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Renfew 2.0 and a First Birthday

So here's my second version of the Sewaholic Renfrew top that I made a few weeks ago. I chose the 3/4 sleeve cowl neck version for this incarnation. As you can see from the wrinkly sleeve bands, these "3/4 length" sleeves are more like elbow length on me. Next time I will lengthen them a bit to get a true 3/4 length. I cut this top from the same modified pattern as my last Renfrew but this one is a lot looser in the armpits. All I can say is that it is because of the fabric (this one is a really lightweight jersey). Be warned that the less stable your fabric, the more you will have to take in your seams. Aside from that, my only other issue (and it is very, very minor) is that the back of the neck is a little loose. Next time I will cut the cowl in a smaller size than the neck opening to eliminate this problem.

Version 2.0 improvements include cutting the sleeve and armbands 2 sizes smaller and stretching them as I sewed them on to ensure a snug fit. I didn't want another loose waistband like I had on my last version. This change solved the problem and the waistband is perfect! Also, the cowl on this version is awesome! It is pretty and drapey and it doesn’t show your goodies when you bend over.

All in all, I highly recommend this pattern. The second time around, I spent about 4 hours from start to finish on this shirt, and that included making some stupid mistakes that I had to fix. Next time (and there will be a next time soon), I bet it will take 3 hours or less.

I also completed a kitchen project recently, this cute ruffled cake for my friend’s daughter’s first birthday. My friend, Jenny, asked if I could make her little girl, Dublin, a banana-flavored, ruffled birthday cake with colors that matched the ocean and a dress sewn by her late great-grandmother. I was happy to oblige and went straight to my favorite banana cupcake recipe and made a double batch of the batter for a three layer 9″ round party cake plus a two-tiered smash cupcake. I filled the caked with salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream and frosted it with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. I was afraid the buttercream would be too sophisticated for a toddler’s palate, but Dublin seemed to enjoy it more than anybody, and that made my day 🙂

This was Dublin's first taste of something sweet and there wasn't a crumb left when she was done!

The only modification I make from the recipe I linked above is using my own caramel recipe. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will be happy to post it.

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Baked Goods, Completed Sewing Projects, Recipes

Sewaholic Renfrew — My New Sewing Love

30 May

Last week I made two shirts! Are you impressed? The best part is that with a regular sewing machine and about 4 hours (maybe less), you can have one of these tops, too. I love this pattern because it is a fitted t-shirt that doesn’t involve hemming knits — the cute bands on the waist and sleeves solve that problem with style.

So here’s the first one I made:

Here are the details:

Pattern — Sewaholic Renfrew, View B

Fabric — Green and white unknown knit remnant I picked up for $5 at a local shop. It is slightly sheer so I wear a white cami underneath. I probably have enough fabric left to make another top. It drove me crazy but I managed to get the stripes reasonably matched up.

Likes — Quick to sew, great length, body hugging style. I also like that the pattern gives several different neckline and sleeve variations. I had to do some tweaking to get the fit right since the pattern calls for a stable knit and mine definitely was not. Also, the pattern is drafted for a B-cup, so I cut a size larger in the bust and tapered back down at the waist.

Dislikes — I hate to even label this as a dislike because I think it is really more a side effect of my fabric (unstable knit), but my waistband is too loose and doesn't hug my hips like I would like for it to. Don't get me wrong, this version is totally wearable, but I find myself smoothing the waistband against my body regularly so it doesn't flare out.

Tips — If you use a less stable knit, consider cutting your arm and waistbands a size or two or three smaller and easing them on. I did this on version 2.0 and it solved the loose waistband problem. I also cut the neckband in version 1.0 15% smaller than the neck opening and this made the neckline lay nice and flat. You may also consider using some clear elastic in the neckline to keep it from stretching out and to make it nice and snappy.

I will try to get pics of my second version up soon. I am also working on the new Sewaholic Cambie dress and I have two delicious recipes in the queue so stay tuned!

Tags: knits, Renfrew, Sewaholic

Comments 10 Comments
Categories Completed Sewing Projects

Sandra Betzina and Vogue 1045

19 May

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Alright, I am finally getting around to officially posting about this blouse from my sewing workshop with Sandra Betzina. I know I gave you a sneak peak several weeks ago — I hope you haven’t been beside yourself in suspense 😉

First of all, I would like to say a big “thank you” to my excellent photographer, my wonderful husband of almost ten years, Matthew. He was so sweet and so patient to take multiple shots of me, especially since I hate having my picture taken. We had fun scoping out cool spots in our neat little downtown.

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This top was made from Vogue 1045, which is one of Sandra’s designs. I used a Marc Jacobs cotton lawn or voile (maybe someone with more fabric sense can tell me the difference) that I picked up at a wonderful little fabric shop called Promenade on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. Although the pattern did not specify this type of fabric, I did not want to end up with the type of blouse that was depicted on the pattern cover. Sandra helped me modify the front blouse pieces to create a self-lining eventhough this was not called for in the pattern. The extra step made for a very nicely finished inside since there are no visible unfinished seams. I chose to finish the front closure with cute little lavender pearl snaps instead of the large buttons that were called for. I interfaced the placket with a single layer of silk organza but in hindsite, should have used something a little more sturdy as I am a bit afraid to pull the snaps apart.

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The tucks at the front and back add nice waist definition and allowed for easy alteration to perfect the fit. Sandra advised me to cut out a size D based on my full bust measurement but I ended up taking the top in quite a bit to achieve my desired fit. If I ever make this pattern again, I will start with a size C all around.

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Somehow the back of the blouse ended up a little shorter than the front — this is a pet peeve of mine since I don’t like my waist band or muffin top showing. Next time I will lengthen the entire blouse hem an inch or two. Since Sandra helped me create the self-lining in the front, I didn’t have to hem the front of the blouse — only the back required hemming — and Sandra suggested using a fusible tape instead of the method described in the pattern (a bias strip).

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All in all, the class with Sandra was a wonderful experience and I had such a good time hanging out with a room full of women who loved sewing as much as (if not more) than me!

Tags: marc jacobs, sandra betzina, vogue

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Completed Sewing Projects

Marc Jacobs and Vogue 8032

2 Mar

Were y’all wondering where all the sewing projects had gone? I’ve had a few finished but just haven’t had a chance to take pictures and get the details typed up. But here’s one for you.

This is an out of print Vogue pattern (number 8032) for a cute halter top that I thought I would like to have in several different fabrics. I bought the pattern on eBay and made a quick muslin since some folks on patternreview.com had mentioned it fitting funny in the armholes. I got in a hurry and only pin-basted the bodice to the neckband and thought it fit fine — oops.

It ended up gaping in the armholes so I had to take it up with a dart after the fact. I was really disappointed because I had done such a good job with all my seam finishes and was using a cute Marc Jacobs cotton fabric that I got for only $5 a yard. In the end, it is wearable and I think I will get plenty of use out of it this summer.

If I make this top again, I will cut a smaller size and do a full bust adjustment to see if that helps with the fitting issues. Or I may just draft my own pattern from scratch since it is such a simple style. If you are contemplating making Vogue 8032, definitely make a muslin first. Aside from the armhole issue, this is a very easy top to sew and could definitely be sewn together in an afternoon.

Stay tuned for more finished sewing projects as well as some of the yummy baked goodies that have been coming out of my kitchen lately (including something for a bachelorette party!!!). I hope you are having a relaxing weekend!

Tags: halter top, marc jacobs, pattern review, vogue

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Completed Sewing Projects

Christmas Party Dress — Simplicity 2178 Again

8 Feb

Sorry for the blurry iPhone pics. My camera battery was dead.

Here is my second attempt at the Simplicity 2178 — much better technique and results this go-around. I decided to use three different silks for the different parts of the dress. The peau de soie from the waistband also faced the shoulder ties to provide some contrast. I wish I had used it for the hem facing also because that would have felt much better against my skin. I still didn’t realize I need a full bust adjustment so the waistband sits a little higher in the front than in the back, but all in all I am happy with the fit and I got tons of compliments on the dress when I wore it at my Christmas party.

I promise it wasn't wrinkled when I wore it. It has been hanging in my closet for the past two months post-party.

Speaking of the Christmas party, every year for the past three years, my husband and I, with the help of several wonderful friends, host 50+ of our closest friends at our (too small) home. Being raised by a family of gracious Southern hostesses, I always insist on overdoing it and going overboard with the menu. This year I tried to delegate a little more and I think I did a pretty good job. Our menu included ham and turkey carving stations, fruit/veggie/cheese trays, West Indes salad (a local creation!), several dips, crab rangoon, assorted cupcakes and other desserts, a champagne bar and beer, my husband’s famous eggnog, and a very popular Apple Pie Moonshine — whew! I will be posting some of the recipes soon, next up will be a variation of an old family favorite — Red Velvet — so stay tuned!

Tags: dress, simplicity

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Completed Sewing Projects

Sewing Debut Dress — Simplicity 2178

7 Feb

Back in September, my husband and I attend a benefit for our local schools with my sister, cousins, and some friends. This event featured a Bobby Flay style cooking showdown with some of our area’s best chefs (and lots of tasting, of course!). There was also a fashion show hosted by several local boutiques featuring their latest styles. During the fashion show, glam ladies passed around lip gloss minis from an awesome local makeup line, carrying them like cocktails on silver trays–so cute! It was this fashionable aspect of the event that inspired me to make my own dress for the evening. I wanted something cute and trendy, something maybe a bit different than everything else in my closet, so I chose Simplicity 2178. Plus, this would be my first time to wear a me-made garment into public.

The fabric is a synthetic woven from Hancock Fabrics that was not ideal for a new sewist because of its drapiness but it all worked out. I cut a straight 14 in this pattern, but in hindsight, I needed a full bust adjustment. Some of the instructions weren’t clear to me at the time, like understitching the facing and how to position the invisible zip. I also didn’t pay enough attention to the pattern markings on the seams where the waistband joins the bodice and skirt. I have made this dress again with much better technique and I will post pictures of that one soon.

I omitted the shoulder strap because I didn’t like it and the dress was fine without it. I used a little doublesided tape just to be safe:)

The best part of the evening was dancing the night away with my honey to eighties tunes covered by one of our best local bands. To top it all off, my dress got its picture in not one, but two, local magazines!

On the “pink” carpet. I think most, if not all, of the other ladies featured in this spread were wearing clothes from the fashion show.