Out With The Old & In With The New - Resolutions & McCall 6078

Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to great things this year. Let's start the year off right with a review, M6078. I thought it would be cute for Watch Night service. According to Pattern Review, this is one of the easiest tops in the world! Construction was easy, but fit is a challenge. It runs very large in the shoulders, but I need all the room I can get in my hips ;-)

I love the pattern and I'm going to work on it more today to tweak the fit. Funny how I started with four yards of fabric and it's still a work in progress. The fabric is a sparkle (maybe eyelash) sweater knit I scooped up at Hancock years ago. I originally purchased it for V7264. I'd kinda decided I didn't really like the fabric. In hindsight, I'd fallen out of love with the pattern. The fabric is beautiful and I want more.

Back to the pattern at hand. I started with a medium in the shoulders, but it was way too big. I scrapped that one and cut a small. The small is still giving me fits. I thought that because I traced every size from the armhole down, I would be able to just taper to the XL for the hips. I still don't fully understand why, but that doesn't work. When I cross the back pieces using the CB line for a small, I need more width on the side of the pieces that didn't have the multi sizing. I'm not above admitting 100% user error.

In the meantime, I'm going back to the medium I cut and adjust the shoulders. I'm also going to add bra strap holders via this tutorial. Does anyone know if you can buy these as sew-in kits? I searched online and I found disposable ones and gadgets that were not supposed to be sewn in. The one I have now will be great after I lose some weight! No worries. I was happy to have something remotely wearable! The new one will be even better, but not perfect. I plan to make one or two in a plain rayon knit and those will be just right right :-)

Pattern Description: Top A has front and back stitched pleats, front drape, lapped back and extended shoulder seams 


Pattern Sizing: XS-XL 


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Exactly! 


Were the instructions easy to follow? Easy enough for even me.


What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the style of View A; it's figure flattering for me. It can be dressed up or down in both fabric and accessories. I've seen versions for a night on the town and some perfect for Saturday afternoon errands. I'd like to see how it would look under a jacket. It sews up quickly too. My dislike is the sizing. This would have been perfect except for the sizing. The shoulders are huge!


Fabric Used: Black sweater eyelash knit 


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I'm determined to keep tweaking the fit, so I'll start with XS at the shoulders and taper to XL at the hips. I also want to insert bra strap holders. 


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Because it's such a cute top, I'll have several of these before it's all over! It's a definite recommend.


Conclusion: 'Tis fabulous!

Since it is Jan 1, let me tell you about my sewing resolutions!

• Strengthen my sewing skills. I have too much fabric and too few clothes!
• Take a fitting class/workshop
• Complete 12 projects
• Become a more disciplined sewist
• Tissue fit
• Make muslins
• No UFOs!
• Be more organized (neater) as I sew
• Stop sewing over pins (I think I've learned my lesson)
• Be more patient
• And the biggie: STOP HOARDING FABRIC
• I will only buy fabric for what I'm currently making; not for what I'm planning to make.
• I will stop choosing fabric over food ;-)

I started going through fabric withdrawal yesterday! As I get ready to head downtown, I'm talking myself in and out of a trip to Vogue. I need to go to New Rainbow Fabric, which is across the street, for a silk organza press cloth. How can I not go to Vogue when they have this?

I think it will be the perfect replacement for the fabric I'm using now. It's brown, but I love the eyelashes. If I work on it now, I'm not breaking my resolution and I could have a snazzy version that fits now .... Problem solved! The stores are closed anyway for the holiday.

Happy New Year!

New Arrivals

I have some new additions to the stash!

First is what may be Easter 2010.  It is a plaid from Hancock Fabrics.  I've had it for a few months (gotta love the value fabrics and a coupon).  I want to make a long jacket with it, but I'm about 3/8 yd short.  The satin is for a sheath dress to complete the outfit.  Got that from Vogue Fabric Store on Friday for $2.99/yd.  I really wanted a crepe for the dress, but when I found the crepe back satin at Vogue, it was $11/yd. (I'm sorry. The economy and my skill level do not warrant me paying more than $6.00/yd for fabric.) I was worried about such a formal fabric for Sunday service, but my mind was put at ease when I noticed someone wearing a beautiful boucle with crystals in it last Sunday.

Here's what I fought with UPS over on Friday. It's from Fabric.com. I apologize for the picture quality; I don't know why I struggle with photographing red (must be the AKA in me.) A red and a chocolate sateen and an emerald silk/rayon blend -- all from the $1.95 section.  I like the sateen so much that I ordered the last of the fuchsia yesterday.  It's the last of it.  Keeping my fingers crossed that I get it.  Grabbed some denim too.

Here are my plans for the sateen:

I Couldn't Help Myself

My name is Carla and I am addicted to fabric. Okay, patterns too. I had a great system going -- don't buy more than can fit in the bins I already own. Oh, how I have walked away from that. Two things haunt me -- I can't pass up a good deal (thanks, Vogue Fabrics) and I keep re-envisioning what I need in my wardrobe. I have finally mapped out a wardrobe that will have some mix and match pieces, so that should help. All I need is the last of the fabric! LOL

Anyhoo, so I was working this wardrobe plan when I needed some cheering up. I decided to take a stroll through Hancock Fabrics. This is monumental because a fabric store has now replaced Target and Williams-Sonoma as my happy store. The fact that the value fabrics are different at each location encourages my bad behavoir.

Look at what I found!

The plaid is a poly taffeta (I think). When I spotted the plaid (I'm attracted to most things shiny) I immediately thought holiday, but it's a bit loud to be covered in it from head to toe. Enter green poly dull satin. The green makes it more Christmas-y. Would you believe the plaid was $4.95/yd and I had a 50% off coupon? Score! The satin was 30% off.

Decisions. Decisions. After I finish KS3338 this weekend (prayerfully), do I start the wardrobe or play with this in hopes of something new and cute for Christmas or New Year's Eve service? It's been years since I had a Christmas outfit (childhood flashback).

I've Been Banned

I am not allowing myself to purchase another scrap of fabric or thread! I don't know what happened to me this weekend, but I veered away from my budget. Between Vogue Fabrics and Jo-ann, I now have fabric for three dresses and two tops. I also picked up the lining for the jacket I've given up on until maybe Thanksgiving, but more about that later.
I am the most excited about the chocolate paisley from Jo-Ann. I see that as another Kwik Sew 3221. The knits are either Butterick 4914 or McCall 5974. The black I'm saving for when my skills are legitimate -- there is a Vogue 2900 in my future. Maybe not near future, but future.

That leaves the chocolate brown which I think will be smoking as Kwik Sew 3573. That goes with the intimidating Simplicity 4509 jacket and a Burda 8269 skirt. I'm determined to wear that outfit for Christmas Eve service and be proud of the work.

I've started on the skirt. (You can see the pattern underneath the fabric.) Wait until you see that post! Fitting me is a trip. I really want a dress form. Maybe for Christmas. In the meantime, I've got to figure out how to translate my curves onto a piece of tissue paper.

Here's the Christmas fabric combo. I know it's not holiday, but they're the colors I love. The charmeuse and denim have a pink tone to them. I can't wait to wear them. Well, I guess I can since I've been holding on to that denim and boucle for four or five years! Hopefully I won't be waiting after December 23rd!