so, how did the patternmaking go? any trouble? questions? i’m guessing it went pretty smoothly because i haven’t heard much from the peanut gallery, just a peep or two here and there. i know many of you had already done this step, so you may have taken the week off. remember, if you have any [...]]]>

so, how did the patternmaking go? any trouble? questions? i’m guessing it went pretty smoothly because i haven’t heard much from the peanut gallery, just a peep or two here and there. i know many of you had already done this step, so you may have taken the week off. remember, if you have any questions or comments as we go, you can post them in the discussion section of the flickr group. there were a few photos of patterns posted this week (such as Tamika’s lovely one above) and i’d love to see more!

on to Week 2′s project: sewing and fitting your muslin. this is a step often skipped, but immensely valuable. i mean, we have no way of really knowing how your lovingly drafted pattern is going to fit until we test it, do we? it’s always possible your measurements or your math were a bit off, and you wouldn’t want to find that out by jumping right into that Liberty print you’ve been hoarding, only to find out the skirt is too small…

a few notes about muslin-making:

– i tend to prefer the term “fit sample,” because it’s a little more apt. you can make your fit sample out of the fabric called muslin, though i’m a fan of using some inexpensive fabric that i actually like, so if the fit sample works out, i can just finish it and i have another skirt to wear. this is known as a “wearable muslin”.

– when you are sewing up your sample, all you need to stitch are the darts and side seams. it won’t take long at all! be sure to leave one side seam open from the hip line to the waist (where the zipper will go in the final skirt), or you won’t be able to pull the skirt on.

– it’s a good idea to give it a quick press with the iron before trying it one, so the seams and darts lie flat. try it on, pin the zipper opening shut, and give yourself a good once-over in a full-length mirror. what do you think? take a look at the waistline and how it fits (noting that it will sit 1/2″ lower when the skirt is finished), the darts (especially in back: are they nipping in enough, so the skirt lies snugly against your back?), the hemline (you’ll lose an inch in hemming), and the amount of flare.

– if you want to make some adjustments, i suggest taking your sample off and putting it back on inside out. this way, your seam and dart allowances will all be easy to grab and pin and play with. you can take in darts or seams with pins, raise the hem or lower the waistline by folding and pinning, or marking with chalk or pencil. if you need to add more fabric at the waist or seams, pin on a scrap of muslin to extend it. then take the muslin off, and if you’ve made changes, mark with chalk or pencil where you’ve pinned, and unstitch the darts and seams. lay the muslin pieces on top of your pattern pieces and transfer the changes to the pattern. if you’ve made drastic changes, you might want to make a second fit sample, but usually you can move right on to your real skirt…

should you have any questions, i’m right here. generally in my classes, the muslins need only minor tweaking if any at all. so don’t be nervous.

have fun and report back!

1. Granny Skirt, 2. basic skirt, 3. Polka dot blouse and high waisted skirt, 4. a-line skirt, 5. giraffe bubble skirt 2, 6. flora skirt 1, 7. fish skirt 2, 8. Blue skirt for length, 9. village skirt 3, 10. dream skirt, 11. First skirt pattern drafted by me, 12. Green skirt for length

and we’re [...]]]>

1. Granny Skirt, 2. basic skirt, 3. Polka dot blouse and high waisted skirt, 4. a-line skirt, 5. giraffe bubble skirt 2, 6. flora skirt 1, 7. fish skirt 2, 8. Blue skirt for length, 9. village skirt 3, 10. dream skirt, 11. First skirt pattern drafted by me, 12. Green skirt for length

and we’re OFF! i hereby declare that the DIY A-Line Skirt Sew-Along has begun! i am THRILLED at how many of you are into this idea and excited to participate. to get the ball rolling, here’s a little inspiration for you: 12 of my favorite skirts from the Design-It-Yourself flickr pool, which is where much of the action will take place. you can post your photos there, both process shots (especially if you need/want help or advice) and of your finished projects! i’ve started a thread there too, for questions and discussion as we go; feel free to start new threads if you have a topic to discuss… and don’t forget to tag your pics with AlineSAL as we go.

so, week 1′s project is drafting your skirt pattern. some of you have already done this, but you might just want to take some time to review the process, or even try drafting a slightly different skirt for yourself, or one for someone else, just to exercise that pattern-drafting muscle! i’m going to draft my own new pattern and stitch myself up a new skirt right alongside all of you. and it just so happens that we’re coinciding with Me Made May which is another great source of inspiration and motivation!

have fun, and i’m here if you need me. i think it’d be awesome to see some pics of patterns too, so don’t be shy about sharing those!

and i can’t think of a better time to hook up some crochet flowers! this is my newest workshop on Creativebug and i’m pretty excited about sharing my freeform approach to creating a bouquet of yarny blooms. these little cuties are a fun way for new crocheters (or those [...]]]> Click here to view the embedded video.

and i can’t think of a better time to hook up some crochet flowers! this is my newest workshop on Creativebug and i’m pretty excited about sharing my freeform approach to creating a bouquet of yarny blooms. these little cuties are a fun way for new crocheters (or those who are coming back around after a long hiatus) to practice and play with their stitches. and i’m all about projects that use up those scrappy little bits that we all have and can’t (SHOULDN’T!) throw away. you can use the flowers as brooches, gift-wrapping toppers, or to adorn hairbands, hats, pillows, purses, or anything that needs a little joy!

i’m slowly building my *crochet curriculum* over there, and planning that it will eventually be a go-to resource for anyone who wants to learn crochet. so far, these are the other workshops i have available, and more are on the way:

Beginner Crochet 1 which covers chain, single, double and triple crochet stitches, and fastening off

Beginner Crochet 2 which includes half-double, spaces, bobbles, fans, stripes and increasing/decreasing

Crochet Hat Formula which shows you a recipe for making any size and shape of hat, at any gauge

plus there are a bunch of other fun crochet projects with the likes of debbie stoller, anna marie horner, alix bluh and jenny doh. so, grab your hook and some yarn, check out a workshop, and see what happens…

i’m on something of a retreat high… just back from last week’s *beyond* dreamy Makerie Sewing in colorado (i promise a full report later this week) and gearing up for next month’s Squam Art Workshops (oh SAW, how i love thee!)… and it’s high time i told you about a brand new one that you [...]]]>

i’m on something of a retreat high… just back from last week’s *beyond* dreamy Makerie Sewing in colorado (i promise a full report later this week) and gearing up for next month’s Squam Art Workshops (oh SAW, how i love thee!)… and it’s high time i told you about a brand new one that you can STILL attend! here are some illustrative words defining Lucky Star Art Camp:

Where whole living meets art, it’s sleepaway camp for women set in the hill country of Texas.  Imagine five artful days spent on the banks of the Guadalupe River where you choose from an eclectic mix of classes including mixed media painting, art journaling, jewelry making, dream mapping, yoga, apothecary, quilting, crochet, photography, food styling, stamp making, lettering, creative writing, sewing, canning and preserving, intuitive spirit work, embroidery, cheese-making, and homesteading including organic gardening and how to raise backyard chickens, bees, and goats. Did we mention live music and a camp fire under the big Texas sky? It’s more than just an art retreat.  It’s about digging deep, connecting, and reaching for the stars.  Mark your calendar for October 9-13, 2013 and start believing the daydream!

i can’t begin to tell you how excited i am about this one! first of all: TEXAS!!! i’ve never been to Texas, but spent much of my youth riding my pony around while wearing chaps and a cowboy hat. (note to self: photographic evidence of this phase is surely required.) second: a few words that jump out to me from the paragraph above: apothecary, canning and preserving, cheese-making, homesteading, organic gardening, chickens, bees, goats… how amazing does this sound??? all of these are SO up my alley! and if you’re reading this, they’re probably up yours as well. i’ve never taught at a retreat before that had these kinds of classes, and it sounds like heaven.

and if all that weren’t enough, Lucky Star will take place at Waldemar, a real-live-still-functioning summer camp for girls, established in 1926! i have so many amazing memories of the camps i attended as a kid, and i plan to relive them all. there are horses there! and canoeing! and campfires, and…

registration is now open. i’m thinking you MIGHT just want to nab your spot before you miss out…

sometimes i daydream about a magical place, where i have nothing that needs doing but to work on super fun projects, and all of the supplies i need are automatically right there, and yummy snacks and meals are all prepared for me too. and basically, i can just make stuff, without a care in the [...]]]>

sometimes i daydream about a magical place, where i have nothing that needs doing but to work on super fun projects, and all of the supplies i need are automatically right there, and yummy snacks and meals are all prepared for me too. and basically, i can just make stuff, without a care in the world. sounds pretty cool, right?

well, Brett Bara must have similar daydreams, because she has made my crafty fantasy into a reality: Brooklyn Craft Camp! this Saturday, 3/16, you can come for a “one-day DIY vacation” and forget all the cares of your daily life, for 9 action-packed hours! there’ll be coffee and donuts to start the day, then two 90-minute workshops, then an exquisite bento-box lunch and keynote speaker Jay McCarroll (squee!), two more workshops, cocktails and snacks, and farewell prizes and the juiciest-sounding goody bags i’ve ever heard of. throughout the day, you can visit the Purl Pom Pom bar, the DIY nail art bar, or the Craft-A-Day bar!

i’ll admit i’m pretty darned chuffed that i get to be there! i’ll be teaching Beginner’s Crochet (whoops, SOLD OUT!!!) and Twisted Crochet Headband, which happens to be a pattern i designed for Brett’s latest book, Clever Crocheted Accessories.

adding to the fun, several of the other teachers are some of my favorite crafty pals! Christina Batch Lee is teaching the Wooden Bead Necklace workshops. so cute! WANT! (secretly i’m hoping to whip one up during the lunch break). Jessica Marquez, one of my fellow Squammies, can help you Learn to Embroider (that’s her lovely work at the top of this post). and Kayte Terry will show you how to make amazingly life-like Crepe Paper Flowers. and the ever-awesome Julie Schneider is teaching Papercut Cards and Printmaking. WOW!

the class i most wish i could take is Make a Terrarium with Gönül Yetim. i mean, how dreamy is this little scene below? i can hardly stand it…

the camp is nearly sold out, but there are still many classes with a spot or two left, so act fast if you want to join in on the fun. hope to see you there!

whew! it’s with immense pride (and relief to have it done!) that i present to you: the Borealis Shawl. by far the most delicate crochet work i’ve ever done, but the moment i saw jill’s amazing Aurora yarn (wool/silk lace weight) i knew i had to design something worthy of it.

i finished hooking [...]]]>

whew! it’s with immense pride (and relief to have it done!) that i present to you: the Borealis Shawl. by far the most delicate crochet work i’ve ever done, but the moment i saw jill’s amazing Aurora yarn (wool/silk lace weight) i knew i had to design something worthy of it.

i finished hooking up this shawl around a year ago, but writing the pattern was a challenge that for some reason got me completely stuck; it was like having a writer’s block of the crochet variety. in the meantime, the sample has accompanied jill to many a fiber festival, where we have been highly amused by some of the comments we’ve heard. for example, “i didn’t know you could crochet with yarn like THIS!” or our favorite “this isn’t crochet dear, it’s KNIT” said with an air of pitying condescension and a pat on the shoulder. but at last i got it written up, and now i’m eager to get some new patterns down on paper too.

if any of you will be at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC this weekend, you can pet the sample (and yes, get the yarn) at the Jill Draper Makes Stuff booth, #308/310.

the adorable photo above is from one of my Squam students, Karen, [...]]]> oh yes, i said i would pick a winner didn’t i? or rather, the RGN would. and it did, and the winner is… [drumroll] Martha H!!! (i’ll be emailing you in a minute Martha). congratulations! i loved hearing about all of your dream leggings.

the adorable photo above is from one of my Squam students, Karen, who took both of my leggings workshops (drafting the pattern and sewing them) and already made her first TWO pairs! i loved her sweet note:

“ok, I may turn into a leggings junkie. Made 2 pair this afternoon, one in dark grey, and one stripes, even with contrasting band! Now I’m taking orders for my husband and daughter. Thank you so much for the great lessons on Creativebug. They were incredibly helpful and easy to follow.”

thank YOU Karen for posting in the gallery on the class page, and thanks to everyone who entered the contest. don’t forget there’s still a coupon code for $10 off a new subscription, just enter CALPATCH until January 31!