Flops, Slips and Tops

Due to an out-of-commission Net-book, I have been woefully behind in posting my project!  Well, get ready for a sewing photo overload!    

Fist, I fully admit that a lot of my sewing endeavors have not been coming out just as I had hoped lately, mostly due to sizing.  But with every flop comes more experience and a greater understanding of my craft.  Take my first pair of Clovers for example.  Beautiful execution, but they are at least two sizes too small despite the fact that I made several practice pairs, one of which actually even fit!   Truthfully, I have made FIVE different practice Clovers now, and have yet to get the size exactly right.  I haven’t given up yet, but I'm going to take a little break and re-group.   

Here is my muslin number one- sadly, this is not the practice pair that (nearly) fit:  

And now the real deal: Fully lined wool Clovers that are way too small:

And now the lining.  So pretty, right?

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what I was thinking since I didn't really change anything sizing wise from the last muslin that was too small.  I guess I thought that this wool had more stretch...It's all a blur of regret now.  But I'm still glad that I went ahead and finished them.  They look so perfect, even if they are useless!   

Let move on to something nicer and less depressing.  This year one of my sewing goals was to make more useful things that I need for my wardrobe, not just what is the most new and exciting.  I have been in need of a new slip, but they are so dang expensive!  Even though I have been afraid to work with shear fabric I had a feeling that this was something that I could learn to do myself, and save a bit of money in the process.  So, I took this beautiful shear border print fabric that I got from my sister in law and this gorgeous bias tape I bought on Etsy from merrigoround & me (I am a return customer) and LOOK!  I made a beautiful slip!!!!  It can also be pulled down to be used as a skirt slip.  Yay!  I am so happy with how it turned out, and I can’t wait to make another to go under lighter colored dresses and skirts.  :)  

It just slips on and fits snugly over my chest or hips with no closures that might show under clothes.  Keep in mind that this could only work with a fabric that has a lot of stretch and a bias tape that can fit snugly while still keeping its shape, in case you want to make your own.  The best part?  I used French seams, which is a beautiful way to encase seems so that they don’t show or fray.  I am in love.  :)

Another goal I have been working on is trying more challenging projects.  Although I have gone into this goal head first, more complicated= more mistakes and less to show for you efforts.  Oh well.  Despite some setbacks, I am still feeling pretty confident in my sewing abilities, and I am learning as much, if not more, from my mistakes than I could ever learn from everything going smoothly.  But it is still a pain to work really hard on something and have it not turn out right.

I don't want to overload you today, but trust me, the best is yet to come!  I have been a busy little seamstress this month.  :) Tomorrow will be a bit more cheerful  (no sad too-small pants in the mix) as I will post my lovely new "Walk Away Dress!"  

***Bonus project for today: I also made this top out of scrap material and left over lace.  It still needs a snap I in the back, but it ended up being pretty cute right?