Monday, March 30, 2009

KS 3617 ViewA- almost complete

Almost complete. I need to do the hemming which will be done by machine. I need to pick up more thread as I tons of green thread but not enough of the matching green for this top.

KS 3617 ViewA-neckline2

Another view of neckline.

KS 3617 ViewA-neckline


KS 3617 ViewA-neckline
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
This was my time consuming project this weekend. A simple top with fitting issues at shoulder/neckline. A lot of frog sewing going on here (rip it, rip it, rip it).

Saturday, March 28, 2009

KS3617 View A

I began sewing the KS knit top last evening. I decided not to do CURVES this AM and instead went to sewing room early to continue sewing the top. I completed the neckband and sewed that to the front and back. I did not try on the neckband before attaching to the front and back. I don't know if I would have discovered at that point that the shoulder seams would need to be taken deeper or not.

I had basted the side seams and then tried on the top to discover that it appeared big and hung very low. I pinned deeper shoulder seams which immediately improved the look of the top. On me, KS patterns run rather large in the shoulders and neckline. I fall between a small and medium in that area. I used a medium for this pattern and probably should have gone with the small. Sometimes even in a small I find that I need to take deeper shoulder seams. I had taken a 1/4 inch horizontal tuck across the front and back.

I had to undo stitching in three different places in order to take the deeper shoulder seam. I had to take care of some personal chores and such so put the sewing aside until after dinner. I have now stitched the facing down for the neckband and attached the sleeves.

I am taking a break now, having late dessert and watching an old movie with DH. I will finish the top tomorrow AM and hopefully begin the KS dress tomorrow. More later.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Wanting to sew

This week I have been so engrossed in developing my division's budget that it has consumed me day and night. The budget is due today and by gosh,finance will get ours on time. Instead of dreaming of sewing, I am now waking up thinking of revisions to my budget. I came up with a few last night and in the shower this AM. This to shall pass.

I did wear my new black knit SB top this week. I had planned to wear it with my skirt but I have not had the time to even stitch the facings to zipper or lining, so I wore it with my black wool pants as the weather turned cooler again and they felt good to wear. I think I will make a few more tops from this pattern. There is still some fullness in the back, width wise, that I need to address. I also think I need to make the cross over top included in this pattern as well. The knit I used for this top is great quality. Fortunately I bought enough yardage that I can use it for more knit garments I have in mind.

At least this weekend, I have two other patterns cut out and ready to sew. I will not need to spend time, pattern fitting and cutting out fabric this weekend; unless I get real lucky and complete both garments and have the time. Later.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Nadine Plus Variation – Sewing Creations | BurdaStyle.com

One I was just playing around with websites and posting to either my blog or Facebook. But I truly love the look of this jacket. The collar is most appealing to me!

Nadine Plus Variation – Sewing Creations BurdaStyle.com

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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Sandra Betzina Vogue 8151

Yesterday I was wearing this top (from an older photo). It is a Sandra Betzina top pattern, Vogue 8151. I made another one from a heavier knit that I just did not like the outcome. The one I wore yesterday is a softer knit that I acquired from Wazoodle.

This particularly top fits me fairly well but I decided when I made this one that I needed to lower the side darts about 3/4 inch. I also needed to rework the swayback adjustment. Other than that, the top fits me well through the upper chest and shoulder. Because of that I decided that in addition to the two KS projects I am working on I needed to add this to the project list.

I have a huge knit piece of fabric, perhaps 4 yards, of a black crepe knit I purchased over a year ago in Charlottesville. I have used it as part of another knit top so I decided to use for another SB top.

I ended up making this top first instead of the KS top that I was all fired up to make. Not sure why I bumped it but I guess that the SB top was one I had made twice; I knew the adjustments I needed to make and the sewing machine and serger were already threaded with black thread. So I made the top today in between various household chores.

The knit was a little fiddly to work with, yet it sewed up well. I even re-threaded the serger to use the coverstitch feature and hemmed the sleeves and the top using a wide coverstitch.

One can never have enough black knit tops.

Friday, March 20, 2009

What's in the works now

I washed several of the knits I recently purchased so they are ready to become something. Yesterday evening and today I spent time making pattern adjustments to two KS patterns that I am going to sew up next. One is KS3617 that I just sewed but I am now making the other version of this top. My thought is to use the green knit fabric I acquired from Hancocks earlier this week. All adjustments are complete on that view so I plan to cut the fabric tonight.


I also made pattern adjustments to another pattern KS3633. I am going to make the tri-color version. Depending on family activity tonight I may get this cut out as well.

More later.

Skirt with black belt-sideview

Sideview of the skirt with black belt.

Backside of the skirt


Backside of the skirt
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl

Butterick 5249-pockets-no belt

No belt and of course I want you to notice the pockets. I think I may need to wear a belt to help pretend I have a waist line as I once did!

Butterick 5249 with metal belt

As promised, I am posting a few shots of me wearing the skirt. I had been out grocery shopping and since I had on a black top thought I would put up the gorilla pod and take a few photos.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Second Butterick skirt almost complete

The skirt is almost finished. I just hemmed the skirt and I need to attach the hook and eye. I will try to post photos of me wearing it later today.

I have the three projects in my head to work on. One-a knit top to wear with new skirt; tri-colored KS knit dress and woven Butterick dress. I am at the point where I need to pin fit all three patterns, make adjustments and proceed from there.

I am off to manicure and CURVES. I love vacations, even when they are the R&R type with no destination except to do what one wants to do. I admit though I have had numerous conversations with my staff via phone or email due to budget development. But even that has been productive and less stressful than if it was a required work day!

Later.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Fabrics and Patterns

Back from my business trip to Fredericksburg. Starting semi vacation this AM. Semi, as I am also doing some work from home while also vacationing. It is budget season, I think that says it all. I have over $6M budget responsibility and I have great staff who are doing budgets as well. Team effort. Still time consuming process.

Okay, enough business talk.

I wanted to show you some recent fabric purchases made this month and this week.
Top two fabrics I acquired from Gorgeous Fabrics(GF). The left is a blend of some sort, a suiting fabric. Yet I will be making a dress from it as I was inspired by a dress at Macy's that is similar to the black dress from this Butterick pattern.













The upper right fabric is also from GF. It is grayish jersey. It was not quite what I expected. Hard to know from descriptions sometimes what the feel of the knit is like. The quality is good, I mean this is GF fabrics. It is just a knit that I shy away from as it could be clingy depending on style of pattern used. I just don't have a clingy body anymore. So I am thinking about several options for this knit.
The bottom photos are fabrics I acquired from Hancock's-Fredericksburg when not at meetings. The green and teal fabrics are knits with some beef to them. Not real heavy nor light. Probably similar to what some call Sophia or Juliet knits. The putty colored fabric is poly suiting with herringbone design. I have a similar fabric I purchased from Hancock's-Danville a few years ago that I have yet to make up.

I was so impressed with Sharon's jacket and her blog said to buy this pattern,

so I did that while at Hancock's as well. I also bought this one, again inspired by garments at Macy's or Belk's.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sewing today

I started on another Butterick skirt today. This is a silk tweed fabric that I think I purchased at least and probably more than a couple of years ago. I think I purchased it from Fabric Mart. I remember I purchased it to make a short sleeve jacket using a Sandra Betzina pattern. I had made that pattern before and thought this would make up differently than the original one that was a linen fabric. For whatever reason the jacket never got made and the fabric kept being put back in the fabric stash.

So now after 2 years + it has become a skirt. I really love the fit of the previous Butterick skirt I made. With fitting adjustments made from previous version, I made fairly good progress on it this AM. The fabric is proving to be easy to sew and not as ravely as I thought it might. Has good body to it and probably will not wrinkle as much as the linen for the previous version.

DH and I are having a date night tonight as I am going to be traveling for business tomorrow and will be back Tuesday evening. I will be in Fredericksburg, VA and I hope to do a search later to see if there is a fabric store near where I will be staying and meeting. The good news is that I am on vacation the remainder of the week when I return and have some sewing projects in mind.

I will post some photos of the WIP later. I also completed my test garment for my first Lutterloh pattern last night and will write more about that later.

KS Top

Thanks to all who commented on the recent KS top. I am liking it more myself and plan to do it up in a solid knit. I even thought about doing the neckline in a mesh knit that would coordinate with the solid knit. I think it has many possibilities.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Picnik collageKS3617


Picnik collageKS3716
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Here is a collage of various views of the KS3617 top. I had to cover my face. Make up was not complete and I nor you could handle that look.

Monday, March 09, 2009

KS 3617 neckline


KS 3716
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Another view of the neckline.

Neckline closeup


Neckline closeup
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Here is a shot of the neckline . I really like the gathered look of this neckline. It was tedious to attach especially with the gathers and 1/4 inch seam allowance. The outcome was good just time consuming. I am not sure that I like the dropped shoulders on me and I cut off about 3/4 inch at shoulder tapering to nothing at underarm seam.

KS3617


KS3716a
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
This is what I worked on yesterday. I made the red top. I raised the neckline about 2 inches, it is truly very low and hits as the pattern indicates and looks on the model at bustline.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

To sew or not to sew

All week long I had visions of sewing various things this weekend. I will get to at least one. Even though I had the fabric laid out on cutting table with pattern attached for the Butterick skirt, I did not get to cut it out until this AM after returning from CURVES. I also cut out the lining fabric.

Today was 70+ today. After a snow storm last Sunday into Monday and to start the weekend with this type weather, I wanted to spend time out in the sunshine with no heavy coat on plus sweater, plus socks, etc. on. I am a lizard-give me sunshine and warmth. So I decided to give up some sewing time.

I took my company car to the car wash to get the salt, snow slush washed away. I was there with at least 20 other people with the same thing in mind. I then went to AC Moore to buy foam board. I am playing around with the Lutterloh system and find that this will allow me to insert the pin into the drafting tape and then into the foam board. This gives it more stability. This is part of their drafting system.

I then ran to grocery store to pick up some chicken breast for grilling tomorrow. Tonight I grilled cheeseburgers!

So after getting home around 3PM, I went to sewing room and tried out the foam board to redraft a pullover top pattern from the Lutterloh patterns. I then cut it out using some fabric I won through Burdastyle about a year ago. The fabric is interesting and feels great, it is just not exactly me! So if this pattern does not fit so well, I can use this top as a sleep top to go with pj's.

So I now have three patterns cut out and ready to go.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Sisterhood Award



Mary of "Mary is Sewfast" nominated me for the Sisterhood Award. I truly appreciate the award and truly flattered. Thank you, Mary!


As per her blog, here are the rules for posting the award:

  • Place the award logo on your blog.

  • Nominate 10 other blogs which show "Attitude and/or Gratitude"

  • Link to the nominees on your blog post.

  • Comment on their blog that you have nominated them.

  • Share the love and link to the person who nominated you.

So my nominees are: (Not 10 as some of my nominees have already been nominated.)

  1. Liana, Sew Intriguing. I know I have said this before but worth saying again, Liana, was one sewist from PR that was instrumental in getting me started on blogging. I have always admired Liana's classy creations, love to read her pattern reviews at PR and to read her blog. She not only sews but knits as well.

  2. Lisa Laree, Sew Random. Lisa was another sewist whose reviews I read at PR and she too was instrumental in getting me started on blogging. I am amazed with her sewing projects that she does for herself, her children and her church.

  3. Cenneta, The Mahogany Stylist. I really like the garments Cenneta makes for herself, her daughter and niece, and her customers. They are truly "stylish" garments. I like the way she poses in her photos of herself wearing her creations. She always looks professional, polished and confident.

  4. Audrey, Sew Tawdry. I love to see what she makes. She has completed some nice garments using Japanese pattern books, drafting several blouses and jackets. I think she and I are similar in shape so I like seeing what she has made and wondering if I should copy, that is the best form of flattery. Besides she is in my neck of the woods and hopefully I can meet up with her some time in the future.

  5. Robin, Sewing on the Side. She is a master with My Label, a pattern software program from Bernina. She has made several garments using this program.

  6. Amanda, Amanda's Sewing Adventures. I just started following Amanda's blog in the past few months. Saw some of her reviews on PR. Her talent is growing as is her wardrobe. She has made some great creations.

  7. 2BSewing. Another PR member with great reviews. She always had such great success with KS patterns and so I always read her reviews. I like KS patterns but for a long time I just could not get the right size for me. I have finally gotten these patterns to fit me much better now. She also knits.

  8. Nanflan (Nancy), Sew West. Numerous times I have read her blogs and found my fabrics. She has great taste! I always like to see what she is making or plans to make. Several times she has had fabric that I too own and it is always neat to see what someone else decides to create with the same fabric.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Sewing Update for midweek

Here's what I have done since Sunday:


I cut out the fabric for the KS pattern Sunday evening.

I have the skirt fabric ready to cut out for the next Butterick skirt. I set this up Monday evening. I had to travel to Staunton,VA Tuesday evening for an event today. I hope to do a little of that this evening after dinner with DH.

I have been playing around with the Lutterloh system and have drafted the front piece of a pullover top using one of the pattern designs. It looked like it drafted funny. Yet when I pinned out the dart, it seems to fit from just pinning to center front of my bra. I have some nice muslin fabric to test this out. I have been reading more about this system on the message boards at PR and found a Yahoo group as well.

I have been reading some blogs and found that I have been awarded the Sisterhood Award from Mary with Sewfast. I need to follow up on this and nominate some others so plan to do that later.

Got to go now and will post more later.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Next two projects

I decided I wanted to move on to another knit top project, thus will come back to BWOF knit top, third version down the road.

This is the KS pattern I am going to try. I like both tops but going to try the red version using a print fabric. This fabric was acquired from Fabric.com a couple of years ago.

I also want to make this Butterick skirt pattern again. I have had this fabric for several years, so long that I do not remember the source. I thought it was Fabric.com and then I thought I may have purchased from a PR member through PR classifieds. It is a silk blend and has specks of other colors woven through out. For a long time I was going to make a jacket from it but could never decided on the pattern. It will now become a skirt.

fullness


fullness
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
You can get a better idea of the fullness from this photo.

BWOF22009top108Closeup


BWOF22009top108Closeup
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Second top. This one is much better than the first one. There are still some issues. I think shoulder length may be too long. Quite a bit of fullness in the upper chest. Probably could scoop out some of the front armhole.

I did take a 1/4 inch tuck in the upper area for front and back. Failed to trim this off the sleeve so that created too much fullness and difficulty in stitching sleeve to top.

Feedback on Lutterloh System

I wanted to acknowledge and thank all of you who responded to my earlier post on the Lutterloh System. I plan to give this a try in the near future. As some noted, you still have to tweak the patterns for length and such. The styles currently offered in the start up version are nice and very current in some respects with pattern offerings from BMV and Simplicity.

Sewing Update

Yesterday, DH and I went to Danville to visit MIL. Friday was her birthday so we took her out to lunch at her favorite restaurant on Saturday. We took her to the mall where I saw my SIL and her DH and grandchild. While there I saw my cousin, so it was a nice visit with family.

Later that evening, I began on the second version of the BWOF Feb. 108 top. Friday night, I finished tweaking the pattern and cut out the fabric. Using some helpful information from "burdaenglish" yahoo group, I was able to topstitch the neckline with some better results than the first version. It is still not as I would really like it but passable. Last night I attached the sleeves using flat method instead of in the round as the instructions would have you do. Finished the side seams and turned up the hem. This AM I completed the hemming of the sleeves and top. I took a photo of it hanging a rack and will try it on later for another few photos.

I am more pleased with the fit of this second version. Whether this will become a TNT for this style top is still being considered. I just don't like the turn under and topstitching of the neckline. Got to be a better way. Later!

August Sewing Simplicity 7295

 I am not doing well as a blogger. I have been working on this project since July 30. Today, I finally finished it. It has been a stop-and-g...