I'm calling it! It's over! I'm moving on!

Good bye summer sewing...

I didn't plan this, but it's been the summer of the skirt! After I spent a day (late spring) trudging in sweltering heat and swimming through the humidity, capris and shorts were not working for me! Fabric sticking to skin is not stylish on me, IMO. These skirt were super easy to make, they don't require much fabric, and they can be finished in an hour or two.

In the tops and bottoms category there are 2 items that were not necessarily outfitted the most, they were just great for me!: the Sunset Seagulls Tank & the Impressionist Pencil Skirt. This skirt ranks highest overall, the print is so versatile, casual or dressy. It's not clingy and wades through humidity quite nicely.

Here's the breakdown:

7 Skirts:
Zebra pencil skirt (worn 5 times)
Vintage zebra pencil skirtt (worn 1 time)
Impressionist pencil skirt (worn 3 times)
Turkish delight pencil skirt (worn 1 time)
Navy tropical skirt (worn 3 times)  Thought I did a post but it's the same pattern as the zebra pencil skirt.
Stretch linen pleated skirt (worn 1 time)
Vintage A+ skirt (worn 1 time)

4 Tops
Sunset seagulls tank (worn 3 times)
Vacay Flutter Tank (worn 2 times)
Vacay Tulle Fountain Tank (worn 2 times)
Sweet Ruffle Wrap blouse (worn 1 time)

1 Apron
Zebra, Toile, Batik Oh my! Apron & here.(worn 2 times)

3 Pants (Transition ready!)
Minnie Penny Pant 3
A Little Bit Skinny Penny Pant 2
Skinny Penny Pant 1

2 DIY Upgrade
Liberty Floral Daze Cardigan (worn 2 times)
Black Lattice Belt (worn 1 time)

Well, now that I look back, I didn't reach my goal, so far as the number, of dresses sewn. What really slowed me down, was not having/finding the right fabric for the pattern. I could have squeezed in another solid/cotton brocade. But I'm very happy that I achieved different goal of adding color and prints to my wardrobe. Finally! I think the solid dress and the print neutrals will be most wearable for next year, for sure, we will have to see about the others.

As you can tell there's a certain shape and form that just works for me. The sheath dress is my comfort and staple, my signature if you will.  I want to continue to try out new shapes so that my signature stays fresh, not boring!   After wearing each of these dresses one of them rises above. This dress interrupted my conversations and interrupted conversations in passing. It's the Painted Zebra Wrap dress! I was trying something different and it worked!

2 neutral prints that I will be able to wear next year:
Painted zebra wrap dress (worn 1 time)
Vintage cowl neck dress (worn 1 time)

1 Solids (seasonless, I plan to wear it in the winter too, with tights!)
Vintage Cowl Neck Dress (worn 1 time)

3 Summer print dresses
Impressionist Floral Dress (worn 2 times)
Hot Shoulder Dress (worn 2 times)
Charlotte York Goldblat SATC 2 homage dress (worn 1 time)

1 dress for HLS
The Alumni Dress & here.(at least twice)

Hmm... seems like I'm forgetting something, maybe not.  But I've been productive & practicing! Getting back into it after a winter of here & there projects, has been rewarding! It's not a wardrobe, but I sewed what I wanted, and I like that.

So what's next...
Building a transitional wardrobe on the pants that I've just sewn, then adding in tops, jackets and suits and dresses. But I'm starting with separates. You might see a couple summer items pop up this month, but it's time to plan forward.   And of course there will some surprises in-between.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Mad Men effect

It's true, sometimes I watch TV just for the fashion!

Mad Men costume designer, Janie Bryant has done a great job creating great styles that are classic and what we want to wear for fall. The timing is perfect! And now is a great time to hunt for those vintage patterns circa 1964! Here's my pattern pics:

Just drop the sleeves!








Sans collar!








Add a petticoat! Bottom of V8020 &top of V857.








Choose either one!








Do you plan pull your style from the networks for fall? Maybe just one thing?!








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DIY: Liberty Floral Daze Cardigan by J. Crew

The J.Crew version.


Liberty of London for Target® Pleated Chemise - Grand Royal & Sixty Print. Was $17.99, now on sale for $12.99 if you can find one. I purchased a XL. They must be junior sized because the elastic banding fit me snugly. The bottom portion I used for my DIY project.



Merona® Women's Classic Cardigan Sweater - White $19.99. Nothing special.



Waiting...waiting...waiting
I've been delaying this project for way to long! Mistake!

First I started by 'aging' the cardi...
Lots of hot water and coffee packs in the filter, at least 2 gallons for an xs. Give it room to swim! Wet the cardi before aging. I think it's ok to check every 30 seconds, but I checked every 10 seconds. And of course it will dry lighter, and it did. Lay flat to dry, then into the dryer with a bunch of like colored towels.


...Then harvesting my fabric
It worked out to just cut it off. I already knew I had enough fabric. Because the original chemise was pleated, it needed to be ironed out before cutting.


Fitting the muslin...
This was a bit tricky because I wasn't going to cut the cardi so it would lay flay, so I cut the muslin on my form, giving about 1/2 inch seam allowance. First, I started shaping with a vertical bodice dart, but I thought that would alter the floral print to much. So I went a horizontalish bust dart. That worked.


Sewing on...
The neckline and center front parts as well as the bottom edge went along quite smoothly. Shoulder & side seams gave me a minor bit of grief because the actual cardigan seams were bulky. Dealing with this bump was annoying, but I guess if you shop or thrift for a high quality cardigan you may not run into this issue. Oh, and does the zipper foot help!!


Stitches...
Center front edge & bottom edge...sewn down & pressed back
Neckline & side seams... Topstitched on





I'm really happy with the results! So happy that I'll be wearing it today! Totally worth it! Of course I'm saving my pattern and thinking of a fall redo. Yea! I'll save the details for later. I REALLY love it. At first I thought the print was cheesy retro, but it kept growing on me. BTW, the coloring is slightly deeper in most photos, my flash was working overtime! The sewing neckline photo is color true. My cardi differs from the original in that is does not have patch pockets. They would be easy to do if you had a matching twinsets.

Watcha think?



And one more thing...back in March this same retailer gave a few ideas for DIY kids. Bits of tulle on leggings, fabric paint on a tiered dress, and rosettes on cardis. Hmmmmm......

FBR 4 V8630, It's not a robot, it's a dress!

Pattern Description: Lined dress, sleeveless or with 3/4 length sleeves, back zipper, and large collar. I made view without the collar.

Pattern Sizing: 6-12

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for the collar. One reason I wanted it without the collar is because I'm a cardiaholic. It makes it more versatile for me.



Were the instructions easy to follow? Didn't even look at them.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really like the bateau neckline of this pattern. There's nothing out there like. It except for vintage patterns & that's the look of inspiration.

Fabric Used: Stretch cotton sateen from JoAnns, and lining.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Well, well, well! Just when I thought, great easy dress, only 4 pattern pieces to use, I had to reset both waist darts on the front upper and lower pattern pieces. Don't normally have to do that with Butterick or McCalls. I'm not complaining too much, having to grade the waist down a couple of sizes is nice.

Anyhow, when I first started reading PR years ago, it was cool seeing all the beautiful FBAs, sliced and diced, then realizing that will probably not ever be my path, unless I choose to start sewing children's wear for myself (eww) or I surgically alter my body to require a FBA! LOL! Learning how to move or remove darts is a similar skill that's great for your toolbox though. So basically this ended up being a FBR, full bust reduction. A little sad maybe? Nope. My other option is to leave it as a potato sack shift dress. I think not!

So now I'm wondering if all those undergarment fit specialist are so very wrong, and the tags on my undergarments must be lying to me. B, B, B! That's what they say. So, my personal conclusion to the bust/bodice matter is, the pattern dart sizes are a bit off.

I was inspired by:


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? No, no readers I'm done here. Moderately recommended, if you're not in a cup size crisis. Otherwise, this is a great beginner pattern, especially sans collar.

Conclusion: I really like the neckline of this dress. And I think this belt really helps.




Simple black crinkled chiffon cut into 1/2 inch strips or less, bind and sews onto 2 inch elastic I found on eBay. The other flower is purchased trim, poly chiffon, with satin edging. Machine basted and attached to the belt. Velcro closure. I know, I know! Couldn't wait for my snaps to arrive. For shame! But it's heavy duty and it works!










Jcrew Elastic blossoms belt: $42.50.



Total time to complete, for the dress only, from 1st cut to final steam:


BTW, this was not a race for me, but more an evaluation of my time spent/quality & cost. Was it worth it? Do tell me your thoughts.

SATC2: Charlotte York Goldblatt & Dress Homage M5455

"Park Avenue Pollyanna," as coined by Carrie Bradshaw, has the most conservative style amongst her girlfriends. It's prim a proper with a twist of trendiness and a dash of who's that old lady! The pink suit/dress is by Dior, love the designers concept but the color is so heartburn, nausea, indigestion, upset stomach...you know the rest. I would/maybe so copy that in a gray or black in a minute. Speaking of which, now is the time to get the fall stuff in line, but more on that in another post. Obvi, the green and white number is a throw back to the 80s it's so LP, Lilly Pulitzer. I'm really dying over the emerald ruffled shirt dress. I do need that dress in my life. This is on my list for summer dress hopefuls, with a little less hip and a bit more fit. Conservtively sassy! Lastly, the red and white strapless dress... Love, love! More on that a little further down.



The soft washed emerald tone strapless dress is divine! Straight from the penthouse right?


The homage: Yes, B5455 again! But it ended up with a very different look for a different event. Aside from Cynthia Steffes' strapless dress by Vogue, I've been searching for a strapless sheath pattern for a while. Most of the patterns I've come across have a full skirt or are A-line. So I went back to my fave dress of the summer so far and subtracted the straps to make it work... for me.

So here are the changes:

I redrafted the top portion of the front bust pattern piece to make it strapless. Included most of the pattern pleats to an extent, which would mean that I will eventually have to ease out the difference for a good fit. The bust piece measures 5 inches in the center and 3 on the sides, vertically. On top edge, there are 12 mini darts hand placed and measured. The bottom edge had 2 pleats and 2 mini darts, one on each side, closer to the side seams.

The back bodice was modified as well but it was much easier. There is one dart on each side, as the pattern calls for. That didn't change, but after finishing the front bust and midriff with piping I remeasured for the back bodice and added 1/2 inch for the piping on the top and bottom. Piping around the top edge. Fusible horsehair (I highly recommend this for serious yet flexible stability) was used on the front midriff and plastic boning at the side seams. I would have liked to be more creative with the bust piece, but I think this works. Slightly widened the front skirt. Everything else is the same.

Fabric: Fabric Used: Red rose printed cotton stretch sateen from Habermans. 1/8 cording used. Invisable zipper. Fusible horsehair. Plastic boning.







Simply styled.




Whatcha think.

Hot shoulder, cool color! M5658

I've been wanting to sew this up for a long time, and it's finally here! There's a lot of navy in my wardrobe, but not a print like this. And I probably have enough left over for a skirt. Very happy about that!

There are a couple design issues with this pattern. The a back right dart is the same length as the left left dart. On the muslin this did not work because there was still room for shaping on the right side. So I increased the length of the dart by 1 inch. Luckily I'm working with a print so it not so bothersome, but it could be an issue if you're working with a solid. Another issue with this pattern is that it's just trying to be to many things. A one shoulder (side zip), a chocker neck (back center zip), a strapless dress (back center zip). And standing alone, none of them are truly great. So there should have been a additional pattern piece for the lower back bodice to be cut on the fold, IMO. It would totally add to the chicness. Instead there is a center back seam that would look more oddly placed on a solid colored fabric. And then lastly, the issued with the shoulder band. It's just to wide and chunky.



So basically, I won't be sewing this one up again, but clearly I'm happy with the results!


Styled: Vacay 4-star dinner


Lovin' it?

Impressionist floral dress, B5455

En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Thanks wikipedia.org.




I didn't realize what this fabric and pattern would do to me. Seriously, readers I've been swooned! If that's even a word! It's been a while since vie felt a thrill like this and then my color phobia began to set in and panic ensued. Wadder or just toss it in the circular filing? But alas I found my common sense on the floor, picked it up and finished this hidden gem maybe even a diamond.

Brights and artsy florals are on trend this summer. At first I went right past this print to another boring, yet beautiful neutral fabric. But something in my peripheral caught my eye. It was a bit ugly and beautiful, to me, at the same time. Often when I'm on the hunt I snap a quick pick for reference if I'm buyin' or just to help me make up my mind, hot or not? Fabric Used: jacquard fuchsia scribble flower print, a spring bottom weight from JoAnn's, 100% Cotton. I had to use blue tailors chalk for the markings to see darts & seam lines. 1/8 cording used. Invisable zipper

Let's talk about the pattern. Butterick, I hope you're listening. I knew you could do it. Incorporate design, simplicity and style all in one pattern, that's easy enough for beginners to complete successfully and for the more experienced, an easy breezy, "I need a dress to whip up I a couple days" and look fabulous, type pattern. Pattern Description: MISSES' DRESS: Semi-fitted, straight dresses A, B, mid-knee length, have lined bodice, pleated front neckline, midriff front, side slant pockets, back zipper and hemline vent. A: self-fabric piping trim.

I know, I know I need to take more pics as I go along, but readers I got really wrapped up! Here are the detailed pics.




Lining: switched the order around a bit so I didn't have to hand stitch. Don't get be wrong, I love couture, but much more so when the techniques are appreciated. My exception: Hems! My mother taught me that. Hand stitched hems are the best!! IMO.
Back to the lining. Leave the side seams open, sew lining neckline, then armsye, pull through and press. The finish side seams. I found that under stitching was not necessary. Everything laid perfectly, especially where piped.

The piping: I choose to use the same fabric to do the piping. It's very simple to do. I usually secure the trim by sewing across the fabric through the cord to prevent slipping. The trim was placed so that the colors did dot match up. So the pink is next to the white or the purple is against the yellow. I really wanted a contrast so the colors would pop!!! That turned out well!

Pocket retrospective: Please consider your waist proportions. Next time, if there is a next time, I will narrow the upper edge of the front skirt to show more pocket. The whole rule of thirds is missed at my waistline, IMO. Probably not that obvi to some, but because I really like the rest of the dress it will stay this way.


Would I sew it again? I probably won't sew his one again, but I really recommend it. Thinking of transferring some design elements to another pattern though. I would have liked to play with the neckline, but the design was satisfying. One suggestion: keep the fabric patterned or highly textured. When initially picking this pattern, I was not enthused with the center front bust seam. It does not flow with the nice curved lined of the bodice midriff. Or do a test muslin with the front bust on the fold. I think that will work.

Conclusion: Very zingy! What do you think: too much color or perfect for summer?

I so need color in my life!!!!! You?

Finally, the J. Crew summer rollout came out last week! Yea! Fresh pool, golden beach & blossoms support much of the vibrant pieces. $817.99 for some retail therapy or retail binge! DIY is the plan. Stay tuned for these projects. First up, a dress inspired by the En plein air scarf, a bit of eye candy all over. ~HLT

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