New Look 6097

I saw this pattern and had to make it. I love the wrap top and the pockets and the skirt...great dress!



Well, it was a bit frustrating trying to pick out a size. I measure for an 18, but 18's never fit me. So, usually I make a 14 or 16 and then cut a smaller shoulder/neck area since I am short waisted. I don't sew too many New Look patterns so I'm not sure if this is standard or not, but it had seperate pieces for about 3 sizes. So cutting out a 16 through the bust but 14 in the shoulders would have been tricky. I think the 16 top pieces had the 12, 16 and 20 on it. I usually grade the shoulders to the smaller size.

I was really torn on the 14 or 16 for this. The bust finished measurement is only 1 inch ease if I remember correctly, so the 16 measured 39 inches. But the waist measurement had, I think, around 5 or 6 inches of ease built in. Then I realized the waist had an elastic casing in it to snug it up. Now to me, the dress looks all across rather form fitting. I don't get how the elastic waist with that much ease would look. Long story short, I decided to cut the 16, even though when I put the Vogue 8379 bodice piece that fits me great(which is similar) on top of the 14 and 16, it matched the 14 pretty well. Doh!!!

So, I'm wishing I would have cut out the 14. The bodice is droopy and has gapiosis, but if that was gone there would be excellent coverage. Now, I'm not sure, but this could be a technique issue. They have you fold a neckline facing piece, stitch it on then understitch. It seems mine got stretched out in the understitching even though I had the tension and everything correct. It got kind of wavy. I thought I had pulled enough "extra" through on the bottom of the bodice when I basted it but it still gapes. I don't feel like I'm going to expose myself though and with a cami on under it, it looks ok. Next time, I will skip the facing and just fold over and use clear elastic.

Next time, despite the finished measurements, I will cut out a 14, or if I cut a 16, I will take up the shoulders a good inch! There is a lot of extra room in the bust, even on me!

The pockets are another issue though. They have you stitch them then topstitch them...wavy!!! I though about sticking some clear elastic in between before the initial stitching and wish I had.

And the waistband, they have you create a casing when you sew the skirt to the bodice. Then, to secure it they have you tack it at the sides. I went ahead and created a casing by folding up the seam allowance instead. There is a seam line visible but I didn't want the casing flipping around on me.

All in all, this is a nice dress. This one is wearable but if I make it again I will tweak a few things. I think the lines of the dress are slightly different than what is represented on the drawing and picture. The picture seems very form fitted but I think if sewn up according to the pattern it would be less fitted.

I skipped the belt too.

Playing Catch Up

I've been too busy to blog lately and I was reminded by someone that I hadn't updated my blog in awhile...lol! So here is a quick pictorial update of what I have been sewing.

I have been participating in the Fabric Stash contest but really just don't have time to document everything with reviews. But, at least I am sewing stash fabric.

First up...Dress up clothes.






Midi Length bias cut skirt..McCalls 6438. I modified it to cut on the fold and bias. I'm not sure if it was the changes I made or the pattern but the waistband didn't match up right. It's just kind of an ok pattern. I cut View C.


It's an ok skirt. The fabric was cheapy stuff off the red tag tables at Joann's but it's really soft. Not my most stellar work.


Butterick 5243:



I've had this pattern for years. I think it was one of the first patterns I bought. The fabric was a Fabricmart mystery bundle cut. I don't know why I haven't made it. I'm glad I did now. I made a straight size 14 and it fit well, except if I make it again I will add an inch to the bodice. It isn't a hard pattern but the collar adds some time to it as does all the gathering for the sleeves. I think I might make this again for summer with the short sleeves. I really like the lines of the pattern.





Next Vogue 8581



Once again, another stash fabric and pattern I have had forever. I have been tormenting myself with gathering!!! Both the neckline and sleeves are gathered on this. I made a second one which I don't have a picture of with casings and elastic on both instead of gathering. It is a slightly different look but went together so much faster. I will be making this for summer too in the short sleeved version. I really like it. My favorite thing is the high armcyes! It's a peasant top but it doesn't look like I'm swimming in it.



Elepant Skirt...I think it's Butterick 5466




I think I have a couple more things to post but need to take pictures. The sewing room is going to get broken down and minimized to put the house up for sale. So the sewing will be less...

Dress Up Clothes

Ok, well I'm going to give these a try. Some of this fabric is going to be hideous to work with but it doesn't have to be gorgeous.

I picked up a pattern for 99 cents at Hobby Lobby, McCalls 5732. Despiste the horrible pictures, it has a couple cute dresses.





Here are the lovely fabrics.

From L - R: Poly charmeuse, open weave crochet in pastels and glitter, purple poly charmeuse, lavender acetate lining, turquoise poly something, some poly chiffon stuff.



Green poly stretch velvet...ooooh



I think I'm going to start with the green stuff and View B on the pattern. Kind of going for the medieval princess thing...then if that works I'll go on to some of the other fabrics.

Wish me luck!

Fabric Stash Contest

Well, I entered! I'm not sure how much I will sew up but I will try. I'm out of town one weekend and another weekend is my son's first gymnastic meet. I think I will be saving all my hand sewing for that weekend.

I do have two pairs of PJ pants for him completed.




Up next is a bias cut plaid flannel skirt I've had cut out for awhile. Then I think is a pencil skirt out of this fun fabric I've had for quite awhile.

I was doing a Fabric Fast as well and doing pretty well...for me at least. I bought one piece of fabric, some special Milly Peacock fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics that I could not pass up! I bought some back in November from FabricMart and while I had been able to control myself in December, I fell off the wagon today! FabricMart had a some nice things on sale, then threw in a 10% off coupon on Facebook, then there was the free mystery bundle for a $75 purchase...damn, well I caved!

Oh well!

I was going through my stash and pulling out fabrics I would never make anything wearable out of for me. I started thinking about fun play/dress up clothes for kids. My good friend's daughter loves dress up so I think I'm going to make some things for her out of it. Maybe some fun twirly skirts, a cape, and maybe a dress.

Crazy Pants (or how to embarrass a kid)

"Are you actually going to wear those in public?" asked my son. "Why yes," I replied. "In fact, I am wearing them to work tomorrow!"

I was feeling like a lazy sewer for awhile and I decided I needed something a tad more involved to sew. I have been loving the new fringe trend of printed pants. I've always been a sucker for printed pants ever since I was a little girl. Just ask my mom about my 7 Up pants! My favorite pair of pants had 7 Up logos printed all over them. Even in high school I had some crazy pants. My favorite were pink and purple floral pants from Benetton.

You Look Fab wrote a Blog Post about them and I obviously vote YAY on them.

You Look Fab

This fabric was an original purchase about three years or so ago from my local indie...Fabric Gallery. I thought for sure it would be a coat or jacket but it's been screaming for me to make it into pants for the last couple of months. I guess it would be considered a brocade. It frayed horrible when I sewed it but other than that it was great.

I've been doing my best to utilize stash patterns and fabric. I really wanted to order the new Colette cigarette pants but I was good. I found this pattern and always have great luck with Burda pants and these were no exception.



I wasn't sure about the added bulk of the gathering on the waistband so I left it off. I'm glad I did. The reviews for the pattern are less than stellar but that's mostly due to Burda's crappy instructions which is normal in my opinion. I didn't even use them at all. As usual, I followed Sandra Betzina's Flyfront Zipper Tutoral...it never fails! I left off the little pocket in the back, just a waist of time I think. If you don't need instructions or can find them elsewhere, these are wonderfully drafted pants. They aren't so skinny that I look like an apple on a stick. They are more straight legged. I shortened them a smidge so they hit right at my ankle. I think they are meant to be a bit shorter though.







I really like them with this shirt.



Below are pictures of my practice pair. These are a cotton blend I think. There was three yards in a FabricMart mystery bundle. It is wonderful fabric. I have enough left to make a straight skirt at a later date. I wore them today so they are wrinkled. After wearing them, I think they might have some wool in them.

This pair I cut out a size 42 and only took 3/8 inch seams on the side seams. I am usually a large 42 or a small 44...kinda in between. This pattern only went up to 42. I found them to be pretty generous this way and did a straight 42 for the crazy pants. These are really comfortable though and I will get a ton of wear out of them. I wore them all day today running errands. A great alternative to jeans which I am liking less and less as I get older.

Kwik Sew 3561...A Montage

My life has been in quite the turmoil lately. I feel like George Jetson screaming, "Jane, stop this crazy thing!"



But nonetheless I have wanted to sew. I'm not in the mindset for anything complicate or new at the moment. There is something to be said for TNT patterns that you love and are totally versatile. I call it "Idiot" sewing.

I was going out of town and I wanted some comfortable and verstile dresses. Jeans take up so much room and I really don't find them all that comfortable anymore.

So I made three versions of my favorite dress...Kwik Sew 3561

Version 1: This is the regular shorter length pattern. The fabric is a wool jersey blend but it is so soft and comfy. I feel like I'm wearing jammies. It kind of has a mottled but not quite tiedyed look to it. I skipped the facings and created a neck edging. I serged it on with clear elastic then folded it over and used my double needle to finish it. Love it! Next time though, I will angle the neck edging so it's slightly smaller on the inside and lays better.




Version 2: This is a rayon knit. For this one, I did the same neckline treatment but cut it cross wise so the stripes were opposite. I made sleeve cuffs and a hem cuff in the same manner. I wanted this one a smidge longer.




Version 3: This was an afterthought. I finished it the night before I got on a plane! I bought this gorgeous scarf and wanted to wear it (sorry not in the picture) so I needed a dress. I had this purple that matched it well so I whipped it up in the short sleeves version for something different. I also decided to cut the back in two pieces for a CB seam. It enabled me to curve it along my back for a nicer line. I think I will do this from now on. I really like it.




Before making these I tried to experimenting with other patterns before going back to this one. I did the McCall 6335 but found it ran huge!!! I would need to go down two sizes to get it to fit right. I salvaged the one I made to be wearable but I don't think I'm a fan of it.



I also tried an Onion pattern, the number which escapes me, but it is a raglan sleeved shift dress. It flares more. I kind of like it but my fabric was super stretchy and I think it needs a bit less stretch to hold it's shape. I might finish it. It was practice worthy fabric so no loss.

These were all made back on October, that's how bad I have been at posting. I did do another round of TNT patterns featuring Vogue 8597. This is another pattern I've made before, but about two years ago. I made three versions. Two tops and one I lengthened to a maxi dress...it looks awesome. I made it for my BFF for her college graduation. I did take pictures of me in it so my next post will be of those. I need to take pictures of the tops.

Vogue 1247 Leather Skirt DONE!!!

This was a tuffy! I cut it out and after I did I had major second thoughts. I made some changes, namely moving the zipper to the side so add that to the laying out of leather and I was really unsure what I was doing. I did end up with one blemish in a noticeable spot but oh well. I sewed the pockets on and they didn't really want to lay right. I was very worried they wouldn't work. This is kind of a tricky pattern too with the pockets and there are no second chances with leather.

I sewed in the zipper which actually went in very nicely. The photos look a little wobbly but I think that's glare on the leather from the flash. It actually lays pretty nicely. I sew the other side and the zipper side the rest of the way which is the last blog post.

Last night I started on the lining. I hate doing linings but figure it was a must for this. I started out with some Bermberg and about screamed...I hate working with that stuff. I remembered I had some of this funky charmeuse in my stash. I used it to line my biker coat awhile back. Speaking of which, bet that will look great with this skirt. I self drafted a lining and it worked out nicely. I put the lining and the waistband on last night.

I finished up tonight by hemming the lining and the worst part of this whole process was putting a closure on the waistband. My poor hands are so sore and beaten up.

Someone asked in another post about hemming leather. First off, yes, I only turned it under once and left the edges raw. IMO no need to finish them. Second, I have no idea if what I do is right. I tend to make up my own rules!

So after being unsure about it, I do love it! It turned out like I had hoped it would. It's fun and funky but still work appropriate if I want. Forgive the thrown together look. I was in the PJs sewing and threw something on for photos. I can't wait to play with different looks for it.