My New Serger! Bernina 1300

Here she is, my new baby! She makes alterations and finished edges so much faster and easier than my regular sewing machine, which I keep set up for piecing and quilting.

I chose this particular machine, Bernina 1300, because it also converts to cover stitch for an all-in-one machine. Sometimes a separate cover stitch machine is preferred to compliment a separate serger but I decided to go with this singular model.

My three guide classes were expertly taught by Jackie at A Common Thread in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Uh...do read your manual and attempt to thread the machine beforehand. Using different colored threads will help you see what each thread is doing as it stitches out. I took none of these steps before the first class so it took me awhile to get going. Now I'm flying and love sewing on this serger!

I also purchased the Serger Technique Reference Book by Bernina. Lots of helpful photos and clear step-by-step instructions. It always takes a bit of patience, trial and error, and determination to learn something but the effort is worth it!

My first alteration on this machine was making Hannah's trail run t-shirt (from last post) a little bit smaller. Even a women's small is too big for her so I took in the sides with a 4-thread overlock stitch and hemmed the sleeves and bottom edge with a coverstitch.

I used small spools of Dual Duty XP thread, which worked well and color matched. My favorite thread to use is Superior's Omni Thread.

Hannah is going to costume design for The Young Professional show at Oregon Children's Theatre, A WWII Radio Christmas, 1943 edition. This machine will be great for her to use!

Copyright ©2013, Sharon Baggs

Wonder Woman & Bat Girl Costumes

Hannah and I ran the Multnomah Falls Trail Run this past Sunday, despite the wacky weather. We started at Wahkeena Falls, ran past the visitors center and climbed uphill for 1.5 miles to the top of Multnomah Falls. The original plan was to make a 5.2 mile loop, but because of fallen trees blocking the path, we turned around at the top and went back to the start to finish the race. Total distance was a good 4+ miles.

An added incentive was a costume contest, superhero style. I went as Bat Girl and Hannah was Wonder Woman--the cutest version yet! For the Bat Girl look, I scored a costume from Goodwill. Took the bat logo off the dress and attached it to a moisture-wicking running shirt. Used the belt, cape, and arm covers from the kit. Wore my black running tights and added a pair of yellow socks from Target--cut off the toes/heels so I could pull them up as leg warmers and they worked great!

Though there were a few bat outfits, there was only one Wonder Woman. Found a Curves red athletic shirt at Goodwill, made a WW logo out of yellow felt and permanent black marker and sewed that to the shirt. Made the skirt from blue spandex by making a 1.5 inch casing at the top to insert the elastic and a seam at the back--no need to hem. Added a strip of gold stiff ribbon with a 4" elastic band at the back for the waistband, not sewn to the skirt, just positioned over it. Gold lame was wonder-undered to stiff interfacing + elastic at the back for the crown, along with a red star fused to the front (use a pressing cloth with such delicate fabrics.) Made a red cape out of waterproof nylon. Used sticky Velcro to attach the cape to the shirt. I recommend the sewn-on Velcro but sticky was all I had on hand. Used an old graduation honor gold cord to attach a lasso to the skirt. Sewed through the three loops at the top to hold it in place. Silver spandex was used to make armbands. For each rectangle, I sewed a tapered seam, wide at the top of the forearm and a bit more narrow at the wrist. Finished off with black running tights and Nike red running socks.

Believe me,  you really do believe you have super powers while in costume. I had to walk a majority of the uphill but on the downhill, I descended with strength and was able to overcome at least one person who had passed me earlier. Sweet victory.

Copyright ©2013, Sharon Baggs

Modern Log Cabin Blocks for Christmas!

Taking some blocks from another quilt I was working on, I decided to slice and dice them and add additional strips to make them into a modern version of Log Cabin blocks. These are flannel fabrics spanning the last decade of my stash.

The centers have a focus fabric of either red or white poinsettias, framed by green, red, and white prints. And to add interest, I have a red polka-dot on black fabric. The strips of varying width are sewn around like a picture frame/color story block. I considered going all red on one side and green on the other to create a Sunshine & Shadow block but I chose modern over traditional this time.

I love the red and white candy-stripe fabric shown in the block below, right. There's just a small amount to work with so trying to stretch it as far as possible!

  

I'm hoping to end up with at least 12 blocks, which I will float against a solid colored background, perhaps with a slightly wonky on-point setting. Who knows, but Christmas is coming and I'd like to get this one finished!

Copyright ©2013, Sharon Baggs 

Joy's Bridesmaid Dress

This bridesmaid's dress of deep turquoise dupioni silk was originally worn in a wedding 5 years ago. The dress was given to Joy, who needed a solid colored bridesmaid's dress. But the bride wanted each attendant to add some color. That's where I came in.

As a quilter, alterations are rare but I don't mind taking a stab at it. I have tons more confidence with quilt making, that's for sure! I procrastinate when I lack confidence so I had to mull this over and visualize how it was going to go down before I started ripping seams. I took lots of photos to remember the original look!

I removed 2" from the length of the bodice and took out the zipper.

After reattaching the bodice to the skirt and removing some of the fullness near the top of the skirt, I shortened the zipper and sewed it back into place. Then I prepared a ruffled strip of raspberry organza, which was layered on top of a black organza strip to frame the bright color.

 

The fabric has a nice shimmer that adds a touch of elegance and class to the already fine fabric this dress is made of. 

 

The most time consuming aspect of this project was gathering the ruffle and adjusting it to the skirt of the dress.

Here's the result, with just a bit of color showing at the hem. When Joy tried it on, she was delighted with her "party dress".

Copyright ©2013, Sharon Baggs