Sewing Boo-boos and How to Fix Them!

Here is a great guide to fitting pants. It lists all the problems and what to do about it. https://blog.colettehq.com/tutorials/the-colette-patterns-pants-fitting-cheatsheet More later! karen

I've been downsizing. We need the room that has housed my office and sewing room, so I've been packing up and moving into the .... laundry room! I'll be honest, it hasn't been the happiest of days but I have found one positive in it all - the laundry room as better light. Oh, two positives - it's also in the back of the house and does not get the hot, afternoon sun. You can see one bracket above my sewing machine. Robert is putting a shelf there. The brackets are up, the wood is standing up in a corner. Just needs to be cut and sanded. Painted. :)  So, the previous sewing room is in shambles, as I pack up stuff and move it back to the garage. But the last thing I sewed in there was this little EPP fussy-cut 'round' :) (that outside ruffle thing has since been turned back and is no longer visible) I did fussy-cut the pieces, using my handy-dandy mirrors :) It's like playing with a kaleidoscope and fabric! And then I didn't ...

You are not stuck with EPP (English Paper Piecing) if you want to play with hexagons. Although I've had fun with EPP and I'll share some of those pictures too. I did this project years ago, and when I was going through tubs in the garage, I found this. I used fusible web on the wrong side of the fabric and then cut out the hexies. I don't remember if I used a template or Inklingo . (If you've never tried Linda's method of printing shapes on fabric - do it! Great fun!) But either way, I cut them out. I laid them on a backing/batting/foundation piece, pressed them and satin stitched them together. No seams. I butted the raw edges together and sewed. I don't know how this would hold up in a test of time or washing. But it's pretty fun to do and you get quick results. The finished/unfinished quilt. (no binding) Close-up. My machine skips on the zig-zag stitch. Oh well.   The edges that need cleaning up. The back can get pretty thready! ...

A few years ago I came across this blog and the following pictures - I was smitten! I started gathering all my wool odds and ends to make a scrappy, yet designed blanket. In two winters I've not gotten very far. But I am making progress. As I've been going through tubs stored in the garage, I'm finding lots of interesting projects to work on. I have absolutely NO business starting another one! Here is the progress on my wool blanket - I had to block the center in order to get the side pieces to fit evenly. It's still drying.  These are the new blocks I'm working while waiting for the center to dry. I'm using a sock wt variegated blue/green yarn combined with a red lace wt yarn -   And speaking of THIS BLOG - it's written in French, but the pictures are delightful. This is one talented lady. If you have some time and need some inspiration - stop by! More Adventures later! Karen

It figures. I finish a project and I don't like it. It looks nice. And feels nice to my hand, but stepping on it is like walking on golf balls! I have very tender feet and so maybe they are more sensitive than other feet. I don't know. But I can't live with it.  I'm really disappointed. I used tons of wool and alpaca - it's a very heavy little rug. And lovely to run your hand through.  And it looks so nice on the hardwood floor! :) Bye bye rug!  Back to sewing adventures! Karen

I'm on a sort of a mission to finish up WIPs (works in progress) that have been hanging around for ... well, far too long. Introducing the Wool Pom Pom rug. This uses a TON of pom poms and eats wool like crazy. That's okay, I have way too much wool yarn, most of it in quantities too small to make anything of substance. So, I use it to make pom poms! I found the backing at a thrift store, years ago. Last week, I started tying the woolly/alpaca balls to the backing. I'm not sure I have enough pom poms yet to fill it, but it gives me a break from the eternal yarn winding! And it is Heavy! After tying for a short time, my arms are tired, even with it laying in my lap. Some are bigger than others, but I like the uneven texture. I'd like to finish this by fall. It will go next to my side of the bed, perfect for my feet on cold winter mornings. I am concerned about all the possible mess. I mean, this is just short lengths of yarn, tied together as tight as I can d...

I love vintage patterns! One of my favorite blogs is A Few Loose Threads, and she is vintage pattern ga-ga! Recently she posted about the illustrations on the cover of patterns. The illustrations do seem to show you what's inside, but she found they do not do the pattern justice. See it Sewn is a new chapter on her blog. It's well worth a visit. The First Sew it Sewn post   and The Second One This isn't a long post, I just wanted to share this blog with you. My sewing room looks like a tornado came through as I work on a few projects at once. :) More sewing adventures later! Karen