Bowtie Blouse Vogue 9204

Please forgive me for the bathroom picture.
You guys already know that I've wanted to make a bow-tie blouse since last year,  maybe even the year before.  I've wanted an animal print bow-tie blouse ever since I saw Meghan McCain wearing her blouse on The View.

During self-quarantine, I took some time to make some garments to wear to work. This is my first day wearing one of my MeMade Quarantine garments. 

This blouse is part of my Make 20 in 2020 sewing plans. It was somewhat easy to make.  I had a little trouble with the back placket.  But I took a deep breathe and tried it again.

Fabric: I used the Cheetah print fabric that I purchased from Fabric Wholesale Direct.  The video of my Fabric Wholesale Direct Fabric Haul is linked to this post.  This fabric washed beautifully and soft to the touch.  My sewing machine loved this fabric.  

Would I make this pattern again?  Yes, I am looking for a solid fabric, to make this pattern again.  I am also thinking about making this blouse for my mom.  (My mom loves Bow-Tie blouse.

Me Made May Week 2

Everything in Florida opened on May 4th.  I plan to self quarantine until June.  When the school year officially closes, I might and that's a strong might, leave the house.

Me Made May continues with this top that I have not posted yet.  I don't think I've posted it because it's missing something.  But I wore it this week for a Zoom meeting.

I didn't do too bad this week.  Here's some car pics.  Sadly, I only remember to take pictures when I am in my car.

There's one day I didn't take a pic but this is the dress that I wore around the house.

How are you doing with Me Made May?

Pair of pants New Look 6231

Good morning Sewing Family,

     I hope everyone is staying safe.

We officially have pants.  Black pants to be exact.  This has been on my sewing to do list for a very long time.

Fabric: this pattern calls for a stretch woven.  I purchased a black knit with spandex that looks amazing and feels even better.  I purchased this fabric at Joann's.

For some reason, I always forget to purchase a zipper.  Out of all notions that's the one item that I can't remember.  So I had to take a second trip to Joann's.

Sideview

There's  some funny business going on around the knees that I need to address as soon as possible!

The thigh fits just right.

In RTW pants, the butt area usually sags.  That's why I love sewing!!!!!  Look at the back.  No butt sagging.  That's a win!!!!!

Here's a picture of my youngest wearing a face mask.  She asked me to take her picture.

Have a wonderful week and stay safe.

In honor of Black History Month

For Black History Month, I made my eldest child a circle skirt with this beautiful African print Fabric.

Review:

Fabric: Found at Joann's.  Yes you can find some amazing fabric at Joann's.  This is 100% cotton fabric.

This was a quick make.  I finished the waistband with Elastic.

She's one happy Lady!

I love making her laugh.

Have a wonderful day!  

Me Made May

Soooo I am going to participate in Me Made May.  The goal is to wear at least one me made garment every day.

Yesterday, I wore one of my Me Made jackets.

Today is the 2nd and I wore a top that I made a few years ago.

I need to figure out my outfits for a week.  I might have to make some garments that are comfortable enough to wear around the house.

Are you going to participate this year?

Have a wonderful day!

Simplicity 8791

Ahhhhhh natural sunlight.

During this break, I have had a lot of time to sew. I made this top in 2 or 3 days.

This blouse is beautiful and has a lot of details.  There's gathering in the front and the back.The sleeves have a continuous lap and the waist ties are extremely long.  You can tie the blouse in the front or in the back. 

I loved making the sleeves because it gave me the opportunity to work on buttonholes, installing buttons on my sewing machine, anndddddddddd making a continuous loop for the first time!!!!! 

Review:

Fabric: Navy Blue with white polka dots Quilting cotton, I wish I had selected a lighter fabric.

Size:

I cut the following: Size 18 for Shoulder and neckline, size 18 for the bust and size 18 for the waist.

Did it look like the pattern envelope: Yes

Would I make it again?: Yes I would like to try this with a lighter cotton.  

This was my first time sewing a continuous loop on a shirt sleeve.

This blouse is the Sew Your View Instagram group MARCH pattern of the month.  The Sew Your View ladies and I made a video of this pattern.

Enjoy!

Happy Sewing!

Second Quarter Sewing Plans

It's finally the second quarter!  This quarantine has turned this year into a drag.  At least I'm getting some sewing done.

This quarter I'm going to work on the following items:

1. Butterick 6710
2. Jacket
3. Butterick 6684
4. Vogue 1674
5. Sheath Dress

UFO Challenge--I'm not sure what three items I am going to work on.

1. ???
2. ???
3. ???

If there's enough time I want to work on a few extra items.

-summer dress

-summer shirt

- flowy skirt

On Youtube, I have posted a video of my sewing plans for the month of April.  See link below:

I hope you're being safe.  Happy Quarantine!!!

Simplicity 8452

Simplicity 8452 Some 1950's love

The only time I leave the house is to go to the grocery store.  I don't want to go to the grocery store, especially during this time, looking super cute.  So, no outfit photos for now.

It looks horrible on the hanger but its super cute on me!  Hopefully I will take pictures soon.

Here's a picture of the pattern envelope.  I hope this helps you visualize this top.

 I absolutely love 1950s fashion: sheath dresses, pencil skirts, circle skirts, swing coats, and capris.  It makes my heart sing when I see an amazing 1950s outfit.  I haven't figured out how I am going to wear this top but I know it's going to be great.

I hope you're having a great week.

Have a safe Quarantine.

April 2020 Sewing Plans

Well, it looks like the US is going to open back up in the next week or two.  There's a few states that will open up beauty salons, nail salons, and beauty supply stores tomorrow.  It just seems a little rushed. 

I do not plan on leaving the house for anything besides the essentials.  My goal will be easy becuase I am planning to hit the sewing machine.
April is halfway over and there's a few patterns that I would like to make before May.

Below is a video of my plans for April. 

What do you plan on making, or what have you made so far? 

Please be safe and Happy Sewing.

The Year of 2020 and Coronavirus-Covid 19

There is so much that has changed in such a sort period of time.  If someone told me this would have happened in 2020 then I would have skipped it and moved on to 2021.

I know we all have made a list of things that we want to do during this time and crazy enough we haven't touch an item on the list.  I am guilty of this.

I am trying to use this time wisely but it difficult.

There's such a sadness in my heart.

So many people have lost their loved ones.  We don't get to visit our friends and family the way we would like to.

Unemployment rate skyrocketing.  Schools closed.  Parks closed.  Beaches closed.  Disney World Closed. 

No go-carting, no bowling, no karaoke, no dinner or drinks with friends. 

My family will not get to attend my 8th grader's middle school graduation, my 5th grader's middle school graduation, or my Kindergarten's graduation.

I never realized how important it was to actually get up and walk into a church building to praise and worship.  It's difficult trying to keep a connection to God.

I never realized how hard it would be to stay indoors.  It eye opening to realize that your family drives you up a wall.

I'm usually a very strong person but right now I feel lost.

Where is the world going from here?  What will December of 2020 look like?

This evening I attended a Virtual Bible Study.  I'm just baffled.

My kids want to go to school and see their classmates and they can't.  They want to go to the grocery store with me and they can't.  They want to know when they will see their classmates and their teachers and when the world will get back to normal.  I don't have an answer for them. The uncertainty is scary.  I know I am supposed to pray about it and have faith.

But right now I'm just taking it one day at a time.  More like 2 hours at a time.

I realized that I don't know myself. I don't know what I like.  I like to read but i don't get to read much with homeschooling.  I like to sew but i don't get to do that much either.  Nothing around me make me find true joy.  So I realized I don't like myself.  I don't like who I thought i was and I don't know who I want to be.

What's next?  What do I do from here?

Lost and Confused

Quarter 1 Rap Up

We've made it through Quarter 1.  I'm extremely happy with the results.

From my Quarter 1 Plans I made::

1. Vogue 8825 Click here to see more ---Done
This was my Anniversary/Valentine's day dress buy my son insisted that I wore it to his schools valentine's day dance.  This was made with fabric from my stash.

2. Simplicity 8982--Click here to see more
This outfit was Made with knit fabric embroidered with a flower design.  This was made from fabric in my stash.

3. Pair of Pants-- New Look 6231 made with Black Knit Fabric from Joanns.  Blog post coming later on this week.

4. The quilt is one of my greatest accomplishments.  Photos coming soon.

5. Bowtie Blouse-- I did not get to this make.  Yes I'm ashamed of myself.

Completed UFOs. Please bare with me, I haven't taken any pictures yet 

1. Black and Yellow skirt

2. Gray and black pencil skirt

3 Animal print skirt

Additional items made this quarter:

Let me say, before the Quarantine I made a total of 3 additional items.  As a result of the quarantine I made a total of 7 additional items.  That does not include facemasks.  I am extremely happy with my makes.  

1. Self Draft Ankara Print Skirt in honor of black history month.  I made this skirt for my eldest daughter.  The fabric was purchased at my local fabric store.

2. McCall 7926 Anniversary dress.  This dress was a fail.  I was able to wear the dress on the night on my anniversary. Sadly when the time came to take pictures of the dress I couldn't get it over my head. I cut the bodice a size or two to small.  Fabric was purchased at Joanns.

3. Self draft Ankara outfit for my Nane. She loves this outfit.  This fabric was purchased at my local fabric store.

4. New look 6620 for my daughter. More to come

5. New Look 6620 extended to become a dress.  More coming soon

6. Gold skirt for my mom. Photo coming soon. 

7.  Simplicity 8791 which is the Sew Your View Pattern for the Month of March.

Some of the garments made this month were made with fabric from my stash.  

Next quarter I will try to use more from my fabric stash. 

Goodbye Quarter 1 let's knock Quarter 2 out of the park!

Have a great weekend.  

Be safe!

Face Masks

It's crazy that we've got to the point of needing facemask. 

I made a few facemask for the family.  

If you want to make your own facemask there's quite a few videos on YouTube. 

This is the very first mask.  

Then I went crazy with fat quarters and fabric scraps.

Here's a few more. 

After making a few masks I ran out of elastic.  Then I read somewhere that hospitals do not use masks with elastic due to allergies.   Which makes sense so I decided to make a pattern that includes a filter pocket and does not have elastic. 

This is where I started

 Drafting a pattern is not easy but the final product is worth it.

Heres the results of my self drafted pattern.

The green mask was my first make and it gets better after that. 

Yesterday I took my son to the doctor for an allergy test.  This was on the doctor's wall.  I love this!!!

Have a wonderful day.   Stay safe!

Work in Progress and Therapy

Good day!!!

I realized that I owe you guys some pictures.  Please know that I'm not behind on my sewing plans but behind on pictures.

This Global Pandemic,  the Coronavirus has put a stand still on events outside of the house.  So it might take a little while longer for photos.

During this time of isolation, I  am taking advantage of family time, videochating, anddddd SEWING!

During the last two months, back druing my sewing hiatus I realized that sewing has relieved some of the stress that I have been carrying for the past few months.  Sewing has been so therapeutic.

My last job made it impossible to have a life outside of work and it did not end well.  I worked with difficult people which exist in every line of business.  I was borderline crazy.  I felt like my world was going to crash in front of me.  I would never wish that experience on anyone not even my enemies.

I'm going to stop ranting and let's move on to my WIP items.  Last year I added at least 1 WIP per month.  It was quite sad and when I look at my WIP pile I get overwhelmed. 

This year, I am going to knock out some of my WIPs.  Below I have included photos of some of my WIPs.  These are just a handful and does not include fabric and patterns that were cut and never pieced together.

Skirt -  I'm not sure what pattern I used to cut this skirt.  This skirt needs a closure and a waistband. 

Self draft skirt also missing a closure and waistband.

McCall 7543 this blouse needs sleeves, a closure, and needs to be hemmed.

I started this dress for my eldest but struggled with the sleeve detail on View A

This self drafted skirt is missing a waistband.  Yes that it. Do you notice a trend with skirts.

Here's another look at the self drafted skirt 

This skirt needs to be hemmed, closures, and waistband 

This dress has a long way to go.

These are only a handful of my WIPs items that I will work on this year.

Sewing Queue for Quarter 1

Pair of Pants ----Complete

Bowtie Blouse

3 UFO Challenge Items----work in progress

Once I complete my Quarter 1 plans I  hope there will be enought time to make additional items.  Items that I want to add to my sewing queue:

-McCall 7931- Bias Skirt

-Sheath Dress- I have this amazing grey and black knit fabric that would look great as a sheath dress.  I need to find a pattern to make it with.

-Blazer

-Burda 6293-Jacket View A

Please stay safe during Coronacation and enjoy some quality time with your family.

Simplicity 8982

I'm officially jumping on the bandwagon!!!!  This pattern was the Sew Your View Challenge for November 2019.  This pattern is simple and has so much potential especially with the right fabric.  In my stash, I had this burgundy knit fabric that I was planning to use to make a dress. 

I made this pattern out of the envelope with no modifications.

Sewing Pattern Review

Pattern Description:

Pattern Sizing:
8 to 24
I made the top in a size 18.  The skirt was cut in a size 16.  To eliminate the need to adjust the sleeve band, I cut a size 14 sleeve band.

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

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the fact that this pattern was easy to make.

Fabric Used:
Burgundy Knit Fabric with raised flower design  I have no idea where I purchased this fabric.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes. This pattern would be cute in a striped knit. 


Sewing Queue for Quarter 1
Pair of Pants
Bowtie Blouse
3 UFO Challenge Items

Once I complete my Quarter 1 plans I  hope there will be enought time to make additional items.  Items that I want to add to my sewing queue:
-McCall 7931- Bias Skirt
-Sheath Dress- I have this amazing grey and black knit fabric that would look great as a sheath dress.  I need to find a pattern to make it with.
-Blazer
-Burda 6293-Jacket View A


How are you guys doing with your quarter 1 sewing plans?

Have