Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Oct. recap and Nov. plans

Hello everyone!!

We are a little into November, and I wanted to show you what I accomplished in October.  I started five different projects, and finished a total of three:


The first two tops are Vogue 8526.  It is an out-of-print pattern that I made a couple of years ago.  I remember thinking that it fit so well I HAD to revisit it.  Well, when I went to do so, I couldn't find the pattern!  I ended up re-ordering it on Ebay just so I could see if I enjoyed it as much the second time around.  I definitely can say I did!  The brown and green version have a crossover that joins beautifully, and fits nicely.  I am still on the fence with wrap tops because I tend to have issues with gaping due to a hollow chest, but this top didn't need any tweaks.  I have worn the brown version already, and noticed some minor shifting with moving about, but nothing out of the ordinary.  Otherwise, this style is a nice change from my usual basic tops.

The third item is a pair of leggings from Simplicity 8212.  These are the leggings I wanted to sew with my daughter, but since school started she has been busy with other things.  She will get to her version one day, but in the meantime, I made a version and added a black lace accent to the bottom.

Can I tell you that these leggings fit me perfectly???  I made them from a black knit I think I found at Fine Fabrics.  If I find any other colors there the next time I visit, I would love to make these again!  I am looking for neutrals like brown, charcoal, and gray, or even beige.  I expected to need a full seat adjustment at the very least, but since I chose a super stretchy fabric, I didn't need one.  However, for my next version I will experiment with adding some more fullness.

I have already worn my leggings quite a few times.  I mean, I have LOTS of black leggings (lol), but I really like the touch of lace on these.  It goes so well with items in my closet, and is just enough to be different from the rest. I am sure I will find other places to squeeze lace in too!

Overall, I didn't do so bad. My two unfinished projects are my Oakley vest and a black basic V-neck tee.  The saga with the Oakley vest continues!  Hopefully this month will be when it makes it's appearance.

November Plans
For this month I will be focusing on a few more basics to continue filling my wardrobe gaps for Fall.  Our family is going on vacation for the week of Thanksgiving, so I don't want to overload myself.  Right now, I look forward to finishing this cardigan from Simplicity:


I chose it so that I can participate in the Cosy Cardi Challenge for this year again.  If you sew a cardigan by Nov. 30th, and post it to Instagram, you can participate and have the chance to win awesome prizes! You can read all about it here.

I would also like to sew some more shirts.  I still have not made Threadcount 1617, but I really like the look of it:


View C is my favorite view for Fall, but I also like the pockets on View D.  If I can figure out a workable fit on a muslin, I may pursue both versions.  

And, yes, I still have this pattern in my back pocket:


I would love to finish a pair of Ginger jeans before the year is out!  I am only apprehensive to start this project because I just know that it will take up a lot of time, especially with fitting them.  I like that lots of people have had success with this jeans pattern, and hope I will have the same.  However, I am learning a lot about getting pants to fit, so it will be more practice for me too, lol!

I am sure other things will come up for this month too, but this is me trying to keep it minimal.  I already went into my sewing closet, cleaned/organized, and threw away what was no longer needed.  It is still hard for me to believe that the RTW Fast is almost over for this year!  It feels like I just signed on, and I have truly been enjoying myself.

Thank you for helping me stay on track this year, and learning so much in the process!  I plan to keep going strong until the end of the year!

Stay sew filled!