Cherry Licorice

I can't believe it has taken me so long to post pictures of this dress!  This was the final garment I made for Sew Colette last year, but due to unforeseen circumstances I really didn't finish it until early this year. 

I have had a hard time finding time to blog lately and an even harder time getting photos taken.  I have still been sewing though and hope to get back on track in the coming months.  I had a few things that just were not working for me and some of that has been resolved lately.  Back to the dress...



I have to tell you I made this out of quilting cotton from Joann's, a mistake I probably won't make again.  It is a pretty dress and I have got a lot of wear out of it, but it seems stiffer and heavier than other quilting cottons.

I was also really distracted while making this dress and was only sewing in about 15 minute increments or less during this time, I ended up cutting out the lining for the dress 2 other times due to mistakes with sewing, but I finally finished.  I would love to make another of these dresses now that I am finding more time to sew.


Pattern:  Colette Sewing Handbook  - Licorice Dress
Fabric - Cherry Cotton
Styled with: Red Shoes from Nine West (barely seen in top photo)

Macaron

Pattern: Colette Patterns – Macaron

Fabric: Rosey, Cotton Gauze with white polka dots & Off-White cotton for contrast purchased from Hart’s fabric

Styled with: Shoes: Just Fab

Wear Again: You bet!

This was the second pattern from Colette’s that I ever remember seeing and immediately I wanted to make it! I am not sure why it took me so long to act on the urge except besides straight copying the white/blue sample from Colette’s I had a hard time finding fabric that I wanted to pair together.

However, when both Hart’s and Sew Colette 2.0 picked the same pattern for a sew-along in the same month – I had to get in on that and finally choose some fabric. Being the talented slacker that I am – I missed the deadline and this did not actually get sewn up until last month.

This is the perfect dress for work and I am sure I’ll make another in the near future.

Pattern Review:  I have to tell you there are a few moments when constructing this dress that I seriously thought to myself that this pattern and set of instructions were pure genius! (The pockets and sleeves for instance) and at least one instance (once again the pockets) that I was extremely nervous that I was reading the instructions correctly.

I did have an issue with the fit of the sleeves, but I am sure that is probably me and something I should have adjusted for – I am just not sure what and my Google searches were of no help. Basically when I put the bodice on the sleeve area was too tight to then pull the dress back up over my head without secondary party (read: husband) assisting me out of the dress. The funniest part about this issue is that I could get the dress on just fine on my own and that it felt and looked comfortable – it just didn’t want to come off. I finally went in and surged again around the armholes this time as close to the regular line of stitching as I could without going over it in hopes that I would open up the area some. This actually works and I can finally get the dress over my head on my own. Has anyone heard of this type of fit issue and what is it called?

Been away for far too long

Wow! I can't believe how long it has been since my last post.  While I have been gone - I hope I have not been forgotten.  As I mentioned previously the girl I was working with quit leaving me the only one at my company doing my job.  We have a very large project going on which has kept me busy and while we still have not found a replacement for the position I am finding some very small junks of time to sew.

As someone who has never had an issue before finding time to sew, it has been challenging for me to be on the other side of the fence.  For me having something that normally just takes a few minutes of my sewing time be all I get done in a day (ie. trace and sew the bust darts) has been very disheartening and distracting!  However, I just can't stay gone any longer!
For August, I am going to keep it simple but treat myself to some hard earned sewing time!  I am going to finish the last project of the Sew Colette challenge (better late than never right?) and finish my Cherry Fabric truffle dress that is cut out and part way finished at the moment (bust darts complete lol).  I am also going to finish my Ice cream Sundae Obsession dress and catchup on my Craftsy Block of the Month class, and lastly join Sew Colette 2.0 and sew the Macaron dress.

I am hoping since the first two items are about 75% complete and normally I could have finished each of them in a day that this won't be too much!

I also want to branch out from just finished garments and add some more meaningful content to the blog.  However, at least for the next week I'll be posting up the remainder of my Spring Palette challenge items that completed before my break.

Pictured above is an IPAD case that I made using one of the Craftsy workshops with some modifications.  The case was a mother's day gift for my mother-in law and I am pretty happy with the overall results, but wish I had made a mock-up first.  The case was pretty heavy into machine quilting which while I don't mind using that to piece what would be the block portions together - I found machine quilting the design or actual "quilted" portion to just look poor.  I would much rather have put the effort into hand stitching.  The instructions also were not great and found that due to the instructions not being complete nor clear that I ended up with unfinished edges inside the bag. However, at the end of the day mom is pleased with her gift so I am as well - next time you can bet I will be doing a mock-up!  But it is pretty darn cute isn't it?

Mint Truffle

Pictured above is the third garment (March - I am a little late) in the Sew Colette Sew Along and the first finished garment of the Spring/Summer Palette Challenge.  I blogged about my plan for the SPC here.

I absolutely love the way this dress came together!  For the fabric I used a soft, light weight cotton I bought while on a trip to Portland.  I wish you could see the detail in the pictures.  It is a beautiful mint green with white polka dots!  It is fairly sheer so I had to line the dress in a white cotton batiste.  This was my first time completely lining a dress and since the pattern didn't call for it - I followed the instructions for lining the bodice and sort of winged how to add in the skirt portion.  The instructions for this dress are so simple and easy to follow!

The dress feels great on and is going to be a favorite - I can tell already. I did notice after the pictures the straps are a little loose on my shoulders and there is some gaping in the back bodice.  Do any of you more experienced people know what the fit problem might be?  Maybe I need to do an SBA, but would that affect the room in the back or just the fit for the front?  I am finally at the point in my sewing that things like this are starting to become noticeable.  I guess it is time to find some good fit resources.

Next up for the Spring/Summer Challenge the Pink and White striped Hazel Dress!

Spring/Summer Palette Challenge

I am so excited that I will be joining in the fun of the Spring/Summer palette challenge hosted by Colette patterns. I had a hard time with the Fall palette challenge.  It was hard to stay motivated since we do not have much of a fall in California and I also suffered from time constraints, material shortages and the like.  Not this time!

Spring time in California is gorgeous!  And I have been itching to get out in the sunshine in beautiful sun dresses and shorts! So, I decided that I would sew 4 sun dresses, a summery capelet, 3 pairs of shorts and a blouse to go with each pair of shorts!  It sounds like quite the feat but the shorts will be made out of the same pattern with just some simple modifications and most of the patterns are rated as beginner.

Here is the inspirational/mood board that I put together. My inspirations are a little bit vintage, rockabilly, one part romantic, and a little bit modern.

Here are the patterns/fabric I will be using:

1. Truffle in a mint and white polka dot cotton.  I believe this is a voile or lawn as it is very light weight.  I am lining the entire dress in a white cotton batiste.  This was a purchase back in December from my trip to Portland.  This garment is also part of the Sew Colette Sew along I have been participating in.  I am behind - just a little as this was March's garment but I will be finishing it here for the 1st week of this challenge.

2. Hazel  in pink and white striped cotton.  I have two yards exactly of this fabric so I may need to get creative.  My thought is to add in and eyelet to the bodice triangle but I still want to feature some nice stripe action!  This was also a fabric that I picked up on my trip last trip to Portland

3. Hazel #2 I saw Gertie in this beautiful green and purple floral print from Ascher studios and I nearly swooned!  I had to have this fabric and thought it would make a perfect Hazel!  By the way, I realized that Gertie is like the Kate Middleton of the sewing world!  I wasn't the only one calling in/coming in to get this fabric after having seen it on Gertie's blog and they were nearly out!

4. Lily  in a lovely lilac twill.

5. Iris x 3 in pale pink, sunny yellow, and bright mint twills! I plan to add cute buttons and maybe even scalloped edges to at least a pair of these!

6.  Taffy in a beautiful yellow and white polka dot blouse weight cotton.  This is also part of the Sew Colette Sew along!

7.  Violet in this beautiful Nani Iro floral print.

8. Vintage Advance 8339 version 1 in a mint and white striped shirting.

9. Butterick B5032 the sun dress capelet in a white daisy lawn.

** I do have a bonus garment! The Licorice which is also part of the Sew Colette challenge.  I didn't include it in my palette because I have not been able to chose a fabric!

Lavender and Cream Pastille

Pictured above is my finished Pastille dress for the February portion of the Sew Colette challenge.  About halfway through the construction of this garment - I was pretty much ready to give up.  I had convinced myself that I really didn't like the style of the dress, the fabric was a poor fit, and that it was just going to look sloppy.

However, I was determined to finish it just so it wouldn't become a UFO.  So, on I went...  the first issue were the sleeve facings.  They looked horrible!  I thought about recutting them and redoing them but I just really didn't like them.  I finally decided to finish the sleeves with bias tape instead.  The only color I had a full pack of was lavender - so that is what I used.

The second issue was the pleats at the bottom of the dress.  Somewhere along the line all my markings had faded.  I could attempt to re-trace them from the pattern - or guess on lining them up properly, but neither of those options made me happy either!  So, I decided to do something I never do!  I hemmed the skirt with my machine and then placed a strip of bias tape over the hemline.  I figured I need someway to tie the bias tape into the theme and look of the dress or the sleeves would just look odd.

Finally at the finish line I tried the dress on and it was suggested to me by the husband no less, that I should also trim the waist, and there you have it - a dress I really do love despite the earlier comments.  I guess sometimes you have to fail to achieve success.

Next up for the Sew Colette challenge.... the Truffle dress.

Sew Colette - Meringue Skirt and End of the Month Review

I am very excited to have completed the first garment in the Sew Colette Sew-Along - The Meringue Skirt!  I guess you can say I cheated since I have made it once before (I skipped the muslin portion of this Sew-along).  The scallops were even easier and came out even crisper then second time, and I am still convinced I could make this in every color of the rainbow!

Pattern:  Meringue from The Colette Sewing Handbook

Fabric: Black Twill (leftover from a pair of shorts that ended up being a sewing mishap)

Paired with:  All for Love of Top from Modcloth and Iron Fist Hells from JustFab.com

This month was pretty successful - I started the month out by finishing a UFO pair of Madeline's (the free mini-bloomer pattern from Colette's).  They had been waiting on the perfect color of thread.  I finished both the Linen Peony Dress and the Meringue Skirt above and even after a week long delay while working on the muslin I caught up on the Sew Along for the Minrou Jacket.  Lastly, I ended up finishing a pair of StarWars pajama pants for a friend.  I'll post pictures of that soon!