Puttering around on a hot sunday afternoon...

I don't have much initative to sew...must be the weather!  Or could it be that I've already made six garments this month so I have no pressing need for more...whatever...I'm puttering!

So how about I answer a couple of questions...

bpatricia74 asked:
"What pattern did your daughter use? If no pattern what instructions can you share?"
At my house we use the wrap the fabric around you and add 2" in the hip area to make sure it fits method.  However, this is a do as I say not a do as I do moment and let me direct you to some wonderful instructions on how to make a square dress/skirt pattern - Ann of Gorgeous Things has some awesome instructions on how to make this skirt/dress look.  You can find them here.

quava62 asked:
"Please Carolyn could you name the pattern for your TNT pants !!
I hate to tell you this but I have no idea what the pattern number is.  That is one of the patterns I started working with over 10 years ago and as I traced it from pattern paper to pattern paper, the number went by the wayside.  I also no longer have the pattern envelope since the pieces went into their own folder marked pants pattern.  In any case, this pattern would be out-of-print now since most of my TNT ones are. 

JudyP asked:
"Would you mind posting your tips on lining knits?"
Let me see...my tips on lining knits...well I don't do anything differently from when I line a woven garment.  The only difference is that I use nylon tricot lining that I purchased from fabric.com...and I haven't lined one knit dress that I've made this summer.  Probably because the V1250 dresses are just too complicated for me to figure out how to line and the other knit dresses either had enough fabric (as in loose wearing) or were thick enough that I decided just to wear a half slip with them.  However, I did add the tricot lining to the black 'n white knit skirt I just made and for that I just cut the lining the length of the fabric and basted around all 4 edges...nothing special. 

Fourkid asked:
"Where do you find all your lovely cardigans?"
You mean besides the ones I make ~ everywhere!  I'm constantly on the lookout for a great cardigan and I collect them in all colors.  I've purchased them online from Jessica London and Talbots Women, at Lord & Taylor and Macy's (both have excellent women's plus size shops in the NYC), The Avenue...I even have one or two from Wal-Mart.  Anywhere!

 
Okay next...

I was reading the Sunday New York Times this morning (yes, I must be one of the last people that still have it delivered on Sunday mornings...but I LUV reading that big ole paper on Sundays and looking at the ads!) and I saw this picture:

Sunday NYTimes Style Section - Blue Chip - 7.24.11

 It made me realize that my Rachel Dress:

is right on trend!  And for whomever asked the reason it's called "The Rachel Dress" its because I nicknamed the skirt from Vogue 1247 "The Rachel Skirt" after its designer Rachel Comey.  Since the main feature of the dress is the pockets from her pattern and I used those pattern pieces to achieve the look, it became The Rachel Dress.

Finally, I am prepping some fabric to be sewn.  I haven't worn the floral version of the Simplicity 2958 jacket because I don't really like it with the vanilla silk twill dress.  To me the two pieces together are too plain and washed out looking.  So I broke down (don't laugh!) and bought three yards of the pea green couture linen (so called by Fabric Mart) before the last sale with the 20% off discount ended.

Here it is on my ironing board going through the pressing process...

I'm making another version of my TNT dress from it and I may work on constructing it today or I may not...

...as always, more later!