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    • Pants made from my own pattern

Fully lined jacket

7/9/2015

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This is the first time that I make a fully lined jacket.  It really was not as hard as I had thought it would be.  It did help that it had simple lines and the outer fabric is a double knit with a bit of stretch.  The lining is a cozy and soft flannel.

I have never liked the lining fabrics normally used in jackets.  They're cold when you first put the garment on, and stick to you if you are too warm.  So I decided to use flannel, which will be much more comfortable for a child to wear.

This jacket is about to be shipped to Pine Ridge, along with several other things.  The school principal is back and ready to receive warm clothing for her students.  This school goes from pre-K to 12th grade, so just about any child size will fit somebody.  For now, here are a couple of photos of the jacket:


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Super easy baby blanket

6/18/2015

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This is absolutely the easiest blanket I have ever made!  I think it took me longer to get all the fabrics nice and flat than to sew them together.

I used 1 yard of each fabric.

The top layer is a cute cotton print with teddy bears.  The lining is a plain broadcloth, and you could use any cotton fabric such as quilt backing.  The interlining is sandwiched between the two fabrics. I used a piece of flannel to give baby a little warmth.

Before starting, make sure you have washed all the fabrics so they are already preshrunk when you lay them out.

Put your three fabrics flat on a table or, if you're limber enough, on a clean floor.  Pin all around, leaving a space of about 5" for turning.  Stitch, clip the corners at a 45 degree angle. Turn over and stitch the opening closed.

Done!
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A few more things for my Pine Ridge family

6/10/2015

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I made myself NOT start anything new till I had completely finished several of the Summer outfits I had started.  I intend to send those to my "adopted" family in Pine Ridge.  The family has four children, three boys and one girl, all age 5 and under. 

Armed with several size charts, I did my best to hopefully make clothes that will fit them and maybe have room to grow.  The striped fabric is a knit that was quite uneven and was difficult to make and align the stripes.

The little girl's outfit is made of a knit fabric that looks like denim but is more comfortable because it stretches.  I really liked this fabric: it keeps its shape and looks like it won't show dirt too easily.

Here are the photos!


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Focus: Pine Ridge Reservation

6/7/2015

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For the past month or so, I have been focusing my charity crafting on the poorest of the great nation that we call the United States of America. 

Can you even imagine an 80% unemployment rate?  Living well below the poverty level, are a whole lot of elderly people and children.  Plagued by low morale and illnesses, very cold weather (they had 12" of snow in late May!), and with no hope for improvements, those people need help.

One of the projects to assist them is the Okini program.  A heartbreaking list of DIRE needs is available online and you can choose to send them food, diapers, clothing, and money.  You can sponsor a family on a regular basis, or just participate when you are able to spare a little something.  When you look at the list, you will notice that they are asking for very basic items.  This is a world where life is so different.  There, going to the store for groceries is an agonizing moment where every penny is counted, obtaining a barely used pair of pants or a blanket without holes is a special treat, and having some propane to warm their poorly insulated home when it's -20F is a blessing.  If you read their stories, be sure to have a box of tissues near you.

If you are moved to help, the list can be found here.  It is updated frequently so you can see at a glance what is needed.

While I have sent some diapers, wipes, and a few other things, I have also started a box of nutritious non-perishable foods.  By buying a few additional groceries every week, it is easy to quickly fill a box.  I have also been knitting and sewing to fill a box of clothes for this Summer.  Here's one of my latest outfits.  It is done in knit fabrics so it should be comfy.  I have found some wonderful stretch fabrics that can be for a boy or a girl.  My "adopted" family has 4 children under the age of five, and I hope that they will like those.  I will have more photos later on.


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Skirt Sloper -- Make Your Own Pattern

5/8/2015

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A while back, when I posted how to draw your own pants pattern, someone asked for a skirt pattern tutorial.  Specifically, we were talking about making what is called a sloper, which is the very base of patterning.

Browsing on the net, I found this site that has an excellent tutorial for a pencil skirt sloper.  So, I am not going to re-write what Deby wrote so well.  Click on this link to go to her site, So Sew Easy
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Haiti -- Four years later

4/28/2015

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Four years after disaster stroke Haiti, they are still among the poorest and neediest nations in the world.  My favorite group, All Crafts For Charity, decided to devote a month of crafting to make much needed clothes.  We made some pillowcase dresses and other Summer dresses for the little girls, and some shorts and tee-shirts for the boys.

This was great for me because their climate is similar to ours in South Florida.  I am better acquainted with cotton and lightweight fabrics than with what is needed in cold climates.  So, I put aside the knitting needles and got busy at the sewing machine.  It reminded me of when my children were small, and I would make some of their clothes.  As a matter of fact, the little airplane buttons were left over from when I made my son some overalls.

If you like to sew, knit, or crochet, there are plenty of opportunities to lend your skills and to help out these innocent kids. Reservations in the USA are also always in need of clothing.  If you're not sure how to get started, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below.

With the proverbial strength in numbers, the group collected a lot of outfits for those poor children.  Here's my modest contribution:


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Sewing 1/4" seams

3/14/2012

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I'm not a quilter, and doubt I'll ever have the patience to piece together a pile of tiny fabric pieces. But, I like to see what talented quilters have made. Some people are just so creative!

In my browsing, I came across Seams To Be You And Me. Cindi has an awesome blog, and I found her entry about sewing 1/4" seams really good. Those small seams are not just for quilting, they can be used to sew anything small (baby clothes, dolls, I'm sure you can think of others).

I'm not one to a bunch of specialty sewing gadgets. I'm a firm believer that if women could make works of fiber arts centuries ago, with only basic supplies, then I should have no problem making my modest creations with the basic, albeit modern, notions. Unless I'm sure that I will use something a lot, I'm not willing to buy it. No way I'm considering a 1/4" foot, heck, I use the same foot for everything except zippers. So, yes, learning how to do something without a special gizmo is right down my alley!

Cindi uses a lined 3 x 5 card! Love it!!! Check it out here!
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Busy bee

3/14/2012

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Several readers and friends have asked me why I didn't write any more. I have been really busy with work, family, house... the usual stuff. However, I have ensured that my charity work continued to provide, in a small way, to disadvantaged babies and adults. I've also gotten into more knitting this past few months. Photos can be seen on the Charity pages links, the latest being here:  /charity-crafts-gallery---page-4.html
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Sewing green

5/2/2011

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I just came across this post on Sew Mamma Sew! Guest blogger Betz White makes a very good case and shows examples of sewing without waste. Click here for the article.

Another website I really like is Sew Green. The site covers a number of aspects such as ecofashion, reusing, repurposing, sustainable sewing. It's a really good organization and it also benefits some charities.
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Front Bodice Sloper is loaded!

4/24/2011

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Thank you to all who have join me in the draft along of the back bodice.

After some frustrating technological mess-ups (grumbles, grumbles), I got it to load here.

That page has quite a few photos, so give it time to load. As always, comments here or on My Sewing Circle are welcome.

Happy Easter!
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    Agnes teaches

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