Got the sleeves on but still not finished

I have now attached the sleeves and am quite impressed with my work thus far (not trying to be big headed about it or anything). I was able to ease them in with limited gathering so they look very smooth. The lenght still needs to be done as well as the back zipper. I need to go to the store to buy a 22" white zipper first. It is Thanksgiving week so it has been really busy so I am glad to have made any progress. I do, though, really wish I had picked a different color and a little stretchier fabric so that it was more wearable. Right now I am not sure what I am going to do with it. We will see. I may try to sell it on etsy.com just because I have watched to try my hand at it. I will let you guys know when I decide... and when it is finished.

Making Good Progress

I have nearly finished the dress. I have got the bodice and skirt attached and now just need to add the sleeves, zipper, lower hem, and make fitting adjustment. I am leaving out of town for 4 days so it will have to wait until next week. I am happy with the look so far.

A new day, a new dress

I started a couple of days ago on a new dress. I have been working on it slowly but have been pretty busy with other stuff. This is the basic progression in the last 48 hours, and where I am ending it tonight. Will post more as I progress. I am liking the dress (style C, but with the full length skirt) so far, but I wish I would stop picking out white fabrics. The only part of this dress that will have color is the bottom of the skirt. Oh well, I guess that is just part of my learning curve (and partly due to limited selection here is Cedar Park).

Red Dress/Skirt

I finished the red dress/skirt. I wore it and loved the lenght and look of it. It still needs a little work on top if I ever wanted to wear it without a top, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

What I do see happening, is making a trip down to Houston to shop at High Fashion fabric store. I need more than Hancocks or JoAnns can offer me.

I'm Still Here

I am working on a dress fashioned after dress A in this pattern. The only difference is that it is full lenght. So far it is super easy to make and I just have to finish the straps. I will wear it with a t-shirt over it, but for me, I much rather wear dresses covered up than skirts. I will post pics when I am finished.

Gave it another go and, not so much.

I bought the fabric, took more time in the contruction, altered it down to fix better, and have decided that it is just not the shirt for me. It looks... okay, but I will not be wasting a lot more time to try to get this perfect when I have better shirts to work on. Oh well. No big lose, the pattern cost $1 and the fabric was only about $7. I will add it to my "out" wall (or closet). For those of you that don't watch project runway, the "out" wall is where they display all the losing garments for any particular challange. I would definetly be eliminated for this. They would say, the contruction was good, but the fabric and the designed "just didn't wow us". That Hiedi with her know it all attitude (j/k, so does know a lot).

Went to the Houston International Quilting Show

I went to the Houston International Quilting Show last Friday with my mother. And, yes, while I am blogging about garment making, I also love to quilt. I saw so many cool things that I would have loved to buy (and things very useful for all types of sewing) but I had the toughest time making any decisions because of the sheer size of the show and ended up with only the ironing board cover (which has measurements on it for hems and such) and these fabrics. I also bought my dear friend Amanda some fabric. I still had a lot of fun and learned a few things too. I would have liked to do it for more than one day because there is so much to see, but next year I will schedule more time. Oh, I also learned about this quilting software that was sold out at the show so I ordered it online when I got home. It will make my quilt designing a lot easier that doing it in excel. Once I get the software, I will start with the fabric I got. Can't wait!

I did it but I hate it!

So I started and finished the shirt that I talked about. I am happy with the over all constructions but I decided that I hate this material. I am just not big into the super shiny stuff. Looked good on the bolt not so much on me. Oh well, it was only 1 1/2 yards at $1.50 a yard. No big loss. I will try it again in another material that is a little more wear friendly.

So this pattern is got these instructions for altering for different body types (i.e. full bust, wide hips, general heavyness (okay, I made that one up)) and after reading what needs to be done I just said, "no thanks". I am going to just make the pattern as is. If it does not fit perfectly then I might try later to alter it, but not from the instructions. I find that a lot of the things are the supposed to be helpful are just plain confusing. I mean, have you ever read the "instructions" that are given for something as simple as understiching. I remember the first pattern that I had with understiching and I thought I would die rather than ever having the ability to do something so complex. I went on YouTube and presto!, a video with the simply instructions. No fuse. Granted, a pattern is a piece of paper and a video is, well, a video, but come on... sometimes I just think that they hired the wrong person to write a particular pattern instruction.

So, anyway... I cut out the pattern for shirt D (bottom right) and will start it tomorrow with the fabric from a few post down. I will post the results when I am finished. We will then see how much alterations are required from the original size.

Finished my second skirt

Okay, I started and finished my second skirt today. It is more like the original because it has the band and is made of 100% cotton. I like it a lot but not as much as the first reproduction. I like the heavy material the best. Looks more expensive.

Catching up since my last post

So I am so excited about this new phase in my life. I am rocking the sewing machine and can see in the distance an awesome road ahead.

1. I finished my Halloween Costume. I am pretty happy with it. The only thing I would change is the fabric. Pink is, as you can tell, not my best color. Oh well, another time. I will surely be the most fancy at our Fall Fun Party.
2. I am obsessed with the commercial pattern technique I learned at sewing school. Basically, you put your pattern on poster board type paper and transfer all necessary markings on to it. It makes a very sturdy pattern plus you don't have to cut out the tissue pattern to your size so if later you want to make a different size, you just make another commercial grade pattern. I bought these pattern hooks at my sewing school. I feel like a professional already.


3. Now this is so cool. So I have this great skirt that I got at a resale shop. It fits perfect and is a great looking skirt. I decided that I wanted to recreate the skirt so I could make it over and over again with a pattern. I took a lot of time to measure and analyze the skirt (without taking it apart, which made it all the more difficult). I finally came to making the actual pattern (commercial grade, of course) and the skirt came out perfect. I did decide on the skirt I made to not add the bottom band because I could not find a suitable fabric. But as you can see they are the same and it fits perfectly. I am going to make it again the last fabric sometime this week. Will post the results later.

4. If I learn nothing else beside the following at my sewing school, it is well worth the nearly $300 tuition. Hancock's, and JoAnn's stores regularly sell there patterns for $1 a pattern, Simplicity, McCalls, and Butterick, and $4 for Vogue. I went yesterday and got the 8 below. I love it!

5. I also found the below fabric in the $1.50 a yard bin at Hancock's and got it to make the shirt in the bottom right hand corner. It buttons in the back which I think is so hot. Will post the results.

Finished with the Dress

I finished the dress tonight, and am happyish with the results. The idea general dress is fine but the best area is just a tad high. I may try to make modification to it later. The blue sash is just representitive of the sash I will make to go with the dress and the white shoestrings will also be replaced.

Day One Down

So I have finished the first page of directions and started the second page (only 2 pages). The top is pretty much done with the exception of the draw string neck and of course, attaching it to the skirt. The skirt is still a ways off. I am not sure what is next because when I started reading the next step my brain turned off and so I just walked away. Made some tea for my husband and about to go to McDonald's to get a Dr. Pepper. If I get a second wind, I might do more, but it is unlikely.

Day One of Making My Costume

So I have started making my costume today. I cut out all of the fabric (which is always a time consuming task and very little fun). I also started sewing the bodice top. It is looking real promising. I just have to remember to take my time. I have learn at lot from my class that I have already put into good use and is making my garment look better than other things I have sewn. I will post a picture of the progress when I stop for the night.

First Steps

I signed up and just finished week 3 of a 5 week beginning sewing class in South Austin. No... I am not exactly a beginner, but without starting at the beginning, I can't be sure I am not missing so super valuable piece of information that I can use to my benefit, and therefore, my future students. I have actually learning quite a few neat little tips. Now, you should know, that I taught myself to sew, so there are bound to be some holes in my knowledge, and that is exactly what I am trying to fill. On top of rounding out my knowledge base, I am gaining a great foundation for my own future classes. I will in no way be mimicking the teacher at this school, but it is good to get a firm understanding of what others think are "the basics". I find that lately I wake up every day wanting more and more experience and knowledge for sewing. I have taken a basic pattern for a tunic (first pattern, main picture on the left) and have made it once exactly per the instructions. I then made it a second time, making some minor adjustments to the pattern. I want to do it again in the next week and make even more modifications and improvements. I am also really, really, excited about this other project I am starting. A Halloween costume. I am really excited because I have always want to make this costume and am just now confident enough to try it. It is a 17th century regency gown. I am going to make it out of pink faux silk dupioni fabric with a sage green sash (I will post pictures when I get starting). I bought the pattern (Second pattern, green dress on the right), fabric, and thread already. I have also transferred my tissue pattern onto commerical pattern paper, and tomorrow I will cut the dress and lining out. I might get further, but we will see how the day progresses. I am going to wear this gown to a "Fun Fall Party" that the Arboleda Cares Team (that is me) is hosting at the apartments. I will surely stand out among the dozen of kids and maybe a few adults in costumes, and that is exactly what I want to do. I want to start feeling people out about general need and desire for sewing instructions. If some one asks me about my costume and I have the opportunity to tell them I made it, it will most likely led to a conversation in which I can tell them I am thinking about starting a sewing school. I might even attempt to teach of few residents for free if anyone is interested. I would be good practice, and I always enjoy interacting with others when I sew. So, tonight, I just need to get to bed so today will be over and tomorrow will start so I can begin my dress. Oh... I am so excited.

The Beginning

Seamstress: A woman who sews, especially one who makes her living by sewing.

This is the definition of what I aspire to be. Well, sort of... I love to sew. I mean, I feel as if I have found a calling in sewing. I love to put two pieces of fabric together to make something. Whether it be a shirt, Halloween costume, or a quilt, I just can't get enough. I mean, my husband and I live in a two bedroom apartment and the guest bedroom is solely dedicated to my sewing. Granted, it needs some work, but it is a place I can go to escape to a world where anything is within my reach. I find inspiration just stepping foot into the room. I get excited when I sit down in front of a sewing machine with pieces of fabric and sew until it make something useful. This passion of mind has really, though, just begun to grow. I have been sewing now for two years seriously and a couple of years before that not so seriously. But now that I have left the all consuming world of corporate accounting behind and have time to really sit down and decide "what I want to be when I grow up" (even if I am already 26 and spent the last 7 years dedicating my life to being an accountant) it has finally stricken me. I was sitting at my BFF (Brittany, not my sister, even though she is my ultimate BFF) house teaching her how to make her first quilt and she said "you should teach this" and I had an epiphany: I want to teach women how to sew. I want to teach them how to sew clothing, for themselves and for their kids, to sew quilts, to alter those awesome pairs of jeans, darn it, that are just about 5 inches too long. I have always excelled at teaching. I taught my sorority sisters college algebra, my co-workers accounting software, and not just did I teach them, but I did it in such a way that they got it. I understand the different ways that people think and therefore can break things down simply enough and clearly enough for people to get it fairly easily. Not trying to be all like "I am sooo awesome" but when you have a real talent for something you should share it. I want to combine the two things that I really love, teaching and sewing. I have often heard that if you do what you love to do, the money will follow. Now I am in no way looking to become mega rich, but if I can support my habit of sewing by spending time teaching others, than great. So my plan is this. Get as much knowledge about sewing (from experts) as I can, spend hours honing my skills, and when the time is right, and I will just know when it is right, get a studio and start marketing for garment, and quilting classes. This is what I will be blogging about. My journal. My journal from a stay at home wife to a bona fide sewing teacher.