#43 Draped Cardigan

This was meant to fill out my conservative work wardrobe. The biggest pain in was the cutting. It was much easier to put together than I thought. I did substitute the double folded hems for a serged rolled hem.
I also shortened it as it was wicked long. This cut about a 2/3 of a yard from the required fabric. It is made from a very light rayon jersey of mid grade quality.

#44 Flowery tank

This is a basic recon of a ruched shirt I made a while back. The photos don't do the fabric justice as it is a pretty nice rayon jersey print.

Quick project... 45 min tops using the rolled hem feature on my serger.

#45 Exposed seam sweatshirt jacket

So I was looking for a stylish sweatshirt for those days when a coat is too much. I used a basic raglan sweatshirt pattern and a circle skirt and serged the seams and darts. I then installed a high collar inspired by many a sci-fi movie. Then installed an exposed zipper.  It was a pretty quick project and not expensive.

4 yards of fleece, 1 zipper
About 3.5 hours worth the work... mostly in drafting the pattern.

#46 "Shirt" Skirt

This is a recon of 3 men's shirts into a high waist-ed circle skirt. I left the seams exposed for a deconstructed look and then added a pop of color around the hem with appliqued yarn strands.

This project took about 4 hours including figure out how to do put it together.

#49 McCall's 6127 Tunic

So this little tunic is part of McCall's Pattern M6127. I made a black ribbed rayon jersey one first in size 26 (the is the size on a pattern, not a commercial dress size). The first one that I don't have pictures of ;-( I made without altering the pattern at all. It was almost a dress it was sooooooo long. A mini dress at least... it was mid thigh on me and a little bit big in the armhole.

This second effort was shortened by 5 inches, but still turned out too big because I deviated from the recommended fabric type.

I had intended to wear this in layers so I rolled the dice and used a very stretchy light rayon jersey... it was too light and this garment ended up bigger (mostly) longer than I would have liked. I am still pretty happy with it though.

The pattern was a good one, easy to make. The green top took me one movie so about two hours start to finish. I will be making this top again for sure.

#51 Kindle Cover Prototype

So this is a little kindle cover I made out of felt scraps. I have been using it for the past several months and the design has held up... not so much the felt thought. This piece was hand sew and total work time was about 2 hours. If folks like the design I will post a tutorial and a pattern (PDF).

#52 A cool little database

Have you ever need to know the yardage of that pattern? While you were out shopping without the pattern? Me too.
I created little microsite for just these types of occasions. It is a database of resources I currently own. At the moment it is sewing patterns but in the future it may expand to fabric, art supplies, and collections of digital tools. While I created it basically as a mobile resource for my exclusive use, I am finding it helpful to share the information. Especially when it comes to renewable resources trading within my local community.

I used the Skaken Grid theme and Wordpress multisite to create the database site.

#357 Long Vest Recon

So I picked this church lady jumper dress up at the Goodwill a million years ago. Seriously a million. And had it on the dress form off the dress form and back again a million times. What I wanted was a neo Victorian black on black sexy vest. And I finally finished it. Whooo.

Action Shot's to come soon I swear. I am just trying to enter these things in the order I am doin' them :)

#358 Trunk Cushion or what to do with all your tiny scaps

What the hell to do with all the lame scraps. I made a cushion to go on the trunk at the end of my bed so I would stop snagging my clothes on the old wood bit. Then I made a cushion cover that could be taken off and washed.

It is done with this awesome dark purple flat sheet from Ikea. The pictures are kinda sucky cause I don't have the best lighting in my room.

#359 Red Bedspread Fix up

So this silly bedspread is a project that has been hanging over my head for over 2 years. Every time I wash the duvet cover I keep meaning to fix the frog. They were poorly designed to begin with. And the duvet slides around it it. So I attached ribbons at several places along the corners and sides if both the duvet and duvet cover so it would stay in place. This weekend I fixed the frogs that are part of the main closure.

#360 Baby Quilt for my crazy friends

So I have some crazy wonderful friends. Really wonderful and really crazy. And 10 years my senior. Who just popped out a baby. A brand new one. Anyhow, to welcome this kiddo I made a quilt, had all the kids in our community write stuff on it with fabric markers then did some fancy stitching and gave it to them. Technically I did this half 2009 half 2010 but I finished it today so it counts by golly.

#362 "Bustly" Wrap Top

I made this one to have a semi bustle skirt under a leather corset I was gifted (from which I will swipe a pattern). But I believe it stands along as a top. And I know I keep saying action shots coming soon. But really they are. One of my staycation goals is to do a photo shoot. Oh, and lean to use the video function on my little camera. It is a really simple approach to modifying the pattern.

I used a stretch knit that draped really well and didn't unravel.

First I started with the top of Butterick #5001 and modified the sleeves. You should note that I have made this one before and I have modified how I put it together to give me a better fit. Also for this particular top I modified the back to be more scoopy as I intended to wear it off the shoulder which only sort of panned out.

This pattern has a 3/4th sleeve. But I wanted something longer and more flowing. This is how I modified the sleeve pattern. I did it rough without using a ton of math or precision. It is worth doing again only in a more clean way. The fit was nice.

Then instead of putting the skirt on it I put a very short circle skirt on it... I wanted that frilly look. Now I made the circle skirt a bit bigger than the circumference of the top and I gathered it in the back to form that bustley look.

This is how the math broke down (click the image to get a bigger look and readable captions).

When I attached it I started by pinning the center front of the circle to the center front of the top then I pinned from side to side pinning it evenly around to the back When I got to the back section I could see how much extra I had and I just pinned in pleasing pleats to take care of it and give a nice drappy bustle effect.

#363 Stretchy Mermaid Skirt

I was gifted with this fantastic Mermaid skirt done out of rubber. And it looked awesome - 20 lbs. ago. I loved the design though and I needed a mermaidy costume for new years .... so of course at the very last min I was compelled to make one out of this stretch fabric I had bought to make a couple of work dresses. It was a medium to light stretch fabric with lots of stretch and drape.

I was gonna do my usually bunch of tiny drawing but this is complicated enough that will post a video... well as soon as I do the next skirt. Which will be pretty soon. Action Shots though of the one I made NYE coming very very soon.

I had researched pencil skirts before and found things like this:

http://www.whatthecraft.com/tuts/pencil.htm
http://wkdesigner.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/pencil-skirt/

Step 1
layout the dream skirt and rough trace out around the front and back, marking the darts and details but not the ruffle hem of course.


Step 2
Clean up the tracing a bit with a ruler. Take off the waist band etc. Fold each piece down the middle and make sure they are roughly true side to side and front to back.

Step 3
Math.. it is time for math. Take your measurments:

• High waist
• low waist
• Hip
• From High waist to Hip

Step 4
Now you want to modify your rough pattern. The goal is to have a front and a back piece were the back piece is about 2 inches wider than the front.
So lets us my really numbers and I will show you the math I used:
My high waist was 44/2=22
My waist was 46/2=23
My hips was 56/2=28

Now I am going to take two inches from that number and give it to the back of the skirt to get my measurements For example with the numbers above I would get

Front
High Waist 20
Waist 21
Hip 25

Back
High Waist 24
Waist 25
Hip 30

Now take that math to the paper and make it so... you increase (or decrease) the skirt width by adding to the middle where you folded it in half.

Measure twice and mark it out and then follow the final desired lines of the skirt with a sharpie. Transfer darts at this point.

Lay down a clean piece of tracing paper over your pattern and trace out the pattern for the skirt front and skirt back. Be careful and mark each piece so you know what is what. You will notice that at this point that I didn't mention seam allowances. I should have. I only add seam allowances to the top and hem and I do it at the time of cutting. I leave them out of the sides as we are using stretchy material and we want a fitted look.

Step 5

Now the mermaid tail is a bit harder to explain. I did it mostly by tracing and modifying but you want a shape like this front and back.

Keep in mind you can cut it from two pieces instead of one big perfect piece. I did. The name of the game is to ensure that the radius of both inner circle cut outs equals the circumference of the bottom of your skirt when added together. ;) Do this on paper or out of scrap fabric first. Cause you will catch mistakes way, way easier.

Step 6
Cut out the front and back using the pattern you made. Add a .5 inch seam allowance to the bottom and top of the skirt. Sew the side seams.

Step 7
Try it on and mark the darts in the back or ensure that the marks you transffered are in the right place. It you changed the size on the piece they will most likely have to be moved.

Mark them then sew them.

Step 8
Next make your waist band. It should be one piece of cloth 5 inches wide and as long the circumference of the top of your skirt or your high waist (that should almost perfectly the same right now) if they are different use the smaller of the two. Add and inch.

Now sew the short end of the band together so you have a big loop of fabric.

Fold it in half with the raw seam to the inside. Fold it in half and mark the center front of the waist band then fold again to mark the center sides. Pin it to the skirt by placing the seam in the waist band at the center back of the skirt. The mark you made for center front at the center front of the skirt and then the center sides roughly at the side seams. You should be doing this with the skirt right side out.


Sew on the waist band stretching the skirt a tiny bit evenly as needed You shouldn't get any ripples or ruffles when worn.

Step 9
Pin and sew on your ruffle

Finish as desired.

Ruffled Sweater shrug

 I was inspired to do my own version after seeing this tutorial at Threadbanger:


But I wanted one that would work for a girl with my abundant proportions as well as offer a bit more coverage.

Action Pic's to come soon. I swear. Oh, and unless I make another one I am not counting this as part of the Project a Day dealy.

You will need:

• One 100% wool man's sweater (not a bulky knit and the sweater should fit you but not be tight or droop off your shoulder's)
• scissors
• Chalk
• pins
• sewing machine
• matching thread

Step 1
With the sweater on right side out mark down from the center front, under your boobs and too the small of your back or where you want the garment to end in the back.

Step 2

Take the sweater off and crease it so it is folded in half center and back. Now even up the marks you made.
Carefully cut on the marks you made. Cut the bottom edge first. then cut up the front... ONLY CUT ONE LAYER when you cut up the front.

Step 3
Now try it on. It if is too baggy in the body pinch in the side seams. It it is too back in the back make darts from the bottom edge.

Step 4
Measure out all around the edge (but don't stretch it out). Take this number and multipy it by two. This is the minimum length the strip will work for ruffles to be. Take the left over bits of sweater and make a strip this long as wide as desired or possible. I don't use the ribbing a the bottom of the sweater unless I absolutely have to and if I do I put them in equal bits at the end of my long strip.

Step 5
Applying the ruffle. Now keep in mind the idea behind this bit is to get an even presentation down the center of the front. So start at the collar and take your long strip of sweater bits work your way around the collar pinning the ruffles. Switch from side to side as you do this so you end with an even-ish look and so you have enough to go all the way around the sweater edge ending in the middle back.

Step 6
Once you have your ruffle VERY securely pinned down and looking just so use a zigg zagg stich on your machine to sew the ruffle on. Stretch out the sweater just a little bit as you sew to get a better curly edge look flowing into the pinned ruffles. Make sure you catch both edges of the sweater well when you sew. Sew this seam again if you need to to keep it secure.


Optional. You can go around the edge of your ruffle with a zig zag stitch to stop it from unraveling over time... I don't because I like that frayed deconstructed look.

#364 - Recon'ed Cuffs

I am not gonna do a tutorial for this one cause well they are just cuffs.

I took the scraps from #365 and added a bit of ribbon and some grommets and here we are. Oh, the lacing is made of the seams I cut off the sleeves of of the shirt.

#365 Sleeveless Wrap Shirt - Getting a jump on 2010

UPDATE: This is what I ended up with ;) Action pic's coming soon.
Modifications to the method are in red

  

This is what I am trying for:

I started with a long sleeve t-shirt (xxl) from target $6
I used tailor chalk
Pins
Sewing machine
Thread
(and possibly other t-shirt scraps)


Step 1 - Mark out your shirt
If you don't have a body dummy you will need a friend for this part.
Put the shirt on inside out.
Mark where the shoulders end
Next along the sides, pin down from the desired arm pit to where you want your to to end. Be careful to pin equally on each side. I like my shirts fitted but not tight so I was careful to not pull on the shir and left a bit of ease. Follow the pin lines with the caulk to roughly mark out the new fit of your shirt... do this on both the front and back!

With the tailors chalk (and pins if you like)mark out where the shirt will end in the center front and back.

Mark under the bust line (being careful to press the shirt up under a larger bust to represent where you actually wear the shirt). Mark this line center and sides... this is so you know where to put the wrappy bits.

Also mark on the sides where you want the wrappy bits to end... thinner and by the bust you end up with an empire waist effect. Thicker and more down you end up with a textured tunic feel (what I am going for).

Step 2 - Cut it up

With the shirt layed out as flat as possible clean up the chalk marks on both sides of shirt.. try to true them up as much as possible. You can do this before or after you cut off the sleeves.
Cut off the sleeves.

If you are going to finish the open edges of the bottom and arm holes cut them off a half  or a quarter of an inch over your marks.

Cut off the excess at the bottom.

Instead of cutting it off I left it and it gave me a great slimming paneled feel of an asian tunic... Though I had to rip out stitches at the end. Next time just mark the drop off point. That is the widest point of your hip or the apex of your hip curve.... is is were the side seams will end.

Next cut up the sides leaving half an inch for seam allowance.





Step 3 - Make the wrappy strip bits

Next do a bit of planning. Us the math from where you marked out your top in step 1. Lay open the sleeves and cut them as show. See the notes on the little drawings.

In the end I ended cutting each sleeve in three bits that ended up as tappered trapaziods like the illustration and sewed them together. I used french seams because I don't have a serger (yet!) but I wouldn't do that again as it was really to bulky for this kind of knit.







Then sew the bits of sleeves together till you have a strip that will go from one side of your body across the front and to the back with enough ease to tie comfortable. Add scraps of other t-shirt fabric as needed.













Step 4 - Put it together

This is a good time to check fit. Throw it over your head and make sure everything is landing correctly and that you have arm holes you like. Mark any fit corrections with chalk and pins.

Fold open the shirt at the shoulder seams. Place the wrappy strips to the edge of the front of the shirt... Wrong side to good side!!! Gather the wrappy bit as needed to fit in the desired amount of torso. This will vary by person but the goal is not to make your gut look giant and to make your girls  (no mater what size they are) look great yet modest.

Sew the wrappy bits down to the front of the shirt slightly inside the desired finishe seam edge.

Step 5 - No, Really putting it all together and finishing it

Fold the wrappy strips in (pinning if you need to) so they don't get caught when you sew the side seams.

Fold the shirt back together at the shoulder seams right sides together. Pin and sew the sides. Be Careful and don't sew all the way down to the bottom of the shirt like I did otherwise you will have to rip out the seams which is a huge drag with black on black and knit material. Huge.

I finished the sides and arms by folding over the fabric the same amount as the side seams folded in and going over them with a smallish zig zag stitch. I triple stitched the sides seams at the top so they wouldn't rip around my generous hip/bum.

At this point I haven't finished the neckline but that is cause I am not sure what I am gonna do with it. Need something but I don't want to kill the simple clean lines of the shirt.

Giant Man's Shirt to Cute Dress

Before: Big Box of a man's shirt with cool blue retro workman's stripes. I only wish I had a blue "bob" batch for the final project.

After: Cute Dress

Materials

• 1 large mans shirt (really big is better) Try it on and it should be summer length on you and have enough ease on in the body for you to sit down without stressing the buttons. I used a 5x man's shirt I got from the thrift store for $2.
• 1 Spool of ribbon or bias tape Enough to go around you and tie in the back with ease
  
• Scissors
• Sewing machine (unless you want to so this by hand)
• Pins
• Calk or other marking tool
• Thread to go with shirt/ribbon
• Measuring tape
• Quilter's ruler
  

Step one - Try on the shirt and pin to mark the following places:

• Where your shoulder lands
• Center of boobs
• Under boobs (Move the material close up under your boobs so that you accomodate your girly curves
• Your wides point (usually your hips)
• Pin along the sides until the excess fabric is taken up and you have added shape. Don't go super tight here as you will need some of this fabric for the fitting darts back and front later. And you want t be able to move.

Step two - Mark and cut

• Cut of the sleeves leaving the seamed bit with the sleeve you cut off
• Button up the shirt and lay it out as flat as possible (iron if needed) and fold in half with buttons on the outside.
  
• Redraw the arm holes up to the pin make you made for your shoulder. Take some of the curve out of them. Cut out your drawing leaving a .5 in seam allowance.
• Redraw the side seams along the pin marks you made. Cut and pin leaving a .5 inch seam allowance.
• Cut open the sleeves (removing any surged edges) and lay the material flat. Place good sides together and fold in half along the top of the shoulder seam.
• Lay along this folded bit down next to the shoulder line of the shirt. You are gonna make a quarter circle shaped sleeve here. Draw a curved line from the bottom of the armpit to the shoulder edge and cut out. Leave a little bit of seam allowance for a rolled edge finish on the sleeve.
• Attach the sleeve to the shirt. There is a great tutorial on how to do that at http://www.whatthecraft.com
• 

Step Three.

• Sew up the sides and try it on. Check out the fit. It should be still sorta baggy cause you haven't added darts or gathers.
  
• Mark a line with chalk under the boob where you pinned before.
• With the shirt on, and some pins pin a small area of gathers under each boob to give yourself some curve. It doesn't have to be super tight cause you are gonna be able to tie it and you will be adding darts in the back.
  

Step four -

• Take it off and add but darts to the back. You can use a tape measure and feel along your back to find out the area in the middle of your back... what you are trying to to is measure an area in the middle of your back where each end is roughly over the center of each bum cheak. You can also use a fitted skirt to match up dart location.
• Use a ruler and even out and make darts on the inside back of the shirt. I am not going to explain how to make darts cause there are way better tutorials out in the interwebs.
• Next take out your ruler and under boob trim.... Mark out and pin the ties on the front of the shirt... use your ruler to pin the gathered area evenly on both sides. You will pin the ties from the button line to the side seam of the shirt.
• Before you sew either th darts or the ties, try it back on inside out and adjust sides, darts and ties as needed for a comfy fit... sit down!!!!! other wise you may end up too tight. Don't pin yourself.

Step Five - Sew it all down... darts and ties.
Ad any other embellishment you would like... and done!