New For Fall

 It has been an interesting week. My friend who died back in May, and for whom I am the executor of her estate, was cremated so thankfully there was no rush on a funeral service. Due to COVID, everything is a little more challenging, as we all know all too well. But, I knew that I would be coming to Colorado the 1st of October, and I knew that it would be much easier to have a service for her here. It was done on Wednesday, and although it was quite private, it was lovely. We were even able to have a Rosary said, so I was so very pleased. After the service, we went out for breakfast.

As I said, I have been in Colorado. The forest fires have been horrible, and we are in a county where they have been especially devastating. On Wednesday night, the night sky was aglow. So eerie. We prepared to evacuate. While many did have to leave, the fires never came this far east, so we were spared. What a year it has been!

As easy as it would be to look at all that is wrong in the world, I have decided to do my best and focus on all the good, and to also be all the more appreciative of all that I have in my life that brings me joy. There's my husband, and of course my little Mr. Berkley :), but also ranking near the top is sewing and creating. Such a wonderful gift!

A few weeks back, I shared my plans to make this March Tilton pattern, Vogue 9108. Bunny of La Sewista was so gracious to leave a message with a link to a post that she did on this pattern. You can find her post HERE. Her dress is simply gorgeous. By all means check out her post. And, if you do decide to give the pattern a go, she has detailed the changes that she made, so it's a great guide.     

Here are the fabrics that I will be using for my dress/tunic. I'm super excited!!! I absolutely love the 60s/70s retro print. The colors didn't photograph well, but I have a sheer green, and another green that's a little lighter that I will use. Then the blue will be an accent piece. The mustard polka dot fabric will also be an accent. I used the polka dot fabric for the t-shirt and leggings which I have already made. I think this is going to be such a fun project. 

    

If you were to look in my closet, you would most likely think that the last thing I need is a new coat. But, I really could use a basic black coat for the cool fall temps. I really like this Vogue 8862. Not sure if it's still available??? I purchased the pattern for view A and B, but I am going to make view C.

I bought this great piece of quilted black fabric. The face is a sueded like velveteen. The backside is a basic lining fabric. Since the fabric is quilted, and lined, I'll need to bind the seams. I have this cotton that has a white dandelion print that I thought would be fun for making bias binding.         

I need to get busy as it's almost the end of October!!! How can that be??? 

Hope you are finding a little joy in your fall projects :)

I'll be back tomorrow with a new edition of my 1 year challenge.

Have a fabulous day!!!

Rhonda

Help Me Decide!

Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your kind wishes for my dog Gracie. We are a week out of the second surgery, and oh my, what a difference! She has started wanting to scratch her ear, so I think that's a good sign, a sign of healing. She was so funny last night, she was lying on the sofa beside me, and wanted so badly to scratch her ear. Her back paw would go up, but stop short, as if she was saying, "oh, but I really want to scratch." She has actually been quite good about keeping her foot out of her ear. The vet said that the stitches need to stay in for 14 days, so I think that if she has had this much improvement in a week, the next week should be all the better. And I will have a huge sigh of relief :)

Oh, and my toe is healing, not that it's such a big deal. I walked a little too much yesterday and paid the price last night. In time, this too shall pass :)

A few weeks ago I shared this coat that I have had forever. It's a faux fur coat that I really love. The fur is quite nice. While I won't wear it any longer as is, the fur can be saved, so I've decided to remake it. The coat is now apart, and I need to decide what to do with it.   

I have this trim which a friend gave me and I have been aching to use it. It may be a little difficult to see, but it has a lovely gold metallic thread that runs through it, and ruby beads in the center of the flowers. I have quite a bit, so there are lots of possibilities. 

I found this picture, and fell in love. I want a longer coat, so I thought I could do something to create a full skirt. I should actually have enough of the faux fur to create a great skirt.     

 Maybe something like this.

I really like this coat as well. I thought that I could use the fur and trim around the bottom of the coat and maybe mix it with a wool coating.

And then, OH MY GOODNESS, I love this coat!!! If I did this, I would forget the trim all together and mix the fur with a cotton velvet. 

All are quite dressy, so it's not a choice between something casual and something dressy. I would love your thoughts. 

Whatever I decide to do, it should be really pretty. 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Rhonda

My Stephen Burrow's Inspired Coat

Thank you to everyone who sent notes yesterday. I'm so very happy that I once again received a great report. It seems that the moles have grown a little in size(width), but not in depth, and depth is what can mean cancer. So, I can still see, and you will continue to receive my crazy blog posts ;)

Our fashion show chair for the upcoming 2018 Haute Couture Fashion Show has been very inspired by the work of American designer, Stephen Burrows. She would really love to have an entire segment of the show devoted to pieces that have been inspired by his work. 

Yesterday, I shared with you the sewing challenge entitled, "Designin' December." Linda of Nice Dress, Thanks I Made It, loves to sew and loves to try and inspire others to sew, so she came up with the idea to encourage others to copy, rather than purchase a garment that they would like to have in their wardrobe. If you would like to participate, she even has a button that you can attach to your blog.
   

When I did a little research on Stephen Burrows, I found the coat below and loved it! So I told our fashion show chair that I would recreate it with the hope of getting a few others to make up a Stephen Burrows inspired design for the fashion show. So since I am coping a designer original, I thought I may as well participate in the Design' December challenge. 

My fabric just arrived yesterday. My coat will not be an exact match, but still inspired by the original. Sadly, I just couldn't get the light right, as the colors are much more vibrant than they appear, especially the yellow. It's much closer to the yellow in the original coat.

Now to make up a muslin. The coat is a very basic design, it's just a matter of the placement of the colors. I think it will be a lot of fun to play around with the colors.

The fabric is a washable merino wool ponte from Fabrications in Michigan. I was a little concerned that all of the colors that they had on their website might not be available, but when I called to order, I was told that if they don't have it in stock, it's not on the website. Nice!

So, a fun new project. 
You won't miss me walking down the street!!! 

A Furry Sneak Peek

I am so excited about having the opportunity to give a lecture on working with fur at the upcoming Original Sewing and Quilting Expo in Schaumburg, IL and Fredricksburg, VA!

I'll be showing a number of jackets and coats, but this one I am especially partial to. In my last post about the coat, I told you that this is the 3rd reincarnation. Talk about recycling!!! 
Below is the early stages of a raglan sleeve coat with a swing hemline.  

When you love fur, it seems that friends will shower you with fabulous gifts. The collar and cuffs that I am using on the jacket came from a friend. The coat had belonged to her grandmother. 

Once the expo is over, I will share more of the coat, but for now, here's the sleeve with the fur cuff. A friend of mine had given me the embroidered trim and I loved how it worked with the fur. 

The jacket has a center front zipper. For those of you living in Chicago, go by Leonard Adler on Montrose in Chicago. They have a fabulous selection of zippers.

With any garment really, but especially with furs, a little extra touch is always fun, so I added the trim down the front along the edge of the lining. Now when the coat is opened, the eye will get a glimpse of something special.

I wanted to give you a closer look at this trim as it really is quite special. It's actually hand embroidered. For the most part, it is perfect, but if you look closely, there are wonderful little imperfections that give it that special made by hand appeal :) 

I am doing 2 fur classes in Schaumburg, one on Thursday morning, and the other on Friday midday. Even if you don't take one of my classes, stop by, I would love to meet you!

Fun With Fur and The Original Sewing and Quilting Expo

My first introduction to working with fur was when I attended fashion design school. I loved every moment of my fur classes. 

Since then, I am always on the look out for a fur that is in good shape and can be restyled. The piece below was purchased when I was in school and originally made into a coat that had hand knitted bands around the neckline, sleeves and the bottom of the coat. I loved it and wore it for a number of years until I grew tired of it and decided to make it into something different.  The coat is now on it's third metamorphosis.

I think that seeing the inside is always a treat. The seams show where the skins have been sewn to each other. Take note that there are no seam allowances.

The outside of the fur. None of the pieced together seams show.

This is just a preview of the finished coat. One of the fun things about working with vintage fur is that you can mix and match and come up with something you will truly enjoy.

If you are coming to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in Schaumburg, IL, or Fredricksburg, Virginia, I will be teaching a class on working with fur. As intimidating as it may seem, I think you'll find that it's really a lot of fun. 

Over the next few days, I'll give you a few more glimpses of my coat.

Hope you can make it to one of the expos. I would really love to meet you!!!

Can a Jacket Cry?

I won't include everyone, as I would like to believe that there's someone out there who finishes every project that they begin. But, I think there are many of us that for whatever reason, have garments that languish unfinished, in a drawer, hanging in the closet, or folded up on our work table. They need buttons, maybe a hem, usually just some little something that never seems to get accomplished. While truth be told, I have many, there's one in particular that has almost seemed to cry out, "PA-LEEASE finish me!" 

If you've followed the blog for a while, you may remember the Pepernoot Sew Along I did on the Sew News blog. Cute, cute coat from Waffle Patterns.  

The jacket on the left, I made for the Sew News magazine. The coat on the right was made during the sew along. I absolutely love those great big hippy flowers :)

During the sew along, I mentioned that the coat could easily be made without the hood. Some one asked it I would elaborate, so I decided to make up a spring/fall version without the hood. Coat/lining cut and ready to go.

The last time I left you, I am very ashamed to say, was May 20, 2016. I truly hold my head in shame :( 
The coat was basically finished, I wanted to adjust the tabs. The pockets needed to be added, and the hems finished. 

The zipper and lining were both in, so just little finishing jobs left.

   
Here, on August 31, 2017, I am very happy to say that the coat is FINALLY finished! 

I decided to try a different application for the pockets. Rather than inserting the zippers, I lined and top stitched around the pockets .

Placed them on the jacket and then top stitched them in place.

An opening was left to insert the hand.

And I made a bar tack at the lower edge of the opening to reinforce the pocket.

The hems are in, and I am all set! Finally!!!

I recently came across this fun little piece of fabric. Love the whimsical planes, trains, and boats. I'm making a little pencil skirt to wear with my jacket. 

The lining I used for the jacket was found at an antique store. Believe it or not, an antique store can be a great fabric resource. If I'm not mistaken, there were about 5 yards and it looks like there will be enough to line a skirt and make a little blouse. I am going to be one patriotic looking sight ;)

While our languishing projects can't actually cry, we can, like all the times I have gone to get dressed and said, "if only I had that coat finished." Well, now it's finished and I can't wait for the temps to fall just enough to begin pulling it on.

Hope I've inspired you to grab an old project and get it done!  

Monday Morning Inspiration

It's Monday, and it's also the first day of the month. May 1st is my personal kickoff to spring, so this is a very happy day for me. We had SO much rain over the weekend. My garden is quite happy, weeds and flowers alike ;) The blooms have finished on my cherry tree, but the apple tree is bursting with blooms. The squirrels typically eat all of my apples, but who knows, maybe there will be enough this year for me too. I'm not counting on it. Those little buggers snatch the apples off the tree, take a bite or two and then leave the rest. I don't mind sharing, but at least eat what you take!!! 

Last Saturday I added a new interview to the Sewbussted Material Witness lineup. What a fun interview it was to do. In case you missed it, I've added it below,



I had not met Pamela Vanderlinde prior to our interview, but what a great time we had together. So for a little Monday Morning Inspiration, I thought I would showcase some of her custom work. 

The 2 pieces below are by far my favorite. 

If you watched, or listened to the interview, you heard her say that her passion is coats and jackets. Look closely and you'll see the asymmetrical collar on this jacket. 

 The velvet roses on this coat are just exquisite.

Pamela enjoys taking a basic design and doing something a little unexpected.

This coat is a piece that she did for a class that she taught on pattern insertion. Really amazing!

Her new book on designing coats and jackets just came out in January, so it's quite new. A fabulous book, and one that I think everyone who enjoys making coats and or jackets should have in their library. You can find it HERE on Amazon. 

I thought I would share this picture from her blog, a picture taken in Manchu Picchu. In the interview we talk about her philanthropic work with the Andean women. On the Amawaki website, you can find info on how you can actually go and learn the weaving technique. While you are there, you will stay with a family and experience their life first hand. I SO want to do this!  

Now here's an opportunity!!!

If by chance you are going to be in Chicago on Saturday June 3, 2017, Pamela will be speaking to the Haute Couture Club of Chicago at our annual June Banquet. You can find all of the information in our newsletter HERE. 

I hope that the month of May will bring loads of happiness and opportunity into your life! 
Rhonda

The Hoodless Pepernoot Coat From Waffle Patterns

I had great fun doing the sew along for the Waffle Patterns Pepernoot Coat. While working on the coat, I found the pattern to be quite versatile. Below you see Yuki's version which has the faux fur band on the hood and the quilted lining. A great coat for super coat weather.

As you know, the coat on the left was made for the magazine and the coat on the right was done for the sew along. Although both have a hood, they look quite different. Of course the fabric alone is going to set them apart. 

Just in case you missed the post I did with me in the coats, here's a follow up picture. I've just about worn out the squiggle coat. It has really become my go to jacket on cool days. I think that most people would not realize that the two coats came from the same pattern.

During the sew along,I mentioned that the coat could be made without the hood. I was asked to do a tutorial on how to do this. The changes that need to be made to the pattern in order to delete the hood were posted HERE. I decided that I would like to have a hoodless version. Below is my almost finished coat.

For quite some time, I have wanted a denim jacket in my wardrobe, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity to make one up. 

If you would like to do a hoodless version,  remember that the zipper will stop below the neckline rather than run up into the hood, so you can get by with a little shorter zipper than called for in the pattern.

As I showed you in the previous post, the placket will need to be shortened and it too will stop below the neckline.

I decided to do a lot of top stitching. 

I even edge stitched the darts with my top stitching thread. Please excuse my washed out pictures.

Another shot of the top stitching detail on the shoulder.

And finally, the lining. A rather patriotic coat ;)

The coat has yet to be pressed, but this at least this gives you an idea of how it sits on the neckline. Without the hood, it's not a coat for cooler days, although a turtleneck sweater or a scarf could be worn with the coat and either of those options would give it a little more flexibility.

I think this is going to be fun version to wear with jeans and skirts alike. Now off to finish the coat!

You can check out all of Yuki's innovative patterns HERE.

Happy Friday :)