A New Venture, Thrifty Thursday

Good Morning Everyone!! 

I have decided to start a new feature on the blog and call it Thrifty Thursday, Thursday because I plan to do the posts on Thursdays and yes, I'm a day late!

There are a number of the independent pattern companies who are offering free patterns, real patterns. I think this is a wonderful idea. It gives you an idea of their how their patterns are produced and sized without making a huge financial commitment except for a little paper and ink and of course your fabric and the little bit of time it takes to tape the pattern together. I am becoming a huge fan of pdf patterns. I love the instant gratification of being able to print it out and have it immediately and never leave my house!! So I thought that I would print off and make one pattern each week and share my thoughts. As for my thoughts, please understand that I try to live by the motto of if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Now yes, I'm human and I may say something to a friend, privately, but not publicly here on the blog. I see this forum as a place to help build people up rather than tear them down. I hope that you'll find this new feature fun and informative. I have done a few pieces ahead and I have truly enjoyed what I've discovered so far.

My first piece features two lovely ladies from right here in Chicago. I did the oversized Hemlock Tee from Grainline Studios,

 and the Yellow Tail Camisole from Disparate Disciplines.

I made the Hemlock Tee out of a tissue knit that I purchased a while back at Denver Fabrics in Denver, Colorado. I think they have changed the name to Colorado Fabrics. Regardless, great store. If you are ever in Denver, you must make a stop and leave a little of your money behind ;)

I edged the top with a reptile knit that I got from Haberman's in Michigan. This is another must stop by fabric store if you are ever in the Detroit area. This fabric was actually a leftover piece from the outfit I did for the Passion For Fashion contest last year at the American Sewing Expo. I edged the bottom of the tee

as well as the bottom of the sleeves. She intended the sleeves to be more of a 3/4 sleeve, I wanted them to be a long sleeve so the extension worked out great.

 I also used the knit around the neckline.

This pattern is not a sized pattern, so just one size is given. Jenn gives the measurements of the pattern so you can decide if it will work for you before you print off the pattern. The pattern was VERY easy to put together, well drafted and I LOVE my top!!

I actually tested the camisole pattern for Mari of Disparate Disciplines so this is really a second  make for me. I love this pattern and you will see more versions of it later this summer. Lengthen the pattern and it makes a wonderful summer dress. It is also perfect as a slip. Just a great and versatile all around pattern.
On the website you'll see that you can pay for the pattern if you wish, but it is not mandatory by no means. If you would like to give one of Mari's patterns a try before jumping in and making a financial commitment, you are more than welcome to do so with this pattern. Just a note, I have tested all of her patterns and I have been very pleased with the drafting, sizing and overall quality of the patterns.
I did make one change to the pattern this time. If you look at the picture above, you'll see that there is a 2" wide band around the bottom of the camisole. I just wanted it to be a little longer, so I cut a 4" wide band, folded it in half and serged it to the bottom. Easy.

A little note about the straps, when I make this top, prior to attaching the straps, I try the top on with the bra I will wear underneath it and adjust my straps accordingly. I am rather narrow across my chest, so I usually have to cut a little off the sides in order for my straps to match my bra straps.
And now for the fashion show pictures ;)  

 The picture below gives you an idea of how the Hemlock Tee hangs.

 And finally, the Yellow Tail Camisole. Rather fun!

The Hemlock Tee is the perfect throw on top to wear over jeans or leggings and the Yellow Tail Camisole is perfect on its own and great for pairing under a loose tee like the Hemlock. Now go print one for yourself!!!

Mitten, Mitten, Whose Got the Mitten!

Oh my, do I ever have something great to share with you today. My little friend, Miss Mari of http://disparatedisciplines.com/ recently told me that she had a new pattern for me to test, a mitten pattern. My first thought was, "Really?, mittens?" Then she told me what made them special, you can use your phone in cold weather and not take off your gloves!!! She researched conductive fabric and found some that works beautifully. Now, I am a bit of a stone age left over when it comes to anything on the computer, so I had no idea that there was such a thing as conductive fabric. When she brought it over to show me, oh my, I was like a kid in a toy shop, what fun!!! I also had the opportunity to see just how cute the mittens are.

The shape of the mittens is just wonderful and they look so nice on your hand. Notice the back side. Mari had said that she really didn't like the seams going down the sides, so she decided to bring the seams around to the back and make one long seam down the center. I love this detail. You can see that it allows for designs possibilities. In the picture below you can see the conductive fabric on the tips of the fingers and the thumb. She has the fabric in black, I chose to use the gray so it would stand out a little more. One note about the conductive fabric, it is a bit thin. I did a little test and folded it into 4 layers to see if it would still work and it does. For my mittens, I just used a double layer of the fabric. The fabric I used is a double faced stretch wool. So I used one side for the body of the mittens and the back side for the palm.

No picture of me this morning. First of all, the wind chill is -18 degrees, so it is super cold out. I also have another procedure to deal with today, so I am trying to take it easy before I go and not rush around too much. Evidently I won't be able to eat for a while, so my husband took me out for a great breakfast!  

The mittens come in various lengths.  Since I'm almost always cold, I decided to make the opera length. Besides, they look more dramatic!!!
I just can't tell you how much I love the feature of the conductive fabric. It really works. The mittens would be a great present for anyone who uses their phone in cold weather. You might notice that I have on Mari's Yellow Tail Camisole. I wear this top ALL THE TIME!!! It makes the perfect undershirt.

Mari gives a very detailed explanation on finding the correct size mitten. I used the extra small...me and my bird leg arms, maybe I should pick up a weight every once in a while ;). I do have very thin wrists and I usually have a problem with things being too big, the mittens fit perfectly. I did not make one change to the pattern. I love it, sew and go!!!

The mittens will make lovely gifts for everyone on your holiday gift list. The pattern includes sizes from xs to 3xl. The pattern is also instantly downloadable, so no waiting for it to come in the mail. My mittens took me no longer than an hour from cut to finish, so once again, great for last minute gifts, socking stuffers, you name it. You can find the pattern here, http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/honeycrisp-mittens-9702/

The price is great too, only $10.00. Not a bad investment :) If you look closely at the above picture, you can see the black conductive fabric on the thumbs of the blue mittens. 

When the weather warms up a bit, I'll take some pictures of me wearing my mittens. 

A little side note;

I test a LOT of patterns and I'm sure that from a reader's point of view it comes across that I like everything I test. This is not the case at all. I am of the mind that if I can't say something nice, I'll say nothing at all. More times than not, when I come across something that I don't like, I can find a way to fix it. But sometimes I can't and that is when I just say nothing publicly. So with that said, if you see a pattern on my blog that I have tested, you can rest assured that it is something I really do like.

Fabulous Free Pattern Friday

I know, I know, it isn't Friday and I should be posting Sleeves On Saturdays. Next week, I promise:) But here's the deal, I really have something wonderful in store for you today. It's a real free pattern, no work involved, well, except to print it off the computer and tape it together. The pattern is from Disparate Disciplines and it is just the cutest camisole top.

Fabulous design lines. I love how the seam line curves over the bust and the how the lines down the center taper to nothing right at the cleavage point. The top is especially flattering.

She designed the top so the it is slightly longer in the front than the back. For those of us who wish to not show the world our belly button, this is a great design feature.

A picture of me in the top.

I want to make just a small adjustment so that my bra strap is not quite so noticeable, but all in all, I am super pleased with the fit and style of the pattern.

A view of the back. I made no attempt to hide my bra straps.
I am going to be making a ton of these tops as I always enjoy wearing them. Great for everything from yoga to a pajama top. The pattern can be lengthened and turned into a slip dress, or even just a slip for that dress that is a little too see through. This top can be worn with a t-shirt underneath, there are just a boat load of opportunities with this pattern. So my suggestion is that you RUN to http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/yellow-tail-camisole-3101/ and get a copy for yourself.
Now there is one little side note. I think that it is very kind of Mari to come out so early with a truly free pattern. So here's the deal, you can get the pattern for free if you just want to give her patterns a try for the first time, or you can also pay whatever you wish. The suggested retail price of the pattern is $10.00. Here is what Mari has said about the pay what you wish program,

 What’s with this “Pay what you want” thing?

It’s exactly what it says: pay whatever you want for the pattern, whether that be $0, $0.01, $10, $100.01, or whatever sum it is you want. Everyone loves things for free. If you want to try out a Disparate Disciplines pattern for free before purchasing one of the paid patterns, or if you can’t afford to purchase a pattern, then please take this one for free. If you would like to see more patterns like this or have gotten some value out of the other work & free resources that are being offered on this site, then please pay what you feel comfortable with.

Why not just offer this pattern for free?

50% of proceeds are going to charity. Next week you will be able to vote on the Disparate Disciplines blog for which charity you would like all the funds collected (not just your contribution) to go to. The charity with the most votes wins. The charities you can select from will focus on providing food to hungry people.

Why will Disparate Disciplines be keeping half of the proceeds?

• to pay for the cost of the plugin that allows you to pay whatever you want
• to attempt to break even on the cost of producing the pattern
• to fund future charitable patterns

I have another suggestion, download the pattern and give it a try. If you are pleased with the pattern and would like to see more patterns from Disparate Disciplines, you can always go back and put a little something in the bucket.

If you do download the pattern. I think you are going to love it as much as I do. Now RUN,RUN, RUN!!!!!! to http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/yellow-tail-camisole-3101/ 

The New Dandelion Dress

Before I left on my vacation, Mari of http://disparatedisciplines.com/ asked me to test her new pattern, the Dandelion Dress. I was so pressed for time as I had two other projects that I had to get out, but I had promised, so I just couldn't go back on my word. Since I was so pressed for time, I couldn't do any pre-fitting of the pattern, so I thought, "man, I hope this pattern fits!!" When I test a pattern, one of the things I look for is a pattern that needs very little if any alterations. I can usually cut a dress, top or skirt and just make a few alterations without making a muslin first. Please don't hate me too much, pleeeeease!!! Notice that I did not have pants in that list!!! I actually feel that I make a good candidate for testing a pattern. So with all of that said, I cut out the Dandelion dress with my fingers crossed and voila!! it fit! The picture below is the dress straight off the pattern. Oh, I did forget one thing, I added 2" to the length of the pattern and I did not hem it. I could have hemmed it, but I wanted to bind the edge and the length is, I think, a good one for me. In case you are wondering, I am 5'6" tall in my bare feet. 

Since I chose a print to make the dress, you really can't see the lines of the pattern. Below are a couple of pictures from Mari's blog where the style lines are a little easier to see.

In the drawing below you can see the back style lines. 

The style lines are really just modified princess line seams so if you do have any fit issues, they can easily be taken care of.
I love to wear dresses, both summer and winter. In the morning when I get up, I like to be able to quickly pull on a dress before I leave the bedroom and I especially like a dress that looks cute with heels or flats. This little dress fits the bill for me! and I especially like the neckline. Mari does offer other necklines in the pattern by the way.

When Mari and I spoke about the dress, I told her that I had no complaints at all about the pattern. I like the fact that it can be a nice little casual dress and made out of the right fabric, it can become a wonderful little cocktail dress as well. I think I'm going to make it out of a nice black crepe. Believe it or not, I only have one little black dress in my closet. I could use another!
So, here's a direct link to the pattern, http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/dandelion_dress_top_1401/
Over the next couple of weeks, Mari is hosting a blog hop where everyone who tested the pattern will give their thoughts. Here's a list of the other testers and the dates that they will be posting.

9/3 Wanett of Sown Brooklyn

9/4 Winnie of Scruffy Badger Time

9/5 Velosewer of How Good is That?

9/6 Lizzie of Sew Busy Lizzie

9/9 Joyatee of Joy and Smiles

9/10 Lisa of Idle Hands- the Ms-Fits' Workshop

9/11 Brooke of Custom Style

Remember when you were a child and you blew a dandelion for luck? Well, I'm blowing lots of good wishes Mari's way, because I think this is a great little pattern. Congratulations Miss Mari!!!

Great News!

Just about three weeks ago I shared pictures of the skirts I tested for Disparate Disciplines.

You can see the post I did on these skirts here, http://www.rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-new-pattern-line.html

Well, the great news is that the skirt pattern is up and ready for immediate download!!! I'm so happy for Miss Mari :)
The inspiration behind this skirt is...believe it or not....Summercrisp Lettuce. Fun!
  "Lettuce was a symbol of the Egyptian god Min, whose harvest festival was celebrated the first month of summer. Celebrate summer in your Summercrisp Skirt, which is shaped like the leaves of summercrisp lettuce."

There's even better news! The pattern is on sale to the first 10 customers with this coupon code, summercrisp10. You'll receive 10% the list price of the pattern. Here's a link to the site, http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/summercrisp-skirt-2201/
The skirt is so cute and so easy to put together. Perfect for all your summer needs.

A New Pattern Line

Just about a year ago I received a message from a delightful lady, Miss Mari Miller. To be honest, I can't remember which came first, but I think I showcased her blog on The Wednesday Showcase and then in turn, she had me do a post for a series she did on the types of sewing we do, i.e. cake type sewing. We finally met each other in February. There was a wonderful coupon offered to an incredible fabric warehouse. We both bought the coupon, met, shopped for fabric and had lunch. I instantly liked Mari...a lot!

While we were having lunch, Mari shared that she wanted to start her own pattern line. Not much more was said about it at that time. 

A few months ago, she was just about ready to launch her first pattern and asked me to test it for her. It was The Avocado Hoodie.

Initially, the hoodie was meant to have pockets not only in the front, but in the back as well. Take a look at the picture below. Very cute idea, especially when you have someone that you can't keep your hands off of!!!!!! 

When I made up the pattern, I felt that she needed to offer another alternative as I felt that some may not like the back pocket. So I helped her develop a no back pocket version. Look below, looks cute don't you think? I really like the way the curves of the seams accent the curve of the body.

Well, Miss Mari is not allowing any grass to grow under her feet. She has her second pattern just about ready to go. It's a very cute and versatile wrap skirt.

The pattern basically consists of 2 half circles and a triangle. The triangle can sit on either hip.

 It's difficult to see, but the triangle is sitting on my left hip in the picture below.

 The more I looked at the pattern, the more I liked it and the more versatile I saw that it could be.

I do a lot of walking and I also enjoy yoga. There are 2 versions to the skirt, a longer version and a shorter version. I especially like the shorter version as a little over skirt when I'm walking and it makes a great cover up going from the house to the yoga studio. It would also make a cute over skirt for your swimsuit.
In the above picture you can see my hand in a pocket. When I looked at the pattern, I immediately thought that a pocket would be a great addition. There is not one in the pattern, so I drafted one for Mari and it will be available as a free download once the wrap skirt pattern is available

As soon as the skirt pattern is available, I will let you know. In the meantime, you just might want to head on over to her shop and pick up one of the Avocado Hoodie patterns. Once you pay, you can instantly download the pattern. Wow, what a concept!!!

Also, Velosewer did a wonderful interview with Mari. You can find that article here, http://www.cleverthinking99.com/2013/06/meet-mari-miller.html.

Hope you're having a great Friday!!

Rhonda