Sewing Dresses

08 Apr Something Worth Sharing – The Little Dress

Posted at 13:23h in Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 16 Comments

While working on Garment #9, a documentary filmmaker sent me a lovely email about her project featuring the story of this inspirational woman participating in a most worthwhile effort. I'm happy to share it with you. To watch the video please click on the image :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the twilight of her life, Iowa native Lillian Weber had a remarkable goal: to sew 1,000 dresses for needy little girls in Africa before she turned 100 years old. She's one prominent volunteer among thousands around the world who are committed to the nonprofit organization “Little Dresses for Africa,” founded by Rachel O’Neill to...

03 Apr Garment # 8 Butterick 6048

Posted at 17:13h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 66 Comments

The photographer for Mimi's wedding said she preferred cloudy skies and overcast days for shooting photographs and she got her wish on this cold winter day ;) In preparing for the last Mood Sewing Network post, Hubby and I thought the gray skies and harsh glares would work in our favor too. Not so~~ We waited for the sun to come out and tried again. Greetings :) One of these days we'll learn how to use the light to our advantage, but for now there is no subtlety in the photographs - either overcast glare or bright morning light. My fabric, a blue/green/white floral cotton stretch...

10 Mar Garment #7, Vogue 8379

Posted at 06:35h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 94 Comments

Greetings :) There is viscose and there is viscose. I am wearing viscose, more specifically Poppy Abstract Stretch Viscose from Mood Fabrics. Upon reading the website's fabric description as "wonderful for wrap dresses reminiscent of DVF," I placed a quick order and found the description quite accurate. What is Viscose, you asked? For the scientific definition click here. Viscose, often labeled rayon is a regenerated cellulose fiber resulting somewhere in between a natural and synthetic fabric. I made my dress from a Viscose Jersey, knitted with 4% elastine. Viscose quality can vary, but this viscose is cream of the crop ;) My pattern is Vogue 8379, a...

05 Nov McCall’s 6884

Posted at 01:00h in McCall's Sewing Pattern, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 94 Comments

Just one look - that's all it took ~~~~ It's true, one look at this fabulous viscose jersey was all it took to convince me I needed a new wrap dress. This medium-weight viscose was my first fabric purchase in Florence, and I would have bought much more if only the store was willing to ship. A tax voucher was all the handsome Italian at Valli Tessuti could offer me. After uncareful consideration, I concluded the voucher signified a generous discount, and I left the store with four beautiful pieces of fabric - two silks and two viscose. McCall's 6884 was waiting for me at home. At...

27 Oct Peacock Kaleidoscopic Neoprene!

Posted at 01:00h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 123 Comments

It is said the two best days in the life of a boat owner are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell the boat. I'd like to extend the joke to writing a book...

04 Jul Poppin’ Poplin!

Posted at 05:30h in DIY Clothes, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Sewing Dresses, Tunics by goodbyevalentino 69 Comments

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! You survived another year, and I made a new dress to celebrate! One of the things I look for when shopping online are fabrics that will work well together, and I had no doubts about these off-white and navy Celtic inspired stretch cotton poplins. from Mood Fabrics. Cotton poplin with the addition of spandex is a dream come true for casual Summer sewing! Crisp, lightweight and minimal wrinkling - what more can I want? Using my own pattern I sewed the bodice with the navy background poplin saving the reverse fabric for the collar, placket and lower band. I generally make lower bands similar...

13 Jun Style Arc Teena Dress

Posted at 09:22h in Mood Fabrics, Sewing Dresses, Style Arc Patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 91 Comments

Do you know that the one color you should never wear for a job interview is...

23 May There Ain’t No Cure for the Summertime Blues

Posted at 12:45h in Sewing Dresses, silk, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 74 Comments

What can I say? I'm in a blue and white phase...

17 May Neoprene Delight!

Posted at 01:00h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 85 Comments

How's this for a One Yard Wonder? It's true - I made this dress with one yard of Mood Fabric's Watercolor Clouds Digitally Printed Stretch Neoprene. There's more where this came from too. Check it out here. I want the one with the lips if some cool blogger like Oonaballoona or Sallieoh doesn't beat me to it ;) Seriously, this is the best knit fabric ever...

01 Mar Hot Pink Boucle!

Posted at 01:00h in Mood Fabrics, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 84 Comments

How do you like our six inches of snow? We get ridiculously excited about every winter storm warning in the South, wipe out the grocery stores and cancel events in anticipation of snow. This 'winter storm' I hit the sewing machine with a color hot enough to melt the ice off the patio. When the skies turned gray my eye turned to this bright pink boucle on the Mood Fabrics website. It is soft, it is happy and it is well-behaved :) My pattern is Vogue 9022 sewn last month in a color block style with Mood's black and white wool crepe. This time I sewed the pattern...