Me Made May '13, Days 1-7

One week of Me Made May '13 is complete! Here are the handmade items I've been wearing so far:

Day 1: Simplicity 2444, blogged here

Worn to work and to the pub with friends

Day 2: Simplicity 2615

One of my most comfortable dresses. Worn to work.

Day 3: Butterick 5466

A simple grey pencil skirt worn to work and to an arts networking lunch I hosted.

Day 4: New Look 6808, blogged here

Worn to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival, my favorite craft fair of the year!

Day 5: Simplicity 3835

Worn on a lazy Sunday around the house.

Day 6: Simplicity 1690 (blouse) and handmade skirt

Worn to the Kennedy Center to see the Washington National Opera's production of Show Boat. The skirt is an out-of-print Simplicity Project Runway pattern.

Day 7: Simplicity 2472, blogged here

Worn to work a cool, dark and rainy DC day.

My New Favorite Tunic

I can't say enough good things about this tunic, Simplicity 2472 by Cynthia Rowley (now out-of-print). This ensemble is my work-appropriate version of sweatpants. I'd wear leggings and a different version of this tunic everyday if I could!

Simplicity 2472 by Cynthia Rowley

The constructions was very simple with only two main pieces of fabric and no set-in sleeves. The most difficult part was the small sleeve bands and neck band, but it wasn't too much trouble. The fabric is a soft silk polyester I bought at G Street Fabrics. I adore the floral print.

Simplicity 2472 with kimono sleeves

I hope to make more versions of this tunic for next winter!

Sewing Machine Cover & Curtains

This is a combo post for two new additions to my bedroom and sewing space! First up, a new sewing machine cover:

McCalls 5017

The pattern is McCalls 5017, and the fabric scraps are remnants from my duvet cover. The patchwork sewing machine cover was constructed using an interesting method that the pattern calls "crazy quilting," which really isn't quilting at all, but an improvisational piecing method was actually quick and easy to do. Crazy, I say! This was also my first time ever to make piping. Once again, I was surprised at how simple it really was. Piping was always something I imagined to be very labor-intensive, and I couldn't have been more wrong.

It was also time to ditch my old curtains and make something new that would help to warm up my bland apartment-white walls.

 The new curtains are a big success! Definitely some good chi happening in here now.

Sweet Christmas Cards

It has lately become a tradition that my mom and I make our Christmas cards together at her house during the Thanksgiving holiday. We take over her kitchen island with craft supplies and warm mugs of tea.

This past year, I used Cricut's Sweet Treats cartridge to cut out cupcake pieces. The glittered cherry is adhered with a 3-D foam square, adding a simple element of dimension. I printed the text banner, myself, and cut them apart by hand.

Only 10 more months until we get to do this again!

Best Sleeves Ever

We all know that the easiest and most fun sleeves to sew are dolman and kimono sleeves (essentially, they're not really a sleeve at all!). The unique dolman sleeves of Simplicity 2305 by Cynthia Rowley may be my most favorite sleeves ever on what is sure to be a new staple of my winter wardrobe.

Simplicity 2305 

The sleeves are roomy through the shoulder, but taper and gather around a wide, tight cuff. What is otherwise a cute, relatively standard dress becomes a one-of-a-kind piece because of the style of the sleeve.

Dolman sleeves.

As with most Cynthia Rowley patterns, the instructions are clear, but unique design details and construction methods are meant for intermediate level seamstresses. I made a size 10 through the shoulders and graded to a 14 at the waist for a perfect fit. The sleeve cuffs, however, had a very wide arm opening so I took drastically wide seam allowances there. I also cut two inches off the skirt length so the finished dress would fall above my knees.

And this morning I woke to the DC area's first snowfall of the season! Here's a street view outside of my apartment. Can't wait to get home this evening and do some warm winter crafting.