A Bold Floral Maxi

It's hot here.  It's August and we've recently gone through several heat waves.  August in the Mid-Atlantic states mean heat, humidity and high temperatures. With that in mind, I made the Lafayette 148 V-Neck Maxidress again.

Now even though I'm working from home, I still get dressed for Zoom meetings and for trips to the grocery store.  Plus I'm a little more nonchalant and slouchy at home with easy to throw on pieces getting the most wear. This is why I repeated this maxidress. It's comfortable, easy to wear and perfect for the heat!

I went deepstash for this one. The floral rayon fabric is from GStreet Fabrics in Rockville, MD. It's about 9 years old and it's from the last time I went to a GStreet Fabrics. I think this was in the first incarnation of the store and while it had nice fabric, it was not like the original GStreet of old. It was part of a fabric road-trip with Shams & Peggy in April 2011.

This piece of fabric was on the expensive side for me at the time - $12-15 a yard. I bought 4 yards of it. The tag only had GStreet Fabrics on it and the yardage. I remember loving it so much I just couldn't leave it. Otherwise everything else from that trip was from the $2.97 tables.

I used the pattern pieces that I'd altered with the changes described in my original Lafayette 148 knock off post.

The notions for this version are:

24" white invisible zipper

Design Plus Bias Fusible Stay Tape

Self made bias binding

The things I changed on this make:

o Made bias tape from the fabric scraps to bind the armholes

o Added stay tape to keep the neckline stable

o Omitted the neckline facings and used the self made bias binding instead

o There are no pockets in this one either

How the way the fabric drapes and moves makes this a favorite look!

The best thing about sewing repeats is that it's just about the sewing. I don't have to worry about fit or if pattern pieces go together because they do. I've already made it!

These photos were taken by my daughter too. Normally she travels in a group but today only one 9 year old little girl came with her. Of course she got in on the pictures too...

I have a couple more pieces to share before the month is out so they will be coming to the blog soon.

...as always more later!

 

An Embroidered Sleeve Shirt

I don't normally sew shirts in the summer because it's too dayum hot to be wearing a lot of layers.  But work from home Carolyn, sits in air conditioning every day...plus the sewing cave is extra cold what with air conditioning and being underground.

Some days I grab a shirt and a pair of leggings to work in. The other day I had to run an errand during the middle of the day, so I grabbed the QVC Denim Shirt and my white denim leggings to wear. When I got home I wore them for the rest of the day and they were perfect for the Zoom meeting I had later that afternoon.

So when I saw this tunic on JJill, I knew I owned a piece of embroidered shirting to reproduce it.

Actually I only used the sleeve idea from the tunic, matching it with the pattern pieces I used on the QVC denim shirt. I wanted more of a shirt than a loose tunic. There are no construction changes for this one. 

The challenge was to use my fabric to it's best advantage to make the shirt I saw in my head. I've had this piece from Chic Fabrics for a minute (longer than a year but not more than two). I've pulled it out multiple times to use but the fabric and idea never worked well together. So back in the fabric collection it would go. Pattern placement was the key to making this shirt work.

Supply List ~

3 yards of embroidered striped shirting from Chic Fabrics

10 white buttons from Nancy's Notions in PA

Interfacing from Steinlauf & Stoeller

20" of 1/4" elastic from the notions collection

The best thing about this supply list is that everything was already in the sewing cave. Yeah, I'm throwing in that justification for my overstuffed sewing cave every chance I can get! *LOL* Believe me I'm not complaining because all of this stuff was comforting and allowed me to sew when we were quarantined.

A Few Pictures ~

While this is a comfortable and easy shirt to wear, the polyester in it makes it more a three season shirt than four. I was definitely warm taking pictures outside today. However, it does fit perfectly in my shirt wardrobe and will be worn at home or when the weather cools a little.

I love how by just changing the pattern pieces from my TNT shirt pattern that I've got a really cute shirt to wear. This is how I like to sew. It's the perfect example of what I meant in my previous post.  Expect to see more of this type of sewing!

...as always more later!

 

A Stripey Linen Maxi Dress

I knew I was going to make a couple more versions of Simplicity 8888 when I made the first one.  However, I thought the next one would be a solid version but me being me I went with a stripe. Why? Because I wanted to manipulate the stripes on the bodice...

Fabric journeys enthrall me. I love how if you cut the fabric on the bias or the cross grain it gives the fabric and the final garment a totally different look. So I love taking those journeys...and that's what this dress is all about. I mean besides the comfort and ease of wearing factor the dress provides.

Supplies ~
o  3 yards of a striped linen purchased from Fabric Mart - from the collection purchased in the last five years

o  22" orange invisible zipper from the notions collection

o  Remnant of orange bias binding for the armholes

Construction Techniques ~
This dress is all about manipulating the stripes. I really wanted to make them meet at the center front and then chevron through the side front and back panels. Well it didn't exactly meet at the front seam but it does seem to work in a weird way.

I cut the center front, front and back sides on the bias.  The center back is cut on the straight grain. I didn't want to deal with putting a zipper into a wavy back.

However, in the pictures of the back of the dress, it seems as if those side back pieces are poufing out a bit as I move around. Honestly I don't care and no one but a sewist would probably notice but "truth in sewing" here, folks! *LOL* If I realized they hung that way I probably would have done something different during construction.

The other thing to note is because I used mostly bias pieces for the top and the waist seam is heavy (full of gathering) I added some twill tape to stabilize that seam. I didn't want it growing and causing the dress to hang funny.

The inseam pockets were omitted from this version, not enough fabric to cut them out. All of the fabric in the skirt seemed to make the side slits featured in the pattern unnecessary.

Otherwise the construction is the same as the original Simplicity dress.

A Few Pictures ~ 

This one seems fuller with the drapier fabric than the original one does. Even though I was contemplating a solid version, I'm packing this pattern away for now. Two journeys with this pattern seems enough. 

When I took these pictures this morning at 9:30am, it was already hot and humid outside. With the amount of fabric in this dress, as well as the weight of the fabric, this is NOT a hot & humid kinda day dress. But 100 degree days don't happen much in the spring or late summer so it will be perfect then. 

I made this dress back in late April/early May when I thought I would be going back to the office this summer. Because of that it hasn't been worn except for these pictures and it probably won't be until next spring. I'm wearing the throw on dresses, Katie tops, Myosotis dresses and wide legged pants that work with my stay at home style since I won't be going back to NYC until the fall.

I've been pulling fabric to match with maxi dress patterns. Although I'm falling back on a couple of TNT patterns for my next two maxi dresses. I finally broke down and bought a 6 yard piece of fabric and just like I thought, I'd moved on by the time it arrived. Since I'm home there hasn't been a lot of fabric purchasing going on BUT a lot of digging in the fabric collection.

My sewjo is back. I'm sewing so more garments soon!


...as always more later!

Quarantine Week 10 - Thursday

Well it's Thursday again and it's my 10th Thursday in Quarantine.  Yeah I'm not calling it staying at home anymore...this is Quarantine! *LOL*  Though the news is starting to get better in the NJ/NY/CT area, however, not well enough to allow things to go back to "normal."  However, I don't even know what that means anymore...

Anyway, it's also the start of Memorial Day weekend and I'm on vacation until next Wednesday.  Yes, even though I'm working from home, we've been encouraged to take vacation days so here I am.

Since I'm not an outdoors kinda girl, opening the beaches means nothing to me...although weather wise it's gonna be cool for most of the weekend and a little rainy...but I guess if you're stir crazy at home...it is an alternative. Me, I'm going to sleep later, read some and sew some. I don't have any specific sewing plans. I'm going to let the fabric talk to me. 

In the meantime...

I've been working on another version of Simplicity 8888, using a striped linen from the collection.

It's almost finished - just needs facings. So pictures probably early next week due to weather.

And, do you listen to the Love To Sew Podcast?  This week's podcast is called Sew Inspired about who inspire sewists.  Helen and Caroline share the sewists that inspire them then they list sewists who have been inspired by other sewists.  That was a lot of sewists, smile! 

I'm thrilled to have been mentioned by my fellow sewists. There's also a link to the podcast I did with Helen and Caroline in October 2018. Since we have time on our hands, maybe have a listen. This is the 146th podcast and there are so many interesting small business sewists and sewing figures in the community that have been interviewed. Not to mention podcasts about sewing techniques and fabrics. So go, have a listen, enjoy!

Me...I'm going to be finishing up this dress and working on a couple more garments. If you're in the US, I hope you enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and stay safe out there! 


...as always more later!

Starting with Simplicity 8888

We're going to have to start saying "Before Coronvirus" and "After Coronvirus" so BC2020 and AD2020 as abbreviations. BC2020 I bought several maxi dress patterns...actually probably some of the last Big4 patterns I purchased...and will purchase for awhile.  I've got issues with the pattern companies but we all know that so moving on...

I purchased this pattern last summer because I liked the bodice and it's front opening, the side gathers and the zipper in the back. It wasn't until I actually got the pattern home that I realized the center front and center back pieces are one long piece and the side front and back pieces are separate pieces. So the pattern sat while I wrapped my mind around the construction.

Then seasons changed and it got placed back in the uncut pattern piles which seem to litter my sewing cave. Another reason I'm not buying any new patterns. However, in the time of Corona, I seem to have an abundance of time to sew. I've also finally admitted to myself that it will be summer when I'm allowed back in public, so I'm sewing summer.

I pulled this pattern out of a pile after making 45+ buttonholes and sewing on the same number of buttons. I was so ready to sew another type of opening. However after choosing a fabric to go with this pattern, I found myself taking the "Pattern Hacking" on the envelope cover literally. Because my dress only uses the bodice and facing pieces...

Going my own way was necessary because of my fabric choice...

Supply List ~
4 yards of a medium weight border print cotton jacquard from Fabric Mart
22" white invisible zipper
Interfacing from Steinlauf & Stoeller

Pattern Alterations ~
-  This is where I deviated from the pattern instructions because I always saw the entire bodice as separate from the skirt.
-  So I cut the center front and back pieces off matching them to the side pieces.
-  Then instead of using the pattern pieces for the skirt, I cut two 45" wide pieces.
-  The back piece was cut in half so I could insert the zipper
-  The front piece was left the entire width which is different from the pattern instructions

Construction ~
This dress was all about using the border print to the best advantage. I made a couple of changes to the construction of the dress and I'm going to list them below.  However, please feel free to skip over this. I'm documenting it here so when I make this dress again, I can review what I did. 

1.  Shoulder Seams
I should have made this alteration first but of course I noticed it when I tried it on.  So I sewed the princess seams 1" wide until about 4" down the princess seams for both the front and back seams.

2.  Center Front Bodice
I made a change to the center front because the opening was way too low.  I made an mark on the pattern 7.5" from the top of the bodice, after measuring the front piece against my body.

3. Skirt
Since I cut the front skirt pattern as one piece instead of the three pieces the pattern suggests, I had to start the gathering in a different place.  I used the center front side seams as my guide to start the gathering. My end place was 1" before the side seam. I did the exact thing with the two back pieces.

4. Side Slits
I omitted both slits. I didn't want to interrupt the flow of the border print on the bottom of the dress. Though when I make this again I will use at least one side slit...two is a little too much for me now.

One more thing - I will need to remember to add the pockets before sewing the bodice to the skirt. I didn't this time and it was a challenge to add them back in later.

Now A Few Pictures ~

This version is a little looser in the bodice than I wanted. The fabric makes this dress and while its a little stiffer, it works. I will take in the side seams for the next one.  I also want to make it in a drapier fabric so it will have a better hang. So of course I've already picked out fabric to try this again...sooner or later.

Next up on the blog is a cardigan and shirt. While I'm sewing for summer, I'm realistic enough to know that there will be cool days when I will want to wear my white jeans. Plus after six maxi dresses...I'm ready for something else. That's whats next on the blog...


...as always more later!

A Little Housekeeping...

This post is about housekeeping because there's some new readers and some that are back after an absence. Hey we all seem to have a little more quality time these days...

I just wanted to remind you of a few things ~

1. If you sign in as "Unknown" or "Anonymous" would you kindly sign your name at the end of your response to a post. It's helpful because if you have a question, I know who I'm addressing. Also, as general principle I don't answer questions from unknown or anonymous posters because I don't know who I'm speaking to.

2. When posting a question, please re-read my blog post to insure I haven't already answered your question. Many times the question asked is already in the post. I typically don't answer those questions because I've already given you the answer.

3. If you ask a question that isn't in the post, I will reply. Sometimes I've forgotten something or you think of something new.  I try to respond promptly but don't forget about time changes especially if you're not in the US.

4. I've written over 2000 blog posts. If you're interested in a topic, I've probably already written about it.  Kindly check titles in the side bar under Blog Index - there is a link to everything I've written about it. Say you're interested in "Shirts" or a "Specific Pattern Number" just click the link and it will take you to ALL of the blog posts I've tagged with that title or pattern number.  Kindly check that before asking me to write about a topic, especially if you're new.

5. Like I said, I've been writing this blog for 15 years. I've pretty much discussed everything and then some. However, if you still can't find what you're looking for in the blog index, try the search box in the upper left above my logo, pictured below. Type a sentence or a couple of words and everything related to that will show up as a search.

6.  One more reminder that if you read my blog through a blog reader and leave a comment, it may be weeks before I see it, especially now that I'm home bound. I primarily respond to comments and questions left on my blog through blogger. I may see your comment on one of the readers long after you've written it but I don't respond to comments there. Just wanted to remind everyone because I checked into bloglovin' a few days ago and noticed comments on the bottom of a few posts.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who visits, reads, links to and especially takes the time to leave a comment! I read every one of them because they're precious to me. I truly appreciate the interaction, the conversations, some of the suggestions (okay keeping it real LOL!) and the fact that you return time and again to read. It lets me know that I'm not just pontificating out into the ether.

One last thing, I haven't written about politics or the handling of the virus because honestly I just can't handle it. I live in the epicenter of the virus and the day to day of surviving here takes about everything I have. I can say I'm preparing for the worse in November. I'm no longer surprised by the hate, avarice, ignorance, lack of compassion and understanding, religious intolerance and prejudice displayed by my fellow Americans. What will be, will be and we will either reap what is sown or benefit from the benevolence.

A new dress post will be up next.

...as always more later!

Before after and already...

I made McCalls 7385 in August 2016 after I'd lost 35 lbs., started a new job and was getting used to a new dress code.  It was a wonderful maxi dress, comfortable, easy to wear and maybe I was a tad overdressed, but I loved wearing it. Last summer I gained back all of the weight I lost and it became to hard to zip up. 

At first I was going to put it in the donation pile. After some thought I decided to recycle the zipper and the skirt portion. The bodice was tossed. I was having a Myosotis moment and decided the skirt could be used for another one.

I pulled out some leftover white linen (I love my fabric collection!) and cut a bodice, a collar, undercollar and short sleeves. Then I put the pieces in my cut pile. Somehow, it got lost under the other garments in the pile. I found it recently when I was moving things around in the Sewing Cave.  Since I was on another Myosotis riff, I thought now was the perfect time to finish it off.

However, as I constructed the dress, I made some changes to it. 
o  The collar, undercollar and short sleeves were omitted. 
o  To finish off the neckline, I turned it down 1/2" and topstitched it flat. 
Now I fully admit this was lazy. 
o  I was doing some somersaults in my head on how to make a bias binding facing that would clean finish the neckline. 
o  I decided I wasn't sewing couture so this was good enough. 
o  The armholes are bound with white bias binding from the notions collection.

Supplies Used ~
1 yard white linen
2 yards white bias binding 
3 5/8" white mother of pearl buttons
Interfacing from Farmhouse Fabrics 

Everything was already in the sewing cave. It just needed to be rounded up and used. May I say yet again how much I love my fabric & notion collections!

A Few Pictures ~

It's not perfect but it's good enough. I can wear it this summer plus I've recycled a piece and added it back to my wardrobe. 

I feel like I'm finally adjusting to this #sewstayhome situation. I've stopped working against my natural body rhythms and just going with the flow with everything. It's made it easier to get through my days and it's put my sewing into prospective...which I've been doing more of lately.

The grandkids were here with their Mother and there's only so 

much social distancing you can do with little people!

Another dress comes to the blog next...

...as always more later!

A Black & White Maxi Shirtdress

As I stated before my cut pile is doing nothing for me right now...nothing!  I found when I pulled some different fabrics and started using them my sewjo came back. This fabric was one of the ones that sparked joy...

This linen/cotton blend was purchased from Fabric Mart's online store last year or the year before. I don't remember but it was a recent purchase because it's in the new fabric piles. 

I was really excited to work with this fabric because the maxi shirt dress I envisioned would be different from the print, chambray/denim and stripe fabrics I've previously used. I thought I had enough fabric until I laid it out. And then the angst began because it's shorter than I expected meaning I had to change to my vision. I HATE when that happens!

Supply List ~
3 yards black/white cotton/linen print from Fabric Mart
.5 yard black cotton shirting
1.5 yard black bias binding remnant
12 5/8" black & white buttons from the collection
Interfacing from Steinlauf & Stoeller and Farmhouse Fabrics

Design and Construction ~
Initially I made the decision to make the collar, undercollar, and front facing from black shirting. I wanted to emphasize the black in the print. However, I was short on fabric for sleeves. At first I cut the sleeves using half print fabric/half black shirting but when I put the bodice on the dressform, I realized that they wouldn't work for me.

I really liked it sleeveless.  Since I'm planning to wear it this summer, sleeveless will work so I went with black binding for the armholes.

Not having enough print fabric for pockets, I cut them out in the black shirting. However, when it came time to sew the skirt together, I omitted them.  I'm not really a pocket person, so won't miss them.  I add them to the dresses as they speak to me. This one wasn't speaking loudly.

I always add the interfacing to the bodice of the dresses. When I was making the skirt bodice with a separate button band, I didn't add interfacing because I turned the band three times. More than enough fabric to hold and stabilize a buttonhole right? On my last three makes, I've interfaced the skirt just once - this time. For the cotton sateen the fabric was more than stable enough, the chambray was a toss-up and I went without.  But this linen/cotton was too light and unstable not to interface the front band.

A couple of other design decisions...
I topstitched the collar and undercollar in white thread to tie the look together.

I added some red coloring (sharpie marker after performing a wash test) to several of the flowers on the dress, just because I thought there should be a little red in in it. I like the occasional flashes of red when the dress moves.

After those decisions, it was a simple sew since I've made this so many times before.  Though I can tell you that I'm done sewing buttonholes and buttons for a while.

A Few Pictures ~

I love the drape and flow of this one. It's definitely unlike the previous ones. I have one more to share but I've already moved on. Another maxi dress will be coming to the blog soon since I've made six in total.


...as always more later!

Seven Weeks In...

It's Thursday again so it's time for a check-in and an update especially since this is the last day of April.  

Let's start with garments made ~

I've made five dresses.  Three have been blogged. The last two will probably be photographed this weekend because it's supposed to be sunny and warm all weekend. So blog posts next week.

My sewjo came roaring back and I made five versions of my hacked Myosotis dress.

This is what's I'm working on now ~

It's almost finished and may be completed in time to be photographed this weekend too. I hope so. That way I can clear the decks off because I have 3-4 more maxidresses I want to make, as well as a cardigan and shirt from my cut pile. 

Fabric In/Out Update ~
I was relatively good this month. I bought 15 yards of fabric supporting three online fabric stores - StyleMaker Fabrics, Sewing Studio and Fabric Mart.

My out total was 103 yards.  This number included my three latest dresses. Then I gave 90 yards to a sewing friend. She's relatively new to sewing and has no real stash.  All of the fabric stores here in NJ are closed. She was bemoaning that fact so we did a virtual tour. She picked some pieces out and drove over to pick them up while we practiced social distancing. 

Now y'all have seen photos of the fabric collection so it didn't really matter that she got serious yardage. I'm just happy she's going to be able to sew for awhile because here in NJ we still have no open date.

This makes my year in/out totals:
Fabric In: 36.5
Fabric Out: 138.5

Coronavirus Update ~
It's the end of April and I'm trying to stay positive and remain hopeful. I'm believing that we've turned a corner and are getting close to the end of this. I know things won't be the way they were before and that we're headed into a new "normal."  

I also realize that I'm lucky to have a job where I can work from home and still get paid. My heart goes out to those who have lost their jobs, have not yet received their stimulus checks or unemployment money.  I know these are challenging times for you.

I also mourn with anyone who has lost family members to this vicious disease. We've had several deaths of elderly family members too.  Some of my Mother's contemporaries, so this has been hard on her. It's sad that older people who are still living vibrant lives will no longer be with us to share their knowledge, be a bridge between the generations, and share love.

If you live in a state where the virus is not as prevalent, I would hope that you would say a prayer and have some compassion for those of us in states still going through. It's very surreal and believe me we want to go back to work as much as some of you do too. However, I'm thrilled that my Governor and the Governors in surrounding states are taking their time. I DON'T want to have to go through this again!

As I said previously, new makes are coming to the blog next week. Next week which is MAY! Next week which will begin my eighth week of quarantine...

...as always more later!