Simp 4138, and some Poly thoughts!

Im the first to admit I'm a rather free spirited sewist. I could not handle a SWAP if my life depended on and would probably go nuts just trying. But that doesn't mean I don't have goals and plans. I never have enough white shirts. White's a color that looks good on me. I'm a "Winter" and us icy winter types look good in white, not beiges. (Don't ask how much beige is in my closet!) So I had the goal to sew three white shirts/tops and that has been met. Now I'm on a skirt buzz. Skirts are perfect for my work and I hope to make a few. One thought is some of the patterns for skirts that I like take so much fabric. What you see above is not one of those. This is a simple 6 gore trumpet skirt, knee length. I fretted over the length. Every bone in my body that lived through the sixties is begging for a frumpy long skirt, really. I've taken pics and know that mid knee is the most flattering length on me. But for some reason I never make that length. I've decided, in my dotage, to poo poo the sages and wear my skirt lengths at my knees if that is what looks best. So what if said knees are a tad baggy. Photographs taken by my hubby brought me to this enlightenment.

What you see above is my perfect idea for work, a crisp white shirt, a belt to highlight my waist while it lasts, and a loose, flow-y, colorful skirt. I just feel so neat and crisp in an outfit like this. I know it's not coming down the runways right now but color is and so are those gladiator sandals so I'm good with that. Accessories are a great way to keep your maturing style updated. I actually love to wear classics and have trendy accessories. That has served me well. Plus it is something that flatters me at this age. Most runway business doesn't. I am not a fan of tee shirts or knits and I guess I go against the tide with those opinions but at this stage I am pretty sure of what is flattering and still comfortable for me and that's what I make.

The skirt is 100% poly "stuff" from Joanns. It has a crepey texture and is fairly opaque. I will wear a short slip with it.  These poly "silkies' are quite seductive with their wonderful color and design but they can be a bitch to sew well. Here are just a few hints that I thought might help. Haven't we all succombed to their look and price point?

Mark the right side of your fabric. Often the sides are just the slightest bit different from each other, not enough to notice until you put them together wrong. Lo tack tape does not stick to these. So I pinned the tape because pins don't want to stay in this fabric either. Which brings me to pins......

THEY WILL NOT STAY IN! That is unless you have the double pins from Clover. I found these to work wonderfully at holding this nasty fabric.

Start your seams on a piece of paper stabilizer that can easily be ripped right off. Use a "single hole" foot and plate. It makes it much easier to work with this fabric and prevent it from being sucked into the nether regions of your bobbin area. I like the 1/4 inch quilting foot as it is a great help for French seams.

This garment is all French seams. Because the fabric is a stripe I needed to cut the pattern out on the cross grain. That can be a gold plated invitation to pucker seams and I was very worried the French seams would not work on the cross grain. I have had that experience in the past. So it was time to make a sample. I made a fairly long sample with a French seam on the crossgrain and it worked beautifully. I hung it up to make sure it hung ok. You just have to sample these things when sewing, one of those lessons you learn the hard way.

 

Here you can see it hanging from a shelf with no puckers.  I did set my tension to "normal" and a stitch length of 2.0. I like small stitches when I am doing French seams, particularly on something that ravels. 

To do the hem on this fabric I used the Kenneth King Tiny Hem technique and it came out beautifully. I just love that technique and you can find it in the tutes in the sidebar. It is so quick and easy. 

So with this project I got some quick gratification, a good thing after working six days this week. Sometimes you just need a colorful easy hit of sewing and this filled the bill. I am not going to review the pattern because it is so simple and classic and there must be loads on Pattern Review. It is  easy classic. Now maybe I'll make one of the long versions, a la frumpy.......Bunny

Simplicity 2255, a Skill Builder

There is nothing fabulous or outstanding about this effort. It is a basic mandarin collared, 3/4 sleeve, pocketed shirt. Will I wear it a ton? You bet! I love my white shirts and this is a classic throw it on.

Pattern: The pattern is Simplicity 2255, described as a tunic. I call this a skill builder because it has the mandarin collar, a good step before a notched collar, pockets to make and line up, and a simple finish to the sleeve hems. The pattern has various sleeve options and lengths.

Fabric: The shirt is made with 100% cotton seersucker. You'd never know, however, that it was seersucker as the required pressing and later washing and repressing seems to have removed any semblance of lines of pretty puckers. That's OK. I still have a nice white shirt that washes beautifully. 

Construction: I took a bit of liberty with the pattern, but not much. Tunic length patterns do not work for me so I opted for the shorter version, View B. I did not do the gathered sleeves however, choosing instead to make a deep hem at the cuff area. Three quarter sleeves are my go to. I did my usual "petiting" of the pattern as described in the tute in the sidebar on the right.

The hem was made a bit more "shirt tail" with a higher curve added to the side area. I think that is a more flattering look for the hippy among us and I'm not talking 1968 here.

All seams except the armscye were french seamed.The armscye was stitched and serged. 

The sleeves on this pattern are really well  drafted. I did "petite" them but they fit into the armscye beautifully. 
I followed the template for button placement. The buttonholes came out wonderfully with my trusty old Kenmore but as you can see the placement doesn't work. I think the top buttonhole is maybe meant to be left open as it pulls the whole CF when closed. The neckband tapers out to the shoulders so making the button where they specify is like putting a square peg in a round hole. Next time I will make the first top button mid pocket  and let the band fall where it is cut to fall. For now I will wear it open with a cami. The blouse fits much better with that top button open. 

Conclusion: This is a simple, no nonsense shirt, one that will be a wardrobe staple and also give you some good skill building opportunities. I may make this again, but my preferred tailored shirt pattern is one with a shoulder princess seam, all the better to fit, my pretties.   I would definitely recommend this to a newbie who wants to try the next level after managing tee shirts, or anyone who is on a white shirt binge and looking for a classic.....

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Have you ever made something, loved it from start to finish, but then in the real world found that maybe you were always tugging at the waist, or the fabric was wrong and too hot to wear, or the style just not you? I am going to start doing "Reality checks". I will go back to some of the things I've made when an issue crops up and give you the real deal in the real world. Sometimes our imaginations exceed wearability or a technique turns out to be totally inappropriate or can be done better, things like that. What do you think of having reality checks on the reviews here?.....Bunny 

"Antipast" Inspired Upcycle

 I finally finished the hand applique on this modified Simplicity 2192 from Cynthia Rowley. It has become my TNT go to tee top and I love how this upcycled version came out.  It was inspired by a version on the Worthwhile website, poorly made, IMO, and way overpriced.





Pattern: Simplicity 2192, a Cynthia Rowley design. The fit has been petited and I love the bateau neckline and 3/4 dropped sleeves. Don't let anyone tell you you can't wear a bateau neckline if you are short. Are you kidding? It widens narrow shoulders and works great with a long neck, IMO, a shorter neck maybe not so much. It has always been one of my favorite necklines. This pattern is easy and whips right up.

Fabric: This under tee is a sheer 100% cotton which the camera makes appear to have more solid looking flowers. It really is a softer and sheerer looking in real life. The "lace" part is a former crocheted lace sweater that I shrunk miserably and never had the heart to chuck. I can't chuck a nice textile, never mind the fit. It's "shrunken-ness" made it sort of felt and tighten up so it was very cutable and didn't ravel. The neckline and wrist trim is Entredeaux, a classic heirloom trim.

Construction:   The first thing I did to this pattern was add center front and center back seams, like the inspiration piece which you can see here:

photo courtesy of Worthwhile

My top has dropped shoulders and I used just the sheer cotton for the sleeves, no lace.  Almost all seams are French seams, including the underarm seams. That was a bit tricky  because they transitioned from French seams to a placket with a teeny hem. I will try to do a tute on how I did it later. The hem was done with the Kenneth King tiny hem technique that you can find in the tutes in the sidebar.

The wrists and the neckline are finished with entredeaux, a ladder like heavy cotton embroidery used often in heirloom sewing.  These seams were reduced to a 1/4 inch and the entredeaux stitched with an edge stitching foot exactly up to the edge of the trim. The fabric was pressed away from the trim, double topstitched, and then trimmed back to the stitching.

The armscye was also double topstitched.

The sweater was appliqued to the top before the side seams were sewn and after fiddling around with them on the dress form. I had more crocheted lace than I needed and trimmed it back to fit the bodice the way I envisioned. Since pins would not stay in I needed to find another way to secure the crochet to the top. Thank you Steam A Seam! I cut little bits of it and pressed it on the more dense edge areas of the crochet but not along the hem. I wanted the hem to hang free. The crochet was then ironed in place and it was very easy to stitch. Size 80 heirloom thread and back stitching made the stitches pretty much invisible.

Bottom line: I love this top, got plenty of compliments at work today, and take great pride in the fact that it is constructed far better than the original 395.00 top. Don't you just love to sew?

Apologies here for the cranky looking face pic. Staring at my vinyl siding doesn't really inspire me to facial pleasantries. I guess I should imagine something pleasant.  My handsome photographer is still in the Boston area and getting great health care.  . I am back home working for health care coverage. You do what you gotta do....our girls are taking very good care of him....Bunny

She Won!

My congratulations to the fabulous and wonderful Ann Rowley on her win on the Great British Sewing Bee. They were all wonderful sewists, each in their own special way, but Ann's experience and knowledge could not be overcome. Her reward is well deserved. Go Ann!!!

(If you want to see the Great British Sewing Bee just go to youtube and search. There are four programs and make sure you watch them in sequence. A big thank you to those who put up the videos.)

Upcycle a la "Antipast"

"Antipast" is one of several designers carried  by shop in Charleston, S. Carolina that also has a website. It is called Worthwhile.  I saw this top and fell in love with it. I can't seem to find a price for it but haven't found anything in their store under 395.00. We're talking 695-895.00 for skirts. I originally saw this on Pinterest and thought, "what a great recycle." While I still think it is nothing more than a recycle it is not being marketed as such.

   This top is basically a tee made from voile with a sweater cut apart and appliqued to the top. As I said I love the concept but the execution of a garment selling for over four hundred dollars is horrible. Check out the side vent:

 

So duly inspired I am attempting to make my own interpretation of this garment. I have a white crochet top that shrunk horrendously but I don't throw out anything handmade. It seems to have sort of felted because cutting it is like cutting iron and it doesn't seem to fall apart despite being cut. I was taking all sorts of precautions when I cut the first slice but quickly realized  I could just slice into it then stitch away. Here is how I started. 

First I picked my pattern. I decided to use my now TNT top pattern that I just made the pintucked damask top with, Simp 2192, a Cynthia Rowley design.  Once that was decided it was time to cut the crocheted top.  It was easy . This is a rough cut. It will be fine tuned later.

Here is the fabric I am using for the tee. I wanted a lot of texture in this. I also wanted something with the sheer factor fairly obvious. I decided on this 100% cotton batiste with some flowers on it.

I added center front and center back seams to my pattern. I liked seeing the seams between the sweater parts. The CB and CF seams and also the shoulder seams were put together with french seams. This fabric has been really nice to work with. Aren't all totally natural fibers?  The next thing to do before adding the sweater parts was to finish the neckline. At first I thought I might do the Kenneth King tiny hem and then over wrap it with perle cotton for more texture. Then I remembered I had a mess of entredeaux. So I finished the neckline with a simple traditional application of the entredeaux. I love entredeaux.

 I trimmed 3/8s of an inch off of the neckline seam, leaving me a 1/4 inch seam. I cut the entredeaux edges back to a quarter inch as well. Then I just placed right sides together, raw edges matching, and stitched right up to the entredeaux with my edge stitching foot. You can see the blade running right next to it. This was then pressed to the wrong side of the neckline and once again using the ES foot and 3 clicks to the left I topstitched the entredeaux on the right side.Then I removed the remaining batiste from the entredeaux.

Once this seaming and neckline were done I had a pallet to work with. I put the top on my dress form and played with placement of the sweater parts. I decided the best look would be to cut around some of the circular shapes of the sweater parts. I also wanted a good amount of batiste showing at the hemline. I started snipping and pinning till it fulfilled my vision. Right now I am in the process of hand sewing the sweater fronts to the fabric with size 80 cotton thread. It literally is invisible. So in this top so far I have french seams, entredeaux, and appliqueing with heirloom very fine size 80 thread. It will be different looking than the inspiration but I think will make a fun light summer top.

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Blogging and sewing have been sporadic. White shirt number two has been in a lump on my couch with a pile of buttons sitting on top. I just haven't gotten to it, but I will soon. My darling hubby is not doing well and his situation is worsening. He is not in a life threatening situation but is in extreme pain and other nasty things like total bed rest. We will leave northern NY this week for Beth Israel/Deaconess hospital in Boston and hopefully resolution and recovery. I am not sure when the next blogpost will be but will try my hardest to make it as soon as possible. Sewing and blogging connect me to the most wonderful people and give me the most satisfying feeling. It would be hard to give up anything that special. So, I will be back hopefully soon but probably not too predictably....Bunny

 

Overdressed?

Well not in that I wore pearls and heels to weed the garden type of overdressed. No. But these pants are straight out of the book "Overdressed" by Elizabeth Cline.

For those of you who may be curvey, hour-glassey petites, Gloria Vanderbuilt makes the "Amanda" jean. It actually clings to the lower back and gives you a brief moment where you say, "am I just imagining that swayback issue I have?" They also have this actually yummy elastic used in the waist construction that would suck any smallish sewist right up to the cash register. It appears to be a design that started out as a great idea but now look what has happened.

 

View of the side seam as it lovingly caresses my ankle. Now that hangs straight down form my side waist doesn't it?

Here's the other leg. It wants to kiss my toes with it's side seam.

Then there is  trying to iron the dang things. Yes, I iron my jeans. We are allowed to wear them to work as long as we look put together, no sloppy jean look, so I iron them. Well, leaving them laying in the dryer for a couple days on end also inspires my ironing. Ironing these pants is a twist and shout dance routine. 

OK, Gloria V., we know you are extremely proud of your boy Anderson, but can we show a little pride in the cutting of your jeans? please? You've got the fit Ok. Don't spoil it with trash cutting. I really want to buy more. And that trick you do that shows a perfectly straight on grain pair of jeans when I try them on in the dressing room? I'm on to you. With each wash they twist more and more. I think they are trying to twist their way back to China. Should I write A.C. about this issue? He's always "just keeping them honest." Maybe he'll make an honest woman out of you?...............

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My next project is in the hopper. The seersucker shirt is spinning in the dryer hopefully regaining is blistery little seersuckers after having the bejeepers ironed out of them. Crossing my fingers for the moment I open the dryer looking for those tiny bubbles.  A good thing:

The buttonholes were perfection. Do you think I need a new BH attachment?  You can see where I have literally worn down the template. Duct tape holds it together as it has a crack across. There must be a place I can find after a night of googling that will mail me a new one. Got to check that out. Love this machine even if it weighs two tons and is half as old as I am. It makes the best BHs I have ever seen.

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Here is the next project. the fabric is a "quilting cotton". Ackkkk, I hear you gasp.I am still doing a bit of gasping myself but I wanted to sew a batik something for the summer and this one appealed to me. It has a nice soft hand, even after washing and drying so I think it will be fine. It will also be lined with a cotton batiste. I couldn't face a poly lining for anything outside of February, just too hot and sweaty. I think the batiste will be just right. The dress will be ANOTHER Marcy Tilton. Hey, stop throwing those tomatoes at me. I know I am a glutton for punishment but don't add to it, please. I just really love her designs. Since the big issue seems to always be the neckline upper chest area I think this one will be alright with it's mucho seams and draw string collar. I am still in the air over whether it will be sleeveless or cap sleeves. Maybe we'll mock up both ways and see what looks best. The pattern is Vogue, Marcy's home base, and number

8876. 

This just looks like a really comfy summer dress that will be great for work. Can't wait to get started...

Thanks, everyone, for all the kind wishes and congratulations about our anniversary. It was spent quietly and lovingly and your warm thoughts were taken to heart......Bunny

Forty Three Years Today!

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

 

 

( Yes, I did make my gown and veil, Dior knock-off. My, were we covered up in those days!)

The Great British Sewing Bee

You've got to see this! It is a one hour program that just started airing in Britain. Seven contestants vie for not sure what at this point other than bragging rights to be the best sewist in the British Isles. One of the stars is Master Stitcher, Ann Rowley, a yoga practicing septuagenarian who sews haute couture and frequents The Stitcher's Guild sewing forum at Artisan's Square. She is highly skilled, delightful, and a font of sewing wisdom and knowledge. Other contestants are a couple of very newbies, a mechanic, a hospital cleaner, and more. It makes for great TV and of course fabulous TV for any sewist to watch. It seems to be well produced as well.

This show aired Tuesday night. Let's hope the poster on Youtube  gets each weekly program on line. Shall we all write/email our local PBS stations to air a US version? I think so! Who would you pick to emcee, to judge, to be a contestant? Thought provoking fun!...Bunny

Vintage Gifts

 

Is this piece of bark cloth from the fifties not spectacular? A friend was cleaning out his deceased Mom's attic and she was an avid sewist. He brought me quite a few fabrics and offered to bring any I didn't want to the dump. I could have taken the whole pile but made a conscious decision which I shared with him  that I would only take what I would actually sew. I would sew this bark cloth into something in a heartbeat! I am thinking two large pillows for the living room couch or a big slouchy bag or a bag with some brown leather mixed in. What are your suggestions? I have always been crazy about bark cloth and in our last home did custom drapes in the living/dining areas out of a black bark cloth with giant white and lavender hydrangeas. Walls were soft yellow, white trim! 

This next one is a thin, but not too thin, missoni-ish knit. It is really nice and took the wash well. Maybe a sarong for the beach to hide that cottage cheese fermenting beneath my bum? OK, a bit too graphic so let's move on.....

 This one is so sweet. The dark areas you see are little tufts of fabric, sort of a dotted Swiss on steroids, very third dimensional. I think it could make a cute little summer top for Sophie or Carly.

They will sit out in the sun for the day just to make sure all attic odors that could be hiding are gone. Then on to the shelf. I just love me that barkcloth.....Bunny

White Shirt Number Two Begins

I've spent the weekend working on Simplicity 2255,  a blouse/tunic pattern with lots of variations, most of which I didn't like. But I have an ulterior motive with this one, a motive beyond another white shirt. My wardrobe needs white shirts. I love white shirts. But I also love chambray / lightweight denim shirts and my collection has unfortunately turned into house painting apparel. I love to wear a denim shirt BIG, so I can belt it, roll up the sleeve and my fave denim shirt of all time was one I inherited from my brother. That's the kind of big I like. This is something I can wear with a long gathered skirt, some capris and wedges, and dress up with lots of jewelry. I think you get the picture.

 

I am doing view B, without the ruching on the sleeves, too much foo foo. This blouse has bust darts that end in the pockets, sort of different and I am not sure I like that. I found I had to lower the pockets one inch to look right but I also had to lower the bust dart to fit right. So the pockets still had the bust dart ends inside of them, just lower to accommodate the effects of my personal gravity.  The back has  waist darts for a bit of curve. I left them out. I want a man tailored type shirt . This neckline isn't quite that but I was more concerned about experimenting to see how wide to make the bodice to get that man shirt look. I will then transfer that info to my denim shirt pattern, whatever that turns out to be. I also did an FBA on the blouse as well. I like the way it fits now. It is cut straight down from my armhole and is roomy and square, perfect. The length of View B fits me like the models blouse. If I did the tunic length it would turn into a dress.

The fabric I chose is a basic 100% cotton seersucker. I like it because it has some weight and is not sheer, unlike a lot of white shirtweights out there. But once it's ironed the seer doesn't sucker any more. It goes flat and I don't like that. I have prewashed and ironed this. I think when this shirt is done I will just throw it in the wash and drip dry and see if it puckers up again. I am pretty confident it will.

My last post I made a big deal out of flat pattern measuring. I did that here and added accordingly. I woke up in the night, really, with a Eureka moment remembering I didn't include the width of the CF band and was afraid the shirt would now be too big. Doesn't anyone else get those nocturnal Eureka sewing moments? Crazy! Anyway, it all worked out.

I just found this pic of McCall 6613, exactly what I had in mind for my denim shirt. I hope to wear mine a bit more elegantly than this pic though. Looks a tad too Adirondack for me.

At this point all is done on Number Two except the sleeve insertion and a bit of topstitching. I have been trying to get some early morning sewing in before I get ready for work and really have enjoyed that. So hopefully it won't be too long before this one is done and I move on to White Shirt Number Three, more, much more pintucks on that one!....Bunny