(Yep, this one's a biggy!)
It’s done! Not only did I manage to complete the pattern design and construct the pieces on time, I made an additional top (Simplicity 3887) to give the outfit more of a fall look. Here are the results:
And some of the construction details:
The Belt (fabric covered belt and painted buckle)
The One-Piece Collar
The Mitered Corners, at each slit.
The All-Machine Sewn front facing/hem intersection
I always knew there was a way to do this but had never heard or read anything on it until I found Jackets for Real People by Marta Alto, Sue Neal and Patti Palmer. It’s quite easy to do and I promise I’ll document it the next time I use it. Didn't do it this time because it wasn’t easy to photograph this fabric and then there was that working with a deadline thing.
The Welt Pockets (on the pants) The lining piece shows that it attaches at the CF, waist, and side seam.
If you’re interested in the pattern-making process, you can take a look at my progress for each week (1, 2, 3, no progress for week 4, 5 . You can also read a review of the complete outfit here. Voting started today!
On to the next project…
Like many of you, I succumbed to the many online fabric sales the past few weeks and I haven’t limited myself just to fabrics, patterns have been coming in as well! I forgot to take pictures of them and am too lazy to do it now, but they include past/used issues of BWOF, Mrs. Stylebook, Modellina, Patrones Niños, and three Jalie shirt patterns. Woohoo!
** I learned about the new big-4 patterns from reading your blogs and I have to say I wasn’t tempted to spend my money on a single pattern. I did find a couple of Burda Fashion patterns that I’m waiting for but the others? Well, maybe the next fall/winter patterns will be more inspirational. In the meantime I’m expanding my horizons with my new acquisitions.
And then there is the fabric! I’m happy to say that so far, none of my fabric has come from JoAnn’s. That doesn’t mean it won’t, but right now their stock is very unappealing. First, there was the ITY sale at FFC (two selections went back)solids. Strangely enough, after I posted that I was about to make a purchase I went to the site and every single print that I had on my wish list was sold out! Hmmmm, how did that happen?
Next, the knit sale at Gorgeous Fabrics. I had another almost sold out issue there, but all that came in is good.
After reading about several people making purchases at Fabric.com, I decided to join them!
And finally, a real-live-in-person fabric store purchase at the Cutting Room.
This store happens to be, sort of, on the way to my parent’s house. And since I was dropping off my daughter for a few special days of “alone time” with the grandparents, my son and I made a little stop. After I had viewed almost all of the fashion fabric (no special occasion, interfacing, or lining) my son decided he needed a potty break and of course they didn’t have a public restroom. So this purchase was quick! (Turns out after I got home and took a look at my collection, I decided to go back for more of the yellow and gray and found just one more piece of brown that I needed. FYI, one of the reasons for these purchases was the price - about $19.95 with 40% off!)
The one fabric I bought without a plan was the banana-color wool flannel. It is sooooo beautiful! I’ve been trying to stick to a plan with all my fabric purchases, but I just had to have this! Then, as the clerk was cutting it I mentioned that I didn’t know what it would go with and she said “the gray”. Oh yea! It’s beautiful with the gray. Then I remembered my 1yd. print from GF. This combo is TDF!! Then, as I laid out my fabrics it home – it goes with the gray, the purple, and the brown…. The brown? Brown and gold are the school colors at my new school! Faculty members usually wear the school colors on Friday and I had NO-thing to wear last year. This is really going to class-up my school spirit day!
After I put all of these on the table I started to go through my stash drawers, and look what I found! They may not look so great here, but trust me, they work in beautifully!
This is what my cutting table looks like now. I'm not ready to sew it quite yet, but it's hard to look at this and not get excited about the possibilities!
Wow, this is getting long! Just one more thing…I know it’s already August 2nd, and most people have worked out their storyboards, and I’ve only got three weeks before school starts (1 if I go back for band camp), but I’m feeling the need to do the Mini Wardrobe contest on PR. After all, the kids will be out of my hair, I mean having fun at Y camp and summer day care for the next three weeks so…… stay tuned!
It’s done! Not only did I manage to complete the pattern design and construct the pieces on time, I made an additional top (Simplicity 3887) to give the outfit more of a fall look. Here are the results:
And some of the construction details:
The Belt (fabric covered belt and painted buckle)
The One-Piece Collar
The Mitered Corners, at each slit.
The All-Machine Sewn front facing/hem intersection
I always knew there was a way to do this but had never heard or read anything on it until I found Jackets for Real People by Marta Alto, Sue Neal and Patti Palmer. It’s quite easy to do and I promise I’ll document it the next time I use it. Didn't do it this time because it wasn’t easy to photograph this fabric and then there was that working with a deadline thing.
The Welt Pockets (on the pants) The lining piece shows that it attaches at the CF, waist, and side seam.
If you’re interested in the pattern-making process, you can take a look at my progress for each week (1, 2, 3, no progress for week 4, 5 . You can also read a review of the complete outfit here. Voting started today!
On to the next project…
Like many of you, I succumbed to the many online fabric sales the past few weeks and I haven’t limited myself just to fabrics, patterns have been coming in as well! I forgot to take pictures of them and am too lazy to do it now, but they include past/used issues of BWOF, Mrs. Stylebook, Modellina, Patrones Niños, and three Jalie shirt patterns. Woohoo!
** I learned about the new big-4 patterns from reading your blogs and I have to say I wasn’t tempted to spend my money on a single pattern. I did find a couple of Burda Fashion patterns that I’m waiting for but the others? Well, maybe the next fall/winter patterns will be more inspirational. In the meantime I’m expanding my horizons with my new acquisitions.
And then there is the fabric! I’m happy to say that so far, none of my fabric has come from JoAnn’s. That doesn’t mean it won’t, but right now their stock is very unappealing. First, there was the ITY sale at FFC (two selections went back)solids. Strangely enough, after I posted that I was about to make a purchase I went to the site and every single print that I had on my wish list was sold out! Hmmmm, how did that happen?
Next, the knit sale at Gorgeous Fabrics. I had another almost sold out issue there, but all that came in is good.
After reading about several people making purchases at Fabric.com, I decided to join them!
And finally, a real-live-in-person fabric store purchase at the Cutting Room.
This store happens to be, sort of, on the way to my parent’s house. And since I was dropping off my daughter for a few special days of “alone time” with the grandparents, my son and I made a little stop. After I had viewed almost all of the fashion fabric (no special occasion, interfacing, or lining) my son decided he needed a potty break and of course they didn’t have a public restroom. So this purchase was quick! (Turns out after I got home and took a look at my collection, I decided to go back for more of the yellow and gray and found just one more piece of brown that I needed. FYI, one of the reasons for these purchases was the price - about $19.95 with 40% off!)
The one fabric I bought without a plan was the banana-color wool flannel. It is sooooo beautiful! I’ve been trying to stick to a plan with all my fabric purchases, but I just had to have this! Then, as the clerk was cutting it I mentioned that I didn’t know what it would go with and she said “the gray”. Oh yea! It’s beautiful with the gray. Then I remembered my 1yd. print from GF. This combo is TDF!! Then, as I laid out my fabrics it home – it goes with the gray, the purple, and the brown…. The brown? Brown and gold are the school colors at my new school! Faculty members usually wear the school colors on Friday and I had NO-thing to wear last year. This is really going to class-up my school spirit day!
After I put all of these on the table I started to go through my stash drawers, and look what I found! They may not look so great here, but trust me, they work in beautifully!
This is what my cutting table looks like now. I'm not ready to sew it quite yet, but it's hard to look at this and not get excited about the possibilities!
Wow, this is getting long! Just one more thing…I know it’s already August 2nd, and most people have worked out their storyboards, and I’ve only got three weeks before school starts (1 if I go back for band camp), but I’m feeling the need to do the Mini Wardrobe contest on PR. After all, the kids will be out of my hair, I mean having fun at Y camp and summer day care for the next three weeks so…… stay tuned!
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