2011 Recap

I am better at sewing than I am at blogging.  That said, I have made 42 finished garments this past year and have only written about 13 or so posts.  I’m going to try to be better at that in 2012.  My significant other was just switched to second shift at work so that means its going to be preeeetty lonely most evenings.

I am glad 2011 is over.  Overall it was a good year- I picked up sewing for myself again. It was also a hard year because my parents finally separated after many many years of being together and unfornately we were all right in the middle of it.  So that said, I’m looking forward to 2012.  I plan on making some coats this winter to replace the 6 year old ones in my closet. I am also thinking about taking part in the SWAP (Sewing with a plan) Challenge over at Stitcher’s Guild. 

Alright- Here’s the rundown:

I made

7  Woven Dresses

8 Knit Dresses

1  Jumper

10 Skirts

1 Half Slip

5 Jackets/Sweaters

3 Tops

1 Caftan/ Swimsuit Coverup

2 Gifts for others (PJs and Sweater)

4 Swimsuit Coverups to sell at work (and 3 have sold thus far!!!)

 

Heres to 2012 and I hope to be sharing more !

Kelly

Self-Stitched-September: Days 4 and 6

It has been a rainy and yucky first week of September here in Maryland.  I have actually been keeping up with my Self-Stitched-Sept duties but I haven’t taken pictures.

Over Labor Day weekend I really really wanted to go to the beach. Really really badly.  But for some reason unknown to me, Edwin refused to go.  We had it out and I threw a fit [out of my character, but completely necessary sometimes] so we ended up going to the Catoctin Mountain Park which is about an hour away from our house.  Here is a picture of the lake:

I couldn’t believe how uncrowded it was- or how low the lake was.  It was perfect for Andres and for splashing around.  We spent the night at the Cozy Inn nearby.  The whole town is close to Camp David and reporters stay at the Inn a lot.  Each room is decorated in a different Presidential theme.  Last year we were in the Eisenhower room.  Kitschy: yes.

This is what I wore Day Four:

Top: Anthropologie    Skirt: Simplicity 2698 made from Chambray    Toddler: For Sale

And this is what I wore to work today on Day Six:

Highly-Flammable Top: Vogue 1170   Skirt: Also Vogue 1170  Shoes:BC   Belt: Zaaa Goodwill 

Crazed look on face:  Combination of working with half-naked women with body issues all day, rainy rush hour traffic, and trying not to listen to the telenovela thats blaring on stage left.  Let’s note that this was the only usable picture because Edwin refused to get off the sofa to snap some photos.

Self-Stitched-September: Day One

Alright here it goes:

[I promise I'm not really this fat in real life.]

Shirt: From T.J.Maxx  Skirt:  Simplicity 2258  Shoes:  Sugar

This is my first foray into the Self-Stitched or Me-Made month events.  I can’t promise I’ll do it everyday but what’s there to lose???  Taking pictures is hard enough around here.  I tried to explain [in Spanglish] that I wanted my feet at the bottom and my head at the top and a dozen pictures later. . . . nada.  So my dad took this one and this one it is!  Posing, flatterly, and red eye be damned.

I made this skirt from Simplicity 2258 back in February.  I haven’t blogged about it yet because I am lazy.  I am forever on a quest for a jean skirt.  This one is kinda meh.  I got the less than two yards of fabric from Joann’s on super clearance. I finished the seams with a hong kong finish.  I believe  I made this while watching Zoolander.   The problems are that it has an elastic waistband that is mommy-friendly but not so cool and it doesn’t have enough seams to be interesting.   The original pattern has a self fabric tie that covers up the hideous waistband but since my skirt is denim, it only made me look ‘fluffier’.   So it is worn around the house.

By the way, I’m over myself  [from the earlier post]

Ugh. In more recent developments, my son just peed himself all over his bed, stuffed animals, and into in his rainboots.  Shoot me.

Oy vey.

Wow.  I haven’t been on here for a while.  But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been sewing. Or blog-stalking. 

This is what I have been doing:

• I took a shitty vacation to the beach with my son.  We stayed with a friend at her beach house where my friend’s son continuously beat up my two-year old.  Longest three days ever.
• Went to Rhode Island for my last vacation as a family.  My parents are divorcing.  Awkward much?
• Got a raise!
• Dealt with a couple dozen full moon customers at work.  You know, the crazy kind.  One came in high and offered me drugs.  She is a 47-year old mother of three and returned everything the next day.  I lost a couple of hours of my life. Another lost 50 pounds and wondered why nothing fit right anymore. 
• Trying to potty train my son before his diaper-free preschool starts in two weeks.  Unsuccessfully.
• Sewed a chambray skirt.  Looking for buttons to finish a shirtdress.
• Did I mention my parents are divorcing?  And we are currently living in the same house.

I know the  internet isn’t the best place for posting this stuff and I completely understand that I only have first-world problems.  I feel stupid for even doing this. No one is dead. We have the basics- plus internet!  But jeez- I am going to explode soon. Explode- or melt into the floorboards.

Update

So, an update to the last post:

I couldn’t go to A Fabric Place because of my work hours but I DID go to G-Street Fabrics in Rockville over the weekend. The bad part was that I wasn’t able to find any decent wool crepe- in coral or royal blue- so unfortunately that dress has been put on hold until I can find the right fabric for the binding. Not an UFO- I promise! I can’t wait to be able to wear it.

I did however stock up on tons of fabric for the Fall/Winter while I was at the store since there was a great selection on the clearance table.  I can’t wait to start cutting into them.

I also just finished Simplicity 2588 [the white dress].  I had to take about 3 inches out of the gaping upper back.  Now it fits like a glove [said in my best Ace Ventura voice].  I’ll take pictures and post a review this weekend when I wear it to work.

And since I need to have a stack of projects going at all times, I’m going to cut out a new project this evening. What to cut, what to cut?

By the way, I love this:

Limbo

Agh! 

 I really want to start another project this evening but I am in limbo between other projects and I don’t want to turn my space into a sewpocalypse.

Today I finished the Simplicity 2250 jacket.  I need to take good pictures and post a review. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek, and proof that I can match stripes.

 

I am also in the process of making Vogue 1158. I am using a rayon challis print that I bought during my trip to Ecuador so I’m taking my time with it–because ya’ know you can’t just run to the store to buy some more.  But what really is holding me up is the bias binding.  I originally was going to use the challis print but then I thought it would look better [and more flattering] with contrast bias binding, perhaps in a royalish blue or salmony pink.  The problem is , I don’t own these said colors in a crepe [oh yeah, did  I mention I wanted spongy  crepe binding? I do.]  and I need to go hunt them down either at A Fabric Place in Baltimore or G-Street in Rockville/Seven Corners/Potomac Mills.  My mind complicates things even more because A Fabric Place is close to my work [but I've actually never been]  BUT G-Street is having a big sale this weekend.  All locations are far but I have connections in each city- Rockville is the closest and I lived there and we go visit all the time [mmm..so we could eat at El Patio], Seven Corners is the best one and I lived around there too during college [so I could revisit my 'glory-days'], and my in-laws live in Potomac Mills so we could visit them [and be done with the obligatory summer visit]. YOU SEE!! I am making things too complicated!! What to do? And all for a half-yard of wool crepe.

Haha! Anyway, what do you think? Royal-ish blue or Salmon-y pink bias binding?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last project is Simplicity 2588.  I bought the wrong zipper. TWICE. So on one these trips to a fabric store I have to pick up the correct one, sew it in, do a little topstitching, and hem. No biggie.

I love this fabric!!! It has a really neat texture, and some stretch to it so it is easy to wear.

Does this happen to you? Do you multi-task sewing projects and over-think the small details?

Vogue 1225 Dress

I made two of these dresses for my trip to Ecuador back in April.  I really wanted some cute and comfortable dresses to withstand the heat and this pattern fit the bill.

Here’s my first version in blue:

Here we are in Canoa, Ecuador.  El Senor on the left is my dad, who is building a house close by. Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have of myself wearing either dress during the trip.  I think I was too busy trying to keep my toddler from falling off of this balcony:

Looks super child-proof, right?

Anyway, here’s the review:

Pattern Description:  Loose-fitting, pullover dress, above mid-knee, has mock wrap bodice with gathered, draped front, elasticized waist and pockets, back neckline has slit and adjustable drawstring tie ends.

Pattern Sizing:  BB(8-10-12-14), F5(16-18-20-22-24). I made a straight 16.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes- minus the pockets.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Very easy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? This pattern is perfect for a casual summer dress that is super easy and comfortable to wear.  That said, it needed a number of small adjustments to get things ‘just right’.

Fabric Used: Cotton blend knit from G-Street Fabrics in Seven Corners, Va. bought in 2006 or 2007 for $2.97/yd.  Bustin’ the stash!  I always called this my “Ugly Fabric”  but I did so endearingly. I like big ugly prints in funky color combinations.  It was a perfect fabric/pattern match for two reasons:  I had just enough yardage for the 3.5 yards that this fabrichog of a pattern calls for and secondly this knit will NOT stay unwrinkled. Ever. So it was perfect for a casual dress with lots of gathers.  I think the constant wrinkling is why I made two versions in the same print  [but different colors].

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I didn’t do the pockets or petticoat. I have no problems filling out this skirt!  I raised the armhole by an inch, lowered the waistline by an inch and used purchased bias tape instead of a self-fabric casing.  The bias tape had a neater finish and I usually wear this dress belted so the extra stitch line doesn’t bother me this time.  I also ended up taking an inch out of the bodice side seams and I tacked the front closed so I wouldn’t have to wear a tank under it.

As you can see- I didn’t bother with matching patterns.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I did sew it again!  I’ve made this pattern three times so I think I’m done – - atleast for now.