This IS My Dress

 Apparently I'm just a Style Arc Fangirl now.  I love my hope dresses, but even more than Hope - I love the Nova Midi Dress.  

It was love at first sight with my very first version, with the only changes to lower the neckline a bit more and add pockets. I wear both version of this dress weekly in the summer and I wear them with sweaters, tights and boots in the winter. 

JB and I try to take a nice vacation yearly. Since I'm not knitting as much as I once was, I try to bring a piece of fabric home from vacation. 

This past January we went to Cancun and while we had an incredibly relaxing time, I'm not in a big hurry to go back. The main reason why - it's just too far from everything. You really have to do all inclusive because there's no place to eat, except at the resort.

Anyway - I bought back this beautiful 3 meter piece of challis that was roughly $4 a meter.

There's not much to say about this dress. I mostly followed the pattern. I did lower the neckline, by 1.5" overall.

(geeze, we really need to pain that light post)

I also added pockets, I used lining fabric for the first pocket piece sewed onto the front, then same fabric for the pocket back. Due to the gathers, I did not stitch the pockets to the front skirt pieces, but I did stitch them to the waist seam.

For this dress, once I had attached each gather, I then serged the seam, pressed it up and then topstitched it. 

While I still don't like how I look in photos - please don't come at me. The menopausal weight is just weighing heavy on me currently. Do yourself a favor and find a friend who makes you feel beautiful when they take your photo.  All photos in this post were taken by Carolyn.

I am currently evaluating all of the challis in my fabric closet for more Novas. And I really, really want to make one in graduating sizes of gingham.  

Let's Catch UP a Little

 When last we met up with our intrepid heroine, she was posting end of summer sewing plans - FOR 2023!  Let's just see how that worked out, shall we?

First up: Nova - made with a challis bought in Mexico in January and sewn up in time to wear on another vacation to Mexico in November.

Second: -That pumpkin coffee print has been sewn and worn multiple times.  

Third: I believe I put this back, but I'm going to have to look. Because I vaguely remember making it, but there's no photographic evidence.

Fourth: I made the flannel PJ top, but not this linen, yet. Also, I don't really love the top, so . . . 

Fifth: I tested the Grainline Studio Alder Shirtdress in the extended sizes.  I loved making this dress.  I love the pocket construction and how fun it is (I've even used it on a few of JB's shirts) but I'm having a moment with how I look currently and I'm not in love with any of the photos. 

Sixth:  While I did make a Vali top in October and I also sewed up the beautiful red toile like fabric, the two did not come together. Look for a blog post on this dress soon.

Seven, Eight & Nine have not been touched at all. 

Ten: Eleanor did get a new robe for her birthday.  However, Gigi got a new sewing machine for Christmas and I could not figure out how to get E's monogram from my embroidery stick into the machine (still haven't figured it out 8 months later). And all her dolls got matching robes & pjs - blog post on that too

End of Summer Sewing Plans

 I've got plans, they're multiplying! I figure if I lay them out here, there's a better chance they'll get done.

First: I have another Style Arc Nova Midi Dress cut out, this one's for me.  But I'm not sure I can currently face all the gathering after having just finished one for the solids loving daughter.

Second: I have a fall themed coffee print designated for a shirt for JB. In fact, I ironed the fabric and started cutting it - 2 days ago. I still only have the left front, both sleeves and one collar cut out.  

Third: I have a pretty knit on my table to make that same solids loving girl a knee length dress in her favorite muumuu pattern. This has been pulled since I made her a new maxi version after she had some surgery this summer and easy slip on dresses were her best friend.

Fourth: I bought a beautiful piece of linen at fabricmart this summer when I roadtripped with Marjie (I'm still mad that she found the black floral linen before I did) that wants to be a Peplum Split Tank. This is a trial run of the pjs I want to make for Christmas.

Fifth: I'm participating in another test that I'm really excited about and I've pulled and prepped the fabric for that. The fabric was another FabricMart retail store find and I couldn't decide if I wanted a shirt or a dress, so I bought it all. At $2/yard, why not?

Sixth: Vali dress with a pretty toile-like linen from FabricMart. I can't remember if I ordered it or bought it at the retail store during a SewCamp, either way, it's gorgeous! I think this might be my birthday dress this year.

Seven & Eight: don't have to get done this summer, but they are Christmas or possibly January birthday gifts. I have some fun fabrics to make a couple of Boundless Carryalls. I might use a different pattern for the one of the fabrics, but I want to use the faux leather for the bottom.

Nine: at least one tee for a special Ernie & Bert loving little boy.

Ten: Photoless project. Miss E asked if I'd make her a new robe. We just planned our next trip to see the grands and while I don't have to take them something every time I see them, it's nice. But also, her robe could be a project for Christmas or her birthday in January. Plus, being the crazy Gigi that I am, I decided when I bought the fabric that her dolls should have matching robes.

We'll see how much I can get checked off this list :)