Quick Knit Top, McCall's M5135

McCall's M5135 and Chez Ami fabric

I just can't turn down shopping for fabric from Chez Ami when the fabric is on sale.  The brown floral print is still available and looks so cute made up in this shirt.  I used McCall's M5135 and combined view A and B.

McCall's M5135

As you can see, it is a fun girly top that my daughter has paired up with a pair of brown pants from Gymboree from last year.

I didn't follow the directions in the pattern, but used my coverstitch machine to finish the neckline and add the elastic.  I will show a tutorial on that when I have mastered it the first time and not spent time ripping out serged seams a few times.  

The pattern runs a little wide on my skinny girl, so the next version will see about 2" taken out the bodice piece.

McCall's M5135 back view

This week is International Quilt Festival in Houston.  I will be there shopping and taking a class.  Wish you could join me!  

Felicity Costume, M6139 & En Forreau' Gown from Thimbles and Acorns

This is Felicity's month at Literature Club.  So, we went colonial style.  My daughter's dress is McCall's M6139.  Rebecca (substituting for Felicity) is wearing 1770's En Forreau' Gown by, Thimbles and Acorn.

McCall's called for almost 6 yards of fabric, so I thought I might empty some of my stash.  I found the floral striped embroidery print in the stash, but had to do some shopping to find a print or solid to match the 1980's rose color in the embroidered fabric.  My daughter found the cream print at Joann's, but it only had 2 yards on the bolt.  I had 2 yards of each, not enough to dominate and not enough to use well.  So, the moral of this story is don't use all the skirt width that is called for in the pattern.  

I feel that McCall's M6139 runs very large.  I could have gone down in size, but instead just took out about 4 inches in the bodice as I was constructing the dress.

Let me indulge myself with these cute photos.  I couldn't pick just one!  My little colonial girl was very happy with this dress!

I have to mention the Thimbles and Acorn pattern.  This pattern is a 5 1/2 star pattern on a 5 star scale!  I have purchased a few things from Shari Fuller's Etsy shop and was very excited to start on this dress.  

The details are stunning and beautiful.  I was AMAZED at how well the jigsaw puzzle jacket pattern went together.  It was a jigsaw puzzle to me, since most of the pieces don't resemble our current fashion pieces.  It was a perfect fit and flawless in construction drafting.

I am a fairly experienced seamstress, but elbow pleats and the pleats in the back were a new one for me.  

I have a few more of Thimbles and Acorn's patterns and can't wait to get to the next time period to test them out.

Next month belongs to Josefina. 

Fall Knit Pears and OOP New Look 6747

I love knit fabric from Chez Ami!  This is a pear print that is still available.  It sewed up like a dream and has been through the laundry a few times and still looks great.

The pattern is New Look 6747, which is OOP.  The dress runs a little large, but goes together quickly and easily.  I used fold over elastic on the neck.  I didn't lettuce trim the edges of the dress, but used my coverstitch machine and finished the edges.

My daughter loves this dress and pairs it with leggings.  A great knit dress for the fall!!!

Missoni Lace Dress, McCall's M6612

I have been waiting for a break in those 90 degree days to wear my new dress.  A cold front brought us "cool" temps in the 70s today.

McCall's M6612

Those Missoni knits have been on my mind, but at $90/yd they were off my fabric budget.  I found this interesting fabric at High Fashion Fabrics.  It was labeled as a Missoni Lace and was much less then $90/yd.  I have seen it on-line as a novelty knit.  It is a little lacy and was a little sheer, so I lined the dress with a light-weight knit.  

McCall's M6612 is a straight forward knit pattern.  I only added the lining and stabilized all the neck and shoulder seams with the interfacing from SewKeysE.  Connie Crawford stated that your cutting will be much more accurate if you add a layer of paper under the fabric.  This fabric is so wiggly that is saved my mind by pinning the fabric to the paper and then pinning the pattern on top.  My only complaint about the fabric is that it is SO easy to snag it.  You can see a snag at the bottom of the dress from the back after wearing it with boots that had a buckle.

I had a scrap of fabric left, so Lanie got a matching dress!  I used Heritage Doll Fashions, Ruffled T-shirt Dress.  I lengthened the sleeves and added a collar.

Missoni Lace dress.  Pattern Ruffled T-shirt dress from Liberty Jane Patterns.

I got the best compliment on this dress today.  A younger lady told me she loved it and wanted to know where I bought it, because she wanted one.  I had to snicker as her eyes got big when I said that I had just made it.