A Finished Item, A Wadder and a WIP

hmmm....wadder first??

So, when the new McCalls were released, i was all excited and knew I had to make the little top in 7046.

When they went on sale last week at Hancock, I ran and grabbed this one (I didn't buy any other patterns at the sale though!)

I decided to use the not-too-nice feeling jersey from one of the recent FM orders.

This pattern has some serious negative ease! I cut a size 16 (finished bust of 37.5", mine is 39.5") and sewed 3/8" side seams. Now, I realized after the fact that this jersey isn't very stretchy...so that is a contributor, but holy smokes this thing was tight!!!

And surprisingly, short. The gathering is done from just under the bust to just before the hemline, making it a top you would not pair with low-rise pants!

Even though I knew I didn't like the fabric and probably wouldn't wear it (before I knew you could see what I ate 3 days ago), I finished it nicely. I did a rolled hem on the flutter sleeves (which I like more than I ever thought I would), serged and twin-needle stitched the hem and neckline. I was going to do a neck binding, but this fabric is pretty stable.

The fabric is pretty but is so scratchy. Wadder-ville. I will FBA it and add a bit to the side seams (because of course I cut the pattern tissue) but I WILL remake this top.

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I had a vision of color blocked 'joggers' (sweatpants) and some of my recent ponte from FM has a really nice drape to it (must be the poly/rayon/lycra and not the poly/lycra).

I hemmed and hawed over a pattern and was going to use this Burda plus size pattern from 8/2014

When I went to read the pattern into, I saw that the contrast bands were just rectangles. Ah. Not so complicated - I can do this! Using my good 'ole Simplicity 2061 pattern (which I've made 4 times previously), I cut 2 sizes smaller (size 12 vs. 16) and cut rectangles 3.5" wide. I used a 1/4" seam to connect the panels to the front and back pieces. All other seams were 5/8". 

On the pattern envelope for S2061, the band is larger as it's meant to go around the calf:

And thats how I made my fist pair:

So I didn't account for the fact that I wanted these ankle length so used the longer length of view A, but still used the bands. They kind of puddle around my ankles. My daughter says their cool so... :)

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Lastly, I decided to use my nice shirting fabric on Burda 7136.

I made both of the above before cutting the fabric for the shirt. I finally started tackling it this weekend and everything was going so well.

I did a 1/2" FBA, a 1/2" narrow shoulder adjustment and cut the pattern out. I got the body and collar assembled this afternoon and even did flat felled side seams (after this photo, obviously)! That was a first time technique too!

Now, I had been dragging on starting the sleeves because I've never done a tower placket before. I was afraid of it. But, I decided to get.it.done. 

Nice, right?

But you can probably tell there's a tone here, can't ya?

The damn thing is backwards. The sleeve opening is 'toward' the front. I even double checked that I didn't put the sleeve in backwards. I would be a huge liar if I said it didn't bother me and another liar if I said I was going to undo it - I will not. It's too much. 

But I don't know what to do. :(

Wear the sleeves rolled up, ignoring my awesome placket-ness? It's such a nice shirt.

wahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

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!

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.

Finished: S2061

***Edited to add the blogger from which I got the inspiration to use this pattern. Even though I'd made view B before, I hadn't looked at view A. But hers were cute so :) Blog Post


I'm not supposed to be sewing yet.

Shhhhhhh.

But you know...I just had to. I had to!!!!!!!!

I needed an outlet and what's better than sewing? Trust me...I tried other things. I cleaned up the sewing room. I washed some fabrics. I looked through my BurdaStyle magazines. I pet my fabric a little. Sometimes these things cure the itch. This time? Nope. Not at all.

Okay...Something I want that's easy. Quick. Not going to be too much work...

Obviously a knit won. The serger had black thread in it.

The ponte spoke to me. It said, "Pssst. PSST!!!!! I want to become pants!". So who am I to deny?

I was going to go with a leggings-type pattern but I didn't want "tight". I wanted to be able to wear these as "regular" pants not with a tunic.

Then I decided against a more traditional pants pattern (waistband, fly, pockets) because...hello? Wrist. Enter S2061

I made view B last year, here:

I'd only been sewing for like 6 weeks!

I decided this was an extra bonus. The pattern was already cut and I knew they would fit. There were only 3 pattern pieces for view A and I cut them out without incident :)

My only adjustments were to remove 3/4" from CF, lengthen 1.5" and stitch the pleats down a little further. I didn't have 1.5" elastic so I used 1".

Pattern matching? Pfft. For suckas. I had no time for that.

A little tighter in the butt than I originally planned.

Look at my cute pleats!!!!!!

It's LOVE! 

I spent all fall hemming and hawing over printed pants. I thought only "skinny" girls could wear print pants. I am so happy with these. They have the comfy feel of lounge pants but look much nicer. Score!

(they weren't yet hemmed as I was thinking about elasticizing the hem. I'll just do a normal hem)

Shirt is RTW from Target a couple years ago.

This ponte is different from any other I've sewn. It's really fluid. Maybe it has a higher rayon content?? I don't know but I'm a happy camper!

***I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award; gotta gather my 10 "interesting" facts!

Finished Items - Simplicity 2061 and Simplicity 2192

I bought Simplicity 2192 explicitly for the sweatshirts. I've seen a couple of renditions of the shorts/skirt that didn't look as scary as the pattern envelope (Like THIS), but I don't think the bottoms of this pattern will work for my body.

I chose a simple white sweatshirt fleece from S.R. Harris at $4.50/yd (used under 1.5 yd). I like my version. I couldn't fuss with the weird directions on the waistband. It's a little snug because it's not meant to connect at the sides, it's vented. Oops.

I chose Simplicity 2061 for view B. I'll make view A as well, I like the ease and simplicity of the pattern. I like non-fussy patterns! These pants had the front and back pieces, the leg bands, and the waistband. 

I don't see myself wearing them as part of an outfit like the pattern cover. I think they're more casual pants for wearing around the house or quick errands. Kind of like sweat pants but nicer. My pleats don't look the same, I think I stitched too far down. Those leg bands are kick ass cool!!!!! Stitch a pair of these! :)

Hancock is having a sale on Simplicity March 14-19 for $.99!!!!

I love 'em! They're uber soft and quite comfortable. My 14 year old wants a pair! Yay!!! Grey knit fabric from S.R. Harris for $4.50/yd (used less than 1.5 yds). A total of $11.50 for a cute, casual, comfortable outfit. I'll take it!