Slow sewing progress

I'm coming along on my little shirtdress I mentioned here.  Actually, it is complete except for the buttons, which are winging (or rolling, more likely) their way here from Sawyer Brook at the moment.  I already made my buttonholes, so I hope I don't regret that... like if the buttons are a millimeter larger than advertised.

 Here is a shot at the hem.  The fabric has a border print that looks like embroidery.  I stitched over the scallop-edged print with a narrow zigzag and trimmed the fabric for a scallop hem.  The white you see in the photo is the bottom of the button band.

 Since I am just waiting for buttons, I also started my next project, Colette Patterns' Macaron.  I've admired this pattern for awhile but always passed, thinking "it's not really my style."  You know what?  I just like it, so apparently it IS my style.  :-)  I love the example photo so much, I'm basically replicating it with my fabrics.  Here are all the bodice pieces with the darts pinned and ready to sew.

Shopping ban!

Whoops, I dropped off the Me Made May posting bandwagon there.  I'm proud that I did commit through the whole month though, wearing something me-made every day.

While going through the motions last month, it occurred to me that I have a LOT of me-made stuff that is very serviceable.  Why do I still reach a lot for my store-bought things?  It's not that I don't like the things I've made.  I think it's just that I have so much purchased clothing!  I've bought way more than I needed in years past, and I still buy when I don't need to even though I've gotten much better. 

From this realization, I decided I'm going to have a clothes shopping ban for the next year.  Shoes are ok (hehe) and socks and undergarments, but other than that, I can't forsee a need.  The only thing I can't really make are fine-gauge sweaters, and I think I have plenty of those to get me through the year.  Of course, I can sew and knit to my heart's content, and I'm not putting any explicit limits on fabric or yarn purchases, though it's always better to shop the shrinking stash. 

Time to go get sewing.

Shirt dress begun

Here are some crummy nighttime pics of my current project, a white shirt dress. The interest will come from the skirt portion, made from a pretty black and white border print. The pattern is McCalls 6696. I have just altered the neckline to a scoop instead of a collared shirt look.

Me Made may 12-14

So here around the middle of the month is where I start to get lazy with the photography.  Some photos are missing...

 

Here is Sunday, May 12th.  I wore this dress for church and received lots of compliments.  I was my own mothers' day bouquet!

After church, I wore these shorts.  Um. they are a bit snugger these days.  I'll blame the dryer.

Monday, the 13th, I cannot for the life of me remember what I wore, but I know it was in keeping with me-made May.  It's somewhere in the laundry now, I'm sure.

Yesterday, I wore this dress.  Hmm, I think it works better with the skinnier belt in the original (linked) pic. 

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.

 

 

Me Made May - days 4-8

Whoops!  Time to catch up on the Me Made May documentation!

Day 4 was Saturday, and I'll admit I just went with the me-made earrings. We spent the morning at the pool, and then made lunch, followed by a nap for several hours.  When I woke up (still in my swimsuit), I jumped in the shower and just threw something on to go over to a friend's house.  Luckily, I did remember my earrings.

Day 5, Sunday, I wore this dress from quite a while back to church. 

After church, I didn't go with MMM, just throwing on shorts and a tee for a lazy afternoon.

Day 6 - Monday.  I wore this sundress, and did take photos but deleted them in the photo editor.  Doh.  Oh those 2009 photos, they slay me.

Day 7 - yesterday, I wore my new black cotton pants, which I meticulously photographed to do my review.  Another FAIL since those photos have gone the way of day 6's.  No worries - I'll wear them again soon and give it another go.

Day 8 - today!  I wore this oldie but goodie top with some purchased white jeans.