Tutorial: Father's Day Pocket Square / Hankie

Since my last post, I delivered a baby! Yes, little Harper Scarlett came 2 weeks early.  Since my husband is now a father and father's day is coming up, I thought it only appropriate to post an easy pocket square for you to sew for the dad in your life.  Pocket squares are making a come back, influenced by the show Mad Men, seen in GQ magazine as an "indispensable tool" and now J.Crew is carrying a line of pocket squares.  Pocket squares are a great way to dress up a suit, add a dash of color and a fun print.

This doesn't have to be just for dads, my friend Kayte loves these pocket squares for herself.  She uses these as a hankie all the time especially in the New York City humid summers.   If you are a beginning sewer this is a great project for you.

The key ingredient for this pocket square is you want very soft cotton.  I used Liberty of London which is called a Lawn Fabric.  The count is high, which means there are a lot of very fine threads per inch making it softer (think of high count bedding sheets).  RobertKaufman, a popular fabric manufacturer, also makes a lawn fabric in solid colors.

Materials:

1/2 yard of fabric ( you will be using a 12" square but stores usually require you buy a minimum)

matching cotton machine thread

size 8 needle

fine pins

Step 1:

Cut out a 12" square and iron.  Fold over 1/4" twice on 2 opposite ends.  I pin down, iron, then secure the pins into the fabric.

Step 2: where the raw edge meets the now folded edged, fold in the corner at an angle, this way your corners will be nice and neat and have no fabric overhang. Repeat step one, fold over 1/4" seam allowance twice.

Step 2

Step 3: all fabric is pinned down. Because this is such a skinny seam allowance I do pin it parallel to the seam. Normally in the classes I teach I tell my students pins should be perpendicular so the pins can be pulled out while you sew or the needle can jump the pins.

Step 3

Step 4: Sew on the inside fold. This ends up being about 1/4" seam allowance.  If you are using the Liberty of London or the Robert Kaufman Lawn fabrics use a size 8 needle since it is finer.  Start your sewing somewhere in the middle, not on a corner.  This reduces the risk of the fabric getting bunched up on a corner or pushed down into the machine.

Step 5: when you reach a corner, sew to the end and back stitch to the beginning of the fold.  Leave the needle in, pick presser foot up and pivot.  Sew down the next seam. Repeat on all corners.

Step 5

Step 6 all finished, iron and steam and gift!

 

 If you aren't a sewer or just don't have the time to shop for fabric and make the gift, you can purchase one in my etsy shop. 

Click here to see my Liberty Pocket Squares. 

If you decide to sew this let me know how you do or if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Peter Som at Anthropologie -Illustration meets fabric

Once the warm weather hits I love wearing dresses, skirts and shorts, anything for my legs to be free!  Anthropologie is currently working with Peter Som, a San Francisco native and graduate of Parsons.  I received the email announcing the collection and loved his illustrations.   So many fashion companies don't use illustrations anymore,  they feel it is such a waste of time and everything becomes about making money.  With technology, drawing your ideas and dreams have become obsolete.  I find this to be so sad.   Illustrating is a talent and to me it will never go out of style.  No one can replace an illustrator but someone can always replace computer drawn sketches.

All images from Anthropologie and Peter Som.

I love the way they transferred his images onto the fabric.  It's like a water color or oil painting of a garden.  A total success! 

Happy Weekend!

from Little Rock Pie Cycle

It's been pretty busy here, so busy I have barely sat at my computer! I currently am working on an order of aprons for a fabulous restaurant in Nantucket called Cru.   Cru is an oyster bar and restaurant located right on the water on this tiny little island.  If you have been reading my blog you may know I worked in Nantucket while in college and now visit there every summer.  I also was married there.  Once I finish the apron order I will be posting a similar apron tutorial.  In the meantime, with this gorgeous weather here in NYC and maybe because I am now 9 months preggers, I have been in a total pie eating mood.  Yes pie. And today a friend on facebook posted an article about her new business, baking pies!

photo from Arkansas Times

I met Hannah Moore at Purl Soho.  We worked together for a few months, and like many Purl employees she is an artist and creator.  She moved back to Little Rock Arkansas with her husband last fall.  I thought she would look for a teaching position while she created her art but today I find out she has been pedaling her goods.   Baked goods.  Look at those tasty pies above!  The pies are hand held single serving pies, in fruit flavors and she uses local ingredients when possible.
She posts her location on her facebook page for the upcoming Saturday on where you can find her, her bicycle and the tasty homemade pies.
If you live in Little Rock be sure to hunt her down and check out this recent article in Arkansas Times.  Good luck Hannah!

photo from Arkansas Times

Selvedge - A Publication

I wanted to share a new magazine I have discovered that I am reading cover to cover.  It is called selvedge.  My background as a designer, I mainly focused on woven fabrics.  I find myself still being drawn to wovens over knits.  Selvedge is the finished edge of a fabric, it is the part that is pinned down onto the loom while it is being woven.  Selvedge, the magazine, comes from London.  It is filled with articles of forgotten crafts, artists and designers bringing quality back to the art of design and making it local again.  Now the magazine isn't just for someone in the trade, any crafter will enjoy this mag for it's inspiration, fun how to's  (how to make a pre-tied bow tie) or special articles on different crafters (in the latest issue we learn about Lobster Pot Maker Nigel Legge from Cornwall).

Nigel the lobster man and lobster pot maker.
Picture taken from Selvedge Magazine

Although the magazine is based out of London and there are many British companies and crafters featured, they also include global crafting.  In Issue 51, March and April 2013, there is an article about Namibia, the history and the traditional patchwork dresses the Herero women wear.  The history of the Herero women dates back to an awful war with German colonial forces.  However, the Herero women have added their color, style and unique headdress to make them their own.  They are now a symbol of pride and status.

Picture from Selvedge Magazine

The last article I want to call out is "Maine Line".  It is an article about numerous communities in Maine with creative entrepreneurs.  I don't want to spoil it for you so I will just give you a little info.  It covers sea bags, linens, textiles, blankets from merino and much more. This article makes me want to move to Maine!  And the illustrations in the magazine are just simple and gorgeous!

If you have the opportunity definitely pick up a hard copy or visit their website here.

Garden Inspiration from Etsy

With the warm weather here, all us gardeners are just itching to get outside.  Now that I live in Brooklyn, I have a back yard!  I love it. I love being outdoors, working in the sun, it's quite quiet where I live which is surprising being so close to the city.  Last year was our first year here so we didn't renovate the back yard.  I planted vegetables and flowers in beds. This year we are having some landscaping help so I am not planting anything quite yet. However I still can window shop for garden inspirations.  Here are some things that I am liking on etsy these days.

Terracotta planters

Modern Ceramic Planters

Watering Can

Garden Stakes

Garden Tortoise

Buddha Dog

Garden Stool

Love the quilt like looking pattern in the above stool.  And the color of the glaze reminds me cool, refreshing water.  Perfect for holding your icy beverage or as an extra seat.


One thing missing is garden markers.  The trend on etsy seems to be using old silverware and embossing them with your veggie and herb names.  I love upcycling but just didn't like this look.  I did find these classic ceramic markers from a shop called From Artisan Hands.

Hopefully you will be inspired by the cool pool blues, the aloe shades of green and the terracotta rust colors and create something today.