Tools of the Trade

painting by Kelly Reemtsen.

As I was saying previously regarding those vests I've been working on...that tube turner.  (ha) I bought one the next day, a Dritz Loop Turner and spent hours trying to make it work.  Even looked at a video, no such luck.  Why in the world people say it's such a breeze I have no idea.  Was mine broken or what!?!  Took it back and found a brilliant tutorial on turning a tube with a bobby pin (yes, really).  The hardest part was

Process Pending

artwork by Cecilia Paredes.

Wow, what a whirlwind I'm in.  I rediscovered some pattern pieces I had cut out for a vest a long while ago and never sewed together - 3 of them actually.  It's a really cool kimono-type thing that is now a wee bit small but easily adjustable.  I decided to go ahead and put them together with minor additions.  I'm having fun exploring all the fabric mix and matching.

Once I got going I kept changing things up, what with the additions, and then deciding not to line it, but go reversible while I was at it.  Each piece is made up of a front, back, side panels and collar, plus tie fasteners.

Tunic Tune-Up

doll by Liat Yaniv.

Just like the other one. Only in red this time.  Seemed like too much red for my taste this time around - though maybe I could dye it at some point...

Meanwhile, it was an easy fix to fit.  Ripped open the side seams all the way into the sleeves about two inches.  Still had the same fabric stashed away too, so I inserted a long, narrow fabric wedge. I did learn to add the side seam pockets while working on the side seam addition though. (yea for the results of trial & error!)  Didn't have enough of the same fabric, so used solid red for the pocket insides.  I obsessively cleaned up all the seams I hadn't gotten to when I first sewed the top.  Then relocated all the buttons.  Was going to change them up, but in the end I liked the ones that were there the best.  Easy-peasy.

BTW, I wore it on Valentine's Day for a cafe date with my husband.

Come On, Everthin's Gonna Be Alright

fashion by Danny Mansmith

Remodeled an old Asian-esque Tunic I made a hundred years ago or so.  Looked in my stash for some purple and black print to add to it and  found I still had a bit of the same fabric in my leftover bin!  It never ceases to amaze me that I have held on to stuff for soooo loooonnnngggg.

And thank goodness for that I say, because it was exactly enough fabric to make side inserts that match perfectly and create side seam pockets.  Which is just what I did...along with resewing and relocating the buttons and making the hemline even.

It all seemed to go without a hitch, fits, looks good, and feels good on.  Celebrate good times...

Take an Ordinary Coat...

Takashi Kawada, designer

...and do something with it.  I removed all the buttons that made my old camel coat double-breasted and changed it into a single row of buttons by replacing them (both in terms of style and location).  I actually chose plainer buttons that were the color of the coat, but I used a pinkish-coral color thread to sew them on and changed the direction of stitches from x's to +'s, if you get my drift.