A Wrap-up and Questions & Answers

It was a good sewing vacay because I ended up with 8 finished garments - 3 dresses, 1 top, 1 cardigan, 1 skirt and a suit comprised of a jacket & skirt.  I sewed up 17.5 yards of fabric.  I inserted 3 invisible zippers and I used 9.5 yards of lining.  Even though TNT patterns ruled the day, I did use a new pattern (Simplicity 2570) for the suit jacket.  And even though I didn't complete the 9 garments I was aiming for, I did make enough garments so that I can wear a new outfit every day to work this week.

This sewing vacay left me calmer, happier and more centered that I was before.  I also realized that even though I have an extremely large collection of fabric, patterns and trims...having it gives me the freedom to be as creative as my imagination allows...it was a good week and just what my weary soul needed.

Now onto some questions:

In the New Sewists Thursdays - Pattern Sizing post

BJ asked, "I am an experienced sewer and now I am sewing for my thirteen-year-old daughter. She measures a size 16 girl's, so she has almost grown out of that size range. Some of the pattern companies don't have junior patterns at all, some have very little to choose from. What do I do when she outgrows girl's?"

Answer: 
I noticed this when my girls got older and what I found was that mostly they got taller before they become more shapely.  So at the beginning I just added length to patterns that were already working for them.  After that I used Misses patterns in the smallest sizes I could find...making sure that I used more youthful looking patterns.  But I have to admit that right around 6th grade my DD's asked me to stop sewing for them.  They wanted to look more like their peers and have things purchased from the store.  So I have limited experience with sewing for older children.  If anyone has some specific answers for BJ please leave them in the comments section!  Thanks!

Aminat asked, "I am a new sewist myself, but when I buy my pattern I buy based on the finished garment measurement which is usually placed on the bottom of envelop , if I choose my real measurement based on the actual body measurement usually placed on the top of the envelop , the fit is always too big. So my question is, is this the general rule or it's just working for me?

Answer:
Actually I purchase patterns by the finished garment measurements too, making sure that my largest measurements fit within those measurements with a reasonable amount of ease added.  So not only is this working for you but its working for me too!  I know that there are rules for fit.  But I also know that sometimes you find what works for you and you go with it.
 
In the Garment No. 1 ~ Saturday/Sunday Entry post:
 
BCR8iv asked, "Which TNT pattern did you choose in the end for the dress"
 
Answer:
When I mention my TNT dress pattern I'm only referring to one pattern - OOP Butterick 5932.  As I've mentioned before, I've been using this pattern for at least 12 years.  It's started out as one thing and has morphed into a completely different dress.  So even though I have sewn several other dresses from other patterns, when I have an idea or need to make a dress quickly, this is the pattern I reach for because it never fails me.  I wrote a blog post about my top 12 TNT patterns - you can read it here.
 
LindsayT asked, "When are you going to make up the black & white wool print that you bought at Mood?"
 
Answer:
Okay, the pressure!  *LOL*  Girl that fabric hasn't even aged yet. It is still in the Mood bag sitting beneath my cutting table!  The significant other is still cursing at it when he comes over!  No seriously probably this fall.  It is a simple sheath dress and will make an appearance before there is snow on the ground!
 
Anonymous asked, "Did you make your own black satin bias strips or did you purchase them and from where?"
 
Answer:
I buy basics like that from Daytona Trimmings - my trim store of choice!  I bought 25 yards of it last November to make The Dior Dress Knock-off and have been using little bits of it ever since.
 
And to all who asked if they could borrow some of my garments...ummmm, no! *LOL*
 
In the Fall Greenery post:
 
Char asked, "You have mentioned in the past that you baste your garments. Why do you hand baste or machine baste?"
 
Answer:
Mainly I hand baste to keep things together until I can get them to the sewing machine and sew the pieces together.  I don't hand baste alot.  It is mostly in sleeve insertions where I've found I get a better result when hand basting.  The other time is when I'm adding underlining to a fashion fabric.
 
Marjie asked, "Where do you get the fabric?" referring to the Missoni-like cardigan.
 
Answer:
My best and most interesting sweater knits come from Emmaonesock although I'm constantly on the look-out for them.  I've bought a couple other pieces from Fabric Mart and Metro Textiles but the best ones come from EOS!
 
something else designs asked, "Aside from the fact that they are all beautiful, they are numerous! My question is what do you do with them after you have worn them some? I have trouble parting with things I have put my work and care into. Are your closets bursting or do you manage to part with some of your creations?"
 
Answer:
I use to have this problem before I started sewing so much of my wardrobe.  Now if something wears out...I sew something new to replace it.  If something is out of style or I no longer fit it...it goes to the recycle/donate pile.  I have no compunctions about giving them away.  However, I am very sensitive about them when they are first made because they are like my babies...but babies grow up become mouthy teenagers and need to move on!  *LOL*
 
Kathryn asked, "Did you consider orienting the stripes in the other direction?"
 
Answer:
Yes originally I did!  Because there is always the danger that horizontal stripes can make you look larger...but when I laid the pattern pieces out, I realized that matching the stripes would be easy and the "Missoni-like" pattern seemed light and airy enough to camouflage instead of enlarge.  If it hadn't worked, I would have just scrapped it but thankfully it did work!
 
Finally, Spottedroo asked, "Where did I get the pumpkin fabric?"
 
I bought that fabric two years ago from Fabric Mart.  They were having an end of the season sale on linen and I bought 4-5 yards of all the colors they had left...black, red, a denimy blue, brown and that pumpkin.  Sometimes it pays to collect beautiful fabric!  *LOL*  Because of the 8 garments only 1 came from recently purchased fabric...all of the rest of them were from the fabric collection/closet!

I would like to thank everyone who followed along and anxiously awaited for posts (Elizabeth)!  Thanks everyone who left a comment...they were so appreciated!  And thanks for coming back again and again to read my ramblings, check out my sewn garments and encouraging me on!

As always...more later!