Project: Creating the Shawl..

Last January, I bought a dress in Verona, to wear at a black-tie event here in San Diego. I was to be honored as "Educator of the Year" by the Fashion Group of San Diego. Check my blog dated January 15th, and you will see the dress I purchase. Then, you will see the fabric I purchased to make a shawl to wear with the dress.

The main fabric is an off-white wool boucle (slightly felted). I purchased black silk organza to use as a backing fabric, and to make a ruffle.

Here you can see the final result, the night of the event.

So, how did I make the shawl?

I started by calculating the size of the basic shawl. This was 20" by 54". Then, I cut the same size of the silk organza.

I then experimented with figuring out how deep I wanted the ruffle to be, and I cut and experimented with a sample. I decided that the selvage was 'nice enough' and that I would simply let that be the edge, thus eliminating the need to hem the organza.

After a little 'futzing' with gathering on the sewing machine, I thought I would give my serger a try. So, a quick Internet search took to to a site that had great visuals.
http://everythingyourmamamade.com/2008/03/04/gathering-with-a-serger-sewing-machines-too/


Once I had joined the long pieces and then let my serger do all the work of gathering it, I laid the ruffle on the right side of the wool, and pinned it in place on three of the four sides. I did not want a ruffle on the shoulder edge of the shawl.


Then, I basted the ruffle onto the wool with my Brother machine. I used a longer basting stitch, which is one of the features I love about the machine.

Next, I laid the lining silk organza on top of the entire shawl, and stitched it around all four sides, leaving an opening so that i could turn the piece inside out.

Here you see me wearing the shawl, posing with some of my students from Mesa College.

My sons flew in for the occasion. Below you can see Blake and Danny, plus Danny's girlfriend Isabelle.


It was a lovely evening. I love my new shawl, with its Italian fabric origins.