Thursday, June 28, 2007

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:
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

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

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

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

Monday, June 11, 2007

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*.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



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.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



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.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



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

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket



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

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Friday, June 8, 2007

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!)