I'm Tickled Pink

I have had my hands on this pink fabric for quite some time. I found it on clearance (surprise, surprise) at JoAnns and my first thought was a top for it. As with most of the fabric I've picked up over time, it took a while to turn this fabric into a garment. Here it is as Burda's JJ pattern.

I left out the ruffles because I didn't have enough fabric for them. And I really don't care for them. I had to recut this pattern three times. I was not happy. I measured myself, determined what size I was and cut everything out. Not thinking I'd have a problem, I was not pleased to find out how much extra space I had left the first time I tried it on. So, I cut everything down a pattern size. After all, by my measurements told me I should have fit nicely into a size 38.

I basted the fabric together to check when I sewed the size 36 together. Trying it on, it was still too large. I was starting to feel like Goldilocks, except the pattern wasn't coming up too small! I then cut everything to a size 34, which originally I had thought I was going to need based on past experience with Burda patterns. That finally yielded this. The blouse is a bit loose over my abdomen, but I'm not complaining.

Once I got the fabric cut to the right size sewing this blouse wasn't too much of a problem. The instructions weren't all that helpful, especially with the sleeves. So, I ignored that and went along my way, hoping that I didn't mess them up too badly. They didn't come out too badly, if I do say so myself.

Prior to this top, I had only done button holes once. And that was on another piece that is currently unfinished and sitting in another state. Once I got the hang of how to do the holes, I was set. It was a little bit of trial and error. Thankfully nothing too disastrous happened.

With the buttons added and the top hemmed, this sucker is complete. It's the first blouse I've made that hasn't presented a problem with the fit. I'm very happy with the pattern, after I figured out how to go about it.

Another Stash Buster

This sucker is another variation of Butterick B5497. I told you this pattern was easy! Hence the multiple variations coming from it. This top is out of the same fabric as my one wrap dress and in the same style as another shirt. It’s stretchy fabric with small light green blobs on it. I’ve spent plenty of time debating what these “blobs” are and I can’t decide on anything that makes sense.

I only have one regret with this top: that I did it in four pieces. I think it would have looked better as two pieces without the seam under the bust. I can’t do anything about that now and this does NOT look good as a crop top.

This is yet another stash buster I did over my spring break. I only have a tiny bit more left of this fabric, I’m thinking of attempting to do some underwear this what I have left over. That’s just about all I could make with such a small amount.

Fancy Green

I’m all ready three weeks into my Spring quarter. Where is the time going? There are still items from over spring break that I need to share! Here’s one of them.

This shirt is straight from Butterick B5497. It’s view A, and coincidentally the same color as on the pattern envelope. The pattern wasn’t hard at all, once I figured out what I was doing. Although, this was one of my unfinished projects due to issues with the “v” in the front and back. I managed to fix the front, thankfully. I really wish I had a dress form, it would have made making this top slightly easier. Hear that Easter Bunny? You can leave one of those in my Easter basket!

The back.... Eh.... That wasn’t so lucky. The first fitting the back was very loose and I unpicked everything to overlap the layers of fabric a bit more. It’s wearable. And aside from the back covering more than I thought it would I’m happy with this. I figure I should have sewn the pattern a size smaller as it’s a bit too loose without the elastic.

I figure I don’t see the back, therefore all is good! I quite like this pattern as I’ve used it in a few other tops. I really want to make the long sleeve view C, but I don’t have enough fabric.

I'm trying very hard not to buy any more fabric until I have gone through the pile I brought down to Georgia with me. I've been chipping away at it for the past month, especially since I don't have nearly as much reading to do this quarter as the previous one.

I do have about quarter to half a yard of this fabric left over. We’ll see what I end up making with that. Another top might be possible if I modify the pattern or I'm sure I could figure out something else that's small. Oh the things I can make...

Ring around the Roses

I have a handful of unfinished projects in my pile of fabric. More are back at home, many more. I brought two with me. Both I was able to finish over my spring break! This here is the first unfinished project I dealt with.

This bag has been finished, save for the handles since the summer of 2005. Yes, it’s taken me six years to finish this sucker. Should it have? NO! I’m not sure why I put something so simple as making handles off for so long, but I did. I even used up some scrap fabric I’ve had.

I don’t think finishing this up took more than an hour, if that. It was one of my goals on Sunday after making the scrubbers to complete this piece. I’m currently looking for an excuse to use it, but biking to classes certainly puts a damper on carrying something like this.

When I do another bag like this, I’m going to do a few things differently. Such as how I finished the top seams. I initially folded both sides over and sewed them together back in 2005. That made sewing the outer fabric and the lining together a bit difficult around the seams. Now I realize I should have just sewed the sides together, then hemmed the top. Hindsight is always 20/20, right?

Attack of the Orange Puffs

On Sunday I headed to Jo Ann Fabrics to purchase some fabric. Now, don’t be giving me that look! I only bought half a yard of fabric! And I SWEAR I’m not going to be wearing the items any time soon!!!

I made more dish scrubbers. The one my roommate and I were using had seen its better days and there was only one more left. I was forced to buy more fabric so I could make these suckers before I forgot about them.

I’d love to say I was good and only bought the bright orange fabric, alas, I wasn’t. There were a few more items purchased: buttons and batting. See, no new fabric! I was tempted though, so tempted. I need the buttons to finish up another two projects and I’ve got a project in mind for the batting as well.

My roommate had only one request for the color of netting I bought, no white, it would show the dirt. So bright orange I went with! I’m sadly excited to be using these to wash dishes. My roommate turned one of the small scrubbers into a hair accessory. Apparently, these suckers have a duel purpose!

Scraps to Squares

I swear I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth again! My parents were in town visiting and then I went on a sewing marathon. I was a bit preoccupied to write.

After my parents headed back home I whipped out a pile of fabric I had that was too small for me to make a garment out of, yet too large for me to bear to part with. These scraps are all from a garment or project I’ve had over the years since I started sewing. I really do have a problem getting rid of fabric....

Above is the pile I started out with, I weeded out some of the teal and heart fabric as they could possibly be turned into something besides quilt squares.

After eight hours of cutting fabric, I reduced the pile significantly. And yes, you read that right, eight hours of cutting fabric into 2 inch by 2 inch squares. Don’t worry, I still have my sanity (what little I posses) and all seve- I mean ten of my fingers... I unfortunately don’t have my cutting boards down in Savannah with me, so I had to cut all of the fabric with scissors. It would have been so much easier to do this with my rotary cutter.

This is then what I ended up with! Many, many 2 by 2 inch squares! I've been working on sewing blocks together, but those are slow going and I'm still trying to work my way through other fabric I have from my stash.

Also, classes started today. My first one was at 8 in the morning, half an hour away by bike, in a building I’d never been in before. Finding my class was an adventure filled with near death experiences and bird poo. I’ll see what excitement tomorrow brings.

Rocking Blue

Ages ago, before I moved down to Georgia I spotted this lovely blue fabric on clearance at the local JoAnn Fabric's. Not wasting any time to even think about what I would be making this into, I snatched it right up. I then quickly decided I was going to make a skirt out of it.

I believe it took me at least four months to transform the blue fabric into this:

For a fabric that caught my eye so quickly I sure took a long time to get it in use. I didn't use a pattern for it. I just cut a waistband, applied interfacing (although not enough), gathered, basted, and sewed. The fabric came with the white detailing at the bottom. I'm not patient enough to that amount of detail quite yet. Maybe after I find someone to write my grad school essay, but until them I will remain lazy in the amazing detailing department.

Oh, please pardon the slight mess behind me. Since I'm going through all the fabric I have with me trying to figure out what to sew I've made a bit of a mess. I'm also going through a bit of yarn as well, making an even bigger mess.

I love this skirt! I did not wear skirts often before last year. I'm not sure what my aversion to them was. Oh, wait, probably the Catholic school uniforms I had to wear for 12 years. I had forgotten about that...

Traumatic schooling aside, I really like this skirt and I've actually worn it. Georgia weather permitted this a few weeks ago. I realized I had to take in the waistband because the skirt rests in an area where I have some curves. That small flaw was quickly fixed and I cannot wait to wear this skirt again!