S 2416 Skirt

While waiting for the latest fabric order to arrive (to make DGD's 2nd top), I made her a skirt.  She had asked for a couple of new skirts so here is one.

I've seen this skirt made up in blog land several times.  I'm not sure what took me so long to make up a version. It goes together easily and looks great.

I had a piece of the "faux linen" from Hancocks (the 50/50 poly/rayon).  That fabric has a nice drape and
washes and wears pretty well--just what DGD needs.  I chose view E - the shorter version of the faux wrap.

As I was cutting it out, I noticed the selvage and thought "that might make a nice finish for the overlay faux wrap."  I did some "playing" and decided to give it a go.  I cut a strip of selvage and sewed it right sides together at the edge of the side/hem of the overlay.  I then ran the raw edge through the serger to finish the raw edges.

Then, I simply flipped the edge to to the wrong side and top stitched.

Close-up of finished edge.

Pinned (a little wonky) to the dress form.  Hem is even IRL. 

The skirt was a quick make, and I think DGD will be happy with it.  I'll know soon.  Before I pack this pattern away, I will make a version for myself and probably for Sis.  Those will likely be made of rayon challis.  I have several options in the stash.  

Loose Woven T - McCall 6566

I'm waiting for fabric to make DGD's next top.  In all of my stash, I didn't find any appropriate fabric in a print I thought she would like.  So, I ordered a cotton lawn and am waiting for it to arrive.

So, while shopping the 99 cents McCall patterns last week, I picked up #6566 for make for myself.

I'd been wanting to make a cool, woven T-type pull over in anticipation of our triple digit summer that will be here all too soon.  Loose is cool and non restrictive--hangs from the shoulders/touches almost nothing.  When I saw this pattern, I thought the view of gray one at the bottom right might just be the one.

The fabric is very soft; it is a rayon/lycra woven from fabric.com.  It's been in the stash for a couple of years I think.  It wasn't one of my favorites when it arrived.  The colors were more muted that I was expecting. On my monitor the colors are showing brighter than in real life. The fabric felt so nice, though, I knew I would use it eventually.  It seems perfect for this top.

You will notice that the back of the top has a rounded hem.  The front hem is straight.  I really like this.  I'm not sure why, but I hand stitched the sleeve hems so they are basically invisible.

I finished the neckline with the same method (Louise Cutting bias method) I mentioned in my previous post. One thing I did differently than Louise's instruction was to understitch the neckline seam to the bodice to help with the turn of the bias binding.  Rather than topstitching the binding down, I hand stitched it to the blouse front.  I suppose I was just enjoying listening to the radio in the sewing room and was willing to take the time to hand stitch today.  I wasn't in a rush (for a change).

When I make this top again, I will narrow the neckline a bit.  I don't think I'll have a problem with my bra straps showing on this one, but narrowing the neckline will alleviate any fiddling with the neckline while wearing.  I've already made this adjustment on the paper pattern.

I will try to remember to snap a photo the first time I wear this T.

,

McCalls 6359

As mentioned in my previous post, this is one of the patterns I wanted to make for DGD.  The brown crinkle fabric I had hoped to use wouldn't work for me--not enough fabric.

So, it was time to go through the stash.  I found this crinkle rayon that had been given to me by my sewing buddy.  It was a remnant she had left after making something for herself and her DD.  I'm not sure how long I've had it--a while.  Anyhow, I thought it went OK with the brown lace remnant I had picked up just for this pattern.

Front

Even tho her measurements put her into a size 12, I felt she would be swimming in it, so I took a chance and made a size 10 taking 3/8" side seams just to give a bit more swish/ease.  Left is the front view; below is the view from the back.  It's a bit hard to make out detail with the see  through lace.  It's hanging on my dress form so my turquoise cami is really showing through.

Back

The pattern instructions used purchased bias tape to finish the neckline and armholes.  I felt self fabric bias would be better.  I used Louise Cutting's French Bias Binding Method shown here.  I use this method alot and like the way it finishes the inside as well as the outside.  

I'm working on a top for myself and have some better photos of how the finished neckline looks with her method.  I'll try to get that post up tomorrow.

It's been good to get to spend some time back at the sewing machine.

Recuperating

DD and DGD have come and gone.  We had a wonderful visit; they got to stay a full three days with us.  They drove home yesterday leaving early morning arriving home safe and sound around 7 p.m.   I was a vegetable most of the day yesterday.

You may remember that I had some sewing mojo before they arrived, but was busy getting the house and other things ready for their visit.  I wanted to sew a bit yesterday, but just didn't have the energy.  Therefore, I didn't touch anything fearing I'd make a mess of whatever I tried to work on.

Got updated measurements for DGD so I'm stoked to get a few things made for her for the summer.

Hancock's holiday sale began today so I made quick trip into Mesquite to pick up a few McCall patterns for 99 cents for DGD.  Below are pics of two tops I want to make for her.

McCall 6751:  I'll make this view pictured - View B.  Haven't decided on fabric yet.

Another is McCall 6359, View C (the black/gray pictured)

Hard to tell from the photo, but the black yoke is lace.  I picked up a brown lace remnant at Hancocks today to go with a brown crinkle cotton (if I have enough of the crinkle).  If there is not enough crinkle, I'll go thru the stash some more to see what I might find.

Yes I picked up a few more McCall patterns which I'll share later and a couple of Vogue for me.  They were $4.99 today

Vogue 8997

Vogue 9004

I am thinking more about what patterns I buy on sale - not bringing so many home.  After my last pattern purge, I'm trying hard to think twice before I buy.

I hope to spend some quality time in the sewing room tomorrow.

It was/is worth standing in line...........comfort food

Do you have a cafeteria where you live?

As a child, I thought cafeterias were EVERYWHERE.  I've since learned different.  My granddaughter, who lives out of state, didn't eat in a cafeteria until she was about 12 while on one of her summer visits here.  If there wasn't a cafeteria, where did all the people go eat after church on Sunday?

Actually, the first cafeteria I remember (and frequented with my family) was Wyatt's Cafeteria in my neighborhood in Dallas.  I think it opened when I was about 5 years old, as I remember my Mom taking me the first week it opened.  So.much.food.  I remember thinking it all looked soooo good, and I wanted one of everything!  Of course, Mom said no, not everything, and I settled for what became "my usual," fried fish with tartar sauce, english peas (baby peas, I called them) and mashed potatoes with gravy.  I seldom deviated from that menu.

When we went as a family, Mom OK'd one dessert that would be shared with my older sister.  We almost always went for the chocolate icebox pie. Occasionally, we would choose the fresh strawberry pie.  Hmm.... so good.

As I got older (high school) I would sometimes branch out and try different entrees.  You certainly couldn't go wrong with Chicken Fried Steak and macaroni and cheese!  Then there was the delicious strawberry/banana fruit salad or the avocado/tomato salad.  (My mouth is now watering.)

I don't exactly remember when the Wyatt's Cafeteria closed.  I'm thinking it was probably while I was away at college.  I also don't remember when Luby's Cafeteria (that started in San Antonio) came to our area.

My next favorite cafeteria was the Highland Park Cafeteria.  I was introduced to it in high school.  When I married, my in-laws from Wichita Falls loved to treat the family there on Saturday evenings when they visited.  In one section of the cafeteria, they would set out an "all you can eat buffet."  Can you say, "eat too much?"

I have recently picked up the above pictured cookbook.  I think many of these recipes are similar to the Wyatt Cafeteria recipes.  I'm anxious to try some of these comfort foods!

No sewing this week.  As I mentioned in my previous post, company's coming this weekend, and I've been cleaning and generally getting ready for that visit.  It's going to be fun!  They plan to be here through mid-week so it will be the end of the week, if then, that I will be able to get back to the machine.  I hope I'm still in the sewing frame of mind then!

Enjoy your weekend!

New Look 6697 Mock Wrap Dress

I always fuss with wrap dresses (even tho I love them) worried about the wrap blowing open or showing more than I want when I sit and move around.  Sitting still is not one of my virtues.

 I thought this pattern would be fun to try.  Thus, I found some rayon knit (you may remember it from my most recnet kAtheRine Tilton "zipper collar" top).  I have a bolt of this fabric so I used it for what I hoped would be a "wearable muslin."

The neckline looked pretty low; I raised it by 2".  Next version I will raise it an inch more.  I used the long sleeve pattern, but shorted it to just above elbow length.  The little "puff sleeve" is not me.

I used Emma Seabrooke's 1.25" stay tape interfacing to finish the neckline.  I used the method in her booklet Emma Seabrooke's Stay Tape Techniques that I picked up at a Sewing Expo earlier this year.  I placed the stay tape on the neck edge, on the right side of the fabric with the fuse side of the stay tape up. Then folded the "facing" over and pressed to fuse it to the inside of the neckline edge.

Used the coverstitch machine to top stitch after fusing.

Elastic is inserted at the waist to snug in the waistline.  I tested belts and decided a self fabric belt would make it look more like the "real wrap."  Plus, I didn't really like the focus being drawn to my waistline.

So, I went with the self fabric belt.

Not a great shot, but you get the idea.

Comfy dress; I plan to make it again--probably as very casual sleeveless version for the upcoming HOT summer.

Why??

is it that when I WANT to sew, I need to clean and plan for company arriving this weekend??

I do have photos taken of a dress I've recently completed; I hope to take time to tell you about it and post the photos later today................

In the meantime, so this isn't a photo-less post,

the first of the coneflowers are blooming, and the butterfly has found one!

I found the Paint!

Butterick 5891 - kAtheRine Tilton

This top started in October of last year in this blog post.  As the weather has gotten warm, the top began mocking me as it sat draped on the dress form, Saphroni.  It was time to do something.  A sleeveless linen

top sounded pretty good right about now.

I may be repeating myself from previous posts.  If so, forgive me.  This top began life as two linen dresses brought home from the thrift store.  As I recall, the yellow one still had tags on it.  Both dresses were too small as dresses so a refashion as a dress of some sort was not to be.  So, I decided to play with the Tilton pattern.  

I cut the dresses apart at the side seams, cut the sleeves off at the shoulder seams, and used the ripper to take off the pockets on the yellow one.  The blue had princess seams so I just laid the pattern pieces on the sections as if it was one piece paying no attention to the seams already sewn.

As I'm taking photos today, I remembered I had intended to embellish with tulip paint.  You will see a sample of what I had in my mind at the time in the post linked to above.

Hmm.

I can't find the paints.  My latest sewing room clean up came to mind.  Where did I put them?  I'm sure it seemed so logical at the time.  It's obviously not logical now.  So..........in the meantime, I plan to wear the top "as is."  When the paint turns up, we'll see what happens.

The buttons are from the stash.  This was a bag that I picked up for $2.00 as I recall, and there were about 200 buttons (all this same button) in the bag.  I wanted to give them a bit of color, so I took a turquoise sharpie and colored the centers.  Then, I sewed them with the blue thread.  

As you can see, I made use of the pockets (top back and side front) from the yellow dress.

The vegetable garden is now planted.  That has been taking up most of my time recently.