Cake Patterns Pavlova wrap top

So I am truly the master of productivity today – I had quite a busy one but managed to do the prep work on my Pavlova last night, then sew it up, AND get it shot today!! 🙂

The merino-cotton was absolutely dreamy to sew; I’m totally in LOVE!!! It’s heavenly to wear too; so soft, comfortable and flattering!

Behold!!!

Simplicity 2154: Cardigan, plus a little merino & Pavlova

Finally this is complete! I wanted to wait ’til I found just the right buttons to finish this and yesterday I finally did!

I’m so happy I waited; these are perfect! 🙂

My pattern starts at size 16 so i had to draw in the 14, as that’s what I needed at the time. This is pretty easy to do with a graded pattern; you just follow the lines of the other sizes, keeping your newly drawn size the same increments apart.

I used the 14, grading up to a 16 at the bust, although now I am finding this too big. I will likely have to draw in a 12 next time, based on the way the shoulders and body fit me now. I lengthened the body by 1-1/2″, and the sleeves by 5″, because they were an elbow length & I wanted long. I SHOULD have tapered the sleeve at the cuff because what I ended up with looks more like a light jacket but that’s ok 🙂

The pattern is great; I really like the collar treatment, and the ribbon finish on the inside placket.

I used a cotton ponte knit which was lovely to work with. I would totally make this again, tapering the sleeves next time for a more “cardigan” look 🙂

In other news, I’d like to give a HUUUUUUUUGE shout out with lots of love to my gal Emily of Calico Stretch. She shares my love of fitting and perfectionism, and she’s very talented and patient… just check out this blouse she made EIGHT alterations and several muslins for!!

When I posted that I was looking for some merino to make my Pavlova, she very kindly offered to pick some up for me on her next trip fabric shopping. Then she realized she had some cream coloured cotton merino jersey in her stash and offered to send that to me instead!!!! What an angel, right??? Big big hugs, Emily 🙂 xoxo Here is a shot of the fabric before I cut it; it’s beautiful, semi opaque, and lovely and soft to the touch…. I can’t WAIT to wear it! 🙂

Now a few quick notes on the Cake Pavlova pattern (the closest thing to a dessert I’ve had in almost six weeks lol) I made a test version of some scrap jersey so I could feel confident cutting into my beautiful merino. It’s a VERY clever design, and makes a cute ballet-style wrap top which fits closely to the body. Only two things you need to be aware of before embarking on this pattern:

1. The hemline sits just slightly below your natural waist so you can’t wear it with low rise jeans unless you want your belly button hanging out. Not a biggie if you’re a young sassy teen but not exactly office appropriate for a classy woman in her thirties 😉
2. The main pattern piece is HUGE. I had trouble finding a surface big enough to cut it, and for my test version, I ended up cutting part, sliding it over and then cutting the other part. Fortunately while foraging for clear buttons I found THIS:

(even the cat loves it!)

This is one of the BEST purchases I’ve ever made! This plus my beloved serrated scissors made cutting my merino Pavlova last night truly a pleasure 🙂

So I probably would have posted this blog update sooner but…..
I started a new job this week!! 🙂
Between trying to juggle a newly hectic schedule and fighting through the last two weeks of this diet, it’s barely left me time for anything else.

The hardest part was working a full week with barely ANY wardrobe… Nothing fits and I’m still losing weight so I wanted to wait to buy anything tailored. I did get one top and a pair of black dress pants with some stretch; between that and the few me-mades I have that fit, I made it through 🙂 I’m gonna have to break down and buy a couple pair of trou when my diet is over next week though; I can’t sew that fast, and I’m still figuring out pant fitting 🙂 Bottoms aren’t hard for me to find RTW, anyway, as long as I avoid styles that fit right at the waist. Anything involving the bust or waist though, I’m still gonna have to sew… aww darn, right? 😉

So I am gonna get this Pavlova knocked out, take in my recent DKNY wrap dress (it’s too big now lol) and then I’ll share my new SWAP with you all! Stay tuned! 🙂

A happy problem… but a problem nonetheless

So an update on my cardi, folks (and hopefully you’ll understand) but I got to the end, was about to attach my buttons, and decided I don’t like them – at least, not for this project. I had some basic red buttons to match my fabric but the cardi has kind of a boxy, vintage look (probably because it’s from a vintage style pattern hyuk hyuk) and I thought it would look much cuter with little clear buttons. They don’t have to be vintage glass but at least reminiscent of it… so until I find the right buttons, there it hangs unfinished lol.

Now onto my happy problem. I’ve lost a bunch of weight, yo. And I’m still losing. None of my clothes fit me – including all my me-mades – which is kinda unfortunate, and leaves me with pretty much nothing to wear. I don’t want to buy or make anything new ’cause I’m still planning on losing more, but what do I do in the meantime?

Well I figured I could get started on a muslin for the Cake Pavlova top, as it’s on my SWAP list, and it is a form fitting wrap top made from jersey. If it’s a bit loose in the future, I can just tie it a bit tighter 🙂

I have some scrap jersey so I can test out the sizing at least and this will also give me an idea of what to work with for the Tiramisu when I get there 🙂

So making Clovers is out for awhile, but I thought maybe after the Pavlova I might do a quick wrap skirt or two – same idea as the top in terms of now/future fitting. What do you guys think for those ideas, to tie me over? 🙂

Some Blog Awards :)

Hi All,

Sorry I’ve been quiet; I’m not really feeling like sewing lately, although I continue to be inspired by all of you 🙂

I have however, been nominated for a few awards, which I’d like to acknowledge and thank the givers of said awards 🙂

First off, has anyone on WordPress noticed that sometimes when you get an email notification of a new post from someone you follow, and then click on the link it says “post not found” or something along those lines? The reason I ask this is because this happened to me today, and I did find the post, and it reminded me that there were several that I got which did this a couple months ago, which then reminded me there was one where Vicki Kate nominated me for an award as well! However I just thought the post had been deleted at the time, so hence my very bad manners in not acknowledging it til now 😛

So, thank you wholeheartedly to the lovely Vicki of VickikateMakes, and to CalicoStretch for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog awards – you are most generous and thoughtful and are very lovely yourselves! 🙂

I also got nominated again for the Liebster award, by MontanaDesigns, so thank you very much for the recognition, I truly appreciate it! 🙂

The rules of the first one seem to be that you need to write some stuff about yourself, and MontanaDesigns has provided me with some questions I am required to answer for the Liebster so I figured we could do it all at once, right? 🙂 Here goes:

• What food would you be and why?

Chocolate, because I’m sweet, honest, naughty, and just so damn good LOL

• If there were no repercussions, would you tell people how you really felt about them?

I do, and that’s why I have very few friends LOL

• What animal would you be and why?

A cat; I’m pretty sure I have some cat in me as it is 😛

• What is your favourite colour?

red, and sometimes orange

• How would you describe your style?

the style I STRIVE towards is: classic, elegant, timeless, sexy, sometimes edgy

• What music are you into?

Depeche Mode mostly, as well as eastern European and Meditteranean music (I discovered my love for this through belly dance)

• What would you tell your younger/older self and why?

It gets better. It really really does. Hang in there – you’re so effing smart and beautiful, and one day you’ll see it.

• Tea or coffee?

both!

• How long have you been crafting?

all my life, in one way or another 🙂

• What season do you like best?

definitely fall 🙂 I absolutely LOVE the coolness, the fog, the smell of bonfire, the frost on the ground in the morning, and a perfect sunny cold October day which includes ALL of these things 😀

• What is your favourite shop?

My happy places are Opus art supplies (I’m an artist first), Fabricland, and Chapters.

Thanks again, ladies, for the nominations, it means a lot to me! 🙂

I am supposed to nominate recipients, but I’m going to be naughty and say I refuse to choose only 11, or 7, or whatever it is, so you ALLLLLLLL get awards!! Whoop Whoop! Love you 🙂 XO

Cheers,
Symon