I learned to sew at Fancy Tiger late June 2011...here's what I've accomplished so
far!
Butterick 4790 (1952 vintage pattern)
I love the circle skirt! Overall, I have mixed reviews of this pattern. It's ingenious, but the shoulders seem odd. I would have liked to make my own bias tape, but I didn't have a bias tape maker at the time. Wrights packaged bias tape will do in a pinch!
If I make this dress again, I'll definitely use a higher-quality cotton, and make my own coordinating bias tape. Perhaps alter the neckline and make the sleeves more attractive, too.
Anna Maria Horner Socialite Dress
This was my first attempt at the following: gathering, sewing a yoke, and armhole facings. I sewed a muslin using cheaper quilting cotton from Joanns and that helped a lot. I'm a big fan of sewing muslins without muslin. That way...if my test garment turns out just fine then I have two new things to wear instead of just one. Colette Patterns suggests using gingham which is cheaper and drapes more easily than quilting cotton, but generally I think gingham looks like a picnic blanket.
The only thing I would change to this dress is make it longer next time!
This was a really exciting project for me...it turned out perfectly and when I wore it in to Fancy Tiger Crafts, they took a picture and posted it on their
Facebook Page!
Colette Patterns Sencha Blouse, Blouse 3 with ties
This was actually a test garment for a future project (which I will chronicle later!) But it turned out ok so I wore it to work last week (notice the cubicle behind me devoid of all personality? I am at my client's office, obviously.)
Results? It actually turned out too big! looks like I'm a Colette 16 instead of a Colette 18. I will have to take in the side seams and also add some steam-a-seam to the sleeve facings (I don't know how to stitch the facings to the blouse invisibly by hand yet). Still, it looks cute with a belt!
Not too many compliments on this one...I think it fell on blind eyes at my biopharma-engineering workplace.
