More Stained Glass + A Little Fabric.

First things first, of course, and we went to Vogue Fabrics first this morning. I can't show you most of what I got since they're shipping it. It's not really that much, but I think I'm pretty close to the weight limit on my suitcases, and I don't want to push it, plus they're very full anyway. I will tell you that I got a Donna Karan fine wool blend wavy print in very dark colors, a tiny check/birdseye wool blend, a mushroom-color wool gauze, and a wheat-color wool blend brushstroke print. I also got a couple of woven ribbons, which you can see above.

"Located at Navy Pier, The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows housed in an 800 foot long series of galleries along the lower level terraces of Festival Hall. Open since February 2000, it is the first museum in the United States dedicated solely to stained glass windows. It showcases both secular and religious windows and is divided by artistic theme into four categories: Victorian, Prairie, Modern and Contemporary. All of the windows were designed by prominent local, national and European studios and most were originally installed in Chicago area residential, commercial and religious buildings. "

It really is a worthwhile exhibit, and it's easy to walk through it and enjoy. Here's a photo I took showing a window made for a stairway. I love the scrollwork designs.

Tonight Patti's doing a supper for about 10 women and we're going to have a good time visiting. (The smoke alarm is going off as I type....) Everything is under control. It's Barbara's Apricot Bourbon Chicken,via The Pioneer Woman Cooks. It smells wonderful, but I have to wonder if Patti's been dipping into the Jack Daniels a bit early? Possibly just for quality control purposes.

Tomorrow is the Trunk Show and Program, and of course as a finale,the opening of The Lyric Opera.

Chicago = Jazz + Stained Glass

I went to my first Jazz Club performance last night, and it was great fun! We went to the Jazz Showcase and heard Eric Reed and his Trio. It was a great set, and I thought the ambiance of the club was wonderful as well. Definitely something I will be repeating, I hope.

As many of you know, I'm working on a stained glass project, and in furtherance of that, I'm trying to educate myself on various styles and genres of stained glass. I have been viewing various churches, etc. for some time now, where ever I go, and had two viewing opportunities planned for this trip. I will be going to The
Art Institute as well as The Smith Museum while in Chicago.

Earlier in the day we did go to the Art Institute to see the Chagall windows and the Spider Silk Weaving exhibit. Both were amazing, but the spider silk textile is something you really need to see in person. I'd read about it in several places and seen really good photos, but the reality is something special. I'm certainly not a fan of spiders, and I don't know that I could have worked on a project like this, but the results are spectacular.

Marfy Magic in Chicago and You're Invited

From DroidUpload

I'm off this morning on an exciting adventure. I'm going to present a program to The Haute Couture Club of Chicago on Marfy Magic!  If  you're a sewer in the Chicago area, please come.  I'd love to see you!  (Details at the link to the Club above.)

I'm doing a Trunk Show of most of the Marfy patterns I've made, and will be discussing how to go about starting with Marfy patterns, how to succeed with them, and where to get them. Thanks to my good friend Jane for letting me take a few things of hers along as well.

Patti has graciously agreed to be my host and I know we're going to have a good time! We have several musical events planned besides the sewing connection, including (drumroll, please!) Opening Night at the Lyric Opera. I have a gown worthy of a gala evening, and there will be photos.

The big thing right now is making sure my bags containing the trunk show are not overweight. If they are, I'm not sure what I can do about it at this point. Thank goodness for SouthWest, and 2 free bags per passenger. I think I'm using my quota this time.

Tan/Black Floral Swimsuit

Since my first swimsuit was a success, I had my eyes open for fabric for another, and found this at Hancock Fabrics.

From SwimSuit"

Kathi R had sent black FOE (fold over elastic) to me, so I had it on hand. It's only about half as wide as the lime green that I used on the other suit, but i think it's a good size with this print. I wasn't sure I was going to really like this fabric once it was made up, but I think the print is awfully nice.

I've been thinking about the problem of Spandex being a fairly quick casualty of the chlorine in swimming pools, and I've decided I'm not going to worry about it since even if I find 100%-polyester swimsuit fabric, as some of you wisely suggested, I'm still going to need something like a powernet lining in the bust area, and that's will have spandex in it anyway. At least for now I'll just figure they'll only last so long, and take it in stride. I'm sure 100% poly is the way to go, but without a powernet lining, which would defeat the purpose, it really won't be useable for me anyway, especially for water-aerobics.  At least they're quick to make, and take very little fabric, less than a yard, plus notions of course.

Marfy Shrug + Skirt

From Marfy Shrug

This is actually the fourth shrug I've made from this pattern so far. Between the floral one I did first, and this one, I made two black ones for a couple of friends. I'm really pleased with this pattern. Sorry for the poor photo quality; I was reduced to doing mirror pictures today.

In this version, it's the fabric that is the interest. This is an unusual two-layer knit The bottom layer is thick and squishy and the top layer is almost like a very fine hosiery mesh which is 'bubbled' so there's a lot of texture. I've had this fabric for quite some time, but never knew just exactly what I'd do with it until now.

From Marfy Shrug

Here's a side/back view, and with a different blouse. I think this is going to be something I'll wear a lot this Fall.

From Marfy Shrug

From Marfy Shrug

Swim Suit Copy

From SwimSuit

I mentioned a couple months ago that I had started doing water exercise. Well, I'm still doing it, and I like it a lot. One bad thing about it is that you go through a lot of swimsuits because of the daily chlorine wear on them. I have a Kathy Ireland suit that I like a lot. It has a high neck and a lot of support, which is great for this, so I decided to copy it.

Kathi Rank sent me some lovely swimsuit fabric recently, so I plunged right in. It's a very dark navy and white print. I wanted to use foldover elastic for the edges, but had no navy or white or anything that worked, except this BRIGHT lime green. I got it from a co-op a couple years ago. I ordered a few different colors, and they sent me all different colors than my order, but I decided to just keep them and use them as they matched something. I wasn't sure I'd ever use this green, but it was perfect for this.

I decided not to do cups in the lining, but just did a plain powernet piece with elastic at the bottom to see if that would give me more of a no-bounce sportsbra effect. I'm glad I tried it, as I like it. I wore it this morning and had to wait for it to dry before I could take photos. I think I will be making more of these, although I'd like to find a different closure option. I don't like these hooks, and it's high enough in back that it's hard for me to do by myself. Any ideas?

Here's the back, which shows the front lining as well.

From SwimSuit

Marfy Shrug #0328

From Vogue1250

As I mentioned in my last post, I made a little shrug from a Marfy pattern to wear with the lavender Vogue 1250 dress. Although it was quick to make, I have to admit that this pattern is probably the least intuitive I've put together for awhile. The pieces are odd shapes, and they fold around in a very 3-dimensional way that makes sense, but is hard for me to visualize in its entirety because of all the folding and sewing together. I felt a little like I was sewing in circles, but I trusted that it would come out okay, and it did. I cut it out of a pretty knit print that's quite sheer and that has very little stretch. I considered that it might end up as an actual muslin, but I hoped it would be wearable, as it is, and so I wore it, and liked it.


I will definitely be making more of these, and first of all, I'm going to make a black one for my roommate from the convention. She's a cellist and bass-clarinetist, and after she saw it, I had her try mine on to see how it fit her. It's perfect for playing, as it doesn't restrict your arm or shoulder motion.

Here's the back view.

From Vogue1250

Vogue 1250 Twice

From Vogue1250

From Vogue1250

Everyone's been making this design with great success, and it looked like my kind of style, so I had to do it too. I am pleased with both versions. I made the print one first, with no alterations, although I cut a 14 at the hip and shoulder, moving to a 20 at the bust. I didn't do an FBA since the style is pretty forgiving, with a lot of ease where I need it. I shortened the back waist before making the print version, then shortened it some more, and shortened the front above the bust on the next version. I think on the second (lavender) version it looks very much as it should. The print version hides the excess folds in its busy print, so it's not a problem.

The lavender is a slinky-type knit, although it's not really a true slinky, and it had its ribs and its greatest stretch running on the crossgrain so that's how I cut it. One side had a little more variation in color, so I made that the right side.

Here are side-back photos of both dresses, and you can see the folds, such as they are. I suppose if I want to get rid of more of them, I'll have to shorten some more above the bust point. I'm not sure it's a problem at this point.

From Vogue1250

From Vogue1250

I got a lot of compliments on the lavender dress at the Mu Phi convention, which was nice. I thought it looked good, too. I wore it as you see it here, and also put on a little shrug about halfway through the evening. It's a new Marfy pattern, and I will be posting about it next.

Marfy #093 Skirt with Pocket Changes

From Marfy 093 Skirt

You may remember the tie-dye Marfy skirt I made earlier this month. This time I made Marfy #093 with the cute inseam pockets from Vogue 1247. BeeBee and Carolyn both kindly helped me with the details. Thanks to both of you! I love these pockets. I've worn the skirt several times and I find it both comfortable and stylish.

The fabric is actually a pinstripe. The narrow stripe is a very pale pink, and barely shows unless you really get close and stare at it. It's a stretch woven, and it does stretch out with wearing, so it rests lower and lower on the hip as I go along. Washing and drying seems to help it recover, so it is bearable, but this is the main problem with a lot of stretch wovens, IMO. They are unreliable in their fit because they grow fairly quickly as you wear them.

I wore the skirt on the plane to the Mu Phi convention I attended in Rochester, NY last week. That was fine, except I was surprised to have to be 'felt up' under the skirt by the TSA. Now I know why most everyone wears pants to fly, I guess. I generally do too, but hadn't realized they are anti-skirt. They were even checking some poor woman who had on a tunic and leggings. I guess the original screener didn't know a tunic from a dress, as she was very willing to pull up her tunic for them. I, on the other hand, was not planning to pull up my skirt.

Here's the back view.

From Marfy 093 Skirt

Eyelet Border Knit Skirt

Photo Link

This skirt is another of the straight skirts made with knit fabric and elastic waistband. Very similar to my recent Blue/Brown Snakeskin Print Skirt This fabric is from my California trip, and again bought with the able shopping assistance of Kathi, DrSue, and Lisa. I was very taken with the fabric, as I have never seen a knit with eyelet embroidery like this before. Lots of wovens, but no knits, and with the stripes as well, it was a much more sophisticated look than one usually gets with eyelet fabrics. I had to have it, and knew it was to be a skirt from the beginning.

Since this skirt has a finished hem edge it was super simple, except for one thing. The fabric is a very soft jersey knit, and without a lining it was going to be clingy almost to the point of indecency, in my opinion. So... to find something to line it with. Luckily, I have a lot of fabric-in-waiting, aka The Inventory, and I found a very nice pale pink stretch woven with almost as much stretch as the jersey. Honestly, I thought it must actually be a knit, but no, it ravels off just like a woven. It's woven with wide, square 'ribs' on the cross, and once again, the stretch is in the lengthwise direction. Obviously planned to be used like pinstripes and cut on the crossgrain, this is a neat fabric.

Here it is as worn, with the lining showing through the eyelet holes.
Photo Link

I basted it to the edges of the jersey pieces and stitched it as one with it, using the selvedge as the hem, thus avoiding the problem of how to hem one fabric and not the other while seaming them together. Here you can see the side seam and the hem edge.
Photo Link

The waistband is simple as can be. The elastic is serged to the edge, then it's turned under, zigzagged, and it's done.

Photo Link

One last photo. The wisteria vines were whacking me in the face when I tried to hold them while talking to the cat at the same time. Ah well, that's real life.

Photo Link

Tie-Dye Marfy Skirt

Photo Link

This is Marfy #093, one of the free patterns from the Fall/Winter 2006/07 catalog.

Photo Link

I wanted a casual skirt that was something different than my usual, and this seemed ideal. I got this stretch woven from Fabric Mart some time ago. I like the somewhat subtle tie-dye pattern.

Photo Link
It's one of those stretch woven fabrics that they weave with the stretch in the warp, thus you cut on the crossgrain. This gives you the stretch going around, where we want it.

A skirt that doesn't sit at the waist or fairly close to it is something new to me, and it's an easy fit. I interfaced the inner band and after applying and understitching, stitched through the darts and side seams to secure it, and am pleased with the result.

Photo Link
The original pattern has shaped beltloops that button onto the pockets. I thought it was a little dated looking, or at least more retro than I wanted. I also don't really need excess bulk right around the stomach area, so I just did the pockets and left off the loops. I cut the pockets double with a fold at the top, stitched and turned, then topstitched them onto the skirt. I ended up facing the hem since I decided I liked the length before I turned up the hem allowance I added. Photo Link

I finished this on Friday, wore it Saturday, and heard good things, so I was pleased.
Photo LinkPhoto Link

Blue/Brown Snakeskin Print Skirt

Photo Link

This is the style of skirt I've been wearing a lot this summer, and I think this fabric worked very well for the it. It's a snakeskin print knit with an interesting feature; at least I think it's interesting. It has dots all over it that act a little like sequins. They're quite tiny, and I have to suppose it's part of the printing process. It may be what I've seen labeled holographic, but the ones I've seen like that are generally a much bigger dot. More the size punched out for a 3-ring binder, whereas these are about 1/16" or less in diameter, or about 1mm. Very tiny, anyway. It's what gives the fabric its shine and suggestion of skin or leather. In the photo below, you can see the fabric dots best on the brown part of the print although they are placed evenly over the whole surface.



Photo Link

Anyway, the skirt itself is very simple. Just a straight skirt with elastic waist and a handsewn hem. You can see both the inside and outside of the waistband above, and the ribbon loop that marks the CB. This pattern was a download that's no longer available, and actually has 4 seams but in this case I simply put the CB and CF on folds. I like the 4 seam look in most cases, but when the fabric has a busy print, I generally only do 2 seams for visual continuity. You can see the skirt laid out flat below.


Photo Link

My next quandary is should I make a jacket or something to match this? I have plenty of fabric left, and I think I'd like something. I thought of a 'scuba' type zippered jacket, but then thought that was a little too 'snaky' with this fabric. What about a cropped jacket? That's what I'm leaning toward now. But what about something else entirely? That's what I'm stumped on. I don't think a top is what I want, but it might be. What do you think? Any great ideas?

Marfy Flounced Top #2484

From Marfy 2484

From Marfy 2484

I've been avoiding pattern alterations for some reason, and I can't really sew a decently fitting bodice without at least an FBA, so I just forged ahead on Marfy #2484, one of the free patterns in the 2011/12 catalog. At first glance, I wondered why on earth Marfy had only extended the flounce to the shoulders or a little beyond. Seemed a little like "coffin clothes" but then I thought about what would happen to that flounce if you wore a jacket or other layer over it. You'd be fighting that back flounce continually and having to reposition it when you took your jacket off, and trying to get it to lay smoothly with the jacket on; in short, a real pain. So, this seems like a good plan after all.

I used an extremely thin knit fabric that I bought in the LA Fashion District while shopping with Kathi, Sue, and Lisa in February. I love the soft, watercolor effect and the colors, and the irregular slightly pleated/folded/wrinkled texture added didn't hurt either. The fact that the fabric is so very thin and soft let me use a faced technique for the flounce with great results.

From Marfy 2484

From Marfy 2484

I added a FBA and darts to this, but otherwise cut a straight 46. There are patterns given for the shaped front bands and facings and the sleeve hems, but since the pattern suggests either a woven fabric or a knit, and I used a knit, I just cut crossgrain strips and interfaced them lightly with PRO-TRICOT Deluxe fusible interfacing from Pam Erny's Fashion Sewing Supply. I used the same interfacing as a stay behind the neckline treatment. I used Jalie's binding method, which I like very much.

From Marfy 2484

Here is the binding pinned to the right side after the first pass, and with the flounce attached.

From Marfy 2484

The buttons are just for show, and I didn't bother putting buttonholes in. I handstitched the hem, just because the fabric is so soft, and I thought I'd have better control.

From Marfy 2484

Please don't laugh at me in cropped pants. I've been resisting them mightily for years, and found this pair in Irish Linen from Eileen Fisher for a song, so figured my time had come. I'm still not sure they're really "me", but they are comfy, so that's something I guess. Good color, too.

I've been wearing skirts a lot this summer, just little straight skirts from knits, and I have a new one almost done, and a couple on the cutting table.

Pink Top with Brown Polka Dot Trim

From

I saw a really cute crocheted dress pattern the other day from a Bernat vintage pattern leaflet called After Five and fell in love with it. Then I realized I'd be crocheting tiny motifs and attaching them to each other for the rest of my life, and decided to copy the idea but sew it rather than crochet. This top is what I came up with in my test.

From PinkTop

Here are the original photos for the dress.


I need to angle the lower binding more, as it reads horizontal now when worn. I would need to raise the neckline to more closely copy the original as well. Both of these things would be easy fixes, although the neckline change might require the addition of a closure.

I used my usual FSG#1960 Twinset pattern Top for this, although I think I might have done better with a Marfy tank pattern I like. I put a little side seam ruching at the hem, although you can't really see it in the photo.

From PinkTop

The polka dot fabric is a scrap I had on hand, and I think it turned out really cute.

I used the binding method given by Jalie in their #3024 knit dress pattern. Thanks Kay for noting these great instructions some time ago. I use them a lot now. Basically, you cut your binding 3x your seam allowance width, which will also be your finished width. This works for either binding on the right side or on the wrong side. The other side is always clean-finished.

From PinkTop