Christmas Crunch

I wasn’t going to attend our Mount Pleasant Annual Christmas Banquet this year. Financially, I just wasn’t able. So, I got a call on Monday morning and the caller told me that someone decided not to go and donated their tickets back. She said she was told to give them to another church member. I was the lucky recipient. Yay! But hold on. Wait a minute. We (me and the girls) didn’t have a thing to wear. My thoughts went into crunch mode. What in the world were we going to wear? I went to the stash to see what I had in both fabric and patterns that was easy and preferably that I’d made before already. For my 3 year old, I pulled out Simplicity 4337.

This is going to be a quick and easy review. I have made this before. It’s been a while. I made it for my niece in Lavender about 5 years ago and I don’t have any photos of it. it greatly resembled the Lavender one the little girl is modeling. Only difference in the two was that the dress I made had an all over sheer chiffon-like lace. I did use the instructions because I have put together many dresses so I pretty much know my ins and outs of a quick fix.

I made the size six for my three year old. Yes, you read that right. And to be honest, it is on it’s last leg of wear. She is tall and heaft...I mean, healthy.

I believe had I used the same fabrics, yes, it really would have looked like the photos and or drawings, but since I used a beautiful Black and White polka dot flocked organza that I’d stumbled upon while I should not have been in Hancock in NC.

Second fitting for the waist.

it looks much better. It was a steal, too. I ‘d gotten if for $2.95 a yard with an extra $1.00 off. For $1.95, not bad. I should have gotten more of it but I failed to listen to that inner she devil that was pulling at my thoughts to clean the bolt. Darn, sometimes it’s worth the she devil because I sooo see me making myself a high-waist pencil skirt out of that fabric. But, oh well, if I run into it again, I’ll be sure to grab it. I hope it’ll be on sale.

  Not quite done.

I originally had sleeves cut out and ready go but the way  I’d done the bodice it would have taken up too much time to put them in. So, I left them off. They are still ready to be put onto something. Something maybe black, white, or red.

I don’t believe I would make it again because it is an old pattern and I have made it already twice. There are so many other girly patterns I want to give a try. But, I do recommend it to others to try. The only photos I have is of my daughter wearing it while at the Christmas B0anquet.

A few more photos:

The bolero is from another pattern I made a year ago for my oldest daughter.

The other outfit I made in a crunch for the Banquet was New Look  6130. I made it out of a Leopard print pointe I’d gotten on sale from Hancock’s. I love the way this fabric feel. It was on sale, too, by mistake. The bolt was marked 80% off when in reality it was 30 or 40% off. I can’t remember exactly which one. but I got it for what it was marked. I made the coordinate pattern into a dress with a detachable peplum. I made the top C sans the peplum part; attached the skirt E to the top then made the peplum separately with a band and two snaps for closure. Too cute. I have since sold the dress and will make me another ...one day.

                                             

That’s all for now. I have a few more things I need to photograph before the New Year and bring 2012 to a close.

Until I erase the camera and bring you more cheer,

Peace, Love, and contagious Joy.

Butterick 4967

***The pictures are a quick well-after-the-fact. This is NOT how she looked! ***

This dress was made for Ann so that she can wear it to the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Annual Christmas Banquet this year. She chose the pattern and the fabric.

As bad as I wanted to do the long white version (c), we had to settle for the three tiered pink version (b) because of fabric constraints. Everything came from the stash (except for the zipper). I really didn’t know how I would lengthen the dress (and keep the tiers even) because my daughter is tall for her age. I just left it as is. So, needless to say, she will get one wearing out of this dress.

Description: The pattern is labeled easy. After it was constructed, I would say that it lived up to it’s description. It was pretty easy. It’s a girls’ lined, sleeveless dress with tier variations and back zipper and a cummerbund.

Size: The size range are from 2 to 5 and 6 to 8. I cut the 7 by measurements and should have cut the 8 for the length.

Did it look like the photo or drawing on the envelope? Yes, it does. Almost even down to the color. Ann chose green to tie in for Christmas. I was hoping she’d chosen the red plaid, but this is her dress and she’s got to like it. Besides, I won’t be the one wearing it.

 

Were the instructions easy to  follow? Yes, they were very easy. I would like to warn the beginning sewists to make sure you keep your flounces labeled. One mistake I made was misreading the cut line for the stay pieces. I believe this could have allowed me to add at least one more flounce.

Fabric used? Ann chose white taffeta just like the photo and a forest green taffeta for the cummerbund.

Pattern alterations or design changes? First, since the dress is a bit short, I serged the flounces only. I did not turn up a hem. On top of the serging I put a silver ribbon as trim and used the same ribbon for little bows on the last flounce and one bow centered at the top of the bodice.

I did not use the hook and eye that the pattern called for because, well, to be honest I just didn’t want to. Lastly, I did not use the pattern piece for the cummerbund. I cut wide piece of fabric, fit it to Ann, sewn to the dress via the zipper and added little tacks to hold it in place in the front. I omitted the flower.

Will I sew it again? Do I recommend? Well, since this is for an occasion, I may not. However, I will keep it in the stash because the two year old might want one when she’s this size. Yes, I recommend this dress for those who have not sewn it and may be wondering if it is at all worth sewing. it could possibly be sewn casually in denim, too.

 

Conclusion: Very cute dress. Age appropriate. Has endless possibilities.

The Bolero is from another pattern. I forgot which one and the package has been playing hide-and-go-seek since I finished it. It was made because the arm pits were low. I saw this after I was finish and because of the cool weather.

Until, later.

Butterick 5026

This dress has been in the making for long time. I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to make and wear to our annual Christmas Banquet at church. I went from one list to a larger list, then ultimately decided on something with the help of Virginia’s Daughter aka God’s Girl T. I ended up making Butterick 5026.

It’s described as Easy on the envelope. Misses’ dress: Below knee dress has close-fitting self-lined bodice with casing, slightly flared skirt and back zipper. A has a purchased ribbon. B has contrast skirt front and purchased trim.

This dress took me through hell and high waters and guess what, I DIDN’T EVEN GET TO WEAR IT!!!!! More on that down the way.

The sizes for this 2007 oop pattern is 6 through 20. My pack includes the 14 through 20. I cute the 14.

Yes, I believe it does looks like the photo on the front and the line drawings on the back as well. But, of course, this is minus the bells and whistles (ribbon trim).

The instructions were easy to follow. But if you have ever put together a strapless bodice with boning, then you’ve put this one together as well. The skirt is mainly straight lines with a zipper. Easy – as it’s label says.

My fabric? Well, I am not 100% sure. Well, I am not sure at all what is. I bought it from Hancock a while ago along with a royal blue with the same paisley design. It may be a poly blend but that is just a wild guess.

Alterations or design changes? 1. I left out the boning. Why? Because I lost it. Or it lost itself because I know I sat it on the cutting table. Or at least I thought I did. But anyways, that is not the point here. I lost the black and the white boning! But get this, by the time I put in the dang hem - - yeap, I found it. But it wasn’t on the cutting table. Or any other table for that matter. I found it in the interfacing box! Both of them. Oh well, I was NOT going back into the dress and adding boning – NO WAY! 2. I didn’t use any ribbon trim because my accessories were to make the bells and whistles of this ensemble. I did however had planned to wear a single black rose clip at the waist. No clip since I was going to pick it up on the way. Here it is with my go-wit-everything-black-belt.

3. At first I put in a regular zipper because I thought I would like the idea of having that hint of black going down the back. Nope. Rip. I put in the invisible zipper that a. came of the tracks when I tried to zip it on Aloe (my dress form). b. came off the tracks when I tried it on and zipped it up.  and c. came off the tracks AGAIN for my final fitting! Each time I had to rip the zip off and open the clasp and pull the teeth through and close the clasp with a pair of needle nose pliers. That was probably a 30 minute task – each time. The first one took way longer than that because I didn’t know what I was doing!

I put in the invisible zipper with a regular zipper foot. It is doable but not quite perfect.

Last: I put in some black hem tape. Oh: The hem is 2 1/2 inches, too.

Would I sew it again? I don’t really know. I’m kind of stuck on the fence. Do I recommend? Yes, I do. There were no negatives about this dress. Just my mishaps. But you may wonder why I did not get to wear it. I started on this dress November 2. I finished it December 2. The Banquet was December 3. After putting in the zipper I slowed down. Way. Down. I would probably work on it for 15 minutes …every other day…. but by the time I was to put this dress on, IT FELL OFF OF ME! The bodice would NOT sit where it belonged. I tried a quick waist stay hoping that would kind of help. Nope.

Quick and ugly waist stay.

Even if the boning was in there it wouldn’t stay. I had lost 10.8 pounds! OMG  If I can give any words of wisdom, it is great to loose weight but not when it is due to diet and stress. It goes too fast. And I hadn’t paid any attention to it. (that was because of the stress part) But I am glad I lost the weight and I have not put it back on. I am trying NOT to put it back on. So, here’s to you Gods Girl (who helped direct my decision) and Aloe (who is modeling my dress for me).

So, what did I end up wearing? I wore a dress I had not worn since 2006! I didn’t make it. But I looked and felt like a million bucks!

Cheers!

Stay blessed and not stressed!

Schey.

MPCB - Part 1a

MPCB Part 1     Part 2
This should actually be Part 2 but I had to go back and revise because I received some great feedback from Virginia’s Daughter, God’s Girl T. She recommended V1208 which I had a choice because of its simplicity.

She also recommended that I take a look at V1195 and V1196.
1195 and  1196
1195 I had actually considered but couldn’t think of what was in the stash for it. 1196? I couldn’t fathom the thought of looking like a mass door prize. The dress is pretty, it’s just not for me.
She also told me to look at 8766 with specific instructions to NOT look at the dress on the model, instead look at the line drawings. I had actually passed this pattern up a hundred times because the model is in an all over lace dress that reminds me of Lucille Ball. Also, if I wore that dress next to my husband I might have some xplainin’ to do! Lol I did look at the line drawings as instructed and the dress has some very pretty lines.


Cute, huh? I think so.
Fast forward: I take a ride out to Hancock and they are out of 1195 and 8766. I have 1208 in the stash. I find
McCall’s 4440 and Butterick 5026 that I can probably substitute for V8766.
          and        
Seeming as though I am moving away from Vogue Designer, I decided I might as well consider other stash patterns. Boy, do I have P-LENTY.
I pulled out:
B5519 B4914 B5314
                             B5385
                        I have two recent purchases:
B5674          and           V1267
See, I am supposed to be narrowing things down and they grew! That is why I named this blog Part 1a because I am back at square 1 the second time.
Ok, this one’s for you, God’s Girl. Gimme some input.
Until a decision, Schey.

Mount Pleasant Christmas Banquet 2011 Pt. 1

Part 1a     Part 2

     This is the first time I will attend my church’s Christmas banquet. Last year, I purchased a ticket and didn’t go because my husband was out of town. This year I am going because I hear of the good fellowship and fun everyone had. I had to be sure of the attire because I was told it was on the lines of ballroom dressy. Screeech! No way! I am not the ballroom- dress-drag-to-the-floor type of gal. I can not see myself in this:
     Vogue 8729
Nor can I consider the fishtail-Jennifer Hudson-and-Beyonce-in-Dream Girls-look. So these dresses are out as well:
Vogue 2931Vogue 8190
So, I had to verify the dress codes. The attire is dressy. Now I can take that in many different ways. A dress that I would normally wear? But this a special event and therefore warrants special wear. These are out:
Vogue 1271Vogue 1242
I thought of a pant suit but that didn’t settle with me well, either. Here’s what I looked at but then scratched it too:

                                    Vogue 2779
     Notice the trend? I know I want a Vogue and I know I want it to be a Designer Vogue. So, what will I decide? That is where each of you come in. I need help deciding and I need to do it NOW for the banquet is Dec 3rd and Hancock’s sale goes off Sunday. This will give me enough time to actually fit and get it right. Here are my choices:
1155 by Guy Laroche
I have a black looks-like-a-shantung for this one. I have this one lower end of the choices because it looks like a skirt and top but is actually a dress and I love the lines.
1208 by Tom and Linda Platt
If all else fails I would choose this one because it seems very simple. But I think it may be too simple. The only thing that draws me to this dress are the tie shoulder and hem. Nothing special.
2899 by Guy Laroche
I love Guy’s designs. I would like to do this one, too. I lurve Erica's turn out. If I do make this one I can only pray that mine turns out this fabulous! I do have a black fabric for this. I would also have to worry about a cover up for the back. Just imagine what would be said because my back actually out but sometimes things get misconstrued to ‘my but was out’. You know how it goes.  
1218 by Donna Karan
I started cutting this pattern out so long ago…and there where I stopped. The pattern is cut out. I have some white knit for this one but it is not Spandex as the pattern calls for. I also have a black knit. I wish I had a red. Maybe I can do a bolero for a jacket in case I get a chill? Though the event is inside, I still somehow be the only one freezing. :/
So, you tell me what you think. Since it’s the weekend, I will make it my business to get photos of the potential fabrics. Everything is coming form the stash unless I may need a lining, zip, button…stuff like that.
Until a decision, Schey