Going to the Chapel: Kim Dress + Pleated Skirt

Mahwidge. Is there anything more special than celebrating the love of a couple by getting dressed up, wearing impractical shoes, and enjoying an open bar? Certainly not when it's wedding season!

This spring, we were invited to an overwhelming number of weddings: 2. I didn't think too much about what I was going to wear to the first one until a week before, when I remembered that this was a perfect opportunity to make a frivolous dress that didn't have to fit into my permanent wardrobe.

I made a Kim Dress (By Hand London) bodice and added a box-pleated skirt with pockets. The fabric was a rather stiff polyester Shantung from Fabric Mart.

The fabric is still available if you want it!

This was my inspiration picture: this is one of the owners of By Hand London, Elisalex, wearing a Kim Dress bodice and box-pleated skirt in a much nicer (and drapier) fabric than the one I used. 

Blog post about this dress - By Hand London

We left our kiddo with my in-laws, so the mister and I were too high on freedom to really focus on taking pictures of the dress. The one above is actually after dancing wildly for hours so my lipstick is long gone and my hair has been pulled back for practicality.

I also had removed the little bolero top I also made last-minute to go with the dress (McCalls 7254 - I will definitely be writing a blog post about this one soon. You can see a smidge of it in the pic below (and my hot lipstick, for which I received compliments!).

Here's are some progress shots. This is also a good look at what the sewing room looks like mid-project.

My dressform has much broader shoulders than I do, which kind of sucks for fitting because it's a critical fitting area!

I'm sewing out of order here: I added the zipper to the bodice to check the fit, then sewed the skirt onto the bodice front  and back separately, then cut/trimmed extra fabric, added pockets, and sewed the side seams of the skirt. The zipper still hasn't been sewn into the skirt in this picture, or finished on the bodice.

A Look Back at My First Kim Dress, and Thoughts on Fitting a Smaller Body

I had sewn a Kim bodice (with a circle skirt) before about a year ago, to wear to a "Paint the Town Red" event at a conference in Chicago. It's cool to see how much better I am at fitting now -- I remember being pretty proud of my execution at the time, and I even did multiple bodice muslins to improve the fit.

I am a completely different size now, so I was starting from scratch with a new pattern print print out this time around. I don't remember making any major adjustments - I think I just graded up one size between the bust and the waist (smaller at the bust and upper chest).

Since this is one of those patterns that I made before I lost weight and now again after, it's a good case study in how a lot of patterns are much better fitting out-of-the-packet in the lower end of the size spectrum, at least for me.

I have very narrow shoulders and never had much of a bust, even at my largest measurements. Most patterns grade up all over pretty evenly, and this means that when they get bigger to accommodate a bigger waist, they're also getting bigger/wider in the shoulder area. (McCalls size 22 has a shoulder width that hangs 4" down my arm, IIRC - I'm sure there's someone who normally has to do a broad shoulder adjustment who loves this sizing block!)

Admittedly, I am much more skilled at fitting now, but for my first version of the Kim Dress I remember struggling (even after multiple muslins) to stop the straps from falling off my shoulders. The red version is obviously quite loose in the bust area as well, with gaping under the arms.

Every sewist learns their personal modifications over time, and for most people it's unlikely you'll ever be able to sew straight from the original drafting and get a perfect fit in every pattern line all the time.

It was very frustrating though, when I was starting out and had no idea what I was doing, to have patterns fit so poorly. I thought there was something wrong with me - either my body or my sewing skills - when the bigger problem was that a lot of pattern companies don't seem to understand how larger bodies are proportioned.

The magic with making your own clothes vs buying off the rack is that even if the pattern out of the envelope isn't perfect, you can use your skills to make it fit your body. It takes time to develop those skills, but it's so worth it, and when you're wearing clothes perfectly tailored to your body and you look fantastic, it's so clear that there was nothing wrong with your body. No matter your size, everyone has unique proportions and it's just impossible for any clothing manufacturer or pattern maker to accommodate everyone.

That doesn't mean pattern companies should give up on improving the quality of their "plus size" pattern blocks! I'd suggest you check out Andie's post on Sew Pretty in Pink if you want to learn more about the history of the Plus Size Fashion and Sewing Industry and current challenges.

Rowan Along - Megan Nielsen Rowan Bodysuit/Tee Review and Hacks

Back in the fall, I tried on some clothes at Express and discovered that bodysuits were a thing. It shouldn't have taken me this long, given how aware I was of the problems that a bodysuit solves -- principally: how difficult it is to keep a shirt tucked into pants.

The problem with this new revelation was, Express was selling bodysuits for the ridiculous price of $70. $&)!

Shortly after, I thought to myself:

Self: "Self, you want to wear bodysuits, balk at their price, and you know how to sew. Shouldn't you buy a bodysuit pattern and sew some bodysuits?"

I do some research and buy a Megan Nielsen pattern called the Rowan Bodysuit and Tee.

So I make the bodysuit, and I'm like:

Self: "This is cool. Cool, cool, cool. You can even lengthen the torso so it doesn't feel like you're getting a permanent wedgie."

Rowan bodysuit - it's the one I'm pointing at.

But now I'm settling into bodysuit fatigue, also known as Hedonic Adaptation: "the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes."

Self: "I need another fix."

Also me: "I told myself I wasn't going to buy anymore patterns this year. I have too many already."

Self: "I want to make something new."

Tim Gunn: "Make it work!"

Me again: "But..."

Tim Gunn has no time for your nonsense excuses.

I found myself forced to work within the confines of my extremely limited collection of 3,259 patterns. And in the process, I found my muse.

Sup, girl.

I had an epiphany: A dress is just a shirt with a skirt.

In a fit of genius one night after I put my angel to sleep, I pulled out 2 yards of a double brushed poly from Fabric Mart and freakin' Made It Work big time.

Before you could say "In the world of fashion, one day you're in....and one day you're out" (admittedly a long phrase, which is played up for emotional drama while the camera pans to each anxious contestant), I had whipped up this stunning number:

Serving up some '70s realness in stripes.

I call it: The Rowan Turtle Dress

I drafted a half-circle skirt and altered the Rowan bodice by cutting at the waistline marking (plus seam allowance). I had to do some creative things with cutting on the bias to get it out of the yardage I had, but that actually made it more interesting. It was 4-way stretch fabric, thank goodness.

Boom. It literally took me less than 2 hours, including "drafting" a half circle skirt. The worst part about that was having to remember how math works.

Self: "Honestly, I'm impressed. What else can you do?"

WHAT CAN'T I DO WITH THE ROWAN?

No, seriously. I want to know.

I have another epiphany: A shift dress is just a really long shirt.

So I proceed to make a Rowan Shift Dress:

This flight of fancy was created by basically just adding a bunch of length straight from the hips of the tee pattern. I made it in a whimsical stable double knit from Fashion Fabrics Club. I did get some bunching above my bum, so I created a super hacky "swayback adjustment" dart to improve the fit.

You can see the unsewn adjustment drawn out in the below picture:

You put the line through the coconut, I mean pineapple...

And the final product:

Pineapples WERE harmed in the making of this swayback adjustment.

And here I am modeling my creation:

You can hardly tell me apart from Heidi Klum.

Even fashion geniuses have to do laundry.

Self: "Nothing can stop me now!"

To cleanse my fashion palate, next I make a regular old turtleneck Tee out of a double brushed poly from Fabric Mart:

Also pictured: Thea pants from Style Arc. 

Then: 

I have yet another epiphany: A shirt without a skirt is just a shirt.

Turns out I actually just need more shirts, so I make another Tee, but now it's almost spring so I switch things up a bit and pull out the short sleeve and put away the turtleneck.

Full disclosure: I will not be wearing this next one because it's too tight. It was made out of an ITY knit from Fabric Mart that really isn't appropriate for a garment like this. I should have sized up, but I didn't have enough fabric to do so, so instead I wasted my time making this.

Conserving fabric, wasting time.

On the same day thank goodness I had another make end up being a win, making my second Rowan with a half-circle skirt. This one has some variations from my last one, with a v-neck and short sleeves, so it needs a new name: The Rowan Skater Dress.

Rowan Sk8er Grl

So that's 6 garments from the same pattern, and I'm basically a fashion designer now. On my table upstairs, as I type this, is my 7th version, and it's a mashup of the following patterns:

• Rowan Shift Dress
• Peppermint Magazine/In the Folds Ruffle Sleeve Blouse 
• Style Arc Harmony Blouse 

Self: "It's almost like all garments are almost exactly the same and you didn't need all those patterns in the first place."

Chém Gió GIF from Friends GIFs

An Embarrassment of Camis

We live in a world of abundance. 

• Time for a movie? Go to Netflix and you can choose from thousands. 
• In the mood for cheesecake? The Cheesecake Factory presents you with a menu that's heavier than a biology textbook. 
• You want thingamabob's? Ariel's got twenty!

In the sewing world, we have a similar embarrassment of riches when it comes to pattern options. It's hard to not descend into FOMO when you scroll through Instagram and see all of the amazing projects that fellow sewists have completed (to say nothing of fabric FOMO...).

I've been trying to be more intentional with my sewing in 2019, after 2018 in which I sewed allthethings. Part of this is curating a more cohesive wardrobe, and part is honing my own personal style. I lost about 75 pounds in the last year and my body shape is different than the one I got used to dressing (and let's be honest: trying to hide).

I focused specifically on camis because I have a huge deficit of tops in my wardrobe and after perusing my Pinterest fashion board realized this was a staple piece that showed up often in my idealized wardrobe. I think once I find a great pattern I'll want to churn out a bunch in different fabrics and variations, so it seemed worth the effort to find the perfect one.

So, in the spirit of experimentation, I decided to embark on a toile-ing adventure to discover the perfect cami pattern for me. On a snowy Saturday, I looked at my own pattern library and scoured the Internet for free cami patterns -- since it's a relatively simple garment, I think it's a likely garment type for pattern makers use as a freebie.

Cami Top - free pattern from Simply Sewing Magazine

Creatively named: Cami Top pattern image.

I went down the rabbit hole on the free patterns section of Simply Sewing Magazine's website and found this pattern. Regretfully I cannot find the link to provide for you, but suffice it to say it exists out there, and you can download for free if you register on the site.

It's a one-size pattern (UK size 10 I believe?) and when I measured the pattern it it seemed like it would fit fine. I used some leftover linen-like fabric from JoAnn (previously seen in a Sonata dress for me and a Roller Skate Dress for the kid).

Ain't she cute? This is from 8 months ago and she looks like such a baby compared to now.

Here's the front - I didn't bind the neckline or armholes yet, but I did do fancy French seams on the toile...which is a terrible idea but it's what the instructions said and apparently I'm a lemming without the ability to use situational judgement in my sewing decisions.

Cami top front. Left: showing extra in the underarm area. Right: showing excess in the waist.

If I were to make this again, I'd definitely need to adjust some things - narrow the upper chest/ shoulder straps, and bring in under the bust.

I will probably let this one die as a toile, though. The front and back piece are exactly the same, and obviously there's no dart in the front. In a cami like this I'd like a more fitted shape. In the pictures below, I let it hang as it is sewn on the left, and pinched out some of the excess on the right. I think a swayback adjustment would definitely go a long way in making this more flattering.

Side view of cami top. Left: boxy as sewn. Right: pinching out excess fabric.

Cami Top Rating:

Nice try, but you've lost this time old sport (here's some champagne for your troubles)

Diana Cami - Sewloft Sewing Patterns

Diana Cami pattern pic

As I said, I was scouring the deepest corners of the Internet in this search, and I came upon the Diana Cami from Sewloft, which apparently doesn't exist anymore. The Diana Cami was a free pattern when it came out, so when I found the PDF online through another source I felt like it was fair to use. (I'm no legal scholar, though.) What Katie Sews wrote about this one in her post Camisole Crazy, which brought it to my attention.

Diana cami pattern laying atop the shirt I destroyed to make it.

For fabric, I used this beautiful crepe shirt that was in my bin of things that no longer fit but had nice fabric that I was hoping to use in something. I had to seam rip the darts on the front of the shirt and do some other shenanigans to make it work, which was a bit silly to do for a toile, but I think we've covered my seemingly endless supply of weird decisions when it comes to sewing.

Diana Cami front view. Left: French tucked. Right: Untucked.

The Diana Cami definitely works nicely in a drapey fluid fabric like the crepe, and looks nicely fitted even though there are no darts. I probably should have made the straps a bit longer, and taken the effort to make bias binding strips from the green fabric. Also maybe should have used green thread for top stitching, but...

Definitely not bra friendly, but I mostly want camisoles for layering under blazers/blazigan type garments, so I can definitely see the Diana Cami having a place in my wardrobe. The back also feels more secure/less likely to slip off my shoulders than traditional strap camis.

Diana Cami. Left: side view, untucked. Right: close up of front and neckline tuck.

As Katie did, I made a tuck in the center front neckline to reduce some minor gaping and create a more defined v-neck.

Diana Cami Rating:

I like it (saucily).

Ogden Cami - True Bias

Ogden Cami - True Bias

Unless you just started sewing yesterday (and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd know this on day 1), the Ogden Cami by True Bias is known as the BE ALL END ALL of cami sewing patterns. I made one before and honestly:

Obama is not impressed.

I was a bit worried I'd be stricken down as I stand for saying that, which is why I let my buddy Barack say it for me. Thanks, Obama.

Like, it's OKAYYYY. It's meant to be a boxy cami, and I suppose that's my biggest problem with it: I don't like boxy camis. 

This is the one cami of the bunch that I paid for (and a pretty penny at that), and I was promised a celestial experience - I expected magic in the drafting to make up for the lack of bust darts, and maybe little alteration fairies that would gracefully nip it in in all the right places until it lovingly draped over my body in the most flattering and comfortable way.

Expectations were, admittedly, high.

Ogden Cami, from left to right: 1. front tucked. 2. side tucked, 3. side untucked. I do a lot of things with accessibility at work, and so I feel compelled to do these captions consistently but I feel silly. Somebody please confirm that I'm a good person for making this effort and that it was not all in vain?

I used leftover fabric from a Willamette Shirt I made (and love) in August. 2 yards cost $10 total, and it's possible that it was the single most efficient fabric purchase I ever made, yielding 2 wearable garments with almost zero left over.

...which brings me to one of the reasons I think people love the Ogden Cami. Although this is true of almost any cami pattern, the Ogden is known for being a great scrap buster. So, if this is your tried-and-true cami pattern, it can get a lot of play by virtue of being the default for leftover bits of treasured fabric. Maybe that's the magic I was looking for?

Based on having made it before in a different size, I knew that the straps were too wide for my shoulders and too thin for my bra straps. I widened the straps by about an inch towards the center, and redrew the neckline. I also ended up taking in about 1" on each side in the underarm area.

It fits well enough where it needs to, considering there's very little shaping and this fabric is pretty stiff. I'll definitely wear this under something else. In a drapier fabric it wouldn't look quite so boxy and stand out so much in the front when untucked, so maybe I'll try that. 

It's also super fast to make, and is the only one of the bunch I toiled with a lining/facing, which negates the weirdness of bias binding finishes.

Ogden Cami Rating:

It's fine. It's what I wanted. It's fine. /sarcasm

Cami Conclusion:

I feel like the Perfect Cami (tm) for me will have a dart at the bust. Or, in a less strappy cami, perhaps even princess seams? I might take another go at the Springfield Top by Cashmerette, which is unblogged but was made back in the summer. I might also have a go at drafting my own using a bodice sloper with a dart. 

While I have some wearable garments and some patterns that I might try again, I am still on the hunt for a Tried and True cami pattern. What cami patterns do you love?

2018 Sewing Recap in Pictures

My goodness, my sewing was prolific in 2018.

There are a few reasons why, and the most obvious of which was that I literally needed things to wear as I sized down out of my existing wardrobe and much preferred to sew something rather than buy something.

That's not to say I stopped buying ready-to-wear clothes in 2018, but other than jeans, undergarments, and some sweaters, I could count the newly added RTW items on one hand. (I'm not at the point of wanting to sew jeans and undergarments yet, but maybe we'll get there one day.)

According to my 2017 recap, I sewed:

• Garments: 10
• Shirts: 6
• Dresses: 4
• Quilts completed: 5
• Kid things: 3

That makes a total of 18 completed projects. Let's see how I did in 2018!

December 2018: My most productive month

1. Dove Blouse (#2) [Megan Nielsen Patterns] in Rifle Paper Co. Cotton + Steel Rayon from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabrics.com
2. Rowan Bodysuit [Megan Nielsen Patterns] in a lycra jersey from Fabric Mart 
3. Kiddo Grand'Ourse cardigan [ikatee] in faux fur/leftover jersey both from JoAnn
4. Kristy Woven Top [Style Arc] in a teal satiny fabric - Will Not Finish (poor fabric choice)
5. Butterick 6384 Coat [Butterick] in wool/poly Melton Wool/crepe back satin from Fabric.com
6. To Sell: Many adorable bear ear hats to sell at craft fair - Fleece from JoAnn
7. To Sell: Many beautiful wristlets/cosmetic bags to sell at craft fair - assorted Rifle Paper Co. canvas from Cotton Candy Fabrics and home decor canvas from JoAnn
8. Pussy hat in fleece from JoAnn
9. Vogue Donna Karan DKNY V1194 in a knit crepe from Fabric Mart - Did Not Finish YET

1. Simplicity 1067 in Fleece 
2. McCall's 7254 (#2) in crushed velvet
3. McCall's 7254 (#1) in knit boucle
4. McCall's 7380 [Melissa Watson Designs] in viscose linen noil from Blackbird Fabrics
5. Kiddo Be Curious Dress (#lost count) [Ellie and Mac] in quilting cotton from Birch Fabrics
6. Gifted Isla's Infinity Dress (#5?) [Simple Life Pattern Co.] in knit/double gauze from Birch Fabrics
7. Home Starburst Tree Skirt [Ev Quilts] in fabric from stash and Cotton Candy Fabrics
8. Gifted Forte Top [Love Notions] in jersey from Birch Fabrics
9. Gifted Forte Top [Love Notions] in Hemp & Organic Cotton Jersey from Blackbird Fabrics

November 2018:

1. Gifted Mini heart quilt for dolls for my niece in stash fabric
2. Harmony Woven Top [Style Arc] in sandwashed crepe de chine from Fabric Mart 
3. McCalls 6991 in crepe from Fabric Mart - WILL NOT FINISH (not in love with fabric pattern/too large)
4. Elmira cropped wrap (#2) (Seamwork) in lycra jersey from JoAnn
5. Home Tacky Christmas stockings in quilting cotton from JoAnn
6. Kiddo Full size Scrappy Attic Windows Quilt (Sunny in Cal) in stash quilting cotton - Finished quilt top
7. Aldaia Dress [Pauline Alice] in ponte knit from Fabric Mart - Modifications needed
8. Home Faux roman shade in leftover home decor fabric from Fabric.com
9. Simplicity 1325 in jacquard from JoAnn - wearable toile that I won't be wearing

October 2018:

1. Home Curtains in play room/dining room fabric from JoAnn
2. Kiddo Be Curious Dress (#lost count) [Ellie and Mac] in fabric from Fabric.com
3. Kiddo Modified Isla's Infinity Dress (#4?) [Simple Life Pattern Co.] in stretch velvet/knit from JoAnn
4. Started for kiddo: Scrappy Attic Windows Quilt (Sunny in Cal)

September 2018:

Sorry - adding numbers was time consuming so I gave up...

1. Turner Dress (modified neckline) (#3) [Cashmerette] in jersey knit from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabric.com
2. Sonata Dress (#3) [Love Notions] in crepe de chine from Fabric.com
3. Kiddo Isla's Infinity Dress (#2?) [Simple Life Pattern Co.] in knit from JoAnn
4. Estelle Ponte Jacket [Style Arc] in Ponte knit from Fabric Mart 
5. Blackwood Cardigan (#3) [Helen's Closet] in a sweater knit from ?
6. Emery Dress [Christine Haynes - website currently under construction] in chambray from Fabric.com - WILL NOT FINISH (fabric choice is too depressing - pattern required looooots of modifications in upper chest)
7. Forte Top [Love Notions] in jersey knit from JoAnn (test version for gifted versions later in the year)

1. Blackwood Cardigan (#2) [Helen's Closet] in a sweater knit from ?
2. New Look 6301 in a terrible unstable knit from JoAnn - WILL NOT WEAR because fabric is terrible
3. self-drafted circle skirt out of acrylic coating from JoAnn - mistakes were made
4. kiddo self-drafted elastic waist skirt out of Frozen (TM) plastic garbage from JoAnn
5. kiddo Modified to make a wrap top Isla's Infinity Dress (#1.5?) [Simple Life Pattern Co.] in knit from Birch Fabrics
6. Highlands Wrap Dress (#2) [Allie Olson] in bubble crepe from Fashion Fabrics Club

August 2018:

1. Be the Leader Top [Ellie and Mac] in black ponte knit
2. Dove Blouse (#1) [Megan Nielsen Patterns] in white linen Michael Levine/LowPriceFabrics.com
3. Springfield Top [Cashmerette] in poplin from Fabric.com
4. Fringe Dress (#2) in rayon from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabrics.com - post on my blog here
5. Kiddo Be Curious Dress (#lost count) [Ellie and Mac] in quilting cotton from JoAnn

Listed from top to bottom on the left, then the right pic

1. Lois Dress [Tessuti] in sandwashed crepe de chine from Fabric Mart 
2. Accessory - self-drafted cross-over bag in Rifle Paper Co. Canvas from Cotton Candy Fabrics
3. Willamette Shirt (#1) [Hey June Patterns] in fabric from Fabric.com
4. Willamette Shirt (#2) [Hey June Patterns] in Rifle Paper Co. rayon from Cotton Candy Fabrics
5. Butterick 6556 [Patterns by Gertie] (modified neckline) in cotton sateen from Fabric.com

July 2018:

1. Ogden Cami [True Bias] in salvaged (from another failed project) Rifle Paper Co. Rayon - WILL NOT WEAR (fitting)
2. Montrose Top [Cashmerette] in a mesh fabric from JoAnn - WILL NOT FINISH (scratchy fabric)
3. Gifted Baby vest for a newborn in stash fabric
4. kiddo Isla's Infinity Dress (#1!) [Simple Life Pattern Co.] in knit from Birch Fabrics and quilting cotton skirt from JoAnn
5. McCall's 7745 wrap dress in crepe from Fabric.com - WILL NOT FINISH (I want to burn this pattern in a fire)
6. Turner Dress (#2) [Cashmerette] in double brushed jersey knit from Fabric Mart
7. kiddo McCall's 7459 in quilting cotton from JoAnn
8. kiddo Butterick (See & Sew) 6341 in salvaged (from another failed project) Rifle Paper Co. Rayon

1. Jessica Dress [Mimi G] in linen-like fabric from JoAnn
2. Kate Dress [Style Arc] in ITY knit from Fabric Mart - post on my blog here
3. McCall's 7351 Shirt Dress in poplin from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabric
4. Self-drafted Wrap circle skirt in Rifle Paper Co. Rayon 
5. McCall's 7774 (#1) in leaf print poly crepe from Fabric Mart
6. Southport Dress [True Bias] in crepe from Fabric.com
7. McCall's 7774 (#2) in poplin shirting from Fabric Mart

June 2018:

1. Gifted Roller Skate Dress  (#2) [Oliver and S] in cotton from JoAnn
2. Kiddo Roller Skate Dress  (#1) [Oliver and S] in leftover linen-like fabric from JoAnn
3. Gifted Pinwheel quilt in fabric I won in an Instagram contest from Windham
4. Sonata Dress (#1) [Love Notions] in non-stretch crepe knit from JoAnn - post on my blog
5. Sonata Dress (#2) [Love Notions] in linen-like fabric from JoAnn - post on my blog
6. McCall's 6696 shirt dress in a quilting cotton - wearable toile
7. Vogue 9251 in crepe from Fabric.com

May 2018:

1. Unfinished quilt project
2. Home self-drafted plastic bag holder for bathroom
3. Turner Dress (#2) [Cashmerette] in double brushed jersey knit from Fabric Mart
4. Two projects:
1. Elmira cropped wrap (#1) (Seamwork) in lycra jersey from JoAnn 
2. Kim Dress [By Hand London] with circle skirt in fabric from JoAnn
5. Highlands Wrap Top (#1) [Allie Olson] in bubble crepe from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabric
6. Fringe Dress (#1) in rayon challis from Fabric.com - post on my blog here

January, February, March 2018:

1. Rivermont Dress [Cashmerette] in scuba knit from JoAnn - wearable toile
2. Stay sexy and don't get murdered quilted banner
3. Baby quilt
4. Appleton Dress [Cashmerette] (#2) in double brushed knit from Michael Levine post on my blog here
5. Appleton Dress [Cashmerette] (#1) in Art Gallery jersey knit from Clementine Maine post on my blog here
6. Washington Dress [Cashmerette] - WILL NOT FINISH (fitting issues and fabric woes) - blogged here
7. Blackwood Cardigan (#1) [Helen's Closet] in a sweater knit from Michael Levine/LowPriceFabrics
8. Ug, I don't even want to look this project up - sadly I did wear it for a time but it was a disaster
9. McCall's 7429 - WILL NOT WEAR - more info blogged here

1. kiddo Finished a quilt for the kiddo's bed
2. Home Lots of pillows
3. Accessory Quilted heart tote bag
4. Quilt top finished (baby quilt) - quilted and just waiting for binding as of today
5. Quilt top finished (throw quilt for living room - I did quilt this eventually and we use it all the time)
6. Wonky star quilt (baby quilt)
7. Home Living room curtains - the pic isn't impressive but they're nice! I made like 8 for all of our many windows, adding to 4 I'd already made for our last house
8. To Sell Lots of cosmetic bags
9. scrappy heart quilt (square wall size)

Total Projects: 101 

• Projects by type:
• Home projects: 7
• Quilts finished: 7
• Garments for me (successful, wore/wear): 45
• Garments for me I chose not to finish: 6
• Garments for me I will never wear but finished: 5
• Failure Rate: a mere 10% of all projects, 20% of garment projects
• Kiddo projects: 14
• Husband projects: 1/2 - he gets to share a coat/robe I made 
• Gift projects: 7
• Projects to sell: lots
• Month by month:
• Month with the most makes: December with over 18, including lots of things to sell
• Month with the least makes: April 2018 with 0, nada, nilch. Not sure what was happening?

I'm exhausted just pulling this together so I'll save more of the narration of this year for other posts.

Happy new year! Onward and upward (but probably not an upward number of sewing projects because this is getting kind of ridiculous).

Kate Expectations

I'll skip the pleasantries and jump right in.

I'm partial to wrap dresses, wrap tops, pretty much anything I can wrap around my earthly vessel. As a result, I have sewn many a wrap dress in my sewing journeys.

First up, the Kate Wrap Dress by Style Arc.

Style Arc is an Australian pattern company and I'm a huge fan. I've found that their patterns fit me well straight out of the ... I'd say package, but PDF is more appropriate in this case. (It would be impossible for me to have the patience to wait for a printer pattern to ship from Australia so thank goodness for PDF patterns.)

In case it's not clear, the Kate Dress is a reference to a certain Duchess who I guess wore a wrap dress at some point.

Here are some pictures of the dress in progress. I was trying to decide what to do for the sleeve cuffs since I had a lovely border print to work with. I can't find the original color, but this is what the fabric I cut from looked like:

Purchased from Fabric Mart

My original thought was that I would have the stripe run along the bottom of the dress hem, however the stripe ran down the grainline instead of across it.

The fabric only stretched across the selvage so my options were either to not have it stretch widthwise (not advisable with a garment with some negative ease) or piece the hem onto the bottom. Given the slinky nature of the ITY knit I felt it would be weird to add a seamline at thigh level.

I gave up on that idea and thought I might be able to add the stripe to the sleeve cuffs but wasn't in love with the look.

I was left with the stripe at the tie only, and while I feel like it was a missed opportunity with such a nice border print fabric, I think it was the right choice for this dress.

Something I really like about this wrap dress is the clear elastic you sew into the neckline. It feels quite secure when you're wearing it. I don't love the look of the zig zag stitch down the edge of the neckline, but it'd probably be less noticeable if I could have matched the thread to the fabric -- my choice was to either do it in white and have that show up on the black part of the print, or do it in black and have that show up on the white part of the print.

I'm quite pleased with how it came out, and I even made a knit slip to go under it so I have no worries about flashing anyone.

Once I sewed it together, the tie lost all traces of the yellow stripe, which was hidden in the seam.

I forget if the pattern instructions said to do it this way, but I only ever set in sleeves flat these days. Knit patterns tend to instruct you to construct them flat, but most woven patterns want you to finagle them in after you've sewn side seams. Ain't nobody got time for that.

The dress fits really well, the pattern is great, and while there are a few tricky bits (like getting the elastic in right) it's a pretty straightforward and simple pattern. If you're looking for a nice wrap dress pattern that you can wear to work, this definitely fits the bill.

Spend summary:
Pattern: $10ish
Fabric: 3 yards @ $4/yard = $12
Total cost: $22

Speaking of wrap dresses, you can read about another famous knit wrap pattern I've made multiple times, the Appleton Dress by Cashmerette. The Appleton has a really nice neckband construction which I admire greatly.

That's all for now, or as my toddler now frequently says to my great delight: Toodles.