Random Acts of Creativity: top

As I predicted I didn't get much sewing done. I finished a knit dress using Simplicity 2189. I have enough fabric left to make a sash/belt for the dress if I want.

I also finished the draped/cowl tank I had started last week, which was inspired by this tutorial. I added arm bands to the armholes, which I made a bit smaller then the actual arm holes. This helped the gaping some, just not as much as I had hoped. Overall, I am happy with the top and will definitely wear it.

Front View

Back View

I didn't serge the seams in the top, but I did serge the neckband and then folded it over and stitched it down. I also used the coverstitch on the hem, and it worked better than my first attempt on the dress, but even with less bulk at the seams it still gave me trouble going over the seam area. It seems that there is too much pressure being applied by the presser foot, and I am not sure if there is any way to adjust that.

You can barely see the difference in the stitches over the seam area, but they are definitely closer together.

Next week I have at least two, if not more, super simple and quick shirred dresses to make for my niece (her birthday party is next weekend) and one or two for a friend's niece (she asked me oh so nicely when she heard about my niece's dresses and I couldn't say no). There is some Hello Kitty fabric among the shirred fabric at my local Wal-Mart, so all I have to do is a single back seam or two side seams and possibly attach straps.

My oldest has been asking me to make him a shirt for a while now, and recently asked if I could get it done before the end of the school year, so that will have to happen next week or the week after. My biggest problem with his request is he is between boy's and men's pattern sizing, so I will have to go some grading to make it work.

I am getting together with the friend I am making sandals for next week to get the necessary supplies/materials. Another friend has a birthday at the end of the June and I really want to make her a purse, so there are a number of projects for others I need to get to work on.

Projects Completed

Maxi Dress - Simplicity 2189
Knit drapey tank - inspired by Morning by Morning's drapey tank tutorial

Works in Progress

~~Knit drapey tank - inspired by Morning by Morning's drapey tank tutorial~~

Projects To Do

Shirred Dresses (for the little ~~girls~~ princesses) - no pattern - shirred fabric (need to buy)
Men's Shirt (for son #1) - no pattern chosen - no fabric chosen
Sandals (for a friend) - inspired by an etsy tutorial
Purse (for a very deserving friend) - my own design - no fabric chosen yet
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - red cotton print in stash
Shirt Dress - McCall's 4769 - camo floral silky in stash
Tee Shirt - Butterick 5215 - blue and grey knit in stash
~~Maxi Dress - Simplicity 2189 - tan knit print in stash~~
Maxi Dress - Simplicity 2189 - floral knit in stash
Blouse - Vogue 8772 - grey silky solid 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

Before I get on with sewing stuff, I got my final grades for the semester this week. I'd like to say I did pretty well this semester, considering the classes I took. I got A's in both my math classes, and B's in my physics and history class. Now on to the good stuff...

I finished my patchwork skirt, which I blogged about here.

I also finished a pair of slacks using Vogue 2907

source: voguepatterns.mcall.com

I love the style of the pants, but I think there may have been more ease built into the pattern than I like. They just feel a little too big. I made a 14 which is technically my size, and in the handful of pants patterns I have made in the past, with no sizing alterations at all, I have not been disappointed in the fit. I fortunately grabbed a 10-12-14 envelope when I purchased this, so I will be trying them a size or two smaller next time, I just need to find where on the pattern Vogue places the finished measurements. That is one thing that annoys me to no end about some pattern companies - you have to hunt for the finished measurements. I definitely prefer them on the pattern envelope, since I will occasionally go up or down a size based on the ease, and hiding them inside on pattern pieces makes it impossible to determine the better sizing to go with.

Back view

I meant to do view A, with the tabs and buttons on the waistband, I really did. When I got to attaching the waistband pieces, I forgot to add the tabs and did not feel like pulling the seams just to add them. I intentionally left off the welt pockets and piping detail for the front pockets, I hadn't made this pattern yet and this was my test run, which I did not feel like dealing with those particular details this time around. The only changes I made to the pattern was to have a cut on fly, since I prefer that method for attaching the zipper, and I made a pocket facing so that I could make both pocket pieces out of the lining fabric. I decided that I need to invest in some invisible thread, I'm not at all pleased with how my hook and eye hand stitching looks.

I do love the lining fabric I chose, even if no one will see it. I am also very proud of how well I matched my stripes at the pockets and front waistband.

The waistband stripes match up almost perfectly, much better than this pic shows, and even though the one pocket looks off in the pic, both pocket stripes match perfect.

I do not know how often I will wear these pants, they do fit well enough to stay up,I just feel like I don't fill out the hip and bootay area enough for them to look great on me, although my parents did say they look fine. I had originally asked my mother to help me pin the crotch some more to try and get rid of some of the droopiness, but she convinced me that wasn't going to help them fit the way I wanted.

Front view

I started making a drapey, cowl neck-ish, tank top from a knit remnant I picked up a while back. I drafted a very simple basic pattern using the idea from Morning by Morning Production's post here. I did not add extra length or width though, I didn't have a lot of fabric to work with and didn't want a very low neckline. It's almost done, except there is a bit of gaping at the bust/arm scythe area.

I am trying to figure out how to fix that without a dart before finishing it off. All that is left to do is finish the neck and arms and hem the bottom. It was super simple and very quick to put together. It was also my first experience sewing with a knit. I don't know why I had found knits so intimidating, it was not a very challenging fabric to work with at all.

I'm off to JoAnn's today...again...for yet another pattern sale. After this trip I will be good with my pattern wants/needs/ for some time I do believe (except for one, that I will eventually download since it doesn't seem to be available in print). I did get some goodies last week, but I'll post them in the same post as I do the goodies I'm getting today. Maybe I'll get to that tomorrow - I haven't taken any pictures of the fabric I got last week yet, and it is yummy.