Where to next?

I finished the white cropped pants for my SWAP last night (hem and all), but despite being made from an opaque cotton, they have mega pocket show-thru, so I'm going to line them.  Don't have white lining, though, so I'm setting them aside.  The other option I'm kind of considering is just sewing shut and cutting off the pockets...  I don't generally like to do this (not because I use my pockets that much, but because I think it's kind of cheesy or cheating), but I am thinking about it.

So tonight, I was going to cut out my jacket for the swap.  I've seen two made versions of it (from BWOF Jan 09) and am excited to get it going.  BUT, I'm also thinking of making the handbag from BWOF Feb 09 (sorry, can't find a picture on the site) for the PR handbag contest.  I have a bunch of yellow ostrich leather, and I think the safari-style stuff is perfect for it.  Just have to see if I have enough.  I guess I'll see which I feel more like playing with tonight- the jacket or the bag.

Two more pieces for SWAP

Yay!  My skirt and top are finished, and I love them!  Both are for the SWAP contest. 

The skirt is BWOF Jan 09 #128, the exclusive design.  I love love love this skirt.  I can see making this one again in the future - in simple khaki or a cozy wool for winter.

The shirt is McCall's 5138 view B.  I wasn't sure about the sleeves on this top and was thinking of de-puffing them, but I've gotten some nice feedback on the SWAP thread, so I think I'll leave them as they are.

Here is the top with a short sleeved-sweater over top.  I think this is cute for spring.  Oh, but wait, in spring I'll be enormous!  Don't you love how I have the style of a 60-year old?

Here are front and back pics of the blouse untucked.  You can see it is pulling a smidge over the baby bump.  :-)

Ooooh, and here are my first button holes ever.  I can't tell you how many practices I did before going on the blouse.  I think they came out pretty well for my first ones ever!  I can't believe I've never made button holes before.  For one, most things I've made in the past are skirts and dresses, which generally require zippers.  The few things I've made that did need button holes, I was not ashamed to ask my mom to do them for me on her super shnazzy machine.  :-)  
Here are some more shots of my skirt.  This is the top detail with the buttons.  I went back and forth lots of times on which buttons to get at a local independent fabric store here.  White looked a little too mod, so I'm happy with these blue ones.
This is the back kick pleat area.  You can see the top stitching on the center pieces a bit.
Here's the lining in the pleat.
Here is my beautious invisible zipper.  I hadn't sewn in one of these in a loooong time, but it went right in.  I kind of think invisible zippers are easier to sew in than regular ones.  Don't know why that is.
and here is the lining shot.  I'm always so proud of my lining.  Not sure why...

Third FO for the SWAP

Here is my third finished object, my second knit top, modeled with the eyelet skirt.  The pattern is Butterick 4789.  This top definitely makes the skirt more casual.  I could wear this to play group or the park (provided I'm not going down any dirty slides).  

A few comments on this top.  I really like the front twist detail.  However... not so crazy about the wings coming off my shoulders.  I think I'll modify those hems a bit to keep them on the edge of my shoulders.  I also don't know how I feel about the center back seam and back darts.  Seems kind of silly on a knit top.  And I'm not totally crazy about the back V.  I don't think it's the most flattering on me.  If I made this again, I might try a regular knit top back pattern.  I'd also use a more fluid jersey knit, I think.  I like the beefier cotton knit I used, but I think a thinner jersey wouldn't produce the "wings" and might lay easier over the tummy area under the twist.  If I could find a nice silk jersey, I'd make the dress version in a heartbeat.  One other thing I may do - tack down some areas around the twist front.  Otherwise, I think I'll be adjusting a lot.  :-)  I also need to give that hem a good steaming in the back so it lays flatter.

Despite all those little tweaks I think I'll do, I am really happy with this top, and I do think I'll wear it a lot in the summer.  I even may wear it while I'm still pregnant in the spring.  The bottom front is pretty roomy.

Second SWAP piece done! (and some knitting)

Here's my second finished piece for the SWAP contest.  I'm really happy with how it turned out!  It's about as simple as a pattern gets.  I just sewed up the fashion fabric (6-year-old $1/yard Wal-Mart cotton eyelet) and the lining (white cotton) pieces separately and then joined them at the top.  Then, I inserted the zipper and hemmed the lining.  I hand-stitched the top few inches of fashion fabric and lining together at the side seams and darts to keep things in place.  So simple, and I'm sure I'll get lots of wear out of this this summer.  The bonus of an A-line skirt and a changing body is as I lose baby weight, it will just sit lower on my hips.  

Here is a shot of the zipper.  I think I might be happier with an invisible zipper, but I wasn't going to go out and get one for $1/yard fabric, and it's a casual skirt anyway.  

And here's the lining stitched to the zipper on the inside.

Here's a close-up of the border on the eyelet.  It's so simple and pretty.

In knitting news, I finished the lace scarf I've been working on on-and-off since July.  Just have to block it.  Here's a sneak peek.

I've already cast on for another lace scarf (this one for a gift if it's finished in time).  The pattern is from Victorian Lace Today, by Jane Sowerby.  The book was a Christmas gift, and I want to make almost everything in it!  The border on my just-knitted scarf is from this book as well.  Here's a picture of the one I'm starting.  

Can't I read?

I bought this really pretty fabric from Sawyer Brook thinking it was a knit and would make a cute top.  Well, when it arrived, I was surprised to find a stretch woven cotton.  I looked back on the website, and there it says, plain as day, "cotton/spandex."  Don't get me wrong... I still think it's really pretty... I just don't know what I'm going to do with it!  It would make a cute sheath dress, but I don't need anymore!  Plus, they're really pretty fall colors but the fabric is light weight.  *sigh*  I'm sure something will come to me eventually.  Maybe some kind of woven wrap top?  I'm just trying really hard to sew things I'll actually wear.  That means fewer dresses and more casual things.

Am I crazy?

So, when my sewing mojo came back, it REALLY came back.

I joined a SWAP contest at Stitcher's Guild.  That's Sewing With A Plan.  So, now I'm making 11 garments by the end of April.  They're all for after the baby comes and my body goes somewhat back to normal.  The problem being, of course, that I can't really fit anything around my waist at this point since it's expanding rapidly (We're just over halfway there now).  At least I know pretty well what sizes of the big pattern companies fit me, my hips haven't changed at all yet, and I'm using the same Vogue pants pattern I just completed.  

It's turning out to be a great challenge, because I'm working on several things I've never tried before.  I made my first button-down shirt last night (still need to get the buttons, though), and I'm trying my first BWOF patterns.  

Here's the storyboard I made up with my plan.  

I've already made one change.  After almost finishing the tweed skirt, I really like the detail at the waist and want to wear it with a tucked in shirt.  So... I really don't think I'd wear the tweed top much, so I'm nixing that.  I haven't decided what to make it its place, though.  I still have about two yards of the tweed, so I may make a jacket down the road.  I don't have much use for a tweed skirt suit, I'll admit, but the fabric is so beautiful.  We'll see...

Things are progressing quicker than I thought they would.  I already finished the white pique knit top and am almost done with the white button-down and the tweed skirt.  Both just require a trip to the local fabric store.  The white skirt is also cut out.

Here are pics of the top I've finished.

I have been so busy!

I've been sewing up a storm, and just now took some pictures.  Here are my finished pants:

Ok, ok, I still need to hem the lining... and put on the hooks for closure above the zipper... but other than that, they're finished, and I love them!  

I sucked in the belly all I could for these pics.  You can see a bit of strain at the front.  :-)

Here's an open fly shot before lining.  Oooh, aaah... I'm very proud.

This is a back pocket from the inside.  I must have sewn this last at night - it's really wobbly.  :-)

This is an inside look at one of the side pockets from the inside.

Here's the inside of the fly before I put in the lining.

In other news, I purchased my first Burda World of Fashion (BWOF) magazine at a local fabric store here in Germany.  I already traced off three patterns and have this skirt almost made up.  I just have to get some lining, buttons, and an invisible zipper.  The others I plan to make are this jacket and these cropped pants.