I am making progress on my mission to use up my fabric stash and use patterns from the multitude of unopened, untested patterns already in my possession! (Although I am not sure how to honestly assess my progress if I am still buying more fabric...which I am.)

I have had Eleonore ever since it first came out. Only yesterday did I cut open the package and extract the pattern. I had some stretch cotton fabric I had bought a few years ago because it was advertised for shirt making, but I would never wear it as a shirt because it's too heavy and contains lycra. In fact, I would not wear it anywhere on my upper body because the feel is just too irritating—as I discovered when I made a dress from McCall's 6346 out of another fabric I bought of the same type. 

However, the fabric seemed like it might work for pants. At any rate, I am working on staying focused on the mantra "progress, not perfection." So I just dove in, traced out the pattern, and cut it out.

At first, I thought they were too tight, but when I put them on again for pictures, they were pretty comfortable.  

The top stitching does not show up at all--maybe because of the busy pattern, maybe because this is just regular thread, not topstitching thread.

We're thinking of buying an RV. It's a Gulf Stream Vintage Cruiser, which has a cool retro design on the inside. It got me thinking about making a quilt that would go along with the view. 
​

So I went through my multitude of quilting books (bought at book sales for cheap) and searched for something I liked. I didn't like things that were too busy. I had to find something the man of the house would like so no flowers and such. I came across the Ohio star pattern and liked the idea that it could kind of represent our homestead state while we were traveling. Plus it was simple and I liked how it looked.

The directions in the books were mighty complicated looking. I went searching on YouTube and found fabulous resources. The first was a great video from Theresa Down Under: Ohio star quilt block. Thanks to those directions, I was confident I could handle it. I watched a whole set of videos on Craftsy (free while they get the platform up and running again!! So excited it's back to Craftsy!): ​Quilt tutorial. This was excellent and showed the whole process of quilting from creating the blocks to binding.  

I made my first block ever out of old sheets. All I had was blue. The real one will be red and white but this was just to see if I could pull it off. It was surprisingly easy and enormously satisfying. It fit when it it was done. That is, there was nothing to fit so it couldn't disappoint. Hahahahaha.

Then, as per usual, my ambitions started to get out of hand. I thought, after I make my quilt, I will make one for my sister, who has restored an old 15' RV and camps with it. My husband advised me to check with her before I put in the effort but I didn't want to wait* and the compromise was I made her a couple pot holders in the colors I thought she might like. I used the same Ohio start block thinking it would appeal to her for the same reasons as me. 
[*Update: the teal was the wrong color. Oh wells. ] 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the whole quilting process. We'll see how long it lasts when I try to make a queen-sized quilt! 

I made larger block in red and white.  I want the final blocks to be 12" so I can make the queen-size quilt 4 blocks by 5. I will make the white border sashing wider than the picture below, wide enough that the width of the final quilt fits the proper dimensions (90" x 108").

So here is the block I made. I cut the squares for the triangle squares 5.5" and the center and corner squares 4.5". That wasn't large enough because the final block is only 11" and that includes the 1/2" seam allowance, so all told the square is 1.5" inches too small all around.

I forgot to trim the individual triangle squares before sewing them together. Oopsie. Turns out that step matters... Still, I'm excited. I think this will be a fun project that will look cool in the end.

I don't have a picture of the original Gap tank top. I wore it to death. It was long past its expiration date when I finally got rid of it. But before I did, I studied the construction and created a pattern. And I made 3 versions in different colors OUT OF MY SON'S OLD T-SHIRTS. I am so very proud of myself. I made these a couple years ago and am only now remembering to document them.

The first one I made was black. 

The other two are a gray and a white.

Ya know...it's a lot of work to put into something that doesn't turn out as nicely as one would wish. I have a few shirtdress patterns in my stash--none of which I have made before. I was in stash-busting mode and wanted to use up a black and white flower lawn I'd been saving for the purpose...for a while. This pattern comes with different cup sizes, so I chose it. I wear a D but chose the C cup remembering my Wild Ginger fiasco. I followed all the other sizing guidelines on the envelope, figuring if they took the time to make different sized cups, they were going to make a pattern that fit the stated measurements. Nope. What are these people thinking? Who likes massive amounts of ease? I made a number of adjustments to this dress, unfortunately after I cut it out. So the pleats at the back have been pulled forward because had to take a couple inches off the side from the waist on down. I had to raise the waist band...a couple times, not believing the first time that I would need to take out be so much as it turned out I had to. I had to remove at least 2 inches out of the center back because it was absurdly voluminous; there is still too much fabric there, but it's better. Since the yoke was cut and sewn and the waist band was already cut and I didn't want a seam there, I took a large dart out under the yoke and tapered to the waist band. I never intended to sew the collar because my husband says he doesn't like them. I figured I'd try this once and see if I liked it. I do. I bound the edge with a bias strip I cut from the same fabric. This is a lightweight lawn and is super comfortable. It was easy to sew with (and seam rip!), but the cut edges threatened to fray right away so as soon as I could I serged the seam edges.

Looking at the pictures, I think the back waistband is still too low. Next time...

I thought this would be my Holy Grail dress. I've been tweaking the fit for....years. Lately, it's been hanging in my sewing room because it didn't fit anymore! I've lost weight again, and now it fits, so I thought I'd document the mockup before I take it apart to use it to alter the paper pattern and then make a real dress. I can see from the pictures that I don't like the cap sleeves; thank goodness. (Maybe the darts I pinned out of the neckline are too big?)  I thought in the mirror they looked so good that longer sleeves wouldn't work. But I like longer sleeves. So the real version will have them. 

I've made this pattern a few times before in a knit. I wear most of those dress all the time because they look okay and they are super comfortable. But in looking at the pics, I've always suspected I made a size too large at the top. Here's one I made in a knit a while back:

I made the pattern again in a woven, and I am now convinced it's a size too large for me at the top.

I wanted to make a simple sheath for a trip to Hilton Head in some linen I had in my stash. I had bought it to make a beach coverup for the previous year's trip to Hilton Head, but I thought it was too heavy and changed to a lighter-weight white linen. I also  thought I hated the color of the blue, and I called the fabric "linen fit for a tablecloth." But I pulled it out before this trip and I realized the color is actually super nice. I realized it could be neat if you make the right thing with it. So I decided to try it with McCall's 6355 since I had made a lot of alterations to that pattern for myself and I had an--as it turns out--incorrect notion that it fit me. Sigh.

When I first basted this linen version together, I needed a little more room at the hips, so I removed the side seams and resewed. Then the darts, which I remembered lowering for the knit versions, look too low now. I pulled the shoulders up and it seemed to make everything look better. So I cut off an inch of the top shoulder seam. A nice side benefit was that the sleeve fit perfectly in the armseye, no ease to fiddle with. I put an invisible zipper in the center back (the pattern calls for an optional side-seam zipper, but I didn't feel qualified to pull that off). 

So I like this okay--it's a very comfortable and breathable fabric and I like the color and the matching of the sheath idea to the linen. HOWEVER, I am not sure if I sewed the sleeves in the wrong sides (and thus backwards) or if that inch I took out of the shoulders screwed up the fit of the dress on my torso. Maybe it's the sizing. The neckline is waaaay too large and my brassiere straps are usually visible. Oh well. Onward.

I wear my gray Blackwood Cardigan all the time in spite of it not closing fully in front. IT is so comfortable and I love the color. I  figured if I wear that one, I'd wear one in purple. This new one is definitely french terry; I paid attention this time. But it is different than my gray one, which is not quite as heavy. This one is definitely more like a sweatshirt material. It's okay. I still like it, and I like the purple a lot. No issues making it; it went together very easily. 

I have been eyeing the Wild Ginger Pattern Master program for years.

The idea of it! Put your measurements in, and it will draw up patterns that fit you perfectly. Choose from a veritable host of designs--including historical styles! Mix and match design elements. Create your own details and adjustments.

The price was never out of reach, but the uncertainty surrounding the program's true ease of use and quality of output made the investment unjustifiable. 

Recently, I have been at such a point of frustration and disappointment with my sewing. Most knit garments turn out fine, but I was not happy with my fit skills when it came to wovens. I had tried and tried to learn to fit things, but I was never content with the outcome. I have to work in fits and starts because of work and family and other demands on my time. Maybe I never gave enough focused attention to learning the skill of fitting or maybe I never gave enough time to any one method. 

I have looked at

• Joy Mahon's method on Craftsy and in her book. It makes intellectual sense, but I never really understood how to go from taking my measurements to adjusting the patterns.
• Pati Palmer and Marla Alto's Fit for Real People. I've spent the most time with this method and I just find it tedious.
• Nancy Zieman's pivot and slide method (Fitting Finesse). I have read this book but never tried the method. This is the one I think I will return to next.  
• Drafting slopers from my measurements. I did this in a class with local sewing teaching Karen Day, who is awesome. The slopers fit well...but I am not sure what to do with them! How do I use them to make the mountain of commercial patterns I own fit me? How do I turn the slopers into actual garments?

About the Pattern Master program I was most held back by concern that it would not really work in practice. One piece of counter evidence I would return to in my mind when reconsidering the purchase is that about 1o or 15 years ago I had found a company online offering a similar service. You entered your measurements, picked a pattern, and it drafted the pattern. The dress I made fit well, though some elements were the sort to hide fit flaws (a gathered neckline, for example). I haven't seen a trace of that company anywhere recently.

Well about a month and a half ago, I gave in and bought the program. I bought both the program for wovens and the program for knits. They were on sale and buying both was the same as the one when not on sale.

Thus began my Wild Ginger Wild Goose Chase.

As soon as I downloaded the program, I hastily measured myself and typed the results in. I wasn't careful. The resulting fit garment did not fit. My bad. I sent in the photos and the measurements and a reply came back lighting fast. This during the COVID-19 lockdown. I was impressed. A couple tweaks were recommended. 

I adjusted the pattern as instructed but the results were still bad.

All this time I had been selecting from the basic settings a D cup. That's my bra size. But the excess in the bust on these mockups was just not going away, even with reducing bust ease in the default settings. So I made a new mockup with a C cup and remeasured myself so very carefully and made another mockup. This was better but still not great. I sent it in and was told to add two more front darts.

Well, I am done. For a long while at any rate. W.T.F.?

I learned in February that my community orchestra's next concert--in May--was one at which the orchestra members were invited to dress up as some movie character. Hello! I knew right away I would go in a Regency outfit, some Austen female, who knows which  (i.e., older, younger, married, unmarried, home wear, ball wear...). 

Back then I was sane and I didn't consider...for long anyway...making my own dress. I went onto Etsy and found one for only $100. The seller would make it to my measurements. I bit.

But I started reading up on Regency clothing. You don't just wear a dress, you need underthings. A petticoat. A chemise. Stockings. At least! So I decided I could at least make a chemise. Thus began the Regency madness that has so far produced a chemise, stockings, stay, and petticoat. Of course, sometime in late March it became clear there would be no concert. But I was already on a mission. 

​And I got started. I used Simplicity 8579 for the pattern. I read a few blogs and watched some videos about making your own pattern (one of my favorite's: Bernadette Banner's) and saw that it was not, in principle, hard to measure out the pieces. However, I had purchased this pattern for the stay (more on that story below),  and the chemise pattern came with it. No brainer, I'm not measuring out my own pieces. This was super easy. I did imitate some techniques used in Bernadette's video--I flat-felled all the seams and added a strip at the front into which I sewed the ribbon that tightens the front.(I did not hand sew!) I made it out of the same linen I used for my Archer beach cover up. I just love that fabric, and I love my chemise! I wear it to bed every night now, as is clear from the wrinkles.

I bought some stockings on Etsy. Too small. Bought a larger pair. Too small. So I decided to make my own. I had a Jalie pattern that might work. I made up a pair, but the seams went down the sides of my leg. So I adjusted the Jalie pattern (cutting the mockup sock where I wanted the seam, cut out a new pair using the mockup as my pattern, and sewed them up. They fit great and are comfy.

I did try another pattern. It is generously made available free by Dreamstress. Hers look perfect (picture below), just like what I wanted, so I sewed up a pair and I just didn't like the lack of form on my foot. I did these after the Jalie version, so I decided to just use my modified Jalie's instead of perfecting my Dreamstress mockup. The picture below is Leimomi's version of her stockings.

The Dreamstress's version of her stockings.

The chemise was easy...so how hard could it be to make a petticoat? So I made that next out of a light cotton (voile?) that I had originally purchased for the chemise when I couldn't find inexpensive linen. This pattern was super easy to follow and it came together perfectly. 

Oopsie, my maid did not do the lacing very nicely. Oh well, next time.

And here is the purchased dress on top of all of it. I bought the gown on Etsy from Florentina Costuming. She did a beautiful job. Please ignore the wrinkles. I was too lazy to hang the dress up properly—obviously—or iron it after discovering I really should have hung it up.

As pointless as all of the activity has been and will probably ever be, I still want make at least one of my own dresses. My plan is to use one of the following patterns. If I get some nerve, I will try something from the Regency Wardrobe by La Mode Bagatelle. If I chicken out, I will use the Simplicity.

Look how many outfits you can make!

Scanning blogs, I came across Sew Sarah Smith's post of her beautiful Appleton dress in green stretch velvet, which she made for Christmas. A velvet Christmas dress sounded like such a lovely idea, I promptly headed to Cali Fabrics and bought some red stretch velvet.

I didn't have the Appleton, but I had 2 wrap dress in my pattern stash, Vogue 8379 and Style Arc Kate, plus a mock wrap, New Look 6301, all of which I haven't tried yet (I also have a couple Style Arc Slip on Suzies, but I have made 2 of them and I hate them...maybe the wrong fabric). I kept looking each of these over and fretting about not knowing what pattern adjustments I'd have to make and finally I said to hell with it, I'll just make another dress out of Jalie 3352. Actually, it was at my husband's insistence; he said "you look great in that dress" (although I don't agree).

Oh, and I ran to Joann's for that trim to dress the dress up a bit. Ooh, this does not look good. Terrible pooling at the back, etc., etc. Maybe a different pattern...maybe lose 20 pounds, maybe I should not wear stretch velvet? Just saw another beautiful Appleton in blue stretch velvet at Sew Fearless. A wrap is way more suited to this fabric than a dolman-sleeve A-line dress!!! I bought an Appleton after emailing Cashmerette and asking if I could adjust so it would be a wee bit smaller. I got a nice response with specific suggestions and I'm looking forward to trying it.