Laurel Has Gone Rogue...and Sleeveless

Friends, first and foremost if you haven't seen it already head on over to the Curvy Sewing Collective, where I had the privilege of reviewing the Green Style Laurel Tunic/Dress.  Green Style has agreed to give away a copy of the Laurel pattern to a lucky gal (or guy) so make sure that when you go over to read the review that you leave a comment and enter to win!

As I have mentioned before, I am sewing some resort wear and Summery items in order to get ready for vacation.  Here is my first sew:

Those may or may not be chopsticks in my hair

I sewed the dress in a Fuchsia colored Stretch French Terry that I bought on my day after Christmas fabric binge.  It is from Fabric.com and is available here.  This fabric washed well and sewed up quite nicely.  My pictures make it appear rosy in color, but it is really the color of the fabric on their website, the yellow lighting inside my house just washed the color out a bit.

Do recognize that pattern?  Yep, it is the Green Style Laurel, with a few twists.  I kept the bodice and skirt pieces exactly the same.  But then I cut a 23 inch by 3 inch piece of the knit terry and sewed right sides together on the 3 inch sides, forming a loop.  Then I pressed it in half long ways with wrong sides together and attached it at the neck to form a collar.  Does that make sense?  Sorry that I didn't take pictures of the process!  I also added one row of top stitching around the neckline.

Look Ma, no bra strap!

My next step was to finish off the arm holes with bias tape.  I just attached the bias tape to the outside of the arm holes, and then turned it in and sewed it down.  I intentionally left the turquoise bias tape sticking out a bit as a design element, because I really liked the way it set off the fuchsia fabric.

Stretch french terry curls up beautifully, so rather than fight it, I decided to use it as a design element and let the unfinished hem curl up.  The more you stretch the edge the more it will curl.

Can you see the curled edge?

I really like the way this tuned out, and can see me making more of these come Summer.  It is perfect for lazy days floating out on the ocean!

The scooped neck line is just how I like it, and I intend to transfer it over to my TNT t-shirt pattern.  My hubby even commented on how much he liked the neckline.  I can also see me making it shirt length with vented side seams.  The possibilities really are endless when you start playing around with your favorite patterns.

Have you restyled any of your favorite patterns lately?

Pattern Addiction...Another Green Style Centerfield Raglan

Friends, I do believe that I am addicted to the Green Style Creations Centerfield Raglan!  This one is my favorite one that I have made so far.

I love this textured/quilted knit that I made it out of.  I can't remember if I bought it at Joann or Hancock, but I am positive that it was bought at one of those two places.

Ill fitting skirt made for a lumpy bumpy mid-section

I changed it up a bit with the cuffs.  I like the contrast of it, and it helped me get the sleeves to my perfect length.  

My husband gave me the ultimate compliment when I finished it last night when he said that it looked like something you would buy in a store.

The neckline went in like a dream on this particular one.  It was truly a joy to sew, and went together quickly.

I love the way that it looks from behind as well.  It smooths out all the lumps and bumps.

I serged off the lower hem of the shirt and then used a twin needle to hem it under.

The Centerfield Raglan has quickly become one of my go to patterns.  It works well with my plus size body, it is easily manipulated to change it up, and it only has four pattern pieces. I am able to lay out the body pieces on a 60 inch wide one yard long piece of knit, and then I can use 1/2 yard for the sleeves.  I have never had a shirt pattern that only required 1 1/2 yards of fabric before.  I am able to cut and sew this shirt in about an hour with my rotary cutter and serger.

Friends, if you haven't given the Centerfield Raglan a try and are looking for a good plus size raglan pattern, give it a try.  With a few minor tweaks (widening the neck band), it sews up like a dream.

Polka Dot Raglan: Green Style Centerfield Raglan Part 2

Friends, I know that I haven't posted many me mades of late.  Part of that is because you can't post sewn gifts for people who read your blog, and part of that is because the weather has been terrible for blog photos of late.

This afternoon while looking through my blog roll, I found that Andie over at Sew Pretty in Pink had just posted about a Dotty Parisian Top she had recently made and lo and behold, she used the same fabric for the base of that top, as I did for my most recent make.  So, I threw on a wee bit of makeup and ran a brush through my hair, inspired to get a few pics for the blog before we lost daylight.

Yes, it is another Green Style Centerfield Raglan.  This time I made it with sweatshirt material for the sleeves.  The material that Andie and I both used is a nice knit from the juvenile fabric collection at JoAnn.  It is from the Doodles Collection and is called a reversible sweater knit.  It almost has a wooly texture on the dotty side of the fabric.

 
I have been able to work out most of the kinks with the neckline on this raglan by making a wider neck band.  Despite the sweatshirt fabric having no stretch, I still cut the same size sleeves and they worked fine, though I think if I had sized up a bit to compensate for the lack of stretch, I would probably not have the fabric pooling at the elbows.

Winter makes my hair go flat!

This is my very first derriere pic.  I am quite gifted in the behind.  My Great-Grandmother used to tell me that when God was handing out behinds I asked for a double dose!  I had to throw this picture in though, because I was quite impressed with how well I was able to center the dots down both the front and the back of this shirt.

Mischievous smile courtesy of cameraman being crude.

Green Style is quickly becoming one of my favorite Indie pattern companies.  Their pdfs go together like a dream, and if they will continue adding plus size patterns to their line, I will be a happy girl, because they just fit me really well.

What are you sewing right now?  Do you ever find yourself oogling the juvenile fabric section, or is that just me?

November Sewing Projects

Hello Friends!  I feel like it's been a month since I last posted.  November is here (how can it only be 50 days til Christmas???), and October went out with a bang.  Our Halloween was spent finding indoor trunk or treat locations, because it was snowing and windy.  Can you believe it...snow already?  We visited a few senior retirement communities, and the little guy's gangster costume was a big hit with the older crowd.  They were calling him a G man, and make all kinds of jokes with him.  He hated the attention, but loved the candy!

The forecast here is looking cold.  I think we may be in for another brutal Winter here in Indy!  With that in mind, I am trying to think about what items are wardrobe musts for this Winter.

I intend to make a couple more Laurel Tunics from Green Style.  I kind of half arsed reviewed the pattern here.  This time I will be making it in a few sweater knits.  I love leggings and long shirts in the Fall and Winter.  So these Laurel Tunics will be in heavy rotation.

Photo from www.greenstylecreations.com

I think that these are the knits that I am going to use to make more Laurels.  I know the stripey floral is more of a Spring print, but I just don't care.  I make what I like, when I like! ;)

Whats on the cutting table?

I am in search of cable knit by the yard because I think it would make a beautiful Laurel, and if all else fails I see a king size cable knit blanket being made in to something fab to wear.


There is also a chambray tunic with leather details on the November sewing list.  I will be using McCalls M6885 and cutting it down to tunic length.  A long tunic that will cover all my bits when I wear leggings of course!  I will be making view D minus the waist tie, and with the addition of placket sleeves.

I don't have a link or pic of the fabric, but it is just a basic dark blue chambray.  I am not sure what color my leather details will be as there is a lot of leather floating around the sewing haven waiting to be re-purposed.

I will also be working on a shirt dress for Mary's Autumn of 1,000 Shirt Dresses project.  I have the fabric for this and I think I have settled on a pattern too, but this one is a surprise, so no sneak peaks on this one.

I have a fabric in the stash that is begging to be made in to a cape, but I am not sure if I will get around to this.  I seem to be gravitating towards easy sews right now, and this is a woven hounds tooth that is going to be a pain to sew.

You would think with the Holidays drawing near, I would be doing some unselfish sewing in November too, but I just am not feeling like making gifts yet.  I am sure December will roll around and I will be in panic mode making gifts for others.

So friends, what is on your sewing list this month?  Do any of you have a source for cable knit by the yard that you care to share?  

Green Style Creations Laurel Tunic - Plus Size Pattern

If you aren't familiar with Green Style Creations patterns you should check them out.  I have no affiliation with them, though I would happily pattern test for them if they asked me to she says as she bats her eyes.  Green Style's patterns go XXS to 3XL and then some of their patterns also go from 1X to 3X in addition to that.  The raglan tee that I made went to a full on 3X which is different sizing than the 3XL.  I know that it is a little confusing, but they do offer a broad range of sizes on some of their patterns.  I am hoping that if some more of us Curvy Divas start sewing and blogging about their patterns they will continue to grade up to 3X.  It is a very generous 3X BTW.  I am normally a 3X size 24 to 26 in RTW, and their 3X was flat out too big for me.  That is good news for us curvier gals though who generally have the exact opposite issue.

Back to the Laurel Tunic.  This pattern goes up to a 3XL (the smaller of the X sizing).  Based on how large the the raglan tee was, I decided to give it a try and cut it in the 3XL that is supposed to fit a 46 to 47 inch full bust.  For full disclosure I am 5'6", and my measurements are as follows:

HB- 47 inches
FB- 52 inches
W- 50 inches (this includes my current steroid bloat)
H- 64 inches

Here is the finished product!

Yes, I apologize for no makeup.

And the greasy Granny hair!

It appears to be pulling at the armscye across the bust, but it really wasn't.  I just forgot to pull it down, and didn't even look in the mirror after putting the shirt on.  Per my usual I left the sleeves a little long to account for further shrinkage.  I cut the knee length dress, but knew that it would be perfect tunic length for me.  I ended up serging about 7/8 of an inch off the length, but that was it.  A curvy girl's body takes up more length than her less curvy counterparts!

I really like it and this pattern is for sure a keeper.  My hubby is just gonzo over this shirt and wants me to make it in every color imaginable.  It will be perfect paired with leggings or jeggings and tall black boots.

Now for the fiddly bits...

As mentioned earlier I cut the 3XL in this shirt.  I followed most of the pattern directions except I serged the pleats instead of basting them on my regular machine, and I ironed the pleats in prior to serging.  For the back of the tunic you have the choice of cutting a smaller piece and having a flat seam at the bodice or cutting it the same as the front and putting pleats in the back as well.  I opted to cut the piece to be pleated, because I needed the extra inches for hip space.  If you had a smaller waist to hip ratio you could easily cut the straight piece instead.  Next time I make this I may gather the center back instead of pleating it, just for a change in design element.

The pattern directions call for set in sleeves, but I decided to sew them flat, because that is just my preferred method.  My order of sewing was 1.  Sew shoulder seams, 2. Serge pleats, 3. Serge pleated bottom of shirt to bodice, 4. Serge sleeves in the flat, 5. Serge side seams from hem bottom to sleeve cuff edge 6. Serge raw edges of hem and sleeves, 7. Serge in the cowl neck, and 8. Twin needle the hem and cuffs.  It was pretty straight forward and went together in less than an hour.

Would I recommend this pattern to a friend?  Absolutely.  It went together like a dream.

Will I be making this pattern again?  Certainly.  I see this getting a lot of wear over the cooler months and there are many colors that I need this in.  It has all the comfort of a snuggly t-shirt but with a much more sophisticated profile.

Have any of you made this pattern?  If so what were your results?

Two last bits of business...Thank you so much to everyone who has been voting for me on the CSC Wrapalong.  It is going well, and at this moment I am very hopeful that I might be one of the top dresses, but there are still 3 agonizing days of voting left, and a lot can change in three days.

Also, Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes.  I wound up back at the doc today and I now have pneumonia...or walking pneumonia.  Funny thing is I feel better now than I did back when I only had bronchitis, but the steroids and breathing treatments are making me swell and bloat like a dead carp!  Oy!  Point is, I am actually feeling better, and Thank You all so very much for your well wishes!

A Purple and Grey..Gray...Green Style Creations Centerfield Raglan T-shirt

Over the weekend, I whipped up this great little number from Green Style.  I have been in search of a good raglan style t-shirt and after someone suggested this one to me in the comments over at Lladybird, I decided to give it a try.

All photos were taken by my seven year old, which helps to explain why I may not look the most relaxed and why there is a considerable amount of blur.  All that said, I am very thankful to have a little helper, because it has been raining a ton lately when my husband is home in the evenings and on the weekends.

First I must say that I truly detest pdf patterns.  All that taping and lining up drives me nutty.  I must say though that both Green Styles patterns went together really easily.  I was able to tape two patterns together (this one and the tunic) and cut the patterns out in less than an hour, which I thought was great.  I won't even go in to how long it took me to put my first Cake pattern together.

I went against my own best judgment and cut the 3X according to my measurements with the extra long sleeves.  The only change I made initially was to add 3 inches to the length of the shirt because I know that I like my shirts on the longer side.  The 3X ended up being so large that I could have worn it as a night gown.  Rather than starting over, I ended up taking 5/8 inch out of each seam (sleeve to bodice seams and bodice to bodice seams).  This made the shirt both shorter and more fitted.  Next time I would cut a 1X and grade out to a 2X in the hips, because there is still a bit of ease in the shirt.  My one real complaint about the pattern is that the neck is huge.  I ended up making a wider neck band to help cover my bra straps.  In truth, when sewn as drafted both of my bra straps were on full display and I had a hard time keeping the shirt even up on my shoulders.  I will be modifying the pattern so that the neck isn't so wide boatneck like.

The fabrics used were both medium weight knit blends from Joann.  These particular knits have a really soft hand, but drape nicely without clinging.  I would buy bolts of this stuff for knit projects because it is great.

All in all, I feel like it is a good start that I can modify to be the perfect raglan t-shirt for me.  It was an easy enough sew, mostly sewn on the serger.  I would worry that a beginner might get frustrated with the fit and not know how to modify the pattern and make it work.

Does anyone look good sitting in a picture?

Would I recommend this pattern to a friend?  Sure, but only a friend who is an experienced sewist.

Will I be making this pattern again?  Yes, with the above mentioned modifications.  

Will I try another Green Style pattern?  Absolutely, as a matter of fact I am working on that tunic tonight.  I also give Green Style major kudos because this pattern fell right along with RTW sizing if not a little larger than RTW, which is great for us truly plus size gals.

So friends, tell me...have you ever sewn a Green Style pattern?  If so, what were your results?

What I am Sewing Now...and What I am Not

I am headed down to my sewing haven here in a few to sew some patterns from a company that is totally new to me...Green Style Creations.  When I commented a while back on not being able to find a raglan t-shirt pattern in my size, someone (sorry I couldn't find the posting) replied that I should try the Green Style Raglan.  I downloaded it and while I was there perusing, I also decided to download their tunic as well.  In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am a tunic wearing kind of gal.

Photo from greenstylecreations.com

Photo from greenstylecreations.com

I would like to honest in that I don't really like downloadable patterns as a whole.  All that taping can be a real pain, but I sat down last weekend and in less than an hour had both of these patterns taped together and cut out.  I tend to not trace off downloadable patterns until after I have the fit the way I like.  It is just too easy to reprint a corner or a couple of pages, and I HATE tracing patterns.  Seems too much like work and not enough like play to me.

What I am not sewing now is the beloved tunic that I was so looking forward to.  When my fabric arrived from Mood, it was the wrong fabric.  I am waiting patiently as they try to locate the correct fabric.  It is a real bummer, because I was really really REALLY looking forward to remaking that tunic.  I hope that Qiana and the rest of the team at mood are able to locate that bolt and get me the fabric.

I also am not sewing my wrap dress for the Curvy Sewing Collective Wrapalong.  I just can't get in the mood for it.  It isn't exciting to me at all.  I want to do it, I just can't get enthused about it.  Hopefully whipping up these two patterns will get me back in the mood.

Also, in case you are wondering my St. John wrap copycat is finished and has been for quite a while.  I am just having problems styling it because there is a pair of shoes that I need to go with it and can't bring myself to buy.

I have taken myself off the disabled sewers list, hopefully it won't come back to bite me in the end.

Fall Sewing List 2014

With my wrist and hand injury, since I can’t really sew (though I did finish off a t-shirt yesterday and am paying for it today) I am working on things like organizing my sewing area, making my Fall sewing list, and cooing over fabric that I want to buy but can’t justify at this time.

I am normally not one to deprive myself when I find a fabric that really grabs me.  But, there is a lot of potential change that is happening around here, and the thought of adding to my stash and having to drag it half way across the country is just not appealing at all.

There are a lot of great things that I want to sew for Fall 2014, and I have a lot of light sweater knits in the stash that are screaming at me right now to make something beautiful out of them.  Most of the things that are really inspiring me right now have nothing to do with sweater knits though.

A few weeks ago when the temperatures dropped in to the 40s at night, and before I went on the disabled sewers list, I sewed a red and white stripe sweater knit into a self drafted dolman style tunic.  It is really cute and is already getting a bit of rotation in the wardrobe.  It is great with jeans, which I wear a ton of this time of year.   It is just a really nice transitional piece that I have been .

So what am I looking forward to sewing this Fall?

First things first, I am looking forward to sewing my wrap dress for the Curvy Sewing Collective Wrap Dress Sewalong.  For the sewalong, I am sewing Butterick B5898 but I will be sewing it with either long sleeves or three quarter length sleeves (can't make up my mind).  This is going to be done in a great red and black ponte that I found at Hancock Fabric.

Green Style Creations has a great raglan t-shirt that I am looking forward to diving in to this Fall.  I see many great things in this pattern, including a spirited shirt for my favorite college football team.  I may split it down the middle and make a raglan cardigan out of it as well, but we will see if I manage to get to that.

Burda Style #7168 in view C is also on the list.  I have a piece of eggplant purple faux suede that is calling out to be made in to this casual jacket.  Paired with a fitted t-shirt, skinny jeans, and tall boots, this jacket will become a Fall Classic.

I also intend to make Burda Style Animal Print Dress #133b from the downloadable site.  Am I the only one that thinks things get confusing between the patterns in the magazine, the downloadables, and the paper patterns all from Burda Style?  I have a cream and black animal print ponte from Fabric Mart that I am going to use to make this.  I really like the shape of this dress, and think it will be very cute paired with tights and ankle boots.

I know there will be many more items that will be on my Fall 2014 sewing list, but these are the ones that I will be sewing as soon as my wrist heals.  

So, I gotta know is there something that you are looking most forward to sewing this Fall?