Josephine Sews

Another UFO completed - yea.  I am endeavoring to work through my UFO projects alternating them with new projects. Grainline Studio Myra Slipdress & Tank - View C I made view C.  I struggled with this dress - I fought with the dart placement.  Not sure why that was a struggle at the time - it is quite easy to lower the dart.  My dart placement is off on this dress but the fabric design hides it really well.  The bumps in some of the pictures are a result of me having on the wrong bra with the straps tucked in the side. How I Did It I was a tester for this pattern and something happened where I wasn't able to get access to some files and I ended up dropping out of the testing.  I first made a muslin and that is when I realized the dart was too high.   Because I was so frustrated with the dart, I wanted to throw the dress away, but I loved the fabric way too much.  Instead I balled it up and threw it in a bag and there it stayed for 2 years...

This won't be like my normal posts.  Since Sew4Home has really great instructions and pictures, I think it best to refer you there for construction details. A girlfriend has a birthday this month and I wanted to make meaningful gifts for her.  The first one was a robe and because I know she loves to garden, I made her garden apron. This apron should take 1 hour to make, maximum 2 hours however it took me at least double that because of mistakes and waxing the fabric. Five Pocket Half Apron I did go to buy fabric, but forced myself to use my fabric stash.  White fabric for gardening is not the greatest choice, but I felt it was the better choice from what was in my fabric stash. I knew I would be waxing it so I knew that would help some. When waxing I found that if I warmed the fabric with the iron first it made it much easier to apply the wax.  I believe I applied somewhere between 5 to 10 layers.  To my surprise I found the waxing process to be very relaxing....

I was talking to a friend who mentioned she washed a robe and she complained how ratty it looked after washing and that's when I had a light bulb moment.  She has a birthday this month and I finally had something I could make her as a gift without knowing her precise measurements. I love, love, love making gifts for friends and family.  I like to think about our conversation(s) to come up with something they actually want and something that I can actually make in a reasonable amount of time. If I could have remotely fit it, she would have never received it as a gift 😉.  Unfortunately I don't have pictures of her in it and the robe is way too small for my dress form, but I took the best pictures I could. Compose Robe I initially chose a beautiful white fabric with daisies on them, but it was see thru and I wasn't interested in making lingerie for this gift.  I went to the store to buy some fabric, but ended up forcing myself to use my stash.  I had no intention ...

Happy to say I have completed another UFO.  I started this one December 2024.  I started it hoping to kick start my sewjo again, but it became another UFO. Trying to force myself to sew doesn't seem to be working.  I got so frustrated with this make I considered calling it quits and throwing it away.  Fortunately I was too stubborn and was bound and determined to finish a UFO.  I told myself before I could toss it but I would have to finish it first and so I finished it. I plan to have pictures of me in it at some future point. How I Did it Fabric Some mystery pleather like synthetic I have had in my stash at least 10 years.  I normally don't choose darker fabrics but the texture of this fabric caught my eye so I purchased it. The lining may be a rayon challis that has also been in my stash for at least 10 years. Pattern Adjustments I shortened the length 2", but I wish I had left the length alone.  I wish I had  added about 1/4" or so of extra wi...