Quick Update-S1318

I got in some sewing time after work today! Rare occurrence of late at Casa Danvillegirl.

I attached the sleeves to the jacket and sewed the side seams.  I interfaced the front and neck bands, hoping to attach those but it is strange that we do have to eat dinner so had to stopped and whipped up something quick.

Here is the WIP.

I am comfortable with the sizes I chose to use for this pattern.  Hope to show the finish project soon.

Simplicity 1318

I started on this project yesterday evening and would have liked to have completed it this evening. DH and smartphones and computers are just not in sync; I always get called into to help with those crisis.

Now I am just plain too tired to finish it so I will just let you know that the fabric, the machines and me have been in sync until his crisis.  All is well for him now!!!

Here is a shot of the pattern and the fabric.

I cut a small through the shoulders and upper chest area and then increased to medium from bust to bottom. I cut the length at xxs as I was too lazy to cut the medium and then adjust the length, this took off about an inch which was what I wanted.

All edges were serge finished.  The center back and shoulders are attached; one sleeve has been sewn and there is where I ended.  I love how the "simplicity" of this pattern.  My only dislike is that there are no finished measurements printed on the pattern pieces for bust, waist or hips.  On the envelope back it only gives the finished length for each version of the pattern--really???!!!!  I flat measured the pattern and determining that I might could get by with a small but decided to cut to medium as noted above; if too full then deeper seams are easy to do.

I think I will make Version A in the near future.  I like the cropped look of it.

That's all for now.

Tunic Wadder

I decided today that my new tunic will find a new owner when I donate this to Goodwill.

This project has not gone all that well from the beginning. The fabric is lovely but a bear to deal with.  The other issue for me with this is that I am not sure why I wanted to try this style.  I am rather full busted so gatherings around a front placket are not very attractive on me; especially when it is such a close fit.  Though I did a FBA I need more than what I adjusted.  The style looked rather like a maternity top on me when I tried it on for fitting; I should have taken a fitting earlier in the sewing process.  Not that it would have changed my mind about the style on me.

A real dislike about the pattern was the tie neck binding. The neckband was very narrow and after taking a 3/8 inch seam, I could not get the strip turned inside out.  I used to have Fasturn notion that would help with this but those got messed up years ago and I never replaced them.  I ended up damaging two strips in the turning inside out process with no success.

I came up with an alternative and used fold over elastic.  It worked okay. I could go on and on, but I won't.  I am chalking this up to a nice tunic, just not for me.

To make a long story short, here is my tunic top that's a wadder for me but hopefully for some shopper at Goodwill it will have a new home.

On to my next project.  I plan to make a kimono jacket from fabric I acquired from Fabric Mart last July.  I was a Julie's Pick Swatch Member and this was in the July swatch mailer.

As always more sewing posts to follow.

Style Maker Fabrics

I found this site months ago while reading blogs and this was a new to me online store so of course paid it a visit.  I fell in love with this top and fabric at Style Maker Fabrics site.  I contemplated buying it several times and each time I put it in my cart I would then not make that final click to buy it.  I wanted to stay on my fabric diet.

Recently Style Maker Fabrics had a Spring Canvas Blog Tour that I learned about again from reading blogs of those who were part of the tour.  Since I had fallen off my fabric diet with two fabric purchases from The Fabric Market and I decided to take the plunge and purchase the lavender/pink/orangish fabric that I wanted to purchase since last year and purchased a textured knit that Sew Charleston posted about for the tour.

Here are the pictures of the two fabrics as promised in a previous post.

New Fabric in March

I recently decided to break my fabric diet (again) and purchased two fabrics from a new to me source.
The Fabric Market.   I had purchased the Real Simple March issue during one of my grocery shopping runs and the cover caught my eye. The cover was all about drugstore beauty buys; besides being a pattern/fabricaholic, I am just as bad about makeup.

Inside was a few articles about other things than makeup and one was about stripes being a trend to try.  I fell in love with the striped top used in the photo shoot and decided I wanted to make something similar. I saw on TFM site some lovely woven striped fabric.  So I bought these.

I plan to sew the blue/orange/white rayon fabric in the near future after I finish my current project. (If I ever do-the fabric is horrendous to work with unfortunately-though lovely)

I received this fabric quickly after ordering.  I believe they are in California and my fabric was sent priority mail.  I do plan to purchase from them again when I fall off my fabric diet again.  While off the diet I also purchased from Stylemaker Fabrics and need to take pictures to show you the lovely fabrics I acquired.  More later-----

New Project

I began a new project today, starting with cutting out the fabric this morning.  I purchased this fabric from EOS in March 2014.  Lovely fabric, slight drape, cotton viscose. I previously washed the fabric so with a little pressing it was ready to cut.

The front yoke in the center was somewhat of a challenge to insert.  I don't like how the instructions are for this as it requires a lot of hand stitching and I avoid that as much as possible.  So I did my own thing.  I still think there is a better way to do this with a nicer look on the inside, better than what I achieve with machine.

Here is where I left the project earlier this evening.

I hope your weekend has allowed for some sewing time.  As always more updates to follow.

M7019 Version 2

I thought that this project was going to do me in or I was going to do end this project!!!!

This is a simple, easy to sew pattern that I made previously. So all adjustments were made and I thought quick and done.  That also meant that my other project to do over the holiday and extended weekend would be complete.

An earlier post showed my original plan to use this royal blue fabric from Fabric Mart with Girl Charlee Aztec knit.

The Aztec print just doesn't do much for me at this time.  Also it was a different weight and blend of knit that I decided would not do well with the solid knit.

So I went to my stash and pulled this fabric, from Vogue Fabrics.

This knit was similar to the solid yet was a little thinner texture.  It proved to be somewhat of a nightmare to work with.  I have learned over the years to purchase more fabric when buying online than what a pattern calls for as you never know what may happen during the sewing process.

Removing stitches from this knit was terrible, the least little pull on a thread could easily create a small hole.  Not knowing that when I began the project I decided that I would serge this top for all the seams and then I had issues with the serger, more operator issue than the serger.  The issue required that I restitch one shoulder seam that led to one to many holes in the that shoulder seam and then a big rip.  Thus I re-cut the pattern pieces again and thankfully I had enough of the print fabric to do this.  I almost ended the project but persevered and completed the project.

Here is the top on a hanger, photos wearing to be produced later this week.

Back View

Front View

 I am pleased with the fit and the final outcome.  Getting there was a heck of journey.

Tidbits

I  was surprised to see I had not posted since 3-14.  I know I had several blog post thoughts and obviously they have been stuck in my head.

I went on a pattern buying binge recently.  I took advantage of Simplicity pattern sale at JoAnn's a few weeks ago, here's what I purchased.  The McCall's was not on sale though it was 40% off as they usually are at JoAnn's.  The Simplicity was $1.99 (I think) each.

I have pin fitted the McCall's pattern taking into account the amount of ease for this full flowing top. I still made a FBA of an inch and moved the dart created to the gathering edge of the front piece that attaches to the center front placket.  I also made my usual FSA and swayback adjustment.  I went with the size S again because of the amount of ease.

I hope to cut this pattern out tonight as I am off for Good Friday and I am also taking Easter Monday as a day off.  Hope to get some serious sewing in this weekend.

I also took advantage of the recent Club BMV pattern sale and you can go here and here.

I also purchased two lovely fabrics from a new to me fabric source-The Fabric Market.  I have not taken photos of the fabrics and will do so soon.  Let me say the quality was very nice and the customer service was prompt, the fabric arrived about three days after making the purchase.

More updates soon......

Up next

Now that my Freaky Feb. project is complete I am on to March Moreish sewing, which is sewing more of a certain pattern, fabric, tops, skirts, etc.  My  more is going to be tops/blouses/tunics.

So I am going to make the following two items soon.  One is this McCall's pattern I just purchased last week

M7284

I love the fabric the model is wearing and hopefully can find something in a border print as lovely as this.  For now I will use fabric I purchased from EOS in March 2014. A lovely lightweight viscose cotton fabric.  I think it will result in the same drapery look as I see with the models version.

I saw Lori's top on her blog Girls in the Garden and liked how hers looked.  I plan to make the same one that the model is wearing on the envelope cover.  Though I won't be using a a contrast fabric for the yoke at the center front and shoulders, unless I find something in my stash between now and the time I cut and sew the pattern. Somewhat doubtful I will.

The other pattern I plan to sew is one I have sewn before using lovely fabric from Sew Much Fabric and Mood for the solid black.

Fabric Mart-2015

For the contrast piece I plan to use this Aztec print fabric included in the Girl Charlee's January Knit Fix to go with this Fabric Mart solid.  Unless I find something different in my stash.  I was not all that crazy over the selections included in the knit fix but this one has the blue color throughout the print making it a little more appealing.

Thanks for stopping by and updates to follow.

My first Eleonore

I finally finished my Freaky February garment!  Actually I am rather proud of the accomplishment as you have read that I don't sew pants.  So instead of sewing perhaps a simple pair of pants, I should just jump into sewing jeans, which do require more fitting IMHO.

I still need to hem these jeans and tweak the fit considerably more, I thought I would show you how they turned out for the first pass at trying pull on jeans sewing.  I read and re-read reviews at Pattern Review which were most helpful.

Without further ado

Front view

I reduced the length prior to cut the fabric by one inch, after sewing the front and back pieces, I took out another inch before attaching at inseam and side seams.  There is a lot of fullness in the leg width and they certainly need adjusting.  I tried to lighten the photo to give you a better idea of the fit.

Back view

From the back there is considerable leg fullness from under the butt down.  I know many sewist complained about the size of the back pockets.  On me, I think they look like the right size.  I am pleased at how well I aligned them.  As others reported, I reduced the elastic for the back waistband by 1 inch which improved the fit.

Side view

The side view shows the fullness more in the upper back leg.  I have to read more about adjusting the fit in this area.  I am definitely a novice when it comes to sewing pants/jeans and appropriate fit adjustments.

If any one reading this has suggestions about how to do this, I appreciate your feedback.

So will I sew these again-MAYBE!  I am now going back to sewing more tops as I am wearing current tops to death; with spring/summer on its way, I could use some newer ones.  The top shown with the jeans has been in my rotation for over 3 or 4 years.  The knit is still in great shape and the fit is better than when I first made it.  

Catching up!

Sewing has been minimal of late.  A couple of weeks ago, we lost power for several days due to snow/sleet and freezing rain which toppled tress in several neighborhoods including where I live.  Without power for three days required living in a hotel to have warmth,  to eat and shower.

The weekend following this freeze developed into restocking some refrigerated food items, defrosting a smaller refrigerator and catching up on laundry, etc.  Then our bank account was messed up from a very bad error relating to a payment to a creditor; filing a fraudulent complaint got all parties talking and money put back into our bank account.

And then this week I received a phone call that my cousin who came to live with my family when I was in elementary school, becoming my quasi brother, passed away unexpectedly.  So spent time with family the past three days helping arrange funeral services and catching up with long time family members and friends.  I am still feeling the loss.

This afternoon I actually spent time in the sewing room spending time on the Eleanore pattern by Jalie.  This is my Freaking February project which hopefully will get finished soon.

I also started going through fabrics that I pulled for fall/winter sewing and want to move them out of the sewing room and start pulling fabric from stash for spring/summer sewing.  Next week the temperatures will be in the 70's!

Beginning to feel a little back to normal.  Will post more later.