Manitoulin Threads

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion is a just-been released book about today's garment industry. June 14th was the release date, and it thrills me that I got on the bandwagon right away rather than hearing about it months or even years later.  (I do live on an Island, in the middle of nowhere, with the nearest book store 2 hours away ya know)  I had to have this book as soon as I heard about it on the Patternreview    I grabbed my iPad and downloaded the book from iBooks, then proceeded to read the book in a day. I loved it! In fact, I loved it so much that I had to talk about it non-stop as I was reading it, to whomever was nearby to listen. Unfortunately, the 4 and 6 year-olds didn't really understand what I was talking about.  My DH appeared to be patiently listening, but I think he was just playing Mahjong on his iPad.  My mother, when she happened to call, made all the appropriate noises, and as a the person who fuel...

Ottobre Designs 03-2010-25 This was the dress design that my DD chose for her end-of-the-year celebration for her Senior Kindergarten class.   They are having a tiny in-class graduation, but I will take any excuse I can get to make a fancy dress. Last year I bought some Betsey Johnson   stretch cotton butterfly fabric that she has had her eye on ever since. I believe it came from Elliott Berman in their annual 50% off sale.  Originally, it was to be for me, but I just couldn't find something to make that wouldn't look too "cute" for a woman well into her thirties. So, she won, I lost, and she has a pretty sweet dress. Of course, I couldn't get her to model it.  It was enough of a battle to get her to try it on for fitting.  The white fabric for the top of the dress was a 50 cent rummage sale find. I lined the bodice with some cheap poly cotton broadcloth, since the fabric was so wrinkle prone.  I left the skirt unlined as there wa...

I see that Fabric Mart Fabrics has new leather in stock.  Wow, there are some gorgeous options.  I am especially partial to the white lambskin  for a great summer jacket for chilly evenings, and the blueberry would be fun for a back-to-school (aka work) wardrobe in the fall.  Unfortunately, the shipping to Canada is high, and since I recently placed a huge Fabric Mart order, I can't justify the purchase right now.  However, if anyone else purchases some, please let me know what "awesomeness" you plan to sew with it so I can live vicariously through you. (fabric links as of June 11/12) Below, I have some new, but unfortunately not leather, fabrics for my overwhelming stash.  For the record, I can't believe how quickly stash can accumulate in just 3 short years of sewing. Fuschia Ralph Lauren waterproof fabric from Fabric Mart In my recent order, I ended up with 8 yards of Gore Tex.  Rather unexciting, but highly practical.  Y...

Sensor Velocity 200 I see this is coming out fall 2012. They are available for preorder on the site, but apparently haven't been reviewed anywhere yet, that I can find . My current iron is held together with scotch tape and works, well, intermittently. I currently have a Reliable iron on my birthday wish list for July, but I am wondering if I should wait until the 200 is available. In the meantime, I guess I will wait to find some reviews.

My Mad Hatter I did it!  I completed my ruffled leather jacket!  Though you can't see me I am jumping up and down at my computer. I had my DD who is 6 yrs old snap some pics before the school bus came this morning...not professional quality but they will do. The lining is so fun.  I got a lot of positive comments from the girls at work and they loved the lining. It is Alice in Wonderland/Mad Hatter themed.  These leather ruffles nearly did send me completely "mad", and the leather ruffles certainly add a bit of "wackiness" to offset any potential biker look. I even added an inside pocket for messages/notes at work, with my Shiny Green Penny label affixed. The lining is 100% cotton and the sleeve lining is black rayon to allow the jacket to slide off and on easily. Here is the back view.  I really do love the fit of this jacket.  It is fitted and yet so comfortable to wear. I even added a hanging chain so that I can hang up my ja...

So, I have decided that I need to sew another leather jacket.  Pattern Review is having a Natural Fibres contest and that is serving as motivation for me to actually cut into my leather that I have had stashed since last year's leather sale at Fabric Mart . After searching the web for hours for inspiration, and trying out a wide variety of trims such as lace, zipper tape, metal chain and a variety of adhesive studs and bling, I settled on a ruffle design. But not without much trepidation, that's for sure. It seems that my hesitation was warranted.  I have discovered that there is a reason that there are few, if any, patterns for jackets with ruffle trim of leather.  I have also discovered that any such jackets available in RTW are in the $500-$1000 range and up. Sewing leather ruffles in NOT easy. The reason that I settled on ruffles is that I didn't want it to look too "biker" because I want to wear it to work and dressier venues. A little bit girly and a...

Joie jacket                                                                                                      My Jacket! Since I first began sewing, when I was on maternity leave in 2009, one of my sewing goals was to sew a leather jacket. During one of Fabric Mart's great sales I scored several leather skins, embossed and camel coloured. I wanted to sew something simple, so I read reviews on Pattern Review and decided on McCall's 6171.  I figure I made this jacket for between...