Liberty blouse--a prescient design

Liberty of London fabric has been pretty visible these days, what with the recent release of Target's line of Liberty stuff. I admit, I bought one or two of my own Liberty for Target items--a top for myself,  and a shirt for the Mister--the price was too good to pass up. But it also got me inspired to plan a sewing project with real Liberty cotton lawn, which is worlds away from the polyester used in much of Target's line.

When the Selfish Seamstress posted about the new Burda May preview, I couldn't help but notice this top:

Looks familiar, I thought. Well, it should. I own this fabric in a slightly different (I think better) color. I bought it from Emma One Sock a few weeks ago and it's still available, if anyone else is interested.

What had I planned to sew with this lovely, summery stuff? A blouse, of course! I plan to copy an RTW blouse that I love. It has small pleats all along the front and back neckline, but is still nicely fitted through the waist. I'm not sure whether I'll include a ribbon waistband, like the original, or whether I prefer a more pared-down look.

This is, of course, a drafting project, so it will have to wait 'till I've finished the dresses for the wedding I'm attending in May. (Yes, dresses, plural, because of course I need a paisley cotton sundress to wear to the ladies-only pre-wedding brunch!)  And I can't draft anything till my new pattern paper gets here. But I admit, I'm gratified to see that my fabric choice for a summer blouse wasn't way off base.

wedding-guest dress

I promise I'll post pictures of completed projects soon--the green dress is done, and I love it, but what with the holidays and the cold weather, I haven't had the opportunity or the fortitude to take pictures outside that will do it justice. And although the pleat-front dress just needs some quick finishing, I doubt I'll get to it before we leave town in a few days.

In the meantime, my mother-in-law (a.k.a my "Other-Mother") has got me scheming about a new project: a dress for a spring wedding.

The Mr. and I will be guests at his cousin's wedding in North Carolina this spring. The wedding ceremony will be in a neat "country gothic" church, and the reception at a historic manor house with beautiful grounds. As my Other-Mother points out, this occasion will of course require a new dress! Here's what I'm thinking:

BWOF 5/2008, dress 127


And here's the fabric I have in mind, a sheer silk chiffon from Gorgeous Fabrics. I've had my eye on it for weeks, and now it's even on sale, marked down from $18/yd. to $12.80.


I'm also inspired to see that the slapdash sewist has made this dress with such lovely results. We're shaped pretty differently, but it's still encouraging to know that the dress looks good on a real person, and not just on the model in the magazine photo.

In the spirit of financial responsibility, I can't buy the materials for this project until after the first of the month. But now that the seed has been planted, I can't stop thinking about it.

winter sewing

It's winter in Michigan. And winter here doesn't mess around--long underwear isn't an option, it's a way of life. So, although I'm pleased with how my pleated dress is shaping up so far, I probably won't get to wear it for months, and I'm determined that my next few projects should be more weather-appropriate.

Buying winter clothing that is both stylish and practical is tough, and sewing it is even tougher. But here are some of my ideas:



A wool jersey dress. This one, from the current BWOF might be a little edgy for me. But I'm a sucker for cowl-necks.

This skirt would look great in a medium-weight stretch wool. Gray would be practical. Although I would have to start tucking in my shirts. And since I have a bit of a tummy, I might want to consider adding boning to the waistband for additional structure.


Jeans. What I wear most, especially since I'm not teaching this year and can dress more casually. Inspired by Johanna's excellent series of posts, I'm considering using BurdaStyle Anita as a starting point. I've already bought denim (the sale was too good to resist), but I admit that I'm daunted by the alterations that will almost certainly be required to get the fit that I'm looking for.




Sweaters seem tricky to sew, but I'm hoping they'll prove more do-able now that I have a serger. The shawl collar sweater is Burdastyle Esther, and the belted cardigan is Jacket 119 from BWOF 12/2009.


Pleated wool trousers. I'm intrigued, but I'm also trepidatious, since I've never owned a single pair of pleated pants in my entire adult life. I think the key would be to go for a wide-leg style and use a heavier wool, to make sure all the volume looks intentional and the front doesn't get poochy. These are from BWOF 9/2007 via Miss Celie's Pants, but there are some similar styles in my 9/2009 Patrones.


And a swimsuit--since we're planning to escape the cold in January with a long weekend in Orlando. This pattern--Burdastyle Alison--must have been designed with me in mind. It has everything I look for in a swimsuit: a flattering neckline with lots of support for a fuller bust, and a style that is (comparatively) modest without being matronly. Even better, the pattern is a free download!

a week of sewing

This week I'm on vacation, and despite fighting a cold, I've made good on my plans to spend most of the week sewing. Much of my time so far has been spend on Christmas gifts, including a fleece jacket for my mother based on Jalie 2679. But I've also finished the green dress (stay posted for pictures soon!) and sewed a failed pair of yoga pants. Right now, I'm working on this dress from the June 2009 Burda WOF

Because I've been doing so much sewing this week, we've also made some improvements to my set-up. My "sewing room," aka our living room, has no overhead lighting, so here's the task lighting that the Mr. rigged up for me:


These lights are ultimately destined for our kitchen counters, but for now, they've been mounted in a piece of cardboard and tacked to the top of the window-frame. The rig only temporary, and it isn't pretty, but the extra light has been a big help, especially with all the dark-colored fabrics I've been sewing.