A Summer Recap

After I posted my last finished version of B5147, Kathryn (I Made This!) suggested that I do a recap of my summer sewing.  Since I made such a big deal of the 17 weekends available to sew between May 1st and September 1st, it did seem appropriate to do a review.

So here goes ~ first I want to talk about sewing meet-ups.  Summer always brings alot of visitors to NYC and thankfully I get to meet most of them.  Sigrid ~ I'm still upset that I wasn't able to meet you when you came to NYC. 

I attended two PR fabric shopping extravangzas.  The first one in Philly and the other just last Saturday in NYC.

I met some AMAZING bloggers:  Allison, Eugenia, Opal, Sheila, Omega, and Alethia for fabric lunches.

and I sewed...quite a bit by the numbers I've tallied...

Dresses - 12

Vanilla Silk Twill
The Museum Inspired Dress
Lemonade Dress (Navy Silk Twill)
Architectural Dress
Floral Linen Dress
Red Stripe Silk Dress
Faux Pocket TNT Dress
Chevron Front TNT Dress
Liberty of London Sheath Dress
Vogue 9220 Tie Dress
Blue/White Floral B5147 Dress
Black & Pink Borderprint B5147 Dress

Cardigans:

2 from silk jerseys purchased from Elliott Berman

Skirts:
3 easy to sew straight skirts

Pants:
One pair of black linen pants

...which equals a total of 18 finished garments ~ or 3.5 work week's worth of clothing.  One more than the number of summer weekends and that doesn't include the two dresses still in progress, as well as, the wadder, Vogue 9666.   So I guess I had a very sewy summer! *LOL*  I really should like plane rides more but truly sewing centers me.  It calms me and smoothes out the rough edges especially since this was a really busy summer season at my job. It was great to be able to create on the weekends to counterbalance the stress of my job.

I promise, I'm not counting down the weekends to the end of the year.  That seems to much like rushing my life along...*LOL*  But I am looking forward to my "September Sewcation" and to whatever sewing adventures await me for the rest of the year.

...as always, more later!

Sewing Spaces

Denise, who authors the blog, The Blue Gardenia, has posted a series of her favorite bloggers sewing rooms.  My sewing bits are included today.  Please go by her blog and check out not only my sewing area, but Kristy's and Erica's too!

...as always more later!

Saturday with friends!

I spent an amazing Saturday with about 30 women fabric shopping in the NYC Garment District.  I met some awesome new sewists and reconnected with other sewing friends that I hadn't seen in a minute.  It was wonderful to experience these women shopping at some of my favorite places.

Of course no shopping trip is complete without laughter, fabric (and loads of that was purchased), food and photos.  I completely forgot that I had a camera while we were at Metro Textiles, and if you've ever been to Pacific Trimmings you know those aisles are way too skinny to get any decent photos in...but I did remember to take at least one picture almost everywhere else.  So let's go to the pics to tell the tale of the fun, new friendships formed and much laughter and fabric shared:

The gang at Elliott Berman's

(We split up into 2 groups to make it easier to shop the 1st two stores!)

Sheila (Sheila CTK) at Elliott Berman

Nancy K. (Nancy K Sews), Emory & Cindy in the racks at Elliott Berman

Candy (who came all the way from Atlanta & who was

wearing the most awesome dress that she handpainted)

digging for gold at Elliott Berman's

Wendy (West 38th Street) paying for her pieces at Elliott Berman's

She cut my fabric and I felt like I "knew" her.  Finally,

I just asked and it's Terri (on the right) from Project

Runway Season 5!

Lunch was at Village28 on 8th Avenue

where both groups met back up!

One more lunch shot - didn't want to leave anyone out!

Rachel (A Sewn Wardrobe), me, Joanne (Miss Muslin)

and Alethia (Kassmin's Creations) in Mood!

The last of the gang (quite a few people had left

by this time) at Paron's.

There were a couple of interesting moments during the day...meeting Terri from Project Runway Season 6 at both Elliott Berman's and Mood.  Meeting Joanne, who walked up to me in Mood and introduced herself...she is in town taking a class with Susan Khaljie...seeing the new Vogue Pattern Magazine on the pattern counter at Mood and begging everyone not to show me the Selfish Seamstress' article (I want to read it at home where I can enjoy every word!)...and believe or not there are more pics in my Flickr Album.

So you're wondering what I bought right?  Not much actually...I guess proximity never makes me feel like I have to whip out my credit card and shout "Charge It", ala Betty Rubble and Wilma Flintstone!

3 yards of black doubleknit

2 yards of red doubleknit

Both from Metro Textiles

2 yards of this awesome rayon/lycra knit

from Elliott Berman

I did take a detour away from the group and alongwith Claudine & Alethia headed over to Daytona Trimmings to purchase invisible zippers (was missing some basics from the notions stash), 5 yards of 1" black satin bias binding and 8 of the cutest little pink mop buttons.

I had a great time and would like to thank Elizabeth and Robyn for thinking this up and then arranging for it to happen!

...as always, more later!

I wish for a better America!

I wish I could just lift this entire editorial up and place it on my blog...but I'm sure that there are some copyright issues involved.  I wish this because I'm sure that many will click away from this post without clicking the link and reading it.

This editorial is not about sewing but it does talk about one of my personal heros, Dr. Martin Luther King...and it does describe an event that is occurring this weekend that though it riles my blood, it emphasize the freedoms that we hold so dearly in America for ALL people.

Here are just a few of the words that touched me:

"...Even by those standards, he goes too far. Beck was part of the "we" who founded the civil rights movement!? "No." Here's who "we" is.

"We" is Emmett Till, tied to a cotton gin fan in the murky waters of the Tallahatchie River. "We" is Rosa Parks telling the bus driver no. "We" is Diane Nash on a sleepless night waiting for missing Freedom Riders to check in. "We" is Charles Sherrod, husband of Shirley, gingerly testing desegregation compliance in an Albany, Ga., bus station. "We" is a sharecropper making his X on a form held by a white college student from the North. "We" is Harry Belafonte, Marlon Brando and Pernell Roberts of "Bonanza," lending their names, their wealth and their labor to the cause of freedom.

"We" is Medgar Evers, Michael Schwerner, Jimmie Lee Jackson, James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo, Cynthia Wesley, Andrew Goodman, Denise McNair, James Chaney, Addie Mae Collins and Carole Robertson, shot, beaten and blown to death for that cause.

"We" is Lyndon Johnson, building a legislative coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats to defeat intransigent Southern Democratic conservatives and enshrine that cause into law.

And "we" is Martin Luther King, giving voice and moral clarity to the cause — and paying for it with his life."

 - taken from the editorial in The Seattle Times dated Thursday, August 26th, entitled, "Glenn Beck needs a history lesson on the civil-rights movement" by Leonard Pitts Jr.

Please take a moment and read it. 

I'm in a holding pattern!

I'm on countdown status.  Every morning I wake up and think only so many more days!  Due to this fact, I've done nuthin' sewing.  I mean I'm thinking about it all the time.  Almost got run over by a car crossing 57th Street this morning because I was working through a sewing technique in my head. 

But all of these thoughts are about things to sew for my upcoming sewcation, nuthin for now...so I feel like I'm in a holding pattern.  Circling over my days, waiting impatiently for them to pass so that I can get to the really fun stuff!  Arrggghhhh.   As of today, I have six days before I'm free!

I do have plans for this piece of fabric on Sunday.  Because Saturday, I will be joining Elizabeth and her merry band of fabric shoppers from PR, checking out a few fabric sites in the district.  Yeah, I know I really DO NOT need another piece of fabric...but hey, I haven't been to the district in a minute and Elizabeth got Elliot Berman to open for the group Saturday morning. 

Besides, I do have a supply list that needs to be filled for sewcation possibilities...*smile*

...as always, more later!

Butterick 5147 - Again

I know y'all must be thinking this is the pattern that just won't die...go away already, right?  *LOL*  Well, it's not that easy for it to ease into the sewing sunset because I want this pattern to be one of my go-to, make any time in almost any fabrication, TNTs.  To do that I must make it a couple of times to work out the challenges...

...and I'm almost there.  I like this version in terms of fit better than the first one...but I still need to do a tweak or two and then it will be perfect.  So you want to see this version right, well here it is:

Some stats:
Fabric:
2.25 yds of a cotton/lycra border print from Fabric Mart

Notions:
20" invisible zipper
3 yards of black bias binding (Faye thanks for noticing that!)

Construction:
1.  This dress is unlined.  So I used the black bias binding to finish the neckline and armhole edges again.

2.  I did adjust the pattern front and back by taking a tuck in the neckline and I do think it sits a little better on my body.

3.  I also raised the underarm seam 1/2"...as well as tapering the side seam to contour to my body's shape.

4.  I cut off 1.25" inches of the flare from the hem of the dress tapering to .25" near the top of the hipline.

Those were the changes that were bothering me the most on the last version, and now after making and wearing this one for a minute, I have just one more alteration to do to the pattern and I think I will be okay with the fit.  I do plan on making this dress one more time for early fall using another one of my border prints and finally lining it...and then I will move onto other things, I promise!  *LOL*

This dress turned out so well that I will even share a dreaded back view with you.

Now I know you are wondering what happened to the black linen dress, well here is where it stands right now. 

The shell is constructed and waiting for the lining.  I can't decide whether I should topstitch it as I originally planned, or just let it be a plain black sheath dress that will be a good basis for an array of cardigans and jackets...more on that later!

This is dress number 16...with dress number 17 hanging waiting to be completed.  I'm thinking that maybe I need to concentrate on making something else during my sewing vacay...but what?  BTW, I have 10 days of work before my sewing vacay begins and I...can't...wait!

...as always, more later!

What is your opinion worth?

Lately there have been several folders on the sewing sites touting the empirical knowledge of one or more persons. And there have been folders where people's opinions have been belittled because the original writer doesn't agree with the subsequent posters. Every time I finish reading one of these discussions (I'm learning not to participate because you can get your head handed back to you for having an opinion!) I think all the most vocal poster wants is "to be right" and to be patted on the back for it!

No matter that these are sewing boards and most of what people write IS their opinion based upon their experiences…those opinions are criticized, denigrated and generally kicked to the curb because someone else IS RIGHT! As long as the opinion is expressed respectfully, why is it necessary to batter the writer?

If we take away the ability of people to express themselves what are we left with? I hate the “opinions” expressed on quite a few of the articles on Yahoo about President Obama…but I would fight to the death so that the writers could continue to express them…even though they rile my blood...because one of our freedoms here in the United States is freedom of speech.  But you wouldn’t know that on some of the internet sewing sites!

So why is it necessary to club to death anyone who disagrees with someone else on a sewing site? Why is it necessary to pound them into the ground with “your” facts? Why is someone’s opinion so devalued? Why can’t we just agree to disagree?

Now I know I’m gonna piss some people off with this post. But I don’t care...my blog, my say!  I’m tired of people manhandling others. I’m tired of civility being a thing of the past. I’m tired of people who are always right and know better than others! And I’m tired of people feeling smug and superior because of a few half million words written on a subject. Seriously, it is just clothes. It is just fashion – it ain’t world peace!

But when you make a person feel small because of their experience…when you feel the need to “educate” everyone because you know best…and when you blatantly call another person stupid but use big words to do it…I’m done. I don’t care if you have researched the subject to the nth degree…or if you understand economics…or even if you know a better way to perform the task, a little respect for your fellow human being is not too much to ask, is it?

So talk amongst yourselves. I’m sure that you will have a lot to say...or maybe not! All I ask is that no profanity is used and that we are civil…because I value your opinion with or without the supporting statistics to back it up!










p.s  btw…I damn well know the earth isn’t flat but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have an opinion about it!

It's here!

Yes, in my hot little hands is the September Issue of Vogue Magazine...

I've had it for 24 hours now...bought off the newsstand as I was running to catch the bus in Port Authority.  I have a few pages earmarked...but there will definitely be some things added to my list (yes, I think I'm finally feeling fall!)...and some things added to my Sewcation sewing list!

Doing the snoopy joy-joy dance!  It's here!  It's here!

...more later!

Butterick 5147 in pictures

Please go and check out my fellow sewists versions of this dress on the Flickr site.  They have made some amazing dresses and you have to see the "Queen of this Pattern" (Sheila's) latest version!  It's pretty awesome if I say so myself.

I used the flared dress version (View D); since I have a TNT sheath-like dress pattern already.

The obligatory hands on the hip pose:

This is how I will wear the dress with a white cardigan:

This needs to be corrected:

One of the neck and bustline:

A few things I learned:

1.  Always stick with what I know works.  When I traced out the armhole section, I should have traced the TNT pattern's armhole instead of going with the B5147 pattern.

2.  Starting with your TNT is a great idea...it definitely saves time with alterations! (More on that later!)

A few things I will do differently:

a.  Raise the armhole seam.

b.  Take a little out of the side flare - I'm not sure I like the way it hangs.

c.  Take some tucks in the neckline pattern, it's a little wider than I like.

I will make this a few more times to work out the kinks so that I can start to play with the pattern.  It's a great pattern to add to my work wardrobe.  I can see myself making it for all 4 seasons. 

You can see my journey in pictures here...

...and a Parting Shot...

My daughter always makes me laugh soooooo hard while she is taking like 30 of these photos...

...as always, more later!

It's Done ~ that's the Butterick 5147 Dress

Yes, my version is done.  However, my photographers have flown the coop so you will have to wait to see pics of me wearing it.

After trying it on, I can see making a few more of these, I will just need to tweak it a little bit more to get the fit I like.

Okay some stats:

Fabric:
100% cotton jacquard from Fabric Mart

Notions:
22" invisible zipper
5 yards of off-white bias binding
2.5 yards of white cotton batiste

Construction:
First I cheated.  Instead of figuring out all of the alterations that I would need, I laid my TNT dress pattern down first, then the B5147 pattern piece for View D (the dress with the flared a-line skirt) and to complete the sandwich a piece of tracing paper.  I proceeded to trace a new pattern piece using the difference between the TNT and the 5147 piece to get pieces that would work for me.  Okay, I didn't want to reinvent the wheel!  

Basically this worked for me.  As I said in the beginning there are a few minor alterations that I need to make to the pattern, like the front neck is a little wide.  It sits okay but I can see myself fidgeting with it all day.  Not a good look.  So I will take two small tucks in the front pattern piece to make it hug my chest better.

The second issue is the armholes.  They are too big.  And this is totally my fault.  I should have followed my TNT pattern more closely in this area and I didn't.  So I will be raising the armholes a half inch on the pattern.  Finally, the dress is close fitting.  Not in a bad way but I think I'm going to add a 1/4" to the side seams in the waist area to give myself another inch...which should make me more comfortable.

Yeah, they fit like that on me too!

 
Here is where I should also state that I omitted the fisheye darts in the front and back pattern pieces.  I'm sure some plus size women can probably do darts in their abdomen area.  I'm NOT one of them! *LOL*

Finally, because my fabric is a little sheer in the flower areas, and I didn't have any white bemberg rayon lining, (How did that happen?  Time to restock the lining stock!) I used a white cotton batiste to underline the dress. 

I chose to underline instead of line because I hate the way that cotton batiste linings creep on my spanx.  I don't know if this happens to anyone else but I find that the silky linings wear better.  Truthfully, I'm not sure that I won't experience creep when I wear this dress all day but it needed to be lined and all of the tan and nude linings I had in stock didn't look as good as the white did.  So I chose look over function...and I will be on the lookout for creeping.

Also because I underlined the dress, I had to use bias binding to finish the neckline and armholes.  I could have made facings like Jackie did, but in the end I decided to just use the bias binding treatments because it's worked for me before.

The hem was shortened by 2.5" on the pattern pieces.  I really wanted a knee-length or slightly below knee-length dress.  The longer length of the dress shown on the pattern envelope was doing nothing for me...so I shortened the pattern pieces.  After trying the dress on, I can say that I'm glad that I did!

I do have one thing that I must show you: 

Isn't it amazing how the pattern matches!  I can't believe how quickly my invisible zipper insertion skills have progressed...because I'm in awe of the pattern match...and believe me I wasn't that careful! *LOL*  Even my daughter was impressed.

Lastly, this is a great pattern for wardrobe building.  If you are looking for a great dress pattern to build a work wardrobe on, this one more than fits the bill.  As I worked with the pattern, I could imagine several variations to the pattern, as well as, how some distinctive fabrics could make the dress look completely different from the original version.

I do want to make the jacket, skirt and top that are included in this pattern.  All of these pieces will add functionality to my work wardrobe as well as a little color and make a fashion statement.  I'm seriously thinking about making these pieces part of my Sewcation...though we shall see because I'm starting to develop quite a list.

Next weekend, I will make the black linen dress that I put on hold because I can always use a black dress for work.  As soon as I can I will post photos of me wearing the B5147 dress...

...as always, more later!

Saturday Morning Diary Bits...

...or a little bit of this and a little bit of that!

First, there were two questions in the last two weeks of postings:

Amber asked,
"Did you underline your liberty sheath dress or just line it?"

I just lined it.  I wanted it light and airy with a little movement.  I don't think underlining in either cotton batiste or silk organza would have given the dress the lightness I was looking for.  And after wearing it for 10+ hours at work, there were a few wrinkles but nothing really major.  It was just a great dress...so thanks for all of the wonderful compliments on it.  It elicited quite a few from work too!

BTW, the other big compliment getter at work was the Vogue tie dress.  I was a little surprised because I've worn a version of the dress before, but I guess a good basic black-type dress is more appealing to that crowd.  Anyway, Kathryn, I'm sure I will be making another version of it because it is a pleasure to wear this dress.

Lori asked,
"Are you counting the days until your sewcation?"

No...not yet!  I do know it's three weeks away which seems shorter than saying 21 days! *LOL*  I still have a lot of August to live yet before I start dreaming about a week off from work!

So even though most of the Fall fashion magazines are starting to show up on the newsstands (but not in my mailbox yet!) I'm still thinking summer.  It's still so darn hot and summer-like that the thought of wools and heavier garments just make me even hotter!  *LOL*  So there will be a few more summer garments coming out of the sewing machine before I begin to even think about pre-fall garments.  I think I will need a few crisp mornings before I catch fall fever.

I just realized that between July 1st and last weekend that I've made 11 garments ~ 7 dresses, 3 skirts and a pair of pants.  No wonder I feel no pressing need to sew this weekend!  However, I probably will make my version of the B5147 dress since the suggested complete by date was yesterday and I had planned to make it this weekend.  Just need to figure out which border print to use for it.

True Confession Time ~ 
I bought fabric from the Fabric Mart sale...three times!  Yeah, I know.  The first box contained pieces that I was dreaming about for quite some time...and the second box had another colorway of a piece that I bought for myself but this piece is for my youngest daughter ~ who never asks me to sew for her!  So I bought it and will be making her a maxidress.  The box also contained a great Prada floral silk charmeuse.  Then the third box happened because Fabric Mart upped the ante.  If you buy $35 worth of fabric, everything is 25% off instead of 20% off - this sale lasts until Monday, August 16th btw!

Oh and the serger hasn't arrived yet.  I'm getting it in September.  I just can't wait though!  Once the new serger comes the sewing machine overhaul will be complete.  I will have a new to me, Janome 6600, the Brother back up sewing machine and the new serger.  This should last me for the next 10 years...til right around retirement time!

Next...I'm obsessed...with this dress:

Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) wore it on last week's episode of The Closer.  I want a wardrobe of them in all different colors!  And of course, it's something I can make using my TNT dress pattern and the jacket from B5147.  I took quite a few shots of it (watched the episode on my computer to get them all). I caught all of the topstitching details, as well as, the bound buttonholes on the jacket for use in my version.  If I make the jacket the right length, I think I can also make a pair of pants and a skirt to go with the dress and jacket to get a little work wardrobe going. 

Well that's it for this morning...I'm off to pick out fabric for the Butterick dress. 

...as always, more later!

My Serger

My present serger is a Babylock 5280E. 

I've had it since my first Babylock was consumed in my apt fire about dozen years ago.  It's time to upgrade it...even though it's working just fine...I'm going to move up to the Babylock Imagine serger.  I've been wanting one of these for quite some time...and the time has arrived for it to come to my house.  Don't feel sorry for my present serger though, because it is going to my DD who sews.  Now she will have her own sewing machine, serger and stash!

I'm writing about my serger though because of the bag that has been in front of it all of these years. 

I don't think they don't even make these serger catch bags anymore, but when sergers first became all the rage for home sewists these serger bags were everywhere.  Does anyone besides me else even have one on their sergers anymore?

As I was emptying mine this afternoon, I realize that this bag tells a story.  See I use a serge finish on almost every garment I make, so the left over contents end up in this bag.  Depending on how much I sew that bag can be emptied every couple of weeks or every couple of months.  But every time I empty it, it reminds me of the journeys I've taken...the garments I've made...and the things I've learned. 

I can't imagine parting with it because of the memories!  But part with it I shall...with a sad heart...because it will accompany the serger when it goes to my daughter.

I'm looking forward to the arrival of the new serger...and the new adventures and journeys I will take with it.  However, I think I will no longer enjoy the ritual of the emptying of the bag...to grow, I guess some things must change!

...more later!

A New Pair of Pants + an Old Jacket

equals a new pantsuit!

After making the Vogue 9220 dress, I realized that I really didn't want to spend Sunday trying to race through a dress/jacket combo to come up with another outfit for work.  That's when I thought of the black linen pants that were still languishing on my to be sewn list.

I have this black midwt linen jacket that I made at least 7 or 8 years ago.  It was made during the longer jacket phase and occasionally I pair it with a short black linen skirt for these corporate meetings but I just wasn't feeling it this time.  So I got the idea to shorten the jacket just a little and add the black pants to make a new pantsuit for this week.

the myspace bathroom shot!

The pants are made from my TNT pants pattern and are unlined.  There is nuthin new about them.  They truly were lay them down, cut them out and sew them up.  However, it does get one more item off the list and into the closet.

The jacket took about as long to adjust.  I cut the sleeve hems off at the hemline because they were dragging and bothering me.  Then I measured up another inch and a quarter for the hem, making them bracelet length.  The edges were serged, rayon seam tape sewn to the hem and after pressing and hand hemming them, the sleeves were adjusted.

I really wanted to change the hem on the jacket by two inches.  But due to the button placement, I settled on an inch. 

Since the jacket is unlined, I undid the hem...opened the facings up and sewed another inch from the previous seam.  Cut the excess out...pinned up and then pressed the new hem.  Another hand stitched hem and I was done.

It's not a huge change on the hemline but it feels different.  Changing the sleeve length definitely helps with the new feel of the jacket and I'll add a white tank and some pearl jewelry to make it a work outfit.

Here's the "new" pantsuit (with hair & makeup!):

It was the perfect solution for my meeting needs and a relaxed Sunday afternoon of sewing.  And since the black linen dress is cut out, I will work on that next weekend or the following one.  I need to get busy on my version of B5147 - since August 13th is suppose to be the deadline for the sew-along.

Oh, can I share one more thing with you.  Because I like to sleep as long as possible in the mornings, I pick out and iron all of my clothing during the weekend.  Here is a shot of the outfits hanging and waiting to be worn for this week:

I know...I know but there is no standing in front of the closet in the morning, wasting time, wondering what to wear! *smile*

...as always, more later!

Let's Do it Again

That's make Vogue 9220!  The last time I made this dress was in 2007.  I made "The Ladybug" version first.  However, I no longer wear it to work because I think it's a little too casual.  Instead it's worn to hang out with friends on the weekend.  

My second version of this dress is one of my all time favorite summer dresses.  I used a border print for it and added a tie using the directions from the Fall 2007 issue of Sew Stylish magazine.

Since I'm still in the midst of meetings, I wanted another dress or two.  I was roaming around in my Flickr sets and realized that I hadn't made this dress in awhile.  So after digging through the fabric collection, I found the perfect mid-weight polyester blend in a subdued black print that is perfect for this dress.

Some stats:

Fabric:
2.5 yards of a black polyester blend from FabricMart

Notions:
6 yards of black bias binding

Construction:
*Because I had made this dress before, I didn't need to make any pattern alterations.  This was a lay it down and cut it out dress. 

*I added all of the elements of the dress to this version...short sleeves (which are actually shorter than the ones on The Ladybug Dress), and the necktie.

*Due to the fullness or depth of the neckline, there is no need to add any closure to the dress.  It easily slips over my head.

*As with the other two versions of this dress, it is unlined.

*The only difference in this one vs. the others is that I added black bias binding to the hemline of the dress and the sleeves, to define the fabric's print better.

After inserting the first sleeve, I realized that the shoulder seam is too long.  For this dress, I just cut the excess fabric off and lessened some of the gathers in the sleeve cap to make it work.  I will alter the shoulder seams on the pattern, so that the next version will truely be "lay down, cut out, sew it up!"

One more shot of the dress:

I want to make another dress from this pattern...maybe from one of the more distinctive border prints that I purchased this year...I just hope that I don't wait another three years to sew it up!

...as always, more later!

Michael you disappoint me!

Okay do these ads disgust anyone else but me?

Ad 1

Ad 2

Why are the men fully dressed in these ads and the women have it all hanging out?  Gawd, you'd think I was seeing the stills from a rap video!  Michael you know how much I love your design aesthetic but your marketing campaign is disappointing...and that's being kind!

...more later!

A Quick One - some bloggy goodness!

Angie, who authors the blog, Quality Time, wrote an interesting post today showing an amazing vintage find...surf on over and check it out!   Also check out Sheila's latest dresses...that woman is evil, just torturing me with argyle! *LOL*

I will be back later today with the another boring work dress...just need to add the sleeves and the hem. 

...as always, more later!

Patterns

Butterick's fall selection is finally up on their website ~ which I'm sure everyone knows by now.  However, I found just two patterns in this grouping that I would purchase.  Normally this is where the complaints would start.  But I've now decided that there is a reason that I've been so unimpressed with the new fall offerings from ALL of the Big 4 pattern companies.  Do you want to know what it is?  It's because I already possess an enormous pattern collection and I don't need to purchase more.

See I have several of those plastic tall file drawer sets full of patterns.  I have patterns in bankers boxes in one daughter's closet.  I have them in filing baskets, on top of a pile of fabric, and in hanging folders...in short I have ALOT of patterns.  Therefore, since I abide with such pattern goodness, it is absolutely unnecessary for me to own more at this time.  The universe has spoken.  That can be the only reason why I have been so unimpressed with the pattern offerings this season.

So do you want to know which two patterns I may purchase?  Cause this is not a surety...all the good pattern sales have come and gone at Club BMV and these two are not worth spending major dollars on...

Butterick 5523

Butterick 5535

...and this one might not make the cut because I'm sure that I already own something that looks like this!  See, see what I mean?  Similar patterns are already in my possession...maybe that's why I'm not falling all over myself to purchase more...it's got to be the universe right?  It can't just be that the pattern companies are neglecting me?  Right?  Please tell me I'm right?!  I don't think I would be able to stand it if my beloved pattern companies had forsaken me!  Cause then what would I do!  Oh wait a minute...how about  use what I've got!  *LOL*

I have plans to sew this weekend...only going out to dinner with some friends Saturday evening so hopefully I can get a few things knocked out to wear next week...

...as always, more later!

An Update on "A Few Things I Want for Spring"

Most seasons I post a list...things that I've seen either on the internet, in the stores or in the magazines...of things I would like to sew.  Most seasons I make one or two things from my list.  The other day when I was reviewing my list for spring which I expanded to include summer, I was truly amazed at how many pieces I've completed.

Let's review the list:

1. A floral skirt - Done!
I used a floral linen to make the skirt just last month:

2.  An architectural dress - Done!
Even though this dress is finished...I can honestly say that I will never wear it out of the house and really want to tear it apart and start over.  So even though it's done, I'm moving this to my fall/winter list because I just have to have this dress and not the faux version either!

3.  A Liberty of London Sheath Dress - Done!
After wearing the dress I finished just this past weekend, I can say the dress  was a success!

4.  A nude or bone pair of shoes - yes, times 3!
Here's a pic of the latest pair to join the other 2 pairs.

5.  Blue and black pieces - Done!
These pieces were included in my SWAP and featured my favorite dress...

6.  A spring coat - not even attempted 
Well the boat has sailed on this piece but there is always next year!

7.  A vintage dress - on list for Sewcation
Yes, I'm still intrigued by this dress and wondering if I can make it work for my body.  So it is on my to be sewn list for the Sewcation.  Which I'm starting to think will have a vintage theme...but we shall see.  I could change my mind again between now and then!

8.  The border print collection - in the list still
I have amassed a considerable amount of border print fabrics this year.  My plan is to use one of them to make my version of B5147...and since I can't let Elizabeth down...I think/hope/pray that this will be one of my August dresses.

I'm pretty thrilled that I've made four of the things on my list and bought the fifth one.  I know that at least two more items will make it off the list and into my closet.  But this is the first time in a long time that I've made a list and then stuck to it.  I must have really wanted those garments! *LOL*

...as always, more later!