Sharon Sews

Sewing Pinspiration

2012-01-30T22:15:00.000-06:00

Pinterest

Just reading the name makes your heart beat a little faster doesn't it? {grin}

Seven months ago I asked if you were using Pinterest on my post "Do You Pin?".   Most of you were. Or were planning to start.

I'm thinking a whole lotta folks discovered it in the past few months because new pins, repins and likes seem to have exploded with activity.

It's so addictive that I try hard to limit my time to a few hours and only on the weekends.

I was reading an article today "Pinterest draws interest online" and it mentioned that the site is "dominated by home decor, fashion, food and crafts" .

Um, yea. That's what I use it for. How about you?

I pin a lot of things I may want to sew.

Like this Michael Kors skirt I pinned.    Only $1,195 at Neiman Marcus. Use Simplicity 5259 and sew one yourself. Add a waistband if you want a more exact look.

I pinned another Michael Kors item. This time a - this time a reversible cardigan that reminded me of a Sandra Betzina Today's Fit pattern - Vogue 1243.

Anthropologie always provides a lot of inspiration. I pinned this Anthro Polka Dot knit top some time ago. I plan on using McCall's 6164 to recreate one for myself.

If you pin, be sure to follow my boards so I can follow yours too. (http://pinterest.com/sharon_sews/) The more pinspiration the better!

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A big sigh of relifef- she's back

2012-01-29T14:40:00.000-06:00

Who's back?

My little broken Pfaff machine, that's who. She had to visit the sewing doctor a few weeks ago.

See those looped stitches? That was what she was doing. Nothing I did could coax her into sewing properly.

As happy as I was to have another machine on hand - my Elna 8000 - I sure did miss her IDT and a whole lot of other features. I never realized often I used the needle down function until I didn't have it easily available.

I can't even tell you how often I found myself backstitching when I didn't mean to. And vice versa. My Elna's backstitch function is located in a different spot than the Pfaff.

Now I can get back to work on my Vogue 8744 dress.

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Bound buttonhole tutorial

2012-01-22T15:08:00.001-06:00

Making a bound buttonhole can seem like a daunting undertaking. Trust me, I know. I avoided them for years thinking they were "too hard" and way beyond my sewing capabilities.

Pshaw! Yes, they do require pre-planning and definitely take more time than a machine-sewn buttonhole, but they really are not that difficult. As with anything practice, practice, practice! It's a good idea to work one (or two) in some of your fabric scraps before making the buttonholes in your garment.

The one I made on my capelet was sewn using the patch method.

Mark your buttonhole placement on your garment.

If your garment does not call for interfacing, be sure to apply interfacing to the wrong side of the garment under each buttonhole marking.

Cut a piece of fabric for your buttonhole that is about 2" wider and 1" longer than the buttonhole. Here's a fun tip: the fabric doesn't have to match your garment. Contrast or coordinating fabric is a fun way to highlight your buttonholes.

Fold the fabric patch in half lengthwise and finger press. This marks the center of the patch.

With right sides together, center the fabric patch over the marked buttonhole on your garment. Pin in place.

Baste the fabric patch in place. Remove pins. Notice in this photo how my fabric shifted? I wasn't careful when I basted and had undo the stitches and redo them.

On the wrong side of the garment, mark lines about 1/8"to 3/16" around the buttonhole line. Mine are 3/16" because the fabric (cotton velvet) is on the bulkier side. I'd mark 1/8" if I was using a lightweight fabric.

Using a small stitch length, stitch around the buttonhole line following the markings. To make sure I ended up with the same size rectangle, on the short side I turned the handwheel of my sewing machine and counted out the stitches.

Cut through the center of all layers - the fabric patch and the garment - very carefully. Make diagonal cuts to the corners. If you accidentally cut through the corners go back and restitch.

Turn the fabric patch to the wrong side of the garment through the opening.

This is what it will look like on the wrong side. You end up with a little faced "window" in the fabric.

Now you're going to make the lips of the buttonhole.

Fold each long edge of the fabric patch over the opening. Make sure the folded edges will meet in the center. Pin in place.

This is what it will look like from the right side.

Handbaste through the center of each fold. The folded edges should meet at the center.

On the right side, baste the folded edges together using a diagonal stitch. Lightly press.

Place the garment on your sewing machine right side up. Turn the garment edge back to expose that small triangle end of the buttonhole. Stitch in place. Repeat for the other triangular end. I use a zipper foot so I can get close to that edge.

Fold the garment back so the long edge of the buttonhole is exposed. Stitch in place. Repeat for the other long edge.

Get rid of some of the bulk by trimming the fabric patch so it is only about 1/4" away from the stitches you just sewed.

At this point you can add continue sewing your garment, adding your facings or lining.

My capelet is fully lined. Once the lining was in I needed to finish the back side of the buttonhole so I could actually use it.

I finished the backside of my bound buttonhole with something called the oval method.

Baste around the buttonhole to secure the lining (or facing) to the garment fabric.

On the right side of the garment, place a pin at the end of each buttonhole.

On the wrong side of the garment, draw a line between the pins. Make sure the line is drawn exactly over the buttonhole opening. You can feel the opening with your fingertips as you draw the line.

Remove the pins. Very carefully cut the lining (or facing) open along the marked line. You don't want this opening to be larger than the buttonhole opening. If you slip a bit just stitch it up. It might not look as pretty but it also won't be noticeable, except to you. {smile}

Roll the raw edge of the lining (or facing) under. Stitch in place. A slipstitch would look nice. Which is not what I did. You should probably do as I say and not as I do, LOL.

You're now done! See? That wasn't so bad was it?

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Pin It

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Flashback Friday - Itty Bitty Baby Jeans

2012-01-20T01:00:00.060-06:00

Flashback Friday returns!

Today I'm sharing the first pair of jeans my darling boy ever wore. Aren't they sweet?

This little guy was a preemie just like his big sister. But unlike his big sister he was only two months early and weighed over 5 lbs. Huge, compared to his sister who was only 2 lbs. (I've shared her story a few years ago on this post.)

He's 2-1/2 months old in this photo and I have no idea what he weighs. That's because both baby books were LOST eight years ago when we moved. Yes, LOST! I'm still heartbroken over it - but better the baby books than the photos, right?

Now, back to the jeans.

As a teen mama, my go-to outfit was jeans and t-shirt. And I wanted my little guy to have jeans too.

Only one problem. Baby clothing wasn't as plentiful then as it is now - at least not in my price range - and itty bitty baby jeans were no where to be found.

Except this teen mama knew how to sew! And she saved all her fabric scraps.

So my little guy got his first pair of jeans - a pull on number sewn from the oh-so-seventies embellished faux patchwork denim. Paired with an awesome hand-knitted pullover sweater (a gift) embellished with little owls! See those tiny buttons? Those are the owl's eyes. Quite the fashionable little guy wasn't he?

The sweater is still tucked away somewhere, although those jeans are long gone.

And my little guy isn't so little any more - but he is still quite fashionable.

And still doing well after his brain tumor/cancer battle.

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The “Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give A …” vintage 60s capelet

2012-01-18T21:52:00.000-06:00

Remember the bound buttonhole I mentioned in my last post? Well, my project for this week's challenge at The Sew Weekly has been posted so I can now share it with you!

Just look at that lovely bound buttonhole!

It belongs to my new 60s era velvet capelet.

She's named "frankly my dear, I don't give a ..." in honor of Scarlett O’Hara’s curtain dress.

Um, Sharon? You do know this isn't a dress, right? And that it's not green?

Yes, yes, I know.

But, it IS cotton velvet and it DID begin life as a bedroom curtain. Pretty resourceful, huh? Just like good ole' Scarlett.

The idea came to me when I was hemming a new pair of bedroom curtains. After seven years I decided it was time for a bedroom redo that involved more than just painting the walls. As I tossed the old cotton velvet curtains in the washer to prepare them for the donation bin I took a hard look at them and realized there was a lot of usable fabric there! Why donate something I would normally purchase from a thrift store?

The pattern I used is vintage Simplicity 5416, copyright 1964. Since my copy is a small - and an early sixties small at that - I cut it a smidge larger. I also lengthened it four inches in lieu of an FBA.

Oh! And what's that you see? Could it be...

Why yes. It is indeed animal print lining.

This capelet itself was quick to sew. In fact, that one bound buttonhole took more time to do than the rest of the capelet.

Of course that could be because I took photos of the entire process so I could share a bound button tutorial with you.

The best part of this entire refashion was the look on hubby's face when he realized I had turned our bedroom curtains into a capelet.

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Weekend sewing - two strikes and a home run

2012-01-16T14:00:00.000-06:00

All week I've been busy, busy, busy, but not sewing, sewing, sewing.

Until Friday night that is. Even though Friday night is supposed to be our date night, hubby rented a movie I had no desire to watch at all. And trust me, he knew I wouldn't want to see this one. By mutual agreement we rescheduled date night and did our own thing. He watched the movie while I retreated to the sewing studio to being work on The Sew Weekly challenge.

This week it's buttons.

"Hey, no problem!" I think to myself. "I have a fancy-schmancy sewing machine that makes mah-va-lous buttonholes." (It's a Pfaff 2056 in case you're wondering)

Except my machine's in the shop - oops! That means I would have to rely on my Elna 8000. Which doesn't make such great buttonholes.

No problem! I'll forge ahead. I sewed for years without a machine that made automatic buttonholes, surely I could do it this time.

Now the only dilemma was to choose a project I could whip out quickly.

Aha! I have a few projects cut out and set aside from last winter. Perfect!

I pulled out a lovely little jacket from Burda Style Aug. 2010. It's number 115. I even cut it out in fabric of a similar purple shade. It only has one button, but the challenge didn't specify how many buttons and buttonholes needed to be done.

I sewed, sewed, sewed and once the sleeves were in I could hold back no longer. I eagerly tried it on envisioning which top and skirt I'd pair it with when I first wore it.

Aaaagh! It's too small! Silly, silly girl. I cut it out last year but made no alterations to the pattern - as in no full bust alteration (FBA). Which you all know this girl almost always needs an FBA, especially in a fitted jacket.

Drat! No use even trying to save this one as that fabric's long gone. Strike number one.

No problem. I have another garment cut out and ready to sew. A blouse from Burda 7891. A quick check confirmed I had made the needed pattern adjustment before cutting out the blouse. Hmmm, not so crazy about the white fabric I choose but I'm sure it'll be fine.

On Saturday I sewed, sewed, sewed making beautiful tiny hems on that flounced neckline. As I was preparing to begin the sleeves I suddenly stopped. Something wasn't right. Noooooo! It can't be! For some reason I never cut out the sleeve - and trust me, the extra fabric used for the blouse is long gone. Strike number two.

Panic is now setting in as I only have a few hours on Sunday to work on my challenge project. Well, okay, not really panic because the world won't end if I don't finish a garment in time for The Sew Weekly.

Hmmmm, what to sew? Something with a button and buttonhole. Something fast.

And that, dear readers, is when I hit my home run. I only used sewed one buttonhole, but I made it bound buttonhole.

Until it's revealed on The Sew Weekly I won't be sharing the entire project.

But soon, very soon, I'll share it with you.

How was your weekend sewing?
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Everythings coming up roses - Simplicity 2599

2012-01-10T20:23:00.001-06:00

I did it! I finished my first challenge over at The Sew Weekly.

I even managed to finish it on time.

The challenge this week was to sew something inspired by an accessory - shoes, hat, shoes, brooch, shoes, jewelry, belt, shoes. Yea, I had shoes on the brain. I figured I'd sew something inspired by a great pair of shoes, after all I have dozens to choose from.

But when my eye landed on this clutch I knew this was my inspiration piece and that I would sew something that mimicked those gray fabric roses.

That's when I remembered a pair of silk/rayon pants I had purchased five years ago.

The. Perfect. Color.

Knowing I had very little fabric to work with, I planned to sew a sleeveless tank and embellish it with fabric roses.

As I searched my patterns for a simple tank and came across Simplicity 2599. Not only was it a B, C, D cup pattern (woot! no alterations) it included instructions for fabric roses. Perfect.

I managed to squeeze the sleeveless version out of the fabric from the pants as well as three fabric roses - versus seven as shown on the pattern illustration. The pants were fully lined so I used the lining fabric for the neck and arm facings.

The only change I made to the instructions was to use Unique Stitch instead of sewing the roses.

I'm happy with my new top, especially when I discovered I now have something to wear with my orange Simplicity 2343 skirt.

And with my mustard Vogue 8355 skirt. Which is currently too small as I'm unable to actually sit in it, LOL. (But I'm working on it, remember my Hello 2012 post?)

It works with basic black, like my black Burda #121 (11-2008 magazine) pants. Even after two years these are still my go-to pants.

The top also goes well with white - and it's perfect with my little Sophia.

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Knock, Knock. Who's There? The nineteen eighties: A review of Vogue 8771

2012-01-08T16:31:00.001-06:00

Color block? check
Tunic length ? check
Leggings? check
Mullet hemline? check

Ah, yes, all trademarks of 1980s fashions.I'm just missing the huge hoop earrings, heavy eyeliner and big hair.

All joking aside, l must tell you that I like this top. I wanted something casual and comfy for at home and this is it.

I used Vogue 8771 - a super-duper easy pullover knit tunic top. Vogue describes it as a Semi-fitted, pullover top with sleeve and hem variations. Personally, I don't think of this as semi-fitted. I cut and sewed my normal size and found it to have more than enough ease. Of course it may be that we're moving back into an over-sized fit fashion-wise and that will take some getting used to.

It has a high-low hemline which I find attractive as I like having my backside covered.

The scoop neckline is perfect - not too low, not too high, not too narrow, not too wide. The dolman sleeves are right on trend and extremely comfy to wear.

There are only 10 steps included in Vogue's instructions for sewing this top. That's how easy it is.

I used knits I had on hand since I sewed this top to test the fit and to determine if I liked the style. The gray knit - used on the dolman sleeves - is a RPL (rayon-poly-lycra) and the black is a bamboo knit.

I'll shorten the next version I sew as the proportions on this one are a little bit off for me, especially if I choose to wear flat shoes. I need something shorter to help my legs appear longer. I'll also go down one-half to one size to see if I like the tighter fit better.

Overall it's fun and trendy top to make. It may only be fashionable for a season or two so sew it up quickly and have fun wearing it.

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Beating the mid-winter blues

2012-01-04T21:55:00.001-06:00

I'm kind of excited. We're only four days into the New Year and I have already begun a new dress for the new year. Go me!

I've begun sewing an easy dress using Vogue 8744.


Image from http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/

The only description provided is "fitted". Now c'mon Vogue, we know you can do better than that.

I would add that this dress has front and back princess seams, raglan sleeves, a high rounded neckline, slightly lowered waistline that dips at the center front, a multi-seamed straight skirt, a center back walking slit and a back lapped zipper. All of the seams are topstitched.

So far so good. Even though matching seams and topstitching are a bit time-consuming.

Isn't that the loveliest shade of blue? Perfect to lift one's spirit in the midst of the mid-winter blues

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Why Hello 2012!

2012-01-02T20:09:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I love the beginning of the new year. A time to reflect on the past and a time to ponder the possibilities of what lies ahead.

2011 Sewing Reflections
As far as sewing stats go, I didn't accomplish much this year. I was pumped to join the One Jacket A Month challenge, but failed miserably. But it doesn't matter because I realized jackets are no longer a big part of my daily wardrobe. Although I did fall in love my linen jacket from McCall's 6294.

2011 did have it's share of sewing stars - my Burda flirty founce skirt, the Butterick 5566 mini houndstooth skirt, and my Yabba-Dabba-Do dress from McCall's 6391.

There were some misses too - the infamous Vogue 1250 didn't work in my fabric choices, and the oversized big top look just isn't a good look for me.

Another miss - sewing related although not a sewing project - was not having my book idea picked up when I pitched it to four editors of leading sewing publishers. This was something I did while attending The Creative Çonnection in September 2010. Even though my pitch didn't result in a book deal I'm so thankful for the experience. Where else would I have had a chance to speak to these industry leaders face-to-face? In hindsight can see that my idea was not ready to be pitched. However I'm not giving up. I left with valuable feedback and have been very busy behind the scenes tweaking the idea and the content.

I was blessed this year to have a dream come true - I've been a contributor to Sew News magazine, and even had my sweater refashion featured on the cover of the Oct/Nov Sew News issue. I had three projects included in their annual publication Sew It All magazine. Plus I was lucky enough to have my cupcake pocket apron included in the newest One Yard Wonders book.

In fact some of my final sewing for 2011 was for the magazines. I must have had buttons on my brain when I pitched my ideas because three of the four projects involved buttons and buttonholes.

Of course the biggest blessing in 2011 was the continued healing of my son from his brain tumor. We continue to give God all the praise and glory for this and will always to do so no matter what the future holds.

What lies ahead for 2012?
To begin with, I have quite a few sewing projects I finished and never posted. You'll start seeing those in the next few weeks.

A blog revamp is definitely in order. In fact, I've begun already. Let me know what you think of the new header!

More sewing for me! Almost ten pounds have snuck up over the past year and I finally admitted to myself that most of my clothes are too tight. I'm a bit disappointed in myself. My healthy eating and disciplined workouts went out the window when nearly two years ago with my son's brain tumor and the time he spent recovery at our home. When he recovered and moved back on his own I never returned to my healthy habits.

Which means 2012 is the year I add more than Zumba to my fitness routine and return to healthy eating. My biggest downfall is sweets. I know I can kick the sweet cravings though as I was able to do it two years ago. I also know it will take about two months.

I'll be hanging out at The Sew Weekly as I answered their call for contributors and will be one of 50+ contributing to the blog in response to the weekly sewing challenge. Wish me luck!

As I continue work on my revised book proposal I suspect you'll be seeing glimpses of it in the coming months. I may even team up with some of my sewing and blogging friends for a sewing theme or two.

While I don't have any assignments right now I'm hopeful I'll have opportunities to do more writing for Sew News.

I've enjoyed sharing my tutorials with you and there are more to come in 2012. You should see my notebooks - yes notebooks - that I carry around. They are filled with notes to myself, sketches and other snippets of inspiration that comes at me during the day.

The only concrete sewing goal I'm setting is to sew something in leather. In all my years of sewing I've never sewn leather. It's about time wouldn't you say?

I have no idea what exactly 2012 holds for me. I do know I'm excited about the future.

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Free Sewing Ideas from Sew Can She

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

Have you discovered Sew Can She yet? If you like free sewing ideas you'll want to sign up for her newsletter. When you do you'll receive an email with a link to a new sewing tutorial every day.

You can even submit a sewing tutorial if it's something you think her reader's might be interested in . My keepsake holiday portrait pillow tutorial was included in the Dec. 23 newsletter.

What are you waiting for? Go sign up.

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An end of year (sewing) quickie

2011-12-28T06:00:00.005-06:00

A little quickie sewing project before the year ends....

As I was writing my last post I noticed I had left my Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders book open to the Speedy Ruffle Scarf.

If you knew how often I accessorize with scarves you'd understand why this ended up being my first project from the book.

This scarf is designed for knit fabric and really is speedy.

I was able to cut and sew my scarf in about 30 minutes. I'll be honest, I didn't follow the instructions. I glanced at them, made some changes to the cutting layout and sewed it a bit differently than written.

I used a sparkly purple fabric purchased in the clearance section at Hancock Fabrics. I wish you could see this in person as it looks much nicer than what I could capture with the camera.

Even though I suspect the fabric was meant to be used for Halloween costumes I like my little speedy ruffle scarf. It makes me smile.

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A sweet week

2011-12-27T06:00:00.028-06:00

A week of marathon sweet treat baking, followed by a week of marathon sweat treat eating, means I'll need to add more Zumba workouts to my week. I swear I must have gained five pounds in the past two weeks alone. But it was so worth it...my taste buds were in heaven.

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Giveaway Winners: Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders book and Cupcake Apron

2011-12-26T09:44:00.000-06:00

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left comments for a chance to win a copy of the new Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders or my yummy cupcake pocket apron.

I must say you are one busy group! I hope you all take a few minutes to read the comments and visit each other's blogs. Lots of talent and lots of fun projects are planned with the new year.

The winners are....

Book: Little Ella Lu, who hopes to sew a valance for her daughter's room as her first project of the new year. You won a copy of the Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders book. Storey Publishing will send this directly to you after I contact them with your mailing information.

Apron: Kelli, whose first 2012 project is a Mission Maxi. Kelly, you won the cupcake apron.

Congratulations to both of you. Please check your email and respond back to me by midnight, Monday, Jan. 2, 2012.

If you didn't win here, be sure to check out the other bloggers participating in the book blog tour. Of course if you just can't wait head over to your local bookstore and pick up a copy. You won't be disappointed

12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/13/2011 Craft Buds

12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar

12/15/2011 Nifty Kidstuff

12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom Nom

12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky

12/17/2011 ikatbag

12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds

12/18/2011 Sharon Sews

12/19/2011 LBG Studio

12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs

12/19/2011 Under Construction

12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage

12/21/2011 Craftzine

12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore

12/21/2011 Emily Steffen

12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You

12/23/2011 Spincushion

12/27/2011 One Inch World

12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.

January ‘12 Lu Lu Carter

January ’12 Fiberosity

January ’12 Zuhause

January ’12 Obsessively Stiching

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Flashback Friday - Merry Christmas circa 1959

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!

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Sew a Barbie Apron: An half circle apron sewing tutorial for 11-1/2" fashion dolls

2011-12-20T06:00:00.026-06:00

I love aprons - even itty bitty Barbie(tm) ones. Since I'm partial to half aprons myself, I figured Barbie could use a new one.

So I whipped one up.

I'll show you how so you can whip one up too.

Let's get started. Download the half-circle apron pattern here. It's an 8-1/2" x 11" PDF document. (Please let me know if you have trouble downloading the file.)

Cut one apron body and one rectangle 20" x 1-1/2" for the waistband/ties.

Pin the lace trim on the right side of the apron matching the bottom edge. Stitch using a 1/4" seam allowance.

The lace trim after it's stitched to the apron.

Turn the bottom edge towards the wrong side of the apron. Lightly press.

On the right side stitch close to the edge which will hold the hem in place.

Fold the back edge toward the wrong side by 1/4". Finger press. Fold another 1/4" toward the wrong side. Press.

Stitch side hem in place.

Staystitch the waist curve by stitching 1/4" from the edge.

Carefully clip to the stitching. Don't worry if you accidentally clip through the stitches , just restitch.

Mark the center of the waistband using a removable fabric marker or chalk.

Pin the wrong side of the apron to the right side of the waistband matching center.

Stitch the apron to the waistband using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Press the seam toward the waistband.

Continue pressing the long edge of the waistband 1/4" toward the wrong side of the waistband.

Press the other long edge and both short ends of the waistband 1/4" toward the wrong side of the waistband.

Fold the waistband in half wrong sides together. Pin in place over the apron seam.

Stitch close to the edges of the waistband being sure to secure the waistband to the apron.

Tie apron on your Barbie and admire.

Enjoy making your little half aprons. And if you do make one (or two or three....) please share them in my Flickr account so we can all see your handiwork.

Next post I'll show you how to modify this pattern and sew a double layer apron with a bias tape finish complete with mini-pocket.

For now, I'll leave you with a shot of my little sewing buddy thwarting my attempts to photograph the end results!

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This post is part of:
Get Your Craft On Tuesday at Today's Creative Blog

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Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders Book Blog Tour - and a giveaway!

2011-12-18T15:19:00.002-06:00

12/26/11 - Comments on this post have been closed.

Have you seen the new One Yard Wonders book?

I spotted the new book - Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders - while browsing the sewing books at my local Barnes & Noble book store. Something I do quite frequently I might add. I'm really kind of surprised they don't greet me by name. Or at least clear a path for me to the craft book section. And have a cup of chai tea or hot chocolate waiting for me. Oops! Dreaming here. I'll get back to the book.

Anyway, I already had a copy of the book in my hot little hands because my cupcake apron graces pages 101-103!

Of course you knew that already if you've been reading my blog as I posted a sneak peek photo from the book release party during PatternReview Day 2011. Here's a few more photos from the book release party at Crafty Planet on my Flickr page.

C'mon Sharon! Get to the good stuff...the book review and the giveaway!

All right, all right.

My first thought when I received the book, was "Wow! This baby's big!"

Followed immediately by "I can't wait to see the projects!"

I flew right past the first chapter "Fabric Fundamentals" which YOU shouldn't do if you're new (or fairly new) to sewing as it's filled with useful information and makes for a great starting point.

The chapters in this book are divided by fabric type. Each chapter begins with fabric facts and tips for sewing with and caring for that type of fabric.

Then comes the good part - the projects.

Lightweight cottons: 9 projects

Quilting-weight cottons: 17 projects

Home dec fabric: 16 projects

Flannel: 8 projects

Woven pile fabrics: 9 projects

Coated fabrics: 12 projects

Fleece: 8 projects

Knits: 10 projects

Wool: 10 projects

And remember, there are extra patterns in the Barnes and Noble book.

The book ends with a glossary filled with terms and illustrations, a list of resources and the ever-so-fun-to-read contributor bios. I'm on page 406 and I'm hoping they cut my bio as my dogs are mentioned but not my hubby {oops!}

Oh! I almost forgot to mention this. There are 9 sheets of pattern pieces tucked inside the front cover envelope. I LOVE not having to enlarge the patterns. Shoot, I've been known to not purchase a book based solely on the fact that the patterns have to be enlarged.

Here are a few of ~~my favorite~~ the projects I plan to sew first. I can't say favorite because honestly there are too many I like.

Now, let's get to the giveaway shall we?

Storey Publishing is very generously giving away one copy of this book! You do need to have a US mailing address for the book giveaway. The book will be shipped directly to you from the Publisher. Thank you Storey Publishing!

However, I'm also giving away one of my cupcake aprons! You'll get the one pictured below - a yummy combination of chocolate brown and pink trimmed with cream ribbon. And I'll ship worldwide, so everyone is included!

The giveaway rules:

Leave a comment on this post and answer the question: ~~"What's the first thing you plan on sewing in 2012?"~~ "What's the first think you plan on sewing or creating in 2012?" I bet you have a lot of creative ideas in the works and I can't wait to hear them! I plan on finishing a suit I began {gulp} two years ago.
Please include whether or not you're in the U.S.
Please make sure your comment includes an email address where I can reach you if you win. If you write your email in the comments do something like this sewingbysharon at gmail dot com so it doesn't get harvested by spammers.
Leave your comment by Monday, Dec. 26, 8 a.m. CST. I'll draw and post winners that afternoon. First drawn commenter (with an address in the U.S.) wins the book. Second drawn commenter wins the apron.
If you follow me on Twitter you'll get another entry - just leave an additional comment letting me know your Twitter ID. (I'm Sharon_Sews on Twitter.)
If you follow my blog you'll get another entry - just leave an additional comment letting me know you follow my blog.

Good luck!

And be sure to visit all the other creative contributors who are part of the book blog tour.

12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/13/2011 Craft Buds

12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar

12/15/2011 Nifty Kidstuff

12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom Nom

12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky

12/17/2011 ikatbag

12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds

12/18/2011 Sharon Sews

12/19/2011 LBG Studio

12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs

12/19/2011 Under Construction

12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage

12/21/2011 Craftzine

12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore

12/21/2011 Emily Steffen

12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You

12/23/2011 Spincushion

12/27/2011 One Inch World

12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.

January ‘12 Lu Lu Carter

January ’12 Fiberosity

January ’12 Zuhause

January ’12 Obsessively Stiching

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Tips for sewing itty-bitty (Barbie) doll clothes - Part 2

2011-12-15T22:05:00.004-06:00

**** If you're looking for the Barbie Chef Hat instructions, you'll find them on this post *****

Sewing itty-bitty doll clothes continues with part 2 - construction. You can read part 1 here.

Now that you’ve got the itty bitty patterns cut out - or traced - it's time to start sewing. A bit of practice tempered with patience and you’ll be producing runway worthy fashions for Barbie - other that itty bitty doll - in no time.

Here are some tips that have helped me when sewing these little garments.

Ditch the serger. Sergers are great time-savers, but not for Barbie clothes. I've successfully serged clothing for American Girl dolls, but not smaller than that. (And if you have, please leave tips for us in the comments!) I think they're not the right tool. Not only is it difficult to serge such a small seam, the extra thread created by the serger would result in too much bulk.

Don’t remove pattern pieces. Keep the pattern pieces pinned to the fabric until you’re ready to sew, or clearly mark which piece is which. The pieces are so small it can be hard to distinguish from one another. and not know until you've sewn the wrong ones together. Trust me. You don’t want to rip out stitches on these little things.

Take time to pin. Until you become very familiar with sewing tiny clothes, take time to pin seams before sewing. One pin will keep the shoulder seams together, while one or two works well for longer seams. It will help you keep the pattern pieces lined up properly. Believe it or not, when you’re working with something that small, being off just 1/8” of an inch can affect the entire garment.

1/4” seam allowances. I mentioned this in my previous post. Most of the doll clothes patterns are designed with 1/4” seam allowances. A 1/4” (quarter inch) quilting pressure foot is a great tool that will help you sew the seams accurately.

Stitch length. Use a smaller stitch length. When I sew garments for myself I typically set my stitches at 3.5 mm. When sewing Barbie clothes I use a 2 or 2.5 mm.

Use flat construction. This simply means to sew pieces together flat whenever possible. Your goal is to avoid the need to sew in small circular areas. Usually the pattern instructions will be already be written this way.

For example:

Top or bodice: Sew the shoulder seams. Finish the neck edge, by hemming, adding lace or sewing on a collar. Finish the center front or center back. Finish the sleeve edges or add a sleeve before sewing the side seams. If this is the bodice to a dress, sometimes it’s easier to sew the skirt front and back to the bodice before sewing the side seams. The pattern you choose will make that determination.

Sleeves: Finish the bottom of the sleeve hem and then sew the sleeve to the armhole opening before sewing the underarm and side seam. Could you imagine trying to sew a sleeve into that tiny armhole opening?

Pants: First, sew the side seams. Hem the bottom of the pants. Next, sew the center front and center back (don’t forget to leave an opening at the center back) and finish the waist edge. Lastly, sew the inner leg seams.

Casings: Elastic casings are popular in doll clothes – including casings at the waist and at wrists. Add your casing and elastic flat unless you enjoy wasting hours in frustration as you try and insert elastic into a tiny casing and circle. Secure the elastic in the seam allowance before sewing the seam or your elastic could pop out as the garment is placed on and off the doll.

Adding elastic: I have found it much easier, and more durable, to zigzag over soft 1/8” elastic instead of creating a small casing. Don't cut the elastic to the needed length. Instead mark it at the length with chalk or a pin. Gently stretch the elastic as you zigzag, ending with the chalk mark or pin at the seam edge. Cut off the rest of the elastic. Otherwise it can be difficult to sew that last fraction of an inch in place.

Neck edge facings. Some patterns will include facings for the neck (and waist) edges. These look absolutely adorable and can actually be easier to add than a tiny hem. Instead of finishing the facing edge with a hem, consider fray check with the fabric has a tendency to ravel.

Line instead of face. The easiest way to finish the neck edge is to line the entire bodice. Added bonus? The doll’s outfit will look very professionally sewn.

Use Seams Great to finish edges. I know it's designed for finishing seams when sewing garments, but it works beautifully as a bias binding to finish a Barbie sized neck or armhole edge. Stitch it to the right side of the edge using a 1/4" seam allowance. Carefully clip any curves. Turn it to the wrong side, finger press and stitch in place.

Pressing. Just like when sewing for people, Barbie's clothes will look much nicer if you press while you sew. Unlike the big clothes you can get away with finger pressing many of the seams, especially if you're using natural fibers. The Clover mini-iron also comes in handy when pressing these little seams.

Sewing my hand. Sometimes you just can't get the itty bitty item you're working on to behave using the sewing machine. That's when you just have to get out that hand sewing needle and thread and do a little stitching by hand.

Next up, I'll share a few tips on trims and closures.

Until then you can start sewing using one of my Barbie tutorials and sew an apron, (complete with chef hat and oven mitt) a dress or a Snuggie (TM).

(Parts of this post were originally post on TheCircle.org http://www.thecircle.org/sew-barbie-clothes)

(I'm not affiliated with Mattel or any other doll manufacturer)

12/19/11 Edited to add: Be sure to read the comments as there are some good tips there also.

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12/19/11 Edited to add:

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Tips for sewing itty-bitty doll clothes aka Barbie and other 11-1/2" fashion dolls

2011-12-13T20:42:00.000-06:00

I've been sewing up a storm! Just nothing I can share with you yet.

One thing I am working on is some Barbie® doll clothes.

So, how about some tips for sewing itty-bitty doll clothes?

Having sewn for Barbie® for years and years and years the first piece of advice I'll pass on is to not be afraid. They may be tiny but they really aren't as difficult as they look.

I've got a lot to share so this is a three-part post. Today is all about patterns and fabric.

First of all, sewing for Barbie® - or any small fashion doll - is actually pretty fun. You get to create high-quality, one-of-a-kind fashions while saving money. Nice!

Like many folks, when I first started sewing doll clothes I began by using commercial sewing patterns specifically designed for 11-1/2” fashion dolls. After awhile I began making my own patterns for miniature versions of the current fashions.

All of the major pattern companies—Butterick, McCall’s, Simplicity and Vogue—at one time or another have all offered patterns for doll clothes. They can be found in craft section of the pattern catalogs. As I write this, McCall’s and Simplicity have 11-1/2" fashion doll clothing patterns available.

You can find out of print patterns on eBay (search Barbie doll patterns), Etsy (search Barbie patterns in Supplies), at thrift shops or garage sales. Prices can vary greatly. Familiarize yourself with the average price so you don't over pay in your excitement to find the "perfect" pattern.

Barbie's size has changed a little bit over the years so be aware that a fabulous vintage pattern from the early sixties will probably require a bit of tweaking to fit today's Barbie.

Now I know sewing tiny clothing for tiny doll bodies is more difficult because of itty bitty seams, facings and hem allowances, but a few tips and tricks will have you producing a high fashion wardrobe for your fashion doll in no time.

The pattern

Trace the pattern pieces. If you plan on sewing the doll outfit multiple times trace the pattern pieces. Otherwise pinning and unpinning those itty bitty pattern pieces will quickly lead to torn and tattered patterns. Use lightweight woven interfacing, pattern-ease or tracing paper from your local art supply store.

Ensure the pattern markings are inside the cutting lines. Sometimes pattern companies will print the pattern number, piece number, grain line and number to cut outside of the cutting lines of the pattern. You need to transfer that important information to the pattern piece, or else you won’t easily be able to identify the pattern pieces in the future.

Cut precisely. Because the seam allowances are only 1/4” and the seams themselves are tiny, it is imperative that you cut accurately. Being off just a fraction of an inch can affect the entire fit of the doll’s garment.

Add extra to center back seams. Usually the opening is in the center back. When cutting out the pattern, add an extra 1/4" to the center back seam to give yourself a little "wiggle" room. If you happen to sew the seams a teeny bit more than 1/4" or discover your fashion doll is a bit bigger than the pattern you'll be glad to have the extra.

Selecting fabric and trims

Scraps and remnants. Use up those scraps! Barbie® doll clothing is a great way to use up scraps from your own sewing projects, from fabric store remnants, fat quarters or even charm packs! Many items of doll clothing require less than 1/4 yard and some as little as 1/8 yard.

Upcycle old clothing. Check thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales or your own pile of clothing waiting to be donated. Look for tiny prints or expensive fabrics, such as velvet or leather. Old woman's slips work great for gloves and itty-bitty sized lingerie.

Cotton fabric. For best results when you’re just starting out, choose a tightly woven cotton fabric, like the cotton you would find in a quilt shop. When working with tiny seams you don’t want to deal with fabric that unravels easily or is difficult to work with.

Man-made fabric. Unless you have a little bit of sewing experience under your belt, steer away from some of the man-made fibers as they can be harder to work with. If you’ve ever tried to sew and hem polyester chiffon or a man-made sequin knit you know what I’m talking about. After you’ve perfected your technique with these little garments you’ll gain the confidence you need to work on any fabric.

Choose solid colors or tiny prints. There are so many beautiful prints out there that it's easy to fall in love with one that isn't the right scale. A large floral or plaid might be gorgeous on the bolt, but when you try and create a designer outfit for your doll you'll loose all the detail. Keep the scale in mind when sewing for these tiny creatures and choose small prints.

Fabric thickness. Not only do you need to keep the pattern scale in mind, but you need to keep the thickness of the fabric in mind. Not only would a stiff heavy-weight denim or a wide-wale corduroy not look good on a small doll, you’ll discover you won’t be able to turn pant legs or sleeves right side out.

Trims. Doll clothing is the perfect way to use up scraps of trim that are too beautiful to toss. Almost any trim will work, but again, keep the scale in mind. Use narrow ribbons, trims and pieces of tulle. Prehere.

Sewing the itty bitty fashions

Next post I’ll share tips and tricks for successfully sewing the itty bitty doll clothes. If you have any specific questions about sewing Barbie® clothes, please leave a comment so I can be sure to address them in my next post.

In the meantime, if you're ready to get started why not follow one of my tutorials and sew Barbie and apron, a dress or a Snuggie (TM)?

(Parts of this post were originally post on TheCircle.org http://www.thecircle.org/sew-barbie-clothes)

(I'm not affiliated with Mattel or any other doll manufacturer)

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A bundle of joy

2011-12-13T06:00:00.016-06:00

This little bundle of joy was discovered while shopping for Christmas decorations at a local Tuesday Morning store. If you're curious, it's a Liberty Mayfair fat quarter bundle and will work perfectly for a project I have in the works.

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Mistakes, I've made a few

2011-12-12T21:47:00.000-06:00

A great piece of fabric combined with a great pattern does not always equal a great success.

Case in point.

Kwik Sew 3756 sewn from this fabric is U-G-L-Y.

Definitely not worth the time it would take me to finish sewing.

On to bigger and better projects.

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And she's done! The Colette Meringue Skirt pattern review

2011-12-07T21:33:00.000-06:00

The Colette Meringue Skirt from The Colette Sewing Handbook is completed and has passed the wear-to-the-office-all-day test. She's a keeper. Although I will make one minor tweak on this one. More about that later.

Cutting
Because I used a pinstripe, I choose to cut the skirt single layer. But I decided that after tracing the pattern pieces. So I pinned the skirt to a single layer of fabric, placed pins along the fold line, cut out one half and flipped it over along the fold line using the pins as my guideline.

Maybe not perfect. But it worked. Aw c'mon...you guys cheat sometimes too, don't you? {wink}

Zipper
The book includes instructions for sewing an invisible zipper. Since that's about all I ever put into my garments I didn't need to reference them. But if you're not sure about invisible zips that's a plus, right?

The one thing I'd suggest that I didn't see included is to fuse strips of interfacing to the wrong side of your fabric where the zipper is to be sewn. I use a strip that extends slightly past the seam allowance and below the marked dot. I do this for all my zippers. It helps support the weight of the zipper.

The book includes great instructions for finishing the facing and zipper edge all in one. If you've sewn for any length of time it's likely you're already using this method. I don't recall exactly where I learned it but I never looked back once I discovered it.

See how nice it looks?

Piping

The book includes instructions to create a template for drawing the seamlines of the hem scallops. Because I added piping I choose to trim away the excess seam allowance instead of tracing the seamline.

That allowed me to match the edge of the piping with the raw edge of the scalloped hem. I used prepackaged piping and made tiny clips every 1/2" or so along the entire length so it would curve along the scallops. Using a zipper foot I basted the piping to the right side of the skirt.

When I got to the corners the clips allowed the cording to form a small rounded point.

I added the hem facing, per the book instructions. I sewed the facing to the skirt on the wrong side using the basting stitches as my guideline.

{TIP} Be sure to leave enough extra piping along the side seam. It will make sewing that side seam corner much easier - and you'll be able to cut off the tiny bit of cording to achieve a nice finish on the outside. I forgot to do that one one side and there's a bit of bump. And if anyone notices it all I got to say is they are waaaaay too close to me.

Alterations
To begin with, the only change I made was to add 1-1/2" to the length of the skirt. With the scalloped hemline it's important to decide upon the finished length before cutting. This hits just above my knee which is just where I like it.

During the fitting phase I discovered that I should have done a sway back alteration. Instead I cut a "smile" shaped piece out of the skirt back. {wink - another cheater tip}

Here's the tweak I mentioned at the beginning of this post. After wearing it for a day, I've decided I'm not liking the wide facing at the waistline. On this skirt one I'll just make the facing narrower. On future skirts I'll follow the tutorial for adding a waistband that Sarai has on her site.

Sizing
This is the first Collete pattern I've sewn. I'm always a bit uncertain in regards to sizing with independent pattern companies. The book includes a sizing chart - very similar to ready-to-wear - with measurements as well as finished garment measurements. I choose my size based on the sizing but added extra wide seam allowances. I'm happy to report that the extra width was not needed. I feel confident moving onto my next Collete design that the sizing is accurate. And yes, it was the size I typically purchase in ready-to-wear.

Conclusion
It makes me smile that the skirt hem sways side to side due to the stiffness of the piping.

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The Colette Meringue Skirt - almost done

2011-12-04T16:26:00.000-06:00

I present to you my first project from The Colette Sewing Handbook.

The *almost* completed Meringue skirt.

Just a wee bit more hand-sewing left and then she's done.

Oh, what's that?

Will I be sewing this again?

Why, yes. As a matter of fact I plan to sew another in plaid.

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Piped Meringue

2011-12-03T16:24:00.000-06:00

Piped meringue.

Sounds like something delicious, right?

It *is* something delicious - just not something to eat.

It's the hem of the skirt I began sewing the other day: The meringue skirt from the Colette Sewing Handbook.

I decided to highlight that adorable scalloped hem with some piping.

Just need to do a little hand-sewing and she'll be ready to debut at work next week.

And if you came expecting to see mouth-watering treats, I don't want to leave you disappointed...so check out some great images he re.

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Flashback Friday - Christmas Cookies

2011-12-02T09:50:00.000-06:00

Ah. Did you hear my big relaxed sigh? I just finished enjoying a cup of tea seeing as I've taken a day off of work to begin preparing our home for Christmas. I know Christmas is still a few weeks away but I also know how quickly it can sneak up on me.

The main event today will be cookie baking. Mmmmm...

But which recipe shall I choose first? Sugar cutouts are a tradition - and a favorite - in our house hold.

Helping to frost Christmas cut out cookies circa 1979

Perhaps it will be Spritz.

Maybe the always delicious Snickerdoodles.

The gobble-em-up-by-the-handful favorite Peanut Butter Blossoms.

The not-so-lovely but oh-so-delicious Candy Cane cookies.

Maybe I'll begin with the melt-in-your-mouth butter caramels.

Or the you-can't-believe-how-easy-these-are-to-make chocolate truffles.

Perhaps the bigger question is how can I keep the candy and cookies from being eaten before next week's cookie exchange?

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Buried in tracing paper

2011-11-29T22:23:00.000-06:00

Yea, you read that right.

I have been a busy bee tracing patterns from my Burdastyle magazines as well as my my new fave sewing book, The Colette Sewing Handbook.

Since many of you don't use Twitter, you wouldn't have seen my delighted tweet when I purchased the book a few weeks ago.

I purchased the book for the Meringue skirt pattern (just like Carolyn) and discovered that it is a delightfully well-written sewing book.

I had a detailed review for you but managed to delete the post instead of publishing it. And I'm too tired to rewrite it. So another day dear readers!

In the meantime you can check out the reviews on Amazon. But I'm warning you...you'll want the book.

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Minneapolis Pattern Review Celebration (PR Day 2011)

2011-11-22T21:19:00.002-06:00

Every year, after the PatternReview weekends I would lurk among the PR boards reading about all the fun.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I was green with envy.

After all I was reading about late nights filled with wine and laughter, shared dinners and inside jokes, fashion shows and fabric shopping, and of course the bonding between sewing friends. As much as I've wanted to attend one of these events, finances just haven't allowed it.

Which is why I jumped at a chance to take part in the PR Day 2011 being held worldwide Saturday, Nov. 19.

Ten of us began the celebration early and met for dinner at the Mall of America the night before. Dotes wore her lovely animal print coat making it easy for us to spot her outside the restaurant. We let out squeals of delight when we reconized one another and finally had the chance to meet face-to-face.

The bond was immediate and 10 almost-strangers began friendships that night.

The conversation over dinner could have lasted all night. Now I really understand why all those late nights during the PR weekends.

On Saturday - THE BIG DAY - we met at our favorite fabric warehouse, SR Harris.

Everyone was greeted with a lovely little welcome packet.

We then got down to business. After all we had less than three hours to get through the entire building.

By the time we were ready to head to our next destination - the uber-cool Crafty Planet - the first snowstorm of the season had begun. With some discussion as to whether or not we should reschedule the group, in true hardy Minnesota fashion, plowed ahead. (No pun intended...but it would have been nice if the plows had been out as the roads were getting icy. )

The short commute from SR Harris to Crafty Planet took a bit longer than usual but everyone made it safely.

And only one person almost had an accident. Me! On the cloverleaf to enter one freeway a car spun out in front of me and came to a stop sideways on the road. While I was trying to stop my car on icy road I was also trying to decide which ditch would be less likely to cause my car to rollover. Fortunately my car came to a stop partially off the road, the car behind me managed to stop and the car that had slid slowly manuevered their way back onto the freeway. And that was my welcome to Minnesota winter driving.

Okay, back to fun stuff.

We were able to participate in the Fabric-by-Fabric One Yard Wonders book release party being held at Crafty Planet. This second book is just as great as the first one! I'll have a review and a giveaway of the book in the near future as part of the book blog tour.

I recognized my project immediately as Alee Marsh, Storey Publishing publicist, had it on. Isn't she adorable?

After signing books and posing with the authors, Rebecca Yaker and Trish Hoskins (Crafty Planet owner), I rejoined the rest of the group who was busy oohing and aahing over all the great cotton fabrics, designer patterns, yarns and trims that fill the store.

We regrouped at Fat Lorenzo's for drinks and show and tell...

The group shot...

And celebratory chocolate cake...

Which we ate BEFORE dinner :-)

I've long known that the online sewing community is (for the most part) warm, friendly, giving and talented. And this group is no exception. The projects that were shared would amaze you - there is a lot of talent in this small group.

Due to the weather we had a smaller group than what was originally planned and ended the evening sooner than we might have otherwise. But we've already begun talking about a gathering after the holidays. Although we're not too sure we can wait that long.

Now, not only do we have our own inside jokes but we have the beginnings of life-long friendships due to PR Day 2011.

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The two-hour knit top aka Jalie 2921 Scarf-Collar Top

2011-11-20T15:39:00.001-06:00

At this weekend's local PatternReview celebration (and I'll share more of that with you after I get all the photos downloaded) one of the participants was wearing a scarf-collar knit top. Being the PatternReview.com lurker that I am, I immediately recognized it as the Jalie 2921 scarf-collar knit top.

After a quick discussion on how the sizing ran for the brand and tips for sewing the top, she shared that it only takes her about an hour to make one.

"Ha!" I thought. "That top is way too complicated to only take an hour. Wow, she's really a good sewer!"

That thought was followed by "Hey! I have that pattern in my stash. I should use it because that's a cute tee"

So I did.

And it really is pretty fast. Not one hour fast (I bow down to you Lori). But just about double that. So two hours for cutting and sewing a tee ain't too shabby is it?

The fabric is a lightweight abstract print from our fabric shopping at SR Harris yesterday.

Because it was an abstract print I wasn't too concerned with where I placed the pattern pieces. And I almost managed to give myself a bulls eye.

I laughed out loud as soon as I put it on as it's much more obvious in person. It's okay, you can laugh along with me.

The scarf/neckline on this tee has the greatest construction!

Attach collar to top.

Roll top up into collar.

Sew scarf and collar seam. (A teeny-tiny 1" is left open to allow for turning.)

Turn right side out.

Seriously. You should buy the pattern just for that.

And the fact that the fit and sizing is great. Pretty close to RTW sizing. I sewed this with zero alterations. Yea, you read that right. Z-E-R-O!

Well, and because it's a darn cute tee.

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Edit 11/21/11: Whoops! Got so excited about no alterations that I told a little fib. But not on purposes! I completely forgot that I raised the neckline by 2". Whew, got that off my chest.

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Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) Pivot and Slide method on Vogue 1261

2011-11-18T14:47:00.001-06:00

Vogue 1261, the Alice + Olivia knit tunic I shared with you on my last post, is designed to be fairly close fitting at the bustline. For me that meant I would need do an full bust adjustment (FBA) to achieve the intended look.

On patterns that do not have a dart, like this one, I like to use the pivot and slide method to increase the bustline.

Here's how I do a pivot and slide FBA pattern alteration.

Cut the pattern out along the cut lines for the size needed. For this tunic I cut a small for the neck/shoulder and tapered to a medium from the bust to the hip.

Place a large sheet of tracing paper on a pinable surface. I use a cardboard cutting board and tracing paper from Dick Blick.

Lay the pattern piece on top of the paper. Trace around the pattern piece. Be sure to trace the center front also and mark the waistline at the center front on the tracing paper. This will be an important mark later when you're pivoting the patter p

At the underarm area, measure the amount you want to add. Make a mark on the tracing paper. In my case I added 1" to each side front.

Place a pin at the shoulder seam where the seam lines would intersect.

Pivot the pattern so the side underarm seam aligns with the mark you place on the paper. Pin it to the board.

Trace along the armhole of the pattern piece. This is the new armhole cutting line.

Remove the pin from the shoulder seam, but keep the pin in place at the underarm seam.

Pivot the pattern back to the original waistline.

Draw the new side seam. My new armhole and side seam are shown below in black.

I know it sounds a bit confusing, and while you're doing the pivot and slides it looks like it won't work. But it will.

This provided just enough extra room in the bustline so as not to destroy the design line of this tunic.

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Pretty in pink - Vogue 1261

2011-11-16T21:11:00.001-06:00

Did I ever show you this top? It's the top from the photo shoot that happened a few weeks ago. The one the dogs kept interrupting to play Frisbee.

I sewed it the end of October thinking I could pair it with a pair of skinny jeans and boots. More about that later. Let's talk about the top first.

It's Vogue 1261, an Alice + Olivia knit tunic top. Can I just stop for a moment and tell you that the pattern is rated easy - and it is - provided you do not follow the recommended construction.

Huh? I know. That doesn't make much sense does it? What I didn't realize until I purchased the pattern is that the seams are supposed to be folded under, butted together and then sewn together. Ignore that. Unless you want that design feature. I admit it could be a fun detail, but I was going to quick and easy so I ignored it.

I noticed when I pulled the pattern pieces out of the envelope was how tiny the width of the sleeve appeared to be. I could tell just by eyeballing these that they'd need width added. Now I have little arms by any means due to a combination of my body type and working out. But I rarely have to alter my sleeve pattern pieces.

I had expected a loose fitting tunic, but when I saw the finished measurements printed on the pattern piece I realized I'd need to do an FBA to achieve the slightly over-sized look I was going for.

It's also a bit shorter than I had hoped, but I didn't have enough fabric. And I had my heart set on sewing this tunic from a lovely pink wool knit I purchased recently from SR Harris. I'm hoping I can find more when I go for the PR Day celebration as it was lovely to work with.

The construction went rather quickly. I'm loving the wide deep cowl and the slight asymmetrical hemline. Oh, and get this. The hem is left unfinished with a double row of topstitching about half an inch from the edge.

Anyway, back to the wanting to wear this with skinny jeans and boots. I do think it would look great worn that way, but on the right person. Not gonna happen for me. Remember those not-so-skinny upper arms I mentioned earlier? I have the legs to match. They're also on the muscular side and skinny jeans are not my friend.

I'll post photos of the method I used for the FBA in the next day or so.

All in all I'm pleased with the pattern and will sew myself at least one more. It'll be a great top to toss on after work.

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Pattern Review 10th Anniversary - Minneapolis / St Paul - Saturday, Nov. 19

2011-11-14T19:49:00.001-06:00

Many of you are quite familiar with PattenReview.com - in fact I would guess some of you were there when it first began in November 2001. I didn't discover PatternReview.com until August 2002 and joined immediately.

It was such a joy to find an online community of folks who sewed....and sewed clothing! In my day-to-day it was rare for me to run into someone who sewed. And when I did and they discovered I sewed my own clothing the response was usually "oh, I used to do that. but now I just quilt."

Reading their reviews were fun and I couldn't wait to do my own review. I still remember being so envious of those that had digital cameras and were able to *actually post photos* to go along with their pattern review! Wow, how times have changed in 10 years.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, Pattern Review will have a worldwide 10th Anniversary celebration. And if you sew and live in or near the Twin Cities you're invited to join us.

Friday, Nov. 18
For those who like to get the party started early, dinner reservations have been made for Friday, Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m. at Tucci Benucch, Mall of America. The reservations under "PR Day". If you can't make it exactly at 6:30 that's okay, come anyway. Please leave a comment or send me an email (sewingbysharon at gmail dot com) if you plan on attending Friday night so we can make sure we have enough space reserved.

Saturday, Nov. 19
Noon - 2 pm: We'll meet at SR Harris Fabric Warehouse for some fabric shopping. After all, what would a sewing meet-up be like without fabric? Feel free to start shopping earlier - they open at 10 am. If you haven't been here we promise to help pick your chin up off the floor when you walk in the doors. It's wall-to-wall fabric. Or check out this little video from one of my past shopping trips.

2 - 2:15 pm (or so): Travel to next location.

2:15 - 3:30 pm: Crafty Planet where they're "saving the world one stitch at a time". You'll find great yarns, independent designer patterns, books, notions, trims and quilting cottons galore in this fabulous independent fabric store. Most people only get to shop them online. But you're not most people are you?
BONUS! The One Yard Wonders 2 book release party is happening from 2-5 p.m. so we'll get to join in those festivities also!
(P.S. Pre-order your book if you want to purchase a copy that day. Details on their website)
(P.P.S I just received my preview copy for the book blog tour and it's fabulous!)

Oh, if anyone prefers, they can visit Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul instead and meet up again at Fat Lorenzo's.

3:30 - 4 pm: Travel to next location

4 - 7 pm: (or ? ) Fat Lorenzo's in Bloomington (thanks to PR member, Laura)

Show and Tell - we want to see what you bought! Bring anything you've sewn that you'd like to share with the group.
Pattern and fabric swap - are you like me and accidentally by duplicate patterns during those 99 cent sales? Ordered fabric online that just wasn't right? Bring pattens or fabric for a swap BUT if it's not taken at the end of the night you have to bring it home. Anything left unclaimed will be donated. Although that's pretty unlikely with this group.
Dinner - everyone will be responsible for purchasing their own dinner.
PR Anniversary cake
Door prize - 1,000 Clever Sewing Tips book

Of course the best part of the day will be meeting and hanging out with sewing friends.

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Feel free to join in all day or just the times that work for you.

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Please consider bringing a food shelf item to Fat Lorenzo's. We'll collect everything and donate.

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Make a name tag so we know who you are. I'll have the "hello my name is...." stickers if you forget or don't have time.

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Please leave a comment - or email me - letting me know you'll be there so we can watch for you.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in a few days!
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Just trying to take a few photos

2011-10-30T17:24:00.000-05:00

Taking photos to share with you can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. For many reasons, but mainly because I have two very curious dogs. It's like when your kids are young and as soon as you begin a telephone conversation they absolutely have to have your attention right this minute. My dogs are the same way only its the camera not the phone that causes them to want my attention - right this minute.

It's even worse when I bring my dress form outdoors. You see my big dog loves to play Frisbee. And in her mind if you're in the back yard it's playtime.

After one too many photos that included doggie tails and faces I gave up and played Frisbee.

I mean how can you ignore a face this like?

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Just ramblin

2011-10-25T22:29:00.001-05:00

Last week, after coming home from a wonderful and relaxing vacation to Wyoming, I began battling a pretty fierce head cold. A week later I'm finally beginning to feel like myself again.

I don't know about you, but I've learned the hard way not to sew anything complicated when my brain is fuzzy. Which is why the only thing I've worked on is aprons.

Photographing my sewing projects outdoors will likely come to an end soon as the leaves are changing colors quickly. Which means cold and snow will follow soon. And I don't think it'll be much fun lugging my dress form outside to stage photos. But aren't the trees beautiful? This is what I see when I look out my front window.

We had a special birthday celebration this weekend. I think every birthday is special but this is extra-special because it's the second birthday we've celebrated since my son's brain tumor was discovered and removed. I'm so grateful he seems to have beaten this and is still with us. He continues to have follow up MRI's every four months (well, once the insurance gets figured out) and so far so good. Keep them prayers coming!.

My son, an avid golfer, was surprised with these golfers, hand carved by my talented father.

Do you receive the All Free Sewing.com e-newsletters? Did you happen to notice a familiar face as Designer of the Week? Yep, little ole' me.

There are a lot of great ideas on that site so check it out if you haven't done so already.

When my head clears I'll be back to work on my Burda maxi skirt and and the Burda top.

Plus I've got some fun apron designs in the works - perfect for quick gifts.

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Polka dot apron - Butterick 4945

2011-10-23T18:55:00.000-05:00

Polka dots.

Who doesn't love polka dots?

When I saw this Anthro apron I knew I needed a polka dot apron.

I mean, you'd want a polka dot apron after seeing this, right?

Here's mine. Sweet and simple.

Pattern: Butterick 4945

Fabric: 1-5/8 yards of black and white polka dot cotton/lycra blend

Time: 1-1/4 hours from cutting to photographing

Pattern changes: Add a self-fabric bow in place of a ribbon bow

Do yo have a polka dot apron?

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Flashback Friday! Tigers and Rabbits 1981

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

All together now...Awwwww.

It's okay, I already know they're so stinkin' adorable.

Darling son in his tiger costume.

And darling daughter in her bunny costume.

Not JUST costumes, but flannel pjs that were worn multiple times once Halloween was long gone.

Original post from 2007 is here.

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Fresh from the garden

2011-10-17T22:05:00.001-05:00

Don't these look luscious?

Picked fresh from the garden just a few days ago.

You see, last week while my hubby and I were experiencing cold and snow in the mountains of Wyoming summer was busy making a grand farewell here at home. The combination of sunny skies and temps climbing into the 80s gave our garden had one last growth spurt.

But what does one do with hundreds of tomatoes? Why make salsa of course.

Garden Salsa
1-1/2 lbs tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno chile, seeded and finely diced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.
From a fresh lime, grate 1/2 tsp. lime peel and squeeze 1 tbsp. juice into the bowl.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 3 cups but will only last about two days refrigerated. Or two hours if you have a bag of tortilla chips and a football game to watch :-)

Good Housekeeping has a video for making the salsa. Check it out.

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Tutorial: Sew Halloween Witch Shoe Treat Bags or Silverware Holders

2011-10-16T18:30:00.003-05:00

Just in time for Halloween!

Sew yourself a set of Witch Stocking and Shoe Silverware holders - or use them as mini treat bags.

Download the free Witch Shoe/Stocking template here.

It will open up in Google docs. To print it choose File (located on the upper left side of your screen) and choose print.

Let's get started.

For each shoe cut out 2 of the stocking (which will be the full template shown in the striped fabric) and 2 of the shoe (which will be the bottom portion of the template shown in the polka dot fabric).

Pin the shoe portion on top of the stocking as shown.

Using a narrow zig-zag, stitch along the upper edge of the shoe securing it to the stocking.

Place a scrap of tissue paper underneath the fabric to help keep the fabric from puckering. Tear away the tissue paper when you're done stitching.

Machine or hand baste the curved lower edge of the shoe to the stocking.

Stitch a 1/2" hem along the top edge of each stocking.

For each shoe holder, cut 2 pieces of ribbon 11" long.
Pin ribbon to the shoe holder as shown in the photo below.
The measurement from the edge of the stocking to where the ribbon makes a "V" on the stocking is about 1-1/2".

Hand or machine baste ribbon along edge of stocking.
Hand tack or glue where the ribbon is a "V".

Sew buttons over ribbon as shown.

Place each shoe right sides together.
Stitch together using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Leave the upper edge open. (The edge you hemmed earlier.)
Carefully clip all of the curves.

Turn right side out and press lightly.

Fill with treats

or use them as napkin or silveware holders to decorate your Halloween table.

Enjoy!

And yes, I got the idea from the mini-Christmas stocking silverware holders I made a few years ago (tutorial here).

This post is part of Today's Creative Blog

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Fall, fleece and finishing old projects - Simplicity 9822

2011-10-15T14:14:00.001-05:00

There's something about the fall weather that leads me to two things: baking and decluttering. At first glance they don't seem to go together do they? But I think it's about nesting. Getting ready to spend more time indoors as the weather cools down.

As I was decluttering I found this poncho pattern and fabric tucked on the top shelf of a closet. Already cut out and ready to go.

So what to do, what to do...

Do I place it back in the closet? Do I toss it into the donation pile? Do I take the time to sew the poncho?

Sewing won.

I began about 10 am and less than two hours later I had myself a fleece poncho.

Well, actually it's my daughters. I remembered when I pulled it out of the closet that I had promised to sew this for her. Oops - better late than never, right?

There are only three pattern pieces. The body of the poncho, the hood and the facing.

With fleece sometimes things shift on me so I pinned the edges of the facing to the wrong side. The facing will be attached to the poncho with stitches on the right side of the poncho.

And as much as I dislike basting I wanted the stitches on the right side to be accurate so I hand basted near the edges of the facing to guide my stitching.

The pattern calls for the edges to be hemmed. Since this is fleece I could have left it as is, however I choose to turn it under and stitch.

I even did quick and dirty mitered corners.

While sewing the hem at the sewing machine, when I came close to the corner I folded the corner in to the wrong side (left photo), turned the side hem in and pinned (center photo) and turned the bottom hem in and pinned (right photo).

The hood is nice and roomy for those times you just need a little something to protect your head from the weather elements.

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Flashback Friday - Halloween 1988 The Unicorn, Pirate and Mermaid

2011-10-14T08:44:00.001-05:00

Halloween 1988 - The Unicorn, Pirate and Mermaid.

Lovely costumes aren't they? All designed and sewn by my creative BFF (the pretty blonde in the photo). The biggest tell-tale sign that they were designed in the 80s would be that sequined headband.

I was never small enough to fit into her Unicorn costume, but the mermaid costume was one of my favorites. And she was always more happy to loan the costume to me. Even though I thought I was carrying around too many extra pounds to do it justice. Sigh, I'd go back and slap some sense into myself if I could.

If you're a long time reader of my blog these photos may look familiar. That's because we recently returned from an out-of-town vacation and I'm recycling a Flashback Friday post. The original story can be read on this post.

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Finishing a long-forgotten top - Burda 11-2008-114

2011-10-12T21:36:00.001-05:00

I figured it was about time I finished sewing this top -#114- from the November 2008 issue of Burda. It's a simple over-blouse with tiny neck pleats, 3/4 length sleeves and an elasticized waistline. Looks quite fetching in the photo doesn't it?

I choose a sheer silk hoping to get the same romantic feel as the top in the magazine. Many of you might even recognize the fabric as it was one of the Anna Sui silks offered by Fabric.com.

After having this cut out for almost two years it's finally finished. But I find it a bit blah.

Soooooo, I'm playing around a bit pinning various pieces of trim to the front.

What do you think of the addition of an applique to the center front?

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Antique shopping on a lazy afternoon

2011-10-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a large stack of vintage greeting cards while doing a little antique shopping on a crisp Saturday afternoon. Among the stack were these adorable late 40s baby cards congratulating new parents on the arrival of their baby. Aren't they sweet?

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Friday Fun

2011-10-07T18:59:00.002-05:00

Winter's coming!

Our Abby is such a good sport. She was very curious about the new hat as I withdrew it from the shopping bag. Perhaps because she's grown accustomed to anything coming out of a bag with "fur" means a new toy for her.

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Banana bread fresh from the oven

2011-10-06T21:52:00.000-05:00

Over ripe bananas and a well-loved favorite recipe

With a secret ingredient - fresh lemon zest

Poured into the Pamperef Chef mini loaf pans

Bake until golden brown

Cut open and take in that mouth-watering smell of freshly-bake banana bread.

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Quick & Easy Gift Idea: Turn a purchased flower applique into a headband

2011-10-05T22:54:00.003-05:00

Got ten minutes to spare? (Five if you're really quick.)

Use that spare time to embellish a headband. Or two. Or three.

It really is easy. Let me show you how.

Gather your supplies. This could be the most time-consuming part of this whole project!

A purchased applique (mine has lovely pink and white flowers with pearl accents), felt, a purchased headband (I found a pack of five at a discount store), a hot glue gun and glue stick.

Determine where you want the applique to be on the headband. Take note of how much of the applique will be attached to the headband.

Cut a shaped piece of felt to match the part of the applique that will be attached to the headband. Hot glue the felt to the back of the applique.

Hot glue to one side of the headband.

Cut a piece of felt 1" wide and 2" shorter than the shaped piece of felt. Hot glue to the back of the headband. The headband will be sandwiched between the applique and this strip of felt.

Ta-da! Done!

This post is part of Today's Creative Blog andPolly Want a Crafter?

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Just helping a fabric store with their magazine display

2011-10-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

While shopping at a local fabric this morning I quickly glanced at the sewing magazines. You know, just to see what was available. Fine, I admit it. To see if the latest SewNews was on display.

Now I ask you. How will anyone see my fabulous sweater on the cover when it's displayed like this?

Think they'll notice the little rearranging I did?

Just trying to be helpful.

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The $100+ library book

2011-09-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

I'm a fan of my local library and especially of the interlibrary loan program. There's been many times I've been able to access textile or design books from the University of MN library.

One of my latest loans was a book on batiks.

Oh sure, there's plenty of information online about batiks. But it just isn't the same as holding that book in my hand, slowly turning the pages, savoring the text and photos while snuggled into the corner of my couch.

Plus, this book is from 1922.

See? Look at some of the great fashion photos.

But the title of this post alluded to a $100 library book.

What's so special about this book?

See for yourself.

This book comes complete with a chewed up corner at a cost of over $100 - to me!
Let me explain.

I had the book on loan for three weeks. For two of those weeks it sat on my bookshelf waiting until I had time to read it.

When I did get around to reading it I remember the pages sticking due to that damaged corner. But I didn't think too much about it. After all, its an old book.

I finished the book, turned it in on time and moved on with my life.

Until I received an email from my library telling me the lending library (U of MN) would not accept of fix the damaged book and my fine would be over $100 for a replacement.

Gasp! I think my heart stopped for a second.

I was sure I hadn't damaged it, but after some conversations with library staff it became obvious it happened while in my possession.

But how?

My Maltese, Sophia, is too small (and too old) to have done this. My lab mix, Abby, could have reached the book but she's trained so well she hasn't taken a bite out of anything she's not supposed to touch in more than four years.

All of sudden it hit me. I'd hosted a big family get-together and a family member brought their Siberian Husky puppy along. And I vaguely remembered the puppy had been allowed in the house for a short period of time.

And puppies like to chew things.

The puppy must have taken a bite out of the book.

Sigh.
The story does end on a happy note. The lending library was willing to accept a purchased copy - which I was able to find for $40 - in lieu of the fine.

And I now have a 1922 book on batiks to add to my library.

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Oops! or why I'm not BFF with plaids

2011-09-27T18:49:00.009-05:00

You do know when working with plaids you should determine if you have an even or uneven plaid, right?

And you want to think about the layout, being sure to match at major seams whenever possible.

Yea, well, do as I say, not as I do.

You see I spaced out when cutting out this skirt.

I worked hard to make sure the side seams matched well.

Oh, I was so proud of myself!

Until I began pinning the front seam - oops!

Oh well, too late to fix now so I'm just moving forward. Besides I can tell everyone its ready-to-wear :-)

The skirt has some fun little design details. It's longer in back than the front, although on GiGi here you can't tell. It's high-waisted and the center back seam ending in a split vee at the back waist. There's also a little buckled tab at the back waist placed just below the vee.

I do want to make sure and show you this little detail.

It's a dart. Both the front and back have horizontal darts along the center front. Interesting huh?

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Burda 7292 underway

2011-09-26T20:27:00.000-05:00

Finally! My machines a buzz with a little fall sewing - for moi.

A simple (ha!) bias cut maxi skirt using Burda 7292. (That I picked up when JoAnn's had Burda patterns on sale for only $2.49 ~ yea!)

The fabric is a lightweight wool plaid. Gray and plum ~yummy!

I've plum colored wool crepe for the jacket if - and I do mean if - I like the skirt.

You see, I kinda forgot that figure hugging bias cut skirts don't always work well on my curvy shape.

We'll see. I just might be pleasantly surprised!

Hope so 'cuz I got the perfect boots to wear with this skirt.

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Fabric Friday

2011-09-23T19:12:00.001-05:00

Guess where I've been?

Hee, hee....

My favorite local fabric store - SR Harris Fabric Outlet.

I need to learn to bring my own garbage bag with me. The plastic bags they use aren't strong enough for the amount of fabric that came home with me.

Let me pull some of these out so you can get a closer look.

Silk jersey with a huge floral design

A semi-sheer black/white/yellow silk

A brightly colored patterned silk

A flowy patterned silk

Brown/white/pink large floral print knit

Black with scattered circles knit

Black/white floral print knit

Black/white/silver stripe knit

Black/gold (sparkles!) striped knit

There was more but they're just solid colored wools. Yea, I didn't think you'd care to see those.

So have I enticed you enough to consider joining me on Nov. 19 for the local PR Day celebration? I did mention it will include fabric shopping at SR Harris, right?

Oh, before I forget. I got the idea for "Fabric Friday" from Mena (Sew Weekly) during a session held at The Creative Connection.

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Dog + Frisbee = Pure Happiness

2011-09-22T21:04:00.001-05:00

Sewing break...

Did I just hear a big collective "Awwwww"?

Yea, she is kinda cute isn't she?

Nothing make this dog happier than playing Frisbee.

...okay, now back to sewing.

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The bag of swag from The Creative Connection

2011-09-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

Well, The Creative Connection has come and gone. All that's left are the memories and...the swag bag.

Seriously people. I was only there for one day and look at all the goodies that came home with me.

The best takeaway was the connections I made with some amazing women. This swag was just the icing on the cake.

I'll share my experience at TCC with you later this week.

In the meantime, mark your calendars, toss your pennies in a jar and plan on attending next year.

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Mmmm...chocolate

2011-09-20T21:13:00.001-05:00

Sometimes a gal's gotta get away from that sewing machine and whip up a batch of Ghiradelli chocolate chip cookies.

Mmmmmm.

Can't you just smell those freshly baked cookies dripping with hot chocolate.

The good-looking ones get to be enjoyed by hubby's co-workers.

The others?

I'm not telling...

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PR Day in the USA (and beyond)

2011-09-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

Hey Twin Cities! and beyond...

There's going to be a PR Day in the Twin Cities, Saturday, Nov. 19, to celebrate PatternReview's birthday - the big 1-0.

Yep, PatternReview is turning 10.

To celebrate all around the world PR members will be meeting up to celebrate sewing - and friendship.

I just volunteered to coordinate this so nothing is firm yet.

Some thoughts:

Fabric shopping at SR Harris Fabric Outlet
Show and tell
Pattern and fabric swap
Food
?????

Leave me a comment if you this sounds like something you're interested in attending.

And for sure leave me a comment (and send me an email: sewingbysharon at gmail dot com) if you want to help plan the day!

In the meantime fill out the poll advising which one you'll be attending.

Not a PR member yet? Visit the site and sign up for the free membership.

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Rusted but not forgotten

2011-09-18T21:39:00.001-05:00

See this little rusted beauty?

My father discovered it abandoned on the side of the road. Tossed aside as a useless piece of rusted junk.

He didn't see a piece of junk.

He saw an old sewing machine, perfect for one of his daughter's "that sews". (Moi!) So he carted the discarded piece of junk home and lovingly cleaned her and oiled her.

Imagine the stories this machine could tell!

Who was her first owner? Was it a young bride? Was she a mother? Did she enjoy sewing or was it something she did because it was expected of her? Did she pass on the tradition to her daughter? Or her granddaughter? What were her treasured memories with this machine?

Sigh...I'd love to know.

It's not a working machine. Just the top part of the machine. There is a metal plate with what appears to be a serial number giving a clue as to the year this Singer may have been made: K261576.

I'm not sure where it will be displayed but it will go definitely find a place in my home. After all, every time I look at it I'll be reminded that my father spent time making a piece of trash look beautiful just to see me smile.

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Today's the day - The Creative Connection

2011-09-15T06:41:00.000-05:00

It's here!

The Creative Connection starts today.

I'm getting ready to head out the door to the jam-packed BlogHer Handmade Day. Breakfast networking, sessions on blogging and creating community, fabulous keynote speakers at lunch...

I'm super excited to meet some folks that I've been exchanging emails and Tweets. And who knows? Maybe I'll be lucky enough to meet the infamous Gretchen from Gertie's new Blog for Better Sewing.

Due to finances I could only attend one day (boo) so today's the day!

Guess what I'm most excited about?

I have the opportunity to participate in a craft book pitch slam! Yep! I get all of three minutes to try and verbalize my idea to a panel of four experts in the industry. Do you know how fast three minutes flies? Yeow!

The weather today is definitely Minnesota fall-ish (30s right now) so I gotta run and try and find some of the my winter stuff.

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you all about it! Wish you were going to be there with me!

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On the cover of Sew News! Turn a ready-made sweater into a cardigan with attached scarf.

2011-09-08T20:49:00.001-05:00

Have you see the latest Sew News issue?

As soon as I saw it that old 70s song, "Cover of the Rolling Stone" began running through head.

I know what you're thinking. "Why in the world would you think of THAT song?"

Well let me tell ya.

See that purple sweater? It's mine!

Yep, I'm on the cover of Sew News. Well, not ME, but my sweater.

I loved doing this project and am thrilled that the editors thought all of you would like it enough to put it on the cover.

The samples arrived in the mail the same day my magazine did and I'm looking forward to cooler weather as I think this will be great worn with skinny jeans and boots. (Or is that oh-so-last-season already?)

The "pintucks" on the scarf are created using a serger.

Inside you'll find instructions to create another cardigan with an attached sheer three-fabric scarf - no serger needed.

Guess what? Sew News has the entire article available on their website. You can download it for free.

Be sure to share if you make yourself one.

And just because I love my four-legged friends...here's Abby trying to sneak out of the back yard to join me for the photo shoot.

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I'm GOING! The Creative Connection

2011-09-06T21:09:00.000-05:00

Yippee! I'm going this year!

Can you tell I'm excited?

I wasn't able to attend last year.

And perhaps I wasn't quite ready. If you've read my blog for a while you may recall that this time last year we were still dealing with my son's recovery from his brain tumor and treatment.

Side note: my son continues to do well. He feels good, has gained back most of the weight lost during chemo, and we're optimistic that the next MRI will again reveal no new tumor. Praise Jesus!

Now, back to The Creative Connection.

It's going to be awesome to be surrounded by so many creative folks! Financially I could only swing one day so I choose BlogHer Handmade day. A day jam packed with networking, social media panels, and a dinner with key note speakers Cristina Ferrare (of Big Bowl of Love) and Holly Becker (of decor 8).

I'm going alone people! So if any of you are going to be there be sure to email me (sewingbysharon at gmail dot com) so we can hook up.

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Sewing chaos

2011-09-04T18:05:00.000-05:00

My little sewing studio has been a whir of activity this week with my machine going almost non-stop.

Oh my word, you should see the chaos on the floor.

Not the cute organized chaos but the paper, pins, scissors, rulers, fabric, scraps, thread, trimmings, notebooks strewn all about chaos.

I've been busy sewing up a craft streak (Yea, I know. I should be working on my fall wardrobe...)

Even stopped by a local quilt shop the other day looking specifically for red/white polka dot fabric.

They didn't have any.

But they had a cute red/off white polka dot fabric. And I had the opportunity to chat with the most delightful young woman who works there. She's a fellow vintage pattern lover :-)

Anyway, the polka dot fabric she found for me works much better on my project than what I had thought I wanted.

See? Here's a little sneak peek.

Gotta run!

Got a machine calling my name.

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Sew a romantic strapless ruffled maxi dress: a tutorial

2011-08-29T21:45:00.002-05:00

As promised yesterday, here's a sewing tutorial so you can sew your own Summer Dreams strapless ruffled maxi dress.

It's very similar to the strapless maxi dress tutorial I shared with you a few months ago. This time you'll customize it to fit your measurements.

Note: If you have the One Yard Wonders Book you can create this dress starting with my Strapless Belted Tunic design.

Supplies
Gauze or other lightweight fabric
1/4" elastic
Single fold bias tape
Thread

The finished length of the dress is approximately 51" measured along the side seam. Lengthen or shorten as needed.

Make your dress pattern
Measurement A
Measure your bust around the fullest part.
Add 12" (this is the ease) and divide by two.
Example: Full bust = 36" + 12" = 48" / 2 = 24"

Measurement B
Measure your hip around the fullest part.
Add 12" (this is the ease) and divide by two.
Example: Full hip = 38" + 12" = 50" / 2 = 25"

Measurement C
Add 1" to measurement B
Example: Measurement B = 25" + 1" = 26"

On a large sheet of paper draw a vertical line 37" long down the center of your paper.
Measure 15" down from the top of the vertical line and make a mark.
Starting at the top of the line draw a horizontal line equal to measurement A centered on the vertical line.
Starting at the 15" mark draw a horizontal line equal to measurement B centered on the vertical line.
Starting at the bottom of the line draw a horizontal line equal to measurement C centered on the vertical line.
Connect the top line to the bottom line along both sides.
This is the front and back of the maxi dress.
If your full busted, on the front piece measure 1" to the top of the vertical line. Make a mark. Use a French curve to draw a gently curved line from the each side seam to the mark at the center front.

Cut the dress
Cut 1 dress front
Cut 1 dress back
Calculate and cut the upper ruffle length
Multiply measurement A by 1.5. This is the ruffle length Measurement D.
The ruffle width is 10"

Cut 1 front bodice ruffle measurement D x 10"
Cut 1 back bodice ruffle measurement D x 10
Example. Measurement A = 24" x 1.5 = 36" so the ruffles to be cut are 36" x 10"
Calculate and cut the lower ruffle length
Multiply measurement C by 3. This is the ruffle length Measurement E.
The ruffle width is 17"
Cut enough lower ruffle pieces to equal measurement E x 17"
You'll need to piece the ruffle to get the desired length
Example. Measurement C = 26" x 3 = 78"

You now have the upper ruffle, the dress, and the lower ruffle.

Sew the dress
Pin the front and back dress right sides together.

Stitch side seams.

From the top of the dress measure down 10" on the wrong side and make a mark.

Draw a line around the entire dress.

Be sure to use a removable fabric pen or chalk.

This is the line for the waistline casing. Eliminate this step if you do not want an elasticized waist.

Pin the single-fold bias tape on the inside of the dress aligning the bottom edge of tape on the marked line.

Stitch in place close to each edge of the bias tape.

Pin the front and back upper bodice ruffles right sides together.

Stitch side seams.

Turn bottom edge 1/4" to the wrong side; press. Turn under 1/4" again to the wrong side; press. Stitch in place.

Gather the upper edge of the ruffle. To gather use a long stitch length and stitch along the upper edge 1/2" from the edge leaving thread tails at each end. Stitch a second row of stitches 1/4" away from the edge.

With right sides up (wrong side of ruffle to right side of bodice), pin ruffle to upper edge of bodice matching side seams.

Adjust gathers to fit.

Stitch ruffle in place.

Finish raw edge of seam with bias binding.

To create the casing turn under 3/4" on the upper edge of the bodice; press.

Stitch casing to the bodice 1/2" from the top fold being sure to keep the ruffle free. Leave a 1" opening to insert the elastic.

Cut a piece of 1/4" elastic a comfortable upper chest measurement plus 1/2".

Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and insert in the casing.

Pull elastic thru the casing. Lap the elastic ends by 1/2" and stitch together securely.

Pin the lower ruffles right sides together. Stitch seams.

Turn bottom edge 1/4" to the wrong side; press. Turn under 1/4" again to the wrong side; press. Stitch in place.

Gather the upper edge of the ruffle.

Pin ruffle to lower edge of dress right sides together matching side seams.

Adjust gathers to fit. Stitch.

Cut a piece of elastic a comfortable waist measurement plus 1/2".

Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and insert in the casing.

Pull elastic thru the casing. Lap the elastic ends by 1/2" and stitch together securely.

Done!

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Summer Dreams - a strapless ruffled maxi dress

2011-08-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

The Summer Dreams white gauze maxi dress.

A strapless beauty with a wide romantic ruffle along the bodice.

Complete with a deep hemline ruffle that flows gently around your legs as you walk.

Tutorial coming...stay tuned.

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Hmmm, now that was a dumb idea

2011-08-24T20:31:00.001-05:00

Ever had one of those ah-ha moments? You know, when you just figured out the best solution ever to your little nagging problem?

One of those flashes of brilliance hit me just the other day.

I was busy sewing my circle skirt, (after those silly sewing four-legged sewing companions got bored and left the room long enough for me to actually cut out the skirt! and from your comments I see I'm not the only one with "helpful" sewing buddies).

Anyway, as I was saying. I was busy sewing my circle skirt and realized the fabric was a bit sheerer than I had anticipated.

Having a bit of a phobia about wearing see-through clothing (remind me to share one that embarrassing moment in fashion with you someday. ) I realized I'd have to wear a slip with this skirt.

Okay, so raise your hand if you want to wear a slip under a summer skirt. Nope, me neither.

"Ah-ha!" I thought. "I can just add a cotton lining. Just a partial lining so it doesn't get too heavy."

Dumb idea: I cut the lining using the pattern for the shorter version of the skirt and basted it to the waistline before adding the waistband. It qualifies as a dumb idea because the skirt no longer fell softly from the waistline.

I realized my mistake when I tried the skirt on. There was too much additional bulk due to the addition of a second circle skirt underneath the first one. I have enough hip-fluff already thank-you- very-much. The lining didn't need to be that full.

I'll just remove the lining completely and take my chances on the sheerness in the sunshine.

At least I had fun taking photos when I discovered my camera can shoot multiple photos in seconds when using the self timer.

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Circle (skirt) Cutting Challenges

2011-08-22T21:25:00.001-05:00

Decided I wanted an end of summer maxi skirt.

Not just a maxi skirt, but a circle maxi skirt.

As I was getting ready to do all those math calculations (see, aren't you glad you paid attention in match class when you really wanted to be creating and oil painting in art class? Oh, wait, maybe that was just me) I said to myself "Why bother with all those calculations when Simplicity 2233 has done all the work for me?"

Even though the Suede patterns kinda bug me. Oh, not the designs. I do find them cute. Just the third person "Suede says" stuff...

But back to the circle skirt.

Do you know how challenging cutting out a maxi circle skirt can be?

First of all you need lots and lots of Fabric. For this pattern, almost 6 yards of 45" wide fabric or 5 yards of 60" wide fabric.

I had just over four yards. But shoot. I had my heart set on using this fabric for this skirt so I would just have to make it work.

In the end I simply shortened the skirt figuring I can always had a contrast fabric band to the bottom to get the right length.

Secondly, you need a lot of space to lay that fabric flat. I ended up using the sewing room floor as the surface of my cutting table isn't large enough.

Lastly, if you have curious creatures in the house good luck actually pinning and cutting those pattern pieces.

Eventually they both lost interest and the skirt was successfully cut out.

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Do you pin?

2011-08-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

On Pinterest that is.

I wasn't sure what to think of it when I first signed up. But I've been exploring it a bit and discovered it's a great online inspiration board. An easy way to keep track of a lot of things I may want to refer back to. And it sure is a lot easier than bookmarking all those pages.

For example. While browsing Nordstrom's site, I came across this Alice + Olivia striped wool cashmere sweater.

Looks a lot like Butterick 5563 doesn't it?

Just need to find myself a luxurious piece of striped fabric and the look could be recreated for a lot less than $295. Using Pinterest I can "bookmark" the image and add the reference to the pattern.

It's great for other DIY ideas also, like this Anthropologie cape. Now if I can only find the right sweaters to refashion for a fall cape.

Sometimes I just pin stuff that makes me smile, like cupcakes, or color combinations or even books I may want to purchase.

So I ask again, do you pin?

Leave me a comment so I can follow your pins.

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I blinked and two weeks went by ...

2011-08-15T21:31:00.000-05:00

Is your summer flying by as quickly as mine

I've been so crazy busy I've barely stepped into my sewing studio.

Well, except for one little project I finished for a Sew News article that will appear spring 2012. I'm really excited about it and wish I could share it with you NOW. But this little sneak peek will have to do. Three samples were sewn before I settled on these fabrics. I'm really loving the colors. The fabric is from the Paradise collection from Art Gallery Fabrics.

I've been so busy I haven't been able to get my little Maltese, Sophia, to the groomer. She's beginning to resemble a mini English Sheepdog.

And both dogs watch very closely for any clue telling them this is the night they'll get a good long walk.

There was a wee bit of excitement in my life the other day. During one of my County Fair shifts I went into our tiny little storage area to grab some literature and found this little surprise. I thought it was a piece of trash. Just as my hand was reaching out to remove it my brain screamed "Eeeew! That's not trash, that's a bat!"

And finally, after the whirlwind of the past two weeks I was able to spend a relaxing day with hubby enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery while out cruising on the Goldwing.

So how about you. Have you been able to find time to sew?

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Eight silly monkeys and a pinafore dress - Simplicity 2461

2011-08-04T21:03:00.000-05:00

Some time ago I stumbled across a copy of the book "Eight Silly Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" - complete with finger puppets. With a little one's first birthday on the horizon I purchased it knowing she loves books (how could she not coming from a long-line of booklovers?). The monkey theme was perfect as her grandmother and I have a long running birthday tradition that involves cards with monkeys. (You had to be there from the start to understand why we get hysterical over monkey themed birthday cards - but that's one of the great things about sisters, right? Those little inside jokes.)

Anyway, with the monkey book purchased when I found this fabric at SR Harris (awww, look at that little monkey face) I knew I had to sew her a dress to go along with the book.

Besides, her great-grandpa is a clown. (Yes, he really is...) And these aren't just monkeys. They're circus monkeys!

Did you notice the zipper at the back of the dress? I can't even remember the last time I didn't sew in an invisible zipper. I wasn't even sure I'd remember how to do a "normal" one. Whew...just like riding a bike.

The dress is Simplicity 2461. I sewed a long sleeved version in the hopes it would be large enough for her to wear this fall as the weather begins to cool.

The pattern includes bloomers. Well, not exactly. They are actually just the shorts pattern with a casing and elastic added at the bottom. If I sew this again I'd cut and slash the pattern to make these fuller - more like a true bloomer.

Actually I want to note that I didn't find much fullness in the body of the dress or the sleeves. The pattern envelope illustrations led me to believe the dress would be fuller than it is. It's fine, but next time I'll slash and spread the skirt and sleeve pieces to get the look I was going after.

The dress alone is okay - maybe a teeny bit blah - even with all those cute little monkeys. It was supposed to have a bright pink polka dot double hem ruffle. Oops! Forgot to pre-wash that fabric. Oh well, pink rick-rack will do. She's one. She won't care.

I think the contrasting pinafore is what really perks the dress up. The pinafore fabric is Michael Miller Playdate Pixie Sticks.

The pinafore closes in the back with two little buttons and bias button loops.

It can be worn alone as a sundress with the little bloomers. Sweet.

I'd forgotten how much fun it was to sew for toddlers.

And how much fun it was to rhyme:

Eight silly monkeys jumping on a bed
One fell off and bumped its head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed"

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Polka dots, pockets and pink elephants

2011-07-24T21:46:00.003-05:00

As I was searching for cotton fabrics for a project I'm working on I stumbled across this fabric.

Perfect! Quirky with a retro vibe I knew it would be perfect for an apron I was donating as a silent auction item at a Charity Wine Tasting Event.

I even knew exactly what design I'd use. A vintage apron pattern, Advance 6607. It has no copyright date, but according to this site I estimate the design to be from 1953 or 1954.

Because this vintage pattern is a small, an 8-10 but no waist measurements provided, I choose to create my own waistband, adding a slight curve to mimic the apron's curved hem. I also increased the apron ties to measure 32" each. My goal was to make it easier to fit a number of different folks in various sizes.

Can I just say that I seriously wanted to keep this one for myself?

I mean, I love everything I sew. (Well, almost everything...but that's another story for another day.)

And if you listened to my interview on the Sew Forth Now podcast you know that whatever I'm currently sewing has that special place of being favored.

But look at those pink elephants! They obviously have indulged in one too many cocktails.

And those pockets! Large enough to hold both the vermouth and the gin. Or your martini ...

The back is as adorable as the front with its big pink and gray polka dot bow.

I found some one serving pre-mixed modern martini mixes to add to the apron for the auction.

And I am happy to report that the final bidder was beyond thrilled with her new apron. As soon as she knew she had won it she put it on.

That, combined with the money it brought it for the fundraiser, made me glad I didn't keep it for myself.

Besides, I can always sew another one can't I?
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Edited 7/27/11: Hey! I forgot to mention where I found the fabric and a few of you have asked. They are both Michael Miller prints that I purchased at Treadle Yard Goods. I've found them online also - at Hancock Fabrics and Fabric.com for starters - just Google "Michael Miller pink elephants".

Yabba, dabba, doo! McCall's 6319 or yet another knit dress

2011-07-21T22:01:00.003-05:00

Okay, enough with the "teaser" photo. Here's the dress:


McCall's 6319 with wide belt

It's McCall's 6319, another easy to sew sleeveless knit dress with interesting neckline options. I planned to sew view C, the dress shown in gray.

Image from www.mccallpattern.mccall.com

Oops! Not paying close attention while cutting out my pattern pieces meant I ended up with view B.

McCall's 6319 with narrow belt

That's okay. I like that view also.

But that off-center v-neck combined with the fabric I choose reminds me of Wilma Flintstone.

Good think I didn't accessorize with my big white beaded necklace...

(You didn't see it before I mentioned it but now that's all you can think of right?)

The entire bodice is lined which I found to be a nice touch as it finishes the neck and armhole edges very neatly. The instructions provided for lining the bodice are excellent. You stitch together one shoulder seam in both the bodice and lining, leaving one unsewn. The armhole and neck edges are then stitched together and the lining is turned through the unsewn shoulder seam. Simply slipstitch that shoulder seam lining together and there you have it - a nicely finished inside.

The waistline casing is created when the skirt and bodice are sewn together. And did you notice the not so nice finished edges? Yea, everything doesn't have to be a work of art.

The pattern was 99 cents. The dress fabric was purchased on clearance at Joann's for about $6. The lining was a small piece of knit left over from another project. The 1/4" elastic for the waist was maybe 50 cents. For a dress that will see one (maybe two) seasons I didn't waste my time changing the thread in my serger so the seams would look pretty.

I thought the zipper detail on the shoulder of view A (the white dress) was kinda fun and thought I'd add it to this dress. However a quick peek at my zipper box revealed the only metal zipper I had near the correct size was a taupe. So, thumbs down on that idea.

By the way, if you do choose to add the zipper detail, if you follow the instructions you'll have a functioning zipper on your shoulder. You could just sew it to the shoulder after the seam is sewn,which would be a lot faster.

Oh, before I forget. Sizing. I felt this one had plenty of ease in it. Enough that there was no FBA done on this dress....and I took the side seams in a bit. So you might want to flat measure the pattern before you cut it out. Which of course I did not do. Do as I say, not as I do...

From the back it just looks like a simple knit dress. I like it when the back of the dress gives no hint as to the fun design in the front.

So there you have it. Another easy knit dress from McCall's.

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Coming soon

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Another summer knit dress - McCall's 6319.

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Doing an FBA on the McCall's 6070 Maxi Dress

2011-07-19T20:35:00.001-05:00

Thank you for all the fabulous comments on the maxi dress! It appears I'm not the only one who decided to wait a bit before deciding to sew a maxi dress - and from the sounds of it I'll likely get to wear this one for more than just one season.

Which makes me happy cuz this baby is one super comfy dress.

Anyway, as I mentioned on maxi dress post I used the pivot and slide method to alter the bodice.

McCall's 6070, Image from www.mccallpattern.mccalls.com

I knew looking at the bodice of this pattern that I would need to increase the bust fullness as well as add to the lower front of front bodice. I figured I'd only need to add a bit as there appeared to be enough ease (the gathers) in the bust. I choose to do a small FBA - a full bust adjustment for those of you who asked...you know who you are :-) on this dress pattern, McCall's 6070.

I'm sure there are numerous ways to do a small FBA, but this is how I did it for this pattern.

1) Cut the pattern piece along the cutting lines. Place the pattern piece on top of a large piece of paper (I use tracing paper from Blick Art Supplies). Trace around the entire pattern piece.

2) Determine how much you want to add to the bust and divide by two. I wanted to add about an inch so divided by two meant I would make my mark at 1/2".

3) Next I secure the pattern piece to my cutting board with a pin at the top of the armhole and move the pattern piece until the bottom of the armhole is at the mark I made in step two. The red lines in the photo show the original tracing lines of the pattern. Trace around the "new"armhole.

4) I then move the pin to the and secure the pattern to the cutting board at the bottom of the armhole and pivot the pattern piece until the front met the original front line I traced. Trace the "new"side seam.

5) Now, pivot the pattern piece until the bottom matches the original bottom line you drew in step one. It's the red line in my photo. Did you notice the "new"armhole and side seams that you drew? They're the green lines in my photo. I added additional length to the center front simply by drawing a new line (bottom green line).

6) Last, but not least, don't forget to draw the grain line and pattern markings (like dots) on your new paper pattern piece.

As always, keep in mind that I'm not a pattern-maker and learned how to alter my patterns a lot of experimentation, reading sewing books and lots of trial and error. If there's a better way that will achieve a better fit please chime in.

That being said, I'm happy with the fit. And that's the main thing isn't it?

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McCall's 6070 Maxi Dress - better late than never

2011-07-17T20:03:00.002-05:00

So what does one wear to an outdoor graduation open house when the humidity levels are predicted to insanely high and the heat index predicted to be over 110 - and still look semi-fashionable?

A knit maxi dress of course!

After seeing the dress Bonnie sewed earlier this month I stopped by the local fabric store intent on purchasing that Simplicity pattern. However McCall's patterns were on sale so I ended up with McCall's 6070. I mean a maxi dress is a maxi dress, right?

McCall's 6070, Image from www.mccallpattern.mccalls.com

The pattern is marked "Easy", which it is. There's very few pieces - a front, a back, a neck tie and skirt.

The back, with it's V cross over and neck tie, is just as interesting as the front.

The fabric is a knit from SR Harris Fabric Warehouse. I'm not sure of the blend - maybe a cotton/lycra - but I'm not sure.

Sewing took about three hours - only because it takes some time to do the gathers under the bust and the skirt. Of course that time didn't include the pattern prep - meaning altering the bodice with an FBA. For this dress bodice I used the pivot and slide method. Be sure to come back as I'll show you how I did it in a future post.

If you're thinking you'd like this pattern better grab it while you can. It appears it may be out of print (OOP) as it's currently in the clearance section on the McCall's site.

Because I like to sew stuff after the trend is heading o-u-t.

That's just how I roll.

Oh, and the humidity and heat was indeed stifling, but the open house was wonderful anyway.

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7/19/2001 - edited to add link to blog post on how I did the FBA alteration for this dress.

7/19/2001 - edited to add that I added 1-1/2" to the length of this dress and it's still short enough to wear without heels. I'm not exactly on the tall side (about average height) so check the length when you sew this one.

Doing an FBA on Vogue 1250

2011-07-13T19:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned that I did a small FBA when sewing the lilac version of this dress, Vogue 1250.

While the dress already has a lot of ease in the bust area, I felt a small FBA would help keep the look a bit more true to the original design on my figure.

"But there's no dart on the dress!"

Yea, that always used to throw me too. But after doing about a gazillion* FBAs I'm much braver about slicing and dicing.

(* a bit of an exaggeration as I've only been doing FBAs for about 10 years).

Keep in mind that this may or may not be the "correct" way to do this, it's just the way I did it.

How I did the FBA

I cut the bottom portion of the dress off just below the shorten and lengthen line and set it aside. That way I was only working on the bodice portion of the dress.

I drew a dot on the pattern piece at approximately the bust apex. Next I drew in lines for a dart - one to the armhole just above the dot and one to the side seam.

I cut the line from the bottom up to the armhole. I spread the line apart by about 3/4 of an inch and placed pins at the dot. Notice the bottom portion looks like a triangle? That's okay.

I cut the dart line from the side seam to the dot, then spread that open enough so that the lower opening is no longer a triangle. Both lower lines are now parallel with one another.

I carefully unpinned the pattern from the cutting board and slipped tissue paper underneath the openings. That tissue paper stores use to wrap your purchases in came in handy.

After taped the tissue in place. I used medical tape which I like to keep on hand for altering patterns. I also reattached the lower portion of the dress pattern to the bodice.

And there you have it, an FBA on the dress pattern.

And I'm glad I did the alteration.

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