stenciling an Alabama Chanin dress

The two back panels are nearly done. Here they are (not joined yet).

Overall, I like the way it's coming together, although I need to do some cleaning up:

Not thrilled with the close-up, and still not sure how to create clean edges, aside from fussing and cleaning and snipping a lot. Maybe this will be my practice dress.

I stenciled the first front panel today with the airbrush. I'm still torn on the best possible stenciling method -- Sharpie, spraying or sponging Tulip fabric paint, etc. -- but even though the airbrush is a pain in the ass, it seems to have the best results.

Some stuff I learned along the way:

1. Stencil placement is super-duper important and hard to get right. You also don't want too much of the same colors/shapes at the edges when you sew two panels together. I learned the hard way with my first Alabama Chanin skirt, when two of the leaves on the front panels butted up against each other, making one large, misshapen leaf.

2. It's especially hard to do with regular Alabama stencils because they don't run the whole length of a fitted dress. That means you have to stencil half, pull it up, let everything dry, then carefully figure out where to place the second half of the stencil (while keeping in mind the stencil placement on the panels you've already sewn).

I spent a good half an hour lining up fabric panels and moving the stencil around.

Pay no attention to my chocolate peppermint sauce and frosting jars.

I wound up masking out some overlapping shapes to get the placement I wanted. Hope it all looks okay when it's sewn up.

4. BLOT. BLOT. BLOT. Blot the shit out of the excess paint on the stencil before you remove it from the fabric, especially if you've watered down the paint. Otherwise you get tiny little drips and dots all over everything.

However this turns out, it's been a learning experience -- and I plan to keep practicing till I get the Alabama Chanin mini-wardobe of my dreams.

*****

ALSO. Very important Harley update. (Because some people on PatternReview asked...) He's fine. The Cone of Shame is off, and he's mostly healed up.

If you're curious: He just had his second surgery for basal cell carcinoma. It went well, and I sure hope this is the last one.

He's anxious to get back in the sewing room (as am I), so I hope to have some more machine-sewing projects done soon!

Comments

complete: Nani Iro pocket dress

I made a dress! With the new sewing machine! Wheee! And not to bury the lede, but: We went to Japan for two weeks, and I completely fell in love with the clothing—especially Nani IRO and their amazing fabrics. I'm hooked. We tracked down the atelier in Osaka. ( Here's my review on PR .) They wouldn't let me take photos of the shop but said it was OK to take pictures of the fabrics. Lots of linen, cotton gauze and sateen in bright colors, as well as buttons and notions, an archive (I wasn't sure if it was possible to buy any of the archived fabrics), and jewelry. I bought some lovely blue linen with an asymmetrical print: And the book—the English translation had just been released. And it was signed! (I have a picture, can't seem to post it, sry.) So anyway. I couldn't stop reading the book—you know when you get really really obsessed with a pattern book? Like that. As soon as I got home, I decided to try out the pocket dress. Here'...

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...

see my vest

One of my New Year's resolutions (and yes, it's already the end of February, I know, I know) was to try to make practical and interesting office clothes. By "interesting," I mean clothes that don't make me want to stab my eyes out with a rusty fork. Because if I have to wear one more pair of polyester black pants and black cardigan... Anyway. I saw this on the cover of Drape Drape 2: I wish the Drape Drape models would wear pants occasionally. and went HOLY PRACTICAL THING, BATMAN. A vest/scarf combo (it's cold here) with deep pockets, to throw over office dresses? HELL YES. (I somehow keep buying office dresses that don't have any pockets. Which is a problem, when you have to clip a keycard somewhere because you're running up and down stairs delivering stuff to clients. I'm just saying.) Here's my version. I suppose it's hard to see in this photo, but it's over a Standard Black Pocketless Office Dress and my favor...

duck bucket sewing

Search This Blog