Custom Fitting and Trueing by Connie Crawford

Title: "Custom Fitting and Trueing" implies for a total pattern. The emphasis here is actually on the top half of the body: sleeves, neckline, bust, waist, and back. I was disappointed that pants fitting wasn't included.

From the back cover: Volume 5: Custom Fitting & Trueing In a time of busy schedules and many fitting issues, this DVD saves the day with up-to-date garment fitting techniques. This lesson leads students through a shirt / blouse fitting project, including: selecting the correct size pattern, checking the pattern size, checking the pattern for front to back balance, side seam balance, and armhole balance. It continues with drape-fitting the project, fitting the neckline, shoulder, armhole, sleeve, and trueing the pattern changes. Mastering the vital fitting principles of patterns will help avoid common fitting problems after the fashion fabric is cut.

Content: Pattern balancing, bust cup size adjustments, correcting pitching of muslin, adjustments to paper pattern and muslin when fitting on a person, width adjustments at darts, how to "walk" a sleeve, adjusting the cap of a sleeve, armhole adjustments for upper arm circumference, fixing gaping necklines, use of the French Curve ruler, fitting for a Dowanger's hump, adjustments for womanly figures, etc.

Format: 65 minutes in length. Chapters included.

Video/audio quality: This was obviously filmed in her private sewing studio using family and friends as models but the video and audio quality are quite good. It almost feels like you are in the room with her because the atmosphere is casual enough. Some of her other DVDs have much poorer video and audio quality and she is clearly reading from a prompt off-screen. No reading here in this video.

Where to purchase: The best price for this DVD can be found at the Mccall's/Butterick/Vogue shop online, $35.00 USD. They also offer discounts if you purchase 3 or more of Connie's DVDs in her series.

Recommend to others: I highly recommend this DVD to anyone having trouble fitting bodices. If you aren't having trouble, I still think you will have several "A-ha" moments watching this DVD. This DVD is most helpful to people who think that taking in side seams or adding to the length of a garment are the only alterations that can be safely made to a garment. This DVD inspired confidence in me when it came time to make major alterations to the fitted bodice of my wedding gown that I was making.

Fabric.com Birthday Gift

If you haven't already, you should sign up for daily email specials from Fabric.com. Each day they feature a group of fabrics and provide a 20-50% discount on those fabrics for that day only. Today I received a birthday email...yes, it is my birthday. Yay, another year older! The birthday "gift" you receive from them is 20% off your entire order. The coupon code may only be used once and is good for 30 days. With the free shipping (orders $35+) and already low prices, this coupon code makes for great savings. Check it out!

They also offer a frequent shopper program.

An even bigger bonus...you will receive 5% cash back rebate from Ebates.com if you link to Fabric.com from the Ebates website to start your shopping.

Wedding Dress: Scalloped Lace Neckline

My wedding dress (Vogue 2979) has a V-neck line with scalloped lace edging on the neck. To achieve this, the lace scallops from the all-over lace fabric must be "reapplied" to the neckline.

I purchased 60-inch wide embroidered lace fabric for the bodice. The fabric has scalloped edges at both ends. I trimmed close to the scalloped edge (but not too close, leave several "blocks" of the netting free to maintain the design and not cut any supporting threads) along one side of the fabric.

From the middle of the back neck (where the zipper starts) to the center front bodice (bottom of the V-neckline) measures 13 inches. This measured approximately 6 of the repeating scallop designs. The pattern instructions called for reapplying the lace edging to the raw edges of the bodice neckline. This may not have been ideal but I had no experience with lace and didn't feel like experimenting with my dress. By the time I got to this step of reapplying lace edging to the neckline, my bodice consisted of an outer layer of lace and 3 supporting layers of cotton broadcloth (underlining, lining, backing for lace). All the raw edges had been previously hand basted together.

With a very slight easing of the trimmed lace strip, I started pinning at the center front neck, overlapping left and right neck edges slightly. When placing the lace strip on neckline, I matched the top peak of the scallop with the straight neck edges. When I reached the center back neck edge (where the hook & eye and zipper closures will be), I wrapped 1/2-inch of the lace strip around the base fabric. I basted on top of the pins with a contrast thread to anchor the lace before machine stitching.

Pinned bodice with red basting

*The pins shown above aren't specifically for pinning lace. The "bridal and lace pins" were too fine for the lace fabric and slipped through the holes. These large flat flower pin heads ("flat head pins") keep the pins from slipping through the holes in lace designs. These particular pins are quite thick though and probably wouldn't work well on a delicate lace.

**Side note: I also used satin pins for working with my dress fabric. Satin pins are fine tipped and won't damage your satin material if you don't leave them in very long. (I never left mine in longer than a day but you could probably get away with longer.)

I experimented with some scrap lace and cotton broadcloth (my bodice underlining) to find the best machine stitch for sewing on this lace. I could have hand-stitched the lace in place but I didn't trust that my hand stitching would hold it in place...and I was tired of hand stitching that day.

This may not hold true for all laces but for most, a narrow machine zigzag stitch will anchor the lace in place without shifting (see my stitch dictionary "Machine Zigzag Stitch"). In particular with embroidered laces, the satin cording applied to the larger motifs can cause a machine needle to penetrate the fabric slightly off center. This ruins the clean seam line you were sewing.

Lace with cotton backing--Straight stitched

The zigzag stitch grabs more of net background to anchor the lace.

Lace zigzagged...backside



Lace zigzagged...front (stitching is slightly angled up to the right)

I removed the contrast hand basting stitches after machine stitching the lace edging. The pattern instructions then called for trimming the raw edges of the bodice neckline (in a shape similar to the scallops of the lace) and then overcast stitching the raw edges to prevent fraying.

Neckline finished with one pass of overcast stitching

This looked cheap to me so I made another pass with the hand stitches.

You may have better ideas for how to complete this neckline (please share!!) but I'm pretty satisfied with my first time working with lace. I did find this information below (after I made my dress, of course) that describes several different ways to finish the raw edges when applying lace.

HomeSewingProjects.com "Sewing with Lace"

Swimsuit Cover-up Project

I found this great idea for a swimsuit coverup from the Singer Sewing Machine website "free designs" section.

Royal Flush Coverup

The instructions are terribly vague for a beginning sewer but I like the look of the coverup. I think I will make this as my first experiment with draping on a dress form.

Free Purse Project from Singer

I have been toying with the idea of making my own purses. I am so fed up with floppy purses with handles that break. I am still researching interfacings and strap options but I came across this free pattern from Singer and thought this might be a nice design to try in the near future.

PDF purse instructions "Mirror Image Shopper"

Singers also has other free designs; mostly bags, pillows, hair accessories, etc.

Singer Free Designs and Projects

Grosgrain Ribbon Basics

Grosgrain, pronounced "groh-greyn"

• Has prominent transverse ribs and is quite strong


• Normally has a dull appearance with little luster


• May be substituted for twill tape for garment internal reinforcements


• Often used within a garment for facings and waistbands

I used 1-inch wide grosgrain ribbon for waistband support in my wedding dress.

(Source: www.papermart.com)

Machine Zigzag Stitch

Sewing & Craft Alliance's Guide to the Zigzag Stitch pdf (many uses, how-to, presser feet, etc.)

Quick Overview:

• Uses: finishing the raw edges of seam allowances, prevents fraying of raw edges, applique work, hemming, buttonholes, attaching lace or elastic, etc.


• Length and width of the stitch can be adjusted, depending on your reason for needing the stitch


• Basic stitch included on almost all sewing machines


• Requires a presser foot that allows the needle to move side to side

For my Singer Esteem 1732 machine a general purpose presser foot allows for zigzag stitching, in addition to straight stitching.

Adjusting the length of the zigzag stitch:

The length of the zigzag stitch is the distance between the points where the needle penetrates the fabric. Shorter lengths will produce a more dense zigzag pattern.

Zigzag stitch

Increasing the length of the zigzag stitch:

Decreasing the length of the zigzag stitch:

Adjusting the width of the zigzag stitch:

The width of the zigzag stitch determines the coverage. Setting your machine width at zero will produce almost a straight stitch. Usually the settings start at "1" one and increase from there depending on the amount of desired coverage.

Increasing the width of the zigzag stitch:

Decreasing the width of the zigzag stitch:

Don't forget about tension!

The tension should be adjusted so that no thread loops are visible on the top or bottom of your stitching and the fabric shouldn't curl.

The Petticoat Disaster

Have you ever designed a project that you thought would be a simple, quick and easy project and then wasted tons of time and money on it to only give up?

That is how I feel about my petticoat. It was such a simple project but I had so many problems along the way. After making 2 different fabric purchases and struggling with netting for 2 days, I've thrown in the towel. It beat me.

A few things I learned along the way:

• Measure 5 times, cut once.


• You can machine sew netting material but why would you want to bother.


• My sewing machine gathering foot does not like netting material.


• My cats like to chew on netting material.


• Netting clings to itself, your clothes, the carpet...anything within a 5-foot radius.


• A layer of netting fabric sandwiched between 2 layers of muslin is much easier to work with but it loses its stiffness.


• My cats like to sleep on netting material.


• You can't cut netting material in straight lines unless you pin it to a mat first.


• After you have calculated how much netting you need, double it. Maybe triple it.


• Sewing netting to elastic doesn't gather the netting. It just uses up all your spare elastic.


• I've forgotten how to make elastic waistbands.


• My cats like to chase the netting material as I run back and forth between cutting table and sewing machine.


• Hand gathering and hand stitching was probably the most reliable way for me to make this doomed garment but I was too lazy and too short on time.


• I should thank my mother for making my tutus when I was a ballerina in preschool. She must really love me to have fussed with this stuff.


• David's Bridal sells full ball gown "slips" full of netting and lined inside and out with crinoline for $59 USD. And they are always in stock in the store. And the sales ladies don't laugh at you for wasting time trying to make one yourself.

In the end I spent $100 USD to poof out my ball gown skirt for my wedding dress; $40 trying to make it and $59 buying it from David's Bridal. My $40 stressed-out tutu looks like an 80's Madonna "Like a Virgin" dress that was put through a shredder.

My original plan for the petticoat: (from www.uniquebridalsupplies.com.au)

The final garment: (even the cats think it is awful)

This whole thing was just so silly since I could go buy one at David's Bridal. I don't know what I was thinking. I first purchased the "full ball gown slip."

I'm only 5 ft 4 inches tall. This thing overwhelmed me. Once I put the dress on over it, it may have looked like Vogue intended but I felt like an oversized cupcake. I couldn't get through standard home interior doorways without using both hands to scrunch down the skirt!

Vogue pattern 2979

I found this petticoat to be a better option.

David's Bridal Ball Gown Slip


The waistband is an elasticized section that sits just under your bra cups. Sounds weird but this allows less fabric bunched up around your waist and the skirt hangs freely. Two tiered layers of pleated netting are attached to the lower half of the skirt. The netting is sandwiched between 2 layers of nylon lining material. Some fabric stores call this nylon material "crinoline"; it is even labeled crinoline on the bolt. It is important to note that crinoline can mean many different things to many people. With regards to fabric, crinoline could be the nylon lining, horsehair & linen blend or something more closely resembling netting. At any rate, this nylon skirt doesn't breath well. I sweated profusely on my wedding day...well, it was 80 degrees F too but I was inside mostly. The ball gown slip only made it through the first 30 minutes of the reception. I couldn't suffer with it any longer.

Waistband of David's Bridal "ball gown slip"


Tiered layers of pleated netting support

In preparation for the 14 yards of skirt I must hand stich the hem

Nice picture tutorial of how to hand stitch an invisible hem:

Sewing Divas Hand Stitch Hem

Saved from a zipper catastrophe

I may be short but I have a long torso. During the muslin alterations for my wedding gown (Vogue 2979), I added almost 2 inches to the length of the bodice to place the waistline in the proper place. I also cut the bodice lengthwise to add width. I didn't actually make a full muslin because the skirt has about 7 yards of fabric in it and I didn't feel that it was necessary. Failing to make the muslin skirt caused 2 problems for me:

1. The skirt seam lines no longer matched the bodice seam lines (due to the addition to bodice width). I don't have a picture of this because I promptly ripped the skirt off when I saw the mistake. The bodice front darts should match up with the seams on the front skirt, which has a center front panel joined to 2 side front panels. It's not a huge problem but it looks sloppy.
2. The bodice length addition caused me to run out of zipper. Now this is a big problem. I used an 22-inch invisible zipper. Thanks to my adjustments, I needed a 24-inch zipper which you can't find in a local fabric store. I needed this dress finished yesterday, not after I spend a week waiting for a special order zipper to arrive in the mail. I compensated by shifting the zipper down one inch and will add a 2nd hook and eye closure to the neckline. It's a decent fix but I can barely get the skirt over my hips when I put the gown on. Please note: this fix only works on this gown because the neck is high in the back with a scalloped lace edge. The lace neck looks better with a shorter zipper, I think. (I will post a photo after I finish applying the lace edge.)

I posted a link to an online invisible zipper tutorial yesterday. The tutorial helped me put in my best looking zipper yet. No bunches, and it is straight. I highly recommend basting your zipper in place first as a shifted zipper will look sloppy.

Stitch Dictionary: Overcast Stitch

I don't know all the sewing lingo and I get a little lost sometimes when reading instructions for a sewing project. I came across this today, "overcast stitch", and thought I would share.

OVERCAST STITCH

This hand stitch is great for covering the raw edges of fabric and keeping them from unraveling.
This may also be called for in a pattern as a decorative touch as well.



Source: DIY Fashion

Link to a good handout describing how to do various stitches and what the stitches are used for:

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture "Hand Stitches"

Sew an Invisible Zipper

I'm putting the zipper in my wedding dress tonight and I wanted to brush up on my zipper sewing technique...it's horrible. My zippers always have bumps on the bottom and the topstitching is never straight. Pathetic.

I found this great photo tutorial for inserting an invisible zipper. Enjoy!

Sew? I Knit! Invisible Zipper tutorial

Preserve Sewing Pattern Pieces

For the time being, this is my favorite way to preserve a pattern piece. I apply cheap fusible interfacing to the pieces I plan to use over and over again. This allows me to:

• manipulate the pattern on my body or a dress form
• fold it for storage and not need to re-iron when I use it again
• save $$$--this is the most economical choice I've found.

I buy the Pellon 15-inch wide x 3 yards long pre-packaged fusible interfacing when it goes on sale. Hancock's recently ran a sale on these packages for $0.77 USD/package.

Source: Hancock Fabrics

Organize Your Pattern Stash

Reading through the SewStylish Blog today, I ran across this post from a reader about their idea to organize their patterns. I'm happy that another sewer out there is as crazy as I am. I've scanning my pattern envelopes front and back for the past 2 months. I was so tired of seeing a great fabric in the store and wishing I had my pattern envelope with me for a particular style. Many of my patterns are now out-of-print so I can't even look them up in the store anymore. I decided to invest some serious time reorganizing them. I still have a ton of Vogue patterns to scan but my project is almost complete.

To keep my patterns handy:

• I scanned the front and back of each envelope and logged each pattern into an Excel spreadsheet as I scanned them. My spreadsheet contains company, pattern #, size(s) of the pattern, brief description, and category (tops, pants, etc.).
• I stored the scanned images in folders on my computer by company (Vogue, Butterick, etc.).
• I printed each scanned image and inserted them into a sheet protector and then into a binder. You could just put the envelope original into the sheet protector but I wanted to keep all the pieces together for storage in my sewing room.
• I organize the pages of the binder by company and then numerical order.
• I have 2 printed copies of my Excel spreadsheet in the front of my binder: (1) organized in numerical order by company, and (2) organized by category (so I can quickly find a tops pattern when I'm shopping).

This system has worked for me as the binder has a shoulder strap so my hands are free while I shop. I also place swatches of fabric with each pattern when I plan a project. This helps me match up thread and notions in the store quickly.

Pictures of my "shopping" binder:

My first petticoat

I tried my wedding dress on last night to determine how much to cinch it up in the center back seam for the zipper. As I was looking in the mirror, I noticed that the skirt just didn't have the dramatic look that a ball gown should. I'm referring to the big 'ol skirt, of course. The organza underlining did help dramatically (compared to my previous attempt) and the fashion fabric (or satin, in this case) was hanging beautifully. Despite all this, the bottom of the gown was most definitely lacking something. I hate the idea of adding still more layers to my skirt but it is needed.

My search for petticoats, how to wear them, and how to make one yielded many different results. Running out of time and not knowing what kind of petticoat I wanted, I talked to a co-worker who participates in western (cowboys) reenactments. She mentioned that a hoop skirt requires that you kick the hoop forward as you walk so that you don't trip on it. I suffer from severe clumsiness. I don't think a hoop skirt is right for me. In the interest of adding as few additional layers as possible to my 3-layer skirt, I am opting for a ruffled petticoat made from netting.

Example of the petticoat I will make:



Source: Bridal Petticoat



My plan for making the petticoat is below. I will scan my drawing of it later.

• Length of the petticoat should match the outer skirt (fashion fabric) length unless you want some of the ruffled netting to show for decoration.


• Divide total length of skirt into 4 tiers for a floor-length skirt. (My skirt will be 40 inches long, excluding the waistband, so 4 x 10-inch tiers.)


• Upper tier of skirt and waistband will be made from cotton but you can also use a nylon taffeta.


• Add 1-3/4 inches to upper tier for waistband and casing for drawstring closure. (Drawstring for quick and easy waistband but a snap or zipper closing could work too.)


• Add 1 inch to top 3 tiers for 1/2-inch seam allowances.


• Add 1/2 inch to bottom tier for upper seam allowance.


• Calculate widith of fabric for each tier as follows: topmost tier width=your hip measurement + 10 inches, 2nd tier width=2 times the top tier width (hip + 10 inches), 3rd tier width=4 times the top tier width, and bottom tier width=6 times the top tier width.


• Netting on bottom tier does not need to be hemmed so the length can be adjusted easily. If you wish to add a decorative trim to the bottom, it would be easier to do that before sewing all the tiers together.


• Each tier of netting is gathered at the top and sewn to the bottom length of previous tier. It might be easier to gather each width in 10-12 inch sections instead of trying to handle the full width at once.


• I'm adding a slight A-line cotton skirt underneath the netting to keep the scratchy netting off my skin. Add this simple drawstring skirt to the waistband of the petticoat before sewing the waistband and casing for the drawstring.

This type of petticoat sells for $30-40 USD by most online wedding accessories retailers. I calculated my cost as less than $10 USD.

• 72 inch wide netting runs $0.50-$0.99 USD/yard. The width of the netting allows you to buy 3-1/4 yards and cut it lengthwise in six 11-inch wide strips for the tiers. It won't alter the function of the petticoat to piece the tier widths together.


• 45 inch wide cotton broadcloth runs $2 USD/yard at my local stores. I will need approximately 3 yards for the uppermost tier, waistband, and four 18-inch wide by 40-inch long panels to piece together for the petticoat lining.


• Drawstring--I already have this.

If you want to use a pattern for petticoats or corsets, McCalls 4109 has several styles. McCalls 3609 is out of print but has the hoop skirt pattern.

If you want a quick and easy petticoat with ruffles along the bottom edge only, here is a link to read: Petticoat 1-hour project. Great way to use mismatch bedskirts.

Sale!! Denver Fabrics

I have been looking for a good wool coating fabric. All the store fabrics (Hancock and Joann's) are of low quality. I was hesitant to buy this type of fabric online without having an opportunity to touch it first. Denver Fabric's (aka Fashion Fabrics Club) is running a sale on wool coatings (along with silks, poplin, suitings, jersey, etc.). At $11.95/yd, their wools are either 100% wool or mostly wool. This might be the best deal I have found yet. All the other sale fabrics are $3.95/yd. Get yourself over to DenverFabrics.com! I have yet to find any discount coupons/codes for this site so please share if you have any.

Progress...17 days to go

I spent the entire past weekend working on my dress. I'm not finished but very pleased with what I have learned. I highly recommend to anyone wishing to make bridal or evening gowns to locate a copy of this book: Bridal Couture: Fine Sewing Techniques for Wedding Gowns and Evening Wear (Paperback) by Susan Khalje (ISBN: 0801987571). I was able to locate my copy from a UK seller on Amazon for about $30. Unfortunately, this book is out of print so most copies are quite a bit pricier.


Following most of the recommendations from the book on wedding gown construction, I have made the following additions to the instructions already included with the Vogue pattern I'm using.

#1 Organza underlining:

• Underlinings may be basted to your fashion fabric to support the fabric. They can impact the color and drape of the fashion fabric. In this case, the organza provides lightweight support to my satin skirt, increases the poof factor (ball gown skirt), and prevents wrinkling of the satin.


• Organza is probably the most common underlining for wedding gowns but other possible materials may include a cotton batiste or a lightweight fleece, depending upon the desired effect and what part of the gown you are underlining.


• Baste each panel of the skirt's fashion fabric to matching skirt panels cut from organza. You will then treat each 2-layer panel as one piece.


• Susan Khalje suggested in her book that some bodices and/or skirts may not need lining if the underlining is sufficient for modesty. I couldn't stand the feel of the polyester organza so I also purchase white poly lining. Yes, there are 3 layers to my skirt.

#2 Boning in the bodice:

• My dress didn't call for boning but I wasn't getting the smooth, firm look to the bodice that I wanted. The boning helped flatten and smooth the tummy and my back (both my tummy and back are round).


• Susan Khalje suggested applying boning vertically to the bodice center front, under each bust point from waist to just under the fullness of the breast, just along the sides of the breast, bodice side seams, and 2 places evenly spaced on the bodice back.


• Boning should start and end just outside the seam allowance. Each end of the boning should be rounded so it doesn't poke you.


• Test out boning placement on a muslin first. Remove the boning from the channels and hand baste in place on the fashion fabric, once you are happy with the placement.
• Sew in an inverted U-shape using a zipper foot. Start at the waist end of each boning channel, sew to the top and over and back down the other end of the boning channel. Do your best to sew on the edge of the boning channels. Making the boning channels too narrow and tight will cause the boning to turn within the channel. You would expect a tight channel to keep the boning from shifting but you will get the opposite result.
• Don't re-insert the boning until you have reached the last possible step before closing off the open end of the boning; often when you sew the waist seam.
• I used the cheap roll of lightweight boning you can buy in any fabric store. This is a little hard to work with because it is rolled up so tightly. I will investigate better boning options for future projects.
  

Hand Basting


I despise hand basting. I always skipped it or used the machine to baste. This probably has a lot to do with how I was taught to sew (skipping any bastings, stay tape applications, etc.). Hand basting is time consuming upfront but will save you time during the sewing and greatly improves the look of your garment. Many fabrics are slippery when you put them right sides together for sewing. You don't realize how bad they have slipped until you get to the end of a side seam for a skirt and find one piece 1 inch or more longer than the other piece. Hand basting fixes this. Hand basting also keeps you from having to pin pieces together and pull the pins out as you sew. Even with pins, my seams have never matched up. Where you baste in the seam allowance is up to you but I prefer to baste 1/2 inch into the seam allowance and stitch at 5/8 inch. My hand basting is loose and I simply pull on one of the stitches until I have a free end to tug. With a few easy tugs, I can remove the hand basting from the seam allowances and press open the seams.

My Wedding Dress: Materials and Construction

Late post:
I can remember looking at wedding dress patterns since I was a teenager. I wasn't imagining my dream wedding, just the dress. I love evening gowns. They make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the room when you wear them. It has always been my goal to make my wedding gown if I were to marry one day. That day is quickly aproaching, 25 days and counting. I have picked a dress I never thought would suit me. I always preferred close-fit styles. Funny how being overweight changes your tastes in clothing. I opted for maximum comfort on my wedding day. A big skirt to hide my large rear and belly, and cotton for breathability. I do love my dress but I would do it all differently if I had the time. As it is, the dress isn't even finished.



Here's the dress (short-sleeved version):

I chose a high quality cotton broadcloth to line the upper bodice for breathability. The cotton will feel nicer against my skin than polyester lining. I do, however, have polyester lining for the skirt lining; a decision I regret. The skirt is made of a polyester satin taffeta. I love the look of the material but would have preferred silk. The lace outer layer of the bodice is made of an embroidered lace. This is actually my first experience working with lace. I don't know if all embroidered laces have this problem but the more you handle them, the tiny piping used to embroider the main patterns comes loose and/or unravels. I spent an hour just tacking down all the ends of the embroidery on the bodice. The hand stitching doesn't have to be perfect since all the white threads blend well.

Full retail price of materials I purchased for this gown: $400.00 USD

• Satin Taffeta for skirt, 60" wide, $15/yd x 8 yds


• Embroidered lace for bodice, 60" wide, $80/yd x 2 yds


• Poly lining for skirt, 60" wide, $5/yd x 8 yds


• Broadcloth for bodice lining, 45" wide, $6/yd x 4 yds


• White satin covered bridal buttons, $4.75/dozen


• Bridal button loops, $2.25/yd


• Horsehair braid, 1" wide, $2.50/yd

I am away from home so I don't have an exact picture of the lace but this one is pretty close:

JoAnn's disappointing Labor Day sales

I have a mountain of fabric in my home. Seriously, a MOUNTAIN of fabric. It took me a few hours but I went through each piece of fabric, matched it up with a project, and put all the matched up projects in my binder. Now I'm ready to shop for notions and the timing couldn't be better. The only 2 local shops that sell apparel fabric are Hancock's and JoAnn's...pathetic, I know. Both are having sales on notions this weekend so I'm psyched to get all my supplies. I grabbed my binder of projects and headed out to JoAnn's on Friday evening. (Hancock's notions sale isn't until Sunday.)

I headed straight to the aisle with threads and zippers. No sale signs?! Hmm...so I went back up to the front of the store and grabbed the sales flyer. "Buy One, Get One...Notions Wall." Oh, darn. Just to confirm, I spoke with a sales associate. Sadly, threads and zippers are not kept in the one aisle that is labeled "notions wall." This really took the wind out of my sails. What am I going to buy now? A few shoulder pads and needles and that's it? Disappointed, I grabbed those few notions and wandered around the store. I did manage to find some lightweight cottons I have been eyeing for awhile but couldn't justify paying $6/yard for. They were half off so I snatched them up. Overall, this was still a very disappointing shopping trip. JoAnn's divided all my notions into highest and lowest cost categories. So guess which ones were free...the $0.99 velcro but I paid full price for $5 shoulder pads. I hate to return things but I can get all this stuff 50% off at Hancock's on Sunday.

Pics of clearance cotton fabrics I purchased: (projects will be posted in "Projects" area)I bought this lightweight woven in baby blue and lilac too.



I bought this pattern in a fuschia color as well.