Red Jeans, revisited

Have you ever finished a project and did your happy dance, only to have it come back and bite you in the...  well, in this case, crotch?   I love these red pants.  They look so awesome while I am prancing about doing my happy dance.  BUT, sit in them for 8 hours a day, as I do at work while crunching numbers.  OUCH.  Looking back at the pictures, I should have known.  I should have suspected.  In hindsight, there appears to be a bit of a CT. (camel toe)

 

 and a BW. (butt wedgie) Egads. Double trouble. 

 

Well I decided to tackle that today, so that I can love my jeans physically as well as visually.

 

Good bye beautiful top stiching on my hind end.

 

Using tips from http://fashion-incubator.com/archive/anatomy_of_a_camel_toe_pt2/, I removed the excess fabric along crotch line that was creating the offending BW.  I could do nothing about the front crotch curve, as I was NOT willing to take out the zip and redo the front.  I did pick out all the top stitching in back, unattached the belt loops and scooped the crotch curve out more deeply.  I am now wearing said jeans.  I plan on wearing them all day, with much sitting involved, before I am ready to declare a victory, or redo all the topstitching. 

 

Stay Happy

Keep Sewing

and if you can't sew

enjoy doing what you can do!

Vogue 1247, the shirt..... second attempt

 

I am not sure what keeps drawing me to this shirt. I made it once, it looks okay, kind of baggy and shapeless.  Then I tried again, it was so bad, I threw it out half way through, didn't want the UFO haunting me, so I don't even count it as an attempt .  But for some reason, the pattern keeps calling me.

 

 

I keep thinking if I fold out some of the fullness.... perhaps it will look better on me.   So alas, I did some tissue fitting on KG2 and then folded out some fullness. 

I folded out 1 1/4" on the front.

  I cut the back on fold and folded the center back in 1 1/4"  I also folded out a long dart from shoulder almost to the hem.  I did not sew this dart in the fabric, merely folded it out on the pattern. 

 

Then I made a muslin. 

I do not look like the girl on the pattern cover when wearing the shirt, but then again, I guess that is not the shirt's fault.  I like it more than the first one I made.  So I decided to move forward with the fashion fabric.  A slinky, satiny, polyester fabric.  In the photos below, the pattern alterations are a little easier to see while it is laying atop the fashion fabric.  Wish me luck. 

 

Stay Happy

Keep Sewing,

and if you can't sew,

Enjoy doing what you can do!

The Great British Sewing Bee!!!

Thank you Ann!!  I just watched the first episode thanks to Ann @

http://annsfashionstudio.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-great-british-sewing-bee.html

I loved it!  It is so real.  So simple.  So about SEWING and REAL people.  Not sensationalized and about drama.

I can't wait to watch the 2nd episode, which Ann has also posted!!!

Thanks Ann!!!

Red Jeans. Done. Love em.

WIP is now Finished Goods.

My red jeans (rouge red bull denim from Fabric.com) continued.... These are part Jalie 2908 and part RTW VS Hipster jeans.

I cut the waistband to be 2 3/4" wide and quite a bit longer than the pattern piece, as I like to have room for adjustments.  I wrapped the outer waistband around to the inside before attaching to the waistband lining, makes for a nice clean finish and minimal bulk where you will be attaching buttons and sewing buttonholes.  I reinforced both sides with some medium weight interfacing.

 

 

Not sure where I picked up this tip, but it was on a collar post originally.  I do NOT trim the corner when turning the waistband right side out.  I fold over the seam allowance nice and tight, and then holding it in place, I turn the waistband right side out.

 

 

 Makes a nice corner and an level upper edge for topstitching later.

 

 

 I trim the waistband bulk around the zipper, only on the inner layers, not on the layer that will be up against the out waistband, again, makes a level area for topstitching later.

 

 This picture is to prove the importance of back pockets.  This picture screams ''look at those huge drooping butt cheeks!!"

 

 

 Whereas, this picture says " Hey, nice pockets."    Proof, pockets are necessary rear real estate camouflage.

 Time to add the belt loops!

Rivets.  Yes, I got brave.  I don't recall where I bought them.  It was a place recommended during the big Jean challenge on Pattern Review.com in 2008.  I have only used them once before, not very successfully. The nail heads protruded through the front of the rivet almost 3/8"!

So, this time....... I used an awl to make a hole where I wanted to place a rivet.  Then inserted the nail head looking portion through the hole, from the back.  I  used a pair of nippers (pliers that can cut heavy metal) and cut the nail head so that it stuck up only 1/8" above the front fabric.  Then used the pliers to reshape the now flattened and much shorter nail head to be round again.  Placed the front of the rivet on the nail head and used the handy dandy plastic tool in the picture below to seat the nail head in one side and the rivet in the other, and then wacked it with the hammer.  It worked.  Amazing. 

 

 

This is how I will be styling my jeans tomorrow.  I am in love.  Now don't get me wrong, they are not perfect.  They are a bit tight in some places and a bit loose in others, but even so, I love them.  I have wanted red jeans for so long. 

 

I would like to thank my crew.  I couldn't have done it without them.

 

Old Singer 550 for beautiful topstitching. (inherited from Grandma)

 

My Brother serger for neatly trimming and containing all my loose edges.  (birthday present a decade ago)

 

And my Pfaff Creative 1471.  It is from 1974.  It sews through 8 - 10 layers of denim like it was butter.  I love this machine.  (best $74 I ever spent at a yard sale, can't recall how many years ago....)

 I just love, love, love my pocket design.  I found it on

http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/jean_pocket.html

 

 

 

Stay Happy,

Keep Sewing,

and if you can't Sew

Enjoy doing what you can do.

 

WIP-- A Morph of Jalie 2908 and VS Hipster RTW

I still wear a pair of the Jalie 2908 that I made in 2010.  Great go to jeans.  I also have a pair of RTW VS hipster jeans that I really like as well.  They are a bit loose in the caboose but I love the straight leg shaping.  I decided to morph the two patterns and see what I get.  I am hoping for the perfect jeans, but will settle for a great pair that I love to wear. 

I am using a bull denim from Fabric.com.  It has a bit more stretch than I thought it would, I am hoping that does not mean baggy butt by end of day.  I love this color, Rouge Red. 

Pieces laid out, a fabric hog, with the width of the crotches and the length of my legs, I used the full 3 yards length wise.  I am hoping to be able to use some of the wide scraps for something....

Here are all the pieces, cut and serged

Front pockets inserted..... extended them to the center front for tummy control.

I hope to have them finished tomorrow, so that I can wear them on Monday.  We shall see.  Takes me about 15 hours for a pair of jeans, from layout to hemming.  Hard to sew that long of a stretch.  

Blocks

Happy Easter Ronan!!

Sundays.....

Best laid plans, sometimes get trumped, with better ones.  I thought I was going to spend the day sewing, but instead woke up with a bug to reorganize my stash.  I pulled EVERYTHING out.  Two large bags donated, everything else folded and placed neatly back in the closet.  I kept opening the closet doors just to look at it.  I made my husband look at it.  He said nice.  He never saw the BEFORE. LOL.     

 

 

Then, I tried to decide what to sew next, and my cell rang. My daughters wanted to have lunch. So instead of sewing, lunch with my girls and grandson. PERFECT.

I decided recently that I needed better lighting and mirrors in my sewing room.  Lights, I have taken care of, clip on spot lights from Home Depot.  For a mirror, I want tri fold full length mirrors. NO ONE carries them.  At least in the small town I live in.  Online they ranged from thousands to hundreds.  I really want a tri fold mirror to aid in fitting, but I will not pay that kind of money.  Then I found a you tube video of making one yourself.  Simple as mounting one full length mirror on the wall and then placing on either side, a full length mirror, attached to the wall by hinges.  Ingenious.  I told my husband and he said, you get the mirrors, I will hang them.  So now, I just need to find 3 mirrors.  Target only had 2 of every mirror they carried!!!  That is ok, I will be patient.  For a bit. 

 

 

 Stay Happy

Keep Sewing

and if you can't

enjoy whatever it is you CAN do!

Who doesn't love instant gratification.....

 

Saturday evening, four tops done.  This is my TNT knit top pattern.  The pattern is sized so that a stable double knit is perfect with a 1/4" seam allowance.  The looser the knit, the bigger the side seams I have to take.  Pretty easy.  I love the slouchy collar on Sewaholic's Renfrew, so thought I would give drafting it a go.

 

This was my muslin.  #1

 

I cut the collar as a large rectangle, the upper portion, was on the fold.  The width of the rectangle (collar) was the same width as the neck opening in my shirt.  The height of the rectangle (collar) was 6".  The side of the rectangle would be the back seam.  I then unfolded the collar, stitched the 12" long back seam together and then I had a long tube, the circumference of my neckline.  I folded it in half, right sides out, and attached to the neckline.  Then topstitched along the base of the collar.  Here is the result.  I like it, but the collar/cowl is not as drapey as I imagined it would be. 

 

My husband likes it.  (-:

 

 

Muslin #2.  I decided a trapezoid shape for the collar pattern, instead of a rectangle.  This time I made the trapezoid 12" deep, and the top of it being 1 1/2" wider than the base. The wider part of the collar (top of trapezoid) was cut on the fold and then just like the previous version, sewn into a long tube, folded rights sides out and then attached to the neckline.  It is emerald green in real life,   I did not hem it, but added a self band, way nicer than a wonky hem on this thin knit! 

 

Here is the collar / cowl extended.  Might be nice on a cold windy day!

After wearing a few hours, I felt the collar was too deep and needed to be even wider at the upper portion. So...  Muslin #3

 

This collar is also a trapezoid.  The upper width of pattern piece is 3" wider than the base. This time only 8" deep, cut on fold.  Then followed same insertion as above.  And this one is JUST RIGHT!  I love it.   

 

 

This fourth top, was actually the first one I made this weekend (my weekend started on Friday! yippee)  The collar is from Off the Cuff - Sewing Style http://off-the-cuff-style.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-split-cowl-collar-tutorial.html.

 



 

Now what next..... I need a spring jacket..... and some spring skirts....and some spring jeans.... but alas, I think I best go make dinner first. 

 

Tomorrow.... another whole day of sewing ahead of me. 

 

 

Stay Happy,

Keep Sewing,

and if you can't sew,

enjoy doing what you CAN do!

Vogue 8774 again....done.... and a TNT knit

March has been a crazy month already.  I finally finished my second pair of Vogue 8774.  Corduroy again.  Green.  My green jeans.  lol.  This corduroy has more stretch than the chocolate did, even though the fiber content claims to be the same.  So this pair has more of a saggy butt by end of day, but they are so comfortable, I can live with it.

 

Have you ever visited Off the Cuff?   http://off-the-cuff-style.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-split-cowl-collar-tutorial.html  She does some amazing work.  She recently posted a tutorial, the split cowl collar.  It is awesome and simple.  I added the collar to my TNT knit top pattern.  The top is based on a a morph of many patterns fitted to my KG2.  The collar really adds some style to a simple T shirt.  She has 3 variations in her tutorial.  I want to try them all.

 

 

Here is the collar 'unfolded'

 

And folded. 

 

Here is part of what has been keeping me so busy.  He is 5 months old today.  Being a grandma is awesome.

 

Stay Happy

Keep Sewing

and if you can't sew,

have fun, doing whatever it is you can do.