Knit Maxi Dress - Butterick 6330

I made this dress a couple months, but just now getting it posted.

I also want to make the jacket later in the fall.

I made a size large, which is bigger than I need.  But the fabric is thin and very stretchy, and I didn't want it to cling too much.  I'm happy with the fit.

Fit alterations I made: added 1 inch to the front bodice length and removed 1 inch from back bodice length, and removed 1 inch from shoulder width.  These are standard alterations for me.

 I bought the fabric from Fabric.com in 2007 and paid $5.00 yard.  It's one of those fabrics that I liked so much that I was hesitant to cut it.  I'm glad to finally use and love the dress.


I really like it with a black cardigan.

And the back

I also used the pattern to make a black knit dress.  I made it calf length, added short sleeves and lowered the neckline by 1-1/2 inches. 

Monthly recap & plans

Monthly Recap

This month I sewed 5 garments and used 10 yards of fabric.  Overall, I'm pleased since these are all things I'll wear and there were no wadders. 

Lace Jacket
Pattern: Butterick 3532
Fabric: Gray cotton broadcloth and cream colored lace (2-1/2 yds)



























Knit Tankattern: Simplicity 4192 Fabric: Yellow textured knit (1 yd) 

 






















Knit Top
Pattern: McCall's 7286
Fabric: Turquoise print, turquoise solid, tan solid (2 yds)

Black knit midi tee-shirt dress
Pattern: Butterick 6330
Fabric: Black knit (2 yds)

Kimono Jacket
Pattern: Simplicity 8172
Fabric: Rayon challis, 2 prints (2-1/2 yds)

August Plans
I'm finished with summer sewing, but not ready to sew for fall/winter, so I'm kind of in limbo.
I'll start on my skirt draft in preparation for making pants for cool weather.
And work on Riley's quilt and hopefully finish it this month.
Also, look though the UFO basket and see if there's anything I want to work on.
And maybe work on some quilts.

Easy & Cool Summer Top

Since I love wearing cotton woven tops during the summer, I was intrigued when I saw Butterick 6215. 

When Butterick's were on sale at Joann Fabrics, I picked it up.

                

The most important way to insure a successful project is to pick the right fabric and this time I did.  

I sewed it from a soft, light-weight cotton print that's perfect for this top.

What do I like about this pattern?

It's quick and easy to make - no buttonholes.

It's cool and comfortable to wear

And the fit is good - a V-neck that's not loo low cut.

The only change I made was to the length of the back.  I didn't like the extreme hi-low hemline. 

So, I shortened it a couple inches.

        

 I wasn't sure about it, but now that I've worn it, I really do like it.

Sleeveless Knit Top & Mesh Jacket

Butterick 5925 was the starting point for this top. I've used this pattern a couple times before and really like it.  I make a size medium and the fit is good with only minor alterations. 

 
 This time, I left off the pockets and made it sleeveless.




This was one of those projects that just happened as I went along.  When I started, I didn't have a clear idea of what this top would be. The print fabric was left over from a maxi skirt project, and I used it to cut the front and then added the black band across the bottom.  I initially thought I would use the black fabric for the back, but didn't have enough of it, so I used it as the side pieces.  I also bound the neckline and armholes with strips of the black knit.

t can be cool in the office, so I wanted a little something to  wear over sleeveless tops.

I had 1-1/2 yards of this mesh-like fabric that I bought the fabric at Joann Fabrics.

I started with an oop pattern for a simple jacket and then made a few changes to get the shape I wanted.

I wore the set to work and it was very comfortable.

Knit Tops



I recently made four knit tops and decided to review all of them in one post.

For the first top, I used a Marcy Tilton pattern - Vogue 9057.  I love this pattern.

 

 

Here's the front

 

 

And the back  

 

Side view

The print fabric was purchased several years ago at WalMart and this is the second top I've made from it.  It's a poly-blend, but is actually pretty nice.

For the 2nd top, I used this New Look pattern. 
 

A black & gray lace sweatshirt

I like this top, except I made the neckline too big.  It's too low, especially for a winter time, so I wear a lightweight top underneath it.

Another Vogue 9057

For this one, I used a reversible knit from Joann Fabrics.  It's dots on one side and stripes on the other.  I had planned to use the striped side for the sleeves or maybe the back or even the cuffs,  but I didn't really like the look of it.   It seems like a wasted opportunity, but I just couldn't make it work.  So I only used the stripe for the neckband.  

Last one and my favorite

For this top, I used Butterick 5925

This is the 2nd time I've made this pattern.  I made my usual size medium, but I changed the shape of the neckline and added cuffs to the sleeves.

The print fabric is a beefy cotton blend that I've had for a long time, and don't remember where I bought it.  I love the colors & pattern of the print and it's so soft & comfy.  For contrast, I used a blue ponte for the side inserts, sleeve cuffs and neck binding; and a black/gray slub for the pockets.

Button-up Shirt - B4659

Another cotton woven top.   This time it's a button up shirt.

I love sewing with this type of fabric - it's so easy to sew and press.  And there are so many beautiful prints and colors to choose from.  Maybe that's one reason I enjoy making quilts.

For this shirt, I used Butterick 4659 and I made view B.  It's now out-of-print, so I guess I've had it a long time.

I used a pink floral cotton that I got at Joann Fabrics.  It took 3-1/2 yards of fabric and 6 buttons.  Even though this is a quilting cotton, it's a little bit heavier than normal and it doesn't wrinkle badly. I don't usually go for pink, but I really like this fabric.

I started with my usual size 14 and added a little at the lower center back to give me more room at the hip area.   I had to remove 2 inches from the shoulder width (normally I remove one 1 inch).  And it's a little big thru the bust and upper back.  I probably should have started with a size 12 pattern.  I made view B and I like the collar style, but it was a little tricky to sew.

This is a nice pattern.  I like the princess seams and the collar and the sleeve cuffs are interesting.   I've worn it to work and it's very comfortable.  So, I would say this pattern is a keeper.

Butterick 5356 - Top

My first spring/summer project.  A pretty woven top.  I really enjoy sewing with cotton woven fabric!





































I used Butterick 5356 pattern for this top.  I usually use a size 14 pattern for tops.  I made the M (12-14) and the fit is good, so it runs a little big.  I really like this pattern.  The neckline is not too wide or too low, and there's just enough gathers.  The neckline is finished with a self-fabric bias strip.  I like this method and use it often.  The sleeve edge is suppose to just be hemmed up, but I added a band so that I would have the contrast of the green fabric on the lace.    This pattern works best if a light weight, drapey fabric is used.

I used a thin cotton-blend fabric that was given to me and the lace was a small piece leftover from another project.  I added the lace to the upper front only.   I've used the pattern before.  All I paid for was the thread, so basically this top was free.

I made this long enough to wear with leggings.  I cut it at the tunic length, but hemmed it more than the pattern called for, so it's between the 2 pattern lengths.

Here's a close-up of the front:  I love the cream colored lace on the green fabric.