Vogue 9162

"One, two, three pockets, you're out"; "The litle big shirt that wouldn't"; "My first wadder in five years"; yada, yada, yada. These are all titles that came to mind while making this shirt. It took freakin' forever. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with this pattern. The issues were all with me!

What hubby just called my "bird watching shot", but it shows the top really well:

I have a cotton tank underneath and you will see the fabrics sticks in some of the pics. Lesson learned, wear a silk cami.

So what was the problem here, apart from sewing demons taking up residence in my space? Well, you know me. I can' t leave things alone. I thought the shirt was a bit blah, and if I just jazzed up the big pocket a bit it would be even better. Sew I made a pocket using the pattern provided but added tiny corded piping to the top and bottom of the band. Looked decent enough but once I attached it, the top of the pocket just looked too curved at the corners and I wasn't happy. I slept on it. Did my usual middle of the night eureka thing and came up with a different way of doing the pocket that would surely look much better. It wasn't. But I didn't realize that till it was all installed. And putting it in? I used double sided basting tape which I do all the time but for some reason, I could not get a decent tension. It was definitely the tape as I did experiments and all the layers sewed perfectly without it but this was rather soft, fragile fabric and I didn't want to rip it out for the third time  to make another pocket. . At this point I had had it with this pocket. I was going to cut a new bodice and pocket. Let's see how much fabric is left?  Hmmmm,,,not enough. And that bodice really needs that pocket, or some sort of pocket. I didn't have enough to cut a new bodice, but there was some fabric. I knew I had tons of white linen in the stash and came up with a bit heavier piece of linen. I cut the new bodice from the original fabric with a more solid linen pocket being made out of a strip of the heavier linen. This strip was pieced between two pieces of the original fabric. It looked good. I wrangled a pocket out of the new design and that was put to bed! Whew!

So here you can see how I ran a strip of the heavier linen between two separate pieces of the original fabric and turned it into a pocket. The strip goes from CF t the side seam. Stitching provides the pocket effect.

The pattern called for flat felled seams throughout. I did those on the shoulder seams but that was it. I felt a French seam really would be better with this floaty fabric so for the rest of the shirt  that's what I did. That worked well and if I did this again I would use the FSs throughout.

But the demons haven't left yet. The hems are made on the bodice pieces at the very beginning, before anything gets put together. Well , the demons forced me to put the back bodice on to the front with flat felled seams and ass backwards. I was not about to rip out flat felled seams from this thin fabric. So the back bodice hem got totally ripped out and redone, wrong side in this time. I was so close to the wadder corner at this point but Ms. Persistence powered through.

Attaching the collar was sticky but in the end was OK. Could have been better but I was moving on and not ripping out very narrow seams here. I do like how the closure is designed on this. I swear I read the pattern instructions at least ten times and did have as many attempts at folding and pressing to get it right. All my fault. I really just needed to slow down, keep calm and follow the directions.  When I was done I saw how the pictures and directions made sense. I just wasn't paying attention. Sometimes when we are in finish it mode that's not easy to do. That was another  near wadder moment. But, I love the closure. It is a hidden placket with flat, clear buttons and a tiny loop of fabric and an exposed button at the top, simple and nice. This pic has me lifting up the fold that covers the button placket.

Let me pass on a bit more information:

Fabric:

I wash all fabric the minute it comes into my home and then put it away with like kinds. This was in my linen pile and felt like a handkerchief linen. At this point I really think it is a linen/rayon blend, which is actually better for this garment. That rayon adds to the drape which is part of the charm of a big shirt. You don't want to make a big shirt in something with body. I really like the drapiness of this. I haven't a clue where the fabric came from, The buttons are clear and flat so that they won't show bumps in the outer placket fold. This pattern calls for sew in interfacing, as many Vogue patterns oddly do. I used a fusible tricot in the collar and button band area and it was fine.

Pattern:

This is Vogue 9162, a Kathryn Brenne pattern. I really like it. I think it looks exactly like the picture on the front despite my changes. This is not a beginner pattern. Many of the steps really took thought. They were correct and clear, pictures and all, but you just had to pay attention. Don't assume this is easy. It's not. The pattern has a jacket that is tempting. I found I really like the way the dropped shoulders draped and the look of the sleeves. They were very comfortable.


Fit:

I did alter the fit a lot, mostly to accommodate my petite frame.

* I took height out of the mandarin collar. I am glad I did. I think it is a perfect height after being reduced by half an inch. This is a tall collar otherwise. I have a long neck, too!
* I shortened the sleeves a couple of inches. I really like them. They don't look big like the pattern model's. I'd say they were 7/8ths sleeves, which I like. I can't stand long sleeves. I've made a lot of dropped shoulders over time and if you look at the pics these fall really nicely without all sorts of wrinkles. A certain amount is the nature of such a sleeve but I think these are drafted particularly well.
* I did not take any length out of the pattern. Next time I think I will shorten the bodice by about an inch and a half. And there may be a next time. I can see this in a light chambray.
* I also decreased the size of the original pocket. That was a really good idea and I liked how that worked out with this pattern sizewise. The final pocket choice made that a mute point, however. The important thing to know is that if you are petite, you really need to dial down the details, not just the sizing. The original pocket was reduced by a quarter inch all the way around.
* Before starting I flat pattern measured  the bodice. It was HUUUUUUGE. I took out 8 inches and you can clearly see this is still one big shirt on me. I simply folded out the excess vertically within the shoulder seam and down to the hem.  Looking at this pic, I can't imagine my collar being a half inch higher!

Construction:
 If you are going to use a lightweight fabric like I did, ditch the flat felled seams and simply go with French seams throughout. The most important thing I can say is go slow with this design and read the directions and follow them. Where it says to baste, BASTE, seriously. You'll be glad you did. Pay attention to the side slits. If I were to do it again I would cut the pattern much wider in that area so that the hem of the side slit would be the same as the garment hem. The pattern has one side of the slit end up with a wide hem and the other with a narrow hem. I didn't like that. Cut wide and make them match the bottom hem.

Conclusion:

I really like this top. Every year I try to make at least on neat white shirt. I love white shirts and never have enough. I literally wear them out. A white shirt and jeans is one of my favorite looks, any time of year. This pattern removes you from heavy tailoring and provides a very comfortable, stylish option. I think as long as you pay close attention to the pattern, take your time, and use a drapey fabric, you will be very happy making Vogue 9162.

Cynthia Rowley

I've said this before. Cynthia Rowley is my favorite designer. I've purchased her patterns from Simplicity, her clothing, and even the undies she sells. I love them all. I love her amazing use of prints and color. The next pics show her expertise at combining traditional fit and flare shapes with ultra contemporary digital printing technology.

courtesy cynthiarowley.com

This year her shapes are much more tent like but still very feminine and very wearable.

There is far less emphasis on the female form and more subdued coloring although certainly not in this case! I love her use of saturated color.

Ok, if you didn't know before, now you know I love Cynthia Rowley. This Friday I was in our very small local thrift shop, St.Vinnie's and for one dollar I scooped up this baby, a dress I saw all over the web about a year ago. I loved that dress from the minute I saw it.

front view

It is a hefty 100% poly digital print, no neoprene here. It's in a size twelve and too big. That brings me to my conundrum.

the back view

Do I take it apart and resize it? The armholes are WAY too low and the bodice too roomy. I am not sure I would have a place to wear it.

front bodice

Do I cut it apart and make a cool skirt to wear with the white shirt I am working on right now, on the idea of the one below?

Or do I cut it apart and rearrange it in this Marcy Tilton pattern that I have been eyeing for quite some time? I think I could pull this off and it could work well for my work. 

What would you do with my one dollar investment? It's in perfect shape, BTW, and looks like it has never been worn. 

I think in the meantime I will just enjoy looking at it on my dressform. What would you do?

....................Bunny

Mr. Lauren, Please!

This week the Sunday Style magazine in the New York Times was devoted to men's clothing, clothing worn by men with stunning looks and come hither gazes. Hmmmm, this was going to fun to look at. The coveted inside cover and first and second page were plummed up by Armani, beautiful clothing and men. The next two pages were devoted to a Ralph Lauren advertisement. A man about as handsome as handsome can get is in a classic power suit with hands evenly placed on what one would imagine is the board room table. Then it took my breath away.

OK, first, please forgive these pics. If you can get your hands on this Sunday's NYTimes Style magazine, you will have much better photos to see than what I could take here. I took pics of the glossy pages as best possible. While not good, they still make my point so I decided to publish them anyway. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way..............

What's up with this suit? Here's what I see:

* the roll line on the left facing lapel is like, where? The lapel appears to be just one big folded over flap. The right lapel looks fine.

* Is that lumpy fusible in that left lapel? It sure looks like it. It is far more evident in the actual magazine photo.

*The right shoulder appears Ok but that left one ----a little droopy?

* Wrinkles  where the chest shield would/should be?  Maybe that's why the left lapel is folded over so far!

* What do you see? Am I imagining, being too critical of probably my favorite American designer, a man whose clothing I would love to wear every day? What do you think?

Now, if you keep turning pages in this mag dedicated to the peacock in every male you will see Burberry, Gucci, etc...... There garments all fit exquisitely and are beautifully tailored by comparison. Here is some Gucci for you:

See the difference?

And here's a Botega Vanetta coat with gorgeous tailoring.

I think the difference in quality, fit and tailoring is near embarassing, Mr. Lauren. What happened here?  Who had editorial control? And if a little old sewist in the boonies notices these things, is there something deliberately being fed to the readers of Style NYT? I am just so surprised at what I see.

If you continue throughout the magazine it is page after page of exquisitely tailored, beautifully dressed men, none of whom are photographed in less than perfect, albeit photoshopped (?) perfection.  Every designer imaginable is represented. The Lauren suit fell far short. I am disappointed. I love Ralph Lauren's esthetic, his all American signature style. His garments are classy, tasteful and so very American. I even think this power suit is beautiful but the fit and technique are surprising me. Sigh,,,,,,,

Again, these photos were the best of many I took and to really appreciate this try to pick up the Style magazine from Sunday's New York Times. Anxious to hear your opinions.......Bunny

Sew Chic Patterns

Today I am thrilled to introduce you to Laura Nash of Sew Chic Patterns. She is an Indie designer who brings a depth of knowledge and experience to her designs that is very impressive and it shows in her patterns.

I first discovered Laura's skills when I saw a review on Pattern Review for her Fifth Avenue dress design.  Do Laura's patterns have a vintage vibe? Yes, most definitely. But they are not the nod to simplistic fifties fashions that so many indies have over saturated the market with. Laura's vision is one of femininity with a big dose of elegance, the type of garment you could wear to a wedding or evening out and turn heads. Even with the backwards influence of fashion  her looks feel fresh and original. Just look at her pattern called "Phantom". This design can be a swing coat, a top, or something as elegant as what you see below.

This bit of sheer froth can be even more appreciated in the line drawings where you will see the shape and detail built in as well as how easily it could be interpreted into much different looking garments.

With that bit of tease I would like to share with you an interview with Laura that she was so gracious to accommodate. 

When you were sewing in your younger years did you have one particular project or garment  that you were particularly proud of?  Or that was particularly difficult to complete?

As a teenager, I think my sewing was fairly inventive. I also enjoyed coming up with costumes for school plays, performances, and Halloween. Of course I didn't know how to make a pattern from scratch like I do now, but I would use a fashion pattern as a base and create something completely different from it.  I don’t recall it as a challenge, but my best project from that era would be the wedding dress I made for my mother.  She had a dress in mind when shopping the pattern books, but couldn't find anything exact. She ended up buying a Vogue pattern as a base, which was really quite extravagant for her budget. I changed quite a few things adding in a yoke with mandarin collar and full sleeves with cuffs accented with rows of tucks, ribbons, lace, and buttons, and sleeve and skirt overlay of white striped chiffon.  My sister was married in the same dress.

What fabric has given you the most difficulty?

I really dislike brocade. It’s beautiful, but I just can abide the constant unraveling!   People complain about chiffon, but I don’t mind it at all.  I find that careful preparation of the fabric with attention to the grain when time to cut makes everything else go smoothly.

Your business is quite comprehensive and must be quite time consuming as well. Any hints for getting it all done? Do you find much time to sew now?

Oh Yes! I have found out for myself that running a company is more than full time work! And at least for a perfectionist, getting it all done just doesn’t happen, but at some point there is “acceptable.”  Being organized is critical to being efficient no matter what the job.  I wear a variety of hats, of course, and I can’t be without sewing completely but I don’t get to sew as much as I’d like. However there is a bright side to the situation; I see from my helpers what their difficulties are, which makes it easier to anticipate and look for solutions in assembly and techniques for best end results for people of all skill levels.

Your garments have a vintage vibe but in an elegant way. I love the tailored extras that you are unafraid to incorporate. Who or what inspires your designs?

What a nice compliment! For me, vintage means elegant, though you won’t find that in the dictionary! It’s kindness, poise, restraint, modesty, classic, gentle, beauty.  I hope my designs speak well to that definition. I try to create styles that are wearable in the marketplace as well as the workplace for the 20 and 60 year old alike.  Simple silhouettes definitely have their place, but I hope that adding special and even unusual details, it brings them to a new level of excitement. All of my designs are directly inspired by the first half of the 20th century.  Though I have bookshelves full inspiration by way of scrapbooks, notebooks and books about designers, old sewing manuals, and anything associated, I rarely need to look at any of it. It’s in my veins now!

Everyone loves a peek into the sewing space of other sewists. Care to tell us what your space is like? Do you work better with a bit of clutter around or must you have everything in its place to be creative?

In my main work area, I do have a certain amount of clutter because I like things to be near me and stored near first use. Some things never get put “away”, but I cannot operate in chaos, so I must stay with a certain level of of organization. All works in progress, along with the project materials, are kept in Rubbermaid plastic bins with lids, of which I have two sizes.  I keep all of my everyday sewing tools lumped together in a large plastic school box case, and have a tall portable stacking bin for things that may need to move with me, but things I need less often such as sewing feet, bendable rulers, electric shears, push pins and such. My cutting table is always layered with two cardboard cutting boards (Dritz Superboard) and elbow lamps and ironing board nearby.  To tidy up, I have a computer armoire that I have converted into sewing storage. I stow my sewing machine in the compartment where the computer tower would normally go, and notions and tools are contained on the pull out drawer where the keyboard would usually sit. Project bins stack below and the upper area is tall enough for narrow bolts of fabric I am working with.  I have three other rooms that get used for printing, packaging and storing supplies, materials, and equipment to vendor, teach, and produce product.

Can you give us any hints about upcoming patterns? What is your favorite to design?

I admit a weakness for dresses.  Pants and tee shirts are a necessary part of our modern life, but I don’t find them interesting to make or to wear.  I have several projects in the works, but the one I can tell you about is a redesign of the Pendleton pattern.  As one of the first to be published, it’s been on the market for quite a while, and rather than retire it, I decided to give it a refresh. I’ve finished the first sample and it will have a view B option as well. The dress has a much younger look to it and a whole new personality that I’m really excited about. The only thing left to decide is whether I should also give it a new name too!

Thank you so much, Laura, for taking the time for this interview. It is my pleasure to introduce you and your work to my readers. With that in mind, here are a few of Laura's designs, some for day, some more for evening, and others that can be interpreted either way. 

 The Tia Dress 

The Fifth Avenue

The  Pendleton

These are just a few designs from Sew Chic Patterns. Others include hats, luscious lingerie and more. Laura is truly a gifted designer. Her experience and skills are obvious. I look forward to making one of her designs in the near future. Get to know her work through these links and I trust you may feel the same.