Back to Sewing

For the last few months my sewing machine has been collecting dust. That's not to say my head wasn't completely immersed in sewing. I was actually more involved with sewing more than ever while working on London Stitch and Knit. I have never been to so many great fabric and haberdashery shops in such a short amount of time or written about so many all at once. My head has definitely been deep in fabric, thread, needles, patterns... I've just not been on the actual sewing machine again until last week. I really have not had any extra time. I completed photos in more than 45 shops and wrote features on all the shops, including chapter introductions and a resources section for my book in 3 months, mostly working on it after our girls went to bed and on the weekends (when I wasn't visiting the shops taking photos). If Ellie had been in school full-time that would have been a bit easier, but I had her two full days a week and she can't watch Peppa Pig all day after all. But now the book is just about finished and I've had time to do some actual sewing. One project that's been on my list for about a year is the Sew Over It Betty dress. I have some vintage curtain fabric that used to be in Lois's room that reminded me of fabric I saw on Mad Men, so I thought it would make a good Betty. It was really easy to make. I didn't get the zip to the top well the first time, though, so I re-did it. Other than that, the fit was good and I didn't need to do too many adjustments. Here's to getting back to sewing!

Sewing Goals

Sew many patterns, sew little time! In my last post I didn't mention just how many things I want to sew this year. I had a goal in mind of 2 wearable garments a month, either for myself or for our girls, but now I'm thinking that was quite ambitions with all the other things in life I need and want to do, and I don't want the pressure of the goal to take the fun out of it. So now I'm thinking 1 wearable garment per month is more realistic for me. I know some people are able to knock out more than a few projects a month, amazing sewists like Fiona and Katie, for example, whose blogs always inspire me. With the two little ones dangling from me half the time, I'm not sure I can devote enough time to two garments with life's other commitments, but I will still try!

Cambie Dress

Since we've sort of turned our house upside down re-arranging some rooms, I haven't sewn anything in a few months, but I'm looking forward to hearing the hum of the sewing machine again soon. The last thing I made was the Sewaholic Cambie dress. I've stolen Ellie's room as my craft room since we turned my craft room into our grown-up sitting room / library / game room (not sure what to call it really!). But our old dining table that I wanted to use as a desk wouldn't fit up the stairs and the legs don't come off, so rather than chopping it up to fit, I ordered a simple table from IKEA to use as a sewing table and will accessorize it with some cute things. I have quite a few patterns in mind to make on my new sewing table, including making another Sewaholic Cambie dress. I made this dress in the summer and I love it.

How Fabric Is Made

This week the fabric label Cotton and Steel revealed their first collection at quilt market. Headed up by Melody Miller whose own line of fabrics has been so popular in recent years, Cotton and Steel is a new kind of fabric company, which includes designers Melody Miller, Sarah Watts, Rashida Coleman-Hale, Kim Kight, and Alexia Abegg. Before starting C&S, Melody considered what wanted to do next. She had an idea for a unique fabric company, one that was collaborative and would highlight various designers' individual styles while also working well as a comprehensive line of fabrics. She approached RJR fabrics who loved her idea agreed to produce it. The result looks great from what I've seen on their instagram. This video is a wonderful introduction to C&S. They recently also released a behind the scenes look at how their fabric is made in Japan. I love fabric, and I love to see how things are made. I think most of us often take for granted how and where things are made, as if we're so detached from how things are produced that they just appear like magic in stores. I found this brief look into how C&S fabric is made very inspiring and thought you might enjoy it too. I'm looking forward to seeing Cotton and Steel fabrics in stores soon. (Images here from the C&S instagram feed.)

Shift Top

Yay, I made a top I like! I don't think the Sencha blouse suits me very well (or maybe I've just sewn it poorly), so I thought I'd try another top using my shift dress pattern from Sew Over It. I loved the dress I made in class and thought it would make a cute top. It was really easy to sew. My darts are a tad bit pointier than I'd like, though I did knot them rather than backing up, but other than that, I really like it.

Wowzer Trousers!

I've still been stitching up a storm. My blog seems to be turning into a sewing blog. But that's mostly what I've been up to, so that's what I have to share with you! Recently I took another class at Sew Over It, their ultimate trouser class (still a little odd and formal-sounding to refer to what I think of as "pants" as trousers, but, well, pants here are underwear, so I'll stick to trousers). My instructor was Dominique, the same instructor I had last time. I decided to use some vintage fabric I already had since I figured the first pair wouldn't be perfect (if wearable at all!) but they turned out really well! The class was fun and these trousers were easy to make.

Fabric Happy

This week I made this skirt. Pretty cute huh? It's my first skirt with a zipper! I used a pattern from Sew Over It, the gathered skirt pattern. I don't normally like gathered skirts on me, so I'm not totally sure why I bought it except that it seemed like a good, easy project for fun zipper practice, and I really liked the sample they had in the store. But as I suspected, I don't like it on me! Update (see below)! I think I'd prefer something more flat and A-line, like this, which might be my next skirt project. It's just a bit poofy in all the wrong places. I don't want to walk around looking like a muffin top rising in the oven, and the gathers just give that poofy muffin risin' in the oven look that most of us just don't need. I imagine it would look really good on some other people, but it's just not so flattering on me. I need to take it in to Sew Over It and see if they can help me understand a few things I know I did wrong. You can't see my errors in the photo, but I did make a few that I just don't understand. I do love the fabric though!

Stitching Up

As usual I have a pile of projects in progress and even more ideas for things I want to make. But there's only so much time! Here are a few things I've made recently, well, within the last two months I guess. I wonder now if I've already posted some of these? Mommy brain. Not sure. Oh well! Most recently I've made a few make-up bags. It's my first experience inserting a zipper, which is fun and a tiny bit challenging. I'm doing it the traditional way where you sew up the seam and then unpick it. I found a few videos of shortcuts, where you just sew each side of the zip on but I figured I'd do it the way the sewing bible says to. I used Liberty fabric for the outside and some waxy, thick Lisa Stickley fabric for the lining. I love this Liberty fabric! It's HOT pink and I love the print. I used the same fabric for Ellie's birth announcement. I made this make-up bag for a friend and another one for myself (but out of a different outer fabric).

Sew Over It

Last week I finished my first dress-making class! I've been wanting to sew a dress for myself for a few years now, and I have some patterns, but I'm always so intimidated by patterns and sewing terms I'm not familiar with that when it comes to actually doing it, I end up setting it aside and working on something else. I even had a "how to read a pattern" one on one session with someone a few months ago to help me get started, and I STILL felt intimidated to get started. I've made a few dresses for Lois, but girls dresses are quite easy in that they don't really have to fit well anywhere beyond the shoulders. So if you mess up a little, it hardly matters. And the dresses I've made for her were incredibly easy.

Lil' Liberty

Tomorrow is Lois' first birthday! I'm so excited I feel like it's Christmas eve! Cupcakes, check. Candles, check. Bubbles, check (must have bubbles). Party hat and dress, check, check! I made her dress from lightweight denim with Liberty print accents for the pocket and tie. I think it turned out pretty cute.

For beginners, I wouldn't recommend denim, especially denim with stretch to it, which this one has. I really just liked the wash of this denim and wasn't looking for it with stretch, but the wash I liked had stretch to it. I messed up the hem 3 times. With the stretch in the fabric, I couldn't get the tension right and it kept pinching a bit, arrrgh! I really wanted to do an especially good job on this one since I plan to keep it for Lois. I didn't want her to look at it later and think, wow, mom was a sloppy seamstress! My mom used to make our clothes and gave away everything except one dress, a beautiful dress, and I've looked at it often and am always impressed by how perfect it is. That dress is much more elaborate (maybe I'll take a picture next time I go home), but I hoped Lois would feel the same way about some things I've made.

Ah well, this dress isn't perfect, but it's a good go at stretch denim, and it's her very first brithday dress, so I hope she'll think it's special one day despite its imperfections. I can't wait till tomorrow. Party girl pictures coming soon!

Liberty Take Two

Today I'm heading back to Liberty with my mom. I'm so excited for her to see it! I think we'll have tea in the cafe, too. The last time I went Lois was at her end for the day when I reached the fabric section, so I'm excited to spend more time there. I want to pick out something special for her for her first birthday party hat and dress, and I'm on a mission to get some Pierre Herme jam for Caroline, which Liberty carries. Oooh Liberty, mom's going to love it!

First image from here and second from here.

Liberty

One place on the top of my London list was Liberty, the ritzy boutique department store, famously known for its exclusive line of fabrics, and today Liberty was my outing destination. After reading a whole lot about it on various blogs, I had high expectations, but it did not disappoint at all. It's housed in a beautiful Tudor building with 5 floors, each floor representing different departments.

They have both women and menswear, but my main interest was the housewares and fabric sections. And oh, let me tell you, the fabric was beautiful! They have an upholstery fabric section and a lightweight fabric section, which also includes yarn and other sewing notions as well.

The pictures above and below are from the upholstery fabric section, on the top floor, which gets beautiful light from the roof above.

They even carry wallpaper, and this is part of the wallpaper sample room. Print eye candy at every turn!

Below is the beautiful housewares section with upholstered furniture in none other than Liberty fabrics. (This whole section reminded me of Anna from Absolutely Beautiful Things.) Can you see in the center of the building there what looks like water falling? Those are little bitty round cascading glass balls (maybe crystal?) through which light filters down and makes the most beautiful lighting fixture I've ever seen in a store.

If you need some lighting of your own, they have a nice selection to choose from.

Liberty has a number of rooms tucked around the main floors, which gives it a very cozy feel. In one of those little rooms was this tapestry and sofa. I loved it. It was just a painting on lightweight fabric with lights behind it. Don't have much stuff, no artwork, no fireplace? Paint it yourself and hang it up!

London is experiencing particular Liberty madness right now with their Prints Charming exhibition going on and with the recent fash mob competition (go see how cute, Natalie, the winner is). Below are a few pictures from the Prints Charming exhibition, which celebrates the classic Liberty prints and the introduction of 6 new Liberty prints.

Above Liberty block prints. And below a sweet Liberty doll by textile artist Amanda Fatherazi for the exhibition, who also made the most adorable brooches for the exhibition as well, which you can see here on Wee Birdy.

Oh and yesterday, we just went for a long walk--a really long walk. I strolled Lois from our apartment to the Thames, which took about an hour (longer than I was expecting), then we just came back since it took so long! I was pooped after that and of course Lois was a ball of energy when we got back. The view was very rewarding, though, once we got to the river. You can see here the London Eye, the Millennium Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament. What should we do tomorrow? Maybe the Spitalfields Thursday antique market if it's not raining!

Top Liberty swatch image from Wee Birdy.

What Would Fraulein Maria Do?

I've been hunting around for some cute vintage fabric on etsy and ebay for party hats and dresses. I was thinking about the barkcloth that I like so much that my mom gave me, which were curtain panels in a previous life. So I thought I'd search for curtain panels, and I found so many great prints, like this carnival print above that I made into a dress and hat set that's now in my etsy party hat shop. The print is so cute, and I love the orange and brown colors. It took me 2 days to finish this set, and I'm glad it's done. Lois is crawling now and she's all over the place, so it takes me forever to do these things if she's awake!


Here are a few other panels I found on etsy. Of course my top favorite of these is the bright floral print, below from shop at moxie, which look so much like the ones I have in Lois' room.

These are really great too. The first one from here and the second here.

Party Hats and Dresses

It's been a while since I made any party hats. I got a little burned out and have hardly made any the last few months. A long time ago I wanted to make some things to match the hats like bibs and dresses. Last year, after an etsy seller requested I make a party hat to match a dress she made for a customer of hers, I knew it was time I started making my own. It took me a while to get motivated, but last week I finally got started and now I'm sewing like a mad woman! These dresses are really simple, but I still had trouble with a few things like the arm holes, and my machine kept wanting to eat the fabric. I almost threw my machine out the window and gave up, but I got the hang of it after a while. I love the little dresses I've made and have a pile of more fabrics cut and ready to sew. You'd think 10 people were sewing here all day if you looked at the mess I've made.

My favorites so far are the two sets pictured here. The first one I made using the quilt top I bought recently at the flea market, and the second one below I made using some great barkcloth my mom gave me a while back. I think I'll have to make Lois one from the quilt top, too. I just love all the cute prints on that quilt top.




More dress and hat sets coming soon, that is until I burn out again! If you know a baby girl with a birthday coming up, these are for sale in the party hat shop now. I have some more bibs for boys in the works, too.

"L" is for Lois!

This week I had tea with my friend Alex who gave Lois the cutest present . . . this framed piece of vintage fabric that she framed herself. I love it! "L" is for lion and for Lois! It will be perfect with all the other colors and vintage things in her room

Alex also wrapped it in the cutest red and aqua floral paper, which reminded me a little of one of my favorite fabrics. Thanks, Alex!

Whizbang

Yesterday I went to a new little fabric store that I've been hearing about called Whizbang. Though it is a very small space, all of the fabric they carry is great, and they also have a really nice selection of vintage fabric. How cute is this teacup print above? This was from the vintage bin. I thought it would be a good print for making pot holders or something else kitchen-related. Then I also got some of this bird print in shades of pink and orange. If you're in San Francisco, and love fabric stores, check it out sometime.

Yuzawaya

I thought Tomato was unbelievable, but yesterday I think found the mothership of all craft and fabric stores in Tokyo: Yuzawaya. This place was off the hook! (And there are multiple locations--see the comments for info.) I don't normally say that, but well, it was. They'll be busy tonight mopping up my drool off the 5 out of 7 floors I made it to. If I ever come back to Tokyo and just have time for one fabric / craft store, this will be the one I visit for sure. Tomato was amazing too, but it's a little cramped and most of their stock is on the huge, long type bolts so it's hard to see and reach things. Besides that, Yuzawaya has a lot more variety in the cotton prints, which is mostly what I use. I've seen some of what they carry at Superbuzzy online (my favorite online fabric store), but seeing them in person along with so many other super cute prints was great. Yuzawaya also has a ton of ribbon and notions--buttons and trim galore. And yarn! Holy cow, rows and rows and rows of yarn. They also have art supplies, paper and stationery of all kinds, kitchen and storage stuff, cute craft kits and more. I didn't reach the top two floors so I don't know what surprises await up there. Thanks to Matatabi for telling me about the store and giving me such specific directions. I'm not sure I would have found the right train without her help! I can't wait to go back to Yuzawaya. Click on any of the pictures to see them larger.

All kinds of cute craft kits, including the one you see at the top of this post.

More Japanese paper than I've ever seen. This is about a quarter of one row. There were two rows, front and back. I've never seen Japanese paper in a craft store on display folded like this, but maybe it unfolds nicely.

You can see how they display most fabric here--with samples you can unfold on top and the corresponding bolts below--very smart.

The ribbon selection, just like everything else here, was great. Rows and rows of different types of ribbon. I loved this two-toned stripe grosgrain ribbon. They had it in a whole bunch of color combinations--red with pink, blue with aqua, hot pink with white . . . .

Rows and rows of trim.

Lots of yarn of all kinds.

This is about 1/10 of the yarn area.

Silks! These were some of my favorites. So beautiful! Below are close-ups of a few I especially liked. These were very expensive--$24-$30 per meter.



My favorite kind of fabric--cute cotton prints! Perfect for party hats. The fabric selection here is incredible. It is HUGE. Soooooo much fabric, and all kinds! This is just a very, very small sampling of some things I liked.




Beyond fabric, they have art supplies and paper everything. They had a section of really cute, little paper bags.

Neat office supplies. Cute push pins.

Colored tape! I think they must love colored tape here. I've seen a lot of it in each of the three craft stores I've been to so far.

More cute tape.

All kinds of cute kid's art supplies.

Japanese craft books.

Gocco supplies!

Lots o' paper.

Need a colored pencil? How about a pen? There were two big rows of each.

More art supplies.

Here are the few things I got yesterday. I'll be back for more, but this was a start.


And some stationery packs for friends and family. I brought home a few other things, but I don't want to show everything, otherwise it would spoil my little Japanese gift surprises for a few people!