Burda Mag 4/2018

I finished this shirt awhile ago and while I love the idea of it, I'm not sure how useful it'll be in my wardrobe. It has cool features with the radiating darts, back pleat and full sleeve. But IMO that limits it's versatility. 

I used a size 40 neckline and 42 for the rest. I also did a slash and spread on the lower back piece to add to the back hip. The fabric is a cotton sateen shirting from SR Harris in a bright pink (the pics of it on me are more accurate on the color).

I've said it before but, I love constructing shirts and jeans but they're not items I wear often. DOH! 

Baste! Baste! Baste!! :)

Look at that topstitching! So satisfying!!

There was a lot of extra fabric in the back waist (I didn't get a before pic). 

I did a quick fix which really helped. It was MUCH worse.

I took out as much as possible without throwing things too out of whack. 

Ended up removing about 3/4" total at center back. 

Like the last Burda shirt I made, the sleevehead is just too much. I am pretty sure I used the right sleeve size for the shirt. I do a 1" full bicep adjustment but that doesn't affect the length of the sleevehead. The fabric perhaps didn't like being eased...IDK. I redid the sleeves a couple times but it's just so much excess that I kept checking to make sure it wasn't a puff sleeve!

I do like the lower sleeve design. There's a horizontal seam on the sleeve and the lower is gathered into the cuff.

The darts are the other star of this shirt. They look really great! I used a 1/2" silver button from stash.

Nice pattern, nice shirt, Not sure how often it'll be worn. Darn it. 

My other WIP? Eek! It's only based at the sides here but I don't think I have the room necessary to fit the hip and thigh area. 

I was so confused and then realized the other 2 times I made this pattern I used ponte and a springy crepe suiting with quite a bit of mechanical stretch. This is a 100% wool, tightly woven suiting. 

So now that's officially a UFO. 

I then started a full sweater project for myself. I did a few swatches and hit stitch count exactly and was a bit short on row count. I didn't know how to adjust the increases and decreases if I adjusted the length so I just made it as is. It seems like it'll *just* finish at my high hip. We'll see! :)

I kept forgetting to block my pattern pieces. Every night I'd have a DOH! moment. Finally blocked the sleeves and the front and back are currently blocked out. I need to seam the raglan at front and one side of the back, knit the neckband, rehang the sweater (hence the blue waste yarn) and attach the neckband and sweater. Then, I'll sew up the other raglan seam and stitch the side seams + sleeve seam. 

Woohoo!!! 

I'm hoping for sew-jo. I miss sewing but can't get motivated. Wah. Maybe have to push out a TNT. We'll see!

October Wrap-Up and November Plans

Gah. It just occurred to me, IT'S NOVEMBER! Sigh. I was excited on Sunday because, new month! new week! Daylight saving!

 

But the month is off to a meh start and of course, there's the absolute anxiety of the general election and the results. 

 

This month, I sewed 3 items and 5.5 yards. I didn't buy any new fabric (I almost did! Surge Fabrics had some nice waffle knits!)

• Ottobre 5/2018 sweatshirt - 2 yards
• pink ponte from stash
• Burda 4/2018 shirt - 2 yards
• pink cotton shirting 
• buttons
• New Look 6326 skirt - 1.5 yards (WIP)
  
• wool suiting and pongee lining
• zipper, buckles

Favorites: Meh. I think my general mood has zapped my sewing energy. Nothing is grabbing me right now.

 

Fails: The sweatshirt. I hate the color. I knew I hated the color, but I guess it was more of a wearable muslin because I figured I could still wear it around the house for lounging. It isn't wearable 1) because I abhor the color and 2) because I just haven't worked out Ottobre's fit on me yet and it fits weirdly.

 

Accomplishments: Meh. LOL! The shirt is nicely sewn and the skirt is coming along.

 

I'd be more excited about this skirt if I knew I'd be wearing it when it was finished :-p

I really wanted to muslin that jacket and jeans for my husband but didn't get around to it. Partially because my hand has been bothering me a lot lately. 

November? IDK. I won't make too many plans because who knows where my mental state will take me. But, here's a few recent screenshots of RTW that caught my eye. If I do sew, it'll probably be some warm/snuggly stuff, even if I don't really need clothes right now. 

I saw this "maxi hoodie" by Nike and thought it was cool, but then not so sure about procuring a long zipper that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The shorter hoodie is kind of the alternative...in the same vein as those, this maxi dress with the stripes down the side is cool! That could be a fun project. I've also rewatched Power lately and one of the main characters, Tasha (Naturi Naughton) was wearing this raglan, colorblocked bomber and I thought it was cute so I might copy it. We'll see!! And, those jeans are just fun!!! 

I did work up a swatch for a sweater - I'm going to aim for a simple round-neck just to up my machine knitting confidence. And again, even if it isn't great, it'll be something I can tool around the house in.

This green ruler is a quick, instant way to check gauge. I was pretty aggravated that it was like $12 but, I like not counting stitches!

A swatch for a standard gauge machine means knitting 40 stitches by 60 rows and the ruler "counts them" instantly! So here, by lining the edge up with the left marker, we see that I am just under 27 stitches. The other side of the ruler has the row measurement.

Using waste yarn at the beginning and end is your marker for the rows and about midway through, you mark the stitch just outside of the 20th for easy markers for the stitches. It's a pretty slick process! Here, my aim is 29 stitches so I'd have to dial back the tension a bit. 

So, I suppose my plan for the month is to finish my skirt, knit a sweater, and stay healthy!