Summer Blouse

After overhauling my packed closet, I finally let go most of my stuff - suits and all clothes that reminded me of my past career.

I needed to pursue my other passion so I made up my mind not to shop for ready-to-wear for a while. I was inspired by another blogger who did one year of not shopping clothes. You can link to her blog here.

For this blouse, I used NewLook 6483 in View D but I added sleeves to it. The fabric is Swiss Dot. Its light texture makes it perfect for the summer heat. I did a test garment without the front and back facings before sewing my fashion fabric. The fit was spot-on in my opinion so no adjustments were made but not until I was ready to sew the real thing.

front view

back view

 Followed the pattern instructions as written but was not happy that the last step threw me off! The shoulder seams were the last ones to be sewed and it was difficult. I tried hand-sewing it but it looked ugly so I tried my way instead. First, I sewed the shoulder seams and side seams then I attached the front and back facings in the shoulder and front and back neck lines. I finished the facings inside attaching it as the pattern instruction. This way I didn't have the hard time to connect the shoulders seams last which made it so frustrating.

Inside Seams

Edge Stitched Neckline

Sleeve

Skirt Sucess!

Over the weekend, I finished sewing a skirt. I had the hardest time perfecting the invisible zipper although the pattern was very simple. Learned to overcast, do darts and attached an invisible zipper .... overall a success!

Needle Book

First things first! Needle organization.  After procrastinating for so long, I am back to square one. The hard part is I couldn't figure out right away what needle size is attached into my machine and I thought there should be a solution to this!

One day I was browsing Thread Magazine and one lady had the same problem I have. She used a tomato pincushion and marked each section with different needle size. Each time she attaches the needle to her sewing machine, she'll put a glass-head pin in the pincushion in its place. So I decided to use the same concept, I made myself a needle book and on it are pages marked with needle sizes.

Halloween 2013

I somehow made a costume again for my son this year using McCall's MP313 pattern. He is in first grade.

Halloween 2012

Here are some photos during my son's trick or treating in school and in our neighborhood. I made him his Dracula costume using McCall's M6417 pattern in view C.

I was a little bit skeptical with my choice of fabric. Slippery fabrics like satin are very difficult to handle but the walking foot worked fine with it. My son loved his costume. I didn't have a hard time taking his photos because he was very cooperative.

I made this photo box for my son's kinder school.

Pillow and Frame-perfect Pincushions

I had been thinking of making pincushions but never push through with the idea. While I was sewing my son’s Halloween costume, I kept dropping pins on the floor (I have so many) as if suggesting that it’s time to make one and so I did.

I thought about something easy so I made a pillow pincushion.

Then again, I want to see what other people created so I browsed online and saw this cute picture frame pincushion.

 I was inspired so I made my own version. This picture frame was from one of my thrift-shopping and coincidentally my fabric color matched the frame. (Yes, I love, love thrift shops but that’s another story) 

Quilt Backing Fabric

I am currently finishing a Christmas quilt and I am having issues with it. The recommended backing fabric size was off even if I literally followed the author's instructions to the letter. This is so supposed to be the largest quilt I am making thus far and as a newbie I have to rely whatever I read. It seems like the pattern was not tested for accuracy.

But anyway, I figured out a way to make it work. I cut the backing fabric in half lengthwise and added two columns of rectangles in the center and also added fabric in the top and bottom areas. 

Hopefully I will get better as time goes by. For now, I have to put this aside to give attention to another project - my son's Halloween costume. The finish quilt I will post in time for Christmas season.