Tag Archives: shirts&blouses

A Top When A Dress Won’t Do

Posted in 2015 Sewing, Finished Projects, Wearing Yesteryear by

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Sometimes you sew something and it doesn’t work out the way you thought it would. That’s what happened to me when I first tried on my Oreo Cookie wrap dress and realized the skirt pieces didn’t overlap properly! I had used Vogue 8379 for the top, but winged the bottom since I didn’t want the full skirt that came with the pattern. Mistake.

I thought I could save it by adding a snap-on-a-string contraption, but that really didn’t do anything to prevent the top skirt piece from staying in place (especially when I sat down). While I did wear the dress with tights to the office a few times, I just never felt truly comfortable in it.

And so it sat in my closet, largely unworn.

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Wearing Yesteryear: April – June 2013

Posted in Wearing Yesteryear by

I’m back with another review post of past creations. If you’ve been following along you’ll know I was posting these monthly, but I thought it made sense to combine them into three-month chunks. My last post was in March, so today I’ll be covering how the garments I made from April to June 2013 fared one year later. Off we go!

(Click on the photo or the link below it to go to the original post.)

purple vogue8379

Vogue 8379 Knit Wrap Dress

I’ve worn this dress lots! As with my other versions of this pattern, this is a very practical yet fun addition to my wardrobe. It’s great for work or for special occasions, depending on how it’s styled or what kind of fabric you use. I’ve also worn this particular dress in the colder months by pairing it with tights and a cardigan.

This dress has received some nice compliments, perhaps the best one being “That looks expensive!” from the cheery cashier at Pret A Manger. I’ll take it! I want to make a dozen more versions of this pattern…

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The “Taking Initiative” Renfrew Top

Posted in 2013 Sewing, Finished Projects by

samba-renfrew

renfrew-patternThe Facts

Fabric: 1 1/2 yards of red cotton jersey from Mood NYC
Pattern: Sewaholic Renfrew
Notions: none
Pantone Challenge color: Samba
Year: contemporary
Time to complete: 4 to 5 hours
First worn: for these photos
Wear again? Yes!

Total Cost: $20


 It’s here! My contribution to the Sew Weekly Reunion. A really simple effort, but it’s definitely going to come in handy once the cooler months come our way. Dressing and sewing for summer is no problem, but the winter has always left me stumped. I just don’t like the cold! I often wear a short-sleeved shirt or dress with a cardigan over it so this is the year where I’m really trying to focus on long sleeves and thicker fabrics.

I’m calling this the “Taking Initiative” top because I really didn’t think I was going to be able to contribute to this challenge after committing to it. I felt like I was running out of time and then I realized one day I was making a bunch of excuses! It was then that I took the fabric back out of the cabinet and cut out the pieces. It took me two evenings: one to cut and the other to sew it all together.

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Colette Sorbetto: For the Times They Are a-Roastin’

Posted in 2013 Sewing, Finished Projects by

sorbetto6

  • Pattern: Sorbetto Top by Colette Patterns
  • Size: 0
  • Fabric: 3/4 yard of 60″ wide Liberty “Suria” Tana Lawn from Brooklyn General; underlined with white voile
  • Notions: White bias tape (one package)
  • Alterations: Lowered the bust darts 1″; lengthened the top 3″
  • Tip: To save paper, you don’t need to print the last page of the pattern section and, if you’re one of the smaller sizes, you don’t need to print out the second page

Oh boy, has it been roasty toasty these past few days. Temperatures have been hitting the 90s (30s C) and after a nice cookout on Saturday with family, I decided to spend Sunday sewing away.

And, look, a one day creation from me! Yes! It’s so nice to tackle a simple sewing project every once in awhile, especially when time is short and you want to take a break from a more involved project.

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Sewaholic Renfrew: In Search of Musical Notes

Posted in 2012 Sewing, Finished Projects by

Happy weekend! Here’s my scoop-neck Renfrew shirt from Sewaholic Patterns. I actually finished this a couple of weeks ago while waiting out the hurricane (I was fortunate enough not to lose power, or worse).

Similar to my first version, I’ve already worn this shirt a bunch of times. It’s so practical and comfy! I can wear it to work, to dinner with friends, around the house or for outdoorsy work (all of which has happened between this version and my first). That’s what I call a good deal right there.

In this photo I’m also wearing my new dangly red shell earrings that I bought from Jenn’s Handmade Jewelry on Etsy. Yay, I love red!

I picked up this knit a year ago when I was pattern testing this top for Tasia, but I ended up using other fabrics. The black stripes on a white background remind me of sheet music, which makes me think I’m missing some musical notes to go with it! I think I’m starting to figure out the amount of stretch a knit should have for a top like this. It can be tricky at first, but through practice and wear it all starts to come together. Continue reading →