Going Retro.....Simplicity 1459

Hello Everyone,

It has been awhile, and now that the summer is over it's time for me to start thinking fall.  I have started sewing a new dress,  and have been inspired by another blogger Sew Retro Rose,  I love her style and taste, she makes dressing up fun and functional not just boring or formal .  I enjoy her dedication to the 1950's era, it's incredible to see how she can make these dresses look so true to it's time and yet she has a very original and unique twist to it.

Well here is my take on the dress.  Since Halloween is coming up I decided that I would make myself a dress for my favorite holiday.  So far the construction is going well I had already sewed the bodice and now have to add on the collar.  This process has been allot of fun and I think I might do this every year.  It will be nice to see my collection of clothing as the years go by.

Now I have been thinking hard about my sewing selection of my yester years and decided that I have to rethink how and what I sew.  Allot of the garments I have constructed are no longer appeasing to me.  None of them are functional and some I will never wear.  I think sewing for me has changed a great deal.  I need things for day to day wear and when your looking through your closet and staring at clothes that you have created and none of them will see the light of day.  You need to reconsider where and what you are sewing for.  I think I was sewing because it's something I wanted to learn and got excited about the idea of making something I have thought about a reality.  Now that I am older and hopefully wiser Iwant my clothes to reflect my style without challenging the public eyes...lol.  No seriously I want to wear what I sew...and be proud. 
Don't get me wrong so far I have worn two tops to work and enjoyed the compliments.  But I do want to expand my sewing horizons and really learn how to incorporate what I want with what I need. 

So, to make some changes I will be working on a list on what i need and hopefully go from there.
I hope all is well in the blogging world.

Do you remember this one?

I don't.  I know I made it about three years ago, but I can't seem to remember the pattern  I used.  Since it was such a beautiful day I decided to pull out this number.  I was really excited about it, but it drove me crazy trying to think of which summer pattern I used.  I really want another version ....to bad.
Well here she is:

 

 

 

Hope all is going well for everyone.  As Always, Be Blessed.

 

Creative process....

This is my progress on a shirt I wanted to make.  It was something I design on paper and wanted to know if I had it in me to make it happen.  Well so far it's been okay.  I haven't struggle as much with it as I usually do with the other projects. But looking at the pictures I see there are adjustments to be made.
So here she is in the making.

There are a few things to straighten out as far as the pleats.  It looks awkward on the hanger it only sit straight when I wear the top.  I wonder though is it ever okay to make pleats on knit fabrics?  or Is that a major no?
Anyway, I will be soon done with this shirt.  I am sure I will have allot to say after a wear or two.  I look forward to that.  In the meantime I am also keeping myself busy with a muslin version of a dress I am making for fall and a top for the summer. 
Hopefully if everything does work out I will have allot more pics and post to share.
Be Blessed,
A.S.

Lesson Learned?

Hello everyone,
            Simplicity 2566 has been in my box for the last couple of years.  I started this project awhile back but never seem to have taken much interest in completing it.  So in the midst of creating frankenhulk, I decided to make a more reasonable version of the shirt.  Something I can wear on a casual day or just going to work.
Well..hmph.  Making the shirt had it's struggle but nothing can compare to the wear.  I can honestly say if I had a sweater made out of hay, I would of had an easier time wearing it.  The shirt had so many fitting issues it was impossible for me to be comfortable in it.  Mind you years back  I made a muslin version of it only to find out I had outgrew my first version.  Which always means alterations.  Honestly, this experience would usually make me rethink about my capabilities as far as sewing.  But this time I literally laughed till I cried.  Every time I struggled with the shirt it reminded me I have so much too learn.  It also inspired me to build on my skills.  It's challenging learning on your own and trying to incorporate other people's methods to improve your sewing skills.  But it is what it is.
So here she is.....

So here is  the list of what went wrong:
The collar is just useless flap that surrounds my neck and maybe my whole upper region.  I was going for a seventies style collar but the interfacing wasn't able to hold its form.Which made it worthless.

The cuffs seemed to be a great idea at the time.  Unfortunately because of my method of sewing it on.  I calculated everything wrong.  I measured about 11 inches upwards from my wrist to my forearm only to find out that I would need to consider the fullest part of my arm when it comes to reaching and stretching.  By the way there is no escaping math when sewing.  That sucks. I wanted the design of the sleeve to have a unique look without making it look like I borrowed the shirt from a pirate.  Too late.

The bodice of the shirt was the most frustrating issue.  I had place the darts too low, then in following the design of the shirt without considering the quality of the fabric.  I realized that the shirt was stiff and couldn't flow properly.  Which caused the bottom portion to stick out dramatically.  Plus the back of the shirt was considerably much tighter in the shoulder area.  Which also made it difficult to move my arms.  Not to mention, I sewed in the sleeves wrong. 

But honestly, through it all I was just laughing.  Because I realize without my errors there is no room for improvement.  Another thing is this, I had so many people compliment the shirt.  Which kind of made me appreciate the fact that I am the only sewer among the group.  And honestly I can't think of a better way to get by with an absolute wadder and people loving it.

Anyway, that's it for now.
A.S.

Emotional Sewing....

Allot has been going on since my last update.  I have visited two new fabric stores that was suggested by another blogger Sew and Style by Toy which is here.  One was Virgo Fabrics and the other 123 Fabric Corporation  both located in Brooklyn.  What I loved most about my trip was not only the fabric selection,  but both stores were walking distance from each other. Which is very convenient.  I was real excited about this trip and it was fun for the most part.  Next time around I will make sure to stack up, because I was extremely impressed with the variety of fabrics and the pricing wasn't bad at all.

But,  2014 so far has given me many reasons to make some major changes. What can I say it's been a real roller coaster ride in the last couple of months.  I guess since I have been in a different mind set it  reflects on my productivity.  Which is little too nothing.  Maybe I need to change my environment.
I guess when I'm upset nothing gets done and when excited, inspired, or challenged the machine is humming constantly, and I am cursing up a storm which is a good thing.
I know it's not a lost of the sewing mojo, it's a sewing depression. I know it's a sewing depression because I have recently purchased a  load of patterns(and fabrics as I mentioned above). And currently altering one, but distraction, people, issues and problems just get in the way between me and my sewing.
Anyway, that's the story right now.  I wonder has anyone had to sacrifice sewing because there was too much going on? or better yet.  Had lost the desire to sew because of certain circumstances and/or situation? How do you deal with the contamination in life?  The things that can rob you of your personal joy/happiness?
Well later people, hopefully someone will have some insight too share.
As Always,
A.S.

2014...Update!!!!

Happy New Year!!!! How is everyone doing?  I am hoping great.  Well it's the beginning of a new year and although I am not a fan of making any resolutions.  This year I thought to do things differently, and that is to make more of an effort to blog more often. 
For the last year I have been making a great deal of improvements, but I never seem to take the time to post on things that I have learned, changed and dealt with on my sewing journey.  And at times I thought they were irrelevant because I don't sew as fast as most blogger and so it would be me just kind of repeating myself. But as I grow as a person I realize that blogging is about documenting my development as a sewer and nothing more.  And honestly when looking back it helps me have a better perspective on things that I need to work on, but most importantly it gives me something to be proud of.  I love what I do and I really enjoy it when it all comes together beautifully. 
And now that I am more independent, I can alter, change and correct my mistakes on my own time.  I can work on any material and have fun with learning how to be both unique and elegant at the same time.  I love the idea of up cycling clothes and that is something I will be doing in the near future. 
Well let's start of  with my Franken Hulk blouse.  When I first put this bad boy together, I knew it was going to be a fight.  But in the end I have fallen in love with her. 

As you can see the first picture shows you all kinds of funky errors I have made with the collar.  Most of the problem occurred because I fail to attach the lining to the lace properly which caused it to have a warped effect.  Then there was the issue of cutting the collar correctly, I thought I could of gotten away with it, but pictures don't lie.  And I am happy that I did take a picture of it, because for a moment I was in denial.  I cut out the fabric and lace and started all over again.  This time I cut the collar evenly on both sides and reset it the right way.  Most of it I had to hand stitch but it was well worth it.  And I really love the outcome.

Next project I am working on is a self-drafted jacket.  Everything seems to be okay but I am having major issues with the sleeves. Which will be dealt with later on this month. Here is a sneak peak of what is to come.

  And this is a little peak on the white blouse that I am working on.  So far I have no complaints. Well, there is one thing.  While adjusting the neck portion of the blouse I decided to add three inches.  Unfortunately, I forget to add those inches to the collar but hey it was kind of a happy accident because I actually like the way it looks.  Check it out.

So that's it for now people.  To all of you who are real observant, you will notice a very interesting orange, yellow type of fabric in the background. It's one of those...you know the thing you can never wear in public.  I only realize this after I made it.  But I leave it at that. 
WELL...that's it for now.
Later,
A.S.

Trial and Error... I really do hate wadders. Simplicity 2566 vs. Vogue 8935

Honestly there are no words NONE! to even explain how frustrating the last couple of projects have been.  I have no clue as to what's going on with me and my sewing abilities but it's almost disturbing.  It all started with a mock-up version of a shirt I wanted for years (Simplicity 2566).  I started the muslin fit maybe 4-5 years ago ( I assume) but never finished it.  So lo and behold I found the pattern buried in a box with all the pattern pieces cut out and the bodice portion basted together.  I figured since it's almost done, why not finish it. 
So I put it on and it fitted kind of snug (what can I say I am still growing, jut sideways).  No problem I will just have to add a few inches here and there and I will be alright. NO! When the adjustments were made I got a dress instead of a top.  Something tells me that I have a distorted image of myself because every time I decide to add inches to any of the garments I construct.  I seam to think I am making a dress for The Hulk! 

Well this was just the beginning.  Let's just list all the things that went wrong.
1) I didn't like the color of the fabric I chose to make the mock version so I decided to buy lace.
2)  It didn't work. ( I bought the lining on clearance so it wasn't all that expensive)
3)  The darts are seriously huge and hangs in the weirdest place.
4)  I am not going to even mention the collar or the front facing.  It's a massacre in there.
5)  I ran out of fabric and decided to use the next best thing an old remnant lining from a previous project.  It didn't match.
6)  And my machine hates this fabric and the thread that I used for it.  My goodness, I was one impulse away from throwing the machine across the room.
7)  The instructions on how to sew the front facing and collar onto the bodice is sooo wrong.  Which was the number one reason my front opening is slanted.  Yup the very tip hangs on one side, despite everything I had done to correct the issue it still hangs asymmetrically.  That was the part that hurt me the most.
So I stopped took a few days off and contemplated. Looked all over online to get some kind of understanding what I did wrong.  I marked the shirt and the front facing piece but somewhere in the midst of fighting the battle I lost the war.  That's when it hits me...use another pattern to help better understand how to put on the facing in a more effective manner.  And there she was Vogue 8935.  The style of the shirts are similar so I decided to give a try with another fabric.
Wow!  What a difference.  The way Vogue constructed the shirt was simple, direct, understandable and it made plain sense.  Put the facing on first!  So far its been a dream.  But this time I am so careful, I double, triple check just to ensure everything is in place.  Plus since I had to change thread the machine has been working allot better and the stitches are coming out beautifully. 
But I am not going to give up on my sloppy first trial. I am going to finish it even if it means I am going to hand stitch it together.  I think I call the first one my Hulk Frankenstein mix.  Hey if anything I can always wear it to work.  Because in my world I can't afford to have waders.

 

 

Later,

Ambitious Sewer