Polka Dots

I have a couple of favorite new patterns. The jacket I can make without alterations and it is fairly simple and straightforward to make. I can probably even make it reversible with a little extra work, but that is for later.

The dress is a simple, high waisted style, with a full skirt. Perfect for my body type. I love polka dots, so it all came together nicely. The dress is a medium polka dot and the jacket is a small polka dot with a giant white button. The jacket is lined with a white with small black polka dots. All cotton, so comfy.




This is the dress without the jacket. It's meant to have a very deep V so I added an extra tab of fabric, so I would be more comfortable wearing it.




A close up with the jacket.




The back is really nice with the deep V curving down. Very nice detail. Hubby really had to help with the fitting on this one. He was such a trooper, but it made me realize that sewing is not as simple as I seem to think it is. I spend SO much time in the sewing room and have quite a bit of experience with fitting and altering patterns, for me it all makes sense. I hope he never has to ask me to help with his work. WAY out of my league.



When I go into my closet now, I have several little dresses that I just love, are very comfortable, colorful and just make me happy. I am on a roll and hope to have a few more summer things made before the cooler weather comes. I have a few things all ready to go for the cooler weather and a new jacket that will be fun to try. I have a few things for the grandkids as well, so I guess I will need plenty of time in the sewing room over the next few months. No problem, I love it!

Bean Bags

My neighbor had a cute idea to keep a little memory for her twin grandsons. She gave me a onesie that they shared when they were newborns, and some bean bag beads and asked if I would make three little bean bags. One for each boy, and one for their momma. I used the front and back to make the boys. Since she wanted two bean bags, with a request for a third, I had to make them fairly smallish, but a great size for little hands. The boys are still toddlers. Momma's is made out of the sleeves, which I removed the hem of, to get a little more fabric. I also lined the fabric, which was a stretchy knit, with an iron on pellon to give it a bit more body, and super stitched them close to keep them from coming apart. I think they are pretty sturdy and should last through some fun.

A cute idea with some cute fabric, little froggies.

Carbon copies

I am really enjoying the time I have had to sew recently and after my first dress taking five days, it's nice to pump them out so quickly. These dresses can be done in one day and I have been tweaking the pattern the slightest bit and am now 100% satisfied with how it fits. The earlier ones were fine, but I guess I am picky and wanted it to fit just right. These two do!

I love the fabrics/patterns, one being a batik with wonderful shades of orange and pink, the other just a lovely bright floral. I have enough left from the floral to make a skirt and will probably need to get a couple of T-shirts to go with some of the colors. When it's hot, it is so nice to put something cool, comfortable and stylish (he, he) on! At least I think they are stylish.

Another day, another dress

I have had this fabric for a while and am even more pleased with the results than I imagined. Really nice. Can't have too many little dresses for the hot summer months. SO much cooler than jeans, shorts, anything else. Pop it on and off you go, and everyone always thinks you're kinda "dressed up." Little do they know. In the fall, I have an assortment of little jackets and sweaters to take in into the cooler months.

I have a tan/pink batik with butterflies and a yellow/lavender waiting in the wings. Hopefully I will have a couple more little cool day dresses shortly.

My "days and days" dress

This dress took forever!

It started with the fabric, I LOVE this fabric, but have never worked with something quite so silky and unstable. I ended up adding fusible interfacing to all of the lining bits to give it some body. Very tricky to work with. And when I thought I was done, one side of the bodice didn't lay right, so all apart to fiddle with that. I finally got it, but it took forever!


This is the bodice that took some real finessing to get it to lay and look right. I spend a lot of time deciding how to lay out the fairly large design on the fabric. It had to be symmetrical and it had to be very precise. I am happy with the way it ended up. Especially the little "circle of flowers" right in the center.



I also worked pretty hard on the back to get it just the way I wanted it. There is a flaw that I am not too happy about, but if you can't find it, I am NOT going to point it out. I am not a PERFECT sewer, just a HAPPY sewer.



The "big picture" from behind. I am very pleased with the results, but this dress took FOREVER!



I am wearing it Saturday night to see Phantom! Can't wait.