Floral Frenzy

Or as my daughter calls this skirt...Floral Brilliance. (??) I had this fabric in my stash knowing that it would become another McCalls 6706 skirt but felt that I had made so many of these that maybe I should give it a break. Then cue...  Project Sewn's next season and this week's Floral Frenzy challenge. Out came that fabric and this skirt materialized. I think I could almost make these in my sleep now!

I thought about linking up all the skirts from this pattern but there are too many and I'm just too lazy. This is the second post in one day...way too much typing, not enough sewing.

 I wore this with my new biker jacket today. I'm loving this jacket..

 For those of you looking for the details of this skirt....  

My review:

Pattern: McCalls 6706

Fabric Used: A good quality quilting cotton.

Instructions: Were easy to follow and worked out perfectly.

Changes I made: Pockets. I love pockets so I made a back seam and moved the zipper to the back and inserted pockets in the side seams. I also made the waistband a little wider.

Don't forget to head over to Project Sewn to vote for your favorite contestant and sewalong contestant!

Signature Style...What's Yours?

I couldn't put a name to mine but some outfits make me feel more like myself than others...this one just feels like me. From the skirt shape, to the graphic tee, to the leopard print clutch..... I like every piece, individually and together as a whole. So much so, that if I had actually finished this skirt on time I would have entered it in the Project Sewn's Signature Style sewalong. There were some great looks in that challenge!

 In case you are wondering what pattern this is...it's McCall's 6707. I won't go into a full review (because I have done that already here, here and here..oh and here) but I will share with you a few details of this make. 

First, the fabric...I found this beauty in the drapery department. I can't really explain why I am drawn to a fabric but I just get sucked in. Eeeeeverytime. Even when it doesn't necessarily don't fit into my wardrobe. I lined this one with a piece of shiny polyester something that I had in my stash. I obviously need to work on my fabric identification or at least take note when I buy it...  Oh no, not me...I'm practically dancing my way out the door with my precious new fabric dreaming only of what I will make. Never thinking about its content. NEVER. EVER. ever.

I decided to significantly increase the width of the waistband to accommodate the pattern of the fabric. I love the high waisted look! I made this one according to instructions by putting in a side zip and I added an inseam pocket on the right side.....you know how I love my pockets. If I can't have two, one will have to do.

Now let me share a little secret about this skirt pattern. It is great for any fabric that has a straight repeating pattern like this one and it also works great with horizontal stripes and border prints. I think I will try a border print this spring. 

Skirt:self-made T-shirt:Sunfrog shirts Shoes:Joe Fresh Clutch:Rickis

So there you have it....what I would call my signature style. Well, at least for the moment, cause you know it's always changing. That's the fun in dressing right? It's also the reason many of us sew. We can make whatever our imaginations dream up!

What kind of outfits make you feel most like yourself?

Copy Cat Challenge 2

I Heart Fabric and Peneloping are once again hosting a Copy Cat Challenge and I have been known to knock off someone else's creation before...so I thought I would have a go at it again.

My inspiration for this project was this ivory lace skirt that I found on pinterest. I adore this look!! It is so classic and elegant...I have been swooning over this for sooooooo long! I cannot find a source for this skirt after much searching so if anyone knows....let me know. Thanks.

I used my trusty McCalls 6706 pattern again. I have made this pattern one...two...three times already. I widened the waistband, as I always do, added pockets and lengthened it by a few inches. The lace is a soft polyester which had nice body to  it and I underlined it with a light cotton sateen. I didn't make it as long as thie inspiration skirt because let's face it...I'm not a six foot tall model!

I paired my skirt with an ivory sweater from Joe Fresh that I wore backwards...hehe, my Rouge snakeskin heels, pearls and this awesome gold Ann Taylor clutch that I recently thrifted. When I found this clutch I was both thrilled and a little disappointed. Thrilled because  still had the original tags on it and it was so shiny! I love myself some shiny! But also disappointed because the front of it was dented with the impression of the chain strap.(not shown) When items arrive at my local thrift store the come "bailed" like hay bails...only clothes and such..leaving the items quite crushed. Not good for a purse like this.
Let me share with you how I removed the dent...my blow dryer. I used my blow dryer on high heat to soften the vinyl while simultaneously pressing out the dent with a soft cloth and my fingers. It worked!!

I mentioned above that I had been a copy cat in my past life...well here's proof. This skirt is still a favorite of mine! I copied an Oscar de la Renta skirt and you can see the original posts here and here. It's a thrill to make something beautiful at a fraction of the price!

Picnic Skirt

I feel as though these pictures should be staged on a picnic blanket, with a beautiful wicker basket overflowing with yummy goodies and possibly the cutest puppy you have ever seen frolicking in the background... can you picture it? This skirt just gives me that feeling...ummm....probably because I once ate off  it when it used to be a tablecloth! True story!! A lapse in judgement on my part!!  I'm sitting there eating a lovely dinner with my family and I'm thinking...Why did I use this fabric for a tablecloth!?? These people are going to spill gravy all over it and it will be ruined!! As soon as dinner was over, I whipped it off the table and into the wash then hid it safely back in my stash! Whew! No stains!

I made this skirt from the McCalls 6706. I am loving this pattern so much! Again I moved the zipper from the side to the back and added pockets. You can see the previous skirts I made and my review, here and here. 

I paired my new skirt with a checked shirt and my Lia Sophia necklace. My best friend sells Lia Sophia and I wear this necklace a lot! I don't usually invest this much into a piece of costume jewelry but it was so worth it.

 I'm loving the pattern mixing of the floral and checks. I feel so girly and me in it. I am at a place in my life now that I truly want to wear what I like and what makes me feel confident. This outfit definitely put a little extra spring in my step today. 

I may not have had the picnic in the park today but I did have a great day with Husband walking around the Public Gardens and the waterfront. Our picnic just happened to be at a local pub where I had the best diet coke and sweet potato fries ever..minus the gravy!

Walking on Sunshine

With all the summer sunshine, staying inside sewing hasn't been happening as much as maybe I'd like but here in Canada we have to enjoy it while its here! I did however complete this unfinished project and I love it!

This skirt became an unfinished project when it was almost done and then I realized that I wanted pockets. Let's face it, I always want pockets. So instead of getting right at it and taking it apart, I tossed aside for awhile. It happens...right?

McCalls 6706

McCalls 6706

I used McCalls 6706, a now favorite pattern but it doesn't have pockets. sad face. I added a back seam so that the zipper could be moved from the side seam to the back, making it possible to put my beloved pockets in. The front and back pieces of this pattern are the same piece so I didn't cut the back piece on the fold and added 1/2 inch for seam allowance. Fairly easy. I'm not sure why I didn't tackle it sooner....

The fabric I used is actually a drapery fabric and it's very sheer, so I underlined it with a cotton sateen, treating them as one piece. I love the volume it created. I also made it longer then the pattern because I wanted the stripes to be balanced and I think it is a chic length. For these pics, I paired it with a simple grey tee to tone down the dressiness. This skirt may be a little over the top but I feel so great in it!

Skirt:self-made Tee:Joe Fresh Shoes:Walmart

MMM Day 17 Something A Little Different

McCalls 6706

This skirt is a great example of why I love to sew some of my own clothes...I'm not likely to see another like it and it's fun to wear something a little different. Two ladies ( french teachers ironically) complimented me this morning and it felt great, especially knowing that I made it. After they were out of earshot, Handsome asked my why I didn't tell them that I made it. I shrugged. I guess the self satisfaction is enough. What do you do in the same situation?

 I found this print in the drapery section and pounced upon it immediately!

 I knew exactly what I was making with it. No hesitation at all. I took what was left on the bolt and skipped off to the cash (literally skipped..Handsome was mildly embarrassed).  At the cash, the clerk asked me where I had found this fabric, puzzled by her question, I told her, and she proceeded to tell me about another lady who had tried to hide it so she could take time to decide whether or not she wanted it...oh. I felt bad... I'm okay now.

My review:

Pattern: McCalls 6067

Fabric Used: A "linen like" drapery, think burlap that softened nicely in the wash

Sizing: I cut it to my usual size and it was a tad big but I do tend to cut  patterns too big on a regular basis so don't go by me on this one. I have to remedy this.

Instructions: Were easy to follow and worked out perfectly.

If I could change anything: Pockets. I love pockets but with the side zip little more tricky and I wasn't in the mood to try and also a stiffer waistband fabric. I used a black linen I had but even with interfacing found it a bit too soft.

Repeat worthy? Yes. I already have a similar skirt I'm in the process of making using a self drafted pattern that I will now pick apart and rework with this one.

Skirt:self-made Tank:Joe Fresh Cardigan: J Crew(thrifted) Shoes:Franco Sarto Hat: Aldo

*UPDATE I have decided to lengthen this skirt...after seeing it in pictures, I think it would be better a bit longer. Tonight's project!