Concert Black Haiku - Part 1

All About Vision

Cutting, Pinning  - Plan to Sew

Replace Concert Black

M3650 - Out of Print - Many Vendors Still Carry This Pattern Used

Tired of the black top I've been wearing to sing as a member of Stanford Symphonic Chorus, I've recently cut out a Tried-and-True Pattern. The material is some kind of heavy-silklike, man-made fabric. I bought it in New York's Garment District. When performing we all wear black. The styles are up to us.

Our next concert is early March. Nothing like a goal to get something sewn!

Nothing like using a Tried-and-True  pattern to inspire me to dream about something new, take up my shears, and get going.

Fall Fundamentals: Black Elastic Waist Twill - Cropped Pants

Yup - they already work great with a number of shirts I have.

Very quick to sew.

I used 3" wide elastic for the waistband

Sewed onto the waist area  with two lines of stitching- not run through a channel

No pockets - Saves sewing time, improves fit, decreases issues involved in setting the pockets neatly into the side seams

Why else do I not sew pockets? When I used to sew pants pockets they would develop holes in the bottom (because I put heavy things in them) - I used to lose my keys (- cell phone - money).

I used to do all kinds of reinforcing with heavier material  - but then I just kept putting the heavy stuff in and losing it.

I still like sewing pockets in shirts.

These pants fit nicely - because I made them to fit me and work on my figure. That is the pleasure of sewing my own.

They are some kind of black twill material. Yup I found it in my fabric inventory.

Out of print - Many similar can be found

Ench-By-Sew 57: Summer of Love - Denimocracy - Retro Sewing Inspiration Field Trip

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 57'th, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

Or listen directly on the web by clicking on
http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINALSummerOfLovePart1DenimocracyLaurelShimer.mp3

This month I’m taking you along on a denim-embellished sewing inspiration field trip to the San Franciso de Young Museum’s
 50’th anniversary of the Summer of Love – it’s at the de Young museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, about 4 miles away from the Polo Fields where the Summer of Love’s Human Be In was celebrated.

So just step on in to your time portal of choice and …. Let it all hang out….

- We’ll start with…Pensamientos Primeros: Hey, had you realized that this summer marks the 50’th anniversy of the Summer of Love in San Franciso? Wow – Far Out Sister!

- Entonces  Un excursion / Then a field trip - Join me for a short field trip to the Summer of Love !

- Y en Pensamientos Finales/And in Final Thoughts : A Perpetual Summer  

* * Resources * *

Summer of Love Exhibit, de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

https://deyoung.famsf.org/summer-love-art-fashion-and-rock-roll

Xilocuatla - Nahuatl

http://www.mexicantextiles.com

   

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.

Pattern Work: Altering a Patch Pocket for Sukey

I'll trim the top of the actual pocket, so those stitches won't show. How bout that little tuck? I like the 3-d effect it gives the pocket, and it makes a little more inside space as well.

I like learning to alter major aspects of patterns, but nothing beats quick and easy pattern changes.Changing a patch pocket's shape and depth is a very straightforward alteration. No fitting required! 

Altering a patch pocket is great for first timers, and easy timers too. You can play with pockets on aprons, shirts, jackets, or .... ?

Here I traced the rectangular pocket pattern.

Entonces/Then I rounded the bottom corner.

I graded the pocket out a little above the point where the rounded corner comes in, so that I could take a little 3-d tuck in the middle of the pocket.

~ ~ ~

I'm making this pocket for a shirt I call 'Sukey', in honor of the bird and berries fabric's designer.

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

Before Safety Pins there were Fibulas

I'd like to travel back and visit with the happy Greek Gal

Who fastened her peplos or chiton with this beauty

Before there were safety pins

There were fibulas

http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/clothing2.html

MOB - Hand Sewing Zipper

On the left ..... I've unzipped the  hand-sewn zipper only part way on my Mother of the Bride (MOB) skirt. You really don't see the prick stitches with this dupioni fabric. The slubs in the fabric look more like stitches than the stitches. 

I don't bother to baste when I hand sew a zipper. You catch any errors as you sew, unlike on the machine. I think I spend less time doing this task by hand than on the machine, and it looks much cleaner too.

On the right  ..... the back side of the zip. The prick stitches are much more secure than a running stitch.

~ ~ ~

How To Sew a Prick Stitch?  - You can't beat Craftsy!

  https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/10/prick-stitch/

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: Which Scissors? (Mother of the Bride)

Tried both my Stagg and Gingher Scissors for cutting out my lace over-bodice. The Stagg worked better for this gorgeous lace. The Gingher often work better on smooth cottons.

MOB Camisole Straps - How I sew them (Using String - Not Bodkin)

Find an Audio Description in the February podcast 'A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride'.

When it comes to creating a shoulder strap - bodkins work for many folks - but not for me. Plus, I always misplace them!

I use an encased-string method. I think I may have read about this in an old edition of Threads magazine.

1) Fold tube in half  (right sides together)- I use a 3" wide strip for a somewhat wide strap
2) Slip String into the fold STRING NEEDS TO HANG OUT ON EITHER END - SO CUT IT LONGER than the fashion fabric strip
3) Pin fold down
4-6) When sewing down long side of strap, make sure to catch the string at just one end of the tube. Sew several times back and forth so it can't pull through when you tug.

7 - 9) Work the fabric over the string, by pulling on the end of the string you did NOT sew down

10) Eventually you've turned the strap all the way inside out - the inside being the side you want to see

11 -12) cut off the end of the tube where you throughly sewed the string across

Then pull the other end of the string out, turn your seam so it runs up the middle in the back of the strap and press the strap flat.

EnchBySew-52: Audio/PODCAST - A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride (MOB)

\

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 52'nd, and other, episodes of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast

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

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

~ ~ ~

The camisole I talk about in this show, is Part one of my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride outfit. I'm also working on a lace over-blouse and a skirt.

In this show I'm begining to share with you, some of my experiences working on this ensemble.
All 3 garment pieces have involved  pattern creation or alteration.

Snapshot of This Month’s Show 

- Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts - short sewing history to date of my MOBride ensemble
Fabric is from fabric.com  

- Technicos/Techniques

I used the Jan Bones Lingerie Secrets book, to create the camisole pattern, based on my own measurements.

Original pattern was designed for knits. I made this garment from a woven golden dupioni fabric from fabric.com, so I cut the pattern on the bias.

I added 1 inch seam allowances to be on the safe side, since I was converting from a knit to a bias fabric.

Adding Darts....Darts and Natural Dart Placement

-Shoulder straps
         - sewing
        - placement

- Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts  - is it worth the trouble?

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.

MOB: Lessons in Lace (Mother of the Bride, Technicos/Techniques)

I have been fussing all month over the pattern work I've been doing for my Mother of the Bride (MOB) outfit. I don't even want to start fussing about where I've gotten to with it!

But I will enjoy showing some of the experiments I've made, learning to sew with the lace I'll be using for my MOB outfit.

This is sample lace I had in my inventory, not the real deal I'll be using for my MOB ensemble.

I chose stitch 22 on my machine to experiment with edging the lace.

Haven't decided yet how much I'll be stitching onto tissue paper, then peeling the paper away. It works  OK for some of the  parts, but in other cases I can't get all the paper off  - particularly once I gather the lace.

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/

Laced Up Empire - Alley Cat - More Betsey Johnson Inspiration

Since I fashioned my Alley Cat trousers from a modern pattern, I'm thinking about recreating another vintage Betsey Johnson Alley Cat style. If I use modern fabrics, it's not going to be obviously vintage. But you could recreate a vintage look if you change the material.

An empire style emerges once a peasant blouse pattern is secured below the bust line.  I like the crossover look to form a more fitted torso. Either this tunic or a dress - maybe knee length - would work for my modern stylings. A basic peasant blouse pattern (examples below) with judiciously arranged loops or rings as guides for the cord  would be my guess for recreating the sense of this. I'd cut my pattern a good bit longer because that cord is going to pull it up. I'm partial to the hairstyle in the middle too. I wore my (long thick) hair like the model in the short dress back in the 1970's ! I used little barrettes. It was not attractive! 

 Some ideas for a basic peasant blouse that could be converted into an Alley Cat.

EnchBySew-50: Tote’in for the Festive Season - Holiday Postcard

Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 50'th episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  produced in December of 2016.

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

This December I’ve put more time into sewing, than blogging about sewing. So though I’ve actually sewn five items – I’ve only blogged about two of them - so far. I’m hoping I'll find some time to post about what I’ve made, next week, because I really enjoy having a sewing journal.

I love looking back through my blog and remembering – oh that’s right Back in December of 2016 I made
* Queen Cordelia – a printed courderoy princess seamed shirt with ¾ len sleeves, fun buttons and some collar embellishment
* A pair of front-pleated denim trousers
* A  night shirt for my husband,
* A simple flannel baby blanket
* A flat bottomed tote bag

This Month’s Show is a holiday postcard, focusing on the basic technicos/techniques of sewing a flat-bottomed bag that can serve the combined purpose of being both a tote and gift bag.

Five reasons to know how to sew a tote

1 - Save money or just  be Green: I don’t know about where you live, but around here, we get chargd 10 cents for store bags -it’s really worth remembering your tote bag!

2) Be Arty as well as green and clean up your sewing resource inventory : A tote bag is a handy way to use up fabric scraps and remnents. I serves as a  vehicle for trying out favorite or new embellishment techniques like embroidery, craft button designs, beading, quilting or a collage made of scraps of  lace and trims

 3) A tote bag is a basic sewing project . It’s  a good  way to stare learning to sew, or get back into sewing . It doesn’t take very long and you can practice basic seaming and other sewing techniques.

4) Unlike garment sewing - A tote bag does not require fitting!

5) A tote bag makes a great packable and reusable gift. If you have the resources on hand - You could even decide to make one an hour or so before it’s needed!

I blogged about, a tote I made earlier this month for visitng family members as a holiday gift. That posting includes four photos intended to show basic steps of tote bag sewing.

BTW I included a pound and a half box of biscotti from a wonderful local Italian deli – Diandras in San Mateo at Crystal Springs shopping center . If they ate , or shared, all the cookies during the conference they came for, they could use the tote to carry home their dirty laundry. Back home They can use it for grocery shopping or They can pass it on to somebody else as a gift bag. The bag itself was small and light weight , so it wasn’t going to make trouble when it came to taking their bags back on the airplane.


Technicos/Techniques: How to sew a flat-bottomed tote

Photo Collage and brief summary of basic steps for sewing the tote http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/12/green-sewing-tote-bag-for-reusable.html

Green Sewing: Tote Bag for Reusable Grocery or Gift Bag

I figure it's green sewing because the fabric was a small remnant I had in my inventory for three or four years.

Pinking shears on all the edges makes for easy seam finishing.

1) After seaming side and bottom seams I cut out a 1 inch by 1 inch square from both the left and right hand corners

2) Pulled across to make a flat box corner and seamed

3)Used a decorative blanket-type stitch to add strength to the corner/box seam

4) I used this same stitching on the top edge of the bag

Wide black gros-grain ribbon (glad to find in my trim inventory) made handles. I stitched an 'X' shape to hold those in place.

The bag is all ready to hold a present of biscotti from Diandras Bakery in San Mateo. Diandra's was started by a gentleman who came over after WWII on a boat from Italy. I know that because a wonderful Italian teacher I had one summer came over on the same boat! Diandras makes great baked goods. The giftees might then use the bag as a grocery tote, a dog toy bag, a dirty clothes bag or ????

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 

EnchBySew-49: Fall Color Sewing

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Click on this link in iTunes   to download the 49'th episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  produced in November of 2016. Or listen directly on the web by clicking on this link.

~ ~ ~ This Month’s Show ~ ~ ~

Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: Impact of Color on My Sewing Choices

Technicos/Techniques: Patterning and Sewing Color

Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts:Searching for Color in San Diego County 

~ ~ ~ Web Resources ~ ~ ~

Recently I've created several postings related to the fall colors mentioned in this months 'cast,  in my Postcard from California blog http://postcardfromcalifornia.blogspot.com

My regular sewing blog  - includes postings about the princess-seamed shirt Marigold are in the Me Encanta Coser/Enchanted by Sewing blog http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com