I know that one of the complaints of many of the older BWOF lovers is that there is no way to search through the patterns online. Well, the complaints have been heard, and the patterns are now searchable! Well, sort of. At least, dating back to 2009. But the patterns are searchable by style (dresses, jackets, pants, etc.) and by line drawing or by model photo.
Looking through the patterns in this way, I can see why people are a bit disappointed with the latest Burda offerings... I really like a lot of the patterns from 2009 and 2010.
I know for many people this won't even begin to cover the offerings in their Burda collections, but it is a start. And it is much easier than looking through the archives pattern by pattern.
In any case you should all check it out!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Amish Paradise
Alright, as promised, here is a post about all of my recent sewing related purchases from my trip to Fort Wayne. Except, well, a lot of my buying didn't actually occur in Fort Wayne. Luckily, I had the opportunity to spend some time (and a lot of money) in Shipshewana, Indiana. For those who aren't in the know, Shipshewana is a small town with a large Amish population. It is also something of a Mecca for the home quilter. Indeed, there is at least one store dedicated to quilting fabrics, but I found quilting fabrics in no fewer than five of the stores I visited.
 |
| Yoder's Department Store! |
 |
| If there are hitching posts in the parking lot you are probably in the right sport. |
First stop: Yoder's Department Store. Yoder's is a wonderful store from the days of old - divided into several sections, one can buy fabric, clothing, trinkets, hardware, or produce. The store is undergoing expansion, and should be finished with its renovation this month. There are plans to expand the sewing section... but this could be extremely dangerous for your wallet. Although at least half of the store is dedicated to quilting cottons, there is more than enough fabulous garment fabric to make anyone drool. They carry wools, silks, cotton, as well as rayons, polyester, and other synthetic blends. They also have some very nice quality trims, and a large section dedicated to bridal fabrics (with some fabulous laces in the glass case!). I would say that their prices are fair (mostly around $15-25/yard for wools and silks, $6-15/yard for high quality garment cottons and synthetics), but the quality of the fabrics is top notch, so the prices are easily justified. I really wanted to buy fabrics that I haven't seen in my area, so I loaded up on the wool and a few cottons.
 |
| 100% cotton. Lovely weight, drape, and sheen. Destined to be a dress I think. |
 |
| More cotton. Probably another dress. Difficult to see the pattern in the photo, but I am in love with this fabric. |
 |
| On the left a green wool/nylon felt. The right is some 100% wool with a nice hand. |
 |
| Both 100% wool with woven patterns. I am in love with these. |
Right now I am thinking that all of my wools will be used to create jackets and coats (most likely from patterns in my Burda stockpile), as wool dresses are just impractical in my native climate, at any time of the year. Most likely these will need to age a bit in the stash, where I can savor their presence and dream about their future life in my closet.
I am so happy with my purchases from Yoder's! I love them. The store is fabulous and it took me at least an hour to debate with myself over how much I could afford to buy, pack, and carry home. If I am anywhere near this store again, I wouldn't hesitate to go out of my way to stop back in to enjoy the lovely atmosphere and fabrics.
Next up, I visited Spector's Store across the street.
 |
| Watch out when crossing the street - buggies are everywhere! |
Spector's also has a large amount of garment fabrics, unfortunately they are nearly all polyester. They are nicely displayed and reasonably priced, but after the wonder that was Yoder's, I was a little disappointed. They also had some interesting quilting cottons (Cheetah Girls print anyone?), and I picked up a few buttons.
For those who are interested in making their own accessories, Gierek's Beads (down the street in the center of town) has a lovely assortment of beads, ranging from the simple and sparkly to outlandish Halloween holiday. I intend to make more than a few gifts with my purchases from this store.
One of the final fabric stops in Shipshewana was Lolly's Fabrics. Lolly's is a quilter's paradise. They have shelves and shelves and shelves stuffed with quilting fabrics. I saw very few cottons that would be acceptable for garment construction, but I am sure that a quilter could drop quite a bundle in this store. And, as if this wasn't enough, there is the discount store downstairs, with even MORE quilt fabrics. They also have a large assortment of quilting books and other quilting notions.
Lolly's is actually located inside of a large building (three floors and a basement) that houses many stores for fabric, clothing, and candy. One of the other (smaller) store is A Stitch in Time. This store specializes in hand dyed wool fat quarters, but they do have some lovely wool felt by the yard. They did not have a large assortment, but their stock was high quality, although slightly pricey at $30/yard. They also carried silk/cotton blends for $12/yard in many colors. I was very tempted by a few of their fabrics, but after my splurge at Yoder's I refrained. We should now all applaud my restraint.
 |
| The backside of the building. Lolly's is on the first floor. |
 |
| The third floor has a carousel! |
Overall the shopping in Shipshewana was awesome! And if one should have a chance to go, make sure to find and eat some sort of baked good. Be it bread, pie, or pretzel, if it comes out of a Shipshewana oven it is well worth eating.
Moving back to Fort Wayne - I also made stops at the local Joann and Hancock fabrics. Although after visiting Yoder's everything else seemed much less exciting by comparison. However, I was able to find a few fun things...
 |
| More fabric! Left is 100% silk from Joann redtag section, right is metallic spandex from Hancock. |
 |
| A different view of the spandex. It is shiny but subtle. Going to be a practice dress for skating. |
 |
| Buttons! Joann was having a clearance sale, so I stocked up. Lower left are from Spector's in Shipshewana. Ruler in upper right is a "free" gift from Yoder's for spending more than the magic number... |
Finally, I also got some great books!
 |
| The Today's Fashions doll clothes book with patterns (upper left) is from Lolly's. The Complete Book of Sewing (upper right) is from Every Other Book in Fort Wayne. The History of Ice and Roller Skating was bought at the National Championships. |
 |
| A peak inside The Complete Book of Sewing - I love these old pictures! |
The Every Other Book had an AMAZING collection of used books for sale. The books were much older and much better quality (at fabulous prices) than I am used to seeing at other used book stores. Another must stop for anyone visiting the Fort Wayne area.
Whew. So, yeah, kinda blew the budget in Fort Wayne, since I also made a few skating related purchases. So, well, I probably won't be doing too much fabric stashing in the near future. But this is good because it will give me time to do some fabric de-stashing, otherwise known as sewing! I have been away from the machine for far too long and I am super excited to get back to it. I am also super motivated to start sewing up a lot of my stash so I can eventually get to projectes using my fabrics from Yoder's and Fort Wayne. But for right now I can just have fun dreaming and plotting and scheming the best uses for the latest additions to the stash.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Completion Satisfaction
As may or may not have been obvious by all of the old sewing project posts, I haven't been doing a lot of sewing lately. Mainly, this is due to the fact that I was at the Nationals in Fort Wayne for a week! My skating was not so good, but the rest of the trip was awesome. Rest assured, (drool worthy) sewing related purchases will appear in an upcoming post. And a return to sewing imminent, as there won't be any skating for me in the near future (tear) as everyone is still at adult nationals in Fort Wayne.
As for what happened while I was gone? Well, this showed up in the post at home:
After regionals I was not in a super positive mood, despite doing well and passing my test, mainly due to other issues going on that sort of detracted from the fun parts of skating. The issues still aren't quite resolved, but should be by the end of the month. In any case, with a little time and perspective, I am quite happy about the test though. It feels a little strange, since this is something I have wanted to do since I was about 12 or so.
I took the first three tests when I was twelve and have been working up ever since. It has been a long time in coming. I finally passed the two tests before the gold medal in March, so I really only had three months to prepare for the big test.
Of course, when people ask how long I trained for the gold medal I say 13 years. Because, really, it all starts at the foundation. In any case, now I have all of the test pins and my medal (it is even engraved with my name and the year on the back) for figures and I can look ahead to other goals, both in skating and elsewhere in life.
As for what happened while I was gone? Well, this showed up in the post at home:
 |
| A fancy box with a shiny medal! |
 |
| All of the Circle Figure test pins - #1-11. |
 |
| Gold tests - 10 and 11. I worked longer and harder for these than the gold medal. |
 |
| Complete. |
Monday, August 1, 2011
Skating Costumes - More Kwik Sew 2601
So, I have been talking a lot about skating, what with the dance video posts, and the new updates about regionals and nationals, but I never actually got around to posting the skating costumes I made for this year. My original pattern review was located in this post, so you can see some of my previous costumes. I made two new costumes for competition, one for the figure (tracing the circles) and one for dance skating. I am also going to post more pictures of my blue lace test dress, since I now have shots of it in action. I So, without further ado, pictures!
First, my figure dress:
This dress was the result of pain, frustration, and a few tears. This is the second version of my figure dress. On the first version, the lace did not have enough stretch, and so the arms are far too tight, and it is impossible to move in the dress. Not that one does a lot of movement in a figure event, but even rotations of the upper body are difficult. So I made a second version using a different (much stretchier) lace. The under fabric is the "mystique" lycra with hologram dots. I used hematite and siam AB rhinestones, and sewed on hematite squares to the black velvet trim at the collar and back opening (you can see these best in the second picture). Originally, I had wanted to have the sleeves be just the sheer lace, without the red underneath, but this gave a rather ashen affect to the skin tone of my face, so I decided the red underlining would be better. I didn't rhinestone the sleeves to try to give them a more shear look and keep my original design more intact.
Next, my dance dress:
This dress also caused its fair share of headaches. Although the dress itself went together swimmingly, this fabric does strange things to rhinestones. Rhinestones are shiny, sparkly little buggers. And yet, next to this fabric, they die. They don't sparkle, they don't shine, they just look like little dots. This defeats the purpose of rhinestones. So, I had to totally change my design after I had already sewn the dress. Usually, I like to have a plan for the entire costume first - from the cut of the dress down to the types of rhinestones I want to use - so this sort of messed with my process a bit. Overall though, I am quite pleased with my results. The dress is made from a teal lycra, with Bermuda (blue) rhinestones, and aurum (gold) rhinestones. The large gold stones are actually... wait for it... plastic "buttons" from Joann! Heresy I know! I sewed over 100 of them onto the dress, and I think they look really good, especially from a distance.
The last dress I wanted to post some pictures of is my blue lace test dress. I made this to experiment with using an all-over stretch lace, and to use for my skating tests because many of my other nice costumes are now a bit big. I passed 7 tests in this dress this year (#10-12 circle figure, and #1-4 international solo dance) so it has been quite lucky! I did post before (right after I had made it) but now I have some action shots:
This is actually a very light blue "mystique" holographic lycra with a black stretch lace overlay, which gives it a darker blue color. I used jet AB and jet blue flare rhinestones. Despite the simple style, I think it is one of my favorite skating costumes I have made so far.
Anyway, those were my costumes! I hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as I enjoyed wearing them and making them.
First, my figure dress:
 |
| The front of my dress! |
 |
| A closer view from the side. |
 |
| The back. |
 |
| Another view of the back. |
 |
| A close up of the fabric and rhinestones. |
Next, my dance dress:
 |
| My dance dress - the front. |
 |
| Another frontal shot. |
 |
| The back! |
The last dress I wanted to post some pictures of is my blue lace test dress. I made this to experiment with using an all-over stretch lace, and to use for my skating tests because many of my other nice costumes are now a bit big. I passed 7 tests in this dress this year (#10-12 circle figure, and #1-4 international solo dance) so it has been quite lucky! I did post before (right after I had made it) but now I have some action shots:
 |
| The front. |
 |
| The back. |
 |
| The front again. |
Anyway, those were my costumes! I hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as I enjoyed wearing them and making them.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Pattern Review: Simplicity 0581 (4364)
Ok, so this is really sort of a continuation from yesterday's post. When my sister was younger, she got one of those American Girl of Today looks-just-like-me dolls. Like most girls, she always wanted to dress like her doll, but this never really happened. I thought since I was making her the New Look rainbow birthday dress, I would use leftover materials to make her doll a matching dress. For this I used Simplicity 0581:
Ok, so what is up with the confusing pattern numbers? I have a pattern envelope that is shiny paper with blue at the top, and it says pattern 0581. However, on the Simplicity website, the pattern number is listed as 4364 with the pink on the envelope. So, well, whatever, it is the same pattern I am pretty sure. The pictures on the cover are exactly the same. In any case, here is the doll dress I made:
Overall, this was a pretty quick and fun little project. I used leftover materials from my sister's dress so that it would match, although since the doll is (obviously) a lot shorter, it only used the purple/blue colors from the fabric.
Here is my official review for this pattern:
Pattern Description: Various 18" doll's clothes. Includes dress with length options, jacket with sleeve options, and leotard/skirt patterns. I made the view C shorter length dress.
Pattern Sizes: One Size for 18" dolls.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, pretty simple. Working on smaller scale clothing is a bit tricky, but the instructions are easy.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope when you were done with it? Yes, mostly I think. I din't make the jacket, but the dress looks pretty good.
What did you particularly like or dislike about this pattern? I like all of the different options and that it came with a leotard pattern. I also think the jackets are cute though I haven't made them yet. I really like the skirt on the pattern I did make. My only dislike - the pattern seemed a bit too small for my sister's American Girl doll. I have read that the newer dolls are a bit less padded in the stomach, so perhaps this pattern is sized for the newer dolls? I may have to add a bit more to the waist circumference if I make this again.
Fabric used: Leftover polyester chiffon from a dress I made for my sister. I made a full sized (New Look 6966) dress for my sister's birthday and, despite her being grown up, I thought it would be fun to make a dress for the doll since she had always wanted a matching outfit when she was younger.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: None. Next time I may make the pattern slightly a bit bigger.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes. I think this is a great pattern because of all the options it includes. Since it is for a doll, there isn't too much to worry about fit-wise, although if you have some of the older dolls the pattern may be just a tiny bit small.
Conclusion: Good pattern! I like making doll's clothes - it is quite fun. I like this pattern, and I would recommend it to others who want to make doll's clothes as well.
 |
| S4364 |
 |
| The front! |
 |
| The back - is a bit too small. |
 |
| I used a fancy stitch for the hem. |
Here is my official review for this pattern:
Pattern Description: Various 18" doll's clothes. Includes dress with length options, jacket with sleeve options, and leotard/skirt patterns. I made the view C shorter length dress.
Pattern Sizes: One Size for 18" dolls.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, pretty simple. Working on smaller scale clothing is a bit tricky, but the instructions are easy.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope when you were done with it? Yes, mostly I think. I din't make the jacket, but the dress looks pretty good.
What did you particularly like or dislike about this pattern? I like all of the different options and that it came with a leotard pattern. I also think the jackets are cute though I haven't made them yet. I really like the skirt on the pattern I did make. My only dislike - the pattern seemed a bit too small for my sister's American Girl doll. I have read that the newer dolls are a bit less padded in the stomach, so perhaps this pattern is sized for the newer dolls? I may have to add a bit more to the waist circumference if I make this again.
Fabric used: Leftover polyester chiffon from a dress I made for my sister. I made a full sized (New Look 6966) dress for my sister's birthday and, despite her being grown up, I thought it would be fun to make a dress for the doll since she had always wanted a matching outfit when she was younger.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: None. Next time I may make the pattern slightly a bit bigger.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes and yes. I think this is a great pattern because of all the options it includes. Since it is for a doll, there isn't too much to worry about fit-wise, although if you have some of the older dolls the pattern may be just a tiny bit small.
Conclusion: Good pattern! I like making doll's clothes - it is quite fun. I like this pattern, and I would recommend it to others who want to make doll's clothes as well.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Pattern Review: New Look 6966
Due to lack of sewing at the moment - blame skating nationals and the live video feed - another older project pattern review. This is the first (only) New Look pattern I have made so far, New Look 6966:
I have made two views off of this pattern - view B for my sister and view C for myself.
These were some of the dresses I made while I was still very much a beginner at sewing, so overall I think they turned out ok, although I think I could so a much better job if I were going to make them again today. Also, all of the fabric (with the exception of the lining on the view B rainbow dress) came from a trip to San Francisco, so I was super excited to sew it up after I got back.
Here is my official pattern review:
Pattern Description: From the Simplicity website: Retro style dress with four bodice options. I made two of these - view B (the front gathered bodice with the halter style) and view C (gathers at the neckline with straps).
Pattern Sizing: (6-8-10-12-14-16). For view C I made a size 16. This was before I knew anything about FBA or pattern adjustments really, so I was going by full bust measurements. If I were making it again, I would do a size 12 with FBA.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, this is a pretty simple dress pattern. I did not have a problem with the instructions for either type of bodice.
Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? I would say it looked a lot more like the photo than the drawing. In the drawing the skirt looks a bit fuller, and the neckline a bit higher. In the photograph, you can see that the skirt isn't all that full, and the neckline is actually a bit low. I had to remedy this when I was making my versions of the dress. However, the order of instructions for inserting the straps makes it difficult to adjust the length, so you may want to test this before sewing them in.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the style and bodice options. I liked the instructions because they were easy to follow. I like that all sizes come in one envelope. I don't like the limited size range however. And I wasn't super happy with the fit of the pattern. Even though I added an inch and a half to the length of the top bodice piece (for both styles), the neckline was still barely decent. Also, I wish the skirt had been slightly fuller like the drawing and less like the photograph. The problem is that the skirt lays very flat in the front and back and is fuller on the side, which isn't the most attractive look for me. It doesn't have this problem on the dress form, but on a person with legs, it seems to do this. Perhaps it needs a petticoat to give it more shape? Also, I think the waistline is a bit high as well, which you can also sort of see on the pattern envelope. I should have paid more attention to the photo when I bought it I guess, but I usually focus more on the line drawings, so I didn't notice until after that the fit in the photo wasn't super great. I think in the future, I may try to use a fuller skirt with the bodice part of this pattern.
Fabric used: For view C I used some sort of polyester fabric I think. It was on an unlabeled roll, but it was only $2/yard and I liked the color. It is really shiny but doesn't photograph super well. For view B, I used a polyester chiffon (with glitter) over a polyester crinkle satin fabric from Joann.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: For view C I increased the length of the top so it would fit over my bust. It was something like an FBA before I knew what I an FBA was. I don't think I did it the "proper" way, but it covered what needed covering. I also added 2" to the waist length. For view B, I also added length to the bust piece so that it would give more coverage. I also changed the shape of the skirt a bit so that it would be higher (above the knee) in the front.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Well, I might use the bodice top again. I don't know, I wasn't super in love with this pattern after making it. I still think the style is cute though, so I might consider it. If I did make it again, I would change the skirt and probably re-fit and make a muslin for the top before I made the dress again. Although my sister loves and wears hers, I didn't use mine much at all, and now it is getting too big. I think if you really like this style, I would recommend the pattern, but only if you muslin first to ensure that the fit is ok and that you are getting enough coverage up top.
Conclusion: This pattern is ok. I do like the style, but I wasn't thrilled with the overall drafting of the pattern. I think the line drawings are a bit misleading, but the photo does give a good indication of the pattern results. I would cautiously recommend this pattern - I think it could look very cute, but I think it will take a lot of effort to make sure the fit is just right.
So there it is - New Look 6966. I haven't used many New Look patterns, and I think the fit issues with this one may be part of the reason. I haven't seen as many people use New Look as Burda or the Big4, so it is a bit difficult to see if the problem is me or the pattern. The styles people have made up either seem to be very simple or have some sort of odd fit issues. Is it me, or does it seem that New Look is drafted for a more thin willowy body shape? Perhaps I just had an unfortunate first experience with this pattern. Just wondering if anyone with more experience with the New Looks has any thoughts, comments, or ideas...
 |
| NL6966 |
 |
| View C - the front. |
 |
| View C - the side |
 |
| View C - the back, with my not so great zipper job |
 |
| I think it needs a belt or something |
 |
| View B - my sister's dress! |
Here is my official pattern review:
Pattern Description: From the Simplicity website: Retro style dress with four bodice options. I made two of these - view B (the front gathered bodice with the halter style) and view C (gathers at the neckline with straps).
Pattern Sizing: (6-8-10-12-14-16). For view C I made a size 16. This was before I knew anything about FBA or pattern adjustments really, so I was going by full bust measurements. If I were making it again, I would do a size 12 with FBA.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, this is a pretty simple dress pattern. I did not have a problem with the instructions for either type of bodice.
Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? I would say it looked a lot more like the photo than the drawing. In the drawing the skirt looks a bit fuller, and the neckline a bit higher. In the photograph, you can see that the skirt isn't all that full, and the neckline is actually a bit low. I had to remedy this when I was making my versions of the dress. However, the order of instructions for inserting the straps makes it difficult to adjust the length, so you may want to test this before sewing them in.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the style and bodice options. I liked the instructions because they were easy to follow. I like that all sizes come in one envelope. I don't like the limited size range however. And I wasn't super happy with the fit of the pattern. Even though I added an inch and a half to the length of the top bodice piece (for both styles), the neckline was still barely decent. Also, I wish the skirt had been slightly fuller like the drawing and less like the photograph. The problem is that the skirt lays very flat in the front and back and is fuller on the side, which isn't the most attractive look for me. It doesn't have this problem on the dress form, but on a person with legs, it seems to do this. Perhaps it needs a petticoat to give it more shape? Also, I think the waistline is a bit high as well, which you can also sort of see on the pattern envelope. I should have paid more attention to the photo when I bought it I guess, but I usually focus more on the line drawings, so I didn't notice until after that the fit in the photo wasn't super great. I think in the future, I may try to use a fuller skirt with the bodice part of this pattern.
Fabric used: For view C I used some sort of polyester fabric I think. It was on an unlabeled roll, but it was only $2/yard and I liked the color. It is really shiny but doesn't photograph super well. For view B, I used a polyester chiffon (with glitter) over a polyester crinkle satin fabric from Joann.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: For view C I increased the length of the top so it would fit over my bust. It was something like an FBA before I knew what I an FBA was. I don't think I did it the "proper" way, but it covered what needed covering. I also added 2" to the waist length. For view B, I also added length to the bust piece so that it would give more coverage. I also changed the shape of the skirt a bit so that it would be higher (above the knee) in the front.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Well, I might use the bodice top again. I don't know, I wasn't super in love with this pattern after making it. I still think the style is cute though, so I might consider it. If I did make it again, I would change the skirt and probably re-fit and make a muslin for the top before I made the dress again. Although my sister loves and wears hers, I didn't use mine much at all, and now it is getting too big. I think if you really like this style, I would recommend the pattern, but only if you muslin first to ensure that the fit is ok and that you are getting enough coverage up top.
Conclusion: This pattern is ok. I do like the style, but I wasn't thrilled with the overall drafting of the pattern. I think the line drawings are a bit misleading, but the photo does give a good indication of the pattern results. I would cautiously recommend this pattern - I think it could look very cute, but I think it will take a lot of effort to make sure the fit is just right.
So there it is - New Look 6966. I haven't used many New Look patterns, and I think the fit issues with this one may be part of the reason. I haven't seen as many people use New Look as Burda or the Big4, so it is a bit difficult to see if the problem is me or the pattern. The styles people have made up either seem to be very simple or have some sort of odd fit issues. Is it me, or does it seem that New Look is drafted for a more thin willowy body shape? Perhaps I just had an unfortunate first experience with this pattern. Just wondering if anyone with more experience with the New Looks has any thoughts, comments, or ideas...
Monday, July 25, 2011
Pattern Review: Simplicity 2410
Whilest I am in the middle of a few long, intense projects, I thought I would share another one of my early projects, Simplicity 2410.
I don't often wear skirts, but my sister does, and this was one of the first things I sewed for her. She picked out the fabric from the red tags at Joann a little over a year ago, and I stitched it up shortly after. She still wears it, so I guess it ended up working out pretty well!
Here are some pictures of the skirt (pardon the wrinkles - these were snapped after the skirt had been worn all day and, well, it's cotton, so wrinkles are somewhat inevitable):
And my official pattern review:
Pattern Description: A-line skirt in two length - one with a ruffle and one without. I made view B - the skirt without the ruffle.
Pattern Sizing: (8-10-12-14-16-18). It is nice that all of the sizing comes in one envelope, however, it does limit the size range somewhat.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes indeed! This is from the "It's So Easy" Simplicity series, and it was very simple to put together.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope once you were done with it? Yes, I think so. I did use a boarder print type cotton (the edge scalloped with embroidery) so I did not have to hem and this changes the shape a little bit, but overall it looks a lot like the drawing.
What did you particularly like/dislike about the pattern? I really like this pattern! I like the overall style, easy of construction, and the results. I like that all of the sizes come in one envelope and I like both of the styles included in the envelope. It is a great style for a summer skirt. No dislikes.
Fabric used: Embroidered boarder pattern cotton. I also used cotton as a lining just to prevent the skirt from being too sheer.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: None, really. I love sewing for my sister - it is so much easier than sewing for myself. The only real change I made was not hemming the skirt because of the scalloped embroidery on the bottom.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes to both! I would totally sew this again for my sister, and maybe even one for myself. I might even want to try the A view with the ruffle on the skirt as well. I think this pattern is great and highly recommend it.
Conclusion: Love this pattern! I think it is supper cute and easy to put together. I also think the style can be quite flattering to many body types as well. Overall, great pattern.
 |
| S2410 |
Here are some pictures of the skirt (pardon the wrinkles - these were snapped after the skirt had been worn all day and, well, it's cotton, so wrinkles are somewhat inevitable):
 |
| The front |
 |
| The back |
 |
| Zipper - one of my best early zipper insertions |
 |
| Fabric close-up! |
Pattern Description: A-line skirt in two length - one with a ruffle and one without. I made view B - the skirt without the ruffle.
Pattern Sizing: (8-10-12-14-16-18). It is nice that all of the sizing comes in one envelope, however, it does limit the size range somewhat.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes indeed! This is from the "It's So Easy" Simplicity series, and it was very simple to put together.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope once you were done with it? Yes, I think so. I did use a boarder print type cotton (the edge scalloped with embroidery) so I did not have to hem and this changes the shape a little bit, but overall it looks a lot like the drawing.
What did you particularly like/dislike about the pattern? I really like this pattern! I like the overall style, easy of construction, and the results. I like that all of the sizes come in one envelope and I like both of the styles included in the envelope. It is a great style for a summer skirt. No dislikes.
Fabric used: Embroidered boarder pattern cotton. I also used cotton as a lining just to prevent the skirt from being too sheer.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: None, really. I love sewing for my sister - it is so much easier than sewing for myself. The only real change I made was not hemming the skirt because of the scalloped embroidery on the bottom.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes to both! I would totally sew this again for my sister, and maybe even one for myself. I might even want to try the A view with the ruffle on the skirt as well. I think this pattern is great and highly recommend it.
Conclusion: Love this pattern! I think it is supper cute and easy to put together. I also think the style can be quite flattering to many body types as well. Overall, great pattern.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)