Why are these guys on today's post? Because I bet none of them has ever pad stitched anything in their entire lives! Maybe I'm dead wrong, but after spending hours with a needle and thread it seems highly unlikely. Pad stitching is a method of joining multiple layers of fabric so that they act as [...]
Blog posts
How to stay busy while the fabric is at the drycleaners
My linen has been renamed a "tablecloth" by the cleaners, and it will be ready in about a week. In the meantime I'm moving forward by "preparing the canvas." Canvas is the name given to the understructure of the jacket. It's composed of layers of different interfacings intended to give the jacket shape and also [...]
Wedding jacket, Muslin #2
Here are some shots of Muslin #2. I've made several small changes, and I think things are looking good so far. I lowered the buttons by 1.5 inches which allowed me to adjust / lengthen the lapel roll line. The Cabrera book makes these kinds of adjustments very clear. It helps me to have some "rules" [...]
When good books go bad
I'll confess up front that I don't own very many books on sewing.The Bishop Method of Clothing Construction has been a valuable friend, although I tremble that the ghost of Edna Bishop may suddenly appear and rap my knuckles with a french curve if I sew a seam in the wrong direction. Participating in [...]
Muslin #1
I'm following my usual procedures and transferring my pattern pieces to Swedish tracing paper. If you've never used it, I highly recommend it. Armed with a roll of scotch tape and some scraps one can adjust and alter with abandon! I'm also using the book Classic Tailoring Techniques by Roberto Cabrera. The book deserves an [...]
Avoiding a wedding faux pas
My lovely niece Shelley is getting married this June. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and it will be in the gardens at the beautiful Clay Hill Farm in York (or is it Oqunquit?) Maine. It's been my plan to make a sport coat for the event. I found an interesting 1980's pattern on Etsy that [...]
Sewing in English!
I'm no longer a virgin. I've actually forayed into the world of patterns and instructions that I can actually read. I decided to participate in Peter's (of Male Pattern Boldness fame) shirt sew-along. His selected shirt, the Negroni by Colette, really wasn't my style, so I found a vintage 50's dress shirt pattern on Etsy. [...]
Resurrecting the blog!
Wow! It's been such a long time. The attic did get insulated, the stairwell was wallpapered, the ceilings in the pantry and the bathroom were repaired and the snowblower got a work out. Perhaps the best "repair project" was getting my Singer 301 back in operation. It's a long story, but years ago I foolishly [...]
The photo shoot
Followers, here are pics from the photo shoot, a beautiful fall day on Portland Maine's Eastern Promenade. Thanks to huzbears Brian and Martin for being my photographers. The sewing machine is going to be put away temporarily while I work on insulating the attic here at "this old house". When I return I may work [...]
Putting it all together
I really worked at a fever pitch to wrap this project up. My goal was to wear it to the Met Opera simulcast of Das Rheingold on Oct. 9th. Huzbear Brian was planning on wearing his black opera cape, and although I couldn't compete with THAT, something long and purple would be better than the [...]
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