the blue blog archives: iron woman

I think I've figured out what is keeping me from jumping into my sewing like I do with my knitting. It's the ironing. I absolutely love cutting out the pattern pieces, pinning them on the fabric and then cutting everything out - I really enjoy the pieces with their neat cutting lines and the pins all in a row (could you tell by the number of pattern piece photos I've posted?). And I like the actual sewing - a side seam, a hem, even a casing for elastic. But I hate all the "press down 1/4 in. here and then fold over and press again" sort of stuff. How annoying is that? Sew a little seam, stand up and do some tedious, intricate foldy-pressy thing, then sew another little seam. Just makes me want to get my knitting needles and do stockinette in front of the tv for an hour or two!

So this week, I tried to make friends with the iron. My first project wasn't sewing at all, but a bit of crafty, iron-on fun. Remember when I was dreaming of knitting Joe sweaters for the boys? Well, I still want to do that. I've got two more sweaters planned for the boys before I get to those, but I figure they'll still be watching Blue's Clues in two years! Anyway, the character they really love is Dora the Explorer and you cannot find any Dora clothes or accessories that are for boys. I'm not a huge stickler about boy colors and such, but everything Dora is pink AND ruffly AND covered in flowers. That's a little much for even the most open-minded mom. So I made up some little iron-ons and bought some cheap shirts at Old Navy, and voila: boys like Dora too!

After doing the Dora shirts and making some headway on the native sweater (check it out!), I managed to almost finish sewing my stripey skirt. Step one on the skirt was iron on interfacing over buttonholes (now you can see why I waited so long!). I picked up the iron, since it was out, and got to work. Then sewed up the side seams, the hem and even added a bit of lace to the bottom. All that's left are the fiddly little drawstrings. I should have finished pics for next week's update. I really like how it came out and I'll probably start wearing it even though I still have to deal with the ties. Good thing the rest is finished, cause I'm done ironing for this week!

posted by alison at 12:04 am | in native , sew blue sundays , sew miscellany , sew prairie

Comments

I did T-shirt transfers last night, too! So fun. I love the shirt you made. There is always an assumption that boy characters appeal to both boys and girls, but that boys won't be interested in girl characters. But I think both boys and girls are interested in GOOD characters, and there just needs to be better cartoon girls out there! Brava, Alison!

Posted by: other alison at August 9, 2003 11:42 PM

We love the Dora shirts!! Where did you find those decals? Liv just walked in and said "I want one, Mom!" Yes, another Dora freak. She's definitely getting the Dora backpack for school this year. "No more Elmo backpack," she informed me. Well, aren't we all grown up? :) Beautiful skirt. I've been meaning to tell you this, but I always forget ~ they used to sell fabric (mid 80s) where one end of the bolt was 6 inches of a ready-made gathered waistband. All you had to do was buy a yard, sew up ONE side seam and hem it. Voila. Pretty summer skirt. I had one in a pink flowery material and that's what your skirt reminded me of. So much for the history lesson. ;)

Posted by: Kerstin at August 10, 2003 5:55 AM

What a great mom you are!!! The boys will love their Dora t-shirts! :)

Posted by: ~Jo~ at August 10, 2003 7:15 AM

Brava! Changing the world one t-shirt at a time.

Posted by: Em at August 10, 2003 7:25 AM

Way to go on the shirts! I have a little girlie who loves Bob the Builder (even did the halloween costume thing!) I painted her a shirt, with Bob on it, that said "Bob's my kind of guy!" It was a hit!

Posted by: Deb at August 10, 2003 8:15 AM

Now there's an idea. I need to start making my own t-shirts too. It is sad that girl characters mean "girly" merchandise. Anyhow, I love it and BTW I cannot wait to see the finished skirt.

Posted by: sharlyn at August 10, 2003 8:20 AM

How did you make those iron-ons? They are very cool! I've got a little guy who likes Dora too. :)

"Dora, Dora, Dora! The explorer..." okay now it's stuck in my head....

Posted by: Leigh at August 10, 2003 8:55 AM

I hear you loud and clear about ironing. That's my least favourite thing about sewing. Did you make the iron-ons with that iron-on printer paper they make? A friend that works at a paper company gave me a bunch of that to play with but now I've misplaced it.

Posted by: Rebecca at August 10, 2003 8:56 AM

Yes, Rebecca, I used the iron-on fabric sheets and just made the Dora and Boots pics with a little Photoshop magic. (PS - that dress you are working on is amazing!)

Deb, I know what you mean about Bob. That's all I can find for my boys. There's either pink, ruffly Dora stuff or blue Bob stuff. And the boys just don't like Bob very much, which is why I really wanted to make them something with Dora on it.

Leigh, do you mean to say that you don't ALWAYS have that song in your head?! "Where are we going... clap, clap, clap... Where are we going..." Aaaaack!

Posted by: alison at August 10, 2003 9:04 AM

LOVE the Dora shirts! They are great!

Posted by: sarah b. at August 10, 2003 12:09 PM

I usually use a "wooden" iron at my sewing table. It basically helps you crease the fabric, rather than getting up and pressing.
BTW, as a sewer/quilter, I 'press' things - I NEVER iron!!! (at our quilting retreat, we're required to put a quarter into the box if we ever say the word 'iron') LOL

Posted by: mo at August 10, 2003 12:25 PM

Love the shirts! I need to try that paper. When I was way into quilting, I did not like ironing much but it's a BIG part of quilting so I went and splurged on a great iron and it made it a bit more fun!? I also have it set up next to my sewing machine so it's easy to reach for.

Posted by: Amber S. at August 10, 2003 12:40 PM

While the Dora shirt are nice and a terrific idea, you know what I'm fixated on. Native looks terrific. Your knitting is so even. Really lovely. Even though this sweater has been a bit of a nuisance for you, I think you and your mother and going to be very pleased with the results.

Posted by: michelle at August 10, 2003 6:35 PM

Cute Ts! My gal hasn't glommed on to any characters because she's too active to sit still for the TV -- but she loves her Dora band-aids. I'm so NOT into ironing that there is a big pile of cotton clothes in the basement that I haven't worn since they were last washed last summer and left to be pressed. Now the cat's been lounging there, so they need re-washing, alas. (One more side seam to Smooch . . .)

Posted by: Maggi at August 11, 2003 8:58 AM

I just learned who Dora is this past weekend. My nephew pointed out her picture whenever we saw it at the county fair. He is obviously impressed by her too! What a great idea for the t-shirt. I think it's so cool that there are all of these craft supplies that let us make our own stuff instead of being stuck with what the market offers us! Go Dora, Go Dora!

:-)

Posted by: Mary at August 11, 2003 11:00 PM

yes, sewing is about 48% ironing, 48% cutting and 4% actual sewing. it's a big misnomer.

are you reading european patterns? they often do much fancier things with the seams than US. you can do more sew-y less irony ones.

also, try sew some polar fleece. with fleece you don't iron and the ends never ever ravel so you can just trim them down and leave them. it stretches a bit so it's forgiving, but not so much that it's tricky like some stretch stuff. make the boys winter coats!

and when you are sewing and pressing, see if you can set up an area with both right there (one big terrifying child hazard area), then you stitch-press-stitch from your chair and don't have to run across the house.

Posted by: kristi at August 13, 2003 9:12 AM

I love those Dora shirts. My little guy also worships at the altar of Dora. And I have been lamenting the lack of clothes for boys with her on it, but now my problem is solved! I've got some sheets of that iron-on paper at home so now to find the perfect picture.
Thanks for the idea.

Posted by: Nancy at August 13, 2003 11:28 AM

LOVE, love , love your Dora shirts! My girls are Dora fans too. I must try this decal business soon. LOVE your blog too (new reader here!)!

~Susan~

Posted by: Susan at August 13, 2003 1:29 PM

Have to add that I am a BIG Joe sweater fan too!

Posted by: Susan at August 13, 2003 1:31 PM

Hello from Peru-- if you are doing felled seams you might want to look at David Coffin´s book on shirtmaking, which goes through felled armsyce seams in detail. He uses a technique which involves less trimming and less ironing. Doesn't have to be used for only armholes of course. I actually like the pressing part of dressmaking... having learned long ago that it makes a crucial difference to the finished project! Your website is quite a comfort here at the ends of the earth

Carrie

Posted by: carrie at August 13, 2003 1:55 PM