Top #2 from Sew-cation-- Simplicity 8982

I bought Simplicity 8982 for View C as soon as it came out.  I just love those sleeves! But I  ended up making the plain jane View B instead.

Backstory is that I've become very enamored of Nancy Nix Rice's teachings. (She has a book "Looking Good...Everyday", a great class on Bluprint that I loved and a blog at nancynixrice.com.)  She also has a presence on Pattern Review.  I'm learning that I have way too many prints and very few solids.  Ahhh, I love my prints so.  But I really need more solid basics in my wardrobe to make it work harder for me and be more versatile. 

So, to that end, I didn't sew up View C in the gorgeous but very lively paisley that I have chosen--yet. Instead, I choose View B, a basic Tshirt pattern with long sleeves.  I used some solid gray ITY that I had in the stash.  

I cut a size 18 neck and shoulders, a 20 bust and waist and flared to a size 22 at the hip.

The only alterations I made were to shorten the length of the shoulder by 3/4" and shorten the hem by 2 inches. It was very long on me. 

                           I like very long sleeves, but these I may shorten about 1/2 inch next time.

 Here is the top paired with a knit waterfall jacket, and my blue, gray and green plaid shirt (McCall's 7472.)  I'm wearing some charcoal gray ponte pants.  I also have some black dress pants that this looks really pretty with.  There is some silver lace in the stash that would make a lovely topper for this, too.  That's on the to-do list for this Fall/Winter.  I need some dressier clothes for special occasions.  Jeans are great for home but don't work everywhere.

So one basic added to the wardrobe and more to come.  I've also got some lovely mustard ponte just like the skirt in the picture.  Hmmmm.   But don't think I'm giving up my lovely prints.  There are just too many in the stash to play with!

New Hiking Top--McCall's 7574

It may have been a while since I posted last, but I have been busy with sewing.  Especially sewing this top for vacation in the Great Smokey Mountains.  We were lucky enough to get reservations at our favorite campground there, Smokemont, for the first week of October.  There wasn't much fall color yet but there was plenty of adventure to be had.  We spent one day in Gatlinburg shopping and eating and hiked a different trail daily the rest of the time.  We even got to backpack into the backcountry and sleep in one of the remote campsites!  But enough about the trip, now the top.

I took an extra week of vacation before out joint vacation as a sew-cation.  I made two tops and a small doll's quilt.  Today I'll share the McCall's top, 7574 a Melissa Watson pattern that I made for our hiking trip.

 I've made this top before and really liked the lines and how nicely that top fit.  I had some nylon/ spandex activewear by Judy P Apparel that I got from Fabric Mart.  I didn't realize just how bold and bright the color was until it arrived.  It's rather like a neon coral, but I like the thickness of it (could be used as leggings) and several of her fabrics have wicking properties.  Not sure if this one does but I really like the feel of it and it sewed up so nicely.

This is view B with 2 inches added to the length, this gal doesn't do crop tops, and I was really looking for a sportier fit.  I cut a size 18 at the neck and a size 20 for the bust and hips. The sleeve has a size 20 bicep tapering to a size 16 at the wrist. I used the regular collar instead of the mock turtleneck it shows.  I really like the longer length  the sleeves have.  Like all Palmer/Pletsch patterns, Melissa's come with all kinds of fit advice and directions for alterations.  The only alteration I made was to remove some of the curve from the top of the shoulder seam.  It was made for a much broader shoulder.  I could still shave more off to get a really good fit, now it has a little lump on each shoulder.

I topstitched the curve of the raglan sleeves with a darker strawberry shade to make the seams more  like those in RTW sportswear.   Collar and hems and center back seam were done with the same treatment.

I really like how the top came out and it performed well on the trails: warm enough for the cooler     temps there but breathable when the going got warm and dewy.  (Mom always said, "Ladies don't      sweat, they get dewy.")  The color is a bit too bold for me, but they'll have no trouble finding me in    the woods! 

  

I'll leave you with a closing shot of our trip.  

Sunset over the Smokies.

                                                                                                                                                  

The Scottie Quilt--Done!

I finished the Scottie quilt just in time for the baby shower for Dearest Daughter #3 just in time for the shower yesterday.  I think it came out really cute and she just loved it--all the colors and accent colors of the nursery.  And Scotties--what's not to love about Scotties.  (The kids had one growing up, too.)

The fabric is a jelly roll from Riley Blake's Sweet Baby Girl line and the pattern was purchased on Etsy.  It's "Scotties" by QuiltsbyElena.com; which is quite the coincidence given that the grandbaby will be named Elaina. This was a super fun quilt to do;  very easy--a beginner familiar with 1/2 square triangles could do it.  I'm a slow sewer with limited sewing opportunity and put this together in about 2½ months.  It measures 49 inches square--handy for crib, playpen, or rolling on the floor.  She's leaning toward hanging it on the wall, though.

Going to take a break now and do some garment sewing--probably for fall, though it still is hot here.  Ah, possibilities--one of the joys of sewing!  Are you fall sewing yet?

Have a great day!  

Llama, Llama

This is not the "big" quilt I've been working on; this is a little something I've been toying with before I started  the Scottie/big quilt.  The Scottie quilt is all done and has borders on.  I'm just waiting for the 505 spray to come in the very slow mail--neither Joann's or Hobby Lobby here carry it.  This Llama quilt just needed a little work to be finished.

It's just a flannel panel--you can get it from Etsy or fabric.com.  I also got co-ordinating fabric of little pink  llamas for the backing, and little hearts that echo the border ones for the binding-all flannel, too.   

Now for every other quilter out there this is probably an easy-peasy, no-brainer project.  But for me, this was my first attempt at free-motion quilting.  I've always had very simple, small projects that I stitched in the ditch outlining the patchwork.  I read up and watched  YouTube videos.  It was actually very easy and relaxing to do.  I was so intimidated for nothing!  It was really fun going around the llama's fluff.  I also outlined the lettering, the Llama's features and saddle.  Going around the hearts on the border took more thought and care and I also added a large heart in each corner,  The other wrinkling is just from being folded.

It's a small quilt.  I figure it will come in handy with the car seat:  enough to tuck in around her without overwhelming her with a bigger size.    I the meantime, it's a pleasure to sew for this Grandbaby-to-Be.  I do believe I'll be doing free-motion work on the Scottie quilt--if the 505 spray ever gets here!

Happy sewing, all!  

Simplicity 8138 and Shopping

I'm not posting much but I am sewing.  Simplicity 8138 seems to be out of print. This surprises me because the tunic was rather popular and its  copyright date is only 2016.  Oh well, here's a picture:

I made the pants instead of the tunic because I had some lovely linen that cried out to be some long-coveted linen slacks.  These were so super easy to do.  They have slanted pockets with a yoke and an elasticized waistband.  I like the somewhat fuller leg on this.  Skinny jeans/pants make me look rather like a lollipop

I cut a size 22 and made some alterations.  I have a full butt so I cut the crotch a little deeper, extended the inseam at the crotch about ½ inch and added 3/4 inch to center back seam.  The center front was way too tall on me so I ended up removing 1½ at center front top tapering to 0 at the side seams and ½ inch at the front crotch.  Does this mean I have a tilted pelvis?

I love these pants!  They are oh so comfortable to wear!  Granted, they're linen so they wrinkle like a fiend but they're a classis for a reason.  They feel fabulous and look great even with the wrinkles.  I may have to make another pair next summer.  It's time to think fall now. 

Joann's had Simplicity patterns on sale for this weekend and I had quite a few on my wish list.  Here's what I came home with:

Lots of  patterns for Elaina, the granddaughter-to-be, who's due to join us in November.  I'm currently working on a crib quilt for her for the baby shower.  I was thinking a sprinkling of handmade outfits and sleepwear would be nice, too, after the shower while we await her arrival.  I think I'll get good use of the patterns--they go up to size 18 months most of them.  And they're so cute!

Well, back to the quilt so I can get it done in time for the shower in late September.

Jane Austen Festival -- 2019

Two years ago Daughter #3 and I got to go to the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Ky.  We are so fortunate to live on 2 hours from there so it's an easy road trip.  We missed last year when my husband's father died within days of the event.  This year we spent months planning and preparing--we were going.

Once again, I used the pattern from Sense and Sensibility's An Elegant Lady's Closet.  This year I also made chemises for us our fabric was rather thin and see-thru.  It was my first time to sew a gusset--in the underarm!

For my daughter's  dress, I graded up to a size 28 at the shoulder, a 32 at the back and a 32D plus an 1¼ at center front and back.  The skirt is very full so it accommodated the 5 month baby to be just fine.  The sleeve is a size 30, but was still a little tight.    The fabric is a lovely embroidered dark brown voile with a deeply embroidered border that I used for the hem.  I also added lace to her sleeve hems.  

The hat is an unadorned straw hat available online that I decorated with a dark brown satin bow with a small white &taupe butterfly in the center of the bow.

My dress was made from the same pattern using a 22C bodice, 20 skirt, and 24 sleeve.  

The fabric is a very light shirting from JoAnn's, and I trimmed out the neck, sleeve hems and dress hem with lace.  My "bag" for the day was a wicker basket with a drop-in drawstring bag to keep my phone, change purse, and small purchases secure and private.  I thought I was being so original with this idea, but there were baskets everywhere!

We were so busy at The Festival--the were lectures, we took a book binding class and made a small journal, the duel, touring the vendors, a beautiful tea in an air-conditioned building (what a reprieve!), and of course, we ended our day participating in the promenade.  It was such fun.  We're already making plans for next year.  I've already purchased a new pattern to try from Laughing Moon Mercantile.  In the meantime, there are other projects calling. 

The Denim Skirt--Simplicity 1760

I am finally getting around to posting this skirt,  Simplicity 1760.

This was a fun project to put together.  It started out as part of a mini-wardrobe and has been cut out for ages.  It's turn to get sewn came around at last.  Please forgive all the wrinkles, I'd been running around all day but was determined to get these photos before end of day.  (Got them just before sunset.)  

I love the curved seams on the front and the contour waistband, which makes it so comfortable to wear.  I topstitched the waistband seam and the front "princess" seams in gold jeans thread to make the seaming stand out.  

On the inside of the waistband I finished the facing with pink bias binding and a specialty stitch . It's my own private little treat.  

The skirt is made of light- to mid-weight denim that I've forgotten where or when I got it.  I love how easily cottons sew up.    The pattern itself was easy to follow along, pictures helpful, and directions were good.  I think a beginner with a few skills under their belt could easily tackle this.  It also has a back zipper and vent.  The pattern has several different views to choose from.  This one in particular, I think, lends itself to creative interpretation from decorative topstitching to color-blocking. 

I think it's a real winner but is out of print, unfortunately.  I did find it available on Etsy and Ebay, if you're interested.  

Vacay, Shingles, and a Missing Mojo

For once, I'm missing in action due to being absent and having little to report sewing-wise.  But I can catch you up on what's been happening in my corner of Kentucky this past month.  First, we went on a short vacay to Texas to see Hubs mom.  She's in her 80s and beginning to have health problems but remains very independent with a great support system down there.  Daughter #1 and her family flew in and joined us for a few days.  A few pics of the trip:

Daughter and her family.

The Grands up to shenanigans.

Grandma and The Grands at Blue Bell Creamery.

We were lucky to arrive in time for the bluebonnet show. I just love them!

I needed a small hand project for the 2-day drive to and from Texas.  I found this cute little piece in the closet.  It was a gift from a very dear lady many years ago.

                    Between driving, navigating and just plain gawking, I got a little done on it.

When we got back, I broke out into a rash that quickly revealed itself to be shingles.  Oh dear god, this stuff is pure misery!  Itching, burning, weird tingling, and pain. It's enough to drive you insane.   I'm in the healing stage now but still itching.  Needless to say,  there's been no sewing mojo to be had.  All my energy had been devoted to not scratching.  I have so many projects in the works too:  

the Friendship Quilt needs quilting, the skirt just needs a zipper and hem,  the crazy quilt block needs some attention, and now I've started the Rejoicing Angels.  Hopefully, as the itching resolves I'll be able to pick up the sewing again.  Moral of the story:  50 and ups, get your Shingles shot!

Til later,

         Cathy

He Is Risen!

May all of you have a lovely and blessed Easter!

A New Dress--New Look 6298

I took a break from the quilting to get a little garment sewing in.  Just a quick little something that I had already cut out as part of a mini-wardrobe I had set for myself last fall.  I got the skirt and 2 tops done, but the dress. skirt and jacket are still on the top of my pattern cabinet cut and ready to go.  Waiting.....  

I got to a good breaking point in the quilt process and decided to pick up this dress again, New Look 6298.

It's a simple knit sheath dress made in a Liverpool double knit from Fabric.com, I believe.  I cut a size 18 neck & shoulders, a 20 bust, waist and hip.  I also added 3 inches so it would come to mid-knee on me.  My last version of this bears far too much thigh for my age and size.

Photobombed by the cat, Fritzi, making a rare appearance.  The double knit is such a pleasure to work with -- it just hums under the machine. The pattern is an easy one too with raglan sleeves that sews up quickly

I have a off-white jacket that looks great with this.  I forgot to "style it" for the photos.  

In Crazy Quilt News:  I've started on a new block.  Here's my blank slate:

Quilty news:  I finished both the inner border and the outer pieced border.  Got my batting tonight at Joann's but couldn't find the 505 spray recommended by class.  Will check at Wally World tomorrow and if that's a no go I'll order on line I guess.  

In the meantime, I'll be working on the skirt I had cut out, Simplicity 1760.

Floral Block Finished!

Good news… the floral block is finished.  I still feel like it's missing something, but since I can't determine what that could possibly be, I'm calling it done.

The open wreath roses with little pearls left such a large space, that I added the locket and bow.  The white button flowers don't show up as well as I'd like against the rose fabric, but I didn't find anything in my stash that I like any better.  The ribbon running across the bottom is actually a brown ribbon with a bit of lacy ribbon on top of it.

I really liked this applique and  how well it works on this bit of man's tie--it has so much lovely texture to it.  The buttonhole stitch actually follows the lines on the lace.  I got really close with the roses to the seam edge of the quilt.  I hope I don't lose part of a rose when these get put together someday.

This floral section was so enjoyable to work on.  These pink seed beads and yellow French knots were positively therapeutic to work on!

In Quilting News:  The Friendship Star Quilt is pieced and now I am working on the inner borders!  It's looking good--I'm surprising myself with how well it's going so far.  Knock on wood!

In Garment Sewing News:  I finished the dress, too and will be posting about it soon.  Just need a couple of photos of it. 

Well that's all for here now.  Til later y'all.

Cathy.

Work on the Floral Block Continues.

I'm still working on the Crazy Quilt Floral Block.  Here's another unit that's finished:

The center motif is an applique.  The seam on the left side is fly stitch with French knots.  The seam on the right is herringbone with pearl beads.  Above you can see a peek of lace with buttonhole stitch, sequins anchored by seed beads, and the lace is topped off with chain stitch.

The center unit is still giving me fits.  I've sewn a motif there, but it's crying out for more.  So more thought into that one and some seam treatments on one more unit and it's done.

Quilting:  I've started on the stars for the Friendship Stars Quilt from Craftsy.  So many half-square triangles to cut and press and square up before I can even begin sewing with them!  Goodness!  That got tedious quick.  Now I'm sewing again so all is good.

Garment sewing:  Miss this so much.  I'm nearly to the end of my quilt thread bobbin.  May take the opportunity to switch out threads and stitch up that dress.  It's a fairly quick sew and would keep me  and my sewing "fresh".  I'm also in need of a finished project and this would provide that.

'til next time!
Cathy 

Just a Note of Progress

It's been 2 weeks, and I didn't want to lose touch.  There has been some progress in the sewing room.

Quilting:  I mentioned in the last post I'm taking a beginner quilting class on Craftsy: Start Up Library: Quilting with Christa Watson.  Well, I'm finding it very informative and easy to follow along.  It is very rudimentary, which I like, and takes you through the processes step by step.  The teacher is very engaging and shares lots of tips not in the extensive class materials.  A more experience quilter could probably do this quilt from just the class materials.  So far, I've completed the 12 chain blocks.

Next up are the star blocks.  Really looking forward to those.

Crazy quilting:  This is something that I do in the evenings while relaxing with my husband.  I work quite a few nights so I don't tend to make very fast progress with this.  I have finished one motif I'm pleased with that did take a lot of time.

I used outline stitch, French knots for the center and beads scattered over the flowers.  I'm still working on this piece. An inspiration for the large blank center section has yet to hit.  Pinterest has yielded several possibilities if I change them a bit to suit this.

Garment sewing:  I have cut out a dress in a scuba fabric with a geometric design.  I probably won't actually stitch it up, though, until the quilt is pieced.  By then, I'll want to change gears for while and I don't like having UFOs.

I keep reading these amazing goals other bloggers post for 2019.  I admire them so much as they are posting some pretty heavy sewing goals and from their past sewing exploits these goals are attainable or near-attainable.  I don't really set goals much.  I have joined the 50-yard Dash (a stash reduction of  50 yards in 2019) and the Fabric Fast (sew from stash with only mindful purchases during the year) on Pattern Review's Forum.  These were very encouraging for me last year.  I'm hoping  they'll be more so this year.  I got so close with the 50-yard Dash in 2018--47 yards with several months of no sewing activity that I know I can do it this year.  Other than these two goals, I'd like to become adept at quilting this year.  Perhaps enough so to tackle one of Mom's quilts.

I wish you good luck with your sewing in 2019 and with meeting your sewing goals, too.

Til next time,

Cathy