Zoom in on the T shirt hem - I can see this LONGER (for us mid age and over!) with the Charles Chang Lima Black Bow Lace out of any of the Slinky or Cotton/Lycra Knits - could be fun! Ane you thought that jacket was too small??? Maybe not! Observation: the photographer must have been on the floor shooting up! Though her legs are surely long - the viewpoint of this picture is surely contrived to make skinny look even skinnier...
from Londa's design room

I really like this one! In fact, I'm going to do it from the Italian Wool I have at www.londas-sewing.com that is purple and teal - doing the neckline ruffle and peplum ruffle of the reverse side of the garment. Not sure about the belt...
from Londa's design room

Note that ruffled blouse underneath... The ruffling iappears to be a heavy velvet tube - shirred down the center and applied down front, around neck, at cuffs, and on pocket - almost a Chanel look. I like this one!
from Londa's design room

Now this one I like! I say intriguing blouses - all very feminine over and over again in the fall issue of In Style Magazine. This one in silk - could be a wardrobe basic - hopefully with proper undergarments!
from Londa's design room

Unsuspected, non-traditional interpretations of fabric and style - what I see over and over in the fashion magazines right now. Wool in a tailored jacket - with lots of feminine details. Band with upper fuffle at waist, then a gathered - probably single layer peplum to the jacket - same theme repeated at the very long sleeves - and a large, ruffled collar - all with the sheer, tiered skirt of silk chiffon. Caption said: "traditional jacket has loosened up, pairinig as easily with jeans as skirts, or whatever you like."
from Londa's design room

How's this for a combination? I really don't like it - nor would I do it myself - though look closely at the skirt construction - strips of what is surely silk charmeuse stitched to a sheer underlayer - edges undoubtedly left to fray - or perhaps bias so limited fraying...
from Londa's design room

Flowers - roses seen everywhere - the feminine influence
from Londa's design room

Fashionable? ?? Not me!
from Londa's design room

Let's Chatter about Pants

Good-Fitting Pants!
The reason many sew - or start to sew, I do believe.
As I type, I'm wearing a pair of those jeans - and you don't want a description of how far the back is scooping down and what it is revealing as I sit here! I finally made some belts of old ties (pictures coming soon) to pull them in and keep them up! Enough said...

My favorite pants patterns are:
Oxford Pant from Loes Hinse - I'm not a pocket person, so I forgo the pockets, and put on the elastic as she says, BUT do NOT stitch down all around creating that casing look - rather I stitch in the ditch vertically at each side seam, and CF and CB. It looks quite nice that way - and there isn't much fullness at the waist - because there are darts in it to control the fullness.
The legs are straight, but not too full - or skinny. Even my 23 year old daughter likes these!

SoHo Pant from Textile Studio - my favorite skinny pant - again with elastic, but this one has a side zipper - which I always use an invisible zipper for. Little vents at the side seams look good too.

One Seam Pants from Cutting Line Designs - formerly known as the $1700 Pant. I took this class from Louise way back when she was adapting a Burda One Seam Pant Pattern, then taught it to MANY gals at my shop both lecture demo format, and workshop. Many who hadn't sewn in years came to this workshop (4 hours) and left wearing a great pair of pants. We were both always SEW happy! Do need a soft fabric though. Slinky knit is great - though you MUST stay the crotch, and compare it to the pattern before proceeding with the waist treatment - to make sure that crotch length didn't grow while sewing!

Chime in here - what are YOUR favorite pant pattern(s) and why?????
If you can't post - Comment - it is because you aren't a member of this Blog.
All you need to do is email me that you'd like to be - londasews@insightbb.com and then accept the invitation when it comes to you.

This should be a lively discussion.

I have a deal going out in my Newsletter today - FREE Pant Comparison Chart on many of the independent pattern company's pant patterns with purchase of ANY pant pattern from my site - through September 13.

Sewing hugs,
Londa

Sewers Unite to Aid Katrina Victims

Lines from Londa
Sept. 2, 2005
Katrina Victim Relief
This afternoon, it finally happened - I just broke out in sobs with pain, empathy and prayers for our fellow countrymen in the South so in need as victims of Katrina. I think, like most of us, I have been so in shock over this devastation, that I've been at a lossas to what I could do me myself and I. The time has come to take action!
My family's outreach will be through our church - we have a HUGE Garage Sale that was already planned, and we'll be sending the monies raised from that to aid in relief. I'm sure many of you are already reaching out in many ways. But, here is another idea for you. ....
Then, today came this email from the "quilting world". It's no secret that I'm NOT a quilter, but I had just cleaned out my own linen closet for the Church Rummage Sale! Now, I'm going to retrieve those bedding items and send them to the address below in Houston. I'm also going to enclose some sorely needed toiletries carefully packed in ziploc bags in with the quilts. It is my hope and prayer that you will do the same. I'm 'cutting and pasting' that email here to you with my prayers that you also join in this great soul-ful response.
May God bless our land and our people as we become His hands in reaching out to each other during this time.
Sewing hugs,

Londa

Dear Friends,
Only today did I discover the ghastly scope of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, and I immediately started trying to decide what we could do to help muster aid for the victims. Here is what we have come up with. This will be posted on our website (www.quilts.com) in the morning. I am terribly concerned about the urgency of the short-term needs of these poor souls--25,000 of them are being bussed to Houston for shelter and perhaps long-term living arrangements. Most of them left New Orleans with nothing but the clothes on their backs. I know there are other projects that are being started for quilts for long-term needs, but right now, folks, these people have NOTHING and most of them have NOTHING to go home to. They need help NOW! I hope you'll want to help us provide some of that help. Karey Bresenhan Houston
QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA A Cooperative Project To Comfort Victims of Hurricane Katrina To quilters everywhere: The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast is beyond belief. Here in Houston our hearts are heavy with sorrow for all the horrible losses, and we are preparing to welcome the thousands of refugees that are being bussed to us because they have lost their homes or have no access to whatever is left of their homes. Like so many other people, we want to help. Knowing quilters, we think you want to help, too, because there are no more generous, giving, open-hearted people than quilters.
Therefore, we are launching a two-part drive for Hurricane Katrina relief, and we urge you to join us in this project. We're calling it
QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA. PART 1: Urgent Donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. We will match EVERY donation made by quilters to the American Red Cross, up to a maximum of $10,000, on a dollar for dollar basis.In other words, if you make a $25 donation, we'll match that with another $25 donation. If you make a $100 donation, we'll match that with another $100 donation, right up to the maximum. To avoid delays in your donations reaching the Red Cross, and because we have trusted quilters for more than 30 years now, just email us with the amount of your donation that you sent to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Every penny of every donation--up to $10,000--will be matched by International Quilt Festival. You have my word on that. Please use this email address: exec5@quilts.com and use the subject line:
RED CROSS DONATION.
PART 2: QUILTS FOR COMFORT
Many thousands of the Katrina refugees are being sent to Houston RIGHT NOW, and no one knows how long they will have to be here. Most of them escaped the hurricane's fury with only the clothes on their backs--nothing more--and they may have absolutely nothing to go home to. They don't even know. The Astrodome is ready as temporary housing, but there is a serious shortage of bedding.
Part 2 of QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA is the collection of quilts of all kinds to be distributed to the refugees here in Houston so that they have something soft to sleep on instead of the hard concrete floors of the temporary shelters and something warm to cover up with against the chill of otherwise welcome air-conditioning (we've been in the 90s and 100s for weeks now).
Many of us have unfinished projects filling our closets and cupboards. Get out one of those projects--twin size preferred but no smaller than baby quilt size, please--and finish it up for this. Use lightweight batting--do whatever binding is the quickest, even a close zigzag stitch. You don't have to quilt it--tie it! If you have only small projects, add borders. Think about a mother lying on the floor cradling her baby--that's the size quilt we need to provide. These quilts are not meant to be heirlooms, although they will probably be treasured for many years s a symbol of the caring of strangers. Tie them, machine quilt them, work in a group with your friends and finish several on an assembly line, do whatever it takes to get these finished quickly. THE NEED FOR THESE QUILTS IS RIGHT NOW! If you already have some finished pieces that you don't have plans for, send them too, asl ong as they are no smaller than baby quilt size. If you are a professional, you may have sample quilts that have become shop-worn or faded but are still clean and very usable in an emergency--send them!--we are IN an emergency! Be sure to put a label on the back of your quilt or sign it with a kind thought and your name and date. Every piece will go to a refugee family driven from their homes by the hurricane.
To participate in QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA, send an email to exec5@quilts.com (subject line: COMFORT AMERICA) to let us know how many quilts you are sending. That will help us help the Red Cross in its planning.
Please do not expect a confirmation that your quilt has been received or any kind of nice thank-you. Sometimes we just have to do things because they are the RIGHT things to do--this is one of those times. People need help...the kind of help WE can give.
Use this address to send your quilt/s: COMFORT AMERICA PROJECT c/o International Festival 7660 Woodway, Suite 550 Houston, TX 77063
Please note: for security, do NOT use the word 'quilt' ANYWHERE in your address label!
Many of us have also amassed linen closets full of old but completely usable sheets--perhaps a size you no longer use, or juvenile prints that your college age kids don't like anymore. Clean sheets and blankets are also most welcome to QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA. Naturally, everything should be clean and fresh. These folks have lived with enough mud and dirt to last them the rest of their lives--let's give them a clean bed to rest in. Please note that we cannot use fabric, patterns, scraps, etc.
Quilt Festival will serve as the collection point for these quilts, and we will deliver them DAILY to the American Red Cross staffing the refugee centers in Houston, where they will be distributed by the Red Cross volunteers. Because we are right here in Houston where more than 10,000 of the refugees will be, we can make a difference RIGHT NOW...if you'll help. Time is critical--the need is NOW! People are arriving by the hour, children are bedding down on the cold concrete, bedding is needed by people of all ages who have lost everything in this horrible storm. Please help if you can. If you live in or around Houston, you are welcome to hand deliver your donations to us.
Our address is 7660 Woodway, Suite 550, Houston 77063. You can find it on Mapquest. Please note that this is one block off Woodway that runs perpendicular to all the rest of Woodway.
Thanks to everyone! QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA.
Karey Patterson Bresenhan Director,
International Quilt Festival--Houston and Chicago