Monday, April 30, 2012

Show off Your Outfits - Final Wardrobe Basic Sewalong Link Party

Here it is, our final Link Party, this time link up your posts showing garment combinations. 

I want to thank all of you for participating in this sewalong, it has been so fun to watch each one of you create all your wardrobe basics.  I hope you found it a fun sewalong and your closet has become a little fuller with great new garments.

On behalf of Lynne of Wonderfully Made and myself thanks so much for being a part of this and thanks Nate Berkus for the segment which inspired us.

Okay, show us your GARMENTS!

Wardrobe Basic Sewalong

Time for my recap and lots of pictures of my garments.  It has been so nice to have all these basic garments in my closet and I can't wait to see your garments and outfit combinations.


Here is a collage of my wardrobe basic sewalong garments


Here is the list with the direct link to my original post

1. Ponte Pants

2. Dark Skinny Jeans- did not make, own a couple pairs

3. White Shirt

4. Black turtleneck which I subbed with red shirt but later decided too much red, so an aqua cowl

5.Camel skirt

6.Tie Waist Sweater

7. Puffy Vest - which I subbed with Red Jacket

8. Faux Fur Vest - which was not me and has been given to someone who likes this one.

9. Black Dress


My outfits are in a collage featuring each bottom piece (pants, jeans, skirt and dress).  Here we go:






My favorite?  The Riveria red jacket

My least favorite?  The khaki skirt

Favorite combination?  The black dress, boots and Riveria Jacket

For the collages I used Pic Monkey using this tutorial

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Family

First off it was Prom last night and my girls looked beautiful. Remember I am there mom and am biased! Take a look



My little girls are so grown up!


*******************************************************************************
My son-in-law entered the hospital last Thursday for a cell renewal treatment.  This is like a bone marrow transplant but uses your own stem cells.  He will be in the hospital for 4 weeks.  They do have good news as the latest scan was clean and the latest bone marrow test showed "No signs of Hodgkin's Lymphoma".  So very good news as he enters the next chapter to be cancer free.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

McCall's 5525 - Leopard Metallic

Another version of my favorite trench coat, this time in leopard metallic twill from Fabric Mart and for Meredith.

Here is the blog post from a trench made earlier for Erin and a lightweight one for Erin back in 2008

As I was making this for Meredith, I just kept smiling and smiling.  Why?  The fabric is beautiful and so her.  Also, it reminds me of my favorite aunt, she loves fabric like this and it will make her smile knowing her style is being passed onto another generation.

Here it is on the dressform:



China silk lining in gold

a little shiny on the top, the fabric just bounces the light

Meredith styling in her fabulous new trench








*******************************************************************************
Now off to continue on the big prom day.  The girls are so excited and so am I, dinner here for 6 couples.  Exciting day.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Wardrobe Basic Sewalong Link Party



Yes, it is time to link up your creations for the wardrobe basic sewalong.  This will be the last individual link party before next week's
Show off Your Garment Combination Link Party

Take some time this week for final pictures, I took an hour on Friday and almost 200 pictures for this wrap-up event.  I set the self-timer for 10 pictures each time, I like choices, especially ones with my eyes open!  Don't worry you will not have to look at 200 pictures, I have quickly weeded them down to 10 photographs.

Okay, link away, can't wait to see your wardrobe basics.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

McCall's 6163- Black Dress - Wardrobe Basic Sewalong



My last garment for the sewalong,  my black dress.  Let's hear a hurray for completing all the garments I had hoped to make.  This dress has been completed for quite some time but I had not photographed it until Friday. 


I made McCall's 6163 for my daughter back in November.  The blog post is here and the review is here, I made the same changes to my dress as I did the original.   The change is eliminating the collar. 

Fabric is modal knit from Fabric Mart.




another pose, looing rather silly but trying to change up the poses.



Tomorrow I will put up a post for the link party for the sewalong.  Hope to see you there.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Butterick 5526

Thanks to Pinterest, I have been seeing (and pinning) lots of gingham blouses.
Polyvore

From Atlantic-Pacific.blogspot.com vis Pinterest


That is just a small sampling of Gingham Check Fabric blouses on Pinterest.


Thanks to all that pinning Pinterest and my garments on my blog,  Lisa at Online Fabric Store, contacted me.  She wanted to know if I would like to make a garment from their wonderful fabric   You should have seen how fast I could reply to that email!

That is when the hard part began, selecting one fabric.

Online Fabric store has such a selection of Gingham fabric, five pages when you click on that link.  My choice was between  a 1/4" gingham  and 1/8" gingham .  My final selection was  Robert Kaufman Lavender Carolina Gingham Fabric and you talk about gorgoues to see in person and the feel of the fabric is lucious.  I am thrilled with my color choice and delighted in my finished garment.


I used Buttercik 5526 to make my blouse.

I have made this before in white and it is one of my favorite white blouses to wear

I started a couple days ago on my blouse and after a few hours of sewing here and there, I had a finished gingham blouse but I had left off the pockets.  My gingham blouse needed pockets, so another 45 minutes of sewing and I really had a finished gingham blouse.






I am sure my new blouse will be favorite this spring. 

I want to thank Online Fabric Store and their gingham material for this opportunity. 

Now, since I like the gingham look so much, I might need another blouse.  I think in 1/4" gingham this time but what color?


Are you planning to make a gingham blouse?  If so what color?




Thursday, April 19, 2012

Black Dress - Wardrobe Basic Sewalong



The last installment for the sewalong is up, Lynne at Wonderfully Made has written a grea post about the black dress and its possibilities.  Head over there to check it out.


Nest Monday, April 23rd, we will have the final Link party for the garments followed by.....
Monday, April 30th we will have a Link party to show all the garments we have sewn and all the ways they can be worn.  The link parties are open for a week, allowing for time to finish sewing and getting those pictures taken.


Thanks so much to all who have participated.  Can't wait to see all the pictures.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Simplicity 2254



Description:  Misses tunic or top with trim variations

Sizes:  XS-XL, I made a small for guess - yes, Erin. (I do sew for the others, Meredith is waiting on a trench and a dress)

Instructions:  Are good, easy to follow, yield good results.


Likes/dislikes:  The extras, the gathered shoulders and epaulets, sleeve variations, just all the possibilities.  I also liked a woven blouse in this style with no zipper.  Then the dislikes, a woven top with no zipper that gives you the maternity look.  Elastic in the back waist helps to reduce the maternity look but with the empire seam and no zipper, you still get a bit of the maternity look.

epaulets


Changes:  I added buttons to the front, it just needed something in the front.



  Also, added a pleat in the back, just below the elastic waist.  I took in about 1" in the width and then stopped the pleat about 3" from the hem.  Erin has not worn it since this change but I think this should help the fullness.  It appeared to look better when I pinned the change on her.  Also, I cut off
1-1/2" from the length.


Fabric:  A cotton polka dot


Conclusion:  A cute top that needs some adjustments if you are trying to avoid the maternity look.  It does have great features and looks very cute on.  Erin has worn it to school and I think it will be cute with shorts this summer.


Pictures taken before hemmed

back view with elastic

Quick picture before she headed out the door for work, she had the back pinned to help eliminate the fullness

Monday, April 16, 2012

Evelyn Bag - Chris W Designs


A new pattern company for purse patterns was introduced to me, Chris W. Designs and the pattern designer contacted me to make a pattern of my choice and review the pattern on my blog.  After a hard decision,  I chosed the Evelyn Bag and I was not disappointed.  My finished bag is the best purse I have made with very RTW looking finishes, plus the pattern instructions are superb.

Now for a detailed pattern review.


Friday, April 13, 2012

New Look 6079



Yes, after a long time with no garments for the Wardrobe Basic Sewalong, I finished my camel skirt yesterday.

Here is the pattern review
Pattern Description: Misses' skirt in three lengths and belt

Sizing: 8 to 16, I made a 10

Instructions:  They were good, gave quite a bit of basic sewing information.  Explained the pleats quite thoroughly.  In all, very good instructions which would be a good asset to the new sewer.

Changes:  I made View D with the pocket flaps from View C.  I also added a lining to the pattern.

Fabric:  A camel worsted wool from fabric.com  and it is still available here  It was pretty nice to work with, hard to press and I had to sew the buttons on the flap to get the flap to lay flat.  When I was hand sewing the hem, the skirt wrinkled quite a bit.  Hoping it doesn't do that when I wear it.
The fabric is the perfect color and  a nice weight.

Conclusion:  Love my new skirt, the pleats were just what I had in my mind for the skirt.  Finding this pattern, helped to take the skirt from my imagination to reality.




Pictures with me in the skirt soon.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Some Wedding Sewing



Erin's wedding is in 44 days, according to the Macy's registry.  Okay, wow, that is closer than I thought, happy I went ahead and did most of the sewing last week.  Two flower girls for the wedding and last week was a fitting with the muslins I made of the pattern.  Now more confident in their sizes, I made the dresses the last 2 days.  I am planning on lining them but will wait until another fitting on April 20th.   My plan is to line them, add an orange sash, then probably some eyelet ruffle to the lining and let it peak out from the dress. 

The pattern is princess seams, with center front and back seams, lots of seams to break up the polka dots but great for fitting.  Fitted bodice with a nice flare to dress, great for twirling, as the girls demonstrated in the muslins. 
In the background of the picture is the ring bearer pillow and in the pitcher, 2 headbands for the flower girls.  Meredith made those this weekend and they are darling.




Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Book Bag

Had a question about the pattern, which Betz White Pattern exactly.

The name is Alice Book Bag and here is a a link to purchase at Purl Soho
andat Craftsy, which is .pdf immediate download



Hope that helps

Butterick 5497

Pattern Description: A Dolman sleeve top for knits. Long or short sleeves and high boatneck or V cross over bodice variation. Features a classy triangle opening at the back of the neck

I made view B, thought View A might be too deep of front v-neck, meaning a cami worn under this top which would have defeated the open back look.

Sizing:  6 to 20, made a 12

Instructions:  They were easy to follow, nice illustrations for most of the step-by-step instructions. 

Likes/Dislikes:  I liked the classy look of the knit shirt, lots of extras to make it a bit dressier.  The gathering on the bodice, the gathered shoulder seams (done with elastic), the triangle opening in the back.  Only dislike - it took me too long to get to this cute pattern.

Changes:  The pattern calls for elastic in the empire waist seam, which I omitted.  It probably will hold the gathers in place better but I thought this would fit Erin perfectly without the elastic and I thought the shirt would be more comfortable without the elastic.

Fabric:  A rayon-lycra knit, it has been in my stash for quite sometime.

Conclusion:  A fun top to make, with many extra design features.










Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Alice Book Bag

It all started with a Saturday trip to a quilt shop with my friend, Robin and my daughter, Meredith.  Meredith spotted this pattern by Betz White



So that led to fabric and webbing for the strap, oh, yes, a package of grommets, too.

About a week later, I made  the book bag and here are several pictures

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Butterick 5495

Another top for Erin, from a pattern I have made twice for myself.

First as a top for me

then I lengthened it into a dress for me




I used a piece of ITY knit from my stash and made it in a couple of hours this morning and she wore it out to dinner with us tonight.

Cute top but a cami is required!!


Happy Easter






Friday, April 06, 2012

Vogue 8571 - Second time

I had a piece of rayon lycra knit in my stash and this time of year Erin really likes to wear dresses to school.  What is a mom to do but sew her a dress?

I used Vogue 8571 for me back in 2009 and it is still one of my favorite dresses.  So I thought it would be a good choice for Erin.

bodice - such wonderful gathers

On the dressform

A quick picture on my phone of Erin in her dress.





********************************************************************

Today was my last day at my current job, it was time for a change.  So for the time being, I plan on sewing more, getting caught up on my scrapbooks and look for my next job.  Time will tell what that will be.