Ready for Halloween!

When I saw the candy corn smocking pattern from Creations by Michie in Sew Beautiful, I knew I had to make a new dress for Lydia.  Instead of the black in the magazine, I chose a black and white gingham.  I had to change the border colors some to make the colors standout from the gingham.  I used Pattern #132 from Michie Mooney: 

I eliminated the panel, smocking the skirt just below the yoke.  It was a fun item to smock, and the first picture smocking I have done since my daughter was small.

Lydia models it well, and selected wonderful accessories for the outfit.  I think she's ready for Halloween.  Her Grandma will be in Houston to celebrate it with her.

More Sure Fit Designs

I have been wanting a skirt out of eyelet for the longest time.  Add to that my fascination with orange this summer and the result is this skirt.  I purchased the fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics and just love. it.   The eyelet is out of cotton, and the orange lining is also out of cotton and has a slight sheen to it.

Because I am currently losing weight at the moment (15 pounds and counting), I'm not ever sure how to cut it out.  I'm a couple of pounds lighter than when I made my Sure Fit Designs blue print.  So I used it as a starting point, and originally drafted an a-line skirt.  I didn't like the a-line style for this skirt, so cut it back to just a straight skirt.  Because of the fabric, it needed very little ease, so I eventually took in two inches total at the sides (1/2 inch seam allowances).

If you are new to my blog, you'll find out very soon that I am a major fan of Sure Fit Designs.  It is a system that allows you to draft your own sloper, or as the system calls it, Blue Print, from which you can draft your own patterns.  I've used it for over a year with great success.  You can learn more about the system at Sure Fit Designs

I cut out the design of the eyelet on the bottom, and finished the top with a facing.  Zipper is on the side.  I wish I had placed the zipper in the back, but wasn't thinking when I cut it out.  It will be more challenging to take in as I continue to lose weight.  Oh well....

The next challenge was deciding what to wear with my new skirt.  I made the t-shirt below for it, but it was just too bland together.  So I went on the hunt for something and lucked out with this orange bolero/ cardigan at T J Max.  That was a miracle since I never find anything at T J Max.  I paid only $9.00  (Yay!)  After some trial and error, I decided the shell from the Loes Hinse sweater set was the perfect addition to the ensemble.

Although this top didn't work out for the skirt, I still like it a lot.  This was also drafted from Sure Fit Designs from the dress kit.  I went down two dots to draft the t-shirt months ago, but then took it in 1/2 at the side seams due to the weight loss.  I converted the darts into french darts, cut a scoop neck, and added the "chico twist" from a booklet by Linda Rholfing.  I think I will get much mileage out of this T.  This week, I'll probably wear it with this pencil skirt and  vest:

One More Dress for Lydia

As I wait to go to Houston to meet my new granddaughter, I have made another smocked dress.  This one is from the Children's Corner and is their Bishop's Dress, Gwen view.  A coworker gave me her pattern.  (Thanks Wendy!)  I really like this pattern and know I will use it over and over.  It is multisized, so I hope I can use it until Lydia is at least three or four years old.

This was the first Bishop's dress I have made and it wasn't as hard to pleat as I thought it would be.  I held my breath but that fabric went through my Amanda Jane Pleater like butter.  That is, until I got to the seams. I only broke two needles!  Next time, I will trim the seams more and use a zig zag stitch.  Hopefully, there will be no more broken needles.

The smocking was a lot of fun.  This was a free design in this month's Sew Beautiful Magazine.  I love that magazine and am proud that Martha Pullen is from Alabama.

Hopefully, I can get one more dress made before I leave for Houston in a week and a half.  This one will not be pleated, so I should have plenty of time to complete it.

Maxi #2

I had so much fun making the maxi dress for my daughter, I decided to make one for me.  Someone on Stitcher's Guild suggested that the CJ Pleat Front dress might make a good maxi.  I had just made this pattern in a short version, sleeveless.  Unlike the previous dress, I remembered to raise the armhole 1 inch.  I also lengthened it 15 inches.

The fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics.  I loooove this fabric!  It's a jersey knit that drapes beautifully and has some weight to it.  Last I looked, Ann had more of this fabric in three different colors.

This will be a great dress to have in Houston as I visit with my daughter, son-in-law, and my precious granddaughter, Lydia.  My daughter's due date is tomorrow, so we are all on pins and needles waiting for the new arrival.

What To Wear on Maternity Leave

My granddaughter is due any day now and I have been very busy smocking dresses and making a baby quilt.  But I must not forget Mom.  When we were shopping, Stefanie admired several maxi dresses, many of the striped and waaay over priced ($85 - $100).  I found this wonderful striped fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics and incredibly soft.  I think it is not only beautiful, but very comfortable.

I can't wait to get to Houston to see that precious granddaughter and my wonderful daughter, who I am so proud of!

Adventures in Color Blocking

I have been wanting to make a color blocked dress for quite some time.  I had purchased the light green and orange ponte from Sawyer Brook several months ago, trying to decide what to do.  I decided it needed something more, so purchased the fuchsia knit a couple of weeks ago.  This knit was lighter weight than the others, even though it was also a ponte.  So I doubled it at the bottom to make a band, eliminating the hem.

I used my Sure Fit Designs dress kit/ knit top with a dart and the leaflet instructions for making dolman sleeves.  The idea of the curved lines came from a new Vogue pattern.

Here I am on a very humid day.  The picture, along with the angle isn't great, but you get the idea.

I had enough fuchsia left over and some black and white knit stripe from Marcy Tilton to make a top.

These were a lot of fun and quick to make.  The drafting took less time than I anticipated.

THE LUNA TOP

I decided tops and blouses were the next thing for me as I lose weight.  First up was the Luna Top from The Sewing Workshop.  I had made the Stella top from the same pattern in a knit.  A few months ago, I found this fabric from Sawyer Brook and thought it would be perfect for this pattern.  It's a rayon, crepey fabric, that looks like patchwork in different floral prints.

The alterations I made were my usual - sloping, narrow shoulders and a high rounded back.  I did not need an FBA because it's fairly loose fitting.  I omitted the zipper when I realized it would fit easily over my head.  The bottom is buttoned, but I decided to sew the diagonal lines at the bottom and attached the buttons.  As I lose weight, I can take it up at the side seams.

The challenge was in the bias seams on the cowl front with slippery fabric.  It took lots of pinning, which I don't really enjoy.  After that, it came together like a breeze.

Here's a picture of me in it with a pair of white jeans I bought about four weeks ago and couldn't zip up at the time.  (Hurray for me for getting them on, and now they aren't even too tight.)  Pardon the expression on my face.  It's already 90 degrees in Alabama and the sun was in my eyes.

I wore it  on a road trip to Florida today to spend Memorial Day with my husband's Aunt Janie.  She was a surrogate mother to him and is still quite feisty at age 90.  I hope to be just like her.  Here's Aunt Janie and my stepson.  Can you believe how tall he is at age 16?  It was a wonderful day.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!