Simplicity 2245

Oh I can be such a doofus!  I've been sewing for months for the Sewing With a Plan contest (SWAP) at Stitcher's Guild, and I finished on time... but I totally spaced out and missed the deadline to get photos in yesterday.  So frustrated with myself.  Oh well, at least I have some great new things.

ANYWAY, moving on.  I have to catch up on showing my me-made photos, but trust I have still been participating.  For now, I'll show something brand new, finished up just yesterday - Simplicity 2245, which is apparently so out-of-print that it isn't on the Simplicity website anymore.

Now, I have mixed feelings about this.  I fear that it won't be very popular.  It has a distinct whiff of muumuu.  However, the fabric is so pretty, and it fits well, and the pockets are just so handy for toting around my iPod that I am in love.

The height of fashion?  No.  Not even with the cute little star buttons which probably push it into twee-town.

But goodness help me, I just like it.  Is it super "becky-home ec-y"?  Do I care?  I tried it with a couple different pairs of leggings, but I like it best with some white shorts just peeking out the bottom.  Hubs thinks it is super retro... like 1950s housewife housedress.  Not his least favorite thing I've made but not his most favorite either.

Do the pockets make it look like a nurse's smock?  I can't decide.  Again, though, I can't be bothered to get too worked up about it either way.  Maybe if I'd made the yoke and cuffs from the same fabric as the body, it would look more conventional?  I don't know.  Practicality wins me over either way.  I just am in love with these big pockets.

I know using a quilting cotton for a garment is the ultimate faux pas for some seamstresses, but I just can't get worked up about it.  I know this is not the latest thing from a catwalk, but I just don't care.  The fabric makes me happy.  I just hope I'm not a walking billboard for "why not to sew your own clothes."  :-)

Oh, the fabric is by Moda.

Vogue 1382 and Me Made May 4

I employed the services of my 7-year-old photographer today.  I think he did pretty well.  :-)

Yesterday was rainy... all... day... long.  Of course, this filled me with glee since it meant a day of sewing!  I had a new dress for church today to show for it.

Vogue 1382 was very straightforward to make out of some crisp linen from JoAnn's.  I've had the blue in my stash for years, and I picked up the white recently when I decided to make this dress.  I think I quite like the combo.

 I like the easy shift shape.  It's a nice change of pace from my usual body-conscious silhouette.  I blended a size 10 in the bust and waist to a 12 in the hips and the fit is perfect - skims over the hips with a little extra room in the middle.  The pockets are a nice detail on this simple dress.

 Crazy photographer making me laugh...

 Of course, I had to show off the invisible zipper insertion across the colors. Not too shabby.

Red/white striped tee

I was so inspired by this post by Erica B. that I copied her new top, right down to the fabric and U-neck.  In my defense, I did already have the fabric (from a recent seasonal collection at JoAnn) and was planning to make a summer dress.  Her top convinced me that simple tee was what I needed.

Oh, look!  The fabric is still in stock online and on sale to boot!

The pattern is my usual for tees - out of print Butterick 3344.  My pattern tissue is looking so sad at this point that it's time to trace it on cardboard or something.  I guess I could look for a new pattern, but then again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

My camera took this one photo before going on strike and refusing to work until I charge the battery.  No worries.  I must get back to my sewing machine anyway and finish up the last skirt to complete my SWAP at Artisans Square.  Last sewing day, you know.  This works out quite well with my plan to join Me-Made-May starting tomorrow, wearing at least one handmade thing each day in May.  I have a little backlog to get on the blog, but I'm hoping Me-Made-May will help me with documenting those.  I've only blogged this and this and this.  Together with today's offering, that means I've made at least 6 other garments since the beginning of the year.  Sheesh.

Princess Seam Dress

I'm not sure what to call this dress.  I can't find the pattern on any of the websites, so I assume it's out of print, and I've misplaced it here at home, so no pattern number.  It's just a princess-seam dress.  The pattern was for a strapless dress that was straight across the front.  I added straps, omitted the boning, and made a sweetheart neckline for some pizzazz.  The fabric is a linen/cotton from JoAnn's.  I can't find it at the online store, but I did see a bolt my local store the other day.    This is the dress I wore as a skirt with my new green top.

I didn't take a closeup pic, but I added a detail at the hem.  I hemmed as usual and then pleated a narrow bias strip and hand-sewed it peeking out the bottom.  It is a cute detail and gives the skirt some body.  

I'm just realizing these photos are quite old.  My hair is about 3 inches longer now!

McCalls 6801

It's been said before, and I'll say it again:  the downside of sewing your clothes is that you don't get to try something on until you've invested time and money in the making of it.  Maybe that's what leads me to be not terribly adventurous with my garments.  I do think I tend towards the basic.

Exhibit A:  McCalls 6801.  Look at those flattering gathers!  Extra oomph around the bust is always a good thing in my book.

Exhibit B:  huh?  How did that exuberant ruching become so unflattering??  And it's pulling a bit in the shoulders and back.  And the color I thought was so pretty makes me look ill.  And the silky hand of the fabric feels like cheap poly.  And Hubs agrees it's not my most flattering work.

 I wore it to church over a dress (still not blogged!?!) and it gave a cute skirt effect.  A little cardi hid the pulling shoulders.

Now, I don't want to be toooooo overly dramatic.  This is by no means the worst thing I've made, and I don't hate it... it's just that had I tried this on in a store, no way would I have chosen to bring it home.  I'll keep wearing it for awhile with this cardigan.  I like the greens together, and it goes with several skirts I have (one reason for picking this fabric).  But, I doubt this will still be in my closet in a year.

...internal monologue... I am getting some serious ombre-effect hair... time to fix that...

Adelaide from Vintage Modern Knits

This is no doubt my favorite thing I've knit.  I love the style and the colors, and the fit is perfect.  Love it!  I finished it about a month ago and it is my go-to warm sweater.
The pattern is Adelaide, the cover sweater from Vintage Modern Knits, which has many great patterns.  I've also made the Bramble Beret from the same book, which I haven't blogged about yet.

The aran weight yarn meant this knit up quickly, and since the yoke is the last thing you knit, I was motivated throughout the body to get to it.  I knit this entire sweater in under 2 weeks, which is unheard of for me.

After many years of cables, I'm obsessed at the moment with fairisle in general and yoke patterns in particular.  I'd love to make the Trefoil Cardigan and the Ross Cardigan (if I can devote  a year to that one!).

Vogue 8670 with a roll neck

Tilly's new top pattern has given me the bug to make some knit tops and dresses.  I haven't bought the pattern (because I already have some similar ones), but I anxiously await to see what she releases next.  If you do find yourself in need of a top pattern, give hers a try.  I've read nothing but good things about it.

Aaaaaanyway, this is what I whipped up the other day in about an hour while The Great British Sewing Bee kept buffering.  I decided to use my raglan pattern, Vogue 8670, which I used for a tunic once before.

 The only change I made from the pattern was to widen the neckline about an inch and add a roll neck.  I would have liked it a bit taller (a la Tilly's) but didn't have any larger piece of fabric left.  I cut it on the bias in hopes that it would lay flat and it does!  I assumed I'd have to tack it down in a few places, but it behaves itself nicely.  :-)

 The fabric is a beefy rayon/poly jersey from JoAnn's with the tiniest bit of sparkle.  I really like the weight of this for a nice tee, and I do like a bit of orange in my life.

Colette Patterns Macaron

Here it is!  My finished Colette Patterns Macaron.

 I feel like I've said so much about this already; there isn't a whole lot left to say.  :-)  The fabric is from Sawyer Brook - Tennis White and Spaqua.  The only change I made was to make the waistband the main color instead of the contrasting white.

 I cut a size 4 at the bust and tapered out to a 6 for the waist and hips.  The fit is perfect!  If you want to make this, definitely go with the suggested size for your mesurements.

 I got a ton of compliments at church on Sunday, and I really like it, so it's a win!

McCalls 6696, kind of

I was so anxious to finish my altered shirtdress that I pawed through my mom's button stash last night (I'm visiting her, obviously) and found 9 silver shank buttons that fit my buttonholes. 

So, here is my kind-of-shirtdress, made from Sawyer Brook's beautiful Vieux Carre and McCalls 6696.

 I admit I removed most of the shirtdress details - most obviously the collar, but I think this makes for a more casual summer dress.  I wore it out to the grocery store and lunch today and didn't feel too fancy or retro.  I even got a few compliments!

 I kept the yoke and gathers in the back, which gives it a little bit of shirtdress feel and makes it so airy and comfortable to wear for summer.

 I didn't use the skirt pattern pieces at all since I simply didn't have enough fabric for the full-skirt option.  What I did do is cut my whole piece of fabric (2 yards, I think) to length for the skirt and then cut out my bodice pieces from the remaining white portion.  The skirt is all one piece, buttonband to buttonband.  I just did some simple math to figure how many and how big pleats to make to attatch it to the waistband.

I explained how I did the hem here.

I am really enjoying wearing my new dress today.  I think I have been successful in my attempt to make an everyday dress that is comfortable and cool for summer!

Butterick 6739 (OOP)

Good morning!  First off, an annonymous commenter asked if I dry clean these new pants.  Actually, I hardly dry clean anything.  These pants (and most of my dry cleanables) go in my washing machine on the hand wash cycle and I hang them to dry.  No problems so far.

I have my Me-Made update from yesterday, including a dress pattern review.  I actually made this dress almost 9 months ago, last fall.  I was fawning over the fabric but couldn't decide on a pattern, so I asked my hubs to pick from a few.  He chose this well-aged pattern, and I think the result is fun and youthful, but hopefully not tooooo youthful.  :-)

 The patterin is Butterick 6739, which is long out of print, but here's a pic of the envelope.

I think I swiped this pattern from my mom since I distinctly remember my little sister having a cute party dress made from it in high school.

 This pattern takes a little while to put together since you have an overlay to deal with and a full underlining, but it's really cute.  I didn't add boning since hubs specified straps, but it is stiff enough with the interfacing and underlining that I could tuck in the straps and wear it strapless anyway.  I did cut the skirt a little fuller and gathered it to balance out the volume on top.  The straps are about 1/2 inch too long and want to slide off my shoulders - an easy fix.

 The fabric is a nice cotton voile that I think I purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics a few years ago.

Here it is as I wore it to a church event yesterday with a little sweater.  It turns out to be a versatile dress as it looks like a  party with no sweater or if I tuck in the straps, but with a little sweater, it's demure enough for church.

 And for the rest of Me-Made-May day 11, I wore this tee and purchased shorts.

 

McCall's 6568

First, here is Me Made May day 9's outfit, another oldie.  (don't click on that link if you can't stand to see super adorable tiny babies who are now almost 4 years old.)

Next, Me Made may day 10, my new top and some brand new pants, which I will now review...
(by the way, I find it hilarious that my dog photo bombed almost every pic from here on out)

The pattern is McCall's 6568, some super lazy elastic waist pants with a decorative tie.  I didn't even put on the patch pockets, such is my laziness.  It doesn't change the fact that I love these pants for spring and will definitely use the pattern again.  The only altering I did was to finesse the leg shape after trying them on.

The fabric is Genoa from Sawyer Brook, which is almost out of stock.  It is a wool/silk/linen blend that works great for these trousers with no lining.

These pants aren't setting the world on fire stylistically, but they get the job done and are very versatile due to the fabric.