It's All about Sewing....Sew Hot

Hi

I love reading articles like the one below, it's about sewing. I found it in an Aussie paper but it is what I have been saying all my sewing life and that's a few years or more. When you sew your own garments you have the edge on those who don't and even the 'boys' are getting into it.

What one of the guys says about making clothes is what I say about building with timber. Same principles, you make the pattern, cut out the pieces and construct the finished product. On one hand you are working with timber, on the other hand you are working with fabric.

Same steps, just learning to use the tools for each, the basics are the same. And.... isn't it funny, no one scoffs at a female who makes things with timber like they do when a male makes things with fabric.

Okay that's my little rant, enjoy the article

It's all about sewing and sew hot

Cheers

Carmel
Sew More For U



Sew hot right now


Sewing's for grannies, right? Not any
more, writes Natalie Craig.

'THANKS. I made it myself." In sewing circles,
nothing quite beats the look on people's faces when
you tell them that your hot new outfit is an original
"you".

People who sew their own clothes may be annoyingly smug, but
if there's one thing they're not, it's
daggy. Once the domain of grannies and homemakers, sewing
is experiencing a revival - similar to the one that
brought knitting to pubs and city trams - and
everyone from builders to academics wants in.

John, 35, is a builder from St Kilda, and one of the most
unlikely sewers imaginable.

He says he and a friend got into sewing because of a game of
one-upmanship. "A friend of mine throws rave parties
- one of those things where everyone's trying
to outdo one another," John says.

"I was tired of always asking female friends to make things
for me.

"When we went to the sewing course, I didn't think
the teacher had ever had any men … I just learnt the
basics; the rest of it I figured out for myself. It's
the same skills you need to build a house - you just
have to imagine a 3D shape."

After learning to thread a machine, sew a straight line, and
finish seams and hems, John says he dove straight in and
"constructed" a pair of red PVC flares, which he reinforced,
true to his housebuilding sensibilities, with six rows of
stitches. "They're very sturdy pants," he says,
deadpan.

But despite John's sewing prowess, he's still
uncomfortable about his construction site mates finding out
about his hobby.

"I don't think they'd care if they thought
I'd just dabbled in it. But going to a course …"

Richard, 29, a Sydney architect and a sewer for four years,
has no such anxiety.

"I let what I create do the talking," he says. "I'm
an architect, so it's an extension of that creative
urge." Frustrated by the cost of men's clothes,
Richard says he's now able to look at something
that's out of his price range and think: "I can make
that." He's now making T-shirts with screen-printed
designs - a final product that costs him only a few
dollars.

Of course, men and women take up the needle for different
reasons. Fiona, 29, of Fitzroy, is size 6 and barely tips
152 centimetres. "The main reason I started sewing was to
make things that fit me," she says, showing off the severe
alterations she made to the vintage jacket she's
wearing.

"But there's more to it than that. People buy too
many clothes, then throw them out without wearing them …
We're not connected to the process any more -
of what we wear, where we live, what we eat."

Canberra's Lisa Howdin, founder of sewing website
fitzpatterns.com, is also concerned by our relationship with
production. "You can't get a $20 shirt without
paying people 50 cents an hour.

You just can't do it," she says. "You know if you
work long hours, you just get sick to death of your computer
screen … Sewing is something real that you can touch and
feel."

Howdin 's website features simple patterns for things
such as boat-neck tops ("because it's just not indie
rock without a stripey top"), T-shirt-style mini-dresses
("covers big butts when worn over jeans") and bolero jackets
("great for wearing over strappy tops").

The patterns are either free or cost a few dollars to
download. They come in PDF format, so you can print them off
at home and paste them together, or take the file to a
commercial printer.

Named one of Cosmopolitan Australia's top 12
websites, fiztpatterns.com is helping sewing shed its
housewife mantle. And major textile retailers are beginning
to reflect this trend.

"Sewing has now moved from a necessity to a leisure-time
activity," says Brian Swersky, joint managing director of
Lincraft.

"We've introduced sewing classes in our Southland and
Knox stores. They're being received very well, and
to date are fully booked."

Swersky says Lincraft is also introducing a range of
high-end fabrics to meet the demands of sewers looking to
recreate boutique clothes.

Lincraft went into receivership early last year, but Swersky
says the company's troubles were not a reflection on
the popularity of sewing.

"The DIY craft market is undergoing a huge growth," he says,
pointing to the trend in the United States, where sewing
and DIY crafts account for retail sales of more than $30
billion a year, according to the Craft and Hobby
Association.

Reflecting the US experience are websites such as
sewbetsyross.com. Founder Aimee Dolby (above), who's
based in Chicago, says women are turning to sewing as an
alternative to mainstream, "cookie-cutter" fashion.

"In a world where our fashion and retail habits are dictated
by the latest offerings of The Gap, it's refreshing
to know you can make a skirt yourself for half the cost of
a retail garment, and it's your own creation," says
Dolby.

Her website features downloadable patterns for
retro-inspired pieces such as pencil-line skirts,
high-waisted, wide-leg trousers, and pretty sundresses.

The patterns come with attractive, hand-drawn instruction
booklets - free from sewing jargon - as well
as a size chart and bookmark glossary. "I wanted to make
sewing more accessible," Dolby explains of her user-friendly
design.

"I think a lot of young women are sophisticated in the sense
that they have the means and intelligence to create
interesting, unique clothes, but they just don't know
where to begin."

Hollywood celebrities are starting to pick up on the trend,
with stars such as Elizabeth Hurley and Nicole Kidman
confessing to making their own clothes.

Gwen Stefani even broke her finger recently running up a
sample for her new fashion label, L.A.M.B. But you
don't need to go as far as Hollywood to find evidence
of the sewing revival.

The women at Dragana Edwards' sewing classes in
Caulfield include a doctor of genetics, a budding fashion
designer and a Latin dancer.

"I've anything from as young as 12 to as old as 77,"
says Dragana, who runs sewing and pattern-making courses
from her home.

"People are looking for a creative outlet … Sewing'
s less about saving money these days than about being an
individual."

Joy, 67, of Reservoir, has been attending Dragana's
classes for six years. She says she was forced to sew at
school, but hated it. "I sewed when I had young children,
but only to save money.

And then, about five years ago, I couldn't get things
to fit me properly and I didn't like the designs for
women my age - they're so daggy - so I
started to look around for sewing lessons. And I love it
now."

Carmel, a mother of one from Coburg, says she struggles to
find clothes that fit, and hates what's on offer at
mainstream shops. "Jeans are worse than going to the
doctors," she says.

"I sew for bigger women that are around my age … We might
be close to middle age, but we're still there,
we're still 'out there' and we still
want to look decent."

Dressed in a long, textured black tunic over stretch pants,
Carmel looks more like a fashion designer than a
stereotypical mum. Her nine-yearold daughter, Asha, is
equally trendy, thanks to her sewing.

"The tracksuit pants they've got at school have got
cuffs on them, and she hates them - everybody hates
them. So I make Asha's to be flared a bit! Now
everybody wants a pair."

Unlike when Joy and Carmel were at school, sewing or
textiles is no longer offered at most high schools, which is
part of the reason that Hollie and Katie, both 16, attend
Dragana's classes.

"I love it," says Hollie, of Malvern. "Our friends are
excited because we can make them stuff. And you learn heaps
and save money."

Katie, of Glen Iris, says she made a splash at the races in
a dress she'd made herself. "You know the kind that
scrunch around the top and then drop down?"

But what was the response when she told her teenage friends
- the highest arbiters of fashion - that she
made it herself?

"So cool."

DARN IT
MELBOURNE FABRIC STORES
¦ Remnant Warehouse, 10 Cato Street, Prahran. Phone: 9510
1121.
¦ Darn Cheap Fabrics, 1184 Glen Huntly Road, Glenhuntly.
Phone: 9563 6833.
¦ Artextil, 285 Lennox Street, Richmond. Phone: 9428
7199.
¦ Lincraft, Collins Street, city. Phone: 9650 1609.

Sewing Revival.....Yippee

I love to read these articles, I find them an inspiration and as one who was brought up by a Mum who disliked intensly being like everyone else, we learned to be individuals with our style and by sewing our own clothes, we were just that.

So when I see an article like this one and read some of the comments then I feel great knowing that there is a revival in the sewing and dressmaking world. This means that "us who sew" otherwise known as UWSs will continue to have a range and variety and above all quality to choose from....

This is the start of the article and the link is below to read it all

The coat is exquisite and incredibly flattering. Made from green cashmere with a contrasting burgundy lining, it has an elegant funnel neck and skims Helen Doyle's slender figure to perfection.
Indeed, the garment fits the 31-year-old marketing executive so well, several people have commented it could have been made for her.
And that's when Helen feels rather smug, because it was. And she made it.
"When I started sewing classes I was a total beginner, but after four lessons I had made a skirt," she says.

Read the full article here

Cheers

Carmel
Sew More For U

Sewing Efforts Maybe Awkward but Deserve Rewarding

"Sewing efforts awkward at best"
by
Jean Gouveia


Webster’s defines the word klutz as “a clumsy, awkward person.” I expected to see my name listed as an example following the definition, but, thank goodness, it was not there.

Have you ever wished you excelled at something, that in one area you performed exquisitely, that the word “brilliant” might precede your name in a discussion of your specialty in life? Too bad wishing does not make it so.

I was thinking of the word klutz and how it applies to me this morning while making breakfast for my husband and me. I decided, in the name of better cholesterol health, to scramble three eggs instead of four, with the larger portion going to my hubby. It was a simple and straightforward plan, but the rules of klutzdom would not let the simple plan work. One of the eggs had two yolks!

While cursing the thwarting of my healthful plan, I found myself smiling because as a young child from a poor family the gift of two yolks in one egg was always a happy surprise and made for a richer-tasting breakfast.

All of this klutzful thinking came about because I am taking an alteration course through Fayetteville Technical Community College. The other women in this class are skilled at altering dressy church attire and suit jackets."

Click here to read the whole article.



I love it when people give sewing a go. They are usually amazed at what they can achieve and even though things don't always go right at the start, with some perserverance the rewards will come.

Sewing always reminds me of professional sports persons, they all have their bad days and so do sewers, nobody's perfect.

So if you have had what you think is your share of disasters with your sewing, don't give up, perservere, the next project could be your masterpiece.

Enjoy the article
Take care

Carmel
PS the pattern drafting course is now online, check it out.
Sew More For U Basic Pattern Drafting Course
It's the KISS of pattern drafting courses

The Little Sewing MachineThat was and Still Is !!!

Just as well we're not all alike, we would lose so much of our heritage. As the saying goes, "One man/woman's trash is another man/woman's treasure"

This article is typical of this statement.

I'm not a collector but I do have an interest in the "older world things", mostly because of the quality and workmanship and way back then, even if you didn't have much money, you would have these treasures as your everyday items because that's how things were made, it's just now years later that the value is placed on them.

And so we have this story about a little sewing machine. The mere fact that it is functional, tells us about the quality and workmanship back then. But someone wanted rid of it and couldn't see any value in it and luckily for the little sewing machine, someone else could. So it can go on now to fascinate.

So I for one am happy we're not all alike and that goes for our sewing too. The beauty of sewing for yourself and making your own clothes and things for your home is you can choose exactly what you want, you don't have to rely on what someone else thinks will suit.

So have a read about the little sewing machine and I hope you enjoy it.

All the best

Carmel
Sew More For U







Trash or treasure?

Miniature sewing machine dates back to late 1800s

Khristi Zimmeth / Special to The Detroit News
May 13, 2006

C hildren's toy or salesman's sample? That was the question on Earl Eiben's mind when he wrote Trash or Treasure to try and learn more about his potential treasure.

Eiben, of Novi, picked up the intriguing item at a garage/moving sale last spring.

"It was part of a large box filled with miscellaneous goodies that was marked 'Your Choice, 50 Cents Each,' " he says.

An avid garage and estate sale fan, he was happy to dig through the box before coming up with the little sewing machine. When he went to pay for it, however, he found out that he didn't have the money.

"I was really disappointed," he remembers. "The woman who was running the sale saw that and gave it to me anyway. They were moving and she just wanted to get rid of it."

He's been curious about it ever since.

"I have never been able to tell if it was a toy or a salesman's sample," he says. "It has interesting painting on it that looks a little Russian. I haven't been able to find any name on it, but the plate is numbered on top and says No. 480854 with numbers that are a little hard to read. I really just don't know what it is."

Luckily, Robert DuMouchelle, who appraised Eiben's piece, did.

"What you have here is a child's toy," he says. "We just had a series of these in our sale last September. They're very collectible."

DuMouchelle dated the piece to the late 1800s or early 1900s.

"Children would play with them, and they were made to look like the larger versions," he says. "This one, which is cast iron, is nicely painted and actually functional. Some are more elaborate, but this one is quite charming."

Because of that charm, he put a price tag on it of about $100-$400, saying what it would bring at auction would depend on who was there and what was hot at the time.

"We sold one of these a few years back for $650, believe it or not," he says. "It hasn't happened since."

No matter, Eiben says.

"I love antiques and I think I'll keep it. After all, it was a gift."

DuMouchelle had other good news for Eiben about a Staffordshire pitcher and bowl he also brought with him. He picked them up for $10 at an estate sale.

"This is ironstone, and not the earliest production, but it's a really nice color and it would easily bring $150-$250 at auction," he says. "If it were the chintz pattern, which everyone loves, it would be worth even more, about $300-$400."

Eiben went home happy.

"I paid $10 for both pieces and they're worth up to $800, not a bad day overall," he says.

Do you have an object that you'd like to know more about? Send a photo and a description that includes how you acquired the object, what you know of its history, any marks or hallmarks and what you paid for it to: The Detroit News, Trash or Treasure/Homestyle, 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226. Include your name and a daytime phone number. If chosen, you'll need to bring the item in for appraisal. Photos cannot be returned.

Sewing Tips...Re-Doing Sewing Tips.....

We have started to re-do our sewing tips, well not changing them, just the way people can access them.

I prefer to read on a webpage than in an email, so we are in the process of setting up the tips on webpages and by doing this have been able to incorporate the sewing tip graphics too.

It's been a slow process so far but we are getting there.

The tips we offer for free, are excellent and a great help to anyone who sews. Sewing is making a comeback and there are many newbies and from our feedback, there are many who have been sewing for some time who have found more than one sewing tip they didn't know before.

If you would like to receive the tips, just fill in the form on the right, we value your privacy and will never abuse your details in any way.

The other big thing that is on the go, is the promotion for our subscribers for our Basic Pattern Drafting eCourse. We're all putting forward our ideas, so you can be sure it will be great. that's another reason to get on the list.

That's it for now, catch you soon

Carmel
For the Crew From Sew More For U


sewing tips

Hey..!! Want To Be A T-Shirt Designer

What did we do before the T-Shirt came into vogue.  They are so much a part of our everyday wardrobe.  For the original shape to the designer styles, no wardrobe is complete without them.

Thought you might like to read this article by Terri Donahue about designing your own.  Great tips on color and graphics to get you on your way.

These days with computers, to give you a head start with the programs to make it so much easier to get your very own original design, modern printers and all the printing aids, designing your own T-Shirt could not be easier.  

Never know, could lead to a new little business. Who know where your talents lie until you try something new?

Okay, here’s the article, hope you learn something from it and give designing your own T-Shirt a go.

Take care

Carmel
www.sewmoreforu.com/pattern-drafting.html

Designing Your T-Shirt: Three Elements For Success
By: Terri Donahue



A number of technologies exist today, from inkjet transfers to online designers, which make designing and printing your own t-shirts easy and affordable. But ease of production doesn’t guarantee a good design. The following are three design components to consider when creating a design for a t-shirt: Contrast, Size, and Balance.

Contrast is the difference in *brightness* between colors. You want to have contrast between your ink colors and your shirt. For example, bright yellow, a perfectly good color, is not good for text on a white shirt because white and yellow are similar in brightness. It’s very difficult to read yellow letters on a white background. Dark colored inks, likewise, do not show up well on dark colored shirts. Navy blue ink, for example, won’t show up on a black shirt (or a burgundy shirt, or forest green, etc…).

Another area where you need to consider contrast is the graphic itself. A graphic (or multicolored font) that is made up of a group of similar colors, such as dark blue, deep purple, and black, will be hard to distinguish; the lines and colors will visually blur together. Contrast between light and dark colors will make your graphics easy to recognize.

Size does matter when it comes to shirt design. Bigger is usually better for both text and graphic elements. Your design needs to be able to be read from around six to eight feet away. Keep your text relatively simple, or at least have a major few words that are large and easily seen. People don’t have the time or inclination to read a paragraph of text on a shirt. You have about 3 seconds to get your message across before the shirt has passed by. While smaller text can be used, remember to save it for information that is less important than your main idea since it will be less easily seen.

Balance refers to the overall distribution of text and images on your shirt. A layout is described as being “heavy” where there is a lot of imagery or thick, full, font styles. As the word implies, when there is an area that is heavy (or light), there needs to be a similar area on the other side. Balance can be focused either left/right or top/bottom. As a design element, balance is an area where there is the most leeway for “breaking the rules”. Many times an off-balance, asymmetric design can be very energetic. But for a classic, clean design remember to keep your elements balanced.

If you are conscious of Contrast, Size, and Balance when designing your t-shirt, you will be well on your way to a result that will be visually pleasing to both you and your audience.


About the Author: Mandar is a graphic artist and man-about-town with http://ExpertShirt.com. Design your own custom t-shirt at http://www.expertshirt.com
Source: www.isnare.com