Showing posts with label sewing expo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing expo. Show all posts

March 29, 2015

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!





March 23, 2013

Off to the Expo!







Francine is helping me out here by holding onto just one day's load of goodies acquired at Sewing & Quilt Expo I attended for two days this week.

She stayed home wearing my tablecloth apron adorned with sewing images from
THE GRAPHICS FAIRY .

The fabric choices were phenominal. Of course, this show is angled toward quilters, most of whom have fancy machines that do all the actual stitching but I found loads of inspirational fabrics to create my kind of creations.

Are you familiar with those fabric strips called Jelly Rolls? Here is a huge one.
My sewing buddy, Susan, stands by.
Well, it is pretending to be one. But really is a big piece of foam covered in a jelly roll costume! This is Pam demonstrating how to relax. The pattern is from Carol at Aunties Two. Check it out.
 
This is a better view of the stack at the rear left in the pic below
 
Found lots of dots...my current passion
This rick-rack is huge and the colors are great
This was abargain find. It is so unusual and I have some fun ideas for it. Keep up with me each week to see what happens to it.
 
an then there is this. I bought it in a red/blue combination last year and haven't sewn it up yet. Now I will two!
The check is on one side and the plaid is on the reverse and is it very light and airy.  Perfect for a summer tunic, maybe. I better get this all used up before next year's Expo.