Perfecting your pants making skills

Have you ever made pants that were less than pleasing?  I have. Somehow the template used by the "Big Four" pattern companies doesn't work on me, and probably on a lot more women.  In my case, the back waist bags outward and rides much lower than a typical pair of hip huggers.  (I'm not bashing the Big Four, in general I have had a lot of success with all kinds of patterns, except for pants!)

I like the way Talbot's pants fit.  A visitor to our shop had been in charge of Talbot's sizing when the company modernized and updated sizing a few years back.  I don't recall how the subject came up, but she explained a little about how the adjustments were made for "real women."  I didn't have time to plot it out on paper at the time...

So a little while ago I started to look for "solutions."  I came upon Lekala, a Russian pattern company that sells semi-custom pattern blocks made to your measurements.  They are very inexpensive ($2.49 or so). You enter a set of measurements (do the basic measurements or for more precise fit enter more on their optional template). I ordered pattern #5003, a download.

Today I sewed a mock up from lining. It fit, so I went on to make a pair of nicely fitted pants. I used the mock up as the half lining for my pants.  I'm happy.  They fit like Talbot's, but this particular pair is cut higher in the waist.  I'd like it just a little lower.  Maybe next time I'll do it without the waistband, and just make a waist facing instead.  But this is a good, wearable pair of pants for fall.

This is the line drawing of Lekala #5003.  Lekala assumes some sewing knowledge, so their directions are pretty basic, and they need some work on their American English translation.  If anyone is interested in a tutorial, please let me know and I'll post one so you can begin your pants sewing adventure!

Throwback Thursday...and a contest

Here's a picture from a past Vogue magazine...in celebration of tweed.  In this case, a heavy tweed skirt is paired with a geometric print blouse, and it all looks up to date!

Now, here's the fun part....guess the issue's month and year, and you will win a one yard cut of this beautiful, imported wool boucle tweed to make a skirt of your very own!    First to correctly guess wins.   One guess per customer please. Fabric to be picked up in-store only*.  $49.00 value.  

*Exquisite Fabrics, Inc.  107A East Davis Street, Culpeper, VA  22701

It's not too early for "Pre-Fall"...and the looks are easy

Chloe showed a few Pre-Fall looks with a black and white cheetah print.  Looks fresh and not too animal print-y!  It's easy to get a look like this:

See the whole Chloe Pre-Fall collection on Style.com here.

Get some black geometric lace like this:

Black geometric guipure lace.

And some silk charmeuse with gorgeous cheetah print, like this  (coming soon).

Haute couture pure silk charmeuse, imported from Italy.




Make a classic princess seam shirt, and add long ties.  Then, make a skirt lined with black (or some other color)   Here's a Burda pattern for a floaty, layered hemline:

    

Happy pre-Fall planning!

Threads magazine shares instructions for easy-peasy lace top!

Cotton lace is a favorite for summer dress-ups.  It make a top to go with jeans, or it can go semi-formal as a breezy wedding dress.

Threads magazine has generously shared a set of directions for a "Quick-sew lace top."  It takes a yard and a half of lace fabric.  If your lace top has scalloped edges, even better. This one is perfect:

Ivory cotton lace #6576:  buy it here!

Then get the instructions here.

One cavaet:  The instructions seem to refer to the shoulder seam as a "vertical seam."  The point is that there is not a "seam" at the shoulder because you leave the pattern pieces joined instead of cutting out two separate pieces.  So don't let that one fool you, the instructions are good except for that~

Here's your finished top...enjoy!  

Color of the year and new arrivals!

We've all heard about it--Pantone's "Radiant Orchid"--and we've seen the color chips at Home Depot and the write ups about all kinds of lavenders, purples, and orchids in a whole spectrum of tints, shades, and hues.  But,where is the elusive "Radiant Orchid" in the world of fabric?

Well, good news--get out your pattern stack and get ready to sew, because we've gotten a good selection of silk prints (even a beaded one), a French cotton ottoman, and even a bridal satin in the much-ballyhooed shade of the season!  Sophisticated buttons, too!



Visit Exquisite Fabrics, Inc.'s profile on Pinterest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the best time of year to remember anything and everyone for which/whom we are grateful, and that includes our customers!  It's so much fun to make new customers and to see our loyal customers from the DC area!  Thank you and we hope you have a very good turkey day!

Meanwhile, our website is still growing.  Thanks to you for your inquiries, which help us to prioritize.  The search function is very functional, and we can even see what the most frequent search terms are so that helps us to know what people are looking for.  Just type in the term for the item you are seeking in the box at the upper right corner.

For example:  "lace trim" yields this result (click):  LACE TRIM.

As you know, there is still only fraction of our inventory online and this is a long-term project!

New silks, nice weather, good eats, and other reasons to enjoy Culpeper!

Greetings from Culpeper!  The past week was perfect weather for sewing, was it not?  Hope you enjoyed some relaxing and/or productive time inside!

Now that the weather is clearing, you might be craving some time out and about.  Along with our tweeds, cashmeres, and other fall fabrics, we've got a new shipment of silk prints. We sell silk prints all year round, in fact, Exquisite Fabrics is well known as a "destination" for fashion-forward fabrics. Only a fraction of our collection is shown online, and quantities of everything are limited, so hurry for the best selection!

Along with fabric shopping, October 14 through 20th is "Restaurant Week" in Culpeper.  From the "Visit Culpeper" website:

If you've been waiting for a special occasion to explore the robust and diverse mix of downtown Culpeper restaurants, you now have one: Culpeper Renaissance's 5th Annual Restaurant Week. Started by local restaurateurs in 2009, the event encourages diners to break out of typical work-week patterns and share a meal with family and friends. With specially priced menu options -- $25 per person includes a 3-course dinner of appetizer, entrée, and dessert -- it's a great excuse to revisit old favorites or try something new.

Fall is a beautiful time of year to take a break and re-harmonize with the beautiful countryside surrounding Culpeper.  The national parks are closed?  Visit an apple orchard (of which there are many including our favorite, Roy's in Sperryville) take in a traditional apple festival at Graves Mountain, or take a hike through one of the state of Virginia's beautiful parks:  Sky Meadows.  It's our go-to relaxation spot!