Coming Into October/The 1 Year Challenge

A somewhat funny story...

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?

Rhonda 

A Few Fashion Show Pics

I'm so excited!!! We're supposed to have our first truly warm day here in Chicago, 77 degrees. Rain is in the forecast...again :/ Oh well, the blooming trees, tulips, and daffodils have all been spectacular.

I met a friend for lunch yesterday. She took a few pictures of some of my pieces that I had in the annual Haute Couture Club of Chicago fashion show. Our professional pictures have not yet come back, so until then, I thought I would share my friend's pictures just to give you an idea of the day. More will come :)

This is the Style Arc Grace Trans-Seasonal Jacket that I shared with you HERE. I wore the jacket with my Closet Case Patterns Ginger Jeans. The bag is my Poppins Bag. I also made a coordinating umbrella. 

I made an umbrella last year, and loved how it turned out. You can see that post HERE. Now that I have a new bag, I thought a matching umbrella would be nice too. 

I lined the umbrella with a remnant that picked up all the colors in the bag.

I made this jacket some time ago. It is the Sewaholic Robson Coat. The coat was made for the Sews News sew along. You can see all of those posts HERE. I had not finished putting in the buttonholes, and the jacket had languished in the closet for all this time. So, I decided to get it out, finish it, and put it in the show. I have since worn it 3 times!!!  

This dress was made last December. It's the Pattern Union Sumekko Dress. I blogged about it HERE. Absolutely love this pattern. It only has 1 seam!!! The pattern comes with 3 different stencils that you can then use to paint on your fabric. I have that on my list for this summer.

Once the professional pictures have been made available, I'll share my complete collection of garments that I had in the show. If by chance you would like to attend the show, it's always the 1st Sunday of  May, so mark your calendars for next year!

Having a closet of wonderful me made outfits is just the best! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Rhonda

The Sewaholic Robson Trench Coat Sew Along/Week 4

The final week of the sew along! The new post is up on the Sew News blog and you can find it HERE.
As you can see, my coat is not quite finished. I still need to add the buttons, buttonholes and the belt. But I am so very pleased with how it has turned out. The black cotton velvet accents the fabric perfectly. Even my husband has commented on what a great coat it is.

The buttons have been ordered, but I'm not quite sure if I want a belt with a buckle or a tie belt. Once I get the buttons on, I'll decide.

The written post is much more detailed than the video. In the post I talk about the sleeves and adding the sleeve tabs, the facings, belt loops and the buttonhole placement. In the video, I show you how to tie a perfect bow. I run into people all the time who tell me that they have a difficult time tying bows, so I thought you might like to learn how I tie my bows.
If you would like to take a look at the video, I've added it below.



For those of you who are saving the project for a later date, the videos have been attached to all 4 weeks. Here are links to;
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3 
Week 4
I did 2 extra posts on;
Pockets 
Sleeves

I hope you'll give the trench coat a try. It's a great pattern and I think you'll enjoy having the coat in your wardrobe.

The Sewaholic Robson Trench Sew Along

The next post for the Sewaholic Robson Trench Coat is up on the Sew News blog. It was posted rather late this afternoon and sadly, the video did not get attached. Hopefully, I will be able to get them to attach the video this upcoming Monday.
In this post I talk about a little different treatment of the shoulder seams than what is stated in the pattern. In the picture below, you see that I have sewn the seams on the outside of the coat. When you read the post, you'll see that it makes all the sense in the world to do this.

I also talk about the collar. When you lay the under collar over the top collar, you'll see that the top collar is larger. This is not a mistake and the top collar should not be cut down to match the under collar. I explain more about the collar in the post.

We talk about sewing the flaps and properly placing them on the coat, attaching the collar and sewing the shoulder tabs. I'm really pleased with how my coat is turning out. Can't wait to wear it!

You can find the post HERE. Again, my apologies for the missing video, but we should be able to have it up on Monday.

The Sewaholic Robson Trench Sew Along/The Pockets

I've done a special post for the Sewaholic Robson Trench Sew Along on attaching the pockets. This is a traditional trench coat pocket with a flap and inseam pockets. The primary trick in getting the pockets to look perfect is precise marking. There are notches and seam allowances that should be marked. You can see both marked in white below.

The pocket is finished prior to finishing the seam.

 In the end, it all goes together beautifully.

My favorite detail with the pocket is the bit of binding that is used to secure the pocket and keep it in place. Just a fabulous detail!

You can find the post HERE. Hopefully between the written pattern instructions and my instructions you'll be able to sail through the process of attaching your pockets.
Good Luck!

Sewaholic Robson Coat Sew Along

How's your Robson coat coming along? The post on working with princess line seams is up on the Sew News blog and you can find it HERE. The post also talks about binding the seams and top stitching. The video was initially attached to the post I did on altering the sleeve, so in the off chance that you haven't see the video, I've attached it below.

On Wednesday of this week, I will be doing a post on constructing the pockets and on Friday, we'll work on the collar, flaps and tabs. By then you'll be well on your way to completing the coat.
If you are interested, there is a Flickr group and you can find it HERE.
Until our next post,
Sew On!!!

The Sewaholic Robson Coat Sew Along Week 2

The first of 2 posts for this week's sew along is up on the Sew News blog. One issue I found that I felt might cause a problem for some, was the sleeve. Take a look at the first picture of my finished coat and you will see that the sleeve sits very flat across the cap. This could cause a tight fir across the top of the arm and make the coat pull and be uncomfortable.

In the picture below, you see the altered sleeve. Please forgive me, it's not perfectly set into the armhole, but you can see that the sleeve cap is no longer flat.

Altering the sleeve cap for more fullness is quite easy to do. I have done a detailed post which you can find on the Sew News blog HERE.
In the meantime, if you would like to watch the video episode for this week, I've attached the video below.

There will be a second post this week that will cover princess line seams, attaching the bias tape and top stitching. As soon as it's up, I'll let you know.
Next week I will do a detailed post on constructing the pocket.

Be sure to check out the Sew News blog as they have started their annual 12 Days of Christmas Give Aways. Over the next 12 days, a new item will be given away everyday. Why not try and win your own Christmas present?!!!

A Delightful Surprise

Just a quick post this morning. I want to give a shout out and a great big thank you to Tasia of Sewaholic Patterns as she featured my Robson Trench and the sew along on her blog yesterday. Thanks so much Tasia!!!!!

I was told that the Robson Trench Coat pattern is sold out in the Sew News shop, but you can always pop over to the Sewaholic shop and pick one up.
Now a little sneak peek at the fabric that I am using for my....third coat! I had to make one for the magazine and then another for the videos. Thankfully I really like the pattern and a friend does as well as she is the lucky recipient of my second coat. We don't live in the same city, so we won't look like twins!!!

There must be something about me, faces and this trench coat!!!! The fabric is actually a twill and the hair and faces are velvet. I think it will be rather fun! A little crazy, but fun ;)

One more thing before I go. This picture was posted on Facebook this morning.

Cute, and wouldn't it be perfect for a Christmas card sent to sewing friends?  I have tried to find the clip art with no luck. I would be happy to pay to use it. So if anyone knows the origination of the clip art, please let me know.

The Sewaholic Robson Trench Coat Sew Along Begins

At long last, the sew along begins!!!! My Botticelli Robson coat was made last fall, so this sew along really feels like a long time coming for me. My job today is to decide what fabric I will use for my sew along coat. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, I just may have something that will be lots of fun :) Why sew if it can't be fun, right???
My first post is up on the Sew News blog and you can find it here. There's just a small hitch though. The media department didn't have the video ready yesterday, so it has not been attached. As soon as the video is up, I will let you know. The first post is basically just an overview of the pattern, so there's still time to get your fabric and your pattern. And remember, there's a nice little contest for those who actually finish their Robson coat during the December sew along. You can find that information here.
My blog posts for this coat will be much more detailed than the videos. The pattern instructions are quite good, so I am hoping that between the printed instructions, the videos and my written posts, you'll be able to sail through creating a lovely coat of your own.
In the meantime, I have a current magazine available to give away, YEA!!! No fabric :(, just a magazine. But the magazine is lovely :)

If you would like a chance to win the magazine, just leave a message on this post. I will do the drawing on Saturday, December 6, 2014.
Happy Sewing!
Rhonda

Monday Morning Inspiration

The Sewaholic Robson Trench Coat sew along begins a week from today, so I thought a little trench coat inspiration might be in order. Whether you are sewing along with me this December or just think you might make a trench in the future, I think I found some ideas that will make your trench extra special.

I love the idea of just the front panels being a traditional trench and the rest of the coat done in wool.

 Or how about this for a fun idea?

The sleeves and collar are accented and rather than a traditional belt, maybe one with a little more of a military influence.

I thought this was super cute with the swingy peplum.

 Making the panels out of wool gives this little short version a very slender look.

A lovely ombre effect.

 This coat also has an ombre effect, but what I really like is the addition of the lace. So pretty.

How about some  non traditional fabric choices?

The coat below is not a trench, but I love the fabric and I especially like the idea of a stripe with a psychedelic applique.

Floral pattern, perfect for spring.

Or....if you dare...a see through version.

An all out feminine lace trench. 

Now this is over the top lace!!!

Love this fabric!

Trench designed by Jillian Lewis of Project Runway worn by Beyonce. It may not keep your dress dry in the rain, but you'll look great!!!

The Robson Trench is not lined, but during the sew along, I will talk about lining the coat. What about a faux fur lining?!!

 Or a super cute border print?

 Now this trench covers trim and lining. How special is this coat????

  A few other ideas for trimming.

  This coat is from Chanel, of course :)

 How about a little peekaboo touch?

 Or...you could forgo the traditional buttons and add a zipper.

 This is not a trench, but it gave me an idea. Chop the coat off at the hips and add a circular skirt.

  Maybe do some lacing details.

 And for a little ahhhhh :) We can't leave out our little best friend.

 So precious :)

Now you can make a trench for yourself and your little dog too!!!
Hope your week is off to a lovely start :)
Rhonda