The Good ,The Bad and The Ugly.

Hello All,

What a great summer. Finally I have summoned enough courage to get back to blogging. I have a taken a nice break from just about everything. Now I need a kick to get back into gear.

The Ugly
I am posting this picture of my broken toe, traumatic joint fracture, because this is the reason I have been locked in the Sewing Room Tower, with NO exercise and virtually no movement. Sewing wise I have been productive.
Endorphins and calories spent = 0
Cranky factor =10+++

The Bad
One major wadder when I was locked in the Sewing Tower. Vogue 1252. I had high hopes for this beauty, but the ruching, wrapping, gathering, tucking, draping was all a dither. Great directions, not Vogue's fault, not for me.

The Good


It seemed I was locked in the Tower on the most sunniest of  days. One  two day period, I went a little crazy with Vogue 1250, adding sleeves and the like. Four dresses. Matte jersey, ITY jersey, Missoni Crush, I used them all.

On another day, below, Burda 07-2011-110 in a black cotton brocade.

Most recently, below, a frankenpattern of Simplicity 2648 bodice and a a pleated skirt for D1 to wear to school. Emil Rutenberg cotton satin. Butter fabric.

I am happy to be back. Excited for fall.

Excited to see what you are all making for the new season, and to my friends in the southern hemisphere,  what you will be making for spring.

Regards,
Joanne M

Skirts

Please excuse the quality of these pictures.....

Prada Spring 2011 featured many stripes. Stripe fabric of this nature is impossible to find. After an exhaustive search, I pieced together many strips of cotton sateen using the trusty serger.

Prada Skirt in Pink/Orange/Black

Prada Skirt in Teal/Black/Chocolate

Jil Sander Spring 2011 also featured skirts with a ruffle at the top. This is a lovely green/ black/ gold brocade. This was fun to construct, but the weight of the ruffle at the top presented some drag issues....

I am taking a break from blogging until September. Enjoy the remainder of the summer, and I will reconnect again then.

Thank you for all your kind comments, take care all.

Navy Sheath Dress

Thank you for all the kind comments about the graduation dress. It has had much wear!

I joined the Dress Sewalong hosted by Faye. She kindly extended the deadline for today. Yes- I finished hand stitching an hour ago.......

INSPIRATION A navy Milly dress

 PATTERN: Simplicity Amazing Fit. Two muslins of bodice, not hard to do, and the fit was really good. This is a GREAT pattern.

  FABRIC: A navy raffia from EOS. It has the feel of a thicker linen but with a sheen of silk. An intriguing fabric.

                           My ties had to have 4 rows of topstitching like the Milly ties.

 LINING: I chose a bemberg lining for the bodice, and a silk organza for the skirt to give it some body and prevent creasing. This turned out to be a good idea.
         (Please excuse the toes)

CONCLUSION: I think this might be my favorite sheath dress pattern.
The navy was true, the fabric was interesting to work with, and maybe the weather will warm up and the skies dry up....... soon.....

Highly recommended!

Graduation Dress

D1 graduated from University yesterday and I finished up this dress within hours of the ceremony.
I am uber on time with every facet of my life but sewing.
I am always switching, changing and tweaking something last minute.

I was inspired by LindsayT's dress that she made her daughter, for her high school graduation last year.

I have used this pattern several times for myself, Burda 3477, but making for another allows for such perfect fit experience. Two muslins and several changes ensured a close fit. I highly recommend this pattern if still available, it allows for much tweaking.

Ruffle basted to neck before final sewing.

Here she is below, with a cool 48 degrees cold snap, cap and gown in hand.
She has four more years of study ahead, so more dresses to come.

Happy Graduation my firstborn. You have worked hard and more work ahead.

Love,
Mum.

Hold Me Back

When I find a great new pattern, I am sometimes tempted to overindulge.
Like Vogue 1194

This pattern is great.

I have made it up in an abstract jersey

No muslin.

Inches off the length.

Raised the V with no problem.

I also just finished it in a black matte jersey.

I am thinking of making a third..... No wait..... ENOUGH.

:)

Cranky Seamstress

I usually don't post midway through a project, but this may not make it to completion, so, here is Vogue 1207.

A darling dress for D1. The reviews are not very convincing, so maybe I should have listened......

I did make a muslin for the bodice, but the fabric chosen is a silk georgette that is beautful but F-U-S-S-Y. The pattern did suggest a georgette, so I AM following the rules......

I raised the back V by two inches, and while I was worried how low it might appear, I SHOULD have been worried about how puckery the V is (see below)........arrgghhh

I will wait until D1 comes home this weekend and finish this dress. I am determined to make it work. I love the fabric and the cute style, but many pieces, fickle fabric,cranky seamstress.........

Jil Sander Copy

I love the Jil Sander spring 2011 line. The beautiful kelly greens, hot pinks and bright tangerines, all solid and fairly clean lines. Oh, and the ruffles. BIG ruffles. Without looking too dangerously prom.

I had some orange sherbet cotton sateen in my stash. Trying to find a solid kelly green, tangerine or hot pink is hard. Prints abound. Sometimes you have something in your stash.

I copied my go-to skirt muslin. I did not line the skirt, but finished edges and added an interfaced waistband facing (never do I add facings, I prefer to line) to stabilize the weight of the ruffle. I think lining would make the skirt drag down, and I did not need any added weight. The ruffle is folded and added between facing and skirt.It has great drape factor.

Sateen is the way to go. Enough shine, enough crispness and I LOVE the skirt. I plan on wearing it with a white blouse or a bright pink very plain T. Heck I would even wear a black blouse, who cares if it looks Halloweeny! I have some black sateen, so I am planning on making a black skirt with a different colored ruffle.

Don't you love shopping your stash????