Congratulations Canada's Gold Hockey Team!!!!
(obviously, no sewing being done in this house today)
28 February, 2010
We ARE Number ONE!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Canada's Gold Hockey Team!!!!
(obviously, no sewing being done in this house today)
27 February, 2010
More magnetic fun!
The EYES have it:
Oopsy-daisy! Can't pin it on me!!
Curious?? Intrigued?! that's two 3/4" rare earth magnets in their cups (hic!). The cups increase the magnets' strength by a factor of four - and keep all my pins from flying about. I can't even pry the magnets out of these cups any more - no way, nohow. Yep, they're strong! What is keeping the magnets to the box? the pins in the box! and vice versa! At last, no more Me the Clumsy Carp, always picking the Shower-Of-Pins off the floor....
Still working on my suit, and the jacket's so-so close to the finish!
Disclaimer: I probably could've had the suit finished last weekend, but I'm such a great fan of winter sports that the Olympics took precedence over Everything Else these past many days. Rah, rah, Canada!
As of this morning, the sleeves and hem are faced, and I am glad & relieved they are. It all felt a tad skimpy even before anything was turned up, and I feared the final product would look like it was made for a midget if I don't face the hems & sleeves. I bagged the lining/facings, pressed it all into submission, and now it's only a matter of adding some shoulder/upper back padding (shoulder pads, yes, the cashmere is so soft it needs to be supported), and closures. Closures, you ask?
I made my Decision: I'll use five 3/8" rare earth magnets and the washers that come with them. But I'll skip the cups.
Above you see, at left, a washer and magnet. They're the same thickness, 1/10".
And at right, a cup and two magnets. The cup's more than twice as thick as the magnet. So, for the sake of a smooth, slender, and sleek jacket front, I'm skipping the "magnet on steroids" uber-thick look. Just five little magnets sewn to the facing on one side, and five matching washers on the other. There will be pockets near the hip but no credit cards anywhere near this jacket.
And then there's the matching skirt to finish. Yawn. I'm SO ready for another (a spring!) project.
Oopsy-daisy! Can't pin it on me!!
Curious?? Intrigued?! that's two 3/4" rare earth magnets in their cups (hic!). The cups increase the magnets' strength by a factor of four - and keep all my pins from flying about. I can't even pry the magnets out of these cups any more - no way, nohow. Yep, they're strong! What is keeping the magnets to the box? the pins in the box! and vice versa! At last, no more Me the Clumsy Carp, always picking the Shower-Of-Pins off the floor....
Still working on my suit, and the jacket's so-so close to the finish!
Disclaimer: I probably could've had the suit finished last weekend, but I'm such a great fan of winter sports that the Olympics took precedence over Everything Else these past many days. Rah, rah, Canada!
As of this morning, the sleeves and hem are faced, and I am glad & relieved they are. It all felt a tad skimpy even before anything was turned up, and I feared the final product would look like it was made for a midget if I don't face the hems & sleeves. I bagged the lining/facings, pressed it all into submission, and now it's only a matter of adding some shoulder/upper back padding (shoulder pads, yes, the cashmere is so soft it needs to be supported), and closures. Closures, you ask?
I made my Decision: I'll use five 3/8" rare earth magnets and the washers that come with them. But I'll skip the cups.
Above you see, at left, a washer and magnet. They're the same thickness, 1/10".
And at right, a cup and two magnets. The cup's more than twice as thick as the magnet. So, for the sake of a smooth, slender, and sleek jacket front, I'm skipping the "magnet on steroids" uber-thick look. Just five little magnets sewn to the facing on one side, and five matching washers on the other. There will be pockets near the hip but no credit cards anywhere near this jacket.
And then there's the matching skirt to finish. Yawn. I'm SO ready for another (a spring!) project.
24 February, 2010
A tiny tale of tiny magnets - update with answers
The Slapdash Sewist asked how I know not to iron a magnet. Gold medal to those of you who guessed, correctly, that I learned not to precisely by doing it. It's a cute, or maybe merely salutory, story of the huge disconnect we sometimes experience between theory and real life. Way back when, I taught 2nd year electricity & magnetism while postdoc'ing, so I do know some theory, and later, in a grownup job, lectured on paleomagnetism and archaeomagnetism, including all the stuff on how rocks, ceramics, and sediments become magnetized, and all the lab tricks of measuring remanent magnetization, Curie temperatures, and so on. You'd think this large chunk of highfalutin' knowledge buried inside my head would give me pause when playing with magnets and heat. Alas: not so.
A couple of years ago I attended a workplace gala - a great and very formal black tie event, so of course made myself a silk gown for the do, and, equally of course, had a great time. Since a regular purse would've clashed, I made myself the simplest possible envelope clutch out of the dress fabric - for the bare essentials: a handkerchief, driver's licence, you know the drill. Nothing could be simpler. (click on the pic below to get an enlargement)
As it was to be a one-time item destined for a subdued-light environment, I didn't worry too much about making it fancy or any fancy closures, but ran over to Lee Valley, bought a 3/8" rare earth magnet (page 130 of their online hardware catalogue), sewed it and a flat iron washer onto opposing sides of the inside flap, and the job was done. Till I gave the finished item that "one last pressing". The magnet went dead on me, the theory-powered lightbulb snapped on in my head, and I had to run back for another 38 cent (sheesh! the high cost of sewing!) replacement.
The opened pic shows the large flat iron disk sewed onto the inside of the flap, and the small magnet sewed onto the envelope. The little magnet sitting on the clutch is 1/4", one of four I use to hold sheet music down onto a standard nickel-plated iron music stand, when the inclination to play outside in the wind strikes me. Yes, placed directly metal on metal these tiny babies are fiercely strong; but when separated by a couple of layers of cloth, their hold is surprisingly soft.
In the case of a jacket - daytime, possibly frequent wear - I'll mount the magnets differently, so they don't show on the outside or the facing. And I know better now than to - ever - iron them.
************************ ETA 27/2:
To answer your questions, Gwen and Kathi: magnets are affected by heat. Without getting unduly technical, the Curie temperature is like a magnet's melting point. Just like water molecules above water's melting point are free to move at will (turning ice into water), so above the Curie temperature magnetic spins are free to rotate at random.
This property is used to magnetize rare earth magnets in manufacturing. They're made by sintering rare earth alloy powders, sometimes in a plastic (non-magnetic) binder, in a strong artificial magnetic field. Then they're cooled from above their Curie temperature while they're still being held in this strong magnetic field. This aligns all the spins to one desired direction and freezes them that way permanently: turning the material into a permanent, very strong magnet.
But when we place a hot iron on a magnet we "melt" the magnetization again, the spins become free to move willy nilly, and, since the Earth's magnetic field is extremely weak, when the magnet cools back to RT, its spins "freeze" in random directions - no more magnet, just a chunk of rare earth material!
Cold water washing and dry cleaning won't affect a magnet. They're usually nickel plated for corrosion resistance, but can be physically brittle, so might get chipped if bounced around in a clothes dryer. So that's two good reasons not to machine dry them: the heat is likely to demagnetize them, while the bouncing may crack or break them.
Bottom line? cold water wash, but air dry. It should be OK to iron the item, but not too close to magnetic closures, and never directly on them.
HTH!
A couple of years ago I attended a workplace gala - a great and very formal black tie event, so of course made myself a silk gown for the do, and, equally of course, had a great time. Since a regular purse would've clashed, I made myself the simplest possible envelope clutch out of the dress fabric - for the bare essentials: a handkerchief, driver's licence, you know the drill. Nothing could be simpler. (click on the pic below to get an enlargement)
As it was to be a one-time item destined for a subdued-light environment, I didn't worry too much about making it fancy or any fancy closures, but ran over to Lee Valley, bought a 3/8" rare earth magnet (page 130 of their online hardware catalogue), sewed it and a flat iron washer onto opposing sides of the inside flap, and the job was done. Till I gave the finished item that "one last pressing". The magnet went dead on me, the theory-powered lightbulb snapped on in my head, and I had to run back for another 38 cent (sheesh! the high cost of sewing!) replacement.
The opened pic shows the large flat iron disk sewed onto the inside of the flap, and the small magnet sewed onto the envelope. The little magnet sitting on the clutch is 1/4", one of four I use to hold sheet music down onto a standard nickel-plated iron music stand, when the inclination to play outside in the wind strikes me. Yes, placed directly metal on metal these tiny babies are fiercely strong; but when separated by a couple of layers of cloth, their hold is surprisingly soft.
In the case of a jacket - daytime, possibly frequent wear - I'll mount the magnets differently, so they don't show on the outside or the facing. And I know better now than to - ever - iron them.
************************ ETA 27/2:
To answer your questions, Gwen and Kathi: magnets are affected by heat. Without getting unduly technical, the Curie temperature is like a magnet's melting point. Just like water molecules above water's melting point are free to move at will (turning ice into water), so above the Curie temperature magnetic spins are free to rotate at random.
This property is used to magnetize rare earth magnets in manufacturing. They're made by sintering rare earth alloy powders, sometimes in a plastic (non-magnetic) binder, in a strong artificial magnetic field. Then they're cooled from above their Curie temperature while they're still being held in this strong magnetic field. This aligns all the spins to one desired direction and freezes them that way permanently: turning the material into a permanent, very strong magnet.
But when we place a hot iron on a magnet we "melt" the magnetization again, the spins become free to move willy nilly, and, since the Earth's magnetic field is extremely weak, when the magnet cools back to RT, its spins "freeze" in random directions - no more magnet, just a chunk of rare earth material!
Cold water washing and dry cleaning won't affect a magnet. They're usually nickel plated for corrosion resistance, but can be physically brittle, so might get chipped if bounced around in a clothes dryer. So that's two good reasons not to machine dry them: the heat is likely to demagnetize them, while the bouncing may crack or break them.
Bottom line? cold water wash, but air dry. It should be OK to iron the item, but not too close to magnetic closures, and never directly on them.
HTH!
21 February, 2010
Brown-blue cashmere: credit where 'tis due
Why? I occasionally employ two photogs, both wedded to their art. Ahem, in one instance, also to me. These here were taken by the SENIOR snapper. I complain so bitterly about the doggone awful results of his shutterbugging (ironically, at MY request), never permitting that it may be the subject of his attention, not his skill with the camera, that may be the cause... Today, the gentle soul demanded credit for his unstinting love and moral/logistical support. Of many years.
QED. But boy, he takes awful photos (of me).
This is part 1 of 3 of my cashmere skirt suit. The top is based on the Go 4001 dress, lined to the edge with dark brown silk jacquard, with a CB invisible zipper. I don't believe how long it took me to get this wee little thing done.
The last photo shows the long skirt - it's still unfitted, unfinished, unhemmed - but it gives the idea of a two-piece dress that'll go under the jacket. I'm lucky to have been able to eke out three pieces out of the length of fabric, and ditto for the silk jacquard I'm using for lining. Just barely enough, but enough. Basta!
Almost-black garments don't photograph well on freshly fallen snow. I had to do major exposure adjustments to show these. I do love the princess seaming of the top, though.
I'm just about done attaching the lining to the jacket. Problem is, I can't decide on closure. Buttons? Snaps? Nothing? I don't want buttonholes, ordinary or welt. I'm tending towards concealed six rare earth magnets from Lee Valley Tools just down the road, invisible and indestructible (except if ironed: you never ever iron a magnet).
QED. But boy, he takes awful photos (of me).
This is part 1 of 3 of my cashmere skirt suit. The top is based on the Go 4001 dress, lined to the edge with dark brown silk jacquard, with a CB invisible zipper. I don't believe how long it took me to get this wee little thing done.
The last photo shows the long skirt - it's still unfitted, unfinished, unhemmed - but it gives the idea of a two-piece dress that'll go under the jacket. I'm lucky to have been able to eke out three pieces out of the length of fabric, and ditto for the silk jacquard I'm using for lining. Just barely enough, but enough. Basta!
Almost-black garments don't photograph well on freshly fallen snow. I had to do major exposure adjustments to show these. I do love the princess seaming of the top, though.
I'm just about done attaching the lining to the jacket. Problem is, I can't decide on closure. Buttons? Snaps? Nothing? I don't want buttonholes, ordinary or welt. I'm tending towards concealed six rare earth magnets from Lee Valley Tools just down the road, invisible and indestructible (except if ironed: you never ever iron a magnet).
14 February, 2010
Maricou m'a taggée: I've been tagged!
Maricou, c'est Marie-Noëlle de Rouen, France, qui dirige son blog La Machine à Coudre. Pour mieux la remercier, ma reponse, comme vous voyez, est en français - pourquoi pas? Pour jouer, la personne taggée est obligée de montre une "dixième photo", et de continuer le jeu, en "taggant" 5 bloggeuses en retour.
Pour ma photo, j'ai choisi ma dixième photo du jour de ma visite au mausolée de Xi'an, ou on peut admirer l'armée de terre cuite de l'empereur Qin. Chaque de ces soldats est different de tous les autres.
Translation: Thank you, Marie-Noelle, for thinking of me for this little game. The tagged person is to post a 10th photograph, and then tag five other bloggers in turn. As you see, I chose to post the 10th photo of my visit to Emperor Qin's mausoleum and his enormous terracotta army, in Xian. No two soldiers are the same.
Je passe la baton à: / I nominate:
Verobirdie, Au Fil du Jardin
Shams, Communing with Fabric
Robin, A little sewing on the side
Omega, Sewhooked
Lena, Kisakim's Sewing Blog
Alors: you're IT!!!!
Pour ma photo, j'ai choisi ma dixième photo du jour de ma visite au mausolée de Xi'an, ou on peut admirer l'armée de terre cuite de l'empereur Qin. Chaque de ces soldats est different de tous les autres.
Translation: Thank you, Marie-Noelle, for thinking of me for this little game. The tagged person is to post a 10th photograph, and then tag five other bloggers in turn. As you see, I chose to post the 10th photo of my visit to Emperor Qin's mausoleum and his enormous terracotta army, in Xian. No two soldiers are the same.
Je passe la baton à: / I nominate:
Verobirdie, Au Fil du Jardin
Shams, Communing with Fabric
Robin, A little sewing on the side
Omega, Sewhooked
Lena, Kisakim's Sewing Blog
Alors: you're IT!!!!
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