Sew June!

Butterick 5209 still in progress

2011-12-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

I had to stop work on the dress for a while because it was the end of the semester, then finals week, etc and finally picked it up again today. I had made three muslins and I thought I had the fit right....then I cut the fashion fabric. I put the bodice together and it's huge. HUGE. Like, WTF huge. I have not lost weight and the muslins fit. What's up with that? I get easily discouraged and I'm so tempted to throw in the towel on this dress. I love sewing, I really do, but I freaking hate not getting it right and I have no patience to fix stuff. I'll post some pictures later so you see what the effer looks like.

I think I'm going to move to something else, at least for now, that will probably suffer the same fate. FML.

Butterick 5209 in progress

2011-11-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

I'm making the halter version.

I have been working on a muslin for for a reprint of a vintage pattern for the last couple of days. The pattern is Butterick 5209 and I think I finally have the fit of the bodice down but it took three muslins. The dress is for the company's Christmas party in less than two weeks. The party is in the afternoon so I have to keep the dress fairly causal. Getting the right fit for the bodice wasn't easy but picking the fabric is even worse. I've put a lot of work into it so I want to use nice fabric and make it worth my while. I don't want a disposable dress and fabric from Joann's is pretty crappy. I'm actually thinking about making a wearable muslin with Joann fabric to get the fit and construction just right and then going to Rex Fabrics to buy some...gasp...designer fabrics! As I've mentioned before, this store is like the Neiman Marcus of fabric stores. I'm prepared to face the price tags although I'd like to keep the fabric at $60 a yard or less since the dress needs 3 yards. This all depends on how the wearable muslin looks. Maybe I'll just end up shopping for fabric at a less expensive store, like Ultra.

What it's supposed to look like on a real person.

McCall's 5898

2011-11-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I get the urge to sew something quick, something that doesn't require muslins, fittings, refittings, etc. Of course, "quick" nearly always turns into weeks as I also have the habit of starting projects and abandoning them for a while. That was the case with this bag, McCall's 5898. School is keeping me pretty busy these days so I thought I'd be able to sneak in a quick grocery bag, placate the sewing bug and get something out of it. Yeah, right.

Pattern company's image.

First, this bag is not easy. It's not rocket science but it's not easy. That said, the reason it took so long was my procrastination and nothing else. I don't really remember much about the construction process, it has been a while since I finished it, but I do remember thinking that the instructions were a bit complicated at times. There is some hand sewing involved but it's not much and it's not complicated. I used calico and muslin for the lining.

The bag is HUGE and great for the farmers market. I omitted the interfacing, which the pattern says is optional.

Yes, that is a 3 year old in the bag!

Burda 7726....again!

2011-11-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the 3rd time I make this blouse and I still like it. I've used three different fabrics with various effects. My favorite is still the yellow one here but, unfortunately, it's way too big now and I don't have any more of that fabric. That said, I think this blouse is just fine, especially tucked in. I think the fabric may be a bit too stiff not to tuck it in. I was in desperate need of a haircut! Also, no make up, I took this picture at night after I had washed my face.

Simplicity 2599 v 2.0

2011-06-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

I thought that since the previous Simplicity 2599 (two posts down) fit well and needed only a slight alteration to the neckline to fit better, I'd make a quick second version. Well, it turned out to take forever because I just tend to start things then leave them and start another. I finally finished the blouse a few weeks ago but was too lazy to actually photograph it or wear it.

The only changes I made to this version was that I closed the center back seam completely so there is no button closure. I left the seam there because it is shaped and it helps with the swayback. I also, as you can probably tell from looking at the two versions, made the neckline smaller so there is less skin exposed. I suppose I could have done with a lower neckline at the front and the sides and back as they are but that would have been too much work for a "quick" top. I also widened the sleeves so they are not as snug.

I've used this fabric before and really like it. It's rayon and it feels great on the skin, plus I love the hand. Too bad this was pretty much the last of it.

One last thing, for the sleeve hem I decided to use hem tape because otherwise they would have been too short for my taste. This is what it looks like from both sides.

I'm addicted

2011-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is June and I'm pattern stashaholic.

I've been doing some pattern purging tonight because, in you can't tell, I've lost a ton of weight in the past couple of years and all the patterns I had pre-2010 are way too big. Good for me, not so good for my wallet, especially considering the vast majority are now out of print. But I digress. I put away (can't bring myself to throw them away, most are brand new), over 100 patterns and I STILL have over ~~225~~ 300 (I forgot all the vintage patterns!) in the stash! That's not counting the gazillion Burdas, Patrones, Knipmodes and other pattern magazines. Yet, I can't help myself whenever there's a pattern sale, especially if there are new patterns out. It's like a magnet, pulling me towards Joann's for patterns.

It's not like I'm ever going to get to sew all these patterns, not even close! I just don't have the time and won't have it for years. I'm working on History degree and I also work at the university, take care of a family which includes a 2.5 year old energy ball of a boy. Not to mention the running and cycling. THEN, I'm going to grad school for an MA, possibly a PhD. I'm going to be an indentured servant to the university for years...YEARS!!! So, why do I keep buying patterns? Is there a PAA meeting? Maybe I should start one....

Simplicity 2599

2011-04-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

I started this blouse at least two months ago. The semester got hectic, I've written the equivalent of a small book, the running and cycling got crazy then I got a job. I finished everything but the hem weeks ago and last night, FINALLY, I decided enough was enough and hemmed it. I actually hemmed it on a break from writing all evening on my research paper.

I'm going to start by saying "Yikes!" Look at those weird tan lines! My actual skin tone is that of my feet. My tan comes from cycling and, unfortunately, cycling clothes make for odd tan lines. I can see them around my ankles, my upper arms and my neck. The ones you can't see are on my thighs. I may have to start cycling naked :P Also, excuse the wrinkled skirt, these pictures were actually taken after I got home from school and work.

This is a very straightforward pattern as far as construction but made a few adjustments that made it more complicated. I've recently realized that I have swayback so I've been experimenting with that, albeit without much success. This blouse has a center back seam so I thought it would be perfect to try the adjustment. I did but I don't think it was enough, it could have definitely used more. However, I'm unsure as to how big of an adjustment is acceptable before the garment just looks weird. The learning curve is steep but I'm trying!

After I had made the blouse I realized that it was just too shapeless and big from below the bust down. I took the side seams in, in an hourglass shape, so that I took 1 inch on each side at the level of the waist. This still didn't give the blouse much shape but it made it much more wearable. It is a big snug around the arms but that is my fault for not making that adjustment, which I pretty much always need as I have fairly chunky upper arms. In hindsight, I think the fabric was not right for this garment. The fabric is too busy to be used with a ruffle. If I was to make this blouse again, I"d choose a solid color. However, I like it and I'll definitely wear it.

Here is my only real issue, and it's not specific to this top but pretty much every top I've made with an interfaced neck facing. The neckline lies flat and it looks just fine when I'm standing but as soon as I sit down and rest my back on the chair, the neckline stands up and gets crazy. It's stiff so it doesn't just lay nicely. I haven't noticed this with RTW except for shirts with collars. It may be that I'm using the wrong interfacing but my theory is that facings are not really that great. Again, I don't recall ever seen facings like the ones used in home sewing in RTW clothes. I need to look for a solution to this problem.

One thing I had issues with was choosing the right cup size. My problem is not that I necessarily have a large bust but that it is large relative to my body and things that fit around the bust area always huge everywhere else. I'm not sure I chose the right sizes here, especially for the bust. I need to look in that better and experiment. I made a size 8 (Big Four 8, not RTW 8) with D cup. The bust is a hair from being too snug but the rest was pretty big, I had to take in a great deal at the waist. Maybe it's just the design.

When Bad Interfacing Happens to Good Clothes

2011-02-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm so pissed off right now that I probably should not even write this post.

Remember that cute blue blouse from two posts down? Well, I finally wore it and washed it. This is what I saw when I pulled the blouse out of the dryer:

It's on the inside so it doesn't matter, right? WRONG! This is what it looks like when the blouse is on the body:

After all the blood, sweat and tears I put that blouse, it turned out to be disposable. Bad interfacing ruined a perfectly good blouse. The culprit is Pellon brand interfacing. I hadn't had a problem until now but most things I've made haven't actually needed interfacing. Serves me right for buying such cheap stuff and expecting it hold up. Needless to say I will NEVER use Pellon brand interfacing and especially not for things that will ever be washed. I need to find better interfacing now. FML.

BTW, I did pretreat the interfacing before fusing it to the blouse.

DuBarry 5020 Muslin

2011-01-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

In the past couple of days I've been working on a muslin for a vintage pattern. The pattern is DuBarry 5020. There is no date anywhere on the pattern, instruction sheet or envelope but my guess is that's it is from some time in the 1940s. The skirt with suspenders and the blouse are actually something I'd wear together for the right occasion or setting but I digress. I'm actually working on the muslin for the blouse. The blouse itself is very simple in construction but, as with most patterns, it needs some tweaking.

I have the size 16 for 34 inch bust. The only adjustment I made prior to cutting the muslin was to add a some width ad the waist (not shown in the pictures). After having finished the muslin, I realize a few more alterations need to be done. For example, I have to add length below the waist. The blouse is too short, mostly because it's meant to be worn with the high waisted skirt on the envelope. What you see in the picture is exactly the length of the blouse as per the pattern before even hemming. With hemming, I'd like the blouse to be a little bit longer than what you see here. Another thing I must do is add a bit of width at the lower end of the sleeves. That area is snug, especially when I lift my arms.

That brings me to my next point. When I lift my arm, the whole blouse comes up. I'm not sure how to go about fixing that. Do I need a higher armhole? This is the main reason I'm posting the muslin, I need advice about how to fix that particular problem. I know there will always be some pulling but I feel that in this case, it's more than normally expected. I think that is all far as adjustments but feel free to point out anything else you think needs to be fixed. Muslin is not the best fabric for this blouse so it looks a bit odd and stiff. However, once finished it with fashion fabric, it will look better. The angle of the pictures is horrible, it makes my upper body looks bigger in proportion to my lower body than it really is.

Burda World of Fashion 04-2010-102

2011-01-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

When I first saw this blouse back in April of last year, I thought the two rows of buttons and the rolled sleeves with tabs looked really cute. I was hesitant to make it however because it is a boxy style with no shaping whatsoever. Not usually very flattering as I have no curves at all. I kept seeing them on Pattern Review though and it sorta grew on me. About 3 weeks ago I was eager to make something fast and cute to wear to school since the new semester was fast approaching. This blouse is labeled as easy and fast on the magazine so I went for it. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

I first cut out a size 38 (the pattern came in sizes 36 - 44 I believe) and made a muslin. It was huge. Not only was it huge but there two weird lines coming down from the bust at either side and I had a lot of excess fabric bunching up at the back waist. I have recently figured out that I have what sewists call "sway back". This is just that the curvature of my spine at the lower back is more pronounced that "normal". It's quite common to have this, very few people have straight spines. So, to fix that problem with the excess fabric, I knew I had to do a sway back adjustment and it would be my first time doing it. I also knew I had to size down.

I cut a 36 next and made a second muslin. Still needed sway back adjustment. Made a third muslin (I thought this was supposed to be quick and easy???) with the sway back adjustment done and it still looked funky but I blamed the fabric I was using, muslin. However, this a boxy style with kimono sleeves, it will never be a smooth fit, it's just not in the nature of this type of design. I cut out the final garment in fashion fabric from that muslin and hoped for the best.

Now, the actual construction of the blouse isn't terribly complicated but I would not classify it as quick and easy either. First, it has flat felled seams which I had never do and they are time consuming. BWOF's instructions for that were cryptic at best so I used my Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing as reference. Not quick. Second, there's a lot of fidgety details with all the buttons, getting them to line up correctly, making the shoulder tabs, etc. Not quick. I had to remove the set of working buttons after I had marked the placement and sewn them on because they were all wrong. So glad I was not doing that by hand!

I FINALLY finished it today and I have to say that I'm pretty happy with it. There is no bunching at the back waist, no odd lines coming down from the bust and it's not huge. Phew! The flat felled seams are not perfect but they are not bad for my first time either. The fabric is cotton batiste, it's very sheer and I was worried it would be too revealing but it's OK once on. If you look really closely, especially from the back, you can probably see my bra but it's not terribly revealing. It should be very cool for hot Miami days!

These are the pictures from the magazine and the line drawing.

Zimmerman MS Bike Ride, 150 miles closer to the cure

2011-01-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is not sewing related but here goes anyway and I apologize if you already saw it on my other blog.

Click on the animation to make a donation!

The group I ride with, Team Storm Riders, does the Bike MS ride every year. It's the South Florida ride, Miami to The Keys. In the time they have been doing the ride as a team, they have raised over half a million dollars for the National MS Society. The ride is a 150 mile ride over two days. Each day you ride 75 miles then camp for the night and ride 75 miles back. Riders can do shorter distances or even just a single day ride. This year's ride is coming on in May and I wasn't sure whether I'd register or not.

First, cycling 75 miles, let alone two days in a row, scares the heck out of me. Then there's the fundraising issue. To ride, you must raise a minimum of $400 and I suck at fundraising. I attempted to raise funds for a Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure a few years ago and failed to meet the minimum (it was $2500). However, what I did raise was still donated so it was all good. In a moment of temporary insanity, and I seem to have a lot of those, I actually registered for the Zimmerman MS Bike Ride for this year. I did it last month and I hadn't made any efforts to raise the funds because I have enough time. Then I told a few running friends and, much to my surprise, some of them have made donations and I'm almost half way to raising the $400.

So, if you have a little spare cash, please, make a donation and support me and the National MS Society. All donations, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and not just by me. I'm actually looking forward to the ride and I'm certain it will be an experience I will never forget. Now I have to start toughening up my hiney for that long ride!

McCall's 5714, First Garment of the Year!

2011-01-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

It started getting cold here (well, cold for South Florida) early last month. I don't really have every day type coats/jackets so I thought I'd make a fleece one and keep it simple but feminine. I chose this pattern because of all the options and somewhere along the way I decided to go with the extravagant sleeves. In general, this coat was NOT what I was after. It wasn't easy nor simple. It wasn't difficult to make per se but it was time consuming, especially since the bodice's facing is hand sewn to the bodice. I didn't realize that until it was too late so I sucked it up and sewed it by hand. I always said I'd never sew anything by hand, I had to eat my words. I made view A with the sleeves from view C.

I found that the way this coat was faced made the horizontal seam too bulky. There are four layers of fleece there because the facing's seam allowance is folded under and the raw edges hidden. The amount of fleece on the front neck edge is even worse. There layers there are as follows, bodice, bodice facing, and two layers of collar. The area where the collar starts at the front, on either side, is even worse. There are two extra layers because that's where the collar's seam allowances are and that's a total of 6 layers of fleece! It was crazy, I wish I had taken a picture. Surprisingly enough, my sewing machine didn't have too much trouble sewing through all that. I did use a walking foot, I don't think I could have done it otherwise.

I actually started this coat last month when it was still cold but with Christmas and New Year's holidays, I didn't get much work done on it. I finally finished the coat early this week and it's not even cold anymore. Typical. It was 70 something degrees out when we were taking the pictures. The neighbors must have thought I was crazy. Not that they'd be wrong.

So, while this coat isn't what I was trying to achieve in terms of simplicity and every day wear capabilities, I like it and I'm happy with it. I tried to make the inside look as neat as the outside and I think I did a pretty good job. My hand sewing is sloppy at best but I made sure to do it in a way that it wasn't visible at all. I'm not sure about the sleeves though. I can't decide whether I really like the sleeves or they are over the top. I think I like them. Maybe I like them BECAUSE they are over the top. I may make another of the views with less crazy sleeves.

Simplicity 2406

2010-12-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

I've had this pattern for a while. I bought it because I really liked the sleeves. I actually really like the open back as in the pattern envelope but let's face it, I need to wear a bra. There is an option for a closed back for some of the other views and they use the same back pattern piece so it was easy to close the back. I was going to just cut it on a fold but the center back seam is curved so that would not have worked. I actually made a muslin and I cut out a size 12 throughout for that. The neck and shoulder area was too big so when I cut the fashion fabric, I cut a 10 through the neck and shoulder and 12 for everything else. In retrospect, I should have cut an 8 for the neck and shoulders.

Before I started working on this pattern, I read all the reviews on www.patternreview.com. It seems that everyone had trouble with the sleeves and the instructions for them. I was prepared for the worst but I found that they weren't actually difficult and it made sense to me. They are time consuming and I don't think an absolute beginner could easily make them but I have seen worse instructions. Anyhow, the most difficult part of the whole process was getting the different sections of the neck area to match. It's still not perfect but it was the best I could do. I left out the pockets and opted to use a belt rather than the sash from the pattern. I am really pleased with this dress and I think I may make it again using double knit fabric. This one was made with very lightweight denim that I bought in Mexico last year.

I actually have a video to show the process of putting the sleeves together but it's the first time I shoot video and I am still working on editing the clips and putting them into one. This may take a few days but I hope that I can figure it out soon.

Butterick 5501

2010-09-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

I started working on this dress probably a month ago. I decided to skip the muslin because it was an easy, loose dress so what could go wrong? WRONG! I made the dress and it was ALL wrong. First, it was enormous even though I picked the size that the pattern said I should be based on my high bust measurement. The neckline opening was also really, really big. The dress was nearly falling off me while ON. Craziness. So, I made adjustments and went at it again with a different fabric.

I went two sizes down and cut a size 10. The size 10 FULL bust measurement is (not finished garment, but body measurement) 32.5 inches. My full bust is 38 inches. The amount of ease in this dress is just ridiculous. Even after cutting a size this small, I ended up having to take the sides seams in a bit below the bust because it looked like I was wearing a tent. Before I picked this pattern, it didn't occur to me that the bodice is not shaped at all. This is not a very attractive look. After I had assembled the dress, I decided that I NEEDED to shape it so I added to small darts just below the bust extending down to the skirt. It looked much better that way. The truth is, I was hellbent on making the dress work because I like this fabric and I can't get any more of it. I bought on a trip to Mexico last December. Mind you, this fabric is all wrong for this dress. It is very light and crisp with virtually no drape. This dress needs a heavier fabric with more drape so it pulls it down and does not balloon up under the empire waist seam making you look pregnant. It's not pretty from the side. However, I will wear it for the above mentioned reasons.

The dress is supposed to be worn with a cami underneath. The V neck is pretty deep (by design) and there is no way I can get away without a cami. I live in South Florida though and I do not want to wear layers so I added a modesty panel attached to the front neck facing. I used some embroidered scallop edge fabric I had. I omitted the ties and roll hemmed the sleeves because there was no way I could do a narrow hem on them. After all is said and done, the dress is far from perfect but I like it. This is, however, a poor pattern.

And The Giveaway Winners Are....

2010-06-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

I chose the first winner in the regular fashion, random number from 1 to 18. For the second winner I eliminated the first winner, which meant 17 entries, and moved everyone that posted after her up one spot.

The winners are Meghan and Charlotte! Neither one mentioned a preference so the first one to contact me gets to pick her pattern.

Help Needed!

2010-06-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a masochist at heart so I have decided to join the Trench Sew Along. There are a few trench coats/jackets I've been eying and this will help me to actually commit. First, there's BWOF (BurdasStyle now) 04-2008-107. This is a short jacket with cap sleeves and sleeve ruffles that I actually got all the materials for already since I was serious about making it. I really like it and I think I will get a lot of use out of since it's cool enough for Florida. I still have not traced the patttern. My husband says this is not "trench" enough because it isn't long.

Then there is BWOF (again, BurdaStyle) 08-2009-101. I liked this one the minute I saw it and it's actually tagged to be made... at some point. I LOVE the flounce at the hem, I'm a sucker for flounces. It would not be made of any kind of warm material like wool because it needs to work for Florida. This would be less useful but equally liked.

I don't know which one to make for the sew along. Please, help me decide by voting on this poll!

Patrones 279-06

2010-06-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to make a pair of shorts for a while but I was a bit hesitant due to the fact that I'm still swelling (I hope) and I didn't really want to spend time making something that wouldn't fit in a couple of months. However, I have very little to wear, especially bottoms-wise, so I had to bite the bullet. I could have bought shorts but where's the fun in that?

I actually made a muslin for McCall's 5857 but abandoned it because the pattern had issues. First, the pattern I have is a 14 through 18 and the 14th was too big. Second, the waistband is a long straight piece of fabric folded in half. This is no good because most people are not bricks and they have some curves around the waist. Not having a contoured, C shape waistband means there is a big gap at the center back. I have had this issue with another Butterick pattern. I don't know why they can't just draft a proper waistband.

Defeated by that McCall's, I moved on to a, shoot me, Patrones pattern. I have sewn a Patrones pattern only once before and it was a massive failure. After several muslins, I had to throw in the towel. I now blame that on my lack of skills at the time. I fared much better this time around. This pattern came from issue 279, June 2009 and it's style number 6. The pattern is fairly straight forward and I did not use the instructions provided and I'm glad because they are horrible. I am a native Spanish speaker and I found the instructions absolutely useless. Think about the worst BWOF instructions you've ever seen, then multiply that by 100. That's how bad these particular instructions were. I did need a bit of help but I had to dig for a similar Simplicity pattern to figure it out.

The patterns on this issue are sized 38, 42 and 46. I cut a 38 grading to a 42 at the waist. I wish I had graded down below the hips because they are actually fairly wide at the hem and I would have preferred less flare. I chose a linen-look fabric for this, it's a linen-rayon blend (I think). While I like the fabric, I don't think it works well with these pleats. I cannot, for the life of me, get the pleats to lie flat like they do on the model in the magazine. They just look funny, especially when I walk. They look funny to me anyway, my husband seems to think the shorts are fine. I also left the pockets out. I wish I hadn't, I think that's part of why I think the shorts look funny at the sides.

I did a blind hem on these shorts. I'm having pretty hard time getting the blind hems to be truly blind AND actually work right. It seems that either shows through too much or doesn't actually catch the fabric. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I clearly need much more practice.

All that said, the shorts are wearable and I suspect they will get a lot of wear this summer.

Vintage Pattern Giveaway

2010-06-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

I know how difficult it is to find vintage patterns in large sizes. It's almost like all women back then were a slim 30 bust and 25 waist. I don't think I've measured either since I was 5 years old. Anyhow, I have decided to give away two of my patterns in large sizes for others to enjoy. Hopefully they will get used and loved instead of sitting in my sewing room.

Here are the patterns:

This is a no-strings attached giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post and I will randomly select two winners on Saturday, June 26th. The deadline is midnight on Friday, June 25th.

Fabric Heaven

2010-06-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Many of you probably don't know this but while I claim to live in Miami, I really don't. I do live in Miami-Dade County but about 35 miles south of Miami proper. I can't even say I live in Homestead, FL because I live just outside the city limits, in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. I'm closer to Key Largo than to Miami as most outsiders think of it. So, if I'm talking to a local I say I live in Homestead and if I'm talking to a non-local I say I live in Miami, but I digress.

I was up in Miami, Coral Gables to be exact, today for some errands and I decided to go into this one fabric store, Rex, that is known for its amazing stock. I had been there once before, many years ago, before I even thought about picking up sewing and I was impressed then. The infatuation was even stronger this time around. This place is just full of the most beautiful bolts of fabric you have ever seen. These are not any fabric though, no sir, these are bolts upon bolts, aisles upon aisles of $150 a yard Cavalli silk, $200 a yard Gucci silk chiffon, Armani, Versace, Ungaro, Valentino, etc. Not to mention the $900 pieces of hand beaded applique.

Readers, this is a haute couture fabric store, not the place you go to buy fabric for your every day clothing and definitely not the place you go to buy stash fabric. This place is to fabric shops what Barney's is to fashion retail, what Fortnum & Mason is to grocery stores, what Manolo Blahnik is to shoes. As the cherry on top, they have beautiful displays. They drape some of their fabrics over dress forms in such a way that they create exceedingly stunning and believable "gowns" worthy of any red carpet; all without a single stitch. They are so beautiful that they make you want to take them off the form and put them on yourself. Worse, they make you want to actually buy the fabric. As I stood in front of the stunning display of Valentino white silk with red flowers draped into a floor length ballgown, actually contemplating buying the fabric, I thought to myself "Wallet, I don't think we are at Joann's anymore".

I was able to take one picture but I didn't want to risk more because I don't know how they feel about it. I wish I could have taken more pictures because words do not do this place justice. In case you are wondering, I left empty handed, just as I intended. Maybe some day....

Coffee Date Dress

2010-06-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

This dress was almost called the "ER Rush Dress". In the process of making, well, more like ripping apart, the dress, I managed to drop the seam ripper on my big toe sharp end down. OUCH. Son of a mothereffing bleep. It hurt and it bled. Luckily it didn't escalate, but I digress.

I came across this dress the very first time I found BurdaStyle and I loved it. Back then I knew that this dress would no look even halfway decent on me so I downloaded the pattern, stuck in my "Sewing" folder and sorta forgot about it. Fast forward to late last week when I decided to go ahead and give it a shot since I thought it would look much better now. Before i go any further let me say that despise, DESPISE, taping sheets of paper together to assemble these downloadable patterns and that I will probably never pay for them because of that. This pattern is free however so I suppose I can't complain much. Either way, it's royal pain in the ass but this one wasn't difficult, everything fit together nicely. However, another thing I hate is having to add seam allowances and alas, seam allowances were not included in this pattern so it was hate double whammy.

The sizing is standard BurdaStyle sizing. I cut a 38 through the neckline and shoulders and tapered out to a 40 at the bust line and then back to a 38 for the waist. In retrospect, having a cut a 42 through the bust would have made my life much easier. I originally added a 5/8 inch seam allowance but ended up using 1/2 inch at the shoulders and 1/4 inch at the bust. Hence the 42 at the bust would have been wiser. I did make a muslin but I failed to realize there was some excess fabric at the back neckline. If I was to make this dress again, I would place a dart at either side of the zipper to eliminate the gaposis issue. You can't see it in the pictures since my hair is cleverly covering it.

The wind kept blowing the skirt.

The construction of the dress was very simple and I didn't really make any changes. The only changes I made were in the actual construction of the garment. For example, I didn't use BurdaStyle's instructions for the all in one facing or the invisible zipper. I found some instructions in my sewing books that worked much better for me. I especially recommend Sandra Betzina's method of sewing an invisible zipper. This was the first invisible zipper I've installed successfully and that was truly invisible. I don't know if it is online somewhere but it's definitely in her book "Power Sewing". Finally, I did a blind hem with my sewing machine. The fabric is pretty thin so the hem is not truly blind but you'd have to get REALLY close to it to see the stitching so that OK with me.

After all is said and done, I really, really, really like this dress. It looks exactly like what I envisioned and I love that it sorta looks vintage. I absolutely love the fabric, the green looks much better in person and I love the polka dots. I also love the green and red combo and this is how I intend to wear the dress, at least with that belt if not the shoes.

Just for funsies! You know, a 50s looking dress and pearls just scream "VACUUM CLEANER!" I actually did vacuum a bit while I was at it.

First RTW Imitation and First Tutorial!

2010-06-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

I went snoop shopping a few days ago and tried a cute little skirt that I really liked. It's a simple skirt, one of those with the elastic waist that you can wear high on your waist. I thought about buying it and then proceeded to be ashamed of myself. Ashamed not because I wanted the skirt but ashamed beacuse I actually thought about spending the money on THAT skirt when I could easily make one for a lot less and would probably be even better quality.

I came home and immediately came up with a plan. I haven't seen patterns for this type of skirt but that's probably because it doesn't require a pattern at all. I bought the supplies and got to it. It was actually insanely easy to make and there is no reason why anyone who has the slightest idea about how to use a sewing machine should have to buy one. I decided to make a quick tutorial in case anyone out there wanted to make one.

I have not decided if I'm going to enter the PR Wardrobe Contest but if I do, this will be one of the bottoms and the current trend item.

This is the inspiration skirt. Mine is fuller.

My skirt:

I'm not sure what's going on here. I think I had just started walking. It's a good picture of the skirt though.

You don't have to tuck your top in at all! It looks less "young" this way.

The tutorial:

Materials:

- One yard of 2 inch wide elastic in your chosen color.

- Fabric, yardage depends on your measurement. See below. I assume you will purchase 44 inch wide fabric.

1. Take the elastic and wrap it around your waist, stretching it. Play with the length and stretch until you decide what feels comfortable, not too tight, not too loose; mark the desired length. Add 1 inch and cut the elastic. For me, I cut 30 inches of elastic.

2. This is the math part and thus the most complicated part. The length of fabric you need will be twice the length of the elastic. Before you buy your fabric you will need to decide how long you want the skirt to be. I am short so my skirt is not very long. I bought one yard of 44 inch wide fabric so the length of my skirt, which is half of the fabric's width, is approximately 21 inches without counting the elastic. If you decide this length works for you, you will need just one yard of fabric. If you need more length then you will need to buy more than one yard. So, you are basically using the length of the fabric for the width of the skirt and the width of the fabric for the length of the skirt. your hem will be parallel to the selvage.

A) For the short version, take your yard of fabric and cut in it in half parallel to the selvage. You will have to pieces of fabric that are one yard by 22 inches or so. With right sides facing, sew the two pieces together by one of the short ends. You will now have a long rectangle that is two yards by 22 inches. Chances are you will not need two yards so you will need to find the seam you just sewed and trim equal amounts are both ends so you end up with a piece of fabric that is twice as long as the elastic's measurements. So in my case my rectangle was 22 inches by 60 inches.

B) If you need more length, start with a cut of fabric that is twice as long as your elastic measurement. For example, if you are using 30 inches of elastic, your fabric should be 60 inches long by 44 inches wide. Calculate how long you want your skirt to be minus the 2 inches of the elastic. If you want to have a skirt that is 30 inches long then you need to trim 14 inches off the fabric parallel to the selvage.

3). Once your fabric is ready you need to gather it to fit the elastic. With your sewing machine sew a line of stitching approximately 1/2 inch from the top seam allowance using a long, basting stitch with low tension. Leave long thread tails at both ends. Gather fabric so that it is 30 inches long and fits the elastic. Pin the gathered fabric to the elastic with the right side facing it approximately 5/8 up the lower edge of the elastic. The two raw ends of the fabric should coincide with the two raw edges of the elastic.

4) Sew the fabric and elastic together from the right side of the skirt approximately 1/4 inch from the bottom end of the elastic. Pull gently on the elastic and fabric as you sew to stretch it out and give the stitches a little more give. You may use a straight stitch. With right sides facing and using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, sew the side seam. Remove the gathering stitching.

5) The last step is to hem the skirt. I used a narrow hem foot but you may use any hemming method.

VOILA! A skirt. It has taken me longer to type these instructions than it would take me to make this skirt again. I tried to be as thorough as possible with the instructions because I assume those needing a tutorial for this are beginners. It's very simple really.

Anyhow, that's all I got today, which is more than I have most days. I will definitely make more of these and maybe even with some variations. I really like it!

First Garment Since Surgery!

2010-05-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

I had surgery almost three and a half weeks ago. The first two weeks were pretty hard and I could hardly stand, let alone stand straight. However, the last week and half has been worlds better. I can actually do things like stand almost straight and therefore I can cook, sew, etc. Well, sewing per-se wasn't an issue, the problem was that to sew I had to stand to trace patterns, cut fabric, etc but I digress.

I am now able and more than willing to sew again so as soon as I felt up to it I went ahead and got busy. I have nothing to wear post surgery so I the sooner I can crank out a few pieces the better. I decided I would start with an easy pattern and I couldn't have picked a better one. I chose a pattern for the recent Ottobre Woman, 02/2010. It is literally two pieces, front and back with a gentle cowl neckline.. The most complicated part of this pattern was getting the coverstitch as close to perfect as I could. To do that, I first sewed a row of basting as close to the edge of the inside hem and seam allowances of neck and armholes as I could and then used that to guide the coverstich needles. I kept the row of basting between the two serger needles. It is not absolutely perfect, I missed one little spot on the hem but it's pretty damned close.

I have to say that I wasn't sure this top would work beacuse I still have my hangups from my old body shape but I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I put it on. There's hardly any sign of tummy when I'm dressed except towards the end of the day when I still swell considerably. Recovery is slow but I'm sure it will be well worth it. I actually considered drafting sleeves for this top but I decided against it. I'm not thrilled about my upper arms but this IS Miami and it gets bloody hot in the summer, I need cool clothes. I think I'm actually going to make this again and add cute fluttery bias-cut sleeves.

I wore the top out today and it's so comfortable. Working with knits is a pain in the butt but the garments are so nice and comfortable if not always stylish...which this top is certainly not. This fabric is a light cotton knit from Joann's fall line.

WOOT!

2010-05-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I'vebeen pretty vague about why I haven't been sewing for me for a while. Well, I'm ready to reveal my secret. I don't know how long it will be until I'm ready to sew again but you better believe that I'm coming back!

Update

2010-04-20T06:32:00.001-07:00

I HAVE been working on that vintage simplicity pattern. I tweaked the bodice until I felt it fit well and then attached the skirt. DUH! I should have made an entire muslin before fitting the bodice! I had added too much length the bodice and it's baggy so now I have to go back and take out the lenght. and a bit off the sides. I also have to shorten the skirt a considerable amount. I hope that's all I have to do to it cause I've made like 4 bodice muslins and I'm sick of it! Live and learn and all that.

A Glutton for Punishment

2010-04-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

I must be a glutton for punishment. There can be no other explanation as to why I'm doing what I'm doing.
I'm graduating from college on May 1st (YAY!!!!!!!) and with all the weight loss, I have nothing to wear. To complicate things, whatever I wear that day won't be worn ever again because a few days after that it won't fit. But more about that in a few days I think. Anyhow, my options are to buy or make a dress or buy or make a blouse (I have ONE pair of decent trousers). I either waste money or waste time. I decided time was the lesser of two evils so I'm ATTEMPTING a dress.

Why do I say attempting? Well, this is where the glutton for punishment part comes in. After failing every attempt at a vintage pattern, I'm working on...are you ready for this?? A vintage pattern! Some smack some sense into me!

I'm attempting view 1 of Simplicity 3592 dated some time in the 60s. I'm not making long sleeves though, I'm making the sleeves for view 2. It's going OK so far. I did the first muslin of the bodice last night and identified a few problems which I'll be working on in a little while. The next step is to make the revised bodice and attach the skirt and see how that goes. I suspect that I will need to do some adjustments to the skirt too to give it some shape since I had to grade up around the waist. Those dang vintage patterns assume everyone has a tiny waist and is 7 feet tall! I will look nothing like the cartoon on the envelope!

Wish me luck!

One-Yard Wonder My A$$!

2010-03-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

I've been itching to sew something for a while. I don't want to sew much in the way of garment for a couple more months so I had to resort to other things. I recently bought the book called One-Yard Wonders and decided to give it a try. There were a few projects marked but I settled on an apron type deal because I had the perfect fabric for it, a sushi fabric I bought last year. The pattern is called "Smock of All Ages". It looked cute and it would definitely look cute with the sushi fabric.

I got the fabric out, folded it and placed the pattern pieces on it. Guess what....they didn't fit in one yard! Sure, they are one yard wonders BEFORE shrinkage. I wash all my fabric as I get it and cotton, naturally, shrinks. She must have done the measuring and cutting before the fabric shrunk, there is no other way she would have gotten one yard measurements. My fabric had the same width she supposedly used so it wasn't that I was using the wrong fabric. So, so much for the sushi fabric. I tried a few others with the same results. I finally tried some fabric from the Tutti Fruitti collection from Joans and I guess that one hadn't shrunk as much as the others or was wider originally. It fit there. The problem is, the fabric makes the apron look frumpy and "grannyish", as my husband called it.

Either way, I like the shape and It would have been great in the sushi fabric. I'm disapointed that it didn't fit in a yard but I still like the end product and it covers much more than most of my aprons.

This project would have been a nightmare had it not been for three little tools I'm so glad I had. The entire apron AND the ruffle are narrow-hemmed and let me tell you, there was not a chance in hell I was going to narrow hem all this. The narrow hem foot was certainly needed here. The second foot that made the project easy was the binding foot. Binding the armhole slits was easy peasy. Last but not least, the bias tape maker was VERY helpful in making the straps for the back.

I guess you never really know how much you need something until you do, but that begs the question!

Look Ma, I Can Knit!

2010-03-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

Today I FINALLY finished a knitting project for the first time EVER! It is a very simple shrug knitted in stockinette stitch. It is a big rectangle that is then sewn to make pseudo-sleeves.The most difficult part was working with size US 50 needles, they are enormous and very awkward to maneuver. I knitted it holding two strands of yarn and one of them was very fuzzy so it made ripping back the few stitches I had to rip back difficult. Nothing much to it really but it is a quick knit and I really like how it looks.

Here it is! (Look ma, no make up!!!!)

I've Been Dragging This One Long Enough!

2010-03-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

Finally! I finished this top two weeks ago and I am just now getting around to blogging it!

Does it look familiar? Well, it should! It is the same pattern as this other one. I liked that top so much and it was so easy to make that I decided to make another one. The fabric I chose this time has completely different qualities and it makes for a different look. I think anyway.

I bought this fabric some time last year at Jo-Ann's. It's polyester which I usually don't go with but it's very light , I figured it would be OK for a light dress, a sleeveless blouse or something like it. The drape is much more flowy, if you will, than the fabric I used the previous time. The cowl is far more liquid and hangs completely differently. I really like but I like how the other fabric behaves too.

The only thing I did differently this time was that I didn't do French seams and I finished the neck opening seam a little bit better. I actually tried to bind that seam but it was a nightmare so I decided to serge it very carefully with matching (yellow) thread. It looks MUCH neater than the previous one. Because of how this fabric drapes, the neck opening is much more exposed so I'm glad I did a good job with the seam finishing!

I actually debated adding sleeves this time but I decided against it. I wish I had done so though. I may just give it a shot at some point, we'll see.

Now, I have a BWOF pattern for a knit top all ready to go....we'll see how long it takes me to finish it and post it. What I REALLY need is bottoms but they are SOOO time consuming! I think I'll just buy some.

Sewing Olympics Didn't Happen

2010-03-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

No, I haven't forgotten to post my Sewing Olympics blouse, I just have no blouse to post. I did start it! I made a muslin and then decided it was absoltely horrid on me and not worth my time just yet. So, I have nothing.

I stil haven't gotten around to taking pictures of that other blouse I did make, I will do that soon!

Lots of Books and Magazines!

2010-02-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Remember those ridiculously expensive knitting books I talked about? Well, they arrived today and they are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! Beautiful. The great thing is that because two of them are from the summer/spring collection I will actually be able to make stuff I'll wear here in Sunny Miami. The designs are so lovely, the pictures are stunning, etc. I'm almost scared to damage them because they are so pretty! I already picked the first pattern to make. I have a lot of favorites and I will try my hand at a few of them in a few months when I'm better at knitting. The first one, which I may start some time soon(ish) is called Nan. It's made with size 17 needles and super bulky yarn so it should be fairly quick. It also looks easy, the instructions don't really have anything that I don't know how to do (from what I saw). Here it is:

This one is beautiful, romantic and feminine. I love everything about it but those are some tiny stitches worked with really thin yarn and really tiny needles! It's far too complicated and involved for my novice self. Maybe in the next few years!

I love this little cropped cardigan.

I don't know if I mentioned it but the names of the books are Nectar, Breeze and Thrown Together. The writer/designer is Kim Hargreaves and the website is http://www.kimhargreaves.co.uk

On a similar note, March issue of BWOF, or Burda Style as it's called now, arrived a couple of days ago. There was nothing that just jumped out at me but I have seen worse issues. Far worse. Here are a few that sorta caught my eye.

Actually, that's it. Pretty bad. Not sure whether I'll keep this issue or sell it.

To top it all off, I got the very first issue of my Ottobre Design Woman subscription on Saturday! I like it. I like it a lot. So much so that I am already almost finished with a garment from it. There are a few others I'd like to make but it's all wait and see with this weight loss thing.

Also, I did finish a top I was making, I just haven't gotten around to taking pictures of it. Stay tuned!

Sewing Olympics Update #1

2010-02-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

OK, so I've been slacking (too busy with life) and I only JUST got done taping the pattern peices together and cutting them. I am making the Origami Blouse from Twinkle Sews. The patterns come in PDF form on a CD, you have to print them at home, piece them together, etc. It kicked my ass! I don't know whether is was a printing issue, a bad design issue or what but the pieces did not go together smoothly. I hope that they are actually OK and that the garment pieces go together well otherwise I'm stuffed.

Let's see when I get around to making the muslin and cutting the fashion fabric.

Knitting...Me? Nah!

2010-02-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

I am one of those people that doesn't do anything half-assed. When I get into something, I get into it HARD. It's all or nothing with me; I jump in the deep end and hope I float. You might think this is courageous or even admirable but believe me, it is not! I'm only talking about hobbies and crafts here of course but that is just how I am in life. For example, when I got into bags (albeit cheap ones) years ago I bought a bag pretty much every time I left the house. When I got into shoes it was the same. When I got into buying cookbooks, even though I lived in the barracks and had only a cook top, I bought them by the dozen. Then I got into scrapbooking and I bought hundreds of dollars worth of tools and materials in a matter of a couple months. Then I got into cake decorating and history repeated itself. Sewing was no different, except that I actually stuck with it (so far, crossing my fingers).

Well, now I got into knitting. Boy, did I get into knitting. Luckily I haven't discovered expensive yarns but I suspect it is only a matter of time. I cannot believe I just paid nearly $100 to import three knitting books. In my defense, they are not in stock in the US and they are just too damned cute. I love everything in it but the one piece that led me to the spree was this beautiful cardigan:

I frist saw it in lilac and my heart skipped a beat. I am a sucker for flouncy clothing, peplums, etc. which is a bit odd since I've never really been a girly girl. Even more odd is the fact that I am so into knitting and sewing at all since I am actually very much the opposite of crafty but the older I get the more interested I am in such things. I am not creative, I am a very technical person. I can decipher and follow instructions, in the form of patterns, recipes, etc like the best of them. However, do not ask me to design anything, don't ask me to create anything, don't ask me to come up with any new design. I cannot do it, I just don't have it in me and that's OK. This is exactly why I sucked at scrapbooking and all those hundreds of dollars worth of stuff are sitting in a plastic tub in my garage. Scrapbooking is all about being creative and coming up with your own designs; baking, knitting and sewing are all about following technical directions (unless you are the designer or the chef), they are methodical crafts and I have found that that is what suits me best. Again, funny thing, I suck at math, go figure!

I am currently working on my first project, well, the first I'll actually finish. It is a cowl and I hope to finish it in the next few days, before the "cold" is gone and I can no longer wear it! That's the problem with knitting when you live in hot climates, there is not much you can wear! This is the cowl I'm working on (not my pictures) :

New Sewing Books!

2010-02-12T19:45:00.001-08:00

I have been lusting after Twinkle Sews for a while now. The designs in it look so cool, so modern yet not too modern. Today I finally broke down and bought it while I was at Borders. I couldn't wait for Amazon to deliver it so I just used a coupon I had instead. What a beautiful book! I love it. As a matter of fact, I am currently printing a pattern I want to work on during the Sewing Olympics. I hope I can finish it since I'm so busy with school!

Of course, I didn't just get Twinkle Sews. I also bought a cute little book (not so little really) called One Yard Wonders. I saw this book at Barnes and Noble a few days ago and I knew I had to have it. I'm looking forward to sewing nonclothing things that won't be too big in a few weeks :)

Still Here!

2010-02-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

Gah, I haven't sewn anything in weeks! I really, really want to but I'm very reluctant to do so. The skirt from the previous post is already a tad too big! I've worn it maybe 3 times total. I can't keep making things only to have them not fit in weeks! That said I do need bottoms. I have one pair of jeans that fit and this skirt. I have two pairs of leggings too but those are pretty limited in what I can wear them with. That's it, I have no more bottoms! Those poor jeans are getting a lot of wear!

I'm thinking about making pants with drawstrings so I can wear them a bit longer. Let's see if I find something suitable.

Burda 7726 and What Would Have Been Simplicity 2807

2010-01-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

I said I had been in sewing and, indeed, I have. I finished two garments in the past two weeks but I hadn't gotten the chance to get pictures of them. Given the choice, I prefer to photograph the garments while being worn because they just don't look the same on a hanger. I finally did it today.

I finished this blouse two weeks ago. I bought this pattern, Burda 7726, a while back and what attracted me to it was view B. I love that blouse. Anyhow, instead I made view A and it was actually intended for a specific occasion. I ended up not wearing it for that occasion but I love it anyway and I'm so glad I made it. The fabric I used was perfect for it. The drape is wonderful and the iridescent quality of the fabric gives this simple design a bit of oomph. The fabric is blue and yellow, the yellow only shows at certain angles under certain light. I love it.

The blouse itself was very simple to make and the sizing was spot on. Burda is known for its sizing consistency so I hope this proves true for me too. I didn't make a muslin, I just winged it, but it worked. Actually, I didn't wing it, I did do pin fittings before I sewed it permanently. I used french seams for the side seams and my only regret as far as the construction goes was to bind the armhole in the flat, as per pattern instructions, and not in the round as I knew would look better. Also, I wish I had bound the seam where the cowl neck joins the neckhole. I did topstitch it to tack it down and it doesn't show but I KNOW it's not pretty in there. I left the zipper out, it is completely unnecessary.

The next garment is a skirt. I started out with Simplicity 2807 and ever intention of making a skirt just like the pattern intended. I was going to make the mini skirt which is not mini on me anyway since I am not even 5'2". I was feeling slightly delusional and I traced a size 12 (I crack myself up sometimes). I did a tissue fitting and realized that was no way in hell that would fit my waist though the hips were fine. I was feeling lazy and needed a quick fix so I went ahead and cut a 12. I did not sew any of the darts and this made the skirt fit perfectly. Of course, it's not really Simplicity 2807 but I do love it nonetheless.

The fabric came from my stash. It's from Joann's and it's part of the Spring 2009 (I think) Monaco collection. It's polyester I think and teal and gray. I think it's going to be a staple piece in my wardrobe. I really like it even though it's not what I originally intended it to be. Next time I will remember to get off the crack and grade up around my waist (just kidding about the crack). I also neglected to do a tilted waist adjustment (yes, I have a tilted waist) and though it's not quite as noticeable as it was 26 pounds ago, I could still tell the hem was not straight. When the time came to hem the skirt, I had to work up a little bit of magic to make it look decent. Honestly, the reason I slacked so much is because I don't intend to be able to wear this skirt for long since I'm still losing weight every week and have about 20 pounds to go (26 pounds down!!!!). I think i will make do until then :)

And just because I'm a dork.......

No, this isn't happening to ME!

2010-01-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

I stood in front of my fabric stash shelf looking for the perfect fabric for two projects I want to get started on, thinking about the qualities that would make said fabric perfect. I looked and looked, searched and searched and then came to a horrifying conclusion: "I do not have enough of any suitable fabric for EITHER of the projects!" How can this be???? Surely, this is stuff that happens to other people, to strangers, but not to ME!

Yes, I'm being overly dramatic but I'm upset that I can't make these two garments until I buy more fabric. That's the problematic part. Tight budget and all, no fabric purchasing for me for a while. Damn. I so wanted to trousers!

I wonder if cotton gauze would be too see-through and I'd give everyone a free show.....

I've Been Sewing!

2010-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

Just a quick word to say that I have in fact been sewing for myself. I have completed two garments that I am very satisfied with. I will post them and review them as soon as I can get some pictures taken. It's difficult to do this when we are rushing in the morning and then I don't see my husband again until it's night time and the light is gone. So, I'll get the pictures taken this weekend. Stay tuned!

Oh Baby!

2010-01-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

I am a huge procrastinator. In fact, Procrastinator should be my middle name. My brother's girlfriend has been pregnant forever (it seems anyway) and I have been thinking about making this one outfit for the baby ever since I found out. I wanted to give it to her at her baby shower but kept putting off. The baby shower was today and guess when I actually even started the outfit......yesterday. Well, the "outfit" turned into a single piece, the top. Ha! I ran out of time. Serves me right.

Baby clothes are pretty simple and casual here in the US but Cubans take baby clothes seriously! Traditional Cuban baby clothes, often called "jueguitos dobles" because they are two pieces (one sleeveless and one with sleeves), are very frilly even for boys. I'm sure most Americans wouldn't even think of putting lace on baby boy's clothes but newborn clothes without lace are worthless to Cubans. Actually, everything for a new baby (receiving blanket, socks, hat, Moses basket, bassinet, crib sheets, crib mosquito net, etc) is very frilly and lacy. I personally did not subject Liev to such clothes because I am FAR from traditional but I thought it would a nice gesture for my soon-to-be-born nephew.

I've had this pattern (Simplicity 2900) since early last year but hadn't had a chance to use it. I love layette, I love pretty layette and what attracted me to this particular patter was that it was vintage. It is a reprinted vintage Simplicity pattern and it's so cute. It is the quintessential Cuban layette, which apparently got stuck in the 1950s. I don't know when what we know as Cuban layette came to be but I'm pretty sure it must have been around this time. Of course, I'm only speculating here, I can't say I have ever actually given this much thought before now.

I chose yellow for this sacque (view D), as Simplicity calls it, because tradition says babies should leave the hospital in yellow for good luck. I don't buy into any of this malarkey but my mom does so I figured I'd indulge her. If you have ever wondered why baby clothes at places like Janie and Jack are so damned expensive even though they use such a small amount of fabric, I will tell you why! THEY ARE FREAKING HARD TO MAKE! You try hemming a teeny tiny sleeve! Son of a b..... I gave up trying to hem them so I just did a (bad) shell border, clipped the extra fabric and stuck the lace on top hide the flaws and it worked like a charm, no one (except for you) will be the wiser. I am very pleased with the result, actually, pleased is an understatement. Everyone else liked it too.

But wait, there's more! I also made, if you will, a blanket for the baby. I had a hell of a time mitering those corners and they look like a 5 year old did them but they were my first try ever, what was I expecting? My brother's girlfriend LOVED the blanket and my mom and her think I actually pieced the quilted part together. I won't spoil the illusion for them :P The back of the blanket, the part that goes against the baby's skin, is SOOOO soft! Putting this blanket together was awkward because I had to lay all three layers (underside, batting and topside) on the floor to cut everything to the correct size, then pin them right on the floor. Sewing them together and then binding the edges was even more fun! That's a lot of thick, heavy fabric to maneuver!

Now I know why all this stuff is so expensive in stores! Yikes!

Vintage Failure

2010-01-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I tried, I really did but still no dice. I have been working on vintage Simplicity 7626 for days. I did a muslin and decided I needed to change a few things. I made the garment with those changes at is was enormous. I went back to the original pattern as was then back, etc. I have ripped more seams than I even care to count but still nothing. It's just not going to work. I got a good fit across the bust but there just isn't enough ease for me. The patter is for a 36 bust with about4 inches of design ease. I have a 40 bust and the bust is quite fitted on me. No big deal, that's not the problem. The problem is that the waist of the pattern is just too low for me and I didn't realize this until it was too late. I tried to make changes to the dress but it just looked odd.

Here are two pictures so you see how horrible this thing looks on me. It is SO unflattering. Maybe the problem is my odd body but either way, it looks gross.

So there, after all that, I'm throwing this one in the UFO pile and off to Wadderland it goes. The fix is simple but I'd have to cut a whole new garment and quite frankly, I can't be bothered. I get very discourged by stuff like this. I don't even think there is anything else I can make from this failed dress. I thought of chopping it up into a top but I don't wear tops that snug. Blah. Besides, I can't say I love the fabric as used here (I originally bought it for a coat).

So long Simplicity 7626!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is 2010. I remember when everyone was freaking out over Y2K and now it seems like that was a zillion years ago. A decade goes by so fast yet so slow. It definitely was an interesting decade for me, no doubt. I joined the Navy, got deployed 3 times (once during the war), left the Navy and became a veteran, got married, had a kid, etc. I don't know what this decade will bring but I hope it's good!

I am currenty working on view 1 of this pattern. I made a muslin (why do I bother???) and now I am working on the garment itself. I think I am done with the fitting but it definitely does not look on me the same as it does on the cartoon on the cover! I also chose a fabric (plaid) that I now I am not sure about. I'll go ahead and finish it but I am not holding my breath.

Craft Apron

2009-12-30T13:56:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post this for a long time but hadn't gotten around to it. The issue is that most of the time I sew when I'm either home alone or at night. When I'm alone there is obviously no one to take the pictures and at night the light is just crappy for photos. I was just upstairs sewing and I decided to just go ahead and take the pictures myself or I'd never get them taken.

This craft apron is inspired by one I saw on a sewing magazine (Threads? Stitch? Can't remember). I had a pair of jeans that gave up the ghost months ago but i kept for some reason. This was the perfect opportunity to upcycle those jeans. They happened to be a bit flared at the hem so they made a nice, flared apron.

Making this apron is really easy, the time consuming (and downright infuriating) is getting the damned belt loops off the freaking jeans. There were supposed to be three belt loops on the apron but I was about to stab myself with the dang seam ripper so I let it go. Two is plenty. Anyhow, It's not very exciting but I thought I'd share since it is so easy and useful. I love not having to dig all over my sewing room looking for scissors, seam gauges, tracing wheels, pens, rotary cutter, etc.

Excuse the crappy pictures, they were taken with my phone in my son's bathroom and the light is not great in there.

Fabric Loot From Mexico

2009-12-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a HORRIBLE trip to Mexico last night. I will spare you the trip details but at least the fabric shopping was good! That's no consolation, but still. I was amazed at how cheap the fabric was. I bought 20 meters, almost 22 yards, of good fabric and spent less than $65 USD. All but one cut of the fabric I bought are natural as I refuse to wear polyester or other synthetics in the Miami heat. One of the cuts was lightweight pin striped 100% linen and it was roughly $4.50 a meter/yard. Amazing! The linen BLENDS start at like $12/yard at Joann's, what a rip off. I could have bought fabric until the cows came home but I suspect my husband would have frowned upon it. The cotton fabric with the blue and white square print is a cotton sateen (or at least sateen-like) and it is lovely.

I also found by chance copies of Burda 10/08 and Diana Moden No.53 in Spanish. I have been watching that issue of BWOF (in English) forever but I couldn't bring myself to paying $18 for it. I worked out for the best I suppose since I paid only roughly $4.50 for it in Mexico. I had also been watching some Diana Moden issues on ebay but I don't speak a lick of German and that was putting me off. I'm glad I found it in Spanish and for about $3.80. I also saw many copies of Patrones No.279. If anyone is interested, I found these magazines, and MANY other knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc magazines at the ground floor store of the Fiesta Americana hotel in Merida.

December BWOF

2009-11-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

I just got my December issue of Burda....meh. I think I'm just going to have to come to terms with the fact that BWOF will be pretty much useless to me in the winter months. I only had a quick look but I did not see anything there interesting. Not only is it mostly winter clothes but it's also all not my style. Let's see if I can come up with anyting at all I like upon closer inspection. If I can't then I'll be selling this issue too.

Thinking About New Wardrobe

2009-11-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

I have been taking a break from sewing for a little while because of the reasons I mentioned before. This hiatus will last though December and possibly halfway into January but then I'm back with a vengeance! I will be a busy bee as I have nothing to wear after so much weight loss (I didn't really have much before either!) I will be working on an entire wardrobe and I am REALLY looking forward to it. Mind you, I will also be buying clothes because I'm just too slow and disorganized to make everything and not have to go naked!

Today it hit me that if I want to do this then I better start coming up with some ideas and put together a plan. I did this for the PR wardrobe contest but I didn't really give that one much thought. I'm gonna be much pickier this time and the pieces I choose will probably be very different. There will be a few fitted pieces since I will be able to pull it up without looking like a lumpy sausage and there will probably be a dress or two. I realize this cannot be done in a matter for weeks and that it will take time and effort but I am REALLY looking forward to it. In the meantime I am reading up a storm! I'm devouring my couture books and learning as much as I can about finishes and other details. I'm also reading (more) about fitting.

Just off the top of my head, the following are pieces I will probably be making at some point in the next few months.

The skirt pictured The dress pictured

Dress on model on the left Blouse on model on the right

As for my vintage patterns, I think I'm going to give this one a shot because I simply love the neckline of view 1.

I think this coat from La Mia Boutique might be in my future as well. Of course, living in Miami...when would I wear it???

Feel Cute to Look Cute...Or Is It The Other Way Around?

2009-11-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

I post the following at the risk of being called a wagon-jumper but I guess jump on the wagon is what I'm about to do. Mind you, this is not something that just occurred to me, it just hadn't occured to me to blog about it because it's a personal issue. We all have our demons.

I subscribe to Trena's feed and I read her latest post a little while ago. You can check it out here . In her post she talks about her decision to simply look, and feel, cute every day or as close to every day as possible. That got me thinking (a miracle, I know!). Do I feel cute every day? No, I don't. Would I love to feel cute every day? You better believe it!

I have always been a jeans and tshirt kinda girl. It's not that I don't like to dress cute, I do, it's just that I absolutely hate my body (something Trena talks about) and nothing looks good on me. To complicate matters, I have a disproportionaly large tummy and I have been between fat and obese all of my adult life. When you combine all those factors, finding cute clothes that fit is not easy. What do people in my situation do? We resort to jeans and oversized tshirts. I would not be caught dead in anything fitted. Now, I see PLENTY of large girls out there that look amazing and I always wonder "How do they do it?" I haven't figured it out and I probably never will but I take my hat off to them anyway.

In the past 3 months or so I have lost just over 20 pounds and I am finding easier and easier to find clothes that look cute and look good. Shopping for clothes is getting marginally easier. I don't' want to look frumpy but I do want to wear clothes that are not only age appropriate but also appropriate for my body shape. I have started to MAKE AN EFFORT to look cute every now and again because it makes me feel good. Case in points, a couple of weekends ago my husband and I decided to go out to lunch. We were only going to Longhorn and I would have normally just thrown whatever on but I thought I'd were something pretty. I also put on make up (which I rarely do) and then we left. I felt pretty, put together and definitely not frumpy. I was not looking for compliments but I definitely got them. They were the cherry on top. I had a revelation that day. When I wear jeans and tshirts no one even looks at me twice but when I were cute clothes and FEEL cute, I get compliements. Maybe I should dress like that every day? Yes, I should but I don't.

What am I waiting for? Well, for starters, I am waiting until I have reached my goal weight and I'm nearly halfway there. I don't think it makes sense for me to spend so much time (or money) on clothes that will only fit for a brief period of time. Some may think that's a lame excuse but I think it's a valid one. I am also waiting until I am no longer disgusted but what I see when I look in the mirror. Because *I* need to feel cute in the clothes I wear to project that, I need to like what I see in the mirror. Right now, I don't. Maybe I just haven't found the right clothes or maybe I just need a new body. I am working on both.

If you've read this far, you're a star! I'm not even sure what the point of this post is, I just felt I needed to say something. The bottom line is, I do want to look cute and I'm on my way but I have demons, we all have demons, and most times they just get the better of me.

If You Won't Buy...Don't Try!

2009-11-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

Today I learned what celebrities and the filthy rich must feel like when they go shopping.

I was in search of a dress today for a dinner date with my husband and I thought I'd go to a local mall that I particularly like. While there I decided to stop by the shoe depart at Saks just because I could. I have a shoes problem. It's only a problem for my husband mind you, I'm perfectly fine with it! But I digress.While I was there, one of my sales assistants (yes, they know me by name) and I started chatting. I told him I wasn't goint to buy any shoes today because I was only looking for a dress (I was NOT looking for a dress at Saks though). He said he'd take over to the SA in the clothing department and she'd help me. I figured I'd have some fun and try on some dresses so I went along with it.

While we waited for this lady, my shoe SA and I started walking around picking out dresses he thought would look good on me. The man has very strong opinions when it comes to clothes and said I was a size 40 (EU)...bless him, I am not. The other patrons kept looking at me like I was some hotshot. I was wearing convertible pants from Walmart and a Disney t shirt I got as a wedding gift three and half years ago, no make up and my hair up in a bun.

Anyhow, I tried on a few dresses but nothing really grabbed me then the girl SA brought this DKNY dress that didn't look like much. I put it on and I nearly died. Love, it was love at first try. It's not an evening dress but it can be dressed up or down. The bodice was made from a knit and it had long sleeves. The skirt was a tulip style skirt made from a taffeta-like material and it started just under the bust. It had a sash to go around the high waist and I tied it at the back. I loved it, loved it, loved it. My husband had given me a budget and this dress.....well, let's just say the budget didn't even come close.

I left Saks love struck and empty handed. I did take some pictures with my phone but they are not very clear and the pictures do not do the dress or how it looks on me justice. I think my husband has given me the go ahead to go back and get the dressed but as much as I love it, I can't justify it since I'd only wear it once or twice before it no longer fits. Maybe I would have bought if the circumstances were different. Also, as I have found out, once you start buying designer stuff it just becomes a slippery slope (ask the shoes department SA) and then a downward spiral. Nice stuff spoils you for life and you can never go back to Target...where I have been perfectly happy until now.

I got the VIP treatment at Saks...then I went to Zara in the same mall and I felt like I was walking into the flea market. I was just thrown into a dressing room, the clothes were stained with make up and the sales assistant stunk. Crap. Damn you and your amazing customer service Saks!

The moral of the story is, if you can't afford the dress AND don't know know how to knock it off...don't try it on! It can only bring on heartache!

I also tried on this Elie Tahari dress. I loved it as well. That neckline is stunning and it reminded me of a similar Vogue one.

Cut, Traced, Folded, Marked

2009-11-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

I just cut, traced, folded and wrote on a vintage pattern. I feel like I have commited some horrible crime against history. I know it's stilly but if you it's pretty destructive when you put it into perspective. This pattern from 1967, has survived over 30 years intact. It had been used (or at least most pieces had been cut) but it was nearly pristine. Then I come along and cut it, write on it, folded, trace it, etc and severele decrease its life expentacy. But alas, the damaged has been done and I'll just have to live with that.

In case you are wondering, the pattern is Simplicity 7502. I am making view 3. I just pumped out a muslin and there are some adjustments to be made but hopefully it will all work out. Even if it doesn't, I have learned a few things even from just the muslin. First, vintage pattern tissue is great! I really doubt today's patterns will last as long as these patterns have considering how flimpsy and delicate it is. I guess the folks back then got it right. This pattern (and the other vintage patterns I have checked out) have the center of the darts marked so you know where to fold....what an idea! This makes pinning darts pretty much painless. Also, as much as I hate pinning, folding, writing on, etc vintage patterns, it's SOOOO nice to be able to just pull the pattern out of the envelope, lay it on the fabric and cut. I always trace my modern patterns because since they are multisize, once you cut one size out the rest are no longer usable.

I also found out that my waist is approximately 2.5 inches lower in the front than in the back. I knew I had a tilted waist but I didn't know it was THAT tilted. I am a freak of nature.

New Cardigan!

2009-11-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to blog this for two weeks but I just couldn't get decent pictures taken. As it is, the pictures are craptastic. I blame our new point and shoot camera...it is the noisiest damn camera I've ever owned. Good thing we found my husband's trusty old Fuji.

Anyhow...after the flop that the DKNY knock off cozy was (Simplicity 2603), I still needed a cardigan of sorts. I was not ready to give the cozy another shot so I thought I'd try this other pattern (Simplicity 2560) and see what happened. This is a pretty straightforward design and the instructions were easy to follow. The most difficult part about making this cardigan was trying to keep track of which side of the fabric was the right side and the wrong side. I used a cotton interlock and the two sides look nearly identical. I am still not sure if i used the same side as the outside for all the pieces but I can't see any difference between them so I guess I'm in the clear either way.

My main concern was this pattern was that the garment would not fit. This was supposed to be a sort of trial run before I used more expensive fabric but I went ahead and constructed it as if it was the final garment. I'm glad I did because it fits great. The sleeves fit just right and while I have plenty of ease around the bust, that's how I like it. I would not have wanted it any smaller.

I made view A all the way through. During the final fitting, just before I hemmed the sleeves, my husband and I came to the conclusion that it was rather plain and that ruffles on the sleeves would look nice. I didn't want bulk per se, just flare, so I added the sleeves for view C which are not stayed. It turned out great and I am glad I did because it DID look plain.

When adding the flounce to the sleeves, I shortened them by a couple of inches because they came past my elbow before the flounce. I wish I had shortened them more. Live and learn.

I am very happy with the end resutla and I have worn the cardigan several times since I made it. I love it. It's warm enough to keep me comfortable during class (COLD classrooms) but not so warm that I look ridiculous in. This is, after all, Florida.

Milestone

2009-10-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

While not strictly sewing related, it is a big milestone that affects my sewing. I haven't been sewing much in the way of garments for me, as I said before, because I am on a weight loss program. I started in mid August and as for this morning, I have lost 10% of my starting out body weight. That is freaking huge! Not the amount (ha!) but the significance. Not only have I lost all that weight, I have also lost SIX inches. I took my measurements a couple of days ago and I have lost 3 inches off my waist and 3 inches off my hips. I'm exctatic and I cannot wait to reach my goal but man, it seems SOOO far away.

Trench Love

2009-10-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

I will be the first to admit that not only do I not have style, I haven't really put much effort into acquiring one either. Only recently (since I started sewing) have I even bothered to actually look at fashion magazines and what not. I suppose the reason behind that is the fact that well, being overweight, it's hard to find things that fit and look good so I just gave up. Second, fashion magazines while entertaining, are the wrong place to find pieces you'd like to buy unless you are Paris Hilton and I don't mean because she's skinny. It's all about the Benjamins.

I was flipping through the current issue of Harper's Bazaar when I came across a rather interesting photo article "Crimes of Fashion". When I read the title I immediately thought they'd be discussing knock offs but alas, I was wrong. They weren't discussing anything as it was just pictures but the pictures were with the cast of Law and Order. When I got to the last page of the article I was stopped dead on my tracks. The most beautiful trench coat I have ever seen was staring right in the face. I drooled and then almost frantically looked at the description to find the brand. It's a Burberry Prorsum trench. Then I saw the price and I nearly fainted.....$4,495. That's right.....four thousand four hundred and ninety five United States dollars. It sure made me wish I had married Prince William instead of the poor sod that met me at the end of the aisle. OK, not really, I do love him but why can't he be uber rich?????

So, since the coat is most definitely out of my league, I really, really, really hope that someone, anyone, comes up with a pattern for this coat or at least a similar one. Are you listening Simplicity, McVoguerick and Burda??? I LOOOOVE the ruffles, the pleats, the collar. I love everything about this coat and if money was no object you better believe I would have run, not driven, run straight to the Burberry store in Coral Gables and made this beauty mine. Never mind that my husband refuses to accept that Burberry does not have the same connotation here in the US that it does in the UK and that he'd rather poke his eyes out with dull knives than be seen out with me wearing Burberry. Nothing, except nearly 5 grand, would come between me and this coat.

Of course, I had to go and see the rest of the stuff from this collection and the other Burberry coats out there. Love. Love, I tell ya.

Come think of it, for someone who lives in Miami and has no need for coats, I sure like them a whole lot.

Edited to add: For those who don't know, I will explain what the issue with Burberry in the UK is. One one point, there was so much fake Burberry in the UK being worn by the lower class (yes, they still have classes in the UK) that if you were wearing Burberry it was automatically assumed that A) it was fake and B) you were a chav (and the definittion of chav is a whole other post but think white trash). So, wearing Burberry in the UK is said to be chavtastic. Of course, I'm sure those who can afford real Burberry would beg to differ.

And The Winner Is....

2009-10-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Jen!
The fourth commenter (taking into consideration that first comment which was made on Sew Retro) wins! It so happens that Jen (Jen and Pete) is a local girl whom I have met on two occasions. I did not realize it was her until I actually clicked on her Blogger profile.

Congrats Jen!

BWOF November, 2009

2009-10-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

The contents of next month's BWOF issue are up on the German site! I had seen the preview on the back of the October issue and the red dress blew me away. Turns out, that red dress is just one of many. I really need to see the hard copy to form an opinion on a particular issue but so far I can say I really like the following styles.

Three Of A Kind

2009-10-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned I was making a tunic from a pattern I had made twice before in hopes that it would end the long line of wadders I had recently experienced. Well, my plan worked.

The pattern is Simplicity 2934. I had made view B twice and this time I decided to make view A which is the same but longer and with tie sleeves. The construction pretty straightforward, as I already knew. This time around I actually made the needed adjustment to the neckline and took the extra fabric. I like the dress and I like how it looks from the front but from the side I look like I'm about 8 months pregnant. I don't know if I'm going to keep it as a dress or if I'm going to chop it up into the length of view B but at least it's not a wadder. I wore it today and I got complimented on it.

Hello Geniuses!

2009-10-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is not sewing related but I HAVE to share because I am so excited! A couple of days ago we received some fluffy mail! It was a bit package with FIFTEEN new Bum Genius 3.0 diapers!!!! WOOT! That may not be exciting for most of you but fluffy mail is always awesome for those who cloth diaper their babies. As you may or may not know, we use cloth diapers.

We had been using disposables for daycare because the bulk of our diapers are prefolds (require to be folded around the baby's butt) and while they would have used them, they are not the most user friendly of cloth diapers. Disposable diapers are SOOOO much more expensive in the long run so we bit the bullet and bought 15 new pocket diapers. This, along with the other pockets and fitteds we have, is enough to stop using disposables for daycare AND stop using prefolds at home. We will be a strictly pocket and fitted diaper family from now on. So long prefolds!

For those of you who have never seen modern cloth diapers, they are NOTHING like what they used to be back in the day. They are very user friendly, especially the pockets, all in ones and fitteds. I could write a book about diapers so I'll just give you the skinny on the ones we bought. They are pocket diapers because they have a pocket between the outer water resistant layer and the inner stay dry layer. You put an insert, or 2 or 3, in there to make the diapers absorbent. These diapers are just like disposables, they do not let pee out and do not need plastic pants. You put them on and take them off the baby the same way you do a disposable then you put them in a pail lined with a water resistant liner and wash them every 3rd day or so (in the washer!). These are one size fits all because they have snaps to make them smaller for young babies or unsnap them and make them larger for older babies. So yes, they are great.

We got all the colors except for the two pink ones, I don't think Liev would appreciate wearing pink diapers LOL.

You can see more of our cloth diapers here.

Yet More Patterns

2009-10-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been sewing, I've even finished a garment but I haven't gotten around to taking picutres.

I received a few (OK, a lot) more patterns in the last couple of days. Some of them I bought individually and the rest are from a 150 pattern lot I won on fleaBay. Of that lot, I kept maybe 50 patterns, the rest are hideous (to me). They are in pretty bad shape, especially the older ones from the 50s, those don't even have envelopes. Live and learn I guess. I'll pick my lots more carefully next time.....although I really should stop buying vintage patterns altogether.

Here are the 3 patterns I bought individually:

Here are a few of my favorite from the lot. You can see the rest here.

Comments fixed

2009-10-06T09:19:00.001-07:00

It was just brought to my attention that the commnets were not working as it wouldn't let you type the word verificiation. I've fixed that. Thank you Trudy. And here I thought people just thought I was boring! (I mean, I hope people don't think I'm boring!)

Sew June Goes Sew Retro!

2009-10-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

I just joined the very talented ladies over at Sew Retro! I'm so excited! So far I haven't sewn much from vintage patterns, just a few things here and there from reissued patterns for my son but that's about it. I had been lurking at Sew Retro for a while and I'm always amazed at the talent those girls have. I really want to start sewing more vitange garments so I thought joining them would actually give me an excuse, and encourage me, to do so. I hope my plan works!

In honor of my joining Sew Retro, I am going to do a pattern giveaway! I haven't had much luck with giveaways here (cough....pink soaker.....cough) so I hope this one is more successful. Entering the giveaway is very simple, just leave a comment telling me how you got interested in vintage sewing or just vintage things in general and in two weeks (October 20th), I will pick a winner using www.random.org. Each comment will be numbered in the ordered they are posted. I will then post the name of the winner and an email address to contact me so I can have the mailing info.

Here is the pattern. It's small but who knows, maybe you'll be up to the grading challenge!

Good luck!

Stuck in Wadderland

2009-10-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of wadders! It's been pretty much wadder after wadder since I finished the first two pieces for the wardrobe contest. Those are the ONLY two pieces I have finished and at this point, I don't think I'm going to complete the 10 pieces. I sick of wadders so I thought I'd try a pattern I have made twice before with sucess to see if I break the wadder spell. This time I'm making the longer version of the tunic. It's all cut and ready to sew.

I briefly entertained the idea of starting a muslin for one of my vintage patterns. I took the pattern pieces out, looked at them and though "F this. I am not in the mood for more failure right now" and put them back in the envelope. Some day....

Vintage Acquisitions

2009-09-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

My first encounter with anything vintage (Chevys aside) was at a very young age though I can't remember the exact number. I was vacationing at my great-grandmother's house in Central Cuba, as I usually did in the summer. One day I came across a very old magazine. It was definitely like nothing I had ever seen in my very short years and I was fascinated by it. I love the hairstyles, the clothes, the look of the advertisements. I was just fascinated. I remember reading the date on one of the adverts (I guess it was after the 1st grade after all) and thinking that it was amazing for a magazine to have lasted that long. I cannot remember the specific date but it was some time in the 1940s. I begged my great grandmother to let me keep the magazine and she obliged. I treasured it until I left Cuba less than a decade later and have not seen it since.

My paternal grandmother, who had lived in Havana since she left her provincial town in her youth, had countless photographs of herself, her sisters and friends from the 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. I LOVED looking at those pictures and just admiring their beauty. Ever since I have thought that women back then were much prettier than women these days but of course, this is all a matter of preference LOL. I just loved the style of the era and it's inarguable that they were far more stylish and elegant than we are today. Perhaps that's why that era appeals to me so much. Here is a picture of my grandmother circa 1945.

Anyhow, that's just a bit of background about how I came to love everything vintage. These days I own several vintage photo cameras in full working order (one of them is 100 years old!), vintage cookbooks, etc. My most recent vintage acquisition was two lots of 1940s and early 1950s patterns. There are 40 patterns in total and only one is repeated. I love them all. I am not sure the styles would work on me at this point in time but I am hopeful that I will be able to pull them off at some point.

I almost wanted to wear brand new, white gloves to touch these patterns LOL. I did not want to damage them. I guess I'm just a curator/historian at heart HA! A lot of these patterns are actually factory folded. They have never been used. How does a pattern make it through 60 years without ever being so much as unfolded? It baffles me but then again, I wonder how many of my modern patterns I will even unfold in life. The coolest part was finding a receipt for purchased fabric in one of the patterns. The receipt is dated 3/8/1947 and is for 3 yards of fabric from a store in Ohio. That made my night, just like finding hand written notes on vintage cookbooks makes me happy.

Here are some of my favorite patterns from these two lots. You can see the rest on my Flickr set.

This is the pattern with the receipt.

Burda October Issue Picks

2009-09-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have been a little disappointed late with the choice of styles on the recent BWOF magazines. For example, the July and September issues had NOTHING that I liked or would look remotely decent on me. They ended up on eBay, why keep something I'm not going to use when there are others out there that really want it? Besides, with the subscription being as expensive as it is, it does not make sense to keep issues you flat out don't like.

Anyhow, I looked at the online preview of the October issue and I was sure that would be the case this time around as well. I thought for sure I'd end up selling it as well since there was nothing on there that really grabbed me. For starters, they have A LOT of heavy winter coats.....and I live in Miami. I have no need for one of those. The other stuff just didn't really appeal to me.

I finally got my hard copy in the mail yesterday and had a chance to look through. Slim pickings for sure but I don't think I'm going to sell it, at least not just yet. While I'm not crazy about any of the styles, there are a few that sorta look OK so I'm going to keep this issue just in case, at least for a little while longer.

So, without further ado, here are my picks from the October issue. As I said, I'm not crazy about any of them but they are what I think are the best out of this issue.

Dress 117

It's a knit dress so it probably wouldn't look good on me anyway.

Dress 112

Double layer shoulder pads...yikes...but it looks good (though maybe not on me)

Dress 114

I'd be curious to see what this silhouette looks like I'm me. I also love the flowers, though I'd scale them WAY down since I'm so short.

Tunic 122

I like this one. I would not make it in suede (again, Miami) though.

Blouse 121 and Skirt 123 A

I like the blouse. I am on the fence about the skirt since I haven't had luck with this type of skirt but maybe now that I've lost weight they wouldn't look too bad. I still have a while before I give it a shot.

Top 135 B

This one is in the Plus section and since I'm straddling the plus and misses sizes, it would probably work for me as far as sizing is concerned. I like the drape and the crossing front sections. I might give it a shot with shorter sleeves.

I mentioned weight loss earlier in this post and I think I mentioned it previously as well. Well, I will keep my starting weight to myself but I can tell you that as of today, I have lost 14 pounds since I started Weight Watchers on August 12th. I'm pretty excited about that and very proud. Hopefully in a few months I'll be down to my goal weight. That won't solve my problems but from experience, I know that it will make me happier and much more confident. Yes, I know that weight is just a number but, unfortunately, it's a number that just weighs us down, pun intended. It's not so much the number but the fact that, let's face it, most overweight people don't look good in most clothes. I have a particularly disproportionately large tummy, even when I'm thin (which I have been, believe it or not) so I ALWAYS have a very hard time finding clothes that don't accentuate that. I have done WW before very successfully but then fell off the wagon when I met my husband, got married, etc. Hopefully it will stick this time!

BWOF Blouse Saga...a Happy Ending

2009-09-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

OK, turns out that the blouse fits my grandmother WAY better than it fits me. She came to visit today and I asked her to try it on and it looks good so I gave it to her. She was thrilled :) The fabric is very cool and comfy which is a must here in South Florida. I'm glad it was not scraps after all and that someone can enjoy it, even if it's not me. Here are a few pictures of her in the blouse (she says not to mind the bat wings :P )

Wadder!

2009-09-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Well, much to my disappointment, the BWOF blouse is a wadder. My main beef with it (and ONLY beef really) is the length. I can't remember if I've disclosed this before but I'm only 5'1.5". That's short by anyone's standard, even more so by fashion standards. Anyhow, this top was actually too SHORT for me! I knew it from the minute I pin basted and tried it on but I kept on going just because things could change and adding the flounce could make a difference. Well, not so. It's still short and the center front sticks out because it's so short. Son of b... My husband thinks that it needs sleeves because I don't look good in sleeveless clothes. He may be right but if this top was the right length, I could live with it sleeveless.

Serves me right for not making a muslin but quite frankly, I nearly always have to shorten patterns, I would have never in a million years imagined I'd have to lengthen this one. I don't know if I'm going to make it again or just replace it with a different top. We'll see.

Edited to add a couple of pictures just because I want to show off my newly-learned skill....collar making. I had never done a collar before and I was about to throw in the towel but stuck it out and the collar is actually not bad at all, especially for my first time.

I'd Rather Be Sewing

2009-09-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

I have FOUR tests next week and I should really be studying. Not so much studying as actually working on the homework that is due on test day and I have been neglecting, however, all I can think about is sewing, even while working on long chemistry problems. I have made progress on the BWOF blouse. The collar is attached and it looks halfway decent (not bad for my first time actually). All I need to do now is attach the flounce, hem and thread the drawstrings. I'm excited about this blouse but I think it might be a bit too short for me even though I did not length adjustments and I am very short. Go figure. I don't know how much I'll be able to sew this weekend but it probably won't be much. School sucks up so much of my time!

I think I'm gonna take a little trip to a local fabric store to clear my mind LOL.

Collars are hard!

2009-09-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am working on the BWOF top for the Wardrobe contest. I thought it would be an easy project but I didn't really think it through. it was all fine and dandy until I got to the collar. Oh boy! Well, sewing the collar on isn't difficult, I have already done so. What IS difficult is getting the insdie part (the part that goes against your neck) to look pretty. I'm rethinking how I'm going to do it since it HAS to look good, it's the visible part of the collar. I think I'm going to give it one more shot and if that doesn't work then I'm going to put it to the side and start working no something else, then come back to it. I had never sewn a collar so I didn't really realize the implications.

Come think of it, the other Simplicity top also has a collar, albeit not one that turns out. I hope that one is easier since it's not as visible. Maybe I'll just substitute them for two non-collar tops and call it good. We'll see.

La Mia.....si!...La MIA Boutique!

2009-09-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

I few days ago I bought a magazine on eBay. It came all the way from Italy and it's impossible to find in the US. I am talking about La Mia Boutique, yet another European pattern magazine. Yes, I am trying to work my way around the globe in pattern magazines LOL. Next is Knipmode I suppose, but I digress.

I had seen a few page of the magazine on eBay but i ordred it pretty much blind. The coat on the cover was my first caught my attention so I went ahead and got it. I waited about a week for it to get here and I was starting to get anxious LOL. Anyhow, it finally arrived today and I could not open that envelope fast enough!

The first thing I noticed is that unlike Burda and Patrones, it does not have a style-view page at the beginning so the only way you can see the clothes are on the actual pages with the model and then the line drawings in the middle. This particular issue has a lot of coats, jackets, etc and a few dresses along with some maternity clothes. It also has articles not related to the clothes on the magazine and recipes, horoscope, etc.

I cannot be specific as to how good the instructions are because my Italian is very limited but I can tell you that they look as brief and sparse as Burda's and Patrones'. It does not have as many styles as Burda but it's comparable to Patrones.

OK, enough comparison, now to the good parts. Here are my favorites :

Back

Front (LOVE this one)

Here are the line drawings for all the styles:

I wish could subscribe but they don't do overseas subscriptions :( Even if they did, it would probably be prohibitively expensive like Patrones (In the mid hundreds a year!)

Two Down, Eight to Go

2009-09-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

OK, I have completed two garments for the Wardrobe content. They are the easiest two and hopefully the worst looking two! The trousers hang OK and are wearable but really, the fit could be much better. That said, they are very comfortable and cool, which is a must in this South Florida heat. I used a linen/cotton blend from Joanns.

The top, as I mentioned before, I made instead of the Vogue one. I had made a variation of this top before and liked it. Of course, I wish I had remembered I had to eliminate some of the fabric on the front neckline for the previous top. The actual construction techinique of this top is virtually flawless, if I may say so myself. This was supposed to be a test garment but because it came out so well, neckline aside, I decided to just go ahead and use it for the contest and actually wear it. I love it, really. I do need to figure out how to keep the facing on the right side of the front from flipping up. I am waiting for my stitch in the ditch foot to arrive so I can tack it to the shoulder seam, hopefully that will do it. For this top I used a mustard colored cotton woven I have had since 2003 or so. As I said, it was supposed to be a test garment so I used fabric I wouldn't necessarily miss if the garment was ruined.

Top: Simplicity 2596

Trousers: Simplicity 2616

So, I guess that's just a drop in the Wardrobe bucket, so to speak. The 8 pieces left to do are the most complicated. I have made a muslin for the skirt, which I drafted myself instead of using the pattern I had selected. I made a muslin for the McCall's skirt and it just didn't work for me, which is why I decided to go the self-drafted way. So now I just need work up the courage to cut into my pretty ivory eyelet fabric and make the skirt. I am currently working on the BWOF blouse, we'll see how long that takes me.

Change of Plans....Already

2009-09-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

I've only just started sewing for the wardrobe contest and i've already had to change one of the tops. the Vogue top, turns out, I only have in large sizes and I don't want to buy a smaller pattern. I COULD grade the one I have but I don't really have much time to fiddle with patterns so I'd rather start with the correct size. I did make what started out as a test garment/muslin but ended up being an actual garment. I will post more about it tomorrow but here is the line drawing (View E)

PR Wardrobe Contest or How I'm Losing My Mind

2009-09-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

I think I might just be losing my mind. I am swamped with schoolwork, housework, being a mommy, etc yet I felt the crazy desire to enter PR's Wardrobe Contest that runs from September 1st through November 30th. I'm already a few days behind but that's OK. Participants need to enter 10 pieces total; 5 tops, 4 bottoms and 1 topper (jacket, cardigan, poncho, etc). All the tops must go with all the bottoms and the topper must go with all outfits.

Now, I don't know if I will be able to pump out 10 garments between now and the end of November but I lose nothing other than sanity by trying. The worst that can happen is I don't complete 10 pieces, then I just don't qualify for voting. Nothing lost but still a few garments gained. This will be my first sewing contest and I am very well aware that I will not win but the point is not to win (though it would be nice), the point is to build a wardrobe, which I am VERY much in need of.

The one thing holding me back, aside from not enough hours in a day, was the fact that I have been on Weight Watchers for a few weeks and I am steadily losing weight (YAY!!!!). I don't wanna put so much effort into sewing 10 pieces only to have them not fit in a couple of months. So, I think I'm going to aim to err on the side of small (though not too small) for the pieces in hope that I can wear them longer.

I have selected all my patterns and made a preliminary storyboard without the fabric. I have some ideas for the fabric but I have to really think about it since I have to use at least one print and everything must go with everything else. Here's the storyboard:

My First Project Runway Project

2009-09-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of loose blouses, flounces around the waist and hips etc because they do a good job at hiding my belly. A week or so ago, maybe a bit more, I started working on Simplicity 2942. It is a Project Runway pattern and it's basically a main pattern which you can add different design elements to and get different looks. I decided to make the view one of the models on the cover is wearing because it was cute little flouncy sleeves and it was tied at the hip creating a flounce below the drawstring.

I had the perfect fabric for it in mind. It's a 100% rayon woven I bought on sale from www.fabric.com couple of months ago. It's very thin, although not sheer, and fluid. The drape is perfect for this style and I had been trying to figure out what to make with it before I thought about this pattern. I actually made a muslin even though I have not had success with them previously. The muslin was fine and the only adjustment I had to make was raise the neckline which was quite low on my 5'1.5" body. I cut a size 15/16+ which is a single Junior's size.

The construction of this blouse was quite interesting, and by that i mean frustrating to the point that I just had to walk away for a few days and work on something else (which turned out to be a wadder by the way). It was all about the way the instructions has you attach the back neck facing and how I got ahead of myself thinking I was being so slick not reading the instructions carefully because you know, I KNOW how to attach a facing :::insert eye roll:::

The instructions has you sew the back neck facing from the front. You are supposed to baste the back and front pieces at the shoulder seams then take the back neck facing and place its right side on the front piece's wrong side, which in effect means the facing's right side and the back's right side are facing each other. Lost yet? I was. THEN you sew the facing to the back this way making sure you do not catch the front piece in the stitching, then pivot and sew the shoulder seams. When you turn the facing to the inside the shoulder seams are hidden. Does that make sense? If not, that's exactly what I thought. The instructions were very confusing and did not explain this processes well. It took me a long time to figure out what the heck they were talking about. I have read other people's review of this pattern and no one mentions this so it might just have been me who had trouble understanding.

Once I got over that it was cake. The instructions actually have you bind the armhole seams (for pretty) which I think is great, it really needs it. I have one main beef with this pattern and it is the lack of a bust dart. When I tried the finished blouse on I noticed excess fabric around my bust and thought to my self that it could have really benefited from bust darts. I then went to look at the pattern and the model's blouse on the cover does indeed have bust darts. I wonder why the pattern drafters left this out. So, If I was to make it again (and I might) I would definitely add the darts. The hem and sleeves are supposed to be narrow hemmed and I tried but couldn't figure the damned narrow hem foot out. There was no way I was going to narrow hem it by hand so I cut the hem allowance off the sleeves and did a rolled hem instead. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for sergers. I think it's looks cute with a rolled hem anyway. I used bought cording for the drawstring.

Excuse the blown out picture, my husband took it and didn't realize the camera was on manual mode.

So there, that's what I've been up to. I haven't been doing much sewing since school started because I have A LOOOOOT of homework and that's taking up most of my time. I do hope to be able to squeeze a garment here and there.

My New Sewing Room

2009-09-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Up until a few weeks ago my sewing "room" was actually my dining room table. The dining room was jammed packed with my junk to the point where we hadn't eaten dinner at the table in months (we still don't). I really wanted to convert one of the bedrooms into a sewing room but my family was temporarily living with us so I wasn't able to. Once they actually moved out I went straight to Ikea and bought furniture to use as sewing furniture. Then I moved my son to another bedroom and took over his, which has worked out great. His new room is darker for naps and cooler, the one I moved him out of was pretty warm.

My wonderful husband built the furniture for me and set it up in my son's old room, then I started moving all the junk up very slowly. I still have some stuff in the dining room cabinet but most of it is upstairs. I have not moved all of my son's closet contents over to his new room but that's OK for now.

I love having a dedicated space. Not only do I like not having that mess in the living room but I also like being able to just leave things as they are and not have to move them. I love not having to use my kitchen island as a cutting table and I also love just having my own space. I have not done any decorating to it (or the rest of the house for that matter) but I hope to make it pretty one day. For now, it's a functional if utilitarian sewing room.

This picture is from the front right corner of the room. Here you can see the metal shelf that holds the fabric. The cloth organizers hold things like scraps of fabric, fat quarters, interfacing, projects I'm working, unfinished projects, etc. All the way to the right of the closet I hanged the things I sell on Etsy as well as projects I'm working on that need to be hung.

This one is from the opposite corner. The blue box on the foreground contains notions. The plastic tubs that is sits on is storage for odds and ends as well as patterns I plan to make in the near future (wishful thinking). The ironing board is in the back and the other table is the cutting table.

From behind the cutting table. The shelving in the sewing table (at the back) holds thread boxes, accessories for the sewing machine and serger and a box of patterns. The roll of paper fo the right of the sewing table is tracing paper. And those are the bug screens on the back right corner LOL.

Close up of the cutting table. The legs' shelves hold books, patterns and magazines. Under the glass I keep scissors, rotary cutter, marking paper, patterns I am currently working with, etc. The pen organizer is great, not only does it hold pens, pencils, chalk, seam gauge, etc but it's great to use as pattern weight when tracing patterns.

Magazine holders with my Burdas, Patrones and other random sewing magazines.

There are some things I'd like to get, such as a peg board, a pin board, wall shelves to put at either side of the window above the sewing table, more drawer unites, etc but that will have to wait for a bit I think.

New Giveaway Winner

2009-07-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

The original winner didn't contact me so it's time to move on the next person. This time the winner is commenter number 10, Heather. Congratulations!

And The Winner Is....

2009-07-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Proudmommy!

Her comment is the 4th one and the random number generator selected number 4. Here's a screen capture:

Congratulations Proudmommy! Email me at chiqui74 at hotmail dot com.

Soaker Giveaway!

2009-07-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

I have never done a giveaway before mostly because I'm paranoid that no one will enter! I am still paranoid but I think it's time I give it a shot.

As I previously posted, I recently got an embroidery machine. I've been going nuts with it on scraps of fabric but I was itching to embroider something wearable. I REALLY wanted to embroider a fleece soaker so I went ahead and made one. The only solid color fleece I had was pink but that didn't stop me. The soaker looks great but I don't think my little guy could rock it!

The soaker is a high rise anti-pill fleece soaker. I always make them high rise for my son because I like the diaper to be fully covered on the back. The measurements are:

Rise: 20.5"
Waist: 17"-19"
Thigh: 10"-11"

For reference, this soaker would be fairly large on my 21lbs, 30 inch long baby.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and I will select a winner using a random number generator on Thursday, July 23rd. The deadline to enter is 12:00AM on Thursday.

The embroidery on the back of the soaker reads "Does this diaper make my butt look BIG?" There are still some pieces of stabilizer attached but it will come off in the first wash.

Good luck!

New Machine!

2009-07-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

I started looking into embroidery machines a couple of months ago. I REALLY liked the Husqvarna Viking Designer SE. It was a dream.....it was also $3000 and out of the question. Because I had never embroidered a thing in my life, I decided that perhaps spending that kind of money was not wise and that I should start small. I kept doing more research and decided I wanted the machine to have a USB port so that I could connect it to the computer without having to use cards and what not. The Brother Inno-vis 900 fit the bill to the T. It also came with preloaded Disney designs which hiked the price up to about $900. Again, way too much.

I found the machine I would ultimately buy while browsing the PR forums. The machine is the Inno-vis 900 without the Disney designs and with a different name. I didn't care for those designs so that was OK with me. The Home Shopping Network (yes, I know) had it for $500 and it was the only place you could buy it new. I went to eBay instead and found an authorized Brother dealer selling factory refurbished ones for $399. Even better! It even came with the same 25 year warranty that the new ones have. After selling my soul (OK, OK, just a pair of shoes) I went ahead and ordered it. I was feeling sick to my stomach, imagine what it would have been like if I had bought the Viking one!

It arrived the day before yesterday and I immediately took it out of the box and tried it out. By night time, I had already even tried the embroidery functions. I won't lie, I was having buyer's remorse and I wasn't sure if I would keep it or not but the more I use it the more I love it. It's not the embroidery thing that is growing on me (although I do like it), it's the sewing features that my other machine, also a Brother, lacks.

The machines are fairly similar in size with the new machine, HE 240, being heavier but that's because my other machine, a CE5000PRW, is VERY light. The new one has 67 stitches and most of them are utility stitches. The decorative stitches are much better in the older machine. It's hard to pick my favorite function because there are a few and I like them equally so I will just list them.

This machine has a thread cutting function. Once you are done sewing you just press a button and the machine cuts the threads for you. No more digging for tiny scissors under my piles and piles of junk. How did I ever manage without this??? Could I ever go back to cutting it myself? I don't know but I don't think I want to find out! Then there's the Start/Stop function. Who says you need to make your foot sore pressing a stupid pedal??? With this baby, you just push a button and it starts sewing; push again and it stops. Hello! I am lazy so this is a GREAT function for me.

I hate threading needles and while my old machine has a needle threader, it's not always accurate. This machine has a much better threading system and it threads the needle effortlessly EVERY SINGLE TIME. How about that button stitch? Love it! No more reaching around the machine trying to find that stubborn feed dog lever to lower it and then mess around with the zigzag stitch until you got it right. Just select the stitch, it automatically sets the stitch with to 3.5mm and the length to 0, put the button foot in the shank, place the button in the middle and stitch away. I sewed 8 buttons on today and it worked every time.

As for the embroidery, well, I definitely need to learn a heck of a lot more about it but the stuff I have embroidered has turned out great. I love sitting there watching the machine do its thing without any human input (other than design selection and Start button press). I remember the days when people had to sit in front of a machine with the fabric hooped in a round wooded hoop and manually move the hoop around under the needle. THOSE people can truly embroider, I just know how to push buttons.

I have the feeling I will be keeping the machine after all.

Yay or Nay?

2009-07-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

I don't usually buy fabric with a specific project in mind, I buy it because I like it and then I have to figure out what to do with it. Because of this, I am stuck with some prints that are difficult to pair up with a project other than a quilt, which I am not into at all. I am a fan of Alexander Henry fabric and while some of it is just fine for apparel, others aren't. Take his "Doshuko" print for example:

I love it but quite frankly, what I am gonna use it for??? Well, I hadn't found anything I even remotely thought would work with it until I had a thought this morning (yeah, those don't happen often in my mommy brain). I remembered the kimono style dress in the June issue of BWOF and I thought maybe this fabric would work with it. I would probably add cuffs in a solid color and make the belt the same color. I know this is a long shot since I am probably the only person who reads this, even my husband avoids proof-reading, but do you think it would work? I am not exactly known for my fashion sense, ya know. Here's a picture of the dress and the line drawing.

Any thoughts? Heeelllloooooo????? Anyone out there....there.....ther......the......?

Two Pieces of a Puzzle

2009-07-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

I love it when things just come together.

I have been stalking the February 2008 issue of BWOF (Burda World of Fashion) for a while. I had not see any of the designs in that issue except for one and based on that one, I HAD to have it. Apparently it's a very wanted issue. I was trawling eBay last night and what do you know, there was one ending in about 25 minutes. The bidding had already reached eyebrow rising amounts but I figured it was my only chance so I bid. I won and it is the most I've ever paid, and will ever pay, for a magazine back issue. The pattern/design in question is this:

I absolutely loved this coat the very first time I saw a picture of it on the BWOF Yahoo Group. The woman that made it made in a stunning ~~blue taffeta (I think it was taffeta)~~ and it was love at first sight for me. Ah, I just read her blog, it's actually peacock blue silk dupioni.

I needed to go to Joann's today to pick up some needles and stock up on some notions since all their notions are 50% off. I was walking down the aisle with the silks and bridal fabric and I saw the bridals were 60% off. There was a beautiful cream silk dupoini marked at $15.99 as the full price. I wouldn't have bought cream but at 60% off, I couldn't resist it so I decided to get it for the coat. I took it to the cutting counter and got 4 yards. When the woman gave me the receipt I saw that it was not reflecting the sale price so I told her. The machine was ringing it up as $9.99 full price. She told me to make sure it was on sale so I did and then she tried to tell me that $9.99 was the sale price. Lady, my math is shaky but I know that 60% off 15.99 is NOT $9.99. In the end they sent me off with 60% off $9.99 so I got the 4 yards for $15.98, that's about $3.99 a yard! I got the perfect fabric for the perfect coat and I am happy as a....silk worm...

Now all I need is the magazine to arrive and my sewing skills to seriously improve!

Scratch That

2009-07-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Turns out, I won't be able to use that pattern for the contest. So, I'm back to square one deciding which contest to enter. That said, I think I'm still going to (slowly) work on that outfit because I really like it.

You Can't Touch This!

2009-06-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of the July challenges on Pattern Review is "RTW (ready to wear) and designer knock offs". The idea is to copy a ready to wear garment or a garment by a designer. We can use commercial patterns or draft my own. I am finally eligible to enter challenges and I think I am going to enter this one. The outfit I have chosen is one that I liked the minute I saw it. I really can't pin point what it is about it that appeals to me but it just does. There is no guarantee it will look good on me since I am so short (not quite 5'2") but I won't know unless I try.

I have owned this pattern since it came out this spring and I think I'm one of the 5 people in the US that actually bought it (that might be a bit of an exaggeration). I guess I better say what outfit it is. Now, brace yourself because it is not a typical jacket and pant set! Without further ado.....I present to you this unique outfit:

This is from AKO's Spring/Summer 08 line. AKO stands for Andrea Katz Objects. All the designs by that label are very edgy in this same way. I can't say that I like them all but I do like their originality and edgy look. The pattern I am using, which is where I first saw this design, is Vogue 1116:

I just read the pattern instructions and I think I may have just lost my mind and I am not sure if it's because I like this specific design or because I chose a pattern that has SOOOO many pieces. Both pieces of the outfit are lined and each one has about a zillion individual pieces that must be sewn together. It will be quite a task and I really hope I can complete it. I am torn as to which piece of the outfit I should start with in case I don't have time to finish both. One the one hand, I would get the most use out of the jacket (I think) so that would be the logical piece to start with but on the other hand, the pants are really the wow piece here and what first attracted me to this outfit. All I know is that I better get started on the muslin since we can do that before July first. This outfit will probably take me all month to sew, if not more. We'll see what happens.

And yes.....they do look like Hammer pants.

Vintage Baby

2009-06-20T09:19:00.001-07:00

I have a weak spot for everything vintage. I love vintage cookbooks, vintage patterns, vintage inspired clothing etc so I when I saw this reprint of a vintage pattern, I had to have it and more importantly, I had to make it. Thank goodness I actually have a baby that can wear it otherwise I'd be stuffed.

It is pretty simple but cute outfit that works great in the Miami heat. The pattern called for lining the garment but I didn't line it. Instead, I modified it and made a casing for the elastic as opposed to sandwiching it between the outer layer and the lining. My son wears cloth diapers which are pretty thick so his diaper sticks out the suit's leg holes but that's OK.

The pattern is Simplicity 3508 and I made view D (sans applique), the sunsuit/romper.

My Sewing Space

2009-06-18T17:01:00.001-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know this is the second post today but it's a special one. We were discussing sewing/craft areas on a message board and I decided to go ahead and take pictures of mine. I live in a fairly big house but I find myself currently unable to have a dedicated sewing area so I use the dining room. Let's just say that the only time we have had dinner on that table was the night we moved in a few months ago.

To be specific, I use the formal dining/living room (one big room) for my sewing junk. I have extended the dining table and I have my serger and sewing machine on there. I also have lots of random things like bobbins, thread, needles, half finished projects, etc. I used to have fabric in trunks but I decided I would put one of the china cabinets to good use and moved all the fabric there. I forgot to take pictures of my cutting are which is actually my kitchen island. The dining table is just too low for cutting but it's too high for sewing comfortably. I will have a dedicated room (a spare bedroom) in the next couple of months.

That cabinet in the back contains the fabric. On the far left, towards the top of the picture you can see a very old Kenmore machine. It runs just fine but I don't use it. It was given to my grandmother recently and she gave it to me. Under that machine lies my old sewing machine which I cannot bring myself to getting rid of even though it's pretty much useless.

Here you can see my seam roll and ham to the left.

Finally, the fabric cabinet.

So there is my royal mess of a dining room. I cannot wait until I have a dedicated room. I can already picture the huge cutting table, the sewing cabinet that will accommodate the sewing machine and the serger and will provide a flat sewing surface for both. How about racks and racks of pretty fabric and drawers full of patterns? Yes.....I can already see it...

Fluffy Butt, Again.

2009-06-18T15:10:00.001-07:00

I am still experimenting with diapers for my son and possibly for retail. This time I added a second insert and the super absorbent material sandwiched between the outter and inner layers. The inner layers still is minky for keeping him dry.

This dragon and fire fabric is from Walmart. I bought one yard of it a few months ago for this purpose but hadn't gotten around to using it. This is a fitted diaper so it still needs a waterproof cover.

The kiddo is getting increasingly more difficult to photograph. He's just crawling all over the place and isn't still for a second. He's a little terror!

There Will Be Blood

2009-06-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

I knew it was only a matter of time until I bled (pin pricks aside) while sewing something. While working on this skirt I managed to very nearly impale my little finger on my very sharp Gingher dressmaker's shears. Ouch. it was not a wide gash but it was deep...and I bled....and I cursed.

This skirt is from the very first issue of Burda World of Fashion I ever bought. I had already subscribed but I couldn't wait to get my first issue so I stalked eBay until I found an issue that had something I really liked. This was it. It is pattern 105B in the January 2009 issue, otherwise referred to as 01-2009-105B.

The skirt has really deep pleats that are stitched in place and then top stitched. The hem band is cut on the bias although you can't really tell with this particular fabric. The largest size on the pattern was a European 42 and I cut the muslin in that size. Based on the muslin, I needed to add 3 inches or so to the waist. For some reason I still can't figure out I added roughly 2 inches to the entire side seam instead of just on the waist so it went from a somewhat fitted skirt to a not so fitted skirt.

The muslin with the added inches fit OK so I went ahead and cut the fashion fabric. Now, here lies the issue. I don't know why I even bother with muslins anymore since not a single muslin I have ever sewn has been a true indication of how the final garment fits. The muslin always fit but the garments are too big. So, I ended up with seam allowances that were 1 3/8 in so if I had cut a straight 42 in the fashion fabric it would have been perfect. I am truly puzzled by this muslin fitting issue.

Anyhow....the skirt's construction is actually pretty simple. I attached the hem band to the skirt body with a french seam and I really shouldn't have. The fabric is just too thick and the french seam made the side seams too thick and my machine had trouble with it. However, I after all was said and done, the skirt turned out great, especially considering I am a beginner and this was my first BWOF skirt and second BWOF project.

If you don't know about BWOF, it is a German pattern magazine like Patrones. However, unlike Patrones, the patterns come in more than 3 sizes. This particular pattern was sized from 34-42. Like Patrones, sewing instructions are minimal, they have to be to be able to fit 50 plus patterns and instructions in a single magazine. The subscription is about $80 a year. That's under $7 a month and you get 40-60 patterns for money. It is an amazing deal. Even during the best sales at Joann's, the cheapest you can buy a single pattern for is 99 cents. That's only 6 patterns for the price of a BWOF issue. There is no comparison. I am in love with this magazine.

Now, back to the skirt. I had to cut the front body twice because I messed up big time with the first piece. As I mentioned, for someone who is used to having very in depth instructions provided by the Big 4 (Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue and Butterick), BWOF are anything but. I read the instructions for the zipper slit and proceeded. Well, I cut way too far into the skirt and ended up with a useless piece of fabric. Thank The Flying Spaghetti Monster I had lots more fabric and was able to cut another piece. Live and learn.

I really like how it turned out. I wish my body shape was different and that skirt could be fitted around the waist and hips but alas, it's not possible. The only change I plan to make to the original design is add belt loops. Skirts without belts or elastic have a tendency to slip down on my body so I really need a belt. I can't wait for the right occasion to rock this skirt!

Fluffy Butts Are the Cutest

2009-06-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. The real reason I got into sewing to begin with was to make my son cute diapers. We started cloth diapering when he was 6 months old and I was gobsmacked by the sheer amount of beautiful cloth diapers out there. It's an addiction....an addiction that I have had to work hard to fall into. So bought a good sewing machine and the rest is history. Now, ask me how many diapers I have actually made. OK, OK, I'll tell you, sheesh! Two. A grand total of two diapers. As you can see, I took a different route after that first diaper.

We use mostly prefold diapers during the day but it is nice to have some easier to put on diapers for those times when my family watches him. They are slowly learning to use prefolds but it's still much easier for them, and anybody else truth be told, to use diapers that are put on just like a disposable. So, we have a few fitted diapers and a few pockets. We use the pockets mostly for overnight because we can stuff them with as many inserts as we need....he's a heavy wetter.

Last month I finally ordered a yard of a super absorbent material that claims to be the best out there. It's not cheap, which is why I bought just a yard to try it out. I finally got to make the diaper last night. The diaper body has three layers. The outer layer is cotton interlock for pretty and the inner layer is minky for keeping the baby's bottom dry. I had meant for the middle layer to be microfiber but I ended up having to use terrycloth because my microfiber pieces are not big enough....DUH!. The diaper has a soaker, for which I use the super absorbent material and covered with minky, sewn to the inside of the diaper but not in between the layers but it the layer closest to the baby. This way the diaper dries quicker. Diapers with internal soakers take longer to try. The closure is Aplix and it has laundry tabs.

The most difficult part about constructing this diaper was keeping all the layers together and preventing shifting. Even then, there was some shifting. I like the look of serged diapers better, as opposed to stitched and turned, so to make serging it easier, I basted all the layers together in the sewing machine first. I have a walking foot for my sewing machine which makes sewing this diaper easier but I do not have a walking foot for the serger (I don't even know if they exist) so there's a lot more shifting there. The basting definitely helped.

The diaper is not perfect but it's great for my first time trying this style out and my second time making a diaper. The true test, the absorbency test, is currently in progress. Baby is napping in his brand new diaper....we'll see how it performed once he wakes up. I wish I would have gotten a better picture of him in the diaper but he was extra wiggly this morning, changing his diaper was an epic battle.

I am biased and I need ham.

2009-06-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

On a scale from 1 to 10, how bad is it to be in love with a piece of metal? Wait...don't answer that (as if anyone actually reads this!). The truth is, I am in love with a piece of metal.....my binding foot. Sure, you can apply bias tape without it but the heck wants to? Double fold tape is easy and doesn't need the foot but single fold....well.....I'm glad I have the presser foot. It makes the whole process a piece of cake, especially when binding rounded edges, like the ones on the apron I made yesterday. For a half apron, it sure used a lot of fabric. A whole two yards of expensive fabric and eight, that's right, EIGHT yards of bias tape. Believe me, I was very glad I had a bias binding foot.

This is by far the most beautiful half apron I have ever seen....ever. I love it. It is vintage inspired and even though it is not for me, I couldn't help by try it on. It made me feel like a million bucks. I love the ruffles, the layers, the bow, etc. It is so very girl but sexy at the same time. I wanted to don my Louboutins and my pearls and prance around the kitchen. Those 1950's women sure had the apron thing down.

While constructions this apron I came to truly appreciate the value of a tailor's ham. Of course, that was only because I did not have one. Ironing the waistband on this thing was impossible on a flat surface so I had to make do with a rolled up piece of fabric. It was not easy either but it helped. Right then and there I decided I would go out today and buy a ham. I also got a seam roll while I was at it, I didn't want the ham to feel lonely!

Of course, this apron needed some company so I made a set of pot holder, oven mitt and kitchen towel. As it was to be expected, they were beautiful too. There is just something about this fabric. I know that everyone and their mothers has it but it's just so beautiful. Every time I see it in the store I just want to buy the whole bolt. Of course, then reason kicks in and I realize there is no way I can make anything for me with it and pull it off. It's a kitcheny fabric or a fabric for children's clothes but this G.A.W. (grown ass woman, as Erica B puts it) would look ridiculous in it.

I think I will make one of these for me!

Masochism or Determination?

2009-06-02T12:22:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know what Patrones magazine is, it is a pattern magazine, "patrones" being the Spanish word for pattern. It is a monthly magazine published in Spain and it is very difficult and VERY expensive to get here in the US. I have paid up to $25 with shipping for a single issue. The magazine is printed exclusively in Spanish. Luckily, Spanish is my mother tongue however....because the language used in the instructions is pretty technical, they might as well be written in Greek. Each issue has many patterns for all sorts of garments. The patterns only come in three sizes, most often 40, 44, and 48. Those are European sizes roughly equivalent to American 10, 14 and 18 respectively. Sometimes the patterns come in 38, 42, and 46 and usually have some plus size patterns and the patterns do not come with seam or hem allowances, but I digress.

A few weeks ago I started making a pair of shorts from the issue #278 because I really needed a pair shorts and I had already failed with a McCall's pattern. I originally traced a size 48 and graded up a bit on the waist line. I then added the seam allowance and cut the muslin. Right then and there I should have known this pattern was nothing but trouble for me. When I tried on the muslin, I saw all the things that needed altering and I fixed the pattern accordingly. I needed to add a bit of length to the crotch and the the back waist as well as a full thigh adjustment. I am not quite 5'2" and these shorts were very short on me even before hemming so that needed to be taken care of too.

It too me ages to fix that muslin and I got it to fit. I then took it apart and used it to cut the fashion fabric. Confident that it would fit, I went ahead and sewed everything. It was looking pretty big but then again, I am not exactly a twig so I just kept telling myself it was all in my head. Well, turns out it wasn't. When I finished the shorts and tried them on, they were about 6 sizes too big. I kid you not. To this day I have absolutely no clue as to what the heck went wrong. The muslin fit, I cut the fabric using the muslin, I did not add extra seam allowance or took any away, etc. I didn't do anything different with the actual garment than with the muslin. Still, it was gigantic. I am still gobsmacked at the size of those things.

Not willing to admit defeat and convinced something went wrong along the way, I made a second muslin. This time I cut a straight 48 without grading up at the waist. I added a 1/2 seam allowance, made the full thigh adjustments on the muslin and added crotch length. This muslin fit well, slightly on the loose side but I thought I was OK with it. I went ahead and cut the fashion fabric for the second time. I made the shorts and they fit a million times better than the first ones but were still 1 size too big.

At this point, I was hell bent on getting this damned pair of shorts to work for me and I was not about to give up. This time I cut a 48 again, made the same adjustments but did not add any seam allowance. I also lengthened the shorts considerably and even then, they were only as long as my mid-thighs. I went straight to the fashion fabric, cut, sewed, tried on. Alas, they fit. They are a bit snug on the thighs and lower belly (surprise!) but they pass the wearable test. I thought I had finally subdued these shorts but oh no, no sirree.

I really wanted to take these on the cruise so I was working on them right until the last minute. I had to abandon the project because I really had to leave for the port. I am having a hell of a time sewing the freaking buttonhole on the waist band. For some ungodly reason my sewing machine refuses to move the fabric forwards and backwards properly so I end up with a wad of thread on the underside making it impossible for the feed dogs to work. So, as of right now, there still is no buttonhole or button. I still haven't hemmed them yet.

On the bright side, after so many tries, I was tired of seeing how plain these shorts are. Instead of the traditional straight stitch topstitching I decided to use a decorative stitch instead on the pockets. This detail I love and I will definitely use again.

So, the more I think about it the more convinced I am the answer is masochism.

Just wanted to show off my new labels :)

Hello!

2009-06-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hello. My name is June and I'm a jack of all trades....master of none. This is my zillionth blog and the second one dedicated to one of many hobbies. The other is cooking. I can't promise that I will regularly update this blog because I have a 9 month old baby who takes up a lot of time but I can promise I will try.

To start this new blogging adventure, I'm going to introduce my latest creation McCall's 5884. What attracted me to this pattern, aside from the $0.99 price tag, was the collar with tie ends. I have a ...hhmm....odd body shape and this tie masquerades my belly very well. The deep V neck directs the eye towards my better assets and the balloon sleeves are cute.

I made two muslins of this blouse. Because of my body shape and significant size difference between my bust, waistline and hips, I always had to make adjustments. Sometimes I am a bit hasty and make these adjustments right off the bat without even trying a muslin on. This time it came back to bite me in the butt. The first muslin was absolutely horrendous. I tried to adjust to it to fit but it would have a taken a lot of work. I decided to try and cut the pattern only grading for the different sizes and not doing the round belly adjustment. What do you know?!?!?! The muslin fit like a charm! With the exception of the sleeves of course, I had to adjust those a bit to fit around my upper arm.

This is a fairly easy blouse to make. The most difficult part was actually cutting the collar pieces. They are huge and would not fit on my kitchen island cum cutting table so I cut them on the floor. I thought it would be fine to cut the end that didn't fit on the cutting mat just on the floor and I screwed up my rotary cutter's blade so I had to buy a new one. I was making this blouse for a cruise I went to this past weekend and I left a few things for the last minute. In my mad rush to finish it up, I accidentally cut a thread in center back collar seam and it was coming undone. I didn't have time to take it apart and resew so I stitched over the entire seam with a decorative stitch. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I did make a fairly big, although totally invisible, change. The neck actually has a deep slash below where the collar ties come away from the collar, if that makes any sense. After finishing the blouse I realized this was just too deep for my liking so I just sewed it close with invisible thread. This 100% hidden by the bow so it's really no big deal. If I had realized this earlier I would have altered out the slash altogether. The neckline itself is deep enough that one one should have any trouble getting their heads through.

I would absolutely recommend this blouse to anyone. It's very cute and it can be dressy or casual depending on the fabric used. I used a sky polyester charmeuse from www.fabric.com. I wore the blouse with jeans and a stunning pair of shoes for the last night of the cruise. It looked great and I felt great. It was totally worth the pain the butt that working with this fabric was.