Joan's Hinse Bolero Collar Jacket

Loes Hinse Bolero Jacket Pattern





Joan had only let herself order 1 yard of the Fusion Knit - then went to her stash when it arrived and she didn't have enough fabric...this is her result! Great, right??? Not enough fabric is almot always a GOOD thing. Causes us to dig into our stashes and BE creative. Way to go, Joan!

I'll be posting her comments and pictures of this and more at the Gallery at my website www.londas-sewing.com. Joan will get 25% off a fabric order for sending in a picture and 'story'. Offer extends to all...

Joan's Hinse Shawl Collar Jacket

Loes Hinse Shawl Collar Jacket Pattern



First of all let me say Loes Hinse patterns fit my lifestyle and my preference for ‘middle of the road’ clothing styles---not so up-tight or serious, but not avant garde and trendy either. This pattern is a new release, and since Londa had reviewed it, I was anxious to try it and ordered it pronto from Londa.
I made View A, the short version and my goal for short jackets is to have the hemline fall at the fullest part of my post-menopausal tummy and to cover the ‘fluff’ at the high hip area. Londa’s 2 Cents, included with the pattern was most helpful, especially:
· The warning about the many collar pieces that saved me from spending time trying to figure that out.
· Her instructions regarding the lines for sewing the tucks on the collar
· The option for cutting the under collar with no tucks to reduce bulk in the area.
I made my normal adjustments to LH patterns—cut size Medium shoulders and taper down to Large or sometimes even XLarge to hemline. I cut a little bump out at the bust line of the front side seam and ease that in as I sew the seam to make a sight ‘full bust adjustment.’
The fabric is a weighty blend of rayon/poly and the collar is a fabulous small piece of Armani-type wool that was left over from a bias skirt 4-5 years ago.

Cat Cutie - from Londa's SIL

Since so many of us sewers seem to have cats around to 'help' us...


A cat died and went to Heaven. God met her at the gates and
said, "You have been a good cat all these years. Anything
you want is yours for the asking."

The cat thought for a mnute and then said, "All my life I
lived on a farm and slept on hard wooden floors. I would
like a real fluffy pillow to sleep on."

God said, "Say no more." Instantly the cat had a huge
fluffy pillow.

A few days later, six mice were killed in an accident and
they all went to Heaven together. God met the mice at the
gates with the same offer that He made to the cat.

The mice said, "Well, we have had to run all of our lives:
from cats, dogs and even people with brooms! If we could
just have some little roller skates, we would not have to
run again."

God answered, "It is done." All the mice had beautiful
little roller skates.

About a week later, God decided to check on the cat. He
found her sound asleep on her fluffly pillow. God gently
awakened the cat and asked, "Is everything okay? How have
you been doing? Are you happy?"

The cat replied, "Oh, it is WONDERFUL. I have never been so
happy in my life. The pillow is so fluffy, and those little
Meals on Wheels you have been sending over are delicious!"

Two Jkts. Completed

I have the LH Shawl Collar Jacket Pattern from Londa completed, and also a LH Bolero Jkt. from a heather teal knit purchased recently from Londa. I would be glad to send pictures and a little write up.....but I do not have a clue how to do it. Londa, I could send the photos directly to you via an e-mail with attachment, but I don't know whether that will help or not.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not finding this site user friendly for this inexperienced techie. How do we know if a post has comments posted on it??? How come hardly anyone is posting messages??? Any feedback anyone??? Or is it just me???

Monofilament thread - Londa's Favorite Brand

As I create more of my creative Sweatshirt jackets for those upcoming Art Fairs, I am trying to 'use up' some older and different monofilament threads - and in doing so, I sure see why I have a favorite: YLI Wonder Invisible Thread - 100% nylon. Comes in clear and smoke.

AND, here is a warning - since I also frequently want to use it in the bobbin - I always keep a bobbin of each 'color' wound as well. Do NOT wind fast - or a full bobbin if your bobbins are plastic!!! If you do - you probably won't get it off the spindle.... I use plastic bobbins for most sewing on my Pfaff 7550, but for this thread - I have metal bobbins. With the metal, I CAN wind them full - which is a good thing - because winding the bobbins is a pain.

It depends on what I'm doing - if I want it 'invisible' - I use the clear thread in the smallest needle that will work for the top (usually a 75 Stretch for the sweatshirt work). Generally, I have regular matching thread in the bobbin. I also then greatly reduce the upper tension (lower number) so that the bobbin thread doesn't show up in little 'hints' on the top of the work.

Occassionally though, there are times when I have the work upside down - and want the clear to end up on the top - OR don't want the bobbin showing on the wrong side - so in that case, I would use the monofilament-filled bobbin.

I hope that is clear...

Just yesterday I was using a large floral cotton sateen fabric (from my stash-those are hard to find!), over top of the sweatshirt. I dropped my feed dogs, had the monofilament in the top, darning foot on, and regular thread in the bottom. Went like wild fire all around the flowers - VERY NOT exact - it really creates a fun, trapunto, rich look. The edges of the fabric then, was stitched close and then a narrow boucle yarn couched down around all the edges with a zig zag with the clear thread in use - again.

Try it - YLI Wonder Invisible Thread. I always have it in stock... :)

For some inspiration as you sew...fr Londa

One of the people that has had the very most influence on me in my faith is Joni Earekson Tada. If you go to her website: www.joniandfriends.org and click on the Larry King Interview and listen to it - you'll know why.

May you be inspired -
Londa

Yea Anyway for our Illini!

Our community is wonderful - you should have seen the 20,000 + turn out at the stadium to weocome our hero Illinois Basketball team back from their championship NCAA game.
Wouldn't have been any different - even if they'd won. In our hearts - they have, all year long.

My camera got left at my daughters' house - where the BABY is! HOpefully will come with him tomorrow for the evening - and I'll get some pics of my most recent creations.

Having fun doing lettuce edging with the serger on the lower ribbing of the sweatshirts - cut off and used at the neck and cuffs. Just finished a jacket this evening using an old floral tablecloth.

Londa

Go ILLINI! and other things to ponder

Yea for our University of Illinois Illini!

I hope you caught how the 'Rev' - a great young Christian Man, Roger Powell, acknowledged our Saviour right when they won - and then again in his interview right after our victory...

On another note - I'm struck by the attention of the Pope's death. Pretty hard for the press to make that 'politically correct'! I was privileged to visit Rome - I think it was 1993 with my husband - a machine 'reward' trip with Elna. An experience of a lifetime. St. Peter's Basilica is awesome. Go there if you can.
Of all the places we were privileged to travel during the shop years, Rome was the BEST! I have a very special embosssed soft green leather swing coat from there I'll always love. Anyway -to see the transformation of Rome from the days when they fed the Christians to the lions in the stadium - and realize that the church is named for Peter whom they hung upside down...what a heritage we have! I personally hope much connection is made between the value the Pope put on all life to the Terry Shiavo sad, sad story. For me - I think suffering is part of God's plan, and brings out the very very best in people.

Meanwhile - I think (hope!) the value of all my orange creations just went up! You wouldn't believe how much orange I've been sewing. Just finished fancy Tee, 6 skirts and a silk jacket almost done. Not bad for a week...

Go ILLINI! This is our 100th year too. An assistant Coach lost his wife to breast cancer (I think) this summer, as well as Coach Weber his mother a few weeks ago. This really is a wonderful story. I'm confident the moral leadership of Roger Powell has much to do with it as well.

Guess what color I'll be wearing to church tomorrow? Last Sunday - Easter - our Pastor pulled out the local newspaper with UNBELIEVABLE! as the headlines as the followup to our miraculous win over Arizona the night before. He said that if there were a newspaper in Jerusalem in Jesus' day - that would have been the headlines on Easter Sunday as well.

Hugs -
Londa

Yea, Illini

Hooray for Londa's Illini and Joan's home state a million years ago.

Me and my Grandson - Oohhhh, Ahhhhh!
It seems I can't figure out (yet) how to add a picture to a post. I can get it in alone in a post - then edit that post (what I'm doing now).
Stay tuned - I'm figuring this all out.

Cutting out/designing fun today - and I'm going to ENJOY it - not 'should' myself today ( I am 'emjoying' my 53rd birthday!)
Springy, warm, and beautiful here today. That alone is a gift.

Also - this is a basketball crazy town. This is where the Fighting Illini - University of Illinois basketball team - in the Final Four hails from. I'm even selling my custom IlliniWear pretty briskly!!! GO ILLINI! (for color, click on the T above, then select color... will change whatever you have highlighted.

We have a condo to rent in Clarksville, Missouri - just 1 hour north of St. Louis, in antique/Mark Twain country from April 1 to April 8. Will make a GREAT deal if anyone is interested...

Baby Crib Sheet 'pattern'

I just 'had' to make a matching crib sheet for DD (dear daughter) .... so here is what I figured out. You might want to print this out and file for future reference - even if you don't need it now. 45" fabric worked just fine - and you need 1 3/4 (1.75) yards. If it is a 60" wide knit that stretches pretty well, you might be able to get the length out of one width.-- with yardage needed being 1 1/4 (1.25) yards.

I'm going to go ahead and explain things - then try to add the picture I scanned of the 'pattern' to this post...

You need the depth, length and width of your mattress. I've allowed for just 1/4" seams. The total width Ii needed (43") was so close to what the fabric was - I just used the total width of the fabric, thereby letting the selvages 'finish' the long edges.

The pattern amounts to a huge rectange of the width by the length (+ 1/4" to each) with a square cut out of each corner equal to the depth of the mattress plus 1/4".

You then pull those 2 edges of each corner cut out together and stitch in a 1/4" seam (I then serged too) to create a 'box'.

Then - the elastic. I used 1/4" elastic, and a 29" piece for each 'end'. Divide the elastic in half, and pin that mark to the half point of the end (width) side of the 'sheet'. Then, each end will be stretched to meet a point 13 1/2 (13.5)" down along each side (length) of the sheet. Place the elastic on the WRONG side of the sheet, obviously. I then put my sewing machine on a big wide zig zag and stretched the elastic to fit and stitched it on - leaving a bit of fabric off to the side (which will be serged off to finish). I do this with the elastic UP at the sewing machine for proper placement. If you have 'needle down' on your machine - use it! Left hand belongs behind the machine, right hand in front of the machine to stretch your work so it 'works'.

Then - at the serger, with ELASTIC side UP at the serger - I skim off that extra bit of fabric to finish. Be VERY careful not to cut into the elastic - or you 'kill' the elastic! :)



That's it folks. Done. Pretty easy.

Loes Hinse Shawl Collar jacket

I received the pattern from Londa last week along with her 2 Cents for that pattern.
I have a few of the pattern tweaks/fitting alterations done and have it cut out. I won't be able to sew straight through on it so I will post as I go along.
By the way "Londa's 2 Cents "is most helpful on this pattern because there are a few missteps in the pattern instructions and she fills in the 'blanks' or offers options. I will recap them when I am finished. I believe I am going to like jacket, however.
Later, Joan

Well it is one day later and the Jacket is basically finished. I just need to sew in the shoulder pads. I will try to snag my husband to take a picture of me with it on and then write a little paragraph of my experience constructing it.
I don't have a clue how to post it on here, though. I will explore the site and see if I can figure it out.
Later and keep sewing,
Joan

Daddy and baby - obviously in love!
from Londa's design room

In honor of my Savior

I'm going to try to post pictures of the church banners I made a few years back.
If you go to my website: www.londas-sewing.com and then the Gallery - and then scroll down to the lower right hand corner and click - you can go to where you can read all about how I created them.

Click on these links -

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/hedidthis.jpg

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/threecrosses.jpg

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/hopeinliving.jpg

Or maybe this will work (I'm still learning!)


I pray you have a special observation with your families this weekend - and that the Lord Jesus Christ is in your heart.