Fabric Stashing with Fabricland

The excellent news in these parts is that the imminent closure of our local Fabricland has been changed into the upcoming MOVE of our Fabricland! They've found a new location in our city, and let me tell you, the multitude of sewists here could not be more pleased.

There are still some pretty good sales happening though, since they have to downsize for the new space and move everything! I have been pretty good this year about buying new fabric, well, at least until the original closure was announced. This week I popped in to buy some D-rings for my upcoming fall project (I'll be using an olive-y green silk that I picked up at a garage sale last year, so the silver D-rings I already have don't work!)

But then I checked out the clearance tables, which had a 50% the clearance price deal happening. And I found some amazing things, I just couldn't pass them up.

First I saw this quilting cotton and the print just sold me immediately. I didn't know who Nathalie Lété was until I looked her up after buying this. I had no idea she was such a popular artist! I'm thinking maybe the Anna Dress for this.

And I found some poly-rayon heavy ponte in bright red. I feel the need for a winter dress in red, perhaps another Vogue 9022 or something from a Burda magazine.

Then I came across this cotton (I think) sateen with an amazing bronze/burgundy mid-century modern feel to it. I don't know what to do with this, but I had to have it. Gorgeousness for $2.50/m, irresistible!

Finally, I picked up this upholstery fabric that I've been looking at for a while, but now that it was half off the $5/m sale price I had to buy it. I think it's a poly/linen/rayon blend, and the weight and drape is lovely.

Plus I adore houndstooth. I am thinking about a suit made from patterns from my most recent Burda mags -- a straight skirt and one of these two jackets - the Button Up Blazer on the left, or the little jacket with a bow at the collar on the right.

So there it is, lots of ideas for fall sewing! I have a few more transitional pieces I want to make before I get into the heavier fall/winter things though, so I'll have more to share soon :)

Butterick 6185 in Blue

This poor Butterick dress has been cut and waiting to made since the beginning of July. Other projects kept leaping ahead of it!

But if I wanted to wear it while the summer weather was still here, I knew I had to get busy. So I sewed it up this week, while listening to an audiobook of Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. I can't usually stand audiobooks, but this one was good!

I had a length of thrifted mystery fabric in my stash that reminded me of the cover look for this coordinates pattern, so of course I went for the dress view.

It's a loose a-line dress, and the striking feature of it is the double collar. I had to piece the back centre seam of the collar to fit it onto my remnant of fabric, but I don't think it shows too much with the irregular dot pattern. And I had a lovely white linen scrap that worked perfectly for the undercollar.

The only issue I had with the collar is that four layers of collar (and interfacing), one layer of dress and one of facing makes it very bulky at that neckline seam. And with the light weight of the fabric, the collar feels a little bit heavy. I think if I made it again, I'd experiment with making the collars both one piece and just hemming them neatly, to reduce two layers and interfacing. You can see that my collar isn't perfectly even, but I thought it was good enough not to redo!

I'm not 100% sure of this one. It feels a little housedressy to me, really loose and casual. Maybe with a belt or sash it would feel a tiny bit more structured. But it is awfully good for a hot day without any waist constriction! 

Of course there are side seam pockets, even there weren't any in the pattern I'd have added them. I did extend the length slightly -- and I am short. If I'd had a bit more fabric I would have added another inch, but it's wearable. I just like my knees covered, it feels more secure to me with my short legs!

 It's a loose fit but not super baggy. Here I am twirling, and you can see that there is not an excess of fabric in the skirt. It slips on easily over the head. This morning I did take in a 1/2" wedge from under the arm to about the waistline area on each side, because it did feel a little too loose in the bust area - I had cut it at 16/18 according to measurement but should have stuck to my more usual 14/16/18 combo since my shoulder area is narrower. I find that if something fits in the shoulder/bust it can be as loose as you want elsewhere and still look like it fits.

 I think I like this back view best! It really shows off the cute print. I was worried that this dress, with its dots and wide collar, might be *too* cute, but it's growing on me. I have a little navy sweater to wear with it when it's cooler and that also tones it down a little. Still on the fence though. Wear it? Cut it off to blouse length? I'll have to see.

Weekend Review: The Time in Between

The Time In Between / Maria Duenas;
trans. from the Spanish by Daniel Hahn

NY: Atria, 2011, c2009.

615 p.

August is #WITMonth -- Women in Translation Month. In case you don't know what that is, it's a movement started 6 years ago by a book blogger (and scientist) who noted that women were translated only approximately 30% of the time, even within the already small number of translated books in English. So it's an attempt to focus on and highlight the wonderful women's voices out there, and encourage more to be translated. I've been reading along for a couple of years now (you can find all my book reviews at my book blog, The Indextrious Reader, under the tag #WIT)

In any case, among all the serious novellas and short stories I was reading, I came across a fabulous book that I think all sewing readers will also love. It was the sprawling saga  that I was looking for.

Set in pre-revolutionary Spain, it follows Sira Quiroga, a young woman who grows up as a dressmaker's apprentice alongside her mother. She doesn't know who her father is, at least not until she is in her late teens.

When she becomes engaged to a quiet, meek young man of her own social class, she thinks she knows how the future will unroll. But she's so wrong. When they go to buy a typewriter (her fiancé is convinced that learning to type so that she can become a civil servant rather than a dressmaker is the best idea for them) she meets a charming, charismatic salesman. And her life changes.

As the civil war in Spain heats up, Sira and her lover flee to Morocco; then Sira moves on when she's abandoned, to form a new life as a society dressmaker -- which requires quite a few shenanigans to get started. And her dressmaking leads her to more: to spying, using her dress patterns and sketches to communicate her results.

The story is a series of obstacles put into Sira's way, and the revelation that she can manage all of them despite thinking of herself as a meek girl from the lower working classes. She forms and reforms herself to shape her life to what is given to her. She's a fascinating character, a very likeable main character who does what she has to but never hardens. The setting is fabulous -- I learned a lot about Spain in the era, including the geographical as well as political realities.

Sira even goes to Portugal near the end, to act as a spy in the guise of a fabric buyer; there are barely any good materials left in Spain. Her fake name is quite literally her real name backwards, which seems just a bit amateur to me. But she infiltrates the office of the man she's to track down. However, as a good dressmaker, she's distracted by the quality of the silks and fabrics he has for her and for a moment forgets the other part of her mission. I could relate!

I loved the way that sewing is an integral part of this story, not just a tacked on profession to give the main character something to do. Her sewing and designing changes her life, it gives her the ability to reinvent and better herself, to continue to live and to create, and leads to her involvement in the spy world. In the disaster of war and abandonment, she finds herself again when she picks up her needle once more:

There is verisimilitude to the sewing parts that makes me feel that I can trust the other more historical elements as well. It's an entertaining, absorbing spy novel; a historical context which breathes; and has some fabulous characters. I really loved this one and the 615 pages flew by as I could not put it down. It has romance, intrigue, smoothly flowing writing, a great setting, and strong female characters. Recommended!

Always Learning: Sewing,Reading,& Sewing again

I don't have a finished project to share with you today. I have been spending all my sewing time lately on a 'secret' project I am making as part of my blogger collaboration with Fabricville. I'll be able to share it in a few weeks & can hardly wait! It's so great- think Jalie and some of my favourite fabric yet...

Meanwhile, I had a great day for finding more sewing resources! And it is a glorious day here today so once I got home with all my goodies I just sat outside and read them all instead of actually sewing 😉

I stopped first at the library (not the one I work at) to pick up some holds. Did you know that your library might carry sewing books with patterns inside? Take a look in your library, I have used so many from mine!

I picked up the very new Print Pattern Sew by Jen Hewett - not only a great primer for block printing it also contains patterns to trace off for simple garments and accessories you can then make with your printed fabric.

I also found a neat book on embroidery used for art pieces - lots of cool info & even a new-to-me stitch shown.

Then I stopped at the thrift store and found this thorough resource on metallic thread embroidery plus an old magazine.

And also this spectacular 1971 pattern making book with all the necessary bits still intact. This should be fun to explore.

And finally once I made it home I found that my September issue of Burda had arrived! It's a good one 🤩

So you can see that I couldn't fit in much sewing time today- but reading about sewing is almost as good. At least I enjoy it just as much!

Instant Sewing!

I picked up this funny little book at the thrift store this week, published in 1968.

It's very concerned with time-saving, with convenience and speed.

As I looked through it, I realized it's just focusing on the way most of us sew today; not too complicated, use one pattern to get used to it and have fewer alterations, along with giving various tips on the easiest ways to add to or reduce a pattern, or accomplish basic techniques. It's really a booklet, only 116 p. at paperback size, and an encouragement on the final page to order more as prizes for your clubs!

But it made me think -- do I want to instant gratification with my sewing? Or do I want longer projects that take some time and are made with extra details?

The Love to Sew podcast just recently had a show on the topic of Speedy Sewing.

I agree with them that sometimes it's just fun to choose an easier pattern and sew it up without many issues,  and have something new to wear right away. But if that's ALL we do, we are setting up our own little sweatshop and producing clothes at a rapid rate that we don't need or wear.

It's very difficult to figure out where you land on this continuum.

I'm a slow sewer. Not in the sense of a careful, always environmentally aware one, but literally a slow sewer. It takes me a long time to make things. I watch the Great British Sewing Bee and think, cripes, there is no way I'd even finish a single item on that show! I just move slowly. So I like to find tips and tricks to streamline and speed up the sewing process, so that I can hit regular speed on mine!

If I seem to have a lot of finished projects, it's just because I have spent a lot of time sewing. I see some sewing bloggers who can cut out a dress one night and be wearing it by the next night. Not generally the case for me. And yet, if I have a project that takes TOO long, that has too many details that will take me longer than even my usual, I get a bit sick of that project.

So I have to find a balance. Not to want instant gratification with my own fast fashion factory in my basement, but to find things I can manage to make in the time that I have. Whew. I've just accepted that I move slowly in most things, and can't change my default speed very easily.

What about you? Do you find that you move quickly or slowly in general? Does this show up in your sewing habits as well? And do you have an opinion on "Instant Sewing" in general?

Weekend Review: Sewing with MyLock II

Sewing with MyLock II /  Janome Corp.
probably 1980s, 40 pgs.

I wanted to share this delightful book I picked up on my thrifting travels last week. It's a book of projects for the New Home serger, or as they say in their intro, any three thread serger. I don't have a serger, but I couldn't resist the 80s vibe of this book! There is no date or publication information beyond what is on the back cover. 

But from the projects and the photos, both of clothing and home decor -- lots of pastel ducks -- I think I'm safe in assuming it's from the 80s. 

It caught my eye at the thrift store with the dress on the cover, and the fact that a pattern for this dress is included in the back of the book. It's a knit dress with a low waist and a back tie, but it still feels quite modern and contemporary.

However, one interesting thing about this book is that it was published by the Janome Sewing Machine Co., Tokyo Japan. And printed there as well. And you can tell! It's like an early Japanese sewing book. Just take a look at the sizes included in this knit dress pattern. It's made for tiny women!

But it's very much like the Japanese pattern books that are so popular now in other ways too. All the photos and descriptions of the projects -- dresses, nightwear, home dec -- are all up front. Then it moves into the instructions afterward. And in all of these instructions, you're given schematics to make your own patterns, just like all the other Japanese sewing books I own. 

This dress might be worth working out all those schematics for, though! It's still so pretty. But I'd also have to increase the size.

In any case this was an enjoyable find, lots of fun to look through and be inspired by. Except for the curtains and quilt, urgh. Way too 80s ditsy floral, pastel, puffy quilt styles for me! There is apparently a vol. 1 in the Sewing with My Lock series and maybe someday I'll also come across that one. 

Have you ever tried sewing from an older sewing booklet like this? Or a Japanese sewing book?

Border Print Summer Sorrell

I participated in the Kickstarter project for Jennifer Lauren Handmade's new Sorrell Dress, quite a few months ago now. Therefore, I've had the pdf pattern for this dress for a while! But I've only got around to sewing it up now, right at the time that she has released the pattern for everyone; it's now in her shop, in both pdf and paper formats.

I've made a few of her patterns before -- I adore the Laneway Dress. So I really wanted to make this one too. I like the slightly retro vibe and the simple lines of her patterns.

I was dithering about what fabric to use for my first try. I saw that some of the testers used linen, some rayon, some a crisper cotton -- I couldn't pick! So I finally found a cotton border print in my stash that I thought would make an interesting dress.

I bought this fabric from the sale ends at my local Fabricland because I thought it was pretty, but it's been marinating in the stash for a while. I was happy to finally match it up with a pattern! The pattern is an advanced beginner sew, with the same feature I liked in the Laneway, a facing that folds out to create a collar. With this border print, I had to use the print for the facings as well so there would be a pretty match.

I had to cut creatively to fit the dress onto the fabric, though. I cut most of it on the crossgrain, obviously, since I was using the border print. But I had to shift the front bodice to straight grain to squeeze it in. Fortunately with this fabric, you can't tell as it's a solid with no directional print or weave. Also because it's fairly fitted there's no competing drape on front and back to be concerned with. It all looks the same.

It is a lightweight cotton so I used a very light interfacing to keep the hand of the fabric supple. And I set my own button placement -- I always start by marking the bust button and working from there. I used an 18mm button rather than the 15mm that I'd expected so the placement could have been a little wider; I have them all spaced at 2". But I like the look of it anyhow.

The other change I made was to release one of the back tucks. When I finished it and put it on, I didn't like the way the waist pulled a bit at the side back seams. This is most likely because of the fact that my waist/hip is at least a size bigger than my bodice, and although I thought I'd accommodated for that it wasn't quite right. So I just released the outer back tucks on each side, and restitched the waist seam. It worked great.

After wearing it for a day, I'm planning on putting a little snap on the collar overlay about an inch above the top button just to keep things a little less gaping, especially at work ;)  And I'll probably cut the shoulder to bust area at 14 rather than 16 on my next try just to take a tiny bit in and make it a pinch more fitted.

This is a charming pattern, really straightforward and easy to sew. I think it could look quite different depending on fabric choice, so it's a good standard for your pattern collection.

Cover Designs #13!

Cover Designs is a feature in which I try to match up the outfit on a book cover with a dress pattern and sometimes even potential fabric matches as well.

Today's title is perfect for a late summer beach read. The Husband Hour by Jamie Brennan follows Lauren, a young woman who is left widowed after her NHL star husband Rory unexpectedly decides to enlist in the army. And it examines grief and how to move forward, when she meets a filmmaker who is making a documentary about Rory. 

This cover is really striking, and it's made me realize I haven't done a cover with swimwear before. When I saw this I thought both that it was a really seasonable cover, and secondly, that this looks a lot like a Closet Case Bombshell suit! 

This would be an easy one to copy with this classic Indie pattern. Just buy some classy black swimwear fabric, like this lycra-spandex chlorine resistant option at Emerald Erin Bra & Swim Shop on Etsy.

Or go a little wild and change things up a tad with this black and white polka dot swimwear fabric, also at Emerald Erin Bra & Swim Shop.

Then finish things off by making yourself a floppy sunhat using this free pattern (or Vogue 8891) and you'll be ready to hit the sand! 

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Weekend Review: The Magic Pattern Book

The Magic Pattern Book / Amy Barickman
New York: Workman, c2014
310 p.

This is a book I've had for a while now, and I keep meaning to get it out and make something from it! There are 6 master patterns, 36 styles, and multiple variations to work with. The book comes with a cd in the back that holds the 6 master patterns & styles for you to print off, in sizes from S-XXL (38 - 45.5" finished bust measurements, generally). They print off as basic tiled pdfs that you need to trim and stick together.

It's an interesting idea -- lots of different designs from the same basic patterns, made individual by fabric and design choices. Each style has full instructions and a photo, then there's a suggestion of fabrics you could use (overwhelmingly wovens) and style changes you might make to change it up a little. 

It starts off with a general introduction and an overview of equipment you'll need to get started - a basic sewing box of supplies. And she goes over how to print and use patterns, and how to evaluate fabrics and prepare both fabric and pattern.

Then on to the patterns, which are the main focus! The six general patterns are: Tank Top, Skirt, Dress, Cardigan, Coat, and Accessory. Then within those, there are 6 fairly distinct designs, all named after women from A-F. I found a few that interest me, pretty much at least one in each category. Barickman says she was inspired by Mary Brooks Picken and her work within the sewing and textiles world, and includes a few quotes from Picken's many works throughout the book. I also find Picken fascinating, and the charm of her vintage pronouncements about style and taste comes through here. 

These designs are for a certain aesthetic -- if you like cottons and you like silhouettes that are simple and not too fitted, without many excess details, this will be a great resource for you. I'd recommend it to an eager beginner or intermediate sewist who wants some help with how you can take one shape and change it up to your personal tastes. There isn't information about pattern drafting or anything like that, more of a sense of pattern hacking and restyling. Within each category, there is one 'repurposed' look as well as the 5 from-scratch designs. 

It seems like a book with lots of ideas and encouragement to be creative with your sewing. I really need to make one of the designs soon! 

If you want to check it out more closely, you can see the list of patterns and options at Amy Barickman's website -- there are images of all 6 designs within each of the 6 categories. And you can also take a look at some interior pages to see how she approaches instructions and design. 

While there isn't anything really unusual here, it's a solid book with some basic designs that might help a beginner feel braver about their sewing and more willing to take some sewing chances. And that's a good thing!

Candy Coloured Night Dress

I saw this colourful and lightweight striped cotton at Fabricland and just couldn't resist it. I knew I had to make a summer nightgown out of it, and used one of the many vintage patterns I had laying around, Butterick 3559. I made view B, short with flutter sleeves.

The pattern calls for lace as the yoke and shoulder strap pieces but seeing as I didn't have any, and prefer no scratchiness, I just cut the pieces from the fabric as well. Originally I thought of doubling up those pieces so I could self-line the yoke to finish the edges, but in the end I just used a very lightweight vintage percale bias binding in a lovely shade of green to finish the neckline all the way around. That little splash of green makes me happy :)

It worked nicely and was a quick sew; the yoke was the only "difficult" part, compared to the gathered rectangular sewing in the rest. I love the floppy sleeve and the floatiness of this pattern (although it also runs quite large - I did have to narrow the yoke at front & back centre by 2"! -- which I only figured out after making it so I just folded out a central pleat for both).

I also added some teeny tiny buttons from my stash to the front edge to make it easier to keep track of which way around it should go. Finally a use for those tiny buttons!

I think that these two pieces of nightwear I've shared his week will last me for a while, and I will most likely not have to make any more for a few years -- but a robe might be the next necessary project... What should it be? A Suki? A Jalie Mélanie? Do you have a favourite robe pattern?