New Year, New Tops

We are all into the new year and I am only now getting around to blogging.  That fact only proves that some things (your deep values and personality traits, for example) don't change much over the years.  But I have enjoyed the luxury of creative time my happy sewing space and have a few things to show for it.  

You heard about this tunic a post or two ago.  I'm still not crazy about the large scale print but I'm loving the design lines and have at least four more planned for the future...I was almost going to say "near future" but let's face it, that would be a lie.  
I took the body of my Pamela's Pattern T and morphed it on to the bottom pattern pieces of Butterick 5925, a Katherine Tilton pattern..  Butterick 5925 My TNT T shirt has a simple, lowered scoop neck but in the pic I am wearing an infinity scarf I made to coordinate for cooler days.  I like how the scarf moebius strip coordinates with the pocket twisted edge.

Butterick 5925

Butterick 5925 with great pockets and infinity scarf

I've also stolen copied  borrowed an idea from Coco when she made a "slip" for a burnout knit top. Cocosloft slip
I didn't have the see through problem with this heavy rayon knit but I did have the sticky bottom problem...where rayon knit loves to cling in unsightly lines to your jeans.  I imitated her idea with my TNT pattern, gave it some extra ease and sewed one up in a heavy but semi-sheer knit.  It did exactly what I wanted (think you, Coco) and provided a slippery extra layer between the top and my jeans.  No rear stickage.

Next up was Vogue 9057 V 9057 from the other Tilton sister, Marci.  I did the exact same procedure of franken-patterning my T which has a bust dart in the right place for me and a sleeve that is high enough with a narrow shoulder to the shaped hemline in Marci's Vogue pattern.

Vogue 9057

The fabric is a very lightweight ITY border print from Fabric Mart with abstract blue hearts.  Since the hearts have a direction I couldn't place them at the top of the garment so I did the next best...or maybe better thing, and cut the top out with the border to one side...and did the sleeves to follow that same dimension. 

Vogue 9057

I like it!  You can't see much of the shaped side angle in either picture since I have on black leggings but there's a nice line on the front piece that angles to the back.  Once again, with some collar variations there could be a whole new selection of tunics in my wardrobe this year. 

And while I am not going to put a close up on my "new" eyebrows and eyeliner "permanent make-up" I will say that one week later the major swelling has gone down and just as promised the pigment contrast is down by half.  No more Kabuki theater make up look.  I'm happy as can be to have eyebrows on my face again and the eyeliner sure makes for a quick an easy out of the house routine...put on some tinted moisturizer/sunscreen, dust with mineral powder and go.  Maryland friends, I'm glad to give you a reference to the very experienced gal in Columbia who did this for me.
Now it's back to my sewing room to put a serious dent into preparing for my upcoming sewing retreat. I hope you have a sewing project or two that is calling out to you for a fun time together.

Pattern Winners

There are winners everywhere this week...out there in reader space and also in my sewing room.  First, congrats pattern winners...

 Aleta, the Mission Jacket Sewing Workshop pattern is yours

and my friend, Ann, the Thai coat pattern is coming your way on my trip to PA later this month...

and later this month is also when Lucky the rescue dog gets his next grooming which he needs badly.

I'm a winner too since I am working on some TNT patterns in my sewing room and some new ones.  Last month I got one of those terrific "save the date announcements"....which sewing people know means "save time to obsess, pull out patterns and fabric, shop, snoop shop, fabric shop and last minute sew up a storm."  My cousin's son will be getting married the third week in May and Mr. Lucky and I are looking forward to a long weekend of family fun and joyous celebration.  But it turns out that I have a lot of other things going on in the next few months so I had better get busy planning for my weekend outfits right about NOW.  

 

I was happy with Burda 3247 last fall

so I pulled out a tropical print slightly corded stretch poly from Fabric Mart. 

 

Sewing the dress took less than an hour....but that's because I haven't decided on what to use for a lining or where to place a zipper yet.  But I'm thinking it will be good for the rehearsal drinks gathering on Friday night.  I'd like to add a lacey black shrug but if that doesn't happen in the sewing room I have a little black sweater shrug that I can wear.  So, one event outfit about half way done.  Evening wedding reception dress will take more thought.  

Next on my sewing list was to franken-pattern some knit tops.  I have two almost TNT darted T shirt patterns that I like, one is Pamela's Patterns T shirt and that's what I used for the upper body and added the style lines of a Katherine Tilton pattern, Butterick 

5925.  I like the swingy side panel and droopy pocket design, similar to some I have tried on from "Soft Surroundings."  Soft Surroundings Clothing

Their clothes in the catalog look like things I would wear...but of course in person they seem cheaply made and don't fit as nicely.  This version is a wearable mock-up.  The fabric is a super soft rayon knit but that print looks like a huge bowl of oatmeal with my low contrast coloring.  But it was nice to see that my pattern blending worked out well and my next version will be in a hipper, more Tilton-like black and grey design.  

Clever pocket top twist almost hidden by this printed fabric.

And the next version you see of me will be a little more high contrast as well.  Yes, I made the jump into getting some cosmetic work done.  Those of you under 45 might want to stop reading since you are probably not interested in the discussions amongst my peers (and those younger) about everything from plastic surgery to liposuction to continuing care communities, etc.  I'm far too much of a wimp to have anything done surgically or with Botox (botulism!!!)  and far too cheap to have "fillers" that would hardly be noticeable.  Nope, I've earned my wrinkles and I think a smile and a kind spirit are what I enjoy about any of my friends.  But I'm tired of my disappearing eyebrows so yesterday I went and had my eyes and brows done with "permanent cosmetics"...basically tattoos.  Several sewing friends and family members have had it done and it looked so nice that I never knew it until they told me.  I had a wonderful person spend 2 1/2 hours with me and today (and for the next few weeks) I look like I should be in Kabuki Theater but it will fade in the next month.  So yes, eventually I will share that progress but first the swelling has to go down.  As expected, my very extreme fairness also means that I bruise like the dickens.  Perfect timing to hunker down in the sewing room and be productive today and to undecorate the house tonight.  Here's hoping you have something useful to do in your sewing space as well.