That Was Quick!

mostly done top

Even with the added work of gathering and binding, this top came together in a snap! The last time I made this style top, I made a hem facing and used narrow elastic to gather the neck line, (and sleeves), but even with the added work of gathering and binding was quick to make!.

OK, so I still need to bind the arms, and add some grommets to the front for the lace up detail, but mostly done, already! I don't think I spend much more than a hour working on it..

As I did, I finished off a partial used spool-- My sewing waste can is filled with emptied spools! (and of course, I replaced the needle)--and, the most time consuming part of this was; I altered the pattern (as always!)

First, I lowered the neck—It is not low now, but it was way to high for a summer top! Secondly, the pattern featured long sleeves—again, not a great choice for summer top. So I made them shorter, and fuller-and gathered. The long sleeve version was gathered at the cuff—but most of the fullness was at the cuff, not in the upper arm area.

This top came in a short and long version—One wrist length, one a bit longer. I automatically decided on the longer version—and wow its long! I don't mind, but I will consider making the shorter version.--or maybe add another 12 inches, and make a house dress! It is really unusual for me to find a top that is almost too long. So often I lengthen things. I am not tall (5'5”) but I have a long torso (and short limbs) the classic body of a northern—built for the cold. I will make a winter version (slight higher neck, but not as high as the pattern calls for), with long sleeves—I like a long top for the winter (on that covers my butt!) for those days when I just wear a skirt and top (and no leggings)

The wrap skirt is labeled “1 Hour Skirt” but I planned on lining the front with a solid turquoise blue, I don't like the wrong side showing in the ruffle. I will put the pattern together in my own particular way (and eliminate hand stitching the curved waist band) The result will be a very neatly finished inside. It won't take too long to make, but it will take more than an hour.

I might get some work done today, and tomorrow—but one day will be partially used to go and buy some buttons and some interfacing. Of course, Saturday is for sewing—so that will be the day to finish up—and get started on the white/grey/yellow vest and grey skirt!   

A Real Cut Up

No sewing on Saturday, no sewing on Sunday. No sewing Monday either, but I have been pinning and cutting galore. The peasant top was cut last week.  Monday,  a matching skirt. In addition, I cut a grey skirt, with a matching print vest, (yellow/white/grey), and finally, another skirt. The last one in the nile green twill--so 3 skirts, one top, and one vest cut—I even got all the interfacing cut, too. The green skirt matches the print top—making a mix and match pair. It also matches a print T-shirt top that I have—and will go with many solid colored T's, too.

The grey skirt is the same pattern as the navy blue skirt, and the medium blue skirt (this same skirt has been made in a black poly twill, and chocolate brown, and several prints, as well) Do you get the idea that I really like this skirt? —The grey skirt isn't the last time i will use this pattern.  There will be several more skirts in this same pattern. Remember how I said I almost like uniforms? This skirt is one I make again and again. A basic piece of my uniform.

Because I use the same pattern over and over again, I have learned to re-enforce ones I really like. How I do that depends on what's available—The skirt  pattern was re-enforced by ironing on light weight. iron on interfacing. But I also use brown craft paper--(recycled from Amazon packages!) 

that is what I used for the basic vest, and the alterations to the pattern. I like the kind that has a shiny coating--(looks like a lightweight plastic) What ever the coating is, it irons on to the pattern tissue paper like a champ! Too bad its not the most common packing paper. The fold and tear brown craft paper is more common—and I use that too!

No dresses, or jumpers pinned or cut—but there is a good chance that there will be at least one pinned and cut before the end of the week.

The plan, now is to sew up as storm! First the print top, then the print skirt, followed by the nile green skirt ( don't have buttons to match this yet, so it might be postponed)   Finally, the grey skirt and matching vest. The print top and skirt is sort of planned as a pool outfit—easy on and easy off. City pools open this weekend-I need to be ready!

Here is some swatches with  pattern covers, to help you make sense  of what is what-Not shown, the print top pattern, and the nile green skirt pattern (a button down the front A line) 

This vest pattern fit nicely in neck and bust--but was to short (to my taste) and too plain.

Vest and skirt combo

I have altered it to make it longer, (4 inches longer!) and made it with both a V neck as well as the round neck shown, and also changed the hem to add shaping (points).  And of course, I have added pockets!  I've made over a half dozen different (but the same) vests from this pattern.. with many more to come! I love the way a vest finishes an outfit.  I knit vests, too, for the same reason.

my favorite skirt pattern--

This pattern has 4 views--a 4 gore swing skirt, an 6 gore A-line and an 8 gore skirt with shaping--beyond A line.  The 6 gore version is the pattern used for the newest grey, last  months navy, and April's medium blue set of skirt and vest.  I have been making this skirt for 4 + years and I haven't tired of it.  I plan to use this pattern at the end of the summer, again, when I make up some more skirts in darker (wintery colors..)  Easy to make, great fit, and classic style!

the ruffled print for the wrap skirt 

I like the idea of wrap skirts--but I don't always like to wear them.. they blow open, and well... I keep trying, hoping the next one will be better.  I am sort of making view A, with the ruffled front--but not the tie.  To me, the tie is just too much--looks like an outfit for a child!   I have previously made the simpler (no ruffle version) of this skirt--a few years ago, with the same purpose in mind--a quick wrap skirt on my way to or from the pool.

The nile green skirt is a basic A-Line, with a button front.  The pattern is ancient--I no longer have the envelop!

But, as you can see, the colors  look good together--so I can wear the peasants print top with matching skirt, or with the nile green skirt, or with the medium blue skirt--I don't think the blue vest (a tailored style) will go well with the ruffled skirt, but I can clearly match it nile green skirt for a two toned look--(a solid T in a blue or green or maybe even a white or black one  to marry the two colors!)

One change I have made to the 6 gore skirt is to use Nancy Z's trick of adding side seam pockets, and using them as a way to open the waist band of the skirt--I always want to add pockets anyway, and this method eliminates the side zipper (saving $ and time!)

Did I Say...

Purple, red and pink? More accurate is light violet, dark red violet, and light red violet—and now its done! Well it still needs to be washed (and hopefully the white transfer marks will wash out) and

blocked. Then it will be put aside till I get to work on the jumper.

Aside from finishing this embroidery, there was no sewing this Saturday. I might get the top cut tomorrow (in the AM) come the PM I will be baby sitting the girls. This coming week, I have two Dr's appointments--one is an eye exam. Which is, to my thinking, a bit of a priority—I need new eyeglasses! I tend to wear frame less or half frame less eyeglasses—and last month, I dropped my current pair—and while looking for them (a difficult task to see frame less glasses when you can see clearly unless wearing them) I managed to step on them. I didn't break the ear piece or the lenses, —but I did bent them at the hinge, and now they are too loose—and annoy me by slipping off, or sitting lopsided. My Rx doesn't change much, but, it is still a good policy to have my eyes checked before getting another pair—which will likely be the same Rx.

I still find myself removing my glasses for fine work (as I type this, they are perched on top of my head)--and I still don't have any problems threading needles (but I do need more light—threading the sewing machine is the easiest—the handy little light that focuses right on the task at hand means I get the task done in a single try—Threading 3 or 4 plies of floss is a little harder—but with my Ott light handy, no effort at all.

My other big project for the day was clearing a slow running drain (in my tub) –Done! How exciting!

Not as much fun as sewing but then, life isn't all fun and games. This week has been one of small tasks, mostly mundane—Laundry, and bills, shopping and cooking...cleaning and clearing—including cleaning out clothes—Some are going to be packed into bags for recycling... Others, got mended, and added back into rotation (a hem repaired, a button sewn on, small things—but needed repairs.

I didn't feel well for 36 hours this week. (Wednesday to mid day Thursday) –so I pigged out binged watched the newest episodes of House of Cards. Not very productive, but something accomplished! (there are also new episodes of Shameless to watch, and new stuff like the Keeper, and.. I have some free movie tickets—Beatrice at Dinner is one film on my list. Movies are a good respite on really hot days—there will be plenty this summer no doubt.

In a moment of impulse, I purchased yet another specialty sewing machine foot—One for sewing circles—It will be a useful tool, I think. with a zig zag stitch and rotation, little flowers will appear. I still need to purchase some non iron on interfacing and tear away interfacing for doing some machine embroidery—Maybe even a special hoop for machine embroidery—Oh What a splurge! But mostly, my sewing will be simple stuff.

So not much done—a quiet week of every day stuff—the basic things of everyday life, and everyday joy.

So, What about Sewing?

Well, the birthday party was last Saturday, (the 17^th) so there was no sewing that Saturday. On Thursday, (and Friday)before the party,  I got two little pairs of shorts sewn up. The girls always wear tights or legging or something under a dress—I always wore slips, but these days, to steal a line from a friend, Bonus Pants, are the order of the day. Except in this case, the bonus pants are outerwear.

I have pinned out a top—but haven't cut it yet. I want to make a few more pieces—A dress, (not to fancy) an other skirt or two (in some of the lighter, summer colors—nile green and pink) of twill. Not denim (blue)—but denim (twill),  all the same. And a jumper or two--At least one of denim.

One jumper that is about to bite the dust has a center front applique(s)—4 different fabrics, each embroidered (machine embroidery), with different colors fabrics, and threads--complex design. I really like the applique, and thought it would be nice to have one for one of the proposed jumpers. But I really wasn't interested in doing anything as elaborate. (I am thinking of cutting these and and re-using them.

So when I was out ribbon hunting, last week, I found this in a clearance bin, and grabbed it immediately! It is a nice size for an applique—that is a 6 inch hoop.   Just the thing! 

I started to work on in Saturday evening, after the  party. It is the hardest embroidery I have ever done!  Heavy weight denim is not a good choice for hand embroidery. Even though it is in a hoop, it is as difficult as working on the toes of canvas sneakers.

Still, it has inspired me to make another embroider for an applique  as soon as I  finish this one—I have a coloring book of mandalas, and other of Celtic designs—it won't take me long to find an other design suitable for a jumper patch. I'll use a scrap of fabric—not sure which, but I have a lot. Maybe something that matches the jumper, maybe something in a contrasting color. (I can measure my collection of floss in pounds--so finding the right colors for the embroidery  won't be hard!) 

I have also been playing with some machine embroidery techniques—A cute denim jumper in a local dress shop window inspired me. It had very simple design, in a single color, mostly leaves (a motif I always like) at the hem.  I will practice and work out a design. I am not skilled (yet) in machine embroidery—my previous sewing machine had some fancy stitches, but my new (5 years old to me, and bought second hand!) has the ability to do simple programs (it also has some ready made stitch patterns like the ones I used on the girls dresses.   There isn't a leaf design—but I can program in “elements” (quarter circles, that can be joint to make whole or half circles, wedges that become tear drops with the addition of half circle). Not hard, but at this point I need to check the manual every time I want to do something, so I need to  practice.

The final sewing (non-sewing) sewing project will be to trim a T-shirt or two to match some of the outfits I have made—I have lots of the medium blue scraps (skirt & vest) , and same for the yellow/blue/white print (skirt) . And as for T-shirts? Thousands! (well maybe not thousands, but plenty) I might embellish with some iron on designs, enhanced with some decorative embroidery—A little practice, but nothing to elaborate.

It's a lot of sewing! A lot already done, and a lot more to do—and then come the fall there will be more; dark twill skirts and the print vest, and well—at some point,  I will burn out, and then go back to knitting! 

Saturday Sewing—Party Dress(es)

Party dress 1 (pink) is done—well, maybe done. I still might add a ribbon sash.

Party dress 2 (blue) Joined it today. Done but for the possible addition of a ribbon sash, and a bit of hand sewing finishing detail.   The party isn't till June 17th—so I have time to continue my search of the right ribbon—and to make up a sash for the dresses.

Before I had started the dresses, I did a bit of clean up—and found a project from last year—75% done that was just sitting there... Why had I stopped working on it? I don't know! My guess is, is that it I needed buttons (3) and a spool of thread, and the local A.C. Moore had closed (there still is a Micheal’s—but it is slightly less convenient) But who knows? Not me.

I have a car now (and didn't then) so I have more options about where to buy buttons and ribbons (for bows) and other stuff..

So, with the party dresses are finished, (and while I am looking for some ribbon for the sash), I will get a spool of dark navy thread, and some buttons—and will finish up!

The project is skirt, a simple 6 gore A line(the same as the medium blue skirt and vest I finished a few weeks ago) and a very short sleeved cropped jacket. The skirt needs the waist band and button, and a hem. The jacket needs 3 (or more) buttons (and buttonholes) and the hem—So close to complete! It won't take much time at all to finish!

Very often, I plan my sewing to a need for my own party dresses. The Yellow/white/blue dress made its debut on mothers day (and, truthfully hasn't been worn since), the skirt of the same fabric debut at a day out with my DD, & grandchildren—a low key outing, but.... The grey dress with all of the top stitching and details? It will be my party dress on the 17th—A 1 year old birthday party, in basement party room is hardly a super special occasion, but then, the dress isn't really super special either. It is nice and detailed, but not at all fancy. Mostly it is NEW and new is always special in its own way.

This blue skirt and jacket? I don't remember if it was planned for a special occasion or not. But when finished will likely go into the wear immediately pile. The jacket has just a cap sleeve, and is loose fitting—so in spite of its dark color (It is a close to black navy blue) I will be wearing it this summer. It will be a cross seasonal outfit—and cross matching--The medium blue vest will look nice with the dark navy skirt—and the cropped jacket will also pair up well with the lighter blue skirt.

(The jacket looks much more faded in this photo than it is in real life (but it was hanging in place where it got exposed to sun light and it is a bit faded—all the more reason this outfit will immediately become every day wear!)

It will be fine to wear in the summer, and fall, and maybe paired with legging, the medium weight cotton will see some winter wear. Come next spring, it will one again be an every day outfit. I even have a dark navy cardigan sweater/jacket that will be a good go with..

I haven't spoken about the outfits that have been culled—and there have been many in the past few months!) Some clothing I purchased back in the year 2000—a set I LOVED. There was a local (I have moved since, so it would not be local now) K-mart closing—and I bought, on the store clearance sale, a set of 2 skirts (identical!) a camp shirt, a tee shirt and vest –all coordinating—I wore the pieces to death! I hated throwing them out.. but every where, the seams were coming apart—the side seams (and pocket seams and the hem, too) on the skirts, the collar and front button band on the camp shirt, the patchwork design seams on the vest...Every where, every pieces were thread bare. They were falling apart, and beyond repair. I also have 2 jumpers from the same clearance sale—that are close to being tossed—I have twice repaired the jumpers (One was a bit too big, and it got taken in and made smaller to salvage) and any day now, they will fail—and find them selves on the dust heap.

There are 2 other out fits, (even older!) that went from special occasion, to work outfits, to every day, and now about to be dumped— One skirt, shirt and vest outfit came with a matching cardigan, which has seen less wear—It will go well with the navy skirt – The cropped, super short sleeved jacket is fine for summer, but the cardigan will be better for the spring and fall. So the new additions I have been making are not going into an overstuffed closet, but into one that has been suffering loses.