Archive | March, 2008

Philadelphia Dreaming

30 Mar


Well, I’m back from the City of Brotherly Love. I love that Baltimore is within an hour of two bigger cities (DC and Philadelphia).


We trekked there yesterday for our French basics class. I cannot believe how incredibly easy French bread is.

That night we went out to see a play and headed to a nearby lounge.



So, I’m home now and trying to sort out what to work on. I can’t be the only one who is immobilized at times trying to figure out what to make next. Last weekend, I went through my patterns and my stash and came up with over 20 projects I wanted to make!! And that’s just the spring / summer clothes.

But, I think I’m going to make pants next. How did I arrive at pants?

I knocked out the dresses because they are summer dresses and couldn’t be worn for a couple months and I need clothes NOW. Jeans were knocked out because they can’t be worn to work and I need ‘it’s still cool outside’ work clothes. I liked the blouses, but I don’t have bottoms to wear with them…. so, that leaves me with pants. There were three on my list and I went with the one that bridges winter and spring.

Which makes me wonder, how do you decide what you’re making next?

So, last weekend I traced and cut a muslin for a pair of pants. BWOF 9-2007-115. The fit in front is pretty good. And with Sigrid’s tutorial, I at least understood the pockets.


I just need to take out about 2 inches for a sway back adjustment (no photo because this muslin is thin and this is still a family blog). Pretty good for me. I’m dreaming of them in a plaid like the model below.


But, I’m making it up in a dark khaki from A Fabric Place. I don’t need the stress of matching plaids on top of a fly front and those side yokes. But, I sure do *love* plaid pants.

I can make things happen by just *saying* so

28 Mar

From Sunday’s Post: But, I’m on the hunt for a full skirt, vintage pattern with a simple but interesting bodice. Short or 3/4 sleeves too. I think that will be the best way to show off two of the really big prints. And use all six yards of fabric.

Then, like magic, two days later, Vogue’s new Spring patterns turn up online and I get an email from them today:

Both are vintage, have full skirts, 3/4 sleeves, and simple yet interesting bodices. See. I can make things happen by sheer force of will.

And I have *just* the fabrics. Two of the four remaining Ghana wax prints.

Now, I just need a $3.99 pattern sale.

** ETA: It would appear I am bordering on all powerful. Vogues are on sale at Joann next weekend. Dude. Don’t make me mad, eh?

Raincoat Fabric

28 Mar

** Did you know that the phrase ‘Burberry’ is totally copyrighted and can’t even be used in fair use? You’d think that would have come up during Law of Mass Communications back in college. ‘Zipper’ certainly did. Thanks Els

Well girls, I’m overwhelmed by the response to my last post on sewing and dating. I wrote that post in a highly unusual burst of melancholy (new babies from friends, wedding invites, three dates in two weeks and a few too many ‘couples’ dinner parties). I was actually going to delete it when I got up that morning ‘cuz I was afraid it sounded whiny, but saw it struck a chord with so many of us.

I am trying (albeit slowly) to write back to everyone who posted (with an email address). But, I want to give a huge ‘thank you’ for responding. I actually don’t have the words to describe how valued your posts made me feel. There is one big thing we need to take from the comments. We have got to start taking more pride in what we do. We don’t just ‘sew’ we ‘create’! Thanks for everyone who weighed in on that.

After PR weekend, I went back on my fabric diet. It’s a diet I plan to stick with until June. But, well, I may have found myself at the all-you-can-eat buffet of fabric called ‘A Fabric Place‘. For the uninitiated, it’s owned by the same folks who run Michael’s Fabrics.


See, what happened was…. Anna in my office needed chiffon for a dress that my friend Lilia is making for her. And a California based friend mentioned that she was digging the B-berry from Michael’s website. So, I offered to take Anna there yesterday and look at the rain coat print. I somehow walked out with four yards of this beautiful stuff. The photo does not do it justice. It’s double sided with a firm hand. The colors are just inky and rich!

Now, in my defense I used a gift certificate from my admin at Christmas and he gave me a sweet discount. So when all was said and done, just $31. Tell me where you can get a English style trench for $31??

But, here’s how it impacts you. Michael says if you call and order in the next three days, he’ll sell it to you for $14 a yard also. It’s currently $19 on the website. And the tag said 26 Euros a meter! So, chickies, shoot me an email and I’ll give you his cell phone number if you are interested.

Dating and Sewing

26 Mar

Last night I had a second date. It was a *great* date. We both talked about our passions. Mine was clearly sewing, his was wine.

But, I found myself holding back a wee bit. I mean, I am the girl that blogs almost daily about my sewing exploits and flies to California to meet my Virtual Friends. Some people might take this the wrong way.

**When in LA regaling Leslie and Christina with my dating stories, Christina said I should blog about my dating life. I told her I’ve hesitated to do this because it could come back to haunt me at some point. Then, I realized tonight that being a single 30 something, dating is actually a big part of my life. It’s definitely a part of my shtick.

Case in point. A few weeks ago I had a 5:00 a.m. date at Dulles Airport. He lives in No. Va. and works in DC, so meeting up wasn’t exactly easy. He was flying to Dallas and I was flying to LA for West Coast PR Weekend from the same airport (I wasn’t kidding when I said I was going to bring this up whenever possible). He suggested we meet at Dulles since our flights were within an hour of each other.

We met. We talked. It was going *ok* until he started pushing me on why I was going to California. I said it was a conference. He asked what kind of conference. “Ummm. Well. I’m meeting a group of women I know from the internet that sew.” What’s that strange sound? Oh, those are crickets chirping.

He eventually asked, ‘What, like a Star Trek convention?”
“Uhhh. Sort of.”
Crestfallen he said, “So, what are you? Like a stay at home mom type?”

Insert sound of record scratching. Date over and I hadn’t even gotten coffee yet.

So, my question is this: At what point do you let someone in on your obsession?

Over the weekend, Leslie made a great point. Sewing is a solitary venture. It’s not something you usually do with other people. But, that’s why the internet is so fantastic. It brings you together with people you wouldn’t be friends with in your ordinary life.

Through the internet I have become friends with women from California, the Netherlands, the midwest, France and Scotland. I’ve become friends with women outside of my social circle and far outside of my culture. It has brought me closer with my sewing sisters from all over the world. But, it’s kind of hard to explain to people who don’t ‘get it’.

Do you get the sarcastic questions of, ‘Oh. Did you make that too?” or ‘I guess you don’t have enough work to do if you have time to make that.” I do love, “You know you could buy that for less money” and “I wish I had time to make clothes for myself but I have children.” Or my all-time, March Madness Finals favorite, “Maybe if you spent less time sewing and more time putting yourself out there you wouldn’t be single.”

So, I ask you. At what point do you let the object of your affection or the woman who works in the office next to you know that you eat, breathe, and sleep sewing? Or, am I the only one with this neurosis?

My Easter Basket

23 Mar


I am 100 percent in LOVE with how the Betty Shopper bag is coming along.

The exterior is complete and the lining and pockets need to be sewn up. It’ll be a couple of weeks though. I used a friend’s industrial to sew this on and I can only get over there on weekends. This upcoming weekend I’m taking a five hour French cooking class at the Viking Cooking School outside of Philadelphia with a friend. Hmmmmm, wonder if I can talk her in to a stop along Fabric Row. Just to look! I’m back on my fabric diet until June.


I don’t know that this bag needed the industrial, but, it sure made sewing through two layers of Peltex 71 (at Joanns in the interfacing section) needed for the bottom of the bag much easier. And it’s so fast. And, it does an automatic backstitch. And, it cuts the thread at the end of a stitch. Sigh.

The bag is ginormous. You need quite the berth to sew it.


I love that it’s keeping its shape standing up. Phyllis was right! It’s all about the right interfacing! I dunno what this is. I got it on a huge roll in LA.

I took Kathleen’s advice and pressed and pressed and pressed so that the seams were wide and flat. Should you take this on, find your tailor board or a sleeve board for all the nooks and crannies.


I did cut the pockets wrong :( . I need to get some plain (i.e. inexpensive) broadcloth or gingham to re-cut.


I’m also going to order some purse feet. This fabric is too pretty to let sit on the floor. This same Alexander Henry Print can be found at j creative online. I may get in to this bag thing. I found about five bags in my BWOF archive.

And this came in the mail. I love half.com. The book was less than $5. You can thank my roommate from LA, Leslie, for this. She showed me his stingy fabric cutting technique and I was sold.

Happy Easter for those who celebrate. This is by far my favorite holiday. Although, this time of year makes me remember how I used to get a week off for Passover at my last job. Those my friends, were the days.

Weekly Roundup

22 Mar

I really enjoy hearing from you guys and appreciate the comments. It’s like having a conversation with you! But, I’ve gotten slow at individual responses. So, this is going to be my new weekly feature.

Jan posted a great link in the comments for color matching for women of color. It’s over at Bella Online.

Toby Wollin talked about her days in theater and lighting African American women. I know when I worked at a TV station aeons ago, the techs gave me my ‘special’ setting. I should figure out how to post a video clip from DVD.

Nancy Karpen asked how the wax prints are made. According to the GTP site, it’s just another way of printing fabric. Some of mine are cotton and one is something called Woodin. But, I don’t remember which one. But, when I was in Ghana, I made my own print. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it. Maybe a halter?

I have about four more that I want to work with. But, I’m on the hunt for a full skirt, vintage pattern with a simple but interesting bodice. Short or 3/4 sleeves too. I think that will be the best way to show off two of the really big prints. And use all six yards of fabric.

Big thanks to Angela who let me know that yesterday’s headwrap is called a ‘gele’. She also has a new blog where she utilizes ethnic prints and vintage designs.

Nancy W. tells me that the podcast doesn’t download. She’s right. You have to go to the podbean site and subscribe to it through iTunes (down on the bottom right). That will let it download to your computer so you can listen to it on your ipod.

I have a big party in three weeks so my sewing is going to be (well, needs to be) limited as I get the house ready. There were two suggestions for a comparison of NY and LA fabric shopping. So, I’ll be writing that up in the meantime.

Thanks for the handbag links. I’m off to sew that today on the industrial!

Remember me?

22 Mar

Gentle Readers,

Thank you for the lovely and funny comments on yesterday’s post. I just want to clarify that I know some colors don’t work on some people. I’ve been lucky in what I work with. I *know* I’m not a designer, but I can pick the right color for me. Which probably precludes me from even being a stylist some day, lol.
You know, I had been feeling pretty unproductive the last month and now I know why! I had about three UFOs stashed away waiting for their debut.
Good grief! How long did this shirt take me to make?

For this iteration, I used a gray, black, red and white striped shirting from Metro Textiles. The buttons are the $.90 for 10 from Joann. I tried different interfacings on this one too. For the button placket I used a knit fusible from Joann and Shirt Tailor for the collar and cuffs. Shirt tailor is super stiff. But, I wanted it like that.

Muslin first, finished garment second

Thank you all for your help on the fit. At the end, here’s what I did:

  • narrow shoulder adjustment
  • added an inch to the bicep
  • rounded shoulder adjustment
  • swayback adjustment
  • added 1/2 inch across the upper back

Muslin first, finished garment second

It’s far more comfortable now and doesn’t feel restrictive. Marji made a good point when she asked me the last time I wore a woven blouse without any stretch. I’d say about 1990. There is something in that kind of fit to get used to.

Mimi was right in that my upper back is probably more developed from yoga and swimming than I realized. Once she pointed that out, those back measurements made more sense.

Also, I like my cuffs wider so they will slide up my forearm further when I stretch. Widening that helped me feel less restricted too.

Oh, the buttonholes on the pattern are a little over two inces long. My new Kenmore doesn’t make them that long automatically. So, I just made the largest buttonhole it could.

I did manage to sew up one buttoned cuff the wrong way. But, no one but you and I are going to know that.


This is a great pattern. I love, love, love the double cuffs. I love the long buttonholes. I love everything about it. But, I’m sick of sewing it! I was going to work on another blouse. But, I am taking a woven blouse break.

Green

21 Mar

Last year when Oprah opened her school in South Africa, a fashion writer friend of mine was asked to write about the uniforms because they were green. Her editor said, “You know black people don’t look good in green.” I thought that was pretty ridiculous. Then, I ran into this passage from the 1964 edition of the Dritz Guide to Modern Sewing.

Most Negroes have the same colored hair and eyes. But, their skin tones have every color in the rainbow in them: red, blue, green and yellow. Negroes can wear vivid colors because high shades are most becoming, just as they are to brunettes. Contrasts of pure white are most dramatic with ebony skin tones, as are pale blue, pink, and lavender. All the blues are lovely on those with red-purple or purple-blue skin undertones. We found that the one color most Negroes had to avoid was green, particularly a yellowish green.

#124 May 2007 BWOF and #7829 Burda Pattern

Oh. My bad.

I’m not taking the passage above seriously at all. I actually find it kind of amusing. It also got me thinking about color. I’ve had people ask me how a color looks on them. I am useless.

The concept of not looking good in a color doesn’t make sense to me. So, I can give no feedback. There is no color I can’t wear. I don’t like myself in black, but I don’t think I look bad in it. My dad won’t wear red because of a comment made to him when he was a kid about it looking… country. In LA (I‘m going to keep saying LA until the glow wears off. Just a warning) another brown skin participant fretted that white was too much of a contrast. I reminded her the Michael Knight from Project Runway famously said, ‘black people look hot in white.” But, I think the author is partly right, I like how I look in pale blue, lavender and pink.


At any rate, this dress is really for Christina and AJ in Scotland. Christina shamed me about this UFO by asking what was going on with it in LA. AJ told me months ago she liked green and I told her I had a green dress in the works.

If you recall, I started the Panama dress back in December when I was planning my January trip to Panama. The stupid invisible zipper broke over the piping and I put it away until I could get a regular zipper and learn how to install it.

Well, last night I was catching up on the L Word (I saw one of the actresses from in it LA) and decided to put some of the Susan Khalje hand sewing workshop techniques from LA to work. And (drums please), I put in a hand picked zipper. Thank you Marji for insisting I take that class.

You know, until six months ago, I didn’t know what a handpicked zipper even was. I first read it on Tany’s blog. Last month, when working on the cocktail dress, Carolyn suggested I handpick the zipper and I went ahead and did it on my machine because I didn’t even know how to do one.

And they were all right. It *does* take less time to do it by hand. It *is* more accurate. But, it takes some getting used to the look of it if you’ve been an invisible zipper girl your entire sewing life.

There are several things I am proud of with this dress.


I took special care to match the prints and I pieced the border print to make the waist band (inspired by Summerset’s version.).

I interlined the bodice with silk organza for support and to reduce wrinkles
I made the lining from batiste to keep the dress breezy. I also added bra cups.

And, it’s green :) And it fits. I was a little worried during construction that it would be small.


The headwrap I’m practicing. I’m loaning some dresses for a fashion show this summer. I wanted to show that you could use ethnic prints without looking costumey. Well, I also have the day off and it was enough for me to put on makeup for photos so, I covered up the hair.

I think this would be great for work (minus the headwrap) with a little cropped white jacket. I wonder what I was looking at….

Trena and Cidell: Episode II: Sewing History

19 Mar

Thanks for the positive feedback on our first podcast. There’s a second episode available. You can download it here or listen below

Trena and I stayed up way too late on Monday to record another podcast. You can play it above or go to our podcast site to download to iTunes.

We’re working on a version with photos included, but we might have to find another site to host for that.

We also float some names for the podcast in this episode. Take a moment to tell us what you think

Up Next: Betty Shopper

18 Mar

So, the last time I tried to make a bag it was about 10 years ago when the boxy Kate Spade bag was all the rage. I *lusted* for that bag. Simplicity had a version of it. When I was done, it was a crafty homemade looking hot mess.

Oh. Wow. They are still printing the pattern.

This pretty much made me decide that home sewn bags were no good. Recently, I’ve been inspired, by Stephanie at Creative Reveries and Peacock Chic’s Amy Butler Weekender.

I really want to make the Weekender Bag. But, over PR Weekend, both Leslie in Austin and MelissaB warned me that making the bag was a physical battle. So, I went with something easier. I’m trying the Betty Shopper in an Alexander Henry print. I’m going to sew it on my friend’s industrial too. I’m drawn to it mostly, because I think the model looks like me. The second model. Not the blonde.

Ok. She doesn’t look like me. But, that’s how I want my arms to look when I carry my version around this summer. Girl.

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