All I want to do is sew clothes.  I have many ideas for other crafty projects, including shop stuff, but at the end of the day I just want to make a skirt or cut out a new blouse.  Life has been a bit crazy lately and sewing for the pure fun of it is my therapy, I suppose.

The clothes I’m working on are fall items I can wear now.  Because, you know, it’s not really going to get chilly here ’til late October or so.

Here is a blouse I made combining pattern pieces from McCall’s M5977 and New Look 6022.  I shortened the sleeves, drafted the v-neck and made the bows.  I don’t recommend attaching sleeves to bodice pieces meant for a sleeveless top (which is what I did) because the armholes aren’t quite right but I don’t think it’s noticeable and fits comfortably anyway.

The original design had 5 larger, pointier bows going done the front.  Even after testing the placement I didn’t get a feel for what it would truly look like until I had made and attached all the bows.  (You might be able to see bias tape stitched down the center front on the inside; this was placed there to support the bows.)  But I didn’t like it afterall.  Don’t know why, it just seemed too stiff or something.  So I re-cut 2 of the bows and attached them just near the v.

The skirt is my favorite of the 2.  The colors look blown out in the photo where I’m modeling it but the fabric really is so pretty and has a nice, slightly coarse texture.  (By the way, I probably wouldn’t wear those shoes with this skirt out and about because they are too orange but I’m currently without dark brown pumps.)

And yes, I used Simplicity pattern 8418 for this skirt.  Of course!

I’m so glad it’s Friday.  Do you have any fun plans for this weekend?

Good afternoon, all!  I’ve been sewing up a storm.  My creative spark has returned, at least to help liven up my summer wardrobe.  Just when I think I’ve got the sewing bug out of my system, I’m onto another project.  Today I’m just going to share this latest one, a super easy wrap skirt, because it’s on theme for our 4th of July weekend that’s just around the corner.

The pattern I used is the Audrey Wrap Skirt by Fig Tree & Co.:

Like I said before, this was super easy to make.  But as always I made some modifications to suit me better.

Instead of commenting about how much I need a tan, and that I’m 2 minutes away from getting up from my chair to drive to the nearest Rite Aid to buy some self-tanner, let’s just get into the skirt details, OK?

This skirt pattern needs to be traced which my lazy self usually does not like to do but since modifications were imminent it worked out for the best.

Fabric: The main fabric is a lightweight dark denim that I used, inside out.  I think the wrong side has a nice, summery linen-like look to it.  The homemade bias tape is red, white and blue feedsack-inspired fabric from DS Quilts (available at Joann’s) that I got on sale.  This skirt is intended to be reversible but since I was using denim, albeit a thin one, I didn’t want the skirt to be too heavy or stick out too much.  (This is where the idea of using bias tape on the edges came in.)

Size: the pattern is one size fits all, sizes 8-14.  As a petite person I knew this didn’t apply to me even though I usually wear an 8 (or maybe even a 6) in modern patterns.  With mods of course.  I had to take out a few inches in order for me to wrap this skirt around my waist without too much overlap (a wrap skirt that is too big would not allow me to wrap the waist snugly enough).  In addition to that, I decreased the flare of the skirt panels (quite a bit actually) so that the finished piece would be in proportion to my petite frame. (Since petite-ifying patterns is not just about making them smaller!)

Length: The knee-length version was way long, more like mid-calf on me.  And according to this calculator (via Extra Petite), the ideal skirt length for me is 2″ above the knee.  So there you go.

Bias tape: I trimmed the 1/2″  seam allowances I added from the waist, 2 outer skirt edges and the hem.  I also rounded the edges of the lower corners to avoid mitering the bias tape (which so happens to look cute as well).  I didn’t calculate how much bias tape I needed even though this calculator is very handy…so I have a bunch leftover!  The tape starts off 2″ wide and is double-folded resulting in 1/2″ wide bias tape-y goodness.

When sewing on the bias tape I pinned like crazy.  Maybe not everyone needs to do this but I’d prefer to avoid missing the underside of the bias tape edge and having to re-sew it.  This is one of those times where I’ll pin parallel to–or with–the sewing direction rather than perpendicularly.  This ensures both edges of the bias tape (the outside and inside) will be sewn together.

I took this out for a test drive and even when the wind blew I was well-covered, yay!  So far I have 3 such wrap skirts and am in the process of making another.  I know, crazy!  I’ve also made a blouse and a summer blanket (the latter consisted primarily of sewing 2 large pieces of white quilted fabric together and edging it with some homemade bias tape).

OK, off to buy self-tanner!  Heehee, OK, not really.  (OK, yes but not now–later.)

If you live in the States (or are patriotic ex-pats), do you have fun plans for this holiday weekend?  Either way, I hope you all have a ball!

I have been checking my mailbox at least twice a day for the past 4 days, waiting for this to arrive.  (OK, not yesterday as it was Sunday–and Easter!–though I was thinking how I looked forward to Monday, of all days, to check the mailbox again.)  I don’t know, I just get that way about things sometimes.

PICTORIAL PRINTED PATTERNS (#5802).  Yes, it is quite small in size, even for me.  But I think I’ll just need to widen it in the bodice to make it work.  And yes, I can see it is a girls’ pattern, but I am young at heart, right?  This can totally translate into a pretty grown-up dress, even for a grown-up who has just discovered–just this morning, actually–even more grey hairs whilst tying up said hair in a ponytail.  (Yes, I have hair enough to do that now; with my bangs cut short it looks a little bit like the one sported by Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face–if you don’t mind me making such a comparison!)  Anyway, made up in some voile this dress would be so perfect for spring/summer.  And since it’s a ’20s-style dress (1925 to be exact), the construction should be relatively easy with no closures and such.  (Listed under notions: Thread–that’s it!  No zippers or snaps or buttons to mess with.  Yay!)

Oh, I have to share with you some of the text, one of my favorite things about vintage patterns.  The description reads as follows…

GIRLS’ AND JUNIORS’ FROCK.  A bouffant skirt, made in three horizontal, gathered sections, lends a party-like air to this frock.  [Goodie!  I like parties.]  It may be made sleeveless with the cape collar [!] or with puffed sleeves which carry out the quaint feeling.  [Hee hee.]  Ribbon is suggested for the neck bow and tie-belt.  [Okie-dokie, got it.]

Oh also, suggested materials is always a fun read…

MATERIALS SUITABLE

1.  Taffeta, Organdy, Batiste

2. Organdy, Taffeta, Dimity

3. Georgette, Cottons

Celanese, rayon, Bemberg or A.B.C. Fabrics in some of the above materials.

(I do believe the numbers are referencing the views, or versions, this pattern comes in.  I’m not entirely sure what the last line is referencing but I’ve included it nonetheless.)

You will not be surprised to learn this pattern has moved up in my queue of new frock to-dos!  I really hope this is a simple as it seems in my sewing fantasy.  Wouldn’t it be lovely in Georgette as well, perhaps with the bodice and first tier in one (light) color, then the second tier in a darker shade and the last tier even darker than that?  Sort of like faux-ombre, or perhaps like the gradual change in color that happens in the petals of a rose?

I meant to post this sooner but last week just flew by and then this weekend – eek!  Worked late Friday night, cleaned all day Saturday and Sunday was spent doing shop stuff which is fun but a lot of work all the same.  Which reminds me – I’ve sold out of Silhouette Holiday cards for this year!  Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.  Now I wish I had ordered more, I hate to turn away lovely customers.  I’ll plan to issue more holiday cards for next season.

Anyway, on to the fun stuff: this dress!  Don’t you LOVE the color?  The picture doesn’t do it justice, the color is so vibrant and rich.  Overall I’m really happy with it.  After years of sewing for myself I now seem to be getting the hang of choosing the right fabric and pattern combinations to make something I’d actually wear in public.

Before I forget, some outfit notes in case you’re wondering:

• Merino ribbed cardi: Banana Republic (probably from 10 years ago!)
• Butterfly brooch: Mama’s Little Babies
• Handbag: vintage (my favorite cozy weather bag)
• Tights: Hansel from Basel (Finally, I was able to afford these because they were on sale.  I spied them on the lovely Lost in the Forest blog [April's outfits are hugely inspiring and full of personality and fable]).
• Shoes: Operetta by Fluevog (They’ve had this style for years and years.  These were my “I’ll eat rice for a month so I can buy them” basic black heels.)

I actually wore this outfit the other night when husband and I went out for dinner.  The cardigan is a little snug for this loose 1920s style but I think it works for the most part.  I like the black with the green regardless.

This photo (above) probably best represents the color.  The silk georgette was pretty easy to sew, surprisingly, but not very fun to cut.  So very slippery. I’m sure if you were to lay the pattern pieces on what I cut out, they’d be way off.  Oh well.  Here is the pattern, Butterick #1223:

It’s a junior’s or girls’ dress.  These styles don’t have much shaping anyway so the fit was mostly good.  I followed the pattern except for the capelet.  I like the idea of a capelet but I wanted something less dramatic and created the ruffle from the same pattern piece.  At first I thought it might look clownish but it really works with the cardigan.  I also didn’t follow the directions exactly where it came to putting the front and back together; I couldn’t understand the instructions and winged it.

Oh and I did tweak the keyhole a bit too.  Initially it was just a slit that was to be covered up by the capelet but I rounded it out and extended it, to make it more like a regular keyhole.  I don’t know if it was this change or the pattern itself but there was a lot of weird blouseyness in the bust.  So I had to pick out the keyhole and gather the fabric, hoping that would solve ugly blouseyness and that I didn’t totally destroy the dress.

Lastly, here are the dozens of tucks along the front with the scalloped edge.  This was the best I could do with pressing, perhaps I need to use a cloth and try again.  I was afraid to get those shine marks but ironing too much.

The fabric is dark but very sheer as you can see and while I don’t have a green slip to make (and am too lazy to line my dresses properly) a little black slip did the trick!  And I didn’t freeze while wearing this wisp of a thing with the woolly layers.  Basically I’m stocked up on thick black tights and cardigans so I plan to wear more little dresses this winter.

I hope you enjoyed this dress parade – Happy Monday!