Lovely Fresh Herbs

I happily admit that I’m one of those non-preservative, non-artificial, non-modified foods, organic, vegetarian, natural, recycling, environmental, Eastern medicine types.

For longer then I care to admit to, I’ve made herbal things: soaps, bath stuff, flavored oils and vinegars, lip balms; and embraced Acupuncture (my messed up shoulder and arm are very grateful), herbs, and natural supplements. Prescription medication is always a ‘choice of last result’ for me.

I drive my family nuts.

So anyway, I thought I’d take a few minutes and share a few recipes and resources for those of you that just might want to spoil yourselves…  but be forewarned, once you make these yourself, you’ll never be able to look at a store version again.

Herbal Bath Scrub – In a Bag!
There are two ways to make these, you get to decide which you like better.  Personally, I prefer the bag, but hey – it’s all good.

You Need:

• Either a 3″ x 5″ muslin bag with draw string (Dharma Trading sells these) or
• Cheesecloth about 5″ square (you’ll also need some string or crochet thread to tie it shut)
• Slow cooking oatmeal; 1/2 cup per herbal bag
• Soap flakes; grated natural soap such as Ivory or a nice glycerin; 1/2 cup per herbal bag
• Freshly dried herbs. Okay you can use older dried herbs… I just like drying my own (told you I drive my family nuts) You’ll need between 1-2 tablespoons of the herbs per bag depending on how full you make it.

Making It:
Now comes the difficult part. Mix together in a glass bowl the oatmeal, soap flakes and herbs. Transfer this mixture to your ‘bag’ or the center of your cheesecloth square. Snug the ties on the bag or pull up the corners of the cheesecloth and tie securely with the string.

To Use:
Wet your bundle while soaking or showering and gently rub over your body! It helps clean, removes icky dry/flaking/old skin, and smells wonderful. Just hang it up to dry between uses.

Herb Variations:

• Restful: chamomile, lavender, rose petals,
• Awake: peppermint, mint, orange, lemon, costmary
• Happy: lemon balm, mint, rosemary, basil

Of course you can always use what ever herbs you like – this is only a guideline. Another advantage of doing-it-yourself.

Muslin Bags with Drawstring

Variation on a Theme
Want a slight variation on those bags? Well, just leave out the soap flakes and oatmeal and add lots of herbs instead.

Now hang that herb bag under the faucet in your bathtub so the water hits it as the tub fills. You can also use it as a simple skin scrub.

Witch Hazel
Is there anyone that doesn’t have a bottle of witch hazel in their ‘fridge – especially during the summer? It feels so good smoothed over your face in the heat.

Be aware that there really is a difference in witch hazel – splurge and get the $4 bottle instead of the $1.75 one. You can get it from your local health food shop or favorite organic store. It seems silly I know, but you will notice a difference.

Get a couple of smaller empty bottles (with or without spray tops) – and divide up the witch hazel into them. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of dried herbs to the bottles. Experiment! Neem, chamomile, calendula, lavender….  what ever you want to use. Let sit for a day in the ‘fridge before using, then spritz (or rub) and cool to your hearts desire!

Sources:
Muslin bags and other wonderful stuff – Dharma Trading. I’ve been buying from them for well over 23 years now. http://www.dharmatrading.com.

Herbs and essential oils – San Francisco Herb Co. I have almost as long a track record with these nice folks.  http://www.sfherb.com.

Well it’s time for me to play again – I just have to convince the fur-kids that the herbs are not catnip; they keep trying to steal everything…

–Annie

The statistics on pesticides in conventional cotton are almost unbelievable. The USDAs Agricultural Chemical Usage report from 2008, states that there are 10.2 million acres of cotton in 11 major cotton-producing states, and these acres received 52.25 million pounds of pesticides.

Let’s say that again:  52.25 MILLION POUNDS of PESTICIDES, on 10.2 million acres of cotton.

Cotton uses more pesticides than any other crop; more than 16% of the worlds pesticides.

Many of these chemicals are considered carcinogens. Think about that for a second – we’re sewing clothing from fabric that can cause cancer.

Organic cotton avoids conventional pesticides, and that means we also help prevent the included water, land, air, and worker exposure problems.

And the conventional cotton industry relies on a high level of forced child labor – not necessarily applicable in the US, but in other countries.

Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified. As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in 24 countries and worldwide production was growing at a rate of more than 50% per year. Naturally colored cotton has also been grown successfully with organic methods.

Organic cotton production in Africa takes place in at least 8-countries. The earliest producer (1990) was the SEKEM organization in Egypt; the farmers involved later convinced the Egyptian government to convert 400,000 hectares of conventional cotton production to integrated methods, achieving a 90% reduction in the use of synthetic pesticides in Egypt and a 30% increase in yields.

Those are amazing numbers!  90% less pesticides, 30% increase in usable cotton, and it’s safer. So why isn’t everyone doing this? Oh yeah, it costs more in the beginning.. silly Annie – money is more important then our lives.

Here – in no particular order, are places you can buy organic cotton online. Or course you’ll find other goodies on these sites too…

Mother Earth says thank you.

• Ambatalia Fabric – ambataliafabrics.com
• Chandler & Greene, Inc.  – chandlergreene.com
• The Moonbath Shop – moonbathshop.com
• Dream Designs Co. Ltd. – dreamdesigns.ca
• Earth Friendly Goods  – earthfriendlygoods.com
• Dharma Trading – dharmatrading.com
• Greenfibres  – greenfibres.com
• Wildrose Farm Organics – wildrosefarm.com
• Green Mountain Spinnery  – spinnery.com
• Harmony Art – harmonyart.com
• NearSea Naturals, Incorporated – nearseanaturals.com
• Mod Green Pod – modgreenpod.com
• Organic Cotton Plus  – ocpstore.com
• Heart of Vermont – heartofvermont.com
• Organic Weddings – organicweddings.com

< Back to Wildly Wonderful Wearables >

Initially creative-artsy software was designed for the Mac and more business-style software for the Windows systems. Over time the two have merged and there is relatively little difference in available software; most companies provide version for both OS’s – and Linux also.

Unfortunately this split is still obvious in some fields – pattern drafting software is one of the casualties. There are a number of programs out there that you can run on your Mac using Virtual PC, Parallels, Boot Camp etc., but you cannot run it as a real Mac program. Why don’t these companies design versions for both, especially considering the Mac is still a major choice for the creative field, I wish I knew!

I did try a few of these programs over the years, and still on occasion try a demo version just to see what they’re like.

Let me put it this way, if I wanted to run a windows based piece of software I’d use a true PC. I’m sure there are a great many folks very happy with their PC, and that’s perfectly okay… I simply don’t like them.

Now, where was I before going off on that Mac vs PC tangent?  Oh yeah, the best pattern drafting software I’ve ever used: Cochenelle. They have versions for both Mac (built from the ground up for the Mac OS) and Windows. The company has just celebrated its 20th year!

I’ve been using their software since far before Apple/Mac moved to the OS X operating system (it’s been a long time), and from the start I was blown away. The improvements and upgrades have been stunning. A lot of the newer Windows software is now implementing the same features we’ve been using for a number of years now. Here’s a PDF flyer you can download talking about all the features.

The innovator behind this is Susan Lazear: Professor of Fashion at Mesa College, oversees the Fashion Computer Lab (designs the courses too), author of several books – an amazing woman!

I started using the Garment Styler software and moved to the Garment Designer program; both are extremely affordable. The also have add-on modules, Stitch Painter software, books, design aides, videos… classes, support groups.

What have I done with it? Well it was used to help create, size, and draft out Coloring Blocks, Celtic Dreams, and Keshy. I’ve done a lot with it, but those other garments were just for me, after all, I’m worth a few custom outfits.

Below are some screenshots (reduced in size to fit, but still give you a pretty good idea of what the interface and working area is like.)

This is where you enter very personalized measurements to help you get the correct sizing and fit.

This shows you how much control you have over all the curves, angles, lines and shape of your garment in the interface; it’s a true CAD style interface.

Control such as this is a key factor in truly being able to customize and modify your design(s).

Without features such as this, you are extremely limited in what you can and cannot accomplish.

Here’s a screenshot of a working sloper in the Mac interface.

And this is an example of a working screen: front, back and sleeve of the garment, darts, measurements, all numbers diagrammed, points, seam allowances, facings – and above the pattern pieces themselves, you can see some of the built in drop-down menu options.

This is a thumbnail view – click on it to see the larger image, though still reduced a bit in size for online viewing. Click your browser back-button after viewing to get back to this page.

The image towards the beginning of this post, is of a ready-to-go completed top design as you’d see on your screen – without all the diagramming numbers.

Here are some of the high-points of the Garment Designer software:

• Fit Control: Standard sizes – misses, women, petite, junior, men, children, toddles, infants and dolls.
• Simple and Refined Fit: up to 36 custom measurements
• Adjustments: dart width, angle, length
• Armhole: built-in armhole and sleeve cap intelligent adjustments (it does the work for you)
• CAD: pattern points, curves, line adjustments – click-and-drag control
• Finishing: personalized seam allowance width, hems, extensions, facings, bands
• Symmetry: built-in symmetry function to ensure all changes are made to all necessary pieces
• 1000 of pattern combination’s! Body, neckline, shoulder, armhole, sleeve, skirt, and pants
• Control: over what pieces you see, how you see them, what dimensions you use (decimal, fraction, metric)
• Storage: save and store all your customs sizing, designs, etc.
• Styles include: tops – contoured, a-line, straight; skirts – a-line, gored, wrap, slits; pants – straight, tapered, bell bottom; and an incredible amount more!

Again, this is just a few of the high points to entice you to learn more about Cochenille.

These are good people – a very small, dedicated group of people that care; they are not owned or a division of any of the big companies out there.

Yes, I’m completely enamored with this software and love the people behind it. As a disclaimer let me state that I do not work for or with Cochenille, never have.

Take 15 minutes and check them out, you won’t be sorry you did.

Annie

< Back to Wildly Wonderful Wearables >

So let’s start this love affair off with sewing machine needles. I feel like I’ve used them all at one time or another, but if you look in my needle drawer, all you’re going to find are Schmetz.

When I was working on that Christening Dress for my newest nephew, they’re all I’d even consider using. I just love them.

Here we go, in no particular favorite order:

• Universal – rounded point, great for wovens and knits, an all around terrific needle.
• Denim or Jeans – reinforced blade and slight ball point, heavy fabrics don’t stand a chance of fighting. The ball point helps prevent damaging your fabric and skipping stitches.
• Stretch – special eye and medium ball point helps prevent skipping stitches and snagging. Great for knits, stretch fabrics and elastic too.
• Ball or Jersey – Ball point primarily for knit fabrics
• Leather – With a cutting point on the end, sewing leather is like cutting through warm butter. My leather version of the Lone Star Vest would not have been possible without this needle.
• Top-Stitch – If you’re doing decorative sewing, this is needle is for you. A very long eye 2mm, means threading and using heavy, fancy threads won’t drive you crazy. Good for using double threads too.
• Microtex – A needle especially for densely woven fabrics, micro fiber and synthetic leathers. It has an especially slim acute point.
• Hemstitch – I used a lot these when creating Heirloom Christening dresses! There’s a wing on each side with creates wonderful open work on light or medium woven fabrics; I used it on delicate cotton batiste with silk and rayon thread.
• Double Eye – Yes it has 2 eyes! Use two different threads at the same time – think of the possible effects. Good for both woven and knit fabrics because it has a univeral point.
• Embroidery – A larger eye and grove means this needle helps to make free-motion embroidery headache free. I do a lot of free-motion stipple work on our wall hangings, sanity matters!
• Metallic – While I will never enjoy sewing with metallic threads (I just sew too fast to really be nice to the thread), this needle helps a bunch. A enlarged grove and bigger eye mean less breakage and throwing things.
• Stretch Twin – Double rows of stitches, perfectly spaced, on knits or stretch fabrics. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 2.5 and 4.0.
• Metallic Twin – Same as for the stretch twin needle, now if I could only sew a bit slower… 2.5 and 3.0.
• Embroidery Twin – Yes we’re on a roll! 2.0 and 3.0.
• Double Hemstitch – Another favorite of mine for heirloom sewing. Has one wing needle and one universal needle – 2.5 mm separates them. Helps create amazing double row stitch designs.
• Universal Twin – Double rows on lots of fabric, think pin-tucks! 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.o, 6.0 and 8.0.
• Universal Triple – Yes I have these too. It’s worth the hassle of threading everything up – again, I use to use these on the Christening dresses with rayon and silk threads. Beautiful results every time.

It seems to be a failing that at one time or another, we’ve all used ‘cheap’ or generic sewing machine needles. While they might have got the job done, it was a struggle with them breaking, thread shredding and other delightful reasons that cause us to consider never sewing again.

It is not worth it.

Next time you’re in your favorite fabric shop, pick up a few packages of Schmetz needles and try them out. I guarantee you won’t be sorry you did.

< Back to Wearables >

The old one was… old…about 15 years old actually. While it would be perfectly fine for the casual home sewer, the demands I placed on it were just too strenuous after all this time.

It’s a good thing sewing machines don’t have a ‘machine union’, because I’m pretty sure I’d make the ‘do not go home with this woman’ list. I’m a bit hard on them.

Anyway, this is my third serger since 1987; the first was a New Home, the second a Bernina Fun-Lock that I won at a design competition, and now I’m back to the Janome (formerly known as New Home) machine.

I called up a small independent shop I’ve been going to since 1987. In fact they had only been open two-months the first time I walked through their doors. Diane and Jim Stutsman are part of that amazing group of business owners that truly care about their customers.

The Sewing Room has moved three times and expanded each time; I told them if they move any farther away from me, I was going to have to pack an overnight case! The oh-so-important factor is that they know me: they know how I sew, what I insist of my machines, what I need and don’t need, what bothers me, what I don’t care about.

I trust them completely in providing me with the perfect machine for what I’m doing.

After the ‘transaction’ is complete, we sit and catch up on families, business, trends – and Jim and I talk technology, Apple computers and wonderful Geek-speak! Try doing that that at your local chain store.

Support your Independent Fabric, Sewing, Quilting and Sewing Machine Stores – both the brick-and-mortar and online only shops!

So you’re wondering, what did I get? Well….. I got an 1110DX – and boy is it nice. Middle of the group, not the most expensive nor the cheapest, but a workhorse.

I’ve already sewed a couple of personal garments to test it out and a heavy-duty light-blocking liner for the bedroom drapes. She just fly’s!

The particulars:

• 2 and 3 / 4 thread overlock
• Regular type needle HA or 15×1SP
• 1 – 5mm seam length
• 3.5mm (regular); 5.7mm (wide); 2.0mm (narrow) seam width
• 0.5 – 2.25 differential feed ration
• Front and back needle guard
• Color coded thread guides
• Snap-on presser feet
• Electronic speed control
• Easy to follow upper thread guide
• Dual feed dogs and differential feed
• Adjustable cutting width
• Easily retractable upper knife
• Easy to reach lower looper guides
• Quick change rolled hem
• Solid metal base plate

Love it, love it, love it!

If you’re in the Dallas area, stop by The Sewing Room – 8500 Gaylord Parkway, Suite 4, Frisco, Texas 75067. 972-315-1489. sale@sewingroom.com. Tell them Annie sent you!

< Back to Wearables >

She was very interested in our Pleat N Go, and had a bunch of questions as to whether or not it would work for her, with her drapery and home decor custom sewing. Well to make a very long story short, here are her words and a few pictures.

“You had asked me to send pictures of my finished project using the pleater board. I made 440″ of pleated edging for the valances in this room. It was the most wonderful detail I have ever used! I hope you like it – I enjoyed your product so much and plan to offer this custom detail to many customers!”

A view of the large, triple window with the new draperies.

The top of the drapes and topper – again you can see the very top is pleated.

A great close-up shot of the pleats at the very top and the corded edge.

Terrific results and Cathy is happy! That was a lot of pleating and she discovered an easy way to do it. You can sew for me anytime Cathy

< Back to Wearables >

Everyday I not only get to play with fabric and designs, I get to to exercise my brain cells and any creativity I possess.

I ask you now, how incredibly wonderful is that!

Actually I’ve been doubly gifted, I’m also a Web site designer – that means I get to work with some wonderful people and companies.

This past Friday we made live a Web site for a company that produces digitizing embroidery software. We still have to add the galleries, but all the information and some terrific videos and image are there.

As most of you know I don’t rave about a product unless I really, really like it. I really, really like this software!

It’s called Creative DRAWings® and it’s amazing. Not only is it easier to use then the current embroidery software, you call also use it with all the different embroidery machines – even some of the commercial versions.

It’s also a whole lot less expensive… shhhhhh.

You can only buy this software from your sewing machine dealer; there’s a list on the Web site of dealers – with more coming on every week.

Take a moment and check out the videos, there are six of them on the Web site, everything from converting graphics and images to embroidery, using fonts and wingdings and making them editable embroidery to almost instant redwork.

All the images here were created in Creative DRAWings®. Go check them out… and tell them Annie sent you.

<Back to Wearables>

We show you how to use it on and with cottons, polyesters and velvet blends. You can also use it on heavy papers to create one-of-a-kind invitations and announcements.

I filmed this one alone – with one eye firmly on all three fur-kids the entire time. While I’m sure everyone would have loved seeing them ‘help mom’, mom was a bit short on time this go round.

Hmmm maybe next video we can feature the three kids…

Enjoy!

<Back to Wearables>

Fannie lives in California and is a few years older then I am. We started out laughing about our rhyming names and remembering songs: Fannie, Fannie bo Bannie… (don’t forget that little trick with Nick!) and nick-names like one of mine: Annie Bananie.

What? You wanted us to just dive into sewing stuff?

We have a mutual problem with losing things; you put them down and they mysteriously walk off. She’s still doing some custom sewing while I stopped years ago. The issues haven’t changed though: people wear the wrong foundation garments to fittings; tell you the wrong initial sizings; pick styles that are really not flattering and of course don’t want to pay you when the garment is ready.

I was ready to nominate Fannie for sainthood for her patience alone.

So we finally started talking about the pleater board. She had tried to do pleats without the board and was real frustrated – so the hunt began! After lots of phone calls one turned up – a fair drive from her home and costing $40. That wasn’t going to cut it.

Fannie called a good friend here in Dallas needing a sympathetic shoulder, and the lovely lady told her about our pleater board kit. Six Degrees of Separation anyone?

We talked pleater boards. The how to’s, putting it together, using it, the step-by-step demo we have on the site, the different ways you can use the pleats. We discussed the regular board versus the fan board and the original idea to create it.

I had a blast! When you find you’re laughing together every 5th sentence, it’s just got to be good.

Fannie got the regular board (I wouldn’t sell her the fan board until she was sure she liked the standard one) and promised to call me after it arrived. She did – we talked – and she was heading off to put it together and create pleats.

About four days after that, Fannie called again. That was one happy woman on the phone. She was amazed at how quickly the pleats were created and made me promise to tell Storm (my good friend and the creator of the boards) that she did good!

To understand why she had been so frantic about making the pleats Fannie gave me the pattern name and number to see for myself. Oh boy. I’d have been borderline hysterical myself.

Fannie promised to call again; I hope it’s soon as I could use more of that kind of shared laughter.

<Back to Wearables>

She was good! You know, if you have to have a roll model try to make it someone that understands the value of a buck.

Where was I… oh yeah… I’m cheap.

The thing is, I will spend good money for a quality product (we’re talking $$$ purchases here).

• Good craftsmanship
• Warranty on large purchases included
• Something I truly need (not want, need)
• Not the bare minimum – but not over kill either

I spent a healthy amount of money in 2002 for my Apple G4 and 19″ flat-screen Apple monitor, finally paid it off in 2.5 years later. I use it for my businesses and it was worth every single penny paid. I love my Macs.

While computers are a major part of my business, my sewing machine and serger are equally important. I got my first really good machine at 23 – a trade off with my former brother-in-law to do a lot of sewing for his venture. It was a PFAFF 1229 (the first electronic machine) that finally died in 2005 after 25 years of heavy-duty service. I flat-out adored that machine.

About 1991 or so, I worked up the justification to get the first computer connected sewing machine – a PFAFF 1475. You plugged the cable into your computer and could store, manipulate and add stitches. I put the machine on lay-away, and every single penny I made designing/sewing the Christening Dresses went toward that machine. I didn’t take it home until it was paid for. Period. It was a great motivator…

The software/machine connection was a wonderful idea for the non-industrial sewer – the software turned out to be a nightmare living in DOS. I remember at one sewing conference going up to the PFAFF rep and asking a ton of questions about the program; I knew a lot more about it then she did. I wasn’t a happy camper.

I ended up with several additional software packages, heirloom-stitches, that were perfect for the dresses. Once I loaded them into machine memory, I never reconnected to the computer. I owned that machine for 12 years before selling it; it was getting a bit tired.

My next machine was a Janome 3000; she’s a tough little girl that ran me all of $500. Lots of stitches, memory slots – and 7 years later, not a whisper of trouble. Such a good girl.

Much to the horror of several shops and stores I’ve taught at, I alway stress that you can do-and-create just about anything on a lower priced machine. Fancy threads, heavy threads, utility stitches, varying the width and length of your stitches, combining wildly different stitches to create new and unusual effects… we play.

I feel like I’m in the minority here, but personally, I don’t want to plug-in a design card, thread up the machine, push a button and walk away. That doesn’t constitute sewing or creating for me. I have absolutely no problem letting a dishwasher wash my dishes – but I don’t want a sewing or embroidery machine to design for me. Besides, with those machines running $5000 – $9000, I’d never get it out of lay-away!

<Back to Wearables>