Jeanette's Giveaway

Look what came in the mail from Jeanette, a blogging friend.

• A vintage piece of fabric used as GIFT WRAP! Nice wrapping huh? There are future plans for this piece of embroidered vintage fabric!

• A sewing "how to" book....... it gives ideas on how to transform thrift store threads into street couture!
  

• A thoughtfully printed collage page

• A unique wallet........super thin and a pretty pink hard cover. I've never seen these before. I like it!
  

• an adorable gingerbread man......... I have a thing for gingerbread men. The sweeter they are....the better they are, but there is something to be said for the type you hang on a hook to look at. This man will be around for a long long time!
  

Jeanette is a sweetie! Take a minute to visit her blog at www.sweetjeanette.blogspot.com

The Selvedge Dress

Meet Jodi, the Selvedge Queen! Feast your eyes upon her works of art!

The amount of imagination in the world is ......uh..... unimaginable!

Keep scrolling down to read the story behind this dress.


Jodi professes an obsession for selvedge - "you know those little marker marks on the very edge of our fabric yardage.



Typically selvedge ends up in the trash can next to the cutting table


We are beginning to see these narrow edges of yardage popping up in the most unconventional places.
A Baby Quilt





A Bag

An Umbrella





A Selvedge Dress

The Story of the Selvedge Dress as told by Jodi

The dress had been brewing in my mind for almost a year before I actually started it. I spent that time collecting selvedges.

The dress took seven months to complete and the best guess would be that it has over 300 meters of selvedge in it. Each piece of selvedge overlaps the one previous and each selvedge is use as a unique piece. (no joining of the strips) The full skirt has some pieces which are almost 150 cm long.

by sharing the progress on my blog, as well as the smaller selvedge pieces I was working on, I soon got tagged as the "Creative Selvedge Freak Woman" by some local bloggers and offers of selvedge started to appear in my inbox.

Eventually the project stalled with about another 70 meters of selvedge needed. I mentioned it on my blog and the world of crafters and craft bloggers came to the rescue. Parcels were coming every day.

This dress along with all my other selvedge work has been a collaboration of hundreds of people- I just sewed it all together.

To see more of Jodi's talents, visit http://www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com

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Children Can Sew / Teach a child to Sew

Connor, my grandson, wanted something to do and asked to use the sewing machine.

At 10 years old, he is old enough to understand the workings of a motor & sharp needle and the results of fingers in the way of a sharp needle. I could not have been happier to oblige his request!

We decided to sew a travel size pillow for his younger brother to use during rest time at Pre-K.


To speed things along, I cut the fabric to size and pinned it together. Connor sewed around the pillow and left an opening to stuff it.

Our project was started and finished quickly, giving instant gratification!


"Nana............ what else can we make today"?

"Hmmm......would you like to make a pillow case for your bed pillow"?

"SURE"




Nice huh?

How to Sew a Child's Jacket Girls Indygo Junction pattern

Let's talk "Cool weather". It's just around the corner ya know.
Let's talk "Easy sewing". We need to get it done while juggling life.

Let's talk "One of a kind". You won't find this Indygo Junction Inside Out Jacket on a rack in a department store.

Jacket......difficult to sew? No Way ! I was nearly doing back flips with excitement over this one! LOOK below at the design. Easy elementary dolman sleeves!



I chose the brick red and turquoise combo prior to finding the Indygo Junction pattern. The marriage of the sewing pattern and fabric combo are just my style (traditional with a quirky edge)




Written on the back cover of the Turnabout Jacket by designer Mary Ann Donze says:


This Jacket designed for children ages one to ten years allows for years of wear with turned up dolman sleeves to let down over time.

Its loose, asymmetric style easily adjusts to the growing child. Construct in the upper hip length or by adding the lower bands to extend the jacket to just below the hip.

For an unlined jacket, use any two-sided fabric such as polar fleece, linen, batiks, etc. and finish its edges with fabric binding or serger. Or line a jacket and have two looks in one by creating a fully reversible garment.



Photo showing the simple method of construction for this jacket pattern: Right sides together pin, stitch & repeat.

Don't leave this page just yet........you haven't seen the Finished product.......first things first. :-)


To sum up the construction process for this jacket is fairly simple and mostly can be by looking at the photo above. A section on the bottom edge of the jacket is left open for turning.

Basically the jacket consists of two main pattern pieces plus pocket & button tabs.

1. the FRONT which incorporates the front dolman sleeve.
There is No separate collar to attach because the front simply folds back to create a collar. We end up with a collar without cutting a collar piece! Thank you designer Mary Ann Donze!!

2. the BACK which incorporates the dolman sleeves.

3.Lower bands which allow for using contrasting fabric (which I have done)

4. tabs for the button holes

5. a pocket

Sew the front to the back as in the photo showing the pinned sleeves. Do this for the lining the same as you did for the exterior. You'll have put together two jackets and then will sew them right sides together and turn. Your pretty lining makes it reversible! I use this wooden tool to poke the corners out nice and neat. Word of caution: Do not use the tip of your scissors to poke the corners. (don't ask how I know)


The photo with the iron shows the jacket turned right side out and beginning to press the seams.
Once everything was pressed, I top stitched the seams. The pattern does not call for top stitching, but it gives a nice professional look if you do.

Note about top (edge) stitching: Go slow and select a stitch length that mimics Ready-To-Wear top stitching. I gather on a #4 setting and edge stitch on #3 and sew on #2.

I like my thread to match the fabric because a slight wobble in my stitch line won't show. For this girls jacket, I sewed with the bobbin thread matching the lining color and the top thread matching the outside fabric.
See how I Top stitch: with confidence by clicking: here.


Pocket time: cut the pattern piece and follow directions given. To make life easier for accomplishing a nicely shaped round pocket, sew a gathering length stitch on the edge which you will fold as shown in the above picture. In this case it was 1/4 or 1/2 inch.

Stitch the gathering length line slowly and make it as perfect as possible. This is will become the fold line around the pocket.

Gently use a straight pin to pull the gathering thread to ease the curve.

Pocket Pressed and ready! The color of the fabric on the above photo is off. Way off!


I love this product! How did I sew without Quilter's Choice Basting Thread? There are other products which glue fabric, but make sure you use one which will not gum up your sewing machine needle. When dry, this basting glue can be sewn over. It is temporary and washes out.






Here is my version of the Turnabout Jacket by Mary Ann Donze for Indygo Junction .
I seriously doubt finding a jacket similar to this in any department store.
Things to know:
Would I make this pattern again? Yes yes yes!
Does it come in an Adult size pattern too ? Yes it does! Scroll on down to see it

Skills needed:

• concept of putting right sides together and turning

• know how to make a button hole by machine or hand

• applying bias binding to finish the edge of the sleeves (optional)
  

Sizing :
As stated on the pattern description, it is a style which allows for growing. It is generous in wearing ease. The pattern gives actual finished measurements. (a feature I love and wish all patterns included) You decide how much wearing ease you'd like.

Ideas:
It does not require fleece or interfacing. I used the Home Dec weight 100% cotton fabric from the Amy Butler August Fields collection. The two layers (exterior and lining) make this a nice mid weight jacket. Perfect for mid climate Winters of the southern states or a Fall/Spring jacket in the colder states.

I imagine this pattern could easily accommodate fusible fleece and machine quilting for making a heavier jacket.

Click here for the Pattern review for Zoeys coordinating pants. I used this pattern: The Sophie 3-way Pants by Patty Young for Modkids.

Using the pocket fabric, Sunrise- seafoam from Amy Butler's August Fields collection

On my extended To Do List:
sew myself the Adult version of this same pattern: The Inside Out Jacket

Indygo Junction Turnabout Jacket Pattern Review, Child's

Click Here to go to the Pattern Review and Tutorial for the Turnabout Jacket by designer Mary Ann Donze for Indygo Junction child's sizes age one to ten years.

I am working on it and will get it up very soon.

You'll be amazed how easy sewing this one is! Make it uniquely your own with your favorite fabric choices.

Please check back very soon.

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