Simplicity 1783 Cynthia Rowley Blouse

I have started Simplicity's 1783 from Cynthia Rowley. I am doing the blouse, view A in a size 10. I purchased a nice deep brown satin fabric with an off white bias trim. It has pleats and raglan sleeves.

I started this blouse during Friday's class and continued it during Sunday's class. I am surprised at how simple the pattern is. This was my first time working with pleats and I must say that I am impressed with my results. After 2 classes all I have left is to complete the bias trim, attach the sleeves and sew the one remaining side.

I have attempted bias tape a few times previously and I am impressed with my work. Practicing bias tape on those baby bibs I made really helped me understand how to work with bias tape!

We used the serger to finish all of the seams on this shirt as the satin frays something AWFUL! Another reason to buy my serger, hint hint!

It is done, I just have to install the button!

Bias tape accomplished!

So I decided to tackle Bias tape during this class. I drafted my own pattern for Sam's bib. I think I did a good job. The bias tape I chose was quick narrow, and I should have chosen the larger tape. Well, I really had to work at it and I certainly learned how to apply bias tape.
I pinned and pinned and pinned. I basted and basted and basted. Then I sewed zip zip zip. 3 hours later and I have a new bib!
We had this material when we made diapers 5 years ago, as well as the Velcro. I sewed this using my Singer Esteem and I used my new Walking Foot.
So, what do you think? Will Sam enjoy getting food all over it? I bet Tyler will want his own new bib, just watch!





So, I was right. Tyler wanted me to make one for him as well. I had JUST enough bias tape left to complete a bib for him. I had maybe half an inch left over. Making the second one took much less time, now that I am a "PRO" at bias tape. I unfortunately took a narrow bias tape, a wider one would have been much easier to work with. If it is your first project working with bias tape, I recommend the widest possible tape. It will make it easier. That being said, because it was so narrow, it required a LOT of attention to detail. I am now not afraid of it, I now feel that it is only a pain in the you-know-what and time consuming.

My trick was to PIN-PIN-PIN and then BASTE-BASTE-BASTE. Yes, this did take some time, but it was done properly, and I am sure as my skills improve I will not need to do as much, maybe.

  

As you can see there were a lot of pins. I pinned it on the wrong side first, basted, removed the pins then sewed. I then turned the bias tape over and pinned on the right side, then basted, removed the pins and then sewed it. I had to make sure that while I basted and removed the pins that my sewing thread did not get caught up in the pins sticking out. My fingers got pricked a few times. Oh well, that is all a part of the learning curve. 

McCalls 5825 Apron sewing project

So I started today to sew McCalls's 5825 Apron, D.

I first washed and dried my fabric. I chose a 100% pink and white polka dot fabric. Good thing I washed it first as it dried all funny. It took a long time for me to line up the fabric properly! This is my first solo project, so I want to go slowly and do it properly!
There are some pieces that need to be cut twice. What I did was I traced the pattern onto paper and cut out a second piece. I did not feel confident that I could line up the pieces properly on my fabric otherwise. All the pieces were FINALLY lined up properly with the grain and pinned in place. Then.... I CUT!
That concludes my day 1 project.

Day 2

Bias tape is not easy! I had to Google videos of how to install bias tape. I will head out to Fabricville at noon to buy wider bias tape. That might make it easier to work with. One video says that I should iron it to stay in place on the curves. I hope it works.
I SWORE on my first attempt! I was pretty discouraged as this was step one on my instructions. The videos make it look so easy to install the tape, but my fingers don't work as well. We will see if wider tape is easier to work with for newbies! Wish me luck!

So I went to Fabricville and bought extra wide double bias tape. I had regular double bias tape and the pattern calls for wide. No wonder I had trouble. I chose extra wide because I was having trouble manipulating the regular size tape and extra wide would ensure I could sew it on!
I watched a YouTube video that showed how to install the bias tape. This made it easier to understand what I was doing and why. You can check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUVCeYBUQ64.
I was able to do the 2 pockets in under 30 minutes (I think, I was not looking at the time). 

 The pockets are not EXCELLENT, but hey, it's my first attempt. The only problem is I looked at my pattern and I need more bias tape. The tape has to go all the way around my apron. OOPS. Looks like another trip to Fabricville is needed.

Once I figured out how to use the bias tape, ZOOM! I finished my apron today. I had a bit of trouble with the bias tape on the top. I figured it out and the next time I use bias I will do a much better job. The tie strings were WAY too long for me. I had used size Medium for the pattern and chose SMALL for the tie strings around my neck. I had to make a second hole even smaller. I am only 5'2 so all my clothes are made petite.
I used the button hole maker on my sewing machine for the first time. I tried it out on a scrap piece first. It was super easy! Here is a picture of my finished apron. Don't mind the circles under my eyes as Sam has been waking up in the middle of the night from teething and it is 10:30 pm!