Wiksten Tova Top

I'm probably the last person on Earth to sew a Tova Top.  Wikstenmade's been on my blog roll for years, and I remember when the Tova Top Pattern came out.  I had found Jenny Gordy's blog via ellybeth on Flickr back in 2007.  I used to love ellybeth's handmade clothing and the fabrics she used.  Now she has her own line called Garment House.  The two ladies did collaborations on patterns, like tops with Peter Pan collars.  Both ladies are extremely talented.  Anyway, I couldn't afford the Tova paper pattern when it came out, and to be honest, I thought it would look too "maternity" on my figure.  Then, a year or two ago, the pattern became available in pdf for $10 and everyone was blogging about it, making three or four, etc.  I guess you could call it peer pressure, but I had to try it...

I got the chambray fabric at WalMart for less than $6/yard. I cut size M.  My measurements called for a size L, but I read on line that the chest area would fit more nicely if you go down a size. I cut the dress length, but think I will be shortening it to hip length. I just wanted to test out the dress length. Overall, I am pleased with the fit, especially at the shoulder, armhole and yoke area--a nice "professional" fit--less baggy than the Simplicity patterns I am used to. 

Challenges

• Attaching the inset. I had read that the inset was the hardest part, and it was, but not impossible. It's the corners of the inset that are difficult to catch as you sew, as there is a slit at each corner. So, unless you're used to doing it, it just will take a little finagling and working. Next time, I won't cut the slits quite as long.  I think I cut 1/4" long slits, maybe I will do 1/8" slits next time.
• Topstitching the inset at the bottom center.  I had to redo my topstitching at the area at the bottom of the placket on the inset. There's so much fabric there that getting over this "hump" without wobbling the topstitch line was difficult. I have a relatively cheap machine, and think that a sturdier machine would have less of a problem.

What I'll Do Differently Next Time

• Armholes and sleeves. I think next time I will cut more sleeve fabric on the side that is set to the armhole so that there are more gathers at the armhole. One sleeve had more gathers than the other...maybe I stretched out the armhole on the one. 
• Add buttons. As of now, I wear a camisole underneath.I may add a couple or more small buttons on the placket. 
• Use thicker thread for topstitching. I used cheap black thread this time.

I got lots of compliments when I wore it to a girls' night. It was the first time someone asked me where I bought my top rather than the infamous, "Did you make that?" said in a 'how cute' tone with head tilted to side.  Someone else said they'd been eyeing my top all night, and how nice dress shirts are so hard to find these days...it made me blush, and now I want to make more!

Another Simplicity 3835

The first time I made it was in 2008. Here, I've paired with a cashmere cardigan by Camaïeu that I bought on my mission in a town called outside Geneva called Annemasse.  On P-Day (missionaries' off-day) eight of us sister missionaries would meet up in downtown Geneva or a nearby town and go (usually window) shopping and get lunch at a yummy restaurant.  I've had the cardigan since 1999 and I just won't get rid of it. It seems to get softer and more meaningful with time.

About the pattern...this time, I made the high collar with invisible zipper in the back.  The last time, I did the easier and lower elastic/gathered neckline.  This was my first time wearing such a high neckline that's not stretchy knit fabric and it choked me a bit when I would sit down.  I took the kids to the library for toddler wiggle time and spent a lot of time on the floor with it digging into my throat.  Okay, so it wasn't the best floor-time activity dress. Plus, I was wearing knee high boots. Live and learn!

Also, I shortened the sleeves a couple inches.  These photos aren't very revealing, but I'm sure you've seen this popular Built By Wendy dress so many times, you'll get over it.

 

The Latest

Realization as I open up my dusty blog page:  Part of the reason why my blog isn't popular is because my photos are taken with a point-n-shoot piece of poop. 

'Member how I said I took a headshot for LDS Casting to be an extra in one of their New Testament videos, but never got called?  Well, shortly after that post, I got called and ended up spending a day (7am-8pm) at the Jerusalem set in Goshen, Utah.  It was nuts.  August, 90+ degree weather in long sleeve, ankle length, dark, thick linen garb.  It was cool to say I did it, but don't think I'll do it again.  I got to see Jesus, though, and stand by John the Baptist. And got paid $94 after taxes.

Speaking of church, I teach the 7 and 8 year olds in Primary.  I love it.  I love our branch/congregation, which is a Tongan/Polynesian branch.  Here's a shot from after our Primary program last month.  Arne't they the cutest?




Quilting
I made this baby quilt for a good friend who's expecting a girl.  We've known each other since we were 7 years old. 













Clothing
I used a Gap pencil skirt I've had for 10 years to trace and cut this skirt.  Side invisible zipper.  One of the best things I've made as far as clothing for me goes.




Lisette Simplicity 2211 Market Blouse
I like this Lisette pattern, but the sizing was one or two sizes too big.  So I took the sides apart and took in the back, but I took in a little too much, so now this shirt hangs in the "when I get into shape" side of the closet.  I'd make it again, though.



Accessories
WalMart has $1 beading bins, including leather strands, so I've made a couple of necklaces.




I used a die cutter (not the digital kind, the hand-cranking kind) to cut these 3-layered flowers out of fabric scraps.  They're approx. 5" in diameter, and, depending on the fabric, they curl to a smaller size with some wear.  I love making these. 


Brown is a linen fabric and I threw some true vintage lace behind 2 layers.


I picked up these vintage brads from Hobby Lobby in the Scrapbooking section (Spare Parts brand).  I like the look, but if my baby gets a hold of one of the flowers and pulls, the layers easily come apart.  Glue gun is a remedy, I've found.


The backs are two layers of felt with a casing/pocket to slide a headband through.  The beige one that's second up has been worn a few times.


My 3 year old wearing one of them:



Kids Clothing
Keira loves the Lola character in Shark's Tale, a lion fish played by Angelina Jolie.  My grandmother gave me some vintage fabric a while back, and it's been marinating on the shelf for years.  I put it to good use.






More to come, and not all at once like this time...ciao!

Simplicity 2863 & A Quilt in the Making

Simplicity 2863

This two-piece (front and back) pattern was a cinch to sew.  Since I used striped jersey, I wanted to match up the stripes along the side seams, so cutting took a little longer than I expected.  I used the dress (below, left) view, without the elasticized waist.  Highly recommend this pattern for knits, esp if you want a cheap, easy top.  I just love boatnecks, so I think I will wear this summer top into the Winter.

Random Quilt

Forty-eight 12"x12" blocks to make a bedspread quilt for one of our guest room twin beds.  My mom and sis are coming in a couple of days so I have a deadline.  As of this moment, I've finished the quilt top and back and must make the sandwich, machine quilt, and bind it (ugh).  This will be my first time machine quilting. 

Here are some process photos (click on them for a description of the fabrics):

I wanted to use scraps for this quilt, as well as stash-bust, so I did a combination of 12"x12" plain blocks as well as sewn blocks.  (Does that even make sense?)  The sewn blocks were kind of impromptu, without planning, I just sort of cut and measured till it reached 12" on each side.  It was fun, but time consuming.  I started this quilt a month ago.  My husband is happy to have the dining room table back.

More to come when it's done.  Happy sleeping!

So Spring IS Coming

I made Keira a little outfit for spring, seeing as I have ~2 months left before baby arrives.  This I made from some Jo-Ann fabric I got for V-Day two years ago.  It is a little sheer, and has a slight sheen to it, too.  The nicest quilting fabric I've seen at Jo-Ann as far as girls' clothing goes.  I got the lace trim there, too.  So nice to use something that's been shelved that long.

Again, for the 4th (?) time, I used my Oh So Sassy Tessa Dress pattern to make the top.  I wish I had made the top a little longer.  Also, this was the first time I'd used the pattern for a size 5T, and noticed the arm holes were a little snug.  But she wore it to church and no complaints, so I'm happy.  I put 4 pleats at the bottom, which made the skirt bow out a little at the bottom, an unintentional nice touch.  I also made her a matching hair bow.  I love making hair bows.  So calming.  And quick.  And endless possibilities. 

Speaking of Jo-Ann, I went there during their President's Day Sale weekend, and scored two new Simplicity patterns:  a new Cynthia Rowley 2512 and a Project Runway 2698 (I like the short skirt on the left) ($1 ea).  I found some apparel fabric I'd like to make a skirt out of, but cant' decide which to make it into.  If you wouldn't mind, let me know what skirt you think in a comment : )  Thanks!

Post Easter Spring Dresses

Ryan and my new favorite show is Kitchen Nightmares.  Just finished watching it and now all my thoughts are in an English accent.  So weird.  Same thing happened last Friday night, when I took my family to my 10-year mission reunion.  We ran into a family visiting from England w/their 4 children, of whom the father was in my Mission Training Center district.  Our kids were the same ages and played together all night.  We talked about American restaurants they should try, living here vs. there.  The rest of the night, ah tho' ah waz 'n England while driving home. 

Well, onto the sewing...

The dress on the left is pattern Simplicity 2711, view A.  The pattern was $1 at Joann during their sale...so worth it.  I found the linen fabric on Joann's red tag shelving...$2/yard, and it was the end of the bolt, so I got an extra discount.  I originally envisioned a pale yellow fabric for this pattern, but 100% linen at less than $2/yard is a steal. 

Modifications:
I made a few little changes from the pattern.
  • The bodice pattern calls for 5 little pleats (meant to look like pintucks?).  I skipped the middle pleat to leave room for 2 little vintage buttons (if you notice they're not exactly alike, but close enough).  I also slipped some vintage lace in between pleats on either side.  I wondered if the bodice would be too busy with buttons, pleats, lace, and ruffles, but it actually looked alright in the end.  I'm such a go-getter.

  •  Instead of gathers where the skirt and bodice meet, I made one box pleat, same on the back.

  •  I added a slip/lining on the skirt/bottom half (using my coral pink Ikea As-Is sheet again), just due to the see-through-ness of the fabric:

What I'd do differently next time:
  •  The neckline calls for single-fold bias tape you then topstitch ~3/8" down.  This was my biggest challenge, time-wise.  I tried 3 different bias tapes I had before making my own.  Looking at the finished product, and even at the girl on the pattern cover, I think the bias tape is too bulky (essentially 6 layers of fabric) and pushes the neckline away from the body.  Next time, I will do a full lining (excluding the sleeves), especially since I already did a skirt lining.  The more girls dresses I do, the more I realize that full lining is usually my preference.  It makes the seams look nicer, it's easier than fussing with bias tape or rolling necklines over, plus, the dress is a little weightier and drapes better.

   •  Also, the neckline is a little too large/low for the size dress it is, so I'd make it smaller/not so low next time.

  •  Use a serger.  I'm still sewing-machine-only, and with linen and all its threadies, it's a mess.  Plus, I have to zig-zag over all the raw edges, adding more time.  When I bought the linen at Joann, another customer in line asked what I was making with "that beautiful fabric."  When I told her, she said, "Oh, good luck with linen and all of the threads," and walked away.

  •  Use a ruffler foot instead of basting and pulling.  Another time-cheater.

  •  I might put an invisible zipper down the back instead of a top button.  I made the dress a little long so Keira can wear it again next year, but she already has a hard time getting her arms into the sleeves while putting it on.

I used a hair rubberband to make the loop--didn't quite get what the pattern wanted me to use.

All in all, I think this pattern is great.  The dress cost me around $3.50 to make, including the thread & pattern.  Can't beat that.  I love that Keira gets to see me make it and try it on as we go.  It makes it more special to her (no staining or playing outside in it...right?).  It's all ironed and nice in these photos, but I look forward to washing it again and seeing it wrinkle and bubble up (I pre-washed and tumble dried it before cutting/sewing).  When I was buying the fabric, another lady I chatted with recommended I pre-treat the linen with spray starch to keep it from wrinkling too much.  I told her I liked the wrinkles linen makes, she thought I was crazy, but at least she didn't walk away and kept on chatting with me.  I am learning to enjoy my encounters with older fellow sewists.

Onto Kalei's dress...It was made from a vintage pillowcase.  Before I started my sewing rampage a couple of years ago, I asked someone to sew a few dresses for me.  Ryan's sister's MIL, Alma Hernandez, is a veteran seamstress of like 40 years.  I found a vintage pillowcase dress pattern and ordered a few vintage pillowcases for her to sew up for me.  This blue and white pillowcase didn't make the cut at the time, so I've had it on my shelf.  When Kalei was still in the womb--or maybe a few days old--I envisioned her playing in a dress with lots of pleats, made of the pillowcase fabric.

I tried to stay true to my "vision," as time would allow.  I used another dress she wears to get the general sizing, but the pleating on the bodice and hem are my doing.

My poor boy didn't have anything Mommy-made to wear along with the girls to church today.  I had hoped to make him a bow tie out of Kalei's dress scraps, but didn't have the time.  While taking photos of the finished dresses, he said this was his outfit...I'll have to make him a bow tie soon.