By Popular Demand

My sewing muse has been whispering "sew that By Popular Demand top" by Cutting Line Designs for a while now. When Rita brought hers over to my house and let me try it on, that clinched the deal. What a cute top, flattering to lots of shapes (Rita has one; I don't)! I may be one of the few remaining women on the planet who has not already made this cool summer top, but I'm finally on board. Thank you, muse!

Now mine did not go together fast as I had hoped/thought. First I bought 3 yards of chocolate brown cotton sateen from Gail K ($8 per yard after ASG discount) and made a pair of pants from my TNT pants pattern, Sewing Workshop Mimosa pants. The fabric was 60" wide so I had just enough for this top to match. The pants went together smoothly and I love them.

And then I started the top. First I had too little fabric for a facing out of the same fabric. So I used some cowboy themed quilt cotton instead. Then I started constructing it and somehow managed to forget that cotton sateen has two distinct sides. Distinct enough to really show my screw ups in certain lights; subtle enough for me to lose track of this characteristic of the sateen. So after sewing the vertical seams, trimming, serging, and even top-stitching (twice - edge stitching then 1/4" top stitching), I had to admit I had flipped the sleeves over. I even started applying the facing before allowing reality to creep in. Bah!

My lazy sewing muse told me to just ignore it. No one will notice. My more demanding sewing muse had a different perspective. I decided I would be embarrassed about this. So I started unsewing trying to avoid pulling out the bias edges and trying to remember how the grading affected the seam allowances so that I could repeat it.

Well, I am glad I did this. While this does not go down as a one-day project for me, I do like the results at the moment. I've finished everything except buttons and buttonholes. Top button placement is marked with a pin.

I really like this pattern!

Happy Mother's Day

Like so many sewers I know, my mother taught me. I just had her machine worked on. It's a beautiful black Singer in a wooden case and sews like a kitten purring. Of course, I'm spoiled by all the cool stuff my Bernina does, but this beautiful machine holds a special place in my heart. Using it again has been a sentimental journey this mother's day. I sure miss Mama.