[meleliza]

Plugging away at the Star Wars sleepover pjs. Taking a few minutes here and there in between cleaning! I’d like to finish them before the weekend and be ahead of schedule. I have a huge project on my plate for the next month. Last night, I sorted through the 543 images the photographer sent me and got it down to 86. I really only want like 25-30, so that will be today’s job. They are unedited, but I may sneak you all one of my broderie Fairy Tale dress. 😉

Last Friday, I ordered the larger size of Roller Skate. It was shipped out the same day and at my door Tuesday morning. If I didnt have the pjs, it would be cut out and sewn by now. The everyday skirt I bought last October is *still* waiting in nether regions of my computer. Paper version timeline: less than a week. Digital version timeline: several months and counting. Just sayin.

[Masha Richart]

I learn so many interesting things from this site! Thanks to Lightning, I am now acquainted with Thread Theory, and I might just sew something for my husband. The Negroni never really called to me but I LOVE the Thread Theory Newcastle cardigan.

Today I sewed up a quick infinity scarf for my mother-in-law out of some plaid flannel I had lying around. I kind of want to keep it for myself, though.

[Mama_Knowles]

Oh please do meleliza! I adore your fairy tale dresses!

I would up starting a snowman quilted table runner yesterday, my mom bought me the fabric and pattern for my birthday this last November and I still have not done it yet, the reason is it has a ton of tiny little pieces that need cut and sewn together…73 blue and 38 white blocks have to be sewn. I have them all cut and now I am onto the sewing.

I am also working on drafting a pattern for an Easter dress coat for Sarah.

[Tamara]

The table runner sounds like fun Sharon but I commiserate over the many little pieces. I don’t really like the cutting out part of any project. I would much prefer the putting together of the pieces. Hopefully it won’t be complicated for you to construct.

Meleliza the broderie fairytale dress sound divine. I have broderie picked out for that very pattern.

Sharon, thinking of the coat dress, I have an old copy of Australian smocking with one as part of a set along with a dress. It is unfortunately too big as it starts at a size 6 (from memory) but the smocking design is very beautiful (just back smocking with bullion roses made into a wreath). I was wondering if you were drafting from scratch or utilising a pattern to get the whole idea of what you wanted. I have always thought the Sunday Brunch would be perfect for such a project.

Looking forward to getting started on my “me” project. Still deciding on the pattern though I think Liesl has put the sale on at the perfect time!

[Mama_Knowles]

Oh thank you Tamara but the one I am talking about is sizes 2-4, in a sew beautiful magazine. I was thinking of making it with pintucks instead of the smocking, still trying to decide..

well after cutting out over 300 teeny quilt blocks and sewing up 7 blocks I decided that Ella (a.k.a dolly) needs a dress to match Sarah’s birthday School Photo dress, it’s half done and looks great! It was pretty easy to down size the main part now just the sleeves, oh so small sleeves. It’s the world smallest school photo dress. ; )

[meleliza]

Done. But don’t tell the photographer! I’ll share more when I have finished images.

Sharon, it is hard to find an old fashioned girls dress coat isn’t it! But I made Kitty one for Christmas from a Simplicity Project Runway pattern. It’s a really well done pattern, though I wish I had made the next size up. I did at least have cuffs I can turn down next year. I keep thinking I’m allowing plenty of room for her and each time she surprises me with how fast she grows. I just ordered some cotton Pique from Martha Pullen and I’m trying to decide which coat pattern will get the most use.

[Tamara]

I am really not having very much fun! It is day three of my “sewing a me project” weekend and I need help! I am still stuck at making muslin after muslin and using up all the calico and tracing paper I own on just the bodice of this dress I have decided to make! Just having lots of trouble getting it right. I need to clone my body!

I think I will get started on the dinosaurs and leave the me sewing for another time. And I will send hubby to spotlight tomorrow to buy more calico and tracing stuff.

[with love Heidi]

Can You make yourself something you know fits? So you still get something for yourself! As much fun as it is too make the new pattern I also understand that there can be a lot of time on getting all the alterations right!

[Robin]

Tamara, post a couple of pictures. I’m sure all together we can get you through it.

[Tamara]

That is just the thing Heidi. Everything I made that fit well previously is now too big so I have to adjust everything to fit now I have changed in measurements. I still have to upsize though. I am trying out the methods outlined in Joi Mahon’s fast track fitting class and whilst I am getting some things right I am equally getting others hopelessly wrong.

Robin I had my hubby take photos and they are a complete disaster. Not even I can figure out what to do. So what I think I will do is go on with the applique project as I planned to do this week and really work to get that finished so I can send it to my sister. They are for my nephew’s school things and I would prefer to work on them so they are ready a good week ahead of school starting again. Then once they are done (hopefully by the end of the week) I can spend the long weekend working on my me project again.

It will give me time to think about where I am going wrong.

One thing I could ask that you might be able to help with is the diagonal (folds darts whatever) do they (or are they supposed to) meet at the bust apex? I am trying to figure out where they are supposed to sit. I did a fitting shell with that above mentioned craftsy class and managed to get it perfect but then you go and lay the bodice pieces over the top of the pattern and it shrinks in comparison and then I get totally lost as to what to transpose. Basically you can’t without major confusion!

So I will leave it a week and work on the dinosaurs for J – and think!

[with love Heidi]

Are you asking where the top of the diagonal darts in the passport dress are supposed to be? If so I would expect them to sit in the same place as the apex of any bust dart. Liesl has rotated the bust and waist darts for the bodice to and the bottom and then rotated them into the diagonal darts. I would expect the apex to sit just off the bust point, to avoid the pointy bust issue. Not sure if I have answered the question.

[Masha Richart]

Tamara, that sounds frustrating. I am far from an expert fitter myself. Hope you figure it out soon!

Mel, the dress was beautiful.

I just realized that older daughter doesn’t have a fleece sweater that fits anymore. We are entering springish weather here, so I just drafted up size 5 of the Nature Walk and will cut this evening and hopefully sew tomorrow. It is going to be too wide on her but I don’t have the smaller size of the pattern and I don’t want to bother grading down.

I’m also drafting the Sewholic Renfrew for myself and trying to decide whether to do another Traveler or Late Lunch for myself. I have a plaid flannel I want to use but I can’t decide.

The princess dress sits, unfinished, on the cutting table. It’s just so boring to sew.

[Tamara]

Bust apex and bust point is the same isn’t it? All these terms I am getting so confused. The apex of the darts sit just under my bust apex and that is after I extended the allowance for my bust curve and my waist length. The trouble is I think I chose the wrong size as now the armholes are huge and I have a gaping neck so when I get back to it (and I will as I desperately need new clothes to wear) I think I will try again this time referring to my chest size not my bust size and see if this makes a difference.

Gosh and here I was thinking my “girls” were average!

I have been watching the “sew the perfect fit class” just to see what differences I could make that would work. The biggest issue in fitting for me is the back and hubby is totally useless when it comes to helping. He couldn’t even pin the side of the muslin up well! Mind you I couldn’t blame him as it was a bit difficult doing the thing up!

I have measured again and this time wearing better undergarments just so that I can make sure the actual measurements are right. I would much rather have someone else do this side of things it is just not enjoyable to see the flaws of the body (even after working so hard at making them disappear) compared to a pattern. The upside is I am finding that fronts and backs do have to be treated differently and my original method of just dividing the measurement by four is now not really the best method. At least one can progress through education.

The most frustrating part about it is that it has taken three whole days to take just one step. I was hoping to have a finished dress by now and I haven’t even started on the skirt part!

Oh well. The dinosaurs will keep me busy this week. I would much rather get that finished than be panicking over wasting time.

I will be sending Murray in search of brown sticky paper stuff. I am in need of a mannequin that resembles my body!

[Masha Richart]

Tamara, it sounds like you should choose your size according to the high bust and then do an FBA to make enough room for the bust. That should help the gaping issue.

[Tamara]

Exactly! I am so used to choosing the largest and not knowing even that is wrong. The method I am using is slightly different to the traditional way ( I am realising only now that I wasn’t even using all the traditional methods before). With this method I have already done the alterations according to my measurements yet the pattern still doesn’t fit so it is back to the drawing board on the bust adjustment. But next weekend.

Today I am tracing dinosaurs in between laundry, vacuuming and a whole house going over.