New Products for Embellishing

Whewww!!!! I'm hard at work - madly at work putting together my NEW presentation for at shows - and then later this year (remember,I have a wedding to prepare for which has me diverted in a fun way!) a new DVD as well - on Creative Embellishments. It has been fun digging through all these wonderful clothes I have (and no place to wear them as I work from home!) though. What I've realized is that the ones I've done more recently are more under-stated in embelllishment - and that is also the direction my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets have gone - understated. Perhaps it is my age - but I think rather it is a growing sense of style and what is good and not any longer that mentality of 'machine dealer wanting to sell feet and stuff'' that I had when I had my retail storefront.

ANYWAY - in preparation, and conversation with new sewing friends (thank you Kathy S.!), I learned about a new product - Texture Magic and had my mind refreshed on an old favorite - Seams Great for use with the newly re-tooled Spinster.

Texture Magic is by Superior Threads and is a package of 18" x 47" 'fabric' that you stitch (stitching pattern will create design) onto fabric, and then steam over top of the Texture Magic and it then shrinks up - causing the real fabric to pucker in a wonderful way! Scroll down to March 6 post to read and see more about this amazing product. Here is a picture from the Blog by Superior Threads..... Way too cool, eh?

OF COURSE, I immediately searched my sources, and found this to be so new that I ordered - oodles of packages - direct from Superior. It should be here on Friday!

Can't wait to play.

The other tool I'm anxious to re-acquaint myself with is the Spinster. The developer shared that they have had manufacturing problems, but worked through it all and with a new mold, it is even a more superior tool. This is a 'drill' type gadget that lets you twist cords, threads, yarns, etc. together and then back on themselves to create a wondeful cord. You can make it into a piped cording by invisibly tacking it to a folded edge of the product I used miles of to finish seams before I invested in a serger WAY back in the early 80's. That product is SEAMS GREAT. I found it hiding at my supplier, so added it to my website as well. Comes in white and black only now - but at least it is still available. I also used it to create serger piping by folding this lightweight knit binding over a tiny cord . then doing a rolled hem edge over it with my serger. Here is a photo of that embellishment on an old class sample - a lovely UltraSuede stencilled vest.

Wedding Gown Update

I'm on schedule - having completed the muslin for a fitting. In doing so, I've established a flattering angled/curved empire line that goes under her bust and then slopes down to the center back. (Want to have lots of typical bridal covered buttons at the back). I added 1 1/4" to the top pieces and 1 1/4" to the skirt pieces at this line for plenty of fine refining room. I also laid out all the pieces on the lace to see if I have enough if the skirt is this big - and yes, but BARELY so. There wouldn't be any extra lace at all for 'matching' motifs on this all-over lace gown, so I still think I'll end up reducing the fullness of each skirt piece to give me more lace yardage for the top. I DO have enough of the border to work with though for straps and the bodice top edge, in addition to clipping it and making it go along the entire hem edge. Yea!

The pink batiste has arrived as well. Thanks, Farmhouse Fabrics www.farmhousefabrics.com. The pink is the palest ever, and will underline the silk taffeta to create ever so slight of a shimmer of pink/coral to the overall effect.

Stay Tuned...