Too Many Projects homg

Ever since I started work, my posting schedule has gone down the tubes. I have a post in the works about the PR Day a few of us celebrated here in Winnipeg, but that'll have to wait for the weekend when I'm less brain-fried from field work.

For now, I thought I'd share what I've been up to, and give an answer to the question I asked in my last post.

So you take this thing,

...add a 'floating' sink and some velcro,

...and you get this!

A really cute way to hide all your bathroom stuff when you only have a medicine cabinet for storage! And it helps make my very 50's pink bathroom look less frumpy and more fun. Add the perfect shower curtain and rug, and you get this:

Seriously, the bathroom started as the ugliest room in the apartment and quickly became my favourite. I have a bit more trim I may add to the skirt to fancy it up a bit more, but we'll see. Now I need to add a curtain along the lines of the sink skirt to my back-entry-facing window, and this bathroom will be perfect!

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My cross-stitch project is coming along nicely. Okay, so I have a ways to go, but it's still fun to do and is easy to put away if I'm getting tired of it. The hardest part is remembering that it's there to work on, since I'm very 'out of sight out of mind'.

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Haven't been sewing much, but tonight I started a pair of panties from a t-shirt, sort of like the ones I made before. I was put off doing them after I received a very creepy email from someone about them, but I figured forget them. I'm not letting some internet creep keep me from making something fun, and it's also not going to keep me from sharing it with you. You just wont ever see me modeling them!

Anyways, I finally just put on a movie (Sense and Sensibility) and traced out the Team Canada pair that I love and wear as often as I hygienically can. They are, without a doubt, my favourite and most comfy panties, and I need more of them. Hopefully this copy will be just as comfy.

I'm even thinking of putting my new-found cross-stitching skills to use and making a pretty flower on them, since this pair is a little plain.

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I started a top using this fabric ages ago, part of a series I was planning to make and post about. I may still do that, but this UFO has been sitting here needing the sleeves eased in since way before I started my job last September. I adore the fabric, the fit is fantastic (nearly perfected from an earlier version), and it's nearly done, has been nearly done for ages. Why can't I just get these sleeves in already?! SHEESH.

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This doesn't even include the projects I want to start...now. Including a winter coat, although I'll get into that more this weekend. Never mind the Christmas presents I have in mind! ACK!

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I know I'm not the only one who has too many projects on the go. How many do you guys have on your sewing table?

Here's to finishing them up!

...Someday.

Guessing Game: What Am I Making Now?

I'm not sure if I'm in the office or in the field next week, so there may or may not be sewing this week. Here's a preview of what I'm working on. Is it flapper dress? Fringed top? Wig? Really strange hat? What do you think it is? :)

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In other news, this was my favourite outfit last week, and surprise surprise, it's at least half me-made. The top is the Grecian Sundress (shirt version), a pattern created by Tanit-Isis (and it's free, so go download and make, because it's fabulous). The skirt was from the Wardrobe Contest 2010, my denim pencil skirt, which is probably one of my favourite garments ever made. All it needs is some pockets and it'd be absolutely perfect!

Heh, and the boots were found at Value Village, brand new with tags intact, for $14. Sweet! The cardigan is RTW from...somewhere from the mall? I've had it for ages, and it probably needs to be replaced soon.

Have a good week everyone!

Finished Object: Good Nightie

After languishing in my stash for ages, I finally made a night gown using Simplicity 3573 (in my stash since last spring, I think), and a flannel sheet I thrifted a year or more ago. In fact, I was so determined to make it into pj's that it came back with me from Kingston, Ontario, and it was a bulky bugger, too! I think the only reason I have this nightie now is because I joined up with the PR Pattern Stash contest, which encourages you to use those old patterns that have been collecting dust in your stash.

When I finally pulled it out to use, I discovered one of the disadvantages of using thrifted patterns: most of it was missing - including the instructions. Obviously I need to pay more attention when thrift shopping. But I wasn't too worried because it had the front bodice piece, the front skirt, the back skirt, and the sleeves.

Okay, details. I decided on view C (the green stripe on the left). I cut a size large, which actually ended up quite loose. I know they're supposed to be loose pj's, but I was looking for something a bit more girly. I think it'd be too big, if I hadn't done a whole whack of modifications to it. More on that below.

It wasn't until I had most of it cut out that I realized that I was also missing the back bodice. No worries though, I just used the back bodice from Simplicity 2599, a pattern I've used before and am pleased with the back piece. I simply shortened it to the bodice length. (Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the back piece.) When I attached the back and front bodice pieces, I sort of fitted it to Mabe the Sewing Assistant, which meant off-setting the seams a bit.

I also added some vertical bust darts, because this thing is a little (*coughalotcough*) shapeless, and wouldn't work well with my curves at all. Did I mention wanting a girly nightgown? Okay, maybe I should've said womanly nightgown! Anyways, I nearly added some horizontal darts too, but I realized that would be a little bit ridiculous for pj's. The vertical darts wound up a little bit too long, but I'm fine with it.

I'd also lengthened the shoulder part on the bodice. When I tissue fit the piece, I found that the shoulder seemed a little low. I figured I'd lengthen it and pinch out what I didn't need. I think this is why my sleeves eased in really well, and didn't have the poofy sleeve cap shown on the envelope. I'm quite pleased about this, to be honest. I hate poofy sleeve caps. I suspect it also is the reason the arm hole is really comfortable and doesn't bind at all. Going to keep that in mind for the future.

I really like how the sleeves turned out! They're very comfortable and doesn't restrict motion at all. To get the subtle gathering at the end of the sleeves, I simply used 1/8 inch elastic at the desired length, tied it into a loop, marked out and lined up the 4 'corners' on both the sleeve and the elastic, and stitched it to the outside, stretching the elastic as I went. I considered sewing it on the inside, but I didn't want the elastic against my skin.

I ran into two problems, though.

Problem 1: The seam between the bodice and the skirt wound up really wonky!
I don't know how this happened. Renren at PR also had this problem, and I should've paid more attention before attaching the skirt.

That's okay, I just solved this by sewing on a thick length of really pretty lace. Lace solves all sewing woes, didn't you know?

I'm really pleased at how I matched and stitched in the ends of the lace. Yes, this next picture is definitely on my computer desktop now. Does anyone else do that?

Problem 2: I cut the skirt too short!
The "knee-length" option in the pattern wound up mid-calf on me (definitely not a petit pattern, that's for sure. Or else the models drawn on the envelope are descended from Daddy Long Legs). I sort of forgot that the nightgown was empire waist, so I cut the skirt to the length I normally do from the natural waist, and now the skirt ends a few inches above the knee.

Really, it's fine, and adding a 1 inch wide length of lace helped immensely. (I told you lace solves all sewing woes.) I just may have to make a pair of bloomers to go underneath, because bending over is dangerous!

Anyways, I'm very pleased with my very cute nightgown. I'm starting to consider moving away from the pj pants and old tee's, and this is a good step away from them. Also considering that my new apartment runs on the warm side, I'm going to like having some cooler nighties, even if this one is made of flannel. I may need to make another one in cotton!

They're very comfy to lounge in, too!