Fabric Mart Fabrics Sew Camp Challenge - Simplicity 8015

I've only sewed the bodice together for my Fabric Mart Fabrics Sew Camp Challenge.  I started late.  The challenge was for the month of July.  So I'll be working on my project into the first few days of August.

My challenge project is a dress for my daughter.  I shared my thoughts with her, and she agreed that it would be a nice dress for her.

My design includes a contrasting fabric that I already had.  It's a remnant from a previous client project, 2012.  Paired with the floral Fabric Mart fabric it looks like a great combination. Of course, we will see very soon. ;-)

I had to dig deep to found the matalasse piece (Fishman's Fabrics).  Some of you may remember  Ms. Paulette Bell's pastoral dress (above) that I made for her in 2012 (Vogue 8615).  I had about 3/4 yards and some smaller pieces leftover.  I thought it was enough to make a princess seam bodice and cap sleeves. So, I kept them.  Anyway, these straps were too good to throw away.

From a distance, it looks like a jacquard.   But the weave actually imitate a fine quilted texture.  Matalasse mimics the style of the hand-stitched quilting in Marseilles, France.  It's beautifully textured and elegant.

Hopefully in a few days I have the dress finished and ready to show you.  Until next time.

Happy Sewing!
C

McCall 6886 Easy T-Shirt Dress Hacked at Sew Camp Spring 2018

It's always a good day to talk about my sewing adventures.  Especially when the sun is shining and I have at least three pictures to share while I talk about it.  This dress was finished almost two months ago. 

Finally, I was able to take a few pictures of me wearing it.  I started and almost finished it at Sew Camp Spring 2018.  On our shopping day, I decided to purchase another copy of McCall 6886 from Fabric Mart.  It was only 25 cents.  I thought it would be a perfect project at the retreat.

This is a very basic t-shirt dress pattern that has three different necklines and three different lengths.  Actually, you can make the length whatever you want.  It comes in sizes 6-22, which is great.  I think this is the type of pattern all of us sewists should have in their collection.  There are so many possibilities.  And it can be used as a sloper to create and adjust other patterns for knit tops and dresses.

I purchased this really great knit with good color and recovery.  I didn't decide to use it for the dress until we returned from our shopping day.  My project started with, of course, cutting out the pattern; then making my usual fit adjustments.  Starting with size 14, I made a FBA, swayback, and prominent shoulder blade adjustments.

Before my adjustments, I decided on the length of the dress minus the flounce that I created.

FBA - I slashed and spread the front about 2" creating a bust dart slightly rotated for a more flattering look.  Because the spread was more than an inch, I used the Palmer-Pletsche "Y" FBA.  After all the slashing and spreading, I removed some of the excess width below the  bust area.  See picture below.

Swayback - To start, I made a tuck in the back pattern where my back curves to eliminate the pooling of fabric.  Next, I created an even more pronounced curved line along the lower back area where I made the tuck.  At the hem, I added the same amount that was tucked at the lower back.

Prominent Shoulder Blade -  Here again, I slashed and spread the desired amount and added a dart at the shoulder seam.  This adjustment gives me enough room across my upper back.

The flounce was so easy to create.  First, I determine the length.  Then added seam allowance to that number.  Next, I measured the width of the front and back of the dress.  Then, I cut one rectangle for the front and one for the back.  If the width of the front and back are the same, you only need one.  Next, I made slashes about every inch and spread the tissue for the desired  amount.

The flounces were sewn together.  Then attached to the bottom of the dress.  No hemming required.

More Changes:

I used a black lycra knit for the sleeve and neckband.  To finish the sleeve, I added a band in the dress fabric.  This I thought was a nice finishing touch.  Plus it breaks up the pattern of the dress.  The pattern neckband is always too long.  I generally shorten it by about 2" to eliminate gapping.

The style lines dress were the same as the drawing with the exception of the flounce.  For me, everything about the process was pretty easy.  Even the drafting of the flounce.  This is something a beginner can do with no problems.


What I like about it?

Everything: the pattern adjustment, drafting, sewing and wearing it. I really like the movement of the flounce around the bend of my legs.   So, I'm cutting another one cut this week.

Stay tuned!

Cennetta

Another Red Dress for My Daughter in Review - Vogue 9021

Another Red Dress for My Daughter in Review – Vogue

Red is definitely one of “our” favorite colors.  Honestly, when I see red fabric in the stores, I’m drawn to it.  I have to go by it and touch it to see if it’s something that I’d like to create a dress or a pair of pants.  The same happens when I shop online.  I purposely search “red”. 

Sure “we” like other colors too, but red is one of those colors “we” never get enough.  This red knit is from FabricMart Fabrics.  I ordered it last summer, cut the dress out last fall, and finally sewed the dress early March.

This was other very easy Vogue (V9021) dresses.  It told only a few hours to make.

Pattern Description:  Fitted dress has front and back extending into flutter sleeves, low armholes, back zipper and hemline slit.  Sizes 6 to 22 are available. I used sizes 10 and 12 making adjustment along the side seams for view A.

Difficult:  Not, super easy.   There was nothing difficult or confusing in the construction process or in the instruction guide sheet.

I liked the shape of the sleeve and armhole.  Something a little different is good sometimes. No dislikes.

Changes made: No serious changes made.  I only omitted the sleeve/side facings.  A narrow hem was perfect.  The Suggested fabrics were all woven.  I used a medium weight knit instead.  

This is a very easy vogue dress pattern.  Any level of sewist should be able to make it.  After I finished it, I was very happy with the results and so was my daughter.  Now, I have a few more things in her sewing project bag to finish before summer.  Stay tune.

Happy Sewing!
C

Carriage Corner Sew Camp - March 2018

I’m way behind on posting to my blog.  There is so much going on right now.  Today, I wanted to tell you a little bit about my Carriage Corner Sew Camp in Pennsylvania.  I met Gaylen for the first time January, 2017 in New York.  There we talked about having a quarterly Sew Camp at her Bed and Breakfast.  Great idea, right?  The first Sew Camp was two months later, but I couldn't make that one.   So, I decided to wait until after my trip to Greece before deciding when to come.

Then in January, Ms. Carolyn posted on her blog that she would go in March.  So Andrea and I immediately decided to come as well.  For me, it’s an opportunity for me to sew and hang out with some of my sewing friends. 

I came with no fabric.  My intentions were to buy from FabricMart Fabrics and use some of it to start new projects.  So our first full day of camp was shopping at FabricMart Fabrics and then lunch at a local café.  Needless to say, I bought a huge amount of fabric.  In many instances, I just purchased whatever was left on the bolt.  Besides, Julie gave us such a fantastic discount.  I mean it was GREAT!

A lot of what I bought is black and white.  Several striped pieces fell in my arms too.  But I couldn’t leave without something floral and bright colored knit.  See..,

I started on four projects while I was there:  two tops, one dress and a pair of pants.  I’ll post a full review on each later.  

Shirtings

Coatings

More Knits

While waiting for my flight to return home, I thought about how much fun I had during the sewing camp weekend.  I saw some old friends and made some new ones.  It was a very good time all the way around.  I also reflected on my many friendships born out social media.  I’ve been blogging for almost eleven years.  I first met all of the ladies through blogging or Instagram (directly or indirectly).  It’s amazing when you think of it.  How small the world has become and how social media has changed the way we make new friends.  On the last days, everyone shared their delight in all the activities that occurred in what seemed like only a few hours.  We all agreed to come back for another Sew Camp.  Some of the ladies are registered for the September, 2018 session.  I’m coming back in June, 2018 for the extended session. 

Sew Camp is a winner!  Gaylen and her husband were the best.  The bed and breakfast, two snaps up!  Sew Camp is a great way to meet sewing buddies and spend some time with friends doing what we love to do, SEW!

More on the Sew Camp on Carolyn's Blog.

Happy Sewing!
C

Rhonda's Draped Cowl Sleeve with Vogue 1314 and McCall 6963

I'm delighted to post this blog.  Personally, I think my drafting experience was a success.  This weekend, I made two garments with Rhonda's Draped Cowl sleeve:  McCall 6963 drape neck top and Vogue 1314 dress.  As stated previously, the drafting process was so easy.  It took about an half hour to complete.  I posted the pictures on Instagram and Rhonda kindly indicated that if I wanted more drape, spread the top of the sleeve more.  For these garments I just cut it wider as seen in the photo below.

For the velvet dress, I used the lining pattern, front and back, of Vogue 1314 and the dress neck band.  For the sleeve, I used McCall's 6963 designed by Palmer/Pletsch.  My crushed velvet fabric was purchased in New York City during my little shopping spree with Carolyn and Andrea.

This Vogue pattern has already been reviewed on my blog here.  The construction of the sleeve was super easy.  I serged the edge of the top of the sleeve and the hem.   Then I sewed the long seam.  Next, I folded the facing under to the wrong side.  At the shoulder seam, the facing is slightly overlapped and the rest of the sleeve is attached to the armscye in the usual manner.

Paisley Draped Cowl Top

I wanted to emulate Rhonda's top.  So I decided deciding on a paisley print.  This fabric came from Fabric Mart.  It is a lycra knit with glitter and mylar dots on it.  I took a chance on buying this one, hoping that the glitter would not come off on everything and it does not.  But the mylar dots can be hard to sew on.  So I used waxed paper to help make the sewing easy and it did. ;-) This top is also a part of a blog tour sponsored by "Coats Thread".  So more on that later.

Finally, I used McCall's 6963 to make my draped neck and sleeve top.  This basic pattern has great bones and can be used as a sloper for creating other designs.  My another adjustments are the usual:  swayback and FBA.

Special thanks to Rhonda for your generosity.  Her instructions for this sleeve can be found here.

So that's all for now!

Happy Sewing!
C