Tuesday Tidbits

Friends, if this image looks just like one I posted yesterday, it's because I never got started on my skirt alteration project -- I was paralyzed with anxiety after reading your comments, with predictions of time required ranging anywhere from 20 minutes to 3-4 days.  Whom to believe?  No, I think I'll just put this one on the back burner for a while.  Anyway, I won't see Stephanie for a week.  

I didn't so much as touch a sewing machine yesterday.  The whole day is a blur, to be honest; I felt very off-center.

You're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned the Singer 201 that Nicholas (aka Rain) was supposed to give (I mean "loan") me last week.  That's because we had to postpone the pick-up once again, but today I'm supposed to go get it for real.  Where am I going to put one more sewing machine, you ask?  That's a very good question and one I'll hopefully have answered before I bring it into the apartment.

Apropos of nothing, last night I watched a very entertaining screwball comedy I hadn't seen in decades, The Awful Truth, starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.  Have you seen it?  So funny, witty, and charming in a way that has completely vanished off the face of the earth, or at least off the screen.  If you want to see what sophisticated light comedy used to be, watch this film, or anything with Irene Dunne, for that matter.  Her type is no more.  I hope I don't sound like a crusty old curmudgeon; is there any other kind?

For those of you still reading this stream of consciousness, I feel like I'm in one of those "big shift" periods of my life -- oh, not so big a shift that I'd stop blogging or sewing or blogging about sewing, but for a while now -- months certainly, though most especially since I returned from vacation at the end of August -- I've been feeling like I need to purge a tremendous amount of stuff out of my life.  

If you saw what the inside of my bedroom closet (actually I have two) looked like, you'd probably run away screaming, which is precisely what I want to do every time I open it.  Actually, it's reached a point where I can't even get the door closed, so I scream daily.  Except it's more of an inner scream (don't want to alarm the neighbors, or the dogs), which manifests as lack of energy and a sense of feeling overwhelmed.  

Do you ever want to get rid of things, regardless of what value (to others, or to you, once upon a time) they might have?  I mean, I've found treasures in the trash and sometimes I think I should just put some of my own there and let other people find them.  Of course, the term "treasure" is relative, but I do have many things cluttering my life that I really have no need for, and they take up a lot of psychic space as well.  What to do?   

I used to sell stuff on eBay on a regular basis and I enjoyed it, but the photographing, posting, weighing, packing, shipping is extremely labor-intensive and I no longer have the time, or care to make the time.  Thrift stores (the ones that pick up at your house anyway) are extremely selective here in NYC.  Many no longer want old electronic equipment, for example, and won't touch any piece of pressboard furniture, let alone wigs.

Readers, I think I need to make a plan, something I'm not very good at and resist.  As you know, I generally just take things moment-to-moment, which certainly has its benefits, but also its downsides.  It hurts to watch the planners get ahead and I live with one.

I will leave it at that.  I was reminded of this old blog post I wrote not so long ago.  As you can see, planning and resistance-to-same is a definite leitmotif in my life.  It's always there and never fully resolved; hence, decluttering has its own listing in the MPB Archives (located on the right-hand column of this blog, as always).

We are out of time, alas.  I must address my many organizing tasks and I hope I've inspired some of you to address a few of yours, if you have any.

In closing, do you think creative types are more apt to be surrounded by clutter -- or is that just an excuse?

Any great one- or two-year planners out there?  What's your secret?

Have a great day, everybody!

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Doing Alterations for Others - Yea or Nay?

Like many home sewers, I'm not into altering other people's clothes.  Heck, I don't even like to alter my own!  (Though, ironically, that's the original reason I bought a sewing machine in 2009 -- to shorten some thrift store jeans -- and look what happened.)

I find it much harder to alter ready-to-wear than just make something from scratch and I hate taking things apart when I'm not really sure how they were put together in the first place.

Well, lo and behold, I find myself needing to alter something for somebody.  Our friend Stephanie, who happens to be directing Michael's show, asked if I wouldn't mind taking in a skirt for her, and, since I'm extremely fond of Stephanie, I said yes.

 
Stephanie, who is an amazing dancer/singer/actress, is also an extremely generous person.  She was in Legally Blonde: The Musical on Broadway a few years back, and we got to see the show twice and get a backstage tour.  There I was, front and center on the Palace stage, just like Judy had been -- albeit in an empty theater.

It felt so right....  But I digress.

It's a very simple gathered skirt with a wide waistband and a back zipper.  It's from Zara, and is made of this really cool fabric that looks like a photograph of flowers, all done in acid tones.   Her mother got it for her when she came to visit and Stephanie hasn't been able to wear it because she has a 26" waist and the skirt is a 28-29" (it has a little stretch in it).  Cute, no?







I thought I'd just open up the back, cut off an inch on either side, and then close it back up, most likely adding a new zipper.   There are also two mirror-image side seams, but the skirt has pockets, and I didn't want to have to fiddle with those.



What do you think, readers?  I'm going to have to open up the waistband, right?  I mean, I can't rightly slice out 2" of width -- and the zipper -- with the waistband finished, could I?  I fear that would look crappy.





I do think this will be an interesting little project that shouldn't take more than a few hours tops and you know how poor most performers are these days.  I don't think I'll end up hating Stephanie and/or the skirt.  But I certainly don't want to set a potentially dangerous precedent.  I'm not a tailor, plus I've already had enough headaches lately making things for other people, as you well know.

Also, do you think this skirt is too spring-like for fall?  Stephanie wasn't sure and I'm on the fence.  Does it read flowers at first glance or does it look more abstract?

Look at how cheaply this skirt is hemmed -- they use some kind of fishing wire-type filament to do it.   I've seen that in pants from H&M.



Anyway, that's today's chore (one of a few).

In closing, friends, I must ask:  Do you do alterations for others?  Do you resent being asked?  Are you able to stand up for yourself and say, Bring that to your tailor and don't waste my time! -- though not necessarily in those words?

Will you take on these kinds of tasks, but only for money? 

I know some people get asked to do this all the time (for free) but I rarely have.  What's the kindest way to say fuggitaboutit!?

Doing alterations for others -- yea or nay?

Jump in!

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How I Saved a Dress, and My A**

Readers, remember this loathsome garment from last week that looked like an Eighth Grade Home Ec sewing project left out in the rain and ridden over by the cast of Ben Hur?  (OK, this is one of those classic Before photos where the light couldn't be less flattering, but still...)  On Thursday, I asked you to send me your good sewing karma, and you did.  Behold!

So. Much. Better.



The dress isn't finished yet -- it needs a longer zipper, a finished hem, bodice trim, and a few other things -- but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  This is arguably the most challenging sewing project I have ever taken on, primarily because it is for somebody else -- a woman who has every intention of wearing it!

We all start projects that don't turn out right and end up in the UFO pile, but I didn't have that option; this is part of a BurdaStyle sew-along and I had to finish it.  Not only that, I had to show others how to make it.  I now feel confident that I can do that, since I have basically made this dress three times.

For those just joining us, here's the commercial shot of the dress I'm making.  (A strategically placed clutch bag and oversized lime lifesaver can hide a multitude of sewing sins, let's be honest.)



There were a few problems I didn't anticipate: the weight of the skirt, the droopiness of the fabric, and the nightmare of two competing patterns.  As you know, late last week I completely re-made the skirt, using just the cornflower blue fabric. 

Yesterday I re-made the bodice -- from scratch.  I went to Steinlauf and Stoller and bought weft-weight interfacing and spiral steel boning.  I recut the bodice and interfaced the entire thing.  It made a huge difference.  I cut my lining from a silky-soft cotton sheet, and put boning along the back and side seam allowances.





I stitched the bones to the inside (wrong side) of the lining and, given the thick cotton fabric and the cotton bone casing, they don't show through the dress.



Before...



After:



I don't think Leah will mind if I share her measurements:  33.5 -- 27 -- 37.  She's slim but curvier than the BurdaStyle model, and there's something about the look of an open pleat I don't like, but that's the way the pattern is designed.  Yes, I could press it flat, but it would still spread visibly.

Obviously, on the dress form, this isn't an issue, but like most women, Leah has a lower body and not just a pole with wheels.



So there you have it, readers.  I have saved a dress and, I like to believe, my reputation -- or am I just being dramatic?  I have to credit Susan Khalje's book Bridal Couture, which gave me the confidence to deal with boning and bodices.  (Actually, the BurdaStyle halter dress instructions do call for boning, but the directions are minimal.  Interfacing is never mentioned.)  Fortunately, Leah just got married so she won't be needing a wedding dress any time soon.

In closing, readers, I hope this couture cliffhanger hasn't raised your blood pressure or disturbed your sleep this week, as it did mine.  If I told you I went to a local health clinic yesterday and got a cardiogram, would you think I was kidding?  I'm not.  As it turns out, I'm in excellent health, with nothing more than a strained intercostal muscle (most likely from swimming) rather than acute angina.  But perhaps it would behoove me to lighten up a little -- on my coffee consumption, and just in general.

Friends, have you ever saved a sewing project from a fate worse than death?  Have you gotten so stressed over it that it compromised your health?

Can you take sewing too seriously?

Have a great day, everybody!  Chill.

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MPB Men's Boxers Sew-Along!

Hold on to your hats, friends, and don't catch a chill -- it's time for another sew-along!

Everybody loves boxer shorts and they're not hard to make.  In fact, boxers are an excellent beginner-level sewing project for someone just starting out.  Are you a beginner or do you know someone who is?  Sew along with us this October!

The MPB Men's Boxers Sew-Along will begin on Monday, October 3 and will run for approximately two weeks.     

If you're unable to join us at that time, no worries: the posts will remain accessible on the blog.

For this sew-along, I invite you to use any men's boxers pattern you wish; they're generally very similar to each other, and I'll be using a few different ones to point out various design elements and methods of construction.  We'll even discuss how to draft your own boxers pattern!

Here are a few commercial patterns I found for sale online.  I recommend looking on Etsy, eBay, and Amazon, and you can also do a Google Shopping search.  (Sometimes a search under "men's boxers sewing pattern" will yield different results than "boxer shorts sewing pattern."  You can also try "men's underwear sewing.")   Boxer shorts patterns can also be found new on sites like Pattern Review and Fabric.com.

Patterns from the Sixties and earlier were usually sized for a specific waist measurement (usually within two inches, e.g., 28-30).  More modern patterns tend to include S-M-L-XL and you cut the size you need.

Kwik Sew 1672 is an easy-to-find pattern (Pattern Review sells it) and Kwik Sew instructions are excellent.

McCalls 8934 dates from 1997 and is no longer in print, but it's not hard to find online.  I found a few for sale on Etsy.

Simplicity 9958 is in print and can also be purchased on Pattern Review, among other places.

You can also pick up a vintage boxers pattern if you choose.  They may require a little more pattern tweaking, but usually not much. (Towel and razor not included.)   NOTE: The French boxer style with front-button yoke will not be the focus of this sew along, though I welcome more intrepid sewers to give it a try for an extra challenge.

 

Boxer shorts generally require no more than two yards of fabric (cotton shirting or cotton flannel are ideal choices) and roughly one yard of elastic for the waistband.  We'll be talking more about boxer shorts sewing supplies in the days ahead.

As in the past, I have created a Flickr group for participants to join.  You can join here (if you're already a member of Flickr) or by emailing me at peterlappinnyc at gmail dot com.

Friends, please remember that boxers also make an ideal holiday gift for that certain someone.

Could you or someone you know use some fresh underwear?

I hope you'll be joining us!

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Pattern Mixing: Confidence vs. Competence

Friends, today I want to talk about mixing patterns.   

This is something I should be able to discuss with ease (this is MPB, after all) and yet it's complicated.  Most of us were schooled in What goes with what as children, when we were told by (anxious) parents-or-guardians that our paisley shirt and striped pants simply didn't go together (They were only trying to protect us, poor things -- as you do your children) and we took it to heart, never again daring to pair a print with anything other than a dark solid -- if at all. 

Usually we just played it safe.



Or wore jumpsuits.



Let's face it: mixing patterns takes confidence.  It also takes competence.





I flatter myself in thinking that my pattern-matching competence (ability) outweighs my pattern-matching confidence (I've never worn that beret-and-scarf outfit out of my apartment and probably never will.).  But sometimes the opposite is true. 

I chose my BurdaStyle sew-along fabrics from a thick (235 page) Westminster Fabric catalog.  I had hundreds of choices but I had to choose one or -- since I knew the dress pattern in question called for contrasting trim -- two.  I thought of Leah and the colors she'd look best in, and I came up with these (click on photo to supersize).  But it's nearly impossible to choose patterns well without seeing the exact scale of the fabric on the bolt, and I was, frankly, overwhelmed by the wide selection.



It wasn't until I received my fabric and realized how narrow the bolts were that I decided to cut the pleat underlay in the contrasting paisley.



I assumed the pleats would hang completely closed and you'd rarely see the underlay and when you did, it would be a fun surprise.  Instead, it was a very obnoxious pinwheel.



As my mother always says, when you're young, everything looks good on you (though she no longer says it to me), and lovely Leah would look cute wearing a lobster trap, but this dress does not work for me.  Maybe you like it -- it's your right -- but to me it looks like something Madame DuBarry would wear to a sock hop.

Do the two fabric patterns go together?  Well, you can see that in the catalog, they share a similar palette.  But the dress -- and again, this is purely subjective -- doesn't look right, and I'm not talking about the fit, which as you know, needs work.  The fabric patterns could work together, perhaps: a lot depends on the scale and proportion of the garment.  On those pleats, the contrast is too great, imo.

Anyway, yesterday, I took the dress completely apart.  Since I'd been sent extra blue fabric (even with the contrasting underlay, I didn't have enough), I recut the underlay panels and remade the skirt.



Now I know, based on your comments yesterday, that some of you are going to be like, I loved the contrasting underlay, why did you change it? and others are going to heave a sigh of relief.  I place myself squarely in the second camp.  The fabric is bold enough as is.  If you want to mix patterns, throw a paisley shawl on top.  At least that's removable.

Tasteful readers, in closing, how do you feel about pattern mixing?  Do you consider yourself more confident than competent, more competent than confident, or a disaster all around?!

Even the pros can get it wrong.

If you are highly skilled at mixing patterns, how did you learn and do you follow any particular method, or just go with your gut?

Can you mix paisley and stripes?

We're all ears!

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Winners & Losers!

Friends, first things first -- the winner of the vintage Forties pattern giveaway...

She's a Sagittarius and a self-described "crazy lady with lots of kids and lots of hobbies," put you hands together for Denver, Colorado's own...

LUCHA LOVELY!

Lucha Lovely, please email me (peterlappinnyc at gmail dot com) as soon as you can with your address, and I'll send this lovely pattern off to you ASAP.  Congratulations!

And now, friends, the rest of today's blog post.  You're probably wondering what I've been working on the last few days.  A picture is worth a thousand words so why blather on?  I am in a sewing crisis, with a complete re-do on the horizon.



In other news...

I am supposed to pick up my Singer 201 today from Rain -- and wouldn't you know today it's pouring.  But I have rescheduled this pick-up so many times I simply can't delay it any longer without losing the best vintage-sewing-machine-repair friend a guy could ever have.  No, this time I simply must get into my rain gear and head over to Rain's secret location.  This time I'll bring my camera.

After yesterday's eyebrow-raising eyebrow post, a great many of you are no doubt wondering how I maintain my eyebrows.  Friends, I don't.  Not only do I not pluck my eyebrows, I rarely shave, don't wash behind my ears, and generally maintain a level of personal hygiene that most would consider troubling.  

I was born with good brows.





I think men with plucked eyebrows usually look dreadful.  Adam Lambert, maybe.  If you're not a glam rocker, proceed with caution.  (I'm not talking about weeding out a few grays, I'm talking hot wax.)

Moving right along.

Readers, I must ask: what is the most number of times you have ripped out all the seams from a sewing project and started over, and still ended up with something you'd call a success?  (I'm hoping the third time's the charm -- Eek.)



I generally ask for very little other than a kind comment now and then -- though little gifts in the mail are always nice -- but today I need your good sewing thoughts.  (When I get metaphysical, you know it's bad.)

I hope you are busy stitching away in your happy corner of the world and making something beautiful.  If not me, let it be you!

And now, back to seam ripping and re-conceptualizing.

Have a great day, everybody!

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