What's Going On!

I have been busy working on the Jalie Mimosa top.  There is a blog tour in progress and we have been given the go-ahead to promote the

More details to follow.  Here are photos of my work in progress, soon to be completed with details during the blog tour.  My fabric sponsor was Simply By Ti.  The print material is a rayon knit, which I love and the solid cobalt blue flounce is cotton lycra.

Below is a list of sponsors of the Jalie Blog Tour.

More to share later.

January Project Plans

As usual, I have lots of ideas for sewing projects.  Most of the time I may complete one or two for a particular month.  So I have decided on three projects.  First project and already started is Jalie 3890 Mimosa Top.

This is a versatile top pattern; it has three sleeve variations.  I plan to make the long sleeve with flounce top.  I am using a print fabric that is peaking out behind the pattern as seen above.  I also have a solid blue fabric piece that I am considering for the flounce.

My second planned project is an Ellie and Mac pattern called the Undercover Hoodie.

from E&M website

I like the look of this hoodie and will allow me to mix and match some leftover fabrics.

My final planned project is the new Fulton Sweater Blazer. I have several medium/heavyweight fabric that I think will be perfect for this.

I have printed, taped and traced the Jalie pattern.  Next is to pin fit the traced pattern for additional adjustments.  I have reduced the length of the front and back bodice by one inch.  I made a 5/8 inch swayback adjustment; my usual.  After pin fitting, I will most likely have to do a forward shoulder adjustment and maybe/maybe not FBA. My current plan is to do the fitting this afternoon and cut out the fabric.

Hope your weekend is going well.  Updates to follow.

M7874 OOTD

Actually, I wore the top yesterday and it passed the wearability test.  It seemed to get looser the more I wore it which is okay but I added some width to this version and perhaps I may need to take up the side seams a little.

I was running around a lot yesterday so I did not take time to set up the tripod and pose well for the photos that follow.  I just stood in front of a mirror.

The front view.  There is a lot of fabric from the waist down and I see some puckers.  Some are due to the band attachment.  The center front piece has lots of layers. The pockets are attached to the center front at the waist. The front side pieces are attached the upper center front and the pockets are flipped over and are attached to the front side pieces at the side seams.  Those side front pieces have a center portion that becomes a double layer of fabric in the center from the waist down. You stitch a line of stitching through the center front from pocket to pocket.  In the end, you have a pocket pouch. My fabric was thick somewhat like scuba knit and you really have fullness in the front.

I used the reverse side of the fabric that was solid black for the front sides and back sides.  I added width to the biceps as they were tight in my first make which was from french terry and probably not an adequate stretch for this pattern.  I don't have issues raising my arms now.  The fit at the wrist is comfortable but narrow; I think the sleeve pattern is drafted narrow overall.

This was the best back shot I could get using my mirror taking photo technique.  The back fits well and the wrinkles are due more to my twisting my arm to take the photo.  The back is a little longer than the front and covers my bum.  Which I think will make this a top to wear with leggings for me.

This is the bottom band and it overlaps at the side seams. I like the look of this.  You cut 4 band pieces, stitch two together, understitch and then attach right side to the front from side seam to side seam. You then do the same with the back band and overlap over the front band piece.  Let me say at that overlap section you are actually sewing through 5 to 6 layers of fabric.  As I noted, my fabric was thick and I had to use a Universal Size 18 needle to sew through these layers slowly.

Here is the underside of this.

I trimmed some of the seams that would be encased when I serged this to reduce bulk and help my serger cut and serge this area.  With my first version, I caught some of the front and back bodices in the serger and created a big hole that just was not repairable.

The neckline is rather high but I did not trim it down.  I still have too much fullness in the neck area and I reduced the length of the shoulders.  I really need to update my measurements as I am finding that I can go smaller in the upper chest area which I have always done but may need to go one more size down. I am chalking this up to the aging process.

All in all, I really like this pattern.  In some ways, it is like putting a puzzle together particularly with the front and side front pieces.  It is a nice top to wear with colder weather and I actually wore a tank top under it yesterday to get a feel of how that would be when wearing while being very active outside.  Worked great.

I don't think I will make another one any time soon.  I have put together some sewing plans for January and will share those soon in another post.

M7874 Complete

I finally finished M7874!  The first project of 2019. In good time as well as it is going from 70 degrees F to 51 today with overnight low of 27.

I plan to do a complete review but wanted to share a glimpse of the top.

This fabric is similar to scuba knit and was a challenge to sew at times because it is thick and at times I was sewing through 6 to 8 layers of fabrics when attaching the bottom band.

I like the band treatment and did find ways to reduce some bulk but still had to sew slow.  I used a universal 18 needle for this project and stitch lengths of 3 to 4.

More details to follow.

What about 2018?

I have been busy catching up on various blogs and most everyone that I read posted collections of garments made, sewing goals met or not, as well as plans for 2019.

So! What about my 2018?

• I retired February 2, 2018.  DH retired January 31; he had been out of work since October with rotator cuff surgery.  Those first few weeks following his surgery required me to take intermittent FMLA to shuffle him off to the doctor or PT as he couldn't drive.
• We had begun looking for a new location to move out of the mountains toward a coast.  Mountains are great to visit but living around them feels stifling to me. I know other people who feel that way and we have had endless conversations about that.  Flatland, saltwater smell, seagulls are so pleasing to me. We moved in May to North Carolina, near the coast, not right on it.  It is amazing the cost of homes on or near water.  In the end, this proved to be a better decision because we got to experience Hurricane Florence.  Thank goodness it dropped to Category 2 when it hit or damage would have been worse. We were inland enough to not experience the damage that Jacksonville, New Bern, Wilmington, and Topsail Beach did.
• The new home is smaller, we wanted that.  Downsizing required a lot of fabrics and patterns being donated to Goodwill or given to other sewists as my new sewing space is limited. I am adapting. Still selling some patterns on eBay.
• As for makes for 2018, not near as much as previous years. Go here to see what I made and posted about on Pattern Review. I also only purchased 10 paper patterns, I think that was a record for me. I also only made 8 fabric purchases and won 1 fabric from EOS through PR.  Another record for me. I did, however, buy several indie pdf patterns.
• We have made some new acquaintances since moving and still traveling around our area to see what more there is to offer. We have found two hole in the wall restaurants that have great food at great prices.  Seems to be the place where all the long-term locals go. I also have been cooking more and have surprised myself on some of the foods that I have cooked that have been successful.  I will never be a gourmet cook!  Don't have the desire either.
• DH continues to have back issues and is currently going to PT for that.  Most all of my neck/shoulder issues have disappeared and the only flair up is when overused.  I am pretty sure that a lot of it has to do with not working and the loss of stress from that.
• All in all, not a bad year personally.  I am concerned about our country and the current government shut down.  The impact on retirement savings is something I like many others are/will be watching.  

2019 Plans for sewing

I am not great at setting sewing goals.  When I know of some event that is coming up I then plan out what I am going to sew for it and all that I need for sewing the particular garment.

I am still trying to figure out just what I need and want to sew to work with my current lifestyle. I don't need career/business style clothes now.  My focus has been pretty much on making tops and I did meet one sewing goal for 2018 and that was making a pair of pants.

I will be trying to make some shorts for 2019. The kind with drawstrings and/or elastic for the waist.

I am currently working on completing McCall's 7874 which I have written about prior to this post.  Almost done.  After that, I have a Jalie pattern to sew, more to share about that later.  I did purchase some new fabric for that project.  I want to make a hoodie, a long cardigan as well as midlength, and I want to make the Fulton Sweater Jacket fabrics are in my stash.

I hope to start a monthly sewing planner and see where that takes me.

I appreciate all of you that stop by and read my blog; I appreciate comments and do try to respond as much as possible.   Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2019!

First Project for 2019

I am making a second attempt at sewing McCall's 7874 since I ran into a serger issue with the first one.  Sewing this has been much easier and quicker since I basically made this previously.  I did add width to the sleeve biceps and added a little more to the waist/hip area also.

The fabric I am using I purchased from JoAnn's in Roanoke, VA; actually, I think this was the last fabric purchase from JA I've made.  We have no JA in the area where I live now.  Maybe someday!

This was labeled as athletic knit fabric. It is rather heavyweight and has great vertical and horizontal stretch.  It reminds me of scuba knit.  I took advantage of both sides being different colors with one side solid black and the other blue/black/purple.

I basted the side seams after sewing front to back and adding the sleeves.  The instructions have you sew them in the round, I prefer flat when working with knits.  I basted the side seams to try on for fit and was happy that with the better stretch of this fabric, thus not as close fitting as my first version.  French terry is not the best for this pattern.

To finish I just need to sew the side seams, attach the neckband and bottom bands and hem the sleeves.  Here is the work in progress

Back view

Front view, pockets don't drape when wearing

Updates to follow