My Red Dress

I REALLY WANTED A RED DRESS!

I hadn't had a red dress in many, many years.

I've had and made red jackets and blouses, but no red dress.

I even whined about it on FaceBook!

  LOL!

Then lo and behold...I found some red Sophia Ponte knit in my stash that I'd purchased from Vogue Fabrics a few years ago! And the cutting began! I initially wanted a fit and flare dress, but I did not have enough fabric and I was determined that I would not not buy more red fabric.  This just had to work! So no fit and flare!

While cutting, I decided to use some black Telio Scuba knit for the sleeves.  The fabric was purchased from Fabric.com and was left over from the last dress I made for my daughter.

These two fabrics played nice together, both stitched well separately and together.  Most of the construction was done on my serger with 4 threads.

I used and hacked McCall's 7501. I made view A with the bell sleeves from view D. I also lowered the front and back neckline.  I've come to really like the look of lower, slightly curved back necklines. If you take a look at some of my previous makes, you will see the lower back necklines as I almost always lower them on tops and dresses...so this dress was no exception.

I ran into a problem with the sleeves!  I rarely have to shorten the sleeves of commercial patterns, but these ragland sleeves were much too long!  Of course I didn't discover it until after the sleeves were added and I'd tried it on. Yes! I do several fittings for myself!   😄

Then looking at the sleeves and trying the dress on a few times, I realized that I couldn't simply shorten them.  If I shortened them the 3 inches from the bottom that I needed to, I would essentially have no bell.

So I put the dress aside for a day to think about it. This allowed me time to put on my engineer's cap (aren't we all engineers in this craft?) and come up with a solution.

I decided/realized that I needed to shorten it somewhere above the bell.  So that is what I finally did.  I tried it on again and marked it for the cut at the mid bicep point. But who wants a seam in the middle of their sleeve?  That would not have worked at all. LOL!

The engineer side of my brain told me to hack the sleeves by adding a red strip of fabric at the point I'd cut the sleeve. Sew...that is exactly what I did!  And I'm pleased to say that I was excited with the result!

I finished the neckline by first stabilizing it with stay tape, then added a self binding, a narrow hem on the sleeves and a blind stitch on the hemline.

After I finished the dress, I heard about The Little Red Dress Project on Instagram.  Sew...because we all know that I love challenges, I entered my dress in the challenge.  This challenge was to bring awareness to sewing. I couldn't resist! 💕

I hope you are enjoying my sewing adventures as well as the tips and tricks that I provide here.  If so, please feel free to subscribe so that you don't miss any of my posts. Your email address will never be shared.

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Sewing Photo Challenge

Instagram Photo Challenge

I've become a bit addicted to sewing challenges.  So I joined in on a November Sewing Photo Challenge. It was hosted by blogger Amanda of Bimble and Pimble and titled #SEWVEMBER.

It was different from other challenges that I've done. No sewing was required! The challenge was to simply post photos on Instagram that best identified various themes.

Well, it really wasn't that simple!  It was thought provoking!  I had to put some serious thought into each day's theme.  As you can see, I didn't post photos each day, partly due to travel, other times due to not having enough time in each day aka life.

And...I'm still thinking about the theme #30 - 2018.  I know that my theme for 2018 is "Goals" -  but I don't have a photo to properly represent those goals! Not yet, anyway! LOL!

I hope you enjoy walking through this photo challenge with me!  It was sew much fun to post photos, but even more fun to see what other sewists, designers and bloggers posted!

 # 6 Bargain - This self-drafted top was made from a beautiful stable knit that was a gift!

 # 9 Refreshments - My sewing refreshment is water.

 I love this cup that my friend, Lisa bought and personalized for me!

 #10 Everyday - These girls are running almost every day!

 #11 Sewing Buddies - These are my sewing buddies/friends/sisters, Lisa, Rhonda, Reen, Molly and Sandy! Although we live in 4 different states, we are great friends! We have sew much fun when we are together.  I love them like sisters!

 #12 When I'm Not Sewing - I'm reading!

#13 Shortcut - I don't really like to take shortcuts, but I often put my serger to work to help with narrow hems. After serging, I use that "line" to fold over and press a narrow hem...once or twice.  then I can easily stitch it.

 #14 Tricky - It's "tricky" to use my cutting table for 2 sewing projects and 1 embroidery project at once!  LOL!

#15 Mix It Up - Mixed-up aka Pattern Hack aka Scrappy Tops.

I hacked my own pattern by slashing the front.  Sew fun! 😄

 #16 Stash Pride - Zippers!

#18 Color Palette - I love jewel tones - I wear them all year round!

 #19 Motto - What's that you have in your hand? I can use what I have! The top pic is a finished jacket. The bottom pic is from my stash - it will be a dress.  They will be beautiful together!

 #20 Luxury - Some of my silk stash gifted to me by friends! I love my friends - they get me!!

#22 Soundtrack  - Just a few of the sounds I listen to while I'm sewing. Music IN my happy place!

#23 What Was I Thinking?  I wasn't!  I was rushing! I sewed one of the sleeves to the side of the jacket. But all was not lost.  I posted my blooper on Sew News' Facebook page and won a prize package!  LOL!

#24 Texture - My daughter loves texture and being comfy.

 So I made this quilt for her with 3D flowers. And yes! She uses it!

#25 Finishing Touches - Sometimes a Hong Kong finish is the only way to go.

 #26 From Where I Sew - The view from my sewing studio. The trees are full and glorious in the summer.  The sun glowing here reminds me of this Scripture:
For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and the hills shall break forth into singing before you.  And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  ~ Isaiah 55:12 NKJV ~

 

  #29 No Limits

Growth - No Limits - No More Limits!

Website is up and running!

Endless Dzns By Carrie

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My New Website

I finally did it!

  I launched my website!

Endless Dzns By Carrie

I actually worked on this off and on for over a year and finally got over the fear of failure/fear of success and pushed the "publish" button.  I fully intended to launch it on Black Friday, which turned to Small Business Saturday...neither of which happened.

I'd neglected it for so long, that I had to reload most of the content and all of the settings.  That was hours of work and phone calls for technical support.

Even with the technical support, I still had a gazillon technical issues before it was ready. So I ended up working on it most of the day on the day before Cyber Monday - and finally pushed the button at about 11:00am.  Whew!  I made it in time for Cyber Monday - before noon! Of course I spent even more time after the launch posting it all over the place....except here!  LOL!  

I decided to do a "soft launch" with my inventory and sample items (primarily Christmas items, bags, embroidered kitchen towels), by marking them down to 40 % to 50% off.

The sale will continue through midnight on my birthday, Dec 11th. Don't miss out!

Then of course there were the inevitable errors with my first couple of orders, which I was able to resolve fairly quickly and ship on time!

YES, I got a few orders about 2 hours after launch. Was I surprised?  You bet I was!  And excited!  I'm still excited! 

After the sale I will begin selling garments, accessories and bags (I'm currently testing a new bag).  Some will be pre-made and others will be custom orders only.  Sign up on the website to be notified of updates and new items!  Sign up here (below) to be notified of new blogs.

Many, many thanks to all who supported me and especially those who pushed me. There were many people who spoke into my life and thus, into my website/my business.  I will be forever thankful to all of you!

After reading about the launch, one of my instagram friends spoke into my life with this Scripture...it thoroughly blessed me and brought me to tears!  It meant so much to me...brought me to tears...tears of gratitude!

Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)

"The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face to shine upon you,

and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,

and give you peace."

Thank you, friends!  Be blessed!

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