Am I back?

So tired of trying to work with Wordpress that I tried creating a blog from my iPad on blogger and IT WORKED! I have not been able to import the posts that I did create on Wordpress. It acts like it is working, but just never completes. So it looks like I am back!  Just to see if I can still add pics from my iPad....... Yahoo! The first is my grainline archer from last January and my new Landers. And my #grombre hair! Embracing the natural, no more dying! The second is my Strathcona sweater. Loving that knit! Now to update all my links.......

 

Testing....

this is a test post from my iPad  

Tessuti Lois Dress

I have loved the Lois Dress by Tessuti since it first came out. It looks like a romatic vintage dress.  My Dd picked up this fabric at the bins at Goodwill. Not sure what the fabric is, lovely drape, wash and drys without a wrinke. This was to be my test of the pattern but i quite love it. 

Tessuti Lois Dress

I havent hemmed it yet. I Need to let it hang for a bit first.  I found the number of pages to tape a bit daunting, as i could not tell easily which ones i needed.  Had to investigate and decipher to figure it out.  My measurements put me between a 12 and 14.  I traced a 14 and other than taking in side seams 1/4 " from underarm to waist, the rest to be the right size. Once taped together and traced, I used the traced pattern for fitting changes.  I found the bust dart was in the wrong location for me, and the front skirt too wide for my fabric, so i folded out some of the width of the front and added it to the back piece. I also added 2" in length and did a 1/2" swayback adjustment at the center back of bodice and skirt, and moved and shortened the bust dart. 

Folded out some width of front skirt to fit my fabric

 

Added some width to the back piece to make up for reducing the front

I had to shorten and move dart closer to center front.

I found the side dart back leg was longer than front leg

The difference was obvious once the dart was pinned closed. I redrew the front leg to match the back leg.

Not hemmed yet. Thinking the length is perfect.

Windy day!

Back

Trying not to fall off the runway

So a few alterations needed, but i love it. Next up a blue linen Lois.    Stay happy Keep sewing And if you can't sew Enjoy the view 

Enjoy the view

 

Fall wardrobe plan

I finished my second top for my Fall wardrobe plan!  This pattern is a mashup of the True Bias Odgen cami and Butterick 5948. 

Navy crepe and pattern mashup

I don't recall where i purchased the Fabric, might have been Fabric.com. It is some type of crepe. Grainy feeling, not too slippery, slightly spongy and doe not press crisply.  Came out of dryer looking exaclty how it did before washing, so BONUS!  

Added a cross back tie

I am loving my sewing plan so far, I have now completed 2 pants and 2 tops. 

Sewing plan progress Stay happy  Keep sewing And if you can't sew Dance with a sweet baby

Dancing with my new granddaughter

     

Bottoms #2 in sewing plan!

I bought this stretch denim at Fabric.com ages ago. It is my second bottoms in my sewing plan. Again Butterick 6327.  

Ready to cut!

I altered the front to have slant pockets for this pair.  

Slant pockets, extended to center front.

Shortening the zip

You can see that I only extended 1 layer of the pocket bags to center front, to cut down on bulk.  When my jeans zip is too long, I always shorten it from the bottom, that way i don't lose the locking ability at the top of the zip.  I hate zips that unzip on their own while you are wearing them!

Pocket placement

I like to do pocket placement after the point where I can try the pants on, to ensure they are in the right spots. No belt loops this time, and I used 3/8" seams in attaching and finishing the waistband, so that it would be deeper and the waist would sit a bit higher.  

Front

I hemmed these a little longer than the denim, thinking that they might still shrink up in length. 

 

I created a faux yoke again. 

 

So.... finished plan items --- 2 pair jeans and 1 top, a boxy cropped T. 

Stay happy

Keep sewing

And if you can't sew

Snuggle a cute baby. 

 

 

Planning

I seem to have a hard time finding something to wear each morning, and yet my closet is full. I decided i needed to sew with a palette, a plan in mind.  So i pulled many fabrics from my stash that complimented each other, thinking i would be able to create a mix and match wardrobe. 

Fabrics pulled from stash

I ened up with browns, rust, blue and oatmeal. I love all these colors! There will be 3 pants, 4 tops and 3 cardigans/jackets.  Dark blue denim, rust denim, brown corduroy all for pants. B6327 and Vogue 8774 most likely. Then a navy crepe, striped knit and red plaid and blue striped shirting for tops. The latter will be button ups, going to try McCalls 7470. The striped knit a self drafted cropped boxy T.  The navy crepe a vinatage Vogue, 7288. The checked crepe not sure yet.  Then there is a quilted brown solid for most likely the Kelly Anorak and the teal knit for a cardigan. The quilted oatmeal knit is already a cardigan (the Blackwood). Just seeing all these fabrics together, really excited me! I am lookimg forward to seeing how I do and how well they fulfill the goal of easy mix and match.  So I decided first up was the dark denim jeans. B6327. I have made these before, so fitting was not an issue. Working with a Tried and True (TNT) pattern just makes the process less stressful and more fun.  These jeans took about 9 hours all together. I LOVE them! 

B6327 I wanted them to have a little simething extra, so I used a dark red thread for all the topstitching and used the triple stitch aka the lightening stitch.  I really love the depth it adds. 

B6327

In studying pocket designs online, i had seen someone use a label where just one letter showed, so I copied that! Just the K from my label can be seen on the back pocket. 

Inner front, fun pockets and waistband lining! Once i had already topstitched the back, there was a little gatherhing of the upper back where it joined the waistband. to remedy that without having to remove my topstitching, I unpicked the center back portion of the waistband, created two small darts in the back, and reattached the waistband. Worked perfectly! 

Fitting the back

This pattern did not have a back yoke, and i felt the expanse above the back pockets looked odd without one, so i created a faux yoke. I just drew it with chalk and then topstitched it. A faux yoke! Breaks up the real estate in the back. 

Faux yoke

Funny that the denim looks black, it is really dark blue. I think these might be my favorite pockets yet! I used a diiner plate to trace the curve with chalk. 

Back pocket love

 

Buttonhole error

  I accidentally put the button hole too far from the center front and I had already cut it open. So i just extended it to be where it should have been and then did a wide satin stitch to close up the end that shouldn't have been there! Worked pretty well, and i am going with the thought that it looks like a design feature. 

Buttonhole design feature

B6327

  Not sure which is next up on deck....maybe the boxy T !   

Stay happy Keep sewing And if you can't sew Knit some baby socks!

 

Socks for Kimber

Kimber! 2 days old.

   

Blackwood Cardigan, finally!

I bought Helen's Closet newest pattern the day it came out. The Blackwood Cardigan. This fabric is a Telio Topaz Hatching Knit in petrol blue, from Fabric.com. I made this when I bought the pattern but never posted. I love it. I bought more fabric to make one for each of my girls and another for me! 

   I love the design of this sweater. It is not meant to close in the front, so does not feel bulky, nor hide your cute outfits!

 

This is the perfect office cardigan. I bought this quilted knit at Joanns. This will be #2 for me.  I made a large  in view A  my only change was to make the pockets the full width of the fronts.  I love big pockets  

I love this one. It is quite toasty warm. 
On a side note, i have a grandson due in December and a granddaughter due in 12 days.  I have been busy making quilts! 

Thanks for reading!  

Stay happy. 

Keep sewing. 

And if you can't sew, 

knit a little sock!