Good Things Happen in Threes

I'm still plugging away on the Chanel jacket (I forgot how much detail work these things have), but in the mean while, I've got a few things to share with you...

1. Beautiful Fabric. No... that's an understatement!!!
The most stunning and breath-taking silks arrived in my mailbox this week, and I didn't order them. I didn't pay for them. I do get to cut and sew them, but I don't get to keep them!?

My cousin in California messaged me that she was gifted 3 pieces of silk. Her friend went to Dubai and brought her back some beautiful fabric, but... my cousin doesn't sew. She wanted to know what could be done with these pieces, considering their length. .

Black Floral Striped Chiffon/Silk: 1.3 yards, 45" wide
Turquoise Solid (feels like 4-ply silk): 1.5 yards, 45" wide
Turquoise Floral Paisley Chiffon: 2.2 yards, 45" wide

I'll likely be making up a couple of tops and a skirt, but we'll see. If you have any pattern recommendations, feel free to share! The best part of this project is that there's no deadline and no rush, so I can really find the right patterns and techniques to do these gorgeous silks justice!

2. Two and a Half Wedding Dresses
I've been hired by a friend of my husband's to make both her and her partner's wedding dresses for their ceremony in January. We've been sharing emails and pictures of dresses back and forth via email, and it looks like I'm ready to order fabric and start sewing. They are more casual dresses, as it's a small beach wedding. They like these Simplicity dresses, and chose a watercolor/tie-dye kind of print in white/blue/green.

Additionally, I got a call to do some alterations for a local bride. This is the wedding gown that was brought to me yesterday. The bride got a great deal on the dress but, it requires some changes to become her "dream dress".

-Create a sweetheart neckline
-Take in the bodice
-Remove the back zipper and create a corset opening
-Remove the back "loop" of the top black bow
-Add more "blingy" appliques
-Modify the skirt to be less "bubbly" and more "puckered", like the pic below

The wedding is in May, so again, I'm so lucky to have plenty of time to do the job right. And, yes, her alterations budget is appropriate for the time required to make the necessary changes!

3. TWENTY YARDS GONE!!
Last month I joined Carolyn in a "fabric diet". I decided that for every 10 yards stitched or sold, I would allow myself a 2 yard purchase. Well, I've sold 9 yards and, with the completion of these 2 pieces, I've stitched 11 yards of stash! So proud of myself!  I haven't blogged everything I've made, as some of it is pretty boring, but I'll share these pieces that I made for a friend. She is an amazing hair stylist, and keeps me blonde and beautiful in exchange for a couple of handmade garments.

I've gotten to know her taste and color preferences, and have her measurements pretty much memorized. This top (Simplicity 4020 OOP) and pullover vest (Vogue 8854) are the latest "payments" for my cut & color, I knocked them both out on Thursday, and she loves them. After my hair appointment, I swung over to Haberman's and had such a hard time choosing a single fabric to take home! I settled on this green rayon print. It feels like silk, and will be a new addition to my wardrobe (I don't own anything green)! I'm think either a long swishy skirt (to be worn with black boots), or a knee-length dress.

When the first ten yards were gone, I had ordered a couple yards of this beautiful navy lace from Cali Fabrics.

It will likely become a simple pencil skirt, but I also spied this dress on the Ann Taylor website that has me intrigued...

Judging from Topics 1 & 2, I'll need to set aside a little bit of "me time" to sew this lovely fabric up, and finish my Chanel jacket! I'll do my best to keep you updated on the progress of these projects, but at least now if I go MIA, you'll know why! ;)

Chanel Tweed Jacket Underway: Trim and Fringe

It's been 4 years since I made a jacket like this, so the details are slowly coming back to me.  This one won't be "couture", but there's still a fair amount of hand-stitching with all the trim and buttons!

 

I picked up 2 different trims at Joann's yesterday, not quite sure what combination would look best. Did I mention that I had 3 kids in tow, so I felt like I was on Project Runway... "Designers, you have 30 minutes before the children start screaming for Chicken Nuggets and French Fries and most trims will only have 3 yards available while you need 6. Ready? Go!"

I found 2 that I really liked, and while I knew they worked together, I wasn't sure how to work in some fringed tweed and what combination would look best. So, once we got home, it was time to play...

You can see both purchased trims in the top right corner, a ruffled chiffon and a flat embellished ribbon with a small black/silver chain bordered by a double line of beads.  I tried a plain fringe, a bias fringe, and no fringe.  The black on black was just too strong and stark, and the no fringe option was the opposite, just a little too quiet. The texture of the bias fringe stands out in a more "fun and young" way than the plain fringe of the top left, so that's the one I went with.

I used my clear ruler with the 45 degree marking on it, and made bias strips 1" wide. I ran them through the machine with a double row of small straight stitches, then used my finger to fray the edges.  I machine stitched the fringe on the top of each pocket, then hand-stitched the chained trim on top, folding the raw edges over each side.

 I'm afraid that I should've chosen a button with more black and less silver, but hindsight is 20/20. Time for more hand-stitching while I attach the pockets to the jacket fronts. I'm using Simplicity 2284 this time (I can't find my Vogue pattern from last time), view D with 3/4 sleeves and added trim at center front, neck, and hem.

 

Lastly, I'm using silver silk charmeuse for the lining (see top pic), which is the first casualty according to "Murph's Law".  Not Murphy's Law, but Murph's Law... "If you have a puppy that leaves various and numerous water puddles around his water bowl, your silk will get water spots when you go to refold it and it briefly touches the floor." I thought that I had cut around the marks, but I just noticed a spot at the bottom of one of my front lining pieces. It's faint and barely noticeable, and my own fault, I should've known better. We took him camping this weekend and were stopped no fewer than 1,000 times by kids and adults with requests to pet him, love on him, and comment on the size of his paws!

Blue & White Vogue Dress

I think I figured it out. Why do I always fall in love with blue and white prints? Why do they make me think of summertime and warm weather? There is something nautical about blue and white, isn't there? But, I think it reminds me of waves crashing in the bright blue ocean and the beach. Or, maybe I just really like the combination of blue and white! Regardless, I'm in love with this dress!

Lori at "Girls in the Garden" did a slightly different take on this very same dress just the other day!  Her awesome version is a maxi dress with a slightly different neckline, in a gorgeous jersey print from Mood!

Pattern: Vogue 8241 "Very Easy, Very Vogue" collection

This simple dress pattern has a short/long option, elasticized waist, and single button closure on the top back. It's fully lined, and calls for roughly 1 1/2 yds of 60" wide for this version, but I only had about a yard, so I trimmed the length by 5 1/2".  I used a rayon challis from Joann's, purchased a few years ago, and the same amount of white poly lining.  I made the size ?? according to the printed finished garment measurements, and it's perfect.  My only recommendation is to stay away from stiff fabrics, as those gathers will puff and stand away from your body. Go for drape.

I did follow the instructions this time, as the dress was fully lined and the closing of the lining always makes me nervous. There are lots of curves to trim and clip and press, but it's worth it. The only warning I have is with the opening in the upper back and your bra choice. I wore a racer back, and it was visible through the deep opening, so I hand-tacked it at the correct level, and had no trouble still getting it over my head.

I should've added an inch to the bodice length (I always get so excited to cut my fabric that I forget... read as "too lazy for my own good"), so I have a little less blousing than I should. I used 1/4" elastic in the waist, and the casing is created in the seam allowance of the bodice/skirt.

Closures: I used thin beading cord elastic to loop over the button closure (and a single button from stash). I knotted it into a loop, trimmed the tails, and tacked it down. I've done this in the past with a pony tail elastic, when I was out of the beading elastic and needed to finish a project.

Worn Two Ways: Along with a racerback bra, you'll need a belt of some type. There isn't one included in the pattern, it calls for "ribbon for the belt". I grabbed a silver chain belt from my closet, along with matching silver sandals.

When the weather cools, I can use my brown leather belt and boots, with my denim jacket. Excuse the nighttime shots, we had just gotten home from a surprise party for my very sweet mother-in-law's 70th birthday.  I really did win the "in-law lottery", as she is so thoughtful and generous, a wonderful grandma to my kids, and an amazing cook of all things Polish! 4' 11" and a heart of gold.

Conclusion: I really like this pattern, it's easy to make, and easy to wear (read: "comfortable"). My shortened version is a great cure for eating up those small single cuts of stash, so I can definitely see myself making this up again in the future.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

p.s.  I made a few changes to my blog's appearance, and as a result, the comment box is misbehaving (disappearing, only seen on Bloglovin', invisible in Safari, etc.). I'm doing my best to adjust everything, but I'm not very tech savvy. If any of you are good with Blogger and page settings, I'd love it if you could offer some advice!

Goodbye Cotton, Hello Wool

It's August already? It can't possibly be. School's only been out of session for like... 3 weeks, right?

I'm in the midst of Vogue 8241, using a yard of blue/white rayon stash.

It's fully lined, so there's lots of trimming and clipping and pressing going on. 

This is the back of the bodice, lining side up. I'll need a pretty button for the top closure at my neck.
The instructions have me finishing the neckline/armhole/shoulder straps in the weirdest way... which involves slipstitching the lining/fabric together along the top of the armhole.  I like to use a machine stitch here, to guide the fold when I press the edge over, and it also gives me a guide line for my hand-stitching.

I love blue and white prints. This is the end of my "summer" sewing, though.  With school starting just after Labor Day, it's time to hand me the wool, please...

I had BIG plans for sewing a beautiful new fall wardrobe this summer. Some really great coordinating wardrobe staples, like pants and skirts and jackets. I have the most beautiful fabrics from my visit to the NYC garment district a few years ago.  The Khalje/King "Sit and Sew" class seems like a lifetime ago, but it was 3 years ago. Nope... 2009.  4 years ago. Again, where does the time go??? 

 Why haven't I sewn this yardage yet?
- I wanted to get skinny first. There's always that, "I'll wait until I'm thinner!" voice. Well, I've gone from a 12 to a 6, so that excuse is gone. Thank you protein, veggies, and Crossfit.
- The fabric was a kind of my "souvenir" from my trip. Cutting into it? Then, it won't be waiting in my stash, waiting to be petted and pouted over ("I wanna go back!!!").
- "I'm not worthy!" was running through my mind when I would think of working with it, like my skillset was just too lacking to risk ruining my awesome NYC fabric. I know I'm capable of sewing the classic pieces I had planned for this fabric. I think this is really just about reasons 1 and 2.

So, I'm over it. I'm doing it. I'm pulling patterns and cutting into that yardage, enough is enough. Because life is short, no one (namely, ME) is enjoying that beautiful fabric while it sits in a box in a closet in my basement. And, most importantly, IF I SEW IT ALL GONE, I HAVE TO GO BACK TO NYC AND GET MORE. Am I right, or am I right?!

So, first up on the list is this lovely suiting from Paron's that has always wanted to be a Chanel jacket. While I'll likely not go all "couture" on this (so much more stash to sew), I do have the silk charmeuse and pattern ready to go. I found the buttons on Etsy last week, along with some gold ones for another Chanel jacket in the works...

The Etsy seller was wonderful, quickly replying to my questions and creating custom listings for the exact number of buttons I needed. Also, she sent along 2 extra buttons, lovely pink ones, that perfectly match one of the NYC fabrics, a pink boucle...

So, if you need buttons, check out Lakesha at ChicButtonsExpress.  She's affordable, and in Chicago, so my order came right away. Now, I just need the trim... Does anyone have recommendations for trim vendors on Etsy???  Do you find yourself saving the best of your stash, too?

June? I Don't Think So...

When I first modeled this dress for DH, he said, "Golly gee, June. You look swell!", with a giant smirk on his face. June Cleaver? This dress? No, I don't think so.  There's no collar, no apron, and I'm most certainly not wearing my pearls!

Vogue 8810



This is one of the "Easy Options" patterns, with different sleeve and skirt options. I've never been a fan of a button front straight skirt, so I opted for the A-line skirt this time. I used a rayon challis from Mood that I purchased a while back, and the drape was perfect for the flowy-ness of the skirt. I only had 2 yards to work with though, so I had to be very frugal with my fabric, and the pattern called for more. To "make it work", I used a coordinating lining fabric scrap for the center front facing, and pieced the belt.

On the "up" side of things... it was very easy to construct and went together quickly. With the belt cinching up the waist, there are no fussy fitting issues with this dress. That being said...

On the "down" side of things... I thin, there is far too much ease built into the skirt of the dress. I graded down, using a 12 for the bodice and an 8 in the skirt. Seriously. There's still plenty of room in the waist and hips, without adding too much fullness.

This will be a great dress for the warm early months of fall, and I can add my leather boots and a jacket to carry me into the later months.  The shoulder seam is just wide enough to be mistaken for a cap sleeve, too, which is nice.

 

Overall, I'm really happy with this dress. 2 more yards of stash gone! I've decided to join Carolyn and go on a fabric diet for awhile. I've stitched up 6 1/2 yards of stash over the last few weeks (2 sleeveless tops and another dress, nothing really "earth shattering", so no blog posts), and have another 2 yards on the work table now! My plan is to reward myself after every 10 yards sewn, with 2 new yards that I may purchase. With just another month left before I head back to work, we'll see how it goes.  At the start of summer, I had grand plans to sew a new fall wardrobe. We'll see what I can knock out before Labor Day hits...

 

Thank you for the kind comments about my "The Point of Sewing" post and the new puppy. I submitted the story to Threads (at the strong urging of 2 big sisters), so we'll see. As for Murph, he's been with us a week now, and has such a nice disposition. He's grown quite fond of me (the feeling is mutual), and can be found sleeping underfoot when I'm in the kitchen, and behind my chair in the sewing studio.

 

Such a sweet boy!

Introducing....

Murph!

He is the newest member of our household, a male German Shepherd with very big paws! He's just 8 weeks old now, and sleeps a lot, but we're so excited to have another furry friend in the house again.  Our "firstborn", Riggs, was 12 when he passed on unexpectedly in March 2012, and he was also a German Shepherd.

So, I have some major clean-up to do in the sewing studio, as there are fabric scraps, thread strings, and loose pins that need to be removed from a puppy's reach!

In other news, I've managed to clear my table of all paying sewing jobs, so I can make something for fun! It's about time I started on that "New Fall Wardrobe" that was my original sewing goal when school let out! Just one more puppy pic before I go, though...

Have a great week, everyone!

Gameday Dress & GREAT News!

A colleague of mine approached me with a Pinterest picture, asking if I could turn her favorite MSU Spartans t-shirt into a cute "gameday" dress. She showed me a few examples (just go to Etsy and do a "gameday dress" search), and I thought it looked like a fun challenge, so I accepted.

 Fabric.com had the perfect coordinating knit for the skirt, with hunter green and an underlying gold metallic thread running through it. 2 yards was plenty for the skirting and a belt/sash. Addison Jersey Knit Chevron is still available, in 2 colorways (Hunter and Purple)!

I started by chalking the neckline and armholes from a tank top pattern, paying attention to the placement of "Sparty" logo. Before cutting (I didn't want the t-shirt holes to stretch any larger), I stay-stitched along my chalk lines.

 I cut 1/2" away from my stitching lines, and pressed the raw edge under, placing the stay-stitching on the edge of the fold. I used my coverstitch machine to finish the neck and armholes cleanly, pressing again afterward. That completed the top of the dress!

She lent me a favorite summer dress with a similar skirt style and length, so I knew how to correctly size the skirt pieces. I cut two pieces that were roughly 25" long, and 40" wide, stitched them together at the side seams, and hemmed the bottom using the coverstitch again. I marked the center front and back with a pin, and gathered up the top edge of the skirt, to be attached to the top.  Using a zig-zag stitch (so the pieces will still stretch around her), I attached the top to the skirt, and cleaned up the seam with my serger.

To create the braided belt, I cut 3 strips of fabric (each 3" wide), and sewed them each as a tube, right sides together. I tucked the ends inside each tube and finished the ends with a zig-zag, then braided the bands together. At the ends, I hand-stitched the 3 bands together (to hold the braid), and simply tied it around the waist to cinch in the skirt. (If I had to do over again, I would've gotten her waist measurement and constructed a casing for an elastic band. But, not knowing her preference for loose/tight fitting at the waist, I figured that this option would work either way.)

She loves it, and it was a fun little crafty project for me. Don't think I'll be setting up an Etsy shop or anything, but if asked again, I would have fun putting a new twist on it. I'd love a racerback style without the gathered skirt, for myself...

NOW, FOR THE GREAT NEWS...
The American Sewing Expo called yesterday to let me know that I have been selected as one of the 12 competitors for the "Passion for Fashion" contest in September. I'm so excited (and nervous), but mostly just thrilled, as I've wanted to participate in this competition since first attending the show in 2007.