Readers, Back from the Textile Center Garage Sale, an annual one-day event many sewers, including me, look forward to all year. Imagine thousands of bundles of wools, cottons, silks, synthetics and mystery fibers; yarns and thread, notions, sewing and crafts magazines and books; looms, sewing machines, pressing equipment, even UFOs (unfinished objects), all donated by […]
Slow Sewing
Readers, Monday I was going to finish my jacket. Yup, grand finale. Get it done with a flourish, take pictures, congratulate self, write post. Move on. Here’s the reality. No upper collar, no lining, no buttons, no hems. Admittedly, I have made progress. Look! Sleeves! Sleeve heads! Shoulder pads! Lining pieces drafted and cut! The […]
Project: Butterick 5542 (1930s), Jacket, part 7
Readers! You know those moments when tedious preparation gives way to visible progress? Not only that, but what had started as, “I wonder if maybe I took those buttons, and that pattern, and that fabric…” is taking shape and it’s coming along as beautifully as you dared to hope? I just had one of those […]
Project: Butterick 5542 (1930s), Jacket, part 6
Readers, Work continues, slow but sure. As I’ve noted before, it’s been the interfacing decisions that have taken the lion’s share of the work. And interfacings are not photogenic. But I’m happy with my progress. Silk organza is very light, with a crisp hand. It’s almost transparent. Yesterday I underlined all the jacket pieces with […]
Project: Butterick 5542 (1930s), Jacket, part 5
Readers, Just checking in. I ran samples of the red flat piping I mentioned in my previous post. I thought it would be fun to have a dash of red to liven up the pale blue jacket lining I followed directions in the book Sewing Edges and Corners: Decorative Techniques for Your Home and Wardrobe […]
Project: Butterick 5542 (1930s), Jacket, part 4
Readers, I’ve set aside my test garment, as I concluded that it yielded about all the information I could get from it. I made a little pattern alteration in the front, on the advice of one of the staff at my local excellent fabric store, Treadle Yard Goods. Time to cut into the linen. I […]
Project: Butterick 5542 (1930s), Jacket, part 3
Readers, Sometimes I make great strides in a project, to which progress photos can attest. Then I feel like I’m properly Getting Things Sewn So That I Can Write A Proper Post About It. Other times I make great strides in a project but the progress isn’t so visible. But it’s still there. So, yes, […]