Tribute to Stoney Bretz

Warning!  This is not a post about how to sew anything or any new sewing technique.   No, this article is about the loss of a dear friend and a sewing enthusiast.  This morning (December 21, 2021) Stoney Bretz passed away peacefully at her new residence with her husband, Donald, by her side.  She got her third diagnosis of cancer about five months ago.  Our Wednesday morning sewing group was at her house when she received the call.  She took the news calmly as if it were just a call about a routine visit with a doctor.  I got a sinking feeling in my stomach.  I knew that this time there might not be a miracle.  I went home with a deep sadness in my heart.  I was afraid this time might be the last.  She was already having a lot of pain even before the diagnosis.

Stoney took the chemo and radiation treatments in stride even though they were painful, especially the radiation.  The pain never left her.  Each time I talked with her on the phone, her voice sounded weaker, and she sounded so tired.  I visited her at home a few times and each time I could see the weariness and the toll of the pain.

Then she fell during the night and was taken to the hospital via ambulance.  I knew things were getting bleaker.  Then Stoney and Donald were moved to a senior living apartment with care available for both of them.  I was relieved that they would receive the care they needed, but I also knew things would never be the same for my friend or for me either.  Life changes!

This morning I went to visit Stoney.  As my husband, her husband and I sat and talked, Stoney quietly and peacefully slipped away.  She escaped that horrible pain and went to eternal peace!

Stoney had many friends in the local sewing community.  She hosted three different sewing groups at her home; providing sewing machines for everyone in the groups so they wouldn’t have to transport their own machine for the meetings.   She shared a wealth of knowledge about quilting, sewing, and embroidery with all of us in those groups.  If someone needed something they forgot to bring, Stoney could usually come up with it.  I think I sewed with Stoney in these groups for about twenty-five years.  I enjoyed all those years and thought they would continue forever.  All good things really do come to an end eventually!

Stoney was a member of the Lansing Clippers American Sewing Guild and hosted meetings for the Embroidery Neighborhood Group at her home once a month.  She was also a member of a local quilt guild and a painting guild.  She was always generous with her time and her talents.  She taught many of us how to quilt and taught others how to improve their sewing, quilting, and embroidery techniques.

Stoney Bretz has left this earth but will not be forgotten!  May she rest in peace.

Judy

 

 

 

Are You Inspired or Driven to Sew?

Usually, I sew garments or bags and then post an article on my blog about the item.  Lately, I have not sewn much of anything and, therefore, I haven’t posted on my blog.  It isn’t that I haven’t sewn at all.  I have, but it has been a hodgepodge of items.  The mixture includes children’s tee shirts, potholders, dish towels, and hot pads.  I have also altered tee shirts and pants that no longer fit me.    All of this caused me to wonder if I am inspired or driven to sew.

One definition of inspire is “to stimulate or impel to some creative or effective effort”.  That said, I am often inspired by many sources.  I get ideas and inspiration from seeing what others sew.  That is why I love to belong to different sewing groups.  I also like to see what styles are current in ready-made fashion.  Inspiration is there for the taking.  And remember, what you sew may inspire others to sew. 

Perhaps you are inspired by the creative process.  I think most people I know who love to sew fall into this category.  Create can mean “to make or design something requiring art, skill, invention, etc.”.  I think we can agree that every time we sew something, we make something that requires skill.  Sewing can also require imagination and invention.  Sometimes we have to create a different way to get the end result we desire.    

 One definition for drive is “to work or try hard to reach a goal”.   It can also mean “the power or vigor to get things done”.   We need drive to finish those projects we start.  Sometimes the projects are difficult and time consuming.  Then we need the drive to push through and complete the job.  We also need drive for the mundane ones as well.  Those could include mending, altering, and making small gifts, i.e. potholders, dish towels, etc. 

We may be inspired to make clothes for ourselves, but maybe the standard patterns don’t fit our bodies.  In that case, we definitely need the drive to develop fitting skills in order to reach our inspired goal of sewing clothes. 

In answer to my question, I think we are both inspired and driven to sew.  The really good thing about sewing is the more you sew, the more skilled you become.  And the more skilled you become, the more inspired and driven you are!  I don’t know about you, but I intend to keep sewing and I know the inspiration and drive will be there for me.

Below is a picture of some of the simple, easy items in my hodgepodge of sewing.

Judy

 

The Oriole Bag

I just took a look at my posts from the last 18 months.  It was an eye-opener for me!  My review showed I have sewn more items than I thought.  Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in this area (March 2020), I have sewn 1 cape, 22 tops, 3 pairs of capris pants, 1 pair of jeans, 1 skirt, 4 purses, 1 duffle bag, 1 small lined bag with a zipper, 1 wrist wallet, 1 table runner, 2 pot holders, 1 baby quilt, 2 receiving blankets, 5 outfits for toddlers, 6 baby bibs, 3 burp cloths, and lots of masks. 

Beyond showing me the quantity of my sewing, it also showed me that I have come full circle in those 18 months.  I still experience periods of “sewing slumps” and my community as well as the rest of the world is still dealing with the pandemic.  When, if ever, will it end?

I am not going to worry about when it will end because that is out of my control.  However, I can control what I do each day.  I am going to focus on doing the things I enjoy.  That includes spending time with my husband, family and friends when possible; planning and completing sewing projects; learning new things and sharing information with others; and taking road trips.  That should keep me busy!

After several weeks of no sewing, I downloaded a free purse pattern from Sew Sweetness Pattern Company at https://sewsweetness.com/.  They sell bag patterns and bag-making supplies.  I decided this simple purse pattern might be just what I needed to activate my desire to sew again. 

I looked for something in my stash to use to try out this pattern.  I found some scraps of a wool tweed that were just large enough to cut out the purse, but no fabric was left to use for the strap.  I looked for some black strapping, but I did not have any on hand.  I found a leather strap  from a purse I threw away long ago.  I decided to use that on this purse.

I was surprised to find I had almost everything I needed to make the purse.  The only thing I had to purchase was a set of D-rings.  I was able to get those from an Amish harness shop at a very reasonable price, so I didn’t have to drive to a fabric shop for any of my supplies.  My husband enjoyed the trip to the harness shop much more than he would have enjoyed a trip to a fabric store!

The free purse pattern from Sew Sweetness also came with access to a free video that showed how to make the purse.  Both the written directions and the video gave clear, easy to follow instructions.  The pattern is called the Oriole Bag.  I also purchased some patterns from the site and each of them came with an instructional video. 

A picture of the finished bag is shown below.

 

It looks like the Oriole Bag has gotten me out of my sewing slump.  Now I am looking forward to planning some new sewing projects.

Are you experiencing a sewing slump?  If you are, try searching the internet for some new ideas for sewing projects and maybe even a free pattern to get you excited about sewing again.  Christmas is coming and you might want to sew a few gifts instead of waiting for all those idle ships off the coast to dock and unload their cargo.  Even after that, it will be a while before the goods reach their destinations to become available for you to purchase.  Just something to think about!

Have fun sewing!

Judy

 

 

Contest Failure

In my last post, I told you about a contest at PatternReview.com that ran from September 1 - September 30.  It was the Mini Wardrobe Contest and required all entrants to make two bottom garments and three tops within the month of September.   As I wrote my Sept. 26^th post, I had completed one garment and partially finished three others.  That left me with one garment to cut out and complete in addition to finishing the other three.  I knew that completing all that within four days would be difficult, but I set about doing it.

My husband provided support for me by making the meals and doing the dishes.  He also encouraged me by assuring me I could do it.  This was definitely a race to the finish line.

With that kind of pressure, you know what always happens.  Everything that can go wrong goes wrong!  That is exactly what happened.  When I put the fly front zipper in the jeans, it looked great until I did the two rows of top stitching around it.  Then I could see how really ugly it was!  The orange jeans thread I used for the top stitching really called attention to the too long fly.  It had to go.  I had to rip out all the top stitching, the fly guard, and the zipper.  I shortened the zipper and started over. 

When I went to cut out the sweater knit fabric for the third top, I could not convince myself it was navy striped; instead, it looked like black to me and I knew that would not look good with navy pants or navy jeans.  I used another grape sweater knit instead.  It was thin and difficult to cut.  It was even more difficult to sew.    The edges curled under as I tried to put seams together.  Ripping out stitches was almost impossible.  I finally completed the fifth and final item on September 28th.

I was exhausted, but my work was not done yet.  On September 29 my husband took the pictures of each outfit as required by the contest and I spent most of the day writing the required pattern reviews and posting the pictures. 

I had just one more item to complete.  I had to write an overall review of my process and post a composite picture of each top with each bottom garment. 

Today, September 30th, I threw in the towel!  I just could not do it.  I spent hours teaching myself how to use Windows Paint to stack six photos into one. I am done with it.  I deleted all the reviews and pictures I posted. 

I do not like to admit defeat, but I did complete all five garments within the timeframe before I gave up.  Now I need to move on.  I do not want to burn out on sewing.  I want sewing to be something I really enjoy.  I may enter another contest in the future, but it will not be anytime soon. 

Pictures of the three tops are shown below with the jeans.

A picture of the navy pants is shown below.

I hope you are having fun sewing!

Judy

My Experience as a Sewing Contestant

September is National Sewing Month.  Sewing is what I have been doing all month and a lot of it!  On September 4^th, I entered a contest at PatternReview.com.    It required the sewing of two bottom garments and three tops.  All the tops must be able to be worn with both bottom items.  The contest sounded easy enough.  After all, I just sewed four tops in three days at a sewing retreat in Shipshewana, Indiana.

I soon discovered it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.  When I made the four tops, I was away from home where I had no reason to do anything but sew.  That was not the case when I was at home.  There I had other responsibilities such as cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, going to appointments, attending church, preparing home-grown produce and fruits for the freezer and many other real-life activities.    All these things drew me away from sewing, but I gave the contest my best shot anyway!

I decided to make pants, jeans, a long-sleeved button down the front blouse, and two tee shirts.  My stash yielded fabric for each item.  The only things that required a trip to the fabric store were buttons and top-stitch thread.  I used patterns I had used in the past, so I foolishly expected things to go quickly with no problems.

For the pants I used a navy twill fabric and the “Fit for Art Eureka! Pants that Fit” pattern.  I have used this pattern many times so I was not surprised the pants went together without any problems.  However, the pants are not quite finished.  I still need to hem them and put the button and buttonhole in the waistband. 

The second item also went together well.  It was a long-sleeved tee shirt made with a blue printed cotton knit.  I used another pattern I have used many times, McCall’s M6964.  I felt I was on a roll!

The third item was a long-sleeved blouse with cuffs and buttons down the front.  The pattern was McCall’s M6750.  This is when my roll became a crawl!  Although I fit the pattern to me several years ago, I never actually made a garment using the pattern. 

I checked to see if the top still fit.  It did not!  I had gotten a little rounder, so the first adjustment I made was to eliminate the vertical darts in both the front and back pieces.  That gave me the additional room I needed for the blouse to go around me.  The next adjustment was to lower the bust darts.  Time made that adjustment necessary on this old body.   

Then I noticed a drag line on the back under the right shoulder.  It was caused because my right shoulder slopes more than my left one.  I was able to adjust the right shoulder seam and move on to next problem.

After making that adjustment, I really thought the sewing process would begin to speed along, but it did not.  I ran into a serious issue.  The sleeves would not fit into the armscyes no matter what I did!  I tried everything.  I put each sleeve in three times before I had to admit something was wrong with the pattern pieces.  I suspected that when I originally fit the pattern several years ago, I made an alteration on either the sleeve or bodice that I did not carry over to the other piece.  I did not have enough fabric left to re-cut the sleeves, so I had to improvise.  I was not going to throw the blouse away and start over with a different fabric.  There simply was not enough time to sew another blouse.  I ripped each sleeve out for the final time and sewed a dart in the sleeves that lined up with the shoulder line.  The sleeve caps still fit my arms and the darts are hardly noticeable. 

Here it is about 9 p.m. Sept. 26^th and I have one finished garment, three partially finished garments, and one garment that isn’t even cut out yet.   Will I be able to finish the garments within the timeframe of the contest?  I really do not know, but I am not giving up yet.  I will keep at it and let you know September 30^th.  In that post I will also tell you about my experience making jeans.  

In the meantime, I hope you are having fun sewing!

Judy

 

Sewing Knits at Sewing Retreat

Have you ever been to a sewing retreat where you can spend the day and as much of the night as you wish just sewing and visiting with others who enjoy sewing?  It is really fun and productive!  I just returned from a sewing retreat with the Lansing Clippers Chapter of the American Sewing Guild.  I had an enjoyable time and came back with four new tops ready for fall.  I also returned home inspired by the projects I saw others making.  I will soon be sewing with new ideas I got from other sewers and with a new burst of energy.

This year I took four knit tops to sew for my fall and winter wardrobe.  I cut them out at home in an effort to save some time at the retreat.  I wanted to be ready to sew as soon as I unpacked.  I even serged the edges before I left.  I did not serge the necklines and armscyes.  I thought that might distort them or have an impact on the fit of the sleeves and neck. 

I cut two of the tops from McCall’s M6964 and two from Kwik Sew 2900.  I used 5 different types of knit fabric.  There was mid-weight cotton knit, a loosely-woven sweater knit, a firmly-woven sweater knit, a very stretchy slinky-type knit, and a printed knit that had only a little stretch.  I had used both the McCall and Kwik Sew pattern many times but with a different type of knit fabric.  I realized that each of the four tops would probably fit me differently.  To be prepared for that situation, I cut each one ¼ inch larger at the side seams than my original two patterns.  I can always take a large seam allowance, if needed.

I combined the stretchy slinky-type knit with the printed knit to make a top with a yoke.  I made the yoke and sleeves from the printed knit and used the lilac slinky-type fabric for the lower front and back.  I used McCal’s M6964 for this top, so it has bust darts.  I did not make any alterations to the garment.  I sewed it exactly as I cut it and used a 5/8” seam.  It fits okay, but I probably could have left off the additional ¼” on the front and back at the side seams because the slinky-type knit has a lot of stretch.  A picture of the top is shown below.

 

Next, I sewed the loosely woven sweater knit using Kwik Sew 2900 with no bust darts.  I definitely did not need the extra ¼” I added to the front and back at the side seams.  I sewed the shoulder seams together and then used a ½ inch seam to baste the front and back together although the pattern called for ¼” seams.  I checked the fit and the top was still too large so I took another ¼” in at the side seams.  That worked much better; however, when I put on the top, it stood out away from my body at the hem edge.  I decided to add a band at the bottom to see if that would cause the top to lie flat.  The finished band width was 1 ¼” and it resolved the problem.  I used stay tape in the shoulder seams of this top as well as the others.  It keeps the shoulder seams in place and prevents stretching. 

The neckline of this top is larger than the other top made with the same pattern.  That is caused by the loose weave of the fabric.  I should have stabilized the neckline as soon as I cut it, but I did not do that.  Now that I have the band sewed onto the neckline, I will seek another solution to the problem.  I am thinking I might sew a turtleneck dickey for this top.  A picture of this top is shown below.

 

The third top I made was also a sweater knit, but it was much more closely woven than the black top.  I had no problems with it except I did not need that extra ¼” I added to the side seams, so I just took larger seams at the sides.  The fabric was much easier to work with than the knit shown above.  A picture of the finished green top is shown below.

The fourth top I made was an aqua mid-weight cotton knit.  I used McCall’s 6964 pattern.  I did not need the extra ¼” I added to the side seams.  It went together quickly without problems.  It does look a little plain, so I am thinking I may add an embroidery design to it at a later date.  A picture of the garment is shown below.

 

A good resource for sewing knits is the book, Knits for Real People by Susan Neall and Pati Palmer.  There is also an article about how to stabilize knits with stay tape in the current edition of Threads Magazine.  It is the Fall 2021 Number 215 edition and the article is on page 66.  Too bad I did not read the article before going to the retreat.  If I had, I might have handled the neckline of my black top differently!

I hope you will make something from knit fabric soon.  If you haven’t sewn with knits, do some research before you begin.  Have fun sewing whatever projects you choose!

Judy

 

 

                                                             Making Bags and Purses

I usually concentrate mainly on making garments; however, lately my focus has been on making a purse and a bag.  The change in my sewing focus occurred after a friend gave me a piece of fabric that was printed with lots of shoes and purses.  My friend gave me the fabric because she knows how much I love shoes.  I decided to use the fabric to make a purse.  I took McCall’s  M6532 out of my pattern stash and cut out the bag.  Once it was cut, I knew it was too large to be a purse.  I think it will be an overnight bag or a sewing project bag.  I can’t tell you I enjoyed making this bag.  I didn’t!  It was very cumbersome and hard to handle under the presser foot.  The main part of the bag consisted of 4 layers:  the main fabric, a medium weight fusible fleece, fusible Peltex interfacing, and the lining fabric.  In addition to those layers, the straps consisted of the main fabric doubled over and lined with a medium weight fusible fleece.  So, this purse required some heavy duty sewing with a denim needle.  The bag also had pull-tabs at each end made in the same manner as the straps.  However, they were doubled over to make the tabs and sewn right onto the center end seam.  The machine was required to sew through the four layers on the main part of the bag and the four layers on the top of the bag as well as sewing through both layers of the tab at the same time.  My Pfaff Creative Icon and I were not up for that challenge!  I couldn’t even get the seam to stay under the presser foot.

Finally, tired and exasperated, I decided to call my neighbor who makes purses and has a heavy-duty single stitch machine.  She told me to bring it to her and we would make it work.  After another two and one-half hours, Linda McCoy was able to sew the top of the bag on for me.  We did away with the pull tabs at the ends of the bag.  I think I now understand why having a commercial sewing machine would make a project like this a lot easier.  No, I will not be using this pattern again unless I make some modifications to it.  Pictures of the bag are shown below.

 

Recently, we were invited to a surprise birthday party for a friend.  I needed a quick birthday gift to sew.  I knew I had a pattern for a small crossover bag that I worked on about two years ago.  I sewed three of them and made some changes in the pattern after making the first one.  I added pockets for credit cards and drivers license and also made the bag just a little larger.  The larger version made it easier to also carry a checkbook.  The last version I made is large enough to carry all my essentials (money, credit cards, driver’s license, cell phone, pen, and comb) and yet small enough that I cannot overload it.  I no longer have the sore shoulder I used to get from carrying a bag too heavy for me.  You can view these purses on my post of August 16, 2019.

I decided to make one of those bags for my friend.  I made it just a little larger than the last one I made.  The cover and lining piece when cut measured 9” x 14” instead of 8 ½” x 13” like the previous one I made.  I used a piece of decorator fabric I had on hand.  Quilting cotton would also work fine for making one of these purses.  I used a piece of low loft batting between the fabric and the lining.   I used the same fabric for the strap with a piece of batting inside the folded fabric. 

Pictures of the finished purse are shown below. 

 

I hope your sewing projects are going well.  Don’t be discouraged if they don’t all go as planned.  Sewers are known for their ingenuity.  You can resolve whatever sewing problems come your way! 

Judy 

 

Not a Bowl of Cherries Knit Top

Last week I found a beautiful piece of aqua lightweight sweater-knit fabric in my stash.  I decided it was time to use it to make a top.  However, I did not want to use the pattern I have been using.  That pattern (McCall’s M6964) has bust darts.  I do not want bust darts in this new top because the fabric is a ribbed knit.  The fabric is made from a series of a number of knit stitches and then a number of purl stitches repeated throughout the fabric.  I think darts would be a distraction in this fabric.  I have another pattern (Kwik Sew 2900) that I have not used in a while.  It does not have darts. 

I was ready to cut out the new top while I was sewing at a friend’s house with a small group of sewers.  I did not want to take the time to thoroughly check the fit of the pattern, so I just held it up against my body and decided I needed to add ½ inch to the side seams and to the underarm seams of the sleeves.  I cut out the top and proceeded to sew it.  I think I mentioned in one of my other posts that sewing is not always a bowl of cherries.  In other words, things do not always go well.

There are a lot of variables in sewing, especially when sewing knits.  Knits do not all have the same amount of stretch.  There are other variables as well.  One is the weight of the knit.  Some are very thin; others are thick.  Some are slippery and some are stable.  All these factors play a part in the size of the pattern you need and the way the fabric will respond when you are sewing. 

The kind of needle you use in your sewing machine will also make a difference.  Usually, a ballpoint or jersey needle will work on knits.  A regular needle may also work.  If neither a regular or ballpoint needle works for you, you might try a microtex or stretch needle.  Try out the needle on a scrap of the fabric you are using before beginning to sew your garment.  I was able to use a regular size 80 needle in my machine when I sewed this top.

I sewed the shoulder seams together first and I remembered to place a piece of stabilizer in each of the shoulder seams to keep them from stretching.  You can purchase stabilizer in ½” wide rolls and it helps keep the shape of the shoulders.  I inserted the sleeves before sewing the sides together.  These went in easily without basting.  I decided to bast the side seams together because I was not sure of the fit.  I am glad I did.  It was a little large through the body.  I removed the basting and cut off the extra ½ inch I added previously.  I used my serger to serge the side seams and the underarm seams of the sleeves together. 

Next, I attempted to sew the neckband using the same technique I used in the past for most of my tee tops.  When I want a small narrow band, I like to sew a single layer of the right side of the band to the right side of the top and then fold that over to get the desired width.  I stitched in the seam on the front of the top to attach the back of the band to the top.    I had to rip out the first attempt because it looked terrible.  I got the same result with the second attempt.  The band by that time was beginning to shred.  I cut out another neckband and attached that by using a different method.  I doubled the band and sewed it to the neckline.  Then I pressed it and sewed again in the seam on the front to hold the seam down on the inside.  The finished band is about 5/8 inch wide.  I cut the band crosswise the knit because that had the most stretch.   

After hemming the bottom edge of the top and the sleeves, my “not a bowl of cherries top” was done.  I think you can see why this was not a bowl of cherries.  I had to spend some time ripping out and re-sewing, but I am glad I persevered!   I now have a nice aqua sweater-knit top that I will enjoy wearing.  A picture of the top is shown below.

 

Have you started your planning for adding items to your fall and winter wardrobe?  Have fun sewing!

Judy

 

 

 

From Blah to Something I Want to Wear!

What a busy summer!  It is difficult to find time to sew.  I know I am not the only one with this problem.  Everybody is busy.  There is always something that needs to be done either in the house or yard and we are always taking a road trip to somewhere.   I also have been busy getting Chicken Little Sews a Facebook page of its own and an Instagram account.  Both are up and running now. 

I did find time to sew a new top from one of the knit fabrics I purchased at Zink’s Fabric Outlet in Ligonier, Indiana a few weeks ago.  I love the print and the fabric is really soft so it feels comfortable when I wear it.  I added a strip of tricot iron-on interfacing to the bottom of the garment the width of the hem and also to the edge of the sleeves.  This will stabilize the hems and help the fabric to hold its shape.  A picture of the top is shown below.

 

I made another top from a light blue knit in my stash.  This top really did not want to be made.  I cut it out at least a year ago, maybe two.  I carried the pieces in my sewing bag with me to all my Wednesday sewing sessions with my friends, but I always worked on something else at those sessions.  Recently I decided to sew those pieces together.   It was a blah project.  It did not inspire me, but I pushed on with it.  Finally, a few days ago, I realized what was needed to turn that shirt from blah to something I wanted to wear.  It needed something embroidered on it.  My sewing machine also embroiders; however, I had not used that feature for quite a while.  I had to read the manual in order to retrain myself.  I spent most of a day searching for an appropriate embroidery design in my machine and then reading the manual.   At first, I was going to add the embroidery to the center front on the chest area.  At the last minute I decided to add it to the bottom to the right of the center front.  I was pleased with how the embroidery turned out.  However, there is another area of the shirt I wish looked better.  That is the neckband.  There are wrinkles in the front caused by the band not being quite long enough.    I am not willing to rip the band off and start over.  I figure I have spent enough time on this project.  It is not perfect, but I learned some lessons.  Lesson number one is to baste the neckband if you think it may not fit perfectly.  The stretch of knits varies, so the length of the band may not always be the same even if you use the same pattern.  Lesson number two is to decide if you are going to add an embroidery design before you sew the project together.  This prevents ripping the pieces apart to get the garment on the hoop.     A picture of the finished project is shown below.

 

A friend gave me a piece of fabric that presents a challenge for me.  My friend knows how much I love shoes.  She is aware I once made a black wool coat with appliqued shoes all over it!  She knows my weakness.  Now I have to think of something to make from this piece of fabric.  I am not sure if I can make a purse from this, but I may try.  Pictures of the fabric are shown below.

 

I really need to focus on starting my fall and winter wardrobe sewing.  I plan to cut out some fall projects to sew at the Lansing ASG’s sewing retreat in Shipshewana in August.  I want to use some of the fabric I bought from Zink’s.  However, I am going to give some serious consideration to what I can make from that piece of fabric Joyce gave me.  Maybe I will be able to show the finished project in my next post.

Have fun sewing!

Judy

 

Busting the Fabric Stash!

Have you tried to bust your fabric stash?  It is difficult!  Every time I start a new sewing project, I check my fabric stash to find fabric.  I can usually find something I want to use.  However, that is not the problem.  The problem is I keep finding new fabric that is so hard to resist.  Over the past two years, I have done well in my quest to resist buying more fabric.

Last week my husband and I drove through Ligonier, Indiana.  That is where Zink’s Fabric Outlet is located.  I have been there many times before.  Zink’s has a variety of fabric.  The stock changes constantly, so I am never sure what I will find there.  Last week I could not resist.  I asked my husband to stop and I went in “just to look around”.  I really didn’t need anything.  Going into a fabric store just to look is as dangerous for a person who has a large fabric stash as going into a bar is for an alcoholic.  

Unfortunately, in my look around Zink’s, I found a great supply of knit fabric, all kinds of knits in various weights and many colors and prints.  I lost control.  I left there with seven pieces of knits.  That means my stash grew considerably in just one stop at a fabric store!

I am going to try to redeem myself by sewing all that knit as quickly as I can.  I plan to sew 3 short sleeved tops to wear this summer and I will use the other pieces to make long sleeved tops for fall and winter.  In August the Lansing Clippers (American Sewing Guild) will have a sewing retreat in Shipshewana, Indiana.  I plan to sew some of those tops while I am there. 

At the end of May I posted about making 2 pairs of capri pants.  One of those was lime green and I discovered I had nothing to wear with them.  I had some of the lime green fabric left, so I made a top using that fabric and a piece of lime green print that was in also in my stash.  A picture of the top and pants is shown below.

 

I used two other pieces of fabric from my stash to make a blouse and skirt.  I made the skirt with Simplicity pattern 2186 and the blouse with Simplicity pattern 8061. 

Just so you know, sewing is not always a bowl full of cherries.  Sometimes you can create a potentially disastrous situation for yourself.  I created one of those situations when preparing to hem the blouse for the second time.  I noticed when I put on the blouse with the skirt, I did not like the look.  The blouse was too long for me.  I never tuck my blouse into the skirt's waist, so it is critical for the blouse to be the right length.  I ripped out the hem and turned up 2 1/2 inches instead of the original 1 1/4 inches.  I decided to trim the excess using the serger to cut and finish the edge at the same time.  I suddenly noticed the front of the top was caught in the hem allowance and I was cutting a large hole in the top.  My husband heard me scream and knew immediately I was in crisis mode.  He brought me two Hershey's milk chocolate kisses.

I calmed down a bit and stuck the hole together using a piece of iron-on tricot interfacing.  The hole measured 2 inches by 4 1/2 inches in the shape of a triangle on the right lower front of the blouse.  Here is what the hole looked like.

I considered placing a pocket there, but decided instead to applique some of the aqua objects from the skirt fabric to the front of the blouse.  At least I rescued the blouse.  Throwing it away was never an option for me!  A picture of the blouse and skirt is shown below.

I hope you are doing a lot of sewing with fabric from your stash.  If you don’t have a stash, don’t start one.  Although it is nice to be able to sew a project without going to a fabric store, all that fabric can weigh heavy on your mind.  And it is a real challenge to try to get it all used up within your lifetime!

Judy

 

Something from Almost Nothing

Last week I realized I needed something to wear to my grandson’s high school graduation.  I looked through my stash and found two pieces of coordinated rayon blend fabric.  One was a black background with a subtle lighter black print and the other was the same black with an aqua print.   I cut out and sewed a blouse.  It was finished Wednesday.  I started to cut the skirt on Thursday morning, but I had second thoughts.  I knew the graduation ceremony was being held outdoors in Indiana and the temperature was forecast at 93 degrees.  Maybe a black rayon outfit was not a good idea! 

I knew I had a scrap of fabric left from making a skirt about 6 or 7 years ago.  I took a look at the skirt to make sure it was still wearable and it was.  Then I looked in my stash for a light blue knit for a top.  I found just enough blue knit left over from a long sleeve tee-top I made a couple of years ago.  I decided to make an applique for the knit top from the scrap fabric from the skirt.  I love it when I can make something new to wear without making a trip to the fabric store.  A picture of the skirt and top is shown below. 

The graduation was very pleasant.  Although it was about 92 degrees Saturday, the football stands where we sat were shaded and there was a light breeze.  Most of the class of 2021 from Oak Hill High School near Sweetser, Indiana started school together thirteen years ago.  They lost a classmate in the fourth grade who died from cancer.  She was diagnosed when she was only four years old and always carried a stuffed monkey with her wherever she went.  The Class of 2021 had an extra chair in their midst in memory of her and they placed a stuffed monkey on it.  They never forgot her.

High School graduation is a really big deal.  It is the beginning of adult life for our children.  Their position in life changes.  It seems like overnight they are expected to go from being children to making life changing decisions that will affect them and others.  Their success in life depends on the foundation that was built for them by their parents, family, educators, religious leaders, and even themselves.  Now we can only hope the foundation is strong and each graduate will continue to build on theirs. 

Congratulations to all 2021 graduates!

Judy Huhn

 

A Time to Sew

We are well into spring now and summer is fast approaching.  There is so much to do!  When I wake up each morning, I hardly now where to start.  It seems that everybody is busy.  Most of us went from doing almost nothing in 2020 to being overwhelmed with things that now must be done or things that we want to do just for fun.

I have had very little time to sew lately.  My regular housecleaning chores keep calling me as well as preparing for a garage sale.  We are attempting to unload our basement of all the “stuff” we keep relegating to a spot down there.  To add to all those “must do chores”, our yard keeps screaming for attention.

My husband gave me an ultimatum.  Either clean the flower beds or get rid of them.  I knew at my age and in my current physical condition, I wasn’t going to be able to do the work.  I decided to call Smith Lawnscapes in St. Johns.  I discovered that getting rid of the flower beds would be expensive, so I decided I might as well try to save them.  Smith Lawnscapes did the hard work for me.  They did the weeding and pulled out the dead or just plain ugly plants.  All we had to do was purchase the plants and pay for Smith’s services.  After visiting approximately 15 greenhouses in both Michigan and Indiana, we had all the replacement plants.  Smith Lawnscapes returned and put in the new plants and pulled more weeds.  They did a great job and now our yard looks a lot better.  The best part is they will return once a month to keep things looking good!

The decision to hire a lawn service was difficult for me to make.  I don’t relish the idea of having someone else clean up my mess, but I know my limitations.  I also want some time to sew and this will give me time to do that. 

I remember the book, 10-20-30 Minutes to Sew, by Nancy Zieman.  Nancy advised sewers to set aside small units of time and work on small increments of a sewing project.  In one of those time slots, you could gather the supplies, prepare your pattern, cut out the project, mark the pieces, add interfacing, or sew seams.  The idea is to do one thing at a time.  You don’t need to complete the project during one session at your sewing machine. 

We all have 24 hours a day.  If we want to spend some of that time sewing, we need to allocate time for it and be ready to sew.  It can be done.  It is nice if you have space where you can leave your project out and ready to sew when you have another “sewing allocated” period of time.  That way you don’t waste any time setting up to sew.  Even if you have to put your project away, if you keep everything together, you can use those small increments of time to work on a project.

Many years ago, I walked each morning with two of my neighbors before getting ready for work.  I told them I was making my daughter’s wedding gown and the gowns for her maid of honor and bridesmaids.  Both Lynda Roof and Judy Boettger offered to help.  We were all busy, but we decided to give up our morning walks and instead use that time from 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. to work on the gowns.  I had sewing machines and a serger set up each morning with everything ready to sew.  This worked and was so much fun!  I have really great neighbors.  We all still live in the same neighborhood and I will always be grateful for their help. 

Although I haven’t had a lot of time to sew recently, I have finished two projects.  Pictures of the items are shown below. 

 

I made the lime green capris from fabric given to me by a member of the American Sewing Guild, Colleen Bofysil.  A couple of years ago, I made a skirt from the same piece of fabric.  I still have another length of the same fabric, but am not quite sure what I will sew from it.  Maybe I will make a coordinating jacket for the skirt and capris pants.

Save some time to sew and have fun doing it.  Remember, if you can only sew a few minutes, those minutes will be enough to eventually complete a project.  This is definitely better than not sewing at all!

 Judy

 

It Is Almost Here!

It is coming!  I can feel it.  I can almost see “normalcy” on the horizon.  The snow has gone.  Spring has sprung and people are beginning to meet each other outdoors and in very small groups indoors.  I know we aren’t there yet because Michigan’s Covid-19 numbers are still high, but there are encouraging signs.  I think we are well on the way to a better year than the one we just experienced. 

I am looking forward to the return of our regular in-person sewing guild meetings.  I want to see the projects everyone has made and not view them over zoom.   I want to view live demonstrations of sewing techniques without struggling to view them on-line.  Our Zoom meetings have been better than not having meetings, but there is nothing like a real in-person gathering of sewing enthusiasts. 

The Lansing Clippers’ charity sewing project for this year is the same as last year.   We are continuing to make clothes for babies and toddlers to give to the Infant and Children’s Closet at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Lansing.  Recently, I focused on making items for this charity.  I needed something simple to sew after all the fitting and pattern hacking I had done for my last few posts.   I told myself I would do some “mindless sewing”, but mindless sewing is not a real thing.  All sewing takes concentration, even simple sewing.  Yes, the patterns I used to make the children’s clothing were simple, but I still had to focus on what I was doing.  For example, after I finished the purple shorts, I noticed that I made a mistake when I finished the edge of one of the side seams.  As I serged the edges of the seam, I caught part of the shorts under the serger needle and serged it into the seam.  Fortunately, that part of the shorts didn’t get under the serger knife, so I was able to rip it out and re-serge the seam.  A picture of the garments is shown below.

 

As part of the simple sewing, I also made some baby items to be used as a shower gift.    I made 3 small bibs, 3 larger bibs, 3 burp cloths, and a couple of receiving blankets.  This would be a good project to start if you haven’t sewn in a while and just want something simple to do to get back into sewing again.  As I said before, no sewing is really mindless sewing but there are a lot of simple projects you can sew.  A picture of the baby items is shown below.

 

If you need a project to sew, just google whatever you have in mind.  There are all kinds of projects with on-line instructions just waiting for you!  Sewing can be relaxing and fulfilling.  It is also a hobby that can be shared.  Sewing with a friend is twice as fun as sewing alone.  You can learn from each other and creativity seems to flow easier when you can collaborate with others.  Even if you can’t get together with others yet, make some plans to sew with others as soon as the conditions allow. 

Have fun sewing!  If I can answer any questions for you, please let me know.

Judy