I'm Back... I Hope

This is mostly a test post, I have found an app that I hope will let me,blog from my phone. I'm still without a computer and have no idea how or when I can get a new one. If anyone knows of any other blogger apps please let me know, because this one doesn't seem to be easy to use.

Now on to sewing and patternmaking news. I have been doing a lot of patternmaking lately and also have been working on getting Simplicity 2599 perfect for me. Since I have lost a lot of weight recently it started to look boxy on me, not a nice look on me. I like my clothes more fitted, and also I want more of a closer fit sleeve. So I have been making a lot of muslins and not a lot of actual wearable clothes but I hope that will change once I finish with all this work. I have also started working through "Design-It-Yourself Clothes" I want to work through all of the lessons and make up all of the clothing in muslin and the ones that I like in fashion fabric. I don't plan to move on to the next lesson until I have perfected the draft and fit of the current lesson, which means multiple drafts and muslins but I'm willing to put in the time to gain the skills and patterns. So right now I'm working on the basic t-shirt and so far I have drafted it up two times and I think I have body right but I need to redraft the sleeve.





Until next time happy sewing...

Level 2 Burda 8765

So I'm starting level 2 today which is another skirt, I'm using Burda 8765.  This is one is more fitted than the last so I'm going to have to use my pregnancy measurements and hope that it fits postpartum. I know it won't fit right away, it usually takes me about 2 to 6 months get back my pregnancy size. Anyway I traced a size 18 (44) I'm actually between a size 16 and 18 in the hip but I liked how a 18 fits me in my TNT burda pants pattern so I'm going to go with that in my skirt. While I was tracing I added 3 inches to the length since I like my skirts long.
I have only watched level 2 once straight through and from what I remember and looking at the Burda pattern the way the back slit is done seems to be different. So when I get to that part I'm going to have to decide which way I want to follow. Other than that it seems like every else is in line with the program. This time I'm using a solid colored twill that I once again got in a Fabric Mart bottom weight bundle.
My tissues are pinned and once the kids are asleep I'll be cutting away hopefully tonight.
Happy sewing everyone

Level 1 skirt done

Simplicity 7227 is done. I can defiantly say it has been one of my quickest recent projects. It is also one of my most successful. Even though this is an elastic waist skirt made from one of the most matronly fabrics I have it is also one best looking when it comes to the inside.I think what made the difference is the hem. I have never done a hand stitched hem and I have never used seam binding before and this made a real difference on how the skirt looked on the inside. I did not use a lace labled seam binding but instead used a narrow lace that I already had. I don't know if I'll actually be able to find anything like that here labeled seam binding,but I think it still worked out.

What did I learn from Level 1

• How to do a hand stitched hem
• How seam binding can make a hem look a lot better
• Simple can still be nice

So in conclusion, I really like how it turned out and I am glad I did take the time to do level one even though I feel my skills are beyond this level but I did learn something and that is what is most important here. Also I now a new pattern that I would like to use more that can whipped up in no time.

Pictures Coming Soon

Level 1 skirt part 1

Well last night I started my skirt, and did not take long at all. I think once I have all that I need out and ready a skirt like this should take me no more than a hour from start to finish. Anyway I want to point out a couple of things that were not covered in the video that think do make a difference when it comes to sewing and making things look less homemade. First, I do not remember her mentioning to pretreat your fabric. Looking at what she  was using which appeared to be a cotton you need to pretreat always. Even if its not a cotton you need to pretreat your fabric the same way you plan to clean it once its done. If not you make have a garment that after you wash may never look or fit the same anymore. Next is finishing your raw edges. She talked about turning under 1/4 inch on the upper part of your casing to neaten or finish that edge but nothing else. Can we say very homemade if we were to keep it like this. So I went ahead and finished my edges with my serger before I sewed the side seams. I then sewed up my side seams and left it at that. All of this about a half hour worth or work and that includes pinning the tissue to fabric and cutting.
 Tonight I won't be able to finish since I can't seem to find my hem gauge. Its one of my most useful tools in the sewing room and I have seemed to have lost both of them. I could do the casing without it but I want to follow the program as much as I can and also its so much easier with it so I'll hold out until I find one of them or get out to get another. So for now I have a half done skirt and already I'm thinking about the next skirt in like but I won't start on anything until I'm done with this one.
For now I will work on some patterns that I have been designing to make full use of my time. So Happy Sewing to everyone.

Level 1 Fabrics

Well I never did get a chance to start last night and I may not tonight due to a bad case of the stomach virus. I have been getting them a lot since I have here in this country and I'm not sure why. Anyway, as I said before the program recommends that you use a solid fabric without a nap. Well I don't have that and I'm trying to shop my tiny stash as much as possible, so I'll be using a printed fabric but I'm not sure if it has a nap since the pattern on it looks to me to be going in every direction, so I would say that it does not have a nap.

Level 1 Supplies

Next up supplies, we can't sew without proper supplies. But not everything on the list is a must have right away. For me finding beeswax was not easy at least not for me with the limited amount of time places I had to shop when I started. Also he hem marker, I never have owned one and have not problem hemming my skirts for me its on and off with my skirts until its right or have a family member help when I can get one. Yes a little time consuming but I don't mind at all most of my skirts are ankle or floor length anyway so its not that hard to achieve. Mostly everything else I got pretty easily at Joann's and Walmart. I recommend one of those beginner kits from Dritz  they have most of what you need for a good starting price. I have one waiting for my daughter who is very eager to start sewing. I'm hoping to work with her this summer.

1. Silk pins
2. Pin cushion
3. Hand sewing needles
4. Sewing machine needles
5. Tape measure
6. Seam ripper
7. Beeswax
8. Tailors chalk
9. Sewing guage
10. Safety pins
11. Yard stick
12. Hem marker
13. Supply bag
14. Scissors

Well I'm hoping to get started tonight so I'll have more to show tomorrow. I'll be using DH's cell phone camera for the pics, I just have to remember to get it and upload them before he goes off to work in the morning. Anyway happy sewing everyone.

Learning to sew level 1

As much as I don't want to make an elastic waist skirt, I'm going to do it just so I can follow the program correctly. But I will not be using a plain no nap fabric. The reason is because I'm trying to shop my small fabric stash as much as possible and right now I have none.I'll be using a linen like fabric I got from Fabric Mart a few years ago, at the time I sort of liked it, but now its just so matronly to me but I want to use it instead of giving it away since finding natural fabrics here has been a pain and no one from the states really deliver here. I'll also be using patterns from my stash that come as close to the desired pattern for each level.

So for my first pattern I'll be using Simplicity 7227. I've had it in my stash awhile but never used it so here is my chance to it.
About the DVD, first off the teacher is very mono-toned so it is very boring to watch. Its hard for me to watch it straight through without feeling like I'm about to fall asleep, it also appears that she is reading from a script. Even when she is joking, its just plain dead. But other than that she gives what you need and explains it very well to me. The different chapters can be found on the level 1 page of my blog.

Tomorrow I will continue my review of level one.
Happy Sewing