Make and Mend #1 - for the boyfriend

Well, I didn't get much done today.  I did finally break out the stitch witchery (pic) to hem a pair of boyfriend's work pants.  They are the cotton twill wannabe-denim fabric that makes my machine wheeze.  I really need to get a sharper needle for fabrics like that.  For now though I am using the iron hem stuff to get the job done.

Of course I forgot to take a before picture.  I just cut right in.  The bottom edge of the hem had frayed through in several places and the bottom edge kept growing fringe.  Plus they were too long.  Boyfriend disagrees, but when you always wear the pants cuffed once to the point they are wearing a line, the pants are too long.

So I got out my trusty seam ripper - great fun on this project - and ripped out all of the neat little stitches holding the hem up.  Then I cut the hem allowance off.  The frayed through and worn edge made that a snap.  The stitching had left a track of little holes that made a convenient reference point for folding up a new hem since the current-new bottom edge was uneven from all the fraying.  I folded up to about 1/4" above the stitch line.  Two rows of bonding web in between, I went section by section around each leg.  Once I finished the hemming, I used more bonding web to put hem tape over the raw edge like so:

You can see the inside of the hem on top and the outside below.  Unfortunately, until I get the sharper needle I can't try to put a line a stitching to make the pants look natural.  For now they look like they were hemmed, but that is better than looking ratty I think.  Boyfriend will have to deal.  This saves him from buying a whole new pair of pants.  And they're the right length now, bonus!  If he wears through this hem I'll probably have to go all the way and cut them off for shorts.  I can't take them up any more or they'll look too short.  It's the little projects that keep you going between bigger stuff.

Buttons

So if you look right I have two new buttons hanging out.  One is for Mend and Make Do, which is a philosophy I have been a believer in for ages.  Back in college I used to make shelves to hold my stuff out of the cardboard boxes other people brought their junk in.  I hate throwing things away if I can envision any amount of use from them, though this means sometimes I keep things I should probably donate since they have use but simply don't suit me.  So codifying this intent, and dragging my boyfriend's wardrobe along however unenthusiastic he may be, is a new button I got from The Sewing Dork.

Also is a new button from C&C for the Refashion Nation.  At first I was a bit worried because you're agreeing to 3 projects, however small, a month.  This month is going to be killer work-wise so I thought I'd fall behind the first month I signed up!  Then I looked back over my projects and realized I had finished turning a valance into a skirt on June 3 and finally did that refashion on my blah and mysteriously stained lavender shirt on June 4 so I am already 2 of 3 for the month.  *Cue sigh of relief* Maybe I can make it after all.

Summer will hopefully see me in an internship in addition to my full time job though so this type of challenge will give me incentive to not just hoard stuff, but to actually turn it into something useful either for myself or someone else. 

Refashion #2 - shirt to cardigan

This refashion came about because of a three-quarter-length sleeve knit shirt that I was so-so on to begin with (I owned it in a light green as well) somehow ended up with a mysterious stain right on the front.  No idea how that happened, but needless to say, the shirt wasn't getting worn.  I also happen to have an aversion to throwing things out if they can be fixed.  I decided to try and turn it into a cardigan using a tutorial I had seen somewhere (I am so sorry I lost the link to it).  I forgot to take a "before" picture, so just envision a v-neck 3/4 sleeve lavender knit top.

I decided to cut up the middle per the tutorial and folded under 1/2" on either side then basted.  To cover the stain I used 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon running vertically up each side.  Below is a picture of it pinned on.

It is hard to see in the picture but the neckline is on the left.  There was a seam there where the neck edging had been sewn on from the back.  This created way too much bulk folded under so the excess had to be cut off in order to sew the grosgrain ribbon down.  That created a new problem of raw knit edges showing on the ends of the neckline.  Luckily I had also bought some lacy hem tape in lavender for this project.  I'm not much for lace and ruffles necessarily, but just the edge folded over the neckline and the rest underneath has a subtle look to it.  I just folded it over, pinned and top-sewed through it as close to the seam with the rest of the top as I could.  Hopefully the pic below will help illustrate my explanation.

Once I got the lace on and tried it on I realized that putting on buttons would distort the side seams.  I wouldn't be able to pull one side over the other without too much stretching because the shirt didn't have enough extra width.  I decided instead to use some hook and bar closures I had since I bought an entire package for the skirt beta.  Sewing in two at the bust area, I left above and below open.  Finished product below:

(Please forgive my slouch.)  So, as a shirt it layered under things not very well which is why I didn't like it much.  As a cardigan it layers over other things so I am hoping I like it better this way.  The embellishment of the ribbon and lace edging turned out very subtle on the finished product so I am debating if it needs something more.  I guess we'll see.

Skirt Beta finished!

So my first ever skirt made is done.  The skirt beta is complete.  Slogging through the fog created by the confluence of bad allergies and benadryl, I was determined to finish this thing once and for all so I could say I was done.  I finished.  I made a skirt!  I learned a lot in this process:
- how to change my presser foot
- how to put in a zipper
- how awesome pressing is
- how to use fusible interfacing
- why you fold the fabric under for a blind hem stitch like they show you (see picture of hem)
- take your measurements before you buy patterns

And those are only a few things.  The pattern was McCall's 3830.  I chose view D since I prefer knee-length skirts.  If you recall, the fabric for this beta came from a valance (1 of 3) that I was given to use as practice.

Here is the result on me.  I apologize for the meh picture quality.  The t-shirt just happened to be what I'm wearing this evening as I worked on it.  Definitely not what I would wear with this skirt.

Contrary to every other skirt made for normal height people, which I always have to take up, I had to lessen the hem allowance on this skirt otherwise it came out an inch or so above the knee.  I don't like that look on me.  I imagine this happened because in addition to being petite I am short-waisted.  At least that is my theory.  The skirt is tight around my waist, borderline uncomfortably so.  I had bought the pattern in size AA (6 -> 12) without taking my measurements ahead of time.  What was I thinking??  I made the skirt in the largest size available, 12, and the waist is definitely tight.  My only two options are to buy the pattern again in a larger size or finally start exercising and eating better.

Oh, and this is why you should follow the directions for blind hem stitching instead of just folding up:

I guess the explanation for this will be that I have decorative stitching now.  Not what I intended, but meh.  This is why I made a practice skirt.  When my allergies let me go from their clutches I can think about trying a different pattern.  I have an elastic waist sleep pant pattern I bought that I might try next since now I know the 12 with a waistband is going to be too tight.  Elastic being more forgiving I might be able to get away with a 12 in the other pattern.

Allergies 1 . . Erin 0

So yesterday I totally had the best intentions to go home, attach the waistband to my skirt and do the bottom hem - skirt beta finished.  Except I did not reckon with my allergy medication wearing off earlier than expected.  So a benadryl later, I practically passed out after dinner.  They should market that stuff as a sleep aid.  Too bad it works.  So even as I sniffle while I write this, I hope to get another shot when I get out of work today.  We'll see how that goes.

Because I am a sucker for a cute project . . .

So we were hanging out with my boyfriend's family, including his new baby niece, last thursday and mom happened to mention they were going to be at barbecues all weekend and she was worried about the sun on baby's head.  Grandma mentions offhand they should just use a bonnet, to which mom replies, "But we don't have one."  Ah ha moment in my head - I could totally make one!  Rest of evening is me planning said bonnet in my head until they leave and I can get started.

Step 1 - find a pattern or tutorial, preferably free.  No problem.  Gotta love Sew Mama Sew, because they had just what I needed here.  Perfect and so cute.

Step 2 - fabric?  Concerned about baby's skin, I chose some prewashed t-shirts I was looking to do something with anyway that would offer super soft fabric and it was white.  Baby is a girl, so no blue or grey allowed (which happened to be the only other two colors available, so white it was.)  Since t-shirt knit is unable to hold even the mildest structure, I also cut a piece out of a white curtain made of a cotton weave material for an inside lining.

Step 3 - construct.  This tutorial is really good so the construction was a breeze.  Only a few hiccups trying to get the knit to sew straight, but it worked out okay I think.  No bias tape, and no gumption to try and make my own (plus never done it before), but thank goodness I had bought a roll of lavender grosgrain ribbon for another project so I just cut a length and folded it over to take the place of the bias tape edging.  After reading through the steps I figured out what the purpose of the bias tape was so I could make improvise a replacement.  Same on the back.  Reading through the steps, it is a complicated way of saying sew a channel and thread something through to tie tightly.  Again no bias tape, but I had a length of narrow ribbon I could use instead so that worked out alright.  Hooray for improvising!

Step 4 - results.  Below are pictures of the finished product, one with the brim folded back and one with it forward.  No pics of the baby wearing it yet.  Hopefully I'll be able to add one later.  I think it came out cute, but it will depend on what Mommy thought so I'll have to get back to you.

Skirt 1 beta testing

So after a few small projects and buying fabric, eyeballing it suspiciously, I have decided to take the plunge.  I picked one of the patterns I bought on sale, McCall's 3830, and decided to make View D in size 12.  I totally flummoxed up my measurements, so I'm not sure this will fit.  Trying on while pinned was encouraging, so I am moving forward to sewing and keeping my fingers crossed.  The darts are sewed, as is the center back seam, and the invisible zip is basted in placed.  The fabric, quite crazy, is actually from a set of three valances my mother donated to my muslin fabric stash.  The pattern is bold, so if the muslin comes out okay I might keep the skirt to wear.  See below, the skirt beta testing in progress:

You are looking at the front, the fold on the fabric was quite defined, being the bottom edge of the valance so some serious pressing will have to go into making that look flatter later.  This pattern just screams 80's chic to me.  Hehe.

Below is the cotton fabric I pre-washed (no bleeding yay) for phase 2 of this skirt if the muslin comes out okay.  It is called olive tonal, but my camera has been recalcitrant in the making-colors-look-like-themselves department, so hopefully it looks olive-y tonal.

I'm so nervous, even though this skirt requires less sewing than the smaller projects I have already managed to pull off.  I guess something I might wear myself in public ups the pressure to do a good job.  I'm confident though.  Gotta stay positive.  Hopefully pics when it is done.