Sunday, October 29, 2017

Fall wardrobe plan

I finished my second top for my Fall wardrobe plan!  This pattern is a mashup of the True Bias Odgen cami and Butterick 5948. 
Navy crepe and pattern mashup
I don't recall where i purchased the Fabric, might have been Fabric.com. It is some type of crepe. Grainy feeling, not too slippery, slightly spongy and doe not press crisply.  Came out of dryer looking exaclty how it did before washing, so BONUS!  
Added a cross back tie
I am loving my sewing plan so far, I have now completed 2 pants and 2 tops. 
Sewing plan progress Stay happy  Keep sewing And if you can't sew Dance with a sweet baby
Dancing with my new granddaughter
     

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Bottoms #2 in sewing plan!

I bought this stretch denim at Fabric.com ages ago. It is my second bottoms in my sewing plan. Again Butterick 6327.  
Ready to cut!
I altered the front to have slant pockets for this pair.  
Slant pockets, extended to center front.
Shortening the zip
You can see that I only extended 1 layer of the pocket bags to center front, to cut down on bulk.  When my jeans zip is too long, I always shorten it from the bottom, that way i don't lose the locking ability at the top of the zip.  I hate zips that unzip on their own while you are wearing them!
Pocket placement
I like to do pocket placement after the point where I can try the pants on, to ensure they are in the right spots. No belt loops this time, and I used 3/8" seams in attaching and finishing the waistband, so that it would be deeper and the waist would sit a bit higher.  
Front
I hemmed these a little longer than the denim, thinking that they might still shrink up in length. 
 
I created a faux yoke again. 
 
So.... finished plan items --- 2 pair jeans and 1 top, a boxy cropped T. 
Stay happy
Keep sewing
And if you can't sew
Snuggle a cute baby. 
 
 

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Planning

I seem to have a hard time finding something to wear each morning, and yet my closet is full. I decided i needed to sew with a palette, a plan in mind.  So i pulled many fabrics from my stash that complimented each other, thinking i would be able to create a mix and match wardrobe. 
Fabrics pulled from stash
I ened up with browns, rust, blue and oatmeal. I love all these colors! There will be 3 pants, 4 tops and 3 cardigans/jackets.  Dark blue denim, rust denim, brown corduroy all for pants. B6327 and Vogue 8774 most likely. Then a navy crepe, striped knit and red plaid and blue striped shirting for tops. The latter will be button ups, going to try McCalls 7470. The striped knit a self drafted cropped boxy T.  The navy crepe a vinatage Vogue, 7288. The checked crepe not sure yet.  Then there is a quilted brown solid for most likely the Kelly Anorak and the teal knit for a cardigan. The quilted oatmeal knit is already a cardigan (the Blackwood). Just seeing all these fabrics together, really excited me! I am lookimg forward to seeing how I do and how well they fulfill the goal of easy mix and match.  So I decided first up was the dark denim jeans. B6327. I have made these before, so fitting was not an issue. Working with a Tried and True (TNT) pattern just makes the process less stressful and more fun.  These jeans took about 9 hours all together. I LOVE them! 
B6327 I wanted them to have a little simething extra, so I used a dark red thread for all the topstitching and used the triple stitch aka the lightening stitch.  I really love the depth it adds. 
B6327
In studying pocket designs online, i had seen someone use a label where just one letter showed, so I copied that! Just the K from my label can be seen on the back pocket. 
Inner front, fun pockets and waistband lining! Once i had already topstitched the back, there was a little gatherhing of the upper back where it joined the waistband. to remedy that without having to remove my topstitching, I unpicked the center back portion of the waistband, created two small darts in the back, and reattached the waistband. Worked perfectly! 
Fitting the back
This pattern did not have a back yoke, and i felt the expanse above the back pockets looked odd without one, so i created a faux yoke. I just drew it with chalk and then topstitched it. A faux yoke! Breaks up the real estate in the back. 
Faux yoke
Funny that the denim looks black, it is really dark blue. I think these might be my favorite pockets yet! I used a diiner plate to trace the curve with chalk. 
Back pocket love
 
Buttonhole error
  I accidentally put the button hole too far from the center front and I had already cut it open. So i just extended it to be where it should have been and then did a wide satin stitch to close up the end that shouldn't have been there! Worked pretty well, and i am going with the thought that it looks like a design feature. 
Buttonhole design feature
B6327
  Not sure which is next up on deck....maybe the boxy T !   

Stay happy Keep sewing And if you can't sew Knit some baby socks!

 
Socks for Kimber
Kimber! 2 days old.
   

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Blackwood Cardigan, finally!

I bought Helen's Closet newest pattern the day it came out. The Blackwood Cardigan. This fabric is a Telio Topaz Hatching Knit in petrol blue, from Fabric.com. I made this when I bought the pattern but never posted. I love it. I bought more fabric to make one for each of my girls and another for me
   I love the design of this sweater. It is not meant to close in the front, so does not feel bulky, nor hide your cute outfits!
 
This is the perfect office cardigan. I bought this quilted knit at Joanns. This will be #2 for me.  I made a large  in view A  my only change was to make the pockets the full width of the fronts.  I love big pockets  
I love this one. It is quite toasty warm. 
On a side note, i have a grandson due in December and a granddaughter due in 12 days.  I have been busy making quilts

Thanks for reading!  
Stay happy. 
Keep sewing. 
And if you can't sew, 
knit a little sock! 

Saturday, July 8, 2017

McCalls 9313, linen maxi dress

  I bought a beautiful striped linen at Fabric.com.  I knew it was destined to become a summer dress. I had picked up this old Easy McCalls pattern at a thrift store for $1. I like the simplicity of it. But, I could tell the shoulders were too wide and the neckline to high, so i altered them closer to a TNT tank of mine  
McCalls 9313, altered shoulders and neckline
The pattern came with bias pattern pieces for finishing neck and arms.  I wanted a cleaner finish so drafted an all in one facing.  It is THE way to get a nice clean neckline.  If you google "all in one facing video" you can find all sorts of videos guiding you through the 'burrito' method of a clean finish.  
Self drafted all in one facing for clean neck and arm finish
The pics below, show how I match stripes.
Align fabric edges. Measure in depth of seam allowance
 
Hold fabric in place at seamline
 
Lift top fabric to see if stripes aligned, adjust if needed
Place pin on aligned stripe edge. I did this on both sides of all stripes.
 
Was a tedious task, but so worth it!
Help! The pattern had no pockets, but I always need pockets, but where to put them? Instagram to the rescue!
I went to Instragram for pocket placement advice! #3 won
You can hardly see the pockets at all! I made the pocket opening along the side vs the top. Had a more natural feel for use. 
I love the results!

Stay Happy

Keep Sewing

And if you cant sew

Kiss a cute boy!

 
Kiss a cute boy.
                J                 

Sunday, May 28, 2017

What do you get when you cross an Ogden Cami and a woven T?

  Posting my culottes again because somehow the last post is only on BlogLovin.  I hate that I cant update my blog on my Ipad. I have to do it via Blogpro. I dont care for it. Very un-user friendly.   These are a cross between Vogue 9091 and B6327.  I removed the front pleat and the zip is now front with a cut on fly.  I love the 70's vibe.
Wrap around waistband and clasp closure
Inside front pockets
Love them!
Back
Side
I love the shape and neckline of the Ogden Cami, but it is not really appropriate for my office, unless i wear something to cover my shoulders......which then hides the features I like!  So I altered the front and back to have the armscyce of my TNT woven T, (B5948) and used that sleeve, but kept the Ogden neckline and body shape.   
Front view, also did FBA.   Not sure of the fabric, a challis or georgette? Frays like crazy, slightly grainy feeling and difficult to work with. 
To control the fabric, after cutting, I ensured all pieces were still the same shape as the pattern piece then I starched them all like crazy.  
Sleeve under pattern piece to ensure shape is correct before starching
   
I lay the facing atop the already starched front/back to ensure it was shaped correctly then starched.
 
With my terra-cotta culottes
 
Love the Ogden back neckline
Due to the fraying, i had to do all french seams  also a narrow hem as it was already short     This was my muslin, but was hoping for a wearable muslin. Now to make it in a nice black. Stay Happy Keep Sewing