Carrier Challenge Update

This post originally appeared at The Dropped Thread on 4/4/13. It has been moved to this blog by the owner.

Dear Reader,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Holiday.  I know it's been a while since I've posted.  I'm already behind on the 2013 Carrier Challenge due to various technical and personal mishaps.  But, I'm not giving up!
I did get several carriers done. Here's an update:

Carrier #1 - Indygo Junction's Crossover Carry-All #IJ890

Indygo Junction Crossover Carryall
Exterior fabric - Duck cloth
Interior - 100% cotton bright pink solid

For my first carrier I used a duck cloth that was on clearance at Hobby Lobby for the exterior because that allowed me to eliminate lining the bag with additional stiffening.  I'm for anything that allows an extra step, and it turns out that the sewing machine I was using at the time wasn't made to handle too many layers.  There were issues with the dog feed.  (Have since replaced machine with a Janome Memory Craft 6600 Professional - Yay!)

I used the short handled version included in the pattern (there is a variation with a longer strap for wearing across the body).  The pattern was easy to follow, but I had to cut the strap enclosure wider than called for to allow for the strap to fit.  Also, as I understood the way the side enclosure and strap are finished, the strap is sewn down and not movable.  This does not allow for the sides of the bag to gather as shown in the pattern front photo.  The purse ended up have a wide opening on each side, which I feel makes it easier for someone to stick their hand into the bag and steal something.

For the interior I used 100% cotton quilting fabric in a bright pink solid, which I had in my horde.  I regret using it because it is too flimsy to hold the snaps firmly (even with interfacing) and will eventually tear through the fabric.  I also used a standard snap (for clothing) instead of a magnetic purse snap.  The snap sides fit so tight, it is almost impossible to get the stupid thing open.  Lesson learned.

Changes I would make if using this pattern again are:

Brief update on Completed Projects...While I still have my sanity

This post was originally posted on The Dropped Thread on 1/10/13.  It has been moved to this blog by the owner.

Dear Reader,

I've been so busy the last few weeks cleaning out my house, particularly my fabric, pattern, and notion stash.  I don't know what has gotten into me.  I'm not making much progress on anything because I keep discovering fabric and notions I don't remember buying!  I'm making two piles to give away to YOU, my lovely Readers, one with sewing supplies I know I will never get around to using and another for those who are only interested in needlework items.  I have 3 unopened rolls of Stitch-Witchery -- WHY?  And WHY do I have so many patterns that are not even close to my size -- I KNOW I couldn't have read the sizing that wrong, or er...gained that much weight? Hmm... never-mind.

Meanwhile, I have to make room so I can get organized to complete my task of 52 carriers.  I had planned on starting the year off by finishing two purses that are UFO (unfinished objects) promised to friends.  I found the outside fabric that had already been cut out, but I've managed to loose the lining fabric for BOTH projects.  I know I've cut it out already, but where did it crawl off to?  And yes, in all the cleaning chaos I misplaced my scissors TWICE!

In the meantime, I've given those projects up until I come across the lining fabrics.  I've started my first carrier piece from a new pattern which I will go back to working on as soon as I finishing writing this post.

"Carry On My Wayward Son, There'll Be Peace When You are Done..."

This post originally appeared at The Dropped Thread on 12/26/12.  It has been moved to this blog by the owner.

from by the song "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas

Why I am a singing a song from the 1970's, other than the fact it's a cool song and I'm a fan of the TV show Supernatural that uses this as their theme song for season finales?  It's My New Year's Sewing Resolution to Carry on with Carriers.  I'm setting a goal for myself during 2013 to sewing 52 carriers during the year; I'm using the term carrier as anything that carries an item of any type, not just purses or totes.

Fabric Store Review - Universal Fabric Center, Rice Village, Houston TX

This post originally appeared at The Dropped Thread on 10/12/12.  It has been moved to this blog by the owner.

Today I visited Universal Fabric Center at 2530 Times Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005.  They have parking reserved for their store so I didn't have to park in the street, which is a big plus in Rice Village.  I immediately noted the HUGH selection of unique buttons and ribbons they have, including lots of silk velvet and silk satin ribbons.  But I then became a little overwhelmed with just the sheer volume of buttons, ribbons, and fabric.  My eyes didn't know where to go.  I was also kinda overwhelmed by the smell of mothballs.

While walking down the side aisle of sewing notions and trims I realized that most of it looks like it's been in someone's attic (hence the mothballs?) or crushed under other boxes in an old warehouse and forgotten for years.  If you're looking for a notion that is no longer on the market, this might be the place to go.  Of course, I instantly started combing through for Singer Platinum Edition Gold-Plated bobbins (Class 66 and 15), but I'm not having that type of day so no luck.

Don't let the red tags on everything fool you, those are not clearance stickers, that's just the color of their price tags.  They did have one bin of silk fabric marked down to $5 a yard but that was the only clearance section that stood out to me, and it was just printed on a white piece of paper and taped to a white bin.  There may have been others, but not noticeably marked.

Also a note of caution, they only carry Vogue and Butterick pattern books, so if you are trying to match up a McCall's/Simplicity pattern bring it with you.  But they do have a lot of Vogue and Butterick pattern books from several years back.  I didn't check to see if they actually had the older pattern in the store.

"Jewel" by Leesa Chandler for Robert Kaufman,
from the "Culture Club's: Anastasia" line

As I roamed I came across a bin of quilt cotton with bolts AND bolts of older Alexander Henry and Robert Kaufman designs.  I recognized the designs from a few years back when I had my own Etsy store.  My favorite fabrics came from these two vendors.  Most of these bolts were marked at unusual (to me) prices of $17.99 to $29.99.  I could only imagine that this must be per bolt and these were on clearance at cost.  (I quickly pulled out a calculator and figured out the cost per yard from one bolt that had the yardage marked on the end to come to this conclusion).  Suddenly I was itching to buy the entire rack!

A New Hobby Deserves Its Own Blog

The title of this post may be misleading.  I've been sewing most of my life.  In fact, I've often told the story that in my childhood my mother told my sister and I that if we didn't sew our own clothes that summer we would have to go naked.  I don't remember if this is true or one of my Tall Texas Tales, but I wouldn't put it past my mother. She was a determined woman, and hell-bent on her daughters learning how to sew and cook.  Now that we've grown up, I love to sew and despise cooking, and my sister loves to cook and despises sewing.  You can't win them all mother!

The new hobby I've taken up is quilting!  I started in December 2012 and I'm just loving it.  It involves everything I love about sewing; selecting the pattern, looking all the pretty fabric, matching them up, and cutting it out to the finished product.  But, there is none of the negative aspects you when sewing clothing, like finding out the pattern doesn't fit you because because you've gained a few inches between buying the pattern and getting around to sewing it, or because the crotch looks weird and you're too embarrassed to wear it out in front of people.  Been there done that!

When I got into quilting I told my husband that it would be a great way to get rid of all the fabric I have in my house.  Ha, ha, ha!  How many of you are laughing as you read that.  I know the ladies at my local quilt shop are.  They know me by my first name, and if I'm skip a week coming in they ask me if I was out of town.  Yep, the new hobby has just enabled me further, and I'm officially a fabric hoarder.