UFO: Little White Dress Progress

Today's UFO January project is a little white regency dress I started way back in 2015.

I started out with a pattern from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion and 4 yards of cotton dotted Swiss fabric. The design is a drop-front style, which was new to me. I love it because it's clever and I can do it up by myself.

My plan was to entirely hand-sew this!

This project has hibernated for a while as I've picked it up and put it down again. For this year's UFO January, I really wanted to get it done. The only thing left to sew is the hem!

This is the first time I've tried the whole thing on! I pinned in the hem to check the length and I'm really liking the whole look!

Arm movement range is moderate. I think I could drive and eat!

I threw on a red shawl just for funsies. I'll need a jewelry plan (and some gloves!) to complete the look. And of course hem it!

 A few construction shots. White on white is hard to see! I gave the skirt seams a clean finish with a faux-French technique. First I sewed the seam with a combination running/backstitch, then I pressed the seam allowance edges in toward each other and whipped the folds together to enclose the raw edges.

The finished seam is about 1/4" wide.

At the top of each side I made a placket for a modest overlap.

I've started hemming it, and I'm about 1/4 of the way around. So close! 

I probably won't get a chance to put this on and take nice pictures until an event in April, but it will feel good to cross it off the list!

2019: My Year of Mittens!

In 2019, I'm knitting a year of mittens!

My goal for this year is to knit one pair of mittens per month. I'm hoping to try out several new styles and techniques, including lots of colorwork!

You can follow along over at my Ravelry if you're a Revelry member, or here at my blog!

UFO January

It's UFO January! I did it last year, and this year I'm back for more!

My goal for January is to finish as many of my UFOs (Un-Finished Objects, or projects in progress) as possible. And I'm inviting anyone to join me!

What this includes: Historic sewing, Modern sewing, Knitting, Crafts, everything! If it's a half-done project, it counts!

What this doesn't include: Projects that are long-term on purpose. (Like my tiny knitted lace! I'll never finish that in a month!) Or projects that haven't really started yet. I might have all the materials and a plan, but that doesn't really count as a UFO.

WHY? Unfinished projects carry stress. Starting the year with a clean slate is renewing to the creative spirit!

What about stuff that can't be finished? My goal is to finish as much as I can, and sort the rest. If it's time to give up on a project, I want to make that decision now, and get rid of the project or take it apart for re-use.

What about non-UFOs? I'll probably sew a few things that aren't UFOs, but this is my main goal!