I accomplished yet another of the projects on my priority list today. The dogs now have some nice mats for their crates. They are even personalized! They were very quick and easy to make.

Materials:

One yard each heavy denim and polar fleece. This is enough to make two mats approx. 35”x28”. I just cut each yard in half down the middle to make two pieces 36” by 30”. My two fabrics were quite the same width so I did a little trimming to match everything up. If you want them to fit perfectly into the bottom of your crate just measure the bottom pan size and add an inch to get a 1/2” seam allowance all the way around.

How To:

If you want to personalize it, hoop your denim and stitch out the name. Because this denim was so stiff I didn’t put an stabilizer in the hoop with it. I did Maizey’s first and some of the stitches weren’t as nice as I’d like them to be so when I did Cas’ I slipped a piece of Heavy Cut-Away under the hoop before I started stitching and that worked great.

Lay the denim piece out flat right side up and place fleece right side down on top of it. Smooth everything out, matching edges, trim any edges that aren’t even.

Round off the corners. I marked them with a chalk wheel and used my magnetic pin cushion as a guide. I chose to round them off to make turning them right side out easier. Pin both fabrics together. Stitch around edge, leaving an opening for turning. I used my walking foot because the fleece likes to stretch under the foot while stitching. I also lengthened my stitch length and made sure I had a jeans needle in the machine.

Turn right side out and clip excess fabric from curved corners and notch seam allowance. (I forgot to take a picture of this step.)

Topstitch approximately 1/2” from edge. Be cure to tuck in the edges of the opening so they get caught in the topstitching.

All done in a couple hour’s work. I like that they are lightweight and easy to wash. No stuffing for the dogs to chew apart and get all over the house. The fleece gives a little cushioning and the denim is durable.

Miss Maizey looks a little less than thrilled with her new digs but that is partly because I moved her crate today from one corner to another and now Cas is in the same room. She doesn’t like change.

In reality the dogs don’t spend a lot of time in their crates. Just while we are out of the house. They are still spoiled and get to sleep on our bed at night. And with my part-time hours and how early the girls get home from school they are rarely crated for more than a few hours at a time. But Cas does like his crate and will just go hang out in their for periods of time. He is also a bit of a hoarder and we will find random things hidden in there. Like the time my friend stayed over to dog sit and after we got home I was cleaning it out and found her bank card still in the envelope from the mail in his crate.

Also, does anyone else think it is weird that two Michigan State Spartans have a dog named MAIZEy? I didn’t ever realize the awkwardness until I embroidered her name in bright yellow on a blue background.

We are having a Swimsuit Sew-Along! Please join us. How you ask? Well for one how about you start by deciding to try your hand at sewing your own swimwear? Then you can follow along as I and my fellow blogger-sew-alongists (it IS a word, okay maybe not, be we can pretend) jump into the deep end and make this thing happen. If you are a blogger that would like to join along you can grab the above badge and add it to you blog and kindly link back here and to any of the other blogs that are also participating. (Please ‘right-click-save as’ the image above and download it to your computer and then upload it to your own photo site or whatever you use to insert images into your blog. No bandwidth stealing please!)

Let me first introduce you to your other lifeguard. Swimmers meet Stephanie. She blogs over at The Petite Sewist and agreed to join me for Adult Swim. We met over on PatternReview.com. If you’d like to join our discussion pop on over to the Discussion Board and introduce yourself.

Now to get us all off the block and into the pool I’ve started to compile some helpful links. I’ll try to add to this list as time goes on.

Tutorials and Tips

Creative Chicks Blog – They have some of the best tips with photos I’ve found yet. After reading through all their pages of sewing tips even the most novice sewer will feel confident to give this a go.

Ten Tips for Sewing Swimwear Fabrics – Straight and to the point. All good things to know and remember.

Kwik Sew Swimwear Tips – Good basic advice from Kwik Sew

Burda Style DIY your swimsuit – inspiration, a few tips, and links to free patterns.

Sew Mama Sew – free pattern and tutorial.

Supplies

Spandex World -  the name pretty much says it all.

Spandex House – I guess if you are not ready for the whole world, just go with the whole house for now.

Fashion Fabrics Club – This e-retailer has gotten some bad reviews on PatternReview but I will say that I just purchased some swimwear fabric from them and it came as ordered in a reasonable amount of time. Your mileage may vary.

Fabric.com – I order from way more often than I should. I’ve never had a problem. One time they sent me the wrong Kwik Sew pattern and when I called about it they immediately sent out the correct one and let me keep the mistake.

Sew Sassy – I’ve never ordered from them but I’ve heard and read very good things about them. Looks like a great place for bra cups, swimwear elastic and other related notions.

Paragon Patterns – If you can get past the poor web design, this site has patterns and notions for sale in addition to tips and tutorials.

Well I think this should be a good start. If you want to participate or have more resource links to share post them in the comments and I’ll add them to the list here. Also post a link to your blog in the comments and I will start to compile a list of participants so we can all stop over for a visit and splash around in your kiddie pool.

If you are local (and hey, even if you aren’t and want a reason to come to IL in March!) come see Cripple of Inishmaan at the Albright Theater. Even though I’m not in it (and probably because I’m not) it is a very interesting script and will definitely be a great show. I was at auditions and can tell you this is a GREAT cast and the director is very passionate about this project and I know will bring the best to the stage like always.

The Missoni Knit top is also done. (Vogue 8597) This fabric wasn’t as difficult to work with as I had feared. I serged the entire thing except for the hems. I was going to cover-stitch the hems but decided to just zig-zag them to save time. This photo was taken before I hemmed it. Like the green version, this one is really comfortable and went together super fast. Like less than 2 hours fast!  Between this pattern and KS 3658, if I needed a top to wear one morning I could sew one up between dropping the girls off at school and leaving for work if I had the right fabric in the stash. And lord knows I have the fabric in the stash!

Anyway, that’s what I did today. What about you?

Also, it looks like I might be starting a Swimsuit Blog Sew Along on PatternReview.com very soon. This of course has led to even more research and blog reading. Phwew! Watch this space for more information. If nothing else, I’ll try to compile all the links and resources I’ve come across in a future post.

So let me show you what I’ve added to may stash recently:

First of all I ordered this book. It has basic patterns in the back in a large range of sizes. The styling and fabric choices in the photos is dated to say the least, but the information is good and some of the patterns have a lot of potential. The only style really missing that I would like is a racer back tank. I don’t like halter top suits because of my neck issues and spaghetti straps always seem to slip off my shoulders. But I think if I need to I can use these patterns as a starting point and modify them to suit my needs.

This lovely Wonder Woman number is one of my favorites. Not that I’d ever make it but it is good for a laugh or two. In all honesty I do like the bra top style and may use it to modify one of the one-piece tanks to a more flattering style for myself.

The book gives really good instruction for making the bra top and I know that Emma prefers bikinis so I may use it for a suit for her too. She’s more of a Batman kind of girl than Wonder Woman though.

These are some of the fabrics that I purchased. The first set is a black with pink and purple dots and a solid black. I think these will be used for something for Emma. But there is enough black there for at least bottoms or a contrast for another suit. The second photo is a multi-stripe and solid navy. I ordered the stripe online and ordered the royal blue in the last photo to go with it. But the online photos didn’t depict the colors well and in person they don’t match at all. Plus the royal blue is very shiny, maybe I’ll put it aside until I find red stripes and make that Wonder Woman suit after all. The navy in the second picture is from Joann’s. I originally bought it with the idea of making a modified version of the Alison Suit from Burda Style. But when the blues didn’t match in the online purchased fabrics I changed my mind. I’m also on the lookout for a copy of Kwik Sew 2500. If I find it I will make it in purple to replace my favorite Lands End suit.

When will I get to all of this? I have no idea. But I did buy a yard of lycra lining fabric, swimwear elastic and a few types of bra cups at Joann’s last week too so I have everything I need when the mood strikes me. But for today I need to get back into my sewing room and work on yesterday’s list of priorities. I got quite a bit done on the Theater Aprons yesterday afternoon and evening, an hour or two more and they should be done. Then it is on to the Missoni fabric top for Saturday. If that goes together as fast as it should I might be able to start embroidering the dogs’ names on the denim for their beds.

I decided it might be best if I document them all here and make a list to prioritize what needs to get done first and what I want to get done next. I need to throw a couple in there that if I don’t do them now while the idea is fresh in my mind, I will put aside and they probably will never get done.

Project 1: This little project must be put at the top of my list because it is for the theater. My friend is directing a show now and needs two old fashioned aprons for two characters. And even though I auditioned for the part and didn’t get cast, I’m still willing to make some costumes pieces for him. That’s how much I love him and this theater. I should be able to knock these out relatively quickly once I get the pattern traced and the fabric cut.

Project 2: This is one of the “need to do before I lose my motivation” projects. I got the idea that the dogs needed some kind of mats for their crates this winter. But I knew that if I put anything with padding or stuffing in there they’d just tear it up. Plus I wanted something easy care and washable. I got the idea to get a heavy denim and machine embroider their names on it and then “quilt” it together with a fleece and bind or serge the edges to finish everything off. I wanted to do it before our trip last weekend but didn’t get time. I’m hoping that if they have warm, cozy blankies in their crates they’ll get off my bed, but who am I kidding?

Project 3: This top kind of needs to be made by Saturday so I can wear it to work. We are having an Event at the store and I am giving a Power Point presentation on Trends in Garment Sewing. Of course I am trying to promote the apparel fabrics that we sell, etc. so I want to make a top out of this fabric we carry and wear it with my jeans. I know this pattern can be sewn up really quick and I already have it traced off so I should be able to whip it up some night this week. This fabric is also perfect for making Infinity Scarves, which I did out of the black/grey/silver color of this fabric.

Other Projects and/or Stash Fabrics: I added a bunch of miscellaneous cuts of fabrics that may or may not get sewn into something anytime soon. How’s that for non-committal? Here they are in no particular order.

This is more navy than it appears in the photo. Just a misc. jersey knit I grabbed on sale. Will probably become one of my TNT knit top patterns before the winter ends.

This sale knit is still in my stash from late summer. I now need to decide which of the DVF inspired wrap dress patterns I’m going to use to make it. Both get mixed reviews on Pattern Review. I had hoped to make it to wear in Florida but didn’t get it done so now it goes back onto the shelf for a while until I get time for it. This will pretty much be a hopefully wearable muslin unless I get really lucky with fit. It was super cheap fabric so no harm, no foul either way. Any readers have experience with either of these patterns and want to weigh in with an opinion?

More super cheap single knit from Fabric.com. No plans for this, just wanted to see what the fabric was like since it was so cheap. Will probably make a quick draped neck sleeveless top out of it for summer at some later time. I’m sure the fabric won’t hold up to much wear so I’m not investing much time with it. The color is a really pretty apple green anyway.

These are both polyester ITY knits. The print on top is cool but what doesn’t show up in photos is that it has a “sparkle” to it. I don’t have any set plans for it. I’m sure once warmer weather gets here the colors will inspire me to make something fun out of it. I bought 2.5 yards of it so I have enough to make a dress, maybe another DVF inspired wrap if I am successful with either of the above mentioned patterns. It would also work well in KS 3658.

The deep burgundy ITY is very nice and I’m sure it will become either a dress or top. The two fabrics do coordinate so I’m thinking I may make simple tops and elastic waist A-line skirts that I can mix and match as separates or wear together for a dress look.

The last pile of stash and new projects deserves a post all its own. I have another sewing Mt. Everest to climb and that is Swimsuits. I’ve been stashing patterns, books and fabrics of the lycra variety lately. Stay tuned for that! But right now I’d better get actually sewing, or at least tracing and cutting or I’ll never get through all these projects!

		KS3315: Stretch Jeans VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I apologize up front for not having any photos of me modeling these yet. I have worn them a few times since completing them but never seem to have enough light or a willing photographer about to help me take them.

This is my second go at making this pattern. The first time was for a store sample at work and I made them in the XS size and also have yet to find anyone to model them for me. On those I also did some machine embroidery on the leg and next to the front pocket. Not my personal style, but very hip and cute anyway. I wanted to make myself a pair so I could test out the fit of this pattern. It is designed for stretch denims and like most Kwik Sew patterns, it does tend a bit large. I did cut and sew the XL per the measurements but next time I will probably either sew them with a deeper seam allowance or go down to the Large. They fit fine but after a bit of wear they do stretch out and are a bit roomy. I didn’t put belt loops on this pair but I may go back and add them so I can cinch them up when needed. I also added almost 2” to the length and ended up not needing it. The pattern says it only has a 30” inseam and I was afraid to go that short in case they shrunk (I did prewash this denim!). I ended up cutting off what I had added before hemming them.

I took my time on the details to make them look as RTW as possible. This meant that I did true flat-felled seams on the yoke and side seams and then went back and top-stitched with a triple straight stitch. The back seam I did a mock flat-fell seam by serging with a 4-thread overlock and then pressing to the side and then top-stitching. In the future I will probably just do mock flat-felled seams to speed up the process. I looked at a couple of my RTW jeans and that is how they are constructed. But I did have to do the “real thing” at least once so I can say that I did. I also top-stitched all the pockets as well as added decorative stitches to the back pockets. Since I’ve made these and the sample at the store I’ve had many people (seamstresses and non) comment on how hard it must be to make jeans. But really it isn’t any harder than any other project and simpler than many others. It is just a matter of taking the time to do the little details that take your project from “Home-made” to “Hand-made”. Imagine what how impressed people would be if you told them you only wore jeans that were, “hand-made exclusively for(by) me”?

Please excuse the wrinkles in the above photos. I wore them to Florida last weekend and just pulled them out of my suitcase this morning to put in the wash. I have to say that I usually hate traveling with jeans. They are never comfortable for wearing for car rides or on an airplane but take up too much room in the suitcase. These broke all of those misconceptions. They are super comfortable and yet still look good when you get where you are going. When I packed them to come home they rolled up nice and tight and took up no more room than my other slacks.  I made these from an “Indiana Denim” we carry at the store. I’ve never heard that term before so I’m not sure what it means, Google wasn’t much help this time around. I can tell you that it is a nice soft, lightweight denim with a bit of stretch. It also has a slight, almost pin-stripe texture to it.

My overall impression of this pattern is favorable. I will probably use it again in the future. As always Kwik Sew directions are clear and easy to understand. I would like to make the straight leg version next and maybe go down a size for a more “skinny jean” look. Today the UPS man delivered a box from fabric.com (No matter how hard I try I can’t ignore those sale emails!) and in it was my very own copy of the ever popular Jalie 2908 jeans pattern. After I made the Kwik Sew jeans I was so excited I wanted to make the world jeans (I’m over THAT notion now!) But I was humbled when Emma asked if I could try making her some jeans. Seeing as she is very hard to find jeans for that are slim enough but still long enough, I told her I’d give it a try. As most teens do, she prefers a low-rise waist so I thought that the Jalie pattern would be better suited for her. Plus I read many (not all, I’d never have time to actually sew if I tried!) of the reviews on Pattern Review and was impressed by the results so many had with this pattern.

I have now conquered jeans and am moving on to other sewing challenges. Wait until you see what I have to post next. I have so many projects lined up I need a Snowmaggedon to have time to get to it all.

This is one of the feet Steve got me for Christmas. (I think I wrote down the wrong number when I gave him my list, I really wanted the #71 which is wider and for denim but I’m not complaining, I’ll buy that one myself and still get use out of this one.) This isn’t a foot I’ll use often but like so many Bernina feet, when you need it nothing else will do the job quite as well or as precisely.

I’ll show you step by step how to use this foot. Also the above link to the Bernina website has a great little video showing the foot in action.

Step 1: Align your fabric WRONG sides together with the bottom fabric 5mm beyond the edge of the top fabric.

Step 2:  Fold bottom fabric over edge of top fabric and place under the foot.

I use the point of my seam ripper to carefully poke the top corner of the folded fabric under the foot and needle. I then take a stitch or two and stop with my needle down to hold everything while I maneuver the folded edge of the fabric into the foot the way I want it.  

Sew down the seam keeping the bottom fabric folded over the raw edge of the top fabric.

The finished first seam. The raw edge of the top fabric is wrapped with the bottom fabric.

Step 3: Press seam and open it out, I don’t press it flat though. I find that it helps to get it under the needle and then take a few stitches and stop with the needle down so I can rearrange the fabric and get it placed in the foot properly. This also where having the Free Hand System (knee lift) comes in really handy!

Sew down the seam. The foot will fold the edge over and stitch exactly along the edge giving a perfectly top-stitched finish.

This sample was sewn with bright green in the needle and grey in the bobbin. This sample was sewn with bright green in both the needle and the bobbin. My bobbin stitching doesn’t look as perfect in this sample as the above one because I didn’t have it threaded perfectly. Usually the two rows of stitching will be exact and perfectly parallel like they are in the above sample.

The result is a perfectly finished seam with no raw edges. Where would you use this technique? This narrower one would be perfect for sewing side seams in lightweight blouses instead of a French seam. The advantage over a French seam is that this type lies flat. You see this seam finish in men’s dress shirts. This type of seam is very strong so it is good for seams that get a lot of stress. The most common use of a wider flat-fell seam is in denim jeans. I made a pair of stretch denim jeans for a store sample this fall and plan on making myself a pair soon so I will be going back and getting that #71 foot. I love the way this seam finish looks, so professional. I’m at the point in my sewing career that I want my home-sewn items to look as good if not better than store bought and this is just another way to achieve that goal.

At a later date I will share with you a couple short cuts you can use to achieve a flat-felled look in fewer steps and less time. Because we all know that I also like to get projects done fast!

But it was time for a more youthful assistant. A new gal with a more useful (if not necessarily youthful) shape. Meet Bertha. I’m sure Bertie and I will get along famously and she will be a very handy friend to have around. I ordered her from here. Unfortunately I haven’t had any opportunity to play dress up with her yet.

This is the project I’ve been working on this week. A friend of mine and the breeder of my dog, Castiel, asked me to make ribbon quilts a while back. She offered to help promote them at dog shows and among her dog training friends and customers. I agreed but the “business” hadn’t really taken off. Which has been okay with me because I had been plenty busy as it was and to be honest, these aren’t that much fun to make. The ribbons are stiff and difficult to work with. But I’m not one to say no to a challenge and any time I can make a little money using my talents is always welcome. This order came in right before Thanksgiving when I was in the midst of directing a show, holiday work hours, going on vacation (Hawaii! I should share photos!) and general Xmas craziness. I honestly didn’t spend more than a few hours in my sewing room from Thanksgiving until New Years. I made the green wool jersey top and a stuffed owl for my Grand-niece (which the dogs got a hold of before I could mail it and I have to redo) and that was it. So this week it was my main priority and in my usual time-crunch manner I got it done in just over two days and change.

Now I can focus on new project for the New Year. I’m not sure where I’ll start. I’m kind of in the mood to crochet something. I have a friend that really wants a “Roseanne Blanket” and I found a pattern that I really like that will also help in the goal of working through some stash: Wool Eater Blanket. I’m also working on these, When Jack Met Sally Mitts.  Winter is always good for having “lap” projects to work on while watching tv with the family or riding in the car.

What are your new projects for the new year? Did Santa (or UPS) bring you any fun new tools to use in your sewing room? I got a bag full of new Bernina feet that I intend to try out and post about their uses in the next few weeks.

The Pants: Winning!

I used what I think now has become my tried-and-true pants pattern: Project Sewing Workshop Mimosa Pants. This time I made the XL instead of the XXL and the fit was perfect, even though my measurements would indicate that I needed the XXL. But the last time I made them they needed 1 inch plus seam allowances and were still quite roomy on me. This time I was using a wool/lycra blend and knew that they would stretch so I could go more fitted. This is still a really loose fit style with very wide straight legs. The construction of this pattern is so fast and easy. No pockets, invisible zipper in the side seam and a very simple faced waistband. I considered lining this pair because the last ones were a little scratchy but I didn’t really have a lining fabric that matched so I decided to just go for it without the lining. I hope as winter progresses I won’t regret this. These are definitely a winner. I will get a lot of wear out of them for work and any time I want to look pulled together and still be comfortable. I now feel confident enough with this pattern and sizing that I’m going to splurge on some of the Mark Jacobs wool we have at work to make some more versions of this in other colors.

The Jacket: Fail

I loved this fabric from the moment I saw it. I kept it safely tucked away on my stash shelf all summer waiting to take my time and make a perfect jacket for cold days at work. I haven’t made a lined jacket in decades. I thought I had sufficiently conquered all my fitting demons and was ready for the challenge. I plunged in with all my presser feet and went for it. Over all the construction and look of the jacket is fine. It is a wearable garment. But it doesn’t fit as well as I’d like. I used Kwik Sew 3258 View A without the zipper. I made the Large because judging from the pattern measurements the XL would be too big across the shoulders. Wrong! I also made the mistake of not reading my instructions close enough and I cut on the front line for the view with the zipper, thus eliminating about 2” along the center front. It under no circumstances will meet at the bottom across my high-waist/hips. It barely meets across my boobs. Once it was fully lined the shoulders and underarms feel tight. If I lost 10-15” it would probably be fine but I don’t see that happening this fall. (Plus then my perfect new pants would be too big!) I didn’t decide to bag my lining until the last minute so it isn’t as perfect as I’d like it to be, just some minor construction details that I screwed up. I lined it with a bright purple Ambience lining that I thought would be fun but now I realize that if it shows at all it is really garish and looks horrible with the plum challis that I have planned for the blouse. Overall it wasn’t a total loss. It is still a wearable garment, just not as comfortable and well-fitted as I’d like. I also learned (or relearned) a number of things that I can use the next time I want to make this jacket. I’m still not giving up on my Chanel dreams. Next time I’m going to go with a more traditional tweed or boucle. I saw one at Joann’s that I loved the colors but know that the fabric is cheap acrylic. It might serve as a good guinea pig fabric to get the sizing on this pattern down better. Oh, but I cut my pattern instead of tracing. I ALWAYS trace my patterns, but I was cocky and said to myself, “I got this” and cut away. Good thing I have at least two other versions of the Chanel jacket in my pattern stash! I’m also not heartbroken over the “waste” of well loved fabric. Now that I have it sewn up into a jacket I see the drapery/upholstery look it has and I’m not sure I love it as much as I did when I bought it. I love the colors but it may just be a little too “Grandma’s Parlor”. What do you think?

The Blouse: Undecided

You can see the challis I have for a blouse draped over Minerva in the top picture. It is a woven so all of my new favorite knit top patterns are out of the running. I think with this jacket style it needs to have a fairly plain and high neck-line. Or should I try a flounce or bow? I see the “pussy bow” blouse is coming back in a big way. Would that take me straight to Golden Girls territory? Maybe I just get a plain black crew neck or turtle neck and use the plum challis for something else.

For now I think I’ll see if I still have a nice black turtleneck in my closet and hope for cold weather some day this week so I can wear this new outfit to work. Unless of course I decide I just can’t live with the jacket the way it is and go in and open up the back seam a little to add some more wearing ease. I really should. I could probably even do it without having to removed the lining. Hmmmm, thoughts to ponder.

Next Up: Magical Sewing

Because I just don’t have enough to do this month, I find myself somehow in charge of making Wench Costumes for this year’s Madrigal Dinner. My daughter is participating this year and there wasn’t a dress in her size. Weeks had passed since the fitting and she hadn’t heard any more about anyone getting her measurements, etc. Being the good Mom that I am I contacted the director and asked if I could make her dress. But I had to get the materials, patterns, etc. very soon because of my busy schedule this fall. This was 2 or 3 weeks ago. Of course the patterns and measly bag of fabric was just dropped off tonight. When I contacted the Moms in charge of course they assumed I could make dresses for all the girls that didn’t have a dress to fit them in the left overs from previous years. Ha! (Or they were going to call one of the “local sewing stores” and see if anyone there wanted to do it for pay. Ummm, that would be me!) Now I get the patterns and they are all just one size and I have to “size it up” for the girls who didn’t fit into the pre-existing dresses and there is no way enough fabric for all the skirts and vests that need made. Great. Had I known I would be pretty much redrafting patterns anyway I would’ve just drafted my own to Sarah’s measurements a week ago.  Whatever, nothing gained by bitching about it now, just get to work and get it done. Good thing I’m fast and have all those magical bluebirds and mice hanging around just waiting to help me. Bibbity-Bobbity-BOO!

You get a headless full-body photo this time because my photographer was in a hurry to get to Homecoming last night and her friends were about to arrive and she didn’t want to be seen taking photos of her Mom. She also deleted the pictures of herself and her friends from my SD card before I could transfer them to my computer. So I guess you’ll just have to hope you are cool enough to be her Facebook friend and can see them there. Emma went to a friend’s to get ready for the dance so I didn’t see her in her full ensemble and will have to rely on her friend’s mom to send me some eventually.

Anyway, I did get my Missoni knock off dress done. Like the shirt from this pattern, it took longer to trace the pattern and convert my serger to cover-stitch than it did to make the whole thing. Speaking of Missoni did you see this? Missoni for Target rain boots hit eBay for $31,000 Why do I have a feeling she is heavy into Beanie Babies too? Can’t knock a girl for trying though I guess.

<b>Pattern Description: </b>
Fitted pull-over dress and top have V-neckline and draped collar. Front extends forming collar and facing.
<b>Pattern Sizing:</b>
Large graded out to XL at hips.
<b>Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?</b>
Yes
<b>Were the instructions easy to follow?</b>
Very easy.
<b>What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?</b>
I made this pattern before in the top version and loved it. I like the ease of construction most of all. It goes together fast and perfectly every time.
<b>Fabric Used:</b>
Polyester ITY in a Missoni inspired print. Purchased at Sew Generously, St. Charles, IL
Loved this fabric because thanks to Target Missoni is all the rage right now and I love that the busy-ness of the print hides my figure flaws. Plus it is super comfortable.
<b>Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:</b>
The only change I made was to grade out to the XL at the hips. With KS 1/4" seams I didn’t want to take the chance that it would be too tight across my stomach. I also lengthened it about 1.5" As you can see on the pattern envelope, it is designed to hit just above the knee. I didn’t think that would be the most flattering length on me and I didn’t want it too short to make it difficult to wear to work.
<b>Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?</b>
Absolutely. I know for sure that this will be a TNT pattern for the top view and I’m really happy with the way the dress turned out so I’m sure it will get made again too.
<b>Conclusion: </b>
Easily one of my favorite dresses to wear right now. I wore it last night to usher at the theater and to a cast party afterward. I got compliments on it and it was comfortable to wear all night. I’m thinking that I will pair it with my black boots for winter.