The Baltimore Destash

Renee of MissCeliespants, posted this to Instagram and I was soooo in.

Cause honestly, I've reached fabric storage capacity and giving to this destash would provide me with a little (very little) relief.  At first I asked if I could just ship some fabric to her but y'all shipping is EXPENSIVE cause fabric is heavy! I did send my patterns ahead cause carting fabric and patterns on public transportation was a little more than I could handle.

Then I got with Gaylen because she wanted to attend too and it became a weekend!

I started out spending Thursday - Saturday night at the B&B with Gaylen and yet again if you haven't booked some days there or signed up for a SewCamp, what are you waiting for!?! LOL! I've been to the B&B in the winter and in the spring (cold and damp spring and a snow covered ground spring) but I've never been there in the summer.

Y'all I know why Gaylen left Seattle for PA.  It is stunningly beautiful in PA during the summer!  

There are acres and acres of farmland!

There are buggies driven by the Amish everywhere

Bridge on the road to Baltimore

Another buggy - different style

One more buggy - Sunday visiting

Okay enough about that cause I know y'all just wanna hear about the Destash! Well there were 55 women there who'd brought things from their own fabric/pattern/book & yarn collections.  All of the interesting details about how the Destash worked are here in Renee's post.

Me I was thrilled to meet up with some sewists I hadn't seen in a minute or some that I've talked to via email and social media for years but never met in person.  Then there were the lurkers (y'all know who you are! LOL!) that read my blog, that I also was thrilled to meet in person!

Gaylen and Towanda

(I've talked to Towanda via email/blogs/IG since 2001

and this is the first time we've met face to face!)

Robin Denning and myself

(Robin and I are old friends but this is the first time

I've seen her in about two years!)

Me and Towanda

Coralee, me and Gaylen

(Someone called us the "Three Amigos" and 

it does seem that way after the last Sew Camp)

Martha (IG: Garichild), me, Dee (IG: sewhotmommi) and Tee

I've followed Tee in blogland forever...and Martha well she's my fellow

Sewn Magazine sistah!

Renee, me, Tremayne

and Angela - IG: Ladyregister

Alexandra from Alexandrasews

Renee & Crystal, Renee, me and Crystal

Crystal and Tee and Najah and Crystal

(I stole this pic from Crystal's IG account)

This is just one part of the dinner crew

Gaylen, Jane, Sarah, Carly, Renee, Martha, me and Susie (?)

Okay I know that's not right. Please leave your name in the comments.

I'm so ashamed because I talked to you all afternoon! *hanging head*

Y'all dinner was everything.  We talked so much and so loudly at times that the other patrons looked at us! But it was sooooooo good! I'm thrilled that I got to spend time with you wonderful women!  

Finally, I was really good. I spent most of my time socializing rather than going through the fabric piles - except when I pulled some fabric for Dee (sewhotmommi) - so this is all I brought home from the Destash.

A vintage Vera Wang bridal pattern, a yard of knit fabric

The second edition of Fabulous Fit after mine was shared with someone else

Now in all honesty, I did bring some other fabric home - two pieces from Gaylen's stash and two amazing quilting cottons from Zooks Fabrics - all is pictured below.

A wool knit panel piece and a cotton print from Gaylen

Two quilting cottons from Zooks fabrics for sleeveless shirts

I love fabric and I'm not gonna lie and say that I'm never buying fabric again...however I am being more careful about what I add to the collection. The shirtings will get made either this summer or in the early fall.

It was a fabulous weekend full of friendship, love of fabric and all things sewing. I'm so grateful I was able to attend and highly encourage every sewist who can to attend an event like this...or make one happen in your area.

...as always more later!

The Embellished Shirtdress - A Denim Vogue 2090

I chose to make this pattern again in denim during my Sewcation because I really want to own as many denim dresses as I can.  They are easy to wear, fit in with my work environment and my lifestyle.  Dressing them up or down, wearing them out with friends or to work, makes them a very desirable garment for me.

This version is made from a midweight denim that works for cooler spring days and will transition from summer to fall days. I will probably only get one or two wears out of it before it gets really hot here but I'm good with that. 

Supply List ~
Denim is from Stylemaker Fabrics and is the last of the 10 yards I purchased from them.
Navy/White Gingham scraps from Fabric Mart
5/8" Goldish Buttons from Pacific Trimmings
Jeans Gold Gutterman Thread for topstitching

Construction ~
The embellishment for this dress is the topstitching done in the jeans gold thread. All of the seams are topstitched - some with a double twin needle and some seams like the collar and the front button bands are sewn with single seams of topstitching.

I also added a small pocket on the front of the dress which is different from the original pattern which has faux pocket flaps. I probably would have used the pocket flap but I couldn't find the pattern piece so I had to make my own pocket piece.

To make the pocket pop and to coordinate with the collar stand, I cut a 5"x5" square from the blue & white gingham. I used a quilting square to get a good square, then I serged the ends twice. I thought about rolling the hems of the square but wasn't that invested in the process. Serging twice allowed me to cover the edges adequately and looks good on the square folded in the pocket.

The side, back and shoulder seams have a faux flat fell seam finish. Seams sewn normally, pressed open, pressed to the side and topstitched using a twin needle. The twin needle size I used is a 6.0mm size 100 universal from Klasse'. 

This version has short sleeves too. The hems were topstitched with a twin needle using the jeans gold colored thread. The dress hem was topstitched singly merging into the button band seam lines.

BTW, I never put a buttonhole on the collar stand. I don't button it closed and I hate trying to get a buttonhole to work in that area...so I just leave it off. Sometimes I will add a button to the collar stand to continue the style, but for this dress I didn't.

Some pictures of the dress ~

Conclusion ~
This was a TNT sew and since the fit issues were worked out it left my mind free to work on the creative aspects of the dress. I really like the fit through the shoulders and bustline and how loose it is from the waistline down. If you noticed in the photos, this was a little wrinkled because I've already worn it to work. It passed the wearability test with flying colors.

At the end of my Sewcation, I thought I would probably make one or two more. However, now that I'm back to work and thinking about what else I want to wear this summer, these two will probably be the only ones I make this year. I own so many patterns, both new & old, as well as TNT, that I want to go on some other creative journeys.

BTW, if you Google "Vogue 2090" there are still some copies of this pattern available on the internet. It's a great wardrobe pattern and if you like those Vogue designer patterns from the 90s, then this one would be a great addition to your pattern stash.

The last dress from the Sewcation is McCalls 7470...it will be up on the blog soon!

...as always more later!

The Embellished Shirtdress Series - Printed Linen Vogue 2090

Halfway through my Sewcation I got overwhelmed.  The Sewcation started with two garments that were less than thrilling and nothing was working the way I planned. When Butterick 6333 was a sewing fail it kinda blew up my sewcation plan. I had to figure out what to do next...so I literally slept most of Wednesday. It didn't hurt that I had to deal with a plumbing problem that will require redoing my second bathroom faster than I wanted to...yeah, glad I have fabric to sew from in the meantime!

I've found when I'm having sewing challenges, pivot towards a TNT pattern. It helps me move past the blockage because it's easy sewing (all those fit issues have been worked out) and it allows me to just dream and sew.  Since Vogue 2090 was out, I decided to move in that direction.

After I decided what pattern to use, the hunt was on for fabric...and when I say hunt I mean hunt. Since I was operating off plan, I had to go through the fabric shelves to find new pieces. I knew I wanted linen and a floral. After going through a few shelves of printed fabrics, I decided on this blue/purple floral.

Supply List ~ 
The linen was purchased last summer during one of Fabric Mart's end of summer sales. I added a large white rick rack from the notions stash. I've had it so long I have no idea where I purchased it. The white mother of pearl buttons are also from the button stash. The interfacing is the last of the Fashion Supply Interfacing stash.

Since this is a TNT sew there are no pattern alterations or new construction information. I added the white rick rack on the collar and on the hem of the sleeve for embellishment.

A few pictures ~

Conclusion ~
This is just the first of the shirtdresses that I made using this pattern. I wanted to add a bunch of these to my wardrobe this summer because they are loose-fitting and perfect for the hot, humid days that are to come. This pattern along with M7470 will fulfill my shirtdress needs.  

I'm calling this "The Embellished Shirtdress" series.  Each dress has a different type of trim or embroidery on it and why I've named it The Embellished Shirtdress Series.

Next up is a denim version of Vogue 2090.

...as always more later!

Simplicity 8612 Wrap Skirt - Shorter Length

I knew when I made the first S8612 wrap skirt in the longer length that I would be making the shorter version too. So this version is made exactly as the first one except for one change I made to the pattern. I made separate pattern pieces for the right and left fronts.   

(wearing my birthday present necklace - thanks Marce!)

The right front is a size 34 and the left is a size 26. I wanted the underlap to cover my entire body when I sat down. It spreads a little too much on the longer version. But since the longer version has extra fabric it covers me when I sit down.

For this one, the length is just under my knees. I added one inch to the hemline of the pattern to lengthen it. I also made the ties differently than the pattern instructions. 

As I stated in the last post, the ties were a b*tch to turn. So for these ties, I pressed the seam allowance flat. For the end of the tie, I pressed it down in both directions, then cut diagonally across to remove the excess fabric, so the tie end would lay flat. Besides the length it's the only change I made. Then I stitched the tie flat all the way around before following the pattern instructions to attach it to the skirt.

The fabric for this make is a denim looking fabric I purchased from Fabric Mart's brick and mortar store during Sew Camp in March 2017. As an aside this is the third piece I've used from that purchase.

A Few Pics ~

Conclusion ~
Originally I was going to wear this with the Montrose Top but the two pieces just didn't work well together. So I went with plan B.  I wore it my white TNT sleeveless shirt.  I know it's basically the same look as the longer skirt but hey if it ain't broke why fix it. 

This is my favorite of the two skirts probably because I used a lighter weight fabric and the shorter length. I also like the way it wraps better.

I won't be using this pattern again this season.  Too many other things to sew and fabric to use.

...as always more later!

  

Simplicity 8612 Wrap Skirt & A TNT Shirt

When I was at Sew Camp LaQuana was making this Simplicity wrap skirt and I was intrigued. After she posted it to her blog, I was even more intrigued. See I'm trying to be open to new styles I wouldn't typically wear now that my lifestyle has changed.

So when I told Gaylen I was thinking about the pattern she picked it up for me from the craft store when they were having a sale on Simplicity patterns. 

But Imma be honest - I'm not the sewist that gets excited about a new pattern. Y'all know I love me a TNT...however, I own so many patterns and every now and then desire a new pattern so I need to get over it. Cause this was supposed to be a simple sew...

Supply List ~
* A midweight patterned denim from Fabric Mart purchased during my December 2016 trip there - as an aside I've used four pieces from that trip!
* Fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply

Pattern Alterations ~
I didn't make any alterations.  I made a straight 26 out of the envelope.

Construction ~  
I made the longer version of this skirt first and I've probably used a heavier weight denim than recommended on the pattern envelope. I really liked the pattern on the denim and I think it turned out okay. 

So a few things:
1. I hated the way the ties are assembled.  They are really long and hard to turn. No matter what trick I tried I had to suck it up and pull them through. Thank goodness I was binge watching Scandal...

2. I don't know if it's me or my body but the overlap didn't work completely. It separates underneath when I sit down.  Not enough to make my bare legs show but enough that it annoyed me. It doesn't separate or open when I walk probably because I made the longer version first.

3. So for the shorter version, I made a right and left overlap with the right one being bigger so it would cover all of me when I sit.

4. The buttonhole is definitely tricky if you don't think it through. Since my machine makes automatic buttonholes, I chose a button that was the size of the end of the tie. I used it in the buttonhole foot to make a buttonhole and it worked perfectly.

5. Also I didn't use the markings on the pattern piece to determine where to put the buttonhole opening. I put the skirt on my body and chose a point. I also topstitched the waistband and the ties.

6. For the waistline, I used the longest pattern piece for waistband available. I knew it was too long but it was easier to cut off the unused portion than have to worry about fitting the skirt. This is cheating I know but hey it works so I went with it.

7. When wearing this I've tied the ties really tightly and added a safety pin to the back to hold the ties together.  I wanted to insure that the two pieces don't separate and provides some piece of mind to me.

A few pictures ~

My TNT Shirt ~
A. The shirt is from my TNT pattern and a navy handkerchief linen from the collection by way of Fabric Mart. 

B. It uses most of the same construction techniques as in this shirt, however, I didn't burrito method the yoke. 

C. I stitched the yoke to the back seam and pressed the shoulder seam allowance flat.  Then topstitched it down on the shoulder seams. 

D. The other thing to note is that for the collar stand I doubled the navy blue handkerchief linen on one side because the inside piece of fabric I chose was a cotton sateen floral print. The print was showing through on just one piece of the linen.

E. Because I doubled the fabric, I did not add interfacing. The cotton sateen plus the doubled fabric give the undercollar enough stability.

The buttons and bias binding are from Pacific Trimmings. I made a special trip to pick up some shirt buttons because they have them in every color imaginable. It was important that the buttons matched the fabric so that it will be wearable with other things in my wardrobe including this skirt.

Conclusion ~
I really like this skirt and the construction.  There is a simplier version of this pattern on the Butterick website. However, I believe the addition of the side panels on this pattern makes it a superior choice. 

I haven't made alot of skirts for spring/summer in the last couple of years. I've concentrated on casual dresses for work but now that I have a good basic wardrobe, I want to add in some other pieces.

This outfit is the first one in my spring/summer sewing series - say that three times fast! I've made a list and it includes a few indie patterns, some Big4 and a couple of repeats from last year. I'm pretty excited about the list of things I want to create this spring/summer.  I completed this skirt and shirt prior to my sewcation. However, since I just wanted to sew during my sewcation, this is the first chance I've had to take pictures of all my recent makes. 

The short version of this skirt is up next on the blog.

...as always more later!

My Cashmerette Montrose Top

Originally I made this top to go with the shorter Simplicity wrap skirt which is coming to the blog soon.  After completing the top and trying it on with the skirt, I just looked like a big ole box.  Not the look I was going for.  When I put it on with a pair of jeans and a camisole it worked. The problem is that I don't wear jeans in the summer...AT...ALL!

Supply Info ~
2 yards of lace embroidered fabric from Metro Textiles purchased in 2014
1/4 yard of lace from the collection
1/4" purchased bias binding
1/8" white ribbon

Construction Info ~
For this Montrose top, I cut a size 24 right out of the envelope. I made two changes to the pattern.  One - I shortened the top at the lengthen/shorten lines. It's because I want it to hit the top of my skirt(s).  The second change was to the sleeves. I no longer just have fat biceps, I have fat upper arms.  So I used the wide bicep sleeve and instead of cutting it as the pattern suggests, I straightened the sleeve down to the elbow length line on both sides.

(Used the dark background to adequately showcase the fabric)

I used a size 70 needle to sew this top. The straight stitch foot and plate on my sewing machine and a very small stitch so that I was laying more thread in the seamlines.  This was necessary due to all of the lace in the fabric.

Since the fabric was so delicate and sheer, I added 1/8" ribbon trim to some of the openings. It just struck me that the fabric was sheerer than I wanted it to be.  Of course I didn't have any ribbon trim on hand so I had to make a Michaels run to purchase some. BTW I HATE that! LOL! I'm pretty anal about having all of my supplies together before starting a project.

Adding the ribbon took time because I had to thread it through all the openings and that got boring quickly...so I added days to the construction of this essentially very easy to sew top. While the top pattern comes with a binding pattern piece, I used purchased double fold bias tape that was 1/4" wide. As an aside, this is from the collection and has a date of 1986 on it. Dayum that's old!

The sleeves were cut from a separate piece of lace from the collection that I honestly have no idea where it's from since I've cut on it before. It will go back on the shelves to wait it's turn to be an accent on a future garment since there is about a yard and a half left.

BTW, I didn't use the back loop and button closing. Gaylen made a version of this and when we were talking about it, she said she could put hers on without it...so I left it off too. She was right...my neckline ended up being very deep and the top slips on and off easily.

The final aspect of the project was to add the lace that bound the fabric to the hem of the top. Again a fiddly piece that took time but adds so much to the top. I think the finished project was worth all of the extra effort though.

A few pics ~

Wearing the top with a linen skirt that I made 

almost two decades ago!

Conclusion ~
I liked this top especially after I paired it with the right bottom. I will be adding more of these to my wardrobe because as usual Cashmerette Patterns fit all of my wardrobe needs.

Up next on the blog will be the Simplicity Wrap Skirts.

...as always more later!