Mihee So

FO: Vogue 1189 Dress

2011-03-17T00:31:00.016-05:00

Wow... does time fly! It's definitely been a busy few months in every aspect of life... I have been sewing as time permitted so little by little I will be catching up on finished items. My last post left you with a preview so here's the final product!

I've never been really good with meeting any of my self-imposed sewing deadlines (or sew-a-longs for that matter), so this dress was not finished in time for our anniversary; however, I did wear to my brother's graduation at the beginning of December. :)

Pattern: Vogue 1189

Fabric: 100% polyester Watercolor Silky Print (@ $6.99/ yd) from Joann

Mods:

Did not use elastic in the waist or the sleeve bands. I do recommend them though... I realized they're necessary at least of the sleeve bands to keep them up.
Accidentally cutout the sleeves in the same direction... I had enough fabric to cut-out another sleeve but it seemed to work fine... I guess this wasn't an intentional modification.

Total Cost: approx. $28.50

Notes: The pattern was easy to work with... it was the fabric that was difficult because it was so slippery. I eventually used fabric stabilizer which was definitely helpful. I do like that the fabric is crinkled and doesn't wrinkle easily; however, that also means is doesn't press well with an iron. Overall, it was a fun pattern, and I love the braid trim even though I wish mine was a little more even.

Other updates:
Lady Grey Coat - slow progress on the handstitching... I hope to finish by next winter because it's definitely spring here in Texas. :)

Finished: Butterick 5100 Top

2010-11-11T13:57:00.001-06:00

Two years in the making for such a simple top... I think I began this top in October of 2008. I drafted the review on PR back in March of 2009 leaving only the hemming undone. Well, I finally finished it a couple of nights ago... phew!

Pattern: Butterick 5100 with view A length and view D cowl (I'm not surprised it's out of print!)
Fabric: Ivory sweater knit from fabric.com back in 2008 for a total of $6.37
Notions: thread
Total Cost: $7.36 ($0.99 pattern + $6.37 fabric)

I don't know why this was just hung in my closet for so long when all I had to do was finish the sleeve hem and the bottom hem. This pattern is SUPER easy... but hemming is my least favorite part of sewing. I don't remember what the instructions were but I don't like the way I finished sleeves. The way that they are cut also makes it hang off my shoulders funny, but don't mind too much. Doesn't it looks like I have wings?

There's an Anthropologie across from work, and I stopped by the other day and bought the belt in the picture along with a headband.

These are the earrings that I wore... they're from the streets of SOHO when I was in New York. They're handmade and I love them!

Here's a sneak peak at something else I'm working on. Our wedding anniversary is this Friday, and we're celebrating on Monday so that gives me an extra few days to finish it. :D

FO: Padded Pouch

2010-11-05T17:12:00.000-05:00

Over the past weekend, I worked on a padded pouch... which was just pieced together with leftover fabric from this bag.

Pattern: none... just went with the flow
Fabric: Amy Butler remnants for the exterior, white sueded fabric for the interiof
Notions: poly/cotton batting, ribbon

I wanted the pouch to be medium size with pretty much a square bottom, and ended up with a pouch much bigger than what I originally wanted but it'll do for now.

Can you see why I wanted a padded pouch right away? I told myself I couldn't use it until I had a "case" to protect it.

Now it has room to fit my point and shoot, Fuji Instax, and my new camera! I was in such a rush and had a difficult time sewing through all the layers that I didn't care if my stitches were wonky and all over the place.

I created 2 "handles: by stringing a piece of ribbon through each side. I did this so I could carry on my shoulder if need be. For next time, I'd make it smaller, add an interior patch pocket and add interfacing. (I totally forgot the interfacing and then was too lazy to go back and add it... I really wanted to finish!)

Here are some of my first photos:

My dress:

The back view is not very flattering... I think the angle of the camera's weird... I promiss my hem isn't that uneven. :P Have a beautiful day!!

WIP: Lady Grey Tailoring Part I

2010-11-03T23:15:00.000-05:00

Tailoring Part I - The Front

I'm a little behind in the Lady Grey Sew-Along... especially since it's now over. :) Gertie is truly amazing and has done some wonderful posts for this sew-along!! I think for the first couple of weeks of October I just stared at her posts because they were so wonderful (and a little overwhelming). After all this staring and watching her post one tutorial after another, I finally decided to give it a go.

{Warning: this is a long picture filled post!}

Basting the side fronts:
Here's Gertie's first tailoring post. I did things slighty out of order from her posts, too.

Supplies: silk thread, needle, and beeswax

I did practice my basting stitches using unwaxed silk thread, waxed silk thread, and pressed waxed silk thread. The winter white wool is a little too light so, I'm underlining it with a bamboo/rayon muslin. This makes my side front piece three layers; wool, underlining, and hair canvas. I was afraid that the three layers would make it difficult, but it didn't at all.

The knotted thread is the plain silk thread. I did notice a huge difference between the unwaxed and waxed silk thread. However, I didn't notice a difference between the pressed and unpressed thread. So, I proceed without pressing. If you would to see a tutorial on pressing waxed there, Casey has a wonderful one here.

My progress... only a couple of lines done here...

Bound Buttonholes

Supplies: silk organza, interfacing
Notes: This was my first time trying this type of buttonhole. I did add interfacing to the "lips" to give it more structure & support. I didn't baste the lips, which made it slightly shift on one of the final ones, but other than that it's not too bad. It looks like they got better with each try.

Test buttonhole: the ugly

First buttonhole: a little crooked

Second buttonhole: just right

Tailoring the Front
Gertie's post I
Gertie's post II

Catchstitching

More basting and the roll line:
Supplies: linen tape

Padstitching:
I know it's difficult to see, but here are my padstitches. I had a hard time trying to figure out how to sew perpendicular to the line and still get a diagonal stitch... I guess I couldn't figure it out in my head until actually just did it.

I didn't pin the lapel down as I rolled and padstitched, which made the hair canvas shift a lot. I'm not sure how this will affect the lapel in the finished product but I don't feel like unpicking and redoing it especially when I have another one to do. :P

Overall, I'm super excited about all the new techniques I've learned and learning. I've done most of my handstitching on my daily commute to work on the bus and have grown quite fond of handstitching in general. I'm not sure when I'll be done with my coat but up next is the back side seams, pockets, and sleeves.

Shopping: Fashion Design Books

2010-10-26T22:21:00.000-05:00

We're down to our last few NYC craft stores! Here we have Fashion Design Books right on the FIT campus, but it's not the FIT bookstore.

There are lots of sewing related textbooks and tools available... it looks like a good place to be for a fashion design student. :D Here's a couple of items I picked up that I absolutely love. I didn't see them here in Texas before NYC, but I saw that my local Joann carries it, too, once I got back of course... they were just in the quilting section.

These are now my go-to marking tools. There were some bad reviews for the chalk set due to markings being permanent. I haven't had an issue, but I would recommend that you test on the fabric first.

FO: Vogue 8489 Dress

2010-10-24T23:35:00.001-05:00

Progess is slow on the sewing front. I did start experimenting with handstitching on the Lady Grey, but more on that later. Today, I have a finished dress to show you!

Pattern: Vogue 8489 knit dress in view E

Fabric: Stylized Floral Jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics bought in 2008 @ $10/yd and black jersey from 2008

Other: black fusible tricot interfacing for the neck and midriff bands @ $3/yd

Mods: no zipper
Total Cost: approx. $27.00

I bought this fabric, which looks like there are still a couple of yards left, with the intention of using this pattern over two years ago. It's now finally complete.

Cennetta from The Mahogany Stylist also used this fabric to make this dress. You can see what this dress would look like without the contrasting neck and midriff bands.

Overall, it's a easy knit dress. The fusible tricot had enough stretch in it that I didn't need the zipper in the back. It's very comfortable and very slimming. I did slipstitch the facings by hand, which was nice and relaxing to do with wine and friends. The only thing that I don't like about this is dress is that it's VERY LOW cut but that can be fixed with a camisole.

WIP: Lady Grey Muslin

2010-10-01T07:32:00.001-05:00

The Muslin Stage

Fabric: White cotton twill from fabric.com back in 2008 @ $3.50/yd (I think I used about 2.5 yds)

Notes: This is my first official time I've made a muslin (I made one other muslin a few months ago but it's not even done), and I'm enjoying the process very much. I don't know if I'd make a muslin for every garment I make since it's rather involved, but I'll definitely consider it for my more expensive fabric and complicated patterns.

Steps: Aside from the pattern tracing and cutting, I followed Gertie's muslin steps. Here's a simple breakdown.... this is more for my reference in the future.

Extend seam allowance to 1".
Thread trace seam lines.
Baste pieces together.
Press seam and hem allowances.

It looks kind of weird just hanging here... it looks much better on, but you can see the 1" seam allowances and the thread traced seam lines.

The Result:

I didn't hem or pin the hem allowance all the way so you can see bits of hanging out... oops!

Conclusion: I'm satisfied with the result and it doesn't look like I need to make any changes as far as I can see. Do you notice any draglines or adjustments I may need? Please let me know if you do! The lighting does make it difficult to see any draglines, too... The only thing I need to work on is setting in sleeves... I've never been good at this, and I want to perfect it for this project... do you think that will be too difficult?

Free Sewing Patterns

2010-09-29T00:07:00.000-05:00

Leko is offering free sewing patterns through the end of September. I can't remember where I originally saw this, but I had to share. The only downsides are that the sizes available for free are only Burda sizes 42-44 and there are not very many English instructions. I definitely found some that I liked so I downloaded them onto my computer. I recommend checking them out. :)

Shopping: Purl Soho

2010-09-13T07:35:00.000-05:00

I was very excited to see Purl Soho... I've seen all the wonderful stuff on their website and their blog. It's a beauty!

I do like to knit occasionally, but it's just so slow compared to sewing and I easily get bored of it. Plus my hands get hot easily and knitting makes them sweaty.... eww! :) Well... Purl Soho has lots of yummy yarn!

There are also designer quilting cottons in the back.

They have a whole bunch of crafty kits and books, too, and their decor is so cute!

It's a cute little place that has lots of crafty stuff in it. Their blog has tons of inspiration and tutorials as well. If you're in the Soho area, I definitely recommend visiting them. If you're not in the area, then I recommend that you visit their online store and blog. :) Happy Crafting!

Lady Grey Sew-A-Long

2010-09-11T08:53:00.001-05:00

Along with many others, I'm participating in the Lady Grey Sew-Along that's hosted by Gertie. I'm not very good at sticking to a SWAP (see I trailed off or has just been left hanging my Summer Sewing Essentials, 2009 Fall Wardrobe, and 2009 Summer SWAP)... I apparently have some committment issues, but I'm going to do everything I can to stick with this one. ^_^

Pattern: Lady Grey by Colette Patterns
Fabric: winter white 100% wool from Joann @ $12.50/yd, silky watercolor flowers from Joann @ $7.00/yd

These pictures are Sarai's (she is the owner of Colette Patterns) pictures from here.

I just fell in love with pattern when it was released... isn't just beautiful?! I was determined to find the right winter white wool for it, too. When I was at Metro Textiles, Kashi pulled a lot of winter white wools for me but they ended up being either too yellow, too thin, or too thick. I know I know... I was being super picky, but I knew if I wasn't happy with the fabric I wouldn't use it or worse I wouldn't like the finished garment after all that work. Believe me, I had been looking for the "perfect" fabric for quite some time now.

I thought it was a hopeless cause and maybe should use something I already had in my stash... but lo and behold the fabric I was looking for was at my local Joann!

Now with my fabric choices set, I'm pretty excited about the sew-along. Plans for the weekend are pre-treating my fabric, finding something in my stash to use as muslin, and tracing the pattern. I'm also creating a Fall 2010 SWAP around my Lady Grey coat... but you know how those SWAPs go... nevertheless I love planning! Have a great weekend!

Shopping: M&J Trimming

2010-09-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

Chugging along to my next store is M&J Trimming. It's a BIG store with lots of stuff! This store to was overwhelming but so much fun... they have all kinds of stuff and their walls were filled to the top!

I didn't buy anything from here just because I didn't know what I'd buy and how I would use it. You definitely need to know what you're looking for or at least have some kind of idea. I haven't used trim before so I didn't even know where to begin.

Everything was neatly organized. I wish I lived there just so I can pick up trim when I finally had a project for it... at least they have an online store, too. :)

Shopping: Metro Textiles

2010-09-09T21:49:00.000-05:00

Continuing on my review of stores in NYC, my next stop was Metro Textiles. As I mentioned before, this was my first time in New York. I had a difficult time looking for this place... I luckily had my phone to sort of help me out... which led me to the general vicinity of store. Unlike Mood, it did not have a sign in the window. I had to guess which building it was and look at the directory to find Metro Textiles. Then you take the elevator to the appropriate floor (I can't remember which one it is... you have to look at the directory) and then around the corner... POUF... there it is! :)

Kashi, the owner, is very inviting and helpful. He coerced me into buying more fabric and than I wanted to buy... hehe... but I love every piece! He even said he would ship it for me so that I didn't have to worry about my luggage. :) It's a small space, but the store is filled to the brim with fabric. Like his website says there all sorts of different types with a great selection.

Unfortunately, I was too busy purchasing fabric that I forgot to take a picture with Kashi and his store. Instead, here's a glimpse of my fabric purchases...

There some wools, rayon knits, cottons, and silks... for a whopping total of 26 yards! Eek!

I totally recommend stopping by. He also has a mailing list that you can join, where he sends you swatches. I'm glad I was able to stop by!

Shopping: Mood Review

2010-09-08T23:38:00.002-05:00

While I was in New York, I said I had stopped by some well known sewing related shops! Lindsey T has a very good garment district guide along with reviews here and a map. She is an awesome resource! (Thanks so much~!)

First up... Mood Fabrics. I saw the store signs on the 2nd floor windows of a building, but no store front on the street. You have to take the elevator to the 2nd floor. It was a very old school, cute elevator... there was an elevator attendant who had to close the doors and take you to the floor you needed.

The store itself is very overwhelming... there are three floors of fabric, and they have quite a selection.

Inspiration boards with swatches were everywhere...

I saw many associates helping people, and they seemed very knowledgeable. I didn't purchase anything due to time restraint and was just too overwhelmed. I did have fun walking around, and it was a great experience. It is a bit on the pricer said of things, but not as much as I anticipated. I don't know how the Project Runway people get all their supplies here in 30 minutes though... that's insane!

Travels: NYC

2010-09-08T23:28:00.001-05:00

I recently ventured to the Big Apple to just hangout with friends. It was my first time there, and I loved every minute of it! It's great to have public transportation or just being able to walk somewhere. I did have a little bit of spare time to run around to some sewing places, but I'll review those in individual posts.

One thing I miss are all the wonderful places to eat!! I wholeheartedly recommend all these places. However, these are not representative of all my favorite places...

Penelope's One Night Stand Waffles...

Donut Plant's donuts...

Luke's rolls...

Stumptown's cappuccino...

Eleven Madison Park's beef tenderloin...

Not that you would be interested or would even have the time... but if you do, the rest of my 900 or so photos from the trip can be found here. ^__^

FAIL: Vogue 1151 Dress

2010-09-01T23:46:00.001-05:00

Pattern: Vogue 1151 Dress
Fabric: Stretch matte jersey from fabric.com

There are just too many "wrinkles" on this dress! I should've used a more stable knit... this fabric was too thin and had a little more stretch than I needed.

I tried to finish it by just chugging through it, but I know I won't wear it. All that was left was the hem and slip stitching of the collar. I think the fabric choice was the cause of failure in this dress... and the fact that I probably stretched the fabric will trying to neatly sew the curves and darts... but it's just easier to blame the fabric. =P I really like the style and may give it another go when the right fabric comes along but for now... I don't know what I'm going to do with it.

What do you think? Is there any hope in this dress? I've already resewn all the seams to try to make it less wrinkly, and the drag lines are much worse when it's worn, too. I'm not sure if the lines stand out but they're mainly near the darts in the middle sections as well as the armholes. There are also shiny iron markings on the collar. Oh well... at least it was only a loss of about $5.

Bye bye... dress!

FO: McCall's 5576 Tunic

2010-08-16T23:35:00.000-05:00

Pattern: M5576 - Out of Print - View C with modifications
Description: Made for my MIL's birthday back in July with some requested modifications
Fabric: 100% cotton from years ago.. maybe 2006 or 2007?
Notions: lightweight fusible interfacing (Is this considered a notion or fabric or something else?)

Modifications:

Did not use a zipper due to the wide neckline.
Did not use the ruffle portion of the sleeve from view C.
Changed the length from dress to tunic... took off about 6" from the bottom of the dress.
Raised the neckline by 1.5" by just winging it and gathering the sleeve cap more. This made for a "poufy" sleeve.
Took in the front yoke by 1.5" because it was too wide, which I found out after I applied the yoke and didn't want to cut a new piece. This part was also winged... but created a nice little pleat in the dress front.

Conclusion: The instructions were very easy to follow. The sizing runs a little big and the neckline is a little low and wide, but other than that it's a pretty simple dress/tunic. I may make this in view A for myself.

M6069 Update

2010-08-16T07:41:00.000-05:00

Finally had a chance to take some pictures of my McCall's 6069 dress...

Happy Monday!

FO: McCall's 6069 Dress

2010-08-03T00:15:00.001-05:00

I needed a quick and easy sewing project and McCall's 6069 was just what I needed.

Pattern: McCall's 6069 View A
Fabric: Polyester clearance knit from Hancock Fabrics from 2008 [stash busting]
Notions: < 1 yard of 3/8" elastic

I didn't add the back strap but now I wish I did. The dress tends to fall off my shoulders, and I think the strap would help with that. As a temporary fix, I used safety pins to anchor the dress to my bra straps, which worked really well. For a permanent fix, I plan to add the bra strap thing... hahaha... yeah I don't know what it's called, but is the little string chain that snaps at the shoulder seam to keep your bra straps in place. This dress currently hits me right above the knee, which I think is the perfect length for this dress... the only problem is that it's unhemmed. If I make this dress again I would add a couple of inches so I could hem it.

I don't have pictures of it on, but here it is on the hanger. Hopefully, I'll take some pictures with it on, but I'm not promising anything... :P

August Already?

2010-08-02T23:54:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe how fast the year is going by! July went especially fast... there was plenty going on at work and then a little vacation to California and Colorado. Here are some photos from the trip...

Somewhere on Stanford's campus:

Chinese food so delicious... there were multiple courses and this was my favorite... the meat is duck but other than that I don't know what this is... I just know you wrap and eat! :)

Sesame dessert balls... yum!

This is where we ate... Ming's in Palo Alto, CA... if you're in the area you should check them out!

We were in Cali for a friend's wedding, which was at Halbrook-Palmer Park in Menlo Park, CA. It was stunning!!

Milbrae, CA... very nice neighborhood:

From Cali we flew to Colorado, where my in-laws picked us up for a little road trip. Here's part of Rocky Mountain National Park... a storm's a coming...

Pike's Peak... we rode the Cograil Train, which you may be able to spot on the left hand side... it's tiny!

Not a good picture of me... but we went whitewater rafting in Bighorn Sheep Canyon, which was soooo fun!

Royal Gorge:

Giveaway Winners

2010-07-06T21:59:00.000-05:00

The winners from this giveaway are:

V8420: Rebeca
M5711: Karin
Floral gauze: Kara
Turquoise knit: Barbara

Please contact me with your information so I can send your prizes. Congrats!

FO: Burda 02-2010-104 Skirt

2010-06-27T23:42:00.055-05:00

My first Burda (magazine) pattern... 02-2010-104 skirt. I love the simplicity of this skirt! There's some great versions here and here and here. I'm glad this was my first Burda pattern since it's so easy... I didn't really need to refer to Burda's infamous instructions. :)

Pattern: 02-2010-104
Fabric: Stretch cotton sateen print from Hancock Fabrics from summer 2009
Notions: invisible white zipper

As much I love this skirt, I ended up giving it away to my sister-in-law due to sizing. I like to wear my bottoms at my lower waist. The pattern specifically said that the top of the waistband was going to be at my waist, and I chose to ignore it. It wasn't blatantly ignored... I reasoned it through saying that the little bit of lycra would be enough to make the skirt hit my lower waist. I was wrong because it was interfaced! Haha... I could wear, but I wouldn't be happy with it. It's where it will be loved and worn. :)

On another note, the waistband got a little wonky and the "stitch in the ditch" isn't looking so hot... I think it's because I was originally going to omit the interfacing and then changed my mind, which ended up going on the lining/inside portion.

But on a good note... my invisible zipper looks much better than my last skirt.

Even though I didn't end up with the skirt, I really like the pattern and will give it another shot. Happy creating!

FO: McCalls 5590 Skirt

2010-06-27T17:34:00.000-05:00

Back in November of 2009, I started a yellow wool crepe skirt... completed right in the thick of the Texas heat! :)

Pattern: McCall's 5590, view B
Fabric: 100% wool crepe in dandelion yellow from Fabric.com back in 10/2008, white mystery fabric for lining both from stash
Notions: white invisible zipper, Rigilene boning, self-covered buttons

Modifications based on A Sewn Wardrobe's version

Added lining
Used an invisible zipper
Added Rigilene boning on the side seams

I've worn the skirt twice now and it's a little warm, but still wearable in the summer heat. I think it's due to the loose weave of the fabric. The skirt itself is a little loud, but I like it! Please excuse the wrinkles... this is after wearing it twice.

Close-up of the buttons and tab:

View of the back:

My invisible zipper is not very good... I should've used a yellow one, but was too lazy to go buy one and used one in my stash. There's also a little ripple in it as well. Although it's not perfect, I spent way too long on finishing this and decided to just wear it as is. I suppose one of these days I will try to fix the zipper. Warning: wool crepe unravels a lot!

FO: Father's Day Ties

2010-06-27T16:55:00.001-05:00

Pattern: Father's Day Ties by the Purl Bee
Fabric: Art Gallery Fabrics Retro-spective Kitchen Bouquet in blue (This was bought at my local fabric shop, The Common Thread.)

I LoVE this fabric!!! It feels like there's a super high thread count and doesn't feel like a typical quilting cotton. I used less than a yard of this fabric to make two ties; however, I wouldn't recommend getting less than a yard since it needs to be cut on the bias.

I made two of these ties out of the same fabric... one for my daddy and one for my father-in-law. They can match! :)

I was able to get a flower right in the middle of the tie... I shouldn't have undone it... oh well!

Tips:

When using quilting weight, omit the heavyweight sew-in interfacing.
Make sure the fold-lines of the pattern are on the fold-lines of the fabric. I cut the middle piece incorrectly and it make my tie shorter, but it's still long enough to be a tie.
The back-end piece is a little wide when compared to a store bought tie. When tying a double knot, I had to wrap it tightly in order to get the right length... but this is also due to mine be shorter than the pattern.
Be ready to TONS of hand sewing.

Here's a cute gift box idea I used to box the tie in...
Father's Day Shirt & Tie Gift Box by Paper Crave

Yes, I was in a rush and just used tape to adhere the bow tie. Hehe...

::Giveaway Time::

2010-06-27T16:47:00.001-05:00

Out of appreciation for moving blogs with me, I'm hosting a giveaway. I hope I've chosen items that you would want. :)

Patterns:
Out of Print Vogue 8420 - Size 14-20

Out of Print McCall's 5711 Size 6-14

Fabric:
Cotton floral gauze - approx. 1.5 yds with 50" width

Turquoise Rib Knit - approx. 1.125 yds with 60" width
This picture should be rotated 90 degrees.

Rules:
Leave a comment with which item you would want and contact information by Sunday, July 4, 2010 midnight Central time. I will ship worldwide. Good luck!

::Welcome::

2010-06-22T00:18:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my new and improved blog~! Hehe.. it's still a under construction so I hope you'll bear with me. I will get a giveaway together sometime this week.

FO: Simplicity 2886 - The Sundress

2010-06-13T22:17:00.002-05:00

I made this dress to wear to my little brother's graduation. It's a nice cotton sundress that was perfect for the Texas heat. I think it looks like a little girl's (around the age of 5) dress due to my fabric choices. It's cute, but I'm not sure it suits me... it's growing on me and the husband likes it. I've already worn it out in public twice in less than 2 weeks so that's a good sign. This also the first completed item for my Summer Essentials Sewalong. :)

Pattern: Simplicity 2886
Fabric: Amy Butler's Lotus Collection Lacework in brown (main) and pink cotton (contrasting) both of which were from my stash :)

Modifications:

No elastic in the back bodice... used 2 darts instead to remove gaping.
Used bodice from view C and skirt from view A.
Used a 2" hem allowance.

Recommendations:

Sew the pintucks down... otherwise you'll it will look uneven and you'll have to iron it every time and it will still look like this:

Don't wait until the end to insert straps like it says in the instructions.
Be careful with markings and the curves.
Pins are your friends. :) I don't normally use very many of them, but they definitely helped on this one.

Please ignore my funny facial expression. I did have a picture where I was smiling, but it looks like I accidentally deleted it thinking that this was the correct one... boo! There's also some wrinkling due to wear. :)

I love the pleating on the skirt, which isn't too noticeable with my busy print, and the pockets on this dress! I do recommend this pattern... it makes for a great sundress.

Currently in progress:
- Kwik Sew 2689... pieces cut out and partially sewn

- Burda 02-2010-104... traced

FO: iPhone Cozy Take II

2010-06-10T23:39:00.000-05:00

I'm supposed to be working on my Summer Essentials Sew-Along, but I've took a little detour yesterday. Awhile back I made a wristlet / iPhone cozy... I liked it but knew I would need to make some changes for the next one. Here's my updated wristlet made for a friend.

Pattern: my own
Fabric: Amy Butler's Daisy Chain and navy Kona cotton both leftover from other projects
Notions: d-ring, swivel hook, and pearl snap

I followed Tanya's suggestion about using pearl snaps... I definitely love more than the button! Thanks, Tanya! I already like this much more than my previous one, but I'm already thinking of some changes for Take III.

Summer Essentials Sew-Along

2010-06-08T21:22:00.003-05:00

Ali from the wardrobe, reimagined is hosting a "Summer Essentials Sew-Along" that I've decided to join. Click here for more info.

Here's what I have imagined for my summer sewing so far...

Poolside Pretties:
Kwik Sew 2689 - swimsuit

Amy Butler's Modern Diaper Bag from Little Stitches - beach bag

Clamdiggers & Co:
Simplicity 4135

Sailor pants - NL6190 & Sailor in Burmuda mash

Sweet & Sassy Skirts:
Burda 02-2010-104

The Sundress:
Simplicity 2886 - Completed 6/3/10 (Post on this in the making...)
Infinity Dress
Vogue 1086
Burda 04-2010-116

Tees, Tunics, & Blouses:
McCall 5977
Self-drafted halter

Those Summer Nights:
Simplicity 3538 - JCrew Fiona modification
Burda 04-2010-117

What can I say... I love to plan! Who knows what I'll actually finish, but my goal is to have at least one item from each category. This will be my composite page for this sew-along.

FO: Mother's Day Aprons

2010-06-07T23:47:00.000-05:00

I originally had this post ready before Mother's Day, but it looks like the month of May just came and flew by...

2 aprons in 2 days for Mother's Day... my mommy (yes, I still call my mom mommy) and my mother-in-law.

Pattern: Mango Tango from A is for Apron
Fabric: quilting cottons from Joann in my stash... they were both leftover fabric from previous projects.
Notions: lots of bias tape

Apron 1:

Apron 2:

I really wasn't in the mood to model the apron for you, but I didn't know how else to photograph it... I didn't like how apron 1 was photographed, but it was mailed before I could retake the pictures... one of these days I'll get a dressform. Yes, I sew in a t-shirt and Jordan basketball shorts... it's so comfy and easy to get in and out of when I need to try on things. :)

There are some really neat aprons in this book, and I do want to eventually make some other ones, too. The above apron is designed by momomadeit. The only thing I disliked about the pattern is that you have to enlarge and piece it together. I may not have been doing it the best way, but I felt like I wasted lots of paper. It just wasn't efficient. Here's how one of the pattern pieces came out.

Any suggestions for the future? Happy Sewing!

FO: Simplicity 3538 Jacket

2010-05-08T10:06:00.001-05:00

I decided to make my mom a jacket for Christmas and finally completed it about a month ago... oops! She knew about the jacket because I had brought it over for a fitting. I completed the jacket while I was in town and she was at work... leaving it in her bedroom while I came back home (in a different city). She called me later to say thank you and also to point out all my mistakes. My mom is a professional tailor and seamstress mind you... I knew I wasn't going to get away with anything. :)

Pattern: Simplicity 3538
Fabric: Off-white suiting and printed charmeuse from Joann with white cotton underlining.

I really like the versatility of this pattern. I do want to make this for myself with ruffles like many others did based on the JCrew Fiona jacket.

Some modifications and/or tips:

I needed to underline the off-white suiting because the lining was visible from the outside.
Don't line the jacket based on the pattern instructions! After reading many reviews, I should've bagged the lining as many suggested. However, since it was my first lining I thought I should proceed with the pattern instructions. This was no good... I had a hard time with the sleeves and did NOT like how it turned out on the inside.
The sleeves are a little too skinny for my mom's (and my) arms, but we both have full arms.

If you do the lining their way this is what the sleeves look like before the bias tape...

I did reduce the seam allowance because the arms were a little tight and trimmed it evenly down, which made finishing with bias tape every difficult. I had to hand stitch the bias tape down, which I didn't mind, but it just looked homemade. (The poly charmeuse unravels like crazy!)

I also don't like how the sleeve vents turned out... there's all fabric bunching going there.

I also finished the buttonholes a little too small. The buttons do fit but it's not easy... oops! The procrastinator that I am didn't have time to fix it. :P Sorry, mommy... I love you! My first lined jacket complete! I will definitely give this pattern another go, but just with some mods.

Food: My New Favorite Pizza

2010-04-27T00:22:00.000-05:00

I LoVE the Pioneer Woman! If you haven't discovered her yet, you have to check her out. She's amazing! :) I've tried a few of her recipes and they're delicious... this is where my new favorite pizza comes in... Caramelized Onion Prosciutto Pizza. It's simply amazing!

It's pretty easy, too... all it takes is:

some pizza dough (recipe is included on the linked website):

caramelized onions... I used yellow onions because I didn't have any red ones:

prosciutto, parmesan, and mozzarella:

Then you layer all the ingredients:

Stick it in the oven and tada:

The most fabulous pizza ever!!

FO: Easy Bolero

2010-04-25T22:46:00.000-05:00

I need some spring outerwear to wear over my tanks and dresses. I had this pale blue rib knit from fabric.com since July 2006... I had one yard for $1.94. (Yay, another stash fabric used up!) I saw this easy bolero somewhere a few years and thought I'd finally give it a try. What do you think?

With brooch (my right sleeve is not laying correctly):

Without brooch:

Back (Hehe... I'm not sure why I'm crooked.):

This dress is not handmade... I got from BCBG back in 2005. Not bad for $2, huh? As I was trying to figure out how to make this bolero, I made some mistakes and had to cut out my serged edges.

Isn't it much prettier as a flower?

The flower isn't actually sewn yet... I was just testing it out. I'm glad I can make use of my scraps... so nothing from this fabric is getting thrown out. :) Can't decide if I want to make it a headband or a brooch or both?

FO: New Look 6470 Cowl Tank

2010-04-24T16:22:00.000-05:00

New Look 6470 is one of the first patterns I purchased probably back in 2006... before I even took sewing lessons. I took a stab at the skirt trying to teach myself how to sew... I didn't know there was a difference between woven and knit and that sewing pattern sizes are different than ready to wear sizes. No wonder I was frustrated and decided to take sewing lessons a year later.

Well I didn't make or finish the skirt , but I did make view B, which is the cowl neck tank. It's only 2 pieces!! That's crazy!! :) This is a super easy tank, and I made it with the remnants from my recent Simplicity 3503 dress... yay for more stash busting. (I'm trying really hard not to acquire any new fabric and just use my huge stash... it's really hard with all the pretty fabric and spring inspiration.) I like how the two pieces fit on my left over fabric... I thought I wasn't going to be able to use it.

Picture taken at a church tennis tournament and it was super sunny. I was obviously not playing... I was the event photographer. :)

I would totally recommend this pattern. There are over 30 reviews of it on Pattern Review, and it's still available... it's not out of print based on the Simplicity website and some of the reviews are dated from 2005. I do want to make some of the other views, too.

Some notes on this pattern:

I usually go one size down on Big 4 patterns, but based on the finished measurements I decided to go with my intended measured size. It is fit perfectly! Hehehe.. I guess they knew thing to two about a little less ease back then. :)
The pattern does not have instructions to finish the raw edges. I don't mind this too much and it can be easily accommodated. I did not spend the extra time to make the edges pretty because I wanted to finish before I went to bed. Overall, I think this pattern from tracing to sewing only took me a couple of hours to make.
I love how versatile this top is! I can be dressy or casual.
I added fusible hem tape to stabilize the fabric before I stitched. I also added fusible hem tape to the neckline in order to keep the edge from flipping out.
This is my SMOT #2!

FO: Simplicity 4539 Top

2010-04-18T22:40:00.000-05:00

I joined the Spring Month of Tops hosted by Faye. There are lots of great tops already posted on the blog. You should check out if you haven't already. Here's my first top for the month.

Pattern: Simplicity 4539 (out of print - OOP) view E
Fabric: from stash - melon spandex jersey from fabric.com @ $2.49/yd (ordered 3/25/08) Yay for stash busting!

Below are some mistakes I made that could've been avoided if I went with my gut instinct.

I read the cutting layout incorrectly and did not cut the front and back pieces on the correct grain. (i.e. there's no stretch across the width.) I even though I thought it was incorrect while I was cutting it, but didn't think to double check.
I put on the collar inside out. As I was pinning the collar, I thought that I should baste it first, but decided I was too lazy and just serged. (By the way, pinning fabric for the serger is different than pinning for the sewing machine... in case you didn't know. I don't want anyone ruining his/her serger.) I should've just basted, then I could of redone the collar. From the picture above, you can tell that the collar seam will be visible from the outside.
Even though I pinned the collar, some of the front fabric bunched up along the collar seam. You can see it better in the picture below.

Despite all the mistakes, I still like the shirt and will still wear it. Because of the incorrect layout it's a little tight across the bust and back. You can see how it pulls and bunches across those areas.

Below are changes that I made and some recommendations:

I didn't hem the top. I have a rather short torso and I liked the length without it being hemmed. Next time, I'll lengthen the top and top it. If you have regular or long torso, I would definitely recommend lengthen the pieces.
My side seams were only 3/8" because there was no stretch, and it was going to be a little too tight with 5/8" seams.
I didn't hem the collar... just because I didn't think it was necessary and I was being lazy.
Double check and make sure you're cutting on the right grain.
Go with your gut instincts!! :)

I think it's a great basic pattern. There's only 3 pattern pieces to this view, and it's SUPER easy. I will definitely be making this again... maybe again this month. :)

FO: Simplicity 3503 Dress

2010-04-18T21:58:00.000-05:00

I haven't really done much sewing lately... I've seen such great inspiration through many blogs and planned so many things to sew, but when it came down to actually making it... I just didn't want to sew. There was a wedding this past Saturday and I didn't have anything to wear. So of course, Friday night I decided to trace, cut, and sew a dress for the wedding the next day! :)

I used Simplicity 3503, which was 2009 best pattern on PR, and it's well deserved. There's many great versions of it here. I chose to make view E, which has good coverage in the back.

Pattern: Simplicity 3503 View E
Fabric: from the stash - Robert Kauffman knit from Hancock Fabric and nylon tricot from fabric.com

I had a lot of firsts with this dress. I've listed them out below.

I traced a Big 4 pattern. I usually just cut-out the tissue, but I need to grade down in size so I felt safer tracing the pattern. Also, I felt like I would reuse this pattern in the future and didn't want to ruin the original tissue pattern.
I graded a size down. I bought this pattern awhile back... before my weight loss, and didn't have the size I needed. I was really nervous about this, but it turned out pretty well. This dress was still a tad bit big, but I didn't mind. Since it was a knit, it was probably more forgiving of any mistakes that I made.
I hand slip stitched the facings and linings. I didn't like the idea of hand sewing because I thought it was too time consuming, but it was actually therapeutic. The initial stitches weren't done correctly, but I eventually got the hang of it, and now I actually like to hand-sew! I never thought that I'd enjoy that process.

Some errors I made along the way:
1. Do not iron nylon tricot! See this big hole (look below)?? I forgot that it was made out of nylon and put the hot iron directly on top of it... bad idea. Luckily it is on the inside and it isn't TOO big.

2. Instead of using tricot, I should've used the fashion fabric. I little bit of the tricot can be seen on the outside, but you have to look closely.

3. I would use a contrasting band like Eugenia's version. I think that the band blends in too much with the dress... especially on the right side.

Overall, I learned a great deal in making this dress. I surprised myself in finishing it, too, since I traced, graded down, cut-out, and sewed the dress all in less than 24 hours... I also got 7 hours of sleep. I would definitely make this dress again, and I would recommend it to anyone that hasn't already made one. ^___^

I think I have a new perspective on sewing, too. In the past I just wanted to finish an item and didn't really ENJOY the process of making it. Hehe... I don't really know how to explain it... for example, I didn't like cutting out a pattern much less think about tracing a pattern. But much to my surprise, I liked every step in making this dress, and I think it's due to all the great sewing blogs I've been reading. They're so encouraging and helpful! Thanks! Hopefully, this is the beginning of getting back to sewing.

My Prom Dress

2010-03-21T22:51:00.000-05:00

With prom season around the corner there's talk about making prom dresses... whether it's a parent sewing for their daughter or someone sewing her own dress. The Selfish Seamstress had a pretty awesome prom dress. Click here to see hers. Although I didn't sew my own dress my best friend and I did make ones out of duct tape. :) It was for this scholarship contest that we were planning on entering, but didn't.

Here are our dresses... the photo is the professional one taken at prom. (I'm the one on the right. ^___^ )

I felt bad for my date because I ended up going around with my friend in our dresses rather than spending time with him. (Sorry, DA!) I wish I had close-ups of my duct tape dress because I did put a lot of detail into it. There are ruffles on the asymmetrical hem of the dress, which was added inside the limo after dinner but before the dance. I also made duct tape roses that were attached on top of my right shoulder.

I made this dress without knowing anything about sewing... there are no "seams" on the dress. We made sheets of duct tape my taping my bedroom door. Then we would carefully peel it off and then carefully tape another layer of duct tape on top (sticky side against sticky side). Once we had this "duct tape fabric" we cut out our pattern pieces and pieced the whole dressed together on our own bodies while using duct tape to tape our "seams". Once we got the look we wanted, we cut it down on of the side seams. Does that make sense? Hahaha.. this is difficult to explain. After we had our prom dinner, all the girls helped us into our dresses in the restaurant's bathroom. We needed them to help tape the side seam we had cut. It was quite the experiment... but it brings back lots of good memories. :)

My friend and I did wear "normal" prom dresses for before and dinner pictures. Here is a picture of my normal dress... I'm the one in the coral dress. I loved this dress, too! It took me 5 months to find it... but I'm glad I did... I just wish I could still fit into it. :)

Yarn On the House Winner

2010-03-17T23:53:00.000-05:00

I won my first giveaway!! :) I won French Press Knit's Felted Slipper pattern and purple wool yarn from Yarn On the House. I've been eyeing this pattern for some time now after seeing JadeBlade's awesome version. I hope mine turn out just as cute. Here's my free yarn.

15 Min Skirt

2010-03-17T23:33:00.000-05:00

I had some interlock knit leftover from my Butterick 5247 dress, which I decided I didn't like but more on that in the future. I was holding onto the leftover fabric to make a top, but it turns out that it wasn't enough for what I was planning. So instead I decided to cut it up and make a fitting pencil-like skirt with waistband. It was all done on my serger in a matter of minutes. I really like because it was simple and super comfy! I think it could be dressed up or down.

Please excuse the wrinkles...

I didn't take any measurements to cut out the skirt. I took the panel of fabric and laid it across my body and then serged the sides. I also cutout a wide waistband. The interlock had some stretch across the width so I had the waistband a little smaller than what it should've been. Viola! I'm very pleased with the results.

This skirt was done back in November, but I just didn't get around to taking any pictures until last month... :)

And the Winner...

2010-03-08T13:43:00.000-06:00

for the McCall's pattern is: Antoinette

for the Simplicty pattern is: Sheila

for the journal is: Andrea

*Sorry for the blurriness of all the photos... they were taken on my phone.*

Ladies, I will get in contact with you for your mailing addresses. :)

Thank you for all the nice comments on my journal and entering the giveaways! I really enjoyed the process of making the journal. Hopefully, I can clean off my desk and take pictures of the process.

Cowboys External HD Case

2010-03-02T23:13:00.000-06:00

There was left over Dallas Cowboys cotton from pjs that were made for my dad and father-in-law for Christmas. I used these scraps to make a external hard drive case for my father-in-law's birthday last month. I just winged the size of the case based on my external drive and online measurements of the actual HD. In the end, it fit perfectly.

A large metal snap was used as a closure. This was my first time installing this type of snap. I don't think the tool was properly aligned, and it smashed a portion of the inside. It still works, but isn't pretty... here's the peak inside the snap.

Here it is opened. There's a pocket for the cable, too. I couldn't resist adding my label. ^__^

This is a picture with my HD and cable. I eventually need to make a case for myself. :)

I used all scrap fabric pieces for this item. The exterior fabric is 100% cotton, with 100% cotton twill for the lining, and some sort of batting in between for a little cushion.

Thanks for you all your comments on my blog anniversary! I really do appreciate them. Don't forget to enter in my giveaway on my last post. It's open through Sunday, March 7th.

2nd Blog Anniversary

2010-02-28T23:41:00.000-06:00

Hello~! Today is my 2nd blog anniversary. I can't believe it's been 2 years! :) Thank you for reading and following along with me on my adventures here! I appreciate your comments and helpful advices! I really do. :) So to thank you, I have a giveaway!

First up, Simplicity 3532 in sizes 8-16. This pattern is uncut.

Next up, McCall 5718 in sizes 8-16. This pattern is also uncut.

And finally, a little blank journal. It's a little imperfect due to it's handmade nature. Sorry about that! I'm still practicing my punching and binding with Bind-It-All! This journal has 33 blank pages and a metal label holder on the cover. I will include blank labels for you, too. The journal itself is 6.2" x 6.2" not including the spiral with 6" x 6" pages.

This picture should be rotated 90 degrees clockwise.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me which item you would like. Please leave an email or a way for me to contact you. You can enter to win all the three items. I will draw a name for each item next Sunday at midnight US Central time zone. You have until then to leave a comment. It is open for any country. :) Once again, THaNKS!

Simplicity 2601 Top I

2010-02-21T17:39:00.000-06:00

Finally finished one Simplicity 2601 top. (There is another one in progress in a different view.) I had some leftover Amy Butler Daisy Chain from this dress. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, but I was very frustrated while making this top. All of the frustration was because I was trying to rush through the bias binding. I should've ironed and taken it slowly... it would've helped if I used single fold bias tape instead of double, too. Also, I'm not very good at loop turning. Anyone have any suggestions?

I used covered buttons, and I love how they turned out. Overall, it was a great pattern and top and I definitely do recommend it. I do need a little break from it for my second top since I need to get over my personal frustration with the top.

Oooo... another thing is that I joined stash busting hosted by Zoe. I did get some fabric as a Valentine's present, but that doesn't count, right? :) I am determined to go through more of my stash and not buy any more fabric. I haven't decided what my limits would be yet... should it be by time or projects? I think projects make more sense since I could go long periods of time without finishing projects. How about finishing at least four projects with stash fabric before buying any new ones? :)

Etsy Purchases

2010-02-03T00:11:00.000-06:00

Here are some of my recent Etsy purchases that I absolutely love and had to share!

Sarah Jane Studios - Ordered a 2010 calendar for myself and a V-day card... no pic of the card just in case. :)

Pretty Random Objects - I didn't take a picture of the items I ordered because I forgot to before sending them off as Christmas gifts. She makes really cute little ceramic pieces. Here's a link to the little bear vase I ordered. I definitely recommend checking her items out.

Anna Cote - No pictures on this one, too. Here's a link to what I ordered... CD calendars. She's super quick and nice. I've ordered a few times last year and love her products.

Jelly Beans - I ordered this print as an wedding anniversary gift.

Tracy Chong - I ordered this card for our anniversary. The hubs loved it!

New Vogue Patterns

2010-01-20T12:02:00.000-06:00

The McCall pattern company has updated their websites for Butterick, Vogue, and McCall. I got the word from KID MD. :) I was just on the McCall's website yesterday, too... I guess it happened overnight.

Well, they've added a couple of new designers to the Vogue patterns... Rebecca Taylor and Rachel Comey. I'm soooo excited about Rebecca Taylor because I LOVE her designs! Best of all, they have a pattern for a suit that I've been waiting to make!!! I even bought fabric for it last year and was trying to figure out which patterns would come close, but now I don't have to worry. It's V1169.

From the Vogue pattern website

Here's the suit for sale from Nordstrom for $365.00 last year. (The picture was saved from the Nordstrom website.) I just love it!

I didn't get to browse too much on the websites, but so far I like the changes. It looks fancier. :) Until next time... happy creating!

UT Regular Guy Beanie

2010-01-18T22:05:00.000-06:00

My second finished item for 2010! :) It's a beanie for my husband. I started this in December, but finally got around to finishing it. It's a pretty easy, standard beanie... used the Regular Guy Beanie.

I put the UT in front of the name because of the "burnt orange" color. :)

(Actually, we're watching the Texas vs. Kansas State men's basketball right now. Go Horns!) I love the "star" pattern created at the top of the beanie from the decreases.

The only thing I didn't like about the pattern is that the top was a little pointy as seen in the top photo... the picture is with a little stretching, too. Once it's on, it's fine and the hubby loves it! :)

I didn't do much knitting in 2009, but I've really hit the ground running in 2010. I'm currently working on the Corona Hoodie for myself... it's a little slow going because I'm S L O W at knitting. There's 5" of ribbing and the picture shows ~3".

I also started the Colonnade Shawl from Knitty last night for a gift to my aunt. If this shawl goes well I'll be making another one for another aunt... both for their birthdays next month. Hehehe... no WIP picture for this one.

I think I'm a little burned out from sewing. I've a few sewing projects that I need to finish, but it's just staring at me on my desk. I'm feeling very "eh" about them... I didn't think this day would ever come! Hopefully, it won't last too long. :)

Some New Toys

2010-01-15T00:45:00.000-06:00

I recently received some new sewing "toys". For Christmas I received sewing books (and a scanner that's not pictured) from my husband.

(Hmm... I still don't know how to rotate these pictures on blogger.)

I'm very excited about these books. I already know I'll get valuable information from these based on others' reviews. :) I started reading the Shirtmaking and the Tailoring books. Next up are Gingher scissors!! I bought these when they were on sale at Joann. One is pinking shears and the other is dressmaker's shears.

The pinking shears are my first pair and I love them! The dressmaker's shears are super nice, too! They're not as comfortable to cut with for long periods of time, but boy do they make some clean cuts. Then, I recently bought some Colette patterns from The Common Thread, a local independent fabric shop. I love this shop!! If you're in the Austin area, I definitely recommend it. The store has a great selection of fabric and the owner, Jeanie, is super nice and very personable. She personally emailed me when she got the Lady Grey pattern in and saved it for me!

I've heard great things about Colette patterns and I can't wait to try one out. I will definitely be starting with the Sencha blouse since it's rated beginner.

Wedding Picture Silhouette

2010-01-11T21:12:00.000-06:00

This post is a bit random from all my sewing and knitting... In high school, I took two years of upper art in digital graphics. (I wanted to go to art school for digital design, but ended up being an accounting major. :)) I made a silhouette of one our wedding pictures using Photoshop. Here's the original picture:

I don't think my digital graphics teacher would be very proud of my little project because it's not smooth, but I only printed a 5x7 so it's not noticeable. Here's our silhouette:

My Christmas Present

2010-01-10T20:14:00.000-06:00

... from my brother. :) I'm very blessed!

No words are necessary.... hehehe. Here it is open and ready for use:

This is the first thing I made with it.

Lemon Pound Cake from Smitten Kitchen... very yummy!

Twinkle Diamond Scarf

2010-01-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

My first FO for 2010 is a scarf! I started this sometime in December to use some yarns in my stash. It was fun knitting with what my husband called baseball bats. :)

Pattern: Diamond Scarf from Twinkle's Big City Knits by Wenlan Chia
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Quick (Held two together)
Needles: US size 35
Changes: Didn't add fringe and didn't pay attention to the length... I just stopped when I felt like it.
Comments: I love the pattern! It was pretty easy to memorize, but it's hard to see the lace in person... maybe I need to block it? It seems like you can see it better in the picture. It was a present to a lady at church. This yarn is super soft!

The Sugar Doll Award

2010-01-05T16:12:00.000-06:00

The lovely Faye Lewis granted me this award. Thank you, Faye! To accept the award I need to list 10 things about myself and award it to 7 other bloggers. So here it goes...

I just received a KitchenAid mixer from my brother for Christmas that I'm super excited about. I've always wanted one!
My mom is a professional tailor, but she didn't teach me how to sew. She was always afraid that I would sew my finger to the fabric.
I've never been to New York. Actually, the only place I've been on the east coast was to Orlando 5.5 years ago.
My husband has been through and/or to every state in the U.S. (The last one was Alaska last summer on a cruise with the family.)
My dream vacation is going to Australia and New Zealand.
I love food and love trying different ethnic foods!
I need to clean more often.
I love, love shoes!
I hate hemming.
I'm addicted to Words with Friends on my iPhone.

I nominate the following people for this award.

2009 FO: Vogue 2980 Top

2010-01-04T23:08:00.000-06:00

I finished this top sometime in December. I used Sandra Betzina's Vogue 2980, which is the popular faux bolero top. I love this top! I was a little worried about the sizing on this pattern since it's mentioned several times in the reviews. I went with my bust measurement, which gave me more leeway in the waist. This leeway was definitely needed!

The only changed I made was not hemming the bottom of the shirt. I used fusible tape, but I may need to go ahead and hem it since it's not staying very well. We'll see how it is through the wash. There are a couple more things that were finished before the end of 2009, but they'll have to wait since they're going through the wash.

Sewing machine update: It's not fixed. I'm borrowing my FIL's at the moment.

2010 Goals

2010-01-04T20:41:00.000-06:00

Bow and bird from Songbird Avenue Dec '09 kit.

Looking on toward 2010... these are some things I want to work on this year as far as the creative side goes:

Handmade wardrobe for myself, no buying clothes --> except undergarments and accessories
Make a pair of jeans --> I saw so many nice jeans made in 2009 that I really want to give this a try.
Make a bra (knitted or sewn)
Make a coat --> I've really been inspired by Gertie's coat
Learn and master 3 new sewing techniques
Make at least 3 knitted garments
Make a scrapbook for 2009 and finish 2008's.

My health and fitness goals are:

1. Run in a 5K and 10K
2. Participate in a triathlon
3. Better eating habits (details on this TBD)

I'm exciting about this year! I can't wait to see what you guys come up on your blogs, too! I've been inspired and encouraged by all of you guys. Hehehe... I'm always teased by my family and friends saying that I'm an old granny because I love to knit and sew, but I know I'm not alone in this world. Thank you!

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone had a safe and fun new year's day! Wishing you the best this next year.

P.s. I'm wearing a traditional Korean dress called hanbok and had a traditional celebration.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T01:49:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I made Christmas tree cake pops for my coworkers. It's from Bakerella. These were pretty fun to make.

Social Darling Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-12-03T11:12:00.000-06:00

Social Darling Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Another giveaway from Grosgrain. Love this dress!

MOT #1, 2

2009-11-30T22:26:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been much sewing going on this month... it's been pretty busy at work and no working sewing machine. I started two Simplicity 2601 tops, but I'm waiting on my sewing machine before I can finish it.

I wanted to contribute to the MOT sew-a-long hosted by Faye so I did what I could... serging and hand sewing. I used T-shirt Makeovers by the Sistahs of Harlem.

I made two tops from this book... a one shoulder tank and ruffled tank. Here are the book versions of the tops.

The ruffled tank took some hand sewing, but it wasn't too bad. The instructions are pretty straight forward.

I'm wearing the one-shoulder tank with a long-sleeve, which I don't think I'll pair together when I actually wear the tank. Instead of doing the "ribbon" I cut-off the bottom of the shirt and serged it to the top of shirt.

I enjoyed refashioning my t-shirts. I think I'll try a few of the other tops in the book as well. Overall, the book has a lot of great ideas, but I don't think I could pull off a lot of the tops... some of them are backless and/or very cropped. I like some of the ideas, but I'll have to re-work them so they are less skin revealing...

*Please ignore the white spots on my head in the photos... I'm not sure what that's from and I didn't want to edit it.

New Glasses

2009-11-19T23:39:00.000-06:00

I worked at an optical for a few years in college and loved it... I loved picking and fitting frames that were perfect for the customer and had a wonderful staff to work with. I still go the optical I used to work at, which is Eclectic Eyewear. If you're into frames and are in the Austin area, I definitely recommend them. They have a very friendly staff and a great selection of frames and they also have good optometrists.

For my last visit, I bought a new pair of glasses and I LoVE them! While working at an optical, I feel in love with two frame companies, ProDesign and Lafont. I have 3 pairs of ProDesign frames (including my new ones and wear all of them) and 0 Lafonts. (Lafonts are on the higher end of frames... one of these days I will own a pair.) Here are my new glasses.

I loved ProDesign so much I even thought about being a sales rep once I graduated... but I don't think I would make a good sales rep. I would definitely recommend ProDesign frames... their quality is good, look fantastic, and have their own trademark look! I can pick out a ProDesign frame any day. :)

Simplicity 2603 Cardi Wrap

2009-11-19T23:19:00.000-06:00

I made the Simplicity 2603 wrap cardigan a couple of months ago. I've already worn it a few times, but didn't get a chance to take any pictures until recently. (This is the cardigan wrap that is the DKNY cozy knockoff.) There are many ways to wear it, but these are my favorite. Hahaha... I think my poses are awkward... oh well.

There are a ton of reviews on PatternReview.com here. I LoVE this cardigan, and I will definitely be making it again. I love the bold colors in the DKNY spread that Adrienne found... I just need to find the right colored drapey knit.

Some things I changed from the pattern are not adding the elastic at the neck and not hemming the edges. Next time, I will make the sleeves full length... I tried to attach the bottom part of the sleeve but the seam was too bulky. I ended up cutting it out.

Engine 2 Diet

2009-11-16T22:29:00.000-06:00

Over the past several years I've struggled with weight. There were times when I would get very depressed because I was so unhappy with it. My eating habits have changed drastically since I first started working at Whole Foods Market. Even with the change in my diet, I didn't lose any weight. I grew up being pretty active, and I knew I had to exercise along with eating right. At the beginning of this year I set out to be healthier, and to date have lost 25 pounds through better eating and exercise.

Now onto the diet I was on for the last 4 weeks... The Engine 2 Diet. One sentence synopsis of the book: Eating a plant-based diet will lower your cholesterol and help you live a healthier life.

Image from The Daily Spark

It is low fat plant-based (vegan) diet. I don't like trying diets that I know I can't make a lifestyle change with since I know I'll gain more weight back after the diet's over. I wasn't sure if I could make a lifelong commitment to this diet since it involves no animal-based products and cutting out as much oil and fat as possible. Your choices are seriously limited when you go out. At least in Austin there are many restaurants that offer vegetarian and even vegan options. Also, it was easier for me to stay on this diet since I work at Whole Foods Market and our landmark store is right underneath me. :) Although I didn't think I would make a lifelong commitment, I decided to try for the following reasons:

1. I would at least cleanse/detox my system by the end of the 28 days.
2. I wanted to see if I could really not eat animal-based products for 28 days.

Overall, I feel cleaner and lighter and know that I don't HAVE to eat meat with every meal. I also leaned on the pre-hypertension side of blood pressure, but now my blood pressure has dramatically decreased. I wished I check my cholesterol levels before the diet began, but I didn't get a chance to get it done. I don't think I would stick 100% to the diet, but I do have a different perspective on the foods that I eat and how it may affect the health of my body. I'm glad I did it and I will definitely be making healthier choices. Going forward, I will probably cutout dairy as much as possible and stay with leaner meat options (except for special occasions of course :)).

I didn't want to bore you with any long texts, but it looks like this post is already really wordy. If you've made it this far and have any questions or would like more information just leave me a comment and I'll contact you. :) Thanks for reading!

Anniversary Update

2009-11-16T21:46:00.000-06:00

I have been on a low fat vegan diet for the past 4 weeks... more about that in another post. Because of this, we postponed our anniversary dinner/outing until yesterdat. Before that we headed over to the restaurant, we stopped by The Steeping Room for some tea. Then we went to Jeffrey's for dinner. It was fabulous!! Here are some pictures from the night.

My entree of Escolar Viennoise

Husband's entree of Ribeye

Yummy desserts...

The food was delicious and we took a picture of everything that came out, but I didn't post all the pictures because I didn't think I could name everything. Did you notice the haircut? :) Here's what it looked like on Friday:

I cut over 12 inches of my hair. I'll be sending it off to Locks of Love. If you have 10 inches or more of unbleached hair, please donate to this organization. Click on the link to find out more information. Here's an update on my flowers. There are a lot more open blooms since I first received them... hopefully the last few will open up tomorrow.

4th Wedding Anniversary

2009-11-12T13:56:00.000-06:00

Today's our 4th wedding anniversary. See what got delivered to my
office! The flowers are ginormous and very pretty. I can't wait for the lilies to
bloom. Thanks, honey! I love you!

Broken Sewing Machine

2009-11-08T18:53:00.000-06:00

My sewing machine broke this weekend. I messed up the timing on my bobbin. :( Luckily my FIL had a sewing machine that I could use to finish up the last costumes. He said he would also take a look at it to see if he could fix the timing. I have faith in him. :) Looks like I need to take a break from sewing for a little bit... hahaha... at least this gives me some time to trace Burda patterns. Any ideas on what to use to trace the patterns? Should I just use tracing paper?

Burda Magazine

2009-11-04T21:31:00.000-06:00

I ordered a Burda magazine from the classified section of Patternreview.com. I've admired many peoples creations from this magazine. It's the November 2009 issue. This is my first one and I'm pretty excited about it. It seems to be a little bit more work since you have to trace out the patterns and then cut them out, but it'll be a different experience.

Hmmm... what to try as my first Burda pattern?!

New Clutch

2009-11-04T21:23:00.000-06:00

I change bags/purses about 3-4 times a week... on days I have classes I use my backpack, on Sunday's I use my messanger bag, and the rest of the week I use whatever bag fits my mood. With all this bag changing I needed a clutch or something to hold my essentials, which are phone, wallet, and chapstick, otherwise I would end up forgetting something. A few weeks ago I made a little clutch.

I made some labels, too! :)

Mihee is my Korean name... it means beauty and joy. I thought it was appropriate for this clutch and hopefully my other sewing projects. :) The labels are made from twill tape and printable iron-on transfer. I had read about it somewhere awhile ago and can't remember where I saw it. I believe there are lots of different tutorials on the web about this method.

I think I may make some more clutches for Christmas gifts... but I will need to add interfacing and use a different closure... the button is inconvenient and a little annoying.

November Tops

2009-11-03T23:30:00.000-06:00

Faye is hosting "The Months of Tops" sew-a-long, and I've decided to join in. I'm always in need of tops and I haven't made too many of them. I just cut out Simplicity 2601 in a black silk charmeuse, which is also part of my fall wardrobe. (However, I've never sewn with silk so this should be an interesting experience.) Here's the envelope front.

I'm not sure if this counts, but I have some unfinished tops that I plan to finish. One is the above pattern in an Amy Butler quilting cotton print. I also need to finish a Butterick 5100 tunic.

Along with all the above tops here are the others I plan on making this month. (They're part of the fall wardrobe plan, too.)

New Look 6831

Vogue 2980

Simplicity 2756

It looks like I have my work cutout for me. On top of these tops my youth group is having a musical and I'm overseeing the costume/make-up team. We need to finish the costumes for dress rehearsal this Sunday... eek! I hope we don't have too many left... I need to re-tally all that we have.

Vogue 8413 Dress

2009-10-27T23:30:00.000-05:00

I was flying out of town for my cousin's wedding Thursday morning so naturally I had to start and make a dress Wednesday night! :) I already had the pattern and fabric planned out. The fabric was already pre-washed, but all the cutting and sewing happened Wednesday night after dinner. I used Vogue 8413 view C. The fabric was a berry ponte double knit from fabric.com. This dress was less than $20 to make! This dress was also part of my fall wardrobe (but not my PR wardrobe).

Pattern modifications:
1. Removed the pleats from the front of the skirts
2. Didn't use interfacing on facings
3. Used an invisible zipper

I love this pattern and style! It definitely needed a belt and I don't own very many. I ended up going to Target the day before the wedding to buy a belt and a clutch. They were perfect! I think it was a good buy. :)

Because I was making it in a haste, I didn't finish my edges or hem the bottom of the dress. I will need to go back clean those up, but other than that I love my new dress! I received many compliments on this dress at the wedding despite my hap-hazardly construction. See my side seams don't even match... I need to fix that, too.

Hopefully I'll have some pictures up later of the clutch and back of the dress, but I don't have any right now.

Vogue 1027 Dress

2009-10-19T21:59:00.000-05:00

I made the Vogue 1027 dress. It had many good reviews on PatternReview. The fabric is a poly/lycra matte jersey from Joann. I love the large geometric print and the jewel tones in it.

Here are a couple of changes I made to the pattern based on others' reviews.
1. Eliminated the elastic in the waist.
2. Eliminated the sleeve facings (I serged the edges and did a narrow hem).
3. Cut out extra pieces of the tie ends so the wrong sides won't show.

I ran into a few snags while working on this dress. I didn't have a large enough area to cut out the pattern pieces, which made it a little tricky. I also found it difficult to lay the matte jersey flat, which is mostly like due to the size of surface area. I normally make the pattern size that is one size down from what it should be based on measurements. However, I didn't have the smaller size and made the size I "should've been" based on the pattern size chart. The dress was rather large. I took in at least 1.5 inches at the sides around the waist. I also sewed the pockets in wrong. I didn't think through the process and made the pockets go towards the back of the dress instead of the front. I'm not sure how to fix this since I serged it to the bodice (oh well...).

I didn't like the dress at first. It seemed too bulky around my waist, but it's grown on me and now I like it. I just haven't decided on the length... I like it, but I wonder if I'd like it more if it was shorter. I don't own any dresses that are this length so maybe it's something I just need to get used to. Overall, I'm happy with my dress. :)

Front:

Back:

I really like the pleats on the bodice. Bodice & tie detail: (Please excuse the awkward shot.)

Review.

= Birthday Dinner =

2009-10-13T22:08:00.000-05:00

My husband loves chocolate and peanut butter together. So for his birthday I looked for a chocolate peanut butter cake recipe and came across Smitten Kitchen, which had the perfect recipe! This recipe is one of the best! The cake is very moist, rich, and delicious!!

Old FO - Butterick 5246

2009-10-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

I finished this Butterick 5246 at the beginning of the year, but never got around to posting pictures or a review until now. This is only my second time wearing the dress and I still haven't decided if I like it or not.

Here are few of my dislikes:
1. The wrong side of the ties can be seen. This could be a pretty easy fix, but I didn't have enough fabric to fix this.
2. The cowl part isn't as big as I thought it would be.
3. The wrong side of the cowl can be seen if it doesn't lay perfectly.
4. The gathering at the center front under the bust is a little too poufy.

Despite all of the above... I still kind of like it, but I definitely don't LoVE it. Oh well... I'll probably wear it a few more times. Here's a full review.

Here's detail of the cowl neck.

Potluck Lunch at Work

2009-09-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

Our team every now and then has a potluck lunch at work. The theme this time was appetizers (plus desserts) and it was amazing!! Here are the dishes.

Smoked trout with dill on cucumber...
Crab stuffed mushrooms...

Steak tartare...

Asian beef bean sprout salad...

Bruschetta...

Brazilian desserts...

Stuffed Zucchini

I made the stuffed zucchini. Sorry for the rotated picture! I'm not sure why this one got rotated and I dont know how to rotate it back. :( Here's the recipe I used for the stuffed zucchini.

Girls at Church

2009-09-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

The little girls (~ 2nd - 5th grade) at our church decided to get together and sell bracelets made out of yarn to donate to our church building fund. It was so cute!! I had to support this handmade "non-profit" business! My purchase was a special request... so instead of a bracelet it's a skinny scarf with little tassels. It was made by hand knitting... no needles! I just love the colors!

Fun at the Machine

2009-09-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

I bought some basic thread (white, navy, and black) at Joann's on Friday so I could play around with my new serger. Saturday morning was a lot of instructional video watching, which taught me the different features of the machine as well as how to thread the machine. The threading took a couple of tries but in the end I learned and it's pretty easy! :) I'm super happy about my purchase and I was able to finish the cozy cardi! Here's the completed piece just hanging on a hanger. I'll have to take better pictures another day.

See my scrap bin on my machine. You can tell the machine got some good use this weekend.

I serged all the raw ends of my wool pieces to prep for pre-shrinking later this week based on this blog. It's so pretty and exciting! (I'm such a nerd!)

My hubby and I went to Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown on Saturday for a date! Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Not very good lighting inside the building, but it'll have to do. Can you tell we're Texas fans?! :) Hook'em Horns!

I Got a New Toy!!!

2009-09-17T22:17:00.000-05:00

I got a new serger earlier this week!!! I'm SuPER excited about this, but I haven't had too much time to play around with it. I hope this weekend I will get some alone time with it. :)

I had bought a serger over the summer off of eBay, but it was NOT a good experience so after a long drawn out process I was able to return it and get my money back. This is what that serger looked like... there's a big crack in the corner!

I should post some of the emails from the seller... they are quite ridiculous, but I will spare you the drama.

Here's my brand new toy that was ordered from SewVacDirect. No cracked corners here. :) I hope that I overcome the learning curve very quickly and start using it right away. I think my first project on it will be the cozy cardi. Wish me luck!

Silk

2009-09-14T22:15:00.000-05:00

I washed the black silk charmeuse the other night in the bathtub with a little bit of shampoo and my bathtub was covered in black/purple dye! Hahaha.. later I found that silk doesn't hold color very well especially dark colors (particularly black) from a website... but I can't find the website anymore.

Here are some more tips in handling silk:
http://www.emmaonesock.com/guides/silkcharmeuse.asp
http://www.denverfabrics.com/pages/static/Silk/silk-fabric-care-sewing.htm

I just need to press it and then I will be ready to be cut into the beautiful black silk charmeuse! I wonder if my scissors are too dull to cut into the silk... I suppose I should test it on a corner first. I'll be turning this into a silk blouse using Simplicity 2601 and it will be the first piece in my fall SWAP.

This has definitely been a learning experience. Hopefully, I can summarize my whole experience from purchase of fabric through final product once I finish my project.

Silk & The Common Thread

2009-09-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

I went all out and bought some silk charmeuse! It's so supple and lovely! I bought some black silk charmeuse to make Simplicity 2601A and a skinny tie for the hubby.

I'm not sure what I'm going to use the printed silk for. I was thinking I would use it for the lining of my jacket in the Fall SWAP, but I don't want to anymore because I don't think it'll match. Hmmm... I suppose I'll have to stash it and find out later. :)

I bought the silks from The Common Thread here in Austin. The shop is a new local apparel fabric shop, which I'm super excited about! You can find good quality apparel fabric... I know I'll definitely be shopping there more often as soon as I use up some of my fabric stash.

While searching for tips on sewing with silk, I came across a couple of different things on the internet. (I love the internet!) I think I'm still a little intimidated to sew with such luxurious fabric!

This one is a video with Sandra Betzina. I think it's helpful! Who knew silk could be washed with shampoo?!

This one is an article at CraftStylish.

Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest

2009-09-09T21:10:00.000-05:00

I didn't even realize there was a wardrobe contest on Pattern Review until last week. A few tweaks to my Fall SWAP and I think I qualify! This would only be my second contest that I've entered on Pattern Review... I'm not sure if I'm going to finish, but I have until the end of November so hopefully it'll work out! :) I need 5 tops, 4 bottoms, and a "topper" (which is something to go on top of your shirts... coat, jacket, vest, etc.). Fabric with print also needs to be used. Here's my tentative storyboard.

The fabric swatches on top are my fabric choices for the tops, and the swatches on the bottom are the ones for my pants and skirts. Some of my fabric needs to be pre-treated still. I'm not even sure where to start. Well... I still need to finish my summer SWAP and the Cozy Cardi first. Hopefully, I find some time to work on those this coming weekend. Wish me luck!

Fall/Winter SWAP

2009-09-05T16:51:00.000-05:00

I'm only halfway through with my summer SWAP, but I've already drawn and planned out my fall/winter SWAP. I need a wardrobe update as well as some clothes that fit... my existing clothes are getting big. :) Instead of using line drawings of the patterns from the internet, I thought I'd sketch them out. It was pretty fun to do it this way and scan them into Photoshop to do a little coloring. (My graphic design teacher from high school would not be proud of how I cleaned up my edges... oh well...)

I'm going to try to use my fabric and patterns from my stash... I have too many of both of these and need to start using them. :) No more fabric buying until I can use some out of my closet.

My main fabric for the SWAP is a black silk suiting, which is the black chunk on the bottom right corner. I love the texture on it and it will used to make a 4 piece suit... jacket, skirt, pants, and vest... if everything goes as planned and I have enough yardage. I bought last year from fabric.com.

New Look 6190 & T-shirt Makeover

2009-09-05T16:45:00.000-05:00

I started view B of New Look 6190 a while ago, but finished them last weekend. They were part of my summer SWAP. Hahaha... summer's almost over and I'm only halfway done with my SWAP (I've already started planning for fall/winter... more on that later.) Please excuse the wrinkles in the pants... this was after it was worn to work. :)

This is a close-up of the front band.

This is a view of the back... I'm not very good with darts, but these turned out pretty well I think. :)

Overall, it was a good first pants project. :) They were pretty comfy to wear all day at work. The only thing I would really warn you about in this pattern is to size down! (Based on measurements I should've sewn a size 14, but even the 10 was still a little bit big!) These pants are supposed to help me get my feet wet in the world of pants. Now I need to try to Vogue 1051 that everyone seems to love! Full review here.

The shirt is a refashioned t-shirt. It is the Simple Scoop Top from T-shirt Makeovers by Sistahs of Harlem. The book has some good ideas and very sassy tops. :)

Here's a close-up for the shirt.

The cozy cardi is coming along. I cutout all of the pieces, but then I had to recut one of the main pieces because I stretched it more than the other. Luckily I bought extra fabric... I'm going to try to get it done this weekend, and hopefully have some pictures up, too.

Simplicity 2603 Sew-A-Long

2009-08-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

There's a Simplicity 2603 Cardi Sew Along at PatternReview.com that I decided to join. This is for a DKNY Cozy knock-off.

Here is a picture of the DKNY Cozy from their website:

Here's a picture of the Simplicity 2603 pattern:

I have a black rayon jersey that'll be perfect for this. Now I just need wash the fabric and cut-out the pattern... this is so exciting! The sweater is $195, and I spent <$35 for the fabric and pattern. :)

Modified Mid Mod Quilt

2009-07-29T20:29:00.000-05:00

I finished my 2nd quilt ever earlier this month, and it turned out much better than my first one . Here are some details.

Pattern: Amy Butler's Mid Mod Quilt
Fabric: mainly Melissa Averinos' Sugar Snap ( Flickr Pool ) and white Kona cotton
Notions: cotton/poly blend batting, quilting safety pins, rotary cutter
Other: lots of patience in measuring and ironing and piecing

I bought the fabric from QuiltHome.com. They have 1/8 yd designer sampler kits, which was perfect for this quilt. I actually have enough scraps to make another quilt. QuiltHome home has a really good selection of designer quilting cottons at reasonable prices.

Isn't Sugar Snap just delicious?!! Below is 1/8 yd for all the pieces in the line.

The pattern has you make 9 12"x12" blocks for the center, but I wanted to make this a lap quilt for my grandmother so I only did 4 12"x12" blocks. I adjusted the size of all the pieces to fit this modification. The back of the quilt is just plain white Kona cotton. I only quilted the center blocks along the seams of the different pieces. I really like the way it turned out and the backing didn't bunch up in areas so that was exciting! :)

The outer border and binding is Full Moon Forest by Tula Pink also bought from QuiltHome.com.

Overall I like how the quilt turned out, but I'm still not sure if I enjoy quilting. I think it's a lot of work that requires patience and meticulous work... I really admire those that can make such beautiful ones such as Film in the Fridge and Pikku Kettu .

Day in the Park Backpack Tote

2009-07-28T23:25:00.000-05:00

When I saw the pattern for a Day in the Park Backpack Tote by Liesl+Co, I was instantly in love. I finally ordered a couple of weeks ago when it was on sale, which was just in time to make it for my friend's birthday. I had the perfect fabric, too, I just needed to pick up some notions and contrasting fabric. (I was hording this discontinued Amy Butler fabric for a year and half and finally cut into it for this project. I plenty leftover to make another one for myself! ^__^)

I love this tote! You can wear it was a tote or a backpack... that's so cool!

The pattern itself it very easy to follow. I used a walking foot for the first time and it was perfect! (I highly recommend the walking foot because it's pretty thick and many layers.) The only thing I did differently was that I omitted the rivets. I couldn't find any at Hancock Fabrics so instead, I just tucked in the ends and used a straight stitch.

Can you tell she was excited? ^__^ I'm glad you liked it!

Beach Dress M5621

2009-07-28T23:11:00.000-05:00

More vacation-wear. I really like the way M5621 turned out! More details below.

=Beach Dress: McCall's 5621=
Many of the reviews said that the dress was short and one of them said that the arms were a little tight for view B. I placed the pattern pieces on myself to get a generally feel for the length and thought that it was do-able so I didn't make any alterations... since I was also thinking of using it as a swimsuit cover-up I didn't mind it being a little bit shorter. I meant to use a smaller seam allowance in the arms to make a little more room, but I forgot to so it is a little tight in the arm area. (Hopefully I can tone down my arms a little more.)

I used this cotton cambric from fabric.com for the main part of the dress. It's a little thin but it's perfect for a cover-up. The neck edging is a white Kona cotton from my stash.

The neck edging for view B (and A) was a little tricky for me. I think I just needed to take my time and go at slowly... I really like the look of it. There are a lot of designer versions of this dress... like the from Trina Turk. (The picture is from Nordstrom's.)

Here is the line drawings for the pattern.

Some alterations/deviations from the pattern...
1. Used french seams for the side seams.
2. Did not use interfacing on the neck edging since the Kona cotton was much heavier

Overall, this dress was a super cute beach cover-up. The neck edging was a little bit wonky but I didn't mind too much. By my measurements, I'm a size 14 but I went down to a size 12. I could still easy pull it on and off... it was just that the arms were a smidge tight.

In front of a shop on Grand Cayman... it was very bright!

Dress on hanger:

Neckline detail:

Full review here .

Evening Dress & Clutch

2009-07-28T22:52:00.000-05:00

I didn't have any floor length evening dresses for the cruise we took. I looked around the stores to buy one, but they were all short. :( I ended up buying one from Cache for $200... which was more than I wanted to spend. The saleswoman said they only had one floor length dress and what do you know it was in my size. When she handed me the dress I thought it was just ok. When I tried it on, it fit like a glove and looked so elegant... so of course I had to buy it.

This was taken on the cruise by one of the photographers... classic Titanic scene.

Well... there were 2 formal nights on the cruise. I had a dressier short dress I could've worn but I wanted another floor length dress. A couple of weeks before the cruise I bought 3 yards of purple stretch satin to make into a formal dress. I'm not sure why I only bought 3 yards though... most patterns required at least 4 or 5 yards. With less than a week left before the trip and only 3 yards for fabric, I turned to Vogue 7848... I decided to make a matching clutch with the leftover fabric, too.

= Strapless Dress #2: Vogue 7848 =
I had just finished this dress in the blue cotton print and it fit very well. I don't think you can tell it's the same dress!! The pattern came with a floor length, but it only came up to my ankles (and I'm not very tall... 5'4"). I used view C, which was the same view as the short version but used the floor length hem. Here are some alterations:

1. Added about 6" to the bottom of all the pieces (When I had sewed all the pieces together they were varying lengths... hehehe... as you can see I was very technical.)
2. Used an invisible zipper
3. Used fusible hem tape. Since the satin was so slippery, I had trouble hemming the dress. I used fusible hem tape first and then went back to sew the hem.
4. Added a satin ribbon like view B. I just eyeballed where the ribbon should go and sewed it in the side seams. I wasn't going to sew the ribbon in, but the ribbon and dress were easily sliding against each other.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the result. The length was perfect with my heels as you can see below.

This is a formal picture taken on the cruise... but you don't get a very good view of the dress. Another "must" cruise scenery...

Here is the classic hanging on the hanger picture...

= Ruffle Clutch =
I used the How-to for the "Gold Ruffle Clutch" on BurdaStyle. Overall it was pretty easy to put together. I just struggled with the slippery satin and the fact that it didn't like to iron very well. The clutch definitely needed a brooch and I had the perfect one. (The brooch is from Hannah D's.) This was such an elegant, perfectly matching clutch.

This picture was taken on my phone so please excuse the quality of the picture...

Sweet Surprises

2009-07-28T22:31:00.000-05:00

=Girl's Night Out with Old College Roomies=
We went to Wink for happy hour and had some good 1/2 priced appetizers! Between four girls, we had steamed mussels, burgers, mac&cheese, cheese plate, chicken pate, and salmon. Mmm... so delicious!

Friends + Food + Wine = ^___^

We even got to eat Sprinkles cupcakes straight from L.A. Yummy! I even got a nice little surprise! I saw this post from Haus Maus about the Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s camera back in May and thought it was so cute! Well, I got it as a gift!! ^___^

I had so much fun eating, drinking, talking, and just spending time with the girls.

{Thanks, Wenny, for the cupcakes and gift!! Thanks, Viv, for the place to stay!!}

Vogue 7848 Strapless Dress

2009-07-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

I finished this dress before the cruise but in between finding pictures and taking another week off and work, it's been pretty hectic.

This is the first item in my summer mini-SWAP. Overall, it was pretty simple to make and very flattering. Based on everyone's review, I went down a size from my pattern measurements (which I normally do anyway for the "Big 4") and it fit almost perfectly.

I had some problems with the invisible zipper... the first zipper was just a bad zipper, but I didn't figure it out until I had already ripped and resewn it about 3 times. Once I realized it, I had to run to Hancock and buy another one... UGH! I was so annoyed. Bad, zipper, very bad...

One of my goals this year was to have neater finishes on the inside... I wasn't sure how to apply that to this dress... here were the problems I was running into:

1. There were a lot of curves due to the princess seams so french seams didn't seam right.
2. Seam binding was a little too bulky for such a fitted dress.

In the end, I only applied seam binding to the seam with the zipper and then to the bodice lining. The rest I just zigzag stitched. Oh well... this should get me by for now.

The only thing I didn't like was that you could see the bottom edge of the facing when it was on. It's such a fitted dress that any bulk on the inside shows. I may take off the seam binding and just do a zig zag stitch to reduce the bulk.

This is my first time "posing" for a picture for something I made... it was a little awkward. It was also a random staircase on the cruise that everyone was using.

This is a better view of the front... my hubby and I and our waiters. Our waiters were super nice! ^_^

Full review

Refashioned Skirt

2009-07-01T19:58:00.000-05:00

I've been sort of holding back in sewing for myself because of my weight loss. To date (since mid-January), I've lost a couple of inches around my waist and ALMOST 20 pounds. Running and going to the gym about 4-5 times a week is really paying off! =) I still have at least a 2-3 more inches I want to lose off my waist to reach my goal... slowly but surely I will get there. With all this exercise... it's cut into my sewing time a little bit, but at least I don't have school to worry about this summer. However, my sewing list has grown tremendously since I need clothes that fit! =)

=The Refashioned Skirt=
The skirt was pretty easy since it was a simple refashion of a top. I had started it a couple of months ago and all it need was elastic for the waist.

The top was also too frou frou for me, but I thought it would make a perfect skirt. The bust area was also super tiny... It need lining since it was pretty thin... I just used some navy blue Kona cotton that was in my stash.

Most of the edges were left raw on the actual top, so I didn't hem the lining. Instead, I just used a zigzag stitch across the bottom to keep in from unraveling too much.

(Please ignore the strand of string falling down my leg in the last picture... ^__^)

Back From Vacation

2009-06-30T17:09:00.000-05:00

Phew... what a wondeful week! The hubby and I are back from our week long vacation! We were out in the Caribbean on a cruise boat and it was a blast! I haven't had a chance to download any of my pictures from the trip, but here's one from my phone.

The water is so beautiful... there were so many different shades of blue. I'll leave you with this picture today. Hopefully sometime this week and I can review and post my projects that I got to wear on vacation.

Vacation~!!!

2009-06-19T11:42:00.000-05:00

I'm going on a vacation with my hubby in a couple of days and I'm SoOOOoO excited! hahaha... but now I'm doing a lot of last minute sewing so I can wear it on our vacation! :) I'll have to do all the reviews when I'm back. There's at least 3 dresses, a skirt, and a pair for shorts.

[Image is from carnival.com]

Grosgrain Giveaway!!

2009-06-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

There was this wonderful website I found yesterday on Grosgrain. (I love this blog... there's great giveaways and cute things!) It is called Shabby Apple. They have the cutest dresses!! It make everything 10000% better, Shabby Apple is doing a guest giveaway at Grosgrain!! How awesome is that?! I'm so giddy about this... Click on the link below for more info and a chance to win. =)

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Upcoming Projects

2009-05-27T01:16:00.000-05:00

I cut out the fabric for Vogue 7848 I need to pick up a couple of things before I can finish this dress. Here is a picture of all the pieces pinned together. It doesn't look very good like this... I want to sew it! This is will be the first item of my mini-SWAP.

I ordered a designer sampler for quilthome.com. It's called Sugar Snap and it's so pretty. I'm going to make a quilt for halmuhnee (which is Korean for grandmother). They're so pretty.

Finishing Up Some Gifts

2009-05-27T00:50:00.000-05:00

Below are some recently finished items... couple of them are REALLY late birthday presents and one baby shower gift.

This is my second apron from Amy Butler's inStitches book... a birthday gift... I love the fabric for this one. Both of them are from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern collection.

This is another birthday gift. It is Butterick 4859. This skirt was pretty easy to put together. I did make a few changes to the pattern. Details of this and the pattern review is found here.

Front

Back

Inside: One of my resolutions was to make the insides nicer... and I did!

Baby Shower Gift:
This was a bib from Amy Butler's Little Stitches book. Overall it was a pretty easy pattern to follow. The only difficult thing was binding the corners around the snap.

A more detailed review is found here.

I also made a matching burb cloth.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2009-05-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

My brother and I made this amazing cream cheese pound cake.

It was delicious! The recipe is from Adrienne's blog, which is found here. You definitely recommend it.

Summer SWAP Mini Wardrobe

2009-05-11T21:58:00.000-05:00

I love to plan things out... even if it doesn't come into fruition. =) I started planning out some classic pieces to add to my summer wardrobe. Since I have TONS of fabric AND patterns, I'm going to make everything out of my stash. Here are the essentials I want:

1. Lightweight (which translates to unlined) short-sleeve jacket

2. Skirt

3. Wide-legged pants

4. Summer dress

5. One or two coordinating tops

Here are the patterns I want to use for 1-4:

The jacket, skirt, and pants will be made out of white cotton twill. The dress will be made from quilting cotton from Joann which is a pretty blue color. (The one in the picture is the right design and colors, but the colors are arranged differently... the dark blue is the main color, with white flowers and baby blue accents.)

I'm not quite sure about the tops... I have couple of things in mind, but we'll see. Pretty excited about this SWAP and hopefully I can actually follow through on it.

I also ordered Weekend Sewing and T-shirt Makeovers from Barnes and Noble. These should be coming in this week... I'm so excited about them! More to come once I receive them.

~Ruffle Trench~

2009-05-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

I know this is old news, but as you can tell I'm not very good about posting... =P

A couple of weeks ago, Beyonce was sporting this awesome trench...

After scouring the internet I found it! It's by Jillian Lewis (Project Runway) trench that retails for about $1500.00.

It's so pretty!

Semester Coming to a Close...

2009-04-28T14:34:00.000-05:00

My spring semester is finally coming to a close. This will be my last official week of classes and I will have one final. I sat and looked at a list of classes I need to take and I only have 12-15 hours left.... super exciting! Although I won't be taking any summer classes, I still need to study for the MCATs and finish a distance learning course. However, I should have a little more time for sewing... yay!

I have a couple of almost finished items... I just need to hem and take pictures... hopefully those will be up soon. So many things to do... so little time!

~Asian Dolls~

2009-04-04T22:23:00.000-05:00

I saw this Victoria Secret dress and thought I could make it... I started playing around with some fabric (when I was supposed to be writing my lab report) and realized a need a doll I could make sample clothes for. At first I just wanted a Barbie doll... anything I could find. I went to flickr to look around. I can't remember exactly what I searched for, but I was definitely blown away! I entered a world of Asian dolls! The all look like anime characters and they are so cute... well at least most of them... some of them are kind of scary looking...

Blue Fairy and Volks

I want Sarang from Blue Fairy! She is just gorgeous, but I dont know if I can justify getting a $300 doll to my husband. Super Dollfies, which are made by Volks are customizable. I think I'm too new to even consider those. As I kept looking, I came across Pullips and Momoko dolls, which are a little cheaper and smaller, but just as cute. I believe Momoko's are closer in size to Barbie dolls. (Blue Fairy and SD (Super Dollfies) are about 17" tall. I want one of these soo bad. My mom's going to Korea at the end of this month... I wonder if she could find me one... since Blue Fairy and Pullips are Korean dolls. ^___^

Sorry for all the hyperlinks, but I didn't want to steal anyone's pictures and too lazy to get permission for my meager blog. If you flickr (or Google) any of the names/terms above, I'm sure they'll come up. Man I really want one...

Spring Break Recap

2009-04-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

Needless to say, I did not complete any of the tasks I wanted to over spring break. We ended up going out of town both weekends. I worked during the day, which had me pooped in the evening... although I did manage to get my workouts in. I can say I've made some progress on the skirt for my sister-in-law and I did some reconstructing! =)

This is a tunic bought from Korea. The bust area was too small and the styling of the top was interesting...

Here is the detail of the bust area...

I love the print and the button up portion of the tunic, (Yes, they are all working buttons.) and I thought it would make a very cute skirt by cutting off the top portion and sewing most of the buttons shut. I left the top few open as a way to get in and out of the skirt. Then I took in some of the waist. Here is the outcome...

I have another skirt in the works also being made from a Korean tunic. All I need to do is add some elastic to the waist and it will be complete... hopefully soon! Some other items that only need finishing touches are my Easter dress and a Butterick 5100 tunic.

~ Sisterhood Award ~

2009-03-10T16:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks, Sewuptight! I was very surprised and feel very honored since I'm pretty new at this whole blogging thing!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and /or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

Here are my nominations in no particular order:

Erica B.
Myraida
Clevergirl
Amanda
Peacock Chic
Jenna Lou
Johanna
Prudence Rabbit
Krustallos
Pikku-Kettu

Spring Break Plans

2009-03-02T13:02:00.000-06:00

I've decided I can't buy anymore fabric (unless it's strictly for a specific gift). My closet and office is covered with fabric. Less buying and more sewing!

Spring break is coming up in a couple of weeks and I'm so excited to take a break from school! =) I've been putting off a lot of things to do for spring break and now I may have overloaded myself... hahaha...

Here are a couple of items (on the crafty side) I want to work on...

1. B4859B - This is for my sister-in-law's birthday gift. I've ordered the fabric this past weekend and hopefully it's on it's way.
2. Hedera - Finish this for my mom's birthday from last year... =P I haven't worked on this in probably a year. I need to get on it!
3. B5246B - Finish this dress I started back in December. It's missing a sleeve and I need to redo the ties because it did not line up correctly on both sides. I've decided this will be my easter dress. =)
4. Bold & Bulky Cardi - All I have left is the sleeves and finding buttons! I may finish this before spring break. I really like the way it's turning out and it's really quick.
5. WIPs - I have quite a few of these that I need to work on. (Amy Butler's Sophia bag and Betty Shopper, B5100A w/ cowl, M5759A)
6. Pouches and clutches - I want to make a few pouches and clutches from various tutorials for myself... I really need some!
7. Alterations/reconstruction - there's a lot of little things here and there that needs to be done myself and other members of the family.
8. Tops - I really need some! Here are some contenders...

View A - White stretch cotton sateen shirting

View A (cutaway top) - Printed cotton gauze

View A - navy broadcloth

View B (short-sleeve) - turquoise knit

View C - turquoise charmeuse

Haven't decided which one - black cotton jersey knit

That looks like plenty to do along with some spring cleaning and MCAT studying and scrapbooking! Hahaha... we'll see how far I get. ^_^

More Knitting

2009-02-18T10:15:00.000-06:00

I've really lost my focus for school. I thought I would be able to focus after Valentine's day, but... it's just not working out. I started another knitting project, which I'm super excited about. It's coming along really fast and I enjoy it. Here is my progress...

Pattern: Bold & Bulky Cardigan by Stefanie Japel (The link is for the free version on the Lion Brand website, but this pattern is in the book, Fitted Knits, and this book has so many great patterns that I want to eventually try.

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Taupe (2 skeins) and Raspberry (1 skein)

Needles: Denise Interchangeable Needles Size 15.

Notes: The pattern calls for size 13, but my gauge was coming out too small so I went up a needle size. My gauge horizontal gauge is still off, but I decided to go for it anyway.

These are my favorite flowers... calla lilies... I bought these for myself at Whole Foods Market. They're so pretty!! ^___^

Flower bouquet from my hubby... also from Whole Foods. Love it! [You can see how messy my desk it... =P ]

I was craving this big time... so of course I had to make it! Yum yum!