Fabric Shopping Trip

A few days ago, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to sew.  Some of my sewing friends were making t-shirts, so I browsed the internet trying to find a good source of knit fabrics to use for t-shirts even though I knew I had a stash of knits on hand.  I soon realized that even if I found fabric to order, it would be days if not weeks before I received it.  So, I moved to another project.  I decided maybe it was time to sew for charity.  The Lansing Chapter of the American Sewing Guild is sewing this year for a baby pantry in Lansing.  In ordinary times all of us would be making clothes for children to donate to this charity.  We would even schedule a day to sew together to make clothes for the pantry.  But these are not ordinary times and I haven’t heard much about this project.  I decided it was time for me to get started.

I found a pattern in my stash that I think will be perfect for a small child.  It is one I purchased when my granddaughter was young and I never got around to make it for her.  She just turned 21.  The pattern is Simplicity 8948.  This pattern meets my needs because it is cute and quick to cut out and assemble.  The pinafore top is lined so there are no facings to cut out and sew.  It does have two buttonholes and two buttons.  That should be easy enough.  The panties have an elastic waist and elastic encased in the leg openings.  Only two pattern pieces are needed.  After sewing one of this outfit, I should be able to cut out several and sew them together as in a production line.

In order to proceed, I needed fabric for the first outfit and more fabric for the “production line”.  I found one piece of fabric in my sewing room I could use for the pinafore, but I needed another piece for the lining and the panties.   I realized I needed to shop for fabric that did not require waiting for shipment or pickup.  The only place I knew where I could get fabric instantly during this pandemic was right here at home.  If I didn’t have the right fabric in my sewing room, I probably had something I could use at my “other location”.  I decided to take a fabric shopping trip all the way down to my basement!  And wouldn’t you know, I found some fabrics I could use.  I traveled back to my sewing room and cut out the first pinafore and panties in a size 2 toddler. 

A picture of the completed project is shown below along with a picture of the pattern envelope,

I hope you are having fun with your sewing projects.  If you run out of fabric or other sewing supplies, remember that most fabric shops are doing curbside pickup.  That includes Country Stitches in East Lansing.

Judy