In Which I Over-think Things

My shirt is pretty danged fab, crazy placket and all :-p  Hope to get the buttonholes done soon (there are supposed to be 13! of them) and get it photographed. I totally washed up my red chambray in hopes of making a 2nd one soon. It really didn't take that long to get it done.

In the meantime, this has happened:

I mean, I live in Minnesota...I know it's coming...but I still get sad and depressed once it arrives. You know we don't warm up again until late April/early May. :sigh: I own 2 wool coats and a down coat.

Here's the other thing about us upper midwesterners; we are a hardy bunch!
"Cold" is 20 to 35 degrees F.
"Really cold" is 0 to 20 degrees F.
"This is stupid" is -10 to 0 degrees F.
"Why do I live here?" is below -10. Which last winter included some -25 days...

My down coat is for 'This is Stupid' and 'Why Do I Live Here' weather -- I have to save that warmth for when I really need it :)

So I planned on making a coat. I love LOVE love my Burda coat and in the wool boucle it's really warm for the 25 ish degree weather. But the neckline is wide and open and a scarf doesn't help very much. But it's TOO warm for 40 degree weather where the open neckline is less bothersome. Booooo!

At first I planned on Simplicity 2311

And I decided I really need a hood. And then the Leanne Marshall coat was released (S1254)

And I was all gung-ho and then I got scared. I got scared to make a coat and I have NO clue why.

Then I decided I'd just make a Minoru. But it's not really meant to be a wool coat and I'm unsure about the bulk in certain areas. So I'm going to just quit being a brat and make the Leanne Marshall coat already.

Wait, did anyone else (I am being slightly facetious) notice that the Minoru has no pockets? What kind of foolishness!?! 

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On the other side of the fence, I am trying to decide on Holiday party attire. My husband's work party is more casual. Not quite business casual, but not formal. It's kind of like a dressed-up happy hour; there's no meal served, just mingling, hors d'oeuvres and drinks. Our company party is more formal. A tuxedo or evening gown is sure to make an appearance. I AM FOR SURE MAKING SOMETHING FOR BOTH! For his, I will make a knit dress, probably B5950, view B.

For mine, I am completely, totally, utterly SMITTEN with the Burda cape dress from the November issue

But that highly gathered skirt is a no go. While waiting around for clients today, I did some photo-frankenpattern'ing and super imposed different skirts onto the bodice.

 

It kind of seems like it's only right with a long skirt. I also like option 3 but maybe if the bodice wasn't gathered??

Hey! I'm no artist!! :)

I can't figure out if that pleated skirt is too 'young' and if the long slightly gathered skirt would be better. I can't get that cape out of my head! It just seems so...right!  :)

Sigh...I have 2 whole months to make a look for my company party. We shall see!

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!!!!!!!!