Sew Miss Oz

Pattern Picture:

Project Photo:

Pattern Rating:

According to Butterick, this is an easy pattern. I would also say it is an easy pattern.

Pattern Description:

Girls’ a-line dress, above mid-knee has elastic/partial drawstring neck, front slit/raised waist, short sleeves with elastic hem, back zipper, narrow hem. A) flounce A/B) contrast over-dress

Pattern Sizing/Sizing Used:

This pattern is plus-sized girl’s 8 1/2 to 16 1/2 ; I made an altered size 14 1/2

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

It somewhat does, with the plus size girls’ the waist fitting is less and/or should be on my dd and is with my alteration.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The instructions were easy to follow, really had no questions of what they wanted done.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I have a couple of issues with this pattern. 1) has an elastic neckline would you need a zipper too? I really thought this was overkill and omitted it from my version 2) that the finished waist measurement on this was so small for a plus size girl 3) the way they want you to complete the elastic in the neck and the tie is impossible as written 4) since this is the over-dress suggested in a sheer fabric why not include some better instructions for sewing on sheer fabric (a few French seams).

Fabric & Notions Used:

I used a polyester sheer georgette, navy with white polka dots, from Vogue Fabrics; A solid navy lightweight polyester for the under-dress.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:

The main alteration was to increase the waist/tummy area on only the front of the dress. My plus size dd has a full tummy, therefore needs the extra through that area. I used my typical slash/spread the front pieces. This means I had to attach the bodice pattern piece to the skirt pattern piece. I than measured the waist of the pattern front piece, along with the area 2 inches below the waist (my dd’s fullest tummy area); I compared the finished front measurements to dd’s actual front measurements. I then added the extra I would need to the fullest part of her tummy to maintain the ease of the original dress. This slash & spread method maintains the added fabric through the bodice then into the skirt. Once I have added the extra needed I separate the bodice & the skirt pattern pieces as the original pattern.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I might sew it again, but doubt it. This is not the best-looking dress on my plus size dd. I think the way the dress is made and cut is just not a style that looks good on the plus size girl. I also think the neckline is a little wide.

Tips:

Before sewing the casing on the neckline read carefully! I really do not like how Butterick did the neckline. The way it reads the elastic should run to a shoulder point on the neck, and then you run the tie in? I really don’t like the neckline the way they did it. I ran elastic through the entire neckline, and then only attached the ties to the front portion.

Conclusion

DD says she likes the dress, but I noticed it is not the first one she will put on. I should probably let this pattern go now, as I doubt I would make it again. It just is not a design/style that looks the best on my dd.

My blog shows Sunday as my last post, which is obviously correct!

I was busy Monday, and don’t even remember what I was busy doing! I believe I went shopping that day with T, we bought flowers for her to plant and a few other things. T & I also went out to lunch and to the park that day. After we got home we planted her new flowers, put things away, and I worked on some laundry.

Tuesday was interesting to say the least! On Tuesday we had a court hearing for my 2^nd daughter who requested she be emancipated from us. The hearing didn’t turn out as she hoped, the judge told her to suck it up, as parents we do have the right to set rules, even the ones she doesn’t like, and she has to live with them until she is legally 18 years of age. For her though 18 years of age is only a few months away, so this whole thing is rather silly, and stems around a relationship that we feel in inappropriate at this stage of her life. The whole issue wouldn’t be so bad as the amount of lies she began telling, then the way she started talking to us since she started this relationship. The actual court hearing went pretty fast, we weren’t gone more than 2 hours, even with the 1 hour drive round trip. After I got home I updated all my pictures over at Pattern Review, I didn’t realize how many of my pictures were not showing up. All the pictures are correct now. I also tried to do a blog posting for some more pattern reviews, had one all typed up when my Microsoft 2007 decided to just close up shop :grrr: Then I was frustrated that I spent all that time typing, adding pictures, for it to be dumped. It is my own fault I know I need to save from time to time because these products sometimes get minds of their own! I also started fighting the laptop this night, it for some reason was locked up with the CPU showing 100% usage. It was also a Sheriff ride night for my DH, so he wasn’t home from around 5 pm until 5 am – so that meant all the chores were mine again for the evening.

Wednesday was a busy day, a day that made feel completed! Of course I felt completed because of the items that got completed! I worked around the house in the morning, did morning chores, than sewed! I sewed until my 2^nd daughter was ready to go to work, which I drove her to work. Once home from that chore I got busy on other things that needed to get done. I lightly tilled the garden where weeds were coming in. I found that I am totally missing several plants, I’m not sure if I should blame the deer or the bunnies. The deer are a big possibility as have caught them recently eating the apples off my trees in the orchard lately. After I got my garden area tilled I mowed. I mowed not just the garden area but finished mowing the yard the DH didn’t get finished Monday night. We have approximately 5 acres for a yard, and with that size it takes several hours to mow the entire yard, more hours than squeezable within a night. I vacuumed the pool, something I dread doing. I picked up J (daughter #2) from work, took both the girls out for dinner (McDonald’s), than we got ice cream for dessert later. After we got home, I did the dishes, and those little tedious chores, than I sewed! I sewed for several hours. I completed an apron for my mother-in-law! I’ll do a review of it on here within the next day or so. DH was gone again tonight with the Sheriff’s Department. As a reserve deputy they have to provide security for all the fairs in the county, and unfortunately there is one this week, which is why he has been gone so many nights this week.

Thursday which is today, I’m not sure what well be completed. I am thinking about some painting, J has to work again today, and DH has NO Sheriff stuff tonight! I have a several things cut out ready to sew but not sure where to start. I have a skirt that I actually cut out during winter break from school that I never got around to sewing. My problem is I’m worried that the skirt will not fit now. I have been gaining weight! I am so mad and upset about it, but I guess not mad enough to head back to Weight Watchers. The 40 lbs that I had taken off is all back. It took me a little over a year to put it all back on, but hey I am a non-smoker now, does that count? My doctor says she prefers the non-smoker over the 40 lbs for my health, but I seriously need to work on the 40 lbs. Anyway the skirt I cut out as size 12 last winter which shows like a 38″ hip. I was already putting my weight on at winter break so I know I was probably 20 lbs over at that point. I measured my hips now, they measure 41″. So I am debating if I use 1/4 ” seams instead of the 5/8″ seams will it give me enough extra? This is a gored skirt, so I do have several panels. I hate sewing something that maybe a complete waste of my time in the end, but I would just love to have a brown skirt. I also would like an easy was to lose 40 lbs! I hate being so restricted as what I can eat as the Weight Watchers system, or any systematic diet. I know what I really need is to find a good exercise routine, I generally don’t eat terrible, except those chips I picked up since I quit smoking they are an addiction, especially the Sun Chips Garden Salsa!

Well I better get this rainy day moving! I have reviews I need to work on, painting, and sewing!

T-T-F-N!

Not too much sewing done today, it was a day of working on other family projects mostly. I did work on another pair of the Jalie 2327 briefs for DH tonight just briefly. What did I do with my day besides sew?

• Took care of the animals & swimming pool this morning, that generally takes at least an hour
• Watched Norte Dame mass on TV – I need to find a church to drive to
• Did my 2^nd coat of paint in the dining room, see my Family & Remodel Blog on the work I’m doing
• Made a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies – yeah we needed those, right? Yep the cookies from the other day are gone
• Scrubbed & cleaned the walls to a small room off a larger room off the garage, ready to prime the room
• Ordered more powder dry from Malden Mills for more briefs for DH (got 5 yards, some black silk weight powder dry was on sale for $3.99 per yard!)
• Looked for fabric for curtains in my newly painted dining room
• Did some sewing
• Made some dinner for T & I (DH is doing his Sheriff duty at one of the local fairs, they play security)
• Cleaned Kitchen, sweep the dining room & steps
• Then did animals again, there went almost another hour!

See how my day goes! Tomorrow I need to run to town for meds for the dogs, might take T to lunch while we’re in town. She wants to get some plants to make her own little garden also. Not sure if I’ll get any more painting done in the next few days so maybe time for some sewing !!

Pattern Info:

Jalie 2327

Pattern Picture:

Project Photo:

Pattern Rating:

Say super easy! These men’s underwear are simply a breeze to put together.

Pattern Description:

Men’s briefs, trunks and thong Men’s briefs, trunks and thong

Pattern Sizing/Sizing Used:

Pattern contains boys’ 2 (hip 22″) thru men’s 52 (hip 53″); I made size z which is equivalent to a size 42″.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

I think they look very much like the pattern envelope, but I didn’t make any changes from the original pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The instructions are sparse on this pattern, but there are also very few pieces to put together. Mostly the diagrams show the best instructions. The elastic requirements and application were the least discussed.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I like the overall design, which is similar to DH,’s higher end hip briefs. The double layer pocket/pouch on the front is not something you find on the lower end (Wal-Mart) hip briefs.

Fabric & Notions Used:

The pattern wasn’t exactly specific as to the type of elastic required for the waist & legs, therefore I checked a pair of hubby’s RTW. I found RTW used a 3/8″ elastic on the legs and 3/4″ elastic on the waist. I decided to use my prior swimsuit construction as background, and use knit elastics. I applied the elastic in the same method as making a swimsuit, quarter making, using a 3-step zigzag on first application, than flipping elastic over and using a regular zigzag. I also used wooly nylon thread hand wound on my bobbin for all elastic application, including the actual construction of the underwear.

I used a silk weight powder dry for the two pairs, and then used lightweight cotton/lycra for the other four pairs. I didn’t have the exact color of wooly nylon to match the material, but since these are underwear, I don’t think anyone will inspect that closely.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:

On the first pair hubby felt they needed to be raised just a tad in the back. I adjusted the center back up 1 inch, then drawing a new line from the hip seam to the center back. According to hubby that was a perfect fix aren’t alterations wonderful for men

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I’m sure I’ll be sewing these again, probably very soon. All together I have 6 pair I’ve made this week, but that isn’t quite enough for my washing and his wearing so I’ll be making a few more pair within the next few weeks. Hubby says the powder dry are the most comfortable in this summer heat, but felt the cotton/lycra would be great in the winter. So now, I’ll have to find more powder dry. I would definitely recommend at least the hip briefs in this pattern, very comparable to RTW.

Tips:

My only tips is the regarding the elastic. As I noted a 3/4″ elastic on the waist is what you’ll find on RTW. I also shortened the elastic by 1 to 1 1/2 inches from what the pattern suggested.

Conclusion

These will be made again several times over! Since hubby likes this style of underwear but in our area I’m finding them hard to find within the stores I see more in my future sewing plans.

There are those times that I think my family sadly deserves some homemade cookies, or maybe it is me who craves the sweet taste of homemade cookies These I made are made with my base recipe for chocolate chip cookies, but I used 1 cup of mini Reeses pieces and 1 cup of chocolate chips. They were hmmm so very good too! I made them yesterday afternoon, within 24 hours later they are more than half gone. I did bake them in-between sewing so does that count

Besides my vegetable gardening, and my orchard area I decided we needed some flowers and pretty plants for the front porch area. I have 6 pots I put plants and flowers in, along with 2 other garden bedding areas. While I was in the dirt I also thinned some of my bulb plants. I know this is not the perfect timing to thin the bulb plants, but I won’t tell if no one else does I love to sit out on my front porch for lunch or a break at my little table letting my eyes view my orchard, my flowers & plants, just the simple beauty God has provided us.

Here is a picture of 1 of my plants I got in my garden. I really didn’t think I would ever get my garden in this year with all the rain. We had lots of flooding in this area, my mother-in-law’s town was one that was evacuated giving me her extra company here for a few days. My mother-in-law was lucky, her residence set up high enough that it wasn’t one of the homes flooded. As far as my gardening went I bought all my plants, then the rain came! I kept them alive in my husband’s workshop, bringing them out a few hours a day for sun, getting them back inside before more rain. My darling husband had the garden area all tilled ready for my plants when the rain started, when it dried out enough I just had to run a couple of quick easy passes with the tiller to loosen the dirt back up.

I planted 3 cucumber plants (need to put up more pickles & relish), 1 watermelon plant, 1 cantaloupe plant, 1 egg plant, 1 pumpkin (need those jack-o-lanterns), 6 tomato plants, 4 bell pepper plants. All those tomato plants will definitely keep me busy in a few months. I generally can up my tomatoes as just cut tomatoes, then when cooking later will use them to make many different things like spaghetti sauce, hmmm.

I had 3 trees full of these beautiful cherries. I spent several days picking, removing seeds, then canning. We now have canned cherries for cherry pie or cobbler, plus 13 jars of cherry preserves. Really there was no way I could cover 3 very full trees by myself, nor could our family eat these many cherries, so I called in neighbors to share these babies with. These cherries are tart, therefore make up great canned cherries with a little sugar and/or Splenda. Why is this on my sewing blog, well do you know how much time they took away from my sewing time? I’m trying to improve on my picture taking skills, along with my editing in Paint Shop; what do you think of my cherry tree picture? I have a few more posts of things I am doing, along with some sewing I have been squeezing in with my summer break from school!

I’m back - at least for now that is! If read my personal blog then you know I had problems with my blogs and the databases for them. I have updated, corrected, and fixed the issues for now - but I lost my old posts. If I get time I’ll put back some of the reviews I did with my sewing, and my digital scrapping. I hope to keep my hobby blogging up, alas though with going to college my hobbies often fall to the wayside for homework and family.