[Tamara]

Thanks Heidi, I agree. It will take the weight away from last minute sewing pressures to prep for Christmas etc. the pink matches her pink and silver shoes perfectly and we can find a silver necklace or something but keep the jewelery at a complete minimum – we need to reflect the standards set by the school I think.

I am hoping to get started on it tonight (that is if this thunderstorm doesn’t take our oower with it). Her measurements don’t sit perfectly within one size though – 6 bust,12 waist, 4 hips so am will just have to sit and think about how to get the sizing right. I need to do a muslin so I hooe this is not going to take up the majority of the sewing time over the weekend as I have so much to make.

[with love Heidi]

looking forward to seeing it Tamara!
I finally got some more strap adjustors for the messenger bags I’m making. The first one in purple with tiny white and aqua butterflies with matching aqua accents is looking beautiful 🙂

[cybele727]

Wow. Everyone sounds super busy. I wish I had the time to see more. I have 3 hopscotch dresses in various states. And a bunch of in a clutch too. I really need to get the book for the messenger bag.

Today I am home with the sick- not really sick daughter. She broke out in a rash last night. Since so many childhood diseases start this way, I thought a day at home watching her for fever or other symptoms might be wise.
I could sew but stealing an afternoon alone with a 6 year old cuddling on the couch is its own reward. :).

[with love Heidi]

If you don’t have the Little Things To Sew book yet, you need to get it! For the messenger bag, the cape, the Explorer Vest and every other pattern! But the messenger bag is amazing, I use it as my go to handbag everyday. I’ve made, at least, 6 large and 2 small and have another 6 planned for Christmas gifts!

[Sarvi]

I’ll second that, the book has so many great patterns in it. I just made 5 of the bear carriers for a birthday party and they were a huge hit. I’m afraid I have two UFO messenger bags lurking somewhere — must get to finishing those!

[with love Heidi]

2 messenger bags down and I’m on to the third 🙂

[Tamara]

I’ve just spent two hours alterin the pattern for the Bistro dress to fit Imogen’s measurements. Now it’s onto a muslin and then real thing. I just hope I have a zipper long enough or we are in trouble.

[Tamara]

@kerrilyn Thankyou so much for the tips. I have been attempting to send you a reply but for some reason it doesn’t want to? Seven agtempts later and I have to resort to this message instead.

[Tamara]

Ok, I have made the muslin/lining and I think it is good to go. Any thoughts? I made the 6 and moved it out to the 8 in the waist and hip area. I actually worked with front and back separately on the pattern as I find this technique easy.

I am not sure about the bust. Poor girl was getting a little mad with me for repeating a few questions regarding a certain piece of underwear. We just need to make it fit well! It is really important. But she was impressed and stated that I was better at making dresses than she is. Well this is because there are some decades worth of experience in sewing that has been had that sort of divides us. And then I started reminiscing about the first dress I made….

Do I need to add/ take anything anywhere do you think? I am going to start cutting the real fabric because it needs to be completed asap.

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[Kerrilyn]

The back looks like it is fitting quite well but in my opinion the front side darts need shortening a little. I actually just had a peak at my pattern and I shorten them by about an inch and a half for my daughter. That may explain why I had to curve the dart legs to get nice ends.

It is a gorgeous colour on her.

[with love Heidi]

I’d agree with shortening the top of the front darts. Overall looks lovely and very appropriate for the school interview. I was imagining Lisette B6168, with the triangular cut out, I keep thinking that’s the Bistro dress. This is perfect 🙂

[Tamara]

Fortunately I have not cut the linen yet and I see where I have gone wrong now. I measured the point of the dart as her apex (duh!) of course it can’t hit right on the apex what was I thinking?! Sleep deprived!

@withloveHeidi I was thinking of B6168 also but I have the pattern in larger sizes only. At least this one, I had planned to make her at some stage anyway. Just now not later.

Yes I can’t help admiring the back😀 I spent ages figuring out the maths involved (and I do not excel at mathematics!).

Ok so I am just going to find out where the apex sits on the pattern and then alter accordingly.

Thankyou so much ladies! I want to get as much of this dress done tonight. It seems so straight forward.

[Tamara]

Ok the dress is done except the stitching of the lining to the zipper. I can do that tomorrow night when I have some time to sit and stitch by hand. It looks lovely (even if I do say so myself) and I will attempt to have my (somewhat grumpy with me) daughter model it tomorrow afternoon.

I shifted the bust dart point back 1.5 inches and it looks heaps better. We did the notch version and lined it using the muslin (thank goodness for cutting a nearly perfect one yesterday it saved so much time). This dress took me longer to make than I had anticipated but when you don’t count a baby, two big kids, a husband that all require your attention somewhere during the day plus battling a lingering cold (and coughing fits), I don’t think I did too badly for time.

Tomorrow I am on to something else which I hope will be quick. As I only have tomorrow and Tuesday to sew.

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by Tamara.

[cybele727]

What a stunning color of a muslin. I want a dress in that color. And the back was a lovely fit. I can’t wait to see the dress!

Yes, I need the book!

I just finished a hopscotch. One was done except hems. I think I will probably never hem a knit again and will always lettuce them. So easy. I do it a touch differently than the tutorial. I don’t have a serger.

I pre-stretch the heck out of it. As a result I get a curl. As I am pulling, I keep the tube as small as possible and let the zig zag encase the tube. No trimming after close to the zig zag and no accidental snipping of the stiches either.

I really have turned my daughter into a monster. While she hasn’t said, “I really have nothing to wear.” She clearly behaves that way when I am working on a new item. Is that for me? Oh good. I need something new. LOL My own personal frankenfashionista!

🙂

On a sad note, I’ve noticed that my almost 6 year old is wearing between 6 and 7 in certain items (like dresses and tops), and a 5 in bottoms. *I* am not ready to age out of some of these patterns.

[Tamara]

I stitched the lining to the zipper but badly and will have to repeat the action properly so that we won’t see the stitching from the outside this time 😱😳.

I am currently altering the Lisette B6183 pants pattern to fit the body of mine. The aim is to make a pair of navy linen trousers to wear later this week.