Category Archives: challenges

06.03.16
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Announcing an Angelia Shorts Sewalong!

Do you have Itch-to-Stitch’s Angelia Shorts pattern, but want some company sewing it up? Or haven’t dared try them yet? 

Angelia Shorts pattern image courtesy Itch-to-Stitch

 

Either way – join me as we figure it out together, and have Angelia shorts for Independence  Day! (Yes, that means I’m making mine in red!)

The Angelia Sewalong runs from June 3 to July 3, and I’ll be posting at least once a week, on Fridays with next steps, and taking a look at what we did, and possibly other times during the week as well. 

Follow along so you can have your shorts ready to wear for barbecuing with your family, running around town, or just looking good hanging out at the park listening to music and waiting for the fireworks (well, that’s what I’m up to anyway).

 So this week – you’ll want to:

  • Get the pattern if you don’t have it.
  • Choose your size (Kennis includes both body measures and finished garment measures to make it easier for you to choose!).
  • Choose which view to sew – we’ll be doing View B here.
  • Print the size(s) you need and get the sheets taped together (again, Kennis has good instructions in the pattern for that – but holler if I can help figure anything out).
  • Choose, pre-wash-and-dry your fabric! For View B, we’ll need 1 3/8 yards.
  • Check that you have all your notions (get them if you don’t already have them). These are listed in the pattern, but for View B, we’ll need light to medium weight fusible interfacing, an ~ 7″ zipper, and eight 3/4″ buttons that look good with your fabric.
  • Cut out the pattern pieces you printed, then lay them out and cut them from the pre-laundered cloth.

The Angelia shorts are designed for a light to medium weight woven fabric, so skip the t-shirt jersey this time. 🙂 Since we’re making  them for the Fourth, I went with solid red, but really you could make them out of many varieties of woven fabrics – on the pattern product page there are photos of the shorts the pattern testers and others have made, so check that out for ideas as well.

One of my favorite fabrics is linen, and I found a reasonable linen/rayon blend at JoAnn Fabrics (with a coupon), and had buttons in my stash, so I’m using those. If I see fancier/prettier buttons I like I may switch out later, but for a first try at these shorts, matching red buttons seems pretty good to me! (Separately I’m also making a 40s style blouse using the blue & red fabric in the pic. Direct flattery/imitation of one I saw in a Facebook group that was just too fabulous to not make, and this is as good an excuse as any to get that done.) 

40s blouse fabric, and the red linen!

 

By the way, lest you accidentally mistake me for an expert, LOL, please be aware that I’ve never used a PDF pattern before, nor have I sewn a zipper fly, nor have I managed to sew any of my Itch-to-Stitch patterns yet. I almost forgot – I haven’t run a Sewalong before either! So I’ll be figuring it out as we go… but I’m game for an adventure; are you? Comment below! Even better, ask about the Facebook group, Sewalongs & Sewing Contests.

06.01.16
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The Sew a Seasonal Wardrobe challenge is done…

And I finished!! The challenge started February 1st, but I didn’t find out about it until late March. I joined anyway, thinking the end of May was so far off…. but if I’d been honest, 8 weeks meant I’d have to average about 1 item a week, which is way faster than I usually sew.

Anyway, I learned a lot, tried new techniques and tools, and I think I’ve decided I’m actually officially past the beginner stage – there were several times during this where I thought to myself, “hey, why don’t you skip that part (pinning, pressing, stay stitching, whatever) and go straight to sewing”? … but I’ve enough experience now to know that skipping those things is false time savings. Without them, it’s a lot fussier/harder to do the actual sewing, and the finished items look a lot less nice.

In any case, the eight that made it to completion:

 

Vogue 8717 jacket & pants

  

Butterick 6021, ivy+blue dress, and made-up belt (I didn’t like the tie one in the pattern)

  

Vogue 8717 pants (the second iteration), and McCall’s 7357 tunic

  

Grainline Studios Scout tee

  

McCall’s 6604

     

McCall’s 7254, in a sweater knit

 

 

  

03.28.16
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April will be challenging

In more ways than one!

I’ve joined THREE challenges for April, because I must be crazy, and will keep public updates here. One is a sewing challenge, and two are fitness challenges.

ONE – The sewing challenge, basically, is 8 garments that go together as a spring wardrobe, to be completed by the end of May. It technically started February 1, but I just found out about it and joined on Friday night. Given my typical slow pace, this will definitely be challenging! I hope to have a good chunk done by the end of April though, as I could use the pieces for upcoming weekend in Chicago, followed by work trip to Oakland.

Sewalong info 

Lots of pulling out patterns and fabrics and swapping back and forth on Saturday, with a few texts to my sister for good measure, and I’ve finalized the patterns and the fabrics (and hello! since I was downstairs working on my pants anyway – which will be piece #1 – I kept the washer busy, and the fabric for the entire challenge is ready for use. Whew!).

 So I’ve chosen two pair of pants, one cardigan, four tops, and a dress. There’s another item I may possibly get to work into this challenge, which would delight me to no end, but it may be less than realistic. If it comes to pass, I’ll post it as a surprise bonus later.

most of the fabrics

 

  

Vogue 8717, the second round, that I’m currently working on

Style Arc Cassie pant – wish me luck here!

 
 

  

McCall’s 7254 that another reviewer mentioned went together nicely

 
 

 

McCall’s 7357 – I could use more tops in this shape

 
 

McCall’s 6564 – I’ll do a view with the belt buckle

 
 

Vogue 1387 – not sure which view I’ll but sis is voting for the white! 🙂

 
 

Style Arc Issy which I hope comes out as cool as it looks in the line drawing

 
 

Vogue 9167, which I think the cross-dyed linen will be perfect for!

 
TWO – So apparently that won’t keep me busy enough, that I had to join some other challenges too. With a colleague and my sister, we’re each doing 1000 body weight squats for the month. That averages to about 34 each day if I do some every day – so if you see me just stop randomly and do 8 or 10 or more… I’m stockpiling! 🙂

THREE – My sister also sent me a jump rope challenge that starts April 6. It specifies all levels, so hopefully I gain some jump rope skills out of it. I can go pretty well if I do this weird one-footed rocking/hopping/whatever jump that I did as a kid, but if I try to jump two-footed, properly, I usually trip over the rope after about three jumps. But this old dog is determined not to be too old to learn new tricks. Join me?!