What Muslim Pattern?: Part Deux

Here are some more patterns that I have in my possession.


This was for my hubby. I still have to try it out. I was sold on the design of the sleeves and how "groovy" the example in stripes looked. The Islamic approach is to hem this garment above the ankles (an Islamic dress code for Muslim men).

 

You are now thinking: HOW!?!
Or "WTH!?!"
I have accepted challenge and done it.
Well, I saw this a year ago and thought Victorian-style. So I made a two-piece outfit. The example in purple reminded me of The Duchess. Instead of a coat, why not a nice top. Most jackets and coat pattern have built-in ease and long sleeves. The pattern can be lengthen to tunic or a dress.


This collection of patterns is great for plus sizes as far as pants and skirts fitting over the derriere. Most of the time, they don't need that much tweaking except for the length & leg width. For some of the tops, you will need to alter the style of the sleeves and width.

I know that altering patterns is alot of work however it is VERY rewarding when you can wear what you sew. I feel great when I altered a size 22 to a size 28 then made it suitable for the Islamic dress code.
Some people will probably think: Would it be easier to just buy the Islamic clothes?
Me: Yes, it would. However depending on where you live or what is being sold in the Islamic stores, you are  probably not going to get what you want. Sewing your own stuff is still less costly than driving all over the place, spending money on matching stuff, ordering offline (plus here is that you KNOW what you are getting).
That's just my humble opinion.

What Muslim Patterns?

Today someone said they came to my site looking for Islamic clothing patterns and I remembered: tutorials. So I looked through my patterns and to my dismay, most of my patterns were not Islamic. To tweak them, I had to alter them to my liking.
Most Western patterns dealing with skirts, tunics, dresses and pants need some basic alterations like lengthening the hem or widening the waist or hip. And for busty, more deliciously curvy sisters, it get alittle more interesting.
Wait...who am I kidding?!
It gets even more fun.
Then there's the costume section of patterns. I'm sure some of you are very familiar with the Navitity/Passion costume pack:


I own this one too.

Or the ethnic section:



Ethnic clothes patterns are kind of hard for me to find and I have collected some from the 1970s, when the ethnic clothing was the height of fashion.

Historical patterns are my favorite.

Now a Muslimah who looks at this pattern might go:"Oh hell, no. That looks too hard, might take a long time, it's old-fashioned."
And she runs off to hunt for that perfect blazer to ruin her outfit.
To a Muslimah that sews and spends a vast amount of time with patterns, this pattern is the deal.
Yeah, this is one of my Un-Islamic patterns that I own. And it is a VERY versatile pattern inshallah you are willing to go beyond basic altering.
Now to make this dress Islamic, the skirt is nice and long. Simple A-line, perfect template for trims and deco. You focus on the bodice.
The bodice is nice and fitted so it will not be baggy plus the hijab can conceal it better. The sleeves can be lengthen with an undersleeve sewn onto the puff sleeve version (the lady holding the shell). The long sleeve can be widened to conceal the shape of wearer's arm. The neckline can be made higher and if you go here:
Easy Alterations for Regency Dress
The maker of this awesome pattern shows you how to make bodice alterations like sleeves and button-front (very helpful for sisters breast-feeding or who don't feel like unbuttoning the dress from behind).

"Dhabiha Beef Bacon, Batman...

...Gail has came back to her blog." 

I have been helping out at my daughter's school and doing some pretty cool sewing projects.
So far I have managed to make...
A princess-seam Regency dress for me.
A black brocade Regency dress for my friend's graduation.
A black Victorian-inspired dress for myself.
Several successful dyeing projects for my family.

I want to apologize to my readers out there for the lapse in my posting and please feel free to leave comments here on my blog or on my Facebook page. 

Don't Waste Your Time...

This page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/muslims.online/

Is a waste of time.
They enjoin the arrogant/ignorant and censor the Truth in order to "promote unity" throughout the page. Some of the Muslims are extremely trifling, meaning they don't want sound proof from Quran or Hadith yet they post very Un-Islamic comments and get angry when people state their opinions. If you post anything that is truthful if the likes then your post will be delete or the administer will tell you to hide it in the Docs.
Plus you will be labeled an "extremist".
This page started off as light-hearted until several Muslims took it upon themselves to post things that go against Islam. They even went as far as misleading/encouraging bidah among newcomers.
I can understand that the administer wants to promote peace among the members of this page yet they often fail to remember that Muslims are supposed the enjoin the good and stand against the bad in Islam. In other words, we do not let things that are against Islam, small or big, fly due to the fact that it could do harm to others, Muslim or non-Muslim.

So insha'allah you are a Muslim who wants to be around other Muslims who actually want to follow their deen like they should, to the best of their abilities then this page is not for you. 

My New Serger

Prettttttttty.

Complimentary test spools of thread

This is my new serger: the Brother Homelock 1034D Serger.
It’s my baby. I’m sooo looking forward to using this machine. It got a lot of very good reviews on Amazon & Wal-Mart.com. And so far, it gets great reviews from me.



Now I did have issues with the lower loop thread snapping a lot. The lower looper is by the way the complimentary spool of blue thread. I found this video helps with this problem:

Very helpful.

Other important tips:

• Don’t give up.
• Don’t crank the handwheel to align the loopers AFTER threading the lower looper because the lower looper thread will be on top of the upper thread. Then the lower looper thread will break.

Other cool stuff that I got with my machine.

Mama’s New Bag & D & J Tote Completed

I have been on a sewing spree for the last two weeks and I love it. It’s more than what I’m used too. So far four projects done for others, I had to do something for myself.  While watching the BBC’s Charles Dickens’s Little Dorrit, I stitched something useful and quite green.
Something like a new bag. From leftover fabrics.



The outer shell is of dark blue denim with a lovely front contrast pocket. It has a very comfy, wide shoulder strap and two side tote straps. I took inspiration from my old gray/black bag.
And this beauty of a bag: Scottie Big Bags Messenger Tote Bag
 
Back to my bag, I did the lining in light blue linen and I added good, useable pocket this time. Plus I used a stiff bottom for an old baby bag to remedy my floppy bag bottom. Please forgive my stuff being in the bag while taking the pic, I’m very excited to use it.




Okay, for my next completed project, remember the Dick & Jane curtains.

Now…
Imagine that cloth made into a tote bag. I have stitched THIS:

My client adores D&J and had a lot of cloth leftover from her curtains, so she commissioned a tote bag.
Yes, I have a feeling that Dick & Jane will be reappearing in some future project yet I don’t know as what?

Zaynab's Eid Adha Wintermint Princess Frock Completed

Zaynab’s Eid Adha Wintermint Princess Frock was a success. The colors were great, the fitting was good and the Thread’s seam-and-bound finishing technique I picked up was a hit. It is an awesome dress.

I combined leftover fabrics: sea-green denim for the pinafore, pink-striped cotton (binding strips & ruffles) and cream broadcloth for the underskirt to produce this wonderful frock. I combined my Neapolitan Feliz dress pattern with McCall's M6389.

Instead of finishing the princess seams with regular seams, I used the seam-and-bound finishing technique shown in an old Thread’s Technique book. It’s an easy, strong finish for bulky fabrics plus it can add alittle spice to regular seams.

The bound-and-stitched seam

And all of us who sew knows what happens to an terrific dress: It seems to never get worn to the intended event.
Well, it’s probably just happens to me but oh well.
Zaynab was supposed to wear this dress to Eid Adha back in the Fall but I was too exhausted & sick to go to the Eid so the dress had to wait.
Then my friend recently got married and I was invited to her walima (wedding reception or wedding banquet). I had the pleasure of seeing another one of my dresses on display in all it’s beauty for a client. I got Miss Little-Bit all dolled up just so she could show her evil side in a store three blocks from the party. Unfortunately, we gave her every opportunity to improve her behavior and we could not reward her bad behavior with the benefits of the party (there was cake, ice cream plus her classmates), so Miss Little-Bit and her dress was sent to her aunt’s house.
So I’m posting the after party pics for friends and family.

     

I got more completed projects on the way, so stay tuned.