Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Help with Instagram

I am not an avid user of Instagram. I have been using it off and on; I do see other bloggers using it. In the past several weeks I have gone to Instagram and I found several postings of photos of people that were pretty risqué to be subtle. Truly some were porn videos. I then noticed that on my account I was following a lot of people that I never chose to follow.

I then went through and started un-following numerous individuals. Yet each time I went back I find I am following people that I never chose to follow and I go through the process again. I have attempted to communicate with Instagram about the situation and never get any feedback or response from them.

I am assuming that my account has either been hacked or perhaps because some people are following me I am then following some of their followers. I hope that made sense. So for those of you who use Instagram on a regular basis, are you seeing the same issue? If not, how do you control this? Should I delete my account and start over? I truly appreciate your feedback. Please leave a comment. Or you can send me an email at lwl1951 at gmail dot com. Thanks for your assistance.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Quick View

I completed the Butterick 6183 top. I am okay with the blouse.I have a few dislikes and some are my issues and not the pattern.  I was so focused on fitting the bust,the back, the waist, the hips that I did not focus on the shoulder and where the shoulder ended.
I don't like the insertion of the zipper as they have you do it. Next time, I will insert the zipper on the side, or adjust the back opening to a full seam and insert the zipper there .

Here are a few photos of the completed blouse.

My next project will be the Presto Top by Savage Coco. I have a red rayon slub knit that I just washed to be used for this top. This was just recently acquired from Fabric Mart. More posting and photos to follow

Friday, September 25, 2015

Window shopping

I went to Macy's yesterday for skincare products and decided to do a little window or snoop shopping, however you may want to describe it. I saw several sweater type jackets of interest as well as several dresses.

I found the quality to be not to good bad.  One sweater had faux leather trim along the front zipper closing that was puckered and top stitched badly.  There was no stabilizing elastic or seam tape to keep the shoulders from stretching and drooping.

There were other issues as well.  With every item I looked at, I kept saying you would sew this garment much better.  I even have similar fabric or know where to acquire it!

I am looking forward to some quality sewing time this weekend.  It has been a long work week and sewing is such a good way to rid one of stress.



Thursday, September 17, 2015

Busy-no sewing

This is the time of year that I call Budget Season at my office.  Staff and I have to prepare capital budgets, payroll budgets and the list goes on.  This has created more evening work and less play time for me.  During this time, we have strategic planning process taking place as the budget and the plan should match up.  We have a planning retreat with our Board of Directors Sunday afternoon into the first half of the day on Monday.

My weekend will be one free day-Saturday.  Unfortunately for sewing time,  there is another planned event for that day, so sewing has come to a halt.  Hopefully I will find a few moments here and there to continue working on the Butterick top.  Not much left to do actually: insert sleeves and hem.  I did baste the back princess seams from waist to hip and I need to try on again as I think that will eliminate some of the fullness in that area. 

Overall I like this blouse.  To me it is somewhat of a cropped top with shaping.  I do see more of this one being made for fall.

Happy sewing and more updates later.




Monday, September 14, 2015

B6183 Progress

I only got some real sewing on Sunday.  I completed the back unit and I found an Okay zipper to use for the back zip.
Blue exposed zipper
I had a very difficult time inserting this zipper.  I love invisible zippers and can install one so quickly.  This required two passes to get it right.  I am not real happy with the bottom of it but hopefully no one will get that close to see it.

I have some fullness to take out of the back princess seams from waist to hip.  I basted the side seam after attaching the zipper and sewing the shoulder seams.  Other than that fullness the blouse fits well.  I love that I did not have to do a FBA as I was able to take advantage of the D cup front pattern without needing any extra!

Not a lot more to do and hope to do a few minutes here or there this week.


Friday, September 11, 2015

Love when Friday comes

I find that I start looking forward to Friday every Monday.  With the arrival of Friday comes thoughts of sewing and family time for the weekend.

I need a zipper for the current Butterick top in the works.  I have numerous zippers yet not a one that will work if I decide to sew an exposed zipper as called for in the pattern notions. Hopefully there will be one at JoAnn's this weekend. If not I will make it work some other way.

As someone said at work on Tuesday when I said it was my Monday on a Tuesday; the great thing about three day weekends is a 4 day workweek.  Enjoy your weekend and happy sewing.



Monday, September 07, 2015

Butterick 6183

I am grateful for a long weekend!  After putting aside the Itch to Stitch top, I decided to make a woven top I had been planning to make for some time now.
I have read some reviews on Pattern Review as well as reading some blog posts also.  Most all seem to be positive and some mentioned the tight sleeves.  I cut my ususal 14 cap for the sleeve and then expanded to size 16 for bicep.

I pin fitted the pattern yesterday, made my usual adjustments-forward shoulder, upper round back adjustment, swayback adjustment.  No FBA as this pattern has cup sizes and I went with the size 16 from bust to bottom.

Here is where I stopped a little while ago
The front pieces are sewn together.  I finished the edges using my serger.  The fabric is from Vogue Fabrics purchased in May.  It is a cotton fabric with a denim look, light to medium weight.  I washed it once prior to sewing it. It presses well and was easy to cut and handle.  I sew so many knit fabrics that I forget how woven fabrics feel and sew.  When I purchased this fabric, my intent was to make a top/blouse;  this pattern was not my choice at the time.  I thought this looked like a cropped top with seaming.


I wish I had cut the center back piece with an add of a 5/8 seam allowance so I could use an invisible zipper. This pattern as it is has the back on the fold with markings to cut an opening for an exposed zipper.

More updates later.  Plan to grill hamburgers soon.

Saturday, September 05, 2015

Itch to Quit

I have gone as far as I am going to go with the Paulina Top by Itch to Stitch.  I am disappointed with the outcome of the mostly completed garment.  Let me say that the pattern is a good pattern and I will make it again using a different size as well as different fabric.

Just a few quick comments about the issues with this pattern that we more mine than the pattern.  I am so use to the Big Four patterns and using a size range from 14-18 that I did not do a more thorough review of the sizing and finished size measurements with this indie pattern,  Instead I somewhat blindly went with a 12/14.  This proved to be very, very large on me.  Shame on me for not clearly paying attention to the finished measurements for this pattern. I also did not go by upper bust measurement as that would have produced a better fit all around.

With 20/20 hindsight and a closer look of the top on the model, I should have paid more attention to how low and wide the neckline would be.  Again this is operator error and not the pattern; it was drafted just as it is shown.  With aging decollete and neck, this low top seems to draw attention to that area and I don't want that attention there; it not so flattering.  There are other fitting adjustments that I did not do and I think that going with a smaller size will address some of those.

The fabric was a pain to deal with also.  Too fiddly.

I completed the top except for the hems of the bodice and sleeve.  I decided to stop at that point as I will not wear this except as a top to wear around the house.

I am now on to my next project and with a long holiday weekend I hope to accomplish a good headway with the new project.  I just need to determine what that project will be.  Several ideas and fabrics, just need to decide. It will be for fall.

More later and I will take some photos of the top worn.  Sometimes you need to show the good, the bad and the ugly.


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...