Are you ready for DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018?

Have you picked out your Designer Original and the fabric you need to make your Designer me-made COPY? Or are you just in the planning stages – don’t worry … there’s lots of time to sew before DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER 2018!

Ever since the first DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER (2015) I’ve seen many fabulous garments in stores, magazines, online, on social media, on runways … so many beautiful garments! And I say,

“Why buy when you can make it yourself – better and for less money?”

I’ve seen plenty of fabulous Designer Originals, like this dress from Oscar de la Renta Fall 2018.

Which led me to this tunic and trousers, again Oscar de la Renta Fall 2018 … which I want so bad! Perhaps not in pink (I’m not a pink type of girl!) and perhaps with a tunic that is a bit shorter (so I don’t look stumpy!) and perhaps with sleeves a bit shorter too (so they don’t get caught in the filing cabinets at work). Where AM I going with this?

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McCall’s M7324: Part II of my Adventures with Border Print Fabric!

This is the last of my lovely denim border print fabric. 😦 I’ve already made a pair of summer cropped pants with it, details here. I had just enough left to squeeze a top out of it!

I decided to use this pattern, McCall’s M7324, view A. I definitely won’t be using the curved hi/lo hem. I want my border to be even and uninterrupted!

I cut out my usual size and was shocked at the amount of ease in this one. Perhaps with a softer, flowing fabric this 8.5″ ease might be nice, but although my denim is lightweight, it doesn’t drape well. I did a bit of trimming on the cut pieces – there would be more work ahead fitting this top though.

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McCall’s M7364 – A simple sewing pattern!

I’ve always got an eye out for border print fabric and when I saw this 100% cotton denim – EMBROIDERED – I could not resist! I bought enough for a pair of casual summer pants and a summer top. It has been quite hot here lately (but unfortunately smokey from forest fires) so I am craving new summer clothes. I figure by the time I finish these two garments it will be raining?

I thought I would try McCall’s M7364, view D without the ties at the bottom – a “Learn to Sew for Fun” pattern. Last time I tried a “Learn to Sew for Fun” pattern it was a cardigan and I didn’t like it. You can take a look at it here.

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McCall’s M6503 – What do you think?

Last post I mentioned that I had finished my “May Flower” dress, a theme provided way back in May by the #magamsewalong on Instagram. I had a wonderful floral 100% rayon fabric and one of my favourite patterns, McCall’s M6503. I wasn’t too pleased with the dress when finished though. I don’t know how I managed it but the whole dress seemed a bit too large and the bodice seemed to be a whole size too large! I don’t know what happened. Perhaps I traced out the wrong size bodice pieces or I cut out my fabric incorrectly?

I preferred to gather my bodice and skirt pieces, instead of using darts, but I don’t think that would have made that much difference. Continue reading →

Sewjo: Lost and Found

It’s a strange thing when you have lost interest in something that you usually love to do.

There was an odd dullness in my life these past few weeks because of the passing of our Wonderful Mother – my Biggest and Most Loving Supporter. She was someone who constantly asked what was new in my world, someone who listened, cheered me on and encouraged me in every stitch of my life.

I certainly haven’t felt like planing or sewing any new projects – that dullness invaded my thoughts.

I took a stab at my UFO pile, mending and hemming a few items. Sort of a sewing therapy. Turns out, now I’ve got a couple of new tops to wear.

Scrolling through Designer Fashions on-line, I found my Designin’ December Designer Original. How are you doing with your search? Continue reading →

McCall’s M5974 – My first time wearing Orange …

I do like this fabric. But this is the first time I have had Orange in my closet. I guess it is okay for the warm, sunny summer months? It was just beautiful outside when I started taking photos of my finished Orange dress, until the wind picked up!

For my #sewtogetherforsummer Challenge I asked you which fabric I should use for my wrap dress, you all voted on it here. Since this Orange knit fabric was the runner up by a close margin, I thought I would use it next for my McCall’s M5974, view A. A reader was curious to know how I liked this pattern… and I just want to tell you I LOVED it! It went together very easily. I might just make another, except next time I would use a more stable knit than I did this time. The Orange knit I used was in reality more suitable for activewear. But it survived, and so did I!

Seems like this pattern was well-loved on Patternreview too!

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I learned something …

… even though there really wasn’t much sewing this last week. There was a lot of reading and exercising, but not much sewing. I did learn something though!

I participated in the “Makers for Fashion Revolution” daily themes organized by @inthefolds on Instagram. The daily themes made me think seriously about Fashion Revolution Week (April 23 – 29th). Some of the daily themes were easy to interpret and display on my Instagram @nicedressthanksimadeit, for example: “I made my clothes”. Other daily themes took a lot of thought, for example: “Natural Fibres”. As soon as I saw that one, I realized that, although I know the names of many fabrics, I do not know how most are made or which ones are really “sustainable”!

I researched and found a couple of interesting articles on “1 Million Women” and “The Guardian“. Continue reading →

Waiting impatiently …

Perhaps you remember from last week that I asked for some help in choosing my fabric for the #sewtogetherforsummer Wrap Dress Challenge? Well I have my answer now, thank you Kind Readers! It was a pretty close race!

First choice, although it was close, was … the blue Chevron! (for lack or a better description)

Second choice by just 3 votes was … the orange Chevron!

So I have decided to sew both fabrics up … with few slight changes …

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What do you think?

We had a lovely Easter long weekend here – the weather was even acceptable! I hope you had a lovely Easter too.

I didn’t get much accomplished though, but I did manage to browse through some sewing blogs and IG feeds. I discovered @rocco.sienna @sewsarahsmith and @sewing_in_spain have organized #sewtogetherforsummer on IG again! I think this year I’m going to organize myself and my sewing and join in!

Last year the theme for #sewtogetherforsummer was Shirt dresses. I didn’t manage to sew up a Shirt dress, but I have been collecting Shirt dress patterns ever since.

I also managed to recently buy some lovely Shirt dress fabric, 3 meters of 100% rayon. I’m one step closer!

This year I am not missing #sewtogetherforsummer. If you would like to read more about #sewtogetherforsummer you can check out all the details here, but basically:

a. I have to sew a Wrap dress; and

b. by June 21st, I have post it on Instagram, tagging and following properly, of course.

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McCall’s M7323 – In Stripes!

I’ve had this striped fabric in my stash since my visit to my sister a summer or two ago. It’s a heavier weight knit than what I usually have and I quite like it. The red stripe is quite bright too, which brings the grey, blue and black to life for me.