My Favorite Dress Pattern and Self Drafted Variations

Monday, January 7, 2013

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I have to say, these Anna Maria Horner Museum Tunics are just addicting! I dare you to make just one! The first one I made, I used an organic gray dobby dot voile. I cut it to the specifications of the Little Folk's panels used in Anna's tutorial. This was sort of my practice dress, as I did not want to ruin my gorgeous little folks panels!
Then, I moved onto the real deal. The fabric was so flowy and perfect. I think this one turned out a bit better; don't you? I took this one in a few inches, as I went down a size in between making the two dresses. I did elastic smocking on this one, as oppossed to the sewn in zig-zagged elastic. I like how the smocking turned out much better than the sewn-in elastic. It looks a bit more polished.
I then got wild ;) and made this self-drafted version with a scoop neckline. It has the same flow as the museum tunic, but is a bit more modest around the bust.
I have to say, these sew up very quickly. I made my second Museum Tunic dress in about two hours start to finish. My first took about two afternoons. What is your favorite dress pattern? Have a beautiful day, Lynsey

2012 is in the Bag Baby

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

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This has been a great year, despite some serious struggles. I learned I could either see these challenges, as challenges, or an opportunity for growth.....I decided on the later. My biggest blessing this year is Andy not renlisting in the Navy. He got a wonderful civillian job as a Technical Writer for an aeronautical engineering company before his last term was even up! Luckily he had a couple months of vacation saved up and the Navy gave him some extra leave and he was able to take the job! I now have him home for holidays, dinner and mundane everyday stuff! Okay enough about that....let's move on to SEWING! I am technologically challenged, and thus can't make those cute little Flickr mosiacs all you hot tech savvy sewist post (anyone want to teach me :D?) Instead, I will share the bags I made in 2012, and will move onto dresses and patchy goodness from 2012 in a future post. Let's start with the Everything Bag from heather Ross' Weekend Sewing. I love this pattern so much, I've made it three times! It is a quick sew and really does hold everything! With her reinforced handles and roomy interior, you truly can bring your standard sized sewing machine to meetings or sew-ins in this bag! The darker bag is modeled by my mom. I made this for her as a birthday gift. The green and pink one is modeled by me and was made for my grandma, also as a birthday gift. Everything Bags,Template in Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing
Next up is the Amy Butler Swing Bag pattern. Also,a very quick sew! I used essex linen and Lotta's Echo line for this bag. I decided to not make it reversible, instead opting for an inside pocket.
My new favorite pattern is Tanya Whelan's Practical Bag Pattern. I made this from my out of print Ginseng home dec fabric and lined it in gray woodgrain from the same collection.
What is your favorite bag pattern, either for esthetics, or quick sewing? I hope you all had a wonderful 2012 and have an even better 2013 friends!!!!! Have a beautiful day, Lynsey