Pink & Red Roses

I am horribly behind on posting new projects.  Although you would not know it by looking at this blog, I have been very productive in the sewing room for the last couple of months.

This dress was actually finished back in May, which is also when these photos were taken.  I guess you could say I am having a lot more fun sewing than going through photos.

This is my second version of Vogue 1043.  I love that dress!  So much so, in fact, that I decided to take another stab at the pattern.

Just for fun, I decided to use a drapey rayon from Gertie’s recent fabric collection.  I knew the skirt would look great, but I was not sure how the bodice would work without a fair amount of structure.  The neckline openings are faced . . . but would it be enough?

The answer is yes, and no.  The design definitely lends itself to a textile with more stability than a lightweight rayon.  However, I think this works.

I did have to add a snap to keep the surplice front from pulling open.  This is not an issue on the cotton version of the dress, so I am blaming this entirely on my fabric choice.

The pointed neckline also wants to flop forward.  I cannot help but think that a pair of collar stays might solve the problem.  But am I going to stitch in a channel for a stay?  Probably not.  This is not a tailored garment by any stretch of the imagination, and I am not that concerned with the problem.

And the dress is incredibly comfortable, so that is something!

I really do love the print.  I love it so much that I purchased the blue colorway and may have already made something with it.

And just like my other version of this particular Vintage Vogue pattern, this dress has already been worn a number of times.  So I am going to call this a success!

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 1043

Jacket:  Made by me, “Spearmint” by Lolita Patterns

Shoes:  Remix “Babydoll”

Linen in November

The weather feels between-seasons these days; it is quite warm during daylight hours, but gets too chilly after the sun goes down to be without some kind of cover-up.

And while I do not think of linen as especially suited to Fall, this jacket was just the thing to throw over a skirt and blouse for an evening out.

Yet another unfinished project I finally got around to completing!

I wonder how many others I have laying around, or tucked away so they don’t make me feel guilty . . . 

Perhaps I should continue this trend, and look for another.

Or maybe I would rather sink my teeth into something completely new.

For the moment, I am going to postpone that decision, pull out my knitting needles, and make myself a cup of tea.  The couch and a snuggly Chihuahua are calling . . .

Jacket:  Made by me, Spearmint

Blouse:  Made by me, Simplicity 1692

Skirt:  Made by me, Simplicity1644

Shoes:  Naturalizer

[The fabric for this project was received in exchange for my contributions as a Britex Guest Blogger.]

Coat & Jacket Weather

Here are a few of the finishing touches on my Spearmint jacket.

Time (or a lack thereof) got in the way of finishing the project .  And then it was more of “out of sight, out of mind” for another month or so.

Then my Cherry Gala Gown took over the sewing room and everything else took a back seat.

Since my choice of fabric was going to preclude me from wearing this in really cold weather, it seemed like a good time to finish it up.

And there were really not that many steps left.  Although, it can be hard to remember where you left off when a project is put on hold for too long! 

Just a bit of hemming . . .

And pulling out all those basting stitches . . .

And the jacket is complete!

[The fabric for this project was received in exchange for my contributions as a Britex Guest Blogger.]

The problem with reorganizing the sewing room is . . .

I can never remember that brilliant spot where I put something away for safe keeping.

Yesterday it was quilt batting for shoulder pads.

It made perfect sense to stash it away in the drawer with old rescued shoulder pads on my last clean up, but for years it has been in another random spot, so remembering its new hiding place was a bit of a challenge.  So much for efficiency!

Geranium Red

Life has been really busy, and a few projects had to be put on hold.  

But all that red linen was hard to ignore, so I decided to get to it.

Time for one lonely little bound buttonhole.

I generally prefer to do buttonholes before constructing the garment, so if I do not feel like cutting out little squares of fabric one day, the whole project gets sidelined.  Silly, but that seems to be the reality.

After that, the linen portion of the coat came together rather quickly and easily.  That being said, this pattern would probably be a little overwhelming for a beginner.

What I love about the instructions is the reminder to add stay tape to pocket openings and shoulder seams.  A gentle reminder to incorporate some tailoring techniques is a lovely addition to the directions, although they do assume that you know basic garment construction.

I went ahead and used my standby: rayon seam binding.  It may not be as sturdy as twill tape, but it absolutely does the job.

Because this coat is made of linen, I decided it really needed a back stay, so I whipped one up.

And then lo and behold, while exploring the Lolita Patterns blog, I came across a tutorial for the Spearmint sew-along.  

I like to use pinking shears on the edge because it is less likely to create a ridge on the outside of the coat.  And obviously, I also pinked the linen . . . it was starting to fray, and with the narrow 3/8" seam allowance given, that was making me nervous.

This project is turning out to be much more colorful than I was anticipating . . .

I ran out of red cotton remnants for interfacing, but thankfully, the lavender seems to work just as well.

The collar layers were hand basted together.

Next the edges were trimmed down to get rid of the seam allowance (remember, I am binding the edges).

Then there was a lot of bias binding to cut, and some very curved edges to cover!

I still have to decide on my lining fabric.  There are two possibilities that I keep staring at, and one of these days I am going to choose! 

[The fabric for this project was received in exchange for my contributions as a Britex Guest Blogger.]

Flax Fibers

I am finally cutting into my geranium linen (courtesy of Britex Fabrics) for my Spearmint Coat.  Time to have some fun!

I have the linen cut . . .

. . . now I just need to decide on a lining.

I will probably go with bemberg rayon, but will have to dig through the stashed pieces to see if I have enough yardage of something suitable.

I did manage to find some leftover cotton that is a really close color match for the collar underlining.  So perhaps luck will be with me on the lining front!

Just a reminder that if you would like the chance to win a copy of this pattern for your own collection, the giveaway will close on Friday.  Happy sewing!

[The fabric and pattern for this project were received in exchange for my contributions as a Sewing Indie Month sew-along host and Britex Guest Blogger]