Simplicity 1653 Knit Mock Wrap Dress and other stuff

This Sunday while my husband finished up the painting and installing the new runner on the steps I spent the time in my sewing studio. Yay!! Nothing like spending the day sewing :)

I still have my Cynthia Guffey skirt in mid construction but I just was not feeling it on Sunday. I felt like it needed a lot more concentration than I was able to give it.... Maybe it was because I recently purchased a couple new patterns at the JoAnns Simplicity sale over Columbus Day.

So I carefully moved the skirt to the side and enthusiastically pulled out my new Simplicity 1653 dress pattern, I also picked up some knit fabric from the 50% off the clearance fabric at JoAnns. A great way to pick up some fashion knit for a hopefully wearable muslin.



I did not get the dress completed (I was also doing some embroidery projects and for some reason I had issues doing the right front piece with the pleats, I think I was a little tired from all the work in the house and the brain was just not processing!)

I sewed the pleats correctly then somehow for some reason I thought I sewed them upside down, carefully ripped them out and renewed them only to realize in the end that I had done them correctly the first time!!! Ugh...



Anyway... I had plenty of time to finish the project but it didn't happen. Which in retrospect is good because the fit is so nice that I want to add a lining to the full back piece and the front skirt. This will be fairly easy since the side seams are just basted together with nice big 5.0mm stitches.



I cut version length A and I will shorten it about 4-5 inches so that the hem finishes just at the bottom of my knee brace. The overlap of the right bodice is just pinned down right now I still need to add the ties.

It was difficult to photograph the details. The dress is a purple chevron knit with some silver shiny threads knit as well. The photos that show the color nicely makes it hard to see the details so I took another set slightly darker that shows details better.



I'm hoping this dress ends up looking awesome and then I will make a second real version for a wedding I have to attend in December in the Netherlands. I really want a knit dress to wear since we will only be in the Netherlands for the weekend and I really don't want to have to waste time ironing!!

On the embroidery machine I made several towels for my daughters new apartment. Two with their monogram and 2 for fall. I really like the fall towels with the pumpkins and gourds! I almost kept them for my self :) I really like these towels, they are from sur la table and I have used them several times for embroidering gifts and they are worth every penny of the 6.95$ over towel cost. They are a nice big 20"x30" and never snag!













For my husband, I embroidered the bears logo on a basic polo shirt for him. He bought two polo shirts one in dark blue and one in black. One for Bears logo and one for Blackhawks logo.
I personally think this bears logo is a little big and in your face for the location. However, he loves it! And that's what matters. I purchased the 'C' along with the BEARS portion of the internet from a digitizer and the Chicago I added with my own machine.





Now I'm out of town doing a whirlwind 3 states in 3 days from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to Maine! I'm enjoying the mostly pleasant high 60's over the snow flurries that Chicagoland is getting!

I'm going to try and get the dress finished this week if time permits.... I still need to fashion a Halloween costume for our Halloween party this Saturday!! Yikes, not much time;)

- Posted by Steph from my iPad