Sewing Tops

16 Aug Sewing For a Postulant

Posted at 06:22h in sewing clothes, Sewing Skirts, Sewing Tops by goodbyevalentino 67 Comments

At the request of many readers, I am writing a post about my recent sewing project. My neighbors' 30-year old daughter, the oldest of seven children, is an Air Force Academy graduate. She completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan while on active duty before settling in Columbia, SC as an engineer. In March she made the decision to pursue the religious life and is joining the Dominican Sisters of Mary in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her parents paid me a visit shortly after her decision to ask if I would sew the official clothes Katie would wear during her postulant year. The clothes include 2 white aprons, 2 blue aprons,...

22 Jul McCall’s 7543

Posted at 08:50h in Fashion Sewing, McCall's Sewing Pattern, Sewing Tops by goodbyevalentino 75 Comments

After seeing so many cute renditions of McCalls 7543, I could not let another summer day pass without sewing my own. An off-the-shoulder top with gathered shoulders and elastic pulled tight across the chest and back gives the appearance of nice clean lines, which I wear better than a full gather. The nice tight pull across the chest also prevents gaping. After finishing the experimental embroidered denim jacket I was ready to embroider for real ;) The printed fabric from EmmaOneSock is a lightweight linen with a nice background for an embroidery design. I settled on a floral motif the Pfaff Embroidery book...

21 May Sprout Patterns

Posted at 16:19h in Sewing Tops by goodbyevalentino 70 Comments

Greetings :) I wish I could say I've been on vacation but home renovations interfered big time with sewing. This Spring Sprout Patterns offered me the opportunity to sew some of their patterns. I knew about this unique sewing concept, and having never sewed the Sprout way, I enthusiastically accepted the generous offer. First of all I greatly admire creative minds who think outside the box and the concept is brilliant. Sprout Patterns is a business that sells Indie sewing patterns printed with any Spoonflower design. After selecting a pattern you are directed to a design board featuring a screen with a 3D rotating image...

06 Feb Style Arc Head to Toe!

Posted at 06:00h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 74 Comments

This week of sewing has been all play and no work ;) I simply love sewing with no agenda, deadlines, hardcore plans, and all of the other issues that can pile on the pressure. I have been beyond eager to sew a cold-shoulder top. I see them everywhere, and after one attempt and mediocre result last spring I'm at it again. Fortunately, the pattern companies now offer many more selections, and I had a better vision. For this top I selected the Style Arc Cold Shoulder Knit Top. I have no affiliation with Style Arc Patterns, but now that I can buy them with...

13 Sep Butterick 4735 With a Twist

Posted at 10:16h in Butterick Patterns, Sewing Tops, The Tunic Bible, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 102 Comments

It’s a girl :) Greetings from Scottsdale where I’ve been since September 3, celebrating one of life’s greatest miracles ~ the birth of little “Birdie” born September 1. Hubby and I are truly thrilled to be first-time grandparents to such a precious bundle of joy! Can you believe it, dear Readers? I started Goodbye Valentino as a new empty nester. In 5 short years, I’ve gained two son-in-laws, a new puppy and a granddaughter. My husband and I have each lost a beloved parent, and I’ve written a book to be published in 18 days. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for hanging with...

10 Aug The New Forty – Garments 22 and 23

Posted at 16:24h in C&T Publishing, Sewing Tops, The Tunic Bible, Tunics, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 61 Comments

Greetings from the amazing Chautauqua Institution! Situated on 750 acres beside the Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, it is one of my favorite summer destinations for culture and enlightenment. Although clothes and fashion are hardly on the minds of the learned souls who inhabit this lofty sight, I found the trip a perfect opportunity to sew two very different casual pieces both from The Tunic Bible. Above is a simple tunic made from a sarong purchased at the Roberta Roller Rabbit at Kiawah Island ~ sometimes you just have to think outside the bolt! I embellished the neckline with piping cut from the...

28 Jun Garment No 17

Posted at 06:54h in Sewing Tops, The Tunic Bible, Tunics, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 68 Comments

Breaks from blogging are rarely intended but life happens...

04 Jun A Lizard, Newspaper, Craftsy and Silk

Posted at 19:18h in Craftsy.com, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 55 Comments

Maybe you read Pamela Druckerman's New York Times Op Ed on Sunday. It's a synopsis of the commencement speech she gave to students graduating from the Paris College of Art, an American art and design school in France. By the time I reached the end of the column I felt it was written just for sewists and sewing bloggers - especially the paragraph that states it's ok to be obsessive. Druckerman quotes comedian Louis C.K. who says "Anything you do should be better than anything you did before." That statement might have been a joke, but ...

13 May Vogue 8950

Posted at 10:04h in Mood Fabrics, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 84 Comments

Had I planned to be gone for over two weeks I would have announced a short leave of absence. I've been sewing like crazy on non-blog related projects, one of which involved sewing red cheerleading skirts for grown men participating in a Cancer Association fundraiser - thankfully it was a great success ;) I'm happy to be back and am in the midst of some stash busting. This project, inspired by the hundreds of shapeless tops I see online and in the stores was an immediate gratification project, and one I hope to fine tune next time around. The pattern Vogue 8950 was completed...

27 Apr White Polka Dot Voile!

Posted at 08:50h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 111 Comments

Greetings from the nation’s number one wedding destination spot, Charleston, SC! Hubs and I are in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant, just across the bridge from Charleston. We’re staying in an inn above one of our favorite restaurants and attending a wedding in a historic home on the Ashley River. So is there anything better to wear while strolling amidst the gentle breezes and tree-lined streets of this charming city than a white cotton voile tunic? The tunic was a work in progress beginning with my own pattern and this delightful polka dot cotton voile from Mood Fabrics. After cutting the bodice I...