A blog about my adventures in sewing & crafting

Monday, December 30, 2019

Happy New Year

No sewing going on during the holidays.  I'm sad, but I did get in the sewing room a clean up a little.  It will be ready for sewing when we get back from Georgia.

I like this Sunday photo of Dear Hubby & myself sometime this Month.  I made the red dress........that counts as sewing!  I need to alter it, but I wore it anyway.

Sunday photo

Girl M took a photo on Christmas of us.  Dear Hubby has lost a total of 65 pounds!  I am so proud of him.  His Doctor has reduced some of his medicines and hopefully in the next few months will take him off of some.  I've lost 112 pounds!  I want to loose about 36 more pounds by my Birthday in March.  Sounds like a good goal plan for the upcoming year.

Christmas 2019

I  hope you ALL had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year!  I am grateful beyond measures for all my readers and those who comment, keep me motivated, teach me new things and to new friendships! 

Happy New Year!

Bonnie

Monday, December 23, 2019

Christmas Sewing

Our oldest son & DIL host a themed Christmas party every year.  This year's theme was The Grinch.  We always have a great time & enjoy spending time with them.

I purchased iron-on's for our t-shirts. 

Grinch Party Shirts

My shirt


Twin needle stitching


Dear Hubby's Shirt

Girl M's Shirt

Boy AJ's Shirt

I needed two additional napkins for Christmas dinner.  I purchased the poinsettia fabric from my local Wal-Mart &  I used a simple rolled hem to finish the edges.
Napkins

Boy F. has a friend who has a 2 year old little girl who loves trains.  It's hard to find girly train fabric.  I realized while making this dress that I've NEVER made a little girl's dress!  It was fun.  I used Butterick 6239 for the dress.

Butterick 6239

Train fabric
I purchased the fabric from FabricMartFabrics.com

Rosette with train button

Our Sunday selfie:

Merry Christmas
Sewing has halted until after the Holidays. 

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

Bonnie

Friday, December 20, 2019

McCall 6073 Gray Stretch Velvet Knit Dress

I really made this dress prior to making Girl M's version but I just now had time to post about it.  The fabric didn't stretch as much as my previous ITY knit versions of this pattern so I need to loose a few more pounds before I wear it out.

McCall 6073 Stretch Velvet Knit Dress

Back View

McCall 6073
I drafted my own sleeve and cuff.  It took a little trial and error to remember to have the fabric nap going the correct direction.

Cuff


I finally wore the McCall 7803 top I made in November.  I tried to take a photo before Church.  Better than the sewing room photos.  The top is very comfortable and I think I can make a smaller size next time.

McCall 7803

McCall 7803
 Sewing has slowed down due to the Christmas Holiday.  I hope to get back into the sewing room soon.

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

Bonnie


Monday, December 16, 2019

Emerald Green Velvet Knit Dress

Girl M wanted a dress from a piece of beautiful Emerald Green Velvet Knit that I purchased from Fabric Mart Fabrics.  I used her usual TNT A-line dress, tapering the skirt to make it a little slimmer and I made the sleeves fuller with a cuff. 

Sleeve & Cuff

Sleeve


Velvet Knit Dress

Collar

Sleeve
 The fabric was a little bit of a headache.  I suffered through it but I think this fabric needs a pattern that has simple lines and not many pieces.

Sleeve/Cuff

My Dress Form had  a wedgie!

Back View

Girl M 


Christmas Nails
Until next time..............

Bonnie

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Vintage Pattern E-bay Find

I won this lot of vintage Anne Adams pattern on E-bay for $2.00!  Some are postmarked 1967.







Are those not the most beautiful patterns?  They don't make them like they used to!

I'm off to sew something new!

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

Bonnie

Monday, December 9, 2019

Vogue 8959 Wool Flannel Cape

Last year I made this Vogue 8959 cape in the long version.  Even though I loved the cape, it was HUGE this year and so heavy that it choked me when I wore it.  I had just enough leftover fabric and lining to make View A!  Win-win for me.

I made View A but lengthened it 1".   I now remembered why I was on the fence last time with this cape, all the layers at the neck with the collar can be very thick.  Luckily my "new to me" Janome machine did great once I changed the needle to a 100/60.  I don't know why I didn't use the industrial machine???

Vogue 8959
I used 2 yards of Deep Shadow Gray Wool/Polyester Double Weave Flannel Coating $14.00 and 2 yards of Black/Fuchsia Pink/Multi 100% Polyester Wave Stripes Charmeuse $7.00.

A $21.00 Cape!

I know it's not a flattering photo, as soon as gets cooler here in Florida, I'll try to update.

Vogue 8959 Cape
The button Girl M. picked out of my stash.

Stash Button
I'm off to sew something new!

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

Bonnie

Friday, December 6, 2019

Butterick 4865 Gray Sweatshirt Fleece Jacket

I do not have a light/medium weight jacket to wear.  I had 2 yards of 100% cotton sweatshirt fleece fabric that I thought would make a nice jacket for Florida winter.  I liked the length of View B with View A collar and one button closure. 

Easy pattern with minimal pattern pieces.  I cut out a size Large and had to take in many inches.

Butterick 4865

No one was home so I had to try to take a photo with the camera timer.  Just a warning.....

First try-on:  The sleeves!  OMG they are as long as my dress!  The sleeve circumference is huge too. 
First try-on

Back View
Second try on:  I removed 8" from the sleeve length (I might have mis-read the pattern cutting lines).  I also removed 1" from each sleeve seam for a total of 4".  I removed 1" from the side seam allowances too. 

I think the fit is much better, just roomy enough to wear a long sleeve top under and not feel constricted.
Try on #2

Back View
Another Fabric Mart Fabrics purchase (last year sometime).
$10.00 Jacket
I had the button in my stash.

Butterick 4865 Jacket

Stash button
I am really liking raglan sleeves.  Not only are they easier to sew in but they fit great too!

Raglan sleeve

Back View
I'm off to sew something new!

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

Bonnie

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Butterick 5649 Corduroy Paisley Skirt

I finally found a fabric in my stash I thought would work with the Kwik Sew 3915 purple knit sweater I made last month.  I used my favorite Butterick 5649 skirt pattern.  Easy sew & I can't wait to wear this outfit!

Butterick 5649 skirt
This fabric was gifted to me a few years back by one of my Church ladies.  I held onto it waiting to be inspired.  She also gifted me the purple sweater knit so I think it was a match made in Heaven!

Fabric close up 

With the Flash
I'm off to sew something new!

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

Bonnie