Sewing for Christmas

I found this pattern on Facebook.  It's a cell phone holder wristlet, very quick and easy to make.  It comes in three sizes and this is the largest size.

I couldn't put the cell phone inside and still take pictures, so I put my Roku remote in, just so you can see how it works.  It snaps closed.

And I liked it so much that I made two more of them!

Merry Christmas to all.

Another big project - A Regency Corset

A friend asked me to make her a Regency corset.  As always, I can't resist a challenge, so I took it on.  Surprisingly, the sewing part was rather easy; it was the fitting that took a lot of time and patience.  But it came out beautifully, as you will see:

Here is the pattern I used.

There were also a lot of web pages that I referenced.  First thing I learned was to use a good sturdy cotton (or silk) fabric that didn't fray very much.  I found a nice woven cotton at Walmart that I used for the lining, and a nice cotton twill for the outside layer. 
These are the pieces, before I sewed them together.

Do you see that little dip in the top of one of the pieces? That's the underarm piece.  It will be important later.
My first attempt at fitting was with the simple lining. Bad idea.  Without boning, the fit just never works right!  So my 2nd fitting was using 2 layers of the lining, so I could put minimal boning into the corset.  That made a huge difference!   Then I sewed the pieces together and fitted again.  Here are some pictures.

The next learning point was to *not* use metal eyelets!  They shred the lacing!   And, when I tried to fit at this point, it turns out that those underarm cutouts cause a definite lack of support for the chest.  Ah!  So in my next attempt, I remade the sides, taking out the cutouts, and put sewn buttonholes in the back instead of metal eyelets.  Success!  I also put in all of the boning and the busk in front, to help with body definition. 

Here are pictures of the back and the front, with boning, and the straps added.   All I had to do now was shorten the straps a little, and we were done!   The model graciously allowed me to take pictures for the blog.

So now I can honestly say that I have made a Regency corset.  It was a fun learning experience!
I don't know why the corset looks so yellow - the fabric really was white!  Must be the lighting.

What happens when I'm awake at 4am on a Sunday?

This:

Found the pattern online and thought I'd try it.  Cute. This pattern has gift potential.

Pillow Shams

Never made them before, so naturally when a friend asked me if I could make a pair for her, I said sure!!  She gave me fabric, and here's what came out.  Surprisingly easy.  And so pretty!

Another new T-shirt!

Again from Teespring

And yet another new T-shirt!

As long as they keep coming out with these cool shirts in MY size, I'll keep buying them!
This one is in a really nice purple.

Another new T-shirt!

I found this and the other one on Teespring, on Facebook.

My Sewing Room, Where the Magic Happens

I have never posted pictures of my sewing room, where 'the magic happens'.    This is in a corner of my apartment living room.

 Obviously, things get moved around a lot as I work, so this is just a quick picture of what it looked like at that moment.  The sewing machine is hiding behind the white cutting board, and the serger is on a small table behind the worklamp.   The wall to the side is where I hang the tools that I use the most (a lot of scissors, too!), and the shelves behind are for my patterns, books, notions, and other stuff that hasn't been put away yet.  It's in a constant state of flux.

And this is in my spare bedroom, otherwise known as 'my fabric collection'.  Just like the sewing corner, things get taken out, new stuff gets put in, and stuff gets moved around a lot.  For example, those books are now in the main sewing area (easier to reach).  I like the wrapped-wire shelves because they allow air to circulate around the fabric, and whenever I move, they disassemble easily and can be made to fit any new space.  They're the perfect answer to an apartment sewing professional's fabric collection!

My new T-shirt

Sewing for the Shelter

I have been helping these lovely folks:  http://www.connieandteri4animals.org/
and in January, we make little quilts for the kennels at the local shelter.   So last weekend I got a couple of HUGE bags of fabric and batting, and cut out a bunch of quilts.  This weekend I sewed them.  All told, I made 45 quilts.   And they were approved by my very own quilt-tester, the Princess Rita.

It's a great project, and I love helping the animals, because I can't bring any more home.  My allergies and budget just couldn't handle the stress.   So I'll make them little quilts to protect their paws until they find a forever home.  If you don't have a furry overlord ruling your household, now is the time to go find one!  It's never too late.