Review: SEW...The Garment-Making Book of Knowledge

My sister introduced me to Barbara Emodi's blog a little while ago. I love it! It's one of my favorite sewing blogs.

When I heard she was writing a book, SEW The Garment-Making Book of Knowledge: Real-Life Lessons from a Serial Sewist, I was super excited! Disclosure: the publisher sent me a PDF of the book, but all opinions are mine!

I love Barbara's book! I even read it on the bus - which is saying a lot, since reading on the bus makes me rather motion sick. It's full of tips and tricks. Barbara's writing style is relaxed and happy. She's informative without being preachy.

One of the features that I love in the book is her mini lessons. One's about v-style necklines, and I decided to try it, since I've had a few neckline fails, lately.

I took an old tee and cut away the neck into a v-neck shape. I then cut a binding strip 1 and 3/8-inches wide and the full length of the fabric.

I ended up marking the exact location of the bottom of the v with wash-away marker. Barbara doesn't say to do this, but I felt I really needed it to hit the mark.

Is it perfect? No. Is it better than what I've done, lately? YES! I think I just need to practice more. Also, maybe a little glue basting is in order, for me, until I've tried it more than once.

New Pattern: Reliable Spring Socks

When I saw the colors in this yarn, they reminded me of a field of crocus flowers. These little blossoms are often the first sign of spring. I sometimes say that spring, as a season, isn’t reliable around here until (at least) Mother’s Day. There’s nothing like some color in your wardrobe to make you feel a little better about chilly weather. So, I hope these socks can put a reliable spring in your step, no matter what the temperature!

This pattern is featured in the April 2018 Sock Artisan Crate from Knitcrate, but you can also buy it, without the yarn, on Ravelry. Use my coupon code: math4knitters20, to save 20% on your first order!


These socks are knit from the top down and feature an easy-to-work stitch pattern.

Taking a Nap

Happy December! 

I never, ever let Wolfie or Victor play with my yarn. He simply plopped down for a nap on it, for some reason. If I'm knitting and he wants to play, I put the yarn away and play with him. 

I have a lot going on and have even more planned for 2018, so I'm going to let this blog take a little nap, too, while I get myself sorted.

Project Journal: Ponte Pants

I don't wear pants very much, but I took a chance on McCall's 6173, and I'm really happy that I did!

This is not me. This is a model who is waaaaay taller than thinner than I ever have been.

Pattern: McCall's 6173, view A-ish, size L, with petite adjustments that were marked on the pattern paper.
Fabric: Telio Ponte Leggero Knit in black 65% Rayon/31% Nylon/4% Spandex. I washed the fabric in cold water and dried it in a low dryer. It sat around a bit before I had a chance to use it, so I also ran it through a steam refresh cycle in my dryer before I cut it out.
Notions: nylon zipper, hook and eye, 1-inch elastic
Tools: Sewing machine with zipper foot, edgejoining foot (for stitch in the ditch) and regular foot. Serger with  Four-Thread Ultra-Stretch Mock Safety Stitch for seams and narrow coverstitch for hems, pressing tools (lots of steam from my iron and a clapper, mostly).
Changes:
- No zippers on the legs.
- I serged the darts and all seams except the fly area and waistband finish. I reinforced the crotch seam with a line of sewing machine stitches within the seam allowance of the serged seam.
- I cut my own waistband and reinforced it with elastic, using techniques from The Busy Woman's Sewing Book. It's all of the comfort of an elastic waistband, but with a tailored look.
- From the same book, I used the two-step fly - a zipper fly with just two lines of stitching! I did have to do the second step over again, after basting a little bit, since it went rather off the rails the first time.
Verdict: On the first wear, these are super-comfy! I hope the fabric holds up well. The legs are much looser in the calf area than in the photo, so if you want a fitted calf, definitely do a basted fitting to check it. This is the most comfortable, best-fitting waistband I've ever worn.

Meet the Kittens: Victor and Wolfie

These are our two little babies, Wolfie on the left and Victor on the right. 

We've never had kittens before, and it's quite the adventure! We adopted them both from the Animal Humane Society after Travis and Boomer left us a few months ago.  

Wolfie is short for "Wolfgang." We named him that because he looks like a tiny wolf pup and we both love Mozart. He even howls a little bit when we're getting his food ready.

Victor's about a month older than Wolfie but is a lot bigger. We think he's part (or all) Maine Coon. Wolfie looks like he may be a Russian Blue.

They wrestle and play a lot, but they also groom each other and even fall asleep in a semi-cuddle, semi-play position like this one.

Knitting Dishcloths

I'm knitting cotton dishcloths along with my students at St. Louis Park Community Education.

They are so relaxing to make! I love playing with different color combinations. The first batch of dishcloths I made is about 12 years old. The cloths are JUST NOW starting to wear out, so the timing on these projects is pretty good.

My sister gave me these knitting needles about 16 years ago, when I told her that knitting with cotton made my hands feel sore. She bought them at a festival and I have no idea what brand they are, but I think they're ebony wood. They feel so smooth and nice!

If you're just learning to knit, I recommend the ballband dishcloth as a skills-builder. You manage two colors of yarn (but, not at once), work with slipped stitches, have to stay on-pattern and knit and purl.

I'd love to see you in class! Check out my schedule, here.

Robe for Dee

Remember my peacock robe? This is same pattern, done up in black sweatshirt fabric, before the sleeves were hemmed. 

Looooooooooooong sleeves. Not messing around!

I made it the same way as before, but this time I didn't cheat and leave off the belt carriers and pockets. Easy peasy.

Easy Skirt

Another version of Stretch and Sew 445!

Changes from my last try:

- I used the Elastic Waist Facing method I learned in The Ultimate Guide to Sewing Knit Fabrics Craftsy class by Linda Lee with this awesome Waistband Elastic by Dritz.

(If you use my Craftsy affiliate link you'll save 25% off her class. Cannot be combined with any other coupons. Expires January 11, 2018.)

- I altered the fit a little bit to make the hem about 2 inches narrower than patterned. It makes the skirt a little more body-conscious without being super-tight.

- The fabric is a knit I picked up at the Textile Center's garage sale in April. It is very fluid and drapey. I think it might be rayon? It doesn't curl at the cut edge and feels cool and dry to the touch.

- I serged my darts, instead of stitching them on the sewing machine. I love the results!

- I couldn't get a blind hem to work, so I initially used a fusible to bond the hem in place. The fusible came partially unstuck after the first wash. (I wash in cold water and hang to dry.) So, I coverstitched the hem in place, instead. It looks great and I don't mind the look of a coverstitched hem.

Changes for next time:

- PRACTICE that waist facing technique, so that it's a little more even. Other than that, I LOVE it. It's definitely going to be my go-to skirt for when I want to feel put-together and cute.

Fall Fiber Festival Prep

I'm getting ready for the Fall Fiber Festival this Saturday in Hopkins!

I haven't had as much time as I wanted to get ready, but I will have copies of both of my books for sale, these little hat ornaments, some bandanas (not very many, arrive early, if you want one!), and a bunch of Thrifty Lined Shopping Bags.

I hope to see you there!

Practice Makes Okay

What do you do when someone gives you an old t-shirt and you like it, but the neckline is too small? 

Well, you practice slapping on a v-neck made out of rib knit, of course!

I was very careful not to stitch over poor Snoopy's nose. Technique from Stretch & Sew Part 1. I added topstitching to hold the seam allowances in place. 

Just A Simple Belt

A wide belt I had broke a few months ago, so I figured it was time to try making a belt. It was pretty straightforward. 

1) Buy a 2-inch-wide belt buckle from Dritz. 

2) Cut a strip from some black "yoga pant"-style knit fabric - 5 inches wide and as long as my waist measurement.

3) Bond a 2-inch-wide strip of fusible knit interfacing down the center of the fabric. 

4) Fold, unbonded sides together, and stitch, lengthwise, with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. 

5) Turn it rightside-out. Press so that the seam runs down the center of the back of the belt. 

6) Attach the belt to one side of the buckle. 

7) Try on, adjust for fit, and attach the other side of the belt to the other side of the buckle. 

Voila!

Carefree Apron Love

I picked up this Carefree Butcher Apron pattern a little while ago. I think "sample" means it must have been free? Maybe? In 1975? It's fairly common on both Ebay and Etsy, if you want a copy. I'm guessing McCall's Carefree patterns was that company's answer to Simplicity?

Check the awesome cover art. Girl in the red apron - are you getting married in that thing? Seriously. It's so big! 

Love the highlight over Notions. It appears to have been printed that way.

I made the shortest one, because this is kind of a fabric hog. Even with that, I had to piece a little bit of one of the backs and cut it upside down. It's in back, and mostly covered by the other side, so I expect to live. I also added 1-inch belt hardware to make the neck strap adjustable.

I also made the waist ties in black, since I think this cute mostly-white fabric would get pretty grubby if I was tying it all of the time. 

That's the shortest one! It hits me at my knee. The girl in the blue must be 14 feet tall. 

With that said, I LOVE this pattern. It has bust darts! I don't know if anyone else has this problem with overall-style aprons, but they sometimes slide around on me and before I know it, one of my boobs is hanging out of the apron. It kind of defeats the purpose of an apron. 

The fabric is a quilting cotton from SR Harris that's on the heavier end. I've decided it's impossible to find Paris-themed fabric that isn't at least a little crazy, so I might as well lean into it. If you look closely, you can see that this fabric is based on the story of three cats who go on vacation in Paris. They like the Eiffel tower and bicycles. It's adorable. 

I used a yellow chaco-liner for the first time for this project. It freaked me out a little, at first, since it didn't just wipe away the way the white stuff usually does. As soon as I finished sewing it, I applied quite a bit of Shout to the marks and washed it in the washing machine on cold. I laid it flat to dry. I generally air-dry most of the clothes I make, but I especially didn't want to put this in the dryer, in case the chalk hadn't come out all of the way.

It did come out! Yay! 

Turtle Stuffy Toy

I ran into some sweet old ladies at Jo-Ann's when I was picking up remnant fleece to make this little guy and they were like, do you have kids? Are you a teacher?

No.

Um, why are you making a stuffed toy?

Because...I want to? Besides, so cute!

The finished turtle, sitting on the awesome model pincushion/ footstool that my nieces made for me for my birthday last year. She's cuddly and cute and I love her. The bear in the pattern looks cute but also has about 20 pieces to it. I may try it, at some point, and/or the elephant. It's nice to have options!

Review: All New Fabric Savvy by Sandra Bertzina

I first encountered Sandra Betzina in her wonderful Craftsy classes. So, I was super happy when I saw that she had a new version of a wonderful book: All New Fabric Savvy.

If, like me, you hoard magazine articles about different types of fabric and pore over fabric choices in blogs, this book is for you. If, also like me, you can never remember where you saw those great tips on sewing scuba fabric, this book is DEFINITELY for you!

Each entry gives you the background on the given fabric and also has tips on pretreating, pressing, hemming and (most importantly, for me) matching the fabric to the project so that you can get the most out of your sewing time.

My favorite resources are in the back of the book: a visual glossary of techniques, details on interfacing, presser feet, tools, choosing knit fabrics, determining fabric content, linings and stain removal.

The knit fabric section, in particular, is invaluable. I love that Sandra includes tips on choosing the best fabrics and also knowing when to stay away from certain fabrics that look great on the bolt but are either hard to sew, tend to pucker or just aren't worth it.

She even covers Cotton for Quilters and, instead of saying, "Just don't do it!" suggests the types of garments that work the best for those super-popular, cute and relatively inexpensive fabrics.

Overall, I recommend this book heartily for sewists of all experience levels.

Gray Shirt

This is Stretch & Sew 760, and I made it as sort of a test.

Would a Stretch & Sew pattern really work with woven fabric? The answer: yup, this one does. 

A lot of side-seam shaping and no darts might make this a good candidate for a plaid shirt. I would reshape the collar, though. 1975, I think? That collar could achieve liftoff!

The shirt-tail hem is fantastic. I'm planning on basically grafting it onto a lot of my other shirt/top patterns in the future.

Basement Sewing Space

What have I got to show you?

Last year, our water softener went haywire and flooded part of our basement because our floor drain backed up.

Fortunately, we have insurance for sewer backup, so after a little angst, we got it all cleaned up and had new carpet installed.

That room is what I would call semi-finished. It has carpeting and some drywall, but also some areas that are straight-up 1950s basement, complete with concrete walls that probably shouldn't ever have been painted, since now the paint is flaking off.

We had to move all of the stuff we were storing in there so that they could put in the carpet. Dee and I talked about it. She said, why not just make that your sewing cutting area and storage space? It already has closets.

I said, "I love you."

So, we did.

Weird closets that I will now stuff with my sewing stuff.

Cutting area. Storage under table for trash, scraps and patterns.

Tunes.

Boomer, plus some storage. (BEFORE)

New Knitting Bag!

Way back this spring, I stopped by Yarnover, met June Hemmons Hiatt and purchased a knitting belt from her. I wasn't looking to learn a new way to knit, but these things happen, apparently. :)

I really like the belt, but there was just one problem. The 30 cm needles I bought with the belt were too long for my favorite sock-knitting bag.

Obviously, I had to sew a new knitting bag, right? 

Enter Kwik Sew 3728, view B. I've written about using this pattern before, but it was a different view.

Oh, and I used this awesome Wonder Woman-themed fabric from Joann's.

I LOVE it! I made a few changes. 

- No piping. 

- Fusible fleece (Pellon 971f) to give it some body. 

- Awesome zipper that looks like metal, but isn't.

- I used nylon webbing for the straps and buried them in the seam instead of attaching them to the sides. 

Thrifty Lined Shopping Bags!

If I had more time when I was working on Crafting the Resistance, I would have added this shopping bag! Instead, it's now available as a stand-alone sewing pattern on Craftsy and Etsy.

I designed the Thrifty Lined Shopping Bags to be easy to sew and fun to use. They are fully lined and can be cut out of a 40-inch-wide piece of fabric. This means they will fit on most quilting cottons, even if the yardage shrank a bit during prewashing.

These bags only require 1.3 yards of fabric if both lining and fabric are the same, or 2/3 of a yard of each fabric if they are different. You may find it easier to keep track of which layer is the lining and which is the outer bag if you use contrasting fabrics for your first few bags. 

Have you heard of the burrito method, but aren't sure you want to try it on a garment? I included step-by-step photos for using it, so this is a great first project to try that technique!

Holiday Ornament Variation + Party Notes for Tonight

Like most crafters, I have a stash. Some of the things in my stash are so old that I can't remember where I bought them! 

Such is the tale of the glass ornaments I used for my Pussy Hat Holiday Ornament. They were nice and big - about 3 inches in diameter. That's around 75 mm. One of the larger ones is on the left in this photo.

I found some 70 mm ornaments. Sounded like, basically, the same size, right? 

Well, 5 mm is 5 mm! I followed the exact same directions to make a hat for the smaller ornaments. All I had to do to "make it work" is flip up the brim of the hat. I think they're super cute! Why not make 2 larger ornaments to represent parents and smaller ones for the kids on your list?

P.S. - Three notes about the party tonight!

1) The weather is pretty cool today, so if you have a hat, wear it!

2) I made two of the "original" Holiday ornaments and eight in the "kitten" size. They will all be available for sale at Knit and Bolt tonight. If you want one, you should arrive early! I suspect we will sell out.

3) It's not too late to RSVP. We would love to make sure we have enough treats for everyone, so please RSVP, if you can!

Alternative Stuffing

In Crafting the Resistance, I told you I stuffed my pet bed with scraps and leftovers from other projects. I told you about that, here, too! Here's Travis, enjoying his bed last April.

So, you can see that the stuffing works! All it needs is a good shake and maybe some massaging to be very comfy. But, it's pretty heavy and bulky, which may not be too practical if you want to, say, toss your pet bed in the back of your car when you take your pets with you on vacation or just give a bed to a friend of yours without making them feel like you're passing off a bag of old laundry to them.

Here's an alternative, if you want one. Make your bed fleece cover and zippered insert as written in the book. Then, instead of stuffing the insert with scraps, use the same pattern pieces to cut out 2 layers of 1-inch foam. You may need to trim the foam a bit to get it into the insert, but experiment to see what works best for you. This version is light and lofty!

This could work as a cushion for people, too, of course!