Purple, Purple and a Puppy

Well, the year is almost over and I still have a bunch of makes I haven’t posted yet. Oops.  I will do my best to catch up so I can start my big plans for next year, fresh.

Here are 3 makes for me (1 fail, 2 successes) and a make for the puppy. 

Ottobre 02/2017 #2 “All Day Long” Rayon Jersey Top



Size: 42 at shoulder to waist, graded to a 44 hip in front and 46 hip in back. 

Adjustments: 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment. Raised neckline 1/2” because it looked low



Instructions are to the point, easy enough to follow.  The neck and hem are bound, cuffs at the arms. 



Fabric: 2 yards Midnight Plum Rayon Spandex Jersey Knit. Purchased May 2017 from Fabricmartfabrics.com on sale for $4/yard.  $8 total.  This is a heavier rayon spandex than I’m used to.  It does make the top hang a bit more (pull towards the ground). 



Thoughts:  Fail.  miserable fail.  I do not like the drop shoulder; Honestly I didn’t think the pattern had this at all, big oversight.  It is also super long.  Like Tunic long.  It looks oversized, baggy, and huge on me.   If I pull up the bottom it looks halfway decent but I still don’t like that shoulder.  I will attempt to use it for a nightgown but I am afraid it is destined for the trash or repurpose pile.  Hmm, there is a lot of fabric here, maybe I can get a cowl tank out of it.  I do love the color.




BurdaStyle 11/2007 #122

I had this pattern pegged to make myself some yoga pants, and then Miss K needed some like “right now” back in September for Gym.  She even used the black space fabric I wanted to use.  After I got over my disappointment of making them for her instead of me, I picked out the same fabric in a different color and made my own. 



Size:Waistband 42; Front Piece: 42 waist, 44 hip to hem; Back Piece: 42 waist, graded to 46 at hip to knee and back to 44 the rest of the way to hem. I added 1.5” for the hem like the magazine stated but then only did 1” hem. 



Instructions:  For Burda, these are good instructions.  However, the pattern is also simple to sew up so not too much to mess up.



Fabric: 2 yards Eggplant Space Dye Poly Spandex Performance Tech Knit Fabric;  It is 90% Poly, 10% Spandex. Purchased from StylishFabrics.com in July 2017 for $7.20/yard. $14.40 total for these pants.  This fabric is amazing.  it is soft and slippery.  It feels closer to ITY than athletic wear.  It has great recovery though.  When I wear these pants it feels like silk on my legs.  The fabric is perfect for warmer weather. 



Thoughts:   I love love love these pants.  They are so easy to make, fit really well, and are super comfortable to wear.  I loved them so much that I made a second pair in this thick red yoga knit fabric. 



Fabric: Premium Red Yoga Knit from Knitpop.  Super thick and luscious.  Purchased in June 2017; it was $10.50/yard in a half off sale.  So $21 total for this pair. This fabric is awesome to wear too.  It has great recovery and is super soft and plush. 



And now for the puppy.  Back in September I was preparing Bear (aka bennie, beanie, etc).  for his first shave.  Knowing he would be cold I made him a cute shirt.  I even embroidered his name on the back.  His full name is Bear E.B. Benson. 

Pattern: Sophi and Friends (on etsy) Dog Tee Shirt Pattern 1764



Size: Tiny little 8lb Bear measured in the Large/XL size.  I measured twice to be sure.  I made him the size Large.


Fabric:  A small bit of Turquoise Cotton Lycra from the scrap pile. 



Instructions:  The instructions are good.  I had no problems putting this together.



Thoughts: Pretty good fit though I will probably size down next time.  It is really baggy near his belly and well…. he’s a boy so it needs to be shorter and tighter across his belly. 



He was thoroughly confused by the shirt and the pictures.  It’s so hard to live a dog’s life.



Happy Sewing!

Dolmans, Shorts, and a pair of Yoga pants

Hello! I know it’s been awhile!  I’ve been very sick still.  I did just find out that I have H. pylori.  Sadly, I’m hoping it is the reason for some/most of my problems.  I just finished a wicked course of meds and can’t say yet if I feel any better.  Time will tell.  I have been able to get back into the sewing room though!

Sweet Tee:

So, I am not a fan of Dolman sleeves.  I just don’t like how they look on me and they feel weird.  However, I love how fast of a sew they are.  Back in May 2016 I wore a P4P Sweet Tee I made out of cotton lycra.


I wasn’t sold on it and cut it up for underwear.  Then I from time to time I thought about that tee and how easy it was to throw on.  Fast forward to last week when I had some leftover fabric from a dress I’m making and I decided I would try the Sweet tee out again. 



This time I used Double brushed poly.  It feels heavenly.  I still don’t like how the Dolman sleeves feel on my arms.  I dislike the top seam.  But I love how this top looks.
Size: Large for bust/waist, sloped to XL at hip.  I also did a 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment. 



Small swayback is needed if I make this again. 
Fabric: 1 yard Double Brushed Denim Teal Amber Floral on Poly Spandex; $8.50 from Knitpop



My lovely camera was acting up and it was 90°F, in September!?!.  This is the best side picture I could get.



Jalie 3352 Dolman:

I decided to compare the P4P Sweet Tee Dolman with the Jalie 3352 Dolman.  I used charcoal cotton lycra for this one.  I used size W tapering out to size Z at the hip.  I did a 1/4” forward shoulder adjustment and straightened the bottom because I don’t care for a high/lo hem. 



After I made it and tried it on it was huge on me.  I ended up tapering in each side by 2”.  I still do not like it.  It’s too loose and baggy. I'll be chopping this one up.



I did however enjoy learning to do a reverse coverstitch and of course it turned out perfect because I won’t be wearing this top. 

Palazzo Pants:

Size L at the waist to XL hips down.  I also scooped out 1/2” from the back butt curve.
These feel amazing when wearing them, though they do ride up my thighs.  Now that I see these pictures I see all these wrinkles :(


Fabric: Peacock space dye fabric from Joann's. 1 yard. $10.19;  normally I would never pay that much for a yard of noncustom fabric but Miss K had to have it. And I’ll admit I do love how thick it is.  Of course now Joann doesn’t have anymore.



I made another pair I loved these first ones so much.



And once I saw these pictures I saw more riding up at the hip.  I guess I need to make this pattern an XL at the hip instead of a large.  This fabric has more recovery too and is a bit tighter than the brushed poly I used the first time.



Fabric: Black Space Dye Poly Spandex Performance Tech Knit Fabric, 1 yard from Stylish fabrics; $7.20;  This fabric was supposed to be made into pants for me however… Miss K decided she would steal it and tell me she needed gym pants the following day.  So I only had leftovers to work with. 

BurdaStyle 11/2007 #122



Gym Pants. Miss K needed them in one day.  She stole my fabric and even the pattern I was going to use it for!  In the end she was happy so it worked out.  This is Burdastyle 11/2007 #122 Yoga pants



Size: 42. Then I shortened the rise 1” and took 2” out of the length.  I tapered each leg in by 1” for a total of 4”!  Miss K still says they are too wide at the leg (she loves those skinny jeans).  The waistband is originally 10 inches which you fold in half to 5 inches and then fold over again for the yoga waist.  Miss K hated that so I chopped up the waistband to be 3” and put in 1.5” sport elastic, folded over.  She wears them for gym and likes them enough so that is a win in my book. 

Let’s Talk Fails

Not everything I make works out.  Sometimes it does not fit right, sometimes the sewing does not go right, sometimes the fabric fails me or the pattern.  Fails are a terrible part of sewing.  They happen, but nobody likes it when they do.  The only good part about a sewing fail is that I learn each time. I thought I would catch up my August sewing and share some of the fails I’ve had this month. 

Simplicity 1068


Remember when I made my awesome Cheetah ruffle skirt?  I love it to pieces and said I would try some of the other views of the same pattern.  So I did. And it was not love.  I decided to go with the circle skirt, view C, knee length.  Circle skirts are easy to sew, though they take up a ton of fabric, and this pattern is just a knit circle skirt with an encased elastic waistband.  I picked up 2 yards of black and 2 yards of gray fabric to give it a try.  I used size 16 waist to 18 hip.  This is my waist size, but 1 size less than my hips.

This is the gray skirt (my shirt is a Renfrew I made in March)

The pattern instructions are very easy to follow if you’ve never sewn a circle skirt.  I have sewn a few for Miss K so I did not need them.  I sewed both these up in no time. 



The fabric is a bit of a story.  I am on a ton of Facebook groups for fabric, patterns, sewing in general, etc. and many sewists were talking about how Walmart is now carrying knit fabric.  I popped into mine the end of July and sure enough they had a few bolts.  The gray is a super soft “Pontiroma,” a poly blend, lighter than Ponte, but a nice weight.  I purchased 2 yards for $10.88 total.  I love this fabric and will probably buy more.  It would make a great Lady Skater dress or knit pants. It is of medium weight and has decent stretch.  The black is Cotton Spandex Knit and is nice and thick compared to most Cotton/lycra (spandex) that I purchase online.  It has great stretch and recovery.  I purchased 2 yards for $11.96 total.  *On a side note, the lady had no idea how to cut knit fabric.  She gave me the most jagged crazy cut edge I’ve ever had on a piece of fabric.

And this is the Black Skirt

The gray skirt has more drape to it and thus turned out better looking than the black skirt.  I will keep the gray one but I don’t know how much use it will get.  The weight of the black one makes it feel frumpier to me.  I don’t know how to explain it but it does not hang right.  I don’t care for it at all and will chop it up into underwear as soon as I get time. 

My little helper wanted to be picked up constantly today (his kids, K &T, are gone so he is super needy)

I have decided that circle skirts just are not for me, at this length anyway. I would, however, recommend both of the Walmart knits (for appropriate projects of course). 

Next up is a Burda skirt that I had really high hopes for.   Burda 03/2013 #122


Every summer I go through a Maxi skirt obsession.  This skirt appealed to me but I did not have that issue so I had to buy the skirt via PDF version online for $5.90.  It comes with the skirt pieces for design #120, 121, 122, and 123.  The directions, however, are only for the number you purchase. 



This skirt is unique to sew because it has an invisible side zipper that is attached to the pocket bag.  It was challenging and frustrating.  I goggled and read up on how to attempt this feat.  It took 3 unpicking’s before I was satisfied with it.

See how the zipper comes down and it's attached to the pocket bag. . . crazy!

The skirt has a yoke and then the two lower rectangles, as well as pockets on the side seams.  I sewed the lower part with just one fabric, omitting the bottom “ruffle” layer.  I underlined with a very soft and light cotton muslin.  When I finally finished I tried it on and was sorely disappointed.  The pockets and gathering at the hip made me feel ginormous.  I ended up ripping out the zipper and omitting the pockets before closing it all up again.  I still feel 100 pounds heavier when I put it on, it is not a good look for me. 



My instincts told me that gathers by my hips are a big no-no for a pear shape like me; I should have listened to my gut. The pattern makes a really awesome skirt, it was just a style mistake for me (being so hippy).  Boo.



The instructions for this skirt are typical Burda – little bits and pieces but no real help.  I utilized my stash of sewing books and the internet to sew it up.  The inseam pocket/invisible zipper part was terrible. 



The fabric is amazing.  I’m sad I cut it up.  It is a Muted Navy/Beige/White Dappled Leaves Cotton Lawn from FabricMart.  I purchased this in May 2014, 3 yards for $16.17 total. I love it too much to part with it so I will salvage what I can from the lower half rectangle.  Expect to see it again sometime!





Continuing with my Back to School preparations, I made up a bunch of underwear the last few weeks, too.  Miss K will no longer wear store undies so I re-stocked her drawer with
Ottobre 06/2013 #33 Undies



I mass produced 6 pairs in 2 days.  The coverstitch binder attachment helped tremendously, though I will think ahead of time next time and use the same color bands on all pairs.  It was a pain to change thread colors so much!  My coverstitch is super picky and I have to re-thread from the beginning every time I need to change colors.  The fabrics are all scraps from previous makes.  Miss K was super happy to see some of her favorite fabrics. 



Not wanting Mr. T to feel left out I tried a new boxer pattern for him.  It is the Boxerwear pattern from Stitch Upon A Time.  *Also referred to as SUAT for short*  I used the XS size for him with the long length.  They fit him great, but the length is a bit long for his shorter body (It’s a men’s pattern).  Next time I will use the shorter length for him.  Fabric is also scraps from his other makes.  The seams on the inside of the “pouch” are enclosed (there is a lining and an outer fabric) so they are very soft inside. Mr. T did not want to take them off... 



Mr. SunnySewing also got to try some new boxers from the same pattern.  His are a size XL and fit great (below on the Left with the fly).  They also have a boxerwear pattern for Women, so of course I made myself some in a size M at the waist to L at the hip.  They are super comfy to wear.  I can’t wait to make more! 



I popped out a tiny pair in XXS for Miss K but they were too small for her.  She also declared she would never wear “man” underwear so I won’t attempt any more for her.  They are super cute though! The fabric is from scraps from her previous shirt.  



I also wanted to share this crazy picture. I was bit by an ant 2 weeks ago and I had to deal with this monstrosity for almost 2 weeks!! I almost gnawed my leg off it itched SO bad! I mean really, who reacts like this to a tiny ant!!  Actually, I itch again just looking at it. Sigh. It's better now, just a shadow of this.