CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

Can't let go of my Petit Bateau

I am not too sentimental when it comes to keeping things for posterity, my happiest days seem to be spent chucking things. But a few of Finn's outfits I can't let go of, usually Petit Bateau pajamas. Still, they take valuable dresser space and we can't have that.

Yesterday I took action and transformed the tiniest pj into a t-shirt :

All it took was cutting the fabric as low as I could and hemming it up first with a strait stitch and then with a zigzag. I really hope it will fit him at the shoulders, it would please me enormously to see him wearing these stripes again. Even if his dad calls him his little prisoner when Finn wears them.

Sewing Again

It's been a long time since I felt the urge to sew, as knitting seemed to have taken over. But I knew it would be back again, the ideas nudging me when I least expect it. It did happen today, while rummaging through my bloated fabric stash. I know I need to deal with it and I am trying to figure out a way to do so. I am set on making kits that can be used with my students, I might even get a little of the money I spent back, although that is beside the point when I contemplate the overflow. I just can't see what I have when it's buried in all that stuff. Picking up a yard of blue bamboo sweater knit, I started something for The Sewing Republic. Here is a sneak peek!

Blue

Here it is, the first serious dye job to ever come out of my kitchen. When I look at it it makes my eyelashes flutter in delight (squeal!).
I must say, I am a little surprised it turned out just like I had dreamed. From now on it's probably just going to go downhill.

If you are thinking to start dyeing your own yarn here are a few words of caution from a complete beginner:

It's very expensive, the start-up costs are. I will not tabulate how much money was spent just to produce the skein above but you could probably feed your family a few weeks on that. If you eat a lot of carbs that is.

It's very messy. You need to be armed and prepared, and then masked too. Dying just one skein at a time doesn't make sense when you realize the time it takes to set up and take down all that plastic covering everything in sight.

The world of dying is very secretive, unless you have a trusted friend to hold you hand, forget finding good tips online... I have such a friend and still the yarn doesn't dye itself!

You need a ball winder and possibly a swift too. I don't have a swift and there is a lot of swearing going on in my head lately.

I bought all my base yarns and acid dyes from Knit Picks. This skein is called Bare wool/silk.

That is all for the words of caution/wisdom. Consider yourselves warned!

That said I copied the above mentioned friend and bought this adorable download-able book. It's called whimsical little knits 2 by Isolda and it's precious. I think I might want to dye some skeins just for it...

The sewing machine came out too, as there is a quilt from work that need to be started/finished. I know that I mentioned it here before ( In and Out by Blue Underground Studio) but I am too ashamed to look back for my post on the subject.

 

Liberteeeee!

In the spirit of using what I have that truly should be used, I decided to make somethings 'Liberty'. I am going back to Paris in a month and a half and it wouldn't be right to buy more if I still had all my pieces untouched, would it? Plus I need the pick me up, no need to say more I am sure.

I ordered the webbing and belt buckle from Etsy, this seller has them as well as key fob hardware. I had enough left over from the width of the fabric to make a fob in fact, bonus!

 

What I like about those buckle is three fold. They come with a tip cover, which means they look truly finished on each end. Unlike the D-ring belts they don't need to be covered with fabric on each side, they need only one good side. And finally they can hold up a pair of over-sized Boyfriend Jeans (that is what my well meaning girlfriend Julie calls them when they are too big for me) with no slipping at all.

This fabric would look so good as a camera strap... I wish I could find hardware for that.

4 Baby Boy Belts...

I made a belt for Finn today, that is I made four belts, almost identical but different in areas that matter most.
The first one was meant to close with a plastic strap-snap. It looked very manly but had an obvious draw back: it can't be adjusted and fits only one rotund belly at one moment in time. Still, I was petty pleased with myself and decided that fit is only a minor draw back. Plus I paid handsomely for that (stupid) snap.

 

Well if fit was minor, the fact that the snap can't pass through the belt loops is major. No matter how hard I tried, it wasn't working, so I unpicked and went back to the store for some D-rings (1").

Soon after, Little Belt was born. And little it was, too little in fact to be tied easily around Finn's waist without wrestling and tears. Hint #1 make it large enough to ease the tying.

The other detail that bugged me was the white showing ( as shown on top above). I spent all that time covering the exterior but it's ruined by the "left-over".
Belt #3 was going to be partially reversible, I flipped the fabric over and covered a third of the belt's wrong side. The Large Belt was born, and you guesses it, it turned out way to large, with too much flopping left over. But I was on something and Belt #4, the Good One, is the culmination of much learning. Through all this stumbling in the dark I learned a thing or two, here they are for you if you are still reading this:

I covered the belts using the approximate method described in the free Key Fob pattern. The webbing, to accommodate for a small waist is 1" wide. I cut the pieced fabric strips 1.75" and folded them through the middle, as in the Key Fob pattern. I skipped the fusible web this time, but it would have helped, no doubt.
To create the reversible bit of the belt, which is the opposite side from the D-rings, I discovered that the best thing to do is to sew along each sides to the end of the webbing once, and only after that step to turn the remainder of the fabric strip, pin it and sew all over again over the stitch line you created. Just remember to turn the raw end of the strip under by about 1/2" to clean it up.

Et voila! again you can get a valuable lesson from all my mistakes, which this time could be summarized as:
Don't waste your good Holiday Weekend on some pointless projects, although these would look great in Red White and Blue, Hum....

Handmade Zakka, bleu blanche

Maybe a month or two ago, Karin sent me this book. It's very cute because all the projects have a little crookedness to them. I went for a bag that looked very French to me, like a besace or musette...

I finished it on Wednesday (the tracing, deciphering, and execution was intense) and could have posted about it sooner, but no, I was on some kind of photography strike. Lazy trigger finger symptom.
This bag is going to Germany ASAP, to cheer up a friend there, she is taller than I am and the long handle should be perfect. It's the kind of bag people should wear while riding a bike ( the book suggest so much and I agree), and they ride lots of those in Germany.

 

Button detail:

Progress on the dress front....

The muslin for the dress is done! I finished it with haste, and some frustration due to the haste, this morning.
It fits over my head and chest (barely) without a zipper. For that I am truly grateful. The dress is a good one I think for a petite person such as me. The pictures taken by my tall husband make me look even shorter, sigh. Here is one with Friend Uli, that wants none of it. I admit it's not the best view for the garment itself, but you have to take my word for it (it fits well), because this cat is just so cute!

 

I ordered Silk Dupioni today, ouch, in this color approximately. Making a muslin for this was the best way to go, even though I need very few adjustments, I feel more confident when it comes to the final product.

Sewing Machine Meme

It's sewing machine month at Sew mama Sew. I think it's a fantastic idea. I have two sewing machines right now and they are fairly new. Since I get questions about them from time to time I think I should add my grain of salt to the pot. They are going to put everyone together and create a really great resource page with lots of reviews for all kinds of machines, old and new, cheap and pricey.

Machine #1

What brand and model do you have?

Bernina Aurora 440 QE

How long have you had it?

A bit over 1 year

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

(hum) $3500-4000

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

I sew all kinds of everything, but on this machine garment making is especially wonderful.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I sew everyday thus the machine gets used a lot.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I love this machine, LOVE IT. I am ambivalent because it's not really mine but a loaner from The Sewing Republic. I don't know how long it will be with me and that makes me nervous ; )

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

This machine is full of features, but the most unusual is the BSR. It's a stitch regulated foot for free motion quilting. This machine also topstitches exceptionally. That is why I favor it for garment sewing.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

Yes, the bobbin case has to be placed in just so, and then 'click'. If not it drops out with the consequence of having to start again.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

This machine was a surprise. The Sewing Republic found me through my blog and offer me a trade, patterns and tutorials for the loan of the Aurora. At first I wasn't sure but now I can't imagine life without it!

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

I would, it's not for you first timers of course but it's a true winner if you are trying to upgrade. It's the ultimate upgrader too because there is an attachment for embroidery that can be bought later. I covet....

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

In my opinion: where it's made. Anywhere in Europe or Japan is gooood. China, not so much. The number of stitches it comes with is completely irrelevant, no matter what the sales person tells you.

I think it's good to have a machine that has such essential as "needle up/down" and " side by side movement of the needle". The rest is less important to me. If the stitches are good when the needle is at it's extreme position ( for topstitching thick things) you are good to go.

Do you have a dream machine?

Yes! this one with the embroidery module added. ( I am so greedy....)

Machine #2

What brand and model do you have?

Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 855.

How long have you had it?

About 2.5 years.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

About $1500

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

Everything!

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

Lately I use this machine on the weekends.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I like this machine a lot bu it's not my favorite, I used to have a Viking Platinum quilting edition and that was my favorite of all times...

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

A sensor foot determines the amount of pressure the macine should exert on the fabric. It lifts the foot automatically when you stop sewing which is fabulous when sewing curves, or stop and pivot. It works very well. The arm is extra long and there is plenty of light all the way along it.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

Yes, and that's why it's not my favorite any more. It's hard to get the tension right when topstitching because of the very large hole on the needle plate. The hole is large to allow very wide embroidery but it is a problem. I fixed it by buying a strait stitch plate and a left topstitching foot. The dealer said they are going to come up with a solution to this problem and I sure hope it's true.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

Nope! this is just one of many Vikings I have owned... Vikings were the first really good machines I ever owned.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

No quite yet, just because of the tension glitch. But if you are a quilter then it's very very nice.

The bag is complete! and other news...

I finished the Anna Maria tote bag yesterday afternoon, while Finn was napping (he was recovering from finally learning to walk on his own!). The size is truly perfect for a shopping bag or beach bag. I think this bag could be really useful. I would recommend using more interfacing though, or a canvas weight fabric. In fact that is what I will be doing next time I make one. you can still use a terrific quilting weight fabric inside. The lightweight interfacing I love most is called Stacy by Pellon. It looks like a piece of fine muslin with fusible glue on one side. It doesn't ever seem to bubble but it shrinks the pieces terribly. Plan accordingly and you won't be disappointed. In fact if you have a favorite interfacing I would love to read about it in the comment section (wink!).

 

I also wanted to assure you that I am still making new patterns and tutorials for the blog, but in a slightly different way this year. As some of you may know I have been a contributor for the Sewing Republic and that is where most of my new projects will go this year. I already have one "in the pipes" there and it should come out in July. I have become more and more excited about working with Bernina USA, they are full of energy and they get my creative flow going even when I am all covered in baby gunk. The only problem for me is that I get really impatient and want to see my tutorial posted right away, or talk about what I am doing here when I should be quiet! It's all worth it though, because they make beautiful pdfs and instructional videos that I would not have the skills or patience to even attempt. So in the end it gives me the best outcome in those troubled mommy times: I still get to share free fancy looking tutorials with you while I get help and (a gentle kick in the bottom to) get going.

Anna Maria's Multi Tasker Tote

This weekend was the first time since coming back from the Vegas vacation I had any time to sew. While watching one of my favorite Spaniard loose a Tennis game, I labored on a bag/tote, by Anna Maria Horner. I write labored because it truly is hard work! It's not weird or impossibly stiff, not at all, just really long and complicated. The picture on the cover of the pattern really doesn't tell much about the way the bag is constructed. I though I understood, but I got ahead of myself and had to unpick and unpick and unpick....

I think the pattern underestimates the amount of interfacing necessary, and I 'll have to go back to the store today to find more for the handles.
Although I just want to warn you that this is not the quick project it appears to be, I don't want to discourage anyone from trying it. The bag is going to look really nice and big, it has lots of pockets that are not made in a traditional way. I would say that on and all it's pretty clever!

I choose a new line by Erin McMorris for FreeSpirit called Wildwood. I simply love it! In fact I love pretty much everything this designer does. While looking up her website I noticed that she is responsible for the awesome Robot fabric from JoAnn.

Bag under construction...