Numbers!

52, 34, 33, 32, 22, 16, 14, 11, 10 !!!

Yes, that's right. Numbers! I've never liked them, never cared for math, Algebra, Geometry, etc. And at my age, they still bog me down. What is the significance of those numbers I have posted? They're the number of blog posts needing to be read in some of my blogfeeds!!! It's the same feeling like when you get behind on a project and feel like you'll never catch up. Or the thought of a delicious weekend, only to find you don't want to step on the scale and face the music. It's why I don't own a scale and haven't owned one in 20 years LOL.

At some point in time I'm going to catch up. Slowly but surely I've been reading and muddling my way through blog posts.

All while working on a second swimsuit muslin (this one might actually be wearable!). The first one was obscenely low. The inner bra is what bogs me down. I need it to be just right and I'm very particular about it.

Yesterday I wore my second pair of panties to assess my pattern modifications. They're a little loose in the back, that was after I tweaked the pattern. At first, I was thinking the back was just too big so I took out some length. Now what I think is that the front is simply too long at the crotch as I've examined some RTW panties for the front crotch seamline. It seems like it falls 1.5-2" farther back than it should. I think I'll add back the length I took off on the back and simply shorten that front crotch area. This will be for panty no. 3. If I find that it simply isn't too my liking, I'm going to drop down a size. I've found my measurement for my KS bathing suit points to a Medium, but there's no way this size worked on my figure and I dropped down to a Small which is much better. I'm thinking the panties might be the same way. I used a Small panty size but think an XSmall might work better. We'll see.

Three days ago I whipped up another dress from my McCall's maxi dress pattern. This is the mini dress version. Pics are forthcoming but my camera battery died :( . Must purchase a new one.

More later.

Best Little Pattern of the Year!

Drum roll...it's from McCall's! This HAS to be one of *MY* top patterns of 2009! This McCall's pattern, 5893, an EASY 1-hour dress is superbly drafted and uniquely designed to fit and flatter.

I desparately wanted a maxi dress *this* summer. NOT next summer with my sewing being so slow which is typically the case. So when I saw Erica B's version (although a different pattern), then Adrienne's version from this same McCall's pattern, I knew it was "the" one and was sold on it. Every version I checked at Patternreview showed lovely results on various figures.

What is key here is that the horizontal bodice seamline is not only gathered, but the seam allowance on the inside is pressed toward the bodice and a casing is created from the skirt seam allowance (the bodice seam is trimmed). This provides a close, comfortable, yet snug fit right under the bust which is very slimming. That's really a crucial area with this kind of dress which can very easily look tent-like. And IMO, it absolutely does NOT look like a tent. I think it's actually quite flattering.

The best part? My quick muslin of the bodice resulted in only 4 very minor alterations.

1. I moved the entire shoulder seam forward a 1/2".

2. I added small darts in the back from the bodice horizontal seamline extending upward about
2". Too much extra fabric. I removed 1 1/2" via the darts.

3. Added the same type of darts (extending just down to the waist) on the skirt in the back to match the bodice. Yeah, I didn't have to do this, but I didn't want to add it as gathers. Too many gathers is not a good look on me.

4. Added 2.5" to the length of the skirt.

These are incredibly minor alterations. I used a size 10 at the neck and shoulders grading out to a 14 from mid-armhole down. I loved the fact that this was a multi-size pattern with the 10-14 sizes which made things so easy for me.

Get this! The vertical darts on the bodice were in the right location! My bust apex is 3.5" from the CF and these darts were 3.75" away from the apex. I left as is--that 1/4" won't really matter.

The fabric used? That lip-smacking ITY purchased from Spandex World in NYC. This fabric is perfect summer weight--not as heavy as the "buttermilks" I purchased from EOS but really the same type of fabric. The drape is heavenly. So much so that I bought two more Spandex World ITY's for a short summer dress from this pattern as well as a top. Here are two more beauties I bought for this pattern and will make a shorter dress out of this pink/black print and a long top maybe with the sleeves out of this green swirly print


And the shoes! I bought Candies flip flops at Kohl's that were a great match. DD#1 not only approved of the dress, she also liked the shoes. Too bad they're not her size ;) .

Here's a pic of the dress outside in daylight. The colors are so pretty! Truly everything about this dress is fabulous. DD#1 even commented, "It really makes you look tall!" And I'm not short either--about 5'7", but the long, column style really elongates the figure and adds height. And...when I wore this to my local Sew and Vac today to pick up my Coverstitch machine, one of the employees loved my dress so much she was going to head out to Joann's this weekend and pick up this pattern.

What is needed now? Better earrings, and a good chunky brownish/bluish bracelet. Oh, and a nice-looking handbag. That would really complete the ensemble. At this point, I really hope maxi dresses are not SO out of style that they can't be worn next year.

Yeah, IMO, McCall's Easy 1-hour 5893 gets my vote as one of the best patterns in 2009! It's a little early to make that call since the year is far from over, but this pattern deserves it! McCall's gets kudos for this one!!!

Smug and Stupid!

Last night I worked on the snap crotch/legs on the Christening outfit. In not one of my finer moments, I installed the tape on the front legs, installed the tape on the back legs, then go to snap it together and realized something wasn't right--the recollection of baby clothes running through my mind.

You know, I could have looked at the pattern directions again! The method for installing the tape on the back legs is different than the front. If I still had wee little ones, I would have known this but wasn't paying too much attention to things. A moment of smugness with the thought, "I don't have to look at the directions!" will give me another hour of frogstitching with the seam ripper and installing the back tape again. How stupid is that?!?!

Again, the wording could be a little better on the snap tape installation instructions. Same type of thing with the back closure. Better wording would have eliminated any second guessing of "Is this what I'm supposed to do?" I will elaborate on this when I do a pattern review. It would have been fine if I had some baby clothes around to examine but I don't.

Lorrie made me feel much better about things anyway. She posted:

"I had the same problem with their instructions on the same outfit. I ended up modifying to fit my needs...alot easier. good luck finishing."

For once...I'm not the only one :) !

Thank you to Lindsay. She suggested I contact Bunny of La Sewista for help, and I would have except I'm starting to become pressed for time. So I'll follow the pattern instructions and use small, flat buttons. Filing that link in a brain cell for future reference should the need arise.

And, of course, thank you to everyone else for their words of encouragement. Baby clothes certainly are not my specialty but this project is moving along fine with just minor detours along the way.

NOW! HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS!!!

Yesterday I finished my maxi dress with my Spandex World ITY fabric. It looks FABULOUS! I love it and will wear it today. Get ready for pics!

AND...I'm picking up my Janome CP1000 Coverstitch machine that has been on layaway for 10 months! I used all my birthday, Christmas, anniversary, and sewing lesson money to pay for it. So when I go to my local Sew and Vac for tiny buttons today, my Coverstitch will be coming home :) ! In fact, DD#2 was trying on polos (new school dress code a/k/a uniforms, yes, for a public school!) and said the bottom might need to be cut/rehemmed. No problem! I can give her the same hem with my new coverstitch.

I've found it! My Fab Maxi-dress Fabric!!

The perfect knit for the maxi dress I want to make! At first there was a knit that caught my eye at Gorgeous Fabrics, but then I decided on this brown/blue beauty from SpandexWorld:

Maxi-dress-to-be fabric!

I know--it's ITY poly/lycra. Here's the kicker. In the Poconos, we've had one of the coolest, non-humid summers in years with temps in the mid/high '70's, low 80's. The last time we hit the 90's was a brief hot weather spell in May. Very atypical, but I'm not complaining about it.

The brown/blue combo has to have just enough blue so I can pull off this color scheme, and I think it has it. Too much brown, well it's just not my color. Karen is one of the few people I know that can pull off the entire palette of rust, brown, orange, etc. with panache. She really knows her colors, AND they look great on her!

Just wanted to post this because I LOVE this fabric! The print is busy enough, but not too busy. Bold colors, but not too bold, if you KWIM. It has an artsy flair and is different from anything I've seen is RTW. And the beauty of it all? I'm using a Q&E 1-hour pattern. Okay, 2-hours--I've got a few pattern alterations to do first.

The fabric just came in the mail today and I LOVE it! It's not too thick so it won't it be too hot, but is substantial enough with (what I think will be) fantastic drape.

I'll work on the christening outfit for a while today, then do some minor pattern alterations for the maxi dress with a very quick upper body muslin.

The Christening Outfit, Part II: Tracing/Cutting

I realized today that I neglected to post the pattern I'm using for the Christening outfit in my previous blog post. It's Simplicity 5813, view D (romper). So here is the pattern photo:

Two nights ago I was able to trace off all the pattern pieces for the Christening outfit and start cutting out the pattern pieces. Today I finished the cutting and am ready to start the sewing. Hopefully, my snap tape will arrive soon because the actual sewing of this is very easy.

The traced pattern pieces:

The pattern pieces/fabric all cut out:

Oddly enough, I can't believe there doesn't seem to be mention of interfacing in the collar and leg cuffs. Is this standard for baby apparel? I'm thinking of just putting in some P/P sheer interfacing anyway. Also, I'll need some tiny buttons and bias tape so I'm hoping to get that in town.

In other news, I did take a trip to Walmart and picked up McCall's 5893:

I loved 3kid's version of this in her pattern review and had to get it. There's this great knit at Gorgeous Fabrics that I'm dying to have for this dress. I did have a beautiful border print in my stash purchased from EOS about two years ago, but only have 1 1/2 yards! I need 2 :( . Oh well. The fabric is aging beautifully. It WILL become something, someday. Wouldn't it be great if I could make this maxi dress *THIS* summer when it's in style??? We'll see...we'll see...