Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Business Travel again

No sewing during the work week as I am traveling once again. I will be traveling to Hagerstown, MD tomorrow and will return to big R on Friday. There was no opportunity for sewing this evening. I spent most of my time packing and then fixing a quick dinner for DH and me.

I googled fabric shops for the area and found a JoAnn's and two quilting stores. Not sure that I would get the opportunity to shop anyway. Never hurts to check out the potential resources however.

I have some ideas shaping up for several new sewing projects. I also want to do some embroidery projects for gifts for Christmas! Gosh, did I just say Christmas. Tomorrow is October! I don't hardly remember the summer. More later.

Monday, September 29, 2008

What I wore 9-29-08

I felt ready for fall this morning as the temperature was a nice 57 degrees. I decided I wanted to wear brown and teal. I recently purchased Chanel eye shadow with colors of brown, teal, off white and pale yellow. This is what I pulled from the closet to wear today.
The jacket is a paisley print with browns and teals. This is a Simplicity pattern, from one of their retro jacket patterns. The skirt is a faux suede and is from another Simplicity pattern with several skirt lengths and styles. The knit top is the Kwik Sew twisted knot pattern.
I got numerous compliments on the jacket. I was surprised that no one recalled that I had this jacket last year; nonetheless, I appreciated the compliments. The skirt felt a little loose but that is easy to remedy if necessary.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Photos of the Vogue dress

This is the side view of my dress. This is not a great photo, the dress and fabric are much nicer than it appears in this shot. There is a pin in the dart where I needed to shortened the dart length and the pin marks where it should end. After inserting the sleeve and basting the facings down, I tried on the dress and the bust dart ended right at the bust. It really needs to be about an inch away. This change was made and dart needs to be re-pressed.


This is the back of the dress. I ended up taking a deeper dart in the upper part of the back. It was a little too full there. I have narrow back from shoulder blades down to waist. I did make a swayback adjustment before cutting out the pattern. The back was cut on the fold.

The shoulder line of this dress is unique. I describe it as a quasi-raglan sleeve. The end of the shoulder stops about midway of your shoulder.


View of the back shoulder and sleeve.

The sleeve as I have noted before is two pieces. This is the top seam of the sleeve. The cuff is a cut-on cuff. You can see it turned up here.

Life once again intersected my sewing plans today so dress unfortunately is not complete. I am very pleased with the fit after making the above noted adjustments. The fabric was really nice to sew and I think will wear well.












Saturday, September 27, 2008

Slow and steady

My dress is progressing slowly.

I pressed and fussed over perfecting the collar on the dress. That is now complete. I completed the sewing of the sleeves that are two pieced sleeves with cut on cuffs. Sleeves are ready to insert.

Side seams are sewn and need to be pressed. Facing is now pinned in place and will baste the facings down, per instructions. This will allow me to do a fitting before I insert the sleeves. Once they are sewn in, then I will attach the snaps and topstitch the facings and hem. I think that I will get this completed tomorrow.

I had planned to take some photos as the dress progressed but didn't stop to get camera out and take some shots. I was intent on getting in as much sewing as possible.

Sewing humour

For a little sewing humour, check this out!

Monday, September 22, 2008

After work

I was able to work on my dress a little this evening while starting dinner and in between various chores. Taking the 10-20-30 minutes to sew when you can is worth it.

I trimmed the collar and upper front facing seam. Turned the collar and the front facing inside out and was pleased with how the collar was looking. Needs pressing and a little more trimming in the area where the collar and facing join. Next will be to sew the two sleeve pieces together, sew up the side seams, insert the sleeves, hem the dress, attach the snaps, topstitching the facings down and I will have a new dress.

This is a pen striped material with the stripes being a lovely blue shade. I acquired a blue fabric this weekend on sale at a local fabric/sewing machine dealer/quilting store. I am not sure if this is the right blue but if so, I can see me making the pattern jacket from it to go with this dress. It will give it a little "pop".

Sunday, September 21, 2008

B5247


B5247
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
I read a nice review of this pattern at Pattern Review.com so decided to give it a try. I have a geometric print knit that I think will make up cute as a dress using this pattern.

B5257


B5257
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
This looked jacket looked like one I saw in a Talbot's catalog, so acquired this at special price from Butterick.

B5259


B5259
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
I acquired this Butterick pattern earlier this month when Butterick has their special price sale.

M5752


M5752
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
This is the other BMV club purchase. This is for a knit dress. I liked the look of this one and the waist line treatment.

M5746


M5746
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
BMV was offering McCall's patterns for $5.99, here is one of my two purchases.

Dress progress

I was able to make progress on my dress today. I was sewing along beautifully and then I got to the collar. I have not ever attached a collar the way this pattern calls for it. Most dresses I make have the front facing as separate pieces. This dress has a cut-on facing.



The pattern instructions call for you to attach the interfaced collar to back neckline and a portion of the front area. You then attach the non-interfaced collar to the front interfacing, then fold back the front facing, stitch the two collar pieces together and then stitch the folded back front facing at the top edge. You will then turn everything inside out.



You can go here and see the attached collar and front facing folded to outside. I need to trim the seams, turn inside out and press.



The sleeves will be attached next. They are in two pieces which gives some nice fitting opportunities.



I basted the side seams to make sure that the fit was going to be okay. I discovered that I need to take a deeper back dart seam and perhaps extend it more into the upper back area.

Sewing Update

I got the buttons sewn on the blouse last night. I have a nice foot for my machine for sewing on buttons. Yet the buttons I chose for this blouse have a decorative design on it, sort of vintage look. They just would not stay in cased with the foot to sew them on. I broke one needle during the process.

I ended up removing the foot and just sewing with the shank/ankle holding the button down to sew them on.

I finished the seam allowances by serging. This AM I interfaced the fold on facing and collar. I decided that the collar needed a double layer of the interfacing (So Soft) I was using. I think this worked well. I sewed the darts in the back and have the front darts ready to sew.

DH is up now so time to fix us some breakfast. It feels good to be sewing again. More later.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Sewing, what is that?

This work week was busy, busy, busy. Most of it was spent on the road, which can be draining. I have looked into my sewing room and thought about my new dress waiting for me to start on.

I cut the openings in the buttonholes on my blouse and was going to sew the buttons on. No buttons sewn yet. I did re-thread the serger for use on the dress. I suppose that may count as quasi-sewing. These things I have done a few evenings this week. When you get home late-late for me is -past 7 pm, then energy is not so high.

Today DH and I have to go to Danville to deal with family stuff. So my plans for sewing today are postponed to later today. Tomorrow there will be opportunities.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Guess what today was?

Today was Wear a Dress Day per Erin at "A Dress A Day"! I forgot that it was though I pretty much read her blog daily. Even though I forgot, I did wear a dress today and one that I made.

Here is a few shots of the dress when I originally made it. This has been a great dress to wear. Wear it, wash it, dry it, and hang it for the next wearing. Can't get much better than that. This was fabric I purchased when in DC for ASG National Conference about three years ago now. I had enough left to make the Jalie Sweetheart Top.

Sewing-no blogging

I finished pin fitting the pattern yesterday after making numerous fitting adjustments-the usual ones=FBA, swayback, round back adjustment, upper chest and back 1/4 inch tuck.

I then cut out the dress including marking the fabric for darts, etc. I think the fabric will sew up well as it was very easy to cut out, not fiddly nor excessive raveling.

I then stitched the buttonholes for the blouse. One of the buttonholes just did not stitch out correctly so had to undo stitches, which is very time consuming. If anyone reading this has an easy way to remove buttonhole stitches, I am open to any and all suggestions. I began sewing the buttons on the blouse and hope to wear this later this week.

More later.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Brown and blue

This is the fabric I am going to use to make my next Vogue dress.
I purchased this from Textile Studios. The date on the photo is 2007 but I think that I bought this in 2006 and just got around to taking photos in'07. None the less, it is now time to use it as I have pulled it out to make something several times and then did not use it as another item took its place.
Originally I had planned pants, then jacket, then skirt. It is going to be this dress. I have had this pattern laying out for some time and decided that I had the right stripe as used in the dress on the pattern envelope.
I began cutting around the pattern last night so I can do a tissue fitting later today and hopefully move forward on cutting out the dress.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Around those who are sewing

I attended our ASG meeting last night and it was such a pleasure to be around such creative sewists. We always have a show and tell time following the program. Many of the projects at times are related to quilting. That in itself is a talent as some of the projects are just drop dead gorgeous.

There are a few of us who sew garments and home dec projects. We do have a "Designers" group who once a month tackle a garment project and currently they are working on jackets. I would love to participate in some of these groups but work gets in my way.

I missed out on the group trip to Mary Jo's but I was able to live through the experience by the telling of others.

TGIF! I have patterns to fit, fabrics to cut and sewing to start this weekend.

Coco Chanel

Perhaps you have seen the promo for the premier movie on the Lifetime channel for this weekend; but if you have not there is going to be a premier movie on Lifetime about Coco Chanel. I forget who the actress is playing her. (It is 5:22 AM and I am only partially through my first cup of coffee.) It looks like it may be interesting. I have warned my DH that there will be no channel surfing during this moving. I have also programmed it to tape it for that just in case situation.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

ASG Meeting

The closest thing to sewing today will be going to our ASG meeting. Our chapter plus friends of chapter members took a bus trip to Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC yesterday. Unfortunately I did not get to go as I was on vacation last week. I still have some lining and fabrics left from last year's trip. Hopefully I will get to see some of our shopper's treasurers tonight.

I did get to JoAnn's earlier this week and got some very nice buttons for my blouse so I can finish that up and have something new to wear. I did wear my new Vogue dress on Tuesday and got lots of comments about the dress. I have to say that it wore well and the knit I used feels fabulous.

Got to run and finish getting dressed for work. Later.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Quick update

Wow, going back to work after a vacation can be hard. I have not been in my sewing room since Sunday!

I have cut around patterns for a Vogue dress and for the Teagarden T. That's all the sewing related things I have done since returning to work. I have gotten home late Monday and Tuesday so sewing is slower than slow.

Later.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Blouse is complete-except

I finished the blouse, whew! Now that I know what size is best and adjusted pattern pieces accordingly I think that I will make another blouse from this pattern. It runs on the large size so if you think you may want to make this remember that. Another important note about this pattern is that one pattern piece is mislabeled; it is appropriately identified in the instructions. I am not sure if that has been corrected in newer releases or not. It is one of the bottom front pieces.

It was not a difficult blouse to make; yet is does have several pattern pieces that require sewing together. You have separate bottom and top back and front pieces. They all went together well. The view I made has gathered sleeves at the sleeve cap and onto the sleeve cuff. Attaching the cuff to the gathered sleeve edge was a little fiddly.
I did not have the right buttons for this blouse and just to darn lazy to travel across town to see if JoAnn's had something. I hope so otherwise this will require a longer drive to an independent fabric dealer or online purchase. Thus I still need to make buttonhole and sew on buttons.


Here are some shots of the blouse on AlmaMarie:

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Blouse progression

Today we went to Danville to take MIL to medical center for some tests. Upon returning home, I spent a little time in sewing room working on the blouse. I attached the front band and decided to take a little deeper side seam from underarm to bust. I had some "wings" there that I did not need.

I am taking this a little slow as I have not made a blouse with front band, plus collar and collar stand. I am going for some perfection here, not speed. I mentioned this before but this is great fabric to sew.

Here are some shots of my progress today. Yesterday I did not sew. I had a mani-pedicure and it was fabulous. I love vacations that you get pampered and just do much of nothing!

Beauty note

Since starting to blog about two years ago, I have read lots and lots of blogs. Most are ones related to sewing. However I have found a few other blogs that are related to fashion and beauty. I read "The Well-Heeled Society" mostly devoted to shoes. There are numerous links from there to Beauty tips and such. My two favorites are "Beauty Tips Revealed" and "15 Minutes Beauty Fanatic".

Of course I find myself trying some new cosmetics as a result. Today I learned I won the August reader gift give away on "Beauty Tips Revealed"-an anti-aging product. She was nice enough to post a link to my blog.

I truly have been lucky winning items from other blogs:
  1. A coffee table book all about shoes
  2. Nails kit and polish
  3. Foot masque
  4. Fabric from Burda Style
  5. Two Vintage Patterns
  6. Anti-aging products

Now if I could only win the Mega Millions Lottery.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Vacation and Sewing

Our vacation, as most do, seem to speed along. Actually it has been a resting vacation for both DH and me. We like to ride our motorcycle when the weather is not too hot or too cold. Yesterday was one of those days where it was overcast and thus temperatures stayed comfortable. We rode to a restaurant called the Pink Cadillac which has a great 50's theme going on and of course a 1950's model Pink Cadillac sits on the property. It is located close to Lexington,VA home of VMI. It attracts a lot of tourists who are visiting the area. Some day I must take photos just like all the other tourist do. After eating lunch we rode up to Fairfield, VA on the back roads and listened to music as we rode. We returned home around 4:30 and I spent time in the sewing room.


This is what I am working on:


I am making View B but without the ruffle as I ran out of material. I really like this pattern, so far. It comes with B,C,D cup sizes. The instructions are good but I don't like how they have you attach the upper and low sections together so I am doing it my way. They have you sew the upper front and back together at shoulder and side seams. Then you sew the lower pieces together for the front and back. You then hem the lower edge and then attach to the upper pieces. I prefer and do sew the lower front pieces together and attach to the upper front pieces and do the same for the back. Then I sew the front unit to the back unit. This allows in my opinion better fitting opportunity or adjustments. You also have one continuous side seam.

The fabric I am using comes from my stash and is a lovely rayon fabric I purchased from Textile Studios several years ago-at least more than two years ago. It was a breeze to cut out and it sews great. I will take photos later. I actually have a complete bodice unit made and hemmed the blouse. This is done prior to attaching the front bands. I am following the instructions here at this point as I have not made a blouse that has a front button band in a couple of years. I have made pullover or back zipped blouses. So there maybe a better technique than this but this one seems to be easy enough to follow and under stand.

More 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...