yes you can! Sew Knits with Confidence! aka Nancy Zieman's new book/blog tour + giveaway

 *****GIVEAWAY CLOSED - WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED*****

Wow! Was that the longest title for a blog post ever?! Well, now you know what we're talking about today!

I was so happy to be asked to participate in the blog tour for Nancy Zieman's new book, Sew Knit With Confidence + her 4 new knit patterns.  She sent me a copy of her book and each of the four patterns to review and choose one of the garments to make.  She also sent me a book and pattern set to give away (see end of post)!

I'm not going to lie.  I was reeeeeally nervous about making something out of knit.  I have a serger which is great for sewing knits, but I mostly use it for finishing of the seams on nice non-stretchy cotton.

After reading through the book and all of her great tips in there I decided I could try it, and if it didn't work out then, oh well, at least I gave it a go. I decided to make the 6 panel skirt from the Monterey Collection. It ended up being super fast!  The actual sewing time was easily less than an hour.

Looking back on the whole project I think the two hardest things were unrelated to the pattern!
1. It is really hard to find nice knits in good colors at local fabric shops.  I need help sourcing good knits!
2. The knit I chose - while pretty (milk chocolate brown with gold flecks on it) and drapey - it was VERY hard to lay flat on the floor to cut out my pieces!!

After a call for help on Instagram I tried taping it to the floor to get it flat and keep it in place while I pinned.

I ended up using my fun new tool - the tracing wheel and chalk paper - to just trace the size I wanted onto the fabric.  I made a size medium skirt with a s XS length as I am not super tall and wanted it to hit just past the knee.

Plus I had plans to try out a rolled hem since the knit was pretty thin, I wasn't sure a traditional hem would turn out so well.  And I wanted to learn how to do a rolled hem!


The skirt panels went together very easily! I was pleased with the cut of the pieces that give the skirt a nice flare and flounce just above the knee.


I then decided to try out the hem after being encouraged by several friends at the retreat I went to last weekend.  I got out my manual, got a bagel for some sustenance, and opened up the machine and started changing the settings.

And what do you know!!!??  It was so easy.  All I had to do was follow 3 simple instructions! I really should read the manual more often.

As a side note: I did use a serger for this skirt - but the pattern has excellent instructions for using a regular machine too.  So a serger is NOT necessary for sewing knits.

I love the way it turned out on the skirt!

The last step in the pattern was to put in the elastic in a way I had never tried.  You sew the elastic to the wrong side, stretching as you go.  Then you fold it over and anchor in the seams so it doesn't fold back up!  I tried to take a photo here.

I love the nice clean look of the waistband with this method.

The bottom line is, I learned so many things from this one simple pattern! I was just thinking today how the title really is appropriate, I do have more confidence sewing knits.  And not just knits, but with the new techniques I learned for using my serger! Win-win! Plus I have an easy comfy new skirt to wear.

Pardon the selfie on my phone!  I didn't have a chance to get some better photos taken.  But this gives you a good idea.  The fit is perfect and the knit is so comfortable.  I see myself making more of these in the near future!!

Check out the rest of the posts in the tour with many more chances to win!
April 16, 2013 Nancy Zieman the Blog
April 17, 2013 Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing
April 18, 2013 Totally Stitchin 
April 19, 2013 Sew Beautiful Magazine 
April 20, 2013 Marie Madeline Studio 
April 21, 2013 Stitchin Jenny’s
April 22, 2013 Amy Lou Who Sews 
April 23, 2013 Sew News
April 24, 2013 Designs in Machine Embroidery  
April 25, 2013 Riley Blake Designs 
April 26, 2013 The Sewing Loft Blog 
April 27, 2013 Nancy Zieman the Blog 

Now it's your turn to win, just leave me a comment and tell me what the scariest sewing project is that you've ever tackled.  I will choose a winner of a Sew Knits With Confidence Book and Knit Pattern Set! I'll announce winners at the end of the week! 

Don't forget - if you are a no-reply blogger leave your email in the comments.  Or just go click on the little button over there on the side and remedy the problem! :)

recent happenings

Hi friends! I know I've been quite absent lately!  When I last blogged about my scrappy trip along, I was all motivated to start blogging again more regularly!  And then, well, then we started looking to buy a house!  And then, WE BOUGHT ONE!  Well, we bought some land and ordered a house! 

Ground will be broken in a few weeks, and hopefully it will be ready to move in this summer when Mrlouwho starts his new job. I'm really excited about the house and maybe staying put for a while.  Plus I'm getting a pretty sweet sewing room!

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I have been doing quite a bit of sewing lately.  I've decided to try and make a lot of summer clothes for the girls to avoid spending too much this summer.  So far they love what I've made and now I just need to get to work making some more!

I'll share more about these projects soon.

*****

Did you know that it's National Serger Month? I didn't even know such a thing existed!  If you know me, you know that having a serger makes me enjoy sewing garments SO much more!! I was so excited when I was asked again to participate in a blog tour with Nancy Zieman!  I'm so flattered to be among those participating!  I will be posting on Monday as part of her Sew Knits with Confidence tour! I'll be sharing a project I made from her patterns as well as reviewing her new book by the same name.

Of course, there will also be a fun giveaway!! So stay tuned!  I'll be back... (say it in your best Ahhh-nold voice.)

tablet keeper blog tour with Nancy Zieman

I was so flattered and a little intimated when I was asked to participate in this fun blog tour!  I used to watch Sewing with Nancy on PBS with my mom when I was little, before I knew PBS was cool (and would bring us things like Downton Abbey - but I digress).

I knew I was buying mrlouwho a kindle for Christmas and thought it would be really cool to re-purpose some of his old uniforms to make the outside of the keeper.  He had other plans though and ordered a leather cover before I had time to tell him what I had in mind.  It's okay, I forgive him...

After that, the longest part of the process for me was to figure out who to make this for (as I don't have a coveted tablet. Yet.) And then choosing the fabrics. 

Luckily, my sweet friend and neighbor just received an iPad for Christmas.  She lived in Okinawa for several years and I have some really cute fabric from Japan that my supplier a friend sent me.  I thought it would be a perfect combo - a salute to their many years in the Marine Corps and her time in Japan.

She didn't know what I was up to when I asked her if she had a spare name tape I could borrow for measurement purposes.  And then I asked her to come over so I could take a picture of the keeper with the iPad inside.  When I asked her if she wanted to see the front I closed it and handed it to her.  It took her a minute to realize I had sewn her name tape on and she was so surprised! And happy!  I'm not very good at surprises so it was fun to pull this one off!

I think one of my favorite parts of making this was the Create-A-Strap interfacing. Just iron it on, fold, press and you're ready to go!

Don't mind my worn out ironing board cover! A new one is on my to-do list.

The strap was so crisp and even and I didn't burn my fingertips once while ironing!

I used hair elastics for the corners as they have grips on them that I think will hold a little stronger.  I liked the idea of using those stretchy headbands that are flat with the grips - but I didn't have one on hand.

I've realized that I'm not very good at following patterns and I just have to dive in with fabric in hand and go for it.  This pattern was well written and easy to follow.  It had diagrams for every step and once fabric was selected and cut, I would say this only took me a couple of hours to put together.  It would have been faster but you know what it's like with little 'helpers' around.  :)

This plastic template is pretty ingenious.

I wish my clothing patterns would come like this!  It was so easy to mark placement lines, although I don't recommend using a pink marker on red fabric.  The templates will also make it really easy to reuse the pattern to make a different size.

I've told you before about my problem and fear of trying new things for fear of messing them up, well, I'm glad I made this.  And now I'm excited to make some more, in different sizes, for e-tablets and paper tablets!  I even think I want to make a little iPod Touch wallet.  I'll let you know how it goes.

The blog tour is going on for 20 days in January.  Here is a list of previous posts as well as who is next!  Be sure to stop and see what everyone is doing with their pattern!  It's really fun to see how unique each project is.

January 3            Nancy Zieman 

January 4            Amy Ellis

January 5            Sharon Pernes

January 6            Vicki Christensen 

January 9            Joan Hawley

January 10            Pat Sloan

January 11            Eileen Roche

January 12            Liz Hicks

January 13            Fran Ortmeyer

January 16            Ilene Miller

January 17            Julie Herman

January 19            Natalia Bonner

January 20            Frieda Anderson

January 23            Cindy Cloward

January 24            Beckie Hansen

January 25            Amy Webb – you are here!

January 26            Allie Robertson

January 27            Mary Mulari

January 30            Laura Wasilowski 

January 31            Carol Porter

The lovely people at Clover have added a Giveaway to the Tablet Keeper Blog tour.

For chances to win one of three prize packs, please post comments on the post at Nancy's blog for an entry to win!

Thank you to Clover for sponsoring the Tablet Keeper Blog Tour!