Quasi Fails: Finished: Vogue 8805 and WIP: Butterick 6183

Short and sweet...

Why it took me 2+ weeks to finish this dress, I don't know. And when I took these pictures, I wanted to wear it immediately!!

I used a charcoal ponte (FM), teal ponte (FM) and a navy knit from SR Harris. I don't know what to call it. It is lightly textured on the right side and smooth and shiny on the wrong side. 

I lengthened this one a tiny bit compared to the last one:

I like the first one better. Way better. See how not good I am at color blocking on my own!?! Sheesh. I skipped the top stitching on this one too. I just didn't think it made enough impact for the amount of time it takes. Which honestly isn't BAD, but ...

I'll wear it because this dress is so very comfortable, but it isn't love.

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I was so excited to get MORE B6183 tops because it really is an awesome pattern (Carolyn at Diary of a Sewing Fanatic has fallen in love with it too). 

I chose this peachy oxford cotton shirting from FM because of the color.

I wasn't familiar with the properties of oxford. Womp. Womp. 

This fabric would have done much better as a casual button front shirt. It wrinkles when you think about thinking about looking at it. Darn it.

I sewed it as before but decided to add an exposed zipper. But then didn't love the white zipper. But then decided, eh, my hair will mostly cover it.

Then I put it on...(Note: I made the first one in ponte and the second one in cotton poplin.)

The sleeves were UNBELIEVABLY tight! Like, I cut them while the shirt was on my body. SHEESH.

So I made bias tape to turn them into cap sleeves. Really, all I need to do is bind the sleeves and neckline and hem it. I need to just get 'er done.

wrinkled as all heck...

I probably need to cut the sleeves a bit more angled.

Butterick 6183, Vogue 9032 and RTW

Thank you everyone for the well wishes on the new job!

The first "week" (2 days!) went very well. It's a small, quiet office that's really close to home. It only took me 5 minutes to get there in Friday traffic! I am impressed by how well they treat their employees. The digs are decidedly un-fancy, but not only do people hang around and retire from this place (shortest tenure prior to myself and a new IT person that started recently is 13 years) but they close the week between Christmas and New Year! I have not heard of non-manufacturing environments doing this for a long, long time.

I hope to stay here for AWHILE!

When B6183 came out I thought that top was absolutely everything. I made it before in ponte because I didn't want to muslin it :)

This time, I used a cotton poplin with a tiny polka-dot print.

I cut a size 16C (I said recently that the D cup has too much projection for me)

1/2" swayback (need 3/4")

1/2" narrow shoulder

added CB seam

eliminated the zipper and used a hook and eye closure

used my paisley bias tape :)

There's a little excess fabric like I need a tuck at the armscye

Normally I don't really care about my serger thread...but the next few projects I had in mind were light colored so I had a combo of taupe and cream loaded and used it.

But every time I see the inside of this top I'm all O_o LOL!! 

I wore this outfit on my first day and felt great!

I have sewn several pair of Vogue 9032 pants and wanted to try the pleated view. Halfway through making them I went to try them on and absolutely hated them. But since I loved the color and feel of the fabric I decided to finish them anyway, even if they became a wadder. 

I tried to convert them to darts based on great suggestions on IG, but that seemed to highlight my tummy pooch even more than the pleats. 

So, I do not hate them but I hate the pleats. I will wear them only with tops long enough to cover them. 

The top is my copy of the RTW top I made for the Fabric Mart contest last year. Not long ago, FM had knits on sale and they had a black rayon jersey. For SOME reason I only ordered 2 yards. I kept looking at it and thinking, I need a black top but I need to make the "right" pattern. And then it hit me...use the RTW top!!! :) So glad I did. I foresee this one getting lots of wear.

The left is the RTW top and the right was my first version. 

I followed it up with a taupey colored one from a liquidy rayon jersey which I love.

And funnily enough, while going through OLD pics today on my laptop trying to find one of my dad and me, Lookey at what I found:

I had THREE of them before! Hahaha!!!! Smart lady! ;-)

One Top, Two Top: Burda Challenge February + Butterick 6183

Friday after work I stopped at Hancock and sitting behind the register was a McCall's box. I was very nice and sweet and BAM! the cashier opened it up and the new Butterick's were inside, just waiting for me ;-)

I am *supposed* to be sewing a coat for transitioning into spring. The pattern pieces are cut out; I just need to get started on it. But I could not resist B6183! I almost sewed both the top and pants but cropped pants are still a ways away, weatherwise.

It has cup sizing! YAY!!!! So I cut a 14 D cup and did my normal Big4 adjustments; a 1/2" narrow shoulder and a 1/2" swayback (I added a CB seam). Also, princess seams always need to be lowered. I moved these down 1".

There are so many seams! Eesh!

It's meant for wovens but I used ponte just in case because I WANTED it but did not want to muslin it. I think it worked out well.

Wait...The size 14 had a finished sleeve bicep of 13.5". YOWZA. I added 1" by just slashing and spreading. I would lengthen the sleeves a tad next time.

Lastly, I did not use a zipper - it just wasn't the look I wanted with this one, so I used an elastic loop/button closure at the top.

Anyway - I LOVE THIS TOP!!!!!!! I am definitely wearing it tomorrow to work!

The sides are "jutting" out a bit. I will straighten them next time.

(pants are Simplicity 2061)

The bust is VERY fitted. I'm going to give it a shot in the future in a woven but unsure about it being so highly fitted and woven...

Next up, when I was NOT working on my coat, I pulled out the Burda mag for February. Originally, I had planned on a jacket for my project this month. But decided that a coat, a jacket and jeans for one month (and a full social calendar) would be pushing it.

I fell in love with this cropped top when I first saw it and talked myself out of it because hello, cropped. top.!

Uhm yeah. I LOVE it! :)

This is a petite pattern and I went with my normal size 42. I should have done a narrow shoulder adjustment and didn't. It's not too bad though.

Excuse my tank tag!

(pants are V1411

The neckline is pretty high and I prefer it with a necklace

I used a snap!

And polka-dot bias tape!!! :-D

I am seriously in love with this one. Gah!

Ok, if you don't speak "Burda", the instructions on this one aren't THAT bad, but in a nutshell:

1) sew front darts
2) sew shoulder seams
3) hem sleeves
4) sew sleeves (they do need to be eased a bit)
5) hem back opening (or sew it shut; whatev)
6) sew side sleeves

Then sew bias tape at neckline and underarm and hem. I think the most essential part that it may be easy to graze over is that you do yourself a WORLD of good if you hem the sleeve first and sew it in before sewing the side seams.

Fabric is a linen/rayon lightweight suiting from FM and it sewed AMAZINGLY! I'm so glad I still have a yard plus of this stuff left!