Thrifting Day!

It was just a long weekend here in Canada - we have a Victoria Day weekend, apparently we are the only country to still celebrate Victoria's birthday, not even the UK does! I guess we just like a holiday ;) 

In any case, not only did I get to do a bit of sewing room cleanup, and cut out a blouse over the weekend, I also did a bit of thrifting -- of course! I did my regular rounds and at my favourite shop (the one with the big craft section) I was able to find 3 beautiful solids. The pinkier red on the left and the blue are both a cotton/linen blend, I think, maybe some rayon? They are heavy and soft. The orangey red on the right is a stiffer linen, we'll see how it looks after I wash it. It may be a bit too orange toned for me, I'll decide later. I don't tend to buy solids but lately have come across a bunch all in my wardrobe tones at thrift stores so now I have a good stash of non-poly solids.

At another store I was fortunate enough to find a few of my favourite things -- patterns! One from the 90s and the two "Non-Stop Wardrobe" McCalls from the early 2000s. I love wardrobe patterns. Have one or two of those and you could sew up an entire capsule wardrobe. I actually feel like taking on a challenge to sew up every piece in a wardrobe pattern -- as long as the size range crosses both my upper and lower body sizes ;) I'm usually right at the break. But these are fun and I've already enjoyed just looking over each one.

Then I stopped in at Fabricland for a couple of basic notions, and went through the pattern discard rack. I ended up with a random Butterick Katherine Tilton top, and two Vogues that have been on my wishlist for a long time. Now I just need an occasion to sew up the Tom and Linda Platt dress for! 

My plan to sew down my stash this year is being thwarted by the amazing thrift fabrics I've been finding. But I am sure it will all balance itself out in the end. And I have some fabulous fabrics to draw from now. 

Weekend Review: Folded Fabric Elegance

 

Folded Fabric Elegance / Rami Kim
Paducah, KY: AQS, 2007
95 p.

And my last fabric manipulation book of the month is Rami Kim's look at traditional Korean 'chopkey' fabric work, adapted to her modern American outlook. It's a beautiful book! The layout is very logical but also visually appealing, the techniques are interesting in themselves but also shown in many project examples. There are tons of photos both of the techniques and of the many outfits Kim has made using variations of folded fabric and embroidery - and that she won many awards for in Wearable Art categories in national guild competitions. 

The book starts by introducing 10 techniques. There are 4 traditional chopkey designs (folded squares), 3 North American smocking designs, prairie points, harlequin tucks and an ultrasuede pinwheel that could really be made from any non-fraying stable fabric. 

The second part of the book then follows this up with 12 projects ranging from wallhangings to purses and pillows. The projects are small enough for beginners to try without being overwhelmed, great practice to get to learn the various techniques. But as mentioned, there are also photos of the ambitious pieces Kim has made, to inspire the reader! 

My favourite technique - or maybe the one I'd be most likely to try out - is the one featured on the cover. Tucks that are then stitched in the opposite direction and embellished with beads appeal to me a lot -- I can see them in an art pieces or a garment panel. But then I love all kinds of tucks! 

The folded fabric ideas are also lovely and maybe I'll get to some of them as well. This book is fairly short but has so many ideas, and I liked the way it's laid out with a lot of colour photography for each technique and each project. The explanations are pretty clear though I think it might take a try or two to really get some of the folds down. But it's a great resource and I had a lot of fun perusing it. 

You can watch her sew up a Lightning Bug from this book over on youtube also! 

Terrace Top for the Literary Sewing Circle

I had a bunch of ideas for my project for the Literary Sewing Circle this round. I decided to make this quick one to start with.

I have made a few Terrace dresses by Liesl & Co and have always wanted to make a top version. I had this very soft vintage tablecloth in a bright yellow floral that reminded me of the marigolds that Violet and Bliss planted around the sign for the Purple Barn. So I decided to use it! 

I feel like it fits the book both because of the marigold link and because it's upcycled-- it looks like a 70s piece that could have been for sale at the Purple Barn! 

I cut this to a top length but otherwise just followed my regular process from the 3 previous Terraces I've made. However, I was sewing late at night so made a few rookie errors! I sewed it with a 5/8" seam allowance when it should have been 3/8" - but thankfully it still fits! I raised the neckline a bit so I could fit the entire flower in but I think it's a bit high. I may go back in and cut it down again, or I may not. 

Anyhow this is a bright Dopamine Dressing top that I'm going to enjoy wearing. The 70s vibe goes well with my jean skirt, too! 

"Vintage" 90s Sarong Dress in Rayon

My Spring project for Fabricville has arrived! I was excited about this one -- this "vintage" 90s McCalls 8501 was so appealing, and then I found the perfect fabric option. This is a beautiful rayon-nylon blend, in my favourite blue and yellow colourway. 

As part of being a Fabricville blogger, I can choose a pattern and fabric and only have to share it on their blog. But you know I'm going to tell you about it too! 

This is called a "3 Hour Pattern". I find that was a thing I saw often on patterns from the 80s & 90s -- overpromising to get people to buy a pattern ;) That's 3 hours of sewing time, not the careful cutting part. And probably only 3 hours if you're a quick sewist, as I am not. 

But it wasn't too complicated. A front, back and overlay, plus a little tie piece and a neck binding. I of course overcomplicated things by trying to add pockets! But I can't imagine a summer dress without any. It was a bit fiddly to figure out where to attach the pocket bags, somehow that overlay confused me a bit. But it was worth the time.

This fabric is 90% rayon, 10% nylon, and that makes the hand a little different; it's not a challis, it's easier to handle than that. And I really like the way it drapes, too. The front has an overlay that is sewn into the side seam and then ties at the side with another little tie that you sew into the opposite side. Quite secure. 

The changes I made to the pattern:

• Shortened the body above the waist by 3/4"
• Lengthened the bottom hem by 1" (a bit tricky with those curves)
• Added side seam pockets

Isn't it strange to call something from the 90s vintage? I don't feel like it was that long ago. Maybe if you lived through the era, it's not vintage to you! In any case, this is a light summer dress that I know I'll wear this year, vintage or not :)

Weekend Review: Tucked Up in Bed

 

Tucked Up in Bed / Jennie Rayment
Haslemere, Surrey, UK: J.R. Publications, c1997.
112 p.

As promised, here is the third book in the set of titles by Jennie Rayment that I now own! This third volume features both new and repeated designs for fabric manipulation, all designed as 12" quilt blocks so that you can put them together into a project as desired. There is also discussion of layouts, borders, and more practical quilting info to make the best sampler you can.  

As usual, the "nipping and tucking", as she likes to call it, creates intriguing shapes and patterns. All of them are described well, with good instructions for each. She refers back to things from the first two books as well, so it's nice to have them all, but you wouldn't absolutely need them. She gives examples of the techniques in muslin for clear viewing, but there are also lots of colour plates showing the quilt blocks made up in colours and prints. Fabric choice really makes a difference to the final piece! 

The tone remains light-hearted, with amusing anecdotes sprinkled in - she really does have a sense of humour and ability to poke fun at herself. This one is more traditional in the sense that it focuses on quilt projects and home goods more than any garment design, so it's not as much of a must-have for me personally as the first two. It is more about putting things together than creating brand-new manipulations. 

I enjoy the retro feel of these books, however, alongside the really interesting fabric work. The DIY feel and personal voice of the writer really add to the entertainment value. Worth checking out if you ever come across it! 

Literary Sewing Circle: Book Talk and Wrap Up!

 

Today is already our final day of the Literary Sewing Circle focusing on Riel Nason's All The Things We Leave Behind!

I hope you've had the chance to read the book, and both the first and second inspiration posts, and are getting lots of ideas for a project of your own.

This is our final and roundup post. Share links to your projects here: as soon as you are done your project, just pop a link to your post into the comments and we will all be able to visit your blog/instagram etc. and explore your creation -- remember, it can be sewn, or knitted, crocheted, embroidered... any textile art that you practice. Or you can just tag me, @sewmelwyk on IG and use #LiterarySewingCircle as a hashtag

We've discussed our reading in our first book talk post, and discovered more about the author and this book in the author interview post. You can add any additional thoughts now that you've finished the book and seen those posts too. 

Here are a few more questions to ponder -- and add any of your own to the comments too! 

How did you feel the sibling relationship was portrayed? Why do you think the author made the choice to have the parents absent for much of the story? Did you think any of the side characters were particularly important to your experience of this novel? How did the setting and the description of the landscapes affect your opinions of the book? Was there any moment that felt especially powerful or memorable for you? Anything that resonated strongly? 

Please share your thoughts on the book, its themes, characters, or anything you noted about it -- either in the comments here or on your own blog with a link to your longer thoughts in the comments so we can find it. I love to talk about the experience of reading so feel free to comment no matter when you're reading this post; if you've read this I'd love to hear about it!

May Sewing Plans

 

May is here! I have sewing plans, of course -- it's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Sewists, that is, it's MeMadeMay!

I didn't get an official pledge posted but I always love following along and seeing what people are making and wearing. I stock up on inspo for the whole year in May. This year I saw a couple of pledges that were essentially to enjoy and not limit any fabric, pattern, or sewing choices in our most loved hobby. That really struck me. We don't need to police ourselves and act like our sewing is something to limit -- it's our joy, our happy place, and we don't need to apologize for that. I already have enough me-mades in my closet to be able to wear multiple combos every day, so building a wardrobe isn't what I need right now, but I do pledge to enjoy it and not to stop sewing because I feel like I don't "Need" something. 

However, there is also a contest going on over at PatternReview this month (and all of June) to Sew Your Fabric Stash. Any patterns, just use some of that fabulous fabric you've owned for more than 6 months so it doesn't languish. I've owned a lot of fabric for a lot longer than 6 months...so I am also going to be trying to shop my stash this month and bring out some of those amazing pieces I bought so I can sew them up and share them in the world! 

As for specifics this month, I still want to get to that Hinterland muslin I intended to make last month. 

I also have a Fabricville blogger project I need to finish, and then I want to get to my own project for the Literary Sewing Circle. I found an amazing fabric in my deep stash that is perfect for an LSC project so I'm excited to get started on that!

If I somehow find the time and the sewjo to make anything more than that, I have a couple of 80s vibe oversized shirts that I really want to make for this summer. Fingers crossed I will get more done this month than I have over the last few ;) 

It's going to be a busy month for me in my real life so I am hoping by writing these goals out I will get some of them accomplished. Will I? I'll have to report back next month!