Sewing ADD

I can't seem to finish anything these days. I broke down and bought myself a new sewing machine for my birthday. This was over a month ago.

True Love. We can grow old together and have matching rocking chairs. Sigh. 

I actually finished the sofa, it spends all it's time under a sheet to keep the fur off of it. ... I need to figure out a better way to keep it clean... how does one slip cover a camel back sofa?   Thoughts? I have made:

• two pairs of PJ's for EZ's mom.
• a throw sized quilt
• two ugly throw pillows
• half a mermaid costume. 
• half a jacket for my sister
• a cocktail dress
• half a pair of drop front pants for the BF 

These were made from left over canvas  from the sofa. I dyed them. ... they were supposed to be mustard and navy. I also thought it'd be a good idea to try to shirr canvas. I'm not the brightest crayon sometimes. These will be re-dyed or scrapped haven't made up my mind yet. 

The pillow was made from a freeby sweater. I most certainly don't wear a size small, but I couldn't pass up the wool/CASHMERE  blend in such a pretty cable knit! 

 Lazy person's quilt. AKA a rag quilt, 5'x5' flannel on the back so cozy, sorry the pictures suck, not like you're reading this right now. hardy-har-har.  Also clipping the fuzzy rag seams, is taking a million years, so another unfinished project.

Detail of cuff

My first machine button holes, I'm stupid proud of these suckers

I can explain!!! a million years ago, when I was a wee lass learning to sew, I lost my buttonhole foot. Never bought another one, and thus never learned how to use this wonderfully simple, magical tool.

Flannel and cotton shirting

 Occasionally I get the urge to make something completely unpractical. It's half Simplicity 4043, half Jenny. Like BurdaStyle high-waisted pencil skirt, Jenny, because I am fat and do not wish to offend anyone with my corpulence. I can't wait for Halloween, can you tell?   

The dress was a plum colored cotton sateen. Another BurdaStyle pattern. Sewed together like a dream, fit like a glove. I put it on an less than an hour before we needed to leave to get to the wedding and the damned zipper decided to separate. I don't think EZ's ever seen someone swear like a sailor and cry at the same time.   I had swore I'd burn the damned-able dress and give up Coats and Clark zippers, but, alas I am weak. Really, find me another brand of zipper that is available locally and I will love you forever. 

A week of two ago I tried on a pair of cigarette pants. I am 5'9" and they looked like Hobbit pants. I bought them anyway, because I am an idiot. The thought of such an Audrey Hepburn esq. garment makes me drool a bit. I wised up and decided to make a pattern from my favorite skinny jeans. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find jeans these days that have a zipper longer than 2" inches in them, I mean like honest to god (or whoever) medium rise jeans? Anyway the fabric for those is in the dryer along with these two beauties:

Rust colored linen/rayon blend and a quilter's cotton print. 

New throw pillows?

Had to share this

Biggest dress ever?. Source.

I have things I *should* be working on, like that dress for the wedding that is less than 2 weeks away.... Instead I've been working on my Halloween costume, It fits great! I made a full bust adjustment and redrafted the pattern to have built in lapels instead of lapels as a separate pattern piece, which is the stupidest thing I've seen in a while. I also reshaped the upper collar since it wouldn't lie right in the back. I hate it. It's so PLAID! too....sigh. Why can I not picture things in my head better? Any suggestions ? maybe I'll scrap the whole thing and make a mermaid outfit instead....

Even the dress dummy looks fat in this thing.

I made this thing last weekend.

I've been on a quest to make work appropriate clothing that feels like pajamas.This little beauty is fleece. Unfortunately it's still too warm to wear it. I also made the ubiquitous BurdaStyle Jenny, it was a breeze to make and is to my surprise extremely comfortable, I can't wait to wear it with patterned tights! Cool weather now, please! 

Please ignore the button gap,
I swear I fixed it before leaving the house!

The best part about this skirt is the finishing inside, wish I had a picture, all the seams are finished with this darling lime green w/ white polka dot bias tape. 

Breakin' Stuff, Fixin' Stuff

The swimsuit didn't work out. I couldn't get the needed um, support out of it, but well summer is all but gone here. I have on the other hand started Halloween costumes! It's my favorite holiday, I guess I'm a bit ridiculous. Unfortunately the BabyLock shit it's self again. Mr. E's' coat was made entirely on HIS old Kenmore. Laugh all you want, my boyfriend owns a sewing machine (I certainly do). Honestly, that thing is a work horse, I mean it's loud and it smells funny, but gets the job done. 

Sorry for the jammie jams!

The coat still needs buttons in the front (the Kenmore doesn't have a buttonfoot), and a helluva pressing, but is other wise done.

Honestly, I miss my BabyLock with all it's quiet speed and stitch options that I never use. Sooooo.................. have you ever wondered what it really looks like under there when you "pop the hood"? Me too. I figured there's no way I'm paying to have this thing fixed AGAIN in less than 18 months. So (naturally) I took it apart to see if I could fix it. 

Does anyone else feel the urge to make something steampunk after looking at this?

Let's be clear on something, when the repair guy mentions "timing", he's talking about the synchronicity of the needle (and feed dogs, which are run by the same gears up top) and the hook part that the bobbin case sits in, you know the piece that brings the bobbin thread around to the needle. To adjust the timing you're going to have to remove the bottom panel on the machine (and in my case the rest of the plastic "skin" to get to the space under the bobbin holder

The above mentioned "hook"

you should be looking at something like this:

This gear is what turns your bobbin holder/hook dealie. If you loosen the teeny tiny screws pointed to in the above picture (they're not actually screws, you'll need the smallest alan wrench ever), mine has three, the gear will stop moving the hook part. Now when you hand crank the machine only the feed dogs and needle are moving.... see where this is going? The hook part can still be moved manually, but is now independent of the other parts. This will take some fiddling with but essentially you'll want the needle to be at it's lowest point as the hook is at about the point in the picture above. Once you have it right tighten those "screws" back down take her out back and take the compressor to her... you wouldn't believe the fabric fluff bunnies that accumulate in there! Now put her back together and pat yourself on the back for saving $90.00; go buy some fabric. Squee! 

Bathing Costume Progress

So. I fiddled around with bra (swimsuit w/ under-wire) making and decided it passed my skill and patience level. 

Looks ok, now try sewing that to a band, without everything rippling horribly. Ha!

I decided I'd really rather have a one piece any way. Enter the Alison Pattern from BurdaStyle that I mentioned last post.

 I've been making mods as I go. I lowered the leg holes and cut one of each "body" piece normally. Like lining. Then took the front piece, cut it in three and  lengthened by say 18"  to give the gathered look. So far, so good. I doubled (DOUBLED!) the size of the chest piece.... this may have been overkill. In the picture below it (the chest bit) is mostly pinned in place I am going to have to sew those pleats on the side in some way to get the under-boob bagginess fixed. I am pleased so far but haven't hit any of the hard stuff yet, like attaching the bra to the suit. I guess that's kind of cheating but....

  Also, I am pleased to learn (don't laugh) that my machine has not one but six (SIX!!!) stretch stitches, not to mention all the fun stetchiness to be had with a double needle!  I guess for as long as I've been sewing I'm still have soooo much to learn.

P.S. Can any one tell me their experience with a ballpoint needle versus the "stretch" needles? Seems to give  the same results, either way, at least no skipped stitches!

Boobs, and Swimsuits

Here's the deal. I'm a 36G. A friend of mine introduces me to people as "Casey, the one with the huge boobs I was telling you about." While a lot of people would be happy to be so well erm endowed, but it creates a constant challenge to find clothes that fit, bras that don't cost a small fortune (or look like your grandmother's undies) and in summer, swim suits. Let's not talk about things like jogging or playing sports. lol. I've become a fan of Ali over at The Wardrobe, Reimagined , so when she  proposed a (pick your own garment) sew-a-long for June I knew what I wanted to make. Enter the vintage inspired bathing suit. 

I've toyed with the idea of modifying the Alison pattern  from Burda Style because it's adorable and lets not forget free. It will need a lot of modifications. A bathing suit is daunting on it's own I am faced with the additional challenge of making sure it has proper support for my ridiculous chest. I picked up this adorable suit at Figleaves.com a few weeks ago

It really is that cute in person.

I looked it over for a while and decided it's basically a bra with extra fabric over the cups. So logic goes that with the parts of an old bra I should be able to recreate the look with a retro spin. So I've been ripping apart an old bra with similar lines, for he last 45 minutes to salvage "parts". I'll be working a mock up in the morning wish me luck! 

Summer Sewing

I'll admit I'm a nut about dresses when the mercury gets above 85 degrees. They keep you cooler than anything else you might wear and you never have to worry about matching tops and bottoms. Instant outfit! Bam!

Simplicity 2362. Sewed up like a dream in two sewing sessions. I will be making more of this pattern for sure!

 

Another Simplicity pattern by Cynthia Rowley. Honestly the binding/neckline trim bit gave me fits, after a few times picking seams I decided it looked okay, and left it. I love the pattern and have two more dresses made up in just jersey but because of the neck binding, they're around the house wear until fixed grrrr. I am proud of my first invisible zipper (as sorta seen in the pic on the right) with pockets! had to read the directions to figure that one out! lol.

Felt flowers!!! found the tutorial here.

http://icandyhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/03/tutorial-box-fold-felt-flower-tutorial.html  

Someone stop me before I add these to everything. 

I also dug Erik's Regency Tailcoat of Doom out of purgatory. And got the sleeves on. As in set where I want them! It's been sitting for four months  (okay maybe six) and I honestly I've lost direction on it.... it's so franken-patterned I'm not sure what I need to do next but... well it's a step. Maybe the collar... the velvet collar.... I shudder to think of it. 

 Next up Butterick 6582. The fluffy one on the left, I think. With a new petticoat. mmmmmm

Maybe in this? maybe not.

Anyway I'm leaving you with this. This little bugger is growing on me. Don't die of cuteness. 

Near Conniption

I WANT A NEW SEWING MACHINE!! Whine. I'm having tension problems with this knit dress. I have consulted my manual about the proper tension for the stitch I am using, I'm using the right thread and even bought ballpoint needles.... what is wrong with this monster?!  This thing was just serviced like half a dozen garments ago... After 11 years together I feel like a bad seamstress because I've been eyeballing this http://www.amazon.com/SINGER-4423-Heavy-Sewing-Machine/dp/B003VWXZQ0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1337119907&sr=8-7  because let's face it, I can''t afford a Bernina. Sad day. Then my dream of launching this wretched hunk of metal from my highest window can be fulfilled! Thank you, that is all.

How to Iron Your Sofa

First I must say that I slacked last weekend by running off to Arkansas. The people talk funny and most of them seem kinda slow, but they have more than their fair share of gorgeous camping opportunities. After four(ish) hours of driving and miles and miles of this 

Oh and a few (hundred) of these 

we arrived here:

Anyway back to ironing the sofa...again. I was so excited when I got my foam home that I wrestled it into the cover without ironing it. This was a mistake. I realized at this point that it should probably be washed in super hot water to snug it up.... because I ran out of cushion wrap :( So the next best thing is a super hot iron with steam. can I just say that I tested my irons water spray range and it clears a good 9 feet. Back to business.

looking better!

So. More cushion wrap it'll have to be. I need to put the right front arm on and more piping here and there and she's done. Then I get to make a million throw pillows. I've been looking into this

http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/09/a-citrasolv-transfer-onto-fabric-a-tutorial.html

so I can make stuff like this

with all the cool graphics like these

Most of which were found here.

http://www.graphicsfairy-diy.com/