New Skirt New Look 6583

The summer sewing really hasn't been too bad despite having to service all the sewing machines and taking a vacation that was twice the normal length.

Here's a tulle skirt project. I really like the fully gathered tulle skirts shown with casual tees and denim jackets. The effect is a little too young for me, but this is an attempt to bring the look to a more grown up ensemble. I chose a grey tulle with a sedate silver grey lining.

I used New Look 6583 as a pattern except I added two very deep box pleats; one each side of center on the front and on the back. The pleats gave more fullness to the  skirt at the hem while remaining flat and trim at the waist. This was quick sewing project. I have made this skirt several times. I hardly need to look at the instructions any longer. 

Now that I've got the tulle skirt, the up to the minute look of a tee shirt and denim is just not me and far too youthful. I think a different kind of blouse is called for here. Hmmmm....off to stash!

Salvaging a Wadder

At the beginning of the year, I made a shirt dress from Butterick  B6091 and I discussed what I liked and didn't like about the pattern here. I put the dress in my closet and it felt frumpy every time I wore it. It was fine for wearing while making beds and washing dishes but I never felt like leaving the house in it. I decided to do something about it this summer.

 The original pattern had four godets inserted into the skirt. I took those out and closed the seams. This took the fullness out of the skirt and balanced out the mistake of taking too much out of the bodice length for my short-waisted-ness.

After that, I dealt with the collar detail. The original pattern had the collar come right to the end of the collar stand. This is fine if you are never meant to button the stand, however, the pattern called for a button and buttonhole on the collar stand. The result was messy and can be seen in a photo on the original post for this dress in January. Since I had a sewn button hole in one side of the collar stand and no more leftover fabric, my options were limited. I opened the stand and carefully removed the collar, shortened it and reset the collar seam and stand.

I wish I could have rounded the collar stand corner, but this was impossible due to the buttonhole. The collar now lays neatly even when closed.

Below are two photos of the finished redesigned dress. The left on "Judy" and the right on me. I'm much happier with the dress, but not thrilled enough with the pattern to declare it my "keeper" shirt dress pattern. I'll keep looking!

In the end...

I settled for a fabric acquisition road trip AND guilt about my growing fabric stash AND the courage to make a video!

Back on the blog again.

This summer has been a bit of a bust in terms of sewing. I have not done much other than mending countless items of household linens. It is a desperate attempt to keep the household going without buying European sized linen at sky high prices and then having to remake the items to fit our American beds. That re-cutting process seems truly wasteful and as we are hoping to return home soon, I keep mending.

Along with the mending, my machines have slowly begun to show their need for a professional tuneup. I have keep them going for nearly eight years by a meticulous routine of cleaning, oiling, and small adjustments as well as the attitude of "if I can hand sew it, don't use the machine!" Finally, they all ground to a halt and they had to go to the machine doctor.

Like much that surprises me here on the continent, there is good and bad. Traffic is terrible. Health care is fabulous! Customer service in stores stinks but you can order a repair part for just about anything and it comes to your door! I was dubious  about contacting a sewing machine technician as my machines were all 110V power and my Bernina 930 is worth more "dead" than alive for its spare parts alone.

But! Belgium has its charm and one of them is a sewing machine technician that makes house calls! Yep! House calls! Yes, it did cost me a little extra, but he serviced all three machines in my home connected to my power transformers in about an hour and a half one early evening after his store closed. The house call was arranged within a week after contacting him by email through his business address.  Yowza! I'm back in business. I might even be up for a fabric acquisition road trip or maybe some more guilt about the growing stash.