Tag: #isew

Posted in Activewear, Sewing, Simplicity, Style Sew Me Patterns, The Sewcial Sewist, Vogue

February Makes – Black History Month Designers and Fabric

Posted on by The Sewcial Sewist

It’s February, which means it’s Black History Month. In honor of Black History Month and showing support to Black owned businesses in the Sewing Industry I joined the Instagram challenge hosted by @sewnaturaldane and @onesweetsew.

My first make for February is this Lisa top from Style Sew Me Patterns. I love this top it is a quick and easy make. This is the second one I have made using this pattern and I love them both. I need to find the other make it is in a Pink Camouflage, my favorite fabric and I can’t find it.

This one is made out of a Vino Camouflage I purchased at the San Francisco Fabric Outlet. It can be found here. The Vino is no longer available online, but the same fabric can be found in brown, grey, green. purple, pink, white, and black camouflage combinations.

This is Vogue 1314, by Tracy Reece, a Black Pattern Designer for Vogue, it is now Out-of-Print (OOP). I tried sewing this dress when I started sewing 5 years ago and it did not come out as planned. I had no idea how to line a dress, do the rousing or any of that in the construction of the garment. So this year for Valentine’s Day I decided to make this again and it came out great. I have no plans for Valentine’s Day, but I love this color and the dress, so it became an honorary Valentine’s Day Dress! This fabric was purchased at Michael Levine’s in Los Angeles, about 4 years ago. Still sewing from my stash.

This fabric is from My Daily Threadz

And as much as I love this dress and the way it turned out, the bodice is too tight. I can’t move in it, the struggle was real getting out of it. LOL!!! I do know that I need to adjust the bodice moving forward when making garments out of non-stretch materials. I am so sad, because I even added pockets to the dress, who doesn’t love a dress with pockets. I am going to salvage this fabric. I don’t know how yet, but I might extend the opening down the front and have it be an open shirt dress. Not sure, but I am sure I will figure something out. This fabric is too fabulous for it to be a Mannequin dress. No ma’am.

Posted in Fashion Inspiration, McCalls, mccalls pattern company, Sewing, The Sewcial Sewist

Me Made January – McCall's 7531

Posted on by The Sewcial Sewist

For the month of January I completed 8 pieces. Here you will find 3 of the dresses completed using McCall’s 7531, one of my TNT’s and an absolute favorite dress to make. It can be styled with a printed or solid fabric and look absolutely different each time you make it. I went with prints for all of these. I love a good fun print, it’s kind of how I make my garments my OWN.

Yes you will see this dress again as part of my Spring/Summer collection, which I will start the first week in March. I plan to do some solid colors using View C.

This fabric is a knit border print that I purchased from Michael Levine a few years back. I say a few years because I can’t remember when I actually purchased it. Too much fabric shopping over the years. Did I really just admit that? Oh well!!!!

This green snakeskin like fabric was also purchased at Michael Levine, I think, if not there it was from Angels Textiles. I did a lot of fabric shopping during time I spent in Los Angeles and of course I can’t find my fabric album. I usually take photos of all the fabric from each trip in order to reference back when posting a blog in case someone wants to know where to purchase the fabric or something similar in print.

The last dress is out of this knit, but I am sure what kind of knit this one is. There is a good amount of stretch to it, but it has a silky feel to the fabric. I need to learn more about this fabric because I love how it feels against the skin and it was a nice and easy sew. I didn’t have any issues sewing this one. I have about 1.5 yards to make a tank top for the Spring.

These 2 dresses were made in the past using the same pattern. I guess you can see why I love it so much it.

I blogged about this one here.

  • Front – Round 1

Pattern Description: McCall’s 7531 Misses’ Knit Bodycon Dresses – Learn to Sew

Pattern Sizing: 4-14, I cut a size 12

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, it looks just like the pattern envelope when I completed it.

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions were so easy, by the time I made it to the 2nd dress, I have made this dress 5 times, I didn’t need the instructions.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? How easy the pattern is to make and the endless possibilities you have with the sleeve variations. Also depending on the fabric used, this dress can look so different each time it is created.

Fabric Used: Green Snakeskin look is an ITY Fabric, Black white tan look is a knit, Rose and white border print look is a knit, Floral print is a double knit, and the Blue white, black look is a double knit. All this fabric is fabric that was in my stash and purchased a few years back. I am sewing down my stash. The floral and blue dresses were the first made, but I hadn’t added to the Review until now. I want to say I made them both in 2018 or 2019. The other 3 looks were just made in January of 2020.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: No alterations needed I made view B for all of these looks. For summer I plan to make View C

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes as you can tell this pattern is one of my Tried and True (TNT) patterns. It’s quick and easy. What girl doesn’t want a new dress that she can she made herself?

Conclusion: Great pattern and I can’t wait for Spring/Summer Sewing. I will more than likely start that collection first week in March. Happy Sewing!!!

Posted in Sewing

Goodbye 2019!!!

Posted on by The Sewcial Sewist

Is that right? Is it almost 2020? Yes, it is so hard to believe that I have wrapped up another year of sewing. I didn’t sew as much as I wanted to in 2019, after I had foot surgery, but now that I am healing and things are going back to normal there is nothing I won’t try. I am actually excited for the year 2020. I have so many plans to do things and I can’t wait to get started. Lingerie, swimwear, pants, bags, scarves, and athletic/lounge-wear just to name a few.

In 2018 I did the Ready to Wear Fast, no shopping for store bought clothes, and that worked out great for me. Read the post here. There were so many garments that I was able to make because of this fast and I plan on doing it again for 2020, in a Facebook Group. I am so ready to start.

I have my space all organized and TONS of fabric to start with. I do plan on going to the Garment District in Los Angeles, CA in April. I’ll see how that goes it will be my 45th birthday then and what girl doesn’t want new fabric for her birthday? My girlfriend always says how my fabric stash gives her anxiety. She is way too funny! I really do need to use this up and that is my goal plan. I have actually already started on it, buy using a few for some of the end of year garments I have made.

Drum roll please!!!!! These are the garments I was able to complete in 2019 with a few on the sewing table now. I plan on working on them in the next few weeks to complete them by December 30. I have 3 sets of PJ’s I’m working on as well. Good thing I have my Sew JO back.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 2019 and I look forward to seeing all the loveliness that each of you are going to create in 2020.

I leave you with this quote to start off 2020.

“Don’t make resolutions without an action plan. The secret to success is right in your hands.”

Happy New Year!

Posted in ponchos, Sewing, Simplicity, The Sewcial Sewist

Simplicity 8173 Misses' No Sew Poncho

Posted on by The Sewcial Sewist

When you’re getting back into the groove of things, you make something quick and easy for satisfaction. My choice for quick and I mean quick, less than an hour to cut and sew this pattern.

Simplicity Pattern 8173 Misses' Fleece Poncho Wraps

I purchased this fabric at Joann’s. The color combo on this one is not available online, but with all the plaid choices out there for winter, I am sure you can find one that you love.

I paired it with a mustard colored sweater from Nordstrom.com, which is no longer available online. Linked below are a few links to others that are the same color and similar in style.

Cotton Emporium Easy Rib Trim Sweater

Topshop Crop Sweater

Belt and Blue jeans from at Ross for Dress Less, you gotta love a good pair of stretchy jeggings. It is that time of year for all stretchy pants, at least for me anyway. I love to eat.

Boots are Top Moda purchased at Nordstromrack.com , no longer available, but here is a really close pair, there is only one zipper on this pair instead of 2 zippers. These were on sale, so they may not be available for long.

Pattern Description: Misses’ No Sew Poncho

Pattern Sizing:XXS-XXL

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes super easy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?‘‘This pattern was super easy and it is really cute for the cold mornings.

Fabric Used: Flannel from Joanns. The color I have is no longer available online, not sure about in store.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: No alterations were made for sizing. I did serge the inside and made a 1/4 seam around the edge to finish it off.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes and I have already made in a black and white print. I highly recommend this pattern to anyone beginners and advanced sewists as well.


Conclusion:
I love this pattern. It’s perfect for beginners and for those needing a quick project to get back into the groove of sewing.

Bye for now, Time to go Sew Something!!!

Posted in Misses' Tops, Sewing, Simplicity, The Sewcial Sewist

3 Looks with 1 Pattern

Posted on by The Sewcial Sewist

Simplicity 8982, Misses’ Knit Two Piece Sweater Dress, Tops, and Skirts

I made some time this month to actually get some sewing in. I was really successful. The next 2 weeks, not so much is planned and that’s ok. I have finals coming up and I really need to study. I have 3 classes, yikes!!! I will survive, I always do.

So on to the topic at hand, what did I make this month? Well what did make in 13 days, a lot. Well a lot for me, but hey even I only completed one garment, I would be happy, as I am back in my happy place.

Simplicity 8982 was my make for the Sew Your View selected pattern on Instagram. You really should check out all the other makes for this pattern, they are AH-MAZING!!!

I originally made View C and View D the top and skirt, I wasn’t feeling the fit of the skirt on me. It looks fabulous on the other ladies that made it, but it was not my style. I styled the top with a pair of riding boots and my favorite white jeans. I love how this on came out.

With this being such a quick and easy sew, I made View A and View A with the sleeves from View C. I believe this is going to be my new Tried and True (TNT) pattern. I absolutely love it and it is EASY to sew.

I am also getting into the habit of finishing my edges inside. I love the way it looks and it helps it to lay flat when all the excess seam allowance has been cut off.

Learning to work with the colors on my camera and I need some help. In the next few weeks I will be taking an online class to see what I need to do to get the perfect shot. My sewing space also needs some more lights in it, the flash on the camera is not enough, or maybe I have it in the wrong mode.

Bye for now, time to go SEW Something!!!!