Loving owls top - Burda 04/2014 #122

   I had this top pattern traced for a few months now but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Not the best timing to do it now when the weather here just got cold and rainy. But I had trouble finding time and energy to sew lately so going for a pattern already traced seemed like a good idea.

   It is hard to see the pattern lines with all this colorful owls around so here is a look at the pattern:

   I like how the top turned out in the end. Is a bit lose on the shoulders. And I think I will add elastic to the sleeve hem after all. 

 
 But what I am proud the most is the inside. I added facing to the neck line and used bias bindings on all seams.

Nautical prints top - Vogue 1275

I did another try for Vogue 1275 and I think this version is slightly better. The fabric ( the same from the sailor dress ) is softer and I think it stretches and drapes better. Once again I did a continuous binding at the neck line  and I cut the front panel seams and did the gatherings a second time. I start to find it important to keep all the extra fabric around the bust and not close to my belly.

Early fall in shades of green - Vogue 1275

I have been very busy lately at work and with my son so sewing didn't got much time from me. In the meantime the fall have hit us and I have to take my projects in the new directions. I had a lot of flipping around patterns thinking what to do next. I settled  for Vogue 1275 and I was aiming of the tops for the fall to add to my wardrobe.

I am not 100% sure what I did wrong ( maybe the fabric, maybe the fit, maybe just poor sewing skills ) but it didn't turned out as great as in my imaginations. I feel like the gatherings in the front panel pop a little to much at the bust area and shape of the neck line is not my favorite. I tried to change it a little and I used binding all around it but is not how I wanted it. Also the fabric is not very stretchy and because of the that the sleeve is a bit to tight.

In the end is not really that bad and I will still wear it but probably not that much since I am not in love with the result. And that is a shape because I really liked this knit with this wonderful shades of green and a silky look ( the fabric looks a lot better in reality then the photos ).

I used this fabric for a gift project earlier this year and I am happy to have a little more room in my fabric stash closet even if not much.

Sailor dress - Vogue 8649

   This is the 6th project from the Vogue 8649 collection and by far my favorite. Nautical inspired garments are one of my favorites and this fabric print was so perfect. It was a beautiful cotton knit in white, navy and read. Half of the fabric had circles print and a wide border of stripes on both sides. I really loved how the ruffles shaped the owl dress skirt so I went for ruffles again. I wasn't planing to use circles of the waist  but I had some limitations using the fabric and that was fortunate in the end. This way it looks like the dress has some belt and the change of print in the bodice make it look a little like a princess seam dress. But is not, it is just the same easy pattern. The collar is just a simple strait scarf sewed in the neck line and This time I added a small facing at the neck just to hide the collar seam.  I also sewed the front pieces together like I did for the jersey leaves top instead of overlapping them. I am so happy to be able to finish it in time for this extended weekend to the beach.

The pattern lines and the seams are more obvious on the back:

Fall leaves top - Vogue 8649

As you may know I just did 2 t-shirts and 2 dresses out of Vogue 8649 and I thought I am done with the pattern for now but then I got an idea : "What if I don't overlap the front but instead cut a center front line and sew the 2 front bodice pieces together ?".

I just could not wait to try this and see if it works. I was not sure if I wanted to risk any "good" fabric on this idea so I just used some left over thick jersey knit from a dress I did in the beginning of this year ( Vogue 8630):

Except for the shape of my new neck line I am really pleased with my new pattern and I will probably sew it quite a lot in this new form as well.  I can probably make a better neck line next time but this time was to afraid it will be to deep that I sewn it a little to high. It is like a totally new design now, unless you eye catches the gatherings at the shoulder and the back that are a quite distinctive to me ( or maybe I just haven't seen enough patterns).
My DH was not in the best mood to take pictures tonight but I think you can still see the result:

As you may have noticed I added an embroidery band to the neck line, bust and sleeves: