Monday, February 14, 2011

Fun stuff in the mail!

Hello! It's been a few weeks since I've posted because we've all been sick. First my boys were ill for 4-5 days, then they passed it to my husband, then I got sick for another 4-5 days, and then poor baby Rachel got sick despite my best efforts to keep the germs away from her. This is the first week in nearly a month that nobody has fever/chills/pukes etc. Whew! To celebrate our wellness and also because the weather was just beautiful, we took the day off from school and went to the zoo.

On the sewing front, after I finally started feeling better, I managed to create two wadders in a row. Well, really just one and a half because I was able to salvage the second one into something other then my original vision for the fabric. I'll have that to show you in a few days if DH happens to get home from work at a decent time. The sun hasn't been setting until 6:15 around here lately.

I usually make at least one online purchase a month from my various fabric haunts but don't always get around to posting them. However, I always like to see what other people have gotten, so thought you might be interested in what the mailman has delivered in the past few days. This first picture is a recent haul from Gorgeous Fabrics during a 20% off sale:

From left to right there's a poly panel print, a cotton stretch sateen with yellows/reds/greens, a fun madras-type fabric with more yellow (my favorite color, btw), an interesting jersey animal print atop ruffles, and (my fav) a gorgeous purple tie-dyed poly that has thin bias strips sewn on in flower designs.

But wait, these next two items are the most exciting! Last year Fabricmartfabrics.com had a 50% off sale on their animal skins, and while I was thinking about how cool it would be to sew something with leather, most of it sold out! When they got a new shipment last fall I put a few colors in my wish list and waited for the sale. It was a week ago and today the mailman delivered my order:

This first one is a beautiful lipstick red lambskin that is incredibly soft. They were advertised as being 5-6.5 sqft each so I bought 3. I am planning to make a pencil skirt of some kind. This will be my very first project out of leather and I'll definitely be making a muslin first and doing some research.

I also got two skins of black lambskin. These were 9-11 sqft and I thought I might have enough for some pants if they were on the 11 sqft end. But they are both right around 9 and I doubt there's enough for pants. So possibly these will become another skirt or I might use some for trims here and there.

Please, no hateful comments about my purchasing leather. I wear leather shoes/belts/purses. I eat meat. I married into a cattle ranching family. I am not at all opposed to sewing with leather. If you are, please keep it to yourself. Thanks!

34 comments:

  1. I too love getting stuff in the mail, but my question/ comment is about something else- how do you manage to homeschool AND gethouework etc done AND fine time to sew????? Please, advice much appreciated.

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  2. Love the fabrics! I have a stash of leather too...Don't you just love it?!

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  3. Beautiful - the jersey with ruffles reminds me of a Burda mag top about 2 springs ago. I could see you in that. Don't worry about leather/meat comments from me - we live in ranching country south of SA. I couldn't imagine not eating meat, wearing leather, etc.

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  4. Nice fabric!!! I love seeing what other people get, too. I really love that animal print ruffly knit. I also bought some skins from fabricmart a few days ago. I bought the light pink lambskin. I can't wait to see what you make with your.

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  5. Those are some gorgeous fabric, can't wait to see them transformed! That animal jersey ruffly stuff looks really interesting.

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  6. Glad you're feeling better, sorry about the wadders, and *love* the leather!!!

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  7. I have always been tempted to buy leather but am too afraid. Please share your experiences when you get around to it :)

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  8. Very fun fabrics. I saw that Poly panel fabric at GF and was tempted, so I will be interested to see what you do with it. As for leather - I was on a kick for sewing leather a some time ago, so I made some soft suede
    t-shirts - loved wearing those. and a jacket and skirt.
    if you have the fit worked out - the sewing is a breeze.
    plus it is fun to glue down the seam allowances and pound with a soft mallet instead of pressing. although I also pressed with a dry iron.

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  9. Sorry you've been under the weather. :( Especially poor baby Rachel! It's so hard with babies. I had to smile at your fabric purchase...I thought you didn't like animal print, haha! I think you've used more animal print than me in the last year and I love it! (in small doses, I mean!)

    I love the color of the lipstick leather. I eat meat and wear leather shoes/handbags. It's a byproduct is what I tell myself. So far I can't sew with it though..something about the name "skin" squicks me out. :)

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  10. ahh, lovely lovely fabrics! That red leather is going to make a fantastic skirt!
    -Sewingelle

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  11. Glad you and the fam are doing much better. Sometimes those sicknesses just spread like wild fire! You really grabbed some beautiful fabrics. I love the skins and can't wait to see what you do with them. I know in advance that what you create will be beautiful!!!!

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  12. I also was waiting and waiting and waiting on the skins to go on sale! I bought the sherpa backed leather. It wasn't as rich in color as the skins I bought from them last year. And, they were also not big enough for what I had in mind. So, I think I'm going to do a vest or such like your Burda quilted one.

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  13. Glad to hear you are all better now and getting out and having fun. I haven't sewn with leather but maybe, oneday.

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  14. I love the madras print. I think sewing with leather is fine. The whole animal is used so it is a practical use of resources. Your pieces are beautiful - I can see endless possibilities. Animals killed just for their fur is another issue entirely.

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  15. Happy to hear everyone is feeling better. I like all your recent fabric purchases. We are cattle ranchers, too, so I like the leather, can't wait to see your creations.

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  16. I loooove sewing with leather; I've just made two empire-waist jackets with black deerskin and then a gold suede pigskin. I am a fan.

    Like Beth said above, "if you have the fit worked out - the sewing is a breeze." Totally true.

    This is also true: if you make a mistake in your sewing, leather won't "heal" like cotton or wool. If you have to rip a seam out, you'll have a little perforated line in your leather! I learned this the hard way, so I thought I would pass it along to you.

    But from what I've seen, you have totally incredible sewing skills, and this will not be an issue for you.

    Have fun sewing with leather -- I can't wait to see what you make. I'm sure it'll be amazing; you make the most beautiful clothes.

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  17. Boooo! I want to go online fabric shopping. lol.

    What amazing finds you got. I'm too nervous to try leather yet, but it's on my to do list for advancing my sewing skills.

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  18. Nice haul! When you get around to sewing the leather, I hope you'll share any tips you learn. It's something I have never attempted.

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  19. A month can go so quickly can't it? And then to think about how much of your time is spent cleaning! Glad everyone is better and you can sew again. I am far from sewing with leather. I'm interested in seeing your projects. Someday my goal would be to make a bag with leather.

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  20. Sorry to hear about the whole-family illness! That's just awful (we've been there, too), but thankfully you're at the tail end of it now.

    I have some leather scraps and a pattern for baby shoes (quasi Robeez knockoffs, I guess), but I haven't actually gone forward with the sewing yet. If you have hints and tips to share, please post!

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  21. hmmmm, one of the great things about following other blogs is I let you do all the work seeking out great fabrics, then I swoop in behind you and buy some, too :)

    Glad everyone is feeling better!

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  22. Sorry that the family has been so unwell but I'm glad that you are all feeling better. The arrival of your new fabrics must have been a real treat after your ordeal. I am trying hard to keep away from fabric sites until I have got my stash down a bit but I love to see what other people have bought. You always pick the nicest fabrics - I love your latest selection. I especially love that cotton sateen, the colours are so beautiful and have made me think of summer, although it is currently pouring with rain and cold where I am! I am looking forward to seeing what you make from the leather - I know that you will turn those pieces into something fabulous.

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  23. Hi Amanda,
    Love the fabric choices, can't wait to see the fabulous stuff you make with them! I was wondering, I am getting back into sewing and would like to know what you use to transfer the markings on your patterns. Please do let me know. Thanks!
    Rosalia

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  24. Hi Rosalia,
    I use either white or blue chalk pencils to transfer darts dots and such. I also cut the notches as usual, unless I'm doing french seams. HTH!
    Amanda

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  25. I am trying curb my fabric buying, get my fabric buying buzz vicariously through other bloggers like you. Lovely, lovely fabrics! Sigh! I have bought quite a bit of leather from FMF. They have nice colors, the quality is great and when they have sale prices, they are the best prices around. I can’t wait to see what you make with the red ( my favorite color) leather.

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  26. Nice haul!! I love the disclosure about the leather purchase, that made me chuckle. If we didn't sew with it, it would all go to waste and we can't let that happen. You got us beat on the illnesses, we're only on week three of the whole family-illness-transfer game. :) Can't wait to see what you sew!

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  27. I also live vicariously through others in terms of their fabric purchases. Sewing with leather is such an intimidating thought. I guess it's like Brooke said above "it doesn't heal". It just takes a leap of faith, sort of like getting over the fear of sewing with a serger, once it cuts all the seam allowance off, you don't have many options! Yikes!

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  28. Lovely skins only thing is do you need a different type of foot for going over them. I shall await the results of your efforts knowing I would never dare.

    Your output takes my breath away given your family responsibilities, just when do you sleep?

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  29. I'd love to sew in leather too. I'd like to make me a jacket but I haven't found a place where I can buy leather yet. I don't want to order from a webshop because I want to feel the quality of the leather.

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  30. That leather is going to be fabulous! I can't wait to follow along and see what you come up with! Sorry everyone has had the crud.

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  31. Hi Amanda, great blog.
    I'm envious of the skins. You could make baby shoes out of the scraps. Leather soft-sole baby shoes are ridiculously expensive.
    http://www.tackyliving.com/article.php?id=121

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  32. The skins are really lovely. Sewing with leather intimidates the heck out of me, but I look forward to seeing your progress with them. :)

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  33. Amanda,
    What do you plan to make with the ruffle fabric?
    I purchased some really nice ones from Joann's clearance and thought of making skirts but I am still undecided.

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