Love Notions Patterns La Bella Donna Stripe Top

 Is this my new favorite top?  Probably!  I made another version of the Love Notions Patterns La Bella Donna Top in a recent FabricMartFabrics.com purchase.  I am not a big t-shirt wearer but I'm trying.  I  think I only have one stripe shirt.  This one was a winner!

Love Notions Patterns La Bella Donna Stripe Top

Neck binding close-up

Waistband

Back view

Sleeve band

$4.40 Top

Short sleeve with sleeve bands and hem band.  A quick and easy sew to hopefully jumpstart my sewing mojo!

What else can I say but I LOVE this top!

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

Bonnie

Love Notions Pattern La Bella Donna Jersey Striped Top

 Another Love Notions Pattern La Bella Donna top in a jersey stripe knit.  Living here in Florida it is so humid.  I tried to take a few pictures before I left to get my hair cut but the humidity kept fogging up my camera lens.  I'm going to say it's a new type of "filter"!

Love Notions Pattern La Bella Donna Jersey Striped Top

Foggy Filter

Back View

Love Notions Pattern La Bella Donna Jersey Striped Top

My sidekicks are hard at work!  They nap while I slave away sewing all day!

My sidekicks

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

Bonnie

Memory Ties

 I had a lady contact me to see if I could make her some memory items from her late Father's necktie collection.  I've never sewn anything like that and since it was a no rush job I thought I would give it a try.

She sent me Pinterest photos of a clutch, a purse and pillows.  Sounds easy enough.  Here is what I was able to come up with.

Lots of neckties

Clutch

Inside/Lined clutch

The larger purse was a little trickier. I made the strap from leftover tie pieces.  I also added an interior pocket to the lining and a magnetic snap closure.

Purse

Lined with magnetic snap

Interior with pockets

I made two pillows since I already had the pillow forms in my stash.  These were probably the easiest item to sew up. I also added an invisible zipper.  Can you see it?  LOL!  The ties are on both sides of the pillow.

Memory Ties Pillow #1

Memory Pillow #2

There were 7 ties that I really couldn't use in the other memory items because they were directional.  He was a Preacher so I saved all the ties with Bibles, crosses, etc to use in a memory frame.  

Memory Frame

There were still many ties leftover so I thought a Christmas Tree skirt would be nice.  This project got heavy quickly.  It must weigh 15lbs!  But I think that this is my Favorite memory item yet.

Extra Ties

I liked this stitch 

The skirt is over 36" in diameter.  It's huge & heavy.  

Christmas Tree Skirt

The lady liked all the items but asked could she send the Christmas tree skirt back and have me make an additional 5 clutches!  OMG!  Nowhere in her brief text did she say she wanted multiple clutches. I had no plans to take the tree skirt apart so I just bit my tongue and made 5 more clutches.  

Since I did not have the original clutch here for measurements & I was scrounging tie scraps for these 5 clutches I had to make these clutches smaller.  It is what it is.  Designers choice?

5 more clutches

I think I am done sewing for other people.  My new word is NO!  If I can say it to my kids, I should be able to say it to strangers.  Right?  I've asked Dear Hubby to help me with my new resolution of saying No.  

I really want to sew "me" something.....................

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

Bonnie 

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v3

 Third time is a charm right?  I LOVE this version of Celeste dress.  I wonder how many different hacks I can do to it?

I ended up using a size 10 with a D Bust and a size 14 at the waist & hips.  I had to remove 1/4" at the princess seams above the apex to the shoulder in the front and the back.

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v3

Back View

Front

Pockets!

Retro Print

I had this fabric in my stash.  Probably a Fabric Mart Fabrics purchase from way back.  I love the print but it reminds me of Mrs. Roper!!!!

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

Bonnie

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v2

 On this second version of the Itch to Stitch Celeste dress I sewed a size 14 with an A bust.  I still think of myself being larger than I am.  There is no way a size 14 will fit much less an A bust but I know that my tape measure doesn't lie and I'll give it a shot.

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v2

The hips & waist fit well on this version but the bust to shoulders is still too big.

I ended up removing 1/4" from the apex to the shoulder at the princess seams in the front and back.  But on the good side, the sleeves fit!  I measure a 14" bicep from a 22" in 2018!

Close-up bodice front

Back View

I'm thinking of trying a size 10 with a D Bust on a third version.

Wish Me Luck...............

Bonnie

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v1

 

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress

Every pattern company fits you differently.  I started this pattern with a Size 16 C cup.  It was HUGE!

Itch to Stitch Celeste Dress v1

Back View

I took in the seam allowances an additional 1".  The fit is getting a little better.

A little better fit

Back-round #2

I removed another 1/2" at the side seams & 1/2" at the princess seams.  I really think I could go down a few sizes. Since the fabric was more of a winter type I lengthened the sleeves to 3/4 length.  But this is not a good fabric for Florida's humid weather!  Yuck!

Wearable Winter Muslin

Close-up Round #3

Back View Round #3

Loving these pockets!

Overall a happy outcome

This fabric was from FabricMartFabrics in a mystery bundle.  There is no fabric content tag but I have a feeling there maybe some wool in it because it's itchy in our humid weather!  Ugggh!  I think this will be a winter dress!

I'm going to do more pattern work because I really like the idea of this dress.

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

Bonnie

Love Notions Pattern La Bella Donna Animal Print Top

Can you have too many TNT patterns or favorites?  I made another version of the La Bella Donna Top and they just keep getting better & better!  I don't have anything with the band on the bottom  and I thought why not try it!  I really like it too.

La Bella Donna Top

I also like that I can sew up this top with 1 yard pieces from my stash.

La Bella Donna Animal Print Top

 

Neckband

Hem Band

Sleeve Band

Back View

TNT New Favorite Top

I'm not sure what's next on the sewing table...............

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

Bonnie