Use for sweatshirt neck band!

A creative student proved me wrong....I always say I've never found a use for the neck ribbing of the sweatshirts as I create my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. Well...while presenting a seminar/workshop at Fabrics Etc. 2 in Bensenville, IL last weekend, a clever student came to me with this rose!
1. Cut off the neck band from the sweatshirt.
2. Rotary cut off the seam allowance.
3. OPen it up so you have double the width.
4. Set a serger for a wide balanced stitch with decorative threads in upper and lower loopers. This was done with the WAVE STITCH on a BABYLOCK serger - which is a new wrinkle to me since my days of selling machines/sergers ended almost 8 years ago now!
5. Gather remaining end and twirl and stitch into a rosette.
WALA....... WAY TO GO!
Sorry I forget the name of the student who did it - Cindy perhaps?

Had lots of fun at this candy store of a quilt/machine shop! What a nice owner - Mary Forte, and her helpers/associates. If you're ever in Chicagoland - don't miss Fabrics Etc. 2 in Bensenville!

Houston Creative Inspiration - 11/3/10

The inspiration we see as gals stop by our booth #717 here at the Houston Quilt Festival 'Preview' night was AWESOME!

Look at this top - on a sheer knit black base. My super dooper assistant Carol eyed this jacket and broughtd her over to me and my camera! She's sitting here with me in our motel room at 12:30 am 1 1/4" folded strips (ala Clover 3/4" wide Bias Tape Maker), then folded wrong sides together a bit less than half and stitched with white thread to the black base. Marking it would be interesting, but certainly possible: right sides together of the black base, with 2 layers of dressmaker carbon, right side out slipped inbetween.

At the top of my thumb nail, that is a folded edge, as the edge I'm holding.

An ETSY buy - this customer's fabric coiled necklace drew our attention. It was cotton, straight grain cut and folded strips, somewhat twisted here and there, but not twisted at the very center, with also just folded edges showing at the center. No stitching at all - all glued onto a base. Carol and I think trying this or a lighter weight fabric - on the bias and doing an ODD number of 'roses' would be a very inviting creative task. Gee - I can even see this done out of an old flannel plaid shirt! Chain was attached to each end to complete the necklace. She shared she thought it was still on ETSY (I'm too tired to look right now), just search there for 'coiled fabric rose necklace' and we think you'd find them.

I taught my first class yesterday - a 3 hour class on my sweatshirt jackets...starting out with my 'Frumpy to Wow' Design Principles class, then my Creative Journey program where I walked them through several jackets' design inspiration and construction. My students called it a 'sleeper' class - explaining that they loved it all and got so much more than they expected. That was great to hear - and a wonderful way to start this last show of the year for me. Their feedback also has led me to conclude that I will propose a hands-on all day class for next years' Festival. It was wonderful to have Carol in the class to help out too - and the wonderful staff in the Faculty Center are amazingly helpful and a great, safe place to keep teaching supplies.

We had a lazy start to this long day because we were lucky enough to get in quickly yesterday and got in 4 hours' work after my morning class. We finished setting up the booth from noon to 4 when the 'Preview' hours started and went til 10...!!!!

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to my Trunk Show class from 2-3 in the ballroom! Reporting more tomorrow......

NEW Creative Sweatshirt Jackets

Creatively Busy AGAIN.... some of my current KITS for jackets I offer at the sewing expos around the country include cashmere neck scarves and Pashmina scarves, so I decided to execute some jackets utilizing them.
The green cashmere scarf was simply trimmed down 5" in width, and stitched to the INSIDE of the staystitched cardigan neckline on this jacket, then flipped to the outside, tucked at the waist, let fringe hang below the twin needle hem, and the outer edge couched with yarn. Oh - and I had to take a seam at the center back to shorten it a bit to the correct length , with I did at an angle, so that the outer edge was longer than the neckline edge.

The Pashmina Scarf jacket - I utilized only half the scarf, as that is what I include in some of my kits, and it was the perfect amount. I utilized the 'baseball collar' neckline from my Transformed™ Talking Pattern™ for that. Tagua Nut Buttons work with buttonholes (quite large) done through the scarf, and interfaced front edge that I'd bound with the aqua silk dupioni. I also corded those buttonholes. If you look closey, you can see the Pashmina scarf fringe that hangs at an angle from the jacket's right side at the cener front. There were lovely open pulled thread areas on this scarf that I accented with black and aqua chenille yarns. The scarf borders and botht he sides of the scarf were also utilized. I did free motion quilting around the paisly sections down the front, and across the yoke at the shoulders and back yoke. Can't wait to wear this one!

Fall Fashion Finds + Londa's thoughts and How-To's

OK - I've been browsing...through Fashion Magazines and mailers that have caught my eye.
I learned from Sandra Betzina years ago to just scan through magazines looking for the common ideas - and here is what I've come up with for Fall Fashion Trends for 2010

• Big Bulky Tops - Chunk Knits - paired with straight, slim skinny bottoms (WHO looks good in skinny bottoms, is what I wanna know - I'll keep my boot cut and straight leg pant style, thank you!) Anyway - here's some photos...

At least it seems the skiinny pants are usually black, and focus is near the face with cowls, jewelry, etc.

• Ruffles, Ruffles, Ruffles - EVERYWHERE - from on coats to jackets to boots to purses...here's the proof - and most of the time these are circular ruffles - so you just cut circles, cut into the center, cut a smaller circle, stay stitch the inner circle edge, clip to stay stitching to make what is round be straight - and stitch them in - on - whatever. FUN!
  

Personally - I think the ruffle - which extends and turns into the flower on the lapel - is just too cute, but I'd put it on the other lapel, and forget the belt, and carry through the black onto the braid or topstitching on the lapel...but that's just me.

Ruffled purses are cute - but not gathering attention at MY hips, thank you! Lovely to look at - not sure about attractiveness as carried though - and last? You try - not me.

ss above The aqua teal dress above to the left appears to have circular ruffles stitched into the side seams - OK if you're skinny - otherwise - how about at the shoulder seams to create a wider shoulder therefore skinnier bottom? Do LUV that color on the red head model though!
Look closely at the plaid black and white jacket - pairing a sheer polka dot ruffle on top of what appears to be a fringed self fabric trim.

While the other photos have used ruffles right INTO the construction seams, it appears the ruffles on this purple vest are added as embellishment. For this wide and full - allow at least 3 times length it will cover, and perhaps get out the serger to finish the edges first - THEN dig out that RUFFLER gadget which, though ancient, actually works AMAZINGLY well - giving the pleated effect you see here. Note the white blouse - I Blogged on that earlier ....

• • Large face-framing collars on coats, jackets, etc..... ala my Chosen
  pattern for jackets made from sweatshirts! I LOVE this white collar - and you'll see it and some different versions of it on a new pattern of mine next year!
  

• Check out the HUGE lapel on this coat! Get out that topstitching needle, and even play with 2 heavy threads in the Schmetz Double Eye Needle!
  OR the Topstitching Needle. Remember - Schmetz needles are 25% off at my website!
  

  • 

• Zippers Zippers Zippers!!! See them
  

up the edge of this double-breasted jacket and extending into the lapel - I love it! I'm personally amazed at the amount of sewing that is going into these garments! At least we can appreciate it all - and decide what makes sense to sew - and what make sense to BUY!

Can't wait to try to figure out how to take some zipper by the inch and turn it into this spectacular zipper flower necklace - below, upper right photo!


Note then too the zipper insert piping type application on the dress to the left. Personally - for most of us, I'd stick zipper piping into some flattering VERTICAL lines..... I'm fighting Blogger today - why is this underlining? onto another post for more photos and comments..... Please COMMENT - share what YOU THINK!!!

Napkin of Ideas from Snoop Shopping on Vacation

Hmmmm - yep, this is how I do it - along with my trusty camera, and now my phone camera as well. However, sometimes it just isn't possible to take a picture - so one just must sketch. Sew...here are my sketched design ideas from our recent working Colorado vacation...

Not jacket design - but, OH, was that cream cheese blended with salmon ever good!
Top right: a little T-shirt on a gal at a table next to us in a restaurant. The stretched elastic around the neck, down the center front, and around the armscye (but not under the armscye) was really a nice, simple, feminine touch. Can't wait to try it - utilizing Clear Elastic and my trusty Twin Stretch Needle.

Center Scooped Neckline: This was in a shop - many different ribbings - different colors - attached together for the front neckline. Fodder for the new sweatshirt jacket pattern my brain has started on featuring sweaters and sweatshirts....

Sleeve below above sketch: Yet another idea for insertion of sweater fabric for a sweatshirt jacket sleeve...

carlopick? well - I thought that was the label in some neat knit dresses - but, alas, Google's page 1 doesn't take me anywhere - shucks!

Pink Linen Note: Reminds me of this great pink linen jacket in a HIGH Class shop in Vail, CO - with ruffles all around - lapel, front, hem, etc. The princess seams were stitched regularly, then pinched together as a French Seam - on the outside, and stitched close to the edge - really highlighted those flattering seams.

Other half of my napkin idea to come - but must go iron! Hubby seems to think end of 2nd day home all wash and ironing must be done. O well..... catch me later!

Colorado Observations

On vacation in Colorado - Vail area before the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo later this week...
Some observations to share:
1. The flowers! Oh my gosh!!!!
You'd NEVER see pansies potted with geraniums in Illinois - pansies are only for spring and fall. The Lobelia are prolific...amazing!!! And, combining of colors - all and every colors in one pot. Really quite beautiful. The Lupines and Delphiniums and Poppies - just amazing! Especially fun was the Betty Ford Gardens in Vail. I even LOVE the dead trees amongst it all - what a wonderful contrast. It looked like the dead wood was specifically placed throughout as well...

2. Love to 'snoop shop' - though it seems it's either T-shirts and polar fleece smattered with 'Vail' on them - or VERY $$$$ clothing and art galleries. Guess where I linger??????? Yep - the $$$ shops and art galleries. Vail Village was exceptionally fun. Here is what I see:
Monochromatic embellishment - yes - embellishment done in the same color - oftentimes even the same fabric. I watch FOX News and I see this all the time on the simple dresses on the women reporters and commentators as well...and of course, sleeveless. I see this embellishment - usually of a knit fabric cut on the cross grain so it will curl, or on the bias for woven fabrics. Definitely adding to the cost - regardless of the price range....as well, it should!
WHITE Blouses and shirts with ruffles or pleats - everywhere! I actually really think this is a clean, fresh look - for most everyone - especially those of us who have seen cosmetic dental work ie: whitening. I learned in my color training that you shouldn't wear white whiter than your teeth or the whites of your eyes. Well - there are many more of us around with much whiter toothies than God ever planned on! Anyway - they look good. I love wearing my Coldwater Creek white blouse as a jacket.
More Embellishment than ever...EVERYWHERE. I have a napkin full of drawings and quite a few pictures on my cellphone from my snoop shopping. Many of the ideas I've seen will be adapted and utilized on upcoming Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. However, I often think that the designer has gotten carried away. Usually the more $$$ garments do this - in my humble opinion. Even Tim Gunn (Project Runway) would agree with me I'm sure. It all comes down to 'Less is More'. So - if you need some em bellishment ideas and techniques, be sure to invest an EZ $19.95 in my Refined Embellishments for Creative Clothing.

Off in a jeep today - into God's 'closet' of creation. Stay posted for what inspirations I get today....

Raw Edges + Rhinestone pins - AHHHHH

Was scanning this great necklace

made from old rhinestone earrings and pins I found in a Martha Stewart magazine - THEN I noticed, the RAW edges on this charmeuse dress - undoubtedly silk as well. Look at the neckline finish - it's just a strip of bias!!!
Then - even notice the extra wide - I'd say 3" or so double layers of bias stitched down the center - looks like there are 4 of them - and upper edges not even caught in with the neckline finish...
AMAZING! Why do we make sewing so nitty picky is what I wonder???
http://www.londas-sewing.com/Londas-Refined-Embellishments-for-Crea...

I feature BIAS over and over and over in my '"REFINED EMBELLISHMENTS FOR CREATIVE CLOTHING" DVD.
If your clothing needs a little push in the creative genre - you might want to consider adding it to your collection.

Story behind the DVD most mothers can identify with: This project took a week of shared days with my 30 year old son.... and this is NOT his favorite area of interest nor pastime! We worked and worked and strained and strained to get along and make it as perfect as we could.
THEN...as he is editing it - he calls MORTIFIED that he has discovered some intermittent static...from a source we surely didn't hear: the TRIPOD! (You have no idea how many times we had to start over because the phone rang!).
Confident in the value of the material - and the quantity (a full 2 hours and 45 minutes!), I convinced him that the content was more important than the 'polish' and we went ahead with the printing instead of 'enduring' another fond memory-making week together to re-do it. Instead, we reduced the price $10 from the already reasonable price of $29.95 to just $19.95. Sew....that intermittent audio interference ... it's FREE! :)

Seems to have been a good decision - I've only had 2 complaints, and NO returns. PLUS, a large sewing distributor has even added it to their line as well.

Try it - you might like it. Londa's REFINED EMBELLISHMENTS FOR CREATIVE CLOTHING

New Fluffy Italian Trim Piping

A creative designer at the Project Runway competition in Novi at the American Sewing Expo in 2008 purchased my Italian trim in Black and created this great fluffy piping. I kick myself for not recalling her name (write to me if you are her - VERY tall)and for forgetting to include it my newest DVD: Londa's Refined Embellishments for Creative Clothing.

Here is the Italian Trim as you start with it (on the left) and how it ends up (on the right.)



Simply (keeping in those controlling chain stitches!!!), fold it in half and stitch along the edge like this:



Now you have piping that you an insert - just like any piping...giving you this look as an insertion...






Or this look as a piping on an edge....



If you look closely at this last photo, you can see the chain stitches still controlling it - those need to be removed for it to 'fluff' yet in a controlled way.

This idea is DEFINITELY BULKY - but in the right place, (for example a collar in and of itself!), it could be spectacular!

Send me your photos and I'll include them here.....