Happy New Year!

Butterick 5328

Yes, I have been sewing. December was a whirlwind of Sewing for Others, Xmas PJ's for the kids, workout pants for DH, hemming some drapes.

In September I made the fabulous Butterick wrap top from some stretch cotton with woven stripes. I don't like the hanging hemline at the bottom, I think I will sew in a snap to keep it even. You definitely need to put in a hook and eye at the neckline to keep it in any way decent!

In November I turned 50! Yikes!!

Cool Silkscreened label from Marcy Tilton!!

Hotpatterns 1021 Riviera Anisette Top from the back. I took in the sides to the hemline to give it a bit more shape for me.

Here is the front view with my collapsed neckline due to poor slouchy posture, although I do have to say the neckline is higher than shown on the pattern envelope

Here it is on my dressform with the neckline looking perfect.

Here is my latest top, I wanted a higher neckline top to show off some necklaces I have been given recently. I love the boat neckline silhouette, but always have problems with the front collapsing due to rounded shoulders & slouchy posture. This is a wearable muslin made from stash remnants. I like the stripes (just like the pattern, how creative :-) ).

Next version I will cut the front yoke narrower in the centre by about 1" and scoop out the front to be a bit more like the pattern illustration. I already extended the back shoulder seamline for the rounded shoulder problem. Note to self: stand straight!!

Next projects, another one of these in a nice solid Navy jersey, trouser-cut jeans and Simplicity Cardi-wrap before it goes out of style!!

The solid navy for the next version is a lovely silky jersey from Fabricland. They had a manufacturers buy out of fabric from Pink Tartan, an expensive Canadian label and I scooped some heavy gunmetal rayon silky doubleknit, some grey print tissue knit with a stylized Mackintosh rose pattern and some nice silky plain jerseys in white and navy. All for $3/m. Love a bargoon!!

July Sewing Projects & Miscellaneous

Simplicity 2554, View C

So far this month I have drafted a pattern based on a Hot Patterns pattern (basic trouser pants) for a wider leg dress pant with slight flare and side seam zipper, facings and no pocket. I made a muslin in a drapey ottoman weave polyester. Happily it is wearable and now can be the base for a pair of pants in a nice pinstripe (fabric just as cheap, but nicer! and basic black!!).

Luckily DH is away for a few days so I have had a few self indulgent sewing/shopping, evenings. I only bought ONE piece of fabric (stripe shirting at fabricland), one on-line pattern. Shopping my stash I found this gorgeous print that co-ordinated with my wearable muslin.

It is a lovely burnout rayon jersey tie-dye print purchased from the classifieds on patternreview.com -- I think the original origin is the now defunct fabric store from Textile Studios. It is very drapey, but stable and quite delicate. It was a perfect match for Simplicity 2554, view C and also fits my sewing goal of sewing more trendy items! Yay Me!!

The fabric was beautiful to sew. Because it was delicate, I chose a serged finish on the ruffles. Glad I did, as I needed the length (sans hemming) to form the cap sleeve. I think a cover-stitch hem would work as well. Choosing two colours of tan for the thread was a happy accident, but helps blend in with the colours on a print!

Here is a detail of the underarm gussett. This is NOT a one hour knit top pattern! Be prepared to gather the ruffles, baste them in place and pick out the basting. Anyway, I think it turned out cutely, no?

Besides sewing, I took a day off and took my sons to Canada's Wonderland. I go on rollercoasters, but my stomach (or inner ear) can't take the spinning rides any more! Sucks to get old!! Sorry abut the sideways pic above, but it is the newest coaster there, the Behemoth. DS #1 (13) went on it 3 times! I went on it once. 70ft vertical, you hit 77 kph in the first drop, with a great view from the top.

What's been happening in May & June?

This months been busy, but I did manage to get some sewing done...pj's for my step-daughter and Simplicity 2599 which is a knock off of an Anthropologie top that I liked - yes Anthropologie opened a store in Toronto!

Our first wedding anniversary was June 7, we were in London, Ontario for a friend's birthday, so we both got tatoos to celebrate, here I am getting mine -- the guy did it really quickly but it turned out well, it's a little sketch of a white pine tree.

And some relatives came from Wales to visit here, they came for a BBQ to our house. Add onto that a wild weekend in Wasaga beach for volleyball and it's a busy start to the summer!

I can't believe its been almost a month

Handsome Hubby on a Portage - full pack, Nikon in hand & Canoe on head, a truly talented man!

Burda WOF 3-2009-109

Since my last post! Here is my latest project, which I hope fulfils two of my sewing goals, to sew from BWOF (Burda World of Fashion) and make something trendy! I'm happy the way the fabric compliments the pattern, and the contrast between the front band colour and the blouse bottom.

My sons came back from a weekend in Montreal with their Dad, in which they were charged with hunting down a La Mia or Patrones -- and they came back with the latest issue of La Mia Boutique (the Italian verison of Burda), Not cheap at over $14 Cdn, but very high fashion, some great detailed pants -- will try and post pics later.

As this was a long weekend, and my hubby was on a volunteer camping trip with his high school teacher friend it was Sue's indulgent weekend of fun! Going to the gym, finishing this top, a trip to the fabric store & snoop shopping at Anthropologie (as far as I know the only Canadian store opened in Toronto). I found about 3 things that I have seen patterns that are very close and took some pics in the changerooms.

Here is my latest project, Christine Jonson Woven Pants #1010, flared version. The fabric is kind of nasty, it stretches out and doesn't recover that well and attacts all kind of lint! They are black, but I've lightened the photo to show the detail. I did have to take in the thigh to the knee quite a bit, as I wanted the long lean look on the pattern drawing, but they came out with too much ease and not enough flare. I'm happier with the fit now, but there is still a bit of gaposis in the center back. I moved the zip to the side.

What is up with back zippers in pants? Hard to do up and would poke you uncomfortably!!

Anyway they are servicable enough for work. The shoes, they are killer, though -- I scoured for them at Payless last fall. The lightened photo shows them as green, but they are grey patent with snub toes and big buckles. The top is a seafoam blue/green, so the outfit looks nicer in person than in my bad photo.

I'm bidding on some nice leopard print pony skin flats and some Tory Burch knockoff flats on e-bay right now, which will both go nicely with these pants!!

New Look 6179

Above & Below New Look 6179

Inpirational outfit from http://www.myshape.com/

If you have never checked out http://www.myshape.com/ it is a great site for wardrobe planning. I think most of the 'artistic' trendy outfits are just gorgeous, and they show accessories for each one! (Of course I'm schitzo, I also love Michael Kors which is really classic stuff!)

Anyway, I have been using myshape for some inspirational outfits. Above you will see the inspirational photo and the finished top. I've been eyeing double buckled belts for a while and was lucky to find this one on e-bay -- its a knock off of a linea pelle belt which I snagged for $6.95 plus shipping!

This top is New Look 6179 made from crinkle poly with a beautiful faded patchwork in lovely soft colours of sage, terra cotta, soft turquoise and raspberry with small gold glittered dots. The lace insets are vintage crocheted lace from my stash which looked kind of tea dyed. The ribbon trim is also from my stash. Anyway this strays from my usual sewing with the embellishment, but is a step towards my goal of being more trendy. Its fitted enough to be worn without the belt.

I think my next projects will be from my huge stash of Burda mags!!

Simplicity 2938

Above you can see the interior seam finishes

Above you can see the neckline tucks...

Here it is accessorized with the necklaces I had on today...

Here is my latest finished project. I've had it on my list to sew for a while (see my fall wardrobe board). It's Simplicity 2938 done up here in a very light weight dupioni cross-dye which was a dream to sew. I think this would be even better in a drapey fabric like a poly satin.

This is a really quick project, I knew it would turn out nicely because oodles of people on patternreview have made it. The only change I made was to lengthen it 1", add the front ties (this was a detail from a Tory Burch top from Spring 2008) and to do a forward shoulder adjustment. I also substituted a facing for the armholes for the bias tape in the instructions. I've had bad luck before with bias tape flaring out at the seamlines. I just turned and topstitched it as you can see from the interior photo. I'm not sure about the ties, they look a bit long but maybe this way I can tie them front or back??

Feels good to have another project finished. Next up is a storyboard for Spring!