Bonnie's Blue Skirt

Apparently this skirt was a big hit at school.  I guess lace and satin are all the rage for 3rd graders.   I didn't use a pattern.  I sewed three 18 inch lengths of the fashion fabric together to form a tube.

I think I got the fabric from a going out of business sale at Hanocks for under $2 a yard.  It is made from panels of different shades of blue poly satin sewn together.  It is covered in a layer of black netting.  The seams between the panels are covered by black ribbon.   

I finished the hem by serging and sewing black lace around it.  

I bought the lace at JoAnns with my 50% coupon making it about $6. 



I added an elastic waistband.  I tried to gather the fabric and then stretch the elastic, but it was just too much to gather and looked like wads of fabric.  I ended up using my ruffler attachment.  Did I tell you how much I love my ruffler?  It is awesome.  I zigzagged the elastic to the satin. 



I took this picture of Bonnie right before her bedtime and I think she was about to drop. 



Here is a shot Bonnie and Gus with cast.  He broke his arm sledding while we were in Colorado over Christmas.  Fun times....



Back in Black

The blouse is the last version of McCalls 5522 that I have cut out. The skirt is from Sew Beautiful magazine. I made it last summer.

The blouse is made from a fine black cotton with a subtle woven stripe. I have had it in the stash for years. I think it is from a sale table at Hancocks.

I finished the seams by serging. The placket, cuffs, collar and stand are interfaced with black poly organza. All hems and facings are sewn by hand. I did try to machine top stitch the front placket and it was not good, so I ripped it out and sewed it down by hand.


The buttons are from the stash. They must be at least 15 years old. They were labeled as men's knit buttons. Not sure what that means. I guess I'm going off label as this isn't a knit and last time I checked, I'm not a man.

Here is a brief history of McCalls 5522:

Peach eyelet

Teal swiss dot

Silk Floral

And here is Miss Bonnie who never met a print she didn't like.

I Bet You're Noticing a Pattern Here

McCalls 5522 This is my third version and I have a fourth black version half way done. My first version was the Floral Silk from LA Mood. My second version was the Teal Swiss Dot from G Street.

I knew I wanted some peach/sherbet colored eyelet last summer. I searched for all cotton, but was only able to find this poly/cotton from Hancock Fabrics.

The fabric definitely does not press out as well as cotton, but I think the result is still pretty good.

The sleeves are probably a little too full, but my upper arms are my least favorite body part. I usually have to go up 2 sizes in ready-to-wear to fit my arms. Bodices are always too big for me.

OK, this is the last time I am going to wear the ORANGE necklace with the SHERBET blouse. It's a little unsettling...


I serged all the seams. The facings are interfaced with sew-in peach organza. You can't use regular interfacing because you can see it through the eyelet. I got the organza interfacing tip from a Sewing Guild Meeting I once went to at G Street. I like the organza interfacing for lightweight fabric because it doesn't distort the fabric like iron-on interfacing.

I found the buttons in my stash! Score!! I have no clue where they came from.

I think this blouse will look cute in the summer with jeans and sandals. I also have a vague plan to make a brown linen skirt and jacket for the Spring and Summer. I got gorgeous brown linen from G Street last summer that needs to be sewn.

Trips to JoAnns and Hancocks

Total filler posting.

Went to the local super Joanns with coupons in hand.

Picked up a red linen/rayon, black rayon knit and an eggplant rayon knit.


I've already cut out a gored skirt with the red linen, so stay tuned.

Also picked up this teal linen rayon with embroidery and sequins (nothin' says professional like sequins!)


The local Hancocks is about a mile from the new super Joanns. I'm not sure how long it will last. I picked up peach cotton/poly eyelet and some lacy poly mystery fabric to make a beach coverup.

Bonnie's New School Dress

This year Bonnie started Kindergarten. She is a really "girly" girl. She prefers dresses and rarely wears pants. She was very excited I was sewing a dress for her and would prod me continuously to finish the dress.

The pattern I used was Butterick 4782, view D.

Back of dress. It would have looked better with an invisible zipper, but I have lots of zippers in my stash and wanted to use one.

The fabric is a teal cotton corduroy from a Hancock fabric going-out-of-business sale. It's not the most high quality fabric and is already starting to fade. It will be a woolite only dress I guess.

I added lace from my stash. Actually it was from an inherited stash (it is true that you can't take it with you when you die....).

I added poly lining to the bodice from my stash.