Dear Bernina, I Love You!

My Bernina needs a tune up yet still she plugs on.  Maybe the week after next when I’ll be away from sewing for a week. Time for her to go to the Spa!

I’m sewing…. and for MYSELF! {insert squeal here}.  It’s no secret that I HATE HATE HATE the fabric selection locally, big box bland and yuk. I do LOVE every piece of fabric I purchased from Fashion Fabrics! I had an enormous amount of fear purchasing fabric online totally blind— no swatches, nothing! I’d been to the warehouse way back a bazillion years ago when they had a store front, you can’t do that anymore.  Of course I had my eye on some fabric from Marci Tilton, and still do— don’t get me wrong. But I needed basics, I needed ‘em NOW and I had a limited budget. So I shopped online carefully and when it came time to purchase I was more than a little apprehensive.  Turns out no need to be! The quality was VERY good, I was impressed.

I threw everything into the washing machine (even those knits labeled dry clean) and into the dryer. Excellent. Folded, they’re now waiting to be cut. They will never see the inside of the dryer again. Ever.

All for tops to wear with jeans, my skinny black pants with the ankle zip and my brown and black python leggings. (yes, really).

First up was my only frustration, a teal piece of lightweight, smooshy knit. I don’t know how they cut this but two people couldn’t make it like flat to cut it.  ARGH.  I moved on to a floaty drapey piece of chocolate brown knit, very lightweight as well. Cut like a dream, sewed like a double dream!  Pattern is Vogue #1261, alice + olivia. Do NOT like the raw edges so I didn’t use that technique except at the bottom. I used my rotary cutter to get the smoothest line possible and used a double needle threaded with black to stitch a line 1/2″ from the bottom edge. Sleeves were finished as I like to shove my sleeves up 3/4 length and I knew a raw edge would only give me problems. While I like the wider scoop neck, for following versions (in the teal if I can get it to behave and in a brushed gray knit) I will likely alter the neckline a bit closer.  LOVE the top, very floaty, simple, fresh……. a great pattern and fast to make, a definite plus.I need to add the finish to the neckline and it will be all set.

On the machine now is the coolest Japanese soft babywale corduroy in a great pattern. I’m making The Schoolhouse Tunic from Sew Liberated. I’ve seen it made in a couple different fabrications and it always looks really nice, clean and polished.

Next planned is the black on black python print knit (a heavier knit with less stretch) and to be honest I can’t decide if I want to make a tunic or the French Housewife Dress (Vogue 8813) from Marci Tilton. I suspect by the time I get to this (hopefully super soon) it will tell me what it wants to be. This is one AWESOME piece of fabric, the photo just doesn’t do it justice. V 8813 might just be made from a purple knit, who knows?

Lastly is a length of a smoky navy blue crushed velvet knit. Love this piece too!  I want to make McCalls 6607, in view C, a sleeveless, drapey cowl neck tunic (not the high-low version). I have a couple really great belts that will look wonderful.

For those of you in the sewing mood…… rush on over to McCalls website….. (also the home of Butterick and Vogue) where they are having a not to be missed sale. I never EVER purchase patterns at the store but always buy them when McCalls has them on sale. Right now they are lowest price ever, $2.99 for McCalls and $2.88 (yes you read that right) for a Vogue pattern. Stock up. Go crazy. I bought 4 Vogue patterns and 1 McCalls for less than I’d pay for a pattern locally.

Back to my regularly scheduled sewing. I’m playing games with myself…….. do a task from the list labeled WORK…… and you get to sew for a half hour. Bits and pieces on we go!

.