BWOF June issue - my pics

I'm back! Whew, it's fun to go on vacation, but really great to be home, ya know? Anyway, I'm trying to get caught up on all my bills/phone calls/emails/blog posts/patternreview.com posts/laundry/groceries/yard/etc., etc. I'm hoping to post some vacation pics for anyone interested in the next few days.

Here are the patterns that caught my eye from this month's Burda. Someone mentioned that this was a sleeper issue (I think it was Angie?) and I have to agree. There's not a whole bunch I think I'll make, although that's a good thing because sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the great designs I want to sew.

Here's top 102, my favorite from the issue, and looks like it'll be a favorite by many of you as well. I'm certain someone will whip this up and post it any day now. I just love the pleating along the front and waist inset.



I think this wrap skirt 104 just darling, especially in the stripe they've made it up in.

Dress 115 is very simple. I love the cut out in the back and think it will make a great pool cover-up.

That's it! Unless I get inspired by one of you. I do like top 113 but don't see it staying up on me. Okay, I'm off to sleep in my own bed for the first time in 2 weeks. Goodnight!

Summer Butterick patterns are here!

I'm again guilty of stalking the Butterick website for new patterns. Somehow or another - I do not remember signing up for it - but they've put me on their email list and now email me when new patterns are available. So no more stalking is necessary. Here are the newest additions.

So, it's no surprise I like this first one, 5350. It's fitted, has seaming details, and a cute tucked neckline. My pick is the white one with little cap sleeves. Do I need yet another dress pattern? Well, no, but I'll probably buy it anyway. Perhaps I need to rethink my mainly tops and bottoms wardrobe and just make a ton of dresses instead. I sure love them and they are so nice and cool for my long Texas summers.

I'm surprising myself with this one. I like view D, with the strapless bodice and bottom ruffle. This might not be smart with my having two young boys that have been known to pull and tug at me. It sure is cute, though.

This looks perfect for a shear. I'm loving view B with its gathered sleeves and contrasting neck and sleeve treatment.

I must have a thing for cropped jackets. View B is cute with all those tucks on the bodice and sleeves, and I like view C for its tulip sleeves.

Just to clarify, since I had the mishap with my navy skirt and don't have time to get more fabric and all, I'm not entering the mini-wardrobe contest at PR. Also, this will be a month without many posts since we are on vacation for the last two weeks. I'll be sure to post some pictures of our adventures in June. Hugs to you all!

BWOF 2-2009-124A - White floral dress w/ red piping

Lots of people have made this simple little dress with great results, so I thought I'd follow suit.

This fabric is a stretch sateen, as Jo-Ann's calls it. I originally bought it for a pair of capris but have since decided I don't like prints on my butt except in skirt form. I just love the yellow and red color combo.

I love the back neckline of this. Red piping was added for a little something extra on a plain design and also to match the red linen jacket I just completed. Plus it ties in with one of my favorite pair of shoes.

Here it is with the jacket. My anniversary is on Wednesday and I think this will be perfect for a casual dinner out.

Neckline close-up:

The back:

Here's a few inside details. I did my usual french seams at the shoulders and dress sides. Bias tape covers the facings, back seam and waist seam.

This is the side under the arm opening. I simply folded the fabric back following the stitching of the cap sleeves.

This was so easy and fast to sew. I kept looking it over thinking this didn't take long, have I made some mistakes? Am I sure there's no fit issues? Well, this was suppose to be my second garment for the mini-wardrobe contest at Patternreview.com. I was on my third item, skirt 101A from the April issue of BWOF. Here is the line drawing for it:
This is a fabulous pattern. I really love it. I do not, however, love my fabric choice. I should have chose a navy twill or stretch twill, but instead picked this cheap polyester stretch suiting that is a tad on the thin side. I cannot get a crisp hemline and I do not like the way it hangs. It looks cheap. I don't have time to go buy more fabric, wash it, cut it out, and sew it up along with the matching blouse. Too much is going on around here this month. Here is a picture of the skirt:

I will make this skirt again, maybe when we get home from vacation. Now I am off to the mall for a little shopping with my mother. Happy mothers day to you all!

BWOF 2-2009-115 - Red linen jacket - Mini wardrobe contest?

I've been wanting to enter a contest at PatternReview.com for ages. The mini-wardrobe or wardrobe contest seemed like the most fun to me. So I check each month just waiting for it to be posted. (Lately I've discovered they have all their contests posted for the entire year - duh!) Anywho, imagine my excitement when Dawn revealed the new mini-wardrobe contest for the month of May. Only this is the worst month for me because we are going on vacation for the last two weeks. And my mom is here visiting from Oregon. And my 9 year wedding anniversary is the 13th. And I'm helping out with a baby shower the 16th. AUGH! So, I really really want to enter, and I have everything planned out, but I don't know if I'll have the time to get it all done.

Hows about I show you my first garment? This is the cropped linen jacket from the fantastic February issue that I instantly fell in love with.

I stuck with the linen - my first linen garment ever - but did contrasting white topstitching to really make it stand out. This thing matches practically half my wardrobe! I really do have a thing for red.

Here it is buttoned up. I just love everything about this design: the patch pockets and pocket flaps, collar stand, sleeve tabs, raglan sleeves. Plus, I'm always cold when I go anyplace indoors during the summer, so this will get tons of use.

The back:

Here you can see the top of the raglan sleeves. They form a nice V but that gets covered up by the collar.

All the topstitching was done with a heavy-weight cotton thread and I used my machine's walking foot. In order not to show reverse stitches, I pulled the top thread to the inside and tied it to the inside thread with a square knot. I then snipped the threads close to the fabric and applied a dot of fray-check. I've used this method before on this vest with good results. However, I'm planning to hand wash the jacket. I don't know how this method would hold up to machine washing.

Pocket close-up:

Sleeve tab close-up:

2 Packages of bias tape were needed to complete this project since there is no lining. I put it around the facings, the seam where the sleeves meet the bodice, and the bottom hem. In this picture you can see the sleeve and facing finish. (Weird yellow lines are light from the nearby blinds!)

At the hem I applied bias tape and then slip-stitched it in place invisibly.

I did french seams along the jacket and sleeve sides. This picture is the top of the sleeves and side neck facing.

I wish I could figure out a storyboard; they are so fun to look at. Angie has a great tutorial about this, but we have a Mac. Hers works on a PC. And I tried the program that's supposed to be easy for Mac users and was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. I am just not that computer savvy. I'm glad it's not a requirement to enter the contest. At this point, I just don't have the time to learn it.