A Night of Buttonholes

Some people sew one garment at a time, but I like to have a couple in various stages of production.  Some I am problem solving, others allow me to work on whatever part I feel like working on at a given time.  Tonight I worked on bottonholes.  The ones on my DS's shirt and my DGS's jacket.  I only had time to sew on the buttons for the jacket.  Those black buttons upped the cost of the outfit another $10.00.

SWAP 2011 - The Beginning of a Storyboard

In 2003 I moved back to my home state of NH after living for 26 years in CO.  I went through a really tough three year period and actully stopped sewing.  Something I've done and enjoyed since 5th grade.  After living here for a few years, I searched the web for some sewing connections.  I discovered the SWAP contest, and it brought back the love with a vengence.

My first contest was business attire, my second a southwestern theme.  I met my DH ballroom dancing, so this year I plan on making clothes to go dancing in.  Not competition clothes, but clothes I can were to other places also.  Below is an example of exactly what I am talking about.   

The back of the shorter skirt allows for movement in dancing, but it appears more of a normal straight skirt to wear for an evening out.  The top is a perfect garment to wear with a skirt or slacks.

Pants and Coat For The Toddler Grandson

I hemmed in no time at all the two pairs of pants for my grandson.  They were both done my machine. All that's left with the pants is the elastic waistband.  I don't usually use one piece of elastic, but multiple, small rows.  I have yet to purchase the elastic.

The coat assembly took a little longer.  I first stay stitched around the curves of the jacket and the lining to keep the jacket from stretching in those areas.  I added a white muslin interfacing on the fleece at the same time I stay stitched the jacket.  I hand stitched the interfacing at the shoulder. 

What took the most time was the blanket stitch around the edge of the jacket and sleeves.  I used a top stitching black thread.  To keep the edge as even as possible, I basted around the whole jacket 1/2 inch away in white thread.  I inserted the needle and black thread in every other stitch.  Here's the jacket with the basting removed.  All that's left are the buttons and button holes.

2011 SWAP Contest

The 2011 SWAP contest rules were posted today.  SWAP mean Sewing With a Plan.  This will be the third year I've participated.  This is the 8th annual contest.  It started with the challenge of sewing 11 garments ~ six tops, four bottoms, one jacket with every top mathcing every bottom and the jacket pulling each outfit together.  You ended with a possible combination of 45 outfits.  It has changed a bit over the years.  We are to pick one of these challenges.

Option #1:
6 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
4 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

Option #2:
2 dresses - single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

Option #3:
5 dresses - single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
4 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
1 bottom  - jeans, pants, shorts, skirt or kilt.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

3 garments may be purchased or previously sewn.
1 may be knitted or crocheted.

An added twist is that every garment should be made with a technique or feature that the sewist hasn't tried, or hasn't mastered.  Sewing begins December 26, 2010 and ends April 30, 2011.  

To follow along, please join me and others at Sewing Discussion at Stitcher's Guild Sewing Forum.

Pants and Coat For The Toddler Grandson - a night of serging

I spent the evening serging all the possible seams on my DGS's Christmas gift.  It only took me 1 1/2 hours.  However I spent a previous 45 minutes trying to get my serger threaded correctly.  I just had a looper replaced, and the repair person kindly left their thread in place.  I knotted the new thread to their thread, but it just wouldn't work right.  I couldn't see where my problem was.  Finally, I saw the problem, and the rest of the evening sent smoothly.