Miscellany; In Which I Whine About All the Things

Because my middle name is miscellaneous... No, not really, I just have a lot of random thoughts, often.

New Look 6189. I made this pattern before, a few months after I started sewing. They were REALLY cute just too high in the rise and I knew I'd never wear them. I made them again in a suiting fabric and messed up and got one leg off grain. But the fit of the pattern worked!

I had them in my fall plans out of a crepe. When I ordered this fabric, I made sure it was opaque and that it was suitable for pants. I missed the texture. It's pebbled and I don't like it. I like the color but don't love it and with the texture it's just a big ole' NO for me. I'm not completely anti-polyester but with that, this color and that pebbled texture it reads too much like old-man pants.

Also, I forgot that the leg on this pant is MUCH, MUCH fuller than the envelope suggests.

Meh. I left these alone, and unfinished, and moved on to the wrap top of my dreams (haha!). I have to do a full review on this one because this pattern is stupid and dumb. Yes, very mature, I know. But it is. It did not help the cause that I used a (beautiful, printed) polyester charmeuse. I swear when I walked into the room the fabric would fray. Peek around the corner -- fray. Think about walking downstairs - fray. Good grief.

M7358

I'm going to finish it because it is pretty. So perhaps, after awhile, my anger at it will subside.

Also, I want to finish this jacket (B6141)!!! But first, the funnel-ish collar is just wrong. I think it's drafted incorrectly and I don't know how to fix it with the way the front is constructed. So I'm going to use one of the other collar views.

Then, I had a hell of a time setting this sleeve and when I went to take it off the dress form I noticed a few small puckers in front (which in the photo below I thought it was just because I hadn't pressed it). So I have to re-do part of the sleeve.

UGH.

But it's cute!!

My daughter is on week 3 of college and mentioned wanting a robe for going to and from the bathroom. She's a huge fan of dark green (hunter, pine, etc) and I found a great plaid cotton flannel at SR Harris to sew up M7297

They both washed and dried well and I was excited to get started. 

It wasn't until I went to cut out the solid parts (the bands) that I realized the green is FAR thicker/heavier than the plaid. And the bands are all sewn double. I'm not so sure this will work out and am tempted to call it quits and buy a robe!

Wah. Wah. WOE IS MEEEE.

So you know what this means? Mojo is kaput. Which is fine; I've been sewing like a crazy person despite being super busy with family stuff.  The next two weekends were already non-sewing time because of existing plans. Plus I have a new book to read. So I'll take some time off, clean my sewing room and I'm sure I'll be all excited to jump back into it :)

I still need to photograph my polka-dot New Look 6123 (which I've worn) and maybe I'll get pics of the NL6189 pants on. 

Other Stuffs...

Have you been following along over at Carolyn's with all her fun giveaway's for National Sewing Month? 

Do you know that Saturday begins OWOP and there are giveaways? 

I'll be using my trusty Butterick 5760 skirt to participate!

Also, I changed my blog theme again. I wanted more white space. I like it.

Drapey Cardigan Battle: Jalie 2919 vs Swoon Scarf Neck

I had the Jalie cardigan in my fall plans and was excited to sew it up in the wool jersey I've been hoarding for awhile. I snagged a 3.5 yard cut for $22 total last summer and knew it would be used for a cardigan. I made McCall's 6696 from wool jersey and I adore that cardigan. It is so lightweight while being nice and warm and it just feels good on.

I don't know how I found out about the Swoon cardigan but when I saw that Westmoon had sewn it up I was eager to give it a shot.

I printed it out, no problem there and then it gets a little funky. Honestly, Westmoon covered it all in her review here.

1. There aren't lines for trimming the pages. The pattern pieces are tiled, and it does need to be trimmed, but there aren't lines for trimming
2. The box to check scale is hidden well into the pattern vs being on the instruction page or early on
3. The pattern is laid out really weirdly and is a paper hog
4. The half sleeve is weird. Sleeves cut on the fold are weird
5. The instructions. omg. Just, no. I mean, it's fairly intuitive but the instructions are just a no. French seam a knit? No, no, no.

Once you get past the minor annoyances (which are minor only because it is a free pattern. If I had paid, I would not be a happy camper about those things), it is a REALLY sweet pattern!!! 

I used a poly/rayon jersey knit from Fabric Mart. I really love this 'pattern/print' and it matches well with my existing wardrobe. It went together quickly and fits beautifully!

I sewed a size large and made no other adjustments. The princess seam hits in the right place, the collar drapes nicely, and the symmetrical sleeve works because the shoulder is slightly dropped.
(silly symmetric sleeve...I serged the sleeve on backwards and had to unpick the serger stitches. Booo!)

Many mentioned the sleeves were long; I am glad I didn't shorten them. I sewed a 1 1/4" hem and they are perfect. Lastly, I did a double turned hem (using Steam a Seam light and then topstitched), but did not hem the drape front. It really doesn't need to be hemmed. 

On the Jalie, I traced a size Y with the length of Q. Many had remarked about the length and I didn't want it too long. 

1. This pattern also has a weird 'cut on the fold' half sleeve. I don't like that!
2. MARK THE LINES! Please mark them. I only marked the top and end point and ended up getting off on some of them. 

I'd seen the pattern done both ways: where the tucks are outside and where they are inside. I wanted them to show so I pressed a crease, wrong sides together, and stitched at 3/8" for all 4. The wool knit takes a press beautifully. 

These sleeves are really long. After sewing it up, I removed 1.5" and hemmed it at 1 1/4".  I also did a double turned hem on this one.

So which pattern "wins"?

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

L: Swoon; R: Jalie

I prefer the Swoon drape over the Jalie

I prefer the integrated collar/drape of the Swoon over the attached collar of the Jalie

I like the length of the Swoon more (but that's an easy fix on the Jalie)

I prefer the front hem of the Jalie

I need a little more butt room in the Swoon - I will do that via slash and spread

The Jalie shoulder feels too long and the armpit too low

The wool knit is amazing to wear but...

The Swoon wins for me! 

I prefer it hands down and my fun black burnout knit will also become a Swoon cardigan! It just feels better on, even though the Jalie is done in yummy wool knit. I predict that and the color will cause the Jalie to get more wear than I'd expect. I have LOTS of blue in my wardrobe but no jacket or cardigan in a neutral tan/brown. I used to have a M6844 in a similar color but the fabric pilled like crazy and it didn't hang around in the wardrobe very long.

The outtake:

He's always in my photos.