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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Upcoming Camps 2014

Batiking using glue

Markers and alcohol make for a cool tie-dyed shirt

Bleach pens offer a different way to 'dye'


     I have all my summer sewing camps planned.  There will be two beginning sewing camps the weeks of June 9th and July 7th.  There will be three intermediate camps.  The first is Color Me Crazy.  While searching on Pinterest for ideas I found several different dyeing techniques.  I thought the kids would have fun getting messy and creating their own fabric to make a project.

     This camp will be the week of June 30th.  I plan on using both ready made garments and plain fabric for the different techniques.  It should be a lot of fun.

Pleated tote

Pleated pouch

Easy wallet


     Next up will be Purse-onality Fun 5 camp the week of July 14th.  I offer a purse camp every other year as the girls really enjoy making purses.  I found these ideas again on Pinterest.  They look fairly easy but with some challenges such as the pleats and a zipper.

Sewing bucket caddy

Memo board for all those great ideas

Hanging organizer to store fabric and trims


     Lastly will be Organize Your Sewing Stuff the week of July 21st.  These ideas I gathered from Sew News magazine and a Simplicity pattern that is now out of print.  I believe these items will help all the kids have a more organized place to sew at home.

     I am looking froward to having the kids this summer again.  We all have Sew Much Fun!  Check out my Pinterest page for links to all the ideas I found http://www.pinterest.com/runcelesterun/upcoming-camps-and-kids-sewing/

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Vintage Sewing Help

Pattern front


     My latest project is helping a mom sew a vintage pattern for her daughter.  Her daughter is going to be in a talent show and this will be her 'costume'.  When she first contacted me I thought she was talking about a current pattern that was vintage style but this is truly a vintage pattern.

   
Pattern back


     The first thing we had to do was fit it to her daughter.  Today they came and we shortened the pieces to fit her daughter.  I showed her how to shorten the pattern by drawing parallel lines and then folding the pattern.  For the skirt pieces she wanted to keep the fullness of the bottom of the skirt so after folding up the excess length we redrafted the the pieces.  

     What is interesting to note is that the pattern pieces are already cut and there is no printing on the pieces.  There are holes for the dart markings and seam intersections.  The pieces are lettered with the letters punched in with dot holes.  The directions are very basic with few illustrations.  There is also no list of needed notions so you really don't know what you need until you read through the directions, like this dress needs snaps and a hook and eye.

Vintage style fabric


     The fabric is a vintage print but new fabric.  The mom has it on order and should arrive before Friday when we have our next lesson.  She is going shopping for the other notions and we will start the cutting process on Friday.  

     This is going to be a learning experience for the both of us.  I'm so glad I have sewn many ferments because otherwise this might not have worked out.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Back to Class Jan 2014

Kate and her fleece pants


     After school sewing classes have started back up.  Over the Christmas break there were several schedule changes.  Thankfully everyone got a day and time that worked for them.  Only one girl had to drop out due to other after school commitments.

Nonie and her pajama pants



     On Mondays I have Cara and Ellen.  Cara finished her turquoise sport shirt.  It looks great on her.  She is now working on a tote bag with pockets.  Ellen is making a dress for her mom.

Greta and her tank top

   

     On Tuesdays I have Kate, Nonie, Christine and Greta.  Kate finished a pair of pants from a cozy fleece fabric, Nonie finished her pants from a fun polka dot flannel, Christine is working on a peasant blouse and Greta finished her tank top and is now working on a navy and cream top from a Simplicity pattern.

Natalie and her sewing bag and belt


     On Wednesdays I have Lindsey, Natalie , Julia and Nick.  Lindsey is making a floral denim skirt and Natalie finished her sewing bag and belt and cut out her next project.  Julia finished her sparkly grey tank top and promptly wore it to school the next day.  Nick is working on a sweatshirt with pockets.

Bella and her peasant blouse


     On Thursday I have Najiyah, Bella, Aviva and Maddie.  Najiyah is working on a pair of pants from a hot pink/black plaid fabric.  She is carefully matching her lines and so far it is looking great.  Bella finished her musical notes peasant blouse.  It looks great on her.  Aviva is making a pair of polka dot pajama pants while Maddie is working on a pair of penguin pajama pants.  

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Names on Stockings

   

     In our family as the children were born I made them each a stocking to hang by the fireplace.  As they have grown and married they now have their own homes but I still like to hang a stocking for them at our house.  My daughter wanted the stocking I had made for her as a baby at her house along with the ones I made for her husband and son.  She went out after Christmas and bought some ready made stockings for next to nothing.  Then it was just left to me to put on their names.  I decided to do it right away so I could pack away the stockings as a finished project and not have to worry about them next year.

Name templates


     The first thing I did was to create the names with my software.  I then printed out templates of the names to ensure proper placement.  I opened up the first two stockings at the seams to make it easier to stitch.


Name in place

Markings done


     I placed the template on the stocking and then drew the registration lines with a disappearing marker.

Name in place

Markings done


     Then it was just a matter of hooping some sticky backed stabilizer and placing the stocking on it with the lines matching the marks on the hoop.  I floated a piece of heavy cut-away stabilizer under the stocking after attaching it to the machine.  I stitched the names, cut away the heavy stabilizer and then carefully tore the stocking away from the sticky paper.  Stitched back up the sides and they were ready to go.

     The last stocking proved to be more difficult.  It had decorative stitching all around so I couldn't just undo the seams.  For that one I used the under-the-hoop method for stitching.

Name in place

Marking a window for embroidery


     First I again determined the placement for the name.  I had to use pins and a white chalk marker  for this one because the pen would not show up on the black.  Then I used the template to trace a hole in the heavy weight stabilizer that I had hooped.

Window cut in stabilizer

Wonder Tape on back of stabilizer


     I cut out the window and then turned the hoop over and applied some Wonder Tape to the back edges.  I then lined up my marks on the hoop with the marks on the stocking and pressed the hoop onto the stocking.  I added 4 pins for security and then attached the frame to the machine.

All lined up and ready for pins

Stitching out  under the hoop


     When placing the frame on the machine I made sure that the back of the stocking was under the arm with the bobbin.  Again I placed a piece of the heavy cut-away stabilizer under the stocking front and stitched out the name.  I just had to remove the pins and trim the stabilizer from the back and his stocking was ready to go.

…and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care


     It was a bit of work to get everything just right but don't they look great?  They are all ready now to be filled next year.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Colton's Gifts

Colton all ready for Santa


     It is my first Christmas with a grandchild.  I had a ton of fun sewing for him this year.  First I made him some jammies to wear for when Santa came to visit.  I bought the knit fabric on line from The Fabric Fairy.  I had the pattern in my stash, it is a larger size of the ones I made for him before he was even born.  Isn't he a doll?

Snaps I used on his sleeper

Pattern used for his sleeper

His first Christmas jammies


      Next I made him an 'Official Cookie Tasting Shirt'  I figure every grandchild needs one when they visit so they can taste all the cookies they want ;-)  I plan on making him one each year as he grows.  It was easy using a ready made shirt from Kohl's.

All ready for eating cookies

Detail of embroidery


     And lastly I made him his Christmas stocking.  I had made stockings for each of my three children for their first Christmases.  That was before there were embroidery machines so theirs were all hand stitched.  I bought the pattern from Embroidery Library.  It has two parts.  The bottom part was too big even for my six needle machine so I had to split the design.  I printed several templates so I could get things lined up properly.  It took several days to stitch it out but it all lined up beautifully.  I used a pair of my husband's old jeans for the stocking so Colton has a stocking made by grandma with grandpa's jeans.  Perfect I think for a rough and tumble little guy.  The other items I had in my Christmas stash of fabrics so it all went together well.

Pieces and paperwork for the stocking

Front all embroidered

Cutting out the back

Lining fabric

Cuff fabric

Getting ready to sew on the cuff using Wonder Clips

Finished stocking hanging on our mantel