flawed piece of cream colored wool. I got it at the outlet in Nebraska City when Linda was here visiting me. She is a master at fulling woolens, and convinced me (it didn't really take much convincing!) that it would be a fun fabric. I fulled and dyed mine while she was here, and it has sat there ever since. I hadn't realized just how nice and absolutely like commercial boiled wool it was until I started working with it. It's really going to be a very warm coat.

I only made a couple of pattern alterations, doing
1. my usual swayback alteration, adding a CB seam in the lower back at the same time, and

2. shortening the bodice between the bust point and shoulder. I just folded about 1 1/2" out to do this.

By shortening the top section of the coat, it moved the button placement so the top 2 buttons are closer together than the others. I decided this was not something I was going to try to change, as I would have had to move all of the seam lines, since the buttonholes are in the horizontal seams. Also, it's not unusual for the collar button on a coat or shirt to be closer to the first bodice button than the spacing between the other buttons.

I'd never done inseam buttonholes before, and I was excited to do these. Yes, they're very simple. You just leave the seam open where you want the buttonhole. It's the back or facing that can be the problem. In a lighter weight wool, I would have made bound buttonholes in the facing. That was not going to work here though, as just having two layers (coat and facing) was already very thick. The wool absolutely does not ravel, so after some consultation with a friend, I used strips of Ultrasuede over the buttonhole area on the facing and just cut slits through it and the facing to match the buttonholes on the front. I had to jazz up the strips a little bit of course. Interesting shapes would have been fun, but I had a roll of Ultrasuede this wide in the right color, so I used this. I think it's kind of cute.



The pockets are also in the horizontal seaming. I used my lining silk for the pocket bags with a small extension of wool so that it won't show the contrast if they gape slightly.




The construction was pretty straightforward. I did hand pick-stitching on the collar, mainly because it was so thick I didn't think machine stitching was going to be either easy or attractive. I may eventually do the same thing on the front edges, but it seems to be holding well without it so far. Here you can see the stitching as well as the buttons.




The lining was put in by hand, my favorite method, although I did flat-line the sleeves. They are very heavy since I have the cuff on them, turned down, in case I decide I want to turn them up. The fabric is heavy enough and textured enough that I don't think they will slip down by themselves.



Since I flat-lined the sleeves, and the sleevehead shape is unusual, I had to figure out a way to make the body and sleeve linings come together attractively. Here's my solution.



Finally, here's the back, and another shot of the front.

Pleather Costume Dress & Garter Belt

All photos can be seen larger here.


I needed a costume for a party in August, and decided this homage to Emma Peel of the original Avengers would be fun.  I'm not sure Mrs. Peel ever wore anything exactly like this, but surely something very similar in spirit.  After all, it was the Mod 1960's.

This dress is made from Pleather from JoAnn's.
I used a Marfy sheath pattern (#1128) as my starting point, with some changes that are not really too drastic design-wise, although the look is quite different from the original here and here.
I've made this dress several times, and it's a very versatile pattern.  This iteration has been shortened, the neck scooped, the back neckline changed to a very deep Vee, and the side zipper exchanged for a below-the-waist CB separating sport zipper. 

You can see the back below.  For ease of fitting, etc., and since it's only a costume, I decided that leaving the Vee open to the top of the zipper and exposing the back strap of my bra would not be a problem.  It would be easy enough to put a modesty strip or panel across with snaps, and if I wear it again, I may do so.

 

The pleather was very easy to sew, but the fact that pins make permanent holes made it difficult to fit quickly.  Tape didn't hold well to try things, and I ended up using clothespins at times.  I did use some pins where I was going to be sewing anyway.  All edges except the hem are turned and stitched with either a straight stitch or a 3-step zigzag.  You can see both in the photo at left, which shows the ties on the front shoulder 'straps'.  They control excess fullness in the neckline.

The original design has a front jewel neckline with gathers in lieu of some of the dart shaping, and I should have rotated that fullness out before cutting.  This did the trick though, and is kind of cute anyway.

To the right is the back of the dress laid out on the ironing board.  You can see the zipper at CB.  The zipper zips up from the bottom.

You can see the bottom of the zipper below and the double row topstitched hem from both the inside and outside of the garment.  The hem was turned up and stitched along the zipper while the zipper was inserted.

I used a large-toothed sport zipper for this garment, and I think it fits well with the design and the fabric.

To the right you can see the CF waistline from the inside and outside of the dress.  I took a tuck at the waistline between the front vertical darts.  There is no give in pleather, and there was just too much fullness there.

I put elastic inside to gather it up across the grain a little as well.  This seemed to help the fit quite a bit, and it was all hidden by the sash belt.

On to the matching garter belt.  Every 1960's heroine needs a garter belt.  After all, it was before pantyhose made their appearance.  Here it is closed and open.

The pleather made it very quick and easy to sew.  Sturdiness, no raveling and no stretch meant no reinforcement or lining needed.  This sped up the process a lot.  I used purchased garters which came with the elastic attached, and put loops with 2 attachment points on the inside.

The seams were stitched, then each seam allowance was topstitched down.  This might have been overkill, but I wanted it to last, and to be very flat against the skin.  I used the triple zigzag on the edges, again to make sure the edges were very flat.  I had thought it would be fun to add some embroidery or some kind of embellishment to this, but I ran out of time. 





I will leave you with 2 last dress photos.  The side/back view, and the 'fun' shot.  Many of you know that my sister takes all my best photos, and we were getting silly at this point.

Two More Swimsuits

Photo Link
I made these two suits in July. The Violet Geometric one is a success, the Pink Sequin one, not really. I did not put zippers in these suits, otherwise they are very similar to the ones I've  made previously. The violet fabric is from LA, as is the Fold Over Elastic (FOE) on both suits.

The reason the Pink Sequin suit is NOT a success is my own fault. The fabric is from Hancock Fabric, and although it's marketed as a swimsuit fabric, and seems to hold up well to chlorine (almost too well from my point of view) I did not take into account that the application of the sequins, which I think are laminated on, would affect the stretch qualities of the fabric. There is almost NO stretch in the lengthwise direction, and less than the normal amount on the crossgrain. I of course paid no attention to what I could plainly tell, and cut the pattern out as usual. Well, I can wear it, but it's pretty form-fitting. The worst thing though is that the 'sequins' are almost painful along turned edges with no FOE. I have been wearing this suit in the hot tub, which usually manages to stretch out and soften any suit very quickly, but naturally in this case, it's not doing it. I think if I would put FOE on the plain edges, I might be able to wear this pretty comfortably, so maybe I'll just do it. I love the way the print worked out on this, and I do like the look.

Here's the back of both suits.

Photo Link

Copying RTW - A Summer Skort

Photo Link

I found a really fun RTW skort the other day, and I've been wearing it quite a bit in this horrible heat. I decided it would be terribly easy to copy, and I think it turned out well. The photo above is my copy in a coarsely-woven cotton print. Here is the original in denim.
Photo Link

This style reminds me of the kind of shorts they used to wear in 1940's musicals. I've always liked that style, and this was very easy to copy. Because of the apron across the front, there is not even a zipper in these. The original is closed with a button and loop at the apron edge, and a hook and eye at CF. I used a hook and eye at CF, but decided to do something a little different, and ended up with a tie and bone ring closure at the apron edge. I think it's kind of cute.
Photo Link

Here's the inside, and you can see the lack of a zipper. It does have sewn on placket extensions, but that's the only 'complication' in this design, and it's not exactly a problem.
Photo Link

I copied this by the needle tracing wheel method onto newsprint. This is a very simple method that works extremely well.

Photo Link
If you go to the Photo Link under any photo, it will take you to the gallery, and you can see much larger and more detailed versions of these photos. The pattern photo may be especially interesting.

Spatter Print Skirt

Photo Link

This skirt is made with fabric I bought at Elfrieda's in Boulder, Colorado last month when I was in Denver with Patti and Mardel viewing the YSL exhibit at the Denver Art Museum.

The pattern is Marfy 093, which I've made before. It's a great summer skirt, sitting just below the waist. This version has the Alice/Olivia Vogue pockets I did once before.
Photo Link

I've been wearing skirts a lot this summer since it's been so very hot. There's just nothing cooler than a skirt.

Here's a side/back view.
Photo Link

Here is the front with the skirt laid out flat.
Photo Link

Sewing/Fashion Trip to Denver

From Denver 2012

Patti, Liana and Mardel in Westminster, CO.

I had such a great time in Denver near the end of June. I got to view the Yves St Laurent retrospective exhibit at the Denver Art Museum with two fabulous fashionistas, Patti and Mardel. You see us above just before we left for the airport to go our separate ways.

The show was well worth making a special trip to see, with over 200 outfits, the largest show of its kind. This was the only showing in the western hemisphere. How they got it in Denver, I do not know, but I'm so glad they did. It was a very nice space for it as well.

There were so many stand-out pieces, but since we were not allowed to take photographs, I will just have to settle for quick descriptions. Truly, I went into sensory overload just trying to remember and take notes of all the wonderful details and effects.

There was a one-shoulder lace column evening gown with galloon edges that did not meet on the sleeveless side and was held together with two medium-sized shocking pink satin bows. Charming, and ultimately wearable, if only by the brave. The masterful handling of the lace was wonderful.

The hem edge of a brown blouse that just peeked out under a boxy skirt-suit jacket resembled leather cut into perhaps 1/2" fringe. Examined more closely, it was silk with a turned up hem which was cut vertically into strips and whipped along the raw edges to form loops. Amazing work, and so pretty, and really, quite simple if you have the time, patience, desire, and the hand-sewing skills.

Of course all of the beaded pieces were fantastic, the Monet Iris and Van Gogh Sunflowers jackets were probably the most stunning of a very stellar group. The texture of the paintings had been recreated using not only beads and sequins, but silk ribbon embroidery as well; in places 'piled up' to imitate the thick impasto of the original artworks. Of all the garments in the show, these were the only two not shown on mannequins. These were under glass, laid flat, both so you could get a very close look, and, I imagine, to save the garments from their own weight as they hung on a form.

YSL's combinations of fabrics, color and line was incredible, and as always, seeing the actual garments is a revelation after only seeing photographs, no matter how detailed and good. I would recommend this show to everyone, and any time you have a chance to see fashion in person, go and see it. You will always take away something of value, if only one idea. I know I came away from this weekend with many, many ideas.

As you may have guessed, I also came away with a little bit of fabric. I was very restrained, and only bought 2 pieces at Elfrieda's in Boulder. One is a cotton print which you will read about very soon. It's already sewn up! This is a gorgeous silk print I could not resist. I am thinking a slip dress, possibly to wear to the opera in Chicago in October, again with Patti and Mardel.

From Denver 2012

Plum/Turquoise Lingerie Set

Photo Link to all photos

I had great fun making this set. I got the fabric at G Street Fabrics when I was in Maryland visiting Linda. It's been aging gently in the inventory, and I'm glad I finally made it up. It's pretty wild, but I had a good time dying all the elastic/findings/notions to match. In fact, at this very moment, I have 3 white lace tangas in the dyepot. I wanted more than one matching panty, and realized I might as well just sew them first, and dye later. This works beautifully, as long as you use Nylon Thread when you sew. This is very important, as polyester thread won't dye, and you'll suddenly have contrasting stitching everywhere. That can be a great look, but not when you didn't plan it.

Here's a closer view of just the bra.
I used the pattern I copied from a Freya bra. This is one of the few bras I've made without any lace on it, and I think it turned out pretty well.

I wanted a matching panty, and the tanga pattern I like is for stretch lace only. Well, with no lace on the bra, that seemed to be a bit of a problem. I dyed lace to match the notions for the bra, and ended up using a little of the bra fabric on the panty. It's kind of a reverse applique, in that I placed it underneath the lace and stitched around it on some of the lace lines, then cut away the lace over it. I think it works. The lace itself was sold with the selvedges still attached, so you had to cut the galloon edges free. You can see what it looks like when partially cut away.

From Lingerie

You may have noticed that the lace seems to be wider than what was used on the finished panty. Well, you're right. It was wider than I like (I like about a 3-1/2" lace for these) and so after finishing the whole thing, I decided I just wasn't happy, and so I carefully marked and cut between the top and bottom lace motifs, then joined them with zigzag stitching along a motif line, cut away the excess on the top, then stitched again and cut away the excess on the inside. This worked beautifully, and it's very hard to see the join, even when you are holding them in your hand. Lace is just handy that way.

I knew I wanted a garter belt for this set, and I copied an older Vanity Fair one I have. I dyed the components for it as well, including some silk organza to underlay the centerfront piece, and some very narrow non-stretch lace edging for the edges, ribbon to cover the garters, loopy elastic for the garter straps and waistband, and SeamsGreat. The original I was copying was 'taped' along all the edges and seams with some kind of tricot strips. I thought about it a lot, and finally decided that SeamsGreat would work okay. I think it worked great, and I doubled it for strength. It was very easy to dye, and I am keeping that in mind for future plans. I'm sure it could come in handy for a lot of things, and I have a lot of it on hand. Here's a view of the inside of the garter belt, and a close-up of the inside front.


I think the garter straps, etc. are just as cute as they can be. I love the little ribbon flowers. I got those at JoAnn's, they had the perfect color. You'll notice there's one on the bra as well. Making a garter belt was a new experience, and not difficult, but pretty fiddly. There are just so many little pieces and steps to put them all together. I would do it a little differently next time, if there is a next time. I wouldn't try to make it so adjustable in the back. There's no point really, I know what size I am, it only has to fit me.

I'll leave you with a photo of the garter strap.

Shoes and Flowers

It seems that spring is early everywhere this year, and everything is blooming early as well. The wisteria is just gorgeous this year, and I got a photo of the smaller display on the top deck (3rd story). This was when it was just beginning to really show. It's almost done now.

From Drop Box

I could not resist showing you these great shoes. Just what I need. Not really, but they do intrigue me. They remind me of the pair of shoes Kenneth King almost couldn't get through airport security. He had glued his spikes on. These are done for you.

From Drop Box

Turquoise/Plum Bra & Dyeing

I finally started on another bra. This one is a wild turquoise/plum fabric I got at G Street Fabrics when I was visiting Linda. First I had to dye findings for it. I had thought a lavender-blue strap elastic was the perfect color, so I dyed some things to match it. I was extremely thrilled that the color match to the strap elastic was so good, but then I decided that what I really needed to go with this fabric was teal. So, I began again. Here's what I ended up with for dyed things.

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And this is the teal dyed items with the fabric swatch.

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I'm using a pattern I've used before, which I copied from a Freya bra. Since I'm now making 'cheeky' style lace tanga panties, I'll have to figure out a way to make them 'match' this bra. I have a few ideas, but I'm not sure just what I'll end up with. This is how far I've gotten on this bra.

From Lingerie