Under the Gunn rehash!

I wonder what the designers on these shows do when they lose their sew-jo (get eliminated?!). I usually sew every day, but there are some days where I just can't be bothered. Surely these guys feel that way? When I don't feel like sewing, I sketch or plan or cut or prewash fabric. Can't get away with that on this show! (Has anyone else ever wondered about the lack of prewashing? Don't some fabrics shrink when they steam them? #sewingquestions)

Spoilers ahead...

Things I loved:

I don't believe for a second that the designers were randomly paired with their clients, but I don't care. I like it better when they generally mesh well or their styles work together.

Shan keeping his cool. Can you imagine what any other designer would have done, if faced with his obstacles? Half of them would have demanded special treatment or extra time (I would have...)

Things I hated:

I don't want to go on a huge rant here...but the phrase "real women" drives me bonkers. Unless a model is a robot, then she's a real woman. I would much prefer the term "average woman" or, even better, no special terms at all!

Ummm...Anya was wearing a see-through top without a bra. WHAT?! Am I the only one who finds this disturbing?!

Favorite garment(s):

It's been a couple weeks now since I've seen a garment I loved. Oscar's was beautiful but deserved all the criticism it received.

Least favorite garment:

Blake's was bad. I felt sorry for his client. I felt bad for Blake! We've all fallen victim to the lure of beautiful fabric that doesn't work later. Sometimes I stop and ask myself "is this a garment or do you really just wish it could be curtains?"

Asha's looked tortured to me. I don't understand why she keeps attempting these complicated designs if her construction skills prevent the proper execution.

Best line of the night:

(If you watched the episode then you already know the best line, hands down.)
"Sort of like tips for tits." --Tim Gunn


Is it just me, or have the eliminations been pretty predictable up to this point? Next week is going to be difficult. I think Shan will get through to the final show for sure, and before this week I would have said Sam too, but he seems to be losing favor with the judges.

Next week...comic books?

Hemming Jeans

We have a running joke in our house that "if only" my husband knew somebody who sewed, then we could solve all his wardrobe issues. This is a joke because I rarely take the time to alter garments for him, as much as he needs it (bad wife!). He has a pair of brown jeans that he wears often, which were too long. No more!

This is how he was wearing his jeans. Rolled up. I THOUGHT it was because there was snow outside and he was trying to keep them dry...but then there wasn't any more snow. And they stayed rolled. I finally got around to hemming them when I realized I had brown thread on my sewing machine. LazyBeth for the win!

Finished hem.

I learned this hemming technique in the Craftsy class Tailoring Ready-to-Wear, taught by Angela Wolf (affiliate link). Yes, you can simply rip out the hem and then sew it again, which works fine for dress pants. But Angela shows you how to alter a jeans hem so that you can keep the original distressed edge. The final product keeps the original topstitching, so all of your sewing is inside the pants.

The technique is hard to explain in photos, but the Angela does a great job with her video in the class. You basically sew just inside the original hem with a zipper foot, so that you're getting as close to the original hem as you can, removing the fabric above it. You remove the excess fabric and then finish the raw edge.

By the way, I'm not very good at serging in-the-round! Especially over the thick double-folded jeans seams. While I'm at it, my regular sewing machine wasn't that good at dealing with the bulk, either (even with a jeans needle).

The trouble with my machines meant that this project turned out to be more time-consuming than I thought, but it was worth it in the end. I do have one tip: make sure the jeans are freshly washed, and that your subject sits down to test the new hem length. After washing, these "tightened up" a bit, as jeans tend to do, and when my husband sits down they're a touch short. But he's happy he doesn't have to roll them up anymore, and I'm happy I did some self-less sewing for once!

What I'm Reading: Sew Stylish magazine

Way back in February, my husband and I decided to buy each other a new Crock Pot for Valentine's Day. This is how we knew we had reached old married couple status. So imagine my surprise when the day rolled around and he surprised me with one of my favorite things: sewing magazines!

Photo via my Instagram feed

He was super proud that not only did he renew my Threads subscription, but he also picked up a copy of Sew Stylish.

I've been curious about this magazine but never read it before. Basically, it's like the cool little sister to Threads. Y'know how sometimes Threads will run an article about shoulder pads or weaving beads into coats or random stuff like that? Well, there's still a little of that in Sew Stylish, but not as much.

If 3D flowers are in, I want to be out.

Sew Stylish is published twice a year (spring and fall), with an emphasis on fashion trends from the corresponding seasons. I loved this aspect and it made it feel like a cross between Threads and Burda Style (oh Burda, why must you be so expensive?!). I really liked the features from designers like Angela Wolf and Cal Patch.

The only downside I could see is that there were some reprints of articles that previously appeared in Threads. I only know this because the magazine states it, I haven't been a Threads subscriber for long enough to see something I've seen before.

I'll definitely take a peek at the fall issue when it comes out, now that I'm familiar with the magazine. And by the way, we never did get a Crock Pot. The romance lives on!

Wardrobe Architect: Capsule Silhouettes...and a winner!

Last week in the Wardrobe Architect series, we were instructed to think about silhouettes for spring/summer, in the context of a capsule collection. I've never given much thought to making a capsule collection, mostly because I can be a bit flighty in my projects. I generally have about 5 garments in mind at once, and I like being able to choose from those when it comes time to start something new. But I guess it makes more sense to make those 5 "top priority" items be garments that go together! One of my biggest problems is definitely too many one-off items, things that work alone but not with anything else in my closet (did I mention I'm flighty?).

I went back through my Wardrobe Architect Pinterest board and looked over my common silhouettes, which I had made on Polyvore. I pulled out the ones that were appropriate for spring/summer. For reference, spring in Indiana can be 20 degrees, and summer can get up to 100. It's quite a large spread in terms of temperature! I quickly realized I needed another silhouette, one that incorporated capris.

As I worked on this exercise, I forced myself to be honest. Capris aren't always that sexy or cool, but I wear them a lot. So let's be real: what will I reach for on those days when I have 5 minutes to get ready? What will go into frequent rotation? I settled on these four silhouettes:

Feeling very pleased with myself, I pinned this image and was about to put this exercise to bed. Then I did a double-take: where are the skirts?!

Here's the truth: skirts don't work for my lifestyle. I wore them a lot in college, when I always carried a bag and being "cute" counted for a lot more than it does now. I have a closet full of skirts, but few of them have pockets. Some are way too short. Some are too big and constantly slip down whilst wearing them (eek!). When you're living with a rambunctious toddler, a wardrobe malfunction can be seconds away in a skirt.

What it comes down to is that I'd rather wear a dress (see "casual dresses" noted above). The right dress doesn't need adjusting all day. Some of my dresses have pockets, or they're pretty enough that I don't care!

So as strange as it seems, I'm happy to leave skirts out of my capsule wardrobe. I have one on my to-do list but it will likely fall out of the scope of the Wardrobe Architect series anyway. I'm feeling good about the silhouettes I did pick, and excited to move on to the next step.

And now, it's time to announce the winner of the Pattern Pyramid giveaway! Random.org has chosen...

Claire from Ragbags and Gladrags!

Congrats Claire, email me (sew110creations*at*gmail*dot*com) your address and I'll be sending this parcel of goodies your way!

Under the Gunn rehash!

We had some serious TV dilemmas in our house last night. It's March Madness, otherwise known as the "best days in the entire year" according to my husband. Oh, and did I mention we only have 1 television? (Thanksnothanks lightning strike from last summer). Thank goodness for live streaming on my iPad! This episode was worth watching live. I admit that the team pairings were super intriguing and I was more than a little sucked in by the drama.

Spoilers ahead...

Things I loved:

I liked Sam and the other guy designers joking around. It seemed good-natured. I'm sure they need relaxing banter in these kinds of stressful situations. Maybe Asha should take the hint?

Oh! And more Sam love. When he said he made an effort to get over his negative feelings towards Natalia, and now he's seen the light...can I just be his best friend?

Oscar's runway speech about giving Shan the win because he has three kids...seriously, I almost teared up.

Umm...Natalia throwing herself under the bus. WHAT? And the person driving the bus wanted to run over her? I don't love this because of Asha, I love it because Natalia showed herself to be a GOOD PERSON, which Asha did not. Some things are more important than advancing through the next round of a stupid TV show, and Natalia understood that. Asha, I hope she haunts your dreams at night.

Things I hated:

Asha. Do I have to say anymore? What a big baby. "I'm being positive." Fake smile. Fake attitude. Real hate. How offensive! Like Natalia is some hardship to be endured? I now no longer care what happens to Asha on this show. She decided before she started that it would be a disaster and totally self-sabotaged (and team-sabotaged). I mean really, who doesn't know that you should SHARE when you're on a team, including sharing decisions and fabric and whatever else? It was all so selfish. I almost barfed when she started crying on the runway.

Favorite garment(s):

I think all of these garments were more...bohemian...than I typically like, but that said I want to wear Shan's blazer every day forever.

Least favorite garment:

Sam was right...every girl already owns Oscar's winning dress. But that's not what the challenge was about, was it?

Asha and Natalia's stuff was just terrible.

Best line of the night:

"Does anyone want to check my blood pressure?" --Tim


I was disappointed in the way this episode turned out, but we're down to the last few designers so somebody had to go. I'm rooting for Sam and Shan all the way.

Next week: umm...I forgot.

First Spring Frock!

Don't forget to enter the Pattern Pyramid Giveaway! Entries close tomorrow at midnight!

Hey y'all, it's SPRING!

Today is the first day, and I'm celebrating with my first warm-weather dress! Well...I wish I were celebrating, but I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this make. Also, it was cold and overcast and not at all spring-like when I took these photos. Someone better get Mother Nature a calendar...

This dress is McCall's 6711, View C.

The fabric is a rayon challis from the red tag section at Jo-Ann's.

I don't often go for florals, but the colors in this one grabbed me. I've also been wanting to try rayon challis. The bolt said "dry clean only" which I would normally avoid, but I tested a swatch and there weren't any changes.

I should start with the good, right? The fabric is lovely. Only moderately annoying to work with, and easy to press. The skirt is very swishy and fun, and the dress is well-made.

AB is shirtless, of course.

You can start to see the biggest problem in this behind photo. So. Much. Volume.

This is a straight size 6 (the smallest size) and I'm swimming in it.

There is gathering along the back yoke, resulting in poofiness.

If you look at the line drawing you can see that the yoke is forward (not directly along the shoulder) and there are more gathers there (in place of darts). Then the skirt is also gathered into an elastic waist. Which leads to the second problem. The waist on the dress does not match my natural waistline. Here it is with a belt on my natural waist:

And closer up you can see that the belt is lower than the casing:

Soooooo by this point, you're thinking what I'm thinking, that if I had made a muslin I'd be in much better shape. You're right. But if I had made a muslin I probably would have abandoned the whole project.

Does it get any better with a jacket? A little bit.

I'm also not crazy about the neckline. The V in the V-neck should be lower. It looks odd, proportionally. Here's the worst part: I wanted this dress to be an Easter dress, so I spent a LOT of time finishing the insides. LazyBeth would have serged everything, but I painstakingly sewed seam binding to finish the raw edges.

I even hand-sewed a blind stitched hem, which I NEVER do (I actually love the result, it basically eliminates the need for easing the skirt hem since there's extra "give" in the stitches).

Side note: when my husband saw me sitting on the couch, sewing a hem by hand, I think he almost blew a gasket. "Didn't you just buy a machine that sews hems?!"

And one last photo to show how HUGE this dress is when you relax the elastic (it's a drawstring). Instead of being a pretty, floaty dress it's a sad hospital gown sack.

A few more negatives about this pattern while I'm on a roll: the instructions were not that good. They were fine, but if followed exactly you'd end up with a bad product. For example, they never suggested understitching and never told you when to finish seam allowances. If you look at the line drawing, there are vertical seams in the center-front bodice and skirt. From what I could tell, there was absolutely no reason for the skirt pieces to be cut in 2 and then have a seam in front. The front bodice is easier to finish around the neckline if it's in two pieces, but it would have been better if it were finished with a facing instead of a stupid narrow hem (thus eliminating the need for the center-front seam).

Overall, I'm just disappointed. I tried to pass it off to my husband and even he was like "uh..." so I know it's not a winner. I'm sure I'll wear it every now and then to church just because I worked so hard on it. I hope to do a little accessories shopping tomorrow and maybe I can find a more suitable belt (meaning: wider) to cinch it all in and make it passable. And of course, looking over these photos it doesn't look that bad. What do you think? Passable spring dress or circus tent?

Keep your pants on!

I don't know if this is a sewing rant or a parenting rant. You may have noticed that I haven't sewn much lately for AB. I think maybe one set of pajamas all year? And with Easter approaching, I see an awful lot of cute dresses floating around. The problem?

She hates clothes. I'd say that 75% of her at-home time, she's only in a diaper. By her choice. At best, she'll wear a t-shirt, and then only ones that feature Elmo or My Little Pony. Obviously, it's too cold for her to wear only a t-shirt out of the house, so she humors me in public and dresses like a normal person. But as soon as we get home, BOOM all the clothes come flying off.

So why should I bother sewing for her? For two hours at church every week, or errands every few days?

I'm trying to tell myself it's just a phase, but it's been going on for months now. It's really zapping my mojo when it comes to sewing for her. 

So what do you think? Sew an Easter dress anyway? Make her some ugly play clothes for outside time? Sew clothes for next year? Help!

Pattern Pyramid Giveaway!

Woohoo it's a giveaway! I admit, I enter a lot of giveaways. I like stuff (sewing stuff). Imagine my excitement a few weeks ago when I finally won! And now it's your turn!

What's a Pattern Pyramid you ask? It's a great big pile of patterns, and the winner gets to choose one! The only catch is that you must add one of your own. Host a giveaway on your blog, and then send the whole package on its way. Fun, right?

I won this lovely stack of goodies when Shannon from Shani Loves was hosting. Shannon and I actually live in the same state...so these patterns only traveled a few hours! Thank goodness it didn't take too long, because I was super excited to see the choices.

A jumpsuit? WANT! I don't care if it looks ridiculous on me.

History (and fashion) are doomed to repeat themselves. I guess these ladies go to the same hair stylist?

I have a RTW top exactly like this, which I love. Sadly, this pattern was already cut in a size that was not mine. After much debate, I chose...

This Cynthia Rowley pattern. It's a knit dress (of course) and a jacket. I kind of like the jacket, but I LOVE the dress. Must have more knit dresses! The reviews on PR warn that it can be a bit tricky, but I read the directions and think I can handle it. And what did I add to the pyramid?

I got this vintage pattern at a garage sale. A lady had a huge box stuffed full of patterns, and she begged me to take some of them. Sadly, they were almost all too large for me. I did take a few lovelies but realized later that this one has a size 40 bust. Not gonna work for me. But maybe it can work for someone else in the pyramid!

Want to win? To enter, you must have a blog where you can continue the pyramid/giveaway. This giveaway is open worldwide. For your entry, please comment on this post and answer the question: vintage patterns, fun or scary? I've never made one, and I'm kind of terrified for no reason. 

The giveaway will close at midnight Friday. I'll select a winner by random and announce who on Monday. Make sure that you leave some way for me to contact you, or check back Monday!

Under the Gunn rehash

Yesterday AB skipped her afternoon nap for the first time in...probably ever. She's still adjusting from daylight savings. So by the time Under the Gunn rolled around last night, I was ready for it, vino in hand!

Spoilers ahead...

Things I loved:

If you're going to have some ridiculous product tie-in, please continue to mention it once at the beginning of the episode, and then forget about it! I can deal with that.

Mood is on my bucket list. Every time I see it on this show I drool a little.

Things I hated:

Anya and Mondo were insufferable. And I generally like them. Here's a tip I learned once I became a parent: as cute as YOU think your child is, nobody else cares. You're allowed to be a cheerleader for your own child, but I don't need to see a picture of them on Facebook potty-training. And I definitely don't need anyone else's unsolicited advice. My point is: Mondo and Anya were completely out of line to pick on Natalia. They should have focused on the positives in their own designers, instead of putting down someone else. And ANYA of all people should NEVER criticize someone's construction. The whole thing was disgusting, and I hope Tim tells them to get their acts together and be more professional. And what was the point of bitching to Nick? What was he going to say? "Oh, you guys are right, Natalia sucks. I better tell her to go home voluntarily. Thanks for the heads up."

Favorite garment(s):

I didn't love anything from last night, really. I would have rather the designers had two days and made two different looks, or more pieces. But Natalia's was the only one that actually worked in both day and night.

Least favorite garment:

Wow Asha's was bad. The silhouettes were both bizarre, it was poorly made, and it barely transformed. By the way, what kind of daytime activity can you do with a top cut to your navel? Don't answer that.

Michelle's was so boring that I can't believe Mondo let her forge ahead with it. The only interesting detail was her Star Trek shoulders (again).

I'm missing something about Oscar's designs. I thought his bordered on costume with all the sequins, though I mostly did buy the story he was telling about his girl.

Best line of the night:

"Normally the workroom smells like fear and sweat." --Blake


I was pretty happy to see Michelle leave. Her last few designs have been dull, and I kind of blame Mondo for that. It seemed like he went a bit too hands-off with her. Plus she's mean. Oscar's win was a little unexpected (hey, I just noticed that they've never given out immunity on this show...hmmm...) because I question his taste. We'll see how it goes. Each mentor appears to have one judge favorite (Asha, Shan, Oscar) and it's going to get dicey from here on out.

Next week: pairs. Inevitable drama. True colors emerging. Who will be nice and who will be a bully?

Sweater Refashion

It seems like my husband is continually purging clothes (poor guy, married to a clothing-hoarder like me). My "stuff to upcycle" pile grows faster than I can sew. One of his recent cast-offs was a very warm, all-cotton black sweater (in a men's large).

Before: overexposed to show detail.

There was nothing wrong with it, it just didn't fit him anymore. Cotton sweaters seem to be a rarity in this world (I think all of mine are acrylic) so I immediately started thinking of ways to upcycle it to fit me. I decided to use a pattern from my stash to recut the sweater.

I recently finished a from-scratch version of this pattern, so I knew it would fit well. To refashion the sweater, I carefully cut the sleeves off, then open under the arm. I then laid the pattern on the sleeve, with the hem of the pattern piece on the hem of the sleeve, and cut it. I did the same with the front/back of the sweater bodice, reshaping the armhole/shoulder area for the raglan sleeve. I was very careful to leave the neckline ribbing (plus seam allowance) because it appeared to be knitted together with the bodice. It fit well so there was no need to reshape it anyway.

Black is impossible to photograph.

A few quick passes through the serger, and I had new sleeves. Then it was a simple matter of trying on the sweater, pinning out the excess at the sides, and sewing new seams. I kept the original length and hem.

Sorry for the Ring-esque photobomb from AB, but she doesn't slow down for anything these days!

I LOVE this sweater, it has my favorite mid-length sleeves, it's warm, cotton, and long enough to wear like a tunic. The best part? I realized that my husband had an identical one, in grey! I can't wait to refashion that one as well!


Time for Thrifty Thursday! To celebrate the birth of her new son, Amy is having a great sale on boy-themed patterns! Visit Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop to save 25% (today only) on the Classic Oxford Button-Up, the Little Gentleman Suit Jacket, the Little Gentleman Pants & Vest, and the Little Gentleman Tie & Bow Tie!

My new toy!

Please everyone don't hate me for this purchase...I know I feel awfully jealous whenever I read about someone buying one of these!

You're looking at a Brother 2340cv, better known as a coverstitch machine! Now before you get TOO jealous, I'll let you know that I haven't sewn anything with it yet. Long story short, when it arrived there was a broken piece.

It's the plastic thread tree, which holds up the thread while you sew (like a serger). Kind of important. I'm waiting on a replacement and THEN I'll be gushing about sewing with it, I'm sure.

Half of you reading this probably don't know what a coverstitch machine is, which is understandable! I still feel a little guilty for buying one, since it seems to have a reputation for being a "luxury" purchase. Basically, a coverstitch machine sews hems. "What? A whole machine for hems?" you say. Well...yeah. If you happen to be wearing a t-shirt, look at the hem. On the outside of the shirt are two parallel lines. On the inside are a bunch of messing-looking threads. Now pull the hem. It stretches, right?

That's what a coverstitch machines does. It makes two (or three) rows of stitching on the outside, and produces loops of thread on the inside. The loops ensure that the hem stretches, as well as provide a finish to the raw edge of the hem. This kind of hem is not possible with a regular sewing machine.

Whether or not you "need" a coverstitch machine probably depends on your sewing habits. I sew garments almost exclusively, and 75% of my projects are with knit (stretchy) fabric. Coverstitched hems are the most professional for knits. Frankly...I was at the point with my sewing where I couldn't stand messy hems anymore. It sucked to spend time on a project, get to the end, and be unsatisfied with the hem. Of course there are work-arounds, but I hated all of them. There. I said it.

I've been saving money for a while (more on that here) and ended up going with a "barely used" model on ebay. Even though I was a bit nervous, I saved a ton of money by purchasing used and it came with most of the extra feet that can be quite expensive alone. Time will tell, I suppose, if buying used was a bad idea, but for now I'm pretty darn happy. By the way, the thread tree was obviously broken in transit (thanks for nothing USPS) and the seller refunded me the cost of the part. I ended up paying $275, which included shipping and the extra feet. The machine alone, new, retails for $349 on Amazon. I've seen package deals with the feet for $499. For $275 I'm willing to take a risk on used :)

Lots more to come as I actually use the machine! The amount of information online about coverstitch machines is limited. Most of it is about the Janome CoverPro, not the Brother. I'd love to be able to provide some more information as I learn my way around it. Wish me luck!

New to me Notions

Over the last few months, I've acquired some new-to-me notions that have greatly helped my sewing. It's funny how one little thing can make you so much more efficient!

Note: I was not paid or perked by any of these companies to review their products, I just love them! There are a handful of Amazon affilliate links in here.

Jems Tailors' Chalk

I've gone on at length about all the tools I use for marking fabric. I primarily sew knits, which can be shifty and difficult. I also seem to gravitate towards patterned/striped fabrics that are also hard to mark. While watching Angela Wolf on It's Sew Easy and her Craftsy class on alterations, I noticed she was always using clay chalk. I looked at my Jo-Ann's and couldn't find any (they only had wax), but I finally sourced it through Wawak.

Why does it come with a rubber band, you ask?

This stuff is awesome! Since receiving it back in November, I don't think I've used anything else for marking. It's clay, so it marks easily without putting a lot of pressure on it (in other words, on stretchy fabric it doesn't pull too much). There are enough colors that something always shows up.

To keep all the sawdust inside.

If I had to give you a negative, it's that it doesn't always brush off easily. However, I almost always sew washable fabric, so the marks come out in the laundry.

Fabric Clips

My parents bought these for my birthday a few weeks ago. These clips are to take the place of pins, especially on things like leather that don't deal well with extra holes.

I didn't realize until I got them, but they have marks on the bottom to indicate exact seam allowances. Very cool!

As a mom with a toddler running around, I have to be extra vigilant about where my pins are at all times. It's nice to have an option that isn't dangerous!

Knit interfacing

I admit, I had some of this in my stash for probably a year before I ever tried it. And now I'm kicking myself! Remember my terrible failed ponte blazer? It required interfacing, so even though I never finished it, I did do some test runs with the interfacing. This kind is from Pellon, is fusible, and I bought it at Jo-Ann's. 

I wish I could send you the test swatch through the screen. It gave this ponte the perfect dose of stability, but remained stretchy and pliable. 

Love love love. I could even see it being used in a hem for a nice crisp edge.

Cutting Mat

I saved the best for last! Every year, my husband and I compete against each other in our own version of Fantasy Football (and March Madness). We pick the games each week, and at the end of the season whoever gets the most right wins a prize. This year I was playing for a large cutting mat. The season ended in February, but by Christmas I had a good lead. My husband very nicely bought me the cutting mat early (where he hid it in the house before Christmas I have no idea!) and said it was mine to keep whether I won or not (which I did, hehe). 

I already had a rotary cutter (don't ask me why I had one without a cutting mat) although the blade was dull. I picked up a fresh blade and forced myself to start using it. Yes, I was terrible at first, but I've quickly gotten the hang of it. It's SO much faster to cut fabric now. I also think that I'm more accurate than with scissors. 

The mat is double-sided, gridded, and even has angle markings in case you need to cut on the bias. It fits perfectly on the desk portion of my Ikea Expedit. I've used it as much as a background for blog photos as I have for a cutting mat, not to mention how often I use it for measuring. An unexpected bonus is that the light-colored side makes seeing my work a lot easier than on the dark desk. My sewing room is poorly lit so I need all the help I can get!

So those are all the notions I've been loving lately! Any others I need to try? Let me know in the comments!