Creativity desert.

This February has been the kind of month full of disappointments: unfinished projects, broken scissors, a lot of "I just can't find the appropriate fabric or color thread for this project" and a lot of those projects that I start and then I just can't figure it out how to do it , I get frustrated and everything winds up in the garbage!! I mean, what's going on? 
I was about to give up on sewing but then I decided to just cool of and relax a little bit. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and think about all the things you have done.
I closed the machine and put all the fabrics away and put all my patterns in a box. ( I don't have a studio so everything is always on my dining table.) So I cleared everything and sat on the sofa with paper and crayon. I made a list of all the things I have done since I started sewing. I came up with more than 30 items. Really?? I have done more than 30 items!! I haven't posted everything in here because there's a lot of things I did before I started blogging and also I don't post when it's a pajama or something that didn't fit the way I expected. 
So instead of forcing myself to sew when I'm just plain tired I decided to sit and give all those completed projects a little bit of appreciation. They aren't all exceptional things but I did them with my own hands.
My very first attempt was this draped top for last summer. I loved the colors of the fabric. I have to mention that I did not use a pattern for this top. I copied the silhouette from another garment just by putting it on top of the fabric and cutting around...really really beginner technique. It's a poly knit. As much as this top is not perfect and I did a lot of mistakes ...like...using non stretch stitch on a knit... I have worn it so many times! I just have to be careful when I put it on . Here's the top.

For this second top I did use a pattern, McCalls 7323

 

The mistake I did was in my choice of fabric..it was too heavy without good drape...beginner mistake again. Even on the hanger, it doesn't hang well. Also..I changed the neckline but didn't know how to finish it so I just stitched it...It's not that polished! I still wear it a lot in the summer days though. Here's the top. Sorry for the bad picture. I guess I'm not a photographer.

This next top, I did it during the summer too. I only had a few patterns at that time and one of them was a pajama pattern , McCalls 7060. So I used it to make a flowy summer top with some modifications. I did the neckline band so small to leave the neckline very open. I lengthened the top by 2 inches and omitted the hem band. I also used a small folded band for the armhole. Also, instead of gathering , I did 4 small pleats. At that time I didn't know how to lengthen a pattern properly so it's uneven at the bottom. I decided not hem it and leave it raw. I use it to be at home as lounge-wear.  This is the pajama pattern I used.

And here's my top completed.

The final top I'll show you I did recently using a simple shirt pattern I have and was inspired to do it after have visited this page from the Sew Country Chick blog . She uses a simple shirt pattern and explains how to add a turtleneck.She's really talented and makes such awesome clothes. Her blog is so inspiring to me. At first I wanted to post the top but then after seeing the pictures I found it too long , but Hey! I did it myself and get to wear it a lot. So here it is!

After recalling some of my makes and how much they're useful it gets me motivated to continue. It reminds me of all the things and tricks I have learned. Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself like trying to tackle really advanced projects I just can't make now. Or trying to do like 8 projects on a month while working full time and taking care of my 2 young kids and husband... am I crazy or what?!

I'll leave you with a picture of what I'm doing right now. It's a knit sweater with lace trims. I think it's a lovely project and I'm not rushing trough it. It'll take as long as it needs. 

Happy February!! I'll see you here with the final result. 

Thank you for visiting this blog! Happy sewing!

Casual black and grey

I wanted to make several casual tops for the next month because I just need them. Also I want to make something different than my long sleeved t-shirt that it's the only thing I wear during winters to go to work. Yeah, kind of boring I know!
Well for this top I chose McCall's 7286 

What I like about this pattern is the raglan sleeves and the side insets are cute too but I didn't  used it in my top. 
I used a sweater grey knit remnant that I had left from a cardigan I made last autumn but didn't keep because I didn't like the fit. I gave it to my mother. She was happy! Anyway I had just enough to come up with those two pieces , front and back and the rest is a black polyester knit I had in my stash waiting to be used. For the view I did a mix of view D with the bodice of view A, only instead of cutting a rounded border I did it straight.

I really love the look of the raglan sleeves. And the easy way this top gets done..really it's so easy! I cut a size M and although it looks like the pattern envelope I feel like its a little bit to lose and I will be making it small next time.

 I think it's a pretty good wardrobe builder and for sure you can get creative with different colors and fabrics. Mine is black and grey and it's a little boring but its really comfortable and warm. It's going to get a lot of wear for sure!

I can't wait for the next time I will make myself another one ...but I just cant make up my mind in what fabric to use exactly.

Sometimes the part where I have to figure the fabric and the pattern is the part that takes the most time even than sewing. It's like I'm afraid to make the wrong choice and regret it later or waste fabric.

Does that happen to any of you? Do you have tips? I hope to hear from you!

In the meantime I have to start thinking about my next casual top.

See you soon! Happy sewing!