Sew Wrong

Collapsible Shopping Tote

For Christmas, my sister gave me the new sewing book “One Yard Wonders,” which has so many fabulous projects in it made of – obviously – just one yard of fabric. The projects are quite inspiring as to how to use up the odds and ends of fabric that seem to accumulate over time from miscellaneous projects, impulse purchases and what not. So needless to say, I have a lot of projects planned from this book!

Collapsible Shopping Tote
I absolutely love my first project – the Collapsible Shopping Tote. It’s a lot like those overpriced bags that you see at stores for sale; I worked at a store recently that sold flimsy nylon ones for $12 each! It does fold up a little bit bulkier than said overpriced bags due to the fact that it’s made from quilting cotton and is obviously thicker than cheapy nylon.

Collapsible Shopping Tote - Folded Up


The fabric was originally intended for a pair of PJ pants from Heather Ross’s Weekend Sewing, but my fabric wasn’t wide enough for the pattern pieces. And since I bought two yards and needed just a yard for this project, I have enough left to play around with and make something else!

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Flash Your Stash!

Re: “Tell us about your stash” via Sew, Mama, Sew!

New fat quarters

* What do you usually sew?

It varies based on my mood…during warmer weather I tend to gravitate towards cute little tops and dresses, but lately I’ve been making lots of useful items for around the apartment like placemats and rugs.

* When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don’t have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?)

I tend to buy lots of fat quarters. They’re a great size for a multitude of sewing projects, and it gives me a chance to sample lots of new fabrics. If I like the print, I usually go back for more.

* Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?

Usually I have a color in mind or a theme, like floral or retro, but sometimes I stumble across fabrics I never thought of before!

* Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you’re ready to use it?

Recently I am; I used to just start cutting and stitching before washing the fabric. But now I take the time to wash and iron out all the wrinkles before folding it up and tucking it away for later.

* Do you iron it?

Yes and it can be a pain if I don’t take it out of the dryer in time.

* How do you sort it? (color, print size, collection, etc.)

Unfortunately I don’t have the luxury of a lot of space to have my fabric all organized by color or collection. If I had the room, I would definitely organize it by color!

* Do you have any special folding techniques?

Nope. Whatever makes it look the neatest.

* How do you store your fabric?

Again, not a whole lot of space in a one bedroom apartment that I share. But for now, it resides in a storage box from Ikea in my bookcase in the living room.

* What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?

I started out collecting fabrics that I thought were interesting or with patterns and colors I really loved. Now that I’m starting to quilt and not just make garments and bags, I understand the need for filler fabrics that give the eye a place to rest. You need a fair balance of both.

* When do you say enough is enough?

Um…I’m not sure when one reaches that point…

* What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects?

I’m loving the fat quarter project ideas on Sew Mama Sew. Or even just putting together quilt blocks with random bits of fabric is fun, too.

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Yay or Nay: Michelle Obama’s Election Night Dress

Original:

Michelle’s Version:

I like the original Narcisco Rodriguez dress, but I’m really not that crazy about Michelle’s requested version. She also is wearing a cardigan, which only confuses the lines and proportions of the dress. Michelle is always on her game when it comes to dressing well, but I found this to be a surprising “no.” It just doesn’t seem to be flattering on her. But props to her for a bold, gutsy move on such an important night. What do you think?

Read about the dress controversy at NYT.com

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Vogue’s Fall Patterns are Up!

Lots of pretty suits and separates seem to scream “fall” at Vogue. I like the looks for the most part, even though there aren’t a whole lot of patterns jumping out at me and saying “make me!” I do have to question one or two selections:


and

Um….what???

View the new patterns here. Really, they’re not as atrocious as the patterns above.

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Ralph Lauren Resort 09

I’m not usually a huge Ralph Lauren fan, but I do love what he’s presented for his Resort 09 collection. Lots of bright whites and flowing chiffon gowns, all of which would be perfect for a trip to the islands. My only beef is that some of the outfits are a little too matchy-matchy, like the print dress above with a purse made out of the same print fabric. I think they would be fine on their own, but hey, I’m not the designer 🙂

You can view the entire collection here.

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