April GAM is early!

Butterick B5642. Lovely pattern that sews up quickly and beautifully.

I'm pretty sure this is the first time my Garment of the Month has been early. Not just a little early either but over 2 weeks early!

This dress was finished last Wednesday the 16th, and all ready for Easter Sunday. The pattern is Butterick 5642. I absolutely love the pattern and the dress.

There are two pretty big deals about the making of this dress. One, this is the first dress I have ever made for myself! I realized that halfway through sewing it up. (oh, I just remembered I made 2 knit dresess back in October and November when I first started the GAM so this is dress number 3). One of them I have since donated due to poor fit. I usually only make skirts and blouses, never dresses for myself. I think the reason is I am short so always, always, always, bodices on dresses are too long for me and gap in the back especially at the neckline and are a general pain.

BUT, this time and here's number 2 big deal; I changed the way I view making a muslin. I use to think sewing a wearable muslin was better because....well, I don't know why I thought that. It just seemed like the thing to do. I don't like throwing things away so perhaps that was the reason but who knows. I just got into the habit. Well, I am not going to do that anymore and didn't do it this time. Really when I was making a wearable muslin I was making the garment as perfectly as possible but I don't think that should be the purpose of the muslin. It is for pattern making and fine tuning and fitting. Am I the only person on the planet who did not realize this?  Sometimes those habits, just can't shake them.

But for this dress the muslin was sewn in less than a hour complete with the zip. Another hour later I had a workable pattern that fit me pretty much as well as possible for where my sewing skill is currently. I still would like to do a shoulder seam adjustment and bring the whole bodice up a tad but overall am very happy with how the dress turned out.

Definitely will be making this dress again. Maybe sleeveless next time with a cotton voile and fully lined??

The fabric is 100% linen so I did not bother lining it although it is called for in the pattern. If you have never taken the leap in to linen for garments, I highly recommend it. So easy to sew and work with.

I also added some neckline details using a decorative stitch on my machine and some hand stitching. My daughter didn't care for the hand stitching up the neckline but I love it. The sleeves and hem were finished with a rolled hem on the serger. Love the way the rolled hem looks on the flutter sleeves curling a bit and making them even more feminine.

Neckline details. Inset with decorative stitching.

The dress had lots of gathers, back darts and an invisible zip.

Why are there so many more wrinkles in a picture!!

I can think of lots of style ideas such as an exposed zip, many different neckline details, beads, trims, more elaborate embroidery. Also, would be lovely in black linen as well with some beaded trims.

Excited that I finished my April GAM and if you want to see some great seamtresses and their beautiful garments head over to GAM and take a peek. So fun.

A New Sew-A-Long to go with the Old Sew-A-Long

Well, I am a glutton for punishment. Or something like that.



Just after finishing up my November GOM

It is not too late to join us!

and whilst in the midst of the Cooper Bag SAL, I joined another SAL today.

BUT, I do have an excuse. Or something like that.

This SAL is NOT for me because it is horrid (hehe) how I have been selfish sewing these days. This SAL is for my dear husband who, aside from the occasional pillowcase, I really don't sew for....ever. He has been asking me for ages to make him a padded laptop bag so I decided to make him a flannel shirt!

Confession: I am not being entirely SELFLESS here. There is the most outstanding pattern languishing in my sewing patterns for a women's classic tailored shirt. But, I fear it. It looks hard and there is not as much fudging with woven's like you can with knits. It pretty much has to be perfect or it looks, well you know, "homemade" in the bad sense. Plus my recent passion with bepoke garments and a propensity for perfection means I want to get it right.

Kelly, the hostess of the Flannel Shirt SAL appears to have what I call SSSS or the 4 s's. Some Serious Sewing Skill. And she has graciously made herself available for helping those who get themselves in a jam. 

In preparation all the cotton or wool flannel fabric in my stash was hauled out. The problem though, I never really bought any of that fabric for a guy shirt so my husband wasn't all that excited about it. Besides that he told me, he finds flannel shirts to be pretty warm unless he is outside working or hiking and this shirt is for the inside. So, back to the stash I went a few times resisting the urge to purchase shirting from somewhere. Then I happened upon this old post from SewMamaSew discussing possible fabric sources for a man's shirt and Eureka! I remembered a nice neutral linen I purchased earlier this year.

This passed Hubby inspection! Yay!!!

So, today we are off to our "flannel" shirt SAL! It is a quick one so at the end of 2 short weeks or so, I hope to have a nice gift for my husband to put under the tree...or something like that. Wish me luck!

BTW...Art Gallery Fabrics is giving away a fat quarter bundle. Check it out!