what I found in the "works in progress" pile

Mainly for my own benefit, but since I've been blogging my sewing more lately:


Butterick 6582 (retro reprint, cocktail dress): turquoise brocade with abstract feather pattern: cut out. Meh. Will revisit later, though part of me says I should use what I have to cut out a slim skirt. I'll probably stick with the dress though.

Advance 9427 - (vintage dress with full or slim skirt): need to find the direction sheet! Cotton fabric with pale pink roses. The bodice was a disaster - the curves came out funky and it turns out that in-one sleeves (part of the bodice) do not look good on my generous curves. The bodice will go into the scrap pile where it will be cut up and put in a quilt. I'll pick a better vintage bodice pattern and cut a new bodice with the leftover fabric and put it on the skirt. The fabric is very springtime, I can see working on this in January or February when it's grey outside.

Vogue 5413 (vintage set of dresses with scoop neckline in front and back): Cotton fabric, dark green background with blue, green, purple dots all swirly. The bodice is done, the skirt is together all that's left is to set in the sleeves and attach said skirt to said bodice. I think I'll try to work on finishing this next.

Butterick 4136 - skirts. Neat emerald green cotton print. Cut out, but I'm not feeling the love just yet.

The above were started at various points between 2006 - 2008.

McCalls 3830 (set of straight skirts): red and black plaid, one of those fabrics that is really two fabrics pieced kind of like a quilt top. I just cut this out a few weeks ago, maybe I'll feel like revisiting this in the fall.

I think that's all of the projects that have been cut out / started. I've got a lot of plans rattling around in my head; going through and listing has helped a bit.

Costumers: fear not. This weekend I plan to start on a middle class Elizabethan.

machinery in revolt

*sigh* I bought my serger because it was easy to thread. I havent been able to get the tension right without my mechanically inclined spouse, who today had time to futz* with it. He got it working great, and I was happily finishing seams when I noticed a weird clicky noise happening every so often. Broken needle. And I couldn't find my serger box o' stuff - so no needles. After a trip to JoAnns for needles, it turns out that the needles I bought were too short (?). Grumble. I bought the machine in the Big City; I'll have to see if anyplace around here sells the recommended brand.

Phooey.

BUT - between yesterday and today I finished the sleeves and assembled the bodice for the wrap dress. It's going together very nicely - it fits great with no effort on my part beyond the original pattern. It's just this serger nonsense delaying progress. I may just finish the rest of the seams the old fashioned way so I can complete the thing. I'm considering doing a decorative topstich in a contrasting color on the collar and cuffs...though that's the sort of thing that, if not done just right, really looks bad, so I may try that on another project. Since my luck has been so mixed with regards to sewing lately, maybe I'd better not tempt fate.

I also worked on one of my UFOs from last year, a skirt (McCalls 5591). This is in a ladybug fabric; nice design, not twee at all. Ladybugs, skulls - my wardrobe is going to be funky.

*Did you know that the original meaning of "futz" is literally "to fart around"? Truefact!

I suppose I should do some dissertating now.

that's a wrap (dress)

A little each day I've been working on Butterick 5030 (view E) - so far it's cut out, marked, and interfaced. The fabric is a neat cotton print I found about a year ago in Ye Olde JoAnn's Red Tag Section, black with roses in various shades of red and dark pink, and they look more like photos than, you know, the usual flowers on fabric. Never fear, photos will get posted at some point. I think this might look good with a petticoat.

We just had a huge thunderclap - it started me and the cats, and they usually aren't bothered by much.

Work progresses on the prospectus, it's just not as fun to blog about.

Skull Skirt

This fabric broke the record for least amount of time spent in my stash before getting made up into something. I used Vogue 8363 View A, with a couple of changes. The pattern calls for the skirt to be made of embroidered / lacy fabric with a scalloped edge, then you make a lining. I used this amazing fabric and skipped the lining as it didn't need it. Also I fudged with the pleated ruffle to maximize the pattern.

Regent Skull skirt

Florida Souvenir Skirt

Here's another project that I started at least a year ago. The day I found this fabric in the local quilt store I bought it, washed it, and cut out the skirt - I even marked the darts, which is a sewing task I loathe. And then? This just sat in the sewing zone. Until now. I put ric-rac along the waistline, with larger ric-rac around the hem. I've been wanting to try this particular style of applying ric-rac, which is a delightfully kitsch sewing trim. Yay, another finished project!

welcome!

I blog over at LiveJournal, which is fun, but difficult to find new people. I intend to cross post my sewing and craft posts here. We'll see what else happens.