FO #3 -- Our Favorite Skirt Pattern

FO #3: Our most-used and favorite skirt pattern!

This green skirt is a copy of a skirt from the Gap store. Four years ago Jessica fell in love with a Gap skirt but didn't want to pay the $$$$ to buy the skirt. Instead, she went home and made a pattern. At that time Jessica and some friends made 6 skirts using Jessica's pattern, and since then we've made this skirt numerous times. Katie requested this pattern again for this green skirt. She picked out the fabric and I sewed it up. I'm sure I will be making this pattern again, and again....




This skirt is simply 10 gores sewn together. This particular skirt has a shaped facing for the waist treatment, but we have made it with a narrow waistband as well. I used an invisible zipper down one side.



Someone recently asked for the measurements of the gore pieces: For the size 6 skirt, each panel is about 5.5 inches across at the top. At 10 inches down from the top, it starts to flare out to a width of 14.5" at the hem. These measurements include a 5/8" seam allowance. For the littlest skirt (Ellen in purple at 8 years old!) we simply used less gores. For the bigger skirts we widened the panels slightly and/or took smaller seam allowances.

These following 2 pictures were taken in 2004 and show the 6 original skirts that Jessica and the other girls made.

Ruth

Finished Objects

Show and Tell Time! Lots of UFOs and WIPs have become FOs!

FO #1:
Remember the "ugly muslin" from this past March? I never did get around to posting the finished outfit, so here it is. The skirt and jacket were made from Simplicity 4669. I did take it in through the shoulders, but the jacket is still big on Ellen. That's fine with me, because she is able to wear it now and will be able to wear it this coming fall as well. The jacket is fully lined with a bright green lining fabric. When I started sewing this outfit, I really was not too enthusiastic about Ellen's choice of fabric--I thought the green tweed-y stuff would be hard to sew, and I thought it was too bright. Was I wrong! I think the darker green ribbon tones down the brightness of the fabric, and I think this color and style looks great on Ellen.




FO #2:
One of Ellen's friends really liked Ellen's Ottobre shirt that I made last month. So what could I say but "yes" when Ellen requested I make one for Valerie? While I was at it, I made another identical top for Ellen because the first one was too short. I used the same size for both these shirts but lengthened them from the original pattern. The pattern is "Daisy" from the 1/08 issue of Ottobre. Both girls play trumpet in the home school band and they both wore their shirts last week. Twins! :-)

Friends

FO #3: Our most-used and favorite skirt pattern!
I decided to make a separate post about this skirt because it became too long as I wrote it.




FO #4:
Simplicity #4233 in a blue Madras plaid.
Another easy-peasy skirt to sew. And another skirt made at Katie's request. Once again, she picked out the fabric and the pattern. In this skirt I have also used an invisible zipper--my favorite zipper application for skirts. I notice in the picture that the skirt is twisted on Katie so that the side seam in not at her side--oops!

Sisters

Happy Elliot

With all the graduations and end-of-school activities, I have not had time for much sewing lately. However, I do have my next project planned. I'll be making Amy Butler's Birdie Sling bag as soon as I find the perfect fabric. I don't have any idea yet of what fabric or color I want to use, but I'm hoping I'll know it when I see it. :-)

Happy Sewing,
Ruth

Does anybody read Turkish?

On another blog, 10marifet.org, I came across pictures of one of Jessica's tea cozies and this apple dress I sewed. But I can't read Turkish! Can anybody translate? (smile)

Ruth

Simplicity 3622 Review

I've got my review of this pattern up HERE at Pattern Review.



Don't have time for a long post, but I hope everyone is doing good!

Hugs,
Jessica

More quilts

Pin-basting a baby boy quilt...

Made completely from Denyse Schmidt's "Kate Jump Rope" fabric coordinates. I'm also working on another one out of the brown and blue coordinates. It's almost more adorable then this one, if that's possible. I'm close to being done with the second one...I just need to buy more batting and quilt it.

I love, love, love this fabric. Too bad Elliot already has several cute quilts of his own, or I'd be tempted to keep this one...it matches his bedroom so well! As it is, I think it's a perfect gift for a soon-to-be-born baby in my church...

Last I have some cute coaster set I made for my mothers for Mother's Day. Also, an extra one for my etsy shop.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Jessica

Look What I Won!

Just sharing my excitement! ---

Lori, over at Sew Forth Now, recently had a drawing to celebrate her 1 year Podcast Anniversary, and my name was one of three that was chosen! Take a look at what came in the mail today---Fusible Interfacing from Pam Erny of Fashion Sewing Supply!

Both Lori and Pam are on several sewing lists that I frequent, and I have often been to Pam's site contemplating an order but never quite deciding which interfacing I would like best or use most. Fusible interfacing is my favorite, and now I get to try this top-quality stuff! I know I'm going to like it....I can tell just by the way looks and feels. I can't wait to use it.

Both Lori and Pam are excellent seamstresses---take a look at their garment pictures (Lori's blog; Pam's blog) and you will certainly agree. I hope that someday my sewing skills will produce clothing half as professional-looking as theirs.

Thank you, Lori, for hosting this drawing, and thank you, Pam, for donating the interfacing. By the way, Lori's podcast is all about sewing. I regularly listen to Sew Forth Now, the podcast, on my ipod. Lori does a fabulous job with the podcast and I always learn something and come away inspired after listening to each new broadcast.

Ruth

Pod Posey Skirt

The Posey Skirt is finished!

On to the details: I used Michael Miller's "Pod Posey" fabric and Kwik Sew pattern #3372 in a size medium. I really like the shaped yoke band of this skirt because of its good fit. This pattern could be sewn up in many variations, and I plan to make it again.

Kwik Sew 3372

My tall son took the pictures of me, and I think his angle makes me look a bit like a munchkin. :-)

Last week I found this green blouse on the clearance rack and bought it, taking a chance that it would match the green in the skirt fabric. I think it matches just about right...what do you think?






The brown tee in this next picture is Kwik Sew pattern #2694, modified. I changed the wrap front to a plain front, but I kept the mid-bodice seam. I don't think you can see the details in the picture, but I used my coverstitch machine to topstitch.

Kwik Sew 2694

I don't have any immediate plans for my next sewing project. The next few weeks will be occupied by graduations and graduation parties. I need to get out of my sewing room and off the computer and spend some time cleaning the house. Any volunteers helpers? I need you!

Ruth

Revolution Money Exchange

I've jumped on board and am going to try Revolution Money Exchange, a new paypal alternative without all the fees. I'm not sure how much I'll use it (as both parties have to have it to send and receive money), but I'm sure going to enjoy my free $25 just for joining!

Now through the 15th of May, anyone who signs up for a free account gets $25 credited to their account (which you can then have them mail you as a check if you wish). And if you use the referral link (below), then I'll get a nice $10 referral fee from you joining up too! More money to buy fabric....Yea!

Have a great day!
Jessica

Totally Non-Sewing Related

Today for lunch, we met Justin at the park here and had a picnic! Elliot enjoyed his cottage cheese, lunch meat, and cheddar cheese. He wouldn't touch the bread. Sometimes we simply can't figure this kid out! Most days he won't eat anything else if we offer him bread! I had heard about how picky toddlers can be, but boy, did we get a picky one!

Pretty soon he's going to be walking on his own!


I don't talk much about shopping and all that here (after all, it is a sewing blog), but today's trip to CVS was such a blast that I felt like sharing. I got everything below for only $2.30, and most of it was stuff we really needed and would have to buy soon at WalMart anyway.

Cvs has a really great extrabucks program that pays you to shop (you can find out more about it HERE), Today I spent $32 in extra bucks, but I got back $34 for next time; after my coupons, I paid $2.30 out of pocket, and I got all of this stuff to use and share with other people. Good stuff.

Got to go!
Jessica

Gardening Days

Last night Justin helped me do some planting...

My gladiolus flowers are coming up from last year. This bed really needs some help. We planted some little dianthus and alyssum flowers between the glads, but I still need to do a border of some sort to keep the grass from invading so easily. I'm hoping the flowers will grow fast and fill in some of the bare spaces in between the gladiolus stalks. I hadn't realized how thin and sparse glads are. I guess I was expecting something more bushy...shows you how much I know about flower gardening!

The pretty pink hydrangea is from my in-laws. It is simply beautiful. I always think hydrangeas are such wedding-y flowers.

Unfortunately, I simply don't have enough sun in my backyard to have much of a vegetable garden. Every year I try to do a little though. This year I planted two tomato plants, two bell peppers, two hot peppers, and one cilantro plant. Can you tell I like salsa?

My azaleas are in full bloom this year. I don't think they've ever been so pretty. I should get some more of them, because my neighbor has a huge one, and it is so showy. Mine are pretty small, but they sure put on a lot of blooms this year!

Have a great summer!
Jessica