Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A 6 Pac for Moi!!! An Unconventional One!!!

I don't have it in me to sew a SWAP, so I am sewing a 6-Pac . . . an unconventional one.  I'm using only stash notions, patterns and fabric--my stash is really small right now and I want to use it up.

I'll be centering it around this pale blue RTW sweater that I've had for ages--it's not part of the 6 Pac . . . it's the extra RTW piece in my unconventional 6 pac:



I'm not normally mad about blues or pastels, but I really like this sweater in this color! Go figure!

My colors will be blue and yellow. I won't be sewing any bottoms as the dresses are stand alones and I'll be wearing the tops with jeans that I already have.

So far, I've decided to make these pieces:

New Look 6051--the only knit that I'm planning to sew:



OOP McCalls 5042--woven cotton--I'll probably change the neckline:




New Look 6002 in a yellow monochromatic printed cotton pique--I don't like the bottom pleats so I'll be sewing it with a darted fitted bottom:




New Look 6067 is a dress pattern, but I'll be sewing a top from this in a solid yellow--it'll look similar to this:




That's all I've settled on so far. Hopefully, I'll be able to find something from Mad Men in a yellow or blue that can be incorporated into this 6 pac--I'd love to sew either a top or a dress in a large yellow gingham check!

I will probably sew OOP Simplicity 4182 as my topper/jacket, but haven't decided on the color, yet:








I will probably sew the jacket last.

I'll do a concept board later and will put it in the side bar.

If you don't have it in you to sew a full SWAP, go sew yourself a 6 pac, like me, and make this day a good one! :-)

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Misc Stuff - Not Sewing Related

A business actually has this posted on their front door! LOL!!!




Make this day a good one!

Friday, February 24, 2012

I'm Really Liking Butterick!!!

I was just looking at patterns and am really liking Butterick these days!

First of all, they have these TDF dresses--some of the patterns are new to their catalog, some have been around for a while!



































And then there are these magnificent tops:


























I would love to have all of them in my wardrobe!!!

Make this day a good one!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Taking Down a Michael Kors Top . . . a Re-Do!

I have a Michael Kors top in my wardrobe that I haven't worn much. It has puffed sleeves and is a little to big for me. I'm a size S or XS and it's a size M. Even if they didn't have my size, I liked the print and color, and it fit well enough for RTW, so I got it anyway. I probably could have lived with it being a little too big, but I could not stand the puffed sleeves.

I was about to toss it when I decided to alter it into something I'd like better. One sleeve was off when it dawned on me that you might want to see the process, so I took some pics.  . . . voila:

Here's the top with one sleeve already removed:



Here it is inside out:





The armholes are too low for me, so I am shortening the yoke at the shoulder--the higher neckline will work better for me, too:





To get rid of the super loose fit, I'm taking in the sides. I don't want this to be a fitted top, so I'm only taking it in from the armhole to the waist. Altering it like that will give it the illusion of being a loose fitting top, but it won't look sloppy because it will actually be semi-fitted from the bust to the waist and loose fitting from the waist to the hem.

 



I'm finishing the armhole with a narrow rolled hem:





When all of that is done, I'm handstitching the yoke closed. And when that's done, I'll have an altered RTW top that I'll really like and that no one else has! :-)


Hopefully, the alterations on the Kors top will go quickly so I'll be able to start on the New Look 6071 top that I've mentioned here before--this one:






If I have time, I want to make this OOP McCalls dress, too:





Make this day a good one!

Friday, February 17, 2012

My Pale Yellow RTW Tunic - shortened



I have had a pale yellow RTW tunic for ages, but have not been wearing it because it was too long. I've actually been thinking about giving it away for a while now, but didn't because I really like it.

It's loose fitting, has extended shoulder 3/4 length sleeves, is made of wrinkle resistant linen, has monochromatic embroidery and understated tiny silver beading that I absolutely love. I'm petite, and it's a junior sized tunic that originally ended right above my knees. That length doesn't work for me--it never has. But at hip length, it is perfect, so I shortened it to hip length, added side vents, and took in the sleeves so they would be fitted at the bottom.

I now have a perfect Spring-Summer top that will go well with white bottoms--think shorts, bermudas, clam diggers, and even a skirt. It'll go well with pale blue jeans, too--love pale yellow with pale blue!

Voila!




I have been quite busy and can't believe I actually altered the tunic so quickly! Well, quickly after deciding to finally do it, anyway.

Hopefully, the NL 6071 pale blue and white knit top will be just as quick. But, uhhh . . . I won't be holding my breath. LOL!

Make this day a good one!