My dear friend Libby teaches abroad every summer – this year she taught in Bangkok.

On an outing to the National Museum, the lost driver dropped Libby and her class off at the wrong location. They found themselves at the Jim Thompson House & Museum instead.

Jim Thompson, an American architect who was stationed in Thailand during World War II, created an international business exporting Thai silk. While wandering through a local market in Bangkok, Jim Thompson spotted Thai silk. Captivated by its beauty he traced its origin to a Muslim community where the weavers were making silk by hand.

His discovery not only saved a dying art but raised thousands of Thailand’s poorest people out of poverty. (more HERE)

 Libby toured the museum, Thompson’s teak house, watched the manufacturing process and brought me back a piece of extraordinary silk!

I certainly have never owned such a special piece of fabric.

Since Traditional Thai silk is hand-woven each piece is unique and cannot be duplicated. One distinguishing characteristic is its lustre with a sheen featuring two color blends: one color for the warp (lengthwise thread) and another for the weft (transverse thread). Color changes as you hold the Thai silk fabric at varying angles against light.

 I’m curious to know who has sewn this fabric before. I’m not sure what to do with  the 3 meters of fabric but believe a dress is in order.

Please share your suggestions with me!

In other news…….

I’ve added a new Ribbon Skirt Tutorial Page to the blog. All instructions are now located one page which also includes photos of Ribbon Skirts I’ve received. Thank you!

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And speaking of silk ……….. I want to give readers a heads up on the new Anna Sui silks now on the Mood Fabrics website. I’ve created a Boho Mood Board with some of my favorites. Click “show product info” to learn more about each sample.  Hopefully, some of these beauties will still be available when I place my next order!

Best wishes for a great weekend!

Two years ago I turned over a new leaf, but you might say I’ve branched out this past year

This year I’m celebrating 45 Me-Made garments on my 2nd blogiversary!

The ruffles continued……

but why did I continue after my one year commitment was completed? There are two reasons.

Hey, I enjoy it

I love my interaction with you, the readers. I truly thrive on communicating with my blogging buddies! When I read that I have inspired someone to learn to sew or start sewing again, I am reminded that putting forth our best efforts have a larger impact than we can possibly imagine.

It’s not always about the clothes. If my sewing a dress gives hope to a woman who is discouraged by the RTW scene for whatever reason, then I believe my actions have helped another person…….. and that brings me to my second reason for continuing Goodbye Valentino.

Can I just say THANK YOU MOOD!

The invitation to join the Mood Sewing Network has so enhanced my sewing experience.  I could not sew the caliber and number of clothes I make without being a member of this incredible sewing network. Never had I sewn on such fine fabrics!

The March sewing challenge forced me to learn to sew comfortably with lace.

I have conscientiously chosen fabrics of varying price points, and hope my Mood sewing experiences successfully acquaint you with these great fabrics now available to everyone.

My sewing improved this year but it is not perfect! I had to try more than once to get it right on numerous occasions!

However, sometimes I got lucky where everything came together easily.

Upcycling clothes continues to intrigue me. I’ve found it’s one of the best methods to learn about the construction of RTW clothing.

Speaking of RTW clothing, Kenneth King’s, Clone Your Favorite Garment online class proved extremely valuable. I not only cloned three Kate Spade skirts (which may be the most economical move I’ve made in years), but I also cloned a Kate Spade and J Mclaughlin top.

I’m thrilled to have collaborated with Julie Starr in the Ribbon Skirt Sew-a-Long, and am equally pleased to sponsor an RTW Fasters’ page on my blog for sewists determined to forgo RTW clothes for a year.

In celebration of two years of non-stop sewing, I’ve decided to invest in a one week class with Susan Khalje next month in Baltimore. It’s time to bump my sewing skills up to another level and can you think of anyone better to help me than this revered teacher and couture seamstress?

In closing I want to thank you all for your continued support. I love receiving your comments and sincerely answer each comment I receive.

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So now, how about a giveaway?

Would you believe I once had an apron business, entitled Artful Aprons? I reproduced classic and contemporary art onto aprons and sold them to museum gift shops. It was a fun business, however when my manufacturer died my only choice was to have the aprons made overseas 80,000 at a time. No thanks.

I have just a few left to share! Please let me know if  you would like to be entered for any by Monday, September 2nd , Midnight EST. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, September 4th.

1. Leonardo da Vinci – The Vitruvian Man

2. Botticelli – The Birth of Venus

3. Mark Durham (contemporary artist), Green Dog

4. Gustav Klimt, The Kiss

5. Daniel Cromer (contemporary artist), Uncle Silas

Hubby wears his with great pride!

Many thanks for your  kindness and best wishes for a lovely weekend.

Here’s to year 3!!

I believe relaxing vacations are a fantasy.

 Mine began with a bust as I was greeted at the beach by an exploding water heater leaving everyone with cold showers for three days.  As soon as company left, the painters came w i t h o u t  their drop clothes…….

Midweek I had the pleasure of meeting and spending an afternoon with my blogging and Pattern Review friend, Julie Starr!

I wore the ribbon skirt in her honor  Julie is wearing her beautiful dress with 20 darts!

 The next day my oldest daughter became engaged, and we shifted into high gear! Hubby and I packed up and headed to Charleston for a celebration dinner with both families before attending a football game in the blazing heat the following day.

 Somehow in the midst of the chaos and excitement I made a dress.

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Greetings from Botany Bay, one of South Carolina’s barrier islands featuring a hauntingly beautiful boneyard beach.

I’ve made my first See & Sew pattern in this fun lycra/rayon jersey print from Mood Fabrics.

I’ve said I’ll never buy another wrap dress.  I’ll never buy another faux wrap dress either.

I considered  sewing my jersey with Vogue 1314  for some time. I even went so far as to lay out the pattern and fabric, but the practicality of the Butterick 5873 won out over high fashion

Is there a better pattern – fabric combination for everyday wear? No wrinkles, no wardrobe malfunctions on windy days and the comfort level is sky-high.

I was quite excited to sew a really easy pattern, but who am I kidding? I seem to have a knack for making simple patterns more complicated than intended.

 Justifying that a little extra t-l-c is always worth the end result, I underlined the fashion fabric with a very lightweight tricot knit from my stash.

For the front, I sewed the right sides together at the neckline and turned the fabric. Using this method I avoided sewing a narrow hem finish along the front of the dress. Then I basted the underling to the side seams and sewed as one piece. For the back I sewed the back pieces together down the center seam and basted the two fabrics wrong sides together.

Since the dress is very close-fitting and does not have a waistline seam, the underlining provides just enough weight to keep the dress hanging nicely, preventing it from clinging to all of the wrong places.

Some may understandably consider my latest to be a summer dress. I thought about adding the longer sleeves for about five minutes before concluding that the cap sleeves are more my style … any dress with sleeves fits the bill for Fall in my book!

It’s also perfect with my new fall shoes………

but I’m most likely to wear it with sandals for the next 10 days as I bid farewell to my favorite season of the year.

Until soon!

I’m convinced there are a few rites of passage into the online sewing community. One of them is making Sewaholic’s Renfrew Top. In spite of dozens of good reviews boasting the merits of this simple pattern, I remained reluctant to give it a try. I’ve sewn several disappointing knit tops during the past two years – why would I want to sew another one?

Well, sooner or later most people come around to join the masses and I did too.

Described as ‘the knit top pattern for people who dislike sewing with knits’ I bought the pattern and waited for a vision to occur. It took a pair of leather jeans (bought in August at 90% off!) and this wool knit from Mood Fabrics to generate a vision for the pattern but alas, I have finally sewn the Renfrew Top!

Indeed, it’s a pattern that I plan to sew again. Removing 3 inches of length from the bodice was the key to a successful fit.

While I truly love the top’s scoop neckline, the genius of the Renfrew Top is found in the bands. The neck, bottom and arms are unified with banded hems eliminating the double-needle topstitched hem.

 Best of all, I completed the top in 2 ½ hours – but I bet you already knew that!

It’s nice to finally be on board with Sewaholic fans across the globe and I hope to tackle what I consider to be the next ‘Rite of Passage’ later this fall.   Can you guess what it is? (Hint….. it has buttons )

Best wishes to all!

Dear Readers,

I made this top last week for the Mood Sewing Network which was published by Mood yesterday.  How it contrasts with what I’m doing this week in Baltimore! I think there is value in both slow and fast sewing, but this was my last walk down easy street for a while

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“You look like you’re hiding from somebody back there!” exclaimed hubby.

“Do you seriously think I can hide from anyone in this wild silk habotai print from Mood Fabrics?”

 This print was mine five seconds after I saw it online. What can I say? I love bold fabrics – all 62 inches of me!

Mood suggests making the silk into a kimono or caftan  – ‘perfect for lounging poolside in Miami or Ibiza’.  I can see myself wearing a beautiful caftan in my fantasy life one day, but in the meantime I wanted to bring this mix of vibrant colors into my everyday wardrobe.

Just look at this design!

With such a bold print I selected a simple pattern to let the fabric speak for itself.

 New Look’s 6179 was one of the first patterns I made upon returning to sewing two years ago. The three gathered pattern pieces suited the soft drape of the lightweight fabric and the top is not overly full, giving it a flattering fit.

The top is constructed with French seams and wlastic bands finish the sleeves. I also ran elastic through the neckline with fabric ties attached on each side of the elastic.  After capping off the neck ties with gold beads, I proclaimed my peasant top completed!

An easy top ready for most anything other than a game of hide and seek

Until soon

This time each year I get the craving for a houndstooth something. I’ve bought it all throughout the years, but never tire of the crisp design. This year I decided to add a twist to my houndstooth garment.

I began with a wool houndstooth I bought during my first visit to Mood Fabrics in 2011, which I planned to sew using Vogue’s 8750 skirt pattern….

and ultimately decided to have some fun with both the fabric and the pattern!

My mother recently gave me a $1 thrift store leather skirt, and I thought the houndstooth pattern would nicely combine with leather.

After studying the pattern line drawing, I made a few copies and experimented with different color blocking options before making a decision.

Following a muslin, I cut the side and back waistbands, along with the back and front side insets from leather. The remaining pieces were cut from the wool houndstooth (seen above).

It came together well but the front houndstooth panel emphasized the abs a bit too much.

Mild panic set in until I reached a solution by extending the leather across the top of the front panel.

Here is the end result. Subtle from the front…

Subtle from the back…

and bold from the side!

  In case you are new to sewing with leather like me, several helpful posts about sewing with leather are available on the Mood Sewciety Blog. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the fabrics sewed together – even around the curves. The seams were a breeze to sew but hemming was a different story. I hemmed the wool and glued the leather, even along the waistband, for a clean finish and nice result. The blogs explains that gluing leather to hold hems, facings, seams and more in place is common and accepted practice. Leather cement or rubber cement is recommended.

A longer top tones it down by covering much of the contrast…

…but why would I want to do that?

Enjoy your weekend!

Greetings from NYC!

Hubby invited me to accompany him on a short business trip, and as you might guess, I made a beeline to Mood Fabrics.

Here I am with the charming owners of the store, Eric and Phil Sauma.

 Eric, on my right manages the store, and Phil wearing orange, buys the fabric. Mood was bustling with customers during my 2 ½ hour visit. I even met a Goodbye Valentino follower, Anne Martin, from Spokane, WA who was nice enough to introduce herself to me and pose for a photo.

After leaving Mood, I had the pleasure of touring the McCall Pattern Company.

Wow!

… is the first word that comes to mind describing my afternoon at the iconic corporation.  The tour was truly enlightening as I was walked through the steps of pattern conception to completion, as well as introduced to the people who make it happen.

Did you know the McCall Pattern Company owns Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue patterns? The entire process happens in this one office with the exception of pattern printing.

Located on the 34^th floor in the historic Equitable Building near Wall Street, I was immediately captivated by the views from nearly every office!

The vast amount of information I received during the tour is impossible to recall exactly, but following are highlights I found interesting:

• Butterick is the first and original pattern company, founded by Ebenezer Butterick in 1863.  In the 1960s Butterick purchased Vogue Patterns and in 2001 The McCall Pattern company acquired Butterick and Vogue.
• Dressforms spanning every shape line one of the halls. Misses Patterns are designed on a size 10 dressform. Below is the perfect size 10. Is that you? It’s not me  :)

How cute is this!

• Each pattern company has its own designer who designs all of the patterns (minus the designer patterns) for its respective company. It’s true! One person designs all of the Vogue patterns…… another all of the Butterick and another all of the McCall’s.
• The fabric and pattern design play a huge role in the fabric stores. Once the patterns are finalized with fabrics for the pattern books, the information is shared with sewing stores thus influencing fabric selections.

• Maybe you already know the company works a year in advance.  It was quite exciting to see the preview for Winter 2014, but understandably photos were not allowed.
• After the pattern is designed, the muslin is made by one of six sewers. After the designer approves the muslin it is sent to the next department where the actual garment is constructed. The department was working on 2014 Halloween costumes as I passed through.
• All photography is handled in-house by one photographer in one studio!

• The largest department appeared to be the one transforming the original paper pattern to the retail pattern complete with instructions and illustrations.
• Below are files of the company’s current patterns, and guess what?

This area is staffed with an employee ready to help customers facing pattern issues.

• The company regularly reads the Pattern Review website and truly values thoughtful interaction with its customers.
• Vogue Patterns Magazine is also housed in the McCall Pattern Company offices. I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with Kathy Marrone, the Editor in Chief.

While the behind-the-scenes treat provided insight into this well oiled machine, I left slightly dumbfounded, saturated with information and awestruck by the details of manufacturing over 200 patterns a year by a  moderately sized staff.

Many thanks to the McCall Pattern Company for such a fabulous tour!

And now, what better way to conclude my eventful day than meeting up with two Mood Sewing Network bloggers so full of life and creative energy?

Oonaballoona and Peter from Male Pattern Boldness.

Just how good can a day get?

Festive Attire

Holiday Casual

Tacky Christmas Sweater

Creative Black Tie

I’m only clued in to one of the upcoming Holiday invitation dress codes, but surely my new brocade pants will suffice for one of these categories!

When I walked into Mood Fabrics last month, my eye went directly to the enormous wall of brocade and quickly spotted a lovely red and cream DVF brocade. Being a lover of brocade slacks I immediately ordered two yards and just completed my new holiday pants.

Christmas in the Bahamas anyone?

Just kidding But due to the fabric, the pants can easily be dressed up

down

or somewhere in between.

My pattern is Style Arc’s Willow Pants which I sewed earlier this year in brocade. Any pant described to look  ”amazing worn with heels or with flats” is my kind of pant AND it sits on the real waistline!

Since I’ve ordered four pieces of brocade over the last 15 months I have learned that the hand and texture vary enormously among brocades. This brocade is soft and drapey, so I underlined the pants with silk organza to provide added stability - no saggy knees or wrinkling after sitting!  Underlining with organza brings other advantages to the sewing process too.

I cut the organza first marking the stitching lines, grain lines and other notches. (Marking the stitching line keeps me straight when sewing Style Arc’s  3/8″ seam allowance.) After placing the organza on the fashion fabric I cut and basted the two fabrics together.

Being extremely careful not to trim the seam allowance,  I serged the seam allowances of the basted pieces as one before following the pattern instructions.

The preliminary worked made for simple sewing. No need to mark on the fashion fabric and the seam allowances are nicely finished.

It’s a great pattern to showcase such lovely fabric.

I’m also digging the pants’ split cuff  which may be one of the easiest ways to hem a pant leg with professional results. Due to the split cuff, the pant length and inseam were carefully measured and adjusted in the muslin. The cuff was folded and stitched right sides together along the seam allowance, then turned. Presto.

It’s great to have completed my first holiday (ish) garment before working on others that will require time, patience and many of the luxuries that disappear as the holiday season approaches. Stay tuned for more brocade!

Until soon!

I always thought I wanted to be cremated, but now I’m not so sure.

I mean, now that I’ve got something to wear……….

At last, I have completed the coordinating skirt to my Shanel Jacket, which means I have a brand new suit!

Goodness, I never wear suits, but I’m going to start,

 and pray I am lucky enough to wear this one out before it’s time to go.

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Over the last 26 months I’ve sewn many skirt patterns and deemed Simplicity 3648 worthy of sewing the last yard of the lofty Chanel tweed.

I so wish the camera could capture the beautiful metallic thread in the fabric! Can you see it now?

The skirt is one of Simplicity’s Amazing Fit patterns featuring six panels plus a two-piece waistband. Separate front and back pattern pieces are included for a slim, average and curvy fit.  After sewing the front and back to the side panels, the fine-tuned fitting  is found in adjusting the sides seams.

I selected this pattern due to the controlled fit the six panels produce.  This is my third time to sew the pattern, and while the pattern is somewhat quirky (humongous side seams for instance) I knew I could get a nice result.

The pleats were a _______ to sew with such thick fabric – I don’t recommend it! I finally tamed the beasts by hand-stitching the layers together followed by a power pressing inside and out (using a piece of silk organza for a presscloth).

I lined the skirt with a luxury silk charmeuse I found at Mood Fabrics last month which I do not see on the Mood website. I was slightly sick spending $$$$$ on lining, but being the perfect color and so near the finish line propelled me to go for it.

‘Don’t I get my fabric at Mood for free, you’re thinking?’

I receive a monthly allowance, which I try to adhere to online. However, I was like a child in a candy store and bought way over my designated amount.

Now that the skirt is completed I’m glad I invested in such a fine lining, for it makes a huge difference in the final result.

I admit I am starting to spoil myself with high-end sewing. I do consider the entire Susan Khalje, Chanel Fabric, French jacket, trips to NY, Baltimore and now Shanel Suit experiences cherished investments I hope to apply to my everyday life in and out of the sewing room.

But for now, all I can say is Mission Accomplished and perhaps, time for a reality check!

Best wishes

More fabric to die for……. I was sold upon reading Mood Fabrics’ narrative of this silk/viscose blend and placed it in my online cart.

 ‘The drape on this silk and viscose blend fabric is just so perfect, and then when you combine it with the glazed metallic sheen…well, you have a fabric that’s to die for. Lightweight and softly pliable. Perfect for tops, dresses, unconstructed jackets and more.’

Seriously, how could I resist?

The fabric didn’t disappoint ~ actually I want more!

Slippery, you think? Nope.

Flimsy, you suspect? Nope.

The backing on the fabric produces the perfect texture for machine sewing.

I’m devoted to sewing holiday attire for the next few weeks and couldn’t pass up the giant bow on Butterick 5850!

The silk/viscose worked beautifully with the pattern in every aspect. The gathered skirt is attached to a fitted back.

 I typically shy away from gathered waistlines, but I wanted that bow! The sash cinches the waist, helping camouflage the bulk that gathers can produce, and I found the fitted back flattering.

I was forced to move the photos to indoor light. Look at the difference.

  
However, I sacrificed the high resolution in order the capture the sheen of the fabric. 

 Fitting issues plagued my sewing which I’ll review in detail on the Pattern Review website. In short they included the enormous armscye. I removed three inches from each arm which affected the dart……. The shoulders are not cut in as they appear on the pattern illustration.

The effect is created by the pleat at the back of the neck. The ties are designed as a single layer with the wrong side showing when bowed. I folded the fabric in half, sewed right sides together and turned to avoid the showing the wrong side. I also removed 10 inches from the length of each tie. Being left-handed I placed the zipper on left side rather than the right – one of the joys of sewing!

At any rate, I made the pattern work and am ready for the first holiday party or maybe the last on New Year’s Eve

 Except…….. I think this dress needs a fur.

Faux fur sewing tips, anyone?

Until soon

Some fabrics are meant to be worn at night, and I believe this shimmery metallic boucle from Mood Fabrics is certainly one of them.

 I bought the fabric at the NYC store in November 2012, and admired it at home for over a year while waiting for a vision to appear. Perhaps, a coat, a suit, or another French jacket……

And then -  it came upon a midnight clear

After nearly three weeks of no sewing I was eager to make something festive and chose the classic Butterick 5588 pattern as my base (available on Etsy).

Since the fabric is relatively heavy I wanted to avoid bulky darts as well as fullness and believed the princess seams would compliment the fabric. I completed a full muslin in View B before cutting the shoulders off of the front, gradually angling to the underarm.

I used the lower edge of the side back as my guide and cut straight across the back.

 After tweaking the fit until the dress was tight enough to wear strapless, I added 1 ¼” straps to increase the comfort level.

Would you believe I looked for a complimentary trim for over a year?

Nothing seemed to pop to my novice eye, but last week while browsing through the winter wonderland of festive clothes at Nordstrom, I noticed the Alice + Oliva Boxman jacket seen below…

 … and realized I had my own trim waiting at home.

Pulling the neutral-color threads from a 1 ¾” strip of fabric resulted in a metallic fringe. After the dress was completed, I attached the fringe by hand around the top of the bodice. I was tempted to add it to the straps and around the bottom, but thankfully good judgment prevailed.

My new party dress is lined with this China silk also purchased at Mood .

It’s true, the fabric is lovely during the day …..

but it truly comes to life when the sun goes down!

If only I could do the same!

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Santa Baby,

Leave a sable underneath the tree for me…… 

While waiting for Santa, I sewed one more holiday dress, this one for a January wedding.

I have never seen a Carolina Herrera I didn’t love which includes this cobalt blue paisley silk brocade from Mood Fabrics.

Yum……. I was sold on the color alone until the fabric arrived. The quality of this brocade is unlike any I have seen or touched. It’s that good, and once again I found myself scared to cut my fabric.

What would Carolina do?

Santa baby……. give me an answer!

 I made a muslin from an old Vogue pattern –  8532, now available on Etsy and Ebay.

Then, an amazing thing happened. It fit perfectly with only a minimal length adjustment in the bodice!

No sliding off of the shoulder, no gaping neckline.

I believe! I believe!

Fortunately I was able to fast forward sewing the dress after making the muslin. I lined it with perfectly matching Bemberg rayon lining,

and veered into the pop scene with a metal zipper.

One tip I must share came from the recent Craftsy class I bought,

40 Techniques Every Sewer Should Know – Gail Yellen

I learned how to remove excess ease from a sleeve cap in a matter of seconds. Typically the perfect amount of ease is approximately 1 ¼ – 1 ½ ”.  Gail Yellen explains how to measure for and removed excessive ease from a sleeve cap by

1: measuring the distance between the single and double notch on the sleeve and  in the armscye.

2: If the difference is greater than 1 ½ ”, simply skim off the top of the sleeve.

     
That’s it.

And now all is calm, all is bright.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

If you are a driven person like me, you are constantly challenging yourself to do better and accomplish more. Who wants to cruise on the bunny slope when you’re comfortable skiing moguls?  Due to recent time constraints, I was forced to rediscover the joy of simple sewing or not sew at all.

Not only did I realize I should do more easy sewing, but my latest project reminded me of why I started sewing again in the first place.

My adventurous side led me to order this Olive Abstract Knit from Mood Fabrics without ordering a sample. Fortunately I loved it upon opening the package! The fabric is a sweater-knit jersey blend with a soft and slightly fuzzy hand, similar to a cozy sweater, although it is lightweight. (Available both online and at Mood NYC. )

I paired the warm sweater knit with Style Arc’s Amy Knit Top, a free pattern I received from Style Arc over a year ago.

Generally I avoid wearing oversized tops because they appear disproportionate on me although they look great on my taller friends. Since Style Arc had never disappointed me before, I gave the pattern a try and made the top in three short hours. I made no alterations to the pattern.

 It’s oversized but not too big! The shoulders fit perfectly and I find the neckline flattering.  The length is just right, and wearing the top with skinny pants gives it a good proportion.

I truly love being proven wrong on this one!

 My effortless sewing experience reminded me that one cannot overlook the importance of simplicity driven garments…especially during eventful circumstances!

IN OTHER NEWS

Would you believe 277 women have joined the 2014 Ready-to-Wear Fast? That is correct, and they are making some fabulous clothing! Check out their blogs and photo albums on the RTW Fasters page and stay tuned as I plan to feature pieces during the year.

MARFY SEW-A-LONG

Leisa from A Challenging Sew is leading a free pattern Marfy Sew-A-Long. Have you made a Marfy? I haven’t and truly look forward to learning to sew these chic patterns. Monday (January 13) featured Part 1, so it’s not too late to join!

SEWING ROOM

And lastly, my sewing room is 90% complete – sewing room post coming very soon

Best wishes to all!

I thought I owned one of everything in black and white houndstooth, and then I saw this sweaterknit/jersey on the Mood Fabrics website.

 I realized I owned nothing in a houndstooth jersey, and remedied the void by placing a quick order on the Mood website (see lots of great sweater knits from Mood HERE). Continuing my January theme of simple sewing, I selected Butterick’s See & Sew 5873 one more time and made the dress in a day.

While my first dress was a warm weather dress, sewn from Mood’s beach/camo jersey, this beefy knit should carry me through South Carolina’s winter if the Polar Vortex will leave us alone.

The faux wrap dress is my solution to easy daytime dressing!  A shapely design combined with no wrinkle fabric and a snappy houndstooth print has truly produced a go-to dress.

I omitted the side zipper which I omitted in the first dress too. The elastic casing in the sleeve is also absent due to my haste. Instructions called to stitch the lower portion of the sleeve seam allowance together to form a  vertical casing for the elastic –  shown below in View A:

Oops…….. I missed that step and ran the seam through the serger.

Hate it when that happens, but obsessing about my unadorned sleeves is not an option and neither is re-doing the sleeves. During my years in music I learned how important it is to keep on going after a mistake…… the show must go on!

Well, so must the sewing.

Besides, I really like my new dress

Have you made your Marfy yet?

Thanks to Leisa Stanton of A Challenging Sew, I had no more excuses to avoid the chic Italian patterns without instructions. Not only are three free patterns available for downloads on the Marfy website, but Leisa is providing sew-a-longs for the patterns on her blog and just completed the top sew-a-long.

How do you like it?

 The pattern is Marfy 1913, and after two muslins I was ready to cut my Thakoon silk crepe de chine from Mood Fabrics. When the silk arrived in July, I was tempted to make my 5^th sleeveless ruffled top.

“No! No! No!” exclaimed the sewing angels

 I contemplated a shirt dress and the next thing I knew it was November…….

I fell hard for this pattern with its cut-in shoulders and soft drape.

I knew the style was suitable for everyday or special occasion dressing, plus I could wear it tucked in or left out.

 Leisa’s sew-a-long removes the mystery from the Marfy. She allows two weeks to complete a Marfy pattern, and her virtual patience set me in to a slower than normal sewing pace. I forbade myself from rushing through any aspect of constructing the top.

The top is easy to sew, but understanding what to do took some time.

Briefly:

• I printed the pattern on 13 sheets of paper and experienced a disaster. The pattern did not print to scale and my adjustments were incorrect. Muslin #1 resembled a child’s garment, but after regrouping and reprinting I was back on track.
• From my second muslin I quickly made a shell to check for fit using an inexpensive polyester.
• While some sewing details are noted on the paper pattern, others are completely missing. For instance, there was no marking to indicate where to place the back opening. Leisa suggested different options and provided a detailed tutorial for one method carefully gauging the appropriate opening size. The slash is finished with a small dart – a completely new technique for me.

• I secured the closure with two buttons and loop buttonholes using a chain stitch. Leisa used a small leather buckle, but a zipper can be inserted as well. I guess this is part of the beauty of sewing Marfy patterns.
• In addition to Leisa’s excellent instructions, links to many fine tutorials are provided throughout the six part sew-a-long, and no detail is overlooked.
• I opted out of the elastic band on the lower edge of the top,  and removed one inch of ease from the side seams allowing the blouse to easily tuck in fitted clothes.

It’s nice to be finished and even better to have a permanent muslin and pattern for this top!

Using such little fabric I can justify splurging next time around. I can just see it in these Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta prints, not to mention luxury silk solids or cotton voile!

Many thanks to Leisa for getting me out of my comfort zone and a huge thank you to Mood for carrying such an array of enticing fabrics!

Until soon

Each snowflake that falls in the South sells a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread or a package of batteries. Panic sets in around here as it did with me, but fortunately it was just what I needed to get out of my sewing slump. My mojo was suffering and I decided to take my own advice – make a pencil skirt.

After stocking the fridge and loading the flashlights with fresh batteries I raced to JoAnn’s for a zipper, but stayed in the store nearly two hours looking at Burda patterns. I bought eight along with a bolt of muslin. Suddenly, the thought of being snowed in for a few days filled me with utter delight!

I was even excited about sewing a pencil skirt

Could the anticipation of snow have influenced my decision to make a winter white skirt?

I paired the Italian wool crepe  (view here) ordered from the Mood Fabrics website with my tried ‘n true Katie Spade pattern.

With the mojo inching its way back into my life, I gave the skirt some pop by cutting off 4 inches of length to make way for a black border.

To make the border I cut one 6 ½ inch piece of black wool 1 ¼ inch wider than the skirt width. After stitching the two short sides of the border together, the fabric was folded in half and pressed.  One 5/8 “ seam allowance was turned under and pressed, the other is stitched to the skirt and the pressed edge is slipstitched to the inside of the skirt.

The new skirt fits right in with the many black and/or white clothes in my closet,

but I must say my black sweater set never looked better!

I’m sticking with my advice of sewing a pencil skirt or one’s favorite tried n’ true pattern to refuel the sewing energy! I often find the smallest activity can provide the same motivation as one’s greatest accomplishment!

Lastly, Sonny, my fourteen-year-old Cairn Terrier, joins me in wishing you a splendid Valentine’s Day filled with lots of love

Best wishes for a good one!

It’s the time…. of the season…. when love runs high……

That means all things wedding around here. With two twenty-something daughters, the fun never stops as someone is always getting engaged or married. Three years ago the wedding season caught me off guard and I spent a fortune outfitting everyone for wedding related occasions. Now, I’m always in the Mood for a wedding.

Sewing has given me access to the world’s greatest designers in an entirely new dimension, especially when sewing with fabric from Mood!

I’m wearing Carolina Herrera to the next wedding (check out Mood’s Carolina Herrera fabrics here)

I love Carolina Herrera so much I created a Carolina Herrera Moodboard on the Mood Fabrics website for reference. The only problem is these beauties don’t last long!

My pattern is New Look 6910

I bought the pattern in hopes of making View A or D, and even went to the trouble of making a muslin,

 but the beautiful Carolina Herrera silk brocade was intended for structured clothing rather than draping or pleating.

As much as I wanted a slightly longer and fuller skirt, the fabric spoke loud and clear, leading me to sew a combination of Views B and C.

 Keeping in style with the fabric, I embellished the belt with a rhinestone buckle in lieu of the self-fabric flower, then hand-stitched the belt to the dress before inserting the zipper.

 Though the pattern instructions call for lining only the upper bodice, I lined the complete dress with this gold China Silk from Mood. While other options for lining exist, the silk tolerates the hot iron very nicely, not to mention how nice it feels on the skin.

I made two muslins to get the fit I wanted in the upper bodice,

Time consuming – yes, but stay tuned……. Now that I have the perfect muslin for all of the pattern variations I intend to make it worth my while since so much love is in the air!

Until soon

Recognize this pattern?  I barely do myself, but it’s Vogue 8904 sewn in a solid color.

Generally, I envision my finished garment before beginning the project, but not so this time. Sewing is not usually like a box of chocolates, but……. I thought I was making a tiered t-shirt dress ……… to wear with flip-flops and Jack Rogers!

 Thank you, Mood for a great dress to wear just about anywhere except to the grocery store :)

Determined to familiarize myself with all knit fabrics, I ordered a navy cotton jersey after buying the Sewing With Knits  course from Craftsy.  (Here is a link to cotton jerseys and here is a link to a navy poly knit with ample crosswise stretch :) )I was going to make a hoodie as part of the course…  One might say I became sidetracked.

Vogue 8904 was one of my favorite 2013 sewing patterns, and I intended to make it again. Sewing my first version with a lightweight cotton jersey featuring extreme stretch from Mood resulted in a casual and easy-fitting summertime dress.

The solid blue jersey offered much less stretch, which I didn’t take into consideration.

Hello……

Thankfully, it all worked out but what a close call! Yes, I can breathe.

Following are a few of the construction details which deviated from the pattern instructions:

• Originally I planned to make a long-sleeved dress (View A)

• The dress is a double layer of fabric, which includes the base of the dress layered with the shingles. Once I pinned on the sleeves, it became very heavy and too hot to wear for our moderate Spring weather. Therefore, I altered the long sleeves into capped sleeves borrowing a sleeve from another pattern.

• After discovering what a tight fit I was facing , I sewed the smallest seam allowances possible and finished the seams with the serger.
• I secured the neckline facing with a topstitch using a double needle rather than a single stitching line as instructed.
• I followed Vogue’s instructions leaving all of the edges unfinished which I did not do the first time.

Fortunately, I like surprises even when they make me a little nervous……. but enough surprises with my beloved Mood fabrics! Time to finish that Craftsy course.

Until soon :)

Disclosure:  After many successful experiences with Craftsy.com  I became a Craftsy affiliate and receive compensation when you purchase classes or join Craftsy. With the exception of Sew the Perfect Fit, I have purchased all Craftsy classes and provide an honest class review and opinion. The compensation received will never influence the content of this blog.

I thought about flying Lauren of Lladybird to South Carolina to help me match this plaid,

but when I realized she was gallivanting around NYC, I put on my big girl panties and did it myself.

Almost.

Can you find the wayward stripes? :)

Maybe I’ll just wear it with this,

 or stand like this.

 At any rate, I like my new peplum plaid blouse too much to relegate it to the back of the closet.

This delicious Italian plaid cotton shirting from Mood Fabrics features all of my favorite colors, and goes with  e v e r y t h I n g  in my wardrobe.

The pattern is Butterick 5615 which I’ve sewn twice (blogged here and here), It is now OOP but easily available.

It’s a favorite blouse pattern with a flattering peplum and no bust darts. The front bodice includes the ties that hide the front peplum seam. My one design alteration was to lengthen the peplum by 1 1/2 inches.

But let’s talk plaid. I tried to make sure the design was symmetrical across the front bodice pieces.

But that meant one of  the shoulders wouldn’t match.

Matching the shoulders appeared more important and luckily brought symmetry to the orange stripes across the lower collar.

The sides matched.

And the back matched until I sewed the back darts………

….. and let’s not talk about the front peplum.

Should I have cut the peplum on the bias? Perhaps I’ll order another yard of fabric and redo the peplum since the blouse is too cute to be plagued with issues!

I can keep the wayward stripes under wraps for now, but come Summertime, my little plaid peplum will need to stand on her own :)

Until soon!

While looking for inspiration to fulfill the March Mood Sewing Network challenge of creating a look inspired by a fashion designer, I:

1. Became obsessed with all things Anna Wintour resulting in a haircut my family loathed on me. (It lasted one week.)
2. Discovered Barbara Tfank, the LA designer popularized by Michelle Obama.
3. Renewed my love of Ralph Lauren.

 Anna Wintour’s feminine flared skirts and dresses captivated me. Ralph Lauren’s cheerful black and white floral clothes dominated much of his Spring RTW runway show, and Barbara Tfank spelled it out with beautiful embroidered black and white linen  garments(click here). As a result I departed from the predictable slim silhouettes I generally sew and added a little flare (as opposed to flair).

 I paired Mood Fabric’s black and white embroidered floral linen

 with Burda Style 6904 View B to get the look I was after.

Views B and C are fitted through the hips. The lower portion of the skirt is not gathered, allowing for a nice drape. The skirt fit without a single alteration and the substantial linen is dreamy. The dense embroidery prevents excessive wrinkling – even after washing and sitting. I lined the entire piece rather than just the lower skirt as instructed.

My top is an 2007 RTW linen top refashioned with black organza.

 White and black organza are to sewing what salt and pepper are to cooking – I’m never without!

The sides of the linen shell top were carefully split. After tying a knot with the organza, I tucked the raw edges into the open seam and stitched it back together.

The lightweight organza dressed up the aging top without adding bulk. How easy it that?

(I also noticed and read Anna Wintour almost always wears a neutral shoe to extend the leg and because they go with everything.)

 On the one hand I found the runway scene intimidating….. Why can’t I think up these creations? But reading up on the fashion designers is a tremendous resource for any sewist seeking inspiration and you just never  know how the slightest change such as a new hemline, a new sleeve, or new color might affect your overall style :)

Best wishes!