Mad Men Sew-Along : Cutting my fabric

To cut out my dress I first needed to make another neck facing since I changed the neckline of my pattern. It's pretty simple to do this. I got some tissue paper and traced my new neckline and the shoulder and center front edge.

Next, I measured 2 inches in from the neckline and connect the curved line.

Now cut out your shape and mark it. It is now your new neckline facing.

I then cut out all of my fabric and my lining. I decided to line my entire dress and also have a neck facing so this is what I cut out:

main fabric

- 1 bodice front on fold

- 2 bodice backs

- 1 front neck facing on fold (newly drafted)

- 2 back neck facings

- 1 skirt front on fold

- 2 skirt backs

- 2 sleeves on fold

lining fabric

- 1 bodice front on fold

- 2 bodice backs

- 1 skirt front on fold

-2 skirt backs

- 2 sleeves on fold

Buying fabric online

This morning Google Reader brought these little gems to my computer screen:
They came via A Little Great, another new blog I follow. That got me wondering, where do you buy fabric online? I love these prints from Tonic Living and am fearful that I am missing out on some other great fabric sites. So please share! I'll compile a list in our right side bar for future reference. And for those that asked, I will put together a step by step "how to us your Google Reader" to appear later this week.

Mad Men Sew-Along : Fabric

So, this is the fabric that I finally chose for my dress. It is a floral cotton. It is somewhat casual. I liked that it was dark enough to wear in the winter and fall if layered and light weight enough to wear in the spring.
The purple is the lining. A soft cotton.

Google Reader

I must admit that for a 32 year old I can be a little old fashion sometimes. My husband just taught me how to use Google Reader and a whole new world has opened up to me. I was wondering how so many people keep up with so many blogs. Now I know. But now the question is: who should I be following? What is your blog? What are your favorites, sewing and non sewing? My husband is getting ready to go back to China next week, so I'm going to have the time. Laid it on me. I can take it.

I won!

Funny story. Since baby Maaike ins't allowed outside during cold and flu season (not funny and screaming with cabin fever) I have become addicted to entering online contests. I figure that if I can win something I will have physical proof that I am also providing for our family, aside from keep our three children alive and I really want at least one thing to move into our house since we sold everything else. I have entered everything from small blog fabric swatches to the HGTV Dream Home giveaway. I was really hoping that Ellen or Design Mom would come through for me, but they didn't. The dream home is still up for grabs...cross my toes. But, I did win a deco kit from Sweet Paul! One of my favorite new blogs.The funny thing is that I misread my winnings. I thought I won a decor kit, so I was picturing a box of some sort to appear in the mail. It also took forever to get here and I was starting to worry my dreams of providing for my family was a sham. But, the other night I pulled this over sized envelope from my mailbox with various custom forms on it and so here it is. The Eco Deco Kit. Basically it is punch out red paper garland... from Australia! I was totally confused at first, but now I am totally excited. This will certainly liven the farmhouse up as much as any decor kit. My only debate is whether to use it now or to save it for next Christmas. What do you think?

Add this to my list - diy t-shirt rug

To be honest I don't know how I ended up on this blog, but I'm so glad I did. Laura has put together a great step by step tutorial, full of pictures to make this awesome rug out of old t-shirts. I want to make on for my son's room...after we move back into our house and he has a room....long story. Such a great idea for up-cycling all of the free t-shirts my husband brings home from conferences. Just add this project to my list.

Mad Men Sew-Along : Adjusting the Skirt

To adjust the skirt the first thing that we need to do is sew the front and back darts. After pressing they should look something like this:


Using a basting stitch, stitch the two back pieces together starting at the notch and ending after the angle of the back slit like this:

Now sew the front and back pieces together.

Now for the tricky part - getting the fit right. First try the skirt on and pin together the back opening where the zipper will be (you could also just baste in the zipper if you prefer). Pin at 5/8" as that is how much the zipper will take it in.
Use pins to take in the skirt until it fits correctly.

Connect the pins with a line to mark the new seamline.

Sew on the new seamline.
Try on for fit.

Once the fit it right then measure 5/8" out from the new seamline and cut off excess.

Use the scrap you just cut off to adjust your pattern piece.



Now we are done with the muslin. Since I am adding length to my bodice pieces I am not going to sew the top and bottom together, but if you are not adding length then you can do that now to make sure the fit is right.

Back from the holidays

Wow, time has flown. I took a little break for the holidays, which turned into a few weeks as it always seems to do.

Even though my Mad Men Dress wasn't finished in time for the holidays some others have finished theirs. Check them out:

Lynne of the Sewing Cafe
Regan of Stitch in my side

Has anyone else finished that I've missed? Check back tomorrow for an update on my mad men dress.

Looking to 2011

Now that I have finally showered in 2011 I feel like I can admit we've moved into a new year. My sewing resolutions include all the the projects I didn't finish last year, including but not limited to the Mad Men dress. I can't bring myself to sew a dress that I hopefully wont fit into in a a few months. My advice to myself would be to just make it, after all, I could use a great new dress now and then I could just take it in later. But, I just can't do it. I resolve to take my own advice next year. I will however start sewing a couple of aprons. One that was to be a Christmas present (thankfully I'm related to the receiver and she is very kind to wait) and one for myself. I have made many an apron in the past, but I always end up giving them away as gifts. I have a few industrial aprons for crafting, painting, and wood working, but this one is just to fell pretty and sexy in the kitchen. The pattern just arrived in the mail and I can't wait to get started. This is what I picked:I actually got to meet Heather at a conference and talk to her a little about Presserfoot! She is absolutely genuine and was very kind to give me a few minutes over finger food. From her online store I also picked up a half a yard of her new laminate fabric for a stylish diaper bag that is in the pattern drafting phase. I'll share when it is done...just add it to my 2011 sewing resolutions. What about you?

Extremes in Sewing: 2010

Best sewing project: So, due to the absolute craziness of last year I didn't clock in the sewing I thought I would, but the project that has, by far, gotten the most mileage is the Modern Tote to church totes I made for my kids for Easter. Every Sunday my kids pull out their bags, stock them with a few quiet snacks, crayons, and coloring books before heading off to church.

Best place to buy fabric: The Muxiyuan Fabric Market in Beijing, China. If I had any idea that I would end up only living in Beijing for 3 months I would have gone and bought this place out. They have a Vera Bradley shop that sells her fabric for 15 RMB a meter! That is about $2 USD a yard! This place is amazing. Street after street of fabric and notions. There are several hundred vendors, each with several hundred bolts of fabric, feathers, buttons, batting, and of course silk. If you ever go talk to me first.

Scariest Moment: Turning on my sewing machine for the first time in China. I was terrified it would blow up with the change in voltage. I had to add on an adapter and then ran it through a surge protector... and thankfully it worked just fine.

Worst Moment: Turning on my sewing machine after it finally made it back from China. This time the sparks did fly. We ended up having to ask a friend of a friend to carry it back from China for us. I flew alone with the baby and had no idea I wouldn't be going back and my husband flew alone with our 5 and 2 year olds and both our lap tops. This friend of a friend at least got my machine back to me, but at some point he checked it as baggage. The guy at the repair shop told me that "many parts are bent like somebody hit it real hard." I explained the situation to him but he gave a look like "I don't care and don't believe you anyway." At least he go it back up and running.