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Friday, November 21, 2008

sewing with Linda

My dear friend Linda came down to visit me yesterday. We did some sewing, quilt basting and lots of catching up. We had a great time. Before she left this morning she gave me a few serger lessons and we sewed up a little garment for my girl.

We used this vintage pattern, which came from my grandmother's house. Isn't that so great?

Since we had to shorten the pattern a bit, we first made a copy of it unto freezer paper, then trimmed the excess length. It was Linda's brilliant idea to iron the freezer paper to the flannel fabric. There was no pinning before we cut out the pieces, thus no distortion from the pins. It worked out beautifully!!! I'll definitely be trying this method again.

And here is the final top. She's got a little room to grow.

Perfect.

We did a rolled hem around all the raw edges, then used an overlock stitch for all the seams. (I think I have my terminology right?) It was nice to be able to work on this project with the garment making expert! Thanks so much, Linda.

39 comments:

  1. Super cute! I've been thinking about making some smock/apron style tops for my girls. The simplicity and the old-fashioned flair is so adorable!

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  2. Very cute! I love the fabric! That's so cool that you have friends who also quilt and sew. It'd be so fun to have a sew-in or quilting bee.

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  3. so adorable! That is such cute fabric.

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  4. I love the freezer paper idea! I'm cutting pajama pants for my Girl Scout troop and have to use different sizes from the same pattern. And, I'm using flannel, so the freezer paper will iron on nicely (plus, I hate those pesky pins - I always end up moving the pattern when cutting...!)

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  5. Very sweet tunic for a sweet little person.
    Andi :-)

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  6. Absolutely fabulous!! Thank you for the idea of using freezer paper when using a pattern. I always struggle with the pinning, cutting, and manipulation of the pattern itself. What a great idea!

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  7. It's adorable - as is your little girl. Isn't sewing with friends such fun!

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  8. Anonymous2:01 PM

    Looks cute!! I used a rolled hem on EVERYTHING I make (girl's dresses, skirts for me, jammie pants). Then, I don't have to worry about an actual hem, and it looks so beautiful!

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  9. That's so cute. When my sons and daughter were younger I loved making lots of clothes for them. All teenagers now, so I've turned to quilting. Must try some rolled hemming, it's been on my to do list for too long.

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  10. Im so jealous! I need a day like that. Great job on the top.

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  11. Thanks again for having me down and for your sweet words. You and your family mean so much to J and I. Little A does look sweet in her little top. ;)

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  12. I LOVE sewing with company . . . maybe that's why I have loved blogging. Computer company :) The shirt you made is adorable! Have a great weekend

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  13. I have so many projects to do for christmas, and this freezer paper idea is a bonus. Thanks a lot.

    Love the little dress,and such a neat thing that you used the pattern from your mom's stash.

    Love it. love it...

    ~~Fran...:c)

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  14. You have an overlock machine?! I am so jealous.

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  15. Cute! I have some patterns like this one from the early 80's. I need to pull them out and make something for my little niece. Thanks for the idea.

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  16. so CUTE, both the dress and daughter. thanks for sharing, Amy

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  17. Too cute. I made my little girl some similar little dresses just last week (on my blog). I love the old pattern.

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  18. oh my gosh. that last photo is ADORABLE!

    we threw out my grandmothers patterns about 6 years ago. i could kick myself!

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  19. Anonymous8:48 PM

    I love, love, love it! I'm hoping to get good at sewing by the time my little one is walking around so I can make her some tops like this.

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  20. so cute!!! Nice job!
    I miss those days of making clothes for my girl...

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  21. Anonymous9:21 PM

    What a super cute pattern and dress. And what a cutie wearing the dress!!! Thanks for the sweet comments. I seriously have a dozen of tops just waiting to be quilted.

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  22. Oh, that is so sweet!!! I love it.

    I love my serger. I don't know how I lived without it.

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  23. Just simply darling! Sounds like a very fun day!
    ~Tam :D

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  24. Now how cute is that! Love it!

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  25. Lovely top - very cute. And I love the drawing on the front of the pattern.

    Question: Using freezer paper is a great idea, and I shall be trying it, but if you wanted to use the same pattern again, could you re-iron the freezer paper, or would you need to cut another copy?

    I enjoy reading your blog. Maybe one day I'll even make a quilt! :-)

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  26. I haven't got a serger, but I have just learned about freezer paper and love it, so this suggestion is much appreciated, and the results look darling on your sweet girl.

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  27. I can't believe I haven't thought of using freezer paper to stabilize and cut out fashion patterns. I do it in quilting all the time. Thanks for the ah-ha moment. Your top is adorable.

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  28. That is so cute! I love the idea of ironing a freezerpaper pattern onto the fabric!! Brilliant idea :)
    And...nothing beats the serger when sewing clothes!

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  29. Anonymous7:24 AM

    That is so cute!! What a good idea. In Home Ec. class we always had to trace our patterns (so the teacher's patterns would last longer) but I never do that now. Maybe I should consider starting.

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  30. I got a serger late this summer and haven't used it much for lack of lessons. However, I have a similar (yet modern) pattern that I could try. Yours came out so cute - and flannel - what a good idea. Thanks for the inspiration. Maybe I could work on it during nap time...

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  31. sam,

    I think you could use the same freezer paper pattern several times before having to make a new one. maybe up to 5 times?

    aj

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  32. Fun to sew with Linda, I bet. And a cute little shirt for little A.

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  33. I'm hating life since I had to take my Serger three hours away last week... I'd been busy putting Wooly Nylon around the edge of some Fleece for a quick couch throw, and something went horribly wrong!

    Once you get use to your serger, you wonder how you ever lived without it!

    Just like you provide WONDERFUL tutorials and instructions online, you can find Serging instructions too; just poke around a bit. :D

    Good luck playing with it!

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  34. So cute! Was that pattern originally intended to be a slip and underpants? I remember wearing a white cotton slip when I was a little girl (a long time ago).

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  35. sheila,

    yes, it was originally designed to be a slip and underpants. (which would be so cute, too!)

    aj

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  36. Too cute!

    Glad you had some fun sewing with Linda and got some expert help with using a serger. I know I would be lost without mine for garment making.

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