Always prewash your fabric!!

 I have no idea where I got this stretch denim or when I got it. I made a pair of love Notions Duet pants with said fabric. I worked out the fit, worked out a way to change the closure, etc. In other words spent precious sewing time on them. When I finished them, I decided they were giving off a little dye so I washed them before wearing them. When I pulled them out of the washer I couldn’t believe my eyes…they disintegrated in several places. I have never had anything like this happen before. Lots of wasted time. Lesson learned.

Love Notions Presto Tunic

 I finished this top. I made a few alterations. I lowered the bust dart and blended between sizes. I think if I make this again I will take a little fullness out of the front. If it were made with a stiffer fabric it would look terrible.

Buster photo bombing.

Attempting to insert photos

 Well, I watched a video for this so hopefully I can keep this going. 

I made this top years ago. It’s a simple dolman sleeve that I hand embroidered on the side. This photo was taken at Sturbridge Village with my sister-in-law a month or so ago.

Long, long time away.

 Of course there has been sewing, but no documentation. I am still not proficient in using this system. As I write this I realize I don’t have a clue how to save it, edit it, add a photo or anything else. I received a email from Blogger about another blog I guess I tried to start and never deleted. I really would like to start keeping a record of what I sew so that I can remember. I saw a note in my diary that said I finished a repair on my friend’s husband’s pants that I don’t have any remembrance of doing. I very rarely do alterations or repairs and it surprised me to read it. It’s time for coffee and to get out of bed now.

For once I have followed through with an online sewing challenge or maybe it's not a challenge but rather a theme. I think theme is a better description of Jungle January. I made my dress using Simplicity 3775 view A (out of print now and I think I picked it up at Goodwill.) I wanted the scrunched band in the middle but there was not enough fabric. The pattern was very easy to put together (as many people noted on Pattern Review.) I think I will make another one of the views with this pattern.

   

Pattern drafting class project

This is my muslin that I made for my pattern drafting class. The fabric was a bear because it raveled terribly. I had to finish the inside seams just to keep it from falling apart. A pain for a muslin.

I like the dress, but the pattern needs some work. I think the beginning step will be to work on my basic bodice pattern. The fit was not as good as it should have been. I wanted to fix it but I just ran out of available time to do that. So I pushed forward. 

The errors are: the shoulder seams are too far forward, I should have turned the pleats the other direction and it could have used a little tiny bit more shaping at the waist or had a lining put in it.  I hope when I correct the shoulder seams that will help it hang straighter. I think the back has some issues, but I have to get better photos. I was just learning to use the remote control on the camera and I think I skewed the position, or it is maybe just a bad fit. I will check later.  Once again time was the big issue with this project.

It seems that I  sign up for classes long in advance and when class time arrives something extra is going on in my life. I started The Little Black Dress class last Thursday evening and so far things are all right, but there are 7 more weeks.....tonight we discuss pattern choices and fabrics, underlining, lining, etc. Last week we took photos and made croquis of ourselves. How enlightening that was. Time for more exercise and an overhaul of my eating. Hopefully Spring will come to the Northeast sometime soon.  Please let it be so!

I'm trying to learn how to post to this website using my I-Pad, because I am rarely on the computer anymore. It's a learning curve though. I need to take the laptop and have it cleaned up because it is exceeding slow, to the point of making me grit my teeth the entire time I am on it. Typing on the I pad is slow without a wireless keyboard.

Well, I made this little dress for a baby shower this past weekend. I think the mother to be liked it, or at least I hope so. It turned out to be really nice with little bloomers to match.

We are off to a Jack and Jill shower tonight. I wish it wasn't rainy though oh well.

I think there will be sewing time this weekend. I hope so, I received two Style Arc patterns and I would love to try one of them out soon.

More later and by that I hope I mean sooner rather than later.