I'm Back!

Obviously I'm not very good at blogging!  Would you believe that I found at least 3 unposted posts that were saved but never finished?  Sure you would - sort of like my sewing - started but not finished!

Today I am wearing my Style Arc "Barb" (or is it Barbara) black denim jeans and they feel pretty good - sure wish they had pockets though.  I like the pattern but not happy with Joann's stretch denim.  Without ordering though, that is about all that is around here.  My first pair were gray bengaline - don't remember where that was ordered from but I made them without washing the fabric first (gasp!)  Wish I had . .. . they shrank.  They went in the dryer as well - only added insult to injury.

What I have been sewing:  lots of tote bags for our local craft center which has crafts made by those 55 and older.  Younger crafters can join as well but it isn't cheap for them.  Beginning in October, purchases over $25 are put in a handmade tote bag.  Last year, they used over 450 bags so it was a good idea and helped increase sales.  No, I haven't made that many but I have tried to do my part by probably making 25 or so.  There are a few more hunks of fabric (all donated!) upstairs to cut and sew - I will finish those up before October 1.

I have made a dress - a Maria Denmark pattern "Audrey" in a gray with large black polka dots.  It fits but I don't think it looks very good on right now - 5 more pounds will help so I may photograph it then. I don't think it is ready for public viewing yet.

I found a book in my sewing room that I had forgotten about - very simple sewing - t-shirts and variations.  The patterns are by Simplicity but called Built by Wendy.  I've made two and I think I am pretty happy with the fit here and there.

This was the first attempt, using a size medium.  All done on the serger which included turning the serged neck edge and turning it under.  The sewing machine was used to top stitches the neck and hem the sleeves and hem.  I found a major problem with the sleeves - they ended up really wide at the bottom.  Hated the way it felt and looked so I pinched out a tuck at the bottom and stitched it right across the hem line.  Not the ideal fix but it's ok.

Next up is the second try made by using the small size rather than the medium.  I think it is a better fit but am considering cutting somewhere between the two for the next one.  I used a sleeve from another pattern, with a shorter cap and 3/4 length which I usually wear.  Short sleeves aren't friendly to old (mature!) arms and I don't think they are that much cooler in the summer.  this one was probably done about half serger and half sewing machine.  It has a neck band rather than just turning it under.  Sorry for the iPhone photos taken in the bathroom - rainy day and only place the light is light!  Guess I need to buy a tripod again.

Presto Popover!  The buzz word among the RTW fasters recently.  Inexpensive pattern that everyone is loving because it is so simple.  Weeeeelllll - not simple for some but I got it done.  Burrito - that is something to eat but it seems to mean something else is sewing - I understood what the final product was supposed to be but the folding and turning and all sorts of other things never did click - I just did it my way and got it together - but the pattern didn't match in the front.  I''m still not sure about the whole procedure - this was not a fun project - very slippery, slidey, thin material that fought me constantly.  BUT I am going to make another - blue/black animal print that I bought on eBay - love it!  It is heavier than the multicolored and might be easier to work with.  Not sure how the 2 layer front is going to be but it is worth another try.  The collar might do and look better with the heavier fabric too.

This hasn't been hemmed yet - actually it was but I didn't like the way it looked so I cut it off and now it is a little short so the new hem is going to be very narrow!

Long post but I think I am caught up until the next Popover is done - I will try to do better!

June already?

I'm a RTWF failure - I admit it, I bought a couple of tops for a trip - I just can't seem to get my sewing act together!  We just got back from two weeks in Italy and my one chance to maybe buy some silk in the Lake Como area didn't materialize.

I lost weight two years ago and was sort of ok with what didn't come off but somehow, that 10 has begun following me around again - I don't have a lot of interest in trying to fit what is here so I expect my summer sewing will be tops that can fit just about any body.  I have a piece of voile that will be cool and comfortable and that is going to be tomorrow's project, along with a petal skirt that was a free pattern from itch-to-stitch.com.  Hopefully both can be completed over the weekend - wish me luck!

The one thing I have managed to finish was another top, using the pattern from Marcy and Katherine Tilton's Craftsy class.  I don't love the fit of it but it is wearable.  I only used the small collar from the pattern - zippers along the edge of the collar didn't appeal to me and would have been too heavy for the fabric.  The close up of the neck shows about the way it looks all the time - not great but ok.

The wrinkles going from the armhole to the neck are only there because of how I was trying to hold the camera and photograph the thing - how awkward it is to take your own picture!  Unfortunately, the neck wrinkles stay no matter how I hold anything!  I don't remember where I got the fabric but it was an online order.  It washes and dries well and also travels well, as do all my tops.  Love being able to shove them in tiny places in the suitcase!

Shirt photos

Since I don't have anything to show yet for 2015 and an ironing board cover really doesn't count, I'm posting the only things I made last year.  Three tops/shirts from online somewhere, all of which have been worn repeatedly.

This one you have already seen but the photo shows more of the fabric - I can't tell you how silly I feel standing in front of a blank wall trying to take a picture of myself!  Maybe everyone feels the same?   Number 1:

I should have pulled the bottom down a bit - but didn't in any of the shirts.  Number 2:

Another with the bottom hiked up - I got tickled thinking about posing for photos!  And, finally, number 3:

As I put these on for the posing session, I realized how much I have learned just by reading your posts and looking at pictures.  I know now that I have some fitting issues that have to be dealt with - I never learned fitting in home ec classes in the dark ages.  I think we took a few measurements, bought a pattern and fabric, cut it out, sewed it up and wore it!  The shoulder is a little wide in all of these and I can't believe it but some wrinkles indicate a full bust adjustment is needed.  ME, needing a
FBA - amazing!  Sort of poor fit or not, I have loved these tops.  We travel a lot and they are wonderful to ball up in tiny spaces in the suitcase, never wrinkle, dry overnight and are comfortable no matter the weather.  I have yardage for several more but will search for a better pattern than what I cobbled together!

New neck

I think the title is rather appropriate since looking at the photos I took, I need a new neck!  Oh well, aging does present some things that probably shouldn't be photographed.  Re-doing that neck band was a pain in the patootie - I managed to stretch the neck with all the ripping and pressing but the neck band is on!  Not perfect but neither am I!  The shirt was made by measuring and tracing an existing RTW and cutting a pattern as best I could (first try at self drafting)  It sort of turned out ok, except for the wonky neck and has been worn and washed many times.  I'm not totally happy with my pattern - have been looking at some of Maria Denmark's knit shirt patterns and I think I will try one of those for the next one.  Here is the mostly corrected neck and it is an improvement.

On to more sorting, decluttering and sort of cleaning that sewing space.
Later . . . 

Lack of progress

Here it is almost mid-March and no sewing has been done!  I have a before picture of a shirt I made last year with a wonky neck - I have since ripped the neck band off but not sewn it back on yet.  I hope that it will improve - I've been watching Marcy and Katherine Tilton's class on Craftsy and paying close attention to adding the neckband.

Goodness, wonky doesn't even do it justice!  And I've been wearing it like that?  Ugh!  

In all fairness to myself I'm still trying to get the room put back together.  No, it isn't a studio, it is a bedroom that I have claimed for my "Stuff."  Things were rearranged before Christmas and never put back together, so the past 10 days have been full of company, sorting, and just trying to find the bottom in there.  Progress with a new neck and more sewing soon!

Later . . .

The Beginning

I've called this "The Beginning" because I just joined the 2015 RTW Fasters!  Sarah got my photo and name posted in the list but I wasn't happy with the Flickr stuff I was trying to put together so I decided to hop back to blogger and hope it would be more friendly than it was the last time I tried it.

I'm on pins and needles trying to set up this blog! My previous attempts haven't been successful - forgot, too lazy, no computer access, lots of reasons!  But I have "sew"enjoyed reading about the 2014 RTW fasters and all they have done when they joined Sarah at Goodbye Valentino, that I knew I had to get back to sewing for myself!  Unfortunately, I have already broken the fast by buying a cute Eileen Fisher knit top at a local thrift shop - actually, it was before I joined the group - but I will do better!

Since I am in Florida until March, away from sewing machine, patterns and fabric, I can't be sewing until I get home.  But, I have a list of patterns I want to try and I purchased some fabric before I left I can't wait to cut into!  Until I get there, I will be knitting, trying to finish some unfinished projects.  That counts as sewing doesn't it?

Well, obviously, I need to figure out how do decorate the blog, post pictures, etc.  So far, I'm not seeing anything that tells me how to do this so for a while, I'm afraid it will be pretty boring.