That's a whole lot of look?

Making a cover-up for in between belly dancing shows. Planning on using this pattern from Decades of Style.



I am really struggling with the fabric choice though. It is for belly dance purposes, so I definitely don't want something too plain. But I am only 5 foot nothing and with too bold a fabric, that would definitely be too much look for my short round body.

These are some fabrics I am considering, conveniently on sale at Gorgeous Fabrics....

1.2.
3.4.
5.6.
7.8.
9.10.
11.12.
13.14.

Any favorites? Or other recommendations? Or would all of these overwhelm me and I should just go with a solid of some sort?

Ack! And Shimmy!

ETA: Hmmm. The more I look, the more the subtlety of 13 and 14 appeal. Hmmmm. But then again, subtle not exactly the belly dancing way. :-D

More ETA: Now I may also be considering a pattern like the one below....

So productive I don't even know what to do with myself

A very productive weekend for me! First, I made a quick Jalie top to wear to our usual Second Saturday swing dance in Richmond. Fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics, of course.



I had a few problems with it, mostly of my own creation. I tried to do a FBA, forgetting that I usually don’t need to with Jalie knit shirts. But after fiddling with it for a while, it was pronounced Good Enough and worn happily to the dance. I like the style and it was pretty easy to put together. I am sure I will do another one and not try to “fix” it and then it will turn out splendidly. All I see are fitting issues, but I got many compliments on it at the dance, so perhaps to the non-sewing eye it looked fine.

Most of the sewing was quilting stuff. I am still in progress on the Giraffe Baby quilts. The tops are done now, and I spent the weekend practicing free motion quilting. Here was my very first attempt.



Not perfect, but not too shabby for a first try. But I wanted a bunch more practice before I quilted on the Baby quilts, particularly since they are a gift. I decided to make a very small little quilt to put on the cat’s window seat, a Cat Mat. I figured the cats wouldn’t care if the quilting was a little wonky! 

I whipped together this quilt top and quilted it as my second practice piece.



Much better! Still not perfection, but good enough to start on the Baby quilts. I set it aside to do the binding later.

I actually finished the quilting on one of the Baby quilts and started the binding. There are a few boo-boos, but I don’t think they are noticeable and I really feel like I am getting the hang of free-motion quilting on my machine. But all of these projects are very small, so doing the Mod quilt will still be an adventure. I will try to have pictures of the finished quilt top tomorrow, but no promises as I am meeting with Vintage Pants dude again tonight to go over some changes he wants in the pants.

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Parting shot: The children are enjoying the end of rain and the opening of the house.

Hot Patterns Almost Success

So I made the Hot Patterns Kimono dress to wear for The Husband's birthday....and he didn't like it! So I ended up wearing something else to the big dance. He very diplomatically said that it was a pretty dress, but maybe didn't show off my fabulousness quite as much as other things I have in my closet. I tend to agree. He also said it looks like a bathrobe, which I think is not the case.

Plus after I made it, I realized it is not a practical dress to wear swing dancing. I would be fiddling with that belt all night and it doesn't wrap quite enough for it to not expose all my goodies when I spin on the floor.

It is a pretty dress and I like the idea of it. But on me it doesn't quite work. Some of that is the fit--I should have done a FBA--, but some of that is also that there are very few things that I think are flattering to my current figure.

Fortunately, my current figure is changing for the better. Down 8 pounds (only 40 more to go, ha!) so far on the new workout/food plans, so yay! Maybe I will make this one again once I reach the goal weight. Or alter this one to fit, since I love the fabric combo.



Pattern Review

Pattern Description: An exotic twist on the classic wrap dress, this deliciously flattering style is designed for drapey, fluid knits like silk(y) jersey, rayon or lightweight cotton knits. Fitted wrap Dress has a shoulder-princess seamed bodice with V-neck front wrap and an optional button fastening, neatly hidden by the waist ties. Dress has 3/4 length sleeves and a below-knee length quarter-circle wrap skirt, and features contrast neckband and wide, extra-long waist ties. This great Dress is sure to become a staple of your HotPatterns wardrobe-it’s your go-to style for dressy daywear, or a low-key evening outfit. Try it with knee-high boots, a slouchy bag and a pashmina for a daytime diva look, or add your favorite heels and an exotic clutch for an easy after-5 ensemble.

Fabric Used: Scraps from the Jalie dress, originally from Gorgeous Fabrics.

How were the instructions? Fine. Like most Hot Patterns, they are skimpy if you are used to the Big Four, but more than enough for a somewhat experienced seamstress.

Construction Notes: When I did the ties, I thought they were ridiculously long. But once everything was put together, I liked being able to double wrap it. I did do the optional buttons, but it felt pretty secure for a wrap dress even without them. If I wasn't so full in the bust (and thus paranoid about wardrobe malfunctions) I doubt I would have bothered.

The dress was just the right length on me, so if you are even beginning to approach normal height, you would probably want to add a bit to be on the safe side.

Likes/Dislikes: I like the style. I didn't like the way it looked on my teapot body. This is an ongoing theme for me, so I am beginning to blame my self-image issues WAY more than the patterns.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I would recommend it as it is a wrap dress that is different enough from the million other wrap dresses to stand out a bit. Plus it is a pretty easy sew and came together pretty quickly.

Conclusion: This is the closest I have come to a success with Hot Patterns. That said, it will probably languish in my closet for a while unworn until I alter it to fit a slimmer me or I give up on it and give it away.


ETA: Yes, my hair has blue streaks in it. And yes, it is intentional.

My affair with Jalie

Oh Jalie knit top patterns
How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.

I love your twist top pattern,
Which shows off my chest without showing my chest

I love your sweetheart pattern,
Which fits me so nice right out of the package,

And now, I love your Empire Waist Tunic.



Sorry I only have pics of this top "in action" so to speak. I made this top straight out of the envelope, using yet ANOTHER fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. This fabrics was a little wild and very pink for me, so I choose this pattern with the big black bands to calm it down a little

It fits nicely standing still, but when I am dancing, the black band under the bust does ride up a bit. So when I make it again (and I WILL!!) I will probably lengthen the bodice pieces a bit so the band fits right against my underbust area. I like the tie in the back which makes it ever so slightly adjustable. It would be so easy to lengthen this one into a dress as well.

Four stars!!

p.s. My apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning and all her fans

Jalie and Fred--Disaster times Two!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled wedding dress sewing posts for this Jalie Top.

Several weeks ago was my office summer bowling party. The name of my team was The Frame Throwers. We all decided that LOOKING good while bowling was much better than BEING good at bowling. We got together and coordinated various "flame" outfits as a play on our team name. I made the Jalie 2806 with the gathered foldover. I used a flame-y fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. Here is the result.



This top, I am sad to say, was a disappointment. Or maybe disappointment is too strong a word, as the end result was really cute I think. I struggled to get to this point though. After being MORE than pleased with all the other Jalie tops I have done and thrilled with how easily and quickly they went together, this one made me cranky.

It was the instructions for the gathered foldover part. I may just be being a blockhead, but I still don't know how I was supposed to do that according to the pattern instructions. After reading them multiple times, walking away, coming back and reading them again, I still didn't get it. I ended up just futzing around with the fabric until it approximated something that looked purposeful. I really liked the tulip sleeves though, so I will probably adapt them into other patterns.

Like I said, I liked the final result, but I don't think I will be making this one again. I make knit tops in between my Big Scary Projects because they as close as instant gratification as you get with sewing. And this one was far from instant--I don't want to be stressed out when making my stress busters!!


In other news, sewing plans were CANCELLED last night when I came home and found Fred's cast laying on the floor with no Fred in it! I took him (and the empty cast) to the vet and they don't think he did himself any harm and rebandaged him. They said they had never seen a cat wiggle out of its cast before. The new bandage is more secure and hopefully he will not houdini himself out of that one.

He and his brother are named after the Weasley brothers in the Harry Potter books.....perhaps I should have named him after a Muggle so he couldn't magic himself into so much trouble!!

Sweethearts and Lasers

I loved the Jalie sweetheart top I made before so much that I made another.



Fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. The comparison of this pic to myself in this shirt a few months ago makes me realize that all those workouts I have been doing are not completely in vain. Or that I am just better at fitting myself in a flattering way. Either one, I'll take it!

The look on my face is because just as The Boy was about to take the picture the Orange Menace (aka Fred the Cat) was just putting his paws up to scratch a chair. So I had to give him my Don't Make Me Come Over There laser beam eyes.

Seeing Spots, in a good way

I was going to blog about the outfit I made for the office X-mas party, but I made this shirt last week and love it so much that I bumped it up in line.

This is Jalie's 2794, the new sweetheart knit top pattern. I LOVE IT!!!! If I thought The Boy and the cats would tolerate it, I would make it up for all of them and make them wear it too.




Fabric: Two knit fabrics from Gorgeous Fabrics. I bought the dotty fabric and ordered a swatch of the pink solid based on one of Ann's Perfect Pairing recommendations. And then the swatch was almost big enough for me to use for the binding.....so I did. Shame on me. Don't look at the back neckline too closely, because it is sadly pieced together there. :-)

Alterations or Changes?: None!! For the first time ever I think, I made a pattern straight out of the envelope. I have a bunch of other Jalie patterns that have now moved to the top of my To Do list. They fit me nicely and are well drafted with good instructions.

Conclusion: As I said, this is now one of my favorite patterns. As an added bonus, when I wore it for the first time The Boy said "Wow, did you make that? It looks awesome!" This is a ringing endorsement since 1) he almost never notices what I wear 2)when forced to give his opinion, it is generally of the "that's nice" variety. I had so many complements on it the night I wore it out, that I think I am going to be making and/or teaching at least two of my friends to make one as well!

Diamonds--They [are] Rock!

My very first Burda World of Fashion effort! Yay! This is pattern 105 from the 7/2007 issue. Ignore the green--it is a dress that was already on my dress form and I was too lazy to take it off before dressing her in the shirt.

Front: Back:


Fabric: Do I really have to tell you? Gorgeous Fabrics, of course. I love this fabric because it is ever so slightly sparkley, but not so much that it blinds people when I walk in the room. Just gives a little shimmer when I move.


Changes and Notes: Since the fabric was so Diamond-y, I squared off the round hole in the back so it had a more diamond shape.

I also added my usual couple inches in length since I was going to wear this dancing--if it was for everyday wear, the given length would have been perfect.

It took me about a billion tries to get that knot tied so it wasn't all wonky, and I am never ever ever untieing it. But otherwise, this pattern went together great!!

Conclusion: I love this shirt because I am always looking for variations on the basic knit top, since I wear them so much. I took it for a test dance and it was complimented by many. The hole is just high enough that the leads don't end up touching my bare back, which is disconcerting for me and for them. And I am already planning my next Burda effort.

Hexy Shirt

So there I was, all ready to make another scoop neck Simplicity 4076. And then I handed myself this note:

Dear Self,
Stop. Seriously, remember when you were counting your patterns and stopped with embarrassment when you hit the triple digits? Perhaps you should try one of your 15 or so new patterns sitting in your drawer rather than yet another version of this pattern. Just a thought.
Love, Me

So I pulled out New Look 6729.



I was a little askaird of it, but Me could not be denied. And here is the result.



MY REVIEW:

Pattern Description: I made view C, the short sleeve version without the belt tie. I thought this was a neat variation on a wrap top.

How Were the Instructions? They were fine, easy to follow. But this shirt was only three pieces, so I really didn't refer to them too much.

Fabric Used: A knit print from Gorgeous Fabrics. But of course. I think I am single-handedly paying for at least one of her son's future college education. :-)

Alterations or Changes? I tried to do a FBA, but I need to figure out how to do a better/bigger adjustment, because the underbust seam isn't actually under my bust. It is a little low cut for me, especially for dancing. I actually have it pinned shut here--it naturally opened a little lower than the picture.

I also like my tops a little longer, again for dancing, but it is a fine length for just wearing with jeans or such. The hem is actually even across my hips in person, it just looks ridey-uppy in the picture.

Would I Make it Again? I really like the style and think it could be flattering. It is just a matter if I want to fuss with it to figure out how to make the changes I need. I think this could become one of my favorites (especially if I lose a few pounds and thus don't need to mess with it more)

Ye Olde Simplicity 4076

The wrap version this time. I think I like the other version I did better, but this one is pretty nice.



Fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics, natch.
I did a FBA and added a little to the length, but other than that this one went together with not a lot of work.

I am still learning to fit this significantly heavier body of mine, so the fit isn't all I would like it to be. But still, it fits better than most RTW and it survived a night of swing dancing with no wardrobe malfunctions, so I suppose I am happy with it.

If I weren't already engaged......

New fabric arrived in the mail yesterday and all I can say is droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!!!

Backstory: I am making this suit for The Boy for our wedding next year.



And I bought this wool fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics (among others, but I took them out of the box and hid them before The Boy could see and fuss at me about it. teeheehee).

Ever since it arrived yesterday, I have been resisting the urge to continually pet it. I want to make a nest out of it and live in it forever and ever. It is some seriously nice fabric.

And such a relief because we have been searching for fabric FOREVER and this was the first one under 80 bucks a yard that meets his (dark grey) and my (high quality wool of appropriate weight for mens suit) requirements.

I just hope there is enought left over to make something for me!

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I am a sheep, I admit it. I am finally getting around doing a version of the shirt that everyone and their cousin has made already. Not only am I a sheep, I am a LATE sheep.

But here is my version of Simplicity 4076.




It turned out ok I think.

I used a knit from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course!). I love buying fabric from her because I feel like I can trust her fabrics, which is always an issue with buying on-line. But I feel like Ann wouldn't sell fabric that she wouldn't use herself, and she has IMPECCABLE taste (she is kinda my Laura for you Project Runway fans :-).

The neckband instructions in the pattern were stupid, so I ignored them. I did a FBA and then rotated the dart into the neckline gathers. I also added an inch to the length because I was going to wear it dancing and I like shirts a little longer for that. If I make it again, I may make the sleeves a little longer.

I think this pattern might be added to my quick, easy, and happy pile. Sometimes following the crowd is a good thing (ACK! My inner rebel cringes at typing that, and I can hear my mother say "I told you so! Now how about a little lipstick honey!").

Note to Self: find photographer other than The Boy or you will continue to get one kinda usable picture among lots of pictures of your cleavage.

You can't always get what you want.

So when I first planned and cut this pattern (Vogue 8386), I had planned it to be all one color. I just enough of a beautiful deep chocolatey brown knit from Gorgeous Fabrics.

Very stupidly I didn't bother to muslin, or raise the neckline, or do a FBA, or any of the other things a smart careful seamstress might do. I basted it together and tried it on.....DANGER!!!! EXTREME INAPPROPRIATE CLEAVAGE SHOWING!!!! I can't even show a picture of how bad it was unless I want to launch a new career in seamstress porn. Let's just say if I happened to be nursing a child (or two), very little adjustment would have been necessary.

After pouting for a few hours, I went back to see what I could salvage.

The bodice was a total loss, but the skirt was great. I poked around the stash and VOILA!!!!!! Yet another knit from Gorgeous Fabrics. So the browns didn't completely match, but with the pattern on the fabric you couldn't really tell and it still looked good.

I made a better bodice with the new knit and then did a serged rolled hem with teal thread on the brown sash edges to tie it in to the top a little better (no pun intended).

For a dress that was nearly a wadder, it turned out pretty good! I'll write a real review of the pattern soon. But I loved loved loved working with both of these fabrics. Hopefully I have enough of the teal and brown fabric to make a top later as well.




ETA: I had to post this second picture because my fiance said "You look like a total tool in that picture. We need one of you smiling." He then told fart jokes until I started laughing and took the picture. Thus the second picture which shows little of the dress but makes the boy happy.