Create the Perfect Fit

I must say... I have some sewing friends who really rock...

Joi Mahon, with whom I have maintained a great friendly rapport over the past decade or so, has been rockin' it for years, and is now the author of a fun book on fitting! 

Note: Other than having my own copy of this book, I am not being paid or compensated in any way for this review.

I received my copy, ready to review it with careful, critical eyes, and let me tell you.... it is a great fit for the hungry sewing audience right now!

Here's what the book assumes:

• That you are sewing with a commercial pattern that is a standard size, and the body of the intended wearer differs from that standard size, which is almost ALWAYS the case, by the way.

• That you RECOGNIZE the difference between the body for which the pattern was intended (understanding both the body measurements and fit descriptions of the pattern) and the body of the intended wearer.

• That you already have basic sewing knowledge, and recognize the markings (bust, waist, hip, etc.) on your commercial pattern. *The book will help you with this.

• That you intend to sew for an adult female or tween figure.  (Although there is one page dedicated to sewing for men)

Here's why it's great:

• Spiral bound/easy to lay open while you work

• Clear, quality photography, so you can both SEE and READ what you are supposed to do.

• The information and techniques are presented in a conversational, easy-to-read, no-nonsense way by Joi, who has experience teaching students in a variety of settings, and addresses the most commonly asked fitting questions!

• Addresses often overlooked issues - modifying ease, applying adjustments to pants, when adjustments intersect design details, and... the adjustments I frequently encounter when sewing for athletic figures, like bicep and upper back adjustments!

This book can certainly fill a gap in your sewing education.  If asked to compare it to any other sewing books I've seen, I would say it is best suited to the more modern, creative sewer.  It is simple enough to be a useful tool, without burdening you with excessive fitting details, and complex enough to help you navigate common fitting issues many sewers face, for a variety of different patterns.

I truly find it a worthy addition to a home sewing library!

I took a friend to get her machine fixed... in Queens! (about home machines)

A product that intrigues me. Find it at Sew Right

Even the best machines break, get jammed, die... we have to accept that.  But when they do, we need to know where to go, right?

If you have a home sewing machine (not industrial), and are looking to get it repaired, I have only heard of one resource in Manhattan with lots of happy home sewing customers, and, actually, nope, they aren't in the garment district.  Gizmo Notion has some great Yelp reviews, but I have never been there myself.  While it is worth trying City Sewing to repair certain brands, they primarily serve industry clients, using professional equipment.

In my experience, the best, fastest, and highest quality repair service at the best price is offered by Sew Right.  Yeah, you'd have to go to Queens for this one, but it would be worth the time and travel if you needed the services they provide.  They repair all makes and models.  And they do it well.  They also offer lots of sewing classes for home sewers.

Now... If you are a Pfaff owner, you gotta go to Sewtime (conveniently located across the street from Sew Right).  Sewtime offers lots of sewing classes, and there are some pretty awesome ones at the Westbury location (inside a JoAnn's fabric store), like the parent/child class, where you learn as a team.

Personally, I have a wonderful Pfaff, as well as some other non-Pfaff machinery, so I have been to both places, and received excellent service at each one.

On Friday, I drove my professional dressmaker, Manhattan-dwelling friend to Queens to get two of her beloved home machines repaired. While my friend explained the problems with her serger and sewing machine to the staff member there, I looked around at all of the stuff for sale in the store.  I drooled over a few machines, appreciated some quilting fabrics and embroidery samples, noticed their sewing class offerings, and found the "tape" photographed above. I am so intrigued by it, and am thinking of creative uses for it. I was shown one great use for it in the store - you can wrap a thread spool with it, and the tape keeps the thread secure on the spool. I'm sure you can keep things closed with it, secure things that you are working on that are not finished yet... I like the idea of securing loose strands of beads and things like that when you aren't done... I don't know what else to do, but I think I'll buy some, and find a million uses.  Somehow, I've become obsessed with the idea of this tape!

But I digress... We were talking about machine repair, right?

The thing about taking a machine to Queens... you're gonna have to have a friend with a car, rent a Zipcar, take a taxi, and wait a while (think maybe a week or two), but you'll get your machine back, at a fair price for the problem, working like a dream, or a thorough explanation for why it can't/isn't!

On sustainability... and why we should care

Sarah Jessica Parker wears ECO-friendly sweatshirt by Pharrell Williams article here

In bed the other night, winding down for sleep, I asked my husband, "Can you think of any industry where people are banding together in a big movement to bring about change in industry practices?" No response.  "Anything?" 

Yes, these are my thoughts before I go to sleep...

"Hmm.. he said.  Maybe big oil?"

Oil?  I thought?  And then, I thought about a high school friend of mine, who I coincidentally ran into just a week ago, (who is actually an expert in the fields of Human Rights and Corporate Responsibility) and how some of the thoughts she has to share might be applicable in the sustainable fashion movement.

A path to her website led me to a link that you will have to see to believe.  When you visit, look at the list of companies on the left of the screen, and think about how many of those brands you own. 

*Keep in mind that specific brands play different parts in this crisis, and clicking through is necessary to read which details pertain to each company.

If a purchase of those products is a "vote" for their role in the industry, for slavery, for poor treatment, for unsafe conditions, for human rights violations, how many votes have you cast?

So...

Take a deep breath, then click here.

Also note problems such as food insecurity and anemia for factory workers in the article posted here.

But...

there are some great companies, like Levi Strauss, who are really making a point of having a clear, positive corporate mission as it relates to how their products are produced.

Here's a relevant article addressing the current concerns, and what can happen if not addressed... And another one...

But the big questions is... what will need to happen to make change happen?  What might we start to do differently?

Bigger still...

What will happen if we do nothing?

All is quiet

Things are awfully quiet in the district right now. This post is encouragement to put your money where your heart is...

Other than M&J Trimming and Mood, when was the last time you had to actually STAND ON LINE in a garment store?

Really, think about it...

Things are pretty quiet in the district these days.  Sure, many design businesses get their goods over the phone, online, and by sending assistants, gophers and interns to swatch, so when you shop nowadays, you've got a pretty good amount of elbow room in many of the district's best places.  If you read this blog, you already know where to go to find wonderful things!

We need these stores to stay in business and thrive.  We need them to continue to have great things for us to buy!

A recent Speakeasy participant told me that she used to sew long ago, but her interest was recently rekindled when she discovered that the things she truly would like to buy are not available in stores.  Tired of settling, she realized she could make things!

How about you?  I'm in a very creative moment right now, working to make beautiful things with fabric I've had for some time.  Here are some ideas that sing to me:

Roman shades!



Recovering an old chair/sofa!

 
Making a new dress - kinda inspired by this!

Using patterns and colors that delight!

Showcasing features, colors and textures that excite me personally!

My machine is humming... more later!

The September 26 Speakeasy

I'll start with this:

I don't know if I can adequately convey the beauty of what we saw on Friday.  

I met our intimate group at our starting point on Friday morning, and immediately explained our Speakeasy shopping strategy.  Beautiful weather, our collective enthusiasm, and easy conversation created a solid, instant rapport. I shared some tips for navigating the district, negotiating with the salespeople, and the "speakeasy" elements of the stores we were to visit. Then I explained in detail, how I curated and organized the day's list of destinations.  Some "bonus" destinations were added on based on specific requests at the end of our day.  All in all, everyone had a ball... and I left the district tired and haunted by the fabrics I CANNOT bear not to purchase for myself.  Is this an illness?  Well, certainly not if I sew it all...  Okay, so I have to sew it all or check into a mental hospital.  So I'm whipping out the scissors and turning on the machine TONIGHT. 

Clearly, I will need to return to the district to buy some of the things that are haunting me next week.  Here is a small representation of the things that specifically called out to me:

At Fabrics and Fabrics:

Hello, Lover... The magical cotton weave above called my name, and reminds me of the artwork from the Ezra Jack Keats children's books, and it needs some of that blue leather to complement it...

That fabric makes me feel like this...

This one, I call a "drunken grid" - a cotton shirt weight fabric, begging me to take it home...

At New York Elegant:

At Elliott Berman:

Silk - ya gotta feel it to believe it.

Outta this world wool.

More outta this world wool...

I think I've met this fabric before, and I'm still in love.

This says home dec in the most beautiful way...

You have to see this for yourself.

A digital print that is truly alive with color!

Two cottons at Rosen & Chadick, and one cotton print at Fabrics & Fabrics, and something that is just TO DIE FOR at NY Elegant I did not photograph (selfishly), because I want to get to them first!

Special Speakeasy request

Quick update! Survey results are in! I will report some of the information here, but the specific details will be shared with the participants. 

 Three of the participants provided email addresses which are not accepting mail. 

 If your email address includes the following combination of letters within your address, know that I cannot reach you directly: 

 "Wago" 
 "Deale"
 "Sioux" 


You may contact me directly to correct your email address, and I can include you in the more intimate discussion loop.

Today only - Start getting dressed!

Quick update:

There is a Fashion Expo today.  If you are seeking a new or better job in the industry, and you're in NYC right now, print out or upload your resume and go!