Burda 02-2010 #102 Pants

I love these pants and this fabric. I’m planning on buying more of this Fabric.com Bi-Stretch Gabardine in black. I have it in this heathered grey and I love it. These are simple side-zip pants from Burda 02/2010 #102. Here’s the line drawing from Burda. 

Here’s more of my beautiful view. The snow went away and will hopefully not return for another three or four weeks! I’m wearing knee-high suede boots and the pants seem to get stuck on them a bit at the hem. I usually wear these boots with skirts, not pants.

 

The booty shot.

 

The side booty shot complete with muscular front thigh

 

The classic hands-in-pockets pose. I really like these pants. I’m planning on making a few more pairs in black, navy, and maybe dark purple. I love this gabardine from Fabric.com.

 

And are these not the coolest knee-high suede boots? They’re purple! How could you not love them?

 

Here’s the inside finish on the invisible zipper. I always use the Kathleen Fasanella tips in doing the zippers. It makes a very nice looking inside! There is a link on my sidebar on the right. Hmmm, just kidding, I guess. I’ll add one.

More Burda #121

I made two more of the Burda turtlenecks this weekend. This is a super fast pattern and very easy to put together. I made them both out of Fabric.com fabric I bought last year in December. Sadly, they don't have anymore of it in stock.  They are nice beefy cotton interlocks with 4-way stretch.

Do you see this face?? It's because something is happening outside that I really don't like. 

Namely this . . . Yes, folks. It's snowing at my house. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. 

Halloween Plans!! You guys'll love this!

Last year I had a blast making (and wearing) my Halloween costume. If you don't recall, I went as Amy Winehouse and had a lot of fun. This year I'm planning on going as Neytiri, the Avatar girl. How much fun will that be?

So I ordered yardage of the Orina Nylon Swimwear fabric from Fabric.com. I am planning on either melding two patterns to make a jumpsuit or making a pant/top combo out of the fabric. I know the combo would be easier and maybe I could wear it for some other occasion (not). The combo would also be easier to alter and change the torso length. Once I cut out the one-piece jumpsuit, I'm stuck with it. I'm planning on making some templates for the stripes and having a friend spray paint stripes on while I'm wearing it. Then I'll make a simple loincloth like above. Then, all I need is a wig. I love wigs! I might even be able to take the Amy wig and braid it and add beads to it. We'll see.

I plan on using Jalie 2215 because I've made it numerous times and the fit is snug for the top and the bottom. Here's one of the versions that I've made. The knit top here is a little loose because it has very little recovery.

I was also a bad girl when I went to Fabric.com. I loved that Slub Rayon Jersey Knit so much that I also bought it in black and grey. Oops!! But I HAD to get up to the free shipping mark of $35. 

Bloglines Closing, What to do???

I don't know how many of you use Bloglines as your RSS feed but they are closing as of October 1st. I've kinda been out of the loop lately as far as blog/RSS/sewing goes so it was kind of a surprise to me. I really like my feeds because it's a fast way for me to check in on my favorite bloggers.

What do you guys use? Do you use a RSS reader still? What are my other options? I like that I can go to one site and read all of my favorites at one stop. I haven't been very good lately at reading other people's blogs but I'm getting to the point where I am ready to start in again. And now Bloglines is closing! Damn them to hell!! Okay, I'm not really that upset but I do want to move my feeds to another place so I don't lose them all.

Burda 09-2010 #121 Turtleneck

I've been in love with this top since I saw Karen's versions of it. I used the Fabric.com Cotton Baby Jersey Knits in the rose color. It's not usually a color that I am drawn to but I really like it in this knit.

The pattern is a great basic. It's a cut-on turtleneck with sleeves. As with all Burda knit tops, I made a size 34. This pattern only goes down to a size 36 so I graded down one size. I will make this again but probably with a different knit. I love this one but it doesn't quite have enough stretch. It's really tight to get over the neck. And next time I make it, I'll make sure and down notch the back turtleneck facing because I'll be damned if I can figure out which is the front and back of this thing. I tried it on the other way and there were lots of wrinkles which is why I think this is the way it is supposed to be. I think the neck wrinkles on this top kind of go with the style.

Fall Wardrobe Plan -- The Real One

Okay, so I'm going to pretend that that other blog post doesn't exist. I may erase it and the last one now that I think I have this new editor figured out a bit. We'll see I guess.

I haven't been doing too much sewing lately. I have all this great fabric and it's just sitting forlorn on a shelf in my sewing room. I'm starting to feel bad for it. I chose a bunch of stuff that kind of goes together and decided that it's time to hop back on this horsey and get riding again. So, we have (r-l) white cotton shirting (hard to see in the lower right), light grey t-shirting, darker grey RPL, dusty rose baby jersey, hot pink baby jersey, rayon slub jersey, matte jersey, crazy purple/black cotton jersey, and wool sweater knit. I have some ideas for some of it but definitely need some basics.

Here are the ones I have sort of figured out. I don't want to restrict myself too much to a plan. I love these 02/2010 #102 pants. I think they'd be great in a dark pinstripe RPL.

The 09/2010 #121 turtleneck would be perfect for these two baby knits. These are part of my recent fabric haul. I love this fabric. I may buy more of it. I can't find the September photos of BurdaStyle magazine online. I can find August and October but September seems to have been eaten by the new Burda website. The bottom one is more of a dusty rose. It's hard to tell the color in this photo.

I absolutely adore this bubble skirt in the 08/2010 edition of Burda. It's for a woven but I'm sure it will be fine in a knit if I reinforce the yoke. I'll use this light grey heathered t-shirt knit.

I think these 04/2010 #119 pants would be great in this grey RPL. This is another fabric from my recent Fabric.com order.

These pants are cute too and I might make them in a thin denim. Haven't decided yet . . .












I also have all this fabric which is unspoken for. I want to use the slub rayon for another simplicity cardigan. I'm not sure about the other fabrics. I'm thinking knit dresses for the purple/black knit and the crazy purple/black/dot fabric. The bottom one is the Slub Rayon Jersey Knit . It's so soft and pretty!!!

Blogger, You Annoy Me.

This is mostly just a test blog entry to see how to format with their new and improved (read: crappy) editor. I do know a bit of HTML so I could format things that way but you would think they would have a good editor. For most of you guys, I would just skip this blog post. I am going to add random photos so see if it works better to add photos after you write. I used to add all my photos first and then add text but that didn't work out so well yesterday.

I need some text and I'm not sure how to fill it up. I don't want to actually put in sewing information because people will actually want to read about it. Instead I'll write about running. I did my third half marathon a month ago. I'm gearing up to do my fourth next month. What's super fun about the one in October? Well, it's a Zombie Half-Marathon. Yes, I said zombie. How much fun will be be to run around with green paint on my face?

Yesterday I ran seven miles in the scorching heat. Well, it wasn't hot but normal standards but this is Alaska. I think it was in the 60s so that is really hot for September in Alaska. Here's the official logo for the Zombie Half-Marathon. There is also a marathon, and the Undead Ultra 50k. I like that it says "Pizza and limbs at the Chalet when you finish." You've got to love funny runners. 

Okay, the damn linkie-links seem to work. I think the key is to do your text first and then add your photos which is completely different that the older Blogger editor.

My Sewing Plan for Fall

Uck. I removed this ugly post and replaced it with a better one. :) Thanks for your tips and ideas for overcoming Blogger.

Thanks Ya'll!

Thanks Ladies! A few of you nominating me for this award. I know I've been absent for a while but I'm gearing up and getting better, my friends.

Okay, I have to list 10 things about myself that no one knows. I did this back in March 22, 2008 but I'll try to think of 10 more interesting things. Sigh . . . maybe I'll make some up for you guys. I'm not feeling too interesting right now. I'm going to use some of the original ones too. Yes folks, I'm that lame.

1. I love Chicken Pot Pies. You know, the gross ones by Marie Callendar? Oh yeeeeeah.
2. I have three kids. A 6YO and a set of identical girl twins that are 4 years old. No, they don't look identical and no it doesn't run in our family. (Side note: While fraternal twinning does usually run in families, there is no scientific data to support identical twinning being passed down in families. It is just a genetic fluke and happens randomly.)
3. I was an aquatic entomological taxonomist before I became a 7th grade teacher. Teaching 7th graders is like sticking a hot needle in your eye some days. 
4. I run for pleasure. I love the feeling of the wind in my hair and the "uh-huh, that's right" feeling of passing another runner. Are we racing? No, but every person out there running in front of me is my competitor. 
5. I love running in the dark in the early mornings. Is it smart in Alaska with all the bears and moose? Helllllllllllllllllllllllll, no. It makes me feel alive though. I feel very alive when a bear pops across the road and heads my way. I feel so alive I almost pee my pants.
6. I have a collection of Demestid Beetles in my classroom. There is also a decomposing lynx moose head in with them. "Science Stinks" is my current mantra at school.
7. I didn't have a TV for years. I finally broke down and got one so my son could watch Sesame Street and other fun cartoons. (Hee, hee, bonus points to those who understand why my edit is funny!)
8. I love bad 90s rap music. MC Hammer - Too Legit to Quit, Vengaboys - We like to Party, T-Shirt - You Sexy Thing, Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy. I know, it's bad isn't it? This stuff is my favorite type of music to dance to. Sometimes I look around on a deserted road and do a little booty dance while I'm running. 
9. I once ate a cockroach for beer money. It was alive.
10. In college I was the Supreme Winner of the Bat Spin Race in the Mud Olympics. I won a plaque. Woot.

If I can think of any items that are any more wow, I'll change them. 

KwikSew 3790 Asymmetric Top Alterations

Here are the alterations for the KS top. I had to take out about a 1/2" from the CF. They show a CF marking at the top of the top at the neckline. Then I sort of faked it down the rest of the top. I made it a 1/2" overlap at the top and made the overlap smaller as I went down. I tend to be hippier than bustier so I don't want it to be too tight at the bum. I also did a petite tuck of about a 1/4" above the bust.

I did the same petite tuck on the back.

I did the exact same tuck on the sleeve heads. Now it's a very flat sleeve head.

Now we'll have to see if I can find the right knit to make it into a dress. I think it could be smashing in a print but it might be too much of a good thing.

KwikSew 3790 Asymmetric Top

This is a muslin but I'm a pretty big fan. The fabric is from Fabric.com. I bought it December. It's a very orange-y tomato-y color. On the screen it looked a bit more like a true red. The hand of the fabric is wonderful though. It served it's purpose though and I have it in blue and grey too. This, of course, is KS 3790. There have been several reviews over at PatternReview.com. I've loved this pattern since it came out. I do like my muslin but I need to make some modifications. First off though, would this make a fantastic little black dress if it was 8" longer???




I usually make a petite adjustment on KS patterns to bring the armhole up but I wanted to try this out as is since I knew it was going to be a muslin. I also just used the facing that they recommend. I'm not sure if I will do that again. I much prefer this review by LynnRowe where she recommends to coverstitch it and screw the facings (my words, NOT hers!!).





The runching isn't as tight as I would like it. But, my second KS modification will tighten it up a little. I usually pinch out a 1/2" at the CF and CB.





Like this . . .




Maybe tomorrow I'll document the alterations. I still have to show you my new sewing digs but at least I have Internet!!! Got it tonight. I live in BFE and they couldn't find any houses near me that had cables so they had to dig me a trench from far, far away.


I got all my new fabric loot too so I'll share about it. There are some big winners in there!!!