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: 1 week peek

Sooooo I guess other folks who were doing weekly recaps did it like by calendar week. Ah well. I'm a rebel.

Also, I know that some (ok, LOTS) of people glaze over during the month because of Me Made May. Hence my decision to participate daily on IG and only post what will be 4 updates here on the blog (7/7/7/10 days). Bear with me! :)

I am secretly enjoying Instagram! I have avoided it as I didn't 'get it'. I still am unlikely to use it for regular, every day photo uploads but I love it for sewing. I have found many new sewing 'friends' to follow and ooh and ahh over what they make - Score!!

Day 1: McCall's 6844 cardigan
Day 2: McCall's 5890 [ I was so excited for my work conference on Friday because I could wear  a dress!!! :) ]
Day 3: Simplicity 2061 pants
Day 4: Burda 02/2014 - #135 top and #109 skirt
Day 5: Sew Simple 1523 top and Burda 10/2012 #113 jacket (Although I wear the jacket daily)
Day 6: Plantain tee
Day 7: Simplicity 1916 top

This week I wore 3 items that I had not yet worn!! And I had NO repeats! Yay!!

In other sewing news...

And I made another McCall's 6844 cardigan. Really I can't write anything else about it that I didn't write the other FOUR times I made this pattern :)

WAIT! I can!!! On the very first one, the black one, I followed the directions exactly and interfaced the band. Then the next 3 I did not interface the band/collar. But I've come to realize I like the weight/stiffness(?) that the band has when interfaced so I interfaced this one.

This is made from the same knit as the plantain tee above. I wear the others at work over sleeveless tops/shells and the ponte is getting kind of warm at times (if you overheat like I do). 

BUT anyone that works in an office knows that in the summer months you need something lest you turn into an air conditioned ice cube...so this lightweight knit version should be perfect as the mercury continues to rise.

Lily is lopsided and I can't seem to fix her :-/

Oooh. This month I am also managing the vintage pattern contest on Pattern Review. It is an interesting process to say the least :-)

PANTS contest coming up mid May! Woot! Even though I can't win, I am making red pants. Cause everyone needs red pants!

Finished Item: Simplicity 1916

I saw a review for this pattern one day and thought...hmmm why don't I own that?!? I picked it up at the next Simplicity sale. Then upon closer inspection realized it would probably be a bit too "boob-a-licious" for everyday life and didn't think much more about it.

On my last stashing post, Michelle suggested I use the fabric I didn't love as a wearable muslin. Ah. Great idea! May as well use that 1.5 yards of odd jersey to try out this top.

Now, for some reason, I chose the smaller size range (ending in a 14). The 14 has a finished bust of 36" (zero bust ease) and I am about 39". So uhmm...yeah. I thought 3 inches of negative ease would be a bit much! And the pattern pieces are oddly shaped so adding wasn't working in my brain. I decided to use 3/8" seam allowances on the CB and side seams, giving me an extra 1.5" Initially I was going to scrap the CB seam but I'm so glad I didn't. It provides great shaping!

I had to scratch my head and walk away and unpick stitches twice due to that little ruched area meeting the straight area!! And I love the way they have you construct it. Makes finishing CRAZY easy. Also, the sleeve cap really does need to be eased. Even if you set it flat, you need to ease it first.

End result? LOVE. It even makes me like the fabric!

Just look at that shaping!! (and not the stuff in the background!)

Too low cut for work

Difficult but cute! LOL! (the second time around only involved ONE instance of unpicking...)

So I decided I HAD to have it in my lovely red fabric and planned on using the instructions given by Myra here to de-boob-ify it.

But then I was inspired by another fabric that I did not initially love. The ITY lace print also scored from FabricMart.

I decided to make a sleeveless top and skirt. I have a perfect pair of nude peep-toes that will make this a great outfit for a night on the town. BONUS that I can split them up!

Excuse the bad lighting and hence strange coloration of the fabric. This top is SO flattering to me!!! Another time where I have to stop myself from making 10 of the same things :) The skirt is a rectangle with a center back seam (next time I'll cut two pieces and make side seams), courtesy of Mimi G's free tutorial here.

Being very careful with planning, I was able to cut out the top (including neck and armhole bands) and the skirt, from 1.5 yards of fabric. A pretty decent score!

Then I decided to return to my summer sewing plan and after running (!) to grab a few of the new McCall's (with 6961 being highest priority), I came home and immediately cut out the pattern.

Well, the pattern ran 6-14 and 14-22. Based on the envelope, I chose the smaller size range.

Luckily I didn't tell myself that a 12 would work with 3.5" of ease. Because then, after cutting out the skirted piece, strap, back and getting to the front...I saw this:

There's only two inches of ease. I emailed McCall's and got a pat reply that I'm not supposed to choose pattern size based on finished measurements. Ok fine but which is CORRECT? (Yes, I know I could measure it but...I was annoyed)

The tissue is correct.

So I was all set and ok with doing an FBA but then decided I didn't like what felt like shifting the blame on to me because their pattern envelope was incorrect.

In the end she said they will mail a new pattern but I have to return this one and they will send me a coupon for a free See & Sew pattern to compensate me for postage.

Uhmmm. O_o

What. Ever.

I had plans to make the top in a rayon challis and Burda 6907 (view C) in black.

The pants pattern is cut out. I have plans to sew this weekend. Hoping to get these pants done, a wearable muslin of the shorts from S1430, and some finishing on other projects. (Yours truly managed to run out of BLACK thread and couldn't finish the hems on the top and skirt. Doh!)