Started some Spring sewing

Not that the weather has gotten any warmer yet, but my clothes are definitely getting a bit looser.  Yea me!  So I decided a few new quick and easy t-shirts were in order.

I used my Silhouette Patterns Sweater Set pattern in a 4D to make a new muslin (actually the black shirt was my muslin, and it was perfect).  On the 2nd shirts I shortened just a bit above the bust, and also on the sleeve.  I raised the underarm also about 1/2" just to fix the shape a bit for my body.

I just drew a slightly lower neckline with a "sorta" V, and raised the back neckline a bit too.  The shirt is about 2 inches longer than the pattern.







I also resized the Classic Blouse Pattern using a straight size 4D and made a cute blouse, and then made another.





I also worked on a Lutterloh top, a woven tank, and this will be a great top for summer and I'll be making a few more (rayon challis will be perfect.)



Obviously I wasn't planning on posting these items as the photos aren't the best, just taken with my cell and a mirror.  But it's a great way for me to remember what I've made.

A New Machine Party

I recently purchased a new machine, a Brother S-7100A, which is an industrial machine.  I've been having a lot of fun working with it lately, but a real review will still have to wait.

But I thought I'd share some of the party pics.


This is not a machine you buy and bring home yourself.  It weighs a ton, and has it's own table and everything.  This is Jeff from Missouri Sewing Machine Company, who sold me my new machine.  He'd be more than happy to help you with any purchases also, seriously just give them a call, he can work with you over the phone.




I had to do some furniture rearranging to find room for this new machine.  My cutting table had always been against that back wall.  But this works.  You can see how Melody and Judith are totally at home in my sewing room...it might just be the wine to be honest, that's making them so comfortable.



Setting the baby up in its new space.



Jeff is showing me how it works.  He threaded it, filled it with oil, etc.



Checking tension on the bobbin.



I'm feeling pretty confident with it now.  We've done some stitching and I'm ready to go (or else I just had too much wine.)



Talk about a great party.  We enjoyed appetizers and wine and a new sewing machine.  Both Melody and Judith had a great time hanging out in my sewing room.

A New Warm-Up Jacket

Since a goal is to go to the gym regularly, having gym clothes is a must.  What I don't have is a decent jacket to wear to the gym, and we all know how much they can cost.

I signed up to participate in the Goodbye Valentino RTW Fast 2018, so a jacket needed to be sewn.

If you are a garment sewer, chances are  you've already heard of this.  Basically you just sew all your clothes for a year.  Bras, undies and socks can be purchased.  I can also sew my own bras and undies.  I don't remember the last time I purchased a real item new, so I figured I'd give it a go.

Okay, back to the jacket.  It's Silhouette Patterns #927, Leslie's Bomber Jacket, which I've already made twice before.  I did make a few changes such as skipping the bottom band and cuffs (don't forget to lengthen) and no pockets.

Fleece is a bitch to sew, but I did well enough.  The jacket's a bit too large as I've already lost weight since my bomber jackets.  Whatever....I'll wear it and it will serve it's purpose.

Time to Reflect

Each year I say I'm not really into resolutions, yet I do always spend a little time thinking about it and reflecting upon the year just past.

I am setting some fun and also practical resolutions for myself for the coming year.  I need a better year than last.  I had surgery right at the end of 2016, and I don't remember Christmas or New Years.  It was smothered by pain pills.  A month later we had a major family issue in our home and that made life hard, but bearable, we do what we need at the time.  But I also become very sick with pneumonia, and was truly sick for 3 months.  Healing from the surgery took a long time and the family issue continued.  Things settled with time.  We had scheduled remodeling, which is hard with 2 large dogs, I was home with them the entire time.  Then a storm in the summer caused moderate damage to our house, which just now was finished being repaired.  Once again, I had to deal with contractors and dogs.

On the positive side, I got a lot of sewing done, and I enjoy my sewing so much.  I finally also felt like my health was coming back, and just recently started a healthier diet again and working out more at the gym.

So I'm seeing 2018 being full of good things for me.

Resolutions for 2018

• Sewing - I've joined the Goodbye Valentino RTW Fast (more about that later.)
• Time to myself - Besides sewing, I need to knit more.  Me time is very special to me.
• Read - I don't read enough real books
• Nutrition - Continue to focus on my low carb and keto diet plans, work with my Naturapath
• Fitness - Continue working with the trainer at the gym, more walking, etc
• Home - Do the work and repairs and updates that need doing
• Peace - Find more and more and more to declutter
• Blog - Perhaps I should work on this a bit more

Obviously, these are major changes, they are things I do already in my life.  They don't focus on anyone but myself, but of course the other people in my life are important too.

Sparkles and More Sparkles

Many years ago (about 10 or so) I bought a cute t-shirt with sequins on it by Calvin Klein.  I remember needing something for a certain event and just lucked upon this top.  I've probably worn it at least once each holiday season.

I already wore it once this year.

So I decided I needed another and found a cute red sequin fabric at Joanns.

My original plan was to make a pattern by copying it, but when I took my first measurement, and then compared it to my Silhouette Patterns t-shirt that I liked, there was a big difference.  I decided to take a chance and just use my already well fitted pattern.

It fits great and I plan on wearing it to two Christmas parties in a row this year.

The black one is the original.











And just for good measure, this is Nina's Top, also from a sparkly Joann's fabric, over the black dress I made from Lutterloh and entered in the Pattern Review LBD contest.

Sewing for the Grandbabies

I really thought I'd get all this baby stuff down when my girls were pregnant last year with their first babies.  Projects and crafts galore were saved on my Pinterest page, ha ha ha ha ha.

I DETEST sewing for others, even babies.

Okay, but I did just finish up two cute Christmas stockings so Santa now has a reason to come to our house yet again. 

They are made out of flannel from Joann's, and the embroidery patterns are from EmbroideryLibrary online. 

I think they turned out pretty darn cute.  Fully lined with the plaid and cuffed.

What Supplements are in my Lutterloh Book?

One thing I see a lot on the Lutterloh Facebook page is reference to a pattern number but not a supplement number.  A lot of people new to the system do not realize how the books are organized, and this is a little guide to help out.

Each "book" (today they are in binders) consists of 7 supplements.  If you buy a current kit the book will come with current patterns, or supplements.  Some people buy an old system, say from the 70's, and the supplements will be from that time period, yet the rules will still be the same.

The only time it gets a bit wonky is with really old books, which I can possibly review at a later date.

Okay, so what are the basic guidelines?

Take a look at your book.  You will see the patterns are numbered 1 - 280.

Each supplement is numbered with the following patterns:
1-40
41-80
81-120
121-160
161- 200
201-240
140-280

That will give you the 280 patterns per book.  But the books aren't the same.  The one you order today will be different than the one I ordered 3 years ago, the styles have changed a bit.  So when someone says they need help with pattern #145, I have no clue which pattern that might be unless I have a supplement number.

Let's now find the supplement number.

Get your book and some sticky notes.

On the first page with pattern number 1, there will be some printing on the side of the page, where the binding rings are .  That will tell the year of your pattern and the supplement number.  It also tells the season the supplement came out.

02 is for Spring
05 is for Summer
08 is for Fall
11 is for Winter

So let's analyze that right now.  Here's the first page of a book.  You see I have a sticky note that says it's Supplement 273.  The next photo shows the information between the binder rings enlarged.




You can see the year is Roman Numeral MMIX, which is 2009 (I often have to use an online converter).  The numbers 027305 are now broken up to mean Supplement 273 (0273) and the 05 means Summer.

Here are some more to figure out.  And remember, you will find these always on the first page of patterns # 1, 41, 81, 121, 161, 201, 241.



So this one is from 2005, Supplement #256, and published in the Spring.





This supplement is from 2008, Supplement #269, published in Summer.





This is Supplement #254, published in the Fall of 2009.





This last one is Supplement # 271, published in the Winter of 2008.

Dang, those roman numerals sure can be tricky.

Now take your sticky  notes and figure out which supplements are in your book.  It will surprise you to find that they may cover a couple year time frame, and the supplements do not seem to be in any specific order.  I'll be honest and say I have not figured it out so far, and I have a bunch of books.

Hopefully that helps, and next time some one asks you which supplement a pattern is from, you will be able to figure it out fairly easily.

Unless of course, you have gotten them all out of order.  Then you are doomed.

Enjoy.