Just Sew It

It’s very frustrating trying to upgrade my skills with the lack of classes available. I think I will have to take some classes online through Patternreview.com and other sources.

But I am going to register myself in a few classes offered by a local dealer. They are the only people in town that offer classes other than quilting.

So, I’m going to register for:

An “evening special” on quilting Cost $10
Machine quilting for beginners Cost $65
Interfacing and Pressing Techniques Cost $24

If the last one is cancelled I am going to register for the online interfacing class offered by Pattern Review. There are some other sources that I’ll check out too. Also, some of the courses are offered during the weekday and I operate my day home so that limits me too.

I wish people would sew other than just quilting. It really is very rewarding and relaxing. When people find out I sew they automatically ask if I do alterations or home dec. NOT! I absolutely hate alterations. I once seriously considered becoming a seamstress. After the first unofficial job I did for a neighbour, I quickly changed my mind. Too much of a hassle. Once I started sewing for someone else and for money, I hated it. I much prefer sewing for fun. Whether it’s for myself or a gift for someone. People also expect your workmanship for peanuts. Albertans do not appreciate custom work and are not willing to pay for it. So forgeed aboud eet.

I didn’t get the chance to cut my jean jacket pattern out this weekend. So that’ll be my project during the week sometime.

Before I getting started on the collar, let me tell you about my eventful day.

My dd and I got a haircut but during her haircut she got sick and had to run to the bathroom. Nothing worse than having to hug a public bathroom toliet. Gross! She made it through my haircut and then we went straight home. She recovered after a few hours so it was the cereal she ate. Brand new box of cereal. The milk is not bad. Weird.

I went to Walmart (have I told you how much I hate Walmart?) to pick up cleaning supplies and headed over to their sewing department. I have to say that they have more sewing supplies than Fabricland has. There are more upscale fabric stores on the south side of the city but since dd was sick I didn’t go. Anyways, back to Walmart. I found some buttons for my jean jacket.

Fabricland had diddly squat so I was happy. On my way out, I noticed a tent set up on a grassy boulevard. They let people camp there? Many times I will see R.V.’s parked. I’m surprised they allow that. Am I boring you? Sorry, now on to the collar.

I stitched the rick-rack to the upper collar just so it would not shift while sewing the upper and lower collar together.

I then stitched both the upper and lower piece together and then basted the lower edge together.

Once finished I pinned the collar on the right side of the jacket and stitched.

I attached the back facing to the front facing of the jacket. It’s not the greatest picture but I hope it makes sense. Once the back neck facing was attached to the two front facings I stitched the facing to the collar. Then trimmed the allowances to reduce bulk.

The instructions do not tell you to do this but I stitched the jacket to the seam allowance. What is the term used again? I forget.

I then turned the front facing in and stitched about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom hem. I trimmed close to the stitching to remove bulk.

To finish the inside facing off, I used a extra-wide double bias binding that I picked up from Doormart. I could have just left it or serged the edge but I thought it would nicer.

I also made her a hat too. The hat was very easy and quick to make.

My next post will be the buttonholes. I have never sewn buttonholes with my Expression so I’ll have to refer to my manual and play around with it first.

On another note, I have renamed my sewing machine, “Precious”. If you have watched the Lord of the Ring movies, you’ll know what I am talking about.

Personalized Placemats

These unique placemats feature “food fabrics” and are embellished with names—make one for every member of the family!

Yardage Needed

To make 4 placemats you need four different “A” fabrics and four different “B” fabrics. The same “C” fabric is used for all four placemats. Samples were made using RJR Fabrics: Kyles Marketplace and Handsprays.

Important Note: These project instructions are specific to a Bernina machine; however, the project can be adapted for use on other machines.
For Four Placemats

* Fabric A—¼ yard each (need 4 – total of 1 yard) solid or tone-on-tone
* Fabric B—½ yard each (need 4 – total of 2 yards) veggie prints
* Fabric C—about ½ yard each (2 yards total) of contrasting (black is shown) fabric for piping, binding and backing
* Batting—1 Craft size package of Warm & Natural® batting (34” x 45”)
* Cording—18” each of 1 or 2 mm (2 yards total); preshink before using

Note from Nancy

By changing the veggie print you can make holiday or seasonal placemats. You could also use “orphan” blocks that you have in your UFO collection. For example, strip piece a log cabin square from leftover fabrics… let your imagination help you get creative in personalizing your placemat project.
Bernina Stitch Regulator Other Supplies

* Brytes thread by Superior Threads
* Calligraphy with Thread by Nancy Kazlauckas
* Piping Foot (BERNINA Foot: Bulky Overlock Foot #12/12C)
* Your favorite free-motion quilting foot such as Quilting Foot #29/29C
* BERNINA Stitch Regulator

For Each Placemat Cut

* Fabric A: solid or tone-on-tone 14” x 6”
* Fabric B: veggie print 14” x 15½” and 10½” x 7½” for pocket
* Fabric C: contrast for cording, binding and backing
* Piping: 1 strip – 2½” x 18”
* Binding: 2 strips – 2½” x width of fabric
* Backing: 16” x 22”
* Batting: 16” x 22”

Name Game

Letter the name on the 14” x 6” Fabric A piece using the method that appeals to you:

1) Follow step-by-step directions in the book Calligraphy with Thread by Nancy Kazlauckas to stitch the names using the free-motion thread calligraphy technique as shown on the samples.

2) Applique the names using print fabric from each placemat.

3) Machine embroider name(s) using embroidery software.
Construction

1) Make cording using a piping foot (BERNINA Foot: Bulky Overlock Foot #12/12C). Place cording in center of fabric strip and adjust the needle position to sew next to the cord. With name border right side up, place cording strip on right side of name border strip and stitch on same line of stitching cording.

2) Place the veggie print and the cording/name border right sides together. Stitch with the cording/name border strip up, and stitch 1 thread to the left of previous stitching (move needle position). Press cording toward the veggie print.

3) Layer the pieces together. Place backing wrong side up, batting on top, and placemat on top of batting; pin. Square up the placemat if needed. Attach your favorite free-motion presser foot to the machine. Lower the feed dog and quilt as desired. Note: Mininum quilting should be stitch-in-the-ditch between the name border and veggie print, outline stitching around each letter of the name and some quilting in the center of the veggie print (follow the veggie print, stitch the same veggie print in a free motion design or simply do some cross-hatching).

4) Fold the 10½” x 7½” piece in half so it is 5¼” x 7½”, press. Fold in half again with the first folded edge toward the top. This is the silverware pocket.

5) Join binding strips, fold in half wrong sides together, press and attach binding strips using your preferred method.

Repeat same procedure for each placemat. Make as many as you want for your family and friends.

It is easy to make the placemats in an assembly line fashion – this seems to go faster than making one at a time.

Source: Bernina and Sewing.org

Oy… so many patterns I want to sew. Once I’m finished my dd’s fleece jacket, I want to get a start on my jean jacket. After that I want to make a pair of pants from a Burda World of Fashion pattern that I made last year. It’s easy and quick so it won’t hinder my schedule too much.

In earlier posts I said that I was going to try quilting. I’ve decided that any quilts I make this year will be for gifts. Christmas gifts to be exact. How long does it take to make a twin sized quilt? Am I in over my head? This quilt is a fairly simple one and will be given to my parents as a lap quilt.

This winter I want to make a black skirt, black dressy pants, another Burda twist top to go with either one and a bolero type sweater.

The Skirt:

Had to delete photo as it was causing loading problems.

The Sweater:

I sewed the sleeves on and then stitched the side seams together.

Next, I went to read my instructions and quickly discovered that I had to cut a lining for the cuff. If you look at my pattern piece in the photo, you’ll see that someone at the pattern factory gave me the wrong pattern piece. The wrong piece meaning in the wrong language. So needless to say I did not know I had to cut a lining piece.

What the ?!?

After cutting I stitched the lining cuff to the outside of the cuff.

With the right side of the cuff pinned to the wrong side of the sleeve I serged (I have been using my serger all along) the two together.

Ta! Daaaa!

Notice something wrong with the cuff? The writing is upside down. Note to self: make sure writing is correct when cutting. I did make sure the collar was cut with the lettering in the right direction. Hopefully no one will notice.

Now try getting my 8 year old to try it on! She does not like getting fitted. Seems a little big in the shoulder area. I will have to make some adjustments with the collar to compensate. I hope all goes well.

I’m so fricken tired. I want to write more but just… too… tired……