S2605 and M5884 - blouse and skirt

Awhile back my local fabric shop put some lovely fabrics on sale for 1/2 off.  I had been eyeballing this pink plaid tweed, so I snapped it up when it went on sale.  It languished in my stash for awhile, but then I decided to make a skirt with it.  Actually, the skirt is just part of a whole outfit I put together in my head. 
  The plaid is hot pink and and has navy, lime green, and various other colors in it.  I decided to make S2605 View D.  I have used a different view of this pattern before.

The pattern was very easy, and I followed it to the letter so there is not much to say there.  I did find the fabric to be extremely ravel-ly.  When it was time to attach the flounce across the front, I knew I would get very frustrated if I tried to hem it.  I decided to fringe the edge instead. I just sewed a line of zigzag and then another one on top of the previous.  Then I begin pulling out threads.  Here is the skirt and an upclose of the fringe.

You may notice that my skirt is not fitting my dressform very well on the sides. I cannot zip it up the back.    The skirt fits me, just not my dressform.  I don't know what has happened to Lady Burgundy.  Somehow, she has gotten messed up.  I think it is from moving her around too much.   It sounds like a good excuse to me to get a custom dress form.  Anyone got any suggestions?

Once I got the skirt made, I decided I needed a navy blouse to go with it.  I used M5884 in View A.   This pattern is out of print,  but is still for sale on the BMV website.

   I ordered some rayon from fabric.com in a navy blue color. This fabric is scrumptious. It has a shiny side and a matte side. As you can see, I used the shiny side. I just love tie neck blouses.  I sewed the blouse exactly from the instructions and it went together easily.

I am not doing a post this week totally devoted to wearing what I sew, because I only wore one thing.  Actually I wore it Friday of last week .

Jacket:  blogged about here

Tank:  Old Navy

Jeans:  Old Navy

Shoes:  Madden Girl

Until next time...

Wearing What I Sew--anthropologie is the theme

Here is this week's "Wearing What I Sew" feature.  I have an anthropologie theme going this week, because both sewn items I wore are knockoffs I made of anthropologie items. 

Tuesday

Cardigan:  Forever 21

Dress:  my knockoff of anthropologie Verite dress

(blogged about here)

Necklace:  Etsy

Shoes:  Target

Belt: ??

You may recognize the above picture, because I took it from a previous posting.  It was the same outfit I wore Tuesday, so I didn't bother to take another pic.

Wednesday

Jacket:  JCPenney

(please forgive the wrinkles--the pic was taken at the end of a long day at work)

Blouse:  JCPenney

Skirt:  knockoff of anthropologie fluttering pencil skirt

(blogged about here)

Shoes:  Steve Madden Magnolia

Closeup of Shoes

toenail polish is a dark gray "Essie"

Do you notice a difference in my hair color between the two pics?  I had brown hair in the first pic and now I am blonde again.  Until next time...

Plaid Skirt: Burda Magazine 1-2009-105

Front

Back



I have been wanting to make myself a plaid skirt using this fabric I got at Walmart for $1.00 per yard about 2 years ago.  I used the fabric make a jacket that I blogged about before.
I searched through some old BWOF's (they will always be BWOF to me) and found this cute skirt pattern.  It has a visible zipper (although not totally exposed like the ones that are so trendy today)

I took this picture from the magazine with my camera because I can no longer find the archives for this issue on Burda's website.  I really don't like what they have done to their website.  Here is the line drawing, also photographed with my camera.

The skirt was very easy to make.  I followed the instructions as best as I could interpret Burda instructions, and then just did what I thought was correct where I had problems understanding theirs.  The skirt did not call for a lining, but I added one. I did something I had never done before:   I attached the waistband facing to the lining.  What I usually do is sew the lining to the skirt at the waist, then attach the facing at the waistband,  and then handstitch the edge of the waistband facing down to the lining.  However, I am getting more obsessive about a more nicely finished inside, so I decided to try this.  I simply cut off a piece at the top of the lining pieces in the shape of the waistband facing, minus the seam allowance.  Then I sewed the facing to the lining pieces--basically they filled in the part I cut off.  Here is what it looks like all put together on the finished skirt:

I really like doing it this way.  It cuts down on handstitching.   I topstiched the skirt where it was called for in the pattern with rayon embroidery thread.  I am letting my dressform, Lady Burgundy, model it for you.  I will feature it in an outfit in the future when it gets a little colder outside.  Would someone from New England send me a little of that Noreaster that is blowing through?  It is still in the 80's in Alabama during the afternoon. 
   My kitty, Minor, wants everyone to know that he has taken up the study of Patternless Fashions:

Wearing What I Sew: Tuesday & Wednesday

One of the hobbies I enjoy doing, if you can call it a hobby, is to visit blogs where bloggers showcase what they wear.  Most of these blogs do not feature sewn items but mostly clothing from JCrew and Anthropologie.  I was really excited to see sewing bloggers featuring what they wear during Self-Stitched September.  I have considered for awhile featuring what I wear if it involves a sewn item, but I am so self-critical of my own pictures.  I see every wrinkle and every place where it doesn't fit exactly perfectly.    I have finally decided that we are our own worst critics and am just going to throw caution to the wind.  I have been wanting to blog more and this seems like a good way to do it, as I do wear alot of what I sew.  So here it goes.  This is what I wore Tuesday to work:

Cardigan: JCrew Bling Button Cardigan in lavendar (on sale)

Blouse: Old Navy

Skirt:  I made it and blogged about it here

Shoes:  Purple suede BCBGirls (about 5 years old)

Necklace:  from a local boutique for 50% off (not that you can really see the necklace)

This is what I wore Wednesday to work:

Dress:  I made it about 5 years ago out of black cotton/polyester broadcloth
It was one of the big 4 pattern companies, but I can't remember which one or find it in my pattern stash.
Necklace:  JCPenney
Bracelet:  Target
Shoes:  Steve Madden

Squeal!!!! Look at the pattern I just bought!!!

I was surfing around the internet and came across this pattern.  I almost squealed when I saw it.  It is a good thing I didn't because my students were taking a test.  I was keeping one eye on them and one eye on the computer screen. Here is the vision of gorgeousness---vintage Vogue 2112:

Is this pattern not to DIE FOR!!!  I came across it on a sewing blog so I began searching for it.  I did a google search.  I found a site that had it for $95.  I have no problem with people charging alot for rare vintage patterns.  I try not to make judgements about what they charge, but I am not paying that.  I immediately began trying to figure out how I could reproduce it.  It made me think of S3833 which I already have.  I figured I could just figure out how to do the split down the back and make a bow. 

However, I have not been too sucessful lately on tweaking patterns, and it seems like my mistakes happen in threes, so that really did not appeal to me.
    Suddenly it came to me to look on etsy.  Guess what?  I found it in my size..well almost.  I will have to take in the bust, but everything else is right.  Also, it was $17.95 plus shipping which brought it to only $20.45.  I never thought I would describe a pattern as ONLY costing $20, but when you have seen it for $95, then $20 seems cheap.  I already have the fabric I am going to use--a bright red linen blend that has been in my stash for years.  I will definitely make a muslin for this.  I have learned a valuable lesson the hard way on that.
     I have two more things I need to do before I make this dress.  I know it is going to be too cold soon to wear it, but I might could wear it to a Christmas gathering that is inside where it is warm.  Those two other things are two skirts.  I hope to have one to show you this weekend.