Simplicity 2608 - Knit shorts in green snakeskin

I've written before that I have a terrible time finding shorts to buy at stores. Those knee-length walking shorts that are suppose to look good on everybody (per Stacy and Clinton on What Not to Wear) look like men's work pants cut off at the knee on me. Vertical slash pockets always pooch out and make my hips look bigger. I no longer feel comfortable wearing the short shorts I wore in college. It's so annoying! I've been meaning to make myself some shorts for several years now, and finally got around to doing so. Since I made the skirt from this pattern in December 2009 and really loved the fit, I decided to use it again.

I chose a stable doubleknit for my first pair, but that proved to be too thick of a fabric, so I'll just call that wadder a muslin. Here's the second pair, made from a thin ITY knit purchased from Gorgeousfabrics.com last year I believe. How CUTE are these shorts?!!! I could not be more pleased with them! They are elastic waisted but the fold-over band hides it and enables me to wear shirts tucked in. They are super simple to whip out and require no fit adjustments since they're knit. You can expect to see more in my immediate future.

The only adjustment I made to the pattern after my "muslin" was to cut 1.5" off the top. They were really high-waisted, and I prefer to wear most short/pants/skirts about an inch below my navel.

I just bought these shoes too. A girl who loves the color yellow definitely needs some casual summer sandals in that hue, right? Plus they're kind of a muted shade and match half my closet. Well, that's what I'm telling myself to justify their purchase anyway. ;)

I am in love with this pattern!

Mail Call!

I've gotten several deliveries lately and thought y'all might like to see. It's mostly fabric. No, I do not need more fabric. But I LOVE it. I love interesting textures, fun prints, luxurious silks, fine wools. I also love a good bargain. So when I received an email from Fabricmart.com notifying me of their current 20% off sale, a perusal of their site was inevitable. It can't hurt to just look, right?

This first fabric is a cotton border print with textured circles that I became aware of thanks to Jessica. I tried to order it a month or two ago, but they ran out somewhere between when I paid and when they went to cut it. I was very disappointed and ended up canceling the other things that had been purchased at the same time. (I don't think the online order lady was too happy with me, but it's not my fault they didn't update their database.) Anyway, more of it became available, so it was the first on my list. I paid for 2 yards but received 2.5. It's 53" wide, and I know I want some sort of summer dress. This must have been a popular choice because it sold out in record speed. Aren't the colors just gorgeous?

On the left is an ivory stretch medium wale corduroy from Jones New York. I've wanted an ivory corduroy skirt for a few years now. I paid for 1 yard and received 1.5. They must have been in a super generous mood because all of my fabrics came with a lot of extra yardage. I'm planning to use Burda 6/2009/104, minus the front welt pockets and second row of decorative buttons.

On the right is a black silk chiffon dotted swiss that I'm planning to make using the Wenlan blouse design shown in the book Twinkle Sews which is available through BurdaStyle. When I first looked at this design 6 months ago, it was free. Too bad I didn't download it then because it's now costing $7.99. I love it, so I'm going to purchase it despite the cost hike. But darn it, that's a lot of money for something I have to print out and tape together!

This next cut is a large geometric graphic print rayon and silk burnout. These are not my typical colors, but something about it begged to be purchased. The black areas are sheer, and it has a wonderful silky feel and drape. I'm planning to use McCall's 5631 - view C with the tucks at the bottom. I'm thinking of leaving off the fabric tie belt since it's to be worn with the black Wenlen blouse above and that has a tie around the neck.

On the left is a funky polyester stretch woven with gold thread throughout. This will be a simple long sleeved dress - probably McCall's 5975 - with long sleeves and rounded plain neckline. Picture it with a matching fabric tie belt, chunky gold necklace, maroon tights and tall black boots. For winter, of course.

On the right is a white sweater knit that I'll either use for Simplicity 2603 view D or Vogue 8616 view C. Opinions?

That completes the order from Fabricmart and I should have stopped there. But of course I had to check out my other online fabric haunts, finding more good stuff at Fabric.com. You guys know you can always find online coupons for 20% off for Fabric.com, right? That coupled with free shipping on orders over $35 makes them a great deal in my book.

This pink and brown cotton madras fabric jumped out as a must buy. Gorgeous fabrics had a bunch of these madras prints a month or two ago. But I was feeling cheap at the time so I passed, and most have since sold out. This fabric was $6.98/yard, $5.58 after the discount. The color combo is super cute. I'm thinking a simple shift dress for summer with plenty left over to use for baby sister if it's still in style in a year or two.

Of course I have to get the free shipping so go looking for something else. They have a bunch of tropical wools in all different colors for $9.98/yard, $7.98 with the discount. Buying wool online can sometimes be a gamble because you can't feel it and sometimes it's super scratchy. These were both listed as 100% worsted wool, but they are very different drapes and weaves. The gray has more body and is a tighter weave. But seeing as I bought it for the Rebecca Taylor suit from Vogue 1169, it'll be perfect. The red is much more fluid and has a looser weave. That was purchased for Burda 4-2010-125, minus the back bow, which it will be perfect for as well. I am 9 for 9 with all of these fabrics, and could not be more thrilled with them.

Okay, that's enough of that. Waiting for me when I got back from Disney were two pairs of boots that were recently purchased from Amazon.com. I wear boots all winter but only have had the choice of black or brown in past years. How boring. This year I was determined to get some more color in my footwear, so put several pairs of bright boots in a shoe wishlist and waited for the spring sales. These two came down to a price my cheap self could live with. Plus I put the entire vacation on my Amazon.com Visa for which I accrue Amazon gift certificates. So that made them even less expensive. Did I happen to mention I love a good bargain?

These first ones are J. Renee red booties, and are actually quite comfortable. Although I probably wouldn't want to wear them for a day long shopping excursion. They were originally priced at $89.95, came down to a sale price of $38.49, and only $13.49 when paired with a $25 gift certificate!

The purple pair are Sam Edelman (which I had never before heard of) and made of purple suede. They match the slew of purple garments I have either made or am planning to make for fall. Original price was $149, sale price was $59.58, with yet another $25 gift certificate I paid $34.58. Which was not such a great bargain as the red boots but still a wonderful deal.

And that's it! You've probably grown bored of reading this post. I am surely tired of writing it, and am off to work on my latest project, a gray wool dress for fall. Pictures coming soon!

BWOF 11-2008-117 - Brown skirt w/ inset panels - Wardrobe contest garment #6

Here's some more brown for you. Although it is a wardrobe staple so I'm glad for the addition. The fit on this one turned out to be really nice. As you can tell, I shortened it to knee-length by trimming 3 inches off the bottom and 6 inches from the middle. Long skirts of any kind aren't the most flattering on my body, IMO.

Burda calls for this to be made in a stretch fabric. This is because there are only 3 pattern pieces, with one being the facing, so the front and back are the exact same. You need some give to stretch over the bum and not pouch out in the front. This fabric is a stretch suiting bought from JoAnn's earlier this year.

I loved the interesting construction lines on this design. The hardest thing was making those corners crisp and lining up the seams correctly. Otherwise, it is pretty simple and straightforward. Do you like my "hose"? They are actually nude-colored fishnet tights. I love the subtle addition of texture they offer. The brand is Hue from Macy's. I bought some black ones also.

Here's the full lining. This was my first time using a knit for a lining. The instructions call for cutting it off before the fabric flairs out but I opted to extend it down to just above the hem. I ended up moving the invisible zipper from the side seam to the center back so it would lie smoother.

Here you can see where I zigzagged the facing in place onto the lining, as per the instructions. I thought this might turn out wonky but it actually looks really nice and neat.

My shoes are from Bandolino. Aren't they fun? I've had them for about 2 years.

Butterick came out with some new patterns for Winter. I'm not very impressed with the new selections, but do like the tied front jacket from 5428:

Now I am taking a break from the wardrobe to work on McCall's 5931. It has ginormous sleeves, of which I am making smaller in width. Hopefully it turns out looking cute.

Vogue 1026 - The Secret Secretary dress

I've had this dress planned for over a year, and finally got around to it. I love this pattern - it's fitted shape and interesting construction lines. I made the matching belt, but wasn't in love with how it looked, so opted for a skinny black belt instead.

I ended up going back and sewing the front pleat closed down to the pocket line. The pleat was flipping up a bit more than desired. Now I think the side view is much more flattering.

The back. Those pesky Christmas pounds are making this look a little too snug. They will be gone ASAP.

This pattern is rated as easy, but making sure the front contrasting bands were all the same width and the sharp corners of the bodice was not what I would call simple.

Aren't these flap pockets cute? The fuchsia fabric is polyester shantung and the black a thick satin.

Here you can better see those sharp corners of the bodice and where I sewed the pleat closed.

The black bands along the neckline extend to the back as well. I decided to use a black zipper because I couldn't find the right shade of pink for a perfect match. All you see in the pull tab anyway, and that ends at the black neck bands.

I did find the right shade of pink for the lining though. I love that this pattern included separate pieces for the lining, and the front dress lining piece is straight across and not pleated.

Inside lining:

So, kind of a weird title for my post, right? I never name my clothing, although I know many people do and it always makes me chuckle. However, I made this dress to match these shoes, and they were called "Secret Secretary", which I think is a hysterical name. I know they're pretty flashy, but I love them. I am hoping the reserved design of the dress downplays any naughtiness from the shoes and makes the outfit appropriate for church.

Mail call - check these out!

Look what the UPS man just delivered to my house:

With our 90 degree high today it's probably not the best time to be buying new boots. Except yes it is because I got a killer good deal. Ever heard of the brand Sudini? I hadn't until two years ago when I bought my first pair of their boots. Their motto is "Shoes That Make Love To Your Feet", and they aren't kidding! These are the boots I bought back then in black and brown:

I have worn them constantly! They are incredibly comfortable despite having a 2.5" heal. So anyway, I've had my eye on these tall black boots for several months, waiting for them to be marked down as much as possible. They retail for $229.95, and I got them for $68.98 (plus had a gift certificate so paid way less)! They are the Women's Retro Tall Boot and were purchased at Amazon.com. I'm trying to incorporate more casual dresses in my wardrobe so these will be perfect with tights for warmth next fall and winter.

I've got my Vogue 1021 jacket complete except for the front fasteners, which will be picked up tomorrow at a half price notions sale.

Questions & Answers

SO, my kids are off at the in-laws until Friday - kind of a spur of the moment thing - and I have tons of time to sew and knit. I already have a skirt finished, but you'll have to wait until this weekend since my photographer (Justin) works until dark and our indoor lighting is so poor.

Here are some questions I've received lately and their answers:

1. Of Large print green shift Carolyn asked:
This is a cute dress on you and as you say be fantastic come summer! Can I ask a question - Do you own a serger? I was a little confused by the raw edges? Thanks!

No, I do not own a serger. I have a very small place set up to sew and nowhere to put one.

2. Of Black and orange floral dress w/ side gathers Lisa asked:
Amanda you sew really fast ! I love the lines of that dress . Tell me when doing the lining did you simply cut an extra front and back and make it up the same ? I am yet to attempt a lining.

Yes, for this dress I did simply cut an extra front and back for the lining. I cut the facing pieces out of interfacing and fused them to the lining pieces. That way I get the stability of the interfacing without the added bulk of a facing.

3.Of Red fitted blouse Cennetta asked:
Cute blouse. Where do you buy your shoes? Love them!

Believe it or not I buy 95% of my shoes online. I use to buy from Endless.com when they were first starting out and would mark things really low. But now I find the same shoes for super low prices at Amazon.com. I browse around Endless because you can search by certain parameters, like shoe size or specific color. Then I put them in a wishlist on Amazon and wait for them to be marked down. I don't get too attached to anything because I already have too many at home. If a shoe starts out at around $80, I usually don't buy it unless it gets marked down to around $20.

For example, I just bought these shoes:

Paris Hilton Women's Glitzy Pump in pink

They started off at $79.95, and I just snagged them for $15.81! There are some really good deals to be had online, you just have to be patient. Oops, am I giving away all my secrets? Enough about shoes...

4. Of Side ruched animal print dress EmilyA asked:
I recently made a similar knit dress and was frustrated by the way the bottom hem turned out. The 5/8 inch looked very rounded in the end since it was a synthetic knit and didn't press that well. How do you do your hemlines on knits so neatly? Any tips? I am actually about to make the dress from this post next.

I usually do an invisible hem on knits, actually. My only advice is to press it as best as possible and pin it to death. If the iron doesn't get it, try squirting some water on it and then pressing it some more. Sometimes that works better then steam.

Now, I have a question for you! What the heck does RTW mean?!!! I figured out LBD (little black dress), FBA (full bust adjustment), TNT (tried and true), but never RTW! Is is ReTail World? I have no idea. Clue me in, please.

McCall's 5522 - Red fitted blouse

Since my red dress ended up in the wadder pile, I thought I'd make a red blouse using the same crape-back-satin. I've used this pattern before for my tuxedo-inspired white blouse. It is such a great fitted blouse and this probably won't be the last time you see it being used. Oh, I finally found a great contoured wide black belt. (Macy's - I love that store. Plus they are always sending me coupons.)

I'm wearing the blouse with this skirt.

I love the bust gathers and fitted midsection. For this garment I did topstitching around the collar, button placket, fitted torso princess seams, and cuffs.

I didn't do my usual french seams on the inside because I was topstitching and that would have been super bulky. Here's a few close-ups:

Here are the cuffs. At first I wasn't that pleased with the double button look, but now I think it's fine.

Here's the pattern envelope. I made view D, the white blouse on the top left.

And my shoes, in case anybody is interested. I'm making a black dress with gold buttons and topstitching for spring specifically for these shoes, but like them with this outfit when it's not so cold outside that my feet freeze.

Vogue 8409 - Denin pleated bodice dress

Here's my latest wardrobe addition. Everyone needs a denim dress, right? Or maybe that was true in the 90's... Anyway, I really like the outcome! I decided not to line it since the fabric is thick and sometimes denim stretches out. This way I can wash it and the fabric will tighten up. Here's a close-up of the front:

The bodice front is cut on the bias so the pleats fold really nicely. It's just a tad low, hence the cami. I think these sleeves are really cute:

I apologize for the lighting. These pictures were taken about 10 AM on a slightly overcast day. I thought morning light was suppose to be really great.

Here's a back close-up so you can see what's happening in the design. Instead of darts, the back has little tucks. I used an invisible zipper for the closing.

On the inside, I made use of bias tape to finish any exposed edges. I ran out of denim during cut out so I had to use some lining fabric for the inside inset. Since it was thinner then the bodice fabric, I added interfacing. This piece was slipstitched all the way around.

On the side seams I used french seams, and the armholes were covered with more bias tape.

Here's the inside slit. I curved the edges so I could use even more bias tape but I think I'm going to do this from now on for garments with slits. The corners don't fall forward and there is no need to tack them down.

Okay, so why denim? Is it because I homeschool and all homeschooling mamas are required to run around it denim jumpers? (Just kidding!) No, I actually wanted a dress to match these shoes. I know they're a little different, but I love them.

Up next is Vogue 8536, the cross-over front top with long sleeves.