Me Made June the Final Days

The challenge is finally done. What I learned from Me made June  is that I have a few garments that I grab over and over and over again and that I also have some holes in my wardrobe. The goal is to slowly build my wardrobe up so that 90% of the clothes I have are me made. Also creating mini wardrobes of 6 or more pieces in the same color story seems to work well when putting outfits together.  On to the outfits.

Day 20 Sweater: Thrifted, Top: Lutterloh Special Edition 31 #6, Pants: Macy's Jeans.
Day 21 Top: Lutterloh Supplement 279 #203, Pants: Lutterloh Project Jeans, Fuller Figure #137 copyright 1996.
Day 22 Hoddie: Macy's, Top: McCalls 5977, Pants: Macy's Jeans.
Day 23 Sweater: Kohls, Top: BurdaStyle Magazine 02-2009-118, The cutie on my arm is my great nephew.
Day 24 Some days you just feel like lounging. Today's lounge wear is vintage Lutterloh from the 1970 book  #416 copyright 1969.

Day 25 Sweater: Thrifted, Top: Top: Lutterloh Special Edition 31 #6, Pants: Simplicity 5074.
Day 26 Top: Lutterloh Special Edition 31 #6, Skirt: Lutterloh Supplement 281 #143.
Day 27 Top: Lutterloh Supplement 271 #45, Cami: Lane Bryant
Day 28 Gray Top: Thrifted, Green Top Butterick 5100
Day 29 Top: Lane Bryant, Pants: Lutterloh Project Jeans, Fuller Figure #137 copyright 1996. Correction the Pants are actually BurdaStyle 04-2009-134.

Day 30 Hoodie: Macy's, Top: Lutterloh Special Edition 31 #6, Skirt: Burda Plus Fashion Spring/Summer 2008 (E985) 405.

I'm currently working on what my kids have named the wonder bread top.  Happy sewing until next time.

Me Made June day 12 to 19

Me made June is half over and this has been a fun experiment to see just how many of my me made creations I wear. It has also brought to light some holes in my wardrobe and at least one wardrobe malfunction or hum I wonder if I did this moment. Starting at the upper left rotating clock wise this is what I wore for my casual summer school work week. Bare with me my lovely teenage photographers are having a hard time shoting more than one shot to choose from.

Day 12 Top: Lane Bryant, Pants: Lutterloh 272 #201.
Day 13 Top: BurdaStyle Magazine 7-2008-118, Pants: Lane Bryant dress pants.
Day 14 Top: Lane Bryant, Pants: Burda Plus Fashion 2-2009-410
Day 15 Top: Lane Bryant, Pants: Lutterloh Jean Project Jeans 1996 #137
Day 16 Cami: Lane Bryant, Hoddie: Macy's, Pants: Simplicity 4375 Khaliah Ali

Again starting at upper left going clockwise.
Day 17 Sweater: Willow Bay, Top: Lane Bryant, Pants: Lutterloh Jean Project Jeans 1996 #137
Day 18 Top: Burda Plus Fashion 02-2010-410, Skirt: BurdaStyle Magazine 03-2010-136 made up in orange double knit with no zipper. Instead I put a 11/2 inch wide elastic at waist.
Day 19 Preview of  dress made with Lutterloh Classic Collection 3 Special Edition No. 31 #6 top. A review to this is forthcoming.

Until next time Happy Sewing.

Me Made June days 4,5,6,7,8,9,and 10

I'm going to get right down to the knitty gritty. There will not be a whole lot of commentary in this post but it will contain at least one picture for each day. I have spent the last seven days working hard on my Lutterloh jean making adventure through the Jeans designing project, which is a class offered by Lutterloh New Zealand. More on the Jean adventure later.

Day 4

Day 4 was one of our first really nice days. Perfect day to crayfish or just splash in the stream. I wore Simplicity 4632 top in a doted teal, silver and aqua and Burda Plus Fashion spring/summer 2009 411 pants in white denim.
Day 5  was just as warm but everyone wants to look there best on Sunday. Ok every day. So on day 5 I wore black short sleeve sweater thrifted, black and white doted cami from Lane Bryant and skirt Burda Style Magazine 3-2010-136.

Day 5

Day 6

Day 6 Another wonderfully scorching hot day. Were does a girl find some shade? Day 6's outfit Pants are  Khaliah Ali Collection Simplicity 4375 that I made as crops back in July of 2008 and the teal top is a one hour pattern Butterick 5100 that dates at least that far back too.

Woo half way there.

Day 7

Day 7 My kiddos are getting tired snapping my picture everyday. Any one have a good way to bribe them? Just kidding.

On Day 7 it felt like summer was in full swing. Hot hot and more hot. I wore a gray pair of  Burda Plus Fashion spring/summer 2009 411 in gray satin cotton. They are so soft. The aqua top is a Khaliah Ali Collection Simplicity 2948.

Day 8 

Day 8 Still very warm for the first day of summer school. Want the dress comfortable but still professional for the environment. Top is Lane Bryant and pants are a  Khaliah Ali Collection Simplicity 5074.  

Day 9

Day 9 The temperature took a huge dive. How wants to put back on winter or early spring clothes? Not I. Coral Sweater is Lane Bryant and pants are Burda Plus spring/summer issue (E895) 410.

Just one more day this time around.

Day 10

Day 10 is my newest version of Lutterloh supplement 279 # 203. For this version I tried to make a ribbing neckline using the directions in Singer The Complete Photo Guide To Sewing.. I used the self fabric as my ribbing. It did not work quite the way I thought but I still love and ear this top that was made from a thrift store find.

Not sure whats up next on the cutting table. I'm guessing some instant gratification since the Jean project was time consuming. Until next time happy sewing. 

Thrift Store Finds and Eye Candy

Being a single mom I don't just sew because it relaxing but also it's a way for me to stretch the every tight budget. Another way for me to stretch that budget is to thrift. It's great fun when my youngest daughter can find a out fit or two for and absurdly low price of like $10.00 and look completely in fashion. But if I can find some great deals to add to the sewing room I always come home jolly.

This week was one of those weeks. The picture to the left are this weeks thrift store finds. Six plus yards of brown print charmeuse perfect for lining pants, jackets or skirts this fall. Two yards of blue print poly knit and three yards of brown & red print poly knit great for making tops for work. All ten plus yards cost me a $1.05. I couldn't be more happy to rescued them from my look thrift store even if all they become is messy copies for some upcoming project. It still was an excellent deal. The new tailors ham comes at the best time too since my current one was getting really flat.

The mail man was kind enough to bring me some eye candy as well. I've owned several pattern making systems in the past. Usually with mixed results. So when I was going through my divorce I sold them and never looked back.

 Three or four years back I started sewing again. It was a great way to relax and challenge the old brain. With the want and need to sew also came the want and need to learn to be a better seamstress.

 I had never heard of fitting back in home ec classes in high school. I do remember my teaches pushing me to learn more about tailoring by working co-op at a men's store which I refused to do. They also pushed me to take a fitting class with a company that was coming into town to sell its product again I politely reused.

Back in high school I wanted to be a designer not a seamstress. So if it wasn't going to help me get into design school I didn't want to do it. LOL if I only knew then that I wouldn't go on to design school but instead get a degree in Marketing and Fashion Merchandising and get married and start a family.  Maybe I would not have been so stubborn.

Well my mom decided to give me and early gift, and for my birthday I decided to invest in that system that 20+ years ago my home ec teachers where pushing me towards. I've studied it alot and know most people have a love hate relationship with their Lutterloh. Yet I'm sure this was a good move for me at the time. I love my BurdaStyle Magazines but I dislike the tracing, up sizing or down sizing to fit my two dd and me. With the Lutterloh I should be able to draft of a pattern closer to the size I need to start a project. So when I figured out to get started with Lutterloh I would get 280 patterns I jumped for it. I could never buy that many patterns from the big 4 or Burda for the price of Lutterloh.

I'm looking forward to starting a new adventure with the Lutterloh. Burda and my other friends will not be left behind because ever good seamstress realizes a pattern is just a tool to get started on making the fashion dream come true.

Up next still playing with McCall's 5977

August Review and New Look At SWAP 2009

August was a sad sewing month for me. It was a month of trying Several muslin and ending up with more wadders than I would like. The below composition picture are the few that are wearable only at home.
So a quick recap.
BPF 8-2009-493: This was round 2 with this top. My dd happily inherited round one. This version I did my usual FBA, shortened the shoulder length, shortened the sleeve length and shortened the body length (petite). What I like about this pattern is that it has a cozy fit. Will be great during the long winters. What I did not like is that on my rectangle (H shape) body it looked really boxy and gave me new appearance of a shape. Fabric recycle from Goodwill cost of project $2.50
Simplicity3699: This was a test garment for the SWAP on PR. I decided it would make the perfect PJ top. I did my usual FBA and shortened the top from the hem. It was nice not to have to do to many alterations. A little more tweaking and I should have a TNT knit top. What I like The fit is really close to correct for my shape. What I need to work on working with binding and neck lines that have binding. Found out I need to work on this.
Easy Sewing The Kwik Sew Way: I made the t-shirt and the knit pants from this pattern. The T- shirt surprised me. This was my 5th try at this simple garment and my last. Not sure why but I am not impressed with t-shirt pattern. I ended up starting with a M even though my measurement would indicate I need a x-large. I'm still not satisfied that the sleeves and shoulders are correct. I did my normal FBA and shortened this pattern. I'm starting to see trend that I need to shorten my patterns. The pants Went together quickly. Alterations on this one included crotch depth shortened and length shortened.
Simplicity 3699, and the two Kwik Sew pieces made a nice set of PJ's (lounge wear) for this fall. The jersey from this project came from Goodwill and the cost for all 3 pieces $5.00
Simplicity 4503: Oh my cheetah skirt. I was so excited the day this cheetah print fabric arrived from fabric.com. I was not so excited once I finished Simplicity 4503. The a-line skirt fit just fine but did nothing for me. Instead of make the rectangular (H shape) look like it had curves it hung straight from the waist and looked frumpy. In attempted to save the skirt I tuned it into a pencil skirt by taking it in 5 inches on each side at hem. Like that the skirt is so light weight. Dislike even with alteration skirt did not make it to the yes I can wear this to work stage. Project cost: $9.00
BWOF 1-2009-131: Practice, practice and more practice was called for on this top. I pulled out the bonded neck 4 times and still it is not correct. I love this top and will make it again to practice the binding. Since this was also a muslin I tried to use fabric scraps. It was made with the left over Cheetah Charmeuse from fabric.com and some poly interlock for Hancock. Cost of project $9.00
BWOF 6-2009-137: These pants were actually a June/July project. I haven't reviewed them yet so I thought I would add them here. This pattern is another one of those patterns not good with my rectangle body. The pattern has these great in the seam cut out pockets. On fortunately on me they stick out. The good thing about this pattern for the rectangular sewist is that it has a faced waist instead of a waist band. The waist also sits nice and high so you feel covered. Project Polyester stretch twill from Fabric.com cost of project $9.00


September is going to be a better sewing month for me. It's the begining of PR 3 month long SWAP. I was not excited by my original SWAP plan so I created a new one. Below is the new story board. Well it's time to get sewing.

Fall SWAP

OK so in past I mentioned that on
PR there is going to to be a wardrobe SWAP contest coming up from September 1 to November 30. I'm so excited for this contest. The last SWAP I entered I didn't finish and I'm hoping this one will give me the motivation I need to do all 3 stages of the SWAP mentioned in this
article.
My goals are to create clothing that is fun and playful, able to work at both my job, and at relaxing times with my kids. Although I know not all the pieces will be able to do everything I'm excited to see what they can do.

SWAP Goals 5 tops, 4 bottoms and a topper. All tops must go with all bottoms and topper must go with all outfits created.

Today when I started my day this is what my storyboard looked like.

Items for my tops are Easy Sewing the Kwik Sew Way long sleeve t-shirt, BWOF 01-2009-131, BWOF 06-2009-135, BPF F/W 2009 403, Simplicity 3699, McCall's 5630. Yes I have an extra top here you never no when something doesn't go as planned. The bottoms are BWOF 01-2009-132, BWOF 04-2009-134, BPF S/S 2009 411 (I'll be lengthening these to be pants) and Simplicity 4503. I've chosen two toppers at the moment because I can't decide. They are McCall's 5860 and BPF F/W 2009 424.

But.......

Today I worked on a second wearable muslin of BPF F/W 403. The first one my dd is wearing in the picture below. This one is ok at best. I'll post a review and pictures once I have a camera man. My basic problem with this top is that with my rectangular (H) body shape I can not make it look like I have any shape. I feel like I'm wearing a pillow case or some thing. Please tell me your thoughts once I write the review but for now it is off the SWAP storyboard. I hope to find a replacement.

Another current goal is to to create some TNT patterns that fit me very well. I've noticed that many of my favorite bloggers seem to have a file cabinet full of their tried and true (TNT) patterns.

Have fun sewing .......