Over the holiday season this little blog welcomed it's 100th follower and then some. To celebrate I would like to give away this charming paper doll book of Chanel designs by Tom Tierney. It is on v. heavy glossy paper. The designs are fabulous. If you are interested, first, a big welcome to La Sewista. Then please leave a comment with where you are from, ie, Karen, Los Angeles, or just a state or region. I will let this run till the weekend and then Random.org a winner. I so appreciate all of you visiting. If you are not a follower, sign up and get in the running for this sweet little book.
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I am nearly done the smocking on Sophie's Cranberry dress. The design requires two rows of double featherstitching. I have worked this stitch before but only on flat fabrics. On a pleated print it is very difficult to gauge the width required for each stitch. I decided to help this along by lining up 1/4 inch masking tape above and below the area for the featherstitching. Now my eyes can easily gauge the width needed for each stitch.
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MAGAZINES, AH, THE MAGAZINES!
Yesterday I received in the mail my Sew Beautiful and the latest Burda.
First, the SB: People seem to be quite opinionated about SB lately. Personally, I think it has become a shill for Martha Pullen's machine embroidery, a far stretch from the heirloom sewing inspiration it used to provide. I guess that is Martha's prerogative. The Christmas issue was close to tossable and I doubted I would renew. That has all changed with this issue. The exquisite cover graces a fabulous issue. The theme of ribbons was on every page with so much beauty to inspire. I am talking using ribbons in very unique ways, visits to ribbon experts, and so much more. This is what I call a real "cup of tea" issue, the kind you sit and savor in private and dream of what you can do. Congratulations to SB on this wonderful effort. If you continue with this quality they will be standing in line to subscribe.
Then there was Burda : If there is an editor or photographer out there who thinks the photos in this issue (other than the snow pics) show me a garment I would like to sew, fugetabotit. It all looks like a mass of bunched up fabric on the human body. That would be fine if that were the intended design, but many of these garments have details. And the white gauze on the black wool tights, yuk. Thank goodness for the technical drawings!
Does anyone really thing those pants that end below the calf and have pleats out near the side seams are flattering? I could go on and on. I will just leave it to all of you to make your own judgments. The blouse I feel like currently making will certainly come from an older issue or the Big Four. One great garment, IMO, that leather number with the studs on the flaps. Yummy! JMHO.
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I hope you all are having a great holiday season. The New Year is now upon us, always a time for reflection. I am going to keep it simple and just sew as much as I can for as many as I can in the next year. I also hope to share it all with all of you. Happy New Year and the happiest of designing and sewing in 2010! ....bunny
ETA: Cutoff time for the giveaway will be 3:00 this afternoon, January 2.2009. Don't miss the fun!
Hi, I agree wholeheartedly with your comment on SB's Christmas edition! I do miss Creative Needle so!
ReplyDeletesaludos y felicidades,
Lynette
Puerto Rico
Ooh, I'd sure like to win those paper dolls!
ReplyDeleteGretchen from Queens, New York!
Always admire your smocked dresses and i love paper dolls!!!
ReplyDeleteJoanne from Minneapolis
The paper dolls look fantastic inspiration - I'd love to win!
ReplyDeleteYour smocking is always delicious. I've only done a tiny bit of it--just enough to understand what it entails. I have made lots of ribbon flowers though, and done ribbon embroidery.
ReplyDeleteI don't subscribe to BWOF, simply because there are so few garments that I would wear. I do pluck out some of the technical drawings and save them to knock off.
Your paper dolls are a wonderful give-away. How generous of you.
Gwen from Michigan
Happy New Year! I love the idea of the masking tape! Will definitely try to keep that in mind. Very clever!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course I would love to be included for the paper dolls. How inspiring they are.
Can't wait to see how Sophie's dress comes out.
Martha in cooooollllld St. Louis
p.s. of course the word verifier is "countess"
Hello, I love your blog, sure I would like to win the Chanel book.Renée from Repentigny, QC, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI would loveeee to win the paper dolls! I'm crossing my fingers.
ReplyDeleteTrudy from Texas
Happy New Year!
Thanks for continuing your wonderful posts, they are truly inspiring! Congrats on your 100th follower, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with in 2010!
ReplyDeleteKristine in Michigan
I love watching the beautiful heirlool dresses you make for your granddaughters. I love to smock also and to sew clothes for me and my family.
ReplyDeleteI really like the SB this month. I agree about it being mostly for MP's embroidery things lately, and not much heirloom sewing. And the Burda left a lot to be desired.
Jenn in Arizona
Hello, I'm Kai from Portland, OR. I mostly sew for myself but your blog is inspiring thoughts about sewing for my grandchildren (currently boy 2.5 years and girl 12 weeks). I'd love to win the Chanel paper doll book!
ReplyDeleteLove to see what you have made next! Wishing one day to make such lovely garments.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work, Happy Holidays!
Cheryl from Alberta.
I'm MaryEllen Benoit from Windsor, CT. Just became a follower. I have read everything on your blog and some things several times. I think I remember that paper doll set.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to all.
Alethia from New Jersey. Love the beautiful dresses you create for you granddaughters. Love the paper dolls book.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen much in Burda for a while to tempt me. Luckily there are lots of goodies in older issues. Mind you, I don't have the January issue yet (takes a bit longer to get here) but I'm not feeling the vibe.
ReplyDeleteBunny, I can't wait to see Sophie's Cranberry dress. The fabrics are so yummy and the smocking looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried Burda magazine but I am loving this issue of SB.
I pray you have a beautiful New Year!
I thought I was already a follower, but I guess I was not until now.
Hi! I love your blog! I agree about Sew Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLaura from Charleston, SC
I'm excited to see Sophie's dress completed. Your garments are eye-candy! So are the paper dolls.
ReplyDeleteSherril from So. California.
I can't wait to see the finished dress. I've always wanted to learn smocking, but have not yet taken the time to learn. It's so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe Chanel book looks wonderful!
Arizona in Illinois.
Thanks for a year full of inspiration, Bunny!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!
Is that Chanel book a Dover publication? Funny that I haven't seen it despite Dover's offices being so close to my home. Must keep my eye out for it now.
ReplyDeleteLindsay T from Downstate
I'd love a chance at the paperdolls!
ReplyDeleteI adore BWOF, but the Jan. issue isn't great. I do like the fleece jackets, though.
Jen in So. Cal.
Joyce in NC and I love the wonderful dresses you create for you granddaughters. i would love to have the paper dolls book.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Bunny
ReplyDeletePlease count me in for the drawing, this paper doll book would be a perfect complement for my Chanel collection
I've been following your blog for about year now and my say that my sewing has been improving ever since
Thanks so much for it
I think it's hard for editors to come up with "new" stuff every month...that's what (IMHO) led to the mish-mash of stuff that is in the Big 3 fashion mags. And sometimes I think we have to go through an ugly phase (please tell me all that grunge stuff is gone forever), to get back to beautiful. I guess it makes it new again.
ReplyDeleteI'm still having visions of your beautiful toille smocking Christmas creation!
Oh yes...and put me down for the Chanel goodie!
Claire - in OKC (that Oklahoma City for short!!!)
Your blog is always such an inspiration. Looking forward to your projects in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteDebi from North Carolina
As an upstate transplant to SoCal I've been thrilled to no end by your seasonal photos. Oh and yes, I'd love to have a try for the Chanel dolls.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Bunny! The smocking is coming along beautifully as always.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the recent Burda. What really got me was the home dec section. That cushion made of Ikea mice was rather, ahem, *interesting*, although I'm not sure I'd run right out and duplicate it any time soon. LOL.
Chanel paper dolls? That's my kind of paper doll!
ReplyDeleteCathi from BC
Happy 2010, Bunny!
ReplyDeleteYour cranberry dress for Sophie is looking spectacular. I can't to see it finished & modeled.
I, too, was thrilled with this months SB. It had all our friends in it....Janet Gilbert, Laurie Anderson, Sara Norris to name just a few. BEAUTIFUL!!! You should be in there, too, with all your creative ideas.
fondly,
Rett
Thanks for sharing your beautiful needlework. I do agree re Sew Beautiful, but I couldn't put it into words...You did that very well, Karen in La.
ReplyDeleteGuess I missed out on the paper dolls -- no worries, I'm just glad to see you back blogging.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first became aware of SB, (and smocking for that matter) it was a year or two since it had started being published. I bought the current issue, ordered all the back issues, and subscribed. And I was a subscriber for a looooong time. Now, if I see an interesting issue - (I page thru them at JoAnns) I'll buy it, but they've been fewer and fewer over the years. I'm going to have to go check out this latest issue though! I've always loved ribbonwork.
I totally *get* the masking tape thing on Sopie's dress. I would probably do the same thing - IF it occurred to me. Honestly, I haven't done any smocking in so long, I'm wondering if I remember anymore. Looking forward to seeing the finished dress. There's going to be a jacket too, right?