finally finished- the saga of 2 love seats

So about 2 years ago I agreed to recover a pair of love seats for someone I know.  I thought it would be easy. Boy, was I ever wrong!  These things were ancient.  They had been recovered last in the 70's (I'm guessing based on the fabric used).  I doubt that was the first time they were recovered.  I got the first one in the set and started to strip it down.  I think that is, by far, the worst part of recovering/reupholstering anything!  I eventually enlisted my husband's help. My hand were hurting and scratched and cut. Of course, as I'm taking this thing apart I am realizing that it is not made like any of the newer furniture I've worked with (not that I've worked on a lot of furniture).  It is more labor intensive.  The back piece was stapled across the straighter part of the top and hand sewn around the curved upper edges and sides.  I don't see hand sewing on modern furniture! Needless to say, I learned a whole lot working on the love seat.  Want to see what it looked like?

The fabric is a little dirty and faded, but in its day it was a glorious gem! (Oh, seventies, what were you thinking?)  By the way, the cushions are not foam.  No, they are springs wrapped in horse hair and dacron/batting stuff.  I've never seen that before!  They are heavy compared to most cushions.  They definitely hold their shape over the years, though.  This is a quality piece!

Once I got the first one half way finished, I realized that the wood trim looked pretty bad and should be refinished.  So I sent them back to their owners.  Wow, what a difference the new stain color made.  All those dings and dents in the wood were gone, and the cherry finish really went well with the red fabric we were using.  It took me a year, but I finished the first love seat.  Want to see what it looks like now?

Okay, so this is actually the second love seat.  I forgot to take a picture of the first one before it went home.  It only took me another year to finish the second one.  The cushions just need to be sat on a few times to fit perfectly.  Those springs were enjoying being let loose while I used the old cover as a pattern to make new ones.  The nap on this fabric makes for a rich velvet look with wonderful texture.  I am so pleased with how they turned out, even though I wanted to run and hide many times in the process!  I've learned so much and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment now.  I didn't think I would at a few points in the process.  I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how best to get the fabric straight on the sides (outside sides).  It was tricky, and I finally figured it out- on the second one!  I am so glad that both love seats are home and appreciated by their owners.

I am also glad to have my living room back!

 It went from this:

To this:

Okay, so the laundry is still on the couch, but the rest is back to normal.

How I saved my pattern...

So remember in my last post how I told you I had cut my Renfrew pattern too small?  Well that pattern seems to be sold out everywhere right now, and I really, really want to try again for the right size.  So I dug through my trash (ewww, right?) and found all the pieces I had cut with the larger sizes.  They were wadded up inside the extra fabric bits, so it really wasn't all that gross to go through the trash.  I headed to the store and bought some fusible interfacing (the non-woven kind).  I fused the pattern pieces to the interfacing (like Tasia did) and then very carefully set the cut off sizes on the interfacing and fused them in place.  So now I have my full size pattern pieces!  Well, all except for the neck band for view B (the V-neck).  The pieces were so little and I don't think they made it into the same trash can.  No idea where they went.  I think I can fudge that piece though.  Now I just have to find some fabric so I can try again...

Gray Renfrew

I finished my Renfrew top.  I am very sad.  I made it too small!  I think a stretchier knit would have been better with the size I cut.  The worst part is that I cut my pattern to that size.  Guess now I have to buy another one!  I should have started out with a bigger size- going down to the smaller would have been a whole lot easier.  I can still review the pattern, as the top is great other than my sizing error.  I am actually taking it in a little and giving it to a friend.  So it isn't a total waste.

The pattern is pretty straightforward.  The pictures are great- I didn't have any questions as to what was going on in them.  The instructions are pretty basic, not a lot of steps.  This was a quick sew!  I was running errands all morning and sewing in between.  I started around 9am and finished by 12:30pm.  So I'd say it took me 2 hours max to sew.  I cut it out last night, but even the cutting didn't take long.  Now that I've made this I think it will take even less time on the next one.

I used a gray ponte roma from JoAnns.  I made mine with the neckline from view B and the sleeve length from view C. I didn't use a zigzag stitch around the neckline.  Instead, I used a double needle with a straight stitch.  I just like the look better.  Everything else was done as per instructed.  I used a stretch (double) stitch for the seams and then finished them with the serger.  This pattern does not require a serger, though.  I can't wait to make another one in the correct size!  I also look forward to making the other views.  It is a great pattern, perfect for anyone who is new to sewing knits.  It is also a great basic pattern to have in my stash.

I will try to add a picture in a bit.

Renfrew arrived!

My Renfrew pattern arrived in the mail, probably a few days ago but I finally checked the mail today.  Oops.  My grey double knit is washing now.  I read through the pattern instructions and it looks easy enough.  I am thinking the v-neck with 3/4 length sleeve.  I am excited!  The weather is supposed to drop down to the low 60s by the end of the week and I have no warm clothes!  I know 60s in November may sound warm to some, but it is quite a drop from the 80s we've been having.

wardrobe planning?

I have been trying to formulate a plan for what I would like to sew/what I need in my wardrobe for my year of RTW fasting.  I set up a board on Pinterest where I can pin inspiration and patterns. You can find it here.

I would like to make some pencil skirts.  I think a double knit would be great for that.  Maybe a stretch woven fabric as well.  I am thinking of trying Pamela's Magic Pencil Skirt pattern.

Last night I bought some double knit at JoAnns for Sewaholic's Renfrew pattern.  I found a nicer double knit there in a charcoal gray color, pictured above.  They only had a few colors in the good double knit.  I bought a black and off-white print fabric for a button down blouse (also pictured above) while I was there that I plan to use with McCalls 6035.  I also grabbed a few yards of denim to try out a jeans pattern.  I have Vogue 1034 for the jeans.  We'll see if I like that one.

So, I have 3 projects ready to be started, and many more in mind.  I'm leaning toward wearing more skirts and dresses every day, but we'll see how cold that makes me this winter!

New Look 6936

I made a dress!  Wow, I said I was going to do something and it actually got done.  Right away.  It usually takes me the longest time to get around to anything!
I didn't want to wait for my fabric order to arrive to make a dress.  I need clothes now.  I am anxiously awaiting its arrival, but it hasn't come yet.  So I found a navy and pink striped knit in my stash.  It is a thicker cotton knit (not a double knit, though), not like your typical jersey knit.  I stopped off at JoAnns and picked up New Look 6936.
After reading all of the reviews on PatternReview.com, I figured I would go with view E.  Several people complained of the 8 inches of ease in the bodice, but I figured that would be just fine.  I held the bodice piece up to myself to see if it needed an FBA.  Sure enough, way too short.  I also measured the back pieces to the waist and determined that I needed to shorten it 1 1/2 inches.  After I put it all together I almost wanted to scrap the whole thing, but decided that it was just way to much ease.  I took it in  probably about 8 inches in the bodice and waist, tapering down to nothing a couple inches below the hip.  I shortened the sleeve probably 4 or 5 inches.  That made for a much better silhouette, but I felt the neckline wasn't working for me.  I widened it 2 inches and lowered it about an inch.  What a difference! I definitely prefer this style dress with a belt.
This dress was quick and easy.  I didn't use the instructions, except to see how they put in the elastic, because it is pretty straightforward.
In the end I don't know that it resembles the dress on the pattern cover all that much.  If the girl pictured were to put her arms down I have to wonder if it would look horrible.  I love how my version turned out, but I think the stripes aren't the most flattering.  Still, it is something to wear- and I got plenty of compliments on it.

Not my most flattering picture, but after several months of waiting for a better one to be taken I am just posting this!

Challenge of the Year

Sarah, over at Goodbye Valentino, went a year without buying Ready To Wear (RTW) clothes, opting for making her own clothing.  Now that her year is complete, she is continuing on and inviting others to join in the fun.  So for the next 365 days (actually starting yesterday) I will not buy any RTW clothes.   My goal is to master making jeans, as well as casual yet stylish clothing.  So follow along over the next year to see what I can add to my wardrobe!