Refashioning a ready-to-wear silk velvet jacket

Well, this is more of an alteration than a refashion, but refashion just sounds better don't you think?

Anyway, I found this great little silk velvet jacket at Nordstrom's Rack marked down from $198 to $30. The fit was a bit off, but no problem - I know how to sew - so I purchased it.

The major problem was the sleeve length. The sleeve hem hung past my fingertips (not including the lace trim), so I knew I had to shorten them. The back was a bit too wide, the button was too ornate and heavy for the fabric, and the front had something funky going on with the darts.

The side seams are ruched which you can barely see in the photo. I decided to mimic that design on the sleeves rather than rehem them. That would be quicker and I wouldn't have to take the lace trim off and resew it back on.

The first thing I did was turn the jacket inside out to find out where the lining was sewn together. Typically you can find a machine sewn seam on the lining of one of the sleeves. Sure enough, it was on the sleeve. I took my seam ripper and removed the stitches, which left an opening about seven inches long, which is long enough to get the entire jacket through to turn it insside out.

This is what the jacket looks like when it has been pulled completely through the opening in the sleeve lining. The ruching at the side seam was done by gathering the fabric and sewing the side seam securing the gathers in place. My plan was to use elastic in the seam allowance of the sleeve to mimic the waistline ruching as I thought this would be quicker. While it would indeed have been quicker it did not provide a nice ruching effect.

The sleeves are two piece sleeves. Before beginning my alterations, I had tried on the jacket and pulled the sleeves up to the length I wanted them and measured the distanced. In my case I determined I needed the gathering stitches to start 7-1/2" from the hemline.

To achieve the ruchhung on the sleeve, I sewed two rows of long machine stitches on each sleeve seam. I then pulled the gathers up to measure 3-1/2". Next, I sewed a piece of stay tape over the gathers to secure them in place.

With the jacket still wrong side out, I took in the back shoulder seams by 1/4" on each side. I pulled the jacket back through the lining and tried it on. The sleeves looked much better, but the shoulder/bust area still didn't look right. This jacket needed a small shoulder pad. I dug through my old stash of shoulder pads and found one that gave the shaping I was looking for. This one would also provide a bit of support in the upper chest area of the jacket.

The final step was to replace the fancy button. It was too heavy for this fabric causing the front to sag and ripping the fabric behind the button. I found a copper brown flat button that compliments the jacket well.

The jacket is as "refashioned" as its going to be. The bust area is still a bit odd, but I think it has to do with the way the dart is positioned and the ruching at the side seam so it can't be reshaped at this point. I like the way the sleeves mimic the side seams ... it really adds some more interest to the jacket.

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When all else fails, sew a skirt...

About a month ago, Carolyn wrote how sewing a skirt lifted her "out of the depths of sewing stagnation!"

Well, I filed that piece of info in the back of my mind and decided to give it a try. I pulled out a skirt pattern I've been wanting to sew for quite some time - McCalls 4924 - along with a silk blend tweed that I had purchased last year from Fabric Mart Fabrics.

With the help of my sewing assistant Sophia, I cut out the pattern pieces for the skirt. To tell the truth, Sophia isn't really that much of help. She really, really likes to grab the tissue paper from any pattern piece that may float to the floor. She may be only 7 lbs, but she sure is fast. So of course, like any good mom, instead of scolding her I grabbed the camera to take photos. (Because for once she didn't get a major pattern piece, just tissue scraps.)

Well, I digress. The skirt I'm going to sew is view A (lower right side on the pattern cover) out of the black and white tweed using black lace for the inserts. I really like the shaping of this skirt and I think the panels make it easy to fit. Hopefully in a day or two, I will have it completed and, just like Carolyn, I too will be lifted out of the depths of sewing stagnation. Pin It

Missing! My passion for sewing...

I don't know what's going on, but the past two weeks even the thought of being in my sewing room has no appeal for me. I don't want to caress my fabric, I don't want to drool over my patterns, and I really don't want to sit down at the sewing machine and actually use it.

My high school reunion is next weekend (30 years...where does the time go?) and I wanted to make something fantastic to wear (even though they keep stressing that it is casual, casual, casual, I am not wearing blue jeans) and I just never got around to it. At this point I'm not going to sew something as none of my fabric or patterns are doing it for me, ya know what I mean? I even spent the morning at the Mall of America trying to find something casual, flattering, trendy (yet age appropriate), but after sewing most of my clothing for years I found I'm a bit critical of the fit and the construction, not to mention the price!

Seems I'm not the only one in the sewing community going through a dry spell. I was reading other blogs to see if something would spark my passion and wouldn't you know it...Linda just posted about her sewing funk. Sad to see other's are feeling the same way, but on the other hand, I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

Well, tomorrow's another day. In the past, some of my best ideas have come to me in my dreams so may be I'll wake up inspired. Pin It

McCalls craft pattern for a Boston Terrier dog

I rarely sew craft items anymore. But as I was browsing the new Winter 2006 patterns on the McCalls site, I came across this pattern (5258) for Parlor Pets designed by Marilou Jorgensen. I have to make the Boston Terrier for my friend. You see, her beloved dog, Patty, died Sunday night at home. Patty was a Boston Terrier and she was getting to be an old girl. She couldn't see or hear very well, but she still loved to chase the rabbits in the backyard and climb up onto the bed to sleep (and snore). She suffered a stroke about three weeks ago and apparently had another one Sunday night that was too much for her little body to handle. It will take me a few weeks to get this pattern completed, but by then I think enough time will have passed that this will be viewed as a loving memorial to Patty. Pin It

The unveiling of the "Low -Sew Boutique" book cover

Alas, it is not my book. However, it is a book that has my friend's name as the author!

At last year's Wisconsin Public Television and Sewing with Nancy Quilt Expo, my friend, Cheryl Weiderspahn, was approached by Krause Publications about the possibility of doing a book.

Cheryl had been out of the booth teaching a class and I was busy helping the many visitors that were looking at the patterns and the clothing samples. I was enthusiastically talking about Cheryl's newest pattern that debuted at the show. The pattern, Pantry Purses, had been getting a lot of attention. As well it should have...it is a creative idea and the samples in the booth were adorable. Well, unbeknownst to me, one of the customers I was talking to was the acquisitions editor of Krause Publications. She was interested in the idea of making accessories from potholders and placemats and wanted to speak to Cheryl about an entire book based on the concept.

To make a year-long story short, the book is scheduled to be released in Spring 2007 and the cover was unveiled at this year's Quilt Expo! I'm not even the author and it was exciting for me to see the process this past year, so I can only imagine how excited Cheryl is.

I haven't seen any of the book's completed projects yet, but I did see chapter outlines as well as the project titles. I do know that there were too many projects submitted, so a few of them were not included.

Well, I must admit I also have a bit of a selfish reason to see the final book. Cheryl had invited her friends and students to send in projects of their own for possible inclusion in the gallery section of the book. I submitted five items, all made from kitchen related items, for consideration. The editor had final say on what was to be included, so even Cheryl doesn't know what will be in the gallery.

I'm hoping that when Cheryl sees the thumbnails from the publisher that she will end the suspense and let me know if any of my projects made the final cut. Either way, I know that I will be purchasing a copy of the book. And I bet I can get an autographed copy! Pin It

I'm back from the Quilt Expo in Madison

Actually, the quilt expo is still underway as I post this. The show closes today at 6 p.m. I needed to leave early this morning so I could arrive at home in time to attend a work function. I wish I could have stayed one more day, although to be honest I'm not too sad about missing tear down!
I almost had the opportunity to work the entire expo with a black and blue face! The first day there, just as the expo opened, I was helping Cheryl pull a purse down from her booth's hanging display and wouldn't you know it? That darn metal purse handle hit me smack dab in the middle of my nose. Did it ever hurt! Of course, all I could think of was, great, I get to spend two days talking to people with a swollen nose and black eyes. It brought to mind the scene from the Brady Bunch episode when Marcia gets hit in the nose with the football.

So, if by chance to you made it to the expo and stopped by the Homestead Specialties booth the first hour of the expo, I was the one huddled in the corner holding ice on my nose trying to disappear into the background, so I apologize for not visiting with you.

Turns out the ice was a good thing as the swelling went away quickly and I only had to deal with a headache. The rest of the day was fantastic. I'll share more later. Pin It

Leaving tomorrow for the Quilt Expo in Madison, WI

This is the second year for the Wisconsin Public Television and Sewing with Nancy Quilt Expo. The expo is at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI from September 14-16. I will be a booth helper for my friend, Cheryl Weiderspahn (clothing pattern designer and owner of Homestead Specialties).

I actually met Cheryl at a sewing expo about seven years ago. I was a volunteer stationed at the entrance taking tickets. Her booth was near the entrance, we struck up a conversation and she asked if I would ever consider being a booth worker. Well, of course I said yes! She called two years later when she was back in town and during the course of that three day show we discovered we had a lot in common. That was the beginning of our long distance friendship. We live in different states so the only time I see her is when I help her out at sewing expos. There have been so many times I wished we lived closer to one another, so that is one reason I'm so excited to be going to this show.

I worked as her assistant last year when the show debuted and we had a blast! (Although I will say it was one of the busiest sewing expos I've ever worked. We barely had time to take a break and grab a bite to eat!) There were so many wonderful people that attended. We were exhausted every night, but we had a great time demonstrating her garments, answering questions, and swapping sewing stories with booth visitors. Cheryl is one of those people that, when you talk to her, you will feel like you've been friends with her for years. She genuinely cares about people and it shows.

So I head out tomorrow for another whirlwind two days of begin surrounded by sewing enthusiasts. The show is actually three days, but I have a work commitment and I need to be back in town by Saturday afternoon, so I won't be there for the last day. Which, if it is anything like last year, was the best. Cheryl hired an additional booth helper this year, so hopefully I'll get a chance to take some photos and visit the other vendor booths.

If you're at the Quilt Expo this weekend be sure to stop by the Homestead and say hi! Pin It

A peek inside my sewing room - then and now

I really enjoy seeing how other people set up their sewing spaces, so I thought I'd share mine. Over the years, my sewing space has grown from a corner in a tiny rented apartment dining room to an entire room in our house.

As I was sorting through photographs for a scrapbook project, I came across this one, from 1981, of my apartment sewing space. I may not have had much room, but you can see I already had begun learning the fine art of stashing fabric! I sure wish I would have kept that old green Kenmore...

Over the years, the stash has grown as well as the space allocated to sewing. Right now, I'm so blessed to have an entire spare bedroom in our home that I am able to use as a sewing room.

A few years ago my husband surprised me with a Koala cabinet for my sewing machine (an Elna 8000) as well as a serger (another Elna). Last year he surprised me with a fold down cutting table. When I needed more light in the room, he installed a new fixture with bright, daylight bulbs. They are wonderful for sewing in the evening and during the winter months when daylight is long gone before I make it home from work. He's a super awesome hubby!

The room also holds my sewing books and Threads magazines. I have a small collection of cute little dress forms as well as my grandmother's sewing machine (that I don't recall ever seeing her use.) Maybe another day I'll be brave enough to show the other side of the room - the one with the closet overflowing with too much fabric.


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Catching up on hidden unfinished sewing projects

This is the time of year that I pack away my summer wardrobe and dig out the fall and winter items. So this weekend I began clearing from my closet the white pants and skirts, the pink tees and shoes, and the lightweight jackets with the beautiful summer prints.

That carried into my sewing room and sewing projects. I'm anxious to begin sewing some of the new patterns I've purchased recently. However, I decided it was time to finish the many unfinished sewing projects that have been buried in my closet. First up - a pair of pants.

I had a pair of pants cut from this pattern - Simplicity 5202, c. 2004 - that I managed to complete. The color is a beautiful deep chocolate brown, but the fabric is actually fairly lightweight and drapey. Probably a rayon blend and to be honest, I have no idea why I would have chosen to sew pants from this fabric. It would have had great movement made up into a skirt.

I did eliminate the slit at the center front of the pants as well as the beltloops. I also needed to sew a lapped zipper since I didn't have an invisible zipper on hand that would work for this pair of pants. I usually try and avoide lapped zipper applications. This time I referenced one of Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing books and I must say, this is the best lapped zipper I've ever installed.

And speaking of Sandra Betzina, the next item I sewed was from one of her patterns.

It was a Sandra Betzina skirt pattern - Vogue 7333, c. 2000, that I began nearly five years ago. When I first sewed the skirt together, it was too large, so I took the side seams in and then set it aside to be lined. After I finally got around to purchasing the lining, I had gained weight and needed to let the seams out again. Now the lining pieces were too small, so I set it aside again. I pulled it out again this weekend and - yea! - I needed to take it in again. I eliminated the lining altogether, finished the waist area with a facing and hemmed it up.

The fabric is a stretch faux suede with an allover embroidered design. The skirt will look great with a pair of high heeled boots! Now it was time to finish a jacket.

I had begun this jacket at the end of the winter season last year. It is Simplicity 4698, c. 2004 - one of the patterns Simplicity offers that has separate patterns pieces included for B, C, and D cups. I was enticed by the thought of not having to do a FBA.

I managed to sew the front and back together last winter, but put it aside when I realized that the lining pieces provided were for a partially lined jacket. The fabric I had chosen was a loose woven plaid. The fabric, combined with a close(tight) fit meant it had to be completely lined or I would risk too much stress on the seams.

This weekend I cut out the full lining and worked on finishing the jacket. I really thought it would be a quick no brainer jacket.

Oh my - the problems I ran into. The jacket has very little ease and the fabric I choose is not one I should have used for this style. It is loosely woven and ravels something fierce! I made view A (collar, lapels and 3 button front closure) and the fabric is more suited for view C (no collar, one button front closure). To make matters worse, I was tired when I was sewing the collar together and I sewed it on upside down ... twice!

For some reason I hadn't cut out the sleeves last year so I painstakingly matched the notches so that the plaid would match in the front. Oops, another reason not to sew when you're tired. What I did was match the plaid so that the notch on the back of the sleeve matched perfectly with the notch on the front of the jacket. So, unless I could wear a jacket with the sleeves set in backwards, there would be no nice plaid match on this one. (Maybe I can just pretend its ready-to-wear.)

There were so many times this jacket screamed "forget about me, throw me away, sew something else." But I really like the colors in the fabric and the jacket will look great with the pants I completed earlier.
(Edit - added photo) I'll be happy to show you the jacket, but tonight Blogger doesn't want to add any more pictures. At this point all that is left to do is add buttonholes, buttons and hem the jacket and sleeves. But I'm leaving it for another day. A day when I am well rested and the struggle with this jacket is but a dim memory.

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Update on the Butterick 4849 dress

I changed my mind on the midriff band. The dress really needs some contrast there to help show the lines of the dress. I dug in my stash and found a small piece of black velvet - enough to use for the band. The next step was to sew the skirt pieces together and attach them to the top portion of the dress.

I left the center back seam open so I could insert an invisible zipper. As I was sewing in the zipper, when I came to the midriff band I realized that I had neglected to verify if the bands matched up in the back. Since I was almost done putting the zipper in, I decided to finish it and rip it out if the bands didn't match up. As soon as I finished the last stitch, I zipped it closed and breathed a sigh of relief. A perfect match!

I still haven't decided on what to put on the neck bands, so I will put the dress aside while I wait for something to catch my eye.

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