Deer & Doe Datura Blouse

 

This top marks a rare departure from Colette and Sewaholic patterns for me.  I really do need to branch out more because there is a lot of sewing goodness out there to choose from.  You'll recognize the fabric from a recent Sewaholic Hollyburn make.  I had quite a bit left over and I love it so much I couldn't resist making a top out of it.  The contrasting fabric is Cotton + Steel.  It's a quilting cotton but it's an exact match to the birds on the main fabric so I couldn't refuse.

 

 

The top goes together pretty easily.  The yoke is lined and I did think the method of sewing the shoulder seams felt a little odd.  Somehow when I arrived at the part of the instructions where I was supposed to stitch the neckline and armholes continuously I realized I had accidentally completed that in a previous step. I'm not sure what I did but it worked so we'll just go with it!

 

 

The pattern calls for 3 buttons along the back.  I had three chartreuse buttons picked out but they were too big and they felt a little obnoxious.  I decided to go with six buttons in two groupings instead when I found these in my stash.

 

 

You'll notice that the Xs are not straight on the yoke in the back.  I cut it on the fold without realizing it wasn't lining up straight and then I ran out of fabric.  When I went to the fabric store to purchase another 1/2 yard I found another Cotton + Steel print I thought I might like better.  When I brought it home it just didn't work as well.  I made the second my lining fabric instead of continuously purchasing 1/2 yards until I got it right.  Sometimes it's OK to let go.  Along the way in my sewing career I've apparently decided that if the mistake is in the back it's OK because I can't see it.  Works, right?

 

 I'm working on a Craftsy class right now for blouses.  I've got the fabric but I'm lacking the inspiration.  It's got to be around here somewhere!





 

 

 



Colette Myrtle #2

This is my last make for the summer! I had to squeeze in one last Myrtle before my vacation because when I come back I'm moving on to fall sewing.  It was easy to pull off because you can make this dress in a few hours.

I wanted to make another version of this dress because the ever-helpful Nicole from Nicole At Home posted a tutorial on how to reduce the cowl neckline.  You might recall that my previous Myrtle had a cowl neckline that dipped almost to my belly button (only a slight exaggeration.)  Not attractive without a cami! The tutorial I followed is full of pictures and easy-to-follow descriptions.  I think I changed my pattern in just a few minutes.  Super easy.  And effective!  If you haven't made a Myrtle yet and you are less than a C cup you should consider this tutorial before you cut into your fabric.

First Myrtle without the reduced cowl:

 

This Myrtle with the cowl reduction:

 



Oh so much better.

This fabric is also from the sale bin at Hancocks.  It's not as drapey as my previous Myrtle.  I'll be on the hunt next year for really drapey fabric to go with my new altered neckline.

The back bodice is also a little roomy which is nice. 

 

This pattern stays in my favorites pile!

Sewaholic Hollyburn #2

Summer sewing is drawing to a close for me.  I don't know exactly what happened but I woke up one day and decided I was more in the mood to sew a bomber jacket or button down shirt than a dress.  I'm squeezing in one more dress after this and then it's on to fall and winter sewing for me.

I originally used this print for a Sewaholic Saltspring dress.  Everybody else seems to love that pattern but when I finished it I was underwhelmed and have never worn it.  I think it was sewer error because it looks so great on other people.  I love this rayon challis fabric by Joel Dewberry so much that I ordered more and made a Sewaholic Hollyburn out of it instead.  I've made this skirt once before and every time I wear it I wonder why I don't have another. 

I like the tab detail with the button.

 

And I also like the style of the pockets.

 

 

I never used to like high-waisted styles but I've watched enough episodes of Call The Midwife on BBC that I think I need to be wearing them all the time. 

 

Earlier in the summer, my photographer (my 15 year old son) and I put more effort into staging shots.  Now we just drive around town, find a wall, and snap a few pictures in about 3 minutes. This time even the weeds and random wires didn't stop us.

 

 

I think we'll get our mojo back when fall sewing comes around.

 

 



Colette Myrtle

 

This is the newest Colette Patterns release called Myrtle.  I bought it before it was released during a promotion.  I wish they would put me on a list of people who buy every one of their patterns so they could just mail it to me without asking if I want it.  Of course I do.

 

I've decided to call this a wearable muslin so I'll feel better about the extremely poor workmanship.  It's an incredibly easy pattern to follow but I decided to make it more challenging for myself by making some really goofy mistakes.  Also, after an incredibly mild summer in the Midwest, it decided to be 100 degrees today and I'm pouty about it so there are going to be two pictures of me in this dress.  And both of them include not-so-great-looking hair. 

 

There are 5 pattern pieces to this dress: Bodice front, bodice back, skirt front, skirt back and pocket.  The back bodice is finished with a twin needle (unless you have an overlocker).  I usually don't have an issue with the twin needle.  I bought this fabric on the clearance rack and it is super flimsy.  The twin needle ate it up but somehow I made it through.  I just hope no one ever inspects it closely. 

 

There are some nifty little sewing tricks in this pattern that I liked.  The front bodice is a very long piece that you fold in half to make the cowl neck.  Then you sandwich the back bodice in between the layers and stitch the shoulder and side seams.  Super easy! Unless, of course, you get the back bodice twisted around like me and have to pick out the serged seam.

 

To insert the elastic in the waistband, you sew two rows of stitching at the waistband to form a flap and then fold it over the elastic and sew to enclose it.  Easy!

 

 

The picture in the instructions clearly shows that you are supposed to pull the bodice out of the skirt to enclose the elastic.  I missed that part and sewed it while the bodice was tucked inside the skirt.  I'm almost positive that it took me longer to unpick the zigzag stitch around the waistband than it did to sew the entire dress.  It took that long. 

 

The part I'm going to have to change is the neckline.  I made an XS for the top and graded out to a S for the waist and skirt.  I'm going to take out a rather large wedge from the front bodice pattern piece because it dips so low on me that it's obscene without a cami underneath.  This probably isn't a problem for a bustier gal but busty I am not. 

 



 

I could probably live in Myrtles and Monetas all summer long.  

Colette Parfait #2

 

This is my second Colette Parfait (see the first one here) of the season and my favorite of the two.  I used this Liberty of London fabric as a lining for my Colette Albion.  I loved it so much I wanted to make a dress out of it.  It disappeared from the www.fabric.com website for a little bit but once it reappeared I snatched it up. 

 

I underlined my last Parfait with muslin but I chose a white batiste for this one. I found it at a big box store and was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it.  And the price!

 

 



I think I'm going to make a winter version of this dress in a red wool crepe and wear it over a shirt.  I hadn't thought about it as a winter dress until I read the packaging.  I think the pockets are darling but you can't really see them in the busy prints I've chosen.  Maybe I'll find some way to bedazzle them in a solid color fabric.

I like the back of the dress a lot.

 

I'm pleasantly surprised by how often I've been wearing the dresses I've made this summer. I feel like my productivity rate is the highest it's ever been.  That must have something to do with the fact that I'm making more than one version of each pattern and therefore don't have to fool around with fitting issues.



Sorry for the random Polyvore post

My apologies for the Polyvore posts. I was trying to enter the Colette Patterns Knitcation contest. I am a novice at Polyvore and all of a sudden things started posting on the blog! 

Moneta #3

One of the things I love about sewing is the ability to make an outfit for yourself out of anything you want.  If you want to go into the kid section for some knit fabric with ladybugs on it, then go for it just like I did.

This is my second to last Moneta for the season.  After the next one I'm making myself stop for awhile but then when fall and winter are approaching it's game on.

The ladybug fabric is from www.fabricworm.com and it's by Birch.  I love it even though it's not very drapey.  I like nice drapey jersey for this dress.  This fabric would be more suitable for a top that doesn't need drape but it still works here.

 

The orange fabric is from Sarah's in Lawrence KS.  It's a great quality fabric but it's a little on the thick side.  So is the ladybug fabric.  I was supposed to interface the Peter Pan collar but I didn't because 1) I didn't have any interfacing and I was feeling too lazy to run to the store and 2) I was worried that with the thickness of the fabric it would be a big bulky collar if I added interfacing.  I should have interfaced it because it waves a bit.  I'll know for next time. 

 

 

 

This is as close to the back of the dress as we're going to see today.  I just used the front piece out of the envelope for the back and then forgot to take a picture of it.

 

 

You can see how the hem waves a little bit.  I wasn't planning on that but I like it.  I used a twin needle for hemming and the wave gives it a little bit of extra personality.

 

 

I bought this label from www.sewaholicpatterns.com.  I love it!