GUESS WHAT YA'LL....

....it's better than Wednesday, it's finally Thursday and time for

A LITTLE WEEKEND SEWING...

...I'm almost certain that I won't win any blogger awards for this make, BUT it's exactly what I wanted.  I've been saying for a long time that I wanted a slouchy, yoga band, knit maxi skirt.  You know the easy wear kind that you can pull on with a tank top when you need to make a run to the store.  Yep, that's exactly what I wanted, and now I've got it.  I had a couple of patterns in mind  - these were the two I chose from

I liked both, and went back and forth with my decision before settling on the first one.  I started out by removing 4 inches each from the hem of both the front and back pattern pieces before cutting.  The pattern runs extremely large, and in the end I finally took the skirt up in the side seams by what amounted  to 3 sizes.  I now wish I had just gone ahead and used the slimmer skirt of the second pattern and just added a yoga waistband.  I really like the skirt though, and plan on making a second one using the other pattern in a denim look knit that I have on hand.

I used a light weight cotton knit that's held resident in my stash for a very long time.  At first I thought it might be too light weight, but turns out it was just right for what I wanted.

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Well, need I mention that

starts this week. Finally, something to watch on TV that sparks my interest...

LITTLE GOAL ACCOMPLISHED...

...I set a goal to make two small skirts for the Skirting The Issue sew-a-long that I mentioned in my last post.

 I got one made on Monday then the week got busy and I didn't think I'd be able to get the second one done.  But feeling the need to sew last night in the middle of a blog cruising session I found this little skirt tutorial at DanaMadeIt.com.   Really, Dana makes the cutest children's clothes.  Although I don't have a little girl, her makes are so cute that I can't help wanting to stitch some up myself - what better excuse than the Skirting The Issue sew-a-long.  I didn't have any seersucker like the inspirational skirt, but I did find lots and lots of colorful plisse that's been in my stash since why back when I first started sewing again - I think I had planned on making summer PJ's out of it.

Here's my finished product

It's made for a girl sized 4/6, and I'm hoping the sweetie that gets it just loves it to pieces.  So I've got two to put in the mail early next week.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a little stash busting especially when you feel the need to sew, but don't know exactly what to sew.
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Thought I'd show a little organizing tool I recently incorporated.  This pretty flower pot helped me round up my cutting tools and have them easily in reach.

Happy weekend sewing to all...       

SKIRTING the issue...

...again I've found myself twix and between sewing projects.  You know the deal, wanna sew but can't make up my mind what to sew.  Recently I've been seeing information about a great sew-a-long called Skirting the Issue.

It's a wonderful initiative that uses your sewing skills to benefit girls in foster care - wish I'd thought about doing this.  But since I didn't, and since I don't know what to sew right now, I've decided to get involved in this project.  The sew-a-long runs until August 15th; so if you're interested, you can get all the information you need here.  I guess the skirts will be distributed just in time for back to school.

Here's a picture of my skirt.  It's s gray and black leopard print pontederoma - I have a skirt just like it that I made during my Skirt Carnival several years ago.   It's a simple A-line, elastic waist version of Simplicity 1334.  Easy, peazy.  Took me about 1 hour to complete from cutting out to finished product.  (you know I'm a slow sewer).  I think it will look great with a black t-shirt and black tights.  I made sure to give it just as much care as put into my own self-made garments.  I hope that the little girl who receives it wears it in health and happiness.

Such an easy make, I might make another one when I get time to look through my stash ...

GET THE SKINNY with LOOK TV...

 NOTE:  make sure you baste first.
 
...jeans and me just are not the besties we use to be.  No, it's not my age, or my shape, it's just that  my beloved denim wear is not being cut or made the way they use to be.  First there's the lycra/spandex/stretch factor.  I can remember when I was appalled when offered a pair of jeans that had the stretch factor; after all,  it just wasn't necessary for me back then.  Now a days I might just be telling myself this, but the added stretch is necessary.  Maybe I'm delusional, or might it just be because the cut of RTW jeans is just different now???

I've purchased jeans fit perfectly after a wash, but then can hold me and another person by lunchtime.  (And that's after I've eaten lunch)  my favorite pair of jeans now have a  BIG OLD wedge tuck in the center back waistband so I can keep them up.  The big wedge tuck, though not a profession alteration, was just a quick way to make them work for me.  I really don't mine the tuck.

Now the Boot Cut legs are driving me crazy.  Much too wide at the hem and makes me feel dated.  So today I decided to make them skinny....enter Look TV.  Should be an easy process, but having never preformed the procedure I clicked on YouTube to find me some help.   That's when I discovered Look TV, and one of my favorite designers, Nick Verreos.  You remember Nick I'm sure. Project Runway Season 2, and the dark horse of Season 1 (I hope there's more to come) Under the Gunn.  By the way Nick was my horse from the very start of the race.  I favored him and understood his problem of being too hands on with the designers he mentored.  I defended him til the end and then when he won!  On the other hand I never did like Anya, but had loved Mondo until he showed his little cut throat side on this show. Just my humble opinion.

Anyways, Nick has a simplistic video on taking your boot cuts to skinny on Look TV.  Just in case you've ever thought of performing this surgery and were a little scared...

 

MOVING ON...

... I've decided to just put this aside.

McCall's 6925

Should have left this pattern in the store.  I made a fourth attempt that included making a muslin of the bodice of the top; and was still unable to get both side of the collar band equal in size.  I'll just have to pick this technique back up at a later date.  Moving on.... 

I made this Vogue 1282 Donna Karan seriously draped top last summer in black matte jersey.  Loved it and still do.  I wanted another one, this time in a lighter color.  So the when the McCall's top didn't work out for me I decided to go on with something I knew and loved.  I think this fabric is some sort of ITY knit, at least that's what it feels like.  I picked it up yesterday at Hancock's for 30% off, and then got to use a 10% off total purchase coupon - which made the trip even sweeter.  The top is very simple to construct, and gives me just the look and fit that I wanted right now.  I'm planning on wearing it with my white jeans...holla.

Front

Back

Happy Fourth of July everyone, enjoy the holiday weekend!!!

THE OFFICIAL COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN...

...yes, I am a little obsessed.  There's nothing wrong with being a little obsessed; I guess, as long as you recognize it as such and admit it.  There's a lot worse I could obsess over or about.  My official countdown has started, only 22 days before

SEASON 13 BEGINS.

I swear I thought they said it would start a week earlier on the 17th.  But oh well, as long as they don't delay it any further.  I can't wait...