Three tops and more to come!

 

I have three tops to share with you, made between Thanksgiving and New Year's , I think. With the old year behind us, much is blur. These are part of last year and I am now working on this year's projects in earnest. You have seen me make these patterns before. They are tried and trues. I like to think the fabrications are unique and make them worthy of a second look here. I've tried different techniques each time. The first that you will see are two new Eureka tops. I believe they are number 6 and 7.   A search will bring up the others. The Eureka top is a very basic cut on sleeve tee shirt from the Sewing Workshop. It is the simplest of designs, therefore lending itself to all sorts of interpretations and play. It is large, boxy and so forgiving of fit. I highly recommend it. I did a bit of research and found that McCall's 7721, view B,  is nearly exact to my ruffled sleeve version presented here. I think it may just be a bit less boxy. 

I could wear it now with a turtleneck underneath but will save this for warmer weather. The fabric is Lady McElroy and it is called "EPIC Spectacles". Make sure if you order it you ask for Epic as you may get the tiny faces as I did on the first purchase! Stone Mountain and Daughter carry it and were the ones to eventually provide me with the Epic version and were great to do business with. For the ruffles I simply cut a six inch wide strip the length of the sleeve opening and made that double the length of that opening. Next I sewed the short ends together. It was then folded in half, pressed and then gathered and applied to the opening, very simple basic ruffle technique. Seams on here were French seams except for the ruffle attachment which were machine stitched then serged. 

The Eureka pattern has no closure. I wanted one and I also made the neckline opening a bit  wider. 

I made a simple facing for the slit area and backed it with woven interfacing. Because I did not want any bulk to show through, I zigzagged and pinked the edges of the facing. No bulk! I did a simple thread loop by hand for the tiny vintage button and applied a bias binding as I always do.   I think this shirt is great fun and can't wait to wear it in the warmer weather. 

With the second Eureka, the party is all in the back. 

Pardon the photo. For some reason the fabric is really shiny. IRL, it is not. 

On this Eureka I did the sleeves as directed in the pattern, with a simple fold-up cuff. I always cut the extra small size.  This is a big garment and I like it.  

 

The back got a square cut out and I tied it across at the top  to prevent gaping. I also didn't want it hanging open for viewing to the public as I moved  around. The facing was understitched but also held down with French knots all around. I also ran a strip of boning in a channel across the bottom edge of the square cutout. It fits in very snugly and you don't even know it's there. Its snug fit keeps it in place and I can easily take it out for laundering. The cutout square stays nicely placed on my back with the weight of the bone and no facing rolls out. I gave it a trial wear to make sure.  What type of boning did I use? A white electrical tie, cut on the ends in a curved shape so not to irritate. 

The fabric was the fun part here. It came from a floor length tee shirt dress that also had white ribknit neckline and cuffs, Think golf shirt. I got it at Good Will and  was size XXL. On my first trip there in a long time, I saw it and fell in love with its hand painted water color style. I left it on the rack. I went back a couple weeks later and it was still there so I grabbed it. It was a very cold day and this type of garment would not be moving easily out of the door into the winter's cold right now. I brought it home. The fabric is all poly, I know, yuk, but I felt the lovely print would make up for any issues I might encounter with heat. The design of the top and its  loose demeanor make me think it won't be too hot. I really like it. 

On to top #3!

Oh, how I love the Imby top by Karmme Apparel! I didn't use a shower curtain to make this one! I did use a lovely fabric. It is a rayon slub, near sheer,  leftover from a prior project. You can see more on the original project here. 

The bodice lining/collar were made of a really nice rib knit. 

 The bodice was topstitched pretty much everywhere and the lining was understitched with a triple zigzag up to the shoulder seams. I hand stitched the collar down with a hemstitch underneath. It just kept wanting to turn back. If I did it again I would interface the turnback area. There is no interfacing in here now. The Imby top is a lot of fabric and should be heavy but it looks best with a light fabric making up the skirt and bodice so is very comfortable to wear. I think it will be delightful this summer and great with white jeans. I need to get some of those! (that fit)

The Velvet Bomber Jacket is c'est finis! I am just hemming the lining area by hand. This was not difficult, just extremely bulky to work with. The ribbing was like working with a rubber tire. Add in the heavy lining and fashion fabric and it tried my patience at times but I got it done. It could be better and I think it was one of those patterns you had to work thru the first time and then get it right the second. I'll review as soon as done, hopefully in the next few days. Then it will be on to sewing for summer and my vacation at the end of June. Happy Sewing..............Bunny

2024, Bring it on!

2023 was not one of the easiest years I've experienced. I am determined that 2024 will be better. I have lots planned with my sewing  and look so forward to sharing it with all of you. I haven't been blogging as much this year and lately but I've had a lot of life's interesting challenges intervening. That will change. Through it all, sewing has been my Northern Star. It all started with my middle of the night incident where my diaphragm was injured far more than I knew. What proceeded was a cascade of health issues that continues to this day. Throw in some surgeries, concussion, post concossion business, etc etc etc.  And of course, as soon as we are all over our humps, covid rears its ugly head. There was also tragic loss to deal but I am blessed with an amazing family, truly blessed. I am ready to be well and 2024 will be doing all I can to get back to gardening, and moving more and being my usual energetic self. The one thing I truly enjoyed, thru all this time, was my sewing.  I have numerous posts planned and some exciting sewing as well.  I'll share some teases here with you first. 

Another Imby top! No eye makeup. Blepharitis strikes!

I've invested in a couple of great PDF patterns and am excited to share all about those. Lord, I hate taping! But for a good design, something unique, I'll endure it. So, more to come there,  The two pattern companies are "Love Notions" and "Notches".  You know I am a thrifty type of a woman, so my pattern choices have to provide me with lots of opportunity for many makes to justify the price. I am up to my seventh "Eureka" pattern as of last week.  I've made two or three recently. 

Lady McElroy rayon challis

From patterns I jump to fabric. I did do a lot, for me, of on line shopping.  It is, by far, just a small amount compared to most, but I watched a lot of youtube and when vloggers start showing you their makes or start draping their purchases over their shoulders, it sells me better than any thumbnail out there. I had only one "off" experience but it was really a miscommunication x misunderstanding on both sides and was worked out beautifully in the end. So my fabric purchases online have been quite positive. I can't say enough about Stone Mountain and Daughter and there were a couple more as well. At this stage I definitely shop far far less and far more discriminately. I'd rather sew slowly, with thought, and with awesome fabrics.  I've discovered Lady McElroy. 

Harvested from a thrift shop find!!!

Recycling was on the agenda as well and there will be a post to show you a few of those. What fun! I think one in particular is fabulous, if I may say so myself. I have been very inspired by Vlogger "Catherine Sews", a textile professor who does really worthwhile recycling. Her methods quite surprised me and are not the "stick two shirts together' you see everywhere. She has great vision and the sewing skills to pull great results from old clothes.  I harvested this fabric above from one thrift opp and was quite pleased with the results. 

There were great notions purchased as well and I can't wait to share those. I am using them a lot.  At this point I have really culled my fabrics to some fine pieces. Many are just casual, like my favorite Essex Linen. You can never have too much of that hanging around. It can be made into almost anything! But there are other pieces that defy the touch of my hands. I have had this gorgeous piece of velvet for about 6-7 years now. It is a beautiful print.  My social life is good but it is different. I don't need a velvet suit, dress or blazer. But, damn, I sure could use a velvet Bomber Jacket. That is what I am working on now and what a challenge! With it's welt pockets, heavy rib knit cuffs and collar, I am definitely doing some slow sewing here. I can't wait to share with you all.  I can see it with some dark jeans and black cami or such.  It's been intense sewing. That velvet, however, has found it's place. I think I will get a lot of use out of it. 

I'll sign off for now. More posts coming and it's good to be back and sharing my passion.  Happy Sewing and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you, dear friends............Bunny

The "Imby Flowy Top"

 

I absolutely  L O V E my Imby Flowy top. Can you tell?

This was such fun to make, so easy and quick. It is also so very comfortable to wear as well. Add in the fact that it was a free pattern made from upcycled fabric and how can it get any better?

Pattern

This is the Imby Flowy top from Karmme Apparel. It is a free download and the designer does sell a few other patterns as well. Unfortunately, within the past day, the pattern has been taken down with a note that it will be back up. Perhaps with a sale price? I will keep you posted. I can tell you the designer is self admittedly not a pattern designer and asks for your understanding (?).  She does design apparel fabrics and clothing and is based out of Australia. She says the pattern is "one size" and fits size 8 to 14 Australian. I've researched and found that in the US we run about two sizes smaller than Oz. There is a conversion chart in this article that shows you the difference between Australian sizing and many other countries. Since I often wear a 4 in tops this worked out. 

ETA: It appears to available again. Here is a link: The Imby Flowy Top

This PDF pattern can easily be adjusted to accommodate larger sizes as well as smaller ones. There is no fit other than the yoke and any concerns about the length of hem and sleeves. It is VERY full and that is what feels so nice.  All the measurements provided are in meters. The directions provide a sheet showing them all quite clearly. I put the imperial measurements in by hand to help myself.  All seams are 5/8ths.  Two closure options are available. One is a back slit and tie. The other is a deeper front slit and tie. 

Fabric

In my resources is a big, plastic tote full of fabrics for muslins. It is 95% solid colored sheets and such. All I needed was a small piece to test out the front and back yoke. As I dug I noticed an odd piece of fabric with color and print. Surely it didn't belong there. I yanked it from the tote, out of curiosity and recognized a shower curtain I had purchased fairly recently. It was far too bright and vivid for our bathroom tastes and I took it down from it's life as an outer shower curtain and evidently threw it in the muslin tote. Dang, this could make the whole top, never mind my muslin yoke. I pulled it out. It was still a shower curtain and 100% cotton. It was slubbed, very soft and light and draped beautifully. This would work. I did a test lay and discovered I could get all my piece out of the curtain and still play with it's border effect.  But a shower curtain for a blouse? 

 

Everything about it was perfect, the fiber, the drape, the border print. I went for it. Will I tell anyone but dear sewists like all of you where it came from? Only upcyclers, friends, only upcyclers. 

Fit

As mentioned,  the only fit concerns with this garment are the fit of the yoke and the lengths of the sleeves and hems. I kept the sleeves as given. I reduced the length of the hem by 2 3/4 inches and took a 1 1/2 inch hem from that.  This gave me the higher hip effect I wanted. I took a scrap of cotton batik and cut out the yoke. There is extreme fullness here as you will see in an upcoming back shot so no concerns for FBAs or large darts. There really is no underarm fit. The skirt is 70 something inches around.  My personal concerns, beside the width of the shoulders, were also the depth of the V neck slit in the front. If you look at the pic above there are three arrows.  The bottom arrow is where the pattern wants to end the slit. The middle arrow is where I ended the slit. The top arrow is where I  thought  I should end the slit.  I cut back the armscye seam, the side of the yoke, 3/4 s of  an inch. I highly suggest you make a yoke muslin first before cutting out this top. It takes minutes of only sewing up the shoulder seams and no more. Another question, which shown from the tops on IG was where the horizontal empire waist seam would land. It was in all sorts of places depending on the body. Mine landed right where I hoped so no changes there, across and a little above the apex. 

Construction

This was so easy to put together and the instructions given, while conversational, get you there well enough. The designer has a youtube video of the entire construction which I highly recommend. I was originally lost a bit with the installation of the ties but when I saw the video, it was brilliant. I had never seen ties attached in that manner and now it will be my go to.  Imby Video

A pic is worth a thousand words so check out  the back of this shirt. 

The large sleeves are gathered only half way across their caps. The front of the sleeve caps get the gathers. The back of the sleeves are smooth which you can see by looking at the back yoke here. The sleeves then have an angle that meets at the sleeve under seam. It is flat also and matched the skirt which has the same angle on its ends. All of the skirt gathers are directly below the front and back yokes. You can see why this top is so very comfortable and why only the yoke requires fitting care. 

The cuffs are gathered but you could easily do a binding if desired. About gathering: Here is a shot I did according to directions, two rows of gathering within the SA. 

Pleats are uneven and that did not sit well with me. On this next pic you will see better pleats on the front yoke. I did one row of basting within the SA and one beyond, in the garment. 

Tiny pleats, falling where they may. Sigh.....it's the smocker in me. 

Mark your garment well. The dots are critical. You will be meeting these three angles at this corner. You do NOT stitch to the edge here. Just stitch to the dots. I chose to topstitch my yoke. It looked nice on the slub cotton. 

Finally, the cuffs, just turned and stitched.  All seams were machine stitched and then serged, nothing fancier. The hem was machine topstitched an inch and a half up in a double row. 

In the end, I think it is a rather elegant little top, clearly designed by a real designer with a great eye for balance, style and detail. I highly recommend this pattern.  I have seen a couple similar among indie designers but none have the  more elegant lines of this one. I have fabrics for a second one on my table waiting for cutting!!!......Happy Sewing,,,,,,,,,,,Bunny

So not a planner, but.............

 

I am not one of those sewists who does modules or plans out their wardrobes. I am one of those crazy babes who is always looking for the next shiny object. Really, isn't that just as OK? It works for me. I see a great bottomweight, I buy it and then maybe find a top fabric and pattern that will be perfect.  Or I will get seduced by a print, and will move all of creation to fit it into my wardrobe.  Bottom line, I love textiles of all sorts and I fall in love with them and fit them into my wardrobe. When I was a teen I had a neighbor who designed textiles for a manufacturer in neighboring New Bedford. I forget how this arrangement happened but my mom became very good friends with her.  Next thing I knew I was cleaning her apartment, at the age of 14, for  TONS of fabric samples, hot off the looms. She designed them and had to run samples before the company would commit to manufacture. Some made the cut, some failed. Either way, she discovered  I was an easy touch and thrilled to receive yards and yards of fabric every week, straight from the mill, her original designs. all for the price of dusting and vacuuming her home.  A little swish and and swipe in an already clean bathroom and I was had. 

I never knew what Marsha would bring me. I don't think she even knew. But it all made me happy. I would have fabulous conversations with this 50 year old about fabrics and dyes and the process and I was only 14. We would talk about her working as a very young woman in the garment district in NY city and working her way up the ladder. I remember, that as a single woman doing business in a tough industry my parents often accompanied her on dinner meetings with international contacts. She said she felt "safer".  Bottom line, I will blame the incredible Marsha Shear and her amazing design talents as well as her mentoring of a young girl who loved fabrics for the fact that I just don't do "plans".  I am ready for whatever comes in my door to be sewn and I will love it, enjoy sewing it and will make it work in my wardrobe. That gives me joy. Thank you so much, dear Marsha, for inspiring me with those amazing bags of your original designs. You so loved color.

Fabrics paired of with patterns:

I am currently working on this Kathryn Brenne pattern that I have been drooling over forever. Once again I am using the Sevenberry fabric found at my LQS and sold by Kauffman.  This version, however, is an oatmeal and navy colorway despite it looking different in the pic. It is a Japanese fabric and 100% cotton. All seams are being Hong Kong'ed with the print fabric you can see peeking out, a Nicolle Miller design. I am near done and can't wait to share with you the completed project. This is a great pattern.  I am really pleased with the fit. 

My sister came up recently for a visit and we are now both retired and both crazy garment sewists. I took her to my Local Quilt Shop, which is amazing, and has some quality fabrics for garments as well. They get more all the time and are often of high end Japanese origin. We had a blast shopping and compare notes each week since. She is up in Maine. What you see above is a cotton knit with a tiny bit of spandex that I will make into Mimi G turtleneck. I think I will need to tighten up the collar and may ditch the corner detail for the first effort. I love her details but am on the search for a basic Turtleneck. 

I fell in love with this flannel the minute I saw the deep, intense  red. I recently had seen this blouse made up so that the upper right corner of the bodice had narrow ties to the shoulder seam and there were also ties holding up fold up sleeves. I loved the casual look and look forward to making this. I know I will get a lot of wear out of this pairing. I have so many bottoms that will work along side this top. 

Another paired fabric is this Telio rather Picasso-esque rayon challis that I will turn into this floaty top below. 

This one will  happen soon as I love this print and you can see there is not much going on in that department right now. This is a really interesting pattern. 

Unpaired fabrics:

I have been holding on to this fabric for a couple years now. I think it came from Apple Annie's and I am determined to sew it up for this winter. I am considering the Kathryn Brenne top in the second photo. It is an exquisite cotton velveteen. Sigh,,,,,,,,The fit on the Brenne pattern is wonderful so I am ready to go on this one. Next.....

 This is a very fine wale, I'm guessing 21 wale, picked up at my LQS, again. It is superb quality and of course I am thinking slacks, some pleated trousers. I have already made a slouch hat out of a small amount but there is plenty left to play with. I will probably just use my Sure Fit sloper. It really is lovely. 

Another piece of corduroy, this time no wale and in a tiny blue and black houndstooth check. It will be great for slacks or a barn jacket, aka, "Shacket". This is not high on the list but it will get used soon enough. 

The SCORE of all SCORES:

In accumulating fabrics for winter sewing I am not above considering all sorts of opportunities. The blue cord above was gleaned from a local church affiliated thrift shop. I haven't gone to GoodWill in sometime as I am finding their clothing simply donated fast fashion and other than household needs, their merch just doesn't interest me. Yesterday I needed a basket. I am doing a donation for a group I belong to and wanted a big nice basket for bargain prices. I went into Goodwill, straight to where the baskets usually are and there was ONE, just one basket! Luckily it was exactly what I needed and three dollars. So what they hay, I decided to pour thru the racks. I was on my last rack and something caught my eye. 

 This garment had Asian tags on it, even a price, all of which meant nothing to me

What took my breath away, however, was the fabric. I could be wrong and the label may say otherwise but it looked like silk chiffon to me. It just did not have that poly feel at all and was light as air . It was nicely made, fully self lined and held lots of yardage in an amazing border print. 

The fabric was gorgeous, the colors saturated and if ever there was a digital print this was it so the age of this garment had to be recent. This skirt would be close to my ankles. I have been mooning over similar digital prints from Lady McElroy lately and then this jumps into my line of sight!  It was meant to be. 

It is very floaty and would make a lovely top. At the least it could be an amazing scarf or two for gifts. It won't get forgotten. 

I have much to keep me busy all winter. Did you notice how nothing is part of anything else, no plans, no modules? Did you also notice how happy it all makes me feel? Life is too short for me to structure my sewing . I could care less if I have six pieces that make 36 outfits. I want amazing. .............Bunny

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