Just In Case Anybody Was Looking...

I'm still here. After we got back from California in August there wasn't much mojo for sewing at all. Then another month passed and I really didn't have much of an excuse by then. I have been keeping up with everyone's blog but not my own. Now I'm in school and I'm really excited, nervous and over-whelmed all at once. I'm in my 3rd week and things are going good except all this homework is truly a new world for me. Hubby has been extremely supportive and helpful, so that's been wonderful! So until I can get a handle on this which I hope is before the holidays. I'll be seeing you all in spirit on your blogs.

Leaving you with a few quotes/thoughts that are helping me right now:
There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. - Christopher Morely

The deepest personal defeat suffered by human beings is constituted by the difference between what one was capable of becoming and what one has in fact become. - Ashley Montagu

The foundation of anyone's ability to cope successfully is high self-esteem. If you don't already have it, you can always develop it. - Virginia Satir


Until next time,

Christy

Simplicity 2603

This cardigan and tank were extremely easy and fast to make. I wore this cardigan as my jacket every day that I could in Cali.

can be worn open and the long ends to get caught up in your legs







sleeve cuff

lettuce edging from the serger

Stone Mountain & Daughter Fabrics

Here is where I spent my last day @ Stone Mountain & Daughter in Berkeley, CA.

Here I've purchased a pre-ruched piece of fabric that all I need to do is stretch to my size and then sew the one seam. Since I've made a couple of these before I'm going to make staps to ensure that it stays up. It can be annoying constantly pulling on the dress during the day.

Another pre-ruched piece of fabric. More of a tie-dyed look.

The three pieces below are some really nice cottons that I scooped up!

This one is an unusual eyelet fabric. close up

here is a beautiful eyelet fabric

close up a very sheer cotton with come wacky designs

I also bought a double tracing wheel and a Making Trousers for Men & Women its David Page Coffin.

BWOF 07-2009-124B

So I got a tan!!
Here is the dress that I was too embarrassed to wear. It's came out very nice but I don't like how it looks on me. Since it doesn't flare at the bottom it makes my hips and butt look larger than they are, lol! Another reason I didn't wear it in San Fran was because it was too windy and cold for it. I wear try to find somewhere to wear it to, maybe to the EnVogue concert next weekend @ Chastain... although I would to have a nice pair of shorts for the concert since it's outside.

front

back I used Tany's idea for the back because it did sit too low for me.

We are back!

We arrived back in Atlanta on Sunday at 4:30am EST! I know right, redder than red-eye!
I will be posting pics today just have to get them from hubby's laptop to mine. I only got around to making BWOF 07-2009 124B & the Simplicity cardigan, that I love so much and will be making another very soon. I feel like I'm leaving something out! Oh well maybe I'll remember when I'm posting this evening.

Quick sewing update before vacay!

Hi All,
Just wanted to let you all know that have sewing my butt off for my vacation this coming weekend.
So far I've made Simplicity 2603 in a cream lightweight knit, the cardigan and the tank. I'm currently sewing BWOF 07-2009 124B in a fushica and white knit and next up is BWOF 07-2009 124A in a white with purple print knit and after that is Simplicity 2579 View C in a pink and white poly blend. This past weekend I was trying to make a pair of shorts an OOP Butterick pattern and I'm having too many fitting issues to where I may not make them at all. I'm also going to see if I have some time to make another Simplicity 2603 in a moss green knit.

All pictures will taken in sunny (and maybe windy) California, will try and post them as I take them but hey I'll be on vacay so no promises!

Until next time!

Looky what came in the mail today!

I love international sewing magazines especially when they aren't printed in English (don't know why just do).

Now I may have found a new one

this is the site that I frequently buy my Knipmode mags from is now selling F.I.M.I.

Here is the site that I get them from, the cool thing about the F.I.M.I. mag is that it's like BWOF, Knipmode &Ottobre.

Client Dresses & Skirt done!

I made a few casuals dresses for a couple of ladies.
Here they are modeling and a few close ups of the details.
Sorry I took quick and candid shots.

Going on vacation in two weeks and I can't wait. Now the question is if I can make a few quick items before I leave.

I'll be in the SF Bay area on Aug 8, what is there to do out there?

I ran out of steam!

I have so much going on right now that I just can't do it all, especially this weekend.
Those five dresses are going to have to wait right now. One is almost complete however I don't like it. Mom says it looks ok but she did just say "ok" and not "cute". You know the difference as well as I do and that's why I'm going to finish (I promise) but it probably won't be worn except for the picture to post. I have 3 dresses and a skirt that I'm working on for clients.
That's pretty much what I have going on right now. Just moody right now (DH, no comment!? ok??). Not sleeping all that great (stupid hair rollers).

I'll post everything when I can.

Quote for the day:
Nothing is a simple as we hope it will be!

Tracing is Done! Cutting has begun! Still no sewing YET!

All 5 dresses have been traced out.
4 dresses have been cut. I am still having a hard time trying to decide on the fabric for BWOF June #107. I don't know why it's a hard decision but it is. Maybe because I think that it will look beautiful in white could be the reason why...
Something else I noticed is that Knipmode's pattern layout is not based on the best way to save fabric (if that's how you say it). The Big 4 pattern companies provide the best way to lay fabric out saving as much fabric as possible (their general goal).
Knipmode's 05/2008 #13 dress says that it's supposed to use a little more than 4 yrds of fabric. Of course this was a chore looking for fabric in my stash were I actually purchased more than 4 yrds other than the holidays for gifts. I found one and still only used 3.5 yrds. Their layout was not pattern piece/fabric conscious at all, there were large areas of fabric were other pieces could fit nicely and I took advantage of that. Oh well... you live and learn... I guess I was lazy at the moment, I could laid it all out and judged from there...
I plan to start sewing tomorrow even if I haven't made my final choice on the last BWOF dress.

Cheers!!!

TNT - BWOF 09/2006 #115

Here are the two dresses that caused me loose my focus on my current plan.
I love this pattern! You can literally make this dress in one day, 4 hours tops!

Dress #1 in a purple knit from Fabric.com's recent sale.

I didn't use the facing or collar. I topstitched with a tri color thread.

Here is the thread I used for topstitching.


Dress #2 in a bizarre knit print. Purchased from a discount fabric store a few years ago. Made a Burda top out of it the first time and still had enough for this dress with 1 yd left.

armhole zig zag stitched

a close-up of the bizarre print. I love the colors in it which is why i bought it.

I'm done tracing and right now I'm cutting out the patterns and organizing to prepare for the next step. After that I'm going to press the pre-washed fabric and wash the rest.

Still Tracing!

I would have been done by now if I hadn't gotten distracted and made two dresses. I forgot about a recital on Saturday and that was it after that. I will post those pics soon.

So far three of the five dresses are traced out and maybe more can be traced out today when I get home.

What's Next

If you hadn't noticed I LOVE dresses! I believe that dresses are the absolute easiest thing to slip on and go when you are trying to get ready for work. Especially for those of us that don't iron clothes at night (just can't do it)! I have a long list of dresses lined up and probably won't be posting for a while because I have A LOT of tracing to do!
Dress #1 - Knipmode #13 May 2008. Haven't decided yet which fabric or color that I'm going to use yet.


Dress #2 - Knipmode #21 June 2009. I am going to make this one in tan w/black contrast in linen.

Dress #3 - Knipmode #1 April 2009

The great thing about this dress if you notice in the next two pics is that this dress can be made out of cotton or knit, gonna have a ball with this one! I have chosen either my pea green knit (which may be too bright) or my sage green knit or my tan knit, so may options!

Dress #4 - BWOF June 2009 #107 - I have not decided what color this dress is going to be in yet. This looks like it will be cute in white or tan...

Dress #5 - BWOF June 2009 #110 - I have chosen a fuchsia cotton with a black cotton skirt to go on underneath (model is wearing a skirt under the dress).

I plan to put a pattern together for mom tonight while we are watching the game and then maybe I can trace at least one out after that.
That's all for today I know I've said a mouthful!

Three More Dresses!!

The gold strapless dress was a success. I got tons of compliments. I hemmed it on Friday night and it didn't look right when I pressed it. So on Saturday morning I serged the hem and removed the stitched hem leaving the edges with the serged stitching.

I'm ashamed to say that I could have made these two dresses a long time ago. These two are made of fabric from cotton and pre-ruched at the top. All you do is select the right fit by pinning it on and then sew it up, and that's it!

Here is the second dress made from this pattern except I changed the neckline to scoop from the original v-neck version.

Next up I'm deciding between three dresses from Knipmode's May 2008, April 2009 & June 2009. We'll see!