I Won!

Thank you so much to Chicky Chickita - I won two of the prizes at her recent blog giveaway. Yay!

First this Guy Laroche pattern. Pretty darn sexy with that deep V back, huh?

And also this vintage Singer 'Junior Miss' Sewing Machine! How cute is that?!

Red, Pink and Orange Lisette Skirt

I receive a lot of discount coupons for Joann Fabrics for 30% and 40% off, as well as emails and flyers advising of sales. So if I'm passing a store I often 'drop in' just to "see" what they have!

Well, recently I was in a different area of town and there was a new store having it's Grand Opening sale. So, I wandered in and ended up coming out with two new pieces of fabric, some knitting needles and two balls of wool. Of couse, everything was discounted or I could use a coupon.

One of the pieces I bought was a Lisette fabric with a wavy, stripe in red, pink and orange. I bought it specifically to make a second version of Simplicity 2698. I like this pattern; it's straightforward and a good beginner pattern. I can see myself using this pattern over and over again. On this version I decided that I would make the scalloped waist band from the free skirt pattern designed by Vivat Veritas, just to add a little more interest to the design.

So, far I've made up the front of the skirt with pockets and the waistband. I added some interfacing to the waist band for extra stability, and in my attempt to improve the finish on all my garments, I am using French seams as much as possible. Here is a picture of the scalloped waist band.

The challenge for me is matching up the stripes on the side seams. As well as a scalloped edge, this is my first time attempting a pattern using a striped fabric. It seems the more I sew the more fussy I am about the fit and finish....which is a good thing, in my opinion. If you are going to dedicate your time to create something shouldn't you want it to look as good as possible? I've learnt so much in the last six months by just reading other people's sewing blogs and I really want to improve my skills too. As I'm so new to sewing there are a lot of things I've never done before, and I really enjoy learning different techniques.

So, I need to add sew the front to the back, add the waist band and zipper, and sew up the hem. Piece of cake.

Update on Butterick 5455 Dress

I've made a toile of the bodice because I have quite a skinny and long torso and want to make sure the waist band isn't floating around my middle. I want it to fit closer to my body. The rest of the bodice seems fine, but as you can see from the picture the waist band comes away from the body form. So, I will have to adjust this.

Also: New Sewing Project Butterick 5455

New Sewing Project ~ Butterick B5455

I'm hoping this Butterick B5455 Maggy London pattern (view B) is pretty straightforward. It requires lining in the bodice and this will be my first attempt to include one.