January sub zero weather dictates drastic fleece sewing

It is in the - degrees F these days in Madison, WI.  We are not the worst in the country, but we are 

!?$&@ cold.

So, when I decided to enjoy? The month of January back home, I picked up this fleece fabric I bought earlier in the year at Gayfeather Fabrics.

I used Kwik sew pattern  K4015  and found the chenille trim at Gayfeathers as well.  It's so fun to have a local independent fabric store, not to mention the owner, Virginia, to brain storm with.

As we were discussing said chenille trim, my eyes were caught by these wonderful wire buttons displayed nearby.  

Virginia pointed out that there are two weights of hair scrunchies for button loops and that I should be sure and match the weight to the button wire.

 I am so please with the resulting sweater/jacket and wonderfully warm, as well.

My Sewing guru or muse . . .

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity of driving through the "orange farms" (my local hairdresser informed me they were called "groves") to the opposite or the gulf side of Florida.  There is a neat Bernina dealer in Port Charlotte, Fl who was hosting my long time ( I've followed her since the 80s and described the first green pigskin jacket I fell in love with to Doris, at said trunk Show, who remarked, "I know exactly the jacket you are describing") friend and sewing guru, Sandra Betzina.

I originally had a neat three days there with appts for my berninas to be serviced and hotels reserved.  Weather around Christmas intervened and I cancelled my reservations to the two day Sit and Sew and the one day trunk show.

Later, I saw on Facebook there were a few trunk show vacancies (in the meantime, a whole other sit and sew booked up, before the trunk show), so I got up early and drove though the orange farms/groves.  As I walked in, the owner of the Bernina store announced a lady was trapped in Alaska so they had one cancellation for the sit and sew.  Kismet, or it was meant to be.  ( of course I had packed three sets of clothes, but, alas, only one pair of shoes plus my patten leather flip flops)

The first day of trunk show and techniques was awesome.  Wonderful examples of all Sandra's vogue Today's Fit patterns and my new BFF, Doris, beside me.  Drove Sandra from the only motel in town to dinner in Punta Gorda at a fabulous restaurant picked by two local Sandra fans who were fun to meet and great company for dinner.

The next day, the Bernina dealer assistants measured us and we stood on line for Sandra! who suggested what sizes we should put on for tshirts and one seam pants (she had brought all sizes made up in good quality knits)

She tirelessly critiqued us all and told us how to adjust our two Vogue patterns included in the course for our particular body shape, which ran the gamet of female bodies over 30, for sure.

We then cut out knit fabric provided by the dealer/fabric store and sewed our two custom fit garments.

Tshirt was the new one, vogue 1363, and one-seam pants were Vogue 1197.

Here's a shot of the finished tshirt.

And one-seamed pants both front and back views!!

Sandra kept us interested for the whole three days, by including interesting tutorials on construction and details.

Now I have two finished garments and lots of new port Charlotte  sewing friends.  A good time was had by all.

Fleece hats in Florida!

i haven't posted in a while due to our planned travel week in St. John, USVI and an unplanned two week trip back home to Wisconsin.  

I decided I needed a hat while there and had fun sewing it on my moms worn but stitch perfect Featherweight (purchased in 1943). Used Marcy's new vogue pattern and a double-sided polar fleece remnant from Canvasback.  (A boutique ready to wear manufacturer sadly defunct which had the most wonderful roll ends and remnant sales) 

The remnant already had embroidery on it, so I used a decorative thread that complemented around the top little knob.  

Pattern was super easy.  I made a large! as I have a big head.  It was a little too large, so I put a Petersham ribbon band around the hem inside and it pulled it in just enough to be a perfect fit. 

The hat made our return trip to Florida since it was so cold when we started out.  Didn't think I'd use it here, but overnight temperatures were near freezing, even in southern Florida, so who knows?

Anyway, I'll use the pattern again with old coat scraps I've saved when we return to WI.  Pretty nice muslin, if I do say so myself!