Finally, B5471

fi·nal·ly/ˈfīnl-ē/

Adverb: After a long time, typically involving difficulty or delay: "he finally arrived".

***For the purpose of this dress, I started this post 11/7/2012 with hopes of having it made for Thanksgiving. Instead, it was finished just in time for Easter ‘13. ***

    

     This dress was a long time coming. It is Butterick 5471.

When I first saw this pattern I knew I had to make it. I waited for Butterick to go on sale at the local Hancock Fabrics store. Well, wadaya know? They didn’t have it in stock. Or maybe that’s what they wanted their customers to believe. But me being me, and I know it’s you, too, I went through the box sitting in the corner at the end of the file cabinets. And hey, Butterick 5471 stuck her pretty little head up! I grabbed it like I had struck gold and I was the only one who knew about it. LOL

 

Every outfit on the pack pleased my eye. That giraffe print fabric was what had done it for me. Yeah, I know. I could have easily used pieces from other patterns, but no, that’s not what I wanted to do. I wanted this pattern and this very fabric.

 

The pattern is part of  Butterick’s Lifestyle Wardrobe collection that came out in 2010; labeled: Easy. Misses’ lined, loose-fit, princess-seamed, long and short sleeved jackets with side-front seam pockets! The tunic and dress with has front detail, topstitching, and back zipper. The pants are semi-fitted with darts and a mock fly. Now what I don’t understand from looking at the pack (I haven’t looked at the directions, yet.) is that if there’s a mock fly why does notions says View E, the pants, need a 7 inch zipper and a hook and eye? The line drawings doesn’t indicate a back or side zipper. It doesn’t really matter because I’m not making the pants - yet. It just sparked my curiosity.

This pattern comes in sizes AA (6-12) and EE(14-20). I chose the EE because I measured to the 14; except for that 28 in the waist. It’s easy to make the waist two inches wider.

 

Now this fabric. I wanted that very fabric that is shown on the envelope. Hancock carried the fabric! It was way out of my league to buy though. I usually do not pay more than $4.00 a yard for fabric. It was one their polyester prints that usually sold for $11.99 per yard. I waited and waited for this fabric to go on sale. It would go on sale; I wouldn’t have the money. It would go on sale; I’d miss the sale. This went on for about a year! Then one lovely Sunday, I aimlessly traipsed into Hancock (That was the story my hubby got; but of course he didn’t believe it.) and MY.FABRIC.WAS.ON.SALE! It was $3.49 a yard! WOO! HOO! My heals clicked, my heart skipped a beat, and I suddenly felt a rush of heat move to my throat when I saw another lady waltz her little rose garden dress wearing self over to MY fabric! “Oh, no you don’t Garden of Eden. That is MY fabric!” I said to myself. I rushed over to the table (looks like someone had just finished getting some cut for themselves), “dropped” my notepad (because I have to mark off what I want to get and mark a special mark for what was not in stock or maybe something I thought I wanted but when I saw it, I didn’t...stuff like that.) I act like my daughter dropped it and asked her if she would pick up her book. “Tell the lady excuse me”. The lady politely moved out of the way to let my unknowingly daughter get ‘her’ notebook. When she slid to the side, I knew she was going to either help my daughter or look at her like ‘awe, she’s so cute.’ ...it was the latter. She turned, I grabbed. Yeah, it was that serious to me. That was the only bolt I saw and that meant to me it was the last. There was only 2 yards left, so I bought that. Isn’t it lovely?

 

The pattern called for exactly 2 yards. But with a little manipulation, one could actually have enough to make the mistake of cutting the front bodice in two instead of on the fold. Yeah, I did that! Here’s what it’s supposed to look like from the pattern layout.

Sorry for the blurriness.
This is how NOT to place your front pattern piece!

Recut....

Ok, I’ve had the dress sewn up and have worn it a couple times. It was my dress for Easter 2013. I was able to get pictures today. I need one of those doodads Erica B has. Push the button in your hands and not worry the need for a photographer!
Also, check out Sew Luva's make on this very dress. I was surprise to know that our story was very similar. I mean, I got absolutely excited about it!


        
        

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t wear much of any other adornments. I wanted the dress to speak for itself. Although, I could’ve worn a simple necklace. And, I wish I could have gotten a few live shots but I don’t believe my cell would have survived the rain.

I think I am going to eventually make the jacket and pant set that’s on the envelope. Even though I do LOVE this dress, I don’t believe I’ll make another one unless I find some extraordinary fabric for it.

Love it.

Until later, Smooches and Blesses.

PS. Today was Mens Day at church and the message was from Genesis 6: 5-6, 8.

Subject: But Noah...Was Different.

Point: If want to make a difference you must be different.

Peace!

A Couple of Stash Starts

Sitting back wondering what might be a few things I want to start on for the Style Your Stash Sew A Long and I came up with two items that need to be done soon. McCall’s 6700 is for my son’s high school graduation ceremony in a poly blend knit that’s been in the stash since forever ago. I know why I’ve never cut into it. I wanted that perfect pattern that would make great use of the design. What better way than a maxi that is labeled one the Fashion Star patterns? It has yielded some very delightful results for those who have sewn it before me.

This one would HAVE to be finished by the 5th. That’s G-Day! Yay! Oh, and by the way, he’s chosen the great USC Gamecocks as his college home for the fall!

I am a Roll Tide fan, but since my son has chosen USC, I can adapt and overcome! But my attire would still be Red, Black, and White! Hey, win win!

My choice second in line is McCall’s 6653 so that I can finish my Pinterest Inspired look. It will be my outfit to my husband’s graduation. Yeap, I have two graduates at once. Yay. winning!

I can’t seem to get a better shot. The color is actually very close to the color on the model. I’ll be doing view A.

Both fabrics and patterns are stash so, I’m really stash busting, huh?

A couple of other ideas I want to sew up are:

Vogue 8711 and

Butterick 5884. I just can’t choose which fabric to use. Both fabric is airy and flows just right for this pattern. I am leaning more towards the blue. I am just wondering how would the stripes actually turn out since the pattern does says *not suitable for obvious diagonals*. I believe I would have to place a few pieces in order for the stripes to stay horizontal. I don’t know, but maybe I’ll find out soon enough. What do you all think?

Scheryka

2013 Style Your Stash Sew A Long

     I am happy to be a part of a group of sewists who are willing to sew up some the stash. It's the 2013 Style the Stash Sew A Long. For me, that mean I have some work ahead of me. I took the time to take some pictures of my stash. Oh my goodness, I got faint at heart trying to maneuver things around just to get to boxes, stacks, and bins. I knew I had a stash, but really? Really, Scheryka?
     I wish I could keep my stash organized, but as much as I go rummaging through it to find several pieces for several planned patterns and never get around to sewing them, then putting them back, but never back to their respective places...that'll never happen. At least not in the near future.
  
       Here are two 35 Gals totes                          A 35- and 30- Gal                   Two 15- Gals


They are in no organized manner, just folded or rolled and put into the buckets. I'll be glad when I can get a real (read: dedicated) sewing room so that I can hang my sewing room fabric at the windows. I bought it about three, could be four, years ago from one of my favorite online shops.

 

Five medium fabric shipping boxes of mixed medium:

 

                                                 

The upper left is a box of fleece and boucle.

Several pieces of fleece and a couple of packaged fleece.


Some pieces I laid on the table
                                                                       and a stack in a chair.

About two years ago our deep freezer that we had for eons of years went dead on us. Before my husband could toss it to the land field I already had plans for it!

Hey, I saved the land field of this big eye sore of scrap and gas from taking it there. There is NO telling what's in here. Anything from children prints to winter fabric for me, lace and pleather too.

Last but not least because I am just about sure I have fabric stashed in other places that I've forgotten about, what's on the floor in the dining room because I was churning out ideas to be sewn and the floor has become their temporary resting place.

 

Until, the next post, Smooches and Be Blessed beyond capacity!

Scheryka

 

Sometimes Life Gets in the Way

    I have been sewing. Even though I haven't blogged ONE SINGLE ITEM! You see life got a bit busy and complicated. I mean with an 8-month-old, a graduating senior, and in-between jobs (yeah, one would think that being in-between would give me more time to sew and be creative - NOT!). And a lot of other things, too. Anyhow, I have photos of some and no photos of others. Some are to come later when I complete the outfits to them. Since I am not in denial, I am lazy and don't want to go back and do any reviews of them, I'll just post the photos and tell and brief story of the item.

Donna Karan New York for Vogue 1250

   

 

My version:

          

 



Easy dress! I used a very thin sweater knit in black and white flecks. It looks grey to the naked eye. There is nothing to dislike. And post-baby - I think I look good! Now, does anyone know of a shop where I can buy a GOOD maternity bra! The one's I used previously is just not doing their job!

 

New Look 6130:

 

  My version: I love this in polka dot. It was a rave all over the .com and I had to have one. It is a cotton shirting from the stash. In fact, everything lately is from the stash. I don't have a photo of me wearing this one because I lacked a photographer every time I wore it. Believe me, I will be making this one again.

 

 

Last for the blog, but definitely not the last item made, is a revisit to Butterick 5497:

 

 My first version was in a black and white zebra print. For my birthday: Happy Birthday to Me. My youngest sister acquired that top this past Spring Break. My new version:  On me:

One more before I sign out. I made my sister a ball dress for the Kappa Ball. Color Scheme: Black and White. My sister chose McCall's 6283:
 She wanted the gold gown with the black top. NO PROBLEM! Welp, sewing long distance and not being to get a fit during construction, the bust came out too big. And this is with measuring three times and cutting once. The instructions were followed to the T. So, I am not sure where I went wrong or if it was me at all. I went to the PR site to see if any others had the same problem. No one mentioned that, however, a few mentioned with modifications. So maybe they'd forgotten to mention that part? I don't know. But here it is on Aloe since my sister couldn't fit the bodice and therefore didn't wear it to the Ball.

Beautiful dress. What a shame.
Well, until next time everyone! Smooches and Be Happy!
Scheryka
 

Zyan’s Christening Dress

February: Christening Dress (McCall’s 4641)

God has his way of directing your paths. That’s called His Will being done. I had plans for my daughter to be christened when she was 6-8 weeks old. That didn’t happen for one reason or another. She is now 6 months old. I have been planning this for a while but since I kind of felt like things would take their course according to not my plans, I held off for a hot minute. I didn’t want anything off the rack, whether it was cheap or expensive. I wanted something that I’d made. That in itself would make it more personal.

It’s not a new pattern. It’s circa 2004. Actually, I’ve made it twice before for my two older daughters. Just not for a christening dress.

I think the little baby model is so adorable on the front. It’s an infants’ tops, dresses, pants, and hat pattern. I used View A as a guide since I made a few changes. I made the size small.

I used, again, stash fabric. It is actually a ‘silk-like’ lining fabric for the underlay and a poly-lace for the overlay. It’s very soft and a bit slippery, too.

There are several changes I made to the dress. ONE: I used a lace overlay. TWO: I used started to use elastic in the waistband. THREE: I made the button placket a little different than “standard”. FOUR: For the hat, I self lined it. FIVE: I put elastic around the whole hat. SIX: To make it a bit special, I used a design card to make some fancy button holes. I couldn’t find the design card so I used two snaps and called it a day. I also kind of botched the snaps because my snap doohicky tool is somewhere in the sewing hut - where? It only knows.

Photo of snaps. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of them. Yet.

I also made a pair of bloomers to go with the dress.

Photo of bloomers This part never happened.

The pattern is OOP but I like it because it’s a simple run-to. You can make it as fancy as silk or as playground-ready in denim as you want. There is really nothing to dislike.

Here are a few photos of the dress in try-on mode.

Until Later, Scheryka