IT'S A WRAP

Hello Everyone,

This year I've fallen in love with all types of outer wear cardigans and wraps.  I like them because you can wear them instead of a coat.  Now that I drive to work, I go from my garage at home to a garage at work, so I seldom wear a coat, I don't like to drive wearing a heavy coat.  The outer wear cardigan is perfect for this situation.

One of my students gifted me a ponte knit fabric, she did not like so I kindly took it off her hands.  As usual, I didn't know what I was going to make with it.  I found in my pattern stash McCall's 7262, my fabric is a little heavier than what the pattern required, but it still worked.  I can see me wearing this on the weekend to run errands and it will look great with a pair of jeans or leggins and boots.

Although the description on the pattern is "loose fitting sweater coat", it resembles a wrap coat because it snaps at the opposite shoulder then it crosses the front of your body.  

I also love the way it looks when it's open.

Whether it's a loose fitting sweater coat or a wrap, I love it.

MATERIALS USED:
Pattern:  McCall's 7262
Fabric:  Ponte double knit


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MAKING THE BEST OUT OF GIFTED FABRIC

Hello Everyone,

For the past three years, I've been blocking out the months October thru December to sew for MYSELF.  I don't get to sew for myself as much as I would like to because I do a lot of custom sewing and I'm also a sewing instructor, and I work a full time job, so my time is limited to sew for myself.  

I'm a member of a Neighborhood Sewing Group where we meet once a month to discuss sewing projects, participate in sewing challenges and also give back to the Community. One of our members was moving to Orlando, Florida; at the last meeting that she would be able to attend she bought to the meeting a lot of her winter fabrics that she would not have a use for living in Florida. We were able to take what we wanted for FREE.  I grabbed a few wool pieces of fabric and a beautiful piece of yellow fleece.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I had no doubt I would find something to make with it.

As I searched through my patterns, I found McCall's 6444, I made View B, it was the perfect pattern.  I love wearing thick jackets during the winter months with leggins and jeans.

As I was putting the pockets onto the jacket, the instructions said to place the opening of the pocket to the side, I didn't think anything about it because I thought it was a unique way to put my hand in the pockets but as I looked at the pictures on the outside of the pattern envelope, the pocket opening was at the top.

Once I realized the instructions were incorrect, I had to take the pockets off the jacket and place them correctly on the jacket.  Once I did that, the jacket came together very quickly.  

I serged the inside seams of the jacket with a multi-color yellow serger thread.

The outside edges of the jacket were to have a 5/8 inch narrow hem, I decided to serge the edges and leave them because of the multi-color serger thread. 

I really like how this jacket turned out.  I can't wait to wear it.

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SIMPLE SKIRTS

I love custom sewing, it makes me be creative and sometimes it forces me to think outside the box.  Custom sewing takes time to get the proper fit and the right look for the garment.  There are times when I want to sew something quick, that doesn't take too much thought or time.  I found this very easy and quick pattern, I made the skirt in 1 1/2 hours.  I've made four of these skirts so far but I've only taken pictures in two of them.  I love these skirts, there are some mornings when I want to throw on something quick, this skirt is perfect for that and they are very comfortable.  You can dress them up or dress them down.  Wearing fishnet stockings with them gives the skirt a sexy look.

I see a few more of these are going to make it to my closet.

Pattern:  Simplicity 0283 (OOP)

Fabric used:  Ponte Knit from my stash
Blouses are from my closet

RICE FOR BREAKFAST INSTEAD OF OATMEAL

A few years ago I was reading about Healthy Eating in a magazine, there was an article about eating different foods for breakfast. One recipe that caught my attention was brown rice, with apple sauce and raisins or craisins. I tried it and I like it. I've also used "unsweetened apple sauce" and it still had a nice flavor because of the craisins.  I've used raisins instead of craisins too.  If I run out of oatmeal, I'll eat this. You eat it warm like oatmeal. I try to keep all of these ingredients on hand, it's quick and easy.

MY GARDEN

Every year I look forward to planting my garden and I try to plant at least one vegetable that I didn't plant the year before.  This year, the new veggie was a "sweet purple pepper", that's right a "purple pepper".  I did not go looking for it, it found me. As I was pursuing the nursery, I came across this lone purple pepper plant, so I decided to give it a home. 

I love eating fresh veggies and herbs especially when they come from my garden. It's nice to walk out onto my deck and pick something from my garden, take it back into the house and cook it. 

I'm going to do some research to see what I can plant during the fall/winter months.

When the purple pepper finally harvested and I could cut it off the plant, I couldn't wait to taste it.  

To my surprise it was "green" on the inside and I noticed the outside was beginning to turn green as well.  The sweet purple pepper taste like a green pepper with a little tartness to it.  It was nice and firm, I love firm peppers.

I love my harvest.

REMOVING LABEL FROM AFRICAN PRINT FABRIC

For those of you that are struggling with removing the label from your African fabric, wet a paper towel, or wash cloth or hand towel, put it over the label.

Use a steam iron

The label will peel right off. 

If you still have residue left, use a wash cloth or hand towel, NOT a paper towel because the paper towel will stick to the residue, then you will have a harder time getting all of the paper off, repeat the process. 

 I used the end of my seam gauge to remove the residue.

SCUBA KNIT PENCIL SKIRT

For a long time I didn't jump on the pencil skirt wagon, I always thought they were meant for smaller/slimmer bodies because of the close fit.

I decided to give the pencil a try when I started seeing the skirts being worn by larger size women and they looked beautiful.   Since I make my own clothes, if I made it and I didn't like it, I could easily move on to another style skirt.  Well, to my surprise the first 2 pencil skirts I made I feel in love with them.  One fit a little more snug than what I preferred, I was told that's how they are supposed to fit, LOL!!!  

PATTERN:
No pattern was used for this skirt, I traced a RTW pencil skirt that was in my closet.

FABRIC:
Scuba knit that was in my stash.

This is my third one, my first pencil skirt was made by tracing a Ready-to-wear (RTW) pencil skirt that was in closet, now I trace one of the skirts I've already made.  I think I will make one more and that will be it for me.  I don't like to see the same garment in different colors or fabrics in my closet, I like variety.