Saturday, May 21, 2016

Scalloped edge laser cut neoprene binary backpack

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This bag was my entry for Pattern Review weekend 2016 accessories contest.  This post is about the process...and the binary twist.


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Using Clover Wonder Clips for attaching piping

The bag
I used the pattern from Mollie Makes Issue 42, just like I did for my black/raspberry double sided neoprene backpack that I sewed earlier this year, and is also piped.
I bought the laser cut scalloped edge neoprene at Gorgeous Fabrics online, after searching for some laser cut neoprene to do my favorite layering technique.
The double faced white/black neoprene was purchased at More Than a Notion Fabrics, a little shop near my house.
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Sewing on a strap

Exterior pocket
For the exterior pocket, the scallop neoprene was layered over the white neoprene.
A "window" was cut for the zipper.  This allowed the white neoprene underneath to peek through in a really cute way.  I was pretty excited when I started as I had run through several ideas for a few days/weeks and finally I was committing to an idea and beginning the bag.  I also got positive feedback right away on IG and that fueled me further.
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Interior pocket
The interior pocket is also cut from the scalloped neoprene, but I lined just the pocket with white so that anything in the pocket wouldn't poke through the design.
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Zippers
The exterior and interior pockets use custom made zippers I bought at Botani in NYC.  They are Lampo gunmetal zippers in 7" and 9" sizes and have this adorable girl with the ponytail zipper pull.
The main zipper with two pulls is a 22" zipper from either Joann's or More Than a Notion.  It's a nylon zipper which reduces the weight.
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That awkward "cat bed" stage of bag construction
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The Rest
The remainder of the bag was sewn from the black/white double faced neoprene, black on the outside, and white on the inside, so it's easy to see all my stuff in my bag.

Strips of black ponte were sewn over the raw edges on the inside, making a clean finish.

Piping was from Joann's or More Than a Notion; strapping was from Pacific Trimming, and the metal rectangle rings and sliders were from etsy.

My "vacuuming the lawn" tags are from Wunderlabel.com
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The twist!!

This year is the 15th anniversary of PR so the number 15 had to be incorporated into the accessory, either figuratively (as in, 15 has special meaning for you) or literally.

Drafts
This was my 7th PR weekend; I've sewn a bag for PR weekend almost every year.  My very first idea was to make a sporty backpack that would have "15" on the top of the back like a sports jersey, and try to jokingly tie it into how fabric shopping is like a sport.  However, this felt waaay too literal (anyone on Project Runway who literally does the challenge never wins, and usually gets kicked off).  Also, the neoprene I had in mind was pink and gray.  I had no gray zippers to match and no time to go to NYC to buy such zippers.


I spent a lot of time thinking about how to incorporate the #15 in some other way and brainstormed with two of my coworkers, friends, and my Dad.  I was thinking of using Roman numerals or Braille, but Dad suggested Morse code or binary.  As it turns out, the # 15 in binary is four ones, which I could easily cut into a logo by representing the bars as 1's, and I could tie it back to PR being a database.   I really was doubting this idea though up until the end.  Would the audience look at me with blank faces when I explained this idea? I ran out to a hardware store on my lunch hour and bought some house number 15s.

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Nixed idea:  metal 15 housenumbers painted white

The scriptier font was too large (4") and the 3" housenumbers which I painted white were metal and clanged about way too much (I hung them as if they were keychains off each zipper pulls).
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Another nixed idea:  Wooden number 15 painted white

I also bought wood 15 at Michael's and painted the white as well, but they tended to superimpose over each other when dangling from the keychain in an nonsensical way.

I thought about sewing the metal or wooden 15s to the bag at the top, but it just felt too literal.
So I went back to the binary idea.  I learned just enough binary to be able to explain how four 1's are 15 (now I can count up to 15 in binary).  If you want the explanation, it's here.
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And my binary 15.  

At first I used white sticky felt tacked on to make the binary 15, but then removed them and replaced them with 4 strips of the white/black neoprene sewn on at the top and bottom.  All of these pix have the binary 15 in felt, but this one below has the neoprene 15.

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Explaining my bag during the Accessories contest; picture taken by Deepika

The Verdict
The bag is really fun to use, large enough for my stuff, and  fairly lightweight.  It's the perfect size.

I rehearsed my spiel for the competition, so when I got to the binary I said something like, "So, for the #15:  I was thinking of different ways to represent 15, like Roman numerals or Braille,
but my dad said 'what about Morse code or binary?'" and that got a really nice, hardy laugh.  They got it!  So I explained that 4 one's is 15 in binary, and PR is a database so it relates.

And that was that!  17 of 89 of us entered the contest; prizes were given for top 5 and were judged by the PR Contest Committee and Emilie from Jalie patterns.  I came in second and won two pieces of fabric from Emma One Sock.  To see other entries, check this recap by Deepika.

Oh, and other ideas
Here were my sketches for various bags for this contest.  I thought you might enjoy them.  :)

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Original sketch the night I found the scalloped neoprene online
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Thinking about not using the scallop, and having the binary 15 repeated a lot
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Or maybe the binary 15 rotated and repeated 15 times
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Or some other variations!
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The PFF is back! Loooove the poppy!
Be well!

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Pattern Review Weekend 2016: Chicago

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Deepika took this picture of me explaining my neoprene binary backpack during the Accessories Contest

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Stephanie embodies the spirit of PR weekend!

Here are some personal and/or random notes from the weekend:
  • This was my 7th PR weekend in a row
  • My best advice to any PR weekend newbie is to take the week off afterward.  I've taken the week before off, the week after off, and no time before/after off, and honestly, taking the week after off is best.  Take the week off before, and you're madly sewing in your personal sweatshop before the conference, then attending the conference, and subsequently finding yourself back at your desk at work, wondering what just happened, why you are so tired, and what happened to your vacation time.  Taking the week afterward off is pure bliss.
  • I did not go crazy with fabric purchases this year.  My fabric closet was already bursting, I felt strangely overwhelmed in Vogue Fabrics, and I had left behind my PR shopping satchel in the hotel room.  I regained focus at Fishman's Fabrics, but still did not go crazy.
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  • I bought two pieces of leather at Fishman's Fabrics.  I'm targeting bags for both.
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  • My only other purchase was 1 yard of this gold floral print denim from New Rainbow Fabrics.  This will be either a bag or a skirt.
  • I didn't buy anything else!  No patterns, no elastic, no notions.  That was it!  #restrained
  • I won second prize in the accessories contest for my neoprene backpack.  Yay!
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  • My prize was two pieces of fabric from Emma One Sock, pictured above. The curve ruler was a prize for Instagramming #prw2016 a lot.  And the patterned bag was our shopping satchel.
  • I sewed red pull-on jeans like a crazy person the week before the contest to wear during the shopping day.  Yay!
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  • I loved seeing my sewing friends again and meeting new ones!
  • Thank you to Deepika for founding PR and to all the volunteers for making it such a great weekend!  Read her recap here.
  • Next year PR weekend will be in NYC.  See you there?  I will lead a group through the Garment District!

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Wore my PR weekend shopping day outfit today to visit my Great Aunt Iris in assisted living.  She's 100.  She never sewed, but she did crochet that blanket in the background!

Be well!

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Sparkly New Look 6071

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I sewed a dress for the group dinner at the upcoming Pattern Review weekend.  I've never sewn specifically for the PR dinner before, because I really have no other occasions to wear a sparkly dress and my sewing time is limited.  If I'm going to sew, I generally want it to be something I have a chance at wearing a lot.
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Pattern + sparkle fabric

Somehow I felt differently this year and decided to make one of my favorite dresses, New Look 6071, out of this sparkly brown and entirely non-natural fabric I bought at the ASE, I think all the way back in 2012, with the intention of making this very dress.  Who knew it would take 3.5 years to live the dream?


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I added darts in the back for a better fit.
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CB seam before and after

I've written about my first and second versions of the dress.  This time I cut it entirely in a 12.  I had to cut the back twice, because I couldn't stand how puckered the back seam was and I wasn't about to unpick the serging when I had enough fabric to cut the back again..  I had to lower the DF on my serger down to 0.6 and then use my Elna Press.  Together they created a nice, flat seam.  I also used the EP on the side seams and on my hem.  I added a little modesty panel that is sewn in.
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With a shrug

It's impossible to see the sparkle at a distance.
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These are some dressform pix taken on a sunnier day.
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I bound the armhole and neckline, and twin needled the hem.
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Sparkle!!
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While sewing the binding
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I finally bought a tripod for my phone.   My new phone is still a generic Android, but it has a lot of neat features like it will automatically take a picture if it detects that I'm smiling!  This smile feature means I took over 60 pictures in my photo shoot today in a matter of minutes.  And I love that I can actually see myself as I take the picture.  No more guessing about where I am in the frame, though I could do a better job of centering myself in the frame.  Baby steps.
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I took these photos in a very gentle rain.  Everything's getting that leafy green Jurassic Park look outside.
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I can stare deep into my camera phone.

Be well!