sewing saturday! patchwork crop top

Sewing Saturday! Last week, I asked you guys to tell me which project I should sew next - a quilted cotton crop top or rose colored peter pan collar blouse. Well, the votes were equal for each project.. so I'm going to sew both blouses - next week, the rose hued blouse and this week, the crop top!

What you'll need for this pattern - fabric (about half a yard), double fold bias tape, and the usuals - an iron included.

To begin, I pressed the pattern pieces and fabric, laid out the pieces on top of the fabric (right sides together) at the fold, then cut the pieces.

The front called for bust darts and the back piece for two back darts, so I sewed those in and pressed them. I then stitched the front and back pieces together at the shoulder seams.

Once the two pieces are connected, it's time to stay stitch. I stay stitched the arm holes, bottom edges, and neck opening at the seam allowance, then trimmed them with pinking shears. I then sewed the bias tape to these openings, sewing the side seams together when I was finished.

Finished product! What would you pair this top with? I'm thinking denim overalls and my saddle shoes.

That's all for this week! Happy weekend!

sewing saturday.. completed wide legged high waist trousers!

Sewing Saturday! This weekend, I finished the wide legged chambray trousers I started a couple of weeks back.

To start, I sewed the two back pieces together at the center seam and sewed the darts in as well, much like I did with the front pieces previously. I then pressed the zipper opening by 5/8 inch and 1/2 inch on the front piece, hand basting the zipper in place (long, easy-to-remove red stitches in the first photo). Once the zipper was firm, I turned the pockets inside out, pressed them, and pinned them to their designated spots at the front of the pants. I sewed the two ends at the top and sides then topstitched along the curve, leaving the pocket opening at the top.

I then sewed the zipper in place using my machine's zipper foot. I attached the front and back pieces together at the sides then eased them to fit in the middle. I sewed the legs together from the crotch down. Once the legs were formed, I pressed then sewed the openings. I allowed a two inch seam, although now I know I'll have to hem them a whole lot more if I want them to fit me. Maybe I'll cuff them at the bottom.

Now for the waistband! I attached the faced piece of waistband to the waist of the pants, right sides together, matching markings on both pieces. I sewed them together within their seam allowance, trimmed the seams, then pressed the waistband upwards. The other piece of waistband was left. I ironed the 5/8 inch seam allowance on the notched edge of the un-faced waistband piece, then attached it to the faced waistband, right sides together, sewing the top and sides. I trimmed edges and turned them outside in, ironing the waistband flat. The 5/8 inch seam allowance that was ironed inwards is now at the inside of the trousers. I slip stitched the inside piece of waistband to the pants, carefully and discreetly.

The last step involved sewing some hook and eye closures to the waistband opening.. and then, done!

Now, these pants are nearly the entire length of me. So I'll have to do some major hemming. And the waist is a bit big too, but that's a problem easily fixed with a belt. I can't wait to wear them! What do you think I should pair them with? I've just found a pretty nude lace crop top that I might try wearing out with these pants (if I'm feeling brave and not going to church).

Friday marked the death of a friend of mine - my laptop. Red wine was spilled and all was lost. While being without my Macbook is definitely a pain (as well as losing some much-loved photos and files on my hard drive), I'm really looking forward to a new computer! Mine was nearly four years old, so it was about time to retire him anyway. Any laptop suggestions? Is the new 13 inch Macbook a good buy?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

sewing saturday! red velvet valentine dress

Sewing Saturday! I didn't expect to have a completed project to share with you guys today - but after two full days of sewing, I finished my Valentine dress!

Now, it's just a matter of waiting a full week to wear it.

Lots of steps, so I'll try to abbreviate a bit (sorry there aren't photos for every step.. I'm trying to keep this short-ish, but if you have any questions, feel free to email me!).

My first section to finish was the bodice, which was considerably more time-consuming than the skirt. I began by marking and sewing darts - four in the back (shoulder and waist), and two in the front (bust). I clipped them with pinking shears and pressed them.

Using my zipper foot, I sewed the 18 inch zipper at the back, pressing the 5/8 seam allowance on both center ends of the back bodice inwards, as well as attaching the two back pieces by sewing a couple of inches at the bottom of the bodice.

I then tackled the facing - armhole and neck. The neck came in three different pieces, so I sewed them together and clipped and pressed the seams. I then sewed 1/4 inch from the outer edges of all three facing pieces, pressed at the stitching line inwards, then stitched over the pressed 1/4 inch. I sewed the facing, right sides together, to their designated spots on the bodice, making sure to match markings. I pinned them in place first and trimmed the seams afterwards. Once they were stitched in place, I stitched a second seam right above the first on the facing, stitching the inside seam edges and facing together to reinforce it a bit.

I then pressed the facing pieces inside (this is the part where you should stitch them in place inside the dress.. and if I wasn't lazy, I'm sure I would have done that). Then, I stitched the sides of the bodice together - front to back, right sides together.

Skirt! The skirt pattern pieces called for two separate pieces for the back and one for the front (cut at the fold), just like the front and back bodice. First step was sewing the two back skirt pieces together (so the seam would be the center back seam on the skirt of the dress, and be in line with the zipper), then sewing the back piece to the front at the sides. I then pressed the hem and sewed it - I pressed two inches, wrong sides together, at the hem, then folded one inch of the hem inwards, pinned it, and stitched it shut.

Then it was time to gather the skirt. I gathered the skirt the old fashioned way this time.. stitching two lines at the top of the skirt (within the 5/8 inch seam allowance), being careful not to backstitch or connect the ends (or cross the lines). I then pulled the threads and gathered along them, spacing it apart so the width of the skirt matched the width of the bodice (for a more detailed description, go here).

Then, I had two finished pieces. I sewed them at the waist, right sides together.

Somewhere along the way, I had to choose which trim I'd use on the bodice. I wrestled between a lot of choices, but mainly these three - two strands of thin, cream colored lace and light pink floral buds. I ended up choosing the flowers.. I sewed three buds near the neckline, once the dress was finished.

Finished! What do you guys think? And how would you style this dress? I'm thinking cream colored tights and maybe some lace up oxfords.

To bed for me, I've got an early morning. Lots to do tomorrow.. fabric shopping, work downtown, time with friends, art crawl, amateur wrestling. A weird mix. Have a great weekend!

sewing saturday! railroad stripe overalls

Belated Sewing Saturday! I completed railroad stripe overalls this weekend.

Taking after where I left off in part two..

First, I sewed darts into the two back pieces then sewed them together, stopping at the pattern mark where the zipper would begin. I then pressed the seams open and sewed the zipper into the back.

I sewed the back piece to the front piece at the sides, pressing the seams open afterwards. After sewing the legs together, I pressed about 5/8 inch up at the leg openings and finished the hem.

Then, I had to work in facing. I top stitched 5/8 inch along the unnotched edges and 1/4 inch along the notched ones. Once that was finished, I sewed the three facing pieces together, pressing the seams. I then ironed at the 1/4 top stitch line, wrong sides together, then sewed it.

I stitched the shoulder straps at the back, then stitched the facing to the bodice at the top at the 5/8 inch line, right sides together. I pressed the facing inside and connected the buckles to the straps, then sewed buttons onto the front of the bodice.

Finished! Cotton railroad striped overalls for the fall. What do you think?

Back to the mess that is packing and unpacking. We'll be settled into our new place by Sunday, can't wait to share photos with you all! Hope you're having a fantastic week.