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All I want to do is sew clothes.  I have many ideas for other crafty projects, including shop stuff, but at the end of the day I just want to make a skirt or cut out a new blouse.  Life has been a bit crazy lately and sewing for the pure fun of it is my therapy, I suppose.

The clothes I’m working on are fall items I can wear now.  Because, you know, it’s not really going to get chilly here ’til late October or so.

Here is a blouse I made combining pattern pieces from McCall’s M5977 and New Look 6022.  I shortened the sleeves, drafted the v-neck and made the bows.  I don’t recommend attaching sleeves to bodice pieces meant for a sleeveless top (which is what I did) because the armholes aren’t quite right but I don’t think it’s noticeable and fits comfortably anyway.

The original design had 5 larger, pointier bows going done the front.  Even after testing the placement I didn’t get a feel for what it would truly look like until I had made and attached all the bows.  (You might be able to see bias tape stitched down the center front on the inside; this was placed there to support the bows.)  But I didn’t like it afterall.  Don’t know why, it just seemed too stiff or something.  So I re-cut 2 of the bows and attached them just near the v.

The skirt is my favorite of the 2.  The colors look blown out in the photo where I’m modeling it but the fabric really is so pretty and has a nice, slightly coarse texture.  (By the way, I probably wouldn’t wear those shoes with this skirt out and about because they are too orange but I’m currently without dark brown pumps.)

And yes, I used Simplicity pattern 8418 for this skirt.  Of course!

I’m so glad it’s Friday.  Do you have any fun plans for this weekend?

Another summery project from my favorite skirt pattern, Simplicity 8418.  This pattern is just so good, the possibilities are endless.  (The green is not quite as vibrant as they are in these photos; it’s more like a deep grass green.)

Rounded pockets lined with baby blue and white gingham.

I’ve also converted a couple of vintage pillowcases into grocery bags.  I got tired of the green ones I had.  You know, the ones you get at the store, sometimes for free.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice that many stores offer those reusable bags but they aren’t exactly pretty or machine-washable, which is gross.  And who wants to hand wash their grocery bags?  Not me.

I’m ready to move onto fall sewing.  I figure if I start now I’ll actually have new things to wear in time for cooler weather!

This skirt must be shy because I had a heck of a time trying to photograph it!

I think it has to do with the color or perhaps the fabric (err, or both).  Overall I’m happy with the quality of the construction but the camera picked up wobbliness in the fabric that I cannot see with my own eyes.  Is my stitching too tight or is that just the way the camera captured the light reflecting on the fabric?  Eep, oh well.

I’ve made this skirt a couple of times before, you can see my first version here.  It’s a great vintage pattern, Simplicity 8418, c. 1969:

This pattern works really well in lightweight denim.  I made another denim skirt after the first one that is a bit longer and with rounded pockets (and navy sailor buttons) that I wear ALL the time.  I don’t have many work-appropriate skirts (2 to be exact) and thought I should make one myself as the ones I’ve been seeing in the stores lately are boring ol’ pencil skirts that are overpriced and do nothing for me anyway.  (I need the slight flare of the a-line skirt to give me shape.)  I wanted something bright and happy!

Like the others I’ve made from this pattern I omitted the waistband.  And in this version I took out some of the flare (just a little).  Also, I lined it as this fabric is a little sheer and perhaps the tiniest bit scratchy (since it’s wool).  The spring-summery colors inspired me to draft some tulip-like pockets:

This photo has been lightened so you can see the details better.

I actually have another skirt cut out, ha!  It’s Kelly green corduroy with baby blue and white gingham-lined pockets.  (Notice a theme here?)  Perhaps I’ll get to it this weekend.

Speaking of this weekend, all of L.A. (OK, the media that I know of) is talking about Carmageddon; this is where part of the 405 freeway is shutting down tonight through Monday.  Shut down a freeway in Los Angeles and it’s the end of the world.  Good thing I don’t drive much.  I’ll be sewing or drawing (and very likely, cleaning!) anyway.  Do you have any fun plans?

This project looks simple, but it has taken me many months to complete. Okay, I have to admit, over a year, but I wasn’t working on it that whole time. I haven’t sewn much for myself  in the last few years, mostly for my kids and our home. Part of that has been not wanting to spend so much time on something that might not fit me in the end. So when I heard about Cal Patch‘s book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes, I fantasized about making something to fit me perfectly.

I really like this book. The instructions are clear and written with a sense of humor. The projects are just the right speed for me——beyond beginner but simple enough not to be intimidating. But my favorite thing is that the book leaves lots of room for experimentation. So I like to flip through often and just dream about what I might create. For me, dreaming is more than half the fun.

That said, my first project doesn’t involve a lot of experimentation, besides the pattern drafting itself. It’s the first project in the book, with very little deviation besides the added waistband.

I crossed off a lot of firsts with this skirt. Besides my first self-drafted pattern, I also made my first muslin (trial run of the pattern in a cheap fabric), sewed my first invisible zipper, and used my first French seam. I now realize flat-felled seams would be better here, but oh well.

I’m not completely crazy about the skirt. There are a lot of flaws you can’t necessarily see here, and although the fabric is lovely and soft, I’m not sure what to wear it with. Just having made it feels like a big accomplishment, though.

Since I had plenty of fabric left over, I offered to make a skirt for my daughter, too (just a simple gathered rectangle). If you know me well, you know I’m really not a matchy-matchy type. Our bridesmaids didn’t even match. But my Little Miss loves matching, so she was totally hip to it, especially when I offered to add a floral strip at the bottom.

I love her styling choices here. She’s a bold little fashionista. I feel a mother-daughter matching day coming on. Oh, the things we do for our kids!

3 Comments on The Great Pattern-Drafting Experiment, last added: 5/19/2011