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I think it can be established right now that these days are not the days of things going according to plan or on schedule.
Myself I have sort of dropped under the radar in my house with the two dogs and the cat doing some Christmas sewing. If you are a member of my immediate family or the parents of those units, you might not to want to read any further.
Surprises are surprises after all.
So in no particular order this is what I have been up to.
1. Love Notions Breckenridge Henley:
I used this pattern to make my mom three new tops. I had made her some pants which I sent her a while ago and wanted to her to have something to wear with them.
My mom is short and had a very specific criteria for what she likes in tops. A V-neck but one with a placket and 3/4 sleeves.
I had been searching for the right pattern so was so happy when Love Notions released this last month.
I made her three. They have all gone in the mail early last week but before they were wrapped and went out I took a quick back of the door picture of one of them. I was particularly delighted that my sewing room was able to spit up buttons that were red with navy centres - probably why I took a picture of this one.
A few technical notes. First I should say that the buttons are faux - they sewn right through the two bands below the point where the V opens and along one side of the band above that. There are no buttonholes to make in this top.
The fabric was a neat cotton/poly type ponte left over from a dress I recently made. (Which reminds me that I need to do a post on that).
The pattern instructions were good and I followed them with one change.
I am sure you are all able to spot the potentially tricky part of this top. The bottom of the placket right?
The instructions are to slash down the centre front of the front top piece to the marks for the bottom of the placket, and then out to the sides of that box:
Next the band is then stitched to the sides of the slash but not across the bottom.
To finish the bands are folded over each other and the bottom of the box is stitched closed through all layers- both bands and the triangle at the bottom.
From having done this method before I knew that stitching the sides would be tricky with small seam allowances, particularly in a knit.
I also have a life/sewing principle to whenever possible Clip to the Stitch not Stitch to the Clip!
The end result is exactly the same but clipping to your last stitch is about 2000% easier than trying to precisely stitch to a pre-existing clip.
So when I made my tops I did not slash the front open as directed but instead pinned the bands, raw edges to the centre front, stitched them down and then slashed open the front and down to the last stitches at the bottom of the box. From then on I just continued to place and stitch down the bands as per pattern.
Of course since I had my Christmas sewing skates on I didn't stop long enough to photograph my method, so I hope the words make sense.
Also up this week were the four pairs of Nova Scotia tartan polar fleece footed pyjamas from Jalie:
I have already made and sent a pair in size 3 to California and made four more pairs here, three for my daughter's children and one for my step daughter's son. I like it that wherever the smaller members of the family are they can all be united in something at this time, even if it is my eccentric idea of the year.
I also chose Nova Scotia tartan deliberately because I am so proud of the caring, supportive, and responsible way this province has dealt with the virus. Our chief medical officer, who has called all the shots on our response, has super hero status around here - no one in hospital and only five new cases, all related to travel reported today.
I made these pyjamas in three different sizes but this is one for the oldest child held up by my long suffering husband who was in the middle of a home handyman project when I made him stop and do this:
And finally I have to share pictures of my sewing partner, you know the one who stands behind the machine and puts a paw through to touch the presser foot in the middle of a seam - not something that makes for straight topstitching I can tell you:
And finally another shot to illustrate why I seem to be losing the ornaments, one by one from my tree (they are being stashed all over the house) despite the excellent chair tree guard I erected:
More later.
10 comments:
Hi Barbara -
Interesting about your method for a placket. I started the Jalie men’s polo today, dreading getting placket right and the directions are for exactly what you describe. And the way you are instructed to do it there no confusing markings to the pattern either.
As to your feline issues - I have 2 who last year were about that age. Some possible solutions - only cloth ornaments at the bottom of the tree and a weekly search under the furniture. For sewing (and this is going to sound funny,) I put orange peels in a small bowl behind the machine. Cats hate citrus and at least for my 2 it works. Out come the oranges and away go the cats.
"Clip to the Stitch not Stitch to the Clip!" This is brilliant!
I've been considering the Henley. But, when I've had Henleys before, the front necklines went limp and wonky when laundered. I'm pretty much a "no iron" girl, so you can see the conflict.
Any suggestions on how to prevent post-wash wonky necklines in this Henley?
Thank you for the Breckenridge Henley tip. I'll be making it after I finish Christmas sewing.
Thanks for the placket information.How does a chair tree guard work? At least she or he hasn’t climbed the tree...that usually only happens once but can result in a lot of ornament loss.
Thanks for the placket advice. On the subject of cats and sewing machines, I had a cat who for a year or more liked to sit behind my sewing machine and watch. Then one day he decided to bat at the needle. The good thing was there was no thread in the machine because I was sewing a perforated pattern to pounce the quilting pattern onto a quilt. The bad news was the needle went right through his paw. He screamed. I was beyond distraught. A visit to the vet ensued for a check up, but all was well. I still shudder to think how badly he could have been hurt if there had been thread pinning him to the needle. I tell you this in the hope you and your sweet kitten will not have the same traumatic experience. Cats are no longer allowed on my sewing table.
Thank you for explaining your placket technique. I had a feline sewing buddy who spent over a year keeping me company behind my machine. Then he decided to bat at the needle. We were very lucky in that the machine was unthreaded because I was making a perforated pattern to pounce a quilting pattern onto a quilt top. I will never forget his scream when the needle perforated his paw. I can only shudder to think how much worse it would have been if he’d been attached to the machine with thread. Absolute rule of No cats are allowed on my sewing table any more.
Curious Daylily I think that good fabric and the fact that the band is several layers would help the limp issue - probably because they are not any actual buttonholes would add to the integrity of the band I think.
I also think your 'clip to the stitch' rule is brilliant. I've never managed to do it well the other way round. And I am sure the younger members of my family would recognise being united in my eccentric idea of the year. So far the most successful has been patchwork pyjamas: they all wanted a photo together in those.
Thank you for again putting a smile on my face. Your postings are always so uplifting and positive. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family....and the fur babies that have been blessed to be a part of your family.
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