My first messanger bag

Made with water proof cordura, heavy poly pro staps and lined with canvas from a homeade pattern.

It's not a great picture of it - sorry (dog for scale). I am actually pretty thrilled with how it came out - have a few mods that I am going to make to the pattern on my next version(to the shapo, add more pockets, line with light foam) - plus I don't like the fabric that I chose for the outter flap. I'd love to hear suggestions.

My Whip

A Singer commercial grade home machine. She's been good to me.

Kenmore

I'm rocking this sweet Kenmore rig... My Mom got it for me a few years ago, sub $200, but it takes care of business! Well, usually...

patterns

I'm accumulating a pile of patterns... Most are generations of modifications, with pieces of course getting mixed up, disappearing and re-appearing in the wrong pattern pile. Does anybody know where I can get some proper pattern making paper?

Starting on a new sweatshirt/jacket today in windbloc fleece from Malden Mills, who sell their range of fabrics by the yard online.

And yes, I'm flossing a Gingher dressmaking shears bracelet in the above photo.

ohio knitting mills

this just in from the buckeye state: ohio knitting mills

"Available in geometric patterns, preppy stripes, and pastels, most sweaters are in pristine condition from the Ohio Knitting Mills, a now-closed factory in the U.S. industrial heartland. Between 1947-1974, while making thousands for department stores, OKM saved a few samples from every run for posterity. Now they’re shipping the never-worn pieces to their store in Brooklyn each week. "

introducing some mittens...

beth and I are about to embark on a new website for mittenmitten, but we've made an executive decision to handle the ecommerce side of things through etsy (and because they have some folks with serious web smarts over there). anyone have a positive or negative experience? or recommendations for other web sales type of solutions?

meanwhile, I will be in new york with ms. smitty as etcetera media's intern-emeritus, working the magic on the new york international gift fair. I hear etcetera has some stunning new tags for the product line, and I would be interested in finding out where I can get some fancy ones made...

Post your Whip!

I have been advised to post my whip to this site forthwith!



Contents include: one butcher block kitchen table, one Necchi Lydia 3 (Grandma Lois's, circa 1972), one Toyota serger (Grandma Vivian's, circa 1988), one Singer CG590, new Gingham serious scissors, Wiss Model C Pinking Shears, and the McCall's sewing book that taught me what a frog is and made its mark on this little piece of work for Project Runway

your turn! Anyone have any ideas for dying in a stock pot?

Old Sewing Manual

So I bought this cool old german industrial machine last year and had no idea how to use it. I searched online for some instructions and came across this sewing manual. It totally helped. I love the graphics and the little ladies that point their arms in every which direction! My expert sewing friend says it's probably from 1956. . .



The whole thing can be found here.

newbie

howdy fellas...i am a lump of clay......sew me.

Heavy Machinery

No more weak snaps. Ann purchased a serious snap machine. It weighs 20 lbs, and looks like serious business.

Welcome to the gang

I am newly obsessed with sewing. I need as much help as I can get. What are you all working on?

I just finished this jacket. The pattern is based on a basic one, but with the sparkling additions of...

* double breasted coat, thanks to Mr. Sieper's advice (add 2 1/2" to the front panels to make a single-breasted jacket a double)
* double pockets- handwarmer on the side seam, velcro cargo closure on the top
* epilets! Snap on, snap off
* snaps! Crappy hammer-on snaps from the craft store.