Souvenir Sewing

Souvenir fabric is the best fabric. You have the fun of finding that gem of a store while traveling, and then you get to bask in the memories of your trip while you're sewing it up. And if you're lucky you can also enjoy some sewing chit-chat with the folks in the store. Just about the only thing that beats souvenir fabric is free fabric.

This summer we took our vacation trip via train; up to Portland on the Coast Starlight and then across country to Chicago via the Empire Builder. We made a stop along the way in Rochester, Minnesota to see some of my family.

That's where I found my fabric souvenir, at Ginny's Fine Fabrics.

It's not a huge place, but she has a really nice collection of garment fabric. There were beautiful wools for those frozen Minnesota winters and plenty of light, airy fabrics for those hot and humid Minnesota summers.

Ginny said someone just bought 1/3 yard of this to use as a ruffle on the hem of some pants. 

If you're anywhere in southern Minnesota, say, bombing along I-90 on your way across country, take that short detour up to Rochester to do a little fabric shopping. Ginny's Fine Fabrics is well worth it.

I spent a very enjoyable hour and a half admiring everything before I settled on a cotton linen blend that was just what I'd been looking for to make a pair of cool summer trousers.

BS 05-2103-117

I used an old favorite pattern, Trousers #117 from the May, 2015 issue of Burdastyle. They're supposed to be drawstring trousers, but I can never find a graceful way of arranging my tee shirt over the bow, so I substitute elastic instead. I've also taken the rise up about an inch so that they sit right at my natural waist.

This version feels very cool and flow-ey to wear on a hot day. I think the cotton keeps the wrinkles somewhat at bay, though I confess I hauled out the iron and had The Man shoot a second set of photos once I'd taken a gander at the first round.

The color is a cool grey, which works well as a neutral for me. About 80% of my tops are some shade of teal.

I've made up this pattern at least 5 times by now. It's so great to have a few patterns that you know you can just cut out and sew up and everything will work out fine.

I'm wearing it here with another old favorite, the Kirsten Kimono Tee from Maria Denmark. As I was pulling out my Visa at the fabric store Ginny pointed out a very nice, light grey knit that could make a matching top for my future pants. I popped for a yard, knowing that would be plenty to pump out a Kirsten.

Maria Denmark has come out with a slightly modified Kirsten pattern. I compared the new version to my battered original and I think they're pretty close. The line of the shoulder looks a bit different, but that's about it. I traced myself one size larger this time, partly because I wanted this particular fabric to have a skosh looser fit. I like it.

So I actually have an outfit! That was, like, planned to go together and everything!

My mini pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Social Sewing Two

My friend Beth is like many of us; she used to sew back in the day. Then the job, the husband and the kids came along and she had no time or energy for such things.

But the years passed; the two kids became beautiful young ladies who fluttered from the nest to attend out-of-town colleges. She and her husband would look at each other on a Friday evening and realize they didn't have to ferry a single kid anyplace for the whole weekend. The sewing bug, which had lain dormant for decades, began to stir.

So we got together and made a Kirsten Kimono Tee.

Pretty print, yes? Perfect for a tee.

This free pattern from Maria Denmark is the bomb. It has two pattern pieces (plus a neckband). It has a nice, body skimming fit that flatters most everyone. There are no sleeves to set. And you can get it out of a yard of fabric.

I've lost count of how many versions of this top I've made up. It works well in all weights of knit fabric and it's great on it's own in warmer weather or under a jacket or cardigan when it's chilly. Did I mention it's free?

Maybe you're jumping back in the sewing pool after a break, like Beth. Or maybe you're new to knits and looking for a simple but useful pattern to cut your teeth on. Or maybe you sew regularly but want to add a nifty staple to your pattern drawer. Wherever you're at with your sewing, I highly recommend this pattern.

Here's one of my stable of Kirsten's. I have three in black.

Don't be shy; give it a try!

Edith as a Dress

I'm still puttering around making the odd thing to take with me on our upcoming car trip to Idaho. I'm expecting it to be warm. Hot, in fact, especially while we're on the road. We'll be traveling through the high plains desert in July.

Ergo, here is the Edith dress from Maria Denmark. I've made this pattern up a time or two in the blouse length and had always intended to try the dress version. I'm glad I did!

Here's the line drawing from Maria Denmark's website. The pattern has 8 darts, which is enough to give it a nice shape while keeping the fit cool and breezy.

I used some Italian shirting from stash that I'd originally pictured as another Archer. It's kind of a subtle grey on grey stripe that I thought might look kind of Audrey Hepburn in Rome.

Which didn't quite translate, but I like the dress anyway.

Even though the fabric is so tightly woven that it won't drape to show off the shaping from all those darts. Plus, it has absolutely no ease whatsoever.

Edith is finished with bias tape around the arm scythe, and the curve under the arm on that kimono sleeve is pretty darn tight. I ended up just nipping the edge off the underarm to get a curve I could force my bias tape to adopt.

Nipped off the edge of the arm scythe

It worked just fine, and actually turns out to be more comfortable. I'll be keeping that change for next time.

I test drove the dress this week during some unusually hot weather. We're pretty much weather wimps here on the Central Coast. Anything over 75 has us wilting like violets. It got up to 82 the day I wore Edith and I was cool and comfortable.

In fact, it felt great enough that I'm kind of pumped to try another in a much softer cotton I got at Josephine's Dry Goods in Portland last summer. I have maybe two yards and I think it's 45 inches wide. Since Edith has no sleeves and a pretty slim fit, I might just be able to squeeze it out.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Two Tees for One

I scored this remnant of striped knit at a local garage sale. A sale at my friend Jessica's house, as a matter of fact. There was, maybe, a yard and a half?

I really liked the colors, as did The Man. He would have been happy to have a tee in this fabric for himself but, since he likes his tees enormously long and with large pockets, there wasn't quite enough fabric to kit him out. Especially given the demands of stripe matching.

Kirsten Tee from Maria Denmark 

So instead I made myself two tees! My first go was with an old favorite, the Kirsten Kimono Tee from Maria Denmark. Cut on sleeve means you need just enough fabric to get the length you want. Plus, free pattern! If you haven't given it a try, I recommend it highly.

Side view

And I think I did OK with the stripe matching! My arm is in the way, so you can't really check out the side seams, but you can kind of see I chevron-ed the shoulder seams, right?

Back view. Not too exciting.

I cut the neckband on the lengthwise grain, so the stripes run the opposite direction to the body of the tee. Quick and easy, and the color combo seems to go with most of my pants and skirts.

I was left with a tantalizing remnant. It looked like it should be enough to eek out a sleeveless tee, but I'd be sporting a crop top if I wasn't pretty creative with layout.

That night in bed I had a little "ah-ha" moment and realized that, since this knit has 4-way stretch, I could just flip the fabric to cut the pieces on the cross-grain.

Alabama Chanin tee, sleeveless version

This is the tee from Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. It's another great pattern for using teeny tiny bits of fabric; as the fit is pretty slim. I also appreciate that the neckline is high and the shoulders are pretty covered up for a sleeveless tee. Irish heritage plus California sun can be a bad combination.

I had just enough fabric so that I could give some thought to stripe matching on this axis too.

I didn't get a good shoulder shot to demonstrate, but I even managed to match the stripes going front to back.

And I chevroned the stripes at the side seams. Not identically, if you compare the left side to the right side, but if you only look at me from one side at a time, it's pretty good!

Just in time for summer!

Crazy Dog Lady for Sure

I finished my entry for the Crazy Dog Lady Challenge, and I must say I'm pretty pleased with the results.

As a reminder, my inspiration dog is my Great Pyrenees, Zoe.

And this is a close-up of my fabric, a very soft and well-behaved cotton from Cotton and Steel. I'm suspecting this might really be a coyote rather than a dog, but the resemblance is remarkable, don't you think?

We adopted Zoe three years ago from Great Pyrenees Rescue of Northern California. When we got her they thought she was about 3 years old, so we figure she's about 6 now. She's just the sweetest dog you would ever want to know. To her, a stranger is just a friend she hasn't met yet. She works with me doing pet assisted therapy. Twice a month we visit a nursing home with Furry Friends. Zoe also heads to the public library once a month, so that kids can practice their reading with her. She's a totally non-critical audience. That's a program called Tales to Tails. This weekend we'll be visiting the library up at the Santa Cruz campus of the University of California, so that stressed-out students studying for their finals can mellow out by cuddling a big, white fur ball. That program is called Pause for Paws.

The blue isn't really as dark as it looks here

I decided to use one of my favorite patterns for this challenge - the Edith blouse from Maria Denmark. I thought the vintage style of the blouse would be a good match for the slightly retro-style fabric, and it's certainly an easy top to wear.

Front view

The blouse has darts front and back to give it a nice shape.

Back view

And the cut-on sleeves just cover your shoulders.

Better idea of the color

Here's a picture on Mini Me, to give you a better idea of the color. The background is a very soft blue-grey, livened up by green cacti, pink jack rabbits and, of course, Great Pyrenees.

I had what I thought were the perfect buttons. I got them at an antique mall in Illinois when we did our road trip to Chicago last summer. I think they look like little full moons, just the thing for a while dog (or coyote) to be howling to on a Spring night.

She's very good at giving kisses

Stashbusting and Fasting in 2015

As you can see from my sidebar, I've signed up for both the Stashbusting Sewalong and the RTW Fast in 2015. Here's my formal hat-in-the-ring pledge:

 "I, NancyD, commit to using 15 pieces of stash fabric in 2015. Further, I pledge to refrain from purchasing RTW in 2015 (excepting socks and underwear, but I'll try to make that too).

Made from some dotty cotton I got 4 years ago in Shelton, WA

As proof of my good intentions, here's my first stashusting project, a Maria Denmark Edith blouse.

I've done some thinking about stash as I considered jumping into the pool this year. There's no doubt I have stash that needs dealing with, but I believe that stash can be a good thing.

When you're a sewist, especially a sewist with a busy life, you need to have your tools and materials ready and waiting when you manage to carve out that hour or two to indulge your passion. I love having a selection of pre-washed fabrics, multiple colors of thread, elastics, zippers and buttons all set when inspiration strikes. 

Now, you can't go hog wild with stash, or you end up with fabric leaking out of all your closets and drawers and you can't find those two yards of turquoise ITY knit when you need them. I'm close to that point, but quantity isn't really my problem.

For me, it's a question of balancing the stash. 

I probably have three times as many knits as I do wovens. When I first took up sewing again 10 years ago, good knits were rare on the ground. I developed a habit of buying a couple yards whenever I saw a knit I liked. The result is, I have a TON of knits. Part of my strategy for 2015 will be to find a variety of patterns so that I don't end up with 20 versions of the same tee (though I'll always love a good Renfrew).

My other problem involves those scary fabrics acquired earlier in my sewing cycle. Some of them are scary-good, like my pretty blue wool, earmarked for a jacket. Some of them are scary-bad, like my chiffon-y bits bought at cut-rate fabric emporiums. My strategy here will be to just hunker down and use them. What's the worst that can happen? As The Man points out, they aren't doing me any good wadded up in the fabric closet.

I won't pledge not to buy fabric, because I'm participating in Goodbye Valentino's RTW Fast again this year. I need to retire some of my trousers, which means sewing replacements, which means buying some fabric, on account of I don't have any pants-worthy fabrics in stash.

I had a great time with the fast in 2014. I totally went the whole year without buying any ready to wear clothing. Except one vintage beaded jacket  - it fit me and it was $30 bucks. How could I say no? Not buying RTW meant that if I needed (or, OK, wanted) some wardrobe item, I had to figure out how to make it myself. I sewed some things I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to manage, including running gear (!!) and a bra (!!! - the Watson, still to be blogged).

Plus, I'm going to the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA in February. How can I not allow for the possibility that I'll buy a yard or two of some delicious fabric on that trip? My friend, Jessica, and I are taking the train so we can bring an extra suitcase. Just in case.

Maria Denmark Edith Blouse

I've had so much fun with the free Kirsten Kimono Tee from Maria Denmark that I knew I wanted to try another of her patterns. So here's my version of her Edith Blouse.

 

Edith is a shapely little blouse, with a bit of a retro feel. There are bust darts and fisheye darts (or are they french darts?) in both back and front,  and the side seams are curved to allow you to showcase that hourglass silouette. That's if you have an hourglass silouette. As a brick, I don't display this blouse as it deserves, but I do like it a lot!

 

Can you tell there's a little shaping in the back there?



I used a remnant of a nice, substantial cotton that I got at Bolt while we were visiting Portland in August. I had just enough for the blouse, so it must have been meant to be.

I test drove Edith at the Santa Cruz County Fair a couple of weeks ago and it wore very nicely. It was a warm, end of summer day. The little kimono sleeves kept my shoulders out of the sun but I was cool and comfortable while eating fresh churned ice cream and roasted corn on the cob. I was tempted to put it through it's paces on the mechanical bull, but there were too may little kids in line ahead of me.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Kirsten Tee Three Ways

I love the Kirsten Kimono Tee pattern from Maria Denmark. It's the perfect light layer to wear under a cardigan or jacket. You can sew one up in about an hour (or less if you're faster than me). It's almost sleeveless but not quite, so you can feel cool and stylish but keep your shoulders covered. It takes just one yard of knit fabric, leaving enough leftovers to cobble together a pair of undies if you're so inclined. The boat neck is flattering yet modest And did I mention it's free?

I had a little Kirsten sewing frenzy week before last. My friend Lisa and I had a fabulous birthday weekend at The Claremont in Berkeley. To further my diabolical plan to suck her into sewing, we stopped by Stone Mountain & Daughter and I made her advise me on Minoru fabric as well as some knits for Kirsten tees. And sure enough, she left with some knit for a Kirsten of her own.

It's interesting to sew the same pattern several times in a row. For one thing, I was getting pretty darn efficient by the time I got to Kirsten #3. For another, you can really see how different fabrics behave. The top Kirsten is in a heftier and not very stretchy fabric. Think of a men's tee. Kirsten #2 is in a lighter and stretchier knit, and Kirsten #3 below is in the lightest, drapiest knit of them all.

I'm trying to get better at picking the right fabric for the job, and knowing how to manage their properties when I work with them. I had to tweak the neckband length for these babies, based on my guess of how much bounce and recovery they'd have. I didn't do too bad, if I do say so myself.

Practice, practice, practice! And how nice to end up with three new wardrobe staples at the end of it all!