Stash-Bust 2011: Eggplant Tweed Jacket

(So those super-easy pajama pants I was making? They're now in the "I don't know what went wrong but these are totally not what I wanted and now have to be completely ripped apart and remade" pile...otherwise known as "April's Sewing Room Graveyard" because I never seem to get around to working on the stuff in it. Anyway...moving right along...)

My next project (for myself, anyway...after I finish the two pillows and four Roman shades I got from my boss today to work on) is going to be a jacket/coat made out of this eggplant and fuchsia plaid tweed. I think it will be quite a "statement" garment. Hopefully, I'll be brave enough to wear it when I get it done! ;-) I got twelve yards of the fabric at the Hancock's going out of business sale for $1.20/yd. (I had to buy the whole bolt.) I've already made a knee-length, four-gore skirt out of it, but I feel like the fabric is just begging me to make a jacket, too. And no, I will not be wearing the skirt and jacket together. That would be too much of a statement (somewhere along the lines of "I have no taste!!!").

To be honest, I'm pretty much petrified of this project. Maybe that's a good thing, since my pajama pants project, which I was so confident about, turned out so wrong. If I know and acknowledge that I don't know what I'm doing, maybe I'll be more careful. While I'm using the pattern in the picture (princess-seamed jacket with a single row of buttons and collar), I'm planning on making some changes and constructing it following the instructions in Claire Schaeffer's Couture Sewing Techniques. That means I'll be doing backings and interlinings and linings and all kinds of other scary things. I've never made something tailored before, so I have that "fish out of water" feeling.

And hopefully I'll get it done before spring! Wouldn't that be novel?

Hello, 2011

Dear little sewing blog, how I have neglected you! It's not that I haven't been sewing...I just haven't been blogging about it! And, dear me, how you do desperately need an overhaul!

In honor of the new year, I am making just a wee little resolution about my sewing. What with the drain being a full-time student has on my finances, I know that buying new fabric will not really make it in the budget this year. That's okay, though, because I have so many bins of fabric, not to mention the entire bolts of fabric I bought when our local Hancock's went out of business. (What a sad day that was...but at least everything was 90% off!)

My first project will be a highly complicated and technical pair of.........pajama pants. ;-) I actually have never made any before, but after this past week's contract job (six roman shades with accent banding along the tops and sides that took me probably 30 hours start to finish), I'm looking forward to a simple hour or two, instant-gratification job. The fabric is a blue and black plaid flannel that I bought eight years ago to make...something...I can't remember what.

Also on the roster of other projects are a couple of summer dresses. I will be accompanying my sister to a conference in North Carolina this summer, and I'd like to have a couple of new dresses to wear. At least one of these will be out of my Hancock's stash, and I'll see what I can dig up for the other.

Are you planning any stash-busting projects this year? I'd love to hear about them!

Purple taffeta bridesmaid gowns

Patterns:
Vogue 2842
McCall's 9126

Fabric:
Acetate taffeta (provided by customer)

Last fall, a dear friend of mine asked me to make the bridesmaids' and flower girl dresses for her wedding this spring. She had a design from Kathleen's Bridal that she loved, but they only had a few left, and none in the right color. I was so honored to be a special part of her day!

Here you can see a little more the draping/ruching effect in the front of the gowns:


This photo shows the back details:


The bride also asked me to do the flowers...so much fun!

The amazing photography is by Bethany Tiss (http://www.bethanytissphotography.com/).

Apricot Regency Gown

Pattern: Sense & Sensibility Regency Gown

Fabric: Provided by customer

I made this gown for a customer, and I love this peachy, apricot-ty fabric she picked! I can't wear this color, so it's always fun to sew for other people who can wear different colors than I can. I made the skirt a bit longer in the back for a train effect, and changed the bodice to have fan-front gathers.

Buy this as an e-pattern by clicking the link below:

Winter Sky Rennaisance-esque Gown

Pattern: McCall's 3010

Fabric: fabricclub.com

This is a dress I made for my sister from the same pattern as my Aubergine version. The only differences are the sleeves and the smooth bodice front (versus the pin tucking on my gown).

The underskirt is floor-length on my sister, but I left the overskirt at the full pattern length, so it forms a train when she's wearing it.

Aubergine Rennaisance-esque Gown

Pattern: McCall's 3010

Fabric:
Chiffon - fabricclub.com
Satin - Denver Fabrics

I made this dress during the time that my friends and I were really into tea parties. :-) I'd purchased the chiffon when Fabric Club was having a sale, and then bought the satin when I picked the pattern. It actually matches better in person than in the pictures. The diamond pintucking on the bodice was a lot of work, but I think the effect was worth it!

Ocean Blues Titanic Tea Gown

Pattern: Sense & Sensibility Tea Gown

Fabric: fabricclub.com

I made some changes to the pattern for this gown. The pattern instructions have you line the whole bodice, but I wanted the sleeves to be sheer, so I made an alternate pattern for the bodice lining, which also caused me to have to do a lot of handsewing the attach the two! I also changed the shape of the bodice front seaming. On the skirt, I moved most of the gathering to the back, as I don't like front gathers on my skirts.

Buy this as an e-pattern by clicking the link below: