Blog
Welcome to the DravonWorks sewing blog! Here you’ll find lots of sewing information. I’m one of the “technical” people, who likes to know the why’s of things. In my mind, once a Why is understood then the information can be applied in a myriad of different ways! You won’t find a whole lot of “make this item” tutorials, but you will find answers to questions like “why should I thread my machine like that versus like this?” or “do I REALLY have to do it this way?” Most of these posts are coming from questions asked by students in my classes, but if YOU have a question you’d like answered then please feel free to comment.
I know that understanding the technical stuff behind what is going on doesn’t work for everyone, but that’s why there are so many great sewing blogs out there! Find the teacher that speaks to you, and I’d love to be one of them. If you do like what you read here, be sure to share, subscribe and visit back often! Tell your friends about this sewing blog! Ask questions, share your projects or stories. Sewing is most fun when it’s a community of people sharing what inspires them. I really want to hear from you!
Lace-Overlay Skirt
This was a commissioned item designed for and by my housemate Shelley. I created a skirt block for it, but one problem with the block was that the arc over the hip line was too severe. I thought I had fixed it prior to starting on the actual skirt but when I had her try it on, I discovered that I had not fixed it properly. Alas, I had already put the side zipper in so that means I had to rip out that and then fix the problem. While it fits nicely, I can see the where the fix went in on the left side where the zipper is, making that line of...
read more“My First Quilt” Class Project
Just finished up the second class at The Quilt Emporium in Woodland Hills, CA. This class was entitled My First Quilt and the objective was to learn how to cut out pieces according to the design, assemble them crisply and cleanly, quilt, and then edge the finished quilt. It’s pretty simple, but I must say that I learned a lot. I did not expect that the piecing skills would translate into my clothing work, but it has. We’ll see what the long term benefits are. Anyway, this quilt is a simple 9-block pattern and the finished size is...
read moreShadow Work Quilting Experiments on an Embroidered Name Badge
A project I’ve earmarked for future is a shadow work quilt featuring one of Albrecht Durer’s mazes: I’ve got no clue how to actually do such a quilt, so I’ve set aside several small projects which are my learning projects. Ideally, I’d love to do this quilt in linen for several reasons: (1) it’s much more historically accurate for the time period I’m targetting, and (2) it’s also less common, and I like working in the less common materials. To find out if the linen approach would work, I decided...
read moreSFVQA Quilt Block of the Month for June/July 2011
In May, I attended my first ever meeting of the San Fernando Valley Quilt Association (SFVQA). I decided to join because I was hoping that being in contact with creative, driven people would continue to feed my own creativity as well as inspire me. I had no idea how very huge this club is. Having been to a few sewing related groups, I was expecting a handful of blue hairs. Boy was I in for a shock! There were easily 200 people there, even a few men! Heck, the president of the club is a man. Despite not being big into quilting and definitely...
read moreWhite Silk Dragon Corset — abandonned project recap
Good news: I’ve successfully signed up for the Advanced Construction Tailoring class being taught this fall at Santa Monica. Hopefully, the grading class will be offered in the spring. This is a project that was started probably in 2006 or 2007, most likely 2007, in one of LA Farthingale’s corset construction classes. I didn’t finish it at the time, setting it aside to be finished later. I have now reached the conclusion that stopping and starting sewing projects in mid-stream is a Really Dumb Thing for me to do. Why?...
read moreShopping Bags
Another WIP completed! Woot! I’m starting to feel a wee smidge accomplished, watching that WIP pile be slowly whittled away. This one is the shopping bag WIP, in which I made myself some sturdy bags to take with me shopping — or to store crafts-in-progress. I had a bunch of too-ugly-for-clothes material that was also a polyester and rather heavy. This means it did not make the ‘Keep This Material’ cut and was tossed into my scrap boxes. Michelle came over for a sewing day and I gave her the pick of my scrap material to...
read more“Gather Your Dreams” x-stitch
Back when I was working at a law firm in the word processing pool, I was also doing a LOT of cross-stitch as a way of relaxing. In very short order, the 2 combined to create tremendous pain in my left hand which I later self-diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome. I set aside all hand embroidery, quit that job and spent the next few years doing a lot of hand stretches. I still to this day have problems but the moment they start to flare up I begin the stretching regimine and always it has worked. Because of this known weakness, I’ve been...
read moreEmbroidered Tunic
My goodness a cheer of celebration arose when I FINALLY finished this baby!!! The material was purchased back in like 1999 or 1998, and the pattern (Medieval Miscellenea Period Patterns #16 – Tunics 650-1310 AD, Tunic # VII). I screwed up and used this lighter color linen instead of the chocolate brown that I was supposed to use, but by the time I figured that out it was too late. Oh well, next time I’ll take better notes as to the intention of the materials that I am buying. Now to make a white undertunic for this one and I still...
read moreBasic Apron
This was made from Butterick’s pattern B5551. It was supposed to take 1 hour, but I managed to stretch it across 2 whole weeks. *sage nod* I’m good like that. *snerk* Despite my best efforts, I did manage to finish this one and learned a few things so I figured that a post-mortem was due. Here’s the completed masterpiece: First off, it’s very clear that I don’t really work with patterns very much. In fact, this was scrap fabric that was in my trash pile. It was purchased to make cat show curtains, but even at the...
read moreHeavy, Insulated Cloaks
This project used Simplicity’s cloak pattern 5794 view C. I make 2 of them, one of me and one for the Mister. Both cloaks would be made to the Large size, which was the largest that this pattern went. My material I chose for my cloak for a black and white strangely checkered flannel, a black broadclothe lining, with a black polar fleece interlining. M’s cloak was to be a beige and brown plaid wool, with a tan broadclothe lining and a brown polar fleece interlining. The closure for my cloak would be a metal jeweled clasp while his...
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