Random Threads #41: patterns, magazines and a couple of new tops

Time for another Random Threads post, which is where I get to comment, observe and possibly rant on things I've come across in the sewing internet world. My last Random Threads was Oct. of 2021 so it's about time. And a couple of the topics touched on in the previous Random Threads are still relevant. 

A quick detour to mention that my online Blazer class is starting next week on Tuesday Oct. 4. This is a 6-week course, we meet online at 6pm PST and I show how to make a lined blazer from start to finish. It's a mix of live discussion and video with plenty of time to ask questions. As you might guess this is my favorite class to teach and people have made fantastic items. Here is the link to the class on the Hello Stitch website:  Blazer class.  Note that you don't have to make a blazer or sew along during the class. Some people do and others follow along and learn for when they have time and materials to make one. 

Burda repeats:  Now that I have subscribed to BurdaStyle pattern magazine for what will be 5 years in November, I can see that they definitely do have a number of pattern repeats. Or they have a pattern in an issue that is basically the same as a previous one, with a slightly different detail, such as the sleeve, collar, pockets etc. I don't mind them so much but I can see that people who have a big stockpile of these magazines might be annoyed. I'm actually more annoyed by the shapeless sack patterns, those are a waste of space in my opinion. But on the whole I find at least one and often 2 or 3 interesting patterns in each issue so for me the value is very high. I think during the pandemic they did have more very similar styles but I am willing to cut anyone some slack during that period and just be glad they are consistently publishing. This all goes to reinforce my view that there are no new patterns! everything is a riff on a bunch of components. It would be fun to do a blog post with comparison of the same pattern in different decades just to show it.

New Look Patterns:  more pattern talk. I really like New Look patterns, over the past 10-15 years I've made some great dresses and tops from their patterns. I'm a bit sad to see the brand dwindling, they are putting out very few interesting ones. I happened to fit in their size range well (with admittedly was not as wide a size range as many other brands). They often had several completely different items in one envelope, the price was $3.99, and they printed many of the components like facings etc in each size so you didn't have to deal with the multi-size lines on those once you determined your size for the garment body pieces. This tunic top pattern is one of my go-to choices, I think I've made it at least 6 times. 

Speaking of Tunic tops, here is some unselfish sewing I did recently. I made this tunic top for my mom as she casually mentioned I hadn't made her anything in a while.  I used a different New Look pattern for this. 

Coat season:  do you every look at a pattern and think "well that one is going to be trouble?" I saw a new coat pattern from Style Arc, the Ormond coat (go search their website to see) and I thought it looked bulky and bathrobe-y with maybe just a few too many details. What do you think?

Videos and Reels: here is where I say that along with many I can't stand Reels on IG and actively try to avoid. I said to a friend the other day that my eyes can read faster than anyone can say or do anything in a video. I prefer print, I like to read about things and so short bursts of video, especially combined with the music are just annoying. Ok that's my rant, and I know I'm not alone in this one. 

Here's another top I recently made. I had a dress that I made as a display item for Hello Stitch, it was a nice but just not something I would ever wear. So I looked at it one day and thought there was plenty of fabric in the skirt to make a top.  

I saw that pattern in the April Burda and wanted to make the dress but figured it would make a nice top as well. It's an ideal pattern for cotton lawn or silk so I'm sure I will revisit this next year. This dress was really popular and I saw lots of versions online as well. 

Sewing Magazines:  do you subscribe to any sewing magazines? I renew my Threads magazine year after year and they are kind of piling up. I know you can access a lot of the info online so perhaps one of these days I will go through them and just keep articles of interest. I think I will always subscribe as at least a few times a year reading the articles I have learned something that was a game changer. I had a subscription to Sew News but I don't find it very informative and the projects are on the simple side. 

Well that's the latest for Random Threads. As I mentioned next week I start my Blazer class online via Hello Stitch, and also I will start making a couple of tailored items for my friend Heather, using very beautiful and luxe fabrics from Britex. That should be fun - although I confess I am always a little scared to make that first cut into the fancy fabrics!

Happy Sewing and beware of all those first time costume stitchers at the fabric store 🎃.

Beth

today's garden photo - my never ending garden remodel project is actually nearing the end. Here's a nice foxglove that was a seedling volunteer in my yard. My favorite type of plant - free!

Random Threads # 40: Finding Fabric, new Patterns and sleeve doubts

What?? It's been a full year since I've written a Random Threads post! Looking back I see the last one was October of 2020 when I wrote about my opinions on magazines, podcasts and patterns that use a lot of fabric. Today I have thoughts on some new acquisitions, elusive fabrics, styles that don't appeal and my obsession with Russian patterns.

Why is it so difficult to find nice corduroy? I really like to wear corduroy jeans or pants in the fall and winter, especially in interesting colors. But while I can see a variety of shades in ready-to-wear it seems really challenging to find nice fabrics to sew. I've been looking for some interesting blue colors, not a muted shade but perhaps royal blue. You know how I like the jewel tones. Or a rich olive green, I think that would be a good neutral. I do prefer the stretch corduroy for pants or jeans, and around 14 wales per inch, not the pinwale type. I see some on a fabric website at $22/yard or so and my bargain hunting self thinks that is too much. Because of the fabric nap I do need around 2+ yards. So perhaps the availability is not the problem but my miserly tendencies :) 

All the pockets:  I bought the Anzu skirt from Waffle Patterns. I think it looks like the perfect travel skirt for the upcoming trips which look every more likely these days. Who dislikes carrying a purse or bag when doing some sightseeing - I certainly do and it would be great to have sunglasses, phone, wallet, etc. at hand and safely attached (or even hidden) on your person. Plus it's ideal for denim. I hope to get to this one after my current jacket class concludes. Until then I'm immersed in lapels, sleeves and all things blazer jacket. 

How do you wear a jacket?  Every time I see a pattern with great big sleeves I think this. Don't those sleeves bunch up uncomfortable inside the arms of the coat or jacket?  And the fluttery ones, those would drive me crazy.  Once in a while I make something that has elastic at the wrist, with the bottom of the sleeve creating a ruffle and that also annoys me so I have learned not to make that, despite being a pretty shape. Perhaps I'm overly fussy - I feel the same way about labels in clothes, particularly ones at the center back neck - the worst! I always extract those from any t-shirts or fleece tops. 

Iron conundrums:  I have been a loyal Rowenta iron user, despite the leaking and other issues. I just like how they press, they are nice and large, the "platinium" sole plate (if you can find this model) is amazingly non-stick and easy to clean. I admire the marketing genius that came up with that word which means nothing and yet names their sole plate material. But earlier this year my shoulder was hurting, a combo of lots of pressing on my relatively high work surface which means I am lifting a heavy iron up near my shoulder, particularly when using a sleeve board or other pressing tool. 

          

So I decided to get a lighter weight iron. At the studio in Berkeley they had some of these Black and Decker Irons and they worked well so I ordered one. It's great! much lighter than my Rowenta and has really good steam. And the price is right. At the studio they also have these Oliso irons with the retractable feet which I actually despise - I just don't see the point and I can't get used to putting the iron in that flat position. If you love them then great - irons are like sewing machines, everyone has their specific preferences. 

VikiSews Patterns: these are my new obsession. I bought a couple of patterns via their English language Etsy shop and had them printed via PDF Plotting. I made the pants and ordering the size based on my hip measurement they were just about a perfect fit. Could this be my holy grail of pants patterns, I think so! The one I made is Lora, shown on the right in blue.  I made them as a test in some weird printed corduroy but now I think they might be wearable. To be determined, I will hem them and post. 

So I then ordered a couple more patterns, from their actual Russian website. On their website that is English language they have a good selection of patterns but they actually have many more that they are working to translate. I don't really need the instructions so it doesn't matter to me, however their instructions are perhaps some of the best I have ever seen.  I will definitely do a post all about this pattern brand. Stefanie (whose style I admire very much) blogs and posts @seaofteal She has written about these patterns, she has made several and they look fantastic. 

I couldn't resist that blazer on the right shown in green, it's so sharp but actually I think I will make the Riana blazer first, it's a more casual look and simpler to fit. I'm also planning to make those Anne pants, maybe even in a ponte as I have a couple of pieces in my stash. 

Burda pattern magazine repeats:  I'm  not the only one who has noticed the repetitive nature of patterns in the Burda magazine this past year. I think this happens if you have been subscribing for a while. At first all the designer are new-to-you, but then as a couple of years roll by you see the same knit tops, the same pants, and variations on the same dress. I also wonder if just like the Big 4 pattern companies their output has slowed due to the effects of the pandemic, lockdown, etc.  I didn't see any interesting jackets in their fall issues which usually has some outstanding and interesting looks. Perhaps this explains my interest in the VikiSews (actually for that I credit Instagram).  Anyway, I have some faux suede fabric in a nice dark green and will probably reach back to a pattern from 2018 or 2018 to make a holiday dress this year. 

A new coat is not needed: but if I did have thoughts of making a new coat this one caught my eye. I'm not that wild about the front, I think it doesn't match the back but I really like that inset creating a full skirt effect. Actually looking at it more closely I think it would be nicer with set-in sleeves instead of the raglan. See - that's why we sew - we can pick and choose elements of design and come up with something interesting.  Anyway - I have hardly worn the last two coats I made. The other evening I met friends, sitting outside at a restaurant and I wore this plaid coat. It was almost too warm for it but sitting outside I thought it might be chilly. (if the temperature is below 70 Fº I am freezing!)

Actually I'm really looking forward to wearing this red coat which you will see me in all through December.  Also, this Vogue pattern takes between 3.5 and 5.5 yards of fabric, depending on length and size. That is a lot of fabric, both in expenditure and to tote around on your body. 

So that's the rundown of my opinions for this Random Threads, I didn't even mention my dislike of the trend of exaggerated collars with ruffles on the edge. They remind me of pilgrim costumes. Timely for November I guess.  

Up next, I am working on two blazers for my current online Jacket Making Class, which is heading into its 3rd (of 6) weeks. Back vent, and starting on the collars are on the sewing table now. I'm making the Jasika blazer and the Butterick 6862 with a lot of details and a bit of compare and contrast as I go along.

Perhaps we will run this class again in the spring if there is interest. 

Hello Stitch Studio:  very gratifying - all the in-person classes we've scheduled through the end of this year are sold out with waiting lists. I think people are thrilled to get back to doing things in person and also to learn to sew, something they may have tried during lockdown and are now ready to get some in-person instruction. We're just starting to plan for 2021 so if you are in the bay area and have a class suggestion let me know. 

Happy Halloween to all - my neighborhood is VERY popular with the trick or treaters, so I might have to rest up this afternoon as the evening will be busy! I think it will get started early and finish early as it's a school night - let's hope so.

Happy Sewing,

Beth

Today's garden photo is this beautiful Salvia Mexicana "Limelight" which I think I got at the local junior college horticulture department sale a few years ago. This weekend they are finally opening for a sale again in person, after almost 2 years so my calendar is marked!!!  This plant is so pretty and a late bloomer (October here) so a nice addition to the not so thrilling fall garden. Plus I took a cutting and made a second plant which makes me like it all the more.

 

Random Threads #39: podcasts, jeans, and patterns that use a lot of fabric

To underscore what a strange year this is, I just checked and my last Random Threads post was way back in April. I like to do them every few months as I always have things jotted in my notebook to share here. So here are a few of the things that have caught my attention.

Let's start with things that are getting me through the "inside times" as I have seen it called. 

Do you listen to podcasts? Probably so and I listen to a LOT of them, they are such a good accompaniment to sewing, exercise, even gardening.   My new favorite is Fiber Nation, the topics are super interesting and the speaker's voice is extremely calming (something I prize in podcasts these days.) The tagline is Textiles, Craft and Culture so it will likely appeal if you love fabric and fibers.  A couple of other podcasts I like are History Extra from the BBC, and Shedunnit (topic is golden age mystery writers and books with a nice amount of 20th century society/culture included). I will give just about any podcast a try if it's about science, nature, history or sewing. (but my real favorite is How Did This Get Made, which discusses terribly movies in a raunch and hilarious way)

Are jeans over? I certainly hope not, however I've read that people are wearing jeans less and something stretchy much more. It will definitely be the winter of the sweatpant, or leggings or whatever is cozy and comfortable. With our weather here I almost never even put on jeans from June to September, and this year we are still in shorts weather as of Oct 20! And I rarely wear leggings except for exercise. So I'm actually looking forward to wearing some jeans again as our weather cools.  I like wearing them even if I'm spending the day at home, all those pockets are handy and I find them warmer than other pants. Plus I just made a new pair of Ash jeans in corduroy from my stash. For this version I tried the boot cut but I haven't hemmed them yet - I'll have to see how they look with boots or flat shoes before I commit. I bought this wide-wale stretch corduroy many months ago at Joann on a whim, and I like it so much I just bought the same fabric in black for another pair. 

Size charts - who do they fit? That is an ongoing area of discussion in sewing internet-land. I think there are two issues in that question. The first issue is the size range - whether for a particular pattern it covers all ends of the size range. In particular for sizes above size 16 or 18. Certainly an overlooked portion of the fashion industry in both ready to wear and sewing. I think it's so smart to make patterns for as many sizes as possible.  But to my mind the second issue is the pattern fit. Even if based on the pattern details you are exactly the same as the measurements listed, the pattern may fit poorly and that is due to variations in body shape. I think a lot of people start sewing, and then get a few simple (both to fit and sew) items completed and them move on to items that have a more specific fit and get very discouraged when the aren't happy with the fit. I can only say that it's something that everyone has to deal with - rarely does something fit exactly in a particular size. I think it compares to going to the store and trying on clothes, you can try on 100 items in the same size but they won't all fit. Having taught sewing classes these last 3 years has made me very thoughtful about the process of learning to sew. It actually has so many facets, from choosing the right fabric, learning techniques, fit, using sewing tools and machines and working with a variety of fabric types. Learning to sew starts to add up financially as well, with machines, classes, tools, fabric and patterns as up front costs and then the possibility of sewing something that is not what you want to wear. On the good side, there are so many more possibilities to get help than there ever have been. If fit is giving you trouble I suggest reading all the posts by Gabby on the Sewcialists blog. She is a technical fashion designer and writes so well on all these issues. 

Are you making Zoom shirts?  I think I did on that last top I made.  Basically a shirt that looks good on your computer or phone video camera - that allows you to look put together while in a meeting but you know that under the desk you are wearing pajama shorts and fuzzy slippers :)  Last week I was speaking to my neighbor in the driveway, she had on makeup, a cute top and very pretty earrings, then some very casual shorts and house shoes. Suddenly she said "oh I have to go I have a video call in 2 minutes!" I suspect this scenario is playing out all over the country. Which has me looking through my stash for fabrics suitable for interesting tops. For my December video chat with the tax accountant do you think sequins might add a festive touch or be a bit much?

Do you read Threads magazine? I think if you are looking to level up in your sewing it's really helpful. I can say that I learn something from just about every issue. Even if it's some small little tool that I didn't know about, or a new method for something I am already familiar with, I think it packs a lot in each issue. I'm sure that sewing magazines (like a lot of specialty magazines) are an endangered species but I find they way they explain and use diagrams to illustrate concepts is really outstanding. My feeling on any time spent reading, watching video etc is if I have learned something new then it is totally worthwhile. I far prefer reading to watching videos  - we can all read an article in a few minutes in the time someone on YouTube tells you all about their channel and other extraneous (time wasting) chat. 

Anyway - if your family is asking what you want for Christmas this might be a good thing to put on the list. Like any magazine, in a single issue there are things that are not of interest at all to me but there is always something useful. Look at some of the articles on these covers, better fitting pants, better lining patterns, sleeve heads, invisible zippers, oh yeah baby talk to me 😉

My current peeve - style have turned to looks that use A LOT of fabric. Like 4, 5, 6, and even 7 yards of fabric. That is a LOT of fabric to haul around on your body. Not to mention cutting out. The current winner might be this Vogue pattern V1723 that takes between 5 to 7 yards of 60" wide fabric. Granted it is described as "special occasion dress" but I think that special occasion looks like you are a member of the church choir. But there are so many patterns out now with full sleeves, ruffles, tiers etc and all these features take a lot of fabric. I guess my taste tends to a more streamlined or tailored style and I can only take so much of ruffles or tiers. Also dress and skirt lengths have really changed in the last while with hem lengths getting longer recently. Let's hope this is not an economic indicator as it has been claimed in the past - here's a good explanation of that theory and why it likely doesn't really apply now-or ever. 

The other thing that always comes to mind when women's clothing has a lot of fabric is that it's actually restrictive - or maybe even unsafe. Can you move fast when wearing 4 yards in a skirt? I have read too many articles about Victorian ladies whose skirts caught on fire or were caught in machinery. Not to mention the requirement in some societies to cover women's bodies. For me, I like to buy between 1 or 2 yards of most fabrics and being short I can make most things with that amount so it's also a question of cost - extra fabric required means extra cost no matter what size you are making. 

How do you feel about message or admonitions on sewing pattern instructions? I fall into the category of "just the facts, please".  Sewing along and following the instructions, and then you come across a line saying something like "Yay, you just completed a welt pocket, now relax with a cup of tea" or "you are a sewing superstar".  Are you kidding me? They seem a bit patronizing and perhaps more in place in a children's book although I think a lot of kids can identify the same type of condescension. Have you seen a cookbook with similar line - "oh you now finished chopping and sautéing those onions, have a glass of wine". Wait a minute - perhaps that's a given in cooking :)  Anyway - I just want very specific and detailed instructions with no extras. Spend the time and space in the instruction pages for better diagrams! So what do you think, these lines in sewing pattern instructions are encouraging or annoying? 

That's enough of my editorial comments for the day - the weather has turned chilly here (meaning temps in the 60's ℉. Yeah I know this is mild for my friends in places like Minnesota or Washington where snow is already falling. For us it means I can go outside and work in the garden without boiling since it was 92℉ just a couple of days ago. Now if only it would rain!!!! Please!!!

And I didn't even get to all the topics on my list, such as pattern companies that are better at marketing than pattern making, annoying ads on Wordpress blogs - why are the ads so gross? Speaking of weird, how about the random male IG followers, so often "military officers" or "doctors" who are surely bots. Why do they choose those identities? Not that I really want to know. And how about the ripoff of the Zadie jumpsuit pattern, which is a great pattern and was copied line for line as a RTW garment by an Australian mfg. Shameless! 

What I'm sewing now:  I am completely hooked on the Patrones app - it's like a mobile game for me in that in a spare minute I scroll through the issues I've purchased (basically all issues released since I downloaded the app). Each time I find more things I want to try. I've heard their coats and jackets are good and their recent fall issues are filled with highly desirable styles. I wrote a post earlier this summer about Patrones patterns (Spanish sewing pattern magazine and app) I'm starting with this one to further test and refine my size in these patterns, and to see how I like their styles.  The fabric is a wool from Minerva.com with an ultra suede under collar as I was down to shreds when I cut it out. Good news is that I have 2 yards of this teal ultra suede I found at a thrift store for $ 3 so I think a cute winter dress might be upcoming. I always wanted to make this dress again although there are other patterns I want to try, but it needs to be something suitable for the ultra suede. Will have to give that some thought. 

After that - I might start on my muslin for that vintage Vogue YSL jacket pattern.

This month I've been teaching a button front shirt class for Hello Stitch via Zoom in the evenings and it's been really fun, a good group so Tuesdays are for instruction and Thursdays are a sewing social hour. Next month is a more beginner-friendly class, elastic waist pants, and then in December we will sew the Toaster sweater (knits).  Classes can be found on the Hello Stitch website. 

So that's all for today's Random Threads - I'm interested to hear your thoughts on any of the topics I mentioned.  

Take care and stay well everybody,

Happy Sewing,

Beth

Today's garden photo - while my hydrangeas are looking kind of sad now, the long hot August and September doesn't do them any favors, the leaves look terrible plus the ash from fires blown over us these last two months has left them with a dusty coating that needs a good rainstorm to clean off. But this one has put out a couple of fresh blooms and I will take my garden joy where I can find it. 

Random Threads #38: quarantine sewing, virtual frocktails and pattern packaging

Let's face it - that fabric stash is coming in very handy right now! It's been a long time since I've written a Random Threads post, the pace of my life was quite busy the last few months and then for a lot of us most activities have come to a screeching stop.

I want to express my appreciation for all who continue to show up and work during this time of social distancing. Medical and emergency personnel, grocery staff, the folks who keep the lights on, the water running, the mail and packages delivered and the garbage picked up. Everyone who has an essential job. They are the strong ones and the rest of us need to do our part to stay home so we can kick this thing. We're starting our third week of shelter at home here in California and it seems to be working.

I've received some very kind emails of appreciation for blogging - heaven knows we all need something to take our mind off the situation and sewing can be that for a lot of us. I expect we will all come out of this with some interesting new wardrobe additions and maybe even no wish to look at a sewing machine when we can be outside doing other fun things.
But until then, let's talk about sewing, patterns and all things that made it to my notebook pages since my last Random Threads.

First up:  Virtual Frocktails   I think we were lucky here in the SF bay area as we had a great Frocktails in late February, which is put on by the Bay Area Sewists Meetup group. Perhaps the biggest attendance yet. Take a look here and here on the group's Instagram.  That was when I had a chance to wear my red coat, which is now put away until probably December!
Now that we are all sheltering and some of the notable Frocktails are cancelled due to Covid, I think Sydney, Twin Cities and Portland might have been scheduled for this month but it will all be virtual which means everyone can join in. I need no excuse to make a new dress and this pattern has been on my to-do list for ages.



This isn't THE DVF Vogue pattern, for the iconic wrap dress, but perhaps this is the #2 version of the DVF wrap dress. I see this pattern currently listed on Ebay for between $ 29 - $ 189. My copy I found at where else, a local fabric rummage sale for maybe $1. (believe me I'm always on the lookout for Vintage Vogue patterns of this type) but this one was a real find. So I'm making the short sleeve version in a pink/navy knit. See you at Virtual Frocktails this upcoming Saturday.

A Modern Pattern: Some words are overused and I think this is the one that drives me crazy, when applied to anything. I see so many new sewing patterns that are described as "a modern version" of whatever it is, top, pants, dress, etc. When everyone uses the same word it loses any meaning, plus I want to say NO it's not. It could actually be an exact copy of an existing pattern from a variety of decades. One of my favorite Instagram accounts is Paperbagwaist, where she shows a "modern" version of a garment juxtaposed with a not so new pattern that is just about the exact same style. Modern has become one of those marketing words that almost cease to mean anything, as we can see that what is described that way is virtually identical to something seen before. So what exactly makes it modern? Is their some other descriptive word that you find overused or just annoying?

Should I put in the work to size down this pattern? Another older pattern in my stash is this Butterick pattern which I keep looking at. It actually looks kind of "modern". Aside from that bit of sarcasm I like this top, it has raglan sleeves, interesting gathers around the neckline and then a flat neckband with front opening. It's just about the exact pattern for a woven fabric I've been looking for lately. It's a size 16 which is two sizes up from my usual size 12 so I would have to adjust the neckline etc. Not all that much fun to do - I always urge people to start with the pattern size that fits the neck and shoulders and then grade as needed in bust, waist and hips.  But with time on my hands I will give it a go.



Benefit of these older patterns, those nice thick printed lines - the downside for some may be that patterns were just one size per envelope. I think this one might have just prior to the change to multisizes. Vintage pattern wiki says this is circa 1977 as well (just like the Vogue pattern above). I also notice in this pattern that the cutting layout is in the instructions next to the item, so it is like 3 separate instructions in one, for the 3 garments. I'll work on it and report back!




Pattern Packaging: I think I've talked about this one before, but pretty pattern packaging does not impress me. I want efficient packaging - so that the instructions are laid out well, there isn't a lot of wasted space in the printed material so that when I go to store it later it takes up as little space as possible. I'm still on the fence as to my opinion on instruction booklets. I think I prefer the large sheet (such as in Vogue/ McCalls etc) partly because I'm used to it, and partly because at a glance you can see where you are going in the process, as opposed to flipping through a booklet to see what a particular step is leading you to. I do work with a few patterns at the studio in my classes where the cutting layout is on the pattern tissue - and yet there are pages in the instruction book with pretty photos of the garments. Which don't get you through the process and every time I see those pages I get kind of annoyed - the pattern cutting layouts could have been included in the instruction booklet. Then there wouldn't be a need to retain a piece of pattern tissue. Especially for beginners, they don't know to look for the cutting layout and don't expect this vital piece of information to be on the pattern tissue. Because they don't even know what it is! I have another peeve about the way the right/wrong side of fabric is shown but I will save that for a future random threads!

Hanging chains in Jackets: Whenever I see a chain used for this element in a coat or jacket I want to ask - doesn't that chain there on the back of your neck bug you when you wear it? It would drive me crazy to have a bit of metal there, and sometimes the chains are quite chunky. I guess if you live somewhere with a cold winter you are wearing a quite heavy coat and then need to hang it up when you go into a restaurant or cafe. A phenomenon which I am unfamiliar with here in mostly sunny Calif. In fact our restaurants or cafes rarely have any spot to put your coat so you end up leaving on the back of your chair. My feeling on this item, the coat hanging chain, is the same as most labels - out they go :)




Mostly Burda: this is a question I've been meaning to ask. For the past year I've sewn mostly from my Burda magazine subscription, to the exclusion of just about any other pattern company. Do you find it interesting to read about this Burda sewing? It seems there is a loyal subset of garment sewers that swear by Burda but they are not exactly the most popular in the sewing world. Previously I sewed with mostly Vogue/McCalls/Simplicity/NewLook.  I've made a few indie patterns, usually for Hello Stitch projects, and haven't sewn any new Vogue patterns in a while. The patterns in the Burda magazine are so varied and I always seem to find 2 or 3 per issue that I want to make. Right now I have a specific type of blazer in mine, with sharp peak lapel and quite amazingly that is exactly the jacket pattern in the February issue. (Feb 2020 # 102) I have a printed denim for the blazer plus jeans for a suit - could be great or tragic. Either way I have time to make it now.
Anyway - I hope it's still interesting for readers of this blog, hopefully so. After all as I often say - there are no new patterns so what appears in Burda now may be in Vogue or New Look next year and vice versa.

What are you sewing now that the shelter-at-home is upon us? Here in N. California we started on March 16 and I think it will go through April at the very least. Time enough to get a LOT of sewing done. It's pouring here today with much needed rain and I have a pot of braciole simmering in tomato sauce on the stove - enough for a family meal plus more to put in the freezer. And I found a new bag of bread flour in my cupboard so perhaps some baking tomorrow. It's hunker down and cook or sew time. I hope the sunshine returns soon as I need some get out and exercise time! All this staying at home I think will lead to some extra inches and I don't want to be adjusting patterns when we can go out and wear all the stuff we have sewn!!

Hope you are all well and we'll get through this,
Happy Sewing, Beth

Today's garden photo, this albutilon which I bought last year ? at the local junior college horticultural department sale. Such great finds there. I hope they will be open for their May sales.

Random Threads # 37: latest sewing, thoughts on perfect insides and is mending a trend?

Well that was a long stretch since my last Random Threads post which was in May. As usual lately I've been sewing up a storm, but also enjoying summer. I've tried to keep the garden from getting away from me, this is actually the slack time, garden-wise around here. As long as the tomatoes get watered there isn't much else to do. Which means more time for swimming, making ice-cream and having relaxing dinners with family and friends.
On the days when it's not a boiling 100+ degrees Fahrenheit I do get some sewing accomplished. The recent Burda issues have had so many pretty things and I need to resist, although I have one in the works and hope to finish this week. I'm sewing some samples for our fall classes at Hello Stitch and just barely starting to think about fall. I did order some fabrics from Mood this week and tossed quite a few wool swatch samples in my cart so perhaps one of those will be just what I didn't know I wanted.

Burda 6329 Envelope pattern: I have a few knits from Girl Charlee and one day decided this coral fabric needed to be sewn up immediately. I really like this pattern and I think in the winter I'll make the long sleeve version.  Worn here with my trusty Vogue 1247 denim skirt.






Ordinarily the neckband needs to be cut on the cross-grain but this fabric was quite stretch so it worked to rotate it lengthwise and then have the contrast stripes which I really like. By the way, I don't use the neckband pattern piece which came with the pattern, it didn't seem right and I just use my own method which is one I learned from the Threads website - it never fails. Also the sleeves are hemmed about 3 inches shorter than the pattern view, it think on me the sleeve length is just dowdy and needed to be shorter like this, or maybe longer. Anyway - stitcher's choice, right?



Sewing Failures: Thankfully I don't have many sewing failures, and if I can tell something is not working out I just stop mid-project. If I can salvage the fabric and turn into something else I will do that, or maybe save the large pieces for other things. But I think this fabric was my nemesis and I have tried to make 2 things from a very large piece, both were utter failures and it was time to move on!



I thought I would try the longer length and turns out it made me feel like I was wearing someone else clothes. I did like the neckline and pleating on the bodice so that's an idea for another day. Combining the length, the ruffle and the gingham just made me feel like I had refashioned something from the Little House on the Prairie collection. If that was a thing :).  Also that lime green shade is just not my favorite. I think I will take this dress over to Hello Stitch and see if anyone wants it.
To sum up my sewing failures, 90% of the time it's when I pick the wrong fabric for the style. How about you?

Pressing matters: I am a pressing fanatic, and it just irks me to see pattern designers showing their examples that are poorly pressed, or not pressed at all. By this I don't mean the inherent wrinkles in fabric such as linen or cotton, but the seams not pressed sufficiently or hems wobbling. Or even extra creases pressed in where they shouldn't be. It makes me question the professionalism and quality of the pattern product. Do you notice this?

Is Mending a Trend? Seriously? My feeling on mending is that it's good for your wardrobe, your wallet and the planet. I guess I grew up in a family that mended, fixed and repaired before buying something new, so mending seems second nature. But I have friends that get rid of clothes with a tiny hole or lost button. It seems like such a shame to do that. My a ha! moment as a teenager was realizing I could replace the zipper in a pair of jeans and have it look exactly the same. I wrote a post on the Craftsy blog a while ago on this, here's the link, it's not hard and so satisfying. Also for that post I actually extracted the perfectly good zipper from those jeans and then re-sewed it in, as I didn't have any jeans with a broken zipper at hand :)

Piecing: another oddly satisfying sewing maneuver. When I made a Simplicity skirt pattern recently I was down to itsy bitsy pieces to make the ruffle part, and the skirt pieces fit on the large chunks with just one corner of the side seam hanging over the edge. Piecing to the rescue.



This little triangle is about 3 inches long. I cut out the skirt front, sewed on a chunk of fabric and then placed the paper pattern piece back on and cut the edge out. I think I recall seeing some vintage patterns that gave instructions for using 36" wide fabric that also included the piecing, or perhaps the design was created with that in mind and no pattern piece was wider than 36". Thank goodness for 60" wide fabric! I think piecing and color blocking or fabric mixing are fun exercises for our sewing brains.

Perfectionism and how you finish the inside of garments: This is such an interesting topic to me as I am so focused on the outside, and I really don't have an interest in doing special finishes on unlined garments. All bets are off on a lined coat or jacket as the lining is likely to be seen when you take it off, so I take quite a lot of care on those items. In fact I typically hand sew the linings in and don't think they come out as well if you bag the lining. Having a lining means that the inside seams are hidden so don't need any special treatment. But on other things, like t-shirts or jeans, I don't focus on the thread color, or if my pocket lining coordinates. I know some people get great enjoyment in doing special seam finishes or bias binding but I find that so tedious. Back in May, Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow wrote a blog post on this topic and I was interested to see her thoughts. We sew very different items but I agree with her on inside thread colors - it's not critical. I wonder if the fact that I started sewing way before I ever had a serger means that using a serger seems extra to me? I think it's nice to use, particularly on denim, but not a deal breaker. I'm constantly amazed in my classes that beginner sewists immediately are planning to go out and buy a serger in addition to a sewing machine. My advice is buy more fabric and practice making garments, but I think I'm a lonely voice in that chorus.

Latest Tunic top for my Mom:  Here's the most recent tunic top I've sewn for my mom, she said she wanted something in green, and I showed here a few fabrics but nothing caught her eye. Then I was in Stone Mountain and found this lovely woven rayon in the sale area, so score! I've made her these tops before and on this one she wanted that higher collar, so I combined this New Look pattern with the body of the self-drafted pattern that I usually use.




The new patterns require So Much Fabric: Ruffles, full sleeves, gathers, longer lengths, all these details call for so much fabric! The fashion pendulum has swung and a lot of the patterns look so similar to those of a previous decade...which I think is 70's?
Case in point, this McCalls new fall release pattern, the Version C in the photo. The fabric requirements for 60" wide are 4.5 yards to 4.875 yards across the size range, and for a 45" wide fabric the fabric requirements are 5 to 6.5 yards. WOW! that is a lot of fabric. For Version A it ranges between 3 to 3.5 yards of 60" wide but that is still a lot! I think it might pay to really figure out what features of these new patterns are appealing to you, perhaps the skirt, or a long poet-style sleeve and choose accordingly, instead of going for every feature in one dress and needing almost 6 yards!




That's it for today, although in my last random threads I did mention there is one dress that bugs me when I see it. And that is the Kielo dress by Named Patterns. Named have lots of fantastic patterns, I like their style so much. But the Kielo dress shape seems wrong to my eye, if the tie part was an overlay instead of continuing from the main body piece I would like it more. Also that dress must use quite a bit of fabric as well. Anyway - it's a wide world of patterns and there are so many to choose from.

Up next at Hello Stitch - some interesting classes for fall. If you are interested sign up when they are listed as a lot of them are quickly sold out. There are a couple of spots open in the Zadie jumpsuit class in September, and then in October I'm doing a Tamarack Jacket class and a Jeans jacket class. Not yet announced will be a Wardrobe Sewing class - we'll be using a new and popular pattern set of pants and top - any guesses? I just made the pants to try them out and I will be making more!

August is flying by, school has started around here just as we are getting out late summer heat wave. Temps around 100F here at my house - so here is how I really look when taking blog pictures.
WILTED!




Stay cool and Happy Summer Sewing;
Beth

Today's garden photo, some pink gladioli taken in July. Like tulips, I plant these bulbs and then promptly forget all about them, so they are such a nice surprise when they bloom. 

Random Threads # 36: practice, being brave, and sewing indie

All weekend I've been meaning to sit down and write a blog post, but it's been a weird holiday around  here. In the sense that it doesn't feel like Memorial Day, the weather has been cold and rainy (more snow in Tahoe!) and every is a little bit grumpy waiting for summer to start.

So I thought I might have something seasonal (meaning springtime) to blog about but many things are in process and I'm not in the mood to do photos. However my notebook page for random threads has a number of entries so onward with that.

Ban the seam ripper! Is that crazy to say? It took me a while to comprehend that in the UK it's seems to be referred to as the unpicker, which maybe is a slightly gentler word. Below is an array of items I use to undo a seam, in descending order of use. I explain below the image.



Small scissors or thread snips will always be my implement of choice, I find that snipping the stitches, then gently pulling apart the two fabric pieces, then snipping again and so on is as fast as using a seam ripper and far less traumatic on the fabric. I unpick a lot of seams when I teach my classes, often helping people out after they are at their wit's end. I totally understand the frustration of making a sewing mistake and then having to remove, and then removing itself is a tricky operation so I like to help people out and get it over and done with so they can get back to the project itself.
Second choice and often first depending on the fabric is the razor blade, works great on denim and other stronger fabrics. It takes practice but once you get the hang of it then it's really quick. Third, I might use the curved blade thing, this works for small spaces where you are extracting just a few stitches. Lastly I might use the seam ripper but I find you have to pull too hard to break the threads and often can poke a hole in the fabric. Anyway - try to snip instead of rip and see how it goes :)

Practice makes.....proficient: You always hear the saying practice makes perfect, and it's understandable that has become a common phrase, but somewhere I read recently that practice doesn't necessarily make perfect but it makes you proficient, defined as competent or skilled. I like the thesaurus words even better: competent, masterly, adept, adroit, deft, dextrous. I think becoming adept at something is such a good goal, learning how to do something almost like second nature. Not having to think about it, and relying on yourself and your skill to do it right every time. Sewing has so many of these tasks to learn, and granted it does take time but one day you put in a zipper or sew a collar and didn't even think twice about it, you don't look at the instructions or stress about the outcome, you just do it and then perhaps realize you have become proficient at that skill. Such a good feeling!

Sew Brave - how do you define that? I really like reading the Sewcialists blog . Because of that I've come across people and ideas that I might not have encountered, and I'm really impressed with the way writers have shared their perspectives. The topic in May has been Sew Brave, to discuss pushing out of your comfort zone and talking about sewing a pattern, fabric or style that scares you. The various posts got me thinking about this and trying to come up with my own Sew Brave moment. I don't really have any things that might scare me about sewing, granted my sewing life started early and I got most of the scary things out of the way long ago, as my high school and college wardrobe would show if it had been documented on social media as it would be today. A lot of pattern/fabric pairing mistakes and misguided style choices along the way but as we alway (sarcastically) said in my family "it's a learning experience".  So my current Sew Brave moments might be when I cut into ultra-expensive fabrics. Almost always when sewing for someone else - those $ 400 pieces of fabric make you really measure twice before cutting once but after a while it just becomes another fabric. So far I've had great success, fingers crossed for luck, now that I've said it aloud I would not be surprised to make a big boo boo in the next year. Hope not!  This silk blouse and skirt pictured below are something I sewed for a client, she bought both fabrics in NY so not something you can just run back and get some more! Also that print placement was a challenge, blog post on that outfit is here.



Sewing Indie patterns: That's not something I do all that much, I always find things I want to sew in Vogue patterns, Simplicity, New Look, Burda Magazine etc. But recently I've been sewing up some samples as we mostly do classes at Hello Stitch Studio based around popular indie patterns. We've found that a lot of people already have the pattern, or have seen versions on IG etc so they want to make the same items, which is understandable. Plus all the patterns are available at Stone Mountain Fabrics which is nearby. I'm always looking for something complex or new to me so I tend to stick with Burda/Vogue etc. But it's been fun to make some of these patterns, and I've had both pleasant surprises and some small frustrations in doing so. On the plus side, some of the styles are unexpectedly appealing.



I recently sewed these to prepare for the upcoming classes. I made the straps wider on the Ogden cami as that was a request from a few people, and it's a pretty easy change to make I will detail in class. In all the samples I make I choose my size based on the pattern envelope info, just because it's easy to sew my size and then try on to see how they fit. (also selfish sewing) The pleasant surprise of the bunch is how much I like the Emerson pants, I will definitely be repeating those soon. The Mysotis dress is a good item for learning how to do darts, plus sleeves. It's not really my style but I have a few pattern hack ideas that I will try to do before the class.
And then, ta da! The Zadie jumpsuit, which I sewed in some free fabric that Stacey from the studio gave me and turns out I really like this pattern, along with a zillion other stitchers! Although I will do a few fit adjustments on my next version and I think I will make it sleeveless or some other changes. Stay tuned!  On the not so good side, I cannot get used to the variety of seam allowances on various indie patterns, I'm a 5/8" automaton and have to really concentrate not to use that.



It was absolutely pouring the day I ran outside to take these photos - where is our spring??

My sewing worktable - I keep saying that I will show more details on this homemade item which  me and Craftsman drill created it a few years ago. Here's a completely keeping it real view of part of my sewing space featuring a dress in progress for Heather (Vogue 8787 and fabric from Girl Charlee, will blog when finished).  Anyway - sewing table in the foreground, along with power strip cords, many fabric scraps that I let fall to the floor, and the more interesting detail in the background, my low-tech way of adjusting dress forms with strategically wrapped towels or padded bras to add circumference. Works find and costs nothing, score! Anyway, I will take some 360 video and post in my Instagram story this week.




So those are my random thoughts for today, and I already have a few jotted down for the next thrilling installment. Including my opinion on a very popular dress pattern, something about it really bugs me so stay tuned and see :)

Coming up at Hello Stitch Studio, the aforementioned classes on the Emerson Pants, Ogden Cami, Myosotis dress, and the Zadie Jumpsuit. I think the next Fit Lab class is full (spaces available in the morning session which is pattern adjustment skills) and my Jacket Workshop in September is almost full (yay!!!)  All my classes at Hello Stitch Studio in Berkeley can be found here. 

Up next, I started a denim skirt yesterday, from a recent Burda magazine and I can tell it will be a summer staple. Other than that I haven't been super motivated to sew for myself as the weather is so weird but hopefully summer shift dress season will arrive soon. ugh, how boring to talk about the weather but it really affects both mood and sewing mojo, right?

Happy Spring Sewing, Beth

today's garden photo, this coral color rose was a weakling in one spot, then I moved it to a better location and wow the shade of these roses are electric on a sunny day. This one was just about to open but I liked the sunshine streaking through the petal.

Random Threads # 35: pattern names, backstitching and the search for novelty

Time for another Random Threads post as I have a number of things written down in my notebook, and this time I can read them all. I was careful when jotting things down and tried to make my notes legible to myself, mostly succeeding.

Are you ready for spring sewing? I thought that I could fit in another winter item (truth be told a Burda Easy coat that I've been wanting to make for ages, and I actually have wool coating remnants that are just enough to make a nice color blocked version). But the forecast is sun for the next week or so and spring is just about here, so I will have to put the coat idea away until next fall. That means when there is the first hint of frost I will have a project ready and waiting.

Which means I'm ready to sew for spring and summer. Which despite my love of making coats and jackets summer clothes are by far my favorite to wear. Bring on the warm weather, I ordered two pairs of sandals this morning!

New and Novel: I'm always looking for a new detail in sewing patterns. What do you look for in sewing patterns? My main focus for choosing to make a new sewing pattern is whether or not it has a new-to-me detail. Or some interesting combination of features. Sometimes it's the way the pattern pieces go together, like this jacket. Or a silhouette with an interesting funnel collar detail like this coat. Occasionally I force myself to try a new shape or style with wearable results. I think this is the reason I decided to subscribe to Burda Magazine, as I noticed in each issue along with plenty of repeats they had a good amount of really interesting items, and so far I've found something in each issue that was unique and made me want to trace it out. Granted that I have been sewing a long time and consequently crave something challenging, so complex patterns keep my interest and sew-jo going. Here's a look at a Burda jacket I'm currently making, I had to really puzzle to figure out the pocket construction and that was fun - with a little bit of frustration.



I can't wait to get the Burda April issue as I saw a dress in there that will be jumping to the top of my spring to-do list. I love the combo of ruffle and the twist at the waist. This one will have to be all about the fabric selection as I've made some wrong choices on things with ruffles in the past.



The flip side of this is boredom with a lot of pattern releases that I see around. It kind of amazes me how many knit t-shirt patterns get released by new pattern designers. Like any other product category where there are many of the same product but hundreds of brands, starting with a basic item is a way to develop a relationship with the customer and get them comfortable with your product. But how can you attract customers if your item is the same as so many that already exist? It baffles me. (don't get me started on woven tops. every week there is a new pattern that seems indistinguishable from the previous ones). In any event, I think there are lots of pattern designers that target people who are relatively new to sewing. I will give a shout out to Vogue designer patterns, they often have interesting details or else they include my other favorite feature which is more than one item in a pattern, such as a skirt and top, or dress, top and jacket etc. Pattern Value!

Backstitching  - do you do it?

When I'm teaching sewing classes at Hello Stitch we typically have people who are fairly new to sewing. Which means that in addition to learning about garment construction techniques, fabric and fit, they are also getting familiar with using a sewing machine. The machines at the studio are Janome and they default to a 2.4 stitch length, which is quite short and painful to unpick if necessary. Which is most always necessary when you are a beginner, right? So at the beginning of each class I tell them to bump that stitch length up to 2.8 or 3 and no backstitching. And then I prepare myself for the outcry "what?? no backstitching at the beginning and end?"  Nope. Not necessary in my opinion.



Here are my reasons.
1) on modern machines with the zig-zag throat plate, that opening where the needle goes down is wider and it is so easy to have the fabric edge pulled in just enough to make a knotty mess or get stuck. It takes a while to get the feel of where to place the fabric edge to be able to backstitch without that happening. I think it is probably second nature for an experienced sewer but it takes a bit of practice and it is really frustrating for new sewers.
2) If you make a mistake (inevitable - we all do) then the backstitching at the beginning - especially if done enthusiastically is a nightmare to unpick. And sometimes shreds the fabric and causes all kinds of delay and frustration.
3) Most seams are crossed by another seam, which in effect locks down the stitching. And often the seam allowances where the backstitching took place is trimmed away. So to my mind it really is not needed. If you are reasonable gentle with the pieces you have sewn, as opposed to wildly tossing them around your sewing space, they will remain stitched together ready for the next step. Plus it makes your sewing just that little bit faster which is always rewarding.

Caveat on the whole backstitching issue - YES there are times when I do it. Certain seams on certain fabrics really do need it, I'm thinking on a lot of denim items, hard wearing fabrics, or things like shorts and pants. Bottoms of zippers, center seams with an opening, etc, all those spots definitely need some reinforcement. So it's useful but not needed on every seam.

Pattern names are perfect for the Instagram age: I mean pattern with a name as opposed to a pattern number. I think the combination of using a name which is hash-tag-able works perfectly in the Instagram age, it does make searching and sharing so easy. For example V9357 or Burda 12-2019-107 don't exactly have the same ring as Dawn Jeans (Megan Nielsen) or Magnolia dress (Deer and Doe). I noticed this especially as I'm always looking now for examples of items sewn from the recent issues of Burda, and rarely does anyone mention on IG what the exact pattern is. They might use the hashtag #Burdastyle but often don't mention the month/year. Which I realize is a minor problem in the scheme of things but it is annoying. In fact I see in comments people have asked what is the pattern. So hey there, sewists who post about their Burda items - mention the magazine issue!
Yeah, this is a futile request. And conversely have you found a pattern appealing except for the name? The word might have an association that does not attract you? Certainly naming of products is a whole field of study in marketing, I just read an article about paint colors and how the name can change the sales numbers if pitched at just the right customer segment (or deter sales if not considered interesting). I'm a pragmatist on this issue, pattern numbers are fine with me and pattern names sometimes are a bit annoying. Maybe that's why I drive a car that has a model number but not a name? Nah, I just chose it in the showroom because I loved the color! (don't get me started on car colors - why are they so drab? so...many...silver and grey...

Ties that show the wrong side of the fabric: I find this bothersome - do you have an opinion? And now I can't recall which pattern I saw recently that had this feature but it looks so unfinished. Some patterns have that warning in the find print "Wrong side will show" and I tend to avoid that as it just never looks quite right. This example below doesn't have that, the tie pattern piece is two pieces sewn together so the wrong side of the fabric doesn't show. I wish I could recall....




Measuring suits:  Yes, KS_Sews, it was the Zozo suit that I was thinking of when I wrote "measuring suits" in my notebook. And she has a post where she used the suit to get her measurements. It seems like a lot of work in order to get measurements that you could get with just your measuring tape - and I wonder how accurate they really are, or how they compare to having another person measure you. Here's a really interesting article on the Economist website, the writer tried the Zozosuit and ordered clothes, which were a bit of a letdown. By the way he brings up the issue of all those photos of people in their zozosuits floating around and all the data you've provided to the company. Very interesting.

What's next on the calendar at Hello Stitch?  This upcoming weekend is my Sew a Wrap Dress class, a couple of spots still available in that. In April we have plenty on the schedule, including the Learn to Sew Level II which is a three Saturdays dressmaking class that includes a module on fitting a bodice. Still a few spots in that one but I'm sure it will fill up so if you are interested register soon. And we have a Lander pants class, a Bondi dress class (with new option for the Tesutti Coni dress that has sleeves) and many more.  All classes can be found here on the Garment Sewing page of the Hello Stitch website. All the classes have been filling up so if you are interested please register while there is still space available. By the way, we're doing the Ash jeans class again, starting June 1. I'm so impressed with that pattern.  I think I'll start a summer pair in the wide leg crop version.

What have I been working on? I'm actually making a Tamarack jacket for my mom, as she liked the sample I sewed for a recent class. That was fun and so much different than things I usually make. The  ones people made in the class were so cute! I just made a muslin for a blouse for Heather, to sew up in one of the silks we bought at Britex last fall. Here's a peek at the muslin, which I made in some mystery fabric I bought at a rummage sale which test sewing in mind. (grey Tamarack hiding in the photo). I added a bust dart which is a feature I taught the other day in my Adjust the Bust class - even if the pattern fits a bust dart is so useful on a full bust as it add the additional 3-dimensionality that is needed so that the front doesn't ride up. This pattern has shoulder gathers which are pretty but they are hiding a bust dart that is probably insufficient for anyone who is more full busted. I will show details when I blog about this blouse - which may be in the next month or so :)



Next blog post will be my green ultra suede skirt and a wool challis shirt I made that coincided with St. Patrick's day. Good thing as I have now worn this outfit a few times but it will be put away until next fall - getting way too warm here for that.

Happy Spring sewing - bring it on!
Beth

Today's garden photo, these little grape hyacinths. I put the bulbs in years ago and they come up every year. But they are so tiny as to be hardly noticeable. But cute and such a pretty color.

Random Threads # 34: buttons, 30 wears, and can you be too dressed up?

Time for another Random Threads post, it's been a while. The last one was in October and as usual I have a number of topics jotted down on a page in my notebook. Also as usual I have a couple of cryptic notes that probably made sense at the time but today have no meaning. Here's one "measuring suits". I wonder what I meant by that? Yes I resolved to write out my thoughts more clearly so weeks later I could remember - didn't happen:). We shall never know what that topic idea would lead to.

But the rest of my notes make sense so let's dive in.

30 wears:  I've seen this idea around for a while - the challenge to think about whether you will wear something at least 30 times before you purchase. It's a good contrast to fast fashion and the disposability of a lot of ready-to-wear, and takes a more sustainable view of our wardrobes. But what about if you make your clothes? I bet I have a lot of things I made that will never achieve 30 wears, and yet I have a lot of garments that I have kept and worn for upwards of 10 years, worn possibly hundreds of times. Do the two balance out? I'm not contributing to the landfill as so much of my handmade wardrobe is still in my closets, mostly because I can't bear to part with most of the things I've made. I've said before that I think something you wear to a special occasion or a party is almost like a costume - I'm not interested in perfect insides and want to sew those items up fast. And perhaps even pass them on to a friend so they can wear to a party with a different group of people. Coats and jackets - they get the long term treatment, sewn as well as I can, linings that will last, true investment pieces. I think the 30 wears idea is smart, particularly when it comes to shoes, belts, bags - those should be useful and I find the items that I buy thoughtfully and think about future wearings stand the test of time.

Spare buttons:  When you buy a shirt it often has a spare button, which I would snip off and stick in the button jar. And people so often give me the remainder from their closet clean out, which means I have a lot of orphan buttons. But what about when you sew a shirt. Think about all those aforementioned silk blouses and other shirts I'm wearing. Do you set aside an extra button in case you lose one. I'm starting to think I should. New idea is to make a card and attach 1 button each time I make a shirt with a short notation as to which shirt it goes to. For coats and jackets I always buy one extra button - often they are $ 5 buttons and if I lose one I want to be able to replace and not have to invest in a whole new set!




Dressy vs. casual style:  Do you find yourself sewing up things that are slightly too fancy for your day to day life but you want to wear them anyway? and then people ask the very annoying question "why are you so dressed up?"  I wonder if this is a distinctly American question or does it happen everywhere? I dress as my mood takes me, so sometimes I might be a little too dressed up for the occasion - but as stitchers we know the feeling when you've just finished an item and you want to wear it - whether or not the time is ideal. Lately I've been liking the feeling of silk blouses, and decided that I would wear them anytime - regardless of my day's activities. Perhaps this happens more in the winter - the very nature of summer clothes is more casual. And then there is that word fancy. I think this is a word that Americans can understand in the context - we would say things like "come over to eat on Sat, nothing fancy" or "the party was really fancy" or I want to look good but not too fancy" Am I overthinking this word? chime in and tell me if you know just what I mean. I've asked friends from around the world and I find it hard to make an exact translation - in England does fancy mean a costume occasion, and/or a desire?  And my Italian friends offer "elegante". I do love all things linguistic, whether word origin, usage or languages so maybe I just pay more attention that is warranted to this one.

Fashion and Politics intersecting perfectly to me: I happened to see the new Instagram ExcellentCoatsonIrritatedWomen the week that it started, and wow, this has given me a lot of glee over the last month. The profile pic kind of says it all (Nancy P in that fab Max Mara coat) but who knew there were so many great photos of inspiring women wearing great coats. Check it out.

Stuff not yet blogged:  It sounds so trite to say that time is flying by but eek, where do the days go? And I really want to blog just about everything I sew, if only I could sit down and do it. In particular I'm really satisfied at the response to my posts on items I've sewn for my friend Heather. As I say in my sewing classes, everyone probably needs some adjustments on a sewing pattern and I think showing how I get a nice fit on a variety of styles for her is useful. By the way - if I haven't mentioned it before, she is about 5'2" tall. I would love to know how tall people are when I read their blogs or pattern reviews, it really shows how patterns look on various figures and heights. Anyway - here's a silk blouse I made for her in November, we didn't have a chance to take a photo of it on her but perhaps I should blog it - I think the pattern envelope is not really very inspiring but it has very nice lines and sewed up well. Vogue 9086. Plus plenty of options via the seaming for fit adjustments, always a bonus! And a built in hidden-buttonhole front closure which is a great way to learn how to do that clever technique.




Pants pattern poses: I love to see all the different variations on a pattern, on different body shapes, different fabrics etc. Thanks, Internet! But there are certain patterns that people rave about but to me they look slightly awkward in the photos - like they don't quite fit and if you stand a certain way it might disguise the fit issues. For the most part it's pants patterns where I notice this - I might as well get specific, it's those Persophene pants. A lot of what I can call a superman pose - hands on hips, feet apart. These pants have no side seam right? so not much shaping. Does it even matter? if the person likes how they feel that is the important thing. But it is interesting how the fashion pendulum swings from ankle squeezing skinny jeans to wide leg pants. Kind of fun to think what it might be 10 years from now, any predictions?

Coat muslin out of felt:  I happened to see a post recently where someone made their test garment for a coat pattern in felt. Genius! I think they sell cheap 60" wide felt at Joann's, so a low investment and it would behave more like a wool coat than thin muslin ever could. I might have to try this next time I'm doing a coat pattern.

Classes at Hello Stitch Studio: This spring will be two years since I started teaching classes at Hello Stitch - that went by fast as well. We have a bunch of great classes coming up, however I am sorry/not sorry to say that most of the classes in Feb are sold out! It must be something in the air for 2019, I think lots of people finally resolved to learn to sew their own clothes, with more inquiries than ever before. We are doing a Level 1: Learn to Sew Series, the February sessions are full but it will repeat starting in April. and we will also have a Level 2: Learn to Sew series which will be a bit more advanced, and include some work on pattern fitting, plus zippers. We're working on a class series that will focus on Sleeves - how to adjust for fit, tips and tricks for  how to sew in a beautiful sleeve, etc. So if you are interested in that let me know as we haven't finalized it on the schedule yet.
A lot of our classes now are based on a specific sewing pattern, which is a good way to focus on some specific techniques. Spring is approaching and we have spots open in the Wrap dress class in late March, and the Bondi dress in April. But I would say if you are interested in a class - it's better to sign up as soon as you can, we do a waitlist if they are full but no guarantee a spot will open up.

Still available: this upcoming weekend I'm doing the Ash jeans weekend workshop - there are some spots still open in this class. The pattern has really impressed me and I'm looking forward to seeing how it fits on a variety of people. Stone Mountain has the pattern and they have all kinds of great denim and kits if you want to buy everything you need at once. This is a 2-day class, with lunches included. So indulge yourself in a sewing weekend!  By the way - you can use any jeans pattern so if you already own a jeans pattern feel free to use that.



Up next - a slight sewing palate cleanser, as the wool blazer jacket for Heather is just about finished but waiting for a final try on from her, so in the meanwhile I started in on something from the December 2018 Burda magazine. That magazine taunts me - so many things in it I'd like to sew. (well that could apply to so many tempting things, reading blogs, looking at IG, talking with friends, they all make me want to sew something new and different)



This dress will have long sleeves and I'm not convinced on the zipper - will have to get the back attached and see if it's needed. Now I want a teal colored coat. See...always something trying to get on the to-sew list.

Stay warm everybody - sometimes I'm asked if I can even wear a coat here in California as it doesn't really get cold (not my words) anyway this morning at 8:00 am it was about 37℉ so to me that's cold. But by this afternoon it should be in the mid 60's ℉ so I guess I will shut up about the chilly weather. Eek, New England and the Great lakes - how do you survive???   Hang in there - spring is coming, soon I hope.

Happy January Sewing, Beth

Today's garden photo - reaching back to September when I had all kinds of dahlias blooming.