The Weekend's Results

Okay, the weekend was supposed to be a marathon of printing and/or tracing patterns and then cutting fabric.  I did do those and a few extra things.

I had to make a substitution.  After tracing and sewing up a too small muslin for the Sew Straight and Gather Legends Top, I went to cut it out of my leopard print and realized I did not have enough fabric!  So I found a top in my trusty Oottobre issues that would work with the amount of fabric I had.  I used #16 in issue 2/2011.  I've made this top a few times- I actually have 2 in my closet right now.  It was a super quick sew; I just need to hem it.

I also cut out and started on the Little Lizard King Library Cardigan.   Turns out though that this is not as quick of a sew as it looks.  I got it to the point where I need to topstitch the neck band.  I'm going to do it on my cover stitcher but need to do the hems on the leopard print shirt before I change up the colors.

Since my coverstitch machine was upstairs, I was sewing in my basement and between the two were three children that would need me, I decided it was safer to remain behind the locked door!   So I moved on to my modified Day Tripper.  

The strange thing is that I actually dislike this pattern as is.  It made me look bigger than I am and just didn't suit my figure.  I was tempted to just buy a new one.  I've been seeing such cute versions of the La Bella Donna and almost caved.  Its more along the lines of what I wanted.  Then I remembered I had adjusted the Day Tripper quite a bit already.  I made this black one a few months ago and really liked the shape.  

I had added the cowl and neck line from the Halifax Hoodie pattern.  For the new one I added a little extra height to the cowl.    

I wish I had been able to put the flowers just a little higher but I was working with a panel I bought in Japan- so it was sized for someone shorter than I am.  I've had it for a while but never quite figured out how to use it.  The back is actually french terry and so cozy.  Its supposed to go with my olive pants in the capsule and I'm loving the way it works with the burgundy I was wearing yesterday too.  Yeah! 

I also found the Ann Taylor copy pattern and cut that top out.  Unfortunately I misplaced the other Ottobre issue I need for my capsule.   Funny enough I have the pattern sheets so I was able to have a sewing friend give me the page and lines I need for the top.  I'll trace that today.  Hopefully I can find the issue though as I think I need the directions!  

I'm trekking along.  We'll see if I make the deadline, this week is crazy busy for me.  I'm actually going to be sewing at night which is usually only a holiday sewing thing.  

Its On!

Really it is!  So Becca our illustrious leader over on the FB Capsule Wardrobe Sew Along issued a challenge to sew up a Spring Capsule in a week.  She wrote about it on her blog, go check it out, I'll wait.

The idea is to pick stash fabrics and easy to sew patterns so that you can put together your capsule in a week.  Really its two, but the first week has just been about pulling fabrics and planning.  She came up with various Sudoku style capsules as a jumping off point.

I've been in a sewing funk.  I've been sewing but not feeling all inspired so I figured why not?  I also decided to give up fabric shopping for Lent- its hard!  Two reasons I decided to jump on board.  Oh and lastly my mother will be taking over my sewing room in a week for a short enough visit that I'm not going to set up elsewhere but long enough that I'll get withdrawals!  (9 days)

I started by pulling fabrics.  I decided that I would use the Jalie jeans that I cut out a while ago but haven't made as one of my bottoms and sort of based the rest of the fabrics on what went well with those.

I then tried to look for patterns I'd already made to make things easier.  Tried is the key word as I ended up with 3 new to me patterns.  Oh well.  Since I was using a few new patterns I did throw in RTW pants to make my life a little easier.  The wool sweater also is a nod to the fact that its still in the 40s around here.  Ugh...  The process was fun and I'm inspired.  I can't wait to start sewing all these up!!

Stay tuned!

January got a way from me....

Oy!  I got steamrolled in January.  I started off strong but then THE blizzard of the century hit us!  Really!  Did I ever mention I grew up in sunny California?  What that meant is that my kids got a second Winter Vacation.  Between the snow days, the teacher workdays that were already scheduled, some holiday and weekends they had 14 days off.  I was ready to snow shoe out of here!

Of course that doesn't mean I didn't sew.  I sewed and sewed and sewed, just to be able to hide away from the madness.  But it does mean that I didn't do any sewing that involved thought.  With kids busting in all day- mine, their friends, random neighborhood kids!- needing food, water, dry clothes, and whatever else children need, I only sewed things that were quick and easy.

Each of the children got a Hey June Hatteras Hoodie.  This one is for the oldest, he got the hoodie version.  The girl child ended up with 3 of view B, one was too small so its gone and the other two are in rotation but for some reason I didn't photograph them.  The little one got 3 also but without hoods.  And then I used the Field Research pants pattern to make a pair of flannel lined pants for both the younger ones.

And here it is almost the end of February!!!  I ended and began January with some pattern testing that I really should blog about.  Both patterns are adorable.  I also tested another pattern in February and sewed random bits of things.  Which brings me to my latest adventure.

I love having a plan with my sewing but seem to seldom actually do it!  I'm finishing off February with a bang- hopefully.  I'm going to join my fellow sewers on the Capsule Facebook page in a quick capsule sew along.  Yeah!  We're not all sewing the same things but the challenge was to come up with a quick sew capsule AND sew it.  Since I've gone on long enough here, I'll write up a post all about my plan tomorrow.