No Class

No class this week so I have no update for today. I will give an update on my Batman pj's on thursday still. :D See you thursday!

Whoever thought voodoo dolls could really prove helpful! :D

                                   Mrs. Feisty

Thrifty Treasure Deals!

 

I have grown up hunting through thrift stores for hidden treasure and I love it!

 

I get a rush as I bespy patterns, objects, and items that form new ideas of usefulness while chucking other things aside.



 

Above is the Styling Design Ruler at a local sewing store full priced. I got it from the thrift store for $1.99. :D I skipped across the store to my husband to show him the treasure we would be taking home. Of course he doesn't understand it's potential but I do. ;)

Now to be honest I had no idea what this was at the thrift store because it had no label but I had a hunch that it was something great. I sent pictures to Mastermind and it was hard to see what it was in text because it is clear plastic.

She thought it was a thread holder and so I bought it still unsure of its purpose. When I went to the local fabric store I stopped to see if I could identify it and lo and behold! $39.99 for a thread holder when I paid $3.99. :D

I didn't get this at the thrift store; it was only $2.99 at the store and I was sure it wasn't worth a real thrift store hunt for the price. Not everything is worth a thrift store raid.  

I also saw this at the thrift store and it tickled my mind but it had no writing or anything on it so I dismissed it! ARGH!SRFGSDFGJSDOFJSD!!!

Seriously people, follow your hunches, guts, and mind tickles for deals. But I am keeping my eyes peeled for sure on this and some other things. Raid those thrift shops like a Viking! Take the best even if your not sure its the best. :D Lol.


                                                                    - Mrs. Feisty

Pajamas Part 3

An hour is so short when you don't want it to be and forever when you want it to pass by. :/

Once again simple tasks but I learned a lot. We pinned the sides together and matched the notches. I have a hard time paying attention to the notches at first because all I wanted was for everything to match up. However, in order to do that you had to match the notches first then go up and down. Because the back pieces that go over the butt have more fabric so it seems weird at first but it's logical just flow with it.

We basted it and did a half inch seam at first to see how it would fit. So we basted a leg and I tried it on. It was still a little big. We previously altered the pieces before because it was a little big but we decided to do a 5/8 inch as the pattern instructs to make it fit better. :D

Sewing a straight line is hard. So mastermind showed me a little trick. She took some tape and aligned it with the line I needed to follow so it was very easy for me to sew a straight line.

Don't do these:

1. Do not pull the fabric from the back. Guide it with your hands from the sides and front.
2. Always match up the notches first before any of the edges.
3. Always try on the pattern and fabric pieces to ensure accuracy/comfort.
4. Iron all your pieces.

Patterns are hard to read because I am a visual learner. Those who do well reading instructions can probably read a pattern better than me. Because I have sat down and read the instructions multiple times. I have to take it into very small steps and move the pieces to help me understand what they want.

Next update for the pajamas will be sewing the crotch together with the elastic and hem of the pants. I have to pick up elastic. Don't let me forget. :)

The robe will be updated shortly as well. :) The pattern is hard to read and there is not a lot of instructions. A bit is assumed that the sewer knows what they are doing. However I don't. Bwahahahaha :D See you next time!

                                                      - Mrs. Feisty

Simplicity Bath Robe

     In order to keep practicing outside of my class Mastermind said I could do whatever I wanted as long as it reinforced what I was learning and didn't get too crazy. (This is my facial reaction below.)

      Keeping in mind I couldn't go nuts I picked out a bath robe pattern to make for my hubby. And I will share what I learn from my mistakes with you as well. You can laugh really hard at me because I did. :D 

1. I already had to get more fabric because I cut the wrong side of the fabric. 

2. I wasted so much fabric playing puzzle with all the pattern pieces on the fabric at once.

3. I didn't do smooth long cuts so some edges are jagged.

4. I cut out and ironed all the pieces in the pattern later realizing it contained child/teen and teen/adult when all I needed was teen/adult. 

5. I almost cut my hair while leaning over the fabric when cutting so I have to keep it up or bound. 

6. I didn't cut the notches because I didn't know what they meant. So I will have to go back and rectify that!

Simplicity Patterns are not so simple. :'(

   
      Now I have only actually worked with two different brands of patterns and that is McCalls and Simplicity. What I do like about McCalls is that each size has their own individual dashed lines such as some are smaller and others are thicker or smaller. It was very easy to follow with a price but that is what a coupon is for. :D

      Then Simplicity threw through a loop because the same line is used for each size complete with confusing size labels and such. I cut on the wrong line a few times and ended up taping it back together. Simplicity is not terrible because their price is usually really cheap and their instructions are not as detailed as McCalls. But I am  glad to have worked with Simplicity.

      The brand I am hoping to try is Butterick. Mrs. Ann's had a 5 for $7 deal that I heard from a bird so I grabbed some I would like to make. This way if I try many different brands you guys can decide which one you will like.

     Because I am working with fleece that sheds like crazy I have to overlock the edges to prevent it from falling apart while washing and wearing. To overlock you keep the fabric half way under the zipper foot. Yes the zipper foot is what we want to use because only a zipper stitch will bind the edges.

     What happens sometimes when sewing is that I get caught up in sewing and start to stretch the fabric while if feeds underneath. DO NOT COMMIT THIS SIN! Terrible stuff people. Just hold it up and gently guide it in the right direction. You don't want the wavy mess I got. Trust me ;)

      Can you see it? The words make it the most apparent. I cut the wrong side. :''( Sad moment. I could only laugh then go to the store. Yes more Star Wars has appeared. Geekiness isn't meant to be hidden. :D I hope you guys had a good laugh and I will share more stupid funnies as we go on. :)


                                                                          -Mrs. Feisty

Pajamas Pattern Part 2

Why is there a ruler on my pattern piece? Fantastic question! We need to be sure that the pattern stays  aligned so we can measure from the edge to the grain (7.5 inches above) to make sure it doesn't get tilted. 

     Once the measurements on both sides of the grain line match you can pin them then pin as close to the edge as possible at all corners and sides preventing the fabric from being cut in a choppy fashion. 

     Because I chose a patterned fabric I had to insure that it was properly aligned so that it wouldn't look cadywompus on me. As you see in the picture she showed me how to conserve fabric. 

     Mastermind achieves this by having the fabric underneath stick out farther than the one on top. Make the fold and selvage as close to the edges of your piece as possible. That way we have smallest pieces for scrap and can have bigger left overs. :D 

Question Answered by Mastermind

How can you tell you have good or high quality fabric?

     -Well it depends on where you go and it comes with practice. Wally's World is not going to have top of the line fabric but they do have high quality once in a while. I wouldn't mind going there for pajamas but not for a prom dress. 

     Mrs. Ann's  is middle quality. It has a lot of bad, good, and high quality because they carry so much. An easy way to tell is by checking if the cut of the fabric on the bolt matches the grain line. If it doesn't don't touch it. If it was initially cut incorrectly for a bolt your are going to fight it the whole time and there will be a pucker. 

<--------Lets avoid this .

Continuation of explanation: 

     You also have to understand that here in America sewing is expensive and a hobby so you gotta cut your coupons and watch the sales to buy from the high quality stores in your area. High quality stores are stores that only carry fabric. (I have find such a place!) 

     So I did that today I went to the store with my coupons in hand and took advantage of some sales. ;) I'll share my haul later. :D 

                         -Mrs. Feisty

P.S. Seems like we didn't accomplish much but I learned a lot. Next week we will be busting out the sewing machine! :D Woop! Woop!