Enchanted By Sewing

This month we return to San Francisco’s Summer of Love for more retro fashion inspiration. It’s another field trip ‘cast I’ve been working pretty hard on non-sewing business. Still I love  blue-sky sewing. I’m always keeping an eye out for creative ideas I’ll put to use down the road. Last month and this, I’ve been getting future sewing inspiration from fashions straight out of the Summer of Love. Last month,  I shared my response to denim fashions from the late sixties social movement known as The Summer of Love. The kind of  clothing on view in the Denimocracy portion of  the San Francisco de Young museum exhibit, we’re visited last month, still affects fashion we sew and wear today. This month we’re making a quick return to San Francisco to look at the part ethnic and historical clothing played in the fashion scene back in those days. ~ ~ ~ http://deyoung.famsf.org/summer-love-art-fashion-and-rock-roll http://digitalstories.famsf.org/summer-of-love

A denim-embellished, sewing inspiration, field trip to the San Franciso de Young Museum’s 50’th anniversary of the Summer of Love – at the de Young museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, about 4 miles away from the Polo Fields where the Summer of Love’s Human Be In was celebrated.   So just step on in to your time portal of choice and …. Let it all hang out….   - We’ll start with…Pensamientos Primeros: Hey, had you realized that this summer marks the 50’th anniversy of the Summer of Love in San Franciso? Wow – Far Out Sister!   - Entonces  Un excursion / Then a field trip - Join me for a short field trip to the Summer of Love !   - Y en Pensamientos Finales/And in Final Thoughts : A Perpetual Summer     * * Resources * * Xilocuatla - Nahuatl   http://www.mexicantextiles.com  

I'm enchanted by silk. Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: What is silk and where might it come from? Exploring an historic Japanese Minka Folk House. Technicos/Techniques – Furoshiki: A no-stitch creation from silk - Marriage of ancient Japanese practicality and art Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts – Dreaming of a Superfluity of Silks in the Alcaiceria Bazaar of Granda Spain - home to the Alhambra Palace ~ ~ ~ Resources !~ ~ ~ What was the fibula reference? http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/04/before-safety-pins-there-were-fibulas.html 1) Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts - Links Silk was one of the Animal Fibers in this exhibit, which I loved, at the Met http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2016/animal-fibers http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2016/animal-fibers/exhibition-themes http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/objects?exhibitionId={118765DF-EE1C-4F92-9606-27916C0763AB} PUSH THE PLUS BUTTON to get more details ALL OBJECTS shows pictures and text for all items in t

I’ve become more and more enchanted with altering patterns not only to make them fit me well, but also to add I-am-my-own-designer details to what I sew. A patch pocket a very basic pattern alteration project that doesn't take long and adds a lot to the garment I'm sewing.  Patch pocket alteration is also great for  a first time pattern alteration project, or someone who’s returning to sewing and wants to feel they are adding their own touch to a commercial pattern.  This month show I talk about how I altered and created a unique patch pocket for my Sukey blouse. Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: Blue Sky Sewing. How I might use a patch pocket to feel more like my own pattern designer or simply add practicality to my wardrobe and other things I sew and use.  Technicos/Techniques: How I altered the patch pocket I made for my Sukey Shirt (I expect to blog and cast more about Sukey in the future)

Part three of my series about my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride (MOB) outfit. Wrapping up my MOB sewing project -sharing my experiences working on this ensemble. It’s about- Planning, Patterns, Prick stitching , Perturbation, and Patience. All 3 garment pieces have involved pattern creation or alteration. Snapshot of This Month’s Show - Pensamientos Primeros – Planning and Patterns Recapping the history of my mob ensemble a. Camisole slip - See my previous podcast - "A Camisole for the Mother of the Bride" b. Modified Dirndl skirt i. Modified dirndl is not the Heidi style traditional alpine look It's NOT http://www.kaffeeundkuchen.co/home/guide-to-buying-and-wearing-a-dirndl ii. It's NOT any of these fun skirts! http://vintagedancer.com/1940s/1940s-skirts/ iii. Back in the 80’s I remember a number of the suit patterns I sewed called the style of skirt I just made a ‘modified dirndl’ – but I can’t find a link quickly. I’ll describe it iv. What IS a modified dirndl? 1. Somewhat straight skirt 2. Not so straight t

Spring Shirring:In this show I'm continue to share with you, some of my experiences working on my Mother-Of-The-Bride ensemble. All 3 garment pieces involve  pattern creation or alteration. Snapshot of This Month’s Show  1) Pensamientos Primeros/First Thougths  Shirring? Are we talking sheep? Thoughts on scissors,  shears, and the sewing technique known as ‘shirring’. 2) Entonces inspiración para fruncir/Inspiration for Shirring     Museum portrait and wardrobe shopping 3) Y finalmente, Technicos /And finally    Techniques that I’ve used for shirring Note: Within the Inspiration Section, and at the end of the ‘cast,  I included travel notes for places I like to visit in San Francisco Golden Gate Park for fellow sewists who may be visiting, or to prompt other local sewists to share their own thoughts on this locale.    

  Part of my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride outfit. I'm also working on a lace over-blouse and a skirt. The camisole I talk about in this show, is Part one of my 3-piece Mother-Of-The-Bride  (MOB) outfit.  In this show begining to share experiences working on MOB ensemble.  All 3 garment pieces have involved  pattern creation or alteration. Snapshot of This Month’s Show    - Pensamientos Primeros - short sewing history to date of my MOBride - - - Technicos: Jan Bones Lingerie Secrets book,Original pattern  designed for knits, How I altered to use a woven The darts - added plus natural placement,Strap placement-  - Pensamientos Finales  - is it worth the trouble? This podcast is an extension of my regular sewing blog - http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com  

Not long after I finished up my front pleated, mid-weight, denim trousers. Suddenly hit …I was taking my sewing inspiration from trousers I’d sewn in high school – which for me was quite some time ago. And that inspiration came from fashion designer Betsey Johnson. What will you hear in this month’s show? 1) Vintage Alley Cat – The Original Betsey Johnson – In which Laurel is whisked away on a time travel jaunt, reminding her that not all of her sewing projects come from the pages of the here and now.   2) Betsey Briefly – A Timeline a. Including a bit about how Betsey’s designs iinfluenced my own coming of age sewing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youthquake_(movement) 3) -Trousers Inspired by an Alley Cat In which A woman draws inspiration from her teenaged sewing self. Talk about time travel! a. The original Betsey Johnson pattern - way back when - was B3289 http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2017/01/vintage-flared-trousers-alley-cat.html b. Further ideas for sewing inspired by Betsey Johnson. The Jamie M

This December I’ve put more time into sewing, than blogging about sewing. So though I’ve actually sewn five items – I’ve only blogged about two of them - so far. I’m hoping I'll find some time to post about what I’ve made, next week, because I really enjoy having a sewing journal.   I love looking back through my blog and remembering – oh that’s right Back in Dec of 2016 I made  * Queen Cordelia – a printed courderoy princess seamed shirt with ¾ len sleeves, fun buttons and some collar embellishment * A pair of front-pleated denim trousers * A  night shirt for my husband,  * A simple flannel baby blanket  * A flat bottomed tote bag   This Month’s Show is a holiday postcard, focusing on the basic technicos/techniques of sewing a flat-bottomed bag that can serve the combined purpose of being both a tote and gift bag.   Five reasons to know how to sew a tote   1 - Save money or just  be Green: I don’t know about where you live, but around here, we get chargd 10 cents for store bags -it’s really worth remembering

* Pensamientos Primeros/First Thoughts: Impact of Color on My Sewing Choices   *Technicos/Techniques: Patterning and Sewing Color *Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts:Searching for Color in San Diego County 

I'm learning to copycat a favorite knit top, without cutting the garment apart.

Come along on a field trip to the Oscar De La Renta Exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco

Ready Set Sew! Sewing my own garments, allows me to define and create my own style.   This Month’s Show    1) Primeros Pensamientos/First Thoughts * Defining this sewist’s current style  * Elements of Style- According to Laurel -Color -Design Lines and Fit,  -Fabric and Drape -Lifestyle   In reference to wearing fur -We go with what the always charming Felix Bassenak (S.Z. Sakall) said to Elizabeth Lane (aka Barbara Stanwick) in Christmas in Conneticut… "You need it? Nobody needs a mink coat but a mink!" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037595/quotes 2) Entonces/Then Technicos: Techniques I used for altering M6403, the pattern I used for my black linen summer pants   In Pensamientos Finales, I recall the importance of  sewing this maxi jumpsuit 3)) Pensamientos Finales/Final Thoughts Looking back- Sewing myself as a grownup   …. Web and Pattern Resources: http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/08/floribunda-bouquet-another-sleeveless.html   M6403 pants pattern - out of print but many copi

Sewing Pinto's Purse using the free buttercup purse pattern from Rae at MadeByRae. Her original (free) pattern is available at http://www.made-by-rae.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern/ Rae's pattern is designed for laying out on a fat quarter. My buttercup purse is an example of green sewing. I created it both from remnants saved in my fabric inventory and scraps from Pinto, a sleeveless princess-seamed shirt I had just finished.  http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2016/07/summer-essentials-pinto-picnic-shirt.html Snapshot of This Month’s Show * Primeros Pensamientos//First Reflections   Rae has created a number of patterns linked at her site. One of them is this darling free purse. It’s a tiny bag, though you can enlarge the pattern easily on a photocopy machine or extend the pattern freehand. I’ve made several of these purses both in the original small size and also larger versions. The small original, which is big enough to hold my keys, iPhone, iPod and maybe a little cash or a bag for a dogg

This month's show is, PART 2 of Embellished and Printed, Reflections from a Historical Exhibit from an Historical Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - Fashion and Virtue: Textile Patterns and the Print Revolution, 1520–1620 In this Show *Primeros Pensamientos/First Reflections – Chatting about my sewing and a little more My Kensington Gardens Shirt - Terminado!/Finished! *D’accurdo, tambien/OK also And a little more /y un poco más At work on Pinto another summer shirt *Entonces/Then Back to the exhibit at the Metropoliton Museum of Art in NYC - Fashion and Virtue: Textile Patterns and the Print Revolution, 1520–1620 Web Resources I mentioned the Tanna Lawn fabric for my cur.rent sewing project, that I purchased a few years back from Liberty of London. In this podcast "Laurel Loves London" I talked about a trip to Liberty http://enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2013/06/ench-by-sew-009-laurel-loves-london.html One of the items in the exhibit we visit in this cast comes from the Victoria an

Embellished and Printed Fabric, Reflections from a Historical Exhibit from an Historical Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - Fashion and Virtue: Textile Patterns and the Print Revolution, 1520–1620 In this Show: * Primero Pensamientos/First Reflections - I reflect on this exhibit at the Met and also on how the exhibits I saw there, relate to my own current sewing and my interest in patterned fabrics and their history. *Entonces/Then #FashionandVirtue We go to the exhibit together. Remember that this is only Part 1 of this exhibit. I’ll take you back with me again, next month in the June show, for Part 2. Web Resources I mentioned the Tanna Lawn fabric for my cur.rent sewing project, that I purchased a few years back from Liberty of London. In this podcast "Laurel Loves London" I talked about a trip to Liberty http://enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2013/06/ench-by-sew-009-laurel-loves-london.html One of the items in the exhibit we visit in the current podcast comes from the Victoria an

This month is a short cast - a mini-cast!   Happily Ever After – A Sewing Story I mentioned in this episode that I wish I could see the following exhibit at the Met in New York. I can't, but maybe you can! I am planning to buy the book. A docent I met there said it's going to be a really big deal show.   Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology Over 120 pieces of haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion are yours to discover in Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. http://www.metmuseum.org  The exhibition explores the creative process and unravels how designers are reconciling the handmade with the machine-made in fashion. Galleries will focus on embroidery, feather work, artificial flowers, and pleating alongside innovative processes such as 3D printing, computer modeling, and more. Opening in early May on through

What is a princess-seam? A princess-seam is intended to mirror the shape of a woman’s torso. It’s a long, lengthwise curved seam midway between the side seams and the center of the garment. You might see a princess-seam in a women's nightgown, camisole, swim suit, blouse, shirt, dress, or coat. The lines you’ll typically see in a bustier, or merry widow garment, are a good example of princess-seams.   Princess-seams are sewn into the front and/or back of a shirt. They may start at the low or high hip,  the waist , or wherever the bottom of the garment is. In a fitted cropped top they’ll start at that bottom crop point, in a dress or coat, without separate skirt pieces, they are probably at the hemline. A princess-seam usually moves up to the armscye (armhole) or to the shoulder seam.   Often a princess-seamed dress does not have a separate waistline at all, since it does its shaping without darts. A -Line dresses often have princess-seams.   Well executed princess-seams can add a long sliming look.    In this

Kunghei fatchoy! (Happy New Year!) Sewing inspired by the Chinese Lunar New Year and the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit "China Through the Looking Glass".  

Plaid tidings’ to you and all of your kin! During the winter holidays, plaids and tartans look so festive. Dolls are the perfect plaid-sewing partners, because sewing for a doll, gives me the motivation to engage in some sample sewing. And at this time of year they remind me of  dollies, and doll clothes that were sewn for me, at this special time of year – like the mini wardrobe of Barbie clothes my aunt gracie sewed and sent me one winter holiday, as well as the red courderoy jumpers and dotted slip dresses, Mama made for our chatty Kathy dolls, as well as for me and my sister Trisha in the winter I was 4 (with matching girl jumpers).   K.R's green plaid jumper is based on an  American Girl free doll clothes pattern in "Mollie's Pretty Clothes"   The doll featured in this sewing project is Katie Rose. K.Rose is an Engel-Puppen doll. (Engel-Puppen doll link - has history of these dolls) Sample sewing may not sound very exciting, but sewing an 18” (think American Girl sized) plaid doll’s dress ga