finished - La Sylphide

I love the name of this pattern, La Sylphide (Papercut Patterns). It just sounds beautiful. This pattern has been sitting untouched in my sewing room for about a year. I bought it as soon as I saw this version made by Lauren. Not sure why I waited so long to make it. I didn't love the pattern's cover photo, but the pattern itself was really cool. It was my first time working with Papercut patterns and I was impressed by the packaging. Everything was made of brown paper and the instruction booklet was very cute.

I chose teal lawn for this dress to match my favorite shoes! Us sewing nerds can do that, make a dress to match some shoes. (shoes: Poetic License from Modcloth)

Some slip peekage here, oops.

The assembly of the dress went very easily and the only time I was stuck I just checked the sew along  page, very helpful! This pattern can be made as a dress, peplum top or skirt. I'm curious to try another  variation. The only change I made on the pattern was to lengthen the skirt, because it's real short otherwise. I used my rolled hem foot to hem this and it worked out better than my last try, so I'm getting better at that skill.

Here's a closer one of the bow collar. Also you can see the cute flower shaped buttons I used!

I'm still posting in the Me Made May Flickr group. I have a bunch of new ideas for future sewing projects thanks to the inspiration there.

 I'm thinking next I need the Flora Dress pattern and possibly the Darling Ranges Dress, but that one is quite similar to La Sylphide. I need to concentrate on what's already waiting in my stash. It's hard not to succumb to crafter's ADD sometimes. I just want to make everything.

I have two Belladone Dresses on my sewing table now!

Finished Colette Taffy

Hello again!  I'm getting really far behind in posting my finished projects, really because I hate taking photos of myself!!  

Yesterday I was on my way to my yearly IEP meeting at the school, and I always try to look smart for that, so I had James snap a few photos in the driveway.

Here is my version of the Colette Taffy Blouse.  The pattern for this is included in the Colette Sewing Handbook.  This is my second make from the book in recent weeks.  I also made the Meringue Skirt, which of course I need to photograph.

This blouse was fun to make and definitely fun to wear.  The sleeves are ginormous circles.  I made this in some type of light polyester that has a nice silky feel.  I got it when I ordered "navy voile" from Fashion Fabrics Club.  Usually I have overwhelming success shopping there, but once in awhile I get a fabric I wasn't expecting.  This one worked out perfectly for the Taffy though.

The sleeves are kind of crazy, I like them.

I highly recommend The Colette Sewing Handbook. It has so many patterns, techniques and beautiful full color photos.  I only have one gripe to mention.  I really wish the patterns were printed on real paper instead of tissue, so they would be easier to trace and keep.  I wasn't able to trace my meringue skirt pattern, and had to use the original tissue pieces because the ink on the tissue paper was too light to see through the tracing paper without losing my mind.  Luckily my skirt fit perfectly in the size I cut and I won't need a larger size.  

Speaking of skirts, I am honored to be a judge again for Crafterhours Skirt Week!!

Check out all of the amazing skirt tutorials to jump start your summer wardrobe.  

Then make sure to vote for your favorite skirts in the reader's choice poll coming up!

I'll leave you with this photo of my ninja and me:

Sunny Day Laurel Dress

Well the sun has finally come to New Hampshire.  

Yesterday I had a fire going, it was raw and rainy, 40 degrees.  I used that time wisely and finished another Laurel Dress.  Today it was in the 70's and I got to wear it!  Hooray!!  

So I have to stand in the mud to have my photo taken, I'm not complaining!!

This version is in Voile by Anna Maria Horner, bought (on sale) at Pink Chalk Fabrics.

This time I used my self-drafted collar from my previous version.  I also used the keyhole opening idea from the Laurel Extras download (love that!!).  

This time instead of using pleats to shape the waist I drafted in two front darts.

I also used the underlining as suggested in the pattern, it worked very well.  I used a soft cotton and it compliments the voile very well.  This is going to get tons of wear this summer, it's very comfortable!

I got this second one done just in time to enter the Colette Laurel Contest. The Flickr group is full of great ideas for customizing this versatile pattern.

I'm having so much fun sewing for myself, I kind of flaked out on Kids Clothes Week.  Oops!!  I hear now they're actually having it four times a year though, so that's great news, and they have a new blog up and running!

Colette Laurel Dress

Colette Laurel Dress

I've been looking to expand my skills in changing up a basic pattern, and Colette's latest release, the Laurel Dress, seemed like a perfect starting point.  It's a basic shift dress with all kinds of options for customizing.  For this version I actually made a muslin (a real muslin y'all - out of muslin!!) and that was worth the effort because I was able to really try out some ideas.  I wrote on it with a sharpie, ripped it apart and stuff!  I knew it wasn't ever going to be wearable so it gave me freedom to experiment.

Fabric used: Navy brushed twill and red linen "look"

I'm a submarine sailor's daughter, I can't help loving anything remotely nautical.  At least I didn't put an anchor on it.

So for this version the changes were:

- I added pleats at the front sides to add waist definition

-I changed to short sleeves

-drafted a peter pan collar using Gertie's tutorial in her book an also online

-added a bunch of trims like ric-rac, strips of bias, and machine embroidery

The machine embroidery is what almost KILLED the dress.

Let me explain, I worked on the dress over about a two week period due to my time constraints, being a mom of 4 kids.  Everything was going as planned and I was proud I had taken my time.  As a last step I wanted to embroider the swallow and hooped up my finished dress.  Disaster!!!  Let's just say I ruined it.  I actually had to cut off the whole lower portion of the dress.  There ain't no seam ripper that can get out machine embroidery stitches.  So yesterday I took it out when I had a few free hours and had to "Make it Work".  I added on to the lower portion and used the accent trim to hide the join.  The second time I got smart and embroidered the bird separately, then added it as a patch.  If I ruined the project again, I couldn't take it.  So I think it worked out well in the end!

Are you sewing a Laurel Dress?  They even have a contest running until the end of April!  

Check it out!

Frankendress finished

"Send Help, I'm snowed in."

 I finished the franken-Tiramisu dress awhile back and was never able to get any satisfying photos, but I am just posting these anyway.  I might never get around to taking any more photos!!  Cabin fever is really setting in now...we have at least 3 feet of snow covering our yard still, no joke!

That ball of fur is my dog, Angus, FYI

Part 1 of this post is here if you want to see the progress.  I began with a Tiramisu dress, and didn't like the bodice, so I cut it in two and attached Jalie 2449 as the bodice.

 I'm happier with the dress now.  The best part about it is how it feels like pajamas.  I really didn't have any long sleeved knit dresses in my wardrobe, and they are very cozy for winter (or a winter which never ends).  The only thing that bothers me is the pockets.  This is a real heavy/thick interlock knit ($1 a yard!) and the pockets add a bunch of bulk at the hips I'm not crazy about.

In other news, my sewing studio in now complete! I don't know how I fit 4 machines into my little space, but I have an embroidery machine now.  I've been playing around with it a bit and I think it will be such fun to embellish some of my sewing projects with.   Here is one of my first test samples:

FUN!

Tiramisu Dress Rescue in progress..

The last week or so I've been avoiding my sewing room. Here's why...

My miserable looking Tiramisu Dress!

I've made two attempts at making the bodice fit. I tossed my first try and started over. I still have this wrinkly weirdness at the under bust seam. I think it has to do with the gathers being wrong somehow. I've checked out the Flickr group for the Tiramisu sew along and it seems like the people who have this problem are the medium or small busted ladies. I'm average in the bust dept. so I started fiddling with this seam, and the more I adjusted the worse it looked!

Then I started to wish there were no gathers at all to mess me up. I mean it's a stretchy knit fabric anyway. I thought back to a top I had made from Jalie 2449 that fit really well. So instead of tossing my Tiramisu into the pajama drawer, I had the idea to combine those two patterns. That way I get the bodice I like on the really pretty Tiramisu circle skirt.

Here is the shirt alone, which I quickly made while I was kicking this idea around:

Here I made a chalk line at where I'd like to combine the bodice and skirt. I measured up 2.5 inches from the bottom waistband seam since that part is still pretty straight.

Snip, snip!

Snip snip here!

Surgery begins!

Then it was time to pick up Travis at school!

To be continued...

First project of 2013 - Cozy Sweatshirt Tunic

Here is a casual project that's been on my to-do list for quite awhile...

It's a quirky tunic length hoodie, European style! The pattern is Deborah by Mamu Design

Warm shirts are at the top of my sewing list right now. Christmas sewing is over and now it's just plain old winter. This hoodie fits the bill perfectly because it's cozy and fun. It also has a pocket for my ice cold hands!

I didn't make any adjustments to the pattern except shortening it just a bit. I could have fitted it a bit more as it is baggy in the waist. I may do that later on.

The fabric is interlock from Fabric Fix in Manchester, NH and the floral knit is from Girl Charlee.

I'm really not sure what to make next. I have project overload right now. I might need to make a list and prioritize so I don't waste time staring at my stacks of patterns and fabric.

 Recent acquisitions include: Sisters of Edwardia blouse and tiramisu dress from Cake Patterns, Angel Bootcut Jeans by Angela Wolf (which I am a little afraid of). I also got a few new books for Christmas including this amazing fashion book that I can't pull myself away from!!

I highly recommend this book, Fashion: The Definitive History of Costume and Style.

Posted with Blogsy

Last minute vacation dresses

Recently we returned from a relaxing cruise to Bermuda. It already seems like a dream, it was the perfect week with our family.

Commissioner's House, king's Wharf, Bermuda

Snorkel Park Beach, Bermuda

Here are two dresses I made and wore on the trip:

1. Jamie Christina Sunny Day Dress

This is made in AMH pastry line voile. This has been in the works since last summer and even though my attic sewing room was hot and stuffy, I knew I had to get it done to bring on the trip. I was glad I did too, because it was hot, hot in Bermuda! Don't ask me why my back was all red, wicker chairs?
I lined the whole dress in lightweight white cotton because the voile was so sheer.

2. Sewaholic Lonsdale Dress

I made this in an unknown cotton blend from JoAnn's red tag apparel section. I had a little trouble, the bodice was way huge, so that's why I tied it so tight/weird. I'll have to figure that out before making another one. I think it would be great in red. - - - When we returned from the trip our computer, TV and phones were all fried from a lightning strike.  That is why I've been scarce around the blog!  We replaced everything now, but it took some negotiating deciding which computer to get.  More on that later!

Colettefest 2012

I must be addicted!  Here are two more projects made using Colette Patterns.

First up, because I have a mortal weakness to sew-alongs, the Hazel Dress:

I'm very happy to be taking part in Sew Colette 2.0.
I watched with intent interest while they made each item from the Colette Sewing Handbook this spring, making mental notes about future projects.  Check out the Flickr Group for the sew along.  I have the book and plan on continuing my personal Colettefest by sewing some of those patterns.

This is really a first draft for this pattern, a wearable muslin.  I've got some floral gauze ready to go for version #2.  I cut a size 10 as usual for Colette Patterns.  The bodice was a little big so I took a little of the excess fabric out at the side seams and zipper.  Maybe I'll cut a size smaller next time.

Next I give you the Jasmine Top:

I took this photo today after spending hours having my car worked on, I'm surprised it's not more wrinkled!  I ran into another mom I know at the store and she asked me if I'm substitute teaching, and she gestured to my outfit!  Too funny.  It must look teacher-ish!

Here's today's very "blue" look, with my denim ginger skirt.

Travis helps with my camera remote.
---
Speaking of cameras, I snapped this photo early this morning:

I think he's adorable, even though he's caused me so much misery.  
My poor dog, Angus was quilled just about 5 days ago.  This definitely could be the culprit!  Angus is doing fine now, but had to be taken to the Vet Emergency room, and it cost us close to $500!  I just hope Angus has learned his lesson, but that was his second time being quilled, so I'm going to try real hard to keep him in the fenced backyard if he insists on going out at night!