Fitting Shells

Fitting Shells

Does your cup runneth over?

 Finally a cup for all sizes!

Just finished sewing up a second set of Fitting Shells that will fit all sizes between 8 - 6X in CUP sizes A/B, C/D/DD, F/G, H/I.These are available to try on SEW you will know your exact size and be able to get your correct pattern size!

Connie Crawford, Fashion Patterns by Coni, worked on these patterns for several years measuring hundreds of women across the United States and Australia. The results were stunning. It took over two long years to develop and grade patterns in Misses and Womens for all the cup sizes. 

These new Custom Blouse Block/Sloper patterns with the bust cup and shoulder fit that everyone has been looking for are now available from Fashion Patterns by Coni.

If you've been struggling and need help finding your correct size pattern, let me know and I will be happy to fit you.

Contact me at Sew Seam2Seam sewseam2seam@gmail.com

Thread Tails

Thread Tails

  A days worth of thread tails!

Most are caught in the bag yet a good amount still covers the front of me and others fall to the floor.

Aprons

Aprons

Certainly we remember our mothers never starting the family dinner without putting on her trusty apron. Putting on one’s apron was the starting point in the preparation of every meal. Not only would mom wear her apron for cooking but it was an indispensable article of clothing for doing everyday housework. Unfortunately the apron lost its appeal during the women’s movement of the 1960s. During this period cheaper clothes and washing machines made aprons less common. However, the practice of wearing aprons remains strong in many places. Aprons have had a variety of uses from protecting dresses to uses as a potholder, drying a tear filled face to carrying vegetables. It could be used as a duster, cleaner, or catch-all. 

 

The fun thing about aprons is that they are easy to sew and you can use them to accent any outfit, especially during holidays. Pretty red and green fabrics with white lace accenting the pockets always sets things nice for Christmas. Summer time aprons with patterns of watermelons and peaches can be fun and colorful. Thanksgiving aprons with turkeys and horns of plenty sets the mood for the wonderful feast waiting to be devoured.  Since St Patrick’s Day will soon be upon us, an apron with shamrocks and green lace trimming could be the perfect way to dress up your leprechaun suit. It will certainly keep the corned beef and cabbage from ruining your fine greenery! 

There are many different patterns one can choose which might best suit the needs of the chore at hand. There are full covered aprons which are best suited for housework and cooking and pretty little half aprons which tie around the waist that can be used to accent outfits. What ever choice one makes it can be fun to choose material and patterns that suits the individual taste and occasion.  

Today, the apron is making resurgence in American households. Both women and men wear them when performing household chores. A 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal claimed that the apron is "enjoying a renaissance as a retro-chic fashion accessory" in the United States.  However, wearing aprons is still not as popular as it was prior to the 1960s.

Even though the apron is not as popular as it once was it still does the job of protecting clothing and with today’s washable materials available in many colorful patterns it can be fun and an inexpensive way to accent the chic clothing of today.

4-H Sewing

My 4-H sewing group is starting next week on Wednesday afternoons, 1 pm-4 pm for any 4-H member interested in sewing. YES, during the day because I have a wonderful group of home-schooled kids who are SEW interested in learning one of life’s skills.

And YES, I also have an evening program for those who cannot come during the day. Please contact me if you are interested in joining one of these groups. 

During the Christmas holidays we will have a three day session for those who want to get it all done at one time! Just let me know if you want to be join this group.

To join 4-H, visit the MSUE Kent County Portal page, scroll down to Howto Join 4-H, download the application, and submit the completed application along with fees to 

Kent County Extension
775 Ball Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan
49503
United States

Email Address: msue41@msu.edu
Phone: 616-336-3265
Fax: 616-336-3836

 

Under Construction

Time to finish some UFOs that have been hanging around for ages.

Almost finished, just needs snaps and pressing.













Need to find some fabric for trim and then maybe something for closures.

Pattern Weights

I wanted to share a few of my favorite pattern weights.

The old irons make perfect weights to hold pattern and fabric while pinning everything to the paper before cutting. Some are very heavy and others are too pretty to use!

  The wood blocks are very special, they were made several years ago by my grandfather, Frank. I remember opening the package and was very surprised and excited to find these. Both my mother, sister and I each received a set of 12 blocks.The finish is still as smooth as a baby's bottom.  

My set has many hours of use. They've held many patterns in place on beautiful fabrics, even patterns for non sewing projects such as the kids school projects. They even survived countless hours of imaginary play time when the kids were just babies making trains, cars, boats, and trucks.

 Just a few years ago, my Uncle Butch was visiting and saw the blocks in my sewing studio and commented that he remembers when his dad made them. And how nice it was to see them still being used.

Sew, what do you use for pattern weights?

Menagerie

My Menagerie basket is overflowing with a quite a collection for the upcoming holiday to help Santa with those less fortunate. Soft and cuddly bears, big ole snuggle bugs, and green frogs ready to put a smile on any youngsters face!

I know that my friend, Roe, has been working in her sewing room, busy creating. She is quite the artist and very talented. What ever she is working on, it will be something very special as well as a treasure long to be admired. Perhaps someday the two of us can sew together while drinking our margaritas . . .

SEW, what are you working on?

Sewing Room

Threads magazine is doing articles, In The Sewing Room, featuring different sewing rooms around the country. The rooms featured SEW far have been quite neat and orderly, a far cry from an everyday working room. A place for everything and everything in its place! 

Early next year they will be visiting a friends' studio which is HUGE and has custom built Murphy closets that open out into a table, with a another roll out table with a sewing machine and tons of storage. She has four of these and keeps everything as neat as a pin AFTER a project is finished. During the designing and construction time, her sewing room looks just like mine!

However I must admit, my room is perfectly fine! Yes at times it can look like a tornado came through but it is cleaned almost each day and thoroughly cleaned after every project! 

I have even hosted a sewing group in my little studio for an entire day as we each worked on a new project. It didn't hurt at all.

And then recently a group was visiting and the ladies asked if they could see my sewing room; none of them sew. I didn't blink an eye and immediately took them to my workroom. They had the privilege of seeing my room in the midst of getting ready for a show, many things were is disarray. 

They were excited and amazed to see several sewing machines, countless spools of threads and a collection of sewing machine needles that will keep me sewing for a long time.

SEW I just had to show them my collection of vintage sewing machines, most in good working order. To be continued  . . .

New Hat and Scarf

Saw this cute hat and scarf a while back, maybe I should get one done before the snow flies . . .

just not sure if I want to crochet or find some fabric . . . 

This one was made with fabric and it was comfortable around the neck. Any suggestions?

Learning to Sew

You're never too young to learn to sew! My little niece was SEW excited to learn how to operate the serger while camping. 

Little Lila Rose was SEW excited to get her hands in on the action!

Pajama Stompers for Grandma & Grandbaby

Pajama Stompers

Everybody needs Pajama Stompers! Whether you are big or small in soft comfortable cotton fabric.

Women's Pajama Stompers with cuffs at the ankles made in the softest comfortable cotton and machine washable. 

Toddlers Pajama Stompers to wear over leggings to keep children warm through the night.