On The Run II: McCall's 7728 and Simplicity 8466

Epic post of epic-ness...

Let's start by saying I will never NOT attempt to see JAY-Z or Beyonce when they tour the midwest. Beyonce is an amazing performer and I will continue to see her any time I can! But at heart, I am a rap head. And am about 72% there for JAY and the other 28% for Bey :-p I have loved rap music for as long as I can remember!

In 1988, shortly after turning 9(!) I would sneak and listen to NWA's Straight Outta Compton. Like, boombox literally on '1'. (I still listen to Straight Outta Compton!) The first album I ever purchased was later that summer, MC Lyte's Lyte as a Rock. IDK why my parents let me buy that one...maybe because she was a woman they thought it was 'safer' rap??  hahaha!  At any rate, I'm 30 years in and about 95% of the time, you can catch me listen to rap over anything else. My dad just asked the other day what kind of music I usually listen to...and said, "do you still listen to rap like that?" YES! :-p

And JAY-Z. Ahhhhh. We're going to pretend like the Kingdom Come album doesn't exist but aside from that...just greatness. Rap greatness. So OTR and OTR II is like, ooh some Beyonce magic! But I'm really there for Jay. Shhhhh. Don't tell the Bey-hive!

I knew I was going to sew something for the concert because OF COURSE I am! I initially bought M7728 with the intent of using the bodice and adding a simple gathered skirt--just a cute summer dress. Then I started thinking about a top + pants which led to this top + skirt combo which first, was going to be a frankenpatterned dress. WHEW.

M7258 bodice with S8466 skirt

I really liked this Mimi G pattern when it was released. There was a similar Burda that I've debated buying for a long time...slightly different but overall feel is similar.  And, once I muslined the bodice, I REALLY loved it and decided it would be a top. It looked super cute with high-waist jeans and a casual (tercel twill) jacket. I couldn't find my high-waist jeans OR strapless bra (either in the hamper or the laundry! LOL!) so you will have to bear with bra-straps and navel sightings. You'll survive...maybe!

Muslin 1:
Cut size 16 with no adjustments. Decide I need an FBA, more waist room, armhole tuck.

Muslin 2:
I have no pictures because it was SAD. I did a 3/4" FBA and it came out HUMONGOUS.

I went back, undid all of the changes except the 3/8" armhole tuck (I'm moving my zipper back and forth between these muslins and it's so irritating!), and put the first muslin back on.

Lightbulb. I do need more waist room, but the bodice is standing away because it's too big. I took a pretty big tuck out of the front neckline; 1/2" on each side. YES! This makes so much sense. I cut a straight 16. My correct pattern size is 14 with FBA and sometimes I'll grade from 14 to 16. IDK why I didn't cut a 14!

Went back and straightened out the side seam (I'm not that curvy through the waist), adding 1/2" to the the side seam at the waist- LOVE!

My zipper is 9" and I debated lengthening the top or adding a band to get the rest of the length needed. I decided to split it and added 1" to the length and finished it with a 1" band. The top was then way too long. It looked odd. So I decided to try my hand again at shortening the metal zipper. I've tried a whole bunch of times and have just never had the strength.

I Googled a bit and someone suggested using jewelry snips (idk what they're actually called). This worked EFFORTLESSLY!!! So I don't have to worry about shortening them anymore - YAY!

The top is fully lined with Bemberg (it feels good but I'm not as crazy about this stuff as others seem to be - it's a beast to cut and sew) and I made self-straps instead of using trim (trim, seriously?) I wanted them to finish at 3/8" wide and cut them at 1 3/8", sewn with 1/4" seam allowance. Turning these almost took me out. The Ankara is so 'sticky' and I almost gave up. My bodkin was no help and I had to turn to the bobby pin method - it worked though!

This was taken immediately after washing. 

I under stitched the bemberg but it wanted to roll back out around the cups anyway! It was fine once I pressed it again. 

brastraps! avert your gaze!!

You know the rumor that Apple screws with your phone as it gets older/new models are released?? 

My phone is just haywire so often. I swear I was clicking to take side/back photos and THREE different times I went aside and there were NO photos of the back/side! I gave up...I just wanted to show how low the back sits on M7728...but it still provides bra band coverage.

For the skirt, I swear I looked at the finished measurements AND measured the waistband pieces. And cut a 16. I thought I was going to need to insert gussets for a second there. I did have to recut my back waistband and facings. The upper part of the yoke is supposed to be slightly gathered. I had NO EXTRA ROOM for this gathering! I added about 1" to the back waistband since I eliminated the gathers.

it still works!

so sunny!!

I tried *a little* on matching everything. This was a double border print and I cut the skirt panels on the crossgrain, completely eating up that 6 yard cut of fabric. You can see that while the front doesn't match perfectly across, the motifs are at least lined up horizontally.

No attempt to match the upper but on the lower skirt, 

I wanted to ensure the border started at the same place.

The pockets are unnecessary fiddly IMO. Maybe in a solid they'd pop? But pleat and sew a dart in the lower corner and then pleat the upper corners when you attach them...and bleh. I removed all the extra and just did a pleated pocket. I did mess up though and matched the width to the flaps (they should be *just* slightly smaller) so I had to make it work and squeeze them in. It's fine though because of the print.

The corner where the lower gathered portion meets the front yoke/band is the only difficult part of this pattern. I marked the seam lines, reinforced, clipped and still couldn't get it nice and square. On the first side, I ripped and redid it but then I think I weakened that corner by ripping out stitches. Again, it's fine though because super busy print.

I never use pattern pieces for carriers. I like to cut a 1 1/4" piece, serge on end, fold in the raw edge 3/8", fold over the serged edge, and topstitch 1/8" away from each edge. I skipped the self tie because of the busy print. I figured my leather belt would look much better. I added my label and a strip from the selvage <3

Lastly, whenever I'm making buttonholes, both sides of the fabric gets interfaced. I like to make the area as stable as possible (on the pocket flaps, the uninterfaced side has a strip of fusible where the buttonhole went in). The buttons are the last of the shell buttons Carolyn sent me awhile back. And I didn't have enough so the waistband has a different button.

I'm really digging this outfit and the separate pieces!!

I think I'll be wearing this skirt A LOT! I can totally see it transitioning to fall and winter too.

I just got excited at the thought of my off-shoulder bodysuit or tissue weight turtleneck with tights and updated 'combat' boots. YAY!

Navel alert! 

I'm so nosy. I 'bout died when I saw this pic. These people were minding their own business but I am so.nosy.! LMAO!!! So I had to include it. I'm definitely going to be the neighborhood watch lady...(you know that one super nosy old lady that knows everything about everyone!)

The concert was AH-MAZING!!! And I just loved this outfit. I felt pretty regal and stand-outish :) And I was comfortable too...well until we'd reached the point where we'd been standing/walking for ~6 hours. My almost 40 year old self can't hang tie 2 a.m. anymore!