Life is Sewlovely

Life on the Ranch

2011-03-24T12:24:00.004-04:00

Just before the Dancer and I rescued a goat from getting his head stuck in the fence,

we found a baby snake on the lanai.

Vogue 8151, Leafy Knit Top

2011-03-19T22:20:00.000-04:00

I love the feel of this knit. The pattern is a pretty straight foward knit top. I added length, as is typical. I took in sides for a little waist shaping, and did not like the high neckline at all. I had used the same fabric for the neck band and did not like it either. I cut the neckband off, lowered and narrowed the neck, then applied a solid black knit neckband. I cut the strip 1 3/4" wide, folded it length wise in half, stretched it very slightly, and serged it around the neck edge. I then top stitched so it would lay nicely and give it a nice finish. I used my coverstitch machine for all the hems. A simple pullover top that I will make again now that I have altered the pattern to fit. A TNT for sure.

Butterick 5562 Slinky with Draped Collar

2011-03-10T23:45:00.000-05:00

This top ran huge on me. I made a medium, and took a lot out of the sides and moved the shoulders in. I also raised the underarm up a little, and took a little fullness out of the upper arm. I tapered the waist in for a little more shape. I got so frustrated with it that I had to put it aside for a while. It was driving me crazy. It is a slinky knit that my serger hated. I've never had so much trouble with skipped stitches.

To put the elastic in the side seams of the draped collar, I zigzagged over the elastic and pulled it up to the desired length. I did lengthen the top so that it came past the fullness of my hips. I really like the top now that it's done. I especially like it with my hair.

I would like to make it again, with a different fabric for the summer. If I do, I will definitely make the small.

Sidewalk Shawl

2011-03-02T00:02:00.007-05:00

My version of the Sidewalk Shawl is a lovely, light, and airy shawl. Perfect for Southwest Florida.

This shawl took less than two weeks to make. I used ten balls of Brisa by Katia, 67% viscose and 33% acrylic. The color is a pretty tangerine. I used a size G crochet hook. The pattern can be found free at Ravelry.com or StitchNationYarn.com.

Coco Chanel the cat, Coco for short, likes it too. I hung it over the back of my couch where I was going to sit to put the fringe on. That was a mistake. I put it on the floor to take pictures, and she thought it was a lovely kitty bed.

I may make a long white gauze tiered skirt, pair it with a white camisole, and wear the shawl over it. In the meantime, it will be great with black or white, jeans or nicer.

Vogue 1197 Christmas top turned Valentine's Day

2011-03-01T00:57:00.001-05:00

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I cut this top out before Christmas, and it was another piece from the clearance table at Joann Fabrics. This stable knit has a bit of a corduroy look. It cost about $4 total.

I meant to make it to wear over the Christmas Holiday, but ran out of time. It made a nice Valentine's Day top.

I really like the sleeves, which I lengthened to my elbow. I started with a size 12 to a 14 at the hips. I also lengthened the top by a couple of inches.

When looking at the pattern envelope, it seems that the cowl collar should lay so that the folded edge meets the seam where the collar is attached to the top. It doesn't. The instructions have you interface the cowl, but I decided not to as my knit is stable enough without needing the extra body. I'm so glad I did not include the interfacing. The cowl lays just fine without it. I serged the entire top, and used my coverstitch machine for the hems. Looking at the pictures, I look like I have football player shoulders, but I really like how it makes me look so slim from the waist down.

Vogue 8138, Long Slinky Jacket

2011-01-17T14:38:00.003-05:00

It was a beautiful day here in Southwest Florida! I have a gorgeous oak tree in my front yard.

This pattern is already out of print. I bought it when it first came out for $3.99. I cut the fabric before Christmas and made it just after the new year.

Fabric: Red slinky from Joann Fabrics from the clearance table. Paid $2 / yard. I think I bought 2 1/2 yards. Total cost of the Jacket: $9.99 if I never use the patter again

I made no alterations except to narrow the sleeves below the elbow. I have very skinny wrists. The fabric is heavy and stretchy, so the weight makes it longer than in the photo on the pattern envelope. There are no shoulder seams so I can not stabilize. This means the shoulders want to slide, and I feel like I constantly want to pull the jacket back on right. I pleated the CB neck so that it would lay nicely. There was a lot of fabric and it wanted to slide down the back and kind of look like a horizontal fold between my shoulder blades. I did a double fold hem all around the edges. It was just much easier to do that than using my coverstitch machine.

I like the jacket and got compliments on it the only time I have worn it. The only dislike is that I can not do all the different styles and looks because of the weight and thickness of the fabric. If I tied the knot in front, even just a fold over, I would have a big bulge right in front, and that is not a good thing.

Love, Love my booties! Scarves knitted by my very talented mother.

McCall's 5248 PJ's, Baby Bedding, & Butterick 3846 for Little Girls

2011-01-01T19:32:00.008-05:00

I have made 10 pairs of pajama pants since right before Christmas, 3 of them today, and the dancer (youngest daughter) made 3 pairs for herself. All but two are made with 100% cotton flannel from Joanns. Two are made of cotton quilting. I made three for the artist just before she left for Boston for New Years. These are super fast and super easy. We love them.

Below is the bedding I made for my nieces baby. It was finished in November. No patterns were used. I looked online for crib measurements, but the bumper was large and I had to redo. I also had to shorten the bed skirt. It was a fun project. I wanted to top stitch the quilt in orange, but restrained myself and stitched in blue.

Earlier in the summer I made Butterick 3846 for my nieces daughter. They were a little large, so hopefully she won't outgrow before summer 2011.

A New Beginning

2010-12-31T18:20:00.005-05:00

What a lovely Christmas and a wonderful way to end 2010. It's always fun when family gets together.

I've seen a lot of posts on 2010 completed projects and many have posted their goals for 2011. I'm going to try keeping my blog up this year. I can't predict how many garments or projects I will complete in 2011. I only sew for myself in the minute or two here and there.

I have a full time day job, and I also sew for other people, mostly alterations. Occasionally, I finish needlepoint and knitting projects and some of them are interesting pieces that I really enjoy working on. I think I will try to post some of those pieces this year.

I picked up crochet again this year. I completed several tops in 2010, which I really should blog about. They are fun to wear and are flattering on. I have one that is ready to sew together, but my daughter wants it and I don't want to share, so I've put off finishing it. I'll make one for her later, but I want this one for myself. I would like to finish a shawl I started in October. It is one that will work into the spring and evenings at the symphony or out to dinner. I don't make many shawls because my mother knits the most beautiful ones and uses the most exquisite yarns.

Today I took in four shirts for my son that have been sitting in my pile for a while. I think to begin the new year, I will finish up some projects that have been hanging over my head. His shirts was one of those. There are others for family and clients, and some for me. A few already begun and others just waiting for me to start. I hope to "clear the decks" so to speak, but to start, I desperately need to clean up the sewing studio. We will see how the weekend progresses.

For now, I am spending New Year's Eve with my youngest daughter (the dancer) while her older sister (the artist) is in Boston visiting with some of her college buddies, and her brother (the musician) is out with friends.

Life is Good - it's SewLovely :)
Happy New Year

A Shirt for DS - Kwik Sew 3422

2010-01-20T02:06:00.000-05:00

I took pictures of the construction process for this shirt, but for some reason this is the only one I have on my camera.

This is a great pattern. I have not made a man's dress shirt in a very long time. I really enjoyed the process. We chose View A, with long sleeves.

My son is tall and slim, long arms, long torso, and smallish neck. If we find one long enough in RTW, it is huge everywhere else. Most of the dress shirts he owns he could button at the sides seams. I've tried adding darts, but that just does not work. We can not find a shirt that fits properly without spending an arm and a leg. He will be looking for a day job soon, and really just needs dress shirts that look and fit well.

The fabric is a cotton/lycra blend with just a little bit of stretch. It was a clearance fabric. I have several nice cottons, but wanted to be sure we liked this pattern before cutting into the good stuff.

This pattern went together very well. I did make a few alterations for fit. I lengthen the pattern by two inches, next time only need an inch and a half. I lengthen the sleeves by 2.5", which was perfect . I cut a neck size of 16 1/2". He actually needs a 16, so I chose to go with 16.5 instead of 15.5 which are the pattern options. I'll try to cut down the neck size next time. I just didn't think that half an inch would make that much difference. I love that you can use any neck size with any body size. He probably won't wear a tie with this one, so it's not a problem this time. I need to find a better interfacing. Lately, I'm just not happy with what's available here and need to find a good source online.

The Kwik Sew shirt patterns for men that I have, only have a 1/4" seam allowance, so I stitched, and serged the seams and then topstitched. I really would like to make shirts that have flat- felled seams for a more custom made dress shirt, but since this shirts fits so well, I think I'll continuing using it for his casual ones - or I'll add to the seam allowances at the shoulders, side seams, and shirt seams to get the finished look I want.

The only real change I will make for future shirts made in this pattern will be the sleeve placket. I did not like the way Kwik Sew designed it. I will use David Page Coffin's method next time. His book "Shirtmaking Techniques" is invaluable. I did sandwich the shirt in the yoke as he described and will plan ahead to use some of the other techniques in future shirts. I also have his Shirtmaking DVD. If you plan to make the men in your life shirts, I highly recommend the book!

Other than the neck being a little loose, the shirt fits him perfectly! He is so pleased. I was going to try to make shirts for the Pattern Review Sewing for Men Contest, but too many Holiday activities got in the way. I have several pieces of fabric, some from my stash and some that I bought during all the Holiday sales, so he will be getting more shirts as I have time to make them.

Butterick 4659

2010-01-18T22:16:00.001-05:00

I don't know about Fast & Easy. I think this pattern is more for an experienced sewer, one that cuts out their patterns with precision or has the knowledge and experience to know how to make sure things line up perfectly before clipping inside corners and other such things. Sititching the facing down around the collar was fiddly and if the corners do not match up perfectly or the clips to the corner are not just right, well then, you have a problem.

I had a problem with fitting on this one. I usually cut a size 12 for a wide back, and then take in the side seams through the sleeve seam. I have never had to make an SBA. I am very small up there, but I wear a super duper padded bra. There was a lot of ease in this pattern. I did not make a muslin (I just don't like to take the time, and since I've been sewing all my life, I think I know what I'm doing.) I practically completed the top, even put the buttons on, when I realized that this top was huge. I ended up taking the sleeves out, taking an inch out of the top portion of the princess seam at the armscye while leaving the lower, side front with the normal seam allowance, took in the side seams half an inch on each side, and taking in the princess seams in the back another 3/8". I then had to trim away from the shoulder and adjust the sleeves to fit in.

I had hand sewn the front facings down, but when I took it apart to make the alterations, I decided to stitch all together and serge. The seams lay towards the sides instead of the center, which is not the proper way, but it looked okay when pressed so I plunged ahead.

I should have used a lighter weight interfacing so that the front is less stiff, but I think I'm probably the only one who would notice that.

In the end I really like the blouse. I'm not sure I will be making it again.

The fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics and is a cotton/lycra blend. The buttons are from my huge button stash given to me by my mother.

I'm making another pair of jeans using McCalls 5592. This is the second time I've used this pattern. The first pair fit really well and I enjoy wearing them.

I want to try to do a little everyday. I have alterations to do for clients, so that comes first. I hope to finish the jeans by the weekend. This is my progress so far. The front, including fly zipper and pockets. I love the pocket and fly facings. I used a cotton from my stash. The zipper was given to me in a bundle. The fabric is 100% cotton from Gorgeous Fabrics.

Kwik Sew 3242

2010-01-15T18:08:00.000-05:00

I used a brown knit with what looks like gold glitter, but is not glitter at all. There was no flaking. The fabric was left over from a project I worked on a couple of years ago, and I had just enought for this simple top.

I cut out a medium, but should have cut a small. I ended up taking in the sides. I do not like the way they finished the sleeves and neck. The instructions tell you to use a strip cut out of the fabric, fold lengwise in half, stitch to the edge, turn to the wrong side and stitch down with a straight stitch. I did that on the sleeves, and with a straight stitch there is no stretch. I will probably redo it, but I will wear it first to see. I don't want to have to pick out the stitches unless I have to.

For the neck line, I was thinking more clearly. I used a wider fabric strip, serged it to the neck edge, turned to the inside, and stitched it down. It looks much better than it would have and wears better as well. I used my serger for most of the construction. I also lengthened the top by 2", as I like my tops a little longer. I stitched over clear elastic to give the shoulders more stability. It really is as simple as it looks.

I'm very happy with the results and will definitely make it again.

I made the skirt a few months ago as costumes for the girl Pirates in a local Peter Pan children's ballet. I'll post all about that later, but am waiting on pictures. I look forward to making the skirt for me.

New Year's Eve Masquerade Party

2010-01-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

This was a joint effort. DS made his cape. I made his shirt. His sister designed and painted his mask.

First up the shirt. DS cut it out the night before New Years Eve and I spent most of the day making the shirt for a New Year's Eve Masquerate Party at our church.

He marked the placement of the eyelets on the front of the shirt for the closure, but decided he did not want the string, so we left the shirt to be worn open. I did no hand stitching when it came to the yoke. I rolled up the shirt between the yoke layers so I could stitch the yoke lining to the yoke, then pulled the shirt through. You can see in the picture how the shirt is stuffed into the yoke before stitching it together.

I used a polyester/cotton blend broadcloth I've had in my stash for over 20 years that came from my mother's fabric store, the pattern was $1 from Joanns, elastic for the sleeves was left over from a previous project, and thread. I estimate the cost of the shirt (not including my time) to be less than $2.

DS made the cape, which was really simple. The pattern consisted of a front and a back. He did not use the hood. Using a suede cloth that required no seam finishing or hem, he just stitched the side seams. I helped with the neck binding, and we made ties from the fabric. Pattern cost $1 and fabric cost about $15, all from Joanns.

I also made one for a friend of DS in Black Penne Velvet with a Blue Penne Velvet lining. I hope to have a picture on him soon. This one was made with the hood.

Ringling Remake

2010-01-04T01:53:00.000-05:00

Pamela's Patterns T-Shirt Makeover #103

This was fun. I got this shirt in an XL over the summer when my oldest DD and I visited the campus of Ringling College of Art and Design. She is halfway through her freshman year now.

The T-Shirt was huge and not my style, so I made some changes.

I cut a size medium and think I could have gotten away with a small. I modified the neck opening even more than the pattern suggested. I narrowed the neck ribbing, stretched and blocked it with my steam iron, stitched it to the shirt with my serger, and turned it up and stitched it down with a straight stitch. It worked beautifully.

To make it even more fun, I added a few beads!

I may actually wear it now. DD loves it!

Guess Who!!

2009-12-08T14:51:00.001-05:00

Santa is looking good this year.

Capes for Christmas

2009-12-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

I bought McCall's 5764 and the plaid fabric to make last year as Christmas gifts for my two girls. Since Sherlock Holmes is getting ready to hit theaters, maybe my timing was even better in waiting to get them done this year.

No pictures on my girls yet, as these will be wrapped and under the tree.

In Southwest Florida, where we get only the occasional cold snap, I thought this would be a great little cape.

I did not have enough fabric for the tan one to match the plaid as well as I did for the gray. I'm not sure it would be noticed by anyone but me, because the main stripe in the plaid does match.

The capes are unlined, and the fabric is a suiting, mostly polyester I'm sure, from Joanns. I had the perfect buttons for each in my stash. Really a simple pattern to put together.

One funny thing did happen. I put one on to see how it looked. and could not figure out how to tie the belt on. I had it through the belt look in the CB and through the back belt slots, and for the life of my I could not figure out how to get the belt to tie over the front of the cape. I think I looked back at the instructions half a dozen times before I realized I had not made the slots in the front to put the belt back through. Duh!

Jeans - McCall's 5592

2009-12-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late to the jean making party. It seems like everyone on sewing blog land was making jeans over the summer. McCall's 5592 had several good reviews, so I chose this pattern for my first pair.

The denim is a medium weight from Joanns, a cotton/lycra blend. It washed well with very little wrinkling. With the sale and my ASG discount, I spent less than $13 for the fabric and had enough left over for a vest, which is cut out but not sewn. The jean zipper was in my stash and was given to me by someone who got rid of their zipper stash. I used a denim thread for tops stitching that almost looks lilac in color. I have no idea where it came from, so I will consider it a freebie as well :) The pattern cost $1.00. So I have a good fitting pair of jeans for $14. Not Bad!

I lined the fly opening, front pockets, and the waistband with a left over piece of quilting cotton. I love this idea. Not only adds a little hidden interest, but cuts down on bulk making it easier for top stitching.

I used pants hook for closure and may change that to a button. I did not use rivets and since I wear my shirts untucked, no one will know but me.

I can't figure out how to lighten these on my tiny web book. I love the side and front views. I'm hoping the back view is off because of the way I'm standing. I'm pleased with the fit and will spend a little more time on details with the next pair.

You can also see the rear view of Coco Chanel, the newest addition to our family. My older kitties are having a hard time adjusting to Coco. She came from the shelter and I just had to take her home.

Lipstick On Your Collar

2009-07-31T22:52:00.000-04:00

I have a couple of Doris Chan's crochet books. This one is a winner.

I finished this crochet top a little over a month ago. It took a couple of months to make, as I took it along with me while I waited for my daughter at dance. It is a fairly simple pattern that I enjoyed working on.

I steamed the top while it was on my dress form before I stitched on the collar. I blocked the collar before stitching it on as well. The pattern instructions suggest that the collar remain separate from the top, using a drawstring to attach it. I stitched an edging through the top of the collar and the top, so the collar is permanently attached.

I have worn it with dark jeans, white pants, and with my black palazzo pants. I get compliments every time I wear it. The yarn was given to me from my mother's stash, so the only cost I have in it was the price of the book and my time. I did not note the type of yarn, but I did have to play with the gauge to get the right fit. I finished the top with only a couple of yards left. Whew, what a relief! And, I love the name of the top, "Lipstick On Your Collar." Isn't that great ;)

Over the next few days, I hope to catch up on my blog posts. I have a fabulous crochet shawl/wrap to share, as soon as I find the perfect closure.

From Shawl to Bolero

2009-07-31T00:08:00.000-04:00

How do you turn a shawl into a bolero?

I do alterations for a wonderful boutique called Giudittas in Punta Gorda, FL. This was for a client (Cheryl) who needed something to wear over a strappy dress to cover her arms for a fund raising event. The dress was beaded, and I had to take it up above the bust line at the princess seams to make it fit more snugly.

The shawl that came with the dress measured 18" deep and I estimated it to be about 2 yards long. I folded it in half length wise, and drafted a pattern with the help of a Butterick pattern to get the proper cut for the back neckline, arm hole, and top of sleeve. I had her bust measurement, her back width, and the approximate length of a three quarter length sleeve, depending on how much fabric I had. I cut the back of the bolero on the fold of the shawl. I placed the sleeve so that I could use the width of the beaded ends at the hem or bottom of the sleeves, which were bell shaped. I cut the fronts from the center of what was left of the shawl and curved the front. I lined the front and back, but not the sleeves.

I was really pleased with the finished bolero, and Cheryl was very happy with the results. I hope to get a picture of her in the dress.

If you are ever in the area, you should stop in at Giudittas. Judy has really stylish clothing from casual wear to evening, and she has a wonderful eye for fashion and what looks good on you.

Mimosa Top & Pants

2009-07-22T13:40:00.000-04:00

I made this outfit using a pattern from The Sewing Workshop. Earlier this year, I attended a sewing retreat and met Louise Cutting of Cutting Line Designs and Linda Lee of The Sewing Workshop. (Yes, I am a little slow in posting, but it has been a very busy year. I hope to post more regularly.) Anyway, I enjoyed the retreat so much, that I signed up for the 2010 Reatreat! It was a great time for me to sew just for me. That does not happen very often.

The Mimosa Top is a terrific pattern. I love the way it looks on. It wears well. I especially enjoyed learning how Linda Lee applied the band. wish I had taken pictures while I was working on it, but I was determined to sew as many things as I possibly could at the retreat. I think I made five garments - more on them later.

The Pants have a great curve for my shape. The fabric is from a huge amount of fabric my mother gave me. It is a linen look polyester blend. I lined the pants, which the pattern did not call for. I did not sew the waist band on in the way that Linda suggested, but did it my way. Looking back, I should have at least looked at her instructions. It is always good to learn new techniques.

You can read more about my review here: http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=41752

Mardi Gras Maternity Gown

2009-01-20T21:24:00.000-05:00

A week ago Sunday, I got a call from my sister and pregnant niece. They had been looking for a Maternity Evening Gown fit for a Mardi Gras party to take place early February. My niece had looked everywhere, but could find nothing that fit her figure or her budget, and it could not be black. They had searched the pattern books, but the Big 4 had nothing that worked. Hence, the phone call and plea for help. I pulled out my pattern magazines and found some maternity gowns in the Patrones, issue 274. She loved # 35 in the magazine. I sent them to Joann's for fabric. It is the only fabric store in the area, and they came back with eleven yards of knit, used my 40% off coupon and spent under $30 - definitely affordable and very pretty blue on the side of purple.

Patrones is a pattern magazine from Spain. I do not speak Spanish, I used Google Translater and typed in all three paragraphs of the instructions, which were still vague, but doable. There were no diagrams.

You can see in the model's photo that the dress is pretty revealing. I recut the front pieces for more coverage under the arm and added a pretty modesty panel out of some fabric that my mother had. It matched perfectly and there was enough to make a beautiful shawl. I also added a twist of the fabric under the bust that will expand with the growth of the baby. I don't have a picture of that yet, but hope that my niece will send a pic of the entire ensemble on her. I used my coverstitch machine for the hem and used Steam a Seam. I love that stuff.

The skirt was lined in the same fabric. I added elastic under the bust for a little better fit.

I am very please with the end result. My mother added beads to the shawl. It is ready to be shipped and I can't wait to see pics of her wearing it.

Sewing Retreat Planning & PR Stash Contest

2008-12-29T21:40:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to be going to Orlando in January for the Sewing Retreat with The Sewing Workshop and Cutting Line Designs. I am trying to decide which machine to take and beginning to gather my supplies. My favorite machine is my Bernina 1130, but the bobbin winder is not always reliable. Several years ago, my dog got tangled in the cord and brought it crashing to the floor. It was repaired, but the bobbin winder motor quick working. My DS worked on the timing and got it to where I could use it, but I'm afraid to rely on it. I am convinced this is the best machine ever made. It is the one I go when I am stitching denim or curtains. It makes beautiful stitches, and I have a bunch of feet that go with it.

I also have a Bernina Virtuosa 153 that I bought when I thought my 1130 was "done for." It is not made nearly as well. I have several feet. I have just never been totally happy with the way it sews. No way will it sew through the hem on a pair of jeans across the thick seams.

The last machine I bought is a Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 850. This one is pretty neat in that you can choose the type and weight of the fabric you are sewing, and the tension is automatically adjusted. In lightweight fabrics though, the bobbin thread does not lay straight and true. I also like that there is a whole slue of needle positions. It doesn't sew through thick denims seams either. It also tangles in the bobbin if you don't hold the thread in the back at the beginning of a seam. I started having problems a few months after I got it and took it in for adjustment. The bobbin thread is no better than it was. Sometimes, when you choose the needle down position, it does not always stay down, and the center needle position is a hair off, which really bugs me.

These are the patterns and some fabrics I am considering for the retreat. Some of the fabrics have been in my stash for over 20 years from when my mother owned a fabric store. I have had all of these pieces for over a year, hence the PR stash contest.

I'm itching to get a couple of things cut out, but the rules are that you can't begin until January 1st. The only piece that has not been pre-treated is the beautiful linen in the center on the right. This is one of those pieces that I have pulled out over and over through the years, but could never bring myself to cut it.

I'll let you know what I decide.

Lined Baby Sling

2008-12-27T22:59:00.000-05:00

This is the second Baby Sling I have made for my niece who is pregnant with my mother's first great grandchild. We know it is a girl.

I love this one. It is probably my favorite, and I plan to make more if mommy and baby love it as much. The tutorial for making this sling is found at this lovely blog: http://family-centered.com/needleworks/how-to-make-a-lined-sling/
The second picture gives you a peak inside the sling at the pretty brocade I chose. The long end can be used for privacy while nursing. Isn't this great?!

The sling rings were purchased at www.slingrings.com. I chose the metal rings and bought a package of several different colors. This would make a great baby shower gift. My niece was thrilled.

Christmas Eve Vest

2008-12-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

In my last post I showed off my son's new desire to learn to sew. Another project he made was a vest to wear to our Christmas Eve church services. He plays the bass guitar in our contemporary band called "Joyful Praise."

The vest was made from a black brocade purchased from Joann Fabrics. The back was a solid black polyester and posh lining that I had in my stash. We used Simplicity 2870, a Project Runway design, and chose the rounded neck view.

The charcoal gray pinstripe next to the brocade is a picture of his pants.

We pin-fit the pattern and pinched out almost half an inch in the back armscye. You can see in the final result that we should have added a couple of inches to the length. His back waist measurement was right on, but he has a long lower torso.

He cut out the vest and did most of the sewing. I helped with the welt pocket, however, neglected to sew in the flap at the right time. The welt did not turn out perfect, so we stitched the flap above the pocket. I also helped with the button holes. Because of the curved front, the buttons do not line up down the center front.

Here he is with his younger sister before the family service. I think he looks pretty sharp in his vest. He definitely wants to make the vest again in something a little more casual. We will lengthen it for a better look and probably do the V-neck front.

He wore a tie and his suit coat in the two traditional candlelight services. We were at church from 2:45 until midnight, going to my mother's long enough to have a quick dinner after the family service.

Her dress is RTW and altered to fit. She sang a beautiful solo in the family service. I will try to upload the video. My son is the techie in the family, so he will have to teach me how to do that. She also sang in the two traditional services with the adult choir. My middle daughter was there for the family service, but helped in the nursery in the traditional services.

It was a lovely night spent with family and friends.

Son Sews for his Girlfriend

2008-12-24T00:15:00.000-05:00

My son decided he wanted to try his hand at sewing. He is 22 and a licensed massage therapist and many of those establishments have closed down or down sized. I guess with the economy so down, people consider a massage a luxury. We all know that it's those luxuries that are the first to go. Anyway, with time on his hands, the first thing he made was a Christmas gift for his girlfriend . She is weathering the cold in Colorado with her family while we enjoy sunny Florida for the holidays.

He decided on Simplicity 5465. The description is : Loose-Fitting Pullowever Top. It is an OOP pattern I had in my stash, and I just happened to have a green fleece. Green is her favorite color. I don't know how I lucked into having just the right fabric.

He stitched it together on my serger. We did not use the facings, just turned in the seam allowance, easing to fit. He used "Steam A Seam" and then stitched the hems with a pretty decorative stitch. We added a tab at the stress point in the center front. It is plain in this photo, but we went back to the machine and stitched an "X" in the square like you see in RTW.

He gave the top to his girlfriend and did not get to see her open it. I'm not even sure if she took it with her to Colorado, but if she did, I suspect she is keeping cozy in it.

The Nutcracker - As Told in the 21st Century

2008-12-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

Keeping up with a blog has not been as easy as I thought. Of course, this time of year is always a busy time for me. I made costumes again for a ballet/theatre group for young girls. They did a twist on the Nutcracker called "The Nutcracker in the 21st Century." I made six party dresses, which was part of the original production. I also made four costumes and consulted on two others that represented ornaments from around the world.

Prepare yourself, this is a long one.

The party dresses were made using McCalls 5731. I was disappointed with how the dresses fit the young girls. Their sizes ranged from child size 5-6 to 7-8. I used Panne Velvet for all. This is a pretty basic pattern. I barely looked at the instructions.

The bodice was way too low, and I had to rip all apart, cut new pieces for the bodice insert, and redo the dresses. The bodices are all lined with a cotton/poly broadcloth I had in my stash. I tried invisible zippers, but there was too much bulk at the CB seam where the skirt is attached, so I put in centered zippers. I attached lace at the neckline and the hem of the sleeves. I applied lace to the center bodice as well. All were the same, except for Clara's, which had a little gold sparkle in the lace and a gold trim around the bodice and neckline. They each wore a purchased petticoat and I had to wait for their order to arrive before I could hem. The petticoats came in on Friday, I did a final fitting on Sunday, hemmed all six for their preview performance on Friday. It would not have been a big deal, except that I also had to fit the other costumes, alter some that were purchased elsewhere, and I have a day job, my daughters school chorus performance, and my normal alterations that I do for a store in town. I was up every night until 2am or 3am. On Saturday morning I slept until 11am. I deserved it! I also made little capelets out of a curly fur fabric with ribbon ties at the front. Since time was of the essence, I hot glued the hems. The dresses turned out pretty enough that the girls could wear them to a Christmas Party or church service.

The stage picture is not great, but you get the idea.

Next up - Ornaments from around the world.

First is the Spanish Dancer. The skirt is a self drafted circle skirt with a ruffle around the bottom. I used sequin elastic around the waist, which is very pretty, but will not stay up on the waist. I blame that on a couple of things. Girls do not know where their waist is today, because the very thought of wearing something that cinches the waist is just horrifying. Then there is the fact that these young girls are built straight up and down with have no real waist definition to speak of. The other problem is that the top was made from an inexpensive polyester costume fabric, and the sequin elastic just slid down. I also added a tulle black ruffle under the sparkle red ruffle at the bottom of the skirt. The top is also self drafted and has a ruffle neckline with red lace. I made a comb for her hair out of the tulle and red lace.

The Arabian Dancer costume was fun to make. For the skirt I used Simplicity 4249, and for the little vest I used 5359. The top was self drafted. I used a purple polyester costume fabric for the skirt and vest, and white for the top. The vest was trimmed with a gold braid, and the skirt has a
gold trim with hanging circle thingies. She absolutely loved her costume. I also made a scarf for her to dance with. We had the same problem with this skirt staying up. This skirt has a CB lapped zipper. She kept pulling it down to sit more on her hip. Every time I walked by her I would help her pull it up and adjust her top, and she would pull it down as I walked away. LOL I made a pattern size 6 and then took up the waist to fit her. The length was perfect. It was time consuming with the ruffles, but worth it.

Next is the Panamanian Dancer. I did a little research and found a traditional dress called a Polero. I did not have a pattern so I self drafted this one. I used a Christmas print quilting cotton with Poinsettias from Joann Fabrics, (the only fabric store in the area) and a burgundy quilting solid, and added a gold lame' sash for a little sparkle. Again, it was time consuming with the tiers and inserts. This dress is not as full as the traditional Polero, but it worked for this dance.

Last is the Austrian Dancer. I was given a picture of a traditional little girls dress that had been purchased in Austria. I drafted a similar dress using a couple of different patterns I had, and added design elements such as the ribbon criss-crossed across the bodice. I can not remember the pattern I saw or the pattern company that gave me that idea, as well as the rickrack and ribbon around the bottom of the skirt. I used a red and white cotton printed with holly for the sleeves and center front and a green cotton for the skirt, side fronts and back. I also added lace around the neckline. The apron is made from a white polyester that was left over from the other costumes.

The last picture includes an Oriental and St. Lucia who already had costumes.

These girls each learned a short dance representing each of their countries.

I really enjoyed the process (not the late, late nights.) I met with the set designer, and we coordinated on colors. The Director sat with us and gave us her ideas and let us do our thing. She did not see the full costumes until dress rehearsal. We have worked together on several shows, and she trusts me to interpret what she envisions. It was not only gratifying to have that kind of creative freedom, but also to have the girls love their costumes, and to see their excitement when they put them on for dress rehearsal.

In the spring, we are planning on doing "The Secret Garden." I am already planning out costumes in my head.

Homecoming 2008

2008-10-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

I have been sewing. I've been sewing a lot. But, I have not had time to get to the computer to blog. Besides, I've mostly been doing alterations, so not very interesting stuff for most in the sewing blog world.

Even more important than that - I have a little bragging to do. My oldest DD was voted to Homecoming Court. I did not have time to make her dress(es) this year, but I have made them the past three years. We found lovely RTW dresses that she was very happy with. I was informed that she had to have three. One for the parade, one for the football game, and one for the dance. My favorite was one she wore for the Homecoming football game, however, I sew very well - I do NOT take very good photos. I hope to get a good picture of her in that dress soon, because it was the perfect dress for her. Since she is senior yearbook editor, I'm sure she will be getting lots of pictures from several sources.

It was my youngest DD's first homecoming. She said she looks like Christmas in her red dress. I love that it will do double duty. She is singing a solo during our Christmas Eve service, and this is a beautiful dress for her.

Homecoming Dance Tickets for two daughters - $50
Shoes and accessories - $75
Dresses for parade, ballgame, and dance - $215
The excitement and smiles on their faces, plus memories to last a lifetime - PRICELESS!!!

One more thing today - Happy Birthday to my son. He was recently in a wedding, so the reason for the tux. This picture is with his girlfriend. They look good together, don't they?

My next big project - costumes for a local dance and acting group. I have the pattern and fabric, and I have the girl's measurements for six little Medieval princesses. This week, I will get with the director and measure for the "Ornaments From Around the World." These costumes will represent Christmas customs and dress from around the world. I am hoping that the girls in this dance will learn a little their heritage by wearing costumes that reflect their family's heritage. I know one is of oriental heritage, so I would love to make a Kimono for her. I also know one will wear a St. Lucia costume. Obviously, this will be a Christmas program.
I'll try my best to keep up my blog as I work on the costumes. I'm sure I will be burning the midnight oil several nights. The first program is December 5th.
More to come.

Simplicity 2917 - A Simple Black & Red Dress

2008-09-21T13:37:00.000-04:00

Black and red are great colors for me. This fabric is 100% cotton that I purchased at A Stitch Connection aka Carol V's Sewing Room in Port Charlotte, FL. They carry mostly cotton fabric for quilting. I could not resist this piece when I was there just a few weeks ago.

I'm not sure I am crazy about the finished results. The patterns seems a little short waisted on me. I plan to take in the sides a little to improve that, but I'm moving on to something else right now. I cut View A with the cap sleeves, but made the shorter version. I like my skirts/dresses to be just below the knee, but even with only 1/2" hem, the length was just above mid knee. I think it looks a little awkward. I did get compliments at church and at the grocery on the way home. I guess I am very critical of my own work.

You can really see how the flare begins a little too high in this photo. The cap sleeves stand out a little more than I expected, but if they were more snug I'm afraid I would not be able to lift my arms.

I tried it with a belt, as in one of the pictures on the pattern envelope. That did not work for me.

I fully lined the dress. I line almost everything. It makes
the inside prettier and helps cut down on wrinkles. I also
avoid wearing slips. Who likes to wear slips anyway?
I hand stitched the lining to the zipper. This was the only
change I made in construction.

My mother knits beautiful shawls.
I can wear this into the fall here in
Southwest Florida. It will be perfect
for those slightly chilly nights or out
to dinner where they keep the dining rooms so cold.

I think after looking at the pictures, that I definitely need a little something around my neck. Maybe a black beaded necklace with an oriental black or red piece in the center.

Sorry about the crooked kitty picture. It really is not crooked on my wall.

Daisy loves to sew too!

2008-09-13T20:55:00.000-04:00

Meet Daisy. She's a great Kitty. Her favorite place is my sewing room, and her favorite spot in her favorite place is my sewing chair. She loves to sit on the back of it, right behind me, while I sew. This is where I found her today, and look at what she left behind. Lots of cat hair, which is why I have a lint roller in my sewing room, my bedroom, and my car. I know better than to leave my needle cushion out. I'm happy she did not notice it sitting right behind her.

2008-09-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

In my last blog, I had cut out several things to work on. I have been sewing, but doing more alterations than sewing for me. I did manage to finish Butterick 4812. I had said that I might not pretreat the fabric, but my better sense took over and I did wash and dry. I was concerned with how the embroidery would take the washer and drier, but boldly went ahead. It washed beautifully.

I barely had enough to make this dress as this was the end of the bolt. I cut the dress out so the border was along the hem. I love how I was able to center the embroidery perfectly across the center front. This is a cute pattern with a casing and drawstring front. The casing is sewn to the back with the ends caught in the darts. I had considered sewing the slits on the sides, but decided that they were necessary for walking ease. This was a simple, basic pattern. My full review is on the Pattern Review website.

I wore the dress to work yesterday and this picture was taken after sitting at my desk all day. I chose not to line it. Even so, I think it still looked very nice at the end of the day.

My beautiful girls started school a couple of weeks ago. The oldest is a senior and the youngest is a freshman. For the first time since early elementary school, they are attending the same school. I sew for them for special occasions, but they wear the typical teenage RTW for every day. I am looking ahead to Homecoming for some ideas.

My oldest DD is an artist and loves photography. We have the most beautiful sunsets here. These pics were taken outside our back door in the last two weeks. The rainy season, especially with the tropical storms, brings some truly awesome skies. Just take a look at these.

Absolutely Breathtaking.

Planning and Cutting

2008-08-24T14:56:00.000-04:00

I picked up my SM after some much needed servicing. While I was there, I browsed some really pretty, good quality cottons. I wish I could remember who the manufacturer is, but this cotton washes beautifully! It needs very little ironing right out of the drier. I plan to make this simple dress, and should have it cut out today. I will fully line it with a polyester lining and will not put facings in the neck. I will make View C, which is the one pictured in black/white, but will add the little cap sleeves and put an invisible zipper in the back.

I also love this black linen blend with the embroidery that I already had in my stash. I was looking through my "ginormous" pattern stash and found this one I have had for a while. After I happened on Sharon M's post at Pattern Review, I knew this would be a great pattern for this piece. I was happy to find out I have just enough fabric. I may not add the side slits, but that depends on walking ease.

I also picked up Kwik Sew # 6807 while I was out. There are five really cute knit tops on this pattern. I recently got this jersey knit from Gorgeous Fabrics. I plan to make View B, the one pictured on the model, and will have almost a yard left over. I may make a cami out of the rest to wear under a jacket - maybe. I love the feel of this fabric.

Finally, I have already cut the following out. Both are from Burda World of Fashion Magazine. The pants are in the July, 2008, issue, and the top is in the May. I have finally overcome the dread of tracing the patterns and then adding the seam allowances. It takes a little more time, but I have kind of figured out what works and I really like the designs. Having said that, the top is probably going to be hilarious with the bright colors and flowers. It is not really something I would typically pick out. My DD even said she wouldn't wear it. LOL If nothing else, I will get the fit down and decide whether or not I want to make it again in something more reasonable. This is all cotton. The pants are a light weight stretch polyester from Joann Fabrics in the bottom weight section. It was on sale and I like the color, so if the top looks really stupid and juvenile, I can always wear a white top instead. :)

So that's my plan, and will finish getting everything cut out today. Hopefully even get the interfacing ironed on, threads pulled, zippers for the dresses and pants, and buttons for the top.

Of course, I have a couple of alterations to do before I can sew for me. Just a quick hem on a pair of pants. Shorten the sleeves on a jacket and repair a little seam that was not lined up properly, to help pay for this ~~addiction~~ hobby.

Edited 7:35pm Eastern
I'm back and ready to sew. Here is everything cut out. All I have to do is find the time this week to sew. But for now, oh my aching back. I'm going to watch the final ceremony of the Olympics with my youngest DD.

Don't you love it - I used Chico's tissue paper to trace my patterns. LOL

Weathering the Storm

2008-08-18T14:03:00.000-04:00

I took my Sapphire machine in for repairs on Saturday, after having some minor problems with it for a while. I'm thinking that's a good thing with the approaching Hurricane. We have moved patio furniture, bikes, and other things that can be tossed around in the expected winds, and taken all the precautions. I will be unplugging the other machines tonight when the storms and lightening approach so I won't have to worry about the lightening taking them out. Even though they are plugged into surge protectors I worry about it. I love living in Florida - I really do, but I hate it when I can not get to my sewing machines because of the weather. I guess I will catch up on my needlepoint. :)

The first day of school is delayed and my DD's are torn between being let down and happy about one more day of summer vacation. Oldest daughter begins her first day as a high school senior and youngest as a high school freshman. What a year this will be.

Back after the storm.

Costumes for Performing Arts

2008-08-15T19:39:00.000-04:00

I have had the pleasure over the last couple of years to work with a group of young dancers and actors by making their costumes. These girls study ballet and acting and their instructor is truly an inspiration. She loves what she does, and she loves the kids.

A couple of days ago, I received a disc of pictures from a program they did in May of this year. I had been unable to attend their performance, because my daughter had another event to attend. Before we go into that though, I want to go back to the year 2006.

That year they did a comedy "Christmas Carol" I made over 25 costumes. It was a lot of work, took a lot of hours, several fittings, but worth every moment to see the excitement when they were finally delivered for the dress rehearsal. My daughter was in this performance in a couple of different roles. She was a Caroler and an Irish Dancer. Here she is in her costumes:

I especially love this picture of the younger girls, dressed up and made up, waiting to take the stage:
Here is Mrs. Cratchet and two of the Cratchet children and Tiny Tim. I did not make the boys:

Just a few more:

And these:

Now on to "The Velveteen Rabbit". Can you tell the costumes in the center below were inspired by American Girls collection? The girls really wanted something like that.

These were so much fun. I just let the scraps pile on the floor. The colors were so pretty.

The rabbit is the one in blue above - sooo cute!

Kwik Sew 3616

2008-08-14T19:10:00.000-04:00

I thought this would be a great pattern. I love the style. Both views look nice, but I chose View A, and I really love the jersey knits that are available today. They make up well with a serger, and I can't tell you how much I love using my cover stitch machine for hems on knits. I did have to use my regular machine on this top in some areas. The neck and fronts have a facing that is interfaced to give it more stability. I really could not see any way to get around that. So I used three different machines to make this top. Wow!

I really like this top, but there are a few problems to address. First the size. According to the measurements on the pattern envelope, I cut a size Medium. Except that my bust measurement is 36" and the pattern is 37"-38.5", this should have been a pretty good fit. I thought with the Kimono sleeves, that the extra inch in the bust would not make that much difference. I was wrong. Maybe it was the fabric - Maybe it was the pattern. I'm not sure, but I had to take in a lot in the sides, a total of 4". I pinched up at least an inch in the shoulder seams and tapered to the suggested seam line at the sleeve hem. It is still too big.

Can you see a problem in this picture? It may be hard to see with the busy print, but I have never had a top where the shoulder seam creeped so far to the back - almost 2 inches back from where it should actually be. It almost looks as if there is a "set in" sleeve seam along the back of the sleeve, but that is the shoulder seam. If I cut the front shoulder down an inch and a half I'm not sure it would keep it from riding to the back. I think it would still ride back, making the front shorter than the back. Soooo, maybe it's the fabric, however, I had to work so much on the resizing that, maybe it's the pattern???? I'm not a real fan of making muslins of this type of pattern, and I don't have a lot of knits of this type in my stash that I would want to waste.

I'm not playing with this one anymore, but I think I will make the top again in a small. I think it is very flattering and I am loving the good quality jersey knits. This particular piece came from Fashionista Fabrics back in April when their jersey knits were on sale. I don't typically wear browns and off whites. I tend to wear a lot of blacks, reds, grays - you know. Especially with my hair. But I think this top is very flattering.

Butterick 3344

2008-08-11T19:09:00.000-04:00

I spent the last week altering a wedding gown, flower girl's gown, and mother of the bride dress. I have altered many gowns and made quite a few over the years. The wedding gown I just altered was one of the most complicated and time consuming I have ever done. It had lots of poofs and layers. The sides had to be taken in and the dress shortened. The little girl's design was the same, however, the construction was a little different, and was slightly easier to alter. I am so glad to have that job behind me so I can get on to my own stuff.

I recently purchased some poly/lycra jersey knit from Gorgeous Fabrics. Ann took good care of me after a mix up on my order. I had never ordered from her before, and there is always a little concern when things go wrong with an online order. This time, I was way more than pleased with the attention and I came out a little ahead. :) Thanks so much Ann!

I used Butterick 3344, View D, with short sleeves and a turtle neck. I chose to make a size 12 and added to the side seams, just to be sure. I ended up taking in not just what I added, but another inch as well. I also had to narrow the shoulders by moving the sleeve head in almost half an inch. That is very unusual for me as I have a little bit of a broad back. This fabric is very drapey, so the turtle neck has very little body to make it stand up at all and just puddles. I added seam binding to the should seams for stabilization. I used my serger to make the entire top and stitched the hems using my cover stitch machine. I think I will add an inch to the length if I make this again, as I want to wear this with jeans and do not want to be tugging on the back to keep too much from showing. I also wish I had paid a little more attention to the fabric design. I would have placed the front pattern piece in a more desirable location so that the design was better displayed. The pattern itself was fairly easy. The problems I had were self inflicted.

I wore this to work today. It was very comfortable. The fabric is wonderful, and I will be purchasing more of this. Doesn't it pick up the silver in my hair nicely?? (chuckle)

While this is not my favorite, I do like this top, even with all the little quirks I ran into. I will probably make the pattern again using one of the other views. I really like the scoop neck and the mock-wrap. On the other hand, I have several other patterns that would make lovely tops using this type of fabric.

Vogue 8503

2008-08-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

The floral print was a piece, among many, given to me by my Mother. It is a pretty, drapy fabric. I'm not sure of the content. It is definitely not a polyester as the burn test proved that. SB in her book "More Fabric Savvy" says that cotton, linen, and rayon: "Burns quickly with a yellow flame and continues burning after flame is removed. Leaves soft gray ash. Smells like burning paper." That is exactly what this fabric did. I suspect that it is a blend. The pants are a poly/linen blend from Joann Fabric and matched perfectly.

The pants were easy to make. Just typical straight, slightly wide leg. I lined mine so you could not see through them, and put an invisible zipper in the back. I cut a size 14 in the hips and tapered to a 12 at the waist. I added an inch and a half to the length. If I make them again, I will scoop out the crotch a little deeper. They are okay to wear now, but I think would just feel better if there was a little more room.

The pattern for the top was fine except for the following:

Can you tell that the side back facing is not drawn properly? The back facing is drawn larger, therefore if you sew to the large dot for a size 12 on the front, it would match up to the 14 on the back. If you turn under the facing as marked on the pattern, the facing hem would obviously be wider than on the front. They should be cut the same. The picture on the instructions show them to be the same. I had to double check just to be sure I was not missing a detail.

I added a skinny piping using the pants fabric along the front facing around the back. I stitched it to the facing first, as it was interfaced, and then applied it to the top. I stitched the facing with the top on the bottom so I could follow the stitching line left by stitching the piping to the facing. I also covered four 1 1/8" buttons using the pants fabric. The pattern only calls for three broadly spaced buttons, and that did not seem like enough to me.

The fabric did the slippy/slidey thing, so I had to take my time, used lots of pins to hold things in place.

Here is the finished outfit. I really like the way the top fits and drapes. I like the tailored look of the whole outfit. I'm sure I will wear the pants with other tops I have as well.

I have to take a short break from sewing for me, so I can alter a wedding gown, flower girl's dress, and mother of the bride. I hope it doesn't take too much time. I have soooo much I want to do for me. It is all about me - Isn't it??? Of course, without that little bit of side money coming in, there wouldn't be much sewing for me after all. I am really not complaining. ;)

A Successful and Uninterrupted Weekend of Sewing

2008-07-28T17:31:00.000-04:00

After visiting and enjoying sewing blogs for over a year now, I am finally ready to start my own. I share the same passion for fiber construction as most of the bloggers I have been visiting. To get started and get a feel for how this is going to work, following is what I accomplished over the weekend. As you can see, I had a very successful weekend and a lot of uninterrupted time on my hands. Life Is Sewlovely!

The first thing I did was make two pillows for my parents. My Dad bought the fabric while my Mom was shopping for herself. I believe this was in the clearance bin.

They have done a little remodeling and wanted a couple of accent pillows.
He was very pleased when I took them to him today.

I also made Hot Patterns Metropolitan Tote. I love big bags and this one is BIG! I want to make this out of some ultra suede, but wanted to make a trial first out of a home dec fabric I had in my stash.
The bag went together without too much trouble. I should have paid attention to the instructions and not used such heavy interfacing, which made the straps extremely difficult to turn. My zippers did not go in quite as well as I would like, but you would have to look real close to see the flaws. That's okay for this bag, but I want perfection when I make it up in ultra suede!
Please forgive the mess in the background - I would rather be sewing than cleaning house!

I finished covering the buttons on a chair cover I made for a paying customer. My day job covers my living expenses, but I sew a little on the side to enable my addiction to sewing and my daughters' dance lessons.

The cover started out as a sheet, which my customer purchased for $1 at a flea market. I think she only paid $2 for the chair. I did not have a pattern, but she provided me with a picture of what she wanted.
The other thing I did was make a skirt from the BWOF 03/2008 issue. I made Skirt 105.
The fabric I used was a stretch bottomweight I purchased at Joann Fabrics at least a year ago. It turned out to be the perfect weight for this skirt. This is only my second BWOF pattern, and found that the tracing was really not that bad even if it was time consuming. I am experimenting on the best way to add seam allowances. I made a size 42 because of my hip measurement and added a little to the side seams as usual "just in case." I ended up taking out all of the extra and then some. I think I would have been fine with size 40. I am going to make it again in a similar weight/stretch fabric and will make the smaller size this time. I used an invisible zipper in CB seam. The skirt went together very nicely and was fun to make. It looks great on and wears well.
Until next time...

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2000-08-10T19:04:00.000-04:00