Spring Top Week Entry #5!!

It's the moment you've been waiting for!! My final entry for Spring Top Week!! I used a pattern for this one. The main fabric is calico from Hobby Lobby and the trim is some quilting fabric from Wal-mart. I worked really hard on this. I successfully altered a pattern!

I started with New Look 6895 View E.

On the front pattern piece, I took away the space that was added in for the gathers in the center. And I subtracted the seam allowance from the back pieces so that I could use one piece of fabric instead of two, thus eliminating the back seam and button. The reason I removed the ruffles is because I wanted to add a placket, using Rae's very easy to follow placket tutorial! Oh, I totally used my new serger on this project too! I used the 4 thread mock safety stitch on the seams and the hem.

Here's my fancy new top!!

Some close-up shots of the fancy placket, closed and open:

I love girly gathered sleeves:

Look at that serged edge!! Fancy!!

And finally, here are some pics of me wearing my new top!! I'm all ready for spring!!

And here's my square crop for the Spring Top Week Flickr pool:

I am so happy that I completed 5 tops in time! This was an awesome experience. Thank you Rae for the challenge!!
Thanks for looking!!!!
~Christina

Spring Top Week Entry #4

Hi! I finished my Spring Top Week entries!! This is is my 4th entry. It's simple, but cute. I got the fabric from Hobby Lobby. It is a pink knit fabric with sweet white flowers printed on it. (BTW, I love sewing knits with now! Not so scary!) This is my first completed top using a pattern. (I don't want to talk about the ones that aren't completed) The pattern I used was New Look 6950, view C.

Sometime I'll have to make those awesome stretch pants...lol. Oh yeah!! I got to use my new serger on this top! I LOVE my new serger!!! I used the basic 3 thread stitch for the side seams and the blind hem stitch on...you guessed it...the hem!

I love this top! Simple, comfy and girly. Good for layering or on its own!

Close-up of top-stitching. I'm pretty proud of it:


My first attempt at the blind-hem stitch:


And here I am, enjoying the sun in my new spring top!


And here's my official square pic for the Spring Top Week Flickr pool:

One more to go! Thanks for looking!!
~Christina

Quick Update

Hi! Just a quick update on my spring top week progress and some other exciting news. I have completed a pink knit tank top that I plan on entering, just need to get some good pictures. Tonight I have started what will be my final entry for Spring Top Week. I'm very excited about it because I'm using a pattern, but altering a bit and adding a placket from a Made By Rae tutorial. So far so good. I should have it done in time!

One of my tops made it on Rae's blog yesterday!! Keep in mind that this doesn't mean I'm ahead or anything, she just wanted to give peek to all the awesome spring tops that everyone has been making. She has them sorted by color. I'm in the Grey row. Check it out! I'm excited!! I can't believe voting happens next week. Rae is awesome for doing Spring Top Week. I have had a lot of fun trying out new things. It has been a great challenge and learning experience for me.

And now for my super exciting news!! Last Thursday, a very special package came for me. A new SERGER!!! I lost the Janome contest and was very sad. :-( Rick said I should go ahead and get one. Because he's awesome! I found a cheap one on Amazon that got great reviews and it was also featured on Sew,Mama, Sew! So, I got it. And I LOVE IT!!! It's a Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger

 

It's so pretty!! I definitely used on my last 2 spring tops. My list of things to sew has just grown immensely. I'm super excited.


I'll be back soon with pictures of my last 2 tops. I'll let you know when to vote next week!
~Christina

Spring Top Entry #3

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I meant to post this top sooner, but I have been playing outside too much! I love Spring when everything is blooming and turning green! I just want to go outside and enjoy it in my new spring tops! :-) This one is probably my favorite top so far. I got the fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby. It's another one of their thin knits that I love. I used a shirt from my closet to make the pattern again. I started buying patterns to try out, so you will be seeing new things on here very soon. I started a top using a New Look pattern, but I don't like the sleeves, so if I get around to fixing them, I'll post that one. And I got distracted by a cute dress that I just had to make for my niece, Cecilia! (What can I say, I couldn't help myself!!) You will see that in my next post, which I will post soon, I promise!

OK, here's a side by side of the original on the left (stripes) and my version on the right (dots):

Mine doesn't have any buttons and the neckline is a little higher. I love this shirt! (I know I keep saying that with each thing I make, but I really feel that I am improving with each project and this excites me!) I also love this fabric. I went back and got more to make a tank top or something else cute.

Here's my nature shot:

And here's my close-up that I will use for my entry in the Flickr pool for Spring Top Week:

Thanks for looking. I promise to post again soon!!
~Christina

Spring Top Week Entry??

I am a little slow posting this one as I sewed it last Thursday. I finally got around to taking a picture of it today. I used the pattern that I made to make my B&W top in the previous post. This time I gathered the sleeves. I love it! It is so girly!! The main fabric is a knit that I got on sale at Hobby Lobby and the ribbing came from Joann's. It's a Raspberry Sew Classic Ribbing, I think. It was 50% off! So, this shirt cost less than $5!! I love a good deal! I am in love with sewing knits! I love making things that are cute and comfy.

Here I am, modeling the shirt:

For the gathering, I set my machine up for a basting straight stitch and it just kind of gathered it self. Then I pinned it to the shirt, spacing out the gather so it fit in just right. It was much easier than what I thought it would be.

Here's a close-up of the sleeve:

I haven't completely decided if I am going to enter this shirt in Spring Top Week. I already have a shirt like this entered. I hope I have time to make 5 different shirts for the contest. If I run out of time, I will probably submit this one.

Here's my square shot for the if I do enter it:

I had almost enough material to make another shirt, but not quite enough. Then it hit me! I could make a shirt for my niece Cecilia! I borrowed one of her shirts to make the pattern. I added an extra wide strip of ribbing to the hem to give it a different look. Don't think me odd for making us matching shirts, I didn't want to waste perfectly good material! She loves it! I might even have enough to make her a matching headband! I think that would look super cute on her! And a pink skirt if I'm feeling ambitious!!

Here's the 4 year old version:

UPDATED: More cutie girl pictures of the 4 year old version, modeled by my niece Cecilia!:

I have another top that I finished last weekend that I will post soon. It involves polka dots!! I think I might be able to complete my challenge to make 5 different tops! ::fingers crossed::
Thanks for looking!
~Christina

Spring Top Week Entry #2

I finished my second entry for Spring Top Week! This is my first top made from a stretch material. I used a black and white patterned knit I got from the remnant bin at Hobby Lobby and a black ribbed material from Joann's. Again, I used a shirt that I already had to make my pattern. As scared as I was to sew with a knit, I love it! I want to go buy more knit material and make more tops! To be fair, this was my second knit project. My first was a pair of PJ shorts I made for my husband out of a cozy grey jersey material. I'll have to get him to model them so I can post them. Okay, back to my awesome top (which is also quite cozy).

Here's a side-by-side of the original (yellow) and my version (black and white):

I decided not to do any of the gathering on my version. Maybe on a future top. Originally, I had made the bands with the same print material, but I didn't like it. And I cut the fabric the wrong way so they didn't stretch the right way. I learned lots about sewing with knits with this project. That is my biggest goal with Spring Top Week, learning new things and challenging myself. I'm new to sewing clothes, and my hope is that I make things that I'll actually wear. So far, so good. 3 more tops to go!

Like I said, I learned lots with this project. I got to use stitches I have never used before. I used stitches on the stretch end out the dial. I like learning new stitches on my machine! I used the over-lock stitch and the decorative casing stitch for the top-stitching. The decorative casing stitch is my new favorite stitch! I love how professional it looks! I had no idea the things my little machine could do!

Here's a close-up of the material and a bit of the collar showing a bit of the top-stitching.

Here's my pic for the Spring Top Week Flickr Pool:

And here's some pics of me being sassy:

I love my new top! Did I say that already? Well, I do! Thank you so much for looking and joining me on my sewing adventures!!
~Christina

Spring Top Week Entry #1

I am very excited!!! I finished my first entry for Spring Top Week over at Made by Rae! I actually finished it Thursday and wore it to work. I'm very proud of it. Why so proud? I created the pattern myself from a shirt that I had in my closet. And this is my first top with sleeves, a collar, and buttons. And, I got the fabric from Hobby Lobby in the clearance section for $3!

First, here's a side-by-side comparison of the 2 shirts. The shirt I used to create my pattern is the pink on the left and my creation is the lavender one on the right:

Some construction notes:

I used my little bias tape maker to make the trim on the sleeves and the hem of the shirt. For the button and Button-hole placket I folded the fabric over a few times and top-stitched it down. I used the buttonhole feature on my machine for the cute buttonholes and for the first time ever I used my machine to attach the buttons! It was so easy. You find a zigzag stitch that is wide enough to go back and forth between the holes and you make sure to change the length to zero.

Here's some close-ups shots. 1) My awesome collar, 2) & 3) the bias-tape I made for the hem and the sleeves, and 4) a beautiful button:

And here's the Front and Back of the shirt on me! What do you think? I love the seam that goes across the back. That was on the original shirt, I wanted to make sure I had that detail on my version. Yes I changed hairstyles in between pics. I wanted to make sure you could see the awesome collar :-)

Here's the pic I am going to add to the Spring Top Week Flickr photo pool:

Voting will take place during the first week of May. I hope you all will be sure to vote for the best spring top!

Thanks for looking!!!
~Christina