It's the Sleeves for Me

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Sleeve Replacement!

My client asked me if I could "patch" the sleeves on his leather jacket. I told him I'd take a look at it.

When I saw it, I told him 2 things:

1. It was not leather - it was faux leather (really vinyl)

2. The sleeves needed to be replaced entirely!

He gave me creative license - and I was able to find this cool faux leather. I liked it so much that I bought enough for another project for myself!

I removed the sleeves by accessing the interior through this opening. The jacket is a size small - so even though the other sleeve lining did not have this same access, I created one with my seam ripper to make the process easier.

After removing the sleeves, I carefully traced around them onto the fabric. I'd considered

making a paper pattern, then realized I wouldn't need or use it again.

So on with the tracing I went!

The sleeve is a 2 piece curved sleeve. The curve had been edge stitched, but I decided to top-stitch it. I'm so glad that I did, because the results added a great looking detail!

I used my roller presser foot, a 80/12 Schmetz needle and a 2.8 stitch length. Because the fabric is a lightweight faux leather, there was no need to use a leather needle.

After sewing the sleeves together, I added them to the jacket. Using the clips was great - pins would have left holes in the faux leather. 

Remember, I was working through those lining opening, so I had to do a bit of twists and turns to attach them.

I then pulled the sleeves through the opening and sewed the cuff and lining together...more twists and turns. Then I pressed them with a presscloth and my clapper.

After the jacket was complete...and after triple checking my work, I closed the lining openings with edge stitching.

I dropped the jacket off and loved seeing the smile on my customer's face.

He noticed the topstitching first!

He owns a hair salon and showed the jacket off to his wife and a few of his clients!

 There was some serious ohhhing and ahhhing going on!

Happy customers make me happy!

What kind of alterations or repairs have you done? Let me know in the comments!

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Flutter Sleeves!

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This simple top became a bit of a challenge!

I'm really not a pastel kind of girl, but I fell in love with this beautiful 

double brushed poly knit print 

at the International Houston Quilt Festival in October 2019 when I spotted it at the SoSewEnglish booth.  

There was only one bundle left, so I tucked it under my arm as I continued to shop.  I didn't even know how much yardage it was!

LOL! 

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Right?

There was just enough for a simple top, which was perfect because that print needed to speak for itself!

I'd heard about this wonderful knit, but that was my 1st time seeing and touching it!

It is SEW soft!

  It's like wearing secret pajamas! 

It will also make wonderful luxurious feeling pajamas!

I used my TNT (Tried and True) pattern - Butterick 5954.  It's out of print now, but I found it here.  

You can see from some of my markings that I've hacked and used it multiple ways!

It's really time to preserve this pattern by fusing some inexpensive woven interfacing to the back of it! 

This time my hack was the sleeves.  I decided I wanted flutter sleeves for this floaty fabric!  

Did I say it it SEW soft!!!

My Kai Scissors worked magically on this fabric!

After ensuring that I had the dark blue flower placed the same way on each of the flutters, I discovered this cut in my fabric!!  

NOOOO! 

I have no idea how or when it happened!

Not only was I shocked, I was upset! I'd spent so much time making sure the flowers were placed nearly perfectly on the top as well as the sleeves!

I took a really deep breath and walked away! 

A word of advice: Don't sew when your'e frustrated, upset or tired!

After 2 days of thinking about it, I decided to mend the hole by hand.  

Because the back of the fabric is a bit "spongy" - I decided that hand stitching

was the way to go! 

 After stitching it, I steamed it and used my clapper on it.  It's not perfect, but it will be hidden in the flutter when I wear it!  So I'm kinda happy with the repair.

I did most of the construction on my Juki MO 1000 Serger.

I stabilized the neckline, sleeve hem and body hem with a strip 

of fusible tricot interfacing that I cut myself.  

Don't skip this step!

I was out of it, but you can also use fusible Dritz Stay Tape.

After adhering the strips of interfacing, I  serged the edges - then top stitched a 1/2" hem.

I used Dritz Clear Elastic on the shoulder seam (which I prefer for knits).

  Another step you don't want to skip!

 You don't want to do all the work of creating a beautiful garment only to have your shoulders losing shape and sagging!

I'm quite happy with this top...I might even forget about that cut in the flutter!  LOL!

Happy Endless Sewing!

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Let's Make a Mashup!

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Mash up! What is it?

Many of you know that I love hacking patterns...even my own!
But a "mashup" is the process of combining patterns to create one look.  

This is something I do quite often as well as hacking! 

And yes, yet again...I'm entering it into an Instagram challenge. This #sewcialmashup challenge is being hosted by @insidethehem and @girlsinthegarden.  

I have not joined as many challenges as I did last year.  I'm determined to make garments that I will actually wear and use fabrics that I love.  It's working, so far!  😍

For this look, I chose Butterick pattern 6455 (view A) and the sleeves from McCalls pattern 7542 (view B).

This print chiffon was gifted to me and the solid black chiffon was taken from my stash.  As soon as I saw the black and white print, I knew it would be a top!

After constructing the sleeves, I wasn't too sure about them, but I continued!

 I finished the sleeve by doing a serged roll hem.

I hemmed the bottom with a folded top-stitched hem.  Then tried it on.  The sleeves were a fail!  

They just kinda just hung there.

  I'd made the top before, but had never made this sleeve!

I was not happy!  

The very next day it dawned on me that adding horsehair braid would be the solution!  

But, I let it sit for a few more days while I thought about it. 

Should I use 1/2" or 1" braid?  

Hmmmm!  

I finally decided on using 1/2" horsehair braid.  I sewed it to the right side with a 1/8" seam allowance then turned it to the wrong side and stitched the sleeve hem! 

 I am sew, sew happy with the results!

Look at that curl!  Oh yes! It was no longer floppy!

Sew Much Drama!!!!

Happy Endless Sewing!

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Trial and Error of the PINK Challenge

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Pink Challenge

I love color and pink is just another of my color choices! 

So when the Sew Much Talent July Shades of Pink Challenge was announced, I knew I had a soft pink challis print and this bright pink poly crepe left over from a test garment in my stash. 

I chose to go bright!

I used view B of Butterick 6455 to create this fun top with these great sleeves.  I love cold shoulder tops (which I make a lot), and I like the look of off shoulder tops, just not on me. So when I saw this pattern, I thought of it a cross between the two...sort of a compromise. 

As much as I love statement sleeves, I didn't know if I'd really like these.  

But after much trial and error, I fell in love with everything about it!

It was a quick easy make, but due to my late night "tired" sewing, I created a few problems for myself.  

I cut the sleeves for view A instead of view B.  After adding the ruffle, the sleeves came to my knees! Hahahaha! It was hilarious looking!

So I cut the ruffle off and shortened the sleeves.  Problem solved, right? Nope! I then tried to add the piece I'd cut off the sleeve back to the sleeve as the ruffle! Well, of course that didn't work - the ruffle has to be larger to gather it, right?

Then I almost cut up the ruffle to do a test stitch.  My friends told me to stop and walk away.  So I had some watermelon, watched a TV show, then went back to it.  I was not giving up! 

I got the sleeves on and all I had left to do was to hem it. I usually mark my hemlines and press them in place.  Then I trim off the excess before finishing and hemming. Sounds like a good plan. right?

Well, I marked the fold line for the hem...but I cut it at the marks instead of folding and pressing on the marks! Now what, I thought! My top was going to be too short!  Ughhh! 

I'd wanted to make a 1 inch hem, but I had to go to plan B.  I ended up with a very narrow hem instead.  It worked, the length is perfect!

Like many sewists...I sew late at night. For me...it comes from sewing in the corner of my parents's living room as a kid, so I wouldn't wake up my younger siblings (and so I could think and create without them running around).  Then later as a Mom, I sewed at night when my kiddos were young.  Some habits just don't die! 

But late night sewing mixed with being tired don't always mix!

Because of all the mistakes, I was angry with it (or myself)!  LOL! And because I was angry with it, I didn't like it.  

But the next day I tried it on with jeans and heels and pearls, and I fell in LOVE with it! I will definitely make it again...I'm thinking the next one will be view  D.  

Maybe with my pink challis print.

Moral of the story? 

Sewing late at night is fine, but not so much when it's late and you're tired!
And we all make mistakes.

Either way, don't give up and don't trash it.

Persevere and wear your creations with pride!

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Me Made May 2018

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Well!

I completed yet another challenge!  

So what is Me Made May 2018?

It's what I consider to be a rather loose Instagram challenge to wear something you've made. It didn't need to be made in May or even this year. It's just a way to remind yourself to wear what you make and take pride in your creations and skills.  

Each person made their own commitment. Mine was to wear at least 1 Me Made garment each week during the month of May. As you can see, I exceeded that with my 6 pieces! Ahhhh...yes...I'm a Type A personality!

If you're on Instagram, check out the hashtag #mmmay2018 to see all the wonderful makes.

Of course you can find me on Instagram @endless dzns by carrie.

Even though black and white are great spring colors, I made this in January as part of a Sew Your Stash challenge!

I hacked one of my my self-drafted tops by adding the flutter sleeves. Sew feminine! 

I love this top!

This was worn during week 4 of May. 

It's one of the 1st self-drafted tops I altered after the weight loss.

And it's still one of my favorites - mostly because of the super bright print!

I also love the hi/low draping.

And the journey through my Me Made May Garments continued with this Angela Wolf design that I made 2 years ago after winning the pattern. I made it almost immediately after the win and loved how easy and fast it was to make!

I especially love how beautifully the neckline lays. It was sew fun to make!
The fabric is a rayon knit that feels luxurious! Using my serger made it so much easier to complete!

This ITY knit top was originally a self-drafted maxi dress that I made last year. But after wearing it once and putting it on twice more, I decided it was not a print that I wanted to cover my entire body. LOL! So I cut it! It's so much better as a top!

I haven't yet decided what to do with the remaining fabric. But don't be surprised if it shows up as a sleeve or some kind of accent. 😉

This is a tunic length top I made during the Sew Your Stash challenge.

I love this asymmetrical neckline and will definitely make another one. 

The pink and black lace knit fabric used for the sleeves was initially purchased to make an over-sized cowl neck collar. I'm much happier with it as sleeves. 

And of course...

My yellow dress that I made for the May 19th Yellow Dress Breakout Conference!

I hacked (lengthened) one of my self drafted tops to create this dress.

  I used 2 spools of black embroidery thread as the top thread and normal polyester thread in the bobbin for top-stitching all the princess seams and hems.  I also top-stitched an asymmetrical design on the sleeves (not shown). 

I increased my stitch length to 3.5. It took several tests to get the effect I wanted.  But in the end I was quite pleased with the shine I got from the embroidery thread.  

I'm in love with this first Me Made dress of the season!  

I'm thinking to wear it later this week to my Grandson's 8th Grade Graduation. 

What was my take-away from this challenge?

It's pretty simple really...

It's quite OK to wear my favorite pieces repeatedly, while interjecting some of the not so tried and true pieces! 

I hope you've enjoyed walking through my Me Made May 2018 journey and that it inspires you to continue (or begin) making your own garments and to wear them with pride!