Highbrow Hobo Bag

Edited: I used the word vinyl but pleather is probably what I used.

The Highbrow Hobo is done. Designed by Lisa at U-handbag-- this pattern was purchased sometime early last year. It sat for quite awhile after I had cut it out. Of course, the designer recommends cotton and I used vinyl– her pattern was well constructed with excellent instructions. I didn’t have quite enough vinyl to cut out full width straps, I didn’t want the lining used as suggested. That is when I put it away to have a few thoughts about what to do next. Another problem with the vinyl is that the iron on interfacing didn’t adhere very well, and when I did put up the heat on the iron the vinyl melted! Oh, the problems we can create for ourselves. So in the end, I adhered the fleece interfacing to the cotton interior, and used other interfacing for the vinyl. I played up the lining by adding piping to the pocket edge and I faced the inside of the straps with lining as well.
The black chair print came from Liberty’s in London in 1994, it was about time I used it.

I have really enjoyed using this purse, it looks fabulous with jeans and a rust suede jacket. I am having trouble with making a proper link but the bag is from Feb 09.

sewing on vacation

While we were at Three Valley Gap museum, I found a couple of neat sewing related items.

The first was a story quilt, this one  is based on the Atlantic provinces but what intrigued me the most was the style of the quilt.

My grandma made a similar quilt for me, the pictures were drawn on the quilt top and were then coloured with crayons. After my mom would wash the quilt, the colours would have faded and we got to colour it again.

The next couple of neat things were a ribbon cabinet, I thought of several of my friends with large ribbon collections. The ribbons were wrapped around  large wooden spools and kept behind glass doors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have never seen a skirt rack like this, it is from 1800’s and is called a Buckingham skirt rack.

Six piece Autumn Capsule Wardrobe

This is a little more detail on the six new pieces for my wardrobe. It is not cohesive by itself  but will be a great set of add ons to an existing wardrobe.

I like having a lot of co-ordinates to choose from when I go on a trip and I like it even more if most of the pieces can do double duty. These are the pieces that I cut out before my trip in September  and it was sewn up while staying with friends and in hotel rooms.

The Bathing Suit, Divine Drape, #1344, with fabric from Lucy’s fabrics a few years ago. It was my first internet purchase and I got two yards.  So I have a good piece left over but have no plans to use the rest of it yet. It has been a number of years since I have made a suit and this a first for this pattern, I added an inch in length. I swear I had to rip out every seam before I got it right. I made the bottom a bit smaller for the flat bum and I should have added extra for a full bust. It would be a little better with a bit more coverage on the sides of the bodice. The cowl neck piece takes quite a bit extra yardage. I always travel with a brown line skirt so I wanted a bathing suit that would do double duty as a top.

Jalie Cross over top,#2449,  of 100% poly from Toronto. It is the second time with this pattern,  The top gapes when I sit, I must slouch or collapse or something. So I took out 1/2 in above the bust line. It was better than the first top I made. So after wearing the top a couple of times, I took the front bands off and shortened them by One and one-half inches. It fits better now but I think the back neck also needs to be stabilized. It looks incredibly low cut in this photo but not in real life.

Kwik Sew,#3338, paisley patterned  lace, slightly larger than last time. I but nylon trimed elastic around the neck, fairly comfortable to wear. It is not a knit.  This is from the same store in Toronto.

From the sweatshop

My sewing studio upstairs feels like a sweatshop, it just holds the heat from the courtyard, so I have shut the shutters and hope it doesn’t get any warmer. The other reason it seems like a sweatshop is that it seems never ending because I keep working on the same project.
I have returned to the great coat sewalong from last year. The fabric has been laying out on my cutting table for 2 weeks now with no visible progress. I think I have now made a bit of progress, at least there is hope. I had laid out the pattern and was thread tracing the seam lines last September, when we put the house on the market and put my sewing in storage. I hated wearing my tight decades old coat last year and the goal is to wear it this year. So I checked it all out a couple of weeks ago and remembered that I’d need facings, that the coat needed lengthening by about 6 inches. So I measured and basted and there was no room for the collar pieces. So shortened everything by 2 inches and still not enough room. Thought about giving up several times. Last night, I decided to start over and laid out the pieces again, I think it will fit. So now 3 pieces have been thread traced and I am keeping crossing my fingers. I would really like to get it cut out by Monday as company comes on Tuesday.

I made a bracelet and necklace from the greenish beads that I picked up in Rome, it took quite a while to figure out what to put with them, I picked up the pendant at an Artist’s market on Thetis Island when we were sailing.

BWOF 2 garments

I finally have sewn a couple of new things from Burda World of Fashion.
One pattern I had used before, and I made the sleeves longer and also attempted to lengthen the bodice. The fabric just didn’t behave, slippery and curled up and then shed little bits everywhere. By the time, I had discovered that the only way that I could tame the lower edge into the band, it was a little shorter than planned. I finally managed to sew the band on the garment after fusing the deges of the band together and then hand basted the band to the bodice. I do like the drape of the neckline. I used #123 from 2/2008.
I made the front a size larger than the back but kept the shoulders and neckline as the smaller size.
Next up was a linen dress, As soon as I saw the pattern in in 2/2009, I thought that it would be perfect for the linen I had bought in Spain. #124A showed the dress in a linen print and the linen print I had was a pretty big print. I did make a muslin first and I did need to make it larger through the middle section. I used one size smaller for the neck and shoulders again. The dress is lined with bemberg lining, has an invisible zip.

I loved the v neck in the back, it was comfortable to wear, didn’t show creases and I wore a coral necklace, I had made.