...and receiving (sewing-related presents)

You guys, I about fell over when I opened this:

It's Alabama Chanin's DIY Verd Unisex Shirt Kit, which I've been eyeing for months. MONTHS. Thank you, awesome husband.

I AM SO EXCITED.

Here's what it should look like eventually:

I'm halfway through embellishing the top:

That's the back; I decided to outline the leaf shapes with the (included) Brunette embroidery thread for a quilted effect, although I think it'd be neat just to construct the shirt as is with no embellishment. If I want to make the shirt I fell in love with, though, I'm going to have to reverse applique the bottom part eventually -- which means cutting out a few of the beautiful, perfectly stenciled black sections before construction. Scary. Gotta be done, though.

The front so far:

AUUUGHHHH I LOVE THIS KIT SO MUCH.

You know what I especially love? The wooden embroidery floss spool.

Wooden thread spools make me so happy. I always pounce on them at yard sales. IN YOUR FACE, PLASTIC.

I'll post a full review when it's done, but in the meantime: YAY YAY YAY. Is all.

One more thing: My excellent sister-in-law gave me Yoshi's Woolly World for Christmas. I'm a Nintendo-holic and grew up on side-scrollers, so it's pretty fantastic. But BONUS: Everything in it is made of yarn or sweater knit, including Yoshi.

Bad shot from my TV.

See the knitting needles? And the sweater knit for the lava? SO CUTES.

So anyway, I'm dying at the gorgeousness of this game, and also cursing a lot, because it's challenging. Just because it's happy doesn't mean it's not hard.

That is all. Cheers!

Comments

completed: Alabama Chanin fitted dress

Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying that either! It's going to be a long post, so here we go. Design choices Size and alterations: Straight size medium, with neckline raised a few inches and made into a scoop neck; the original v-neck is really deep Fabric and thread: Alabama Chanin medium-weight cotton jersey — top layer in Sand, bottom layer in Dark Grey (only Dark Grey is currently available on their site) — and red craft/button thread Stencil: Anna's Garden Paint: Tulip fabric paint in Black, watered down and applied with an airbrush Embellishment: Outside reverse applique -- in which you stitch slightly outside each shape and then cut out the shape exactly on the lines Stitch type: Straight stitch for outlining and construction, Cretan stitch for binding Here's how it looks on me: Hanging up: I picked the color scheme after seeing it in a sample book at the two-hour workshop in New York last year. (Hig...

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Hi! Lots going on around here lately. Thing One: I bought a new sewing machine! This is my new Bernina 480 , purchased from Sew Creative in Beverly, which recently closed. Sorry I don't have a better picture. I love this thing—it's fancy! I'm still learning my way around it. Thing Two: I was supposed to have another article in Vogue Patterns Magazine, but it folded! Bummer. It's on lighting for sewists, and if you want a copy, feel free to contact me on le social and I'll send it to you. I interviewed the gadget person from the Carroll Center for the Blind, and he recommended a lot of great stuff. (Really going to miss Vogue Patterns—it was my favorite sewing magazine! RIP.) And finally, Thing Three: I completed an Alabama Chanin Classic Jacket, from their Sewing Patterns book. The backstory is that I really wanted a nice reversible travel jacket in nice AC organic cotton for an upcoming trip to Japan. (This is after ordering an expensive travel hood...

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