Christine Haynes' New Book Blog Tour!

I am so excited to be reviewing The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction by the lovely Christine Haynes. If this book isn’t already on your radar, it is essentially a sewing encyclopedia with photographed step-by-step instructions of everything garment sewing related. Not only is Christine my co-worker here at Sew L.A., but a close friend of mine as well. That being said, I am one tough critic. I hold my friends to the highest of standards, and Christine did not disappoint. 

As a sewing instructor I am often asked to recommend a good reference book for beginner sewers, and The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction fits the bill. Christine’s book is broken into five easy to follow sections, each detailing different elements of garment construction. “Tools of the Trade” walks you through the various tools needed for sewing from the machine itself, to pressing tools and notions. “Patterns, Fabric and Your Body” breaks down the process of choosing a pattern, your size, your fabric choice and the cutting and marking process. 

“Construction Basics” launches you into some simple sewing techniques such as seam finishing and garment closures. “Taking Shape” conquers all of those tricky techniques that give our garments shape like darts, gathers, pleats and more. 

If all of these assets aren’t enough, this book is genuinely adorable! Each page is full of some of my most favorite fabrics and patterns. All of us ladies at Sew L.A. are seriously excited to have this book in the shop. I would recommend it to either a sewer who is looking to expand their skill set, or a novice seamstress who is looking for a reference book to supplement their sewing classes. Often times in sewing patterns, all of these essential techniques are explained with inadequate detail, or not at all. This can be so frustrating for the novice sewer who is looking to challenge themselves with new patterns. With a good foundation of basic knowledge and this book by your side, you can confidently master new skills.

 I think the best part of this book is the fact that it doesn’t read as a bland instruction manual, but rather as a good girlfriend dishing all her sewing tips. She effortlessly explains challenging concepts comprehensively and concisely. Thanks Christine for writing one AMAZING reference guide for sewing!

- written by Haley Glenn, photos courtesy of Christine Haynes

(P.S. - Shaerie here! Just to let you all know that of course we are having a PARTY for Christine on Friday March 21st, from 6 - 8pm. Not many sewing shops out there can boast about having a manager as awesome as Christine, and we are super proud of all her hard work. We'll have giveaways (Christine's books, patterns and more) and treats and champagne cocktails - so mark your calendars and we'll see you there!)

Introducing Devon Iott from Miss Make!

It's me, Christine! You might have noticed on our schedule that there’s a new teacher. I’ve known the lovely Devon Iott of Miss Make for many years now, and I’m thrilled that she and her adorable Square Knot Clutch are coming to Sew L.A.! Devon’s first class is on January 31 - it's already sold out - with another session coming up later in the spring on March 24. The clutch is adorable and only a second level beginner class, so many of our students are eligible to take it!

I thought it might be nice for you all to get to know Devon better, so I asked her a few questions about life, sewing, and celebrity crushes. Read on below and when you spot her in the shop, say hi and introduce yourself to her! Welcome Devon!

Tell us about yourself! Where are you from and when did you start sewing/crafting?

I grew up on a farm in rural Ohio. I've always loved making, baking, and creating. My mom had a sewing machine that I used to play around with, and my aunt was an uber-crafter and quilter. She always used to get me the coolest crafty birthday/Christmas presents that helped get me hooked when I was young. Now I can't stop!

What is your main craft now? Is it sewing, or are you busy with other creative ventures as well?

My main craft is sewing, but I also do a lot of knitting and crochet. I find that what I'm compelled to make is affected by the seasons – when autumn rolls around I'm suddenly all about yarn hoarding and crocheting, but when it's spring again I shift back to fabric and sewing. Beyond that - nothing is really off limits. My craft supplies closet is a terrifying bottomless pit filled with everything from acrylic paint to jewelry findings to mosaic tiles.

What is your favorite thing to sew?

Quilts! I get an immense satisfaction out of arranging and rearranging colors and patterns and seeing how they affect one another. It's almost like creating a painting or collage, but at the end it's something soft and snuggly that you can use. I like that, art in an everyday object.

What is your favorite tool when sewing?

My Gingher dressmakers shears. I feel like they should be stored on red velvet under a glass case. They are beautiful and divine.

What fabric do you love to work with and what do you dread sewing?

My favorite fabrics are modern quilting cottons with a little whimsy. Heather Ross is my favorite fabric designer. The part that I dread the most about sewing is cleaning up! I'm not very neat - I usually get excited about something then go on a sewing rampage without any thought to the mess I'm making - and then at the end there are always pieces of fabric and thread and lint everywhere.

Where do you gain inspiration from?

I'm the most inspired when I see an unexpected juxtaposition of colors that somehow works. Sometimes I'll be organizing fabric and carry a piece into a different room and suddenly it looks different because of the new environment it's in. I love that! I'm also inspired by the endless stream of other crafters' projects on the internet. We are very lucky to be able to visually share what we make so easily.

Have any favorite projects or recent successes to share?

I'm excited to have built up my website to have pretty regular traffic with around 1,000 hits a day. A few months ago someone in Zambia emailed me to tell me that she had made my Spiked Lavender Lemonade for her and her boyfriend to enjoy while they watched the Zambian sunset. That made me sooo happy, that someone on the other side of the planet had looked at my blog and made one of my recipes. To me that's what it's all about.

I see on your blog that you're also quite a cook! Tell us more about that!

I love being in the kitchen! Baking is very therapeutic to me. It's a calming process that allows my mind to wander in a relaxing way. I also love food, so that helps. My most popular food post by far is my Blue Moon cupcakes recipe. The idea just hit me one day, and I thought YES! That needs to happen. Now. And apparently other people agree.

What are your future plans for your line of Miss Make Sewing Patterns?

I'd love to add some more designs to the mix (I have a few in the works) and try to get them into a few more stores in the area and across the country.

Your class project, the Square Knot Clutch, is adorable and a great project for beginners! How did you come up with it?

Thanks! It was in a desperate response to a bout of craft-starvation while I was at my parent’s house last year. I hadn't made anything in DAYS [how terrible] so I went to the closest fabric store for supplies and just started playing around. I'd had the rough idea for a clutch in my head for a while and I just wanted to see if it would work. It did! When I got back to LA I tweaked it a little and worked out the pattern.

Okay, quick fire round:

Celebrity Crush: Paul McCartney, forever.

Guilty Pleasure: Country music [can't help it]

Favorite Food: Any kind of flaky, buttery breakfast pastry

Dream Vacation Spot: Getting lost in the UK

Favorite Color: Peachy salmon pink, or mustard yellow

Best Celebrity Sighting: Reese Witherspoon AND Jake Gyllenhaal together when I was working alone in a store in Malibu. She bought a pair of socks!

Thanks Devon! And welcome to our Sew L.A. family!

Introducing Christine and Haley, and Marisa from Creative Thursday!

As you might have noticed in some of Shaerie’s recent blog posts, there are a couple of new shop girls at Sew L.A., so I thought an introduction was in order! I’m Christine Haynes. You might have seen me in a class, as I’ve been teaching in the classroom for over a year. But recently I started assisting Shaerie with the managing of the shop. Fun! Also new in the shop is the lovely Haley Glenn. Haley is fresh from fashion school and such a friendly face to help you with your sewing needs.

One of the greatest things about teaching and working in the shop is getting to know our amazing students. In a class a few months ago, I re-met (we had actually originally met ages ago at The Urban Craft Center) the lovely Marisa of Creative Thursday. She was in class to learn to make items from her soon-to-be-released fabric line with Andover Fabrics. We bonded immediately and after a few meetings she very kindly asked if I would be interested in making a garment from her adorable fabric so people could see that it was for more than just quilts or kid’s projects. After one glance at her prints, I knew immediately that the answer was a resounding YES! I love all the prints, but knew right away that the Bird Basket in teal was the perfect fit for me and our Best Party Dress pattern.

Since receiving the fabrics we ordered for the shop, I can tell you that I’m not the only one that knew Marisa’s fabrics would be great for all kinds of projects, kids and beyond. We’ve seen students make things like wallets, dresses, cape linings, and more! And as you see in the photo of me and Haley, she too knew the Bird Basket print, this time in gray, would be fantastic for the Best Party Dress! Haley’s version is customized with a cute white Peter Pan collar and golden buttons down the front. Adorable!

 We have sold the prints Marisa designed so well that as I write this, we are already low and/or sold out of nearly all her fabric. But don’t fret, as we will be reordering more so you too can have some for your very own. And look for more blog posts from both me and Haley in the future! Tutorials, insight into the indie sewing scene, fashion reports, tips, and more! 

'Meet the Gang'

Contains a Disclaimer

Next month Sew L.A. will be three years old. Since then we've taught at least one Machine Intro class per week, and with 8 people per class that's roughly 32 people a month, times 36, which according to my sloppy math means we're looking at 384+ beginners that have taken this introductory class. Probably more, but it doesn't matter for my intended purposes.

FINISHED! - We have a winner -A DOUBLE giveaway for you!

Thank you all for entering! Congrats RETRO-Fabulous!

What can I do with Japanese Double Gauze?

Shaerie here, taking over Daniel's blog while he works on his next amazing project. We have had a bunch of people ask about this great fabric! Double gauze consists of two layers of sheer cotton gauze sandwiched together with tiny, almost invisible stitches. Heather Ross' "Far Far Away" and the Spring 2009 Echino collection by Etsuko Furuya plus many of Naomi Ito's Nani Iro designs are printed on double gauze.  It's cool and incredibly soft, opaque and a bit spongy with a good drape - so what do you do with it? Many people have been making children's garments and quilts out of double gauze because it is so soft, but it translates into fantastic garments for big people too! Especially the more sophisticated prints, like LIONS!

 

I recommend picking a pattern with simple lines and a minimum of details. A simple, loose shift dress or tunic would be ideal! Double gauze is not stiff like woven cotton, so you can pick a loose style and it will drape over the body better. Of course, the many Japanese pattern books out there have great designs that work well with double gauze. I picked a tunic dress from the book "Stylish Dress Book" - the one on the cover actually - to make out of my turquoise LION double gauze from Echino's last collection.

 

Double gauze frays easily so you have to finish the edges - I used a three step zig zag on each separate seam allowance so I could press them open. It presses beautifully, so the tucks down the front of the dress came out straight and crisp, not too bulky. A small amount of gathering works fine (as in the back of the dress) but if there is a lot of gathering pleats or tucks might work better. Too much gathering might end up being too poofy. Make sure you pin darts and pleats well as the fabric can shift easily!

 

If you are curious about how to use Japanese pattern books, I'll be hijacking Daniel's blog again shortly to do a demo of how to trace the patterns and add the correct seam allowance. Stay tuned!

posted by Shaerie, posing as Daniel