Tiramisu - Version 3

I think this is version 3 of a dozen or so that I'm going to make.  I'm thinking that I need at least one maxi version and one in polka dots (like Kadiddlehopper just posted) and one in red and ...

Anyway, today I was planning on installing a second dead bolt in our front door.  Last night, Q and I picked up a lock and a jig for the drill so that I could drill the hole in our metal door.  Turns out, though, that we didn't buy a dead bolt, but just a regular lot, and instead of returning it and getting the one I need, I decided that I needed to finish version 3.

I think it was time well spent.

Now, I'm off to clean my bathroom really well so that I don't feel guilty cutting out more versions of this dress.

Tiramisu - Version 2 More Info

I promised more info on my new favorite dress and here it is.  We don't own a full length mirror so I learned to use the timer on my camera and it's kind of fun, so hopefully no more blurry dark bathroom pictures. 

First, a picture of the fabric that I used.  I have enough for another garment if it doesn't take too much fabric so that's nice.

Here are my changes to the front bodice.  My version is on the bottom.  The first thing I did was trace the right side.  Then, I took the back piece and matched it to the top drawing a line straight across (for the DDD version it was slightly higher from the stretchline to the shoulder).  For the bottom, I drew the bottom right corner another size down and curved it smoothly to the other side meeting where the bottom of the sleeve would be for one more size out.  The last thing I did was draw the underarm piece for the 35 and then traced a line from the bottom of the sleeve to the shoulder point.

And here I am in the dress in a much clearer photo.

I love this dress enough that if I didn't live in the heat of Texas, I *might* consider shapewear.

Tiramisu - Version 2

I would like to introduce you to my new favorite dress.

Sorry about the poor pictures.  I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this dress and so I didn't have anyone to take the pictures and I'm too tired to try again.  It was so worth it though.  I think I'm going to live in this dress.

I used an ITY knit and I changed the bindings to stretch velvet FOE.  I changed the bodice from 35DDD to a 40DD and the midriff band to 40 to 35, and in the ITY I don't think the changes were necessary and I ended up taking it in a smidge around the waist.  I also changed the skirt pieces so that the front is one piece and the back is one piece.  For my next rendition, I probably will change the back bodice piece to be one piece, too.

Anyway, I really love this dress and I'm thinking that I'm going to be making a handful and wearing it all summer long.

My Tiramisu

I ordered the Tiramisu dress pattern after reading about it on a ton of blogs and most recently Moonthirty wrote that she made it without alterations and it fit her perfectly.  It came really fast after my ordering of it and I moved everything out of my sewing area so that I could give it a shot.

I had a lot more problems with it and my first rendition did not come out so beautifully.

It's a lovely dress but it's a bit form fitting for my taste.  I could wear it but it's a bit snug around my arms.  It might be because the knit I chose (another gift from my cousin, who is my fabric fairy) has very little stretch, but I'm not sure that I want to just try it in a looser knit.

Now the pattern goes up to D sized cups and I am a DDD.  Instead of doing any of my normal methods for a FBA, I extrapolated from what they had as A, B, C, and D to two more cup sizes.  The dress I made is pretty much the 35 with this extrapolation.  This resulted in my having to gather the front bodice vertically and horizontally, but again I think that was from the almost complete lack of stretch in my knit.  I don't really know what fix I'm going to try for attempt number two yet, but I do like the style of the dress and I do want to make myself one.

My mom was visiting today and this dress became instantly hers.  It's a little roomy in the bodice, but when I tried to take that room out, the back became tight on her so it remains just a little roomy in the bodice.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

I got a note in the bear cub's backpack saying that this past week was Teacher Appreciation week and telling us what we could do to show our appreciation that week.  It also listed their favorite colors, snacks, and drinks.  I decided to make them bags and spent last weekend making them.  I actually finished them Tuesday night and they went with the bear cub to school Wednesday this past week.  Two of these are actually for the nerdlet's teachers, but the bear cub has six teachers.  There is the main classroom teacher, the special education teacher, the speech therapist (the only therapy the bear cub gets is speech), and three aides.  I can't really express how pleased I am with how much care and attention that they give the bear cub and how well she is doing so I felt that this was more heart felt than sending a soda one day and a candy bar another.  These are the bags.

I also took a bunch of pictures so that I could post a tutorial.  I think this is about as easy as you can get for a lined, reversible bag and I'd love to know how if you think you can do it with fewer seams.

 First cut two fabrics: the first 18 x 42 inches and the second 18 x 35 inches.  Before actually cutting, I would measure the width of your fabrics because some fabrics that are supposedly 45 inches turn out to be less than 42 and if that is the case, you'll want to use that one for the shorter cut.  In the event they both are you can reduce the height of each of these by the same amount until you have enough fabric.

I use the leftover ends for the handles shooting for two pieces as close to 4 x 18 inches as I can.

 

Fold this piece in half wrong sides together and press.

 

Then I fold both of the raw edges inward and press again.

 

Then I topstitch both sides 1/8 inch from edge.  I made two of this bag and the two bags had different fabric for handles.

 

Now onto the bag itself.  Fold them both in half and sew the bag pieces 1/2 inch from the edge along the length so that your two pieces now measure 18 x 17 1/2 inches and 18 x 21 inches.

On the longer piece, cut out 5 1/2 inch squares from the seam and the bottom fold on each side (so the rectangle is actually 5 1/2 x 6 inches). 

From the other piece, cut out 2 inch squares from the seam and the bottom fold on each side (so the rectangle is actually 2 1/2 x 2 inches). 

At this point, you will want to open one (and only one - you'll be using the other one to turn the bag) of the 2 inch squares bringing the corners out to make a straight edge and sew 5/8 inch from the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

After sewing the first seam 5/8 inch from the edge, sew another 1/8 inch inside that seam.

 

Only one side is done at this point.

 

Open the 5 1/2 inch corners the same way.  Sew them both 5/8 inch across and again 1/8 closer to the edge.

Place the bags one inside the other right sides facing.  Match the seams of one bag halfway between the seams of the other bag.

Pin the handles in between the two layers.  Mine were three inches to each side of each seam.  Check to make sure the handle pieces lay in the same direction so that you handles do not twist in the final bag.

Sew around the top of the bag 1 inch from the edge.

Open the bag and pull the bag all the way through so that you only see right sides.

 

 

  

 

Almost there.  Now at the edge bring the bottom of the inside layer to the edge of the opening.  Fold one edge of the opening over the edge of the inside layer (I find it easier to do this with the seamed edge of the opening.  Fold the other edge inside touching the other folded under edge.

 Press and sew 1/8 inch from the edge making sure to secure the beginning and ending of your stitching.

 I match the other bottom edge of the inside layer to the other bottom edge of the outside layer and sew this side also 1/8 inch from the edge. So that both outside edges look like the bottom bag in this picture and both inside seams look like the top bag.

 

 Press the bag opening with one layer slight above the other.

Topstitch 1/8 inch from the edge and again 1/8 inch from the first seam.

Here are what the two sides of your reversible bag should look like.

 Your final bag should be super sturdy as none of the inside, supporting seams match up.