Pattern Extravaganza!

JoAnn's had a great pattern sale a few weeks back, and I stocked up! Here's what's in my sewing bin, waiting to be made:

McCalls 5433, I want to make the long view out of white eyelet, as soon as I can find a "grown up" eyelet.

McCalls 6361, I have some navy twill for these, and I'll line the pockets and waistband out of multi-print cotton.

McCalls 6309, This will be for my friend Nicole's baby, as soon as we figure out if he's a boy or girl (I'm guessing boy).

McCalls 6173, I made these in black, and now I want to make navy with hot pink zippers on the outside!

Vogue 1030, I have been drooling over this pattern for at LEAST 3 years. I don't know where I'll wear it but I had to snap it up incase it goes out of print.

Vogue 2979, Kate Middleton inspired. I'd like this in black, and tea length with a fab crinoline. Maybe for Andy's cousin's wedding this fall!

 Vogue 8633, I want to make the full skirt, short sleeved version for my brother's wedding.

Kare Dress: MASTERED!

I did it! After all the irritation and silly mistakes, my Kate dress is ready for the BIG DAY tomorrow! I'll be arriving at the party in my dress and blingy blue cocktail ring, with my British flag and "Prince William is a fox" shirt that's a leftover from college. It just can't sit in a drawer on a day like tomorrow!

VICTORY!

Kate Dress Fixes!

Last weekend I forced myself to take apart my Kate dress and fix my mistakes. It didn't turn out so badly! I had to take apart the side seams and the shoulder seams. Then I inserted a 2" panel into each shoulder to lengthen the bodice, which fixed my first mistake. Then I removed the waist wrap and removed 1/2 of the fabric from each wrap layer since it was waaay to thick in the waist. Then I gathered the narrow ends of the outer wrap pieces so they would look "wrapped" when they pull across the body. Then I could sew the right side closed. I tried it on and pinned the left side in place. MUCH better!

Now I'm in a fight with the left side as I attempt to insert the zipper. I WILL win. Just not today.

After the zipper fight, I'll have to fit the sleeve width and hem the sleeves and skirt. I can do this by April 29th, right? Right?

Kate Dress

Here is the start of my Kate dress! I need to finish it by April 29 to wear to a Royal Wedding watching party! I made a mistake when I took it up in the shoulders a little too soon, so I'm frusterated now with the way the bodice sits too high. I've been hatching a plan in my head to fix it and I hope it works, because I'd also like to wear this dress for Andy's grad school graduation on May 7th! I don't have a picture of it on me yet, because the last time I tried it on I got stuck in it and had to have Andy pull it off over my head because I couldn't move. Oopsies!

Left to do:

* Install a side zipper (yuck)

* Fix shoulder issue (double yuck)

* Fix waist wrap issue (so yuck that it isn't even photographed)

* Hem the skirt and sleeves

Duplicating pattern tissue

Laying out pieces on a diagonal to match fabric grain

Staystiched bodice pleats

Preliminary mannequin fitting. Doesn't the bodice lay nicely? Dumb, dumb, dumb, I shouldn't have "fixed" the shoulders. Urg.



Sewing Progress

There hasn't been much sewing progress, but hopfully I can pick that back up again now that the Christmas trees are put away.

I've purchased fabric for two new projects (I know, I'm bad!), and this is what I'm making:

The Kate Middleton engagement dress, in the same dark blue color.

Also this top, as pictured in blue. I have the same color t-shirt fabric, and I think I'll make it a teensy bit shorter, so it's a shirt and not a tunic.

I made a little fleece bunting for a pregnant cousin as part of her shower gift, and since she's a Badger's fan, it had to be Badgers. Since I have extra fleece, I'll probably make another of the same and hang on to it for the next time a Madison alum becomes pregnant.

Although I've taken a hiatus from working on it, I'm still plugging away at my blue jacket from last fall. It would be great to finish it in time to wear for spring!

Wish me luck on that hem!