Sewing – Fabric, Patterns, Vintage – Page 2

Thoughts Before the Big Blow

Politics, weather, pandemic. I think it is all making me even crazier than before. We can expect 40 mph winds on Tuesday. The temperature will be cooler than the 90F of yesterday, so hopefully less chance of fires. It’s like the end times so many look forward to, but not me – I like my life! Still, there is an interesting bit of stress going on that I can only equate to living in a war zone of some sort. We just don’t know what is going to happen. I wonder if what I am feeling can be equated to what people and families went through when WW2 was beginning – a sense of unease and that the fabric of life is not what you think it is supposed to be. It’s a very strange feeling.

So, the Big Blow. Some areas are going to get 80 mph winds – not quite hurricane strength, but certainly strong. People in the midwest have gotten those just recently along with a lot of snow. That doesn’t sound pleasant at all. Can you imagine your roof flying off? I know that several years ago parts of Great Britain got them and villages were cut off and food supplies and other stuff needed coptering in. At least here we have a lot of things, and the stores are open. And no snow. Even further back, upstate New York had horrific blizzards, and livelihoods were lost amongst the farmers, especially dairies. Cows died because they couldn’t be milked without electricity.

I’m just blithering around thinking about things. Nothing profound, but I have finally had a few minutes to sit down to reflect as I have been really busy today. We had to get some tools for Josh’s car project, so we looked at plants and bulbs and seeds. Then I talked with Am, our aunt who has been working hard in the hospital caring for Covid patients. She is doing really well despite it all, and it was good to have a chance to hear how things are. Then, off to buy some computer stuff – our keyboards are worn out, and as I had to replace my old computer last week, I am still catching up with it, installing software on it, coordinating printers and scanners. It is a pain but now that things are sorted, this is my first post using the new computer, keyboard, mouse, etc. No new monitors as I got those awhile back for my birthday. Luckily, I know a fair amount about computers so it is not challenging, just time consuming.

The studio, though, has been the scene of upheaval. Computers need cords and such, and while you are down there sorting things out, you better get into the dust and debris that lurks under the desk. I did, and while it wasn’t awful, it was good to sort stuff out by vacuuming and untangling cables. Now I need to place things back where they belong so I can find a paint brush or a camera. Finally, sewing – the new space is working out well. I’ve made an apron and two pairs of jammy pants for Josh; time for me to get something!

Despite all the external upheaval, things are pleasant around here. We are fortunate to have good family and friends and good health. Not much to gripe about at all.

Time to get out on the bike for the next adventure!

New Year Stuff

I am going to hold off on political commentary. Instead, it seems that this New Year has brought about a couple of changes. Two are chosen, one is a necessity.

First of all, I added a new set of colors on my watercolor palette. It’s kind of fun as it mixes things up – you can get too comfortable with colors you use every day. I like to shake things up a bit when I get too cosy, so I added things like verrditer blue and returned a least favorite color, viridian, to my palette. Other colors, too, which I cannot recall right at the moment, but it seems this new palette will get me some brighter colors. Here is a painting I did with these new ones:

Next, I moved my sewing around. I had bought a sewing cabinet several months ago, thinking it would work in the studio. Nope! Too crowded and claustrophobic. I closed it up and moved back out to the dining room. However patient my husband is, the clutter got to me far more than it got to him. As a result, earlier this month I moved a book case from the bedroom into the studio and placed the cabinet where the book case was. And, it works! Yes, I do have to close things down and adjust to having things in different places, but it does the job, and the dining area is not a disaster.

Finally, my computer crapped out on me 2 times this morning. The first time it froze watching a YouTube video. Rebooted. Then, after walking away from my computer for 10 minutes, the monitors were black and nothing would reactivate them except another reboot. Off to Costco to get a prefabricated Windows computer. It works great. Now I have some software installed on the new computer and using it to write this blurb. Meanwhile, I am copying files, which will take hours, from the old computer to an external hard drive so I can put them on the new critter. It will take a bit of time to get all cosy again, but c’est la vie.

So there you are. New Year, new activities.

Pattern for Smartness

Here we go: a Simplicity advertising video from 1948! It’s even older than me, which is saying something. Definitely it shows its time, but in some ways it is rather fine vintage. The acting is corny, but despite that, there are some really good little sewing tidbits on using a pattern and constructing a garment.

The sewing machine is, I think, a Featherweight 221 in a card table. The telephone is an oldy, too; I have one very similar to it, adapted for the plug-ins, now useless in the age of VOIP. I miss having it around! It always worked, especially when the electricity went out.

If you look, there is a wealth of knowledge here, as well as some pretty cool vintage things for us 72 years later. Funny to think they were very modern then! Anyway, the importance and value of hand stitching and basting, how to sew darts (top to bottom) using tailor tack markings, and if you look closely, using a thimble when sewing by hand, give you an idea of the value of such knowledge. It reminded me of some sewing tricks I’ve forgotten from good ole Home Ec.

I have never learned to use a thimble comfortably – most of us these days are probably in the same position. I do have a metal clamp-on thimble (not painful, just adjusts to your finger size) and a leather one. I prefer these thimbles to the traditionally-shaped ones.

Now . . . . which machine?

Vagaries in the Real World

In my perfect world, I would paint every day. In my real world, I have limited time just because I have so many interests. Little things can become big things, not necessarily bad, but in the sense of taking more time than planned. Also, life can produce some interesting lessons.

For example, I have recently found that 3M 101+ tape is the best tape for watercolor paper borders. Lightweight, seemingly impervious to unsticking with a lot of water from a wash, easily removable without tearing paper even when not using a blow dryer to warm it as you pull it off . . .

We bought a motion-activated infrared trail cam to determine what critter was destroying our plants in the side garden. Mouses! Traps caught one with cheese – ours seem to dislike peanut butter. I think they have learned their lesson. The leaves are returning to the plants they ate. They also figured out not to go into the traps otherwise chompy chompy. Fortunately, I don’t deal with the traps or dead things.

The 818S is going along nicely. Brakes are the first big addition to it. Josh has been riveting and blogging away at 805-818.com if you want to see.

I am sewing masks again, this time on my Singer 403A. Threads need cutting, something that a computerized machine automates along with back stitching. Technologies have changed since the 1950s for sure!

The ham will be used to iron out the masks I am currently sewing up. Thanks to AVWalters for that suggestion! I don’t tend to iron them, but why not as it is waiting to be used, looking very ham-like and hamsome.

I have also decided on the pattern to use and material for my 1920s dress. Now, after the masks are done, I will dig out the pattern and determine if I have enough material in my stash for it. If not, what?

Also, decided to do more medium format photography with my Big Beast cameras – the ones that have modular parts or interchangeable lenses. They weigh in at 500 lbs. easily, so a neck strap and a tripod or monopod make photography life easier.

With the sewing project and photography project, as well as oodles of appointments – 3 this week, 2 next – painting and drawing of course have gone to the wayside. I don’t see this as a bad thing, but something to return to refreshed by not being there. I see it as a vacation. Go away. Come back. Refreshed by the differences. Eager to begin again.

Oh, and I have a sweater to dye with indigo, another one to start work on, some spinning to do, and some shibori to plan when I do the indigo dye day.

And a bike to ride.

Ciao for niao!

Why a Ham?

Why not a ham?

This video shows you the reasons a tailor’s ham, aka a “pressing ham”, is a useful addition to your sewing (and ironing) wardrobe. I never used one until several years ago when I was on a super sewing binge. That’s when I really tried to improve my slap dash approach to something more sophisticated. While those attempts turned into annoyance, I have found my sewing and pressing aids really add to the pleasure of my sloppy sewing. Things are easier because of the shape of the ham.

And, I still sew, making shirts mostly, but now that I have more time than stress, I do want to make some more sophisticated clothes. Lately I have been wanting to sew a 1920s style dress, and am thinking of either hand stitching the whole thing. I think it would be perfect for summer. The ham will be perfect for anchoring my fabric so I can stitch on my project and put some tension on the fabric. I may also find my ham useful if I decide to master handsewn buttonholes.

But that is for another time, like when I get started on it. And I really should get started on that dress, come to think of it. The solstice is less than 3 weeks away!