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Enchanted By Sewing The Podcast

Showing posts with label San Francisco Bay Area. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Francisco Bay Area. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Ench By Sew-45: A Purse for Pinto (Green Sewing)


Click on this link in iTunes  to download the 45'th episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  recorded in July of 2016. Or listen directly on the web by clicking on this link.

"Pinto" (Spanish for Spotted)
with her new purse
 (http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINALPurseForPintoButtercupLaurelShimerMadeByRae_EnchantedBySewing.mp3 )



Web Resources: http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/07/swing-pintos-purse-buttercup-purse.html
In this show I talk about sewing Pinto's Purse using the free buttercup purse pattern from Rae at MadeByRae. Her original (free) pattern is available at http://www.made-by-rae.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern/

Rae's pattern is designed for laying out on a fat quarter.

My buttercup purse is an example of green sewing. I created it both from remnants saved in my fabric inventory and scraps from Pinto, a sleeveless princess-seamed shirt I had just finished.
 http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/07/summer-essentials-pinto-picnic-shirt.html


Snapshot of This Month’s Show

* Primeros Pensamientos//First Reflections  

Rae has created a number of patterns linked at her site. One of them is this darling free purse. It’s a tiny bag, though you can enlarge the pattern easily on a photocopy machine or extend the pattern freehand. I’ve made several of these purses both in the original small size and also larger versions. The small original, which is big enough to hold my keys, iPhone, iPod and maybe a little cash or a bag for a doggie’s needs, is perfect for a walk or an evening out.
http://www.made-by-rae.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern/

When you visit Rae’s site to download this free pattern, you’ll find the terms of use. It’s free when you’re making it for personal use. Rae sells a licensed-to-sell version of this pattern for only $10. She also links to sewists who sell these licensed buttercup purses from her site.

I often vary the size, construction, and details of this purse.

* Technicos/Techniques I use for altering and sew Rae's buttercup purse pattern

Rae includes directions for working at this pattern in the site, along with a how-to-layout the pattern.

The pattern pieces include:
a) Purse Outer Top – I call this the yoke. It shows on the outside
b) Purse Outer Bottom – . It shows on the outside.This is what you see the most of from a distance. This piece has tucks at it’s top edge to give the purse fullness, and make it blouse out from the bottom of the yoke.
c) Lining – The lining extends from the bottom of the outer bottom to the top of the outer top. This piece does not have tucks or gathers.
d) Strap (no pattern piece – Dimensions are Given)
e) Tab/Decorative Button Flap ( no pattern piece – Dimensions are Given)

My Buttercups
1) Turning Scraps into Lining and the Magic of the Zig Zag
2) How I increased the pattern size
  a. 129 percent size
  b. Extend the bottom for a bigger purse
 3) Play with it
            1. Paper
            2. Muslin
            3. Paper towels
 c. Vary strap length
 d. Add rings

4) Interfacing for Light Weight Fabric Body
5) Altering the original details to suit me
6) Considering Embellishment Options

  Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts

Buttercup purses Known and Loved – Kept and Given.
A few Buttercups that stand out in my mind

1) Red Toile Evokes Marie Antoinette
2) Think Vintage - Bluebird with Tatting
3) Little Christmas Cowgirl
4) Engagement Celebration
5) Buttercup Dreams …
. . .
I never get tired of using, sewing, or envisioning, these charming accessories. Thanks Rae! Your buttercups purses are just one more thing that keep me… 
Enchanted by Sewing




Sunday, October 12, 2014

Princess Seamed Tee Shirt (Pattern Work)

V8323
Last week I wrote about the pattern work I'm doing with the cowl neck knit/tee shirt pattern for the remainder of my black and white polka dot knit. At the same time, I'm working on altering this pattern for a princess-seamed tee shirt. I have two pieces of fabric I'll be using for this tee. One is a heathery gray, somewhat heavy cotton knit. The other is a print of roses in a kind of heavy velourish sort of fabric. The rose print was a freebie, so I'm less clear on it's history.

I'm hoping both tees will work well in our temperate fall and winter climate, in the San Francisco Bay Area - if we ever get any cooler weather that is! Right now the weather gods seem to think it's still summer - actually a warmer summer than we usually get. 

So far I've traced and dated the master pattern (view C) on drafting paper, leaving in more than enough seam allowances for altering. I'll probably use some commercial tee shirts for muslin/patter testing. I hope that, even though this is a knit, I can still get some idea with the help of my dress form Conchita, as to where shoulder and side seams need to go.

I believe that Marcy Tilton Thomas' sister Katherine Tilton, designed this pattern. Here's a newsletter where Marcy talks a little about the pattern http://www.marcytilton.com/index.php?cid=1050

Monday, January 21, 2013

Ench-005-By The Powers inVESTed in Me, Vests and Tutus


This is my new
 double flannel Birdie Vest
More about fabric and stitching
Hey, have you heard the big news in the sewing world? The latest and greatest Enchanted By Sewing podcast has hit the streets with it's January Show: Vests and Tutus!


Listen to the podcast online by clicking here, or.... do what the Cool Cats do and Drop By the iTunes store to Download


Below are some web links related to 
the January episode.

A Nod to Vests in History
In The Scarlet Pimpernel, one of my favorite classic romance stories, Sir Percy Blakney wore vests (He called them waistcoats and it sounded like weskits). You can download a free text or audio book version of this public domain work from Librivox.

Patterns
McCalls Vest 2260



Connie Crawford for Butterick 5473
Folkwear Tibetan Panel Coat/Vest

Tutus versus Tofu
The Nureyev Exhibit at
the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park
Runs through mid February 2013

I sew to create my own look, so I don't want to recreate the picture on the front of the pattern envelope. As a sewist, I also don't want to be inspired, by overly affected by, other people's designs. So, it's a good thing I didn't see this video, which focuses on the Lilac Fairies costume before Larissa encountered that exact garment in my e-book novella My Heart Beats Faster in Past Times. If I had, I wouldn't have been able to get caught up imagining my own version. But now, I can just get a kick out of seeing what somebody who created the real deal came up with.



Recreating a Tutu's Splendor | Theme and Variations

A great youtube video by the costume shop at the NYC Ballet. I first saw this at the Nureyev exhibit at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco

Wikipedia describes several different styles of tutus and explains more about how they are constructed.




RoyalOperaHouse
Interview: Jewels - Behind the Costumes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msLjmbPFmT4