Project 22: The Colette Sencha blouse

Two for two on my fall sewing goals!  Woo!  Unfortunately, something tells me I'll miss my Minoru jacket deadline, but you know what?  I'm going to stay optimistic and hope that the fabric and pattern land on my doorstep this month.  I've stopped buying fabric for the time being because I want an iPhone November 1 (when I'm eligible for an upgrade) and I don't want to eat ketchup packets because I can't afford real food.  So far, I'm doing okay.  I went to Joann's today (and saved crazy amounts of money) and didn't come home with a single cut of fabric.  However, I came home with thread, stabilizer, batting, and rotary blades instead.  This may not excite you, but damn, it gets me all wound up!

Okay, on to the pattern review.  But first, a question: if you haven't made a Sencha yet, well, why not?

Pattern description
Button-back blouse with cap sleeves and waist tucks

Pattern sizing
0-18.  This is a 6, as the size 8 (my usual Colette top size) would've been too loose.

Did it look like the drawing on the envelope when you were done with it?
Yes! (I always consider that a success.)

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Oh my gosh, yes.  This shirt went from start to finish in about 2.5 hours.  I bought buttons today--that was the only thing holding me back from completing it Friday night.  

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

As happy as I am with the outcome, and the fact that it was a quick sew, I do have a couple things I'd alter:

• When I have it on (see below), there's a lot of extra fabric between my armpits and my bust.  I'm going to guess this is because I have such narrow shoulders.  I should look into working on that.
• It's very short!  I have a short torso and normally everything is too long on me, but I'll need a camisole under this to wear it to work.

I can't wait until I have a house where I can actually take pictures of myself.  This is BS.  Also this photo makes me look so hippy.

Fabric used

Woven in Poppy from Lotta Jansdotter's Bella line.  I originally bought this with a Macaron in mind, but I really like it as a Sencha.

Pattern design changes or alterations made

Very minor ones: I didn't catchstitch the inside of the sleeves or the back placket.  For the back, I decided the buttonholes and buttons would keep the placket in place, and on the sleeves, I topstitched the edges.

Would you sew it again?

I might!  I'd like to try the other necklines, with the tucks or the tie.  Maybe in a fancier fabric, though.

Conclusion

I think this is a great fall blouse!  Yay orange!

Yesterday we had big plans to go to a pig roast in Palmyra celebrating the new By Hand magazine.  Well, that failed after we sat in traffic on I-95 for what seemed like forever.  Please tell me why we live in a region with rush hour on the weekend.  Okay, turn around, get back on I-95 north--we decided to head to Sur La Table and Total Wine, and then up to Frederick to check out the area.  Neither of us had been, except to drive through on our way to Ohio.  It's such a pretty drive up I-270: once you're in Frederick County, the mountains come into view, and at this time of year everything is red, yellow and orange.

Downtown Frederick is a cute area with a sweet downtown.  I mean, first you have to drive through the ghetto to get there, but once you're there, you're fine.  We stopped in a record store and walked through the main strip, and tried to get dinner at Brewer's Alley but they had other ideas: our wait was over twice as long as they originally estimated and when we told them we were leaving, they weren't the most sympathetic.  By that point, I had been hungry for five hours, so we drowned our hunger sorrows in Five Guys.  Thank god for French fries.

Today has been busy: besides the aforementioned trip to Joann's, I also went grocery shopping and have been baking like a crazy person all afternoon.  I have a potluck tomorrow at work and offered to bring the desserts.  See below: doughnut cake (thanks to my oven being uneven, it got a bit too brown) (also I don't have a cake tester, which explains the knife mark!) and chai tea cookies, and I just pulled some pumpkin bread out of the oven.  Isn't fall the best?

Have a good week, everyone.  Hopefully I won't be a stranger as much soon!

Project 21: The Serendipity Studio Sabrina Tunic

I followed through on something!  Woohoo!!  My fall sewing goals didn't fall through the cracks (yet) and I completed my first project ahead of schedule!

Granted, this isn't the most exciting project.  It's pretty basic.  But sometimes a girl needs basic.

Pattern Description
Boatneck tunic with zipper closure in three lengths.  This is the shortest length.

Pattern sizing
XXS-XXL.  I made a medium.  Because I am medium.

Did it look like the drawing on the envelope when you were done with it?
Well, not as insane.  That woman puts a hell of a lot of quilting cottons together.  I just stuck to one, because that's about my level of interest.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Honestly?  I didn't read them.  I've made enough tops in my time; I know to sew the facings, make the darts, sew the bodice to the skirt, insert the zipper, sew the shoulders and side seams, attach facings, and then hem.  I got this.

What did you particularly like or dislike about this pattern?
It was easy.  I didn't have to think about it much.  However, the facings are awful.  I don't know why they're drafted so small, but this is true for all Serendipity patterns I've used.  I should know by now to just finish with bias tape, because the facings are such a giant pain in the ass.

Fabric used
Scattered Sand in Warm Grey from Lotta Jansdotter's "Bella."  I pre-ordered a bunch of prints in August and I knew this would make a great top.

Pattern design changes or alterations made
I left off all the options: no waist band, no ties, no ruffles.  I also used a 7-9" zipper instead of a 20".  I've found that just having the bodice open is more than enough for me.

Would you sew it again?
Maybe, but I'd remember to change the facings to bias tape.

Conclusion
I love polka dots and this will look cute with a cardigan and jeans.

So what's everyone been up to?  I'm currently researching wedding photographers.  While we aren't having a wedding, our parents and Jake and Kali will be there to eat pizza with us in celebration, and I'd like someone to take a few pictures.  Trying to explain the cost to Nick is impossible: while, yes, the photographer is going to cost more than the rest of the celebration combined, this day happens once, so once it's gone, we can't get pictures again.  I'm pulling for my favorite, who I'm insanely excited to work with, but he wants to see more pricing before we settle.  Men.

What are you sewing this weekend?  It's going to be a gorgeous one here in DC--enjoy it!

Project 9: Simplicity 2215

It took me a week to make three skirts and, frankly, that's a bit behind schedule in my eyes.  I like to move quickly and I feel that it should've taken me about half this time--allergies, sickness, house guests and all--to complete these.  They weren't even lined!

Simplicity 2215s have been popping up all around the internet lately.  I found this pattern last November when I was looking for a gathered skirt with a waistband.  Do you know how hard it is to find a skirt with a decent waistband these days?  I've had to buy four different pencil skirt patterns to get one I finally liked.  Anyway, I bought the fabric in November as well, and have stashed it away until the weather got warmer, because I knew these skirts weren't tights material.  Last week we didn't dip below 75 during the day.  I think the time has come.

Pattern Description

Simplicity 2215, view C--pleated skirt with waistband, invisible zipper and pockets.

Pattern Sizing

The Big 4, 6-22.  These are 16.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope when you were done with it?

I think so!  They all slightly varied, oddly enough.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

They were, but I still assumed I knew everything and made some mistakes.  The first skirt, in the upper left corner, has one pocket sewn shut because I'm an idiot.  I originally sewed the pocket on at 3/8" instead of 5/8", so the seam allowance wasn't large enough for a zipper.  However, I ate some humble pie and followed each step word for word in the following versions.  They turned out perfectly.

Oh, also, pay attention to the pleats.  They aren't all being folded in the same direction.  Again, I'm an idiot.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I like the simplicity (har har) because I finished the last two in a matter of hours.  I dislike the lapped waistband--can we just have them meet in the middle?

Fabric Used

Three prints from Lotta Jansdotter's "Echo" line (fall 2011).  Funny story about this fabric: I hated it when I saw the previews.  I didn't get it.  And then I started seeing it being used and the publicity was everywhere.  True to form, I ordered some at midnight of the Alewives Fabrics sale last fall to be sure I got the cuts I wanted.  I'm ridiculous.

Pattern changes or any design alterations made

Just mistakes!

Would you sew it again?

Maybe.  I'm not sure.  I have some Amy Butler Lark waiting to be made into a skirt, but I have a few other skirt patterns in my to-do list and might opt for one of those instead.

Conclusion

Two notes:

• These were the first skirts I've ever made!  Now I need more.  I think I have about 20 yards of different fabrics waiting to be made into pencil skirts first.
• I've worn all three of these skirts in public already.  Two have been worn to work!

So go make yourself a skirt, and when the wind blows it up in front of traffic, know that you have a friend in me.  It happens to me on a weekly basis.