'Make a Garment a Month' plans for August 2014

You might remember this outfit from Me-Made-May 2014.

This is the NEWLOOK 6108 top paired with a rtw peasant skirt.  Every-single-time I've worn this outfit, the beautiful skirt is always complimented.  Not to mention the skirt is so comfortable in our Southern heat and humidity with its flowy, gauzy, breeziness and long length, even though I have to wear a half-slip underneath because it is unlined.

I've decided to try and duplicate the peasant skirt 'look' modifying this NEWLOOK 6108 skirt you saw in MMM2014 here and here.

It's a flowing, elastic-waist skirt and I think if I simply lengthen it substantially, it should give me a peasant skirt look.....

.....because I'm using this light gauzy fabric from my stash... shown below with its accompanying white lining fabric, so no half-slips will be needed here....

....and using this picture as inspiration for the stripe placement.  We'll see.

photo credit

Sarah Liz is a terrific administrator of the "Make a Garment a Month Challenge" ....

 ....and she so kindly supplies us with monthly themes of which we can choose to follow, or not.  It is so fun to read her 'thoughts' behind her 'themes' and this month was no exception.  Click here to read her August train of thought as she begins with Roman togas and ends with St. Augustine and his work "Confessions".   :)

It's nice to have a little stash of suitable garment fabrics to choose from now.   :)

Vogue 1247 Rachel Comey top & self-drafted straight skirt

The Rachel Comey Vogue 1247 top is finished!  Yay! I'm wearing it over a rtw white tank with a self-drafted elastic-waist straight skirt.

I lost count of the time put into this, but cannot blame the pattern.... it was my slippery, slidey, liquidy type fabric I chose. 

Everybody told me it ran big..... everything I read said it ran big.... yes, it runs big.  NEWLOOK patterns cut in a size 10 with a 1/4" seam fit me perfectly, so after agonizing on what to do with this pattern, dug in and cut a size 10 sewn with the french seams per the instructions.  In hindsight, I could've cut a size 6 and been okay.  Will do that next time.

The illustrious, wonderful pattern.

Originally chose this fabric for this pattern not only because of the silky drape, but also because I was so nervous about all those converging french seams matching up 'perfectly'. Can't see anything here can you?  I should've had more confidence in myself...

....because inside out you can see how all the converging french seams match perfectly.  Now I wish I'd used a fabric where you can actually 'see' the seams. :)

Modified the neckline by pressing the binding up, not turning it in.  This helped a little with the 'lowness'.... but not much.  Spent way too much time trying to hand sew this seam so no seam would be seen from the inside, but finally gave up and serged, then sewed flat.  Geez.  Can't see it anyway when it's on!!  I also left off the sleeve cuff and simply serged and turned up 1".

Now let's talk about the little straight skirt.  For as much as I did NOT like this the day I made it, I now LOVE it!!!  I've already worn it a full day, including out to dinner, and found it comfortable and easy to wear.  It is perfect with this flowy top.

Shannon, at MushyWear, was my inspiration for my skirt as she's talked so much about making her skirts from a simple yard of fabric, sewing the elastic to the fabric top, turn down and stitch.  So, I had some blue woven cotton leftover from recent pants, measured the length I wanted, added in for the 1" elastic, cut a rectangle, serged the sides and the top (and lining at this point), turned down and made a casing then stitched and ran my elastic through.  I was nervous about sewing the elastic straight to the skirt fabric as I sometimes like to 'shift' the elastic around in the casing to fit the curves of my body.

I've spoiled myself by adding linings to all the skirts I make now, and love the fact there is no half-slip elastic at the waist anymore.  In our miserable hot and humid Southern summers, this is so much more comfortable.  In this skirt, after serging each of the fabrics separately at their side seams, treated them as one fabric at the waist and turned-down casing for the elastic.  The skirt and lining each have a small 1/4" rolled hem(s).

In these elastic-waist skirts, it's nice to add a little ribbon to tell the back from the front.  As a slow sewer, I impressed myself with making the skirt from concept idea, to start, to finish all in one day.  It is a perfect little straight skirt for me.

This also completes my June Make a Garment a Month Challenge.  July was a crazy month so I'll just skip that and look to August's challenge.

I really do love my new outfit!  This is different than anything I've made before and feel like I've improved my skill level with this top.

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Cost of Garment:
Fabric for top:  $  4.50
Vogue Pattern:  $15.00  *I was so excited about this pattern, I paid full price*
self-drafted skirt:  Free using leftover fabric(s).
Notions:  @$1.00 for elastic
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Hope everyone is staying cool (or warm for my Australian friends!) this weekend!

'Quilt Angels' Project gearing up for 2014

You might remember the quilt I made last Christmas season that was for one of the residents at the Ogden House, a children's home in Guntersville, Alabama, through the Quilt Angels Project led by Gene Black - an Alabama Artist.  He's already letting folks know he will be doing the Project again for 2014 and you can read more about it:    2014 Quilt Angels Project - 'Christmas in July?'.    You can access all my links and information about the quilt I made last year here, including the note I sent along.

This was a project full of blessings all along the way and I am excited to be a part of the project again this year.  Gene is looking for volunteers to make the quilts..... mine measured @45" x 60" completed.  He needs both girl and boy themed quilts with finished quilts due around mid-December.  As in the years before, there will be sponsors and prizes to be won for the participants..... but the true joy is knowing a worthy girl or boy will be keeping warm under a quilt you made.

I'm thrilled to be getting an earlier start this year!!! 
2014 Quilt Angels Project - 'Christmas in July?'
A Special Quilts Note and all links to the making of the 2013 quilt