The Holy Grail...

of FOE (foldover elastic)!!

Yes, in about a million colors. (ok, 95 colors) Also that cute organza ruffled edge elastic you see so often in Ottobre, in the same 95 colors! Not to mention a few other elastics. I'm going to go through my knit stash over the next few days and try to sort out what colors I'd like to have on hand. If you're anything like me, you tend to buy the same color-way over and over!

New project to start this afternoon (the Cindy McCain knockoff is on the back burner until I'm out of the casual summer sewing phase!) I think I'm going to do a couple of quick summer tops. Here are the contenders:

Simplicity 3882 (I like both of the short tops.)

Simplicity 3887 (probably the cover photo view)

New Look 6562 (v-neck, no ruffle)

I've already altered all with an FBA, so it's just a matter of cutting out (my least favorite part) and stitching up! I'm not terribly concerned about fit, since they're all pretty easy-going styles and I will probably be using crinkle gauze and knit.

I'm also really wanting to make this sundress from BWOF 6/07 #109 for our beach vacation in 2 weeks. Perfect "throw on over your swimsuit" kind of dress!
On the other hand, I received this awesome, bright pique from Gorgeous Fabrics last week, and I really want to make McCall's 5593 (short sleeve - view A)


And with that, I'm off cause I haven't figured out how to surf blogs/PR and sew at the same time.

Dress Envy

I spent the past 10 minutes scouring the internet for a picture of Cindy McCain's dress (worn today while visiting a Virginia coffee shop with her husband.) I caught a glimpse of it on the evening news and just HAD to have a closer peek! Look at those cute pleats at the neckline & waistline...and the neck treatment itself is wonderful!

I'm thinking a modification of this BWOF 09-2007-117 would work:
and this top from BWOF 02-08-101 has a similar neck treatment:
And that's about it as far as sewing goes around here the past week!! This is my last week of school (just 2 more days!) so hopefully things will slow down enough I'll have some ME time with the Bernina by Wednesday!

What's everyone else been sewing??

BWOF 08-2007-105

One down!


I decided on the #105 knit top from the 08/2007 issue of BWOF. I really think it turned out cute too! I graded this pattern up to a 46, but I think I would have liked it a bit better in this clingy rayon jersey if I had went up one more size. I also did an FBA on the front pieces. It wasn't that difficult and made a huge difference in how the front fits.

The chest/shoulder area fits well...but I have some back rolls that aren't terribly attractive. Of course this top was meant to be slim-fitting, I think, and I'm probably too fluffy to wear 'very fitted' garments well. As such, I will probably wear a microfiber cami under this to smooth things out. I'll try to get a pic of the top on me tomorrow when there's lots of light outside!

Other changes...I added an inch to the armbands, and they are still pretty snug. Not unwearable tight, but I could have used another inch I think. The V-neck is also pretty low (isn't that just like BWOF though? Tight arms and deep V necks??) But the V is such a neat look when it goes together!


Mind you there are next to NO instructions for putting the V together. They state something to the tune of "stitch front bodice top to bodice bottom. Fronts will meet in center". Except that the bodice bottom comes to a point at the center, and the bodice top is in 2 pieces (each in a point). How do you meet two point pieces at a point? I pinned all of this really well, butting the top bodice pieces together as close as possible to the point, then hand-basted it before stitching. It came out nicely!

The rest of the instructions were very straightforward. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the facing strip on the neckline. It is a long strip of fabric folded lengthwise, then stitched on top of the color & neckline. Trim and turn under, then topstitch with a twin needle. It's a nice look from the topside, but my topstitching isn't so perfect on the underside. Oh well, I guess no one's going to see that part!

Lu wants a top like this so I might just trace off the smallest size and see if I can get it to fit her. Not right now though, I'm tired of this one and ready to move on!

Lost & Found

Have you seen this BWOF? I have spent the better part of 2 hours, on 3 different days, looking for this little bugger. It has vanished.

Actually, I don't recall seeing it for many, many moons. I'm guessing it got tossed out by accident during the last big fabric cleanout/stash straightening. See, yet another reason NOT to organize. ARGH.

Of course I WANT IT NOWWW. There are at least 2 tops and a dress I want to make. I posted a Want Ad on PR, but just in case one of you lovely lurkers has a copy they don't want...give a girl a comment?? Or an email?? jemimabean at gmail dot com.

Yesterday I picked up some cute fabric while in town. This tone on tone jade stripe rayon jersey is very nice! The stripe has bit of sheen.


I have several pattern contenders for this one, and 3 yards, but I'm leaning towards these two BWOF tops. I have a thing for tie neck tops, but I don't really need long sleeves as in #101. I really like the short sleeve top #105, but I would have to do some serious bust altering to get the girls fitted into this one. Hmmm.


And this fabric is an unknown fiber, but I'm guessing a rayon. I have a couple of other pieces like this and they are both crinkly rayon. It's lightweight and very drapey. I love the turquoise vertical stripes! Like lightening bolts. But what to make???


I've been through my BWOF (you know, distracted while searching for 05-07) and nothing jumped out at me. I need your help bloggers! Pattern ideas? I have 3 yards, so a dress or top, almost anything goes! Give me your best shot!

Ottobre Woman 2-2007: Capri

These started out as my muslin, but they turned out so good, I wore them to work today!! (excuse the wrinkles!)


This is the Wide-Leg Capri Pant from Ottobre Woman 2-2007. I have been wanting to make these ever since I saw JuliaS' wonderful capri's on PR. I'm pretty amazed at how few alterations I will need to make these really nice-fitting pants!

My measurements put me between a 48 and 50 in Ottobre's size charts, but I'm chicken and always expect LOTS of alterations, so I cut a 52. I used a fairly lightweight cotton gabardine from stash (no stretch).

For this pair, I made NO alterations whatsoever to the pattern, because I wanted a true muslin. They fit pretty awesome right out of the box!! They are definitely a size too big, especially through the waist, which I tugged at all day to keep from slipping down. I probably could have used a 48 in the waist area. (I will probably trace off a 46 waist, 48 pant for those times when I want to use a stretch woven, because there is lots of room in this non-stretchy fabric.)

Since I sew and expect a REALLY good fit, there are things I will still change. There's something going on in the crotch area, but it's hard to decipher since the pants are so roomy (I can pull these on and off without unfastening the waist/unzipping!) I think I need to scoop out the back crotch a bit. They also sit pretty far down from my waist (definitely more than an inch) and I will be raising that. Don't want to be flashing anyone!

Here's a back view:


Really, not a bad fit in the back either, although I do have some smile lines! Is that the crotch thing?? But you know, these fit as good or better as any RTW pants I own. (I'd really like PERFECT capris, still, of course!)

When I cut these out, I only cut one waistband and forgot to cut the facing! Duh. Since they were a muslin and I was feeling frisky, I cut the facings from zebra quilting cotton. :D (And I smiled every time I went to the restroom today and saw that waist facing!) I also used trouser hooks instead of buttons on the waistband tab.


I really, really like these pants. And they went together SO fast. The instructions were pretty straightforward, although I did use Sandra Betzina's Fly Zip tutorial from Power Sewing (I always watch the video on the Threads website if I need a refresher too!)

I'll be making more of these for sure! And I'm pretty excited about trying out the denim capri's in the same issue out of some stretch denim in stash.