Newlook 6615 - Offwhite dress w/ black braid details

This is one of my semi-recent pieces. Here is the front view:

Here is the back view:

I've read several people complain that this dress would look too maternity, so here's the side view. As long as you have good posture (I usually don't!) it looks fine, because there isn't any extra fabric gathers under the rib cage band.

I hand sewed the black braid around the neckline and rib-cage band. Actually, I got this sewed in 3/4 of the way around the neckline before I noticed it was backwards! Very dumb, I know. I added a full lining to it. This gal avoids slips at all costs!

As you can see from the pattern envelope, the neckline was suppose to end in a V. Well, it was very low and didn't pass DH's Modesty Meter for church, so I had to sew a little piece in the middle.

I'm currently in love with puff sleeves. Stay tuned, you're sure to see more of them sewn up here.

Simplicity 2927 - Retro Green Tunic

Okay, finally done with this thing. I'm a little annoyed because it was suppose to be a fast and easy project, but was not. It's a little snug, as you might can tell by the pictures, and that's with the side seams let out. Here's the front view:

Here's the back:

Plus, the original fabric I chose for the neck band did not work out. I pressed and pressed and pressed that silly collar. It never would lay flat and finally got scorched. I called it a night and went to bed. In the morning I concluded that I needed a new fabric with a little give to it, and chose a cotton.

So the jury is still out on this. If I had been smart, I would have cut it in a bigger size. It would have fit better over the pants as well. Any comments?

Simplicity 3893 - Yellow butterfly tunic

I made this a few months ago, so some of you might be thinking hmmm... seen this one before. I saw this fabric and had to have some. I love butterflies, but find most butterfly fabric too over-the-top or too cutesy or too something. And I love yellow. Also, while I always find shears that I like at the store, I can't seem to find many patterns that will look good made in a shear, because the facings show through.

I am not a fan of most maternity-looking tops in fashion right now. This gal likes a defined waist! But as it has elastic around the rib cage, and the fabric is see-through, I thought it might look okay. I was just glancing at the back of the pattern and realized for the first time this is suppose to be made in a knit. Oops! Oh well, it fits.




Here is a close up of the edging detail at the hem. This is also along the front neckline and around the sleeves.


And here in what the back looks like from the inside. Instead of a facing, that pattern called for bias tape. I also used french seems for the back and sides, which I think gives a very neat finish.

Oh, and I've got on a beige spaghetti-strap shirt underneath. Even if it wasn't shear, the neckline is VERY low. The tucking details took some time, but I'm happy with it. What do you think?

In the works - Retro Green Tunic

Okay, so even though I should be making a birthday cake for a certain little boy who turned 4 today, I am totally addicted to blogging and feel I MUST show you what I'm working on!

See the girl (small drawing) on the left in the pink tunic and white pants? You might have to click on it to pull up a bigger picture. Anyway, I'm making the tunic length, sleeveless, without pockets and only one button. The body is the green fabric, and it will have a white neck band. I'm putting white piping down the front as I couldn't possibly match up the circles of the fabric.



Here's the fabric I'm using:


As you can see, I already have the piping in place. I learned a new technique for finishing the seams by looking at other blogs. Basically, you use 1/4" double fold bias tape to bind the inner seams so you don't have to finish them. I had two pieces of fabric coming together, plus the piping, and if I finished them all with a zigzag like usual, it would have been very bulky. Looks neater too, I think. I like my garments to be as pretty on the inside as the outside.


I did the same on the facings for the armholes:

I love learning new and useful things. This should be completed in 2 days or so. I'll post pictures of it then. Okay, off to make that cake...

McCall's 5591 - Pleated skirt with contrast lower band

Lest you think I whipped this up in a day, I actually finished it before the previous entry. I'm planning to post all the items I've sewn in the past few months.

Anyway, here is the front view:


Here's the back:


Here's a picture of the pocket band:


This skirt was super easy to make. I think I might have shortened the pattern a little in length. I like my skirts to hit right at the knee. The pattern had the pocket bands in the same fabric as the skirt. But I thought why go to all that trouble for a detail nobody will notice? So I made them green to match the lower band. Both fabrics are cotton and I didn't line it. I've seen this style of skirt all over the place lately. It might not be in fashion in a year or two, but hey, a girl's gotta keep up with a few fads, right? Here's the line drawing just for giggles:


I made view A and ironed in some pleats. The fabric of the lower band is thicker then the skirt and created a balloon effect without the pleats. I'm very happy with the end result.

McCall's 4870 - Heart neckline dress with flounce

Here is my latest creation.

Here is a close up of the front. Notice the red rick-rack around the neckline and sleeves.

Here is a view of the back:

This dress was no picnic to make. I was going to post a link to McCall's website and this pattern, but it has been discontinued! It seems like I just purchased it a few months ago. Honestly, it was poorly designed so I'm not surprised. Here is a scan of the line drawing:

Look closely at the straps in the back. Notice how thin they are. Yea, those do not stay on the shoulder! This is how I first made it, then I had to redesign the straps 2 more times before they would finally stay on my shoulders. Not fun! In the final design I had them meet at the back in a V. Normally I might have been tempted to give up after the first two tries. This is why I didn't:

Right after I bought the fabric for this pattern, I found these shoes and had to have them. They match the red in the dress perfectly! I really love this outfit now, and am happy I persevered. What do you think?

Giving this a try...

This is my first attempt at blogging so be patient with me. I'm not very computer savvy. Thanks goodness DH is very knowledgeable about this stuff and can teach me what I need to know.

Anyway, I've decided to start this blog as a place to display what I'm currently working on for sewing and (coming soon!) knitting. I've had so much fun lately looking at lots of sewing blogs on the internet, so I thought I'd try my hand at one as well.