The book club dress

In true 50's fashion, I was a member of a "book club" for several years with a group of my friends in Indianapolis.  I put book club in quotations because there was very little about that group that was related to reading books.  I like to imagine it was like the "bridge club" or "jr. league" from years ago, in that it was mostly bored housewives looking for a good excuse to have a night without our kids and with a few cocktails.  Over the years I became quite fond of my monthly "book club" meetings, so much so that I still made an effort to attend after moving to Chicago.  I'm slightly further away now, so this dress was technically to be my farewell-to-book-club dress.

I regularly attack calmly assess and acquire new patterns during the Joann's pattern sales.  You only make the mistake of paying full price for a pattern once before you would rather plot the schematics of a year's worth of $1 sales (using graphs and probability statistics) (or just the Joann's app that you regularly check) to stock up on all the patterns you want.  I keep a running list in my phone, and knock them out one by one.  I went with a great Retro Butterick 5748 from the early 60's that I had in my stash.

This is a fairly simple scoop neck tank with a circle skirt and side zip.  The bodice is lined, and has two variations.  I made the notched neck/back line with a bow.

 I suffer from a condition known as resting bitch face.  No, I'm not mad.  I also have a portion of my bra showing most of the time.  When you have giant boobs, you also have giant bras.  Sometimes they make an appearance.

I really, REALLY love this dress.  I like the way it shapes me.  I used a sort of eyelet-y looking fabric.  It was a navy cotton with little circular holes surrounded by what appeared to be embroidery, but I later surmised was some sort of raised applied material.  It felt like the non-skid stuff on the bottom of slipper socks or kid jammies.  I don't know what it is, but I liked the look of the fabric.  Because it was full of holes, I had to fully line the skirt in addition to the bodice.  Although I made two bows for the front and the back notch, I ended up just attaching the front bow.  

This pattern was a rather simple FBA, with both waist and side darts.  I really only had a little trouble with attaching the bodice lining at the end.  Because this was a circle skirt, there was very little room for easing the lining into place.  I machine stitched-in-the-ditch on the first pass, but about half the lining wasn't caught and was still flapping open.  I ended up hand-stitching the remainder of the lining down over the skirt seam.  I think if I make this again I will either interface the notched parts for reinforcement, or more likely, make the other bodice version of just a straight scoop-neck.  I will probably also raise the back neckline by an inch or so to ensure that it covers my bra hooks. And finally, I would choose a fabric with a little more give or add a little room in the waist.  You know how you look so great while standing, and then you sit and suddenly your waistline looks like the letter B?  Well, I'm not trying to teach my 2 y.o. his ABC's with my belly fat, so yeah, a little more room in the waist.

If you are on the fence about this pattern, I would say definitely make it.  I think the shape is pretty universally flattering, and its basic enough that you can make fitting adjustments easily.  And its perfect for pretending to be a bibliophile while bitching about your husband with a cocktail in your hand. (Just kidding, honey!  I've never spoken a foul word about you!) Happy sewing!

The Atlanta dress

Round about February of this year, we learned that the hubs' job would be moving to Atlanta, GA.  I'm sure many of you have been in the position to make decisions about following your or your partner's jobs all over creation... and we found ourselves having to do just that for the second time in 3 years.  We decided to stick with the bird in the hand, and despite my willful procrastination, we had to set up shop in a new region.  His company sent us to Georgia at the end of spring to get our affairs in order in preparation for a summer move.  Enter the Atlanta dress, which I made for all my very important meetings (at restaurants) (with my husband.)  Technically, this pattern was my first full bust adjustment, and first muslin (whaa?!?!)  I let the adjusted pattern lie in wait for a suitable fabric.  With the glowing recommendation of Gertie, nay, the whole internets, I went with Simplicity 2444 .

If it wasn't for Gertie's creations with this pattern, I don't know if I would have made this dress.  Sometimes its hard to imagine what a garment will look like in a fabric that is more suited to your tastes than what is on the envelope.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, the double angled waist darts on this dress made for a difficult fba.  Typically, you would have a straight dart or darts coming up from the waist, and those are easier to re-size at the end of an fba.  These bad boys are angled from the center and point toward the shoulder, and create a sort of X shape with the darts on the skirt.  Its no joke.  If you, like me, are looking for a method to adjust this, then I will again refer you to Professor Pincushions video tutorial.  This is an atypical adjustment, and her recommendations are really best only for this pattern, or a pattern similarly styled.  There is no slashing and spreading involved for this one, although I did do that for my version because I didn't see this tutorial until afterward.

This pattern uses facings... you know, those demonic fabric flaps from hell.  I don't do facings.  Luckily, the eyelet fabric I chose required a full lining anyways.  In addition to fully lining this dress, I also chose to pipe the arm, neck, and waistline in a white cording.   I rather like the bright green against the crisp white.  If you are new to sewing and aren't sure how to line a dress that doesn't have linings in the instructions, its pretty simple.  If you are an intermediate beginner, you have probably lined something, and are aware of the process.  The most simplistic version of instruction is that you you cut your bodice and skirt out of 2 different fabrics (one outer fabric-the green eyelet here, and one lining fabric-the white here) and sew the bodice right sides together and flip.  If you want a tutorial on this, I suggest Angela Kane's video tutorial. She goes through the steps of an entire lined dress, start to finish, but you can select the pertinent sections.  I also love a dress with pockets, and this dress has nice big pockets sewn into the lining.

Overall I would call this dress successful.  The pattern offers many choices in terms of sleeves and collars, and I would really like to make a 3/4 or long sleeved version.  The beauty of adjusting patterns to fit your body (rather than lamenting your body for not fitting industry-standards) is that you have the basis to create entire tailored wardrobes that fit YOU!  That's a nice thought for Boobs Mcgee over here.  I spent a lifetime feeling like something was wrong with me, but it turned out I just needed to learn how to sew!  I wear the Atlanta dress all the time.  I love it!

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Back in the saddle

There have been so many changes in my life since my last post.  My family has moved from our long-suffered Indiana home to the western suburbs of Chicago, and then again to the northern suburbs of Atlanta.  I had another baby (a boy who is nearly 3... not so much a baby anymore.) And in that mayhem, I wasn't in any position to create much of anything (aside from the errant drop-in studio drawing class-- so I have some charcoal drawings of random naked strangers to show for my absence.) I had tucked my machine away in our tiny Chicago apartment until Easter rolled around this year. My daughter asked if I could make her dress, and I obliged.   

We had a bit of a turquoise theme.  Even my husband reluctantly participated, though I won't post pictures of him for his benefit.  I did not approve the shoe choice... but evidently when kids turn 9,  I no longer have any say in shoe choices.

It was very nice to be back at my machine, and in addition to whetting my appetite for sewing again, this project highlighted my self-taught, rookie habits.  I began studying my nicer professional clothes... how the seams were finished, subtle cutting techniques, shaping methods, etc.  I felt like I had a lot to learn, and was suddenly so dissatisfied with the quality of my me-makes.  I took to the Internet (glorious Internet!) and I DISSECTED every you-tube, blog, online (free) class I could digest.  Can you imagine what people must have had to do before the freaking Internet?  I can't believe all the information I could find at my actual fingertips.  Before long, I was fully immersed in a sewing education that 8th grade home ec simply could not offer.

If you are a home sewist, you probably already know about full-bust adjustments.  You know what?  With the ample bosom I have been cursed blessed with, there is no legitimate reason I shouldn't have known about them.  My novice dress-making skills included cutting the pattern in and out of the graded sizes, but that doesn't work for more tailored or shaped garments.  Enter the full-bust adjustment (FBA.)  I don't need to explain FBA's to the Internet for the eleventy-billionth time.  If you are looking for a good tutorial, there are a couple.  Check Christine Haynes for a good FBA with photos, or another static (excellent) tutorial is here at sewyourboat.  Professor Pincushion's video tutorial is a very thorough set of instructions for a specific pattern (Simplicity 2444), or similar patterns.  I'll be blogging about that in the future, but be assured that an angled double waist dart is no easy FBA.

So, armed with my new-found knowledge and a great deal of zeal, I attempted my first fitted dress.  I worked with Simplicity 1419, a Lisette pattern.  I made the sleeveless dress with a peter pan collar.

 

 It is an adorable pattern, and I love the result.

 

There is no explanation for the bicycle print.  My tiny Chicago apartment had zero open spaces, so I just moved my dining room table and shot the pic there.  I feel like I fabricated some kind of hipster scene.  I don't even own a bike.

I chose a black-on-white polka dot stretch cotton poplin.  I love stretch cotton poplin.  It washes well, and holds its shape. I had to do a monster fba.  You can see the enormity of the darts in the second photo.  I'm alright with that... 

This could still use a few adjustments.  For instance, there is some excess fabric at the upper bust.  The collar is a little high, and can be uncomfortable (read: if I bend over, I'm choking.)  I would definitely correct that bit in any future iterations. I also had to tack the collar down inconspicuously because I chose a rather heavy bottom weight from my stash, and the peter pan nomenclature became very apropos.  All in all, though, I would rate this dress a success because A. I wear it and B. it fits for real.  Woot!

You probably don't know me, but if you did you would be surprised at my new-found interest in wearing dresses at all.  I just became some kind of girl-acting woman.  To further illustrate that, and to punctuate this post, I leave you with the coordinating nail art I painted when I first wore this dress.

Au revoir!

Hip kids

So, I've just been racking my brain trying to figure out something new to feature at the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange. I have long believed that people really like to play dress-up with their kids... and now as a mother myself, I can confirm this with some certainty. I'm sure at some point in my youth I was hip and edgy, but whatever ounce of cool I formerly possessed has been transferred to my children. Now I wear stretchy pants and flip-flops... *sigh* I like to think that I haven't lost my eye for design and innovation, however, and so I've been working on a new line of girls dresses and matching belt bags. For mothers of boys (I have one of those too) I have a few more masculine belt bags.

A simple linen A-line, with a sweet mod design.

The belt bags are canvas, with a one-size-fits-most double ring adjustment.

Each bag is lined with a coordinating fabric... they can be purchased separately or with the dress for a package price.

There are 4 dresses in toddler sizes 2-5.

I love these sweet dresses for summer, and my little model didn't want to take it off! I'm happy to accept custom orders starting June 13. You can contact me via blog comments, my facebook fan page, or email mothertuckersews@yahoo.com. Of course, if you find you love one of these dresses pictured, please visit me at the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange! If you mention my blog, get 10% off anything I have available at the booth. That day downtown Indianapolis will also feature PBS kids in the park and Talbott Street Art Fair... make a day of it! I hope to see you there!

Surprises around every corner...

(I wrote this 3 weeks ago, but forgot to publish!)

What a week!

I spent most of my time this week planning and preparing for a surprise party for a dear friend... and when the week began I thought party-planning would be my primary focus. The first surprise of the week, however, was that I was accepted as a vendor into the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange! If you are unfamiliar, the IHE is a craft fair in the spirit of the Renegade Craft Fairs held nationwide. It's the perfect marriage of traditional techniques with contemporary themes. I'm SO excited to be invited to participate, and the opportunity immediately got my creative juices flowing. I think I will be featuring belt bags for children, and maybe some matching outfits, in addition to my regular wares. I will, of course, post photos as soon as I get a set completed.

This past Friday I participated in a fundraiser for the March of Dimes at St. Vincent's Hospital. Given the unsuccessful outcomes of 2 out of 3 craft fairs this year, I didn't have very high expectations, although I certainly had high hopes. It turned out to be a successful venture after all, and I met very interesting people. Not to mention the fact that I got to contribute a donation, albeit a small one, to the March of Dimes March for Babies. It was a pleasant surprise.

Finally, this morning I awoke to my husband making coffee and the paper splayed out all over the table. Atop this heap was the entertainment section, opened to the style page, and in it was a little write-up on my belt bags! It was so cool to see something I made get recognized. Although it wasn't a surprise that I would be in the paper this Sunday, it was truly surprising to see it in black and white. This week had much more in store for me than I was prepared for, and I am now prepared to receive whatever's next!

The lights at the end of tunnels...

Well, I had a much more fantastic craft fair experience this past weekend! In my humble yet naive opinion, Handmade Promenade was a delightful success! Record Store Day at Luna Music in Broadripple provided the perfect backdrop for the edgy and diverse talent presented at this renegade craft fair. I felt honored to be there, and I enjoyed great sales and live, local music all day. The wind was blowing, the sun was shining, and people really came out!

It felt great to have interest in my work again, and it was right on time after having a slow couple of months. I never really consider myself trendy, I'm more of a creative-type, so after emerging from my creative cocoon it's always nice to have some positive feedback. While watching strangers peruse my booth, I am often reminded of the first time I cooked for my husband... he is a man of few words and fewer obvious emotions. After eating for several minutes he said "No one has ever made anything like this for me. This is awesome." SCORE! The anticipation was awful, but the result was well worth it.

I presented a new item this time around, and I got great feedback from it. The belt bag/hip bag made a great debut! I thought of it as a result of participating in craft shows... it's always such a pain to have to keep track of your purse and money while in such an open and busy public space. It is also difficult to have several hundred things draped from your shoulder when going anywhere with your children... and for baby-wearing fans, a shoulder purse just complicates the whole scenario of wearing your child around and constantly smacking them with your bags. So, the belt bag was born!

They're made of vinyl and cotton with aluminum rings, thereby making them completely vegan. I try to find remnants and upcycle things I find in the thrift store to make these... I also try to avoid calling them fanny packs. But to be honest, the function behind a fanny pack cannot be denied... it was just the aesthetic that needed work. This particular one was purchased by Jenny Elig, the style columnist at the Indy Star. She wanted to show them in her column! Wow! Look for links and bragging later...

So, I've decided that I need time to stock my goods. I'm taking the summer off from craft fairs. I plan to spend the next 6 months sewing fleece sets for children, innovating other accessories to be ready for winter, and delving into the world of Etsy. I'll return to the craft circuit in the fall, just in time for holiday bazaars and cold weather. Here's a sampling of the kids sets I made last winter:

I might actually have time to do some personal sewing as well... which would be great for me and my daughter's wardrobe! Mother Tucker will be sewing indeed...