New shirt and the closet-shrinking skirt!

Hey all!

So I finally got to photograph my petrol skirt I made a few weeks ago. We got a surprice snowfall the day before yesterday, which gracefully covered all the mud in our backyard. And that spells great lighting!

Since I finally found the shirt pattern of Win (Simplicity #2195), I wipped up another one last weekend, to wear with the skirt. I used the same fabric for this version as I did the first one. It's just some really cheap cotton canvas, which is great to work with and suits everyday clothing. The big plus for me is that it comes in so many lovely vibrant colors, and has no right and wrong side. Again, I picked one of "my recommended colors".

Sorry for the blurry photo.
I need a manned camera!

I love this new shirt, it turned out even better than the first, and now I don't have to dread making buttonholes anymore. Bertha is a champ with her automatic buttonhole function, and they come out perfect every time! Yay!

The skirt however, has fallen from grace. It seems to have shrunk in my closet. I could barely eek it on over the shirt! I haven't been running much the last few weeks, due to a ankle sprain that won't quite heal. It could be that I need a kick in the backside, so the darn skirt will fit again. I'm sure it will work out eventually.

On another note, I am in full swing with my Ceylon dress. The pattern is traced and cut, now on to the muslin! Oh, and EASTER BREAK IS HERE!!!!! Yeehaw!

Pink power! (Simplicity #2195)

Hey everybody!

I hope you are all doing well, and looking forward to easter break. I know I am!
I just love the longer days, the milder temps and not having to scrape ice off my car in the mornings.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

These last weeks since getting Bertha the sewing machine, I have been in a creative wirlwind of planning, and procrastinating. Funny enough, I do not seem to posess the imagination to use anything from my stash. A part of it are fabrics very precious to me, that I am saving for the perfect project (sound familiar?) but for the most part my entire stash seems to be made up of weird, overly-floral stuff in unflattering colors. I think what I am getting at, is that I think I have evolved. I am starting to find my likes and dislikes, but also put down some more thought in what I am making.

Lately I have been reading a bit about colors, and which of them suit different people.
Since I am to cheap to splurge my fabric funds on getting a color analysis, I have come to the conclusion that I have a cool complexion, classified as a winter type and should keep to cool color tones.

source

I find this stuff rather interesting, and decided to try out my new found knowledge.
So, I made a shirt!

I made version 2.
The pattern comes with embroidery-transfers
for monograms!

This is Simplicity #2195 from 1957. I gotta tell ya, I love this pattern! It has the easiest collar construction I have ever tried, and it just looks great. If anything, I would have liked it even more if the collar was bigger (but that's what the 70s are for!). A simple under-collar is first easily sewn to the bodice, and then the interfaced front facings and collar are stitched on in one swoop along the collar edge. I was so pleased with it, I nearly cried a bit. The rest of the shirt went together very smoothly, even setting in the sleeves went perfect on the first try, which never happens!

Neat and easy collar-construction,
with bias bound finish.

The shirt has front and back tucks. I like them on the back, but the front ones add some pouf that I am a bit unsure of. As demonstrated by the pattern cover art, this blouse is for tucking into skirts and pants, and then the front tucks will make more sense. Next time, I think I'll tinker with them and maybe make them into fisheye darts.

OMG. I look like I've had a case of wine.
Cool shirt though.

Perfect sleeves, loose  fitting
and comfortable.

The sleeves was also brilliant to make, no cuffs or other nonsense, just folded up and slipstitched on the inside. They are the perfect length I find, as I always keep pulling up my sleeves on sweaters and shirts, when cooking, sewing, knitting. No need here, as they're never in the way.

Top stitched yoke, and gathers at the back.

So, what do you think? Do you think this color suits me? It really is a very vibrant cool toned color, and I get instant energy from it. I intend to give my other colors a try, too:)