BurdaStyle 6288

This dress is made from my prized paint by number fabric. I had looked all over the internet for this, then when I was visiting California I had to make my husband stop the car when I saw the fabric shop along the street. I grabbed this fabric and went to pay. When I got to the cutting table she said I couldn't buy that. WHAT!!! She thought I had found it by the cutting table where they were prepping fabric to be sent out. So, crisis averted since I got it from the shelf. Whew!

Since I love this fabric so much I used BurdaStyle 6288, one that I had used before on a winter dress. I used interfacing on the sleeve facing and in hindsight it might be more comfortable with just the fabric or light interfacing, but that's my only quibble.

The skirt is just gathered, not pleated because the fabric was too narrow.

This pattern was also in the magazine, but why trace it when you can just take it out of the envelope, worth the extra money.

 The winter version.

My Myosotis Dress

I had really wanted to purchase this pattern, but every time I went online to buy it, they were out of the printed version. To hack the pattern I used Simplicity 8384 for the top without the collar, and McCall's 7948 for the skirt and sleeves. Now, I need to use the McCall's pattern for that cute dress.

It fits really well and I can actually get it on and off without a side zipper.

The ric-rac was added because my surging thread was showing to the front (I'm one of those that don't change the thread). The fabric was from an Etsy shop in China, the colors are great but the fabric is very thin and strange (it makes noise when it moves), had to use a Micro-Tech needle.

 Had to wear the matching Lemon earrings from Target and matching Crocs.

Vogue 9253

So, yes I am the last person on planet earth to sew up Vogue 9253. I can see why it is so popular. It is a striking dress and it's easy to sew and fit. I cut my normal size an just overlapped the edges a bit on the top. When I sew it again, I'll just make the sleeves a little shorter.

 

The fabric is a real wax print from an Etsy shop. I love that you get six yards for a reasonable price and I love all the bold prints! 

We actually went out to eat, it was such a treat to eat food someone else had prepared and the weather was perfect for outdoor dining...Happy!

A Few Sewing Duds

This looks so cute, doesn't it? And it actually looked pretty cute on too, but the bottom camisole was made from a flimsy knit and it was all very floppy, not smooth and form fitting as I had intended it. This was my change, the pattern had a boned "modesty vest" but I wanted a more modern take on the dress. Then the sleeves would not stay put, I tried using safety pins to keep things in place to no avail. I wore it for about one hour and it drove me crazy, so I took it off and cut off the skirt for future use. If I were to try this style again I would make a jumper and wear a shirt underneath. Oh, well...moving on.

This fabric has been in storage since the Mill End Textile days. I always intended to use this pattern, but was too lazy to trace it from the BurdaStyle Magazine. I just bought BurdaStyle 6209 at the JoAnn sale. This was fun to sew, but it's just too tight for comfort. Normally I gain weight in the winter and loose in the summer, but with Covid it's been a gain-gain year. I will keep this for awhile in hopes of things shaping up all the way around.

 

Vogue 8723

This is the third time I've sewn this pattern and it won't be the last. Love the clean lines and how easy it is to sew. This is the second time I've made this out of a shower curtain.

The shower curtain was from T.J. Maxx, it is so pretty with the embroidered elephants.

 The gardens are sure growing great here in MN...one good thing!

Colette Prudence Pattern

This dress turned out better than I thought it would. This was a new pattern and I cut out a size 16 and it fit! I never do a muslin so it's nice when a pattern fits so well without adjustments.

I was also worried that there would be too much fabric around the arm and bust area, but there again I think it's good. If high necks or turtlenecks bug you, you might want to modify that area of the pattern. The fabric was from Treadle Yard Goods many moons ago, but I'm glad I stored the fabric because it is so beautiful, even though the colors are kind of old fashioned.

Simplicity 8914

 This was my July 4th dress. We just had my mom over and no fireworks anywhere close, bummer!

The fabric was from an Etsy store, but it was from about two years ago so I can't remember who it was from. I added the ruffle and some width to the skirt and that was all. Super easy to sew!

Copy of a Target Dress

 Who copies a Target dress? Well I did, just because it was kind of bugging me how the plaid was all over the place and since I wasn't able to check out the fabric first hand, I couldn't tell the quality. It was on sale for about twenty four dollars, and it looked good on others...but still.

In my first foray back to JoAnn Fabrics this bolt of fabric was just there in front of me and it was on sale for $7.99 a yard, so since it was karma I had to get it.

 I used the bottom pattern piece from the last peasant dress I had made (Butterick 6451) found a blouse pattern with drop sleeves and used the ruffle sleeve from a Burda Magazine dress that I had made last year. I think you can wear either side front, but haven't tried that yet. I used only the blouse pattern front and added the facing in the back to add the keyhole finish.

The pricing for both dresses ended up the same and I'm happy that I just sewed my own!

Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses and Simplicity 7812

 The top of this dress is from Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses, and the bottom from Simplicity 7812. Love the front of the dress with the gathers, so pretty, but the back seems a little low and the shoulders feel like they are slipping down. My husband put a pin in the back and that seems to help. We'll see if I can get out of this unaided.

Another thing I've noticed with Gertie patterns are that they are made for people with small arms, I had to start stitching one inch below where it was indicated, luckily the seam was straight, not curved. She must use herself as the fit model with her long lean limbs! I'm the opposite, tall with short stout limbs...oh well have the perfect body for a power lifter!

McCall's 6558

 Here is the other peasant dress. I have sewn this before and I like both of the dresses.

No modifications to the pattern, and it's very easy to sew. Cute lemon earrings from Target, fabric from Gertie.

Butterick 6451

I guess I'm on a peasant dress kick. I've sewn two and purchased one. They are easy to make and wear but not much to talk about. The pattern is a good one and it doesn't need any alterations.

Getting rid of the rick-rack stash. I thought if I opened a fresh pack that I would have enough trim to go around once. It didn't, so I had to piece it with something that didn't quite match. I had some old packages that had four yards and that worked with no piecing. The fabric was from JoAnn's sale table about a year ago. Stay safe and hopeful!

McCall's 8036

 I do like this pattern, even though there are a few oddities about it. The top button does button, but it looks terrible and even on the pattern envelope it looks like it is pulling even on a thin model.

I added elastic to the sleeves because they were very baggy and floppy. If I sew this again I would shorten the sleeves one inch and reduce the width of the band size by half.

And there seems to be a little pulling at the bust and I normally don't have that happening. I think I really like the dress because of the color and the print (fabric purchased at SR Harris, Burnsville in the cotton sale section).

Floreat Dress

 This is the remake of the Floreat Dress. I chopped off the sleeves, added darts at the armhole and added the applique. This jacket was also in the donation pile, but I think it saves this dress.

Without the coat, and still not looking great. Below is the original make.

Matching crab apple trees at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis.

Simplicity 8833

 I got this fabric from the discount table at SR Harris and before I sewed it up I made a bunch of masks from the fabric. When I went to construct the garment there was a flaw in the fabric right in the front. Luckily, I had half of a cupcake left to applique it over the hole in the fabric, whew!

This pattern fits really good, normally I don't like dropped sleeves, but these are good because there is not an over abundance of fabric. My husband took some pictures with the matching masks but couldn't bear to post them because...YUCK!

New Look 6301

We went to the lake today to see the crab apple trees blooming and only the white ones had blossomed, not the pink ones...good excuse to go back. Here I am pretending that this is our house, it's so beautiful.

 I'm going to make this pattern again, it fits really well and it's easy to sew up. The armholes do have the normal problem for me, but other than that it's good!