Thursday’s Book Review
Sewing 911: Practical and Creative Rescues for Sewing Emergencies
by Barbara Deckert
Book Cover ~ Taunton Press, © 2001
Rating
4 stars = Satisfactory
Description
A self-help guide to fixing all sorts of sewing mishaps and accidents. It gives 280 tricks for mending things that could otherwise prove disastrous.
Contents
Introduction; 1. Accidental Fabric Injuries; 2. Shortages; 3. Defective Design Details; 4. Fitting Flaws; 5. Surface Problems; Appendixes A-D; Index.
Two years ago, I made a complete 18th century ensemble, from the undergarments out. I’ve already shared the sewing diary of how I made the stays. Now you can continue the journey: 18th Century Petticoats.
Enjoy!
Thursday’s Book Review
Sewing Victorian Doll Clothes: Authentic Costumes from Museum Collections
by Michelle Hamilton
Sterling Publishing, © 1996
Rating
5 stars = Shiny!
Description
A book that features antique doll clothes representing much of the Victorian period (from the 1830s through 1910). After displaying the garments, it analyzes them and teaches you how to reproduce them using period sewing techniques.
All About Me: Education
What kind of training have you had?
Basically, I’m self-taught. Always have been. I love learning!
Saturday’s Stash: Embroidered Stretch Corduroy
Corduroy is a medium to heavyweight cotton that’s woven with a pronounced nap. It’s smooth on the underside and ribbed on the topside, with a short texture similar to cotton velveteen. It isn’t a crisp fabric, but it can be stiff. Even so, it’s usually soft to the touch.
Wednesday’s Project
Pincushions
While writing an article, I needed to research how to make your own pincushions. In so doing, I came across Martha Stewart’s Homegrown Tomatoes. How adorable! I had to try making my own. They looked ridiculously easy, and I had plenty of fabric scraps, so I glanced at the directions, then set off and altered them to suit me.
My sewing room is decorated with aqua, lavender, blue, and green and I wanted the pincushion to coordinate, so I took a scrap of lavender faux linen (rayon-poly blend) and a scrap of green Kona cotton. The colors looked pretty together, so I decided the lavender would be my tomato and the green would be the leaves on top.
Friday’s Fashion Plate
Natural Form Day Dress & Dinner Dress
This is a fashion plate from the middle of the Natural Form era. It contains a dinner dress and a day dress.
Fashion Plate, late 1870s
For those who’d like to take a quick look at the things I’ve sewed recently, I’ve added a portfolio. It contains Doll Clothes, Modern Garments, and Historic Costumes.
Enjoy!
All About Me
When I was young, my mom made a lot of my clothes. My grandmother made exquisite Victorian ensembles for antique dolls, as well as haute couture wardrobes for Barbie dolls. It was inevitable that I would take an interest in sewing.
At the age of four, I started fashioning simple Barbie dresses out of Kleenex. When my mom noticed, she gave me some fabric scraps. I took a rectangle of fabric, cut a small hole in the middle for the doll’s head to come through, then hand sewed the sides together. I hated that you could see the stitching—but I didn’t know that you have to sew from the wrong side and then flip the fabric.
I took a children’s sewing class when I was eight or nine. I chose a pattern for a simple pull-over blouse (very easy: front & back, plus facings and a ruffle), and made it from a lightweight aqua cotton batiste. I never wore the finished top, but I was quite proud of it. It had interfacing! And a ruffle along the bottom! Of course, you could see my gathering stitches, and the zig-zag along the edge of the interfacing was nowhere near straight . . . but I loved it, all the same.
My First Blouse
Thursday’s Book Review
Fit For Real People: Sew Great Clothes Using Any Pattern!
by Pati Palmer & Marta Alto
Book Cover ~ Palmer/Pletsch, © 1998
Rating
5 stars = Shiny!
Description
A book that digs deeply into the mechanics of properly fitting garments. It breaks down a vast number of fitting issues and then shows you how to alter your patterns to compensate.
