SSS Update and Jacket Talk

Well, I felt very accomplished for fixing my Spring (non)Ruffled Top and it’s really cute. I wore it over the weekend and realized how accustomed to wearing knits I’ve become! It’s comfortable in the heat because of the lack of fabric on my shoulders and back. The loose fit allows for freedom from sucking in the gut, but the shirt shifts a little causing the straps to be too loose or the neckline to gape and I found myself adjusting it throughout the day. I think that top would be really nice in a knit as well; possibly even knit straps and chest band with a cotton for the rest of the shirt.  

At any rate, it will work for sure and I’m moving on with my weekday-cut-weekend-sew plan. Over the weekend, I finished my Yellow Sadie Dress. It was quick – I had paused on it because I got the skirt gathered and attached before realizing the top portion needed to be taken in from the waist down. Discouraged and out of time, I set it aside – we all know it’s better to go on to something you’re excited about than to finish something you only halfway like, but I made myself go back to it before pushing forward. I’m glad I did. I chose the Sadie pattern because after receiving the fabric in the mail from ordering online, it was more mustard than pale buttery yellow as I imagined it. (Boy, I’m having a hard time with online fabric shopping lately! – See this post or read on to see what I mean). It doesn’t really go with my skin tone, so I figured the Sadie would be good, as it would be comfy & easy to wear with a sweater or jacket of some type to keep the color off my face. See here with and without Jacket. 

That was Saturday. On Sunday I was blessed with a very long napping son (3 hours!) and was surprised to get about 95% done with my Bird Jacket (It’s “for the birds”…ok…bad joke, but at least I get a laugh out of it). lol. The pattern calls for 3 snaps for the closure with non-functioning buttons on the outside, but I think I’m going to make one buttonhole and add one button as it will be easier to get on and off than snaps (in my opinion). Let me say, I used a Project Runway pattern for this (Simplicity 3538) and was pleasantly surprised at the detail they included in the construction! It’s nothing too fancy, but they have you bind the edge of the inside facing and the armscye. I ended up not binding the armscye because I only had single fold narrow bias tape and I have a wonderful serger, but it really looks nice on the facing. Also, the picture below on the dressform doesn’t do it justice. I tried it on at one point with the Sunny Day Sadie Tank and jeans and it looked just as I imagined. Maybe a little quirky, but really cute. I’ll have to post pictures of that outfit when I get it completely finished, buttonhole, button and all. 🙂

This week, to the cut stack, I’ve added my Colette Bloomers (for the free pattern “Madeline”, click here) in black knit. Most people make it in woven, but my instinct is that it would be more comfy in knit so we’ll see what happens.  Since my purple stripe jersey knit (from a few posts back) came in more stiff than I expected, I’ve cut a BurdaStyle Lydia out of it instead. I’ve cut it just above elbow length, instead of long-sleeved, and found a white rib knit to put on the neckline and sleeves with a kind of sailors feel in mind. And I’m most excited about my most recent purchase: During some retail therapy (it’s been a rough week) I found some fabric to make the Badgley Mishka Jacket I’ve been wanting to make. I was looking for white, just like the pattern photo, but I saw this large brown & white (faux) linen and couldn’t pass it up! (BTW, just got an iPhone and downloaded the Pattern Pal app – I’ll review it for you in another post). I cut it out today and can’t wait to get sewing on it!

I’m so proud of my progress so far and feel like I’ll have lots of good things to wear the month of September – I might even be better dressed than I am normally. I’ve really enjoyed it so far and hope July is just as productive!