I Jumped on the Fad Bandwagon........ME!

I don't know what I was thinking.....I have:

• 8 gazillion patterns (only a slight exaggeration, I assure you)
• an ability to alter said patterns (altho I haven't done much and I am kind've a scardy cat to waste fabric for practice) 
• people who do this kinda thing for a living who are more than happy to help
• people who know how to do this kinda of thing and are happy to help
•  youtube and a myriad of other sources to choose from 
• blogs, blogs and more blogs

 So why oh why did I buy another pattern? At full price, mind you. I looked through my cache of patterns.......nothing like it. I was surprised......a simple pattern like that and I have NOTHING even close!  Shocked, I was, shocked. Right about now you're asking yourself, "Self, what is all the fuss about? What pattern is she talking about? That girl be crazy."


Well, here it is......The pattern all of blog-land is all a twitter about.......The Darlings Ranges Dress.

I've seen it on skinny chicks and big chicks and it looks great on both!

I especially love the sleeveless versions.

You can read about the sew along here and look at some finished dresses too! I ♥ this dress. I have always liked a good jumper....always! Of course, this will have to be graded up to fit a booblicious, curvy woman, such as myself.....and that task is daunting, but I gotta start somewhere. 
Once I master the art of fitting myself, my sewing world will never be the same! Project runway, forgettaboutit.....project me looking fab....yeah buddy!



 

 I have this pattern. It's the closest thing to the Darling Ranges pattern in all of my stash. I've been wanting to make it, but a side zip, really? I was just going to carry the buttons allllll the way down. Again, avoiding alterations and having fun with other sewing.

I have this pattern out and ready to work on. It, too, needs some grading. Probably need to add some darts and do a FBA too.. So many really cute patterns end their sizes at 16 (pattern 16, not real world 16) and a B cup. Well, a real world 16 would be great, but that B cup......that is sooooo not workin for me. LOL 

 

Do you find that when you get the ''women's'' sizes, they think you have the shoulders of a linebacker WITH his shoulder pads on, perky boobs with darts that end really close to your chin, and armholes that go to your bellybutton? Patterns or store bought, do they use real, full sized gals for a fitting? Sure doesn't seem like it. One of the many reasons I sew. :-)


Well, I have to wait for my DR pattern to come in before I can play around with it.


I have plenty on my table right now:

• A baby quilt that needs quilting and binding
• the claire cami dress (see above)
• a baby quilt to make for my soon to be granddaughter (this month probably)
• graduation stuff for the dot
• wedded bliss for the man/child in 2 months and then his college grad in Dec.
• Crafty Chicas Weekend in Long Beach at the end of July
• mother's day, wow this weekend already
• lunch, I'm starving :-)

What's on your table?

Prom Dress....an Adventure in Hemming

The Dot's (short for daughter) good friend is height challenged. Even in nose-bleed high heels, she needed 3" taken off her dress. This is how I mark my hems so I can serger (in this case, a rolled hem) a straight line.


First off, I had her put on her shoes and I marked the length. All that money for a dress and that was one uneven hem, let me tell you!

I go to my sewing machine and set it on a medium length basting stitch and I loosen the tension a bit so the extra fine fabric doesn't get all puckery.  I use post-its or tape to mark how deep I want the hem and then I sew a line of stitching to mark my place.

I hang it up and see if it's even. I'll mark any corrections with pins or chalk at this point.

Looks pretty good to me!  Wow, it looks like more than 3 inches too. gulp!

 Set my trusty ol' serger for a 3 thread rolled hem and made sure 

I kept the row of stitching just to the right of the cutter.

Who ever invented a serger was a genius! That rolled hem is so nice. 

I can even imagine how long it would've taken me to hand sew a rolled hem.

That's the pile of satin and chiffon that came off the dress.

Ta-daaaaaaa.....even steven

Do you have some fun tricks that help you? Share!! After all...knowledge is power!!

Little black dress

     Today I am going shopping. Yea me! My 30th, gulp, high school reunion is Saturday and it's cocktail attire. I want thee perfect ''little black dress". It doesn't have to be black, it just has to be something I can restyle and wear and wear and wear and it will always look classy and like it was made just for me.
     I know what you're thinking: why don't you just make your own? I need a fit buddy and the right fabric and the right pattern; it's harder than finding ready made. I will, someday, make my own LBD, but I still enjoy the hunt for the right dress! Of course this also means the right bra, the right shoes, the right accessories.......maybe I just love all the extra stuff too???