The 1 Year Challenge, So Far So Good

A friend recently posted a lamenting photo on Instagram with the Beatles' song, "Yesterday" attached. It was all about what we aren't able to do because of the pandemic. That simple little post prompted me to think about my summer, and as I thought about this summer versus last summer, it occurred to me that I am having a fabulous summer! Yes, I'll be the first to admit that I miss going to outdoor music festivals. We have some of the BEST here in Chicago. And all the glorious neighborhood festivals that we have every summer. But, as I thought about last summer, I realized that it was rather horrible. Two of the "highlights" were that I ended up with a case of shingles, and I had to say goodbye to my precious dog, Gracie.

This summer I am doing a lot of flying. I have been encouraged to get my flight instructor rating. I should be ready to take the first of a number of tests in 2 weeks. A little scary, but exciting at the same time. 

Believe it or not, my little challenge of doing a year of my handmade garments is another highlight. I am learning so much, and just having fun with the process.

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I made this black and white linen dress last summer, but never wore it. I have no idea why because when I put it on, I loved it. Go figure! This project was part of a challenge I did with Becky of Trail Balloons . You can see my post on this dress HERE. 

    

Becky gave me this beautiful piece of fabric from Malaysia. Believe it or not, the pattern that I used for this dress is the exact same pattern as the black and white dress. I wore this on July 10th. It was blazing hot outside, so the cool, cotton fabric was perfect!

This was my Saturday dress. And NO!!!, I did not wear those shoes all day. I actually wore a pair of white sneakers. But, I just had to slip on the heels for the picture. I soooo miss wearing heels.

My friend Jill of The Denver Sewing Collective recommended the Vogue Vena Cava pattern. We were together when I purchased the fabric panels that I used for the dress. You can see my post on the dress HERE. 

I like trying to keep Sundays special. Here again, I did not wear those shoes all day long. A while, but not all day. This is a piece that I designed. The neckline has an asymmetrical drape. When I posted it on Instagram, I asked for opinions about whether to shorten it or not. The consensus was to leave it long. I have an idea of how I can shorten it, and leave it long at the same time. If it works, I'll post my idea :)  

You've seen this before, but the challenge is about a year of handmade garments, not a new garment everyday. The pants are the Barb pants from Style Arc, and the top is from Tessuti Fabrics, the free Zoe Top pattern. 
 

The next day was super casual, a pair of Helen's Closet Avery Leggings, and another free pattern from Tessuti, the Athina Top.

This dress was more like outfit of the evening, rather than outfit of the day. We met some friends for dinner, so here was my opportunity to wear those heels!!! This is another of my own designs. The fabric reminds me of the artist Toulouse-Lautrec. 

The following day, I was back out at the airport, so my favorite Closet Core Patterns Ginger Jeans, and another top of my design.  

This is another outfit of the evening. We met a friend for dinner, and here again, I am not going to miss an opportunity to wear heels!!! I am in love with this pattern. As you can see from the pattern picture, there's a fabulous gathered piece in the back. The dress literally floats about the body. This is on my list for at least 1 more, and maybe 2!!! It's Vogue 9237. 

Last Saturday was another blazing hot day. Makes me all the more grateful for air conditioning! Sadly, I don't think this pattern is still available. It was a free pattern from Marilla Walker, her sailor dress. I love the triangle insets on the shoulders, and there's a little square gusset at the armpit. Sweet little details.   

Once again, Sunday :) We went to an outdoor cocktail party. The picture shows the shoes I wanted to wear, versus the shoes I wore. Pumps are just not the best in a garden. The dress is the Nico Dress from Fabrics-store.com. Just a simple bias dress. I love the fabric. It was a piece that I purchased at a Nancy's Notions seminar a number of years ago.  

Monday was an incredible day! I ended up at a small airport outside of Indianapolis. I'm wearing another outfit that you've seen before, the Clover Pants from Colette Patterns. 

The best part was that I got to wear this too for a little while!!!

Last Tuesday, I pulled out a favorite skirt. This is another pattern that I don't think is available. I actually made this skirt 6 years ago!!! HERE'S the post I did on how I put it all together.  

I don't wear shorts very often. As you can see from my photos, I'm just more comfortable in a dress or skirt. But, every once in a while, a pair of shorts just seems to fit the bill. I had a lot of fun making these. I piped the yoke and the pockets, and then did a bias trim on the side seams. I also lengthened them to a walking short length. The pattern is from Dixie DIY, and the pattern is the Garnet Shorts.  

Earlier this week, I was going through a bin a things that I haven't looked at for a while, and I found the outfit below, all cut and ready to be sewn. I have no idea of how long it has been in the bin. So, I got busy and put it together. I think the pattern is now out of print, but there's always Ebay and Etsy! 

    

So, that's my fashion show for the last few weeks. My official start date was July 1st, but I decided to give myself a running start, and begin June 22nd. So, I'm a little over a month in at this point. It's a great challenge as it has made me focus more on what's in my wardrobe. I've gotten rid of a few pieces, and I'm much more focused on what I really want to add. I highly recommend giving it a try, even if it's just for a week. Do a private little challenge, and take pictures for a week, and see what you learn!

Until next time...

Sew On!!!

 Rhonda

An Embroidered Journey

I think I need to ask all of you to be my design consultants on a permanent basis!!! Wow!!!, did you ever come up with some fabulous ideas for my embroidered tree. Becky of Trial Balloons sent me some wonderful inspiration photos that she found on Pinterest. Not that any of the ideas should be used exactly as they are, but as a jumping off point.  

I love the patch of pieces and the embroidery in this skirt.

This is a little too much patchwork for me, but here again, I love the stitching and the mix of pieces.

Another mix of fabrics that really create an interesting garment.

Same idea, but a little bit of a different silhouette. It's anchored with the solid sleeves, and a solid back. This would be a great way to use some scraps. Take note that just 3 prints were used.

I absolutely fell in love with these embroidered pieces. 

Both are from a wonderful artist, Tessa Perlow. You can see more of her work HERE in her Etsy Shop.

Stephanie sent me these fabulous photos. I LOVE this jacket!!! 

So many of you talked about a kimono style jacket. With all of this running through my head, I thought of a summer kimono that I have. I think this is it!

You can see that the tree is rather large, and the linen has yellowed with time. But, I can get that out without a problem. 

So, I think I will use some of this fabric, but blend it with a solid, lightweight linen. With the solid linen, I can embroider flowers to look as though they have fallen from the tree. And then pick up something on the cuffs and collar. This is a piece that will evolve as I go. And...it will not be something I do quickly, which is fine.

My first step will be to finish doing the embroidery on the tree. Once the embroidery has been completed, I'll start the soaking process to remove the yellow. Then I'll start working on putting the jacket together. Anyway, however it goes, I think it's going to be a fun little journey!

Thanks so very much for all of your messages. It was great to hear from you. How lucky am I to have so many incredibly creative people popping in to see what I do?!!  

Rhonda

Gifts/Scarves and or Shawls with a Tutorial

It's that time of year again! 

I don't know where I found the piece above, but I love it! I have never started to make handmade gifts a couple of days before Christmas, but I have bitten off more than I could possibly accomplish :/

I recently received a message from Fabrics-store.com about a linen they carry that's perfect for scarves/shawls. So, I thought I would give it a try. I really do like the fabric. They recommended getting 2 yards for an over-sized shawl/scarf. I would recommend getting 2 1/2 yards. The pieces that I made up are fine, but a little extra yardage would be nice.

I purchased 2 colors, the black and the poinsettia. You can find these and other colors HERE. Remember, you will get 2 scarves out of 2 1/2 yards of fabric.

I was so pleased with the fabric. The scarves below have been washed and pressed. There was very little shrinkage. The only problem is that I want to keep at least 1 for myself...maybe 2.

 

The tutorial was only available through an email, so I have attached it below in the event you decide to give it a try. 

Oversized Linen Shawl - Your Comfort! A neutral and light accessory that can fit in the purse should it not be needed. But, is right at the fingertips to be wrapped around for warmth or to hide from the strong sunshine rays. Something that is low maintenance and can be washed at home in the washing machine - I like my free time spent not running errands to the dry cleaners An exquisite looking item - comparable to brand names that are selling their shawls as I type this for $168 (and theirs don’t even have tassels!) 2 yards and about an hour of sewing will make 2 Shawls ( so think of who you can gift one to - the shawls turns out pretty amazing) Here are the steps to gift yourself and a lucky friend - sun protection, warmth, and convenience - aka - a linen shawl Pick your color scheme - 2 yards  of the color you like - I went with Fog (picking your color we need to save for last so I can show you the steps to make the shawl :) Receive the box - we ship your order either same day or the following morning Find the middle of the width (I folded the cloth in half - selvage to selvage) and pull a thread down the middle of the entire length Cut down the middle where you pulled the thread and cut off the selvage We need to hem the length of the cloth - fold under 0.25 inches 2 times and stitch Unravel the raw edges to make the tassels ( you can also leave it as just fringed without the tassels) Take 10-15 loose threads and bunch them up like a ponytail. Use the nearest thread to loop around the “ponytail” and tie a knot. Do 2 knots on each ponytail/tassel. Tassel both sides of the shawl Throw in the wash - gentle cycle - cold water. Dry on a delicate cycle with low heat ( iron should you like - the left one is not ironed and right one was pressed) Your shawl is ready to be worn and face the summertime with you Not only is this an opportunity to take care of your skin and stay comfortable regardless of the weather, but this is your opportunity to have a finished HANDMADE item that would have cost you upwards of $160. A couple pointers: - if you are going for sun protection during the day - don’t pick dark colors. They will absorb the heat leaving you hot while wearing the shawl. - If you aren’t in a tassel kind of mood, you can fringe, but make sure to run a securing stitch so the thread doesn’t keep unraveling. And now the fun part - click below to find the color you want your shawl to be... Pick Your Shawl Colors Here P.S. 2 yards are just the right length for 2 shawls size 27"x70". This is a very quick project that will keep you looking and feeling fabulous throughout the hotter season. Plus, this will leave you with a beautiful and useful item that was handmade by you and would have cost you over $160 at a store (these also make great gifts if you decide you want to share). Don’t forget your 7% discount code ilovelinen at checkout. You Risk Nothing - if, for some reason, you find the fabric is still sitting in a box a month down the line - simply return it to us with the receipt and we will refund the fabric cost.

I just had to share this! You may remember that I made a poppins bag with fabric that I had printed from a painting that I did last year. I had a little left over, just enough for a king-size pillowcase. 

One day last spring, I came home to find that my poor Gracie had chewed a huge hole in my duvet cover. We had a rain storm while I was out. Why she decided to chew the duvet cover, I have no idea. At least she didn't tear apart the down comforter inside!!! I loved the cover, and decided to see if I could find another. I did! Most of the fabric from the old cover was good, so I saved it thinking that I would find something to do with it. When I realized that I had just enough of my cone flower fabric left for 2 pillowcase tops, I remembered the duvet cover. I now have pillowcases in my very own fabric, and coordinating pillowcases too! Mr. Berkley thinks they're pretty great as well :)     

  
Remember, pillowcases make great gifts too! The children in your life would love a special pillowcase made out of a character fabric. You can also make lovely linen pillowcases and edge them with antique crochet lace. 

Happy Gift Making Season!
Just don't stress yourself out!!!
Rhonda

Sewing, But No Blogging/Towels, Tops and Trousers

Happy Saturday Everyone!!! 

It's a glorious start to the day here in Chicago, the sun is shining, but...not for long :( A few nights ago, my husband and I went out for our evening walk with the dogs. When I opened the door, I saw that it was raining, yet again. We have had sooo much rain. But, I'm very careful about verbalizing what I feel in my heart as I know that times without rain are not something we want. In all things be grateful...at least try :)

So yes, I have been sewing, but just not blogging. This morning I was determined to make myself sit down and write a note. I know that it's just a matter of getting back in the habit, and as we all know, habits are easily broken and difficult to create.

I've made a number of easy summer outfits that I can just throw on and go. The pants I'm wearing below I also did in THIS post. A super simple gathered leg that makes the pants look special. The top is the Helen's Closet Elliot Sweater and Tee pattern. I made a long sleeve version of the top before I broke my arm this past winter. Loved it. Super easy to make, and just as easy to wear. It's difficult to see in the picture, but I had a piece of embossed knit that matched the pants, so I decided to give the pattern a try as a summer top. At the rate I am going, it will only last 1 summer as it will be worn out!!!

I was intrigued by an email I received from fabrics-store.com They actually have linen toweling that is 19" wide. They had a little tutorial on making linen kitchen towels using a 1 yard length of the fabric. I love linen towels, so I decided to give it a try.  

I began with a 1 yard length, and just hemmed the bottom and top edges, leaving the selvedge edge along the sides. I then put them in the washing machine and dryer. As you can see below they came out a crumpled heap. The above picture is after ironing. The natural linen has the most wonderful smell, and the texture is also quite lovely. I bought enough for 3 sets of towels, 1 to keep, and 2 to give. I'm so pleased that I think I will order enough for a few more sets as they will make wonderful gifts. You can find the fabric HERE.   

As I said, I have been making a number of throw on and go pieces. The top below is the free Zoe Top pattern from Tessuti. I am so very pleased with how it turned out. I had this lovely bordered fabric, and thought it might work well. 

The neckline is quite wide, and a little wider than I wanted for this top. So, I decided to cut a piece of the border and fill in the neckline. 

The pattern features a dolman sleeve. Rather than leave the sleeve plain, I cut some of the border and appliqued it to the bottom of the sleeve. In the end, I felt that it all came together quite nicely.

A picture of me in the top will follow shortly. I'm making a pair of white Barb pants from Style Arc patterns. I blogged about that free pattern HERE. Another easy to make, easy to wear pattern. 

Berkley and I will be going to camp! Actually, I signed Berkley up for an agility class. I think he is going to love it! And...me too :) It won't begin until the 3rd week of July. Can't wait!

Have a lovely weekend!
Rhonda

A Month of Woven Tees/Week 4

What a lovely month it has been, except for the incredibly hot temperatures we have had in Chicago! As a child, I lived without air conditioning. For the past few weeks, every night as I crawl into bed, one of the last things I say is, "thank you Lord for air conditioning!" Complaining aside, I have so enjoyed the push that Becky of Trial Balloons gave me. Had it not been for her, I would not have ended up with all the new pieces in my wardrobe. 

THANK YOU BECKY!!! 

Now, this is just the best!!! You may remember the piece I painted and then had made into fabric. Well, I sent a piece to Becky and look at the AMAZING top she made!

Oh my, I am beyond flattered. The panel that I sent to her was unfinished, which I felt a bit bad about, as I thought she might just turn the edges and use it in a bread basket. What she did with it is a masterpiece. Be sure to pop over to her blog and see the back, as well as all the other lovely pieces that she made...and the poor woman has had pneumonia!  You can see all her work HERE.  

When Becky asked if I would like to participate in a month of woven tees, she said that she would put a Pinterest page together for us. The top below is one that she found and pinned to the page. I thought it was rather nice, so I used it as my inspiration for my tee, which is really a dress. To be honest, I wear more dresses than anything else in the summer, so a new, pop over the head dress is always up my alley. 

Once again, I used the free raglan tee pattern from fabric-store.com You can find the pattern HERE. 

Rather than dividing the sleeve, I decided to just start my design line from the underarm intersection. 

I did do a funnel neckline, which I really like. Super easy to do BTW.

If you look closely, you can see that I tapered the side seams just a bit, but not so much so that I can't get the dress over my head. I also added a pocket.

I think you can see the lines of the pocket better in the picture below. The seam line begins at the style line of the bodice and comes down to the pocket, but not all the way to the hem of the dress.

It makes the pocket area a little trickier to sew, but not that much. The reason that I did not want the seam down to the hemline was because of the shirttail hem that I wanted to do. Having the seam line to the hem wouldn't have made that much of a difference, but I just didn't want the extra bulk in the hem.

To balance the dress, I used the white for the bias binding along the hem. It should give the eye of anyone who bothers to look, something to notice

If by chance you would like a tutorial on how to make the funnel neckline, or how to draft the pocket, just let me know. They are both fun to do, and you can see that they can easily be added to a basic pattern such as this.

I do have a fun tea inspired recipe to share with you, but it is going to have to wait a few days as it has just been much to hot to bake. I hold my head in shame, especially when Becky has had pneumonia, and managed to get sooooo much accomplished :( 

I hope you have enjoyed the month of woven tees, and I hope that it has inspired you to maybe venture out and do something a little different :)