Monday, May 31, 2010

Completed dress-front


Completed dress-front
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Completed dress-front view.

Dress-Back


Dress-Back
Originally uploaded by Danvillegirl
Here is the back of the completed KS dress. Complete except for the hem and tacking down the facings at upper back.

Vogue and KS

I decided to cut out the Vogue dress pattern this morning instead of hemming the KS dress. This is the pattern and the fabric.

I am thinking that this will be a quick and easy sewing project. No zippers, no lining, no darts, etc. I acquired this fabric from JoAnn's many months ago. The right side is like a silk shantung and the wrong side is satiny. Not too difficult to cut out.


I also made pattern adjustments to this KS pattern. (Photo courtesy of KS website)

I am using a knit fabric that unfortunately I can't remember the source from where I acquired it. I think it was Fabric Mart. I am making the cowl neck top but without sleeves. I am thinking about adding sleeves however but making it short sleeves instead of long. Well back to the sewing room.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Memorial Day Weekend

I hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. Please remember our men and women who are in the military now and those who have served before.


I am almost finished with the KS dress. I think my sewing time has come to a crawl lately. I resumed sewing of the dress yesterday evening after spending the morning shopping and running around with DH. I sewed the side seams of the dress and after trying on I realized that I needed more shaping through the waist area. The pintucks used in the waist insert area has created some sewing challenges; also because it is a stretch cotton fabric added to fitting issues. All issues were solved by taking deeper and more curved seam at the waist area.


The pattern calls for armhole facings and I did cut those out. However per the illustrations and after pinning those into the armhole, I realized this created a lot of bulk in that area. So I decided to not use the facings and used bias binding instead. The binding has been stitched and I am at the point of trimming the seam allowance and turning the binding under for topstitching. I had to stop to fix breakfast and will resume sewing later. All that is left to do is hem the dress.

I have cut out pattern pieces for the next dress I am making. More to follow.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Complicating a simple pattern

I have found a way to turn a "quick sew" dress into a more time consuming project.

I decided I wanted to do some sort of embellishment to the waist insert for KS 3760. It was one of those ideas that popped into my mind last weekend and the more I thought about it the more I was convinced I should do this.

My idea was to make pintucks and use that with the waist insert. I made 1/4 inch wide pintucks with 3/4 inch spacing between them. The design idea was to imply stripes.. I am not sure that I actually achieved the true look of stripes but the pintucks were vertical and does give a different look for the waist insert.

I had no idea how time consuming the pintucks would be. I would mark, pin and sew the tucks; repeat; place the pattern on the pintucked fabric to determine how many more rows of pintucks to sew. After completing the pintucks, I then attached underlining fabric. You can see the attached waist inserts below:
I then underlined the front and back skirt pieces and basted to the upper portions of the dress. After basting the side seams, I tried on for fitting purposes. I had to take up the front skirt darts and decided to trim the center back seam in the upper back area as this was going to be too wide in that area after I insert the zipper.

So dress upper and lower pieces are attached. I found two great invisible zippers to use and have to decide to go with the lavender or stay with the beige, the same as the dress background.
I learned from the fitting session that I may need to take deeper seams at the waist area down to hem.

The dress calls for armhole facings which I have cut out and fused with interfacing. I may decide to use bias tape instead. So next steps are:
  1. Insert invisible zipper
  2. Sew side seams
  3. Attach armhole facings or bias tape
  4. Hem

I really like the look of the dress and there is a part of me that wishes I had just eliminated the embellished waist insert. I probably would have a completed dress now. Yet this is why I sew to design and make garments my way! Later.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

KS sewing update

Here is the bodice part of the KS 3760 dress. I love sewing with quality fabric. It makes a lot of difference. Upper left photo shows neckband attached, side seams not sewn yet. Upper right shows the underlining. Middle left shows how I attached the neckband and seams not finished; middle right shows serge finished seam. Bottom photo is a side view in the mirror of the bodice with side seam stitched. I also took a deeper bust seam from upper curve of the princess seam to about an inch above the waist.
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Saturday, May 15, 2010

Light sewing today

It was a gorgeous but very hot spring day, highs in upper '80's. So DH and I spent the morning riding on our motorcycle. We traveled to a local hole in the wall restaurant about 40 minutes from our home, thinking we were going to have a lunch of southern style vegetables. Only the restaurant serves breakfast only on Saturdays so we had a late breakfast. Very good one.

We then rode for about another hour enjoying the weather and our time together. After returning home, change clothes to shorts and sandals heading out to do some necessary shopping. Fast forward about 5 hours and arrived home after having an early bird dinner. After watching the Preakness, I finally made it to the sewing room where I got all machines set up and began working on the KS dress.

I had an idea percolating since I cut out the fabric. I want to try a pintuck idea for the waist insert. I have to say it is influenced by some of my sewing books as well as seeing some pintucking ideas on other's blogs. This required me to determine what color thread I should use.
After auditioning several embroidery threads, I made a decision to use a Sulky Ultratwist Thread. I believe it will blend with the various colors of the fabric's polka dots.

I decided I will underline the bodice and began the process of attaching the underlining to the bodice front and back pieces. I completed that for the back and then stitched the back darts.
I ended the sewing of the evening to watch a funny movie with DH.

Tomorrow will be a more focused sewing day.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Dresses in Nordstroms' Catalog

I love getting catalogs. I recently got a Nordstrom's catalog. Usually when I get them, I leave them laying around for several days (weeks) and then I may tear out a page or two or three and scan into a file on my computer called Fashion Ideas.
I fell in love with this dress (photo from Nordstrom's catalog)

I love some shades of yellow and this of course caught my eye. I then thought that I had seen a pattern similar to this and went online to see if I could find it. I even think I read a review about this dress pattern either on the person's blog or on Pattern Review.


Well I found the pattern on Simplicity website and at lunch I purchased it!
(photo from Simplicity website)
And this one caught my eye as it is similar to this Simplicity pattern that I purchased last year and I made a dress using it;though not this particular style.
(photo from Nordstrom's catalog)
(photo from Simplicity website)
I plan on making 2360; I have a yellow print fabric that will work well but if I come across the right solid yellow color, well I'm just saying.

Monday, May 10, 2010

A burst of energy

Usually by Monday evening I am pretty much dragging. I decided to go to CURVES after work since I did not go on Saturday. DH is working late so when I finished my 30 minutes of exercise, went home and showered. I had this burst of energy after showering so decided to cut out the lining for the KS dress. I was amazed at how quick the process went. No interruptions, a quiet house and I was focused. Plus the lining was on the sewing table waiting to be touched and cut.

So lining is now cut out and now I getting ready to throw some dinner together. Energy is still good but waning.

PS--I hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday.

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Vogue Dress



I also plan to pin fit this dress pattern later today. I think and hope that this will be a quick and easy dress to make. This is fabric from JoAnn's acquired in 2009. It is like a faux silk dupioni on the right side, somewhat satiny feeling on the wrong side. I think the fabric design warrants just a simple, minimal seams dress.
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Fabric and Lining



This is the fabric and the lining for KS 3760. Fabric came from Textile Studios. I know that it is over 3 years old.

Kwik Sew 3760

Dress is in progress-it's been cut out. I decided to underline bodice and waist insert. I will line the skirt portion as well. This is a cotton lycra fabric and lining/underlining I think will help control some of the wrinkles. This photo is of the FBA I made. I also made my usual forward shoulder adjustment (FSA) and swayback.

I need to cut out the underlining/lining fabric, set up the machines and get ready to sew.

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Continuing brief moments of sewing

Well I traced the KS pattern over the weekend and had a few moments last evening to actually cut out the pattern pieces for pin fitting and usual adjustments. Hope to find the time to do that this evening.

DH and I decided we would take a real vacation this year and plan to go to Myrtle Beach latter part of July. Reservations are made and now have to make some resort wear/vacation clothes.

I need more time to sew.

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Quick post

Jacket is done! I will post some photos later. The jacket turned out ok not OK~. My expectations about this fabric were not met but for now it is a white jacket. I have one short sleeve white jacket with black buttons thus limited wearability. So this meets a void until ------.

Meanwhile I traced a KS pattern that is a boat neck, armhole princess dress with waist insert (the orange dress). I decided to use this one for the polka dot fabric mentioned in the previous post.

Sleeves and shoulder pads

I made some fitting adjustments to the shoulder and upper back areas to improve the fit of the jacket this afternoon. I then inserted sleeves and shoulder pads. The only thing left to do is hem the jacket.

I have two dress projects floating around in my head. One with an inserted waist band; I have several dress patterns that have this feature. I plan to use this fabric acquired from Textile Studios several years ago.
I also want to make this Vogue pattern. I have two fabrics I am thinking about using for this one; one was purchased from JoAnn's and the other acquired from Fabric.com.

August Sewing Simplicity 7295

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