Thursday, May 31, 2007
Vacation Day 3
I think I mentioned in a previous post that this was fabric I acquired from Gorgeous Fabrics. It was so great to sew with. Quality fabric turns out a great garment, no matter the skill level of the sewist.
Yesterday afternoon, early evening, I retraced the Hot Patterns Sunshine Top pattern. This morning after coffee and breakfast and reading emails and blogs, I cut out the pattern and sewed it. This was a "muslin" or "test" or "trial" garment.
I have to say that the instructions for this pattern were the best I have encountered with the Hot Patterns patterns. Unfortunately, I have to say that I again have not made a good garment from this pattern company. BUT, I know what the fitting problems are and are the same for just about all the other patterns I have made using their patterns. Now, what do I choose to do with that information? Or how do I adjust the various pattern pieces to deal with these issues? Do I really want to?
That is the biggest crux of the problem is fixing all the fitting issues. The scoop neck needs about 2 inches taken out of it for it to lie snug against my upper chest. When I pinned out the excess, this brought the top closer in and up. I need to pin out some of the back neckband also. When I do this, it also brings the shoulders in but then the underarm is too high up in the front area, which I can scoop out. But do I need to do something to the sleeves? Then the length is way too long for me and I cut it at the T-shirt length. This is a tunic on me. I was going for the t-shirt look. So I need to cut off about 2 inches.
Then when I look sideways, the bottom poufs out and I don't need that look as I have a tummy on my own without a top making it look worse.
But to make lemonade from a lemon, I don't feel like it was wasted time, (well maybe a little as I could have made something I have made before). I think also that this is not the best style for me. Face it, I am over 50 and this may be for someone from 20-40's. Look at the drawings, it geared toward someone younger, I think. And I did not ruin some of my better knit fabrics. These patterns work well for others. I read reviews of this top at PR and on some other blogs. I am glad they work for others and only wish they did for me. They are definitely not petite or short friendly patterns.
So as Tom Petty sings "Get Over It" !
Well my plans have also changed for the day which turns out better. I had planned to visit my father,who lives 3 hours from here,tomorrow. As it is, his brother is taking him to Danville for dinner tonight and other family members will be there also. Some I have not seen in over 5 years, so I am going to my hometown for dinner at the Mayflower. This gives me another day tomorrow of sewing time! And a nice visit with my father's side of the family. And my Dad still knows most of us and me so that makes it nice as well. Alzheimer's is not a pretty disease, it took my mother way to early and hopefully with my Dad it is prolonged due to early detection and medication.
Tomorrow, I am cutting into the chocolate eyelet fabric and the chocolate silk fabric lining to make a skirt. It is either going to be a KS skirt that I have made before or I found a Burda skirt in my stash that looks like it would work also. But maybe I will go with the one I know for this one. I have some other fabric to try with the Burda.
Later.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
As promised!
I am a terrible photographer and a self portrait always comes out goofy. Liana, how do you do it? Instructions please!!! (Note to self, please remove stuff on the floor before taking a shot of yourself!)
I am now working on the Hot Pattern Sunshine Top. I traced it the other day but knew right away that I had chosen the wrong size, so retraced this afternoon. Still need to do my usual adjustments. And based on almost all reviews of HP
patterns I am actually going to make a "muslin". I have a knit fabric that I acquired over 4 years ago while living in Pennsylvania. So decided that this will be a good trial fabric to use and if it turns out great-YEAH. If not, then I don't feel so bad. Besides I have about 6 yards of it. So I still have more to use for something else.
After that I am going to make a skirt using a KS pattern I have used before. I am going to use my chocolate eyelet fabric from Metro Textiles and line it with fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. I saw a chocolate eyelet skirt at Nordstroms Saturday that keeps playing over and over in my mind, so I think that this is what the fabric should become.
Later!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Dress is 95% Complete
The photos do not do this dress justice. I just did not feel like getting all dress up for a self portrait shot. Hanging here it looks like a sack. I could not get the dress on Alma Marie, as her shoulders are just to wide. It really does not fit like a sack after taking up the darts in the front and back skirt portion. Also tapered the dress from the hip down. In the drawing on the pattern envelope it is tapered. The pattern is not! I wanted the look of the pattern drawing. As you can see from that drawing it is a more fitted look. I had to work the dress to get it to look like that.
The pattern calls for cotton twill, linen and lightweight denim. The fabric I used was from Gorgeous Fabrics. It was a cotton fabric with some stretch. Which I think I will truly appreciate as I wear this dress all day. And perhaps is part of the reason for so many adjustments. But then I used a 18 for waist and hips. Needed the 18 for the "bum" but 16 worked best for waist to hip and then from hip to bottom of the skirt.
I am really pleased with results. I will take a photo of me wearing the dress soon.
Initial stages-V8178
Next on the agenda is a shower. Then back to the sewing room to finish my dress. I will post more along with photos of the dress. I had to do a lot of tweaking with this pattern, striving for perfection. Really I am striving for a good fit and this dress allowed me to hone some skills. Later!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Sewing the dress
The fabric is great to sew. I have sewn the front bodice pieces together and have pinned the back bodice pieces together. Time to take a break and fix a quick dinner as DH is finally making his way home.
Something I have not shared with blog readers-I am on holiday and vacation!!!!!! Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how one looks at it), DH is only off for the three day weekend. So most of next week will be PSD's. I have visions of completing numerous garments but usually the reality sets in and I don't get as much done as I think I will. But I am off to a good start.
Tomorrow DH and I are taking a day trip to Richmond, VA. Great shopping is in store. No fabric store shopping however. Unless I just happen to see one.
More later!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Slow but sure
I've almost cut out all the pieces. I am doing the Nancy Zieman 10-20-30 minutes to sew method. So a little each morning and hopefully a little tonight. I had to attend a board meeting for work last night so only time I had yesterday was before work. I pinned all the pieces onto the fabric. This morning I cut out the skirt pieces, the sleeves and one of the bodice pieces.
Tonight I am cooking dinner; hate it when domesticity gets in the way of sewing. But hopefully after dinner I will finish the cutting and then get the serger threaded. I also need to check on the zipper and hopefully have one in stash. I tend to buy zippers frequently to have on hand.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Fabric for dress
Saturday, May 19, 2007
New project
I have begun the pin fitting process. I made my usual FSA, narrow upper back and a 7/8 inch FBA. I will pin fit the skirt part next and hope to get this cut out tomorrow. I may also work on fitting and cutting out a knit top pattern as well. I kinda like to have some projects cut out and can then spend time just sewing several projects. I also have another dress pattern that I want to pin fit and get ready to cut out. I have some fabric that I just recently purchased from JoAnn's on sale that I want to use for this one.
I washed several fabric pieces this morning so I can move forward with sewing once I get patterns adjusted for them. I feel like I am being productive in going forward with sewing projects. So many ideas and such limited time to do it all!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Did I tell you that I love this dress?
Here are some photos of me wearing the dress before going off to work. Excuse the mess behind me, this is our catch all junk room but has the best mirror in the house for taking self photos.
This was to be a swirly dress photo. It is hard to make a skirt swirl and hold camera steady to take the shot.
This was to be a side back view. I wanted to capture the ruching the back. If you are swayback, this ruching look fits that back area very well.
This is a twisted side view. Really I am not a good photograhper.
I just can't say enough good things about the pattern and the fabric was perfect for this dress. Did I tell you that I really love this dress?
Monday, May 14, 2007
More patterns
This Butterick pattern has lots of options.
I also got these two Connie Crawford patterns.
Jacket, pants and top--I purchased it for the pants. Several of our local ASG members have made her pants and were highly complimentary.
Skirt and blouse-I was intrigued by the skirt.
All of these were $1.99 each.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Pattern Sales
Here are some of my purchases
This Vogue blouse-I have some eyelet fabric I want to make up this blouse in but will not use the three tiered sleeve, just too much for me.
This Vogue dress-I think I have something in my stash to use for this one.
This SB top-I have a pale rose colored silk dupioni that I think will work well for the short sleeve version for the summer.
This dress-Though I won't do the puffy sleeves, perhaps will make them straight or petal shaped. I have another piece of eyelet that I would like to use for this but not sure that I have enough.
And this dress-I actually purchased some fabric on sale at JoAnn for this one. Black with white polka dots. I am going to make the dress in the center and a little shorter. I will try to post photos of fabrics I purchased later.
And this dress, also. I was inspired by SewWest blog's photo of this one. Like her I wear suits, dresses with jackets to work and this one spoke to me also as one to wear to work. Again fabric in stash will be used.
Got to go, more later.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Happy Dance Time!
I will show you some photos of the dress laying on the cutting table. I just did not want to show off the fit of this great dress without being all "dolled" up to show it off. I promise to take pictures when I wear it to work next week.
This is the dress laying on the cutting table. I wanted to show the ruching on the overlay at the midriff. This will hopefully give you an idea of how the dress would look on.
This is closer look of the midriff.
This is the side seam with the ruching.
I am now ready to start something new and just can't decide what it will be. I will sleep on it tonight.
Fridays
When I got home, off with the work clothes and into some comfy clothes-shorts and t-shirt. I then spent some productive time in my sewing room working on my dress. I made final touches to sleeves, inserted neckband and sewed the skirt piece to the bodice and midriff pieces front and back. Today I will sew sideseams and hem and viola!!! a new dress.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Dress progression
I was thrilled at the fit!!!! I had some concerns about the overlay piece which is attached to the midriff. When I held the bodice piece up the ruching (overlay)seem to sag and I thought I am going to have this sagging and not the look as shown on the pattern. Once I tried on the bodice then stretch of the knit across my body made the overlay ruching do what it is suppose to do. Whew! I thought that perhaps the weight of the knit would pull it down; thankfully it doesn't. This confirms why knit patterns are drafted smaller than wovens and allows for fabric stretch. The shoulder fits beautifully and the gathers under the bust area I am finding are flattering. I will use 3/8 seams through the waist area as this felt a little snug. The bodice area's 5/8 seam allowance worked well.
I want to make another dress from this pattern, perhaps with short sleeves and a contrast midriff. I am on the prowl for the perfect knit fabrics.
I will insert sleeves next, add neckband then attach the top pieces to the skirt. I am really excited about this dress. As others have noted on their blogs, this seems to be the season for dresses. I think my next sewing projects will include another dress from this pattern, a wrap dress, a shirtwaist dress and my all time favorite sheath.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Fabric for Simplicity Dress
I purchased it from SewKeysee. This is a small family business out of Florida. They have a few patterns for knit fabrics only. They had some great knit fabrics for sale. This is a beefy slinky knit. It was so easy to cut and it sews great. I am using a Stretch Needle and regular polyester thread.
I have sewn a lot of slinky knits over the years. They are not all equal. I have had some that were extremely thin and when you sewed them up the weight of the knit pulled down and fabric became thinner. It was horrible to sew with as well.
Other slinky
This is the first patterned slinky that I have ever purchased, all others were solid colors. The background is black and has beautiful fuschia, coral, yellow and green colors.
The company, SewKeysee, does not have a website. However they advertise in Threads, Vogue and Sew News. I think you can email them and request samples. I can tell you I wish now I had purchased more of this piece and had purchased more of their knits. They truly were great quality.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Simplicity Dress
Top is complete!
Front has gathered center front seam and ends close to waist line.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Almost only counts in horseshoes
This top looks good in this fabric and I am pleased with the overall look/style of this top. I will make some additional tops, well at least one more.
Hope to post the completion soon!
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