See the Highs and See the Lows- 3 Successes and 2 Failures

For awhile I noticed bloggers writing about why they blog. I’m a little late to the blogging game, but I would like to add my two cents. I am blogging for a few reasons:

• I have benefited greatly from other sewing bloggers. I could write about this topic for days, but suffice it to say, I think that sewing blogs have pushed me further and faster into sewing. I love to see the same pattern on several different body types. I love learning from others. And I really enjoy getting to know my fellow sewists a little better.
• I want to share my makes so people with similar body shapes can benefit from the photos and information I share.
• I love getting to know the sewing community. After many years of not feeling like I fit in anywhere, I finally feel like I have found my people.
• I am also happy to have a record of my makes to look back on. Hopefully as the months and years go by I can look back and appreciate the progress I have made.
• I like to share bullet point style lists.

Let’s get into the fun part – the garments!

In the success column we have:

Tessuti Alice– I eyed this pattern for a few months before taking the plunge. Not sure what took me so long. I am always looking for cute tops that are friendly to my belly. I’m indebted to those ladies that made this before me… I made a size Medium based on the info coming out of the internets, when my measurements would have put me in the Large. I made no alterations to the pattern. It was an easy and quick make. I find that the little sleeve is not very flattering, so I will mainly wear it under other stuff, but that works well since I like to dress in layers. I am planning on making more. On this one, I used a poly Georgette from Joann. It was meant to be a muslin, but I have been wearing it.

McCalls 6844– View C- I made this one in a sweater knit. Maybe a double sweater knit, does that exist? I lengthened the torso by about an inch (I am 5’8 1/2). This cardigan is oh so cozy and I get compliments about it- so win win! The fabric came from Mill End in Beaverton. This is the smaller of the two Mill End stores in the Portland area, but it is still a fantastic shop! I was in town for a sporting event and had limited time to fabric shop. Since this was the closest store to where we were staying, I hopped in for an hour and bought several gorgeous fabrics. I highly recommend this store!

Grainline Linden + McCalls 6603– I had a beautiful length of this nautical looking double ponte from Mood and it needed to be a sweatshirt. I thought it would be really fun to give the front a lace layer. I tried this on over and over again and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it. Then, light bulb! This just isn’t “me.” So I got rid of the lace, reversed to the other side of the fabric and finished the raglans with a napkin style seam on my serger. I got the idea of adding a hood, because I love hoodies and why not. So I got M6603 out and used the hood pattern. I finished the hood with a flat felled seam and I really ended up liking the effect.

In the fail column we have:

Vogue 1367 Rebecca Taylor- This top had been in rotation for me until I saw these pictures. The proportions are all wrong and the cheap fabric looks, well, cheap. I really like the yoke seaming on this pattern and will give it another try in the future. I saw a much better sleeveless version from Crab & Bee.

This one is a bad mash up of Tessuti Mandy, Maria Denmark’s Kirsten Kimono Tee. I started with the Mandy, but this sweater knit was just a mess. So I decided to try a slimmer style with and cut it into the Kirsten Kimono Tee. Then it was too short so I added the knit part from a RTW tank. Ugh. Just bad.

Enjoy my slightly longing, but mostly empty model face.