ILX Sewing!

Slowly cutting out pieces while my table's clear. Got 2 pairs of jeans and 2 cossack shirts mostly cut.
Found out that fabric piece I have is a bit small for cowboy shirt I was going to use it for.
Want to cut a couple of jackets too.
Maybe in the morning since I won't have other things on.

wow. that is impressive. I want to see pics of any finished product. I wouldn't even dare trying to sew jeans.

I need to decide on my sewing project. I will post when done. I did one quilt last year but put it on the quilting thread i think.

There's a column in the NYtimes today saying that masks do actually help protect against coronavirus, that all the messaging about how they don't work was to keep people from hoarding, and that even homemade masks are a lot better than nothing. So I'm thinking I'll start sewing a lot of fabric masks and see who wants them.

I'll give this pattern a try first, I think:
https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/

The pattern seems pretty good. I don't have a lot of elastic and don't feel like buying new materials, so instead I think I'll just do fabric tapes that can tie behind the head.

hmmm, i almost was thinking of using batting in the middle but then realized...you have to breathe.

Do you really?

maybe I will just sew a bunch of condoms together for the extra protection and then quilt them.

I was thinking of trying interfacing in the middle, or just a third layer of cotton. It's tricky though because there's a seam going down the middle of it so that it curves over your face, so batting would be easier because you wouldn't have to sew it and make the seam bulkier. but yeah, breathing is a thing.

So the standard pattern with two layers of fabric is very quick to make but pretty thin. I just tried making it with three layers of fabric - just doubling up the lining, basically - and cutting one of them on the bias. That gives you a lot more of a barrier but does end up a bit bulky and lumpy-looking. Haven't tried wearing either of them out yet.

I need to find something to cut jeans pockets from cos its crucial for the sizing.
Got one pair's done but not the other.
Did do 2 jacket inside pockets but feeling a bit low energy.

stitched the jeans yokes to jeans backs on both pairs but may have damaged one side of one pair with too hot iron. May need to get a new iron. Cos that is a pain.
Well hope I get further along tomorrow.

sending this dispatch from jo-ann fabrics:

i decided to go around 3 thinking, it won't be crowded or anything. it's not close to my house but not a horrible drive and no one's on the road anyway. so, no signage other than a crude typed "HAND SANITIZER AVAILABLE AT CUTTING COUNTER" or something to that effect. as soon as i walked in i saw 4 staff talking to each other. one said "oh, i'm sorry, we're at capacity." i was confused. "we are following federal guidelines and only ten people are allowed in the store. we would ask that you come back another time." not like, wait in your car for someone to come out, just...leave. it was awkwardly handled. not that i blame them, no one knows how to handle this shit. after all those other corporate emails there was nothing from jo-ann about federal guidelines, just tons of DOORBUSTER coupons!

Were there 10 (6) people in the store?

i didn't make it far enough in to see how many people were in there. i'm guessing they meant 10 customers? but maybe that does seem somewhat crowded for jo-ann at that time of day! i'm taking my business to fabric.com.

yeah i have been using fabric.com for years. I just stocked up on a suitcase full of kona cotton last year in anticipation of making a lot of quilts.

There is this (from a medical center) for facemasks too . I skimmed the video and there seems to be some pleating. https://www.deaconess.com/SpecialPages/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

I was going to try to work on this this weekend. I have some commercial masks but Iike the idea of a fabric one maybe over it so that I can wash it. I just looked through my sewing stash and I have about 15 yards of elastic 1/4 -1 inch width.

another hospital prefers this pattern (but four layers) https://buttoncounter.com/2018/01/14/facemask-a-picture-tutorial/ .

https://i.imgur.com/m7mev5U.jpg

On a more frivolous note, I finished that nightgown.

hey! it looks like a nightgown!

nice!

(also joann's fabric is now giving away kits to make masks)

i'm going to try some masks, but with ties because no elastic

yeah i saw a video like that. do you have one you are using. i saw considering this one for one without ties. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YXQ0Y1NxdY

damn, i cannot type coherently these days.

this has three patterns, A and B can be made with ties https://www.stationnorthtoollibrary.org/masks?utm_term=0_3b8a77f9aa-c7eaf1bb51-154304013#sew

video using pipe cleaners for the nose piece
https://youtu.be/bCCtGq6maw8

i am almost done with this bag (in the denim because i had bought it for the bag i made above) https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/05/02/mollys-sketchbook-everyday-tote/
i'm...better at the bias tape binding than i was. but it's not really possible to do well around the boxed corners because you are working over two thick seams in the middle. even if they aren't stacked on top of each other that's a lot of layers of denim to get around and my sewing machine hates it too. i have one more corner to sew tape onto. have to pick out what i had done because i got too close to one of the edges when sewing. but i've put it down and my cat is sleeping on it. it's really cute though, and no one will see the messiness.

what color is your bias tape.

Yeah, I totally am not doing any metal nose piece. I have no ways to source that here.

i did the same color as the pattern--orangey pink

fabric is coming via ups today so i can make bags for my friend in germany and my mom. i'm a sewing maniac now. nothing else to do. this morning i was watching youtubes of more expensive sewing machines. which i will NOT buy now. maybe for my birthday in the fall.

For those making masks, it seems like there are facebook groups (Crafters against COVID) for most cities, and they'll take orders from hospitals, clinics, etc. and then tell you the specifications. You sign up to make masks and they arrange a pickup. That way you don't have to worry about making something that won't be used.

I tried to learn to sew but never got very far; two people on a local FB group came by today to pick up bags of fabric I had so that they can make some masks for our local hospital. Good luck mask makers of ILX!

https://scontent.fnyc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/s960x960/91698130_10157980815494000_5242286220771328000_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=CvvvncvQbDUAX92pp6Z&_nc_ht=scontent.fnyc1-1.fna&_nc_tp=7&oh=5832cb85af5fdfaeb56fd79468a3ccdf&oe=5EAE7F33

My first face mask...and my first selfie. Much room for improvement evident.

looks good! I can't see. did you use elastic or make fabric ties?

Elastic. It's based on the buttoncounter.com pattern. I figure on wearing it to Trader Joe's later today, to see if I should add a metal nose piece.

i still didn't do it but i will tonight or tomorrow. i'm having extreme laziness problems. i am going to try to see if there's any wire in the basement, or will break off the ends of file prongs i have for work. i also have a seltzer can that i exploded by leaving it in the freezer, which i could make into strips and fold.

My mask was okay as-is for the hour or so it took me to get into Trader Joe and come home. I don't go out very much, so it should be acceptable for when I do go out.

On another forum someone suggested using a plastic-over-metal produce bag tie, or an unbent paper clip, to make a nose piece. Any thoughts on these ideas?

i was thinking paperclips might be too inflexible, produce bag tie might be ok

i am not doing any nose pieces.
I feel like things I have seen about fit for home made masks, the only thing that really makes a difference is double sided tape.

how do you use double-sided tape in it? is it in the pattern you linked above?

oh no, it's for masks that don't fit properly (and you work in a medical setting), people use double sided tape to ensure a seal.

the thing about the blue shop towels (being able to filter out a lot more than cotton) is very interesting but it looks like those have kind of sold out everywhere anyway.

i am obsessed with quilt patterns

is quilting the new knitting

it's the old and new knitting. I am trying to figure out how to make a certain pattern without needing to paper piece fuck that bs.

it is my new knitting because i'm not getting a lot of knitting done. i am going to try a quilt soon and there are so many options for a first quilt that are not beginner-looking at all. i need to just pick one. oh yeah, that time i said i would wait until fall to buy a better sewing machine, i lied. i got myself a present and it's coming friday.

this was the first quilt pattern i did. it was simple enough while being interesting. https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2007/12/29/mollys-sketchbook-a-quilt-for-a-baby-boy/

i started this today https://www.instagram.com/p/B7SCagbnj3T/
have to make 8 squares of strips and i already made 7. i did screw up a couple by putting them in upside down--you are supposed to go toward the printed selvage so you when you trim the squares down they disappear, but i had the colors in the wrong order to do that because i wasn't paying attention (i sewed them in pairs first). i just measured; think there will be enough room to trim it off still and if there is any left it may be within a seam allowance on the next step so it should be fine.

Harbl that is gorgeous!

Anyone still looking for mask nose piece ideas - the recloser strips from bags of coffee work great. Vinyl coated and wide enough plus hold up to bending.

God, I can't wait to get out of my parents house and back to the sewing machine.

That is such a cool quilt, harbl.