Simplicity 7117 Sleeveless Dress

  I made a muslin of this pattern last month using a vintage sheet.  It's pretty groovy thick sheet and I wear the dress every day if it's clean!  It's so comfortable and it does have a back zipper that I have yet to use, since I slip the dress over my head.

  I decided that since I didn't have enough of the purple fabric for my Easter dress to make another of the Simplicity 7117.  In place of using armhole and neck facing I cut out lining fabric from the pattern and just had the whole dress lined since the purple fabric is thin.  It's not quiet sheer but I thought that lining it would give it a little body and flow too.

Simplicity 7117 cutting out fabric

My pattern weights from my dear hubby!  Large washers, they are perfect!

Simplicity 7117 Front View

This dress looks a lot better on, it looks like a big purple paper bag on my dress form..... :(

Simplicity 7117 Side View

Simplicity 7117 back view-zipper omitted

The back view looks like a large rectangle!  I enough curves going on back there to fill it out!

Simplicity 7117 view of lining under

The lining fabric has a satin side and a rough side.  I used the soft satin closest to my skin so I won't have to wear a slip with this dress.  Maybe just some spanx!

Simplicity 7117 Neck view

The neck view is the best, I'm so happy how it turned out!  Very neat and clean looking.  Also, it is high enough I'm not fiddling with it during church thinking I'm over exposed!

I used http://ragbagsandgladrags.blogspot.com/2013/05/tutorial-sewing-lining-into-sleeveless.html for a lining tutorial.  It was the first time I tried it this way and the end product was so much nicer looking.  I will use this method in the future!

I am planning on going through my closet to SPRING CLEAN today!  I have lost a few more inches and I really want to throw away clothes that are too big so I don't have anything to go back to!  I would say 25% of my closet is too big, 50% I will fit into soon and 25% I can wear right now.  So I'm donating to the thrift shop fund today!  

Wish me luck, until next time..................................

Bonnie

Sewing but nothing GREAT!

I have done a lot of sewing but thing GREAT!  Really just alterations and the usual fixes from a family of five.

This week I have:  Hemmed two pair of dress pants
                             Fixed two backpack straps
                             Altered the seat of two pair of uniform pants
                             Resewed a button onto a dress shirt
                             Refashioned a pair of jeans into a denim skirt
 I did get to cut out the lining for the purple dress and sew it into the dress but I still need to hem it.  Maybe I can get to it this afternoon.

Butterick 4443 Princess Dress & DH on the way to Church

I hate having my picture taken, but I thought that since we were dress and on the way out the door to church I would let the kids take a picture.  I have this look on my face because the kids were talking smack while taking the picture.  

I like the dress but now I need about 3 inches taken in from the chest through the waist!  I might get around the fixing but I'm in no hurry.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter and get to spend it with your loved ones!

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

Bonnie

Fabric Cutting Table

I have a dear neighbor who is 84 years young.  She can run circles around me crafting.  I really believe that she an image of myself in 44 years!  She can sew, quilt, crochet, knit, loom, embroider, card make, scrapbook, I could just keep going!  She in so generous and shares everything she has with me.

Recently she shared this cutting table with me.  It is so nice to have a table that I can put away when I don't need it, is high enough it doesn't hurt my back when I'm cutting fabric and is as wide as  my fabric.  I have always cut my fabric on my dining room table.  It's oval and I've always just made it work, but this cutting table is WONDERFUL!

Cutting Table

I found a nice lining fabric at Jo-Ann's yesterday for the purple sheath dress.  I also bought tan colored serger thread for a sheer poncho that I'm making.  I had hoped to be able to sew most of the day Saturday but my dear hubby signed Girl M and myself up for a hunter safety course!  What a way to spend a Saturday!

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

Bonnie

Butterick 5030 Easter Dress

The purple fabric I really wanted to use for an Easter dress ended up being too short...... So, I found this rayon/poly aqua polka dot fabric in my stash and with a little creative cutting I had enough for the dress.  I had to switch out the skirt for the Butterick 4957 skirt.

I had to do my usual adjustment but not sooooo much since I have lost a little weight!  -2" from my chest, -2" from my waist and -6" from my hips!  I don't have a scale so I just go by my sewing measurements.

I am excited to wear this dress next weekend.  I did try on a dress while shopping with my daughter last weekend, but once I started looking at the dress, the fabric was sooooo cheap, and the sewing was crap, I just figured I could make something soooo much better!  I saved $20 and used a stash fabric, Whoot! Whoot!

Butterick 5030 Wrap Dress

Butterick 5030 Polka Dot Easter Dress-Front View-Back View

The dress looks much better on.  I will try to get a picture when I wear it.  The pattern was pretty easy except the facing on the top, It was so confusing.  I muddled through it and it turned out pretty good.  I have 6 yards of green check fabric I was thinking of making into another one (and enough fabric for the skirt!).  

Right now on my cutting table is the purple fabric I wanted to use.  I have decided to make a sleeveless sheath dress.  I've cut the dress and now I'm off the Jo-Ann's to find a lining fabric.  I've watched online tutorial on how to add a lining (bagging?)  seams pretty easy.  Wish me luck!

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

Bonnie

McCall's 8487 Skirt

There is something wholesome about vintage patterns.  They are simple and true.  They are my favorite patterns to sew from and the McCall's 8487 is no exception.  The skirt came together so easy.  I bought this fabric from www.fabricmartfabrics.com some time last year and it's has been hid on the shelf.  It's a cotton stretch in a linen color.  I figure I could use all the stretch I could get.  The only piece that made me think was the lay out for the waistband.  I didn't wan't stretch with  that, so I laid it out perpendicular to the selvage.  Turned out perfect!

McCall's 8487 Skirt

I made the Simplicity 1197  dress with the same type pleat in the front but starts at the waist, I din't like it so much, so I was a little skeptical but I went ahead and made the front pleat skirt version.  Luckily the pleat starts much lower and I like that it looks so summery and casual and modest.

The pattern did call for a 2-1/4" hem along the bottom and I serged around the bottom and only hemmed 1-1/2".  I like the little extra length.

McCall's 8487 Skirt Front View-Pleat

McCall's 8487 Skirt Pleat

McCall's 8487 Skirt Back View

The fabric does need some serious pressing.  I ironed the pieces as I went but it may need to be starched too.

I had enough fabric left over to make 8 luncheon napkins with a rolled hem with my new serger.  

Rolled hem cloth napkins

I have shelves full of fabric and I need to get serious on using it up.  I have always searched a pattern I like then went shopping in the fabric corner.  I think I'm going to mix things up a bit and go in blindly and just pick a fabric then go find a pattern to go with it. (I'm wild like that sometimes).  

Fabric Stash

I'll let you know what's on the agenda for the next project soon.

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

Bonnie