THE MONTH OF TOPS SEW-A-LONG IS OPEN UNTIL SUNDAY...

I've reviewed all requests to join the month of tops several times. BLOGGER INVITES have been sent out to all of the email addresses that I have. I'm new at this so please be patient with me. If I have missed anyone - please do not hesitate to comment on my blog (Faye's Sewing Adventure) and let me know as I don't want to leave anyone out that wants to be included.

NOTE: please include your email address in your comment to be added to the "TOPS" blog.

ANOTHER NOTE: DEADLINE TO JOIN "THE MONTH OF TOPS" IS SUNDAY, NOV. 8TH....

NOTE TO SUE (THE BLOOM BOOK CLUB): Please post your email address because I cannot figure out how to leave a comment on the Book's blog.

THE MONTH OF TOPS BLOG NOW OPEN...

So, I figured out how to set up a blog for the participants of "The Month of Tops" blog. It can be found at http://themonthoftops.blogspot.com/.

DOESN'T EVERYONE LOVE RECEIVING PACKAGES...& MONTH OF TOPS UPDATE...

Dang it, my picture showed up sideways! And of course I don't know how to fix it. I need a Blogger class! Doesn't EVERYONE just love receiving packages (unexpected of otherwise). Well, this one was expected and even though he doesn't know it, I was sweating the mailman about it. I've had the same mailman for the last 20 years, and although he is cute, he is not the most sociable person. He does however, wear short that are toooo short in the summer (at which I laugh at).

Anyways, James finally delivered my package from Smoking Needles' give a way - I won SECOND PLACE - hurray for me, and many thanks to Rachelle. I received a stuff bucket that I'll use to carry my stuff when I go away for sew-a-longs, 4 patterns and a toiletry travel kit. I just found out that I'll be going to a 2 day conference next week so I need that toiletry kit.

NOVEMBER: THE MONTH OF TOPS

NOTE: I WANT TO SET UP A MONTH OF TOPS DEDICATED BLOG, BUT JUST FOUND OUT THAT i NEED PARTICIPANT'S EMAIL ADDRESSES TO DO SO. PLEASE ADD YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES IN A POST HERE TO ALLOW ME TO SET THE BLOG UP.

The list of people interested in THE MONTH OF TOPS SEW-A-LONG has grown to fourteen (including me). IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN US! Just post a comment saying you are interested, and you are in. All participant links will be posted on my right sidebar, so those wanting to follow your progress can click right in to your blog to see what you are doing along the way.

This sew-a-long is quite simple:

•Choose your fabrics

•Choose your patterns (or self draft)

•Add a new twist to a TNT pattern

•No quotas

•No limits

•You choose how many you want;
AND, JUST ADDED: REFASHIONS DO COUNT....

•and by November 30th we will have a number of added wardrobe options. ...

NOVEMBER: THE MONTH OF TOPS

As I mentioned in my last post, I ALWAYS find myself in need of new tops. If I can go to the closet and pull out a top that I really like - pairing it with a pair of slacks and maybe even a jacket (matching or contrasting) just makes dressing easier. A new top can give an old outfit a much needed spark and can even brighten your day...Thus "The Month of Tops".



Several ladies have already expressed an interest in joining me in sprucing up my wardrobe with extra tops. This sew-a-long is quite simple:

• Choose your fabrics


• Choose your patterns (or self draft)


• Add a new twist to a TNT top


• No quotas


• No limits


• You choose how many you want;


• and by November 30th we will have a number of added wardrobe options.

Soooo, if you are interested in joining, just post here or shoot me an email so I can add you to the list. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!

It was also suggested that we do a Spring Month of Tops; soooo April it shall be....

IT'S STARTED...JOIN ME

Last year I made a knit top on October 30th, and although I hadn't planned on it, I didn't stop making tops until November 31st. I needed to add a lot of tops to my fall/winter wardrobe, and I think I made a total of 15 of them, all knit.


Well those tops did get me through last fall/winter. But after careful consideration I did have evaluate continued wearability. Some of them had to be eliminated because of fabric choice - a turtleneck for instance definitely needs to be made from a two-way stretch fabric. Several others have been eliminated because of shags, stains, unsuitable color choice, or because the way the fabric felt against my skin. (I cannot wear stuff with metallic threads running through it.)


Anyway, my friend Ebony was amazed at the number of tops I produced last fall, and has been suggesting that I make the "TOP MONTH" an annual event. I've been telling her "I don't know about that", but she was adamant, and I do find myself needing a number of tops for the season...so why not? I don't know how many tops will evolve this month, but I do have some REALLY GORGEOUS KNITS that are calling out to me "SEW ME UP... NO ME, SEW ME FIRST".


I recently finished the Chanel Jacket (and by the way I am ubber proud of that), but the goal was to make a complete Chanel suit. So before I hit up the bin of knits for tops, I must finish this Chanel suit. I read that Coco Chanel suits quite often included a stylish blouse made up from the lining fabric. I've had visions of this, and think that it would be so classy to do the same thing. So I got more of the shocking pink charmeuse that I used for the jacket lining (wish I knew how to spell charmeuse rather than having to look it up every time I use it) to make the tie neck blouse of my vision. I so love this blouse, but was afraid to try it in charmeuse since the pattern suggests georgette like fabrics. So I opted for this one (view C), which I also love, and that the pattern actually suggests charmeuse. First, I made this prototype from a WalMart find to get the feel and fit of this pattern. I love this pattern and fooled around with it a little earlier this year, and with just one minor adjustment it will be fine.




Ebony we'll see how the month of tops goes...

CAROL HAS JOINED ME IN THE "ANNUAL MONTH OF TOPS"

I FINISHED.....

...and although there were times that I thought I wouldn't make it, or that I had bitten off much more than I could chew... I did make it to the finish line. This jacket involed a lot of firsts for me. Of course I had never made a Chanel look-a-like; never thought about quilting a lining to my fashion fabric; never truly bagged a lining; hadn't used much trim, and never completed a challenge.

My re-entering the world of sewing in September 2006 it was a God send because I really need a creative outlet. I was plenty discouraged at that time because it seemed that I had lost all of the skill that I did have after my 13 year hiatus from sewing. Three years ago I would have never even thought about starting a project of this caliber.

My Mother sent this beautiful boucle to me last September and I really had planned on making a Chanel suit from it last Fall. Well that didn't happen, but when this challenge came along I signed right up. Of course I experienced some feelings of remorse shortly after joining and even thought about withdrawing my name from the challenge. But I presevered and here is my finished project.

This was quite a challenge and I want to thank Clever Girl and Cindy for setting this up. There are plans for a matching pencil skirt and a dressy blouse made from the same fabric as the jacket's lining.

A WEEK'S WORTH OF PROGRESS...

Look at the nice surprise I received in the mail yesterday from my good friend Paco in Barcelona! A complete surprise - and what wonderful fall styles - THANK YOU PACO!

Well, let's see. Here's an update on what's been going on with me during the past week. First of all I spent Friday afternoon, evening and night (8 full hours) - not sewing like I wanted to, but working on my online class in order to free up Saturday for sewing with my pals, Ebony and Lisa of course. I'm am determined to:

• finish this class prior to December 16th;


• finish my Chanel Jacket within the challenge deadline;


• and get on with some serious fall sewing.

I was so busy with work and homework this week that I hadn't touched my jacket since last Saturday's all day sewing marathon. So my friends and I had a early Saturday evening dinner, had our show and tell session, and then preceeded to sew for about 6 hours straight. Quite progressive, but I still did a lot of work on the jacket today.

I did get my sleeves in yesterday, and guess what?, they match with the jacket front and back. I was so afraid that they wouldn't match. Could it be...that I have finally learned to match stripes/checks/plaids?

I don't know about all of you, but I cannot make this thing work! I've tried several times to no avail. I'll try again later, but in the meantime,

I learned of this magnificent technique in a post from Cindy at Color by Number. So sim1ple! So useful! I'm in love with this and will be using it A LOT! THANKS FOR SHARING CINDY! I used her technique to make the bias tape from my jacket lining fabric. Worked like a charm! So I enclosed the sleeve cap seam with my beautiful bias tape. Learning to make the bias tape for this jacket also helped me accomplish one of the goals that I had set for this year.

I had to hem the sleeves because I forgot to bag them according the the Thread's Magazine article. Can we all say "LOTS OF HAND STITCHING". Now all that is left to do is to attach the trim and add the chain at the hem.

I had to decide on the placement for the trim; I think I like this placement best. And then decide how much of the trim to use, and where to place it. I really like the jacket and the trim, but I don't want to chance making it look gaudy. I'm thinking about placing the trim down the front, the neck area, and the faux pocket flaps only. Traditionally the trim is also placed on the sleeve and the bottom hem of the jacket, but I don't know. WHAT DO YOU THINK???

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now...

ALL DAY LONG...

I worked on my Chanel Jacket ALL DAY LONG on Saturday. This project is truly a labor of love. I can't tell you how many times I have whispered to myself, "I don't think I can do all of this!", or "This is too much work!", or "I just quit!" But since I won't let my students quit, I guess quitting is not an option for me. So I have trudged onward and here are the results of a few evenings work last week, Friday evening, and ALL DAY LONG on Saturday.

Although not perfect, all of the quilting is done (Thank God)!

The plaids/stripes match (Yahoo!!!)

My (Sheila) faux welt pockets are on.

And this is a picture of my fabulous lace with rose and black pearl trim, which by the way will have to be hand sewn.

So, now I need to:

• Set the sleeves, bind them with bias trim and hem them.
• Sew on my trim.
• Add my chain, and
• THEN I WILL BE FINISHED.

Now I've got to pause to study for a test that I have to take tonight - the other things of life are calling to me. Maybe I'll be able to make it to the finish line some time this week between the 133 pages I need to read for my Psych class. At any rate, I'm a lot closer that I was before. Being able to dedicate an entire day to sewing was PRICELESS....

Grosgrain: "How Much Fabric?" Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: "How Much Fabric?" Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

STILL GOING CHANEL...

Never can remember whether Chanel has one "n" or two - oh well I'm sure you know what I mean.

I'm working on my jacket muslin, and the process is going very well. I'm planning on adding faux welt pocket flaps, but I'm undecided whether to use just two - I could use three or even four, but I want to make sure that I'm not over crowding it. The pocket flaps will have braided trim across them (I still have not purchased the trim yet) and I don't want them to make the jacket look junky.

Vouge 7975 has a two piece sleeve which I usually try to avoid. In addition to the two piece sleeve, I still have to contend with excess sleeve cap ease. I know that ease is a necessary thing, but I cannot stand the puckers that result from it. Several months ago my friend Lisa Howard had told me about using Armo-Rite (found in old ties) cut on the bias to ease sleeves in with the puckers. I tried it and obviously did not know what I was doing because it did not work. I noticed recently that Erica Bunker showed the same technique in a tutorial so I gave it another try. I used regular bias tape (ironed open) as a substitute to ease the sleeves in my jacket muslin.


This time it worked like a charm. So I owe a big "Thank You" to both Lisa and Erica because now I'll satisfied with my sleeves.


Today I'll search my limited source here in town for my trim, and if that fails I turn to the internet. It's time for me to get the show on the road and cut into my fashion fabric.

Before I end this post I'd like to show you a new addition to my collection - my new, old Singer sewing machine. Hancock's put all of their refurbished machines on clearance last week, and I was able to pick this one up for $32.00. I didn't realize until I got it home that it didn't have a thumb screw for the needle or the thing that holds the thread spoon on the spindle. I took it in to the repair shop today and got that taken care if for only $15.00. The man said that the machine is in excellent condition and looked to have only about 10 hours sewing use. It's quite heavy, just the machine I wanted for heavier fabrics like home decor if I ever decide to get involved. I am such a Singer person...

I'VE GOT TO GO CHANNEL....

OR GO HOME. I've done little else but introduce myself on the Channel Blog, but I finally got around to starting my jacket for the challenge. I'm a little over the start date of September 1st but better late than never... I cut my muslin yesterday and started putting it together this evening. Here's the pattern I finally choose from the ones I had on hand, my fabric and shocking pink lining.

This is my first fitting after making a few adjustments in the waist area of the jacket. I decreased the four princess seams 1/4inch in the waist area and I think I like the fit because the fronts are not supposed to overlap.


This is a picture of the neck/upper chest area of the jacket that indicates that there is too much overlap in this area. I think that I will increase the front princess seams from the shoulder to just below the bust a 1/2 inch on both sides to decrease the overlap in this area. Muslins do take extra time, but are well worth the effort.

I make notations on the muslin so I won't forget the adjustments I need to make. If these ideas work out, I'll transfer the reminders right on the paper pattern.

I've seen some great jackets produced since the challenge started. Believe me, I am picking up suggestions, ideas, and learning from you. I am trying my best to keep it simple with this jacket as I do have a habit of over complicating things. By the way I do plan on making a matching pencil skirt after the jacket is finished.