Butterick 5967 Misses'/Women's Flutter Sleeve Tops is loose-fitting, has upper princess seams, shaped, flared sleeves with narrow hem, button-down closure, v-neckline, gathered at waist and shaped lower edge.

Fabric: cotton floral Hawaiian print

                                                     Sizes: XS - 6X

Alterations:

Removed  1" from the center back neck to the hem
Removed  1 1/2 " from each side below the bust line to the hem
Shortened sleeve length 2"

I love the comfort and ease of wearing this top. It is considered an easy pattern. Keep in mind that the pattern has an abundance of fullness below the bustline.

Yes, Big 60th!!!!!

Yes, it's my big birthday and I'm excited to be here and able to stand. Plans for today may sound a little different for some, but today I'm scheduled for a hip MRI. After that, to lunch with friends.
This tunic, McCall's 6398 tunic view A is my gift to me just to make me feel special. It's going to be a Happy Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Sizes: 8-24

 Fabric: Black/Soft Red/Multi Floral Burnout Jersey Knit with Black Glitter Beads from Fabric Mart during the clearance for $3.50 per yard. I purchased 2 yards.

 Alterations: Overlapped the yoke front with front and the yoke back with the back to remove the seams. It was made with the front as one piece and the back as one piece. I read a review where this option was mentioned. It makes sense with this multi print fabric. I didn't do my usual sway back decrease of 1" from neck to waist.

I serged all of the pieces together including the sleeves. Then, serged all the edges. After that, I turned the serged edges under and topstitched. This was a very quick process. Another one has already been cut out and ready for the machine.

Also, I've thought of tracing this pattern, cutting at the waist and inserting enough length to drop the flaps to about 3" below the knee to get the flaps at midi length for a dress. Of course, some width may need to be added to the hip width.

Going for Pink

I picked up this peace of fabric at a thrift shop for less than $2 and decided to use it as a part of this month's collection. Well, this is not pink, but peach and it's added a flare to my wardrobe for this month of BC Awareness. The top has been worn with black slacks and a black jacket.

Pattern: Simplicity 8523 view A sleeveless top

 

The jacket has been worn with black slacks, black top, and the peach jacket.

Pattern: Simplicity 1699 Jacket

 

This will not happen again with this top. I had marked the length and cut into the fabric in the wrong area which led to a shorter length. I did consider adding to the length which would give the top some additional lines, but skipped on the idea. Don't you know I took the time to correctly adjust the pattern with the added the paper taped into position. This error also led to a shorter blouse than I had planned.

 

Hair: Two-strand twist out on shampooed and blow dried hair for date night at the college for jazz entertainment.

 

These buttons were thrifted for $0.20 the weekend before making the jacket. Once I started looking through my buttons for a match, I realized that they were perfect.

Peplum Top

 Simplicity 1699 includes the peplum top, dress, jacket and pants and I'm making each piece in this black scuba fabric from Fabric Mart.

 An invisible zipper with a hook and eye adorns the back of this top.

 Adjustment of one inch was made at the waistline which looks fine in the back but not the front so I'll not do the adjustment the next time I cut this pattern. I really like each item that's included with this pattern.

While on vacation I went into a store that had this top in the same fabric in blue, green and black. Guess what? I was able to get this same fabric from the same company on sale in purple. I ordered 6 yards.
In between my challenge sewing I'll post the other coordinates from this pattern.

Ruffled Front Shirt!

Butterick 5464 comes in sizes 6-20 and four styles. This is listed as an easy loose-fitting blouse, a front band with button closing, curved side bottoms, and sleeveless with collar band..The completed top is view B made in nylon poplin bright deep aquamarine, turquoise 61" wide purchased from Fabric Mart online store. The buttons and thread were purchased from JoAnn Fabrics.

Instead of using bias tap for the armholes, I cut facings using the armhole designs and added seam allowances. The first three pictures are the exact color of the fabric.

Two inches were added to the waist length to equal eighteen inches. Yes, this would be a dream of mine to be as tall as she is (a never in this lifetime dream.)

 

 This is a fun top to make and I think it is really cute. It was made for the same family member as the orange peplum top.

 

Serging on my new machine.

 

 

This is the results of my slip stitching on the inside of the front bands and the collar band.

 

 

Pant Suit!

Here is the completed pieces worn together. Simplicity 7159 is the peplum jacket with the shortened sleeves. The pant pattern is Simplicity 4366. The fabric is navy polyester/rayon/spandex. The fabric is really nice, but the spandex is running along the selvage. I'm thinking of reversing it so that the stretch will run across the hipline. This would be perfect for pants and dresses.

If you'll remember, I did a muslin for these pants and it fit perfectly. Now, this picture looks much better than the previous post. I don't know if it was the way she was standing or what happened. Well, I've been reading from  The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting  and on page 199 it shows a picture of the side seams being released (ripped out) at the hipline and adding the needed inches to the muslin/pattern. On the next pair I'll try adding this step. We are so far in travel distance that I mail her surprises.  

 

 

Last Week of "Mix it Up March"/Top Sew-A-Long

The challenge this week was to use a pattern from a company that one hasn't used before. Well, I don't know if I had ever heard of Step-by-Step pattern company, but found two patterns in a swap shop. The patterns do not include pattern guide sheets, but category cards that can be purchased at different online sites.

I choose to use a semi-sheer cotton batiste polka dot black and white fabric to make view B. I used the short sleeve version. It was easy to put together using a one-piece front and back, and two widths of platter collars used as one. I didn't make any adjustments as the completed measurements are printed on the blouse front pattern piece. Plans are to make another in a solid color. This is the only item in black/white that I've kept for myself to add to my spring collection. Teal is a color that I've seen paired with this black/white polka dot and I have a pair of teal pants awaiting in the closet.

 

The way the circles/dots are lined up is the way I wanted it to work with the addition of the buttons, but the only way I could have done that was to really plan it before cutting and use loops between the facing.

 The double collars make for an interesting look. I placed the button holes in the black spaces and got the buttons as close as I could in the black trying not to take away from the circles.

Another thought was to use white thread and center the button holes in each of the circles and use white buttons. Now this was after I had rested one night about the black buttons and after it was completed. You know how you continue to study the project using all of your after thoughts.

 

Black and White Paisley

McCall's 6076 is made in a cotton fabric that I fell in love with when I saw it on Fabric Mart. It wasn't purchased upon first look, but was drooled over for weeks as I usually do not purchase many cotton fabrics. I couldn't shake the urge and took the plunge and was so happy that I did.