Nordic Sweater Vest

I'm mentioned before that I love Serengeti Fashion catalog clothing.  Their clothing designs just seem to talk to me.  Their colors are just beautiful too.  In their Fall catalog there was a Nordic Sweater Vest that I knew I had to make.

Serengeti Nordic Sweater Vest

I looked through my pattern stash and found the Simplicity 9138 jacket looked very similar to this pattern's shawl collar and length.  I just had to make a few minor pattern adjustments and made a quick test muslin.

Simplicity 9138

I used a lined pattern, hoping that since the fabric frayed so much that it would help.  The Boulce fabric I bought recently from Fabric Mart Fabrics, of course!  The fabric is pretty weighty and I think a vest is perfect for the fabric.  I should have ordered a little more than 1-1/2 yards but I made it work.  I lined the vest with a piece of black nylon lining and the vest went together very easy.

S9138 Nordic Sweater Vest

Back View

$8.93 Copycat Vest

I can hardly wait for cooler weather and I think a vest is perfect for Florida's very short and mild winter.

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

Bonnie

Girl M's New Hair Color

Girl M was finally given the go ahead from our hair dresser that she can color her hair.  She went with brown and even though I was worried about it looking too dark she loves it and said this is what she wanted to begin with.

She looks so much older now.  They said that the color will fade a few shades after a couple of washes but since her hair was so white at the ends that it absorbed a lot of the color.

Girl M Before

Girl M After

I am hoping that now that her hair is darker it won't look like it's always dirty from her roots being darker.

A quick TNT dress I made for Girl M. to "brighten" her day.  I've been saving this fabric for myself but with my hair more gray, it wasn't a flattering color any longer on myself and I thought with Girl M. having darker hair I thought it would look great.

The dress wasn't finished when she got home from school and she begged me to finish the dress so she could wear it to Church that evening.  I finished with a few minutes to spare!

TNT Knit Dress

I lengthened the A-line TNT dress 15" and added elastic at the sleeve hem.  The dress is very roomy and I tried it on myself and it fit!  But it looks great with this wide leather stretch belt on Girl M.  I didn't get a chance to snap a photo before Church so I will have to update you later.

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

Bonnie

More McCall 7122 Raglan Sleeve Tops

This McCall 7122 raglan sleeve top is getting to be another TNT pattern for me!

I made myself a black red version with two leftover pieces of fabric.  I lengthened my version 2" and added a little to the hips.  I'm really liking this top.

McCall 7122 Raglan Sleeve Top

For Girl M. I had two pieces of fabric that both had the same shade of brown.  It's a little crazy but I think she'll like it.

McCall 7122 Raglan Sleeve Top

McCall 7122 Raglan Sleeve Top

Girl M. is having her hair colored a little darker.  That is what she wanted when the hair dresser messed her hair up.  Since her roots are so dark, she wanted something more one color and darker for Fall.

I think this top will look good with her hair color.

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

Bonnie

McCall 7122 Raglan Sleeve Top for Me

I'm going to have to hide this shirt from Girl M!  I made a size Large thinking that it probably wouldn't fit me but the jersey fabric had a lot of stretch.  Guess what..........IT FIT!

McCall 7122 Black Gray roses Jersey Knit Top

 I prefer 3/4 length sleeves on tops.  I added a floral ban on this version.

sleeve ban

Back View

Selfie with my grays

Lots of Grays

McCall 7122 Black Gray roses Jersey Knit Top

I'm off to go hide my new top!

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

Bonnie

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for that there will never be enough cyber space or time to express it all.  But mostly I am thankful for My God, my Family and my Health. 

Girl M. helped me make a Bitmoji of myself..............pretty close look a-like!

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

Bonnie

McCall 5668 Jacket

I'm trying a new pattern...........no TNT this time.  I sewed up a quick muslin in muslin fabric.....how funny!

The jacket sewed up pretty quick and there are only a few minor adjustments for the next version.  The muslin fabric I used has little flecks of green, tan, brown and pink in it.  It has a soft hand and frays like crazy.  I serged or pinked most of the seams.  The jacket is unlined but the sleeves are lined.

McCall 5668 Wearable Muslin

Pattern alterations needed for the next version:

• Lengthened the Center Front 1" tapering to 0 at the side seams (Bust pulls front up)
• Removed some fullness from the sleeve cap & lowered sleeve underarm 1/2"

I bought this black boulce suiting fabric with silver threads from Fabric Mart Fabrics last month for $2.99 yard.  It has a nice soft hand with a little structure.  I interfaced all pieces with Pellon EK130 Easy Knit interfacing for both the fraying and for a little extra structure.

Black Boulce suiting fabric

The fabric sewed up beautifully and the jacket went together easily.

McCall 5668 Black Boulce Suiting Fabric Jacket

Silver threads

Back View

 I purchased this rhinestone diamond pin from Fabric Mart Fabrics last year.  I didn't want a buckle so I could dress the jacket up or down.  This pin works perfect.

Rhinestone Pin

 I'm not sure what type of shirt/blouse to wear under.  Any suggestions?

McCall 5668 Jacket

 I used my Sure-Fit Designs slim skirt pattern for the skirt and lined with a poly lining.  Pure luxury!

McCall 5668 Jacket & Sure Fit Designs Skirt

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

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

Bonnie

McCall 6074 Wine ITY Knit Dress

I think that the wine color for Fall is a nice match with my hair color.  Now that orange and browns are not in my favor anymore I'm trying to venture out and try more colors that look nice with my gray hair.

I used my TNT McCall 6074 pattern.  I added elbow length sleeves and made the skirt midi length (mid-calf).  The fabric was a little more see-through than I thought so I ended up having to make a under dress to wear with it.  I'm thinking that I can now use a few pieces of mesh knit I have in stock to make a dress to wear over the under dress.

McCall 6074 Wine ITY knit dress

The fabric sewed up nicely and there isn't anything new or exciting to tell you but I do think that this color dress will be a good wardrobe staple.  I also think that the dress can be dressed up or worn more casual.

I realized after sewing up the dress that it needed a slip or an under-dress.  The fabric has a mesh feel and I could see my bellybutton through it.  Not appropriate for Church!

McCall 6074 Wine ITY knit dress

I have a few cardigans in my closet I think look nice with this dress.

Polka Dots & Wine

Animal Print & Wine

Pink Bob Mackie & Wine

This is my favorite one.  A lady from Church gifted me with the cardigan and even though I'm not a sharkbite hem lover I love this cardigan.

Gray Cardigan & Wine

For the under dress I used the same McCall 6074 pattern and shortened the skirt 2" and took 1/2" from the neckline and armholes and making it sleeveless.  I also cut the front pattern piece out on the fold to eliminate any extra bulk in the front.  I didn't add the elastic casing to the front.  Simple dress that can be used as a liner or a slip.

Under-dress/Slip

I saw something on Facebook about checking your measuring tapes for the correct measurements.  Well of the 5 I have, only one (the light blue) was off a little.  In the trash it went!  I don't need that in my sewing room. 

Off measurements............

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

Bonnie

McCall 7470 Faux Suede Shirt Dress

Girl M. has hit the jackpot the past few weeks in "new" clothes.  I wanted to make this McCall 7470 dress for her in a tan faux suede. 

McCall 7470

The pattern is pretty straight forward and nothing special but I used many of the techniques I learned from Islander Sewing Systems to sew this up.  I think that it was easier than McCall's way but it was a slow sew and I tried to take my time and not get frustrated or irritated.

McCall 7470 Faux Suede Shirt Dress

Faux Suede Fabric

Back View

The fabric has a beautiful hand and a slight stretch. A few pieces stretched a little and the notches didn't match up but after adding interfacing most pieces I made it work.  My machine did not like the fabric at all.  I had to switch back and forth between my teflon foot and my walking foot.  I had to keep my needle in the center position since it would eat the fabric with the needle in the left position????

McCall 7470 Faux Suede Shirt Dress

McCall 7470

I've never made a belt before, but it turned out very nice.  Girl M & I went to Hobby Lobby to find buttons and a belt buckle to match and she picked both out.

Back View

I liked the finished dress and hope that she will get a lot of wear out of it both as a dress and as a long duster.  She said everyone kept petting her dress at school.

I think it's time to some myself something..............

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

Bonnie

Sure-Fit Designs Black Slim Skirt

I had just enough fabric left over from Girl M's plaid dress to make her a skirt.  A simple wardrobe basic black, slim skirt.  I used Sure-Fit Designs skirt pattern with an invisible zipper.


Very basic but she received many compliments at Church.  Classy without being trashy???

It's funny how even though we are different in age and size we are common in patterns.  Her waist is significantly smaller than her hips like me so her pattern also has four front and four back waist darts.  She liked this skirt pulled a little higher.

The  skirt pattern was an easy sew and I was finished in an hour.  She was pretty impressed.

It's nothing fancy or exciting but I think she will get a lot of wear out of this simple skirt.

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

Bonnie

Butterick 5029 Marilyn Monroe Halloween

Girl M. wanted to be Marilyn Monroe for Halloween.  I thought that this would be a quick dress and I already had a pattern.  I'm glad I made a muslin for the dress because it needed a lot of help. 

Butterick 5029

I used  a thrifted sheet for the muslin.  The fabric was a little too soft for a good dress and of course I didn't have one piece of white fabric to make this dress.  I'll just have to go shopping!

Muslin

Muslin-Back View

I bought and ivory faille fabric from Fabric Mart Fabrics for her final dress.  The fabric has a beautiful hand to it and it sewed it beautifully.  I still needed to work on the crossover halter showing a little too much skin.

Butterick 5029 Marilyn Dress

Back View

Halloween 2018

Marilyn & James Dean

Halloween 2018

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

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

Bonnie