I LOVE Yellow or A Surefit Designs Twin Set

Just a few words about my 50th High School Reunion: It was a resounding success! So much so that I forgot to get some photos taken so no action shots of me in my jumpsuit or dress but both worked very well for the events.


I'm really interested in rotating darts at the moment and have been practicing by making simple tops. For the one I'm showing today , I opened up my DD bust dart in both the shoulder and center front areas.It's a simple process if you have the patience to make a copy of a pattern and to work methodically. There's quite a bit of cutting ,spreading, and taping involved. For more details if you want them, go here to Diana's Sewing Lessons.
Here is what my pattern front looks like before and after rotating the dart.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Before starting, I used Sally Silhouette to design a top I thought would go well with last summer's fun palazzo pant. I gave the Sandra Betzina top to my DGD because it was too fitted for my taste.

I curved the CF seam at the bottom by using my Design Stylus.

I turned the hem under 5/8" in the front but for the back, I sewed a 1 1/2 " facing because I cut it a little too short

This photo is a little pale but it shows the shirring at the shoulders and CF where I opened the bust dart.

The back is just plain.

Here's an "action " shot taken at our Family get-together which we hosted.

Now as for the topper, this is what I planned to do.

I changed my mind when I started to draft the pattern and I don't love the result. The polyester lace is not drapey enough and is a little too thick to tie at the waist nicely but this is what I did to the front  bodice. pattern

Here it is with this remodeled  10 year old dress that use to look like this .

This bright yellow top goes with a lot of my bottoms , especially this Rachel Comey skirt made for my trip to Paris last September,

These white Coldwater creek jeans,

and of course my wild and crazy palazzos. ( I admit the pics are quite washed out. I didn't pay attention to the settings !!)

I'm sewing up a storm this week. My son left for home with my Riley and Poppy on Sunday . I was one tired Nana and I decided to do whatever I pleased this week so of course that was to sew!  Such fun! I'll have lots to show you next time so please come back to see me.


Happy sewing from

Little Dresses fror Four Little Girls

Thank you all so much for your comments and suggestions about my retirement dress and shoes. I'll talk a little about how that event in my next post.

We have four little grand-daughters besides Jessica who is 19. They range in age from 4 to 8. Two are my husband son's David's s and two are my youngest son Jeff's. Jeff lives in Ottawa and David lives close by. Every summer when Jeff comes home, the four little girls get together and they are always so excited to see each other.

This year I decided I wanted to get pictures taken of the girls in matching (sort of ) dresses and I had so much fun creating these. I went so far as to buy the Surefit Designs children's master pattern kit to take away some of the challenge of fitting all four girls and it sure helped .

Here are the dresses. They are all made with lovely coordinating stretch cotton from Fabricville.

This is Sadie's who is almost 8. ( I can't believe it!!!)

This one is Sadie's little sister Addie who is 4  1/2.

Riley who is 6 1/2 got this one .

And  four year old Poppy's dress.

And here are the girls wearing their dresses.

                                                                   Poppy

                                                               Addison

                                                     You'll probably recognize Riley

                                                                            and  Sadie

It was a bit of a challenge to get a good pic of all four girls together but this one was pretty cute I thought.

I love my little girls and they were very cooperative during our photo shoot.
All four had a sleep over together for the first time and they were all very good.
Here they're watching a movie.

Next time I'll talk about my reunion but I hear two little girls calling for Nana so more later from