Heart 'n Bones Renfrew

Wow this post is a long time in the making. You can see the first glimpse of my Renfrew way back here! Yikes! I still wear it regularly. I love the fabric and the idea of a simple t-shirt. However, the shape doesn't curve quite right with my measurements, and it is not long enough. I have a long torso. I plan to improve this the next time around. 

A few years ago I made a t-shirt (unblogged) from this Connie Crawford pattern here, B5215. (I should blog it because these patterns get such a bad rap and I had a wonderful experience with it)  I made the extra small and it fit my curves and everything wonderfully! And it was the right length! However it only has the scoop neck option.

For my next Renfrew, I will use the bodice from B5215 for the bodice of the Renfrew and then use all the other options the Renfrew has to offer. That will give me the right length and shape and then the options for the other necklines and sleeves. I think it will be the perfect combination!

For my Renfrew, I used this fabric from Mood here.

Fabric closeup of cute hearts and bones!

I discovered this fabric from this patternreview. Now the eagle eyed among you would realize that this review is from none other than my friend Nhi! However, I never met Nhi until the garment district shopping trip mentioned above and in the blog post written here. I showed up to shop in my Renfrew and Nhi exclaimed she had the fabric! I didn't realize that it was her review that had shown me the fabric and led to me buying it! What a small world! Crazy coincidence! 

The second I saw this fabric in her review, I had to have it. Those of you who follow my blog know my love of Halloween and skulls and then also hearts and stars. This fabric was a natural! I had to get it!  I still have plenty left...I used under a yard on my Renfrew since I cut the bands in a black matte jersey from Joann's. I will definitely be using more!

After attaching the bands according to the instructions, I topstitched using the coverstitch portion of my Babylock Evolve serger to hold the band seam allowances down. 

Overall, this was a simple and easy make that I made entirely on my serger. (Except for the one part of the v-neck band that had to be stitched by sewing machine.)  I cannot wait to make a cowl collared one for the cooler weather that is coming!

In this closeup you can see how the curves don't quite match the
curviness of my waist to my hips and that as a result it rides up

Not that you need any encouragement, since this shirt has been made by nearly every sewing blogger, but just in case you haven't made it yet...go for it!

My pattern review can be seen here.

A Trip Downtown to LA's Garment District

A couple posts ago I wrote about the outfit I wore to the Sew LA Colette Patterns book signing party. What I failed to mention was that I had spoken with a fellow sewer on patternreview about meeting up there. Of course, due to our complete and utter lack of planning, we completely missed each other. :( But don't be sad! The story gets fantastic!

This fellow PR member, Nhi, ended up meeting two other lovely ladies at the party and they made plans to go to the garment district and shop up a storm. Nhi, being the thoughtful person that she is, decided to invite me along even though I had never met any of them! I was so excited and touched!

We all met up this last Saturday and shopped until we dropped. Dropped literally. I was so exhausted. We went from 9:30 am meet up at the Loft of Michael Levine and left around 4 or 4:30. And we scored big time! If you are willing to scavenge and almost turn the boxes upside down, you can find some good stuff in there. And it is only $2.50 per pound!! POUND! I will show you my haul in another post because it is currently in the washing machine.

Now of course I had never met any of these girls before but was that an issue? Not in the slightest! We spent all day laughing and talking. I had a blast. Nhi introduced me to Sandra, and fellow blogger Jill. (from whom I stole our picture below...she has made some really adorable items on her blog...go check it out!) We all were also wearing something we made. These are some talented ladies! I cannot wait to see what they make with the fabrics they got! 

From left to right: Jill, me, Sandra, and Nhi (You are seeing a sneak peak of my Renfrew shirt!)

We went all over the district and I definitely found many much wanted needed pieces of fabrics. But of course, since I am on a mission to find hot pink and black houndstooth medium weight woven fabric, for my Galaxy dress, Vogue 8280, it was nowhere to be found. Any readers have any clue or happen to have some by them? I NEED it! I want to make the dress to wear to my sister in laws wedding in May.

This day sounds pretty exciting huh? But wait! There is more! I met mimi g!  You all know mimi g right? Of sewing and blogging fame? I recognized her at the cutting counter at Michael Levine's and I think creeped her out just a little by running up to her and calling her by her name. Yes...I now realize that is creepy. Oops. But it all worked out and she was super nice. I told her what a fan I was of her blog.

Side note! She mentioned me in her blog. And even remembered my name! Is that not the sweetest thing you have ever heard? I am so touched. I was nervous of going up to her originally but the girls convinced me and now I am so glad I did. She was the nicest...and of course extremely fashionable...as I am sure you can tell by her blog. I am here to tell you that yup...she lives up to the hype. Just as gorgeous in person!