In-House Patterns New York Mini Skirt

I've expressed my love of In House Patterns before. There are 10 patterns available for sale and I own 8 of them. They are good and the finished measurement chart is outstanding! IHP is a Canadian pattern company founded by Alexandra Morgan, a former pattern maker, designer, technical designer and fit technician in the fashion industry. (this is the kind of Indie pattern co. I can get behind!)

When I decided I wanted an ivory/winter white mini, I remembered this Rayon/acetate/lycra blend suiting I scored at Fabric Mart for $3.75 a yard! It has amazing drape! I took it to the last sewing meetup because I was like, "SOMEONE has to feel how amazing the drape of this fabric is!!!!!" LOL! Y'all know how I am.

It was SO hard to photograph the nearly white skirt.

I cut a size 14 and did a 3/4" full bum adjustment and at the last minute decided to add 1/2" to the side seams. After basting, I removed all of it plus a tiny bit more through the hip and had to take the waist in a couple times and actually think I need to take it in some more. Wah. I didn't trust my own measurements! Like pretty much every pattern company, I need one size smaller than my hips to fit my waist. So I should have cut a 12 graded to a 14. 

I had to enlist my husband for the pics because doing it on my own with the tripod, I got a bright white rectangle and that was IT. lol! It looked photoshopped!

Bathroom Selfies!

Everything went together beautifully, as has the other few patterns I've sewn from the brand. The pattern doesn't include a lining but the yoke is faced and so adding a lining is easy peasy. 

Look at how crisp the waistband is! This fabric was a JOY to work with! I was worried about using a white zipper but the pull blends right in unlike the blinding white zipper tape :)

I sewed the skirt 100% by machine. The zipper lining turned out well. The machine stitched blind hem is okay. I will probably end up sewing it by hand when I am able. It's less awesome than I want it to be.

So, my hand :( Although my most recent MRI wasn't helpful, I realized that the issues I'm having now are carpal tunnel related. I've had it since I was about 19 to varying degrees of severity. I showed him this pic which happened 2 days before I went in and he said that was carpal tunnel related. So we'll see how the EMG test goes next month...I'm going to go back to my old orthopedic doc (sighhhhhhhh so over all this!) since he's treated my CT since like 2004/2005. I've been wearing my brace to bed every night and it helps a ton. Helps me get through the work day at least!

Couldn't move my fingers and they were turning purple!!!

I hemmed my last Butterick 6621 dress on Saturday but haven't been able to cut anything out. I have a Burda blouse ready to sew but also didn't want to be using my hand if I didn't need to. I think I'll get to sew it this weekend, we'll see.

I was pretty committed to not buying fabric for awhile and lo and behold, I saw a fabric similar enough to the black watch plaid I've been stalking (and almost had in my hot little hands but it sold out at Michael Levine before my order got processed). This one was cheaper too! :-p

So hopefully I'll have a lovely little sheath soon! 

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!