Claire Shaeffer's Custom Couture

This jacket is made from pattern V8428, Clair Shaeffer's Custom Couture. I made this jacket out of a brocade fabric content unknown. It was from my stash and the hand of the fabric seemed perfect for this jacket. Unfortunately I did not have enough fabric to make the bias tubing so I used a button. I loved making this jacket and the way it fits.

Claire's instructions were detailed and fun to read. Some special features use in construction included: collar and lapel padding. The collar is hand stitched. She uses many of the special techniques that I learned years ago that have seemed to become lost techniques.

Tomorrow I will be starting on my first pattern from my PMB4 program.

Simplicity Thread collection.

After a long summer I am back to sewing. My mom had been in a nursing home and other family concerns occupied time. Now these issues have been resolved and I have been able to get back to sewing. This fall I purchased PMB4. The first thing I did was make a sloper. I used the sloper to make a coat. I wished I had used it on the jacket.

This jacket if Simplicity 3962 Threads Magazine Collection. I love the Jacket. My only problem with this jacket was the sleeves. It is a lined jacket but there was no ease in the lining pattern and the jacket lack some movement that would be nice to have. The grading of the arm whole was not the best either. I find the arm hole just a little tight. Had I made the sloper soon I would have been able to adjust for the lack of ease.

This coat is Simplicity 4403 Threads Collection. I used the sloper to get and good fit and am very pleased with the results. The only thing that I need to remember to adjust is the length of the sleeve. I have long arms. The picture on the right is after I completed sewing the coat but I had not pressed the coat or put the buttons on.

Return from China

This May I had the privilege of visiting China. We spent three days in Beijing and three in Shanghai. Before I left, a friend challenged me to make something out of pleather. Since the weather reports were showing a lot of rainy days in China I decided to make a rain coat. I found pleather to be a challenge. I used weights to hold the fabric down when I cut it out. I also used a whole role of seam basting tape to hold the fabric together so I can sew it. I am very pleased with the results.

I tested it out for its water proof abilities prior to leaving and found it to be quite effective. I never needed it in China. We had fantastic weather. I Beijing, I visited Silk Alley and negotiated for quite a bit of beautiful silk fabric. I can't wait to have time to start working on it. In Shanghai, I visited the silk factory. I found the spinning of silk fascinating. I will post some more pictures later when I post pictures of the clothes I make out of my fabric.

Spring Musical

It has been a busy spring. In March I made 7 miss fitting band uniforms for the local high schools performance of the Music Man. It was fun and the kids did a fantastic job with the show. Here is a picture of the jackets and pants.

While doing the band uniforms, I also participated in a challenge with our local sewing guild. We were given a piece of fabric and told to make something out of it. We had to use most of the fabric. The fabric was a polyester sheer with little yellow, green, white, and orange flowers. The winner did a purse. She used Stitch&Bond to attach it to white fabric. It changed the complete appearance of the fabric and she did a fantastic job on the purse. All the entries were great.

diagonal designs

I have always been afraid of diagonal prints. Have you ever seen a pattern that does not say "unsuitable for diagonal prints" The pattern that I used to make this shirt says that on the back. Butterick 5208.

Our local sewing group does a quartely news letter and one of our members did an article on diagonals. Helen commented that almost all patterns have this disclaimer today. She went on to say that when working with a diagonal fabric choose a pattern that has few seams. I took on the challenge to test her article.

When working with plaids the success of the garment is in the cutting. I used this same approach with the diagonal. I have used this shirt pattern many times and love the fit. I must say that I am pleased with the results. Thanks for looking.

More Skirts............................

I have now finished the skirt project for my daughter. The skirt on the left is a polyester fabric that looks like ultra suede upon first glance. However it is polyester. It frays and clings. It was easy to sew on and I am very please with the out come. To make it more comfortable to wear I lined it to the hem. I found that this resolved the clinging problem.

The skirt on the right is made from silk. It has godets to give it flair. The fabric has a great swing to it. I found this fabric very easy to sew. Working on this silk reminded me how much fun natural fabrics are compared to polyester. They are much more forgiveable and can be molded into shape. This fabric also washes very nicely. I wish I were still skinny and could steal back this skirt from my daughter.

Next is a skirt for me. This is made from a brown and black polyester tweed. The fabric has a very nice hand to it and was easy to work on. I like this style on me so it should be fun to wear. The biggest problem I am going to have is what to wear with it. I do not wear browns well but since it is a dark brown almost black I should find something in my closet.

The jacket on the right I made right before Christmas. It is an unlined jacket from a Louise Cutting pattern. I made this from a two sided wool. After I cut it out I decided that it needed and underling. I didn't like the idea of the seams showing so I hid the seams between the two layers of fabric. The jacket is very comfortable and I am pleased with the over all results.

I am now working on a silk blouse I hope to have time to finish that in the next few days.

Skirts...................

My latest projects have been skirts for my daughter. She is in college but has a job where she prefers to wear skirts. I found some patterns and visited the local fabric store to find some fabric that she might like. Some I bought was a hit and others will be made into something for me.

This fabric was from my stash. It is a cotton lycra. I love the pockets on this skirt.





My daughter picked this fabric out of my stash. It is a black pin stripe with large flowers embroidered on the fabric. I had to modify the patter slightly to make the fabric work but it came out really cute. I have four more skirts to complete. That should get here through the rest of winter and the spring.

Marfy pattern adventure f1122 January

Time has passed quickly and I have been busy. After the wedding came Thanksgiving. My daughter came home from college. Then there was the Christmas season and all the activities that go with that. My daughter went back to school yesterday and it seems quiet today. I want to take the time to post the dress I made for my step daughter wedding. Here is the final product.

I also made here the ring bearer pillow. It wasn't what she wanted but what she wanted was not possible. She wanted me to embroider Mickey and Minnie on the pillows. Everyone liked it but the bride.

Another project that I have been working on was a period dress for volunteering at the local National park. I made the dress earlier in the year but as the weather got colder I needed a cover up to go with it. I also enjoy spinning and had spun some natural gray wool so I knit it up into a shaw.