Fall Fashion Trend: Corduroy.

This is the time of year when I feel inspired to sew for the upcoming season.  So, even though the weather has been swelteringly hot, I’ve been  sewing with corduroy.  The first project, a “round neck dress” in corduroy coordinates.  I love the colors in these fabrics, perfect on my blue-eyed-blondes.  Thanks to Mary for the inspiration to use this summery pattern for Fall sewing, it worked out perfectly! 

Actually, I have to let you know, this is the sample for the next size range of my round neck top/dress pattern.  I had so many requests to make this style available for older girls, I drafted three more sizes, which fit girls approximately size 8 to 14.  Look for it coming to my Etsy shop soon!

I also faced one of my sewing fears: the zipper fly.  I’m really proud of the way these pants turned out, even though they’re not perfect, I know what I should do differently next time.

Long-Awaited Pictures.

No, I still haven’t made an appointment to have family pictures done.  Yes, the last time I had family pictures done was….well, do wedding pictures count?  I did have pictures taken of my girls when they were about 2 and 4…they’re 5 and 7 now.  And they have a little brother who has never seen the inside of a real photo studio in his entire 20 months.  Enough of my maternal shortcomings, I’ll make an appointment next week.  And, I’m really more of a snapshot kind of gal.

What I was talking about, is pictures of the latest product of my craftiness.  And here it is, my newest bag.

I made this bag out of a Charm Pack of Moda’s Blossom fabrics.  I think the colors are lovely for this time of year.  The lining is brown like the straps, which are attached using d-rings.  This is a simple square bag, the size was determined by the number of fabrics in the pack (two were left and used on the small interior pocket).  I added a little snap to each of the outside edges to help give the bag a little shape.  You can see what I’m talking about in these pictures:

 

A few new things…

I have done some sewing this week, but I haven’t had much chance to blog about it.   The biggest news of the week is that I’m working on overcoming my fear of zippers.  Now, I consider myself a pretty confident seamstress, there’s not too much that I’m afraid to try (although it may end up in the trash when I decide I’m done trying it) but zippers have been one of those things for me.  This week, I made a little zipper pouch.  And it turned out good!  I’m so proud of me.

 Here it is!

I did this little Fall inspired tree embroidery freehand.

And there’s the zipper! 

And on the inside, I used this little brown dot fabric.  I actually finished the edges by the zipper nicely on the inside, but the side seams are just turned to the inside and serged.  I’m only explaining, because I feel a little guilty about not doing a proper lining, but hey…who’s gonna know?

I used the little wristlet today when I went to church and to do some shopping.  It’s great to not have to haul around a large purse in addition to the three children I always seem to have in tow.  It fit some cash, my debit card and driver’s license, my cell phone and my car keys; pretty much all the necessities.

And, the other project this week was a second pair of Gauchos to match Gymboree’s Harvest Leaves line.  Here they are:

These Fall colors and soft corduroys were dreamy to work with.  The weather here is finally cooling down so it feels like Fall now.  And I love the way the waistband went in on these, it’s rib knit with encased elastic, so it’s super comfy to wear!  And the orange topstitching, and the applique….well, I’m just happy with how these turned out.