Pattern Pyramid COMBINED with Sew Grateful Week Giveaway!

February 5, 2013March 5, 201370 Comments

Oooooooh! Yes, indeed. Pattern Pyramid arrived yesterday from the lovely and talented Amanda at Symon Sez, so exciting! This pattern pyramid was originally started by the charismatic bundle of joy, Anne at Pretty Grievances. It has been quite the world traveller, visiting various continents and countries, enjoying cocktails, romps on the beach, did some shopping and even bought some cute souvenirs for the little pyramids, at home.The Pyramid began with Velosewer, as the first winner. It then went on to The Material Lady and next to Mrs. Mole at Fit for a Queen. After this, Pattern Pyramid enjoyed it’s journey to Tulle and Tweed and straight on to my predecessor, the previously mentioned Symon Sez. Fabulous!

Now, I also wanted to participate in Sew Grateful Week, hosted by My Happy Sewing Place, where bloggers can take the time to thank their readership and other bloggers for their ideas, comments, inspiration, humour, support, shares, insanity, mild profanity and many other things you can think of that put a smile on your face and make you feel loved. So, with both events looming and with the addition of recently hosting a Pay It Forward event on my blog just 5 days ago, I realized I can’t do it all!!! I’m not a machine!!!! :).

So, I decided to combine the two events and I am going to add a gift for Sew Grateful Week to the Pattern Pyramid for the next winner to keep. I racked my brain to try to discover ‘what does an experienced sewist that has everything, need?’ I came up with the answer “I don’t know”. Yes, a long, hard contemplative second that was.

So, I thought since many experienced sewers have so much, and they are constantly trying to just work through their stashes, and also because I am a new sewer, I wanted to give a shout out to other newbies and try to light the fire of sewing and crafting inspiration! So, I chose a book called: I Made it Myself. It is the absolute perfect gift for a brand new sewer. Some of you must have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, younger siblings, neighbours, that you would like to inspire to learn to sew and create. This book includes: a sewing kit, a variety of projects to complete, tonnes of pictures, instructions, a fabric and stitches glossary and templates to use to create a variety of fashion and accessory items. (FYI, on the back it says, suitable for ages 7+ years, and I can see it working all the way up to a teenager, or even older! Hey, we’re all kids at heart).

Ok, now on to the Pattern Pyramid Specs. This is how it arrived, all tan and rested, a lovely globe spanning holiday it’s having, for sure.

Top Row: Small Sizes, Middle Row: Medium to X-Large Sizes, Bottom Row: Plus Sizes

Kitty went in to thoroughly peruse Pattern Pyramid. He investigated, he took his time, but finally, he selected the winning Pattern. Note: Kitty’s tail points directly at the winning pattern selection. Clever Kitty!

Pattern Removed to Keep

To the left is the pattern that I removed to keep for myself. I will sew and eventually blog this item. Stay tuned for that fun!

And below, is the pattern I chose to add back into the Pyramid. It is a top and pants set, and the top has princess seams up the front and back, it is lined and has a front button closure.

Pattern Replaced Back into Pyramid

The pattern was purchased before I had ever sewn anything. I got it home, THEN checked the size….not even close. So, hopefully somebody who is this size will be able to enjoy it. Here is a more detailed breakdown of what is in the Pyramid:

Small Size Patterns: clothing 8-12; bra 32 A,B,C,D

Small Size Patterns: clothing US 8 – 12 (Eur.34-38); bra 32 A to D (Eur.70 B to E)

Medium to X-Large Patterns: US 14 to 22 (Eur. 40 to 48)

Plus Size Patterns: XXL to 6X; 18 to 28 (Eur. 44 to 54)

Plus Size Patterns: XXL to 6X; US 18 to 28 (Eur. 44 to 54)

New Pattern Pyramid

A quick synopsis of the RULES of Pattern Pyramid for those who are not familiar:

Anyone, anywhere can enter the giveaway by posting a comment below by Sunday February 17, 2013.
You must have an active blog.
A winner will be randomly selected and contacted. I will then post (mail) the pyramid to you, plus the Sew Grateful Week gift (I Made It Myself book). Oh, how will Kitty top the last giveaway draw officiating tactics??? He is confident he can. Don’t worry.
The winner will then select a pattern to keep, add a pattern of their own back into the Pyramid and host their own giveaway. They will randomly select another winner and post (mail) the remaining patterns to that person, and etc.

Yippee!! Good luck everybody!! And Thank You to everyone for stopping by my blog to say hi! I AM sew grateful. 🙂 Feel free to follow my blog and/or my facebook page, as well, if you don’t already. And let me know where I can follow yours!

A Skirt in Two Rectangles

December 12, 2012January 24, 20137 Comments

This skirt is likely the easiest style to sew. It is really just two rectangles plus an elastic waist. You can put a belt over the elastic waistband casing to finish it off and make it look a tad more complex than it really is. The fabric I used was a stretch cotton sateen, which gives it a heavier drape and a lovely sheen. I have seen these in every beginner sewing book and everybody has their favourite way of constructing them. Here is an outline of the steps that you can adjust to suit your own tastes.

First, you measure out two rectangles, the length that you desire the skirt to be plus about 4 cm (2′) for the double folded hem and another, approximately 4 to 6 cm (1.5 to 2.5″) for the waistband casing, depending on how wide you want your elastic. For more on how to construct a waistband casing, click here. The width of the rectangle will be your waist measurement, plus anywhere between 5 to 25 cm (2 to 10″) depending on how much you want the skirt to gather and how much “give” or stretch there is to the fabric you have chosen. Keep in mind, if you have very curvaceous hips, then you will have to leave enough room to be able to pull the skirt on over them to get it to your waist. The width of the elastic will be up to you, but you will have to adjust the waistband casing accordingly, and the length of the elastic will be your waistband measurement minus about 5 cm (2″). Pin it and try on first, for comfort.

Elastic Waistband Casing

Then, you sew the two rectangles together, giving two side seams, and double fold the hem. For this, you fold up the hem 1 cm (half-inch) and press, then fold up another 1 cm (half-inch) press and topstitch close to the edge. After this, you fold back the top of the skirt about 0.5 cm (quarter-inch), press and fold over again the width of your elastic, plus about 0.5 cm (quarter-inch). Sew around the skirt, making a casing and leave a 5 cm (2″) opening. Thread elastic though this casing, sew the elastic ends together then stitch the casing closed. Done! It takes no time at all, and makes a very simple yet appealing and easy to wear skirt.

Intro to This Site

December 9, 2012December 29, 20122 Comments

I am quite new to fashion and pattern design as well as sewing and am already (alarmingly) obsessed. I had no idea there was an activity that, so beautifully, combined science and technical nerd-ness with creative thought, expression and colour inspiration. I wish I had discovered this many moons ago! I have also thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning from the blogs and websites of other sewers, DIY enthusiasts and fashion entrepreneurs around the globe and wanted to set up shop in a little corner of that community. Let’s be friends.

Let the seam ripping begin!