A SHOUT OUT TO MARY ANN! (and my #mmmay15)

A few days ago I was speaking with Mary Ann, the accountant at our office, about the “world” of sewing and sewing blogs.  She asked me how I started and I told her that for about a year before I started blogging, I was just a sewing blog stalker.  Then I felt bad only clicking and reading and I thought it was about time I joined the party.

After more discussion, I confessed to Mary Ann that my technique is simple – just babble away about sewing and always write thinking I am having a conversation with my sisters.  Well, Mary Ann gave me the best “hurt” look she could muster and said “You mean you aren’t writing for me?”  Umm…  Ok…  Yes!  So here’s my SHOUT OUT to my follower, Mary Ann!  This post’s for you!  (… and for my sisters, and for the clickers, the followers, the readers, and you, and you, and you, and you…)

Thank you!

Now let me show you the black top I just finished up.  I needed it to fill in one of the gaps I found in my wardrobe that I discovered in anticipation of Me Made May 15.

I used McCall’s M6563, view A, an easy pattern.  I pulled a solid black fabric from my stash.  Yay for “Stash Busting”!  This fabric looks and feels like a polyester knit.

What did I change about this pattern, if anything?  The pattern suggests a back neckline 4″ deep.  I only made the back neckline 1″ deep as I thought the cowl front would hang better and the shoulders would not be falling off my body.  I also shortened the hem line a little.  I want to be sure that the skirts I wear with it are the star and not the black top.

I did like how they instructed to attach the front (with the cowl neckline) and the back at the shoulder seams.  At first I could not understand what they were talking about (maybe I was having a bad day), but I basted it together as instructed and realized that it was a perfect way to go!  Here are a couple of shots of my inside shoulder seams.  None of the raw edges of the shoulders seams are exposed.

Here are a couple of photos of “Dolly” wearing my new top.  I will be able to get some better #mmmay15 shots during the week.  Now that I have a solid black top, I can wear some of those colourful skirts I have hanging in my closet.

Here’s a photo a bit washed out (deliberately) so that you can see the cowl neck better.

I have only one more thing to do on my new black top.  I have to sew a penny in it.  In Canada we don’t have pennies anymore, so good luck with that!  But any small weight will do.  I am going to sew it onto the centre point of the cowl neckline, hanging it in the inside to make the shape of the cowl better, and stay put.  It works!

Next comes my solid red top.  Again to fill some holes in my wardrobe.  For that one I am using McCall’s M7093, view A.  Someday, I would like to make it again with some colour blocking, but right now I really need a solid red top.

Oh, yes, and before I forget… here’s my #mmmay15 garments for the last week.

May 2, 8, 23 & 24 – back to my old “uniform”

May 3 & 4, 9 & 10, 17 & 18 – lazy weekend clothes again!

May 3 & 4, 9 & 10, 17 & 18

May 11

May 12 & 21

May 13 – my most loved, my Sewaholic Yaletown!

May 14, 20 – and my navy blue skirt

May 15 & 16, 29, 30 & 31 – another most loved!

May 15

Are you enjoying your Me Made May experience?

Happy Sewing!

A final note:  Every time I wore this cowl neck top I used a safety pin on the inside to pinch the curved cowl piece together about a couple of inches up from the centre point, so that it was not so loose (and exposing …).  Finally I just put a couple of little stitches there and now my cowl neck top looks like a cowl neck top – puffy, layered, but completely modest!  Try it!