Good morning, sewists and those who love them, and Happy Monday!
I'm not even going to tell you what time it is here. (I'm experiencing a little post-Valentines Day insomnia.)
But so be it, let's do what we always do on Mondays at MPB:
Review our goals from last week and outline new ones for the week to come.
How did you do with last week's goals? Amber: How's that high-waisted pencil skirt coming along? You, Cupcake Goddess: What's the latest on that spring coat? K-Line: Did you get the bra-makers kit, and if so, where's the bra? JuliaB: Updates on the man-corset? Robin: New Look 6912 -- wassup? Sue: Did you make a decision about your next project? Laura: How's the quilt coming along? Myra: Is the dining room clean yet?
Don't think I'm not paying attention!
As for me, I had a very productive week, sewing-wise. (Please don't ask about the rest of my life, ha ha.)
1. I made a vintage sheet shirt from an old sheet I found in the trash.
2. I stitched up a sample pair of those mens boxer shorts from an old 1945 Simplicity pattern.
3. This weekend I made Michael's Valentines Day gift, a cute little cotton knit jumpsuit. Speaking of which, I'd like to thank dmscheidt for sending me a link to this:
I knew Sean Connery and I had similar style, but this is uncanny! Thanks also to brightfeather for this photo, from around 100 years ago. Sub sole nihil novi est -- right?
4. I finally sat down with my serger and rethreaded it -- from scratch no less! -- with black thread. I cannot tell you how relieved I was that I was able to do this without a hitch. I decided to use only one needle for the time being (a 3-thread stitch), which seems to be perfect for finishing seams. I used this on my striped knit jumpsuit with excellent results. It's also a narrower seam (using just the right needle) which I prefer.
Now on to this week:
1) Today is an unofficial "Pattern Review in NYC" meet up. (For those of you who wish to join us, Greenberg and Hammer at 10 am.) I'll be there representing the male sex and if it's anything like the last PR Day in New York last fall, we'll be visiting some of the most well-stocked and costly fabric and notions stores in the Garment District. Of course, my role will be to snicker at the price tags and come up with clever lines like "Nancy, you're going to buy all THAT?" as well as to provide emotional support as sewists literally swoon before the wool crepe at Mood Fabrics. I'll buy nothing of course. After lunch, full of smug self-satisfaction at my fiscal discipline, I'll swing by my decrepit little fabric dive(s) and blow $6 bucks on 3 yards of something dusty and divine!
Meanwhile, a reader is sending me this, and excited doesn't begin to describe how I feel about getting it.
Finally I'll have something to work out in!
Readers, I bought another princess seam vintage mens shirt pattern!
I know, I know, it was wrong; I already have one; but I couldn't resist!
So there you have it: three new (to me) patterns. I'm hoping to get started on one of these this week.
3) I may make another pair of the 1945 boxer shorts with some striped cotton fabric I used to make a shirt for Michael's birthday last fall. We'll see, we'll see...
4) I still haven't drafted anything. I'll admit it: I'm intimidated by the prospect. Maybe I'll have the gumption to sit down and give it a try. Let's call that a "soft" goal.
That's it! As always, thanks a million for all your enthusiastic support and encouragement.
So what are your sewing goals the week? Don't be shy!
P.S. This weekend's giveaway contest results coming later today!
Peter, you are so sweet to include our comments in your Monday round-up. I could not decide which outfit to make, so went with a totally different one (door 6!)and downloaded a Burdastyle pattern. I have enjoyed making it but have had a sh*t of a week (nothing to do with sewing) so it may be a few more days before I blog about it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed rading about your progress this week.
PS. I vote for a stole for Cathy for the great faux fur and go you! for the great stripe matching!
I got some of the pieces pinned, but I missed my quilters meeting on Tuesday night, which demoralized me, and it was much more fun playing with my baby niece and planning out clothes for my sister's new baby than sewing together the quilt. I got so little of what I'd planned to do done last week that I have the exact same goals for this week!
ReplyDeleteI prefer a 3-thread stitch on the serger too. In fact, I've pretty much decided I'm never going to bother with 4 threads. It just looks way too bulky to me. I also prefer to use the serger only for finishing seams rather than stitching them, even for knits.
ReplyDeleteOoh, your patterns coming are so fun!! This week I have to start my Easter sewing, or it will be for Easter 2011 - and my kids will probably be bigger then... Can't wait to see what you churn out this week!!
ReplyDeletePeter, I just realized--your new-to-you jumpsuit pattern has *gasp* princess seams!
ReplyDeleteMy agenda for the week--finish sewing together the quilt top, prepare the backing and cut out my cousin's baby quilt, for which I procured the materials last week. I'd also like to cut out at least one of the layette sets I'm making and transfer the embroidery patterns and the pleating lines so that I can employ my never-fail method for tucks and pleats for the knife pleating at the shoulders of the little dresses. Ambitious, no? If I manage to get all of that done, I need to make a trip to Micheals for various widths of white ribbon and a trip to Joanns for some white glass buttons and white cotton broadcloth.
Rather than send my pregnant sister the heirloom christening gown and risk having it ruined, I volunteered to make a new one. I just ordered most of what I need last week after spending a lot of time feeling sick at the price of swiss cotton batiste ($26 a yard) before finding some more affordable but still waaaay too high pima cotton batiste ($8 a yard). I'm still not sure what the difference is!
And Peter, I envy you. Where I live, Wal-Mart (which now has a very limited selection), Joanns, and Hobby Lobby are the only choices for places to buy fabric. And I've never found any lying in the street. Best I've done is buy an elderly woman's entire stash for $10. And a good deal of that was hideously ugly!
My sewing goals this week? Leather. This is a biggie for me (since I am a total accessories nut and have a thing for clutches that are not 3x4 inches). I got Hot Patterns foldover clutch pattern and one of fabricmart's "2 pounds of leather" specials. The vast majority of it is black (how useful!), so that is what I will be making. All I need is to get to JoAnn's for leather machine needles and a bottle of rubber cement (I think I'm going to need that for the seams). I might also get some thick felt at Joann's as a dry run before I try to make this in leather, too.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I'm gonna do when I get to the office this week (assuming we're open for business at some point, being in the Washington DC area) is to print out one of those gorgeous photos of you in your fabulous retro boxer shorts! It's going up on my sewing wall . . . a terrific photograph that will bring a smile to my face whenever I look at it! As for my sewing goals, today I plan to start sewing McCalls 5805; I've cut it out already, using some truly amazing textured floral chiffon with appliqued 1/4" bias trim sewn in loops all over the fabric (should be a REAL challenge to work with). This weekend, I plan to start sewing Vogue 1129, a Donna Karan knee-length jacket with a wrap collar, using some of the Vera Wang cobalt blue boucle that was on sale several weeks ago. Both of these projects are going to be time consuming and rather detail oriented, so I'm expecting that it will take some time to finish both!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, Michael's jumpsuit is just fab . . . I want one, too!!!!
How fun! Well, my sewing goals for last week were to:
ReplyDelete* Finish my maternity sleep set for the PR lingerie contest, which is my first PR contest and first time making lingerie... (DONE! ... I finished sewing at 11:00 p.m., took photos of myself at 11:10, posted the review at 11:55, and barely made the 11:59 deadline... whew!)
* Finish my unfinished items (sorta done--I applied snaps to my Basquiat baby onesie, but didn't stencil the whale on the other onesie I made last month)
* Make a muslin for my first Burda magazine pattern (DONE! but I'm having some neckline issues)
My goals for this week:
* Make a muslin for this vintage 1978 maternity dress pattern and maybe this 1951 number as well.
* Make a test bra for the Pinup Girls Classic Bra (a real serious architecture 34G underwire thing, not like the bra I did for the lingerie contest)... I received all my supplies from Bra-Makers Supply last week and started cutting.
* Learn to do a proper non-ripply twin needle hem on knits.
* And then finish the final striped version of the Burda top pattern.
.... ok, that's probably all overambitious, since I also need to clean my apartment. Hmmm...
P.S. Another goal for this week--attend my first PR meetup--which I will be doing in a few hours!
ReplyDeleteThis week I'm hoping to finish the Sencha blouse from Colette Patterns - almost done, I just need to work out how to take it in at the bust as at the moment there's enough room in there to store my weekly grocery shopping. I'm also going to clear the kitchen table and open *my first vintage patterns*, with the aim of demystifying the markings and instructions before I think about starting on one of them. Ooh and choose some suitable fabric - hurrah!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! You are tremendously productive. I am completely freaked out by pattern drafting, btw. I figure, figuring it out is what the rest of my life is for :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking about the bras! The kit arrived on Friday and I've been working (slowly) on making my first bra. I'm on step 9 of a zillion. But it's taken about 6 hours of reading and sewing to get there. Today's a holiday in TO and I'm really going to try to finish it. The first iteration is apparently, always a total crap shoot (according to other sewists whom I've spoken with who have experience). Sizing is rather tricky till you've made one and you have some idea of it all goes together on you.
I'll keep you posted!
Oh, and I forgot to say I did make a dress on Saturday (the fabric was cut last weekend) and it worked out really well. And my Built By Wendy frock dress delivered in under 12 hours, if book store emails are anything to go on. On a holiday Monday?! I ordered this weeks ago and I'm so excited to check it out.
ReplyDeleteHa, I bought a princess seamed men's shirt pattern last week after seeing how yours turned out! It hasn't arrived yet but I'm looking forward to going over it (although I doubt it will join the sewing line-up any time soon).
ReplyDeleteI hope, HOPE, you are making the new jumpsuit in terry. Preferably a nice blue like 007s!
My sewing goals this week? Mostly, to finish off a handful of projects that are hanging around the dining room; if that gets done to knock out a few more long-sleeved shirts for layering (a pattern I drafted off an old shirt of mine, test #3 fit perfectly!); and if that gets done, time to tackle the dreading fitting shell I have been avoiding.
Have fun today! Maybe I'll make the next one!
Hey Peter, while you're at Mood, do me a favor? Corner somebody who knows stuff and ask them what the heck the difference is between Swiss batiste and Pima batiste.... besides $18 a yard.
ReplyDeleteI figure that somebody there might know, because nobody can tell me why Swiss is so much more expensive! I mean, it's just a fine, light 100% cotton weave!
Hey, Peter,
ReplyDeleteThis week is my week to make quilt bindings and to actually get a quilt on my frame.
Great patterns and pictures! Definitely a ringer for Sean Connery. Sorry I'm not joining you this morning, but life intercedes. Hope you all have great fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's always good for me to see my goals out there in black and white! So... I'm going to finish my first vintage pattern. A knit dress from a 1960s vintage vogue. Should be finished today even, and then I'll do my first ever pattern review. Excited about that.
ReplyDeleteThen back to the 21st century for a brand new butterick pattern for a dress in fuschia and white pique. I'm SO over winter.
Finally, must make some more clutches for my etsy shop and finish a custom order that has dragged on since November. Gotta love those decisive brides!
Does Goals Day simply include lying in bed, staring balefully out at the snow and making lists of things to do because it's too cold to go into the sewing room? I know I'm whiny but i live in the SOUTH, it's not supposed to be 25 degrees.
ReplyDeleteUm, let's see, goals, well:
1. cut and sew long sleeved cowl neck top on serger (as a lesson in learning to sew knits).
2. finish denim skirt that has been cut out
3. cut out pattern for black pencil skirt (and maybe sew too)
4. pick seams out of giant but fantastic jacket and attempt to make pencil skirt out of it.
5. finish hand work on seven mostly done little girl's dresses.
6. sew at least 4 pairs of little boys pants
7. Make box cornered shaving kit for boyfriend.
8. Eat, drink, sleep, bathe and go to work and try and have a normal life.
And I've been told my to do list aren't realistic. Phffft.
The pattern is on its way, mailed out on Saturday! I never thought about a jumpsuit a la Jack L. That's going to be sweet!
ReplyDeleteI should set some sewing goals. How about putting in at least 2 hours practicing free-motion quilting? I'm learning, so it's sure to be crappy and amateurish, but fun.
And maybe find a blouse pattern for Dolly, my currently nude mannequin, preferably something old. I'm not saying I'll get it cut or sewn though. Baby steps...
Please don't be intimidated by pattern drafting, you seem the be the type of sewer who will have a great deal of fun with it once you get going. Imagine seeing a picture of something you like and being able to make it without having to find a pattern to buy first!
ReplyDeleteI recommend the books by Winifred Aldritch. I make most of my baby son's clothes from the babies and children's book and she has a men's book as well as a couple of books of women's clothing.
March 2 is "Go Western Day" at my work, and I am working on a "Dale Evans Jacket" with fringe, tall cuffs, and concha buttons. I'm entering it in the PR UFO contest. So this weekend, I need to get the sleeves and collar done. Then I have another UFO I should get out and look it. -- San Antonio Sue
ReplyDeleteOk, the eating dining room (breakfast) is clean, not the sewing (formal) dining room and will never be as long as I use it to sew in. But, I did get some things rearranged. I guess that's progress. Also, you should be getting the pattern, went out either Thursday or Friday, can't remember. Also got a bunch of 70-ish mens patterns, slacks and shirts, so I will let you know. I also had to work on a cake today for the nursing home birthdays tomorrow. Not finished yet with the decorating, but getting there. I will get it all done, at one point in my life, there's always tomorrow. This week, I have the cake tomorrow, 2 etsy orders, and start on Easter dresses for the girls. It will take every available moment over the next six weeks. :)
ReplyDeletePeter,
ReplyDeleteI'm new to your blog, and gotta say, I love it, love it, love it!! I may not contribute much but I'll be a faithful reader!
Wow! Thanks for the updates as well as the new goals, everybody. Very exciting week in store!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Carolanne. Read away but say hi once in a while too!
ReplyDeleteMy sewing goal for the week...working on the muslin for my Chanel jacket. Sewed it up this weekend and am in the process of fitting it now. Kind of difficult to do on your own but with the help of my trusty digital camera I seem to be making out fine. I hope to have an adjusted pattern and new made up muslin by the end of the week so that I can start working with the fashion fabric over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to where I am at in this project on the "Go Chanel or Go Home" blog.
http://chaneljacket.blogspot.com/2010/02/enthusiasm-and-my-lack-there-of.html
My goal...to finally FINALLY finish the pair of vintage pants I am making for a fellow swing dancing friend that have been cut out for MONTHS but have seen nary a stitch made upon them.
ReplyDeleteAnd if I get really crazy, perhaps even start one of the new Colette's patterns that the mailman worked so hard to bring me through 3 feet of snow here in DC. But only if the crazy sets in.
NL 6912 - I have it done except for the hems. I'm not crazy about it though - I went for a stretch cotton twill instead of the lighter weight fabrics recommended, and the gathering at the shoulders isn't working out so hot. Here's a link to a pic:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/yarncrawl/4362447372/sizes/m/. I'm thinking I'm making it again in a silk or rayon.
Are you just a sweetheart?! Funny you should ask about the pencil skirt - finished the hem last night and I'm wearing it in the office today, styled in a bit of a 60's vintage way. I love it. :)
ReplyDeleteNot much sewing for me this week as we're off to Sin City Thursday night. Woot!
I fully support the newly acquired princess seam shirt. [Says the girl that owns more similar skirt patterns than she can count.] I also vote that you start a jumpsuit this week - either for you or Cathy, I'm not picky.
Just found your blog and I really Love it. That jumpsuit.. well.. looks very comfy *grin*
ReplyDeleteI should be working on my coat this week. I want to be working on my coat this week. I really would like to finish my coat this week, but I guess that would be overly ambitious. I mean, I have been working on this silly coat for months now. First I thought it would be a perfect coat for fall. Then I thought: "well, maybe it's suitable for the holidays". Now I think it will be a wonderful spring coat. And I decided, to protect myself from procrastinating even more, that it is absolutely NOT a summer coat :-)