Saturday, October 27, 2012

What the mailman delivered yesterday!

Here are the Vogue patterns I purchased during the recent Club BMV sale.  All Vogue patterns with focus on skirts, except one.


The other pattern was a Sandra Betzina jacket pattern

Friday, October 26, 2012

V8603 Complete and the Inspiration

I saved this skirt photo many many months ago.  I knew I wanted to make some sort of “skin” skirt.  photo

I also saw a skirt photo made from the same fabric that I used on someone’s blog that too was an inspiration for making a “skin” skirt.  

Here is my completed faux leather “skin” skirt, Vogue 8603.

V8603front

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a view of the back

V8603backI took these photos while actually getting dressed for work the other morning.  I plan to wear the skirt with brown opaque hose and brown top and shoes.

Next up is another Magic Pencil Skirt.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Skirt needs hemming

Here is a not so good photo of V8603 skirt that is basically complete except for the hemming. This was taken with my Samsung Galaxy Player.  DH just bought this for me and besides just playing music, I can take photos, send me email, etc.  So not too bad of a photo.

It looks a little more shiny than it is in "real" time.

This fit very well.  I used 18 at the waist tapering to 16 at hip line.  I ended up taking 3/4 inch seams at waist to hip.

The pattern calls for a lining; this fabric has a thick knit type backing and decided not to line.  I used Teflon foot for most of the sewing; I inserted an invisible zipper.  I just need to hem and I am ready to start another skirt project.  More photos later.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Skirt progress

I got a little bit of sewing time in this evening.  All skirt pieces were serge finished and the center and side front pieces were sewn together.  I had to pick up some zippers at Jo Ann's today.  I needed one for this skirt and pressed the zipper tape getting it ready for attaching next.

The fabric being faux leather and thickish I am using a quilting needle size 14 and a Teflon foot.  Seems to be working well.  This is a very simple skirt pattern and should be able to complete it tomorrow.

I think my next skirt will be blue.  I have several blue fabrics, varying shades of blue as well as varying fabric type.  Once I complete the Carnival of Skirts I am going to make some jackets.  I have some lovely fabrics acquired recently and over several years that I pulled out for fall/winter sewing.  Several are varying shades of blue prints.

More later.

Friday, October 19, 2012

I joined the Carnival and what arrived from Mood Fabrics

I  joined the carnival yesterday!  Last month I made several skirts-3 keepers, 1 wadder.  I enjoyed the change from making dresses to skirts.  I was switching to sewing up some tops.  I just completed a wadder with a KS top.  So when I read about Faye's Carnival of Skirts, I was thrilled as I have more skirts I want to make.

My first skirt, pattern to be determined, will be from this fabric.  I purchased it last year after reading someones blog and seeing their skirt.  They had acquired the fabric from JoAnn's and fortunately our local store had this fabric also. This is of course a faux leather with a knit backing.














I
So what about Mood Fabrics, you ask.  It was exciting to read and learn about the Mood Sewing Network and who was selected to be in the inaugural group.  I read many of their blogs though one or two were new to me; now they are on my blog reading list.  I have purchased fabric from Mood once many, many years ago when I was with a group on a shopping trip in NY.  I actually won a piece of fabric through Burda Style that came from Mood; the fabric was nice and unfortunately it just was not a fabric choice I would make so I have never made anything from it.

I decided to order fabric from them online recently.  I ordered a gold metallic knit with a touch of black streaks running through the knit; I also ordered a faux leather/vinyl fabric that I want to use to make a peplum top.  I want a piece of black faux leather for another peplum top.  I was uncertain as to the quality and feel of their product so I selected this one simply because the description indicated it would be suitable for garments.  I wish they would include those type of comments with some of their other faux leather pieces.  Some do claim to be more for home dec or for purses.

Here is the knit fabric













and the faux leather animal print (it was described as animal, I think it looks more like a snakeskin)  Really great color and I think it will work as a "neutral" with several skirts; or as the top peplum piece of a peplum style dress.


Their service was prompt and ordering was an ease.  I think the fabric I received was as described and was not disappointed.  I see more fabric purchases from them in the future.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

KS Wadder

This is my new top!
Yes it is a "wadder".  The knit was just to soft, fragile, not right for this pattern.  It had the right stretch required but it just did not have the body that was necessary for this top.  I truly love the colors of this fabric and had some other skirts/pants that would be perfect with. 

Here is where some problems occurred.
 






The neckband is gathered and attached to the neckband facing at neckline or at the top of the unit. Understitching the facing is important.  You then adjust gathers at the bottom of the neckband and match notches on neckband facing.  At this point you then attach gathered bottom edge to front and back bodice pieces which were sewn at the shoulder seam.  See below:
 
After doing this you then fold over the neckband facing and attached to neckband and bodice pieces by stitching in the ditch. This where it became a wadder. All the gathering and attaching of neckband distorted the area and the knit  just seemed to grow and not really recover back to original size.  Thus facing never really lined up well.  When I basted the side seams and tried the top on, the whole neckline was standing away from me both in the back and front.  I tried some things to fix the issue and that did not work. 
 
I did not have enough fabric to redo the neckband and attach as a unit.  Not really wanting to spend anymore time on this as I have numerous other projects in the line up, I called it a wadder and now ready to move on.
 
Lessons learned-this top really needs a knit with more body.
 

 
 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Small Progress

I had only a short time to sew this afternoon.  Thus far the darts are sewn on the front bodice.  I interfaced the front and back facings and then attached to the front and back neckband at the neckline.  Before attaching at neckline you have to gather the front neckband between notches and line up with notices on the facing.

When you have only a 1/4 inch seam allowance this gets to be a little fiddly and the knit I am using is fiddly  also.  All turned out well though and I was pleased with that. 

The next step is to gather the bottom edge of the front neckband and match the notches to the facing.  The instructions have you attach to the neckline in two steps.  Sometimes this can be done by attaching the neckband to the facing by sewing or serging and then attach all to neckline.  I may use their instructions as it is important to get the gathers aligning in the center of the front neckline.

Hopefully will sew a little more this later tonight.  DH fell at work yesterday and has fractured a rib, so having to "babysit" some with him.  I know that it is painful but his pain tolerance level is about -5!  

More updates later.


Tuesday, October 09, 2012

10 minutes sewing

I decided I need to take opportunities when I can to actually go into the sewing room and do something sewing related.  So this evening after getting home from work while DH is taking a shower, I spent 10 minutes in the sewing room.  I stay stitched the neckline of the knit top I am working on. 

I then pinned in the darts that were created when I did the FBA .   The knit is rather “fiddly” and so aligning the dart stitching lines took up a chunk of time.  I also wanted to make sure that when I sewed the sides together that the front and back side seams line up and they did.

I was surprised to see that I had spent 10 to 12 minutes on these three steps.

Off to heat up left overs for dinner.

Kwik Sew top

I was able to cut out the fabric for this KS top. This was a difficult task as the knit fabric was rather "clingy" and rather lightweight.  It also seemed off grain some.  I had just enough fabric to cut out all the pieces and ended up with the sleeves being just above the elbow.

The sewing machine and serger are threaded and ready to go.  That though was the end of my sewing for the day.  I had to run some errands and then my neck/shoulder started hurting and had to give it a rest.  I think the extreme change in weather was a factor.  I did make an appointment with my doctor as I think it may be time for a MRI.

I did pull out some more patterns that I plan to use for more tops/blouses.    Last month was all about skirts.














Sunday, October 07, 2012

Kwik Sew Ruched Neckband top

I finally decided to make Kwik Sew 3915, shown in the upper side bar.  I have had this pattern for some time now and had plans to make the long sleeve top last fall.  Now I have decided to make View B with the ruched center neckband.  I am going to make longer sleeves, not sure if I have enough fabric to make them to the wrist.   I am thinking 3/4 or above elbow but not as short as on the model.

I traced the pattern pieces and pin fitted.  I will need to make about 1 inch FBA.  I have a holiday tomorrow so plan to start sewing early.  Today is DH's birthday so have not spent as much time in sewing room.  I am preparing him some of his favorite foods for dinner.

Other fitting adjustments are my usual 1/4 inch front and back horizontal tuck in upper chest and back, swayback and still to need to make forward shoulder adjustment.

My trip out of town did not lend itself to shopping at Hancock's.  Thus I came home empty handed.

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Going on a business trip

I will not be doing any sewing the rest of this week as I am traveling to a conference today and will return Saturday.  I am taking my black, cream and grey Vogue skirt recently posted about along with the black knit top with the dotted front to wear one day.  I am hoping to visit a Hancock's fabric store while on this trip as that is the only place I have found that is in the area where I am going.

Plans for this weekend is to start on making the knit top to go with the Simplicity skirt as well as fitting a few other top patterns for future sewing.  Oh yes, I also get a long weekend as we get Columbus Day as a floating holiday.  Wooo Hooo!

Later.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Simplicity 2451

The only thing left to do is hem the skirt and the lining!  I took some photos this evening of the skirt
This is the completed skirt except for the hem.
This is closer look of the yoke and side pockets.
I topstitched the edges of the yoke.  I did this also because it helped to keep the yoke edge in place.  I wish I had edgestitched the pockets, but didn't.
This is the lining side of the skirt.  The upper edge of the skirt needs to be pressed and I may edgestitched the top edge of the yoke.  I am pleased with the fit of the skirt and now I only need to decide on what the top should look like.

September was my month of skirts.  One I did not complete and that was the Magic Pencil Skirt.  I just did not like the knit fabric I chose to use.  I needed something with a little more body to it.

For October I am going to concentrate on tops and jackets.

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...