Madeleine Elise Toth

Awwwww! We get to hold her today!

New Pics!

My sister let me take a ton of pictures of her wearing all the maternity tops I made this fall. Poor thing--she's having the baby tomorrow and she still changed in and out of all these outfits! So sweet. Anyway, here is my favorite--the autumn roses Simplicity top. The only bummer is that it fits so well at the empire waist that the shirt is difficult to get in and out of. I think I'll make her another one, a post-pregnancy top that she can wear anytime, and either give it a side zipper or add in some elastic somewhere. As it is, the top is probably a bit too snug when she sits down. Still, pretty adorable. Plus, she loves it, so that's what really counts.

9 months!! Baby time tomorrow!

Knocking Off Banana Republic

I really like BR's clothes--they are classy, usually well made, and generally fit me pretty well. Wearing their clothes, though--especially the dresses or suits--always makes me a little nervous because I'm convinced I'll show up at an event and two other women will be wearing the exact same thing. Normally that wouldn't matter, but since I only ever get dressed up for class or professional events, that makes things awkward. Nothing like being caught wearing the same clothes as your students!

I generally can't resist their clothes, though, because we live near a BR factory outlet (score!). And when they have sales, they have really, really good sales. A few weeks ago, for example, I got this very cute shirt for $8.32. I couldn't buy the fabric for that price! Well, I can't buy the fabric anyway, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, I love the cut of this shirt. The gathering along the sleeves and the bodice mean the shirt is pretty form fitting. I especially like the back of the shirt, which picks up the gathering motif, as well. In fact, I liked it so much that I got two of the shirts. One I wear and the other I pulled apart to pieces to use as a pattern.

My sister has a BR maternity dress that she loves that has a similar style, so I decided to make her a maternity version of the shirt. All the pattern pieces remained the same except the front panel. I did added about 10 cm in width and a bit extra length to keep things even at the hem. I then just gathered the piece at the empire waist and that solved that problem. On the muslin I had problems keeping the gathers in place on all these seams, so for this version I used clear elastic and that helped a lot. The only tricky bit was the bias binding along the neckline. I hate doing a binding in a knit. My stitching always always comes out wonky and ugly on the inside and there's always one section that is visible from the front, no matter how much I try to stay in the ditch. Sigh. I think this is partially my machine, which is not very. . . precise. But I think I need to play around with the foot pressure. I'm sure that is affecting the quality of the stitching.

It is a cute shirt and I think I'll probably make it again, although not as a maternity shirt. Actually, I think it would be really nice to extend it into a dress. But I probably won't make it again until I can figure out how to do a more precise neck binding. Otherwise it will just bug me and I'll never wear the shirt.

Clothing in Action!

I finally got some pictures of my sister wearing her new jacket. She can actually still button it all the way up and she's due next Tuesday! It's crazy! The other day we were out buying Christmas trees and she was wearing a regular windbreaker, all zipped up. My mom was talking with another woman and mentioned that her daughter was due on the 22nd. The woman looked over at us and said "which one?" lol. She's so tiny. Of course, she's getting a bit sick of strangers asking if she's eating enough and if she's healthy. Yes and yes. She simply didn't gain a lot of extra weight during the pregnancy and what she did gain wasn't along the waistline. Except for the baby bump, of course.

Anyway, I promised to cut her face out of the photos, so you can't see her lovely smile. But the jacket looks cute, at least!

Bleak House, Charles Dickens

Bleak House, Charles Dickens (1852-1853)

Grandmother Smallweed, who has been mumbling and shaking her head at the trivets, hearing figures mentioned, connects them with money, and screeches, like a horrible old parrot without any plumage, “Ten ten-pound notes!”

Grandfather Smallweed immediately throws the cushion at her.

“Drat you, be quiet!” says the good old man.

The effect of this act of ejaculation is twofold. It not only doubles up Mrs Smallweed’s head against the side of her porter’s chair, and causes her to present, when extricated by her grand-daughter, a highly unbecoming state of cap, but the necessary exertion recoils on Mr Smallweed himself, whom it throws back into his porter’s chair, like a broken puppet. The excellent old gentleman being, at these times, a mere clothes-bag with a black skull-cap on the top of it, does not present a very animated appearance until he has undergone the two operations at the hands of his grand-daughter, of being shaken up like a great bottle, and poked and punched like a great bolster. Some indication of a neck being developed in him by these means, he and the sharer of his life’s evening again sit fronting one another in their two porter’s chairs, like a couple of sentinels long forgotten on their post by the Black Serjeant, Death.

Judy the twin is worthy company for these associates. She is so indubitably sister to Mr Smallweed the younger, that the two kneaded into one would hardly make a young person of average proportions; while she so happily exemplifies the before-mentioned family likeness to the monkey tribe, that, attired in a spangled robe and cap, she might walk about the table-land on the top of a barrel-organ without exciting much remark as an unusual specimen. Under existing circumstances, however, she is dressed in a plain, spare gown of brown stuff.

Vogue 8480

This is the second time I've made this little spring jacket. I just think it is so cute. I like the 3/4 sleeves, the topstitching, and the little collar, which is neither too small to be dorky or too big to be overwhelming. My favorite part is the back, though--the peplum gives the back a lovely shape but without making it look like your hips just gained a few extra pounds. So nice.

The only things that make me grumpy about this pattern are the pockets (too small!) and the sleeves (too horrible!). I fixed the pockets this time around, by just cutting them larger. They still aren't sturdy enough to hold much of anything, but you can slip a few keys or an mp3 player in there easily, now, without worrying that they might come tumbling out two seconds later.

As for the sleeves: well, I still hate putting in these sleeves. Last time I made this jacket, I'm pretty sure I ripped the sleeves out four or five times. This time I got them in on the second try, but they still aren't as perfect as I would like. I can't tell if the sleeves are just drafted poorly (doubtful), or if part of it is that gathering on a thick twill isn't as precise as one might hope for. At any rate, getting these sleeves to lie smoothly is a trial. For me, at any rate.

This version of the jacket is for my sister. Between the peplum and the ease, this is the perfect maternity jacket, since it expands enough to allow for the baby bump. I don't know that she'll be able to wear it right now (in the ninth month), but you never know--she's still quite small. I made it using her pre-maternity sizes, though, so that she can enjoy it even after the baby wiggles out.

In fact, I like this version so much, with the dark chocolate fabric, that I might make one for myself. I used a sandwashed twill from fabric.com the first time I made this jacket, and it is very drapey. It's cute, but feels a little bit like I'm wearing a curtain. I really like this twill (from Joann's, actually)--it is wrinklease, so it doesn't need ironing (as much), and the color is really lovely (it looks a little grey in the photos, but it is actually very chocolatey). My only complaint about the fabric is that it attracts little bits of everything like crazy. I had to seriously delint this thing before I mailed it off to my sister. Anyway, I think I'll probably make another one, but I'm torn between this dark brown color and brick red. Tempting, tempting.

Hmm, what else. Oh yeah--topstitching. What a complete pain. I didn't trust the topstitching thread to stay tied, so I pulled all the threads to the inside of the coat, knotted them, then threaded them through the inside stiches. So tedious. And of course, all the knots got a good dose of fray-check. Hopefully everything will stay in place!

All in all, much cuter than the first version, I think. Hopefully it fits my sister, though, because I really don't want to have to take out those arm pieces again!

Not quite sure about those buttons--they might be a little too boring.

The back--luckily, in this light, you can't tell that the top stitching thread is two different colors: dark brown and slightly darker brown. I was too lazy to re-do two of the seams, and I doubt anyone will ever notice.

The inside seams--all tidied up! In retrospect, it would have been fun to use red or teal on the inside seams, but it's probably just as well that the whole jacket matches.

Autumn Roses: Simplicity 3956

I'm just going to admit up front that this fabric seems like something both my grandmothers would love. And I bought two yards of it. Twice. That's right--I liked it so much, I went back and bought more. I've never bought fabric with roses on it. Or with red. Firsts all around! For a poly chiffon, though, this is really, really soft, light fabric. It drapes beautifully and it didn't unravel terribly. And for whatever reason, I'm really into dark reds all of the sudden. I've never liked red in the past, but in the last six months I've become a convert. At least of shades between maroon and brick (somewhat limiting, yes).


Anyway, this is Simplicity 3956. I figure that if I'm now buying mature woman fabric, I should at least pair it with a younger style. And it's a really cute top--the "skirt" is cut on the bias, so it drapes really nicely and hugs the figure rather than poofing out. I wasn't crazy about the slanted front for version A, so I just used the other pattern pieces instead.

What is it with cross-over bodices? I just can't figure them out. Either I'm cutting the wrong size (and I triple checked on this one) everytime I make one of these, or these patterns are just wacky. Using the center seam lines on this pattern will leave a huge amount of fabric flailing around on your bosom (heh--that's what my grandmother used to call them ;). I always end up having to cross the pieces much father over, which throws everything else off. The other problem is the gathers. As they are drafted, they'll end up somewhere near your armpit. Awkward. I moved them underneath the breast points and that solved that. It isn't a perfect solution, but it does avoid that weird fabric bubbling that occurs, making everything look a bit deflated, if you know what I mean. I know nothing about pattern drafting, but I think this one must be based on a C cup--maybe that's why everything is more spread out?

The other major change in this version was shortening the zipper. Hopefully my sister will still be able to get in and out of this shirt! I used a shorter zipper mainly because of the linings. I like to use the lining to conceal the zipper edges and that would have been impossible with the longer zipper because of the bodice crossover. This way, though, everything is nice and neat on the inside. I used french seams for most of the vertical seams and only serged the bodice seam and the armscye. I could have done a french seam along the bodice seam, but frankly that would have meant six layers of fabric along the front crossover. This chiffon is thin, but it still would have been bulky. The black lower layer, by the way is a "silkessence" from Joann's. It has a slight sheen and crinkle to it, which plays off nicely against the matte of the chiffon.

My only other comment about the shirt is that the ties are not terribly long. I simply knotted them here--they don't serve any purpose except decorative--so if you want a bow, then you should either attach the ties at the side seams or cut them considerably longer. I actually like the knot--it is simple and doesn't distract from the rest of the shirt--but some people like bows.

Anyway, this was supposed to be a maternity shirt for my sister, but I think it is long past wearable for that purpose now. The bias cut means the shirt stretches nicely over a more swollen belly, but nine months pregnant might be pushing the limit. Oh well. She can wear it for a while after the baby is born and then drag it out of the closet as soon as a sibling makes his or her presence known.

The serged bodice seam (front)

The serged bodice seam (back)

Ha! Almost looks like I matched the pattern. Sorry, I'm just too lazy for that kind of thing.

French seams all over the place

Fabric Anemone Boxes

I ran across these super clever fabric boxes probably two years ago, at an upscale boutique. So very, very smart. When all closed up they look basically like pillows, but they are easy to open and store all kinds of things in. How perfect would these be for scraps? Or kids toys? Or socks? Especially socks.

They look like the type of thing that you could figure out how to make, especially since they are based on origami folds. These boxes also include a metal folding frame at the top of the bag, though, to insure that the "box" folds correctly every time. So, all you need is an Erector set, a lot fabric, and even more patience, to figure it out. Still, there must be a way to make one of these.

Snap bags

I'm totally enamored of these Snap bags. They are made with vinyl, so they are really sturdy, ad the blend of classy and punk is so clever. I especially like the way the bags themselves are so simple, but with really interesting topstitching. It's the kind of thing that looks easy to do, but which I probably wouldn't want to try. I love the pom-poms.

North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell

From Chapter V, of North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell

‘Are we to go straight to Milton? Have you taken a house there?'

'No,' he replied. 'I suppose we must go into lodgings, and look about for a house.’

‘And pack up the furniture so that it can be left at the railway station, till we have met with one?'

'I suppose so. Do what you think best. Only remember, we shall have much less money to spend.'

They had never had much superfluity, as Margaret knew. She felt that it was a great weight suddenly thrown upon her shoulders. Four months ago, all the decisions she needed to make were what dress she would wear for dinner, and to help Edith to draw out the lists of who should take down whom in the dinner parties at home. Nor was the household in which she lived one that called for much decision. Except in the one grand case of Captain Lennox's offer, everything went on with the regularity of clockwork. Once a year, there was a long discussion between her aunt and Edith as to whether they should go to the Isle of Wight, abroad, or to Scotland; but at such times Margaret herself was secure of drifting, without any exertion of her own, into the quiet harbour of home. Now, since that day when Mr. Lennox came, and startled her into a decision, every day brought some question, momentous to her, and to those whom she loved, to be
settled.

I'm going to need a new filing cabinet soon

Joann's has had a few great pattern sales recently. Simplicity patterns were $.99 a few weeks ago, then McCall's were $1.99, Vogue at $3.99 and finally Butterick patterns for $.99 this weekend. Good grief! I started getting Burda WOF last March, as a lovely birthday present from my boyfriend's parents, so I had kind of gone off the big 4 for a while. I didn't buy any patterns for months, I think. Then my sister got pregnant, Burda was distinctly low on maternity patterns, and I started looking at the catalogs again. So glad I did. I love Burda patterns, but sometimes the idea of spending an evening tracing instead of sewing is tiring. Anyway, I went on a pattern buying spree and picked up quite a few that I'm super excited to sew.

First up is Butterick 5323. I'm not crazy about versions A and B. That type of bodice just looks baggy on me--too low cut and droopy, I'm afraid, although it looks great on that model. Also, I'm not such a huge fan of balloon skirts. Honestly, the pattern drawing makes that poor girl look like she's wearing a curtain. Ugh. But how adorable is version C?! Every girl needs a dress like that one, I think--simple, flattering, and the shirred waist means that it will be comfortable to wear even while sitting. Always a plus in evening wear! I don't know if I'll make a huge fabric flower to go with it. I think I'd prefer a brooch. I don't own a brooch, so this dress will be a good excuse to get one. I'm really into cranberry red these days, so I'll probably make it in that exact color, too. Hopefully it won't look too brides-maidy.



Butterick 5324. I actually found this one accidentally while digging through the pattern drawer at Joann's. I almost always randomly select about four patterns in a drawer and check them out. You never know--sometimes you come across fun stuff! Or, you come across yet another tote bag pattern. But still, it paid off with this pattern! Not at all my style, to be totally honest, and I'm not crazy about the straps. But check out that bodice! I ran across this style bodice about a year ago and learned that it is called a "crumb-catcher." So. Awesome. I like a dress that can be both utilitarian and lovely. If I make it, I probably won't use golden yellow. Maybe chocolate brown? Or is that too boring? Also, I'll probably leave off the straps entirely or spruce them up a bit. They look pretty dumb to me, as they are.


Butterick 5331. I'm not sure when I'll get around to making Version D. At the moment it is way too cold to wear this type of short-sleeve jacket, so this will probably be a spring project. Still, super cute. I love the princess seams and the little cap sleeve. I'm gonna go out on a limb, though, and say that those are totally fake pockets. Bummer.




McCall's 5929. I'm generally not into ruffles--they look cute, don't get me wrong--but I really like this shirt. I even like the plaid. It looks like this girl took an old Xmas dress her mom made her (you know the kind--the floor length one, with the black velvet bodice that your grandmother hopes you'll still wear when you're sixteen) and made it into a totally chic shirt. I'll probably make version A, since I like 3/4 sleeves. I have some cream dotted swiss around--bet it would be perfect for this one.


McCall's 5884. This one looks like it has a lot of ease in it, so I'm a bit worried about the fit. But the sleeves on version B are so adorable, I couldn't resist. And I'm really intrigued by the idea of doing a lace overlay, but it would have to be the right kind of lace, or it could turn dowdy fast. I don't want to look like I'm wearing a doily. I'm completely smitten with those sleeves, though! According to Nancywin's review, there is an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, to keep the shape. I've never made that kind sleeve before. It's so nerdy, but I'm super curious how it is done.



Vogue 1086. This pattern is from a while back, but I'm just getting around to it. It's not something I would have picked out a few months ago, but I think it will end up being pretty and comfortable. It might be especially nice to make a version for my sister, as a post-pregnancy dress. She'll want some things that are flattering to her figure, but that will help transition her back to her old clothes, too. Those gathers along the waist should be perfect. The only thing that bothers me about this dress is that it is unlined. That makes no sense to me. This is a $30.00 pattern! I can add a lining pretty easily, but I much prefer it when the pattern includes one already. Especially for a dress like this, I think. Sigh. Well, maybe this will be a good excuse to make a slip.

Balloons!

On a family walk a few weeks ago, we were pleasantly suprised by the sight of two hot air balloons taking off from the field where we usually go. Such a pretty sight in the morning! If we ever do go for a ride in one of these, I think we'll leave Tessa behind. Once, when we took her on a canoe ride through a lily poad field, she simply walked off the side of the canoe. She obviously expected the lily pads to be solid ground. I'd hate for her to try the same thing with clouds . . .

Project Runway Season 6 Finale

I finally got around to watching the Season 6 Finale. It was predictable. This was the first season I'd watched. I loved it, but felt it was pretty obvious beginning a several weeks ago that Irina was going to win. I get the impression that the judges, on the whole, don't like "pretty." They like edgy and hard. I also got the impression that Nina Garcia wasn't thrilled that Irina won. Can't say I was either--she didn't come across as being a very likable person on the show.

Eh. I've heard from other people that previous seasons were much better. Too bad for me I can't find them online, but that's what netflix is for, right?

Thursday Tutorial

This tutorial for an adorable little pouch by three bears showed up a few years ago. I don't remember how I found it--perhaps through Sew Mama Sew?

Anyway, it is cute stuff and would make a great present for little hands. Perfect for a tiny Xmas gift or two. Not to mention, it can help get rid of some scraps!

Happy Thanksgiving!

For When I Win Something Really Important.

JoAnn's had a sale on Vogue patterns this weekend and I almost bought Vogue 1075.




At only $3.99, I probably just should have gotten it so that I could pull it out occasionally and stare longingly at the beadwork before working on yet another t-shirt. I don't even know why I like this dress so much--I mean, even if I did make it, I would almost certainly never wear it. You have to be tall to wear this dress. Tall and have smokey eyes. When I try smokey eyes it tends to look like I've gotten into a fight with my compact. And besides which, I can't think of a single event where I would go that I would need a long gorgeous dress with a train in the back and a slit up the front. I mean, this is not a wedding dress. This is a red carpet dress and there are very, very few of those in academia.

And besides which, this is not a dress I have any interest in making. The beadwork alone makes me cringe. I just know I would get bored stiff after sewing on bead three, with only eleventy million to go. Also, as gorgeous as that train is, the fact that it is off to one side would drive me crazy. I'd be constantly feeling as though I were off balance.

But still. I think the next time there is a pattern sale, I'll get this. Maybe someday I'll have a daughter or son who needs a glamor gown and who likes to sew beads. It will be utterly perfect.

Sewing by the Book

From Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Leah stood up in the window-seat, rubbing the panes of glass dimmed with smoke. I was about to address her, for I wished to know what account had been given of the affair: but, on advancing, I saw a second person in the chamber--a woman sitting on a chair by the bedside, and sewing rings to new curtains. That woman was no other than Grace Poole.

There she sat, staid and taciturn-looking, as usual, in her brown stuff gown, her check apron, white handkerchief, and cap. She was intent on her work, in which her whole thoughts seemed absorbed: on her hard forehead, and in her commonplace features, was nothing either of the paleness or desperation one would have expected to see marking the countenance of a woman who had attempted murder, and whose intended victim had followed her last night to her lair, and (as I believed), charged her with the crime she wished to perpetrate. I was amazed--confounded. She looked up, while I still gazed at her: no start, no increase or failure of colour betrayed emotion, consciousness of guilt, or fear of detection. She said "Good morning, Miss," in her usual phlegmatic and brief manner; and taking up another ring and more tape, went on with her sewing.

Cowling

I love cowl necks. They are like the jowly cousin to the prudish turtleneck. I hope my sister likes cowl neck shirts as much as I do, because she's getting another one!

This is version A of Butterick 5388. For some reason, I tend not to use a lot of Butterick patterns. I'm not sure why. I think the styles tend to be looser rather than fitted, and loose clothes on me make me look like I'm playing dress-up. I just don't have the frame to pull it off. But this shirt is really cute and comfy and I thought it might work well as a maternity shirt for my sister. As it turned out, the pattern required not a single alteration to turn it into a maternity shirt. The ease on this thing is at least 5-6 inches. I took the shirt in a little bit under the arms along the side seams and evened up the hem, but that was it. It looks rather terrible on my dress dummy, I'm afraid, since the rayon is very sheer (hello pregnancy bump!), but with a cami underneath and a little sweater or jacket, this should be a really cute shirt to wear. My sister is entering the last month now, and I expect that in a week or two she won't want to be wearing too many fitted clothes. ;) Something light, airy, and comfortable should be perfect.

Cute little pleat detail on the back.

Hawk Attack Drill!

During the last month we've been heading out to a nearby field once or twice a week for a family walk. We let Tessa off-leash to run around for an hour or so and she absolutely loves it. So far, no snakes, which is good. She found one about a year ago in a field, actually--I turned around to see her sniffing a gopher snake experimentally, delicately poking at it with one paw. I hope she never tries that with a rattler!

Anyway, she's so good off-leash that the only thing we really worry about are hawk attacks. At 16 pounds, she's not much bigger than good sized rabbit and while I think a hawk would have a hard time carrying her off, I don't want one even to try! So J! has been running hawk attack drills on Tessa:

The slow spiral inwards.

The attack!

Eh. T-dog goes back to sniffing a clot of dirt.

Herringbone Coutil

I've been lurking around BurdaStyle a lot recently, because I'm totally enamored of free patterns. I also like cheap patterns, and BurdaStyle has both. I especially like this military style jacket, Hikaru. I first saw this one at the end of the summer and made a mental note to get some herringbone fabric, which I promptly forgot about. I've been doing so much maternity sewing for a while now that jackets and warm weather clothes like this one have been on the back burner, but I returned to the pattern last night and have fallen in love all over again. Even though it is now too cold here in CA to enjoy this one, I'm still going to make it. It will be perfect for Phoenix "winter" weather, when I go home in a few weeks for Xmas.

Check out this version of the jacket by ParaNoire--lovely, right? The level of detail is fabulous--the little button on the inside of collar, for instance, is perfect. And I really like that she got rid of all the buttons running up the front seams and turned this into military chic, rather than Salvation Army. Finally, check out what she listed as the fabric: Herringbone Coutil.

I never heard of it before. Turns out coutil is generally used in corsets--it has a super tight weave that has hardly any stretch. I'm totally in awe to see a fabric that typically has a very singular purpose be used in a radically different way. And to have the result to be so lovely, just seems to be a bonus.

Unfortunately, from what I can tell, herringbone coutil is about $30 a yard, so I probably won't be making my own coutil jacket anytime soon. Maybe as a graduation present to myself. But still, this kind of thing makes me want to buy a fabric dictionary and start studying.

Thursday Tutorial

A few years ago I used to knit. And before that, I used to crochet. But then I started spending too much time reading BoingBoing and Failblog and now I don't do either. Also, it hurts my wrists.

Anyway, back when I used to do both of those things, I needed for a nice place to keep all my needles and hooks. So I made kimono rolls! So fun! Plus, you can make them out of fat quarters or scraps.

I used this wonderful tutorial and these two rolls were probably the first two things I sewed. Easy, fun, and useful. Plus, they make lovely gifts.

All rolled up!

And spread out.

Looking back at these,

I wish I had bought more of that yellow fabric.
So cute.

Burda Back Issue Wish List: September 2007

Next in the ongoing saga of Burda back issues that I will someday own comes September 2007. As far as women's clothes go, this issue is pretty boring. This blouse is nice, for instance, but I've seen similar patterns from Simplicity and McCall's.


This skirt is also really cute, but again--nothing so special that I'd buy the issue for it.
I actually really like this jacket and would seriously consider the issue for this pattern alone. I'm not entirely sure, though, that this is a look I could pull off. It seems to require some serious smokey eyes and someplace other than the library to wear it to. I can't really picture myself grand dame-ing it up to the circulation desk in this.

Also, I'd need to carry a fan around
to get my hair to flare out properly
while wearing this jacket.

Still, those zippers! And that collar!

Tempting, tempting.

Nope, it wasn't until I hit the children's clothes section that I got sold on this issue.


Holy crap, I'm done for. I don't even know any little girls and I want to make this. I was pretty ambivalent about the sex of my sister's baby until I saw this issue. She had better have a girl, that's all I'm saying, because even if she has a boy chances are that he'll get that jacket.


Those skirts!! I would have loved a skirt like that when I was 8. And there has to be a way to incorporate a pocket or two. I sometimes get bored by the multitude of pencil skirts in Burda, but I have to say they never fail when it comes to children's clothes. Beautiful.

Sewing by the Book

From These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder (published 1943)

As soon as possible, Pa came hurrying back. He lifted the blanket away, and there stood a shining new sewing machine.
"Oh Charles!" Ma gasped.
"Yes, Caroline, it is yours!" Pa said proudly. "There'll be a lot of extra sewing, with Mary coming home and Laura going away, and I thought you'd need some help."
"But how could you?" Ma asked, touching the shiny black iron of the machine's legs.
"I had to sell the cow anyway, Caroline; there wouldn't be room in the stable next winter unless I did," Pa explained. "Now if you will help me unload this thing, we will take its cover off and see how it looks."
A long time ago, Laura remembered, a tone in Ma's voice when she spoke of a sewing machine had made Laura think that she wanted one. Pa had remembered that.
He took the endgate out of the wagon, and he and Ma and Laura lifted the sewing machine carefully down and carried it into the sitting room, while Carrie and Grace hovered around excitedly. Then Pa lifted the box-cover of the machine and they stood in silent admiration.
"It is beautiful," Ma said at last, "and what a help it will be. I can hardly wait to use it." But this was late Saturday afternoon. The sewing machine must stand still over Sunday.

Next week Ma studied the instruction book and learned to run the machine, and the next Saturday she and Laura began to work on the lawn dress. The lawn was so crisp and fresh, the colors so dainty, that Laura was afraid to cut it lest she make a mistake, but Ma had made so many dresses that she did not hesitate. She took Laura's measurements; then, with her dressmaker's chart, she made the pattern for the waist, and fearlessly cut the lawn.
They made the waist tight-fitting, with two clusters of tucks down the back, and two in front. Down the center of the front, between the tucks, tiny, white pearl buttons buttoned the waist. The collar was a straight, upstanding fold of the lawn; the sleeves were long, gathered at the shoulders and close-fitting to the wrist, finished with a hem the width of the tucks.
The skirt was gathered very full all round into a narrow waistband, which buttoned over the bottom of the waist to secure them from slipping apart. All down the full skirt, tucks went around and around it, spaced evenly a little way apart, and beneath the bottom tuck was a full-gathered ruffle four inches wide that just touched Laura's shoe tips.
This dress was finished when Almanzo brought Laura home the last Friday in May.
"Oh, it is pretty, Ma!" Laura said when she saw it. "All those tucks are so even, and stitched so beautifully."
"I declare," said Ma, "I don't know how we ever got along without that sewing machine. It does the work so easily; tucking is no trouble at all. And such beautiful stitching. The best of seamstresses could not possibly equal it by hand."

This moment takes place in May of 1885, when Laura is 18 years old.

Pleated Maternity Top--Variation on Burda 6-2009-102

This is my second go-around with this top. The first time it was a horrible failure--a complete waste of some lovely pale pink cotton knit. What a shame. There were all kinds of problems, beginning with the flimsy knit and ending with rumpled seam lines. It was awful.

Burda 6-2009-102

But I really like this pattern. What can I say? I like the banded waist. I really like the pleats. I never see pleated knits in stores, so this wouldn't be something I could buy easily. I like the semi-raglan sleeves. I like the V-neck.

I hated, however, the neck facing. I hated the knit lining. I hated that the shirt used a neck facing and a lining (what?). I hated that the pleats kept collapsing.

So, for the second time around I made some significant changes. I eliminated the front neck facing entirely and instead used the front lining as a facing. Basically I sewed the darts in the lining and then sewed the lining to the front along V-neck, wrong sides facing. I flipped the lining in and treated the lining and pleated front as one piece from there on out.

This caused a little bit of trouble later on when it came to the back neck facing. I forgot about the back neckline, so I had to fiddle a little to make it work. Still, it came out looking nicely, although a teeny bit bulkier at the top shoulder seam than it might otherwise be. It worked with my fabric, but if you use a bulkier knit you might need to be careful there.

What else? Well, I made this into a maternity top for my sister, so I expanded the front belly piece to make room for her bump. That was simple--just some gathers and it worked like a charm. I also had to narrow the band, since otherwise it would have hit too low on her belly. I initially left out the band, thinking it might get in the way and be uncomfortable for her, but the shirt looked really silly without it. Narrowing the band seemed to work. I used clear elastic on all the lateral seams to hold things in place (especially with the gathers). And this time around, I was so so happy to see that all the pleats held. Who knows what will happen when she actually washes the shirt, but that's a problem for later, right? Amazingly, the shirt still looks pretty good even without my tie-on pregnancy bump, so this may be a shirt she'll be able to wear while nursing, as well. We'll see.

Tessa

J! got an iPhone Touch a few weeks ago. The first picture he put on it wasn't of me. It was this one:

Who could blame him?
Those ears . . .

The Underpaid, Undervalued Laborer Shirt?

In my mind I keep calling Simplicity 2614 "The Secretary Shirt." I'm not sure why, since the term "secretary" seems so old fashioned. I know tons of great administrative staff, without whom offices would flounder in misery, but I don't know any secretaries. But such a sweet little shirt seems to deserve a cuter name than "The Administrative Staff Shirt."

Anyway, Simplicity 2614 is one of the new Threads patterns that has A, B, C, D cups, so FBAs aren't as necessary! How lovely! This is a pretty, simple shirt with three sleeve variations (sleeveless, short sleeve, and three-quarter length), and two of the pieces of the shirt are cut on the bias so there isn't any need for zippers, buttons, or other closures. So nice! Between that and the varying cup sizes, this really is one of those patterns you can make in a few hours and wear out the next day.

I used a dotted swiss with very thin silver threads in it. I kept seeing it every time I went to Joann's and finally broke down and got it. Such a pretty green color. Probably more suitable for spring than for fall, but honestly everyone needs some spring green in November. Or is that just me . . .

Aww, the silver threads don't show up! Well, they're there.

The back--this piece is cut on the bias.

And the side.
I like the cut of the hem on this shirt.
I guess you could tuck it in, but I like to leave it out.

Silver!

I think I'll probably try to make a maternity version of this shirt for my sister. I was thinking I could expand and gather the front piece at the empire waist to allow for her belly and use clear elastic at that seam for a little extra give. Hopefully that will be enough, especially since that piece is cut on the bias and the curved hem is already maternity friendly. We'll see. I'm a little worried she won't be able to pull it over her belly. This probably would have been a better shirt option about four weeks ago, instead of right now--a month from her delivery! I keep thinking "better late than never!" but that really doesn't apply to maternity clothing.