It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As usual, I really want to try to make some of the presents this year. As usual, I will probably have more desire than time. But... I will make a valiant effort...

First off, the kids learned how to fish this year and had a great time with it, so I want to make them both fishing vests using this pattern. I'll add a bunch of pockets and clips and such. I wanted to use something cute for fabrics, especially for Melany, but Mr. Man says they gotta blend because fish can see stuff like that up on the bank. Bummer. I think I have some greens and beiges in my stash.

Next will be nightwear. Poor kids are still wearing pj's from three years ago! Melany will get some nightgowns. I think sleeveless and full length (View A) in a floral and the pant and ruffle sleeve (View D).

Sean just wants bottoms, but he wants them made out of patchwork flannel. (The kid is so weird). Patchwork! That shouldn't take too much time!

Also on the to-do list is an oil cloth apron for my mom, pillows for one sister, tea wallets for D.'s sisters and his mom (that will be another post), and this really cool scarf for another sister from Crafty Habit. I have some really nice dark brown satin. Hopefully when it's done I'll be able to give it to her and not want to keep it for myself!

And of course, I have a project I want to get done for D. and some stuff for myself too. Oy! I've got like 4 weeks, right? EEK!

Pinch pleat drapes

Finally, I am getting to post about these drapes! Isn't this fabric great?!? In my world, where taupe and cream stripes is about as crazy as it gets, I live vicariously through my clients who gracefully layer bright, bold colors and make it work so well!

I have two serious pet peeves when it comes to making drapes: when the side seams hang shorter than the rest of the hem and being able to see the hem stitches from the front of the drape.


The first I have worked at over the years, combining several fixes to get to the point where I am confident that my hems will hang perfectly even. First, I measure very carefully! Then, I angle the lower edge down adding an extra 1/4" to the bottom of the sides of each panel. After sewing the side seams to the lining, I measure again, before hemming and adjust the width of the hem to allow for any difference. I put a small weight in each corner to further anchor the sides to keep them from rising.

I have not yet found a machine hem that I am happy with. The blind hem on any sewing machine I have tried always seems to take too big of a 'bite' and the stitch is visible from the right side. I'm not happy with the chain stitch of a blind hem machine because with one pull of a thread the whole thing can come undone. So, I do all of my hems by hand and I think it is well worth the time for the final finish. Of course, I don't have a pic of the front, but I also like how neatly everything is finished on the back.

I use buckram in the top fold for the pleats. Joann fabric's is selling some kind of flimsy, wimpy stuff as interfacing for home-sewers. Do not use this! It will never turn out right and you'll never sew again! Buckram is the stuff you need to get nice, stiff, crisp pleats.

Wish I had a close-up of that trim because it is really gorgeous! Green, red and gold tassles! Trim is awfully expensive, quite often priced more per yard than the fabric, but that is what really makes a room look custom and special. (Can you see how even the hems are?)

So many updates, so little time...

First off, 18th century stuff. I finished all of the things I had to have in order to make it through the weekend: a wool petticoat, a linen apron and a wool cloak. I finished a lined, wool shortgown in the car on the way there. I didn't get a cap or mitts done, but I made it throught without. We had such a great time! The event was held on a horse farm in Virginia. Beautiful property and perfect fall weather, but soooo COLD at night! Difficult to describe and probably harder to imagine, sleeping under the stars beside a fire in a grove of trees under wool blankets...well, you'd just have to be there.

To do an event like this again, I would make some wardrobe adjustments. But I'll have to cover all of that another time. In fact, this hobby is so consuming, I'm thinking of creating another blog just to chronicle 18th century sewing. I have a ton of ideas for D.'s wardrobe too!

Another update:

This is the second white, cotton duck slipcover job. This one was a little different in that the client had an old slipcover that I could copy. I didn't fit it directly on the sofa. Easier in some ways--dealing with the curves of the arms, but more difficult in others, like trying to get the length of the skirt just right. We are also going to do wicker cushions in white as well as some more throw pillows in prints of yellows and blues. It all looks so nice with her hard wood floors and butter yellow walls!

The pillows and seat cushions were down--I just love working with down inserts! The back cushions were polyfil and just too droopy. The client thought she might replace them with down inserts, but as much as I love down, it doesn't always work for back cushions because it seems to settle at the bottom of the cushion and the top just mushes. Instead, I made a new insert cover that I lined with batting to give them a little more body and to hide the lumpiness of the fill. This worked out really well--they are plump, but hold their shape and don't droop.

I have more catching up to do in posting. Next up: some pinch pleat drapes with really great trim.

18th Century Stuff

What started out as a passive interest in my boyfriend's hobby has become a mild obsession for me. Way back at this post I had bought some patterns and fabrics and this is what I have come up with so far. First is the shift. This garment is the first layer. It is worn as underwear and sleepwear. This is usually made from cotton or linen. Mine is cotton (actually a vintage sheet) because I figured it would be a practice one and I did make some mistakes, but I am very happy with the hand stitching. A pattern was not used, just measurements to create geometrical shapes that all fit together. They made them this way to use fabric as economically as possible.


This shows the gusset under the arm which adds ease for movement. And you can see my tiny, tiny hand stitches that I am so proud of ! 8-10 stitches per inch and my felled seams are a scant 1/8! Because shifts were worn almost constantly and washed often, typical stitches would have been 15-20 stitches per inch! Ruffles for a working class woman would have been an extravagant use of fabric and so I finished the neckline with a simple drawstring and the sleeves end with a small cuff.

Next are stays. Again, first time was for practice. These I made mostly on the machine (come on! look at all those channels!) and bound them by hand. They are made from a heavy cotton with plastic boning. These fit well around me, but next time I will add another 3/4" to the torso length. Also, the next time I will sew them by hand, they will be made from linen with reed boning and bound with buckskin--how cool will that be! Ok, maybe this is more than a mild obsession.

I used the fabric D. brought me from Martin's Station, Va. for the petticoat. This garment is so simple, I didn't think I would need a practice run, but I still made some mistakes. On the first attempt I made the waist band too big (again, think frugally, economical use of fabric). I also made the pleats wwaaaayyyy too big and could almost wrap the skirt around me twice. So I tookthe waist band off, cut it down by half and refigured my pleats. Much better. This is one of two petticoats I wear at events where the weather is nice.

We have a few more events this year, one of which is a 'tactical?' which is something I haven't done yet and I'm not really sure what it is. I just know it will include a 10 mile march, I will be outside all weekend and may or may not have a fire to sleep beside. So I will replace this petticoat with a wool one and add another linen one. So if you are keeping track at home, that will be three petticoats at one time. I will also be trying to get a wool jacket, cloak and mitts made in the next few weeks. AAAAGGGHH!!! Will post more soon!

White cotton slipcovers

White cotton duck slipcovers lightened and brightened this room and made it feel like a beach cottage. The client wanted a loose, casual fit. A bit of a challenge for me since I am used to making slipcovers that are quite fitted and look very much like upholstery so I had to stop myself every time I wanted to stretch the fabric too tight. The pillows and cushions are down-filled so the effect is very casual and comfortable looking. Previously, the pieces were off-white and quite worn so the new bright white made a big difference.

I really enjoy these slipcover and home decor jobs. So when I got a phone call from someone who had seen the blog and she asked if I would do slipcovers for her, I was thrilled. When we started to discuss fabric for her job, she said, "Oh, I just bought 13 yards of white cotton duck." Perfect.

Wicker n' Wool

Barb from Woolley Fox says, "Who would do wicker in anything but wool?" Who indeed Barb! I have to admit I was a bit skeptical when she sent me to April at Dovecote to see it. It was 'beat up white' with it's original fabric and gimp quite beyond repair. Barb took it home, took photos as she carefully removed the old covering (so I would know how to put it back together) and loved it up with some rust/orange paint.
Then she brought me the thickest, coziest wool you ever felt in green plaid. Using her photos, I put it back together following the original staple lines, trimmed it up in coordinating gimp and made a new cover for the cushion. Didn't it just turn out great? And you wouldn't believe how comfortable and soft it is to sit in! Wool! On wicker! I love it!

Update

Yay! Client in Barbie dress pic! This is her with a group of professional singers and dancers from Mattel. The show went well and they said the dress was a big hit!