September Item

Well, I said I would set a goal to sew an item a month for myself. I was hemming a RTW top for a friend and decided I would like to copy it and make one for myself. Her top was several sizes to small for me, so I mostly used it for an idea. I changed it by adding more gathers in the bust and on the empire waste. I also added some gathers on the shoulder and made it a much looser fit than the original design.
My friends top that I copied.

A bad picture of my finished top. I will try to get a better one later.

From old to new

This is a dress I recently made for a friend. This dress was made from her mother's wedding dress. She wore a traditional full, long trained wedding dress for the ceremony and most of the reception, but wanted to change into this dress during the reception. I used Pattern Master Boutique 4 to design what she wanted. The pattern pretty much printed out with very little need for alterations. I was pleasantly surprised!

Finally finished something for myself.

I decided last week that I am going to challenge myself to make at least an item a month for myself. I'm constantly sewing and altering for others, but when it comes to sewing for myself. I seldom ever finish anything I start or I never seem to like the finished product for one reason or another. Well, I'm going to change that. Today I finished a top that I started last week. I'll attach a picture. This is the start of a new beginning! This top is from a discontinued McCall's Pattern M5194. I changed the top by adding a band and ties. The fabric I used is very sheer and flimsy. I had originally sewed the the pattern as directed, but I found I needed something to add some support and shape under the bust. So I added the band with some fusible interfacing.

Gadget Queen

I love gadgets. I thought I would make post about some of my favorite sewing tools.
Fasturn
are tubes used to turn any size fabric tube inside out even the thinest spaghetti straps. I purchased mine in the 80's at a craft fair. It was the first year they were for sale and the inventor and his wife were selling them in a booth. This wonderful little gadget has saved me hours and hours of frustration. Anyone who sews would not regret their purchase.
Here are a few things I have purchased more recently but am finding pretty valuable.
a Pattern Notcher
This is a cool tool that notches your fabricand pattern while cutting out.

Orbital Blade Sharpener
I've purchased other sharpeners before and they didn't work but this one really does. It takes a little time, but with the cost of rotary blades, it pays for it self in no time.

The last item I just purchased a few weeks ago and already think it was well worth the cost. As I'm getting older, my vision is getting weaker and lighting is so, so crucial for me. So I purchased this Bendable Bright light. The best price out there is from J Hittle Sewing supplies

This light doesn't use batteries, it plugs in with a cord. It is small so it doesn't block your view, but you can direct the light to exactly where you need it.

Pattern Master 4

Last year with my decision to start sewing more clothing, I went to the Tampa sewing Expo. At the Expo I saw and bought Pattern Master Boutique. Not long after I purchased PMB4. I was asked to sew an outfit for a "Mother of a Groom," She had some really difficult fit issues. At the time I thought what a great opportunity to try out PMB. Little did I know that there is quite a learning curve, especially if you have not done a lot of pattern altering. This Lady was very Petite, size 4 on top, only 12" from shoulder to shoulder, and size 12 on the bottom, she had a curved back, short waist and a tummy. I made 5 muslins, trying to get a style and design that flattered her figure. It took me awhile and it forced me to learn quite a bit. Here is a picture of her in the finished product.

My first post.... Changes

I have thought about and tried to start a blog many times in the past, but have never followed through. My life has changed quite a bit the last couple of years. I was quite over weight for many years and couldn't seem to get a grip on it. I started and failed at many diets through those years. For some reason in June of 2006, I started a diet, stuck with it, and made several life changes. I lost 65 lbs. That really changed me life. I have worked to keep it off these last two years. I gain some and lose some, but I know what I need to do to keep it off. I also am in a new era as a parent. I started home schooling my three kids back in 1996. That was quite a commitment and life change for me, but it became part of my life. My two oldest graduated several years ago and my baby, is a senior this year. She has really been very self directed the last several years. She will be taking classes outside the home to complete her final year of high school. So spending the last 21 years being a full time stay at home mom, I am almost in that empty nest role. Last year I got a part time job working at my Curves. Where I was a member the year before, as I working on taking off the LBS. I love that my job reaches out and helps women. I love that it focuses on being healthy. I'm daily challenged to keep working out and making those right choices in my life. Another change this year was my focus on sewing. I have been sewing in one form or another since I was 12. When my children were small I sewed a lot of my kids clothes, especially after my daughter was born. I even went through a quilting era, where I made a lot of quilts, but the last several years after moving to FL, my sewing has consisted more of alterations and fix it projects for people. Last year I took on the project of five bridesmaid dresses and since then a few formal dresses. I really desire to do more sewing for my own wardrobe and just increase my knowledge of fitting and drafting. So this is my new beginnings....

This is the day I started my diet


















This was after losing 60lbs
















the pix on the bottom are some recent sewing. My daughter is in the purple dress. This was her prom dress. She designed the dress and I did the sewing. It has an interesting back.




The brown and green dresses were brides made dresses that I made. We used a basic pattern and I altered it quite a bit to get the different styles that the wanted.