Pardon me while I share my excitment with you

See this magazine?

Recognize this face?

Or maybe this name?

Yep. That's my name and photo right there in color in the latest Sew News magazine. I'm a contributor to the May/June 2011 issue. Next to incredibly talented sewing super stars.

That's one reason I didn't have much to share with you during these past months. I was indeed busy sewing but I was sewing projects and writing instructions for Sew News and Sew It All Volume 3, which I believe is scheduled to come out late 2011. 

Woot!  Super excited here.  Being published in a magazine has been a dream of mine for sometime.

When this issue arrived I flipped through as quickly as I could to see the cover-up in print.  They sure do a nice job with photos and layout if I do say so myself.

I'm doubly excited for my next project, which won't appear until the October/November 2011 issue.  You helped me with fabric choices way back in January.  I kept the deep plum purple but didn't use any of the three others I was thinking of because I found something even better. I can't share yet, but trust me, you're gonna like it.  

Now go! Go buy yourself a copy of Sew News.

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What color goes with gray skies?

Why orange of course. 

A bright orange pencil skirt with a small ruffle at the hemline. The perfect pick-me-up for the dreary spring we've been experiencing.

The pattern is Simplicity 2343, a "6 made easy" design.

Basically it's a pencil skirt with a few different design details.

Watch the length on this one - a few views are rather short.

I used the longer view with the kick-pleat. That lower ruffle is designed to be one continuous circular piece that is gathered and sewn to the hem of the shorter skirt. Obviously with a kick pleat that wasn't going to work so I simply cut the ruffle at the center back, finished it with a narrow hem and matched the back edge to the finished back opening of the kick pleat.

As my usual MO I inserted an invisible zipper.   I almost had to go with the ole' centered zipper application as I didn't think I had an invisible orange zipper in my stash.  Whew! Found one - expect it was way too long.  I added a bartack where I wanted it to end and snipped the rest of it off.  What do you do? 

This skirt's also lined - as are most of the skirts I sew as work attire.  I was going to just cut just one front and back skirt piece by overlapping the side panels pieces onto the skirt pieces.

That's when I had one of those "duh" moments.

The pieces couldn't be overlapped due to the slight curved seam  needed in place the pleats and darts. Yes, I could have added a dart and still cut the front and back lining pieces as one, but I choose to just cut and sew the lining just as I did the skirt.

Full pattern review can be read here. 

While the fabric says winter - lightweight wool (Fabric Mart Fabrics - where else?) the color is definitely spring/summer.

Now if the weather would only cooperate...

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Still sewing - McCall's 6282 knit top review

I'm still here and still sewing.   Not too much but a few things here or there.

Need proof?

Okay, here's a knit top sewn from McCall's 6282, a Palmer / Pletsch design.

McCall's 6282 lined knit top

I was surprised to discover that this top (or dress) is completely lined.  After sewing this I can tell you the lining isn't required.  The lining actually hangs free and is tacked to the top at the lower edge of the side seams.

As far as sewing goes? I've yet to have a problem with a Palmer / Pletsch pattern from McCall's. The fit is spot-on and the instructions accurate and detailed.

The instructions on this one jumped around a bit making it look more difficult to sew than it actually was.  

I don't know why McCall's includes zipper instructions for knit dresses and tops, but there's no need for one in this design. Unless you choose a more stable knit, then I doubt you'd get the drape and side gather look you'd like.

Those side gathers? Not sure if I'm a fan of them or not. These are created by gathering the front and back pieces between marked darts on the side and back seams.  A piece of stay tape is cut to a specific length (a pattern piece is included - I wrote the measurement on the instruction sheet as those little pattern pieces have a tendency to get lost).  The stay tape is secured when the seams are sewn keeping the gathers where they belong.

The fabric is a blue-gray knit from SR Harris and the lining is almost the last of a white tricot from a thrift store. Boy, that was nice find. Over five yards of tricot at a very low cost. 

So there you have it. 

Proof that I am still sewing.

Although I've had other things on my mind.  At the moment,  I'm not too sure how secure my job is which leaves me a bit distracted - as you can well imagine.   That means I've been focused on making sure the resume is updated and looking for new opportunities.  

I'm trying to  distract myself with sewing and will have an fun, bright skirt to share with you soon.

Oh, here's the full review of this top over at PatternReview.

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RetroRama 6 - fun, fashion and photos

Okay, so it's been more than a week since I attended RetroRama.  I meant to post some photos right away, but my-oh-my was it a busy week.

One reason I've been so sporadic in my postings is that I was enrolled in a year long program that kept me away from home one night a week ( and putting in some study time in between).  I'm happy to report that I graduated yesterday  and am really looking forward to having some free time again.

So I had to delay the RetroRama recap just a bit.

I wasn't 100 percent certain I'd attend again after last year's event. In my opinion, last year's was a bit meh.  Looking back, I suspect it had more to do with where I was at versus the event itself. After all, my son was still battling his brain tumor and I really wasn't too excited to do much of anything.

However this year did not fail to delight.  It was well planned and executed with a lot of attendees and activities to participate in.

You all know the main event is the fashion show. Because the theme was undergarments the runway designer were quite, um, interesting. Yea, that's the word I'll use.  I was most excited to see the outfit Project Runway designer Christopher Straub was showing (and no, he was not there - unless he was very well hidden).  Of all of the designs I really didn't care for his at all. It was just weird. You'll see it in the slideshow - its the cage like thing.

The audience participation portion of the runway show was the best part as well as the longest. I was super happy that my girlfriend's vintage stewardess look drew a lot of attention. She looked fabulous. And the best part was the number of people that asked her what airline she had worked for.  You know you hit the look right when it evokes memories like that...

Vintage look stewardess dress using Simplicity 3833

We shared laughs, enjoyed a cocktail, watched a fabulous dessert demo, decorated a pair of men's cotton boxers, walked the runway, browsed the vintage fashion shop, admired everyone's attire and had our souvenir photo taken.  As usual, there wasn't enough time in the evening to take it all in.

Here's a slideshow of the photos I took at the event (minus my portrait - the photographer sent that one to me).

Enjoy!

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Getting ready for RetroRama 2011

This year's RetroRama is just around the corner. 

While there seems to be a big push by the MN History Center to heavily market this event to the younger  vintage lovers - you know who you are, you consider 80s vintage - my friend and I are pushing back and showing up in vintage attire. 

Just as we have every year since the event began. After all, girls just wanna have fun. And it doesn't matter what age they are.  We might not be the cute, svelte little things we once were but we're in that fabulous age group that typically has a little more discretionary income to spend on things like, oh, I don't know, maybe memberships to places like the MN History Center?  

Okay, off my itsy bitsy soap box and onto the details of what we'll be wearing.

The fashion show is the highlight of the evening with the best part the audience participation portion.  Every year except last year I've chosen to walk the runway and will likely do so again this year even though I'm wearing what I've worn two times previously.   My new addition is a vintage black velvet hat with a veil and a vintage slip. That hat you'll see, but not the slip. Even though the exhibit is about underwear.

I'm working on a dress for my friend using a reissued retro 60s pattern, Simplicity 3833.

So let me ask you. Can you tell what she'll be dressed as?

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