Monthly Roundup - March 2010

Seriously, is it already April???  March was a crazy month for us personally, and I felt like I was moving really slowly as the beginning of the month, but I must have picked up momentum, since I managed my usual baker's dozen or so projects.  Other than the jeans, there weren't many complicated projects, so that helped.

1) Ottobre 02/2005-25 shirt for Logan
2)Ottobre 01/2009-25 pants for Logan
3) Vogue 8598 blouse for me

4) New Look 6638 PJs for Myra

5) DIY pink and green skirt for the Kitschy Coo sew along for me

6) RTW copy tee for me

7) McCall's 5142 jeans, my first piece for the PR mini wardrobe

8) burda style 02/2010-122A top, also for the mini wardrobe

9) Vogue 8157 capris, ended up to small and had to go to wadder-ville

10) New Look 6704 top for the mini wardrobe

11) New Look 6641 shorts for Logan
12) A self-drafted full skirt for me for the mini wardrobe
13) Kwik Sew 2881 bike shorts for Mitch

That is a grand total of 14 garments.  The breakdown is 6 tops, 6 pants and 2 skirts.  8 of those were for me (thanks to the mini wardrobe!), 1 for Mitch, 3 for Logan and 2 for Myra.  One pair of pants are a wadder.

New skills I worked on...
1) Fitting a close fitted woven blouse.  I'm pretty comfortable in knitwear territory, but fitting wovens is tricky for me.  This is still very much in progress!
2) Pattern drafting from measurements.  I've drafted 2 skirt patterns using the Cal Patch drafting book. I want to give the tee shirt a try as well.
3) Sewing on a vintage machine!  What a surprise!

Toward my other goals, I've sewn 16.17 yards this month and 14.67 were from my stash!!  Awesome.  Of course, there were a few fabric sales that I succumbed to.  I also sewed from burda style this month!  Yay!  I entered a PR contest and sewed a great little wardrobe that I am really excited about.  I have to say that I am really glad that I entered the contest, but I had a lot of challenges with fitting of several of my garments and I got a little frustrated toward the end.  I like to sew with a plan, but I'm not sure I like the pressure of a set deadline.   Maybe 4 garments was a bit much for a first contest.  As for outfits, I did sew a mini wardrobe; all in blue and all of which coordinate with each other.  I also sewed an adorable pink and green skirt that I have absolutely nothing to wear with.  You win some...

For April, I still have quite a few projects on the drawing board from last month.

My first tailoring attempt hasn't even left the pattern envelope, although I did steam the wool.  Baby steps.  To be honest, I'm having a hard time mustering up any desire to sew heavy wool coating.  It's been in the 80s all week.  I'm not sure when I'll feel like working on this, but I've learned the hard way not to tackle something tough when I'm not excited about it, so it goes on the backburner for now.

This little cutie will be perfect for the weather, though!  It's near the top of my short list.

As is this other vintage lovely.  This long dress just looks so cool and comfortable.  It makes me feel like I should be lounging on the porch with a tall glass of lemonade.

And it's never too hot for skimpy lingerie.  Mitch is excited about this one, too.

Myra needs more PJs, and I have a few pieces of girlie flannel crying out the be used.  This New Look pattern is a fun one.  I'm trying it out on the pink now and if I love it, then I'll cut into those cute owls.

I need a top to go with my poor orphan skirt.  This ITY from FFC is a great match to the pink! I'm thinking either Vogue 8390 or 8635.  I also really like the new 8649, but it isn't in my stash (yet!).
Other than that, I think I'll just leave it loose.  Too much structure isn't good for my creativity, and that Mini wardrobe contest really took it out of me.  I still have to take pictures and I'm not sure I've even completely decided which pieces to include...  More later!