stitch lounge - blog

My Prada Shoes

Melissa A. — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:09:12 GMT

...let's start with footwear!

and...we're back!

Hope — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:23:31 GMT

Many of you may have noticed that our website was down all weekend...there was a major malfunction at our host which has now thankfully been fixed! We apologize for the inconvenience and now get back to our regularly scheduled program...

new tutorial: refashioned draped neck top!

Hope — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:44:46 GMT

Our newest tutorial (Sponsored by SINGER®!) features a Draped-Neck Top made from a muumuu!

Draped-neck tops are comfortable, flattering on a number of body types, and great for layering. Now they’re easy to make, too! In this project, we take a vintage muumuu and transform it into a top suitable for this decade. The best part is, there’s so much yardage in muumuus that you can easily make one for yourself and a friend! You don’t have to use a muumuu—we also like making this top using an XL t-shirt or approximately 1 yard of a knit fabric.

Download the fun here! (Sponsored by SINGER®)

rockmake call for craft vendors!

Hope — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:15:28 GMT

Are you a MAKER that wants to ROCK? Do you MAKE your stuff LOCALLY? If so, then come join our event. For their first collaborative efforts, WhizBang Fabrics is teaming up with SF band Tartufi and local indie podcaster extraordinaries The Bay Bridged to bring together an awesome day of DIY craft/art--sell your locally made goods while listening to the best of the bay! What could be better than that? Think 12 local bands, 50 or so crafters--this is gonna be awesome!

RockMake Street Festival
Day of the Event: Sunday, August 24: 11 am – 6 pm
Location: TREAT St. (between 17th and 18th)
http://www.myspace.com/rockmakestreetfestival

Application Deadline: July 30
To apply, please send Helen of WhizBang Fabrics an email at helen@whizbangfabrics.com including the following information:

Your Name
Business Name (DBA)
Brief description of product
URL/Website (or attach photos of your work)
etsy/myspace/facebook?
Best # to reach you at
Mailing Address
booth size requested (5’ wide X 10’ deep = $77.25, 10’ X 10’ = $123.60)
payment method (check or cc/paypal?)

Within 5 days of submitting the above mentioned information you will receive an email from Helen as to your status with the fair.

built by wendy simplicity 2863 pattern review

Hope — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:30:57 GMT

It's no secret: I love working with knits. I love wearing knits, and I love sewing knits. So when I saw that Wendy Mullin put out some new Simplicity patterns specifically designed for my favorite type of fabric, I had to give at least one of them a shot. I went for Simplicity 2863 because I loved the 70s/80s flavor of the design.

I started off with view A, and I really like the end product. The self-facing neckline is really genius and I'm kind of a sucker for batwing tops so this was sure to be a winner. In terms of ease of use, as someone who has been sewing for a while but doesn't use a lot of commercial patterns, I felt that the instructions skipped over a few steps. Specifically, there was a little bit of confusion around finishing the neckline. I could figure out what I needed to do, but I kept thinking that if I beginner seamster was making this pattern they might get a little confused. Also, like most patterns intended for knits, the dress ended up a bit big (though not enormously so), so I would cut a size down from your typical pattern size. The elasticized waist helps to correct that problem, though. Anyway, enough typing, let's look at the result (note that I cut this into a tunic length because I felt that the bold stripes in this fabric were a little too much over my entire body):

Once I made the dress and realized how easy the pattern was, I decided to make view C (the top), only without the shoulder tabs. This time, I cut the pattern down to a size small (I made a medium before). HINT: the front and back piece of this pattern are exactly the same, so cut one piece to your usual size and the next piece a size down to try it out!

Literally, it took me half an hour to make this top. I guess practice makes perfect! Even though I cut it down to a size small, it was still huge since this view doesn't have the benefit of elastic at the waist. I ended up taking it in quite a bit on the sides. I really love the style of this top, but I am not sure if it looks good on me...since I have wide shoulders I think it kind of makes me look like a football player. My co-workers disagree, though, so it will definitely be a part of my wardrobe while I make my mind up about it. :)

Conclusion: I really like this pattern and I'll definitely make view A again, and probably view B with the cute tab pockets and the button placket. I also like that the pattern is freeform enough to add all kinds of customization. Cut the pattern a size smaller than your typical pattern size, and expect that you might still need to take it in if you aren't going for the elasticized waist. The end result is a super comfy dress or top with equal parts sophistication and vintage feel.