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You may have noticed I have been quiet for a few weeks on this blog.   I was sick part of February, most of March, and some of April.     I am not sure why I was so sick, but I suspect it was a combination of bronchitis and the “Michigan crude”.  I would get better for a couple of days and then the crude would return.   So, for several weeks I have made trips to the doctor’s office and even the emergency room in the search for a cure for the crude.  Finally, I think I turned the corner and started down the road to recovery!  I realized recovery was possible when I felt well enough to go to my sewing room and actually work on a sewing project for the first time in weeks. 

Then I received an invitation in the mail to my 60^th high school class reunion on Saint Simons Island, Georgia.  I really wanted to go, but wasn’t sure I would be fully recovered by then.  My husband urged me to send in my check and plan to go.  I decided to do that and I am so glad I did.   I called my sister in North Carolina and asked her to meet us there.  Once I got away from Michigan and into some warm Georgia weather, I continued to feel better and better.  We stopped in the Atlanta area to visit our daughter on the way to Saint Simons and on the way back as well.  This trip was beneficial in so many ways.  It was physically healing for me; it provided an opportunity to visit my daughter and her family; it provided an opportunity to see my classmates from the Glynn Academy Class of 1959; and as an added bonus, it provided an opportunity for me to visit with my sister and her husband from North Carolina. 

Who could ask for more?  Well, I didn’t ask, but I did get more.  There were four teachers at the reunion who taught at Glynn Academy in 1959.  One was Mary Adams, my home economics teacher.  I was so pleased to have the opportunity to talk with her.   Ellen Jones, another home economics teacher was there, too.   I did not realize until after I got home that I took home economics from her, too.   I looked at my yearbook and saw Mrs. Jones signed my freshman and junior yearbook, so I assume she was my teacher for those two years and Ms. Adams was my teacher for my sophomore and senior years.  I was truly surprised that anyone who taught me in school could still be alive.  All four of the teachers looked great! 

I am thankful I had the opportunity to take home economics in high school.  Those classes gave me a great foundation for sewing, which I still enjoy.  I believe in lifetime learning, so I still take classes in sewing to improve my skills.  Home Economics also gave me a foundation for cooking; however, I lacked the passion for that skill so I did not continue to improve in that area. 

Before I left on my trip to Saint Simons Island, I made capri pants to take with me.  I used the pattern I use for most of my pants, Fit for Art’s Eureka! Pants that Fit.  The fabric I used was a celery-colored cotton with a little stretch added.  I also made a green print top to go with the pants.  That fabric is a 2-way stretch knit.  I used the Very Easy Vogue pattern V9128 for the top.  I have sewn a couple other tops from this pattern so I did not need to spend time fitting before sewing.  A picture of the pants and top are shown below.  I also included a picture of the pattern envelope.  You will notice the sketched picture of a model wearing the top looks a lot different from the top I made.  The difference is a top made for a "real" body (large) looks a lot different than one sketched on a "stick" figure!  Nevertheless, I like the top and am sure I will enjoy wearing it.

How are you progressing with your sewing projects?  I hope you have some great projects planned to sew for summer!

Judy

Topeka Horse Sale (This Really Does Have A Connection to Sewing!)

Twice a year my husband and I travel to Topeka, Indiana for the Topeka Horse Sale.   Topeka is a very small town with no hotels, therefore, we usually stay at the Blue Gate Garden Inn Hotel in Shipshewana.  Although we sold our draft horses several years ago, my husband still loves to be around horses and visit with others who love horses.  I know it is healthy for all of us regardless of age to focus on hobbies and things of interest.   My husband supports my love of sewing by waiting patiently in the car for me while I shop at fabric stores.  He doesn’t mind if I invest in sewing equipment and/or notions to make my sewing easier.   So, when it is time to make the trip to the Topeka Horse Sale, I am always ready to go.  I know there will be much more than horses involved with this trip.

We began our trip on Monday of this week and returned Wednesday.  It was just a short, three-day trip but one that renewed my energy and my creativity.  While my husband watched horses and horse equipment and products sold, I visited fabric and quilt shops in the area.  Our neighbors, Connie and Dale, stayed at the same hotel so we had two vehicles at our disposal to pursue our separate interests.  My husband and Dale took one and went to watch horses.  Connie and I took the other and went to check the area for everything sewing-related and more. 

We stopped at Gohn Brothers at 105 S. Main in Middlebury.  I needed ¼ inch ribbon for the fabric gift bags I make and I can purchase it at Gohn Brothers for only 20 cents a yard.   I purchased 25 yards each of Christmas red and green.  I also bought a Dritz tape measure for 69 cents and a seam ripper for 49 cents.  If you are in the Middlebury area, this shop is a great place to get basic sewing supplies at very reasonable prices.  David Coffin mentioned Gohn Brothers in his book Shirtmaking – Developing Skills for Fine Sewing.  He listed the store under “Sources of Supply” on page 164.  As I indicated in my post of 4/14/18, this store has been in business for more than 100 years.  It still has the original wood floor and tin ceiling.  As soon as you open the door, you realize you just stepped into a by-gone era.  You can hear the sound of the commercial sewing machines working in the upstairs sewing factory where they make denim pants and coats for Amish (plain clothing).  They also make Colonial era shirts and stock high top shoes for both men and women.  I enjoyed visiting with the employee in the store.  When I exited the store, I was relaxed and happy with my purchases.  My shopping experience was pleasant and I look forward to returning.  It was exceptionally nice to be greeted and helped by someone who displayed a love for helping people find what they want and a love for their job!

Another stop for us was Zinck’s Fabric Outlet in Ligonier.  It is 15.2 miles South of Shipshewana on State Road 5.  I never know what I will find in this store.  Sometimes I find nothing and sometimes I find just what I didn’t know I wanted!  This visit I found a pale green knit fabric to make a summer top.  I also found some light blue 14 inch ribbon for my gift bags and some felt for a project I am making for the youth group at my church.  The staff at Zinck’s Fabric is always helpful and pleasant.  Another relaxing place to shop!

I even found time to relax at the hotel between shopping trips.  I took along a small stack of old Threads magazines just in case I had time to peruse them.  I am always amazed at the inspiration I get from these magazines.  I read them completely from front to back when they arrive at my door, but when I reread them several years later, it is like I never saw them before.  This time I found an article entitled “Design Ideas from a Miyake Shirt” from the May 1998 issue number 76.  The article describes in detail how to make a shirt similar to one by Japanese designer Isssey Miyake by using a simple jacket or shirt pattern that you already have.  I like that idea.  The author, Tara Arnold, showed several different design variations.  I am going to make a copy of the article and stick it to a closet door in my sewing room so I don’t forget about it.  I would like to try to sew one of these shirts for summer.

No trip to Shipshewana would be complete without a visit to Yoders Department Store.  My husband buys all his jeans from Yoders because they carry his size and, if they are out of the size, they will order it for him.  He also loves the Darn Tough brand of socks which come with a lifetime guarantee.  I love the shoe department.  I can almost always find a pair of shoes that want to come home with me.  This time I found three pairs.  How could I say “no” to those shoes?  After all, Spring is here and who knows what condition my shoes from last year are in.   I had to bring those shoes home.  I absolutely could not risk having to go barefoot this summer!

I hope you save some time in your schedule to relax and be creative.  Let’s get those summer projects started!

Judy

 Denim Purse          

I had to put my plans to post about pants fitting on hold temporarily.  Michigan’s winter weather has prevented me from meeting with the model to finish fitting the pants.  I missed yet another Wednesday sewing session due to the inclement weather.  Now due to our schedules, it will be the end of March before we can meet for another fitting session.  Hopefully, the article on pants fitting will be posted sometime in April. 

I am working on an article about sewing pants that I would like to post immediately following the pants fitting article.  I am considering reversing the order and posting about how to sew pants first.  While I am making this decision, I decided to make something I could use for the Lansing Chapter American Sewing Guild’s (ASG) sewing challenge.

The challenge this year is to make something inspired by denim.  That means we can sew a denim article or we can sew something that would normally be made from denim, but use another fabric.  For example, we could use a jean jacket pattern and make the jacket from a fabric other than denim, such as silk or knit.  The possible projects are endless.  We can make articles of clothing, home décor, purses, etc.  and we have until our meeting in October to complete our projects.  I encourage all members of the Lansing Chapter to enter the challenge.  The reason for the challenge is simply to get our members to sew more!  All those who enter will be eligible to win a prize.  There will be drawings for several prizes and the prizes are usually gift certificates or products from sewing retailers in our area. 

I decided to make a purse from denim for my challenge project.  I searched through a large shoe box of purse patterns to find one I liked.  Yes, I have a stash of patterns as well as a stash of fabric.  I found an Indygo Junction pattern by Amy Barickman.  It is no. IJ925, Country Courier Bag.  The bag measures 15” x 14” x 3”.  I suspect this will be a little large for me, but I can always use it as a gift.  Pictures of the bag and pattern envelope are shown below.

I used fusible fleece to interface the purse and the strap.  After I sewed the front and back pieces together, I was not entirely happy with the fusible fleece.  I thought the purse still needed a little more shaping.  I decided to interface the lining with Pellon Craft Fuse to see if that would help the purse hold its shape.  I believe it did help, but if a make another purse with this pattern, I think I will try using a foam stabilizer. 

Notice on the pattern envelope, the first view shows two green buttons on the pocket and flap of the bag.  I added two red buttons shaped like flowers on my bag, but they don't show up very well on the busy print.  I think I will probably remove them.  Sometimes less is more!

Michigan is expecting its second Polar Vortex this winter.  If you are confined to the house due to inclement weather, this would be a good time to turn on your sewing machine and start a new project.  That is, if you don't loose your electricity.  We experienced that last Sunday during a wind and snow storm.  Don't despair!  Spring will be here soon.

Judy

Pants-Fitting Delayed by Polar Vortex!   

I have never enjoyed Michigan winters.  Now with this polar vortex thing, winter has become an even bigger ugh factor for me.  I do not like being cold and I especially do not like being confronted with cold winds when I venture outside.   However, Michigan has been my home for many years and I have adjusted to the winters as well as I can.  I usually go about my daily life and manage to get along until Spring makes a return. 

Winter is different this year because it is seriously interfering with my Wednesday sewing group!  Yesterday was the third Wednesday in a row I was not able to attend that group due to inclement weather.  Usually if the weather prevents me from being a part of the Wednesday group, I just sew at home.  Then I only miss the social aspect of the group, which is a big deal but I can still sew. 

The last three Wednesdays, I missed more than just the social aspect of sewing with friends.  I missed my opportunity to fit pants on someone at the sewing group so I could post on how to fit and sew pants on my blog.   I assumed I would have the pants-fitting post ready by the first of February.  Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.

I sewed the muslin to be used for fitting the pants and studied the details of the pattern so I would be ready to fit the pants on the volunteer model at our Wednesday sewing group.  I usually have at least two different sewing projects going at once.  However, I was so excited about the pants fitting project that I did not have another project in process.  So, when this weather thing hit, I needed to find a project to do.  I decided this would be a good time to focus on an on-line class to learn more about the operation of my Pfaff Creative Icon sewing machine.   Yesterday and the day before I viewed videos and took notes.  Today I will probably sew a couple of samples of the techniques I learned yesterday. 

Yesterday when I needed a break from watching videos, I looked for something to sew.  I decided to work on the American Sewing Guild (ASG) Lansing Chapter’s charity project.   This year we are making drawstring bags and bags with zippers for Helping Women Period.  This organization provides feminine hygiene products to homeless and low-income women in this part of Michigan.  They will fill our bags with products before giving them to needy women.    We will be working on this project through the end of this year.  We hope to have lots of bags to contribute.  If you live in this area and wish to contribute, please go to https://www.helpingwomenperiod.org/  for information on how to participate.  You can also participate with our ASG chapter by contacting me.  Pictures of sample bags are shown below.

My post of April 10, 2017 on this blog gives instructions for making drawstring gift bags similar to those pictured above.

The snow has finally stopped.  It looks beautiful from the inside looking out, but I can’t be deceived.  I know the temperature outside is -11 degrees and the wind chill is -30 degrees.  It is predicted our temperature this Sunday (3 days away) will be 45 degrees with rain.  Hopefully, both my model and I will be able to attend the sewing group next Wednesday.  If that happens, my post on how to fit pants will probably be up sometime before the end of February.  That is, provided we do not get another polar vortex!

Stay warm and keep sewing!

Judy

The Purple Raincoat             

The purple raincoat is finished!  I started fitting the pattern for this coat last August when I was at the Lansing Chapter American Sewing Guild’s sewing retreat in Shipshewana, Indiana.  I planned to use the pattern to make a purple raincoat.  I chose Vogue pattern V8884.  The pattern had a front and back yoke with a collar and collar stand.  I made a muslin to check the fit of the pattern.  The first muslin was so big I decided to make another muslin one size smaller.  However, I did not have any muslin left.  I did have some fabric in my stash that would be appropriate for a winter coat, not a raincoat.  I decided to use that fabric to check the fit instead of muslin.  If the coat fit, I would have a new winter coat and if it did not fit, I would simply toss it into the trash.  The second attempt was successful and I had new winter coat.  I posted about making this coat Oct. 14, 2018 (My Accidental Winter Coat).

I still had the purple water-repellent fabric I purchased from Field’s Fabric to make a raincoat.  I also had a pattern I liked that would fit, so I started the raincoat.  The coat went together well because I was familiar with the pattern after using it for the winter coat.  I wanted a purple print fabric for the lining.   However, that was difficult to find.  Although I found and purchased a purple print fabric, I hesitated to use it.  It appeared to be too thin to use as a lining.  I think it would be more appropriate for a scarf.  So, that fabric remains in my stash! 

I continued my search for a lining fabric and found it a couple of weeks ago at JoAnn Fabrics.  It is a multi-color print that includes purple.  Although it is a silky-feeling fabric it appears to be sturdy enough to work well as a lining.  It gives the purple coat the pizazz it needs. 

I purchased buttons for the coat from Sticks and Strings yarn shop in Lansing's Old Town District.  The buttons have a textured look and work well on the raincoat.

Pictures of the coat are shown below.

My next project will be fitting a pants pattern on a model.  Sewing pants is easy, but getting the proper fit is necessary before the sewing begins!  In February I will post about fitting and sewing pants.  I plan to talk about the steps in the fitting and sewing process and will show lots of pictures.

I hope you are planning many new projects for the new year!

Judy

Planning for the New Year    

         

Day one of the new year 2019!  This is the day to reflect on how the last year went and how the new year will go.  We can all wish for a better year.  But in order to get a better one, we need to put forth some effort and really work to make the changes needed to reach our goals.  If you want a better year financially, you will want to examine your income and try to increase it and/or maybe you need to save more of your income to prepare for the future.  If you want your new year to be healthier, you may need to change your lifestyle and include exercise and healthier eating.  Perhaps you want a year with better family relationships.  Then you need to decide which relationships need improvement and if you have any way to facilitate a change.

Pick one or a few things to pursue in your new year and work on a plan to make changes that will help you reach your goals.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t reach all your goals.  If you at least make progress on your goals, that is a positive result.  You can continue to make changes necessary to reach your goals.  Also, if your goals include actions from other people, remember you can control your actions and efforts, but you may not be successful in getting others to change with you. 

If you like to sew and you want to improve your sewing or accomplish more finished projects, you have total control over that change!  I suggest taking a few moments to think about what projects you want to sew this next year.  Write down all those that come to mind and then number them in the order you plan to sew.  Don’t worry if you don’t think you have the skills to do all of them.  You can always research the techniques and learn them before you begin a project or even as you sew the project.  You can probably find a video on the internet that covers almost any sewing technique you want to learn.  If not, try to find a book that describes the technique or ask a sewing friend to help you. 

I looked back on my blog to see what changes or resolutions I had for 2018.  In my post of January 1, 2018, I said I would sew a summer 12-piece wardrobe.  I was able to complete that one.  I started on the first of January and finished the project Oct 4, 2018.  I was able to make 72 outfits from the 12 pieces.

I also planned to review and organize my fabric stash.   I started by organizing the fabric I kept in my sewing room.  I have two shelves under the eight-foot cutting table in the room.  I filled see-through containers on those shelves with fabric for current projects or ones that I anticipated sewing in the future.  I moved fabric from two bedrooms and added that to fabric held in storage containers in the basement.  This was an enormous task, but it did make sewing easier.  I was able to place all the fabric for the 12-piece wardrobe in the bins under the cutting table, so the fabric was easily accessible when I needed it.  Although, I did not complete this task, at least I made progress on it.  

The third change I wanted to do in 2018 was to consider fabric in my stash before buying new fabric for my projects.  That one I also accomplished.  Most of the 12-piece wardrobe was made with stash fabric.  I also made a winter coat in 2018 and that, too, was made from stash fabric.

I have been thinking about what I will sew in this new year and I am not certain.  I am currently working on a raincoat which will be finished soon.  After that, I am not sure what I will pursue.  I may make jeans and blog about each step in the process and any techniques I use.  I need to give some more thought to which projects I will sew.  This year has just begun, so maybe before I finish the raincoat, I will get some inspiration for my 2019 sewing projects. 

What are you planning to sew in 2019?  Please share your plans with me.  Maybe I will get inspired by your projects!

Happy sewing,

Judy

Two Knit Tops              

What a busy time of year!  I have not been sewing as much as usual, but I have finished a couple of knit tops.  These were quick and easy to make projects because I used a pattern I have used many times before.  So, I knew the pattern would fit.  I used McCall’s M6964 pattern for a basic long sleeve pullover knit top.  I used fabric from my stash.  I believe I purchased the teal print knit from Fabrications in Richland, Michigan and the solid teal knit from Zink’s Fabric Outlet in Ligonier, Indiana. 

I was not really happy with the last couple of tops I made from this pattern.  I thought the neckband did not lay as flat as it should.  It seemed to stand away from the neckline a bit.   I decided to cut a different band and then compare it to the pattern piece.  I looked up how to make neckbands in the book, Knits for Real People, by Susan Neall and Pati Palmer.  I measured the circumference of the neck around the seam.  I multiplied that number by .75 and added two seam allowances.  That gave me the length of the band and I used 2 ½ inches for the width.  I cut the band on the bias.  I used this method to make the band for the solid teal knit top and it worked well.  I basted it first to check to see how it looked and I was happy with the result.  

When I sewed the print top, I checked the neckband I cut from the original pattern piece.  The width was the same as the other (2 ½ inches), but the length was longer.  I decided to use that band, but I cut off the extra length.  I also basted this band to the print top.  I was unable to attach the band without puckers in the top.  The band was too small!  I wondered how that was possible because it was the same length as the band for the first top.  I looked at the pattern piece and notice it called for the piece to be cut on straight of grain, not the bias.  I was amazed.  No wonder the bands cut by this piece did not lay flat!  Fortunately, I had enough fabric left to cut another band the same size on the bias.  The bias-cut band was easy to sew onto the neckline without puckers.  I will use this pattern again, but I will not use the pattern piece for the band.  Pictures of the two tops are shown below:

The lesson learned from these two projects is this.  If something you sew does not look quite right, try to figure out what is wrong.  It may be something you can easily correct before using the pattern again.  You may need to change the pattern or you may need to practice a technique to improve your skill.

I hope you are sewing something fun!

Judy