The Sentimental Brown Gingham Western Shirt

Oops. I was certain I was standing completely in the shade when I took these pictures. Oh well, this one isn't too bad. (Stop explaining and apologizing for bad photos, Lynn)

This might seem a bit strange and contradictory, given that I am highly attracted to bright colors and I often lament the fact that so many people are "afraid of color," but I actually do like brown. It might be at least partly because my mother said I look good in brown. It's not like she always dressed me in brown when I was little though. I have been picking out my own fabric since I was old enough to point. But anyway, I don't want to be always surrounded by it like in my dull brown living room but for clothes I like brown as well as all those crazy bright colors and sweet girly colors that I wear so much of the time.

I was in the little quilt shop in a nearby town and saw that they had some really nice quilting weight gingham in about a dozen or so colors, including this brown and I got an Idea! I don't usually wear anything western styled, not because I dislike it exactly, but more because I don't want to be mistaken for someone who is into the whole country and western sub-culture. Not that there's anything wrong with it; it's just not me. However, in developing one's own personal style it's useful to dip into various different cultures and styles... Oh screw it. I don't have a "personal style". I just get lots of different ideas and I make them and wear them.

To make this shirt I used the body of New Look 6078 because it fits really nicely (except for one part which I'll get to in a minute) and I like the curve of the hem - not too much, just right - and I used the sleeves, front band and collar from McCall's 4922 and I drafted the front and back yoke from scratch. (very simple, actually) I was a little worried that I would have a lot of trouble making the collar fit because it's a very different kind of collar from the one in the New Look pattern but it went together perfectly. In fact everything about it worked out beautifully. I'm really, extremely happy with the way it turned out. The only thing that is not quite perfect is that it's a wee bit snug around the hips. I could probably get an extra half inch if I picked apart the side seams and darts and re-sewed them but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. It's not like the buttons are about to pop off or anything like that.

Here's the back view.

And a close-up of the buttons. I suppose an "authentic" western shirt would have snaps but I love these buttons and I wasn't trying to be authentic. I just now noticed, looking at the picture, that they are a little off center on the band. Dammit! I guess I should have made vertical buttonholes but horizontal ones are less likely to come unbuttoned if you accidentally make them slightly too big.

Plaid!

(I had a much more clever title for this post when I was thinking about it yesterday but I forgot what it was.)

I like plaid but I am a little bit afraid of it. I wasn't always but then I started reading sewing blogs and discovered that one is expected to match the plaid not only across the front but also the sleeves, at the side seems, and pretty much everywhere. It all seems so overwhelming now. This time I tried, I really did but I didn't account for the bust darts which make it pretty much impossible to match the sides and the sleeves. Oh well. My experience has been that nobody notices those details unless you point them out, and the sewing bloggers never read my blog anyway so why stress over it.

I have just one comfortable, casual long sleeved shirt made of lightweight cotton that is perfect for days when it's cool enough for long sleeves but still too warm for really warm clothes. I wear it a lot when the weather is like that so when Denver Fabrics had a sale on shirting I bought three pieces. This is the first one of those. I love this fabric, the colors and the texture. It has heavier threads running through it, sort of like in a "ripstop" fabric but at irregular intervals.

Just for fun I thought I would try a more animated pose than my usual and (unfortunately, perhaps) it turned out to be the best picture.

And here's a view of the back yoke.

This is another New Look 6963. My third and I still haven't used any of the sleeves that came in the pattern. (but I will) I love this pattern but there is one thing about it that I don't like: it has a back neck facing instead of a yoke lining. I made the first two with the facing but I made this one with a proper lined yoke. You can see the first one here. I haven't photographed the second one. This pattern has two different backs. The bug shirt has a pleated back. This one has darts that you can just barely see in the second photo.

She Who Hesitates Doesn't Get the Fabric

I have been looking for some stretch denim that is actually noticeably stretchy for ages. I found some black denim and made an amazingly comfortable (if not exactly fashionable) pair of jeans but no one ever has any faded blue stretch denim. But finally I found it! [rays of heavenly light, angels singing] Girl Charlee, which very helpfully gives the percent of stretch, had two nice stretch denims: one, a "light indigo blue" and the other one "antique indigo". I really wanted the antique indigo but I waited several hours trying to decide whether I wanted to get some of the light blue also or only the antique indigo. I decided to get only the antique indigo but when I went to order it they only had one yard left! (Oh the humanity!)

Naturally, I was devastated but I ordered some of the light indigo denim. I will keep checking. Maybe someday they will get some more? I have one big complaint against Girl Charlee. They are one of those online fabric retailers that only sell in whole yard increments. I am sure that this contributed to my not getting the fabric I wanted. How many of the people who ordered the antique denim had to order more than they actually wanted? 3 yards instead of 2 1/2 yards, for example. Perhaps there would have been enough left for me if other people hadn't been forced to buy more than they needed. I have learned my lesson though. Never hesitate to buy fabric.

Showing Off the Sewing, Worthy or Not

For a couple of weeks I was feeling uninspired and didn't know what I wanted to sew so I decided it would be a good time to sew something boring and practical: a denim skirt. I know you can't see the whole skirt - not a very good way to show it off - but in the pictures it looked a lot longer than it actually is so I cropped off the bottom of the picture. It's actually about mid-calf length. (I would rather have taken these outside because the flash does me no favors but the neighbors are putting a new roof on their house and I could just imagine them saying, "What's that crazy lady doing over there taking pictures of herself?") Anyway, here it is:

I made the blouse about three or four years ago. It's a Kwik Sew 3511. I never go tucked in because that emphasizes the granny gut. (which I've had all my life and I hate it now as much as ever but somehow it is a bit of a relief to be old enough to refer to it as a "granny gut") I really like the way the whole outfit looks.

Here's a detail pic. (The color of the denim is more accurate in the first picture.) I'm not happy with the buttons but I wanted to get it done and not go on a long frustrating search for "exactly the right buttons" so I just used a couple of leftover 5/8 inch shirt buttons I had, thinking, "I can always replace them with some nice ones later," but I probably won't bother.

And the pocket with the hidden opening. I'm always very afraid to show the insides of anything I sew. This is really a leap for me so be kind. (Yes, those are hand stitched buttonholes. Because I can. And it's fun.) (I did not make the quilt.)

And finally, a less "dressed up" look with the skirt and a top I made a couple of months ago. I didn't show off the top when I first made it because I felt like it was a FAIL. The fabric, a cotton/rayon blend knit, is sort of twisty and it made the hem uneven, but I sort of like it anyway.

I am now back in a sewing mood and want to make 10 things at once. I just finished a blouse this morning. It has long sleeves so I'm going to wait until the temperature drops a little before wearing/showing off that one. I am getting ready to start a rain poncho, which I will need soon. After that more long sleeved shirts, I think. I have some plaids that I am eager to get into.

The Last Dress of Summer?

I took a whole bunch of photos using the timer on my camera and most of them were too close and I don't want to go back out and set up again. So, here's my close-up.

And here's the one halfway good picture that shows almost all of the dress.

This is another Simplicity 1882, my second and probably last. You can see the first one here. I wanted more skirt so I cut it a little bit wider and added pairs of pleats to both the front and back. I still didn't get the fit of the bodice quite right. Overall though, I like it.

This fabric - the abstract print and the color combination - is a little different for me. It's funny how we occasionally find ourselves attracted to something that we normally think of as "not my thing". I was originally thinking of having the trim match the lighter green but I couldn't find that exact color. I still think it might have been better with the lighter green but I'm satisfied with the way this turned out. This was one of the older pieces of fabric in my stash. There's something especially satisfying about going to the "bottom of the stash" and finally finishing something I bought a long time ago.

I have three more dress projects that I had planned to make this summer but now it's September and, as always, I'm torn between making "one more dress" (because, after all, it is still in the upper 90's and will be for at least another week or two) or moving on to the fall sewing. I know I have some fall and winter fabrics in the stash but right now I can't make my mind focus on them and think about fall sewing. Hmmmm... maybe a multi-season top...

A Stashing Good Time

Back in April I had about a dozen projects that I had decided I absolutely positively must finish by the the end of May, or the middle of June at the latest. I had no real need to have them all done by any particular date. I just decided that I wanted to and somehow "want" turned into "have to". Well, you know how life goes. Actually, looking back through my archives I see that I got five of the things done by the middle of June and one more by the end of June. I'm going to call that "not too bad" for an overly ambitious goal.

Funny thing though, after my self-imposed deadline had passed all sense of urgency left me. I relaxed and slacked off, and sewed a few things that weren't on my original "list". Now I'm thinking about those things a little bit now but also thinking, "It's the middle of August. Does it make any sense to sew a bunch of summer dresses right now?" Well... maybe one or two.

Here are the ones that did not get done.

The brown fabric is destined to be a Vogue 8577, which I talked about a little bit here. That would be a good one to make right now. The colors are more fall than summer anyway and with a cardigan and tights I could wear it until late in the season. (I don't have a cardigan of the right color though so that would mean more shopping.)

The lovely yellow and orange floral is going to be similar to my most recent dress. The aqua polka dot is going to be a blouse. This and the piece directly below it, which is also going to be a blouse, were not really on my "must get done" list but I was thinking about them and when I was feeling very ambitious I thought maybe I would sew these too if I got all the other stuff done.

The fabric on the lower left is printed with antique sewing machine and sewing related ads. Isn't this the most awesome fabric? I think it's going to be a Vogue 8811. (also mentioned in the first linked post) This could also go into the fall. The green and orange fabric, lower middle in the picture, I have had for a number of years. Originally it was going to be a Simplicity 2957 but after using it for the batik ferns dress I have changed my mind. I like that dress okay but not well enough that I want to use the pattern again. So now I'm thinking Simplicity 1882, with a little tweaking. I'm feeling rather strongly about doing this one next simply because it's been in the stash for so long.

And here's one more:

These all go together. Or maybe not? I was planning another New Look 6209, sleeveless this time. The print would be the front panel of course, the dark fabric for the main part of the dress and the dark orange for the yoke. But then I started feeling a little chicken about it - like this is going to look all wrong. Then this morning when I got the fabric out to photograph I started thinking again, "This will work." Then, "Wait! Will it?" So indecisiveness. Big time.

But that's not all. I have recently become aware of a couple of needs (Yes, actual needs) that I do not have fabric for. I also have a $10 off coupon for eQuilter that expires at the end of the month. But, eQuilter does not have the right kind of fabric for my two needs. I do hate to let that coupon expire though...

A New Favorite

It seems like I always start these posts apologizing for the photo. This one isn't bad but I wish it was better. The one that would have been the best was out of focus. In this one the breeze is blowing the skirt around and it's a little far away to see details but other than that I guess it's okay.

This is what they call a Frankenpattern - bodice from one pattern, skirt from another. I keep making this same basic shape of dress (which is probably why all the sewing bloggers ignore me) but these are the dresses that I wear the most so it makes sense to sew more of them instead of something fashionable that I wouldn't wear as often. Overall, I'm very happy with it. It has a side zipper and it's one of my all time worst zippers but I never re-do zippers because I figure there's a one percent chance it will be any better after the second try and a 50-50 chance it will be worse.

The buttons are from this bag o' buttons. This bag had a lot of one of a kind and two of a kind buttons and it turned out that there was only one of the buttons I originally had in mind to use and only two of my second choice. The only ones of which there were three were the ugliest ones, so I pouted for a while and thought about buying buttons but I finally decided to just use the ugly buttons. I quickly got used to them and now they don't seem so bad.

As I was starting on the buttonholes I realized that, since there's a side zipper, these buttons don't actually need to be functional but it was too late and it's okay. For some reason, I like that they're real even though they don't need to be.

The fabric is lightweight and crisp with a nice tight weave, which I find to always be the case with batik fabrics. I like batik prints but it's the fabric itself that I love and I wish I could find traditional florals and fun novelty prints printed on the same kind of fabric but that seems to be very rare.

So, bottom line, I love this dress. It couldn't be more perfect for hot summer days. If we ever get any of those again.

Bugs!

If you hang out here a lot you might have noticed that I have a bit of a thing for bugs. Oh, I have no desire to get up close and personal with them but I do find them quite fascinating. So I had to have this fabric from eQuilter. I am in dress mode this time of year but I almost immediately knew this fabric had to be a New Look 6963. (I wish I could show you what the background color really looks like. It's an amazing color that you just can't see in a photo. It's bright but not insanely bright. It's just a really interesting color.)

NL 6963 is one of my unused patterns that I wrote about earlier this year, one that I didn't think I would get around to using anytime soon. Surprise! It's my new best friend. (Well, among patterns anyway) It was fast and easy to make and it is loose fitting without looking like a sack. Well... everything loose-fitting looks somewhat like a sack on me but it's much better than my former best friend big shirt pattern. (What did I ever see in that thing?) And I love love love this shirt!

Instead of going on a long frustrating search for "the perfect buttons I picked some navy ones from my button stash. I cut some bias strips to finish the armholes and they turned out better than my usual. My only disappointment is that identical bugs ended up side by side on the front. I would prefer that they were more random.

(The pants are new also but they're kind of awful and I'm glad you can't see more of them in the photo.)

Unembellished

I had envisioned this with rick rack but after much desperate searching I came to the conclusion that the exact color of rick rack that I wanted does not exist. So, feeling quite disappointed, I went ahead and finished it without embellishments. But now that I see it finished I actually sort of like it plain. In fact, I think I might love it.

I used a blouse pattern, McCall's 6076, view A, as a guide for the bodice, laying the center front line on the fold, and used a skirt and pockets from another pattern. And, as you can see, I cut an appropriate neckline. I finished the neckline and armholes with bias tape. I like that better than facings except that I can never make it lay flat and neat.

When I saw the fabric at Walmart I instantly fell in love with it. The flowers are dandelions!

It's what Walmart calls "quilting cotton" but it's actually a lighter weight than typical quilting cotton and, much as I love quilting cotton, this is a better weight for the really hot summer days. I'm going to be wearing this a lot. It could do with some accessories and I quickly tried adding a couple of items that I have on hand but when I saw the pictures I didn't like the result but I might look around and see what else I can find to go with it. Still, I like it just fine as is.

Blue Is For Girls

This is so unbearably adorable I can hardly believe I made it myself.

It's just a little big on her, which is perfect. She should be able to wear it for most of the summer. The pattern is Kwik Sew 3776.