Monthly Roundup - February 2011

Wow, was this an unproductive month for me!  To be fair, I didn't have a sewing space for 2 weeks of it, but still!!

I completed only 4 projects, and one of them was only alterations and two were UFOs that just had to be completed, so I really only finished one item in its entirety.  Yikes!

What I managed:
1) New Look 6895 skirt for me
2) Alterations to a bridesmaid dress
3) Simplicity 5695 dress for Myra
4) Simplicity 2658 bolero for Danye

I did get to exercise some creativity and drafting skills for both bridal pieces.  The bridesmaid dress was an interesting challenge, particularly in figuring out how to cover the back.  The bolero was fun, and I made enough alterations that I had to draft the upper collar and facings from scratch, as well as the lining pattern.  I've drafted my own linings enough now that I am feeling really comfortable with the process.  I really think a lined garment is so much nicer, so I'm glad I've learned to do it well.

Upcoming will be an entire family of Easter clothes, but first I have to finish a dress I've promised Myra.

The pattern is Simplicity 2709, and I'm shamelessly copying the cute pink version in the pattern picture.  I'm using a hot pink cotton jacquard that I got from FFC, and lining with hot pink acetate from FabricMart.  As you can see, I added a Disney princess appliqué to the bodice. I think it's a wee tacky, but Myra will LOVE it. Although the pattern calls for a pseudo lining of the bodice only, I'm fully lining it and using an invisible zipper, so I'm rearranging the order of construction completely.  Fun times!  It's about half done, so hopefully I'll be able to show it to you in a few days.

I'm also working on Ring Slings with my sewing group.  I'm pretty excited to be teaching them about this, since I've gotten so much out of making and using my slings.  I'm planning to make mine out of brown poly/rayon "Linen Look", with olive green bindings and gold rings.

I have already mentioned my Easter plans for the kids, but I got ambitious and decided I'd try to dress the whole family!  For Mitch, I want to try my hand at a dress shirt again.  He has a very hard time finding RTW shirts that really fit, so this isn't going to be a quick project, but I think it'll be worth it.  We're going to start with Kwik Sew 2777,

and some poly/rayon "Linen Look" in a slightly lighter blue than the kids (in the background of the picture).  I picked up enough fabric to also make myself Simplicity 2996.  I'm planning to make view A, in the upper left corner.  I know, in blue like the model - I'm really not very creative this month!

All of that is pretty ambitious, even for me!  It's a good thing that Easter is late this year!  I do still have my next SISC project lined up - Simplicity 2614 in a green and cream lawn.  I haven't even traced it yet - in fact the fabric and pattern are in the garage right now.  It'll just have to wait until after I get the Easter sewing done.