Friday, February 29, 2008
"I've been kidnapped by life"
Let me say that work has been challenging of late, too much so. Last night I was the last to leave for the evening (7 pm). So driving home I try to think about sewing related things. This helps. When I got home, DH gave me the mail and there was a Vogue Pattern Magazine and Threads. I thumbed through both issues after eating as I was just too wiped out to do anything sewing related much less read blogs about sewing.
So my jacket sits in limbo until this weekend. I have been concerned that the weather is going to turn warm and I will only get a little wear out of the jacket and dress before it gets too warm to wear. However, the past two days have been extremely cold so spring may not just be around the corner.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
McCall's jacket progression
My new purchase
Friday, February 22, 2008
No sewing here
I hope to be motivated this weekend. We have to do some family stuff on Saturday so that will consume a large chunk of my time. I put the lining fabric on my cutting table to cut out for my jacket; one small step for sewing.
I did buy a piece of fabric yesterday from Vogue fabrics. First fabric purchase for 2008. I am going to keep my plan of starting to sew for spring when I start and finish the jacket.
I know I sound blah, and I am very blah today. Going to strive to get to a better place mentally today. As noted above, things going on at work have been all consuming and are adding to my SADD!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Post 500
So for this post I just wanted to announce that my Vogue dress is finally, finally finished!!!!!! I will not repeat the saga of this. You are free to go back to previous month's post and review for yourself. You can go here and here to see the dress hanging. Not a great view of the completed dress. I will be taking it to the dry cleaners for a good pressing before I wear it.
Here is the fabric for the jacket I will wear with the dress and a photo of the pattern. Collar will be from View A, the jacket otherwise will be like the model's.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Back home and in the mood to sew
Since arriving back home, I've been trying to catch up on emails, blogs and postings on Stitchers Guild. Also have been looking at online clothing catalogs. I have seen a lot of spring dresses, jackets, etc. I am going to start and finish my jacket project as I think this will be a nice transitional piece. Then I am going to focus on spring sewing.
I plan to go through my fabric collection for inspiration and of course I have been checking out Gorgeous Fabrics, Fashionista Fabrics, Fabric Mart, Fashion Fabric Club and more. If I don't have it they will!
Off to my sewing room, more later.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
No sewing
Have several meetings this AM and early afternoon. Hopefully I can do some personal things while here in DC but the weather is not good.
Monday, February 11, 2008
My jacket choice(and yours)
All of this will have to wait until later in the week as I am traveling to DC tomorrow (driving) on business and will return on Thursday. I hope I get to make a side trip to GStreet while there and then maybe not. Depends on meetings and timing.
Blowed away!
The wind gusts were 50 to 70 MPH during the day on Sunday. Trees knocked down all over the area, causing power outages. Our neighbors tree fell and just missed our fence and coming over into our yard by a "smooch".
The extremely good news is that we have our power back; it was restored sometime during the day. So I went and got our things from the hotel and checked us out. It feels great to be back in my home with power, lights, computer and my machines.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Thanks for comments
Marji commented on the jacket included with the dress pattern. I agree that the jacket is just not for everyone and is not necessarily my style. I was thumbing through the Talbot's catalog last night and found a sheath style dress with a jacket that is very much like this one from McCalls. It looked a little shorter and was shown with a sheath style dress but with a different neckline.
I also have this one in mind, using View C but collar from View A. And this one and modifying the collar as I think it will be overwhelming on me.
I also like this Vogue one but all the views are shown with pants, so may not work with sheath style. Or maybe a duster style like this one?
Give me your thoughts by voting below:
Monday, February 04, 2008
Success and finish line is around the corner!
- Listen to yourself when you say, this may need adjusting. Make sure if it does or not. My shoulders are no longer the broad shoulders they were when I was younger and more athletic. I am petite/short, so are my shoulders. Drop shoulders on me may need to be shortened. I thought this, know this but did not listen to myself.
- Make the adjustments on the pattern and if you use the FFRP fitting method, repin again and test the adjustment to determine if that was what you needed to do. Then when you cut out the fabric, you don't have to figure out how to adjust. I know I can hear some of you saying, make a muslin, that's even better. I don't disagree but if I did that I would be sewing two months to make a garment. Pin fitting works for me if I use the method correctly.
- I can make adjustments when I have sewn a lot of the garment and it is close to being finished. With this dress, I ended up having to undo the lining to the sleeves. This was due in part to the style of the dress and the sleeves not being the normal curved sleeveless type but ones that come to a V and require some extra seaming steps. I ended up taking deeper side seams in the upper bodice piece which hits right at the bust area. This adjustment led to turning in a deeper hem on cap sleeve which in turn shortened the drop shoulder and made for a better fit.
- I learned that when you change the pattern and add a lining that some of the sewing steps must be modified also. I learned from all the changes that I made that if I should make this dress again I will tackle the lining differently. The pattern calls for a lined yoked but not the rest of the dress. Next time I will line the yoke and bodice/bottom seperately. This will work best for this dress.
- I now know that I can think through processes and discover a solution. In years past, I would hit that wall, worry over things, then quit the project. I refused to give up on this and I am glad I did.
- Striving for quality instead of quantity is a good goal and the resulting garment will reflect the quality.
- Sewing is a journey and sometimes there are by-passes and side roads that one takes to get to the final destination.
All that is left for me to do is hem the dress and the lining. And decide on what jacket to make! I am considering the jacket that comes with the dress, but the collar has to be adjusted from the look of it. I also pulled out about four other jacket patterns from my collection and added a couple that I have just recently purchased. I would like to wear this dress and jacket before it is spring! I want to get the jacket started this weekend.
Photos soon.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Listen to your inner voice
The shoulders just drop off to much. The added bust was not necessary I had added to the bust area in the side seam using the seam adjustment method. In taking up the side seams while continuing to perfect the fit, it made the all in one shoulder/cap sleeves look, well like they are too big, too long, too yeck!
Family
Yesterday was my dad's 80th birthday! He is in the early stages of Alzheimers. He lives in an assisted living facility in NC. My uncle and aunt live 10 minutes away from him and do a great job of looking in on him and taking care of many of his needs. I am so appreciative.
Because it was his birthday, they brought him to Danville, VA for a birthday dinner at a local seafood restaurant to be with other family and friends. I left work a little early to travel to Danville to join in and to celebrate his birthday. We had a great time and it is good to spend time with his side of the family as we have at times been estranged from each other.
So sewing will start sometime today. My goal is to finish the dress!!!!! I am still on the fence for the jacket.
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