Rayon Chemise to wear under Chiffon Dresses

 Simple Chemise Pattern made with drapey Rayon

Used large Flat Straps to hide Lingerie straps and extended length to go under ankle length long Chiffon Dress

Used Bias to finish edges of top of Chemise and made wide straps to cover under garment straps.

Attached rayon seam binding and hemmed bottom.

Copying Dresses That Fit

 Copying Something that Fits You

I use Create-A-Pattern Pellon type material that I buy from GStreetFabrics... 

lay dress on the create a pattern and cut out leaving a seam allowance.

WWW.Gstreetfabrics.com

I trace each piece with a 5/8 seam so I can alter if off a little.  I number the pieces as you would a bought pattern and write if the edge is on a fold and how many pieces I need and trace the Darts (important to add the Space you need for each dart or fold) I write dart or fold where needed and draw a line or dot.  Add extra for hem so you can adjust.  Take or draw a picture and put in the ziplock Gallon bag with the pattern for future use.

Original much loved dress worn through the threads of cotton.

 

Someone attempted to copy old dress, but did not make it the same and it was uncomfortable... changed to exact as original dress.

added buttons where missing

changed from buttonholes to loops like original

Newly copied dress back-like original

Pattern is ready for any additional dresses wanted

Then baste together.
Be sure to pre wash your fabric before cutting out and sewing so it doesnt shrink and change size after laundering.

Fitting and changing styles of Patterns

I don't like kimono sleeves.. so originally I overlaid the lace to look like set in sleeves.  But this did not help the cut.  I have rounded shoulders...really rounded.. so I like set in sleeves... I just tried this style because I liked the idea of piecing different textures.  Now... after improvising I once again am changing the style cut.

So after the darts from the set in sleeves and the darts to make the waist fitted at the peplum, I found I needed to do a full body dart up to the edge of the trim to take out the extra gapage...(word?) and in the back I did the same thing.  I am big accross the back and still with the change from the kimono sleeves to the set in sleeves I needed to take more in... so I did the same thing in the back doing a full length body dart in the back too.

Now, the 25 lbs I lost not only is obvious.. it is obviously not enough... so back to the powdered drinks for the next four days and heavy exercising.

Gotta get those old musics with the beats going...LOL

The next group of pics will be the forest green under dresses... and then the crazy shoes...

The pattern that has some set in sleeves is this one:

I took the sleeve pattern piece and overlaid the sleeve cap on the top of the coat dress already made... and cut the sleeve off close to the lace over lay.   This way I knew I could alter the sleeve that was already made and match the shoulder seam and the sleeve seam a the top.... I took in the bottom of the sleeve to match the pattern piece under seam... now to match it back up to the bodice..

Pattern piece I overlaid over the original kimono sleeves to get a set in sleeve..

Here is one sleeve altered and set back into the bodice.... but side darts to the bodice had to be added first to make the bodice work with set-in sleeves otherwise there was a bulk gap in the fitting.

Lace kind of hid this, but it only takes a pinch and stitch to make the bodice have two darts one up and one side and then the sleeves fit back in perfectly.... Whether my  big body will fit? I am very very shapely.... so I prefer baggy flowy things.... It is not that I am shy, but I find it unnecessary to show all my curves to feel pretty and feminine... I prefer the freeflowing fashion look.  But this is to show you different ideas you can do with bits and  pieces of things.

Here you can see where I just laid it on the top cut the sleeve off and added the dart on the side to fit the sleeve back in and make the bodice tailored.

*******  The bodice originally was just baggy... I have now put a dart in the bottom of the bodice to attach the skirt waistline to the bodice waistline.... so that is a pointing up dart made by trying it on and making it fit at the waist.   This causes some bulk gaping on the top of the bodice just under the sleeve... Now with the altering the sleeve to a set in sleeve I have added a side dart to the bodice ... This makes a fitted bodice...at the bustline

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The other thing that this does is pinch out the extra fabric to fit the new sizing of the set in sleeve as I put it back onto the coat dress top.

The peplum was just lace so it was very nice, but with the added buttons on the rest, I decided the peplum needed the pretty ribbon enhanced gold buttons, too.   SO you see I started out with 3 pieces of 2.97 fabrics... added some expenisve venetian lace trim and then went for the fancy buttons... but I love the look!!!

In case the peplum edges flipped up when I was walking, I backed the edges with interfacing on muslin with some 2.97 lace strips topstitched on... This gave stability for the buttonholes and buttons, but also was pretty if the underedge look.

So, this is just showing you how I make patterns different by cross blending pattern pieces... You can have many different dresses just by pulling pieces from one and putting them on another.  The other thing you can do is always mix textures as in this dress, or Color Block giving total different looks to simple styles...  Making Simple look Complicated, but it is only simple with different colored panels or cuffs collars or bias trims.

REMEMBER HAVE FUN WITH IT.... DON'T MAKE IT WORK....MAKE IT AN ADVENTURE!

 

Beach and Kayaking Wear

Getting Ready for my Annual Vacation Cottage Fun

This is stretch Matte Jersey from  Gstreetfabrics 

This jacket is a standby and my other typical jacket from chiffons are great bathing suit cover ups in a breeze.  

I wear this one with my Blue kayakin pants and black bathing suit.. and the pink Tank and jacket with my pink suit...

When I make these dresses for the beach-boardwalk, throw over your swimsuit and go out to dinner, sometimes you need a jacket.... Packing your beach wear, these jackets are the best... great for carrying out in the kayak in case it gets breezy ... 

On the Boardwalk you need to blow in the wind so you must carry some chiffon cover ups... to go with your outfits The above jacket shortened a little with pants or long for bathing suit coverup only... is great... This flowy jacket great for beach cover up... tie jacket for kayakin cover up

One of the above quick dresses that have no facings, just a front and back are my sew quick and put on dresses... with matte jersey they don't wrinkle, so great to throw in your beach totes, and add your flowy jackets for a night on the boardwalk, and you can just go straight from your kayak...LOL

If you want long loose capri pants these are good or my legging pattern capri is what I kayak in..with a tank that matches, throw in the back to put on when I am pulling the kayaks out of the water.

You can make these capri pants leggins from Spandex we have at 

Gstreetfabrics.com

This is my pattern with straight legs for work and capri length tight for over my suit, so these pants a tank and a tie jacket are my kayaking outfits and a flowy jacket and dress to throw on for a boardwalk walk over my suit.... packing packing, my summer fun!!!! Cottages here I come!

First you make your luggage and then you fill it!  This years luggage is Vinyl... So much fun!..Well the old kayaking tote must always come with the fabric I designed, I will use it always..Till it falls apart...I designed the outside fabrics from my kayaking trips and covered with the clear vinyl that we sell at Gstreet, the inside is a batik we sell and the trims and handles and inside pocket came from the leather bin... A Creation of Love

Water Bottle Pocket..

For different totes and how to make them try this blog of mine

https://www.sewtotes.com

So want to be happy like me?..Reserve your beach cottages a year ahead, make your totes, pack your totes with Tie Jackets/Tanks/Capri Sets...... Lots of Swimsuits... and Lots of Chiffon flowy jackets and long comfy dresses..... YOU have something to look forward to.... BEACH VACATIONS!!!..until you live on the water... BUCKET LIST

View from the Porch

And then just kayak on over to Assateague

Views from the porch and kayak

View in the morning

Kayaking right outside your door

A view to look forward to

My inflatable kayaks that fit in my hatchback
with my beachy luggage

Tops and Jackets Quick and Easy

Using this pattern collar and

I like the big collar on simplicity 8162, but the simple set in sleeve line of Kwik sew 4069

This cowl neck hangs just right and can make this really quick!

I made a couple of these before I went to work in the morning when I wanted something different to wear

Nothing Like the Feel of a Silk Blouse and the comfort of my matching Tubins

This shirt does not require stretch fabric, and is quick and easy, I did the neckline by turning under twice or putting a thin bias strip around the neck in these two different shirts above...

Made with 3/4 length sleeves and the yellow and

 gray made with long sleeves... quick pattern, just use front and back and turn under at neck or use a small rolled bias strip...These two blouses were silk so hmmmmmm so sweet to wear..

The Pants are the usual tubins with elastic waist... 10 minutes to cut/multiples and 10 minutes to sew each pair of pants... yes that is right, in an hour you can have 3 pairs of nice looking pants to wear to work, that are comfortable and professional looking...

The Jackets are the usual jackets adjusted to 6 inches shorter on the pattern for easy pants wear

These are the type of free flowing jackets I wear most days, and carry for swimsuit cover ups out of lacey fabrics

One of my favorite new outer coat patterns, below:

 

I first used this for a similar Jacket...

I decided later this wasn't good enough, so I got a small piece of fabulous fur and added it to this

After The Test Jacket, I Made this Little Over Jacket for a simple Dress and Used the Selvedge for Trim... and made a fringe at the bottom to match all of the leftover fabrics... but it was quick...

The selvages on this boucle type fabric had a line of metallic, so I couldn't throw the edge away.  I took it and used it as trim down the front and then made a fringe out of the fabric itself for the bottom... Such fun

This is one of my favorite quick dresses, but right now I am
making the Tank with capri length leggins and my bathing suits with a chiffon overlay for BEACH   yeh!!

Bathing suit one piece with chiffon wrap...Love this... using a bathing suit that I wear to adjust the pattern and I am thinking of trying a couple of beach hats for fun, vacation is coming up, so I am making my annual tote luggage to have room for my kayaks and beach toys... and loving the chiffons at work with the prints for wraps and jackets.

Pictures to follow....

One of this years sets will be red bathing suit. red capri, and red tank and printed chiffon of red and gold...
and perhaps a blue set of the same I like the print soo much..

With the new Gauze we got in I am going to make a Red Gauze Dress with the stripe in the middle to be the Yellow Gold Gauze to go with this set---I may not make it as Full... The stripe is the attraction and I don't want it to blow up in the air when I am on the boardwalk...LOL