SEWING DILEMNA? Ask Londa's FREE advice!!!

Yes...as a sewing educator for over 35 years, designer, and author with experience as a sewing machine dealer/fabric shop owner, custom dressmaker and more...I'm most happy to answer ANY and all questions to the best of my ability. Just contact me HERE with your question.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Our donation - Thanks from Penny and Me

Thanks everyone for your support of my patterns and book for Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. Look what-together-we have done...donated $608 since Sept. 9 to Miracles in Action. Wow! As the note says - we are helping poor families to help themselves. I am blessed in the giving, and you should be as well. Thanks again!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Mom's new Jacket

It's done - YEA! Below are process steps. The corally texture fabric is actually gores from an 8 gore skirt of mine that I had decided I didn't want any longer - thus found it in my 'coral box' of stash fabric. Note that I'm accenting the left shoulder as I look at it. The first step was covering and growing the back yoke with silk doupionni.









See in the 2nd photo that I'd cut it on the bias, and chevroned the grain up and out at the shoulders.
For 'trim' I layered several strips of bias cut silk irridescent douponni and after stitching down the center, then 'roughed' up the edges with this great Chenille Brush.




That trimming accented the diagonal, and went along the edges of the purple yoke. I bound the edges of the lower front and back - and then sleeves too - with 2" wide bias pieces of a dark purple silk matka. Stitched it to WRONGside, then wrapped the edge. More chenille trim tops that for a finish - couching down this great variegated silk yarn in the very center of the trim as I attached it to the jacket. Posted by Picasa

Here, then are close-up shots of the final creation. See that I continued the very dark purple that edged the center front and hem, on around the neckline. The 'collar' is the original lower ribbing of the sweatshirt - ala my Transformed Pattern.

This shot of the front shows how great the Crone Art button works with my color scheme! A ponytail elastic band is anchored to the inside of the right front to close the jacket around this great button. This jacket went together quite easily - I only spent 2 real sessions of about 2-3 hours each on it.
I like it - so hope my Mom will as well. If not - I'll make her another and this will be a good sample.

Just had an email this morning from a customer who purchased my DVD in Houston at Quilt Festival and said she'd made several jackets - YEA!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Embellish a Hoodie

Well - this might be crazy, posting and blogging about a Christmas gift before it is given...but I have my doubts that my future niece-in-law will ever see this.

Starting with a pull0ver hoodie sweatshirt - I slashed it up the center, added a hood lining cut on the bias, bands up the center front, cut off the lower band, added an interfaced piece of fabric... and added a big black zipper. Some hand stitching using the Clover double eyed needles to easily work with 2 different color strands of pearle cotton was fun too - and I think (hope) added a funky feel.

Sew....hoodies transformed....a new direction??

Monday, December 01, 2008

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Copied from a book - NOT original - but it was pretty neat - a squashy, flat pumpkin that I'd bought after seeing this idea back before Halloween. Stayed fresh on my front porch. Drilled HUGE holes with my drill for the candles (5), the fresh greenery is seeded eucalyptus. Assorted little gourds and pumpkins were hot-glued to the top.
Noticed a soft spot on the side after Thanksgiving that night - so removed it from my dining room table to the kitchen counter. SURE glad I did, as during the night, it all collapsed - mush pie! Couldn't even blame it on one of my cats (who were fast asleep at our feet on the bed).