Disney Dress #2: Tracy Reese for Vogue

I picked up this pattern very recently, knowing that I had plenty of knits in my stash and that this kind of dress would get lots of wear, regardless of Disney. With a couple inches of length added, of course.


Tracy Reese Vogue 1224

The knit I chose to use for this version came from Joann's a few years ago, a nice ITY jersey in a cool black and white Stripey floral print. My fabric reminded me a lot of the envelope version. Here we are, dancing to the drum band at our African Safari Grand Gathering dinner.


I used my serger and cover-stitch machines for most of it, and made just one other small change during construction. The instructions tell you to make a self-fabric tie to attach to the end of the neck elastic, that come through the casing and tie in a bow. Instead, I stitched the ends of the elastic together, created a much shorter fabric bow, and stitched it to the elastic at the casing opening.


I will make this one again, most certainly! It's quite comfy, comes together quickly, and is perfect for funky knit prints!

*in the very first top pic, DH is wearing the cotton Islander shirt I made and posted about before the trip. Another winner that goes in the TNT pile!*

Dressing for Disney #1: Butterick 5351

I've had this pattern in my stash for awhile now, and knowing we were headed into Florida mid-July, I figured that a nice cotton sundress would be perfect!

Butterick 5351

I used 2 yards of orange/pink/yellow cotton plaid (purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics a few years ago), and used view D (strapless with a hem ruffle). It went together very quickly and easily, and the only change I would make would be to add 1-2" to the bodice length to accomodate a FBA.

Little Miss is wearing one I made, too!

It was very comfortable to wear, and I already owned the tan belt, which was a perfect match for the sandals in my closet! The night I wore it, we (all 13 of us) were headed to dinner at the California Grill, which is a fabulous steak and sushi restaurant on top of the Contemporary resort. 

My husband's family! Celebrating 45 years!

In a brief Disney review, we stayed at Bay Lake Tower, which was just next door to the Contemporary. Great suites, with wonderful views, lots of restaurants and food options right there, and the kids *loved* the pool! Monorail, bus, and boat service made getting around to all the parks fairly easy, and we were only a 5 minute walk from the Magic Kingdom.

So, to recap... Great pattern. Loved the dress. Memorable dining experience. Great hotel. Super hot vacation.

Dresses in Disney World!

Just flew home last night from the Most Magical Place on Earth! We had a wonderful family vacation, and I have lots of dresses to show you that I stitched up before the trip! But, for now, I'll just leave you a couple of pics, and I will update with details very very very soon!

Lots of  "Made by Me" garments in just these pics here! It was HOT, but we had a very memorable week!

Life's A Beach!

My bathing beach beauty!

Pattern: McCall's 6317, view B





Fabric: 1 yard of knit "BEACH" terry, purchased from Ressy's co-op a few years ago. So wonderfully easy to match up the print, and it pressed great, too.


Modifications: Sizing was great (I traced the 7, knowing I'll likely be using this patten again and again). I placed the CF on a fold, eliminating the front button placket. (Buttonholes in a knit? On a swim cover-up? Nope.) I used skinny elastic in the casing, instead of creating a tie, and used a strip of scrap to tie a bow and tack it to the front. Lastly, the pattern says to do a 5/8" narrow hem around the neck and the bottom of the skirt, but I serged the edge and folded the 5/8" over once, stitching it down was easier, being a knit. I left the served edge exposed at the skirt hem (it's a swim cover-up. Did I mention that?)


Overall: Winner!!! A nice and easy (rainy day) quickie project that will definitely serve it's purpose. She loves it, and I am always happy to sew something she likes.

Press & Seal = Button Sorter!

Yesterday when I was looking for 1/2" buttons for DH's new shirt, I had to spread out and sort through the mix bag I have. I found what I needed (see this post for the new shirt), but hated to scoop all those buttons back into a mixed up bag. I don't know what made me think of it, but a little bit of Press'n Seal quickly kept the buttons sorted and organized!


Because it has a tacky side, I just pressed the buttons onto the plastic in matching groups, leaving the right half empty. When I folded over the right side onto the left, I pressed in the empty spaces between the groups to create little pockets, and pressed onto the groups to keep them in place. Seal up the sides, and slide into a page protector or folder.


Mix bag is now sorted by color and organized by size, and I am ready for the next time I need a set of buttons without having to dig! Genius, right? Ok, maybe not "genius", but pretty smart...

I <3 Islander!

Islander Classic Sport Shirt, pattern 202



I picked this up last September at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan. It claims to incorporate industry techniques (like smaller seam allowances), and I was interested in making something a little different for DH. It's taken me almost a year, but I finally opened the envelope last week!

Sizes Medium - 3XL are included, so I traced off the XL according to DH's chest and neck measurements. As much as I hate tracing, I am really glad that I did, because I think this has the potential of being a TNT! The fit is perfect, aside from the normal length alterations, and shortening of the sleeves to show off "the guns"...


I used 2 yards of 58" wide cotton shirting (also purchased at the expo, but 2 years ago!) and proceeded to stray from the instructions. First big difference in the Islander pattern is the use of separate pieces for right front and left front. Not "cut 2" like the big 4, because of the facing for the front button placket. I compared the pattern pieces and did a double layer cut anyway, then removed the extra fabric from the CF of the left front pieces. I should've done it the right way, since I was working with a plaid... (and it really is pressed, just looks a little crumpled since it is way too big for my dress form!)

Having made plenty of shirts for DH, I was very familiar with the "usual" process, but, was nervous about stitching with such small seam allowances. The only 5/8" SA were the side seams, with all the others being 1/4" and 3/8". My needle plate is clearly marked, so it wasn't any more difficult, and REALLY SAVED A LOT OF TIME because there is no need to trim SA after stitching. And, with smaller SA, there was much less bulk in the curves and tight spaces of the collar and band. This is most definitely the best and cleanest looking shirt collar I have ever made! Actually, it's probably the cleanest shirt inside and out that I have ever made. The instructions tell you exactly when to incorporate your serger (crazy idea?!) and they are well illustrated, too.


My only slight "thumbs down" is in regards to the hidden pockets, just because I think they look a little different. Easy to stitch, but maybe it's the print playing with my eyes. DH is also not a fan of any front pockets, but I can easily join the top and bottom front pieces seamlessly on the next version. (buttons on the front pockets, or not? I'm not sure...)

I don't know how many new "industrial techniques" I learned, but I am beyond happy with the final product, and already plan on making more. I have some White Ralph Lauren shirting that would make for a really nice all-purpose-with-jeans-or-khakis type of shirt!

Top 10 Things I've Learned This Summer

10. I had no idea that "Mighty Beans" can fit through an M&M dispenser. This is something only a 5 and 8 yr old can invent when Mom & Dad are busy outside painting the deck.

9. Taking a bite of an apple is a great way to speed up the removal of a loose tooth! And the movie "Tooth Fairy" may give little kids the false impression that the real Tooth Fairy looks like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Poor kid...



8. Replacing an above-ground swimming pool liner is actually not very difficult. Messy, yes. Rocket science, no.

7. Converting your kitchen into a dance club (complete with black lights) is also not very difficult, and quite a hit with the 8 yr old birthday crowd. However, I had no idea that so few girls could be quite that LOUD.

6. Hosting a "Garage Sale" is a huge pain in the butt, where lots of lonely retired folk like to stop and chat, and lots of guys in trucks come looking for tools. The guys are nice enough to pretend to be interested in the tables loaded with toddler toys, but do not feign interest over the table covered in fabric and patterns.

5. Selling stuff on eBay and Craigslist is way way way way way way easier (and more profitable) than hosting a garage sale. Check out the Christmas dishes I sold on eBay for 10 times the garage sale price!


4. No one ANYWHERE wants to buy a large plastic spring horse, in excellent condition, for not much money. I don't get this at all, sine I had one just like it when I was little (I called mine Seeya, like See Ya Later, I am leaving on my horse now!) and I rode that sucker until the springs broke! That's what she said. Oops. Totally inappropriate. ;)


3. Little kids are fearless and learn things very quickly. 8 days of swim lessons, and they were doing things we've been begging and bribing them to do for the last 2 years. We are now swimming without the Spiderman floaty, nor the Princess scuba mask. Yay!

2. Staining a deck with a roller is much, much faster than trying to use a paintbrush. Taking advantage of the early morning and early evening hours is also a good idea. And, if you have to work through the afternoon, make sure you put on sunscreen.

1. My sewing appetite is much bigger than my sewing life. I have garments to be photographed, and so many patterns and fabrics laid out ready to press, cut, sew... But, my summer plans have gotten in the way. When all this other fun slows down, I will have some great things to share with you!