Blueberry Hill Crafting

Sewing

Waffle jammies

I couldn’t resist sewing new jammies with this “PJ-perfect” fabric!

Fabric: Knit Thermal by Robert Kaufman – 4 yards (57″ wide) in color Natural

Bottoms: Hudson Pant by True Bias in size 12

Top: Lark Tee by Grainline – size 12-14 (graded in between)

I chose both sizes to be nicely oversized, but I may have gone a little overboard! On the plus side, they’re really comfy 🙂 I thought about dyeing them in Rit Dye, but for now, I’m going to just enjoy them as they are – maybe if they get too dingy at some point, I’ll try for a faded indigo look.

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Spring sewing projects

My luck is hit-and-miss finding store-bought patterns that fit me well, so I’ve started hacking my own patterns from ready-made clothes in my closet. I recently bought a boxy linen pullover that I thought would make a good model for a tunic. I drafted the pattern and first experimented on some apparel fabric in my stash, bought years ago – I thought I’d use this just as a test subject, but I liked it so much that I ended up adding it to my wardrobe! Unfortunately, I have no notes on what the fabric is or where I got it.

Next, I used the “main event” fabric – 2.5 yards of Japanese yarn-dyed cotton that I purchased recently at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in Belfast, Maine.

For both tunics, I used the neckline and sleeve fit from the ready-made inspiration piece, but I lengthened the body, loosened the cuffs on the sleeves so that buttons weren’t necessary, and added pockets (because what tunic doesn’t look and wear better with pockets!) I was really pleased with the fit and how both of these (very different) fabrics.

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Creating a dress pattern

After hacking the tunic pattern, I wanted to see how it would look if I expanded it (with a few tweaks) into a dress. I lengthened it further, but also started it sloping outwards in an A-shape from the waist downward. Instead of patch pockets, I added interior pockets along the side seams. I shortened the sleeves (but kept the cuff as edging).

The fabric is another impulse buy from Fiddlehead Artisan Supply – 3 yards of linen Hokkah sheeting. As a facing, pocket lining, and an edging along the hem, I used .5 yards of Galway Indigo linen.

I think that the shape works so long as the hem is fairly high – it’s loose, not overly fitted, but still flattering, and a comfortable, lightweight staple for the summer.

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Crossback Apron for my wool& dress

I sewed this up to wear over my new wool& dress (which I love and wear almost every day!)

Pattern: Crossback Apron by Purl Soho

Fabric: Purl Soho Watercolor Linen – 1 3/4 yards in Faded Indigo

The pattern was free, and while simple and easy to sew, it had some nice details – for instance, french seams make the interior of the apron as neat and clean as the exterior. I love the deep, angled pockets!

If it was a little less apron-like, I could wear it as a pinafore over the dress – that’s what I was hoping for. But unfortunately, I think if I wore it out in public, people would say, why is she wearing an apron? It is, indisputably, an apron 🙂 So I guess I’ll keep it to wear around the house to protect the dress.

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Sierra Trapeze Coat

This coat is my newest sewing pattern, designed for Lookbook No. 8 of By Hand Serial. Believe it or not, it’s incredibly easy! There’s only a few pattern pieces, no fiddly or difficult parts to be sewn, and you don’t even have to finish off the seams, thanks to the miracle of Pendleton fabric and blanket binding.

Best of all, this coat is a perfect excuse to use beautiful Pendleton fabric! Or, if you prefer, it would be beautiful sewn up in boiled wool or any other heavy coating material.

I love the big hood – perfect for keeping my ears warm and the rain out of my eyes – and the toggle buttons, which leave the rest of the front open for that flattering, swingy A-line shape to the body of the coat.

I’d love to see photos of anyone’s finished Sierra, and I’m always happy to answer any questions you run into while you’re sewing it up!

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Working with Pendleton fabrics

Still on my Pendleton kick . . .

I made several quick and easy dopp kits from Pendleton fabrics at a great Klumhouse class right before Christmas – we even had a chance to do a little leather stamping. I love the leather and metal rivet details on these kits – it adds a little zing to them, and makes them seem more durable and professional.

Inspired by all things Pendleton, I took a trip to our local Pendleton fabric store and bought some yardage off the bolt. I reupholstered our living room pillow, but I left it up to the professionals to create a cover for our leather chair. I really love the look of the Pendleton fabric with the time-worn leather!

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Slabtown Rolltop backpacks

I sewed both of these backpacks at a great class I took at Klum House last weekend.  The pattern is Slabtown Rolltop Backpack, designed in-house by Ellie Lum, who is both an amazing bag designer and a gifted teacher.  Both bags are sewn from Pendleton fabrics and waxed canvas, and I love all of the details – zippered front pouch, magnetic snaps, the rolltop closure and the top hook that gives you another way to carry it.  Even the straps are leather sewn onto cotton webbing.  Each of the details contributes to the bag’s overall practicality, usefulness, and professional appearance.

 

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Speckled jersey lounge pants

My favorite kind of sewing project . . . quick, easy, satisfying, a chance to work with a really great fabric, and the end product fits well and is something I’ll wear all the time!

Pattern:  Hudson Pants by True Bias

Fabric:  Speckle Cotton Jersey by Robert Kaufman – 2 yards of color Natural

Size:  12

I used a jersey sewing machine needle and an overlock / stretch stitch, and had no problem at all working with the jersey fabric.  I thought the size I chose might be a little big, but it was spot-on.  The only mistake I made was making the elastic in the waistband a little long – I can compensate for it by tugging the pull ties tight, but it would have been better to have the elastic just a little bit tighter.

I love the pocket detail – and they’re positioned perfectly, just where you want to put your hands.  The 2″ elastic waistband is also nice, and I appreciate the finishing details that ensure it won’t roll and will stay well-anchored in place.

I think this entire project took me about three hours, start to finish – I would definitely make another pair!

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Playing with Rit Dye and Shibori

This is one of those things where it’s hard to stop once you get going . . . all I can think about now is how many things I could dye!

This week’s projects included Shibori dyeing a spare piece of linen (with Rit Evening Blue mixed with Navy) to create a panel for the back of my old jean jacket:

And then I used two pieces of Robert Kaufman Soft Touch Double Gauze in White and Purl Soho’s instructions to make a quick lap duvet – so soft and cushy!  I used Rit Evening Blue, and then did a quick overdye dip into Navy.

 

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Archer button-up shirt

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My first button-up shirt!  I hadn’t ever sewn a shirt with a collar, button bands, and plackets, but this pattern’s easy-to-follow directions made it totally doable.  I love how it came out – I chose a soft, lightweight shirting fabric with a subtle stripe and it’s exactly what I had in mind in terms of fit and feel.

Pattern:  Archer Button Up Shirt by Grainline Studio

Fabric:  Pickering International Organic Cotton/Hemp Yarn Dyed Ticking in Indigo (purchased last summer at Drygoods Design in Seattle)

Size:  10 (I was a little nervous that it would be slightly too small in some areas, but the fit is spot-on)

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Ella Blue jumper

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This is one of my favorite sewing projects to date 🙂  Cute and comfortable to wear, good in all types of weather, and different from anything in my closet!  The secret is the fabric – perfect drape, some heft but without any of the stiffness that you’d get from quilting cotton, and a little slubby texture, to top it all off.

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I wasn’t sure that the jumper would look good on me – it’s very shapeless and basic (which is what makes it easy to sew).  I did decide to take the seams in at the waist for a little shaping, and I hemmed it well above the knee, so that it looks more like a jumper than a dress – I think that’s the key to counterbalancing the shape.

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I was going to use some fun contrasting bias tape, but I ended up using the same fabric as the dress – glad I did, it is lightweight enough that it didn’t add any bulk, and it blends in so I don’t have to worry if my bias tape isn’t perfectly ironed under and sewn down 🙂

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Pattern:  100 Acts of Sewing Dress No. 1
Size:  Medium (38″)
Fabric:  Ella Blue Outback Wife yarn dye blue from Fiddlehead Artisan Supply (I bought 4.63 yards but only ended up using about half of that – plenty left over for a shirt!)

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Drafting and sewing the Edenwild Tote pattern

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I spent the weekend recreating one of my favorite tote bags from Graf Lantz — a felted wool and leather tote bag that I use for my knitting projects (and just about everything else!)  I may have gotten carried away with all of possible color combinations . . .

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I sourced the 5mm felted wool from Filzfelt, and kept the cost reasonable by purchasing wool design felt remnants.  The leather pieces were also scraps, sourced from Springfield Leather.  I wrote out the pattern as I went, noting adjustments that needed to be made and sewing tips.  I found that I was able to cut both the felted wool and the leather with a rotary cutter (sometimes using an Xacto knife to cut out stubborn corners).

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I first tried using heavy-duty thread, but my sewing machine wasn’t having it, so I switched to Gutermann’s all-purpose thread and used a triple-thread zigzag stitch.  I was able to get the felted wool pieces sewn together, but once I moved on to sewing leather into felted wool, I had to use an industrial sewing machine.  Luckily, we have an amazing cooperative workhouse here in Portland called Klum House, where you can take some amazing classes, or learn to use (and then purchase time to use) an industrial sewing machine.  As is so often the case, the right tool made all the difference, and I was able to sew through the various materials and thicknesses with no problem whatsoever.

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The pattern is just for personal use, but if you sign up for the By Hand Serial newsletter, you can get it for free!

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Beach pants

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I love both the fabric and the pattern that I used for this project, and it gave me just the look I was going for!  The fabric is from Fiddlehead Artisan Supply – Robert Kaufman Railroad Denim in Indigo (2.5 yards).  The pattern is Blank Slate’s Oceanside Pants (size medium).

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The patterns were amazingly easy to sew, and required few modifications.  I really like the design of the pockets, and they’re very simple since they’re patch pockets.  The pants are elastic waistband, but with the clever addition of drawstrings sewn to the elastic, for a little more of a finished look.

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I did add about 1.5″ to the top of the waistband because I didn’t want the pants to ride so low on my hips, although once they were sewn up, I think they would have been fine even as called for in the pattern.  I ended up taking about 2″ out of each leg from the knee down to the ankle, just because they were so wide-legged — I mean, I know that’s the look, but I could have fit a second person in there with me!  And, I cuffed the pants and tacked down the cuffs.  Otherwise, I didn’t make any pattern mods.

 

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Silk Set for Alia

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One of my impulse fabric buys from Fiddlehead Artisan Supply during my trip to Maine this summer was a fat eighth roll of Dupioni silk, in gorgeous blues and greens collectively named “Water” (which is exactly what it makes me think of 🙂  Of course, I had no real plan for these silks, they were just too beautiful to leave in the store.  I ultimately decided that instead of making yet another pillow or tote bag, I would sew them lengthwise into a skirt for my youngest daughter.

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There are six silk pieces in all, each 9″ x 22″.  I didn’t waste or cut any of the fabric – just sewed them all together lengthwise, then a small hem and a small roll for an elastic waistband.

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Then, of course, she needed something to wear with the skirt . . . this tank is a modified child-size version of Athens, knit with two skeins (437 yds/ea) of Alpha B yarn’s Single Silk B (70% superwash merino / 30% silk) in color Hey Sailor.  I wanted a yarn with some silk, to produce a sheen that echoed the fabric of the skirt, and I thought the the deep navy color went best with all of the “water” colors of the skirt.  The tank is knit on US 4s.

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Tea Towel Summer Cottage Pillows

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I fell in love with these summery blue and white tea towels at Sugar Tools in Camden while visiting Maine this summer, but I couldn’t justify buying more tea towels – I’m already drowning in the kitchen tea towels I’ve bought from local artists, sewn myself, and received as gifts.  However, I thought these would make the perfect throw pillows (although who am I kidding, I’m drowning in handmade throw pillows, too!)

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I didn’t do any cutting at all – by folding each towel in half, I got perfectly sized 18″ x 13″ pillowcases.  I sewed the long side closed and sewed one short side closed with an exposed seam and selvedge.  On the other short side, I sewed six buttonholes and used these perfectly sized buttons from Purl Soho.  I have to admit – I love how these came out, they’re exactly what I pictured when I saw the linens sitting on the shelf in Sugar Tools 🙂

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Silky Summer PJs

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I love the fabric I used for these PJs – found when I stumbled into the world’s greatest fabric store tucked away in the small coastal Maine town of Belfast.  The store is Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, and along with so many other things, it has an amazing selection of apparel fabric.  The teal PJ bottoms are sewn from 2 yards of Radiance (color Slate) and the top is sewn from .75 yards of Radiance (color Sage).  The orange-hued floral PJs are sewn from 2.5 yards of Voile (color Rose) and 1 yard of Woodland Clearing (color Ivory).  The fabrics are voile, lawn, and a wonderful silk/cotton blend that washes up beautifully.  They do wrinkle a lot, but I think of it as “beautiful wrinkles” (kind of like linen 🙂

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The pattern, however, I really didn’t like at all.  It’s called Night Garden Pajama Set, and I sewed sizes small (teal PJs) and large (floral PJs).  I skipped a lot of the design “extras” (like pockets) and kept them very simple, but the basic shape of the jammies didn’t fit well – particularly the pants.  First, the pant legs are wide – I mean, fit-two-people-in-a-single-leg wide.  They’re so wide that they make it difficult to walk.  Then strangely enough, the waistband rides very low, making your tummy stick out and the fit tight in the crotch – two things you don’t want in pajamas!  I had to alter the waistband substantially just to get it to fit, even on my on-the-skinny-side youngest daughter.

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I didn’t use the adjustable straps part of the pattern – it seemed overly complicated for my purposes, and instead I just sized the straps on each of the intended recipients of the PJs.  They’ll be comfortable enough, I suppose, nice and lightweight for summer sleeping, but I have to say that I wouldn’t use this pattern again.

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Sewing with Community Supported Cloth

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A few months ago, I learned about this amazing project by a collective of farmers, mills, and wool/textile producers to create “a regionally grown and woven textile that was tied directly to reversing the effects of climate change by building soil health.”  The organization, headquartered in California, is titled Fibershed, with the tagline “local fiber, local dye, local labor.”  Their Community Supported Cloth program is intended to create a “regional and regenerative textile economic model that supports the ranchers and artisans and provides the people of our community supply-chain transparency.”

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Fibershed focuses on the entire production chain, from healthy soil and carbon offsets at the sheep ranches, to the environmental impacts of scouring and spinning, to the details of textile design and weaving.  I think of it as a CSA for environmentally responsible woven cloth, and I jumped at the chance to pre-order some yardage.

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I purchased four yards, which was more than enough for my first sewing project – I have plenty left over for either another pair of pants or a skirt.  I wanted a very simple pants pattern, so I chose Colette Clover pants.  I can’t believe how well they turned out!  The fit was perfect the first time around – I didn’t even have to go back and adjust the seams.  I was a little nervous about the waistband and invisible zipper, but it was really quite easy.  I sewed Version 1 in Size 12 (which seemed really big to me, since I usually wear a size 8 pants, but the measurements for size 12 matched mine, so I went with it – and was glad I did!  I figure you can always take in your seams and make your apparel a little smaller, but it’s hard to go the other direction and make it bigger 🙂

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I left off the pockets – frankly, I didn’t really see the point of tiny little front pockets, and I felt like they kind of messed up the clean line of the pants.  I’m SO HAPPY with how they fit!  The only downside is that I had hoped to wear them as spring/summer pants, but they are definitely woven wool, and as such, are a little heavier than I had anticipated.  No matter – they’ll be perfect for cool summer nights and autumn!

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Many people who are purchasing Community Supported Cloth are dyeing it – which I think would turn out beautifully, given the texture of the cloth.  However, for at least this first project, I really loved the natural color of the woven wool; I think it’s a perfect neutral that will go with just about anything.  I love how these came out so much that I was planning on a skirt, but I’m now considering dyeing the rest of the fabric and sewing up another pair of pants – maybe to complement the color of one of my upcoming fall sweater designs 🙂

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Kokka Cats bags

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I love how these bags turned out!!  I’m really addicted to using leather and canvas as materials for all kinds of bags – it just makes them feel so much sturdier and more useful.  I’ve been saving these fabrics for a long time, waiting for the perfect project . . .

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Pattern:  Wool + Wax Tote by Noodlehead

Fabric:  Unknown Kokka cats print in canvas for outer bag, and stash fabric (I think Essex Yarn Dyed?) for lining.

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Leather:  Tennessee Whiskey Oil Tan Pre-Cut (24″x24″) for the bag bottoms, and Genuine Leather Oil Tan Purse Straps in Tennessee Whiskey (26″) for the straps, both purchased from Springfield Leather.

Other supplies:  Woven fusible interfacing, 1/2″ nickel plated magnetic snap, and rivets

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Kitty Cats Quilt for 8th grade graduation

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When my oldest daughter graduated from 8th grade and left our little K-8 country school to attend high school downtown, I sewed her a quilt made from the t-shirts she’d acquired each year of school and at zoo camp.  I wanted to celebrate my middle daughter’s 8th grade graduation with her own quilt, but I didn’t  want to duplicate her older sister’s.  Instead, in a nod to my middle daughter’s obsession with cats, I used a sampling of all of the cat fabrics that she and I have collected over the years.

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You know when you buy a fabric because it’s just too awesome to pass up, but you have no idea what you’re going to do with it?  And over time, your collection of these fabrics grows and grows?  Well, that’s what Bella and I had going with cat fabrics.  This way, she can enjoy them all in one place!

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I grouped all of the black and white fabrics together on one side for a monochromatic effect, and all of the bright colors on the other side – I kind of like how the two sides contrast each other.  I wanted the quilt to feel especially cozy, so for the sashing, I used Michael Miller Organic Cotton Sherpa.

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In order to keep the focus on the fabric, I kept the piecing as simple as possible – just a single large square for each of the fabrics (I think they’re approx. 13″ square).  When it was completed, I didn’t like how the sherpa looked when I tried to machine quilt it, so instead, I hand tied embroidery threads at regular intervals throughout the quilt.

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I sewed the quilt as square lap quilt size, instead of a long, narrow bed covering because I liked how the size and shape of the overall quilt echoed the size and shape of the individual quilt blocks.  I love how a quilt can pull together such an eclectic group of fabrics and somehow unify them!

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