I have been in the mountains of Colorado for the month of October. I always love being here. But, it has been quite troublesome as the forest fires have been devastating. A few nights ago, we could see the flames along the horizon as they licked the sky. Due to the direction of the wind, we felt we were safe, but we also felt it prudent to prepare to evacuate. I packed my laptop, but you most likely won't guess what I packed next. I packed every pair of shoes I have with me!!! My thought was that my shoe collection has been one that has come about over many years. I can make new clothes, but replacing my shoes would be virtually impossible. There's more to my shoe story that I will share in my next 1 year challenge post. There is a story behind the story. Kind of sad, but the now is what matters :)
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Starting with September 25th, I wore a favorite, my Robson Trench that I made for a Sew News article and sew along. The fabric for the trench is actually a home dec fabric. One thing I know, maybe all too well ;), is to never bypass the home dec area. There are treasures to be had!!! Since it was one of those days where I needed a jacket to begin the day, but the latter part of the day would be warm, I wore a top that I did for a Sleeves on Saturdays post, and the black pants I made using a free Martha Stewart pajama pant pattern.
This orange tie-dye dress is another that I made for a Sew News sew along. I so love this pattern. It's the Fashion In Harmony Magic Bias Dress. I think that most of us stray away from bias garments as they can tend to be difficult to cut, wear, etc. But, the way that this dress is cut makes it fairly fail proof. I have 3 in my wardrobe and I love them all.
It seems that I get into a kind of a rut with colors. I wear a color one day, and then again the next day. The skirt I'm wearing is another Fashion In Harmony pattern, the Lantern Skirt. Super easy to make. It's basically 2 circles, with a drawstring waist. It's kind of an artsy skirt, so it's fun to wear. The fabric that I used for the outfit is a reversible linen gauze. Such a great fabric. I used the opposite side for the top, and I used the free Chelsea Linen Raglan Top from Fabrics-Store.Com
You've seen this dress earlier in the summer. It was a free pattern from Marilla Walker. Sadly, it's no longer available. I had a little fun with the dress by pairing it with a pair of tights that are black on 1 side, and cream on the other. It's always good to have a little fun with your clothes :)
Another repeat. I do love my cargo pants! Great for year round wear. It was a cool day, so I paired the pants with a jacket that was a gift. The top is the Molly Tee from Pattern Union. I must have a ton in my wardrobe by now. I used an out of print Simplicity pattern for the pants, Simplicity 5102. It is available on Etsy and Ebay, but cargo pants are nothing more than pockets, so just use your favorite pant pattern and have fun with lots of pockets.
The top I'm wearing is a favorite as I love the neckline. It's Simplicity 9017. So very easy to make. Has a little bit of an asymmetrical aspect to the side seam. I paired it with a basic knit skirt that I self-drafted.
We're finally up to October!
The jacket I'm wearing is one that I made a number of years ago, and for the life of me, I have no idea what pattern I used. I paired it with a white Molly Tee and the black Martha Stewart pajama pants that you saw earlier in this post. I do love these pants!
The fabric was pre-quilted. To finish the seams, I used a red bias tape. Really makes the jacket look special when I take it off.
I do love my shoes!!! Whenever I see something that I think will be fun, I try and buy it. These shoes came from Payless, and I think I paid about $10.00 for them. Hey, I love them and that's all that counts!!! Again, it's all about having fun with your wardrobe :)
This is a second make of the Ellie and Mac Off Shoulder Romper pattern. I absolutely LOVE this pattern. so very comfortable, truly athliesure at its best!
Another favorite is the Yuki Dress from Tessuti Patterns. Easy to make, easy to wear. It's a pattern that would easily translate to a tunic. I paired mine with a lightweight wool tee. Another favorite tee is the Londa's Terrific 'T' from Londa's Creative Sewing.
I don't wear this skirt very often, only in the fall. With the falling leaves, it is a fall skirt :) I used a free pattern to create the skirt, but it's another that is no longer available. There is a free swirl skirt available from Lekala, and you can find it HERE. I have not made it yet, but plan to.
October 6, 2020, at least I am in the same month now!!!
I absolutely love the pants I am wearing. Sadly, the pattern is not available. I sweet friend of mine is working on her masters degree. She wanted a pant to wear to school that felt like pajama pants, but didn't look like pajama pants. She was so inspired by the movie Black Panther. When I went over to visit with her, she had the movie bookmarked so she could show me things that had inspired her. I love how she designed the pant. It basically wings out, and then comes around the knee and is caught in the inseam. Such a cute, fun pant to wear.
So that's it for my little dog and pony show today. If nothing more, I hope that I inspire you to wear your wardrobe, and too, to have fun with it. We spend so much time putting together our makes, why should we allow them to languish in the closet?
Well, once again, missing in action. I could easily say that I have been too busy, but the truth of the matter is that I can always find time. Yes, I'm still working on my friend's estate, which takes up a lot of my time. Thankfully, the biggest jobs will soon be over. I sold her house(SO HAPPY!!!), but now there's the issue of the furniture, and clearing it out for the new owner. I have just a little over a month to make it all happen. I'm determined ;) I love setting goals for myself. But, like most, some get accomplished, and then others languish. Last year, I set a goal to read the Bible from cover to cover. No studying, just read it as a book. It was something I have always wanted to do. I found a guide online that I could print out. It prompted me with how many chapters I should read each day, and I could mark off my progress. It was great for keeping me on track. While I learned a lot, and discovered things I had never known, the greatest gift was the accomplished dream. I did it!!! And what I have found a little strange is that it gave me a tremendous sense of confidence in what I am capable of doing. A little secret to the success was having that daily reminder. Since I write each and every morning, I kept my goal sheet in my notebook. So, when I opened my notebook to write, there was my sheet reminding me that I had chapters to read. I had another goal last year that did not get accomplished. It may seem quite silly, but I wanted to do a year...a complete year of a me made wardrobe. I broke my arm, and I just seemed to lose steam in regards to that goal. When this year rolled around, I thought of it once again, but just didn't move forward. Then, participating in Me Made May this year reignited the desire to make this goal happen. But, I think that I allowed all that is going on to stifle me. I'm so very fortunate to have a friend that I talk to every week. We use our time to encourage each other. Since we begin the year by sharing our goals, it's easy to help each other stay on track. But, this goal I had not shared, and yet it somehow came up in our conversation. She strongly encouraged me to go for it. Her words played on my mind until I finally gave in! I decided to give myself a running start, by beginning June 22. My friend had encouraged me to begin July 1st. So...here goes!!!
Anytime that I want to feel a little floaty and free, these are my go to pants. My own design.
Another piece that just floats about the body is this super simple little skirt. It's just a rectangle that has an elastic waist. The outer skirt is gathered and twisted into the underskirt. I think this one needs a tutorial as it's so easy to do, and yet looks special. I actually took Berkley for a hike in this skirt!!!
On June 24th, we met friends at a wonderful Irish bistro here in Chicago, Chief O'Neil's. They have an amazing outdoor garden. It was the first time I've been to a restaurant to eat since March 14th. I was beside myself with excitement! Like, ball gown excited ;) But, I opted for this self-drafted dress.
The following day, I had a number of errands to run, so I slipped on the ruffle skirt, and shimmied through my day. You can find the tutorial on the skirt HERE.
I made these pants a few years ago. For some reason I had left them in my laundry room. Decided to give them a go, and I am so happy that I did. The pattern is from Colette Patterns, the Clover Pants. I lengthened mine, and added a cuff. I paired the pants with a basic purchased tee.
The top I'm wearing was made with scraps. I had the ruffled fabric and the matching knit left over, and felt that it was enough to possibly make a top. It worked! The pants are the Barb Pants from Style Arc Patterns.
The next day, I was out at the airport. I wore another pair of Barb Pants, and a stylized tee. This is another piece that I should do a tutorial on. It has an inset of chiffon down the back making it another fun, floaty piece :)
The following day was June 29th, and I had to be up and out quite early, so I pulled on a pair of linen pants with a gathered leg and a Helen's Closet Elliot Tee.
It was a hot, sweaty kind of a day, so once I got home, I jumped in the shower, and changed my clothes. I made this fruit dress quite a few years ago, but just keep pulling it out every summer. It's cotton, so it washes well. By the way, I never put it in the dryer, and I think that is what has saved the fabric. A sheath dress is so perfect for summer. This one reminds me a little of a Lilly Pulitzer piece.
June 30th, the last day of my gearing up. It was hot, so I pulled on my Closet Case Patterns Amy Jumpsuit. The fabric was a gift from Becky of Trial Balloons. If you have not checked out her blog, by all means, do!!! She will truly inspire you.
I kicked of July with a pair of Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Files. I will never buy another pair of jeans. I LOVE this pattern. The tee I'm wearing is from iCandy Handmade, the summer tee. I modified it a bit, but just at the hem. It's a free pattern by the way :)
My second day of July was spent in a pair of border print pants and another self-drafted top. I started doing videos as I think it's nice to see how the clothes move. The top is yet another piece that deserves a tutorial. It's easy to make, and easy to wear. A winning combination in my book.
The following day was spent in a pair of Helen's Closet Winslow Culottes. Such a fun pattern. I love that you have the ease of a pant and the look of skirt. The top is another self-drafted piece.
On July 4th, I went kayaking for the first time this summer. It felt so very good to be in the water. After I came back home, I just wanted to be in something nice, but easy. This sarong style skirt fit the bill!
I miss Sunday's being Sunday. I miss going to church. It would be easy to just wear my pajamas all day, but I like to get dressed just as if I am going out. I did not wear those pumps all day! But, just like Sundays, I miss wearing my heels. It was fun to have them on for a while. The dress is the Magic Bias Dress from Fashion in Harmony. I love this dress!!!
On Monday, I was back out at the airport. I wanted to wear this pair of cargo pants that I made last summer. I usually wear the long sleeve Molly Tee from Pattern Union with the pants, but I knew I would burn up. Thankfully, I had enough scraps to make a short sleeve version. You can see the post I did on the pants HERE.
I did a video of the dress I wore yesterday, and I'm having a problem with downloading it, so it will come in my next post. So far, so good! I'm a full week into my 1 year challenge. As we all are too aware of, things can happen that truly throw us off track. But, this is something I really want to accomplish. It feels a bit like a journey, a journey that is going to teach me so much. I am using Instagram as my daily reminder of my goal, as I post my outfit there, and keep myself on track. But, if you are not on Instagram, my plan is to do a weekly round up here on the blog. And who knows, maybe I'll inspire a few of you as well :) Rhonda
This past year has was a little quiet, blog wise anyway. Last February, I broke my arm in 2 places just above my wrist, and that kinda set the tone for a quiet year. But, all in all, it really was a great year. I found a cousin that I had no idea that I had through Ancestry. She is such a lovely person, and someone that I am very proud to call a cousin. I also reconnected with a family member after 30 years. This brought home to me that no matter how bleak something may appear, never lose hope.
I've posted more on Instagram than I have on the blog. Not that I am moving exclusively to Instagram, it's just a platform that's been quick and easy. So, to close out 2019, I thought I would share my most liked Instagram posts.
My cargo pants, they have been a favorite. This was a challenge that Cennetta of The Mahogany Stylist and I did. Berkley and I do a lot of hiking, and cargo pants have become my favorite go to pant as I can carry my phone, money, credit cards, and I am still completely hands free.
I took my first ever weaving class at Chicago Weaving School. Loved it! I don't know that it will become something that I will invest a lot of time doing, but I would like to learn and explore more about the craft.
This is an old make,but I posted it as an outfit of the day. The jacket is one that I made from a Kantha quilt that I ordered from India. When I initially made it, I went back and forth about cutting down the collar. I finally elected to just leave it alone. The jacket is a free pattern from Sew News. You can read more about it HERE. My jeans are the Ginger Jeans from Closet Case Patterns. I don't think I will ever purchase another pair of jeans as this pattern is absolutely fabulous.
This dress was a favorite go to dress this past fall. I began with a t-shirt pattern and then added the rectangle drape. So easy to make. It's from my Fabulous Free Pattern Friday collection. You can find the original post HERE.
Another favorite. I wore this jacket throughout the holiday season. You can see my post on the making of this jacket HERE.
Another Closet Case Patterns favorite, the Ebony T-Shirt and Dress pattern. I have worn the dress with heels, flats, and even tennis shoes! Fun and easy to wear.
This is one of my favorite outfits for summer. In the top picture on the right, you can see that I am actually wearing 2 layers. The top layer is sheer. I can take off the sheer layer and just wear the underneath layer. The sheer layer can then become a wrap. Perfect combo for traveling.
A favorite go to pattern for pants is the Barb Pant from Style Arc. I think I may have 4 or 5 pairs of these pants. The t-shirt is another that I have made more times than I can count. It's the Molly Tee from Pattern Union.
The top that I am wearing was made from vintage tea towels. The pants are linen, and I added a drawstring casing to the side seam for a little added interest. Wore these all summer long.
The dress below was one that I did for Sew News. It's the Magic Bias Dress from Fashion In Harmony. This is another dress that's easy to throw on. Love it!
Another Magic Bias Dress. It's also a summer favorite. I didn't shorten this version. It's amazing how different the dress looks in another fabric.
Yet another Closet Case pattern, the Amy Jumpsuit. I had a few fitting issues with the pattern, but all in all, I like it and plan to make it again.
And finally, my favorite make of 2019. Thankfully, I took the class prior to breaking my arm. I used my own watercolor painting that I had printed at Spoonflower for the center panels. The bag pattern is the Poppins Bag from Annie's Two Patterns. You can find all the info HERE.
I love to laugh. After all, it's good for the soul. I saw this on Facebook and just had to share it! I think that most of us can relate :)
Here's to a fabulous new decade. May it be our best yet!
There's little I love more than showcasing the work of others. I can't remember when exactly, but I showcased the wonderful blogs, Couture et Tricot and Tany et La Mode a few years back. Since then I have loved seeing the incredible garments that Tany makes and I especially love her shoes!!!! I joke with her all the time that if I ever come to Portugal, she will need to lock up her shoe closet as that's the first place I'm heading ;) She has such a lovely sense of style and mixes her beautifully made garments with purchased pieces in such a manner that I think, makes all who visit her blog aspire to dressing even better. Tany won the Magic Bias Dress pattern giveaway that I and Fashion In Harmony hosted just before the launch of the sew along. Tany did not allow any grass to grow under her feet in getting the dress made! She did such a beautiful job, so I asked her to do a guest post as I thought you would enjoy her journey of working through the pattern. Be sure to check out the video at the end of the post. Although the dress is on a dressform, it gives you an idea of how the dress moves on the body. Hope you enjoy the post, and a special thanks to Tany for sharing her thoughts on the pattern.
Hi to all sewing
enthusiasts out there! I was invited by Rhonda to write a guest post about my
experience making the Magic Bias Dress from Fashion in Harmony and I happily said
yes. I’m quite honored to be addressing Rhonda’s readers and I love her blog!
I first found out
about this pattern through the giveaway hosted by Rhonda and the Sew News
Magazine Sew-along. I am an avid sewer and I’m always on the lookout for new
things to experiment with sewing-wise. When I saw the pattern I was fascinated by
the fact that most of the seams are stitched on the straight of grain, in spite of
the dress being cut on the bias. I was also quite fond of the one piece
bias-cut tulip sleeves, as I think they are incredibly flattering and add to
the femininity of the dress.
I was hooked and ready to order the pattern, so imagine
how thrilled I was on finding out that I had won the giveaway. When I got the
pattern from Rhonda I started looking for suitable fabric right away and I found this 100% rayon (viscose) floral print at my local fabric store. It has a
wonderful soft touch and drape. The flower print isn’t the obvious fabric
choice for this dress because all the seaming detail would be lost in the print
but I went with it anyway and I must say I’m glad I did because quite happy
with the final result.
Regarding my
impressions of the pattern, I only have good things to say; everything lined up
perfectly and the instructions were very clear regarding the sewing procedures
and the order of construction; the seams are numbered so there’s little room
for mistakes. The success of the dress depends of course on the preparatory
steps: cutting the fabric well laid out and perfectly straight with pattern
grain lines parallel to the selvedges and avoiding distortion near the
selvedges (either by placing the pattern pieces a fair distance from the
selvedges and/or clipping the selvedges every 2-3 inches). Also be aware that
the pattern is huge and the fabric is cut on a single layer layout (right side
of fabric facing up) so it helps to have a large cutting table or enough space
on the floor. After all the pattern pieces are cut and marked where needed,
it’s good to keep in mind that the pattern includes 3/8” seam alwances on all seams,
except the shoulders where the seam allowances are 1”. The fact that the main seams (those joining the narrow inset and the front yoke to the main dress piece) are
cut on the straight of grain really made my job a lot easier because I didn’t
have to worry about the fabric becoming distorted along these seams. I pressed both seams away from the inset and towards the
front yoke because I decided to topstitch all seams with contrasting thread to
highlight them and I thought it would look more balanced this way.
The remaining seams (neck
and armholes) should be stabilized and the instructions offer a few possible
ways to do this. I stay-stitched at 1/4” from the cut edge and also fused bias
stay-tape to the neck and armholes; I also want to point out that the
instructions include precise measurements for each section of bias tape needed,
on each pattern size. For the shoulder seams I used strips of lining selvedge
cut to the width of the front shoulders (measured on the paper pattern) and
basted them to the back shoulder stitching line, easing the fabric slightly.
I really loved the
neckline binding method in the instructions, called the French Bias Facing;
again precise measurements for the bias-cut strip are provided. Same as Rhonda,
I also think that a 1 1/2" wide strip may not be enough for this neckline
binding treatment; a 2” wide strip is just perfect for the job.
When the body of the dress was complete, I was able to try the dress on and assess the fit, which was
perfect for me. I am a size 14 and I cut size 12-14. But, I think
there’s little chance of the dress not fitting, because the bias cut fabric will
accommodate to your body shape. I also ended up with a slightly uneven hem but
that was to be expected.
The one-piece bias
tulip sleeves are my favorite detail on this dress; they hang beautifully and
are so flattering in my opinion. I had no trouble at all attaching the sleeves
to the previously stabilized armholes. I didn’t do this for this dress, but if
you want to add a couture element to the sleeves, just add a silk organza
sleeve-head: cut a 4” wide bias strip of silk organza, long enough to
accommodate the sleeve cap from ease point to ease point, fold it
length-wise and baste to the sleeve cap
on the wrong side (raw edges together) before stitching the two rows of ease
stitches. You’ll find the sleeve will ease in much more evenly, and the folded
organza adds a nice light support to the sleeve cap after it has been attached
to the armhole.
The last step was
hemming the dress evenly after letting it hang on the dressform for 48hrs. I
trimmed out just the minimum to make it even and the length of the dress was
just perfect for me (I am 5’7, by the way).
I LOVED sewing this
dress and loved it even more when I tried it on. I made no alterations at all
but fitting instructions are provided in the pattern instructions in case a
large or small bust adjustment is needed (and these adjustments are
surprisingly easy to make too!). I can’t wait to try this pattern with some
other fabrics/prints (Rhonda’s versions are quite inspiring, do check them out
if you haven’t already!), being aware that the fit/hang will change slightly
according to the fabric’s characteristics. Color blocking is also an option and
I already have a few ideas for upcoming versions of this dress.
All in all I rate this
pattern a 10 out of 10, which also rates the very thorough instructions,
diagrams and variations provided. I had a blast making this dress and I
strongly recommend the pattern.
Thank you all for reading
and Rhonda for hosting this article, Happy Sewing to all!
My sincere apology for not getting this posted yesterday as I had promised. I had the last procedure done on my back yesterday morning and it threw me for more of a loop than I thought it would. After sleeping most of the afternoon and over 9 hours last night, I am back to myself and feeling no pain today, so I am a very happy girl! So without further delay.....
The winner of the Bias Cut Blueprints book from Fashion In Harmony is...
Zippi Kit!!!!!
Congratulations!
Please email me at sewbussted@yahoo.com with your mailing address. I will need to hear form you by Saturday, May 21, 2016. If I do not hear from you, I will draw a new name.
Thanks again to all of you who made the sew along so successful. And a big thank you to Julianne Bramson for a great pattern and for hosting the book giveaway.
If by chance you are making a Magic Bias Dress, I would love to see your creation. The link-up has been extended to June 1, 2016. I would love to see what you've made and I would also enjoy showing off your creation in a follow up post, so stop by THIS post and show us your magic!
If by chance you missed the sew along posts on the Sew News blog, you can find them HERE.
