Two Easy Robes

Simple and relaxing. That is the kind of sewing I enjoy at this time of year. Simplicity 1562 was just right.

The pattern envelope contains patterns for children, teens and adults. It is a classic design with the shawl collar, belt in carriers, and patch pockets.

A grandson and a granddaughter selected their own fabric at JoAnn's. Can you tell? I washed both pieces of fleece and set them aside so I could dread sewing it a little while.

Honestly this fleece was a pleasure to sew. It's fluffy so I used pattern weights, instead of pins for cutting it out. I did learn to never, ever again cut it with the rotary cutter. Something about the depth of the pile and texture - it sank into the surface of my cutting mat and scarred it a little.

Sewing fleece is such a breeze - I had forgotten. Of course, it does not ravel, so no need to finish edges. I haven't hemmed these robes and yet they look finished, I think. I'm waiting for the grands to try them on before hemming.

There were parts of the pattern instructions that were inappropriate for fleece. For example, the neckline/collar seam is to be finished by turning the raw edge of the upper collar under and slip-stitching it in place along the back neckline. I used the old stitch-in-the-ditch technique to stitch the upper and under collars in place along the back neckline seam. The thread completely disappeared into the pile.

There were parts of the instructions that cried out to be ignored. The instructions for creating the belt were surprising. You are instructed to sew across both short ends and down the long edge, leaving an opening large enough to turn the belt right side out.

Seriously, there must be a gazillion ways to turn a tube that are easier than this.

This time I sewed the long edges together, attached a large safety pin to one end and turned it inside out easily. And with this fleece, there was no need to finish the short ends anyway. I made the belt carriers in the same way.

Barbara at sewing on the edge has just posted her concern about patterns with overly-complex instructions that have a low probability of success for the new sewer. And the new sewer may not know of other ways. Barbara is threatening to write a book. I hope she does. I will want it on my shelf. I have a hunch she knows LOTS of the cool tricks.

Because these bath robes were so simple, I decided to fussy-cut the patch pockets so that the pattern would match. I'm fairly certain this detail will go unnoticed by the grands but it's nice to have at least a small challenge. It's the simple things that make me happy.

The black pockets with stars were a little frustrating until I realized I had flipped the fabric. Hello Kitty was easy-peasy to match. And Hello, Kitty makes me smile.

The pattern has virtually no finishing details and leaves the facing flopping around in the front. This was easily fixed by machine-stitching the facing to the fronts along the facing edges. And I like that extra vertical line.

This pattern is actually pretty well drafted, I think. I will buy it again and keep the tissue intact. It is a classic bath robe. Not exciting, but so, so comfy and useful.

Gracious Lady

One of the first times I met Ruta, she was seated next to me in my first class with ASG Atlanta. Marsha McClintock was teaching a class using her Portlandia pattern, an interesting and fun pattern for a hooded coat.

We introduced ourselves and I learned that Ruta was president of ASG Atlanta. I learned this in the quiet way that Ruta had about her.

Later I learned that she was a retired researcher with a PhD from Berkeley, a veteran, mother, grandmother, wife. Much later I learned these things about Ruta.

Ruta's clothing aesthetic and construction is legendary. But I did not learn that the first time I met her either.

Here is just one example of her work. As a member of  Association of Sewing and Design Professionals, she created a half-scale reproduction of this Vionnet gown. Hers is featured in Threads.

Ruta accomplished these and many other things after retiring.

Her own clothes were impeccable and she always looked pulled together, yet entirely relaxed and cheerful.

She continued even after her diagnosis of ALS. Almost a year ago, she was interviewed for City-Wide Couture here in Atlanta. We were treated to a review of her sewing journey. In addition to many of her sewing admirers, her husband attended the interview and a granddaughter modeled her clothes.

One garment of hers has special meaning for me. The two of us were browsing in Louise Cutting's booth at a sewing expo. Ruta spotted this fabric first.

This is a beefy hand-painted cotton. It was expensive. Ruta hesitated. We talked about it. Finally I told her that if she did NOT buy it, then I would. She promptly bought the rest of the bolt! So for a long time, I teased her about stealing that fabric from me. And that's the way I remember it.

Of course, only Ruta could have done it justice, selecting this distinctive Geoffrey Beene design from Vogue patterns.

Notice how she used some of the hand-painted cotton on the hem portion over the hips because it shows when you move. The lining is a perfect color of Bemberg Ambiance. 

The beautifully finished cuffs, the careful placement of fabric in the triangular insert in the back - it was all carefully and artfully composed. Finally she chose a special closure.

A dear mutual friend of ours told her husband a bit of the story of this fabric recently. He then gave the jacket to me. Thank you, Roger. Thank you, Lorraine. Thank you, Ruta.

What a treasure. It is now hanging in my sewing room, reminding me of Ruta. And I miss you, gracious lady.

Dr. Ruta Jonavic Wilk

1941-2014

Before and After: Butterick 5891 - the Jacket

Recently Dixie of With Needle and Brush described three versions of Butterick 5891 and made the case for mining one pattern to achieve different looks.

Dixie created 3 very different tops/jackets from the jacket portion of this pattern. Each one is artful and totally Dixie.

I have made the vest/top portion of this pattern a few times, but have made the jacket only once. And I wear that jacket every chance I get.

Sometimes, I like to return to finished projects and make adjustments. And sometimes this goes very badly but this time, I like the result.

Buttons and pockets are always a good thing.

Before adding buttons and pockets

After

I added pockets with buttons and some closure buttons. I was surprised to see how it changed the look of the jacket to add that top closure.

The fabric is a Brussels washer shot in black and ivory. It is cotton and rayon and more beefy than other Brussels washers I've sewn with. This one was purchased from Waechters right before they closed.

And now I really, really want to make this again, perhaps in something appropriate to the cold weather we are having. Because this jacket is asymmetrical, it has extra possibilities with the neckline. I also wonder how it would be as a vest, longer maybe. Lined. Two left sides. Two right sides.

Butterick 5891 is a great pattern to make over and over again, Dixie. (Hope you don't mind me copying.)

Butterick 5891 is on sale for $3.19 over at Club BMV, in case you need this pattern.

Something finished.

This one took a long time.

It started with some fabrics in lovely fall colors that I stacked and whacked and stitched back together. I particularly like the gray shirting piece and the rough off-white hand-spun looking pieces with the commercially printed pieces.

about 35 inches square

Next was the insertion of a black and white piece. Just a touch of black and white to ground it. And all the pieces were sewn together.

Finally I started quilting: layered with soft cotton flannel batting and a tone on tone rich brown for the back. The machine stitching is done in parallel lines at different angles. This left good-sized swaths for hand-quilting.

Lots of hand-quilting. Because I wondered how it would be to hand-quilt with just the seed stitch.

It's cold here now as in most of the US. Unseasonably cold. The colors of fall are disappearing and the brown branches of winter are taking over. Brown is my favorite color today.

Looking inward and outward

Now is one of those times when I long for some time to sew and meditate. Time to be with just my thoughts and my thread.

Business - or busyness - either way, it corrupts me, encroaches on my thoughts, and erodes any creativity that may be available to me.

wandering and lost

Maybe I just need to step back and breathe. 

the blues

Maybe I need to get outside of myself.

world blues, going outside myself

Looking inward, looking outward. I always come back to myself. And I always return to stitch: needle, thread, cloth. Right now I long to stitch. Soon I will return to deliberate garment projects or other planned projects. But for now, I simply need stitch. Stitch with no real purpose.

So what is the Around-the-World Blog Hop, if not a chance to get outside of myself?

The Around-the-world Blog Hop is a way to link bloggers who are makers, wherever they may be. But only those who want to be linked. Here are two:

Let's start with Judy of Judy-in-the-Dyes blog. I met Judy at a workshop led by Cas Holmes. And I began to follow her blog right away. It's cheerful, colorful, and generous. 

Judy's work is meditative, I think. Or at least, that is how I receive her posts. Her work seems to spring from her heart. Her sense of color always raises my spirits. Hey, it just happened again, as I read her post from last week - the one where she links to my blog.

And now let me introduce you to Dixie of With Needle and Brush. Like me, Dixie is passionate about clothing art. We like many of the same pattern designers. But she is legions ahead of me in the area of artful touches, especially those involving paint. 

Dixie's work informs my own garment sewing. I see her creations and read the story behind the make and I think, I want to try that too. 

And Dixie works at one of my all-time favorite fabric stores - Sawyer Brook. So when I travel to the New England states, I try to see her when I visit Sawyer Brook.

As part of the Blog Hop, there are 4 questions each blogger is asked consider:

1. What am I working on? Just stitch.

2. How does my work differ from others in my genre? In order to answer that question, I would have to identify my genre. Garment construction, quilts, fiber art, and so on. My work is mostly an answer to an inward question. Sometimes, like now, I don't even know the question.

3. Why do I write? make? Writing helps me make. And making helps me write. And both help me remember today. 

4. How does my writing/making process work? Both are almost spontaneous. I occasionally sew with a purpose. I occasionally write with a purpose. I write just for me at times, just for specific others at times, and for publication at times. Years ago, as an academic, I discovered the joy of writing. I've known the joy of sewing for half a century or more. Each is a kind of making.

So that's me. On Monday November 17, I hope you'll have time to move back through the Blog Hop by following Judy and forward through the Blog Hop by following Dixie. Both inspire me.

2014 Fiber Art Sale and Auction - ready, set, go!

Friend Ginny and I are co-chairing this annual event for 2014. With a lot of help from many artists, and even husbands, we are ready to go. And such a banquet of fiber art, I have never seen before.

In case you happen to be in the Atlanta area, here are the details:
Saturday, Nov 8, 11-5
Sunday, Nov 9, 12-4
The SEFAA (Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance) Center
1705 Commerce Dr NW
Atlanta GA 30318

Here is a list of the artists who are participating in the sale or the auction or both. Most are local to the Atlanta area:

Margaret Agner Marlene Caracalas Leslie Deveaux-ChristianWieda Duncan Molly ElkindLinda Fetter Margaret Gerson Suzi Gough Ginny Harris Judith Krone Karen Weavers Workshop

Inna Marttinen Connie L. Melton Deborah Miller Sally Mitchell Tonia Mitchell Martha Myers Kristen Nicholas Lynn PollardMary Rayre:loom

Laurel Rudolph Rene ShoemakerMarybeth TawfikSandy TeepenLeona Thompson Nancy ThompsonKaren TunnellHellenne VermillionAnne VincentChristina Weeks

And here are some more pictures:

Ann Williamson Workshop

This past weekend I was thrilled to attend a workshop taught by Ann Williamson and hosted by Louise Cutting. A double-header. I'm still on inspiration overload.

See Ann's logo in the upper right hand corner of this pieced scarf. All fabric is vintage kimono silk. Yum.

Ann Williamson makes stunning, one-of-a-kind garments, primarily fitted jackets. Her preferred fabric is vintage kimono silk. You may have seen her work at the Smithsonian Craft Shows or at the San Francisco or Baltimore ACC shows. I have been a big fan of hers for several years now, ever since sewing friend Ginny tipped me off!

Here Ann is wearing a coco-style jacket & pants, both of vintage kimono silk. She is also wearing one of her scarves.

The workshop started with a jaw-dropping trunk show with lots of great stories. Then we spent two full days learning and practicing her techniques in piecing and beading.

As I poured my kit beads onto the black velveteen, I saw a pattern I'd love to try to duplicate.

Each evening we went to Louise's house to shop, shop, shop. Louise of course had lots of great fabrics and buttons available, as well as her signature patterns. Sandy and Rosemary were on hand to help coordinate fabrics and patterns.

Ann allowed us to buy vintage kimono silk by the yard, as well as her kits.

Between the two of these artists extraordinaire, my head nearly exploded.

Louise is wearing a vest that will be part of a future pattern, along with pants that *may* become a pattern. Such fun!

The above sample is a gorgeous example of Ann's detailed, artful work. She is an expert in clothing construction, as well as an inspired, accomplished fiber artist.

This is a dramatic example of one of her slightly fitted coco-style jackets, constructed with vintage silk using her unique piecing techniques.

And the back is gorgeous too.

Now I am dying to find the time to work on these techniques and incorporate them into the sewing techniques I already enjoy. I think her beading approach will fit nicely with my love of sashiko. We each received a kit of silks for a scarf. I'm thinking mine may be incorporated into an Ann-inspired jacket.

Now I recommend you go directly to Ann's website and see her garments. She also has a delicious blog. Some of the best eye candy for textilians. 

Oh, my, so much inspiration; so little time!