Just Make It June – Butterick 4238 Finished!

Hi Friends!

I decided to stay home this morning, not going to our town’s annual 4th of July parade, and work on this Butterick 4238.

Hmmm, choices, choices!  Sit outside in 95 degree weather watching everyone in town or stay home in the cool air conditioning sewing a new top?

Oh I forgot!  The parade is televised (although delayed)…my choice is clear!  I’m staying home!

So just a few hours was all it took to finish this up and get the pictures taken for you all to see…

Front.. I made the short sleeve version in a size 22.  I’m using a light blue and white cotton seersucker and the only alterations I made were to add 2 inches around the bicep (slash and spread) and I tack-sewed in place where the wrap over makes the v-neck (to keep the fabric close to the body when bending over…keeps me from flashing the neighbors if you know what I mean!).

Once I had the sleeves in I chose to roll up (twice) the sleeves so they hit mid arm as opposed to just above the elbow.  For some reason I thought this looked more pleasing on me.

The Back…

The Back is very boxy.  The pattern piece does not have any darts or shaping whatsoever so I guess it looks exactly as it was intended.  I think next time I’ll add a center back seam and put in a little shaping, especially at the waist, just to curve it in a little to the body.

Side… 

The shape is very boxy, no?

I thought the bust dart was a little high, so I would most likely lower it (sigh…saga of the sagging bosom, is there any hope for us?).  Overall this top is really quite comfortable and even though I made a size 22 the shoulders weren’t too big for me.

Yes, I have very wide shoulders and a broad back.

You know, I’ve been using my new point and shoot camera for these photos and I’m not very happy with the vibrancy and clarity I’m getting.  I know I can get some really great pictures from it but I just can’t seam to get the right settings I need…so appologies all around for these not so great photos.  I’ll break out the big black monster camera next time!

So what’s next?

I would like to make one or two more summer tops but I’m looking on the calendar and we’ve got a Jimmy Buffett Party to go to in a few weeks and I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!!!  Oh my gosh!  I need to make a muumuu or something!

Have a great weekend everyone!  I’m off to search for something muumuuey!

~Cathy

Simplicity 2254 View A – Finished!

Hey Everyone!

The Simplicity 2254 is finished!  Boy does that feel good to get something sewn that I can wear!

Front View… Back View… Side View…

I still need to write up a review of the pattern for patternreview.com.  I’m sure there’s someone out there that might appreciate how easy this was to put together.

Anyhoo…now I’m ready to tackle some of the other patterns in the waiting list.  Plus, there’s still a pile of summery fabrics that need to be turned into fun summer tops!

Talk soon and have a great Monday!

~Cathy

I’m With Neverseconds…Gosh I Hate Censorship!

Hi Everyone!  Me Again,

I don’t know if you follow blogs other than sewing but I just wanted to share with you www.neverseconds.blogspot.com  which is written by a 9 year old girl from Scotland about her school lunches.

I found out about it a few weeks ago (it’s only been live for a few months) and if you haven’t been following what has been happening in the last week you are missing a drama unfolding that could rival any here in the States.

I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone put the kabash on the public display of her lunches!!!  So…Hollywood just can’t write this stuff so please do go over to her blog and just be ready for a sweet, sweet trip!

And since I’m thinking about lunches…well, this was actually desert but it came out today for a lunchtime treat too!

Here’s what I had for a snack today at lunchtime…Homemade Rhubarb (from the garden) Strawberry and Mango Crisp!!! YUM!!!!

~Cathy

Simplicity 2254 – Half Way There!

Hi Friends!

I made some great progress on my top this week, surprisingly!  I sewed just a little bit each morning and before I knew it this top is just about finished!

All that is left is to top-stitch the sleeves, attach the lower bodice, hem and insert some elastic that goes in the back…and sew on some buttons to the front.  Here’s a close-up of the decorative top-stitching.  I tried just winging it by using my quilting foot #37 to measure out the 1/4” width between each row of stitching.  It isn’t totally noticeable that it’s not exact but I think if I were to do this again I might place a few dots or guidelines periodically around the neckline just to make sure I was on track.  I was easy to do though!  And so far this pattern has been very easy to make, even though this morning I accidentally sewed the side seams wrong (don’t ask, still don’t know how I managed to do that!) but I had a moment of panic because I couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t go over my shoulders and head!  (I had sewed the two side fronts to each other and the two side backs to each other!) It was early this morning and I may not have been entirely awake!

Oh well, we all make mistakes and I just laughed and re-sewed the sides correctly, phew!!!!

I’m hoping to have this finished tomorrow!

Stay tuned!

~Cathy

Just Make It June – Starting With Simplicity 2254

I pulled out my fabrics yesterday and sorted through what I thought were Spring/Summer choices and laid them all out for me to take a look at. 

Then looking through my patterns I chose  Simplicity pattern 2254 and a green woven cotton fabric from the stash to use as the trial sample.  There was just enough (2 yards) of the fabric to cut out View A, so for lack of fabric, A it is!!! I decided to cut out size XL, even though the pattern envelope says it is like a size 22-24 (good lord!!) but after comparing my new SLOPER FRONT and BACK pattern pieces I could tell there’s not going to be much room for error if I’d cut out a large.  I’m going to error on too big this time than too small!!!

I’ve planned an hour in the morning before work this week as time set aside to work on this…

Stay tuned!

~Cathy

Saga of a Torn ACL – 1 Year Post Injury

Hi Friends,

As you can tell from the past few entries I have done zero, zip, nada sewing for at least a few months.  I am in desperate need of some summer tops so there is hope that one or two items actually might get constructed this month…

But anyways…I wanted to put up a post to follow up on the progress of my knee.  It is one year to the day since this injury happened and I’m glad to report that progress is still being made. 

The most significant thing for me is that I can grab my foot and stretch the quads and the knee.  I am trying to work on this as often as I can because I still cannot kneel on the floor without terrible pain.  I may never be able to  but I’m told it could take years.  Who knows?  I keep working at it.

Another milestone I was able to do this past weekend was a full rotation on the bicycle while standing on the pedals.  We take that one for granted right?  I mean, how else do you get up a hill?  It hurt quite terribly to do it but I did it!  Progress and I’m actually quite excited about it.  It means my right hip isn’t going to need a week to rest after a bike ride!  (due to over compensating for the weakness of the left leg)

As far as running.  I can do more and more straight line jogging, which is getting better.  I actually chased down Holly before she went into the street, nearly getting run over!  I was surprised at my quick reaction.  I’m happy with that because that means when we get a new puppy I’ll be up to the task of chasing after it!

So that’s about it I guess.  The only thing that I think about anymore is if I had to do the surgery all over again I ask myself if I would do the patellar tendon again.  For me, since I have so much trouble kneeling I’m not so sure I would…

Have a great day everyone!

~Cathy

If you get stuck…

Oops.

This was outside my place of employment last week.  The city is replacing the water main and will eventually be replacing the street.  Unfortunately, we still have to work and businesses still have to stay in business.  We all felt a little sorry for this poor truck driver as I’m sure he had no idea he’d be falling into ‘quick sand’ where the construction crew had dug up an area and back filled it with sand.

We kept wondering how the heck he was going to get out!

Then the big Back Hoe showed up and pulled backwards on his tail gate frame and he popped right out.  I was impressed.  I had no idea those Back Hoe vehicles were so powerful, but I guess that would make sense right?

So what is the lesson here?

If you get stuck, make sure someone’s got your back!

~Cathy