September sewing

 First the fun news: 

My eco-statement jacket won first prize in its category - Something new from something old - at the Carp fair. Not many entries, and mine was the most complex. But I am proud, and hope that maybe it inspired others to do the same... make something from garments that have seen better days!

I have also finished my Antwerp pullover, homage to the Ottawa River Watershed.

 

I started with the grey (stone coloured!) hemp woven that I was originally going to use in the Siena eco-statement jacket before I found suitable garments to pair with the inspiration garment/fabric.

 

I was inspired to do more than sew up the top, and used the prompt from the original Antwerp made for the Sewing Sprint. The prompt was to make something relating to a favoured natural area. I do so much swimming in the local rivers AND I teach about the Ottawa River watershed in my grade 7 class that I thought that is what I should work with.

I decided to use cotton thread to keep the sustainable concept going.

I traced a map of the watershed boundary, and cut it out of some linen scraps (from bedsheets) that I had interfaced. I then used free-motion embroidery to draw the Ottawa river and some tributaries onto that piece before I appliquéd it (machine narrow zig-zag) onto the back. I then free-motion embroidered the river's name in English French and Anishnabeg around the appliqué. (Ottawa, Outaouais, Kitchisibi). I used wash-away stabilizer onto which I had drawn the letters in red chalk. This is not beautiful work, AND the red did not disappear when I washed off the stabilizer. Yikes! (It later came off in a proper wash, though.) 

I free motion appliquéed the swim drink fish motif onto the front pocket. A very low contrast - which is a good thing, because it was marginally successful, like the river names lettering!

I used my machine lettering to write Swim drink fish along the collar edge. This worked out but it also very low-contrast.

 

Unlike in V1 of this garment, I decided to sew down the neck facing. I was going to do it by hand with a sachiko stitch, but had to pull that out because it did not sit flat. I then handbasted it down while it was sitting on the dress form, and the then used the machine with a walking foot, and this worked perfectly. Every time I pull it over my head I still (unnecessarily)  reach to pull the facing to the inside!

Another change I made was to make facings for the hems (bottom and sleeve), to let it hang better.

Very happy with the result.

swim drink fish

Also this month, motivated by the monthly pop-up at Pattern Review, which was home dec projects, I used up one of my two remaining pieces from my Ghana stash and made:

• a set of four placemats
• a cutlery roll for my lunch bag
• a cushion cover to replace a much worn one.