Sewing for ME!

Wow, it has been a hectic month! Work has been kicking my tail, thank goodness it's slowing down now. Now I can get back to my sewing.

I got my Easter dress done - every good Southern girl needs an Easter dress, no matter what her age! This pattern is from Sew Serendipity and I think I second guessed myself the entire time I was working on it. Puffy sleeves - too young? Empire waist - so flattering for me! and on and on I go in my waffling.




Sorry for the strange stance, it had rained the night before and I kept sinking in the soft dirt. I made a muslin of this dress, a first I think, sorry no pictures of that. DH will help with measuring hems and such, if it is quick, but pictures are a totally different question. I added a center seam to the back and a wedge to add 2" to cover my ample read end, scooped out a little at the back waist, approximately .5", for my sway-back adjustment, and added .25" at each side seam below the waist for more ease. This fabric is an ITY jersey from Fabric.com and because I cut it so the border would be around the hem, there is very little stretch going around the body. Even so this dress came on and off over my head fairly easily, so I left out the zipper.

After wearing to church, next time (and there will be a next time, I have gotten so many compliments!) I make this I will raise the neckline .5" just so it's a little more user friendly to me and I will put the zipper in the side per instructions. Also after looking at these pictures, I don't think I have enough waist for the wrap-around belt, so I will probably do something different there.

Happy Sewing,

Suzanne

Taaa - Daaa

and finally! and good riddance - oops, that was out loud wasn't it. I finally got this jacket done for my DD. It is made from NL6156 and except for a FBA and adding pleat to the back lining, it was made straight from the pattern. I will admit up front that I obsessed over the fit of these two jackets - more on the second one later - and that sucked the fun right out of them. The fringe really makes that jacket stand out - imo - and DD seems pleased with it.

And a more accurate reflection of her feelings when I said "let's take your picture!" -

The other jacket that I made from this pattern was going to be for me, but it is in time out. The fringe that I had planned did not work out and so I'm still debating what to do, because I think it need something. I wish I thought to get a picture to it too, sometimes that helps to look a little more objectively.

Next up was supposed to be more sets of lingere because I am in desperate need. But I am a sucker for a cowl necked top - and the latest issue of SewStylish a instructions and a pattern that you enlarge for a twisted cowl top. AND it's sleeveless, perfect for spring and summer under jackets. So I have enlarged the pattern and cut it out. Hopefully I'll get it done over the weekend.

Happy Sewing, Suzanne

The mailman is my new bestfriend!!

Because look what he brought me -

And I know I said (well to myself anyway) that I wasn't going to buy anymore fabric this year - my stash is starting to overrun my house - but Butterick 5559 just screams for purple and it would even if it weren't on the cover. Do I have a purple knit - No! so I have to purchase some, right? since it just screams for purple.

I can't wait to start working on some of these patterns even though I am still plugging away at jackets - sigh. As soon as those are done, it's on to one of these.

Happy Sewing - Suzanne

Just keep sewing, sewing, sewing

OK I swiped and mangled Dorie's line from Nemo, but that what I'm telling myself about now.

I'm working on NL6156 for both myself and my daughter. I did do a FBA of .5" and added a back facing and pleat in the lining.

The linings are about as far as I've gotten. The one on the left is DD and on right is mine.

I feel like I'm never going to get these jackets done. Mostly because I got bogged down in a foggy frustration of fit (ha! I like alliteration) which probably wouldn't frustrate me quite as much, except that I recently signed up for and finished a class the Continuing Ed department of the local community college with the purpose of improving my fitting skills - one of my goals for the last several years. The objective of the class was to create a fitting sloper and then use it to alter commercial patterns and building on that to design your own patterns. The last class came and went and did I have a fitting sloper? - No! As my son says That would be a negative. Although the instructor did set up meetings with us to finish the sloper, only problem was that when I arrived for my meeting, she was not there - no phone call, nor has she returned my phone calls since then. So as much as I hate to say this - this was an experiment that totally failed!

I have purchased Kenneth King's The Moulage and Lynda Maynard's DeMystifying Fit and will work through these books. A quick preview shows lots of good information and both got good reviews at Pattern Review.

Thanks Angel for the kind comments on my lingerie sets. The Ottobre panties are really comfortable, but and this a note to self - Boyshorts. Are. Not. Your. Thing. DH also had a really kind compliment, even if (maybe especially because) he didn't realize it. They were laying out on the table after the photo waiting to taken to bedroom and put up, he walks by looks at them and says "Where'd you get those?"

AND because I am a sucker for a corny joke, I leave you with -

A chicken and James Bond meet in a bar. Chicken says "What's your name?" Bond answers "Bond, James Bond. What's your name?" And the answer "Ken, Chick Ken." ;)

Happy Sewing, Suzanne

My First Projects of 2011

And they were not listed on my to-do list earlier. BUT I am in desperate need and DD is so much fun to sew for - she sews enough to be really appreciative of my efforts. As I said before, I love a new year, so they are made in a gold Victoria Secret Stretch Satin (try saying that 3 times fast!) to remind me of all shiny new possibilities the new year brings. The first picture is DD set and the second set is mine - mine, mine, mine, all mine!
































Both bras are made from Kwik Sew 3300, both pairs of boy shorts are from the Ottobre 5/2009 issue as are the panties in the second set, the asymmetrical panties in the first set are Merckwaerdigh SV32.

I mostly used The BraMakers Manual by Beverly Johnson. I really recommend this book if you are making your own bras - explicit, clear instruction and very well illustrated. It is also written to use with any pattern.


Overall I am pretty happy with the fit of these bras - a couple more tweaks and they will be perfect! I hope! The matching panties are probably the most comfortable I have ever owned. Love these Ottobre patterns.




Happy Sewing, Suzanne

PS - sorry for the ummm, well, sorry pictures. I was in a hurry and am still getting used to this new camera.

Happy New Year!!! - belated

I love a new year - it's so full of potential and possibilities. I meant to get this written and posted earlier - but what is about life happening while you're making other plans. Yes, well, here I am late, but I have had time to give this some thought, so --to keep myself from getting sidetracked by all the possibilities

• I like jackets and cardigans (the selection in my closet is slim to none) and so have decided to participate in the Jacket A Month (JAM) sew-along. FUN!!
• I love dresses and find my self sadly lacking in this area. Will try to get a least 6 on the agenda for this year.
• I found at Cato's, on clearance, less than $10 a skirt that has a good fit (not great - I hope to improve that!) and both my kids tell it looks really good on - so I want to copy a pattern and reproduce it in many fabrics.
• I also want to improve my fitting skills and develop some TNT's for tops, jackets and dresses.

OK think that's it for now. Happy sewing, Suzanne