It's Done!!!

For more pictures go to: http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/KimbaJo4/Kim%20Wardrobe%202009/?albumview=slideshow

I have to add that I couldn't have gotten all these pictures if it wasn't for the help of my awesome kid/photographer!

Kwik Sew 3561

I bought this fabric from EmmaOneSock immdediately upon seeing it. I was in love! I had seen a photo from the Sartorialist with a woman in a very simply sheath dress that had a wild print on it. I decided to do the same thing. I, unfortunately, am not 5 foot 10 and 125 pounds, but decided to do it anyway. I just bought some 5 inch stilettos to go with it to help offset the large heighth issue.

I looked around to find a very simple dress and thought this Kwik Sew was the best choice. I made the long sleeved view with the boat neck but shortened it. The short version is WAY short, something an "over 35" probably shouldn't do unless you have phenominal legs. I added about 2 inches to the shorter version.



A shot of the fabric.



I tried to get photos of myself in it but accidentally broke my camera in the process...Not a good day!



And the gorgeous shoes I bought as a 40th birthday present.



I am working on reviews for the Wardrobe Contest but the broken camera really irks me :-(

OMG I actually finished!!!

Now for the hard part...writing reviews:-( I know I should do it because I've learned so much from them but I have such a hard time sitting down to do it.

Ok, no more sewing til I get reviews done!!!

The hurry-er I go, the behinder I get...

Busy, busy, busy...We've been going non-stop for the past couple weeks so no updates. We've had a Flyball tournament every two weeks for the past 6 I think, and another next weekend, and another two weekends later!

So, I entered the Wardrobe contest on Pattern Review with hopes of finishing but we'll see. I do have 1 skirt done, and after sewing last night, two shirts done but needing hemmed. I haven't done any reviews but will get to them soon. Here's my storyboard (as always subject to change):



My plan was to make a pair of fun, casual black pants, but after wearing my old black work pants to death, decided I need a new pair. I have some lovely RPL from Gorgeous Fabrics that I will probably use. I'm still trying to keep this more of a casual wardrobe. I may end up not finishing because I really want to make a winter coat. I bought this at the last Vogue Patterns sale at Joann's: Vogue 8607. I didn't even notice at the first sale, but bought it at the second one. I wear a lot of raglan and kimono sleeved shirts and hate it when a coat isn't and bunches them up. I think this will be perfect, plus it's a "Very Easy" pattern for my first winter coat. I have some great Royal Blue Wool Melton but I think it will be too thick for the pleats on the front and back. I also have some thinner plum/purple wool that will pleat better but I'll need to try and interline. I cannot get a link to work to the pattern...ugh!

I serged and didn't cuss!

My first successful serged garment. Albeit it's a simple child's raglan sleeve top, but it's wearable and I didn't throw anything or even cuss once!

This is for my son. I plan on making a couple more. They match our team colors for Flyball. When we ordered shirts they had nothing in this color in children's sizes so he was out of luck and pretty bummed. I saw this color on Fabric.com of the Tactel Nylon Knit and ordered it. Turns out I guessed right on the color, they match our shirts perfect. I'm going to make a couple more, then send them off to the embroidering place to get our logo on them.

Harem Pants and a Cardi Wrap

Both are done! I love my harem pants more than I thought I would. I wore them out to dinner tonight. I also love the cardi-wrap. I think I could live in it.

Harem Pants...yeah, I said harem pants

So I absolutely loved these in the 80's and had my mom make me a couple pairs. I wore the heck out of them until one pair disappeared after a friend borrowed them. I swore I was going to make a pair this year. I bought some muted satin at Joann's, it's not crepe backed, but it's very flowy and the color of iron. I cut them out in May I think, made an oops cutting out, got frustrated and combined with my fear of invisible zippers I put them in the UFO pile.

I pulled them out yesterday and decided I wanted to finish them. They are still "in" for Fall, of course you should really be 5 foot 10 and 125 pounds to wear them, but what the heck.

So far so good, I have them together except for the waistband and am going to finish them. They may be wearable, the jury is still out, but I think they are worth finishing to see.


I'm making the longer version. I'll post them up when they are done.

BWOF 10-2008-103

I've had this cut out for 6 weeks and finally finished it last night. I was waiting on some lining, then got into other projects and had to finish those. That's my new rule: Must completely finish a garment before moving on.

Anyway, great little skirt, not to full, hits at the right spot for me. I don't normally wear full skirts but this one has such a wide waistband that it works. I'm adding this to the TNT pile. Bad picture...but it's all I got right now :-(

I did it!

So I haven't sewn this much in one day other than to get a bunch of dog coats or collars ready to sell at an event.

DH was at work, DS was at his Dad's then a friends swimming and I sewed and sewed! I decided to go ahead and start on the dress for the contest mostly because I knew I wanted it whether or not I made the deadline. Luckily I have sewn the Vogue 8379 a couple times so knew what to expect. My new sewing area is awesome! It worked great!

So I took my love of the Vogue dress, the love of animal prints, and the fact that one of the "trends" this year is the cheetah/leopard print and went for it...tada!




Would these be too much with it? ;-)



I think it turned out to be the best version of the dress. It has been a year since I sewed the last one and hope that I've gotten better since. Plus, I think it is actually the most flattering of them as well. I promise pictures of me in it soon!

To Enter or Not To Enter...

I finally got the fabric I'd been waiting for to make the Vogue 8379 dress for the American Sewing Expo/Pattern Review contest. I ordered it on July 21st so I could make the dress sans kid and husband, also while I was on vacation from work.

So now, the deadline is August 15th, today is the 7th, I have a Flyball tournament all weekend and go back to work next week...ughhh! To say the least I'm frustrated.

Anyway, so the big question is now whether or not I can get a dress done today and during the evenings next week. I still a pretty new sewist and not that I have a chance in hades of winning this contest, I thought it would be fun to enter. I don't, however, want to embarrass myself by entering something crappy that I rushed through to finish...

Decisions...decisions...

Simplicity 2593 - Cynthia Rowley

My first adventure into sewing with silk actually turned out better than I thought it would. I picked a simple tank with some fun details to it. I chose the View A


I bought the pattern that went up to the 14 and should have bought the one starting at a 16 I think. I did a muslin and cut a 14 in the body and a 10 in the neck and shoulders. It fit pretty well but was a little snug so for the real blouse I added a 1/2 inch to the sides but still cut a 10 through the neck and shoulders. That little trick is a miracle for me. I just started doing it and wow...what results!

However, after seeing it on me, which I didn't notice in the muslin was that I should have done an FBA. My gathers are pulling in front. It could be the way I was standing, it's late, tired, etc. I guess it's no worse than RTW but it could be better. And damn, I should have put sleeves on it which I guess I could still do...Who's arms are those anyway in my blouse??? Blech!

Yeah, My new sewing space!

Well I didn't get any sewing done this weekend but I got this new space nearly finished and organized. Now if I can just keep it that way.
The last picture I'm actually standing out on the beam across the room to get it...

I'm still contemplating thread storage. I'll probably put up a rack behind the desk. I have all my BWOF's stored in hanging file folders in the desk which is awesome. I'm going to copy the line drawing pages from each one and put in a binder so I can get a quick reference. I get so frustrated remembering I saw a pattern I liked but can't find it and having to search through them all!

The sewing table is completely open so it takes up a lot of room when in use but it should be fine when it's down.

The computer area is required but if this works out I may invest in a nicer corner style desk for the area. My husband is happy I found a place for his pride and joy file cabinet and and wonderful new use for his jelly cupboard.

Thanks to everyone on PR for all their suggestions and inspirations!

Simplicity 2593

It's amazing how much sewing I can get done while the men in my household are off fishing!!! I hope this becomes an annual trip.

Next up a Simplicity. I know I'm new to sewing but in very short order I got frustrated with the Big 4 and their fit. BWOF and Burda just fit me so much better. Well, Joann's had Simplicity on sale, and despite saying I wouldn't buy any more Big 4, I did. I really like these Cynthia Rowley designs...so cute!

So up next, something simple for some pretty silk charmeuse. I've never sewn silk so this will be a new experience. I did a muslin out of some cheapy Joann's silky just to get an idea of how it will work. It fit pretty well. I bought the size that goes up to a 14, but I probably needed a 16 so I may let the hips out a smidge. I cut the shoulders and neck a 10. Wow, what a difference in how tops fit when I do this. One of the many things learned on PR. I don't think I'd still be sewing if I hadn't found that site.

Hopefully I can finish it today between my other tasks to get ready for the men to return...

Forgive the picture quality. This is a cell phone picture. The cord to get the pictures from the camera to the computer is with my husband. The fabric is a pretty cream color with midnight blue dots.

Version 2: BWOF 5-2009-114

Ok so I think this is becoming a TNT dress for me. This time I didn't try to use a zipper but cut the back pieces on the fold. I used a sleeve pattern from another BWOF pattern (2-2009-121) that ties. This is a beautiful lightweight cotton sateen with some stretch from Gorgeous fabrics. I bought it to make a skirt but really thought it worked well in this dress.

Snoop shopping vs. BWOF

I'm on a roll (or otherwise called bored at work)...

BWOF 8-2009 is really on target with current trends. I saw this dress in the issue and really want to make it, not sure though if it will work on my body type. I'm trying to branch out though so I may make a muslin.

And then I see this on net-a-porter at nearly $2k...ouch!

I never do this - BWOF 8-2009-117

I got my BWOF for August in the mail on Monday. I traced and cut out a pattern the same night. I finished it last night (would have finished it Tuesday if I hadn't thought I made a dumb mistake and ripped it out, only to find out I hadn't made a mistake....double dum dum).

It's my first foray into sheers and it wasn't actually that bad. I used my rolled hem foot (new toy) for the flounce

BWOF 8-2009-117

I normally don't wear blouses but absolutely loved this. I made it in some cheapy Joann's red tag fabric as a practice shirt. It turned out decent and I think I may upgrade to some good fabric. Pictures to follow...DH is out of town with the camera ;-)

Look what I just found on net-a-porter in their new arrivals...
Sonia by Sonia Rykeil Silk ruffle-neck blouse
$440

Trying to revive this thing...

So, I've obviously proven I had no stick to-it-ness for blogging! Shoot I can barely get a pattern review done. I guess I'll try again.

I have actually been sewing lately.

I really hate my pictures...blech!

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=41535

What have I done lately?

I really don't understand how so many people keep up such wonderful blogs and still sew and have a life. I seriously cannot keep up! I did manage to do a couple pattern reviews at least. So, here's a quick synopsis of what I have completed...
BWOF 10-2008-115
In a gorgeous fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics that I can't seem to find on the website anymore. I have yet to do a review of it, so I have no pictures. It's a thin grey wool with a jersey underneath that was actually very easy to work with.
<> I also made this from the same issue BWOF 10-2008-101/102. I used the main short jacket but subbed in the 3/4 length sleeves from the longer jacket. This was my first attempt at a jacket of any kind, let alone a lined one. It took some extra brain power but I managed to figure it out and really like it.

Well that's all the blogging I can handle for one day. I get very frustrated trying to make all this stuff line up pretty and go in right...grrrr!