Minerva ITY Knit - Wrap Dress

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Once again I've used fabric that was gifted to me from Minerva.com in exchange for a blog post!

This ITY knit is the perfect fabric for a wrap dress...which I've never made or worn before. 

I love the print!

I chose McCall's 6884 - view C - which has been in my stash for quite a while. 

  I was never sure how this style would look on me. But once I tried it on and made a few adjustments, I loved it SEW much that I didn't want to take it off!

Adjustments were interesting! 

Because I'd never made or worn this style of dress, I wasn't sure where to start. 

In the end, I really only needed to reduce the width of the under panel.  I gradually cut it until I'd removed about 3 inches. Of course I had to try it on each time until I was happy with it. This took a while, but it was worth it.  

I'm wearing a camisole underneath so that I'd be covered - if I happened to bend over.

I'm very happy with the outcome and the fit! 

I'm wearing my Mom's pearls with it.  I think she'd love the look as much as I do!

Most of the construction was done on my serger.  All hemming was completed on my sewing machine.

As always, with ITY knits...I used a fusible knit stay tape on the shoulders, neckline, hem and sleeves.  It stabilizes those areas, which extend the life of the garments.

I used a narrow (lightening bolt or wobble) stitch to hem the sleeves and bottom of the dress.

The pattern doesn't call for it, but I added a snap to the inside to ensure that the inside panel doesn't fall below the outside...I wanted to keep the hem even...even when I'm moving.

This is now one of my favorite dresses!  

I will definitely make it again...and I'll stick to using knits for it.

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Sewing Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

 

Floral Cardigan

This Madison Cardigan pattern by @stylesewme has been on my to do list for much too long! 

I purchased the pattern when it was 1st published, but just could not find the perfect fabric. Then...Minerva sent me this glorious Ponte Roma knit with this beautiful print and I knew it was going to be this pattern! 

I found the fabric and pattern easy to work with. I cut a size XL and did not need to make any atlerations! 

The instructions stressed stay-stitching the back neckline, but I used the technique that I use on most knits. I applied fusible knit tape on the back neckline as well as the shoulders. I then sergeged the neckline.

A narrow hem was also used in the instructions, but because the wrong side of the fabric is black, I decided that I didn't want to see the print on the wrong side. So I opted for purchased bias binding. And I'm very happy with the outcome! 

I tried it on twice...before and after I added the binding. I have to tell you that I was in love with the fit, but even more so with the drape of this garment!

I loved it so much that I did not want to take it off after either try on! It is even more lovely that I thought it would be...both the fabric and the pattern design! 

It was quite a windy day when I took the photos, but I think they work! 

Would I make it again? Definitely! 

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Sewing Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Minerva ITY Knit

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Minerva ITY Knit

This beautiful print ITY knit has so many of the colors I love! I was thrilled when it arrived at my door!  It is even more beautiful in person!  It was gifted to me by Minerva.com in exchange for a blog post.

Because of the print, I decided to go simple.  I love hi/lo tops and dresses, so I used one of my TNTs - McCall's 6957 - view B.  I love the fit and flare shaping of this pattern!

The only change I made was to add sleeves.  I love elbow length sleeves.  Many of my TNT patterns are marked with that length.

I did a bit of print matching by making sure the aqua floral was center front and that the sleeves matched. Most of the construction was done on my serger with a 4 thread set-up.

I love using pre-cut fusible stay tape on the shoulders, hems and necklines of my knits.  After fusing the tape on, I serged the edges using a 3 thread set-up.  Then I simply pressed the hem under by using the stitches as a guideline and top stitched.

Here I styled it with leggings, but it's actually long enough in the front that I can also forego the leggings. I wore it to an outdoor setting, thus the flats, but it can also be styled with heels! 

Of course I couldn't resist making a matching mask. To stabilize the knit for the mask, I fused a tricot interfacing to it.  The lining/filter pocket is 100% cotton.

This dress is easy to make and fun to wear!  

Did I say that I love sewing and wearing ITY knits! 😃 

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.

Re-Fashioning!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Wow!  

It's been much too long since I did a blog post.  I've been in mask making mode, but now I have a bit more time to sew for myself.

I've been attending our outdoor services at my church and because of the heat, I wanted to be comfortable (don't we all).  Maxi and high/low dresses work...but can still be hot.  

And since I don't wear shorts, I thought a few skirts might be in order.  But alas, I haven't fabric shopped since November...what could I use from my stash?  

I took a look, but decided I didn't want to use my stash for casual skirts.  So I chucked the whole idea!

Then...one day I accidentally wore a pair of jeans that were much too large and I had to fiddle with them for several hours!  When I got home, I decided to carefully arrange my jeans so that wouldn't happen again...ever!

  While doing so I discovered a few pair of denim capris that were even larger than the jeans!  

That was my AHA moment!  Skirts...make some really casual, fun skirts with the capris!

So...they went from this:

To this:

I'm sew happy with them!

I started by determining the length I wanted and cut it about 2 inches longer.  That allowed me to shorten the front to the length I wanted and to leave the back a bit longer...since I was not actually constructing a garment and could not do a full butt adjustment!  Yes, there is such a thing!  LOL!

 

I then cut the front and back inseams open.  I laid the capris flat on the table and crossed them over each leg.  This took a bit of double checking where they crossed, so I wouldn't have a pucker or point at the intersection.

My next step was to sew those seams flat and cut away the excess from the inside.

 

Then I adjusted the side seam to fit my hips! This must be done prior to hemming the skirt!

Because the over laid seams determined the size of the splits in the front and back, I then needed to decide how to best cover them.  

I thought of a piece of lace I've had for more than 20 years!  I'd never decided what to do with it and was sew glad that I hadn't given it away.  

When I checked, it was the perfect size for the front and back of the skirt...without making it look formal.

I used Wonder Tape to temporarily hold the lace in place, so that I could stitch it down and cut the excess away.

Note: Because of the lace attachment, I hemmed the skirt before attaching the lace.

I love how this lace works so well with the denim!  Fun!

 

I actually followed the same process for this khaki skirt! It was larger, so the front and back pieces crossed over enough that I did not need an insert.  

Of course I couldn't resist wearing my leopard print shoes...even if it was just for pics! 

And yes! A matching mask!

Matching mask and bag!  

The bag is an Embroidery Garden In The Hoop Zippered Bag design!  

It's one of my favorite bags to make!

  It's a quick make and the multiple sizes make it such a useful bag!

These skirts are such fun, easy and fast projects!  

I have 2 more in mind!  Maybe one will be a maxi or high/low skirt!

What are you re-fashioning or up-cycling?

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.

Flutter Sleeves!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This simple top became a bit of a challenge!

I'm really not a pastel kind of girl, but I fell in love with this beautiful 

double brushed poly knit print 

at the International Houston Quilt Festival in October 2019 when I spotted it at the SoSewEnglish booth.  

There was only one bundle left, so I tucked it under my arm as I continued to shop.  I didn't even know how much yardage it was!

LOL! 

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Right?

There was just enough for a simple top, which was perfect because that print needed to speak for itself!

I'd heard about this wonderful knit, but that was my 1st time seeing and touching it!

It is SEW soft!

  It's like wearing secret pajamas! 

It will also make wonderful luxurious feeling pajamas!

I used my TNT (Tried and True) pattern - Butterick 5954.  It's out of print now, but I found it here.  

You can see from some of my markings that I've hacked and used it multiple ways!

It's really time to preserve this pattern by fusing some inexpensive woven interfacing to the back of it! 

This time my hack was the sleeves.  I decided I wanted flutter sleeves for this floaty fabric!  

Did I say it it SEW soft!!!

My Kai Scissors worked magically on this fabric!

After ensuring that I had the dark blue flower placed the same way on each of the flutters, I discovered this cut in my fabric!!  

NOOOO! 

I have no idea how or when it happened!

Not only was I shocked, I was upset! I'd spent so much time making sure the flowers were placed nearly perfectly on the top as well as the sleeves!

I took a really deep breath and walked away! 

A word of advice: Don't sew when your'e frustrated, upset or tired!

After 2 days of thinking about it, I decided to mend the hole by hand.  

Because the back of the fabric is a bit "spongy" - I decided that hand stitching

was the way to go! 

 After stitching it, I steamed it and used my clapper on it.  It's not perfect, but it will be hidden in the flutter when I wear it!  So I'm kinda happy with the repair.

I did most of the construction on my Juki MO 1000 Serger.

I stabilized the neckline, sleeve hem and body hem with a strip 

of fusible tricot interfacing that I cut myself.  

Don't skip this step!

I was out of it, but you can also use fusible Dritz Stay Tape.

After adhering the strips of interfacing, I  serged the edges - then top stitched a 1/2" hem.

I used Dritz Clear Elastic on the shoulder seam (which I prefer for knits).

  Another step you don't want to skip!

 You don't want to do all the work of creating a beautiful garment only to have your shoulders losing shape and sagging!

I'm quite happy with this top...I might even forget about that cut in the flutter!  LOL!

Happy Endless Sewing!

Online Class Registration

 Don't forget to "follow" me! 😍

Join my Facebook Group

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.