The "City of Roses" Blouse

Here's my contribution to The Sew Weekly for the Inspired by a City challenge.
As you can see, I changed plans.  I was going to use the brightly colored ITY knit maxi dress I had in the works a couple of posts ago, but I'm still tweaking it (no pattern) and I needed an alternative.  This bright floral fabric was calling and the newest patterns are always the most alluring, right.  I bought McCall's 6510 specifically for this fabric when there was a sale at Hancock's a week or so ago.
If I had known how much my sewing machine would hate this fabric, I might have thought twice about trying it.  There are skipped stitches everywhere.  I couldn't get the thread tension right for the life of me.  My rolled hem foot refused to roll this fabric.  I guess I'm glad there's a lot going on with the colors and the ruffles and gathers and things, otherwise you might notice all the flaws.
Here are some pictures from my backyard.  The blouse demanded I dance and I was helpless to resist.  I am VERY sore today.

I'm still planning to finish my maxi dress.  I have to motivate myself to unpick some seams and that's hard enough without it being knit. The thread just buries itself into knit and it's impossible to get at it.  Fortunately, I think the dress will work just as well for next week's theme: Inspired by Childhood.

Here's the inspiration picture I found in an album at my parents'.

Scary, huh?  Can you tell I am a child of the 80's?

Yay! Yay! Me-Made May!

It's that time again.  Time for the lovely Zoe to challenge the sewers in the blogosphere to actually WEAR and get some use out of the things we create.  The first time I participated in a me-made month, I was new to sewing for myself, but I think it was really a turning point.  It forced me to wear what I'd put time and effort into.  There were lots of reasons why the things I'd made weren't making it out of my closet, but the accountability of a me-made month challenge was the kick in the pants that I needed to take seriously the money and time I had invested in the few pieces of clothing I had made.
Me-Made May 2012 will be my third challenge.  Last time I committed to one me-made item every day, but that included scarves and bags and it also included altered items.  This time I'm committing to wear at least 7 me-made CLOTHING items each week.  It may not be one a day, but it has to add up to 7 by the end of the week.  No accessories included.  No altered items included, although I'll probably mention when I did alter something I'm wearing.
Here is the official blog post in case you want to join.

Sewing Small Things

Wow!  I had almost forgotten how fast small dresses and pants and things sew up.  I've gotten used to taking 5-10 hours over the course of several days to sew a garment for myself and just plumb forgot that tiny clothes go so fast.
I went into a cutting frenzy and cut out about 10 things for Eden (my 4-year-old) because we are at the point where she has outgrown all her borrowed clothing.  We have been so blessed to have had hand-me-downs from a cousin for the last four years! Then, of course, the grandparents and great-grandparents want to buy clothing too, so we have had a great selection in the closet.
I decided I wouldn't ask my cousin for another tub of clothing and we'd just do it on our own from here on out.  It's been quite a task keeping track of someone else's things for four years anyway.

I have three things to share tonight and more to come.
First up, The Nelle from Brownie Goose paired with Ruffle Pants from Whimsy Couture.

Now, I have a couple of confessions.  Number one, I wasn't too keen on Nelle at first, even though she's been a pretty big hit with the sewing crowd.  I know the lovely designer, Amy Norris (her hubby and mine are/were both residents at University of Mississippi), and she makes amazing stuff, but Nelle just wasn't my cup of tea.  Then there was this sale at the Brownie Goose Etsy shop and you may or may not know, but it's hard for me to resist a sale.  And I'd heard soooooo much good stuff about this pattern that I just HAD to be in on it.

I think Nelle and Laura Gunn (fabric designer) get along pretty well, don't you?

Confession Number two.  I wouldn't recommend that you buy this pant pattern, but only because I have now turned into a pattern snob.  Unless she's changed it, the Whimsy Couture pants pattern has no difference in the crotch from front to back.  You are probably aware that your pants are more curved in the back than in the front.  Kids don't tend to have the same curves as adults, but I still think pants look better and fit better if the crotch curve in the front is shorter and shallower and the one in the back is longer and deeper.  This pattern does hold a special place in my heart because I used it for the first pair of ruffles I ever made.

Moving on.

I wanted Eden to have some COLOR in her wardrobe for Spring and Summer.  I ordered 5 half yards of various Kaffe Fassett prints and hoped that what I thought might blend as I saw it in swatches on my computer screen, would look good together in real life.  Well, they didn't all compliment each other exactly like I thought they would, but I made it work and got two dresses out of it.

I traced the bodice of a Matilda Jane size 4 knot dress we own and then just eyed the skirt.  The bodice is lined and the skirt is two layers with the hem finish a la Izzy and Ivy.  I use their banded hem ALL the time now.  I love it.  One strap is yellow and one is red, just for fun.  No twirl factor, but Eden loved the colors.  And it was perfect with the new shoes Grandma just bought her.  All around win!

The other two half yards went into this dress.

That's an unknown fabric on the bodice (the seller sent me an eighth of a yard of something as an extra happy and doggonit, I was determined to use it!), Paganelli on the first tier and Fassett for the second and third tiers.  I was silly and didn't bother to measure the length I wanted the dress to be before cutting the tiers. I thought "I have a tall girl, it'll be fine", but it's really quite long on her (almost ankle length) and even the bodice, which is borrowed from New Look 6974, is a little big.  I'm sure she'll wear it some this Summer, but it may get much more wear next year when she's taller and won't be tripping over it.  I do love pulling things out that we enjoyed the year before and finding they still fit, so it's alright with me that this is a bit on the big side.

That's all for now.  I'll try not to be so wordy next time.  More pictures, less typing.

Bright and Bold for Spring

Color by COLOURlovers

Here is my Spring color palette to somewhat guide my spring sewing.  As with my Fall palette. I was inspired by things I already have in my fabric collection since I won't be buying all new fabrics or anything.
Let me start by showing you some pictures of things I've already made that fit into this palette.

Next, I'll remind you of some things I have plans to make.  You've seen these, but it doesn't hurt to see them again.

And lastly, some upcoming plans you haven't yet seen.

 One of the new McCall's paired with a rayon found on the remnant table at Hancocks.  Only 4$ a yard. 

I'd like to make a slightly lengthened view A or a slightly shortened view B.  I can't decide.  The turquoise fabric is left over from my Colette Clovers and the fuschia below is some sort of nubby suiting I got for super cheap in my first order from Denver Fabrics.

Also from Denver fabrics, I couldn't resist this silk double georgette.  It's my first piece of silk!  A milestone!
And I'm scared to death of it.
I picked up another of the new McCalls and plan to attempt the basic shell.  I've read good reviews about it, but will probably shorten it to a more trendy waist length.

These happy little mustard sea horses from Heather Ross have been waiting for a friend and Jennifer Paganelli (via a sale at Fabric Mart) has come to their rescue.  Aren't they just perfect for each other?  These will become my second Sis Boom Jamie Dress.

This last one is a bit of a wild card.  It's a crazy, slippery, stretchy ITY knit I got from Fabric.com's clearance section.  It reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs and I love him, so I went for it and bought 2 yards, not knowing what it would become.  It is destined (fingers crossed) to become my favorite new maxi dress.  I'm basing the bodice off of the Sis Boom Jamie dress and winging it with the skirt.  I'll be entering it as a contributor to next week's Sew Weekly challenge: Inspired by a City.

And there you have it!  Without even planning this palette, I was already headed well in it's direction, don't you think?  I'm definitely going Bright and Bold for Spring!

It's April 11, 2012 and Coletterie just posted their Spring/Summer Palette challenge.  I'm adding the button here.

OWOP: Day 4

I used Simplicity 2892, view C as a starting point to copy an Antrhopologie shirt.  This was actually sewn for the Sew Weekly Make This Look Challenge, but I just never got around to shooting photos or making a post.  So, here it finally is.
I did the front the same as the pattern and then just used the back pattern piece as a guide for mine.  I had to play around with it to get it the way I wanted it in the back and then I was frustrated because the voile isn't quite heavy enough to drape nicely when I have it on.  The back ripple stuck out like some sort of fin or something so I had to sew it all down.
Worn with some super wide-leg navy linen pants from Anthro.

Sis Boom Love

I don't usually post here much about the kids clothes I make, but I couldn't resist since I've been featured over at the Sis Boom blog because of this dress.

If you love it, you'd better go grab it before someone else does!

OWOP: Day 3

Simplicity 2892 View C without the band at the bottom in voile by Anna Maria Horner.

Worn to a coffee date with a friend and other daily activities.

Pants from Anthro.

Shoes are Soda.

Spoiler alert:  I failed to sew a fifth top from this pattern like I had planned.  And then I felt sick on the fifth day.  You might be able to guess whether or not I succeeded in completing the OWOP challenge....