Jasmine is my New Favorite

Even though I have not purchased any fabric in over four years (and not suffered one bit, that's how much fabric there is around here), I never stopped collecting patterns. Patterns are the crack cocaine of sewing, incredibly addictive, and each new batch leaves you wanting more, more , MORE! Not that I have a problem with that. Patterns are small. I temporarily stopped my so far fruitless search for Simplicity 3536(but now I have two completely clean closets!)
to unwrap my new Colette Patterns, and immediately decided to make the Jasmine Blouse. So pretty! So feminine! No buttons or zippers- a big plus in my book. Although I've been making buttonholes since I was ten, I hate sewing on buttons and this is a perfect chance to avoid them.
As mentioned yesterday, when I cleaned out my office closet and previous fabric storage location, I found fabrics that some unknown person had snuck into my house. Luckily this unknown person has exactly my taste, so I could make the Jasmine Blouse out of blue charmeuse or cream silk jacquard. Or possibly both.
The new Peony Dress is a very ladylike kind of dress as my mother would say, and it would make a perfect LBD, and the Clover Pants are VERY Audrey. Audrey and I look nothing alike, but we can't let little things like that get in the way.(I'm more like Elizabeth Taylor, and very few people would say that she was a fashion icon...in a good way. She had her own style, though. She didn't give a damn about what you thought of her, and that's a style worth emulating.)
I know what I'm making next -what's on your cutting table for Fall?

Overheard

Overheard last week at Hancock's, where I had gone to buy patterns while they were on sale:
"How much do you want of this?" asked the cutting lady, about a pretty red silky print
"One and 7/8 yard" replied the customer.

I raised my eyebrows and whispered to Mr. Hunting Creek that I had never bought 7/8ths of anything my whole life! He agreed that that was silly - why not just round up and get 2 yards? "Who calls for 7/8s of a yard?" he asked.
The back of the pattern envelope, I told him. And those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. You might need more or less.

They didn't have Simplicity 3536 (a vain hope!)- so of course I bought ten other patterns to make up for that. This is the same kind of thinking that leads to extra fabric buying...just in case.

Fire-Breathing Sewing

We all have our weaknesses. There are certain descriptive words that draw me in and snag me: Italian silk, for example, or Japanese cotton, or Dragon Pattern. I have a weakness for small, realistic-looking (if you can use that word about a dragon) patterns for animals. Like all addictions, it starts when you're young. I remember making stuffed turtles, whales and dinosaurs for my baby brother (He is now in his 30's). I made them for my high school classmates. Even though my co-workers tease me about being pragmatic and practical, they don't know that my evil dark secret is that I like making teeny stuffed animals. I like to make them small and not too precious-looking (not that there's anything wrong with that). The quirkier the better.
I have two of these dragon patterns, if that's your weakness too. I know other people collect Issey Miyake patterns, or doll patterns, or YSL. I'd love to pretend to be to be so chic, but that would be a lie. It's little wild animals for me. What's your pattern weakness?

Spring Projects (I hate Winter)

Let's be clear about Winter. I am through with it. I am working on Spring Projects and not going outside until everything thaws. That's my goal.
I am working on the following projects:
A brooch for my jackets and hat brim, using the zipper trim packet
just for fun. I am also completing a pair of blue linen capris and planning some blue tops to go with them, because I like to make coordinates. But almost everything I have goes with everything else anyway, because I stick with the same colors.
It makes life easier.
I am thinking of buying the following pattern for spring:



Hey McCalls, Vogue, Butterick, and Simplicity, I have a question. Why aren't all of your patterns available in ABCD and DD cup sizes? Why don't you make all of the patterns available in all of the sizes? Why are some only available up to size 18, and others up to 26? As Cindy-Lou Who said, Why? If you can make size 16, you can make 18 and 20 and 22. If you can make size 8, you can do 6. I can alter my patterns to make them larger or smaller, but I am over 50 and have been sewing since I was a child. Don't you want to make sewing easier and more fun to attract younger sewists?
I think you do. So take my advice. Make every pattern available with all of the cup sizes and make every pattern available in all of the sizes.
I am only buying patterns that have them from now on, as a protest.
Sincerely, Mrs. Hunting Creek

Sewing Wish List

Now that I think I've gotten my sewing mojo back (it took a long hiatus there, because I was sick)I've started to think about my next projects.
I've been seeing lots of cute tshirts with fabric flowers on them. That looks easy and fun to do.
I'm not sure about the Three Graces T shirt.(But it is calling my name. It is so pretty!) I'm wondering if it would look good on a person who is large busted? There's a whole lot of fabric there.
I'd also like to make a lace blouse. And a fly front skirt. Also some silk pajamas out of the new HotPatterns Pajama Pattern.
What are you sewing for spring?

Since I can't go out...

Since I can't go out in the heat (MS sufferers can't take the heat; if it weren't true it would be an excellent excuse to crank up the air, but it is in fact, true) I might as well post some new patterns. I've put up 12 new McCalls and Butterick Vintage patterns with more to follow. Halloween decorations, costumes, classic dresses, tops, Home dec and more. Just go to what's new on the website and enjoy.

New Patterns on Website

I'm way behind in adding patterns to the website, but I set aside a couple hours early this morning to at least reduce the backlog.
For my sewing friends, we have new old or out of print Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick and Vogue Patterns added.

For My quilting friends we added a new line from art quilter Laura Wasilowski.
These cute quilts are fun and easy to make and a good project for the beginning art quilter.









I also added a new batch of Cutting Line Designs Patterns from Louise Cutting.
Louise is well known for her excellent articles in Threads Magazine and her great directions.







But that's enough work for a three day weekend! I'm off to the grocery store to get supplies for our Memorial Day BBQ Bash down by the pool! Yes, the pool is open and ready for sunning, picnics, and swimming! We're planning for Sunday Brunches by the pool, Workday evenings by the pool, lunch at the pool...
May summer last a thousand years!
I hope you have a fun weekend planned.
Happy Barbecueing!

Spring Fever

Today is deceptively sunny but not warm. I whine that I am tired of winter. "I am only sewing warm weather things from now on". Mr. Hunting Creek says, "Why don't you get some new patterns? It will cheer you up." Is he just being nice? no...he even offered to drive. So off we went. Here's what we are sewing for Spring:
Butterick 5327 What an unusual T shirt. I have lots of knits in the stash that would be perfect for both views B and C.
Also making a new tshirt is an excellent way to restore sewing mojo. Mine has been dormant since I finished the birthday shirt. I love the gathered neckline and ruffled sleeve and I love the tucks. I'm a sucker for tucks on anything. This is odd actually, because I get so cranky making them. But the pattern buying me is not very considerate of the sewing me. The pattern buying me also loves ruffles, for instance Butterick 5320 Now don't go getting all reasonable and saying, "But Mrs. Hunting Creek, aren't you afraid of looking bridesmaid-y?".

Yes I am, that's why I will carefully select not bridesmaid fabric. Something sinister, to conteract the ruffles. "What's sinister fabric?" Mr. Hunting Creek asks. He enjoys participating in wardrobe planning. (He and our son are quite dictatorial actually. Sometimes they interpose a veto on certain fabrics and patterns.)

Fabrics like this one and this one from Gorgeous Fabrics are perfect to counteract the bridesmaid tendencies.
Then since I have "saved money" by making a dress, accoring to the Law of Compensatory Cashflow, I have money Left Over for cool shoes. Our son says, "Is there such a thing as leftover money?". I carefully explain the Law of Compensatory Cashflow. Say I need to buy a dress to wear to a wedding. At Nordstrom, the dresses that I like that are Perfect are between $300-798. Sewing my own dress might cost as much as $40-80 if I used silk, or maybe as little as $35 if I used a knit. That would mean that according to the Law of Compensatory Cashflow, I have as much as $758 left to spend on shoes. "I don't understand how you have $758 'left over' ", he says. "You would never spend $800 on a dress ever. You always make them." "This is because you are not a future Nobel Prize winning economist, like your mother." I say. "It is great minds like mine that will get us out of this recession."
What are your great ideas to get us out of this recession? I am doing my part; I bought 10 new patterns this morning(not all for me; I am so selfless) and some rick rack for Best Sister Ever, plus thread and interfacing.
My birthday is in a couple weeks, and for a present to myself I will break my yearlong fabric fast and get something for my birthday. I like to make something every birthday as a treat. That will help end the recession.
Everyone must do their part to end this malaise, both financial and emotional. We can start by making cheerful clothes. What are you planning to make for spring?
Happy Sewing!

A Lesson from 1965

My Dad sent me some cool old patterns in the mail. He knows that I love old patterns. (Thanks, Dad!) I especially love the instructions. Unlike current instructions, the old ones do not SKIP AROUND. I know that I am not alone here in really disliking the current instruction sheets that skip around all over the place for each view. Do the pattern companies realize how much this discourages beginners? And makes old cranky experienced sewists like myself even crankier? If you're reading this, Simplicity, take a look at your archives from 1965. Sometimes the old ways are better.

Exhibit A: instruction sheet from Simplicity 6371 copyright 1965

Look how it calmly instructs, "Follow your progress from start to finish, put a check in the box after finishing each step."
1. Select the pattern pieces for the view you are making
2. PRESS the pattern pieces
3. Compare your body measurements with those on the back of the envelope.
(I don't mean to quibble here, but really, shouldn't THIS really be STEP ONE?)
CAUTION: Do not measure pattern tissue, for in addition to body measurements, ease is allowed in the pattern for garment style and comfortable wearing.
(I feel like such a renegade, because I always measure the tissue. Sometimes when I haven't,I have been unpleasantly surprised.)

4. if alterations are necessary, they should be made in the pattern before placing on fabric.
This is always good advice. And they go on with every tiny little step, including a zipper tutorial.
This dress could be worn as-is today. I especially like the yoke detail on view 2. I might steal that idea.
The pattern pieces have more detail too. In addition to seam lines, they also instruct which direction to sew the seams. I always do my own thing this way, depending on the fabric, but I can't recall seeing this direction on a recent pattern. Studying old patterns helps me to visualize different methods of constructing garments, and I can contrast older methods with current ones. Mr. Hunting Creek teases me because I read instruction sheets in bed, but what better way to see how things were done? Sometimes I actually learn something new.
Happy sewing!

p.s. Little Hunting Creek is having a sale, free shipping on patterns and fabric packs when you buy three or more. Mix and match!

New Retro Vogue Designer Patterns and Soup

Today while we are adding new products to the website [ some yummy Vogue Designer Patterns from the 1970's http://www.thelittlehuntingcreekcompany.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=130] we are also making soup. As I mentioned before, Real Soup does not come out of a can. During the week, whenever we have steak or roast chicken, or cut up a chicken for grilling and other reaons, I always save the bones. I save steak bones from grilled steak, prime rib bones, roast chicken and turkey carcasses, chicken wing tips, necks, gizzards etc. I save them in zip lock freeze bags and when I have a bag full, I dump them all in a stock pot to make stock. Stock is the foundation of soup and just a fancy chef word for broth. The Global Canned Soup Conspiracy would have you believe that soup is complicated and costly to make, but this is false. Soup is practically FREE to make, because I consider saving bones and carcasses and necks to be using what most people throw out. Anyway, don't tell those nervous nellies on Top Chef, but I dump all the bones in a stock pot or dutch oven, turn the heat on low and go about my business. There is no need to add carrots or onions or three cloves or eye of newt or whatever those fancy stock recipes tell you. No salt either. I come in and check every 30 minutes or so to make sure it isn't boiling [ what we want is a slow simmer] and with no help from me it turns into stock. Then I turn it off, strain it into a clean container, cool it down by placing that container in an ice water bath and then when it's cooled down, place in the fridge. [I don't like to put hot soup in a cold fridge. Bad for the soup, bad for the fridge] I leave the fat on top because it is easier to remove when it solidifies. Now all that's left is deciding which of the thousands of kinds of soup should I make? That's the only hard part.

Don't forget to check out those Vogue and other Patterns - buy three or more and we'll pay for the shipping! Use coupon code 3patterns http://www.thelittlehuntingcreekcompany.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=130

Happy Sewing!