Category Archives: Sewing For Others

Sewing for others whether they like it or not!

Sew Weekly Challenge #11

The Facts

Fabric: Blue Laminate & Tangerine Polka-dots (Michael Miller) from Fabric.com
Pattern: Amy Bulter’s Raincoat
Year: Contemporary
Notions: Threads & Buttons
Time to complete: 5 hours
First worn: Today for pictures
Wear again?  Sure, with some tweaks here and there
Total price: $20.00 give or take a dollar

There was a time from middle-school to early college that I wouldn’t wear bright colors together. I didn’t want to stand out.  Thinking about it today, I find it quite odd, because as a kid I used to pair the brightest colors together all the time. I loved bright colors and the more the better.  That’s when I remembered my favorite outfit ever…a pair of deep blue soccer shorts and a tangerine t-shirt. It’s one of those outfits that I remember, I think because I wore it so damn much.  So damn much that I have this memory of my mom sighing or shaking her head each time I walked out of my room in bright blue and tangerine. I’m pretty sure this is something that I’ve since constructed in my mind; either way the memory manifested into something that seemed to keep me from pairing together bright colors.

Now that I am the master of my closet and could give two tootsie-rolls what people say about what I wear, I find myself becoming more and more acquainted with bright colors.  Since beginning to sew again, I’ve been purchasing more and more bright prints or solids that I know I will color block into something that my high-school self would have shuttered at.  Case in point, the pantone challenge.  When reviewing the color options for spring 2012, I was cool with idea of working with Tangerine Tango as long as I had something to compliment it with.  Out of all the rest I went with the Sodalite Blue.  Since Chicago is transitioning to spring, I figured that a raincoat would be perfect.  I could make the perfect blue raincoat with the bright tangerine lining. Thanks to fabric.com, the idea came together without a hitch. Once the fabrics arrived home, I had crazy flashbacks of my childhood outfit–a summer day posing for a picture in front of my mom’s beige Buick before I ran off to play kickball with the boys. Gone was any fear of mixing the bright colors or prints!

Since I was going for a raincoat, I sought out Amy Butler’s raincoat pattern that I bought when I first started sewing. Her instructions are very detailed and images are easy to understand, which is a bonus.  The only problem I have with the pattern is that she has you trace onto the ‘right’ side of the fabric.  Then once you cut, you then transfer all the markings onto the pieces’ ‘wrong side’. I thought for a sec that I would trace onto the ‘wrong’ side by just flipping my pattern pieces over while tracing, but then I had this freak out moment where everything went wrong and I just followed the directions. I hated the inefficient nature of it all, but at least I knew it would all work out.

Even though the pattern worked out well, the fabric itself was not as great.  Being an amateur, I didn’t realize that laminate fabric would pose a problem while sewing.  I guess there are special presser feet for laminates that relieve the sticking, but I had a pretty solid deadline to meet and couldn’t be troubled.  To compensate, I put some interfacing on top of the laminate before sewing.  It was perfect, when it worked. I was able to sew without any sticking and then had fun ripping the interfacing from the seams.  You know the feeling…it’s like the tag on your couch that says not to rip, but you’ve have…don’t deny it!  So much fun!

In the end I was able to cut, sew, and take pictures for this challenge within the day.  I wish I could’ve had more time but my weekend was taken up with a ton of activities.  Thank goodness for spring break, else I would’ve never finished this challenge. The only thing I could have used was some rain to splash around in!  I guess I’ll just create a few indoor puddles as I youtube Leonard Cohen over and over and over.

Sew Weekly Challenge #7: Make Do Make Anew

Isn’t this dress just darling?!?!?  When I first saw it on Dear Golden’s etsy site I knew it was the dress I’d want to wear over and over again; to formal events, to work, to picnics, to bed…errrrr…shhh, you didn’t hear that!

When I got it in the mail I nearly squealed for all to hear, and then when I tried it on I did cry a bit, because it didn’t fit! I told myself not to worry; there were some darts and gussets that could be let out.  Still, being relatively new to sewing I waited to tackle that very very very intimidating task. I relegated this beauty my closet to await the day when I had the courage take on that mega challenge.

In the meantime I did my research.  The dress was from Gigi Young (New York), which was a sister label to Suzy Perette. Suzy Perette was a manufacturing company that made affordable Parisian styles in the 1950s.  And Gigi Young made those affordable Suzy Perettes even more affordable.  So I guess it’s like getting your Vera Wang at Target or something like that.

Wait, what’s that? You see a little rip in the dress?  No, that’s crazy!  Why would I  ever buy a…waaaaaaaaaaat!?!?  And there it is, the horizontal rip about 12 inches long. I wondered how the hell something like that could have happened. Before I could even put together a complete thought, this lil’ beauty came into the room purring and prancing about, meowing all the time.  This, my dear ladies, is Eleanor. She is a beauty of a cat, dainty as can be, but she also has a very ‘special’ mind for a cat. Her special mind leads her to do some very foolish things (see item above).  As much as I love her, I hated her just as much when I discovered the rip in my first big vintage purchase. So Gigi was relegated again, but this time to my dress form. I wasn’t going to give up her just yet.

So when this challenge came along, I didn’t even bat an eye, I knew that I wanted to make my WWII army issued pants into a pair of shorts or even a skirt if I could manage it. I bought them back when I had a bit of an addiction to ebay and WWII memorabilia.  It started with me wanting cool items for my classroom and then it spiraled out of control.  With a mini-intervention from friends and family I refocused my mind and became a more normal consumer. I haven’t gone back to ebay since. Anyways the pants were two items that still remained in my home, waiting to be put to good use.  As I began my refashioning, though, it became all to clear that the shorts would never work out; the wool was just too darn thick for both the hem and my thighs.

On to what became plan B…Gigi!  All along I had planned to fix this vintage beauty up so that I could wear it, it was just a matter of me mastering a few basic techniques and now that Eleanor had basically destroyed the dress, I didn’t really even care if I had those techniques mastered. I had free reign to experiment!

The Facts

Fabric: Blue Polka Dot Silk, Gigi Young New York & White cotton muslin
Pattern: Self drafted waistband
Year: Contemporary
Notions: Threads
Time to complete: 1 hour tops
First worn: Friday for spirit day!
Wear again?  There are many more wears in this skirt’s future!
Total price: How do I calculate this???  Maybe $1.00 worth of muslin and $10.00 worth of the vintage price??

So I cut the skirt right below the rip, maintaining the original hem and the side seams.  I then went to my big bolt of muslin and cut myself a basic straight waist band. I made some gathering stitches on the skirt and made them very loose since I had to make the fabric I had fit to the size of the waistband. When it came to the zipper, I didn’t want to bother, so I finished the waistband in the back by making a tuck and fold so that the bands ‘met’ where the back skirt seam did.  Flawless!  I guess the only awkward part is that the skirt has to go on over my head since there isn’t any stretch in the waistband.  I thought about cutting the darn thing on the bias only after I had sewed it on to the skirt, but in the end it’s a minor issue that won’t stop me from wearing the skirt.

I wore it to school on our spirt Friday.  Normally we’re supposed to wear some kind of blue & gold t-shirt and it’s a free day to wear jeans.  I opted out in order to sport the skirt; it was blue so I still had plenty of school spirit. Rah Rah!!!  Quite a few of my students really liked the skirt and seemed to like it even more when I told them I had refashioned it. Pretty cool. Since J and I work at the same school, I was able to get him to take a few pictures as well.  All in all, it was a pretty great Friday.  We ended it by performing in our annual students vs teacher improv battle (we totally won)!

New Sewing Machine!

I did it. I bought a new fancy sewing machine!

My ‘old’ sewing machine was only two years old–a gift from J for my birthday–and despite working like a champ, it was just a bit too basic for the sewing I have begun to do on a weekly basis.

After some research I came upon the Brother CS 6000i.  It was affordable (via Amazon) and fancy! Satisfying both requirements, I bought it and settled in for the long wait from UPS. Getting packages from UPS in Chicago can be excruciatingly painful, and I was not looking forward to it.

One night, though, I came home from martial arts.  I came through the doorway with Watch the Throne blaring in my headphones, did a dance as the song ended, hung up my bag, twirled around and there it was!!!! My new machine!!!

I am so very excited to use it.  Tomorrow I am going to start with a simple top for my next Sew Weekly challenge.  Hopefully it will be the perfect introduction to the new machine, because I have some serious projects lined up.

Check this bad boy out!

Challenge Week #2: Buttons

Yay, I was featured on the Sew Weekly!  Go there and check out all the great button-themed creations!

The Facts

Fabric: Light-weight military green courdoroy
Pattern: Burdastyle ‘Ruby’
Year: 2009
Notions: Brownish-yellowish buttons & gold thread
Time to complete: 6 hours
First worn: This past Sunday for pictures
Wear again? NEVER, don’t EVER try to make me. I would rather die!
Total price: $11.50 total   $8.50 for the fabric & $3.00 for the pattern

I’m really really really trying to do a good job on the first go of each challenge.  I don’t want every post I do to be a terrible story about how terrible it was to sew for the challenge, or how all the things went wrong throughout the whole experience. Really. No, Really…Yet here I am, poised to do just that. Debbie friggin downer.

Pretty pretty buttons!

See, I had a bit of a week.  I was all full of sewing excitement after the last challenge so straight away I got my unfinished Colette Beignet out of the dungeon (read: closet) and went to work with the hope that I would get ahead of Challenge #2. The last two Beignets I sewed last year–my first patterns–turned out fine, but I sewed the lining in wrong making me a little crazy each time I wore them out. Yes, I know that people couldn’t see but it felt like they knew.  Anyways, I was on such a high from Challenge #1 that I knew these red Beignet pieces would turn out right. Seeing as how the Beignet has a million buttons, I figured that it would be perfect for Challenge #2.  But wait, what is that? I cut the wrong size? No way…I definitely cut the right size?  Oh, what’s that? I cut them three months ago when I was thinner in the waist and hips? Shallots and oatmeal!!!  Whatever, I was committed and could use the practice.  The best worst part?  I sewed it up right.  I figured out the trick to getting a proper Beignet that I can’t even wear yet. Just my luck. Go, me, Debbie friggin downer.

Knowing that the Beignet was out for Monday, I sought out a new pattern inspiration that worked with the buttons challenge.  I had an image in mind for the end point: short shorts with tights and a tucked in shirt of some kind.  A quick Burda search suggested the ‘Ruby’ pattern from 2009. It looked super cute!  I paid the $3 and printed out the instructions and pattern.  When I got home that Friday I set in taping and cutting the paper and then cutting the fabric pieces as well.  This is when things went a bit haywire…again.

Enjoying a mild Chicago winter

You see, the ‘Ruby’ directions are pretty much non-existent. Pretty much in that there are some directions there translated from German, however, there are at least two or three steps missing completely.  Like, for instance, the button placket that is kind of a big deal…nope, not even mentioned.  A google search turned up various posts by people who experienced the same thing and wrote up their own directions. The only thing is that the directions were for these individuals, and not a semi-novice who needed some advice, hand-holding, and tear drying.  So, after sewing and then seam ripping and then sewing and seam ripping again, I gave up and had a glass of wine.

It wasn’t until the next morning when I had places to be that I decided to just figure the damn thing out on my own.  I’ve sewn stuff long enough, right? I can do this stuff using my wits, right?  Hell yes!!!  I figured out all kinds of stuff: the button plackets, the front AND back waist bands, and I already knew how to do the hemming the Burda shorts way.  I left for a four hour martial arts marathon, kicked punched and sweated out some aggression and came back to knock those shorts out…err, finish them I mean.

Who doesn't love a good snow ange

In the end, they’re not perfect but I did my best.  They are too big in the waist and there are some stitching issues on the waistband and the button plackets. Still, I’m cool with it since there were NO directions at all. I just turned 29 and have this goal thing I do each year, so I am going to try the ‘Ruby’ pattern out again and create a tutorial for it that actually works. Maybe I’ll burn the shorts out back, offering a sacrifice to the sewing gods in hopes that the second pair turn out better. Debbie downer is not invited.

P.S. Taking pictures was really the highlight of my experience.  My man friend became my super photographer and I think they turned out pretty well.  Except for this last one…

Snow is cold!

What Three Day Weekend?

It serves me right for volunteering to be the play’s costumer.  It just sounded so fantastic and glamorous back in July!  I had all the time in the world then, and since I am new to the gig, I had no idea what I was in store for.   So the last two weeks allowed me to  explore the school’s loft and green room where there are a million different shirts, skirts, trousers, suit coats: and all are nothing that I particularly needed for this show.    Oh well, it got me over to the Village Discount around the corner from my house for some neighborhood exploration.

At the start of last school week everyone was just itching for the weekend knowing that we had that lucky jack-ass, Columbus, to thank for a Monday off.  Relaxation for three days, that sure sounded amazing.   That is until I realized that I had 8 dresses, 7 headbands, and 2 vests to sew for Tuesday’s full dress rehearsal.  So much for that relaxation!

I cut and organized everything I could during the week and on Friday I started sewing.  The dress pattern was very basic, but it was my first time with it so I took it slow.   By the time I was ready for some couch surfing I had finished nearly 3 of the dresses.   That left the rest for Saturday.

Awesome plan, I’d like you to meet ‘Asshole Frank’, he likes to mess up really awesome plans… Yeah, I totally forgot that not only did we have a wedding to attend to, but a friend’s birthday as well.   Saturday’s sewing time was just about cut in half, allowing me to finish the 3 dresses completely before having to get my sexy-wedding-guest face and dress on.

Sunday was an all-day event that killed my back, but left me with only the vests to finish for Monday.  It was epic and I celebrated with wine and Mad Men before passing out on the couch.    Today I am back on that couch, happy and relieved that it is all finally over.   If something doesn’t end up working out during the dress rehearsal, I don’t care, I’ll fix it with velcro or duct tape.   I’ll get all Tim Gunn ‘makin it work’ on their asses!   Although, he’d probably give me his famous glare for even suggesting a quick fix with velcro or duct tape.  Oh well.

Here are some pictures of the final products and Elanor the sewing room cat:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just modeling to see if the dress actually went together right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything is done. Elanore has assumed the proper face plant position.

 

 

Although it’s not what I would prefer for a Monday relaxation day, J and I are heading up to see his family in order to celebrate some birthdays.  It should be fun, and there will most definitely be cake so I can’t complain.

Exciting!

Things are busy, as this is the week before the play.  I’ve mended, hemmed, cut, sewn, and there is still plenty to do!

BUT, what should I find in the mail today????

 

These beauties :)

I plan to make the blues for school and the red spotted one for a wedding that I’m attending.  I also have another pattern on the way in my actual size….Awesome!

 

Now, to eat some fajitas and do some more costuming work :)

Treading Water

Howdy.  It’s been awhile, eh?   Yah, so I guess you could say that I’ve become a slave to my work.  And really, if you know me, then you probably also know that this is nothing new.  Despite that, I haven’t sacrificed much else than writing a blog entry on a weekly basis. To me, that is a pretty good accomplishment.  I’m going to work harder in the coming weeks to fit this into the schedule as well.   On with the updates!

Work:

  • I’ve been leading a PLT (professional learning team) and really trying to do it well.  This has consumed my brain power, but it has also made my life easier in so many other ways. It’s a trade-off with the added bonus of loving the people who I now work so closely with. We are striving to make education a science and it’s working; the only problem, we are in year one of a seven year process and we wish we could do so much more.  In due time.
  • I quit my job as the advisor of International Club and accepted the job as a costumer for three of the five plays.  My friend, Adam, directs them and his choices in plays are always interesting.  The first play is called, The Adding Machine, and it’s about a man who gets replaced by technology.   I decided to go for a steampunk look, since it works well for the play and  is one of my favorite subcultures around.   I actually just went to the local thrift store today with J and we walked out with 4 big bags of stuff.  I am really excited, but I am also really nervous because I have about 3 weeks to finalize everything.

Fun:

  • I signed up at school (I swear this is still ‘fun’) for the PHIT club.  It’s basically The Biggest Loser, but at my school.  Now, I must say that I do not feel like I need to lose any weight.  With the exception of some really bad clothing days, I am perfectly happy with my body.   However, I made the pledge to go to my martial arts class 8 times a month and I have been riding my bike everywhere; why not make some money, right??!?!?    I figured this was a logical decision that would probably not pay off, but as it turns out, I kicked some major ass this past week.   I took 2nd place and won $15  (I had to put in $25 to start) for getting down to 165 lbs.  Pretty awesome!   I also got a sticker, which actually made me more excited than the money.
  • J and I have been to some great places in the last few weeks.   Longman & Eagle was an amazing foodie experience, minus all the pretension that comes along with amazing food like that.  The Orbit Room was a rockabilly/tiki bar neighborhood joint that had above average food.  German Fest in Lincoln Square lived up to its (or my, hehe) annual reputation…

We also went to the Small Bar last weekend for dinner and met up with David and Amanda; that night was really fantastic.  Not only did we get a chance to catch up on life, I was able to give them the final versions of the bowties I made for David and his grooms-dudes.  I am so excited to have been able to contribute to their special day and I can’t wait for the wedding and post-wedding festivities.  Another coolest part–they let us peep their invitations. OMG, they are the greatest!  David is a graphic designer and he did an amazing job :)  I am really really excited as this will be my first ever wedding viewing for a friend.  Check out the cool bowtie…oh yah.

Last night we went to the Fountainhead and it was just okay.  The waiter was really intense and the place was just uncomfortable.  At one point J and I both came to the same conclusion–the place took itself way too seriously.  Not everything can be AMAZING, I guess.  We ended up at Rice & Roll tonight for some sushi goodness. It was delicious and only about 3 blocks away.  Thank goodness sushi is low on the calorie count, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the running for anymore PHIT monies!

  • My friend Julia and I took another sewing class at the Needle Shop.  We learned how to make a really simple and attractive top.  Here it is in the many forms I’ve made already!

  • Today, I cleaned my sewing room and reorganized so that I can get cracking on the Adding Machine costuming.  I’m really happy with the results and feel rejuvenated.

  • Now we are just sitting around drinking a nice shiraz and watching Team America.  It is odd that this movie is more relevant today than it was in 2004.  I’ve been watching it from the perspective of my parents and their more conservative view point; I don’t think I’ve laughed this much in years.

I am looking forward to martial arts tomorrow, some minor school planning for my AP class and the some more costuming work.   Just another Sunday in Albany Park.

Sewmageddon!

The end is nigh!   Hang on to your hats! Pull a loved one close! Get on your sewing machine bike!  Wait..What?

I’m off to make-up for all the excuses and little life events that got in the way of making stuff for the past few months.   Everything’s cut and most of it’s pinned.  The coffee’s on the pot and I’m still in PJs, but ready to go.

Here’s the sitch:

  1. Sewing machine cozy
  2. Two bow ties
  3. Two wrap skirts
  4. Disaster top repair

Once those are completed I’ll post some pictures and explain the bike reference.

Now, off to battle!

Operation Get My Sew On!

So it’s been a stressful week!  The school climate is tension-filled in a way that I have never really experienced, Jason is full of union work and teaching, and I have my own teaching-related stressed and on top of all that we are trying to buy a condo in the city.  Oye!   The exciting thing is that we were pre-approved for condo buying so the fun of looking will soon start.  If we could decide, close and move in before or during our spring break at the end of March I might just cry over how well it all comes together.  Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

As for this delightful 3-day weekend. I decided I needed a reward for surviving last week and that would be to take Saturday and Monday for myself only.   Operation Get My Sew On is just that!

My goals:

  1. Finish up some bow ties out of scraps
  2. Practice cut and sew a dress
  3. Practice cut and sew a shirt
  4. Sew the real dress
  5. Sew the real shirt

Seems like a lot…I just might be too much.  The whole idea though is to see how all this timing works.    Below I’ve posted some of the pattern covers for the dress and shirt.  I am really excited for the Colette dress because of the 16 buttons!  The shirt I am so so on; love the style, love the fabric I chose for it, but it is a war-time pattern from the 1940s and those can be really tricky.