Lots of you are greeting the winter by making robes, aren't you? But what are you making to wear out of the house? I've finally laid out for cutting a lovely piece of black microsuede (heavy weight, but drapey, with no stretch) for two outfits: (1) a short-sleeved, mostly fitted top extended slightly at the side seams to gather onto a hip band, with loose-fitting pants, and (2) another short-sleeved top with all of the front shaping rotated into gathers at the shoulder, and the back slashed and widened 2" also to gather into the shoulder, and palazzo-typ pants. For the hip band in (2), I just cut off the bottom 3" of the dropped-waist top, added seam allowances, and added just an inch or so of flare to the side seam to get minimal gathers. Also have pink micro-suede to make trade-off pieces - but not enough time to do them before Thanksgiving trip.

Usually I'd be making clothes for 5-year-old DGD around my pieces - but not out of black! For her birthday in early Dec., I'm knitting a lavender sweater with white trim; this week I'll make her a white fleece, A-line skirt to go with the sweater - probably with 4 gores, each centered on the straight grain so the skirt will hang well.

What are you making?

Right now we are in beta so personal sewing is put aside. But I have cloned an almost 30 year old shirt I adore that really cant even be worn around the house and oil painting much longer. Patterns made and just need to get it constructed!

I also have plans for some gouchos developed from the cullote pattern to be worn with boots.Patterns are printed but again..time is the issue I already have the fabrics.One will be a med brown suede cloth ( not the good stuff) and another one is a print wool chalis.

and then a couple of nice interlock and jersey knit tops from stash.. for those cool desert nights.(so far Im still in long sleeves and sometimes put a light jacket on)

but sweatshirt weather is approaching and I got some wonderful ss fleece with matching ribbing that are on the agenda.

Now all I need to do is buy some extra time! and get going. The projects are all simple ones so once started should go pretty quickly.

What are you all planning????

Kaaren

quote:

Originally posted by Kaaren Hoback:
Right now we are in beta so personal sewing is put aside.

<snip> cloned an almost 30 year old shirt I adore
<snip> gouchos
<snip> couple of nice interlock and jersey knit tops
<snip> sweatshirt

Now all I need to do is buy some extra time! and get going. The projects are all simple ones so once started should go pretty quickly.

so we'll look forward to pictures!

probably.But after the beta releases and I collapse for a week or so before I start! GGG

I would much rather see pictures of what the users are making that what Im making. which is ordinary every day clothes for me.
K

quote:

I would much rather see pictures of what the users are making that what Im making. which is ordinary every day clothes for me.

... and the users want to see what you're making ....

quote:

Now all I need to do is buy some extra time! and get going. The projects are all simple ones so once started should go pretty quickly[/QUOTE]

When you find a site with 'time' for sale, would you please let all of us know where it is?

You all know that I love to push the software to its limits.

Recently I've been experimenting a lot, starting with DS and creating something different.

I am almost finished with a tucked wrap blouse. I started with the fitted shirt and rotated the side dart into a tuck, then slashed and spread to get 2 more tucks. There's more to it than that, but the result is a unique style with the DS fit. I think I am going to like it a lot.

I've also been experimenting with knit elastic waist pants without all the fullness at the waist. I'm not quite as far along on this one, but it looks like it will work.

My other project is a jacket. I started with the fitted blazer, rotated the darts into an armhole princess, then turned that into a panel style with a small dart pointing to the bust. This is a style that I have admired in stores, but didn't know how to create. Armstrong gives some guideance, but I have found an easier way. Panel styles tend to have lots of extra fabric under the arms with my measurements, but I have learned how to overcome that. I'm a long ways off on this one. All I have so far is the basic jacket. With everything else going on, it could be a few weeks before I finish my jacket.

I also made a t-shirt where I experimented with a different sleeve style and some pj's for the grandkids.

I do have some things roaming around in my mind that don't require any of this pencil work, but where is the time?

I have recently been inspired by the latest L.L.Bean catalog, in particular a long sleeved cotton shirt in a dark small floral print using the DS fitted shirt with collar and stand and standard shirtmaker sleeves. To go along with this I am making a pair of fitted pants with two pleats pressed toward the side seams and a fly front with slanted entry pockets in black cotton twill.

These two items will join the following items that I have made using Dress Shop over the last 4 years.
11 pair of summer weight pants
13 pair of winter weight pants
3 pair of jeans
9 pair of shorts
2 culottes
3 skirts
3 Tee shirts (knit)
6 long sleeved turtleneck shirts (knit)
1 Fleece top with zipper
1 kimono top of stretch velour
7 long sleeved shirts
9 shortsleeved shirts
1 A-line dress
4 fitted blazers
1 linen jacket inspired by a Vogue pattern
1 parka using my own design based on the windbreaker
1 denim jacket of my own design using a mid armhole front and back yoke based on the windbreaker and the DS denim coat

and the costumes for the whole cast of "Ahmal and the Night Visitors"

I have been very fortunate in living in a part of the country (SE PA) that has independent fabric shops that get the remnants from the NY garment district. I doubt that anything on my list cost more than $2 a yard to make. With the freedom of fit and design that Dress Shop gives me I am in "hog heaven".

Selma in PA
DSPro 6.13 with additions and all tools

What a wonderful and impressive list! Thanks for sharing!

Kaaren

Wow, Selma! I am impressed!

Selma: Can I come live with you? lol

What have I made with DS,well over time I have made.
8 pair of pants summer type.
2 pair of winter lined pants.
1 2pc dress item, skirt n blouse.
3 fitted jackets.
2 skirts, one straight and 1 gored.
2 Dresses.
1 nightgown in flannel.
1 outdoor spring jacket[motorcyle]
1 hat and 1 visor.
6 blouses.
panties with lingerie pattern.[several]
2 Robes in fleece.
Fabric stores are close here for me[bonus] GGGG.

VERY BIG WOW!!! Selma. You have been busy. I'm jealous!

whoops.... guess I clicked on the wrong "reply to " when I wanted to ask Carolyn what her work around was for the panel patterns. I too had that problem, and haven't dared to try it again.

Diane,

First, you have to understand that I created my own panel jacket, starting with the fitted blazer. I used no seam or hem allowances while creating the pattern.

1) I rotated the darts to make an armhole princess line. For me, the intersection of this princess line and the armscye is too high in the DS patterns, so I made it lower.

2) I decided where I wanted the panel lines to intersect the armhole. I think I moved the line about 2 1/2", but I am not certain. The amount is not important. Just make it where you like it. I'll use 2 1/2" for the example. I drew a line 2 1/2" away from the seam line on the center f/b pieces and cut that off.

2) I moved the part I cut off to the center f/b. I cut the piece apart at the bust point and attached the top and bottom pieces. That created the dart, which I then shortened, since I didn't want it to point all the way to the apex. I might have smoothed out some lines a bit at this point.

3) That left me with 2 smaller side pieces (f/b). These needed to be joined to create the panel. With my measurements (wide hips), if I joined the pieces at the hip and kept the grain straight there was excess fabric under the arm.

4) The fix - Align the two side pieces at the hip, keeping the bottoms and grainlines straight. Slide one of them over until they touch at the top. Draw a line straight down from the top to the bottom and cut off both side pieces on this line. Move the piece you cut off to the other side of the pattern pieces.

5) Test. Make a "muslin" to test what you have done. (Be sure to add seam allowances before cutting your fabric.) You might want to fiddle with it some, but mine didn't take much adjusting from this point.

The result is a semi-fitted jacket (no side seam shaping). You have retained the original armscye, so you can use the sleeve of your choice.

I wanted to use the 2-piece sleeve, but I didn't like the shape, so I will either use the sleeve with dart or try to figure out how to create the 2-piece sleeve from the 1-piece sleeve. So far I have only gotten as far as the basic panel style.

I didn't find the process to be too difficult, once I understood what needed to be done (I had help). However, you would need to be comfortable with rotating darts.

You could possibly do this starting with the DS panel jacket. It appears that the t-pin marks where the side seam goes. You would need to know how much extra fabric to take out from both the front and the back under the arms. Since I know how to rotate darts, I felt "safer" doing it the way I described.

I hope this is helpful, even though it is kind of an advanced technique.