Another Candidate...

Back with another outfit which is auditioning for a spot on my travel wardrobe to Sicily. I liked this pattern, M6571, from its release, and I seem to have good luck with the Palmer/Pletsch McCalls patterns.

I made the long-sleeved, boat-neck top and the straight-leg pant. For the first time, I laid my Lynda Maynard pant on the pattern and adapted it to fit me. Yay!

I haven't made a straight-leg pant for a long time, but I quite like this. It is made from an amazing fabric from Marcy Tilton; she calls it Italian Black Microfiber Jersey and I'd like to sew with it again.

The top fabric is also from Marcy...these wonderful microfiber knits are like nothing I've ever used; easy to sew, lightweight, no wrinkles...perfect for travel!

I have a feeling this candidate will be going to Italy!

P-P-P-Peplum!

I decided to hop on the Peplum trend while it's still current; I remember my father bringing my mother an outfit from Fifth Avenue during the mid '40's...it was a brown and white rayon crepe 2 piece dress with peplum, and included brown and white spectator pumps and a SNOOD...wow! I looked for a picture, but couldn't find one. So you'll have to look at mine...

This is M5529, OOP, but still available on the website. I made it in a new fabric from Emma One Sock

which is quite incredible...it's called a "high-tech stretch crepe", it comes in many colors, and it something I'll be using again. In my inimitable way, I pricked my thumb and managed to bleed all over this pristine white top; I popped it in the washing machine, set it on delicate, and hung the blouse out to dry. It had NO WRINKLES...

Next up was a knock-off of a Babettesf top

I happened to have just the right dotty mesh from Marcy Tilton, so I adapted B5526 and made this:

I think this will have a spot on my Sicily travel wardrobe; it's cool, adds a little texture, and covers up those UA!

I'm on a roll....

More new clothes!

Back on track...Yesterday I made another pair of my custom-fitted pants, in a well-aged black/white cross dye linen from Gorgeous Fabrics...

and the obligatory "Look, Ma, no wrinkles!" shot...

Lynda Maynard, I love you! The shirt, which is a true FrankenPattern, was made more than a year ago in a charming Japanese woven from Marcy Tilton.
It is several sizes too big for me now, but I love the fabric so much, I'll wear it any way I can! It is woven with two different "sides"...the line you see runs right down the middle!

Then I made another V8691, the Katherine Tilton "ballerina top" (my term, not hers). Although I joked about my first try with this pattern, the fact is, it is one of the most "complimented-on" tops I've ever worn, and I decided to make it again, without the ruffle.

I used an almost-slinky black knit, and a definite-slinky stripe for the trim...they have been in my stash so long, I no longer know where they came from. I bound the neck and cuffs with the stripe, then made little "flags" instead of ruffles.

I'm happy with it!

Catch Up!

I've been MIA on the blog, but busy as a bee in my studio. I made a surprise birthday shirt for Dave:

On my recent trip to Northern California, I went to StoneMountain Fabrics with
Shams and JillyBe and found this gorgeous Italian cotton in Dave's favorite color (sort of a gray-green-blue), and he had been wanting some new short-sleeved shirts, so I made it , using M2447 instead of my TNT M4079. What a mistake! The button spacing is wonky and I don't like the collar as well...memo
to self...TNT's are TNT's for a reason! However, Dave thinks it's PERFECT, so
I'll chalk it up to experience!

We have made plans to go to Sicily in September, so I get to plan a new travel wardrobe! This being my favorite kind of sewing/planning to do, I got right to work and made M5433, View D, in a beautiful Japanese cotton purchased on the

same No.Cal. trip at Piedmont Fabric, another one of Sham's favorite stores.

Both Shams and I fell in love with this fabric, and despite our combined many  years of experience, had the salesman cut our fabric before we asked the price...this is a BIG mistake, and you would think we'd know better...so I kind of felt like I was sewing with gold on this one.

Wanting to use this as a travel piece, I lined it and put my customary pockets in the lining. I'm not sure it'll make the wardrobe cut, but it's a fun addition to my closet.

This is a ghastly picture of ME, but it shows the pockets I added to the lining of the jacket; the one on my left is sized for a boarding pass, two others on the right side...

Then I made the first Style Arc pattern in a long time, the Abby Cardi in that beloved red/black ponte from EOS

I'm just getting started, so watch for more to come!

The Pants!

YAY! Here are my first (showable) pair of pants made from the draft Lynda Maynard made for me last month.

                                              No "Butt Puddle"


Kathryn (fzxdoc) on Stitchers' Guild suggested I put in a "before" photo...here it
is:

Big difference, huh?

They are made of an off-white stretch linen from Harts Fabrics. The linen shirt with the frilly pocket is an eBay find from Kedem Sasson.

I'm very happy with the pattern. This is my 4th try, so even custom fitted patterns need some tweaking and fussing. I will now be able to change the leg width and length, add design elements, etc.

Sandwiched in between my trip to San Francisco and the workshop I co-led at the Ojai Institute, I had a birthday and DH gave me this:

100,000 BTU's, people...that's hot! I cook a lot of Vietnamese and Thai food, so I have wanted this for a LONG time!

A Little Retail Therapy While We're Waiting...

for the pants...hope to have a picture to share tomorrow. MEANWHILE....

From my recent trip to San Francisco and wonderful shopping with Shams:

 A wonderful knitted jacket from Mio, one of Sharon's favorite boutiques... it's
blackest black, but lightened to show details...don't you love
the peplum back?

A couple of fabulous items from Smith Alder in San Jose....

 A gorgeous coated linen jacket from Ivan Grundahl

and a beautiful pleated shibori scarf. Shams knows her way around the

boutiques...

And a a couple of eBay scores...

 a fabulous shibori-dyed jacket from Babette SF...

and a Luna Luz "Cheerio" skirt with my new Trippen sandals...

Those of you with sharp eyes and good memories may recall seeing Shams

in her version of the Cheerio skirt

We DO tend to like the same things...

And last, but not least, my Dotty shirt (are you thinking I LOVE polka dots?)

It's B5678, view C,

in a lovely gray/black dotted swiss from Marcy Tilton. I wanted to make a shoulder/princess seam top and this filled the bill.

 À demain....