McCalls 6550

I have a finished project to share! But first, I'm gonna keep my promise (since I just made it today) and share a blog I find inspiring. I just discovered it today...

Jolies bobines is written in French, and Google translate only gets me so far, but the pictures say a thousand words. Check out these lovely makes...

...and those are just what's on the front page of her blog right now. Impressive, no? I particularly like the dress in the center, because it's a color combo I probably wouldn't think of and I think it looks great. I foresee some time lost surfing her archives in the near future.

Now, on to a project I finished a while back...

The pattern is McCalls 6550, a vintage pattern from the 70s.

I should have graded this one up a size, but instead I just added some length and a little extra at the side seams. Next time, though, I will do it properly. I think the fit would be slightly nicer if there were some extra fabric gathered at the front yoke/shoulder/whatever you call that area. As is, it pulls across the bust a little. I don't think it's too noticeable, but I think to stay true to the design of this top it should fit a little looser. Despite that, I consider this one a success, and I've already gotten a lot of wear out of it. I can definitely see myself making more of these as it doesn't require a lot of fabric (I only used 1 yard), it's a great lightweight summer top, and it layers easily.

I put a lot of little blue buttons down the front. It was a lot of buttonholes, and my sewing machine doesn't like buttonholes so much. In fact, whenever I have to do buttonholes I contemplate buying a new machine. Someday... I didn't put in the casing for the waist tie, but I did stitch up a tie to wear with the top. Mostly I've worn it without...

Cool plants, huh? I took these photos with Josh at the greenhouse on campus. I thought the greenery was a good accompaniment to the fabric, which is a voile from Amy Butler's "Soul Blossoms" collection.

Check out the pretty orchids! I liked these little cement pools of water plants. They even had fish.

back view

Want to see some more plants?

It was very inspiring to wander around the greenhouse while thinking about sewing. There are so many interesting patterns and shapes and textures in a greenhouse. If I ran Project Runway (don't get me started) I would definitely have a greenhouse challenge. Just think if they were to design prints here, or do a challenge where they had to play with shapes. I would loooove to see what they came up with.

Do you draw inspiration from nature when you sew?

Takin care of Liebster Business

I just typed my blog name into my web browser's address bar, and it didn't autofill for me because it has been so long since I last visited here that all the cookies have long since been cleared and Google Chrome no longer recognizes errantpear.blogspot.com as a familiar place. SAD. Oh well. I don't feel too guilty because blogging isn't homework. Or is it....?

On my blogging "to do" list is responding to the kind people who have recognized errantpear recently with a little blogging award called the Liebster. Thank you Hazel! Thank you Claire! Hey waaaaait another Claire? I already knew I had Seemane Claire to compete with. Now I see there's Turtle Claire as well. As they are both across the sea, I don't I have anything to worry about.... yet. Just kidding. The more Claires the merrier! And I'm very pleased that my little, inconsistent, often poorly photographed posts have gathered some attention. Here's the rules of the Liebster award as summarized by Hazel:

• Nominees must link back to the blogger who awarded them (check)
• Write 11 random facts about yourself
• Answer 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you
• Nominate 11 new blogs and ask them 11 new questions

So now for the homework.

11 RANDOM AND NOT NECESSARILY CREATIVE OR INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ME

1. When I was 18 I wanted to go to college for either archaeology or technical theater (set design etc). That is why I ended up at Boston University, the only school I found that had both departments (this was before I knew archaeology is usually nested inside anthropology departments).

2. I'm trying to grow out my bangs.

3. I have had coffee grounds embedded in the wrinkles of the fingers on my right hand for years from being a barista.

4. I own rollerskates.

5. I dislocated my knee doing lunges.

6. My garden is gonna burst with strawberries any day and I'm gonna make them into jam and it's gonna be delicious.

7. I like camping.

8. I named my cat Pidgin because we wanted to name him after an animal, but if you abbreviated Pigeon it's "Pig" and we didn't like that.

9. I had peanut butter and jelly for breakfast.

10. I'm hungry again.

MY ANSWERS TO YOUR INQUIRIES

Hazel's...

1. What is your favourite project that you've made?  (sewing, knitting etc.)

This is hard! I think my favorite might have to be my Minoru, because I put so much time into it and really made it my own. But I've worn my maxi dress twice in the last two weeks (now that it's maxi dress weather) and I love it too. I think the colors are beautiful. Whenever I wear it I find myself just staring at my lap.

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I used to want to travel all over the world, but now I just want to be able to see my family on a regular basis. Anywhere in the United States is cool by me. For our next adventure we're thinking... Seattle?

3. Online fabric shopping: yes or no?

Yes! What other option is there for us people who don't live in LA or NY... or a couple of those other lucky places with access to nice fabric stores.

4. What essentials could you not leave your house without?

Chapshtick. My house keys (although I often do). Gear for whatever the weather is doing, because people who leave the house without checkin the weather are noobs to life.

5. Who are your fantasy dinner party guests?

Tim Gunn. Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. Ms. Marple and Hercule Poiret. Michelle Obama. Steven Colbert. Maggie Smith. Paul Simon.

6. What inspires you to craft?

The need for clothes. Seriously, since I started sewing I've become incredibly snobbish about store-bought clothes. As a result, I don't go shopping much and my wardrobe has been steadily dwindling because I don't sew fast enough to fill the gaps that form. So my inspiration lately has been based on things I need and that I'm stubbornly resisting buying.

Also greenhouses. More on that to follow.

7. What is your most visited website?  (Facebook/Twitter not allowed!)

After my feedly, probably Burdastyle. But I feel like there's not really much to see there lately.

8. What are the top 5 most played songs in your iTunes/Music library?

...................I haven't used those in a while. I am sadly music deprived, and my iPod has been broken for a year.

9. What is the background on your desktop/phone home screen?

a flower image I stole from Urban Rustic (I love her photos)

10. What is your favourite TV programme?

GAME OF THRONES very obsessed

11. Do you prefer working stretch or woven fabrics?

Wovens. My serger scares me.

Claire's inquiries...

1. Who, or what, is your biggest inspiration?

I don't really gather inspiration the way real artists do, but I gather crafty inspiration from all the sewing bloggers out there and the lovely things they make. My sewing is much more practical than "inspired by", but I do love to see new techniques and creative endeavors by other bloggers. I could never choose just one. They are all awesome.

2. Why did you start blogging?

To win a giveaway! For real, I wanted to win something off of Grosgrain. Go back and read my first post and you'll see. I don't read Kathleen's blog anymore because I feel like it became more and more commercialized and advertised and a dumping ground for pinterest inspiration and less and less about her own creativity and beautiful makes. Oh well.

3. What is your favourite pattern (sewn or not)?

Well, the only pattern I've made twice are my Simplicity 1887 shorts (once, twice,), which I like a lot. I have a lot more sewing to do before I find my true love though.

4. What is your best sewing tip?

I'm pretty proud of this little tutorial I worked out. It might not be the expert approach to doing a neckline slit, but I quite like how mine turned out.

5. Do you avoid a pattern because of a certain feature e.g., buttonholes?

Not yet... but there are things that scare me - finishing curved edges being a big one.

6. Name one thing that is on your bucket list.

I'd like to see the Hagia Sophia.

7. Your worst sewing experience

Oh geez. I've probably blocked it from memory. Maybe it was dealing with the silk that stretched out on my mom's robe. That was pretty hellish.

8. Cats or dogs?

Both! Can't it be both? Are we so inflexible? Here is my cat doing a pull-up on the window sill.

9. To trace or not to trace (a pattern)?

I've been tracing lately. It's a pain, but I think it pays off. I trace onto heavier tracing paper which is nicer to use. And since it's a tracing I'm not hesitant to make alterations because I'll still have the original.

10. Would you apply to be on The Great British Sewing Bee?

Mmmmmmm no. There's no way I could produce under those time constraints. I would be a hot mess.



Homework done! Okay, not quite. I know I'm supposed to nominate a whole bunch of other blogs to continue on the tradition and invent homework for them to do. But to be honest, I'm not really interested in carrying on this tradition. For one, most of the blogs I follow have already received this award at some point. Two, I feel like the more this award gets passed along the more the prestige attached to it gets diluted. Three, if you're like me you're happy to get the award and stressed out with every day that goes by without you following all the protocol that goes with it. So no thanks. Instead, to keep the spirit of the Liebster award alive (which is honoring small blogs) I will attempt to briefly highlight someone else's blog on the beginning of each new post I make. From now until whenever I don't feel like it anymore. Cuz blogs ain't homework. At least not this one!

Quick and Dirty - Simplicity 1887 again

Ahhhh! I can't believe April is going so quickly! I can't believe it was March when I blogged last. This has been a busy busy month so I'm going to give a quick and dirty report. No fluff!

Back in March, I was needing something quick and easy after spending so much time on my Minoru. So on a lazy Saturday I decided to make some more shorts from Simplicity 1887, to lure in the warm weather. (Here's the shorts I made last summer.)

Close up!

I used some rayon/linen leftover from my wrap dress. I added the ties at the waist this time, but made them a little shorter. I've always envied people who have a really well-fitting pattern and are able to whip up new versions at super speed. Don't get me wrong - puzzling over a pattern, fumbling through new techniques, throwing projects on the floor in frustration - those can all be very gratifying. But instant gratification is nice too. So I was hoping these shorts could be my new "quick and easy" project. They ended up taking all day. Oh well! Next time I make them it will be even quicker.

I left the pockets off the back. I thought about welt pockets, but then it wouldn't be an instant gratification project.

I also did the can-can for my photos in an attempt to make them more interesting.

Blurry foot! Sorry for the photos... perhaps I should not have photographed my printed shorts in front of a plaid couch. Perhaps I should learn to pose for the camera like a proper blogger. Whatever! I said it would be quick and dirty!

Summer Sewing Schemes

Usually I laugh at people who complain about the weather. I'm a hardy Montana girl, and people in Indiana are whiny babies about the cold. Then again, people in Montana are whiny babies about the heat. But even I am growing weary of the cold as April approaches. Instead of this...

I guess it is nice to get a lot of wear out of my new Minoru...

isn't it almost time for some of this...

...but shorts and blouses are sounding awfully nice

Oh man... remember what grass feels like on bare feet? Can't wait! So I'm sewing and scheming for the weather I want. First up, I'm working with some prize fabric i bought during our trip to Maine last summer - a voile from Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms collection. This particular pattern is called "Night Tree" and the color is "Lime Peel." 

image from here

I'm attempting to make McCalls 6550 with it, a blouse pattern from the 1970s.

I was going to make view C, but I have run into some... difficulties... which may necessitate making sleeveless version view D. And it's all because I was too lazy to try my hand at pattern grading. Shame shame. On a different note, I would like to loudly proclaim that I love 70s sewing patterns. I LOVE THEM! Moving on...

I went on a small, online fabric shopping spree last week when I discovered I had a positive PayPal balance from something I returned. Do you ever do that? I know it's not really free money, but I decided to interpret it that way. Fabric.com was having some good sales (20% off your total purchase) as well as free shipping on orders over $35. I spent a delicious hour perusing the sales, imagining different possibilities and playing with yardages to keep it within my PayPal amount, and finally ended up with these:

don't they look enticing on my newly painted table?

From top to bottom we have a striped black cotton gauze, Robert Kaufman's Carolina chambray in black, Robert Kaufman's Essex linen in ivory, and a cotton stretch sateen ikat print. I'm always a little nervous whenever I buy fabric online, so I usually try to stay with names I trust or - even better - specific stuff mentioned on Pattern Review. Kaufman seems to be a good bet and never very pricey. The gauze and the ikat were gambles... but I think they paid off!

Here's the gauze held up to the light, to show it's cool stripey pattern. I'm thinking about making this into a pleated top, like this loose fitting t-shirt from Salme patterns:

link

But I also saw this blouse on Etsy, which has made me think twice about how to use this fabric.

and you can still buy it....

Don't you love that asymmetrical collar? And the flower embroidery? I would love to try to recreate this, and Burdastyle has a blouse pattern that's quite similar...

I love finding patterns that match up this well!

Moving on to the ikat print...

I really love the colors in this. I was thinking about being very practical, and making shorts or a skirt that would get a lot of wear. I'd like to try Grainline's maritime shorts, or the paperbag-waist skirt on Simplicity 2413:

Orrrr I could make myself a birthday dress!

The dress on the left is a Betsy Johnson number, and I happen to own Colette Pattern's Lily. Now picture my zigzaggy ikat in place of that floral print, with black accents... and maybe I'll reshape the neckline to mimic the sweetheart neck on Betsy Johnson's dress. Hmmm.....

What's everyone else dreaming of for spring? And anyone want to weigh in on my sewing decisions?

Wedding Dress Saga - A Tale of Two Sisters

Me and my sis, Katie, have a bit in common...

Aside from being intelligent, charismatic, and good looking, we are also both pretty goofy, crafty, and have similar aesthetic sensibilities. Not to mention we look a lot alike and have almost identical voices. We are also of a similar size...

however I have a sun room, and Katie must take photos outside in winter in Montana... brrr

All these things I think will combine for a very successful wedding dress collaboration. So far, we have had only one minor hiccup...

...involving a duct tape dress form. Have you ever made a duct tape dress form? I thought this was an excellent way for me to fit a dress on my sister who lives a couple thousand miles away. I instructed her on how to make one, told her not to bother stuffing it (I could do that part), and asked her to send it in the mail to me. Katie did just that, but to save on postage she decided to pummel her dress form as flat as possible and ship it in a flat envelope. When it arrived I just kinda stared at it - puzzled and highly amused at the destruction done upon her dress form as a result of a slight failure in communication. I did my best anyway, trying to stuff her torso back into its proper shape. And sadly, I disemboweled Eileen... reusing her stuffing on Katie's dress form. Yes, it felt disturbing to do this. But on the bright side, I recovered some interesting fabric inside Eileen which apparently I didn't fancy years ago when I first made her. It was like a pinata! A pinata shaped like... ME.

Katie on the left, me on the right. No, I'm not shorter! Eileen is just sagging from lack of stuffing.

I stuffed the new dress form, but unfortunately no amount of stuffing could restore shape to one half of the bust, and the dress form torso from the waist down is almost a perfect cylinder - while I'm fairly certain Katie is not. I found it amusing to leave the two forms sitting side by side in the living room for a while, but eventually Eileen became quite saggy and depressing - only a shell of her former self - and I had to throw her away.

While I have yet to use the new dress form (remind me Katie, what's her name?), I had good enough success just taking my sister's measurements over the phone and altering the bodice of the pattern accordingly.

You can see by the photo above that it's a pretty good fit! I have to lower the darts a little, or perhaps shift them to the side. Katie would also like a little wider neckline (drawn on the muslin with marker), and we will narrow the shoulders a little.

We are also planning to cut a deep V out of the back. I hope this doesn't make the shoulders slip off, but I think it should be okay. And finally, I altered the skirt a bit from the original pattern to get the front and back lengths Katie was looking for. With the circular shape and hi-low cut, this was a big pain in the butt. We also decided to overlap the top skirt pieces in the front, which was an easy change.

After one more Skype call today, the dress is back on its way to me for modifications. While its tempting to rush things, I think I am going to make all the necessary changes to the pattern and then sew up a new bodice for her to try on. I want to be super duper sure that it's an excellent fit before I start on the real deal.

Have any of you ever tackled a project for someone far away? Have you ever sewn a wedding dress or worked with lace? Got any tips for me?

A Selfish Seamstress Slipup

I made my first forays into sewing at about the same time that I discovered The Selfish Seamstress of sewing blog fame. I love Elaine's style, her skill, and most of all, her unabashedly (tongue in cheek) selfish principles when it comes to sewing for other people. I myself am extremely selfish when it comes to sewing. But occasionally the Selfish Seamstress slips up. Most recently, she compromised her principles by posting a free pattern for this very chic faux fur pullover...

want? click here

And I have slipped up too - twice. First, there's the giveaway to announce. Only six people entered! Those are some good odds. Congratulations...

Maryall! I'll email you for your address soon so I can send these patterns off. Everyone else - don't worry! There's more where that came from.

My second slip up is somewhat larger than giving away some sewing patterns. I agreed to sew something for someone else. It might have been a mistake (I hope not!), but I've agreed to sew my sister's... wedding dress.

Before anyone starts laughing hysterically at this foolish move on my part, let me say that my sister is a very relaxed sort of person, not at all demanding, and she's having a casual outdoor wedding and is not looking for any kind of big poofy ballgown, nothing corseted or jewel encrusted, and no silk charmeuse, bias cut gown that would make me break out in a nervous sweat. Whew. It is daunting sewing something for someone who lives a couple thousand miles away, but I think we will overcome those challenges. With the help of Pinterest, we amassed a bunch of inspiration until I had a good idea of what she wanted...

click on photos for source

The style I think is best summed up as ... bohemian/country/diy couture? My sister was about to buy a dress off Etsy, made by a lady who reclaims old petticoats and slips and combines them into dresses with a sort of shabby chic appeal. I like the idea, but I know from experience that a lot of petticoats found while thrifting are made of nylon, polyester, acetate, and other synthetic materials that don't look as nice as natural fabrics, don't feel as nice against your skin, and will feel hot as hell during an August wedding and while kicking up your heels on the reception dance floor. So you see, I had to intervene. I can make something similar, out of nicer fabrics, and for less money (but a lot more time).

It wasn't hard to find sewing patterns that gave us the dress silhouette that Katie (my sis) desires. We decided on two McCall's patterns - one from the 1970s and one that is contemporary:

McCall's 3643 (bodice) and McCalls 6698 (skirt)

I've sent the muslin to her to try on. Many updates to follow!

Pattern Giveaway!

HEY-OH!

Did anyone check out the beautiful array of shift dresses that Sarai posted for inspiration yesterday?

photo collage from Sarai at Coletterie

Shift dresses aren't generally my favorite shape, but Sarai just might have convinced me that even pears can wear shift dresses. I am seriously tempted to put a shift dress on my sew-this-soon list. The comment chatter over at Coletterie suggests that maybe Sarai has a shift dress pattern in the works, but in case you don't wanna wait for the release...

It's time for another pattern giveaway! I have a shift dress pattern up for grabs, along with several others. I also wanted to celebrate finishing my Minoru - which felt like an epic battle at times - by giving some love back to the sewing community. Maybe I'll do this every time I finish a project. Hmmm.  Also, we'll be moving to a new house in the summer, and I don't wanna haul a bunch of sewing patterns with me that I never intend to use. So help me out! Here's what I'm offering this time...

Butterick 3243 - Bust size 34" - Cute shift dress pattern with clever pocket placement!

Simplicity 8703 - Bust size 37" - A sailor girl dress for summer? It's missing the envelope, but the pieces should all be there.

Simplicity 7024 - Bust size 36" and 38" - I don't find this very exciting, but maybe one of you will.

Butterick 3738 - Bust size 36" - These camisoles are pretty darn cute.

Simplicity 5475 - Bust size 39" - Another shift dress! Sorta. A shifty dress. It's sorta A-line, but that's just what would make it work for another pear shaped lady like me.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below with a link to something you are sewing (or would like to sew) for spring! It snowed again today, so I could really use some sunshiney inspiration up in here. I'll close the giveaway on Saturday at noon and choose a winner.

*EDIT*  Forgot to say, I'll be selecting one lucky person to receive all five patterns. I'd divvy them up, but I have a box full of patterns to give away (eventually) and if I ship them all individually the postage would add up to quite a lot!