Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas All!

I hope that everyone is having an amazing day. 

My kids and I attended church service this morning and we're getting ready to have Christmas dinner. 

This is the first year that I've been home to celebrate Christmas day with my kids. Everyday my kids amaze me more and  more. They grow so fast.

Please cherish your family and be grateful for everyone who is present in your life.

I wish you and your family a happy Holiday season.

-Foxxy Stitches

Self Draft Ankara Skirt

😏Good day all!  Happy Monday!!!

This is what happens when you are determined to have a new skirt!  A few weeks ago, I entered my local fabric store and instantly fell in love with this fabric!  Can you blame me?

I do not have any skirts with a double flounce so I decided to make one.  The joys of sewing your own wardrobe.

It did not take long to make.  One and a half yards of fabric and 2 hours later, I had a new skirt. 

In order to make this skirt. I drafted a pencil skirt.  After fitting the pencil skirt, the remaiing fabric was cut into lare strips. The strips were sewn together and then gathered on one side.  I decided to wrap the fabric on top of the skirt and sew the strips on top.  

I wore this skirt to church and there was a lot of stares. :-)

My eldest daughter and I had amazing time at church.

Books

I read every book from the Bane Chronicles.  They are pretty quick reads.  It's entertaining to read the course of events in Magnus Banes point of view. 

This week, I have started reading "The Jewel" by Amy Ewing.  It really reminds me of the “Divergent” series by Veronica Roth.

This book is the first book of the “ The Lone City” trilogy.  The story line is placed in a world where the Royal family needs surrogates. This book is a page turner.  You guys should really check it out.  

What have you been up to this week? 

Navy Blue Pants: See and Sew 5908

Make Nine Challenge

I have made some progress with my Make Nine challenge. 2 done and 7 more to go.  I think I am going to make the first items again.  This is the first item that I made from my challenge See & Sew 5908.  I consider this a wearable muslin.  I originally cut this pattern and pattern pieces out in 2017.  I was 20 pounds heavier then.  I had to trim inches from the leg width.  I also had to take in the waist.  Then I realized that I do not want the pant legs so wide so I removed more from the leg width.  I wore them to work and I think I can take off a little more from the width and shorten just a bit.  I add a pop of color at the waist band with the pink binding. 

This is my first time making a pair of semi fitted pants, with a front fly zipper, and belt loops.  I am in love and definitely want to make this pattern again.

Sorry not the best photos. 

The fabric is navy blue but I can't remember where I purchased it. It was really easy too sew.  I was nervous about the front fly but the instructions were amazing.  

Surprisingly I had more trouble lining up the hook and eye than installing the zipper.  I know it sounds crazy.  Thank you Butterick!

Reading
In the last few months of 2018, I decided to turn back to my old ways. Reading.  I forgot how much I love to read.  There’s something about reading that makes me feel at peace.  It always me an opportunity to escape and enter an imaginary world. 

Since going back to one of my favorite hobbies, I've done a lot of reading.  I mean a lot. 

This week I'm currently reading "The Bane Chronicles".  This is a collection of 11 books by Cassandra Clare. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Make Nine

Make Nine 2018

Last year, I participated in the Make Nine challenge on Instagram.  January of last year, I assumed that I would have time to sew everything on my list.  I had to make a muslins for 6 of the 9 items relltequitrf a Muslim.  I truly did not have time for fitting issues.  So I had to put them to the side so I could work on items less time consuming.  From my original list, I made 2 of the 9 items.  I don't think I was realistic when I selected the patterns.  Sometimes we let our eyes out run our sewing machines.

However in 2018, I made 32 items.  These 32 items does not include all of my fail projects and muslins.  So I didn't do too bad.  Here's a view of 9 complete items from 2018. Sadly only a handful of items made it to this blog.
.

2018 Goals

Every year, we all drafted a list of items to work on aka New Years Resolutions/ Sewing Resolutions.  I planned to work on the following
2018 Goals:
-Master installing a neckline-Work in Progress
-Face my fear of making pants--Failed :-(
-Make a garment with Grommets--Complete :-)
-Make a garment using an Indie Pattern--Not Complete
-Continue working on the art of fitting--Work in Progress

I have decided to keep the same resolutions for 2019, except I am removing the garment with Grommets.  I'm adding the Make Nine challenge to my resolutions.

2019 Goals:
-Master installing a neckline
-Face my fear of making pants
-Make a garment using an Indie Pattern
-Continue working on the art of fitting
-Complete the Make Nine Challenge 
Make Nine 2019
For 2019,  I took a look in my closet to determine holes in my wardrobe.   This iswhat I came up with.

#1 Simplicity 8849

#2  Simplicity 8454

#3 Simplicity 8418

#4 Bow Tie Blouse

#5 Simplicity 8749

#6 McCall 7833

#7 McCall 7862

#8 McCall 7899

#9 See & Sew 5908

Are you participating in the Make Nine Challenge?  What do you have on your to do list?

Bow tie neck top

Guys!

I was online and came across  Meghan McCain’s leopard print bow tie neck blouse.  I instantly fell in love! 

I only own one bow tie neck blouse but it is RTW and it looks horrible on me.  I don't know about you but, when I buy RTW plus size clothing it either fits perfectly or not at all.  This blouse does not fit at all.  I wear size 38G and I usually have to buy blouses in a size 18 and hope and pray they fit just right. 

So in order to own a great fitting bow tie neck blouse, I would have to make it myself.

So I set out in search of the perfect pattern.  There’s sooooo many different options.  It’s crazy!

Just from my online search, I found the following patterns:

McCall 7868 View B
McCall 7436 View D
Simplicity 8216 View C
Burda 6460 View A
New Look 6471 View A
Burda 6840 View B
Butterick 6133 View A
Butterick 6419 View B and C
Marfy F5209
Marfy F5168
Butterick 6378 View A and B
Butterick 6563 View B
Simplicity 1779 View C
Vogue 9204
Pussy Bow Blouse by Sew Over It
Simplicity 8131 Has 6 views (my favorite views B, D, and F)
Simplicity 8593 View A and B

There's probably more but this list is long enough.  So it was time to narrow down my options.  First I had to look at the pattern lines and the patterns currently in my stash.

McCall 7868 View B
McCall 7436 View D
Simplicity 8216 View C
Burda 6460 View A
New Look 6471 View A
Burda 6840 View B
Butterick 6133 View A
Butterick 6419 View B and C
Marfy F5209
Marfy F5168
Butterick 6378 View A and B
Butterick 6563 View B
Simplicity 1779 View C
Vogue 9204
Pussy Bow Blouse by Sew Over It
Simplicity 8131 Has 6 views (my favorite views B, D, and F)
Simplicity 8593 View A and B

Here's the final contestants:

 

So now I need to find a nice leopard print fabric for my perfect top.  More to come soon.

 

By the way...

As I was in the mist of my search for the perfect blouse, I found a few more blouses I would like my hand at.

McCall 7836 View B
McCall 7688 View B
Burda 6525 View C
Simplicity 8840 View D
Simplicity 8791 View C
Simplicity 8693 View D
Butterick 6628 View A
Simplicity 8593 View E
Butterick 5945 View A (For my 5 year old)
Marfy F3466

There's so many great patterns but not enough time to make them all.  Have a wonderful weekend.