Laundry Mishap

So, while doing laundry today, I pulled the load of reds/pinks/purples out of the dryer and found that two of my newest tops had random purple splotches on them. The (inside-out) floral top had already been relegated to pajama status, but the coral top was supposed to be a key part of my choir wardrobe for this very worship-intense weekend.

I was dumbfounded. What could've caused this problem? After much deliberation, and after determining there wasn't a crayon or pen or some such thing in the machines, I realized that the culprit was probably this cheap rayon print from Hancock's:


I got it to make a dress for the Flute Player, and threw it in with the pinks/reds/purples for a pre-shrink before cutting. It never occurred to me that it might run in a cold water wash.

So, since the tops were pretty much ruined at this point anyway, I ran them through a wash cycle w/a packet of Carbona 'run remover'. The PJ top did well; there's still some very slight purple spots, but they kind of disappear in the print. It'll be ok.



All the purple spots came out of the coral top, though. Unfortunately, so did most of the dye. The fabric wrapped around the hanger is the remnant of the piece I cut it from.

Sigh. The thread is still the original color; it looks red now.

There *might* be enough on that remnant piece to make a new top. And, maybe I can throw the faded one into a batch of Rit dye and turn it back into a wearable color.

But I don't think either one is going to happen in time to wear the shirt this weekend....

Too Lazy to Link

I had to pick up a blue zipper from Hancock's today, and I discovered that Simplicity patterns were on sale for a dollar each (limit 10). Needless to say, I made sure I took advantage of that! However, I'm too lazy to link up a bunch of patterns tonight, so I'm cheating with a group shot...


Since I've been lamenting the lack of dresses in my summer wardrobe,6 out of the 7 patterns I purchased were dresses.

In all fairness, a couple of these will likely be made for for one of the Daughters; I'm thinking the Cynthia Rowley might be good for the Flute Player, and 2362 is on the short list for possible bridesmaids dresses. But, when they're a buck apiece...it's not a huge splurge.

As for me, I'm delighted to see some of the 'fit n flare' styles returning; I have two or three pieces of rayon crepe in the stash that have been there since the LAST time these styles were popular back in the '90's. Got 'em to to use with a pattern that looked terribly dated to me before I got them made up. So they've just been sitting the the bins. Now they *might* just see the light of day... ;)

And I *might* get around to actually trying one of my growing collection of Amazing Fit patterns.

Not that I haven't been doing a wee bit of sewing; I'm sitting here wearing the newest addition to the wardrobe, some deep fuschia Burda No-Side-Seam knit pants, which are pared up with the pink flowered Burda top I made in January. Wouldn't be caught dead in this outfit outside of my front door, but for lounging jammies on a coolish April evening...perfect....

But, those were unbelievably quick to sew up; projects that need more time are languishing. I'm feeling all inspired to sew (who wouldn't, after a New Pattern haul like that?)...just need time!!

...Some Assembly Required

I bought two tops, a jeans jacket and a knit dress from Fabric.com.


You do see them there, right?

I've figured out that's pretty much how I purchase fabric...I see something, and instead of seeing work to do, I see the finished garment. More or less, anyway.

Trouble is, after the purchase arrives, I still need to do some work.

I don't mind doing it, but time is something I seem to be short of now. Specially since I'm trying to get back into my regular activity levels and I'm finding that many, many things are backed up and behind.

But we're wearing gray in choir this month and next month; I've been mulling over a gray denim jacket for awhile and when I saw this on the fabric.com site, well, I couldn't pass it up. The gray knit on the far left has a bit of silver sparkle to it and will work for multiple months, too...it'll be another Simplicity 2603 shell top. I bought the yellow because I decided I could stand to have one yellow top (yes, yellow is the other color next month). I thought I'd make just a little Jalie 965 tank, for layering, but it's a very soft, almost sweatery knit. Too bulky for a bottom layer, I think. Plus, a pre-wash laundry mishap after the picture was taken left it pilled up with lint from blue flannel sheets (*I* wasn't the one who put them in the dryer together...) I'm going to see if I can get it de-pilled before I confront the guilty party. If I can get it de-fuzzed, I'm thinking that it might work better as a Loes Hinse Sweater Set Shell. *If* I can get it de-fuzzed...

The print is a yummy rayon/lycra print; it's going to be a knit dress. I'm trying to get some dresses into my wardrobe; I have been too frustrated at not having a dress I can put on at odd times. So I've picked up some knit dress patterns recently...this will be one.

All soon, I hope. ;-)

The (almost) Instant Dress

I guess it was 1) the hurry we were in and 2) the low light in the foyer, but this picture didn't get focused very well. sigh.

We had a wedding to attend today and The Flute Player had NOTHING suitable for a wedding to wear. I flip flopped ideas until I ran out of time...then I decided I'd just whip up a little knit dress for her.

Cinderella's mice would've done a MUCH better job than I did, but she had to wear it so I more or less shut my eyes and off we went.
The main problem was that I just didn't realize how much she'd grown since the last time I sewed for her, and I traced a too-small pattern. It doesn't show in the photos, but the dress really is Quite Snug. Wearable...but barely.

This is Textile Studio's Madison Avenue Dress shortened by 6". I traced a size XXS, going up a size in the back from the waist down. As I said, it's snug. One size up all around would probably have been perfect.

It's made from 11-oz rayon/lycra jersey that I purchased from an online vendor for choir this month, but it turned out to be just a bit brighter orange than I thought...no matter, I knew I'd get something from it since orange is the Flute Player's favorite color.

But that 11-oz jersey is very lightweight; I'd even call it semi-sheer. I pulled out some beige lining knit and lined it.

I need to go back and tack the lining/facings better...when I have time. It's pretty slapdashed at the moment. I had to topstitch the armholes and the neckline to keep the lining/facings from rolling out; had I had more time I'd've tweaked my procedures a bit and maybe had a nicer finish. But...I think it's as good as any RTW dress would be at that price point...$16, including the lining.

At least she likes the dress. She's funny...she really doesn't like dresses that are even approaching a short length, so the length on this is just about perfect for her.

I expect I'll make this one again.

Adding Salmon

I don't show a single finished project for March...but the truth is, I had 4 garments done to hems/buttons as of 3/31. The white twill blouse is still waiting on buttons, but I threaded up my sewing machine w/a double needle and finished the three salmon knit pieces on Friday and Saturday: a pattern I'd not yet made, an old favorite and a little creative play with a pattern I've made before.

The new pattern is the shell top from Simplicity 2603



It's a little big; that's my fault for not checking the pattern sizing. I seem to have *assumed* a Medium was 12 - 14...and it's a 14 - 16. I can't believe I didn't check it, but, well, those things happen. So, yeah,it's a little big. But it's a drapey top to be worn under a jacket or cardigan anyway; I think I can get away with it for now. I'll trim it down a bit for the next iteration.

Next up is one of my favorite knit top pattens, Jalie 2682.

I dropped that empire seamline about half an inch and I think it's a little better. Both of those pieces were made from some extra-wide rayon jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics.

Finally, I have a Jalie 2919 cardigan that I played with just a bit, from a slightly beefier rayon/lycra blend from Fabric Mart.


We have a handful of folks who sing backup on microphones in front of the regular choir folks; one very chic young lady has a knit cardigan with a little bit of a godet in the back and she has stood in front of me two or three time wearing that cardi. I was intrigued by the godet and decided to give it a try.


So I traced a new back piece, and added a seam allowance (and, while I was at it, a hint of shaping in the upper back) and a nice little fishtail at the bottom for a little swingy godet in the back.

And, since I was playing anyway, I borrowed the button tab from my other current project, Louise Cutting's OOP Town and Country Camp Shirt and lengthened it a bit; I also shortened the sleeve and widened it at the bottom just a pinch to get the cool little buttoned-up-sleeve.

Two other ladies on the worship team today had on knit cardigans with the same little sleeve detail. I was shocked at my trendiness. ;-)



So I've had a fairly productive April already... ;)

Checkin' In

I have graduated from a big ugly white gauzy Serious Injury type bandage to a largish but much less alarming band-aid on my left index finger; however it's still awkward to use.

Nonetheless, I've managed to get a wee bit of creating done; I'm gonna *try* to go back to choir this month, even though my voice is noticeably weak. Hopefully that will resolve with some singing.

But, we have a new color for choir...salmon...and since I owned pretty much nothing in that color I hit a couple of fabric sales and made a couple of sleeveless tops and a cardigan. Not quite perfectly, mostly due to the basically useless finger, but certainly serviceable.

I hope to manage to get some pictures taken and posted shortly . ;-)

But, I did a little out of the box creating this week, too.

A friend of the Actor's asked him to escort her to her Prom; as it is the high school for which we're actually zoned, most of his middle school friends (which includes his date) will be there. So he should have a good time.

But he is clueless about the etiquette of such things and neglected to order her a corsage.

She said she preferred silk flowers to real ones, so we headed to Hobby Lobby and I looked around for silk tea roses.

They had some lovely, life-like looking roses, but none in the specified hot pink.

The hot pink ones were neither lovely nor life-like; I decided we'd go for something rather steam punkish.

I got a wrist corsage base, a bunch of cheap pink roses, and some black tulle. I had black feathers at home from a previous project.

Now, I am totally clueless about the proper way to construct a corsage. I just snipped 3 flowers from the bunch, discovered I could NOT remove any of the ugly plastic without losing the flowers shape altogether, grabbed the black net and a needle and thread and went to work, pretty much making it up as I went (the high school musical costuming experience pays off):

It turned out better than I expected. The Actor's Date told me she really liked it...but he'd told her I made it, so it's possible she was just being polite. I just hope it doesn't fall apart before the night is over. I had to put it in a ziplock bag to keep the cat from eating it...she likes feathers...

But it does suit her dress.


Ive actually got a Parting Shot...a true statement on the difference between guys and gals...the Actor less than one hour from walking out the door for the big event: