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| Linking with Ms. P Designs PHD Program |
I had one finish in May. I sewed (and wore) a dress! It came with blood, sweat, and tears. I've been talking about making a bodice for Cashmerette's Grafton dress in recent weeks. I was totally frustrated when I couldn't get the size/fit right and searched for other patterns that had a similar look that would work with the purple and white fabric stretch tricot I purchased to wear to my son's high school graduation. I landed on Pattern Emporium's Follow Me wrap dress and skirt pattern Thursday night. I made a test bodice and it actually wasn't too bad of a fit. A bit tight. I know some people like really tight-fitting knit garments, but I don't. I felt like I needed a 1/2" narrow shoulder adjustment, probably more length in the bodice, and a full bust adjustment of 2" across the entire front/back. I also raised the neckline to be school-appropriate--it was still a bit low afterwards in my opinion.
I made the pattern alterations. I did add a rounded back adjustment since there was a center back seam, but it made it puckery, so I took it back out and it was fine. I figured if I went with the flounce sleeve, it would camouflage any additional bust wrinkles.
I added the ruffle to the skirt piece figuring it looked like a more forgiving edge finish. I regretted my choices when I had to turn up the entire hem to coverstitch. I think I used as many clips as a full size quilt binding requires when I machine bind. {Note: I did try a glue stick, but it didn't work on this fabric.} I also forgot how to set up the serger for a coverstitch since it's been so long.
Friday night I was almost done, but it was late and I was tired. I had accidentally serged one of the sleeves in in the wrong orientation and had to rip all that out and realign it. I had to hem the flounce sleeves, which were actually more like circle-skirt sleeves. I couldn't figure out the neckline band and I still needed to join the bodice and skirt. But I was too tired to figure out the neckline, so I went upstairs, teary with defeat. I had over 10 hours in at this point.
I got up at 6 AM Saturday morning determined to try my best and finished by 7:30--my goal was 7, but it was close. The neckband puckers a bit, but it was okay. I decided I needed to add the belt tie, so had to make that at the last minute. I didn't have enough time to hand-sew the opening shut, so I used school glue and ironed it. I DID IT! I made something that fits! And I wore it to graduation.
After looking at the photos, I think I need to take the skirt off and shorten the bodice an inch. The weight of the skirt really pulls the waist down. Even though I narrowed the shoulders 1/2", they ended up being a bit wide. I think the FBA might have added most of that back in. Or maybe the sleeves are pulling the seams outward because those things are really full. The bust fit isn't perfect, but it is totally wearable. I think I might have needed a bit more in the bust or else to change the armsyce shape. I could have narrowed down the waist to hip a bit as well, but it's okay.
This project gave me confidence that I can learn fitting. I have such a huge pile of patterns and clothing fabric that are in various stages of trial. I'd love to make more pieces. Also, I rarely need to wear a dress. I'd forgotten how much I love wearing them. Not very practical in my daily life though.
This dress was item 5 on my PHD list. It took me approximately 12 hours, like 60 printed pattern piece pages plus tape, just over 3 yards of fabric at $8/yard, plus the additional pattern purchase, around $10.
My sewing room is a wreck of pattern pieces, fabric scraps, and extra yardage.
I also made a lot of progress on item 1, Magnificent Mystery. By the end of May I had the top completed and the back made.
This week I made a Frankenbatting for it and quilted it. I will hand bind this one, but should hopefully complete it this month.
I made a few flying geese units for project 14, Bonnie Hunter Unity quilt.
I washed all the fabric needed for item 17 (20 yards), another solid color bed quilt. I need to press the fabric and seam it, then quilt and machine bind.
I also made progress on number 22, the Athena bag. I quilted the Soft and Stable panel required and cut all the fabric. It's ready to sew.
I'm working on a quilting plan for number 23, the Linda J. Hahn class quilt. I'm hoping to quilt it in June.
In the quilting-for-hire side of life, I quilted four quilts for Jeri.
First is this one, Arithmetic from 2015, quilted with Briar Rose.
This Texas panel is quilted with Star Spangled Banner.
Next I quilted Honey Bee on her Positively Charming quilt.
Finally, we decided on Arnica for the log cabin quilt.
I am working on fully binding all four.
In my personal life, we did graduation on Saturday morning. Yay! We've been at college orientation this week. I'll get back to quilting tomorrow.
Penny and Poppy are getting along well with Nugget. Peanut and Smoky continue to harass them. We were really surprised to find Nugget and one of the Barred Rocks perched on the water tank holder. The silkies don't fly well and have never attempted this. It even took them multiple months to get up into the garden tanks in the coop run expansion. The three little hens all got up in the tanks right away.
Out in the garden, we've finally moved past all the rain (I think). Everything has germinated though the purple bush beans are not doing well for the second year in a row. Something appears to have eaten most of the foliage on the watermelon. The peas have a few blossoms, so hopefully we'll get a few before it gets too hot. I've transplanted the pepper starts from the Aerogarden out to the actual garden. My husband has been working on adding irrigation/automatic watering to the tanks.
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| pea blossoms |
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| purple beans on left, green beans on right |
My day lilies are covered in buds. I guess they prefer to be much wetter than their normal conditions. I can't remember them ever having this many.
I broke down and bought a grass killer to apply to the Johnson grass invasion in the lower garden. If you miss any of the rhizome when you try to remove it, it's like a Hydra and grows a ton more. We'll see how it goes.
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