Why Do Designers Think We want to look like Flamenco Dancers?

Vogue 9243

This new Vogue pattern will be useful in my career as a flamenco dancer, should I decide to bring more flamenco into my daily life.
I'm not alone, I hope, in my desire for the "cold shoulder"trend to GO AWAY. Women can't wear these looks to work, designer humans.Persons with any kind of bosom support needs can't wear these looks without the dreaded strapless bra, a contraption surely designed by the Marquis de Sade.

Vogue 9242

It's not that I don't have nice shoulders. I just hate wearing clothes that have to be fussed with; that I have to pay attention to, lest there be a wardrobe malfunction.

Vogue 9257

I remember making this exact top in the 80s. I wore it to a swanky engagement party,,where the parents of the bride had had the pool covered to make a dance floor. There were fairy lights everywhere, and if Pinterest and Instagram had existed then I'd have social  media'd the heck out of it.

"Look at this fancy party I'm at, a mere recently graduated college student!"
(there were no Mason jars or burlap anywhere. Those items were not yet  on the wedding planning horizon.)

It's funny how we remember exactly what we were wearing at certain times, especially if we made the clothes.
   Nowadays, if I were going to a fancy wedding,  I think I'd choose something that was elegant but more understated. Being a wheelchair user, I'd pick something that looked nice sitting down. Maybe that flamenco top would be just the thing.











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Sewing As Political Protest

"You just can't sew a Russian flag while wearing a prisoner's uniform in the middle of Moscow," the deputy chief of police explained to us when we got to the station. "Our country is not a concentration camp or ghetto, but everything has its limits. Sew at home. Are you even certified to sew a Russian flag? Are you even a qualified seamstress?"

"Actually, yes," I said. "I sewed police uniforms for two years, pants like the ones you're wearing. Comfortable, I hope?"

"The fabric is a little tight," complained the deputy. "Hot."

Pussy Riot using sewing as a form of political protest.

Are We All Still "Beginners"?

Me at 17, wearing a top and jeans I made myself

  Some of us have been sewing a long time, but still think of ourselves as beginners, or maybe just intermediate level sewists. But I've been thinking maybe we do ourselves a disservice. Sewing involves so many skills, there's no way if asked that I would call myself "advanced", yet this picture shows that at age 17 I felt confident enough to sew jeans with a fly and a waistband (pretty good fit too, if I say so myself), a fitted empire waist top with set in sleeves, and a button in back with a hand made loop. Not too shabby at 17. But I didn't know that these things were considered difficult, I just sewed the things I liked and kept learning as I went along.

In yellow crepe formal

  If you don't know something is supposed to be difficult, or you have crazy teenage confidence, you'll try new things all the time. I made several formals when I was in high school and college, and never thought twice about how they might be more difficult than just sewing a dress, because my mother said,"oh they are just longer dresses". This one is crepe, with a high collar that rolled over (I forget the name) empire waist ( that was the style then) back zipper, long sleeves gathered into cuffs and a full lining. I hand-hemmed the bottom, and I recall it took a long time because the skirt was full and I was taking care that the stitches didn't show, and I had to hem both the lining and the outside.
 Those set in sleeves look smooth and unpuckered , and the fit looks good. Well done, 17 year old me.
   But on a survey the other day, the question was, "what level sewist are you?" and I thought "Advanced Beginner, or Intermediate" when clearly that's not exactly true. But most sewists would say the same, because the more we know, the more we know what we don't know. Sewing has so many levels, there is no way to know everything. I'd never tell anyone I was "advanced" because in my mind that would mean I could do tailoring, or make a suit, and I've never done those things before even though, with the right instructions, I think I could. Would that make me "advanced"? No, then I'd think about how I don't know how to do smocking or heirloom sewing or whatever challenge I'd never done before.

  Maybe I still think of myself as an advanced beginner because I still make mistakes (even though no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes.) Just this last year I've made the following bone-headed errors:

  1. set in a sleeve backwards
  2. sewed the wrong sides together on pants (both front side seams to each other-oops)
  3. Put in a zipper upside down
  4. sewed the bottom of the skirt to the bodice, instead of the top. (in my defense, they both looked almost the same, but still, label your pieces, people. Learn from my mistakes.)

Although upon further reflection, I see that these are not errors in which I lack skills so much as I get distracted and lack mindfulness. Perhaps my weakness is a lack of concentration, or perhaps sewing hubris? (As in, this is EASY, I've done this before, no need to focus here?)

On Colette's blog this morning, she wrote about the difficulty in rating patterns, which made me think, What level am I really?  Compared to a real beginner, I'm an advanced sewist. I could probably sew a boned ball gown or a tailored jacket if I were so inclined. (Maybe we should rank ourselves not by beginner, intermediate or advanced, but instead by hubris levels? Like instead of those labels we use:

Instead of Beginner, Timid = I'm scared, hold my hand.
Instead of Advanced Beginner, Overconfident = I'm not afraid to make a huge mistake.
Instead of Intermediate, Seasoned = I know enough to know where my weaknesses are.
Instead of Advanced, Patient = I pay attention to what I'm doing and am a more mindful sewist.

  What about you? Do you still think of yourself as a beginner? Would you ever say you had advanced skills? What new definitions would you use?

String Theory Explained

String Pieced Spider Web block

Several people asked what a string quilt was. String quilting is a very old method where strings or strips and other small pieces are added to a foundation fabric to make quilt blocks.
Here is a tutorial on Craftsy to get you started. Here is a blog post about using this method of piecing to put your scraps to use. Here is a free pattern. for inspiration.

 I learned this technique from Gwen Marston's Liberated String  Quilts.  
Gwen's methods appeal to my no rules, no mistakes sensibilities.
If you'd like to see more string quilts, this Pinterest Board has some lovely examples.
  Our sewing grandmothers didn't waste a single scrap of fabric. Unlike now when we can easily buy whatever fabric we want, it wasn't that long ago when fabric was relatively expensive and hard to get. Our sewing foremothers were very clever at using every bit of what they had to make even utility quilts works of art. Making something pretty out of waste is a very green attitude. We don't give our foremothers enough credit for how they made useful things beautiful, just for the pleasure of it.(One more example of how "women's work" is demeaned throughout history).
  I like making a string quilt using the same methods as our sewing great-grandmothers. They didn't have rotary cutters! No long clear rulers! No computers and printers to print any pattern they might like. No access to millions of fabrics, threads and inspirational pictures. I sometimes wonder what they would think of my pretty room full of fabric and patterns and tools. A whole room dedicated to sewing! I'm sure they would be amazed at how easy we have it now. I try to appreciate what I have, in their memory.

Scary Patterns: Cosplay Edition

  While adding new patterns to the What's New section, I found this one in the latest batch.
I see a Saucy Musketeer, a Naughty Admiral, Racy Zorro, and I'm not sure what those last two are.
Robin Hood? A Gambler?
This is a little racier than the usual Simplicity. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

My Twelve Tasks, or 15 Minutes a Day

Vogue 1415

  It's always inspiring to see what other people want to make. I always get ideas and change my wish list accordingly. so I thought I would share my list. This will also remind me what I wanted to do.
I can't be the only person who finally gets an hour of unscheduled time and can't remember what it was that they wanted to do. Lists are helpful that way.
I had very good results when I made a 12 part list of monthly goals. I didn't do it last year and didn't get much done.

Twelve Ideas, to be chosen at random every month:

Sew a scrap quilt - in progress
Make something out of silk
Use a  border print
Sew a Hawaiian shirt (Mr. Hunting Creek is very happy about this!)
Make pajamas Make T shirts
Make a Wall hanging or other Art
Make some potholders and pillow covers
Finish something (plenty of unfinished projects to choose from)
Use a Vintage pattern
Use a new pattern
Make a Holiday decoration

Patterns I want to make:
Vogue 1415

This is the prettiest blouse and I have added it to my list to remind me to make it. Both views appeal.
I'd like to make a leopard print tee shirt. I haven't picked a pattern yet.
I'd like to make some silk drawstring pants.

That's a manageable enough list, I think.

I've already got 1/5 of my scrap quilt done. Yet the tub of scraps looks the same! Scraps defy the laws of physics. No matter how many I use, there are always more.
I'm allocating 15 minutes a day to just hang out in the studio and do just one thing. Surely I can do that.

Feels Like the First time...

J found this picture of me, from the very first time I voted. My mom made me pose for a picture. "MOM! This is stupid!"

This is at my old elementary school, in my kindergarten classroom. I am a freshman in college at this time. 

Of further interest, I made the top I am wearing. It was a knit top. Pale green, with darker green little leaves. Not seen: the green denim jeans I made to go with it.

Don't forget to vote!

Wax Print Dress In the News

Photo of Dr. Biden and Vice President Biden from the Washington Post

Don't you love this wax print dress? Dr. Biden had it made when she was in Africa. Read all about it here.

In Progress: Hawaiian Shirts

  Mr. Hunting Creek loves the shirts I make for him. He gets lots of compliments and comments and he always brags that I made it custom for him. He has been asking for more shirts, and I agreed BUT he had to help me cut them out. I have both MS and arthritis, and my hands get very tired of cutting. He then said these magic words: 
 " Why don't you teach me how?  I can cut everything for you. Then you can just sew".

Like Buddy the Elf, I have favorite things and non-favorite things:

Favorite Things about Sewing
Actual Sewing of Things
Collecting Beautiful Fabrics to Make Beautiful Things
Collecting Patterns
Finishing Things, see above

Non-Favorite Things About Sewing
Winding Bobbins
Cutting Things Out
UFOs
Rework
Stress, or working on a deadline

He selected McCalls 4079, which is a great pattern with many variations and good instructions.(It is OOP but there are several other options that you could try, including Colette's Negroni and this one.)
 I have made it before, so it has already been adjusted. He then was escorted to the shirt fabric shelf and selected two tropically

themed fabrics, one of which I had purchased in the state of Hawaii, so you cannot get more authentic than that.
  I always, always buy a yard extra for shirt purposes, after an unfortunate experience with accidentally slicing something and having not enough fabric to cut another piece, leading to some very creative problem -solving that I would prefer not to repeat.(I use extra shirting scrap pieces for pocket linings, shirt collar bands, inside yokes and cuffs and boxer shorts and other uses.) The extra fabric allows me to match patterns without stress, and stress is one of those Non-Favorite sewing things that I'd like to avoid. This is supposed to be fun, after all

 Men's casual shirts are pretty easy compared to women's blouses, but I have a small quibble with the pattern envelope above. I have never ever made a shirt in three hours. Also, why on earth would you want to do that?  Today I will  wind two bobbins (because nothing is so annoying as running out of thread while topstitching) cut out the interfacing for the collars and make the collars, since that is the fussiest part, so I like to do that first.
  Tomorrow I'll sew the yokes to the front and back. Then attach the collar, sew on the sleeves, sew the side seams, hem sleeves. Thursday mark buttonholes, and sew buttonholes. Sew on buttons. Then hem. Hemming after buttons and buttonholes is something I learned to do after a sad experience where the fronts were ever so slightly off and I noticed it and then could not not notice it so the shirt had to be rehemmed. Ripping out and redoing hems is another NON FAVORITE thing, so we like to prevent that from even happening.
He wants it by Saturday. Did I mention that I hate deadlines?

Ladies' and Misses' Elegant Slacks

Every year my wonderful brother gives me a box of vintage patterns for Christmas- how well he knows me!
McCall 6794 is from this year's batch.

Vintage patterns have some nice details that are well worth stealing and adapting to modern patterns. For example, the pocket facings, above. This solution allows the sewist to use a lightweight fabric for the inside pocket, but with a facing of the pant fabric so the pocket fabric is not visible. Very nice. The pants have a side zipper inside the pocket treatment that I might steal borrow for a skirt.
There is one page of somewhat terse instructions that include recommendations for a hand-worked buttonhole.(Because everyone knows how to sew). They don't mention suggested fabrics because everyone knows what pants are made of.
I love old patterns and cookbooks not just for the information they put in, but for what they leave out.
Old cookbooks assume we all know how to cook, so their recipes are "reminders" of how certain dishes are made. Similarly, vintage patterns sometimes don't mention fabric types,  seam finishes, or other techniques, because they assume that all sewists will just know to do them.
  A pants pattern from 1947 also tells us that women were wearing pants for casual occasions. I'm assuming this is "casual" because the background of the illustration is somewhat "countrified". Nowadays we'd wear jeans. Fun fact: designer jeans specifically for women were introduced in the 1960's by Andre Courreges (who also invented the miniskirt, along with Mary Quant.)

P.S. Wondering what the difference is between a Ladies' and Misses' sizes. The pattern does not elaborate. Everyone must have just "known" this as well.

Unfortunate Pattern Placement

Unfortunate Pattern Placement Award...and the Oscar goes to...

I'm not sure how I feel about wings on my shoulders and rear; it's clear Antropologie never took 7th grade sewing with Mrs. Harper. Click on the link to see their even more unfortunate front pattern placement.

Really, Antropologie? Right here?

This is even more evidence that we need to bring back sewing in the schools, if only to show that there is a better way to do this.

To Match or Not to Match, That is the Question

Stripes must be matched...or else

While browsing the new fabric arrivals every morning, (as one does, like some folks read the NY Times),
I came across this lovely knit from EOS. Then I saw this line and burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?", Mr. Hunting Creek asked.
"Look," I said, showing him. "Stripes must be matched."
"That's kind of bossy." he said. "What if you don't want to? Do they make you sign a paper before you buy it, agreeing to match the stripes?"
"It makes me want to NOT MATCH them," I said. "Not match them on purpose. You aren't the BOSS OF ME French red/mint/chartreuse graphic stripe knit!."

There are many ways to not match stripes on purpose, and I spent some delightful time imagining them. Cutting some pieces on the bias and some horizontally and some vertically. Color blocking with a solid or a print. I'm sure I can think of more if I put my mind to it. So thanks, bossy French knit. You've given me some great ideas. How many ways can we not match stripes and still make a harmonious composition?? That may be a good puzzle for 2014.

Our Winter of Discontent

How we spend our time in winter:

                           Etta and Harry fantasizing about being cheetahs and bringing down that deer.

Did you read this? "He complained that his wife was 'unable to lunch elsewhere' because
she was wearing a tiara":

This kind of difficulty is what my daughter said should be hashtagged #nobilityproblems.

I know all of us are grateful for the kindness of a fellow peer.

Only boring sewing going on here: making throw pillow covers. However, lots of writing, thinking and planning. Plus redecorating, baking Cinnamon Bread, and more writing. 

How are you spending your winter of discontent? (can you wear a tiara there?)

Preferences

Butterick 5988

Because I sew, when I look at clothes I mentally correct the sewing and fitting "errors":. For example: the top above.
If I had sewn this I would not have sewn the darts in the lace and then lined the top. It isn't as pretty that way. I would have underlined the lace and sewn the dart then, so the lace dart doesn't show as seen above.
I feel the same way about this dress.
 

I would have underlined this so the facings don't show. Or made the facings in a neutral color, or lined the top because they are visually distracting. Of course that's why we sew, so we can make things to our own preferences.

I'm not overly modest, but this neckline is too low for me. Looking at the line drawing,

I see that it would be an easy alteration to raise it by just changing the depth of the opening. I'd sew a quick sample bodice and facing, mark my changes and test it out in another muslin of just the front to see how much I needed to change.
In my case I have a set of standard changes that I always make that are just my personal preferences: raising necklines, shortening sleeves,  and adding pockets if there are none.
Do you have a set of standard changes?  (Is it only me, or is everything too low cut?)

Coronation Gown

Butterick 6022 - perfect for your Coronation

The only new pattern I liked was this one, because you just don't see that many Coronation-worthy gowns.

I'd do the collar/capelet in ermine for that. Heavy silk of course. Needs a bit of work in the embellishment department, but my loyal subjects would take care of that. My other quibble is that the train needs to be longer. (Westminster has a very long aisle), but that is easily adjusted.

A Royal Recycling Inspiration

My brother sent this to me yesterday: http://imgur.com/P2IajrH
Start saving your bags now.

This is just to say...

This is just to say

That I bought all of the fabric

That you wanted to use

for a Christmas Party dress

And had saved your money to buy

Forgive me

It was so silky 

and so smooth

Mr.Hunting Creek and I are having so much fun taking the Modern & Contemporary American Poetry 

at Coursera.

Accidental Sewist

Butterick 5955

Sometimes you choose your next project, and sometimes the project chooses you. While virtuously trying to attain some semblance of order in Studio Hunting Creek, I happened to notice the the Japanese print above harmonized nicely with the black embroidered fabric on the same shelf.( Digression: Did you read the article that said that creative people had messy desks? )  When my new Butterick pattern arrived, I thought, "What do I have that will work for this?", looking at my options. While trying to pull out some jade green charmeuse, I saw the Japanese fabric again. It is from the deepest of Deep Stash: Mr. Hunting Creek brought it home to me from his mother's stash. It's definitely vintage. But is it too much like the picture?  I have an irrational dislike of making things that look like the pattern illustration. (The good student in me thinks this is akin to plagiarism.) I expressed this thought to Mr. Hunting Creek, while asking him if he liked the combination. He gave me the Are you Crazy look. "Because of the 7 people in the world that you never see who will notice that?" he commented, with that patient tone he reserves for my irrational moments. (You know, that tone that makes you want to smack people with your clear ruler. It is especially annoying when he is correct. I did not tell him this.) This will be my project for my Use a New Pattern monthly challenge.This Butterick is hot off the press, is super trendy (even though I am the least trendy person on earth besides Pope Francis, I do notice trends.) and it looks easy to sew. I hope saying that does not bring a curse upon my head, causing sewing machine tension problems, or thread breakage or some other exasperation.
Do you make things that look like the pattern picture? Or do you avoid doing that? (Or, in other words, am I alone in my No Copying obsession?)

Zinnias are My Favorite Flower

Zinnia Skirt with pleated pockets

This is the new Colette Patterns Zinnia Skirt Pattern.   I just decided to make this in a maxi length for the Holiday Season. (It's easy to do, just use lengthen/shorten lines, plus I have a cheater method - I measure the length on an existing maxi and go from there)
If you'd like to make one too, I have them in stock. For this week only, we'll give free shipping on all Colette Patterns. I'll take the shipping off in the cart. (Websites are tricky) Use the code ZINNIA.
So the only question is, what do I make my fabulous maxi skirt out of? The pattern says: 

• Versatile. You can use a wide array of fabrics, from wool flannel to delicate chiffon.

This makes me think maybe washed dupioni or heavy silk would work too.

Off to cruise the stash. Happy Gardening!

UFO Sighting

Inside Out style Hawaiian Shirt

This shirt is older than my 22 year old son, yet I just finished it. How does one end up with 23 year old UFOs?
Way back in 1990,we lived in Southern California. I had a little sewing room and I would put my cut out projects in a little basket on my desk,to keep all of the pieces together until I was ready to sew them. In this basket I had a simple blouse, the Hawaiian shirt and a pink batik sundress for my daughter, then aged 5. But that Spring, Mr.Hunting Creek got a new job in Washington, DC, so we had to move. The mover people came and packed up everything, wrapping our items in copious layers of packing paper, and labeling each box with their own inscrutable codes. .They labeled boxes "Fragil" , "Dinning Room", "Book" and my favorite: "Things". When we arrived in Virginia, sewing was definitely not a priority. Also I had a new job, a five year old, and I was pregnant. The sewing projects box was neglected.
I didn't even have a sewing room. Then I had a new baby, a demanding job and there was no sewing for a while...but I missed it. I had Mr. Hunting Creek find my machine and supplies. I made Christmas Ornaments, sewing on the kitchen table. I made my daughter's First Communion Dress. The little basket of cut projects lay packed in a moving box, forgotten....for years. Fast forward to last year, when finally I had a new, improved sewing room of my own. Not in the basement, not in the kitchen, not sharing the TV Room downstairs but upstairs, next to my office. Mr. Hunting Creek found boxes in the garage full of my old patterns and my basket of projects from 1990. Just cut pattern pieces, no notes as to what pattern it was. At least I had marked the pieces. The 23 Years ago me assumed that I would remember what pattern the pieces were from and use those directions. The 23 years ago me didn't match the pocket. Could I put a shirt together without instructions? I assured Mr. Hunting Creek that when you've made one shirt, you've made them all. You know what? That's actually true.
This shirt, and the following one, count against my goals this year of both Sew a Hawaiian Shirt and Finish Something. A twofer! 

Surfer Girl Shirt

Surfer Girl Shirt sighting in the Wild

Here is a recap of my yearly goals so far:
January: Sew a scrap quilt - done!
February: Make something out of silk - done
March: Use a  border print - in progress, lost buttons, so need new ones
April: Sew a Hawaiian shirt - done - made THREE
May: Make something formal - totally flaked out on this due to lack of formal occasions
June: Make pajamas- done - made two for me, two for Mr.Hunting Creek July: Make T shirts - they are cut out but not sewn, got distracted by non-sewing life
August: Make a Baby quilt - in progress. The baby is born, so I have to finish the quilting part by the end of this month
September: Finish something -hooray! Two unfinished projects shown above, FINISHED
October: Use a Vintage pattern
November:Use a new pattern
December: Make a Holiday decoration

Seven out of nine isn't bad. I still have some August left and I already did September's. I'd like to finish the year having completed ALL of these.

What UFOs lurk in your sewing life? Does it feel like they will never be finished? Do you need to declare UFO bankruptcy and start over? Are you the kind of person who doesn't even have UFOs?