Please vote for the Red Dress Contest

First things first. I got an e-mail from my awesome sewing friend Holly who knows I have been totally starved of human interaction with no walking or driving.



Bwahahahahahahahaha! I needed that! And now I have a night out with some quilting ladies that totally rock my world. Good thing, because I never did my February Blocks of the Month.

OK, now to the Red Dress Contest.

You can vote here, and you have five votes to cast. I'm partial to my own project, and my user name is Stacie Thinks. But, even if you don't vote go check out some of the amazing work that was done in this contest.

As always House of Pinheiro killed it with one yard of fabric. Is there anything she can't do?

I love the Tracy Reese pattern made by JudyMac. I would live in that dress for the summer!

And this one by Quinner is just beautiful!

I have never sewn a solid red dress, but it is so flattering and easy to wear. I see more of these in the future. Well, maybe not all red, but at least more solid dresses.


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Red dress contest entry

Whew. Sewing with one leg is a challenge! It's not the actual sitting and sewing though. It's the pinning and ironing and finding where the seam ripper went that killed me. And yes, I am sweating in the photos...and clinging to the mantel so I wouldn't fall!

This is my official entry to the patternreview.com Red Dress Contest. If you like it please vote for it. If you don't, there are some amazing entries that you have to check out and vote for them!

Notice how well my neighbor cut my fancy new black boot out the picture? Notice just the tip of my scooter? She should be a photographer to the gimpy full time! I made a red Colette Peony out of a twill I got super cheap at Joann's. Since this isn't a difficult pattern I really focused on the insides of this dress.

This version fits a little better. I took out a horizontal dart on the back bodice and lengthened my back top darts while letting out my front bodice darts along my waistline.

Now the good part...

The entire dress has been French seamed. This is the front bodice. The sleeve and waistline as well as the side seams are French. I also finished the raw edge of the neck facing with a pretty lace.

Here is a closeup of the facing as well as the arm seam. Gosh, it looks pretty doesn't it?

As a matter of fact that is a French seamed pocket! How nice of you to notice.

And the waste line seam. I am really proud of this dress. It fits great, but more importantly I am very proud of the inside. This is the most care I have put into a garment, and I can't wait to wear it.

By the way, if you haven't made a Peony, you should. It is such an easy dress and so cute.

A second look at the Sencha

So, I may be breaking the rules when it comes to the Shirt a month, but I made a Sencha a long time ago that I kept and even got out to try on every couple of months to find out what I did wrong. I decided with my not being able to really cut our anything or sew much with my foot down, I would try to fix the disaster. This is what I came up with.

Yeah, that's my ride for the next month. It is a pain but nowhere near as bad as crutches. What I finally decided to do was make the front darts along the stomach go higher.

If you look closely I did this in red thread. It did seem to help a lot.

If I make this again, and I just may, I will make it in a size, or probably two, smaller.

I have learned a lot in the last year, so I spotted several things when I really started looking at the shirt. They are embarrassing, and you deserve to see other seamster's stupid mistakes.

I zig zagged the edges of my facings. That's OK, but I've come a long way.

My understitching, well I guess I just didn't know what that was. I stitched through the outside, seam allowances and facing. The neckline is TACKY!

My facing was too short, so I guess I said, "Oh well." I sewed it in too short and just left it raw! What is that!?!

On my sleeves the directions said to hand stitch them down invisibly. I made the stitches so loose and far apart I could actually put my thumb through them.

Am I a snob? No! I think this has been a fun look at where I came from. I wore the shirt to work with no one saying anything about how bad it looked too. I guess it is a win, even if only in my head.

OK, now I have to try to work on that darn red dress. Would you judge me if I missed the deadline?

This is sewing on drugs

Since Friday I have been tortured by your blogs. Awesome Simplicity's, new Craftsy courses, must have projects and I can't do any of it!

Instead I am keeping my foot above my heart and watching all the Downton Abbeys available to me. OK, you guys nailed it with that. I love Downton Abbey.

The breakdown of damages so far:
Gertie's Starlet Suit Jacket class - I had to have it. I was torn between her and the couture dressmaking class. I went with Gertie. I got it for $25 somehow too through my phone. How could I not? I have a link for another $25 class if anyone wants it, e-mail me.

Then I went to Fabric.com. I want to make a white Violet shirt, and they are having a great Red, White and Blue sale. I also wound up with some navy charmeuse, navy linen blend and clear elastic. I am thinking of doing the OohLaLa Pin Up sew along, or even just a bra like Dixie's, so I bought the charmeuse. I may make a shirt out of it though.

But the Simplicity!!! Oh they are so pretty this season. Cynthia Rowley really appeals to my painkiller-fueled sewing self.



I don't know why that is fuzzy, but if Mr. Thinks He Can catches me blogging with my foot down I am toast! Anyway, this is my very favorite: Simplicity 1872! I love the dresses, especially the one on the bottom. I may need to alter the poofy sleeve so it doesn't look so little girlish. I also love the shirt! I may need one for my Shirt A Month challenge. It may need to be of navy charmeuse. I may need one of my sneaky friends to sneak it to me right this second because I just want to look at it!!!



Simplicity 1882 is very appealing to me. I could see this one in a number of styles. I've never made one of their Amazing Fit line garments before, but I may have to try it.

There are a few more cute ones. A great Project Runway shirt dress, and I like the Lisette bags. Strangely enough I do not care for the Lisette garments as much this time. They seem boxy. I'm sure someone will make them up and change my mind though. 

French seams the Stacie way: Tutorial

I have been working on the French seams in my Peony, and have developed a few methods that have helped me I thought I would share. I have been doing French seams on garments on and off for awhile, but this project has really made me look at ways to help myself out.

First of all French seams are seams you sew in which the raw edges are encased within the seam allowance. Very unnecessary, but they look nice and are pretty darn strong. Above is the inside of the French seam we are about to make.

Place your fabrics wrong sides together. Yes, it goes against everything you believe in, but trust me. "Right sides together," is your chant when you are doing French seams.

Next I get out my 1/4" presser foot. That's right, it is used for more than my boring quilt posts!

Mathlete Moment: Remember 1/4 inch is also equivalent to 2/8 inch. 

When using a 1/4 inch presser foot you just follow the outside edge of the presser foot. Just stitch right down the seam.

Press the seam open.

Now fold it so it is right sides together. I usually like to press the seam again here to make sure it is lined up and not poofy.

Here is my seam allowance magnet. I use it for all garments. I get distracted and tend to start following the foot instead of the usual 5/8" seam allowance. This sticks to my machine and my fabric can follow it instead of the tiny markings that come on the machine.

I lined up my magnet to the 3/8" mark on my machine.

Here you just line up the fabric with the magnet and stitch.

Mathlete Moment: Your first seam was 2/8 inch, your second seam was 3/8 inch.


2/8 + 3/8 = 5/8


We made a 5/8 inch seam allowance!

Press your seam to the side.

Now look at what you did! Your seam is perfect from the outside and pretty on the inside! That 1/4" foot and magnet totally help you be more accurate.

As for the Peony, I'm working on it. I have foot surgery this afternoon and can't concentrate very well. I made this tutorial then promptly went and sewed my French seams right sides together. Posts may slow down a bit around here while I recover, but I'll be back!

Red Dress Contest

I am entering Pattern Review's red dress contest. I want to make a red Peony. I was thinking of doing some pin tucks then realized that would be a direct rip off of Mary's red Peony. Since I have already made the Peony, I wanted to fit it a bit more, and make the guts look really great. I made a few adjustments on the pattern and decided to give the whole dress French seams. I've never done this before, but I am a hot mess at it. I have ripped out loads of seams. I have the bodice done though, and it looks fantastic! Here is a preview:

That's right a French seamed set in sleeve...how is that the only part I didn't have to rip out BTW?

A super chic side seam.

From the outside.

It looks pretty awesome. The fabric is a medium weight twill. It is very crisp and nice; however, I don't know that I should be French seaming twill. Good thing I never claimed to know it all!

Also, today there was a small tragedy at Chateau Stacie. My trusty iron of nine years (only opened in the last year and a half since I began sewing) died. He heated up super hot and burned my board cover. I unplugged him because it smelled like it was burning and he never turned on again. I got a new one to replace him already, but dang. It just doesn't feel the same. Rest in Peace iron.

A very nice dress or two

The part of Mr. Thinks He Can will be played by Ryan Gosling.

True story. That also explains the glasses and general disorient going on with these shots. 

I really like how the Peony went together. It was a quick dress to make, and yielded nice results. I did make a muslin of the bodice, and that helped. Had I not I don't think it would have worked out at all. I let out the front waist darts a bit and took in and lengthened the top back darts quite a lot. I plan on making the cummerbund for this pattern in black fabric or maybe hot pink to match my zipper.

See the pull there at the top? I do mean it is hot pink! I also have my hands in my pockets for that picture.

I used some of the left over print from Brindy's quilt with squirrels running up trees. You can't see them, but I like knowing they are there.

Overall I am pleased with my new dress. It went together very quickly and I plan on making it again. I would like a V-neck version I think as well.

Check out the dress Holly made, and I mostly watched her make yesterday. She did a fantastic job on this Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity 2178 dress. It was a doozie because of the tie at the shoulder, but I believe we liked the results so much we both want to make another one. It should go faster this time. She also made the awesome curtains she is standing in front of as well. She is so accomplished like that.

Have you ever hit a wall?

I have had a Peony dress cut out for a week, but haven't been able to talk myself into going and sewing.

I found this medium weight cotton on ebay for maybe $8 with shipping. When I got it in I knew it was perfect for the pattern except...there isn't enough. I had to skip facings, shorten the sleeves and use something else for the pockets. Mary made a really great Peony with bias tape instead of facings, so I feel OK with it. I made a muslin of the bodice, advice by lladybird, a few weeks ago.I also wanted to do piping like she had done, but I just don't have enough extra fabric. It fit pretty well, but I did let out the bodice darts some. I told myself this afternoon to just go in and sew the darts today. I got the whole bodice done and half of the skirt done. This is a quick project! Then hunger called.

I put out some drumsticks for Asian Glazed Drumsticks. It is my favorite recipe right now, so it won. Check it out.

Anyway, to keep me accountable, I took a bad picture in the bodice. It is proof, it is out there and not too bad. It should be finished this week.

Not a flattering shot, but it is turning out nice. Tomorrow is quilt club. I don't know what to take to work on. I finished my quilt, and don't want to start another just yet because I don't know what I want to do. I may just go and hang out. Holly and I are in charge of dinner anyway. 

Yummy charcoal Clovers

Greetings from Santa's Sweatshop! Whew! I feel like all I have done for a few days is sew my fingers off to get everything done. It has all turned out well though.

I finally had an opportunity to take a picture of my second pair of Clover pants in the day light. I made these a few days ago and just got too busy to take pictures.

Never mind my weird face. I made this from a charcoal sateen I ordered from Mood. It seems a bit thicker and better quality than the fabric from Joann's I used last time.

My red pair tends to stretch out during the course of the day, so I made my seam allowance a quarter of an inch thicker than last time. It make for a closer fit, so hopefully over the day they won't get too baggy.

Haha! Made you look again. And again, it is a great fit on my rear. Yay!

My assistant is such a picture hog. I had to get a shot of her on the blog or have hell to pay.

You can see a little bit of a bump at the bottom of my invisible zipper. I still haven't got that down, but this pair went smoother than the last pair. I left the length alone and finished the inside with white lace tape this time. I love the lacy insides.

Crimson and Clover

I have been sitting on these Clovers for a week. Literally, I've been living in them. I wore them to work. I wore them to class, and I am happy to report they are fantastic. I do have to admit, I bought this red sateen, Viking Red sateen technically, from Joann's. It was cheap, and the last time I made pants I wound up doing a billion alterations and still don't care for them much. I figured this would be a wearable muslin if anything.

Sorry, they are a bit wrinkly, but like I said I refuse to take them off. They are a bit stretched out too from being worn and not washed yet. And they still look like a pretty good fit!

Here is the amazing part...my butt. Made you look! No really, my awesome teacher Jenny had to teach me how to make an almond shaped butt dart from under my butt cheeks on my last pair of pants. She had no idea anyone could be so bottomless. These pants actually fit my rear quite nicely if I do say so myself. 

Check that out, there is a lump back there where most women keep there butts! I was hoping this would happen. A lot of reviews I read of these pants mentioned there were a lot of sway back adjustments or alterations so the pants would fit in the rear. When I read that I thought to myself, "Ah ha! All those women with the hour glass shape that look cute in everything have nothing on my apple shaped wonder body!" I bought the Clover pattern and just as I hoped, they did indeed fit.

I did make one alteration. Based on the pattern back I cut a 16 in the waist and graded to a 14 in the hips. I also left them a bit longer than the pattern directions stated. I am 5'5, and if you are any taller than me and want regular length pants I recommend you add a couple of inches to the length.

Lets talk guts. I finished the inside facing as well as the hem with black double fold lace that I had in my stash. At this point I had tried the pants on and knew they were keepers, so I wanted to kick it up a notch. I also added my new customized label I got from Jennifer's Jewels on Etsy. It matches my blog!

Here is the hem of my pants. I covered the raw edge in lace and folded it up about half an inch. I was really short on length for a proper hem, but it worked out.

Here is my top stitching around the waist. Isn't the color Christmasy?

Invisible zipper...meh. It could be better, but I had a zipper in there originally that the pull came off of. I wound up having to deconstruct and reconstruct to get a new zipper in. You can't tell when I wear them.

One last look. I love them. I already have some charcoal colored sateen in my room waiting to become a pair of Clovers. Maybe today!