Sewing Iceing or maybe Fur-osting - Burda Style 7131

Usually I'd say any kind of coat sewing is a "cake" project.  But a faux fur, kimono shortie?  That's Fur-osting. Not sure what possessed me, other than really liking the picture on the pattern envelope. I even bought the pants pattern the model is wearing with this jacket.  Maybe I just want to be this model.

I'm oh so fab in my fur shortie and mustard pants. Don't even bother looking at that blond.

Well the plus side of making this Fur-osting project was that was super simple.  No fitting needed, has about 5 seams and, if you follow the instructions, has no lining.  I put a lining in it because All Coats Must Be Lined. Who wants to stare at faux fur backing anyway.

Faux Fur - Gorgeous fabrics (now sold out), Lining - Emmaonesock, 1 1/4 snaps - Marcy Tilton

It was easy to make a lining using the body pattern pieces just check out Jen's easy peasy tutorial. Since this was a kimono sleeve I added 1/4" extra ease to the side seam area and 1/4" to where the cuffs would be sewn in.  Also added the back pleat like the tutorial instructs.

The lining was inserted before sewing the faux fur cuffs on so that I could get a clean finish on the inside.  I sewed one side of cuff to the self fabric, then hand sewed the other slide to the lining.  I also hand sewed the lining to the hem.

The closure is also simple, two giant snaps.

On to the modeled pics.... me just chilling in the back yard.

You want to see those kimono sleeves?  Here you go...

And finally only cause it's almost model fabulous...

That's enough Fur-osting, time to go sew some cake.

A Trio of Tees

After such a labor intensive project as Butterick 5814, it's no surprise that I decided to return to the gigantic knit stash for a quick fix.  To make things really easy I pulled out my favorite TNT pattern, Sewaholic's Renfrew.  This is the V-neck long sleeve view, made up in a very nondrapy rayon knit. 

Kind of nautical right, so the Lobster makes total sense. Just nod politely.

But Renfrews are like potato chips, you can't make just one so I dug deeper into the stash and found this awesome rayon tweedy knit. It just screamed cowl neck Renfrew. 

Knit with white and black threads for gray tweedy goodness!

There wasn't quite enough fabric to do the cowl as drafted by Tasia so I drafted a smaller on hat folded over. The width is the same but it's about 12" high and folds over to 6".  Why that high, cause that's how much fabric I had.

RTW told me to do this and it works just peachy.

Still looks super cute. This rayon had some drape to it which worked well with the cowl.

I love gray, what does that say about me?

Lastly I decided to jump on the dolmen sleeve bandwagon and knock off a RTW shirt I'd bought, traced and returned.  The RTW shirt had very deep hems, about 3" or so but I found that a total sewing nightmare on the temperamental coverstitch machine.   Changed the hems to 1" and that made the hem and sleeves go much faster.  The neck is finished with a self binding, also attached with the coverstitch machine.  While I like that type of finish it's a pain in the ass to do.  In fact this last shirt reminded me why Renfrew is such a great pattern, you don't have to worry about coverstitching!!!!

I'm a fashionable criminal.

Not totally sure that dolmen sleeves are a great look on me, but it's comfortable and layers with cardigans just fine.

I've worn all 3 shirts multiple times already and as a bonus they were all from stash.  Feels great to bust out 3 garments in a weekend. What a pretty set of triplets they make.

You don't want to know how much more gray fabric is in my stash.

Butterick 5814 - The Finished Sewing Dare Dress

Hello Darlings, are you ready to drink some cocktails and ignore our children? At least that's what I'm told you do while wearing silk wiggle dresses. Honestly it sounds like a delightful afternoon.

Go make mommy a martini, shaken not stirred.

I'm hoping Don Draper picks me up and takes me somewhere nice.  I'll ignore his philandering if he's especially charming.  Also he must wear a hat....who am I kidding, call me Don!  If Don is not available I will take September from Fringe, he looks great in a hat.

I need a tall man in a suit to help me walk in these shoes.

Confession time, I bought Butterick 5814 and never expected to actually sew it.  I liked the bodice but thought the drape was odd and anyway a cocktail dress is that last thing I "needed."  Then Gillian dared me to make a sexy dress and all of a sudden I'm buying boning and pulling silk out of the stash.

Now that I've made the dress, I Love It.  The silk lining feels delicious and waist stays are my new best friend.  The Butterick directions on the waist stay was a little vague but gorgeous fabrics explained all my questions.  I'd say this pattern was a nice introduction to boning.  There are only a few pieces to insert and the only problem I had was my silk lining sliding around.  About that drape, it grew on me.  I thought it wouldn't be that flattering but instead it looks lovely

Here's a nice close up of the very pretty gathered bodice and the drape.  Also my cleavage... your welcome. 

Now into photos of the insides of dress. Scandalous!

Waist Stay and inside lining.  I used self fabric for both sides of the sleeves but the rest of the lining is black crepe de chine.

Back zipper

Hem.  I added a little overlocking to the edge, not couture but that's fine by me.

In addition to the fitting changes I talked about in this post,  I took a scant 1/8th off the side seams and about 2" in at the CB waist, which was blended out into nothing over the backside.  I needed the full amount of ease across the hips/derriere, but a lot less ease at my sway back.

One last look cause we're having fun.

Milly feather print silk crepe de chine (Long gone but originally from Gorgeous fabrics)

Black silk crepe de chine lining -  Gorgeous fabrics

Stockings - Pretty Polly Cuban Heel Back Seam Tights - Dollhouse Bettie

Shoes - Nadine Peep Toe Pumps - Shop Ruche

Full flickr set here and if you want to see all my blog posts on this dress click on the Butterick-5814 tag on the post

January goal check and February plans

It's the last day of January and how we doing on those beginning of the year sewing goals?  Pretty darn good!  Seven garments made from stash (sexy dress not blogged yet, STILL waiting for undergarments, grrrrrr) and a few small projects also made from stash.  Let's all do the happy dance.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the Stashbusting sew-a-long group on flickr.  It's never too late to join us......One of Us, One of us.

Plans for February....so far
1. Enter the PR RTW knock off contest and knock off this cute nightgown.
Got my materials all ready, I didn't have enough yardage in a solid color in the stash so this was a new purchase. Oooooooo bad, not really it was cheap.  Planning on using the Tiramisu pattern from sewing cake as my pattern hacking base. 

Model knit from high end fabrics on ebay.  Lace from Mary not Martha on Etsy.

2. Make this easy peasy kimono sleeve coat.

I muslined it up last year and then got distracted by something else and never got it made up.  Purchased some faux chinchila on sale in December so I guess that's not really stash either.  Maybe I should stop patting myself on the back about using stash.

Pet me!

3. Speaking of stash the monthly theme for the stashbusting sew-a-long is Love.... meaning sew something for someone else.  I have an old high school friend who is always complementing me on my FO pics and hinted she'd love a clutch.  A clutch she shall have, just need to decide what awesome scraps to use.

4. Finish knitting up my cashmere beret.  Ummm this was supposed to be done this month but things don't get done if you don't work on them. It is stash......just not fabric stash.

Can you see the checkerboard pattern? I can't either.

5. Finish my bra kit and make some more once the kinks are worked out.  
This week I seemed to get the fitting problems fixed on my bra muslin and thought I could bust out the real one yesterday.  Didn't happen that way.  Let's just say elastic is a trixsy snitch. I might have also decided to change a bunch of things mid project as I'm wont to do.  Got a lot more black on black seam ripping still to do.   Still its a mostly fun experience and I want to make more.....lots and lots more.

Scraptastic

Seems I was bit by the scrap busting bug.......

Howdy Partner, how about some gun slinging PJ's.

Now I can finally stop saving all those semi large, but not large enough for a garment, knit scraps.

Reusable wipes for dirty kids.  Knit Jersey on one side, bamboo fleece on the other.

Also there are a couple small projects I've been putting off for years.......

Laundry bag for my son's dirty clothing. Fabric left over from redoing the ironing board cover,

Ummm and this one too....

Tote bag out of hemp/cotton bought for just this project.

Hmmmmm I might need a 12 step program.

Babies got some brand new PJ's

Hi there, I'm trying to watch Sesame Street but my crazy mommy wants to take pictures. I'm not your baby model!

Fine if you're going to keep taking pictures you can look at my back. I got things to do.

Like suck on my hand, mmmm my hand is delicious.

Boom! More PJ's are done!  Nothing like a few quick knit projects to make you feel like a productive sewer. Yeah I'm looking at you sexy dress, AKA hand sewing time suck. OK, fine, you're pretty so let's just move on.

Peek-a-boo pattern shop gets a big thumbs up from me for their winter PJ set.  I loved everything about this pattern.  One seam pants, easy ribbing binding and nice clear instructions with photos.  They even give you a chart with suggested elastic lengths for each size.  A certain pattern (that will go unmentioned) didn't bother to give me that information when I making Xmas clothing for my niece and nephew.  Sometimes we don't have the child around to measure pattern makers, give me a suggestion.  So long story short, peek-a-boo patterns rocks!

The fabric was acquired from the Ottobre shop a couple years ago and did get made up into a Jalie onesie for my boy back when he was a smaller version.  There was just enough left over to cut a 3T size of the PJ set.  The ribbing was from my usual children's supplier Lilbabythangs.  I just wish she sold bigger cuts ribbing cause I want some for my projects.

I pretty much followed the directions exactly just substituting in the coverstitch machine for any zigzag or twin needle parts. My son wears 2T right now but this fabric was too pricey to get a 2-3 months of wear out of them.  Sized up so he can wear them the entire winter next year.

Best of all this project was under a yard so it qualifies for this month's stashbusting sew-a-long challenge!  Watch out, I'm on a stash busting roll. 

On the sewing table

Butterick 5814 is done, waiting for undergarments for it's debut photo shoot.  Speaking of undergarments bra muslins happen to be on my sewing table. Seems I'm working on 2012 sewing resolutions as well.

Pin-up girls classic bra 1235

There also seems to be a PJ party going on......

PJ's for the boy using Peek-a-boo pattern shop winter PJ's pattern

Left over jersey from the Ottobre shop cia 2010

On the sewing table this morning but off it now.  PJ top for me.

Stashed Spoonflower organic interlock with print from malien00

Another version of Sewaholic Renfrew pattern but with 1x2 ribbing for the binding.  The ribbing fabric behaved differently in every location and I had to remove different amounts of length from the pattern.  The breakdown was 3" off the neck binding, 2" off the hem binding and 1" off the sleeve binding.  At least that's pretty easy to remember. Now excuse me I have some reading to do.