A big fabric haul

I needed new fabric for a project I'm about to start. I've been pretty strict about my fabric diet lately, but I needed a type of material I don't really use much: quilting cotton. So I headed to Speed Bump JoAnn's. I hope that it's not just me who thinks that having speed bumps in front of a JoAnns is funny! I usually shop at Pepper Spray JoAnn's because its closer (actually within walking distance) but Speed Bumps is bigger.

I really don't know how quilters can stand all the selection. I knew if it took more than 5 minutes to make a selection it would end up taking more than an hour. Kind of like cooking calamari! I spent at least an hour awash is a sea of indecision and second guessing!

This is what I got. I think it's cohesive enough, with just the right amount of outliers. I won't have the whole weekend to work on it, but do hope to get started.  

Mid-Century Modern

Whenever I have a sewing failure, I like to follow it up with something easy just to prove I can still sew. There is nothing about this skirt that I could not have done in junior high school!!

My Sister bought me this fabric for my birthday last year. It's "Mid-Century Modern" just like we are. 

The pattern is an old one, but this is the first time I've used it. I liked the pattern (McCalls 3830) because it has a facing instead of a waist band. Its suits my short waist. I had a do quite a bit of paring down to get the hips right. I put a lapped zipper at the center back (the pattern instructions are for a centered zip). I got the zipper for 10 cents at a thrift store.

I really like the fit. This might become my new go-to skirt. I plan on using Petersham in place of the facing next time I make it though. 

Catharsis

I had a pretty bad sewing fail this last week.

There were many reasons for this.

I hate navy.

But I love free.

Even if fabric is free, it doesn't make up for it being navy.

Swiss dots couldn't even make up for it.

It wasn't really the fabric's fault though, it was the princess seams.

I have heard many times how princess seams are so nice for the well endowed.

Princess seams are so easy to fit.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

I have never liked them and this confirms why.

There is a huge difference between fitting and flattering.

This thing fit so well it was obscene.

It's as if I had rented a billboard.

The gaping at the front of the armhole was pretty bad too. 

Then I get the new JoAnn's mailer and there the b**ch is.

Not the model wearing it, the pattern.

Simplicity 1462.

What I hated the most about it was how it wasted so much time.

I ripped it apart.

It felt good!

I removed the excellent trim before I threw it away.

The one good thing: I bought and used silk basting thread for the first time.

What a joy! 

Jalie 2919--Two more

Whenever I try a new pattern (Jalie 2919) and I like it, I check the warehouse for more suitable candidates. As I mentioned in my last post, I inherited this pattern from Gwen. The yellow and black fabric also came from her. Who knows, maybe she intended to pair the two! I don't know where she got the fabric, but I have seen another blogger use it. I do know where she got the pattern though: from another blogger. The world is a small place! 

The second fabric came from a free table.

All kinds of free going on here!! 

This fabric is a slinky 4-way stretch. Not a fabric you'd usually think "I'm going to sew some pleats in that!"...

Pleat detail

but it was actually easier than this fabric was (a tissue knit):

The brown areas are transparent

I like how a bit of the black ended up at the back of the neck

I will be putting this pattern away for now, but we have a date in the fall!!