two sewn things and blogging pressures.

I lost my sewing mojo for a few weeks! And maybe my blogging mojo a bit too, if I'm being honest. I think the blogging world has changed drastically over the past year or two and I'm not gonna lie, I don't love what it's become. I open my feed on Bloglovin' and out of all the sewing blogs I follow, probably half of them are doing the same thing all the time--reviewing the same $25 indie pattern that they incidentally received for free, participating in a blog tour from another indie pattern company, sewing up the such-and-such dress for such-and-such blogger's link-up or the such-and-such sewing network (ahem, Vogue), or whatever. Blah. No offense ... I think it's boring. Even things like Project Sewn, which could be so fun, choose the same bloggers that get chosen for everything else. Why is that? I don't get it. Can we see some skills and ideas from lesser known sewists for a change ?? Do the prettiest blogs always have to win or can those who don't own their domain names join in the fun too? (I am not talking about wanting to be invited myself, I do not sew well under pressure, ha!)

I miss the sewing bloggers that sew from the big four pattern companies that we can all afford, post their free amateur tutorials for us all to enjoy and that include snippets of their real lives too. Those are the blogs I'm having a hard time finding! Are we getting fewer and farther between or am I just not looking in the right places? Are the bloggers with more modest followings and few comments per post getting discouraged because they don't have the time or money or desire to keep up with the changing blogiverse? (I made that word up ;)

At any rate, I'd like some ideas for blogs to follow that fit these criteria! Leave your favorite, but relatively unknown family life or crafting or sewing blogs in the comments so I can check them out!

Moving on :)

I have two things to show you. The pictures are not stellar. I haven't found my favorite photo spot at my new house yet. I miss my brick wall from two houses ago! That spot was so perfect.

The first is a dress I made for July 4th that I really love. I had a gingham from the thrift store that I decided to make a sun dress out of:

 I used the bodice from the Cynthia Rowley pattern, Simplicity 1688, but wanted a more casual skirt so the skirt is Simplicity 2588, a tried and true pattern for me. I like that it's pleated instead of gathered, which gives it a more mature, less sweet look. And I moved the zipper from the side to the center back.

I accidentally made my straps too short! So I got creative and made fabric loops and sewed buttons on to extend them in the back. I used a pop of green thread to sew the buttons on and that is now my favorite part of the dress! A happy accident.

Before that, though, I was making some old things new and made New Look 6285 from the skirt part of an Ann Taylor outlet dress that didn't look very good on me.

 I actually think these photos look alright, maybe I've found my new spot after all! This is my lanai off our master bedroom. You should see the view at sunset!

I bought this pattern because I love how you can mix and match snippets of fabrics, like with this lace and this knit. I wouldn't have had enough fabric for the whole top without the lace inset so this pattern was perfect. It's definitely a looser fit than on the pattern envelope, though, so keep that in mind if you make it. I prefer a loose top in this climate!

In other news, I have found my new fabric store!!!! It is so cool. It's literally an open warehouse in an alley, piled from floor to ceiling with awesome fabrics. If you follow me on Instagram (my user name is nikkischreiner), then you may have seen my posts about that and about the humpback whale print I am making a button down shirt out of! I had to order buttons so I'm waiting on those, but I cannot wait to show you that because it is awesoooome!!!

Cheers! And don't forget to link me to your fave blogs! Or YOUR blog, for that matter! Or your Instagram page, I really love Instagram, I'd love to follow more sewers and blog buddies :)

Winding

Well, as time before our move winds down, our school year is winding up! I've spent this week planning our next few weeks of school before we have to pack it up and move across the country a bit over a month from now. I've had a few people tell me I'm crazy for trying to school through a move, but Summer, after July, finds my kiddos a little lazy--too much TV is being watched, not enough chores are being done and we all are starting to itch for a little routine. So we're jumping in.

I have started to wind down my Summer sewing also. I have two more pieces I'd like to sew up before packing up. I cut one out yesterday, maybe I'll get it done by this weekend. I managed a breezy rayon dress last week. I wore it to church Sunday and really liked it:

 This picture is not great. I need to teach Natalie to focus on the person, not on the brick wall ;)

 It's McCall's 6678. I liked the modified shirt dress look with a drawstring waist. And I love a shirttail hem.

I used peachy orange buttons, which I think are perfect!! I made a couple changes. I shortened the hem by two inches in front and one inch in the sides and back. It was a frumpy length before and I like things to hit above my knee, not below. Also, the sleeves were a little ridiculous.  They are large and they stuck straight out. I tried it on and just manipulated a pleat into each sleeve and then took it off and attached the pleats with buttons. After those changes, I'm pretty happy with it, but in the future will stick to my new favorite modified shirt dress pattern, Vogue 8810, which does not require a cami underneath like this one does because of the massive arm holes. 

I'm pretty excited about our school year, as broken up as it's going to be with two moves in the next 8 months. I'd love to come back in the next few days and show you which materials I'll be using! This will be our best year yet :)

Summer to Fall to Winter

I love turning my sewn Summer garments into outfits that work for Fall and Winter. The key is just to add layers. I may actually love certain pieces more when I discover I can switch them around and get more mileage out of them! Here are a few ways I've done this recently.

I made this Vogue dress last Spring. I liked it a lot when standing, but that interesting skirt yolk was not flattering at all when I sat down. Having had three babies, I do not need clothes that emphasize my lower belly, if ya know what I mean. (For the record, I do not do Spanx. In my opinion, if it's too tight to wear without suck-in-all-in undies, it's just too tight). Thus, I never wore it. UNTIL... I pulled it out and thought about what I could do to make it wearable because I really love the rayon knit and the print. I simply cut that lower yolk off and sewed the skirt back on. And loved it :) By that time, though, it was already Fall and too chilly to wear it as is. So last week, I grabbed a blue wrap cardigan I recently finished (never blogged, but it's the same pattern as this pink one I made) and layered the two.

 The following week, I grabbed a simple blue rayon sundress (also never blogged, whoops) that I made at the end of Summer. I layered it with a white sweater and tights and boots cause it was really snowy and cold on Sunday. Then, after church, I ditched the tights and put skinny jeans under it instead. I was really comfy all day.

I'm inspired to find more ways to stretch my wardrobe! I find that cardigans are invaluable for this concept, which is why I've made a few this season and just bought two yesterday at Target, because they're on sale for $15 this week, FYI! I got a gray one and a cute polka-dot green one. How do you adapt your handmade things?

I dunno

I bought Vogue 1315 right after the new Fall line came out and they went on sale at JoAnn's. Then I started keeping my eyes peeled for a good knit to make it up in! Last weekend when the clearance fabrics at JoAnn's went and extra 1/2 off, I took a quick look and found a Project Runway rayon knit, which I got for only $3.50 a yard (normally $12.99)! I snatched it up, even though I knew there wasn't quite as much as the pattern envelope suggested. I shortened the sleeves out of necessity because of my fabric shortage and here's how it turned out:

I was pretty excited about it while making it, but in the end, I'm just not sure it's me. It's an edgier look than my usual vintage, softer style, but that's not really the problem. I don't know that it flatters me very well. It's a little too blousey up top. I like it styled with the belt and boots, but I wish it were a more versatile piece, I guess. If I made it again, I would take in the side/underarm seam in a little so it fit closer on top. It will definitely get worn, but maybe not as often as I wanted, since I have to belt it.

What do you think? I'd appreciate some honest opinions!

summer skirts

Skirts and Summer go together like P.B & J. if you ask me! If you're not into tube tops and Daisy Dukes, skirts are simply the best way to keep cool, am I right?? Especially in light, swingy fabrics like rayon, of which I had a few chunks set aside just for this purpose!

I had bought New Look 6129 a couple months ago because it's a long, basic skirt and I needed a pattern for one like this. Now that I've made it, I know I've found a pattern I'll use over and over again.

I love it in this classy floral rayon from Denver Fabrics! The side slit makes it extra cool on hot days. The fit is perfect, the waist isn't super high (like other similar patterns) and the pockets are awesome. I will absolutely be making this again, short, long and medium lengths. I like it that much :)

This next skirt was a happy accident. I had bought a rayon lawn that was an interesting border print, planning to use it for a Vogue dress pattern. With the border, though, I just couldn't make all the pieces fit. So, I cut out this pattern instead. I made view A with the tiny ruffle around the collar ... and hated it. The bodice was awful, it was kinda big, didn't lay right and was just way too "sweet" looking for me this season. My style has long been evolving away from the juvenile sweet look. Even things I made and liked last Summer in the sweeter styles are just no longer doing it for me. 

But, I really liked the main part of this print and you just cannot beat the flowiness of a rayon lawn! So I hacked the bodice off and turned it into a simple flowy skirt. I'll admit, I usually cannot pull of the full skirt look, but paired with this fitted Newport News blouse from my thrift store, it really works! I feel classy, cool and pretty in this outfit and I'm glad I could salvage the fabric! Actually, another favorite Summer skirt of mine, a long one, also morphed out of a dressmaking disaster. I'll have to take a pic of that next time I wear it. 

Now, I just have to share this. Am I the only one who despises all the polyester, rubber-band-around-the-waist, never-the-right-length slips, especially in the heat of Summer?? Really, who wants to put on a nice cool sundress or swingy skirt and then have to put a layer of sweaty polyester under it?? I had some white rayon jersey sitting around, just waiting to be turned into a solution for this. I went to Hobby Lobby for some white Fold over elastic (also known as FOE) and traced a well-fitting slip to make this:

It fits, it sits on my hips instead of squeezing my waist like a vice, it stays put and man, is it so much more comfortable to wear than all my other slips!! I was concerned since it's jersey that it would cling funny to my skirts or be staticky, but I had no problems with that at all. It was 106 degrees when I went downtown for a luncheon yesterday and I never had to think about my slip at all. Ain't that a first! I added some pretty lace to the bottom just because :) I plan to make more cool slips like this in several lengths and maybe some little tap pants to serve the same purpose too. Soooooo glad I finally did this!

In other news, I'm sure you've heard about Colorado and our crazy wildfires. Never do I remember so much fire in our beautiful state. The fires are still raging and in a big city like Colorado Springs, it is especially scary and sad. Please pray for Colorado and those that have been ousted from or already lost their homes! Also pray for those who begin to question the Lord's providence at times like these--God is always, only good, even in the midst of devastation.

formal gowns? anyone?

I decided a few months ago, I am going to attempt sewing my military ball gown this year. The ball is every November and last year, it was difficult to find many choices at that time of year. I got a great black dress that fit really well, but this year I want to make something fabulous instead! I've been perusing patterns online for months now and have determined that it's the fabric choice that matters maybe more than the pattern.

This one is a major contender:

I like the white version, the one on the model, but what is the trim on there?? I know this is a style that I could easily pull off and would be comfortable sitting for several hours (because that's what you do at these things. How they're allowed to call them "balls", I will never know!)

Slightly more risky, but another that I'm seriously considering is this one:

I say more risky, because I really don't know how this style will look on me, with the gathering at the side. I really like the view on the top left. Come to think of it, actually, it's possible my gown from last year had those side gathers. Hmmm, I'll have to go check it out.

Okay, until a few days ago, I was almost sure I was going this route:

Obviously, this is not a formal gown, but I would adapt it to be floor length (I noticed short is a kind of unspoken no-no for this event) and in a formal fabric, I think it would work and could be really great. The little satin belt makes me happy and I know this would flatter me just fine. I went ahead and picked up this pattern last week when Vogue went on sale for 3.99.

BUT, a few nights ago, while watching How I Met Your Mother, with Casey, I shouted "Oh, my goodness, Casey, look what Robin's wearing!" He had no idea what I was going on about, but check this out!

This is the dress! However, I am not lovin' the fit of the bodice here at all--look how it's pulling at the waist and it's also way too low cut for me to feel comfortable. Not at all how it looks on the pattern envelope. So, now I'm having second thoughts. I do already have the pattern and I'm sure I can dig up some fabric to make a muslin, so I might as well just see.

I'm rather surprised that I can't seem to find many photos or reviews of formal gown patterns. I guess I'll be pioneering :)

In any case, what would YOU do????

In with the new!

Ahhhh, we got new windows in our house this week! I am SO happy, because after a week of frigid temperatures, I was freezing!! They are so beautiful, totally worth it. Kelby watched the whole process, continually asking the guys what they were doing.

Other than that, I haven't been up to much this week. So, I'll just point you in the direction of some things on the world wide web that I've enjoyed recently :)

1. My sister has been posting a series called Nitty Gritty Homeschool Tips. You can find them here. They have been so encouraging to me this past week, as I have a reluctant learner on my hands ;)
2. Then her husband, my brother-in-law, a pastor, posted some wise words for parents on his blog here.
3. There's a new series on TV called Cape. Casey and I watched the first two episodes on Hulu. Pretty good! We also like No Ordinary Family. Superheroes must be in vogue right now. Whatever, better than vampires, am I right?? 
4. I'm going to be painting the girls' room this weekend (pink, of course). I found this pattern while browsing the McCall's catalog online, bought it when it was on sale at JoAnn and am going to make one. I got some like-new sheets, some curtain panels and a vintage pink table cloth at the thrift store, so hopefully I'll have enough fabric. (It takes a TON!)    

                                                                                                  

     5. My Aunt led me to this fabric line this week. She wants the apples for her kitchen. Cute, right?

While I was looking, I spotted this one. It may turn into the inspiration for my sewing/guest room!

That's all, folks!