New Red and Black Winter Coat

I have a Lee Andersen coat that I love and I decided to use it as inspiration for another coat.   Finding fabrics that I could use proved to be quite a challenge.   I finally found a black nubby fleece and red and black sculpted fur at Fields in Kalamazoo.   I found a red and black fur online at Mood Fabrics.   Once I had all the fabrics, I set to work on a pattern.  I heavily modified a Burda Pattern so much that you wouldn't even recognize it but the sizing was what I needed most.  It is unlined so that it will be an intermediate weight coat for late fall and early winter.  I made mock flat felled seams  and serged seams so that the inside of the coat is neat in appearance.  

I found it very difficult to photograph the black and still be able to see the detail so I have included a couple of close up photos.  Enjoy. 

 

New Upcycle Tunic

Many of my friends have asked me how I make my upcycled tunics so here are a few pointers if you could like to try one yourself.  

If you want to upcycle some thrift store finds into a tunic start with sweater and shirt that will be too big for you.   Sometime I use men's sweaters and shirts and sometimes I find a L or XL women's sweater, dress or shirt.   The point is that the garments you choose should be too big for you since you will be using them as a tunic and will be modifying them.   In this case the sweater was a man's XL and the shirt was a Large.   I always try on the sweater to see how long it is on me.   Then I know how much fabric that I want to add to the bottom of the sweater.  In this case I wanted this to be a little longer so that I could wear it as a tunic with leggings or a dress with tights.   

Always fuse knit interfacing to the back of the sweater where you plan to cut into the sweater.   For example, most of the time you will want to cut off the band at the bottom so you would apply fusible interfacing where you will be cutting.  Also if you plan to change the neckline then fuse interfacing to the top part of the sweater.  

In the past I have always left the sweater sleeves long, but this time I cut them off and hemmed them to make a modified "vest".    To add interest to the sweater and to make them look more like one garment then take elements, such as the pockets, cuffs, buttons, and fabric from the shirt to add to the sweater.   As you can see I used my serger to make strips of shirt fabric that I used for trim around the bottom and neckline.   I also used  the collar band as a decorative stripe down the front of the sweater.   Number one rule...cut off each piece of sweater and shirt as if it could be used because many times that's exactly what you end up doing.  

I used my ruffler attachment to make a pleated strip to put around the neckline.  

I like a stand up collar, so I move the tiny buttons up to the collar stand that makes a new collar.   

Memory Lap Robe

My friend, Debbie Silva, died last year from ALS, and she gave me an appliqued elephant panel that she had started and knew she wouldn't be able to finish.   She also gave me the complimentary fabrics that she chosen to go with it.   As most of my followers know, I am not a quilter, but I made an exception for this project.   I decided to finish this as a lap robe.   It reminds me of Debbie's, wonderful creative and  loving spirit.  It also serves as a reminder to count my blessings.  We never know what lies beyond the next corner and we need live every day to our fullest potential and be thankful for all our friends and family. 

This quilt is truly a labor of love and further reinforced that fact that I'm not a quilter at heart; at least in the traditional sense.   I could see myself doing art quilting but that's about it.   There's a couple of places that I wish I had done it differently but overall I'm pleased how this all came together as a design.    I outlined the elephant by couching on gray and orange yarn to the edge of the appliqued design.   I think it helped "pop out" the image.    I'm glad that you can't see the quilting part in the picture.  That's why so many quilters send their quilts out to be stitched.   Hope you enjoy the design.

New Tunic

I finished the tunic that I made from the pattern I created from my ready-made sweater tunic.   I made it out of sweatshirt fleece which gives it a different silhouette.  It is more bell shaped and less drapey.  I'm still looking for a good sweater knit fabric so that I can make it again as a sweater.   However, this does show how different fabric choices can influence the shape of a garment.   I like them both. 

 

New Year--New project

It's the new year and I've given myself a new challenge.   I have a purchased sweater that I like and I have decided to recreate it in fabric.  It is very "roomy" so I shouldn't have any problem with the fit.  I purchased a sweatshirt fleece which has a varigated stripe which I can turn vertical or horizontal.  I will use interfacing where necessary to prevent stretching.  I'll post the finished product when completed.   Here's a picture of the sweater that I'll be using for the pattern.  Wish me luck!!

Tibetan Panel Coat

This past week, I finally made a Tibetan panel coat from a Folkwear pattern that I purchased many years ago. I used heavy cotton and linen blends which gave it structure and body.  The shoulders are a Charley Harper print.  I also made the coat reversible which greatly increased the usability but also increased the complexity.  I purposely chose a completely different color scheme for the reverse side so that it would feel really new and different from the panel side.   All of the facings on the reverse side had to be hand-sewn so that the stitching wouldn't be seen on the other side of the coat.   I think it took me about 10 - 15 hrs to do that.   Not sure I would do that again.   The pattern called for 3 different fabrics for the panel side and 2 for the reverse side.   I think I would like to see how this coat would look if I used multiple fabrics in the panels.  Maybe I could use some of the "scraps" I have in my stash...hmmm.  Let me know what you think.   

I love the way the shoulders are extended beyond the shoulder line.  I think it helps to balance the fullness of the hem line and bring the eye back to the face.   

You might also notice that I now have a mannequin for my photos.   I think she will bring some "life" into my photos....poor girl needs some hair, though.  I'll have to work on that.  Hope you enjoy the coat.  

   

Wearable Art......for the home

It's the holiday time and I couldn't resist making a holiday decoration for my front door.   The space between the storm door and front door is too narrow for commercial wreaths so I decided to make my own.   Here it is and I love it!! 

For those of you who would like to know how I made it; read on....


Wreath instructions
I used a woven cotton flannel red and green flannel for the wreath and coordinating red flannel for the bow.   I used woven flannel so both sides of the fabric look the same.  The frame could be anything round but I used an old drum head frame.   I know, I have weird stuff in my stash.   Just goes to prove that ANYTHING round can be used. 
You can make it any size, even a candle ring size...think old embroidery hoop.   However, please use LED candle since cloth is flammable. 

• First I cut my plaid into strips approx. 5/8 " wide.  If you are making a smaller size I would cut narrower strips.  I used a wavy rotary cutter since I was cutting across the width.   It would be also very interesting to cut the strips on the bias.   Then you wouldn't need to use a wavy cutter since the bias won't ravel.  

Fig 1

 The next step takes a fringe maker tool.   I made my fringe 4 inches wide.   Not sure if you can buy them in that width, but I like to make many sizes of fringe so I made my own fringe maker.  At the end of this post, I will tell you how you can make your own fringe maker.  I have found many uses for this tool.   

• Wrap your strips around the fringe maker tool.  I overlapped mine about 1/4 inch. 
• Place a coordinating piece of yard down the center of your fringe.  
• Couch the yarn in place using a zigzag stitch.   See Fig 1

• When you get to the end of your fringe maker, cut your thread, take the wood bar off the rods and and slide off the top part of the fringe that has been sewn.    See Fig 2.  

Fig 2

• Reattach the fringe maker and add more loops until you reach the end of the fringe maker.  See Fig 2.
• Continue this process until you reach the length you need to wrap around your ring.  
• Leave about an inch of yarn at the end of the fringe.    
• At this point you may clip your loops if you like a fringy look.   I left mine in loops; either way will look fine.  
• Glue or tape the yarn to the starting place on your ring.   
• Wrap the fringe around the ring until it is completely covered.  
• Glue or tape the end of fringe to the starting point.
• I added a bow and gold jingle bells to complete my wreath.  

Fringe maker instructions: 

Here's what you need. 

• 3/4 x 3/8 pine trim about 24 inches long
• 1/8 inch steel welding rod   (these are usually 3 - 4 ft long)
• 4 knitting needle rubber stops that will fit and 1/8 needle 

1. Cut  3/4 x  3/8 pine trim into two 11 - 12 inch lengths.   Any longer than that is pretty awkward to use.   
2. Drill a  1/8 hole in a scrap piece of wood and test your first hole to make sure that your rod fits into the hole.  Adjust your drill bit size if needed.     (A drill press is very handy for this step.)  
3. Turn up on the 3/8 inch side and mark dots spaced 1 inch apart.
4. Drill a hole at each mark.  Be sure to drill all the way through the trim.   
5. Cut the welding rod into two pieces.  I cut mine about 15 inches long.  
6. Use a metal file to round off the cut ends.   This makes it easier to insert into the holes.
7. Insert the metal rods into the spacing you want and cap the ends with the rubber stoppers to prevent the board from slipping off the end while you are working on the fringe.