Make A Garment A Month November

For my November garment I'm planning a boat neck / bateau neckline top. It will be very similar to New Look 6808 which I have made up a few times and is one of my favorite patterns but its not mine, my draft and the fit is still not perfect. So I'll be using my own top pattern that has taken me months to draft, fit, adjust, fit again, and adjust some more. The front fits like a glove but the back still needs work, its still a work in progress but its so much better than anything I could get in ready to wear and beats hacking away at a ready made pattern. I don't know what it is but I just love making my own patterns. If I had the training I think being an indie patternmaker/designer  would be my calling. I mean sometimes when I get maybe an hour or so in my little studio to work on a pattern, I can get so caught up in it that 1 hour has turned into 2 hours and I still don't want to leave but I have just made dinner late oops. I heard that if there was something you could do all day without being paid and loved it then that would be your dream career and that is how I feel about sewing and patternmaking.

Anyway so here is my mood board sort of for November.
Until next time, happy sewing...

Make a Garment a Month My Garment for October

So here is my completed October garment for the AGAM sew along. I'm pleased with how my first attempt at this jeans skirt went but for the next one I am going to change some things up. First off is that extra long fly, I did go by the book for adding it but in none of my RTW jeans or skirts do I have a fly that long. Next up are the front pockets, I did draft them correctly and exactly how I wanted them but they are not usable . I forgot to take into account pocket depth, so while I can put something in them there is no guarantee that it will still be in there after a good walk, hey I'm still learning. I was also able to draft a shaped waistband and the fit is so much better.






The top that you can partly see is the muslin for my DIY Clothes basic shirt. I'm still working on it because of some many changes that I needed to make for it. Still even the final top won't be done for a while since I need to go notions shopping to get some much needed buttons.
Now time to start thinking about November's AGAM piece.

Until next time, happy sewing...

Sneak Peak October AGAM

Here is a sneak peak of my skirt so far. I’m still not done and haven’t posted in a while and wanted to update everyone. I hope to have the full reveal in the next couple of days.
Until next time, happy sewing…

Working Away In the Workroom

Just a quick check in, nothing much to say but only to show that I am working. The pattern work is almost done, so I hope to be sewing soon. My fabric is a black denim with some stretch, it a bit of a pattern to it not sure what to call it tho. I still need to check my notions drawers to make sure I have everything I need, if not then I'll need to get out soon.

 So here is the current state of my sewing studio always a mess during a project, I almost always clean it completely when its done but it doesn't last long at all. Now back to work for me, I need all the time I can get if I want to finish this on time

Until next time, happy sewing...

A Garment A Month Project for October Is....

Fashion Pictures Courtesy of Pinterest

A denim/ jean style skirt again. I say again because last year I attempted this project and ended up with horrible results that left me scared for a few months. But I can't let one failure keep me from trying again. I just love skirts especially denim ones, they work so well in my line of work ( read: SAHM with a busy and wild bunch). And like jean pants they are easy, comfortable, fashionable and very versatile. Unlike last year I will work entirely from my own pattern or using my patternmaking books to help me instead of ready made patterns, so this will be completely self drafted so I know it will work.

For those of us that prefer ready made patterns here is a bit of denim skirt inspiration:

Vogue 8697

Butterick 5649

McCall's 5431

Independent pattern companies:

Colette Patterns Beignet

Hot Patterns P&S Slouchy Fly Front Skirt

Grainline Studio Moss Skirt

Until next time, happy sewing...

Make Garment A Month Challenge

So its been a while since I posted and the last time I posted I mentioned a sew along I was planning on joining the Fall Essentials Sew Along 2013. Its been while and I still have yet to sew complete anything for it but that doesn't mean I'm not working, as a matter of fact I have been working a lot but not as productive as I would like. I'm still working on my shirt from DIY Clothes but with all of my modifications and testing its taking a lot longer. But more on that in the coming days.

Now some recent news, I just found another more long term sew along, the Garment A Month Sew Along hosted by SarahLiz, which I think is more doable for me. The rules are easy. At the beginning of each month post your garment for that month and it has to be for yourself. Once its completed.  lable your blog post 'a garment a month' and blog about it, easy peasy. I'm starting a little late since I just found the sew along couple of days ago but I still plan to try for the month of October. I really need something else besides the shirt which is still in the muslin/drafting stage to get me going again. What will I make for my AGAM, not sure yet but whatever it will be I plan to self draft.

Until next time, happy sewing...

I'm Still Here and Still Working On

I'm still around just not as much as I would like right now. Besides going back to homeschooling some of my kids this school year,  my internet availability has been very sporadic and it looks like that will be the case for a few more weeks, I get on when I can.

On anther note I'm still working my way through DIY Clothes, but I have slowed down a bit since I'm working with wovens now and have to fit the pattern so it can be used for future designs. With this extra work I am learning a lot about fitting and also about my unique shape.  I hope to post something soon about it within the next few days on what I have done so far. I also have a ton of blog reading to catch up on, but one that got my attention is the Fall 2013 Essentials Sew-Along. This is right up my alley since part of my patternmaking is to have a set of those patterns that make up MY wardrobe essentials. I already have most of my Fall sewing planned which mostly includes my patternmaking projects and a few extras.  I'm hoping that the sewing and blogging will pick back up once I have a base pattern I'm happy with.

Until next time, happy sewing

Fabric Shopping In Riyadh

As I recently said I would take pics on my next fabric shopping trip and I did. I bought DD along to be my camera girl, so these are all taken by her. These are of just one store, I don't know the name but all the fabrics in here are 10SAR per meter which translates to $2.67 USD per meter or 1.70 GBP.  I did visit a couple of other shops but I did not get the time that I needed since it was late and shops were starting to close up as a matter of fact I didn't even make it to the notions shop. 

There is no cutting table in the store, you just call one of the 3 or 4 men that are walking around and they just cut it right there and send it to the front for you.

While it is mostly some form of polyester and light weight cottons I have found some gems since I found this shop a few months ago. They do have a large selection of fabrics from chiffon to faux leather, knits, poly velvets, lace, and corduroy. 

Until next time, happy sewing...

A Cowl and A Pep............................................................Do'h

This is my last variation on my basic t-shirt before I move onto wovens. I wanted to try something again that was all my own so I decided to do a top with a cowl and peplum. For this peplum I added more fullness by slashing and spreading pattern piece that I used my last top and then using some basic knowledge that I got from studying a ready to wear sweater, I drafted the cowl using the neckband as a starting guide. My Homer Simpson Do'h moment didn't come until I was attaching the cowl and realized I didn't lower the neckline so the cowl was not as big and as low as I wanted. I was in such a rush that day and it was not one of my usual sewing days. It was more like when ever I found sometime even if it was five minutes I went into my room and did something but nothing to focused including the pattern drafting. By the end of the day the top was complete but with that huge mistake and I did not have enough fabric to try and recut another cowl so I just left it , just call it a curtle (cowl turtle mix) LOL. I do plan to try again but first I want to move on a little bit with some woven tops.

The cowl look that I was going for

This is also my first item in the Autumn 6PAC over at Stitcher's Guild. I decided to do a mini wardrobe completely drafted by me.  I am also thinking about the upcoming mini wardrobe over at Patternreview since the rules appear to be a bit relaxed, just four items sewn in four weeks to make four outfits.

Quick Info:

• Self drafted t-shirt pattern
• 5 pattern pieces (front bodice, back bodice, peplum, sleeve and cowl)
• Thin cotton knit
• Sewn using both sewing machine and serger

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I know that fitting with wovens is a bit more involved so be patient with me on the next few garmants.

Until next time, happy sewing