Mary Ellen's Best Press

Just finished some ironing of my hubby's shirts with :
Mary Ellen’s Best Press - The Clear Starch Alternative
I have the Lavender Fields scent - hummm - sew much nicer than spray starch!!!!
It is in a non-aresol spray bottle - 16.9 fl oz. .
Descrived as "Clear Fragrant Miracle Starch with Soil Guard and Wrinkle Resister", this 'stuff' makes ironing easier, smell delightful, and it doesn't flake, even on dark fabrics. Since it is in spray bottle, gone are my days of throwing away a can of spray starch just because the nozzle is clogged!
It really does seem to relaxes stubborn wrinkles, gives clothes a crisp, new finish and it says it even makes clothes soil-resistant.
My sister - an active quilter - had actually told me it was getting raves on lists she was on - then I saw that I could get it from my supplier - so I got some in to test.
It comes in 2 other scents - so I'm ordering those in tomorrow.
Just $6.95 - which is more than spray starch, but worth it in my book!!!

Try it - y ou'll like it, I really think you will! \
To order - click on the blue name of the product at the top of this post - Mary Ellen's Best Press - that will take you right to my website where you can purchase it. Order 2 bottles - you'll save on shipping in the long run!

Chardonnay Skirt - Londa's 2 Cents Worth

I'm sharing today about this recent outfit I created. The skirt is the Chardonnay Skirt from LJ Designs. For it, I wrote one of my 'Londa's 2 Cents Worth" http://www.londas-sewing.com/, which is $30 for 6 months, $50 for 1 year - just ONE of the benefits is receipt of my Londa's 2 Cents Worth - at least 6 per year... This is a 'taste' - the last one I just wrote. I also 'deliver' a pdf of these 'helps' whenever one orders one of the patterns from me for which I've tested and written one of my 2 Cents Worth (designated with a *** by the pattern name on my websites).

I thought the 'history' and end result of this skirt made quite a story...so I'm sharing it here. It reveals 'real life' sewing...which should never prevent us from stitching on!

The Top is a variation of Christine Jonsons's #426. Read about it at the end.

Londa’s 2 Cents Worth
Chardonnay Skirt

A’ La Mode Collection
From
LJ Designs


I love most of Lyla’s patterns – and she does a GREAT job of directions. This skirt pattern was the one of the A’ La Mode Collection that most caught my eye – though not as much as the Fajita Skirt. In general, I think this skirt is just OK. I made it of a cotton/lycra jersey knit – and toyed with making it a double layer skirt from the beginning – to help ‘conceal’ body bumps.
Alas – while stitching with my serger around the top – darned if I didn’t catch a fold underneath – and promptly cut a triangle cut right in the center back! At that point, I HAD decided to not ‘eat up additional yardage with making it double layer, but once I’d had my ‘boo-boo’ – I had no option but to put a second layer of the knit on the top.

Here is a picture of me in my (altered) Christine Jonson Princess Wrap top with this Chardonnay (altered)

Pretty perfect green shoes to match, eh? Made out of the knit – I quickly (well not quickly enough) realized that that the zipper down the center front that I had just labored to put in – was NOT necessary – as it easily slid over my hips without undoing the zipper – so out it came. You can’t see the fabric edges, but I opted to go the simple ‘designer’ route and just 3 thread serged the edge – not rolled or anything – just serged and left as is! Seems kinda crude to me – but the designers do it and get top $$$ - so why should I labor further is what I figured…

Even with the double layer fabric, I invested in some of those SPANX to wear under this garment – and felt quite good, actually, that no ‘panty lines’ were revealed! $20 for the SPANX is pretty darned high though!

In general, I found these directions to be the least understandable of any of Lyla’s I’ve encountered so far. I would not recommend this pattern to someone who didn’t have a good grasp of sewing. If you do know how to sew though, it is a neat concept in a skirt.

Fabric Selection: You can use this pattern for wovens as well as knits. With a woven, you would obviously have to insert that zipper. There are no side or center back seams, so the front where the zipper is instructed to go is really the only place for it.

Beware: the wrong side of the fabric shows where the center front drape flops around!
That is not made clear on the pattern envelope at all. If the wrong side of the fabric is not attractive (ie a print), you will have to line this skirt to the edge.

Directions:
Warning: Be SURE to adequately mark all markings on the pattern onto your fabric! If I were to make this skirt again, I would actually thread trace mark the center front angled stitching line – the zipper placement lines.

The directions start right off with ones for a “Lined Skirt” and there is no reference to lining at all on the pattern envelope back.


Elastic Application

In the Lined Skirt – Lyla calls for 2” less than ‘waist edge measurement of skirt’. I found that very nebulous, and finally decided it would be the measurement of the skirt, with darts sewn out, from zipper placement line to zipper placement line. That is what I did – and the skirt barely hung on my hips. I really need to take it out and make the elastic – maybe 3” even less long than it already is – so my guess would be you could easily make the elastic 5” less than the waist measurement. I don’t see yet why she is asking for you to go by the waist measurement of the skirt, and not your body – I’d do it 5” less than my body waist measurement – or my measurement wherever I would want the top of the skirt to ‘rest’ on my body.

Weird: but in the Unlined skirt – she says nothing about cutting the elastic any shorter at all – I guess she assumed that – but the ‘cutting shorter length’ is under the “Lined Skirt” directions – I found that all very confusing.
If I were to make this skirt again – I would opt for 1” wide elastic and just adjust the hemming then on the front cascade portion of the skirt to be 1” deep.

Zipper Application:
It is confusing, but it the directions for the zipper insertion DO work – you jut need to really follow the pictures, and stitch VERY closely to the zipper coil. Stitching far away at all will reveal the zipper tape. Although – it does seem quite covered up by the cascade portion of that front effect.

I have an additional concern about this design and zipper placement – and that is that this ‘line’ that the zipper is inserted on is NOT straight grain, but at an angle, therefore the fabric is bound to stretch there. Be VERY careful! Again, the cascade will cover it, but…………

Balance of Directions – look A-OK.


Notes about my Double Layer Skirt:
The cascading portion on the front of my skirt ‘belongs’ to the longest skirt – the ‘underskirt’. The ‘overskirt’ is hemmed shorter – I just ‘eyed’ that in with it on my body, pinned, marked, etc…. AND it is cut at the center front just 1” beyond that center front zipper insertion line, and turned and hemmed, stitched down on either side of that front stitched line. Also – I wanted to eliminate all bulk possible under my top that I knew I would wear on the outside of the skirt – so I really narrowed down – shaped that front uppermost edge of the cascade.

Shirred top and Princess Wrap
#426-Christine Jonson
Sleeveless, non-shirred Variation
by Londa


I loved this crossover Princess top from Christine – so when I wanted to make a sleeveless top of that nature to go with my LJ Chardonnay skirt – it came to the top of the list of ‘patterns to consider’.

However, design-wise, I didn’t feel the ‘gathered’ effect of the top’s right side(as worn) into that left princess seam ‘went with design-wise’ the flatter, more angular fold feature of the Chardonnay skirt.

Sew…
I just cut 2 of the Princess Top Left front and proceeded – obviously leaving out the sleeves.

I found when I tried it on, however, that it pulled funny under the bust on my right side where the left front was attached at that princess seam…
So I ‘stabilized’ it with a piece of elastic stitched from that princess seam to the side seam. It worked just fine.

Divide into thirds - MAGIC rule for designing

A chatter with Louise Cutting lately on The Creative Machine - a great group you can join in with at www.quiltropolis.com (espeically good if you're into garment sewing), reminded me again of the importance of dividing sections into thirds (NOT halves!) as you dress, sew, design, etc.
This goes back to the Golden Mean Rule (gotta look that up on google)...
Which just really says that a combo of something divided 1/3 and 2/3 or 2/3 and 1/3 is just more pleasing to the eye than dividing anything in half.
I teach - or preach this all the time in my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket creation - especially in regards to not selecting a sweatshirt or jacket length long enough to just cover your butt - as you're usually then dividing yourself in half...not good.

Louise even applied it to length of a shorter (3/4 length) sleeve: divide that space between your elbow and wrist bone into thirds, and then hem a sleeve at one of those points...NOT at the 1/2 mark.

Same applies to Capri length pants says Louise - and I agree. That distance of your calf between your knee and ground (WITH shoes to wear with garment on) again should dictate your pant length at third points, NOT half the distance if you don't want to look frumpy!

Test it - you'll see Louise and I and the ancient Greeks are right on!

Londa

Bio on Londa in local paper

In case you might be interested, here are some links to a recent article on what I'm 'up to' from our local paper.
http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/savoystarljr1.png
and
http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/savoystarljr2.png

Londa learning.changing things on this blog

I just had no option but to delete a post with some creative sweatshirt jacket directions and 'story' because of SPAM comments on that post. Thanks to a Blog member for bringing that to my attention!!! I'm SEW grateful.

All comments are now moderated by myself - meaning I can review them and delete any non-appropriate comments.

Also - I have changed this Blog from being one where only invited members can Comment, to one where any "Registered User" can comment. Since I will be monitoring the Comments, I am hopeful that this will not only work, but invite more 'chat' among creative sewers.

I'm really looking forward to making this more of a 'Forum' for creative sewing - though I'm also looking into software to start a Forum of my own on the topic. If any of you have a way - software to suggest - for doing a Forum, please comment.

Here's to Creative Sewing Blogging...with Londa

Londa's New Books

Sorry I've ignored my Blog...I've been publishing my new books on DVD, and going to sewing shows around the country with my hubby of now 35 years!!!

I published Creative Sweatshirt Jackets on CD back in 2006 (or was it 2005?) which included jackets I'd created from sweatshirts - 65 of them....

I've kept this creative sewing 'engine' churning...and now photo'd and filmed up through Jacket #127! I KNOW I've made over 200 great one-of-a-kind jackets since I started this right before my shop closed 4 years ago now.

Anyway - I now have:
VOLUME II - Creative Sweatshirt Jackets: Continuing the Journey
which is a sequel to the first book, on DVD. Jackets #66 - #127 are included in its Gallery - with lots of pictures and chatting about each, in addition to the BOOK portion of how-to's.
It does NOT repeat all the basic techniques, rather builds on them. It does, however, include video clips which do teach techniques. If you know how to sew, you could certainly just get this new book. $24.95

Ultimate Edition - Creative Sweatshirt Jackets
This is a combination of Book I and Volume II - PLUS a Bonus Gallery from book I that is expanded with more and larger pictures and more chatting about each of those first 65 jackets. At the sewing shows (where I now have a Power Point presentation for my class!), this book on DVD has been the very most popular. $38.95


Both books are DVD format - which means, in your TV DVD player you can see the 15 video clips, but in your computer DVD-ROM, you can see the video clips alone, or at the appropriate time within the 'text' of the book.
I could NOT have done all this without the guidance and help of my wonderful #1 son, Jeff Rohlfing!!!

All 3 of my books are on 'special' Introductory Pricing through July 9, 2007.
Book I on CD - $18.00
Book II on DVD - $22.95
Ultimate Edition on DVD - $35.83

I have made a fresh new committment to this Blog - so watch for more posts - share about it with your friends, and email me for an invitation to join. Monitoring members is the way to keep this Blog relevant and friendly to creative sewing - ONLY!

Next week will find me SEWING again - YEA!!! I'm excited to have been invited to create a jacket with directions for Sew Savvy Magazine - March issue. I had a great time at the PCM Show in Cincinnati gathering up fabrics to go with a bright yellow/gold/green Crone Art button (new art clay embellishments just added at http://www.londasartsysewingstuff.com/). I've been dreaming nightly about the design for this jacket! I also have to create a new jacket for display at the AQS Nashville show - coming up August 20-24.

Watch for pictures....

I look forward to your comments and sharing.

Londa