Sunday, April 27, 2014

Tween skirt love, Simplicity 1675

Simplicity 1675 with added ruffle

When asked about the biggest change in sewing for that older girl, I would say "separates."  My daughter loves to mix and match her clothes.  So, Simplicity 1675 has been made a few times around my house.  The cute "high/low" skirt that is so popular is super easy to make.  

Pattern:
Simplicity 1675, View C
Added a 4" ruffle to the bottom of the skirt.
Used my coverstitch machine to sew on the elastic waistband.

Fabric:
Chevron gauze from Hobby Lobby
(While the fabric quality from Hobby Lobby is not awesome, 
they do carry a few cute prints for the young ladies.)


Simplicity 1675

The smile tells how much she likes this skirt.

Clothes at play!


Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter Dress 2014

My little girl is getting older, so I gave her a few options for an Easter dress this year.  She vetoed all my options and pulled out this old dress from a resale store.  It is too wide and too short for her to wear without a cami underneath.  She wanted it made to fit her and in a spring color.  Really!!!  This dress is a cheap piece of polyester chiffon.  

I need the "sewing mother of the year" award for falling for this adventure.  I found a pattern, Simplicity 1702, which is similar, but ends at a size 8.  My daughter is skinny and a size 8 will fit around, but not in length.  



The dress she wanted copied.

Next step, redraft and muslin.
Line drawing for Simplicity 1702
My redraft of the bodice to add the gathers.
Muslin for her dream dress.

My daughter was delighted with the muslin.  I knew I was on the right track.  She was happy.  I cut out the dress and let the cheap polyester chiffon sit for a few weeks.  I dreaded sewing with it.  I still had images of linen or a sweet print in my head.  Last Easter I made a beautiful Vera Wang eyelet dress.  When I realized Easter was two weeks away, I panicked and started sewing.  


My daughter's dress Easter dress.

As it turns out, polyester chiffon from High Fashion Fabrics is not a bear to sew with.  My "made up" pattern went together well.  The side zipper is half machine sewn in and half hand-picked.  

Hand-picked zipper

Back view.  The dress fits well.


Candy and a movie make a happy girl.

Most importantly, my daughter LOVES this dress and wants another one like it.  I am learning to sew what she wants, not what I think is cute.  Many days, I am left wringing my hands with the desire to make what I want.  I am slow to learn.

I did manage to embroidery a cute Easter t-shirt.  Design from Embroidery Boutique.

 Happy Easter!  Jesus is ALIVE!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Grown-up CC Isabella

Children's Corner Isabella

Our fashion sense is growing up quickly at our house.  So, I am trying anything to prolong the sweet outfits.  My latest success had been to use anything, BUT quilting cotton or broadcloth.  

Pattern
Children's Corner Isabella, size 10
Changed the button placket on the back to a "grown-up" zipper
(This pattern fits like a dream!)


Fabric
Rayon challis print from Vogue Fabrics.

Construction
To switch from buttons to zipper, I folded over the pattern piece for the back overlay until I had about a 1/2" seam from the button markings (or about a generous 1/4" from the center back.)  I then fused  1/2" interfacing to the edges and serged the raw edge.  Than, installed my invisible zipper in the two back overlay pieces.  

Then I had to carefully add the piping to the overlay, holding the bottom zipper tape out of the way.  (You must hold your mouth just right or it won't work.)  Then, sew down the overlay as the directions call for, holding the bottom of the zipper tape out of the way.  (Once again, hold your mouth just right or you will catch the zipper tape or sew crazy over the piping.)  The goal is to let the zipper tape hang freely "downward" and not get caught in the seam of the overlay and be pushed up.


Children's Corner Isabella back view

Side View

Texas Hawthorn Tree in Bloom

My DD in the tree in CC Isabella.
Back Overlay with zipper inserted.   See the zipper tape below the overlay.  

View of Zipper

I used a 1/2" seam from the button mark to add the zipper.