Prom Dress.....finally

Sorry this has taken longer to post than expected.

In between making daughter #2's dress my husband tore his Achilles and had to have surgery to repair it.

And then we had computer issues and had to get a new one.

And then now today is the last day of school.

I've been a little distracted.
So here goes the big reveal.

M. and her date J.

 Their entire group that went together.

The pictures were taken at Centennial Lakes Park in Minneapolis.

Lovely place!

Such a fun and nice group of kids.

They all came to our house afterwards for some hanging out at the firepit and making s'mores.

For details about her fabric and dress you can go to this post.

I have to say that the fabric we bought for her skirt is DIVINE.  It drapes so nice, doesn't need to be ironed and washes up amazing.  She has already wore the skirt another time or too to Church because she loves it so much.

Prom Inspiration

It is Prom season and daughter #2 got asked to go to Mormon Prom here in a couple weeks.
She is excited.
This will be her first one.

Originally she wanted this skirt

Pinterest source

Which we did find a pattern for it.  McCalls 7124
It would need so MUCH fabric.
I know I could do it, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to.

However, then she saw this and decided this was more like what she wanted.

Pinterest here


We'll make it more modest--no bare midriff or back, and she wants short, possibly elbow length sleeves.
The skirt is what sold her on it.

And here is the fabric we found.



Find it here.

Then we all bought some red performance fabric (think leotard or swim fabric) to go with.  She just wants a plain top to go with the fun skirt.

This is going to be so pretty once we are all done.
I'm excited for her.
And really this is going to be easy to sew together.

Details:

• Skirt pattern Simplicity 1099, view D
• Shirt pattern Kwik Sew 2403.  This is an older pattern, but any fitted t-shirt pattern would work.  It looks like 3766 is a current t-shirt pattern that would work.

New orchestra dress for the college girl

Our college daughter is certainly enjoying life on her own.
I knew she would.
It makes it so much easier than when I was a freshman in college (30 yrs ago) to have a cellphone and to be able to text whenever.  Her siblings love getting pics of her roommates and whatever other college life stuff she decides to send us.

She decided to continue with orchestra while in college and is involved with the University Orchestra at BYU-I. Although she tried out and didn't make it into the orchestra group above this one, I am so proud that she even tried out.  It was tough music and most of those kids in that orchestra are actual music majors.  She is not.  She was a bit upset about not getting in, but now that she has had a couple weeks under her belt she is happy with this orchestra group.  She is familiar in part with at least one of the pieces they will be presenting this semester and so that makes her happy.  Her best friend and roommate is also in the same orchestra group and so they are happy having at least one class together.

Now here enters the problem.
Her black orchestra dress is packed up here in MN.
We did that when she graduated last June and so it was one of the first things to go in the storage POD.
I have no clue which box it may be in.
I'm positive it is against the back wall of the POD somewhere.
We will not be digging it out.
She needs a black dress for their upcoming performance on February 11th.

I texted her (I'm new to texting and there are times I just love it) pics of a couple different pattern options for a new dress.  She picked one out and told me what adjustments she'd like and I found some fabric.

Then voila! I made a new dress.


It doesn't look like much just hanging there.


Her younger sister is modeling it for me.
She needs some pretty good heels in this picture so it won't be dragging the ground.
But since she is about 4 inches shorter than our oldest, it should be just about right.


Neckline detail


Sleeve hem and hem detail with double needle topstitching.
This sleeve hem looks a little crooked, but I assume it is because of the way I am holding it.

Another plus about this dress.  It had been folded up and ready to get sent when I realized I hadn't taken any pictures.  We pulled it out and my daughter put it on immediately--not a wrinkle in sight.

I love that kind of fabric.

Details:

• Simplicity 9103

• 4 yds of jersey knit at $4.50/yd.
• Lengthened dress to almost floor length--this equaled to about 13 additional inches.
• 3/4 sleeves instead of full length.
• Added ties to sides to adjust the waist fitting (similar to her HS orchestra dress)

Stretch Lace Skirt

I made this skirt for my second daughter.
She wanted a cream lace skirt.

This one is super easy.
T-shirt fabric with a stretch lace overlay and elastic waist.
Can't get much easier than that.






Details:

• McCall's 6654--LOVE this pattern.  Lots of options for easy knit skirts--pencil or a-line and lots of different lengths.  View A/B option to get knee length.
• Thrifted cream knit sheet
• 1 yd. stretch lace--about $6/yd.

Dolman Sleeve T-shirt

As you can tell by my lack of postings, I have been "distracted" by other things.
It is called "trying to sell your house."
I so hope I never have to do it again or at least anytime soon.
Our house still hasn't sold even with lots of showings.
Oh well, I feel like we've done just about everything we can, including paying for a new furnace and A/C which was NOT on the list of things to do in order to sell the house.

I have the new house picked out STILL and it is waiting....and waiting....and waiting.
Those owners want to get rid of their house and know we want it.
Happily they are trying to work with us.
We just need to sell this one!!!!!!!
I'm tired of dealing with selling.
I even ran away with the kids for a week right before school started and went to NE. to visit my parents because I just couldn't deal with showings and keeping the house clean A.L.L. the time and then nothing happening.

School started this week and I am THRILLED!!  Sorry kids, I do love you all, but you need to go away for a time period and then come back.  We'll probably all like each other better then.

I got back into my sewing game here over the last week or two.
Sewing is so helpful for me.
Gets the creative juices going and I can actually see something to completion that doesn't need to be "done" again later: i.e.laundry or dishes, or cleaning the house top to bottom because we have a showing later.

Everyone needed new shirts for school, well at least the girls did.
The boys told me they were fine, but I may have to do some for them too.
In the meantime, we found this easy dolman sleeve pattern and we like it.

Dolman sleeves are where the sleeve and front or back of the shirt are all one continuous piece.







It has a little bit of a high/low hemline.


Close-up of the neckline with a single topstitch.

Details:

• Simplicity 1463--View A  (my girls are eyeballing view C with the contrasting sleeves and back yoke)
• Recycled navy knit sheet from the thrift store
• Lengthened 3 inches
• Also lengthened the sleeves a good 4 inches.

Here is my version.

Short sleeves with no sleeve band.

T-shirt with almost absolutely no stretch whatever, hence the no sleeve band choice.

Also lengthened about 3 inches.

Prom Dress 2014

So, so, so happy with how this dress turned out.
Red just might be her new favorite color.

She had a great time at Mormon Prom on Saturday night.
Went with a fun bunch of her friends.


It makes me so happy that my kids have good friends.

Thanks Amber, who was once again this year their hair and make-up artist.

Dress details:

• Bumi Satin in Tango Red from Jo-Ann's on sale for $2.99/yd.
• Black Satin same as above.
• Invisible side zipper
• Butterick 5850, view A
• Added lined, short sleeves to pattern.
• Did not attach bow at waist side seams per pattern instructions but made it separate.
• Also did not line the bodice as indicated per instructions (that was more for the sleeveless version).

Last year's dress here.

Prom preview

Well, it is that time of year again.

Prom

L. did not go to her school Prom last weekend, even though she is a senior. Earlier in the year her friends talked her into going their school's girls' choice dance, even though she didn't want to, and she hated it.  The music and the dancing disgusted her and they all actually left the dance early and did something else.  She informed me she isn't making the same mistake again---at a higher ticket price.  We are making this dress for the second annual Mormon Prom instead, which is tomorrow night.

I talked L. into this dress.
Butterick 5850.



And the color.
RED.

At 6' tall she can rock just about anything.  However, she isn't real fancy in her tastes.  She is definitely more about comfort.  But I felt like she would look great in this dress.  Over the past couple months I've talked her into a couple other styles she wasn't sure about and they were a hit.  So my track record is looking good.  As we've been fitting the bodice this week she has gotten more excited about it.  We have added short sleeves and she will have a contrasting black bow.  Can't wait!

I'll post pics of her next week after it is all said and done.

I've also shortened hems on 2 other girls' dresses for last weekend's Prom and am making a modified tank top/camisole for another girl to wear under this dress.



She wanted to be able to wear a non strapless bra with this dress.  I have to say I just love this dress.  The skirt is amazing and the lace is so pretty.

Sorry I haven't posted a ton.  I am up to my eyeballs in moving mayhem, but luckily I can get a little sewing therapy in today and tomorrow.

Off to finish a dress.
Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Dress Week---working my momma magic

This daughter usually comes to me with a drawing or design idea ready for me to implement it.
For her Easter dress it wasn't any different.

She showed me this picture


And then asked me if I could make it.
Well,... let me work some of my momma magic.







She was going to try and make this herself, but we got in a time crunch and working with a lace overlay isn't always that easy for more beginners.  Hubby said this was his favorite dress out of all the Easter ones this year.

Details:

• Simplicity pattern 2588
• Flat, short sleeve version with smaller yoke band.
• Pink fabric from the stash (I know I bought it at the thrift store for a couple bucks)
• Lace fabric from Jo-Ann's.
• Invisible zipper

Dress Week---another wrap dress

My oldest daughter is a senior in high school this year and will be graduating in June.  In an attempt to get her a little more college-bound we made this dress for her for Easter....and beyond.



Basic mock wrap dress.
Didn't have to adjust the neckline, just pinned it in place so there wouldn't be any gapping.



Details:

• McCall's pattern 6884 basic mock wrap dress
• Fabric from SR Harris for $4.50/yd.
• Lengthened the short sleeve version about 2 inches.

Dress week--My Easter dress this year

I sat down and made this dress the day before I flew out for my grandmother's funeral.  I needed some stress relief from everything happening at the time and really, sewing is about the best way that I can get that. I had plans for it to be my Easter dress, I just made it a little ahead of time.

Absolutely love this fabric.  Purple (radiant orchid) is the color of the year, you know. Bought it here locally at SR Harris for $5/yd.  My favorite fabric store is now no more and so I am adjusting my sewing and fabric habits.  I am also grieving that fact, especially when I broke a stretch twin needle the other day and realized I wouldn't be able to go buy one at the store.  That was the only place that carried them here locally. Now I have to order them online.

Anyway, this dress is an awesome travel dress.  Folded it up in the suitcase and pulled it out right before wearing it and not a wrinkle in sight.  Stretchy knit, so it is super comfy.  Wore it all funeral day and it was lovely.






Details:

• Simplicity 2369 or 1653 View C.  These are the same patterns.  The first one just has a top and pants pattern also included.  The second one is dresses only in 3 different sleeve options and 2 different lengths.
• Fabric from SR Harris at $5/yd.  Bought 3 yds.
• Use a stretch needle.

Friday Finds--Kwik Sew patterns purchase

Haven't posted a Friday Finds in quite some time.  Not that I haven't been scoping out the thrift store, but I just haven't posted about anything that I've come across.

Earlier this week I stopped by my favorite fabric store that is still in the process of going out of business.  I found some orange poly-knit that will match perfectly with a skirt that I made a long while ago, but haven't had anything other than a white tee to wear with it.

I also bought some Kwik Sew patterns for $3.60 apiece.  We all know they never go on sale more than half off so this was a nice deal.

Here's what I bought.

Kwik Sew 3633 Color blocked dress.

























I could've just winged it to make this style, but I bought it in a moment of laziness of the brain.
I will probably make it exactly as is---white, pink, black.  I already have all those colors of knit.

Kwik Sew 3338--good basic t-shirt pattern.  I already have some patterns, but Kwik Sew seems to fit better than some of the other pattern companies I've bought from.

Kwik Sew 3489--good basic knit wrap dress.  Think Diane von Furstenberg style wrap dress.


Kwik Sew 3341--skirted tennis shorts.  I will end up using this as a basis for making skirted swim bottoms for me.


And finally, the craziest purchase I've made in awhile.
Kwik Sew 2881--men's swim bottoms

I've never made men's or boys' swimsuits.  You can buy them for so cheap it isn't worth the effort. However, our oldest son (12 yr. old) swam for the HS swim team this year and had a fabulous time.  They wear the swim jammers (black shorts above) all the time.  Those are not cheap--on sale maybe $25 if you're lucky. And then on Fridays....get ready for this---it's Speedo Friday.  My older 2 daughters just cringe at that thought but my son was so unhappy that he didn't have a Speedo to wear on Friday at practices.

Now we are all ready for next year.  I don't want to make them yet as he is growing like crazy, but he already has some swim fabric picked out from my stash for his Speedos---including a camo print and a gold sparkly piece so he can match the older guys who have their golden Speedos.

I just have to say that teenage boys are so different from teenage girls.
It has been awhile.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Flared Assymetrical Skirt

This is the second skirt daughter #1 has had out of this pattern.  She outgrew the first one (almost the exact same color) but loved it enough that she asked for another one.



It's a little tricky to lengthen this pattern, but we've done it.




The pattern is out of print, but I did see some on Etsy and ebay.
McCall's 4153
Asymmetrical cut and flared hemline.
No waistband--just a fitted waist and side zipper.

Opposites Attract Costume for Couples

My husband and I haven't always done a couples costumes for Halloween.  Most times, in the past, we've just done our own thing.  Which usually translates into I have a costume of some sort and he just shows up in his hunting gear to the party, having just come straight from actually hunting.

Last year we did this and now it seems we have set a precedent for ourselves and an expectation from everyone else to come up with something again this year.  Our original plan A fell through, or at least we weren't able to get it all together in a timely manner, so we'll save it for next year.  (I'm already thinking through it some and will probably hit the thrift store post Halloween to round up the things we need).

Anyway, plan B came about in a long way.  I had the fabric for my dress in my Halloween stash.  I had bought it last year and was going to make some pillows or use it as a tablecloth or something.  I just never did anything with it.  So this year, when I found it again I decided I would see if there was enough to make a dress.  Then I could be a witch or a spider lady of some sort.

I started getting excited about my costume and then hubby was like "well, what am I going to be?"
Hmmm, not sure.  I hadn't really thought about it.
He decided he would be my pet spider at first and then he had a brainstorm.
Be very careful when someone else comes up with a "brilliant" idea that you then have to execute.

When we first met he was selling pest control door-to-door for the summer.
So the new plan B for him was to be an exterminator.
We'd be "opposites attract"--the Spider Lady and the Exterminator.

After all the drama surrounding the costume situation I couldn't say no.




Details:

• Dress based on pattern Butterick 5522.  Just cut the sleeves one piece instead of 2-tone.  Added a back zipper since the pattern is for stretch knits and this fabric is not.
• Glasses from this idea.  I am LOVING these!  They were a hit at the party (although really hard to see out of at night)
• Bought black leggings and gloves.
• You could also make your own and use pattern Butterick 5695
• Coveralls $7.99 thrift store purchase
• "No spiders" sign inspiration from here.  
• Used WonderUnder and fabric to assemble and then topstitched it onto the back of the coveralls.

Basic Knit Skirt Pattern

Tomorow is the first day of school for my kids.
Oh happy day!
A friend of mine said that the first day of school is actually the real Mother's Day.
So true.
It feels like it has been a very long and unproductive summer for me.
My "to do" list is long, both actual and in my mind.
And the truth of the matter is I can't get nearly as much done when the kids are home.
You all know that is true at your own homes too.
So hopefully I can get back into the swing of things and reduce my piles of projects.

In case you haven't noticed, if there is a pattern available, especially for $1 on sale, I use that instead of trying to figure out a pattern on my own.  I figure why torture myself when someone else has already done the work for me.  I can embellish it as I like with a good basic pattern.

Sometime this summer I purchased McCall's 6654 at Jo-Ann's for $1 even though I probably have a couple others that are similar.  It is just nice to have a couple different styles and lengths in one pattern--4 lengths of a knit A-line skirt and 5 lengths of a straight knit skirt.

I've already used this pattern a couple times, but wanted to show this fun skirt that I made from a thrift store piece of fabric I found for about $3.  It is a little like a sweater knit, but I just loved the color and texture of the design.  There was enough that I was able to make one for both me and daughter #2.  Here she is showing off hers.





Notes:

• To make a knee length skirt for my 6 foot + body I had to used view D to get it long enough.  We also lengthened hers too so that it would hit right at the knee.
• For the waistband we bought wide elastic and used it on the outside.  Basically just topstitching it with a double needle to the top of the waist edge.  This was mainly to reduce the bulk at the waist.
• Daughter #2's cool bracelet she made with beads bought at Jo-Ann's.

Denim Skirt Reprised

Daughter #2 wanted a denim skirt.  She wanted the same pattern as the denim skirt I made myself last Summer.  AND she wanted to make it herself for a Young Women personal progress project.  Excellent! We raided denim from my stash and she went to town.





One little trick when sewing with denim.  Sometimes the multiple layers are just too thick. So instead of using the denim to line the yoke, she picked out a fun floral piece of cotton.  It reduced the bulk and gives it a fun little surprise inside.




Details:

• Simplicity 2152--view E lengthened slightly
• You can also check out the previous post on this pattern for some hints and tips.
• Denim from the stash---at about $2/yd.
• Coats & Clark Dual Duty XP Heavy Duty thread--or just call it denim topstitching thread.  It comes in a variety of colors.  This time around we used the color SPICE (#7450)  There is also a lighter color gold (#7430).  
• We could've used a 6,0 size double needle to topstitch (or a 4,0 size). Instead she just stitched a straight line twice using a denim/jean needle.  The thing about double needles is that when you use one on the backside it appears as a zigzag.  For a good portion of the topstitching (i.e. pockets and yoke band) we didn't want that on the other side.
• Blind hem stitch for the bottom hem.  She could've done a topstitch on the hem also, but opted not to.

NOTE about topstitching
Even though we did it this way, I don't recommend you have beginners use contrasting thread on their first topstitching projects.  It does take a little practice and any deviation is amplified with contrasting thread.  Try a project with matching thread first, or do lots of sample practicing before trying it this way.  I ended up doing about half of the topstitching for her as her A type tendencies were annoyed with some of her own topstitching.

Striped Skirts

Love stripes.
Here are few of the projects that I've put together in the last weeks or months that involve stripes.

A knit chevron skirt for daughter #3 that she wore on Easter.


Did my neck binding technique on the hem of this skirt because once again I had limited amount of fabric and with matching the stripes I could only cut it so long.  We wanted every inch we could get.


I think she might be wearing it sideways in this picture......hmmmm.

Red and blue maxi skirt for daughter #2

We chevroned her skirt slightly based on how much fabric we had and the fact that she wanted it flared and not straight.  Had she wanted it straight we wouldn't have done the chevron style.


When she wore this outfit to Church for the first time she said it was the most comfortable skirt E.V.E.R.
I don't doubt it.
Inspired by this post
Fabric find at the thrift store for $3 or less.

Prom Dress--Finale

Well, my intention was to post some more sewing pics of the girls and their dresses, but it turned into quite the week last week for our family.

The Reader's Digest version:

• Tues. night take son to ER for broken arm--both bones right forearm.
• Get admitted at midnight because they couldn't get them both in place.
• Wed. afternoon surgery on arm--2 plates.
• Complications arose with his blood pressure and by 2 a.m. on Thurs. morning we were transferred by ambulance to Children's hospital and admitted to the Pediatric ICU.
• Find out that his kidneys are different sizes and this is probably the cause of his high blood pressure.
• Tests indicate all appears to be fixable at least in the long term.
• Mon. finally get moved out of ICU to regular room--hope to be sent home on Tues.
• Broken arm = blessing in disguise.  Not sure we would've found this problem any other way.

Soooooooo....after all that I was not around much to help the girls.
Unfortunately I ended up finishing the dresses for them because that was less stressful for me than trying to walk them through the remainder and still get them done on time.  Mostly it just meant me putting in the zippers and attaching the skirt lining.  They were O.K. with that.  Seriously, after all our time and effort I didn't want them to not be able to wear their dresses to the dance.

So here they are in all their glory.

My daughter with her design.




We just added a pretty little brooch that we found at the fabric store to attach to her ruched piece.
It seemed to add a nice touch without being too over the top for her.

BFF with her purple and black concoction


She bought her flower at Jo-Ann's in the hair/jewelry section.
We took off the clip part and hand sewed it on.
Then added some ribbon to hang down too.

All the girls together.


And again with my friend Amber who was nice enough to do hair and make-up for them all.
They all said they had a fun time.

Details:

• Turquoise bodice fabric HERE. 3/4 yd. 
• Simplicity 3878 for skirt pattern.
• Simplicity 1797 for bodice pattern
• My daughter opted for no tulle under her skirt once she got it on.  Decided it was fine just the way it was.
• I think both girls spent under $50 each for their dress materials and embellishments.  Yeah!!

Article here about various Mormon Proms held around the country.

And another article here.

Go here to see the original inspiration dresses.