Suggestions?

So, I've got this fabric...

It's been aging for quite some time I'm guessing. I believe I inherited it about 3 years ago from another mature stash.

I'm guessing it's a cotton/poly blend with some type of poly batting. It is quilted with a clear thread.

I really like it but I don't know what to do with it? Any suggestions?

BTW: You still have about 5 days to finish your T-shirt. What will you do with a T?

Book Review: Simply Irresistible Bags

Simply Irresistible Bags: 45 Designs for Going Out, Looking Chic, and Shopping Green

by Marie Claire Idees

Published in 2008

ISBN: 978-1-57076-403-5

Some Chapter Headings:

• Simply Stylish
• Urban Chic
• For Children
• Storage

I liked:

• The Whimsically Retro Bag (page 18), the Artist's Satchel (page 42), and Off to the Orchard (page 80).
• That so many of these bags require skills I don't normally use. What a great way to learn how to dye fabric, punch leather, or perfect your running stitch.

My dislikes:

• I found that most of the bags lacked structure.
• The templates looked difficult to enlarge. You are given a set length that needs to be enlarged to a certain length, but it doesn't give percentages, so you have to do the math!

Conclusion:
This book has some neat ideas, but I didn't love anything. I checked it out from the library, and since I wasn't planning to make a purse, I didn't actually try any of the patterns.

Would I buy this book for myself? Nope. Should I decided later that one of those purses catches my fancy, I'll check it out again, but no need to spend money on it--unless you love bags!

Would I buy this book for a beginner? Absolutely not. It assumes that you already have advanced beginner to intermediate skills.

Book Review: Every Woman's Book of Fashion Design

Every Woman's Book of Fashion Design

by P. J. Ireland

Published in 1972

ISBN 877492336

Some Chapter Headings:
Lines
Proportions
Sleeves
Fabric Treatments
Figure Proportions

I liked:

• The line drawings showing collar styles, pleat styles, and cuff variations.
• The simplicity of the black and white drawings that illustrate the effects of darker colors and lighter colors and placement on the body.
• The great list of definitions in the back of the book.

My dislikes:

• The model sketched throughout the book was tall and leggy. Not at all true to life (at least not my life).

Conclusion:
This book is a little treasure--perhaps the best illustrations I've seen on using lines and colors to flatter your figure.

Would I buy this book for myself? I can see how this book would be very useful for the person sewing clothes for themselves. So often we sew something because it's cute on the envelope, but this would also help a person determine if it would be cute on a real body.

Would I buy this book for a beginner? This book would be a great addition to the library of a budding fashion designer.

Welcome to My Sewing Space

After several months years of hiding fabric, shuffling patterns, and storing supplies in every room of my home, I finally have my sewing space the way I want it! Would you like a peek?


Welcome to my sewing space. That's right, I said "space". I share the family's only dining area. My space stretches from door frame to door frame along one wall in our kitchen/dining room. And, I'm proud to say that all my gear (except one small box in the top of my closet) is in this area!

You can see my Janome 9000 and my serger. I keep the manuals for both right behind them on the peg board. Speaking of the peg board, didn't my hubby do a great job painting it to match the trim in the kitchen/dining room? It is super handy and I can see my supplies and grab them easily. Even more importantly, I can easily put everything away.

My sewing table is a 2' x 4' folding table from Sams. I have 2 pieces of shelf gripper stuff under my machines to keep them from walking. I have 4 large bins of fabric and several shoeboxes of trims hidden under that lovely red and white table skirt. (My table is extended to its highest point and I stand while sewing.) To organize my fabric, I have a swatch of each stapled to an index card. The card also lists the yardage of the fabric and which bin it is hidden in. I keep these on keychain rings hanging on my peg board:

To sew, you must have some inspiration, right? I've surrounded my dining room and my sewing space with some of my favorite artwork by my favorite artists! This is the BG's first print. All the other 1-year-olds in her class brought home a piece of paper with 6 perfect apple prints. Not my little painter. She took the apple from the teacher and printed it by herself:

I also use my peg board to hang inspiration. These tiny canvases were two of the activities the kids tried at Art Break. (You can also see how I store my serger thread. This might be my favorite part of the whole peg board.)

Last, but not least, I have these treasures. My mom found this skirt hem marker at an antique shop. The thread holder is one my great grandfather Pop made. He was an incredible whittler and woodworker during his long 101-year life. (Remind me to show you the quilt that his wife, his daughter (my grandma), and his granddaughter (my mom) made together with me sitting close by. )
I also have plenty of other sewing necessities in my little nook: my books on the shelf, my dress form, Grandma and Grandpa's old chalk board (thanks Uncle D.!), my cutting mat that slips right behind the table, and a basket full of immediate projects. That reminds me, I have lots to do.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm calling out my friends for this challenge.

Brassy Apple is hosting her first challenge of the summer: T-shirts. The challenge is simple:

What can you do with a T-shirt?

The challenge ends on June 3rd.

I think I'll be posing this question to my family. I can't wait to see what the LM, the BG, and my hubby design. (And no, the hubby will not be allowed to leave his blank!!!)

And for even more fun, I'm calling out my friends. That's right: I'm challenging each of you.

What can you do with a T-shirt?

You can cut, glue, paint, sew, applique, embroidery, deconstruct, reconstruct, stencil, glitter, bedazzle, serge, tie-dye, embellish, generally destroy, modify, etc...

You just have to be done by June 3rd!

If you have a blog, you can visit Brassy Apple's blog and follow along.

If you don't have a blog (Aunt Jo, Aunt Debbie, Susan, Sarah, Mom, Jane, Anne), I dare you to join in. Just email me the picture of your finished project (and pictures of the process if you think to take them) and I'll include them in my post on Wednesday, June 3rd.

And for added incentive, if you aren't the typical "craft blog" writer, you an enter the contest for the best T-shirt. This includes Susan, Sarah, Dr. Sarah, Jane, Anne, Jessica, Amy H., Marci (though you are pretty creative!), and anybody else that claims to be "not creative." I'll show LM and BG all the pictures and they will choose their favorite. The winner gets a shopping bag, similar to the one I showed you a few days ago (with my choice of fabrics and colors)!

So, who's in?

What can you do with a T-shirt?

Book Review: Simply Irresistible Bags

Simply Irresistible Bags: 45 Designs for Going Out, Looking Chic, and Shopping Green

by Marie Claire Idees

Published in 2008

ISBN: 978-1-57076-403-5

Some Chapter Headings:

• Simply Stylish
• Urban Chic
• For Children
• Storage

I liked:

• The Whimsically Retro Bag (page 18), the Artist's Satchel (page 42), and Off to the Orchard (page 80).
• That so many of these bags require skills I don't normally use. What a great way to learn how to dye fabric, punch leather, or perfect your running stitch.

My dislikes:

• I found that most of the bags lacked structure.
• The templates looked difficult to enlarge. You are given a set length that needs to be enlarged to a certain length, but it doesn't give percentages, so you have to do the math!

Conclusion:
This book has some neat ideas, but I didn't love anything. I checked it out from the library, and since I wasn't planning to make a purse, I didn't actually try any of the patterns.

Would I buy this book for myself? Nope. Should I decided later that one of those purses catches my fancy, I'll check it out again, but no need to spend money on it--unless you love bags!

Would I buy this book for a beginner? Absolutely not. It assumes that you already have advanced beginner to intermediate skills.

Book Review: The Vogue and Butterick Step-byStep Guide to Sewing Techniques

The Vogue/Butterick Step-by-Step Guide to Sewing Techniques
by the editors of Vogue and Butterick Patterns
Published in 1989
ISBN: 0-13-944125-5

Some Chapter Headings:

• Applique
• Bindings
• Collars
• Facings
• Gussets
• Linings
• Overlock
• Shoulder Pads
• Yokes

I liked:

• The quick, easy-to-use format. They certainly don't waste any words. The only text not in a tutorial is the opening page, where the book is explained.
• Opening any one of the 47 sections to find well-illustrated instructions on sewing techniques.
• The "Binding" section. It starts with a quick tutorial on making your own binding strips and then covers those icky situations like turning corners and neatly joining binding.
• The information in the "Layout" section that covers cutting plaids and stripes. It includes gentle reminders like, "Avoid placing a heavy, dominant horizontal stripe at the bust line or waistline." (page 209) Sounds like really good advice to me!
• The "Pocket" section. I wish I'd had that information the first time I tried to make a self-faced pocket. The illustrations are very clear.
• That this book even includes a section on "Shoulder Pads". Should they ever come back into high fashion, I'll know just where to turn!
  

My dislikes:

• The "Lining" section
• No "invisible zipper" reference
• The entire book is dedicated to garment sewing. Sure some techniques could cross-over into home decorating, but all the examples illustrated are garments.

Conclusion:
At first glance, this was one I wanted to put back on the shelf. But, as our local branch of the library has such a limited selection, I figured I better at least have a second look. I'm so glad I did!

This book is one to have on your shelf if you are moving toward an advanced beginner and intermediate sewing level. Not every sewer has mastered every technique, so having a quick, well-illustrated guide is quite handy. While I had the book for 2 weeks, I managed to use the sections on:
Binding
Buttonholes
Collars
Edge Finishes
Gussets
Hand Sewing
Layouts
Pressing
Vents

Would I buy it for myself? I have it "Saved for Later" on my favorite book-buying site. But, I'll probably pass. At least, as long as I can find it on the shelf at the library.

Would I buy it for a beginner sewer? Maybe. This is definitely a great addition to the library of an advanced beginner.

Going Green in Style

I've become that crazy lady at the grocery store. You know the one--the lady with a pile of coupons her own shopping bags. Yep, that's me. And I'm proud of it!

But, if you haven't noticed, those reusable bags from our favorite supercenters and grocery stores are a little a lot ugly.

With that in mind, I tried a new pattern. This shopping bag is The ReUse-a-Bag from Studio Kat Designs. I like 2 things about it:

I like the finished size (I made the large).

I like that it folds up nice and small to tuck into a purse.

I modified the pattern to my fit my tastes.

• I omitted the "receipt pocket",
• I left off the zipper and just top-stitched the edges,
• I didn't follow the instructions for putting the bag together and inserting the gussets, and
• I made my straps much longer than this pattern directs.

Basically, I only used the pattern to determine the sizes to cut and the placement of the Velcro so that it rolled up nicely. Would I recommend you buy it? Probably not. If you can make a purse, you can figure those other things out without much trouble.

Then, in one of those "just because I can moments", I decided to make a matching key chain (or fob or whatchamacallit).


This tutorial makes a super quick key fob. It takes a 4 x 9 piece of fabric, the same size interfacing, ribbon if you want it and a D ring. Did I mention it is easy? Isn't this a great gift idea?

10 Things I've Learned from Moms

In honor of Mother's Day, here are 10 wonderful things I've learned from the Moms in my life:

10. Sit on your hands at a cattle auction. -Grandma E.

9. Anything boiled long enough can be made a soup. (Think a dare and a turtle, according to family lore.) -Ma

8. Hurray for coupons! -Ashley P.

7. A college diploma is an even bigger achievement after 10+ years, 2 boys, full-time jobs, and a hubby.-my MIL

6. You can never use too much Velveeta. -Nita

5. Chinese checkers are fun (and they aren't actually played with checkers.) -Grandma E.

4. If you can survive 8 hours once a month with 2 boys hooked to IVs in the hospital, you can survive just about anything. -Jane

3. "What could you use that for?" -Mom

2. "Show them the biggest diamond first!" -Nita

and, my favorite

1. Jesus loves me and He died to save me from my sins. -My mom in the laundry room 25 years ago helping me to understand God's plan for my Salvation.

Happy Mother's Day

Book Review: Sew U

Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe
by Wendy Mullin with Eviana Hartman
Published in 2006
ISBN: 0-8212-5740-4

Some Chapter Headings:
Getting In Gear

Chop, Chop

Skirts

Shirts

Pants

I liked:

• That the book is very easy to read.
• The wonderful inspiration for "designing your own" based on a pattern.
• The notions and supplies chapter because she points out that you don't have to have much to get started and encourages you to wait until you know what you need before investing.
• The "Anatomy Lesson" defining and describing pattern pieces.
• Page 82 that has an excellent explanation of thread tension and why it is so important.
• The Project Ticket Form

My dislikes:

• The section on measuring yourself is not detailed and only includes instructions for measuring bust, waist, and hip. In my experience, using only these 3 measurements leads to ill-fitting garments and loads of frustration.
• I found the A-line skirt pattern to be almost a pencil skirt.

Conclusion:

While this book isn't as thorough as other "Complete Guides..." it certainly has its place. I personally picked up the book because the look of it appealed to me. And, the book is actually quite detailed for the beginner, describing and explaining techniques that more intermediate and advanced sewers would take for granted: stay-stitching, stitching direction, finishing seams, topstitching, understitching, and even sewing on a button!

Another feature that appealed to me: the book includes 3 patterns. While only the skirt has worked for me, the shirt and pants provide new options and can be a jump-start for a new sewer. That said, the limited measuring instructions and virtually no fitting information are potential roadblocks in sewing your own wardrobe.

Would I buy it for myself? I do own this book and I've made the skirt several times and in several ways.

Would I buy it for a beginner sewer? I whole-heartily recommend this book to a tween, teen, or even 30-something beginner--as long as they have a fitting resource (like a very, very good friend) handy.

Together Again

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. And I have such fun things to share--the cool finds Mom picked up for me at an antique shop, some fun books I found at the library the other day and, of course, more pics of my kids! But, I thought you'd like to know what I've been up to this past week:


I was part of the planning team for our class reunion!

I graduated from the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts. For those that don't know, LSMSA is a residential, public, magnet high school. We took all the regular high school classes plus things like Latin, Fiction, Chem II, Pascal (the computer language), Shakespeare, World Religions, Deferential Calculus, Prob and Stat. Girls lived in Caddo and the guys in Proudhomme, we all ate in cafeteria, we hung out in the annex and later the SAC, and we all had classes in the "High School Building". We were expected to achieve high goals and our creativity was nurtured in the process. I can't begin to describe the relationships that I formed with people in high school, much less the relationships I have with them today. Suffice it to say, I can meet a fellow "Giftie" and immediately find a kindred spirit. edited 5/4/09 to add: check out this link for a recent news story about the school.

My Senior Year, 5 girls lived in Suite G. Adrienne was our junior, but the other 4 of us were brilliantly arrogant and typically stupid 18 year-olds ready to tackle the world our way. We were learning to walk (both figuratively and literally) into adulthood and had a really tough time trying to do it all on our own!

Today: We have 25+ years of college/grad school between us, numerous post grad degrees, a Pharm. D. and a J. D. More importantly, we are 4 happy mommies with 7 children between us and we finally had the chance to sit down all together--the first time in 15 years!

Some of our favorite guys from high school were there too, and one who wasn't called just to say hi! (His wife had a baby earlier yesterday morning! Congrats Rusty and Sarah!)

It was a blast!