Completed: 1425, a Purple Peplum

I put this together to wear to Seder Dinner at our friend’s house. Since it's a family religious dinner, I wanted to look nice.

The fabric used was from the stash - a purple/yellow plaid shirting. I didn’t take the time to match the plaid, but they’re faint, so I think I don’t care.


I wore it with a mabel-style RTW skirt, leggings and uh, sweater boots.





Sleeve pinned on.



Like most of the other reviews I’ve read about this top, what were they thinking on the back closure?? It’s three buttons. Like nearly everyone else, I modified this and used a yellow zipper I had in the stash instead.



The peplum style is certainly trendy, but after I wore this top I found I liked it quite a bit, and it seems pretty flattering! I made a size 4, and used smaller seam allowances at the waist so I didn't need to grade. That was kind of not necessary because the top ended up being rather roomy. I also had to scoop out a LOT from the arm holes. I don't know if it turned out that way because I did something wrong or what, but they were incredibly restrictive.

I didn't get all fancy to make that change - I basically put the top on myself and used my removable marker and just drew a new line where I wanted the arm hole to drop to. Once I cut that out of one side, I used the cut piece as a template and cut it out from the other side so they matched. I also used that template piece and transferred it to my traced pattern.

I'd like to make this top again, it's pretty comfortable to wear and the cap sleeves are cute. Plus it was very easy to put together!

Completed: Simplicity 2497

Fabric Mart has struck me again. Listen, I've been super good about fabric. Kind of. Not really at all.

This is pretty much amazing and how could I pass it up? It's going to be a cambie dress (FINALLY!), you know, just like the rest of the florals I last purchased from fabric mart...Of course, this will be after my Sew for Victory project!

Okay, let's check out Cynthia Rowley 2497!!

Guys, I *love* this dress. Love, love, love.
I cut out a 4 on top and a 6 in the waist and skirt.


I took a cue from Trena and just finished the edge of the ruffle with a rolled hem on my serger - that was super quick and gives a really nice finish. I also cheated and used a standard zip which is located on the side of the dress. I relied heavily on this tutorial for the insertion of side zip + inseam pockets.

Next time I'd likely keep the two rows of basting stitches in the ruffle. It gave some great body but I had used red thread, thinking I'd have to remove the stitching. 

I will make this again - using an invisible zip and keeping those basting threads. This pattern is awesome.

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! It really is one of my favorite holidays, manufactured or not. I went to a local restaurant with one of my girlfriends - no hallmark cards or hershey's chocolate in sight, and it was a great time!

Sew for Victory!

I've decided to Sew for Victory! I realized that I had many patterns from my Grandma's stash, some of which *could* be 40's. I received a lot of children's patterns, and did find a "Truly Teen Style" pattern that I couldn't source a year on.

source

The problem with this pattern being used were a few.
1) Missing directions -  at this point, I'm sure I could have figured it out, however, it noted the straps as being adjustable and that pattern piece sure did look small. I like having directions.

2) Not my size - the size 12 measurement are Bust-30, Waist-25, Hip-33.
Yes. I could have modified the tissue. I don't think I even need to explain this one though. I'll give you a hint: my measurements are much, MUCH different.





Enter Joann's famous $1 pattern sales and this Simplicity reprint of 1940's era dress! I've got plans, darlings!

The red bias binding here is only for color - I'm going to do red piping!!! My plan is to pipe along the bib insert seams and skip a contrast panel for view B. Here is my rudimentary photoshop mock up:

The white just shows the gathers and such, black didn't show very well with the polka dot background. Additionally, the polka dots are obviously going to be much smaller on the garment itself as you can see from the bias binding for scale above.


This is a little daring for me, but I think the red piping will give a bit of contrast and will allow me to learn something new. I've never used piping before!

Are you Sewing for Victory? If not, you should hop over to Rochelle's (and Lucille's!!!) blog and check out all of the resources she's compiled. I'm really excited!

2497 - assembly notes and to-do list

Oh man, I started this post on 2/4. I'm only just now posting because I've FINALLY taken some photos!

Some construction notes:
2/4 - all pieces are cut out
2/5 - finished the ruffle collar edges on the serger
2/6 - bodice has gathering strings ready, neck facing *mostly* installed (just needs to be basted and topstitched down)
2/7 - neck facing is done!
2/11 - Right Pocket, gathered skirt
2/12 - Left pocket, joined bodice and skirt, prepped for zipper installation

To Do! 

• Baste and topstitch neck facing in place 
• fuse interfacing to (2x) waistband 
• assemble waistband 
• install waistband on bodice 
• baste gathering strings on skirt 
• sew up side seams including pockets 
• install zipper 
• arm facings 
• gather and install ruffle collar 

This does seem like a lot to get done, especially before 2/14 AND without a weekend to work on it!

Outside front of bodice

Ruffle. Basting stitches and finished with a rolled hem.

Inside front of the bodice.

BAM! Look at that inseam pocket! The zipper will be installed today.

This project is also included on my sewing circle: http://www.mysewingcircle.com/project/show/11419

So, a poll.  I'm kind of fed up with invisible zippers, as I have an easy time installing them, but when I've got wasitbands to match up, it never seems to work out. I kind of want to just put a regular dress zipper in this. Do you guys think it will ruin the look? I basted the thing shut on the left side, and everything is perfectly matched up. If I hand baste the zipper in, I feel there is a very good chance everything will stay put and look nice.

What do you think?

cynthia rowley 2497 - Cutting

Cutting out a new project is pretty much the worst for me. I'm lazy and easily distracted (see also: the internet.) Last night Devon came over and we made dinner, but that lead to watching Beyonce's performance at the Super Bowl on youtube (she's pretty much a goddess, amirite?), which THEN led to watching old Destiny's Child music videos. 2001 was over 10 years ago but man, it feels like last week.

Moving on!

  My latest project is the above Cynthia Rowley pattern, view C with the length of view A, saucy little thing that I am. I've had one hell of a time finding the motivation to cut it out. It's what, 5 pieces? What is my damage over picking up the rotary cutter and just doing it? I have no idea.


I've had the fabric for quite some time, purchased in November of 2011 from fabric mart. It's a charcoal grey cotton/poly diamond pattern. It's essentially perfect for this pattern and the color is the right shade.

This morning I finally cut out the final pieces, 2 duplicates of the waistband in interfacing to be fused to 2 of the waistbands. I cut a straight 4 on the bodice and a 6 for the waist and top of the skirt. We'll see how this clown car goes together.

This is what happened last week when I tried to cut out all the pieces.

Mistakes I've made while cutting: Laid the skirt on the wrong side of the fold (which I knew I was doing) and then forgot I had left it there, incidentally snipping the seam marker into the fold, instead of the outer edges. Tried to fix that with lightweight fusible interfacing (that was white) and THEN tried to color that in with a sharpie.... yes just hit me with a stack of books now. It was late and I was tired.

Cut out only two midriff/waistband pieces when it calls for four. Fine, I cut another set on the fold, but I've got the pattern piece backwards *AGAIN* so I snip the center of the pattern piece instead of the outer edges. AGAIN. I am hanging my head in shame at recounting this, I've been sewing long enough to know to pay attention.

Lastly, you see a photo of me above, with a maniacal look on my face, vacuuming up salt that's been poured on red wine that was poured (spilled) on my carpet. It was only a matter of time before we had to deal with a red wine stain on my carpet. Let's face it, Devon and my neighbor Geraldine and I all tried to count how many bottles of red wine have been consumed over the last two years on this white carpet. We are still tallying the results.

Sidenote: acceptable uses of chardonnay (the most disgusting of all white wines) include, but are not limited to: Chicken Apple Sausage, cleaning up red wine stains - but we didn't have any on hand, because who buys chardonnay?? - and cooking. Maybe.

So there you have it. Today's takeaway should include the following:

1. Beyonce is amazing.
2. Cutting pattern pieces is hard.
3. My friends and I like red wine.
4. Chardonnay has limited acceptable uses, drinking not being among them.

Good day.

Poetry Dress and other Holiday Dresses

I'm currently working on a variation of Simplicity 2444 for a holiday dress. Ideally, I'd like to put together four dresses for the holidays: one for the Annual Poetry Night we have at my house, which is the day before Thanksgiving, one for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the final for New Year's, even though I don't usually end up leaving the house.

I've put together an inspiration board for New Year's on Pinterest. I've got a few ideas about what I'm going for regarding the Thanksgiving or Christmas dresses, and the Poetry dress is already in the works.

The Poetry Dress plan is as follows: Sleeveless version of S2444, with contrasting bodice and skirt fabric. The zipper will only be installed on the skirt portion, with the bodice being an open slit with a button closure at back neck. The plan evolved organically when I was washing these fabrics and saw them together, and I really loved the color combo. My only concern was about zipper colors. Even with an invisible zipper, you can't put a colored zipper in white fabric, and I didn't want a white zipper popping through the rich jewel-toned teal, it would be an eyesore.

While I was mulling over this problem, I remembered that Mika over at Savory Stitches recently created this type of closure, and at that time I really fell in love with the look. It solved my zipper/color conundrum, so I ran with it.

I received both of the planned fabrics last spring/early summer for free as part of the "10 yard mystery bundle" when I ordered all of those other yardages from Fabric Mart. The top is a gauzy cotton in this gorgeous teal color, which I lined with a very lightweight light blue flannel. This adds both warmth and opaqueness. Win-win in my book. The skirt is to be made of an off-white (do they call that winter white?) heavier fabric that has slight nap.

I cheated and didn't make a muslin. I cut out the straight 4, and the fit is nearly perfect. I absolutely love the angled darts and am very excited about the pleats on the skirt, which I have yet to assemble. Or even cut, for that matter.

I am debating on lining the skirt. It doesn't really *need* to be lined, but I am thinking it would create a cleaner finish if the entire dress is lined. Does anyone have a clean finish tip or trick for joining an unlined skirt to a lined bodice? I feel like it's essential here since the back is exposed and you could potentially see the top of the skirt finish where it would be joined.

I know Neeno has been cranking out dresses for events, do any of you have holiday-inspired sewing plans?

this dress!

This is from May 24th. I don't know why I never posted it!




I've been working on this dress for some time, and here it is, mostly finished. I had some serious fit issues, but ended up taking the darts all the way up the back. I will probably make another one of these, it was relatively quick to whip up, if I wouldn't have been so lazy, and it's cute with a belt. I have to hem it.

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I really would like to take the side seams apart and try out french seams to make the finish more complete. I was sort of in a hurry when I was working on this and just wanted to get it finished.





I haven't been sewing much because I've been moving, but my sewing room is almost put back together and I will be working on that jacket. Maybe I'll have it completed by this fall!