Who Makes Your Clothes?

Have you ever wondered who makes the clothes you buy/wear?

While I was dismantling a wool jacket several weeks ago to someday make into a braided wool rug or other project and I began to wonder who or how many people were involved in making this garment.  It was time consuming to rip out the stitching and as I went along realized how much skill went into it.  Tailoring.  My maternal Grandmother knew how to tailor.  That was the kind of work a woman could do in her era to make a little extra money.  I've done a ton of sewing but never learned the art of tailoring.  I could tell the shoulder pads were hand made and the marks inside the fabric for the darts and placement of the stabilizer were done by hand.  Then there was the lining, too. 

A Liz Claiborne jacket made in Korea.  I kept finding these little pieces of paper with the numbers 331 on them.  How long did it take for them to make it?  What were their working conditions?  What pay did they receive?

So, Mr. or Ms. 331 you did a fantastic job on the jacket, I'm impressed.  I'm sorry the moths got to it and ruined it.

I did up a gift basket for a customer yesterday that she's donating to the "City of Hope" cancer center fundraiser.  It's one of those Keurig coffee makers, 3 packs of coffee singles and some bottles of different jam.  She brought in the goodies & basket, then I did the rest.  Nice for a change.  Haven't done a gift basket for awhile.

Oh man, it's time to go and a customer just brought in pictures, some china pieces, cups and saucers to ship to 3 different places and I thought I might get outta here on time tonite!   UUggg!

A Must See, the Documentary, "I Am"

 

I heard about this while driving to work this morning.  He's the director of the comedy, "Ace Ventura Pet Detective"  Remember that movie?  So funny and that cute adorable dog??  Well, this guy, Tom Shadyac had a bicycle accident and almost died.  After his recovery he decided to make this film and went around the world asking famous and some not so famous people these 2 questions:  "What's wrong with our world" and "What can we do about it?".  Look's interesting.  I'ts coming out in selected places this month and in March at more theaters.  

Welcome February!  The "Lovers" month although, I like to extend it to "Love Everyone" month or least one day, Feb.14th.  That way nobody can complain that they are being left out and nobody has to be depressed about it.  Want chocolate or flowers?  Heck buy it for yourself, that's what I say!!!  Also February has Presidents Day so I get to take a monday off and work on my seemingly never ending kitchen project and then there is the local Camellia Festival.  They have a parade down the main street here on the last Saturday of the month and all proceeds go to children's organizations.  Since they close off the street, nobody can get to my shop and so I get another day off.  

I ordered some online fabric to make a small ruffle (like a curtain) to put above the sink in the kitchen where it's always been bare and kinda ugly.  I think that's where they had their paper towels.  Pics of it as soon as it's done for ya.  I still need to refinish those cabinet doors so MAYBE I will get to it by the end of this month.

This is to match all the super cheap Rooster decor I got at Joann's a couple months ago.  I'll have pics of that

when I am finally finished with the whole kitchen project.

The weather in the midwest and eastern US as well as Australia is wild.  I hope you are warm, safe and dry where you are.  

Sending WARMTH your way, Annie

Look What I Won!

I entered the Threads Magazine (website) book giveaway last month and I was one of two winners!  Now I can't say I never win anything.

Stitch-Opedia looks like it will be a great reference tool.  They also have some projects you can do.

 I was hoping to get some ideas and also (new to me) techniques to apply to the jacket I'm embellishing.  I've only done a little bit of embroidery before so this should help me allot!  I only have one other embroidery book and it's been packed away.  Right now I'm almost done with the blanket stitches around the edges and collar.  I wanted to embellish the pockets, too with some type of flower design.

Here's the content page:

They include some history of the different techniques included in the book.  Throughout the ages they sure did some beautiful work!

I always liked stumpwork (padded applique) but I didn't know that that is what it's called until I got this book.  I did a wall hanging in high school where I batik dyed the fabric and did some embroidery and stumpwork on it.  Wish I still had it; I probably sold it at a garage sale!

This pic isn't in focus, sorry.  Wow, such tedious tiny stitches.

Amazing what artisans do with fabric, a needle and some thread!

That's all for now...

Desk Chair Arm Covers

I started these a few months ago.  I got a remnant piece of fabric, a patterned cotton denim to make covers for my poor desk chair at work.  Lord knows that I sit too much in the darn thing and I'm wearing it out.  I finally finished 'em the other day.  Just have so many projects to finish up it felt good to get this one outta the way!

It's amazing what light does to picture taking.  The fabric is more true to it's color taken in the first and second photos above.  The last pic is taken in florescent light.  It isn't that bright blue and there isn't as much contrast to the chair fabric in the last pic, weird.

I wrapped up a few wedding gifts for a customer yesterday.  Mickey Mouse popcorn maker, how cute!  I hand make almost all the bows here at my shop.

I haven't made that much progress on my crochet scarf with all the garden and refinishing love that's been going on in my free time.

If you wanta see a cute crocheted cozy go to the crochet along here.  It's amazing what people can do with yarn.  Hope you're having a sunny warm (not hot) summer day, enjoy!

Itchy and Scratchy

Hello!  No, it's not the cartoon characters!

We as women, will wear high heels, dresses and outfits with lace and other accoutrements that can be itchy and all that but when it comes to lounging, we want to be comfortable!

Have you ever bought something to wear thinking that it would be comfortable and then it turns out to be poking you, making you itch and scratch????

Well, I did just that.  While doing Christmas shopping last Dec. I came across some flannel pjs that were a good deal, very cheery and brightly colored and my pjs were getting thin so I got 'em (Christmas gift for me, do you ever do that?).  I knew they would be too long in the sleeves and pants since I'm small; I'm used to that.  BUT when I wore them on Christmas morning they were pokie.  The culprit was in the seams I could tell.  Lo and behold, there is a plastic silver thread that is running throughout the plaid and sticking out here and there.  I tucked them away wondering if I should just wear them inside-out.

 The poking thread!

They have nice details, like velvet covered buttons and a tie belt:

Thankfully, I am blessed with a sewing machine and knowledge of sewing so I went to work hemming the sleeves and pants.  Then after careful thought, decided to get some bias tape to cover the seams.  It isn't a hard job just a bit time consuming.  While into it I thought I should have just bought some fabric and made some pjs, oh well ya live and learn!!

Here I go...

TA DA, FINISHED!! 

Wore 'em to bed last night and no itchy-scratchy!

Hope you have a pleasant and comfortable week.