plugging along

I've made a few grown up things in the last several weeks.  After a long time of making kids' clothes, I yearn to sew something that I can handle with my whole hand and that I can turn right side out without using a tool.

 This was made off the cuff starting with a tank top pattern I drafted from a tank top I had in my dresser drawer.  I was in the process of updating the pattern a bit since I had made some of the openings a little weird, and then I got to thinking, and ended up with the dress.  I shortened the tank top a bit and then took the rest of the flowered fabric I had, thinking of making a dress from it.  The thing is, I don't like short dresses.  I'm self-conscious about my size anyway, and prefer longer dresses for that reason as long as for modesty's sake.  I dug around in my stash and finally found this fuchsia interlock hiding in with the bamboo jersey in my other other stash site.  It happened to match the flowers in the pattern on the green fabric just perfectly, and I had just enough of it to fit in the space I wanted to feel.  There was enough of the flowered fabric left for the pockets and just a snip more.

The upper skirt portion is twice the width of the bottom of the tank top section.  Before sewing anything to the tank top or to the bottom of the upper skirt portion, I sewed transparent elastic to the cut edge of the fabric using a nice, sharp needle and a longer than normal stitch.  NOTE:  If the needle isn't sharp and the stitch isn't long enough, the combination of the two will just gather the mess out of the elastic and you'll end up wanting to chuck the whole combo in the garbage can.  I found that even for a medium weight interlock like the flowered fabric, the transparent elastic went on best with a 10BP (ballpoint) needle and a length of 3 instead of my normal setting of 2.25 to 2.5.

I have a book I got from Amazon.com, sew what? Skirts, and it has some neat patterns in it.  More precisely, it shows you how to take your measurements and make your own patterns based on your own size.  In all, you can make patterns for 16 skirts.  Some of them are based on others - for instance, the A-line skirt is the basis for a few others - but it is great to have access to a resource where I can figure out how to make patterns for skirts to fit my oddly-shaped body instead of making skirts that don't fit or fit poorly. 

This skirt is made from the A-line pattern I drafted based on the instructions in the book.  It was really easy to make.  I had this fabric sitting around for a while and couldn't decide what to do with it until I looked at the pattern I had in front of me. 

The vest is made from McCall's 8285.  This pattern is pretty easy for a vest pattern, though I believe I tweaked it a bit like I do most of my other patterns.  Part of the problem is that for plus sized petite people, having the tie belt things in the back just isn't good because there isn't enough room under them to stick out from beneath the belt.  I tried snaps and the two-piece D ring setup and neither one looked too hot so I'm just going to get rid of them and put some elastic shirring in the center back section right where the belt would go if I were taller and not so round.  This way I'll have the effect I wanted without the annoyance of the clank clank clank when I don't use the D rings, and I won't be constantly fighting to get the fabric underneath the belt instead of having it slide up and over, making it look all weird.  So anyhow, this is a comfy little getup with the skirt and vest looking almost like a dress without the waist issues or chest issues that someone with a round body and small chest is going to encounter with either ready-made clothes or non-altered patterns.  I like this pattern set.  I may use it again.

I made this skirt for my oldest daughter from another pattern in the same book as above.  It's similar to the A-line pattern but you add width to each layer, though you don't double the width each time unless you want an insanely gathered bottom row with up to a few hundred inches in total width.

The skirt was going to be mine, but I made the layers too short and, again, it was not long enough for my liking.  Not that Abby minded - in fact, she loves it!  Her friend in Alabama wants one too.  Maybe I'll make her one for Christmas.  She'd love me forever if I did.  She kind of adopted me during Abby's senior year in high school, hanging out here as much as she could get away with and calling me "Mommy" to distinguish me from her other mother.  She still calls me Mommy, and she still calls me if she needs something from advice to support.  She's incredibly jealous that Abby has a sewing mom and she doesn't. 

So, three new garments, and three new patterns.....not bad, not bad at all.

God bless and keep you all close to His heart, under the shadow of His wings.

Oh my goodness

Things have been wild and I've totally neglected my blog.  I have been sewing like a mad woman and didn't even post any of the stuff I made!

First off, here's Anna-Belle's birthday dress.  It's an Ottobre pattern - actually two patterns from two different issues.  I made the bloomers to cover her diapers since I think little girls look adorable with matching diaper covers instead of diapers with regular covers or (ick) disposables under a pretty dress.

front view

 back view

I wasn't sure when I started if the pink and lilac would look good together.  Well, it does.  In fact, it looks great!  Mom and Dad love the outfit.  They love just about anything I make for her.  Maybe now she won't live in the blue and yellow pinwheel outfit I made her.  Sheesh.  She has that one on an awful lot.

I made this dress for Abby for their vacation to Florida.  It was originally intended for her sister-in-law's wedding, but she used it before then so she is going to wear it for graduation instead.  I had to take in above the bust just a little, about an inch front and back, in order for it to fit well.  Of course this meant I had to remove the zipper (on the right side) zippers are the bane of my existence.  She loves the dress, though.  And, I will admit, it looks good on her.

Here is the tote I made for Abby's mother's day gift.  I wanted something a little different, so I made it fully lined with lots and lots of pockets, and made the bag part so that I had enough to fond down at the top.  The result was a tote with 6 pockets on the inside and 2 on the outside; the outer pockets are denim, one smaller than the other and centered on the bigger one.  The webbing is strong enough to hold just about anything she can fit in the bag.  The sizes of the internal pockets are varied so that she can put all kinds of things in there.  In fact, it would even be good for the boys' swimming lessons later this summer.

I made myself a wrap around skirt.  It's too small according to the pattern, so I'm going to need to make another one, but it fits better than a lot of things I've made, and it was most definitely a learning process.  I know how to fix the pattern for the next skirt.  It won't be too hard.

I've had this fabric for a little while and wasn't sure it would be good for a skirt.  The nice thing about quilting fabric is that it doesn't wrinkle as much as some cotton fabric; it is also rarely see-through like some cheaper stuff.  I will be using this pattern again.  I do have to alter the pattern but it won't be tough.

I've drafted two basic patterns in the last couple days.  I used the sew what? SKiRTS  book to make a basic A-line pattern for myself.  I cut out the skirt today using black and multicolored batik fabric.  I added pockets to the side seams because I need pockets in my skirts and dresses.  They are practically essential.
I also traced a tank top and made a muslin of inexpensive rib knit; this showed me where I needed to change the pattern to make it fit better.  After the alterations I made another top using some brown pointelle rib knit I had been saving for this kind of top, and it looks great.  It fits like a dream.  Unfortunately, I don't have any brown stretch lace, foldover elastic or any other kind of trim in a dark brown - I'll have to wait till the stuff I ordered today arrives.

My cursor is acting weird again.  Hmmmm....

God bless you all and keep you safe.  Have a good week.