Another McCalls 7561

I promised myself I wouldn't make another dress until I had created 10 makes.  And guess what, I did it!  However the first thing I did right after the 10th make, I broke down and made this dress.  

I simply love this beginner patterns from McCalls that have so many different style options.  Below you can see my first make with this: 

I so love this dress from 2017!  I still regularly wear it.  

This time, I went for a summer look: 

All I did with this version is to obviously lengthen it and remove the sleeves.

The issue with taking your own photos is that sometimes you accidently cut off the top of your head!

Look at that, no side boob showing!

I love the neckline on this, both back and front.

The neckline gives you a great place to show off a necklace.

I love my new dress!

Happy sewing!

Sue

Yet another McCall's 6886

Happy fall everyone!  I love making dresses for the cold months.  You can layer them with a jacket, wear tights and show off cute boots.  I found this gorgeous border print at Fabric Mart's site and knew it would be a dress.  Right?  Aren't the colors just beautiful?  

 I used my trusty old McCall's 6886 to create this dress, but this time with long sleeves and the midi-length.  If you've never seen this pattern, you need to get out more!  It's well drafted and ripe for creativity. 

Playing with this print was great fun!  This time, I decided to use the border on the sleeves and I cut the dress out on the lengthwise grain, paying careful attention to where the various parts of the print matched certain prominent body parts, know what I mean?  ;) 

I knew I wanted to use some of that fun border on the neckband and that was the highlight (I think) of the front.  It gives the dress some contrast and I think it ties the design of the sleeves to the remainder of the dress. 

One thing to mention...test the lengthwise and cross-wise grains as you are planning your layout and design.  With this particular knit, the lengthwise grain had a lot more stretch than the crosswise, and I knew in the finished garment it would effect the stretch if I didn't pay close attention.  With a close-fitting dress, you want the greatest amount of stretch going around your body.  That greatly effected my decision on how to lay this out.  You can make it work either way, but just know you'll need to adjust somewhat depending on how much difference there is when you compare stretchyness across both grains. 

I love sewing tools and FM has some great ones to use with knits.  SewKeysE tapes are amazing to work with and allow you to sew with precision! 

This was a fun make!  I hope you'll try a border print...they are so inspiring! 

Thanks for reading!

Sue

Sewing for my favorite boys!

Sewing for little ones, so gratifying!  So fun!  These are my gransdons, Simon and Elliot.  They are 4 and 2.  The day these photos were taken, it was the little guys birthday.  You may notice in the picture that Elliot is holding a battery operated light switch.  His aunt and uncle got that for him and you can tell by some of the photos how thrilled his is that he can turn a light on and off all he wants.  

Here are the patterns I used: 

McCall's MP339

Both patterns are drafted well and easy to put together.  I used a super vibrant colored abstract dinosaur print I purchased in Omaha, Nebraska last summer.  I had so much from creating these little shirts.  My daughter wanted these make in short sleeves so that they can wear them all summer.  I certainly hope so as I think they look super cute!  Just my humble opinion as a grandma!  

The McCall's shirt has more details that resemble a classic dress shirt with a collar stand, separate cuffs and a shirtail hem.  

The Simplicity shirt is styled more like a camp shirt with no collar stand.  Although it doesn't really make a lot of difference for little fellas.

  

There were fun and fast makes.  Both shirts were completed in an afternoon.  I used lime green plastic snaps and my Kam snap pliers to adhere them.  If you sew a lot of children's clothing, this is a must have!  I even use the snaps on my own clothing and love the results!

Thanks for reading!  

What are you sewing?

Do tell!

Sue 

Sewing some separates!

For this month's Fabric Mart post, I knew I wanted to use this gorgeous cobalt and black viscose and mohair woven to make something.... the question was what to do!  It is too cold where I live to make a dress that doesn't need some sort of jacket, sweater, etc., so I also ordered this beautiful super wash wool jersey in deep black because in the Northern Plains, you need layers people!  Layers! 

Sorry about the indoor photos.  Like most of the nation, when I took these photos, we were in a deep freeze and the air temp just barely made it above zero degrees Fahrenheit.  I love and appreciate the quality of outdoor photos but I have standards, that is not freezing!    

That fun purple print is a sweater knit from my stash that I also purchased from FM quite some time ago.  The colors in it are just perfect with the cobalt and black.  Plus, I really to add some additional color in my life. 

All three fabrics sewed up dreamily.  Is that a word? 

Even though all three were awesome, the skirt is my favorite fabric.  I've never used a fabric with mohair in it and it just sewed and pressed beautifully.  This skirt will be a frequent rotation in my closet.

Here is a link to the McCall's pattern I used: Skirt pattern.  This is a vintage reproduction and I love the shape and lines of those patterns.  Dressing decades ago required style, am I right?

Of course I lined this skirt and since this is a dark fabric, I decided to have some fun with a big pop of color!

I am not sure what I was doing there, but at least you can see the vibrant lining I used!  The lining is also from FM and it is one of my favorite ranges of color--coralish, reddish, orangish.  So pretty!

I like having the option to wear the long black cardigan with the skirt and top and also the necessity as it's been pretty darn cold.  Just so you know, being middle aged, I am rarely cold these days, so if I say it's been cold, then believe me!

I did mention to the hubby that I sort of felt like a librarian--no offence to any of you that may be a librarian, this is just very conservative.

I also wanted to be able to wear the cardi and sweater with other things, like jeans!  

This super wash wool is just light, warm, and wonderful to work with!

It drapes just beautifully!  To stabilize the hems, I used a notion that you can purchase on FM's site.  SeweyeKeys is amazing and works magic!  If you've never used it before, try it.   It is fusible stabilizer to use on knit garments.  You press it on, turn and sew.  I've tried other brands you can purchase at locations such as JoAnns.  They are nearly as good as SeweyeKeys. 

If you are wondering, here are the patterns I used for the cardi and the top.  

Top: Jalie dolman top

Cardigan: McCall's 7476 cardigan

On to the fabric--

Here is a close up of the skirt fabric and lining.  Dark colors are really hard to photograph.  

Here is another try at the skirt fabric.  

Here is a closer look at the sweater knit.  It feels like it has some wool in it and it again sewed up beautifully.

Here is a closer look at the cardigan made from the wool knit.  I decided to use a decorative stitch on the pocket edges.  

I enjoyed making these separates that I will wear together and apart.  

Thanks for reading and I love reading your comments!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue

McCall's 7543 More tunic love!

I love this pattern.  This is my 2nd go at it and I think I love the sheer simplicity of it even more now than I did the first time I made it.  Here is my first make: 

There is just something about how this fits on my shoulder area that makes me smile!  

Obviously my first version was view B and this time I made the sleeves of D and the shaped hem of C in a tunic length.  

I used a very lightweight denim from JoAnns.  This has been in my stash for a bit and I decided to just make this as I've seen so many cute denim tops lately.

See what I mean about how it fits on my shoulder/upper arms?  It doesn't slide down nearly as far as the pattern model does and that is just fine with me!  

I honestly don't mind that it dips lower in the back than it does the front and no, I am not wearing it backwards. 

I do like the elasticized cuff with this one.  Although those little ties on view B are super cute.  I didn't have enough fabric to make that version.  

I love this tunic.  It is the perfect showcase for my jewelry!  

Thanks for reading!

Sue 

A disaster for me--McCall's 7591

This pattern...I almost lost all faith in humanity as I sewed it.  I love the shape, the fact it can be made into a knit and I really loved my fabric.  What I didn't love is HOW FREAKING LOW CUT THIS IS!!!  

Honestly, I am very self-conscious even having my pictures of this dress online.  I merely wanted to show you how low cut this is.  My fashion photographer was making some silly comments to me as I modeled this, so ignore some of the goofy looks please!

I can't remember what he said here, but it obviously struck me as funny.  

                 

I should have put a cami on under this.  What was I thinking?  

I do really love the bodice back and the way this snugs up at the armscyes.  At least there is no gaping there!

My intent was to make this into a maxi but I cut the skirt out incorrectly and didn't have quite enough fabric.  I ended up having to piece together the front of the skirt.  It works, but since this is a wadder for me, I will make a note on the pattern.

                

I had such high hopes for this dress!  This fabric, which is a Maggy London ITY knit, is just so wonderful next to your skin!  Plus it washes, dries, and sews up so beautifully.

              

I doubt I will sew this again, but I am glad I tried it. And yes, I did make an FBA :(

Until next time!
Sue