Sew What It's Summer - Week 9

I had a major case of indecisiveness while creating this week's Bejeweled project. First I decided to make a shirt that was jewel colored and picked out my pattern. Then I changed the pattern, followed by changing what I wanted to use for material. Then I changed the pattern and the material once again. Followed finally by a change back to the original pattern and material.  Indecisiveness.

I, after all that changing, made a simple t-shirt, using a New Look pattern from two jersey materials: a striped purple jersey and a thin plain purple.  All of a sudden I have been feeling like I don't have any t-shirts to wear, so that's why I went for something simple. At the same time I wanted to make something with at least a little character.  I picked up the striped material at a discount store last year and was lucky enough to find a jersey in a color that perfect match  the striped material this past weekend. My local fabric store in small, and even the larger stores in Portland and Boston are smallish by NYC and LA comparisons. To find a matching material a full year after buying fabric, in my area AND on sale is an absolute miracle.


Here is the resulting project. Sorry about the pictures, I haven't quite figured out this self portrait thing yet. I really need to get a tripod and a gorrilacam tripod.

Sew What It's Summer - Week 7 Finally Completed

It took another week but I finally completed Week 7's challenge - Retro Rundown. I used a Vintage inspired Simplicity pattern to make a 1940's-esque blouse. I love the fashion of the 40's. The 40s were a decade of change and that definitely influenced fashion.  Women began to break away from the every day dress to pants, jeans, blouses and even the beginnings of the t-shirt.  It was a great decade for fashion.

I altered a few items on the pattern. First I had to enlarge the sleeve, bc as i've said before my fat arms need room. Second I loved the pleats in this top- they flatter in all the right places but I didn't like the little flutter one made on the back of the shirt. Instead of two pleats on the back I only did one.  Third the shirt seemed just a little short so I added a band to the bottom. This was my favorite addition and it didn't even change the look of the shirt. It instantly made it more comfortable though. Fourth I didn't add the ties and bows. every opening and gather on this shirt seemed to have a tie attached to it. I opted not to include them.

So here's the final product. I love it and will definitely be wearing this one to work.