The Dixie O'Dare Sun Frock Sew-Along

Recently I joined in the Dixie O'Dare Sun Frock Sew Along. The lovely Dixie O'Dare graded this gorgeous Australian Home Journal pattern to several different sizes and then kindly sent them out to everyone who wanted to participate. I chose this turquoise and navy polka dotted cotton that I've been holding onto for a while. 

 

I had a little bit of trouble right off the bat with the fit. This pattern calls for a line of buttons up the back, but when I put it on Millie, it seemed huge. I took at least 6 inches of ease out of the bodice.

 Once I got that worked out and the new darts sewn in, I got to work on the trim and shoulder straps. I used a navy blue piping to trim the edges and made self covered buttons for the back.

The skirt went together quickly. I did add a bit more fullness to the bottom of the skirt since I prefer them that way. 

The last bit was adding the pockets. I think I put them a bit too close together in the front, but they aren't terrible so I'm not ripping them off to try to move them.

I am very pleased with how this dress turned out. It fits great. I think if I were to make it again, I would lower the front darts about 2 inches. I have discovered that this seems to be a recurring problem for me, and no one like pointy boobs... Not sure why, but I'll try to work it out on my next make. Thanks again to Miss Dixie O'Dare for letting me play along on this one!

Until next time!

I'm a Busy Girl

Hello my dears. I apologize for the lack of content lately. I'm now 9 weeks into my first semester back in college and just finished up midterms. I'm so ridiculously busy, between taking 14 credit hours at school, working 25 hours a week, and being a full time single mommy to my two munchkins that I've been neglecting the sewing and the blogging a bit while I'm trying to get the hang of this juggling thing.

I hope that you are all doing well. I've got a few projects on my table that are almost finished, and I've got a few things planned for the next few months. Now I've just got to find the time to get sewing!!

In the past month, I have dyed my hair a fantabulous shade of red. My thanks to RockNRoll Red from Manic Panic!!

I have drawn this super awesome teacup and saucer for my drawing class.

I have traded in my beloved Flock Tula for this rocking Betty Tula in Toddler size because the little rockstar is growing too fast!

 I have finished a simple navy blue circle skirt and a leopard print circle skirt recently. I have another one in a cute cherry print waiting for a zipper and a hem.

(Sorry for the crappy pictures, I just haven't had time to get proper ones.)

I joined up with the Dixie O'Dare sew-a-long, and hope to be starting on that soon. You can find out more about that by clicking the link.

I'm also working on a pretty green halter dress for my Halloween party at work, but I don't know if that one will get finished or not???!!?!? I'm going to try my best!

Thanks again for being my readers, and I really miss you all!!

Until next time!

New Look 6184 and Simplicity 2478

Last month, I decided to participate in Handmade by Heather B's Sundress Sew-A-Long as a way to finish out the Summer. Then, I started school for the first time in 15 years and my first two weeks have gone a bit crazy, so this is a day later then I had planned it. Everything is running a bit behind right now... 

I decided to make New Look 6184, view C. Not exactly a sundress, but I think it works. After completing the dress, I decided to add on a modified Simplicity 2478, also view C, I think. Neither patterns are vintage, but I think the final product definitely has that vintage feel!

I found this Waverly navy blue Swiss dot, cherry quilting cotton at Wal-Mart of all places and got it for $3.98 a yard!! BARGAIN!!! I've been terrible lately about taking pictures while I'm actually working on a garment... so no progress pictures with this one. Sorry, I'll try to do better next time!

I sewed a side-lapped zipper into the back of this dress. I'm getting better at zippers, and honestly, side-lapped is the way to go!

Here's my Instagram snap of the finished ensemble! If you aren't following me on Instagram, join the fun! I post there more frequently when I'm working on a project.

On to the final project photos!!

This little dress and bolero were such a huge hit when I wore them the first time. My coworkers totally approved and I'm looking forward to wearing it to school... that's why I made it in the first place.

The bolero has a really nice pleating detail on the sleeve. I hacked the pattern just a bit and omitted the band that forms the front facing and used bias binding instead. I used the same bias throughout the dress. It forms the arm hole facing and the hem.

I've styled it with a great Red satin bow cinch belt and a pretty red orchid in my hair.

I feel like I look like a matador in this picture... weird.

The dress pattern doesn't have pockets but I love pockets, so I added some to the side seams! A girl needs pockets!!

Without the bolero, it looks adorable, I love the pleated detail at the neckline, but the facing in the front keeps want to roll out. I don't know if you can see it in this picture or not. I under-stitched the whole facing, but it's still doing it. I think I'm going to have to top stitch it to keep it down.

The fit overall is great. I really didn't have to make any adjustments to the pattern. I sewed a size 14 and I'm pleased with the way it fits.

Even without a petticoat it hangs beautifully. It's a gored skirt, not quite a full circle, but it still has a good fullness.

Showing off the good looking interiors. (WOW... Wrinkles, oops) I love when something looks as pretty inside as it does outside.

A little cherry red binding on the bolero, really helps it to pop when worn over the dress.

Well there you go. This is definitely a winner in my book. I'll be making this dress again. I'm adding this to my #vintagepledge makes, not really sure which number it is at this point... I think I'm at #10!!

Until next time!

#CapeletAlong with SewRetroRose

I just finished up a sew-along collaboration between the lovely Beccie from SewRetroRose and Decades of Style, completing this lovely 1930's Capelet. 

Let me just tell you what an amazing project this was. I really feel that this one stretched my limits as a seamstress, and I learned some wonderful new techniques along the way.

Before I get to photos of the finished project, let me walk you through the construction.

On Beccie's (SewRetroRose) suggestion I made a muslin for this project. I'm glad I did because while I didn't need to make any huge changes, I felt much more confident when cutting into my fashion fabric. I must admit I do love the plaid fabric I used for the muslin, so this may get finished and be wearable one day.

I decided on this lovely light pink and brown houndstooth corduroy that I had about 4 yards of in my fabric stash. I felt that it had the perfect weight and drape for this project.

The bodice came together really easily in this project. I didn't add the extra length to the cape as Beccie did with hers, nor did I do a full lining. I wanted to and honestly I bought a lovely chocolate brown satin that was to become the lining, but I chickened out on that at the last minute. Next time I'll try the lining! I promise!

This project was the first time I'd done bound buttonholes. I'm so pleased with how they turned out, even though I ended up with a few minor mistakes, they came together so easily.

This is one of those minor mistakes... I didn't think about the nap of the fabric and which direction each facing was well facing... Oops. :) Honestly, I ended up with two going each direction in a alternating pattern, so I'm gonna sell it as a design element! ;)

Next I moved onto the cape itself. This was very easily put together.

Here is the cape pinned onto the bodice! Thank to my lovely Millie being there for fittings. She's such a fabulous helper... and so quiet!!

And now here it is stitched into place. I did have to adjust the stitch line a bit because it didn't lay just right the first time I sewed it down. 

After that it was just a matter of finishing the armholes, adding and tacking the facings and sewing on the buttons. I was so excited to be in the home stretch on this one. I knew from using Millie that it was going to fit, but I really wanted to see how it looked on me, and that was next to impossible to know for sure without those buttons.

I catchstiched all of my facings, which was another first for me. I've never used that stitch before. I also bound all of my seams with bias... it's a slightly different shade of brown that my fabric, but it's on the inside and no one should notice.

I'm sure your all eager to see the finished capelet by now. So thanks for sticking around through this long and picture heavy post! You're undoubtedly the best readers around!

Here she is in all of her glory. I feel like calling her Clara because I feel like this is something Clara Bow would have worn and loved. It's just the right amount of glamour and sophistication.

Picture credit to silentsaregolden.com

I chose large brown wooden buttons with a filigree pattern jigsawed out of the center. I searched for days for the right buttons and I'm so pleased with these.

 

So there you have it! My completed Decades of Style 1930's Capelet! Now she needs a skirt...

Look for this make in the near future... but not so near future. I'm leaving on Friday with my two little ones to get on a jet plane and fly home to Sunny Florida!! We'll be gone for 17 days and it will be a much needed vacation from work and the cold dreary Ohio spring. See you all when I get back! There may be an update or two during the time I'm gone, I am taking my laptop, but there may not be if we get too busy having fun. So don't despair if you don't see me. I will be back!

Much love to you all!!

~MissKacySews