I've never given a second thought to plaids, but as I began to take a closer look at RTW I became intimidated about working with plaid fabric. I noticed how the stripes of the plaid matched at closures and seams flawlessly. After a couple of days, I rationalized and comforted myself with the fact that at least the plaids are large and dusted off my fear and took a leap. Initially the Black & White sheer fabric (100% polyester), was intended for New Look 6755, then opted for New Look 6729, because the pattern has just a mere 3 pieces and thinking lining up the plaids would be a cinch. Can I say, what a challenge!!!

The front is ok, but a tad bit snug just under the bust area

(one reason, I was suppose to use stretch fabric for this pattern)

The back is a chevron mess!!!
Also, it was more of a challenge because I decided to use a grey lightweight lining polyester/nylon fabric as the underlay since the fabric was so sheer.

Lastly, I re-pinned the sleeves at least a 1/2 dozen times trying to line it up.

In the end I just walked away from the blouse leaving it unfinished and began working up this cute tunic for my daughter. I'm using Caron 1lb in Taupe and the project is worked in the round switching between cross stitch and single crochet. So for now I will focus on this project while I lick my wounds after battling the plaids....lol.

Pattern Description: Kwik Sew Pattern 3385, consisting of misses fitted pants with wide legs, a front fly zipper, and a low-cut waist & Tweed Slack Template.

Pattern Sizing: XS, S, M, L, XL

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions were easy enough.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the style of the slacks and the easy instructions for assembling the pattern pieces.

Fabric Used: Grey Cotton-Stretch Twill (95% Cotton, 5% Spandex)

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Let me share a quick story. I’d purchased Tweed slacks about a month or two ago. Decided to wear them to work, I will admit I noticed the fabric content consisted of 40% wool, 59% Rayon, 1% spandex, plus no lining. Well, I was so smitten with the slacks, which were fitted with wide legs and a low waist, that I didn’t give a second thought to the fact that there was no lining.. So I pranced off to work and immediately the dreadful itching started, and there I was doing the little itch twitch dance and it just magnified 10 fold after that. Lets just say, I had a very itchy day at work, and ended up purchasing slacks at The Loft to get through the rest of the day…lol

Once I’d arrived home I couldn’t trash them and decided to take apart the slacks and use it as a template. I had already cut the Kwik Sew 3385 pattern pieces and the fabric, and figured what a great way to tweak the fabric against the tweed slack template. I immediately noticed that the Kwik Sew pattern was a tad bit bigger and the legs were too wide. I trimmed the fabric pieces according to the Tweed slack template and proceeded to assemble the slacks according to the Kwik Sew instructions. I ended up removing at least 5/8 from the legs and just a smidgen from the waist. Keeping in mind seam allowances.

Also, I had to shorten the zipper to 6” from 7”. I wrangled with the extended facing on the slacks wherein I didn’t use the fly front from the Kwik sew pattern. The extended facing was used as the fly front, and in the process ended up with the fly front lapping left over right, when it should have been right over left. Front w/o button and Back views.

Conclusion: I have some gaposis at the center back, which I need to learn how to avoid and the front tab isn’t straight, but overall I really like the way the pants fit.

I'm Back Up & Running

Happy Sunday my Dear Bloggers,

My lil laptop was acting up and needed a speedbooster. Of course, after installing the software, I couldn't get on line.... sheesh and to top it off no telephone service for a week and still no service, but the funny thing is my daughter had internet service the whole time. Dh called our telephone provider requesting a credit to our account for every 24hrs that we've been w/o service. They keep telling us its a computer problem... Thank goodness we have cell phones.

Well in the meantime I have been crafting. I've been on a cable hat run and churned out a few cuties. All of the hats were done flat & seamed up and used a flat pattern from Kody May (heavily modified).

1- Gray hat (2nd time making a gray hat) cables on the bottom and rib stitches at the top (Caron Simply Soft Yarn);

2 -Soft Blue Hat (2nd time making a blue hat) 8 cables and crochet the crown of the hat (Caron Simply Soft Yarn);

3-Tan Hat has 6 cables and trimmed out in crochet (Red Heart Yarn);

4- Burgundy Hat has 10 cables and trimmed out in crochet and did 2 cables on the scarf also trimmed out in crochet, which measure 42" (Caron Simply Soft Yarn).

Here's a closer look at the burgundy set.

I'm so loving these quick gratification projects...lol. I'm ready for a bigger knit project, preferrably a vest, so I'm looking around for a cool pattern - any suggestions...?

On the sewing front, I put the final touches of dh pjs, which were 2 buttons. He briefly spazed-out about the red buttons, but I had to explain to him that they're cranberry and thought the color choice for the buttons worked well b/c the fabric has deep red lines in them.. I guess he didn't see the red lines...lol. I used New Look 6764

Did some fabric shopping (I really need to stop b/c I'm running out of room...lol)

Grey Cotton-Stretch Twill (95% Cotton, 5% Spandex)

Project: Kwik Sew Pattern 3385

Cinnamon Stretch Microfiber (50% Cotton 47% Polyester 3% Lycra)

Project: New Look 6516

Off White Cotton Lycra (92% Poly/8% Spandex)

Project: New Look 6928

Black & White sheer fabric (100% polyester)

Project: New Look 6755 Tan/White Stripe Shirting (97% Cotton 3% Lycra)

Project New Look 6407

The plaid and stripe fabric I will have to tread carefully, b/c it will be my first time working with plaids and stripes.

Now I need to tipsy on over to Google Reader and check-out what everyone has been up to.

I Blamed It All on YOU!!

Happy Saturday All,

Talk about someone glad that its the weekend. This week was my first full week at work since the holidays and man-o-man... why did it feel like I worked 7 days straight... uggh! When I arrived home I had promised myself an early nite to bed, b/c I'd been going to bed beween 12:00 - 1:00am darn near every nite and getting up at 5:00am.

So last nite my intent was to eat and do a lil knitting and hit the bed early, but I was also itching to get started on another sewing project and finishing a knit project. Once I entered the guest room (which has served as my quasi craftroom) I immediately realized I was tired of pulling stuff out and decided that I had to make some changes. At times I thought about scrapbooking or doing some bead work and in a blink I would change my mind - it was a hassle pulling stuff out. I need more space!!!

So out the window went the early-to-bed plans. I really needed more space. I'd contemplated converting the gym room to a craft room, but decided againt it - I was not about to go into the garage and work out - it just wouldn't work. So the guest room was going to get a lil makeover. The guest room worked well for years, especially when the kids, nieces and nephews were younger, now they are older and rarely do sleepovers anymore - so with that a change was a coming....lol.

While the rest of the family was downstairs chilling, eating, and laughing - I was pulling stuff apart and dragging stuff into the hallway and from there it was on....lol. Once I removed the unncessary furniture I immediately had space to keep my sewing and cutting table out and an end to collapsing the tables and pushing them behind something or in a corner and pulling out this and that, only to spend extra minutes to put it away once I was done. NO MORE!!

DH and DD finally heard all the commotion and came upstairs and began talking at once...

DH: What the hell is going on?

DD: Ma!! where are my friends going to sleep?

Me: Excuse me people - if I remember correctly there is another room for guests - don't you remember the sunroom... duh!!!

DH: What!! oh! hellz-2-the-Naw.... that's the media room now...

Me: Oh! now its the media room? Well I remember its suppose to be sunroom/2nd guestroom. Now its changed?

DD: Yeah, I forgot that room has a sleeper in it.

DH: No one has slept in there for months... so its a bona-fide media room.

Me: Anyway.... See a few of my friends have been doing craftroom makeovers and they inspired me to do this.

DH: Wait a minute - what friends... where do they live?

Me: Oh! you don't know them

DD: Yeah! what friends.. you barely leave the house on the weekends and after work you run into that room... so tell us what friends...

Me: Excuse you two.. I have friends... more than you know... they're my blogger friends.

DH & DD: Blogger Friends!!!

Me: Anyways.... this room needs a lil makeover, I'm the only one that uses it ... and as for friends/family... they better start bringing their aerobeds.

DH: Now you got all that stuff in the hallway, whats going to happen with it..

Me: Put it in the garage.... duh!!

DD: Ohhh boy she's at it again... I'm not helping anyone move stuff to the garage... I'm outty

Me: Don't worry this is just temporary. Once I get some measurements down pact... I will be buying new furniture... so with that yeah I guess I'm at it again....lol

Well, after all the bruh ha ha... the room now feels just right for crafting.

This is what you see when you enter the room. I did keep one of the beds and now I have room to put my sewing table.

This is the left side of the room, I was able to bring in my computer workstation... Yesss!This is the right side of the room immediately after the entry door, now I can leave out my cutting table and I put up my inspiration board above it... ooooh the ideas are swirling in my head...lol
Last, this is the rest of the right side of the room where I have my 10 year old desk which houses the tv and music and a host of other things and the walls hold a bunch of other stuff too.

For now, the new space works and totally loving it. I spent so much time moving this and rearranging that... that I have yet to start sewing nor finish my knit project... haha!

What I hope to do eventually is get rid of my 10 year old desk and put in 2 bookcases to house the tv, and other stuff that I have on the wall.

I also want a sewing station... and have my eye on this... All I can say at this point is Thank You for the inspiration...LOL

Olive Sewing (...I love Sewing...)

Pattern Description: New Look 6732, which consists of 5 versions of misses blouses
Pattern Sizing: A10-22.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes
Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions for the assembling the body of the blouse was easy. The confusion began with the collar and neckband - the instructions nor the illustration were clear. But thankfully I had Marta Alto’s DvD – “Learn to Sew a Blouse”, that allowed me to complete the collar/neckband flawlessly.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I disliked the pattern pieces for the sleeves, which did not correspond with the pattern pic, they were too wide. I played-out a few scenarios before I realized my best bet was to pull out my fabric cutting board to help me modify the sleeves. Below is a pic of what the sleeve look like before modifying it.
Fabric Used: 96% cotton/4% spandex in a gorgeous olive that is subtlety iridescent
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: The sleeves were difficult. Upon pinning the sleeves and trying them on they were extremely wide and had to figure out a way to make them straight sleeves
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would use the pattern again. But i’m unsure I would recommend this for a novice sewer.
Conclusion: In the end I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE BLOUSE and learned a lot.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

I've been Tagged by Cassandra

Two Names you go by:
1. Sheil
2. The Warden (by the family…lol)


Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Red v-neck sweater
2. Black Tweed pants


Two Things You have in a Relationship:
1. Ultimate Respect
2. A lot of Jokes.


Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Craft
2. Read


Two Things you want badly at the moment:
1. Kitchen Makeover
2. Pumpkin Spice Latte Skinny


Pets you have:
1. Darla (14 year old cat)
2. Rocco & Evie (2 dogs)


Two things you did last night:
1. Worked on my Olive Blouse
2. Gave DH an early B-day gift (humidor/cigars)


Two things you ate today:
1. Oat & Honey Granola Bar
2. Water


Two people you last talked to:
1. DH
2. DD


Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. Craft
2. Work


Two Longest car rides:
1. Greenville, Alabama
2. Miami, Florida


Two favorite holidays:
1. Christmas
2. Thanksgiving


Two Favorite beverages:
1. Coca Cola
2. Frappaccino


Two People no longer alive who you'd like to talk to:
1. Grandfather
2. High School Friend (Monica)

Olive Blouse Progress

Happy Sunday Dear Bloggers,

I'm sure everyone is up and getting their breakfast on and preparing for dinner. As for me I am determined to finished this daggone blouse....lol. (my stomach is growling as I type :0)

Well, last night I completed the collar and Thank Goodness for Marta Alto's DVD (http://www.palmerpletsch.com/) it was a tremendous help on sewing the collar and neckband, otherwise I would have been fudging it. I found a nifty tool to push out the corners of the collar and neckband, none other than a cuticle stick...haha! It worked so well that I will be buying a few of them...lol. I will say that the collar is a bit to big for my liking, but it will work for this project. Also Marta's trick for setting in the neck band was priceless. By pinning just the ends of the neckband to the front band on each side and then pinning the center notches... makes it easy to fit the remainder of the neck band. This morning I set in the sleeves, which was very trying. I did follow the DVD, but ended up doing it my way to keep from pulling my hair out. Please tell me why are the sleeve arms so darn wide, whereas I had to spend a good portion of the morning tweaking the circumference. When I initially pinned the sleeves and tried them on - the fit was more of a bell sleeve starting below the sleeve cap on, which is not what the pattern pic shows.

There is still the cuff to do, which I am changing and I need to do the button holes and buttons. I'm taking a mid-morning break and try to get some household chores done, and then back to working on this blouse.

Ok sistah friends, inspire me... what is everyone cooking for dinner today?

2008 Sewing Venture

One of my New Year Goals is to sew more of my clothes and since I had the pain and pleasure of experimenting last year, I'm feeling more confident in 2008. I purchased a few items to aid and abet me in helping me sew better garments. Pressing ham: Now I can press curves and those hard to reach spots;

Seam roll: Totally love this little gadget, I can properly press my sleeves and darts. I've been using it to iron my work blouses, now I don't have to fret over how to get rid of the crease on my sleeves.

Dressmaker Rule: Now I can accurately get that 5/8 that I can never seem to get by just eye-balling.

Iron Safe Home Iron Shoe: I tend to get a little heavy handed with the iron and now this little gadget keeps me from scorching my fabrics.

6 Sewing DVDs by Palmer Pletsch: Pant Sewing, Jackets for Real People, Learn to Sew a Blouse, 21 Century Sewing, Perfect Fusing and Serger Basics. Talk about awesome, Marta Alto's tips and tricks are what I definitely need to improve my sewing.

There are two more items I need to get, which are a point presser board and stick to help me with my collars.

So I started my first 2008 sewing project, which is a button-up blouse. I'm using New Look 6732, which consists of 5 versions of misses blouses. The blouse I'm working up is Version A and using the sleeves from Version D. I was snoop shopping and gleamed a blouse in the Loft and like the look of the ruffled cuff. The fabric I chose for this project is 96% cotton/4% spandex in a gorgeous olive that is subtlety iridescent.

When I pulled out the pattern, I almost shoved it back in the packaging, when I saw the dart markings, but after viewing one of the dvds I felt I could do it. So I pressed on and managed to get them done. There is some puckering and hopefully I will improve with practice. So far I've sewn up the shoulder seams, and completed one of the front bands and again after viewing the Learning to Sew a Blouse DVD, I'm happy with the way it looks so far. I've also learned not to sew the side seams until the sleeves are done, so for now they are baste stitched.

I'm itching to get this blouse finished so I can wear it next week. I can just visualize it paired with the slacks I purchased at the Loft.

Matter of fact, last week I wore these slacks and just love it. Not only that I made them but talk about just work horse slacks, no wrinkling, down right comfortable and no dry cleaning, I just throw them in the washing machine and dry flat... totally loooooove it. More reason to learn all there is to know about sewing garments so that I can proudly say I made this blouse and the slacks as well...lol.

What is everyone working on for their 1st 2008 project.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Yeah!!! 2008 and going strong. How many of you had to take an aspirin this morning....lol.

Well my New Years Eve was beautiful - time spent with family, music and definitely spirits.

Well again, Happy New Year and just wanted to share the progress I've made on the tunic (shhh... I know I shouldn't try it on but couldn't resist...lol).

Now, if only I could just clear my head of all the cobwebs and do the second sleeve, matter of fact I know just what I need - another tipper tap....lol.