My new obsession & bringing back an old one

My new obsession is this Jonathan Saunders wool crepe dress...

www.bergdorfgoodman.com

www.style.com

I have the red wool crepe in the collection and will use my TNT dress as the basis. I even bought a skinny black belt - now you know I'm obsessed! *LOL*  Just have to figure out how to dye the fabric to make the dress work. I've done a little research and I'm going to try to make a sample, so more on that later!

My old obsession was the McQueen wool crepe dress from last winter.  I've worked out all of the pattern alterations and I have both black and navy wool crepe on hand.  I need to pull the pattern pieces out and add this to my "to-sew" list for fall/winter.

So it's Friday evening and I'm in the sewing cave.  I've put the pontes in the washer and dryer to pretreat them so they will be ready to sew when I'm ready for them.

Tomorrow I'll be working on two more pieces from The City in Winter Collection. I'm hoping to knock them out because I found another, yes, another dress idea that will be a part of this wardrobe grouping and I want to move on it while the idea is hot!

...as always more later!

Not really sewing...

If you've read my sewing adventures for any length of time you know a few things about me...

1. I sew with the television on...preferably with marathons or DVDs of favorite shows.
2. A few of my favorite shows are Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, Grey's Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars and The Closer.
3. I'm a fabric collector, hoarder, stasher - FABRICAHOLIC - and quite unrepentant I might add!

So today's post is about the things I use to make the ambiance in my sewing room work for me...

First - these DVDs from Amazon arrived today:

Six seasons of Brenda and the gang!

12 seasons of ER - with three more to come!

Then honestly, I have ponte fever!  So I stopped by Mood today and picked up a couple.  New fabric always makes me want to sew even more...so that's ambiance right?!  

2 yds of a black/white ponte, 4 yds of a black ponte,

2 yards of a brown/black/white abstract print

Now if you remember earlier this summer I went to Mood NYC looking for some ponte and was a little disappointed with the selection.  Can I tell you that has been more than rectified!  I had a difficult time deciding what to choose.  There's now prints, argyles, bold florals in several colorways, as well as, loads and loads of solids.  Which is a good thing because ponte knits are hot right now! 

Most importantly...I heard that its suppose to rain all weekend here in my corner of the world! Seriously, that's great news because I can come home, ensconce myself in my sewing cave, put in a DVD and make my sewing machines sing! Wahooooo! *LOL*

Finally, I would like to thank all of you who left congratulations on the Mood Sewing Network post.  It was so appreciated.  Also thank you to everyone who left a comment on the last three dresses completed during my sewing vacation because you were all too kind...especially since I was totally devastated by my output.  My sewing vacay went nothing like I wanted and was the real mojo killer...the cold was just the icing on the top.  

I honestly felt like I wasted five good vacation days that should have been saved for later when the conditions would have been more optimum to sew. I so look forward to those 8 or 9 days of uninterrupted sewing every year.  They balance me out...fulfill a creative need...and were more needed than a cruise was...however my home life was not accommodating to this change and I will have to address this before my next sewing vacay.  Way more than you wanted to know I'm sure but I did want to address my lack of productivity now that I can speak without cursing and screaming, wailing at the top of my lungs and generally acting like I need a good dose of Zoloft.

I probably won't be back with any posts until the weekend.  I've got some wicked days coming up at work and the Gray's Anatomy's season opener is Thursday - yeah, yeah I know - but every life needs a little manufactured by TV drama! *LOL*

...as always more later!

One down...Twelve to go!

I've made this cardigan like a hundred million times!  It is my go-to piece and it's the cornerstone of my "The City in Winter" wardrobe.  I found this fabric during the summer from an online source.  Sorry to say it's now sold out. But at the time, I had to have it! I could see it working with soooooo many fabrics from my fabric collection.

Some stats:

Pattern ~ Burda 8869 (out-of-print)

Fabric ~ wool blend knit

Notions ~ 

6 - 3/4" buttons from the collection

seam tape - used to stabilize the shoulder seams

stitch witchery - used to hem the sleeves & cardigan hem

There are no new construction techniques in this garment.  It was a put the pattern down on the fabric, cut it out, serge it together and wallah!  Cardigan is done.  I don't even have to fit it because it ALWAYS fits.  That's what I love about a good TNT pattern!  

So I'll let the pictures do the talking...

Buttons placed on the placket 

for placement & arrangement

I used a rounded edge buttonhole

Buttons from the stash

work perfectly with the fabric

The sleeve w/stitch witchery in the hems

A back view

The front unbuttoned

My mojo is back and I have several things I want to make and make soon.  Even though it's back, it was slow rolling this past weekend.  No matter that I've started off slowly, I'm confident that there are loads of beautiful garments waiting to come out of my sewing machine...so stay tuned!

...as always more later!

I am soooooo ready!

I haven't sewn in over two weeks and I'm sooooooo ready to sew!  Finally feeling better and my mojo is chomping at the bit...so you know where I am this weekend ~ in my sewing cave.  The thing is I have so much that I want to make...so what do I work on first?

Do I work on pieces from the new wardrobe - The City in Winter Collection?  Or do I work on this other idea that I have?  See this week I've worn the ponte knit dresses that I made two years ago...

Burda 09-2005-115

The Macy's Dress

They were perfect for the changing temps ~ y'know how the weather is chilly in the mornings and evenings & warm and sunny in the middle of the day.  I kept thinking that I need a couple more of these. I have this wonderful stone colored St. John ponte knit that I would love to make up in a version of Butterick 5147 with a complimentary printed knit cardigan from Burda 8869.

Of course, those two garments are just two of the things on a long list of garments I want to make.  A list that's far longer than I have time for...*sigh* And somewhere in here, I need to work on my next garment for the Mood Sewing Network.  Since the fabric for my next Mood garment is part of my new wardrobe plan, The City in Winter Collection, I definitely want to get a few pieces sewn before the cold sets in.

So I've decided to start off easily...you know ease my way back into sewing. Nothing complicated or a new pattern for this weekend of sewing, nope I'm going with TNT pieces aka garment basics.  Next up Simplicity 5914 and the Burda 8869 cardigan...

...as always more later!

A Late Summer Recap

As noted in the title, this post is late and was prompted by Diana's post, "Taking Stock of Spring/Summer Sewing". After reading her summary, I decided to go back and check my May to August totals.  Now I haven't included the three dresses from my sewcation since they really were completed in September.  I also didn't include anything that wasn't finished (McCalls 6506) or was a wadder (McCalls 6559).   However, I did take your advice and turned the ill-fitting dress into a long skirt with an elastic waist that was never blogged about. I made the change right before my vacay so that it could go into my suitcase...and it did get worn one afternoon on the ship.

So the total number of outfits that I made during that four month period was 18.  That was 11 dresses starting with The Anatomy of a Dress and ending with the two Vogue 1250s.  Three skirts - two from The Ten Yard Adventure wardrobe and one from the wadder M6559.  One pair of pants also from The Ten Yard Adventure wardrobe and three toppers - 2 cardigans and a jacket.

My output is generally better in the four months of spring/summer.  I think it's something about the longer days and the fact that I can sew as many dresses as I like. Everything I made was worn at least once this summer. Some of the Peyton dresses were worn twice. I also took the Trendy Lace Dress on the cruise with me and wore it to dinner one night.

My least favorite item would be Butterick 5211.  Probably because it was fussy to wear and I had to constantly adjust the tie belt.  The other piece that I worried about was The Anatomy of a Dress.  I had some challenges with the zipper so I was worried that I would bust it open in the middle of the day.  Boy was I glad to get home with it in one piece!  The most complimented dress was The Trendy Lace Dress.  

It was a great wear especially since it was made from my TNT dress pattern. This dress was complimented over and over again by my fellow employees as well as the visitors we had in the office that day.  It was equally complimented on the cruise, especially by one lady on the cruise who said, "I didn't think full sized women could wear such a beautiful dress".  Since she was plus-size herself and she said it with such awe in her voice, I knew she truly meant it complimentary.

As I said in my blog post, my Valentino TNT dress was the one that made me feel like my sewing had finally arrived.  It was a thrill to realize that I could handle the finer fabrics and not mess it up.

Overall, I believe my summer sewing was successful.  I used some new techniques...preservered through some sewing challenges...tried a new shape...and worked my TNT dress pattern overtime.  I hope my fall/winter sewing is as successful!

...as always more later!

Naming a Collection

First I would like to thank everyone who left a comment on my wardrobe post with a suggestion for my latest collection's name.  There were 38 wonderful and very thoughtful names.  

So first a recap of the 38 submissions:

1. The Autumnal Tones Collection
2. Brown isn't Boring
3. The Cool Earth Tones Collection
4. Carolyn's Chocolate Gray Crayola Collection
5. Sensible Elegance
6. The City in Winter
7. Manhattan Moods
8. Cool Moves
9. Chocolate is a Girl's Best Friend
10. Carolyn's Agglomeration
11. Carolyn's Collation
12. Moon Over Manhattan
13. A Woman with a Plan
14. Chocolate & Gray Cozy Collection
15. Warm & Toasty Fall Collection
16. W to the 4th:  Wise Woman's Winter Wardrobe
17. Hot Chocolate
18. Cafe Exotique
19. Carolyn's Flirty Fall Wardrobe
20. Autumn Delights
21. Carolyn's Fall Fantasy Dreams
22. The Muddy Waters Collection
23. Caramel Swirl Chocolate Brownies
24. Warm Winter Spice
25. Brown Sugar
26. The Nameless Collection
27. Chocolates at Dawn
28. Muddy River Blues
29. Classy Chic by Carolyn
30. Warm Earth Pallette
31. New York State of Mind
32. Chocolate Truffles
33. The Brown Snug Hug Collection
34. Cinnamon Dolce Latte
35. Mexi Mocha
36. Classical Elements
37. Gems & Granites
38. Chocolate & Smoke

Weren't these fantastic suggestions!?!  I narrowed it down to these final three...that I pondered all day Monday...

• The City in Winter
• Manhattan Moods
• Warm Winter Spice

...and lastly the collection will be named...drumroll please...

"The City in Winter Collection"

I did go back and forth a couple of times yesterday morning and I do reserve the right to use the other two finalist names for future collections!  So Jodie,  if you would kindly leave your email addy in the comment section, I will contact you so that I can get the Hug Snug out to you!

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the naming of my new collection.

...as always more later!

  

The Mood Sewing Network

The blogosphere is abuzz!  Yes, yes it is, because Mood Fabrics has announced a new network of sewing bloggers...The Mood Sewing Network!

"Welcome to the Mood Sewing Network, a collective of fashion sewing bloggers from across the U.S. The nine women we've chosen to help us launch the Mood Sewing Network represent a cross-section of home sewers: some still consider themselves beginners, while others are at the more experienced end of the sewing spectrum. No matter where they fall, we admire their enthusiasm for sewing and their love of fabric. Follow their adventures here in sewing and creating with Mood fabrics and use them for inspiration with your own sewing projects.  Each month Mood Fabrics provides the Mood Sewing Network bloggers with an allowance for fabric that they can spend online at MoodFabrics.com or in our NYC or LA stores. The bloggers, in turn, will sew a garment with Mood fabrics each month and then blog about it on their own blogs and here."

I have to tell you that I'm so honored to be included in the company of such awesome sewists.  The experience of working with Meg and the team at Mood has been amazing and can I say that I'm so thrilled to be involved in this project!

I hope you will continue to follow along as I start this new journey!  And please make sure that you check out my fellow  Mood bloggers, the amazing Amanda of Amanda's Adventures in Sewing; the stylish Miss Erica B., of Erica B's DIY Style; sweet Ginger of Ginger Makes; the chic Sarah of Good-bye Valentino; my girl Cidell from Miss Cellie's Pants; the fabulous Marina from Frabjous Couture; the outrageous Marcy from Oonaballoona and finally adventurous Amy from Sew Well who has an awesome entry in the Sew Tessuti contest.  Am I in good company or what!?!

So can you hear it?  The distant rumble of sewing machines...gearing up to turn out some new and fantastic creations with fabrics from Mood!

...as always more later!

Changing over the fabric...

New season to sew for...new fabric inspirations to be pulled out to pet and dream about.  Although, I no longer need to spend an entire day moving fabrics around since I no longer have my beloved fabric closet...

...because I now have a wall of fabric....

...and a dedicated sewing room...but I did spend an hour or two putting away some fabrics that I'd pulled to sew or bought during the spring/summer season but didn't get a chance to sew.  Don't snicker, you know you have unsewn purchased fabric too!

I haven't done any sewing lately, for the last two weeks actually, because this danged cold is taking forever to move on. So today I'm lingering in my sewing room, hoping for inspiration from touching fabric and doing a little reorganizing. It's amazing how much stuff I've managed to accumulate since I redid the room! *sigh*  See this is what happens when you no longer have to spend every dime you make on children and all of their last minute needs...okay that was a back to school reference for all you Moms out there!

I still want some cabinets to be hung around the top of the computer and sewing machine walls.  I need storage for magazines and sewing knick knacks.  Those are the only things that are still packed away that need to be placed in my sewing room.  I want something from Ikea that my SIL can hang for me but that means a trip to Ikea so I'm gonna have to work that out.

Photo courtesy of:

City Chic Country Mouse

Another new sewing room addition is this back up sewing machine.

picture taken with my iPad

I purchased it before I went on vacation because my Janome needs to go into the shop for a tune-up and I need a machine to sew on since you just never know when your sewing machine will return from the repair shop.  Well that's it for today.  I'm going to sit in my freshly cleaned sewing room and wait for my sewing mojo to return!

...as always more later!

Next Up ~ A Fall/Winter Wardrobe

Can you imagine I planned this wardrobe in the midst of the hot, hot weather that was here in August on the East Coast?!  The September issues were arriving in mailboxes and Fall 2012 clothing was being touted everywhere, so of course, my thoughts were on cooler temps.  Now that the temperatures are actually lower and more comfortable, I'm really getting excited about sewing this new wardrobe.

First of course, I need to share a little fabric p*rn....

The inspiration sweater knit 

A black/grey wool crepe & the muddy brown 

wool crepe for the bottom basics

a silk multi print purchased during 

my Chicago jaunt 

This wardrobe is a little more comprehensive than the other two wardrobes I've sewn this year and I plan on sewing this into next year...so it will be a true fall/winter wardrobe.  Here are the patterns that I will be using....

Simplicity 5914

Vogue 8828

Vogue 8208 - OOP

Simplicity 2154

Finally a detailed list of the garments I want to sew:

1. A cardigan using Burda 8869 from the brown abstract sweater knit
2. Brown wool crepe Military Jacket from Vogue 8208 - OOP
3. Brown wool crepe lined TNT pants
4. Brown wool crepe lined Simplicity 5914 - TNT pattern last sewn 9/09
5. Brown wool crepe Vogue 8828 dress - short sleeve version
6. Gray wool crepe Simplicity 2958 jacket - last sewn 3/11
7. Gray wool crepe lined TNT pants
8. Gray wool crepe lined Vogue 1247 skirt - last sewn 5/11
9. Gray wool crepe Vogue 8828 - sleeveless version
10. Chocolate Ponte Knit Cardigan Butterick 5760
11. Chocolate Ponte Knit TNT Skirt with a front flap
12. Silk multi-print Chocolate for Simplicity 2154
13. Scraps from brown & wool crepe for Vogue 8786 dress

This works out to 2 jackets, 2 pairs of pants, 3 skirts, 2 cardigans, 3 dresses, and a blouse.  The plan allows for the fact that I have loads of twinsets and turtlenecks in my closet so there is no need to make alot of tops.  Also please note, that most of my pieces will be made from actual patterns that you can buy or already own, that way you can make your own versions or sew along with me!

I'm sure that I will make a few different pieces in, around, and between this wardrobe because sewing a few things that catch my fancy means that I don't feel stifled by my list...tho' truly I can't wait to add these new pieces to my closet.  

Now here is my quandary, you know how I like to name my collections...well I just can't think of a name for this one.  So I'm appealing to you my readers ~ to "Name my Collection".  Leave your suggestions below by Monday at noon EST, and I will review them & pick one.  For your trouble, a small gift will be offered.  A new roll of Hug Snug rayon seam tape in brown (well of course!) will be sent to the person whose title I choose!

Okay, get to naming...and as always, more later!

Butterick 5147 Thrice

I made two really involved dresses during the sewcation.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that my garments are taking more time now because I do own a lot of clothing so I can take more time with my pieces.  However, I needed a palette cleanser. Something that worked well with the transitional garments I've already made.  So I guess I really am thinking about fall...just not ready to go all out wool sewing yet!

As the title of the post states, this will be my third version of this dress.  I've worn the other two dresses a couple of times this summer and I thought that I really need another one, two, or three of these in my wardrobe.  This dress is perfect for work because it's comfortable, easy to accessorize and fits my bodacious body well.  Now after working with fallish shades for the last two sewcation dresses, I wanted a bright, pretty color for this dress.  Something that will be cheerful to wear but still work in my corporate atmosphere...so I went with this bright magenta!  Okay I have a lot of black, brown and gray dresses...every once in awhile a woman needs a little bright, room bending color in her life!

Some stats ~
Pattern:
Butterick 5147

Fabric:
Magenta linen purchased from Mood.com

Notions:
red bemberg lining
black satin piping
22" magenta invisible zipper
Hug snug rayon hem tape

Construction Details ~
Since this pattern is now heading into TNT territory...I don't claim TNT status until a garment has been made 5 or 6 times...a bit much I know but there is always something new that the pattern and fabric can cough up for you to learn.  

I didn't make a lot of changes to the construction process just added a lining (the red because it made the magenta fashion fabric look so robust) to the dress and some piping at the neckline and armholes to break up the great expanse of fabric.  

A great simple colorful dress for work...a few more pics...

The temps have been cooler this week here in my corner of the world, so all of the sewcation dresses have been worn, as well as, the Valentino Dress was finally revealed to the outside world.  Tomorrow will see me wearing the Coldwater Creek knock-off dress also a first time wearing.  I'm really thrilled that this was a week of all new wears, somehow that makes my low sewcation output, bearable!

...as always more later!

Erdem Chocolate Linen & Lace Final

This dress was the one that I liked the most and was the most satisfied with...

The stats ~
Fabric:
Chocolate Linen from my fabric collection
Poly blend blue & brown Anna Sui Lace from my fabric collection

Notions:
22" brown invisible zipper
brown rayon bemberg lining
bias binding
brown rayon hem tape

Construction ~
The lace is the design feature that attracted me to the dress and how I achieved it is detailed in this post.  After getting the lace sewn to the linen, the rest of the dress was constructed as normal.  I mean I've made this dress almost 50 times so it's autopilot sewing once the design feature has been added.

A few more photos...

Hand on the hip pose

Side view showing lace detail

Back view

Dress worn with sweater

Like I said this was the dress that I was the happiest with...probably due to the fact that it IS based upon my TNT dress pattern and even though it looks like one I made during last summer's sewcation, I think the lace is more predominant in this version. Well at least I'm consistent! *LOL*  I stick with what works for me!  I have just one more dress from the sewcation to share with you this week.

...as always more later!

Redemption - The Vogue 8799 Dress is Done!

Here is the finished dress...

I'm starting with a picture first because I can't believe the danged thing is done and wearable.  Seriously, it was touch and go there for more than a few minutes but once I start hand stitching piping in, I've got to make it work.  So first some stats...

Fabric ~
100% linen from Mood.com

Notions ~
22" invisible zipper
navy blue piping purchased from Daytona Trimmings
navy blue rayon hem tape

Construction ~
First there is ALOT of hand-stitching in this dress.  When I started the dress my first thought was that it was a great project for my sewcation because to make it right, I needed time.  Now I realize that it's great that I made it that week because otherwise it would have never been finished! *LOL*

Let's start with the piping...first the way I apply piping can be found in my posts here and here.  Originally I was only going to add piping to the side inserts but after I enlarged the center front panel, there seemed to be an expanse of  fabric stretching across the front of me...so I took the time and hand basted more piping into the center front panel's side seams before sewing the panel back into the dress.

Now we know I had some serious fit difficulties because I can't keep ish to myself and I had to share my discouragement.  I'm sure that a muslin would have highlighted the issues I had before I laid the scissors to my fabric.  However, I can assure you that if I had to make a muslin first, I wouldn't have a finished dress now.  I'm just not that girl.  BUT, I won't discount the value of a muslin especially if you have several fit issues.  

Second, some of my fit issues were definitely operator error.  I probably should have added 5/8" allowances to more than just the side pieces.  I may have inadvertently taken away some space by just laying the pieces on top of each other and assuming that they would work.

After removing and re-cutting the center front and center back pieces, then reinserting the invisible zipper, I was too through.  So the thought of trying to come up with a lining for this dress was just more than I could handle especially since I'd changed the dress pieces so much.  Talk about killing my mojo...I just wasn't going to allow that to happen!  I will wear a slip with it and deal with the wrinkling!

Adding width to the center back piece

A few additional notes...

• I was definitely free styling because I never pulled the entire dress apart.  I only pulled out the problem areas and reworked them.
• I ended up taking in the side seams several times.  5/8" the first time and then an additional inch when I realized that the dress' skirt had more of an a-line shape than I wanted.
• To make the neckline fit, I cheated. At the seam lines on both sides of the neckline, I placed the piping over an additional 5/8" and sewed a larger seam.  This eliminated the extra pucker in the front.  Now if I had made a muslin, I could have simply sliced and tucked that extra out of the center front piece.
• I cut 2.5" from the hemline before I turned up a one inch hem allowance. I didn't need the two inches I added in at the beginning.
• The sleeves were cut on the bias to give them even more stretch.  I'm always afraid that I'm going to end up with really tight fitting sleeves so this is my trick...to always cut the sleeves on the bias.
• It is my least favorite of the three dresses I made during the sewcation.  It was a lot of work for so-so results in my opinion and this pattern won't be used again for the dress, though I do still want to try the jacket.

Okay, a few more pics...

Piping at the sleeve hem, neckline and side seams

Front view - showing piping detail

Back view - showing piping detail

I'm so thankful that the dress did work out in the end, even if it does have more flare in the skirt than the original dress.  I'm a little sad that I didn't have enough fabric for the jacket but after the drama of the dress, I know that I wouldn't have sewn it during the sewing vacay anyway. 

Also, I've been sick as a dog this past week...I even missed a day of work due to this horrible cold that I've managed to pick up from somewhere...so that's why it's taken a minute to get these pictures not only taken but blogged about.  The other two dresses will show up this week since I took pictures of all of them at once.

...as always more later!

Forward...Not Back!

FORWARD

NOT BACK!

If you are a citizen of the United States, please make sure that you're registered to vote for this Presidential Election Cycle.  If you live in one of the states that's recently enacted new voter ID rules for voting, please check to insure that you have the right "type" of ID needed to vote.  Remember as an American, voting is our RIGHT!

Do you remember this?

It's McCalls 6506 and this is where it stands...

Now I hate unfinished objects (UFOs) but I'm putting the leftover fabric, the uncut pattern pieces and the pattern envelope into a storage bag.  Then I'm moving it all to the side on the fabric wall.  Why do you ask?  Especially since I don't like UFOs? Well, you will eventually see (Mimi loved your comment btw!) that the pieces I just made, while constructed using linen fabric are in transitional fall colors.

Just two weeks ago, before I started vacation, I awoke at 5:30am to the sun rising.  I'm now waking to darkness...yes, the sun does rise while I'm in the shower and it's light out by the time I walk to the bus stop but autumn and the darkness is coming.  So while I'm not ready to sew wools yet, I do realize that it's time to put summer sewing away.  That's what's happened to this dress...it just can't go forward into fall...so I'm admitting it and setting it aside to wait for next spring.

Now that's not saying that I've jumped into fall sewing with both feet...please I'm pulling hard against that right now.  Not because I love the heat of summer...but I do like the long hours of light.  I do like the fact that I can wear dresses and skirts without concerns and I'm honestly just not looking forward to the cold.

Realistically change of the seasons is coming...so it's time to move forward with it. I have one more dress I'd like to make from a wool/linen/silk blend and then I've planned another wardrobe that I'd like to start sewing now and through to the end of the year. I've had some success with wardrobes this year, first the "Lavender & Gray Skies" one and then "The Ten Yard Adventure."  I'm excited about this new one which is a little more involved with quite a few more pieces. I'm sure I'll still be sewing it come January but once again this wardrobe will fill some gaps in my wardrobe and will encompass several of the fall trends.

So my McCalls 6506 dress will sit and wait for the spring to come when I'll get back to it. Right now, I'm moving forward not back...

...as always more later!

Choosing a lining color

I don't know about you but I stash linings.  When the online fabric sites have one of their 20 or 25% off sales, I always throw some bemberg lining into the cart so that the basic colors are continuously stocked in my collection. I consider basic colors to be white, black, brown, red, navy and tan.  I even try to keep some gray stocked too. Excessive, maybe but definitely handy in times of need and one less thing I have to worry about when I get an idea for a dress.

The third dress I made during my sewcation (haven't mentioned it yet here) was from a magenta linen from Mood.com using Butterick 5147.  I've made this dress twice before...underlined one and didn't line the second one at all.  So choosing to line this dress was something new and presented a different challenge.  I did not have magenta lining on hand and in choosing a lining to go under the dress, I noticed subtle changes in the fashion fabric...so let's start with the original fabric swatch with no lining fabric underneath it...

Here is a swatch of the fabric with a red lining...

Here is a swatch with a black lining fabric...

Here is the swatch with a white lining fabric...

All swatches were shot in the same lot and basically the same place on the cutting table. That way you can see that the changes mentioned above are subtle.  However, by using a darker lining you darkened the fabric and using a lighter lining left it closer to the original color.  Finally the red made the fashion fabric a little more robust.  So which lining do you think I chose?  Well I'll let you know when I reveal the dress...

...which brings me to today's photo shoot...it didn't happen.  To be perfectly honest, I just didn't feel like it. I don't even think I will be wearing the finished garments to work this week. But as soon as the photographer is available and I'm up to changing and smiling, I will have photos of the finished pieces, as well as sewing details up on the blog.  And believe me the Erdem is fantastic (if I say so myself!) just hanging on the hanger and the project I'm happiest with this week.

...as always, more later!