FO - Simplicity 2596 Top & Anemoon Hat Progress

Here is the last top for my Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest. I am soooooooooo excited. I have a little itty bitty piece of binding left to add to the bottom of my skirt and one pair of already cut out pants to sew to finish the contest. This is great, since I started this thing the last day of October.




Yup - I am skipping around in my velvet peep toe booties with the 4 1/2" heel. I am happy to be whipping away on my projects, what can I say? The other nice thing was that I really breezed through this project. It was a cinch. I followed the directions for the most part (too easy to need, really) and voila. A nice work shirt/ go out on the weekend top. The sleeves have elastic as well as the hem. I used facings for the neckline as called for in the directions, but would just do a binding the next time around.




I also purchased some Malabrigo worsted weight yarn this weekend to work on a quickie knit project - Anemoon. Every Friday, Canary Knits features an Indie Designer. Well, on Friday she introduced me to Lucy Sweetland from Black Pepper. I really fell in love with her Anemoon hat and ran out to get yarn, after downloading the pattern. There are gorgeous versions on Ravelry and a lot of them were using Malabrigo. Hopefully this bad boy will be completed in the next few days.

The Stare of Determination

....or hunger....lol

A Lil' Bit of Knitting

So my roommie and I went to a yarn opening in Chula Vista on Sunday. It's called Maria's and it is GORGEOUS! Look at this place. Not only are the prices unbelievable (I'm talking as low as .99/skein) the atmosphere was perfect, too. It was nice and bright and very welcoming.


Brandilion and I both scored massive amounts of yummy goodness, which has started me back on a road leading towards knitting. I really have a new passion for sewing, but hate the idea of dropping my first love - so I won't. After careful consideration, I have started Norah Gaughan's Bubble Pullover from the Knitting Nature book. There are so many beautiful versions on Ravelry, I feel inspired. That's it for right now - so I'll keep it short and sweet. Hopefully some progress pics this weekend.....stay tuned.

Liz and Brandi



FYI: Liz, Brandi, and I are all rockin' our self-made sweaters. Gotta represent at an opening right? Liz and I used patterns, but my roommie designed hers a year ago and then went back and steeked the side seams for a perfect fit.

Betty Boop - Make It Work - Double the FOs Fo Your Pleasure

I know, I know - the title is a bit out there, but that's how I'm feeling with my latest 2 FOs. Both of these are part of the PR Wardrobe Contest. This puts me in a comfortable position to actually finish. I have only one top to make, a pair of pants, and a skirt to finish (which is almost completed already).

First off - the shirt is the first attempt at the Simplicity 2594 top. After succeeding with the green stretch fabric, I felt confident enough to complete this version. Still loving the fabric and texture.

I made the skirt using the new Vogue 8603 pattern. I really love the side ruching and back panel. It makes me feel all Betty Boop. Unfortunately I chose a fabric that really likes to unravel. Even after serging the sides,it is still unraveling inside, here and there. Regardless, I love the look and since the skirt only took an evening to make, I don't mind whipping this one up again.



Next up - I'm finishing my Cynthia Rowley skirt pattern - Simplicity 2512
I have messed up at every stage of this one, even though it isn't a complicated skirt. This includes sewing the pockets to the outsize and sewing the top of the skirt as the bottom, etc. Either way, I'm making it work (I love you Tim Gunn) and I am still happy with my progress. Speaking of progress....I was able to make really fast progress on the binding with the following purchase:



Now, I know many people find this to be useless, but I really like it. I HATE making bias binding tape and do not find the store bought variety attractive. This is the perfect marriage for the lazy and polished project seekers....meaning me.

FO Debutante - Simplicity 2594

So I have been struggling with my sewing projects lately. I have had two heartbreaking (dramatic I know)mishaps with recent projects. It was using the same, gorgeous, yet uncooperative fabric, so I am forced to try to still make it work or face not having a top out of this "I'm in total love" fabric....any who - after a lot of struggling, I was able to finish my 3rd PR Contest Challenge top using Simplicity 2594. I don't want to go into the fact that Simplicity patterns are NEVER what they say...simple. Well, at least for me. I know that several PR reviews on this pattern raved about the clarity of this pattern. I promise I am reading them, just not with anything resembling an understanding. Similar to my recent high-waist pants, I just ended up winging it for myself.



I purchased this 1.5 yards of Debutante Stretch Satin Fabric in Chartreuse Green from Fabric.com for $14.97 total. This is actually more pricey than I usually go, but back in March I was trying out stretch fabrics and went up in price a bit. The fabric is pretty neat. Since I am use to going with prints, this helps compensate as I can't use too many prints that will match for the wardrobe challenge.

This leaves me with two more shirts and three bottoms to go before month's end. As long as I complete my Vogue skirt before the week's end, I will be on track to finish for the contest.

FO McCall’s 5276 Jacket – PR Contest Entry # 4

So I am still cruising along with the Pattern Review Contest. I have four pieces completed and only 6 more to go and a full 3 weeks to do it. That’s really not bad – just 2 projects a week. So far I have on pair of linen pants, an airy lace gauze top, and my latest project, the unlined silk jacket. This leaves me with 3 tops, two pairs of pants, and a skirt to go. Two of the projects are using Vogue patterns – 8603 skirt and 8367 high waist-pants. Since I’m going to try to do a top this evening, I’ll leave that pattern as a surprise.



As far as the jacket goes, I’m glad that I forged through to finish it, even though it is not my favorite project. I really didn’t have any fabric to spare, so I was left with a few compromises. It is shorter than I’d like, so my original intent was to lengthen the pattern. I also wanted to do the same for the sleeves. None of this was possible. The silk material really should have been serged before sewing, which I didn’t realize until after completing most of it.

Changes: I made on 1/2“ hem instead of the 1 ¼” that the pattern called for. I also did my own thing to make the collar work. I just could not wrap my head around their directions for this part. It came out okay for my first jacket, but not as nice as I would have liked. I also used only one button and folded the inside part of the jacket down a bit more than the pattern to show the complimentary gray color. FYI, this is my best button hole EVER!



That’s all I can say other than I like the Asian inspired look of the fabric and that while I’m not jumping for joy over this one, it is working well at the office and is dressing up my very casual top quite nicely.

Oh yeah – I put my parents on the case for me in prayer back-up….guess what? They have extended the FHA tax credit! Prayer break-through number 1! Here’s to getting my home after all.

Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest - FO Simplicity 2654 High Waisted Linen Pants

I have been reading numerous blogs and there are quite a few people that have joined the wardrobe contest late....well not probably as late as me! I decided on Friday. LOL. At least I am able to use the last two tops I made since they were completed during the challenge dates. For those not part of Pattern Review, we must make 5 tops, 4 bottoms, and a topper. All pieces must go with every item. This contest started in October and Ends December 1st. I know have the end of this month to get cracking.



This post shows my weekend project, well it really only took an evening and some change, but that is because my rommie and I spent a great deal of time watching the entire series of Firefly. Anywho - the only two complaints I have are the over wrinkling of the fabric (spray starch anyone) and the crummy directions. Well, they may not be crummy exactly, but I didn't think they were too good. I was confused by the 2nd or 3rd instruction and decided to just wing it. This worked out great! I used a natural colored linen that has a golden sheen from the woven threads. My roommate was so excited to continue the Firefly marathon that she saved the day me at trip to Joann Fabrics to buy buttons and eye and hooks. I love love love the organic look and feel of these buttons and think they will compliment my wardrobe well.



During my weekend with my roommie, I was also able to trace and cut out my next pattern project - McCall's 5276. I am doing version C with the buttons. I am using a really nice multi-colored silk fabric that I purchased at Yardage Town the last time I attempted on of their wardrobe contests. lol. I thought it only fitting to make something out of it for this project.



While I made a story board for the various items I have planned for this contest, I have been unable to find half of the patterns in my stash (even though they are cataloged in my Pattern Review database). I have been really bad about laying them all around the house after I spent the time to catalog them in drawers. With all that being said, I will work with the ones I can find and spice up the rest.

Simple Sophisticaton - FO McCall's 5388 Lace Top

I have my latest FO, which I finished on Sunday evening. It is the first non-knit fabric that I have used to create something since many moons ago. This was the first time that I have used a gauze material, despite buying yards and yards of it over the last year. This particular gauze fabric is very airy and I ended up doing a fair amount of handwork to make the project work.

I have have this pattern for a while and have seen great reviews on Pattern Review for every other view, but not this one. I realized why when I went to make it. It calls for three different types of lace, which don't typically come in a lot of colors. Not to be dissuade, I put down the intended fabric (which was a beautiful purple knit fabric) and ran over to Yardage Town on my lunch break (yes, I cut fabric on my lunch hour) and purchased the natural color fabric and the lace. The lace includes crochet lace, regular lace, and eyelet lace. I am glad it worked out so well. I think it is very romantic and updated Victorian. I was so into making this project, that I even kept the insides neat. I almost NEVER worry about how the insides come out. Since I have a serger, it often looks fine, enough - but for this project, I actually did the facing by hand so that it would cover up the lace work on the top portion. I used a rolled hem for the side seams and the hem.



FYI - my Denver Fabrics yarn came in and I will have to start thinking up projects for my newly added stash.

In other sewing news, I started tracing the pajama pattern from the latest BWOF, October issue. I plan on using a comfy knit fabric to make it weekend lounge wear instead of sleepwear. Other than that project, I only have plans for the crisp, white shirt in the Plus-Size section of the catalog. Here's hoping I'll have more to love in the December issue.

Oh, I forgot - I went to Sew Hut, the local Bernina store to get help on making better button holes. They really showed me how to complete the 4-step process properly along with the which attachment I need to use for my machine. With the small chisel I bought at Home Depot after reading Dawn's Fat Max post, I should have a profession pair of pants coming up in the next few days...or early next week.

Happy Humpday!