Less-selfish Sewing

Thanks for sticking with me! I have a completed wearable muslin (read: round 1 finished project -- round 2 is soon to come!) for my Elisalex Dress that I'll be sharing here shortly. In the meantime, I've also started the planning and supplies-gathering stages for another project: something decidedly less selfish than an unnecessary sparkly party dress.

Historically, I've remained squarely on the selfish side of the sewing spectrum, only really devoting my sewing time to making things for myself (except for a brief attempt at men's shirt-making in 2012, that was quickly abandoned amid head-scratching and fitting challenges). However, this Christmas, handmade gifts abounded, and the unselfish less-selfish spirit has spilled over into the new year. You may have caught me on Instagram this week dabbling in some home decor sewing for my sister, using upholstery fabric for the first time! Now we're back to apparel sewing.

M6044 

My dude's birthday is in early February, so, like you do, I've decided to make him a shirt. Since I already own McCall's 6044, I'm planning to use it, and it's been well documented as a good place to start your unselfish man-sewing. It's done its rounds on the web (like here, here, here, and here, to note a few).

My plan is to sew up a first draft out of some chambray, and use white buttons and thread to get somewhere close to this look, from j.crew.

j.crew

I like the classic style here with a simple left chest pocket (no cowboy style western detailing or lumberjack-ish pocket flaps). One of the most exciting parts of the sewing-for-someone-else experience is choosing the fabric! I went for this red chambray for this first round, to mimic the inspiration shirt.

Robert Kaufman Interweave Chambray

Hopefully there will be minimal adjustments required before I'm able to move onto the final masterpiece (thinking positively!) in this fun Cotton + Steel print. He picked the fabric out and I think it's going to be great. I really like the subtle flower print (doesn't scream FLORAL) and the color scheme.

Cotton + Steel "Mustang" Collection, Daisy

I happened upon the kit pictured below (on Craftsy.com) for a shirt dress pattern that was done in the same fabric. I grabbed this image because, inspiration-wise, I think it gives a good idea of the feel of a button-down shirt sewn with this stuff -- and also has me starting to consider thread and button colors. I'm actually thinking all Navy to match the background, so the print can do the talking. Is that boring?

Craftsy Kit

What about you guys? Have you sewn much for your friends and family?

Do you have any men's button-down shirt recommendations?

Party Dress: Fabric

I ordered six different fabric swatches, from three different online fabric stores, before I could bring myself to make a decision on the fabric for my party dress. After looking at everything in person, I was stuck between the least expensive option, from Gorgeous Fabrics, and the most expensive fabric, from Mood. I would "decide" on one and then change my mind the next day when I'd attempt to finally check out online! After taking a mental-fabric-break for a couple days, I revisited the swatches I'd received and held them up to my dress form, trying to imagine them as a dress. I liked the idea of a more sparkly fabric, and that paired with the lower price is what brought me to my final choice: the Spanish Couture Lame Brocade from Gorgeous Fabrics. Wish me luck!

How do you decide on fabrics for a bigger project? Do you plan the fabric and then the pattern, or try to find the perfect fabric to match an idea that only exists in your head?

Party Dress: Update #2

I've still got the party dress bug!

So far, I've taken a few cracks at the Elisalex bodice and have just begun my third iteration -- yeah, y'all! This instant gratification sewist just made three muslins for a dress she's not even confident she'll have an occasion to wear anytime soon. Crazy? No! I'm patting myself on the back right now for being patient and thorough.

long sleeve / short sleeve

I'll talk more about my muslin adventures in a moment, but first wanted to share a couple of notes about the pattern from my process so far. If I'm somehow not the very last sewist on the internet to try this pattern, and you're thinking of stitching it up for the first time, you'll want to take note:

• Sleeves! One thing I noticed right away, and then again while looking at inspiration and reviews on other blogs, is that the actual sleeve options provided within the pattern do not completely match what's shown in the pattern illustrations, or the sewn examples on the page where you purchase the pattern.
  
  What's actually included is the long sleeve pattern piece, with a line to shorten it to the "short sleeve" length for Variation #2. Following that line, though, results in a sleeve that hits at the elbow. What's depicted in the illustration clearly shows a short little sleeve that ends at the upper bicep. Big difference, and a very different look, overall.
  
  
• Skirt! Similar to the sleeves, there is a discrepancy between the length of the skirt as advertised at first glance, and what the pattern pieces actually produce. These skirt pieces are huge, and result in a skirt that hits well below the knees by several inches. Meanwhile, the official pattern imagery shows a skirt ending magically at, and sometimes above, the knees.
  
  Is this drafted for women approaching 7' tall? Is the real Elisalex (pattern's namesake and model) a giant? This throws off fabric requirements (don't need as much, unless you want a midi skirt) and also means you'll be shortening the skirt, hopefully in a way that prevents re-tapering/adjusting the lower few inches to retain the pegged look towards the bottom, but keeps the fun tulip pouf at the hips. The 30"+ skirt length is listed in the finished garment measurements, but I wonder why it's not depicted accurately in the illustrations and sewn samples.

Update: As soon as I published this, I noticed BHL is finally addressing these issues! See their update here. (Thanks, ladies!)

These gripes aside, I still love the look of the pattern. I dove into bodice making, hoping to end up with a wearable muslin. I'll be the first to say that when it comes to fitting adjustments and altering patterns, I'm not very experienced. I've only ever done one FBA on a darted bodice, and otherwise tend to just take seams in "here and there," by pinching out areas on the sewn garment, once I try it on. I want to be proud of this dress, so I'm putting forth more effort this time!

1. First muslin: I bought a pretty, floral home dec. sateen by Joel Dewberry. I wanted something a little bit stiffer and heavier than muslin, to be more like my intended fashion fabric. I had grand pans to make an adorable, wearable muslin that I could perfect the fit on and then gleefully reproduce in my expensive shimmery fabric. The bust ended up a tad tight (shocker! the finished measurements list the size I cut at 1/2" smaller than my most recent bust measurement. duh), while the princess seams curving up to the armscye were bunching and too big above the bust. The waist also seemed a tad loose. Rather than add the sleeves on to see if it looked better, I tossed it aside and moved on.
2. Second muslin: I used some blah home dec. fabric I'd had leftover from a tiny catbox curtain project years ago. You know, because cats need privacy, too. I did something a little weird for this muslin: I trimmed my pattern pieces for the bodice front sections, so that the side seam, along with ~2" above and ~2" below the bust were one size smaller, leaving the apex of the bust alone.
   Then, I cut one size smaller for the front of the sleeve head, tapering to nothing at the center/top, but left the back at the original, larger size (since I wasn't making any adjustments to the bodice back).
   WTF? you're thinking. Yeah, it didn't really work out. The bust ended up too tight, still (duh, see measurement note in First Muslin), though the upper bust and shoulders, and also the waist, looked somewhat better. Sewing the sleeves on rather than omitting them may have also helped this time, but I still wasn't pleased overall. On to the next!
3. Third muslin: I unpicked my first muslin and re-cut the parts I could re-use, going down a size, so that the entire bodice is the smaller size (rather than just parts of the sleeve and front pieces being smaller). Then I closed my eyes, held my nose, and did my first  FBA on princess seams. Surprise: it was fine!
4. Fourth muslin:  Luckily, I bought a shit-ton of the home dec Joel Dewberry fabric from Grey's on sale, so this fourth version may well end up the wearable muslin of my dreams. We'll see!

Hopefully, I'll have some wearable muslin action-shots to share soon! I've got some tips I've picked up during this process to share, too, so I'll be posting those shortly. Now I just need to decide on the final fabric!

Party Dress: Update #1

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a nice holiday and you're all ready to crush 2016... in a good way. Like, be awesome and get stuff done.... Anyway! Party dress stuff.

#moodfabrics #swatches #IRL #partydressplanning #decisionsdecisions

A photo posted by Sue (@sue1656) on Dec 27, 2015 at 3:08pm PST

Swatches can look pretty different in person than on a fabric store's website! I suppose that's the whole point of ordering them, duh. Here are my photos (still not the same as seeing the real thing) of my Mood swatches. If you look back at my previous post, you can see the difference between the official photos and mine.

I want a shimmery party dress, but not a glitter-encrusted/sparkle vomit look. I'm leaning most towards the bottom right fabric, of the four shown above. It's a vaguely striped, lovely, silk brocade, which is a little expensive, and I'm on the fence as to whether I should just pull the trigger, or opt for something a bit less costly.

Here are the two other contenders I found online, in the search for something more affordable:

left / right

These alternatives are not cheap, but wouldn't hurt my wallet quite as much. I've ordered swatches of both, and the dotted (right side) fabric looks exactly she same (and pretty!) in person. As for the other fabric (left side), Harts sent me the wrong thing. I'm learning toward taking that as a sign, which, paired with how much I'm actually liking the other fabric, is pointing me toward just snapping up some (of the right side fabric) from Gorgeous Fabrics and being done with the fabric decisions.

To throw a wrench in the works (but a happy one!), silly me forgot that the date of the company holiday party that I'm sewing this dress for is very close to my nephew's anticipated due date (yay!). That means I might be scooting off to California to visit a newborn rather than attending the (sort of) glamorous work party. Either way, I'm going to sew the shit out of this shimmery dress, and, at the very least, wear it out to a nice dinner somewhere!

Stay tuned for an actual sewing update very soon -- I'm onto muslin number three and have some more details to share.

Visions of Party Dresses

Oh, hi! Since I last checked in (months ago), I've been documenting some of my projects on Instagram. You may have seen: I've taken the Seamless Pledge again, sewn a Marthe blouse, a Grainline Studio Hemlock Tee, several Grainline/Fringe Supply Stowe tote bags, a pair of pillow cases using Sunni's tutorial, and a baby blanket following Suzie's method. The totes, pillow cases, and blanket were all gifts, gearing up for the upcoming holiday. Now it's time to start planning some decidedly selfish sewing, I'd say.

I've been dreaming about a feminine, shimmery, yet sophisticated, holiday dress that I can hopefully put together in time to wear to my company's fancy annual holiday party at the end of January. What's something fanciful that I don't have a true need for, yet want to spend lots of time focusing on and laboring over just for me? A pretty-princess-party dress! I've begun to scour the internet for inspiration, ordered a few swatches from Mood, and have started printing and taping together pdf pages.

one / two / three / four

The theme is gold, and the plan is to try the BHL Elisalex dress. The pleated tulip pouf is a new skirt silhouette for me, and the bodice hooked me with its sweet retro vibes. The fabrics I'm considering are dazzling and pricy, but my goal is to make something that truly feels nice and not just thrown together. This also means I'll be making a muslin (or two) first and focusing on fit and finishes for this dress. I aim to make something I'll really be proud of (even if that means some hand sewing, painstakingly stitching princess seams, and a dreaded FBA).

How's your holiday sewing shaping up? Do you have visions of sparkly party dresses dancing in your head, too?

Another Green Mad Men Dress

So, I've finalized my Mad Men Dress Challenge plans. I've decided to use my vintage Simplicity 7980 pattern to recreate the Mad Men shift dress I've been dreaming of making ever since I first saw it appear in an episode.

It's the adorable green dress with the bow accent I've been drooling over for at least a year! What? another green Mad Men dress? YES.

Source: blogs.amctv.com via Susan on Pinterest

My version will be a little bit different (shorter cap sleeves, and a bow taken from and likely attached via the same method as the blouse in Simplicity 2154), but obviously inspired by the green dress worn by the girl in the above photo, sitting next to Megan (before she was Draper).

I'm planning to steal this bow from Simplicity 2154

I've just cut out my green, thrifted (polyester, how authentic) fabric and am hoping I'll have time to start putting the dress together this weekend.

Boy, this month has really gotten away from me, what with my week-long vacation to California (that I'll be posting more about, soon), and busy season (and overtime) ramping up at work, as well as some of my and Tom's family events popping up, I've felt a bit frazzled!

What about you all? Are you finalizing or even finishing sewing your Mad Men dresses?

A Perfect Pair

I'm sure you've all heard by now that Colette Patterns has just released a new pattern, the Laurel shift dress.

As soon as I saw it, I thought, hmmm that reminds me of something...

Source: colettepatterns.com via Susan on Pinterest

Just add a little bit of bias binding & a bow to the neckline, and and you've got yourself a Mad Men-inspired dress, just like Megan's!

You might see me trying something like this soon, not necessarily for the Mad Men Dress Challenge, as I've got other plans for that already (details soon!), but just for fun. I'm also pretty excited to try taking a crack at using some of the embellishment ideas found in the Laurel Extras ebook. Colette is known for the thorough, easy to understand instructions that come with their patterns, so I have a feeling I'd be confident trying just about any of the embellishment ideas they've come up with. They're even having a sale on the Laurel, through Friday, so check it out!

Source: tomandlorenzo.com via Susan on Pinterest

This Just In!

I know it's not super exciting for you all, but it is for me - I've finally gotten a new computer! Now I can more easily edit photos and create blog posts. Yay!  Anyway, I thought I'd give you all a little update about what's going on in these parts, sewing-wise, now that I've returned from my vacation (which I'll be sharing more about soon!).

In addition to lazily starting a wearable muslin for Tilly's recently released ADORABLE Mathilde blouse, I'm also planning out what I think I'll make for the upcoming Mad Men Dress Challenge (Part II). As I mentioned before, I'm feeling rather inspired by Megan Draper's character this time around. These are my top (dress) outfits of hers.

Source: tomandlorenzo.com via Susan on Pinterest

Source: ohthatsyou.com via Susan on Pinterest

Source: wornontv.net via Susan on Pinterest

Source: tomandlorenzo.com via Susan on Pinterest

I love all of the bold, pretty colors, and let me just say, the girl can wear a shift dress. I'm also rather in love with the green dress worn by the girl (I remember this episode, but can't quite recall who her character is) sitting next to Megan in the below photo.

Source: blogs.amctv.com via Susan on Pinterest

It seems that I've dedicated myself to making a shift dress of some sort, and I've got a fresh 1960s sewing pattern from Etsy just waiting for me to break it open and start working.

 

What do you think? Have you decided on your plan for this year's Mad Men Dress Challenge?

Round TWO!

 

I'm sure you've all noticed that Julia Bobbin has announced the second Mad Men Challenge. I was so excited to participate last year and am just as thrilled for round two. Last year I compiled a Pinterest board dedicated to inspiration for the challenge and I'm planning to start adding to it again as I gear up for my second version.

As you may recall, for the first challenge I made a green dress inspired by one Joan wore.

This year I'm thinking of going for something inspired by Megan, or at least something a little bit more mod. You know I love collars, and bows are pretty nice too...

Source: blogs.amctv.com via Susan on Pinterest

If you're looking for more inspiration, take a peek at Julia's post revealing last year's participants' amazing makes.

Entries are due April 19, so you'll be seeing more inspiration and project planning updates from me as the due date approaches.

Get excited!!

Sew...much!

I feel like I've got a lot going on in my brain & sewing room right now! I'm clinging to multiple sewing ideas, while also trying to do some refashioning and complete my Pendrell blouse. I actually took some time off work to give myself a long weekend for getting things done. However, in the sewing department, instead of being productive, I've ended up spending a lot of time marveling over all of the ideas for things I could work on. There's sewing project inspiration, potential refashioning projects waiting in a pile, and my in-progress Pendrell blouse.



Inspiration:
Ever since starting to read (yes, read - not just flip through the pretty, pretty pictures!) 100 Years of Fashion, one particular style has been stuck in my head. I know I've claimed the '60s as my best style decade for its more wearable, cute fashions, but who can resist the New Look.

1947 'Bar' by Dior -  V&A

Something about the fitted jacket and or blouse belted over an a-line or full skirt, idea won't get out of my mind. For some reason I'm picturing myself wearing this type of suit, maybe in dark blue, boarding an airplane? Don't ask. I've found a pattern that I'm dying to try, but then again, I think I could turn Gertie's jacket and skirt from her book into just as nice of a suit, and I wouldn't have to purchase any new patterns. But, just look...

Source: etsy.com via Susan on Pinterest

It's even from 1960! But, then there's also this lovely '50s pattern, too.

Source: etsy.com via Susan on Pinterest

Pretty! I'm not normally into suits, but these seem so smart and fun to wear. I'm especially liking the look of the jacket being nipped in at the waist and extending down to cover the hips, but not as long as a '40s style suit jacket. This look definitely helps create that hour-glass silhouette, but isn't revealing or racy. I'd call it ladylike but cute - at least that's how I'm hoping it would look on me.

Drooling over inspiration is a lot easier than completing a sewing project, though. Which tends to leave me with too many ideas to narrow down to a starting point and no progress on my current projects.

That said, I'm also being tempted by the Polka Dot Frock Fest that's been talked up over at Scruffy Badger Time.

I already own this pattern but have yet to sew it up. I also own some blue, polka dotted fabric that's been sitting forlorn in my stash for longer than I care to recall. Sounds like a match made in heaven, if you ask me.

If I do participate in the frock fest, I'm hoping to make my version something I could wear in my casual work setting without getting "...you're dressed up today" comments. I'm liking the view that's already illustrated in a   spotted fabric on the pattern envelope. Hmm... we'll just have to see.



Refashioning:
Earlier this month, I picked up this black, wool herringbone pencil skirt at the thrift store. I think it's from the '70s or '80s? It's fully lined, has pockets, and has a little strip of elastic on each side of the waistband  This might not sound like a plus, but the elastic is not super noticeable and makes a big difference in terms of comfort! It's a great length for a vintage office-y look, but my office is pretty casual, like I mentioned, and I'll get more wear out of this piece if I shorten it to above the knee. Not really a drastic refashion, more an alteration, but yeah. That's the plan.

Thrifted wool skirt with pockets  - closeup shows elastic at side-waist

I also have 4-ish other thrifted pieces just sitting in a pile, unwearable until refashioned into something better. I've tucked them away for now because I don't want to get sick of them before I even have time to start working on 'em. I easily get carried away with all of the pieces I see with "potential," rather than keeping in mind what I'll actually have time/energy to work on and will be able to really wear when completed.



Actually Working On...
In the meantime, through all of the swirling inspiration and project plans in my head, I've come to terms with the fact that trying to work on, or even just think about, too many things at once ends up being bad news for my sewing productivity. Once I finish my current project, the Pendrell blouse, I'll move on to address any lingering sewing inspiration or refashioning ideas. That may sound dull, but I think I'll go insane if I don't focus!

In-progress, creased and droopy, teal Pendrell

Today I'm planning to draft a collar to add to my teal rayon Pendrell WIP. Gertie's tutorial from her book seems pretty easy to follow for collar drafting, so, hopefully that'll turn out nicely. I am trying to make an effort to not rush through this relatively simple project. I don't want to be tempted to cut any corners and end up with a poorly finished piece that I won't enjoy wearing. Wish me luck!

Lessons Learned, Reflections, & Inspiration

When I went to compile my top 5 lessons learned, reflections & goals, and inspiration from the past year, I got a little bit overwhelmed looking back on everything that went on in 2012. I put together a few lists to share what I came up with and accidentally threw the "5" part of "top 5" out the window. (Get ready for a long post!)



 Cool things I did in 2012

• Started this blog and published 100 blog posts (without even planning to hit that number!)
• Was a featured seamstress at Colette Patterns' blog for my polka-dotted peony dress
• Participated in Julia Bobbin's Mad Men Dress Challenge with my Joan dress
• Went to my very first local sewing blogger meetup
• Sewed 15 completed garments (and several unfinished ones, too!) including a few sewn from vintage patterns 
• Took the Seamless pledge for 6 months
  
  
  
  

  

  Mad Men Dress Challenge - Joan Dress

  
  
  

Things I learned in 2012

• I love 1960s fashion. I'd always thought the 1950s were my fashion decade of choice, but have found that when it comes to sewing my own clothes (and buying vintage), for me, fashions from the 1960s are much more wearable and easier to fit into my life. Oh, and they're just adorable.
• Taking my time to set up projects the right way the first time around is really worth it, even though it often feels boring or too slow in the moment. We've all heard this before, but I've finally had to face facts and admit it's completely true. Do it right the first time and I won't regret it later! This means more carefully matching plaids, understitching where prescribed, finishing seams properly, redoing crappy zippers, and even walking away for a break instead of cutting corners in a rush to finish a project.
• Vintage patterns are not scary! I was nervous to sew with them because I assumed they were all more complicated, way too different from modern patterns, and just intimidating overall. Now, I've tried out a few and am in love! The style variations and garment details, not to mention the envelope illustrations are usually amazing (duh!). I especially appreciate that they just come in one size per pattern, so you don't have to trace out your particular size or follow too many crazy cutting lines.
• Wearable muslins are more my style (than the un-wearable variety). Making muslins has always seemed like one of those things that I know is good for me, but that I just do not feel like doing (kind of like flossing my teeth :-/ ). Instead of forcing myself to make the first go at a pattern with plain muslin or other un-garment-worthy fabric, I've found that planning to do a wearable test-drive of the pattern keeps me motivated enough to continue and helps keep me from ruining any particularly special fabrics before I've worked out the potential issues with a new pattern.
• Having the right tools for you makes a big difference. This year I got a new sewing machine that makes sewing much quicker, simpler, and more enjoyable than what I was experiencing on my great aunt's old 1960s Singer (I love that machine, but it wasn't the easiest for me to use). I also got myself some other tools, most importantly my folding IKEA table and magnetic pin caddy - both of which have been pretty much life-changing. Tools that better suit me mean more sewing, which is always good!
• Bias tape is your friend. Use it for embellishments, binding armholes or unfinished edges, or use it instead of a facing for a neckline or a hem! I've collected a shoebox full of vintage & new pre-made bias tapes, as well as begun to make my own for certain projects. I love using it!

Bloggers who've Inspired Me

I've found inspiration, great ideas, and general awesomeness on essentially all of the blogs I've come across. This online sewing community is awesome, but you all already know that! Here are a few bloggers who have really stood out as inspiring to me this past year:

• Tilly and The Buttons - Tilly's style is adorable, she's a smart cookie, and the clothes she makes are beyond cute. I really admire her fun, yet thoughtful, writing style and the impressive sewing knowledge she has gained and shared over the past months (and months). She's also got that awesome "Day in the Life" series that is always interesting. It's really exciting and encouraging to learn about so many creative people out there doing their thing.
• Cation Designs - You've all seen me gush about Cindy before. Her posts are always interesting and detailed (with plenty of photos of her cat, Walnut, too), she has sewn many, many lovely garments out of bedsheets (amazing! - she's inspired me to try it out, too), and she's the brains behind the Sewing with Cats blog award, among other things.
• A Fashionable Stitch & Sewaholic - I've grouped Sunni and Tasia as a single entry on the list here because they inspire me in similar ways. They both blog and sew about the lovely clothes they've made and plan to make, host sew-alongs and share tutorials for sewing techniques, and both have made their love of sewing a major part of their lives. Tasia designs and sells her cute, clever patterns and Sunni scours the earth for just the right sewing supplies to sell in her great little online shop. I love both of their shops, and really admire them both for doing what they do and sharing the details of how they've turned their passion for sewing into a career.
• Dixie DIY - Dixie shares her DIY projects and fashion on her blog and makes her own patterns as well. I love her style and her projects always inspire me (have you seen the swimsuits she's sewn?!). The topics she blogs about are interesting and her posts are often rather thought-provoking (like a recent post on "poly prejudice," something I hadn't really considered before). I'm really looking forward to seeing what she brings to her blog in 2013.
• Lucky Lucille - Rochelle is always sharing an adorable project or some fun sewing inspiration (or cute photo of her dog, Lucille), and also runs her own online store of handmade items. Her writing style is cheerful and easy to relate to and the aesthetic of her blog is so cute and fun to look at. She always seems to be working with pretty, exciting fabrics (even designing some of her own on Spoonflower), and has even just learned to knit recently (which I've been meaning to do, too, for a year).

These ladies are all so inspiring to me, but it feels a little odd to only mention a few of the numerous blogs I follow, because I'm really inspired by all of them and each one has something special to offer (that's why I read 'em!). If you're all "been there, done that" to these I've touched on, or even if you're not, I'd suggest also taking a peek over on the sidebar at the links in my blogroll. I really do read them like it's my job, and you might like to, too!

Gratuitous kitty photo

Goals for 2013

Now down to my sewing and making plans for the new year. I'm keeping these kind of general (you won't see "sew 3 pieces a month" on here), because I don't want to stress myself out or lose interest as the months go by.

• Learn to knit. This was a 2012 goal that I did attempt, but coordinating with my friend to have her mom teach me hasn't panned out yet and the local November knitting class I signed up for with my mom was canceled, due to low enrollment. :( Better luck next year!
• Embroider something. I've got inspiration, supplies, and a little instruction booklet, but have yet to try it out. I like that this and knitting are both more portable than sewing and could add a little more variety to my handmade projects.
• Focus on quality. I want to really aim for higher quality in the things I make (including finishes/insides of garments) and the supplies I use, as well as the clothing/accessories I purchase, so that they last longer and are nicer to use.
• Sew with knits (and get a serger). I've been saving up for a serger and am determined to sew knits (with, or without the serger) this year. I've even got a copy of Sew U to help me through the learning process and am ready to sew up all kinds of knit tops, dresses, and anything else I can come up with!
• Do more refashions - of things I already own  as well as thrifted pieces - and keep up on my mending.
• Wear more skirts/dresses year-round. I'd like to make this more possible and fill some wardrobe gaps with a few skirts and dresses that can be more casual/everyday & pair well with things I've already got. 
• Participate in Me-Made-May, on some level. I didn't have enough me-made clothes to play along in 2012, but I'm determined to participate this year, whether I have enough or not!

That's all folks! Thanks for sticking with me for the past year (and through this long post!). I have a feeling 2013 is going to be a great one. :)

What next?

Are you doing or planning to do any holiday gift-making/sewing? I don't currently have plans to be sewing up any festive dresses for holiday celebrations yet this year, but I do plan to do little bit of secret gift-making, which means you won't be seeing any of it until around January.

Until then, I'm trying to figure out what relatively un-complicated project for myself I should start next. I did some digging through my sewing area last weekend and pulled out these fabrics and patterns - some new-ish, some not so new.

If I make the blouse, I think I'd opt for version D - all 1 fabric, no pin-tucks or ruffles, and actually omit the sleeves, for easier layering. I have no idea if I'll use that cute Liberty lawn for it at this point, but I threw it in the picture for kicks.

The dress is one I've been wanting to make in some sort of cozy fabric, the collared version in particular. I just recently saw Nina's adorable version made up in a pretty wool crepe and I know Nicole Needles has made one too (I just can't seem to find it right now). I've got this red/white hounds-tooth flannel, which would definitely be soft and cozy, but could also be a little bit odd. Have you ever sewn a flannel dress? Or flannel ...anything other than pajamas?

I'll probably just see where inspiration takes me and end up making a split-second decision right before I grab everything and start cutting (sounds wise, no?) -- but I'd love to hear what you all think, too. I'm a little bit afraid to plan anything out too much, because I've found I sometimes start to lose interest if everything is all pre-set when I start something new.

Finished Project : Simplicity Wrap Dress --- and Help!

Hello!

I'm back and I've taken a crack at both of the projects I mentioned in my last post. One is now done, and one has been thrown on the floor in frustration.

I'll give you the good before the bad.

I finally used up the blue/green abstract floral rayon challis that has been sitting in my stash for probably a year...maybe longer? I've totally lost track. Anyway, it's lightweight and soft and drapey and I'd thought I would use it for a blouse. The thing is, I had something like 3.5yards...maybe 4. This made it seem more suited for a dress. When I made my gathered skirt a few months ago, it popped into my head that the rayon in my stash would look great as a gathered skirt, since it's so soft and flowy. Fast forward to a week ago and I found myself cutting out Simplicity 4986 from it. There was just enough fabric.

Simplicity 4986

front

I self lined the bodice and omitted the facings prescribed by the pattern. I also decided to make the sash/ties double sided (instead of single-sided as the pattern laid out) and thought I was being sooo clever throwing in some leftover fabric from Tom's shirt. The blue seemed to match the lightest blue in the rayon print. I'm not sure I'm pleased with the final look, though. Sigh - what's new.

back

I definitely appreciate that this pattern does not have sleeves to set in or any closures to insert. It certainly did use a lot of thread, though!

I didn't make any adjustments to the fit, other than shortening the skirt (the girls in the illustration must have either 6-foot long legs, or 17" hems), though next time I think I would make the waistline a little higher.

I'm glad I used this fabric, even though it sometimes made sewing a little trickier than if I was just using cotton. I think it gives a different look/feel to the dress than the pattern envelope depicts and it feels so nice and soft and slinky. The top does seem... blousier? rather than as fitted/structured as the illustration.

insides

This is really a great pattern that I plan to make again. A gathered skirt on a wrap dress seemed unusual (or maybe just to me) and I love that the skirt also included pockets! I think next time I would make the pockets a little bigger, so I can fit more than just my crumpled hand in there, and also make the ties longer so I can do them up in a bow, if I'm so inclined.

I opted to finish the waist inside with some dark green ribbon that came off of one of Tom's birthday gifts from a friend, and I rather like how it tidys everything up inside.

self photo-shoot

Lastly, for your viewing pleasure: some awful photos of me in the dress. Better than nothing, I figured.

And now, on to the bad.

Like I mentioned earlier this week, I had Tom's shirt all measured out and knew just want I was going to do to make my alterations. Everything was basically too big in different ways - except the collar, which fit nicely, thank goodness. I was all set to move the sleeves 3/4" in toward the collar, take the sides of the shirt in by 1 1/4" tapering down from the hip to the hem, and make the sleeve seam about an inch narrower, so the sleeves fit a little tighter.

above left shows post-alterations, above right shows pre-altering, with the pins barely visible going down the side, to mark where to take it in.

My plans sounded great (to me) on paper, but when I took out the sleeve and moved the armhole closer to the neck so that the shoulder seam would actually lie where it should on his shoulder (but I've now noticed it STILL DOESN'T), the sleeve freaked out and got all tight and bunchy. Now the armhole is bigger than the sleeve, so I'm assuming I need to cut a new sleeve...but how do I know if it needs to be a different size/shape than the original pattern piece?

Derrr.....help?

closer look at both sides of the shirt, <after (bunchy) and before (loose) > alterations

BLERG!

sleeve too small for armhole

Any thoughts on how to proceed? I only worked on the one side of the shirt, so once I figure out how to make it work, I'll tackle the same alterations on the other half. Hopefully, Tom will finally be able to wear this shirt by the time his next birthday rolls around.

On my sewing table...

Currently on my sewing table is the green/blue (look how green it looks above and how blue below!) rayon challis that I've been meaning to use forever, Simplicity 4986 (a birthday present to myself), and Tom's birthday shirt (finished but still awaiting fitting adjustments...so not really finished).

I got Tom's shirt all sewn up, and then ready to alter once he got back home from his birthday trip, and then decided to just pause for a moment and START cutting out my next project, a wrap dress I've been dying to make ever since I first laid eyes on it. Of course I had to make things a little bit more complicated by not making a muslin (it's a wrap dress, it's ADJUSTABLE!), and using soft, drapey, lightweight rayon that isn't as easy to work with as cotton, oh and self-lining the bodice. Oops. (Another "oops?," while writing this I managed to consume an entire one of these, single-handedly.)

Now I've gotten (read: struggled) half-way through the dress and Tom's shirt is still waiting. Why isn't anything as fast or as easy as I envision it?

Hopefully  next time you hear from me, one of these, if not both, will be done for real!

Warmer Weather Wardrobe Revisit

At the beginning of spring this year, I put together a Warmer Weather Wardrobe sewing plan. Now that spring is over, summer is wrapping up, and fall is rapidly approaching, I thought I'd do a little revisit to see how my warmer weather sewing panned out.

First off, I specifically noted in my plan that I was something of a slow sewer, seeming to take about a month to sew anything, regardless of the size or complexity of the project. I'd wanted to take this into account when trying to form a realistic sewing plan. I think I can now say that my sewing has gotten a little speedier, though nothing to brag about. I've just gotten some more experience under my belt, which always helps things go faster.

Anyway, my plan had me really trying to work from stuff I already had in my sewing room to meet my warmer weather wardrobe needs. The first thing I made was my vintage Simplicity 3266 blouse. This was my first foray into sewing with vintage patterns and I got to use some cute fabric I already had.

Simplicity 3266

 

I love the idea of this blouse, but it just hasn't been something I end up wearing. It's one of those tops that seems to demand to be tucked in, but even when I do, it still seems blousy and poufy and unflattering. I planned to remake it with a more subdued collar shape and slightly narrower sleeves to see if I could make it work, but have yet to actually do so. 

I also had grand plans for a Ginger skirt made up in denim, after being inspired by the numerous cute versions floating around out there on the internet. I wanted to perfect the fit before cutting into denim, so I made it first in dark blue broadcloth I'd had in my stash. 

Colette Patterns' Ginger

I like the way this one turned out, though I will make some tweaks to the waistband for my next version, but I still haven't gotten around to sewing it up in denim, or any other version for that matter! Luckily this first version does get some wear in my summer wardrobe, and will hopefully continue to do so, at least for the beginning of fall.

The two more exciting pieces on my sewing list were wedding guest dresses. I sewed them up from patterns that were already in my stash and most of the fabric was stuff I'd already had, as well. Even though these are party dresses, I think they might be the most wearable (or maybe just the most fun to wear) pieces I created from my spring/summer sewing plans. 

The Milly Wedding Guest Dress - New Look 6910 (modified a lot)

Polka Dot Wedding Guest Dress - McCall 5845 bodice (modified) + a circle skirt

And that's it! The above projects were all pieces that came directly from my warmer weather sewing plan. But that doesn't mean that's all I made to add to my spring and summer wardrobe. Sometimes you can't always just stick to the plan - you have to go where inspiration takes you! These pieces were created as quick, fun projects that were not really planned out at all. I find that these types often end up being my favorites.

 

My Estate Sale Dress made from McCall 9735

My Gathered Skirt made from Gertie's tutorial.

This cute blouse, that I still haven't completely finished (oops!), made from McCall 9458. I LOVE the fabric, though, so hopefully I'll be making this baby wearable soon.

My latest project, the bow blouse from Simplicity 2154, using the spotted rayon shirting I'd originally planned to use for a Sencha blouse (a pattern that's STILL on my to-sew list).

What was on my warmer weather sewing plan that didn't end up getting done? 

Well, for one, this pretty rayon challis is still sitting in my fabric stash. I love it but just haven't found the perfect project to use it for yet. Hopefully I will soon!

abstract floral rayon challis

Same thing goes for the pencil skirt that has been on my to-sew list for longer than I can remember. I keep telling myself I'll get a pattern perfected and then make a zillion versions, but haven't actually done so yet. Now that my dress code at my new job is very casual, I'm not sure if I'll even need many pencil skirts...though I do love them.

That's all for my little recap. In other news, I actually managed to sew Tom's birthday shirt up in time to give it to him as a gift, but I'm going to need to do some adjustments to it before I can post about it here. It's currently too big (surprise, surprise - thanks for all the extra ease, McCalls). Since he wasn't around while I was sewing it, and it was kind of a surprise, I wasn't able to fit it to him as I sewed, so I knew this would happen. Anyway, I'll share more details once I get it officially completed. :)