New Panties....ooh la la

 Today I downloaded the No Show Brief from Greenstyles and gave it a whirl.  For my first pair I cut out a size G with the full tummy adjustment and made it up and was pleasantly surprised.  After wearing them a bit, the belly was rolling down under my own belly, which is definitely on the large size, and so I cut if off.  I used a nylon spandex in black, something that I would have made exercise leggings out of, but it wasn't too thick.

I went on to version 2 using "second skin," a thin nylon spandex.  You need to use a fabric that doesn't roll, so ITY doesn't really work.  I did the regular high waist and added the waistband.  

Version 3 went back to the full tummy adjustment with a waistband, it sits to my belly button, maybe 1/2" higher.  I'm still large at that area, not getting smaller for a couple more inches up.  I also made the crotch and gusset much wider, the width of the larger size, plus a smidge more.  I cut the very front thigh about 1/2" higher, but I don't know if that really makes much difference as the fabric just rolls under right there to fit nicely in the thigh crease.  

I'm still not sure about putting it all together, I feel like it could be easier, but mine looks pretty darn good.  I learned to fold under the front/back pieces where they go into the gusset, to help the fabric rolls under a bit.  The front looks great, the back still isn't perfect, but no one is looking that closely at my bottom, I hope.

Looks like many different colors, but it's not.  Here you can see how high the front is and that there is no elastic on the legs.  

I zigzagged the front of the gusset down at the end, and you can see how I folded the fabric about 1/4" into the seam.

This is where I don't like how it looks, so I will work on it and see if I can make it better.  It looks better below, on the inside.

Love Notions Tidal Dress

Wowza, you get me on a roll and I can't stop.  Actually, this is how I should do it, make an item, write up a short blog post.  So that's going to be the new plan.

I'm really enjoying the ease and simplicity of Love Notions patterns.  The fit is good, I'm making summer clothes, nothing needs to be perfect.  And I will admit that it's fun to sew without always making a new muslin for fit.  

I bought a bunch of the Love Notions patterns recently when they had their 40% off sale, so that means I really need to sew some up.  So far I've made a ton of the Lotus tops (I can post some photos), the Melody Dolman, Rhapsody Blouse, and the Metra Blazer.  I'll go through photos and see what I have.

So far I'm pretty much sewing up the straight size L.  For the Tidal Dress I did add a little bit at the center front panels at my waist.  I figured I could always take it away, and I didn't want it to cling.  The fabric is ITY from Fabric Mart.

Here's the Melody Dolman

This is one of my Rhapsody blouses, in a lovely silk from my bestie, Melody.

And the Metra Blazer

 

Silhouette Patterns #921 Valentino's Unlined Jacket

So the challenge has been made to update our blogs.  I see I haven't posted in 3 years, there's no way I can get caught up, so I'm just going to start from where I am.  One good thing about a sewing blog is that it's a great way to track what I've done, for myself.  I have no interest in teaching techniques, or giving my great advice on fashion or style, I just like to know what I've done.  And since I've also gotten lazy doing reviews on Pattern Review, perhaps I'll start to do a few of those again too.

My most recent project is this little linen jacket to get me started for Fall.  I really have a lot of summer clothes made, and I figured I'll start in on a bit of a seasonal crossover type of wardrobe.  Okay, that is basically a bunch of bull, I'm just sewing to keep busy.

The pattern is a size 4D, with an upper rounded back, sway back and larger bust "dart" taken, in the princess seam.  I also lengthened this 2".  I skipped the pockets since I didn't want them to show through in the linen.

I do think it's important to remember that this specific pattern is a BLOUSE pattern, even though it says jacket.  It is part of the blouse line up in Silhouette patterns, the sleeve is a blouse sleeve, the entire top is a blouse.  You can make a jacket out of any pattern I guess, it's just what you want at that time, and fabric is Queen!

And I do think I'll make it again, as a regular old blouse.

Bra Sewing - Pattern by BravoBella

My serger has been in at the spa (I need to go pick it up) and while it was gone I decided to work on bra sewing as I don't use a serger for that.

Last summer I was working with the BravoBella#2 pattern but didn't get much farther than my practice bras.  I made a new practice bra which turned out 2 cup sizes too small based on my measurements.  Bras are like that, our fat is distributed in different way and you can't just expect one to fit.

So I made my one that didn't fit, then I made another one, just plain using the recommended fabrics.  I've made 4 more since and they all fit well.  The ITY print one is a bit wonky over the bust point.  I knew the fabrics would be thicker, I was kind of thinking "sports bra" and with 3 layers I thought I might need a smidge more size, so I cut the pieces just a tiny bit bigger.  That was a mistake as it just got bunchy.  I did a smaller band though and it fits well.

Here are a few photos, if you want to see more you can follow one to the flickr album.

One Block Wonder Quilt

I started a new quilting project (no no no...I haven't only started quilting) and it's super fun so far.  I have a friend making one of these "One Block Wonder" quilts and when at the store last weekend bought 4 yds of fabric on a whim. I also splurged and bought this book (which I'll end up using later).

At home I decided to read up on how to do the quilt, and lucky for me, I actually bought enough fabric.

Here's the book and the original fabric.  Also you can see the first blocks forming on the new cutting table I've been working on with shelves from Ikea.  I will still need to add a few inches to the height, but I'll get to it later.

I created a design wall down in the basement (only bit empty wall around) and you can see my layout.

Pattern Review's First Quilt Contest

Well did I ever have fun working on this quilt for the first ever quilt contest held by Pattern Review.  I am absolutely ecstatic over how well this turned out.

There is a theme to the quilt contest, something to the point of "What has Pattern Review done for your sewing life?"

Oh goodness, that was super easy for me to answer.  Back in 2008 I started to look for sewing friends.  I posted on PR asking who was in the area.  By early 2009 we had our first luncheon at Houston's Restaurant, down on the Plaza.  Alas, it's not there any more.  But that day the KC Pinheads were born.

Members have come and gone over the years.  There are still a good number of original members, some more active than others, but that's normal.  We have a hopping facebook group where we keep up to date with luncheons and post our projects and questions.

Once a month we enjoy meeting at restaurants around the Kansas City Metro.  We've taken a few trips (we should take more.)  We had a sewing weekend out at Lake of the Ozarks, 4 of us hopped the train to Chicago for a PR Weekend retreat, and we take trips to different fabric stores in the area.

My best friends are ones I've made since our humble beginnings, and we become closer all the time.

So what PR has done to my sewing life???  It brought me friendship with sewing sisters, I couldn't ask for more (okay, more fabric....please!!!)

Now on to the quilt.  Please click on any of the photos as they will take you to flickr where you can see the photos in more detail.






Each block represents something about different members of the group.  Like I said, some have come and gone, so not everyone got a block.  I just had fun and enjoyed the process.

Also each block is also embellished with lots of swarovski crystals, lots and lots.  I sure wish they showed up in the photos.

The entire quilt was machine quilted, the fabrics are all batiks, though the backing came from my stash.  The batting is all cotton.

It measures about 34" square.  It was drafted for 6 inch blocks and completed with binding was original 36.5inches before I tossed it in the washer and dryer (which I did before applying the crystals.)

Melody asked to be a glass of wine, as we do enjoy our wine at lunch.  She helped me with some ideas for the different members' blocks.


 Both Jennifer and Julie are in the dental field, so they got to share this sparkly tooth.



The cat is for Nancy.  She moved recently but she has a lovely orange cat.


Judith is the pretty bird.  One day while eating lunch at her house, there were lots of birds on her back porch, they were quite fun to watch.




Sondra is the cruise ship because she has been on a lot of cruises these past years.



The scotty dog is for Janet, an honorary member of our group.  She's Charlene's mom and comes to a lot of the luncheons.  She's from Scotland and yes, she does have a scotty.



Meg is the purse because she recently was teaching a purse sewing class at our local sewing machine store.



This is the friendly PR guy (I have no clue what it's called) but it represents our connection to Pattern Review and the people who have not joined us yet.



Elizabeth is always flying around the world on business trips.  I don't know how she does it.



The sewing machine is a pattern I bought off of etsy, and it's so darn cute.  It shows when the KC Pinheads were established.  The button jar has real buttons in it, can you see them?



The back of the quilt is not too pretty.  Since I knew it was just going to be a wall hanging, I let it be.  Here's the label.



The heart represents the members who aren't with us any more but they are still in our hearts.



Betsy must go to Hawaii at least once a year, and she is our Hawaiian flower.



The fish is for me.  I used to have fishtanks, and since I moved to Kansas haven't had one, but just finally set one up about 2 months back.  So I get to be a fish.



Charlene is the bunny.  We enjoy hearing the antics of Lala.

Quilting Practice

I've been working hard to practice the first two blocks in the Free Motion Quilting Challenge I'm doing.  I had to order some new supplies (lots of them) as I really had nothing to work with my new machine.

I now have two new feet that work, the first little ruler, gloves, expensive cotton thread (my machine LOVES it) and a slipper surface (teflon topper thingy majober).

The first two blocks are done.  The first one is just the squiggly meandering, and the second one (which I have a photo of) is the same, but also has a bit of ruler work in it. 

The other photos are just all my practice squiggly thingies which I'm posting as a way to see how I progress.

I'm having fun, and that's all that matter.