This year was not much productive when it comes to sewing :( In fact, my sewing machine is inside the closet right now. My plans for 2013 are to get sewing lessons (I figured out that I learn much faster and better if I have a teacher). I'll try this school "Latina Engenharia de Moda", which is very close to home and teaches you how to make clothes!

My first post here was almost 2 years ago, just a month after I got my machine. I checked my old posts (not too many) and this is what happened to the projects I made:

1.  Folklore Bag: I want to throw it away. I used once. Not a good bag. I didn't like the fabrics choice either.
2. Blue blouse: never finished. I think it's already in the garbage.
3. Shorts (here and here): I still use them, almost every week. Success!
4. Liz Blouse (first and second): donated. Never used. I didn't like the results.
5. Easy top from Burda Style: never used. Donated.
6. Cushion covers: I made four of them, including some with a lapped zipper. I use them all the time. Success!

Let's see what waits for me next year ;)

Check this giveaway!

The blog Tilly and the Buttons is hosting a great giveaway, with lots of prizes. It would be a nice Christmas gift, wouldn't it? Check it out here.

New cushion covers

The fabric I bought online are so nice! At first I thought they were too stiff but after I washed them they became very soft. Yesterday I began to make the first cover and I decided to use an invisible zipper. It was easier than I thought and I used this video tutorial to see how to attach it.

Here are some photos:

Zipper attached to fabric by hand

Invisible zipper foot in action

It does get invisible!

I decided to use bias tape to finish the zipper edges.

Another foot in action, the bias tape foot (it's adjustable, so I can use several bias tape width with it)

 

 I'll show the finished cover when I make all of them :) I think I'll use some regular zipper in the next, so I can practice how to sew the lapped zipper!

First online fabric order

Yesterday I got some fabrics I ordered on line. It was from a fabric store called Center Fabril and I got some home sewing fabric, to make some cushion covers. They were at a good price so I decided to test this store. It arrived pretty fast and well packaged. Too bad they don't sell fashion fabric at the site, they have mostly quilt cotton.

As I have a dog at home and she loves to play with the cushions, not to say she's always sleeping on them, I have to constantly wash the covers and they get old really fast. So I'll use these 100% cotton fabric to make new ones! I've done a few some months ago, but did not post about it. Making cushion covers is very easy and I don't even use zippers for it, I just make an envelope, like a pillow cover. It's very practical! 

Here are my two favorite prints: very flamboyant tropical flowers and black/white/gray with splashs of red...

Easy top

I sewed this top using the #106B pattern from BurdaStyle Magazine 6/2001. I can get here the Portuguese version, with a few months of delay. It's much cheaper to buy the magazine (R$ 10,90 = U$ 6,00) than get the patterns online at burdastyle.com. This top is available at the site, but only at version #106A and for U$ 5,40...

It's a very easy top to sew, though I had some problems to sew and finish the facings (novice problems...)...  The pattern claims for a linen fabric, and I used a linen cotton blended fabric that I got online at YozoCraft.com (a very nice shop, by the way). Here is the result:

By the magazine table of sizes, I'd be a 42 (bust measure), but the right size for me is 38. And it's still a bit loose.

I'll try to make it again, but with a less deep V neckline, this was was way too open for me...

It has a nice open hem at the sides.

I really liked the pattern as it's very easy and fast to sew. It also gives me space to alter the neckline and maybe the hem. I'm also thinking about making the sides a little curved, so I take in account my pear body shape and accent the waist.

Another pair of shorts

Using the same pattern made here I made new shorts, with a small red and white plaid cotton fabric. One of the differences from the last one was that I did not made flat felt seams, instead I finished the seams with a small zig zag stitch. And I cut only two pieces instead of four, i.e. I cut the front and back pieces together joined by what would be the side seam.

It was very fast to sew. I have to get more fabric later, because this is a piece I wear a lot. Here are some pictures:

Simple shorts, pattern made following the Perfect-Fit Sleep Shorts, from the One Yard Wonder book.  

Elastic wait band. Sew two stitch lines so the elastic won't roll.

Pocket on the back. It serves also to identify the back of the piece, as I don't use labels...

What are the chances...

...that your needle will hit the pin on the fabric while you sew? Almost zero? Well, remember almost zero is not zero. So this is what happened to one of the pins that were holding the two layers of fabric and which I didn't remove when it passed under the needle:

Mental note: remove all the pins when they are close to the machine foot. Don't think they will never be hit by the needle. As long as this may seam improbable, it may happen (and it may fly directly to your eye...)