A blog about my adventures in sewing & crafting

Monday, May 28, 2018

White & Blue Bob Mackie Jacket & Mother's Day

I've found some great deals this past month on Ebay on my favorite Bob Mackie items.  I bought this beautiful white and blue jacket for $14.99!  I have a black and pink version and I love the fit so why not have another color!

White & Blue Gold Bob Mackie Jacket

I  thought that this light blue crepe textured double knit fabric would make a perfect dress to go with the jacket.  


Dress Fabric Choice
Since the jacket had princess seams I didn't think I wanted my TNT princess seam sheath style dress.  I thought a simple scoop neck, double flutter sleeve, double flounce dress would be perfect.  But after making the black dot dress, I changed my mind on the sleeves to a tulip style sleeve.  I found this great tutorial on YouTube for a pattern. 

I chose a simple, somewhat plain style dress since the jacket is so busy.

Light Blue Crepe Knit Double flounce tulip sleeve dress
 I really love how these tulip sleeves came out.  CUTE!

Tulip Sleeve

Double Flounce

Side View

Back View
I wore this to Church on Mother's Day.  It was a hit and I received many compliments.

Sunday Selfie with Dear Hubby

Mother's Day 2018

$6.25 Dress!
The kids really spoiled me on Mother's Day.  Girl M bought me a beautiful hydrangea plant.  I plan on a new "shady" flower bed soon!  Boy F. brought me the daisies and a sweet card.  Boy T and his wife gave me the coolest bag filled with bath goodies and the sweet homemade sign.  My nephew got me the paper flowers in the vase with some bath goodies and Dear Hubby bought me a pair of beautiful onyx earrings. 

I am blessed!

Mother's Day 2018

This says it ALL!
I'm off to sew something new!

Until next time..................

Bonnie

Friday, May 25, 2018

Simplicity 1612 Tiny Birds Knit Dress

Girl M is so spoiled sometimes!  I just love sewing up this Simplicity 1612 pattern.  I can usually have it finished in just a few hours.  She never complains about a new dress!

I thought of her when I saw this knit fabric with little birds on it.  She looks good in mustard color too.  I used the flared skirt from the polka dot Derby Day dress and shortened it by 3".  I also had to go down a size in the skirt back to keep it from gaping.  She must be loosing a little weight and getting taller.....

This fabric from FabricMartFabrics.com was on sale for 1/2 price and I only have to use 2 yards to make this pattern.  A $4.00 dress is a bargain!

$4.00 Dress!
Dad jumped in the photo when I tried to get a photo of her dress!

Dad & Girl M

Simplicity 1612 Front View

Side view

Back View

Simplicity 1612

Since we're talking about birds, look at the beautiful Tom that was near our house this past weekend.  It's mating season and he was looking pretty handsome!


Tom

Beautiful Turkey
This post is "going to the bird"!

I'm off to sew something else................

Until next time................

Bonnie

Monday, May 21, 2018

I'm Seeing Dots!

I drafted my own pattern to make a dress to got with my new Bob Mackie Jacket.  I knew I needed to sew up a muslin first before I cut my "good" fabric.

I imagined a simple t-shirt style dress, with bust darts, double flutter sleeves and double flounce .  Something about 40" (knee length) and just a pullover style.

I got pretty close but the jersey fabric I chose just wanted to grow and grow.

Double Flounce Dot Dres
I wasn't happy with the overall fit of the dress so I thought I would add an elastic waistband to help with the continual gravity of the fabric. 

I really love the dress now.

Dotty Dress
I love how the dress moves when I walk, it swishes about.  I think this dotty dress is a keeper.

I'm off to make another version.

Until next time..............

Bonnie

Friday, May 18, 2018

Pink Bob Mackie Sweater

I bought this Bob Mackie sweater on Ebay for $13.00!  I LOVE Bob Mackie!   Now I need a dress to wear with it.
Pink Bob Mackie Sweater
I thought the McCall 6074 pattern with this magenta ITY Knit fabric made a great pair!

McCall 6074 Magenta ITY Knit Dress

Sweater & Dress

$8.10 Dress
Of course I had to try another fit & flare frankin pattern.  This time I added a short flutter style sleeve.  The dress fits great and works perfectly with the pink Bob Mackie sweater. Another win!

Pink Ponte Fit & Flare Dress

flutter sleeve

Back View
Pink Ponte Fit & Flare Dress with Bob Mackie Dress

Pink Ponte Dress w/Bob Mackie Sweater

I'm pretty impressed with my pattern mix up and I have another Bob Mackie jacket I've purchased that needs a dress!

Until next time...................

Bonnie

Monday, May 14, 2018

Derby Day Fundraiser

At the last minute I pulled a dress out of the air and sewed it up in an afternoon.  Why do I do that?  I think it's because I have so many ideas swimming around in my head that I don't want to commit to just one and then what IF it's not good enough?

I used my TNT Simplicity 7103 princess seam dress for the bodice, since it was already a perfect fit and my TNT 3/4 circle skirt pattern for the skirt.  I took in the side seams about 5/8" so the dress was a little more fitted and I used horsehair braid on the skirt hem.

Derby Day Fit & Flare Floral Dress

Princess seams
I bought the fabric from FabricMartFabrics.com on sale. It reminds me of a scuba type knit.  The total for this dress was $8.97!

$8.97 Dress

Fit & Flare Floral Derby Day Dress

Dear Hubby & myself
It was 87 degrees on the day of the event with 99% humidity.  It was held outside at the Polo Field Pavilion but luckily in a covered venue.

This was Girl M's first event she was able to attend with us and making her dress was so much fun.  I used her favorite TNT dress pattern Simplicity 1612 with a polka dot jersey knit.  This pattern looks so good on her.

I added to a hat she already had for a 40's classy vibe.  She received so many compliments on her outfit and her "look".  She said dressing up was fun.

Simplicity 1612 Knit Dress
I modified the skirt pattern making it longer and adding a little more width.  I used horsehair braid trim on the hem making it ruffle as she walked.  The dress had beautiful movement when she moved.

Girl M's Derby Day hat
My favorite photo of the whole day.

My beautiful Girl

Classy 40's Look

Wildflowers


Girl M & myself
After all these years of trying to fit a fit & flare dress to my very curvy figure I don't know why I didn't think to just hack two of my favorite dresses into one.  I plan on making more from this pattern hack in the future.

Until next time..................

Bonnie


Friday, May 11, 2018

McCall 6074 Black Ikat Print ITY Knit Dress

I had to sew up another version of the McCall 6074 to match my new Born cork wedge heels.  These shoes are so comfortable.



This was an easy sew and I was done in an afternoon.  I think that this fabric print will match.

McCall 6074 ITY Knit Dress

$10.80 Dress!


I'm off to sew something else...............

Until next time..............

Bonnie

Monday, May 7, 2018

McCall 6074 Black Floral Jersey Knit Dress

Another version of the McCall 6074 knit dress.  I LOVE this version.  It's so comfy and the fit is an A+!  I raised the v in the front by 2".  It's perfect for me now.

Black Floral Print McCall 6074

Another 1/2 price fabric purchase $6.00 Dress!

Dress perfection!
I have finished my Derby Day dress and I may wait to post after the event so I will have photos of me wearing it too.  I made Girl M a dress too, she looks amazing!

Until next time.............

Bonnie

Friday, May 4, 2018

McCall 6074 Jersey Knit Dress

I needed something easy to sew since I can only use 9 fingers.  I had an accident with the rotary cutter and my left pointer finger.  The rotary cutter won..........my finger is mending but very sore.  Today is the first day I was able to sew without shivering at the thought of using the rotary cutter!

The Rotary Cutter is not my friend!

I made Girl M. the McCall 6074 back in March and really liked how easy the dress went together.  I decided to make myself a version or two......you know I can't stop with one!

McCall 6074

The dress went together easily and I really like the feel of the jersey knit I used.  It's like wearing a t-shirt dress.  I did length the dress b y 6" from view A/B.  I used my own sleeve template and just made a little short sleeve.  I give this dress an A+!

Butterfly Jersey Knit McCall 6074

$12.00 Dress but I think it was 1/2 price so it's really $6.00!

The only changes I will make to the next version will be to fix the v at the neck.  It's a little low for me.

My flower bed plants are growing like crazy especially my lavender plants.  I have a few gardenia plants that I am going to have to move to the end of our house where there is more shade.  The sun is rough on plants here.  We have no shade in the flower beds until about 4pm.  The joys of living in Florida!

Lavender

Flower Bed

Flower Bed


I put a hummingbird feeder in front of my sewing room window and I get visitors all day long.  I just love seeing them come & drink and zoom off.

Hummingbird Visitor


I am working on the Derby Day dress.........wish me luck!

Until next time.............

Bonnie