Works in Progress V…. a.k.a Super Awesome Sewing Afternoon

Well, hellooo there dear reader!  I spent the last week back home relaxin’ and chillin’ with the family (the little bro even flew out from the Left Coast!).  We ate and drank ourselves silly…which is why I will be doing nothing but eating salads and drinking water this week

However, I was able to get back down in enough time to enjoy a lovely sewing afternoon with Jen and Elizabeth 🙂

This was a potluck event and at the last minute I threw together some Baked Brie with Strawberry, Balsamic, Basil Jam [say that 3x fast!] and Pecans.

I realize now that baked brie doesn’t really photograph well, but I assure you it was very tasty!  I used this recipe, but replaced strawberry balsamic jam for the apricot/raspberry jam and pecans for almonds.  I had made and canned the strawberry balsamic basil jam a few months ago when strawberries were still in season and it is perfect for this kind of thing. P.S. I can too 😉

The original plan, for the sewing afternoon, was to work on a blanket skirt with the leftover fabric from the Failed Walkaway dress.  I cleverly went out and got contrasting fabric for the waist band and was promptly distracted by the remnants bin and their 50% off sale….. One hour later I realized there was zero time to actually wash the fabric 😦

So, instead I worked on my Neverending Sweater and cutting fabric for my next Zinnia skirt…… because why would I want to try something new when I can just re-make the same three patterns over and over again 😉

Elizabeth is here hard at work on a white Maxi dress….she was, surprisingly enough, the only one actually sewing at the Super Awesome Sewing Afternoon.  Although not pictured (because she’s behind the camera…err…iphone) Jen was working on drafting a costume pattern.

And now time for some fabric eye candy!

I mean just look at that shit!  Elizabeth somehow manged to score vintage-ish “scraps” of suede/leather of varying sizes from a woman who used to design and sew gloves on 5th Avenue!  I say vintage-ish because these are from the ’80s and I refuse to call anything from the ’80s vintage.  And I say “scraps” because some of these pieces were at least a couple of yards. [It should also be known I have offered any number of skills in trade to the original owner for glove making lessons!]

Hardcore vegetarians and vegans should probably avert their eyes though 😦
Although, Elizabeth claimed they were faux suede I’m pretty sure at least half of these pieces are real leather- including, but not limited to, that ridiculously, fabulous gold and turquoise number!!!  Jen picked out a few pieces for herself and I proceeded to take EVERYTHING else.  I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m going to do with it all, other than adding it to the Hoard along with The Precious, but it was all way too fantastic to pass up 😀

However…. I am open to suggestions????  Obviously, I see many bags and clutches in my future (and possibly gloves!), but I also have visions formulating of a ridiculously over the top ’60s-esque leather A-line mini in turquoise and gold!

Gingham Dress and Swaddling Blankets for Baby

First off, Mother, don’t get too excited this was for a friend, sorry to disappoint  🙂  Yes, as I teased at in earlier posts my friend grew and spawned a tiny human and I made lots ‘o stuff for baby!

Adorable ain’t it!  This is McCall’s 5353 and actually the first time in a LONG time I sewed from one of the Big 4 pattern companies…. what can I say I’m an Indie girl at heart 😉

There’s not much to say about this construction wise…. I sewed the smallest size possible and everything was very straight forward.  The one thing I did differently was instead of adding embellishment I just topstitched everything using my standard double thread trick.

The one thing that was a “challenge” on this little item was the fact that I used my button hole “function” for the first time!  Now, I put “challenge” and “function” in quotes because: a) I realize making button holes on a machine isn’t really much of a challenge for most and b) my machine is a sweet, all metal beast from the 1960’s so it’s button function isn’t really so much a function as a series of steps.  But I have finally mastered that bitch!  Like many things in life it really wasn’t so bad once you finally just DID IT.

Another shot of the button ’cause it’s so freaking adorable!  I went to Jo-ann’s in search of plain red buttons to match one I already had and came back with ladybugs 🙂

Baby bloomers!  The gingham fabric is, I’m guessing, a cotton-poly blend and something I’ve had for years…. It’s actually from a failed Walkaway dress I attempted when first learning to sew.  I cut the pieces out wrong and was so pissed about it I just shoved it in a closet!  And that was the last dress I attempted to sew without making a muslin first 😀

During the baby shower Mama-to-be mentioned off hand needing to get more swaddling blankets- I took one look at the ones she had and said “I can make that!”  Seriously, this is probably one of the easiest projects I’ve done in a while.  You’re making a 44×44 inch square…. that’s it.  I had her pick a couple of colors of cotton gauze she liked from here, ordered a yard and a half, and that was that!

[Side note: The original fabric she requested was cotton muslin….which was confusing to me ’cause I wouldn’t want to wrap myself in that rough stuff let alone a baby!  Well, evidently her swaddling blankets came from an Australian company and in Australia cotton gauze=cotton muslin…..Sewaholic did a post a few years ago about British vs North American sewing terms, which was great!]

Once you have your fabric squares cut all that’s left are the mitered corners.  I used this tutorial for the corners and above you can see my varying degrees of success

Well, that’s it for baby stuff!  I’m working on a lot of projects for other people right now, but hopefully I’ll get some time to start in on some stuff for ME 🙂

Works in Progress IV…. or My Aunt ROCKS!

Happy Pre-Fourth of July! Or for you Canadians: Happy Post-Canada Day! And for those of you in the rest of the world: Happy Friday!  I’m back with a much happier post today 🙂  Things have been a moving and a shaking and yet I never seem to have a enough time to sew 😦  However, I have high hopes for the long weekend!

The tomatoes are FINALLY starting to come in!  This is always a delicious time of year 🙂  They’re looking pretty good, I have high hopes for a good crop this year.

My friend has spawned a tiny human, so I’ve been working on a lot of baby stuff.  I’m planning a fuller post with all the baby things I’ve completed so far, but this here is a teaser for you 😉

This is my priority project now- My oldest friend (in that I’ve known her since kindergarten) is getting hitched and I am responsible for hemming her wedding dress!  Easy enough you say! …Well…. the dress has sequins and while they’re gorgeous they add some complication to an otherwise easy project.

And finally we come to the reason why my Aunt is so awesome, because she brought me beautiful fabric!!!!  My Aunt was quite the sewer in her day.  She still is, but has switched to quilting 🙂  Which means I have scored some gorgeous apparel fabric!  Above we have some cotton/poly blend plaid, red linen, a bit of wide blue lace, a bit of red chiffon (not sure on that one???), and lovely green velvet! But that’s not all….

4.5 yards of fabulous blue silk all the way from Hong Kong!!!!  Her sister (Aunt #2) is a stewardess and brought this back for her years ago (like they still flew the British flag years ago)….. and now it’s mine…. all MINE….The Precious! *clutches and pets fabric in corner a la Gollum*

So, now here’s the question….. what do I do with The Precious?  A blouse??? A dress??? The most luxurious pajamas ever???  Hoard it till I can give it to my own adult niece???  I am open to suggestions!