BLUE BOMB.....Part 1

Well Well Well....I love Blue.

I know I know.  I don't know why I need so many skirts.  Perhaps I like them because it enhances my height.  Personally, I have got to be the MOST pickiest person when it comes to style, look, colour, fabric prints and on-trends.

Also, let's think about this for a minute...

I have seen prices on skirts in ritzy boutiques and franchise stores and I got to tell you, the price I can make them at and the over abundance of prints available makes me gag at the high prices one can pay for the amount of general

"I can't sew, so I should just settle and buy something."

Well, I can buy so many fabrics at really good prices and the great thing is, is that pencil skirts only need take 1.5 metres of fabric, so BARGAIN!!!

And, as I said before, THE BIG 4 companies pencil skirts vary little when it comes to pencil skirt shapes given that some may add an extra dart in or two or put in a back vent or a sexy front side slit but really, not much difference.  And guess what?  We sometimes pay through the nose in the stores and most of the time hardly anybody notices or cares.

Interesting isn't it?

I happened to take a week off and spend time with family in the East Kooteneys and I found the Jacobean print I have been desperate in finding for a awhile now. To me it has the right shade of blue with the flowers and the fantasy rooster-fowl on it.  Keep in mind, I did buy a quilting cotton for a light weight summer skirt. They work really well for a durable dress shirt too.  Just thought I would put that out there.

Anyway, while I was in the East Kooteneys I also brought home some out of print patterns that are still on trend. 

Like you think I would sew up a storm on something that wreaks of 1976? (Yeah avocado green, brown, orange and red shag carpets....that was it man)

Anyway, I whipped this skirt up with McCalls 3588 view C.

Anyway, I cut out the pattern and seen that there are 4 darts on the front and back each.  I suppose that gives it a 1985 retro charm but luckily, it doesn't really show up too much.

Front

Back view with vent


This is different a 2.25 inch hem. Rather large but OK...
I actually changed it to 2 inches.

Darts in the front.  Like I said, a 1985 retro charm sort of shape.
I am not sure if it will give me a Bhudda belly shape or not.

Serging colour...blue.
I always have the upper loop thread facing towards the CB

Now, here is something to think about.  I could have gone two ways here with a decision about what thread colour I should choose.

1. Think about the major colour that stands out the most.  Use that dominance for your thread colour
2. Use a complimentary match.  It usually exists on the pattern but is not the major dominant colour.

These basic rules should also extend to your serging scheme.  Either way, you can't lose.

In looking at this Jacobean print, mostly, the dominant colour is the dark blue.  I used this as my thread colour as well as my serging finish.  I could have used white since it is the background colour.  But here's the thing, I would not choose it as a topstitch.

Well, why?

Because, it can make the look of the print regress a little plus, you can see a lot of imperfections in techniques (eg: wavy-gravy lines that make your finished look down graded) .  Not what you want!

This is so true when sewing boning channels on corsets.  It is SO important that your sewing lines stay straight!  Not just for looks but, also when this happens, you can create areas of more space which can make your boning material rotate.  Not what you want.

I also kind of cringed with the waist band.  A little dinky in size. If I want a waist band, let me have my belt carriers.  Other wise...let's just forget it and use it as a facing that doesn't add too much freaking bulk.

Anyway, lets focus on BLUE BOMB part 2!!!  I wonder...lets wait and see.


Bye for now!

Karin

Gray Scale World

Hi everyone!

In my last post I mentioned that I would focus on a gray scale type of clothing and I came to think that with the gray dress I purchased Quality up close and this new floral print I thought it would be fitting to embark on a dress for the

"Put-together lady who luncheons type of personality"

 

 

Personally, this is the look I thrive on.  The other thing to think about is 'How am I going to decide which pattern to choose?'

 

Well, that was a piece of cake only because it had to be semi formal and modest. (No low hanging or popping out anything).

Can you imagine??

 

So, with me I buy sooo many patterns it is hard to decide, but I chose New Look 6023, which seem to have enough and FabricLand stopped selling the Simplicity owned patterns except Burda because of some deal that went sour.

I don't tend to always focus on the Big 4, but, sometimes they do have what you need at a price that can't be beat!

 

(Honestly, I always use my blouses from these patterns, so I am not really biased).

 

So, in my short success of my weight reduction I fit nicely into a pattern size 16 and believe it or not, there was room in the armhole, which I had to re-adjust, but HEY!!!

 

I did the yellow dress view D without the belt

This dress fit suprisingly well, and as I said it had a ridiculously huge armhole area.  I also didn't make the neckline as it is seen here mainly because I almost chocked at the high neckline without that facing/border. I turned it in and understitched it.

 

I am not a fan of Mustard yellow.  It has to be a soft yellow, this shade is just rude!!!

 

I also didn't put that self fabric belt on. In my supplies I have a 2.5 cm diameter brass rings and boy, they would be too heavy for this, plus the brass alloy colour didn't work.

 

I also tried putting on the armhole facing/binding and I basted it on, and I looked in the mirror and realised that I had Star Trek puffs or KISS sleeves

 

I don't want to look like a Clingon or anybody from the KISS band.  That look is SO over!  So what I did was serge the edge and press it back and stitch it down.  That reduced the KISS factor right then and there!!

 

Front view

Back view



Midriff back at CB with invisible zipper
And the top/edge stitch too!!! Damn that looks good!



Armhole stitchery

This dress was a good snug fit.  It may look a little wavy-gravy in the pictures but also remember that this mannequin has a 23-26" waist line and an A cup.

 

I don't have that.....

 

But I really loved this print.  I had been waiting to buy it, and the thing is, if you wait...sales will go on!

 

Until next time!!!

 

Bye Bye everybody!!!