Short Project

Another quick project for Lu, brought to you by the holiday weekend...Simplicity 4162:

Simplicity 4162 View E

Pull-on shorts that were quick & easy to sew, but have an added little zip with little pockets on the front and a button tab & cuff on the hem. I used a linen blend from stash in aqua blue. I really like the cuff with button tab. We used a fun JHB button from stash:


There is also a drawstring ribbon tie, but the drawstring is non-functional. You stitch 2
buttonholes on either side of the CF seam, and then after the waistband is finished, thread a length of ribbon through the button holes to tie in a bow. I stitched in the ditch in the CF seam after running the ribbon through to keep it in place. Normally I would have made a self-fabric tie, but these little blue shorts needed some "zip", even after we added the snazzy buttons, so we picked out a hot pink gingham ribbon from the stash bucket.

The pocket pattern is the same size for all sizes in the package, which is probably my only complaint. We've had this pattern a while and made it a couple of years ago and the pocket was cute on that size. It looks a bit small, however, on this size. Next time I'll enlarge the pocket a bit.

Next up on the sewing table is the sleeveless top from this pattern, View C.

Saturday Afternoon No Brainer

This UFO has been sitting by the sewing machine for 2 weeks waiting for ribbon ties.


Fun project to do because it's ONE SEAM! All of the other design work is done for you. These pre-smocked/gathered panels were on sale at Hancocks a few weeks ago, so Lu picked out this juicy summer stripe for a sundress/top.

We scored the perfect matching ribbon for ties.

I finished this project & planned another while rewatching the BSG miniseries (Season 1), i.e. the good old days.

We miss you too, Captain Apollo.

BWOF 2-2008 #122

A "Mod Tunic"...not my usual style, but with all the skinny leg stuff in the stores, I thought it was worth giving a whirl! Plus, I had this Mod-ish knit that might work in stash.


As I said before, I added an FBA to the front pieces, and eased that new dart in the side seams rather than actually make a dart. I suppose I could have rotated the dart into the pleats in the front, but I was worried enough (rightly so) that this top already had too much fullness over my bust.

The neckline is VERY cute on. But the shoulders are very narrow and very widely spaced...almost falling off my shoulder spaced. Here's a closer shot of the neckline:


Sadly, I'm not thrilled with THAT much fullness falling from my bust area. It's TOO full. I'm thinking I might decrease the pleats to just tucks instead. The tunic actually does have some shaping to it, you just can't tell with all that fullness in the front.

I didn't do the back zip, but cut the back pieces on the fold instead. I'm working with a knit instead of a woven/stretch woven as suggested. Surprise, surprise but the instructions for this one are really pretty decent! The only thing that was cagey was the yokes, because it sort of left out the part where you stitch the yoke facings to the yokes RST. It does tell you to turn them though. (It's just up to you to figure out what to turn!)

I also stitched the sleeves flat before doing the side seams. With a woven I would have followed the directions. Sadly, I stitched the sleeves in BACKWARDS!!! Entirely my fault, and I didn't notice until everything was serged and basically finished except for hems. Drat it.

I'm not sure if I want to fiddle with ripping it out and re-doing the sleeves. That's an itty-bitty seam. Plus, there are a few other things I'd like to tweak on this one. Like maybe widening that shoulder area on the yoke, and lowering the armscye a bit. It's pretty snug under my arm, although I can't really tell how much of that is the BACKWARD SLEEVE. Argh. AND since I'm not crazy about the fullness in front, I can adjust that too and have another go.

Luckily, I have another Mod-ish print in stash, but I'm not sure I've got enough to give it a go with this tunic. I'll have to lay it out and see.

More later!

Yay for the Long Weekend!

First up is clearing out some UFO's! A LH Swing Skirt in blue rose print with a dotty pocket:


and this cute tunic from BWOF 2/2008-#122:

And the line drawing...I used a funky knit for this one (unknown origin!) I did add a FBA, which I will ease in on the side seams rather than make a dart in my knit. Now hopefully the goofy thing will fit. The square neckline is a bit weird. It's very wide. I think I may have to wear a tank top or something under it to cover my bra straps. Shoulda made a muslin!

I cut the back yoke on the fold (minus seam allowance) since I was using a knit and don't plan on inserting a zip. Ditto for the back piece. The front & back yokes/linings are finished, understitched and all. The neckline was way too wide at first, so I made a center seam to take out the extra. With this print, you can't really even see it though. See below :


Barely noticeable, huh?! I've also got the pleats basted down on the front:


Now it's just a matter of sewing the backs & fronts to their respective yokes, add sleeves (which I will be adding flat rather than set-in as directed), side seams and hems. Yeah, OK, that sounds like a lot. But it should go fast.

Be back later, hopefully with good results!

And Introducing....

New ME piccie. See it? Over there on the left?

Taken last month at a conference. That's why someone else's forehead is sorta in the way....almost in danger of being stabbed by my pointy chin. AHHH!!! :P

Most of you already know I'm one and the same, but for those who didn't, I changed my profile name from jemima bean to angie.a. Now it matches my PR name (which just so happens to be my real one.)

Huh. I guess I can no longer use my split personality disorder as a crutch. Dang.

Although now things should get really ineresting as no one is going to recognize me out there when I comment on their blogs. Hmmm. I could probably have fun with this, eh?

When I started this blog, it was called Jemima Bean because that's the name of my teeny tiny children's clothing & toy biz on the side. I hoped to use this blog as a marketing tool.

Of course it ended up being my sewing cronies hangout instead.

So the point of this rather pointless post is that when you see me out there posting as angie.a, hopefully you'll recognize my face. Or my name. Or both.

lurv you all,