McCall 7359 Top-Blue Stripe Version

Summer weather is here!  It's been in the upper 80's for most of the past two weeks and the humidity is over 80%!  I had to make a few summer tops!

I thought that the McCall 7359 loose top looked perfect.  Well..................... it was an ok top.



McCall M7359 Top

 There were a few changes right out of the package I had to make.  First off, the top is only 25" long.  That's too short for me.  I prefer a 27-30" length for tops.  To cover my belly & butt.  Then I had to add to my hips.  Of course there are no finished measurements so I had to add up myself.

Adding 4" to the length of top

Sewing up a top in a woven fabric really makes me love knits!  There is no give with a woven.  It either fits or it doesn't.

I didn't like where the seam for the top (yoke?) hits on my chest.  I also didn't care for the box pleat in the front. 

Dear daughter said the top looks like a scub top!

McCall 7359 muslin

A little more added at the side seams so the top fits over my hips too.  I have pinned up the yoke by 1" and also added a 1" dart starting at the shoulder seam and tapering to nothing at the bottom yoke.  The sleeves seem to be a little too long.

McCall 7359 Muslin

I didn't get a photo of the back but I had to do a 1" sway back adjustment.  On the pattern I just made a 1" horizontal dart at the center back above the waist line and tapered to nothing at the side seam.  That helped the back hang better on my body.

I had this crinkled cotton fabric from a mystery bundle at Fabric Mart Fabrics that I thought looked like a nice cool summer top.

McCall 7359 Top

I'm not a big fan of how low the back yoke ends.  But I guess that's a design issue not a fit issue.

McCall 7359 Back View

I made my shoulder gathers the full length of the shoulder seams minus the seam allowances.  This also brought up the sleeve hem, keeping it from looking so droopy on me. 

McCall 7359 Shoulder View

I maybe should have made both sides of the facing piece the same......I just realized that one has a large blue stripe and the left side has a white stripe!  Oops!

McCall 7359 Top view

I like the gathers at the front in place of the box pleats.  But the top does remind me a little of a maternity shirt......

McCall 7359 Top

I think that for about $1.50 for a top isn't too bad.  Maybe I'll like it better the more I wear it.

Fabric Mart Fabrics has got to STOP having such good deals on knit fabrics.  They are killing my budget!

Just a little peek at some sleeping baby chicks in my laundry room.  They don't have a care in the world!

Baby Chicks

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

Bonnie

Fuller Brush Mini Maid Vacuum & A Copper Prom Dress

I decided to go with the Fuller Brush Mini Maid Vacuum for the sewing room.  Maybe because it was red, or that it was $5.00 cheaper...... Either way, this vacuum SUCKS!  It sucks SO good, all my machines are now spotless and my table cover has never looked this clean!



Fuller Brush Mini Vacuum



My sewing machine is three times bigger!

The machine is the exact same one as the version sold in Nancy's Notions catalog but a different color.  I bought mine off of Ebay for $28.95 free shipping.  It will get a lot of use in my sewing room.

Now back to sewing!

My neighbor girl is going to prom.  She bought a dress last year at a store closing in a size smaller than she was.  Fast forward a year and she gained about 50 lbs!  She didn't have the money to buy another dress and she really liked the color of this one.  The only thing was that the top was 10" too small and the zipper didn't even come close at the waist by a good 6"!

Once I agreed to fix her dress, I had about two weeks of pure dread!  What have I gotten myself into?  I have never altered a prom dress before!

Then one day I got mad, took the dress apart.  The waist trim off, all the hooks and snaps off, the bodice from the skirt, the bodice lining from the skirt lining and then I almost had a panic attack.  What have I done?

I needed to add 5+" to both sides of the dress to accommodate her increase, wedging down to 3+" at her waist then tapering to nothing at 6" below the waist since that was as far down I could go.  I drove the hour to Joann's to have the lady in the fabric department tell me it was indeed taffeta but they were out of that color since it's considered a seasonal color.  They did have some on the red tag clearance table a few weeks ago but we both dug and dug with no luck.

My only other choices were to drive to Orlando 1-1/2 hours away and chance someone there having this crazy color fabric in stock or to try Ebay.  I decided to try Ebay. 

The store was called p-linens.  They had two colors, copper and rust.  Since I wasn't sure what color this was I ordered a yard of each for only $5.83 each plus free shipping.  I messaged them that I needed the fabric as soon as possible when I placed my order of Friday.  Believe it or not the fabric was in my mailbox on MONDAY all the way from Troy, Michigan.  I have put them into my FAVORITE Store!  The fabric color copper was a PERFECT match!

Now I had to decide how I was going to at to this dress and keep with the same design elements.  I didn't want her to look like someone just added to it! 

There's A LOT of dress for a girl who is only 5'2"!  Too much if you ask me.  But no one asked so I just sew!



Copper Taffeta Prom dress

I added a wedge at the side, pleating the fabric vertically to match the other pleats and to help make her look slimmer.



Pleated wedge at side



Back view



Side View

The original beaded waist trim couldn't be used since it was 6+" too short.  I made a cummerbund/waist sash from a length of pleated fabric to use for a finished look.



Waist finish



Copper Taffeta Prom Dress

 

 

The alteration wasn't as hard as I had first dreaded but I really don't want to do another one any time soon.  I'm ready to sew for me again!  I'm Bonnie and I'm a greedy sewer!

 

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

 

Bonnie

Magenta/Black Animal Print Ponte Knit Dress

When Girl M wants another dress, I do my best to surprise her.  After watching another episode of Sewing with Nancy. Knock out Knit Tops Part 2.  I had the idea to copy her version of the t-shirt dress and add an angle piece at the waist for more interest.

I copied my T-shirt dress pattern, drew a wedge that was 4" wide on the right and 10" on the left, cut my pattern apart, then added seam allowances.


She asked for a square neckline this time.  I cut out the top piece twice, sewed right sides together, turned and treated it as one piece.  Not only did it line the top it acted like the facing too.

Magenta/Black Animal Print Ponte Knit Dress

Ponte Knit Dress

 I used a piece of scrap ponte knit for the wedge.  The rest of the dress only took 1 yard of fabric.  (Advantages of being small!)  The total amount for this dress was only $5.00.  She'll never know!

Magenta/Black Animal Print Ponte Knit Dress

The dress could have been a little bit longer.  But Girl M is in love with this dress!

Another hit, I'm on a roll!

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

Bonnie

Navy Nautical Stripe Cap Sleeve ITY Knit Top

Another top for my Spring/Summer wardrobe.  I thought that this Navy stripe fabric looked nautical so a cap sleeve and a boat (bateau) neck would be fitting.



T-Shirt Fabric Choice

 I used my TNT cap sleeve knit top pattern.  I found a tutorial online here to draft a boat (bateau) neckline.  The neckline turned out great, very flattering on me.

I used a French binding technique I saw on Sewing with Nancy.  The neck binding starts about 19 minutes.  It was the first time I used it and it was easy and turned out great.

I hope this is as clear as mud.........................


Navy Nautical Stripe ITY Knit Top



French Binding on Neck

 Looks ok with my white Nick & Zoe skirt, but I've worn it with the grey one and it looks much better.


Navy Nautical Stripe Cap Sleeve ITY Knit Top



$5.98 Navy Nautical Stripe Top

Girl M wants another dress!

Off to sew something wonderful..................................

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

Bonnie

Teal Jersey Knit Flutter Sleeve Top

A few years ago I purchased a top from Cato Fashion.  I really have loved that top.  It's an orange and white Aztec print on knit fabric and flutter sleeves.  The fit is perfect, the sleeves are lovely and the weight of the knit is perfect for hot, humid Florida.


Orange Cato Knit Top



Flutter Sleeve



Flutter Sleeve

I decided to get my summer clothes out of storage and measure my Cato shirt and make a version of it.  You can't go wrong with a teal jersey knit that I could use as a muslin.  Luckily it turned out to be a wearable muslin!

Bright Teal Jersey Knit Flutter Sleeve Top

Jersey Knit Flutter Sleeve

Flutter Sleeve



Bright Teal Jersey Knit Flutter Sleeve Top

$7.50 Bright Teal Jersey Knit Flutter Sleeve Top

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

Bonnie

Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's White Stretch Denim Skirt

This year I am making a white summer skirt.  Since I love my blue denim Nick & Zoe skirt I decided to make another one!  It's only my 5th version!

I am using fabric purchased from a gift card from my Dear Son & Daughter In Law from Christmas. 

2-1/2 yards of White Stretch denim from Joann's

There is a lot of topstitching for this skirt, but it is so worth it.



Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's Skirt

Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's Skirt

Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's Skirt

Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's Skirt



Invisible Zipper



Silhouette Pattern #2913 Nick & Zoe's White Stretch Denim Skirt

Keeping with my sewing mojo, I'm thinking a nautical top to go with my new skirt.

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

Bonnie

Coral Stripe Knit T-Shirt

Another T-shirt made from my knit fabric picks.

Just a basic T-Shirt this time.  No fancy sleeves, or fancy neckline.  Just a basic T-shirt that I matched the stripes on the sides like a BOSS!



Coral Stripe Jersey Knit T-shirt



Neck Band



Back view



Matching Stripes!



Twin needle sleeve finish



Bust dart & matching stripes at side seam



$7.50 T-shirt

I have two fabric left to sew up.  I saw this Butterick 5753 shirt pattern and I am really liking it!



Butterick 5753

Since the floral knit fabric is only 1 yard x 48" wide.  I think it would work for this pattern since I have to use a coordinating fabric anyways.

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

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

Bonnie