Sharon Sews

I had so much fun finishing the faux fur UFO coat that I decided to dive in and begin another one! Plus, it is all from the stash so no need to purchase anything. I choose another Fabulous-Furs pattern. It is number 002 with a copyright date of 1989. The back of the pattern envelope provides a much clearer picture of what the jacket or coat actually looks like. The skill level is rated "advanced beginner" and the approximate cutting and sewing time is given as eight to nine hours. Not bad! Unlike the previous coat I made, this faux fur had pelt lines that needed to be taken into consideration. Fortunately, the pattern pieces had lines included for lining up the pelt lines in the right place. Because the pattern pieces are laid out single layer on the non fur side, I needed to find a way to mark the pelt lines on the wrong side of the faux fur. The first thing I did was place long pins along the pelt lines on the right side of the fabric. Next, I turned the fabric over and

One thing I'm trying to do in 2007 is to not increase my sewing pattern collection! I have more than I could ever possibly use and more than I can easily keep track of. Because I'm trying not to increase the pattern collection, I've been staying away from places like Lanetz Living . Its just too tempting! However today I peeked at the sight to see what was new and saw this pattern from 1959 that caught my eye. I'm not sure what it is exactly that intrigued me as it is not a blouse style that I would wear. Perhaps it is the way it looks like the blouse has a short jacket layered over the blouse or the bow detail on the sleeves or just that I hadn't seen this pattern before. Fortunately for me it was sold already or I would have had to purchase it to add to my pattern collection. Whew!

Out of all of my UFO sewing projects, this is the one I was certain I would finish last. After all, what do I need with a faux fur swing coat from a pattern that has a copyright of 1993? Believe it or not, I need a retro/vintage faux fur coat for an upcoming parade! Where I work, there is a group of about ten volunteers that have participated in summer parades for the past five years. We were asked to be in the Winter Carnival parade this year, and of course we excitedly agreed! Sure its gonna be cold...but its the Winter Carnival! Instead of running around town looking for a faux fur coat in a thrift store, I moved this UFO to the top of the list. If you've never worked with faux fur before, it actually is very easy to work with. This particular yardage was purchased from Donna Salyer's Fabulous-Furs (as was the pattern) around 15 years ago. They do sell some yardage, but not this one (and the prices have gone up quite a bit.) It is always a good idea to keep a vacuum cleaner

I'm not sure who is more excited! Me or the young woman I'm going to begin to teach to sew! This is one of those times where I wish I was a tad more organized and a linear-thinker. When it comes to creative stuff I'm not so good at the planning stage. I jump in and make it up as I go along. So for tonight, instead of planning ahead what we'll cover I have a vague idea of what to discuss. She told me she has never used a sewing machine and suggested that she would like to start with a simple project - a pillowcase. Great idea as it will give me a chance to talk about grain lines and the importance of pressing, while she'll have a chance to practice sewing straight seams on a sewing machine and will have a completed item by the time the evening ends. What I should be doing is setting up the machine, pulling fabric out of the stash for her to use and writing down the directions for a pillowcase. But what do I find myself doing? Telling all of you about the sewing less

I don't know why I didn't complete this when I first cut it out - once I sat down at my sewing machine the top was sewn together in under an hour. The pattern is McCall's 4312 - a Sewing with Nancy pattern designed for knits. I believe it is out of print (oop). The copyright date is 2003 and I did not locate it on the McCall's website . The fleece originally came as a freebie from Fabric Mart Fabrics and I had no idea what to do with it. I rarely sew fleece, and this piece was quite bulky and not really my colors. However, I am certain I will be very grateful to have this big, warm, and cozy top to put on when the temps dip below zero! Plus, I get to cross off another UFO from my list.