Where I'm at & what I'm trying to get done sitewise...

So most of our fabric is up on-line now, and our classes are  up through June. We have a few classes that we're working out the details for, so as soon as they're done those TBA's will be replaced. Books are still coming, we just have limited numbers as far as quantity goes so it's not as much of a priority as we don't really want to list a bunch of items only to put most of them directly set to out of stock. This will change over time and most titles are re-orderable so eventually we should have a nice selection on the site.

Tools and supplies are still being added and updated as we replenish the stock. We'll continue to focus on the most essential items and add some of the items that are more of an optional or 'personal choice' nature as time progresses.

Notions are still something we have to determine with regards as to what we'll put on the site. Some items that we carry in the store can quite easily be found practically everywhere, so whenever possible we try to be a bit more selective with these. Thread won't be sold through the site, accurate color representation is difficult enough for the fabric and trying to match thread for a project over the web just makes me cringe. It may be possible in the future to order thread if you know the exact color code for a spool that you have now, but this is something for a future day. Buttons, zippers, fasteners, ribbons, bias trims etc... we do stock them but again with so many options out there it's a huge task to get it done right.

Which brings me to the most pressing task before me, the patterns we carry.

Foxy Pajamas

   I recently had the pleasure of seeing one of the most awe-inspiring stop-motion animation films ever made by one of my favorite contemporary directors. I was a little late in the game as it was released on Thanksgiving, but now that I’ve seen it I’m completely obsessed. The director is Wes Anderson and the film is Fantastic Mr. Fox.  If you have yet to see it, run out of your house immediately, if not sooner, hop on your motorcycle, preferably with a sidecar as to take a loved one, and get your tail to the theater. You will thank yourself, and me. Unless of course you already have seen it and did not appreciate it accordingly, in which case I say Bah! Read no further!

    First let me tell you that whoever conceived the costumes, if something made of clay can constitute a costume, is my new personal hero and that I simply must have every ensemble worn by Fox. Of course I can’t have them all, at least not yet. But I can start with one, and the pajama set seemed a fitting first project. A little simpler than that amazing double-breasted tan corduroy suit complete with a short sleeved shirt, tie and short pants.  Sigh. Foxes pajamas were gold and striped and piped with burgundy. Not only did we not have a stripe in these colors in the shop, but these colors also happen to be both my high school and university colors. As you can imagine, after seven years of staring at the same color combination one can become somewhat adverse to them. Thus I chose to select my fabrics based on the color pallet of the film in general, which I would definitely categorize as autumnal.

  

    As it happens, I’d been lusting after a particular fabric in this family for quite some time. I just didn’t know what to do with it. It is Japanese, of course, and is covered with hills, trees, rabbits, and tiny squirrels toting equally tiny acorns. Cute explosion! For the piping I chose a rich chocolate cotton sateen with an ever-so subtle sheen, and the buttons are a bronze-colored metal with acorns on them. Holy cuss are they cute.  I’d never actually made my own piping, and though it was surprisingly easy, it took a cussing long time. I imagine that had something to do with the fact that the pattern called for six yards of the stuff, although I only ended up needing about four.

  

    I’ve had my eye on Kwik Sew pattern 2388, and it turned out to be a very simple, straightforward pattern to follow. The only thing I did to change the pattern was shorten each arm and leg by 2 1/2”, but were I ever to make it again I’d shorten the legs another couple of inches and create a back neck facing because the method of attaching the collar was not to my liking. I would also cut off a couple of inches from the top of the pants because they ended up at my waist, which I suppose fits in with the old-fashioned appeal to pajamas.

  

    The first step was to cut bias strips which I only recommend doing if you have the use of a rotary cutter and mat. One of my first jobs in Los Angeles was a designer’s assistant, so I’ve hand-cut my fair share of bias. Let me tell you, I don’t recommend it in the least. 

BUNNY! – a wee wonderful patterncard

For these little guys I employed the help of Adam, my partner in crime…and craft. Ever since we got these adorable, aeronautic woodland creatures I’ve been dying to make one.  So we made two! These little guys are perfect for gifts or just a good way to kill a couple of hours. We put on some old episodes of Strangers With Candy, cracked a bottle of bourbon and got down to business. It was crazy easy, so I’m not including a play by play, but here is what they looked like in pieces.

I’m definitely no expert hand-sewer, but Adam sure is. While his construction was much nicer than mine, they each have a personality of their own.  In fact, much like dogs and their owners, I think these guys look like their respective makers. Can you guess which one is mine?
 

 

posted by Daniel

3 Shirts in 3 Days

After having my blog hijacked by the boss-lady, I decided it was time for a new post! I spent a moment in heavy contemplation before I realized that I could kill two birds with one stone; I could manage to beef up my wardrobe and find a way to work on my Christmas vacation. Because I’m just that dedicated. Once the Christmas feast was made and consumed and I was sure I would explode from all the gluttony, I decided to step into the sweatshop and put myself to the test.  Thus was born my new post: 3 Shirts in 3 Days.

I know what you must be thinking, you’re thinking I’m crazy and you’re certainly right, but now that the craziness is finished I have three lovely additions to my increasingly jaunty wardrobe. I ended up using Kwik Sew pattern #3422 in a size small. This particular pattern is actually the one used for our button down shirt class, so for those of you that took the class before can use this as a refresher. Those of you who think the class would be too hard for them (I know you’re out there) hopefully this will in some way relieve your trepidation.

I chose to make the short sleeve version because that’s really all I wear, and the only change I made was to shorten the sleeve within an inch of it's life. This pattern's version of a “short” sleeve comes to my elbow, and I spent so much money on all these tattoos that I may as well show them off.

Day1 – In which our hero was almost defeated.

Defeat in stage one? I don’t know about the rest of you, but pinning and cutting is my least favorite part of sewing, and because of my increasingly meticulous approach it always seems to take me longer than any other part of a project. So, if you are anything like me you’d rather cut yourself than your fabric, but please suppress the urge. It is well known amongst those in the know that killing yourself under such conditions will ultimately doom you to an eternity of cutting in the bowels of the fiery deep.  Instead, put on some soothing music and have a glass of something. My something is almost always bourbon, but you may, of course, have whatever you choose.  Anyhow, this is what many long hours of cutting and a glass of something looks like.
   

By the time I finished cutting on the first day I’d already had one too many glasses of something and decided to hold off on further work until the following day.