Lessons from Start Close In

Saturday morning I had a virtual styling session with Ella of Start Close In.  I have been looking forward to this since Lynne first posted about her experience with Ella.  You can read about it here.   

One of the things I hoped to come away with was just looking more intentional - more put together with my clothes.  And to feel good.  See - again - I've gained some weight - thanks menopause! 

Ella and I discussed what the difference is between Joan from Mad Men with her little belly being drop dead sexy and if I tried to wear something similar - I would just feel exposed and like my clothes are too tight.  So - what's the difference?  Is it attitude?  Feeling comfortable in your own skin?  what?

The other thing I've known and apply to my sewing - is the rule of threes.  So, normally I would wear this denim pencil skirt with an untucked tee for running errands on the weekend.  Today, I tucked in my tee, added a belted cardigan and the shawl that I recently knit. 

I will tell you - in this second photo - what I notice first is the belly.  While the open, unbuttoned cardigan is comfortable - my mind says it's open because it's too tight.  What do you all think?  Do you like the trend to leave a cardigan unbuttoned?

The skirt is Simplicity 2154 in denim.  This is how I do jeans Friday's at work. 

So - talk to me please.  How do you feel about fitted clothing if your shape isn't model perfect? 

Playing with Print

 I wore this dress to work today and realized I had never shared it on the blog. 

It's another version of the Butterick 5454 wrap dress.  I cut this dress with the grain going all over the place.  I placed the fronts along the cross-grain so that the border was on the running along that diagonal edge.  Then I cut the skirt so the border was at the bottom.  The sleeves were cut with the border along the hem edge as well. 

Rather than put the pleats that the pattern calls for - I gathered the fronts into the shoulder seam and also gathered the skirt onto the bodice. 

Because of the way the pattern feel on the fabric there is a small edge of the border on the back right above the waist seam. 






After all of that - I cut a piece of the border print and appliqued it to the front overlap portion of the skirt.  I made sure to match the print up and miter the corner. 




It's an interesting dress - but it's not my favorite. 

I love the print, I love the colors in it.  It's comfortable but . .  .

there is something about it that I can't explain.  I think I've only worn it twice since I made it back in October. 

What is it that makes a garment something you reach for again and again?

Final Make of 2013

On the day of my office holiday party, I decided I needed a new dress.  Mostly because JB did not like the sparkly Ottobre dress.  What's a girl who sews to do?

 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I headed downstairs around 11.

Traced the long skirt pieces of Anna, pressed the fabric and started working on layout.

Ran upstairs and had JB measure how long I am from back neck to floor

folded all the pieces up and tried layout again

folded the pieces up once more (for a total of 4" out of length) and finally got it all to fit

Cut dress out.

 

 

grabbed bucket of serger thread, tested, rethreaded serger, tested again

it was now 1:25

we were suppose to be downtown at 3

::gulp::

 

I will tell you for the party - this dress wasn't even hemmed.

It's a nice heavy jersey and it didn't need a hem.

I put the entire dress together with my serger

the only place it saw my sewing machine was the neckline and armholes.

 

Because it was a party - I cut the back into a deep v as well.

 

 

This is how I wore it work.

Black ankle boots, jean jacket and a plaid scarf.

Oh - and I hemmed it - 1.25" (that's 5.25" shorter than the pattern pieces!)

 

Looking at these photos - I could take about 1/2" out of the shoulders

and maybe take it in just a smidge.

 

 

 

Top 5 of 2013

If you sew, you are most likely aware of Gillian from Crafting a Rainbow and her Top 5 of 2013 lists.
I'm really, really enjoying seeing everyone's garments, reading their reflections, about inspirations and what the goals for the new year are.  I'm not sure if I'm going to do misses, reflections, inspiration or goals.  But I do want to share my Top 5.

For me - 2013 was all about the dress.  As Carolyn has preached for years, wearing a dress is just so dang easy.  One garment and you look put together and polished and ready to tackle anything.  A dress is cool in the heat and honestly - I don't have any issues with being cold in a dress during the winter.  I would guess that 9 out of 10 work days I'm wearing a dress.  On that 10th day, I generally sport a skirt. 

So what were my favorite garments from 2013?  I almost think I want to go with pattern, rather than specific garment. 

Let's go backwards, shall we?

5.  McCalls 6713.  I've made this dress 3 times and 2 of the three dresses - both without the flounce still get worn often. 

4.  New Look 6184.  This dress has been made twice and I wear both of them.  I still want to try the lower neckline as well as the slimmer skirt.  But the dress made quickly to wear to a wedding is still a favorite.

3.  Anna Dress.  I've made a top from this pattern, and while the fit isn't perfect - I really like it.  I blame the fabric.  The dress I love, it's comfortable, flirty and fun.  I'm comfortable wearing it.  I also made a jersey maxi version which I wore to my office holiday party.  I'm hoping to 'dress it down' for work this week and then I'll get blog photos.  It's been shown on Instagram if you follow me there.  But I can't figure out how to get photos from there to here and visa-versa.

2.  Simplicity 2648.  This is another pattern that has been made multiple times.  The first version was the red wool.  While it's not my best sewing ever, it's my very first wool garment and I get a ton of compliments when I wear it.  Then I used the same pattern and made a 'suit' for interviews.  The final version (although it won't be the last) is the double sided denim - which gets worn for jean Fridays quite often.

 

1.  Ottobre Knit Sheath (No link to the pattern.)  This is another pattern that's suddenly in heavy rotation.  I love it and have made 4 dresses from this pattern.  Again - you've only seen 3.  I honestly can't decide which is my favorite - the holiday fail or the birthday dress.  They've both been worn multiple times since they were made. 

 
So - did I include your favorite?  If not - what was it and why?  Thanks for sharing my sewing successes with me in 2013.  Let's do it again next year, eh?

Vogue 8634/8764 - Very Creative Title, no?

So this summer after seeing kbenco's mash up of patterns, I decided I wanted to so the same.  She had made a couple of very amazing dresses.  When it had finally percolated up my to-sew list, I didn't remember it exactly correctly.  But I think it was close enough.

It has been well documented here at gMarie of my desire to get a dress with a straight or slim skirt that fits and looks good. 

In July, I pulled this knit from Girl Charlie which had a very fall vibe.   I set it aside with Vogue 8764 (dress) and Vogue 8634 (top).  Sometime last year I attempted to make dress from a woven.  It was a huge sack and looked horrible.  For some reason I have a vague memory of making the top up with similar results. 

This time, when I traced the top, I made sure I did sway back adjustments and took the side seams in just a bit.  I overlapped the two different patterns to figure out the best place to put a waist seam and start the skirt. 

I finished the dress fairly quickly and then set it aside.  For some reason, I just didn't like it on me.  I mean it didn't even make it to the bedroom for a chance in the 'magic closet.'  It just stayed in the sewing room.

I didn't like it plain.  I don't have a cardigan that worked with the colors in the fabric and I thought it needed something.  I bought a couple of belts - but they didn't do it for me.  Finally - I tried it with the brown belt in these pictures and while I still don't think it's exactly right - it wasn't horrible and I felt cute and stylish all day.

JB likes it better without the belt and honestly, you can't tell from the photos which is better.  But you can get a glimpse of the print.

So - for the record, made in July 2013.  First wearing November 2013.  And I haven't worn it again yet.  Will it get worn again?  Quite possibly, I do like this dress and it still feels very 'new'.  I haven't done much sewing in the last couple of weeks.  Well, that's not completely true  - I've sewn, just not for me.  4 pairs of new PJ pants for Christmas gifts, 2 long fleece skirts to up the lounge wear of the girl children and one knee length flannel penguin skirt - just because I could. 

Up next:  Hopefully, sewing for me. 

Holiday Fail

 

Another version of the Ottobre knit sheath dress.

Fabric is a wool jersey from Mood Fabrics, bought last Fall.

I thought it could be a wrap dress, but the fabric was thick.

The leaves are silver and painted on.

 

I really like this dress.  It's fully lined and easy to wear.

 

So, you may ask - why is it a fail?

Well, I originally made it thinking I could wear it to my office holiday party.

When I finished it and put it on, JB said (and I quote)

"It's short!"

 

I ended up making another dress (full length) to wear to the party.

 

There was enough fabric left over that I made magic pencil skirts for both of my girls.

I really wish they both lived close, because I would totally do matchy/matchy photos.

Another Skater Hack

This time I took the lady skater dress pattern and an article from Threads.

I created the cowl neck lady skater. 

 

The fabric is an ITY that I bought from Fabric Mart

on sale just before my birthday.

It got sewn up quite quickly.

 

 The boots look a bit dark with this print, which is orange, olive, ivory and dark brown.  I bought 3 yards at just over $3 a yard so it's the $10 dress. 

I think the next hack might be to add darts to the bodice or maybe gathers a la the ottobre tee.

I have 3 more pieces of ITY from this order - maybe there are more lady skaters in my future.  It's an easy, simple dress and is easily adaptable for hacks. 

MAGAM - Anna

This is the first Anna Dress.   I made some changes from the Anna Top.

I took the center front panel in 1/2" all the way down the length of it.  That's the 1/4" I added to all seams plus an additional 1/4".  It could be a bit snugger from the armholes through the waist.

And I'm wondering if I need to take a smidge out above the bust - thoughts?

 

I added 6" to the midi-length dress mark because I always have to add 6" to get it long enough. I cut 2" off and made a 2" hem.

Those BHL girls must be tall!

 

I wore this with a white cardigan all day.

I don't really know how to accessorize my work clothes.

If it isn't easy - well it doesn't get done.

Ideas - suggestions?

 

I am leaning backwards in this photo and sticking my belly forward.

But - I till think it's a good photo from the mid-chest up.

 

This was my garment for the Make A Garment a Month Challenge.

I made one muslin, then the top and finally the dress was made on the 29th.

But I didn't get a chance to wear it or take photos until today.

 

For December, I want to work with another BHL pattern - this one will be Elisalex. It will definitely have to be muslined - as the bodice is fitted and I'm not sure about that skirt on my hips - there might be more photos of me in muslin to get honest feedback.

 

Hopefully - I will have time to get it done.  I don't generally sew during the work week.

This coming weekend is my office Holiday Party.

The next weekend is Poker and I have to have the annual flannel pants ready to mail.

Truthfully - this past weekend - I was selfish.  I wanted to sew for me, so I did.

I made Anna and then I cut a lovely sweater knit I bought from Mood and made another Ottobre Sheath.  I then (unselfishly) made both of my girls Magic Pencil Skirts from the leftovers.

Good thing one of them lives on the East Coast - I think we are a bit too old to do the matchy matchy.

BHL Anna

I'm always far, far behind the cool kids in the sewing blogging world.  The first By Hand London Anna dress that I saw had me gasping.  Of course, Lizzy is a little wisp of a thing and I am not - so I didn't buy the pattern.  Then, I saw Karen's first Anna, followed quickly by her second, and then another favorite blogger made a spotty one and I was sold.  Add to that all the variations of Anna that Roisin has made and I had to have it.  (I might have also bought the Elisalex pattern).

I then decided to make this my November make for Make a Garment a Month.  Of course, early in November I made some easy dresses - that have been worn and photographed but not blogged.  I started by tracing the pattern and made a muslin.  I decided that I needed to add a smidge to the hips and started looking for some fabric to make this with.  I also had to lower the bust tucks by 1/2".  And I took a 1" sway back adjustment at the upper back ala Nancy Zieman.  The waist seam feels like it falls in a good place and doesn't need to be moved at all. 

I found a lovely paisley cotton and set about cutting out a dress.  Imagine my disappointment when there wasn't enough fabric for a dress.  So, instead - I made Anna into a top.  And honestly - I'm glad I did.  I think the center back panels need to be straightened slightly on the center back.  All of the skirt panel pieces are shaped like triangles - flaring toward the floor, but at the center back it's getting a weird flare that I don't care for. 

 Oh - I was totally mixing prints in this outfit too.  Not that you can tell, but the skirt is brown pinstriped.

Wearing the top all day and looking at the photos, I think the 'smidge' that I added (1/4" on all skirt seams - 14 seams in all added 3.5") might have been a bit too much.  I have already cut a dress out - but I think I'll take the 1/4" addition off the center front and leave it everywhere else - as well as straighten that center back seam.

So - what do you think?  Do you love Anna?  Have you jumped on the By Hand London bandwagon? 


My photographer has been listening to Carolyn and telling me to act like a runway model and stand up straight.  of course he always snaps the photo when I'm goofing off. 


For the record - the arms look tight in this photo, but they are not.  They are lose and I have full range of motion with no binding anywhere. 

I felt cute and sassy most of the day.  But I think this top/dress might have the ability to look 'maternity'.  I'm hoping taking that smidge back out of the center front panels will help alleviate that. 

I might have to consult with Lynne's Fashion Consultant because when I see these photos I feel dumpy and that's not how I want to feel. 

Enough blabbering.  Happy Holidays Everyone! 

Blue Birthday Dress

 Another version of the Ottobre dress.  This is version 2 and I have made 3 so far.   This was the dress I made for my 50th birthday.  JB thinks it's fantastic. 

I feel comfortable in this dress, not that you can tell from my face.  I wore it all day without a cardigan or a scarf or anything to distract from the dress - well except for my new red cowboy boots!

The fabric is a ponte that I got from Girl Charlie.  I loved it when I saw it and then I wasn't sure what to make with it.  Then I made the grey ponte dress and figured this fabric would work with that pattern.  So the day before we left for vacation, I headed to the sewing space and cut the fabric out.  I sewed it all up and then decided it needed to have just as lightly lower neckline.  So I folded the dress front in half and took my French curve to it.  The neckline is now a curved v. 

I do need to take it back down to the machine and shorten the sleeves.  I wasn't sure how long to make them and they are just a bit too long. 

In Palm Springs on vacation I wore the dress with bare legs and white sandals.  But today I wore it with my new red boots!  I got several compliments today half of them on my dress and half of them on my boots. 

I imagine there will be more versions of this Ottobre dress in my future.  But I'm thinking they will be solids to show off some of the great scarfs, handknits, and jewelry that I have. 


And just because you want to see them - here is a picture of my new red boots!  And yes, they were comfortable all day.  And Fun!  For some reason - wearing cowboy boots is fun. 

Mash Up - Lady Renfrew Skater

 JB says this fabric made him dizzy to look at. 

The fabric is a pink/red and black tiny stripe knit that I got at JoAnns.  I really need to stay out of there and spend my fabric money at Mood or Fabric Mart.  This dress won't last long - the fabric is thin. 

This dress is totally a mash up.  I started with the Lady Skater and honestly, made no adjustment to the neckline shape - other than to omit the neck band.  Instead I added a single layer cowl from the Renfrew pattern. 

I still need to take length out of the bodice of this pattern.  The skirt - even though it's not heavy in this thin knit - pulls the waist seam down making it lower than my waist.





To tone down the bright - pinkness and the dizzy factor - I wore it with black.  Belt, cardigan, nylons and boots. 

I have been teaching The Musical One how to hem dresses for me.  JB has no interest in learning.  In fact, I had to go on strike and refused to cook Sunday dinner until one of them learned and helped me.  I need to either get back to the same size that Lou (the Dummy is) or adjust her to fit me.  Then I can mark the hem myself. 

This is an issue because for some reason - this dress has a high/low hem.  Ummm - I'm not a huge fan of the trend, but it hangs evenly and make a smooth transition from front to back.  Due to the short lifespan of this dress (see fabric issues above), I'm not going to bother fixing it. 



Not sure what's going on in this photo - what I was looking it.  Maybe the pile of shoes in the entry way.  I would really like to replace that bench and hide those shoes. 

For those who are wondering - the Renfrew cowl fits on the Lady Skater just fine.  I wish it was drapier.   Is that a word? 

So now I've made 3 versions of the lady skater and have another one planned - hopefully this weekend.  Right after I make a fancy dress for a charity event in a few weeks.  ::gulp::

Why?

Carolyn said in the comments to the last post "Honestly I wonder why you strive to fit a sheath dress when these flare skirted dresses look sooooooo beautiful on you!"

I've been thinking about this since she posted that comment.  And the truth is - a sheath dress seems grown up to me.  More office appropriate.  I think it gives the impression that you know what you are doing.  I'm not sure that a grown woman wearing a pink ditsy print floral full skirted dress can really be taken seriously.  Am I wrong? 

I have, however, given up on the New Look dress for the moment.  I needed to make something I could wear out of the house.  So, today I'm sharing the second dress I made last weekend - yes, I made 2 dresses in just over 2 days.  The second dress started with pattern #4 from Ottobre Woman May 2013.  I'm sure Angie could figure out how to get the line drawing in here - but I can not.

Next - I grabbed some solid (yes Carolyn - solid) ponte knit I bought this summer.  In a nice, boring grey.  If the dress didn't work out I still wanted to have my red ponte available.  And I traced the pattern about going blind.  I did my normal blending of sizes.  Serged the shoulder raglan seams and then basted everything else.  The Musical One is getting lessons in fitting - whether she wants to learn or not.  It's the price you pay for still eating dinner at Mom's most Sunday's when you're almost 30!  So, she pinned the side seams in and pinned darts in the back.

I decided that the boring grey dress was the perfect back drop for my beach glass modern quilt wrap.  And this is what I wore to work today. 

One I got over feeling exposed because of how close fitting this dress is - I was very comfortable all day.  I have a piece of blue and white striped patterned ponte from Girl Charlie that may be my next make. 

It's a knit sheath dress!  As one of my co-workers pointed out - it skims my curves.

I received loads of unsoliciations on the scarf.
The dress provided the perfect backdrop for it.

feeling a bit sassy!

I d love this wrap!  It's so much fun and incredibly warm.
But - because it's patterned, it doesn't get worn often.

 

New Look 6224

or the last dress of Summer. 

 

The fabric is a very light weight, floral jersey from Girl Charlie.

 

The pattern is a combo of New Look 6224

for the bodice and the Lady Skater for the skirt.

 

 

 This pattern is for wovens.

But honestly, I couldn't be bothered.

I made it with a knit and it worked just great.

 

I made this dress the last weekend in September.

It was comfortable and easy to wear.

I love the Lady Skater skirt - it's fun.

 

There is some green in the print so I put on a green belt to help highlight my waist.

I still have one and I like to show it.

2 New-ish Pieces

So - the quest for the perfect pencil skirt continues.  Inspired by a very cute girl in the tax department (um, yea for those that don't know - I no longer work with attorneys, I now work with accountants!) who have the cutest pencil skirts on the plant that she buys at Macy's.  Since I bought a new interview outfit, I haven't bought a thing at Macy's and I don't plan to start.

Sorry - off track, inspired by Cute Skirt Girl - I bought some zig zag printed cotton and pulled out Simplicity 2154 again.  I spent a fair amount of time matching the print at the size seams and the center back seam and even managed to keep it lined up over the zipper.  Not that you can see it, but there is a button and button loop on the waistband.  ( sorry for the wrinkles - end of the day)

I see from these photos that I really do need to work on my posture - but how do you change almost 48 years of bad posture?  You know - because I probably wasn't standing before 2 at least not regularly.  And why in the world doesn't JB tell me stand up or pull my tummy in?  Men!

The first work day of Fall was blustery and I wore nylons and boots today.  I think I need some light tan boots - Chan, will you be my personal shopper? 

The top is Renfrew made from a purchased knit yardage.  Funny thing is - everyone who sees it thinks that I knit the top.  I did make the top - but I did not knit it.  I left the arm and waist bands off. 

I want to ask you, do you think this skirt is too big?  I felt a bit frumpy in it and I'm not sure why.  I've worn the entire outfit together before - with the same chocolate brown tank under the sweater.  But today something was off and I'm not sure what.  I don't want to wear skin tight clothes that show all the lumps and bumps - but I do want them to flatter - not to make me look heavier.  Ideas?  Suggestions?