The halter that was a dress that was a tank

This top started out as a dress in my mind. Then I realized that an empire waistline starting that high would not be flattering for my body shape. So I decided to make a simple tank rather than a dress. Then I sewed one of the straps on at a weird angle that worked better as a halter strap. So I settled on a halter. I like this kind of creating...figuring it out as you go and not being afraid to move away from your original plan.

I drafted the pattern using an Ann Taylor Loft top that I have with a simple design to duplicate. The fabric is a cotton voile that I picked up locally for $2.99 a yard! I love the colors. Because of the lightweight and almost sheer quality of the fabric, I added a muslin lining to the bottom half of the shirt. The top portion of the top is interfaced along with the straps to add some body.

I still need to make some fit adjustments. The top portion is a little big and the elastic just loose enough to not feel confident that it won't slip too low in the back.

As a bonus, once I finished the top, I realized I have two cardigans that will make this wearable for work and that match perfectly, one the medium green and one the light blue in the print. And I love how it works with this pretty necklace I ordered from Snapdragon on etsy. I'm not a paid sponsor :)...just a happy customer. I love green and this adds a great boost of color to so many outfits.

The color is so blah on these pictures. Trying to capture the last bit of natural light on a dreary day gave me dreary pictures!

Hello, Summer! Amy Butler Pillows

Doesn't this fabric scream summer? Our family room was in need of a summer infusion. This winter, the room was painted - transforming it from cold builder-beige to warm tan. The new color warms the room so much, but it was feeling a little like fall with all the tan and brown furniture. I have orange and green accents in the room, so this fabric worked perfectly. I received the main fabric (Amy Butler Gothic Rose) in a scrap pack ordered from etsy. The cut was only a 14 inch cut, so to fit my 20 inch pillow form, I added the border (Amy Butler Olive Seeds). By the way, if you need pillow inserts, I found that IKEA is a good source. These 20 inch feather-filled inserts were only $6.99 each.

I like how the floral pattern mimics the brown vine pattern on the adjacent slipper chairs.

Rather than add a zipper, I opted for a simple envelope design and used a coordinating stripe (Amy Butler Oxford Stripe).

I would like to try the patchwork pillow on the cover of the latest Stitch magazine. I've never done patchwork or quilting, so this might be a good introduction.

Dabbling

See all of those pretties above? I ordered a scrap pack from Fabric Supplies on etsy. The pack contains about two yards total fabric, all full-width cuts. The ones I received are mostly 12-16 inch cuts. The shop offers a choice of three color palettes - fresh, cool, warm. Mine is warm. Shipping was super fast. The best part was opening the package to find a surprise mix of pretty prints.

I view these beautiful fabrics online but find it hard to commit to just one or two and in a larger quantity. The choices are overwhelming, because I want them all! A scrap pack is a nice way to dabble and see how the weight and finish of different fabric lines compare. Although I haven't cut into these yet, I imagine they will be great for making smaller projects such as zip pouches, clutches, patchwork projects, garment trims, etc.

I thought I'd share this for other new sewers who want to add some fun to their stashes.