Time to post . .. .

I've been recovering from foot surgery, and am realizing how much I am missing wearing my heels!  You don't realize how much you miss something till you have to go without it.  Anyway it hasn't stopped my desire to sew; so I had to start posting pictures of my completed projects rather than wait to do the photos once my foot is completely healed.  (The doc says that will be another month!)

Here is one of the outfits that I finished recently:  McCall's Peplum top and a skirt (from Mimi's Pencil skirt tutorial).  I discovered I had a button front sweater in my closet that was the exact color as my skirt; so I get two outfits instead of just one.

Happy Sewing Everyone!

VOGUE 1282

... I'm calling this one my "Better Late than Never" top because I've been wanting to make this top since it first came out last summer.  Well the time to make it finally came.

VOGUE 1282

Alterations made to the pattern:

• raised the weirdly shaped armhole, 
• eliminated gaping at the back center seam,
• raised the elongated neckline,

What a Weirdly shaped pattern!  Two gigantic pattern pieces that are taped together to make one piece that actually turns out to be the back and front of the top and a armhole facing that's all.  I used a seriously mysteryfied WalMart fabric from le good old STASH - 1 1/2 yards, don't know what in the world it is.  Just knew it was a two way stretch knit and nothing that I would ever consider using for an actual garment so it fit the practice category.   I like the top.  And will be making another one as soon as I make a fabric choice.

Commencing with this top I'm using my high bust measurement for pattern sizing.  I know, should have been using that measurement all along, I've read it, but it was so hard to make that change for some reason.  I'll be able to get a much better fit through the shoulders and bust area.  This sewing thing is ever evolving... 

Zig Zag Dress

My second clothing item finished!  McCall's 6433

My 7 major problems with this project are detailed on my blog.
In summary:  fabric choice issues, serging error, plunging neckline.

But it did give me the opportunity to coin the phrase Boobie Dickey.




What I like about this pattern:  The shoulder pleats and fit of the upper bodice.  I have broad shoulders and this works well for me.   I also like the lined bodice and sleeves in place of facings or hems.

What I'd change: neckline - both shape and depth.  More volume in the skirt.  Views A&B have a pleated skirt feature that I think would look good in the suggested crepe or challis fabrics.

Skirt Length

I haven't actually finished anything to share.  Rather, I'd like to start a conversation to help me make some decisions about ideal skirt length.

I recently posted about this skirt which I think is perfect length for a "short" skirt that is still professionally appropriate.  I need to make several more pencil skirts, and am needing to decide how many, based upon how many of my existing skirts I can keep for work.

I have VERY long legs (33" inseam...before allowance on pants for shoes which explains why I learned to sew).  This skirt sits below the waist line, is 22" long, and hits just above my knee caps.  From my inseam to the hem line is 13".

Part of my process for sorting out my wardrobe and deciding what to sew is that I organized my closet with the goal to wear everything (seasonally appropriate) or let it go.  Today I put this favorite (that I bought in a thrift store in 1985).  I still love it and think that it isn't inappropriate in style, print or length for a 47 year old who's best physical feature is great legs.  I have half a dozen cotton summer skirts in similar lengths.

HOWEVER, I am in a new job.  My co-workers are extremely conservative dressers (earth tones, pants, polo shirts) so I have difficulty judging "appropriate" vs "personal preference".  (We taunted my boss about what a bad influence I am as this week she wore not only print top one day but then really shocked us all with a new magenta blouse.)  I am a health care professional in an outpatient clinic.  I sit behind a desk while I educate (ie, no bending, lifting, squatting, etc).

The facts:  The skirts in question are 19-20" side length (2-3" shorter than my personal perceived "perfect").  They hit about 4" above my knee cap (which is about 9" from my crotch).  When I am sitting, they ride up to 5.5-6" from knee cap...still a good 7" from the naughty bits.

The question: Are they too short for work? If I were your doctor, social worker, psychologist, diabetes educator or registered dietitian, would my skirt length distract you from what I'm trying to teach you?  Or am I just being my mother....who taught me that "women of a certain age" don't have long hair and wear certain clothing?

Newest Pants for Winter

Here are my latest pants for winter.


(those wrinkles are from the way I'm standing on the staircase - they're not there in real life)

It's so good having items ready to go before the season is finished.

If anyone's interested, there's more info on my blog .

A Jacket Completed

This is my new Polar Fleece Jacket - full details about the pattern and making of this jacket can be found here:http://sarahlizsewstyle.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/my-new-jacket-blurry-out-of-focus-self.html

I do hope your sewing projects are going well :)

Sarah Liz

A SIMPLE TEE...

..but the fit is great!  So as I continue working on my idea of a perfect Summer Breezes Wardrobe, I've had visions of adding a simple stripped garment to the collection.    Just so happened that I do have a small collection of stripped knits stashed.  So I reached WAY back into my pattern collection and pulled out an old but goody

 

for a good fitting basic tee shirt.  One of the reasons I like this simple pattern is that it has no bust dart.  I detest making darts in knit fabrics because they just never press well - IMO.  This pattern is dartless.  I have also often wondered why some knit patterns have center back seams.  I use to think that it was senseless.   Little did I know that the center back seam lends itself to better fitting options - found this out during the Essential Tops Sew-A-Long several months go.  Thus my motto:  you live and learn, or so it should be.

I plan to wear my blue and white 3/4 length sleeved stripped t-shirt with a pair of traditional navy bell bottom pants that I made during my Pant's Marathon last month but never posted. 

I used a twin needle for the hems after deciding on hemming with white rather than blue.

It's just a  plain and simple tee shirt, but just what I needed to go with my bells bottoms.

So, sew, so......

... what have I been up to??? Well, with work, not much. But I did squeeze in the chance to make an evening dress to wear to my son's Formal Ball a few weekends back.  Held at the brand spanking new Royal Convention Centre in Brisbane, the event was spectacular. Never having made a dress of this calibre before I spent many a day thinking, do I? Don't I?  Well I made up my mind quick enough after visiting a few more 'upmarket-stores' in Brisbane, the popping beads, and faded fabric soon made up my mind that I was to make this dress myself.

In my little stash of goodness I had both Vogue 1182 and Butterick 5542, lines I have admired, and wished to whip up. But with the scares on my back the Butterick number wasn't to be. So what was I to do, but merge the two together - so this is the Vogue top on the Butterick bottom. Morphing at its best. 

Not sure why Butterick is blurry!!!

The fabric is from Sckaf's, Indooropilly. A beautiful midnight navy satin sateen with cotton lining (we are talking Brisbane here!) And may I take the time to thank the staff at Sckaf's! I have never met more obliging women. They tried many trim combinations with different colour fabrics, purely so that I would be happy. Little did they know after being in the dress stores of designers where I was up for many $$$, I was keen for just about anything. 

Like most reviews online, I narrowed down the collar on the Vogue, just like the picture. Really, the picture on the cover and the pattern piece are not the same.  To 'enhance' the collar section, and to give a bit of age appropriate bling (well, we are all girls at heart) I sewed a little silver bead in the middle of each rose on the collar, and this was just enough 'lift' for the evening. And from this I matched a pair of delicate silver earrings, necklace and evening bag to carry the look off.

All in all a great night, a great dress and great memories. That is what sewing is all about. So another addition to Sew My Own Wardrobe for a year - this time last year I would have picked up a dress from the shops, and been half happy with it. Instead, thanks to Vita and Natalea from Join the Challenge, I am 110% happy with my dress - huge hugs, ladies!

Now whilst I made a full length dress for this formal occasion, wearing it again will be a rarity in my world. And when I do need another long formal dress I won't want to wear the same one twice! After all, I am a sewer. So the big plan is to chop the bottom off, whizz the sides back in, and add a vent up the back to create a cocktail length dress that I will wear a  little more often. And I have one spare little feature flower that I was thinking of attaching to the top of the back vent.

Hiding away inside my little sewing cave are a few more 1/2 started, or 1/2 finished garments that I must complete. Will post them up soon...J

New Patterned Pants

Hello everyone - just to let you know I've finally succumbed to the patterned pants trend - I've just completed these...

You can find out more about these pants and the pattern I used at:

 http://sarahlizsewstyle.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/the-new-patterned-pants.html
 
Sarah Liz :)

Stitch Slapped (Jalie 2680)

Actually, this garment is more like a fit-ch slap.  I had high hopes for this one seeing as how I made a muslin and all.  What I didn't consider was that the muslin was made a year (maybe two) ago.  I tried it on before cutting out my fabric and I thought it looked pretty good.  Alas, it was not to be.  The coat is lined/underlined using the Stitch-and-Flip method (blogged here).  The facings are finished with bias tape and the hems are turned under and topstitched.  I finished the coat anyway and have already relegated it the donation bin.  

I will definitely try this pattern again and have not abandoned Stitch-and-Flip.  But for now, I need some sewing success and an easier project.

L

Floral Skirt - First Finish!

After driving myself crazy trying to fit a knit t-shirt, I have returned to my comfort zone and sewed up a skirt.   I have to admit that I feel more like the experience sewist that I really am than I have for weeks.

I made a muslin of Simplicity 2475 which only needed a couple adjustments at the waist and upper back seams to better fit my narrower waist.

  My years of fussy cutting for quilts paid off for the placement of the stems at the hem, some green leaves in the kick pleats (sorry, not visible in the photos) and my favorite: the clever placement of the butterfly on the front waistband.

The fabric was a 3-panel linen (or linen-like) fabric I found at a thrift store for about $5, probably intended as curtains or throw pillows.  It is fully lined with scraps that are probably white cotton sheets.   Pink metal zip at the left hip (the only 7" light colored zip in my vast stash).

It is 100% stash for the Style the Stash Challenge.  More details on my blog. 

MOVING ON...

...For my next project I chose McCall's 6751 because I really needed an easy to make success story to build my confidence back up.

McCall's 6751

 I am really attracted to all four views of this pattern, but decided to start with view D.  I made it from a  crinkled gauze jungle print fabric pulled from the top of my stash.  Lots of colors involved in this top so it won't be hard to find a bottom to wear with it.  It's an easy, breezy simple top; another one with the hi-lo detail.

Front

Back with pleated detail

Plenty of room in this one - I made a large but if I were to make it again I'd definitely opt for the medium.  I only made minor changes, i.e. omitted the pocket and bias tape facings for the armhole and neckline.  Nothing difficult about this one.  I think I'd love wearing it with shorts.  Just right for a lovely Saturday summer outing - mmmm note to self:  need to plan one of those (haha).  I think I need a couple  more simple projects just to keep momentum up.