My BFF will be welcoming her third grandchild into this world shortly. This little angel did not come by her arrival easily but will be here by caesarean in a couple of weeks. I always make something in a sixth month size as new moms just get tons for the newborn but maybe not so much a bit further up the road. A cute little smocked dress is planned.
My coat is done for the most part. I have found that since where the facing meets the lining, where that colorful little strip is, well since that facing is not secured to the shell of the coat it BILLOWS and I am not likeing that. I can see this ballooning out on one of our windy cold days up here. So I have pinned together the facing/lining SAs to the shell/coat SA and will hand stitch them together. They are pinned together and it hangs much better now. So there is that handwork to do, make the belt, and fussy up a label. We will see what the weather provides for weekend pictures and hopefully will have those up soon.
My next big project will be jeans. I have to master them. We are allowed to wear jeans to work but they must be with nice shirts or sweaters, jewelry, etc, nothing sloppy or looking ready for floor washing duty. Since jeans do age and not look so well after a while I use a lot of them and need to get this down. I have taken the RTW Fast pledge and these jeans are a big priority. In the meantime I will have some fun with this little baby project. I always like to have a hand project and machine project going at the same time anyway. This little dress will be hand smocked. I haven't settle on the design yet and need to do a bit more research.
The pattern is McCalls 6015 and you see the area on view F that will be perfect for the smocked insert. I will do the little cap sleeves from view E. I love that type of sleeve on chubby little baby girl arms. There will be some white eyelet panties too. All in all, this will be vivid and fun to make so stay tuned for this one. At this point the batiste is backed with a tricot interfacing and ready to hit the pleater. I won't cut out the rest until that is complete.
I need to make a muslin for my jeans. I picked up this stretch cotton twill at Joanns for that. I'll be using my Sure Fit Designs sloper and the Sure Fit DVD for jeans. I figure that fit won't be too off but if it is, this print will hide things so I can still wear them and get in some good practice on the topstitching, rivets and such. Then it will be on to heavy denim. Does anyone have a preference as far as the weight of the denim? I'm not a big fan of stretch denim so that will affect the fit also. I really don't want stretch denim. And the weights, it's looking like an 8 ounce might be right? Any input appreciated.
This is the state of my sewing right now. I should be able to get a lot done on this weekend and am planning it. The next weekend, a long one, I will be travelling to the Boston area to get my implant finished, I hope. It will be great to see family and hopefully wear my new coat!.........Bunny
I have that McCalls pattern to make some dresses for my grandbabies too!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing your baby dress! I've never backed the batiste with interfacing before putting it through the pleater. What is the reason you do that?
ReplyDeleteBatiste can pleat up at a higher ration because of it's thin-ness. By backing it with the fusible tricot the pleats plump up and you don't need so much width. With batiste pleated and spread apart the proper number of pleats to fit the bodice there can be too much "valley" if you know what I mean. I used to just make the design much tighter with the closer unbacked batiste pleats but really prefer the look of the smocking stitches with the plumped up fusible backed pleats. HTHs.
Deletetypo= ratio, not ration.
DeleteThanks -- it makes sense:)
DeleteThank you for the answer, I was wondering the same thing.
DeleteI am trying to make jeans right now. I keep reminding myself that if I break down each element I know I can do it. For example: I can make pockets, put in a zip, plenty of practice with fly extensions after making underwear for my son. You are a phenomenal sewist and you will ace the jeans. BTW I love the pattern for the dress.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your confidence in my abilities. Jeans do hold a bit of intimidation for me, I must admit. The fit, the topstitching, the rivets, etc.....
DeleteMy daughters are only 22 and 18 and already I wish I had grandkids to sew for! I love the fabric you've chosen for the jeans.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gail. It really spoke to me visit after visit to the store so I eventually succumbed.
DeletePretty!!! Love those beautiful colors, but I adore the white eyelet, Bunny. Where did you find the one with the beaded border??? I used up all that I had on Ms. C.'s white nightgown last year & would love to get some more.
ReplyDeleteYou have some exciting projects coming up!! Can't wait to see them up close, in detail.
Rett, that is from the stash my elderly neighbor gave me when she broke up her sewing room. Isn't it lovely? She did a lot of heirloom sewing and blessed me with many lovely pieces for which I am very grateful.
DeleteHi Bunny, Last week I was taking the Sandra Betzina class: Pant construction, and she mention that she likes to use 10 or 12 oz denim with no strech to make jeans, she also mentioned that Levi's uses that weight for their rtw jeans. Hope this helps. Can't wait to see the baby's dress finish.
ReplyDeleteThat's a big help, Florencia. Thanks for your response. Betzina is my heroine!
DeleteSometimes I would like to be a little girl again. Ruffles and smocking and eyelets....and then to have my grandmother back once again to make these lovely things for me :) You are creating memories that will last a lifetime for this child.
ReplyDeleteOoh, stretch denim is the devil incarnate! (followed closely by stretch taffeta). Recent hard won experience is to stay stitch all horizontal (load bearing?) seams just after you cut those pieces out. In jeans, 1/8" here and there adds up to a horrible fit experience. Pay particular attention to the waistband, as it's going to move the most unless you nail that stinker down right away (even while ironing interfacing). I don't think I would use this stuff again, every fit check required something to be ripped and recut (and you don't want to rip this stuff). Oy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your input, SJ. Greatly appreciated.
DeleteStretch denim fit differently by quite a lot if it's more stretchy than the mockup was. Grrr. It is very frustrating if you are a fitting perfectionist!
ReplyDeleteI'm forwarned! Thanks, Nancy.
DeleteI've made several pairs of jeans. I like 10-12oz denim for cold-weather jeans and 8 for summer jeans. I also think stretch denim (or stretch any-twill) is the devil incarnate. Actually, I am a real crank about stretch wovens in general. Don't like them - to wear or to sew.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your little dress plan!
It is so good to know that I am not alone with my "stretch" issues. I always thought it was the other way around and most loved them. The ones I have purchased bag out withing half an hour of putting them on. What's the point of finessing the fit if they turn into bags anyway?
DeleteI am enjoying my little dress and hope to dig into it this weekend. Thanks, Betsy.
My preference for jeans is 9-10 oz, winter or summer. Anything heavier I personally find uncomfortable and somewhat restricting. I think it comes down to how snug you fit the jeans to start. I fit pretty snug to allow for the inevitable stretch out.
DeleteJA's does have weights listed on their bolts of denim. That would at least give you an idea of what each one feels like if you decide to order online.
That's great info, Debbie. Thanks. I will go check out those bolt ends at JAs.
DeleteCute cute fabrics and pattern...what a lucky little girl! So glad you are attaching the facing to the inside seams of the coat....those suckers just wander around and the whole time we wish we had taken that extra step and anchored them to the opposite seam inside. As far as the jeans are concerned...you brave woman...stretch fabrics in general behave so badly and there is no regulation on them...they range from 2% to 8% spandex/lycra...how is anyone to know what the performance will be after an hour of sitting...who needs a droopy butt and baggy knees? Good luck with yoiur stable denim...looking forward to the fit along the way!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to see what you do with the baby dress! I am new to sewing for children, and I love it. But alas, I have no heirloom sewing chops at all. Have fun with the smocking! :)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can make jeans it you - I confess that because I generally buy my fabrics in markets or shops that don't really classify weight etc I just went with what felt good in my hand. I did go for the stretch (I have more hip to get round than you) and that worked fine for me. I did make a 2nd orange pair in a cotton twill which had no give, and to be honest I think I have been wearing stretch jeans for so long that I found the non-stretch a little restricting.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and enjoy your hand sewing - am sure it will be a beautiful little dress
I look forward to seeing your baby dress! I've never backed the batiste with interfacing before putting it through the pleater. What is the reason you do that?Top Ten Web Hosting Reviews
ReplyDeleteI repliede a couple of days ago and it Poofed! Basically the fusible gives it more oomph and the very thin batiste plumps up into a nicer looking more rounded pleat. When the pleats are of very thin fabric it is harder to get a nicer smocking stitch.
DeleteHi Bunny -- So anxious to watch your progress on jeans. I have been working on these for months now and may have finally tweaked a pattern to suit me (StyleArc's Sandra Jean). Jalie was a great fit through the bum but too much flare in the legs.
ReplyDeleteYour friend's little girl is so lucky to be getting a Bunny original! Even though my smocking days are mostly behind me, I love to see what others do!