Tiered Maxi Skirt

I have been craving a tiered maxi skirt...so I got some fabric at Joann's - on sale, of course.

Silky prints for dresses

For the skirt

Knit remnants

The teal and black butterfly print (and yes - there are sparklies on it!) and the pink and black floral will be dresses eventually. The purple stripe is what I made my skirt from. It is kind of sheer, so as I waited in line at the cutting table I poked through the remnants and found two thin knits as potential attached slips. Either would have worked - there was just enough ivory, so I chose it for this one, the white had more than enough, so I'm saving it for a future project.

I spent a few minutes tidying the sewing room (which has become a catch-all since the semester started) and I converted my serger from cover stitch to serge again. Then I spent a little bit of time here and there working on the skirt, and a few days later - viola!

It took about 2 yards of the purple stripe (I still have 1.25 yards left - I bought what was left on the bolt) and 0.67 of a yard of the knit for the attached slip. I did a baby hem and I serged all the seams - and even figured out how to serge 'in the round', between the tiers.

I absolutely love it! And I'm thinking I will probably finish up the silver blouse that I started over the summer in the next few weeks, as long as I keep on top of my homework and don't let myself get lost in the sewing room.

Weekly Round Up - 7/6

Because of the holiday, I only had two days to sew this week. I started working on my silver blouse, view C from Vogue 8772. Once I got to seam construction, I stopped because I was in no mood to convert my serger from cover stitch to overlock, and this fabric definitely needs to be serged. It isn't overly difficult, I just didn't want to be fiddling with it, so the blouse is sitting on the cutting table for a few more days.

source: voguepatterns.mccall.com

I am hoping to work on tracing and cutting out some patterns for future projects. That is one of the tasks I dislike most about sewing clothes ~ pattern tracing, whether it is a new pattern onto clear vinyl or just tracing the pattern onto the fabric. I find it tedious, making sure everything is properly aligned and transferring multitudes of markings, but it is a necessary evil *sigh*.


I received the jeans buttons I ordered from Dime Buttons via Amazon, but they also have a regular website.

I made a ton of cookies for a picnic/bbq we attended on the 4th. The Chocolate Chip and Chocolate-Chocolate Chip cookies were made with this yummy no-fail recipe, and I also made some No-Bake Cookies.

So, while I did not get much sewing done, it was definitely a productive week. Hope you had a great 4th and enjoy the weekend!

Projects Completed

none

Works in Progress

Blouse - Vogue 8772

Projects To Do

Shirred Dresses (for my friend's niece) - no pattern - shirred fabric (need to buy)
Men's Shirt (for son #1) - no pattern chosen - camo cotton
Men's Shirt (for son #2) - no pattern chosen - red/white/blue cotton
Shirt Dress - McCall's 4769 - camo floral silky in stash
Tee Shirt - Butterick 5215 - blue and grey knit in stash
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - grey silky solid in stash
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - black chiffon in stash
Jeans - Butterick 5682 - dark blue denim in stash
Dress - no pattern chosen - teal floral in stash
Dress - no pattern chosen - grey tropical print in stash
Shirt Dress - McCall's 4769 - purple poly shantung in stash
Dress - Coffee Date Dress, free Burda pattern - black/white silky print in stash
Peasant Top - Simplicity 3956 - teal paisley print in stash
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A - green suiting in stash
Men's Bi-Fold Wallet (requested by a friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen
Purse (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Wallet (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Dress - Simplicity 3506 view A - black/purple silky print in stash
8 Gore Skirt - self drafted pattern - cream suiting in stash
Top - princess seam bodice - red silky solid in stash
Bolero - Simplicity 3921 view ? - green velvety fabric in stash
Top - Vogue 2987 top - multi-colored knit/jersey/stretchy in stash

Weekly Round Up - 6/29

Not the most productive week, since I technically finished the blouse/dress last week.

Which means I only made one piece this week, another of the maxi dress from Simplicity 2189. I had made this a couple weeks ago in a tan knit, and decided I needed to take in the bust area, which worked perfectly. I also added  six inches to the length so it was a true maxi.

front view

back view

I definitely didn't need more fabric, but I did buy some at Wal-Mart yesterday.

The top two are going to be dresses, but I haven't decided on a pattern for them yet. The bottom left is kind of like a chiffon, it's very lightweight and slightly transparent, I'm planning to make a blouse out of it. The bottom left is a dark blue denim, which will become a pair of jeans.

Have a great weekend!

Projects Completed

Blouse (dress) - Vogue 8772
Maxi Dress - Simplicity 2189

Works in Progress

Blouse - Vogue 8772

Projects To Do

Shirred Dresses (for my friend's niece) - no pattern - shirred fabric (need to buy)
Men's Shirt (for son #1) - no pattern chosen - camo cotton
Men's Shirt (for son #2) - no pattern chosen - red/white/blue cotton
Shirt Dress - McCall's 4769 - camo floral silky in stash
Tee Shirt - Butterick 5215 - blue and grey knit in stash
Maxi Dress - Simplicity 2189 - floral knit in stash
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - grey silky solid in stash
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - black chiffon in stash
Jeans - Butterick 5682 - dark blue denim in stash
Dress - no pattern chosen - teal floral in stash
Dress - no pattern chosen - grey tropical print in stash
Shirt Dress - McCall's 4769 - purple poly shantung in stash
Dress - Coffee Date Dress, free Burda pattern - black/white silky print in stash
Peasant Top - Simplicity 3956 - teal paisley print in stash
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A - green suiting in stash
Men's Bi-Fold Wallet (requested by a friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen
Purse (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Wallet (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Dress - Simplicity 3506 view A - black/purple silky print in stash
8 Gore Skirt - self drafted pattern - cream suiting in stash
Top - princess seam bodice - red silky solid in stash
Bolero - Simplicity 3921 view ? - green velvety fabric in stash
Top - Vogue 2987 top - multi-colored knit/jersey/stretchy in stash

Goodies

So here are the goodies I got last week (I also got the lining for my pants and 2 half yards to finish my patchwork skirt, but those are not in this picture)...

The purple fabric is simply gorgeous, the photo does not do the color or texture any justice at all. It's a poly shantung, and will end up being a shirt dress made from McCall's 4769. I really wanted to get a silk dupioni, but I refuse to have fabrics in my wardrobe that have special washing requirements. If it can't be gently washed in the washer, I will end up ruining it, so I got the next best thing. The silver fabric is 'Silkessense' and it is soooo soft to touch. It will become a blouse from Vogue 8772. I'm stoked about the jeans pattern, and plan to get some fabric for them in the next couple of weeks.

And this is what I came home with this week for patterns...

As well as this fabric...

The top three are knits, the blue and grey will end up as a tee shirt from Butterick 5215 and the other two knits will be dresses from Simplicity 2189. The floral camo is a silky fabric that I am going to do a test run of the shirt dress with and the red floral is a cotton that I'm going to make a test of the Vogue blouse with (before cutting into the pretty silky and significantly more expensive fabrics in the first picture). All five of these came from the clearance shelf, which were on sale beyond the regular clearance price so they were a steal.

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

Some Sandals, A Purse, And Other Random Bits

I did not get much as sewing accomplished this week as I had hoped to, but I did tear apart my sewing room and then (mostly) reorganized and rearranged it. I definitely like the set up now. It felt crowded before, where now I feel like I have room to move.

My serger (pictured below) is behind me in this pic

These pictures don't show the whole room, there is an ironing board to the right of the serger, and to the left of the sewing machine is a pile of empty boxes I need to break down...I did say I got it mostly reorganized.

My sewing 'nook' is behind me in this pic

I did finish my test pair of sandals. They worked out pretty well I think. I will post a tutorial for how I did them sometime next week.

I also (finally) finished the purse I told my sister I would make for her well over a year ago. She's been a sport and has not harassed me about it once, so I think she was definitely deserving of me doing it before I got elbow deep in projects for me. In my own defense, I did start it last summer, but did not manage to finish it before the Fall semester started, and over the winter break, the only sewing I did was Christmas gifts.

The inside...this purse has lots of pockets

I absolutely love the fabric, and wish I had gotten more at the time (it was a Wal-Mart fabric that was available for only one or two seasons about two years ago). It would make a really lovely dress or skirt. Oh well, I do have just enough to make myself a wallet, and a new wallet for me is on my to-do list...

I told you there was a pile of boxes over there - ignore them

Do you see what the purse is hanging on??? I finally got a proper dress form. It was a Mother's Day gift, and I love it. I followed the suggestion of a comment on Amazon and set the bust smaller than my actual size, then added a padded bra to give the bust area a truer to life look and sizing. With the bra, the bust is the proper size and isn't too wide along the back. I also 'dressed' her so that if I need to pin in the gaps from sizing the form I would be able to do so. I will probably get a mock neck specifically for her and fit it with princess seams, but that's a project for another day. She needs a name....not quite sure what I should call her yet...

I did get the fabric I have for my patchwork skirt cut, but I decided I need a little bit more fabric for it to fit comfortably, so it's been put on hold. I also got the main fabric cut out for one pair of pants I am making from Vogue 2907. I want to say the fabric I cut is a grey suiting, it looks grey next to the green suiting I have.

On its own, I think it looks like it has a hint of green, but it could just be the horrid lighting in the sewing room. Either way, I don't have a large enough piece of anything I like in my stash for the lining fabric for this pair, so another project on hold. But, I am making my way to JoAnn's today for this week's pattern sale, so I should be able to get the fabric I need.

Speaking of patterns, I did get to last week's sale and got four patterns -

McCall's 3129

Source: mccallpattern.mccall.com

McCall's 4769

Source: mccallpattern.mccall.com

Vogue 8772

Source: voguepatterns.mccall.com

Vogue 8788

Source: voguepatterns.mccall.com

Projects Completed

Sandals (test pair - for me)
Purse (for my very patient sister)

Works in Progress

Purse (for my very patient sister) - my own design
Black/Purple/Grey Patchwork Maxi Skirt (for me) - summer swing skirt tutorial from Moda
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A

Projects To Do

Black/Purple/Grey Patchwork Maxi Skirt (for me) - summer swing skirt tutorial from Moda - FQ's and strips now in stash
Sandals (for a friend) - inspired by an etsy tutorial
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A - grey suiting in stash
Dress - Coffee Date Dress, free Burda pattern - black/white silky print in stash
Peasant Top - Modern sewing patterns free pattern 5300 - teal paisley print in stash
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A - green suiting in stash
Purse (for a very deserving friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Men's Bi-Fold Wallet (requested by a friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen
Purse (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Wallet (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Dress - Simplicity 3506 view A - black/purple silky print in stash
8 Gore Skirt - self drafted pattern - cream suiting in stash
Top - princess seam bodice - red silky solid in stash
Bolero - Simplicity 3921 view ? - green velvety fabric in stash
School Bag/Backpack - my own design - no fabric chosen (decorator suede or a faux leather possibly)
Top - Vogue 2987 top - multi-colored knit/jersey/stretchy in stash
Jacket - Vogue 2987 jacket - no fabric chosen
Dress - New Look 6020 view ? - no fabric chosen

Preview of Next Week

So the semester is this close to being over...I have one last take home final to complete and submit on Monday, then I am free from homework and textbooks, for a few months at least. And that means I get to play in my sewing room. Although, I should probably tidy it up a bit before I go making more of a mess in there.

Quite some time ago (a year, maybe even two years ago), a friend asked me if I could make her a pair of sandals that wouldn't hide any of the tattoo on her foot. I had visions of playing with leather, but could not find a small piece of soling leather and we did not want to invest in a huge piece for two pairs of sandals (of course I would need a pair too). The project eventually slipped my mind. Then, a couple weeks ago, I came across this tutorial (while distracting myself from some homework assignment) and was reminded of the sandals I never made. Yesterday, I was wandering around Wal-Mart and JoAnn's between exams and got some goodies to make myself a test pair, as well as fabric for a patchwork skirt like this one. Today, I may be taking advantage of the pattern sale at JoAnn's. If not, I will make my way there this weekend. Here's a peek at what I picked up yesterday...

Over the summer I would really love to get some clothes made for me that I truly love AND fit well. In the past, I rarely bothered with messing with a pattern at all, I would cut my size and sew it as is. I have never made a muslin, and in a number of the dresses I've made it shows in the fit of the bodice. I have been fortunate with pants so far, but I want to concentrate on making well fitted garments, which means I can't just charge in head first (which is my preferred method). If I can get a proper dress form, I want to try some draping. I've watched a few videos of people creating on the dress form and am in awe. I would also like to get more comfortable with my serger, which I got right before this school year began, so I haven't had much opportunity to play with it.

I hope everyone has a great Mother's Day weekend, and I'm hoping to have something of substance to post next week!

Projects Completed

None!

Works in Progress

Purse (for my very patient sister) - my own design - black & white cotton butterfly print

Projects To Do

Black/Purple/Grey Patchwork Maxi Skirt (for me) - summer swing skirt tutorial from Moda - FQ's and strips now in stash
Sandals (for a friend, but starting with a test pair for me) - inspired by an etsy tutorial
Pants - Vogue 2907 view B - grey suiting in stash
Dress - Coffee Date Dress, free Burda pattern - black/white silky print in stash
Peasant Top or Circle Shirt - pattern not chosen - teal paisley print in stash
Pants - Vogue 2907 view A - green suiting in stash
Purse (for a very deserving friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Men's Bi-Fold Wallet (requested by a friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen
Purse (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Wallet (for me) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Dress - Simplicity 3506 view A - black/purple silky print in stash
8 Gore Skirt - self drafted pattern - cream suiting in stash
Top - princess seam bodice - red silky solid in stash
Bolero - Simplicity 3921 view ? - green velvety fabric in stash
School Bag/Backpack - my own design - no fabric chosen (decorator suede or a faux leather possibly)
Top - Vogue 2987 top - multi-colored knit/jersey/stretchy in stash
Jacket - Vogue 2987 jacket - no fabric chosen
Dress - New Look 6020 view ? - no fabric chosen