Butterick 5497 - new fall top for me

This is the pattern

It looks great, right?
I order it a month ago, and dared to try it last week.
I used some not very stretchy knit, very nice one, and it now one of my fall tops, and just in time too... as tonight it started to rain.

I looked at my closet the other day, and I was happy to find out that this past year I have sewed many tops for myself. I am still behind on zippered pants, which are still a challenge, but the tops are great, all are in use, or will be soon when its colder outside.
Now as for this top, I'm not sure. It is unique, somewhat out-dated, I think. I think it looks good on me but I'm not sure as it very big in the bust area and very snug on the belly, and I'm not used for this look.




what do you think?

The pattern review:
The instructions are very very clear, I followed them and had no problem.
sizing - I made size 8, it is very snug on the belly, but big (I think it should be this way) on the bust. I have s small bust though..

If I make it again I'll have to make the belly part a bit wider.

Changes I made: for the neck you are supposed to just fold it in and sew, I don't like it, it never comes out OK to me. So I cut another two pieced at the same shape as the neck and sewed them in as facing.
I at first didn't fully understand how to make the gathering in the shoulders,so when I made it I didn't leave enough room for the neck facing and had to fix it manually... to bad, But it worked out OK, and if I make it again I'll remember that!

Don't know if I'll make it again, as I'm not sure the top looks so good on me... but if I wear itto work and get compliments,... then yes, as it is a vety easy top!

As for my many many packages... they are all here! I have so much fabric, which is great! I am stilling missing some types of fabric (such as fleece and solid knits), but I enoough for now!

For the next couple of weeks I am starting the November birthday Marathon! My girl celebrates her birthday on 9/11 and me nephew one week later. They both need thee cakes each.. One for school, one for the after school care, and one for the celebration. I will probably be a bit too busy to sew... but I will sure try. I'm hooked!

Fall set!

We went out on Friday to celebrate my father on law's birthday. This was a great excute to dress my 7 years old in her new Butterick skirt
This is an official fall set. I just need to find or make a different blacktop, that isn't see-through :-)

The pattern is Butterick 4593.
The skirt is just great! It is a bit too wide, so after it was prepared I sewed in bias tape to the left of the back part (two pieces, one for each side of the zipper) and put elastic in it. This fixed the problem very well.
The bolero is newlook which I reviewed in here .
The top, as I said, I need to find another.
My little one wore the Hoverrock I made her last year. what a great pattern! it'll be good for her for the coming winter too!


I also made my 7 years old an Olivia top (Farbenmix Olivia, of course). But I made it out of rib fabric, and it is too wide to be a top under a bolero, It's a cute top though.

Yesreday I spent some time checking out the Embroidery function of my new machine. I used the piece of feltalready interfaced that the machine was sent with... and this what I have!

I think I'll put in on the Olivia top, What do you think?


My girl's birthday is in two and a half weeks... so much to do till then!

Many packages on the way!!!!

To start with, I've been planning to go on a trip to 'Nahalat Binyamin', the fabric street of Israel for several months now, so I've been saving my money for this trip... It was canceled every time for reasons beyond my control!!!!
Anyway, when a close friend of mine told me a month ago that she will spend two weeks in the USA... and that she wouldn't mind bringing me a package... how could I say no??? So I order a package to her. She's my friend, I didn't want her to have to carry too much, so I tried very hard to keep the order not-too-big. This package I'll probably get next week!
Three day after I made this order, my brother in law told me he was going to be in Boston too... he's a guy.. so he can carry much more, right? I placed an order in fabroic.com for him too.
and I was soooo happy!
Then my brother in law called me from the US, to say they changed the hotel. It was too late however and my dear, great package could not be collected....
now I was soooo sad!
I had to do something to feel better. So I placed a tiny order on etsy, for some Japanese fabric. Never had these fabrics fabric, wanted to know how they feel.. They are kind of expensive though, and the shipping was also expensive. but still... I placed the order and I am waiting for it to arrive now.
Meanwhile, Fabric.com contacted me to say they have my package back. Since I already paid for it... I decided to ask them to ship it to me to Israel. Those of you who live here probably know that as much as they have great price for the fabrics, they are the most EXPENSIVE store I know when it comes to shipping costs. But I did it anyway.
I had to add 54$. More than the fabric cost me.

so now I have three packages on the way.
and they cost me much more then I have planned.
And I have no budget left for my Nahalat Binyamin trip... If I ever do go on it!!

Now, you may think all I did in the past few weeks is internet shopping, but I also managed to finish some items...
this is one:

This is "Vilkas" from Ottobre. I love this patter. made it many times before in smaller sizes, and will make this one again when the winter finally arrives.
I also made a very pretty skirt for my 7 years old, but there are no good pictures yet!
Weekend is almost here!!!! finally!

new look 6582.. and some news...

Well, this has been quiet a week...
October and November are usually busy months in my family. We have several birthdays, the holidays are over and the whole idea of taking a day off after the big August vacation and all these holidays seems ridiculous.
If I could take a day off... just to go fabric shopping...
Anyway, I had big plans for this week, as my big girl is turning 7!!! (in a month, yes, but we just started the planning phase - what party will she have,what will she wear, what cakes does she want...)
In between I had my niece's birthday party. The party was kind of last minute, so I just didn't have the time to make the cake I wanted, but here's what I did manage...


I also finished this week two boleros for my girls. I love boleros for this time of the year...
The pattern is New look 6582.


I plan on making also the dress.. but will have to wait.
Now please note - I forced my girls to wear the boleros first thing in the morning, they barely woke up.. over their jummies... because it's very sunny right now, and I think it'll be at least a week before they actually need to wear these. So, you'll just have to imagine that they are properly dresses... Ok? :-)



Isn't it cute???

I made some changes from the original design. In the pattern instructions - the bolero is made of one layer of knit fabric. I made the front and back parts out of two layers (cut the pieces twice, put the back and front together and sewed, then I sewed the inner part with the outer part (right to right) turned and top stitched. I then treated this whole thing as one and added the sleeves. I like it better because I think the front looks better this way, more finished, and you cannot see the back of the fabric.
as for the size - I made size 3 for my 3.5 years old, and it'll be good for next year I hope, and size 6 for my 7 years old, and she will not fit in this next year for sure.

now for my big news!!!!
I have a new sewing and embroidery machine!!!
look!

After two months at sea it's here!!! it arrived two days ago and I didn;t even have the time to do anything but look at it and try a couple of stitches, But really.. isn't it great!!!!
have a great week!

Simplicity 3902 - another dress..

Fall has arrived. Yesterday it started to rain... good thing I already started sewing for winter already!
I always look for long sleeve party dresses for my girls. I know jumpers work well too, but they require a matching shirt under the jumper, so basically they require planning a head.. not my strongest side...
so when I saw this pattern



I thought it has great lines, and many possibilities.
It came out very fast. I made size 3 for my 3 years old and it is too WIDE. I should have checked... too bad.
I will have to try another dress...maybe this one again but after narrowing all side and back parts... maybe another one, more fancy and twirling, maybe Faliz again... don't know.
It's not a big deal...this dress will be ok in several month, and I do like the sleeves, don't know... would love to hear your thoughts on that!
But it probably will NOT be the dress my girl will have for my big girl's birthday party next month.
I did a rolled hem on the bottom and it doesn't look all that great. I'll put a red bias tape instead...
Now for the pictures
(Lady N is after a very long day... so she's not her smiling self... never mind that)



Buit I really don't get it! how come size 3 of one simplicity dress is too small and one is soooooo wide????

I'm not quilter... but...

I ALWAYS look at all those amazing quilts people do... it seems to me like a year's work! Really! I admire people that are built for this type of lengthy work!
But I am not one such person.
Still, when my sister in law said she was pregnant, three months ago, I right a head thought... a baby blanket! a cute, tiny one, for a stroller...
And I started.
After I had two squares ready, we learned that she has a boy. A Boy.. In our family!!!! I was so sure she had a girl...
So I think I'll keep the blanket... :-)
It's not finished yet, but the top part is ready, and no, I don't think I'll ever make a quilt again. I'll finish this one, though it looks kind of weird, but I am not cut out for this type of work!


So, now that I know she has a BOY, I thought I'll make each month a small item for a new baby boy, so when the baby is out, I'll be able to give him a few items.
I started with this


The pattern is the Frog & the LadyBag Blankies. Cute, great pattern and instructions!
I made one side out of cotton, and one is very soft Fleece. I like it! I made two identical ones so if the baby is attached to it, and it gets dirty, his mom will be able to get it cleaned :-)

As for my October plans, I have changed them. This is going to be a difficult month at work, and if I set myself an unrealistic amount of goals, I'll end up not enjoying what I do... I need to keep reminding myself - this is my hobby.... my FUN! It better stays that way!
So this is what I plan:
a winter dress for my little one
a top for my self
omne small baby item
two boleros for the girls.
I think this I can do...

Modkid Kyoko - good dress, bad picture

I started winter sewing... my girl will turn 7 in a month, and somehow it always rains on her birthday, and she always needs more then one dress - as there are several parties... of course. And of course her little sister will need a new dress too...

I thought to get a head start... I chose the Kyoko by Modkid.

The picture is pretty bad, I'll have better pictures in a month :-) but for now it'll do!



Looking back at Spetember, I had a lot done! some of which I didn't even post about...Now that the holidays are over, I'll probably have a lot less done.. too bad!

Still, I made some plans for October, trying to be realistic!
my plans are
1. one dress for each girl (probably Olivia by Farbenmix)
2. one item for myself - proabably a new top
3. one baby item for a pregnant friend
4. one charity item (more on that later...)
5. If I can make it - pants for myself ( I hate making pants... I keep pushing it... what can I say... kids' outfits are so much more fun!)