Tag: projects

Circle Skirt part I

Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing has a schematic to make a circle skirt. I had material left over from the capes I made last summer, so here I go.

I had very little pattern paper, so I made my right angle in one corner.

And then raided the wrapping paper for the rest of the pattern.

Here are my two pattern pieces, the waistband and the skirt.

I moved the chairs out of the way to clean and then left them while I was working on the skirt.  Sentinel found a new seat to sit on.

Sadly, while I had thread and the material, I did not have a zipper, so this is as far as the circle skirt has gotten.

Seamwork Oslo Sweater Part II

Julie came over for a day of sewing and she helped me lay out the material.  So it was speedy, taking us only 10 minutes.  She also got to see first-hand how lazy a sewist I am.  “Aren’t you going to line up that grainline?” she asked at one point.  I shrugged and she adjusted it.

Here we are 90 minutes in and it’s looking like a robe.  The material is this great fabric I got from Rose City Textiles in their bargain room.

This was also the point in which the directions and I became estranged.  The way I was reading the instructions for the cuff ended up not making much sense, so I finally just added the cuff the way I thought it would work.

And done!  I really like it! It’s very soft and cozy and is the perfect length for a robe.

And here is the final tally. Although you have to add the hour I spent taping the pattern.  But I still consider four hours “an afternoon.” Color me happy,  Seamwork.  I also added snaps to the front to keep it closed. Worked great.

Seamwork Oslo Sweater part I

I’ve subscribed to Seamwork, a digital sewing magazine.  The magazine is free, and if you subscribe ($6.00  per month) you receive two patterns each month.  Each pattern is designed so it can be completed “in an afternoon”.  I aim to make the Oslo Cardigan, although I’m going to use it as a robe.  Let’s see if indeed this pattern can be completed in a timely fashion.

Below, Sentinel observes the detritus from too many projects.

The pattern comes in two forms.  A digital file that can be printed at a copy shop, or a file that can be taped together.  I didn’t make it to the copy shop, so taping and cutting I am.  I did this the night before I set to sewing, and forgot to start the timer, but I think the taping and cutting took about an hour.

Four hours and I’m done. The making of Jalie 2920

Modern Domestic was having a sale and I wandered down and came home with a pattern and some fabric.  I’m after leggings that actually are a correct fit.  Ones that don’t bunch up at the ankle. And, with this pattern, if I want to channel my 80s self and make stirrup tights, I now can.  (I do not want to do this, but still.)

Here’s the mini-skirt fabric. I like it because it looks like math and the planets.

Here is my new elevated cutting table.  Those are Ikea bed risers (which sadly, they no longer produce) and the legging material laid out on my table.

There is not enough material.  
I later figured out that I had extended the pattern too far and should have kept it at its original length. So it was fine.
The material itself is this great Eileen Fisher four-way stretch fabric. It feels great and feels like it will last a very long time.  
Cutting out the skirt.  
And the finished product.  
The instructions for the skirt have a typo in them, but I did okay.  Also, I would suggest marking the leggings (I used masking tape and a ball point pen) with which is the back seam and which is the front seam.  Once you sew them together it becomes unclear which is the back and which is the front.  I also sewed a bit of ribbon in the back of both the skirt and the leggings so I could identify the back.

New ironing board. Also, completed shrug.

The old model. Not shown:  how it would shriek while setting it up, causing Antares to flee in horror.  Also not shown:  how it would fall down unexpectedly, sometimes right in the middle of me pressing something.
Our new ironing board friend? Looks cheery. Is manufactured in a way so it will not fall down unexpectedly.  Also has the same kind of legs as the old one, so I can still use the same closet hangers.
Meanwhile, here’s a picture of my completed shrug.  If I make this again I will size up one size (to accommodate my large arms) and extend the front pieces so they meet.  Still, this is fine.  And its very cozy.

Mirrors? We don’t need no stinkin’ mirrors!

Today’s project was to cover the mirrors in the Yoga studio at the gym.  A quick trip to Ikea, another to Fred Meyer (because it’s not a project until you have to go out and buy something you are missing) some drilling and hanging.

Et voila!  No more mirrors. 
It is so nice!  And this is the project that taught me that I don’t know how to hang things evenly if the ceiling isn’t straight.  There a difference in distance to the floor from the left side to the right side.  It will take about eight to ten months before I stop noticing that. 

Shrug comes together quickly. And then is delayed.

Some cutting, some serging, some applying of Wonder Tape and we’re ready to use the twin needle to finish the edges.

The twin needle had other ideas though.  It broke.  This project is on hold until I can get another one. My poor arms will have to be cold for another week.