The Last Days of Summer

Well, Summer has definitely ended, and I have stopped working on warm weather appropriate projects in the sewing room for the year.

As for this white eyelet top, it served its purpose, and works quite well as a separate with many of my skirts.

But will it ever be a favorite?  Not likely.  It will be an easy to wear option when I'm looking for a solid white top since I don't have many of them in the closet.  But it's unlikely that I will make this pattern again.

It's more complicated than necessary, in my opinion.  The gussets don't really do anything, so I am not sure why they are included.

Would I like this more if I sized down so it wasn't quite as oversized?  Perhaps.

And I don't think my fabric choice was wrong, so that's not the issue.  I am glad that I retrieved the project from the unfinished pile to at least figure out that it's not a design that I want to repeat.

But for a project that was not as successful as I had hoped, it still turned out completely wearable and is useful.  So if I have to have a less than stellar outcome every once in a while, this is the kind that I am willing to deal with!

Blouse:  Made by me, Simplicity 9538
Skirt:  Made by me, Butterick 4792
Belt:  Vintage from Xtabay Vintage
Shoes:  Amazon

Dogwood Blossoms

I wanted to make myself some lovely linen separates in a solid color.  That didn’t happen - mostly because a skirt like this takes so much darn fabric and I didn’t want to purchase anything new.  Hello, sewing room crammed to the rafters with fabric.

But I did have this lovely dogwood quilting cotton print.

And so I made the idea work with a print.

I would not be averse to making this up again in a solid, should the right fabric come along . . .

But for now, I am quite pleased to run around in the heat in this cool cotton combo.

I have already worn the skirt paired with a vintage eyelet blouse, and I suspect the Smooth Sailing Blouse will also come in handy paired with any number of separates (a denim skirt, for example).

So I am going to call this project a success!

I am currently feeling somewhat disappointed over all of the summer sewing projects I did not manage to get done, and the weather is definitely beginning to turn.  Then again, it will be nice to pull some wool out of the stash.  So do I try to finish one or two more warm weather wearables, or do I head into Fall a bit early?  Only time will tell . . .  And those knitting needles are calling my name, so how is that for a distraction!

A Matched Set

A couple of years ago, I decided that pairing my favorite skirt (Butterick 4792) with a Smooth Sailing Blouse was a fabulous idea.

I wanted to use a red linen that I had stashed, unfortunately, that skirt uses a massive amount of yardage. 

I managed to get a fabulous skirt out of the linen, but I couldn't squeeze in a blouse with the leftover scraps.  (It always amazes me how much fabric a blouse requires.)

Well, I decided that I loved this cotton print so much, I wanted the opportunity to wear it as much as possible, and separates seemed like the best way to accomplish that.

It was still a squeeze, but I managed to cut both the skirt and blouse out of my cotton.

And then I found some vintage buttons in my button drawer that matched the dogwood stamens. 

The match was too perfect to ignore, so I ditched my initial idea of using cream colored buttons.

And while I was willing to live on the edge and use machine buttonholes on my first version of this blouse, I just couldn't do that to this fabric.  So I went with a classic bound buttonhole.

It may take a little more time and effort, but the result is so worth it!

Add a bit of rayon seam binding to the mix, and you get a beautifully finished coordinate set.

Polka Dots and Floral Prints are Neutrals, Right?!

I am still playing catch up with a bunch of sewing projects that I would like to get posted on this blog!

In an effort to accomplish that as expeditiously as possible, I decided it would be a good idea to start combining multiple projects in one outfit.  This is one of those pairings.  Hey, at least my resolution to make more separates appears to be a success!

I suppose you could argue that the prints clash.  But really, I have so many different polka dot prints in my closet that I consider them a neutral!  

The top is the "Gable Top" from Jennifer Lauren Handmade.  Over a year ago, I tested this pattern.  Yikes!  This is what happens when you don't blog for months at a time.  

I would guess that most of the online sewing community is aware of this pattern.  It really is a fabulous design.  If/when I come across some great knit fabric, I am definitely going to be making myself more of these.  But for the moment, I am being pretty good about no new fabric purchases, so this pattern is going to be pushed to the back of the queue.  

I have actually made two of these so far.  The first "test" version was made using the pattern exactly as drafted with an inexpensive knit I had stashed away.  For this version, I ended up shortening the length of the bodice and sleeves because the polka dotted knit fabric was leftover from making this dress and there was very little to work with.  I actually prefer the shorter length.

It was necessary to cut the pieces on the cross grain to make everything fit with my small fabric pieces.  Since the knit has four way stretch, I figured that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

And it worked!

The top was originally made to match another Jennifer Lauren pattern, the Ivy Pinafore.

Then I found this floral cotton fabric on a trip to JoAnn Fabrics while looking for a non-directional print suitable to make myself another version of my favorite skirt (Butterick 4792).

The idea to match these two pieces came about because scraps of the polka dot knit were still on my cutting table at the time I started working on this skirt.  The blues matched perfectly, and the rest is history.  Now if only I could find some beautiful wool knit, I might be able to stomach making a solid colored version of the top.  But prints are just so much more interesting to play with!!

Blouse:  Made by me, Jennifer Lauren “Gable”

Skirt:  Made by me, Butterick 4792

Shoes:  Corso Como “Webster”

The Buying a House Blouse

Hello, everyone!  It’s been quite a while since I have posted anything.

The main reason for my online disappearance is the fact that I am now a homeowner!  That process has kept me rather busy, and the move, etc., has not left much time for sewing, let alone blogging.  I was actually without internet for a couple of weeks which was rather refreshing.

Of course, I wanted to make a new outfit for the occasion, but there was not a lot of free time prior to closing.  But I was determined!  

I have been wanting to make this blouse for years.  I often pull out scraps of fabric along with the pattern, hoping that I can squeeze out an entire garment, but it never has worked for me.  Until now!

The leftovers from this skirt and this dress were tucked away in a drawer, and while the dye lots do not match, I think I managed to make it work.  The neck tie was made with the leftovers from the skirt, and the rest of the blouse (which is a slightly more pigmented and heavier weight cotton) was cut from the remains of the dress.  There were quite a few people who thought that the look was actually a dress, so I guess the difference is not terribly obvious.

These photos were taken about an hour after signing all of the paperwork (in my old neighborhood).  I was exhausted, but very happy.

I really began looking in earnest over a year ago, so it was a huge relief to finally be done.

It has been quite an adventure, and my new living space is still not "finished," but Valentino and I are definitely settling in, and I am finally getting back into a routine - one that will definitely include many more sewing adventures!

Blouse:  Made by me, Butterick 4985

Skirt:  Made by me, Butterick 4792
Shoes:  Born "Kharen"

Dressed Down

I am going to be honest - this blouse is not that holy grail design that I was hoping it might be.

Then again, I really like how it turned out, so all is not lost!

In the end, the garment reminds me a little too much of a camp shirt to be an all time favorite.  But in the weeks since finishing the project, I have worn this top quite a few times.  So I suppose that makes it a success.

I do wonder if a different fabric choice would change my mind (perhaps a rayon, or something with more drape).

For now, I am going to set this pattern aside and continue the search.

But I am not giving up on this one completely.  

There may definitely be another Simplicity 4256 in my future; just not the near future.

Blouse:  Made by me, Simplicity 4256

Skirt:  Made by me, Butterick 4792

Shoes:  Nina