Belladone Skirt No. 2

Fabric: Tobacco Twill (possibly the same used for Andrea's pencil skirt) and a black and white cotton batik for the pocket lining that I failed to photograph
Notions: 8" invisible zipper, craft fuse(?) interfacing
Pattern: Deer and Doe Belladone (dress)
Adjustments: Chopped off the top :P


Bad photography abounds. (I suppose I could blame the fact that I haven't done any project photos since September or so, but that's kind of a cop out as I could have prolonged the photo shoot but felt self-conscious).


This project was started late last year (November of so) and then it languished out in the open for months. (It was folded in a stack of papers that would fall over every so often).

'Course November is in the thick of the holiday season, coupled with procedures on the hand digits led to minimal sewing until late January when I really needed a new pair of pajama bottoms (waiting to be photographed and blogged).

Then comes The Monthly Stitch theme: UFO Showdown. Perfect motivation!

Not much to say about the construction, other than the interfacing was a test in hand strength. That stuff is thick but super strong. I'm still debating whether to keep using it for waistbands.

As you might be able to tell from this small range of photos, I had trouble getting decent shots. I've been trying to find better backgrounds than the bedraggled and weedy backyard (with its assurances of greater privacy) and tried the front of one of my church's buildings. I waited till after services and the concurrent classes and took advantage of this nice outdoor seating area, complete with metal lawn chairs and a brick wall.

Getting the exact color of the skirt was tricky, as was getting any shots that didn't chop off my head, wash me out, or were just taken from too far away. Couldn't win on that score, it was was always two out of three.

But it was kind of fun. I've got a few ideas of things to try for the next photo shoot and I finished another garment!

(This last photo makes me happy. Reminds me of old hobbies.) 

Tallyho!

On the sewing queue:
1. Blue Belladonne
2. Pencil skirt?
3. ?

SSS '15 and Wrap Up

Okay, here is the belated last post for Self-Stitched September.

September 20 -- linen Sorbetto and un(b)logged microsuede skirt (Simplicity 1690) worn to church.
Fabric: polyester microsuede
Notions: 7" zipper, interfacing for the waistband
Notes: none, other than it's comfortable.

September 26 -- cotton peasant blouse worn for running around the house.
Notes: I actually really like this blouse! It's super simple but so wonderful.


Self-Stitched September reminds me how little I wear me-mades, save for Sundays. I have also observed that I wear more me-mades in Summer than any other season; reason being is that very few of them are easy to wear in layers (I get cold easily). So the brain is on how to incorporate more layer-able items in the sewing queue.

Off to other things now, tallyho!

Sew Long Summer: Fabulous Fall Skirt

So I suck at project photos.

(I was also in a hurry and feeling a slight bit under the weather, so there are those factors as well.)

Here be a submission for Sew Long Summer Fabulous Fall: a linen half circle skirt, lined in quilting cotton (forgot to get photos, hopefully I'll remedy that soon) with a 7" zipper and elastic in the waistband. All fabric and notions are from the stash.

The reasoning for this to be a transitional garment is that it is composed of linen and cotton, lovely fabrics to wear for Summer, and it's the very Autumnal brown.

However, it is also 18" long, which is 4" shorter than my other half circle skirts.

The pockets are semi-drafted (I took the pocket pattern from Megan Nielsen's Veronika, placed it over some of the pieces of linen leftover from cutting out the skirt and waistband and did some finagling) and not-quite-topstitched (I hand sew) onto the skirt. The pocket opening is edged in bias binding and strengthened with selvage to avoid stretching.

Not much else to say as this is such a simple skirt and I've already made two like it, which bored me a little, which is why I tried new pockets. I'll report later about how I rate them.


I can, and will, talk a little about the effort I put into this skirt.

Sewing is an enjoyable hobby; it's creative, relaxing, a great activity while listening to lectures or audio books, and it's a hobby that has tangible results. (Wearable mistakes!)

But it is only a hobby.

In the week before finishing the skirt I same across The Great British Sewing Bee and I half watched, half listened to all three seasons while doing a mass purge of my belongings. In the watching I became a little guilty about my messing around with sewing and decided to try to up my game a little.

I will endeavor to:
- Stitch evenly and straight
- Hem evenly
- Use the notches indicated in patterns
- Use 5/8" seam allowances (I start out well but tend to peter out to 1/4" seam allowances)
- Learn a little more about fit
- Make casings and thread elastic through them
- Gather fabric using dental floss (I tend to gather and not baste and then stitch while I hope for the best)
- and other sundry challenges

I don't have the inclination to attain great skill or technical excellence; I don't want to spend the time and energy.

In essence I don't care enough.

Sewing is a wonderful and relaxing hobby and my life does not depend on my technical excellence.

So this skirt has an uneven waistband, slightly uneven hem, and lots of wobbly stitching.

But some straighter and even stitching around the hem.

Onward.

SSS '15 First and Second Weeks

September 2 -- unblogged half circle skirt (first project finished this year) worn for book weeding and running around the house before work.
Fabric: stashbusted cotton homespun, multi-colored suiting for lining
Notions: 7" zipper, 1.25" tall non-rolling elastic for waist
Notes: love the elastic and zipper combo for these skirts! I can keep the small waist and flared skirt silhouette while not having to mess around with interfacing!

September 3 -- my first Sorbetto worn for room weeding.
Notes: linen is a great fabric for hot summer days!

September 8 -- unblogged third Sorbetto worn for room weeding (as seen in the background). Also my third finished project for the year.

Fabric: stashbusted cotton shirting
Notions: self-made bias tape
Notes: For some reason my Sorbettos made from batik and shirting have a tenancy of riding down low enough to flash the bra. As this doesn't happen with the linen version, I'm attributing it to the drape of the fabric.

September 10 -- cotton peasant blouse worn for room weeding.

Fabric: ivory cotton eyelet
Notions: 0.25"(?) elastic
Notes: No comment. It wears well. :)

Yeah, there's photography experimenting going on. ;)

Partial Circle Skirt, Take 1

One of my last projects finished this past Summer (2013).  (Yeah, I'm posting this realllly late...)

It's my first attempt at a partial circle skirt. The fabric is a cotton batik of pink, turquoise, 

white, mud-green, blue, and purple on brown backing.

Should try ironing moleskin...

Lined with grey moleskin for warmth in Fall/ Winter and a general desire for opacity.

Yes, the lining is asymmetrical because it was also made from a remnant 

(and in order to stay with the partial circle skirt theme).  

The waistband is a simple straight strip with polyester ribbon used as a very stiff "interfacing."

I have not worn or washed this skirt a lot yet, so I'll still have to test whether this was a good move.

Waistband is shut with a skirt hook and eye. 

This fabric was a bit of an impulse buy. Now that I've made it I am hard pressed to find a lot of pieces in my wardrobe that go well with it. I have some ideas (black top obviously, denim jacket?...) and am wondering if I'll have to make some garments to wear with it. But I can still dig through my closet and see if there's anything I've missed or need to reconsider...


Basic Facts:
Pattern: partial circle
Shell fabric: cotton batik
Lining Fabric: polyester moleskin (JoAnn Fabrics)
Notions: skirt/ pants hook and eye, polyester ribbon for interfacing (experiment!)

A Skirt and a UFO Blouse

Number Two (and a half? I never made any commitments to UFOs. Hmm, commitments to inanimate objects... or alien spaceships) of Six.

My wondrous friend, Grace, took all of these photos. She is about to leave to work abroad and we spent a lovely few hours together taking photos, exploring, talking, eating, being together. And just today I realized that I was a bit of a dunce and she might not see this post before she leaves! (Grace, if you're reading this, so sorry that I took so long!)

The construction for both garments is fairly negligible for talking about if you have some experience sewing. For those who want to analyze every detail (such as myself when I'm trying to figure out the mechanics of actually making the project) and those that want to hear less technically and want the basic story...

The blouse was started a year ago, from a length of ivory colored cotton eyelet with embroidery about the border and in/ on the actual fabric. I eyeballed the lengths of the bodice and sleeves by laying the fabric over my front, I eyeballed and gauged the length of elastic for the neck hole, and finished sewing everything save the sleeves when I decided that there was too much gathering about the neckline and the torso was puffier than I liked. Frustrated because I hand sew everything (one of these days I'll learn to use a machine) and there is a certain demoralization to have to unpick EVERY stitch, I hung up the then UFO (UnFinished Object) in the closet and largely ignored it. When the month's Stashbusting Challenge came I tried on the blouse, came up with the startlingly ingenious idea* to try a belt to cut down on the puffiness (success!), and decided to take some volume out of the sleeves.

* Just for clarification, I am being sarcastic 

The skirt is a length of rayon challis that I tapered from a tube, edged on both ends to prevent raveling (although trimmed and hemmed last), and one end sewn to a waist-length of 1.5" tall elastic.

So there is project Number Two finished. (Although chronologically it is Number Four, I have two Sorbettos that I must blog about).

Much thanks to dear Grace! Safe travels, my friend.

Happy sewing everyone! (Or happy plotting. But if you plot, do sew! Or knit, or whatever you do...)