Summer Hats and Sure Fit

Long time between blog posts.  I haven't sewn much in the last few weeks.  But, with the season about to change, I expect a resurgence of sewing energy.

My Designers group challenge for July/August was hats.  I love hats and this was a fun challenge, where I came away with lots of ideas.  The photos of all the hats are on the Designer blog.

My hat is a tall-brimmed sun hat, made from black/white check fabric.  The pattern is by HotPatterns, and is a free download at Fabric.com.  It's called "Sunny Side Up" hat.  I trimmed it with a wide black grosgrain ribbon and a black flower.

I love my hat.  One day I will get a photo of it on my head and post it.

I continue to use my now new TNT blouse pattern, drafted using the SureFit system.  I like fiddling around with designs and patterns.  This white blouse turned out well, and who doesn't need another white blouse!  In fact, I need at least 3 more.

It's nothing spectacular, but it fits and I need blouses for fall/winter.

I'm working on a black/white gingham blouse now, with a Mandarin collar and sleeves gathered at the hem.  I need to get that finished and move on.

Happy September to all of you, and enjoy sewing some fall clothes. Ahhhh, it's in the air!

Sometimes, It's Just Black and White

Thank you all for visiting my blog, and talking to me about the Deneuve tunic.  I know how precious time is, and always appreciate your comments.  I'm anxious to make another one and have several fabrics in the stash that are perfect for it.

I've wanted a black/white stripe Tshirt since spring.  Or before.  When I saw this pattern envelope drawing at the HotPatterns website, I started looking for black/white stripe knit.  Now that spring and most of summer has passed,  I finally got around to making it.  I'm into fall sewing, so I lengthened the sleeves to 3/4 length, and added a cuff.  Reminds me of "Jail House Rock"!

I whipped up this one too, for the end of summer.  Doesn't look so good on the floor!

Like everyone else, there's so many projects in my queue, I can't decide what to do next.  Really, if I would clean out the clothes closets, it would be easier to decide what to prioritize.  It's so much easier just to keep jamming things together! 

Have a great Mad Men night!

My New Best--Notion

I cannot sew without a wrist pincushion.  I'm so used to wearing one that I've gone to the store with it on!  And a thimble!  The one I've been using, made with lambs wool and a plastic wristband got worn completely out, the wool separating and pins falling out of the thing.  One day, I saw the ultimate, beautiful wrist pincushion on Ann's blog (here she shows it).  It's made in France!  Sold by SusanKhalje.  I scurried over to her website to purchase it and discovered it was OUT OF STOCK!!

Oh, how I coveted that pincushion!  Time and time I went back to Susan's website.  At last--they were available again.  I wasted no time in ordering.  It comes in red and blue.  I choose red.  It has a gold-toned wristband.  Well-padded.  Big.  Expensive.  I don't care.  I heart it.

I couldn't wait to get pins in it.  I love the weight of it and that it's snug and not all wimpy.  Now, stop drooling over it! You can have your own.  You know where.

I continue to work on the Deneuve tunic.  It's close to finished.  It has a hiden placket on the bib. 

 

The fabric is red, but bordering on coral. In my stash, I had a piece of coral lining.  I'm using that for Hong Kong and Bound seams.  The photo below shows wrinkles, but in reality, there are none.  It's just the way the piece is laying.

I'm ready to hem.  Make a couple of buttonholes.  Cover a few buttons.   Pin something!