The farewell post

Many years ago, my dear late mother-in-law, who was always so kind, so kind that she would give Hitler the benefit of the doubt, said to me "oh you can't wear a standup collar because your neck is too short". It kinda hurt my feelings and I believed her. Of course, every part of me a short. But you know what? Every time I bought something at the thrift store with a standup collar I liked it. So I looked for a jacket pattern with a standup collar and I found this one: Butterick 6328.

The first one (above) I made with very heavy cotton fabric I got at Fields in Grand Rapids probably more than five years ago. The pattern calls for two complete fronts and has no bust dart. As stiff as this fabric is, that sounded like a really good recipe for a tent. So I drafted a cut-on, fold back facing and added a bust dart. I also added cuffs and patch pockets. I cut the fabric so that the pattern on the cuffs and pockets runs in the opposite direction than the rest of  jacket, like the collar.  I don't believe this picture does it justice. I really like this jacket.

The second one (below) is a knit fabric and, as you can see, the collar doesn't stand up quite as well, though I did use fusiknit in the collar and facing. I again made the facing the same way as the other one and added the bust dart. This one has the inseam pockets that come with the pattern. This fabric is a medium weight knit almost like a scuba knit but not as heavy.

I really like a lot of black and white in my wardrobe so both of these will get a lot of use.

This will be officially my last post here at Room for Sewing.Please follow me over to my new home Let's go get sewn. Its a new beginning!!!!

I'm not too happy about this one

It's plastical,

  Ecclesiatical,

 and really brown, like crappical.

I think the color, length and front bands contribute to the ecclesiastical feel of this jacket. I did learn something making this. I experimented scorching a design into the fabric. I've done this before with a slinky fabric but never with a double knit and I was just curious to see whether it would work. Here are some detail photos of it:

the scorch mark

the trivet I used

The fabric was from the Great fabric sale and arts and scraps.  I probably won't wear this and for sure I will not wear it over black sweatpants and a black T-shirt. But I might make the pattern again in a sweater knit, a little shorter though and maybe with the dress that goes with it.

Even failure is a learning experience.

The Pattern

A sleeper pattern

And I don't mean PJs. What I mean is that this pattern seems like it's just afterthought. I think most people probably bought this pattern, Simplicity 2474, for the jacket or dress, but hiding there in the middle is this beautiful little cardigan. I like it so much I made it six times. That's my strategy for stash busting: when I find a pattern I like, I look for more "candidates" in my stash and I make it several times while the construction is still fresh in my mind.

The first version was this orange one was straight out of the envelope. The only adjustments were a little shortening. Sounds like pie, right? Not that kind shortening! This is a Sophia double knit from Vogue in Chicago. This color is called hot sauce and I have a skirt already in the same color.

The second version was this pale pink shell color. Also Sophia double knit. I shortened it even a bit more. I really love this one. I feel very Jackie Kennedy in it. Not so much though when I'm wearing sweat pants, like I was the day I took all these photos.

The third version is a double knit  polyester from the Giant Fabric Sale at Arts & Scraps. It looks great with denim leggings. I have a brown skirt that goes with it also.

The fourth version is made with the knit I picked up from JoAnn fabric for Christmas time.

The fifth version I made for my sister. I copied the pattern and shortened it even more for her. I made a skirt to go with hers as well.  It was a raspberry double knit with a diamond pattern. I wish I had a picture of it.

The sixth version is up in my sewing right now. But you'll have to wait till we go over to Lets Go Get Sewn to see that one.

Arts and Scraps Skirts

Dear readers, as I mentioned in my last post I have been doing some sewing the last few months but not blogging. In my next few posts, I will be catching up on all the undocumented projects as I transition over to my new blog home.

I made these two skirts last fall. I used my T&T knit skirt pattern (Butterick 5539). One is my usual length, and the other is maxi length. The fabric for both of these came from the Great Fabric Sale at Arts and Scraps. They are both brown and white knit double knit polyester the other shoppers passed over but I have a strange affinity for.

I have yet to wear the shorter one as it's still a bit cold around these parts. Maybe soon though, since today is the first day of spring and also my husband's birthday btw.

this fabric has a waffle-like texture

I wore the maxi one for the first time to church Sunday.

I wore it with a teal top, my excellent teal shoes(thrifted for $6.80), a brown and white patterned sweater(also thrifted), and a string of my hand-knotted pearls. I also wore my beautiful, thrifted of course, brown cashmere coat with a mink collar.

See you soon over at Lets Go Get Sewn!

Teal Schrug

Dear readers: this is one of the things I sewed last summer that I never got around to blogging. In person I think it looks cute, but when I see the pictures I'm not so impressed with it. I made it with a Sophia double knit from Vogue fabrics in Chicago and simplicity 1665.

I do think it would look cute over the dress that goes with it. So I may make it again the next summer.

Also I made this blog post using Dragon and took the photo above with my iPhone and using a remote shutter release. I think I need to increase the resolution of the photos, but it should definitely make picture taking and blogging more streamlined for me. I have about 10 more garments to blog before I'm actually caught up and can officially switch to the new blog. Can't wait to meet you there!

5 Year Bloganniversary!!!

Dear friends, I started this blog five years ago. I have not been blogging very much lately due to my health but I've been having more good days than bad lately. Praise God. I have been sewing a bit but not blogging. I promised in my last post big changes here at the Room for Sewing and I'm ready to announce some of those changes now.

From the very beginning I disliked the name of this blog. It's lame. And I am a word person. Every name that I came up with that I thought was cool or clever I found was already taken by someone else, even if they weren't actually using it. I really wanted to call it "your yardage may vary." Anyway, to celebrate my five years anniversary I am officially going to change the name of this blog to:

Let's go get sewn!

Some of you may recognize the play on words from an old song first recorded by Ray Charles then Joe Cocker called "Let's Go Get Stoned." We won't be doing drugs though. Drugs are bad.

I have also begun using Dragon to do the dictation since I'm such a bad typist. Also, I am going to start using my iPhone as my only camera. I found a Bluetooth shutter release for the iPhone and  an adapter to attach it to a tripod. This should make taking the photographs much easier, which anybody who has a blog knows, is the hardest part.

I have also officially gone through the "change of life" as they call it and I have a cool new haircut to prove it. I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life and a continuation of the remission from the daily migraines.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to catch up photographing some of the items that were sewn last year and the beginning of this year. I hope those of you who've still follow me will go over to the new blog when it's officially up and running. It exists now but there's really nothing on that page yet.  I really would like to wrap this blog up before I start the new one up officially. Many thanks to those of you have been with me this past five years and I look forward to many more years together.

Love, Katherine

Coming Soon...

Big Changes in the Room for Sewing!!!

Happy Halloween!

Katherine returns from the grave (er, couch)!

I have been feeling much better lately and sewing fairly regularly. But I thought I'd better do a little catch up and show you the things I managed to complete this summer when I wasn't feeling to well.

Two more Santa Monica tees.

 I just love this pattern.

Two more of my T'n't knit skirts. 

These are both scuba knits.

Just for today, I'll call this one the Ghost skirt

My IRL friend Cynthia asked what pattern the skirt is :

Its interesting that there is only one pattern piece. The front and the back are exactly the same. Apparently my front and back are too, because I  wear these skirt in either direction.

Lucky my top half isn't' like that!!

It's scary how many times I've used this pattern.

Even scarier is how neat that drawer is!

I made my husband a shirt.

 This is an Islander shirt pattern. 

And a hat to match. This picture looks a little Washington Irving doesn't it?

The Afghan

Finally, I made this afghan for the sewing room Futon. All those crosses should keep Dracula and other Devilish things out of the sewing room. If only I had finished it before I started that Style arc Violet Jacket!

The New Room for Sewing

Dear Friends, Its been a long time since my last post. A lot has changed. I am feeling much better. I have a new neurologist, new meds, a CPAP machine and continue with my psychotherapy. Though I really don't know which of these things has made the difference, I do know that I fell about 70 percent better! Praise the Lord!

And I have a new sewing room. Unlike my last sewing room in the basement which I shared with the washer, the dryer, the furnace, the water heater, the freezer, the pantry, and the floor drain. My new sewing room has windows and a closet.



Let me show you around,

I need frequent breaks!

My husband made this table for me. Serger and sewing machine on top, bins with notions underneath.

The most comfortable office chair ever! Its a Serta.

Curtain fabric from Ikea.

Lots of room for books and embroidery hoops...

Custom made 36" x 60" cutting table.
Patterns in bins underneath.

Main fabric hoard in bins in closet

More of fabric hoard on hangers in closet.

Did you know you can hang fabric on those felted hangers you see everywhere lately and it won't slip off?

Roller blade wheels make great pattern weights.

I am so happy to have this room as a retreat to sew, read, watch Netflix, listen to podcasts or music, and to just take a nap. I am grateful to my husband for all his help making this room happen. Its the greatest gift ever, from the greatest husband ever. I love you, Dean.

It was all a big lie!

The room for sewing was never a room at all. It was a half a basement. Although it was conveniently close to the washer and dryer, it didn't have any windows or ambiance. And it was a constant challenge keeping my chair from sliding into the sewer drain. I imagine there's about a million pins in in that drain now.

I've had some bittersweet news. The bitter part is that this person who's been in the next room from me now for 26 years is moving out to a place of her own. The sweet part is that I get to move my sewing room out of the basement into her bedroom. It's bit smaller than the space I have now but it has windows! And  a closet!! I'm really excited about the change. We are painting, and I even bought a little futon so I can take a nap in the sewing room.  I'm sure it'll be a lot nicer to work up there than in the basement.

On the health front, I've got what I hope is good news. I have sleep apnea and will be getting a CPAP machine. They've had a theory for a while that my headaches are caused by chronically poor sleep. I pray this is the answer.

And I pray for less hate in the world.





 Dear Jane:
I have every confidence in you.
And some advice:
Don't drink too much.
Don't spend too much.
Love yourself.
Make a difference.
Love, Mom.

I Sewed Something!!

Its too tight!

Its just right.

This is my granddaughter Ruby. She just turned two. As you can see, she is quite a character. Her mom asked me if I could make her a sunbonnet for her birthday. I said yes, but then I wondered where I'd get a pattern for one. Are those Daisy Kingdom patterns still around?

Well, I had recently bought a stack of these magazines at an estate sale for a whole quarter:

And I found this in one:

 
If you can make it out, the first line of the article says " Sunbonnets are in again!!" Really? 1977?
I was in high school and I don't remember anyone wearing one. But it was a public school!

So anyway, its not much, but I did sew something. I'm still depressed and I still have a headache everyday, But there is something super exciting happening in the Room for Sewing soon!

Please don't stop following me

It's a comfort to me just to know my world is still out there waiting for me to rejoin it.

Again and Again

I saw potential in this Vogue (1467) pattern when I made it up the first time last month. I thought it would look nice done up in black ponte. I was glad to find I had enough Black Sophia in the hoard to pull it off. Then I received the challenge from one of my sewing groups: lace insertion. And I thought, perfect! I got the stretch lace from JoAnns, freestyle cut it out, zigzagged it onto the back then cut away the extra fabric. So now I have this cool jacket that makes me feel like a bad ass and I have a new dust rag.

I've also made up two more Santa Monica Tees. I am not tired of it yet. Not even close!