A Quiet Afternoon in the Sewing Room...

Well we all know we just can't keep Laura Casey from sewing, creating and dreaming! Here's her latest fun project: Perennial Pajama Pants!!! Inspired by the new fantastic flannels that we are receiving for winter, she couldn't help but take an old favorite pattern and give it a twist.

Flannel:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HEIRLOOM-12757&Category_Code=NewProd

Sign up for her Perennial Pant Class to receive one on one help and fantastic ideas about how to make this pattern sing for you. Tuesday October 13th 10-2.

In the mean time - enjoy these photos and some Laura Casey sewin' comments:

"After seeing the great flannel's Waechter's got in - I NEEDED some... so 2 & 1/2 yds -cut washed and thrown in the dryer - and it didn't shrink and inch - not one!"
"We all know this is my favorite pattern - so after using it to bits -I've done myself the favor of copying it onto tracing paper ... nice and sturdy."

"I love using pattern weights - I can lay out all the pieces and make sure they fit without pinning and re-pinning - it saves so much time - just move and go!"

"I always use 1 1/4" elastic -for every pant garment - and I don't care what color it is either - no one sees it once it's in. Also I like to put my elastic in as Lois Hinse patterns show - it's neat and gives a more professional look."


This is a detail of the Perennial Pant Darts - I love the look in flannel!

Beautiful September

I think of September as one of those perfect months - and not just because it happens to be my birthday month. Nope - I just love September because of the gorgeous bright blue skies, cool mornings and nights and fantastic stylish outfit possibilities that go with it!

I caught Ms. Joyce wearing a simply decadent cowl shift dress and walking her dog into the village to hand deliver a potted orchid. Now I ask you, can it get any better? I just had to steal her picture...

Then there's our display queen - Ms. Laura - who hit the nail on the head when she put together this collection of jackets - just in time for jacket season:

What's that, you want to see the details up close?

I can't wait to get my hands on the silk velvet I bought and make a fantastic fall jacket. If velvet's not your style - how about our brand new faux Persian lamb? It's soft and will keep you stylish and warm throughout the winds of autumn...

Happy September,

-Sarahbeth and the Waechterettes

Paper Doll Wonderland Part 2!

You've waited - you've watched - and been oh so patient! Here's part 2 of the Paper Doll Wonderland.

So we've got our great dolls all ready and we've got our great paperdoll clothes fabric:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=FINE-COT-12003&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Now what?

Loosely cut out the clothing you'll want. Leave the tabs on or cut them off - we did some of both. We choose not to make the shoes but you easily can following these same steps:

Now give your dresses a little backing - with some woven fusible interfacing (fusible only on one side this time). Use your iron and fuse it to the wrong side of your dress:

Then back your dresses with a lightweight fabric - use something that doesn't have a print so that it doesn't show through - Joyce used a cotton/lurex shimmery number. Her theory is - if you're going to give that little girl in your life some fun, fabulous frivolity - might as well make it shimmer and shine!

Okay - now get out your thin elastic and tack it with a few stitches on either side of the middle of your clothes - do the same to the shoes if you have chosen to make them too.

So it will look like this:

Here are the finished fronts of our dresses - I love the look of the tabs:

And here are the backs of our dollies with their dresses on:

And of-course - what you've really been waiting for - here are the girls in their pretty dresses from the front!!!

Enjoy! Be sure to check out our next Sew WOW issue where the dollie dress -complete with hidden pocket and dolls makes its debut!!!

From all of us here at Waechters - happy sewing!

Laura's Lucy Skirt

Well you know our Laura Casey - she can't resist a bright colored print and a cute project. She tackled this girl's skirt and headband pattern by Bananafana in a day and gave us some pointers. We just had to show you her finished piece! Does it get much stinkin' cuter?

Fabric = Sandi Henderson Dahlia:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SandiHenderson-11814&Category_Code=FINE-COT

Trim = Pink Rick Rack:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Trims-9046-RickRack&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

and Wired Satin Stripe Berry Ribbon:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HEIRLOOM-TRIM-12227&Category_Code=Trims

Laura says:

"I made it in no time - it only has 3 pieces!"

"I used my favorite notion: Steam-a-Seam - this thing is just great! I used to think it was just one more thing to buy, but it really makes my life easier. The hem just flies when I use this notion. "

"If you have an edge foot -use it. It makes hemming anything close easy -making you look oh so good!"

"I had just a great time - got to use all my fun trim ideas, and I made 2 in an afternoon!"

Everything is Coming up Poppies

Do you ever need a little design inspiration? Well I do - and sometimes playing in my fabric stash will do the trick, or taking a walk and looking at all the designs of nature fit the bill. Last week I saw a gorgeous lone poppy, and I started thinking...

Here are some dynamic color combinations that one lone flower had me dream up:

The fabric shown under the ribbon is a hand painted Silk Chiffon with Chiffon petals:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=SIL-12563&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

The ribbon is actually called Poppies:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Ribbon-12188&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

This red purple cross dyed silk dupioni is just beautiful:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=DUP-5121&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

and ribbon:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Ribbon-12193&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

And who doesn't need a deep red and black cross dyed dupioni in their stash?

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=DUP-7120&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Yarn:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Yarn-12184&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Oh my, of course - the most poppy-inspired ribbons I have ever seen. The top five are hand dyed gorgeous hues. The bottom ribbon is a sweet woven field of pink poppies.

Ribbons from top to bottom:

1.Hand dyed silk velvet in color Hot Flash:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Trim-10067-RibbonSilkVelvet&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

2. Hand dyed silk ribbon in Hot Flash

3. Hand dyed silk ribbon in American Beauty:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Trims-5221-Ribbon&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

4.Hand dyed silk ribbon in China Doll:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=Trims-0978-Ribbon&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

5. Woven Ribbon with Pink Poppies:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=TRIM-10445&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Last but not least - you need buttons to go with your vision of poppies - so here are a few that I just love that fit the bill:

Top to bottom:

1 & 2. Plastic Button with Brown Squiggles:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=PLA-6922-10798&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

3. Art Deco Resin Flower in Brown and Grey:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=PLA-12216&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

and 4. Art Deco Resin Flower in Ecru:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=PLA-12215

I hope you found plenty of inspiration to keep you going during these dog days of summer.

Happy Dreaming and Sewing!

Paper Doll Wonderland Part 1

It doesn't get much cuter than this fabric. When I saw this vintage paper doll and coordinating outfit fabric - I couldn't wait to get out my scissors and go to town!

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=FINE-COT-12005&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Can't you just see an outfit made out of this fabric - with a doll size pocket and dollie in it. Well - we did and we're sewing it up as we speak. But I'm getting ahead of myself, first, let me share our first fabric doll project. What's better for little gals than a bunch of fabric paper dolls that don't rip. Better yet, you can wash them off when they have tea party crumpet stains.

I cut around 4 dollies - using different poses:

Adhere transweb onto the back of each doll:

Cut out the dollie from the transweb. You can cut closely as the dollies will now be put onto a heavy interfacing that will stabilize them. Take the paper backing off transwebed back of dollie and adhere timtex or a heavy interfacing.

We're now going to cover the back of each of our dolls with a pretty backing fabric (we used black polka dot). Iron transweb onto the back of each backing fabric. Now adhere the backing to the back of the timtex - the back of your dolls.

After all that ironing comes the fun part - cut them out! You can cut as close to the line as you like.

Small scissors are great for this.

Our dollies are coming to life!

Now stitch around the gals as close to the cut edge as you dare. We used smoke invisible thread on top (and of course a regular bobbin of white thread).

Meet sisters Emma Grace, twins: Alma and Lucy and their good friend Caroline:

and just so they know who they are - we've labeled them:

Is there anything more stinkin' cute than these little gals! Well stay tuned - you haven't seen their dresses and shoes yet... that's part 2 of our Paper Doll Wonderland!

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=FINE-COT-12003&Product_Count=&Category_Code

Happy sewing, dreaming, creating! From all of us here at Waechter's Fine Fabrics -

Summer Sewing Classes

Where does the time go when you're having fun? I just realized it has been almost 2 months since my last blog....we have been busy settling into our new home after our whirlwind move at the end of February. New fabrics for sewing a summer wardrobe have been arriving daily...my staff have been planning new sample garments as well as selecting fabrics for their summer fashions. To help you with your sewing projects, we have many new classes on the calendar from now through September. You will find a class calendar on our home page, just click on the class title and the description will pop up on the screen.

Our teachers and students are enjoying our new classroom with more space and privacy and it will soon be even larger. One of the most popular classes is Pants That Fit....we are now teaching this in 3 sessions to give students more time devoted to fitting their muslin and then constructing their new altered pants pattern in their fashion fabric. We also offer a Create a Master Pattern class and a Get Fit Clinic. And coming up in late August, you can learn how to design, cut and sew a lining for an unlined jacket pattern...great addition to your fall wardrobe.

We love to add our own personal style to the clothes we create. With that in mind,

we have some great classes in store for you....guest designer/teacher Mary Ray will be teaching a Rectangle Skirt that is shaped with darts, tucks, pleats or gathers...the choice is yours. She also has a "ton" of ideas for adding details to the waist and hems. This exciting class will happen on Thursday and Friday, June 22 & 23.

Laura Casey will be teaching a small hand bag for "the woman on the go." You will want to create several of these hand bags for gifts besides one for yourself! Her "Go To" Bag class takes place on Fri, May 29 and Tues, Sept. 29.

How about a "Flirty Shirty" to go with your new bag? Begin with a man's dress shirt, snip here and there, and then stir in some new fabrics, buttons and imagination! Julie Simpson will show you the many possibilities tucked in her bag of sewing tricks on Thursday, June 11.

Fabric Origami: On Sunday afternoon, June 14, Elizabeth George will show you a unique method of using stiffened fabric to create a small gift box or hand bag, a style similar to the art of origami, the Japanese art of folding paper. You will want to make several of these boxes and bags.

These are just a few of the new class offerings and I will tell you about others at another time. If you are interested in learning to sew or brush up on construction or embellishment techniques, and don't see a class that meets your needs, please let us know.

You are invited to celebrate our GRAND RE-OPENING on Friday & Saturday, June 5 & 6 in our new location in Biltmore Village. We have planned a mini-sewing expo with free sewing demonstrations by our Waechter's experts, trunk shows displayed on mannequins throughout the store, sewing machine & serger demos ....all with door prizes and refreshments! You will find a schedule of events at http://www.waechters.com/ Bring your friends.....We open at 10 a.m. and close at 5:30pm on Friday and 5pm on Saturday.

Sew creatively,

Joyce