Turning Totally Tubular

Between my Dunkins Donuts iced coffee (no sugar, skim milk please) and a bowlful of my pre-lunch lentil soup, I made myself this little tubular jacket. It went laser-quick on my Viking Husqvarna 735. If I could only grow the sleeves with the textile equivalent of human growth hormones, I'd be all set. Well, I'm still all set, although I don't have a set dinner table although I could have a set TV tray if I so chose.

Why the heck am I quibbling about when this project cost me all of $1 (about 92 cents less than the drink I mentioned above)? Here are some things that made it quickety-quick for me:

1) Set the foot pressure to 4. This is a very thin woven fabric, so it constantly wants to slip away, especially under the sewing table and play footsie with the pedal. Don't let it!
2) For those with advanced Viking machines, use a J foot to create a faux-serger stitch. I "serged' all raw edges because this flamestitch fabric is soooo ravelly.
3) Play up any scallops to your advantage. I love the scallops here, even though some of them looked liked they were falling apart. I've use them as the sleeve hem.
4) Fiddle with the neck opening. I did, and it's quite fitted in a way that 1950s seamstress could appreciate, but I'm content with that.
5) Use the iron to finish the project! I pressed out those scallops and the little bit of water in my iron flattened out the scallops and made them pointy as you can see in these photos.

I'm wearing this wearing this with a black top and skirt I made, but it could work with a pair of jeans (and some kind of top obviously). I'm thinking it would be spectacular with a white sleeveless jersey top and matching wide-legged linen pants. Smashing...perfect for a trip to Ravinia, which is where this train line leads if I'm so inclined to make that trip tonight. What are you sewing this weekend?

Shorn, Not Shaven

Today has been an ice cream kind of day. I did have the opportunity to get a $1 fudge sundae at McDonald's earlier, but it was just too soon for something so scrumptious, but I might treat myself later, particularly after I pick up handsome Hamlet in a few hours when he's groomed at Bark Place. I suspect he will be a lot more comfortable in the humid weather once he's trimmed. If you're wondering, I will not be using his fur for yarn. That's gross, besides, he's not my dog - I'm a foster mother, and his real mama might not approve. Anyhow, isn't there better yarn out there?

Which brings me, in a bad segue, to the fabrics you see above. I've been thinking about the blue-toned flamestitch number on and off (and off and on) all day. I've got 2 1/4 yards of this 56 inch wide fabric; I feel so lucky to have it. It was the only remnant in this colorway at Vogue Fabrics' remnant table. Right now, I'm really loving just about any textile and piece of jewelry that has turquoise, brown and beige. This particular fabric has a surfeit of each! It was a steal (at least in my checkbook) at $6.73 pre-tax! I've been thinking about making it into an asymmetrical hem skirt, something swishy that makes the most of the scalloped edges. I'd even consider turning it into a dress with the right pattern. I've no idea what pattern would work with this very lightweight woven fabric, which is kind of ravelly (not Ravelry). I was actually thinking about emailing Ann Smith or even Sandra Betzina for their suggestions. I trust their taste, and somehow I believe both would appreciate the beauty of this fabric. If you've any brilliant ideas, please leave them in the comments.

The other fiery fabric you see above? There's only 1/2 a yard at 47 inches wide. Yes, very small! I got it for $1 in the Angel remnants section also at Vogue. (Everything with a Red angel stamp is a buck.) I'm thinking it could work as a tube bolero jacket, much like this one, but considerably smaller. If that doesn't work? Well, I'll work it into another garment, some way or another. Do you know I have at least two other iterations of this same flamestitch (also called bargello) fabric in my collection? I'm obsessed with it in the warped way that I adore 100 percent cotton eyelet, which I also collect. Oddly enough, there's some really nice white eyelet with a beautiful scalloped edge on the store shelf that I have not purchased, largely because I already have something similar and uncut from Anne Klein in my closet. Those other two bits of fabric I will likely turn into summer-weight sweatercoats.

By the way, those of you who are in Chicago at the end of July, a group of Patternreview.com members are planning to meet up with Deepika at Vogue Fabrics! I'm certain we won't have to try very hard to get her to add some fabric to her own collection. I will attempt to be generous with what's in the remnant section. The operative word is try, of course, which might mean that I ensure that there's nothing there that I would like first, especially in the knits and stretch lace departments.