DIY: Free Sewing Pattern for Marshall DSL40C Padded Amp Cover

It's finished! It's now available for free here: Culver Design Patterns

This is super niche, honestly I'm not sure how many people would be interested. I designed this padded amp cover for my Marshall DSL40C when I found that A: padded amp covers are very expensive, and B: The affordable covers were not very durable and were quite thin. My cat's favorite thing is laying on top of this amp, so I wanted something that cat hair wouldn't stick to and be somewhat resistant their their pointy little claws. The cover is made using cotton canvas, it also has a soft fluffy batting inner layer, a cotton lining, and opening for access to the top handle. It's a fairly simple design, but does have some slightly involved steps including binding the inside edge of a rectangular opening. But anyone with some sewing experience should be able to manage.

I'm working on the downloadable pattern right at the moment. Hopefully it can help some musician out there. My version is incredibly simple looking, but it could easily be customized using different fabrics, paint, or art applique. But I had this particular cotton canvas on-hand and and it only cost me my time.

I'm Now Available on ASK.FM To Answer Your Sewing Questions

If you're stuck on a sewing problem, have questions about specific techniques, want book recommendations, or are unsure how to proceed after a mishap- you name it- I'm available to answer your questions on ask.fm. 

Ask Jeanette Culver a sewing question

Painting a Portrait with Corel Painter, an Animated .GIF of Stages

Corel Painter is a program you can use to create 2D art that imitates analog mediums like oils, watercolor, charcoal, etc. The brushes, mixing palette, paints, and tools imitate the physical feel and qualities of their analog counterparts. I used a self portrait for this example, this painting was an experiment and I had no model. This is pretty much the reason why painters paint so many self-portraits!

It's been a convenient tool for when I want to play around with a new technique and can't make a monetary investment in too-expensive supplies. The ease and immediacy of digital painting has helped encourage a more spontaneous output for me, and willingness to take risks I wouldn't have with physical paints. It's an upfront investment, but it has paid for itself in a very short while. I'm using version 11. The program currently goes for roughly $400/ £300/ €400 new, though it's readily available for much, much cheaper on ebay.

This is an animated gif: watch to see transitions.

Different stages in painting a portrait.

The finished portrait.

As an art student during the very early 2000's, digital painting was just starting to be A Thing. It was predictably controversial among older artists, but it was readily adopted by the young students who had a more pragmatic view of technology. I don't know that digital painting is anywhere near getting the level of respect granted to traditional mediums in the fine art world (could it?), but it's absolutely pervasive in popular art. It has upsides and downsides. But, so does traditional media. Like paint and canvas's prohibitive cost, for example!

When you first start using Corel Painter, you will likely find it a bit overwhelming. So many tools and brushes and functions. But you can get to painting pretty quick, actually. Mastering all of it's tools takes time, like anything else. One thing that does drive me crazy, though: the hotkey commands are all just sliiiightly different from the Adobe Suite. It's maddening going back and forth between those programs unless you change the key mapping.

Good luck to you!

I now have a 'Pieces For Sale' section!

I occasionally have original pieces available for sale- now I've made them available through this site for online clientele. I will be updating this category whenever new pieces are made available.

Find the sale page on the menu under the site's header any time, or you can click this link.

Cream Russian Fairytale Coat- available for sale.

I now have a category for projects sewn from commercial patterns!

In this gallery you can see a collection of projects I've sewn from commercial patterns that are from my own personal wardrobe. If you yourself sew and you see something you like in this category, you can make your own version! The projects in this category are all sewn from patterns of high quality that met my standards.

You can find the commercial pattern gallery on the menu bar (just under the header) or you can click this link.

McCalls 6800

Updates

A new review!

I've added a minor piece to the couture fashion gallery! I still have several more pieces waiting in the wings that need to be photographed which I will be adding later.

I have also created a page dedicated to showcasing my portraiture and illustration. The newest piece is a moody portrait with a 1920s film vibe.

I've added my CV (resume), translated into English. I'll have the French translation and possibly a Norwegian translation available soon.

Pattern Review: Butterick 6105, a Pattern By Gertie

Completed Wrap Jacket

Product page for Butterick 6105

I give this pattern a 5/5

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Materials: black wool crepe, Japanese rayon chirimin crepe, metallic cross weave rayon satin in an orchid color (for lining).

Summary
I picked this retro styled wrap jacket pattern (designed by Gertie of Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing) at one of those fabric store pattern sales. My hoard of patterns is almost entirely composed of sale impulse buys. I don't sew from commercial patterns that often, which is... eh, I clearly have an impulse control problem. But, I'm glad I got this one. It is a beautifully crafted pattern in my opinion. My own result has a le smoking look to it due to my choice of fabrics, but I suppose I don't mind that. It's composed entirely of large fabric scraps from my stash, so my fabric choices were limited.