My New Best Friend

 Hi!
Is anyone still out there?  I haven't posted since June so I wouldn't be surprised if this just goes into

cyber oblivion.  I have been very busy with enjoying the summer sunshine which only appeared about the time of my last post on June 28th. But mostly I have been kept very busy with jewelry  roll orders from my Etsy shop.  I have now cut and stitched over 300 of them plus a few other items.

AND this is why I have a new best friend.

You probably can't see it very well. Underneath my rotary cutter is a clear acrylic rectangle. I have one of my Thimble Fingers stickers on it so I am better able to find it. The reflection of the light fixture above shows up on it.

Is this better?

Using  a little program called SKITCH, I drew a line around it.

This template arrived yesterday and was put to immediate use and now measuring and cutting jewelry rolls is going to go so much faster that perhaps I will blog more...or clean my house...or cook a meal. No promises, though.

Where did this come from, you ask.  Well, I found Eric of AllThingsAcrylic on Etsy. I'm not even sure what I was searching for.  He makes a lot of templates for quilters and best of all, he will custom make stuff.  I immediately sent him a message requesting this simple rectangle and he replied promptly with a VERY reasonable price and even included some markings (which you cannot see) at no extra charge.
Now I can measure and cut with one simple pattern.  My old paper patterns had to be remade often since they would often get accidentally "trimmed" by the cutter.  The template will be especially helpful when I want to line up a print fabric and get a motif centered or placed a certain way.

Here is version 5 or 6 of my Kraft paper pattern which was due to be replaced shortly.
I may add a few more markings on my buddy...I think I will call it/him Buddy...with permanent marker.
My second best friends are the twins in photo 1and 2.  The magnetic pincushion is wonderfully practical. Pins don't have to be placed on it. You can practically throw them from across the room. Pickup from the floor can be done blindfolded. But, TWO! Yes, because I keep one on the ironing/cutting/pinning table and the other next to the sewing machine.  The table one is constantly being emptied and the one by the machine is constantly being filled. I just switch them back and forth and save myself a lot of getting up and GOING back and forth.

Do you have a sewing best friend? Please comment and tell me about yours.

Sewing in My Sleep

My little shop on Etsy is keeping me pretty busy since I jumped on the jewelry roll train. I have sold near 150 of them since mid-January and though things have slowed a bit they are still steady sellers.

A friend commented that I "can probably make them in my sleep now" and if it wasn't for the sharp objects required, that might be possible. I stab myself daily when awake so sleep-sewing could prove deadly. I am expert at removing dabs of blood from fabric.

However, even though I make the same thing over and over, I still find it thoroughly satisfying.

This ugly wrinkled bit of brown Kraft paper is my trusty pattern. It is the second one I have made.

I know that I could just measure rectangles and cut them, however since I am not ALWAYS alert, there is too much chance of mis-measuring and this works better for a semi-sleep state.

           I think these run the gamut from gaudy to gorgeous without being too much or too little.  

If you sew, do you always want the challenge of working on something new and challenging? Or do you  find just the process of sewing satisfying in itself?  I admit to being the second type.  That is probably why making these and selling them is something I love doing. As a retired person, I want to support my sewing habit without the concerns of screwing up!  

Now, if I could just think of as many blog topics as jewelry roll designs!

Blogging Excuses

When I began this blog I promised that I would post once a week. Promises! Promises!

I am glad that I can manage once a month now. Here's why.

I am lazy.

I was away on a trip.

I got sick.

I have nothing to say.

I have nothing new.

And no one really cares!

But I will show you what I have stitched up with the fabulous Liberty of London fabric I bought in LONDON.

They are in my Etsy shop at:
shttps://www.etsy.com/shop/CherylThimbleFingers

Jacket Reveal + Give me Liberty or Give Me Shaukat

My new Marcie Tilton Vogue jacket went to London last week. It was a perfect travel companion. I kind of felt like the Union Jack with the blue pants and the white print shirt.

Taken at Windsor Castle

I'm thoroughly chuffed ( a bit if Brit slang) with the topstitching but unfortunately red is a pistol to photograph and red on red detail even harder. The seaming on this pattern is so cool. See previous post.

The fabric is a wool knit from Italy that looks and feels great. The jacket is unlined and is like wearing a fancy sweater.  The weight of it was just right for the weather while we were in London.

I wore it at least 3 times in the six days we were there. AND in other sewing related aspects of the trip we visited Liberty of London for the fabrics. The store itself is worth the walk from Harrod's where EVERYBODY goes and no one can afford a thing but a souvenir bag and some candy.

     It looks medieval but was actually built in the 1920's by a man named Arthur Lasenby Liberty from timbers of two old ships.

                                        This is the third floor fabric department

Looking down through the atrium. Only spent time in the fabrics and purchased 1 meter of 3 different fabrics:

 because...

http://www.shaukat.co.uk

            Visit the link and get a panoramic view of two floors of this fabulous find for fabric.

Visit Liberty's store but come HERE to buy. The prices were about 1/3 less if my conversion from pounds to dollars is anywhere near correct. AND the selection goes on and on and you can purchase online if the shipping doesn't bother you. Most of what I purchased will end up in my Etsy shop after it is transformed into some sort of useful goody.

Left Shaukat with:

Twill that will become handbags & totes

Lovely to look at and even better to touch

This cotton duck  picked up at Cath Kidston. A great store of fun pretties.

Watch for more about London here and on my other blog as I recover from the jet lag.

Another Tilton Comes to Life - Marcie This Time

FINALLY, I am going to cut into the beautiful wool knit that I bought in Italy last fall.  For the first time I made a muslin (see previous post). So perhaps I was over confident in cutting and not concentrating and did a really stupid thing. 

 First, I completely forgot to cut out the facing pieces since they were not needed in my muslin that was strictly for fitting my shoulders. Then when I cut them I really CUT one in half. AM I BLIND? Place on the fold seems pretty clearly marked.

 There is not enough fabric to recut so it is new machine to the rescue.  Here is the touchscreen showing my stitch choice. I butted the pics together with a bit of added interfacing (a black tricot)

It came out really strong and looks remarkably good especially since it will be on the inside of the jacket.

For the first time I used the buttonholer for this machine. The pattern calls for a 1and 1/8 inch button and the attachment only accommodates a one inch button but I just opened the thing to its fullest and made lots of practice buttonholes. Due to the stretch of the fabric, the button goes through perfectly.

 With it buttoned it looks pretty good BUT....

                               Unbuttoned, not so much. Very wavy. More interfacing?

                 And, the black interfacing shows on the edges even though I did stitch it twice around.

           My reason for choosing this pattern is the interesting seaming on the back and sides.

               
And I think I did a pretty nice job of topstitching using topstitching thread. Why is red  so hard for me to photograph?????

So where is the jacket in its entirety? You'll have to wait until I am able to photograph it in a perfect setting. Stop by in about a week from now for the unveiling.

Here is a hint.

Snake Eyes + A Jacket Muslin

New Embroidery Machine - bad photo

When I bought a new sewing machine about two years ago, I was sure I had all the bells and whistles that I needed. My Janome (did you know Ja No Me means SNAKE EYES!) even has an automatic thread cutter.

However, I have been making all manner of items for my Etsy shop and just this last January fell upon the item to make the shop really begin to pay off. SEE HERE.  Many of these are being purchased as bridesmaid gifts and the brides keep asking if they can be monogrammed and I have to say "NO".

Many of them have still proceeded to purchase them and I have brought in more revenue on these than I did for a whole of 2014. So when I attended the Cleveland Sewing and Quilt Expo a few weeks ago I checked the embroidery machines out. And I brought one home the first day.  The dealer had an offer that I literally could not refuse without feeling stupid.

It is another Janome and besides the offer,  I really like that its controls and accessories are interchangeable and very similar so moving back and forth between machines is effortless and less taxing to my aging brain.

I have have to learn more about acquiring the fonts and some editing software to be able to offer more choices and I will be lettering all over the place.  The cool thing with these machines is that once you have it all set up, it sews on its own. I can step over to my other machine and work on something else while it does its thing.

Other things might include working on that jacket I have been planning since I bought the fabric in Rome.

Here it awaits its transformation draped over Francine, my mannequin.

I am taking on the red wool knit first in Vogue 8982 jacket by Marci Tilton. My last post was about Marcie's sister Katherine's zipper-trimmed shirt.
I have another trip planned and want to be able to
have the jacket, at least.

 For the first time in my life I made a muslin...well, a half-muslin. Since this knit is thicker and pretty stable I felt it was alright to use a woven (old bed sheet) for my trial. Shoulder fit is always the problem for me. So that is all I am concentrating on.





The markings were made while on me. Francine's
shoulders are much wider. I will trim this and adjust
the pattern and I am keeping my fingers crossed
that I have a better fit.


The pattern is very interesting and that is why I chose it but,  due to the sort of wrap-around back/side piece, I will not be able to sew the sleeve before the side seam as I usually do with a knit. A real set-in sleeve is on the agenda. Wish me luck. Should I embroider my initials on the inside?

Oh, and that snake eyes thing! Wikipedia explains:

The name "Janome" (蛇の目) literally means "snake's eye" and was taken from the appearance of the latest bobbin design. At the time of brand establishment in 1935, the round bobbin system was the more advanced technology replacing the traditional long shuttle type. As the new round bobbin looks like a snake's eye, Janome was chosen as the company's name.^[

Sewing for Me with Katherine Tilton and Vogue

 I have a number of fabric purchases that have been awaiting their turn to be transformed into SOMETHING but this project took precedence and got done. I attended the Cleveland Quilting and Sewing EXPO this week and for such occasions you MUST wear something hand made. I did so for one of the two days I spent there and here it is.

The fabric is a reversible knit in dots and stripes AGAIN. I made something with reversible knit previously (see here). 

The pattern is Vogue 8793 by Katherine Tilton and I chose it for the bit of quirkiness and the zipper detail on the double collar. The knit I chose is probably a bit stretchier than the Moderate Stretch Knit Only which is suggested. The stretchiness might be why the sleeve on the right in this photo is so much longer than the left. A tug would have evened them up but didn't see it until I put it up here.

An advantage of the extra stretch is that the sleeves are a bit tighter than I would like,  but the give makes it tolerable.

Here it is on me. Ooooh, I wish I matched this mannequin. She is a display piece NOT my dress form. 

This collar was the main reason to purchase this pattern (ON SALE) because all Vogue patterns are ridiculously priced (SEE HERE) The printed price on this one is $30. I got it online somewhere for $6, I think.

Again, I ignored instructions and bought a metal zipper, which is definitely what is shown on the pattern picture. 

Adding that double collar was the trickiest because the collar had a wad of layers and they are being sewn onto one rather thin and stretchy shirt layer. I did it on the regular machine with a stretch stitch and then trimmed it up on the serger. A row of top-stitching along that collar seam would have been nice, but I know I would have messed it up. It would have needed an interfacing to handle it and one more layer in that collar seam would have been asking for disaster.

It called for a Lightweight Molded Separating Zipper.  That would be plastic. I wanted this to have the effect of funky jewelry and plastic would just look stupid.  Granted, it would probably work out better in the laundry. This will be hand-washed, dried flat as I can imagine those little metal teeth biting into the soft knit.

Most of the shirt was assembled on the serger. Here I, once more, defy instructions and add the cuff BEFORE sewing up the sleeve seams. The pattern did show sewing the sleeve and side seams after the shoulder seam as in most knits.                                                                                

Again, I wish I was built like this mannequin. But even with Francine's nice straight shoulders you can see a glitch and a bit of stripe misalignment. My remedy for this is to just keep moving and no one will notice. 

Even after adjusting the shoulder width and using tape on the seam, I still get a droop. This pose is also not helping. Hubby was drafted into taking these and he worries way more about the edges of the picture and ignores how to make me look my best.

For your viewing pleasure, here is the left and right sides on Francine. I wish I had mixed it up a bit more on the inner and outer sides of the collars. This pattern would give you a way to mix and match a bunch of leftover knits. I would just make sure to pre-wash and make sure they are equally stretchy.                                                                                                     

Watch for the next installment of ThimbleFingers where I will show you what I acquired at the sewing expo that may change my life!