WIP Wednesday: Climbing Mountains

Tags

bags, mending, sewing, WIP Wednesday

WIP = Work in Progress

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I hope you are well and getting some lovely spring weather and maybe making a few things, too!

I’ve had a pretty productive week here and it came about more or less by accident.

You see, I’ve had fun, bright, comfy knit fabrics on the brain and have been entertaining myself by putting them together in different combinations in my head.  I had so much success with my last couple of knit tops that I’ve been itching to make more things that fit well and feel great.

Then, early last Saturday morning, my honey and I were talking about the long Memorial Day weekend ahead, and he asked me how I planned to spend it.  And my mind immediately went to–not all those lovely, colorful knits–but this ugly mess in the corner of my sewing room:

Return of the Mending Pile of Doom (and that’s the Ironing Pile of Doom right below it).

Yes, it’s actually gotten BIGGER since I vowed recently to finally deal with it.

So I decided I was going to finally tame it over the weekend.

Most of it was tedious stuff, so I won’t bore you with it, but one job was an interesting one that I thought I would share:

I had two of these purple towels that were still in good shape, but the edges were getting frayed.  So I put a scrappy binding on them.

I trimmed the towels a little to remove the frayed edges and the bulky original binding.  Then I sewed on 2 1/2″ strips just like a quilt binding, except that I did the final seam by machine (I do my quilt bindings by hand, just because it turns out a little neater that way).

Here’s how they look in the linen closet.  Cute, huh?  Definitely an upgrade!

So, by my count, I mended 9 items, and ironed several more, and here’s the pile now:

Not all done, but much better.  I definitely need to get back to my schedule of mending one item after I finish sewing something, so that I don’t let that mess get out of control again.

In the meantime, though, I’m going to take a break to make myself a new car garbage bag with these:

I deserve it after all the car drama we’ve had here over the last few months.

I told you a while ago that I was in a hit-and-run accident, right?  Well, it turned out my little Kia was totalled (SOB), and my honey and I decided to go a while before replacing it.  Then, a few weeks ago, what happened?  It was HIS turn to have an accident, and his car had to go into the shop for three weeks.  So we decided to move up the purchase of a second car, and this was the result:

New wheels!  Time to make a pretty new garbage bag for my new ride.  And maybe it will make me feel a bit more positive about driving–nothing like TWO accidents in the span of a few months to crank up your driving anxiety. 

Anyway, have a great week, make yourself something that makes you smile, and be sure to look before you change lanes.

STH

WIP Wednesday: On the Move

Tags

bags, cats, Columbia River, Pooh, randonneuring, sewing, travel, Wenatchee, WIP Wednesday

Oh, bike bag, you’re the only one who understands me . . . .

WIP = Work in Progress

Happy Wednesday!

I have not been doing a ton of sewing this week (more fabric in than out these days–whoops!), but I do have that little bag up top to tell you about.

This was another request from my honey for a little bag to use when he’s out on his bike.  (The type of cycling he does is called randonneuring–long-distance, self-supported, non-competitive cycling.  Basically, cycling long distances (100 kilometers and up) on a set route with controls where you have to stop and get a receipt or signature to prove you were there.  You have to finish within the time allowed, but it’s not a race to see who finishes first.)  He’s set on waterproof bags to carry things like his rain gear and tools while on the bike, but he needed a little bag to carry his phone, brevet card, and wallet when he gets off the bike at controls.  I’d made him one previously, but he decided he wanted a different style and size this time.  He uses these bags a lot, and doing bike rides that last from 6 hours all the way to several days gives you a fair bit of time to think about your gear, so he has some very definite opinions on what features his bags should have.

This is about 7″ high by 5″ wide.  All scraps from the stash:  black cotton duck, plain white cotton for the lining, split rings and Velcro from my collection of purse hardware.  The little zip came from a cheap, nasty, plasticky purse that my mother was getting rid of.  Tip from somebody who makes a lot of bags:  even cheap and nasty purses tend to have good-quality zippers!  This is a big, beefy coil zipper, the kind I like because they’re tough without being super bulky.

I had a couple of problems to solve in making this.  First was how to make the zipper coin pocket on the outside front.  The solution I came up with was to cut three of the front pieces out of the black fabric.  One of them was sewn to one side of the zipper, the second was sewn to the other side of the zipper, and then the unit was trimmed to match the third.  The zipper unit was then basted to the third front piece, which now serves as the back of the pocket.

The second issue was what size to cut the front and back so that I could box the corners of the bag.  I found this really nifty guide to the math of boxing corners here (scroll waaaaayyyy down to the end) and it worked perfectly.

So I got this little bag done on Friday afternoon, then we ran off to Wenatchee for my honey’s latest ride.  I didn’t take any pictures in town, as where we were staying in East Wenatchee was basically one big mall punctuated with fast food restaurants, but I did get a couple of good ones on the way home Sunday.

Carrying all the electricity generated by the Rock Island Dam.

Viewpoint over the Columbia River.

A few spring wildflowers among the sagebrush and rock.  Soon to be gone–we’ve had a couple of near-90-degree days here already.

Then it was back home to the floof and his little sister.

I am told the bag worked great on Saturday, though I’ve already had a request for more Velcro on it, and he says he has some ideas for the next one.  I have obviously spoiled that boy to just a terrible extent.  😉

Anyway, have a great week, everybody, and I hope you find a little time soon to do the things that make you happy with the people you love.

STH

 

 

WIP Wednesday: No Bad Owl Puns, I Promise!

Tags

clothing, Ellie and Mac Discoverer Tee, sewing, WIP Wednesday

Close up of adorable owl print.  This is cotton/Lycra from Minerva Crafts.

(WIP = Work in Progress)

Hello again!

Just a quick one today to update you on the not-so-great owl top from last week, then I’m going to bed because I have not been sleeping well and I’m pretty sure my brain has gone on strike.

Just to recap last week’s exciting action, I made myself a top with the super-cute owl fabric above, didn’t check the sizing very well beforehand and wound up with a top that was a bit more revealing than I would like.

I’ve got vents in the sides here and it still looks pretty lumpy.  The sleeves are also uncomfortably tight.

So I ripped out the side seams and added a strip of the bodice fabric all the way from hem to wrist.

I love how most of my owls here are looking dubiously at that strip of white.

And here’s the result:

The fit is much better, and much more comfortable!

The strip of white on the sides isn’t really noticeable, but you can catch a glimpse of it here.  I kind of like the little accent, but I chose white for it so that it wouldn’t become a focal point.

The faux piping is looking a little wavy at the chest here, but I’m not too bothered about it.  I still like the accent, and green always makes me happy.

This is now the second Ellie and Mac pattern I’ve made, so a couple of comments on their patterns so far:

—  I really like that you can get this top–in my pretty big size–out of a yard + some scraps of fabric.  I’m sewing with knits more and more, which means knit scraps, which aren’t all that easy to use up.  I love that I can splurge just a little on an adorable knit like this one (which wasn’t cheap), use up some scraps, and have a great top to wear!

—  The patterns are pretty simple and easy, with photos for each step.  Maybe a little too simple sometimes, as the two I used didn’t include a few steps you’ll find in Big 4 patterns like stay-stitching.

—  Both patterns I’ve used from this company (the one here is the Discoverer Tee, and I’ve also made the Memphis Top) have unusually high necklines.  I’ve actually cut both down a bit so that they wouldn’t come up high enough to bother me.  Which is just fine with me, because my usual problem with knit tops is that the neckline is too wide and my bra straps are showing and the top is sliding forward and flashing people.

—  The size range on these patterns is good (XXS to 4XL) and they show women of all sizes in their product photography.  If you aren’t an older fat woman like me, you may not realize how amazing this is!  Big 4 patterns have had a good size range as far back as I can remember, but it was only recently that women my size and larger were actually shown on pattern envelopes and in pattern books, instead of being hidden away like a shameful secret.

—  Unlike other indie pattern companies that I’m familiar with, Ellie and Mac believes in promotion.  Yeah, I know we all get too much junk email, but if you like their patterns, it really does pay to sign up for their emails.  It won’t be too long before something you like is on sale, sometimes for as little as $1.

Anyway, I gotta sleep.  I hope your Wednesday was great and that Thursday is better.  I’ll yak at you again soon.

STh

 

 

WIP Wednesday: Standards

Tags

clothing, Ellie and Mac Discoverer Tee, sewing, WIP Wednesday

WIP = Work in Progress

Happy (late) Wednesday!

I did some more sewing this past week, and also a bit of thinking, but first the sewing.

I’ve been so happy with the last few knit tops I’ve made (this and this), and I’ve been wearing them so much, that I decided to whip out another one.  This time I tried another Ellie and Mac pattern, the Discoverer Tee.

I had a yard of super-cute owl fabric and my usual assortment of knit scraps.  I had hoped to make the top bodice out of green or pink knit, but my scrap of white knit was the only piece large enough to work (and I had to piece the back bodice).  Then I decided the white was boring, so I made faux piping out of my precious scraps of that luscious kelly green and added that.

All great so far.

This is the point where our heroine’s hubris inevitably leads to her downfall.

I don’t even know what I was thinking, other than that I was so excited about those adorable owls, and I was finally getting some time to sew, and I’ll just cut out the 2X on the top and grade out to the 3X at the waist and hip and it will be great . . . .

I did not measure the pattern pieces, friends, and that is my hubris.  Only the gods can choose the correct size on a new pattern without having finished measurements!  I was struck down by my nemesis!

Okay, it wasn’t as dramatic as all that, but the result was clearly not what I was going for.

I’ve left vents open on the sides, but this is still too tight.  My usual goal is to have clothing skim over the lumps, but this right here?  This is hugging, not skimming.  And the sleeves are especially tight.

So, considering the problem is all over, I think the thing to do is unpick those side seams and add a strip of fabric all the way from the ends of the sleeves to the hem.  I’m not sure what fabric to use for this . . . I may have enough of the green or white to use one of those.  You know how much I love me some colorblocking.  And once I figure out how to get this pattern to fit me, I’ve got another fabric combination all picked out for another version.

But this experience also got me thinking about all the clothing I have–both me-made and ready-to-wear–that ALMOST fits me well.  I have a lot of clothes that I just pass over every day when I’m choosing what to wear because they’re just a bit too short, or the neckline’s too low, or they’re a little bit too big or too small.  Now that I have some things to wear that really do fit well, are comfortable, and just feel like ME, those other clothes never get worn.  So today I went through my closet and pulled out some clothes I like that just need a little tweaking for me to love them; they went to the top of the still-massive mending pile (sigh; the struggle is real).  And a bunch of things that aren’t fixable went into a bag and will be given away to someone in my Buy Nothing group.

I think it’s time to raise my standards when it comes to clothing.

[clears throat]

From now on, I’m not settling for less than clothes that feel good, are comfortable, make me look good, and that are what I like and want to wear.  Because why am I sewing if I’m not getting high-quality, custom clothing out of it?  Seriously, I’ve got a ton of beautiful fabric here and a zillion great patterns, so why settle for less than something I will love?

Have a wonderful week, friends, and I hope that whatever you’re making brightens up your life.

STH

WIP Wednesday: All the Colors (Plus Black)

Tags

cats, clothing, Ellie and Mac Memphis Top, Fab Scrap, Mt. Vernon, Pooh, sewing, Shelby, travel, Tulip Festival, Tulip Town, WIP Wednesday, Zero Waste Daniel

Tulip Town in Mt. Vernon, WA.

WIP = Work in Progress

Hello again!

Inconsistent posting continues, but I hope you’ll bear with me while I work through the stressful and busy phase I’m currently in.  Sewing has been very sporadic, but I’m hoping the next few weeks will be a little more settled and I can get back to making things, as I miss it!

In the meantime, I have a few pretty pictures to share with you, such as that beauty at the top, from the Tulip Festival up north in Washington’s Skagit Valley.  My honey and I signed up to go on a trip up there that was being organized by his workplace.  I’ve always wanted to go, but the 5-hour drive and other logistical issues had held me back, so I jumped at the chance to take a tour where all the stressful stuff was taken care of for us.

This is Tulip Town, up in Mt. Vernon.  They have some displays there that have to do with all the countries that tulips come from, and some stalls where you can order your bulbs or have your face painted, but the main attraction is this one big, square field with rows and rows of tulips.  You and a mass of people wander around in the mud and take pictures to post on Instagram, while employees hover and make sure you aren’t stomping the flowers.

Am I making it sound a little weird?  Because it kind of is.  Everybody takes pictures like the ones above, while the actual experience of being there is more like this:

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Instagram (and other social media) and how they’re used to show the world one’s perfect, glossy, gorgeously curated life–and monetize it!–while filtering out all the messy, complicated bits.  Maybe I should rebel and institute a policy of only posting pictures on social media of cooking failures, messy makeup, and my kitchen with its sink full of dirty dishes . . . 😉

Despite my complaints, we did have a lovely time, and got to have a fantastic dinner of fresh, local halibut with my buddy Heidi while we were up north.

Anyway, back home, I finally did finish and hem my Memphis Top.  I’ve been wearing it most days since then, so I’m calling it a win.  It’s so comfy, and so cute, that I love wearing it, even if it might make me look a little bit pregnant.

Not ready for Instagram.

I wound up taking 3 inches off the hem, and I think it’s about the perfect length now, though I have found it to be a bit aerodynamic when the wind blows!  That fun, full skirt does fly around with just a little bit of wind, which we tend to have a lot of here in the spring.  Note to self:  maybe find something else to wear when we have those 25 mph days.

The other big news is the little treat I got myself the other day as a reward for being brave (that kind of makes it sound like I was wrestling bears or something, but when you have anxiety, “being brave” can look a lot like doing normal grown-up stuff).  I heard about a company called Fab Scrap recently (I think on Facebook?) that resells fabric remnants generated by the New York garment industry.  I was sorely tempted by the prospect of unique, high-quality fabrics packaged in grab bags, but the shipping costs all the way across the country made me hold off and wait for a sale.  Which finally happened a few weeks ago.

I got myself a dark yard pack–5 pieces of at least 1 yard each–and a black scrap pack.  (Yeah, I seem to be going through a black phase right now.)  Here’s the yard pack, accompanied by a nice note:

The photo shoot didn’t last long before things got a little out of hand —

But here they are:

The two on the left are ponte (or something similar), and the one in the middle is a pretty standard synthetic lining, but I think the two on the right are probably silk.  The black on the far right is particularly nice–it’s one of those sandwashed silks that were popular during the early ’90s, and it has a beautiful drape and weight to it.

And here’s the scrap pack, which is comprised of mostly knits:

I got the scrap pack because I saw this video a while ago, and it’s been at the back of my mind ever since.

The tops I love in this video are the monochromatic ones–the white one that she’s wearing, and the gray one he hangs up–and I’m a little bit obsessed with the idea of combining different fabrics with the same colors but different textures.  So I’ve now got the scrap pack and a few other remnants I’ve picked up, and I’m going to have to try this idea soon!

Have a wonderful week, and I hope you’re finding crafty inspiration all around you.

STH