nutmaster flex

2011-09-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

2011-08-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

toe protector for my skates. why do i always make little projects like 5 minutes after i needed them, the rush turns things out terrible, just like this. just two piece of vinyl stitched together to get the right thickness.

Simplicity 2612 Revisited

2011-08-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm making the long length shirt, this time with the stock

flutter sleeves in a sheer fabric. So very much sergin' going on.

re-purposed tee

2011-06-08T09:29:00.001-07:00

2011-06-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

So it begins...

Leggings

2011-06-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

Made the pattern from old used up leggings. Bought some awesome neon green spandex, one of the colors of my team. Mission successful. Next up will be neon pink rumba panties!

Circle Skirt

2011-06-01T05:47:00.001-07:00

I've used this pattern before with success. I don't know what happened this time around but it seemed to big and I tried to shorten it. No such luck, it ended up looking a hot mess. I reconstructed it into a beautiful swingy circle skirt. The original pattern called for loads of bias tape, so I left that.

2011-05-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

I made this blouse, finishing off the button holes yesterday. The fabric was a remnant that spoke to me 1 3/4 yards for $1.75 as well. It was mostly an easy pattern but I still and getting tripped up around the collar area. I need to read and sew more. I sometimes wish I had a sewing mentor I could see in person to physically help me with such quandaries. The pattern was one of those that have multiple features and you pick your own to build a project. I choose the long shirt off of Simplicity 2612 and made my own sleave because the flared sleeve just wasn't working with such a stiff fabric.

2011-04-23T12:47:00.001-07:00

I covered my ceiling in fabric. To dull the oppressive industrial feeling of the space. Also to combat noise leakage. I am not sure that it helped much with soundproofing but every little bit does help. I found tubular jersey material in huge rolls at a discount fabric loft. I started off with purple and staple gunned the material lengthwise across the ceiling. Not the greatest image, as most of what you see is a fascinator and the underbelly of my loft. The next step was to create a basket weave with the material and work it widthwise across the existing lengthwise material. Nesting complete!

Cornstarch Gel

2011-01-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

Mix
-1/4 cup cornstarch
-1/2 cup cold water
Add
-4 cups of boiling water
to the cold water/cornstarch slurry.

This is your gel! I submerged a lovely faux linen fabric into this and applied to my sewing machine cover.

The corners aren't as tidy as I would like them to be but I am still pleased.

I also covered a window which I installed into a wall.

It still allows light in, but also gives privacy. The best part about this gel is that it is not permanent and can be peeled off at any time, the residue will come off with hot water.

like a sausage casing.

2010-10-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

you don't even know.
my dress is about 1/2'' too snug on all sizes.
what to do!?

2010-09-26T13:14:00.001-07:00

My elbow pads that i wear for derby have been destroyed. Due to wearing them for a year and a half the elasticity has vanished rendering them little more than plastic cups that swing somewhere between my elbows and forearms at practice.

I managed to svelte them up, taking in the sleeve an inch

and cutting off the old straps and replacing them with new ones.

Its not a forever fix and I will have to get new pads at some point but it will suffice for now.

Currently they are turgid with laundry detergent and water. This is a necessity as I discovered they were crystallized with my sweat and skin oils while sewing that covered my fat kielbasa fingers in an odoriferous resin.

frankenpads in action:

I'm working on a dress right now, but I am displeased as I sewed the lining in backwards, front of the lining to the back of the bodice. Two more days I say.

this button up shirt i made.

2010-09-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

i made this button up shirt sometime during the winter. i love the fabric, it looks like teevee static or some shit.

can't remember what pattern i used...

McCall's M5971

2010-04-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

I picked McCall's M5971 for the clean lines of the pattern and what promised to be a sensational fit. This was the first project I cut out using a self healing mat and rotary cutter. I used a Fiskar brand rotary cutter and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I felt as though the blade dulled exceptionally fast, but that could be due to the brand? I'm planning on picking up a better quality cutter to see if I will continue to cut my patterns with this technique. I used a soft flannel in blue with yellow, white, and red splatters all over and a pastel yellow for a lining. I had previously made a Peptobismal pink flannel dress with big gummy bears all over it and thought I might continue with the whimsy. The pattern ran true to fit and the only problem I encountered was my bad habit of not sewing a large enough seam allowance and so some of my lining I had to resew, luckily it was under the arm so I could sneakily hide it. I think this dress would be more flattering in a traditional fabric such as a suiting material.

The neckline is so crisp!

New Look 6909

2010-01-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

Often, I find New Look patterns to be ill-fitting and boxy. However, I noticed this pattern and thought it might look really great in this wacky, stiff, silver fabric i found.

When finished the dress had a really great architectural look to it, owing to the stiffness of the fabric.

When I wore it out, everyone had something to say. My fashion concept for this was a stewardess from space.

I made this sometime in November, and I used my laptop camera to photograph with some varying degree of success.

McCall's M2972

2010-01-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

I decided to omit the bottom two ruffles on this dress and to make it without a lining in black lace. The fit was amazing, I'll have to attempt one that is more true to the pattern! The only alteration I would make is that the hips are too wide and results in an odd wrinkle/bag.

I'm still without a camera and the rest is low quality pictures... soon.

back!

2009-11-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

I made a great new dress using butterrick pattern B5243.
Someone stole my camera out of my car so i'll just use the camera on my brand new laptop.
and somehow, i've managed to completely move the few good pictures i have. i'm at a coffee shop so i can't really have a fashion show, but the sack of not abandoning this blog i'll present you with a lovely picture of my cans.

McCall's m5084 Dress

2009-07-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you Hillary Duff.

I used remnant fabric that was 4 dollars total, because of the amount I skipped the step of lining the bodice.

In retrospect a second fabric could have been used, but the lightness of the dress makes it so nice for summer.

I am still trying to figure out my camera, but as the summer progresses I am sure things will be on the up and up. For now mirror pictures will have to suffice. This is a dress that many, many people have asked me where I've purchased it from. It makes me so happy that people don't automatically ask if I've made it. My skills are def. improving. There are some things I need to focus on such as zippers and finishing edges...

2009-06-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

i've got loads of projects to upload.
pictures of a blouse and a dress are soon to come!

zipper madness!

2009-06-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

i replaced a zipper in a pair of shorts that my friend gave to me. it was one of those chronic sliding zippers- you could actually fasten it but it wouldn't stay up. or maybe it had erectile dysfunction. so, i've never actually replaced a zipper before! i am very pleased with myself, bordering on smug. i'd post a picture but they are crust punk shorts and i don't want you to think i'm not the hippest chick around. yeah. ok, so maybe later when i am less lazy i'll post a picture.

a motorcycle seat cover!

2009-05-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

never having worked with vinyl before this was a challenge. i usually sew with cotton. so vinyl was quite a bit different. in my supplies i had a little bit of upholstery thread left on a spool. i found out quickly it did not work well with my machine. nor did my existing needles that i had previously installed. so i went to the fabric picked up leather weight needles and some heavy weight thread. i really wanted to buy thin nylon thread but there was none available.

the thread was too thick to work well in my machine. the tension just wouldn't adjust.
later, after my sewing disaster i looked up tips and tricks online. i found that using normal weight thread and double stitching with a longer stitch length is the recommended course of action. i learned so much with this project that i am sure the next time i work with vinyl it will go much smoother.

end project!

future projects!

2009-05-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

so i've delved into the world of online fabric shopping. oh my. be still my bank account. i've found some awe inspiring prints;
behold the hungry hungry caterpillar print

which i think would look lovely in a circle skirt.
the 'hunky' fireman print

this would look especially tacky and delicious in a western shirt

fabricdepot.com
and
sewmamamsew.com

were the two fabric websites i enjoyed the most.

i think the next few project i'll embark on will be button down shirts. while i enjoy the ease of throwing on a t-shirt, i like the look of something that is more tailored. here are some contenders;

mccall m5052

mccall m5664

the shock of it all

2009-05-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

I was perusing a local second hand boutique recently and wonders upon wonders a dress I made was for sale there!

I was couldn't stop exclaiming, "I made this dress!" I've sold clothes to that store before, but I thought it was all store bought. I had really forgotten about this dress, I made it about 4 years ago. It is good to see how far my skills have come. It was also interesting because the print of the fabric had little skates all over it. Very curious, as lately I've taken up roller derby!

a fabricventure

2009-04-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

I have the propensity, as many other crafters and seamstresses have, to buy fabric with grand plans in mind. One place, where i often find unique and dream-worthy fabrics is Lorraine Fabrics in Pawtucket, RI.
The ground floor is chock full of amazing fabric and notions. The second floor I have a disgustingly lurid relationship with. It is a discount loft! I can't ever say no!
I found a neat vogue pattern for just $.99 usd. vogue V8315 dress A. Wrap dresses are universally flattering on all women. I also was able to find some beautiful turquoise blue fabric that had a little red rhombus type print all over. This fabric envoked feelings of a 1950s formica countertop to me.

So that's the final project! I don't like the final neckline so much, but my darts are improving!