Trick-Quoise Treat

After visiting several stores whose names end in "t" and a neighborhood Halloween costume shop (temporarily converted from a former Hollywood Video store), I was not satisfied with the costumes we saw (wobbly stitches, frayed seams, flimsy fabrics, not age-appropriate,...). They were already falling apart on the hanger before being purchased. Even my daughter's beloved Snow White costume that I sewed for her 5 years ago, survived a night of trick of treating when she was three years old (fairly large on her at that time), a Kindergarten costume parade, and a storybook character theme day months later. Still it is hanging in her closet as a precious keepsake.

Target rattled my nerves  with a commercial that wants people to trash their homemade costumes in favor of their mass-produced costumes, or what unoriginal and not necessarily high quality.

Article and YouTube video of mom with son and his DIY Iron Man costume.

So, despite what little time I have between then and Halloween, I wholeheartedly and willfully decided to sew my daughter's costume as in years past.  My daughter decided on being a genie for Halloween.  After showing her several current and out of print patterns (etsy, ebay), she preferred Simplicity 3626. My only reservation was the length of the bodice.

I was not fond of current genie costumes for Heather's age group.  It does not make sense for young ladies to show their tummies during trick or treating.

A Bratz genie costume.

A "Mystical Genie" costume that I saw at Amazon.com.

These are what we purchased two weeks ago at JoAnn's.  Heather chose the turquoise stretch velour fabric and gold sequined trim.  I found two Buttericks to update my wardrobe sometime soon, I hope.



One week prior to the above purchases, I was not able to find Simplicity 3626 genie costumes pattern at JoAnn's during its Simplicity 99 cents sale.  So I purchased this pattern at WalMarche a few days ago, for just under $9... 

Pattern Description:

Child's, Girls' and misses' genie costumes.

Pattern Sizing:


Child: 2, 3, and 4 only. Girls': 8, 10, 12 only

Misses': 10, 12, 14 and 16 only.

I sewed an "8" for my 7-year-old daughter.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not much. Instead, I created a less flamboyant, or rather conservative genie costume. Heather wore her "peace sign" scarf due to the slightly chilly evening and being slightly under the weather instead of her usual bubbly self.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

If you have sewn tops, pants, and so on, then they seemed straightforward. If I included the overlays for the top and the pants, then I would have to follow those directions more carefully, due to certain pivot points.



What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Overall, I liked the pattern much better when I omitted the organza overlays for the pants and the sleeves. Cutting the fabric pieces (upper bodice front, upper bodice back, lower bodice front, lower bodice back and their corresponding lining pieces in the same fabric, sleeves, shoulder straps, front and back yokes of pants with facings, and fronts and backs of pants) took one evening. During the next two consecutive days, I sewed the bodice, added the trim, and the pants. The pattern the way I sewed it came together fairly easy. Things to watch out for are the length of the shoulder straps and the puffiness of the sleeves (not as pictured).


If I had included the overlays, that would have been a different story. If you are pressed for time as I was, I would skip the overlays for the pants and the top. Knowing my limitations, it would seem as if I would be sewing two costumes at the same time.

Fabric Used:

Velour knit and Simplicity's sequined trim from JA's. Instead of lining fabric, I used the same fabric to self-line the bodice.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

* I used a lightweight velour knit instead of a woven.

* I lengthened the lower part of the bodice for modesty.

* Omitted the back zipper for the top and the size zipper for the pants since I used a knit. My daughter did not have difficulty slipping in or out of the outfit.

* Omitted the lower sleeve elastic and the lower pant elastic at the ankles. Heather preferred the sleeve "flounce" and the flared pants, which I think would have been more suited for a "70's" themed costume.

*Omitted the organza overlays due to time constraints.

* I shortened the length by 4", which should have been only 3".

* Took in the shoulder straps an additional 3".

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?I might sew it again when the occasion arises. I would still recommend it to others. I see endless possibilities beyond the genie costumes!

Conclusion:

This is a still a satisfactory pattern. Despite feeling a little under the weather, Heather wore her costume to my parents' home and we were able to visit do a very brief trick or treat venture in their neighborhood.

Four years ago:

Heather, 3 years old  wearing her Snow White costume.  This is the first costume that I sewed for her.  I used a McCall's pattern.

 Three years ago:

Heather, 4 years old, as The Little Mermaid.  I used McCall's 5498.

Heather, 5 years old as a Fairy Princess

McCall's 5496

Heather as Wonder Girl last year.  I used McCall's 4113 and drafted an eagle from scratch.

Heather, ready for trick or treating again. in an outfit as comfortable as a pair of pj's.

Pattern-al Instincts

Just before noon, I met up with some ladies for some fabric browsing at our local Yardage Town in San Diego.  It is situated at a corner of  a little L-shaped shopping strip mall consisting of specialty shops, a karate school, and small restaurants, just off a freeway exit.   Some drizzle did not preclude six of us from meeting at the front of the fabric store.  Michelle (aka "michelle74" from Pattern Review) first arrived and as always, she can brighten anybody's day with her beautiful smile.  I have not seen Michelle in 3 years since fabric shopping at the Yardage Town closest to my home. It was nice to chat about our experiences with patterns such as Burda WOF (tracing can be a challenge), fitting, sewing for family, and more.

Allison ("AllisonSews"), Atasha, Susan ("KnittersDelight") and Susan's adorable mom visiting from Vermont, also joined us at the front of the store.   There was something familiar about Michelle's cute knit top and Allison's breezy top, but I could not exactly pinpoint where I have originally seen them.  Their tops looked really stylish, even more stylish than RTW or off the rack. 

I told Susan that it was a pleasant surprise to find out through her blog that she is expecting a little girl. It is interesting how news travels to people nowadays. Also she looked snazzy in her pink cowl top. There was something uniquely special about the top, and again I was not able to pinpoint why.

From left to right:  Atasha, Michelle, Allison, Susan, and her mom.

Before Atasha, Allison, and Susan arrived to meet us at the front of the store, Michelle mentioned that her top was from Butterick (5522).  It really looked lovely in person, even better than what I see in many stores. She was not satisfied with it as a dress and transformed it into a top.  I  told her that because her top looked really nice, I would not think that it came from a sewing pattern.



Allison's top came from Simplicity 3535.  There were many nice tops made with this pattern that I saw in PR. 

However, the top I made three years ago made me look frumpy.  I recently donated it to charity.

Although this Yardage Town (about a half an hour drive from my home) is not as large as the two stores closer to my home, its selection is still impressive.  To the left, not far from the entrace, were the discontinued patterns ($1.98 each).  I quickly looked at the tables of patterns and had to turn my head the other way and wandered around the bolts of fabric.  By the store's entrace were Halloween specialty fabric, slinky knits with animal print, and knits with abstract print.  I also saw some linen, quilting cottons, stretch velour, bottom-weight fabrics, fleece, charmeuse, and a decent selection of trim.  When I turned my head to eye the clearance patterns table, I saw Susan and her mom poring through envelopes, and I thought Susan would resist the temptation of purchasing more patterns.  Hmmmmm.

Michelle and I were still empty handed.   Just thinking about the stacks of fabric that I have not yet sewn up, helped me resist the temptation to buy.   Allison was holding some fake fur for a vest and I already saw Atasha with some fabric.  Before heading to the cutting table, we congregated at the table that had pattern catalogues (adjacent to the clearance patterns) and had a very pleasant time randomly chatting about our sewing experiences, especially where fitting is concerned, fashion inspirations, and future projects.  Susan's baby will be due mid-December and she still looks gorgeous.   I told her that she will have so much fun sewing for her little girl.  She and her mom were happily going through the pages of patterns, admiring the styles for little girls. 

Susan mentioned that she had made her top and had purchased the fabric from this store.  Now it's all coming back to me now.  She sewed and reviewed  Vogue 8597 last year.

I did not leave empty handed.  I purchased 2 1/4 yards of what I call "Zebraffe" fabric, 2 zippers, and a Simplicity pattern on clearance all for $22.79.  The fabric regularly sold for $8.98 a yard and with its advertised discount of  30%, it came to $6.28 a yard.  It seems to be a soft, yet stable knit.  I have not yet decided what to do with this "wild" fabric.  This jacket of this pattern is suited for sheer fabrics, and both the top and skirt are suited for knits.   If I sew the jacket, I will use a drapy knit and one size smaller. 

On a positive note, I have noticed that my sewing purchases have been gradually decreasing.  Last week, for under $35, at JoAnn's,  I purchased some stretch velour, sheer chiffon, and gold trim (I was surprised that this was from Simplicity) for Heather's genie costume and two Butterick patterns.  I was not able to fight off some PA (pattern addiction).  This what happens after reading about the successes with certain patterns on  PR. 

I am still on the hunt for Simplicity 3626, the genie costume for girls and misses, which was not in stock when I checked during the most recent Simplicity sale.

Maybe it will be more sensible to follow Atasha's lead and draft my own pattern.  Atasha  prefers her self-drafted patterns over commercial ones.   If you ever see the precious outfits she sews for her little girls, you would not believe that she has been sewing for only a few years.

Michelle was good. She left empty-handed, but still smiling!

It was very nice to meet Michelle again, and Allison, Atasha, and Susan for the first time.  This is the second time that I got together with people who enjoy sewing and wish that there were more opportunities.  Sewing is a foreign activity with almost everybody I know, and it seems that as populous as the county of San Diego is there should be a fairly visible sewing community.  I have been discovering that scrapbooking, beer-drinking, baseball, and football, and other non-creative activities seem to be the norm.  At least there is a wonderful portion of the PR community that also exists in my neighborhood.  

Status of Leopard-y

Several weeks ago, Heather requested that I sew her a new Jalie 2788 twist top from a knit printed with leopard spots.  I promised to sew her one once the fall vacation from school starts.  It has been two months since my most recent sewing project.  My sewing "mojo" is slowly returning.  Now into the second week of our "stay-cation" from school (school resumes in a few days), I found the time (and the mysterious productive energy) to re-trace the pattern in Heather's new size, cut out the pattern pieces, and sewing the pieces together in fewer than two hours.  Now that I think about it, I could have made her more tops if I did not forget how quickly the Jalie twist sews up.

Once I gave Heather her new top, she was very ecstatic that she immediately wore it!  Her sweet response inspired me to get jump back on the sewing bandwagon.

This is the same palm tree ("Ferna") that we pose next to for photo ops.  Here is Heather (wearing a Simplicity dress) and "Ferna" three years ago.

.

I wanted to sew a new top for myself from the same leopard print fabric as Heather's top.   I did not feel like browsing through pages of my most recent Burda WOF magazines and tracing pattern lines.

Instead I sifted through a stack of pattern envelopes and found this uncut pattern dated 2007.  Oh no!  The models are the girls from "The Hills", Lauren, Audrina, and Heidi (before more transformations)! With the popularity of Project Runway, I would not be surprised if they come out with their own line of patterns following the cancellation of their show this year.

I think I purchased this out-of-print pattern from ebay.  I recall that I was immediately intimidated to sew this after seeing the number of pieces (more that what I expected) in the cutting layout for what seemed  to be very simple tops to sew.  When I revisited this pattern just recently, I realize that I could omit the front and back facings and topstitch the hems along the neckline. Since there were mixed reviews of this pattern in PR, I was still uncertain as to whether I should start cutting out the pattern.  "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" comes to mind.  So, I gathered confidence and boarded B5084 with a destination of at least a decent knit top in mind.

Pattern Description:
From 2007, here are knit tops with neckline and long sleeve variations. Views A and B have the crossover front and pleated upper bodice I sewed view B, but not with the bell shaped sleeves a la Stevie Nicks.
                                                                                   

                                                                 

I did not know that these MTV reality stars existed until this year, which coincided with the series finale.  Not surprisingly, this show makes Desperate Housewives and Melrose Place geared for the intellectual.  Pictured from left to right from their first season (2006) on "The Hills" are Heidi, Audrina (top), Lauren, and Whitney. Heidi looked naturally pretty here before looking like Barbie.

 The style that closely resembles view B of the Butterick pattern, is the upper portion of a Sans Souci dress from the Tommy Bahama website. The dress and top versions have the illusion of having empire seams. However, upon closer inspection they do not, and the pleats or ruching extend below the waistline, drape gently across the upper portion of the abdomen, forming a faux wrap style. From a distance, the pleats seem to be concentrated just below the bust line where the empire seam would start.

Surplice top, TommyBahama.com, $98

Pattern Sizing:

I sewed a 12 at the shoulders and a "14" elsewhere.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Fabric Used:

Poly knit with nylon characteristics from Emma One Sock. Although the fabric is slightly slippery with my sewing machine, it remains resilient and retrains its stretch after the stitches.

Were the instructions of the pattern easy to follow?

Although I did not use them, they look fine, especially if you prefer to use the front and back facings. Reading earlier reviews (and also the comments from fellow PRers ;-)) of this pattern were very helpful.



Favorite Features

* Simple to sew, especially if you omit the facings and the banded neckline from view A. I had the pieces pre-cut the previous evening. With all my changes and fidgeting with the upper bodice, I was still able to complete the entire top one entire morning.
* Square neck and v-neck options

* Contoured fit.  The distinct inward curves are apparent on the lower skirt portions.


Not-so-favorite Features

*The front and back facings along with finishing the hems seem "dated" now that there are sleeker ways to finish the neckline (coverstitch, serger, using elastic or stay tape before topstitching)
*After attaching the lower skirt (after adjustment), the length is still long for me.

*The neckline is very low (a la mode de Burda).

*Although the front pleats below the crossover portion were easy to make, I did not like the way they draped horizontally across my chest. Maybe it is simply an issue of style. I would rather wear the ruching or pleats nicely distributed across my abdominal area, as in a crossover faux wrap top. The pleats in the upper bodice also seemed to contribute to the sinking neckline.

 *I found the pattern form fitting than expected. 



Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

* Made a 1" petite adjustment at the waistline

* I shortened the upper back 3/4"

* Folded 1/8" of the raw edge under, pin, and topstitch with a narrow wavy stitch while gently stretching the fabric beneath the presser foot (works better than my current machine's stretch stitches).

*Since, I did not want to break up the layout of the shirt the shirt, I eliminated the back horizontal seam formed by the upper bodice and the lower skirt, by cutting the back as one piece as if the upper bodice merged with the lower back into into one big piece. For future reference,  I traced the silhouette of the composite back, onto tissue paper.

* Since I discovered there was quite a bit of ease at the sleeve caps, I took out a maximum of 3/4" from the top, tapering to 0" at the ends.

* I added slightly flounced cuffs (3 1/2" wide and 1" longer than the edge of the sleeve, past my upper arm). I lettuced edge a narrow 1/8" hem of the cuffs using closely spaced zig-zag stitches.

* As a quick fix, I secured the center front with a few little "invisible" stitches, which serve the purpose of raising and stabilizing the neckline (if they do not come come undone...). Because I was still not satisfied with the look of those pleats, I audaciously separated the front bodice from the lower front skirt and even undid the the basted pleats (seam ripper does come in handy in desperate situations). Now I got my mind singing the chorus of Carrie Underwood's catchy hit single, "Undo It".

Then I lapped the right over the front, basted their edges (above the zig zag cut edges, below the original pleats were located). and with a slight stretch, I re-attached the entire front bodice to the lower front skirt. Then just what I predicted, the neckline was noticebly raised to a wearable depth! I really did not need to pleat the bodice in the first place, because now I could see that the overlapped bodice piece "naturally" formed its own pleats or ruching over the seam line.



Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Having also traced the front as one entire piece with a modified neckline , I would use my modified pattern pieces (front, back, sleeve) for a future top. I am still not satisfied with the pleating across the upper front bodice. If you have this pattern in your stash, I suggest making a muslin first to to determine style and fit compatibiity. Although it is currently out of print and now selling at suggested retail at the Butterick website, you probably could purchase it at popular auction websites.


Conclusion:

It's a good idea to make a muslin to determine the fit of the the bodice, especially for views A and B.

A week of record breaking desert temperatures are followed by precipitation, cooler temperatures and overcast in Southern California.



I was surprised that animal prints are still trending after doing some "snoop shopping" on the internet.  So, I have Heather to thank for reminding me about the leopard printed fabric that has started to age in my fabric stash. Note the price on the Blumarine knit dress...

Abbey Sewed

I sewed this top during the fall of last year and decided to review it now to coincide with the recent DVD release of "The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles".

Pattern Description:

"Misses'/misses' petite top and skirt: semi-fitted top has shawl-like collar, front button and buttonhole closings. A: sleeveless, tie ends. B: short sleeves. C" two-piece short sleeves with drawstrings. B, C purchased belt. Slightly flared or flared gored skirt, below mid-knee or lower calf has waistband, front button and buttonhole closings."

I sewed a combination of views A and B: I sewed the short-sleeved version B using the ties from the sleeveless version A.

Pattern Sizing:

Misses' 8-10-12-14.

Fabric Used:

Printed themed cotton from fabric.com.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?In terms of the style, yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
From what I recollect, I was able to follow them without a fussin' or a fightin', my friend. Shawl collars are simple to sew, after having sewn a few. The fronts are joined at a seam forning the center back and from past experience, it is essential to clip as instructed (the corners of the front and the curves at the neck edges), and to carefully stitch the collar to the neck edge, pivoting at the marked circles.

If you are familiar with sewing shirts and blouses, the instructions close with steps for stitching the interfaced front facings and finishing the lower edge. I did not follow Butterick's hemming procedure of basting close to the fold, stitching 1/4" from the raw edge, adjusting fullness, and so on. It would seem wise to use a method that you deem appropriate, especially with the fabric you use. I was able to turn under the raw edge, press and stitch a 5/8" hem.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Likes

*Simplicity of construction

*Shawl collar

*Sleeve/sleeveless options

*Vertical darts for shaping

*Tie belt

My likes outweigh my few "dislikes" which I could easily fix:

*Decreasing my petite adjustment at the waist
*Lowering the placement of the tie belt.
*Borrowing a pleated sleeve style (to add a slight 'puff') from another pattern.


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I performed my usual petite adjustments at the upper back and the waistline (1"). After wearing the top several times, I would have felt more comfortable adding 1" to the length and lowering the location of the belt a tad.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes! I wish I had sewn this pattern sooner. If you have this pattern, have a leap of faith and give it a sew. Have you had surprisingly pleasant experiences with patterns after having them sit in your stash for some time?


Conclusion
This pattern has some features in common with Kwik Sew 3620 such as the tie front and shawl collar.

I wish there are Eight days a week so I can find more time to sew. (This song is now one of our favorite car "sing-alongs". I hope you also enjoy a lovely compilation of rare photos in this video. )

McCall-ey Flowers

A month ago, I made a dress from McCall's 6069 and kept it in hiding until I wore it out of the house recently.

Pattern Description:

Pullover, above mid-knee, semi-fittted straight dresses A, B, C have elastic waist casing, stitched hem and bodice variations; dress A is sleeveless; dress B has three-quarter sleeves; dress c is leeveless with self sash; dresses A, B, C have optional back strap; optional purchase belt.

Pattern Sizing:
Misses 6-14. I sewed a "12" at the shoulders and at the draped neckline. I sewed a "14" elsewhere.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes!

Fabric Used:

Polyester knit.


Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. Things to take careful note would be the pleated markings on the front and back bodice, the fold lines, and the triangle marks where the optional back strap would be placed. As I was cutting the fabric, I cut out little extra notches or protruding triangles to represent the start and end of a pleat.

Special thanks to the delightful Catbird for her helpful reference to a tutorial for making those itty-bitty spaghetti straps or button loops without those loop turners (which I never obtained proficiency in using) and a safety pin, whose name is one of the biggest paradoxes.  I used this blog tutorial to create the back strap. It really does work!


Favorite Features
*The front and back drape. Although the back is a bit low than what I am accustomed to, I like its "daring-but-still-modest" style.

*The dress is not boxy or sack-like due to the elasticated or elasticized waistline at the junction of the bodice and skirt pieces.

* The slightly fitted style reminiscent of certain early 1960's sheath dresses. It seems to flatter any shape and size, especially one as not well proportioned as myself.

Questionable Features

There is nothing much to dislike, except for watching ...

(a) the length of the bodice, especially if you have a short torso. But the style is "forgiving" especially after adding the elastic to bring up the seam between the bodice and skirt portion.

(b) the low back revealing the back of your bra, which could easily be remedied by occasionally pulling down the back of your bra and pulling the front of the bodice a little forward, or simply using adhesive cups. Very long hair pushed to the back a la 70's Cher could help.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

My usual:

*One-inch petite adjustment at the length adjustment lines

* To shorten the upper back, I folded out an inch in alignment with the lower armscye.

*Instead of making an elastic casing, I sewed elastic directly to the seam allowance using the stretch and stitch method, since nobody would be able to see the non-encased elastic from the outside. I recall doing this for a New Look knit dress years ago. Also without a belt or sash, there would be less conspicious "bunching" than from using the casing method.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes! Now that I sewed it once, it will be much easier. I highly recommend this pattern especially for beginners and/or as a "first" dress project.

Conclusion:

I became convinced to appreciate this dress after wearing it out of the house for the first time.  Although the sewing time for dress took longer than an hour for me, it is one of the "easiest" dresses to put together. For me, the cutting took longer than the sewing!

Photo taken by my 7 year old daughter

Calculus by the "C"

Coincidentally, what I like to currently wear are what I have sewn recentlly, especially at a conference that I recently attended at the University of San Diego (a private university).   Since mathematics is my subject area, I totally went "geometric". 

Here is a view from a top of a hill on the University of San Diego.  Although I have lived in San Diego for more than 3 decades,  I have not from this angle seen this lovely panaoramic view of the bay and other notable landmarks of the city such as the Coronado Bridge and the mission.  Photo taken by me.

I wore this Vogue 845 1(already out of print) knit top on Monday, the first day of the conference.  I also wore this at our most recent visit to the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, California.

I just recently completed a week-long conference called "AP (Advanced Placement) By the Sea" at the University of San Diego.   I took the initiative to sign up for the AP Calculus section, pay the $705 upfront (on-line registration), and fill out a request for a leave of absence form because I would be absent from my classroom for a week (school for our district had recently started).   Yup, budget cuts. For most conference goers from out of town or even out of state or out of country (i.e. Canada), their registration fees, lodging and travel expenses were already taken care of.  My main reason to sign up was to be able to justify to teach a high level course next year, after years of given at my current school  " imbalanced" teaching schedules especially this year with 4 sections of senior math (the equivalent of consumer math or the I-need-to-pass-this-math-class to graduate high school) and one section of Formal Geometry (my only good class).  On my course preference sheet, I have always offered to teach  high level math classes (i.e. pre-calculus and/or calculus) with the basic math classes.  But of course, those sheets have been ignored in my case.   As the second senior teacher in our department and after teaching for 20 years, I don't understand.  I think politics override teacher performance and longetivity. I will investigate further if the "men", one of them being a "buddy" of our principal are given special treatment.

 I wished the conference was at an earlier time frame, before the start of a new school year for our district, because I do not like missing even a day of work potentially putting the students behind in the curriculum. Hence, I rarely am absent from work (i.e. I did not take a day off the previous school year).  I recalled an email addressed to our math department sent by a substitute teacher with impressive qualifications. I called this gentleman ahead of time to request his availability for a teaching assignment for early August which consisted of 4 sections of Math 12 (many "challenging" students) and 1 section of Formal Geometry (my "sweet" class).  Without hesitation, he accepted the assignment.

 Before I drove to the conference each day this past week, I left specific lesson plans for the substitute teacher such as pre-written or typed notes on the transparencies, and copies of assignments for the students to work on.   He obviously followed the lesson plans and  left detailed reports of students' behavior and wrote referrals to those who were defiant and talked back to him. I could tell he had a rough time.  However, I am relieved to have found a substitute teacher that seemed to do what he can to get the students to be on task.

A view from the balcony of the Shiley Center for Science and Technology in USD, where the conference for the AP Calculus was situated.  Photo taken by me.

The entire week at USD seemed like taking a semester or maybe a year of high school Calculus compacted in a week.  The presenter was an energetic and enthusiastic lady who has been teaching for 32 years.  There were stacks of handouts that she went over.  She did not have time to go over the specifics on how to solve all problems, but touched upon key problems or exercises that would benefit the students who will take the AP Calculus AB exam in May. 

On Wednesday, I wore this top which was  based on a 1970's Butterick knit wrap dress pattern, that I transformed into a non-wrap top.

The AP exam in Calculus consists of multiple choice questions and "free-response" questions or what I call a "multi-step" problem given a set of conditions (i.e. a graph, equations, specific values of an a variable substituted into an integral equation....) followed by three, four, or five questions. It has been technically 20 years the last time I worked on problems that pertained to Calculus when I was in college. So, just like many of my students, I was somewhat perplexed or mystified on certain concepts the presenter covered. Maybe after teaching a Calculus class, I would feel more at ease. The "free-response" questions required students not only to show their calculations, but also to justify or explain their solutions or to interpret what the solution meant in words using appropriate vocabulary in Calculus. In a set of problems the presenter handed out for us to work on before returning the next day, I was able to solve one or two independently. For those that we were uncertain about, we were able to ask her to go over them in more detail. The presenter encouraged us to ask questions for clarification. I can see why her students earned top scores in the AP exams. Her upbeat personality with her extensive knowledge and helpfulness definitely would have a positive effect on her students.

Donald Shiley Center for Science and Technology Building.  Photo courtesy of USD

We had an hour of lunch each day already paid for with a USD "gift card" worth $40.  There were several places to choose from.   The Pavillion Dining at the student center was the main place to eat that offered a salad bar, Mexican, Asian, Mediterranean, All-American (hamburgers...), Italian, cuisine and more.  The ordering/catering area was crowded to the point I could not walk freely to look at what was being offered and make a selection.   The place was packed with visitors such as conference goers as myself, high school cheerleaders (most likely attending a form of cheerleading camp situated somewhere on this campus), foreigners (I heard French and other languages), and even families with children.  On Monday, I had two slices of pizza and a side order of salad for $5.  On Tuesday at a deli/market above the the Pavilion Dining, I had a Turkey club sandwich for about $7 and ate by a water fountain at a plaza area.  On Wednesday at the student center, I had  carnitas quesadilla with rice and beansfor about $7.  On Thursday, 8 (including myself) of the 24 conference attendees and the instructor ate at the classy La Gran Terraza restaurant that has a nice view overlooking the bay and city.   I had a salmon club sandwich for about $7.  On Friday, the last day of the conference, I had about $5.60 remaining and purchased a roast beef sandwich and paid aMinute Maid drink with my own cash.   The food overall was fine, although it does not beat my favorites:  Subway and Super Sergio's Mexican food. I was very satisfied with the conference,  although I don't think it was worth $700.  However  the experience and knowledge that I gained is priceless and will be very helpful for my current and future students.

Immaculata Catholic Church with the notable blue dome.  Photo courtesy of USD

An aerial view of  USD, and in particular the Immaculata Church (has the blue dome at the back) and closer to the front "The Garden of the Sea" with the Joan Kroc Institute for Peach and Justice building (brick colored little dome), a reflective pool,  and a nice lookout point of the San Diego bay (by the shaded trees at the south central portion shown in the photo) where I had lunch.  Photo courtesy of USD.

On Friday, the last day of the conference, enjoying lunch with a view at a patio area by the bluffs by a building called the Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice.  Photo taken by me.

After a  pleasant lunch at the bluffs overlooking a nice view of the city.  The weather was wonderful!  Top courtesy of New Look 6145.  Photo taken by a very kind gardener using my camera.

Square Deal

Here is a "new look" of math books, bigger and thicker, but not necessarily better for our students.   I prefer the "older" textbooks that contain essential information without the fluff, gimmicks, and glitz.  Textbooks are big business nowadays. 

My daughter is wearing a Jalie 2788 twist top that I recently made. 

Here is misses' New Look 6415 (out of print), a pattern I had for more than six years.  I could not find the copyright date on the envelope in on the instruction sheets.  You could get a lot of "new looks" from this pattern. Something this little can give you so much.

Pattern Description:

New Look's ambiguous description: "11 pieces" and "six pieces in one".

My desciption: 5 views of a sleeveless top with 3 neckline options: ruched with bias binding, mock turtleneck with the ruching, and a cowl neck. There are two views with a banded tie bottom for a blouson style.

Pattern Sizing:

Misses' 8 - 18. I sewed a 12 at the shoulders, and a "14" everywhere else. For this strange knit, a "12" everywhere else would have been more suitable.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

It was close enough.

Suggested Fabrics
Silks and silk types, crepe, jacquards, laundered silks/rayons. I would not recommend using a knit as I did. Maybe a more stable knit would have provided much better results.


Fabric Used:
Clearance rib-knit from Joann's. The eyecatching print lured me. But, sewing with it is another story. It's one of those knits that do not recover well after stitching. It is fine for making wearable muslins

 

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes, they were more clear with the diagrams, considering that there were 2 main pattern pieces and the facings. Due to the simplicity of the pattern, I did not use them much.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I like the simplicity and versatility of this pattern. You could achieve countless looks by this pattern alone. I would not recommend sleeves unless you alter the depth of the armscye. A-hem, I know this after temporaily adding short sleeves cut from another pattern, and the top looked odd.

Most likely due to my unconventional fabric choice, I should have had gathered the back neckline as suggested by Eli.  There was some unexpected draping.  Taking in the back with some gathering and applying the bias neckband after shortening its length a little would have hopefully solved the problem.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

 *My usual petite adjustment at the waistline and upper back.

*Due to fabric constraints, instead of cutting the back as two pieces to form a center back seam, I cut it on a fold, taking into account the center back seam allowance.

*I reduced the ruching at the front and potential droop of the neckline by translating the center front fold past the lengthwise fold (approximately 3/8') of the fabric.

*After shortening the bias binding due to my neckline width adjustment, I sewed the binding to wrong side of the fabric and turned it over to the outside and topstitched with a narrow raw side tucked under. I wish I had done this with the armhole bindings. I highly recommend Linda L's method for this that she used for her version of this top.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Definitely! This is a very simple top and I recommend it with a suitable fabric.

Conclusion:

I plan to make another and maybe another...