A Little Sunshine From a Soul Painter

Back in February, I was fabric shopping with some friends, and we found this fabulous fabric panel. I immediately fell in love. So vibrant, and cheerful. It screams summer and happy days. The painting is by a very gifted artist, Anne Pryor. Her trademark is Lovitude, a word created by combining Love and Gratitude. You can read more about her HERE.  

I purchased 2 panels as I knew that I wanted to create a summer dress, but wasn't sure of the style. A friend recommended this Vogue pattern by designer Vena Cava. The dress is basically just 2 pieces with vertical tucks to give it some fit through the chest and back. It's an out of print pattern, but there are lots on Ebay and Etsy if you are interested.   

My almost finished dress. I didn't have enough of the fabric to do the cuffs on the sleeves, but I don't think that's much of a loss. Love the square neckline. I still remember an Easter dress that I had that had a square neckline :) Loved it then, love it now!!!

If by chance the panel makes you as happy as it has made me, you can find it HERE along with all the coordinating fabrics.

The dress reminds me that love and gratitude are the best gifts for living a happy life. 

Rhonda

Pattern Testing/Naughty Bobbins Patterns

Back in December, I had the opportunity to test the new Bon Matin dress pattern from Naughty Bobbins Patterns. So, I have been sitting on this dress for quite some time. What I especially appreciated was that Coco really wanted the input of the testers, and the pattern was not finished until she had received the comments. 

The sketch of the dress gives the impression that it is a little high-waisted. It is not. It sits beautifully at the waist. The dress is quite feminine, and because there are no zippers, or button openings, it's one that you can literally throw on and be out the door in minutes.   

Pictures of me in the dress will soon follow, but here is what I made. I had a little fun with the pattern of the fabric, using it horizontally for the bodice, and vertically for the skirt. As I said, the waistline is elasticized, and the skirt features side seam pockets.

   

The sleeves(and you know I love a good sleeve!)are 3/4 length, slightly gathered at the shoulder, balloon out at the bottom, and have a small edged finished. 

I absolutely loved how the neckline was finished. The binding is serged on 1 side, but the end of the tie is sewn and turned. The process is very well explained in the instructions. The neckline is feminine, and just a bit alluring with the opening and the tie. 

I had thought that I would order a red belt to wear with my dress, but I remembered the Sobi Obi Belt pattern from Pattern Union. I have some leftover red suede, so I think that will work out just fine :)

I just ordered the pullover and stirrup pant pattern from Naughty Bobbins Patterns. Really looking forward to putting this one together!

By the way, the Bon Matin dress pattern lends itself to some wonderful hacks. The bodice would be lovely lengthened into a tunic. I actually have it on my cutting table :) Hoping to finish it over the weekend!

Happy Sewing!

 Rhonda

The Best Sewing Gift Ever!

It was a Christmas that I thought would be especially bleak. My father had recently left, and my mother was especially sad. It was our first Christmas alone, and we were over a thousand miles away from any family. But, under the tree was a gift for me. I opened it, and inside was a sewing pattern and fabric. As wonderful as that was, what made it all the more special was that the fabric that was in the box was the exact same fabric that was on the pattern envelope! Everything was in the box to recreate the garment that I saw. I just couldn't believe it, 2 black and white coordinates, and packages of white cording. 

Over the Christmas break, I made up the outfit, and of course wore it proudly on my first day back at school. I felt as though I was wearing a designer garment. 

I still have the pattern. The envelope is a little worse for wear, but everything is still intact, no missing pattern pieces.

I've decided to somewhat recreate the outfit. Rather than in the matching fabric, I am using a plaid wool flannel for the skirt, and a coordinating black cotton chambray for the shirt. 

Although 1 is cotton, and the other wool, I really like how the 2 coordinate. 

I'll do the version on the right just as I did when I had the coordinating fabric, but this time around, I won't add the big patch pockets. Rather than a contrasting piping, I'll just self pipe both the shirt and the skirt. 

The pattern is really just a basic shirt and a wrap skirt, but it's special. It takes me back to a time when my world had fallen apart, and yet, there under that tree was a gift that represented potential. As it was, it was just a box with a pattern and some fabric. But, with just a little effort, I had something that made me feel so very special.  

Giving the Merchant and Mills Francine Pattern a Test Run

I can be a very bold soul ;) 
As I just typed that, I remembered an incident that happened last winter while out skiing. We had skied up to get on a chair. This particular chair is quite old, and a little tricky to get on. There was a man in front of us with his very young, and very small daughter. The attendant had asked him to put the child on the other side of him and allow her to load the child onto the seat. He refused, lashed out at the attendant, grabbed his daughter and put her on the chair. But, the child was half hanging off the chair. I gasped as I thought for sure that the child was going to fall off. The attendant quickly stopped the lift, came around and properly placed the child on the chair. She commented to the man that if he takes the chair again, that he must listen to her. He snapped back...and then I opened my mouth. He turned back to me and said that it was none of my business. I replied, "But it is, accidents affect everyone who is skiing on this mountain." At that point, the lift began to move, and off he went. The attendant thanked me for defending her. While I did defend her, my actual concern was for the child. 
When we got off of the lift, I was ready for a confrontation, but the guy had skied off with his daughter, and I never saw them again. 

My initial comment though, was in regard to sewing, not me trying to be the police of the world :/ 

I have never used a Merchant and Mills pattern, so before I started using the Francine pattern to design other pieces for the upcoming challenge with Becky of Trail Balloons, I wanted to give the pattern a test run. I had purchased a lovely remnant of wool from Fishman's Fabrics in Chicago. Such a beautiful piece, it feels like butter against the skin. 

To make the dress, the pattern calls for almost 2 meters from a piece of 60" wide fabric. I only had 1 2/3 yards. But, I played around with the fabric, and was successful. 

We had dinner a few nights ago with a friend who is a retired Navy submarine captain. He and my husband were commenting on the fact that the United States is one of only 3 countries that doesn't use the metric system, Liberia and Burma being the other two. I'll be honest, when it comes to the metric system, I can be quite lazy. Thank goodness for online calculators!!! But, I still managed to make a mistake with the measurement calculations, and cut a dress that swam on me :/ And too...I need to enter here that I did not make a muslin, but cut the pattern directly out of my lovely piece of wool. I know, I know, shame on me!

Thankfully, all was not lost, only the pockets. Here again, I was lazy, so instead of taking out all of the stitching, I simply took in the dress so that it no longer looked like a tent, and chopped off the pockets. 

Pictures of me in the dress will follow. I have actually worn the dress a number of times since I made it. It is so comfortable, and easy to wear. It has been horribly cold, so I have worn a wool t-shirt underneath the dress, a black one. It just peeks out from the opening in the dress and looks quite cute. The side seam pockets would have been nice, but in the end, I really haven't missed them. But, I will add them back with the next dress.  

A few other pattern notes;

*There is very little ease in the sleeve. But, with the wool, the seam steams beautifully.

*I found the sleeves to be rather wide around my arms and wrists, so I tapered them quite a bit. In all fairness, I do have rather thin arms and wrists and typically taper my sleeves.

*Measure the circumference of the top, or dress pattern against your own measurements. And, a muslin would be most helpful before cutting your fashion fabric, especially if it's a very nice piece of fabric. 

As I said, I really love the dress. The shoulder seams hang off of my shoulders a bit, but that is hardly the end of the world. I just didn't want to take the sleeves out and adjust the shoulder seams. When I make my next piece, I now know what size to cut, and the pattern will hang correctly on my body.

I have a number of fun tweeds that I will be using for my challenge pieces. As soon as Becky and I have nailed down a few particulars, I'll let you know the start date of the challenge. I'm so excited!!! :)   

A New Year of Learning and Improving!

Creativity is good for the soul :) 
And, it has been a very creative week for me! I began a pottery class on Thursday night. I felt like I was 5 years old again, playing with clay, feeling the squishy mud in my hands. This is my first experience with doing pottery, so it's a brand new world for me. I told the teacher that I just want to learn the basics, and then we'll see where it goes.

I spent the day yesterday, and will again today, taking a class on doing a fabulous travel bag. While I could have done it on my own, I so love being in a class where I get told what to do, and all I have to do is do what I'm told ;) I can't wait to share my bag with you! It has been a lot of work as it involves a huge amount of quilting. I say quilting, it's really just sewing straight lines, but it's still a lot of work. 

While quickly putting something together that you can throw on is lots of fun, and I think, good for the soul, it's also good to slow down, and use more refined skills. I signed up for the Susan Khalje Sewing Club on Facebook. Initially, I was curious, and then, I was quite pleased to see how Susan has formatted the group. The first project was the couture skirt.

The pattern is a basic pencil skirt, but it offers 3 options for the waistband. This is a fabulous option because...we aren't all created the same :) There's a traditional waistband, a contoured waistband, and finally, no waistband.

In the Facebook group, Susan has posted step by step videos on how to create a true couture skirt. Once you begin your project, you are then invited to share your fitting issues. Susan will comment on the fit, and what she feels you need to do to obtain a perfect fit. I have been very impressed with the before and after photos of those who have completed their skirts. Just amazing!  

The second pattern is this beautiful Boatneck Top. I prefer to call it a ballerina top, as that is what I think of when I see this neckline. It is such a lovely neckline for women.

Take note of how the pattern was developed. There are 2 darts radiating from the side seam, and a dart at the top of the sleeve. The sleeve options are many. You may choose the little cap sleeve, or the various lengths of a straight sleeve, short, 3/4, or long. You may also cut the sleeve on the bias. 

I am so very excited about getting started on both projects!!! And you'll be able to share in my progress :) So stay tuned :)

If you think you might be interested in the Susan Khalje Sewing Club, there are a few options. If you think you would just like a taste, there is a 3 month membership. For those who think they might want to jump in a little deeper, there is a 6 month membership. And finally, a year long membership for full immersion. You can find all of the options HERE.

Here's a little video from Susan, explaining what the sewing club is all about.

A friend of mine was recently out skiing, fell and broke his arm in 2 places requiring surgery. Another friend commented that when he was younger, he would set goals for each year, hoping to get a little better with each passing season. He said that all he hopes for now is to stay out of the clinic :/

I think that many of us have had sewing related accidents. I have sewn through a finger more times than I would like. But one thing about sewing, most likely, our accidents will not land us in the clinic!!! And as long as we see, we can improve. Here's to a fabulous year of learning and improving :)
 Rhonda

A New Gown for a Gala/A New Pattern From Pattern Union

The highlight of the holiday season, for me, is the American Opera Society of Chicago's Holiday Gala. It's held at The Fortnightly, and it is simply an enchanting evening. Pictured below is Whitney Morrison, an incredibly lovely, and talented woman. So...you know what that means :), I needed a new dress. Yeah right...I "needed" a new dress ;)   

About a month ago, I shared with you 2 free patterns from Pattern Union, the Maisie Dress, and the Phoebe Jumpsuit. That prompted me to begin following Sarah on Instagram. She posted a request for pattern testers for a new pattern, and I thought, "oh, why not?" She promptly sent me a note with all the particulars, and the time frame worked for me, so I agreed to test the pattern.

The pattern is the Sumekko Dress. I was surprised to see that it only has 1 seam. How great is that?!! It has the option of no darts, 2 darts, or a more fitted version with 4 darts, so you can easily customize the fit.  

Another special aspect of the dress is that it comes with 4 fabulous stencils. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but I can't wait to get my hands dirty :) My only difficulty is choosing which one to try first. 

Since I "needed" a new dress for the gala, and I also needed to get my test pattern made up, I decided to combine the 2.

I loved how the dress has a slight racer back.

The pattern is intended for a jersey knit. I used a knit, but a much heavier knit. I wanted something with sparkle, and this piece has lots of sparkle, and I already had it in my "collection." To give it just a bit more pizzazz, I added the beaded motifs to the neckline, and then added the rhinestones as well. I had both, so nothing was purchased. But, I really wished that I had some larger rhinestones to mix in with the smaller. This is something I am planning to add.   

If I had worn flat shoes, the hem length would have been fine, but I wanted to wear heels, so I added the lace to the bottom of the dress. I loved how it just seemed to finish it off.   

The pattern has not been released yet, but Sarah is planning to release it later this week. You can find Pattern Union HERE. 

The pattern has so many possibilities. You can make it a casual garment, or dress it up for a gala event. Then, there's the opportunity to really make it special with the 4 stencils. You could cut it off and make a tank as well as a knee length dress. So, a pattern that is well worth adding to your collection.

Have a wonderful day!
Hope you have time to do something fun. I'm on my way to see the dentist :/ 
 Rhonda

The Black Friday and Cyber Monday Pattern Train Disaster!

Winter has arrived!, and it brought with it a whole big bunch of snow. I wondered how Berkley would take to it. Little guy walks out as if it's not even there. And what's amazing is that he doesn't seem to be affected by the cold. But, he really doesn't have an undercoat, so I think that once it gets super cold, he will need a coat. Maybe I just need an excuse to sew a little something for him ;) Gracie, with her super thick coat would burn up if I made a coat for her, so it's nice to have a little dog to sew for once again.  

I have loved patterns from the time I can remember. My favorite was when the new Vogue pattern catalog would come out. The Claude Montana patterns, oh my, I wanted them all!

Of course, this past weekend was Black Friday, followed by Cyber Monday. Yep, I was tempted and yes, I went a little crazy :/

First up, I bought 3 patterns from Helen's Closet. I have and have made her Winslow Culottes pattern and I really liked it. The fit was spot on to the measurements. I also loved that it had side pockets. So with that in mind, I decided to take advantage of her sale and purchase 3 more patterns. From left to right;

The Blackwood Cardigan

Avery Leggings

Elliot Sweater and Tee

I will have a week with Helen coming up:)

When I was doing the sew alongs for Sew News, there were 2 pattern companies that stood above the rest, Waffle Patterns and Closet Case Patterns. They were so well drafted, the instructions were fabulous, and downloading them was a breeze since they both offered a copy shop version. Once again, with that in mind, I took advantage of the Closet Case pattern sale and went a little crazy.

From left to right;
Charlie Caftan
Kalle Shirt and Shirtdress
Ebony T-Shirt and Dress

Carolyn Pajamas
Amy Jumpsuit
Nettie Dress and Bodysuit

I bought the Bombshell Swimsuit pattern some time ago and loved it. It's pictured on the left below. I am going to take a water aerobics class this winter and would like to have a collection of swimsuits to wear. I love the underwire aspect of the Sophie Swimsuit, so that also went into my pile of patterns.
 

I did purchase 1 other pattern from Closet Case, but I'll share it once I get it made. My favorite, favorite Closet Case pattern is the Ginger Jeans pattern. I will never buy another pair of ready made jeans! 

The pattern purchasing train did not make its final stop at Closet Case, it went on and made a stop at Sew House 7. I purchased the Nehalem Pant and Skirt pattern. Won't this be cute with the Nettie Bodysuit from Closet Case and the Blackwood Cardigan from Helen's Closet? Hey, I have to justify all of my purchases somehow ;)

I don't have a lot of Christmas sewing to do, a couple of shirts for my husband, and a knitted project. Neither will take a lot of time. And even better, I have a fairly open December, so lots of sewing for me!!! So stay tuned, there will be fashion shows :)

Free For All, Free Patterns For You and Others!

We are getting our very first snow here in Chicago. Nothing to write home about, just a wet, rain like snow. But, what's in the air is so very pretty. Winter is definitely here!

A few days ago, one of the trees that is out in front of my house lost all of its leaves in what seemed like a few hours. Once the leaves were on the ground, the tree revealed a little secret it had been hiding, a lovely hornet's nest. Call me crazy, but I have always wanted a hornet's nest. To me, they are an amazing piece of artwork.

So, my husband helped me pull out a ladder, and I climbed up and snipped my little prize out of the tree. 

I think it is just amazing!

While I can be crazy, I'm not stupid(well, sometimes). I put the nest inside a plastic garbage bag, tied the top, and it is out in the garage awaiting our first hard freeze before I bring it indoors. Hopefully, all will be fine and I won't end up with a very angry hornet in my house ;)

Thanks so much to all of you who purchased my design from Spoonflower. I am so very honored:) I also purchased a few for gifts, and mine arrived yesterday. So excited!!! Something I never would have dreamed I would be able to do.

With the holidays coming up, I thought I would share a few of the free patterns that I've found that would be fun to wear, or would make great gifts.

I really love this caftan pattern from Sew Daily. It is a graded pattern, so a number of sizes are available. You will need to register on the site to download the pattern. You can find the pattern HERE. It can be made without the tie for a looser fit. 

If you are looking for something lovely to give to a sewing friend, or yourself :), this pattern for a sewing machine and serger cover from Closet Case Patterns is free and fabulous. You can download it HERE.

Jumpsuits are all the rage! While this is a sleeveless jumpsuit, it would pair so easily with a t-shirt, or turtleneck and move right on into winter. This free pattern from In The Folds can be found HERE. 

Pattern Union gives you all the directions you will need to draft out this super cute, and easy to make dress. It's free with the code MAISIE. You can find it HERE. To draft out the pattern, you will only need 2 measurements, hip and skirt length. So, this is a great opportunity to make something for an out of town friend or family member. The only hard part is getting them to give you their hip measurement!!!

Another fun and very versatile piece from Pattern Union is the Phoebe Jumpsuit. It's free with code PhoebeFreebie, and you can find the pattern HERE. Pop over to the Pattern Union Instagram site to see all the fun hacks they have done with the pattern. With 1 hack, rather than making it a halter, they cut 2 backs and did shoulder ties. Again, that hack takes it from summer to winter paired with a t-shirt or turtleneck.  

A little clutch always makes a lovely gift. The pleated clutch below is from I Think Sew's book, Bags-The Modern Classics. You can find the free, downloadable pattern HERE.   

And last but not least, I love this free turtleneck pattern from Tessuti Fabrics. You can find their Monroe Turtleneck pattern HERE. 

All of the patterns are quite easy to make, and should go together quickly. Now, if I could just give you a link for some free time!!! ;)) 

Rhonda

Monday Morning Inspiration/Put a Stripe In It!

Simple joys, simple gifts.

Last Saturday marked 9 weeks since little Mr. Berkley came to live with us. What a joy he has been. I don't think I've stopped smiling in the last 9 weeks! He has brought so much joy into our home, and without doing anything more than just being himself. 

This morning as I drank my tea, I sat and enjoyed watching he and Gracie race from 1 end of the house to the other. One chased the other, and when they came to the wall, they turned and the other was in the lead. Hilarious! Then they would stop, breathe heavily for a moment, and then off they would go again. Berkley has brought Gracie back to life, warmed my heart, and put a smile back on my face. I'll never know, but I think it's his way of simply saying thank you. 

I call this picture, "Before and After Rhonda" :)
On the left is the picture I saw on the internet prior to adopting Berkley. He's dirty, and now that I know him, I can see that he is afraid. On the right...pure joy!

It's interesting how athletic wear has permeated every aspect of today's fashion. It's no longer relegated to just the gym, you see athletic inspired details in pants, tops, dresses, jackets, and coats. An athletic stripe is a perfect detail to add interest and elongate the body.
         
I recently came across this picture and fell in love! I love the little flounce on the back of the top, the stripe that curves across the back and then radiates into the stripe on the pant. The only change I would make would be to eliminate the stripe around the bottom of the pant. 

Another soft, flowy top with a athlesure inspired pant. 

The stripe that runs down the pant leg is repeated simply in the band on the sleeve. 

This ensemble is from Addias.  

I love how the stripe curves across the back of the jacket and then elongates the body by bringing the eye down to the stripe in the pant.

This piece is just so lovely. The soft ruffle that is sewn into the stripe on the blouse and then brought into the pant. 

This piece makes me long for a cool day. The stripe runs down the sleeve and then down into the pant. Love the play on color blocking too.

Love the echo of the stripe in the duster, and then in the pant.

Here the stripe has been added to a dress. Although it's a rather wide stripe, it blends in so beautifully with the plaid in the main fabric. 

There are so many aspects of our lives that on the surface can seem simple, watching dogs run, a cup of tea on a cool rainy day, or even an outfit that makes us feel great each and every time we slip into it. 
May you find a simple joy, a simple gift in your day :)

Rhonda