Hats off to Vogue Pattern of the Week

Each week, BMV features a pattern of the week.  Subscribers can purchase the pattern of the week at a hugely discounted price.  This week's feature pattern is Vogue 8681 - Patricia Underwood patchwork hats.   I like hats, but never tried to sew one.   So, this looks like a perfect opportunity.  What I like about this hat pattern is that you could use one solid colour for a simple hat or you could add some "funkiness" and make it with a mix of colours and/or textures.   You could go with new fabric, remnants or you could refashion some old clothing into a hat.  Perhaps you have a small amount of some great vintage fabric that needs a project; this could be your pattern.   I placed my order today, I can hardly wait until it arrives.

Treadle Sewing Machine

A few weeks ago, we went out on a day trip to a saskatoon farm to go berry picking.   We picked up my mother in law and we were parked by a house that was undergoing renovations.  Dumped in the yard in a pile of debris I saw the remains of a Singer treadle sewing machine.  I commented on how sad it was to see the remants of what was once a beatiful machine.   My mother in law then asked me if I wanted a Singer Treadle Sewing Machine.  She then makes a phone call to her sister, and a few hours later I become the proud owner of my first treadle sewing machine.   It originally belonged to my husband's grandmother.

I still have a lot to learn about the workings of a treadle machine, but I've began to do a bit of research.  With the help of the Singer Serial Number webpage I was able to find out that this machine was manufacture in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada in 1948. 



I'm so happy to take this lovely machine out of storage and give it a home.

Sewing Blogs

Who needs a sewing class when there are so many great bloggers out there posting tutorials.   Recently, I discovered this tutuorial for an Anthropologie inspired ruffle skirt.  Amber at Ruffles and Roses has so many great tutorials on her blog.  Take a look at her Tank Dress Tutorial.   And be sure to checkout her recent post which includes a giveaway.  Thank you Amber for sharing your creativity with us.

Fast and Easy

I'm currently training for a marathon, and as the distances in my training plan increase the less time I have for sewing.  Instead of putting my sewing projects on the back burner, I decided that I'd work on a fast and easy project. I  was inspired by the Life is Good Women's Lounge Pants,   My version was made with Butterick 5153 and instead of  full length I opted for a 3/4 cropped length.  The pattern is very quick to sew.  My first pair is finished and I'll be making a second pair in pink button print,

Refashioning

Once again,  I am amazed at the creativity of my fellow sewing enthusiasts out in blog land.  Today,  The Selfish Seamstress blogged about her recent project, a chic hat she made from a pair of plaid pants Follow this link to see this amazing project.   I love how she lined it with multicolour pieces, of lining; this brings back memories of my mom's big box of fabric scraps.    While surfing I also came across a blogger, Sharon, who wrote a tutorial on refashioning a mens dress shirt into a camisole.  Inspired by Anthropologie but not willing to pay the Anthropologie price tag, Sharon offers us a great way to get great style and recycle at the same time.  And then there's Angie, at Sew I Thought who took a potato sack of a dress and used it to create a fabulous skirt Check out this skirt.  Angie also did a refashion of a way to big 80's suit into a sundress.  Although she wasn't happy with the fit of the end product, I think it's an amazing refashion.  Have a look at the before and after shots.  And at the blog Bytes and Bobbins you'll find a refashion of a skirt into a dress Yes, a skirt refashioned into a dress. Usually, it's the other way around.   Oh and I just adore the peasant top that was recently posted on the blog My Gramma Said. The blog post has a complete tutorial.

Wow! With all these creative ideas I'm so happy I sew. 
Christiana

Finding the perfect fabric...

Ever have one of those projects where you know exactly what kind of fabric you want and you can't find it?  A while back I blogged about the asymmetrical top in the June 2010 issue of Burda Style.  You can see the original post here.   This weekend I decided that I'd head out to get some plain t-shirt knit to make this top in a basic black or navy to go with jeans or capri pants.   There are three fabric stores within a 1/2 hour drive of my home, 2 Fabriclands and a local store called Fabric Depot.   First stop, Fabric depot...closed for holidays.   Fabricland, both stores left me empty handed.   Well, not really only empty handed in terms of getting the fabric I needed for the asymmetrical top.   Patterns were on sale so I did scoop up some new ones for my collection...not that I needed any.  

Butterick 5498, tunic length open front jackets with raglan sleeves

Butterick 5493, collection of tunics with embellished fronts

McCalls 5989, robe, nighties and pyjama sets

McCalls 5941, pantsuit with a kimono inspired jacket by Palmer/Pletsch

The asymmetrical top project is on hold until I find the right fabric.  In the meantime, I'll head to the sewing room and work on projects that have a matching set...fabric and pattern.

Christiana

Busy times...no sewing

Ever have one of those time periods where you spend alot of time on sewing related tasks but you never actually do any sewing. For the past two weeks I've been reading sewing books, perusing the latest issues of Vogue Patterns and Burda Style and checking out everyone else's projects on various sewing blogs. Getting lots of inspiration, but not alot of sewing going on.

I am particularly inspired by a number of bloggers who are into vintage sewing. It's amazing to see patterns of the past adapted to today's looks. http://25dollarvintage.blogspot.com/ is one of the bloggers I've stumbled across. I love how she creates retro garments, all for less than $25.00. At the Pins and Needles blog http://scpbanks.blogspot.com/ I oohed and aahed at the great vintage shirt project http://scpbanks.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20Vintage%20Shirt%20Project. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of talent there is out here in blog land.

Another contributing factor to my lack of sewing has been the fact that I haven't been home much. After getting back from Spain, we had a few days at home and then we headed out to British Columbia for a family reunion. For me it wasn't really a "reunion" as there were a number of cousins that I met for the first time (that is if you don't count meeting via Facebook). We had a great time and even had the opportunity to climb the family mountain...you know you've married a hillbilly when the family has their own mountain. After that we headed out to St John's Newfoundland, and then back to Alberta where we spent some time hiking in Banff.

The coming weeks look equally busy. Mid August I'm walking the Reykjavik Marathon in Iceland and I'm also headed to Toronto for a business trip at the end of July. I hear there's some great fabric stores in the garment district of Toronto. If anyone in blog land has any recommendations, let me know.

Happy Sewing!!
Christiana