Why Oh Why...

Do I always want to use recycled denim jeans? Everytime I think about doing something original it starts with cutting up jeans and sewing them back together.

Here is what I've been working on:


I used 4 pair of women's jeans size 4 to 10 and ended up with approximately 29" wide and about 2 yards.



I'm making a skirt.... I'll post with the finished product.

Dress Form Makeover

I have a Dress Form, we'll call her Helen. She has been with me since the beginning. I got her at a Flea Market and she has her issues, but we've been thru a lot together. She has always resisted a good cleaning, and since I want to do some attractive listing on Etsy, I decided to spruce her up a little!

Here she is *before*.

I got a piece of light yellow cotton/poly knit out of my monstrous fabric stash and decided to get to work. Why this piece of fabric? It was stretchy, and close to the top and I wasn't in the mood to spend all day looking for something *perfect*. I think it turned out to be a wonderful choice.

I threw that piece of fabric around her, smoothed and started to pin, Helen needs her neck covered too.

Then I cut around the pins- thats probally about 5/8"-3/4", I left the fabric around the armholes long because I wasn't sure what I was doing with it yet.

Folded to one side on the inside, pinned and sewing. I liked using the curved needle. Some extra smoothing and stretching was necessary.

Here she is! I think she turned out great. I just tucked in the 'arms' I'll deal with it another day.

Choosing a Sewing Pattern

Several times I have been looking at patterns or shopping at Joann's or Handcock Fabric stores and seen someone picking out a pattern and fabric. The lack of imagination sometimes scares me. Some people can't see beyond the fabric choice on the pattern envelope. I have actually seen people buying the fabric that most closely resembles the one in the design on the envelope!

It is hard to be creative, I definately struggle with it. My experience viewing others creativity has definately helped me to grow. But I don't think I ever assumed that a pattern had to be made in the Fabric shown on the envelope.

Many patterns aren't as different as the pattern companies would lead you to believe, either. A elastic waist skirt is an elastic waist skirt. Don't get me wrong all patterns are not created equal! If you find a waist and hip that fits the way you like it, don't abandon it, be open to changing all that is below it. Changing a straight skirt to an A-line or adding ruffles isn't as difficult as you might think.

Keep your mind open, I'll try to get some of these things posted with pictures soon. Sort of a tutorial of sorts. Ahhhhhh, but we're gonna have to talk about my sewing books first! You can't venture into my wondeful world of sewing without a well stocked sewing book library. (OK so you can, but don't tell anyone!)