SisBoom Patricia Tunic Pt 1

I've been on a bit of a sewing hiatus. (I even put away my sewing machine last weekend!) But my fingers have been itching to get back to it all week! Although the long Memorial Day weekend almost snuck by me without a stitch, this pattern has been poking me lately. It's the Patricia Tunic by Jennifer Paganelli (Sis Boom):


You might remember I blogged my plan for this tunic, oh about 2 months ago. My, how time flies! Here were my fabric choices, a Heather Baily floral in yummy fun colors, and a zebra print for the facings:



This color combo just screams SUMMER to me, so today -- the unofficial start of summer -- seemed like the perfect day to get going on this tunic!

I cut the XL, based on my measurements (one day soon, I'll be in a L though! Just a Weight Watchers sidenote...I'm down 2 more lbs for a total of 13! Yay me!) I almost didn't have enough fabric, so I had to choose a shorter sleeve than I wanted. I like loooong sleeves. We'll see though, they may be perfectly fine. I only had a bit more than 2 yards of the floral (and just a scrap of the zebra). I also made the 29" length for the top (there are a variety of lengths for every view!)

Here's where I am in construction. The front & back are put together and the zebra facing is on & topstitched:


The cool thing about this tunic is that the front is princess seamed (for a great fit!) but the back is cut on the fold (one-piece). Since I was short on fabric, I had to seam the CB to make it all fit.

Here's the front facing & topstitching. There's a deep slit (customizable) at the CF:


And here's the back facing. It's sort of like a yoke!


The instruction booklet that comes with the pattern (a PDF download, I got mine here) is very detailed, with lots of diagrams and plenty of photos of all the steps. There were some cool little tricks for putting the whole thing together, and I'll try to cover a couple of those in my next post. This would be a great pattern for a beginner, because of the detailed instructions!

I just need to attach the sleeves and finish the side seams and it will be ready to wear! I can't wait!

In puppy news...Priscilla's housetraining is coming right along. She had NO accidents today! She's so smart. ;) She loves it outside, her favorite things are sticks.


She's rather fond of Megan the Scottie too:

The End.

june burda!

I was surprised to get this one so quick! Shannon had been whining about it, and shazam, it appeared! I really wasn't looking for it for another week at least. There are just a few things I think I'll try from this issue. (Mainly because I'm smack in the middle of weight-loss mode--11 pounds lost!--and I'd rather not fool with fitting issues right now!)

I love love love this top. It looks just like something you would see at anthropologie.


line drawing:
This tee was seriously MADE for me. Everything I love: V-neck, ruched center, puff sleeves. Must. Trace. Now.


and line drawing:
This tee is interesting too:


I don't need drawstring/pull on pants. Which means I'll probably make these first:
Ditto an a-line skirt...I already have a perfectly fitted a-line skirt, but I might steal the pocket treatment and cute tie/sash idea. Love this whole styling:



and....line drawing:And another inspirational photo (I may have shown this before, I love it!), this top is SO me. Summery colors, mix-matchy prints, easy style. Wish I could see more details! Anyone know the brand/maker/designer?

priscilla.

We have a new baby at our house today! Meet Priscilla:


Her widdle tail is curled up like so...


She's adorable from all angles...


She has sharp little teeth...


But Yellow Cat thinks she might be a keeper.


So do we. Now I'm off to try & wear her out with some of her new toys, so she can nap and I can do the dishes!

Vogue 7827

Surprise! Not the project I planned! (when is it ever though??) This is Vogue 7827 out of a poly/rayon (mystery content $1 table) border print. The pattern itself is sadly out of print, and, incidentally, impossible to find an image of on the net. I tried! It's a "butterfly blouse" pattern, and here are the line drawings:
I made View A, because I only had 1.5 yds of this print, and I had actually cut it in half along the fold to make a full, swishy skirt some many moons ago. View A was the only one that would fit on my pieces of cut fabric! (my skirt waistbands became, handily, my waistband.)

This view was supposed to be cut on the bias, so you could easily turn under & topstitch the neckline. I had to cut this border, striped print on the straight grain, so I decided to use a bias tape on the neckline instead.

Of course I didn't have any suitable bias lying around, and no more self-fabric either. So, I used a cotton lace beading instead! I matched the edges and ran a line of straight stitching on the inside edge (on the 5/8 seamline):



The cotton lace has enough "give" to act alot like bias, so it was easy to stitch around the curve. I pressed it flat:


And then cut away the fabric from the seam allowance to about 1/4".


Press the neckline under and topstitch! Pretty inside & out! Bonus: tiny picot edge of the lace just barely peeking out.


The top is basically a giant rectangle, and you end up with these awesome kimono-y sleeves. I really like the waistband that sits right on my hips too. It keeps it from being/feeling too "sloppy".


Oh, and the shoulder seams are only tacked in two places, at the neckline and again about 6-7" away, so you get this peekaboo shoulder effect! Fun!


All in all, a great top, no fit issues (I cut the 16 and added 1" in front for my "fba". That's it.) And it screams SUMMER!! To which, all I can say is....

BRING IT!

neeexxxt....

I've been digging around, trying to find a project. I'm out of sorts this week. I have the blahs...


So I'm thinking an easy, comfy (yet stylish, snap!) garment is due for a run. Like this Hotpattterns, the Classic Nouveau Uptown/Downtown Knit Dress.


I have a soft, soft green beefy knit, a gift from the fabulous Julia, that will be perfect! I think a little mindless tracing is just what the sewing doctor ordered to brighten my week.

And a song on my playlist right now...

Brandi Carlile - The Story

link via youtube

homeskillet.

So, I'm a non-existent blogger this week, huh? That's because I've been on tour.

Just doing some rapping, yo.

(Oh, didn't you know? That's what I teach in high school. Appropriate hat tilt.)

Just kidding! This past week was our senior's last, so it was a bit of an emotional roller coaster (it always is. They make me NUTS the last month, but on the last day I just want to smoosh them all together and cry like a baby.)

To recover, me & my posse went to see this last night:


Soooo cute. I love me some RomCom. (And as StickGirl put it, I do have a thing for the British guys.)

Sure, it's a fairly predictable romantic storyline, with beautiful people and amazing scenery (AMAZING scenery). I really enjoyed the unexpected dry humor sprinkled throughout. I laughed out loud several times.

Amanda Seyfried is beyond adorable and the amazing Vanessa Redgrave is gorgeous!

(Oh, and Christopher Egan is a hottie. )

Perfect rainy weekend movie outing with the girls!

I might actually get something done this week to blog about... I need some new late spring/early summer clothes, that's for sure! I'm sick of everything in my closet. Maybe I'll drag out some BWOF/BS and peruse.

Happy Sunday!

glee squee.

Last night's episode was awesome! And if you aren't watching...WHY???

And can I just say I'm most definitely Team Puck? Boy needs more air time.


Last night we had covers of Brandy, Sinatra, Rick Springfield, Gypsy...and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head! (You gotta appreciate the no holds barred, nothing's off limits variety of the music choices!)

I keep thinking they can't get any better. And then I find out next week's episode is directed by Joss Whedon. JOSS WHEDON!!! Woot!!

Whedonesque Glee. I'm fairly glee-ful right now.

Simplicity 3849 - Jr's

A project for Lu this weekend, a pair of capri's from this Simplicity Jr. Trend pattern:


I made view B without the cuff/tab in a stretch denim. The denim has a woven stripe, and is pretty darn stretchy. I'm afraid they'll outgrow Lu after she wears them an hour or two! Excuse the wrinkly legs...I should have pressed them again before taking pictures!


Lu got to pick out a fabric for the pocket tab facings, waist facings, and fly. She chose a cute lime Sis Boom quilting cotton. I'm sadly almost out of this now. I've been hoarding it! The fly & waist:


And the faux pocket flaps are also lined in the green print:


I used a denim button/nail for the closing, and I skipped any extra topstitching. Mainly because Lu isn't a fan of wearing handmade items just now, and I'm not positive she'll wear these (even though she asked for them and helped pick out fabrics). No sense in spending valuable sewing time topstitching a garment that will never see the light of day!


They are somewhat looser fitting than the cover photo would have you believe. The legs are quite wide. I cut the size that matched her hip measurement, and ended up taking them in about 1/2" at the side seams, but they're still somewhat loose. They're also meant to be worn 1-1/2" below the waist, which if you have a booty (Lu does) doesn't leave a lot of room in back. I should have raised the back waist a bit, and will if I make them again. We'll just wait and see if these get worn first!

While I was in the back yard photographing the peach tree again, I snapped a shot of Lu's little garden. She has tomato plants and lettuce (and squash, but no sign of that yet):


And I was very excited today to discover my wisteria is blooming!! It didn't last year and I was afraid the ice storms had killed it. It's so high up in a tree right now, I almost missed it! There were a few branches low enough I could snip some blooms and bring them in the house though. It smells SOOO good. (Unfortunately I'm allergic, so I suffer for having it in a vase. I keep it in another room, haha.)


And my red roses are blooming. A few of these were snipped and joined the wisteria in the vase.



The sun went down while I was out with the camera, making a pretty spectacle of my field...


I didn't get out much this weekend, I've been under the weather (and still feel a little crappy to tell you the truth.) But it was a good Mom's Day, and I enjoyed the pretty (if cool) weather. I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother's Day too!

Colette Sencha pt 3 - finished!

My Sencha blouse is finally finished! I made the keyhole neck version.


The fit is wonderful in the front, with nearly no alterations. I cut out the 14 through the neck & shoulders and the 18 at the side seams. I don't know if I mentioned in the previous post that the armhole was a little snug, but I had to drop that about 1/2". I love the cut-on cap sleeves though!

Here's headless me:


I like how the darts make it more fitted through the torso. There are lots of opportunities to customize the fit through there too.

Here's a closer view of the keyhole. I also edgestitched the neckline. The pattern calls for understitching, but the keyhole makes that a real mess to try & do neatly. I went with a good pressing & an edgestitch instead.


The back facing & placket have a boo-boo in the pattern. The instructions are correct, they say to turn back 1/4" and stitch, but the diagram/illustration that is paired with that instruction show the neck & hem seam allowances pressed under (so that they are caught under this line of stitching). But in the next direction, you are to turn back the placket on itself (RST) to stitch along the seam line and create a neat finish at the hem & neck. But to do that you need those seam allowances free! I don't remember reading this particular glitch anywhere, and perhaps this is an errata that is on their website. I honestly didn't think to check.

In any case, it was a simple bit of seam ripping and re-stitching and the back turned out perfectly. I used shell buttons on the back.


And one more shot of moi, no head. Sorry, haven't fixed my hair!


Here's my friend the peach tree, where I take nearly all my close up shots! Look! Itty bitty peaches!