Always a Project: Summer

Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts

Confession time…

My guilty pleasure is 90’s alt/grunge music. I know it’s mostly angst-filled, immature, and largely out-of-tune, but it is totally my jam!!

So, when my sweet guy texted me to ask if I’d like to go to a Bush + Live concert, those giddy, teenage girly butterflies filled my stomach and I turned the music up a little bit louder!!

Naturally, I’ve been thinking about what to wear. What does a middle-aged-woman-who-wants-to-relive-her-glory-days-without-being-inapproropriate wear to a high-octane concert??

Thank goodness that Made For Mermaids totally had me in mind when they released the Clueless Collection last fall. I’m sure it’s because they knew I would need a retro-tastic bodysuit, right?

As always, the Women's Tai is a bodysuit pattern loaded with sleeve and neckline options. You can even make a top if the bodysuit doesn’t appeal to you.

I’ve made a couple of bodysuits in the past year and I still can’t seem to get the snaps quite right. However, the Women’s Tai is the perfect bodysuit pattern! You just step in, pull it up, and go. No snaps required!

This pattern comes together very quickly and would be a great primer for anyone who might be scared to make lingerie or swimwear. All-in-all, it took me about 1 ½ hours to make... but I’m slow and easily distracted.

I used a perfect camo tri-blend from Surge Fabrics and finished the leg openings with a picot elastic trim, also from Surge. You could just as easily use regular knit elastic or even use a band to finish the legs. I’m sure I’ll make another and will likely experiment with leg bands next time. I’m interested to see how different it feels during wear.

This pretty will get a lot of use this summer! The best thing about modern fashion is that anything goes, really. While this bodysuit is 90’s-inspired, it is completely on-trend today.

And now… I’m ready to rock... at an outdoor concert... in the July heat!

It probably isn't apparent here, but I am totally obsessed with camo these days. It's everywhere in my life... leisure, home, travel... I even purchased some ripstop canvas in a black camo print because I'm determined to make camouflage into a pair of office-chic pants.

It's gonna happen, friends. This fall. Guaranteed.

When I saw this amazing camo powernet at Phee Fabrics, I immediately had visions of the Five Out of Four Agility Tank. It had to happen.

I've never made true activewear, but this is my "Year of Firsts." I've made swimwear, lingerie, a bodysuit (!)... so why not a sports bra?

If you're unfamiliar with powernet, it's a very supportive fabric typically used in lining activewear. From what I understand, it's incredibly effective. The women in my sewing groups who use it for its intended purpose RAVE about how much they love it.

{Flat chested as I am, I can't speak to that. Hook me up with a training bra and I'm good.}

I decided to make the camo mesh a feature fabric so I still needed a lining for modesty's sake. I still had a short supply of my beloved oatmeal rayon spandex from Phee to pair with the camo - which proved to be the perfect blend of hard and soft. I'm determined to use every square inch of that oatmeal goodness!

Never mind the fact that the description of the fabric says it's not moisture wicking. I wasn't going to sweat that much anyway... yeah, right.

The construction of this top was drama free. The pattern and instructions were well written and easy to follow. I especially loved the binding method, which virtually eliminates the additional bulk of a double-fold bias trim. Mesh is a stable fabric so the Five Out Of Four method was especially effective for this make.

All in all, I am so in love with this top! And there is no reason for me not to make 1,000 sports bras that fit my measurements to a tee. I have the knowledge and the fabric dealer to make it all happen.

HOWEVER...

I will not be making "activewear" out of rayon spandex ever again. Like the description says, it's not moisture wicking. I wore this top out on a 5-mile hike in the Georgia heat and humidity. It literally looked like I'd been lactating for hours by the time we were done.

Not cute, ladies. Not cute.

But, yay for lessons learned!

I have other big plans for the rest of my camo powernet, including a top inspired by this amazing look:

It's gonna happen, friends. This fall. Guaranteed.

I've got 99 problems, but fabric ain't one...

In the spirit of this year of sewing firsts, I decided I desperately needed a bodysuit.

That's right... 90's fashion has been ringing my doorbell over and over this year!

I settled on Seamwork's Ariane and found some amazing nylon/spandex tricot from Phee Fabrics. I ordered it in both black and kelly green. I am new to lingerie and swimwear design so I knew that I wanted to make a muslin in black to ensure a proper fit. But I knew the green would be my showstopper!

I've never sewn with tricot before and was so pleased with the weight and overall quality of this performance fabric! It was a dream to cut and sew up. I used Phee's Techsheen to line both the cups and the crotch of the suit. Techsheen is a perfect lining for anyone who needs extra built-in support.

So, the fabric was a total winner. The actual sewing of the bodysuit, on the other hand, is another story...

The Ariane was fairly simple to construct. It actually did exceed my expectations, having never sewn a garment like this before.

My troubles came with the smaller details.

Like that perfect "V" between the cups... Looks okay here, but it was a disaster on my muslin. I sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and never could get the perfect finish! Honestly, I'm still unclear on the proper way to achieve this V. My method was pretty messy!

Then came the fold-over elastic... this was one rare occasion where my online community of sewers failed me. I took to the Seamwork Facebook group to ask for recommendations on the width of elastic required. Would 5/8" work? Did I need 1"? The instructions were unclear and I needed guidance. Unfortunately, not a soul came to my aid. I decided to try both. I used 1" for my muslin and 5/8" for my final. The wider elastic is absolutely the way to go! If I needed any support at all, I wouldn't have it with the 5/8" elastic.

But it's soooo cute! I found this serape stripe beauty on Etsy.

Even as a maker, it's tough to sew lingerie for small busts like mine. So many patterns are drafted for a B-cup. Guess who's barely an A? My muslin was a little too large in the cups so I downsized for my final garment. Unfortunately, it's still a somewhat unflattering fit.

I'm sure I'll appreciate my lack of boob-age someday... I'm not there yet, though.

Making this bodysuit was an exceptional lesson in lingerie construction. I learned so much about what does and doesn't work - and can adjust accordingly in the future. And, I will. It only took a half yard of fabric to make so I can squeeze out another 2 with my leftover Phee tricot!

In atypical Rachel fashion, I'm not discouraged by the challenges faced with this bodysuit. I'm actually excited to break out my scissors and start again! Tell me about a challenging project that inspired you. I'd love to hear your stories!

Sometimes, you happen upon a match that is just meant to be... but it takes patience and time and a little more patience.

This life lesson has made itself apparent to me many times in many different forms in the past week, but we'll save the deep stuff and talk about this match:

The Patterns for Pirates Sunshine Dress + Phee Fabric's Rayon Spandex

Oh my dear goodness... there has never been a more perfect pair. I feel like a Roman goddess in this dress! It's flowy and dreamy, unbelievably soft, and not even the slightest bit "see through." I had women walk up to me today just to feel this fabric. It's that magical.

My littlest guy asked me why I was wearing my pajamas to work.

{For the record, I have zero sleepwear that looks like this, but I would totally sleep in it now!}

I've been dragging my feet, trying to work up the courage to tackle those gorgeous gathers for more than a year. It only took one look at this beautiful turquoise fabric to convince me to take the chance.

I'm no stranger to gathers, but I never enjoy the process. A lot can go wrong - the threads can break... the gathers can be uneven... they can bunch when you're attaching to your facing piece... I have ripped out more seams because of problems with gathering than for any other reason!

Luckily, we are part of a community of sewing geniuses who have a solution for everything.

Exhibit A - Use your serger!!

Perfected by The Seasoned Homemaker, her technique is so simple and gives you total control over the spacing of your gathers. This is by far my favorite method. There is something about having a little extra stability in the seam and the gathers turn out perfectly every single time. I gathered with my serger for this dress and couldn't be happier with the results.

Exhibit B - Gather with a zigzag stitch

I love the ease and speed of this method, as demonstrated at Simple Simon and Company. The only drawback is lack of control over the gathers. I find it's a bit harder to keep them evenly spaced. I do occasionally use this method. When I do, I secure one end of the gathering thread with a Wonder Clip and gather with the free end. It's a great method for short gathers in sleeves.

How lucky are we to have such amazing resources online and great materials available to work with? Go snatch up some of this gorgeous turquoise before it's all gone! I've already ordered more of Phee's rayon spandex to make summer dresses and I'll be sharing those beauties as I'm able.

May all of your creations make you feel as special as you are, loves!

I did it, y’all.

I made my own bikini.

Plaid Fabric: Nylon Spandex || Lining: White Techsheen
Notions: Amazon

One of my Me-Made-May 2018 goals was to create something that I’ve never made before. Phee Fabrics issued the challenge and made it easy to find all of the fabric that I would need. Jalie provided the pattern and amazing instruction. Wine gave me the confidence to take these photos.

{Just kidding... I didn't really drink. Much.}

In going through this process and preparing for Phee FabricsSwim Week, I’ve been more aware of the gorgeous women in my sewing groups – real women – of all ages and body types, rocking their “me-made” swimwear with confidence and glamour.

What really takes these swimsuits up 10 notches is that they are custom made to fit each individual’s curves – or in my case, lack thereof. How lucky are we, as members of this international sewing community, to have the basic skills to make our own swimwear?! We’re not confined to the pre-sized boxes that the fashion industry tries to place us in!

It’s pretty darn empowering. And soooo much easier than I expected.

In my heightened state of swimwear awareness, I was pretty upset by the recent ageist drama over the Instagram post of 47-year-old Kelly Ripa in a bikini. One comment read, "Kelly's gorgeous, but isn't there a cutoff age where age appropriateness comes into play? Just because you can rock a bikini, doesn't mean you should."

I’m sorry, what?

Having just turned 40 myself, I began to reassess everything… is there some implicit code of swimwear appropriateness for women over 40? Who makes these rules? Would I suddenly be shunned at the pool for my love of playful prints, obnoxiously bright colors, and – yes – bikinis?

That moment quickly passed as I came to my senses and, ultimately, felt really sorry for the person that posted that comment. Age isn’t really the issue here. You know she’s struggling with her own ready-to-wear swimsuit. Gaping cups, see-through fabrics, and bottoms that ride up are definitely worth getting mad about.

I’ll think about her as I’m rocking my own wedgie-free bikini on the beach this summer… at the age of 40.

No more excuses, ladies! You can do this, too. Visit the Phee Fabrics blog during Phee Fabrics Swim Week to see more inspirational swimwear, read about others' tips and tricks for sewing your own, and buy all of the yummy fabric you need to make it happen.

Go forth and make yourself a swimsuit!!!

I may not have mentioned that I just made another big move. From GA to PA and back again!

As I was repacking my studio, I realized that I could have an entirely new summer wardrobe if I just used the fabric that I have on hand. So, I've been picking away at simple projects and planning for a few others.

(planning = buying more fabric)

So, while cleaning out, I opened a box and found this.

Do you remember this horrible purchasing decision? You might if you've been along for the ride with me for four years. I first found use of it for this awesome braided necklace.

I still have no idea what compelled me to purchase this tie-dyed disaster. The blue is redeeming, but the brown looks like a rag that's been dragged through red Georgia clay.

Ugh.

Anywho... I decided to give it a go with Vogue 8881, a cute asymmetrical top that is perfect for summer.

This was a project of firsts for me.

It was my first time sewing with jersey.

It was my first time cursing at my serger.

It was my first time falling in love with my serger. We just needed a little counseling and a long session with the owner's manual. It's actually working better than ever now.

While the fabric is still just as ugly as it was before I cut it, I love this top! It is so simple and would have taken one evening to make (had I not had my serger troubles). The fit is perfect. The shape is interesting. It will be perfect with jeans or leggings.

And, hey, I can sweat in it and everyone will think it's just part of the fabric design. Bonus!

I spent a little time yesterday digging out my UFOs - UnFinished Objects. I was a bit embarrassed to find so many. I honestly thought I was more diligent than that, but, then again, the past 2 years have been a blurrrrrrrr...

So, here's what I have lined up for the month.

I want to finish this dress...

And this one...

{gah. really, really not looking forward to this one}

And start this one...

And squeeze in a little sewing with my oldest son. He's expressed an interest, again, in learning how to sew so we're going to start on a pair of shorts and some pajama pants.

**squeee**

Yeah. I'm pretty pumped. And oh-so-glad to feel inspired about sewing. It's been a while.

I'm posting daily updates on Instagram - so hold me accountable, friends. Let's link up there - @alwaysaproject. I'd love to follow your updates, too.

I was able to squeeze in a little more than 30 minutes yesterday and made major progress on a dress that I started a couple of months ago. I'm really excited about the direction it's taking.

What are you working on?

I love a good challenge. I think it's because of my competitive streak.

It's no secret that the past couple of years have thrown me off of my creative game and I've been itching for a jump-start.

Enter the September Sew for 30 Challenge.

In honor of National Sewing Month, Star's Threads has issued the challenge to spend 30 minutes of each day sewing.

I have tons of patterns and fabric... {and good intentions aplenty!} My pledge includes a caveat that I will only use the fabric that I have on hand, excluding required notions.

Sound like fun? Hop on over to Star's Threads and take the pledge, too. Let's see what we can create in 30 days.

I'll be documenting my progress here and on Instagram @alwaysaproject.

Fall is in the air, my friends!

We awoke to a picture-perfect, cool, crisp morning. While I certainly LOVE this time of year, I'm sad to see summer go. It has been an amazing season for us!

Primarily because we're used to record-breaking temps and humidity that forces Southerners to hibernate during the summer.

No hibernation for us this summer, though! Here are a few of my favorite memories.

We camped (a lot)...