Tag Archives: Simplicity 3700

Cynthia Rowley Tunic + Life

We have “settled into” our temporary housing. It has certain perks.
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These are now decorating my sewing table and the tv area.
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I hope I’m not the only person in the world who has put flowers in a Nalgene instead of a vase…

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Here’s a peak of my new sewing space before I made a mess of it.

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It really isn’t very fun condensing all your sewing goodies that will be required for the next month into one grocery bag. Very sad. At least we’re moving on to bigger and better things.

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And here’s one after I settled in to alter the pattern…

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I couldn’t bring myself to show you how messy it is now, in full on sewing mess mode.

I started sewing this Cynthia Rowley top on Monday night, in foolish hopes that I’d be able to get it done by lunch on Tuesday. Of course, that didn’t happen.

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Original Inspiration: This version by LindsayT

She did these two other ones that I really liked, and here’s one by Miss Muslin, and one from Amanda at Adventures in Dressmaking

It looked good judging from PR, so I jumped right in.

I used Carolyn’s method to alter it, and was very careful with my alterations.

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I’m glad I’m using an old sheet from Goodwill to do a muslin, the first go round didn’t go too well. It looks alright standing in these pictures, but it did not FEEL comfortable at all. Too tight and too big in all the wrong places.

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Now its back to the drawing board again, or to the dining room table as the case may be.
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Going to try a Full Bust Adjustment for the first time.
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Looks manageable right?

Before I begin the slashing, I’m going to go enjoy the lovely life around me for a bit and hopefully go back refreshed.
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(I planted the begonias myself, and I am so proud! Let’s see how long they survive!)

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Lisette top is finally finished

The Lisette cotton lawn top is FINALLLLLLY finsihed.

I don’t know what my problem is with finishing things. It took me forever just to sew on the darned sleeves!

Lisette top

I really don’t care for this shirt. Its wearable, and it will be cool this summer, and I love the fabric. But I think it looks a little like some strange caftan or smock or something from the 70’s. Sometimes these things happen. Also, its too big, too low cut, and too bell sleeved.

Whatever! Its done, and its breezy. Two important characteristics of clothing for an Indiana summer.

Lisette fabric

So a while ago, I posted about this lovely Lisette fabric I bought and planned on making into a shirt.

Pretty fabric from Jo-Ann's that is bound to be a cute easy top.

It feels lovely, and I had guessed it was a cotton lawn, and it turns out I was correct.
Leisl, from Oliver + S, designed a whole line of these lovely prints for Jo-Ann’s fabrics!

You should seriously take a look at the Oliver + S website, they just have adorable, sort of retro graphics that I love, even though I don’t sew for kids.

She’s even got a new line of patterns from Simplicity that are very cute. My gripe is that of course they only run to a 22. I don’t think I love any of the patterns enough to take all the time to grade them up at this point in time, but who knows what they’ll come out with as the collection grows.

(For all you non-sewists, pattern sizes aren’t like regular ready to wear sizes like you find at Macy’s. They have a whole system of their own, and in my experience, I wear a much larger size in sewing patterns, than I do in ready to wear. And regular non-plus size patterns only go up to 22 which is too small!)

Here’s the progress on the Lisette top so far. I think it needs sleeves & a hem. Please ignore that. And the wrinkles…and my crazy expression.lol

Lisette Cotton Lawn top

Lisette cotton lawn top

I think it will get a lot of wear this summer, its very light and breezy!!

Pin Tuck Shirt

blankity blanking pin tuck shirt - done and in need of revisions

The Pin Tuck Shirt, which has had many names, is finally “finished.” First, it was just The Pin Tuck Shirt, then the Dang Pin Tuck Shirt, then The Expletive Pin Tuck Shirt, and later two versions of The Expletive Expletive Ping Tuck Shirt. I even lost it and had growing resentments towards it.

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But alas, it is done. Sort of. I hate it. I think I’m going to take 3 or so inches from the hem, add some strange dart/pleats to the collar, and add elastic to the sleeve ends. Hopefully it will be wearable!

blankity blanking pin tuck shirt

See how the collar has some bizarro gaping issues? I don’t know what is causing that.

Underneath it you can see the unfinished Annie Tunic. Its so close to being done, and yet I haven’t finished it. But it has to be finished by this coming weekend, so it’ll get done eventually!

Pretty fabric from Jo-Ann's that is bound to be a cute easy top.

I’m making a shirt with this fabric. Its very soft and flowy and has a great feel to it. Its from Simplicity 3700.  I’m just cutting the jumper down to shirt length and adding sleeves.