Remnants

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes! They were all really and truly appreciated!

~Closet Clean-out

Here is an outfit that I made like 8-9 years ago.

I bought 10 yards of the rayon challis from Fabric.com for $1 a yard. The outfit consists of a blouse, a straight lined skirt and a long lined flare skirt...all the pieces were made from TNT patterns. I also had a RTW light blue sweater that went with the pieces.

It's been pulled from the closet because I tried it on this weekend and it's just barely fitting...it also looks real '80ish so into the Goodwill bag it goes. Reluctantly, but it does free up two hangers and a little more space in the closet so that's a good thing!

~Questions and Answers

I promised to do this last weekend then got caught up in a political rant so here are the answers to questions found in the last few posts:

Vintage Ebay Post

Adrienne asked, "Is the sizing different on vintage patterns than on the ones being made now?"

I really don't know. I do know that the sizing is smaller than it is in today's patterns but how it relates to me is anyone's guess. I have started working on the bodice of my vintage Simplicity dress and I've added quite a bit to the waistline to make it fit me...but again that could just be me! So if someone with more experience sewing vintage patterns wants to leave a comment about this, please feel free to do so!

Both Myra & Debbief asked, "What pattern number is it?"

It's Simplicity 5891 and the copyright date is 1966!!!

The Vintage Experiment - Part 1

Linda asked, "Am I going to use the new vintage patterns as is or morph them using my TNT patterns?"

It depends on what the pattern is. Some patterns I bought just for their design details not caring what size it came in...like the pattern I used for my Easter Suit. And some like the Simplicity pattern Sharon sent me, I am going to use as is. Use will definitely be determined on a case-by-case basis!

Anna asked, "How does it fasten up? Does the pattern include an underslip?"

It has a zipper in the back and no there isn't an underslip included. Since my final fabric is the white/black toile, I was planning on underlining all of the pieces except for the sleeves and the tie.

New Look 6779

Faye asked, "Did you use an invisible zipper?

Nope. I am probably one of the few sewists that is not converted to the invisible zipper look. Or maybe I'm just too lazy to perfect this technique...who knows? It's just a center back zipper inserted into the dress.

June Capsule Contest

Carol asked, "What accessory are you making?"

I am making a necklace...I found the perfect one that I want to copy in this month's InStyle.

~Do you wear what you sew?

Dana, who blogs as "Lean Mean Sewing Machine" wrote a post about this showing what she wore for a week. Now I started out good...meaning I took a picture of what I wore the first day and then I would come home and forget all about taking a picture, or get out of my clothes before my photographer showed up home, etc. Finally, I realized that there was a better way to do this. See sometime during the weekend I take some time and pick out the garments I am going to wear the following week based on my work calendar. I iron them and include accessories so that I just need to pull an outfit off the closet wall in the morning...making my morning get dressed time about 30-40 minutes. Since I am starting out so early in the morning, I attempt to stay in bed as long as possible! *LOL*

So this is what I'm wearing this week:

1. Michael Kors knock-off red/black linen dress, completed Summer '07 with black RTW sweater.

2. Pink Chanel knock-off dress, completed Spring '07

3. Black/White v-neck cotton dress with RTW white sweater, completed Summer '07

4. New NL 6779 - blue/white cotton sateen dress

5. White linen blouse (TNT Burda-Summer '03), RTW white cotton knit tank, black/white floral print cotton pique skirt (TNT McCalls skirt - Summer '03).

Kristy, whose blog is called, "Lower Your Presser Foot" has spent this last week posting daily about her work outfits. Go over and check out what she wore! I'm inspired to sew more suits after seeing her garments!

~June Capsule Contest

Today is June 1st so the sewing can begin for this contest. I have my plan and I know that I will refine it during the sewing process. Already I'm being influenced by some of the mini wardrobe entries that were submitted for the PR contest. It is really intriguing to me how well planned some of these are...I mean I knew I could get 4 outfits from the 4 pieces but some sewists have gotten 5 and one even got 6 outfits! Now that is some serious planning and it's making me rethink my jacket component!

~The Great Coat Sew-Along

First, I am amazed at how many people are participating in this!!! Second, I have to admit that I haven't given my coat much thought except to search some internet fabric sites for fabric because I don't own any coating fabric. I do know what pattern I'm using - Vogue 7978, View D:

I do know that I want a black, knee-length coat and that's all I know! *LOL* I will probably post all of my sewing information regarding the coat on my blog so that I can keep track of my progress and have my notes for future coat making projects...

Finally, if you've gotten this far...thanks! Thanks for reading my ramblings faithfully, thanks for leaving wonderful and thoughtful comments...even when you don't agree with me! And thanks for including me in your enjoyment of this fiberly pursuit...

Brown is the new Black

My 4 piece capsule for the JCC Contest is of course for my work wardrobe - do I sew for any other reason?! And since we can't use black in the collection, I went with my next color choice ~ BROWN! I so wanted to use color in my wardrobe choices, and went through several gyrations but reality set in and I realized that color and prints are best used in small bursts for my work wardrobe.

The base fabric is a rayon/linen blend in a color called Treebark from Fabric Mart. I will make a jacket, skirt and pants (which won't be entered into the contest) from this fabric.

The brown leaf print is a linen from Textile Studios. As you can see, it coordinates perfectly with the treebark fabric. I will use this to make a variation of my TNT dress. Yes, I'm back to TNT patterns cause that New Look one scarred me! *LOL*

Brown/tan silk charmeuse from Fabric Mart - this is a remnant piece which was used to line a jacket that sadly remains unfinished...but I will get to it come fall! This will be a kewl and breezy tank to go with the jacket and skirt!

This is my collection:

Jacket
A trendy little number that will be finalized after the dress is done. I want it to work with the dress so I've got three choices - the winner will be determined by which one works best with the dress.

Dress
The "star" of the collection - TNT dress pattern with a twist

Skirt
TNT straight lined skirt

Tank
SW Mission Tank reporting back for duty

Yes, I know there's a lot of TNT patterns here but I want to play, not fit! And I'm going to be working on my Vintage Bow-Tie Dress while sewing up the collection, and there will be plenty of fit opportunities there!

Shew...now that's the decided I can start sewing this weekend!!!!

New Look 6779 - Finished

First a picture so you can see me wearing it:

Now let the complaining begin! ROTFLOL! First to all my plus size sistahs...don't be fooled this ain't no plus size pattern! I would say that this is probably a RTW size 16!!!! So it took a lot to make it fit my bodacious body.

Second ~ never look at a skinny woman wearing a simple dress and think that you are going to fit your rotund body into the same pattern without a lot of effort!!!!

Okay with that off my chest, let me tell you how I spent my day...coughing, swearing and making it work!

Pattern: New Look 6779:

You know I never realized that there is no pattern description on the back of the pattern envelope...how chinzy is that?! I started with View D's neckline, used the pattern piece for the longer dress body and added my own sleeve version.

Fabric:

Cotton/lycra sateen blend from Nancy's Notions & a white sueded linen/cotton blend from Metro Textiles; leftover white cotton batiste also purchased from Metro Textiles.

Notions:

22" zipper

Construction Details:

Folks I made a new dress. When I say that the pattern was inspiration ~ believe me it was inspiration only!!

I cut the dress out using the largest size but I altered the back pattern piece first by adding 1.5 inches to the back skirt and back yoke pieces and not cutting them on the center fold. I wanted a center back seam to add a zipper to the dress. The front skirt piece was altered by using the pivot and slide method, adding an additional 2" at the waist and hips - which btw could have been more!

You saw the picture I took earlier of the yoke/bodice and the dress bottom. Well at that point the zipper was already in the dress, so I wasn't taking that puppy out! Instead to fix the issue with the yoke, I removed the 5/8" seam allowance, then sewed a new shoulder seam using a 7/8" seam and the yoke seamline hit me in a much better place.

Since I opted to self-line the yoke instead of using the facings that were provided, I did the same thing to these pattern pieces. Then I used the facing pattern piece for guidance marking the neckline to achieve the v in the yoke neckline. The lining was sewn in, understitched and clipped (carefully!), then I hand stitched it to the dress body.

After all of this, the back neckline still gaped! So I added two 3 inch darts to the back neckline so that it would lay flat.

Sleeves:

I added a short sleeve with a band instead of the cap sleeve or the 3/4" sleeve pictured on the envelope. Of course, the sleeve pattern flat measured 15-16 inches. So I had to alter the sleeve pattern by first cutting off the sleeve at the double line that you use to alter the pattern for length. Then I sliced the pattern 1/2" from the cap to the hem of the sleeve, adding 2.5 inches to the sleeve pattern.

To add the band I cut a 5" length of the dress fabric and sewed it to the sleeve hem. Folded 5/8" down on the unfinished edge and pressed. Then folded the band in half and pressed again. The sleeve was serge finished and then sewn together. Finally the sleeve band was machine stitched to finish it off!

Dress body - there is the minimumest seam allowance possible in this dress. And I sewed it twice to make sure that the thread doesn't give way at an inopportune time...I could have added a little more to the abdomen area of the dress...but since it is a special time of the month for me, I am believing that later on it will fit better! *LOL* I can always hope, right?! There is a 1/2" machine stitched hem.

You can see more pics and poses in my Flickr Album - Dresses 2008. I won't wear this dress this week - not because I don't like it but because it's "Black Week" at work!!! We have important meetings with outside visitors so it's ultra-professional, ultra-conservative this week. I have officially declared next week, "Color Week" and will wear the dress then.

In closing, this, this is why I use TNT patterns! *LOL* I probably could have gotten the same results, quicker if I had just altered and used my TNT dress pattern! Even though I ended up with a pretty and wearable dress, I'm not sure I would make this pattern again!

New Look 6779

I bought this pattern back in March because I was so thrilled to see a New Look pattern that went up to a size 22! Especially since the majority of the patterns in the New Look catalog stop at a size 16/18. So this pattern has been hanging out waiting for "real" spring weather to come.

After seeing Sheila's wonderful interpretation of this dress and realizing that I did not possess the frame of mind to do extensive pattern alterations to the Vintage Bow Tie Dress, because I am still suffering the leftover affects of a vicious cold, I pulled this one out to use.

Of course, after reading the instructions and remembering that there is no back zipper in this dress...then changing around the construction details and finally making all of the alterations to fit this dress...I probably could have worked on the vintage one! However, I still believe that there is a lot more work in getting the fit perfect in that dress than this one.

Also, after spending quite a bit of time trying to pick patterns and fabrics for my June Capsule wardrobe and realizing that this piece of fabric wasn't going to make the cut, I decided just to sew this quick and easy dress up and then work on the Vintage dress later.

Well, all of those assumptions were wrong...just wrong...first problem...

The white linen's seamline ended in an area of my bust line that cut me in half and really made me look like a stuffed sausage in the dress. Then the side seams had to be altered because there wasn't enough ease in the dress. So this afternoon I am altering, altering the dress...because I refuse to end up with a wadder! I love this piece of fabric and I WILL make it work!

So more later on the saga, of the easy dress ~ New Look 6779!!!!

Thank you for your point of view!

Let me state up front...one - I DO NOT believe that if you vote for or desire HRC to be President that you are a racist! Do I believe that Hilary and Bill will play that card to get people to vote for them...YES!


Second - yes, I do believe that sexism is alive and well in America...just like racism in all forms is, anti-semiticism is, hatred of fat people is, hatred of anything that is different from the so-called norm...and that all groups of people experience some kind of disconnect with "The Norm" of society.


Third - these are my views...just my views stated on MY blog! Agree, disagree but your words will not change the hurt and anger I feel for a woman whom I use to admire (voted for in her 1st Senatorial campaign in New York and voted for her husband in both general elections), who whether she meant to or not used a word that can be construed as a call to arms for a segment of society that very few seem to publicly acknowledge that they belong to.


Fourth - I have to dispute the charge that Obama missteps are overlooked by the media and HRC. There have been days and days of coverage of Rev. Wright, bittergate, Michelle Obama's comments and quite a few articles about Obama's youth. The media has jumped on ANYTHING on all sides of this political drama.


Fifth - Only 1 Kennedy member has come forth to back HRC. Not RFK's widow, Ethel, not any of the other Kennedy family members. So this was truly a low blow and, if, as fervent HRC supporters you choose to forgive that, it is your right. I, however, do not!


Sixth - If Obama were losing the nomination and still dragging himself around from primary to primary HRC would be the loudest person calling for him to exit the stage. It is only natural. However, I believe that he would have more grace and civility than she is showing and would exit the campaign. I believe that he would consider what was best for the party rather than what was best for himself...knowing that if he truly wants to become President there would be another opportunity...i.e. John McCain.


My final point and then I really am going back to sewing posts, is that we women who do not like or want to vote for HRC aren't voting for her because she's a woman, it's because she's NOT THE RIGHT WOMAN! She doesn't uplift the values of ALL women - white or whatever your ethnicity may be...she doesn't make a SAHM or a working woman feel as valued as "herself"...she doesn't stand for something and STAND for it! She is all over the place with what she wants or whatever crowd she's speaking too...she does not exude grace, kindness, civility, caring...but selfishness, vainness and opportunity. And yes the standards are higher for her than a white man...just like they are higher for a black man/woman or a hispanic man/woman or a Jewish man/woman, etc...that is just a fact of life in this United States! If she really wanted ALL women to join behind her...she would STAND! Just stand for what she truly believed in, opened her heart and shared with others instead of just being another political animal. HRC turns so many more people off than she does on...and if she does somehow find a way to win the Democratic nomination...I guarantee that a Republican will be President in the fall!


*and all capitalized words are for emphasis not shouting!!!


Now back to our regular sewing channel...

If you don't like politics step away from my blog

This is my sewing blog, but this is the only place that I can have my say and today I'm having it!

I use to really admire Hilary Clinton. I thought she was an amazing woman who really cared about all Americans...but today I no longer believe that! Today I believe that she is a selfish woman who will stop at nothing to win a nomination that she can't possibly win...

Today I believe that she is the same as other undercover Americans who don't like black people because of the color of our skin. Today I believe that she deliberately uses words that will incite other people's fears and racist tendencies...Today I believe she has crossed a line that can NOT be reversed...

Now why am I so incensed and sorrowful today, because she said this in an interview,

"Asked if her continuing fight for the nomination against Senator Obama hurts the Democratic party, Sen. Hillary Clinton replied, "I don't. Because again, I've been around long enough. You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know, I just don't understand it. You know, there's lots of speculation about why it is."
referenced here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24797758/

Now for those of you who don't know, were too young to know, or don't remember, the assassination or Robert F. Kennedy threw the United States into total turmoil! It occurred EXACTLY 8 weeks after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated! The following Democratic National Convention was disrupted by protesters and the party was in total disarray! I was 10 years old and remember vividly the horrors of the protesting, rioting, shootings and total chaos that my country was in!

And now, NOW this woman has uttered these words...WHAT THE HELL IS SHE THINKING! Is winning that important to her that she is now issuing code words to a segment of our population, so that the UNTHINKABLE can occur yet again? Does she believe that she can be the "White Knight" charging into the chaos to save the day? She is always talking about the past and learning from the past...ummm what possible lesson can be learned from this...

In 1968 we stood at the brink, the very brink of total dissolution of our nation...and that's how a 10 year old saw it!

So to all of you Hilary Clinton supporters out there, please ask yourself is this what you really want from a leader?! Someone who will say and do anything to win a nomination!? Someone who will willingly throw our country and the electoral process into chaos to win? Someone who willingly plays on people's fears and hatreds? Is this who you want as President?

Because right now she is making George Bush look like a saint! And I voted for this family 2 times...2 times! I am sobbing writing this. I love my country! I love the idea of this country! I love that you can come here and be anything you want! I love that I can have my say and not have to worry that someone will come and arrest me! I love that the intrinsic values of justice and honor are written into our constitution!

But my heart is so heavy now...because a marching call has been issued...a call to arms...because one person wants to win at any cost...as I step away from my keyboard with a feeling of dread and despair...I have one question for Hilary supporters..."Doesn't this just offend everything that you believe in for our nation?!"

I am a fabricaholic!

I'm a fabricaholic...

I like nothing better than roaming through fabric internet sites, finding a great piece of fabric that will make an amazing garment or finding an awesome sale on a piece that I've been secretly coveting. I like coming home and finding a new package containing fabric hopes and dreams...something that continues to inspire me to create.

I like strolling through the stores in the garment district, touching pieces, looking at the vibrant colors and sometimes even digging in piles or standing on tip toes to reach that special piece that has caught my eye.

I am a fabricaholic..
And because of this condition, I have an enormous collection of fabric...so much that it has overflowed my walk-in closet and now resides in containers and boxes in my living room and bedroom...yet still I look at, look for and dream of wonderous fabrics...


I am a fabricaholic...
Tonight, I realized the extent of my condition as I went through one bin in my bedroom. I was looking for my latest linen purchases to pull together fabrics for my June Capsule Wardrobe. I pulled piece after wonderful piece from the bin...and as I matched one fabric with another, marveling at how they coordinated...luxurating in their touch...imagining the amazing garments that could be made from them, I realized...


I am a fabricaholic...
Now the fabric that was piled so effortlessly in twos and threes, shining so brightly in my bedroom's light made me realize that laying right there on my queen size bed was more than enough fabric for me to sew 3-4 months straight...but only if I was no longer employed! And I stumbled there...took a step back...and stopped to pause...because

I am a fabricaholic....
Now my condition does not adversely affect my household. My bills are paid. I contribute to my savings account monthly. My children do not want. And I even give to those in need...I also fully realize that my fabric buying in large part is due to stress buying...because in the back of my head I know that I will never be able to use the amazing fabric collection that I have amassed any time soon...if ever. Yet I continue to collect because...

I am a fabricaholic...

Okay so now that I've gotten that off my chest...I have two possibilities for my June Capsule Collection...and as soon as I've made up my mind which to use, I will post pics and pattern details...

And yeah, I'm a fabricaholic but hey...everyone has some condition...this is just mine! *LOL* ...and I promise answers to questions asked in the comments section over the weekend!

May = Fall???

In today's mail was my June issue of Harper's Bazaar...

Now normally I love Bazaar because they do this great series of how to wear the latest styles for your age...however, can someone tell me when the end of May/beginning of June equalled Fall? People, the pages of the magazine are predominantly filled with "Pre-Fall" clothes...are you kidding me?

We haven't had our first 90 degree day yet? We haven't had a heat wave yet? I haven't experienced my "What the h*ll was she thinking wearing white pants with a polka dot thong" moment! I haven't longed for a kewl rain to wash the heat away yet? And most importantly, I haven't even begun to wear my summer wardrobe...and the magazines are telling me it's fall!

Ooops, excuse me...pre-fall! Yeah, okay, right! And that's why clothing isn't selling and you are marking it way down!

Next...
I've had the worse cold since Saturday and the most that I've done to my vintage dress is adjust the bodice front. Do you know how torturous it is to be home and unable to sew because you just can't drag yourself to your machines? Yeah, so if you know the feeling you know how I've felt for the last few days...but I managed to d-r-a-g myself to work!

So I have no news on the vintage dress front...and no news on the June Capsule Contest front...and no news on the Great Coat Sew-Along front...all I've got is the question,

May = Fall???

The Vintage Experiment - Part 1

I have decided that I want to make a wearable muslin of the Simplicity bow-tie dress before committing to my black & white cotton toile fabric. So the fabric is in the dryer and the pattern pieces have been checked to make sure that I have all of them.

Sometime this afternoon I will clean off my cutting table which somehow manages to collect a week's worth of mail, fabric, discarded clothing, etc. so that I can begin the fitting and cutting out process.

I have noticed a few things about the pattern already. First, it has seam allowances...for those of you who sewed before multi-sized patterns, do you remember those? Its like meeting an old friend, again! The pattern pieces have a lot of darts in them to get that close fit that is a part of the look. Some of these will be omitted in my version of the dress...I think I'm going more for a "fitted" version rather than the "close-fitted" version that is on the pattern cover.

My fabric choice is the black seersucker that I got from Metro Textiles. Why? Because I had a lot of it and if I add some white accents it will be perfect for work. Also, if my first version doesn't work, there is plenty left to re-work the idea.

I don't know if I will get the dress finished this weekend...but I've got it started and a 3-day weekend for Memorial Day next week! So the vintage experiment begins...

Vintage Ebay

I spent several hours Saturday on Ebay looking at Vintage Patterns. I found this store, "Linda's Sew Be It" which was chock full of all kinds of vintage patterns, and I was in love. I think I bought another 5 or 6 patterns and I have just won two more auctions! But people I'm done now...truly I am...because all of the time spent on Ebay has inspired me.

It solved a quandry that I was struggling with but had no answer to. See I love a lot of the new styles being shown by all of the pattern companies...but they lack a sense of style, an elegance, a sophistication that I want to bring to my work wardrobe. Now this is not to say that I haven't purchased a few of these patterns but it is not the direction that I want to take my sewing in...especially since I sew primarily for my work wardrobe.

If you look at patterns and wardrobes of women in the 50's and 60's they had a femininity to them that I think is lacking in many of today's patterns/wardrobes. There was a care taken with dressing, an elegance and a love of the woman's shape, that is not apparent to me today. Now there seems to be an emphasis on body parts...too much in my humble opinion and it just seems that a graciousness is lacking...and that sensibility is what I want to bring to my work wardrobe.

I want to wear suites of jewelry (earrings, necklace & bracelet or pin that all match) with my suit or jacket/dress combination or dress alone. I want to look sophisticated and well put together yet effortlessly like I just rolled out of bed looking that gorgeous! *LOL* And the pattern details that I found in the vintage patterns on Ebay have inspired me...

It inspired me so much that I am calling my spring/summer sewing, "The Summer of Sophisticated Dressing!" I found seam, fabric and notion details on vintage patterns that take a simple sheath dress to another level. I have inserted pictures of them throughout this post. These are the details that will appear in my summer dresses.

Then this arrived in the mail today:

Sent to me by my friend Sharon, author of the blog, "Adventures from the Sewing Studio." This is the perfect dress for the black/white toile fabric. This pattern combines two looks that so define the face that I want to present to the world this summer! And....it is in a size 20! Be still my heart...not a lot of grading up, not a lot of figuring out how to make it work...just a lot of making it work for my figure! *LOL*

So Sharon thank you so much for sending me the perfect pattern to start my sewing quest for "Sophisticated Dressing"!!! Somehow I will incorporate this look into my pieces for the June Capsule Contest and my "no-plan" sewing for Summer! Stop laughing y'all...this is just parameters...a direction to aim in...not actual planning! *smile*

Why we blog?

Connie who blogs under the name of Couturesmith wrote a very interesting post yesterday called, "Just Procrastinating" However, her title does not elude to what piqued my interest...these sentences did:

"Instead I find myself ruminating about readership and comments. Silly yes- I mean, I maintain this blog for strictly personal reasons, (and my own delusions of grandeur of course!) I know that I could never spend the amount of time or energy needed to garner a large corner of the sewing/crafting blogdom."

She goes on to tell a story about another blog and the number of readers on it. And her post made me reflect on why I blog...What is the purpose? And why am I so obsessed (yes I said it!) with the number of visitors, from where and the comments that are left!

Then it hit me - that I blog to have an ongoing conversation with like-minded souls in the blogosphere. I can ramble on about what I love to do and others can read or not read - its their choice…however it gives me a platform to share my sewing dreams, aspirations, garments and thoughts on sewing.

So its like a virtual sewing circle and my blog allows me to have my turn to say what I'm thinking during the course of the conversation. As with all things, you may or may not agree with me...you may think I'm a nut (*LOL*) but you politely read and leave shaking your head...or you comment because you agree or have another point of view (which I love btw because it continues the conversation) and sometimes you are really kind and you gush excitedly about something I'm sewing or I've made or a new sewing toy or adventure I'm taking.

However, all of it just makes me feel like a part of this wonderful sewing community and I enjoy the moment I get to "Have my Say!"

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who celebrate!

It's Been a Long Week...

and I'm really tired...

and I'm gonna do something I rarely do on my blog...I am going to talk about current events...

First...I found some tickets to the Alicia Keys concert when she will be performing in Newark, NJ! I am talking to my daughter and realize that D*MN I can't buy the tickets! Why?! Because we are seeing the play, Thurgood with Laurence Fishbourne the same day....can you hear my disappointment where you are...there is a lot of sighing going on over here!

Next...what the heck is this all about!

Can someone explain this to me!?! I have been buggin' off this one all week...I mean I like Wildin' Out, think Nick is a nice guy, and love Mariah's music but Nick & Mariah...I am speechless...moving on...

Ummmm...I am sooooo ready for the Democratic Primaries to be over. I have waited as long as I could before adding something to my sidebar about my choice for the next President of the United States...but since I can "obviously do the math" and realize that Hilary just can't pull it off (even though she was not my choice for President!), I just want her to exit the stage gracefully and SOON!

I love "Dancing with the Stars!" and Mario was so robbed! C'mon Marissa is in the semi-finals...people puhleeze!!!!

And can someone please tell me what the H*ll is going on with Lost! I AM Lost! When are they getting off the friggin' island???

Finally and I'm going to bed after this one...On American Idol, Syesha is safe and in the top three! I have to admit that I have been using 2 cellphones and my work blackberry (shush!) to vote for 2 hours straight to keep this girl (who can sing) in the competition! I truly believe that its my time and effort that has kept her in it! *LOL* She made me cry last week when she sang, "A Change is Gonna Come!"

And if you missed it...here she is...and thank goodness no one agreed with Randy!

I promise back to sewing tomorrow...

Ebay is a very, very evil place

and could possibly get me fired! *LOL*

Okay so Myra innocently sent me off to the evil land of bidding and "buy nows" to look for a 50's shirtwaist dress pattern. Ebay novice and innocent that I am, I search Ebay for the item number that she provided...at work...people, what was I thinking! Was I trying to lose my paying gig?! The source of my fabric enhancement...'cause I was on that danged site for almost two hours! Two hours!!!! Thank God I started when everyone headed out to lunch because that place is like quicksand it just snares you in and then starts to suffocate you with the goods.

So do I find 50's shirtwaist dresses...ummm can we say that I "Buy Now" bought two patterns and bid on two more...What the h*ll do I need four plus size 50's shirtwaist dress patterns for?! But that's what I think now, earlier today was a different story...when the seducing evil that is Ebay invaded my mind and showed me the possibilities of what's out there...at that time I was thinking, ooohhhh good vintage pattern instructions, uncut factory folded pattern pieces, a detail from this pattern could be added to my final garment, look at how the pleats fall on that pattern...do you see where I'm going here?!

I caught it...Ebay fever!!!!

So all evening I have been checking "My Ebay" to make sure that someone hasn't undercut me and outbid me on my two patterns because now....I've just got to have them!

And that my dear friends is why Ebay is EVIL!










p.s. I will let you know if I win them and show you pictures of the "Buy Now" patterns when they arrive! I can see the shirtwaist dress now and it's just a matter of time and the post office delivery system on it getting made...but Ebay really is evil!!!! *LOL*

I've been tagged

...and I'm only playing along since Shannon (my girlfriend of the cloth) tagged me...otherwise, I would definitely be playing dumb and dumber...ROTFLOL! Okay, it was funny to me!

Here's the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.

2. Open to page 123

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

I am presently reading, "Whitethorn Woods" by Maeve Binchy....

"But I had invited Wes and George to stay. That had to be sorted out. Was there any hope that they'd let us stay on our own?"

and take it away, Cidell, Debbie Cook, Adrienne, Kristy and Cennetta!

Play, don't play but don't let it be said that I'm a party pooper...

I just can't help myself

Yesterday I was at work 12 hours (and that does not include the trip into and out of NYC)...tomorrow I will be at work another 12 hours...and today I went fabric shopping at lunchtime because, well, because I was having a rotten, stinkin' day and one of my friends wrote an email about some great fabric that they had gotten at Metro Textiles...

So you know what happened next, right? Yeah, I went and I came home with this:

3 yards of a wonderful, silky cotton that matches an amazing piece of a coral linen/cotton blend that's already in my fabric collection and looks so good with this... I also bought a piece of white linen (not pictured) for my June Capsule Wardrobe...

This matelaise is for my dress for Mother's Day - it will be used just for accent pieces but whoa what accents - more about the dress this weekend!

However, I was thrilled to get out of Kashi's with an attitude adjustment, without going too deeply into debt and without acquiring an entirely new wing to my fabric collection. As one of my friends said, "That man is dangerous!" *LOL*

So I'm headed back to the A train, I round the corner onto 8th Avenue, walk past the Dunkin' Donuts and realize that I'm right in front of Ebads Fabrics. Before I knew about Kashi & Metro Textiles, I bought almost every piece of linen that I sewed with from my friend Nabil, Ebads owner. I thought I would just duck in real quick, say "hi!" and see what linens he had...I hate to tell you this folks but his linen prices are even better than Kashi's!!!

I didn't get any linen...I got this:

It is a very lightweight, sheer, cotton toile and right away it told me that it wants to be a 50's style shirtdress. So if anyone knows of a great pattern for a plus size chick, please share. Vintage, non-vintage, new or indy, I am willing to consider it! Because if Ethel Mertz could wear one of those shirtwaist dresses...by dang, I think I can too!

So now I'm home...I've got fabric dreams, wonderful, awesome things I want to sew...I just need some time! But isn't that the cry of most of us sewists....

Tie One On

I am really having a love affair with bow ties and bow tie blouses...

This fabric was on Emmaonesock's site last week for about a minute...literally...it was there the day I bought some and gone the next...you can't snooze on that site, 'cause if you do, you lose!!!

I purchased the rayon deconstructed fabric to make another SW Mission Tank with a tie:

The only difference in construction of this tank was that I left the armhole edges, the hem and the tie edges serge finished. It just works with the deconstructed fabric so I let it be.

Originally I saw the tank in this outfit:

Black cardigan made from OOP Burda 8869,

TNT pants from a vanilla microfiber (all made several years ago)

and the new tank

But then I tried this RTW sweater on with it and love this version too:

Finally, I realized that I haven't shown one picture of me in the tank with a bottom by itself, so here I am, bodacious armflaps and all!

And to further the cause of the bow tie look, I purchased two new patterns from Lanetz Living with the bow tie look. One is for inspiration. I love how much information is contained in the instruction sheets. And one is to make "as is" and add to my work wardrobe.

So I'm "Tie-ing One On" for my first May project!

June Capsule Contest

I've just entered the June Capsule Contest at Stitchers Guild. Elizabeth (ejvc) has challenged us to make a 4 piece capsule - no black allowed!

These are the rules:

The contest will run June 1 - June 30.

1. The capsule will consist of four garments and one accessory (purse, belt, headband, jewellery, etc). One of the garments must be a top, one must be a bottom, all the tops must co-ordinate with all the bottoms and the accessory must co-ordinate with them all.

2. One of the items can be purchased and one can be made before June.

3. All the other items must be sewn, knitted, crafted etc during June.

4. Twist: no black items.

5. Everyone who tells me they want to enter the contest and makes at least one item can vote on the winner.

6. At the end of the contest people can send me photos and I'll post them in sets on Flickr. We should have four photos - one showing all the garments (composite or hanging or whatever) and three of the wearer modelling the items. No flat photos of the clothes please.

There is a prize involved but honestly I'm not joining the contest for the prize! It will be fun to sew some pieces that will work together and that I can plan - yeap, I said it folks, plan out! My mind is churning and I'm already thinking of what to make! Oh, how I love to sew a wardrobe!!! And this works in with my crazy lifestyle...I usually turn out at least 4 garments a month and this gives my sewing a little direction...and I get to plan...yeah, I think I mentioned that already! *LOL*

A Brief Bit...

For someone who thinks about sewing all the time, I really have nothing to say today. However, I stumbled across this picture in the June issue of Lucky magazine...

and thought of this...

Guess I'm right on top of this trend...

And that was your brief bit for today...

More this weekend...

Photos...

Here are the photos of the finished garments...

First up - all the pieces made during the sewing vaca:

Here is a picture of me in the Vogue 8209 jacket and the TNT pants

A close-up of the jacket front....

The twinset worn with a TNT 4-gore skirt that's been in the wardrobe for a couple of years - actually its a skirt from my SWAP 2006 collection!

And one more shot of the dress (Butterick 5179) - that is growing on me! *LOL*

All in all it was several restful days off! I am sorry that I missed my friends in Chicago but I did sleep late, eat well, watch some of that expensive cable I pay for and spent days enjoying my hobby!

Sara Campbell on QVC

I heard about Sara Campbell on Stitchers Guild by one of the posters, Redhead. She provided a link to the Sara Campbell website and I was enthralled. This is the type of clothing that I need everyday and on Sundays! A few of her designs were placed in my inspiration folder and I thought nothing of it until last Saturday when I saw an announcement on QVC that she would have an hour show on Sunday.

Of course, I spent an hour with Sara and QVC while I finished up my Vogue Jacket yesterday evening. She didn't disappoint, showing quality, wearable, chic pieces during her hour...and as you might expect several of her pieces sold out. During the course of the hour she showed two dresses - one your basic u-neck, sleeveless dress with an a-line skirt and this amazing short sleeve floral dress made from cotton lawn...you know I'm now on the hunt for a great cotton lawn...something that doesn't look like a little girl's dress.

However, it was her basic sleeveless dress that inspired my next project - Butterick 5147. I have been looking for just the right piece of fabric to make the jacket in this pattern, 'cause believe it or not I have nothing spectacular for spring...fall/winter probably but not for spring! Anyway, as I watched the show I realized that the SC dress was similar to the Butterick one and I have several pieces of fabric that would make up perfectly in this dress.

So a simple basic dress from a nice silk/linen blend is up next! See, I am trying to sew with patterns other than my TNT patterns!!!

Transitional Sewing - Vogue 8209

I don't know about anyone else but the weather here in the Northeast has been schizophrenic...warm and breezy in the low 80s one day and cloudy, cool and overcast in the 50s - two days later! It makes sewing a bit of a crap shoot especially since I am one of those sewists who wants to wear what she makes right away!

So I started off sewing spring dresses because the weather was so warm and now I'm a little lost. Okay let me back up and explain, I have been on vacation since Wednesday. I was suppose to go to Chicago with a few friends to fabric shop this weekend, but things happen and I was unable to make the trip. However, I still have vacation days so I'm home sewing. But with a difference, usually when I schedule a sewing vaca, I have a plan. Since I am going with the "no plan" sewing this season, I am winging it...I don't think I'm winging it well! *LOL* And the weather is not cooperating either!

I primarily sew on the weekends and during the last few weekends I have started and stopped on a couple of things. Those unfinished garments ended being piled up on my sewing table. So after making the dress, I decided to finish a few of these off...I mean they are perfectly good pieces, I just ran a little short of time and attention span. I should be able to pick up these pieces, see the vision and finish them, right? Yeah, okay...if you say so.

The twinset was easy. The vision for it was still fresh in my mind but some of the other pieces...made me dredge back into the recesses of my brain to find the "original" version and for some enthusiasm for them...I know that this has happened to someone other than me! I am getting a real good understanding of how you can end up with a bunch of UFO's, but I digress.

Saturday afternoon I pulled out the jacket that I cut out from Vogue 8209. The fabric was purchased from Timmel Fabrics and it was a blend in chocolate and pink pinstripes. Now I made the pants two weeks ago. They have been hanging on my closet door waiting for its mate. I've made the jacket before so this should be a breeze to sew right! Not!

From the closet, I pull the suit I made last summer from this pattern to study it. And that's as far as I got...see its an unlined jacket and in last year's jacket I added bias binding to all of the seams. It gave it a great finish. The search began to see if I had bias binding for this version...I finally decided on a black bias binding since there was also a very light black pinstripe running through the fabric!

Can I state here again that I now have a wonderful understanding of how you end up with UFO's!

But I preservered and this is what I ended up with:

Stats:

Fabric:

Chocolate & pink pinstripe blend from Timmel Fabrics

Pattern:

Vogue 8209 for the jacket - version A with the length of version B

Pants - TNT pattern

I really like this jacket pattern. I like where the darts are in the jacket which gives it definition so that it isn't shaped like a block. I love the sleeve detailing! My only issue with it for a transitional garment is that it doesn't have any buttons to close the jacket. This isn't a problem for a summer garment but I'm hoping I won't have any issues with it when I wear it to work on Tuesday!

Yes, that's right! I have one more day off from work and I'm thinking about going out to the movies and to lunch...because it's suppose to be a rainy, cold day here and the non-planning is just not working for me! *LOL* I now only have two items laying on my cutting table that are cut out and not sewn...I am making progress! So we shall see what tomorrow brings!

Oh, and I promise pictures of me actually wearing the latest finished garments tomorrow! I promise!

One more TNT twinset!

I just finished reading the book, "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs and these words really spoke to my creative soul,

"...but there was something so significant about being able to make a gorgeous item of clothing from almost raw materials. It gave her a feeling of her own power, to make something practical and beautiful just by using her own skill and creativity. It inspired her."

I am inspired by many things when sewing and a good pattern that yields wonderful results is on the top of my list...so after trying something new, I RAN not WALKED back to my TNT patterns to make this twinset...

The tie-neck tank was finished last weekend and it has been patiently waiting for its cover, so I obliged it.

I did change the cardigan up a little bit.

~ I omitted the front band and added 2 inches to the front and back neckline and hems.

~ Then I interfaced the curve and simply folded it to the back.

~ I made a curved front instead of the usual square.

~ And I added twinstitching to the front and back neckline.

~ The sleeves were hemmed at bracelet length.

...Just a few things to change up a basic outfit. Two cute pieces that will work wonderfully in my early spring transitional wardrobe. Pics of me tomorrow...it's nighttime and I just don't feel like changing out of my pjs! *LOL*

Since I have a few days to sew (I have Monday off) I am going to try and finish up several garments that are in various stages of construction hanging around my sewing area. The cardigan was just the first. Hopefully I can clear a few more out this weekend!

One last thing...

The 2008 Timmel SWAP contestants wardrobes are up! Please surf by and take a look at the amazing wardrobes these women have created! And even though I didn't participate this year, I want to give a shout-out to Julie for all of her hard work! She organizes, encourages, sews and then posts all the pictures and texts for the participants on her site. She is a true champion of home sewing!

Back to the sewing machine!!!!

Butterick 5179

I am pretty much the Queen of TNT Patterns. I work my TNT patterns so hard that I bet some of you think I never sew from new patterns...well that is just not the case! Sometimes fashion changes just enough that if I want to be "in" I have to set the TNT aside and work on something new.

So I present to you my version of Butterick 5179:

This is one of Butterick's new spring/summer releases. I purchased this pattern because last summer I saw a woman walking down 57th Street wearing a sleeveless version of this dress. I wanted that dress bad! Even though several of the pattern companies offered this dress in a sleeveless version, the Butterick pattern caught my eye because it had a short sleeve, which I thought would work better for me.

Some stats

Fabric:

A crinkled lightweight, border print linen purchased from Textile Studio.

Lining - white 100% cotton batiste from Metro Textiles.

Notions:

22" beige zipper, fusi-knit interfacing, rayon seam tape

Pattern alterations

*Body of the dress

~Added 3" to the length of the dress - Tres Bon Babble (Bonnie) made this dress and noted that the dress was a little short. So I added extra length to the pattern, thinking that I could always cut it off later if the dress proved to be too long.

~I used the pivot and slide method on the front piece to add approximately 3" to the waist and hip area of the dress.

~Added an additional 5/8" to the back seam tapering from the waistline down to the hemline. Even though the pattern states the finished width at the lower edge of the size 22 dress is 57.5 inches wide, I knew that I wanted the body of the dress to be at least 60 inches around to give it a more flowy feel.

*Sleeve

~After I flat measured the pattern, I decided to add one inch to the width of the sleeve.

~I added an additional 1.5 inches to the bottom of the sleeve. For me, the sleeves were just a little too short and would not be flattering to my bodacious arms.

~I also added a 3 inch band to the sleeve - again to give the sleeve more length but also to bring part of the border print up higher in the dress. This border was attached to the hem of the sleeve, then folded in half. Finally I stitched it flat.

Construction:

I have to admit that I don't read pattern instructions anymore. Probably because I am usually making the same thing over and over again. This time, however, I had to follow the instructions pretty closely since it was the first time I was using this pattern.

The most important thing to note, is that I used a border print for this dress. So the pieces were laid on the cross grain of the fabric. This allowed me to use the border most advantageously. When I originally thought about making this dress, I wanted the yoke to be made from the border also, but I didn't have enough fabric left over to execute that idea. And I think not having enough fabric to cut the yoke from the border print made the dress look plainer than I wanted it to.

So I added a thin soutache trim to the neckline and the sleeve bands to bring some more definition to the top of the dress. I also added a flowery-type pin to the neckline again to give more life to the top of the dress.

I am sure you're wondering what that little brown piece is on the back neckline. Have you ever had a facing piece come up just a smidgeon short? Yeah, me too. So this was my solution ~ to add a piece of the rayon seam binding to the end...most of the time no one will ever know ~ unless of course you are sharing photos on the internet! *smile* Now this shouldn't have happened because the interfacing was block fused to the fabric prior to cutting out the facing pieces but things happen and I had to "Make it Work!"

I cut out a lining for the front and back pieces only from the cotton batiste. The fashion fabric while pretty was lightweight and a tad sheer so to give the dress a little oomph for early cooler spring days and to prevent everyone from seeing through the dress, (not a pretty sight let me assure you! LOL!!!) I lined it. I didn't think it was necessary to line the sleeves, however, and the lining is attached to the dress at the yoke line and at the armholes.

After inserting the lining, I sewed the yoke to the dress. I arranged the gatherings on the dress front and back and then pinned the yoke piece to the dress, as the pattern dictates. Next I basted the yoke and dress pieces together. Finally I took the entire piece to the sewing machine where I placed the gathered side down on the sewing machine and sewed the pieces together. A good press caused the gathers to lay very flat.

This is the point where you put the zipper in. I have to admit that I prefer to put a zipper into flat pieces rather than an almost finished dress. Because of this I chose to put the zipper in by hand so that I could better control its application.

Finally I hemmed the lining and then after adding rayon hem tape to the bottom of the dress, I hemmed it. Another good pressing and it was done.

This is the first pattern I've made from scratch in awhile so it took me a little longer than usual to complete. Also, I had to go back and add some embellishments to take away from the "housedress" look that the dress had when I originally finished it.

I have to say that the finished dress is only okay in my book. It is not fantastic. It is not "Wow!" It is just okay. But that's fine because it's the first time that I used the pattern and I'm still getting acquainted with it. I will make the dress again using a different type of fabric, something a little bolder and making sure that the hem and yoke are sewn from contrasting fabrics to give some definition to the dress. I may even experiment with a three quarter sleeve...

Will I wear the dress...sure. It kind of grows on you! And my photographer, DD #3 did say that it looked way better on with make-up and shoes than it did on the hanger. This particular version of the dress will not be a star in my wardrobe, but it's a good starting point and a reason to make other versions to explore the pattern's possibilities.

Now to my questions for today...Has this ever happened to you? Have you had high hopes for a pattern and fabric combination and it just wasn't what you expected when you finished it? Did you knock the pattern? Did you question your abilities? Or did you realize that on any given day, what you see in your mind and what comes out of your sewing machine might not match up? Talk back to me!

More pictures of the construction process can be found in my Flickr album. I am off to work on a TNT cardigan! *LOL*