September plans...

9/2
I am focused on workout wear and outerwear.
I have three jackets that I am preparing:
Simplicity 8700 - view A, I’ll add Christian patches
McCall’s 7847 - view  B, I have a navy blue faux fur
Simplicity 8451 - view B, I will use a winter white corduroy

I have three workout patterns that I am preparing:
Simplicity 8702  - view B leopard print activewear
Simplicity 8392 - view B. Leopard print activewear
Simplicity 8312 - view B with view C/D waistband

I’ve cut out all of the above patterns except M 7847 and cut out the fabric for Simplicity 8312.
Of course I am waiting on a replacement for my serger fingers.. I pray that is all that is wrong!

9/3
Still waiting on my replacement part. So...I cut out the fabric for S8392 and S8702.
I think I’ll take a ride to Gaffney’s on Saturday to look for buttons for the “army” jacket and lining fabric for the faux fur coat.

9/5
All I did today was cut out the pattern for M7847

9/6
My part still hasn’t shipped. I called and left a message. I missed the return call, but they left a message telling me that my part was currently in their shipping and would ship today..
I cut out my fabric for S8700. First I had to find the fabric in my stash.. I am stash busting and am on a fabric fast. I watched an YouTube video by Brittany Jones’ Sew With Me channel while I cut it out.. I like to see if there are any problems I should be on the lookout for..

Let’s see if I will do better this time around...

Restarting this blog to keep me on track with my new sewing goals.. I HAVE been sewing and I will share some of my makes in the upcoming weeks. I”ll post once a week, but I’ll write daily to keep me on task..
Here are some photos of a prom dress I made for a cousin. May 2019

Fall sewing....

Hello all! Here is the first finished item of my fall sewing... I still have to update you on the items from my previous post...bad blogger!

printed lace fabric from Fabric Mart
black fringe from Jo Ann's
pattern New Look S0805 / 6378
This was a really quick and easy sew. I am sure you will see a few more of these.

Love and Blessings
Dawn

Works in progress....

This is the second time I cut out a chevron going down when I wanted it to go up!

 

The green is washed out in the picture, it is more lime than mint.

 

 

 

Love and Blessings,

 

Dawn

Here's what have been up to....

I just finished McCall's 6996. I lengthened it to calf length.
I made it for my oldest daughter. She wanted it floor length, but there was not enough of the fabric.

I should have added some interfacing to the hem.. well you live and you learn!
I am pretty happy with the results.

I am working on Simplicity 1159 with the full skirt(midi length) with the bra friendly back. This will be my Mother's Day dress

Love and Blessings,
Dawn

Organization...

I am working on organizing my patterns hoard collection using Evernote. I got the app almost a year ago but never used it until my son bought me an IPad . I am using the free subscription so it may take awhile to finish. I have 224 entered but not all with pictures.

I also purchased some bins to hold them in sorted by pattern company in numerical order.

I still need a few more bins......I wish I had done this a long time ago.


Love and Blessings,

Dawn

I have been around...

I as mentioned before I am not a blogger. I try but the words do not come easy for me.

Lately I have been sewing more.

I also tried my hand at teaching two young family members to sew, but that was very short lived...
When some people do not have to pay for something that do not take it seriously. smh.  I will try again, this time with paying customer.

Below are four items I have made so far in 2015:

First is a self drafted faux leather skirt with Simplicity 1317 View A with faux leather  piping
Middle picture is Vogue 8930 Blanket coat
Last picture is Simplicity 1283

I am going to try to at least post once a month.


Love and Blessing,

Dawn

Three for one!

I think I said this before but I am not a blogger!  I find it so very hard to write up a post that I think is interesting. So from now on I will just stick to the basics.

I have three finished project to show.

1.  Butterick 5206.

I started this in January. I finished it in January but it was huge.  In February I took it apart and there it sat until last week.  I used "vegan leather" for the sleeves and contrast and an ITY Jersey. I under lined the bodice and used a triple stretch stitch which is why I procrastinated about taking it apart.

2. McCall's 6553.



 I started this in early February. I wanted to wear it for my birthday but did not finish it in time. I used a wool blend of some sort from Gaffney's here in Philly.

3.This is a self drafted cape following a tutorial by Mimi g.

I am just getting started on my daughter's senior prom dress.


Love and blessing,

Dawn

Happy New Year!... first completed top of 2014!

Just completed M6794.

I used stash satin with pleather (vegan leather, love the PC term) accents.

I was going to add leather sleeves, but I wanted to keep things simple.. My only dislike is that the neckline does not lay as I had envisioned.

I used my new Singer One Plus sewing machine and the top is pictured on my new dress form(CHRISTmas presents from the hubs and kids)

Next I am working on a faux wrap dress with leather sleeves and trim.

Love and Blessings,
Dawn

(mini) Maxi Skirt

Following Mimi G's tutorial I created the following:

 

 

 

I never made the linen pants(only a muslin and addressed fitting issues) for my son's gf... had to purchase more fabric. They are back from Asia and had a wonderful time. I will get stated on the the second muslin and hopefully I can post them here by the 1st weekend in December... Where did 2013 go?

 

Also I have my first prom dress order! We have to set up and initial consultation but I am excited. My daughter is still undecided on the design of her gown. I had ordered some fabric swatches (for her original design) but none of them made her happy..

 

I have set up my sewing studio in my dining room (with the blessing of the hubby) which will make for an interesting Thanksgiving...

 

Praying for a safe and merry holiday season for all of you!

 

 

Love and Blessings,

Dawn

Trying my hand at draping

I just ordered: Draping: The Complete Course Paperback by Karolyn Kiisel.  In two days I saw this reviewed on two different blogs. I will write a review post.

I am working a pair of navy linen pants for my oldest son's girlfriend, to be worn on the flight to Thailand in November.

Wearable muslin?

I just completed McCall's 6515, view D.

The pants are too big everywhere except for my waist. I purchase size E5, the smallest is a 14... It is really not as bad as it sounds but the crotch length is too long.

I will most likely wear them one day, but I put the remake in my queue and use the Sandra Betzina "pants fitting techniques" Craftsy course I purchased awhile back.

I think I did a pretty good job with the waistband and zipper insertion, using one of Mimi g's tutorials.

Front view pleats and matched pretty good at the center front seam.

side view, invisible zipper and matching at the seam

hand-stitched waistband

machine finished waistband at the zipper

Self-drafted jumper...

First please excuse the straps....
Second please excuse the bad cell phone picture...

I made this using Mimi g's jumper tutorial I purchase in June or July.
the only changes I made was that I added a front drape.
I like how it turned out.
The only thing I would change is the adding about three inches to the pants length.

Love and blessings,

Dawn

Better late than never....

I started working on McCalls 6700  back before my son came home for spring break.

Son home = sewing in the living room.

Needless to say I never got around to finishing this until the Friday before Labor Day. I wore it that night to a birthday dinner/karaoke party. My husband took some pictures but none of them were blog worthy.

 So is the dress on Dora. I added a lining to the bodice and a slip down to the split I added.

 

 

 

Love and Blessings,

Dawn

Stay tuned... upcoming DVD review..

Yesterday I received the DVD set from that I had won. It is Gentleman Jim's Alteration dvd set. I will try to watch this weekend (if I do not have my grandson over).

If you have not done so already head over to The Lost Art of Fine Tailoring and pick up your copy.. He is having a 50%off sale!

Although I have not watched the dvds yet, I have watched all his videos so I feel confident suggesting the purchase!

Love and Blessings,

Dawn

Today's date in the Bible...

Luke 9:25

New King James Version (NKJV)

   For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Love and blessings,
Dawn

 

I won....

Glory to God and thank you Gentleman Jim!

http://finetailoringbyjim.blogspot.com/2013/09/alteration-dvd-set-winners.html?showComment=1379606922720#c1572765454272853557



Love and blessings,
Dawn

Meet Gentleman Jim....

and enter for a chance to learn from a master tailor, pattern maker, designer, sewing instructor and clothing manufacturer.

Visit his blog @ http://finetailoringbyjim.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Love and Blessings,

 

Dawn

This is MY Confession...

I am a borderline hoarder. I reached that conclusion by taking a look at the last patterns and fabric I just recently purchased. I have no problem with having lots of patterns and fabric if you use it (even occasionally). I have not been doing that. I love sewing but fitting issues have been my deterrent. So since there will always be new patterns and more fabric sales, I have decided to start making things. At least one item a week. I have to justify my purchases to ME. The above statements have no relevance to anyone but me. You do you and I will do the same. As matter of fact I love reading sewing blogs and seeing other people's stash, but I also know that I love even more looking at the garments that they create from their purchases. I need to stop hoarding and start creating!

So, I spent Sunday afternoon considering what to sew next. I decided to watch the Mimi G's DIY Strapless Jumper tutorial. After watching it I thought about trying my hand at a simple down and dirty maxi skirt. I wanted to make one with the fold over like on yoga pants. I went to you.tube and rediscover a young lady whose DIY peplum skirt video I had watched. Her name is tglashen and I fell in love with her. Not only is she very creative but she teaches the obvious without you feeling like duh… What I love the most is that at the beginning and end of each of her videos she displays bible verses. I love, love, love creative people who know from whence their talents flow!

So I went to my basement fabric stash and found some striped knit fabric I was gifted from my mommy. She no longer sews and she has begun sending pieces my way(adding to my hoard stash)… (She makes jewelry now). The fabric I picked was very familiar. When we would fabric shop we often would go home with some of the same pieces. I had (many, many years ago) made my youngest daughter a cute little summer top from my yardage (she says she still has it somewhere in her bedroom).

Following most of tglashen’s instructions I made the following two skirts. The striped one for me and the other for my daughter.

 

Even after using the exact same instructions, because of the difference in the fabric, my daughter’s came out a little more form fitting than I had desired. She, however, loved it. My next iteration will fit with more ease.

I really need more light in my house and a camera phone with flash. Sorry again for the not so great pictures.

 

Love and Blessings,

Dawn

Out with the old, in with the new!

Well, I mentioned in my last post that I was in the process of making the infamous "Regal Maxi Skirt w/ Sash"... I had only the zipper and the hem to finish when my oldest daughter came in. I decided to try it on to get her opinion....I had told her that I was going to wear it the next day to a ministry event that I was a part of. So when I came out in the skirt she said" oh, I did not know that you were doing a praise dance". Well since that was not the look I was going for I figured that I should wear something else.

I did agree with her that my rendition had too many gathers. I will remedy that at a yet-to-be-determined time.

I took Wednesday thru Friday off, so on Wednesday I cleaned my overhead built-in closet in my bedroom. In the process I realized that I am a border-line hoarder. I am proud to say that a recycle bin full of useless papers dating back to 1997 and three bags of shoes have left my home.

Now, I am not so proud to say that on Thursday I went to Gaffney Fabrics and purchased 27 yards of ITY knits (they were on sale for $1.50/yard)  and then I went to Jo Anns and took advantage of the McCalls pattern sale. I bought 12 patterns, but 10 of them were for kints!

Last night I started working on M6752, view B. I used stash fabric(linen blend Jersey knit) purchased online in 2013. Sorry for the dark photo.

Not sure what is up next, but it will be done within the next week!


Love and blessings!
Dawn