Wardrobe Contest: Burda 01/2016 #135 & Butterick 6219

After finishing the shorts, I somehow decided I should sew the pants next. Because...I like to torture myself?? :)

I was so excited about these pants when this issue came out.

I mean...those LINES!!!! 

Being me, I decided I ain't making no stinking muslin! And cut them out. The one alteration I made immediately was to shorten the front crotch by 3/4". Since Burda directions are frequently unhelpful, I didn't even look at them.

And uhmm...

They're intended for stretch wovens. Oops. 

I ended up having to recut the side panels, adding 1" to the back only. This threw a couple other things off, but nothing major. E.g., the dart in the side panel is more forward than in the center and the leg opening is wider...but it doesn't stop me from loving them!!! :)

These took me forever to finish. FOREVER. But I think they're pretty awesome.

You can see they're a little tight at the thigh. I didn't show a back view because I had insane VPL. 

So you'll have to trust that I'm happy with the fit. LOL!

I love the front with extended tab.

I ADORE the front of these!!!! I love how the yoke wraps around to the front seam, and the belt loops and the tab waist and everything!!!

Side panel with dart. You can see that there's more room in the back. The waistband had been adjusted and that seam is at the actual side seam so I covered it with the belt carrier.

Cute! Right?!?!?! Ahhhh!

I will totally make these again. I really like them as a casual pant!

In between fighting with these, I cut out B6219 because I have also been salivating over this pattern since it was released.

I loved this view. Loved it and had to have it. I used ponte instead of jersey so I lose some of the intended drape...but it's okay!

I cut a size 16 and sewed the side seams of both the yoke and skirt on the sewing machine to match the stripes.

Excellent matching on the side seams...never even thought about the matching the horizontal seams! OY!

And then zip, zip, zip went the rest of the skirt on the serger. Such a quick project - my favorite!

I also matched across the front - yay! 

The instruction on doing the waistband (which they call a yoke) is stupid. It's bulky and just...not good. I also didn't like that the skirt came all the way up to the natural waist. I hacked off the waistband from the pattern and an additional 5/8" to shorten the waist height.

I ended up using 1" elastic and cut a rectangle for the elastic and just made a "regular" casing. It works. I love it. I want to wear this skirt everywhere right now!!!!

Tell me why I was giving it to the camera:

Hahahaha!!! :)

In all these pics you see I'm wearing the S1916 top. Here are the S1430 shorts modeled:

I was watching The Hangover and was having a good giggle at whatever scene was on at the moment! :)

Thinking about new jacket options. I am going to go with a more casual unlined jacket. I just pulled out my chambray and am aiming to get at least the front and back sewn...then a couple days for sleeves and plackets, a couple days for collar and then buttonholes/buttons. So hopefully I'll have finished before next weekend is out.

Pattern Review Wardrobe Contest: Items 1 and 2

So with my hardcore, set in stone plan (ha!), I'm using 4 patterns that I've sewn before and 3 that I'm considering making a muslin for. Initially I thought I should just knock out the 'known to me' patterns first but, later decided to intersperse some of the more labor intensive projects in with the "quick and easy" ones (quick and easy tends to be Famous Last Words).

Since I've decided to devote weekend sewing to the prom dress once the fabrics are procured next week; I know that things like pants and button front shirts are excellent projects for me to work on during the week. I sew those in that '20 minutes at a time' format all the time.

So I did start with 'easy' this week because, Instant Gratification is my middle name.

Simplicity 1916 has been made 2 times before; once in an animal print jersey (which I wear ALL the time) and the other in a lace print ITY. I love this one too but with the lace+black+low cut, not very often.

I really liked this candy-pink ITY much more than I anticipated. And I know I'll really love it come summer when I get my 'glow'!

Again, major props for seeing the skills grow and develop! The first time I made this it took for-evah to figure out that front ruching detail. This time I looked at the instructions and boom! Effortless. I opted to leave the neck binding exposed and to do binding on the sleeve openings as well.

Definitely the sassy vibe I was going for!!!

Next up was S1430 shorts. After the Style Arc Jennifer fail, I had to jump right on these.

I sewed a size 18 with 3/8" seam allowances at the waist only. I kept the original length and 'stole' the side splits from the Style Arc shorts.

I also added welt pockets - yay me! And belt carriers.

I was going to do hook & eyes but decided they would look much better with a button. This is the mate to the button I used on my son's shorts with this same fabric. I can never let him know that we have shorts with the same fabric and everything! :-p

The only issue, I put the zipper down a bit too low. Otherwise I LOVE them!

bias tape to finish the facing

I'm so proud of my welts!!!

I realized after WHY the SA shorts were angled so much at the hem; so that the split could open. Dang it.  It's pretty cool finish though. I will be doing that again. I need some bright green shorts! :)

Look at that bar tack on the bottom carrier - so good! And then the top one misbehaved. But who has time to be removing bar tacks?! Pfft.

The last photo is before I added the carriers. I considered them done and was all OH! I meant to add loops! :) I just love the finishing on these.

I've been too blah for photos. Soon...

As for the remainder of my items:
a) New Look 6373 is in progress
b) Burda 1/2016 pants are basted and too small (the pattern was meant for stretch wovens!)
c) Butterick 6219 skirt
d) Simplicity 1070 top
e) McCall's 6965 shorts
f) McCall's 6884 dress
g) Burda 7136 (also made twice before)
h) Burda 4/2014 jacket (I may do an unlined jacket or a vest or cardigan)

The contest ends on Thursday, 3/31. But I'd totally have to be done before that last weekend to get photos. Stay tuned!

Me Made May 2014: Week 4 roundup

Week 4. It's getting rough. I am running out of me mades! I am realizing the things that I need to donate, give away or just toss. AND the holes that I need to fill in my wardrobe. This is super helpful for me. SUPER!!

3 more days!!!

Day 22: Burda 7886 top
Day 23: Simplicity 2255 top
Day 24: Butterick 3314 pj's (I did not go outside on Saturday)
Day 25: Simplicity 1430 shorts
Day 26: I actually put the S1430 shorts back on...got TOO hot and showered and changed into M6927 top and leggings
Day 27: Simplicity 2700 pants and Butterick 5493 top
Day 28: New Look 6108 top and McCall's 6844 cardigan

Finished Item: Simplicity 1430 and McCalls 6744

I made another pair of shorts!

I hadn't sewn very much lately (finished dress post to come tomorrow!) and the bug hit me this weekend. 

I was all set to sew this really cute Lekala top and realized it was ordered (along with a few more) on A4 paper. Boooo! 

So I needed something worthwhile that I could execute easily. 

I picked up this denim piece at Hancock for $3.95 not long ago. And decided to use the fabric leftover from my psuedo fail of a top. This of course also meant using a red zipper! :)

This time I did not break my zipper. Yay!

I added the pockets. 

I used one large button. 

I shortened them one inch (like chopped an inch off the bottom) and hemmed 1 1/4"

I fully intended to add belt carriers. Then I realized I didn't have a long enough piece of fabric. THEN I realized I could've pieced them aka sewed two smaller strips. Oh well. Next time!

I will make a pair with carriers and welt pockets. I will! :)

Sooo the mojo was going. Of course. 

I decided to cut this crazy wild fabric I'd gotten from FabricMart and make the straight skirt-racer back dress from M6744. 

Meh. 

I don't love it. I think there something to this type of construction that I don't like. 

When I made M6752 I hated it on me. Yet I love my Winter Street dress. 

I think it's the elastic casing/waist. 

I'm going to pull the elastic out and just gather the skirt. And I will be doing bands instead of turning and stitching the arms/neck. 

The girl is crazy about her dress. I'll get tons of pics this afternoon. 

Sew-a-Palooza Part Two

A few things I intended to include in yesterday's post...but still apply here.

The Midwest is fickle. By the time the 2nd or 3rd week of May rolls around we could be seeing perfect 70 degree weather and if that happens; I want to be ready! I seriously survived last summer with one pair of shorts, a second pair of MOM shorts (my husband hated those shorts!) and a couple of dresses and the plethora of tank tops that I own. We have a very busy next few weekends coming up. So that's what sparked my desire to knock a bunch of stuff out.


I spent the week prepping. This is my preferred (ninja) method when I want to sew a ton. Friday night I sewed two things (save for finishing work) and traced my Burda pattern, assembled my Lekala pattern (cut the paper and did not trace off the assembled paper pattern) and cut out my shorts pattern. I cut all the fashion fabric out except for the denim skirt; I did that Saturday morning.


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I WANTED that denim skirt!! Then, I got 'scared' of tackling the Burda and Lekala patterns right away - leave it up to me to choose both to be near-instructionless patterns! LOL! So I decided to do S1430 first. Well...I didn't even use the instructions!! I sewed THREE fly zippers without instructions this weekend! Woohoo!


My shorts expedition starts with Simplicity 1430 with plans to also work up Sewaholic Thurlows (having second thoughts) and Burda 02/2011.

**My 2nd thoughts with regards to Sewaholic is that I am not a pear. Yes, I have a 10" or so difference between waist and hip but I don't have the width at the hip that is generally equated with "pear". I have seen tons of good Thurlows; on thin pears. Kathy who IS a pear and who is also wonderfully curved; sewed the thurlows and wasn't in love. Based on my 2 earlier muslins; I am not either. BUT, I already paid $20+ for the pattern so part of me thinks I'd better try to make it work. AND I think it would be a better option for going through the welt pocket making process.

There's enough room for my thighs! YAY!

Not too shabby

I *always* have those couple of wrinkles between my dart and my butt. I don't know if that means I need to change my dart length or what.

I believe those wrinkles are solely from them being cotton sateen.

This side view shows the importance of photos! They feel GREAT on. But LOOK at that side seam. It is not completely vertical. I literally have a 'greedy butt'! :-) I know how to fix that though!

POLKA DOTS!!

I decided to skip the pockets since I hadn't muslined this pattern and was using a black sateen that I thought might end up being the death of me (lint. magnet.). Having had success with S2700, I decided to just do flat measurements to see if it would work. I removed 1.5" from CF (!!!) and didn't add any of it to the back.


I chose a size 18 based on the finished hip of 46" and I flat measured the waistband...and once it was all interfaced, "wrapped it around me" and decided it would work. (This is scientific guys).


I ended up taking 7/8" side seams from below the waistband to the hem. I left the waistband SA at 5/8". Construction was ZOOMING right along, my daughter was hanging out in the cave and was asking questions here and there about the process. I generally line my zippers up at the bottom and then cut off the excess from the top. She asked about the excess zipper.


"I leave that there until I sew on the waistband so I don't accidentally pull the zipper pull off"


5 minutes later...no waistband attached...I cut the zipper tape and go and pull the $#($* zipper pull off!

I nearly cried. We both tried in vain to get the thing back on. I did not want to take out the stitching. I did not have another black zipper on hand. In her infinite teenage-wisdom, she said I should take a break. She then made me French toast and kielbasa (sweetest baby ever, you guys!).


After that debacle, I found out that I could reattach it from the bottom. I cut the tape, reattached it and had to handstitch everything in the bottom back in place. WHEW!


I also put the zipper on the "wrong" side. Meh. Works for me. I used some of my polka-dot(!) quilting cotton for the waistband facing. Insides are all serged and I used a 1 1/4" hem.


They aren't perfect but I like them a lot! I don't think I'll tweak the pattern too much. These feel a tiny bit loose but this sateen has some stretch and obviously I plan to use this pattern with non-stretch wovens.

So yep, I love them! Now if only...

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Burda 11/2012 reviewed already. Made in this cool knit I picked up from the $2 remnant bin at SR Harris.

Simplicity 2061 again?? already?!!? YES!! In black "lightweight" ponte from FabricMart.

"But wait! Isn't that the same pic as above?!?!" Shhhhh.

There's a weird something happening with the neckband. It's floppy right in the center.

My goof on this pattern? I was cutting the back piece out and had the front close by so I could match stripes. If you feel resistance while cutting, stop immediately! I snipped two holes in my shirt - thankfully in the sleeve hem allowance. Whew!

I mean, who woulda thunk that I'd be salivating over elastic-waisted, tapered ankle-length pants?!?!

Can you say, Holy swayback!!?!?!?!? WOW! I didn't realize it was this bad when I made it last time. I need to alter this pattern immediately! Sheesh.



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My daughter has given me a list of things she needs made. She wants the Illusion jacket. She actually asked to wear mine! :-) She's so sweet.

But uhmm...I'm a Burda 42 and she's probably a 34. So...yeah.