[Mama_Knowles]

It took about an hour to press 10 yards of fabric! (of course Caspian wanted together into everything as I was trying to press it so it took much longer) Now I have to cut it all out.

[meleliza]

I have some of the orange chevron palos verdes. I think I’ll just make myself a simple drapy tank to wear with layers this spring. But then I’ll still have enough left for a child sized dress.

Motivated to reduce my stash, I went on a cutting spree! I cut a denim Sunday brunch jacket (I know, right? Tiny denim!) and a playtime dress from this cuddly soft stuff woven with polka dots. I don’t know what it is really, but it has a lovely drape and I know I got it on sale, so perfect for playtime. I did cut long sleeves for it because it will be a while still before we can wear short sleeves with nothing on top. This will be a one piece no layering required outfit in the spring, and play outfit now. I added extra length so it will fit next year too. I also plan to make myself a simple drapy tank for layering now and later. I have some bold pink Valori wells voile I know I picked up on sale, so it’s just right. I have more than I need, so maybe I’ll make a scarf too and practice my rolled hem.

I looked through my remnant bins and am trying to come up with ways to use pieces of nice stuff that are less than a yard this spring and summer….

[with love Heidi]

How exciting Meleliza to be working with your stash! I began a new project at the beginning of the year to write down how many items I sew, and how much fabric I use, as well as other info. It has been great because I have realised I’ve sewn lots! And even if it doesn’t feel like it, I am sewing many meters of fabric from my stash each month! Like 33m in Feb and already 2m this month!

I have finished the mods to the blazer pattern, now to add seam allowances and see if I have any fleece large enough to make the first one!

[meleliza]

Last September I instituted a 1 in, 2 out policy. I did well, but started this year with a heap of fabric purchases. So I have lots of stash work to do. I’m not measuring yardage, just purchases and items sewn. I think it’s good to have a stash, but mine was getting bigger than I wanted. Also, there’s some bad buys sitting in there from years ago when I was building a stash and bought crap I shouldn’t have. I want to clear it out. Of course, I often get more than one item out of a piece of fabric if I use remnant carefully. I think I’ll just make a pile of lazy days skirts to use some up quickly.

[Masha Richart]

Melanie, I hope you’ll post photos, the projects sound great. I’m a sucker for a polka-dot Playtime.

As for me, inspired by Justine’s Moss skirt, I bought the pattern yesterday and spent last night taping it up. My waist/hip measurements match these size 12 exactly so I am looking forward to sewing up a pattern for me with NO adjustments (who am I kidding, I’m sure there will be adjustments). I have a large piece of seafoam blue/green tiny-wale stretch corduroy to use. I hope to have some time to sew today.

[with love Heidi]

That’s exciting to have your measurements match exactly! Especially after I have just made at least four or five significant alterations to the pattern I’m about to sew for myself 🙂

[Nicole]

How lovely!

Before Matilda I could make a standard size 8 Simplicity and it fit perfectly. I used to cut and sew, barely fit at all!

It was awesome. I had no idea how lucky I was.

I can’t wait to see all this ‘selfish sewing’

[Masha Richart]

Well, all my crowing about my measurements matching exactly may have been premature. They do match the size chart, however, it is sized for a straight woven and i am using a stretch woven. So perhaps I should have sized down. Remains to be seen.

[with love Heidi]

Hopefully using a stretch woven will give just enough give that any fitting issues are not a problem 🙂

Finally go my jacket pinned onto fabric! I’ve decided the sewing is easy but the fitting is hard and time consuming! I’ve been working on the flat pattern adjustments for three or four days now and I still have one area that I will have to fit and change as I go 🙁 However I’m considering it a “three scissors pattern” as it had 15 pattern pieces, including both shoulder (front) and bust (back) princess seams, as well as two pieces sleeves with zip cuffs. And the only pieces I haven’t changed are the sleeves and the collar!

[with love Heidi]

I managed to get all the pieces of my jacket out of the piece of fabric I had, Yay. And the bodice fits, the princess seams appear to be just right!

[Lightning McStitch]

I just made a Passport dress with Diplomat sleeves using a Viscose jersey. The fit is fantastic given I was clueless and hadn’t even looked closely enough at the Passport pattern to see that it usually has a side zip.

Being a knit fabric mine has no zip and was very quick to sew.

I think it is the best thing I’ve made for myself ever!

Will try and get pictures tomorrow

[Mama_Knowles]

Oh I sounds so lovely Shelley! I can’t wait to see pictures!

I have may dress all cut out but I don’t really plan on sewing much until Monday.

[meleliza]

My measurements also once fit perfectly into the pattern envelope – in high school! But I think that everything we do in life changes our bodies, so we are much less similar in older life than younger. Perhaps it makes sense that patterns are based on a youthful standard because it’s more predictable.

[Tamara]

I think I can happily book next weekend to get sewing again. I was beginning to think this is what I was giving up for Lent! Didn’t get a photo of a modelled Diplomat so will have to do that also – it was a bit hard when the camera was 450km away!

So today I will plan my next sewing adventure whilst finishing the third coat of vivid white, searching for the lost in limbo house captain badge and possibly even breaking open the packets of pecan floor planks.

In terms of measurements, all my changes width wise happen on the front whilst the back pattern pieces just get added length. And yes that means I get half my body fitting the pattern envelope but in a much much bigger size. Having said that though, I can now put away the “plus sized” patterns and use the “normal” sized ones again.

[Nicole]

May I apologise If I sounded at all obnoxious. I was merely reminiscing my waistline and laughing at my 20 year old ignorance that it would stay that way.

I am very happy with my body, it has done a lot of work, but It does make fitting a wee bit trickier.

I am sorry if I sounded like a cow. I am so glad I can sew or I would be living in Sass&Bide jeans and too big shirts!