I met Erika at Rosie's today. It is a big quilting store. They have a bunch of different rooms. An asian/african/hawaiian room, a old fashioned prints room (dunno what their official names for these are BTW), a room with things like paris flea market and Amy Butler fabrics. A batik/flannel/chenille/minkee room and then the main store that is sorted by colour, oh they also have a big area just for notions etc. with all sorts of neat toys that JoAnn's and walmart don't have. They even have their own San Diego fabric with their shop included in the print made for them by Hoffman! As far as the kids are concerned, the most funnest thing is the pirate's treasure chest filled to the brim with loose buttons to play in and the bean bags that they supply to reserve your fabric while you shop so noone puts it away for you.

Anyway, here are a couple of pics I took. Erika and I were admiring the Amy Butler prints while the kids threw beanbags in one pic. The other two are of Erika's kids near some of Rosie's batiks. Paige is picking out her favourite, Justin is being silly ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/paigerosies.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/DSC01057.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/DSC01059.jpg

(anyone else want to SNS (that's shop and show!) pics of their local haunts??)

Next up, I took pics of me sewing a dart on one of my new skirts....

#1
(All pics from now on clickable)
I mark the dart with erasable pen. Then I put pins in to mark my darts. I figure out my darts by trial and error, but Allison said there is a past issue of threads that shows how to use duct tape to figure out your perfect darts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/th_1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/1.jpg)

We have nothing anywhere near as cool as the pics of fabric stores I've seen in CA the past few weeks. You'd laugh if I showed you my "favorite" fabric store ~ cause it sucks! LOL

#2

I make a fold so the pins match up, I flip it over to make sure that the two top pins are right on top of each other.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/th_2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/2.jpg)

#3

I repin to keep the fold in place once I have checked the fold lines up with the bottom mark as well.

Then I take a ruler and draw a line joining up the top marks and the bottom mark.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/th_3.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/3.jpg)

#4

If I have not done the pattern before then I baste the dart in with a long stitch length to try it on and alter and re-pin/redraw the dart if necessary etc.

If I know the dart works then I set my stitch length to 1.5 or 2 and stitch along the line. When I have about an inch left I curve in so that as I get to the end mark I am sewing on the very edge of the fabric for a couple of stitches.

Don't back stitch, it can leave a pucker. Instead, life the foot to release the tension, move the fabric back (making sure the threads aren't tight) and backstitch a little in the dart where it won't be seen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/th_4.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/4.jpg)

#5

Press towards center waistband (I like to use a ham for this, but you can use the end of your ironing board if you prefer), then trim any excess fabric so it all lines up nicely along your waistband. (I add excess fabric to the top of my dart as I'm cutting out so I know it will all line up when I'm done)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/th_5.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/bethan/Apr05%20sewing%20journal/5.jpg)

(will post pic of finished skirt after DH has eaten supper (-: )

That is a great tip about how to back tack. I always leave a tail and then knot it. Faster your way.

Also, another tip I've heard from a couple sources is to start at the point, rather than the top of the waistband. I does work better for me.

Why does it work better??