Purly had a great idea for Friday posts… post a picture of something pretty or interesting.� Thus the�name, Eye Candy Friday!

For this week’s picture, I’m posting the picture that is the background on my computer.� Whenever I need a little getaway from whatever I’m doing, I minimize all my windows and look at this picture.

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I took this picture in August 2004, on�Ke’e Beach in Kauai.��� Aside from the fact that this is a beautiful picture of the beach at sunset, it also brings back some great memories of the trip for me.�

Happy Friday!�

Don’t get all excited.� I didn’t actually finish anything or make any notable progress.� I did pick up the stole and work on it for about an hour last night.� When I started working on it, I remembered the reason I put it down several weeks ago… I found a minor mistake that I had to fix.� Of course, I could have fixed the mistake quickly and easily by adding a M1 to a right side row to get the stitch count back on track.� But nooooo.� I couldn’t let myself do that.� So, I dropped three stitches down ten rows.� Three stitches dropped for ten rows in laceweight yarn being knit on size 5 needles makes a huge, scary mess.� I should have taken a picture, but by the time I thought about it I was already wishing I had a third hand to hold the slippery stitches in place.� Anything involving a camera was not going to happen.
First try, no luck.� I ended up with odd looking lace.� Holes where they shouldn’t be.� Not good.� Fortunately the second shot was a success.� Turns out the order in which you pick up the ladders makes a huge difference.� Who’d have thought?� ;)

Thankfully fixing the mistake went quickly, and I didn’t have to rip and re-knit.� I’m so glad that I’ve learned how to drop and re-knit stitches.� It’s always scary to have to do though!

If all goes well, I should have the main part of the stole completed within a week, then it’s on to the borders.

As always, I had grand plans for all I would accomplish this weekend… finish hemming Cabo (and fix a minor zipper issue), sew my apron for the apron exchange, and sew a zipper pocket in the lining of my Weekender bag.� And that was just my plan for Saturday morning.� When I finished that, I would rearrange and organize the drawers and cabinets in the bathroom, and organize my closet.� If only things got done by virtue of ambition alone!

Cabo isn’t done yet.� In attempting to fix a minor zipper problem, I ended up breaking the zipper instead.� Now I need to go buy a new zipper and sew it in.� No big deal, but a setback nonetheless.

The apron, I’m happy to say, is finished!� I’m really happy with it too - it’s very 50’s/vintage looking.� I had a very hard time picking out fabric, but managed to find a pretty vintage looking print that I’m hoping my swap partner will like.� No pictures - I want to keep it a surprise for the recipient!� Unfortunately, the apron took a loooong time to sew, mostly because finishing seams with bias tape is hugely tedious.� I tried my best to keep all the stitching straight and perfect, but it is far from being perfect.� Sewing for someone else is hard!

I didn’t even get to the zipper pocket for my bag - by the time I finished the apron on Saturday, it was too late to even think about starting another project!� And the house stuff?� Ha!� That will have to wait until another weekend.

And what about Sunday?� Sunday was spent at the lake, as usual, boating, swimming, and generally trying to stay cool.� Fun, but it’s hard to stay cool when it’s 110+ and the lake water temperature is 88.7! � Is it fall yet?

Found Savvy Seams today as I was surfing the net trying to figure out how to apply single fold bias tape to cover a seam.� Cool site - good sewing tips, free patterns, etc.� Enjoy!

Also - seems as though I need double fold bias tape to cover a seam.� Hmmm…� the pattern (circa 1955) calls for single fold.� So confused!

The hot weather has been keeping me from knitting.� When it is 100+ degrees outside, and around 80 in the house (with the AC running at full blast!), I have zero desire to touch yarn.���

I’ve been trying to sew instead, since sewing doesn’t require that I be in constant contact with fiber.� Unfortunately,�sewing is not a portable hobby and since I haven’t been home much on the weekends, I haven’t spent as much time sewing as I’d like.� The cabo halter is taking me forever to finish, even though it is an uber-easy project that has only taken a few hours of sewing time so far.� All I have left to sew is the hem… not sure when I’ll find the time to finish it up - hopefully before the weekend.�

After I finish sewing Cabo, I’m going to do a detailed post comparing my completed�halter to the one pictured on the pattern.� Stay tuned… all I can say for now is that I know why the model is hiding her face behind that cowboy hat.

I worked on Cabo a bit last night, up until Project Runway came on TV, at which time I sat down on the couch and promptly fell asleep. Oops! Thank goodness for the DVR.

As I was sewing Cabo, I realized the instructions called for finishing the seams with a zig-zag stitch - after I had sewn the seams, of course. Personally, I dislike how this looks as a seam finish. It makes the garment look homemade. Of course, no one will generally see the inside of your garment but you, so it really doesn’t matter. But, you know me… I’m a bit on the obsessive compulsive side when it comes to my crafts. I decided to rip the seam and use french seams instead. For those new to french seams, I’ve posted a tutorial below.

How to sew a French Seam

1. Pin fabric with WRONG sides together. This is not intuitive at first, but trust me.

2. Sew a narrow seam. For a 5/8″ seam allowance, I like to use a 1/4″ seam. For a 1/2″ seam allowance, I do slightly less than 1/4″ (approx. 1/8″) seam.

The completed narrow seam. Note that at this point, you may optionally choose to trim the seam allowance to 1/8″ to ensure that it does not show on the right side the completed seam.

3. Press the narrow seam to one side.

4. Fold fabric with right sides together and press at seam.

5. Sew a second narrow seam with wrong sides together. For a 5/8″ seam allowance, sew a 3/8″ seam (3/8 + 1/4 = 5/8″). For a 1/2″ seam allowance, sew a 3/8″ seam (3/8 + 1/8 = 1/2″).

6. Press the completed French seam to one side.

7. A completed French seam, from the wrong side…

And from the right side…

Dear Amy,

I adore your patterns. No, I take that back. I adore your DESIGNS. Your patterns - not so much.

I’m currently working on my third project from one of your patterns. The first was a Madison bag, and the second was the Weekender. Now I’m sewing a Cabo halter. Fortunately for me, I’ve been sewing for nearly all my life and understand the basics of laying out and cutting a pattern. Although your sewing directions are fabulous, your pattern layout & cutting directions are seriously lacking.

When I opened the Madison bag pattern, I was dumbfounded that the pattern did not include layout instructions for the pattern pieces. Fortunately the pattern pieces are small and your fabric requirements were generous enough that the pattern could be laid out just about any way I chose. The pattern didn’t mention anything about where to position the pieces with respect to the grain of the fabric (at least for the pieces that weren’t laid on the fold), but presumably the straight edges of the pattern piece were to be parallel to the selvedge. The Weekender layout gave a bit more guidance, but left it to the sewer to create his/her own pattern pieces for several parts of the bag.

Tonight I cut out my Cabo fabric. I was pleased to see that you included an actual pattern layout diagram in the pattern. However, as I was studying it, I realized that anyone who was using directional fabric and following your pattern layout literally would end up with an upside down fabric pattern on the top part of their halter. According to your layout, all pattern pieces face in the same direction EXCEPT the top exterior front piece. Yikes! Check out the diagram below:

See the pink shaded piece? The piece you labeled as “Upper front exterior”? The red “V” I’ve drawn on that piece to indicate the direction of the pattern faces the opposite direction of the “V”s on the other pattern pieces. Interestingly, the piece labeled “Upper front lining” is facing the right direction.

I’m guessing that most people sewing this pattern would realize that the lining and exterior pattern pieces are interchangeable, and would end up sewing the pattern pieces to achieve an upright pattern on the upper front of the halter. Someone new to sewing, or someone who is very literal about following a pattern may not notice, however. Personally, I would chose to cut out the fabric so that both the lining and the exterior pieces are facing the right direction, which would require extra fabric. (Yes, I am that anal.) But, I’d need to know this before I went to the fabric store, not after I purchased my fabric and was in the middle of my pattern layout.

So, to sum it up, I’m a bit frustrated and conflicted. Your designs are great, it is nice to have options other than the big pattern companies, and I like supporting independent designers. However, for such expensive patterns, they always seem to be lacking a bit in the pattern layout area - the part that I consider to be the most important when sewing from a pattern.

Sincerely,

A frustrated sewer

PS. Your seam allowance instructions are kind of wonky too.� Why 1/2″?� Typically garments are constructed with a 5/8″ seam allowance, and quilts with 1/4″.� I’ve never seen another pattern using a 1/2″ seam allowance for all seams.� Oh, and on the Weekender, there was one seam with a 1″ seam allowance.� Huh?� If you’re going to choose a non-standard seam allowance, at least be consistent!

Lots of laziness & lake time around here this weekend, but I did accomplish one crafty thing… Presenting my completed Amy Butler Weekender bag!

In case you are wondering, in the picture, the bag is standing on its own, and is completely empty… love that Timtex structural support!
Details:

Pattern - Amy Butler Weekender Bag

Fabric - Random mod/retro home deco fabric from JoAnn’s (I think).� Initially I had planned to use a lighter weight AB cotton fabric, but decided this pattern needed something a bit heavier.� I’m glad I went with the heavier fabric!
Highlights - First time using Timtex.
Lowlights - First time it’s taken me over three hours to sew two pieces of fabric together (due to said Timtex)

Thoughts - I love the way the bag turned out, but wow - what a pain in the rear this was to sew!� Not sure I’d do it again, certainly not with my old clunker of a sewing machine.� I still have to hand stitch the lining in place, but I’m planning to sew a zipper pocket inside the lining first.

Up next in sewing - AB Cabo Halter and an apron for Caitlyn’s apron exchange (so excited for this one - I found a neato vintage pattern on e-Bay!)

I also had some adventures in knitting this weekend, as I attemped to make a dog toy for Rebekkah’s critter charity drive.� Let’s just say it didn’t quite work out as planned… details tomorrow.