Do-Over for a pretty knit!

Some fabrics are just too pretty to not use again.  I find that when I'm picking out fabrics to buy for the store or have made up, I can usually envision several different garments that would work up beautifully.

I love this stretch silk knit Satsuki dress that we made last year. I kept a length of the fabric on a shelf in my office because I knew that I wanted to use it to make another garment.

Victory - Satsuki Dress

With the warm summer days we've been having, I have loved wearing a more casual look, especially separates, and t-shirts in particular. Since we already had made a tank from another silk knit (below), we decided to reuse this great Burda Easy pattern 7645 with the t-shirt/tunic option and make it up in my red and grey silk knit.

The top is so easy to work up and the fit is DIVINE! The neckline has a bias strip that is attached, turned under and then top stitched. The sleeve are just serged, turned under and also top-stitched.

What else can we make out of this sumptuous fabric, Laurel?

Burda 7645 - with Cap Sleeves - Love it!!!

Speaking of top-stitching, finding the right color of thread to use on a multi-colored fabric is a case of trial and error. The only safe way to get a good match is test out several colors on your fabric and choose the one that blends the best.

  

For our silk knit, Laurel chose the medium gray. However, if we were making a garment that actually incorporated top-stitching as one of the design elements, then color choice, fiber content and thread weight become more important. For this reason Laurel and many of our sewists keep a lot of threads on hand just for times when matching fabrics is critical. The consideration is whether you want to highlight it or hide it!

 

Just for grins, why not make this same top in a soft rayon knit...in black of course. And on this shirt, our top stitching rows are doubled for added interest around the neckline and the hem.  Top stitching just requires good thread, patience and a slow speed on your machine. And practice, practice practice! (Yes, I'm going to wear this top with everything!!!)

Love this rayon and lycra knit!  Love this Burda top!

Burda Top 7645 and Burda Skirt 3152
My new favorite Top and Skirt!

At Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics we have a great selection of threads in all manner of fiber content and color. We have everything from the workhorse Polyesters to fine Rayon and Silk threads. And naturally, we carry a variety of threads for our quilters and crafters as well - those of you that are free-motion quilters know exactly what I'm talking about!

Are you a thread collector?  You have to admit, that having thread stash to compliment your fabrics is like having a box of sumptuous chocolate truffles...you just can't wait to try one!

I want to also wish Laurel, my partner is sewing, inspiration and this very blog - a big Happy Birthday Leo Sister! Please check out her wonderful blog for even more fun and ideas!

Creatively yours,

 Suzan

email me at fabriclady3@gmail.com

Working With Stripes

Burda's four gore skirt pattern No. 3152 is the "go-to" pattern for the summer! This breezy skirt pattern can be made in both woven fabrics as well as soft knits.  Either way, we love how simple it is to sew - four seams, elastic waist and hem!

For the woven look, I wanted to use that beautiful rayon batik challis that we worked up in a sleeveless top last summer.

Together with the skirt, it's an awesome look for spring and summer. I love the way this batik flows, and the best part is that it always looks crisp and fresh.

For the knitted version, I chose a striped ponte knit. I want it to be cut on the bias so that the stripes form a chevron pattern. Laurel made this same skirt for herself in a soft rayon knit. Sewing stripes is not difficult, but it takes a little extra effort to make sure that the pattern matches, especially with a chevron pattern that will be so visible at the center front and back.

I won't have to worry too much about the selvage edges of my ponte knit, but the rayon knits like the one Laurel chose, tend to have selvages that pull slightly, so it's very important to trim them before you lay out your pattern pieces. You can already see just by trimming a section of the fabric edge that the selvage was knitted tighter than the rest of the yardage.

Anytime you cut out a pattern on the bias of the fabric, the pieces should be cut in a single layer, one at a time. For striped fabrics, this is even more crucial. Laurel uses her table's edges to line up the stripes, ensuring the best possible match in the chevron stripes.

 

 Most paper patterns, and this Burda skirt is no different, are semi transparent. For cutting on the bias, you can draw a 45 degree line against the grain line, which is indicated on your pattern, and use that as a guide to position it on the striped fabric.

This rayon knit is so slippery on Laurel's waxed table, so a little Scotch tape here and there helped her hold the stripes in place while cutting.

 

To match the stripes for the perfect chevron pattern in the center front, use the actual fabric section that you just cut (the front right panel, for instance) - not the paper pattern - and place it directly on top of the fabric to cut the front left panel. Be sure to put right sides together and match the stripes as you pin it. In the photo below, you can see what happens when you sew the seams - the chevron appears.

This soft maxi skirt is a great wear for spring and summer alike.

 

Two skirts, same pattern!

Laurel and Zan - same skirt pattern, different fabrics!

As if we haven't had enough of sewing stripes, why not try try The Perfect T-shirt by Pamela's Patterns in a striped knit? I chose a dark teal and grey combination, with the high rounded neckline and short sleeves.

Even though this T-shirt won't be cut on the bias, the same care in fabric preparation, layout and cutting still applies.

Pamela's Perfect T-shirt is a cinch to make....as long as you choose the "perfect size".  Instead of reading the pattern first, Laurel dove right into the cutting out part, choosing my usual size. However, the pattern uses a different bust measurement to pick your size. Measure above the fullest part of the bust to pick your size (lesson learned - always read the pattern BEFORE you begin!).

So, naturally the T-shirt, is as cute as it is, was huge on me. But alterations are a fact of life when you sew for others, so a few nips and tucks and it will be fine.  We'll make the smaller size next time.

Can't wait to show you the finished T-shirt!  It's such a great style that we're making it again in another knit. I'm glad Laurel loves sewing on our knits...she says there is nothing more satisfying than "stitchin' in the ditch" of a beautiful knit. We love it too!

Come in and pick out a nice striped fabric for yourself…we have a huge selection of cotton, rayon and polyester knits. You could make the Burda skirt out of a woven stripe cut on the bias as well. There's are stripes galore waiting for you at Stonemountain & Daughter!

Creatively Yours,

Suzan
fabriclady3@gmail.com

Buy it or Sew it?

All you have to do is spend a few hours at the mall to spot a very popular trend in spring fashion - black and white stripes are EVERYWHERE and in every type of garment, from blouses to dresses to skirts.  We love this bold fashion statement - but some of us just hate shopping (not ME)! 

On a rainy day, it's nice to go to the mall and leisurely browse through the racks to see if something catches your eye. Shopping without purpose or expectation can be a great way to spend the day.  But IF you are looking for something specific, it can be a challenge - So many stores! Who has exactly what I want? I have to go through ALL of them?! (Who knew? My amazing seamstress Laurel would rather be shopping for storage containers!)

The mall has an advantage - at a glance how amazing and wonderful a custom wardrobe can be! It also allows you to test out different cuts (princess seams, cowl necks, 3/4 length sleeves, capri pants, wrap dresses and much more), prints, fabrics and colors! Let me just use that black and white fashion trend to illustrate a case in point of how shopping can be more of a challenge than a pleasure: Say we are looking for a maxi skirt...much like the one Laurel (of Laurel's Quill) envisions for her Paris trip this fall - a black and white knit (probably in a ponte knit as it is more stable and travels well) with a chevron pattern down the center front. She heads for the mall thinking that with the plethora of black and white stripe garments, she can probably just buy one off the rack and save herself some sewing time.

There are stripes everywhere, but either the fabric content is wrong, or the style isn't right or the stripes are not what she wanted (wrong width, too close together, and oh, no, it hurts my eyes).

On and on, through the racks....right skirt , wrong stripe. Right stripe, wrong style, etc. etc.

Every store has some version of black and white striped garments...

You can even find accessories in stripes! Feeling overwhelmed yet?
I'm ready for more, but Laurel needs a break.

This shopping circus is why I own a fabric store. I can keep up with all the latest trends and our customers can create these same styles they see in the magazines and stores AND the finished garment is exactly what they wanted! (we won't go into that not fun stuff about the whole micro-cubbie that they call a fitting room where you wrestle your way through a pile of garments that don't fit, don't look right and cost way too much!)

And that's why we sew! Laurel can find some great black and white stripes here at Stonemountain,

like this yummy rayon/poly knit in Burda 3152...

So, do you shop or do you sew? For Laurel, it's a lot less stressful to peruse the racks of sumptuous fabric bolts and wait for inspiration to hit than a trip to the mall. I had more fun and productive shopping online looking for patterns on the Stonemountain site and came up with all these fun projects!

 Vogue 8843, Marcy Tilton Bag

Check out this Aurelia Cardigan -
It's a Sew Liberated Pattern and we have a sample garment up in the store. It could be cute for spring!

You have to love this Marcy Tilton dress - Vogue 8975

I love these pants: Sewing Workshop Urban Pants (great in linen and cotton)

 

Why not try a bag for Spring - the fabric possibilities are endless! 

Vogue 8783, Marcy Tilton Bag

For a spring dress, try a vintage look - the Decades of Style 1920's Tierific Ensemble. 

This dress would be fabulous in our cotton lawn or ethnic fabrics.

This light shawl would be perfect for the warming evenings

LJ Designs - Sensational Shawl

Of course you can't go wrong with a great T-shirt pattern. 

The Perfect T Shirt #104 by Pamela's Patterns - 

it would go with the bottoms and light summer jackets and purses...

Or this pretty cute jacket out of Knits - Pamela's Patterns 110 Cool Cardigan

Speaking of shoes: Not all shopping is confounding...in fact, I scored some great shoes on my last trip to the mall.  I was thinking of spring and summer with every pair I tried.  I'm trying to be purposeful about my spring wardrobe planning, and I can't wait to match these up with some great spring and summer fabrics.

Stay tuned as we take some of these projects above and make them a reality in the next few weeks!

Creatively Yours

Suzan