2007 October 27 « Eclectvity

Introducing…

October 27, 2007 at 10:36 pm | In Sewing | 5 Comments

CROW!

I’m eating it with relish. I’m a Bernina gal. I love the 1080, 1130, 1230, and 1240 machines so much that I once owned two. Then I got a conscience and gave one to my married daughter. I’d better be remembered in family annals for the sacrifice. Say hi to my long lost machine now being worked hard by my industrious daughter…

However my illness has kept me from sewing at the table. Since I can only smock so long, read so long, write so long… and since I want to say “so long” to this CHAIR… I have been attempting to sew anyway. It isn’t easy. Serging is a breeze. The machine is small and light enough to sit on my lap and I’ve managed to serge Andra’s skirt pieces and a few other things as I wait for doctors to discover what is wrong with my heart so I can resume a normal life. (Ok, so normal isn’t exactly my forte` but I would like it if I could walk to the car and back without being winded.)

We tried rigging my Bernina every way you can imagine. We discussed a new chair that would allow a table over it… we thought of everything. Except the obvious. I don’t have a back up machine anymore. (Thanks to that pesky eldest daughter of mine who is forgiven because she produced a mahvelous little Emma for me to snuggle) I need a back up machine. I was planning on purchasing another of the Bernina series that I like. (not the new Arista or whatever it’s called… BLECH)

While discussing the type of chair I would need I suddenly whacked myself on the forehead (not really) and exclaimed, “We need to see if they have a little Janome that isn’t too big over at the Quilted Quail.” So, this morning we drove over to my favorite little quilt store and found this little gem. (pun intended). It isn’t a “power machine”. It isn’t an exciting thing with lots of bells and whistles. But it is only 12 pounds and has everything I could need for a “chair machine”. I’m so excited! I finished my Poodle Set and will be putting gathering threads in Andra’s new Birthday Dress later this evening.

Meet my new friend. I think I’ll name her Sabrina (the “savior” in the poem by Milton)

We’re going to make beautiful stuff together my friend! (Keep tuned in for proof!)

Let’s Go to the Hop!

October 27, 2007 at 9:59 pm | In Sewing | 5 Comments
Tags: 50's, Bernina, Costume, McCall's Pattern, poodle skirt

I’ve sewn for one local woman for several years. Easter dresses and pinafores one year, fairy costumes another, and this year, I did “Poodle Sets” for her girls for Halloween. Now our family doesn’t participate in Halloween so I’ve missed out on the fun of making cool costumes for my kids. I know, I know, I could do them anyway at any time of the year just so they can have fun but I never have. I’ve done a few for eBay but not many.

Betty has a unique approach to Halloween and costumes that really impressed me. She chooses the costumes for the next year during this year. By the time Halloween arrives, her 2008 costumes will be decided. Not only that, but she stores each year’s costumes in closet for her grandchildren to play “dress up”. Years from now her grand daughters will have a wealth of costumes that their mommies wore back “in the day”. Talk about COOL.

So, for this year’s costume, we have….

The Ingredients:

Mc Call’s Pattern 8899-

Fabrics: She chose a hot pink linen, a white herringbone knit, and a black twill. The dog is felt with sequins and the “chain” is a rhinestone “braid”.

Now I’ve made both the black skirt (twill with knit top and red chiffon polka dotted scarf) and the hot pink but I made the black back in Febuary or some time around there for a dance thing and she just saved it.

This time it was a bit more difficult. This entire ensemble was created from my recliner. I serged the skirt side seam and hem area and the edges of the left side seam. Then I was pretty much stuck until I had a machine. Using my Bernina on a chair in front of the recliner was better than at the sewing table, but not much. My back and shoulders hurt and I still got winded from sitting upright. I finished the skirt with the Bernina but Kevin and I both knew this wasn’t going to cut it for any kind of reasonable sewing…

On to the shirt! I serged the white seams, sewed the neck binding on , the back seam, hemmed it and voila! One lovely little top!

The jacket was serged and then sewn on my NEW MACHINE that you’ll have to read about in my next blog post. At first I debated lining it like I would do for my own jacket style but I decided not to become obsessed over details that only I care about and are unnecessary for the final product. I was glad about 30 minutes later when I realized that the entire thing would have had to be sewn on the machine if I had opted to line it. I’m smartest when I don’t mean to be.

So… here is my first recliner, machine sewn, outfit. Isn’t it darling? I think I’m going to make a skirt for both Jenna and Andra. They need fun too. Ok, ok… I won’t leave out Lorna. But only to stop the barage of indignant posts about my unfairness to such an unloved and abused child. Snort.