MMMay16 Day 1 or Simplicity 1199

When I showed my LA sewing space, I wrote about how I make clothes from a combo of pre and post-consumer waste and new fabric.

I explained in Laziness or SWAP, how I organize my planned sewing projects by serger thread color.  Then I tackle them in semi-assembly line order.

Let me show you a bit of the process.

First, I pull fabric and candidates for refashioning from my supplies.  I lay them out and look at them, adding and subtracting to the set and moving them around, until I have a vision of what they want to be.

When I was looking for something else, I came across the black/tan marl fabric.  When I bought it at SAS Fabrics, I reckoned it was black/gray.  Outside, in natural daylight, I realized I had reckoned wrongly.  But, 1.2 yards of cotton jersey for $2 is a steal and I thought I could make baby clothes for LA County foster children with the piece.

That didn't happen.  When I came across this piece again, I knew what it wanted to be and who would wear it.  I pulled some coordinating fabrics and refashioning candidates and laid them out on the dining table.  Over several days, I added and subtracted candidates and pulled patterns.

Eventually, I settled upon a black cotton/poly pique remnant from a something I made DD years ago along with some new fabric I bought at Colorado Fabrics last year.  I cut out the pieces one (snowy) weekend afternoon.

Then I sewed them up in batch fashion (like chain piecing when quilting) over two dreary snowy evenings.

The top came out better than I imagined.  The last two times that I sewed Simplicity 1199, I selected the size by the measurement chart, making the S for DD and the M for myself.  They were huge.  I wanted to test the fit of a S at the shoulders and M at the hips.

As you can see, it fits the dress form that approximates my measurements.  I took 2" out above the waist and shortened the back another 1" to fit a petite friend.

I bound the neckline with the technique I learned from Kwik Sew 2555 (which I have used 30+ times) instead of the method found in Simplicity 1199.  The cotton/lycra printed jersey had enough body and recovery to make a satisfyingly hefty neckband.

Aside from the length, the top fits exactly to my liking.  I'll be making more for myself this summer.

While the serger was dressed in black thread, it was a good time give the thrifted black t-shirt I wear to the gym a curved hem.

Oops, this post got so long, I'm going to reveal the outfit I wore for MMM16 Day 1 on the next post.