McCalls 6209 - Poncho Love!

Living in Florida when the temperature drops below 65 degrees we Floridians go into hibernation.  Unless your a transplant, or a snow bird, you stay away from the chill.  I can honestly say I do not own an overcoat. I love to see my Sewing Sista's making all these beautiful coats, and I promise one day I will too.  But for right now, I only need my PONCH!  Which I love and am so glad I finally made it.  

I was so inspired by others who made it, so I went to my favorite fabric store to purchase some wool and I just could not bring myself to pay $29.00 $40.00 a yard for the wool I wanted.  So after perusing and gawking I decided to use a soft fleece.  Which I am glad I did, its just the right feel and weight.  Not too heaving but heavy enough to knock of the chill.  

Quickie Pattern Review:

Pattern:   Vogue 6209 (View B)

Sizes:     XS-S-M  I cut the M (which was too large).

Directions:   Scale of 1-10 on difficulty, I would give it a 2. 

Fabric:   Fleece
Changes:   I didn't make any changes, theres only 3 pieces to the pattern.  Next time I will make it View A.  

Would I make it again:  Yes, but smaller.

So, I am living a Poncho Life, happy sewing!

McCalls 6614 - Not So Sweat Shirt

Not so sweat shirt it what I am calling my latest creation. I love the color of the fabric, but the fabric was not a very good choice. I am not really sure what it is, a very stretchy light fleece fabric. I purchased the fabric many months ago. I have a pair of Nike tennis shoes and I thought a cute sweat shirt with my jeans would be cute.  Also, the shirt is huge, I cut what I thought was the closest size to my measurements, but the fit is horrible.

This sweat shirt will make a very nice cleaning, panting, yard work shirt, because that it is all it is fit to be.

Happy Sewing!

Today We Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today has special meaning in a lot of hearts and minds, and I wanted to pay tribute to the great Martin Luther King, Jr. for all he's done for so many of us no matter our race, creed or culture.

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.
"Martin Luther King, Jr."

To learn more about the man, his legacy and the The King Center please visit the The King Center Page.  

Happy Sewing!

Simplicity’s Cynthia Rowley 2054 - The Dress That Never Was!

There is always that piece of fabric that you wonder, why did I buy this, and for what. For me this would be that fabric. I have had it awhile, and bought it because it was on sale on an online fabric store, I think Fabricmart. I think I may have paid $3.00 per yard. When it arrived, was disappointed when I realized it was a ribbed knit but it was not my intention to get a fabric with ribbing, my fault for not paying attention to the description when I purchased it. When I took it out of the box, I just threw it on my fabric shelf and never looked at it again. 

Then a group that I am in on Facebook had a 7 day sewing challenge where you had to make a garment every day for 7 days. I knew when I said I would join this challenge that in my mind it was for the purpose of fabric stash busting and to get some things off my inspiration board. So I dived right in. I decided on Simplicity’s Cynthia Crowley 2054, because it could be a quickie project that I could serge up quickly. So I grabbed my not so happy with ribbed knit fabric, and wallah, this dress came out amazingly to my surprise. Even when I was cutting it out I didn't pay attention to the design in the fabric, and both the front and back are cut on the fold. I did not intentionally mean for the main design to float down the front of the dress st does.

Happy sewing!

McCall's 6797 - the Asymectrical Knit Top

My Serger is fastly becoming my new best friend. Battling with a knits over the years have taken me to new heights.  I almost totally wrote off sewing with knits.  But now I feel just as comfortable with knits as I do with non stretch fabrics.  Actually I prefer to work with knits, especially double knits and of course my favorite knit fabric Ponte Roma Knit.   

I'm really loving my McCalls 6797:

 

 

Happy Sewing!

McCall's 6650 - Animal Print Pussy Bow Blouse/Top

I have always lovde the "Pussy Bow".  It is just something about it that is almost regal to me.  I've been holding this pattern for months and I knew immediately when I saw it I wanted to make it.  I had cut out a beautiful yellow rayon fabric with a paisley contrasting fabric for the bow. But I was perusing another blog, and spotted a Pussy Bow Blouse, and I knew this pattern would be perfect.  I wanted something soft but with an edge, and so I decided to use an animal print sweater knit I had in my stash with contrasting black bow and cuffs.

I made a few modifications:  omitted the placard in the back and added contrasting cuffs.  I love how it came out, and I can see myself with a couple more of these.  What do you guys think?

 

Happy Sewing!

Vogue 8825 - My Favorite Dress (Today)!

As usual my life is in full speed mode, but I have had a few moments to get some sewing in. 

Though I started this dress in 2013, I consider this a 2014 garment since I have not hemmed or worn it as of yet.  Its Vogue 8825, and I absolutely love this dress.  It was very easy to make and It sewed up in about 3 hours total:

No New Years Resolutions for Me!

BUT I WILL PROCLAIM TO CONTINUE DOING ME IN THE COMING YEAR! 

 Happy Holidays my blogging buddies and friends.  It’s that time of year when resolutions are declared.  I stopped announcing New Year’s Resolutions a few years back.  My heart is in the right place, but my follow through sucks.  I am just like a lot of others, all gung-ho and excited at the beginning of the year, and then about mid first week of the New Year, fall off.  Yes, I know that is what New Year’s Resolutions are all about that’s why they are called Resolutions. 

I like the word proclaim, it sounds a little less conformational to me.  I mean I can proclaim something and if I don’t follow through, well, I didn’t make a resolution to resolve to do whatever I proclaimed.  Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.  Just mixing words but it sounds good to me.

Though I will not resolve to do anything in 2014, I have been steadily working on myself, my spiritual walk, my family life, my job and of course, love of all things sewing related.  That’s it. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, and HAPPY SEWING and or doing what you love to all.