Ogden Cami and Simplicity 8483

I've been wanting to make this Simplicity pattern for the longest time, but after all that work the top was a wadder! It looked like a shelf by the yoke, just a mess!
(Don't you hate it when the store puts permanent large stickers on your expensive patterns?)

Luckily, for once I had enough fabric left over to make a new bodice, Ogden Cami to the rescue.
I had never made this before, so I was taking another risk. I had a gaping armhole (commonplace for me) and I just made some gathers in that area on the fabric and on the lining. It doesn't seem to be noticeable, yeah!

The straps have no length to them, but there again, normal for me. This would be a good travel dress, lightweight and not too wrinkly.

 The fabric is from Mood, anything with a horse print is good.

Butterick 6722

Why am I liking elastic waists so much? Maybe because they are so easy to fit, sew and wear.

The sleeve ruffles were added, but everything was just sewn with the normal adjustments. The fabric was from JoAnn's (last summer), it's pretty, but hard to sew. It did not take a press at all.

I guess I can still kind of suck in my gut, ha, ha! Today I saw a high school friend. It was so good to see her after seeing no one for so long. Sometimes I think I am pretty creative, but all my friends and their families are even more so, and not just with sewing, but food, decorating, crafting and even tattoos!

 

McCall's 7351

This is not my favorite shirtdress pattern. I did all my normal adjustments to the pattern and the dress is too tight across the bust...that pretty much never happens! Anyway, I kind of like the cami showing and it is wearable. 

The bust darts are also too high as well. I think I will keep the pattern because it could make a cute skirt or just use a different bodice with the skirt. Note to self; use fabric that looks the same on both sides.

 I have some perfect sandals to wear with this, but it had just poured rain, and I didn't want to wreck them second time out.

The Wilder Gown

Here is another one where I'm the last to sew it up! And this is also what you would call a muumuu, even though most people don't call it that anymore!

I still think that I need some length added to the bodice, but other than that I like the pattern.

I used Gerties method for doing a narrow seam on sheer fabrics. This is the way to go, because you sew with right sides together and don't have to press and flop things around.

I think the fabric was from Fabric Mart...but not sure. It did bleed a bit, and that did not make me too happy. Good beer drinking dress!

 

McCall's 7969

Of course, I'm the last person to sew up this dress, does it count that I bought the pattern when it came out? I do like the pattern and may even make it again, but don't let people catch you standing sideways...not so flattering from that angle.

I just found a new online fabric store and everything I ordered was really fantastic! It is Zelouf fabrics. This fabric is embroidered and it is a little bit thin, but it's perfect for something with a lot of gathers.

 The binding is Wrights quilt binding and once again perfect for this dress.

Simplicity 8879

This dress pattern is not one of my favorites, although, I do have to say that it looks very close to the pictures shown on the pattern envelope.

If you are going to make this, the bustline is really tight for a Simplicity pattern,
and luckily the arms don't show in the under dress because there is a large armhole gap.
 It would be better to use one of your favorite dress patterns for the under dress
and make the "coat" separately. I guess sometimes the vision doesn't quite align
with the finished product. 

 

Hope you are having a beautiful spring day!

McCall's 7992

Here is my unplanned birthday dress, yes, a wool dress in April. I made a few modifications on this because I didn't have enough of the main fabric. This fabric came from Hancock Fabrics. I had stalked it for about a year because it was quite expensive. Then kept it in the stash for so long because it was precious to me. Just sew it is my advice!

I doubled the size of the bow tie, because skinny bow ties remind me of western wear for some reason. The bottom ruffle was made wider because I needed the length. In a perfect world the elastic waist would be lowered a bit, but not the end of the world.

 

McCall's 7532

We are having goofy weather here. This was on one of the un-seasonably warm days. This was cut out about two years ago and it still fits and it is even a little too big. I grade out at the hips for everything, but for this pattern you would not have to.

I'm not too fond of this pattern as-is, but I may make it again with modifications.

 

BurdaStyle 6414

Sometimes you just have to wonder about yourself. Last year I had used this pattern and cut this out, later on I had the desire to cut other fabric from this pattern, but I had forgotten that I had already cut it out. So, what did I do? I looked for it in all my pattern bins!!! Then I traced it out of the BurdaStyle Magazine before I realized what had happened. Oh, boy!

Anyway, after all that, I like the dress and it will be especially good when traveling where it is hot (if that ever happens). It does have quite the overlap of fabric at the waist, so keep that in mind if you are not long waisted.

 

McCall's 7720

McCall's 7720 is a cute dress pattern and I used just the pattern pieces to make a skirt. The skirt is really nice because it has a hem facing so you can't see the wrong side of the skirt.

 I made the waist band too big...don't know what I might do with that at a later date.

Advance 9148

This was such a bear to sew because I could not find a needle that wanted to work with this fabric.
After trying five needles, the sixth one worked okay (not great).
 I also wanted to give up because of the wrap. The instructions say to use hook and eyes to join the back, but with my different measurements from the pattern and no fitting dummy, I knew that
would be iffy. I decided to add tie ends and that worked good.

I ended up really liking this dress, and I like that I can adjust the wrap to be over the bust or under.

This pattern might even be cute without the wrap.

Looking at the pictures, maybe we should invest in some new door mats for spring!

 

McCall's 8083

This pattern is a keeper! Didn't really do any alterations and even left in the back darts, which I normally never do. This is made from a baby cord fabric and it works well with the pattern.

I would like to use the short sleeve version for a summer dress.

 

McCall's 7319

Hello there! I'm kind of surprised, but I don't really like this dress. There is another pattern like this, but without the back drape and I like that one so much better. I took this dress in two times at the side seams before it looked half-way decent. Before the alterations it had two flappy things at the hipline, not a good look. But on the other hand how many times are things too big?

 The bad news I made a summer dress with this pattern and it probably has the same problems, but dealing with those will have to wait until later. At least it is comfortable.

Simplicity 9176

Here is my new go-to pattern for knit fabrics. I really love the fit and I like the puffy sleeves that I used from my Kwik Sew pattern.

I tested the Kwik Sew pattern first as a top on a leftover scrap of fabric and that turned out nicely as well (no pics). The textile is from Fabric Mart and it is really beautiful.

The Simplicity pattern suggests Crepe, Damask, Linen or Cotton be used, but I'm sticking
with knits for this!

 

Sureau Dress

This is my version of a muslin of the Deer and Doe Sureau Dress. I have never used this pattern line so I did not know what to expect, except for what I read online. It seemed like the pattern ran very short overall, and it did. I added about an inch to the bodice and it is still short. I added many inches to the skirt and added a flounce.

The pattern also was smaller than my measurements, so I basically did the same revisions I do to every other pattern. I add width to the back, widen at the waist and hips, and it fits really well. Next time I could add more length or just leave it as is.

My go-to winter fabric is the flannel from JoAnn's, at $2.99 per yard and less than $12.00 a dress it is a bargain. The colors are bright and the fabric washes and wears really well.