Saturday, September 10, 2016

A Special Outfit for a Special Occasion

My husband has reached a milestone birthday and I decided to simplify the celebration by hosting a dinner party for our family at a favorite restaurant. Expensive but oh so much easier than hosting yet another family get together at home !!

I admit the summer has left me tired out . Bob and I are back to our quiet life and watching lots of Netflix . Of course I'm never too tired to sew so there's been a lot of that going on.

I could have worn my reunion dress for the birthday party but I had one more outfit I wanted to make which would serve as a transition between summer and fall. It turned out to be  perfect for an occasion like this so I wore  it instead.

I 've lauded Fabricville's Milano collection of rayon jersey several times already so I'll spare you but when the 3 for 1 sale started, I bought a lot of my favorite knit . Actually, I bought the light taupe twice by mistake and so as I sewed , I kept thinking of other pieces I could make ,I ended up with four things. It was a very organized way of sewing because I didn't have to change the serger thread and I waited until all four pieces were finished before I hemmed them on my Janome Coverstitch Pro 2000 which I bought in the spring.

Here was my plan using Sally Surefit. I find this process so helpful when I don't know what to make with a certain fabric or when I'm feeling overwhelmed by my fabric stash. I don't always stick to the plan but it at least gets me started.




The first outfit didn't photograph well on the dress form. It looks much better on me and that doesn't often happen. As you can see, I didn't exactly stick to the plan.


The tunic was made using an old  and now OOP pattern



and the ankle pant with elasticized hem were  a modified version of my palazzo pant drafted from the Silhouette Yoga Pant #3400.

I love the extended shoulder and neckline of the Burda pattern. I added side slits for a little interest



It was when I had finished these two pieces that I discovered I had bought this fabric twice and I was delighted because the outfit just screamed for a long topper to wear over it.  I went to my revised version of McCall's 6844 which I've made many times because I love the simple lines of this cardigan.



I added these draped pockets from another pattern for a little visual interest.


I used my Cover Stitch to sew down the facings ( with a little help from Wonder Tape ) and my outfit was complete


I admit I was getting tired of this colour by now but I made one more piece which I'll keep for next time.

I would love to have gotten action shots at the party but that didn't happen but my DH snapped these pics just before we left. Oh and my husband  sisters loved this outfit!




And I'll leave you with a shot  I took of our deck  to check the lighting and the lovely peaceful  view we get to enjoy every day . It's so pretty I thought I'd include it.


Thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate your comments. They keep me wanting to blog when I get tempted to quit.

Happy Sewing from







21 comments:

MissRosieLynn said...

Super nice outfit and a style that really suits you. Looks comfy and chic.... way to go pulling that combo off! Very nice job.

Summer Flies said...

Such a nice outfit, so stylish. I think you have terrific style Diana.

Gail said...

I love this outfit, especially with bare arms. Wish you husband a happy 30th!!!

Coco said...

You look really sharp! great necklace addition.

Marianne said...

Nice outfit! Congratulations to your husband!

Anonymous said...

Love the outfit and love the view! Thanks for sharing. :)

Linda T said...

Oh how pretty you look! A perfect outfit for sure. I certainly hear you about hosting at a restaurant rather than home. So much more relaxing for me these days (as long as I can pay the credit card bill! ;) )

Kay said...

So chic! These pieces look great together, and their simple elegance makes them perfect to dress up or down. The top could be worn with a pencil skirt or jeans, the pants would look great with a casual patterned tee or an elegant chiffon tunic, and the cardigan can be worn with just about anything.

I really love the shape of the top. I sure wish that pattern weren't out of print. I've been looking for a pattern that has those nice extended shoulders that are shaped, not just cut extra wide so they droop. And I find that neckline shape particularly flattering on me too. I guess I'll have to haunt the online resale shops for it.

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to see the final piece in the collection!

Jane M said...

You look wonderful in that outfit, Diana, comfortable and chic. And what a fortunate surprise with extra fabric since too often it works out the other way. Your view is spectacular...and a 3 for 1 sale might even tempt me.

Sewalatte said...

Absolutely lovely! Your view is enviable.

Regina Gee said...

A very pretty outfit! I love your back porch. Happy Sewing!

Bernice said...

That's a lovely outfit and you look so stylish. I like how everything goes together as one outfit, but they all work as separates, too.
What a nice touch with the pockets, too.
I enjoy your blog. Thank you.

Jenny said...

Beautiful! I love the all-white outfit. You look very chique.

Rosalind Clayton said...

Having an outfit where all the pieces are monochromatic is a fantastic, classy look. As always you do a beautiful job, with much thought! Happy birthday to your husband!!

Judith said...

Another wonderful outfit; great job!

Sharon said...

Stylish and comfortable to wear, a great combination.

Sew, Jean Margaret said...

Lovely outfit! All the layering in the one colour works brilliantly.

Ann Made Studio said...

Lovely outfit Diana. I really do love the design of your pants. very stylish :)

Donna D said...

You look great, Diana! What a lovely outfit, with lots opportunities to accessorize with jewelry or scarves. Happy Birthday to Bob! Smart to have a restaurant dinner out!

Ohhhmy said...

Smashing outfit, love your design details and it just all looks great on you. Thank you for all the details you share. Your necklace is perfect, too. What a wonderful treat for everyone to schedule your husband's birthday part at a restaurant. Well done and I ALWAYS look forward to your posts. Can't wait to see what all you do for fall/winter!

Joyree said...

Good morning Diana!

Just stopped by to check out your dart top (cannot figure out how you did it even with the pics) and I scrolled down and saw your deck again. Your decking is so beautiful with the rounded area on the floor. Didn't notice that last time because I was in awe of your beautiful view.

Would love if you would email me a pic of the SFD final pattern for the sunburst darts. The top looks as though there are more darts than the paper has, and the darts seem to point down differently than straight to the apex.

Blogging is a LOT of work! Since I've gone back to work, I'm not able to do nearly as much as I used to.

Hugs, Joy