Silk Shell - New Look 6035

A while back I had a Cynthia Rowley shell pattern that I really loved.  It was a tank with small gathers and bias trim around the neckline.  I made it up in a silk twill I bought in New York and I LOVED that blouse!  I wore it and wore it and finally I had to accept that it had to come out of rotation.  It needed some time off.

A couple of weeks ago my dear childhood friend from Nebraska came out for a visit.  She was able to stay for two days and since she's a fabric lover we went to LA for fabric. We went to Mood and The Fabric Store and I picked up a few prints, a couple of bottom weights (I really needed some basics but you know how it is...) and this silk twill.  When I saw it at The Fabric Store I knew I would make up my beloved shell again.

This time I used New Look 6035.  It's a great basic pattern and I'm sure I'll use it over and over since I wear sleeveless tops so often.

I made two changes to the pattern:

Shoulder darts were added to the back neck.  I think the pattern makers in the sixties really had it right when they put shoulder darts on everything.  It eliminates the icky gap I get at the back neck and honestly it's the easiest adjustment you can hope to make.

Twisted bias trim was added to the neckline.  I cut strips of bias fabric 5" wide, pieced them together and sewed them into one long tube.  I probably used about 90" of bias....maybe more...I wish I would've measured.  Ugh.

Beginning at the center back, I gently twisted, pinned and folded the bias into soft folds.  There was no rhyme or reason to my twisting I just kept working until I like how it looked.  I'll be honest here, this took quite a while and when I was happy with the pinned result I hand sewed it to the shell.  I do like hand sewing so this was enjoyable but all total this process probably took me 2 hours (primarily in the car or during my lunch break, I typically save my hand sewing for these times).

The shell itself went together in under two hours not including time spent stitching down the neck and sleeve bindings (again, I saved those for my "down times").  I will certainly use this shell pattern again.   It's a great "basic but not too basic" pattern that I can keep simple or embellish.

I went to Santa Barbara, California for a quick getaway with my daughter.  The weather was perfect for hiking (and eating) and it was wonderful to have some time with her while she's back from school.  She took these photos for me... I turned the camera on her....hee hee.

Thanks for reading.  Happy Sewing!

I Have Nothing To Wear.....It With

If I had a dime for every time I went in my closet, pulled out something cute and said to myself "I love this but I have nothing to wear it with" I'd be a wealthy woman.  Okay, well maybe not wealthy but I sure would have more money to buy more fabric.  So I've decided to pair up one of these "lonely" items with a handmade one and bring it out of the closet.

Typically I go for the same practical handbag in a neutral color (and yes, usually it desperately needs to be cleaned out) but a colorful bag that's a little impractical can sure make me feel like a girl.  This modified "hobo" bag made from super soft mauve leather and silver hardware is one such bag.  As lovely as it is, it's been sitting on my closet shelf for quite some time.

When I found this beautiful Liberty of London silk at Fabricland, my local fabric store, I heard angels sing.  I decided to splurge and as it turns out, this fabric is perfect for my bag.  That's a win, win.

I used View B of the Margo Blouse pattern in a size medium.  I made the pattern with no changes (shocking, I know) and finished it with 3 vintage buttons that I had in my stash.  This blouse has turned out to be really versatile for me.  It looks casual with jeans but I also wear it tucked into a navy skirt and it looks very "business-y" for work.  Throw on my mauve bag and I look like I know what I'm doing.

I have a few other "nothing to wear it with" pieces in my closet.  Which one should I tackle next?

I Felt a Breeze....Fall Must Be On The Way

I'm pretty sure I felt a breeze this morning so fall must be on the way which makes me giddy since fall sewing is some of my favorite (except I say this about spring sewing too so I can't be trusted).  Either way, I'm looking ahead to the new season and with that trying to get a plan, even a loose one, underway, inspired by The Wardrobe Architect Series at Colette, of course.

Like all of us, I have limited time to sew so making pieces that work well together is the name of the game and color is a great place to start.  I started by looking at the Pantone Fall 2015 color chart which has lots of colors I like to wear (mostly jewel tones) but really my own sewing room was the place to go.  I pulled together some of the fabrics on my cutting table and a couple from my stash and found my fall wardrobe emerging from my sewing room.

Berry seems to be a favorite as with navy and I just finished making a blouse in the silk Liberty above from my Blue Dot Pattern that's next to be released (stay tuned, more on that later).  The solid fabric is a t-shirt I already have and the navy fabric is a lightweight wool that will likely turn into a Grainline Morris Blazer.

I'd like to keep black/gray as one of my neutrals since I have so much of it in my closet.  I'm setting aside the cream wool gauze with baby black sequins for a tunic and the gray toile crepe is cutout and ready to stitch.  It'll be my second sample for a BD dress pattern that's also soon to make it's debut.

The denims and chambrays will be pieces I wear the most and the tencel chambray will be perfect made up in Sewaholics Granville shirt (like the one I made here).  I'm not yet sure what the stripe and lace will turn into but almost certainly they will be inspired by Madewell. 

Sewing from my stash makes me really happy and now that I've made a list here,  I can see I'm further along in my fall sewing and planning than I thought.

What are your fall plans?