Archive for the ‘Sewing, Embroidery and Quilting’ Category

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It took a few late nights (and several dinners of leftovers!), but I'm happy to report that today, I'm wearing a T-shirt that I made myself. So exciting!

It started with the T-shirt pattern drafting class that Lisa and I took at The Workroom last weekend. The teacher was Cal Patch, an acquaintance of mine from Squam Art Workshops and an all-around superstar when it comes to sewing clothes. She wrote this book:

Design-it-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified. It's a great book, and I own it, but I always found it was a little bit intimidating. So many things to measure!

I'm glad we took the class. Everything seemed so straightforward with Cal leading the way. It turns out that the measurements you take for a T-shirt pattern aren't really that different than the ones you take when you're sizing yourself for a knitted sweater. (You can just call me Master of the Obvious, if you like. ;^)

Once you've taken your measurements, it's just a matter of plotting them on a piece of paper and connecting the dots. Grading the curves was alternately frustrating and satisfying, but I got there eventually.

Cal shared lots of great tricks about choosing the right fabric, which stitches to use (hint: check your manual!) and what order to put things together in, and then she sent us off into the wild.

And it worked! It really worked. Check it out:

Hee! I'm pretty pleased. I mean, it's not perfect (I definitely need to practice sewing neckbands) but it's close, and it fits better than anything I've ever bought from a store.

At this point my goal of being able (at least in theory) to clothe myself in handmade clothes from head to toe is pretty well complete. Now I just need to find a class about pants, I guess!

Have a great weekend – hope it includes some crafting time just for you.

Today Lisa and I were chatting about what to blog about today, and I thought about a conversation that we had over email yesterday. We were discussing our plans for the patterns we'd made in a custom T-shirt pattern making class we took at The Workroom...and incidentally, about the myth of the prolific night-time crafter.

From:  Lisa
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:16
To: Austen
Subject: !

Superaweseome thought I just had: You could totally use that Tshirt pattern to make a dress! The most awesomely comfortable dress ever. I'm doing that.

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From: Austen
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:21
To: Lisa

That is a genius idea! So smart. Hellooooooo, summer wardrobe!

I am planning to try my pattern out tonight. But just for a T-shirt.

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From:  Lisa
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:26
To: Austen

I was thinking I might too. Though I often daydream about these things in the afternoon, and then when it gets to be about 8 p.m. and I finally have a few spare minutes, I don't follow through.
Excited to see what you come up with!

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From: Austen
Sent: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:30
To: Lisa

That happens to me too. For some reason I feel like I should be able to start something and finish it on the same day, and then when I  know I can't, I get frustrated so I just don't start anything at all. And watch TV instead.

So maybe I should say that tonight I am going to cut out the pieces of a tshirt. Or, more realistically, tonight I am going to set up the ironing board. At this rate, I'll have a new t-shirt by Labour Day. Guess I should make it long-sleeved after all?

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From: Lisa
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:34
To: Austen

Glad it's not just me! I always imagine that you go home every night and make or cook or write something

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From: Austen
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 13:41
To: Lisa

Well, you know: make (a mess), cook (boil the kettle?) and write (a four word email).

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When I re-read this exchange this morning it made me laugh (and it sort of reminded me of this post on Dinner: A Love Story).

I think that sometimes – even to people we know quite well, people with whom we share daily routines and typical ups and downs – it looks like we're just effortlessly putting in the 9-to-5, then going home, taking care of business (dinner, housework, family, all the rest) and, oh yeah, no big deal, whipping up a craft or two on the side every night.

But we're not. Some nights, just ironing the fabric for that new T-shirt is as good as it gets. If we're really lucky and someone else is making dinner, sometimes we might get more done. But there are many many nights that end, not with some late-night sewing, but with a dead drop onto the couch.

Just thought you might like to know.

Yesterday at lunch time I treated myself to a fabric store field trip. It'd been a while since I'd been there, so I was looking forward to seeing the spring/summer fabrics and checking out the sales. (I love buying fabric on sale, don't you?)

The store near our office is a Fabricland "Decor Centre," which means that in addition to the fashion- and craft-oriented material, it's got a great selection of home decor fabrics and notions. But yesterday the store seemed even more jam-packed than usual – it was difficult just to turn around, let alone shop.

But then I overheard a conversation at the cutting table. Turns out that all that fabric and all those sale signs (so many sale signs!) had nothing to do with a springtime bonanza and everything to do with a closing-out sale.

Harrumph!

The company surely has its reasons (rumour has it the rent was set to quadruple), but still. This close-out means that there's only one Fabricland in Toronto – and it's kind of a pain to get to if, like me, you don't own a car. I *love* my local independent retailers, but I'm going to miss this Fabricland for all those urgent lunchtime sequin-tape-buying missions. (It happens more often than you might think!)

Of course, the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized that living in Toronto, I've become spoiled. In lots of places in Canada, fabric and notions that are a 10-minute walk away would sound like a crazy pipe dream. Back when I lived in semi-rural Nova Scotia, it was an hour's drive to the closest fabric store – definitely not something I could do on a lunch hour.

So I'm wondering: Where do you buy your fabric? Is there a chain store where you live? An independent retailer? Do you order online? What would you do if your local fabric store up and moved out?

All the unrest on the home reno front has made my house decidedly craft-UNfriendly of late. I haven't had time to work on anything substantial in ages.

But I did have time to make a couple of new toys for Olive and Nestor. Here's my recipe for one of the simplest, most effective homemade cat toys in the world. I see them everywhere – Etsy, pet stores, the vet's office – but they're a cinch to make at home with fabric scraps.

Catnip Ravioli

1. Cut two squares of quilting cotton or other crisp, tightly woven cotton (whatever size you like). Stack the squares with the WRONG sides facing. Pin on three sides.

2. Sew 5/8 inch or so in from the edge on each of the pinned sides. Start and end right off the edge, and don't worry about backstitching to secure the thread – it doesn't matter. Snip off the thread ends.

3. Grab a small bunch of craft stuffing and stuff into the hole. Dump in a few decent clumps of catnip, then add another little ball of the stuffing.

4. Pin the open edges together. Sew about 5/8 inch in from edge to close. Snip off thread ends.

5. Cut each edge with pinking shears to desired width.

6. Push the stuffing around to fill the centre and crush the catnip. Add one curious cat.

7. Enjoy the silliness that ensues.

Do you grow your own catnip for your cats? I would love to hear your tips on growing it – if there are different varieties, what soil conditions work, and how you dry it. Nestor and Olive are eager for me to get the garden started!

The knitters and crocheters have Ravelry, so it's only fair that we sewists (OK, I know that's not a word, but "sewer" always looks wrong) have our own online gathering place. Enter Threadbias: a new online community for people who love to sew, quilt and embroider.

All of the content is created by the site's users, so once you create a profile, it becomes your own virtual sewing studio: You can post the projects you're working on; exchange ideas and patterns with other Threaders; and browse fabrics, notions and books (with links to buy them online).

As Threadbias just launched, there haven't been a lot of unique patterns posted yet, but I found a few interesting ideas (fancy making a tea wallet or a baby bowling shirt?). I could see the site becoming a great resource for quilting inspiration – just check out this Luigi (of SuperMarioBros. fame) quilt!

My absolute favourite sewing-project-sharing site is still BurdaStyle – though I find the clothing patterns a bit cumbersome to print, tape together and cut out. Do you have a favourite online craft community? I'd love to hear about what else is out there!

I just got back from a delightful trip home to see my family for Easter. One of the highlights was stopping in at Metaphor Yarns and A Notion to Quilt in Shelburne, Mass. And look what I got!

I was partway into cutting the pieces for my Bento Box Quilt when I realized I'd be needing more acid-bright and black-and-white fabric to cut the roughly eleventy million pieces required to make it. So I indulged in four yards of the loveliest prints I could find.

Now I just need to wash and dry it to get it ready for cutting. I admit I'm lazy about prewashing. Most good-quality quilting cottons are colour-fast these days, so I've dispensed with testing them to make sure they don't run. I usually just dump them all in the washer, crank on the regular cycle and watch them go.

But I do believe in washing quilting fabric to make sure it's preshrunk. It would be terrible to make a beautiful quilt and have it twist, shrink and distort after you wash it for the first time.

I'm curious, though. Am I overly cautious? Do you prewash your fabric? Do you follow the rules or make up your own?

I feel like it's been a while since the last inspiration roundup, so here's a quick list of things that your friendly neighbourhood craft bloggers have been intrigued by lately.

• The Winterwoods ABCs sampler kit from Alicia Paulson. Mine arrived yesterday (that's it up there) and I can't wait to get started.
• Threadbias – a new online sewing community. Will it be Ravelry for sewing enthusiasts? Check it out and let me know what you think. (Thanks to Holly for the tip!)
• Omiyage.ca has a few washi tape grab bags up for sale today. A great way to spend your allowance!
• I wish I could visit this exhibit of Newfoundland knits (via KnittyBlog).
• Speaking of knitting, considering casting on for Luv in the Mommyhood's Tops, Tanks and Tees KAL? Today's the day.
• Finally, this isn't a craft but I couldn't resist the photo, and I'm pretty sure your kids will love it. What to do with that ol' chocolate rabbit (hint: melt it!), bite marks and all, from Dinner A Love Story.

Friends, I'm enjoying my new book so much that I had to share it with you here.

The Paper Garden: Mrs. Delany Begins Her Life's Work at 72, by Molly Peacock, is delightful. Mrs. Delany was born in 1700 and lived through a tumultuous age of English history. Her life is fascinating (trained for a position in the royal court, she was instead married off at age 17 to a man more than three times her age; later in life her social circle included Jonathan Swift and Handel) and her art is astounding – each chapter is accompanied by a full-page, full-colour reproduction of one of her cut-paper flowers. They're simply beautiful – but closer inspection reveals that there's nothing simple about them.

As an upper-class woman of the eighteenth century, Mary Delany's days would have been filled with the sort of "work" that we engage in as hobbies. Her needlework includes embroidery and designing clothes; she draws, paints and cuts paper; there are even shell crafts! I love reading about her life – so very, very different to mine – and knowing that if we sat down together over canvas and floss, we'd find common ground.

I haven't finished it yet, but if you like history, drama, art, crafts, romance, intrigue, poetry, memoir...you should pick it up. It's rare that I read something a bit at a time these days – I'm a binge-reader, now – but this one I intend to enjoy for as long as possible. (If you want to know more, here's a book reviewer's book review.)

Like Lisa, I have spring fever. Bad.

I know global warming is terrible. And I know Mother Nature probably has an April snowstorm up her sleeve. But all the sunshine and warm temperatures in my part of Canada is making me think that maybe, just maybe, we'll have a gorgeous, extended spring.

And to what does my crafty mind turn amid all this heady sunshine? Quilting, of course!

I've been saving up this pile of black-and-white prints and acid-toned brights to make something high-contrast. And, last week, when spring came on full force, I dove in and started cutting squares and rectangles for my Bento Box Quilt.

Turns out you need A LOT of fabric to make a quilt that's in between queen and king size. I think my pile might not yield as many pieces as I need. But if that means a trip out into the glorious weather to buy more fabric, no problem. How better to celebrate spring and the annual burst of creativity it brings?

Do you have spring fever? What's it inspiring you to make? Share a photo with your comment below – just click on the "+ Image" button at the bottom left corner of the comment box to upload a picture.

I've been inspired by the abnormally warm temperatures in my part of the country (it's supposed to be in the double digits all week!) and the lovely crocuses, lilies and tulips bursting up everywhere. I got another hit of inspiration after seeing this basic yet brilliant fabric bunting tutorial in lovely pastel hues. I don't know if everyone else is tired of bunting, but I love anything festive.... So I made some to welcome my favourite season.

I cut a bunch of fabric scraps to the same size, using pinking shears (I decided rectangles were faster than triangles). The tricky part was the lettering – I'm sure there's an easier method, but I drew my own letters and freezer-paper stencilled them on. I nestled the pieces into some yellow bias tape and ran the whole thing through the sewing machine. Now all I need to do is wait for an even warmer day and open the windows. C'mon in, spring!

Do you change up your decor when the seasons change? I'd love to hear about your ideas and see your projects. Please share!