Sewing With Friends

Follow up to previous day's posting about this robe on the left.
My friend, Joanie, writes, 

"I love your robe!  I was so surprised to see both the robe and read about my teaching sewing on your blog!  The dress form is stylin!  It really made the picture.

So you sewed it in only four hours?  Now I’m jealous.  It took me all weekend!  Plus, I was still sewing the hem on Monday.  Maybe I’m trying to make it too perfect – or thinking about how to teach it at the same time.  I am really beginning to think that I am a slow sewer.

The neckline piping was a nice touch, and I love the pleated pockets.  I noticed them right away.  So easy to suggest going to another site for the tutorial.  Too bad I can’t do that in my class, because I know that everyone will want to make YOUR version of the robe.  You’ll have to tell me how you did the piping.  Did you baste it to the neckline of the garment first?  Or did you use a lot of pins and sew it all together at once?  How did you finish your seams?  Zigzag?

I am still impressed that you made it in time for your trip to Ireland.

Do you need another deadline?  I just saw that Sewing Expo’s next theme for their Sunday charity show will be pink and red.  Last year I made the red scarf and Mary Mulari gave me a compliment on it.  What in the world can you make with both red and pink?  Hmm.

I am looking forward to the October 23 bag class.

Joan"

My reply:
"Slow sewing: I did wonder - when you said you transferred the pattern to something else.
I so rarely make patterns more than once that I just cut it up on the size lines I’m going for.
I already confessed to not being quite on the 5/8^th’s seam allowance all of the time.
Also – flannel is very forgiving.
I plan on making this again in the satin-backed flannel and I’ll bet you anything I will be cursing my fabric choice as it slithers off line AGAIN.

Seam finish: Scallop scissors- so it won’t fray in the wash as much. It’s not gonna get washed that often ‘cause it won’t be worn every day. Did I also admit to flashing people in my washed-too-many-times pajamas?

Piping: I happened to have found that trim at a garage sale in three different colors. The blue was perfect, and truly the 3177 pattern design was made to insert trim. Perfect.
This trim has a white edge that is tucked under the fabric so it can’t be seen. I machine basted it on first and then sewed seam. When you receive it – the machine basting is still intact. 

That’s because someone gave me the secret to “when is it time to stop nit-picking”?
 From gallery days: Hold the frame at arm-length away from you. If you can no longer see problems, then it’s time to button it up.

I also hand basted the front binding. Even with flannel, when you fold that piece over to sew down, it has a mind to wander with whatever tension is on your machine. The top piece doesn't want to stay aligned with the bottom fabric. With the help of the hand basting and lifting up on the material as I sewed, this helped correct the wandering. Been there before. I think this is an official 'trick of the trade'. It's probably got a really cutesy name too.

My next deadline is what color bobbin thread for the purse class?!?!. Will the Trim Gods look kindly on another project?

And you know – pink & Red for a January thing is nowhere near my deadline criteria."
Kathy