Disaster Adverted

Can you see this very faint writing on this fabric? I didn't and cut it out on the right side of the fabric which would have been really bad if I didn't notice it before I starting sewing. Luckily I did and just made sure to reverse the pattern pieces but of course that means all the markings are on the right side of the fabric but they should easily wash out.


So far so good, I added buttons/buttonholdes to the back pockets. These buttons must have come from an old leather coat because they say "Wilson's Leather" on them.

This is Simplicity 2852, which was so easy I think I could have done it blindfolded, not really but it was so easy, I think it took 1 1/2 hours at the most.

The maxi dress and jacket are cut out, I'm not going to say which pattern I choose, I'll let it be a surprise. I don't have much more to do on the capris, they should be finished before next weekend and then I can start on the maxi dress.

I hope everyone had a great weekend, as you can see from all my FO's I had a great sewing weekend.

Gifted Fabric

Does this happen to you? People find out that you sew and they know someone who "use to sew" and suddenly you have something like this on your basement floor.

Trust me, I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I always graciously accept because gifted fabric has saved me on more than one occasion. For instance, when I lived in Ark, I didn't have enough money to buy fabric and I really, really needed a winter coat, someone gave me some brown corduroy which I took and made a wonderfully warm coat, I got so many compliments on that coat.

But honestly, what am I going to do with this pair of partially finished pants, I think this fabric would make a really cute summer top but I'm not going to try and take these pants apart, thankfully times aren't that tough lol. But kudos to Ms. Peggy for matching those plaids lol.

And when were these EVER in style.

This corduroy was gifted to me by someone from the knitting group and she warned me that it smelled like moth balls, and it did, it took two washings to get the smell out but I will keep this fabric cause you never know. The rest of it will be sorted through and I will donate what I don't think I'll ever use. Times like these remind me that I really need to work on keeping my stash to a minimum so I don't end up leaving a headache like this for my children when I'm too old to sew.

I wore my top today and I love it and so did a lot of other people.

These white capris were a pain, I had to tweak the fit because the pattern had front pleats and I didn't include them so the waistband didn't fit right, I used Mimi's trick and put elastic in the back of the waistband and that fixed the problem. Super comfortable and not too heavy, which I was concerned they might be since I lined them with the sports-weight twill.

Oh well, I just had to share my gifts, now on to other waiting projects.

Off to a Good Start

I finished Simplicity 2892 .

What a fun summer top, love all the colors, it will go well with the white capris.

Just the beginning for what I hope is a very successful weekend of sewing.

I tried to find this old picture because I remember that the Thriller album cover was in the background, couldn't find it but I hope you RIP MJ. He bought so much joy to so many people but had a very sad life.

I need to sew

Last weekend was spent doing a good deed, fixing my friend Gwen's computer, what a nightmare but she's my friend even when it isn't convenient.

This weekend I'm going to be prepared to sew and hopefully will get some done.

This is cut out, Simplicity 2892, I made this top before with a knit fabric, which is not one of the recommended fabrics so we're going to try again with this 2.00/yd hobby lobby print.

This is also cut out and waiting, Simplicity 2852, view C but I'm going to omit the elastic bottom.

And these capri's to match 2852, I'm doing the capri's without the ties so I guess they're really the cargo pants.

And lastly, I've finally decided on the fabric for my maxi dress for Macy's music festival but I can't decide which one to make, I bought the one on the right, Simplicity 2582 with view B in mind but then Hancock had Butterick patterns for .99 and I purchased the one on the left for view D, I like the neckline but I don't plan to do the buttons or ties, that looks stupid to me.

I plan to pair it with this short jacket in white, Simplicity 2652, so please help me decide which pattern to use for the maxi dress.

Two more days until the weekend, hopefully I can squeeze a little sewing in before then.

Stash Busting Tops

I have to say like a lot of sewers I've never been a big fan of Simplicity patterns but I'm slowly coming around. Both tops are Simplicity 3790 and all the fabric is from my stash.

You should remember this fabric from the pretty in pink dress, which was also a Simplicity pattern. Super quick and super easy, didn't have any more of the wonderful knit tricot that I used to line the dress but luckily when you're my age you have appropriate under garments lol. I don't think my DD can spell slip or camisole. Is it just me or has the next generation done away with modesty, you see underwear everywhere or no underwear, I don't know which is worse, but I digress.

The dark green fabric is from my stash, I think I purchased it from JoAnn's this winter, it's a stretch knit and the insert is from the heart blouse, another Simplicity pattern, for someone who doesn't like them I seem to have an awful lot.

And I fixed my yellow sandals, just sewed a piece of elastic and it works great. Now I don't have to hunt for more yellow sandals in my size, and I'll never tell you my size.

Before I go I have to tell you what happened to me yesterday while leaving the grocery store, this little old toothless woman came up to me and said that God told her to pray for my legs LMAO! I'm not making this up, I told her I don't think it was God because he knows nothings wrong with my legs, she thought they were swollen, I said, "Nope, my Father's legs are like this

and so are all my sisters", me and my cankles but I'm still going to make a skirt this weekend. It was pretty funny, she just knew she heard from God.

Sew Easy

Simplicity 3790, view E, this top sat on the sewing table and waited patiently while I put other projects before it, I don't know why I waited, it took about 1-2 hours at the most to finish.

I bought these yellow sandals to go with the top but they don't stay on, now I have to find some yellow sandals.

Here I am modeling Simplicity 3773 with the capris, I was so focused on the stupid pockets not showing through I need to tweak the fit, I think I'm going to try Mimi's trick of putting some elastic in the back of the waistband but you know I'm going to wear them anyway.

I wasn't going to post this picture but the pose is just too funny, why am I sticking my chest out like that, America's next top model I ain't.

I gave Tianna her outfit tonight and she was very happy, her cousin was jealous so I think I'll have to make her one. The last game is Saturday, like most things with children it went by much to fast and that also explains my fly away hair, it was raining at practice but that didn't stop us from stopping for ice cream.

There's nothing cut out and waiting, what to do, what to do, we'll see.

White Capris

It's summer so naturally I wanted a pair of white Capri's. After reading several blog post on the horrors of pockets that show through white pants I incorporated their tips on avoiding this fashion no-no into this pair and as you can see you can't tell there's a pocket.



I used sportswear twill from Hancock and lined them with the same fabric but I used broadcloth for the pocket and underlined them with that wonderful nude knit tricot I purchased in Texas. I used a french seam as mentioned on Trena's blog to prevent the serged seam from showing through. To tell the truth I never thought too much about pockets showing through white pants, not like they're underwear, they're just pockets but I'm glad I took the time with these Capri's.

This is Simplicity 3773, the fabric is pique again from Hancocks, it's the same type of fabric as the watermelon top I made for Tiana, who I'm sad to say didn't come to the game on Saturday so I wasn't able to give it to her, hopefully she will be there for Tuesday's practice.

This was very easy, I highly recommend it for a quick summer top.

That's it for me, all in all it was a great sewing weeekend. I wore the Vogue top to church this morning. I haven't baked anything in a couple of weeks and I think I'm getting grumpy, I need some chocolate cake, maybe next weekend.

I hope everyone had a great weekend as always they go by way to fast but just think only 5 works days and then we get another one.

Because every little girl deserves cute clothes

I promised my T-Ball shadow, Tiana that I would make her something and Hancock's had McCalls patterns for .99 so I picked this up.

And made this. It's view C.

She said her favorite color is pink, my kinda girl.


I hope she likes it and maybe some unselfish sewing will have the sewing gods smiling on all my weekend projects.

Persistence Usually Pays Off

Love this top! It's Vogue 7756 which is so old I can't remember when I bought it but I do remember the only time I made it was for a woman I use to sew for in the early 90's, she was the best client ever. She was very petite and just happy to have clothes that fit, never balked at a price, never had a problem when I ran late, if they all were like her I probably would still sew for people but trust me when I say she was the exception and not the rule.


Now my only dilemma is to tuck or not to tuck. When I initially purchased this fabric it was to go with this pair of high-waist pants I made, they're Butterick 5250, (I know this because it's so easy to find my patterns now, yea)




As I said I purchased this pattern for my petite client and it was size 6-10, I'm a little bigger than a 10 so I just cut it a little bigger and added about 2 inches to the length, which I'm very glad I did so that I have the option of wearing it either way. The problem I have with wearing it untucked is the back view.

But until I can stop eating a bowl of ice cream every night I think I'm going to stick with it untucked lol.

I didn't think about it until I finished this but the light green satin top would go well with these pants too.

Tomorrow's Friday and I don't think I have any distractions this weekend so hopefully that means a lot of time to sew.

A Little Sewing on the side

When I first started sewing I wouldn't start a project unless I knew I could devote enough time to finish it, which meant a lot of late night sewing. I've since learned it's ok to work on something for 15-30 minutes, thanks in part to Nancy Zieman's book 10-20-30 minutes to sew.

That's what's happening with this simple blouse Vogue 7756, I was almost finished but I had to stop for T-Ball. All I have to do is put in the facings, button holes/buttons and hem it. I don't know why I love this fabric but I do, enough to buy it again after last years disappointment.

I hope everyone's week is going well, no complaints here. Life is good and I'm grateful despite not posting my grateful award lol. After so much time has passed, the award made it's way around blog land without my assistance but it was appreciated.

I'm a hypocrite

I finished this top and I just kept thinking it needed a little something, it was just too plain and the fabric flower that the pattern included just wasn't working for me. This is another version of Simplicity 3536 view E, I'm wearing it out.




So off to hancock I go and this is what I found. I think it jazzed it up but doesn't this go against my embellishments being so last year statement, oh well I like it.

Why didn't I buy 10 yards of this stuff, it's great for those really thin knits.

The pants are RTW that I've had forever but they match the top exactly.

The green satin, I didn't embellish it and I don't think I am, I should make a necklace with those beads but do I really need another hobby? I plan to wear it with white pants but I had these on and took a quick picture.

I still have two more tops cut out and waiting so maybe I will try to squeeze in a little sewing during the work week. This weekend flew by but at least I completed two tops that's not too bad. I hope everyone has a great work week.

I might have OCD

That's obsessive compulsive disorder for those of you who aren't familiar. Last night I stayed up way past my bedtime finishing this....








I posted about this months ago, my geeky side merged with my crafty side and I though it would be just awesome to have a database that would catalog all my patterns with specifics and notes, etc. You get the idea, I had the darnest time getting the pictures to upload and put this project on the back burner, last week I had my light bulb moment and figured out the problem, photographed, uploaded and cataloged all 248 patterns. I can put a filter on any field so if I only want to browse my patterns I can filter the type, if I only want to see a specific maker I can also filter and I added a query that will print the patterns by maker so the next time there's a sale I can take my list with me. That's just borderline crazy but I'm really happy with it and it makes finding patterns a breeze, so much so I found this long lost pattern and cut it out. I cut out view B, which is the version with the draped neckline. I asked Faye to be my Guinea pig but I still have to put the finishing touches on it and complete the instructions so non-geeks can use it. That shouldn't take long so we'll see what Faye has to say about it once it's done.

I'm debating whether I should add the embellishments to this top, I'm happy with the way it came out, I don't think it really needs anything else and aren't embellishments so last year?

A little knitting and crocheting, this has to be the tiniest shrug ever, I hope it fits, the shrug is knit and the hat is crocheted. If anybody has any tips on making pom-poms I'm not to proud to ask, this pitiful one gave me a fit and I know this should be simple. I have a baby shower to attend tomorrow so this is my homemade gift that was requested, I'll pick something up from their registry tomorrow. I wanted to make booties too but I'll have to do that after the shower.

I have 3 tops cut out and waiting, I got up this morning and realized I need more summer tops. I've only made 3 and I only like two of those so I really need to crank some out this weekend, or what's left of the weekend, wish me luck, send happy sewing vibes my way.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, there's been some awesome creativity going on in blog land, check out what Lesa did with her Craig's list furniture finds, I'm impressed and I really need to work on my canopy for my patio swing maybe next week.