TIME TO PACK THE SUIT CASE...

Many of you may already use this method, but I thought I'd show it just in case. I use paper page reinforcement circles to mark patterns. They are inexpensive and usually come in packs of 25o. You can even reuse them if you so wish. I use them on fabrics that are hard to mark with tracing paper/wheel or on light fabrics that I don't want to take a chance of leaving a irremovable mark. It's a quick marking technique. One note though, I don't suggest sewing through them as I have had problems removing the circles after doing so.












Well, it's time to start packing my suit case. I'll be off to upstate New York this weekend. (Can you hear me smiling!!!!!!!) The time came so quickly and I'm still sewing. I guess I'll be sewing right up to the time to leave (lol). Here's my wearable muslin city shorts or walking shorts (who keeps changing the name of things!), McCalls 5391. I made them out of some type of poplin material that I had on hand (taupe) and didn't plan on going this far with them but they fit really good and matched my tunic so well that I finished them off. I used tab belt loops that button down just to see how that worked. Each tab is sewn down with a button. I just love little details like this. I used a pocket facing application that I learned from LISA, that of facing the pocket with a fun cotton fabric. Another little detail that no one know is there except me and that makes them special. Thanks Lisa (she's full of details and she lets me steal them).


















I wanted shorts for vacation but decided to cut the fashion fabric long enough for capris because I also need to think about work clothes too. I can wear capris to work but not shorts so this seemed like a wiser choice. I used regular belt loops on these because it took more time to sew buttons on each of the tabbed ones. I cut the capris too long so I cuffed the hem. The negative thing about them: I forgot to interface the fly front - didn't realize it until the zipper application was finished and because it was a near perfect zipper application I wasn't about to take it all out. And I goofed on just one of the belt loops. The really positive thing about them: These pants fit extremely well, and I was able to easily convert the shorts into capris, sooooo it shouldn't be hard to cut them longer and end up with a TNT PANTS PATTERN. Lisa helped me develop a TNT pants pattern when I first met her, but I still crave pockets and darts at least in the back. This pattern has both, and the crouch is an excellent fit...SO THIS JUST MIGHT BE IT!









Two pattern pieces, four seams, narrow hem the bottom, arms and neckline and volia a fitted tank top in less than an hour. I needed something to go under my tunic so I made this Butterick quick and fast knit top that matches all of this just fine.










Funny thing about the knit top, it looks just like one that I use to have (don't know what in the world happened to it) that matched my tiger print silky PJ's. And since it only took about 45 minutes to put together and I have plenty of this fabric left, I think I will make one to dedicate as a top for these PJ's.









So this is what I'm packing in the suit case tonight. It all goes together really good. I just need to add a pair of sandals and I have two outfits ready to go. Four handmade pieces....wait a minute could this be a June Capsule? It's four pieces, there's no black...I'll have to check the rules again to see if it is.