SWAP - I've got a plan

I've got a plan - but that doesn't mean I'll stick to it!  Years of experience tells me that the SWAP plan always changes by the time it is over!  Right now my plan is of all new made garments.  If I don't finish everything by the end I can substitute since this year we're allowed

• one purchased garment
• one previously made garment
• one garment made between now and the start date of December 26

I do plan on making a pair of pants (or two) before the start date.  If I don't finish everything, I do have black skinny pants or a top that I can substitute.   I should be able to make everything by the end though since I do not have any major trips or moves proposed by the end date!

I originally wanted to make everything from stash, but I found a great coating for a great price at fabric.com.

Also, I have been wanting to make this Sandra Betzina skirt for a long time, but didn't have the right stripe.

Of course, once I found that stripe, I had to have the aqua too!  Everything else though, will be from stash.  I will keep you posted!

I guess I'll let him live (LOL)

OK, today I can laugh about it, but yesterday I was in tears.  All the time I had allocated to sewing was spent cleaning up soot and ashes.  It's amazing how much ash can fly out of a shop vac in just a split second!  Fortunately, my cabinet doors to the fabric cabinet were shut, but everything I had out (I'm still unpacking) had/has a fine layer of ash all over it.  I guess I'll continue to clean as I go.  Not much else I can do about it.

I did make a little progress yesterday.  I usually trace all of my patterns, but I probably won't mak this dress more than once, so I just cut it out.  I did trace the front bodice sine I wasn't sure how I wanted to do a FBA on this.  I knew I would want to rotate the dart into one of the pleats, so this is how I ended up doing it.


This pattern has the typical Vogue method of sewing in the lining, which I don't like.  It seems that the shoulder seam never looks quite right when I try to insert the lining and then join the shoulder seams last.  I prefer to use my standard method which joins the side seam last.







So, I've got the front completed and the back bodices sewn to the skirts.  The pleating in the front was more time consuming than I anticipated.  It's fairly simple, but then getting the top and bottom to line up is extremely difficult (Well, maybe not if you're a much more accurate sewist than I am.)  I think I ripped this out 4 times and this is the best I could do.  Fortunately, it will be covered with a belt, but I like to know that it looks good.  At least this is pretty close.

I like the way the pleats form the front of the bodice.

Today I would like to finish cutting out the lining and sew it together.

On another note, Stitcher's Guild is starting up for the next SWAP (Sewing with a plan)  This year it is 11 garments.  3 mini packs and 2 wildcard.  You can find the official rules here.  For the last several years, I have attempted SWAP and failed miserably.  In fact, last year, I don't think I even completed one garment from my proposed SWAP!!  So, looking at it that way, I can only succeed in improving my progress from last year!!  Plus you can use a few items that you already have made, so I am planning to use this dress and the pair of pants (that still need hemming) that I made last weekend.  Are any of you planning to SWAP this year?  It officially starts in December, but you can actually start sewing and planning now.

The Best Laid Plans (or How to Get Your Wife to Want to Kill You)

I had so much enthusiasm today - I knew I was going to finish that dress!  Well, unfortunately, my sewing room is also the home of the litter box.  There was some litter on the floor, so I asked my husband to bring in the shop vac so I could clean it up.  My husband has had the brilliant idea lately of cleaning out the fireplace with the shop vac.  You might guess where this is going.  Said husband comes into the sewing room and turns on the shop vac. Tragically, he has the hose in the WRONG hole and it is set to BLOW.  NO, he did NOT clean out the shop vac after the last time he cleaned the fireplace.  Well, he will not have to now since all of the soot and ash have shrouded my entire sewing room!!  I cannot believe this just happened!  I've spent the last hour and a half cleaning and mopping.  No, I'm not in the mood to sew anymore.  I'm just frustrated!

Hoping for a new dress

Next up, Vogue 1025

I looked on Pattern Review to see if there were any reviews, but couldn't find any.  It looks easy enough, but looks can be deceiving!  Andy and I have an event tonight, and I'd like to make this.   I don't think I will get it done in time, but at least it will be motivation to get started.  Last night I pulled out some "Lipstick" red wool which is almost a wine color, and some ambiance lining that will go with it.  I was surprised to find that I even had the right sized invisible zipper in the right color.  Since it is about a 45 minute drive to the nearest fabric store, I've got to make sure I have everything I need before I get started.

I don't think the dress will take long to make, but I still need to fit the pattern.  Of course, a muslin would probably be the best way to do this, but I think I am going to try to tissue fit to save time.  I'll post my progress later :-)

Emergency Sewing

I've actually been working on a pair of pants this weekend and have finished them except for the hem.  They are Loes Hinse Cruise pant.  It's an old pattern, but I like the narrower leg, but wanted something with an elastic waist for those days that I just want to be super comfortable.  I always wear longer tops, so you can't really tell what the waist is anyway.  So many fashion sites say you should NEVER wear elastic waist pants.  Why?  Granted, they arent going to give you that great butt like a good pair of jeans, but I'm not wearing jeans to work - and I'm not too worried about how great my butt looks with a class full of fourth graders!

I get to play the doting grandma every Wednesday night and every other Sunday afternoon.  Little Emma spends the night at my house on these days and we usually have a great time.  So, today I pick up Emma from her dad's house, and thankfully I asked him if there were any diapers in the bag.  There weren't.  So at least I snagged those before I left town.  Unfortunately, I neglected to check the clothing situation and not only was there not a change of clothes, but no pjs either.  Now, where I live now is a place that begs children to get in the dirt - and that's exactly what my granddaughter  loves to do.  So, I'm thinking, what is this poor child going to sleep in?  Thankfully, I had Simplicity 1567 on hand from the Halloween costume.

I took the long sleeved T and lengthened it for a night shirt.  This was fast and dirty sewing.  I found a piece of knit in my scrap tub and it was just enough.  The whole thing is serged, and I didn't hem anything.  I did add a neckband because I was afraid the neck would stretch out of shape.  It was faster to make the neckband than to turn under and stitch.  

Well, it's not the best made thing, but it took less than an hour and it serves the purpose.  It's moments like these that I'm really glad I can sew and basically make something out of nothing!  And, I think this is a great pattern that can make a lot of things.  Emmas wearing a 2 now and this goes from 1/2 to 4.