Readers, Part of getting things sewn (the activity) and Getting Things Sewn (the blog) is designing my sewing space. I was going to write “redesigning my sewing space,” but that implies I designed it at one time. I realize now that the most I’ve ever done is solve some organizing problems piecemeal. That is not […]
Diary of a Sad Cat Sewer
Readers, Yesterday I started a quick project to make a skirt to match my blue and white linen 1930s jacket. So I pulled my pattern, supplies, and voluminous notes on the six skirts I’ve made from this pattern in the last three years. Readers, I don’t know how this happened, but a sad cat got […]
Behind Door Number 1
Readers, While waiting for a 36-inch separating zipper to arrive in the mail for my anorak project, and for my meeting with Steve Pauling to look at the muslin of my shirt draft, I thought it was time to answer the question, What’s behind that door in the sewing domain? I had actually forgotten it […]
Cache and Release
Readers, A collector I am not. This thought popped into my mind as I was leaving the annual show and sale of the Minnesota State Button Society yesterday afternoon. In the past hour I’d seen thousands of buttons in glass, metal, and various plastics neatly affixed to cards arranged by material or design. I’d seen […]
Change Projects and Dance
Readers, Have you ever had a project that got bigger and took longer than you expected? Home remodeling, anyone? I’ve been having this quandary with my Getting Things Sewn projects. I entertain the notion that my anorak, or a shirt for Jack, or a blog post will be a simple “Insert Tab A into Slot […]
Backstage at the Goldstein: Tour and Tea
Readers, I mentioned recently that I volunteer one morning a week for the Goldstein Museum of Design on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. I’ve been wanting to show you what it’s like to be back in the office space, where every week I may see hats, handbags, shoes, scarves, dresses, textiles, […]
Project: Vogue 2461 (1990): Calvin Klein anorak, part 2
Readers, I’ve been making more flat fell seams. The shirt I’ll make for Jack calls for them, and so does this anorak. So, having practiced using my flat fell foot following the directions on David Page Coffin’s Shirtmaking Techniques DVD last week, I felt pretty smug testing a flat fell seam using the anorak fabric. My […]