Sunday, July 4, 2021

OOPs Tornado-

 Tornado-No Electric, No Lights, Only Hand Sewing...I was on a creative roll


Sewing Machine Stopped...Lights out.. Called Pepco


Then went outside ---  Where is my car!??



It was still there!  EWWWWWWWWWW  I was just admiring it the day before 😢  It was a 2010 and it looked sooo good.   Not anymore!

I could have made myself feel better if I had a battery light and a treadle sewing machine.... but I just sat in the driveway for hours waiting for Pepco and the tree company through the pouring rain at night and finally ..... Light and power again!...


My other blogs.... 

www.kittyscreation.com

www.sewtotes.com

www.kittyscustomdesigns.com


Thursday, July 1, 2021

Outfits and Accessories

 My Favorite Patterns-using today.


If you come into the store and see me, you have probably seen me in my favorite pattern accessory.  The jacket I wear that is usually out of a flowing chiffon or silk is shortened from a regular pattern about 4 inches.  I am 5'2 and they, of course, make them for all sizes.




Remember, if you are new to patterns, the measure for your body parts is what you go by, not by store sizing.  The actual circumference of the finished outfit will sometimes be on the back of the pattern.  Then when you are buying material, you can tell by the width of the material you are buying if the pattern pieces are going to fit across the fabric. The jacket can be used with lacy fabrics with scallops and you can use the scallops around the front edges and the sleeves and then you don't even have to hem those parts.  You can find my old vintage patterns-uncut on ebay and etsy.  A couple of bucks and you can fill you closets with beautiful outfits from out fabrics.   Gstreetfabrics.com

Accessories-Trim on Light Blue Tubins bottom of legs, earrings, Face mask Scarf




This pattern is great because you don't have to have stretchy material and you can make it all out of Linen and embroider on it.  You can make the pants longer, like palazzo pants and you can extend the sleeve length so it is not 3/4, which I usually do.  I also find the neckline is a little low for my age and I make the scoop neck more of a boat neck so I can still put it over my head.  Pockets I put in the side seams.  I am  not much of a front pocket person.  Here is the jacket I just made.  I am adding trim of the same chiffon to the bottom of some pants that were too short to make that combination good.  And a shirt from the pattern below of the same fabric of the pants, and a dark blue tank so that the outfit can be versitile.

Now there are 3 scarves...1 Jacket and Pair of tubins with matching trim and tank with matching trim-next elastic waist big leg pants with pockets and short sleeved shirt... maybe a dark blue shirt
Mix and Match combos


Pants needed length added second ruffle- Rumba Pants?


This is the second pair of pants in the set.  I was asked for baggy legged pants and these have pockets.  So the second set on the hanger are baggy legged.

Pants with the trim are from:

With the legs widened.



For a Chemise or a top with short sleeves and a non stretch material, you can make to whatever length you want I have this Simplicity pattern, great for a lot of combinations:
This is the pattern for the short sleeve shirts that do not need stretch



On the side- I just recovered an old swing chair so I could have some outside R&R



I used some Green Palmtree fabric, so mine looks a bit tropical.

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Chiffon Dress with Adjustable Banding at Lower Waist

 Creating a Chiffon Dress With
Adjustable Waisting



Totally Chiffon

With Rayon Chemise Under








Friday, June 18, 2021

Rayon Chemise to wear under Chiffon Dresses

 Simple Chemise Pattern made with drapey Rayon


Used large Flat Straps to hide Lingerie straps and extended length to go under ankle length long Chiffon Dress



Used Bias to finish edges of top of Chemise and made wide straps to cover under garment straps.

Attached rayon seam binding and hemmed bottom.



Sew Many Things -Sew Little Time

Finishing Up

Ottoman Slipcover.... Looked sew easy....Not Sew True


Antique hand loomed Rug which was already in the top of an old slipcover...




Had to removed from previous sides and matte frame in with Crypton Velvet and miter corners...

When removing from previous slipcover the ends had been cut off and were unweaving the rug...


Machine finished the edges all around and backed with a piece of the black Crypton and then framed in with a strip and mitered... 



Now that the rug was backed for strength-went back in and hand tacked the strips to make sure it did not fall apart.


Made self welting out of the black Crypton and then attached all around the top to fit the top of the Ottoman....



Made the Crypton skirt with pleated corners

Made the lining with Cotton Sateen-attached skirt to Slipcover top...attached lining to inside of the slipcover...


Attached rayon seam binding to Crypton and hand hemmed.

Pressed lining and hand hemmed



Put on Ottoman


Yeh!



 

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Making Stuffed Toys

 

This is Buddy the Magical Butterfly Pony -

EYES are Shank Buttons securely sewn on through each other to make them flatter on the head


Butterfly wings were drawn by me on paint and printed on Polar Fleece

Draw the Body first... and then legs and hooves are little tubes sewn shut on one end and tucked in and hand sewn on the legs... Legs are drawn with a bend and stuffed and then sewn on at the top with an X, so they can bend back and forth for sitting and standing!



Tail is braided embellished tulle with Rainbow stars securely sewn on.


The pony body fabric with colorful ponies on it and the colorful galaxy legs plus the red bumpy minky hooves came from my favorite place-


www.Gstreetfabrics.com

The Rainbow star tulle was found in the 'Treasure Hunt Room' at 2.97 a yard.... a great stash find when you have grandchildren or little toddlers that like you to make things.


There are three sizes of Eye shank buttons on the Turn table stands in front of the cashier...




Thursday, May 20, 2021

Copying Dresses That Fit

 Copying Something that Fits You


I use Create-A-Pattern Pellon type material that I buy from GStreetFabrics... 

lay dress on the create a pattern and cut out leaving a seam allowance.

WWW.Gstreetfabrics.com


I trace each piece with a 5/8 seam so I can alter if off a little.  I number the pieces as you would a bought pattern and write if the edge is on a fold and how many pieces I need and trace the Darts (important to add the Space you need for each dart or fold) I write dart or fold where needed and draw a line or dot.  Add extra for hem so you can adjust.  Take or draw a picture and put in the ziplock Gallon bag with the pattern for future use.





Original much loved dress worn through the threads of cotton.
 

Someone attempted to copy old dress, but did not make it the same and it was uncomfortable... changed to exact as original dress.



added buttons where missing


changed from buttonholes to loops like original


Newly copied dress back-like original

Pattern is ready for any additional dresses wanted

Then baste together.
Be sure to pre wash your fabric before cutting out and sewing so it doesnt shrink and change size after laundering.