Welcome to the second week of Craft Book month, organized by Craft Buds! While I own a lot of craft books, I've only made two projects from them so far {embarrassing, I know!}. Today I'm sharing about my second, from the book Sew Serendipity by Kay Whitt.
I actually received this book for Christmas in 2010, but a pregnancy and baby delayed my making anything from it until now. It is an excellent, well written book with plenty of illustrations and photographs! There is also a detailed chapter on adjusting garments so they actually fit, which was very helpful too.
Even though I have sewed a bit of clothes in the past, I think the directions were straight forward enough for even beginner garment makers.
I made the tunic, plain and simple, but there are several options to modify it and create different looks, it can also be made dress length. I made the size small, which seemed true to size for regular store bought clothes.
The book contains full-size, tissue paper patterns. I will confess that I actually hate cutting out patterns and took full advantage when my mom offered to do it for me. I used Sandi Henderson's Henna Garden for my blouse, and the quilting weight cotton is perfect for spring and fall.
Since I'm petite, I modified the top by scooping the front and back neckline lower, so that when I put in the gathers and elastic, the top was pulled up higher. I think when I make it again {which I will!}, I'll scoop the neckline a little lower so the shoulders are a little less gathered. The construction of this blouse makes it incredibly easy to adjust for petites, which was exciting to me because I have a difficult time finding blouses that fit properly.
Next time I will also leave out the invisible zipper. While the detailed directions and photographs made it super easy to install, I didn't make the blouse so snug that I need to unzip it to get it off. Were I making the dress or a more fitted blouse, then I might want it.
I am excited to make another blouse or two from this book, and maybe tackle a skirt or jacket too. If you're contemplating making clothes, this is a great book to get started with!
This post is part of the Craft Book Month blog hop at Craft Buds.
Sunday 9/2: Hopeful Threads / The Jolly Jabber
Monday 9/3: Stitchery Dickory Dock / Me Sew Crazy
Tuesday 9/4: Olive & Ollie / Sew Sweetness
Wednesday 9/5: Fabric Seeds / The Busy Bean
Thursday 9/6: CraftFoxes / Stitched In Color
Friday 9/7: Katie's Korner / A Prairie Sunrise
Week Two
Sunday 9/9: Sweet Diesel Designs / missknitta's studio
Monday 9/10: Sew Tara / Clover and Violet <--That's me!
Tuesday 9/11: Sew Fantastic / amylouwho
Wednesday 9/12: Projektownia Jednoiglec / Two More Seconds
Thursday 9/13: Ellison Lane Quilts / Don't Call Me Betsy
Friday 9/14: Live a Colorful Life / LRstitched
Week Three
Sunday 9/16: Fairy Face Designs / Canoe Ridge Creations
Monday 9/17: Inspire Me Grey / Freshly Pieced
Tuesday 9/18: Lindsay Sews / The Cute Life
Wednesday 9/19: The Littlest Thistle / Sew Crafty Jess
Thursday 9/20: Urban Stitches / imagine gnats
Friday 9/21: Sew Bittersweet Designs / The Plaid Scottie
Blog Hop
Week OneSunday 9/2: Hopeful Threads / The Jolly Jabber
Monday 9/3: Stitchery Dickory Dock / Me Sew Crazy
Tuesday 9/4: Olive & Ollie / Sew Sweetness
Wednesday 9/5: Fabric Seeds / The Busy Bean
Thursday 9/6: CraftFoxes / Stitched In Color
Friday 9/7: Katie's Korner / A Prairie Sunrise
Week Two
Sunday 9/9: Sweet Diesel Designs / missknitta's studio
Monday 9/10: Sew Tara / Clover and Violet <--That's me!
Tuesday 9/11: Sew Fantastic / amylouwho
Wednesday 9/12: Projektownia Jednoiglec / Two More Seconds
Thursday 9/13: Ellison Lane Quilts / Don't Call Me Betsy
Friday 9/14: Live a Colorful Life / LRstitched
Week Three
Sunday 9/16: Fairy Face Designs / Canoe Ridge Creations
Monday 9/17: Inspire Me Grey / Freshly Pieced
Tuesday 9/18: Lindsay Sews / The Cute Life
Wednesday 9/19: The Littlest Thistle / Sew Crafty Jess
Thursday 9/20: Urban Stitches / imagine gnats
Friday 9/21: Sew Bittersweet Designs / The Plaid Scottie
Week Four
Link up your craft book project at Craft Buds from Sept 23-30 from your blog or Flickr account, and enter to win prizes. Winners will be announced on Monday, October, 1!
To participate in the month-long contest, just link up any project you've made from a pattern in a craft book. That easy! One entry per person, and all craft book projects must have been completed in 2012. Just create a new blog post or Flickr photo (dated September 1, 2012 or later) and link back to Craft Buds in your post or photo description.
No time to create a project? This month, just follow Craft Buds and comment to win some new craft books and lots of giveaways!
Your top is really lovely, well done you! Would you recommend this as a book for an intermediate-ish sewer who's never made clothes?
ReplyDeleteYes! I think that is exactly the type of person this book is geared toward. It has more directions than a single pattern would, which is really helpful!
DeleteBeautiful top!
ReplyDeleteI love this book, I made the tunic dress and found that I did not need the zipper either.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty top!
ReplyDeleteYou look great! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a great book. Thanks for sharing. This blouse is very cute and looks so comfortable. Good color on you.
ReplyDeleteThat look so great on you! I have a dress pattern all cut out and waiting to go from this book, but it got, er, delayed. :)
ReplyDeleteYour top turned out great! I have this book and think you might have just nudged me to pull it out for a sew too! :)
ReplyDeleteI love the top! I'll put this book on my amazon wishlist!
ReplyDeleteI love your top, it looks great on you! The book looks good, very inspiring and pratical too.
ReplyDeleteHelen x
HELLO! LOVE YOUR TOP! INSPIRING ME TO GET TO SEWING!
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR SHARING!
msstitcher1948@yahoo.com
I love that top! I am so skittish about making tops for myself. I want to, but an afraid....
ReplyDeleteI have this book. I just need to get it out and sew with it. I am glad to hear you made changes for a petite frame. I have the same problems. Yours turned out beautifully..smiles...Renee
ReplyDeleteLovely top Jennie!! I love the fabric that you choose.
ReplyDeleteI think this is so cute! I've looked at that book many times. Have you tried using any other materials? I'm extremely new to sewing garments and I'm about to try sewing the Washi dress pattern and wondered since you have experience with garments if you think using the quilting cotton would be ok for that one too. I'm really torn. There aren't a lot of good fabric stores around here and I'm having a hard time finding some of the other fabrics she mentions in the pattern. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteOh this is so cool, i love the top. First time visitor, i'm a Jennie too!! That looks like a fabulous book, great patterns & i love the spiral so the pages lay flat, so much easier to sew & reference at the same time. Love Posie
ReplyDeleteI've seen that book at the fabric store. I like to sew pillows and such, but clothes not so much. Your top turned out so cute! I love that pattern :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie, I love the blouse, it looks darling on you....it's funny, I NEVER think of you as petite because you are taller than I am, I just had to laugh at myself as I was thinking about this. Do you have a serger or did you use a particular stitch on your Huqvarna? You finished the inside beautifully - better than store-bought for sure! xoxoox
ReplyDeleteThe blouse is adorable, Jennie, and I love the fabric. I used to sew clothing a lot when my kids were little, and I really should start again. This looks like a great book to add to any collection. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis fits you perfectly! I'll have to get some tips from you when I finally decide to stop chickening out on garment sewing. ;) That print is also one of my favorites.
ReplyDelete