OAL2014: Blue Myrna and Marvel Dress

I finally got around to taking those pics of my second finished outfit from the OAL2014.

In reality, I made this dress before the Owl dress. So, this dress will always have a special place in my heart because it is my first dress. To top that, it’s a dress I love! The process of this dress went by wonderfully because of LLADYBIRD’s wonderful tutorials and detailed instructions. Near the end, I did get anxious and did the skirt portion on my own. In retrospect, I wish I would taken LLADYBIRD’s advice and put the pockets on the side. I definitely have kangaroo pockets.

So, let’s get into the details. I went with the offical OAL2014 dress, which is Simplicity 1803.This dress was made as written. The only slight adjustment made was tacking down the yoke portion to prevent gaping. I made Version A without sleeves. I also added the tie end to this version of the dress. I like how the tie end wraps around the back and then ties in the front. The details are kinda obscured with this print. I did a narrow hem which turned out pretty nice for the most part. The line did get a bit crooked when I top-stitched the hem. I finished my seams by using pinking shears. However, for the interfacing, I finished the seams using the zig-zag stitch.

The fabric for the dress is a Marvel print in cotton. I underlined the dress with a black satin fabric.

So, let’s talk about my Myrna cardigan. This is my second Myrna. After my first Myrna worked up so quickly, I decided to make another. The yarn used is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Whirlpool. Again, I got gauge with Size 8 needles. Initially, this blue cardigan was meant to go with the owl dress but, when it arrived I liked the color with the Marvel dress. With the Marvel dress in mind, I decided to go with contrasting buttons in the color red. I was hesitant to do this at first because I thought it would limit the cardigan but, it doesn’t limit it at all. Also, this time I went with 1-inch buttons and they stay on perfectly. I made the XS size, which has a 30 bust. My bust is 32” but, I wanted the 2-inches of negative ease. I really like the fit of this cardigan. And of course, I really appreciate that Andi’s designs always fit into my wardrobe so seamlessly. I have already worn this cardigan so much. It is the perfect balance of lightweight yet warm. It gets really hot in Alabama so, I like lightweight cardigans that work perfectly in air conditioned buildings.

I can’t think of anything else to say about this outfit besides I adore it. As I’ve said before, I am all up for participating next year should LLADYBIRD and Andi decide to do another OAL because this really made me step out of my box and challenge myself.

OAL2014: Yellow Myrna and Owl Dress

I was off work last week and I got so much accomplished for the OAL2014. I finished both my dresses and I simply adore them both. I have learned many lessons. And I can’t wait to make another dress already! So, let’s talk about the first dress.

The pattern used was the official pattern for the OAL, which is Simplicity 1803. I made Bodice B for the owl dress and kept everything exactly the same for the pattern. I didn’t add a tie belt or tie end to this dress because I wanted to wear belts with this dress for a contrast.

This dress was started after the Marvel dress and it was not my first choice for fabric. However, when Joann’s did not have the Marvel print fabric then, I went with this owl print, which I loved. I thought I would put off making a dress from this fabric for about a month or two but, I couldn’t resist the fabric and decided to make them both simultaneously.

The dress was underlined with pink tulle that gives it great volume. The first lesson learned is to watch my iron setting because I definitely burned a piece of the pink tulle while make the bodice but, it was covered when I pressed the skirt seam upward. The underlining was an extra step but, it was so worth it. I would not love this dress as much if it didn’t have the underlining.

The bodice was the most intense part of the dressmaking. I thought the princess seams would be a problem but LLADYBIRD explained it so wonderfully that they turned out absolutely beautiful. Also, I loved her way of making darts and my back darts are just gorgeous. I don’t think I would have been able to have such great success with the bodice if it weren’t for LLADYBIRD. I kept the bodice sleeveless because I like to wear cardigans with my dresses the majority of the time and I don’t like the added bulk of sleeves. Adding the bias tape was no biggy. It could have been a bit neater but, I still like how it turned out. I don’t really like working armholes because it is such a small area to work with and you have to be extra careful. I was praying the entire time. Since the bodice was the main part I needed help with I decided to finish the dresses by simply following the pattern.

The skirt portion went by relatively smoothly. My threads did snap while doing the gathers for my skirt but, once I tried it again everything was cool. I must agree with LLADYBIRD about the pockets. They are in a kinda weird spot but, I’m not really dwelling on it. I did a narrow hem and made sure to take my time and it came out so neat.

Now, let’s talk about this zipper. I really wanted to finish my dress but, I was wary of inserting a lapped zipper. Well, I found that I built it up in my mind because it was no biggy. I referred to my book Teach Yourself Visually Sewing, looked at YouTube videos, and read the pattern instructions. I prayed and started the process and I love it!! I tried to make sure the zipper matched but, I see that with a lapped zipper it doesn’t really matter because it is covered. I did add the hook and eye above the zipper but, I can’t reach it by myself so, I usually leave it undone.

 

I don’t own a serger so, I used pinking shears for most of my seams except the facing. I used the zig zag stitch on the edge of the interfacing. I was battling with my machine because my zig zag stitch would not do proper zig zags. I took it apart, cleaned it out, and changed the needle but, it still wasn’t working. I finally changed the tension and it worked like a charm.

Let’s talk about the cardigan. This is Myrna by Andi Satterlund of Untangling Knots. It was a very simple knit and the fit is perfect. I do feel the buttons are too small and I may change them out for larger buttons at a later date. The cardigan pops free from the buttons and doesn’t really stay closed securely. I am not rushing to change out the buttons because I very rarely wear my cardigans completely closed. They are usually open most of the time. The yarn is my favorite part of the cardigan. The color is perfect!! The yellow has orange undertones. And the yellow is so vivid. The yarn feels absolutely amazing and it is very lightweight despite it being wool. This was a very quick knit and I finished it in about a week.  The yarn is Miss Bab’s Yowza in Squash Blossom. I used the suggested Size 8 needles because I did get gauge with it. The gauge was actually an errata but, I still like the fit and my measurements weren’t off according to the schematics so, the errata was not a big problem when it came to my cardigan.

Hopefully, I covered everything about this dress. So, here are the pictures of the complete outfit…

 

OAL2014: Finished Myrna, Cutting, and Underlining the Dress

Last Thursday, I finished my Myrna cardigan and actually wore it this past Sunday to church. I probably won’t wear it again until my dress is finished. I don’t want to wear it out. Check out the pic below of the finished cardigan. Let me tell you, it was HOT this past Sunday yet, this was the perfect lightweight cardigan. Since this cardigan worked up so fast, I actually started another Myrna using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in whirlpool yesterday. I’ll talk about that later on in this post.

I started cutting for my dress this past Friday. To ensure accuracy, I took my precious time about it. I finished the cutting for everything last night. I am definitely moving at a snail’s pace.

I really debated with myself on if I should add underlining. I wanted underlining to give the garment a better structure. Also, this would make the dress fit seamlessly into my wardrobe for the Fall and Winter. After much debate, I decided to go through with the underlining. At the end of the day, I was just being lazy and I figured that I might as well go through with it. Last night, I started basting my pieces. I used LLADYBIRD’s tutorial for underlining and I really like how simple it is. The process of basting the pieces was so relaxing to me. Or maybe I was just so done with the cutting that I enjoyed this next step. I sat at the dining room table and watched a few detective shows while basting.

So, let’s talk about some changes I’m making to my outfits. Yes, outfits with an ‘s’. Remember when I told you all how I bought some owl fabric from Joann’s because I couldn’t find the Marvel print. Well, I did find the Marvel print later on but, I still kept staring at the owl print with the pretty pink lining I bought for it. It sat next to my sewing table and just tempted me. So, I made up my mind to make another dress! I will make these dresses simultaneously and hopefully they will be finished around the same time. I know this is a lot for a person that has never sewn a dress but, I can’t help myself. I like to challenge myself and I figured it’s definitely possible.

For the Marvel dress I plan on making Bodice A with the yoke, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but, I adore it. For the Owl dress I plan on making Bodice B, which has no yoke. Both dresses will be sleeveless. Since I wear cardigans the majority of the time with my dresses, I don’t like the added bulk of sleeves.

Both dresses will have underlining. The Marvel print dress will have a black satin lining and the Owl dress will have a pink rayon lining.

Initially, I had planned on wearing the yellow Myrna with my Marvel dress. Then, yesterday I randomly noticed that the blue from my current Myrna matched Captain America perfectly in the Marvel print! Then, I grabbed my yellow cardigan and put it next to the owl print and it looked absolutely perfect against it! So, I plan on wearing the blue Myrna with the Marvel dress and the yellow Myrna with the owl dress. Of course, down the line I will remix it either way. But, I prefer these combinations.

I plan on cutting for the owl dress sometime this week. Next week, I am off work so I hope to get quite a bit done. I’ll keep you posted.

OAN: I’ll be leaving for graduate school in North Carolina soon and I can’t believe I am making dresses and moving at the same time. I’m a busy bee. This has really been the year for moving. I for one am sick of the moving process but, I look forward to the relocating process.

 

 

WIP: Myrna

I am making headway with my Myrna cardigan. I finished the body last night and I am about to start on the sleeves. This project works up super fast. I plan on finishing it in the next day or two. And since it is such a quick and fun knit I have already ordered yarn to make another in turquoise.

I really look forward to wearing this. The color is just beautiful. And I love the eyelets surrounding the body and the keyhole in the back.

I’ll keep you posted.

OAL2014: Getting Prepped

Well, the Outfit Along officially started this past Sunday.I finally have all my materials and I am ready to get started.

I ordered my yarn from Miss Bab’s. It is Yowza Whatta Skein. I was hesitant to order because I thought that it would take about a week for the yarn to arrive. But, it actually arrived on Monday and I had just placed the order on Friday. I did not want to settle with this yarn because I was drawn to this yellow as soon as I saw it. It is Squash Blossom and it is absolutely perfect. The yellow is so beautiful and they did a great job with this hand painted yarn. And the most amazing thing is that you get 560 yards per skein! So, I only needed one skein for my cardigan. I will be making the XS and it only requires 440 yards. I already have my eyes on some other colors that I want to order from them.

Today, I did checked my gauge and it was perfect with the size 8 needles. Tonight, I plan on casting on…

Now, let’s talk about the fabric. As mentioned previously, I really wanted a comic print fabric. Initially, I had planned on ordering the yarn. But, with the date for the OAL looming over my head, I decided to go to Joann’s and pick up the fabric. They only had the Spiderman print fabric, which I wasn’t too keen on. I like Spiderman but, I didn’t want a dress with only him on it. Plus, it didn’t match my yarn. So, I wandered around the store for over an hour and decided on a beautiful owl print fabric since I love owls. I also picked up some pink lining. I was able to get the Simplicity 1803 pattern and my notions from Joann’s.

Well, the next day I stopped by Wal-Mart to pick up some pinking shears. And while in there I decided to browse their fabrics. Lo and behold, they had the Marvel print! I tried to talk myself out of it but, I picked it up because this was my preferred choice over the owl print.

That Saturday, I pre-washed my fabric on the regular cold cycle and put it in the dryer with no softener.

Yesterday, I read Lauren’s post on choosing fabric and the proper size for the garment. According to her instructions, I will be making the Size 4. She suggested referring to the measurements printed on the pattern pieces instead of the back of the envelope. I have a bust of 32 and a waist of 25. This will give me the recommended ease and hopefully it will fit beautifully. I also read her post on adding under linings, which seemed simple enough. I am still debating if I will add lining. I mean, I could just wear a slip. But, lining would mean I never have to search for a slip. I haven’t made up my mind yet…

 I’ll keep you posted on the OAL2014.

Outfit Along

 

I am such a craft geek and can’t resist a challenge.

Well, two of my favorite bloggers have teamed up to have an Outfit Along 2014. This is pretty much a knit along and a sew along combined. I can’t begin to tell you how super excited I am about this! Andi of Untangling Knots and Lauren of LLADYBIRD are the brains behind this wonderful outfit along.

A couple of post ago, I was just telling you all about how I yearn to venture into dressmaking. It seems like such a feat but, something I really want to try. Me Made May has really inspired me and I have enjoyed seeing all the wonderful dresses other ladies have made. So, I can’t wait to start this challenge.

First off, let’s talk about the Myrna cardigan. This is yet another gorgeous design by the super talented Andi Satterlund. Her designs fall right in line with my style, which is why I can’t stop making them. I think this will be a fairly simple knit with some interesting details. I plan on using the suggested yarn, which is Miss Babs Yowza in Squash Blossom. I have really been flocking to the color yellow lately and this shade is simply gorgeous. Suffice it to say, knitting the cardigan will be the simpler part of the challenge for me. If for some crazy reason I can’t get the Squash Blossom, I will go with green in Ghoulish or blue in Clematis.

Now, let’s talk about this dress. As you all know, I am a novice sewer. I only have 3 skirts under my belt and those were the most simple creations ever. They just involved rectangles and elastic. I thought my first dress would also be something as simple as pie such as the pic below. But, let’s be honest how often would I wear such a simple design. And it definitely wouldn’t fit into favorite dress category.

 

So, the pattern they chose for the dress (and you can use another pattern if you choose to) was Simplicity 1803. I looked at the picture and fell in love. Every detail about this dress was beautiful. I really like both versions and debated about which version to make. After thinking long and hard, I really like the first version with the slashed neckline. I chose this version because it’s not like anything I own yet, it is something that I would really like in my closet. I think I am going to go for the gathered skirt because I like how full it looks. And I definitely need pockets.

Moving on to the fabric choice. Me Made May has really inspired me with the retro dresses. My favorite dresses have been the comic print dresses because they look retro, unique, geek, and girly. I haven’t completely decided which fabric to use yet though I know it will be comic inspired. I know I will be ordering from Joann.com because they have quite a few options. Look below for details about my choices so far.

Marvel Print – This is my number 1 choice but, they are currently out of stock on the website. I asked them to notify me as soon as it was available. I like how the comics look like the original vintage comic books. I am also in love with the colors because my yellow cardigan will go perfectly with this.

 

Marvel (Option 2) – I actually like this print. It has a more modern look to it. Again, I like the yellow in it, which would really compliment the cardigan.

 

Archie – When I was a child, we would always read Archie comics. So, I have a special love for them. When I was a child, I was a Betty girl. But, now I actually like Veronica more.  Again, I really like the colors in this print and it goes with what I have in mind.

 

Archie (last option) – So, this fabric does not have the vivid colors but, I really like the gray scale. It would make the dress more versatile. I like pairing really bright cardigans over neutral dresses so, this would work with almost any color.

 

OK, that concludes my thoughts on my fabric choices. I do hope that Lauren will add a lining to her dress so, she could walk us through that. If not, I will try to figure out how to add a lining to the dress. Personally, I feel that if I am going to make my clothes I should make sure to give it the highest quality.