Sewing A Little Here and There - M5515 and M5801

I had the grand plan of finishing the matching jacket to my apple green jeans this weekend. But it didn't happen. Friday night I sat down to sew, completing all parts up to finishing the front zipper. And lo and behold. The zipper was too short. Well I purchased the length indicated on the pattern. I did not think about the FBA adding length to the front of the jacket, which it did. So, I decided to put the lining together a pick up another zipper later.



Saturday morning (not feeling to well), I stopped by to the local WalMart (trying to save time) to see if they had a forest green separating zipper. No such luck. I didn't feel like going to Joann's or Hancock's so I headed back home. No sewing though just resting. I'm having a really tough time with regulating my high pressure.

So, Sunday evening, I'm feeling brand new. Go figure..., So, I put the lining together. Then I starting on my dress made from M5801.

Here are some comments and pictures on both projects:

On the pattern, it is suggested that this jacket is made out of faux leather or suede. I chose demin to match the jacket. The fabric was a gift and a little too short to cut all of the required pieces from it. So the inner cuff are made from the lining fabric.



The front pocket details include a facing that is finished and placed over the zipper. I didn't follow this construction. Once I finished the zipper, I attached the second piece of the pocket inside.



One of the thing that I liked about this jacket is the peplum, which has a slight overlap in the back.




May be today I'll stop to pick up a zipper.

M5801 -

This dres includes separate pattern pieces for the bust cups. I was a treat not to alter the pattern to fit. I cut the dress at size 14 with 1 inch side seam allowances. I didn't do a sway back adjustment to the pattern, featuring I could make that adjustment as I sew, increasing the seam allowances at the area that falls at the small of my back. This worked fine. But this dress is a little too big. So I need to increase the seam allowances (side) for a better fit.



Again, my fabric was a little short. When it came time to cut the sleeves I needed about four more inches. Didn't have it. So I cut the cuff separately then attached it using my own method that I created as I sewed.



First I sewed the underarm seam together; then sewed the cuff. Pressed seams open.

Next, I attached the to the bottom of the sleeve. Sleeve wrong side, cuff right side facing. Pressed and turned cuff to the right side of the sleeve to checked it. Then I turned it out again to press the seam allowance at the top of the cuff. Now I'll top stitch the cuff to the sleeve. It's not the same as the pattern, but I still get a cuffed sleeve.