Finished! Ottobre Woman Magazine Verona Tunic Dress

Hey!
So I finished making that tunic dress from Ottobre Feb 2011 issue.

Here's the Verona dress as is featured in the magazine:

And here's my first attempt at the top:

I used some very, very cheap fabric from the remnant bin to make this top. Originally, this top was going to be a muslin, but I went ahead and finished it because I thought that it looked good enough to wear.
Ooooh, I like the way it looks from behind.

It looks almost..... professional? It's as though someone else made it. Hehe.

I have actually very broad shoulders (Gigantic Deltoids, as my yoga teacher points out to me). I was not sure if this kind of sleeve would suit me, but it seems to be quite flattering.
The front bodice panel is doubled (just like the sleeves), so the collar hem looks smooth. I like it.
So, I will definitely be making another one of these, especially now that I know what I'm doing :)

Garden Dreams and Ottobre

Happy Monday, my friends!

As I sit in my warm kitchen looking out into my bleak and (still) snow covered backyard, I have dreams of creating my vegetable garden. Last summer, our family moved into this house and I did not really get a lot of gardening done. This year, I dream of transforming part of the steep backyard into a terraced vegetable garden. I wonder how much work is involved? I am not afraid of hard work, but I really want to build a terrace right so that it will look good and we won't have any complaints from our neighbours.

I have dreams of tomatoes, cucumbers and lots of herbs. I imagine biting into that first sweet baby tomato at the end of July. I can't believe that it only 4 months away.

Honestly, I have never been successful at starting my own seedlings. I fail every year, because I lack the focus to tend to my seedlings meticulously. I wonder if I should try this year? I probably will. In fact, I think I'll start some tomatoes today.

Anyhoo...

I met up with my buddy Wendy last week, and she lent me her Ottobre magazine:

One magazine, 20 patterns? I think I'm in love. After careful perusal, I've decided to make this beautiful top:

It's gorgeous, isn't it?

This is how the pattern comes, and I've always wondered how people trace it out.

It is such a mess, but Wendy gave me such a great tip. She told me to adhere the pattern on my patio door so that light filters through and it is easy to trace.

So I have the patterns ready to go:

Can't wait to start sewing :)

Spring Fabric Flowers

I'm yearning for spring weather, but alas, in Ottawa, we are still in a cold weather spell.

Meanwhile, to brighten things up around the house, I decided to make some spring flowers.

These fabric flowers were made using the things I have at home. I think the flowers turned out rather pretty in their own rustic way:

So, you wouldn't believe how many times I have made flower tutorials only to stop posting them. Basically, there would be other very similar tutorials online. I didn't really want to step on anyone's toes, you know.

Anyway, I did a quick search online and there are pretty much hundreds of tutorials out there. I don't know if there are any similar tutorials out there, but what's one more flower tutorial? :)

You will need fabric, these are approximate measurements:

Cut about 1/2" slits along the folded side of the strip:

Start gluing the fabric in a spiral, ending right in the center:

I used thread and needle in the middle of the flower to secure the fabric:

To finish off, thread a piece of wire through the center and twist the wire to secure it.

I think you can probably leave the wire as is, but I wrapped the wires with lace to make it prettier :)

Awww.... I love it.

Sports Bra/ Top Thingamajic

It was spring break last week, and we took the family on a vacation to a friend's cabin by the lake. I've never really thought of myself as much of a cabin/cottage person, but lately I've changed my tune. Even in the winter, there's something to be said about escaping the whirlwind lifestyle and grinding into a slow, lethargic pace of life.

Even though it was still winter, it was bright, sunny and rather mild temperatures. Everyone had a lot of fun tobogganing down the long icy driveway:

We also played on the frozen lake that had a truly breathtaking view:

There were snow tunnels dug out:


We also skated in a gorgeous ice path constructed to weave through the woods. The kids also went skiing. Well, I won't subject you to more family vacations photos!

I wanted to talk about McCall 4261 pattern. Over a year ago, I had used this pattern to make some bra tops.

This was how one of them turned out:

I still really like it. Someone did give me the idea to extend the bottom of this bra top to convert it into a sports top. I have meant to do this for a while now, but finally got around to it.

Uh.... sorry for cutting the top of my head off. So, as you can see, this worked really well. I made the top extra long, and also snug around the hips. This is because I will be using the top for yoga and the last thing I wanted was to worry about the top slipping down during an inversion.

Here's another photo with more details:
I like the layered bra-top part, and the elastic in the middle. The band of fabric in the middle is an added plus as it keeps the top snugly in place. All in all, this is a great exercise top.

This Top Looks Familiar

Hi,

How are you doing? During a conversation with a good friend, I mentioned how little I've been blogging. We were trying to figure out why, and I think we narrowed it down to my increased working hours, my new hobbies (skiing, skating etc), my increasingly demanding job as chauffeur to my two kids, and my Sony eReader.

Aha! So the truth comes out. I received this at Christmas, and I find myself reading all the time. It's an addiction, my friends.

However, I am not really going to feel bad about not blogging as much as I 'should'. I really enjoy documenting my sewing and craft projects, so I'm not going to spoil it by feeling guilty about my dwindling bloggy output. Quality over quantity, I say! Debatable, I know, but I'm sticking to that. :)

I have still been sewing. I made another top with New Look 6962

That's why it will look familiar. I really like the previous blouse I made, and I thought that I will try the different style with a fabric I had been saving. I bought it on sale (of course) last year, and I thought it would look perfect with this pattern.

I really like the fabric. The only gripe I have is that I ironed and ironed the fabric, but I still couldn't get some of the creases out.
Really love the border:
I think this top cost $5.50 in material and 2 hours of leisurely sewing time, to make. I love a good bargain.
See you soon, my friends. If I'm not reading, that is. Hah!