Sometimes "Done" Has to Do

I've worn the items from my "blue wardrobe" several times over and when I got good lighting on my B6244 coat I went for these photos. But I wore flats with the coat and had on heels and I was unstable and sinking into the ground and everything looks all bad and wrinkly but...whatev.

I have to note the jacket and pants at least as I intend to make them again at some point and don't want to lose my notes JUST because I didn't have 'good enough' photos.

Totally going to try Gail's sleeve fix on this one before making it again

Kwik Sew 3558 jacket
Size: medium
1/2" narrow shoulder adjustment plus 1/2" removed during sewing
(Seriously!!!! The shoulders on this thing are RIDICULOUS!)

The instructors for the collar are weird but it really works beautifully! I like the overall style and will make it again.

Notes for next time:
Narrow shoulder on pattern
Remove excess fabric from upper chest and mid-back
Add 1" to waist
Add 1" to sleeves (the sleeves came right to my wrist unhemmed so I hemmed them to bracelet length)
I did not do the topstitching as it wouldn't have shown up in this fabric.

In-House Ellen pants
Cut and muslined a size 14 using a poly/wool blend suiting. They were FAR too small. Sewed them up in this poly/cotton suiting and ended up needing to take them in through the waist. Why I don't always muslin...Actually, my notes say "added width everywhere, didn't need it in final pair. Muslins suck." Hahahaha!

Removed 3/4" from front rise and added 1.25" to back rise
Shortened to ankle length
Removed some width from back leg
I did not use the instructions for this pattern so cannot comment on those. They are fly-front pants. I've made what? 2 dozen or more fly-front pants?? I did my thing.
I did NOT like the waistband. There's a left and a right. I would rather have a one piece back with 2-piece front or more preferably, a 4-piece waistband (hail S2700!) There is a side seam indicator on the waistband pieces. I will turn this into a 4 piece waistband.

I'm not sure where all the back leg wrinkles came from. I did NOT notice those when I first finished these (over a month ago) and wore them. Maybe it's my posture from sinking into the dirt? All my photos from the side I look like I'm tipping forward (iPhone corrects it when you crop the photo!)

I like them and have a plaid pair partially cut out!

 

Butterick 5678 shirt

I've made this shirt how many times now? This one is my favorite! The fabric is from the "men's" section at SR Harris and is a really nice fine but sturdy cotton with just the slightest hint of stretch.

I sewed a size 14C
Added 1/2" to the back pattern piece via slash and spread to cover my butt.

I did make a mistake and sew my continuous laps backwards AFTER checking my prior version (where it's also wrong) :) I want to try the Cashmerette Harrison shirt because even though I love this one it would be better if a) it were shorter (I tried shortening it once but those pieces are so curved I got confused and gave up) b) it had a yoke c) it had a tower placket.

But they're so neat!

Sure it's all wrinkly but whatev...Like I said, these items have all been worn multiple times now! :)

 

I guess sinking into the dirt makes you make crazy face?

And can we talk about progress? The first time I attempted this shirt was in 2013 and didn't understand WHAT the heck was to happen with the collar and collar stand and front band

2013 vs now:

Also, Wonder Tape is my solution for collar stands!!

After sewing the collar stand/collar assembly I attach the stand to the neckline and from the wrong side I press the stand in place (vs. pressing that end up before stitching), hold in place with WT and topstitch from the right side.

I still have, finished but unblogged, a version of S2369 which honestly doesn't need a review. McCall's 7392, Burda 6798, New Look 6230 (probably also doesn't need blogging), Vogue 1465...WHEW!

Butterick 6244: A Long Time Coming

Why yes, yes I do have about 7 other finished garments...but this one was on the radar pretty early on and then reviews were popping up left and right, and somehow my interest in it waned. So glad I revisited it.

A couple of years ago I made a failed version of Vogue 8839 (PR review). I chose too large a size and it was so cute but too big for me. I bought this heavy double knit on a trip to SR Harris soon after to try the pattern again. I never revisited it but soon decided this fabric would make a good fit for B6244.

You know how the bug hits and you have to make THIS thing, RIGHT NOW? That happened this week. I finished my Fabric Mart** project and was ready to move on to the cardigan I owe my friend (it's coming, I promise!!!) but got bit by the bug!

(**This was my final Fabric Mart post. I'll post more later about all the changes...but not right now)

I laid out the fabric according it the pattern layout since it was initially purchased for a shorter jacket and couldn't get the pieces to fit. Feeling dejected, I almost moved on to something else. I looked at the instructions again and realized I was looking at the layout for the plus sizes! It would require far more length because the front would have to be cut single layer. I realized in the straight sizes, the fabric was doubled and laid everything out again.

Funnily, I said, "I thought this was supposed to take 2.5 yards?! Sheesh, I need like 8 more inches of fabric..." I then measured my fabric and, kid you not, I had 2 yards and 9". HA! So yes, another 1/4 yard would have done it. I ended up bringing the front hem right to the very edge of the fabric and kissing the front/back shoulder seams, and allowed the back to dictate final length. I ended up losing about 1.5" of length which is probably fine considering I'm only 5'5".

Clearly the "missing" length is okay! :)

Once I got it cut out I was ready! I told myself this would be a 'slow sewing' project but as we know, "me + slow sewing" isn't a thing.

I cut it out on Saturday and started sewing it, finishing it on Sunday. On Saturday I also took Wilson to the vet, went grocery shopping and took a nap! Meaning, this was not constant sewing all weekend and flat-felled seams, and it still went together fast.

I'd seen LOTS of comments about the front dart. I'm not entirely sure where the confusion lies. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill shoulder dart. It is reinforced, clipped to the point and stitched. The collar is integrated into the front piece so there is some tricky business to flat-felling that seam (nicely!), but I don't think the dart itself is actually confusing.

Not perfect at the corners but decent

I think this is my favorite part <3

Initially I wasn't going to flat-fell the vertical sleeve seam but I saw where someone else had used double sided fabric and I liked how the sleeve looked cuffed back so I went for it. Again, not hard just a bit fiddly. I was able to sew about 5-6 inches from the hem up and then turned it and sewed it the rest of the way. I had to restitch a couple of areas from the right side that bowed out a bit.

It's a tiny bit wonky in some areas

I was >>THIS<< close to making this reversible! I'd read a how-to flat-fell the armhole of a shirt and was going to go for it. But then I discovered this run across the back :(

The time suck on this pattern is hemming. Geez Louise! I watched an entire movie (Two Can Play That Game with like, every popular black actor/actress at the time. I forgot how funny it was!!!) doing a narrow hem on the WHOLE perimeter. My goodness. I also tried to miter the corner but this is about my 5th time trying to understand mitering and I can't. I'll need someone to teach me hands on one day.

Where the front hem meets the bottom hem. Wonder Clips helped here

I was so careful with stitching!

I sewed a size 14 neck/shoulders and a 16 through the body. I initially cut a 14 and then got nervous about the finished measurements, even though I was technically using a knit. It is REALLY heavy and not very stretchy. I could have used a 14 all over but this way I can layer it without worrying.

I did a 5/8" full bicep adjustment and made no other adjustments. I'm starting to wonder more about sleeve fit and may start really digging in there. I wonder if it's full upper arms that cause that pulling at the back of the sleeve (seen above)??

I am really digging it! And it's blue and gray so will really work with my wardrobe well outside of the mini-wardrobe.

The Outtake!

This backyard is so creepy and the way the houses sit (no alley's separating the back yards of houses) I always feel like I hear noises/people/movement. LOL!

Up Next:

I bought new fabric and patterns (I am on a buying restriction now because SHEESH) so I am in a frenzy over what to sew next. But my sewing room is atrocious so I hope to clean up today, which means I'll be super charged to start my next project.

My friend's Swoon cardigan is sewn and awaiting hemming.

Then, New Look 6301 with this new addition:


Oh and in addition to cleaning my sewing room, I pulled a ton of stuff from my closet. Some will go in the naughty box to see if they stick around next fall, others are going straight in the donate box and some may be trashed. We will see.

 

Stilllllll Planning :)

In one of my prior whiny vents, I mentioned not having a comfortable but put together weekend style. It seems I vacillate between slightly dressed up...it seems wrong to wear "work clothes" on the weekend...or completely and utterly slothful. LOL!!! I totally don't go outside those days but it also seems wrong to lounge about all day on Saturday in my men's 2X sweatpants from the U of M. 

I knew that 1) I needed another pair of jeans. I have 2 pair of bootcut jeans in a longer length (for heels) that I sometimes wear to work, and 2 pair of skinny jeans. My boyfriend jeans bit the dust last year (you ladies with full inner thighs know what I'm talking about!). I found this Burda and had to have it. It is a Burda young pattern which IMO is cut a bit differently. I also knew I had to have the Butterick 6244 sweater coat (there are TONS of reviews on this one).

And then lo and behold, Sew Over It released an e-book with a capsule wardrobe. And I got all excited. THAT'S IT! *THAT* is a cool weekend wardrobe! But it was all pdf patterns and that made sad so I decided to sit on it. And then realized I had a similarly-styled pattern for each and used it as the inspiration for my casual weekend wardrobe. I swapped boyfriend jeans for skinnies and a pullover dress for a shirt dress. I have a knit and woven shirtdress TNT but don't really equate them with "easy" weekend wear.

McCall's 7392 | New Look 6230* | Burda 6798 | McCall's 7430 | Butterick 6244 

*the Burda below it was scrapped due to fabric constraints. It is from 8/2014

The skirt is awaiting finishing (buttons and buttonholes, and belt carriers)

The jeans are too (I need to fix waistband gape and sew on the carriers and hem)

The tee is cut out awaiting finishing (whipped it up tonight)

The dress is complete and reviewed here

The jacket hasn't been started

I am SO excited about this! Hahaha!

Now, never mind that it's blues and greys after I just finished a mini-capsule for work in blue. Sigh.

I'm not making my Clare coat right now. Time got away from me. I was certain I'd be ready to start but forgot my daughter would be home for fall break and then didn't sew much while she was home. I flip-flopped and decided I would start it but realized I had forgotten to order the interfacing. Ah well. Soon. Soon...

I need to:

Finish the Ottobre sweater for my (final) Fabric Mart post

Make the Swoon cardigan for my friend

And then I'll go back to the wardrobe above and do all the finishings. I think I'm going to need to get another spool of thread for the jeans/skirt (they're from the same fabric) to finish the topstitching.

The new McCall's were released and I have placed two(!) fabric orders this week, plus I am thinking about revisiting some of the awesomeness from this years' Burda issues so I'm going to push the "brown/cream" mini wardrobe to late winter.

As usual...more later!

Finished: McCall's 7430

As soon as this one was released I had to have it. I thought the lines were nice and felt it would be fitted like M6886 which is quite a fave!

I initially planned to make a solid version of A and ended up deciding I did want sleeves on it. After I started cutting the pieces out and saw how large the collar piece was on A/D, I ended up going with B. View A/D has a true turtleneck collar and I couldn't see the ponte working well doubled and then turned over again.

I did my normal Big4 pattern grading; 14 for the neckline and shoulder and 16 for the rest. On the back piece I graded out to an 18 for the hip. I did a tissue fit and didn't need to lower the bust point - yay! LOL! I removed 5/8" from the front armhole (I often need to take a dart there) by shaving a bit off both front yoke and center front grading to nothing at the fold line. I also ended up sewing 3/8" side seams at the side back from waist down.

As mentioned, I decided agains the full turtleneck and went with the shorter stand collar. I added a little bit of width to it after taking measurements. I was planning on top-stitching all the seams but this ponte has a bit of a subtle stripe with black and the topstitching didn't pop enough on the yoke in my opinion to make topstitching the other 4 seams worthwhile.  Lastly, I cut the sleeves at the lengthen/shorten line. This was solely based on preserving the remainder of this cut of fabric. WHAT!?! You've never done that?! :)

I adore the shaped hem! It takes some finagling - I departed from the directions a bit and sewed a basting stitch at 5/8", gathering it just enough to ease in the fullness and did a double turned hem. I topstitched with a twin needle.

It's still a little snug across the butt and the sleeves don't feel tight on me but clearly they are pulling. I'll make note of it. 

After I cut the pieces out I was side-eyeing the center front and back panels thinking it was a bit short. So yeah, this is more tunic than dress for me but I really do like it a lot! And it is such a great item for my wardrobe.

I went to see Girl on the Train today, ran a bunch of errands and had a yummy dinner out at a new restaurant. 

I can't believe the weekend is over already though. WHEW! 

Other info:
$7 Fabric, thread from stash, no other notions
Primarily constructed on the serger; used size 11 stretch needle on sewing machine and twin stretch needle for hems.

Testing, Testing, 123

For a host of reasons, none that really need to be discussed right now, I am starting anew!

I know I'm giving up lots of followers and will have little interaction to start...and maybe in time I will move my old content over...but for now we're starting from scratch! Besides, all that really matters for me is discussing my "makes" and interacting with the community.

I keep saying I hope blogging isn't dying and I had to analyze if I was giving up blogging completely. BUT I DON'T WANT TO!

So here I am! :-D

Funnily, I never considered "prettying things up" too much but I was excited to get a cute template and want to get one of those cartoon-ized images of myself done for the blog. I think they're adorable.

I finished my October Burda and it's okay. 

I cut a size 40 straight -- I typically grade to a 42 through the body -- and I cropped it. But I cropped it too much! I wanted an 18" length so I measured it 18". oops. I didn't add a hem allowance. I was going to add a band to the bottom but didn't want to bother with trying to match all the circles so I just went ahead and hemmed it.

My Burda jeans are in progress! I cut these out quite awhile ago and finally got back to them. I got them basted and needed more room through the hips and thighs. 

When I initially tried them on here, I didn't love them. But then I realized I was hiking them up like "normal" when they're boyfriend jeans! Eureka!! I let them hang on my hips and now I love them! LOVE!!! 

Still need to finish them with belt loops, buttonhole and button and hem.