The Day-Before-Easter Circle Skirt

On the Friday evening before Easter, my sister decided that she wanted a new skirt to wear on Sunday. Fortunately, the size of our fabric stash makes such spur-of-the-moment projects possible! We found some pretty spring-colored calico and sent it to the washing machine so it would be ready to cut out on Saturday morning.

I folded the fabric to form a square, then cut the pieces out without a pattern, using pins to mark a few important lines. Because of the size of the fabric, the skirt had three seams: one at each side and one in the center back. The only measurements I needed were the waist to hem length (though that was determined by the size of the fabric) and the waist measurement. We decided to put in an elasticized waistband, so the waist measurement took that into account.

Here is a diagram showing how the pieces were cut out:
My sister did all of the sewing herself (with the exception of the top stitching on the bias tape, when I took pity on her!) and was able to finish the skirt by early Saturday afternoon.

We decided to bind the hem with double fold bias tape for three reasons:

1. The fabric was so lightweight I thought it would benefit from a heavier and more defined hemline.

2. The pink of the bias tape helped bring out the pink flowers in the fabric, which were otherwise lost in a sea of blue-green.

3. Circular skirts are a pain to hem. =D

Adapting the Shawl Collar Dress for Nursing

A mother asked me if I had any ideas for altering the Shawl Collar Dress so that it can be worn as a nursing dress. After a much-too-long delay, here is my proposed solution:

There would be an inner front waistband sewn to the skirt and the center front inset. The outer waistband, sewn to the two fronts of the bodice, would be attached to the inner waistband and each other by snaps (the circles) and skirt hooks and eyes (the dots).

Here is a diagram showing how to cut out the inset, using as a guide the bodice pattern and the original triangular inset piece.

I have not tested this idea, so I will not guarantee that it works! If you try this, or have discovered your own way to adapt the pattern for nursing mothers, I would love to hear about it.

Dressing up . . .

. . . do you ever outgrow it?

High-Heeled Shoes

I like to wear my Mommie's shoes.
I mean the pair she doesn't use.

I pick the ones with highest heels,
You can't imagine how it feels

To walk around, go out the door,
Clump-clumping all across the floor.

--Kate Cox Goddard

Bias Tape on a Curve

Putting bias tape on a straight seam is one thing. How does a curved seam (such as a neckline) affect the way bias tape works? Here are instructions for putting bias tape on a curve.

The green bias tape is single fold, and the dark pink is double fold. The finished double fold bias tape hem is narrower, but slightly thicker.

Before you pin or sew the bias tape, lay it on your ironing board and curve it to match the curve of your fabric. Iron it well, using lots of steam.

Fold open one side of the bias tape. Pin it, right side of the bias tape to the right side of your fabric, so that when you sew in the crease of the fold, your seam allowance will be 5/8″ (or whatever seam allowance your pattern calls for). Sew, being sure to stay in the crease line on the bias tape. Trim off excess fabric at the seam allowance.

Clip the seam along the curved area, being careful not to cut into the stitches. This will allow the fabric in the seam allowance to lay flat, without binding and puckering up the curved seam.

Fold the bias tape towards the seam allowance and iron. Stitch 1/8″ or so from the edge of the bias tape that is sewn to the fabric. This line of stitching is the secret to a clean, finished edge!

If you are using double fold bias tape, fold it over and around the seam.

Fold the bias tape over to the wrong side of fabric. Pin it carefully before you sew to make sure that the fabric doesn't shift as you are sewing. That will create diagonal puckers from the seam to the topstitching.

Stitch close to the edge of the bias tape. Because of the second line of stitching, it should fold over nicely and give you a sharp edge without any bias tape showing on the right side of your fabric.

Three-Step Bias Tape Installation

When I started sewing, one of my first projects was a simple jumper with bias-tape bound neck and armholes. After some experiences in which seam rippers figured prominently, I asked mom to put the bias tape in.

Biased (haha) by these early experiences, I regarded bias tape as a nuisance that usually ended with unwanted slivers of bias tape peeking over the edge of the finished seam, until I mastered the art of 3-step bias tape installation.

Fold open one side of the bias tape. Pin it, right side of the bias tape to the right side of your fabric, so that when you sew in the crease of the fold, your seam allowance will be 5/8" (or whatever seam allowance your pattern calls for). Sew, being sure to stay in the crease line on the bias tape. Trim off excess fabric at the seam allowance.

Fold the bias tape towards the seam allowance and iron. Stitch 1/8" or so from the edge of the bias tape that is sewn to the fabric. This line of stitching is the secret to a clean, finished edge!

Fold the bias tape over to the wrong side of fabric and stitch it close to edge of bias tape. Because of the second line of stitching, it should fold over nicely and give you a sharp edge without any bias tape showing on the right side of your fabric.

Blocking a Lace Shawl

I finished my pink alpaca shawl this week. It's always fun to take a project off the needles so you can see what it really looks like. I was amazed at the size of this shawl! Deciding where to block it took a little thought, but I finally decided that the best place was a large mattress the kids play on. Even that was scarcely big enough--I had to wrap the shawl around the edges when I pinned it!The shawl before blocking. Here are directions on blocking lace from Knitpicks.
I dampened the shawl, then rolled it in a towel to squeeze out the extra water.
Many minutes and 145 pins later, the shawl was stretched out and pinned to the mattress at each scalloped edge. I issued stern injunctions against jumping or stepping on said mattress, and the shawl was ready to dry.

Organizing Sewing Supplies

Sewing requires a lot of little tools: the pins, needles and pincushions, thread, scissors, tape measures, buttons, seam ripper, thimble . . . How to keep them all organized? Fabric stores are full of organizing helps and special containers for every sort of sewing gear, but I hate to spend money on storage--especially with my poor track record for keeping things in their own specific box!

I have a bad habit of scattering my sewing supplies and projects all through the house. I will admit right now that when it comes to "organized", I am the last person who should talk, but I do try to simplify my system and stick to it. Here is what works to contain the sewing supplies that find their way to my room: a three-tiered tray.

I bought this tray on Ebay, but I picked up another one secondhand for only a few dollars. Little things, like the seam ripper, wrist-pincushion, and embroidery scissors, sit on the top tier, while thread fills up the second tier. The lowest level holds scissors, a tape measure, a handmade felted rose pincushion, and a solitary, saucer-less teacup filled with assorted buttons and a few dulled sewing machine needles I use when sewing paper.

If you have no specific sewing area, limited space, or no cabinets to keep your sewing paraphernalia out of sight, a pretty tiered tray may be just the thing to hold your sewing supplies. It's pretty enough to be stored on an open shelf, can be easily carried to or from your sewing area, and gives you multiple levels to organize your supplies.