Our five-day Thanksgiving break has been wonderful! We’ve enjoyed the downtime immensely – almost surprisingly so. I mean, we didn’t realize how much we needed the break. The kids – mostly Mikah – are tackling the big job of organizing the Legos. (More on that when the project is finished.) I’ve been taking it easy with the cooking, even on Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving dinner was simple, nourishing, warming and good.

Jeff has been asking for me to work on his skull cap and this seemed to be the weekend to do that. It helps that he’s been home and accessible for try-ons and input. I tried once or twice last winter to get a good hat for him, and they were close, but not quite. He’s my pickiest customer.

He is wearing hat #4 in these pictures, and we are calling it good! I made it with 100% merino wool interlock from the Nature’s Fabrics co-op, dyed black. The fabric is a dream. The pattern is the same as for Luke Pepper’s skull cap (U2-2 band member’s custom hat), but I use the merino wool interlock instead of ribbed cotton. The crown of the hat is 4 pieces, which are serged together and then coverstitched down for a faux flatlock. This makes the seams look soooo nice. Then the band is added, again serged and coverstitched down. As a side note, I continue to get orders for the custom cotton skull caps, a bit surprising!

I also sewed Jeff two mid-layer wool shirts out of a lighter-weight 100% merino wool jersey in chocolate brown (mentioned in the first paragraph of that link). He is wearing one of them in those pictures up there. We’ve decided that from now on we’ll use the fold-over elastic for all his necklines (that link takes you to a picture). We really like how it works and looks.

Have you been doing any sewing lately? This coming week, I’d like to make wool pj pants for me and the kids. Haniya has outgrown her wool shirts from last year, so it is time to make her some more.

I’ve been on a sewing marathon. But now it is over. After three days of almost non-stop sewing, I feel good. (And tired of those machines.) The last project I did today was to make two sets of pjs for me.

Each pair comes from one thrift store knit sheet that cost about $2.99. I’m just calling the elastic cost incidental, but let’s just say the elastic on each set cost $1. That makes each pair $4. But that doesn’t really matter as much as – they feel great and they fit me well!

Once again, I used fold-over elastic on the top. It is the same pattern I always use for my tank tops. I could wear these in the day, they are nice enough for my casual style. But they match the pj pants so that’s what they are.

The pj pants were cut from the same pattern as for all my other elastic waist pants, including these linen pants and comfy pants.

This is what I’ve sewn in the last three days: four tank tops (me), undergarments (me), two t-shirts (Jeff), a tote bag (friend), a custom skull cap (ordered), and then there was also the apron earlier in the week. What I love about it all is that at this point, I’ve worked out almost all the kinks in our basic garments. I’ve spent time tweaking patterns and getting to know the machines and trying easy/new techniques. It is paying off now that I am able to make garments easily, efficiently, and not much is tedious. I love that – I hate tedious. If it is tedious, I won’t do it.

Here’s my confession.  You would know for sure that I avoid tedious steps if you saw my garments up close… I’ve stopped doing hems on knits. Truly. And I don’t think anything is lacking for it. The jersey and/or interlock I buy (whether quality bamboo or wool, or thrift store cotton knit), doesn’t run easily. To add a hem or a rolled hem either creates a seam that is susceptible to snapping, or the insertion of the needle weakens the fabric so it tears. Not doing a hem eliminates those weaknesses, and as long as I cut straight, I don’t believe that lacking a hem is noticeable in the least. It would take quite a bit to convince me to add a hem to a knit garment!

We’re leaving for our vacation tomorrow… I won’t be posting so much for more than a week. Definitely taking a break from gnowfglins, since I know I can’t promise to come up with stuff every day. Here I would like to share intermittently. Perhaps just pictures. So, I’ll see you off and on!

These two pictures show a t-shirt I made for Jeff, using bamboo jersey. It was the first time I used the fold-over-elastic on any of garment of his. I gave it to him and said, “This is proof of concept, okay?” because I wasn’t sure whether he would like it or not. Well, he did. And I did. I used the inside (matte-side) of the fold-over elastic. The other side is shiny and more feminine. So that looks good. And it feels good. When he puts it on, he says doesn’t worry about popping any seams when it stretches over his head.

This is a tote bag that a friend asked me to make in exchange for giving me a huge of hunk of that nice denim of which the bag is made. The orange paw prints fleece is her son’s actual school fabric. She wants to use the tote as a purse, thus its small size (10 x 13 inches). She’ll carry it when she goes to his soccer games. The bag is lined with fleece and the pocket is fleece, while the rest is denim. I love her idea to have a single strap go from one side seam to the other – and I made it 4-ply and 2 inches wide since it is the bag’s only strap. The middle is secured with a big button and a ribbon closure. You know, this could be the cutest bag I’ve ever done. Naomi really wants one. And the frayed edge at top is the salvage edge of the denim, which I did not intend to have there – but it ended up there, and then I liked it, so I left it out! A happy mistake.

Finally, I made myself some more of these tank tops. In fact, the one pictured here is now no longer bound by black fold-over elastic. I got some raspberry fold-over-elastic from the Shana, the ebay seller, and replaced it. I didn’t like that I’d gathered the neck and arms so much, and I didn’t want to be limited in what I wore with the tank. I also made myself one in bright blue, light green, and purple. They are really pretty!

Also over the weekend, I fulfilled a custom skull cap order. Since I made the skull cap for Luke Pepper, in the U2 tribute band, I’ve received two inquiries for the same hat – and one of those inquirers wanted to go ahead.

Now, today, I’d like to wrap up some loose “threads” – sew one more t-shirt for Jeff and a nightie for me. Then it is time to pack, pack, pack, for our vacation… Getting so excited, we are.

It’s about time! I finally got back to copying the retro apron that I started in June. (See Copying A Retro Apron – Part 1 for how I created the pattern from a ready-to-wear apron).

I couldn’t construct the binding exactly the same – as the material chosen by my friend was limited. There was not enough of it to make self-fabric binding on the outside, as the original apron featured. So I used ready-to-go binding (thank you, thrift store) in a contrasting/coordinating color on the wrong side of the apron. Everything else is pretty straight-forward.

I think I could have constructed the ties better, but the way I did it worked allright.

Doesn’t Marie look beautiful? She’s standing outside the Umpqua Store and Lighthouse Bakery, where she serves. We delivered the apron to her on Wednesday and we also stayed for Umpqua ice cream. It was over 100 degrees that day, so we indulged!

Click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

I received the fold-over elastic order I mentioned last week. Shana, the ebay seller (Fold Over Elastic Plus) gets a thumbs-up from me! She is prompt, has an excellent product, and the best price anywhere (20 cents per yard!). She sent me a full set of her color samples last week. There are 100s of colors!

Yesterday, I took the samples and matched them up with the colorful bamboo jersey I ordered recently. Then I sent her an email listing the 12 colors I wanted. Within a half hour, she emailed me with an invoice. Then I paid it, and then a few minutes later, she wrote to me that she was taking my order to the post office right then. Amazing and friendly service!

Now the fun stuff. Here’s what I did yesterday with the fold-over elastic I’d already bought from Shana last week.

• Undergarments ~ It is embarassing to put up pictures of the undergarments. But, with the goal in mind of sharing how fold-over elastic works, I figure you’d rather see the project than imagine it. My methods may seem over-the-top, but to me, they’re not. I got some undergarments from Target a few years ago and I’ve never had a better fit. So I painstakingly took apart one of them that was worn out and made a perfect pattern, even preserving all the elastic so I could get the right length when I copied them. Since then, I’ve muddled through getting the elastic on new pairs with the serger or coverstitch machine, and it  is never consistent or easy. I’m just pleased as peaches about how the fold-over elastic makes this project one worth doing! The brown 4-way stretch lycra blend came from a thrift store – $1.75 for 4-1/2 yards (compared to the JoAnn’s price of $8 per yard!). I’ve also made a tank top out of it and have plans for nightgowns and other comfy around-the-house garments.
• Pink Bamboo Jersey Tank Top ~ I made this tank top a few weeks ago out of pink bamboo jersey. I used self-fabric bindings on the neck and arm holes when I first made it. It was a little tricky to work with it in the coverstitch binding attachment. In fact, after the first time I wore it, some of the stitches starting coming out, which is a recurring problem with the coverstitch machine. Well, fold-over elastic to the rescue! I stitch-ripped the binding off, opening the neck-side-end of one shoulder seam and the top of each side seam. The ripped off bindings told me how long to cut the elastic. Then I zig-zagged the fold-over elastic in the binding’s place. Okay, ladies, listen up. You don’t need a coverstitch machine to apply bindings. All you need is fold-over elastic and sewing machine. Here’s what I’m thinking. If I can figure out how to make fold-over elastic manly (like for Jeff’s t-shirts), then I may be able to simplify my life and sell my coverstitch machine. It has been a rocky relationship, fiddling with tensions and stuff. This could be the end! The pictures show you both a full view of the tank top and then a close-up of the neck and arm hole area.

Here’s how I originally developed my tank top pattern, at first making it from recycled men’s t-shirts. Today, I’m going to do a tank top for each of the girls and I’ll take pictures along the way so you can see how easy it is!

For a wedding we attended two weeks ago, I made this skirt for Naomi. Oddly enough, it is the same size as the one I made her two years ago, also for a wedding. She grew taller, but not wider, and this time, we wanted a shorter skirt.

For instance, with this apron, I noticed right away that the self-binding was applied to the right side only of the apron. You can see the right side in this close-up of the neck. Although you can’t see the underside, take my word for it that there is no binding; the underside is smooth. The apron is not lined. What do you think of this look – binding on the right side? I really like it! Unfortunately, the fabric given me for the apron I will make as a copy does not have enough extra to make self-binding like this, so I’ll have to use another fabric for the binding and I’ll apply it to the inside. Bummer!

To copy the apron, I pieced together two strips of pattern paper. I use disposable exam room table paper, just what you find at a doctor’s office. Then I folded the apron exactly in half and laid it out on the paper. I traced all around it, with the exception of the ties. I also traced the pocket, marked its placement on the apron body pattern, and measured the ties.

After cutting them out, this is the tracing of the body of the apron and the pocket — now a pattern that I can use over and over again! (I added seam allowances before cutting out, though – keep reading to see where I added them.)

I edited the picture to show you my pattern markings – 1) the added 1/4″ seam allowances to all edges but the fold edge, 2) the marked fold edge, 3) the pocket placement markings, and 4) the pocket pattern (to which seam allowances were added, along with an extra 1-inch for the pocket top edge hem). In addition, on the pocket piece, I wrote down the two tie’s dimensions (which include seam allowances, too). I don’t see the need to cut out a pattern piece for the ties when they are just long strips of a certain dimension. Also, I marked my chosen seam allowance of 1/4″ on the pattern. If I use this pattern again, I don’t want to be left wondering what the seam allowance is!

Finally, I figured out how much binding I would need. To do this, I measured around the apron, from the center neck to the bottom center front of the apron. I doubled this measurement, then added 10 inches to spare, ending up with 190 inches. How wide though? Well, the binding’s finished width is 1/2″, so its cut width must be 1″ (the 1/2″ plus 1/4″ seam allowances for each edge). So to complete this apron, I need 190″ of 1″ wide binding. I marked this on the pattern, so I would never have to figure it out again.

A few other things. The binding must be cut on the bias, if I use binding cut from my fabric stash. Otherwise, if I use store-bought bias it is already cut on the bias. This will ensure that it stretches to go around the curved edges of the apron.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where I will continue the construction of this copy of a ready-to-wear retro apron. If you have any questions, please let me know!

I’m trying to find a skull cap that fits as good as The Edge’s from U2. He has form fitting skull caps like your boy is modeling and they’re thinner than wool, with no bumpy seams at the top. Would it be possible to make me one, with view to me ordering a few to keep me going on stage?

This was a fun project – though not without challenges! Imagine fitting someone for a hat overseas. I tried to talk Luke into a lightweight wool (you know how I love wool) for the fabric, but in the end we settled on a black, ribbed 100% cotton. And I’m glad. It worked well, surprising me even. With that fabric, I proceeded to make a succession of trial hats – the first hat was too long, the second too short, but the third fit. Luke sent a picture over to show me how the third hat turned out (see picture). And here’s what he wrote:

Thank you, Wardeh, for your help, time and patience. After three trials, you’ve made the perfect beanie hat. I’ve been shopping around in Britain, Ireland and all over the net and nobody has been able to supply me with the correct headware. I’ve had the hat on for a while and been singing with it/moving about a bit and it stays put. You can’t buy anything as good as this. Apart from now having a custom made Edge hat, I’ve found another lovely person across the water to keep in touch with. I wish you and your family (and goats) a great time ahead, with peace, security and fun. ~Luke

Since my normal life is so predictable – family, school, animals, healthy cooking – I chuckle because a hat I made is going on stage in the UK. I may be making Luke a couple of backup hats later on, but for now, life is back to routine. Umm… no! Not with goats around.

If you are interested in an Edge-Style Hat from Such Treasures, please view the pricing and ordering guidelines, and then contact me following the instructions provided. I am not accepting orders for hats at this time.