Little Dress

Oh hello there! Life has been busy just being life, days roll on, flowers bloom, and I get caught up in the nature of living. Every once in a while I take a moment and dust off the sewing machine and get reacquainted.

In this case, a little dress for one of my little friends. Made from a bit of vintage fabric I've been hording for quite some time. I was inspired by the riot of blooms popping up everywhere here in the PNW. Happy Spring!

I added a vintage doily for a pocket. This is one of my favorite little girl dress patterns. I have re-traced and adjusted it so many times that I can't remember the original pattern I started with when Pony girl was about 3 years old. I made it many times and it never disappoints. I love this version in this treasured fabric.

Of course one must add a vintage button to finish it off.

It really is one of my favorite things you know, sewing for littles. Makes me happy indeed. Not to mention that this dress is going to be worn by one of the sweetest littles around!

What is one of your favorites things to make?

Sewing Mojo

I don't want to get too excited, but I do think that I may have found my sewing mojo again. At least I certainly hope so. Yesterday I made up my mind to reacquaint myself with Sadie Sewing Machine and get to it! I went through a stack of patterns and settled on Tina Givens Dresdon Pant. 

All of her designs are over-sized and this was no exception; think a modern version of "harem" pants. While a fairly simple pattern, there are some interesting fiddly bits that kept my attention. I love the pleated and cuffed hem. 

I added little tabs of vintage tea-dyed lace to the cuffs for fun.

It has inset pockets and side panels that run the length of the pant leg. I'm happy with the end result and they are super comfy. I wouldn't wear them with just a Tee, but they look good with more over-sized layers. Still, I think if I were to make them again I would make some changes.

I would shorten the crotch seam as it's too low for my taste and comfort, I might also narrow the leg a bit and try a capris length version. You could easily play around with the side panels, even doing them in a different fabric.

They look great paired with the Tessuti Lily Dress I made some time ago. 

Now I'm ready to make more! Oh yes, let's get stitching!

Wearing Handmade

Finally, here is the finished version of my Cascade Dress for grown ups. After the pattern was sewn up, I died the entire garment using a natural dye method with black beans. I then added vintage lace details, also naturally dyed. I still think there are a few changes I'd like to make down the road if I continue making the pattern, however, I am quite pleased with the final result. A lot of time and love went into this dress. It has a comfy playfulness to it and wearing it makes me feel young at heart.

After working on my Cascade Dress, I decided I needed a break from the drafting and turned to a published pattern for my next project.

I chose The Peplone Jacket Pattern by Tina Givens. I had found this beautiful deep amethyst linen/rayon blend at my local fabric shop and just knew it would make quite a statement. So it did! I loved working with this fabric and may have to hunt down some more,

I used some organic cotton scraps I had for the pockets and sleeve trim, and a fantastic big vintage button I got from my mom some years ago. This worked up wonderfully. It's a very full fit coat-like garment reminiscent of the turn of the century boho movement. To be accessorized with a languid pose and an artistic flair. I love it truly. I can't help but feel decadent and creative whilst wearing it.

 I can see that my promise to sew more for myself is taking some interesting turns and I'm really enjoying it.

Have you made anything lately?

See you after the holiday, be well!

Cascade Dress Part Two -

I'm working out all the kinks in grown up version of The Cascade Dress. It needs pockets, you all know how much I love a handy dandy pocket! I'm also uncertain of the contrasting band, but as I plan to dye the whole shebang, I think it will blend nicely. Plus, it's prototype #1. Will there be a prototype #2? Perhaps, I need a little break from this baby.

Going through the process of creating a new design, especially one to be worn by adults, is incredibly detailed, time consuming, and unpaid. It's a real labor of love. It makes one really appreciate handcrafted items; be they clothes, woodwork, print making, knitting, etc. Back in the old days we owned less, so what we owned needed to last longer and... ok, I'm not going to go all Nana on you and wax nostalgic for the way back times, but you know what I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would hope that we, as a society, thought about what goes into the things we choose to buy. I hope that people understand that when you look at a well crafted item made by someone's hands you understand that hours and hours of passionate labor have gone into it, not to mention quality materials. It may seem expensive to some, but the truth is, most of us makers charge less than the product is worth in time and materials. We don't do it to get rich, we do it because it's what we love and we hope others will love it too.

New Design - The Cascade Dress

The Cascade Dress

Oh hello!

This weekend I got an itch to make up a new dress design. I was inspired by another dress, and one of my favorite places on the Oregon coast. It's an over-sized overdress. Ever expanding  my love of smock frocks, I think this one is a keeper.

I made it for Pony Girl, but I may have taken the idea of over-sized a bit too far and it nearly fits me! Once she gets home from school all shall be revealed. If it does prove to be a disaster on her, it may end up for sale in the shop. For now, it's hanging up in the lounge making for some pretty scenery.

What do you think?

Back to work

Oh goodness me! It's fall, there is a crispness in the air, the leaves are turning and I have started baking again. I am also, as of today, back to work. Hooray!

For the last month I have been a bit of a gimp, suffering from adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder. The pain and lack of mobility have made doing my daily routines fairly difficult if not impossible. The real corker, is that I couldn't work in my studio. No stitchy happiness for me no siree!

However, I used this time wisely, letting ideas percolate away in my mind. I am slowly getting better and so grateful for that. I pulled out my supplies this morning ready to go! Ah, hello old friends, I'm back!

What are you up to?

Smockery

I've long thought that I would like to be a maker of smocks. Long smocks, short smocks, art smocks, canning smocks, gardening smocks, smock frocks... all the smocks really. I would like to make them in cotton, calico, vintage cottons, hand dyed linens, toile, barkcloth, even gauze - why not? I might open a smock making shop, a Smockery if you will.

What makes a smock a smock? Oh details people! Certainly discussions could be had, definitions linked to, experts asked and theories pontificated, but that wont happen here. Nope! I'm just gonna call it a loose garment often worn over other garments to protect them whilst doing messy work. However, I do believe a smock is much more than that, and can be worn just because. I find wearing a smock makes me feel industrious and artsy, even if in actuality I may look like a frumpy mess. I call it the psychology of donning a smock. You may call it what you like.

The above smock was made from a "vintage" See & Sew Pattern by Butterick (with a couple of modifications). They did not call it a smock though, they referred to it as a "Jumper." You can imagine, what with the international nature of the interwebs, how confusing calling it a "Jumper" could be. Clearly, it is a smock, though I might concede to sheath, chemise, overdress and what not.

I made it from lightweight unbleached muslin and some vintage ribbon. It has hidden pockets, a sneaky pocket smock it is! I really like how it turned out, still needs a bit of finish work, but all in all I see potential. The down side is that it is not my size and I am now searching for an appropriately proportioned model so I can see what it looks like on a real human. 

Now, I'm off to dream of all the smocks I will make for the grand opening of my Smockery! 

Sewing in the past

I didn't mean to disappear last week. It was not by my choosing, but rather due to a house wide plague that settled in upon us. Terrible thing a stomach bug, no good at all! I'm happy to report that we are all back to standing on our feet and feeling like human beings again.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

I was having a rummage through my sewing patterns and took out a few of the vintage ones. Now, it's not just styles that have changed over the years, sizing and body measurement requirements have changed quite a bit as well. For instance, that sweet dress in the middle above is a size 18 US. and if it were a modern day pattern it would in theory be a little big on me in areas. The package says that for a size 18 the bust measurement guide says 38" and waist at 30", yeah, that's not gonna fit me. A current pattern (among the major US brands) has the body measurements for a size 18 at 40" bust and 32" inch waist. That's a 2 inch jump. Interesting.

These wont fit me either, but I kind of want to sew them up any way, how groovy is that pantsuit? By the 70's measurements were beginning to change on patterns. Still, while I wear a 12 - 14 generally, according to this size 14 pattern, I would require a 27" waist. I haven't had a 27" waist since my first year of high school. Ah well. Any one out there with a slim figure who wants a fabulous custom made jumpsuit?

It's possible that the poncho would fit and the cape would totally work. Everyone should have a cape in their wardrobe, am I right? Fortunately, the Big 4 pattern companies here in the US have now reproduced a selection of their vintage patterns in modern sizing and larger sizes as well. Of course I have yet to see them put out that pantsuit pattern.

I actually have plans for sewing up another vintage pattern that I found in my stash. It wont fit me either, but I think it might lead to some groovy inspiration.

Happy Monday all!

Dottie Angel Frock - for smalls

Instagram and the interwebs are abuzz lately with #DottieAngelFrock. Simplicity has taken Tif Fussell"s frock design and put out pattern 1080 so that all of us can make our very own Dottie Angel Frock. I must admit, I am so excited for her, but it took me awhile to get the pattern myself. I wasn't sure how I felt about how I might look in it. I love it mind you, I just didn't know if I would love it for me. So I got a little sneaky and decided to try my hand at making a version for Pony Girl.

 Before the pockets

I used some Alexander Henry fabric that I've had in my stash for a couple of years. I just love it, and it's a bit different. I started out by tracing the size small. I was going off of the waist measurement and wanted to make sure it was roomy enough. I found that I could have done the extra small and been fine. I cut out the tunic length and made a few alterations to the pattern.  I will tell you that I didn't really follow the instructions, I just followed my own weaving way, like I do.  So, this isn't an actual review of the pattern, just my take on it.

I made changes to the front tucks to gather up a bit more of the ease and sewed the arms a bit willy-nilly. The one thing I forgot to consider in my rush to make the dress, was the neck line. Next time I will cut it to better fit a small person, or add a bit of elastic 'round it. I ended up making some gathers at the shoulder seams before I added the cotton lace.

I thought that the pockets that are part of the pattern were a bit too large for the small person version, so I just whipped up a very simple version of my own. Though I would make a few more alterations next time (there is certain to be a next time), it is adorable on my girl, I love it! I am even getting up the nerve to sew one for myself and see how it goes.  This really is a great frock and quite easy to work up. If you would like to see more stunning versions of the dress, just head on over to Instagram and search the hashtag #dottieangelfrock, there are so many clever makers out there. I bet you could find quite a few on Pinterest and other parts of the world wide web as well!

We are on the tip of a long holiday weekend and headed to the ocean for a couple of days, I'll be back next week. Have a grand weekend my friends!

Road Trip

Oh goodness me! The last month of school had me jumping and jiving with all the activities and meetings and so on. Haven't had much time for this happy place. And now we are getting ready to hit the road for a much anticipated vacation. The packing has started, lists have been made, camping gear double checked and we are buzzing with excitement.

I'm taking along the finally finished Doll Couture Commission to deliver. I've been snipping and stitching away in small scale. While it's been a really fun job, I think I might take a break from sewing for wee dolls for a bit.

I'll be back soon with tales of our adventures! Until then, you can keep up with me over on Instagram under lolanova.

Happy Summer my friends!

No Pattern, No Problem: The making of a T-shirt

I have a frightful confession. I don't sew with knits. Oh I do hope you didn't bump your noggin when you fainted from the shock of it. Now that you've recovered I can tell you that I can happily revise that confession to: For years I did not sew with knits. 

It was not always so. When I was a teen I sewed knits with impunity, I had no fear and I couldn't for the life of me understand why people were hesitant to sew with knit fabrics. Ok, I do admit a slight aversion to pure polyester knits, but that's a story for another day.

Somewhere along the way I stopped sewing with knits, and with this lack of knit sewing I too began to have doubts, fears even. Silly me.

On the practical side, one of my excuses was that good quality knit fabrics are expensive. Well, the other day I was taking a long overdue peruse through my local thrift shop, and though I did not find the perfect v neck sweater I was searching for, I did find a few very large men's T-shirts in white. The perfect lead in to playing around with knits without breaking the bank while at the same time upcycling some formerly unloved clothing.

I didn't have a pattern so I made one. This is true of some knits, they can be forgiving of the hastily self drafted pattern. I created a Dolman sleeve t-shirt, one of the easiest things to sew, really! I then went about making a couple with various sleeve lengths. In the photos above I used some gorgeous knit that my friend Nancy sent me ages ago and added the contrasting bands from another shirt that happened to be the perfect shade of green.

This one was made using one of the white thrift store t-shirts, dyed black and stenciled with a horse of course.

There are some tricky things about sewing with knits, but honestly it's just like anything else... it takes practice and there is no reason to fear sewing with knits. Not that you're afraid, of course not, you are very brave and have no idea what I'm talking about. It was probably just me. Silly me.

I also whipped up a pair of yoga pants made from t-shirts that suffered from an unfortunate dye job. (Note to self: Order some good quality fiber reactive dyes!)

Well, I'm so glad I now sew with knits. 

Oh! And coming up on Friday I will be posting a quick tutorial on how to make a Dolman Sleeve T-Shirt of your very own! Hooray!

Edelweiss

I've come down with a bit of cold, so yesterday in my disoriented state I decided Pony Girl needed a 70's style Boho dress, so I made one, as you do. I just grabbed an old curtain panel and a bit of leftover shot cotton and whipped it up quick sticks. 

I've also decided that she should wear it with a vintage apron à la The Sound of Music. We'll see if she agrees to this.

And this wrinkled mess is a design in progress; the bodice for a dress. While I liked my original design, as you can see from my slap dash markings that many changes are coming.

Oh now this is getting tricky. I might wait until my head is clear again before tackling this further!

What are you up to?

Nice Rack!

This weekend Woodworking with Sasquatch, aka The Engineer, made me this amazing rolling clothing rack for my studio. I love it! Isn't it a beauty?

I am one lucky lady. Thank you so much darlin'!

Random Acts of Sewing

On any given day there are a lot of projects waiting to be started, to be worked on, to be finished... and of course there's always laundry. 

There are some days however, that one must shoo away all those projects and to-dos buzzing around one's head and just commit random acts of sewing. Yesterday was just such a day. Something simple and happy, something that can be completed in the better part of a morning, and something useful as well. Yes, that was just the ticket!

I asked my girl to choose some fabric before she left for school then broke out some tried and true patterns that I have altered, adjusted, and sized up many times. I was able to give my new fancy steam iron a good work out and I must say it did a bang up job. (Last week my old trusty iron had a run in with some nasty synthetics and I'm not naming names, but it wasn't me... the end result was a new iron had to be acquired)

I spent some lovely hours happily stitching away, it did me a world of good I tell you! Nothing difficult or tricky, no doubts or maths involved, just familiar lines curving and meeting in a most satisfying way.

This morning my girl donned her new duds and blew kisses to me from the school bus window.

Well, I'm off - the laundry awaits!

Small Scale Couture

Funny how things work. A week ago I would have never thought I would be designing custom clothes for those of extremely small stature. Yet, here I am a day down the rabbit hole and a basic pattern tested with plans for at least 3 more designs to create.

Couture for dolls. Like I said, it's funny where life takes you. It's a really great way to use up those little scraps and in end, I hope to bring some smiles to some sweet girls.

Negroni Shirt Pattern - by Colette Patterns

I finally had some time to finish my test garment for the Negroni shirt from the Walden series of men's patterns from Colette Patterns.

I am really happy with the way it turned out, so I thought I'd do a brief little review of the pattern for y'all.

Negroni is a solid intermediate pattern. Sewing shirts takes a bit of effort and I had not sewn one with a collar, flat felled seams, a yoke, and all the rest in quite some time. The instructions are well written and if you have any experience with shirt making you should have an easy time following along. If not, this is a great pattern to give it a try!

I decided to sew the short sleeve version in XXL as the Engineer likes a bit of comfort and ease in his clothing. After finishing the shirt and he tried it on, I think an XL would have easily fit him, but he was perfectly happy with the size.

I started by tracing the pattern (I'll wax poetic about tracing patterns some other day) and cutting it out of some dodgy quality 1980's quilting cotton I inherited from my grandmother. Since this was intended to be a test garment, I didn't want to use any of the good stuff.

I made the shirt exactly to spec. Following the instructions to the letter, I like to do this on my first run with a new pattern, then make any adjustments and order changes according to my own sewing style and intuition the next time around.  

All of the pieces came together perfectly. Any issues I had were due to sewist error and not because of any problems with the pattern.  The only alteration I had to make was cutting 2 1/2 inches from the sleeve length; yes, one of the Engineer's nicknames is Sasquatch, but even Sasquatch couldn't pull those sleeves off - these sleeves were seriously long!

The shirt length itself was just right, even the buttonhole placement from the pattern piece was right on; this is something I always have to change and mark myself, but since the Mr. wasn't around for that phase I went with it and was pleasantly surprised that it worked out as well as it did. 

I am thrilled that he likes it and that I ended up with a wearable test garment. 

It also re-lit the spark for flat felled seams - Oh I do love a flat felled seam... hmmm maybe a little flat felled seam tutorial is in order next week! Anyone in?

I highly recommend this pattern. It's so great to have a solid men's pattern and I can't wait to make it again in some quality fabric. I have a feeling this is going to be a long lived and oft used pattern. Hooray!

You can find the pattern in many of your local fabric shops or you can get it Here!

Hello Monday - Slow Simmer

It's a rainy Monday, the perfect sort of day to slow simmer something delicious on the stove, perhaps bake some bread, and think on plans for the coming days.

My work room/studio is nearly back together and well organized. Thank goodness as I am itching to do some stitching again. I'm planning some makes; like this Negroni Men's shirt from Colette Patterns in this handsome Kaufman lightweight cotton plaid. I'm planning a test shirt in some calico I have in my stash, then on to the plaid.

Whilst unpacking and organizing, I came across a few unfinished projects from days gone by, so those are on the to-stitch list as well.

Well, I'm off to brew a cup of tea, listen to some Debussy, contemplate cooking, peruse bread recipes, and make the most of this rainy Monday.

Tools of the Trade

As I continue my massive studio overhaul/reorganization I got to thinking about the tools that I use in doing what I do. What are the tools I can't live without? What are some of the tools that may not be an absolute necessity, but that I have become so attached to that I believe I can't live without them? What are some tools that I use that I just think are the bees knees?

Well, in the can't live without category, you will find the usual suspects:

Good quality, regularly sharpened fabric shears
Paper cutting shears
Sharp little snips
Seam Ripper! So vital that I have 4 of them
Rotary Cutter
Pin Cushion
Measuring Tape
Marking tool/s - I have all sorts, the one pictured is my latest acquisition
Clear plastic quilting ruler - not pictured

I have a group of tools here, that I find indispensable, but are not on everyone's list of essentials:

Seam Gauge - it's uses are too numerous to list - again I have 4 of these babies
Turning tool (also called a bone folder) - used to make crisp corners when turning something right side out
Beeswax Thread Waxer - this one belonged to my grandmother and still sees quite a lot of use
Bodkin - For threading elastic or ties through casings
Buttonhole Cutter - This is a sharp beveled edge tool for cutting the center of buttonholes - love!
Fray Check - again it's uses are many, but it's a must for my buttonholes
Bias Binding Folding tools - for making your own bias binding
Many Sewing Machine Needles - In my opinion these should be on the can't live without list! It makes a huge difference to change your needles often - every 12 hours of basic sewing at least

Of course I could not live without my steam iron and ironing board. As cheesy as it sounds, pressing equals success. I can easily spend half of my sewing time on pressing.

Accordingly, I have some very useful pressing tools:

Ham and Sleeve Roll - Yes, it's actually called a Ham - due to it's shape
Point Presser/Clapper - Gets those seams looking sharp - these were made by my talented Engineer

This is by no means a complete list. I know I have left out some other important items, yet these are tools that help me do what I love to do.

Now, I'm so curious to know what is your favorite tool/s that you use in your projects? Do tell!

The hazards of getting organized

Hello,

My name is Lola and I'm a hoarder.

Of all things crafty.

Even after a major cull when we moved out of The Little Green Cottage, there were still boxes packed and left to their own devices since we moved into this house. So it was I finally undertook the MASSIVE re-organization of my work room. I even caved to the finger breaking assembly of Ikea storage units. Forget pretty, I need function!!! I've been slogging away in the chaos for days. 

Oops, forgot that big box in the furnace room! Oops, there's more sawdust covered boxes in the garage! Did I mention it's MASSIVE? Today it came down to a final couple of boxes in the garage. After slaving all day and creating more upheaval (it gets worse before it gets better), I started to get a headache from sucking dust and a bit of vertigo from the overwhelming state of things. "Oh come on Champ! You can do one more box! It's the last giant box of fabric, all you need to do is put it on the shelves in an orderly manor. Easy peasy," is what I said to myself.

Famous last words.

It's my own fault, in fact I was surely asking for it. What does one expect leaving a box of cotton and wool yardage in a garage next to a wood pile?

Of course they chewed through the best wool, and by "they" I mean mice. Now I'm not one to run shrieking or jump onto kitchen counters upon seeing a little whiskered fellow, no, not I. However, I would like to add that I like to keep a respectable distance between myself and those pesky critters. They are welcome to come and go outside as they please, but inside is my domain and I'd thank you kindly to stay the heck out! Perhaps the mice were confused about the garage. Let me just set this straight right now for all you mice, the garage is off limits too! Especially my box of fabric! Of course there was a shocking amount of tiny mouse poo and the whole thing smelled that unmistakable smell of mouse pee. I now have 30 yards - give or take - of fabric to wash, dry, fold and find space for. Thank goodness the mice were out and about for the day when I discovered their nest.

I may just break into that bottle of whiskey I got for Christmas.

Creative Blog Hop

I was invited by Lindsay of A Wooden Nest to join in a creative blog hop to talk about my creative process. I have been given a list of 4 questions that I will do my best to answer. Creative process is one of those tricky things that can be hard to explain, but I'm happy to give it a good try.

What am I working on?

Sewing: I have been throwing myself into a project of refashioning, up-cycling, and re-imagining men's old work shirts that are no longer usable for their original purpose. I've been calling the project "Pa's Shirts." So far I have made 3 new garments for my daughter out of 2 shirts. This project speaks to my "mend and make do" and re-use philosophy, while at the same time challenges me to upgrade my skill set in alteration, pattern drafting, and creativity.

Mixed Media: I am continuing my work on The Stitched Journal Project, A year long endeavor that I have been so excited to share with other artists. The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

When I started this project I had no idea how it was going to influence me and my work. It has become such a valuable experience. It has freed me and taught me so much about my own creativity as well as being inspired by the work of other artists!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Hmmm... do I even have a genre? I'm joking. Reading the other blogger's posts in the hop, this seems to have been the hardest question to answer. It's no different for me. While I am not sure exactly how to answer this question, I do know that my work is always changing, my color ways, my interests and my techniques are always evolving. Like I said earlier, I do love incorporating formerly loved pieces into my work, giving new life to old things, finding new ways to show the tradition of handmade.

Why do I create what I do?
Most simply put, I create because I have to. That may seem a little extreme, but the truth is, I can't imagine my life without creating. It is part of who I am, what fulfills me, challenges me, excites me and makes my life bigger and brighter.  

I have always loved working with my hands, stretching my imagination and making things. It is a passionate affair that has been going on as long as I can remember. It helps me to keep in touch with myself, to slow down, to feel empowered. Whatever the creative endeavor; be it stitching, writing, making music, etc. it lets me express myself and be myself. 

How does my creative process work?
It all starts with a tiny seed of an idea. Sometimes that seed sprouts quickly and makes it's way to a full fledged project right away. Other times, it takes ages for that seed to germinate. Sometimes I am making my weaving way stumbling through it all. I find myself walking into my studio picking up the strangest pieces, working on the small, the details, creating laborious techniques, exploring funny ideas.  It's about textures and color and... imagination.

The ideas can come from anywhere and everywhere. A song on the radio, everyday chores, an overheard conversation, the way someone is dressed on the street, and of course, necessity is the mother of invention. I'll often make a list in my creative journal, sometimes a drawing or five and then work those things in my head until they become more concrete, and take shape.

If I'm feeling stuck I love to get out into nature, go for a walk or hike and just keep my mind open and free. Listening to music can jump start my creativity as well.

I don't have a strict creative regimen to my process, it often happens more organically and spontaneously. I am endlessly inspired by my daughter, my family and my community. 

Thank you Lindsay for inviting me to participate in this blog hop, I am honored. Please go visit Lindsay, Kristina, and Ness, to read their inspiring posts and follow their links to others on the blog hop!