A Hot Summer

This hot summer has me sewing more sleeveless garments that I have ever sewn before. I don't usually wear sleeveless, figuring that my upper arms aren't that great. But after a year at aquacise, I realise that my arms aren't as bad as I think and there are many arms out there that look a whole lot worse. That's one of the many benefits of a water aerobics class, you see that there is always someone who looks worse than you do!

So this top is the blouse from Simplicity 2215. I decided to make the blouse to check the pattern fit; what I really want to make is the dress. But rather than risk a wadder and waste yards of fabric, if the blouse works, then I can cut the dress out with confidence.

A nice bonus is that I didn't buy one thing to make this blouse. The fabric was a rayon batik from the stash, the pattern was purchased a few months ago, I had matching thread and there were even perfect grey-blue buttons in the button box.

Two weeks ago, I finished a sleeveless top and 6-gore skirt in linen-cotton, and before that, I made a rusty red sleeveless dress from another linen-cotton blend.Sorry no pictures to show. All those fabrics came from the stash and the patterns were also in the home collection. What a great feeling to use up this stuff and not simply be adding to the home fabric store. I have done enough of that.

It seems my new addiction is wool, I am buying more than I can knit. Also collecting knitting magazines at a rate that needs to be slowed down. Where will I hide that stuff?

Simplicity 2215

I am working on this dress by Cynthia Rowley

The bodice is self-lined, and I decided to line the skirt with rayon lining, as the fabric is shirt weight and the skirt would then be a little transparent. And who wants to put on a slip in the summertime?

A couple of interesting things in this pattern. There is an optional trim on the neckedge, which is made from self-fabric. Then they tell you to fringe it after turning the edge. But since the piece was cut on the bias, you cannot fringe it. I think this must be a mistake in the pattern and, if I had thought it through, I would have cut that piece on the straight of grain. Then it would have been easy to fringe it but it is next to impossible to fringe bias-cut fabric.

Also, the dress has a side zipper; it must be about 20 years since I inserted a zipper in the side of a dress. It is necessary since the dress is open to the waist only, and without the opening in the side, it would be impossible to get on. We used to see these side zippers years ago, and they are certainly used a lot in vintage dresses. They allow you to get a close fit on a garment, especially one with a waist seam. It is kind of nice to see these older techniques being used once again.

The dress looks rather plain since it is a simple blue linen/rayon blend; but it has a retro look to it, and I think it is a very nice pattern. I think it would be nice in a plaid fabric, with the skirt cut on the bias. This will be mailed off to Elena, once the postal strike is ended, and hopefully she will email some pictures of it on her.