Butterick 5354 Knit Top

I am in need of a few casual tops.  Something to wear at softball practice or on Saturdays.  I liked the Butterick 5354 knit top pattern with the darts at the neckline.

Butterick 5354

I made View A

Jersey Knit Tank Top

I am happy with the fit and the style of the top.  I sewed together very easy and I was able to finish it in a few hours.

$6.97 Top

My second version I added a flutter style sleeve and widened the facing by 1".  It's a little Disney looking but I love polka dots and floral prints. 

Butterick 5354 Red White Polka Dot Jersey Knit Top

Pleats

Flutter sleeve

Twin needle stitching at hem

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

Bonnie

Butterick 5342 See & Sew Blue Floral ITY Knit Dress v2

I can't just sew a pattern once.  I have to have it as close to perfect as I can stand.  I made my alterations to the Butterick See & Sew 5342 and I sewed up another version in a day.

It's a lot easier to sew a pattern the second time.  You know where you can serge, what needs a little extra trimming and where to take a break to keep your mind fresh and from getting overwhelmed.

I'm still not a fan of the waistband but it does give me shape and since I raised the center back the band hits perfect now.

But.............. I can't even get the dress on my dressform!  Since I didn't use a zipper I can't get it over her shoulders and bust.

Butterick 5342 See & Sew Blue Floral ITY Knit Dress

I miss taking photos on my dressform.  I set up the camera on the tripod and I took about 50 photos.  Only a few even came close to being usable.  I should practice more photo taking but I would rather be sewing.

 

Butterick See & Sew 5342

Back View

A little closer

Waistband

I really like this blue version best.  The fit is great and the fabric is so drapey and soft.

$10.80 Dress

I'm going to say that I am satisfied with this dress and I'm going to move on.  I'm thinking a woven dress or a knit top will be next.

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

Bonnie

Butterick 5342 See & Sew Knit Dress v1

I've had this Butterick 5342 pattern in my stash for years.  I liked the gathers at the bust, but that low, low, low neckline has got to be modified for my liking.

Butterick See & Sew 5342

The dress looks ok on the dressform.  But................I had a few alterations to make for it to be wearable and a few additional alterations for the next version.

 I had to take the dress in 1-1/2" at the side seams.  Raise the lower armhole by 1-1/2" and I didn't add  the zipper.  I altered the front v, but not enough.  It stops right below my bra band.  That's still too low for me.

I like the gathers at the center front on the skirt and the gathers at the bust but that waistband isn't my favorite.

Butterick 5342 Wearable Muslin

Gathers

Waistband

The waistband v's down at the center back is too low.  I will have to remove 1-1/2" from the center back.

Back View

This will be a wearable muslin for around the house with a modesty panel.  I will have to make a few more minor alterations and make another version because I just can not let a pattern beat me.

$10.80 Dress

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

Bonnie

Butterick 5282 Suzi Chin Maggy Boutique Eyelet Jersey Knit Dress

I'm doing my best to venture out of my TNT pattern rut.  I liked the looks of the Butterick 5282 dress for a possible evening dress.

Butterick 5282

A few things that have me worried are the depth of the v on the front and back.  I do not want to show "Clevelend" as Girl M likes to say!  And the finished measurements on the patter are a little scarce.

I raised both the front and the back v 1".  I used my knit armhole template.  The pattern armhole was about 1" too high.  I cut an 18 at the shoulders, 22 at the bust and waist.

I din't even think I have a single cut of 5+ yard of fabric in a knit!  I used 3 yards of an eyelet jersey knit and a solid black knit lining for the bodice lining. I didn't have the called for buckle so I improvised with a little fabric tube.  I'm happy with the way the dress came out.

Butterick 5282

Eyelet Jersey Knit

Crinkled

Look at that waist!

The dress has a lot of fabric and it weighs about 10lbs.  I need to build up my endurance to wear it!  I love the  fullness of the skirt and the cute waistband but I didn't love all the hand sewing.  This dress has a zipper which is odd for a knit.  It was all I could do to get the dress on my dressform.  I'm really needing a smaller one.

This is a maybe for the formal but I think I can find better!

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

Bonnie

Re-Organize Fabric Stash

Sometimes I should just leave things be.   But I just couldn't.  I get something in my head and it's all I can think about.  I obsess and I daydream......

While looking through my woven fabrics for Dear Daughter a fabric to use on her dress I realize this is NOT how I need to have my woven fabric organized.

Before

Currently I have the fabric organized by color.  Which is great, but mixed in the colors is everything from charmeuse to cotton to velvet.  I just bought two pieces of charmeuse and when putting them away realized I had many other pieces hidden among the colored fabrics!

I plan on purging some of the fabrics and donating some of it to a young lady who started sewing at Church.

It was a HUGE project and I finished in an afternoon!  Oh yeah,  Dear Hubby bought me a label maker for Christmas so I'm going to put that to work too!

After an evening of looking through my Google search and Pinterest I realize mostly people organize scrap fabric or fabrics for quilts.  I only found one or two articles on apparel fabric storage.  And those were about hanging fabrics by either a curtain ring & clip or on a hanger.  Not going to work for me.  I do love my fold method.

I had many more pieces of boucle, chiffon, lining, linen & suiting than I realized.  I also found a few pieces of knit fabric misplaced within my woven fabrics.

After

On the far left (you can't see) is stretch wovens and polyester/cotton blends.  There are a few cubes that are left empty on purpose.  I feel like my fabric can breath...............

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

Bonnie

Simplicity 1612 Floral Knit Dress

Girl M asked for another version of the Simplicity 1612.  How can a Momma say no?

I used a burgundy floral textured double knit.  This fabric was a dream to sew with.  I just had to trim seam allowances at intersecting seams to keep the thickness under control.

I made a maxi version this time.  Again, Girl M was all smiles with her dress.

Simplicity 1612 Floral Knit Dresss

Back View

I'm so happy she liked her dress.  I'm going to put this pattern away now and work on something for me.  I am hoping to re-arrange/sort my fabric storage area.  It's starting to overwhelm me and I can not find anything.

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

Bonnie

Family Update-Boy T

This isn't a sewing post but a family update and in the photo I am wearing an outfit I sewed.

Our oldest son (Boy T.) was sworn in as a Police Officer.  He's finally at his dream job.  No more working in the County Jail, he's a "real" Police Officer as Dear Daughter likes to tease him.  We are so proud of him and excited for his future.  (Just like DAD now!)

Boy T. signing his Official letter

 Boy T. didn't get his uniforms before his signing ceremony.  Sorry for that.

Family photo

Boy F. (City Wastewater), Boy T. (Police Dept.)

Boy T & his wife (she's a Pre-K Teacher)

(L) Ron-Dear Hubby's Brother Detective with Sheriff's Office, (M) Boy T, (R) Dear Hubby-Captain

Thanks for letting me brag about the family a little.  This is one proud Momma!

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

Bonnie

Simplicity 1612 Red Dress

Girl M got another dress.  A KNIT DRESS!

I sewed her the Simplicity 1612 with an inexpensive ITY knit as a hopeful wearable muslin.  $7.20 for a dress she LOVED is good.  I'm winning the MOM trophy with her this year so far!

Simplicity 1612

The pattern went together pretty easy.  I was surprised that only a few seams were serged.  The princess seams at the bust made fitting nice but there was so many layers of fabric (unserged) that you can see the fabric seam allowances.

Girl M loved the keyhole at the neck and that ties in the back.  I tightened the gathers on the skirt front.  She liked that look better.

After school try-on picture (She's smiling!)

Simplicity 1612 Red ITY Knit Dress

Back View

With a Denim jacket for Church

This was an easy sew and I really like how it turned out.  I'm thinking another version in a print would be nice.

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

Bonnie

McCall 6924 Dress

OK, I deserve an Oscar!  For best seamstress acting like she likes:

1. Sewing a NEW pattern
2. Sewing with a WOVEN fabric
3. Sewing something NOT for myself!!

Girl M needs wanted a dress.  We started by looking through drawers of patterns and she picks McCall 6924.  She had picked the same pattern out years ago, actually in 2014  (I measured her but never sewed it up!)  Her measurements changed a little since then.

McCall 6924

I sewed up a quick muslin and knew right away I was going to HATE this pattern.  12 DARTS TOTAL!  Lining!  Hand sewing the lining to the zipper tape, 2 snaps & a slide hook! OMG I HATED this pattern!

She only needed a few minor adjustments to the pattern.  The underarms needed to be raised 1" because her bra was showing and it was a little big in the waist/hip area.  I went by her measurements and cut the pattern from a size 14 at the top to a 18 at the waist and hips.  But she was a straight size 14 in the end.

I didn't interline the fabric but I did line it.  She chose a blue floral print fabric of a polyester feel.  I used a dark blue lining fabric for the lining.  I didn't use the hem facing and horsehair braid.  Everything was going along smooth UNTIL........

I went to sew up the side seams.  Something wasn't right.  In the end I had to just make due and I serged the fabric and lining together at the sides then sewed the seams.  I made it work.  Believe it or not the easiest part of this dress was the invisible zipper.  It went in easy and looked great.  

I probably have almost 20 hours in this stupid dress!  

Then Girl M. got home from school and tried it on AND...................

SHE LOVED IT!  

All smiles!

Front View

Back View

The smile on her face made me feel a little bad about HATING this pattern.  It was a little short for my preference. (Daddy won't let her wear it to Church).  She loved the cut-out at the back of the dress and all the darts.  

I may reconsider looking at the pattern again but not soon (unless Girl M. ask). 

I'm most proud of myself for the fit and finishing this dress no matter what!

Thanks for listening to me vent!

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

Bonnie