My DD in Simplicity S9757

Pattern Description:  Fitted tops have cap sleeves, high mock neckline and optional ruched sides.  Skirt with elasticized waistband and figure-hugging fit comes in midi length with side slit or mini length with ruched detail. 

Pattern Sizing:  The pattern is available is sizes XS to XXL.  I used size medium with modifications for my daughter.  I made views B and D

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  

Yes it did.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  

The instruction were a piece of cake.  Super easy.  

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  

I like the high mock neckline cropped top.  I knew my DD would like it.  I/we also like the ruched sides of the skirt.  No dislikes.

Fabric Used:  

A modal jersey knit from JoAnn's Fabrics.  I love the soft touch and the color.  JoAnn's has a variety of colors available in this jersey.  

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  

My adjustments were minimal.  My DD's needs basic adjustments:  a square shoulder and slight swayback adjustments.  Nothing more is needed for this pattern.   

I made one change in the construction.  Instead of using bias tape to finish the armholes, I cut bias strips 1.75" wide and the length of the armhole minus an inch easing in the difference between the "facing" and the actual armhole.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes and yes.  My DD already asked for another outfit, View A and C.

Conclusion: 

We both really like how this outfit turned out.  It was easy and she liked it a lot.

Two for One - Vogue V1452

This was two projects in one.  The first was to make a wearable muslin and the second was to end with an outfit close to a "perfect fit".  I came close to the close to a perfect fit. The second time should be a charm. Lol  The top could use a little more tweaking, but I think this was the last time I'll use the top pattern.  As for the pants, it is a basic palazzo pant that can be made over and over again to complement other tops, tunics, and dresses.  

Wearable Muslin:  Aqua Green

Final Version:  Raspberry 

Pattern Description:  Misses' top and pants:  close-fitting, pullover top has mock-bands, shoulder strap, and left front seam and slit.  Wide-legged pants (loose-fitting through hips) have elasticized waistband and side pockets. both have stitched hems.

Pattern Sizing:  This is a Sandra Betzina pattern that uses letters instead of numbers for the sizing.  For the top I used between size E and F.  I did make a swayback adjustment on the second version hoping to resolve the wrinkles across the lower back.  It helped, but didn't completely resolve the issue. I probably should have cut the back into two sections to get better results.  At any rate, it's "good" enough to wear.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, it looked like the photo on the envelope.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions were easy; nothing difficult or confusion in them.  The construction of the outfit was relatively quick and easy too.  

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  

My like:  

• Knit outfit. Lol
• Ruching on the top.
• The palazzo pants with the separate waist band.  That's a feature that I really love.

Dislikes:

• For this particular fabric and weight, I prefer no pockets.  They really get in the way of having a smooth pant.  If you were to use the pocket, it disfigures the look of the outfit and draws attention to "whatever is in your pocket."  I recommend leaving them out as I did for the second outfit.

Fabric Used:  Both fabrics came from FabricMart Fabrics.  It is a light/medium weight jersey.  Almost opaque, very fluid, has a great drape, and the recovery is okay.  

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I made just a few adjustments and tweaks.  For the top I used two sizes E and F where necessary.  The second version, as mentioned before, I attempted to make a swayback adjustment.  It helped a little with the wrinkles.  For the pants I eliminated the pockets and lengthen the pant legs a few inches.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  I will probably make the pants again.  It is a simple pull-on pant that can complement other toppers.  The top, I probably will not make again.  I do recommend this pattern to others.  It is not a difficult sewing projects.  The ruching/gathering requires a little patience to do.  It's really the hardest step in the construction of the entire garment.

Conclusion:  This is an attractive little summer outfit that goes together quickly.  It's a great look for brunch or a summertime concert.

Happy Sewing!

C

Summertime Tangerine Outfit - McCall 7775 and Vogue 1452

My apologies for the dark photos.  Cloudy day.

Time for another review.  This is the last of three outfits that I made this summer for myself.  So I'm reviewing them in reverse order.  This is a quick review.  It is a combination of two patterns:  McCall's M7775 for the top and Vogue V1452 pants.  This is the same pant pattern used for my next review.  

I wore this outfit to a birthday celebration in my mother's home town of Huntsville, AL.  It was a fun time, and the outfit was summertime perfect for the event.

The top:

I used the McCall's dress pattern to make the top.  This was easy.  I just figured out the length for it and shorten the pattern there adding the necessary hem allowance.  The adjustments were made way back in 2018.  So I was able to skip the pattern adjustment process.  My initial review of this pattern is here:  McCall's 7775 Dress 2018.

The Pants:

As always, I had to add a few inches to the length of the leg.  I used size D.  These pants have a lot of style ease in them. The pants looked very much like the illustration on the pattern envelope.

The Fabric:

My fabric is a polyester crepe from Hancock's Fabrics.  It's been in my collection for several years.  I was happy to finally make something out of it.  It was easy to sew and has a spongy feel to it.  Compared to the rayon fabric that I used for my 2018 dress, the drape of the top had a stiffer drape.  

Overall I was very pleased with how this outfit turned out.  

Parting Shot:  NASA rocket in Huntsville, AL.  This was the view from our hotel parking lot.

Simplicity S1387 and Kwik Sew R10826

Here we go with a new pattern review!  It's all about bags: tote and cosmetic bags.  This set makes a lovely travel trio.  One morning I was getting "reacquainted" with my sewing studio, looking at all my fabric, patterns, notions, and findings.  There are too many projects already cut and ready to sew, but I wanted to make something that would be a "quick sew".  The bags were easy to make for sure.  But by the time I decided which bags to make and pulled together all the required notions and fabrics, I very well could have sewn a few UFO's together.  Lol

Part I

All in all, this bag project was a good one.  So let me start with the tote.  I used Simplicity S1387, view A.  It is an over-sized tote with fabric straps and two snaps.  The pattern design finishes with a triangle like stitched line design that continues from one end of the bag to the other. 

The tote can be adjusted to appear smaller by closing the snaps on either end of the upper edge of the tote.  Great for travel. 

The bag looks like the photos on the pattern envelope.  It can be carried on the shoulder or by the straps.  It is sturdy and attractive.  With the snaps closed it  looks like an over-sized purse.  So there are lots of style options and fabric (leather) choices you could choose to design your very own unique tote.

The instructions were very easy, and I didn't find anything complicated about the construction process.  There is one thing I'd change about the straps though.  The design suggest that you use fabric for the straps and use wide braid to finish them.  I think webbing would be better.  

I love how this bag turned out:  the roominess, the collapsible sides, my fabric selection.  No really dislikes.

I used home-dec canvas like fabric (Joann's) for the exterior and broadcloth for the interior.  Both were in my stash. The bag also requires fusible batting and stabilizer (Pellon 808).  For the patches that go over the ends of the straps, I used some faux leather that was also in my stash (Hancock's Fabrics).  

This was the very first time that I used this pattern.  So I wanted to follow the instructions and design just to test out using it.  So, I only changed the wide braid to a sturdy ribbon that I already had in my stash.  I will probably use it several more times.  For one, I want to try a few of the other views; and two, these totes make an excellent gift idea.

In conclusion for the tote bag, I love how it turned out and recommend it to others.  The pattern has good bones and can be used to make some lovely totes and bags.  

Part II

Kwik Sew Zippered Cases pattern R10826 was equally easy to construct.  I made views A and D to complement the Simplicity Tote.  I used the left-over from the tote to make these.  They are perfect for toiletries.

Both bags look like the photo on the envelope, and they were very easy to sew.  Like the tote, they required fusible batting to add stability. 

Here again I didn't change or alteration the design.  Sticking to the instructions for the first time just to get a feel for constructing small bags like these was a good exercise.  I enjoyed the process.  

I like how they turned out and will definitely make them again.  All three bags were fun to make, and I was able to used some of the fabric and notions in my stash.   Plus, the bags look pretty good!  Win, win!

Happy Sewing!

C

 

I'm Back, Again! LOL

I'm knocking the cobwebs off my blog today!  It's been a long journey to come back to blogging and sewing.  There were so many events and activities that occurred in the past two years.  It's easier to post to Instagram and Facebook.  But I don't like to post pattern reviews there.  Blog post are better for that.  So, I'm happy to be back to give some details on projects and other events.  

For starters, I will review several sewing projects that I finished in June, July, and August.  The first will be a set of bags.  So, the following post will be to review them.

Parting Photo:  Graduation day for me.  This was one of my big goals post retirement since work and school were too challenging to do both well. 

Romantic Floral Dress - Birthday Dress 2022 B6320 and M8090

Hi There!
 
It's seems like forever since I last blog anything! I've been so occupied with other things.  I took a break from my usual sewing and blogging to complete a major goal, which I’ll share at a later date. 
 
Anyway, I'm happy to post a pattern review on my last birthday dress that I finished in September 2022.  A long time ago, right?  There are a few things that encouraged me to write a post.  (1) I was nominated (by two people on Facebook) to post things I've made for a certain number of days.  (2) Lately, I've been thinking a lot about sewing and blogging, and how much I've missed sharing and interacting with fellow sewists.
 
So today I want to review my birthday dress that I made for 2022.  I designed it using the bodice of Butterick B6320 and the skirt of McCall's M8090.  I really enjoy splicing two or three patterns together to come up with an entirely new design.  The bodice of B6320 is really cute, but for this dress I wanted a fuller skirt.  So I chose the tiers from M8090 to complement the bodice.
 
Pattern Description:
 

Butterick B6320 - Misses dress and jumpsuit:  Dress and straight-legged jumpsuit (semi-fitted through hips) have semi-fitted bodice and midriff, raised waist, tie ends, side pockets, armhole bands, and back zipper.  A:  self-lined sleeves B: bias sleeve band. B & C: front pleated pants. Separate pattern pieces for cup sizes.
 
McCall's M8090 - Misses' loose fitting dress has skirt tiers and sleeve variations.  B:  Lace trim.
 
I used B6320 view B bodice.  The bias binding on the sleeve is a really nice detail.  For the skirt of the dress I used the three tiers of M8090, no pockets.
 
Pattern Sizing:

Both patterns come in sizes from 6 to 22.  I used size 16 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The dress bodice looks like B6320 (View B) and the skirt has the gathered tiered look of M8090.  Together the look is different from either pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow? What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The instructions of both patterns are easy to follow.  Nothing difficult to understand or follow.   

Likes:

• Midriff of the bodice
• Bias binding on the sleeve
• Design of the bodice in general
• Tiered skirt
• Fullness of the skirt

Dislikes:

• As the dress is, I have no dislikes.  This style/design works for me.

Fabric Used:

I purchased the beautiful floral gauze from Mood Fabrics last summer.  It is still available if anyone cares to purchase  it.  Here is the link for the fabric,  This fabric is lovely.  It's perfect for spring/summer.  The fiber content is 100% viscose.  Easy pressing and handling.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

My design change was to splice the two patterns together to come up with a new design for the dress.

I did do some tweaking of the bodice.  But it wasn't my usual intense slashing to make it fit.  I used the cup D for starters and made my adjustments from there. Other than that, I really didn't make huge adjustments to get a good fit.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will probably use B6320 bodice again.  My plan is to make the dress of M8090.  And I recommend both patterns to others if this is a style that you like.

Conclusion:

I like how my dress turned out.  Each year I make it a point to make myself a birthday dress.  This addition was more like a summer dress, but it was a perfect choice for last September.  It was a very bright and sunny day. More summer like than fall.  

As for the patterns, both are great choices to begin your spring/summer wardrobe.  

Happy Sewing!  It's good to be back blogging and sharing.

Update - Simplicity S9598

 

Happy Friday! I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.  As promised, photo of me wearing Simplicity S9598.

Happy Sewing!

C