Year in Review 2011

Hey everyone!

I was debating whether or not I should even do a year-in-review for my blog this year because, as you know, I really fell off the blogging wagon for a while towards the middle of the year.  There wasn't any particular reason for it, I just couldn't bring myself to keep up with one more thing in my life.

Anyhow, though 2011 was NOT a productive year for me at all, I am looking forward to 2012.  I may need to teach myself how to sew again!!

Here are the things I accomplished in 2011:

Ok, so I threw in a few things that I didn't sew, but still made, in order to make myself look a little more productive, but that is all.  Though I didn't sew much, I did have a great year!

As far as the Tim Gunn Sew along goes (see right), I still want to finish what I started, though I may end up substituting different patterns for the ones I originally picked, depending on my style and taste.

Right now I don't have any big plans for next year.  I think my main goal is to make time for sewing, and that will require some sacrifices I have to be willing to make.  So much of my time has been bogged up with household responsibilities that I feel burned out.  As always, I'm taking one step at a time, one day at a time, but I definitely don't want to get to December 2012 and see I slacked in sewing again.  Besides, I enjoy sewing!!  I love sitting in my sewing room with the whir of the machine as I create something with my own hands.  It brings me joy!

Thanks again to every reader of my blog who has stuck around with me throughout this year!  You all are wonderful, and I am grateful for each and every one of you.  I hope you had the merriest of Christmas's (if you celebrate), and I also extend to you a Happy New Year!

Stay sew-filled!

Early Spring 2012 Simplicity patterns

I almost missed the new early spring Simplicity patterns because I have not been able to get out to Joann's in a while.  I usually go there, bring a cup of french vanilla cappuccino (yum), and peruse the newest catalogs.  It is a heavenly time, I must say--far away from children interrupting my thoughts with their pleas, and close enough to a whole world of crafty goodness.

Anyhow, I'm not quite sure how I came across these new patterns (maybe via email), but when I checked them  out I was pleased!  There are some nice new ones, and though I am not looking to buy, I may be able to be persuaded on a few of these:

This style is featured on the front of the new Simplicity catalog and it is cute!  I like the vintage feel of the outfit.  It has a very Jackie O. quality to it.

These next two are great styles from the Amazing Fit line of Simplicity patterns.  I have to say, I have yet to sew one of these patterns, but I like the concept of achieving great fit in a sewn garment when you are still a novice.  By far, fit is the thing I am most concerned about when I go to sew!

Then there are always the tunic tops.  I don't think spring is complete without a tunic top, is it?  I prefer them most days, if I say so myself.

I like this top because of the variations of the neckline and hemline.  In fact, I am a woman who likes to have options!!  When I see a pattern that takes the guesswork out of adding options, I am more intrigued to buy.

Simplicity 1916 is also a simple knit top with many different variations.  I am a big fan of the pink version pictured on the model on top.  I like the soft touch that the flutter sleeve adds since I am broad-shouldered.  And this seems like a great pattern to build a basic wardrobe from.

There are also some adorable options for children too:

Check out this cutesy dress with cap (in red).  I just found out another one of my friends is expecting in May, so I need to explore what I will be making for her and baby.  She is not finding out the sex of the child, so this would not be an option until after she had her little one.  But, anyhow, it's adorable!!!

Somehow, I still plan on sewing a toddler dress.  I may have to finish the one I started, or start a new, more simplified version.  This Project Runway version is sweet.  It would be fitting for any little girl!

I definitely could not overlook these pillows, either!  I think they are a great accent to any room.  I really like the caterpillar pillow(s) and the bird next to a tree.

And what about these cute little snuggables?  

Obviously, there are a lot of nice new additions to Simplicity, and I am looking forward to when they release their Spring line.  

Have a happy holiday, and if you are interested in seeing the whole Early Spring line, click here.

Stay sew-filled!

Butterick winter faves

Hey everyone!

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

I can honestly say that I am!  Every year I like to take the day before Thanksgiving to do some cooking prep work, such as baking the cornbread for the dressing, and assembling what I need for my various desserts.  Of course this is all usually a big undertaking that takes all of Wednesday, and early rising on Thursday, until Thanksgiving dinner around 3:30 or 4:00.  Well this year I decided that simple is best.  I am still making a wonderful meal, but I won't be investing all of the time into preparation and cooking.  Instead, the hubby and I decided to get a pre-cooked turkey (from Popeye's chicken), frozen desserts that only required either thawing them out or placing them into an oven, and simple sides.

So I am spending today with a smile on my face!  Partly because of the ease of the day, and partly because I know tomorrow will not be hurried and crazy, either.  The only way this year could be better is if I didn't cook at all, and got invited to dinner, but alas, I do love to cook!

Okay, okay, so I didn't post today to talk about Thanksgiving, but I just had to.  If you want to share what you are doing for the holiday, I would LOVE to know!

As many of you may or may not know, Butterick released their winter patterns a week or so ago.  I got around to looking at them today, and there are a few really good ones.

Butterick 5700

This first one is Butterick 5700.  It is a See & Sew, or a easier to sew pattern for a top and dress.  I like the loose fit of the top with the neck gathering (though I hate gathering) and drawstring casing around the waist.

Butterick 5700

Butterick 5711 is also another fave of mine!  It is a petite sized blouse with four different variations.  I think all of the blouses are quite flattering, especially since I do not own many blouses.  I really like the one to the lower right (below) with the tie in front.

Butterick 5711

This next one is a cute top with belt.  It is from the Butterick Fast & Easy series, and my favorite is the orange top.

Butterick 5709

Simply lovely

The last one I noticed is another See & Sew, though it looks a little more complicated upon first glance.  What caught my eye first was the beautiful seafoam color of the outfit, and then the beautiful details:

Butterick 5699

Butterick 5699

I like the appropriately placed darts, and the bias yoke at the waist!

That does it for the Butterick winter collection.  If you want to check out the rest of the collection, you can see it here.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and you find many things in your life to be thankful for!  As for me, I am thankful for each and every one of you, my readers.  I am also thankful for my family, and each day I wake up with breath in my body.  And whether I sew tomorrow, or next year, I am thankful for the ability to creatively express myself!

Stay sew-filled!

Checking back in

Hello everyone!

I know I "disappeared" for about a month, and I am sorry.  My daughter is almost 2 1/2 years old now, and has been having difficulty sleeping at night, after sleeping wonderfully for over a year.  Needless to say, I have been the one suffering.  I was so excited to have three mornings a week of free-time to sew, I didn't account for little things like this that would throw off the whole dynamic.  Now I find myself sleeping on my free-time just so I can function when I pick the kids up!

So things have not been as ideal as I hoped, but I am working on it.  The last place I left off, I had been working on boys' trouser pants for my son.  They are still a UFO, but I am determined to finish them so that I can break this bad habit I started of abandoning sewing projects.

Overall, everything else has been going well.  My son will be turning 5 next month, and he is learning so much at preschool!  He is starting to spell simple words, write his name, and develop his fine motor skills by cutting paper.  My daughter is a bubbly, joyous, fun-loving 2 1/2 year old who is potty-training, and learning to make friends.  She loves to give hugs and kisses, but she also loves to assert her independence!

Here is a picture of them with some homemade Playdough we made recently:

I never knew making playdough could be so much fun, and the kids played with it for an hour!

In other news, do you remember this outfit I made for my friend's first baby boy?

Well, I finally got to see her son in the outfit!!!!  Besides my own children, I have never seen something I have sewn on another person before (let alone a little person).  I was moved to tears!  He just looked so precious!  The colors fit him perfectly, and everyone in our bible study group kept commenting that they thought he was wearing "Carters."  Now that has to be one of the best compliments I've ever received!

I wish I could show you all a picture, but you'll have to trust me that he looked as wonderful as I described.

Lastly, I must say that God is so good!  The reason I say this is because sleep deprivation has a way of making you crazy.  I was going crazy too, because I didn't know when I would ever blog, only because I didn't know when I would get back to sewing.  Well, while away, I continued to receive a few comments from all of you, and even some more followers!!!  So, through you, I was reminded why I love to blog, love to sew, and will continue to hang in there through this transitional time, knowing that you are all hanging in there with me!  Thanks!

Stay sew-filled!

Entrenched in Burda

Good afternoon all!

I hope you are doing better than I am!

Now why did I think I could "whip up" a pair of pants just as quickly as I thought up the idea to sew them?  And why did I think I could tackle a new sewing magazine and there would be smooth sailing?  Sometimes I am an optimist!  Or an idealist?

So you can tell that I am still entrenched in Burda over here.  There are a lot of details to sewing these pants, so I decided to add a trusty resource to my sewing to room to help me when I ran into a snag:

It's a very thorough resource, and I like that it seems like they thought of most everything sewing related and threw it all in here.  This new edition features Simplicity sewing patterns as well.  So, for example, if you are reading the instructions for a fitted blouse, you can use a specific Simplicity pattern, and almost have your own one-on-one lesson.

Alas, there are no Burda patterns included in this book, but I am slowly but surely finding my way with my son's trousers.

That's all for now!  I hope you are having sewing success!

Stay sew-filled!

Hideaway in my sewing room

It's another great week in September!  I finished off some shopping at Joann's on Friday, just as I said in my last post, and I was pleased to get the Burda pattern I mentioned, plus this additional one:

Now all I need to do is find some nice fabrics for my new finds.  I admit that fabric is one thing I don't purchase a lot because I am so darn picky!  I want that perfect find for my pattern, and if I am not convinced that the outcome will be beautiful, I wait until I see something else.  Similarly, I am the same way with clothes shopping.  I can see a lot of nice things, but I will wait until I have the perfect thing for me.  The downside is I do a lot of waiting when I can be more creative with nice pieces I see.  You know, like those bloggers that turn ordinary garments into something extraordinary by the accessories they add or the way in which they wear them.  I need a little more of that talent. = )

Anyhow, I didn't get to trace out the Burda trouser pattern as I hoped on Friday.  I was so excited about being out at Joann's without any little ones that I spent most of my time there, and had to remind myself to go and pick up my kids!  

Nevertheless, today I am dedicating my time to being in my sewing room.  I'm going to relax, bring some munchies, and enjoy the process!

Stay sew-filled!

  

Moving along

Good Friday morning!

Boy do I have plans for today!  I have to make a trip to Joann's, and then I will be working on Burda 146A boys trousers.  I decided to sew a size 110 cm after taking all of my son's sizes.  He seemed to be a little below some of the sizing for chest and waist, but average on hips and length.  So I think the pants will end up fitting him just fine and I won't have to adjust them too much.

The fabric I am using is a black cotton twill.  It will be my first time sewing with this type of fabric, and I like the thought of using it for these trousers because they will be easy to dress up or down.  My son is the kind of boy that likes to dress up for church, and when he does he goes all the way with suit, tie, dress pants, and dress shoes.  It is a bit much sometimes, so these pants will allow him to still get dressed up without adding all the extras.

My only hesitation in getting started is figuring out the crazy road map of Burda pattern sheets.  I am wondering if they are like Ottobre, or if they are much different.  I imagine it will be much simpler to trace than I think it is, or so I hope!  Speaking of tracing paper, I need to grab some of that too..

Hopefully you are all ready for the weekend!  Have a great one, and I'll see you on Monday!

Stay sew-filled!

And I haven't even unfolded it yet!

Burda patterns on sale!

I honestly thought my eyes were deceiving me when I was glancing through the Joann's circular a few days ago.  It says that Burda patterns are on sale for 2.49!  Really?  For as long as I have been going to Joann's I have NEVER seen Burda patterns on sale.  Actually, for this reason I usually skip over the Burda patterns because I am distracted by the other pattern sales going on.

So yes, Burda patterns are on sale, and to commemorate the occasion I had to start doing some research about what new patterns they had out now.  I took at look at the Fall collection, but was not impressed with many of the pieces.  You can view that here if you are interested.  Instead, I looked at my wishlist on Patternreview.com and saw that I had a Burda pattern I wanted to purchase but never got around to.  It is as follows:

Okay, can you say LOVE at first sight?  This is from last year's fall collection, and I love that this could be a nice basic piece to go to with helping transition (I'm learning) to fall.  And besides that, it is rated very easy, or "sehr leicht (I love that my mom is German)"  Which translates to "a piece great for a busy mom."  I don't have any garments with cowl necklines, either, so it would be fun to try.  If Joann's has this one, I MUST get it!

Other than that, I will be controlling myself.  I really have so many patterns accumulated right now that there is not a need for any more, only wants.  Besides, I'd rather invest in fabric, which is running surprisingly scarce for me right now.

So if you are interested in some Burda patterns now would be a good time.

Have a great day, and stay sew-filled!

Ready, set, go!

Hello, hello, hello!!!!!

I am so glad to be back after deciding to take a break from blogging.  Trust me, I did not realize how much I needed a break until I took one.  It was wonderful to simplify my schedule and not stress myself out with a long list of "things to do."

So I'm sure you're wondering what I have in store now that I had all this time to collect myself.
Actually, my next project has to do with the fact that today is the first day of preschool for my two little ones. I cannot explain the amount of jubilee that I felt in dropping them off!! Finally, I am free (cue sinister laugh)!!  OK, I'm not really free, but I do appreciate having my own free time for the first time since having children.

To prepare for their first day of preschool, the hubby and I spent this past Labor Day weekend shopping for school clothing and supplies.  We got a lot of things that the kids could wear as the weather gets cooler, but I have to admit that I am so bad at transitional wear.  I am such a "get it as it comes" person with some things, and a "prepared" person with other things.  So I am so thankful that I sew!  That way I can fill in the gaps of what the kids need as they need them.

And right now my son needs more pairs of pants.  I think I have missed the opportunity to sew him a pair of shorts (or maybe not, it stays hot here late into the year), but he could always use a pair of pants.  So that is what is next on my agenda...

Remember these pants from Burda magazine??

Well these are a great pair of pants to get me sewing again!  I will get a chance to try out a Burda pattern for the first time, and if all things turn out well, I will get to put another smile on my son's face!

After these pants are done, I will have to really hit the ground running with my Tim Gunn Sew Along if I plan to finish all the pieces by the end of this year!  Sigh! One step at a time!

Well, I am so glad to be back!!  I hope all of you are enjoying your September so far.

Stay sew-filled!

It's time for a break!

Hello everyone!

I hope your week is going well.  Mine happens to be great!  I have been keeping busy with the kids, and with friends, so that is always a good thing!  My own two children will be heading to preschool soon, so I am enjoying these last couple weeks of having a lot of time to spend with them.

That being said, I guess you can see that I decided to take a break from blogging for now.  My last post left me wondering whether to sew clothes for my children, or a nice cute top for myself.  Well with so much going on, I didn't want to neglect my blog, and I realize that I need a break!  I am trying to do too much with too little!

So I am taking a break from blogging for the rest of this month.  I plan to pick things back up around the second week of September.  Hopefully by then I will be fully rested, and my schedule will be a little more organized to commit to blogging.  Thanks for understanding, and I look forward to seeing all of you in September!!

Stay sew-filled!

Clothing labels

Hello again!

Happy August to everyone!!  I hope your month has started out well!  My August has been a little bit of good, and a little bit of bad.  Let me start with the good: I have new clothing labels!!!  I had been playing around with the idea of ordering some online, and was just about to commit to that, when I came across this post on Jenna's blog.  In the post, Jenna shows off Simplicity 2219 and the coordinating clothing label she made.  This piqued my interest, so I asked Jenny about what she used to make such a fabulous label, and her answer was cotton fabric sheets at Joann's, and her home printer.

When I found out that a nearby Joann's was selling the cotton fabric sheets for about 7.99 (don't forget you can use a coupon), I was excited to try out this new-found, cheaper alternative to buying clothing labels.  I browsed Joann's, and decided on purchasing the sheets that you can attach to clothing by ironing them on.  Here is what they look like:

The packet contains 3 two-sided fabric sheets.  One side has a woven texture, the other has a shiny, laminate-looking texture.  I got on my computer and came up with a design for my labels on Microsoft Word, using a template for address labels.  I then printed a test page to make sure I had everything aligned so that the labels would come out printed correctly.  Then I took the plunge, and printed my labels on the fabric sheets, making sure it came out on the woven side.

Here is what it looked like at that point:

And here is a close-up of the design I came up with:

I have actually  had a name for my label for a while now, but it was awesome to see this label go from a concept in my mind to a physical representation of all that I had thought about.  To explain the name a little, the two words are a play on the word "sweetness."  The "Ness" is short for Vanessa (that's me).  All throughout my life, my closest friends have called me Nessa, but the latest thing has been to shorten that even further to "Ness." My middle name is Rose (after my Aunt Rose), so hence, the rose element.  And most people who meet me tend to describe me as sweet, or nice.  So it all works together to describe the very essence of who I am!

With that said, I took my finished label (make sure you allow the ink to dry for 30 min.) and roughly cut it out with scissors.  I then cleaned up the edges with my rotary cutter, and ironed it on my NL6034 shirt.  

 It all came together easily, and I am SOO excited to start putting these on all the clothes I make!  Since there are 30 labels per sheet, I will have 89 more labels for future items, and I only paid around $6 for the package!  I think I will probably stitch a border around my labels like Jenna does on hers.  It just adds a nice touch, and looks more professional.  But I left it off here because I didn't want the stitching to show thru on the back band.  I'll have to see how this one holds up.  Thanks Jenna for the awesome idea!

To change the subject a bit, and discuss the downside of this month, I spent all of last week sewing NL6034 pants (jeggings), but the results were not good.  I should have made a muslin of these pants for sure because the fit was so stinkin' off!  I thought I could baste the seams, try it on, and adjust as necessary, and that worked--for a little while.

I noticed that the fit in the thighs and legs is tighter than the fit around the knees.  So the leggings look great  everywhere except there!  I literally have rolls of excess fabric around the front and back of my knees.  This is not a good look.  I am still hanging on to them in case anyone has any good input at to how I could fix this.  I am thinking of playing with the length of the garment to see if that would help, but I am not spending any more time on this right now.  I am moving on, lest I NEVER finish my Tim Gunn Sew-Along!!  If I find a better legging pattern, I'll try that instead!

I'm not sure what my next project will be quite yet.  I think I am having commitment issues for the first time in my life!  I'd love to make shorts for my son, finish my daughter's dress, and make a cute top for myself, but which one first?  I guess you'll have to see what I decide...

P.S.--At least I have a label!!

Stay sew-filled!

August 2011 Burda style magazine picks

Yesterday I received my last issue of Burda style magazine.  I have to say, I will miss seeing this sewing magazine come in the mail, but not for the reasons you think.  I will miss it because I LOVE getting stuff in the mail!  Are any of you like that?  You just can't wait to see what goodies you have waiting for you in your mailbox?

Well my overall assessment for the August Burda issue is that it is filled with some goodies, and some not so goodies.  But, judging from the hit-and-miss content from my last two Burda issues, I wasn't surprised by this fact.  I will say that this was a nice issue for jackets, though.  At least I thought so!

I really like skirt 121!  The gathered panel in the front of the skirt is wonderful!  Isn't that where your skirt wrinkles sometimes anyway?  Another bonus of this pattern is that it is rated easy, and while I don't prefer gathers, I could get past my annoyance and give this skirt a chance.

The accompanying 117 B free-flowing jacket she is wearing is also nice.  It reminds me of a dresed up cardigan that can go well with many items, and add that element of being "put together."

There is another variation of that jacket shown here as 117 A:

I can't put my finger on what they actually changed about the jacket to make it 117A and not 117B again, as the technical drawings look exactly the same.  The styling on this one is of course different, and much more casual, but both jackets have raglan sleeves and free-flowing lines that go to hip length.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a great magazine for jackets for me.  There are a couple in here that I really, really like.  The first is this one:

I am so very tempted to change out my the trench coat in my Tim Gunn Sew Along to this beautiful frock coat (Coat 103)!  I think the right color and choice of buttons can really make this coat sing!

This casual chic jacket looks like a cropped version of Jacket 103.  It is a fitted jacket (101) with a standing collar and multiple buttons.  This would be a nice jacket to transition into those cold winter months.

My last favorite was the trench jacket 124A:

I love the playfulness of this coat.  It is a trench coat with a much more flowy design.  Actually, it seems to be a marriage of a trench coat and a jacket, as it is appropriately named a trench jacket in the issue.  I even like the odd placement of the buttons and the adorned belt.  

And for the plus sizes, there was one design in particular that caught my eye:

This is a nice cross between a vest and a jacket, with a tie at the waist.

In conclusion, I did find another outfit to stash away for sewing for my little man when school starts for him again.  It is an adorable ensemble of Shirt 145 and Pants 146:

As a matter of fact, I will be attempting those Burda Bermuda shorts for my little man quite soon.  He is in desperate need of shorts before the summer is over, and I would like to try out the fit on the ones from the July issue.

To change the subject a bit, my bestie had her son in the wee hours of this morning, so I spent last evening with her while she was in labor.  In the end I came home tired-eyed and exhausted, but deliriously happy at the prospect of being able to witness the entrance of a new life into this world!  I am awed and honored to have been there for this wondrous occasion.  He has the sweetest face and is so adorable to boot!!!  Needless to say, I did not get to sew yesterday or tonight because I will be turning in here shortly.  But...there will be more goodies to share shortly!

Thanks for stopping by everyone.  I hope you enjoyed my Burda picks, and if you want to check out the entire line, check out the Russian site here.

And to Burda magazine:  I bid you a fond farewell, for now.  I know we will meet again from time to time, but until those days when you come out with more fabulous styles, I bid you adieu!

Stay sew-filled!

New Look 6034 Top

Hello all!  My New Look 6034 top is all done!  Remember WAYY back when I posted this lovely sketch of my plans for sewing this top up:

It is only 1/2 of my "Sweatsuit Alternative" outfit I am making for the Tim Gunn Sew Along, and I did get side-tracked for a few months, but I am back on track.  Here it is hanging in my sewing room (closet):

It looks much like the front of the pattern envelope with the exception of the pockets, which I left off.

The fabric I used is a striped jersey knit, that I believe was a polyester blend.  Anyhow, the feel of this fabric is very smooth, with a slight sheen to it.  The contrasting solid red fabric was also a jersey knit, though a cotton/lycra blend.  The polyester fabric was more slippery, so it was a little difficult to work with, but not anything too challenging.  

They should call this pattern "fun with facings" because the armhole bands and neckline bands were all made by adding a facing.  The upside to this was I began to know what to expect early on, but the downside was how much time I spent on this garment.

I must say some of that time spent was my fault, though.  It seems when you do not sew often, you tend to forget the most basic of information!  I thought I would be fine not marking the right and wrong sides of the fabric, until I sewed the right and wrong sides of the armhole band together!  I was frustrated, and instead of removing the stitching, I trimmed the seam off and sewed it the right way.  So, my armhole bands are actually a little smaller in width that they are supposed to be, but it turned out to be a feature I like!

I would definitely say this shirt is in the "easy" category.  You can expect to do lots of facing work as I stated earlier, some gathering on the front and back neckline, understitching, topstitching and hemming.  I used my stretch stitch the majority of the time because I have misplaced my twin needles (which I LOVE, and need to buy more), and I finished most of the raw edges with my serger.

Hemming using my machine's stretch stich

All in all, this shirt was worth my time.  The end result is very nice!

This top is perfect for all things summer!  I love the bright colors, the airiness, the length that goes perfect with leggings, and the pure comfort of it!  With all the time it took me to make this one top, I could have had three or four different ones like it already!

The only teeny change I would make if I sew another one of these tops, is to add about a 1/2 inch to the length. Right now the top hits me right at my hips, but another 1/2 inch would be great.  It's not something to gripe about at all, just a consideration for the future.  As far as the back goes, I really must learn how to adjust patterns for my full sized booty!

Does anyone know if an SBA would work?  Just sayin'!  It looks like I have a little shelf for fabric back there = ).

Oh yeah, I guess I should tell you that I sewed a size 12 according to the finished measurements, but the ease in this top was too much for my liking.  I wanted a more form-fitting silhouette so I ended up tweaking the fit as I went and taking out close to an inch on both sides!  If not, I would have been in muu-muu city, and that is not where I wanted to end up.  I can't remember what I did for the neckline/armholes, but I had to take a good take a approximately 1/2" off at the seams in order for everything to fit and not gape.

Well, that concludes NL6034 top.  I am now working on the stretch denim jeggings, but I hope they do not take nearly as much time as the top.  I am using the black pictured leggings as a reference, as I remember from Kyle that these run big as well.

Since it wouldn't be proper for me to end this post with a shot of my rear end, I leave you with one more pic, and a thank you to my hubby for his patience (a camera with a tripod is in the near future)...

Enjoy your weekend, and Stay sew-filled!