Once I changed the thread in the serger to the pink needed for the upcoming dress-up clothes, I knew I was going to make it. I had two fabric-consuming garments in the queue, both done to the point that they needed pink thread. And I finished 'em both.
Behold, the five-yard skirt and the almost-nine yards pants:
The skirt has two layers of fabric; it's Butterick 4803, reviewed HERE, but the pants are something different. It's the same ol' Burda No-Side-Seam Pants, made in four layers of chiffon...a royal blue layer, on top of a fuschia layer, on top of two black layers. The black is definitely polyester; I think the blue and the pink are, too, but they're much silkier than the black (I haven't done a burn test). It came from Sir's, for about a buck and a half a yard. The topmost (blue) layer is sewn w/French seams; the rest are serged. I'm not completely decided about the hem; right now they're just rolled but the inseam has drawn up a bit. I might see if a small hem would even it out; plus,then I wouldn't have to wear heels. But it's not highly noticeable, and they are dressy pants...
for now, I'm calling them done.
I did two things to celebrate: First, I whipped out a frivolous top from glittery slinky purchased at the Atlanta Expo (it's Butterick 4347). I bought the fabric because I loved the colors, but after I got home with it I realized print placement would be a HUGE issue. I tried really, really hard to keep the flower centers away from, um, personal apexes, but was only sort of successful. I had barely enough fabric for the top, and I had very little room to shift things around. I thought My Sweet Baboo would think it was wild, but he actually liked it and said the print placement was ok... with so many flowers, he said, it didn't really matter. Well, it's not as bad as the original Salvaged Wadder, so I'll probably wear it...at least, when I want to please My Sweet Baboo. (On a side note, I assure you I have not lost 10 pounds since yesterday's Not the Holy Grail photo...amazing how much difference drapey vs. crisp can make, eh?)
The other thing I did was...buy fabric!!! 6 yards of fabric from the Oo-la-la section at Gorgeous Fabrics (specifically, 4 yards of deep royal blue stretch velvet and 2 yards of 'Well, Hello Gorgeous' slinky) will be heading my way next week. I said I'd like a stretch velvet Cityscapes dress...and royal blue is the choir color for next month!
I think I can even be six yards up before it gets here. Parity is MINE!!!
Woo-hoo! :D
Congratulations on reaching parity!!! I don't think I'll be able to do that for a VERY long time....but I also have enough room to store my fabric for now, so I'm not that worried. :)
ReplyDeleteKris
Congrats on getting to parity! I don't even play with that idea...
ReplyDeleteOh, and I agree with your Sweet Baboo... the print is busy enough, with lots of circular type motifs of equivalent value and boldness... there really isn't a bulls-eye effect.
It's gorgeous!
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy Holiday season!
Again I have to tell you that I am totally amazed that you have sewn 154 yards of fabric this year! And that you made your goal - it is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWell done! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!!!
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading I thought - you don't need to worry about the flower placement as there are so many. So I agree with your Sweet Baboo!!
Oh I love them! The feminine skirt (great colours!), the flirty top (look absolutely great on you), the dressy pants. Just a curiosity: why did you put four layers in the pants? It must be a lot of work...
ReplyDeleteLaura, those pants were inspired by a sample Louise Cutting had in her booth at the Atlanta Expo this year. They were her One-Seam Pants, made in three layers of silk chiffon (I know one layer was purple and one was lime green...I can't remember what the third one was..it *might* have been fuschia). I was really intrigued by it and asked Louise why there were three layers. She said it was a knock off of some designer pants (forgot which designer...it was in April!). She said that two layers of chiffon are still transparent, but three layers are opaque, and the different colors were to give a moire effect as the layers all moved. Well, I couldn't afford silk chiffon, but I wanted to try the concept, so I bought a bunch of poly chiffon when I found it for a good price. However, when I layered the three colors of chiffon on my cutting table, I found I could still see the measuring grid, so I added a fourth layer and then I couldn't see anything through them at all. So that's why there's two layers of black.
ReplyDeleteNo side-seam (NSS) pants are really fast to make; and I did these in stages, just sewing the color that suited the thread in the machine, so it really didn't feel like it took very long.
However, I was surprised to see how tapered the legs on the Burda pattern looked when I was finished. It might be better to use a NSS pants pattern with a fuller leg like Louise's (which I don't have). If I find silk chiffon at a really good price, I might make them again; even the poly ones feel really feminine. I do have a NSS palazzo pants pattern somewhere...
Love the colors in the Butterick top!
ReplyDelete