Verena Knitting Summer 2009 #6 Apricot A line tank

Here it is this very simple to knit tank top with a swingy hem which you get with uniformly adding stitches. One thing I love about Verena Knitting magazine patterns is the finishing details, in this case you are instructed to finish the armholes and neckline with crochet, it makes all the difference in my opinion to a well constructed knitted garment.

This picture taken before blocking

The magazine shows this top being worn over a breezy blouse; I plan to extend the wearability by also using it as a layering piece once it gets cooler.

I used a linen yarn, more details at Ravelry.

This morning I had a very early appointment and it put me in a neutral color mood, I also wore a light tan cardigan for the cooler temperatures earlier.

A quick turn around

My son had been asking me to make him a cloak to wear to the Renaissance Festival for a while and I had procastinated, so when the time came I had to hustle. The fabric, 6 yards of a wool/poly blend crepe from Fabric Mart Fabrics arrived on Friday at 3:00. It went into the dryer to pretreat as I prepared the pattern and readied the floor for cutting since my table was not big enough for cutting this full length cloak. The cloak was done Saturday afternoon in time for my son and his friends to attend the festival on Sunday morning.

I used McCalls 5957 and cut a men's medium, my son is 13 years old and 5'11". The shoulder pad was added as per his design; I have used this pad shape many times before out of this Simplicity pattern reduced in size for his smaller shoulders. He made the pattern for the hand appliqued to the pad. The closure I found of all places at Michael's craft store. Except for hems all construction was done on the serger for speed.

It gives me great joy to be able to render my son's vision for his costume. Every year he has a new idea which becomes a wonderful collaboration to bring the project to its ta-dah! moment.

Vogue 1179

This dress has been made many times by many sewists but mine is super special because the fabric was given to me by my friend Andrea =)

I knew right away that this was the pattern for this rayon blend knit. The fabric feels great, very "buttery" and the colors were so summery I hurried up and used it so I could wear it this summer.

The pattern is simple to make, comfy to wear and stylish (I think!). I was having trouble with the side seams puckering and not hanging right, so I stabilized them as I was sewing them with Seams Great(as were the shoulder seams). The hem I stabilized with a strip of fusible tricot interfacing.

One thing to note is that the armscye in this pattern is very high, which is very different for Big Four patterns.

I have one more summery garment to show you (knitted top) and then I will start on cooler weather projects. First I have to make a baby quilt for a gift and quickly (hopefully!) make up a cloak for my youngest who with his friends is attending the Maryland Renaissance Festival in costume.

Happy Sewing!

Burda 4/2011 123 Maxi skirt

So I finally got to make the linen maxi I wanted at the end of the summer, oh well. I used the linen from this other Burda dress. I still have fabric left.

The grain runs straight through the center of the side panels, front and back which gives this pattern a lovely drape. Because I needed a bit taken at the waist I did stay-stitch plus at the waistline and secured it with cotton stay tape, then I attached the waistband.

The invisible zipper goes in the seam of the right side back panel which made fitting this skirt a breeze, especially since I ended up taking in the side seams.

I did not line the skirt, I believe one of the versions is lined, also I eliminated the pockets. The linen was very drapey and shifted quite easily when cutting and sewing so I did not want to complicate things; I also like the close fit around the hips I was able to get without pockets.

This skirt was finished before the hurricane and I already wore it. I loved the feeling of the airy cool linen around my legs when moving and I love the ways it looks. This pattern would be great in wool crepe, and I think I see it in my future for fall and winter.

When plans come together and quickly fall apart

Delacorte Musical Clock, Central Park

I was thrilled that I had managed to plan succesfully a meeting with two dear high school friends which I hadn't seen in 20+ years, a shopping day in NYC with sewing friends and plenty of time to spend with my fun 2 year old nephew.

Even though Irene was coming up the east coast I left on Thursday to NY. I had a nice lunch with my brother in the city and then headed to NJ where I spent time with my nephew and then went on to what turned to be a fun-tastic reunion with my friends. We strolled Hoboken and reminisced about my college years there.

Sat here for a breather, plaza on 50th

On Friday, because now I was thinking I would probably be leaving on Saturday, since the word was Sunday was looking bad for travel, I went into the city and went fabric/notions shopping (more details on the next post), I met my brother and his family for lunch, a visit to the Frick Museum and strolling in Central Park. It was a glorious day!

Enjoying an ice cream in Central Park

That night I exchanged my tickets to leave Saturday morning and I did to make it home before Irene went over MD. We just got back power this morning. My house phone is not working and even though the internet is working my cell phone communication is terrible, all my calls get cut off.

While I'm disappointed that our PR shopping day was cancelled, I feel I made the most of my short time and I'm so very glad I went.

Hope you are all safe!

Hortensias en mi mesa

I cut these hydrangeas from my Annabelle shrub yesterday. They start out pure white and as they get older they turned this beautiful bright green, lovely no?

Notice my tablecloth? It is vinyl, of the wipe to clean variety, I loved the gingham print with the daisies. Before I had children I swore I would never have a vinyl tablecloth on my table, of course that changed after I decided I did not want to change tablecloths every day. Right now there is a flannel pad with protective vinyl finished underneath the cute gingham. One day I hope to be able to completely clear my table in between meals and show off the beautiful table I careful chose years ago.

Have you seen these beautiful oilcloths? They surely elevate the homely vinyl to a new level

McCalls 6725

As I shared with you before, this pattern is from the 90s and therefore out of print. I was looking for a shirtdress with a circle skirt and this was perfect. It has been a while since I wore such a swingy skirt, and can I tell you it feels very girlish and fun. The fabric is a cotton shirting from Michael's Fabrics/A Fabric Place and I have enough for a fall dress; it was a joy to work with!

The bodice has a collar with no stand and no back facing so I followed Connie Long's instructions in Easy Guide to Sewing Blouses and I had no problems. There is no shaping on this bodice, no darts and the side seams are straight (mine ended up with some shaping to allow for a larger waist/hip). As you can see the bodice is a bit poofy in places but it doesn't bother me, this is the way it's drafted. The pattern instructs you to use facings for the armholes, instead I used the Burda method and made bias strips to finish them.

The skirt has pockets. I used the version with the longer skirt and shortened it to my knees.

One word of general warning. When marking my buttonholes I used the red wax/chalk that I bought in many colors in NYC and which disappears when it is pressed. Well, this color did not disappear

I washed the dress many times and most of it came out, you can see it if you are looking for it. I know many of us have bought this marking tool so beware!

These photo sessions are exhausting! ;-)

A series of previews

This is McCall's 7625, hanging nicely, completely finished and waiting for me to wear it, and photograph.

The Verena tank top waiting to be blocked.

Vogue 1179 in progress.

But first my husband's shirts need to be ironed while I supervise the boys building bird houses.

McCalls 6165

I have been seeing this style of top all over so I decided to give it a try. Being that I am a pear I was always hesitant to wear this much fabric around my hips. I fell in love with Connie's top, she looked so chic wearing hers. So what do I think? I think I will like it better styled for fall/winter with a long sleeve top underneath and leggings and boots.

This was very simple to make, I made all construction in my serger (yay!) except for the topstitching for the hems. The fabric is a cotton knit left over from pjs for my son; because there is no lycra in the fabric I did not want to use any pattern that was fitted and needed a knit with good recovery, so this pattern was perfect.

Isn't it great that we can be brave and try a style we are curious about without spending a lot of money?

Flower on one of my datura plants

The view from the side

Airlie Gardens, North Carolina

When on vacation in North Carolina, we drove to Wilmington to sightsee. I wanted to visit Arlie Gardens which had been closed the last time we were in the area. I will tell you that I fell in love. These are more architectural than botanical gardens, lots of structures, statues in wonderful garden rooms. Above and to the right is the Minnie Evans Sculpture Garden, inspired by a painting of the artist.

I loved the shrine to Aunt Jemima and Frangelico!

The oaks were breathtaking.

The Pergola Garden, doesn't it look like a movie setting?

The serenity garden

Sculpture hanging from the ceiling at the butterfly house

The real thing which I was thrilled I captured with my camera!


A hidden garden

I hope you enjoyed my tour of the Airlie Gardens and if you are ever in the area, don't hesitate and visit!

Burda Style 6-2011 dress 107

This is another one of those simple to sew patterns that Burda is favoring. Because the fabric I used was pretty sheer, a cotton lawn from my stash, I underlined the dress with cotton batiste and then treated the pieces as one. I used the facings that are included for the version that is not lined and stitched them by hand to the batiste for neatness.



I only had difficulty when it was time to turn and stitch the hem on the cut-on sleeves, being this is a woven fabric it wasn't cooperating so I trimmed the hem to about 1/4 inch and that worked. I don't know if there is another way of doing this type of sleeve hem when there is no lining involved.



I included the pockets so when you use them you can see the A line shape of the dress. I did take the dress in at the side seams in the bodice quite a bit, it was looking to much like a house dress, so I gave it some shape.





I fell in love with these shoes when I saw them at DSW, I guess the feeling was mutual because they followed me home =)



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One more...

My son turned 17 yesterday. As we sang happy birthday he was holding the phone so that his girlfriend who is out of state could be part of it.

I love shirtdresses

I wanted to thank you all for your wonderful wishes for my mom. She has enjoyed reading all of your comments!

Last summer I made the orange Burda Style dress. I enjoyed making this pattern, while simple in looks it gave me the opportunity to learn how to make a collar with stand and a yoke.

This time I wanted a shirtdress with a full skirt and found this McCalls pattern. This is a very out of print pattern, dated 1995 (I refuse to call it vintage!). At first I wasn't too sure about the pattern, the collar has no stand and there are no darts for shaping on the bodice. Then I decided to relax, after all Connie Long in one of my favorite books (The easy guide to sewing blouses) covers this type of collar and I figured it will give me a chance to compare it to my orange dress. So I have cut view A, the hem will be longer than the short view but not as long as the long length.




I'm using a beautiful cotton shirting from Michael's fabrics. I had like 7 yards of this fabric because when I bought it my mom was still sewing and wanted some. Now I have plenty for another project! The pattern came from my mom's stash; I wasn't sewing garments in 1995, I was making curtains for my new home in my mother's in law 1950s singer, so I think the pattern was one of the last my mom bought to make for me.

I have finished the dress below from Burda Style June 2011 issue. I hope to get pictures soon to share.