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Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Some nightgowns (Burda 5/2016 & 1/2016)

We've all read it (or said it!): Sewing is therapy. 

I needed to sew. I also knew my focus was nil. I'd been working on the Lisette vest and trouser pattern from Butterick, but no way could I go back to that. I was about to have houseguests for 2-3 weeks and decided I'd make some nightgowns since I'd be required to actually sleep in clothing (TMI LOL!). 

Burda 5/2016:

Way back in 2016, I used this dress pattern from spring issue of Burda, to make a nightgown (https://sewing.patternreview.com/review/pattern/125146). My fabric was a very lightweight cotton or linen knit and it's still my favorite nightgown! The pattern is 5/2016 #113 (there's a top version as well). It's an A-line shape with an inverted front pleat and braided straps. 

I was using a lightweight french terry and thought the three layers of fabric might be too heavy, so I instead used some plain white rayon knit to make binding. I cut a size 40 neckline and armhole and graded out to a 42 for the rest. I did not add hem allowance (both adjustments are standard for me with Burda mag). I did not make any adjustments to the pattern to account for binding instead of hemming. 

I cut the binding at 1 7/8" and attached with a 3/8" seam allowance on the sewing machine. I topstitched with the coverstitch. Sewed the side seams, hemmed it, DONE! 


It's my second favorite night gown :)

Then, I made another one! But this fabric is a rayon blend, super drapey, and it is NOT my favorite.


The only difference from the yellow one is that I cut three narrow strips and braided them to make the straps. I cut it on the cross grain and it is still extremely limp and stretchy. The easiest adjustment I can think to make is to just cut off the straps and maybe use a plain black knit sewn into tube (like the yellow one). 

Burda 1/2016 #105:

A dear friend sent me a giftcard to Fabric Mart and I bought a piece of lightweight french terry for another gown! Why did I decide to switch it up? Because we just like to be difficult, don't we? 

This tank top pattern from Burda gave the same vibe but with more stable straps/shoulders. I cut a size 40/42 as outlined above and added no hem allowance. But, I made the mistake of largely just tracing down from the waist to lengthen it. Err. That's not going to work! It's snug through the hips :( And while it otherwise is very comfy (it's not uncomfortable to sleep in), I just don't wear it nearly as much as the two favorites from the 5/2016 pattern. 

The inset is cool and presents an opportunity to add interest. I used a lighter part of the tie-dye fabric here, did a face binding (at least that's what I think it's called! I stitched a strip of fabric to the front, turned it to the inside, and coverstitched in place), and did a rolled edge on the inset with my serger. I used a matching thread and edge stitched the inset in place. It's so cute!! 

You see how it's snug on Lily's hips? Sigh!!!! 


Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Yet Another IKEA Cutting Table!

But...but...but it just WORKS! :)

My 6-foot tall son lying on the table

The moment I had an accepted offer on my house, I started sketching out plans to build the cutting table of my dreams. I knew I was going to be making space for woodworking at the house and was R E A D Y. 

Planning:

I was pretty particular about the style of table (okay, fine, I'm pretty particular about almost everything), and some of the more popular folks' versions weren't my style. Last June, I posted to IG discussing my table plans, with a rough sketch of what I had in mind. From that post:

📌 I was really excited to build a table from scratch. But woodworking is harder than it looks (I know there are some plans using 2x4s and corner braces but that’s not what I want please don’t suggest that tutorial 🤣)

📌 And I didn’t really want a Kallax base either…but then it dawned on me that most of them felt “off” but that’s because a lot of people don’t have any overage/extension of the tabletop off the base, or lacked clearance underneath.

📌 My folding table from JoAnn died with moving things out of the room for the floors. It just tipped over. Lol! It’s okay but not solid, the bottom leg is no longer straight. But, I got that table in summer 2014!!!! 10 years?! I got my money’s worth! So I need a table like…NOW.

📌 IKEA has gotten so expensive. The 2x4 Kallax is now $79 and the 2x2 is $45. Plywood and lumber costs are up too. (Another consideration with building as I’d want to use cabinet grade plywood and a sheet is EXPENSIVE).

📌 So I’m going to use two Kallax 2x4 units on a plywood base. This gives me a surface of 30 1/8” x 57 5/8”. I’ll top it with a sheet of melamine (once everything else in the room is in place, I’ll tape off a 42x72 area and a 45x76 area. If I can comfortably adapt the larger size, I will). I am 5’5” (and a half!) but have a short torso and longer legs (respectively). 36” is minimum cutting table height for me. So I hope to find 5” casters. The other option is a plywood sheet between the Kallax and the melamine for an additional 3/4” and then use 4” casters. I’ll let costs drive that decision.

📌 The left shading indicates plywood on the side to hang a pegboard and roll holders for my tracing paper (as an avid Burda mag sewer, this is a must-have).

📌 I don’t really *need* the additional storage a Kallax provides (my basement is 14’x28’!!) but will move some things to the cutting table to store, like interfacings or tools that are primarily used at the cutting table.

I had this long, ongoing discussion with a sewing friend where we were plotting out our tables. We essentially wanted the same thing and were constantly discussing components, pricing, etc. :) The more I researched, the more I realized it was going to cost a lot more than I thought. Plywood is expensive. Good casters are expensive (and you need so many to properly support the thing!). It was going to cost quite a bit to make this happen. 

Then one day I had a lightbulb moment. The 4x2 Kallax has a base/stand available. Wanna guess how tall those legs are? Go head...guess.

...

...

FIVE INCHES. Woohoo!

And, I have been so accustomed to the idea of having the table on casters, that I hadn't considered building one without them. My basement is 14ft x 28ft. In this space, I wouldn't be moving it (and in fact, hadn't moved the other table that WAS on casters a single time in the prior 18 months). Having my table on wheels was not a necessity and that made the Kallax make even more sense.

My plan was to use two of the 4x2 Kallax with base ($109 each) and a sheet of melamine ($60). But then, my world imploded and nothing else mattered so yeah...I got all the things. 

Structure:

Important to note: My minimum required height was 36". The finished height of the Kallax in this orientation is 30 1/8". The finished height with the base and legs is 37". Before I got the sheet of melamine, I kept saying, "wow! this is perfect!". The only reason this wouldn't work as-is is that the overall size of the cutting surface was only 30 1/8" x 57 5/8" -- Not a giant cutting table of awesomeness. 3/4" sheet goods have a nominal width of around 0.7". So now my table is about 37 3/4" which is *just* a bit tall. Keep this in mind if you are shorter. 

Standard measurements for sheet goods is 4x8 feet. Many stores say they'll provide one cut for free. I'd measured out floor space as mentioned and decided that 48" wide would be overkill, but I'd do it if I had to. I have the tools at home to cut melamine but 1) it was the middle of winter and 2) cutting melamine is a bit more of a skill than wood. I really waffled on the finished width and ultimately decided to leave it long enough that I could choose to add a 2x2 Kallax to the end later if needed. I bought my melamine from a lumber yard (it was the same price everywhere-Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, and the lumber yard), but I figured the cutting would be better and more precise there. The additional cut was only $10, so worthwhile to do. I decided on a finished top size of 42" wide and 76" long. Yall, it's glorious!!!

My top is not attached to the Kallax. A full sheet of melamine weighs about 90lbs. Since mine is a little under 3/4 the size of a full sheet, I estimate it weighs 60-65lbs. I purchased that tacky, rubbery shelf liner from the Dollar Tree and my top does.not.move. Lastly, I decided not attach the the two Kallax's to each other at all (some people use mending plates or straight brackets to connect them). Leaving them separate means it's easily disassembled, but it does not impact the stability. 

with shelf liner

Accessories:

I knew that I wanted a pegboard for all of my tools, and I also wanted a paper roll mounted to the side (I sew a lot of Burda magazine patterns!). I was going to "wait and see" on the Kallax accessories (link to IKEA accessories, not monetized), but as mentioned, went whole hog. 

Now, if you're keeping track, I have about 12" of overhang width-wise and a little under 18" length-wise. It took a couple tries to get the overhang on the working side right. Even though I have had a free-standing table for a while, I primarily work on one long-side of the table, accessing the surface from other sides as needed. 

On "my" side, I have 4" of overhang. I have the wave doors on the two left cubes (top and bottom). The two upper center cubes I have the divider that splits into two, and on the lower two cubes, I have Drona boxes. On the right side, I have the wave drawers. 


On the back side, there is 8" of overhang and I have four Drona boxes in all of the lower cubes. 

On the side open to the room, I have two Skadis peg boards. Initially, I purchased the large 30x22" Skadis. It would span the width of the two Kallax shelves and extend about 2/3 of the way down the side. While you can screw into the upper parts of the Kallax (pretty much in the same area where the attachment screws are), I really didn't want to as they can be reused individually at any point currently. So I exchanged that for two smaller versions, each 14x22", attached with 20lb 3M Command Strips. Each of the Skadis boards weighs less than 3lbs and I figured at most, there'd be another 3-5lbs loaded on them. So far, so good. They feel very secure and are holding up well.

For the pegboards, I felt like I bought nearly one of everything, lol! The components are so affordable, and there are so many options available, you can find exactly what you need to organize your things. The rest of my containers inside of drawers and doors are from Dollar Tree - my store has such an amazing selection!


This photo shows the command strip attachment, and how I use my little tray for quick access items.

Assembly:

I find IKEA items the absolute easiest to assemble of any ready-to-assemble furniture. It is almost always smooth sailing and things go together quickly. I assembled the frames and Kallax's in one evening. I tackled the doors and drawers the next day. It is CRUCIAL when assembling the doors that you mark everything as instructed. Ensure that you can open and close the door with the hinges in position before screwing everything in place. After the first one, the other one was a piece of cake. 

My kid's dad was in town and while my son and I could have managed the melamine sheet, I took advantage of having the two of them here and rented a truck from Home Depot for $19 (mileage is free up to a certain amount and the distance from HD to the lumber yard to my house and back to HD is less than 15 miles, so whatever it was worked fine!). Below, I have melamine recorded as $51. It was $71with the additional cut fee and tax, but my son, intent on contributing something, put $20 toward my melamine. He's adorable :)

Once the table top was positioned, and after he continued to exclaim that there was NO WAY I needed a table this big, I applied the edge banding to the melamine with my iron and parchment paper to keep the iron free of adhesive. Recommendation: Apply it flush at the top and trim the bottom. I trimmed the top and had to use a putty stick to fill in the parts that went wonky. The melamine banding and putty stick came from Lowe's. 


The edge banding makes a HUGE difference!

Cost:

Organization:

I have only wished I had a larger cutting mat once or twice. Initially, I was very fixated on the whole surface being covered. I don't think that's necessary. The Olfa mat comes in a larger size, but it is clipped together, which doesn't sound like a good option for a garment sewer. My current mat is 2 x 3 ft. I am leaning toward buying an 18x24 mat to extend my cutting surface when needed and once my current large mat wears out, springing for a custom 3x4 ft mat. 

On the working side, I have pens and pencils, marking tools, seam gauges, tracing paper, transfer paper and wheels, Wonderclips, extra pins, etc. One of the two Drona bins holds all of my interfacing, the other is empty for now. 

On the other side, the lower Drona bins hold: (1) lining fabrics (2) large scraps (3) muslin (4) empty for now

The pegboard holds all of my scissors, rotary cutters, and rulers. I added a quilting ruler holder to the tabletop as well.

While I had no intention on spending $500 on a cutting table, it is everything I could have wanted. It has been so nice to have ample surface to cut my projects (I'm working on a coat now!). I have all the storage that I need (and more!) and have no concerns over the long-term stability of the table. The only concession I made was not having my tracing paper mounted.

the stools were scored on Marketplace











Tuesday, March 11, 2025

I'm trying to come back!

I was feeling really good about my return to blogging and then tragedy struck my family. It didn't take me long to turn to a familiar comfort, sewing, knitting, and crafting. 

I have a new sewing room to share since moving into my house a couple years ago. This includes a new cutting table made from IKEA components plus a melamine top. 

I then NEEDED to make something and made three new nightgowns. I then made a skirt, switched to machine knitting and knit a bunch of stuff (a poncho for my mom, socks for my son, a hat for my dad, sweaters for the grandkids, a blanket and hat for a new nephew, a sweater for me), made another skirt. 

Sometime in between the knitting, I painted my living room and hallway. After that, I switched to a complete OBSESSION over choosing a new sofa. I spent HOURS visiting local stores! HOURS! 

I went on to make a t-shirt and a turtleneck, and then after realizing my wool coat is WAY too big, cut out a new coat project that I'm working on. 

That's been the last 3 months of my life. Plus work and normal house and life stuff.  

I am over social media at the moment. I was already trending this way and never even had time to react to the election or post-election fall out as I've been in this...state

So, as we do, I am keeping my focus on the things that bring me a bit of joy. In my downtime (har, har) I plan to do some write-ups and schedule them. 

I'm really excited to share info on my cutting table, soon. 


mid paint job, testing my perfectly matched piece of art.




Sunday, September 29, 2024

Sewing Plan: Fall Mini Wardrobe

I haven't had sewing successes lately :( But I started a wool skirt and I am excited about it. So I'm going to FOCUS and create some items that I hope make me happy! 

Initially, I wanted a slit-front skirt and was going to make a black wool version of S8175. Ultimately, I decided I wanted a perfectly flat-front and am going to use M3830, view B, with side slits instead of a back walking vent. 

I also plan to knit a version of this ribbed top I saw in an old Passap magazine (the 60s Passap patterns are a treasure trove of beautiful design!). 

I want to make a pair of trousers too in a taupe or tan or other non-white nude, and at least two silk tops.

For the pants, I'm going with a TNT for me, V9032. It's been awhile since I sewed them, but ankle pants have ruled for years. This version I sewed is exaclty what I want right now!


For the tops, I plan to remake S8216 and B5965. It's been a LONG time since I've made either, but they both worked extremely well for me and I really (really!) need a win or two. 

B5965

S8216

If I can keep up the momentum, I really(!) want to make B6901 vest and pants...so we'll see how things go. 



Friday, September 27, 2024

Finished Object: Butterick 5526 and Updates

I posted HERE when I planned out this project and HERE with info on adjustments and construction. I  have to admit, I did not like it when I first finished it. I called it a "Post Office" shirt! LOL!!! I finally wore it after washing it a couple of times (I dislike when it's super crisp).

Wearing it has shown that removing all of the cap ease DOES impact the fit a little - I think it limits my mobility a bit when I bring my arms forward. But it isn't straining or pulling, so there's that. Luckily, I had a tracing and adjusted that; the original sleeve is intact.

I wore it with my aqua? mint? jeans...it also pairs well with camel, red, navy, and black. I didn't like it as much with a pair of mid-toned blue pants (post office!!). 

And after looking at the pics in the black skirt I was like, geez, I look so blocky! And yep...this skirt is too big. I can pinch like 3" out of the waist. 

I really like the sleeve more and more! I added a center seam and topstitched that seam. It looks really good. This pattern has no dart control at all...if I made it again I'd either make it a bit looser overall or do a cheater FBA. The side view shows it's flattening my chest a bit. 

Good thing this turned out well because EVERYTHING ELSE I've been working on is MEHHHHHHHHH!

I put the yellow dress  in timeout and while the Burda shorts turned out well (I'm tempted to make another pair but feel like full-on fall will immediately arrive if I do)... 




...the double gauze wasn't fun to sew and I realized I messed up the collar on the shirt. I feel mildly over it.

I understitched the facings but they are still super floppy and I have no confidence in sewing buttonholes in this fabric. You can see in this pic where I messed up attaching the collar.


I was so close to recutting the shorts but luckily, I posted about the fabric growing and someone told me it would be fine once washed. WHEW!! Apparently it grows while sewing but once I washed them, they were perfect. 



I went to insert a sleeve on the yellow dress and sewed the entire thing only to realize there was NEVER any thread in the bobbin. OY VEY! The next night, I tried again and sewed the sleeve inside out. Totally in the naughty bin now. Hmmph!