McCall's 6744 Dress

Sure, I have lots of other projects that have long since been finished and remain unblogged. We're not talking about those right now!! :)

I forgot that I had a plan for this fabric when I saw a surplice RTW dress in a floral print, and I was sold. I have sewn this before, many years ago (2013 or 2014) and that really got me excited to make it. I'm all for sewing without cutting out paper patterns.

I posted a joke on Instagram that I was going to throw out every pattern I'd sewn in '13 and '14 because my cutting and adjustments are just horrendous! LOL! I'd made some really weird changes to this pattern and spent a little time bringing it current :)

I cut a size medium, added 1" to the back bodice at the waist and on the back skirt from the waist, tapering to nothing about midway down the thigh. The front neckline is cut as a size small but the rest is a medium. I didn't want the maxi length but knew the shorter length was too short. I decided to add 4" to the shorter length and hemmed at 1". 

The pattern is constructed by sewing the shoulders first and creating a casing for 1/4" elastic. Newbie me tossed(?) the elastic guide but was also smart enough to have noted the elastic length in the instructions. SCORE! I like the soft gathers that it creates, and it really secures the shoulder/sleeve area. If I happen to make this again, I will add some width for my biceps.

This was before I sewed a snap in place in front.

Next up is hemming the front neckline, which was quick and easy with the coverstitch. Then, I sewed the bodice side seams, and hemmed the armholes. I attached the bodice to the skirt with the sewing machine (basting the bodice first!) and serged the seam, creating an elastic casing (I'd sewn the skirt side seams first, via serger). Inserted the elastic, tried it on for length, a quick hem through the coverstitch, final press, and DONE! I started it on Tuesday and finished on Saturday. This slow sewing thing is new to me :-p

The fabric is an ITY from Fabric Mart that has apparently been in stash since 2018! It's a diagonal print which plays really nicely in some areas! It's ALSO a panel print. It totally says that it was a panel (I love my FM purchase history being searchable via my email) and I ordered 2 panels. But, I had THREE! I would not have been able to make the dress with the two 40" panels while paying any sort of attention to the print. So while I didn't fully plan it out, I did make some choices on the front panels and then worked the skirt pieces onto one panel. 

I LOVE IT SO MUCH AND IT IS EVERYTHING I WANTED! LOL!!

I am a volunteer board member for a local non-profit and this dress was perfect for this year's annual award ceremony. It hit just the right note on a warm, summer afternoon.

My husband has been really fixing up the back patio (we rent a townhome and this is our little personal "slice" of privacy) and the flowers make me smile and my dress blends right in!

Because I am still working on conjuring the mojo, I am going to focus on prepping a few projects for SewCamp or else who knows what I'll be working on! :-p

Simplicity 8337

 I sewed! :-D I did not sew a birthday outfit (first year since I started sewing that I didn't!) I wore RTW:

I had dinner out with my husband, brother and sister in law, I got lots of fantastic gifts, and I went to the White Sox v. Twins game on the day of...it was a great birthday all around.

Last Saturday, the Twin Cities Sewists group got together for the first time in a long time - it was awesome! We got together at a local lake (the weather was thankfully very mild that day). Talking sewing is always inspiring and I came home and cut out this pattern! 

I'm a very average height, just a bit under 5'6", and removed an inch in length

It's all sizes in one envelope - XXS to XXL - and I cut a size medium. I shortened it an inch at the waist and made no other adjustments. I fully intended to add a bit across the upper back (I've put on some weight there) but I forgot. I was cutting this from scraps and had to play pattern tetris. I laid it out and just forgot to adjust the pattern piece. Womp. Womp.

It's a little tight across the upper back as a result. The puddling is partial due to posture, and a reality of making something without a CB seam.

I also departed from the pattern instructions on finishing - do not use pre-purchased woven bias tape to finish the neckline of this jersey knit top. That is just silliness. I cut a strip of the knit against the grain, at 7/8". The neckline seam allowance is 3/8", so I'm allowing for 1/8" turn of cloth, and 3/8" to finish. I didn't worry about folding the fabric back on itself.

I then turned, pressed, and used a narrow zigzag to secure.  The armholes were supposed to be finished with a double fold binding method and I just folded my binding in half and serged in place.

Wrong side will show, so keep that in mind if you choose something other than a single jersey. I am one that doesn't mind raw edges if the application is right (in this case, be sure to cut the ruffle with a rotary cutter for a neat edge), you can also do a rolled hem if a raw edge bothers you.

I really love the color (I hate that I can't wear the dress made from the fabric here), it's just super baggy in the chest / neckline. I'm so happy I was able to get a wearable (and versatile!) garment from the scraps. Yay, scraps! LOL!

Oooh - I (finally!) ordered a Beatrice dress form! (NAYY) I am SO excited! It'll be awhile before I actually have it in hand, but I plan to document the process throughout. 

They are currently releasing a limited number of forms each month, so that they can keep up with production, and I missed out in May and June. July - scored! 

Step 1: Complete an intake form. There are some basic questions and measurements so that they can send a scanning kit out.

Hopefully we will have a nice, bright day that will allow me to get a good scan (my husband will do it). From there, they verify the scan is good and then the form goes into production. I'm thinking I'm going to spend the extra $250 to get the half scale form - we'll see!

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My grandson is 10 months old! he's such a big boy, it's mind-blowing! He just moves around like a big kid now. He's reached the point where he scoots down off of the couch or bed and I'm about ready to send a consultant over to give baby proofing advice! 

He is very active, very determined, AND he's a big kid at 25lbs and he's tall. They're going to have to be quick on their feet! :-D