Refashion Sewing Contest from Threads via Pattern Review

I am finally joining the 21st century. I am getting my first smart phone (the iPhone 5!!!) in a week or so and I have finally set some Google alerts! One of my alerts is set for "sewing contest" and the very first thing that popped up was this one from Threads Magazine (posted on Pattern Review) I am very excited by this contest because it seams right up my alley. I like that is about "up-cycling" even if they dont use that word.

Below is the content from Pattern Review, which I assume they have taken from Threads. I cannot actually find the link on the Threads Mag website, but I figure that is because the contest doesn't open until the 1st of November.


Refashion Contest
November 1, 2012 - November 15, 2012

Refashioning, reconstructing, recycling or upcycling -- whatever you call it, this is the contest for it.

Objective: Take an item or items and create a new and different garment.

Requirements: A photo of your "material" (the initial item or items) and another photo of the final garment must be included in your review. Additional pictures may also be included.

Your original items can be anything you want, but they may only be turned into garments or accessories to qualify as "new" items for this contest. The garment must be sewn. Self drafted patterns or commercial patterns may be used; they may be previously used or new.

The "original" item or items must be changed substantially to create a new garment. The item can be of the same type (dress to dress) or something entirely different (tablecloth to dress). However, the new item must be distinctly different from the original (for example, embellishments only do not qualify).
At least half of the new item must be made from reconstructed / recycled items (notions such as zippers or interfacing do not count in the total).

Examples that qualify for the contest:

Making a skirt from pants. Making a fitted top from a tunic. Making a hat from a sweater.

Examples that do not qualify for the contest:

Hemming an old bridesmaid dress to make it a short cocktail dress. Taking the sleeves off a blouse to make it a sleeveless blouse. Resizing a t-shirt to a smaller t-shirt.

Suggestions for reviews & to help with voting:

For entrants: Include in your review a description of the original article, and what steps you took to make the new garment. You may also want to explain why you chose the original article to reconstruct or recycle. This can help inspire others to do something similar.

For voters: How different is the final item from the original item or items? How functional is the final garment?

Prizes!
Sponsored by


First Prize:
Threads Archive DVD

Second Prize
Fitting DVD Set

I am thinking of making a fabulous leather bag from and old leather coat but I am not sure yet. I also have to find the leather coat! It would be pretty sweet to get that Threads Archive DVD...

So what are you thinking of making? Have you heard of any sweet sewing contests that you would like to share?

  

The Broadway Silk Store, Astoria New York

Every week I go to a Weight Watchers meeting on Broadway and 36th street. This week I made an unbelievable discovery!

The Broadway Silk Store. Located at 35-11 Broadway, this place is gem of Astoria. From the outside it looks like a hold over from by-gone days. But inside it is clean and well organized fabric store. All of the fabrics feel a little vintage. I am not sure how often their merchandise is updated but I also don't care. This is the kind of place where you find one of a kind floral Crepe de Chine and perfect plaid taffeta's that no one else will have.

Not only that but it doubles as a cute little gift shop with hip items like mustache mugs and miniature felt creatures. Although this little store doesn't boast the curation of some of the more Brooklyn-y gift shops, it does very well with what it has. The whole feeling of the store seams to gel. And there is a ginger cat with a fabulous poofy tail! I have a feeling he is the in-house muse. Or maybe he just prevents in-house mouses. Ha! Doesn't it look so wonderfully inviting? I am sure I will be patronizing this store in the very near future! There goes my pin money!

Book Review - The Sewing Answer Book

So my sweet husband came home with a gift for me the other day. He had found a copy of           The Sewing Answer Book (by Barbara Weiland Talbert) on one of those second-hand-book tables that exist around New York.  He bought it for 1 dollar! You can buy it for quite cheap on Barnes and Noble too.

I really liked this book. I wish there were more pictures, but as far as a sewing books go this one was great. It answers many seemingly random sewing questions in a coherent way and also gives excellent tips. I was very impressed.  Several times I was actually bowled over by the smartness of the tip and thought...why didn't I think of that?!!

I have to say however my favorite tip went something like this...
"If you cant see it from a galloping horse, dont bother to re-do it."
That might become my new motto.

Second favorite is
"Tape paper bags to your sewing and cutting stations so you can toss out threads as you snip them."

(I might have paraphrased a little on the exact wording of the quotes.)

What is your favorite sewing tip? I would love to hear about that one thing that you know and no one else does about sewing.

My awesome tips?

1. Use soup cans as pattern weights
2. A great way to make a cutting table out of your regular table is to use bed risers under the legs. They add usually 6 inches or more of height! You can buy them at Bed Bath and Beyond as well as IKEA and probably Target.

I have more but I cant give them all away now or you won't come back to my blog! 

Getting back to it....

Well, jeeze.  It really has been a while since my last post hasn't it? One of my oldest and most stubborn faults is that I get so wrapped up in a project that...
A) I forget everything else I had wanted to do, whether or not it pertained to that project
and
B) I burn out.

That is exactly what happened these past few weeks. I worked so hard on my shirtwaist dress to have it finished by Gertie's book party that I didn't take very good pictures.  And then I made a fabulous brocade dress for a wedding and once again... no pictures. And instead of moving on, writing about something else or starting another project, I just felt overwhelmed by my failure to record and blog. Sigh.

Then, to top that off, I broke my vow of not buying any clothing.  My dwindling collection of jeans got me so low that instead of making a pair, I just bought one from the Gap. Granted, they were on sale, (I saved more than 50%!) but still. But I broke my vow! I am very sad at myself.

One more problem is that my sewing room is in chaos because we are using it as a photography studio.  (Check out our Etsy store for all the new listings!!!) I just haven't had the energy or inspiration to clean it.

Another thing is that I was planning on making Gertie's coat. I had even made a muslin (which was to big) and posted it on the Flickr group. But I am not sure if I actually want to make it. Is that bad? I think the coat design is great, but I want something a little more useful.  I am also on a pretty strict budget which makes things like buying hair interfacing a no-no. At least for now. And for sure no pattern buying splurges.  But I found this free pattern on Burda so i might end up making that, except without all the do-dads on it. But, I can also make this beautiful double breasted coat with the fabric I got for the Gertie coat. Which one do you like better?

Talea #9301 - free from Burda

Ankle-length double breasted wool coat #107

I also happen to have some fleece backed Gore-Tex that would be wonderfully warm, and all of the little squirrels are telling me that it is going to be a very cold winter. (they are working overtime to hide all of their nuts)  

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am re-booting. If Romney can do it why cant I. Although after tonight's debates we shall see how well that worked. So. See you tomorrow?

Beauty review Maybelline 10 hour stain gloss in Refreshingly Red

Model wearing Refreshingly Red

I am constantly on the hunt for "the" lipstick. You know the kind,  one that is timeless, luxurious and also au courant. Wait... did I forget to mention cheap? So that makes me unable to resist dollar store deals that look velvety red in the tube but feel like sealing wax on my lips. I probably have tried hundreds in my 29 years. You think I would learn. Nope.

But every now and then I am also enticed by actual brands of makeup. Usually in the drug store, possibly late at night. And fortunately rarely over 10 dollars a pop.

I was in Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday morning getting a lavender sachet for my rice filled boot stands (post to come) and I was sucked into the make up section.  I decided I deserved a treat, and before I knew I I had 5 different kinds of lipstick in my hand. The one I chose was Maybeline 10 Hour Stain Gloss in Refreshingly Red.

When I got home I immediately tore it out of its package and smeared it on my lips. This is how I feel about it today....

1) The red really is very pretty. In truth it's one of the best reds I have found.  And because it is a stain it isn't too lipstick-y. (Though there is a time and place for that) I give it....

5 out of 5 smooches for color

2)  It is not as the package claims "10 hour". Though it is quite a long lasting stain, don't think you are going to make it through dinner with your ruby pout.  Reapplication is necessary especially after meals, which is the same for most lipsticks.  But it does have a tendency to stay on the outer lips far longer. Making it .... awkward.  I woke up this morning looking like I had lip liner tattoo.

3 out of five smooches for staying power

3) The application of this stuff was crazy terrible. It has a stick applicator which is usually OK, especially for stains because it gives you more control. Not so this Maybelline! Using this was like using a fuzzy stick dipped in a paint bucket. The consistency was to thin for the applicator and tube, and as a result it got all over! Despite the fact that I was very careful it ended getting on the table, on my planner, on my dog, and if I hadn't noticed that it had smeared on the outside of the applicator I would have also gotten it on the inside of my new bag! Arg!!! This is not something I could put in my clutch or pocket for an evening out. Too messy!

1 out of 5 smooches for usability

Would I recomend this lipstick to you? Um...no. Don't bother. This will just be one that ends up in the bottom of your makeup bag until it explodes and gets all over your stuff and you wont ever be able to get it out. 

So what is your favorite lipstick? Will it be your signature color forever? Or just the flavor of he moment? I would love to hear suggestions...

Right now mine is Fran Wilson's Mood Matched in Red. Big surprise that it was 2.99 at CVS right? It's not my forever color though. That is still TBD.

Till next time!

Gertie's New Book For Better Sewing Launch Party! Woohoo!

Last Saturday I had the fabulous opportunity to go to Gretchen Hirsch's book launch part for her book Gertie's New Book For Better Sewing.  The party was held in benefit to the Pets Alive shelter where Gertie herself got her three furry pals.  (Lou and I will be getting our next kitten there I am sure)

I went by myself which was a big deal, even though I am a pretty out going person.  This was my first experience going to a crafty event like this and I was nervous! Would there be anyone for me to talk to? Would I stand in a corner alone and be a sad sack? Would everyone else know each other except me and I would be that one crazy fan?

I stood outside of the Sewing Studio on 29th and 7th (my old stomping ground back when I went to FIT...it brought back a lot of memories) took some deep breaths and said to myself "I am crafty, creative and nice. It will be a good night!"

Let me tell you I had so much fun.

ME and Patty (Gertie's Mom!)

First thing when I walked in the gal at the check in desk complimented me on my dress, which was the Burda Shirtwaist that I wrote about here and here which I had just the franticlly finished the  button holes hours before. That started the evening off with a bang. I met a bunch of wonderfull people, including Jessica Pigza of Handmade Librarian and Sarah Goldshadt whose book Craft-A-Day will be coming out next month.  The founder of Kollabora was there, Nora Abousteit, as well as some people from Creativebug, the web-hosts of Gertie's new online classes. (I got a 1 month subscription and I am dying to try a few...OK, all of the projects).  I met Gertie's mom and dad, who live near my hometown of Flagstaff AZ and we talked about local eateries and hangouts.  I even got my book signed by Gertie herself, (she said I look amazing in plaid). She was absolutely as nice and gracious as she seems. 

When I got home though, I realized I had forgotten to take any pictures! Dag nab it! Then, low and behold, when I checked Gertie's Blog yesterday....THERE I WAS!!!!! (Can you tell I am excited about this? I don't all -caps-bold for nothing!)

It was is an honor to be pictured on Gertie's blog, but even more so to meet all of those wonderful people.  Every one there cares passionately about creativity, and craft which is really neat.  It's not everyday someone asks you if you used your walking foot to match the plaid or how you basted your seams. I can't wait till my next event. 

The Shirtwaist post ... 2 = Tips for Cutting and Matching Plaid

Well, I finally finished the shirtwaist dress that I talked about here.  It was quite a feat matching all that plaid. And because I am lame and didn't post my progress I as I went along, I have to play catch up now. Or maybe I should say I have to plaid catch up. Get it? (collective groan)

So here you go with Shirtwaist post ... 2 = Cutting Plaid

I decided to use a beautiful Jewel hued plaid for my Burda Style pattern 7179. This is the second time that I have used plaid and have learned to match it very carefully. Here are a few tips for cutting and matching plaids....