Sew Chaotically! ~ ANOTHER Tate top and Flint pant!

This is my third make for each of these!  Somehow, I never got around to posting my first Flints (Megan Nielsen).  Made of a lovely grey crepe - full length initially - then cropped as they were "too fancy" for much wear at that length.  Currently, they are lovely to dress up or down and I suspect you will be seeing them soon!  My second pair was a knee length version out of a remnant that are fun for bumping around in.  The fabric is not great so they won't last that long, but they've gotten some good use already.  BUT!  My most recent pair is PERFECTION!!  More on that in a minute.

Then this summer, there has been my new found love of TATE!!  It really is a perfect pattern for hot days or fall layering.  AND it's FREE (from Workroom Social)!!  What more can I say?

Heading into fall ~ the perfect combo!!  Tate plus Flint!!  Great together.  Fab as separates!!

Being made of delicious Brussels Washer Linen from Fabric.com aids in their perfection!!

I may be a little obsessed!!!  Wishing a great week to each of you!  Sew and live chaotically! ~ les

Sew Chaotically! ~ Tate 2!

In case you haven't noticed, swingy high necked tops are having a moment.  Check out Everlane's Japanese GoWeave High-neck top here ~

If you like this look, Workroom Social's FREE pattern, the Tate Top, is perfect!!!

I have LOVED my original Tate Top  made as prescribed by the pattern!  In this light as air handkerchief linen it has been the perfect care free summer top.

But, for fewer bra strap worries and multi-setting appropriate wear, I thought widening the shoulders a bit could help create a versatile piece from the same pattern.

This fabric, picked up from a shop in the Walthamstow Market a couple of years ago, was a BEAST to work with, but turned out perfectly in this top!

Here's my adjusted pattern, where I basically added 1 inch around the entire armscye.

As much as I love this top, I am Scott Boy Stoked about these PANTS!!!!!  Using this 90's Simplicity 6544 pattern I made view 2 in a fabulous piece of Japanese Denim B found at Gail K Fabrics in Atlanta.  I would do the zip insert a little differently if I were to make them again, but otherwise they have a neat construction and go together well.  This denim is perfection with a lovely hand and drape.  Being black it was hard to photograph, but here are more than enough shots to feel the love!!!

Thanks for the photos Bentie - and for being the best fabric shopper ever!  - les

Sew Chaotically! ~ Tate top and Lander pants! The perfect summer combo!!!

I have been a busy sewing bee, working to fulfill my summer sewing plans of versatile tops and good fitting pants! I'm SEW excited with some of these makes! Today I'll start blog catch-up with the FREE Tate Top by Workroom Social and the Lander Pants by True Bias!

This top was a bargain!  How do you beat a free pattern?  You sew it up in one cut from a cotton woven 3 yard pack from FAB SCRAP in "cool" picked up for only 15 bucks! 

This cut was a lovely light weight handkerchief linen.

I made a straight size 10.

Isn't it pretty???  This fabric is lovely and perfect for a summery version of this top.

Then there are THE pants!!!  Much like the other 9 zillion sewists who have made them - I LOVE my new LANDERS!!!!  Using a medium weight woven, also from FAB SCRAP, I made this pair as a test case and summer play pants.  I cut a straight size 8, but did have to take an additional 1/4 inch off both side seams at the waist, grading to nothing at the top of the pocket, using all of the 1 inch side seam allowance the pattern gives you to play with.  I added my own personal curved waist band and a couple of inches in length, as is my usual and THEY ARE AWESOME!!!!

Requisite dancing Lander bootie shot!  It's all good, I'm telling you!  Given the large front pockets, I opted to leave off the ones included for the back.  This fabric has a lovely hand and color.  It did have two faded lines in it, that I managed to place in the folded portion of the hem on one leg and just at the edge of the hem in the other.  Given the mottled nature of the fabric it is not very noticeable.  At the price I paid per yard, it was totally worth it, but wanted to give you an accurate report on the condition of the FAB SCRAP haul.  (A review of two more pieces to come.)

Thanks to Roo for being my photog during a great visit to Ruthie's!!!  Sew, travel, live and love chaotically!  ~ les

Sew Chaotically! ~ Maison Fauve - The Sparrow Shirt! (And a little Tate Top out of the scraps!)

Maison Fauve has so many pretty designs.  Though the patterns are in French, between common sense, B's translation and in the case of the Sparrow - a sewing video on the site - they go together easily!  This past winter, I made several Bob Fauve - the cutest hat, easily stitched and FREE!!!  

On to The Sparrow, another early spring make from shirting purchased at Mood in what seems a lifetime ago!!!  As seen in the link, Sparrow comes in a male and female version.  Both with a hidden front button placket and lots of ways to individualize.  Mine has bracelet sleeves and a fixed cuff.  I may have to make one for B!!! Much like Orageuse and Republique du Chiffon, size 40 was perfect for me.

Isn't that collar detail the cutest????  And because I think the FREE Tate Top by Workroom Social is just PERFECT for summer - 

I made another with the remaining bit of shirting.  I can't begin to tell you how much wear it had!!!  This fabric is perfect for dressing up or down.  Check out either of these excellent pattern makers.  I know you won't be disappointed!  Happy sewing! ~ les

Mantra (and angels) for ROUND 2!

New round - new song/mantra!  Thanks for sharing, Ruthie!!!!

If you're going through hell... Rodney Atkins

Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Says I don't mind if ya kick me
Seems like everybody has
Things go from bad to worse
You'd think they can't get worse than that
And then they do.

You step off the straight and narrow
And you don't know where you are
Use the needle of your compass
To sew up your broken heart
Ask directions from a genie 
In a bottle of Jim Beam
And she lies to you
That's when you learn the truth.

If you're going through Hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there.

Well I been deep down in that darkness
I been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons
Breathing fire down my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right in the trap that they were laying, yeah.

But the good news
Is there's angels everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back upon your feet
The one's that you been dragging for so long
You're on your knees
You might as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying
If you're going through Hell
Keep on going don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out 
Before the devil even knows you're there.

If you're going through Hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out 
Before the devil even knows you're there.             
 ~ Annie Tate/Dave Berg/Sam Tate

I am certain, I would never be able to face my fire, much less walk right through it, without my angels!!!  I am so grateful to all my dear ones who have sent sweet and encouraging messages, making your love and support felt even from miles away!  And then there are these:

Matching turtle socks to keep hope in sight!!!

Lovely hand made booties to keep me comfy!

Silly bugs to make me laugh!

Requisite potty pics!  This time with a new girl on the throne!

Still, excellent new versions of old fav's are the ultimate in potty photos!!!

Ziggy - to keep ALL our spirits up!!!

Pure...you totally get me...sweetness, that touches my very soul!

And, when Bentie is involved...there are pretty bouquets for me AND Ruthie!

Still - with all of that, I would NOT be here without my rescuers, my take me to the potty in the middle of the night with all my tubes team, my personal food pushers, best encouragers, ultimate nurses, skilled distractors, top researchers, sweet listeners, silly comedy team - my life support!

Much gratitude and appreciation to each and every one of you. I am so grateful that you were all willing to hold out a hand to pull me back on my feet. Bentie and Ruthie....I love you more than words can say.   Thanks to all of you, I'm gonna keep on moving, face that fire and walk right through it!!!!  Maybe I'll make it out before the devil even knows I'm there! ~ love, les

Sew Chaotically! ~ Summer project of scrap busting summer tops! And a study in hems...

Throughout the summer, I've worked on what turned out to be a fun and useful little project.  In an effort to do some stash/scrap busting and come up with some functional easy tops I got to play, practice different hemming/sewing techniques, and achieve my goal.

First up was the FREE pattern, Frances, from Fibre Mood.  

I used almost the last bit of this pretty blue crepe - more on that below!  It was first used to make Sew Liberated's Matcha Top back in 2018 ~ 

When they say this top is "loose fitting" - that is no exaggeration!  I ended up making size XS, though my measurements indicated size M per the instructions, and it is perfectly loose and flowy.  The pattern is designed to have the neckline dip lower in the back than the front.  Since I am not a fan of that, I just used the back piece for the front and front for the back!   It worked a treat!  I finished the neckline with home-made binding, made with leftover fabric bits from a skirt I made 20 plus years ago!  It is so pretty!  Due to fabric constraints I pieced the back.  Here, I used my rolled hem foot.  It provides a beautiful result, though you have to keep a very consistent placement of the fabric to the foot or you will have a bit of a mess. Stopping and starting can also be a challenge.  There are many good tutorials on using the foot so I won't even try to explain, but this was a good garment to practice on!

Next up was my attempt to salvage some fabric I used in making a bias cut skirt from one of the Big 4 pattern companies back in 2012.  Between my negligible sewing skills (I didn't start sewing in earnest until 2017) and the machine I had at the time (He was not kind to fragile fabrics!) - it was a disaster!!!!  The seams were a bungled mess and my handstitched hem wasn't much better.  I wore it as a beach coverup for a bit and then it languished in a box of scraps.  But, the fabric was still pretty and surely it could become something!  I took it apart and after combining some artful piecing with my TNT Tate Top, also generously free, from Workroom Social....

...Ta dah!!!  I think she's pretty!  I used bias binding made from some shirting that remained after hacking this York Top!  I machine stitched it on, but hand stitched it down.  For this one, given the bias pieces and fragility of the fabric, I u-tubed some tuts, and did a hand rolled hem.  It was surprisingly easy and fairly quick to do.  I think it was a good choice for this fabric.

This next top was perfect for the final smidge of the blue crepe above and a remaining silk panel, previously used in making a couple of Lindens by Grainline Studio back in 2017 ~

I used a new to me pattern and technique for creating a rouleau button loop or thin spaghetti strap ~ Maison Fauve's Panama.  I stitched a size 40, which is my usual in French patterns.  I probably could have gone down one size or taken in the side seams just a bit, but I wanted an easy fit so this worked out just fine.  The pattern came together very nicely!  The back finish on the bodice is so pretty!

Roo shared a tutorial with me in which a cord is stitched within your loop or strap for ease of turning such a narrow piece.  I didn't have an appropriate cord on hand, but did have this bit of a tie from a ready-to-wear garment (see pic below).  I used that and it worked very well!  After practicing here, I will no longer be put off when I see those pretty little rows of buttons done up with rouleau closures!  For this hem I chose a "baby" hem, which I've used before. There are many nice tutorials out there, but Marcy Harriell's of OonaBalloona fame, is really good!  Overall, I'm very tickled with this pretty little blouse.

View of hem from inside the garment...

...and the outside.

Another FREE pattern!  In The Folds/Peppermint, Peplum top.  I made my usual size D, lengthening the bodice by 3 1/2 inches.  The fabric is a bit left over after finally stitching the ubiquitous M7969 earlier this spring.  The fabric was probably purchased from Hancock's more than twenty years ago!!!  It is actually a lovely soft woven cotton.  Though it turned out to  be too warm to be worn much at that time, I'm sure it will get good wear soon. This little top on the other hand, has been great for summer and will move nicely into fall with a cardi on top.  Finished with bias binding and simple hem.

Since I was on a roll and there was the tiniest bit of this lovely Liberty of London fabric left from making Le Laboratoire Familial's Scarlett Blouse, what better use, than my old stand by?  Another Tate!!!  Pieced in the back and cropped, but just perfect for summer or layered come fall!  Also finished with bias binding and a conventional hem.

Between stitching up these tops, little bits and bobs for the Jammer, and back-to-school skirts for Roo, I've have really enjoyed creating these mostly "free" and useful pieces this summer.  It makes me happy to use all the remnants of precious fabric to stitch up something pretty and functional rather than have them languish in the bin.  Not to mention, nothing feels too precious to risk experimenting and learning on.  As an added bonus, my fabric stash and sewing area are now very neat, tidy and manageable! 

Sew and live chaotically! ~ les