Monday's Mending Pile

I had a lovely linen dress that accidently ended up in the washing machine and then it didn't fit.  The skirt portion was fine, it was around the armscye that was too tight and sat too high.  

So I cut it and serged the raw edge, turned it over and sewed a casing for some elastic.  You know where I'm going with this, right?  

I turned it into an elastic waist skirt.  I don't know why it looks pink in this picture but it's still an orange linen.  Anyway, I'm happy to have saved part of the dress.  It has shrunk most noticeably in the bodice and sleeve area.  I turned the upper portion of the dress into rags.  Waste not.  

And then there was another underarm hole to re-stitch.  This time it was this top that ended up in the mending pile.  I'm starting to think that I should insert gussets in my close-fitting tops and dresses as this seems to be a high-stress point in my clothing.  

And that's about all the mending for this week.  

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

Easy Peasy: The Eva Dress

  

Temperatures are expected to hit the high thirties (Celsius) in the next while and I'm desperately lacking summer clothes that fit.  I need an easy peasy pattern that I could whip up in no time.  And Tessuti's Eva pattern was perfect.  However, this dress took me weeks to prep the fabric, cut and sew.  Free time has been scarce. 

I've made a few versions of this dress but only two remain in my wardrobe.  One is made out of silk and is too tight at this moment.  The first version I made in a stretch cotton is snug but with the stretch, it's actually wearable.  So the time has come for a version with more ease.  

I cut the same size as the others, a medium but added 1/2" at the side seam allowances for a total of one and a half inches of extra ease.  The calculations work out this way because the pattern calls for 1/2" seam allowances and I sewed this project with a 5/8" seam allowance.  In the end, it was too much ease and I trimmed another 1/4" inch off each seam edge after basting and before stitching.  I ended up with 1/2" total ease around the dress.  Of course, I didn't need the extra ease in the skirt portion because this pattern has a lovely lantern shape, it was just easier to continue down from the bodice piece.  

Other changes were made to the length.  I shortened the length at the waist taking off another 1/2" from the bodice and upper skirt.  The lower skirt is shortened two inches.  

The neckline is treated with Knit 'N Stable tape and finished with single fold seam binding.  The sleeve and skirt hems are finished with the single fold seam binding.  

The fabric is a fun lemon print that is part of this year's Fabricland collection.  I picked this one because it is a cotton fabric with stretch.  And from the first time I spotted it, I patiently waited until it went on sale.  It's pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam pressing.  The fabric handled this process well and it was a pleasure to sew.   

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam Finish:  Serged, neckline and hems are finished with seam binding

Fabric:  3 metres

Seam Binding:  3.5 metres

Pattern:  Eva dress by Tessuti patterns

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, pin cushions, measuring tape, measuring gauge, sewing machine, serger, threads, iron, ironing board and many breaks.  

Me Made May 2021: The Final Day

 

Today's me-made outfit is shown with a RTW t-shirt. My outfit was decided on by the horrific discovery made this weekend and that today is marked by a national day of mourning.  All pieces were previously mentioned so I won't repeat myself here. Instead, I'll leave you with the link to why we're asked to wear orange today.  

May in Review...

Me-Made-May

As the second Me-Made-May under a pandemic comes to a close, there are a few observations.  First, I tend to live in pajamas as I quickly change out of my clothes after a day at work.  Getting dressed up is not a top priority.  It's well below making sure that I have face masks, Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer and disposable gloves in my handbag.  Oh and the handbags I use are way bigger than the one I was using pre-pandemic or the current trend for little bags sized for a credit card and lipstick.  Talking about lipstick.  I haven't worn lipstick in over a year.  Have you?  

How things have changed!

And I really need to lose weight.  Most of my clothes don't fit. This year's Me-Made-May selection is a reflection of this sad fact.  

Sewing

Sewing wise, I've developed an appreciation for mending. It feels good to fix things and get them back into rotation.  

Talking about fixing things, there is a previously-loved machine in my life.  The previous owner wanted to find a new home for the machine as they said didn't use it and asked if I need a serger.  It was gifted to me and oh my gosh, I'm really grateful for this incredible gift.  

It was in great need oil and it still needs some attention and TLC.  I found a copy of the manual online and am slowly going through it to get it working again.  I might have to bring it in for a professional to get it in working order.  The thread from the left needle is not catching, even though I've re-threaded and changed the needle.  If I can get this in working condition, it will be a welcome item to the sewing table.  

I would have tinkered more with the machine if the sewing mojo wasn't starting to reappear.  Maybe it was encouraged by the new machine.  Or perhaps it is the beautiful cotton stretch woven fabric that I stumbled across earlier this month.  

I picked this up with the thought of making another Eva dress with a little more ease.  Did I mention that I out-grew most of my wardrobe?  I'm seriously lacking summer clothes that fit. It's almost done, just the hemline to shorten and finish.   

Output

Fabric:  33.1 metres + 1 recycled skirt

Zippers:  0 (May) + 1 - 55 cm zipper = 1 

Buttons:  0 (May) = 18

Seam binding:  0 (May) + 7 metres (prior months) = 7 metres

Knit 'N Stable Tape:  0 (May) + 9 metres (previous months) = 9 metres

Twill Tape:  0 (May) + 0.5 metres (prior months) = 0.5 metres

Spools of thread:  2 700 metres

Sewing machine needles:  0 (May) + 3 (prior months) = 3

Hand needles:  0 (May) + 1 (prior months) = 1

Sewing Label:  1

Input

Fabric:  10 metres (May) + 24.7 metres (previous months) = 34.7 metres 

Sewing Machine Needles:  0 (May) + 1 package of 3 serger needles (previous months) = 3

Buttons:  0 (May) + 10 (previous months) = 10

Sewing patterns:  2 patterns (May) + 2 (previous months) = 4 

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

Me Made May 2021: Day 30

 

Today's me-made items consisted of a floral print skirt, circa 2014, OOP Vogue 9060 matched up with a black pull-over RTW knit top.  And my cotton pajama set, circa 2020.  

Me Made May 2021: Day 29

 

Started the day with some early morning yardwork in my me-made jeans, circa 2020, Butterick 5682 and polar bear print pullover sweatshirt, circa 2019, Simplicity 8529.  The rest of the day was spent doing housework in a cotton knit dress, circa 2017, remodeled in 2019, Vogue 9268. It was topped off with a hoodie, circa 2015, Butterick 6253.  Stayed up past my bedtime watching the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Montreal Canadiens game in my cotton pajama set, circa 2020, top:  Butterick 6296 and bottoms:  OOP Vogue 9217.  

Me Made May 2021: Days 27 and 28

Thursday's me made items consisted of black linen pants, circa 2020, Vogue 162 and black cotton knit panties, circa 2019, Simplicity 8229.  It was worn with one of my favourite makes, a cotton shirt, circa 2020, Vogue 1678.  Sleepwear was my stand-by cotton flannel pajama set, circa 2018 and 2018, top: Butterick 6296 and bottoms:  OOP Vogue 9217.  

There was some yardwork to do, so I threw on a pair of sweatpants and horrified by how much weight I've gained I used my Closet Core Ebony dress, (not shown) circa 2021 to hide this fact.  

Friday was a half day at work which gave me to perfect opportunity to finish yardwork at home.  I threw on the same cotton knit Ebony dress, crica 2021, Closet Core patterns to finish cutting the grass.  For work, I wore one of the three versions of the tulip dress that are in my closet, circa 2020, The Assembly Line.  Sleepwear:  Cotton pajama set, circa 2020, top:  Butterick 6296 and bottoms:  OOP Vogue 9217.