Frogs in a Bucket

What's Going On

2012-02-12T16:27:00.002-06:00

There hasn't been a whole lot of stitching or sewing around here during the past two weeks. I'm working nights again for a while and that always seems to put a damper on my productivity. I did, however, cut out a new project this past week. I haven't started assembling it, but it's cut out and that's one big step out of the way.
It's Butterick 4788, this cute little Maggie London knit dress. I'm making view A, the one on the right. The pattern is OOP, but still available on the Butterick website.

See? I really did cut it out. I'm using an ITY jersey print from Fabric.com, and I can't wait to see how it looks all made up. I'll be going on a business trip next month and I plan to stuff my suitcase with easy wear/easy care knit dresses, including this one.

In other news, Shepherd's Cottage is almost complete.

I don't have the Weeks Dye Works floss to finish the flowers in the border, but I plan to dig through my stash looking for an acceptable substitute before I resort to ordering. I also still need to check my bead stash for embellishments as well. Oh, and I guess I need to decide where to stitch the date and my initials. Maybe there's more left to do than I thought. But it's close.

I'm all excited to start my next needlework project, which will be a more traditional band sampler in an exciting colorway that I don't normally use. More on that later!

Burda World Of Fashion 10-2008-116

2012-01-29T21:21:00.002-06:00

I finally finished this little knit jacket. I'm ashamed to say I started it back in November and it's taken me this long to get it done.

The magazine photo:

The technical drawing:

I used a teal green Sophia Knit from Fabric.com for this project. It seems pretty comparable to the ponte knit I've been getting from Hancocks, it just comes in better colors.

Burda offered the pattern in sizes 38-44. I cut a straight size 44 and made my usual petite adjustment above the bust and added 1" of length at the waist, and then I went back and did a 1/2" sway back adjustment as indicated by my muslin. The fit is pretty good. I could take the back in just a smidge for a closer fit, but I plan to use this as a layering piece, so I don't want to overfit.

I'm not thrilled with the zipper. I ended up using a black zip. I like the silver one pictured in the magazine, but I couldn't find anything remotely similar, so I just went with the black. It will have to do.

I'm pretty pleased with the finished jacket. I seem to have pretty good luck with Burda's raglan patterns. I like the princess seams combined with the raglan sleeves and the yoke. The lines of this jacket are very nice.

My only quibble is that it's hard to get a good, crisp pressed edge with this knit. It was also hard to reduce bulk at some of the seam lines, most notably at the corners of the neck yoke in front.

They don't want to lay perfectly flat when the zipper is down. Also, my zipper is just a tiny bit ripply, even though I interfaced the jacket front and the facing. Oh well, who is going to notice besides me?

Still, being made of knit, this is basically just a glorified sweat jacket. And I love it. I think I'll get a lot of use out of this over the next several months.

Did I mention it's been a little windy around here?

I hope your weekend was good. Did you get any projects finished up?

Burda World of Fashion 11-2008-133

2012-01-28T16:52:00.003-06:00

I am so happy to have this dress finished. Have you ever had one of those projects?
This is BWOF 11-2008-133, from the plus section. It's a shame all the best details are hidden in the photo:

You really have to look at the line drawing to see all the great details: the awesome pleated collar and the funky seaming.

So here's my finished version made in a blue and black "leopard" ponte knit from Hancock Fabrics.

I cut a 44 from shoulder to hip and a 46 from hip to hem. I made my standard petite adjustment by folding out 3/8" above the bust, and added 1.25" of length at the waist.

The dress turned out way too big. I should have graded down to a 42 on top and traced a 44 on the bottom, but I was lazy.

I ended up taking in all four princess seams about 1/4" and the center front about 5/8." It worked out okay. I did get a tiny bit of rippling at the underarm curves, but it's not too noticeable. Taking in the CF also raised the V-neck a bit, but I like where it ended up. The pattern featured a godet in back, but for some reason, I just felt like it didn't really "go" with this dress. So I left it off and left a back walking slit instead. I also left out the zipper. Duh- it's a knit. Oh, and the dress is drafted long. I chopped 5" off the bottom before hemming to make it knee length and I'm average height.

My photographer thought it would be a good idea to climb a hill to take pictures.

And then we climbed higher...

At least I get to show the dress in action.

Almost at the top.

The dress was kind of a pain to put together. I'm not one to complain too much about Burda instructions, but the lack of diagrams really put me at a disadvantage with this pattern. I could not for the life of me figure out how they wanted the collar pleats to go together. I played with it and folded it this way and that for a couple of hours. I even slept on it last Saturday night. Finally, I just did what I thought worked. It turned out okay. It looks like the line drawing, so I must have been close.

I recommend staystitching the curved edges of the front and side back (at the underarm) and then clipping the curves when you stitch them to the side piece. Burda doesn't mention doing this, but it made that seam much easier to sew.

Artsy shot:

I was so tired of working on this and so happy to have it done. I wore it to work last week to road test it and it performed great. It was comfortable, and in my opinion, it's flattering. I still feel like it's a tiny bit big on me (the princess seams are still too far apart at the bustline,) but perhaps a trip through the washer and dryer will help with that. I'd rather have it a bit loose than a bit too tight anyway.

After wearing it, I decided it might be nice to make the tunic version. ( I know, I know, it was a pain to make, but now that I've done it once...) I really like what this dress does for my shoulders. Something about those pleats at the collar really works for me. And wouldn't the top version of this make an excellent alternative to a t-shirt or sweatshirt on weekends?

In other sewing news, I finished up the Burda knit jacket yesterday. Stay tuned for a review of that one soon.

Has anyone else finished up a project this weekend?

Shepherd's Cottage Update

2012-01-27T11:29:00.002-06:00

Slowly but surely, I'm making progress. This is what Shepherd's Cottage looked like last Sunday:
And this is what it looks like now, after several nights of stitching this week:

The house, including the smoke and the moon, is done, except for the flower beads that go on the little potted plants. I need to check my online source to see if I can order the right beads. If not, I might stitch some flowers. I'm really in the mood to finish this up.

The front gate and the bushes are complete. I love the little pop of pink that the flowers provide.

I love these stylized trees. They were so soothing to stitch. They are done in Weeks Dye Works Cypress and I just love the subtle shift of color. I still need to add beads to them as well.

As you can see, this little piece is stitching up nicely, and it would be a pretty quick project, too, if I could just work on it consistently. I hope to get the border done and add the little sheep this weekend.

What are your weekend sewing/stitching plans?

February Burda- My Faves

2012-01-22T14:32:00.002-06:00

This past week has been one of the most difficult I have experienced in a long time. There has been no time or energy for sewing or sewing related activities. I haven't touched my machine or my needlework project since last Sunday. The one bright spot all week was the (early) arrival of the February issue of Burda Style. Sheesh! And I haven't even made a thing from the January issue.

Anyway. The February issue is usually a good one for me. And I wasn't disappointed this year. I have to say my top pick from this issue is the asymmetrical color blocked dress: I absolutely love it and I have to have it! I prefer the color blocked version, but the solid version is pretty, too. Unfortunately Burda shows it in black and the zig zag seaming is all but invisible. I would prefer a lighter color to show off the pieces.

There is also a skirt with the same seaming:

I love this one, too. It's knit, so you could probably leave off the exposed zip if you preferred.

I also like this little Asian inspired dress. The magazine shows it in black with gold trim, but I wonder how it would look in a print.

I was surprised to find one of my favorite projects in the plus section, which is devoted to bridal fashions this month. But this little dress is just too perfect:

I love the front and back seaming. It's a simple shape, but that seaming just kicks it up a bit. This would be the perfect dress for spring going into summer. It's even shown with a coordinating little jacket:

I thought the Color Blocking feature was pretty, but none of the garments really grabbed me until I took a second look at this jacket:

It looks feminine and pretty and would make a nice alternative to a more structured jacket.

And I have to give an honorable mention to this dress. I would never make it for myself- the boxy cut would make me look like a fire hydrant- but I absolutely love the coral dress paired with the aqua green shoes!

So, there you have it. My favorites from the latest Burda. Unfortunately, it will probably be a while before I can make any of them.

My current project, the knit dress from the 11/2008 issue, is almost done. I still need to finish the sleeves and the hem and then wrangle a photographer to take some pics for me. The way things are going, though, it might be next weekend before I get around to it.

In the meantime, Happy Sewing to you, and may your bobbin thread never run out in the middle of a seam!

Finally. Some Progress

2012-01-14T14:57:00.004-06:00

I cut out BWOF 11-2008-133 last Sunday night, but I didn't get around to working on it until today. I've finally begun stitching it together and so far it's going well.

We had a little cold snap here this past week. We even got some snow Wednesday night. The lower temps really have me wanting to get this dress finished so I can wear it. Between the high collar and the beefy knit fabric I'm using, I think this dress will be quite warm and comfortable. I can't wait to find out.

I wanted to share a photo of the front pattern piece. This shape is very unusual- different from anything I've worked with before.
Once the pleats are folded, the neckline/shoulder area should fall into place and look more like what I expect a dress to look like.

Sigh... I still need to mark my pleats.

I'm off to sew some more. Does anybody else have big sewing plans this weekend?

Warning- Garment Sewing Ahead

2012-01-04T08:40:00.002-06:00

I've had this dress, from the November '08 issue of Burda Style, on my mind for some time.
This past weekend, I picked up a couple of new fabrics and I think the one on the left, the blue and black ponte knit, will be just right for this dress.

It's a basic princess seamed sheath, but with a couple of interesting details, namely the pleated collar.

The sleeves are also constructed a little differently. The upper sleeves are cut in one with the front and back, and then there is a third under sleeve piece which is attached at the underarm.

I can't wait to get started on this. I've been wanting to make it for a while, but I was waiting for the right fabric. I'll need to tweak the pattern a bit- 44 is the smallest size so I'll probably have to grade down one size through the shoulders, but that (hopefully) won't be too much trouble. The real problem will be finding time to actually work on it since I am working nights... again.

Oh, and the other fabric in the photo? That's a nice grey suiting I picked up (Hancocks was having an awesome sale!) It has metallic pink pinstripes! I was thinking it would make a nice pair of plain pants, but now I'm thinking maybe a dress? We'll see...

In the meantime, here is a progress shot of Shepherd's Cottage:

Not bad after only two nights of stitching. Too bad I probably won't touch it again until the weekend.

Fresh Starts

2012-01-01T13:59:00.004-06:00

Last night while watching football and the New Year's Eve festivities with DH and the kids, I decided I wanted to stitch. I do have several WIPs I could work on, but I decided I wanted to start something new. It is the New Year after all. This is what I got done:
Eventually, it will be this, Shepherd's Cottage from Elizabeth's Needlework Designs:

I first fell in love with Climbing Rose Cottage (below) which was featured in the Jan/Feb 2001 issue of Just Cross Stitch.

I love the little cottage ( I have a thing for stitched houses) and the little satin stitched sheep. Shepherd's Cottage was also pictured in the magazine article and when I found the chart at my LNS, I just had to have it. It's been 11 years, but I'm finally getting around to stitching one up.

I'm using the suggested DMC and Weeks Dye Works flosses and a very similar substitute fabric (32 count raw linen.) There are beads on this piece, but I will have to check my stash for something suitable. If I can't find the same beads or appropriate substitutes, I will have to order.

Elizabeth's Designs also has some other pretty little cottage patterns. I like:

Christmas Tree Cottage

Woodland Cottage

Ladybug Cottage

Crabapple Hill Cottage

And there are others. Elizabeth is also the designer of one of my favorite pieces, Nature's Alphabet.

And as if starting a new needlework project wasn't enough, I also spent the afternoon piddling around with some quilting cottons. Remember back in 2009 when I made the pink/yellow/green Spring Spirit top? Well, I still have a ton of pink, yellow, and green fabrics in my stash. I figured I'd drag them out and play around with them.

This is what I have so far. Just a simple block in 3 colors.

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with them. I figure I'll just work along on them whenever I need an easy straight line sewing project.

And hopefully by the time I've got enough squares to make a quilt, I'll have cleaned out some of these fabrics from stash.

I hope to get back to garment sewing soon. I have a couple of WIPs to work on and several items on my "to do" list. The holidays have just been so hectic and I've been stressed out with family and all the holiday activities, that it's just more than I can handle to fit anything and sew a garment right now. The needlework and quilt piecing is keeping the mojo alive, though, so maybe soon...

Happy New Year! And here's to successful sewing projects for everyone all year long!

Sewing Plans for the New Year

2011-12-27T22:02:00.002-06:00

The Christmas hoopla is pretty much over. Yes, there is undecorating left to do, but I don't have the heart to take everything down until New Year's weekend, so it's going to stay up a few more days. In the meantime, I received my January Burda Style right before Christmas, and I've finally had a chance to sit down and give it a good look.

This year I'd like to make at least one item out of every issue. I planned to do it last year, and I think I got as far as March before I got an issue that just didn't excite me. Here's hoping this year I can make it all the way through 12 issues.

At first I wasn't thrilled with the January issue and I was afraid my plan was doomed to fail before it even got started. But then I took a closer look and there are a few things in this issue that I just might make.

First is top #116:
It's a simple wrap top with a long sash that can be tied in a bow. The magazine calls for stretch crepe chiffon, but I'm wondering if it would work using some mesh knit I have stashed away.

Next up is my favorite, bustier and panties #127:

I love these high waisted panties. They're so retro in dotted tulle over satin. I don't know if I'll actually make these, but I like them.

Then there's jacket #106:

I love the ruffle. The magazine calls for brushed mohair. I'm not sure about that. The photo looks like it's a woven fabric and the ruffles have unfinished edges. I can just imagine this thing ravelling all to pieces. Maybe if I could find a suitable substitute, I might give this a try.

Lastly is dress #125:

I do not need a stretch suede bustier dress, however, I like the section seaming in the skirt. It might be worthwhile to just make the bottom half.

So, not my favorite issue of all time, but then I don't expect every issue to be overflowing with things I just have to make. It's not like I'd have time to make more than a piece or two from each magazine anyway.

Anybody else out there planning to make something from this issue? Got any big sewing plans for after the first of the year?

It's Not Just This Year

2011-12-18T11:49:00.002-06:00

Every year at Christmas time, I get busy and don't seem to accomplish much in the way of sewing or stitching. Here's an example of a piece I made 10 years ago... and it's not finished yet.
This is "Grace." It's one of the angel patterns by Just Nan. It came out in 2001 and it just happened to have the Princess's middle name, so of course I had to stitch it up for her.

It's a gorgeous design, stitched on cream linen in rose and taupe shades of DMC floss, and embellished with tiny gold and pearl beads.

I planned to finish it up into an ornament for the Princess's first Christmas. It's fixed to an oval piece of foam core board, just waiting for a backing and some decorative edging to be complete.

The face, the hands, and the floral panel on the front of the skirt are all stitched over one. The halo and the front of the dress are embellished with seed beads. The wings, the cuffs and the hem of the dress feature delicate eyelet stitches.

I loved the way it turned out and decided to tackle another one. This time I chose Nan's Angel Stocking:

This is as far as I got:

I still love the design and maybe if I get a few minutes, I can get back to work on it this year.

The cool thing about this one is that you can stitch the stocking and substitute any one of Nan's many angel designs.

I don't expect to complete this one this year. Maybe if I work on it a little each Christmas, I'll get it done by the time the Princess has kids of her own.

I Got Nuthin'

2011-12-17T13:13:00.003-06:00

I got nuthin' in the way of sewing, that is. I haven't touched a needle, a pair of scissors, not even a piece of tracing paper all week. I haven't even picked up that poor little cross stitch ornament. There has been so much drama going on around here with the kids, that there just hasn't been a moment to spare on sewing or crafty projects. I'm lucky I found the time yesterday to do my nails.

Since I don't have any sewing related stuff to share, I thought I'd show my "Christmas" mani. This is kind of a departure for me. Usually I don't go for very light colors on my nails. And it doesn't get any lighter than white, right? I also don't like VNL (visible nail line.) But somehow, this mani has both and it doesn't bother me at all. Must be the Christmasiness of it.

I started with 3 coats of Orly Winter Wonderland, a frosty, shimmery white, with a sort of "lumpy" visual texture to it- like clumps of snow. I can't really think of a better word than that. The formula itself is great- no lumps or clumps. It flows right onto the nail and dries quickly. It is sheer, though, as I suspected it would be, hence the 3 coats. I just picked this up at Sally Beauty last week and it had a "New" collar on the bottle, but it looks like it may have been around since last Christmas.

After the 3 coats of Winter Wonderland, I added one coat of China Glaze Party Hearty, also from last year.

Party Hearty is a clear polish with large round red glitter, medium green glitter, and small silver glitter. It is very Christmasy. The silver glitter blends right into the white background and you can't really see the glitter itself, but the sparkle is definitely there.

Like a lot of glitter polishes, Party Hearty was finicky to apply. The glitter wanted to clump a little bit and cling to the brush, but with a little bit of patience and careful placement, I was able to get decent coverage.

After Party Hearty dried, I finished up with one coat of Revlon Quick Dry Topcoat. Even though my nails are white, and I can see VNL at certain angles, I'm still quite tickled with this. The red and green glitter against the sparkly white is eye catching and very Christmasy without being over the top. It makes me think of candy canes without being literal. I hope it lasts a few days. I might have to do this mani again for the big day next weekend.

Now that my nails are done, I'd love to sew. I do have a couple of UFOs that need attention, but I might take a look around and see if I can find an easy "instant gratification" sewing project instead. Or maybe I'll just try to finish the cross stitch ornament.

Happy Holiday Sewing!

A Little Bit of Christmas Stitching

2011-12-10T14:02:00.002-06:00

There's been no sewing lately.

There's been a lot of cleaning going on. And a lot of decorating. And finally, a tiny bit of stitching:

It's not quite done yet.

Maybe I'll get this finished in time for Christmas.

Pattern Paralysis

2011-11-26T13:13:00.003-06:00

I've had a nice long holiday week, and you'd think I'd be sewing up a storm. But since finishing the New Look skirts from the previous post, I haven't sewn a thing. (The Burda knit jacket is on hold- again, because I've decided I don't like the zipper I bought for it.)

I want to sew, I just don't know what I want to sew, if that makes sense. Oh, I have several dress patterns I want to try, but I don't have the right fabric on hand. And with Christmas coming so quickly, I don't want to be spending money on new fabric right now. So my next project has to be something I can make from stash fabric. I have a pretty coral stretch jacquard fabric that I ordered as a candidate for the flap dress, and I was kind of thinking that it might make up nicely into a skirt and jacket.

I really like jacket #103 and skirt #105 in the December issue of Burda Style:
It's a little bit different take on a skirt jacket combo. The jacket is a simple princess seamed style, but with horizontal seaming added to give it extra interest. It's hard to see the seaming in the model photo since Burda chose to show the outfit made up in black, but I think my fabric would show it off quite well.

The skirt is also a little bit different. It has a pleated wrap-over front and a wide waistband. It's very pretty and feminine, and would look great with or without the jacket.

Once I started thinking about this jacket skirt combo, I remembered I have a Butterick pattern that I've been wanting to make up for some time, B4617:

This one is so old it's no longer even on the Butterick site, but I still like it. It's a semi-fitted jacket with a (tame) peplum and long sleeves. There are four waist darts in front and in back, shoulder darts in front and in back, and small darts on the peplum also. The skirt is tapered and has a wide yoke that sits at the natural waist.

I actually made a muslin of the jacket years ago and was ready to cut it out for real, but I ran short of fabric. I folded it up and put it aside to wait for different fabric, and I just forgot about it.

I'm pretty sure I still have the jacket muslin folded up somewhere in my sewing room. The Butterick pattern is also a step ahead of the Burda pattern because it doesn't have to be traced. And there are seventeen pieces to the Burda pattern. But, the Burda jacket pattern has princess seams, and I always seem to get a better fit with princes seams. Even though the Burda jacket pattern has more pieces, I don't think the Butterick pattern would be any easier or quicker to make. The jacket has 16 darts, which are time consuming and fussy to mark and stitch, although they should look very nice once they're done.

I suppose a muslin of the Burda pattern is in order. I'm pretty sure if I can get the fit right I will like the jacket. The skirt definitely will need a muslin because I'm not sure if the draped, pleated front will be flattering on my figure. It could help camouflage my tummy, or it could draw attention to it.

So I suppose my sewing activities for today will be to find the Butterick muslin and try it on. Then maybe I'll go ahead and trace the Burda patterns. Maybe I'll even make it to muslin stage by tonight.

Has anyone out there made this Butterick pattern? Do you have any thoughts or advice to share? Is anyone working on the Burda patterns?

New Look 6079 One Pattern, Two Skirts

2011-11-21T20:09:00.003-06:00

I just love getting my money's worth. And making two items from one pattern is a great way to do it. I picked up NL 6079 last week. I was looking for another NL pattern when this skirt caught my eye. It's from the latest batch of new patterns, but somehow I missed it until last week.
I fell in love with view D, the model version, but I also really liked View C, the orange skirt in the upper right corner. I made a run to Hancock's a couple of days after picking up the pattern and found some fabrics I thought would work.

I started with view C, using a grey, tweedy suiting with a herringbone weave and slubby texture. It's 100% poly, but it feels nice, and best of all, it washed and dried beautifully

The skirt is a basic A-line with princess seams, a narrow yoke, and a side zipper. The pattern does not give instructions for a lining, but I added one. The main fabric is very textured and I didn't want to worry about it clinging to my tights/hose. I used a "no cling" lining fabric, also from Hancocks, and used the skirt pieces to cut it.

I cut a 16 waist and tapered to an 18 at the hips. Based on the finished pattern measurements, I thought this would work fine. Unfortunately, the skirt turned out a little bit loose. It's supposed to be worn one inch below the waist, but I feel like it's just hanging on my hips. In fact, the sweater hem is just barely covering the top of the skirt.

I didn't like the way it looked with the sweater tucked in- most of my tops aren't long enough to stay tucked into such a low waist, and I don't think it's a flattering look for me. But it looks okay with an untucked top, and I might try running some elastic through the back waist to see if I can snug it up a little bit.

The one design detail on view C is the faux pocket flaps. There are no pockets- the flaps are simply caught into the front seams. These are second string buttons, too. I picked out some really pretty black buttons with silver etching, but for some reason, I only bought two. As soon as I get back to Hancock's to pick up another pair I'm going to switch them out.

Since I wasn't completely pleased with view C (hanging too low on my hips) I decided to make a change with view D.

I went down one size and cut a 14 waist and tapered to a 16 at the hips. This skirt sits perfectly at my waist. It's not exactly how it was intended to be worn, but I like it.

For this second version, I used a mystery fabric that I found on a sale table. There was no fabric content or description on the bolt end, but it looks like some sort of gray denim. It has a slight stretch to it and it washed well. I thought I needed a fabric with a little bit of crispness to it to hold the pleats on this one and it seems to work.

I love the pleats. And the six buttons, which give the skirt a military vibe.

I like these buttons, but I may end up switching them out. They're shank buttons and they tend to droop a little bit. I'm wondering if a flat button would work better.

The pattern was well drafted and it went together perfectly. Both of these views were pretty quick to assemble. If you need a quick skirt, I highly recommend NL 6079. I might even make it again sometime myself.

New Fabric!

2011-11-05T13:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I received a small order from Fabric.com. And you know what new fabric means... New projects!

On the left we have a gorgeous dark teal Sophia Stretch Double Knit. I have been wanting to try out this fabric for some time to see how it compares to the ponte knit I've been buying at Hancocks. I love the Hancocks stuff, but the color selection is limited, and it would be so nice to just order online. Anyway, when I realized I wasn't going to have enough of the royal blue knit to make Burda 10-2008-116, I figured why not order some and try it out on the jacket:

The Sophia Knit looks and feels almost exactly like the Hancocks ponte knit. It may not have quite as much stretch, but I'm still very excited to use it and see how it works up. If I like it, I think I'm going to order some more to make this dress, Burda 11-2008-133A:

The fabric in the middle is a black and grey double knit, 97% poly and 3% spandex. I realized I was taking a chance on this one, but I loved the idea of a plaid knit. Sigh... it's very, uh, polyester. I mean, it's very slippery and almost plastic feeling. I almost expect it to squeak when I rub it. But it does have nice drape and it's a great weight. I might just try using it for the Stage Dress knockoff. It's not my usual style, and if it doesn't work out, I won't feel bad.

The orange fabric on the right is a light weight rayon knit with silver metallic sparkle. I'm finding that I like orange more and more these days and I was intrigued with the silver sparkle. I usually see gold paired with orange. I'm thinking this will end up being some sort of long sleeved t-shirt.

I'm off to run these new fabrics through the washer. I plan to get the jacket cut out this afternoon. I also have a couple of other projects that might get cut out today. What are your weekend sewing plans?

Burda 12-2007-106

2011-11-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

In the week since finishing the Flap Dress, I also finished this dress:
I reached all the way back to the December 2007 issue for this one, back when Burda Style was Burda World of Fashion.

This is dress #106, with the sleeves from #107.

I used a royal blue ponte knit (my new favorite fabric.) I wanted something easy fitting and comfortable and I thought this design would lend itself well to a heavy knit.

I cut a 42 from shoulder to hip and a 44 from the hip down. It worked out just right with the knit fabric. I added my usual adjustments- one extra inch of length at the waist, and a 3/8" petite adjustment above the bust.

This is an insanely easy dress to put together, especially since I used a knit. I didn't have to put in a zipper and the curved seams were a snap since the fabric eases so well.

I didn't even look at the instructions. I mean, really- there are three vertical seams in front, three in back, add the sleeve pieces and then sew up the top of the sleeve/shoulder and then the side seams, and you have a finished dress. Well, almost...

I did make one little design change. The pattern calls for facings to finish off the neck edges. However, I hate facings and I don't use them if I don't absolutely have to. I opted instead to add a neckband. I cut a strip of fabric a couple of inches shorter than the neck circumference. I stitched the ends together, folded it in half, and sewed it to the neckline, stretching it to fit. After pressing, I topstitched the neck about 1/8" from the band to make it look nice and hold the seam allowance down on the inside. I love the way it turned out.

I was worried about the neckline on this being low. It is Burda, right? I added a 7/8" seam allowance to the neck edges and then I only used 3/8" of it when I attached the neckband. So with the neckband, which is about 3/8" wide, I brought the entire neckline in approximately 7/8". I think it turned out just right- not to low, yet not too frumpy. Perfect for work or for church!

I love the way this turned out and I know I'm going to get lots of wear out of it. I might even make the cap sleeve version next year when the weather warms up again. This pattern would even be a good candidate for the color blocking tend that is so hot right now. Hmmm...

Once again, my photographer wanted to shake things up a little bit.

I had planned to make a jacket out of this blue ponte knit, too. Unfortunately, when I laid out my fabric, I discovered that I didn't purchase as much as I thought I did and I didn't have enough to cut both patterns. So the jacket is on hold for a couple of days, until my online fabric order arrives. Stay tuned, we'll have jacket news soon!

Burda Style 09-2011-131

2011-10-30T14:04:00.003-05:00

The Flap Dress, also known as dress #131 from the September issue of Burda Style, is done. Finally:
Just to refresh my memory, since it seems like I've been working on this dress forever, this is the magazine photo:

And the technical drawing:

I'm no fashion model, but I'm pretty pleased with the way the dress turned out. (Not to mention pleased that it's done and out of my sewing room!)

The pattern is offered in sizes 38 through 46. I cut a 42 from shoulder to hip and a 44 from hip to hem. I used a stretch woven fabric, so it worked out fine. If I was going to make this out of something with no stretch I would have gone up one size.

The only fit adjustments I made (after two muslins) were to add one inch of length at the waist, and a petite adjustment above the bust, which I made by folding out 3/8" horizontally across the back bodice and the side front bodice. The fold was made right above the flap so that I didn't run into issues with proportion or with the flap piece fitting the front piece. I also took an extra 3/8" out of the sleeve cap (for a total of 3/4") because there was a ton of ease and I didn't want puckered sleeves.

I converted the V-neck in back to a regular, high round back. Without this adjustment, the dress would not stay up on my shoulders and it would be unwearable.

I also raised the neckline in front significantly, in order to be able to wear a bra, and so that I feel comfortable wearing the dress. The adjustment was easy. I just added the necessary amount to the triangle inset piece (actually a diamond since you fold it in half to self face it.)

The fabric I used is a hot pink, poly stretch crepe I ordered from Fashion Fabrics Club. It's nice and heavy, but drapes well and has just enough stretch to make the dress comfortable. It's a good thing I like it, too, since I also bought a piece of it in mustard...

Only the bodice is lined in this dress, and I used hot pink satin. I love the feel of a satin lining against my skin (and the color matched!) All other seams inside the dress are serged with red thread. I liked the red against the hot pink and it doesn't show, so I thought, what the heck?

The dress fastens with an invisible zipper at center back. I remembered to interface the back opening edges and the zipper went in pretty much perfectly on the first try.

I actually finished this dress last weekend, but my photographer was out of town on a school trip, and then we had rain, and then I had a bad hair day, and so on and so on. You know how it goes. So today, everything came together and it was time (way past time) for a photo shoot.

My teenage photographer actually does have an artistic streak, and he says my blog pictures need to be more interesting. So today he decided we should climb up a hill (with me in four inch heels of torture) to get some shots.

"Go stand by that farm implement," he says.

"This rusty old thing?" I ask.

Why, look. This grasshopper likes my dress!

Like I said, I'm pretty pleased with the dress. I'm just happy to have it done. It's a 2.5 dot pattern. Maybe they should up that to a 3 dot or even a 3.5 dot. It's not that hard, but there is some precise sewing involved to get the flap section done. The instructions are typical Burda instructions, which means that without photos, you really have to read them a couple of times, play around with the pattern pieces and then just basically do it your way. I never did figure out what they wanted me to do with the bottom point of the center front inset.

This is going to be a fun dress to wear, but I won't be making it again. One is enough. I do recommend the pattern if you like a sheath dress with a little something extra. This would make one heck of a party dress in the right fabric.

Happy sewing!

Sort of Kind of Update

2011-10-17T19:47:00.003-05:00

The flap dress is still under construction. Slowly but surely it's inching its way toward completion. I actually did work on it this weekend, but hit a snag when I realized I didn't have any suitable lining fabric in my stash. (The bodice is lined.) I have since aquired some fabric for the lining and I plan to get back to work on it ASAP.

In the meantime, I went ahead and traced the patterns for my next two projects. The first will be dress #106 from the December 2007 issue of Burda World of Fashion:

Yeah, the photo is next to useless. Here is the tech drawing:

I'll be using a royal blue ponte knit, and since the weather is taking a turn for the cooler, I'll be using the long sleeves from the "evening gown" version of the dress:

It will be a pretty simple dress, but I think all the vertical seaming will be quite flattering. I also anticipate it to be a simple project. I hope I don't end up eating those words.

I also plan to make jacket #116, from the October 2008 issue:

I plan to use the same blue ponte knit as the dress (I won't be wearing the two together.) Since I will only just have enough fabric for both, I plan to cut them out together to make the best use of the yardage I have.

Here is the same jacket in red (and slightly shorter.) The details show up better in this photo, I think.

That 10/2008 magazine was a really good issue. You may be seeing a couple more projects from it in the future.

The new November 2011 issue looks to be really good, too. You can check out a preview at the French site if you're interested. I'm hoping it arrives in my mailbox in the next week or so. (Like I need anything else on my to-sew list.)

What's Going On?

2011-10-08T14:38:00.003-05:00

You may be wondering what's going on with the Flap Dress. AFter all, it's been over a month since I recieved the magazine (Burda Style September issue) and made the first muslin. Well, things are progressing slowly here in the Frogs in a Bucket Workroom. Pesky little distractions keep popping up and keeping me from the Flap Dress. Things like my job, silly stuff like having to cook meals and clean up after them, drama with the kids, you know- that kind of stuff. But hopefully this weekend I can get back to work on it and make a little progress.

But just so you won't think this whole project has been a big elaborate hoax, here are a couple of progress shots. First, the bodice:
It looks kind of lumpy and sad lying flat on the ironing board. You can still see wash away marker marks (the stitching lines on the flaps) and hanging threads. There are a few bits of lint clinging to it, too.

Here are the back bodice pieces, all interfaced and waiting to be stitched to the back skirt pieces so that the invisible zipper can be inserted:

Yes, I got a suitable zipper last weekend. I plan to install that zipper today even if it's the only progress I make. After that, things should move along at a nice clip.

I really hate the way this project has gotten bogged down and taken a back seat to everything else going on. But that's just the way it is sometimes. I hope that by the time I do get this dress finished that I'm still excited about wearing it. And that it still fits. (You never know!)

Contemplating a Knock-off

2011-10-01T15:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I received the Stage sales flier in the mail. It featured this adorable dress:

It's a simple A-line dress with bust darts, cap sleeves, a stand-up collar cut on the bias, and patch pockets with buttons. I actually stopped by Stage last night and saw this dress. It appeared to be made of ponte knit.

Today when I went online to try and find a picture of it, I came across this dress which appears to be the same fabric, but in the opposite colorway:

Same basic A-line shape with bust darts and cap sleeves, but this one has a scooped neck with a pleated collar.

I love both of these dresses. Unfortunately they're both much too short for me. But I suddenly remembered that I have a pink and brown plaid in my stash that might look really good made up into a similar dress. So I dove into my pattern stash trying to find something that I could use to make a dress with a similar vibe.

I came up with New Look 6779 View B:

It has the right shape- basic A-line with bust darts and cap sleeves. I'd have to eliminate the yoke seam. And unlike the inspiration dress, this dress has no vertical darts in the back for shaping. Yes, I know, I could add some myself, but I'd rather find a pattern that already has them in the right place. Also, these cap sleeves are true caps. I think I'd prefer a "whole sleeve." And this pattern has no collar, which is really the best feature of the inspiration dress.

So I looked at New Look 6909. It has a similar collar and pleated cap sleeves. The back has vertical darts, too. I don't want to try to match plaid on the princess seams in front, though. But I could frankenpattern the collar and sleeves, and maybe the back, with the front of NL6779.

Simplicity 2473 also has a stand-up collar and cap sleeves, plain ones, which I like even better:

And then there's NL 6000:

I love the collar and it has plain cap sleeves. View D (the print one in the middle) has front bust darts and vertical darts in front and back. Hmmm. Maybe I could use this pattern and just not sew the front vertical darts. The only thing left to add would be some patch pockets, which would be easy.

These are all from my stash, but I'm open to suggestions if anyone knows of a pattern that would work even better.

In the meantime, I cut out the flap dress the other night. I'm using a hot pink stretch crepe:

I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon working on it. Unfortunately I don't have an invisible zipper for it. Crud. Maybe I can get to the fabric store sometime next week. Unless anyone has a good online source for zippers? Please share!

Revlon Facets of Fuchsia

2011-09-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

This is Facets of Fuchsia from Revlon:

I had just about sworn off glitter polishes because they are so darn hard to remove. But I saw this the other day at my Local Walgreen's and I had to have it. They so seldom get the new polish collections at my local store that I knew if I didn't snap it up, I'd probably never get it. (Yes, I got the blue one and the pink one too!)

Anyway, this is a sheer black with fine fuchsia glitter, as well as large fuchsia glitter suspended in it.

For this mani, I started with base coat, and then one coat of Wet and Wild Ebony Hates Chris, which is a plain, black creme. It went on easily. The formula was good, and with careful application it can be a one-coater. The only issue I had with it was the brush. It was nice and wide, but the ends were kind of scraggly with a couple of bristles sticking out oddly right at the tip. It made it hard to get a nice, neat application around my cuticles.

I applied one coat of Facets of Fuchsia over the black. It went on easily, too. I did have to really pay attention though, and work the polish on the nail a little bit to get the larger pieces of glitter evenly distributed. I finished it off with one coat of OTD top coat.

I love this look. It makes me think of a dark sky with fuchsia stars. Or maybe disco lights. It would make a great Halloween manicure, although I can definitely see myself wearing this throughout the fall and winter. I hope it lasts a few days, although I've had it on for almost 24 hours and I have already had to do a couple of touch-ups. I might add a matte top coat to it and see how it looks.

If you see it, and you like fuchsia and/or glitter, grab it! It may not be around for long.

Burda Style 05-2011-130 Finished and Wearable

2011-09-25T14:12:00.002-05:00

I just put the finishing touches on dress #130 from the May issue of Burda Style. I'm happy to say that I'm satisfied with this version.

I used a rayon challis from stash and I think it worked perfectly for this pattern.

This time I cut a straight size 44. The only adjustments I made were to add 1" of length at the waist and I shortened the front neck slit by 1". My slip still shows if you look too close. I also eliminated the center back seam in the bodice by cutting it on the fold.

I did not make the self fabric tie for the neck, but instead used a 3/8" navy blue grosgrain ribbon. It looks okay, but I plan to switch it out for a narrower satin ribbon as soon as I find the right one.

This is an easy breezy dress to make and to wear. I plan to wear this instead of jeans when I go to the grocery store or I'm running errands. In fact, I'll be doing just that today.

I'd like to find a belt to go with this. I think it would look better with something covering the elastic at the waist. A belt would also dress it up a little for work.

I am so happy to have this done and be able to actually wear it. I hated that the first version didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to. (I still have it in my closet... who knows, maybe I'll pull it out next spring and salvage it.) But now I feel like I've conquered this pattern and I can feel good about it.

And now that this dress is done, I can turn my attention back to the flap dress. I promise I'm not procrastinating. Really, I'm not!

New Burda Style!

2011-09-19T19:29:00.002-05:00

The October issue of Burda Style arrived today. What a great surprise on a Monday! It looks like a good issue.

If I make only one thing from this issue, it will be this: Dress #138 from the plus section:

My stretch fabrics also arrived today, which means not only can I get to work on the real version of the flap dress, but I'll have two fabrics left over to choose from when I make this gorgeous little number! I'm thinking hot pink for the flap dress, so that leaves either coral or mustard for this one...

Revlon Royal Cloak

2011-09-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Check out this cool purple polish, Royal Cloak, from Revlon's Masquerade collection.

I love this color. It's a medium-dark purple creme with "clear" shimmer and mica-like flakes. The flakes are what make this so unique. See them suspended in the bottle?

Royal cloak applied nicely. This is two coats over base coat and with one coat of OTD quick dry top coat.

I think I wore this for three days with no chipping and no noticeable tip wear. I finally took it off just because I wanted to try another color. It was easy to remove, too. I'll be wearing this one again. I can see this becoming a "go-to" purple for me.

Waiting

2011-09-18T12:57:00.002-05:00

I am still waiting for my stretch fabrics to arrive, so I am at a standstill on the flap dress. In the meantime, I decided to go ahead and work on something relatively quick and easy. I decided to pull out the pattern for Burda Style 05-2011-130: You may remember that I made this dress before but was I was not happy with the fabric and so I never hemmed it or wore it.

I have beeen thinking about this rayon challis for a while now. It's been in my stash literally for years. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I got this at my local Walmart back in the day when they had a good fabric department.

I think this is going to work perfectly for this pattern. It's lightweight and drapes beautifully. The colors are gorgeous, too, and will transition nicely into fall.

Best of all, this dress should sew up pretty quickly. There are no buttons or zipper required. I'll probably skip the self fabric tie in the neckline and instead pull a pretty ribbon out of my stash. Stay tuned for an update.

I hope to receive my fabric shipment this week. Then I'll just need to decide which of the three candidates to use for the flap dress!

Burda Style 09-2011-131 Muslin #2

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

I decided to go ahead and make some adjustments to the flap dress and try another muslin.
I made a 3/8" petite adjustment above the bust, folded out an additional 3/8" across the sleeve cap to reduce the excess ease, lengthened the waist by 1", and the biggest adjustment of all- changed the back to a "regular" neckline rather than the deep V of the original pattern.

I think the shoulder issue has been solved now. There are no pins holding the muslin to my bra straps.

This muslin seems a little tighter than the first, even though I made no real width adjustments. I think it's because the flannel had some "give" to it and the quilting cottons I used for this muslin have none. ( I decided to use up some of the various small pieces of cotton I had lying around the sewing room. I tried to at least use a solid for the bodice to show the seaming this time.) I plan to use a stretch woven for the final dress, so I'm not worried.

I did not raise the neckline for this muslin. It doesn't look too bad in the photo, and I could probably find a bra that wouldn't show, but the truth is I just wouldn't be comfortable wearing this as is. If I stood up all day, straight and tall, I could probably get away with it, But the moment I bend forward, or heaven forbid I sit down and someone stands next to me, they could see all the way down the front to the underbust seam.

In order to have some sort of comfort level while wearing this, the neckline has to come up. The question is, how much?

Please forgive my clumsy photo editing, but the following photos give you an idea of what I'm considering.

Option #1 Raise the neckline halfway to the widest point:

This gives some additional coverage, but still somewhat maintains the shape of the original neckline.

Option #2 Raise the neckline all the way to the widest point:

This will offer the maximum amount of coverage. Although the neckline shape is significantly different, it is still interesting.

I'm leaning toward option #2. I want to be able to wear this to work or to church and I think I need the maximum amount of coverage. But honestly, even if I kept this as strictly a "date night" dress, Mr. Frogs would be happier with option #2 as well.

I ordered three different stretch woven fabrics last night hoping one of them will be the right one for this dress. Cross your fingers for me. Hopefully I'll have a finished dress to share before too long.

Burda Style 09-2011-131 What's the Flap All About?

2011-09-06T19:00:00.004-05:00

Sunday was muslin day. Recognize this?

Yep. I went ahead and did a quick and dirty muslin of dress #131 from the current Burda Style:

The results weren't too bad. Yes, I used flannel again, this time with Penguins. I apologize that the print makes it a little hard to see the lines.

I cut a 42 from shoulder to hip and a 44 from the hip down. I made no adjustments for the muslin. I can see that I need to make my usual tweaks- lengthen the waist, shorten above the bust, possible princess FBA, etc.

But let's just talk about the obvious, shall we? That neckline. Oh, Burda...

As you can see it is way too low. And believe it or not, the picture makes it look a little higher than it really is (I had to use my shorter photographer.) And don't let the flaps fool you, it is also scandalously wide. In the photo above, I have the shoulders pinned to my bra straps.

When I took the pins out, the shoulders immediately began to slip:

And continued to slip and collapse right off my shoulders when I so much as turned my head:

The V-neck in back doesn't help. I'm wondering if converting the back to a higher, round neck would help support the shoulders and keep them in place? I also wonder if I need to narrow the center of the dress and widen the side fronts, bringing the princess seams in toward the front and giving more coverage of the area above the bust toward the shoulders.

I like the dress, and I'd like to make it anad wear it, but I just don't know if all these tweaks would somehow ruin the style lines and turn it into something completely different.

I suppose one more muslin wouldn't hurt...

Revlon Steel-etto

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

When I finished my latest dress and started thinking about photos, I knew I wanted to wear just the right nail polish. I love the grey in the print and I wanted to set it off, so I immediately thought: gun metal.

So I went to my polish stash and pulled out Revlon's Steel-etto, from the Dark Pleasures collection.

I bought this years ago, when dark polish was becoming all the rage. I found a reference online the other night that indicated that this was sold in 2006. It seems like I've had it a lot longer than that. In any case, this is the first time I've worn it.

Let me just say, I love the packaging on this. I love the square bottle, the font on the front and the silver label on the back. I love the collection name, too- Dark Pleasures. Sounds naughty, doesn't it?

The color is pretty awesome, too. It's a gun metal grey with subtle silver shimmer that dries to a nice satin finish.

I was worried about the formula on this. After all, it's been sitting in a drawer for at least five years. I'm pleased to say that it was great. This is a true "one-coater." It was the perfect consistency- very liquid and workable. There is so much pigment that one thin coat was all I needed. It dried relatively fast, too. Just a couple of minutes and I was good to go.

I'm so pleased that this polish turned out to be so pretty and easy to apply. Because I have two other "untrieds" from this collection- a dark purple and a dark maroon red.

I'm thinking about wearing the red with this dress, too. It should pick up the red in the flowers quite nicely.

How about you? Do you have any polishes that have been waiting years to be tried? Why not get them out and give them a go?

Halloween Stitching Goodness

2011-09-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

I was absolutely thrilled to find the Annual Halloween Issue of Just CrossStitch on the news stand at my local grocery store today. I have been anxiously waiting for it. There's just something about autumn and stitching that go hand in hand, and Halloween designs are some of my favorites.
I love the little Halloween ornaments. I'm thinking I might try the little purple house with the ghosts on the upper right.

Or maybe this little owl. He's not overly "Halloweeny" and could be left out on display until fall is over.

I like this one a lot, too. I have some purple linen in my stash. I love the color combo and the finishing on this one.

And probably my favorite thing in the issue is this:

I love samplers! And I like that this can be stitched up as a needleroll, too. The design uses hand dyed fibers and features cross stitch, specialty stitches, and two cute buttons. I need to go dig through my stash and see if I have the materials for this!

So you may be seeing some stitching around here soon...

And maybe if I start doing some stitching, the cooler weather won't be too far behind. I can hope, can't I?

Burda Style 07-2011-131

2011-09-03T17:04:00.003-05:00

This dress has actually been finished for a few days, but it wasn't until today that I had an available photographer and enough daylight to take photos.
This is dress #131 from the July 2011 issue of Burda Style:

Here is the line drawing:

The dress shown in the magazine is made of crepe satin. I wanted my dress to be easy and comfortable and I didn't want to struggle too much with fitting, so I used ponte knit from Hancock Fabrics for my version.

I love the print- dusty red, pink, and grey flowers on a white background. It reminds me of a pen and ink drawing with a watercolor wash.

I cut a size 42 from shoulder to hip and a 44 from the hip down.

I did have some fitting issues, most notably the neckline, which was way too low. You can read about the muslin here. For this final version, I ended up making the following adjustments:

1. 1/4" petite adjustment above the bust

2. 1/2" princess seam FBA

3. 1" of length added at the waist

4. Raised neckline 1.5"!

5. Added approximately 1/4" to front armhole.

Since I used a knit, I left the zipper out completely.

I originally planned to use the facing pieces provided to finish the neck and armholes, but after all the adjustments I made to the bodice and neck, I was afraid they wouldn't fit correctly, and let's face it- I can be lazy sometimes. Also, I made a similar dress out of ponte knit a few months ago and I wasn't entirely pleased with the bulk of the facings and I wasn't able to get a good, crisp pressed edge.

So instead of using the facings, I just serged the raw edges, pressed the neckline seam allowances to the inside and topstitched them down

I used bias strips cut from white broadcloth to finish the armholes:

I topstitched the bias strips in place, connecting the stitching to the hem on the cap sleeves:

In the photo below you can see the extra 1/4" I added to the front armhole to help hide my armpit flab. I adjusted the side back piece as well so that the side seams would remain the same length and everything would fit together. (You can see part of my princess FBA, too.)

I am quite pleased with this dress. It looks nice, it's comfortable, and it was very easy to sew. Once I made all of the needed adjustments it was actually a very quick project. I might even make it again sometime. It would look nice in a solid...

If you like the look of a princess sheath, I highly recommend this pattern. Just make a muslin and check that neckline!

My regular photographer was busy with other things today, so I used my stand-in photographer, my 12 year old son, Bryan:

He did a really good job! It sure helps to have two photographers on call.

Stay tuned for more Burda sewing! It's a three day weekend, so I hope to get something accomplished. How about you? Any sewing plans for the long weekend?

Trace-a-palooza

2011-08-30T21:07:00.002-05:00

I spent yesterday evening watching re-runs of Criminal Minds and tracing patterns from the September Burda Style. Yes, I traced the dress:
I also traced this blouse:

It's very simple, with cut on sleeves and only four pattern pieces. But it has sleek lines and the pleats at the neckline are very interesting.

My next couple of projects will be muslins for these two projects. Cross your fingers for me!

If the blouse turns out, I might even try the dress version:

I really like the look of this. I'm not sure, though, that it will work for my body type. This might be a dress for the tall, willowy types out there.

And believe it or not, this dress also intrigues me:

Once again, I'm not sure this is right for my body type, but I'd be willing to make a muslin and just see. I really think if this was made up in the right fabric and accessorized with just the right shoes and jewelry, this could be a great look... for someone. Me? We'll have to wait and see.

You know, this is really turning out to be a great isue for me. There are even a few more things I'd like to make. Of course, I'll probably never get to them all. I never do! By the time I get the dress and the blouse done, there will be a new issue in the mailbox and I'll be distracted.

How about you? Are there any must make patterns in this issue?

OPI DS Desire

2011-08-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share the polish I chose to go with the new skirt I blogged yesterday. I could have gone with pink, but that just seemed too obvious. So I chose Desire from the OPI Designer Series.
At first glance it just looks like a shimmery metallic tan, possibly a dark gold. But just wait until the sun hits it:

It's a gorgeous holographic polish! See the rainbow in the bottle?

See the rainbow on the nail?

It's mesmerizing! I just can't stop looking at it!

I admit, I bought this just for the holo. The color didn't look like much in the dim little local beauty supply store where I found it. In fact it looked kind of muddy and dull. Maybe that's why no one else wanted it and it was waiting for me to find it and take it home. But once I tried it, I was hooked. This color is gorgeous.

The formula is great, too. Nice and thin, but not runny. It stayed workable but dried in a timely manner. Two thin coats gives great coverage and gorgeous flash. The brush is the standard OPI brush- wide and flat and easy to use.

The only drawbacks are that it was a little pricey ($10.50, which is actually pretty good- I've seen DS polishes that were higher) and availability. I'm not sure that this is widely available anymore. But if you see it, grab it! I think you'll love it!

McCalls 5590 3.0

2011-08-28T19:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was able to finish up M5590, and today I had my photographer available to take pics.
This is my third time making this pattern, so I guess I can safely call it a TNT. Just like the first two versions, I made the knee length view (View B) without the waist tabs.

This is a super simple skirt. There are only four pattern pieces (if you don't add the pockets, belt loops, etc.) There are two darts in front, two in back, a facing, and... that's it.

I omitted the lining on this one. My fabric is a somewhat heavy stretch twill that I picked up at Hancock Fabrics years ago. I figure I'll just wear a slip with it. Leaving out the lining probably cut my cutting and sewing time by 30%.

The back is finished with an invisible zipper and a vent.

I cut a size 18, but ended up taking it in 1/2" on each side, and about 3/4" on each side at the waist. I probably should have just gone down a whole size to a 16. This fabric has quite a bit of stretch and I have a feeling it might get kind of loose and droopy after a long day at work. We'll see, though...

I had this top in mind the whole time I was working on this skirt. It's Burda Style 07-2010-121 and I quite like the way it goes with the skirt. When the weather starts to cool I think this combo will look nice with black hose and pumps.

As usual, my photographer thought it would be cool to get some action shots.

So here I am climbing up on the front gate...

And swinging on it!

And here's my photographer: my son, Brendan.

In other sewing news, BS 07-2011-131 is almost finished. I just have to finish off one armhole and hem it and then I can take pics and test drive it. I hope to have a finished dress to show you in the next day or two.

And thank you so much for all the responses to the last post about the "designer" dress in the current Burda Style. I think I'm going to at least make a muslin and test the waters. In fact, there are several things in this issue that I want to try. I may spend the evening tracing...

Do I Even Want to Go Down This Road?

2011-08-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

The September issue of Burda Style was waiting for me when I got home yesterday and this dress caught my eye: I love it. The shape is right up my alley, the seaming is great, and the bodice is interesting and unique.

I love the line drawing, and it looks like it would be easy to put together.

But... I've made similar Burda dresses before. In fact, the one I'm working on now, 07-2011-131 could be the plain little sister of this dress- princess seams, wide neckline, etc.

And let's take a good look at the model photo. Notice anything unusual?

Is it just me, or does it look like the dress is falling off of her right shoulder? That neckline is wide. And low. Even with the flap thingies, that's a lot of skin showing. (And speaking of unusual- those tights/hose are an odd color. I'm all for hose coming back, but those just look weird.)

I love the dress, but do I really want to bother with trying to make this work? I'd definitely have to raise the neckline and that would probably throw off the whole bodice. This might be one of those dresses that only works on paper. It's too bad, too because I can just see this made up in fuschia...

McCalls 5038- Seeing Stars

2011-08-22T20:07:00.002-05:00

All three of the M5038 skirts are done, but this is the only one I was able to get photos of so far:
This is a size 10, made straight out of the envelope. The fabric is 100% cotton quilting fabric from Hobby Lobby.

There's not much to say. This pattern is so easy it practically sews itself. That's why I chose it- it's quick and easy.

For this version, I used lavender satin ribbon to trim the ruffle edges and pick up the lavender stars in the print.

The waist is finished with 3/4" elastic in a casing. All inside seams are serged and the skirt is top stitched to secure the ruffle seam allowance.

The Princess is pleased- she wore this skirt to school today with a yellow tank top.

Stay tuned for photos of the other two skirts which turned out great, also.

And now, I'm off to relax in a recliner with the September issue of Burda Style, which arrived today. Later!

Wet N Wild- Teal of Fortune

2011-08-21T13:18:00.002-05:00

There has been no sewing here this week. I mean, not a single stitch. I have been laid out flat with a monster cold and just doing my nails was a huge to-do this week. I am on the mend now and I hope to have lots of sewing stuff to show you in the coming week, but in the mean time, here's another polish post.

This is Wet n Wild Teal of Fortune:
I can't say enough good things about this polish. I've had it for a while, but just got around to trying it this week. I can't believe what I've been missing!

First of all, the color is amazing. It's a clear, clean teal blue with white gold glitter/shimmer. It goes on shear, which I normally don't like, but with this color, the shearness is a plus. The color builds beautifully with each coat. I started with two and it was gorgeous, with just a little VNL, but only in direct light.

I dinged my index finger before the polish was completely dry, and I had to "fix" it, so that's why my index nail looks a little lumpy. My fault, not the polish.

I wore this for three days and had just a tiny bit of tip wear, so I added a third coat to freshen things up. It added more depth and a deepened the beautiful teal color just a hair. I am on day four now and this manicure still looks fresh and awesome.

The formula on this was great. Like I said, it starts out shear, but builds nicely. This is a "Fastdry" polish, but it stayed workable while I was putting it on and then dried within a few minutes. I did use Out the Door topcoat (my favorite) after the second coat, but I didn't use anything on top of the third coat and I didn't have any problems. It's pretty shiney on it's own, too, so you don't need a top coat unless you just want one.

After I got this on and realizzed how much I loved it, I began to have a nagging suspicion that it might be a dupe of one of my other all time faves, China Glaze Watermelon Rind.

I took a picture with the CG bottle and I am happy to report that they are not dupes. Watermelon Rind is much greener and doesn't have the white gold shimmer like TOF:

I can't think of anything less than positive to say about this polish. On top of the great formula and beautiful color, it's pretty easy to find. I got mine at my local Walgreens for just $3.99. So great color, great formula, great availability, and great price. What more could I ask for?

If you like teals, you need this in your collection. And if you are pretty traditional in your polish color choices but have been thinking about branching out and trying something new, I highly recommend this one. It's gorgeous.

Hopefully I'll have lots of sewing progress to show later this week. I have a lot of lost time to make up for and projects piled up waiitng to be completed. Wish me luck!

Sally Hansen- Deep Blue Sea

2011-08-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Say hello to Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Deep Blue Sea.

I love the color. It's a "true blue" with no green or purple undertones. I've seen it on a couple of blogs referred to as a "denim blue" and I suppose that's pretty accurate. The photo below was taken against my favorite pair of jeans and the colors are pretty close. DBS has a nice shimmery finish to it which gives it some depth and sparkle, but nothing over the top.

This polish went on rather sheer. The top photo with the bottle is two coats and you can see some VNL. The bottom photo is three coats (with quick dry top coat) and it looks much better and shows pretty complete coverage. The formula is good- nice consistency and it stayed workable long enough to get a good application. Dry time was good, too. After three days of hard wear I had some tiny chips, but no one would notice unless they looked really hard.

I'm really impressed with these Xtreme Wear polishes. The formula is good, the colors are pretty, and the brush is nice and wide and easy to use. The price is good, too. I picked this up at my local Walgreens a couple of weeks ago. It was a new color, so it was on sale for $2. You really can't beat that.

If you like blue polish, I recommend this one.

Weekend Update

2011-08-15T19:34:00.002-05:00

Well, this weekend there was sewing. Actually, there was some some sewing, and a lot of cutting. I like to cut things out on the weekend, when I have plenty of time to drag out the cutting board and spread my fabric, patterns, pins, and rulers out all over the living room floor. Then during the week I can just pop into the sewing room whenever I can steal a few minutes and sew a seam or two.

This weekend I had planned to cut out the Burda Style dress. Muslin #2 turned out quite nice- the only additional adjustment I decided to make was a 1/2" princess seam FBA. I am ready for the real fabric. However, I ended up changing plans at the last minute.

The princess is in dire need of new clothes for school. How is it that the clothes that seemed fine for schlepping around the house and the back yard all summer are suddenly all too short and too tight for school? Did she miraculously grow a couple of inches the night before school started? I don't know. But there is one thing I will never be accused of, and that is sending my 10 year old daughter to school dressed like a junior hoochie mamma.

So I decided to whip up a few quick skirts. The princess has lots of plain t-shirts that fit just fine, so I thought a few skirts would get us by until the weather cools down enough for jeans. I'm also hoping to delay buying new jeans as long as possible since she's growing so fast that anything I buy now will probably be too small by Halloween.
I let her select several prints from my hoard, er, I mean stash. She wanted something with fruit on it (go figure) so I showed her this yellow cherry print (Mary Englebright, I believe from Walmart,) and this blue fabric with apples, lemons, and ice cream cones. She approved of both right away. I remember buying the blue fabric to make a BSY with a smocked insert, but I just never got around to it. Sigh... The green star fabric was a cute find at Hobby Lobby several years ago.

We are using McCall's 5038, which will definitely be qualified as a TNT pattern now. Half the fun was choosing ribbon trim to use on each skirt. You know me- I can't just make something plain.

I started sewing last night- assembly line style. I hope to have these done and ready to wear by mid week.

While I was cutting out skirts for the princess, I decided to go ahead and cut one out for me, too. This stretch twill has been languishing in my stash for a few years. I've been meaning to sew it up for some time and finally decided to go with M5590, the high waist skirt that gets me so many compliments when I wear it. I think the pattern and the fabric will both compliment Burda Style 07-2010-121, which I made almost a year ago.

Don't worry. BS 07-2011-131 will be done soon. It should go together quickly and easily- especially since I've already put it together twice!

Until then, Happy Sewing!

Rags to Riches

2011-08-09T18:55:00.002-05:00

I don't have any sewing progress to talk about today, so I thought I'd talk about nail polish. This is an utterly fantastic new color from Rimmel called Rags to Riches. At least it's new to me. I just noticed it at my local drugstore a few weeks ago.
I love this color. It's a warm, shimmery army green. Not too dark, and not too light. The shimmer is fabulous. In certain light it even looks like it has micro glitter in it. And it matches my eyes. Well, the green does... not the glitter.

I wish I could have captured the color better, but the sun was going down and this was the best I could do. Take my word for it, though, this is a gorgeous color.

This is three coats. I started out with two (over base coat and with quick dry top coat) but I decided to add a third coat this morning just to freshen things up. One of my nails was peeling at the edge and I had to file it down so it needed another touch-up coat anyway.

The formula was excellent- it went on smoothly and stayed workable on the nail long enough for me to get each one done to my satisfaction. I hate when polish dries so fast that it starts gumming up on my nail as I'm putting it on! It covered well in two coats and dried quickly (but not too quickly!)

I picked this up at Walgreen's for $3.99. I've also seen it at Walmart, so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

I just can't get over how much I love this color! I've been picking up these "army green" shades lately and I probably have enough of them now. This one is different, though, because of the beautiful shimmer. I am so glad I got this one!

In sewing news, nothing much has been happening. I was so prolific a couple of weeks ago during my vacation, but now that I'm back at work, I'm just finding it hard to make time for sewing. I did manage to cut out a new muslin of BS 07-2011-131 to test the adjustments I made. I would skip this step and go straight to the final garment, but I have a feeling I may need to tweak the length of the back a bit. Better safe than sorry, right?

Happy Sewing!

Uh, You're Not Really Going to Wear That, Are You?

2011-08-03T21:48:00.002-05:00

Don't worry, this is just a muslin.
My 17 year old photographer is so used to me and my sewing escapades, that he doesn't even ask questions anymore. He fully understands the concept of a muslin, which is great for me, since I don't have to deal with him rolling his eyes and questioning my taste level anymore.

Anyway. On to the details. This is Burda Style 07-2011-131:

I plan to make this (if I get that far) in a ponte knit, but I didn't have any on hand to use for a muslin. So I used this cheap, loosely woven flannel. Yes, those are, indeed, the Powerpuff Girls. I thought the flannel would have enough give to it to sort of approximate the fabric I'm going to use.

I cut a 42 through the bodice and eased out to a 44 at the hip. The fit is actually pretty good. The hips are snug, but not uncomfortably so, and I think they'll be just right in the ponte. It's the bodice that scares me.

Seriously. What is up with Burda and these scandalous necklines? You can see how much bra is revealed on each side of the neckline. The top edge of the front isn't much higher than the bottom of the armhole. Maybe it's just me and the way I'm made, but it just isn't working. Funny, but the magazine photo did not look this revealing.

After standing in front of the mirror and studying the photos, I remembered that I often have to make a length adjustment above the bust on BS patterns. So I pinned out approximately 3/8", basted it, and tried it on again. It was better, but still too much bra was showing.

Now the issue could be size. I could try going down one size, but I don't think that's the problem. It's hard to see in the photo above, but the shoulder seams appear to be in the right place, and the bust circumference looks and feels right. I measured, and in order to just cover my bra, I needed to raise the neckline 1.5". I basted in a strip of fabric and it seemed to do the trick. (All these photos are of the original muslin before any additional adjustments.)

Of course, the adjustment above the bust raised not only the bust and the neckline, it raised the entire dress, which was already bordering on too short through the body. So I knew I'd have to add my customary 1" of length at the waist to get the hip shaping down where it needs to be.

You can see some of the wrinkles in the back that indicate a length problem. I also had to keep tugging the dress down to keep the fullest part of the hips from riding up.

The petite adjustment helped with the wrinkles in the upper back, but I may still need a small sway back adjustment.

I went back to my pattern and made all the adjustments to the pieces. Really, these adjustments aren't all that drastic. The issues are mostly with the length and are easily fixed. And since I still have a good 3 or more yards of this lovely flannel (what was I thinking?!?) I might just throw another muslin together to check the adjustments.

Incidentally, I planned to put a center back zipper in this muslin, but I forgot and cut the back on the fold (the pattern calls for a side zip.) I figured I'd just slap a zipper in the side instead. But when I went to sew the side seams, I couldn't find a regular zipper in my stash. I just decided on a whim to stitch the side seams and see if I could squeeze into the dress without it- it's just a muslin, right? Surprisingly, I was able to pull it on and off over my head with almost no trouble at all. Unbelievable, huh? But it bodes well for using a knit and omitting the zipper.

I really like the dress. The silhouette and style is good for me, and it's very easy to put together. I'm confident I can fine tune the length issues. It's that neckline that will be the deal breaker for me. If I can get that adjusted to safely cover my undergarments, I will go ahead with this dress. I have my fingers crossed.

Stay tuned for an update...

Simplicity 2369- Bees Like It

2011-07-31T15:02:00.004-05:00

Another knit dress on another hot day. At least there are a few clouds today.
This is Simplicity 2369, View B, with the ties from View A/C.

Simplicity doesn't give any description other than "Misses' knit dress in two lengths..." I would describe it as a knit dress with a wrap-over bodice that ties at the side of the waist and raglan sleeves.

This pattern was easy peasy. There are six pattern pieces including the neck facing/binding. I love raglan sleeves, too, because I don't have to worry about getting the shoulder seam in the right place. I think the wrap-over bodice is quite flattering, and you get the look of a "wrap dress" with a one piece skirt- no wardrobe malfuntions to worry about.

I cut a straight size 16 and made no adjustments, other than adding 2" at the hem. However, I did end up taking the sides in about 3/8" all the way down, and even a little more than that at the waist. If I were to make this again, and I might because it was so easy to put together and because I'm quite pleased with it, I would go down to a size 14 and I would add 1" of extra length through the waist. I feel like the wrap and the waist tie sit a little bit too high on me. I'm sure no one but me will ever notice, but that's the great thing about making my own clothes- I can make them exactly the way I want them.

The one change I did make was in the order of construction. Simplicity would have you sew the side seams partially, add the sleeves, finish the neckline and then go back and finish the sides. I realized that would prevent me from having one long, finished side seam on each side. So I sewed the sleeves to the back and the fronts, sewed the shoulders, finished the neck and the sleeve edges, and then sewed and finished (serged) the side seams all in one pass. It worked perfectly.

Once again, I used an ITY knit from Fabric.com. This one is black with pink, orange, yellow, and white dots. I love it- pink/orange/yellow is one of my all time favorite color combos, and who doesn't like dots?

Apparently bees like the color combo, too. Either that, or this fabric looks like flowers to them. A poor, confused little bee took quite a liking to this dress in the parking lot at my favorite book store. My kids were quite hysterical, shouting, "Mom! There's a BEE on you!" I shooed it away, but I'm sure between the shrieking kids and finding out that those "flowers" were merely dots on fabric, the poor bee was quite traumatized.

Here's today's manicure. This is Orly Flirty, a bold, creamy "Barbie" pink with subtle shimmer that dries to a satin finish. I love this color! I had a rough morning and I put this on to make myself feel better. Who can't smile when wearing a pink this rich and gorgeous? Unfortunately, the formula on this is awful. I used this once before and was put off by the thickness of it. So today I thinned it. And thinned it. And thinned it some more. I never did get it to just the right consistency. Luckily, it covers well, dries pretty fast, and looks nice, otherwise I'd have tossed it because of the application issue. This is two coats (I couldn't have done another- it was too much of a headache) and one coat of topcoat.

I'm hoping that the clouds and rain we've had over the weekend mean that this oppressive heat is beginning to relent. I've actually been thinking about fall sewing lately and I think it's because subconsciously I'm wanting cooler weather. In any case, stay tuned for a muslin report of Burda Style 07-2011-131, which might be my next project, if I can get the kinks worked out of it, namely the obscene neckline.

Until then, happy sewing, and stay cool!

Butterick 4789- Doing the Twist

2011-07-27T18:02:00.005-05:00

The summer knit dress extravaganza continues with Butterick 4789, View B, the "Twist Dress."
I'm a couple of years late to this party, but I like the dress and I thought the fabric was right for it, so I went for it.

Dang, it's hot. Even in the shade.

Okay, so about the dress. It's pretty simple- just two pattern pieces, front and back. The front pieces are interlocked to form the twist:

Yeah, if you look closely you can see some gaps on either side of the twist. Thank goodness for a black slip! I'll probably just add a few hand stitches to close those up...

Here's the back:

I love the V-neck in back. I considered turning it into a plain round neckline, but I'm glad I didn't. It's pretty and it's very comfortable- did I mention it's hot here?

I cut a straight size 16. I probably could have gone smaller- the fit is on the loose side- but 16 was the smallest size in my pattern envelope. And I kinda like it loose and breezy. I was also surprised that it turned out a little more A-line than the pattern photo. It's okay, though- I like it.

I pretty much followed the instructions as written, except that I used clear elastic in the neckline, and I bound the armholes with self fabric. As for adjustments, I added one inch of length just below the waist, and I ended up taking the back darts in about 1/4" on each side. The fit is still roomy.

I used another ITY knit from Fabric.com. This one is actually dark brown (looks like black in the photos) with cream and aqua dots. I didn't notice any funky smell with this one like the previous ones.

Yes, that background color really is dark brown. And check how my nails match so perfectly! This is Finger Paints Tiffany Imposter, a pretty aqua creme. It's a perfect color for summer. The formula was excellent, too. Two coats, with topcoat, and I was ready to go!

All in all, I'm pleased with the dress. I already wore it to road test it and it performed beautifully. Will I make it again? I don't know. There are so many other knit dress patterns calling my name. Then again, I do like the top and pants- View A and C.

My dryer is buzzing. That means more knit fabric- ready to cut and sew!

How is your summer sewing going?

Vogue 8724- The Real Thing

2011-07-17T19:38:00.002-05:00

Thank you so much for all of the kind comments about the V8724 muslin in the previous post. The response was overwhelmingly positive, so I went ahead and wore the dress again today to church. I also went ahead and sewed up the real version, and it turned out pretty much exactly as I'd envisioned it.
I used an ITY jersey border print from Fabric.com, cut on the cross grain, of course, to take advantage of the print.

Once again, I cut a straight size 16, although this time I went ahead and stitched the bust darts. This knit was much better behaved than the last one and I had no problems. I forgot to mention in the last post that this is one of those Custom Fit patterns with separate bodice pieces for different cup sizes. Thank you, Vogue! I used the "C" pattern piece and didn't have to do an FBA.

I love this fabric! I think the border print works perfectly for this pattern.

I did notice while I was sewing this that the fabric had that same "chemical" smell to it that the Disco Camouflage dress had. I'm not worried, though. I washed the other dress and the smell went away, thank goodness, and hasn't returned. I'll send this one through the washer before I wear it out to road test it.

One thing that is different about this dress (from the red dress in the previous post) is the cling factor. This fabric has minimal stretch along the length. Because I cut it on the cross grain, most of the stretch runs lengthwise now. It's not tight by any means, but I don't have near the horizontal stretch in this dress and it "hugs" me a little bit closer.

I'm very happy with the length. I'm glad I took out those two inches, because otherwise this would be too long. I didn't want this to end up a maxi dress. I wanted to keep it somewhat long, though, to maximise the use of the print, and also because it's just kind of different- everything is just so short these days, and this kind of reminds me of some of the long, slim skirts I wore back in the 80's.

Next week, I'll be on vacation and I plan to go shopping for some sparkly, dangly earrings to wear with this.

These are not the shoes I'll be wearing, either. I have some strappy black sandals that I think will work perfectly. I forgot to change before taking the photos.

Once again, my photographer wanted some action shots. This is about as good as it gets.

This is his favorite:

I had just enough of this fabric left to cut out a little t-shirt. I need to go stitch the armhole edges and it will be done and ready to wear, too. I'll share that next time.

And I'm also expecting another batch of knits to arrive from Fabric.com any day now. I'm on a roll with these knit dresses. They're so easy to make and easy to wear. I do have a few woven fabrics that are begging to be made up, too. You'll be seeing those before too long.

Vogue 8724- Muslin... Wearable?

2011-07-15T18:15:00.003-05:00

Vogue 8724 has been on my to-do list for a while now. I have a pretty border print that I want to make it out of, but I'm still pretty new to sewing with knits and I wanted to check the fit before cutting it. A muslin was definitely in order.
I made View B, the long version, in a straight size 16.

This is a knit dress with an overlapped bodice, pleated skirt, and shoulder princess seams in back.

I decided to sacrifice this red and white knit print that I got from Hancock's a few years ago to make sure this dress was going to work for me. I'm not sure what the fiber content is, but it's very stretchy in both directions. I also wanted to check the length on this since I'll have to be sure about it before I cut into my border print. I can't just hem it higher if I don't like it! I ended up taking two inches off the length of the skirt.

If you look closely, you can see why I decided to just use fabric this for my muslin. No matter how I cut it, I was going to end up with a motif right on my boobs! I didn't worry too much about pattern matching, just kind of eye-balled and pinned, but I did purposely line up the brighter motifs to avoid the bust points. But look closely and you will see there is an "X" on each of "the girls." Overall, I'm pleased with the dress and I decided to road test it by wearing it to work today. Apparently no one noticed, but I know those "X's" are there.

I pretty much made this according to the pattern instructions with just a few small changes. I altered the armholes by not scooping them out quite as much as the pattern calls for. At least two other bloggers mentioned this so I tried it and I like the way it worked out.

I added clear elastic to the neck edges and then turned them under and twin needled them. Worked like a charm.

I also gathered the bottom of the bodice instead of sewing darts. Knitmachinequeen suggested this in her review of this pattern. I think it's a great idea, but it didn't work perfectly for this dress. I tried the dart as drafted, but my fabric stretched and distorted at the dart tip, so I pulled it out and opted for this.

When I sewed the bodice to the skirt, my underbust seam stretched out terribly. It didn't help that I had changed the darts to gathers, throwing things off just a bit. It looked wonky and I got weird pull lines where the neck edges were caught into the seam. At first I thought it was going to be completely unwearable, but then I decided to just try a little experiment. I cut a piece of 1/4" elastic about a half inch shorter than the underbust seam measurement was supposed to be. I then zig-zagged the elastic to the underbust seam allowance, stretching the elastic as I sewed. I caught the ends of the elastic in the side seams. When the elastic relaxed, it drew the front back into shape evenly, and it isn't even noticeable on the outside.

Once the dress was finished enough to try it on, I decided I really like it, and I should just go ahead and finish it. So I finished the armhole edges with a twin needle and hemmed it. Considering my half hearted attempt at pattern matching, I think it turned out surprisingly well. I wore this all day today and it was cool and comfortable. The neckline didn't gape at all, even with the super stretchy fabric. I was armed with safety pins, just in case, but I held off and decided to see what would happen. There were no wardrobe malfunctions!

So the pattern is a go, and I'll be cutting into my precious border print tonight!

But what do you think, Tasteful Readers? Is this version truly wearable? Considering that, as they say, "X marks the spot?"

I Forgot to Show You...

2011-07-14T17:47:00.002-05:00

Yesterday when I was taking photos of my new skirt, I snapped a couple of my current mani, and then forgot to share them.
This is one coat of Orly Wild Wisteria:

Wild Wisteria is a deep, dark, rich, cool toned purple creme. It almost looks black on the nail. The formula was excellent- not too thick, not too runny, and it covered in one coat! The only drawback, and this is really just a quibble, is that the brush is skinny. I guess I'm getting spoiled by those nice, wide brushes that Sally Hansen and OPI have.

After Wild Wisteria dried, I followed it with one coat of China Glaze metallic crackle in Latticed Lilac. I LOVE this stuff. I have OPI's Black Shatter, several of the original CG crackle colors (Crushed Candy- aqua, Lightning Bolt- white, and Broken Hearted- pink) and one of the recent Sally Hansen crackle polishes. This metallic formula blows them all out of the water. The others dry really fast and tend to get gunked up around the bottle opening as I use them. I end up just slopping them on my nails. Not that it's a big deal, since they "crack" anyway. But this one was so easy and smooth to apply. It didn't get gummed up at all. It seemed to dry and crackle a little more slowly, but it was still completely dry within a few minutes, and as you can see, it "crackled" quite nicely. I've been wearing this for three days and have virtually no chips or tip wear! I did put one coat of Out the Door topcoat on this.

I also have the blue metallic crackle polish- Oxidized Aqua, and I can't wait to try it out!

New Look 6030- A Skirt Story

2011-07-13T18:46:00.002-05:00

I just put the finishing touches (stitched the belt) on NL6030.
I made a "grown up" version of View D: I used the longer length of View A/B and added an additional 4.25" of length to make it work appropriate.

I cut a size 14 from waist to hip and a 16 from hip to hem. It's a close fit, but not tight. I'm also wearing it a couple of inches higher on my waist than it's intended. That's just my personal preference.

I pretty much followed the instructions as written, except for the zipper. They would have you install a lapped zipper, which seemed kind of odd to me for the center back. I used a regular zipper and centered it. I would have used an invisible zipper if I'd had one on hand, but I didn't, and I didn't want to put off finishing the skirt until I could get one.

I used an olive green "wrinkle ease" twill from Joann's. It sewed up easily with an 80/12 universal needle, and it also presses pretty well. We'll see how it wears, but I have a good feeling about it.

I love this skirt. It's easy to put together- the only real challenge was binding the pocket edges and getting the pockets positioned, but even that wasn't bad.

The pattern instructs you to interface the waistband/yoke, then baste the carriers to the bottom edge, and then attach the waistband to the skirt. I found that even though I marked and basted carefully, my carriers didn't quite line up with my pockets. I ended up basting them to the skirt, right on top of the upper pocket, and then attaching my waistband. I don't know if I made an error while cutting or in my pocket positioning, or if the pattern itself was a little bit off, but I recommend doing it this way for accuracy.

The details on this skirt are the best part. I love the center front seam, which is very casual. I did a double row of top stitching on mine to mimic a flat felled seam. The pockets have tiny darts in the corners which makes them 3 dimensional, which is a nice touch. My only criticism is that I think the pockets may be a tad "short" on me. I think they are proportioned for the micro miniskirt view and if I make this again I think I'll add just a smidge of length to them to match my longer skirt length.

I love the wide carriers which extend the pocket line all the way to the top edge of the skirt. I made the sash, and I like it, but I think this skirt would also look good with a purchased belt. The right belt would definitely reinforce the military/safari vibe I was going for with this.

Probably the best thing about this pattern is that you can get so many different looks from it. And New Look was kind enough to provide separate front pattern pieces for the different views. I think I might like to make View C, the high/low pocket version, and maybe View E, which is essentially the same skirt I just made, but with pocket ruffles. I'd love it in camo, too! (Incidentally, I started to add the ruffles to this skirt, even went as far as basting one on, but the fabric is just a tiny bit too stiff and they didn't look right, so off it came.)

Now that this project is done, I have another knit dress in the pipeline, and I'm itching to make something from Burda Style...

Did Someone Say Pockets?

2011-07-09T12:26:00.003-05:00

Last night I was up late working on this:

This is one of the pockets on my current project, an olive green twill skirt, using New Look 6030:

Yes, this pattern is insanely short. And yes, I added lots of length to it, enough to make it knee length! What are you thinking, New Look?

I'm making View D, the same one the model is wearing, only about twice as long. It was the pockets that drew me to this pattern. They have that military/safari vibe to them that I love so much. I experimented with adding the ruffle to the pocket like View E, but my fabric was a little too stiff, so I left them off. I may come back and make View E if I can find the right fabric. I'd love it in camo just like the picture! I also like View C with the high/low pockets. You might eventually see that one, too.

I also picked up a new pattern at my local Walmart yesterday. (I avoid that place like the plague, but every so often I have to go in there, and I like to reward myself by picking up a new pattern... or two.)

This is New Look 6009. Apparently it's been out for a while, but I just noticed it yesterday. It's a top/tunic designed for wovens. I like the keyhole version shown on the model. I doubt I'll bother with elastic at the waist, and I'll have to check the length on it- I'm not sure if the shorter version might be better for me. But, you may be seeing this soon, too.

So how about you? Any big sewing plans this weekend?

Simplicity 3678- In Coral!

2011-07-06T23:30:00.004-05:00

My big accomplishment over the three day weekend was finishing up Simplicity 3678. Please forgive the harsh, noon time sunlight. My regular photographer is at summer camp and I had to take the photos when I had a substitute available.

I made view A, the short sleeve, crossover bodice version, and I love it!

I cut a straight size 16 and made a 5/8" FBA. I also overlapped the bodice pieces an extra half inch in front to keep it modest and prevent gaping. I eased the underbust band on and had no problems. Fortunately, it seems to fit pretty well. Maybe because it's drafted for knits, there doesn't seem to be any excess width through the shoulders.

The skirt is very generously sized. I normally bump out to a size 18 at the hip, but it wasn't necessary on this dress. In fact, I ended up taking the side seams in 1/2" on each side from bust to hem. I could probably even get away with taking a little more in, but I kinda like the loose, easy fit as it is.

Everything was looking good until I tried the dress on and realized that the back was a hot mess. As it's drafted, the extra fullness in back is taken up into gathers at the centerback and stitched to the band, almost exactly like the center front. (That underbust band goes all the way around.) It looked awful. The side view made me look like Humpty Dumpty!

I ended up picking out the stitching (which wasn't fun because I had already serged the seam) and removing the gathers. I basted in two darts instead. Once I had the darts adjusted properly, I sewed them down permanently. I like the new, smooth back much better, and the shape is much more flattering now.

The fabric used for this dress is a printed ponte knit from Hancock Fabrics. I was so amazed to find it that I just had to have it.

I love the colors (coral, dark coral, and white) and the print. The fabric is actually just a smidge heavy for summer, but since I work in an office where the temperature hovers just above freezing, it actually feels quite comfortable at work.

And check out the manicure I wore with it:

I did two coats of Sally Hansen Xtreme wear in Posh Plum...

Followed by one coat of China Glaze Fairy Dust, which is a clear polish with very fine holographic glitter in it.

This photo doesn't quite capture the iridescent gorgeousness of it, but one coat adds instant depth and sparkle to any color.

I'm going to give Simplicity 3678 an A+. I'll get lots of wear out of this the rest of the summer and probably into the fall.

Once the weather starts to cool off, I'd like to make View C, with the gathered, square neck bodice and long sleeves. But I'll be making darts in back again. No gathers in back for me!

My next project is a twill skirt. I've already done a muslin and I'm ready to cut into my fabric. I hope to have a nice, quiet weekend to work on it. Do you have any sewing plans this weekend?

Vogue 1250... Again

2011-07-03T20:44:00.003-05:00

I decided I liked Vogue 1250 enough to make it again. It's easy, it looks good, and it feels great to wear. What more could I ask for?
I picked up this "brush stroke" knit print last weekend at Joann's. The end of the bolt said it was matte jersey, but it sure behaved differently than the black matte jersey from Hancock's that I used for the first version. For one thing it seemed stretchier all over, and it has quite a bit of lengthwise stretch.

I used the same exact pattern pieces I used the first time (size 16, easing out to an 18 at the hip, with 1" of length added at the waist.) But for some reason, this dress turned out longer than the first. All over. I ended up going back and taking the shoulder seams up about 3/4" so the neckline wasn't too low and the waist seam wasn't slung across my hips. I also took a deeper hem this time. It still is longer than the black dress and it seemed to grow ever so slightly as I wore it today. I can live with it, though.

Over all, I'm pleased with it, but I am going to put V1250 away for awhile. Two of these is enough for me, for now. I need to move on to the other patterns on my "to-do" list. I have one more knit dress cut out, and then I have a couple of pairs of pants in various muslin stages, a skirt, and...

Maybe I should just take them one at a time.

Simplicity 2896 How Bright Can You Make a Shift Dress?

2011-07-02T22:12:00.003-05:00

The shift dress included in Simplicity 2896 has intrigued me for some time.
I made the pants and the jacket a couple of years ago (and loved them- especially the pants!) but I never got around to making the dress.

I decided to do something about it. I cut this dress out of some bright yellow and orange quilting cotton- the good stuff, from a local quilt store. I love this print, especially the colors, which are a little out of my comfort zone. Alas, the dress is not quite right. I'll still wear it since it's pretty close to how I want it, but there are a few tweaks I need to make before it's just right.

I cut a 16, easing out to an 18 at the hip. I did a 5/8" FBA adding length only, and I added 1" of length at the waist. The 16 was the smallest size in my envelope. I really could have used a 14 through the shoulders. Actually, I'm wondering if I should start using a 14 as my starting point for all my bodices and just do a bigger FBA. I had the same problems with this dress that I have with a lot of patterns: the shoulders and neckline are too wide and there is extra fabric under my arms even though the bust just fits in front. You can't really see it in the photos, but the neckline is just too big. It stands away from my body in front and in back.

I still need to hem this. I wanted to see the photos before I decided if I was going to finish it.

I really like the dress. It's simple, yet streamlined. I love the body skimming fit, the front yoke, and the slight gathering above the bust. There is subtle shaping in the side seams at the waist and vertical darts in back which keep the dress from looking like a sack.

The dress is unlined. The neckline and armholes are finished with facings- one piece for the front and one for the back. I was able to use the edge to edge technique to get a good clean finish. I used an invisible zip at center back to close it.

I do plan to make this again. I already pinned out two darts in the front neck and two in the back neck which seem to bring the neckline and shoulders in where I want them. I think I will also fold out 1/4" of length across the upper back to improve the shape of the back.

The problem is fabric. I'm not sure I have anything else in stash I want to use for this. That means I'll have to do some shopping. Poor me.

My teenage photographer wanted to get some action shots for a change. He requested that I jump.

He was quite proud that he captured this shot of me completely airborne:

Happy sewing!

McCall's 5574... in Zebra Stripes

2011-06-29T00:38:00.003-05:00

I mentioned previously that I had made another dress for the Princess. Well, here it is, McCalls 5574, View B.

The dress has a self faced bodice with a V-neck. It ties behind the neck. The midriff is also self faced and has a mock belt with purchased buckle. The skirt is A-line.

This pattern is really made for wovens, but I went ahead and used this cotton knit from Hobby Lobby. The Princess loved the pink zebra print and I thought the fabric would work okay. It turned out just that: okay. I might have to make this again with a woven just to give the pattern a fighting chance.

I cut a size 10 with the size 12 length, and then added an additional inch to the bottom of the skirt. It turned out just long enough. What is up with the super-short hems these days? I omitted the waist ties and just added an additonal piece of elastic at the waist seam in back, using the seam allowances to make a casing. I had to really snug that elastic up to get a good fit on my girl. I think the stretchy fabric caused the back to fit more loosely than it should have. (Yep, I should have used a woven.)

I do not like the front "mock belt." The instructions are ridiculous- the belt is folded at the corners and then caught into the side seam. It sags and flops around very unattractively. If I make this again, I'll just cut it the width of the midriff piece and 1.5 to 2 times as tall. Then I'll just gather the entire side edge and baste it to the midriff piece, like a stay. The buckle will hold the fullness in the center.

The Princess loves the dress in spite of my issues with it. The halter style is one of her favorites, and of course, it's pink, and zebra. I still think the pattern is cute and has potential. (It also sews up really quick- I made this in an afternoon and I am a slow sewer!) I'd really like to try it again in a more suitable fabric. The pattern envelope shows it made up in white eyelet, and of course, a pretty print would look good, too. I also might like to try the view with the gathered neckline.

In other sewing news, I only have about half a dozen projects going right now, and one of them is a second version of V1250, this time in a print! I hope to have it done by this weekend.

How is your sewing going?

Butterick 4914- Disco Camouflage

2011-06-26T17:36:00.003-05:00

This week's finished project is Butterick 4914:
This is a knit dress with pleated, wrapped bodice, ruched midriff band, and a flared skirt. I used the 3/4 sleeves. Sadly, this pattern is now OOP, but it is still available on the Butterick website if you don't have it in your stash.

It's also very similar to Simplicity 3775 if you happen to have that one instead.

I used an ITY knit recently purchased from Fabric.com. The print kind of reminds me of camouflage, and the silhouette of the dress is kind of disco, hence the title of the post. The fabric is very stretchy along the width and a little on the thin side, but the print is wild enough to mask any lumps and bumps. It sewed up easily enough using a stretch needle. My only complaint is that it smells. I prewashed, and I didn't notice anything until I used an iron on it (on a very low setting, this is poly after all.) But the fabric has a definite chemical smell to it- very similar to a strong hair dye or perm solution. I hope another trip through the washer will take care of it, otherwise, I have a problem.

I cut a straight size 16. I could have used a 14, or maybe even a 12 for this, but the 16 was the smallest size in my envelope, and I wouldn't have known I could go smaller until this one was finished anyway. The shoulders are rather wide and the bodice is very, ahem, "open" for my taste. I did use clear elastic on the bodice edge, but I could have cut it shorter to try and snug it up some more.

I basted the side seams after setting in the sleeves. The dress hung on me. I ended up taking the side seams up an inch on both sides from underarm to hem, for a total of four inches. I took the sleeves in probably an inch, which I never have to do. I'm not sure if the pattern ran large, or if the fabric just had so much stretch that I had to overcompensate.

The midriff has to be snug to keep the ruching from sagging. I'm happy with the finished fit- it's form fitting, but not tight at all.

I matched my nail color to the print:

I used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Rasberry Race, one of the new colors that came out this spring. I love the color, but the insta-dri formula is kind of a pain to work with. By the time I got my second hand half way done, the polish was getting thick and globby and difficult to apply. But it covered in one coat and dried fast, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

But back to the dress.

I love it, but my husband hates it. He thinks it's too form fitting and the bodice is too low. I think it's nothing a safety pin or a cami couldn't take care of.

I love the print, but I think I'm going to tuck it away in the closet and bring it out again in the fall. I noticed while taking photos that the fabric is very hot and doesn't breathe well. It would probably be okay for my office, but getting there and getting home would be a hot, sweaty trip. And maybe by fall, my husband will come around and decide he likes it after all.

In other sewing news, I have a dress I made for the Princess to share, and I cut out two new projects last night- another knit dress and a simple summer shift. Stay tuned for updates!

Vogue 1250- My First LBD

2011-06-18T00:28:00.003-05:00

This week I managed to finish V1250. I love this dress.
I used black matte jersey from Hancock's and took pictures at high noon so you can actually see the dress. I love this fabric, too. I'll be going back to get some more colors. In the meantime, this is my first Little Black Dress.

I think the finished dress looks a lot like the pattern photo. My skirt isn't quite as snug, but then I'm not a fashion model, so I think loose works better for me.

I wore the dress to work yesterday. It's actually probably a bit much for the office, but I dressed it down with the low heeled sandals in the photo, and with a simple pair of earrings. I got lots of compliments, and the dress was comfortable and fun to wear, so it all worked out. If I ever have anywhere fancy to go, I can dress it up with high heels and more dramatic jewelry, and still be comfortable. What more could a girl want?

I absolutely love the cowl neckline. Why haven't I made one of these before? You can bet I'll be making another one!

Here's the back. I cut a 16 from shoulder to low hip, where I eased out to an 18. I was worried that the one center back skirt seam would look wonky, but it turned out okay. I added one inch of length at the waist, but I don't know if I really needed to. When I first tried the dress on, it looked way too long through the torso and gave me an odd side sillouette. I ended up taking the waist in about 1/2" on each side to snug it up and give me some waist definition. It turned out okay, but if I make it again, and I'm seriously considering it, I might take some of that extra length out and see how it looks.

This was such an easy dress. All the blog posts and reviews were right about it, and I'm so glad I made it. There are only three pattern pieces, including the back neck binding, and everything goes together easily. The fit is great, and the design is simple, yet elegant. The only thing I'm not completely thrilled with is the finishing on the inside. My side seams are raw inside. No one but me will ever know, but it bothers me. Now that I've made it, though, I know what to do and my next version will be finished a little differently inside.

In other sewing news, I fussed with Butterick 5464 a bit and basted in some tucks to remove length from the back. I took out 1/2" across the shoulder blades, and another 1/2" across the back waist. With the original 1/2" I removed from the lower back, that's a total of 1.5" I have taken out of the back of this blouse! After I adjusted the length, I made the back darts a little longer, tapering them out better toward the hem. I think all these adjustments helped:

Yeah, the lower tuck is crooked (hey, it's just a muslin!) but the bubbling is gone, and so are the diagonal wrinkles. And I still have plenty of ease at the hip. Of course, the back of the blouse is now noticably shorter than the front. I have adjusted the pattern piece, and added a little extra at the hem to even it out. Now I just need to find a suitable fabric in my stash to try it again. Stay tuned to see if the next version actually turns out wearable!

So what are your sewing plans this weekend?

Butterick 5464... Muslin

2011-06-12T14:24:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I began working on Butterick 5464, one of the new patterns I picked up recently. Here's what I have so far:
I started with a quick and dirty muslin right out of the envelope using the size 14 cutting lines for the shoulders and size 16 from bust level down. It was HUGE. This is why I really don't like patterns that only provide drawings to give you an idea of what a finished garment is going to look like. The pattern envelope describes this top as "loose fitting" and my idea of loose fitting is pretty much exactly what is shown in the pattern illustration. Too bad the actual garment was huge and boxy with almost no shaping at all. The illustration appears to have some subtle waist shaping, and there is no representation of the back of the blouse at all.

The muslin looked okay, if a little large in front, but the back was an ugly, boxy mess. I basted in some darts and took the side seams in to the next smaller size and tried it again. It was better. I went back to the pattern and added a 1/2" FBA, did a 1/2" sway back adjustment, measured and drew the dart in on the back patern piece, and cut it out again using a size 14 easing out to a 16 at the hip.

I hoped the second version would be wearable, but unfortunately, I don't think it's going to be.

First of all, the fabric I chose, a small scale asian print cotton, is all wrong for this pattern. It would probably work fine if I hadn't added the ruffle, but it just doesn't have enough drape for the ruffle to hang correctly. And I don't know why I didn't think about it before hand, but I did not realize until I got the ruffle attached, that the wrong side of the fabric will show. I could actually have lived with that if the ruffle draped properly, but it doesn't.

But even if the ruffle worked, the back still has problems.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think I still need to remove a little length, and add a little width across the hips. My sway back adjustment actually took away hip width, which I added back to the sides. Maybe I need to add a bit more.

Any suggestions for fixing the back of this? I'll use this version to experiment on some more and then hopefully cut another one in a more suitable fabric. I've already spent enough time on this that I feel like I have to make it work. I can't let this stupid pattern get the better of me!

New Look 6723- Bring on the Flamingos!

2011-06-06T00:19:00.002-05:00

Say hello to New Look 6723, made up in 100% cotton covered in pink flamingos:
I made view B, the sleeveless, boat neck view. This was one of the easiest patterns I've ever used. This dress goes together like a dream, and the only adjustment I made to the pattern was a 1/2" princess seam FBA. I didn't even add any length, and that almost never happens.

I didn't even use the instructions. I've made enough dresses to kind of know what I'm doing, and this is a very simple design. I think the pattern called for a regular zipper, but I used an invisible one.

I cut a 14 through the shoulders and a 16 from the bust on down. Because the skirt is full, I didn't have to go up a size at the hip. And speaking of skirts, I love this one. It's an A-line with a curved waist. What this means is that even though it's gathered to the bodice, it's not too full and/or bulky at the waist. It's a full skirt that doesn't make me feel like a parade float.

The bodice is lined edge to edge with coral broadcloth. I love this lining technique, which finishes the neck and shoulders at one time. It looks very nice, too.

I decided to finish the hem with bias tape. It was easy, and I thought it might give the hem just a tiny bit more "oomph." (I just adore those flamingos!)

I love the dress, but it definitely needs a belt. I bought a narrow, pink one, but I didn't like it with the fabric. I think a narrow, black patent belt would be perfect. Any suggestions on where to find one online? I might even try making something out of black ribbon.

I just love this dress. It's so simple to make and it's got great retro flair. I'm already planning my next version using a large scale Asian print I've been hoarding.

One tiny word of caution: the boat neck on this is rather high. I like it and did not make any adjustments, but others might find it too high for their taste. It would be very easy to just scoop a little bit out to lower it. I recommend a muslin to see if you like it or need to adjust it.

In other sewing news, I have Butterick 5464 under construction and getting close to being finished. I'm falling out of love with the fabric and this version may end up being a muslin. We'll have to wait and see.

I'm also expecting my Vogue patterns to arrive any day now, and I just ordered some knit fabric, which should arrive this week. Stay tuned for more knit dresses!

I hope your sewing is going well!

BWOF 07-2008-113/114 A New Denim Skirt

2011-05-31T23:06:00.003-05:00

This weekend I finished up BWOF 07-2008-113/114, a cute straight skirt with pockets, a side zip, faced waist yoke and hem, and lots of topstitching.
I traced a 44 and then graded out to a 46 at the hip. I used the length from version 113 (plus an additional 1.5") and the hem details (faced hem and topstitching) from version 114. I ended up taking it in just a smidge from waist to high hip.

I love the wide yoke, which lays nice and smooth across my tummy, and the front pleats. The back has simple darts below the yoke. The only thing I don't love- and this is a small complaint- is that the pockets are shallow as drafted. I can't fit my whole hand in them, and I have tiny hands. If I make this again, I will make the pockets bigger.

Here is the back- pretty simple. (The wind was blowing- I promise the skirt doesn't cling!)

I used a dark blue denim with green weft from my stash. All topstitching was done with contrasting sage green thread.

The pocket linings, yoke facing, and hem facing are out of coordinating quilting cotton to cut down on bulk. The waist yoke is interfaced to support the zipper and help keep the yoke smooth during wear.

The hem topstitching is my favorite part of this skirt. The bottom 3" is topstitched at 1/4" intervals. I love the way it turned out!

I am very pleased with this skirt. I wore it to work today and it was comfortable and cute and I got several compliments. I love the shape and the details. I might make this again in khaki and/or grey for a nice, neutral "wear with anything" skirt. It would look great in a bright color, too, like it's shown in the magazine.

The skirt is easy to assemble (2 dot pattern,) doesn't take much fabric (I used a "leftover"- I had a little more than 1 yard of 60" fabric,) and would look good in lots of different fabrics. If you have the magazine, go for it!

Pattern Haul!

2011-05-30T11:16:00.003-05:00

Saturday I finally made it to Hancock's- I needed a few invisible zippers- and they were having some great sales! I've been feeling the love for Butterick and Vogue lately, so I indulged myself. Buttericks were 99 cents, so I grabbed these:
This is B5638, from the latest collection. It's a simple princess sheath dressed up with a groovy neck placket and some small ruffles. Best part is- it has multi cup sizes! I can't wait to try this one! I'm liking the pink version with the ruffles and the wide self fabric belt, but I often end up liking my dresses sans belt, so we'll see.

Here we have B5490. I've had my eye on this one for a while- I love the bust pleats- so for 99 cents, I snatched it up.

This is B5464. It's a simple woven top, but it has enough features- 2 different neck flounces, flutter sleeves, collar, that I thought it was worth trying. I also like the neck darts, which you can see on the gingham version. I can't wait to see how this looks made up.

On to the Vogues. I don't make a lot of Vogue patterns, but I realized lately that the ones I have made, I've ended up liking quite a bit. And they were on sale for $3.99...

First up is this Kay Unger dress, V1241. Love. This. I can't wait to muslin this. If I can get it to fit, I think this style will work well for me.

Yeah, I bought V1250, and some black matte jersey to make it. Unfortunately, they only had the smaller size pattern left. I thought I could just grade up, but after looking at the tissue, I don't want to go there. So I got on the Vogue website, and sure enough, they were having a sale, too, so I ordered the correct size. And just to make shipping worthwhile, I ordered these also:

V8724 Simple and clean and great for summer.

V8682 Very similar to the last one, but I love the dolman sleeves.

And V1194. I've had my eye on this one- I can never find it in stock at my "local" store. It will go in the drawer until fall, though.

In other sewing news, I finished up the Burda denim skirt and I hope to get photos later today. The flamingo dress is chugging along, too. I got the skirt basted on last night and I hope to get the zipper in today. After that, it should prctically finish itself! (If only that were true!)

Happy Sewing!

Slow Week

2011-05-21T12:05:00.002-05:00

It's been a slow sewing week around here. My son, Logan, graduated from High school last night, and we've been on the go all week with activities and preparations. It was a very nice ceremony and he is thrilled. Congratulations, Logan!

I want to send out a special thanks to all the folks who left comments on the last couple of posts. Thank you so much for your kind words. You guys are awesome and much appreciated!

Well, the week has been slow, but it hasn't been completely without progress. I've got two projects going. The first is skirt #113 from the July 2008 issue of Burda magazine.

The skirt is shown in two lengths in the magazine. I'm making the longer, more formal version, but I'm thinking about using the top stitching on the hem shown on the shorter version. I'm using a pretty, dark denim with an emerald green weft, and I'm top stitching with sage green. I hope to have a finished skirt to show soon, but it all depends on if I can find a suitable zipper in my stash. If not, I may have to put off finishing until next weekend when I can make a run to the fabric store.

I also have New Look 6723 all cut out and ready to go using this fabric:

That's right, I'm going to make a dress covered in flamingos! Because everyone should have a flamingo dress. (And because I used to buy every flamingo print fabric I came across and it's time to use them.) There's just something about warm weather that makes me want to pull out all the craziest, most colorful fabrics I have and make them up!

How about you? Are you planning a crazy, colorful project for summer?

BS 02-2011-101 Summer Frock #1

2011-05-16T22:32:00.003-05:00

So I teased a bit the other day when I asked what you get when you cross the February issue of Burda Style with a cute cotton print and some white rick rack. The answer is a new summer dress.

This is dress #101 from the "Mama Mia" pictorial.

Here is the full front:

And the tech drawings:

This is a super easy 2 dot pattern. There are only two pattern pieces to trace! That's right- just two. The skirt pieces are just rectangles. I just measured the length and tore my fabric.

Construction was easy. I lined the whole bodice using the same bodice pieces, and used an invisible zip on the left side. (I'm loving these patterns with cut on sleeves!)

My fabric is a cotton print from stash, which I jazzed up a little bit by adding rick rack to the neckline and sleeves. I used white broadcloth for the lining.

This was actually supposed to be my muslin. I made a "quick and dirty" muslin of just the bodice to check the neckline out (more on that in a sec) and then I decided to go ahead and make the full dress out of this fabric. Since I was relatively sure the dress would fit, I decided to forge ahead with the intent to make it wearable.

I started the test bodice with a straight size 44, which turned out too big through the shoulders. No surprise there. The neckline was also way too open. After making the test bodice, I also decided to add 1 and 5/8" of length to the bodice pieces. The tech drawing shows an ever so slight dropped waist and I needed extra length to get the same effect. Or so I thought...

The neckline on this thing is huge. I've had issues with wide/low necklines on Burda patterns before and I did not want to end up stuffing this dress in the back of the closet because of it. For this version I decided to retrace the pattern (all two pieces of it) using the size 42 lines through the neck and shoulders and grading out to the 44 at the bust. I also added a 1" seam allowance all the way around the neck. I only ended up using 1/4" of it. In other words, I brought the neckline in 3/4" all the way around. With the rick rack taken into consideration, it's about 7/8".

The neckline is still just barely wearable for me. I can wear a regular bra under this, but just barely. I also have to be careful about bending over- the neck gapes if I slump.

I basted the skirt on and decided that the extra length I added to my pattern was unneccessary. I went back and removed the skirt and trimmed off 1 and 5/8", plus an additional 3/8" across the back between the darts, tapering to nothing at the sides (for my good old sway back.) I think this looks more flattering with the waist seam closer to my natural waist.

It's a cute summer dress. The pattern is nice because of it's simplicity. The magazine shows it made up in organza with taffeta appliques. You can make a very casual dress or a very dressy dress depending on what fabric you use- anything from cotton or linen, to satin or silk dupioni.

The construction is easy and the dress makes up in no time flat. I like the look- the dress has a nice retro vibe, and I have some ideas for embellishments, but I don't know if I'll make it again. I'd definitely have to work on that neckline some more.

I do recommend the pattern if you like the look, but definitely make a muslin. If I hadn't added the extra seam allowance at the neckline this dress would be unwearable, both comfort-wise and modesty-wise.

After I finished this dress, I whipped up a muslin of New Look 6723 and got great results. Stay tuned for a report- it may just turn out to be my go-to summer dress!

Butterick 5558 A Spring Dress on a Cold Day

2011-05-15T14:30:00.004-05:00

I just put the finishing touches on B5558 this morning. I actually finished the dress late last night (hand sewing the lining down) but I decided to go ahead and make the sash today.

It's taken me a while to make this, not because it's hard, but because there's just a lot to do, and lately my schedule has been all over the place with work. I'm just happy to have it done.

I made View B, the contrast bodice version, with the sash from View A. The only real difference between the views is the contrast bodice. Otherwise, the pattern is exactly the same.

This is a Maggie London pattern. I must really like her because I have quite a few of these in my stash. This is the first one I've completed.

You can read more about my trials with perfecting the muslin here, but just to re-cap my adjustments:

I cut a 14 through the neckline/shoulders and a 16 from the bust down. I moved the bottom of the V-neck up 1.75" which made the lapels smaller. I added 1" of length to the waist, making my pleats longer, and 3" of length to the skirt body.

I was quite surprised that I did not have to add length to the bust. The V-neck, however, was much lower than the pattern photo seems to suggest. Even with my adjustment, I still feel like it shows too much at certain angles. I'll have to be careful when I wear this.

Also, this dress is drafted quite short. I added a total of 4 inches to the length and it still barely reaches my knee, even with the scant 5/8" machine hem I ended up making. The pattern envelope does show it finished well above the knee, but it would have been scandalously short, not to mention extremely unflattering on me if I hadn't added all the extra length.

The pattern is well drafted and goes together easily. It is not a difficult pattern, but it is time consuming: There are 15 pleats in the skirt, each of which must be topstitched; the bodice and skirt join with a point at center front, which requires some precision sewing; and the dress is fully lined.

I used seersucker for my bodice, linen for the skirt, and coordinating poly satin for the lining. I like that the dress is fully lined- it gives it a luxurious feel. And thankfully, the skirt lining is a simple A-line with darts (so you don't have to make all those pleats again!) But the dress turned out quite heavy. There is a lot of fabric in the skirt, two fabric width's worth, and the waist area is rather thick due to all those pleats. The dress closes with an invisible zip in back. (I still need to add a hook and eye at the top!)

Overall, I'm pleased with this dress and I can't wait to wear it... when the temperature goes back up a little. We've had some surprisingly cool days here lately. I also need a little sun on my arms and shoulders so I don't look so washed out.

I don't think I'll make this again. One is enough, and I have plenty of other projects in queue. If I were to do it over, though, I'd interface the neckline/collar area better. I only interfaced the facing pieces (I almost forgot entirely) and I feel like it needs nore structure. My neckband doesn't want to stand up crisply at the sides and I had trouble getting a good press at the bottom of the V. I'm sure this is partly due to my fabric choice, but it's something to think about if you plan to make this.

I'm on to a new project now, but stay tuned- I have another summer dress to show you....

Sneak Peek

2011-05-11T22:51:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you cross the February 2011 issue of Burda Style with a cute cotton print and some white rick rack?

You'll have to check back to find out...

BS 05-2011-130 The Drawstring Dress

2011-05-09T07:29:00.003-05:00

Wow! Two in a row! Here we go. This is the "drawstring dress" from the plus section of the May Burda Style.
Oh, Burda. Why do you insist on using photos that don't show the garment to it's full potential? This one isn't too bad. At least the model looks comfortable and happy in her dress.

Ah, this is better:

Better still, the tech drawing:

Simple dress, no? There are ony three pattern pieces: Front and back bodice, and one skirt piece. It's a 1.5 dot pattern. I probably would have made it at least a 2 dot pattern. Even though there are no sleeve pieces (the bodice pieces are funky shaped to inlude the cap sleeves,) there is some serious sewing involved in binding those tight curves in the underarm area. More on that in a second...

I graded the pattern down to a 42 through the neck/shoulders/sleeves without a muslin. Actually this is my muslin. I based my decision on my previous two plus dresses that I had to grade down through the shoulder area. I cut a 44 through the rest of the bodice and a 44 skirt. I also added one inch of length at the bottom of the bodice- a pretty standard adjustment for me.

I probably should have just cut a 44 all over. The darts ended up kind of high and the drawstring neckline does a really good job of taking up extra neck width and depth. Ah, well...

Here's a look at the sleeve:

The cap sleeve and armhole area are finished with bias binding. The binding acts as a casing for a couple of inches right at the top of the arm, and elastic takes up the slack and shapes the sleeve to the upper arm. The rest of the armhole lies smooth.

I had a heck of a time with my fabric, a crappy, loosely woven cotton gauze, which was a pain to cut and an even worse pain to sew. The poly satin I used for the tunic behaved better! In fact, this dress technically isn't even finished. I have not hemmed it because I'm dreading trying to hem this horrible fabric, and because I was so annoyed with it, I wasn't even sure I liked the dress enough to finish it and wear it. Having seen the photos, I'm coming around a bit, but I'm still dreading fighting with this fabric.

Anyway. The fabric was so awful, it was nearly impossible to cut and sew a bias strip. I cut the strips with a rotary cutter, but as soon as I tried to pick them up they stretched all out of shape. When I tried to press the bias strips in half they ended up a distorted mess. I just gave up and fished a piece of broadcloth out of my stash that sort of went with the colors in the print and used it instead. Unfortunately, the broadcloth is quite a bit heavier than the dress fabric, and I'm not 100% satisfied with the finishing on the armholes. It didn't help that I was sewing the bias around a serious curve. I got a tiny bit of puckering when I topstitched it down.

I didn't even try to make a self fabric tie for the neckline. I used 1/4" elastic with satin ribbon sewn to both ends. It looks like a ribbon drawstring on the outside, but the elastic helps keep the neckline pulled up nicely.

Oh, yeah. Here's the back:

I don't know. Now that I see the dress "finished," I'm kinda liking it again. I could definitely see this made up in a better fabric. The magazine showed cotton lawn. I'm wondering about a pretty, printed batiste.

Uh, oh. My photographer said something smart...

And I lost my balance and nearly fell off the log!

Hmmm. Maybe I'll finish hemming this and at least wear it on a test run. It needs a belt, though, don't you think?

BS 05-2011-103 The Tunic

2011-05-08T19:58:00.003-05:00

As promised, here are finished photos of BS 05-2011-103, the tunic.
Funny, but it doesn't make me look like a skinny German supermodel.

Here is the tech drawing so you can see the tunic better:

It's a very easy 1.5 dot pattern. There are only 6 pattern pieces, including the front and back facings. I love the raglan sleeves, which are so easy to fit; and the front neck pleats, which are graceful and add a little interest to an otherwise pretty plain design.

I cut a size 42 through the neck and shoulders, a 44 at the bust, and graded out to a 46 at the hip. The fit is fine- I might could have used a smidge more width across the shoulders, but I was afraid if I went up to a 44 through the shoulders, the neckline would be too wide. As it is, it's just right.

I followed the directions almost to a T. I did not leave slits in my sleeves, but sewed them completely closed. I also used the facings provided, but even though I pressed and understitched, they still wanted to flop around and pop out. So I topstitched the neckline from the edge of the CF pleats all the way around to the other side of the pleats, leaving just the pleats free. It seems to have worked okay and the facings are under control.

My fabric is a poly satin from stash. It was okay to sew- a little slippery, but not too bad. I had difficulty with the small bias strips used to finish off the underarms, so I substituted purple broadcloth. They aren't visible from the right side, and they look fine inside. All inside seams are serged to reduce raveling. The hem is finished with a 5/8" narrow hem.

This tunic turned out quite long. I am extremely longwaisted and I routinely add anywhere from 1" to 1.5" to the waist of every top and dress I make. I did not add any length to this and it still came out quite long. If you are short waisted, you may want to check the length before cutting.

I'm not much of a tunic person, but I do like this. I might even make the dress version from the same issue if I come across a suitable fabric. I'm still toying with the idea of making a sash for this- I have plenty of this fabric left over. I think I might like it belted better than loose.

Which brings me to a question. What should I wear this with? As you can see in the photos, I've "styled" it with a lovely pair of Adidas gym shorts, which are all but completely covered when the tunic is hanging loose. And satin booty shorts (like the ones pictured on the model) are completely out of the question. Trust me when I say that is not a look anyone wants to see on me!

So what say you, Tasteful Readers? Any suggestions on what to wear with this tunic? I look forward to hearing your ideas!

Stay tuned for a review of the drawstring dress from the same issue!

Frockapalooza

2011-05-07T22:11:00.002-05:00

The rain has stopped (for now,) the sun is out, and temperatures have begun to rise. My thoughts have been turning to bright, swingy summer dresses. I am yearning to make something with a modest neckline and a full skirt.

So I did some online window shopping and found these beautiful inspiration dresses, all from Modcloth:
Lovely. I love the crisp white fabric, the crossover bodice and the full skirt. I don't need a white dress, though. I tend to spill things like ketchup on myself.

This one is nice. I like the longer length, the contrast print, and the smooth skirt. Still not what I had in mind, though.

Oooo. Pretty floral, tiered skirt, and cool draping in front. Very romantic, but still not quite right.

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. I love the bold print, the simple sleeveless scoop neck bodice and the narrow self fabric belt. Gorgeous!

I adore this one! Same simple bodice and self fabric belt, but check out those awesome tucks in the skirt! So unusual! And the print, while softer, is beautiful- I love those colors.

This is what I'm looking for. Simple sleeveless bodice, full (but not too full) skirt, and a wild colorful print!

So what patterns am I considering for my summer frock?

Simplicity 2886 has the sleeveless bodice and midriff band and pretty pleats for shaping. The version on the model looks like it's a little more empire waisted than the drawing suggests.

New Look 6589 has been around for a while, but I just recently noticed view D with its graceful boatneck, and view E with its slight scoop neck and cut in shoulders. It has an empire waist as well, but the skirt appears to have 11 panels total, which are shaped through the waist and flare at the hips. I think this dress might work well for my figure.

New Look 6020 is brand new. It's a simple princess seamed dress with a waist seam and four neckline options. I always have better luck with princess seams- I have a hard time avoiding "pointy dart syndrome."

But the dress I'll probably try first is New Look 6723. It's been around for a while and I've had it on my to-do list for some time. It's got the boat neck that I like so much and a simple gathered skirt. The model version doesn't look too terribly full. It also has the pattern for the belt. It's also very similar to another New Look pattern that I already have had success with.

But before I start on this project, I have to finish up B5558, and I have those two Burda projects to show. Hopefully the sun will come out again tomorrow and I can get some decent photos to share.

How's your summer sewing coming along?

Quick Update

2011-05-01T15:05:00.002-05:00

There has been blog silence lately, but there has been sewing going on behind the scenes. I worked on B5558 until I got to the zipper... and discovered I didn't have one in my stash!
This is a preliminary photo. You can see the fabric choices clearly- seersucker for the bodice, linen for the skirt, and dotted poly satin for the lining. The back is just pinned and the bodice needs a good pressing. You can even see the markings across the bottom of the waist pleats- which I still need to remove.

I was able to get a zipper this weekend, so I should be able to get back to work on this immediately. Unfortunately, since I'm working evenings and my photographers all go to school early in the morning, the earliest I might be able to have finished photos is next weekend.

While I was waiting to aquire a zipper, I wasn't idle. I traced a couple of things from the May issue of Burda Style and got to work on them. The first is dress #130 from the Plus Update:

It's a pretty simple dress- only three pieces to trace! I cut it out of a cotton gauze... and quickly came to hate it. It's got to be one of the most difficult fabrics I've ever worked with. I'm going to finish it, though, so stay tuned for a complete review soon.

The next project was the tunic #103 From the Natural Colours photo shoot:

I'm not much of a tunic person, but this really interested me, so I decided to cut it out of purple satin with a stylised aninal print, somewhat similar to the model:

There is also a dress version of this pattern, and if the tunic turns out, I might make the dress also.

This is a great issue of Burda Style. There are so many things I want to make! But for now, it's back to work on the Butterick dress, and then on to these two projects which are already cut out, and in the case of the dress, almost done.

How's your sewing going?

Butterick 5558- The Muslin Adventure

2011-04-21T09:11:00.002-05:00

So I began work on the muslin for B5558 this past Sunday. Here's the envelope photo to refresh your memory:
Cute dress, no? It doesn't look like it would be that difficult, does it? Well, I shouldn't say difficult. It's not difficult, it's just fiddly. I started adjusting the pattern Sunday afternoon. It took all afternoon and into the evening to adjust and cut this out, and I wasn't even being particularly careful with the cutting (it was a muslin after all.)

The skirt front is one huge piece that you cut out on a single layer. It takes up almost a whole width of 45" fabric. And it has 15 pleats across the front. That's right, I said 15. And they have to all be stitched down. That's what makes the shaping in the waist. And they are supposed to be top stitched, too. No, I didn't top stitch the muslin. I'm not that crazy! Oh, and there are two separate back skirt pieces, a right and a left. And each one has 7 more pleats that have to be stitched down. Needless to say, getting the skirt pieces marked and pleated took all evening. There was no way around it- if you want to make a muslin that shows the true fit of the dress, you have to go all the way.

Luckily, even though the dress is fully lined, Butterick kindly provided separate lining pieces for the skirt which are simple A-line with darts. Whew!

The bodice on this dress is quite unique, too. There is a shoulder dart that is hidden under the lapel, and the bodice piece extends around the back of the neck forming a sort of collar stand. The dart is easy to sew, but there is an inset corner to deal with right at the top of it. It's really not too bad, you just have to mark accurately, sew carefully, and be patient.

I cut a straight size 16 for my muslin and added a 5/8" FBA. The resulting bodice was big and sloppy, so I had to go back and remove the FBA. That's why there's so much tape on the pattern piece in the photo above. I also discovered that the V-neck was much lower than the pattern photo seems to be. I ended up raising the bottom of my V 1.75". In the photo, the original neckline came down to the upper red dot. (The lower red dot is the point where the bodice and skirt intersect.) The green dot is my new V and the blue lines show my new cutting and stitching lines. This adjustment made my lapels slightly smaller, but the neckline is much more practical and modest now. I'll be able to wear the finished dress to work or church without feeling funny.

In the end, I discovered that I really didn't need to adjust a whole lot. I made a second bodice muslin (complete with lining because the lining has darts instead of gathers) and determined that I will cut a 14 through the shoulders and neck, and a 16 everywhere else. The skirt is full, so I don't need to grade out to an 18/20 like I would on a more fitted pattern. I do not need an FBA on this pattern. I did add 1.25" of length at the waist, making my waist pleats slightly longer, and I added a full 3" of length to the rest of the skirt. The muslin raw edge still only reached my knee. This thing is drafted SHORT.

It's taken me four days to get a satisfactory muslin- skirt once, and bodice twice. I have the skirt pieces cut, but I still need to cut the bodice and the lining. I had hoped to have this done for Easter, but I don't see that happening now. I just don't have enough time. No problem, though. I'm making it in linen and seersucker, and with the sleeveless bodice and full skirt, I'm sure I'll get plenty of wear throughout the summer.

Stay tuned for an update soon! How's your spring/summer sewing going?

It Feels Good to Finish

2011-04-17T14:48:00.004-05:00

McCall's 6273 is finished, with a week to spare! It feels so good to have this little dress completed in time for Easter! I love how the dress turned out, and the Princess seems pleased as well. She will be wearing it for Easter next Sunday.

The dress was easy to put together, it's fully lined, and it fits nicely. I will probably make it again- the Princess likes the version with the ruffles on the bodice and the tulle peeking out from the skirt. My only pet peeve with it is that it's drafted very short. I cut a size ten with size 14 length and I was only able to make a 5/8" hem in the outer skirt. I'd prefer a deeper hem, so if I do make it again, I'll add several inches of length to the skirt.

The sun was very bright outside when we took the photos. The fabric actually has lots of nice color in it:

The bow is just pinned on. I plan to attach it with a large safety pin. I figure it will be easier to wash/dry/press if the bow is detachable, and she can wear the dress without the bow if she chooses.

Here's a a shot of the hem. The seersucker has a narrow hem, and the eyelet lace is atached to the bottom of the skirt lining. I used white broadcloth for the lining.

I am very pleased with this little dress and quite happy with McCall's right now because of it. They have some cute patterns for kids, but I sometimes find their patterns to be too fiddly and frustrating to make according to their intructions. Fortunately, this little dress is not one of those.

In other sewing news, BS 08-2010-140 is finished, also. Hem, sleeves, everything.

We're having a little cold spell here right now, so I might get to wear this before putting it away for fall. I'm just happy to have it done!

And now that it's done, I am planning to start on this:

Butterick 5558 is one of the newer patterns released this spring. Something about this little dress intrigues me, so I'm going to give it a try. I plan to slap a muslin together this afternoon, and if it looks promising, I think I'm going to make the final dress up in coral linen (skirt) and seersucker (bodice.)

So how about you? Have you experienced that happy finished feeling lately?

McCall's 6273- Easter Dress?

2011-04-11T18:41:00.004-05:00

There hasn't been much sewing going on around here this past week. It seems like I spend the whole week at work thinking about all the things I want to get done when the weekend comes, and then when the weekend finally arrives, I get nothing done. This weekend was no exception. I had big plans, but in the end, I only accomplished a little bit. Luckily, I was able to cut out this little dress Saturday evening. This is McCall's 6273, and I am making view C, the pink seersucker version on the taller model. I'm using a gorgeous multi-colored seersucker that I got from Peanut Butter -N- Jelly Kids. It's been in my stash for a few years waiting to become a smocked sundress, but the Princess isn't getting any smaller and I don't have time to smock a dress for Easter right now, so I figured I'd just let the pretty colors and the texture do all the work.

So far, I've attached the waist overlay and lined the bodice (with white broadcloth.) The pattern calls for a full lining and the instructions use the tried and true method of sewing the bodice front and back at the shoulders, and then sewing lining to bodice along the neck and armhole edges and then pulling the backs through the shoulders to turn it right side out. The bodice ends up lined edge to edge and it's a very neat, no-fuss finish. Way to go McCall's!

In addition to getting started on this dress, I was able to finish the side seams and sleeve hems on the ruched knit dress. All that's left is the hem, which I will do by hand- hopefully later tonight. Stay tuned for a final preview.

How is your spring sewing coming along?

Burda Style 08-2010-140 An Engineering Problem

2011-04-03T20:27:00.003-05:00

These are preliminary shots of BS 08-2010-140. The dress isn't finished. The side seams are only basted and I still need to hem the sleeves and skirt. As you can see, the dress is quite... snug. Not uncomfortably so, but enough that I had to stuff myself into some heavy duty shape wear to keep from showing all my lumps and bumps. Those wrinkles across the back? They're due to a combination of sway back and the fact that this dress is form fitting. My first thought was, of course, to just re-baste the side seams with a smaller seam allowance. That's what I'd normally do if I needed a little bit more room. But here's the problem. If I let the dress out and make it any looser, the front gathers are going to start to sag. It's the tension across the front of the body that keeps them in place.

In the photo above, you can see a little bit of what I'm talking about. The bottom gathers are sagging ever so slightly, and the bottom of the dress hangs lower in the front. Yes, my "bubble butt" is contributing to the problem as well, but it wouldn't be as bad without those gathers in the front.

From the front it's not so noticeable, and I actually do like the ruching across my body. It helps to camouflage my tummy.

And yes, the neckline turned out quite low, even with the adjustments I made (grading down to a 42 and raising the center front 1".) All the photos above were taken with the overlap pinned.

The photo below was taken unpinned. I can only imagine how bad it would have been if I'd just cut the straight 44. Notice that the horizontal wrinkles above the bust disappear when the pin is removed.

The clear elastic in the neckline worked out perfect. That edge is snug up against my body and it isn't going anywhere. I can twist, turn, bend over, or even hang upside down and there is absolutely no gaping. Hopefully it won't stretch during wear and expose any more cleavage!

I guess this dress is going to have to be strictly a "date night" dress and not a work dress. In any case, the weather is so beautiful now, it may go straight into the closet to wait for fall when heavy knits and shape wear will be more practical.

M5038- And Yet More

2011-04-02T17:56:00.004-05:00

See, I told you I made another one. I was just waiting for some nice weather to get photos! This time I used both ruffles and added satin ribbon along the hem edges of both of them.

If you're curious, you can read about how I added the ribbon here.

With a little knit t-shirt, this skirt is easy and comfortable for church or for school.

And just for kicks, here is version #2, the pink dot skirt:

In other sewing news, the Burda Style knit dress is coming along. I've got the back assembled and the clear elastic serged to the neckline edges. I hope to get some serious progress made on it this weekend.

How is your weekend going?

Summer Sundress Inspiration

2011-03-29T20:10:00.002-05:00

I finished another version of M5038 last night, but it was too cold and rainy today to get a good photo, and my camera takes really lousy indoor pics, so I'll have to wait to share it. In the meantime, I've been doing some inspiration shopping at ModCloth. I'm really feeling the urge to make a romantic summer sundress. I like this one. What could be better than polka dots? The shape is simple, yet very pretty- I love the wide straps, the sweetheart neckline with pleated bust, and of course, the full skirt gathered at the natural waist.

Va va va voom! What a sexy sailor dress! I love the red and white color scheme. Once again, we have wide straps, a sweetheart neckline, and this time, a cute bow. The belt and the white trim at the hem really set this one off. It's a wee bit short, though.

But look! Here it is in navy, and in a much more flattering length. Gorgeous!

And check this one out! Who can resist a dress covered in cherries? It has the wide straps and sweetheart neckline (are you seeing a theme here?) as well as the ruched bodice. I love this! I can just picture it with a little pink cardigan and red peep toe shoes with bows. And a cute purse. A romatic summer sundress needs a cute purse to go with it!

I'm off to dream about warm summer breezes and floaty dresses while it rains and the temperature falls outside. I might go work on the Burda knit dress. Maybe.

Happy sewing!

McCall's 5038- More

2011-03-27T22:29:00.002-05:00

I told you there would be more of these: Here is version number 2, made from a pink dot print left over from a skirt I made for myself a few years ago. Once again, I left off the shorter ruffle due to fabric constraints. I made a regular 5/8" narrow hem this time.

The special feature this time is the dark blue grosgrain ribbon I stitched around the top of the ruffle. I left the ends loose so they can be tied in a bow. The Princess approves.

Stay tuned for version number 3, which I cut out this afternoon...

McCall's 5038- A Skirt for the Princess

2011-03-26T20:56:00.002-05:00

Last weekend I dug this cute little pattern for a simple peasant skirt out of my stash. It's McCall's 5038. I made a size 10 for the Princess out of some left over quilting cotton. I left off the short ruffle since I was using up fabric and didn't have enough to cut both ruffles. I think it turned out pretty cute.

I would wear this outfit myself if I had it in my size.

This little skirt is so simple- side seams, gathered ruffle, elastic casing. You could even make this without a pattern if you wanted to. I used my serger to roll hem the edge of the ruffle. It gave me a little bit of extra length and made a nice contrasting edge.

I've already cut out another one of these. You'll be seeing more of these this spring.

Now if the weather would just warm back up and this misty rain would go away...

Spring Sewing Gets Underway

2011-03-21T00:16:00.002-05:00

In addition to the other knit dress project, I have several things lined up to sew for the Princess. We recently received the spring/summer issues of My Image and Young Image. The Princess had a grand time thumbing through Young Image and making her first pick for Mom to make. She chose Y1110, the dungarees:
Weird, I always thought of dungarees as jeans, and I'd call this a romper, but okay. It's a one-piece shorts romper with shoulder ties, a front yoke, an elasticized waistband, front pockets and gathered leg bands. Wouldn't you know the Princess would choose an outfit with 15 pattern pieces to trace- 17 pieces if you count the shoulder straps and leg bands which you're just given measurements for. And she wants it made up in plaid! Just like the model.

Luckily, the tracing isn't so bad:

How is that for an orderly tracing sheet? I can only hope the adult patterns in My Image are as easy.

I pulled out a pretty plaid seersucker from stash and the Princess gave it the thumbs up. I figure the seersucker will be cool and comfortable once the weather heats up. We'll just have to wait and see how I do with the plaid matching. I have the pattern all traced and seam allowances added. Now that I'm working regular hours again, I hope to at least get this cut out one evening this week.

I also hope to get back to work on Nan's Garden, which has been sadly neglected this past month while I've been working nights.

Has anybody else out there tried My Image or Young Image? Any thoughts or tips to share?

Vogue 8685- Getting My Purple On

2011-03-18T22:34:00.002-05:00

I finished hemming V8685 late last night, and my teenage photographer was pressed into service this morning.
I first fell in love with this pattern shortly after the September issue of Burda Style came out with the fabulous cover dress featuring all of that unique horizontal seaming. I thought this dress, with its curved hip yoke and pieced midsection had a similar vibe to it, but was different enough to make it worth trying. (And it didn't have to be traced!)

I made the short sleeve, narrow skirted view using this fabulous purple Ponte di Roma knit that I picked up at Joann's. I cut a 16 from shoulder to midriff and an 18 from the midriff down. I assembled the entire front of the dress and the entire back, and then basted the side seams to check fit.

There is a lot of shaping in those side seams. I had to take out some of the high hip curve because I had some bubbling along the sides. I ended up re-basting the sides at least a dozen times before I decided it was good enough and just serged. Here you can see some of my basting stitches:

If I made this again, I would just cut a 16 all the way down to the hip and then ease out to a size 18. Here is the back:

As you can see, I made a major change and left out the back zipper completely. I considered cutting the bodice and skirt back on the fold like I did the back midriff and yoke, but decided not to because there is quite a bit of shaping in the center back seams and I didn't want to mess up the fit. Because I left out the zipper and the dress needs to stretch to be pulled over my head, I also had to omit the topstitching. I was afraid I would break the topstitching thread if I stretched it too much. I think the curved seaming looks fine without it.

I used the neck facing piece provided in the pattern to finish the neck. I just sewed the ends together and sewed it on in the round.

All the seams are neatly serged inside. I stretched the neckline out a bit when I sewed the facing on. The Ponte knit is rather thick once you get several layers under the presser foot, especially when you get to the seam allowances. I did my best to steam it back into place, but I do have some gaposis at the back neckline. I'm hoping a trip through the washer and dryer will help.

The pattern provided a small facing piece to finish the underarms, too. I was concerned about bulk, so I used a scrap of purple broadcloth cut to fit, instead of the Ponte. It worked perfectly:

I almost wish I had tried it on the neckline, but I was concerned that I would need the stretch of the knit. Oh well.

All in all, I'm pleased with this dress and I'll be wearing it to church on Sunday to road test it. I guess I might make it again, after all there are other sleeve and skirt options in the envelope, but right now I'm ready to move on to other patterns. Specifically the Burda Style faux wrap dress.

Sometimes I Really Do Sew During the Week

2011-03-11T22:19:00.004-06:00

This night shift is kicking my butt. I'm finding it really hard to get things done in the mornings, and of course there's no time when I get home at night. But today I did manage to get V8685 cut out, and I have a three day weekend to work on it, so I hope to have a finished dress to share soon.

In the meantime I thought I'd share a little adjustment info. As I mentioned in my last post, the only real adjustment I needed for this dress was length. Lots of length. You can see here that I did one of my "length only" FBAs. I added 1/2". The I added another 1/2" across the whole pattern piece (back bodice, too) to bring the midriff band down a little. It hit me right below the bust, and the pattern envelope shows a little more length than that on the model.
Here is a closeup of my FBA (just ignore the additional added length.) As you can see, I spread the pattern evenly amongst all three of the pleats:

And just so you know I really did cut it out, here are all my pattern pieces pinned to my fabric, a luscious grape colored ponte knit. I can't wait to wear this!

As you can see I added length to all the pattern pieces except the sleeves. In total, I added 2.5" of length to this pattern. (1/2" to the bodice not counting the FBA, 1/2" to the midriff, 1/2" to the yoke, and 1" to the skirt above the hip)

I will be omitting the back zip on this. I want a simple knit dress I can pull over my head. It worked fine for the muslin, so I don't forsee any problems. I cannot wait to get started assembling this tomorrow!

Spring is in the air here and I am getting excited about sewing some bright, colorful dresses. I really want to make a red dress with white polka dots this year. What is your must-sew project for spring?

This is Not a Nail Blog...

2011-03-06T14:49:00.003-06:00

...but the Princess has been looking at nail blogs with me and she wanted to share her new mani using China Glaze crackle:
We started with a skittles manicure featuring five different neon (or near neon) colors.
Pink- Sally Girl: Way Cool
Orange- Sally Girl: Amped
Yellow- Nina Ultra Pro: Solar Flare
Green- Nina Ultra Pro: Lime Light
Blue- Sally Hanson Extreme Wear: Blue Me Away!

We did two coats of each polish and then used Out the Door top coat. When it was all dry, we applied one quick coat of China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Lightning Bolt, and then topped it off with another coat of top coat when it was all dry.

The Crackle Glaze went on kind of awkwardly, but it really doesn't matter because once it starts to crack- and you can actually watch as it does- any globs or brush strokes just disappear. I think it looks cool, and the Princess can't wait to show it off to her little friends at school tomorrow!

Now I'm off to do my nails!

Knit Dress Extravaganza

2011-03-06T11:52:00.002-06:00

It has been a crazy week around here with very little time for sewing, or anything else "fun" for that matter. I'm right in the middle of my night shift stint, so I haven't stitched a thing on Nan's Garden. I hope to remedy that tonight while all the kids are getting ready for bed and I'm winding down for the evening.

The one bright sewing spot of the week is that I was able to slap together a muslin of Vogue 8685.

I'm making the view pictured on the model: Short sleeves and slim, short skirt. The good news is that the fit was pretty good right out of the envelope. (Yeah- I was surprised, too!) The only real fitting adjustments I'll need to make are length. I need more. Lots more. I just have to decide where to put it to keep the nice proportions of the bodice/midriff band/hip yoke/skirt. But once I decide how I'm going to go about it, length adjustments are super easy to make, so I'm pretty excited about this dress. I hope to have a finished version to share soon.

I also managed to trace this beauty from Burda Style August 2010, Dress #140:

This is a plus size dress, and after the success I had with that other Burda plus size dress (BS 01-2011-133) I decided to jump right in. I traced a 44 from shoulder to hip and a 46 at the hip. Then I graded the bodice down to a 42. I figured that was easier than trying to make the 44 smaller like I did on the last dress. I also raised that neckline 1" at CF. Check out the model photo- that neckline is scandalous, even for Burda. I could never wear that to work (especially with a necklace hanging right down in the V, drawing extra attention to it!) Seriously, though, I think the dress is too big on the model through the bodice. Check out where the shoulder seams are on her.

I'm hoping that by grading down a size and rasing that CF, I'll alleviate the worst of the plunge. I also plan to finish the neckline with clear elastic and topstitching rather than the facings the pattern calls for. I'm hoping the elastic will snug that neckline up a bit also. We shall see....

I'm all excited because Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, March 13th! We'll have an extra hour of daylight everyday, which is great for taking photos of projects after work and not having to wait until the weekend. By the time my night shift stint ends, we'll have nice long afternoons and well lit evenings! It's finally going to really feel like spring! Happy Sewing!

Butterick 4985- Sewing for Spring

2011-02-27T15:56:00.002-06:00

This week I finished up my first official spring project, Butterick 4985, view C (the plain white version shown below.) I used a watercolor pansy print cotton that I purchased 6 or 7 years ago at Hobby Lobby. I had just two yards of fabric, and I was able to just barely squeeze this pattern out of it. There were hardly any scraps left at all.

I made this blouse once before and I wasn't very happy with it. I was just learning how to do an FBA and I made the top portion too big, and the bottom of the blouse not quite big enough. I wore it one time and then tossed it into the back of the closet. But over the years, I've thought about this pattern from time to time and I've always wanted to give it another go and make it work.

I think I got pretty close this time.

The first time I made this, I used a straight size 16 with a standard 1" FBA which added width as well as length to the bust. I really don't need width, though. The finished pattern has plenty of circumference. I just need extra length. So this time I did an FBA which added length only. I slashed a horizontal line from the side seam line to the center front, right through the bust point. The I slashed straight up from the lower edge to the bust point, leaving a hinge. I spread the pattern 1" (red lines) and let the lower slash open up (blue lines.) The extra width at the lower edge was easily absorbed into the underbust gathers.

I got a nice fit in the upper bodice without the blousiness that I got through the bust in the first version.

I also added 1" of length at the waist this time. The first time I made this it was too short. This version is much better. Of course I had to add 2" of length to the front facing- 1" at the bust line and 1" at the waist, to compensate for my pattern adjustments. I also tapered in to a 14 at the shoulder/neckline. The 16 is usually too wide for me at the shoulder and the first version of this blouse was literally falling off of my shoulders. Not a good look. And to give myself a little breathing room, I tapered out to an 18 from waist to hip.

The back could probably use a sway back adjustment, but it's really not bad and no one would ever notice but me.

To compensate for my large upper arms, I added 1.25" of width to the armbands, and to make sure the gathered sleeve didn't turn out too skimpy, I added 2" of width to the bottom of the sleeve:

The sleeves turned out just right.

Overall, I think the blouse turned out fine, but I'm still just not in love with it like I thought I would be. I think the neckband is too skimpy (narrow.) Maybe adding the collar to it would help, but I didn't have enough fabric to cut the collar on this version. I'm also having problems getting the neckband/ front edge to lay nicely. No matter how much I press it or tug it into place, one side always seems to droop, giving the impression that I sewed it crooked or something. In the photo below, you can see how the right side seems to collapse against my chest:

I'm not sure what's causing that- I used a nice beefy cotton and interfaced the front facings. It bothers me, though.

I don't think I'll make this version again, however, I might give the flutter sleeve tie-neck version a go. I'd use a softer fabric with lots of drape to allow those sleeves to really flutter. And maybe the neck ties would help alleviate that droopy neckband issue.

In the meantime, I'm about to embark on a new knit dress project, and the Princess needs some new things for spring, too.

Happy sewing!

What's Goin' On

2011-02-24T09:36:00.002-06:00

Good morning y'all. Here is a crummy indoor photo of Butterick 4985, View C, just to prove I haven't been a total slacker lately:
I'll have a better photo later and a complete review. It's storming outside right now and I figured wet photos wouldn't be too cool.

I have temporarily changed my schedule at work and I haven't been home in the evenings this week, so my stitching time has suffered. I doubt I'll have Nan's garden finished by the end of the month. I've reached the "big cross stitch" section of the design which features a fountain and some flowers:

I still think those turtles are just too stinkin' cute! I'll be putting a few stitches in here and there when time permits.

My March Burda Style arrived this week. Unfortunately, I'm not too impressed. I was all excited about sewing something from every issue this year, but I guess I can forget about that. On the other hand, I do have a couple of things in the pipeline from previous issues that should keep me busy. For every "dud" issue, there's another one that is just chock full of stuff that I want.

I hope your sewing/stitching week has been more productive than mine. And for all you folks out there who are in the path of these thunderstorms- stay safe and dry!

Another HSM Shirt

2011-02-20T15:10:00.003-06:00

There hasn't been a lot of sewing going on around here this week, but I did manage to finish up a UFO that's been taking up valuable space on the end of my ironing board. This is Simplicity 2836, AKA the High School Musical Shirt:
This is version 3 (version 5 if you count the two boy's shirts I made from the same pattern.) The first version was view D. For the second version, the princess made some customization requests. And for this version, she requested basically the same shirt, but with the trim applied in a "rounded square." Her wish is my command.

It's taken me months to finish this. Not because it's hard, but because it took that long to find a suitable trim to cover the lace header with. Unfortunately, when you put a project on the back burner, it tends to get forgotten about.

At this point, I'm just so happy to have it done. I ended up using lime green baby rick rack to cover the header. I was in a hurry to finish it so I didn't bother piping the front bands, I just used a decorative stitch on my machine and contrasting thread to jazz it up. I'm not thrilled with it.

It's not even all that noticable. Oh well. The fabric is a super nice quilting cotton I got at Hobby Lobby ages ago, and was actually left over from another project. This little top finished it up and now my stash is that much closer to being under control.

I'm tired of this pattern, but I probably will make it again. It's perfect for using up fabric when you only have about a yard and a half of it, and it really does lend itself to customization so you can use leftover bits of lace, rick rack, piping, what have you. Plus, it's adorable when it's all made up and quite wearable for school, church, etc. And I have some aqua blue cherry print fabric left over that would look so awesome with red rick rack...

In other news, I finally got my vintage dress cut out and I started putting it together:

Stay tuned for an update soon. In the meantime, Happy Sewing!