Cloning with Kenneth King

I'm taking a class on patternreview.com called Clone Your Favorite Garment with Kenneth King. Last night was the first chat and I have to tell you, this class is fantastic. KK has a great sense of humor which doesn't come out clearly on a chat board, unfortunately. Anyway, I've picked a blouse that has never fit me well and I want to alter it to fit better, because it's really cute.



Now that I'm doing the actual copying, I'm regretting picking a garment with 9 pattern pieces. That's a lot of copying. Today I'll be thread tracing all my grainlines and seamlines. You who know me know that that's a lot of hand sewing for someone who hates to hand sew. I'm still a little confused about how to handle the bust gathers, but I asked KK last night and he explained it. I'm just waiting now for Deepika to post the chat transcripts so I can go over carefully what KK said to do.

I can see this blouse in a sleeveless and long sleeved version. I have so many wovens in my stash and very few patterns to use on them. I'm really looking forward to getting this pattern made and then altered to fit.

As always, I'll keep you posted.

Tie Me Down Again

This is the same pattern from my last post. It's the Hotpatterns Metropolitan Tie Me Down Top. There are 11 reviews for this top on Patternreview.com and at least three of them are from plus-sized women. You can see my muslin for this top on my last post. Many of you said I should wear the muslin, but I think I'll probably give it away to my neice. I still haven't hemmed it yet. My biggest problem with the muslin is the fabric. I know lots of you liked the top and the fabric, but I don't like me in white. My coloring isn't right for white. I never feel good in white and people always ask me if I'm feeling OK when I wear it. So, for my final version, I used some fabric in my colors.


I think it looks much better in this lace and animal printed sueded drapey knit. The fabric is left over from one of my first renditions of KS 2900. I'm not sure why I had so much of the fabric left over but I'm glad I did. The first top was torn to shreads when my son was having his first of many rages. (Thank God he doesn't have those anymore!) The color is more appropriate for me and I feel good wearing it.

I wound up sewing it in a size 16 with a size 18 at the sides. I think if I lose 10 more pounds I can just take it in at the side seams. I serged them so it shouldn't be hard to just serge them again with a larger seam allowance. The shoulders are still a bit long, but that may be because I didn't stabilize the shoulders and they are being pulled by the sleeve. I also didn't use the facing that is included with the pattern.


The back is still too wide, but in this drapey fabric, you can't really tell. It probably also needs a rounded back alteration, but I didn't bother with it. I really like the sleeve cuff treatment. The pattern says to sew the elastic gathers 2" from the hemmed edge, but I don't like sleeves hanging down over my hands, so I put it close to the hem. I shortened the sleeve a lot, but that's also a normal alteration. I also straightened out the shaped hem as well.


I shortened the tie. On the muslin it's much too long, especially on my 5'1" frame. My bustline also doesn't need a large floppy bow laying on top. I shortened the ties about 5" for the purple version. I think the bow is just right at this shorter length.


The only thing I really don't like about this pattern is the sleeve gathers. They are fighting with the shoulder gathers and losing the battle. The drapey knit isn't doing them justice either as they just hang limply and they should probably be spread out a bit more. The pattern has you put them at the very top of the shoulder, so that's what I did.

The top is quite fussy to make and I didn't really enjoy having to tie all the elastic thread ends. Which, by the way, the pattern doesn't tell you to do. However, I didn't want the elastic to come undone so I think it's an important step. That's 14 rows of stitches with 2 ends on each row for 28 knots that need to be made. If you hate gathering, DO NOT make this top.

All in all I really do like the top, just don't like making it. However, I'll probably make it again once I lose a few more pounds. I like how modest the neckline is and that it didn't need a FBA. Anyway, I recommend the top, just don't think it's one of those get it done quickly type of patterns.

For my next project, I've found a few UFOs that are cut but not sewn. I think they will probably fit me, if not now, then very soon. I'm excited to see if they will fit me. I don't have any clothes smaller than I am right now, so I'm going to have to keep sewing so I'll have something to wear. Just as soon as I'm down into a size 14 RTW, I'm going to do some thrift store shopping to get by. There are some pretty good thrift stores around me so I don't think I'll mind wearing gently used clothes. It's better than going out nekked!

Tie Me Down

Happy 2010! Everyone is making their new year's resolutions and I'm no different. My resolution for last year was to get fit and lose weight. Well, that almost didn't happen. The last two months I quickly lost 20 pounds after gain 10 during the first 10 months of 2009. My plan is to continue my losing streak and become a lighter, fitter version of myself. I also plan to spend lots of time doing what I love to do, teach sewing. Good thing too because 2010 might not be such a good year for my family if DH loses his job. His company is being bought out and who knows what that means to the old employees. Keep us in your thoughts please.

Sorry for the goofy face, but DH always cracks me up when he is taking my picture. This is the Hotpatterns Metropolitan Tie Me Down Top. It was quite a fiddly top to make and I took forever on it. Since this was just the muslin, I didn't make the long sleeves. I folded up the sleeve length and gave the hem the same treatment as the long sleeves would have gotten. I cut it out in a size 18 with size 20 at the sides and pinned it together. It came out huge. So before I sewed it together, I had to re-cut it to a size 16 with size 18 at the sides. I added 1/2 inch to the center front as other plus size reviewers mentioned. You can see that I should probably remove the addition from the center front. This top has plenty of room in the bust. In fact, I doubt anyone would really need a FBA with this pattern. The shirring above the bust seems more than adequate for me. I added 2" to the length and haven't hemmed it yet. I think if I make it again in a smaller size, I won't add for the length. I also did a sloping shoulder adjustment.


You might not be able to tell from this pic but the back is a bit too wide for me. I didn't have to do any adjustments to the back and I usually have to do a rounded back and a sway back tuck. I skipped the shirring that's supposed to go at the waist on the back. I'm not sure I like this fabric but my friend Stephanie says that it looks very retro and she really likes it. I'm also not crazy about the gathers in the sleeve cap. Maybe that's because my fabric is limp and drapey. I have another fabric already picked out and will try to get it sewn tomorrow.

Sugar Doll

Tracey from I'm Just Your Average Mom who is also Strasfamily on Pattern Review has just nominated me for the Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award. Please visit Tracey's blog as her blog is new and she has lots to share. To receive this award I'm supposed to tell ten interesting things about myself. Not sure I'm interesting enough to come up with ten, but here goes:

1. You already know that I have a twin sister, but what you don't know is that I hate being a twin. I would have loved to be an only child. Growing up I never had my own identity. In fact I didn't even have my own name. I was called twin, or one of the twins. I married an only child and I have an only child. I think they are so lucky not to have had to share anything or anyone.

2. I don't like cell phones and I wish I didn't need to have one. I do have to acknowledge that very few people have the number. That way I can just use it for MY convenience.

3. I don't color my hair. My son helps me pluck the same 8 gray ones that keep coming back. It's easy since the gray ones stand out against my very dark brown hair. I hope that I'm in my 70's like my Dad before I get enough gray hair to matter.

4. I've been on some kind of diet since high school, and I wasn't fat back then. In fact, I wasn't ever overweight until after I gave birth to my son. It's all his fault. BTW, I've lost over 20 pounds now. Only a ton more to go.

5. I made a lot of my clothes in high school and sewed for my friends and older sister as well. Today I hate to sew for other people. I fear that they won't like it or that they will think I did a bad job. Probably an unrealistic fear, but I can't help myself.

6. I'm a card carrying member of the Chickasaw Nation, which is one of the five civilized tribes. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, I'm 5/32 Chickasaw, but that doesn't include the Cherokee blood. The records of that heritage was lost along the way and was never recorded on the Dawes Rolls. So in reality, I'm more like a quarter American Indian.

7. I grew up in Southern California but was born in Kingman, Arizona. I wasn't raised around my native people so I don't have any Indian culture to speak of. That's why I jump at any chance to visit Oklahoma where the Chickasaw were placed after the march down the Trail of Tears and where my Dad's family live.

8. I didn't graduate from college until one month before my 30th birthday. I have a degree in Communications and specializing in Public Relations. I worked in Public Relations for a small hospital for five years until my son was born. Becoming a substitute teacher was a way I could work and spend the time I needed to with my special needs child.

9. Before getting my degree I worked in various jobs, first as a secretary/stenographer for the Los Angeles County Planning Department, then as a secretary for General Dynamics. I also worked as a legal secretary and an office manager while I was attending college.

10. I used to be a party animal. Happy hour? I'm there. Invite me to a party, I'm the last to leave. No party tonight, then I'd get one started. However, since giving birth to my son 15 years ago I now almost never drink. I don't go to happy hour and I don't usually go to parties. It has everything to do with keeping me safe so that I can be there to take care of my son. If I do drink, it's one glass of wine at home and then I promptly fall asleep.

Now it's my turn to pass this award to 10 very deserving blogs.

Amy at Quixotic Pixels who makes the most fantastic projects both sewing and knitting.
Angie A. at Quality Time who is also a teacher and has the best sense of humor.
Trena at The Slapdash Sewist who sews the most fantastic dresses and shares her trips traveling around the world.
Nancy at Encue Creations who sews a lot of great looking garments for herself.
Linda at Danville Girl Sewing Diary who also sews a lot for herself and shares the most wonderful hints to help make me a better sewist.
Nkem at Sew Shy who is working hard on getting her garments to fit. It's exciting to see how her garments are coming along.
Deepika at Curtains to Coats who is the founder of Patternreview.com. She doesn't have a lot of time to blog but is dedicated to sewing at least one garment a month. She also shares lovely pictures whenever she returns from her travels.
Shams at Communing With Fabric who has been trying out some French patterns. This is a new-to-me blog but I've really been enjoying her style.
Gigi at Gigi Sews has been helping me sew better for nearly 8 years. Her blog is full of wonderful garments and helpful hints.

I really hope you visit all these wonderful blogs. They are some terrific women who all have a love of sewing and a desire to share what they do with others.

It's a Red Eye

While visiting my Mother-in-law, I asked her if I could take a look at the Singer machine that she wants me to have. This machine belonged to her grandmother and she remembers her mom using it. She uses it as a side table now but would love for me to take it so she could buy more bookcases. Wouldn't it be a great addition to my sewing studio whenever my partner and I get it started?


I was so excited to see that it was a red-eye! Unfortunately, it no longer has it's treadle pedal or belt wheel. Her mother had it motorized. Does anyone know if I could just replace those parts or do I have to find a whole new base?


I'm sure it will be much easier to use with the motor, but I would love to have had it in its original condition. I do really love that it has a light.



The machine is in pretty good shape and it still works. At least the hand wheel turned by hand for me. I didn't plug it in to try it. I'm sure all the oil will need to be replaced.


As for how old it is, I'm having a hard time figuring it out. It looks to me like the serial number above reads 760331. I didn't look at it closely when I was with the machine in person, unfortunately. I don't see a decimal point in the picture, but it is a bit fuzzy. According the Singer website, that would date the machine to 1871. However by my research, the Red Eye decals weren't being used until 1910. So my dear friends, can you help me figure out the correct date?

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish you all a very merry day today. I hope Santa brought you all everything you wanted. I had a wonderful Christmas Eve with my family coming to my house. My twin sister Carrol (Carrol and Sherril, isn't that cute?) got here late because she works retail at Sears, but everyone else came including my Dad, sister Susan, her two sons, Matthew and Jeremy, Jeremy's wife Carrie and their two kids Logan and Rhianna. And of course, my husband Bob and son Steven.

Probably the sweetest gift I got was from Steven. I know he saved his allowance to get it for me. He bought me a $14 gift certificate from JoAnn's. I think with the 50% discount off thread, 40% off rotary cutter blades, and some $3.99 Vogue Patterns along with the 10% coupon from the sales ad and my ASG 10% discount, I will be able to parlay the $14 into a really great shopping day. In 2010 I'm committing to not buying any fabric or patterns. Of course, there will be times when I need a notion or two, but I'm cutting way back on spending this next year so this may be my last big hurrah for awhile.

I asked Bob for a new bathroom scale. Nothing was wrong with the old scale except that it wasn't digital and the numbers were getting really hard to read, especially if I couldn't put my hands on my glasses first thing in the morning. This one measures to the tenth as well as has a large digital readout. This morning it showed almost exactly the same weight as my old scale, so I'm keeping my ticker updated with the new scale from now on. I'm down 20 pounds but I won't change the ticker until Monday, my weigh-in day.

My family draws names every year where we list items we want and need. This year my Dad got me. We're supposed to keep to a $50 limit, but Dad is a most generous Santa and got me just what I wanted.

A new analog wrist watch with a leather band and date window. I love it!

And a radiant heater for my sewing room. I get up hours and hours before the rest of the family and I hate to heat the whole house. With this I can heat only the sewing room and save lots of money. It's keeping me toasty right now.

I have lots of plans to sew next week since I'm off from work. My first project will be the Hot Pattern's Metropolitan Tie Me Down Top. Debbie Cook just finished a wonderful version of this pattern and of course I had to have one too.

I also want to make up this new pattern from Amy Butler. This is exactly the type of purse I wish I could buy. The size is great and I love the side pocket. I plan to put a few pockets on the inside as well.

For those of you who celebrate some holiday other than Christmas, I hope you have a joyous time on your special day. Today we are going to spend the day with Bob's mom, Arlene. It's through the valley and over the Santa Susana Mountains to Grandmother's house we go.

Merry Christmas!

Everything's Groovy

I haven't shared this with very many people unless you've been reading the Sewing As A Business Forum on Patternreview, but I'm going to start teaching people how to sew. My friend, Stephanie, the one I went to New York and Italy with, and I will be developing a business plan to open a sewing studio. But neither one of us can wait until we have the studio open. We've decided to start teaching at the City Parks and Recreation. Stephanie used to work in the Rec department while going to college and has kept in touch with the people who work there. After getting some advice from our Fashion Design college professor, we went straight to the City and got ourselves signed up to teach three classes in January. The classes will run for four weeks for three hours each session and be open to ages 10 through adult. The classes we will be teaching includes a basic beginner class where we will teach students how to sew a tote bag and an apron. We will be teaching this class on both an afternoon and a Saturday once a week. Then the next month, we will teach an advanced beginner class with some PJ pants and a collarless robe as the projects and another beginning sewing class. Then, after the Saturday class we will hold a two-hour sewing workshop where people can come in and work on their own projects while we hold their hand or help them with fitting.

The goal is to fine tune our teaching techniques and learn what people want to learn how to do. That way when our studio is open, we will be able to target our classes around the needs of our customers. We will also be building a client base and hopefully, a following. Hopefully we can save all the money we earn while teaching for the City to help open up a real studio of our own.

I spent today making a sample of the tote bag we will be teaching. I think this one should be on display at the teen center instead of the senior center, although some of those seniors probably remember the 70's quite fondly. I know I do.


It's just your standard bag cut on the fold and the sides stitched up. Then the corners are stitched across to form a box bottom. The bag measures 13 X 13 X 6 which is a good size for shopping. It wasn't too big to maneuver under the pressure foot either. I finished the side seams with a french seam since I didn't want people to be disappointed with the zigzag finish. Also, it gives the bag more of a quality feel to it.


I had the fabric already in the stash, of course. You can't tell much, but both the red and the yellow fabrics have lurex threads in them and have quite a bit of shine. I wanted to embellish the pockets so that people can see what they can do after they learn the basics. We won't be teaching these embellishment techniques, but if they want us to, we will see about teaching embellishment techniques at a later date.