To SWAP or not to SWAP

As many of you know, when Julie of Timmel Fabrics closed down her operations earlier this year, the annual SWAP contest was in peril of ending. Well, the ladies at Stitchers' Guild came to the rescue and the SWAP is indeed on again this year. The rules are the basic originals (1 jacket, 6 tops, 4 bottoms - all tops match all bottoms and the jacket pairs with each combo), with the only main difference being the time line. Sewing begins today, November 1st, 2008 and ends April 30th, 2009 (ie, a 6 month time span). The twist this year is that the wardrobe must be sewn for a week in your real life (whether you are a professional, a retiree or a SAHM).

Since the announcement came out (several months ago) that SWAP would once again take place this year, I have wavered back and forth (and back again) as to whether I would throw my hat in the ring again this year.

I have participated in the past three SWAPs and my wardrobe is better for it and adding more clothes to my closet is never a bad thing. However, a 6 month time line seems painful to me - when I decide to sew...I sew...now...no messing around, so trying to stretch this out for 6 months could be torture. However, I suppose I could just sew everything up quickly and then just add additional pieces as a SWAP extension. I do, after all, have the following SWAP (plus extensions and some of the extension garments are started) that I planned out last year. I'm just not sure I'm willing to commit to the actual contest. Maybe, I'll just sew along. But then, why not just enter? Ugh...see, I go back and forth. I guess there is no real hurry, I have 6 months to decide!

In other sewing news, I have been really looking at my stash of Loes Hinse patterns lately. I have a lot of holes in my professional winter wardrobe and I want to whip up some nice looking, simple, sophisticated clothes to plug the leaks. I have always liked the LH (and Textile Studio) patterns, but I haven't always used them to the fullest, so I'm going to be starting a LH sewing marathon. My greatest needs are for bottoms (pants and skirts), so I will start there. Hopefully, before this weekend is over, I will have at least one pair of pants and a skirt done. We'll see...

Asain Influence

I received the following e-mail the other day and I though I would reply to it here (hopefully, you don't mind Monica), just in case anyone else could use this info.

Hi Shannon:

Firstly, let me say that my sewing buddy Lynn and I love your blog and your work. You are quite a talent.

Secondly, I’m sorry about your mom and your Fifth Disease. I hope you are back in the pink soon!

Thirdly, I wanted to ask you about those super beautiful Japanese pattern books by Machiko Kayaki that I saw on your blog (by the way, maybe I should have written this as a post to the blog, but I couldn’t figure out how to do that!). How do you know which one to buy? I am really smitten with the overall aesthetic of them and seriously driven buy from yesasia. Who cares if I can’t actually read them, right?! But how do you pick which one(s) – do you have ones you recommend over others? Have you seen the inside of many? Do the skirt books have just skirts, but the ones with titles like “Sewing Lesson,” “Pindot Polkadot Coindot,” or “Home Couture” have more general patterns? Is there any English in any of them, other than on the cover?

Well, I hope I’m not bothering you with these questions. Also, let me say, I am sorry that you don’t have sewing buddies there in Ontario. But I’m glad you have found lots of them by having a blog!

Cheers,

Monica

Monica (& Lynn), thank you so much for your kind words and your well wishes - the sewing community online is made up of such a wonderful group of people. Too bad we didn't all live just a smidge closer together - just think of the fun!

Now, on to the JPB (Japanese pattern books). I first became interested in JPB when Tany and Angie mentioned them on their blogs. Like you, I was instantly smitten with the aesthetics of these books - the clothing and the photography is so appealing to me. So, I was on a mission to find out as much as I could about these magical Asian books!

Altough, yesasia.com sells the books, they don't give any glimpses into the books, which is a bit of a disappointment. For that I had to search up a storm. I have found the following sources useful for locating pictures of the garments inside the JPB.

1. eBay - search for JPB using the keywords, "Japanese pattern books", "Machiko Kayaki", "Sato Wantanbe", "Yoshiko Tsukiori" or book titles. The people that sell these books usually have pictures of the pages in their auction ad. If you click on the keywords I've listed, you will be taken to some great examples by my favourite designers.

2. Japan Couture Addicts blog - although this blog is in French (which I can read to a very, very limited extent), it is a great place to see pictures of many garments made up. The left hand margin shows pictures of the JPB covers, which can be clicked on to be taken to the garment photos provided by contributors of the blog. Excellent resource!

3. Google - enter the same keywords as for eBay to find blogs and websites with tips and further info.


As far as what kinds of patterns can be found in the books, you are correct, the title tends to give a glimpse into the contents. Most of the books I own (Sewing Lesson, Simple Chic, Pindot Polkadot Coindot Etc, Home Couture, Retrospective is Stylish) contain many types of clothing including skirts, tops, jackets and dresses. Two of my books (Skirt a la Carte and Utsukushi Silhouette no Skirt Angkor Shitakunaru My's Size no Kawaii Smart Style 27) are all skirts. There are yet other books aimed at children or soft toy crafters, but I have no interest in those so I can't say much about them.

In terms of recommending one book over the others, I can honestly say I absolutely love several garments from each one of the books I own. If forced to chose one book, I would pick "Home Couture My Standard" by Machiko Kayaki. I gravitate toward clean, simple lines with a retro flair and this book has that.

Here is some further information about the books themselves that I have noticed during my experience with them:

*JPB are pretty much completely in Japanese (natch), with the occasional bit of English to describe the garment. However, if you are a decent seamstresses, there are enough pictures to work through the construction of a garment. Most of the clothing is simple enough that a good sewing reference book (or sewing experience with similar garments) should be enough to get you through.

* The sizing is different than North American pattern companies. First, the measurements are in metric and second, the patterns run fairly small. See this blog entry for the measurements.

* Full sized patterns are included with the JPB. The pattern sheets look like a BWOF (Burda World of Fashion) pattern sheet, with 4 or 5 different patterns (in all the sizes) overlapping on a large sheet of heavy weight paper. Therefore, the patterns need to be traced onto another paper before use. To say the pattern sheets can be a bit confusing is an understatement. All the patterns are in black ink, unlike BWOF (which uses different colours for different patterns), so I recommend highlighting the lines before tracing or you may end up cross-eyed and frustrated!

* The patterns do not include seam allowances, again just like BWOF. However, each pattern has a suggested fabric layout guide and suggested seam allowances (usually 1.5 cm) and hem allowances (usually 1 to 4 cm) are shown on it.

* There are not as many notches and symbols as can be found in the North American companies (Butterick, Vogue, etc), but again the designs are typically fairly simple, so it's not to hard to figure out what is attached to what and where.

In closing, I think it is only fair to come clean that I have not actually made up any of these patterns yet, although I do have one traced out. So take my advice with a grian of salt. Hopefully, I will get an article or two of clothing made up in the near future, but you know all about the best laid plans...

Just call me Thyphoid Mary

Two weeks ago, I said that I was going to start posting again, didn't I? That was before all hell broke loose in my little corner of the world.

Consider the following...

Two weeks ago my Mom was in a car accident. I'll spare you all the gory details. Suffice it to say that a woman (stopped at a stop sign) pulled out in front of my Mom (who was traveling down a through street) and my Mom was unable to avoid her. Several blown air bags and one totaled Chrysler 300M (my Mom's retirement gift to herself a few years back) later and my Mom was in the market for a new car. Other than some stiffness and bruising, she is fine - no broken bones and no death (which is always a good thing). She now has a brand new, bright red, Chrysler Sebring and is doing well. So, one disaster averted.

One week ago, I started with cold-like complaints and fatigue. In short order, I started to get itchy and noticed small, raised welts on my torso. The itching quickly became unbearable and the rash started to spread outward toward my extremities. At first, I couldn't figure out what was happening to me. Do I have hives? Is it an allergic reaction? Then I remembered the young lady in my class the had similar symptoms. I also remember the local grade schools have had an epidemic of Fifth disease. So I start to google like mad trying to find out more. Hmm, Fifth disease is most common in 5 to 15 year olds. By adulthood only 50% of people are susceptible and I apparently am in that 50%. Yeehaw. The good news is that my immune system seems to have made quick work of the virus (although I have been sleeping a ton this weekend) and I seem to have avoided the swollen and stiff joints that can sometimes accompany the adult version of the disease. So now, of the five classic childhood exanthems, I have had two - I guess I can look forward to measles, rubella and scarlet fever at a later date. Sigh.



On the sewing front, not much has happened at Chez Shannon. Although I'm, itchin' (pun intended) to get back in front of the machine.

In other related news, I haven't bought any fabric in over two months - could it be that I have reached stash saturation? Only time will tell...

Um, hi again...

Do you ever get overwhelmed? Do you ever feel like you're spread so thin you're going to snap? Do you ever look around you and all you see are things that need to be done and people that want things from you?

Well, I do. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, look out, it's a doozy.

I know some of you are wondering about my lack of blogging and my long absence from discussion boards and other sewing related outlets. (Actually, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone that has sent emails inquiring as to my whereabouts - I appreciate that you care enough about me to take the time to write. It touches me so deeply that people I have never formally met can become such wonderful friends.) I guess I just needed a break from the world. I can't take a break from my family (they seem to find me wherever I try to hide!) or from my job (gotta pay the bills, you know), so the only other choice was to take a break from sewing and blogging. Something had to give and unfortunately, my cherished hobbies ended up being collateral damage in my need for some down time. It has been at least three months since I really had the drive to sew and I haven't bought nor have I had the desire to buy any fabric in ages (gasp! now you know I'm a mess!). Hence, the blog silence - what was there to blog about?

Well, I'm tentatively starting to feel like myself again. I miss sewing and I miss blogging and most of all, I miss interacting with my sewing sisters. I have no one in my daily life that sews, so my long distance friends (all of you) are very important to me. I have a few projects in mind for my triumphant (I hope) return to the sewing sphere. Unfortunately, this weekend is all about painting the LR, DR and kitchen, so don't expect much just yet.

To prove that I am clawing my way out of my funk, I leave you with the some of the best medicine to turn a girl around and make her love life again. Check out the latest additions to my shoe wardrobe - Naturalizer has been offering some really nifty shoe designs the last few seasons and this fall is no exception.

Back Home

I am back from my trip to England. Unfortunately, I have a bajillion things that need to get done before I can post about the trip, so bear with me...

English Invasion

DH and I will be leaving this weekend to travel throughout England for two weeks. I have been to England twice before, but this is a first for DH. He has a friend that lives and works in London and he and his wife have been gracious enough to ask us to stay at their flat while we're there.

I have left all the arrangements and travel plans completely up to DH, so I am basically sitting back and enjoying the ride!

My only concern at this point, is my travel wardrobe. I was previously in England at this time of year and spent most of my time in sweaters, trying to stay warm. I have been checking the weather in London for the last few weeks and it appears that this summer is warmer than the summer I experienced several years ago. I want to travel light (with only a carry on bag) and since we will have access to laundry facilities, I am hoping to only bring three to four days worth of clothes and just wash them as needed. I have sewn several pieces of clothing to take with me and I'm hoping that employing the principle of layering (adding on if it gets cold, removing if it gets hot) will suit me well. I have my comfy leather walking shoes and sandals all broken in and I also made sure to purchase a raincoat, as it appears to be crazy rainy in London right now. I guess if worst comes to worst, I can always buy (yeah, Visa!) any article of clothing that I require, but didn't pack.

Any Brits out there that can offer some insight as to the weather this time of year? Any others that can offer some travel wardrobe advice?

P.S. I scammed the Big Ben picture from Wikipedia.

Dirn It All!

I love dirndl skirts, so when I saw these two gorgeous border print fabrics at my local Fabricland, I could not resist picking up 2 m of each. These skirts could not be easier to make. Cut the fabric to the desired length (in my case, 24" + 4" for the hem), sew up the single seam after inserting an invisible zipper, throw on a straight waistband, tack on a hook/eye and presto...a summer skirt ready for wearing!

I'm not sure which one I like more - the coral or the teal. And as an added bonus, I still have the extra fabric that was cut off, which will make a cute summer top (or two).

ETA for TwilaO: Both skirts were made from the full 2 m lengths of fabric, gathered to fit the waistband.

McCall's 5632 & Butterick 5187

Pattern: McCall's 5632 (view C) & Butterick 5187 (view A)






























Size: I used the size 8 for both patterns.

Fabric:
For the capris: stretch denim from Fabric Mart.
For the cardigan: papaya linen from Timmel Fabrics (sadly defunct now).

Project Photos & Comments:
Capris ~ I wanted a pair of denim capris as the pair I have now are becoming increasingly thread bare. M5632 appealed to me the first time I saw it, although I don't normally like pants with pleats. This pattern is well drafted and went together smoothly from start to finish. Unfortunately, I am not in love with the pleats, the cuffs or the extremely wide bottom leg circumference on these capris - they all add up to making me look a tad stumpy. If I attempt these capris again, I will be narrowing the leg, forgoing the cuffs and making them in a fabric with more drape and flow - I think that will remedy the "stumpiness" issues.


Cardigan ~ This is just the cutest cardi! I love all the views and hope to make each of them. I decided to start with view A because it spoke the loudest to me. I had some leftover papaya linen from a sundress project a couple of years ago and the weight of it was perfect for this project. I was so pleased when all the pattern pieces just barely squeezed onto my fabric remnant. However, when I cut out the pattern pieces, I must have been daydreaming because I forgot to cut doubles of a few key pieces - namely the inside front and back yokes. I had to use some ecru linen (the only linen I had at the time that was in a compatible colour) to cut these missing pieces. The inside back yoke wasn't a major concern because it isn't visible when the cardigan is being worn. The inside front yoke was a different story, as it also backs the ties at the neck, which are clearly visible when worn.

What to do? What to do? How do I make this screw up look intentional? Well, after putting together the jacket, I top stitched (with a decorative asterisk stitch pre-programmed into my sewing machine) various sections of the papaya regions of the cardigan in a thread that matched the ecru linen. Also, the ecru ties were likewise top stitched with papaya thread. As you can see in the photo to the left, my bonehead mistake now looks like a "design feature" or at least that's what I have been telling myself (so, don't burst my bubble). In the end, I really like this cardigan - it gives off a vintage (1940s?), nautical feel to me.

Conclusion: I am still on the fence as to whether I'll make the capris again, but I will certainly be making all the views of the cardigan. The cardi is a perfect summer cover up for a cool evening or for the daytime when my shoulders are getting roasted in the sun.