Sometimes You Just Have to Try!

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Another kimono make from my stash! 

I purchased this sweater knit from Hancock Fabrics many moons ago and used it to slightly hacked

Simplicity 1108! 

As you can see it is very sheer!  So sheer that when I pulled it out to finally decide what to make with it, I didn't realize that it was folded in half.  So when I opened it up fully, it was even sheerer (is that a word? 😃) than I thought!

I've styled it here with my tent/swing/trapeze dress! Click here to see the details of the dress!

This was a fun, quick make!  I constructed it entirely on my serger...then had to consider my options for finishing the edges!  The pattern called for a wide band, but I knew the fabric would not support it, nor could I successfully interface it.

I considered using packaged cotton binding (due to my current binding addiction, I have tons of it).  But I felt that it would be to heavy and pull on the kimono.  

The it hit me...I've had fleece binding in my stash for years! 

If it's fleece added to a sweater knit, that should work, right?  

I had no clue, but decided to try it anyway!

 Drumroll!!!! 

It worked!

The fleece binding was not too heavy, the two fabrics played nice together and it framed my duster beautifully!

And I love what happened with the sleeves!  They ended up with a sort of bell shape!

 I could have prevented that effect, but I decided to let the fabric combos work it out!

Isn't it interesting - amazing really - how different fabrics have different looks!  

This kimono is from the same pattern as the kimono below.  But notice the attached band!

Check this one out here!  

It was a trial of a different sort...I wanted to see if I liked the silhouette on me!

I love it! 

And I really love the way both fabrics drape!

I also paired it with a peplum top, pants and boots!  It's a fun casual look!

I have obviously fallen in love with kimonos and dusters!

You will be seeing more on my blog, soon! 

Happy Endless Sewing!

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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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