Vogue Pattern 8894...Makes me want to dance

Oh I have been wanting to sew a light, airy, summer dress for work; however, it needed to look professional too. So I started on a fabric hunt, and found a beautiful Maggie London cotton voile on sale from FabricMartFabrics.com .  Next, was the pattern, and Vogue 8894 (view A) was it. 

Here are the details:  Shell fabric: Maggie London cotton voile.  Inside fabric:  cotton lawn underlined bodice and cotton lawn lined skirt. French Seams and self bound seams for zipper.

Check out the photos:  

 

Inside front of dress

Inside: Underlined bodice and lined skirt in cotton lawn

 

Inside: back of dress

 

Adjustments:  lowered torso 1"  (which brings the dress waistline 1" above natural waistline), and shortened sleeves 1".  (Although, if I make another dress using this pattern, I will shortened the sleeves 1 1/2" ).  Rolled hem instead of narrow hem for skirt.  (The fabric I purchased was a little shy of the 60" required, so I didn't want it to be too short.  Although now that I have worn the dress, I could have made a narrow hem...oh well) I could have taken in the bodice slightly, but when I started the dress it was not as loose as when it was finished. Also, the zipper could have been shorter...definitely did not need the 22" .  Lastly, I did not raise the neckline.  I feel the lower neckline balances the abundant fabric in the skirt.


Yeah, I wore this dress to work on Saturday and received lots of compliments.  I told a pair of ladies that I feel like dancing in the dress, cause it feels so good. I think they thought "nutty sales person".........but seriously I do feel like dancing the tango or flamenco in it.  Check out my dance moves in the dress:

 

"Love the skirt"

 

 

 

3 Tops 1 Hot Pattern(s)

Since the start of summer I decided I needed some lightweight tops... I am really not a big fan of t-shirts for going out in public.  Anyway, I was cruising Fabric.com's website in search for some cotton voile and cotton lawn. (Truth be told, even in the mountains, it gets pretty hot and steamy, especially in July.)  Anyway, while on their site I found this wonderful free download pattern, called the Gypsophelia Peasant Top from Hot Patterns and the suggested fabrics were cotton voile and wovens.  Finding a cute cotton voile print, I decided I had to use the peasant top pattern for the fabric.  Eventually, I ended up making three tops. Here are the details:

Fabrics used:  Cotton print voile, cotton gauze and rayon challis.  Adjustments:  Initially I cut the pattern for a "big 4" pattern size.....however, it ended up being 2 sizes too large. (Alas, I did make a muslin first so it was no big deal.) This pattern is sized for ready to wear.  So if you are a size 12 usually in tops then that is what size you should cut for this pattern. Oh, I do love that french seams are used to sew this pattern.  Although, I wasn't happy about the 3/8" seam allowance.  Also, I did lower the keyhole shape in the neckline....I felt it was too close to my neck and was choking me. 

 My favorite top out of the three I made from this pattern is the white cotton voile in a kimono print from Fabric.com.  This was the third time sewing the top, so I knew all my adjustments.

Cotton Voile Print

Here is the first top I made using the pattern.....a black cotton gauze from my stash.  I believe I picked this fabric from Hancock Fabrics when it was in the "everyday deal section."  Fortunately the fabric was 60" wide; which is what the pattern calls for.

Cotton Gauze

Here is a detail shot of the cotton gauze top with a beautiful glass necklace by Jennifer Kelting.  Jennifer is a local Asheville glass artist.  Her work is uber cute, feminine and we sell her work at Bella Vista Art Gallery ........so I get to wear her jewelry whenever I want!

Flower Glass Necklace

Finally, I made this cute top from a border print rayon challis.  I am not a huge fan of rayon but I love the border.  Also, I am completely aware of how cheesy this photo is.....really I was trying to show off the border.




Cheesy Photo Trying to Show Border Print

"Sacred Places"........series

      This series for me has been a life time of struggling and learning to which I feel I can say I have painted something good.  These new paintings incorporate my love of traveling into the unknown.......or simply put, where there is no map or maybe reaching one's destination and it isn't on the map, and the feeling of awe when you get swept up in the new environment.  For me the white fog in the paintings represent the unknown and the pseudo self portraits are one of zillions of emotions one goes through when traveling the unkown.  This new series is simply called, "Sacred Places".  

"Captured" oil on linen, copper leaf and graphite

         This next painting was the first piece when I started thinking of this new idea of "Sacred Places".  I feel that it is not as successful, but has potential.  Eventually, I want to repaint it in a larger format (3'x4') cause right now I feel it is too small and tight. (18"x 24")  Since I am a tactile person...I don't get upset about re-working or re-doing paintings...it is just part of the hard work that goes into what you love.




"Inner Calling" oil on panel, gold leaf, charcoal

      I would to hear feedback on these paintings.  ENJOY!

Vogue 8815....Love the Peplum

         For the longest time I have been wanting to make a peplum blouse.  I waited until Hancock Fabrics had their $3.99 Vogue pattern sale and then I snatched one up.  The pattern and instructions were so easy, that I whipped out this top in no time.  Also, I contemplated the exposed zipper look for the back; however, I wasn't a fan of the zipper tape showing on the outside.....so I compromised.  I purchased a thick silver metal teeth zipper and sewed the zipper tape to the seam and exposed the teeth.  I really love the way it came out; which is neat and modern. Check out the detail photo of the back of  the top:

"Modern and Neat"

      Here are my  sewing notes for the peplum top:  Fabric used a black cotton broadcloth.  Adjustments:  full arm (and I made a narrow hem for sleeve) and elongated the torso 1 1/4".  (Note:  the waist line for the top is suppose to sit about an inch from you waist, I thought that was to high for me, so I made the waist line of the blouse rest 1/2" above my natural waist....which I think is flattering and comfortable.) I  sewed french seams for the blouse except for the zipper, I self bound my seams.  *Oh, just thought I would mention something about french seams....if the fabric isn't even when you sew your first set of seams then you should trim any excess.  I forgot this and along the waistline where the darts were not perfectly squared....they showed up on the front of the top.  So I had to very carefully trim those fly aways.  Now I am becoming more aware of this the more I sew french seams.

      For the skirt, I decided to use pattern New Look 6107  .  I really like the back vent on this pencil skirt....to me it looks more professional.  Check out the photo:

                                                       "Back vent with regular zipper"

       Here are my sewing notes for this skirt:  Fabric, I choose this Victorian cotton floral.  For the underlining I choose a poly/cotton batiste. Also, made bias tape from the Victorian cotton for self bound seams.  For this skirt I really wanted to try underlining the skirt instead of lining.  *Underlining is when you cut the same pattern pieces for the inside fabric as well as the outside fabric, and baste them together....so that is what I did.  I machine basted the pieces together and then sewed it up following the instructions.  Adjustments:  no measurement adjustments; however, I did change up the zipper installation.  The pattern called for a lapped zipper seam; however, I just did a standard zipper installation.  * I learned this technique of basting the seams together and then putting a standard zipper face down on the inside seam and sew it.  Once you take out the basting it matches up nicely.  It is pretty quick and easy. Although an invisible zipper would have been just as nice and easy.  (Maybe next time I will go for the lapped zipper to test my skills?)  Anyway, I self bound all seams and did a blind hem stitch for hem.  (I love cotton for the blind hem stitch technique....so easy.)   Check out the photo for the inside of the skirt: 

 

"Inside Skirt with self bound seams / underlining"

      So here is my new spring outfit together.  I really love the cotton.........very comfortable and easy.

                                                                              

     

"Spring time outfit"

    Side note:  I had so much fun taking this photo.  It was a cool and wet morning so my bare feet kept sliding and sinking in the mud.

My sister's Mother Day presents

   Oh my, Mother's Day is fast approaching and I have been busy sewing presents for my sister.  Now my sister is a very young 40 year old and she loves Hello Kitty. Even though we both like all those cute Hello Kitty things (stationary, etc...........eventually it just becomes clutter.)  So, I decided to make my sis some Hello Kitty pillowcases for Mother's Day.  (at least they are functional.)

   I was at my neighborhood Hancock Fabrics,(which on occasion, I do feel like singing the theme song to Cheers when I walk in....cause the workers really do know the frequent shoppers names.)  even though I went in to get one thing, I fell in love with the Hello Kitty cupcake cotton fabric..........and with my 40% off coupon...........grabbed that bolt and went  straight to the cutting counter. Oh, I have made pillowcases before, and always carry my handy little sewing note book; which contains the amounts of fabric I need for frequent projects.  I do try to stay organized when it comes to sewing.

   The pillowcases sewed quick & easy (using the tube method and french seams.)  Not because I am a sewing genius, but rather due to a wonderful you tube video I found online.  Check it out: Overall quilter

       
   Here is a photo of one of two matching pillowcases:

"Hello Kitty Cupcake Cotton Fabric"


    Ya'll are probably over seeing the "Meringue Top" by Colette Patterns, but I thought I would make one for my sister in a nice cotton lawn from fashion fabric club.  Yeah, every once in a while ffc will have a sale on all cotton lawn fabric, so I picked up a few yards for me and my sis. Now my sis lives around New Orleans, so if anyone has ever been there they know how hot it can be in summer.  So cotton lawn is great for the heat.  Anyway, check out the shirt. (Oh, did make bias tape from some nice Kona Cotton):

    I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Mother's Day.

Simplicity 1783, Cynthia Rowley

      Did I ever mention that I love Cynthia Rowley's designs?  Well I certainly love her designs, but sewing this outfit, Simplicity 1783, Cynthia Rowley was not easy for me.  (Although,it could be that I had a total brain melt.  Seriously, I was messing up on simple things...like reading, comprehension, looking at the pictures..oh well.) So, lets get started, it is going to be a bumpy ride:

     Here are my notes for the  wearable muslin blouse:  Fabric used: a crepe de chine poly from Hancock in the value section, and for the neckline & wrist edges a crepe back satin from Hancock.  (Since this is a wearable muslin, I went for inexpensive fabric, and I am so glad I did because of my silly mistakes.)  Sewed with French Seams. Adjustments:  I omitted the zipper, and shortened the length of the sleeve.  Because this pattern had a lot of ease, I went down a size (cut size 14); however, I wish I would have better measured the bottom darts, cause after I sewed the blouse, it came out a little snug....at least more snug then I like. Also, mistake #1, I failed to gather the center section of the neckline....check out the photo:

Close up of fabric.  Notice: I forgot to gather the center section along the neckline.


    Moving on to the skirt:  A couple of years ago I picked up some cute Betsey Johnson embroidered black corduroy on sale at a local fabric store. 

"Black Embroderied Betsey Johnson Corduroy"

      I knew I wanted to make a skirt from this gorgeous fabric.  Of course when I saw this pattern....that was it. I cut a size 16 and didn't make any adjustments.  (I did read that some lengthened the skirt; however, I have short legs so I didn't have to do that.)  Now "Empress" that is my sewing machine, does not like corduroy, even using a jean needle.  So, it was a constant battle and I felt I had to push the fabric the entire time.  Initially, I wanted to line the skirt; however, once I started sewing I knew that this was not an option.  As for the construction, I ended up sewing the zipper and fly opposite  the instructions.  I cut my fabric with the nap facing one way and didn't have enough fabric to recut the fly zipper area, so I had to sew in opposite manner. ( I think the layout for cutting fabric was wrong?) Also, I felt the zipper could have been a smaller length.  Oh, did I mention I sewed the pocket openings the wrong way? Yeah, had to seam rip and re-sew.  (You know when you mess up right at the beginning, it will be a tough project.) Now one part of the skirt I like is on the inside.  I made bias tape from a cute cotton print  for self bound seams and also the inside waistband.  It makes me happy when I see it.  

"Inside skirt"

     For the hem, I hand stiched a narrow hem and used hem tape.   I did mess up when I hemed the front vent together.......but at that point I was so over it, that I said screw it............and I wear it "as is".  Check out the photos of the outfit:

"Completed Rowley outfit"

 

 

"With (already had) velvet jacket"

     Lastly, I do plan to re-make another version of the top in real silk  crepe de chine from Mood Fabric, but this time I will gather the entire neckline and give myself a little more ease at the waist line or loose 5 pounds.....which ever comes first! Ha!


     Oh, Glenn and I drove around last Sunday taking these photos.  I didn't include the photos of me in a 6' foot ditch (Glenn said it would make a great photo, NOT), nor did I include the photos of someones dogs stepping into the photo shoot with me!!!!















 
 
  

Twisted Redbud....Bluish Rhododendrons

   Yesterday the sky was blue without clouds, and thought it would be a great day to take some photos of my favorite blooming spring time plants. Check them out:




"Twisted Redbud"

     The "Twisted Redbud"  was one of the first plants I placed in the back yard.  Unfortuately when it was shipped the 2 foot top stem was broke in the box. So, this little tree should have reached 4' by now........but instead it is way more twisted and short.  Oh well, I still love it.   Now these bluish purple rhododendrons Glenn picked up at our local farmer's market.  Will, the grower, lives almost in the Pisgah Forest and grows all kinds of cool azeleas and rhododendrons.  Eventually, we want to get a few more of these beauties and visit his nursery.


"Bluish Purple Rhododendron"

 Keep Planting!