A VESTed Interest...

I search for the perfect vest like some women look for the perfect purse; I wear vests not only for travel, but I wear them most mornings when Dave and I walk our daily 4 miles. I have bought many vests from travel sites, with lots of great pockets, but stylish, they aren't. So....

This is adapted from S2153, the first Simplicity pattern I've used in a long time. I made it from a silver crushed taffeta from Online Fabric Store and lined it in a silver stretch taffeta from the same source. I added my usual inside pockets, and there are 4 pockets on the outside...

I THINK I LOVE IT!!!

I've been wearing it all morning; I was afraid the 100% polyester might be too hot, but it's not, and even with the stretch taffeta lining, it's as light as air.

This is the inside, showing the pockets...I could probably wear it this side out, if I wanted to.

I wound up slashing and changing a lot; the vest was way too boxy, so I copied a curve from my favorite tee and laid it on both the fashion fabric and the lining. That helped a lot; then I cut the top of the armholes way back, and that helped even more. The trim on the inside pockets and through the collar casing and waist casing is a favorite black and white striped ribbon; and I just "happened" to have a silver herringbone zipper in the right length...

Ready to go!

Gray Skies

Dictionary.com describes gray as "a color between white and black"...no wonder I love it! I have made TWO pair of gray pants lately...

 These, in a silvery viscose/cotton/lycra blend from Emma One Sock. The pattern is a modification of my Lynda Maynard pant. Unfortunately, this is the kind of fabric that gives "stretch" a bad name. These were quite snug when I made them, but they grow...and grow...and grow...I will alter them, but I'm afraid I'll continue to have a fitting problem. The fabric is gorgeous, though...

The second pair are in a pale gray cotton/lycra poplin from my local B&M store:

I used M6405, view C. I had hoped this paler gray would go with my plaid shirt I made a few weeks
ago, but no such luck. I will continue to wear that shirt with black pants.

The top in all pictures is another version of M6571, the boatneck tee from Palmer/Pletsch. I love this pattern; it has a very pleasing curve to it. The fabric is a (droopy) rayon/lycra knit from Marcy Tilton.

We leave for Sicily 3 weeks from today...I need to do a little wardrobe assessment to see what is needed.  I'll let you know!

NOT Black and White!!!

No, black and GRAY and white...a change!

This is B5526, my current TNT blouse/shirt pattern. It's in a beautiful Japanese shirting cotton from Marcy Tilton from a year or so ago. I added bias details...cuffs, under-collar, front bands

I thought I was making this to go with my favorite gray jeans

but...the colors weren't right when I took the (finished) shirt out in the sunshine...memo to self, don't rely on the lights in the studio, even though they're Ott lights...so, luckily, they go with black jeans.
I either have to remove the gray jeans from my Sicily travel wardrobe, or find a shirt fabric that goes with this gray...hmmm.

On to the next project...

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!