Since the earthquake in Haiti, my friend and a team of talented ladies have organized HOPE Art. It’s a project that uses art as therapy for Haitian children in tent camps, schools, orphanages & hospitals. This January they will be making their third trip down to Haiti and they’ll be bringing something extra–homemade dresses.
This weekend I got together with my little sis and we whipped up a few pillowcase dresses for the project. These dresses are so simple! I used this pattern, but a search for pillowcase dresses will pull up several versions. I also used this chart to determine the length since I don’t have a little one to measure. This is a great project for kids to make. It’s a lot of straight line sewing. The most tricky part was sewing the bias tape on the armholes. You may need to assist with that part. I also love this pattern because it’s so versatile in sizing. Once it’s too small to be a dress, it can be worn as a tunic over some shorts or pants. So cute!
Everyone learns differently: some by lecture, others are hands-on, while still others learn visually. I’ve always been a trial-by-fire type of gal, which is why I was thrilled when Jordana asked me to visit the Bobbins Nest Studio in Santa Clara. If I’m going to learn to knit, I might as well get comfortable in an LYS, right?
Along with our knitter’s profiles, we’re also hoping to start showcasing some of the LYS’s that carry Jordana Paige, which was my mission when I contacted Erin, the owner of Bobbins Nest, to ask if she minded if I picked her brain a bit. She agreed, and suggested we do it over Thai food. YUM!
Bobbins Nest isn’t exactly a yarn store, mostly because it’s got a lot of everything, from knitting, sewing, crochet, and hand embroidery. It’s all sortsa cozy, with plenty of places to sit, whether you prefer working at a table or in a comfy chair.
And the window displays are adorable!
Oh man, those look delicious.
So after I went about taking about a thousand pictures, which I will upload to our Facebook page soon, I promise, Erin and I met for green curry, prawns and some mouth-watering conversation.
JP: You’ll be four years old in September! Congrats! What is one of the biggest surprises about owning the store? What didn’t you expect?
E: Thanks! Everyday is different and it’s own adventure! I knew I would never work harder than I do for myself. I also knew I would be my own biggest critic!
I didn’t expect all of the support and admiration that my customers give the store and to me. The Yelp reviews astound me! Whenever I am having a bad day, my husband tells me to read the Yelp reviews. It always makes me feel better.
JP: How many employees does Bobbin’s Nest Studio have? Has that changed a lot?
E: We have a staff of 5.5 right now (including myself). We’ve had as few as 2 and as many as 9. I think the perfect number is 6, but 5.5 is good too. Our .5 is an intern who we have hired to help us with a VERY special project that will be announced in October!
JP: Aside from your awesome employees, is there anyone that has really helped you with the store?
E: 1. My husband has been my biggest supporter! Without the man behind the woman, there would be no Bobbin’s Nest.
2. Other store owners both in the area and not. They are my community and my peeps!
3. Jordana! She has been great to work with, a confidante, and a friend.
Erin with Jordana and her sis at the Nest (Photo is courtesy of Bobbins Nest via Flickr)
4. Our customers! These are the folks that Yelp us, Facebook us, Tweet us, and are the jelly to my peanut butter.
JP: What project are you working on right now?
E: Knitting-wise, The Mitered Crosses blanket by Kay Gardiner and Bloomin by Grace Mcewen. I am a monogamous knitter, so having more than one project going is RARE for me!
As far as sewing, none at the moment, did you see how MANY knitting projects I have going on? Yikes!
JP: Do you play music in your store? If yes, what? And how do you decide?
E: Yes, it’s my iPod. I have an affinity for film scores, oddball groups like the Ditty Bops, Big Band, and I sneak a little country in there too. It’s a weird collection that my employees tolerate and my customers ask to be made into a Bobbin’s Nest soundtrack. You never know what you’re gonna hear!
JP: Where did the name Bobbin’s Nest Studio come from?
E: I kept thinking of an object that would be found in knitting, sewing, crochet, and embroidery…Bobbin. There are different types of bobbins, but they all basically do the same thing…carry thread or yarn.
Then I thought of something that was like a community of people or something that symbolized “home”…Nest. Well, Bobbin’s Nest sounded sort of like Robin’s Nest and I thought that was cute, but I didn’t want to sound too cutesy, so I tacked on Studio to make it sound more professional.
Cute? Homey? Professional? I think she hit the nail on the head.
JP: When is your favorite time to knit/sew/crochet?
E: Sunday mornings! I love to watch CBS Sunday Morning with my cup of tea, my dogs lying around, and a cat on my lap, while knitting. It’s my time.
JP: You say you have products from all over the world? Tell me about something that comes from far away.
E: Well, the furthest items we’ve had were from France. A few years ago I visited a friend in France and brought back buttons, jewelry, and little bits from the Parisian flea market. I LOVED it!
Ahhh Paris!
We still have a lot of display items from that trip. Some of which are the wooden shoemaker’s molds…I carried about 6 little “feet” back in my suitcase. I am sure the TSA inspector thought I was nuts!
JP: If you could choose a super power, what would it be?
E: To read minds. I would love to know what people are really thinking.
JP: You carry indie patterns…how do you find your designers?
E: Word-of-mouth, word-of-blog, happenstance. I just like what I like. When I find something new and different, I love to try it out!
JP: When did you start carrying Jordana’s bags? Which one is your favorite?
E: From day one! I love the L.J. Kaelms the best, but I own almost every single style….except for the elusive first Knitter’s Purse, because I missed picking one up in the early days. The L.J. Kaelms is my favorite because of it’s shape. I love the height of it and that you can see straight down into it.
L.J. Kaelms sighting at the Bobbins Nest Studio
JP: If you could eat or drink anything with no consequences, what would it be?
E: French bread with tomato, basil, and buffalo mozzarella drizzled in olive oil and balsamic. And a mean cappuccino….mostly foam. Sadly, I am gluten intolerant, so my days of French bread indulgences are over. I miss it though.
JP: What’s one of your favorite parts of owning Bobbin’s Nest?
E: I like the responsibility and the risk. I like being the “boss lady” (as my employees call me) and that I work with awesome people. My staff is great, my vendors are hand-picked perfection, and I love my customers! What’s not to like?
JP: What’s one of the strangest customer request you’ve ever gotten?
E: Well, we’re listed under “Art Supplies” in the phone book, so we get a lot of wacky calls. I have been asked for glass etching supplies, paint, canvas, photo paper, pens, framing, light boxes…you name it, I’ve been asked if we carry it.
JP: If you had to choose, could you pick between your crafts? Do you have a favorite?
E: Sewing was my childhood passion, but it took a backseat to knitting. Knitting is so portable! I still enjoy sewing, but secretly I like knitting better. Shhhh…don’t tell my fabric.
Your secret is safe with us.
JP: What’s one of your favorite things to do when you’re not busy being crafty?
E: Playing with my dogs and cats….or my “kids” as they are known. I get a kick out of them. They are so goofy, joyful, and they rarely have a bad day. You can tease them and they just slough it off like “whatever, I’m cute and I know it!” You don’t get that with most people. Animals are just….sweet.
Hobbie-wise…I love yoga (but don’t do it nearly enough). I am a fantastic cook, but hate to bake. I am trying to convince myself to garden, but worry I will suck at it. And of all things, I am taking up fly fishing.
JP: Is there anything your store is known for?
E: Our customer service record is impeccable and we LOVE newbies! We are great for beginners, specializing in small beginning classes and private lessons. We can relate to you at any level, but I love seeing that spark in a beginner’s eye.
JP: Is there anything you wish people knew about your store?
E: That the store is a dream of mine. There is one (wo)man behind the curtain pulling all of the levers and ropes to make it happen. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also very rewarding. Owning something that I can truly say I built from the ground up makes it one of the main piece de resistance’s of my life. I am so proud of what I have accomplished, but I am also humbled by the support I’ve been shown.
——————————————————————–
Thanks so much to Erin and all the folks over at Bobbins Nest Studio! What fun this was! To learn more about the store, please be sure to check out the website, Facebook, Twitter and Ravelry.
If you’d like to be featured in our store showcase, I’d love to hear from you! Email me or leave your info in the comments and we’ll make it happen. We may not be able to travel to all the stores (yet), but with the miracles of modern technology, we can make it work and have a good time doing it!
Who’s following New York Fashion Week? *raises hand* We haven’t had a chance to check out everything, but for the most part we like what we see, especially Oscar de la Renta’s line.
There is so much color and lightness in his designs, and really, can you go wrong with this crocheted dress?
I’m drooling over the necklace too. (Sidenote: I also love how all his model’s hair is big and flowy. Such a romantic and feminine look.)
In other crafty news, September is National Sewing Month. No wonder I’ve finally broke out the projects I’ve been thinking about all summer: think worn out (but cute!) T-shirts turned into doorstops.
Jordana’s got a pattern design for Vicky Howell’s Caron yarn line. Look for more on that later.
What’s on your project list this fall? May we all finish what we start!
When I was in college I took a textile class. One of the lab days was spent looking at fibers under a microscope and another burning fabrics. Both are methods of identifying what fibers are in a textile. This past weekend I decided to make a dress using some lightweight fabric in my closet. It was important that I identify the content of the fabric because I plan on giving it an ombre dye when done (more on that later). The fabric looked like cotton, but I wanted to make sure. I don’t own a microscope, but do have a box of matches. I snipped off a piece of the fabric and lit it on fire.
The fabric burned, meaning it’s not glass, asbestos or metal (glad to have eliminated those three). It lit up with a large flame immediately and was not self-extinguishing, nor did it drip. The fabric became crinkled black ash with soft gray ash edges. It smelled like burning paper. Because of how it crinkled, I think it must be cotton fabric with some type of chemical treatment on it.
So, the next time you have an unidentified ball of yarn, why not snip a piece and burn it? Do so with caution as fibers will quickly become enveloped in the flame. Use tweezers to hold the yarn or fabric. Work over a non-flammable surface and have a container of water nearby to be able drop the yarn into if it doesn’t extinguish itself. Observe the flame, smell, ash and how it burns. Then use this burn chart for identifying the fiber. Remember, some yarns will have chemical finishes or be blends, making it a bit harder to identify the content.
Royce, the pattern I designed for teaching in Scotland, will be available sooner than thought. Plans have changed, so I will not be teaching in Scotland this year, but I will still be taking a trip to Europe this fall (YAY!!). This means that as soon as I finish grading the pattern, get it to my editor and get the photo shoot done, the pattern will be available for download.
After scouring downtown, the mall, my closet and my sister’s closet for the perfect dress to be worn for the photo shoot, I decided I needed to make a dress. I was trying to avoid this, but I’m determined to create the image in my mind of what I want the photo shoot to look like, from the location to shoes. I stopped by Bobbin’s Nest Studio yesterday to pick out fabric and a pattern. I originally wanted a calico print, but I think this color is going to look great with the sweater and location.
The pattern I selected is going to be really simple. It’s a free pattern by Heather Ross called Mendocino Sundress. I’ve never done smocking before, but the directions make it sound really easy. I’ll let you know how it goes. I think I’m going to cut the hem shorter and then add a large gathered ruffle…if I bought enough fabric.
I love when I have a reason to make childrenswear. It’s my favorite type of clothing to knit/sew. Before getting started on my next sweater design, I whipped up these precious little treats for a friend’s baby-on-the-way.
This weekend my family visited me for my birthday. We saw The Blind Side (I recommend), went to dinner and then back to my apartment for dessert. I’ve been wanting to make a party garland for so long. This was the perfect opportunity.
Making this party garland was so simple. Ideally one would just use leftover scraps of fabric. I try to not create a stash of fabric or yarn so I ended up purchasing fat quarters. I really enjoy selecting fabrics, so it was just as well.
Here’s how to make one.
MATERIALS
10 Fat quarters of fabric (or 10 1/4 yard pieces). If you cut your triangles the same size as I did, you’ll be able to get 10 triangles per piece. This will give you 35 feet of garland.
Thread. I first tried invisible thread, but it didn’t agree with my sewing machine. You don’t really need to use invisible. Good ol’ cotton thread works fine.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cut out a triangle template: Draw a 7 inch line. Mark the center of the line. Measure up 9 inches perpendicular to the line. Make a mark. Connect this mark with the ends of the 7 inch line. Cut out.
2. Fold you fabric in half, selvages together, wrong sides together. Cut out triangles using your template. You should get 10 triangles per fat quarter. Leave the triangles together.
3. Sew along the top of the triangles, 1/4″ from the edge. When you get to the end of a triangle, feed the next one into the machine without lifting the foot.
4. Continue until all triangles have been sewn. Hang and throw a party.
You can cut all kinds of shapes. I originally saw these instructions on the purl bee. Check it out. They have templates and some good photos of the process.
I really like aprons and I especially like making them for other people. They make such great gifts; bridal shower, hostess, etc. This year my sister, and her husband hosted Thanksgiving for the first time. I thought my sister, Elizabeth, needed to have a special Thanksgiving apron for the occasion.
One reason I enjoy making aprons is that no pattern is necessary. Every apron I make comes out unique with different adornments; ruffles, trims, pockets, bows, lace…you can never have too many on an apron. We’re going for kitschy after all.
The other reason I like making aprons is selecting fabrics the recipient will love. I couldn’t find any turkey, pilgrim or pumpkin fabric so I decided to go with autumn colors. It’s just as well because now the apron can be worn more than once a year. Elizabeth likes purple, so I put the emphasis on the purple fabric rather than the more autumnal orange/yellow paisley fabric.
I put together a little tutorial for making your own apron. The instructions are a bit vague. A pattern really isn’t necessary. Plus, working without a pattern will get your creativity flowing and make your apron really unique. Try adding ruffles to edges, different shaped pockets, gathers, tucks, embroidery…just have fun.
Note: As I said, these are rough instructions. You’ll want to be sure to practice good sewing habits, like pressing your seams and finishing all raw edges by either folding under, serging or zig-zag stitching.
STEP 1: FABRIC
I buy 1 yard of the main fabric, purple in this example, 1/2 yard each of three complimentary fabrics and 1 yard of trim for the hem. I usually end up with some extra, but this gives me plenty to work with. When selecting your fabric you don’t have to go with all the complimentary fabrics stacked next to each other. I like to pick one fabric, then select another that compliments the first, another that compliments the second, etc. The color story then kind of builds itself. Try something daring. If you stay within the same color tones, it’ll turn out great.
STEP 2: PLAN
I don’t actually plan out what the apron will look like when I’m in the fabric store, aside from selecting the main fabric. Once home, I drape the fabrics on my dress form. If you don’t have a dress form, lay the fabrics on the floor in the shape of the apron. Don’t cut anything. You’re just draping right now. Don’t spend a lot of time on this, maybe 5 minutes. You don’t want to over think it.
STEP 3: CUT
1. Skirt: 24in width at top, 34in width at hem, 22in long (add more if you’re not going to trim the hem). The sides aren’t straight, they curve. Use a French curve, or eyeball it. The curve is about 10 inches from the hem.
2. Bib: Cut two triangles. Measure 16 inches. Mark the center of this line. Measure up 11 inches from the center of this line. Connect this point with the two points on the 16 inch line.
3. Waist tie: I straighten the edges of the fabric and then cut it in half from selvedge to selvedge. You’ll end up with two pieces about 8×44 inches. Cut one of these pieces in half. You should have one 8×44 piece and two 8×22 pieces. This means that your tie will be about 86 inches long. If you need it longer, make the width smaller so you can get another long piece out of the fabric, or add another fabric onto the length.
4. Neck ties: Cut two strips 4×44 inches. Forty-four inches is an arbitrary number, it’s just whatever the width of the fabric is.
5. Pocket: 5.5in wide x 6in tall. Fold the bottom corners up and press. Unfold and cut along fold lines. Cut an accent fabric 3.5×5.5in.
STEP 4: SKIRT
Fold sides of skirt over 1/4in, wrong sides together. Fold over 1/4in again, press, top-stitch. Sew trim to hem (you could leave this step to the end if you want to adjust the length).
STEP 5: BIB
Fold neckline sides of triangles over 1/4in, wrong sides together. Fold over 1/4in again, press, top-stitch.
STEP 6: NECK TIES
Fold neck ties in half, wrong sides together. Fold edges into center (see pic), press. Place armhole edge of bib triangle in between neck tie. Top-stitch. When you get to the end of the tie, fold the end corners into the center (like you did for the pocket) and top-stitch. Repeat for other bib triangle.
STEP 7: ATTACH BIB TO SKIRT
With wrong sides together, sew bib triangles to skirt. Place the points of the triangles at the sides of the skirt as shown in picture. Top-stitch along the neck edge of the triangle that is on top so that the two triangles stay together.
STEP 8: WAIST TIE
Sew the 8×22 pieces onto each end of the 8×44 piece. Your tie is now around 8×87 inches. Fold the tie in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Cut the ends at an angle. Sew from one end to the other, leaving a hole about 3 inches wide somewhere in the around the center. Pull the tie rightside-out through the hole. Hand sew the hole closed. Find the centers of the tie and apron. Top-stitch the tie to the apron where the bib attaches to the skirt. To gather the center of the waist tie, just hand baste a thread through the tie, pull it tight and secure.
STEP 9: POCKET
Fold 3.5×5.5 piece in half, long sides together, wrong sides together. Sew along 5.5 inch edge. Turn right-side out. Serge all edges of pocket. Place 1.75×5.5in piece on top of pocket. Top-stitch along top edge. Turn all sides of pocket under .25in. Top-stitch onto apron.
I love seeing people’s cleverness in the way they use the internet, especially when it’s crafty. I recently came across two sites I thought you would probably find as fabulous as I do.
Ponoko is like having your own little factory for making everything from jewelry to furniture. Basically, you create the template, select the material (plastic, wood, etc) and they cut out the pieces. They mail you the pieces and you assemble your design. I haven’t tried it yet. It seems there are so many possibilities that my brain is in shock, not knowing where to start.
The other site is Spoonflower. They print your artwork on fabric. I know, amazing, right?! It’s still in beta so you have to sign up to get an invite. I signed up about two weeks ago and got my invite today. It probably takes a couple tries to get colors and repeats right, but I’ll definitely be experimenting with this one.
Next Wednesday I’ve scheduled a photo shoot for the new color satchel that will be released later this month. I’ve mentioned before how much I love shopping for the clothes to be worn in the photographs. When else does one get to go shopping and call it work? I’ve always wanted to be the costumer for a television show, one with really stylish characters. Can you imagine the budget they get to work with and all the free stuff designers send them?
Anyway, the funny part is I usually spend so much time selecting the right skirt and then only the top half of the model is seen in the photo. Or, I’ll find a super cute top to be worn with jeans and the bag will be photographed on the model from the waist down. For Wednesday’s shoot I have a distinct look that I want achieved. I couldn’t find the right dress to accomplish the look so I’m making it myself.
A couple weeks ago I quickly ran into Hart’s and purchased some fabric, but it just wasn’t right and was really bothering me. Today I went back and found the sweetest pink fabric. Of course I had to complicate the thing by selecting fabric with a scalloped edge for the hem. So, rather than just making it easy on myself, I now have to make sure that when I cut it out the length is exactly perfect.
Being that I haven’t sewn a garment since high school and am a little rusty, this should give me a good challenge. I always do this when making dresses. Every year when I was little my Gran would make my sister and I birthday dresses. I would always manage to select a pattern and then come up with modifications to make it “better” and drive my Gran nuts. Looks like I haven’t lost it, but this time I’ll be the one dealing with it.
You may be thinking, “quit rambling about this dress and tell us about the new satchel color.” My dear friends, you will be very happy with me. Tomorrow I will be announcing details on how you can win a free one. See you tomorrow!
I really like aprons and I especially like making them for other people. They make such great gifts; bridal shower, hostess, etc. This year my sister, and her husband hosted Thanksgiving for the first time. I thought my sister, Elizabeth, needed to have a special Thanksgiving apron for the occasion.
