Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

This is a beautiful dress….I think everyone would agree…

Look what just arrived……

Um…this must be a record or something with the postal service…didn’t I just order this pattern yesterday?! I am SO excited…and I love that Jennifer puts a personal note in her orders too.

I’m so thrilled about this pattern that I already have the fabrics chosen and in the wash!! My goal is to make two tops, both with the mandarin collar and short sleeves. One will be the brown and turquoise circles and the other will be the oriental floral print with the smaller floral print for the facings, piping, and maybe sleeves if I run short of main fabric. (*oh, note to self, get/make turquoise piping)

AND now I know the secret to the back dart….awesome huh?

Update on V1420 (Byron Lars)

Here is the shirt in progress on the dress form, pinned in the front, awaiting sleeve and side seam basting. Oh yea…still have to put together the french cuffs. I started fiddling with the back darts yesterday so will hopefully get those marked and basted today.

The main fabric is a shirting fabric I bought in London at Joel & Son’s (AWESOME place) and the taupe-y accent fabric is a silk/cotton blend I picked up locally at my FAVE shop, Seams Like Home; my second home!

I got “creative” with this blouse…I used silk organza for the interfacing as I wanted to keep it real soft and the envelope pics appear to use a very heavy interfacing to keep the collar shape. I don’t think that’s my look so went with the organza.

I have to also confess on why I am using more than one fabric on this shirt – I only had 1 meter of the shirting fabric and had to shorten my sleeves in order to make it all work!! I know, it is amusing how we can create wonderful garments when we have limited fabric. Well, off to make some progress….

Look what I ordered…..

Jennifer Stern got me again! This is her new shirt pattern!! Check out the line drawings…love the mandarin collar with keyhole AND the back dart. I can’t wait to get the pattern!! Jennifer, did you mail it yet???????

I even went through my stash today looking for the right piece of fabric to use….and funny thing, I found some!! You’ll have to wait and see as I need to decide once I get the pattern and lay it out.

I’m so excited to make this top!!!

I made something over the weekend….

It was J’s birthday last week and if you follow the house blog, you’ll see he got a wine club membership. Well, to make up for buying fabric all the time, I told him I’d make him a shirt. Just a simple t-shirt.
*I was using this as a ploy to buy more fabric because I just didn’t have a plain knit in my stash…really I didn’t!!

Well drats! He saw this yardage from Textile Studios (unfortunately, not selling fabric any more) and said, this will be fine; color and all. Well, darn, there goes my future “something comfy” made out of this!

This fabric is a thin cotton heather jersey that has a sweater look to the weave. It is soft but got softer after washing. I downloaded the Men’s T-shirt pattern from BurdaStyle and sewed up a 54-56. It is a bit big across the chest but it was hard for me to tell because the pattern is designed to have a center back seam. I eliminated that but did not remove the seam allowance. So here are all the changes I made:

• used 1/4″ seam allowances – not 5/8″
• folded over 3/8″ on the neckline (did not have instructions so not sure if there was another way this pattern was to be done)
• hemmed the sleeves 1″
• hemmed the bottom 1″
• shortened the bottom by about 2″ (there was a run in the fabric so in having to work around it, I lost some length BUT it worked out perfectly)
• made back piece on the fold (thus forgetting to remove the 5/8″ seam allowance x2
• no coverstitch machine so used the trusty twin needle again and two colors of thread

I liked how it turned out so asked J to wear it Sunday to show off at my sewing class…he obliged…and all the women liked it. I kept petting his chest because the fabric is so soft. He told me I can’t steal his new shirt. Ok, I’m happy.

Torpedo Boobs!!!

The new and “improved” ME!! I got a Uniquely You dress form. J loved it also but for different reasons:

1. look at those boobs!!
2. she doesn’t talk back
3. she doesn’t spend any money!!!!

I stopped talking to him after that….she and I are getting along great…although I was amazed at her boobage – how in the hell was I going to stuff those into the cover and look like mine? Apparently they are really smooshy and fit just fine. I had a friend help with the fitting and while doing that, we marked all the important parts on the cover such as the neckline, hollow of my throat, waist, hip (high and low). This will make fitting so efficient – I won’t say easy but efficient!! Plus now I can set her up in the window to freak out the neighbors.

I currently have my Claire Schaeffer muslin on her so I can remember what I still need to do before next class on Sunday.

I’m so happy….but I still need to name her….hmm…..

Jalie 2787

Ok, I have done two Jalie tops….both are poly knit from Gorgeous Fabrics (I believe…I mean, I’m sure they are!) The short sleeve version was straight out of the plastic wrap and is a size S.

The sleeveless version had some mods….

• shortened length by 3″
• combined a front piece with the bodice piece to make front just 2 pieces rather than 3

I did use a twin needle on both tops to finish all edges and constructed it with my serger. These went together WAY fast!! One thing I did learn, well two things, how to thread my machine PROPERLY for a twin needle AND how to use strips of OESD Badgemaster as my stabilizer under the twin needle stitching. Worked like a dream then went down the drain. My stitches were skipping or I was getting thread nests so I ended up calling my friend who has done anything and everything with a sewing machine. His advice, “try badgemaster.” Well ok…I had some….especially since it is perfect for making thread lace and well, I embroider too.

Badgemaster Embroidery Stabilizer
Badge Master is a very heavyweight water soluble stabilizer. It can be used as a stand alone stabilizer or for backing in situations where the backing needs to disappear completely.

it’s not pretty but here is the suit…on me.

Don’t scream!! (I know, I know..I am so WHITE!! AND well padded!! LOL!) That’s what living in Alaska is all about…white skin – so hopefully no skin cancer!!

Swimsuit performance

So yea…I did make a swimsuit for vacation…and you’ll never believe it…it stayed on in the pool!! (I know you are saying, well of course, that is what it is supposed to do…well, I had minimal faith in my first swimsuit and am now pleasantly surprised!)

Vacation fabric shopping….

Ok, not as lucrative as the Europe stash but I did find some stuff….

Here are the places I visited:
Calico Cat and Bernina Too – Auburn, WA (quilt store)
Nancy’s Sewing Basket – Queen Anne, WA (fashion fabrics, even designer with prices to match!)
QuiltWorks Northwest – Bellevue, WA (quilt and bead store)
Fabrications – Healdsburg, CA (quilt store)
Material Girl – Santa Rosa, CA (quilt store)

All in all…I did pretty good…no pics as I put everything away as soon as I got home but you’ll see stuff made soon, I’m sure….