Skirt Making part three

 I finished the muslin, made a "paper" pattern out of interfacing and then made my first test garment out of a stretch denim.  I will take the denim in approx 1/8" on each side, but I like it.

I like the length, I like the waist fit!  I did a rear center zipper, I did a lace hem binding and I did a hong kong finish on the inside!

I love it.

I will have to make one more test skirt before I have a genuine sloper!  Oh and yes, I made the blouse too!  This was a me-made outfit!  Yeah!

Skirt Making part two

I get so frustrated trying to learn how to fix a commercial pattern.  Anyways I am making my own.  It's just a skirt after all.  So I am following the instructions I found here:
   www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4668/drape-​a-skirt-sloper

I made my darts, and now I'm pinning.  I think it is going pretty well.  Of course, I will try the darn thing on once I have it pinned.  I will even install a zipper to test the 'on and off' factor.  Let's face it when there is that much of a change between waist and hip, sometimes there is an issue.  I will also see how well it hangs off my hips.  The dress form may have my measurements, but I doubt there in the same spots.  Then I will take it apart, trace it out, write really good instructions and then make a wearable muslin.  I have denim that should work.

I am really trying to assure that the side seams stay perfectly on the side and the front and back centers stay where they need to be.  So lets say I am actually successful in creating the pattern...my plan then will be to cut it out in denim, cut a cute cotton facing for the waist and make the skirt.  No waistband.  I would like it sleek and straight.

I so hope I have some wonderful pictures to show you.  Maybe I will even do a Hong Kong finish inside with the same cute cotton fabric.   Wouldn't that be something.

Sewing was so much easier when I had less of a shape.

Sidenote:  did you notice I put a shirt on my dress form?  Yes it is RTW and I did it for modesty's sake.

Losing my Mojo-one wadder at a time

The fabric was a stone colored stretch twill.  It was fabulous.  The pattern was this New Look.  I was excited.  I cut it out carefully....then I decided to line it in order to reduce wrinkling.

The kick pleat and waist band came out so well.  But those pleats in the front of a straight skirt?  Well, they made for an odd little bubble effect.  I don't know if it was my sewing?  my body shape? or if it was supposed to look like that, but I decided it was awful and into the wadder bucket it went.

What is wrong with this skirt.

Maybe it was the wrong kind of fabric?

But look at what the pleat did.  It is horrible.  I was so angry.  Here is the front view, not much better.

I didn't mention the zipper bump.  I will never make another skirt with a side zipper.  

Skirt making, to be continued.......

New Project

This is my new project.  I started it last week and I am doing it in a pale grey stretch twill.  I am doing the slim skirt only right now.  I may do the jacket in a pale grey stretch twill print.....

The pattern is unlined, but I made a lining for it and attached it to the skirt portion, I have the curved waistband left and a hem.

Yeah! My Dress if finished.

 Finally finished.  The pictures don't do it justice.  It fits well and the sleeves hit where they should although it doesn't look it in the photo.  My photographer is ..... fine.

I did a lace bias tape hem.  Which makes the dress feel so much more feminine and special.  No one will see it but me.

Who would have thought Stacey and Clinton (hosts of "What Not to Wear") knew so much.  An empire waist is a good silehuette for a pear shape like mine.  And the length is good as well.  A nice chunky necklace and an awesome bag and I'd be ready for work or play.

Now what's this?  Probably one of the reasons it took me so long to finish.  At work I am the ultimate organizer.  I use all the available technology and then some.  However, in the sewing room....well, it is a bit different.  This is my whiteboard.  I was going to 'outline the remainder of my project' and blog about it.  Then I realized that would be cheating.....no this is it in all it's unglorifed, untidiness.  The worst of it is I don't even know what some of it means anymore.

Well consider this my confession.....

And now I vow to keep a nice and tidy white board with achievable goals, clearly outlined!

I had labelled the different items, which came out too small, actually, it's probably better they did.

Career Project

My MCall's dress is giving me fits.  I will be working on this project as if it were my sewing career.  I have completed the bodice lining.  I still need to attach it to the sleeves.  I also need to tack it down a the sleeves and of course I need to hem it.

Here is where I am before I put in the bodice lining.
I don't know what is with my dress form, she stands with a list.  I'll have to fix it.  But I love the color.

Why this dress is giving me such fits, I just don't know.  I did move all the furniture in my sewing room around too though.  Anything that I could do instead of finishing my dress!

I did take pictures of one completed project though.  This is one I started a while ago and am already using.  I made a table runner, potholders, toaster cozy, oven mitt and place mats.

I got the material awhile ago for 'the mall' (aka Walmart) it was billed as Thomas Kinkade designed fabric.

This is the place mat and below are the other various and sundry items.

A Thomas Kinkade

I guess I could have taken better pictures, I still had my long lens on my camera.  Suffice it to say I am just happy to have pictures of a finished project for a change.

Tomorrow I am finishing my dress.  All of it!  I also have a very special post planned.

Sewing Mojo

I am still working on this McCalls pattern.  All I have left is the bodice lining, and the hem.  So what is taking so long?  Well I could make excuses about work, housework, other duties and so on.  The truth of the matter however is I just haven't gotten into my groove with this dress.  I don't know why?  Have I lost my sewing mojo?  No.

I don't know about anyone else but sometimes I can buckle down and get it done and others I just .... take my time, waste a bit of time...goof around and finally get it done.  I know a lot of sewers that sew the same pattern over and over.  I do to, but it instead of doing each subsequent item faster...I seem to get sidetracked easier and I finish slower.
So, I am going to do a couple of things.  One, I am going to set aside 30 minutes each day to do something in my sewing room.  This will help to keep me on track.  Second, I am going to use my whiteboard to set my tasks up so that I can look at the total project in smaller pieces.

Hopefully, next time I will have some pic's and progress to blog.