Fleece Navidad

This year, I decided to give everyone in the fam a gift and to make things easier on myself, I decided to make fleeces.  

For the little kids, I made McCall's 6222:

(pattern reviewed here)

For the teenagers, I made McCall's 5538 view A:

(pattern reviewed here)

... and McCall's 6252 view A with the pocket from view C:

(pattern reviewed here)

And for the adults, I made McCall's 5538 view B:

(pattern reviewed here)

I don't want to touch fleece ever again....  :)

Ladybug Rug

After seeing the bear playmat I made for a coworker using McCall's 6719, a colleague asked if I could make her a ladybug.  I knew the pattern had a ladybug option, but also knew the ladybug from the pattern looks nothing like a ladybug.  see exhibit A:

I agreed to make her a ladybug knowing I would have to do some modifications to the pattern, but thought it wouldn't be that difficult.

I used the head, body, face, and antennae from the pattern (view A).  I also used the heart applique from the bear.  I made the wings using the body pattern piece, but cutting it into a full circle and then cutting the circle in half.  I spent some time searching everywhere for my protractor to make perfect circles and after I found it and cut out all my circles, I realized the size I chose was the exact size as the cheeks, so if I ever make this again, I'll just trace the cheeks on webbing.  I added jumbo rick rack along the edges to give it a little something extra.  I drafted my own legs on parchment paper:

and made ruby slippers with some left over red sparkly fabric I had and some ribbon:

I also decided to make a bow for the antenna.  

I think it came out great!!  It was a lot of work (took me over 24 hours), but it's so cute!

Mini Wardrobe Contest 2013

So I decided to enter this contest again, and again my wardrobe is for work.  This time, I'm lightening up the color scheme.

PIECE 1:  Simplicity 1658 view A

Front view

(For some reason, the picture looks like there's a spot on the front, but I don't see the spot in person.)

Back view

This dress was a lot more work than it looks.  From the pictures on the envelope, I could not tell that the front overlay is open on the sides.  I also assumed that the overlay on view A was really just the dress such that there weren't multiple layers, but not so.  For all views, the bodice actually has 3 layers!  I completely wasn't paying attention to that when I bought the pattern, so I ended up having to go back to the fabric store to purchase lining...and then I had to go back again for the right size zipper.

This style of dress is my favorite...I love drop-waisted blousy dresses because they hide everything, but I think this one isn't particularly flattering because the overlay is open on the sides.  I just feel really big in this...like football player big.  If I ever make this again, I'll sew the sides of the overlay closed.  I think I'll end up tacking under the arms so that it's at least a little more fitted in the bust.  Sadly, just as I was finishing up the dress trimming frayed edges, I accidentally cut a hole in the front!  It's small so I sewed it closed, but it's still visible.  I think once I tack under the arms, the hole will be under the arm so it won't be a complete disaster.

Anyway, piece one is done.  I also plan on making a suit and another top to complete my wardrobe.  I'll update this page as I complete my pieces.

 

Wore this today:

 

For Yelena

On June 21st my cousin gave birth to this little cutie:

For months I've been planning on making her a quilt, but I just can't seem to get going on that project.  In the meantime, I decided to make her a dress.  Since this is my first attempt at making something so small, I decided to go with an "easy" pattern - McCall's 6015:

Here's my version:

It's not perfect, but it's pretty good if I say so myself.  :)

Design changes:
I completely enclosed the zipper...the pattern only has it enclosed on the bodice.

I also added a lace overlay to make it dressier.

Originally, I planned to use this as the overlay:

..but it was just too bulky to work with.

I went back to the fabric store and got this:

...which was much much easier to work with.
I also made bias tape out of the fabric remnants to enclose the raw edges of the lace:

Now I'm just waiting on my cousin to send me the baby's measurements so I can make the panty.  In the meantime, I guess I'll get back to the quilt...

UPDATE 8/11

I finally made the matching panties:

Vacation Preparation Pt. II

It's almost here!!  I had hoped to make more dresses and I do have time to make one more but I'm exhausted.  So here's the last of my vacation wardrobe...

Simplicity 1614 view B:

I don't really like it, but I'm going to wear it anyway with the skirt below.

Butterick 5756 view D:

I LOVE this skirt!!!  Can't wait to wear it.

Vogue 8574 view A:

This is my second time making this dress.  This time I put darts in the bust to make it fitted.  Also, as much as I love pockets, I omitted them in an effort to save time and get more dresses done.

Now I need a vacation from preparing for vacation...

Vacation Preparation Pt. 1

Eight days till vacation and I still have so much work to do!  The plan is to make a bunch of dresses and right now I'm only about half of the way done.  Progress so far:

McCall's 6558 view E:

Although the pattern calls for knits, I used chiffon I've have for at least 2 years and lined it.


Burda 7364 view C:

I dropped the waist by about an inch and a half because when I cut out the pattern pieces, it didn't look like it was going to hit where I wanted it.  I dropped it a little too much though.  I also completely enclosed the elastic in the waist and added a faux drawstring.  Lastly, I used bias tape for the armholes and neck line...Don't know why (maybe the bias tape is too heavy for the material), but the neckline and armholes are really droopy.  I'll have to wear a camisole under it.

 
MCCall's 5893 view D:

This dress is really comfy on, but sadly, it also looks like a moo moo.  This will definitely be a beach/lazing around dress only. 


McCall's 6465 view C but using the length of view B without the contrast:

I wanted a short loose dress for the beach.  I thought this fabric would be perfect and it is, but since it's tissue thin, I had to line it.  I did the ruffle sleeve so it wouldn't be so blah.  I love it!  Although I could've made a size smaller.


Butterick 5644 view C but I added 8 inches to make it a dress:

In addition, I'm almost finished another dress (I have to get lining for the skirt and add a zipper), I've started a maxi skirt, bought a pattern for a top to go with the skirt and have 2 other dresses I'd like to get done (but probably won't).....

Natural Fibers Contest Entry

It's been a while since I've entered one of patternreview's contest so since I've been purchasing cotton "African" prints from G Street, I thought I'd make something and enter.  I decided to make Simplicity 1607...a pattern I've been itching to make since I first saw it.

Here's my version:

This dress was tedious to make.  The straps are super complicated and the instructions are not that clear.  Luckily, the pictures are, but it takes a lot of studying.  I thought I had them down and when it came time to pin my strap facings to the straps, I realized I sewed one strap together wrong and one facing wrong.  Additionally, either the fabric cutter was way generous or the pattern tells you you need a lot more fabric than you actually do.  I have just under a yard left!  Finally, this pattern required custom fitting...which I pretty much figured beforehand, but apparently, I didn't do a good enough job guestimating.  I cut different sizes for the bodice, midriff, and yoke, knowing I'd need a bigger size in the middle.  Now that the dress is done I see I should've cut the bodice smaller at the top half and gradually cut it to a larger size closer to the midriff.  Now, I'll have to do some adjusting since the bodice is too big...maybe some extra darts might take care of the problem.  This dress requires a lot of handwork as well and I hate slipstitching!  Anyway, I'm glad it's over (aside from adjusting the bust) and can't wait to wear it.  

I tried to take some pics of myself...

one thing I noticed when I just tried this on and sat down...the girls are on display!!...yikes!  Once I put extra darts I think it might help a bit, but this is not a modest neckline at all.


... I'll update the pics when I get someone else to take pics.

UPDATE 5/30:

I fixed the bust!:

It looks ugly on the inside now, but at least the girls are inside!  :)  As suspected however, they are still on display, just not full display as before...hence my camisole under it to make it work appropriate.  Also, for some reason now the bra straps show.

 

 

 

McCall's 6471

I've recently purchased a bunch of skirt patterns and now that it looks like the warm weather is here to stay, it's time to make more skirts!

First up, McCall's 6471 (view D):

I was going through my fabric stash and decided the remaining fabric from my Barrister's Ball dress last year would be perfect for this pattern.  Here it is:

My ruffle is on the wrong side because of the way I had to cut the fabric to keep the border at the bottom.  Due to the way I cut out the fabric, I almost made a very big mistake...the left front was backwards when I went to pin it together!  Luckily, I had just enough to cut another piece out.

Also, after I cut out the pieces I realized that the copyright text would show.  Since I had no more fabric to spare, I decided to make a black stripe down the side using bias tape to cover the text.  I think it works and it's not too obvious:

I had the same problem as I had the last time I made a skirt...I needed to extend the waistband.  This time, because the waistband is a yoke, it's visible, but fortunately, it's not too visible probably due to the pattern of the fabric.

Love this skirt!

UPDATE (5/20):  Wore the skirt to work today: