How do you shop?

I did something today that I very seldom do.  I went to the fabric store (OK, I do that all the time - wait for it...), and purchased supplies for a specific project.

My McCall's 6024 dress for Easter.  I didn't have anything in my stash that made me happy for it, so I had to get something new.  Pattern in hand, I trotted over to Hancock's, got my fabric - the precise yardage called for, notions and thread all in one fell swoop.  Like I said, I never do this.  Usually I see a drool-worthy fabric and get enough for what I think I might want to make, then figure out exactly what it will become later - sometimes MUCH later.

What about you, are you a stasher, like I usually am?  Or are you project oriented?

Jalie 2787

Since I wasn't too jazzed about my last wrap front top, I approached this one with a little trepidation, but I think it was more successful!

I'm not looking my best in these pics, so you'll have to pardon the headless shots.  This top is Jalie's criss cross nursing top made from a nylon Tactel knit from Fabric.com.  I definitely am happier with the fit here, although it isn't perfect.  All I did was cut the criss cross panels to my full bust and the rest of the pattern pieces based on my high bust.  Other than some minor gapping on the lower edge of the wrap section, which I noticed that several other full-busted reviewers on PR had, the fit is good!

Here is the gapping I was talking about.  It looks like I'm raising my arm, but I'm not.  That is the way it lays with my arms down.  You can also see that the side seam pulls a bit to the front.  I think this in inevitable if the criss cross panels are going to be snug across the chest.

Here is the other side, which lies quite flat and nice.  I'm pretty close to the same size on both sides, so I'm not sure how to account for the difference, but this was also noted by other reviewers on PR.

The back fits well and you can see the cool bell sleeves, which I really like.  All in all, I think this one is a winner.  I didn't take a picture of the nursing opening for you (because that would be weird), so you'll have to take my word that that aspect works quite well.  For the next time, I may try to take a small wedge out of the wrap section where it gaps and see if that helps.

Ottobre 01/2009-21 "Teku"

I really couldn't wait to try out one of my new Ottobres!!  This is a sort of mock-up for the pants I'm planning to make Logan for Valentine's Day.  I wasn't confident of his size, so I decided to make a basic pair in the size I think he needs (92) to try them out.  He also has been bugging me to make him some more fleece pants for naptime, so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.

So, here are the fleece version of the "Teku" pant from the 01/2009 issue if Ottobre.  I didn't do any of the embellishment or pockets, so they were a crazy quick sew.  This is the basis for like four different pairs of pants, so Logan is about to seriously upgrade his wardrobe in the pants department!

The fit in the straight 92 is good, so we're going forward!  Logan really likes these.  (You'll find his dump truck shirt here.)  I already cut out the "real" pair from some red rayon/poly "Linen Look" fabric.

Perfect for naptime.

Simplicity 2733

After working on the Myrtlewood for so long, I needed a quick and dirty knit top for some instant gratification sewing.

This probably shouldn't have been it...  I made so many dumb mistakes making this top!!  Fortunately, it's a nice forgiving ITY, so it is still pretty wearable, but I'm definitely not in love with it.

Here is the side view.  I really like the pleated and gathered sleeves.  They are so pretty in this drapey fabric!

Back view.  This fabric is so cool that I really wanted to use it on something interesting.  I chose this pattern for the interesting wrap detail, so that I could really take advantage of the cool stripe.  I think this may have backfired though.

This pink stripe that runs across the bottom of one boob makes it looks smaller than the other.  Oops.  You can also see in the picture my rookie fitting mistake.  The bodice is two layers, and under layer that is just a plain scoop neck and the wrap over layer.  I did a traditional FBA on the under layer, but for the wrap layer I just lengthened the "legs" of the wrap, but neglected to alter the upper bodice section of the wrap, so the two sides didn't match up.  I should have re-cut the piece, but seriously, y'all, I was just lazy, so I eased the long one into the short one.  That's the gathered bit.  It looks OK, since the lower section is gathered anyway.  It's still not making me jump for joy.  Since I didn't alter the entire wrap bodice, it is too small overall and pulls the side seams to the front.  Again, not so bad as to make the top unwearable, just enough to make me unhappy with it.

The pattern was basically good, although I did have a few gripes with it.  Primarily because it is a Project Runway pattern and therefore supposed to allow you all of these different options, which it does, but I think it does so at the expense of common sense at times.  For example, the neckline is just a basic turned under hem, which is fine, except that you hem the wrap overlay first, then sew it to the unhemmed underlay, seam the shoulders and then you are supposed to hem the back and underlay together, except you can because the wrap overlay is in the way.  This would work fine for the basic scoop neck without the overlay, but they just didn't think through the way that the overlay would effect the construction.  Lazy!

Will I sew it again?  Maybe.  I like the idea of it and I think if I worked out my fit problems and avoided the stripes this would be a super cute top.  I can also see it as a great maternity top, for sometime much later, when I need one of those again.

Monthly Roundup - January '10

Well, this month sure hasn't shaped up the way I planned!  In my head, I was going to do my own little solo Month of Tops, but I was distracted by a fun new pattern, and a beautiful fabric.  Still, I had a ton of fun sewing and learning new things this month.

Completed projects:
1) Kwik Sew 2881 bike shorts for Mitch, twice!
2) Kwik Sew 3570 zip front turtleneck for Mitch, also twice!
3) New Look 6816 sweater for me
4) Simplicity 4378 scrub set for Mitch
5) Simplicity 3765 baby pants, twice for a girl baby and once for a boy
6) Lekala 5674 top for me, nearly completed, currently considered a wadder...
7) Ottobre 03/2004-9 for a birthday girl
8) A bag for blocks
9) Sew Chic 7401 - the Myrtlewood dress for me

That totals up to 12 individual garments, one bag and one wadder, which I may yet rescue, so maybe I'll call it a UFO...

New skills I worked on:
1) Inserted, exposed zip placket - twice!
2) sewing Spandex
3) Inserting gussets in kimono sleeves
4) Drafting/sewing a lining for a faced dress with a classic skirt vent

I didn't really sew outfits except for the dress, but I made the top I did get done to go with items already in my wardrobe, which I think counts!  For my other 2010 goals, I didn't do quite as well.  I didn't sew from burda style this month, and way less than 50% of my projects were from stash fabrics, although I did sew several stash patterns, so that is a bit of an improvement.

For February, I think I need to start thinking about Easter.  I'd also like to finish up the tops from January.

But before Easter is Valentine's Day!  Mom plans to embroider some tees for the kids on her new toy.  A matching skirt for Myra is also in the works.  I offered to complete the look with pants for Logan with stash fabric and a pattern from one of my new Ottobre mags - 01/2009-21.

I thought topstitching in white would be nice for Valentine's, and Mom suggested that they'd be great for Independence Day as well paired with a ring striped tee in navy and white, which I also happen to have in stash!  Perfect!

On to my Easter plans --
For Myra -

New Look 6575, view A in white crepe with a blue floral overlay.  These fabrics are from my Mom's stash and according to her tags (she's amazing at documentation) were purchased in 2005.  Now that they are fully aged, they're ready to be made into a froufy Easter dress!!

For Logan -

Ottobre 04/2004-15 pants of navy twill and 04/2004-14 shirt of quilting cotton that I let him choose.  In a surprise move, he went for Thomas the Train instead of Lightning McQueen!  I was shocked!  I find that if I let him choose his own fabric he's much more likely to wear the finished garment.

For me -

McCall's 6024.  I'm still not sure about fabric for this one.  I'm not sure that I have anything in my stash that I love for this.  I would like a floral print in something floaty, I think, but I'm concerned that since both sides of the flounce will inevitably show, a print could be problematic.  I'll be on the lookout...

For Mitch -
He's recently lost a significant amount of weight and needs dress shirts that don't balloon around his waist.  I've gotten an excellent fit for him from vintage McCall's 3439, which is quite fitted in the body.  I'm not quite happy with how the collar is coming out, though, so I think that I will use the collar pattern pieces from McCall's 4530, which has a more modern size and shape.  I've some chocolate brown shirting on it's way from Fabric.com and I'll start there...

Goals wise, I am not using much stash fabric here, just for Myra's dress and both of Logan's pants.  All of the patterns except McCall's 6024 are from stash, so I'll call that OK.  Still no burda style, but seriously, y'all, I wanted to sew my dress from burda style, but out of the 10 issues I have, none of the dresses said Easter to me like the McCall's, and I've learned long ago not to sew something that I am lukewarm about.  During my perusal of my mags though I found some great tops and skirts that I'll be sewing soon, so it wasn't a total loss!