Introducing Blackie!! Singer 221 Featherweight

I got bit, I have been introduced to these little machines and without actually sitting at one to sew, I was swept away by the look of these little beauties.  Look what I got this weekend!! 



A Craig's List find, and aside from the potential electrical problem (it gave me a little charge to say "hello")
I think it's going to clean up nicely.


It came with all of these funky attachments...





As you can see I haven't been doing any sewing so I will be getting back to that soon.

Latest addition..... The Rocketeer

I've been reading a bit about vintage machines these days and how they produce fabulous stitches and well i've been swept up with the possibilities.  So After a few ebay purchases, and a craig's list find, I present the latest addition to my machine collection.



This is what it looks like open... yes it's a Rocketeer!!!



It was $25.00, for everything.  Now, the cabinet has a few scuffs on it, and the bench has to be tightened, two of the legs move a little.  I'll be either stripping or repainting the cabinet, someone suggested a glaze, and I've always wanted to try that.  The machine actually works but needs cleaning, and it does produce a lovely straight stitch.  There were a few feet included but no cams.  Hopefully by the end of the week, this puppy will be clean, and I'll post some more pics then.

Simplicity 3786 A summer shirt

I've seen this pattern sewn up a few times, but my favorite version has to be one on the Tessuti website, in a white swiss dot, they also do another version in an Italian cotton voile to die for.  I'm stopping at this point for a few reasons... first I've been sewing like a mad woman for the past week, and I'm expecting a house guest this weekend and I have to get my house in order (Murphy at work, just when I get some wind in my sails I am interrupted).  Second, I might want to do some embellishing on this shirt (as I always want to do but never get around to :).  I have decided not to do the sleeve with the puff at the bottom, and am just doing the bell sleeve.... which is the only combination not shown on the envelope.

The next post will depend on how long it takes me to get things in order here.

Donna Karan 2867 OOP shrug pattern

I've been stuck at home for a while now and usually I'm traveling, I miss traveling, and I find myself subconsciously picking fabrics and styles that would be good travel pieces.  This has to be the ultimate travel set.  It's a short shrug with a scarf piece that is draped over one shoulder, worn over a basic tank top.  It was cut out of the bamboo jersey that was dyed this weekend.  The brazil nut dye turned out to be sort of a minky grey and a very rich neutral color, and the jersey is very very soft.

This has to be the largest single pattern piece, I've ever tackled. 



The pattern was so large that it is divided into three pieces that you have to match up and assemble before cutting.  I was able to fit the shrug and the tank top, with only two yards of the dyed bamboo jersey, even though the pattern envelop called for more.

Better day today - Issey Miyake t-shirt

The white bamboo jersey was made into a t-shirt last night, actually two but only one is sewn up, the other waits patiently...this pattern had a few interesting features including using a woven bias trim to finish the edges of a knit.


This was one of those patterns that gave me a bit of trouble, once it was all sewn up the facing turned out 1" shorter than required, I didn't rip it out, partly because I thought that the detail at the neckline was a little weak.  So I added another layer of bias swiss dot, and now may add some lace at the facing edge.



I think this way the neckline looks more like the pattern illustration instead of the model's garment.  Yet another illustrator using their artistic license, the illustration neckline is much lower than the actual garment.




I love how it looks under a jacket!!


In an effort to correct the color on the Bamboo jersey, it was washed last night, and lo and behold much improved this morning. The dye gave the jersey a bit more body, this is a good thing, since it is very soft and stretchy, and a little difficult to manage. We'll have to find a pattern for this fabric that doesn't involve a lot of seaming.

Dyeing today.....the aftermath

I had planned a t-shirt and body suit for the wardrobe from a nice soft bamboo jersey.  When it came in the mail, one cut wasn't quite the color needed.  The order was for white and two cuts came in the box, one white and the other a pinkish cast white.

Here is the true white.. I couldn't capture the pinkish cast white with the camera.


 So off to Dharma trading I went to look for dye colors, Brazil Nut brown would be a good match to the grey green of the linen jacket at least as far as monitor colors go.  I have diluted the dye a bit, so I will be happy with a taupey version of the original, something that looks home dyed, something with a little character.

Here it is, still drying....




It did not take the dye evenly.  This is my first dye job, so after it dries completely I'll have to decide if I try to dye it once more, or use as is.  Fabric cost & dye ran me about $10.00 for two yards.

Fabric Matching....the good stuff

Behold the good stuff,



Vintage hand silkscreened crepe de chine silk.  There isn't a lot of yardage here, only 1.5 yards.  I've kept this as a project parked in the back of my brain churning over what I can do with so little, and with a color that really doesn't look exceptional against my skin.  My solution is to mix the print with solid charmeuse, picking up colors in the fabric. There is a thin solid silver stripe outlining all of the flowers.





These are samples from Mood in NYC, they have an extensive color palette in basic silks, I think I have a winner with the silver and the blue.  Once the style is decided I'll go ahead and buy what is needed.

Issey Miyake top

I'm liking this pattern, the top has a front and back facing, it also requires the snap tape, but I'll be using individual snaps instead (partly because I have a ton of these in the stash).  The little pleats that are formed on the front are supposed to be a result of not aligning the snaps perfectly.  The shaping comes from the front wrap as well as small tucks on the back.  This is just the first of my Issey Miyake patterns, I have another 4 in the stash, but this is by far the most simple of them.  I'm scambling a bit to refill my closet after the last declutter session, so I'm sewing like a maniac!

Issey skirt finished... almost

Remember that pattern I was so excited about?



I really have to remember to ask the ebay sellers if the pieces are cut, and what type of fabric is required.
This needed a two way stretch fabric, but there are very few knits in my stash (and those that are in my stash are already earmarked for other projects), so I substituted this stretch denim, which did have stretch on the cross but not on the length.  I think it would be better in a wool double knit that is in my fall stash.  The skirt is not complicated, it is one piece, with some well placed darts, and wait for it.... it requires snap tape for the closure on all three pieces.  I'm not sold on the snap tape and am exploring my stash for other alternatives.  I've made the top as well but I'm right in the middle of it, so no pics, this will be one of those outfits that will look better when worn separately, just too busy when worn together.

How did I buy the wrong size?

Look how far I've gotten.... far enough to figure out I bought the wrong size.  I'm not even showing you the worst bit, they can not be zipped, and the legs are snug (understatement) but they are a nice shape.  Now this surprises me, because I compared the measurements to a pair of ready made jeans and the measurements were spot on (although the ready made were stretch denim and these are not).  If I were 30 lbs lighter, i'm sure these would be perfect so back to the drawing board. 



I'll just put these aside for now.... as I have just received my last ebay pattern haul.  This will be it for patterns, I have more than enough to work with for now.

Marfy jean 1244 Muslin

I finally bought a Marfy pattern, just the one, I happen to love the fact that the pattern pieces are all die cut and I don't have to fuss with tracing and cutting and all that jazz.  I know I still have to add the seam allowances but I still think it will be less trouble.... I hope I'm still in love with them after they are completed.


(Look I'll be blonde and thin when I finish:), and Italian)



The muslin fabric is the same I used for the skirt muslin, an olive green pinstripe canvas.
Marfy patterns do not come with any instructions so it's a good idea to have a plan before you start.  I'll just refer to another pair of jeans for that.  Also they don't come with an illustration, so make sure you capture it from the internet, just in case you don't make the pattern immediately.



I can already tell that these pieces will fit together beautifully, whether they will fit me well is another story.  I have a few denims to choose from for the final, including a stretch denim, which will mean tweaking the pattern further.  I will start staying true to the pattern and not changing anything just to see if they fit.  For the final pair, I already know I will add belt loops, and I may lengthen them.

Another wrap top - Black cotton lawn

I had originally planned a white t-shirt, made out of some bamboo jersey to go with my wardrobe.   They longer I look at it the more I just don't like the quality.  It will be good for sleepwear, but just a little too fuzzy and clingy to wear as a t-shirt.  So I made yet another wrap top. 



Tomorrow, I think I'll start on the jean pattern, from everything I've read that will take as long as the jacket.

Chino Skirt Finished

It wrinkles, so I lined it, I'm not sure that helps, but it's a nice little casual skirt to go with my jacket.


I really enjoyed matching the topstitching at the corners, it turned out very well.


I still have to add the hooks & eyes at the waist, and secure the lining at the hem, but that's about it.  When all of the finishing touches are completed on all of the pieces, I'll post another pic with the entire wardrobe completed and pressed.

  I was at Joann's yesterday and it was a mad house, I just went to pick up a zipper for the skirt and ended up buying lining fabrics in their clearance section.  I bought them out of cream and Lt olive Ambiance which with their 50% off sale were between $1.50 and $2.00 a yard.  However it was so crazy, the zipper I went specifically to buy was left out of the bag, which meant returning, which put a dent in my sewing time. Grrr.  Note to self, next time there is a sale go early in the morning when lines are short and people are fresh and not tired and cranky.

Today I had enough time to modify my old DK top pattern for the calico print top for the planned wardrobe.


I might make a whole wardrobe of these, it comes together really quickly and looks so much more that what it really is.  Just two pieces.

Hold your breath - Topstitching

I've never worked on a project with this much top stitching, and in the past, there have been issues with ripples and bumps in the straight lines.  So am happy to report that there has been a minimum of ripping out and redo with this project, so either the stars are aligned or working with a stable fabric like linen really makes a difference, or holding your breath while sewing can improve results.



The jacket is really almost finished, but I started working on another skirt to go with the wardrobe plan.  If you recognize it, it's the same pattern used for the olive skirt.  This will be the "casual" pairing with the jacket, I can't believe how much this cotton wrinkles, and how I didn't pick up the zipper I needed when I was at Joann's just yesterday.

Issey Miyake OOP 2437 - Summer clothes

I've traded my online fabric obsession to an OOP pattern hunting obsession.  I need to stay off ebay and all of the other vintage pattern websites, but I keep on finding the most amazing things.  On the home front I continue to eliminate clothes that don't fit anymore as well as a mini destash and charity sew up last month, I have less and less to choose from now, funny how four bags lighten a house up.  Just when you declutter a bit, other things come into your life to replace the void (isn't this one of the principals of Feng Shui?).  I was thinking of what I would look for in tops and skirts for the summer and this turned up in my search.



I've won the bid and it's coming from Australia, I think that top and skirt are perfect for summer and can't wait to get them.

I'm also waiting on some silk charmeuse swatches to make up some slips.

And I've ordered some dyes from Dharma trading, this is a first time order from them but have read good things, so I'm looking forward to goodies in transit.

No more thread....My jacket ate it all

After all the top stitching on the last two pieces, I have officially run out of thread. I have never used a whole spool of thread on one sewing project, so if you are thinking about sewing the jacket be warned you will need over the 250 yards available on a new Dual Duty All Purpose thread spool.



I'm off to Joann's....but before I leave, here is the skirt finished... except for the back hook and eye and 4" of top stitching at the center front pleat.







I think I'll make this again in the white stretch denim for my the summer wardrobe. I wore it last night for a bit around the house, sitting and climbing stairs and it is not as confining as I thought.