A new outfit for Easter

I’d forgotten how much fun it can be to really knock out a project quickly! At least, quickly for me. The last several months had been rather sewing-light for me, aside from those two pretty simple kids’ projects from my last post. I’ve also been running into the problem lately of staring at my closet and feeling like I have nothing to wear, a lot. And especially when dressing for things like church. So I decided to challenge myself to see if I could put together a new outfit for Easter this year, entirely from things that I already had on hand.

The difficulty of Easter in March is that I always want to dress in something that screams spring, but it’s often quite chilly! So I decided to take a different approach this year from the dresses I’ve done before, and do some separates. After choosing some fabrics that may be the accidental start of a new chain, I started with the shirt. I thought the Jalie Dolman top that had been sitting unused for several years would be a good starting point, but I didn’t want to make it the 3/4 sleeve length. It’s seriously no good for my regional climate — there’s only about 3 days in a year where that’s comfortable. So I turned them into statement sleeves instead. I took the original sleeve pattern, flipped it so that the underarm seam was on top, hemmed both raw edges, and then added a cuff to the bottom so the sleeves would have this slit in it. Since we’re in the season where it’s impossible to dress for a whole day because you freeze in the morning and sweat by the afternoon, I thought that long sleeves with ventilation, especially in this synthetic ITY, would work well. I did end up getting to test that out, as we started the day in the 30s, going to church during a power outage that left us with just one space heater in the sanctuary, and then it was nicely in the 60s by the afternoon. I did stay comfortable all day, more or less, so I’ll call that a win.

Best shot of both the sleeves and the curved hem, though I didn’t style it this way while wearing it this time.

Overall, the shirt came together quickly, and my coverstitch machine was generally cooperative. I’ve seriously struggled with that. There was still some tunneling, so obviously I still have some tension issues to work out, but it also didn’t immediately start unraveling like it often does. So maybe I’m finally getting the hang of it, after several years of attempts?

Best shot of the skirt, even though I’m headless.

For the skirt, I chose the Salida by True Bias, which had also been sitting unused for years. I found a mid-weight denim with minimal stretch, and decided to do the classic gold topstitching on it. I do love a good denim topstitching! And I’m thankful to have the luxury of having two machines in the house so I can set one up for construction and one for topstitching, because otherwise I never would have finished it by my self-imposed deadline. I decided to make view B, mostly size 14 but graded down to 12 for the waist. After that initial grading, I did very few alterations, aside from needing to take the waist in a bit further. The one major thing was that I ended up chopping the skirt nearly 6″ shorter.

Here’s the original length. There’s nothing really wrong with it, except that since I made it in denim, it kept making me think of the 90s homeschool mom denim jumper stereotype. And since I am a homeschool mom, well… not exactly the vibe I wanted to channel. The other issue was my shoes. My cooler weather “dressier” shoes are mostly falling apart by now, and I really hate shoe shopping for my extra-wide bone structure/constantly feel that mom guilt of prioritizing buying shoes for the kids who are outgrowing theirs, so I more or less exclusively wear my skirts with my 2 pairs of everyday taller boots until it’s warm enough for sandals. And I just didn’t think this mid-calf skirt would look right with that style of shoe. After some Instagram polling and getting my husband’s opinion, I decided to go with the shorter length, and I’m glad. Now it’s giving me those retro 70s vibes that I always had a weakness for (since the 90s when my style was heavily influenced by 60s fashion and my mom’s authentic 70s sewing patterns, haha). And I think that, with this shorter length, it’ll be a more versatile addition to my wardrobe. I’ve been lacking in basic-ish solid skirts that I can pair with printed tops, so this is a big wardrobe hole filler for me.

All in all, I’m very pleased with how this outfit turned out. And I’m hoping to play with the styling a bit more soon, since I can think of a few more pieces in my closet that these two pieces might mix well with. For it to be a real chain, I think I’ll need to come up with at least one more top, so I’ve been wracking my brains and combing through my stash to see what might work. It would be nice to get one more thing in before I have to dive back into plotting the much needed swimsuit that I never got to last year.

The furball approves, too.

Year End Wrap Up, Part 1

It’s been an exceptionally slow several months of sewing for me, as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t updated this since July. A lot of my time over the second half of the year has been spent on things like homeschooling my kids, since my middle child is in kindergarten this year and the demands are higher with two kids that are at the state-required age for “real” school. (Not that it’s hard in my state, since I’m only required to submit attendance, but I’m still trying to give them a quality education!) And I’ve been spending a good bit of time dealing with some health issues that have cropped up suddenly since the fall. So between that and my husband working a hybrid schedule that leaves me with less computer access, I’ve been struggling with less energy and needing to balance the things I need to use the computer for, namely school prep and the digital scrapbooking, since I’m still doing a creative team and trying to keep up with current family pictures while they’re still fresh in my mind. All that to say, my sewing time has suffered.

I do have two finished projects to show from the past season. The first is a Plitvice tee, from Itch to Stitch. This was filling a major hole in my wardrobe — there were so many times over the summer where I wished I had just a plain black tee to wear with skirts! So I finally got to it in the fall. I’ve learned over the years that solids don’t often excite me to sew, unless the pattern has some textural or seam interest. So the draped front of this tee was a good element for me. The pattern wasn’t a difficult one, though it still took me well over a month to construct just because of the lack of time. I’m pleased with the results, though, and would definitely like to revisit this at some point. The drape didn’t really photograph well here, so here’s a smaller shot of that.

The second is a simple refashion of the chambray shirtdress that I made largely during the 2020 lockdown. I finally had an opportunity to wear it in the fall of that year, to a cousin’s bridal shower. When I saw pictures from the event, though, I realized that I hated the way it looked on me, especially from the side. And just because I’m officially middle-aged now doesn’t mean that I want my clothes, especially the handmade stuff, to make me feel frumpy! So I took off the epaulettes, which looked too forward on my shoulders, and the belt. Those have been really hard to place for me since the pregnancies altered my waistline anyway. Then it sat in my closet for nearly two years while I tried to figure out what to do with it. I considered trying to turn it into a skirt, but in the end I kept it simple and just shortened it into a shacket. A good move, I think, since I got to keep all four pockets and I’ve already worn it more than when it was a dress.

I’d still like to go back and make a chambray shirtdress to be a wardrobe staple at some point, but I think I’ll need to choose a pattern that has a different style of waist definition. Belting just doesn’t work for me right now.

Since I’m using this as a year end wrap up, I do also have two other projects in progress. The first is a quilt that I need to finish cutting out pieces for the top. We ended up moving my daughter out of her converted crib toddler bed into a twin size bed this year. My mom made twin size quilts for both boys, and my girl has a crib-sized quilt from her, but my mom has even less sewing time than I do since she watches my niece full time and can’t do later evening sewing anymore. It’s going to be a more basic block top instead of the fancier appliquéd quilts that my boys have, but hopefully she’ll like it, when I can get it assembled.

I’m also making a Deer and Doe Fumenterre skirt that’s been in my queue for years. I’d originally had a whole autumn wardrobe chain planned around this skirt, but the time just got away from me this fall. I’m thinking maybe I’ll just make one coordinating top and then revisit this later next year. I recently managed the main obstacle (remembering how to do a fly zipper after nearly a decade, with sketchy instructions), so I’m hoping I can finish that before the end of the year. We’ll see how it goes.

Can I call it a chain…

…if there’s only 3 links?

I had grander plans for summer sewing and my Chain Reaction project. But in the end, I only finished three projects over the entire summer. The third, the Itch to Stitch Fortuna shorts, was mentioned in my last post. Today, to catch up, I’ll share the other two. (With some help from the toddler who refuses to let me get any project photos on my own.)

My first project, and the first one that I made for this intended chain, was the Shenanigans Skort from 5 Out of 4 Patterns. I ended up making this as part of her Facebook group’s sewalong. Since I already made this once before, last summer, it was a fairly quick project to knock out. The two changes that I made were adding some rise to the back, which worked well, and attempting to add in seam pockets. My thought was that it might give the overskirt more of a polished look than the patch pockets on last year’s black ponte version. That didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. I ended up having to go back after about two washes and understitching them by hand, because they were bagging out so badly. Also, the stress points were already developing holes. So I won’t be doing that again, but I am happy with the changes to the fit.

The second project was another from the Itch To Stitch Sew Beautiful book, the Prague top. This is me being very late to the cold shoulder trend, and I’m still not entirely convinced about how I feel about the look on me. That being said, it was a pretty easy sew, and the shirt is comfortable to wear.

How fun is this print? I picked it up in the juvenile section at Joann’s, actually, because I really wanted a great novelty print and couldn’t find anything in the boring adult fabrics. (I guess this was my midlife crisis shopping trip?) Truth be told, a big part of what drew me to it was that I knew my sons would love it if Mommy has a dinosaur shirt. And they do.

I made a size 12, graded to 14 in the hips. I also shortened the sleeves just a bit. Will I make it again? I’m not sure. But it was worth trying.

I had other plans — a second Santa Fe top, and a seafoam colored skirt to pair with the Prague tee. I had hopes of sewing a dress and jacket combo that I’ve been plotting for several years, too, with a small chain built off of that. But we ended up having an extremely busy summer with plans nearly every weekend, and lots of late weekday bedtimes with my kids struggling to go to bed before the sun. I don’t regret losing the weekend time to making memories during our “Summer of Fun”, as my husband dubbed it, especially after last year. Lots of beach time, water park time, getting to see extended family and friends that I hadn’t gotten to see in over a year was worth it. I could have stood to have more of my weeknight time back, but it’s just a season of life. I can revisit those next year, right?

Now I’m trying to shift gears into Halloween costume mode. It’s been a slow start, since we’re also getting our homeschool year going, and trying to juggle two students plus a toddler there. But I did pick up a couple of patterns to use as starting points, and some curtains from the thrift shop to use for materials. So hopefully I’ll have that rolling soon.

Muslins, muslins everywhere…

….and not a project to show! Seriously, everything is in that completely not safe for work zone. Or safe for public consumption, period. But I actually have made some progress, so I figured you all wouldn’t mind if I at least talk about it a little, right?

First off, the Lonsdale dress. Long story short, I have to start over completely on the muslin stage. I thought I was being all smart–after double-checking my measurements, I figured that since it looks like I fit perfectly into a size 10 at the bust and a size 6 at the waist and hips, I could just cut it as a 10 at the top and grade down those two sizes and it would work. WRONG. It was so ridiculously gappy at the top (and surprisingly a little too small at my waist–that pretty much never happens). So then I tried taking it in at the top, and letting it out a little at the waist. The waist was fine, but now the top pretty much doesn’t cover enough of anything I want it to cover. Of course, it wasn’t until about halfway through this adjusting process that I remembered that Tasia has a post about making an FBA for this particular pattern. Oops. So I’ll be starting over with that in a proper fashion once I get some time to do so–probably not today, but maybe tomorrow. I’ve also gotten the boning, and I decided that I’ll make the rest of the support (hopefully) easier for myself….to be explained in a future post. So, over a third of the way through the month and I have zero visible progress for the Summer Spark Sewalong….can I finish this in time? Stay tuned….

So since I didn’t have the time to go through that process at the moment, I worked on the jeans muslin some more. And I think I’ve actually got that pretty close! I still need to test it with a waistband, and perhaps let out a teensy bit more in the thigh area, but I’ve just about got it to the point where it’s not too tight-looking in the back, there isn’t a whole lot of wrinkling in the front like the last attempt and I can pretty much sit down in it without feeling like my circulation is being cut off. (I probably should let that extra bit out, just to be safe, since I’m making this is a non-stretch denim.) So then the next complication is figuring out how to transfer the multitude of changes back to the pattern, seeing as how the only pattern tracing paper I can get around here is crap that won’t even mark on other paper. That, and seeing if I can still add pockets if I straighten out the side seams like Mr. King says to do. Because wow, if I drew this line right, the wedge that I have to take out of the front is HUGE.

(Incidentally, has anyone reading this ever purchased from Sil Thread? I found this, after reading the recommendations in the question section of the Jean-ius class, but there’s no descriptions on anything so I’m not entirely sure this is the right stuff. A shame, because this is waaaaaay cheaper than the other site he recommended. Plus I’m not sure if I could find enough useful stuff on the other site to make the $35 minimum order…)

I can show one thing, at least. This is how far I’ve gotten on the Strafford Tee. It doesn’t look like much other than a block of purple, but you see that little twisty bit towards the right? My self-figured “darts” are working out much more nicely on take 2. I’ve actually started increasing again, sooner than I’d done the math for, because this is about 6-7″ long now and according to the pattern I only need to do 10″ before I have to start actually following the instructions again. But I figured that I’ll just get it back to the right number of stitches and take it from there–I don’t mind if it’s a little longer than what it calls for.

Fall Essentials Sew-Along!

I was excited to see this announcement over at Rhinestones & Telephones today–I was curious to see what the categories would be this time! Of course I’m participating–even though I didn’t quite get through my entire list by the end of August (though I at least started everything by then!), I love the flexibility of getting to choose my own patterns. And this one especially seems rather conducive to allowing for knitting to be part of my wardrobe scheme. So, in almost no particular order, here’s what I’m hoping to be up to for the next couple of months. The sew-along information is copied from Sarah’s blog, with the rest of it being my own plans. (Lots of pics ahead!)


ABOUT THE SEW-ALONG
Fall is often a very busy season for many of us, filled with activities that often have us running hither and yon. Making your items should be a form of relaxation; a time to slow down and enjoy the creative process.

The goal: Stock your wardrobe with quality pieces that you will wear again and again.

The benefit: A group of creative people who will encourage and inspire you, not to mention talk you off the ledge when you need it!

Well, she’s got that right….fall is almost always really busy for me, and it looks like this one will be no exception. Since I’m still having no luck in the job-hunting department, though, I should at least be able to find some time to sew during the weeks, even if it seems like almost every weekend between now and the end of October has something going on!

Fashionable Foundations for Frosty Weather
Trousers, skirts, legwarmers and more! Anything that keeps your lower portion fashionably cozy fits perfectly here! The chilly weather necessitates the donning of bifurcated bottoms and sassy skirts!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again– I’m determined that this will be the fall that I finally conquer The Jeans. So I’ll be revisiting my latest muslin from the twice-taken PR Jeans class, which I set aside once the LBD plans started happening, and hopefully using this denim to make a fabulously fitting pair!

There will also be some skirt action happening, though I’m not entirely sure how much. I do have one currently in the works that I started last night in an attempt to participate in the latest Refashion Co-Op weekly challenge. If all goes according to plan, it’ll fill a long-standing hole in my wardrobe…but more on that in a later post. I did also pull out these couple of things so I could have some quick projects if needed in the midst of the more complicated plans I have for the fall. (Though I wonder how quick they’d actually be, seeing as how those prints mean that both skirts would be lined…)


Also, on a random note, I love that they used the word “bifurcated”.

Chic Chemises for Cool Climates
Blouses, tops, vests, cardigans, and sweaters! These wardrobe essentials can carry you from day to night, not to mention provide necessary layering to keep out the chill. 

Blouse #1, which I mentioned in my last post, is already in action! But again, more on that later. I’ve also pulled out this knit…

I’m not sure what pattern I’m actually going to use for it yet, but this was one of my fabrics I got from Mood last year. And while this is a bit of a departure fabric for me, I think it would go fabulously with that red skirt if I get to it. I looked through my patterns a bit today, and came up with these four possibilities:

From left to right, I’m thinking either the 3/4 print top, the reddish twist-front top, the white basic top, or that stripey drapey v-neck top. I know you’re normally not supposed to break up large prints with patterns that involve a lot of seams, but at the moment I’m leaning towards either the twist-front top or the drapey-front top. Seems to me that smaller pattern pieces in front might make it easier to avoid unfortunate print placement, given all of those circles!

Also, there is that sweater knitalong that’s going to be happening very soon. And another refashion idea I’ve had bouncing around in my head for awhile, which again may be a quicker thing.

Fabulous Frocks
Dresses of all styles; mini, short, or long! Keep yourself warm in your modish designs, layering with tights and boots!

Two words (actually a word and a number): Vogue 1253. Which I will be making out of these: The jersey, which I’ve had for a couple of years, is on top, and this is the tricot lining and organza I recently picked up to go along with it. (It’s ok to buy fabric to help me bust stash fabric, right?)

This will most likely be the next thing after the blouse and the recon skirt–since it’s sleeveless, I need to finish it while I still have a shot at being able to wear it.

 

Underneath It All
When you’re spending months covered from the neck down, a glamorous underpinning of your choice adds a secret, luxurious touch that chases the cold away!

No plans for this category currently.

Tender Tootsies
Let’s not forget your frosty feet! Socks, slippers and the like are the order of the day. Keep those tootsies warm and dry! 

I did cast on a new knitting project the other day that actually fits this category! Which I’m only 7 or 8 rows into, so it still counts. But again, more on that later.

Those Cozy Nights
Is there anything better than snuggling up in a cozy pair of pajamas with a hot drink and a book whilst Jack Frost works his magic outside? I think not! Sleepwear of all types are the way to go here!

You know, I think I’m actually good on cooler-weather PJs for now! So again, no current plans for this category.

Baby It’s Cold Outside
Coats, hats, and mittens donned to keep the cold at bay, especially when out enjoying the spectacular fall colours!

I have hopes of being able to work in a knitted hat, in this (the yarn I got at my inaugural visit to the local yarn store):

And, well, Gorgeous Fabrics lured me in with their current sale….which includes that raincoat fabric I wanted. So I bought 4 yards of that, and it arrived in the mail today. I think it’ll be lovely to sew with–more taffeta-like and less vinyl-like than I expected! (And I did flick some water on it to see–it does repel!) Given that I have other things I need to get done sooner, this may not actually be part of the sew-along. I’m just going to say I’d like to have it done by around Decemberish.

But I do also have this pulled out, to make another brown coat. This one more for layering purposes. Isn’t the lining fun? And I love the look of this jacket (from the 11/09 Burda magazine)–it reminds me of those 70’s jackets of my mom’s that I used to wear all the time as a teenager, before they got worn out/too small for me. (I’m a bit taller than she is, so they were always a bit snug across my back and such.)

I realize that this is a lot of stuff, and the chances of me actually getting through all of this are pretty slim. But it’ll be fun to try!

Fall preview!

I spent some time digging through my stash the other night, and I think I’ve got something resembling a plan for my upcoming projects. I figure there’s about 10 garments I want to sew before the end of the year–now that it’s almost August, I’m turning my attention more towards fall clothes. It’s part of my ongoing attempt to be smart and sew things before the end of the season I want to wear them in. (Plus I need to make a bag for the fall, and if at all possible, something to carry my beach umbrella in before, oh, next weekend. The cheap plastic carrying case that came with it fell apart at last. Though I really can’t complain…after all, I got the umbrella for free!) So here’s what’s coming…

This one is in progress, actually. I made the muslin the other day, and came up with several fitting tweaks. But I’m thinking that, if I can pull it off ok with the plaid, this shirt is going to be really fun! Even if it’s not my usual color scheme. (The plaid will be fine, I think….after all, it worked for the Burda magazine people. Of course, since they seem to be making a move towards clown fashion according to the next preview, whether this is a good thing is debatable.)

From sew and so

This one is going to have to be next, I think. I’ve had this fabric for years–possibly since college! And it hasn’t managed to make it into something yet. So I’m going to make the cardigan here, or perhaps a modified (i.e. longer) version. This knit is just so lightweight that if I delay it too long, I won’t get any use out of it. But I think it’ll make a nice summer-to-fall transitional layer. (Besides, I’d meant all along to finish it this summer.)

From sew and so

The colors on this picture aren’t quite right. At least for the solid. It’ s a little more teal. I’m going to make a skirt with the teal (mainly to test my skirt sloper and make sure it actually fits all right–based on an incident involving unsuccessfully .using it to alter another skirt pattern recently, I’d like to check that before I cut any other skirts out! (Especially since apparently the skirt sloper is a foundation to making a pants one….and you all know well by now that me and pants-fitting haven’t quite learned how to get along yet.) And the print is just so sheer that it has to get made into something before it gets cold.  I have a pattern potentially in mind for that one, but need to figure out if I can add sleeves.

And last but not least, this.

I’m hoping this is the year that I finally turn this into that jacket from the March 2007 Burda mag that I’ve been eyeing for at least the last year and a half…or whenever I special-ordered that issue. Edit: I almost forgot…bet you’re all wondering what the deal is with that jeans muslin, aren’t you?  Well, the truth is, I’m not really sure at the moment. It was at the point where no matter what I did to try and get them to fit better, it didn’t work, and I had even the class instructor baffled. So she messaged me to ask if I could send her the actual muslin, which I did probably about a month ago, along with whatever measurements I thought was pertinent. I haven’t heard anything back yet, so I’m thinking maybe I should write to her and ask her if she even got it in the first place….otherwise, I have to start from scratch again! Guess it’s a good thing I actually do have a couple of pairs that fit decently right now. Thank you, Goodwill.

Me vs. the flowery explosion, part 3: I win!

That’s right, I didn’t let the top defeat me. I’m stubborn like that. And even though this is kind of a departure for me (especially the color scheme), I think it turned out pretty good. Good thing I’m so pale.

And no, Shelly, I hadn’t specified which pattern I used yet, but here’s a review for you!

Pattern: Simplicity 3750

Pattern Rating: Recommend, with modifications

Pattern Description: A tie-back tunic top with sleeve variations.

Pattern Sizing: 8-16. I cut a 14.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Pretty much, yes. I started out intending to make view C (with the cap sleeves), but it ended up looking too Regency-era so I took them off to end up with view E (the sleeveless one) instead.

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions were fine– I just made things way more complicated for myself by adding a lining.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the look of the finished product, though there are things I’d change if I make it again (mainly making it cut a little higher.) I also like that it has the wide tieback sash, because I like my empire-waist tops with an option to make my waist look more fitted whenever possible. I didn’t really care for the instructions to finish the armholes and back neck with bias binding, or that the elastic in the neckline is just a fold-over casing–I think that could have the potential to flip to the wrong side. But for the most part I didn’t follow that part.
 
Fabric Used: A silky print polyester, with a satiny polyester for the sash and lining (I used the wrong side of the fabric for the sash–as you can see here in the lining, it would have been WAY too shiny in contrast otherwise!).

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: As stated before, I ended up fully lining this top. With the light background of the print, it was just a little too see-through to go without. I also ended up adding about 3/4″ in the bustline (and adjusting the lower front, back and front strap accordingly) so it would fit my chest better, and then taking out an additional 1/2″ from the seam allowance just below the armholes on each side because it was gapping.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I might sew it again– I really like the look of the sleeves on view B. But if I do, I’m going to raise the neckline more, and use a little less elastic so it doesn’t gap at the neckline. If I’d strictly followed the directions and not had to figure out the lining, I think it would have been a pretty easy top to sew, so in that I would recommend it. But I would also caution to beware of the fabric you use if you go for a print, because it’s really easy to make it look too 18th-19th century with a smaller floral!

Conclusion: It’s a cute summer top–just maybe not quite as easy as the pattern thought if you want to make it look nice and finished.

I’m glad to have gotten this one knocked out of the queue…now if I could just figure out what to do with the leftovers! Angelia suggested maybe a quilted bag, so I’ll consider that. I’ve been really bad about my fabric estimations this summer, it seems– I’ve ended up with significant leftovers for every single project I’ve made lately!

I don’t have much in the way of work today–Tuesdays is my day off from the garden center this summer so I can do a lot of teaching, but every student I would normally have this morning and afternoon is away at a camp that my church throws every summer! So I just have a few later this afternoon and that’s it. I’m hoping to get some more work done on tweaking my jeans muslin (which I have to out-stubborn even more than this shirt, because it just refuses to fit me properly), and then I have a dress that I cut out over the weekend that I’m really excited to make. I’d much rather work on that than the muslin, actually, but I feel like I need to work on it while I can still get the instructor’s help! It looks like the dress is going to be a more or less straight from the pattern project, so theoretically, this should come together fast. “Theoretically” being the key word here…

A 2-for-1 finished project post!

First up: my finished plaid button-down shirt!

The plaid shirtings, when I bought them from Fabric.com, were all given boys’ names. This one was the “Mason” plaid, but I’m going to call this my “happy camper” shirt– it just looks like that sort of style. I finished sewing the buttons onto this one on Tuesday. Or was it Wednesday? Oh well, doesn’t matter, it’s done!

Just to recap, I made this one based off of New Look 6407–my third shirt from this pattern. Though I made some tweaks to it, mainly in terms of the sleeve. (By the way, the giveaway for this pattern is still open, but only until Monday! I’ll pick the winner on Tuesday. So if you’re interested, comment away!)

I am so happy with how the sleeves turned out–exactly how I’d envisioned them! I’m still learning how to manipulate and alter patterns without tweaking-as-I-sew, so the fact that I was able to draw out this sleeve, sew it together, and have it look just like what I wanted is pretty huge for me. I’m also glad that I went with these shell buttons instead of plain shirt buttons like a plaid shirt would usually have– I think it makes it just a little more interesting. (And a little less lumberjack-ish. I guess I’ll be saving that one for the other plaid I bought from the same sale! Though “Ayden” isn’t really a lumberjack name…)

The second project is a bit of a cheat.  I mostly finished it last August–it was intended to be a part of my mini-wardrobe experiment. But since I decided I didn’t want to bother with adjustable straps (and honestly, with the hardware for that I was able to find, I really didn’t think it would work with the thickness of the sewn straps), I did the construction a bit differently and it resulted in this funky batwing effect. I’d already picked a bit of the binding off with the seam ripper, so all I did last night was gradually take in the top of the side seams about 1/2″ each, took 1/2″ out of the binding, and sewed it back together. I think it made a pretty significant difference! And now I can finally take this one out of the mending pile and start wearing it. (Actually, for me, 10 months to get to that is pretty good!) I’m hoping that the pleats hang a little better on me than they do on my perpetually-crooked mannequin…poor Donna.

One final note on the jeans fitting class: my muslin still has a lot of work to go. The teacher, Jennifer Stern, has been very kind and helpful about my plethora of questions! Where it stands right now is that the thighs fit pretty well (yay!), the back crotch is in pretty good shape, but the front still needs a good bit of tweaking–I’m getting these weird wrinkles, and actually have too much room in the front for my stomach! She gave me some suggestions in the chat last night for how to handle it, so I’m hoping to test those out and see if they help. Once I finally get the crotch fixed, the next step is going to be to make it a higher-rise jean…covering my underwear is good. And then I get to work on all of the fun that’s going to be actually getting that waist to fit, which was my main incentive for taking this class in the first place–the hope of jeans that fit that I don’t have to wear a belt with! Belts certainly have their place, but since my style is generally more longer, tunic-style shirts that stay untucked, I really hate the look of a bulky belt buckle under my shirt!

So the plan for today is to work on that muslin some more, and then hopefully start sewing my next project, which I cut out on Tuesday. Oh yeah, and do some cleaning, because my best friend is coming over tonight so we can catch up/do some crafty stuff (at this point, I’m thinking I’ll be making more bracelets for Wendy while she’s here–it’s quieter) and watch Doctor Who. I guess I should get on that first!

Dreaming of summer…

…clothes, that is. Since apparently I now live in Alaska instead of the mid-Atlantic, is it any wonder?

Since I didn’t have work until later, I braved the aftermath of Snowmageddon with my mom to go to Joann’s–my original plan for today was to start assembling the quilt, but I discovered that I didn’t have enough of the muslin that I got for the backing, since I had to make the quilt top larger than originally planned. (I guess I might be doing that tomorrow. We’ll see, since I also have the sides for the rest of the ottoman reupholster job cut out and waiting for assembly.) And since I’ve been pondering my wardrobe quite a bit lately, one of the things I quickly settled on is that I’d like to add a simple black knee-length skirt to my wardrobe, since I think it’ll go with a lot of things and the black skirt I have doesn’t always go with everything due to the styling. So I figured I could justify adding some fabric to my stash for that… a linen-look poly-rayon blend that’s not supposed to wrinkle a whole lot. (I know it looks grey here due to the lighting, but it really is black.) I’m planning to give a skirt from the most recent Burda mag a shot for this one. (I also splurged on this great printed knit there, since Joann’s hardly ever has good knits, but let’s just ignore that for now.)

And then when I got home, I was inspired to go through my samples of my current fabric stash to choose a couple fabrics to concentrate on using for some spring-summer clothes. (I spent some time last night partially going through what I have there, and figured I should probably be thinking of sewing additions to that now, and then in the summer I can work on sewing things for the fall and winter.) So here’s what I pulled out to motivate myself to get the rest of this room sewing done so I can make clothes again!

1. An organic cotton jersey knit–it’s really kind of a seafoam green color. I’m thinking shirt #102 from last June’s Burda for this one.

2. A woven polyester in cream, seafoam, orange and a more pinky coral. The most likely candidate at the moment is McCall’s 5809.

3. A purple 60s-printed lightweight sweater knit that I picked up at a dollar a yard several years ago at a Walmart sale. I’m thinking a lightweight shorter sleeved cardigan, but I haven’t settled on a pattern on this yet. I have nothing in my stash patterns or Burda mags that seems to quite fit yet. I’m considering the Riviera Mini-Midi-Maxi Cardi from HotPatterns, but since the pattern alone is almost $20, I’m keeping my options open and will probably save this one for a later project.

4. This crinkled gold-embroidered turquoise is one that I got for Christmas a couple of years ago, I think. And I’ve been eyeing it for about a year trying to figure out what to do with it. I think I’ve finally settled on a pattern I’ve done with crinkly fabric before, Simplicity 5595 (the short flutter-sleeved one).

5. I found some inspiration the other day at EMS, of all places. (That’s where I get a lot of my outdoorsy gear.) There was this cute blouse there with a gathered empire bust, mandarin collar and interesting button closure made out of a stripey sheer fabric. I almost bought it because it was on sale, but then I remembered I had this fabric in my stash and didn’t need to pay $26 for it. I think I can figure something out based off of the May ’09 Burda #110, though I may seriously take the sleeves from, say, #112 of the same issue.

6. This is another one I’ve been eyeing in my stash for awhile, an embroidered twill. I was thinking maybe a dress when I bought it, then I thought it would be perfect for Burda 3/07 #117, and then I thought maybe I should go back to a dress, but I think I’m back to the Burda skirt again. I’ll just need to figure out what to do with the yard or so I’ll have left over.

7: Now I’m not sure what I was thinking when I bought this particular fabric– I’ve never really been a Francophile, not to mention one of the colors is hot pink! But I am in need of some cute summer pjs, so I think these will do nicely. I’m thinking maybe the Jane pjs off of the BurdaStyle site (with longer shorts), since I do have that pattern saved from back when they were free patterns. (Maybe I should just do the shorts from the November ’09 Burda, since then the magazine would be good for something. Although I actually really do like one of the pj tops from this issue too– I just don’t think I have the yardage to make both out of this fabric.)

8. And then there’s this turquoise polyester satin that I got for free–someone passed it to my mom, but she couldn’t use it for quilts so I ended up with almost 4 yards of this stuff! It’s a great color, but I’ve been having trouble figuring out what to do with it since it would be quite easy to make it look too nice for everyday wear (and I’m not sure it’s nice enough for all of those fancier occasions I don’t go to!) So part of it is going to become a jacket lining, at least. I spontaneously ordered some corduroy on sale at Fabric.com for $2.99 a yard to make this jacket (and therefore this is actually probably going to end up as a fall sewing project)–figured this would make a fun lining for it! I just hope the fabric’s really more chocolate than it looks on screen, though I guess turquoise and black would go well together too! Um, and then while I was at it, I sort of got this and this to make those same blouse and jacket patterns that I’m using with the sheer metallic stripey fabric. (Been feeling an urge lately to add some plaid back into my wardrobe, probably a result of that revisiting my teenage style post. I tried to get something to refashion, but Goodwill didn’t have anything in plaid that I liked this time. At $2.49 a yard, I figured I could give it a shot for these.)

And then there’s the one thing I’d love to find an excuse to make, but haven’t quite figured out yet…I have this retro 60s Simplicity dress pattern— I’m thinking the style of the coral, but the length of the turquoise. But despite the plethora of suggested fabrics on the back of the envelope, I just don’t seem to have anything in my stash that is calling out to me on this one! Any suggestions?

I know it looks like a lot, but I figure I can take a day to trace out patterns and then a day to cut out stuff, and then I can probably get through much of this pretty quickly. Barring any major fitting issues, of course. And once I get through finishing that ottoman slipcover and quilting that bedspread and making three sets of curtains…of course, it’s looking like there’s a very good chance that I’ll have snow days both tomorrow (today now, I guess) and Wednesday, so as long as we don’t lose power, I have no excuse not to sew!

A 2-for-1 special: The "Sea Flowers" top and dress

I finally got around to taking the pics this afternoon, so I now present parts 3 and 4 of my summer wardrobe: the printed top, and the dress that was supposed to be maxi but wasn’t.

1. The top- McCall’s 5662

Pattern Description: Knit empire-waist top with bodice and sleeve variations. I made C, which is a kind of kimono-esque one.

Pattern Sizing:X-small- Med.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Mostly– I eliminated that ropey belt thing.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn’t have a problem with it, but it does skip back and forth a bit between views so a more beginner sewer might have problems knowing where to go next.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the style of it– it came together easily, and it’s very comfortable to wear. I had more dislikes than likes, unfortunately. #1: This top is basically unwearable without a camisole underneath. For one thing, the back is way too low, with the V ending a good 2″+ below my bra. The other thing is that the neckline doesn’t stay in place very well– I’ve worn this top once so far, and it has a tendency to slide off of my shoulders. So there’s a lot of potential for wardrobe malfunctions. #2: At least for this particular view, the sizing is huge. I made it a full size smaller than my usual, and still had to take it in some. #3: A more petty complaint, but the talking cartoon heads of the two girls who created the pattern that pop up in the instructions with tips annoy me. (“Sew an applique onto your top! Put beaded trim around the neck!”) I know that I’m probably a little older than their target market, but it just seems a bit over the top.

Fabric Used: I used a rayon lycra jersey from Lucy’s Fabrics.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: As mentioned, I made it a size smaller and eliminated the ropey belt thing. If I was making this again, I think I would have added in some kind of knit interfacing or clear elastic to fix the neckline issues.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I won’t be making this top again. It might be good for a teenage sewer, as long as they know not to wear it out without a camisole for extra insurance against flashing people.

Conclusion: I think it looks pretty good on me, but it’s just not as functional as I wanted it to be. Too bad, since I had high hopes for this one.

(A final note: One of the saddest things about this top for me is that it really doesn’t work with the bamboo skirt. So from a mini-wardrobe perspective, a fail of sorts.)

2. The un-maxi dress- Simplicity 3678

Pattern Description: “Misses’ knit dresses with bodice and sleeve variations” is the description given on the back. Also has waistband and gathering and the front and back center of the skirt. I made view A

Pattern Sizing: 8-16

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? From the waistband up, yes. From the bottom down, no.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I found them very easy to follow, though I did make some construction modifications to allow for using my serger.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the bodice– the stitched-down pleats add a nice detail, and while it’s low-cut enough that I’ll be wearing it over a camisole just for my own comfort, it’s not ridiculously so. I didn’t like the skirt–the gathering made it look like I was about five months pregnant, especially when looking at it from the side!

Fabric Used: A rayon-lycra jersey from Lucy’s Fabrics (the same one I used for the McCall’s 5662– these were both made as part of a summer mini-wardrobe.)

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I did have to take it in some at the waist, which is perfectly normal for me. I ended up having to take all of the gathering out of the skirt and sewing it in as a flat seam. I’m not entirely satisfied with the silhouette of the skirt– the fabric’s a little too clingy for it to work really well with such a fitted silhouette– but it’s still a lot better than where it started. I did add a seam in the back bodice, but only because I didn’t have enough yardage left to cut it on the fold. I also added a strip of fusible knit interfacing to the neckline facing and hand-stitched it down for extra insurance against stretching and gapping, after what happened with the McCall’s pattern. It seemed to work pretty well, though the stitching is showing up a bit more than I wanted it to.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I think I might revisit it if I ever do end up pregnant (edit: though I’d have to see some improvement in my husband-finding skills first, seeing as how I haven’t even had a boyfriend in a very long time!), because based on how it originally looked on me, it would probably make a really cute maternity dress! However, if the gathered waist is a flattering thing on you, I would recommend it.

Conclusion: It’s a nice pattern, but just doesn’t look nice on me without a lot of help.

(So it doesn’t really look very hippie-ish at all in the styling– there’s just no way I would have been able to make the originally planned maxi-dress, because I wasn’t counting on having to cut out almost every piece between these two on the fold. But it is still a cute dress. Now that it’s not maternity-looking, that is.)

I have a new pattern in the queue as well… one of my friends is getting married in January, and so I need something to wear to the wedding. I’ve found it’s hard to find long-sleeved dresses that don’t look frumpy (and with my complete inability to get my internal thermostat turned on in the winter, 3/4 sleeves is NOT an option!) So I found this one— I know there’s a slit in the sleeves, but I do like those drapey, Rennaisance/fantasy heroine-type sleeves . (And the slit actually makes them more practical, because then there’s no danger of me getting my sleeves in my food at the reception! Now I just need to find some fabric– I’d love to find something in a subtle teal/brown print, because then I can also get some more use out of the wrap I’ll be wearing at my brother’s wedding in October. (Which, if all goes well with the dyeing, is going to be chocolate brown silk velvet. YUM.)