The Valentine Dress That Is, and the Blog Post That Almost Was

February 7, 2018 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

Happy February, sewing friends!

This is McCall’s 7186.

My intent was to blog a review of this one in late January.

My photographer has been traveling out of town extensively, so no pics.

*sigh*

Perhaps a photography session will take place near the end of the month

when we are both in town.

Until then, this is my only picture of this close-fitting knit beauty.

The fabric is Stretch Crushed Velvet English Floral Mauve on Black from Fabric.com

Sorry for the teaser, but there will be a full post toward the end of February.

For those of you who are machine embroiderers,

here is some cute inspiration:

This little ornithological creation is an in-the-hoop design from Pickle Pie Designs.

I used inexpensive felt from Hobby Lobby.

Clear vinyl was used for the cute little peek-a-boo-belly heart window.

I put the jelly beans in their own little clear bags and heat sealed them closed

before they became part of the owls’ abdominal contents.

On the back there is a lapped closure in which to insert sweet treats.

It doesn’t show up so great in these photos, but I used glitter felt for the eyes.

I appreciate the time you spend reading my blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Have a l❤vely Valentine’s Day.

"Un-Beweavable" Ruffled Scarf

January 8, 2018 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

If you are a serger owner, I would like to recommend the book:

Serger Essentials by Gail Patrice Yellen.

This book includes advice on threading, tension, differential feed, and needles

relevant to all models.

It also give tips for using decorative threads and techniques

– and –

it includes instructions for 5 simple projects

This lightweight knit scarf is one of those 5 projects.

It is also the project for my February 28 Baby Lock Serger Class

at both Wimmer’s locations: Layton and Ogden

I had this very, very (almost sheer) lightweight spandex knit on hand,

so I decided to give it a try.

The instructions call for t-shirt weight knit fabric.

I’m actually quite pleased with the scarf.

The edges are finished with a rolled hem

and serger chains are woven into the slits that are cut into the scarf,

using a skip cut rotary cutter blade.

Then beads are tied onto the ends of the serger chains.

If you are in the local area, head to Wimmer’s and sign up for the class.

I would be pleased to meet you in person.

Thank you for visiting.

McCall’s MP239 M7261 Exercise Leggings

December 27, 2017 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

Hello sewers! Thank you for stopping by my blog.

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas.

With the new year just ahead of us,

it’s time when many of us think about starting an exercise routine,

or changing up an existing routine.

I try to exercise throughout the year,

but I am an eclectic exerciser.

To me, that means I play around at many types of exercise.

I get bored easily with the same routine,

so I switch up my exercise routine A LOT.

I also get bored with my exercise clothing.

And it was time for a new pair of leggings,

so I chose McCall’s pattern number 7261.

Just as new exercise routines keep me interested in exercising,

so do new workout clothes.

This is the only pair of leggings I have that are not one solid color.

The panels of color in the mid leg make me happy.

I purchased both fabrics at Joanne.

The black is performance fabric so it helps hold in the jiggle!

The galactic print is a little bit lighter weight spandex knit.

As with all leggings, this is a really quick pattern to sew.

I used my Baby Lock Triumph serger for the entire project.

I was able to neatly sew, trim, and finish the edges of all the inside

seams with just one pass through the serger.

I then used the cover stitch to keep those seams from “rolling” around.

Here’s a close up of the outside and the inside of the garment:

I really like this pattern because the waistband does not have a casing or elastic.

That makes the leggings smoother on the tummy and more comfortable to wear.

Here’s a short video that I made.

It shows a few more details and I also discuss how to choose your size.

How about you?

Do you already have an exercise routine,

or do you plan to start one in the new year?

Thank you for visiting with me today.

I enjoy your company so much.