Summer Basics: Toile Mobile Pocket Bag

A five inch zipper.

A remnant from an old lined curtain reworked.

An hour and a half's work from first cut to final stitch.

No pattern - sized as I sewed.

Sized to hold cell phone, iPod and a coin/credit card purse. 

Included a mini pocket inside to hold a subway or train pass.

EnchBySew-54: A Postcard from the Mother of the Bride (MOB)

Modernized Downton Abbey
MOB: Lace Overblouse/Lace Jacket

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 53'rd, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on
http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINAL_castMotherOfTheBride_Laurel_Shimer_part3_postcard_MOB.mp3


Part three of my series about my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride (MOB) outfit.
Wrapping up my MOB sewing project -sharing  my experiences working on this ensemble.
It’s about- Planning, Patterns, Prick stitching , Perturbation, and Patience.

All 3 garment pieces have involved  pattern creation or alteration.

Snapshot of This Month’s Show

- Pensamientos Primeros – Planning and Patterns
        Recapping the history of my mob ensemble
        a. Camisole slip - See my previous podcast - "A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride"

b. Modified Dirndl skirt

i. Modified dirndl is not the Heidi style traditional alpine look
It's NOT http://www.kaffeeundkuchen.co/home/guide-to-buying-and-wearing-a-dirndl
ii. It's NOT any of these fun skirts! http://vintagedancer.com/1940s/1940s-skirts/
iii. Back in the 80’s I remember a number of the suit patterns I sewed called the style of skirt I just made
a ‘modified dirndl’ – but I can’t find a link quickly. I’ll describe it
iv. What IS a modified dirndl?
1. Somewhat straight skirt
2. Not so straight that walking is inhibited
a. No slits or kick pleats needed
3. Wth a little gathered ease
4. Attached to a waistband

c. Lace over blouse
i. Kept under garments as narrow as possible. Lace blouse loose fit
ii. Downton Abbey inspired lace overblouse
1. Not straight hobbled skirt of Edwardian era

iv. Slightly below waist
v. Loose
vi. Scalloped lace ¾ sleeves and down the open front of blouse
vii. Hem of blouse maybe 3 inches higher than knee length skirt


- Technicos
    - Pick Stitch and A hand-sewn zipper

- Pensamientos Finales  -Perturbation and Patience

EnchBySew-53: Spring Shirring (MOB)

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 53'rd, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/castFINALSpringShirring.mp3

This podcast is an extension of my regular sewing blog - http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com

~ ~ ~

In this show I'm continue to share with you, some of my experiences working on my Mother-Of-The-Bride ensemble.

All 3 garment pieces involve  pattern creation or alteration.

Snapshot of This Month’s Show 

1) Pensamientos Primeros/First Thougths 

Shirring? Are we talking sheep? Thoughts on scissors,  shears, and the sewing technique known as ‘shirring’.

To shirr is to gather a piece of fabric, or garment piece,, using drawn or elastic thread in close rows.
 

The knife center.com ….The Difference Between Scissors & Shears www.knifecenter.com/shop/scissors

2) Entonces inspiración para fruncir/Inspiration for Shirring  

Museum portrait and wardrobe shopping

Fruncir means “ to gather”. If you’re practicing your Spanish you might also use the word ‘fruncir’ in reference to frowning or knitting your brows, or puckering up your lips! 

http://www.spanishcentral.com/translate/fruncir

3) Y finalmente, Technicos /And finally 

Techniques that I’ve used for shirring

Give Fabric Elasticity with These Shirring Tips for Beginners - Craftsy

https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/11/shirring-tips/

1 Cached

Nov 12, 2014 - Shirring is a magical technique for sewing texture that takes a regular piece of fabric and shrinks it up, giving it elasticity. It's great for skirt waists, shirt hems and even entire bodices! But shirring for the first time is no walk in the park.

n

m

Shirring Fabric - Sewing Tutorial - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZtOqqyRZU8

Note: Within the Inspiration Section, and at the end of the ‘cast,  I included travel notes for places I like to visit in San Francisco Golden Gate Park for fellow sewists who may be visiting, or to prompt other local sewists to share their own thoughts on this locale.

MOB: Lessons in Lace - Right Over Left - (Mother of the Bride, Technicos/Techniques)

Lace Fabric Source - fabric.com - Pattern B6095

The right side of the lace is showing here. I quadruple check each piece to make sure that the right  and left sides are  laid out with the right side of the lace on top

 1) Traced another tissue version of the pattern I've been altering - Made two copies (I kept original copy for future patterns of course)

2) There is a scallop edge on only one side - Women's patterns are usually right-over-left. So I first laid out one of my tissues underneath (on the wrong side) with the scallop edge going down the middle

3) Then I carefully placed the left tissue underneath the lace and quintuple check that the right side of the lace will come out right for the entire bodice!

Why Two Tissues? - I will baste right through the tissue pieces to get the darts positioned right. Then rip the paper off. I don't see a better way to mark them properly. You can also thread or tape baste, but you'll still have to position the pattern very cautiously . Lace moves around a lot too.

Constantly checking which is right and wrong side when I work with two different front pieces. 
 I want the right side of the lace to show for both bodice pieces. When I don't cut them at the same time, it's easy to mess up and put the pattern the wrong way.

EnchBySew-51: Betsey Johnson - Following a Vintage Alley Cat

Click on this link in iTunes    to download the 51'st episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  produced in January of 2017.

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINALcastBetseyJohnsonAlleyCat_LAURELSHIMER.mp3

Not long after I finished up my front pleated, mid-weight,  denim trousers. Suddenly hit … that
I was taking my sewing inspiration from trousers I’d sewn in high school – which for me was quite some time ago.

And that inspiration came from fashion designer Betsey Johnson.

What will you hear in this month’s show?

1) Vintage Alley Cat – The Original Betsey Johnson
– In which Laurel is whisked away on a time travel jaunt, reminding her that not all of her sewing projects come from the pages of the here and now.



2) Betsey Briefly – A Timeline
a. Including  a bit about how Betsey’s designs iinfluenced my own coming of age sewing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youthquake_(movement)

Great article about Betsey in Vogue - lots of interviews with folks who have known her for a long time
http://www.vogue.com/13262702/betsey-johnson-cfda-awards/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsey_Johnson

Betsey is still going strong ! http://www.betseyjohnson.com

3) -Trousers Inspired by an Alley Cat
In which  A woman draws inspiration from her teenaged sewing self. Talk about time travel!

a. The original Betsey Johnson pattern  - way back when - was B3289
http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/01/vintage-flared-trousers-alley-cat.html

b. Further ideas for sewing inspired by Betsey Johnson. The Jamie M pattern, I mentioned in this section, - way back when - was B6533 Here's a posting I did showing a little bit of what I talked about in the 'cast. http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/01/laced-up-empire-alley-cat-more-betsey.html

c. Different kinds of pockets - https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/02/kinds-of-pockets/

Pattern Work: Disneyland with Princess Periwinkle de Nîmes (M6076)

Another M6076, Palmer and Pletsch princess-seamed shirt. I've been altering the pattern (off and on) for a year now, working to get the perfect fit for me.
I think the original sleeve-into-torso seam was somewhat more dropped than what I've ended up with. I'm quite happy with the fit of this shirt - it really conforms to me, and the long curved princess-seams are flattering. Below is a photo of me wearing the Princess, recently,  at Disneyland.

Note that this denim is the very, very light weight variety, it looks more like chambray. Princess Periwinkle comes, of course, from Nîmes, the origin of our modern denim fabric.

A trip to see the holiday decorations at Disneyland with Cousin Martha, motivated me to get the Princess finished!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denim Discusses source of denim in Nîmes 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periwinkle_(color) - Periwinkles seem to be related to vinca - a rather invasive European flower a lot of people plant around here, and are then often sorry to have done so! I love the blue color though, much like the one in this shirt. It's also referred to as 'lavender blue' - I wonder if that's where the Burl Ives  song (it's really an old folk song but he popularized it in the 1960's) comes from? I always wondered about that, because all the lavender I know is purple 

Thinking Ahead - Jacket - British Wool - Questioning at Crafster

Today I posted my questions to Crafster.org http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=450696.0

Working on not keeping materials in my fabric inventory for too long. I have a couple of other sewing projects going on, but preparing and thinking through how to work with this lovely wool, makes it more likely that it will get sewn once it gets chilly 'round here.  I also need to think about Seam Fnishes - I'm thinking either flat-felled or bound. This article has a lot of info and ideas for working with reversible garments

EnchBySew-48:Garment Copycatting

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 48'th episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  produced in October of 2016. Or listen directly on the web by clicking on this link.

This Month’s Show 

Technicos: I'm learning to copycat a favorite knit top, without cutting the garment apart. 

Blog Posts from this Project
Part 1: Getting Started http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/10/copycat-pattern-work-sleeveless-tee.html

Part 2: Continuing up through Basted Garment http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/10/copycat-pattern-test-garment-basted.html

~ ~ ~ Other Resources
I have a number of Sewing Pinterest Boards: https://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/

Errata

I meant to refer to Lynda Maynard, not Lynda Myers!

Terminado/Finished Sewing Baby Lounger- Changing/Playing/Napping Pad

Cousin Martha Loving up my dog Jasper
on our recent camping trip
at Pismo Beach

My cousin is going to be a grandmama!

I thought about buying some beautiful Kona cotton and making a finely pieced and quilted baby quilt. 

But......

Would I get it done? I hate to admit that I have found bits and pieces related to unrealized baby quilts in my sewing collection, where the baby involved is in high school..... That's what happens when you decide to focus on garment sewing!

"Whiskers and Tails" - Robert Kaufman fabric

I was looking through my fabric inventory and found this doggie print, very thick batting and a blue and white striped home dec remnent. Golly what a thought - to use up what I have!

Considered various piecing ideas with the print and decided some things are more darling just as they are.

Here is baby pad tucked into it's matching laundry bag
Extra laundry bags for babies are handy
Note - Jasper appears to approve

I have just completed the baby-to-be, a changing/napping/playing pad. It's not intended as a blanket, because the home-dec side would be rough on tender skin. I remember it’s handy to have items you can throw down on the grass or a less than clean zone. 

Babies lounge around a lot.

Reminder of doggy print  became laundry bag - and will serve as gift bag for the baby shower. Horray! nothing remains but minimal scrap!

Also ordered  a baby’s-first type toy to attach to top of laundry bag

I also plan to make several of those bunnies you fold out of washclothes* to attach to the top - there never being sufficient quantities of washclothes in house when a kid is born

I will save the fine piecing and lovely quilting for another day

Técnicos

I did basic round shaped quilting - kind of snail like. Paper worked  well - I hand basted a big circle of it down, then stitched it in place with machine stitching and ripped it off. I also used round chalk lines with pins as guide lines. Quilted enough across surface to attach top to back.

Tried the walking foot - but teflon foot floated better. Maybe because of  very thick batting?

Making the bias strips from home dec fabric, and dealing with fussy corners actually took the most time - that thick home dec fabric is not very fun on the mitred corners.

* For washcloth bunnies I rubber band (instead of tying ribbon) and add faces with sharpie pen (instead of gluing on eyes) to attach to top. The ones in the link below have attachments that would cause choking (that link is not intended for newborn babies but has a handy folding diagram). But once the rubber band is removed and the cloth washed - it just becomes a washcloth. In addition to following link, there are a variety of youtube videos showing how to fold these bunnies origami-like.

 http://www.auntannie.com/Easter/WashclothBunny/

Summer Essentials: Pinto the Picnic Shirt Terminado! (M6076)Sleeveless Princess-Seamed Shirt

Nothing like the neighborhood Fourth of July to inspire me to finish sewing Pinto the Picnic shirt. (I've blogged about my work fitting M6076 - both for Pinto and Western Winds numerous times  ) Pinto is such a cool, comfortable - not to mention cute (!) summer essential. I'm  looking forward to wearing her when I bike to summer chorus and also when buddy Marilyn and I next meet for a cup of tea. I know I'll also reach for her just any old time I reach into the armoire, looking for something to pickup my spirits. I sure hope to create a few more of these sleeveless wonders before fall.

Princess-Seamed Aurora - On her Way (M6076)

Slowly but steadily M6076 Princess-Seamed Aurora shirt comes to life. Still primarily basted. Her sleeves feel comfortable, and boy has it been comfortable getting a sleeve pattern to fit!

Onward to real seams.

Samplers - Early Blogs

Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, Textiles: Samplers

Seems a new idea

"Look at me, I was here."

Samplers were blogs too!


Web Resources:

Exhibit Notes - "American and European Embroidered Samplers" The Met
http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2015/american-and-european-embroidered-samplers

Images of All Items in Exhibit
http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/objects?exhibitionId=74d331ac-483c-41e1-babd-7a6015db21fd

Goof! Plaids and How NOT to Match 'Em!

Hand basted the seams with fusible thread. All nicely lined up!

So back in Beginning Sewing Construction I learned about fusible thread. Apparently a great way to use it is for basting plaid pieces together to avoid fabric slipping around when you machine stitch.

You can see the stitches, because not yet fused

Thought I'd test the technique out on a sample doll's dress, as practice for upcoming plaids and tartans sewing projects.

There must be a secret to the actual fusing, because all that happened was, that when I pressed the basted seams, the thread fused onto one of the seam lines, and disappeared from the other. I would have been better off, simply basting with regular thread, before doing my machine stitching.

My lovely fusible basting thread melted into the fabric, but didn't meld the seams!

Onward and upward. This is the reason we do sample sewing!

Posted in Crafter.... http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?board=391.0

Pattern Work - Working For My Plaid - M6076 Princess Seamed - With Sleeves

Can't you just envision these pattern pieces and muslins as a red-plaid princess-seamed shirt?

In the November episode of the Enchanted by Sewing audio/pocast, I talked about sewing tartans and plaids. I also mentioned I have plans for a new red plaid, princess-seamed shirt, using M6076. As you may have noticed in my recent postings, Jasper-the-new-pooch has been sewing my slow sewing down even more. Still, I have gotten in some pattern work!

All four pattern pieces have a muslin attached. My next step is to transfer the seam lines onto the muslin, before I begin basting.

 I drew those seam lines  onto the pattern, based on the measurements I took from the sleeveless Western Winds shirt, which I created from this same pattern (altering to create a sleeved version as well as getting a good fit for me). I've really enjoyed wearing Western Winds and got quite a lot of late summer/early fall use out of that shirt - of course here in California it stays warm longer than much of the U.S.

For Western Winds, I cut back the top of the shoulder towards the neck, but I've dropped that back in place for this sleeved version. My new pattern includes lines for both sleeved and sleeveless versions. I  cut with room for either version, then use my clover wheel to lay down the armscye lines, then cut away what I don't need for the particular version I'm making. 

For more description, see my previous post- Sleeved to Sleeveless.

There's a good chance I'll be making a few more changes to the muslin, and therefore pattern, before I snip into that red plaid. I also plan to re-test the new pattern on another sleeveless version, sometime over the next few months. Tried and true patterns take a while to get just so, but they sure are worth their weight in gold.

I store in-progress muslins and pattern pieces clipped onto binder clips  hanging off cup hooks. That way they don't get wrinkles in between sewing sessions, and they all stay together.

Dogs! Good Excuse for Sewing Slow and Green (Scraps, Green Sewing)

Completing a pillow cover from dressmaking scraps is a real sewing accomplishment with the world's cutest dog around the house!

Jasper

Yes - He adopted us four weeks ago

A great save-the-worlds-dogs organization - Lou was so helpful locating the right pooch for our household https://www.facebook.com/tiramisudogrescue/

About a year and a third old

Some kind of mix - maybe Australian Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and something with a curly tail

Oh Lordy, he is the sweetest dog I've ever known!

Yes, it is like having a new child in the house

Three-four walks a day - minimum

Haven't encountered a dog he doesn't like yet

Yes, Dog Park once a week Had our first hike Had our first beach trip

Jasper doesn't like it when I sit down at the sewing machine. He says "Hey, a walk would be better than that!" 

And so we do.

Ench By Sew-37: Savage Beauty of Alexander McQueen (Halloween Style)

 

 October is a month when many of us in the Western Hemisphere get in touch with our own emotions and comfort dealing with

mortality. Folks in my neck of the woods celebrate Dia de Los Muertos – Day of the Dead. Dia de Los Muertos is a day for celebrating ritual death tradition- engaging in crafts, creating and eating special foods, and putting out images – colorful, beautiful, and also macabre – that may touch on a connection with departed family members.

Listen directly to this audio/podcast on the web by clicking on this link OR.... to download the show from iTunes Click on this link to iTunes  , 

In our neighborhood we put out beautiful pumpkins, scary dancing skeletons and bright lights. Then we celebrate our connection to another world, by welcoming in the trick or treaters- be they costumed beautifully, colorfully, or gruesomely - by handing out free Halloween candy.

Fashion designer Alexander McQueen focused on designing beautifully romantic, avent garde fashion. He also had a strong interest in the macabre. His masters fashion exhibit “Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims”, was a hint that this emerging designer was not going to be run-of-the-mill when it came to setting his artistic tone. Other chilling exhibits followed. “Highland Rape” and “The Widows of Culloden” , among others, carried McQueen’s historically inspired fashion artistry farther into the dark side of the human soul.

Morose? Yes – often- but his work was also drop dead gorgeous. Many of McQueens materials, embellishments design lines, colors, technology and elements inspire my arty-romantic sewing nature, even as I am frightened by other aspects of his work.

As you accompany me in the show, I’ll share the beautiful, and the colorful as well as the scary.  Because that’s what this time of year is all about, where I live.

Terminado! Rose Embellished Straight Skirt - My Own Pattern Work

Man alive, I can't believe I finally finished sewing this skirt! Hey my hair isn't really this red! I was cleaning up the light in the photo and my hair color changed!

Seems like I've had the embellishment inspiration for this skirt skirt, pinned to my Sewing Inspiration board  forever. Of course, I have one or two other items on that board as well -  ok, I think over 600 garments-  and I might just not make all of them!

Basics -

1) I drafted the pattern as a straight skirt, using my sloper. Here's how I did the pattern work.

http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/04/pattern-work-parlez-vous-straight-skirt.html

2) I got together with my buddy Susan and had a lot of discussion about whether or not to put the two layers of ruffle on both front and back or just front - we agreed front only. It's a heavy embellishment.

3) I was using a slight-stretch denim from my fabric inventory. Hummmm while the no-waistband look is flattering  - that is a challenge. Don't want the waist slipping over time, especially with the heavy embellishment. So...I did two things

  a) I cut a partial lining out of heavy utility twill fabric. I both sewed it in and also tacked it down along the waistline to help the skirt hold it's shape. 
  b) Also.... I stayed the waist, by running a grosgrain (or was it a petersham?) ribbon along the inside of the waistline, tightened it so it's a touch shorter than the waist circumfernce, then sewed that in place along the waistline as well.

Hopefully that waist is not going anywhere it isn't supposed to now. We'll see over time how the fit works. I got the ribbon stay idea from my Bustier claass.

I really like the fit of this skirt

My Skirt's Rose Embellishment

4) The Embellishment took a while to work out. A lot of laying, pinning (safety pins as well as straight pins)  and hummmming went on. Good to have Susan around while I did that. I turned up the denim ruffle edges only once and used a faux-serger stitch (I don't have a serger but I have decorative stitches that mimic some of the concepts), Too much bulk for a twice turned hem on the ruffles.

The rose was just challenging. I also spent a lot of time with the original photo of the rose on the embellishment garment (*), thinking about how what percentage of the height of my skirt, that rose, and the ruffle trim,  should cover. Too big and we're talking Carmen Miranda - which is fine if that is what you going for. Also getting the folds within the rose center was tricky. If I were to recreate this skirt, I might use a mid-weight denim. I used a heavy weight here.

My Sewing Inspiration Board - https://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/0sewing-inspiration/

* Inspired By (a different style of denim skirt I was only interested in the embellishment) - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/565624034426847818/

Ench By Sew-33:Back in Town

Back in Town - A Summer State of Sewing 

Victoria and Albert had their own ideas about what made for a happy couples vacation in the U.K., Just like we do

Listening Option 1: Download from iTunes
Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes

Listening Option 2: Direct Download/Listen on the Web
 LISTEN RIGHT ON THE WEB (while sewing perhaps?)  http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/CastFINALBackInTownSummerJune2015.mp3

~ ~ ~

Hey!  If you could sew only one garment this summer season, what would it be? 

- Answer the Poll here 

- Post your thoughts below

 or

 -Email me at EnchantedBySewing@Gmail.com

~ ~ ~

After three weeks vacation in England and Scotland, I'm not yet caught up and engaged in my sewing projects. I am, however, reflecting on historical and travel sewing inspiration from my trip, putting some good hard thought into planning sewing projects, and continuing to learn about working on my sewing pattern skills, using my sloper and moulage patterns.

Quick Fashion: When it comes to a summer state of sewing sometimes I just want to zip zap up 3 tees in a tried and true pattern and never mind about careful seam finishes or hems – maybe a deconstructed neckline or too. Other times I want to focus on slow careful pattern work, practice my sewing techniques and create a garment that I expect to see me through a number of seasons.

Slow Fashion: I also like to put time into developing patterns with personally crafted fit, carefully finished seams and well-thought techniques.

Planned Sewing: Other times I need to step back from sewing and give my fabric and pattern inventory and choice of sewing projects a good solid overhaul.

This Month:
1) Field trip to England and Scotland 
(7 days London, 5 days in Lake District (2 travel/3 self-guided walking holiday, 2+ days Edinburgh)

In and amongst our activities,  I encountered textile and sewing information and inspiration.

For travel to use with audio books and in flight movies, and tired evenings, I took along hand embroidery, and practiced stitches on a piece of natural linen scrap. I took this lovely little book,
Embroidered & Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More • Step-by-Step Visual Guide along on my iPad.

                                                 

Many Wonderful Large London Museums are free: Victoria and Albert (free) (Fee for special Alexander McQueen exhibit – Savage Beauty) 

~ ~ ~

Laurel Loves London  (2013) http://enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2013/06/ench-by-sew-009-laurel-loves-london.html
A Tour of the Victoria and Albert Fashion Gallery with Laurel (2013)  http://enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2013/07/ench-by-sew-010-v-fashion-gallery-tour.html

 ~ ~ ~

Imperial War Museum (free) – Fashion on the Ration 1940s Street Style exhibit http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/fashion-on-the-ration

Museum of London (free)

The Queens Gallery (Moderate Cost - worth it) – painting paradise became scavenger hunt for pooches (get your ticket stamped for free return for a year)

Conversation Starters - Greeting friendly pooches and their people.
On our treks between museums and scenic places, we enjoyed greenery, statuary and ornamental waters, not to mention horses, dogs, people and kids, in the big parks Holland Park, Kensington Gardens,  Regents Park, St James Park.

Mid Week break for More Green with Country Feel, easy access from London
Osterly Park (free estate/park area and/or paid access
to Neoclassical Robert Adam (Regency Era Architect/Designer) historic house and formal gardens) A good mid-week break - 30 minutes from Kensington by train -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osterley_Park
Robert Adam ‘one of the most fashionable architects in Eng’ also designed furniture to match the rooms at Osterly, which they still have!

A Place Like Home - Agency we've used repeatedly to rent flats in London

Mickeldore - Self-guided walking holidays in England. They setup up the B&B, schlep your luggage and give you maps and directions. Well worth it. We have used for two or our three walking trips in the U.K. (They don't have a Cornwall trip or we would have used them for all 3!) http://www.mickledore.co.uk/

Wool  - Lake District - We stayed at Askhill Farm B&B (http://www.loweswatercam.co.uk/Askhill_Farm_Stay.htm ) There, I learned a little something about current challenges in English wool market chatting with my hosts

Tartan Weaving Mill: Edinburgh On the Royal Mile, just down from The Castle Tartans /Plaids Weaving ( http://www.royal-mile.com/interest/tartanweavingmill.html) Sure, it's primarily a gift store, but there are tidbits for the fabric savy on more than one floor. Working looms.

Jaquard Loom and other Looms are on Display - National Museum of Scotland (Wonderful Museum) Extensive Exhibit area on textiles


2) Technicos: Fitted Tee Shirt – Sloper/Moulage to Pattern, Nibbled that Tee

Damson Plumm Private Eye Tee Shirt - Creating Pattern from Moulage
http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/04/damson-plumm-private-eye-nibbled-that.html

3) Purging – Pains and Pleasures - Please post your own thoughts

Is it worth it? You tell me
http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/06/purging-fabricpatternssewing-books.html

Purging - Fabric/Patterns/Sewing Books - Worth It?

You tell me. Is it worth it?

EnchantedBySewing@gmail.com 

                        

I've been purging my wardrobe, fabric inventory, pattern collection, and book shelves (including my sewing books). Is it worth it? 
Email me and give me your opinion EnchantedBySewing@gmail.com

The Pains

1)    I have a tendency to land on a piece of fabric and feel I should come up with a creative way to  use it up, even if it’s not a garment or accessory I will get a lot of use or pleasure out of. Even more so when it takes more storage room!
2)    But I’ve hung onto this for so long, and I might use it soon!
3)    I hold onto things for sentimental reasons or associations with an occasion I made the item for
4)    I hold onto fabric I meant to make up for my daughter when she was little. She’s 25 now. And she’s not planning to have children herself in the near future!
5)    It’s really a lot of work! I’m using my sewing recreation time, and probably will be at it for a couple of months over the summer

The Pleasures

1)    More room for my fabric I want to keep,  so I can find what I want from what I already have
2)    More room for fabric I buy – even though I’m trying hard to limit buying right now!
3)    More chance to find patterns I use regularly when I get rid of those I don’t use and/or better organize my patterns
4)    Less clothes in the closet helps me find the elusive garment I want, and enjoy my successful sewing projects more
5)    Act of purging from my wardrobe, reminds me  of what I really wear, and helps me best decide where to allocate my recreational sewing time