Ench By Sew-34:Sewing with the Flow - Fairy Inspired

This month’s show is Fairy Inspired… Fairy Gardens that is– where my sewing (like my gardening)  knows,  It’s the Story that makes it.

Listening Option 1: Download from iTunes
Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes

Listening Option 2: Direct Download/Listen on the Web
 LISTEN RIGHT ON THE WEB (while sewing perhaps?)   by Clicking on this Link 
(http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/CastFINALJuly2015SewFlowFairiesFairyGarden.mp3)

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Enchanted by Sewing IS, An  EXTENSION OF my regular sewing blog - Me Encanta Coser, which,  roughly translated means, Enchanted By Sewing 

My blog is written in English. The name celebrates the historical and modern use of the beautiful Spanish Language in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where I live

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 I was feeling pretty serious about my sewing when I got back into town last month. I was thinking that any day I’d get on with some serious pattern drafting work.

Well, I haven’t! As a matter of fact whenever I thought about doing intense pattern work – either drafting or pattern alteration – I just found something else to do. And, as this has been an unusually busy summer for me, both professionally and personally, it was easy to put sewing off.

Finally I just quit worry about what I’d planned to do, and responded to materials and projects that were singing out to me from the bins over my machine. And I was, once more, reminded of Lori Van Monnans’s advice to ‘sew forth now’.

Sometimes you just gotta sew. By just responding to what I had on hand, I was working on getting in some summer garment essentials. They were essential because there items I really use at this time of year, and also essential to my happiness. It doesn’ t always matter whether I’m carrying through on garments I blue sky about. What matters is that I respond to my essential need to sew because, sewing enchants me.

In this month’s show

1) Recent summer essential sewing – Journaling about what’s useful additions I’ve sewn for my summer armoire.

Lucy Locket's Mobile Pocket Bag - http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/06/lucky-lockets-mobile-device-pocket-bag.html

A new Tapestry Cap - http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/06/replacing-my-tapestry-cap.html

Enchanted by Sewing(Aug 2014) Capping Off Summer - Creating a simple pattern for, and sewing a cap http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/08/ench-by-sew-023-capping-off-summer.html

-Singing the Blues Tee - Pattern drafted from my moulage http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/07/sewing-summer-essentials-singing-blues.html

- Rose Embellished Straight Skirt - Pattern drafted from my sloper http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/06/terminado-rose-embellished-straight.html

2) Technicos: Techniques I used to complete My Rose Embellished Denim Straight Skirt – Sloper to Pattern, and embellishment techniques

Enchanted By Sewing Show (May 2015) Parlez Vous French Pattern Drafting ?http://www.meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/05/ench-by-sew-32-parlez-vous-french.html

3) Fairy Gardens Inspire My Sewing
Whether gardening or sewing – it’s the story that makes the creation

Postcard from California - How to Invite Fairies to Live in your Garden - A Fairy Garden Tutorial http://postcardfromcalifornia.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-to-invite-fairies-to-live-in-your.html


Postcard from California - There are Fairies at the Bottom of My Garden - CA patio garden that is
http://www.postcardfromcalifornia.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-to-introduce-fairy-to-california.html

Both these Disney Garden books inspire my theme gardening style. I like the tabbed-cookbook style of DISNEY'S GARDENING WITH MICKEY when I want to quickly review the steps for creating a hanging basket or well illustrated how-tos for small topiaries. (There's lots of good info for larger topiaries and garden sculpting as well - I just haven't tried it out) In addition, there is good gardening (yard or pots) basic techniques as well as many recommendations for plants that work well for specific themes and temperatures. I highly recommend it, because I have used it a lot over a period of several years.

I also turn regularly to my Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens book. It has a lot of similar techniques and information as DISNEY'S GARDENING WITH MICKEY and it also has lovely, lovely photos that inspire me. So when I want to sit down and just get ideas for themes or gardening styles, I pour through the photos in this book.
                

Wegman's Nursery in Redwood City has regular Fairy Garden Classes! http://www.wegmansnursery.com

Fairy magic is definitely adding a little more enchantment to my life, when it comes to gardening.

And ….It’s also given me a better understanding of how to keep my sewing enchanting.

Ench By Sew-32: Parlez Vous French Pattern Drafting?

The May Enchanted By Sewing, Episode 32 Audio Show is Up ! 

Listening Option 1: Download from iTunes
Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes

Listening Option 2: Direct Download/Listen on the Web

http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/CastFINALParlezVousFrenchPatternDrafting.mp3

I first signed up for Lynda Maynards' French Pattern Drafting Class to help me improve my fit and alteration of commercial patterns and was surprised to find that Lynda's class opened my eyes to the idea of drafting my own patterns - an aspect of sewing I’d never expected I’d get involved with, and frankly considered beyond my skills.

Studying with a teacher like Lynda and being inspired to try new things – that’s the kind of thing that keeps me, enchanted by sewing!

1) Pensamientos Primeros – The Art of French Pattern Drafting

My Pattern Work Postings

Early Days in Pattern Drafting Class - Includes Kenneth King Link http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/02/drafting-my-back-block-learning-pattern.html

More from Class http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/02/french-pattern-draftingmoulage-first.html 
and

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/03/fitting-in-sleeve-sloper-pattern-work.html

 Using My Sloper and Moulage to Draft Patterns

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/04/pattern-workparlez-vous-tee-shirt.html

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/04/damson-plumm-private-eye-nibbled-that.html

     Parlez Vous Flared Skirt? http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/04/pattern-work-parlez-vous-flared-skirt.html
 

Pattern Work on Pinterest:Links to many pattern drafting and design resources  https://www.pinterest.com/lrshimer/0-sewing-pattern-work/

2) Technicos  - On Wearing Ease Going from a Moulage to a Sloper and Back Again

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2015/05/parlez-vous-wearing-ease-moulage-to.html

3) Pensamientos Finales – My sloper...A garment for any occasion?
 

Parlez Vous Wearing Ease - Moulage to Sloper and Back Again

                        

                     
Moulage (Blue Dots) To Sloper (Purple Lines)

And Back Again

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Back	Drop 1/8”	-> shoulder ¼”	Raise 1/8” + -> ¼”	Out ½”	Out 5/8”	Out 3/8 – ½”	Out ½”
Front	Drop 1/2”	-> shoulder ¼”	Raise 1/8” + -> ¼”	Out 3/8”	Out 5/8”	Out 3/8 – ½”	Out ½”

I used my moulage pattern (blue dots) I created from Lynda Maynard's French Pattern Drafting class to draft my Damson Plumm Private Eye tee shirt. I used my sloper pattern (purple lines) to create the straight skirt pattern I'm using for a denim skirt I'm currently sewing.

1 (CF/CB)     

 2 (shoulder point –neck)       

3 (shoulder point – armhole side)       

 4 (midway armhole curve)       

5 (end of armhole below arm)     

 6 (armhole point to waist)    

7 (waist to full hip)