Ench By Sew-39: Plaid tidings’ to you and all of your kin! Part 2 of Tartans and Plaids (Winter Holidays Mini-Cast)

Newly togged out Katie Rose is an Engel-Puppen doll

Click on this link in iTunes  to download the 39th episode of the Enchanted by Sewing Audio Podcast,  recorded in December of 2015. Or listen directly on the web by clicking on this link.

Plaid tidings’ to you and all of your kin! During the winter holidays, plaids and tartans look so festive. Dolls are the perfect plaid-sewing partners, because sewing for a doll, gives me the motivation to engage in some sample sewing. And at this time of year they remind me of  dollies, and doll clothes that were sewn for me, at this special time of year – like the mini wardrobe of Barbie clothes my aunt gracie sewed and sent me one winter holiday, as well as the red courderoy jumpers and dotted slip dresses, Mama made for our Chatty Kathy dolls, as well as for me and my sister Trisha in the winter I was 4 (with matching girl jumpers).

K.R's green plaid jumper is based on an
 American Girl free doll clothes pattern in "Mollie's Pretty Clothes"

The doll featured in this sewing project is Katie Rose. K.Rose is an Engel-Puppen doll. (Engel-Puppen doll link - has history of these dolls)

Sample sewing may not sound very exciting, but sewing an 18” (think American Girl sized) plaid doll’s dress gave me a chance to – in a very limited amount of time - practice my pattern cutting out skills for plaid fabric, as well as experiment with a new-to-me technique for improved  plaid matching

This  show is all about technicos/techniques.

My goals with this doll’s dress were to work on:
Primero/First)Careful layout of multiple princess-seamed bodice pieces - definitely less nerve racking for a doll, and gives me confidence to work on the red plaid princess-seamed shirt I’m muslin’ing - as well as the plaid nightshirt I’ll plan to be making soon for my husband.
Entonces/Then)I tried Fusible Thread to decrease slippage during sewing (a new-to-me technique for enhanced/ improved  plaid matching).  Also useful /good idea for sewing on patch pockets  

I used crafster to look for help regarding my challenges with fusible thread.
Response from ~T Read more: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=442125.0#ixzz3ufLODkuJ
https://www.byannie.com/shop/product/fusible-thread/

“She calls for low heat, so I am guessing you just had the iron too hot.

She also describes another technique for using it with aluminum foil as your pressing cloth..letting that cool and peeling it off, to create a design on fabric. Like a dimensional paint overlay technique?

You Craftsters always inspire me to hunt for new ideas   

I Goggled 'Fusible Thread Instruction' for this one. There are more on there as well.

~T”

I love using succulents all over the house during the festive season.
This simple arrangement provides the perfect place for Katie Rose to hang out.

American Girl Doll Clothes Patterns - Free http://www.agplaythings.com/AG%20Patterns/DollDressPatterns.html

More Plaid Web Resources

http://moviestarmakeover.com/category/classically-ladylike/

http://moviestarmakeover.com/category/myrna-loy/

http://www.pendleton-usa.com/thumbnail/Home/FABRIC/PLAIDS/1721/c/1828/pc/1816.uts

Border Terrier Hand Embroidery - How Shalll I use it?

My Border Terrier - one of my practice mini-projects on my trip

What do you think I should use this little embroidery motif for? I haven't decided yet. A pocket maybe? It could go on the outside of a tote bag or be added to an existing shirt. I could even stitch it, as a patch, onto a pair of jeans - like we used to back in the 60's and 70's. Do you have any other ideas?

In my June Enchanted by Sewing podcast, I mentioned that while on vacation in the United Kingdom for two and a half weeks,  I kept my sewing hand in by practicing hand embroidery stitches, using the smallest hoop I could find. It didn't take much room in my luggage and I took a great guide book -Embroidered & Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More • Step-by-Step Visual Guide -  along as a Kindle iBook on my iPad.

(You can also buy  Embroidered & Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More Step-by-Step Visual Guide in regular book format)

In my June Enchanted by Sewing podcast  I mentioned that dogs are a big travel theme for me. I pet every dog I get the chance to visit with. Not only do both pooch and I get a lot of pleasure from the interaction, it's a great way to chat casually with people around me. No tourist pressure - people can either talk or not. I had several quite long talks with dog owners on the trip.

I took along this piece of recycled linen (it used to be a pair of pants I got a lot of wear out of) for practicing my stitches. Here I was practicing a split stitch. What better design could I choose than a dog?  I bought a soft lead pencil for less than a pound in a stationary store, then drew the design by looking at a photo on my iPhone. I tested my drawing out on a piece of scratch paper a couple of times to build my confidence, then started trying it on the linen. I did a little redrawing around the nose, but it wasn't really that all hard to look at the lines in the photo and get what I wanted. The pencil washed out fine after I got home. I just ran it under a little cold water in the sink and rubbed in some hand soap.

The photo was of a  darling Border Terrier I encountered in one of many parks we visited. I saw a number of Border Terriers in the Lake District, where we walked. You may know that the Lake District is close to the border between the Lake District and Scotland, so it's the origin of this darling breed. I'm not really a breed person - frankly I'm happy with whatever mixture of pooch comes to live with me, but it's fun learning about where different breeds come from. Like me, many pups have ancestors that come from different places.

Practicing hand embroidery, something I hadn't done in years - since I got a machine capable of emboridery - is just the kind of travel activity that keeps me . . .

Enchanted By Sewing!

~ ~ ~

 Resources
                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Enchanted By Sewing Audio Podcast: Back In Town- A combination of a field trip report and sewing reflections http://www.enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2015/06/ench-by-sew-33back-in-town.html

                                                 

Ench By Sew-025: Restyling

Hey! 

The latest Enchanted by Sewing Podcast has been published!

Listening Option I) You can listen to the show right on the web by clicking on this link

http://traffic.libsyn.com/enchantedbysewing/FINALCastOct2014RestylingEnchantedBySewing.mp3

~ OR ~

Listening Option II)  Click on this link to iTunes  to download this and other Enchanted by Sewing shows to your mobile device (iPhone, Android, etc.) free from iTunes 
( https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/enchanted-by-sewing/id566370325)

This month’s show  is  Restylin’.
It all came about when I started shaking the dreams from my hair. Restylin' is about my transition in sewing and wardrobe style . It involves looking at patterns in a new-to-me way, and working my brain around ways I want clothes to fit me.

The Enchanted by Sewing Podcast is, an extension of my regular sewing blog - Me Encanta Coser, which,  roughly translated means, Enchanted By Sewing 

My blog is written in English. The name celebrates the historical and modern use of the beautiful Spanish Language in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where I live. 

This month I’m working on creating two tee shirts M6078 and V8323. The details are in these blog postings from MeEncantaCoser.blogspot.com
V8323 - Princess Seamed - Katherine Tilton Tee http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/10/princess-seamed-tee-shirt-pattern-work.html

M6078 - Retro Style Polka Dot Cowl Neck Knit top - Reminiscent of I Love Lucy http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2014/10/reworking-retro-style-polka-dot-tee.html

1) Pensamientos Primeros
– (Sewing) For my wardrobe’s sake (How about those red accents!)
2) Technicos  
Reworking my sewing style/methods. Pattern alteration experiences.
3) Pensamientos Finales
Transitions - Restyling  

David Crosby sang, 
“I almost cut my hair
It happened just the other day . . .”

4) Epiologue 
Redefining what I want to create

* * *
Restyling has me  shaking the dreams from my hair.   That’s just one more thing that keeps me . . . 
Enchanted by Sewing.

Episode 002: Romancing the Dress - Show Notes

The Podcast Episode 002: Romancing the Dress has been published in the iTunes Store :-)

o To find and download this free podcast show - search the iTunes store using the phrase Enchanted by Sewing OR follow this link
• You can also LISTEN TO THE SHOW Via the Web, by clicking Right here, if you prefer not to download it to a mobile device

• Signup here to be notified about new shows (to the right of this window), using the no-spam Feedburner link. 

   

• This show is an extension of my regular sewing blog - Me Encanta Coser - which roughly translated means Enchanted By Sewing. My blog is written in English. The name celebrates the historical and modern use of the beautiful Spanish Language in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where I live.

Please let me know, by posting below, if you find any links I mentioned in the show,  missing from this posting. I find getting all the links in challenging!

October Show Links for Episode 002: Romancing the Dress

Why I find dress sewing enchanting. How I’ve been working on making that enchantment both a time for special occasion sewing, and also a time to add to the practical part of my regular, daily arty-romantic California wardrobe.
Includes reflections on dress fashion history as well as techniques for sewing a fitted facing at a dress neckline.

Jackie Kennedy wearing
my favorite Oleg Cassini frock
Her Paris trip?
  

 • Check out that much be-ruffled pale blue dress in Dainty: Romancing the Dress

    • This McCalls Pattern is my Special-Occasions go-to frock

    • Pattern Review Link and first experiences with my new favorite day-in-day-out dress pattern Vogue v8810 in Romancing The Dress Part 3: The Dress Comes to Life

• I'm continuing my work with v8810 as I begin Envisioning the California Romance Dress

• Patterns

    * Vogue V8810

    * McCalls M5316

• Techniques

     Sewing a well-fitted facing for a dress neckline

• My Sewing Basket

Sewing Projects Planned for October and Completed in September

http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/10/my-october-sewing-basket.html

·      September Sewing Accomplished

o  The Spider Web Rose and it’s parent Tee Shirt

o   I love this tee fabric! Have you checked out What the Fashion Forward Mermaids are Wearing?

• Favorites mentioned multiple times (in alphabetical order)

     -  Cañada Fashion Design and Merchandising Program, Redwood City California

 -    Hot Patterns

 -    The Sew Forth Now Podcast

Upcoming November Show
The Lady Wears Trousers!

 • November’s Theme will be The Lady Wears Trousers

• Pensamientos:Why Barbie Doll Doesn’t Always Go Fully Clad

    (No Links)

Episode 001: Sewing the Ubiquitous Tee Shirt - Show Notes

Episode 001: Sewing the Ubiquitous Tee Shirt,  has been published in the iTunes Store  :-)

o To download this free show for a mobile device  - search the iTunes store using the phrase  Enchanted by Sewing  or follow this link

• Or you can LISTEN DIRECTLY ON THE WEB by clicking THIS LINK
o Expect one posting per month in this blog, to reflect new garment-themed sewing podcast shows. The next show will be published by the end of October. The theme for that show is Romancing the Dress . Signup here to be notified about new shows. It's a no-spam Feedburner link. 

o Look for regular journal style blog postings in my regular blog, Me Encanta Coser/Enchanted By Sewing http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/. My blog is written primarily in English. It's name celebrates the use of the beautiful Spanish Language in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where I live

-     Contact How to

o  Post your comments about the ‘cast here

o  Email - EnchantedBySewing . It’s a gmail address

o My Sewing Board On Pinterest, (http://pinterest.com/lrshimer/sewing-

inspiration/)

Show Links

-     Celebrating National Sewing Month

o  A Short Interview with Kayla, a fashion department student at Cañada College, in Redwood City  http://canadacollege.net/fashion/

-      Tee Time Pensamientos: Sewing The ubiquitos tee shirt, today's calico dress

 http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/09/pensamientos-ubiquitos-tee-shirt-todays.html

- Techniques: Neckband tutorial, Lori, Sew Forth Now/Girls in the Garden http://girlsinthegarden.blogspot.com/2010/02/knit-neckband-tutorial.html