Surviving September

Apparently, the only way out of September is through.

Pattern: Sewaholic Fraser Sweatshirt

Fabric: Fuschia rayon/nylon/spandex ponte from Mood (here)

Notions: none

You know how it goes, when you're super busy, and you want to sew, but everything is so fiddly.  You start a dress, but it grinds to a halt when you realize it needs tinkering.  So you set it aside, and start an elastic waist skirt.  Then you realize it needs a lining, and you just can't bring yourself to cut the pieces, so you set it aside, too.  Then you just go for broke and cut out a sweatshirt, just because you need something you can finish.

Right?  

Please tell me I'm not the only one who loses momentum on a project, and just starts another.

This explains not only the state of my sewing room, but also my desk, the laundry room, and, well, my boys' rooms, too.

Anyway, this is view B, with the contrast collar.

Except I didn't have any coordinting ponte, decided it might be too limiting if I did make the collar contrast, and decided to just go with it -- for interesting seaming. 

And to just finish something.

It's really bright pink. 

This is a pretty easy sweatshirt, and it really didn't take very long. 

I made my normal size 10, and it's perfectly slightly-loose-and-yet-still-fitted.

I will admit I used the wrong cuff piece; I didn't realize there were different pattern pieces until I'd already attached these--they're the short sleeve ones--but decided it was okay anyway.  

This probably explains how my other projects ran aground, but couldn't risk losing momentum again!  I mean, I didn't even change out my serger thread to match.

And yet, I'm deliriously happy. 

 I am definitely making more of these.  It was quick, it went together easily, and fits without drama.  I'm not even going to think about how many I can have without my students starting to ask if I actually have anything else to wear.

It's September, and this is how it goes.

Mandarin Red is Orange!

Mandarin Red is Orange!

Soylent Green is people!

Okay, yeah, that's all I've got there.

I ordered this fabric labeled "Mandarin Red" expecting red, with a bit of orange.

What arrived was orange, with a bit of red.

This may be why people order swatches instead of going all willy-nilly with yardage.

I THINK I'm brave enough for this fabric. 

 I THINK I'm brave, I THINK I'm brave, I THINK I'm brave...

Aside from color shock, this fabric is amazing.  It's soft, and drapey, and soft, and light-weight, and soft.  I hope you get there that it's soft. Really soft.

Which comes to why I'm so on the fence about this dress.

The fabric is great, the color is well, bold, but the fit just isn't there yet.

Pattern: Sewaholic Davie Dress, the short view

Fabric: "Mandarin Red" rayon ponte from Mood

Notions: single fold bias tape for neckline and sleeves, 

knit interfacing for shoulder seams

I've had this finished for a couple of weeks, and today is the second time I've worn it, and I'm still on the fence.  First off, the fabric seems to grow with wear, as though the weight of it stretches it out.  I *think* that's what's going on with the bodice--it seems too long through the upper chest and back, then ends up hanging on my waist and hips where the seam shaping comes in.

I actually did mess around with those seams.  I cut a size 10 as usual, and constructed the front and back and neckline before basting the side seams, which ended up coming in an extra 3/4" on each side.  I also created a dart in the center back seam to bring in excess at the small of my back.  The center back seam, as drafted, is pretty straight.

I didn't raise the shoulder seams, even though it was suggested in the directions, because the neck would've ended up too small.  I may yet pick things out and redo that, though, because I'm just not sold. I mean, it's comfortable...I just don't know that it's really flattering.

Loose up top, and snug down low?  Um, that's a middle school nightmare.

See?  Even on the dress form it seems to hang funny from the bodice.
The skirt looks weird here, too, but that's because my dress form may have a dislocated hip.
(She has shoulder problems, too; it happens to all of us with age.)

The back does look a lot better here, but she has less butt than I do.

And I still see extra length through the shoulders.

All in all, I really think the pattern is good, although I honestly would've expected more shaping from the center back seam.  I think my fabric worked against me here.  And I might've been better off cutting a smaller size (like pretty much every pattern reviewer says). And waiting to finish the neck until after the shoulders were good.

So, I have a little more tinkering to do.

Because if I'm going to wear a bright orange dress, it's got to be a great orange dress.

First Signs of Spring

Today I bared my legs for the first time this year.

And no one died.  Or shrieked in pain. Or claimed blindness.

Okay, one person may have cried, but I really don't think that was because of my vampire legs.

Pattern: Sewaholic Harwood

Fabric: navy/white geometric cotton voile

Notions: 1/4" elastic, light interfacing, and buttons.  A lot of buttons

So, this dress may be proof of my busyness.  Or laziness.  Or both.

I've had this in the works for over a month.

It waited a while for buttons.

It waited a while for hemming.

It waited a while for me to iron away markings.

And it waited a while for me to move that bottom button an eighth of an inch down.

Guess who finally just wore it today, with the bottom button unbuttoned?

And guess who noticed pink frixion pen during pictures?

(Maybe that happened at work?)

Notes:

Mmm.  I cut a straight size 10.  

I would normally grade down for the hips on a Sewaholic pattern, but it's a flared skirt, and grading felt like too much work.  It's fine.

This is the longer length version, which is a little longer than I usually go for, but a good transition length for shy limbs.  No special construction issues; Tasia writes clear, concise directions, and everything went together neatly.

I was originally worried the neckline might be too high, but it sits comfortably, and I don't feel choked.  I could probably tighten the waistline elastic a little more--it sits comfortably loose--and the belt helps it feel a little more secure. You can see it slipping a bit in the above picture, but that may have been due to yanking the skirt down after a particularly wild gust and a slight overreaction to the idea of my underwear and my husband with a camera. 

 

My house is a mess, and these are crazy bad pictures, but at least you can see the shape.

The only other thing to mention is these buttons from Grandma's stash.  They were the only ones I could find that I had enough of. I tried scouting different buttons, but there's not a whole lot of pizzazz when it comes to white 1/2" buttons.  These are thick and chunky, slightly frosted, and stand out from the print. 

Now if only I can make myself move that bottom one, I'll be good to go.

Polka Dot Granville

Pattern: Sewaholic Granville

Fabric: cotton batiste

Notions: fusible interfacing.  (I did not go the shirtmaking way.) 9 1/2" buttons.

Notes:
For this version, I cut size 10 through the chest and waist, and an 8 in the hips--my new usual.  And I straightened out the side seam shaping a bit.
 For the sleeves, since I already knew they'd need some help, I used my altered sleeve from the Oakridge blouse, and blended the two pattern pieces together. For what it's worth, the cap and bicep looked pretty similar to the size 12 in height and width. The sleeve cap curve was curvier, though.

It's worth (I guess) noting that I didn't use the sleeve placket included in the pattern. Instead I used the Threads placket, which I already rock at.  It took a bit to get figured out, but I own those suckers now. Honestly, I could put sleeve plackets on everything.

Unfortunately, it made the sleeve a little too long for the cuff, which called for a last minute teeny tiny pleat right before the underlap.  Which I steadfastly refused to take pictures of.  So there.
Swap out the placket at your own risk.

I flat felled all the seams, (except the armscyes), so the insides really do look nice.
Unfortunately, on the back panel, I trimmed the wrong seam allowance, and ended up having to press the seams toward the sides instead of the center back.

And that is just between you and me and anyone else lucky enough to notice.
(I'm betting we'll be a small, select group.)



Getting real life pictures proved difficult.  The "best" pictures turned out without using the flash.
I am including this only because I literally laughed out loud when I saw it.  I think this was right in the middle of a conversation about the flash settings, but it honestly may have been about anything.  Including whose turn it was to scoop poop in the back yard.

Also, it's been too hot to wear a long-sleeved shirt.  And by the time everyone is settled in the evening (after dinner, after playing, after BMX), the sun is setting, and I think, 'oh well, maybe tomorrow...", and then a week goes by.

These pictures were after we got home from an evening out, and I threw on the shirt for pictures.  Please know that I do not usually wear long-sleeved button-down shirts with shorts.

And this is what we got with the flash.  This picture was taken within 5 minutes of the one above, and we all know the sun doesn't set that fast.

In anycase, I like this shirt.
 I like the fabric, I like the pattern, I like all the little finicky parts of sewing a button-down shirt.  There are a couple of things I might want to tweak for the next-time, and there are a couple of wobbly sewing bits, but overall, this is a good shirt.

That'll do.

In the Pink

Work is, officially, still kicking my butt right now.  

But that doesn't mean I haven't been stealing minutes here and there to sew.

It just means those minutes are fewer and farther apart, and that sometimes, I choose to use those minutes to gork on the couch with Nutty Bars instead.

The back of this coat needs a belt/sash, but it's wearable for now.

This friend needed some loving, and I couldn't make him wait.  : )

The Details:

Pattern: Sewaholic Robson, minus the storm flaps, shortened by 8 inches, and with pockets raised by 1 inch.  Otherwise; Sewaholic Robson.  Sizewise, I cut a 10 through the shoulders/bust, and graded to an 8 at the waist and hips.

Fabric: hot pink wool and poly polka dot lining, both from Fabric Recycles, a local fabric store that buys and resells stashed fabric and notions

Notions: medium weight fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply, 16 buttons, 2 spools of thread, copious amounts of steam, chocolate cake, yard beer

Time to complete: about 3 1/2 pounds (see above re: chocolate cake and yard beer)

Necessary tools: bamboo point turner, big block of cedar fencing and a couple of pieces of oak hardwood flooring scraps to use as clappers, steam, steam, and more steam, and a walking foot.

Sources referenced: The Singer Sewing Manual, by Mary Brooks Picken, copyright 1962 (ish), The Sewtionary, by Tasia St. Germain, copyright 2014.

So, about this coat: I decided I should try bound buttonholes.  

On a coat with eight button holes.

Try them, they're fun! my mom said.

Spoiler alert:

Fun! would've been one.  Maybe two.  Perhaps even three.

Eight was work.

 

Enter stage right: The Sewtionary.  I ordered this book in April or May, and the pictures are really nice.  I love that the samples she used to demonstrate techniques were on patterns I already owned, or at least was familiar with.  After a couple of tester buttonholes, I was good to go and knocked out the eight buttonholes pretty quickly.  Use lots of steam to press the bulk flat is the only tip I'd pass on that wasn't in the book--otherwise I'd give it 5 stars: great eye candy + informative + useful.

The problem came when I tried to make life harder for myself and line the coat.  I used the same basic coat pattern pieces, but cut the back piece on the fold, and folded in the excess seam allowance into an inverted box pleat.  Then attached the facing pieces to the shell, and attached it the jacket as you would in bagging a lining.

And, um, I hadn't yet cut the windows for the backs of those button holes.

I wish I could tell you I figured out a trick that may change your life, but really it was careful marking, cutting, and 2 evenings of handstitching on the couch while watching The Roosevelts on PBS.

Tip to change your life? Cut and press those windows before attaching the facing? Or handstitch the lining to the facing after the button holes are done?  Your guess is as good as mine, as I am not motivated right now to experiment with that.  Leave tips the comments, please!  

Easy pattern addition: a petersham ribbon hanging loop.

(Stole Repurposed the ribbon from a Boden shoe bag.)

Sleeve cuff tab!  

And finally, we all know it: Hidden polka dots are the next best thing to exposed polka dots.

Maybe even better.

I've got polka dots that you don't even know about.

Pineapple Yaletown Express and The Lost Art of Dress

First off, I don't generally gravitate toward floral prints; I think I was drawn by the name of this one, "Wild Beauty Pineapple".  It's okay, I fully admit to being drawn in by great packaging and clever product names.  (I may also judge books by the covers.)

The Details:

Pattern: Sewaholic Yaletown Blouse/Dress

Fabric: Art Gallery cotton voile 

Notions: lightweight sheer interfacing, thread, 1/4" elastic

Notes:

Construction was pretty straightforward, although I did get a bit confused about the directions for the elastic waist casing, so I just did it how I thought it should be done.  It works.  No biggie.

I'll definitely make this again, but next time, though, I might make the belt a little longer.  I wouldn't mind if it draped just a little longer when tied in a bow.  I also might cut the elastic a little longer, as I really don't need it to fit so closely at the waist. I would rather this sit a little lower than my natural waist, and tighter elastic wants to roll up to my smallest spot. Someone (who shall remain nameless) clearly has gone a long time without entertaining the idea of sit-ups and core strengthening.

Size-wise, I graded from a 10 at shoulders and bust to an 8 at the waist/hips, and I honestly think this may be the way to fix my Alma problems from earlier this year. (Plus leaving out the front darts.)  

Back to the Yaletown, these sleeves are my favorite yet!  They are very loosely gathered at the top, but cut to swing out at the hem--great range of motion and pretty, too.

Here's the belt un-bow tied, where I think I'd like it slightly longer. 

On a completely unrelated note, I am very distracted by those two yellow flowers front and center, but thankfully it's not so obvious on.  And lord knows, I could have done much worse on print placement. (!!!)

 Bow-tied belt.  Cute, but short.

Back view with blousing.

I also recently finished reading The Lost Art of Dress by Linda Przybyszewski. (I'm linking to Good Reads, there).  It was a really interesting non-fiction novel about the history of Home Economics both academically and professionally.  

The book is structured chronologically, beginning with its inception as part of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), outlines the rise of colleges of Home Economics as safe-havens for female scientists, and ending with its downfall during the 60's as a result of the Women's Movement.  (Why couldn't female chemists work in the chemistry department?)  

The author focuses on the women who addressed clothing design, primarily in the 40's-60's.  What I found most interesting was the theory that following the youthquake movement, there was more of a cultural focus on youth and appearing younger, and that fashion became more simple and youth-oriented.  'Sophisticated' styles lost ground, but also the cultural desire to be sophisticated lost out.  This is particularly interesting if you've ever gone shopping, and found yourself without a clothing section--or what I like to call the "I'm not 13, but I'm also not a grandma" section.  

It was a good, quick read, and I think relatable.  It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that no 13 and 37 year old females ever want to be caught in the same outfit at school.

State Fair Belcarra

Remember when you were a kid, and you were so excited for new school clothes, but you didn't actually wear them, because you were, like, saving them up for when school actually started?  

Maybe the excitement of new clothes outweighs the sadness of the end of summer?

Okay, I may be weird. 

(I have also recently told my own children not to wear their new school shoes out to play in the mud. That's not weird, though.  That's just being a mom.)  

This is all just a long way of saying that I have a lot of things finished, but not blogged, for the main reason that I haven't actually worn them.  Yet.

But today, I broke loose, and wore this one to the Missouri State Fair.

Sorry for the cloudy iphone pics.  The ferris wheel was a macaroni and cheese wheel, and each of the buckets were single-serve Easy Mac bowls.  See that macaroni smile in the middle? 

Part of the reason I broke this out today is that I'm unsure of it.

I liked the fabric when I bought it.

I liked the fabric when I was sewing it.

And when it was done, I thought, maybe-kinda, does that look like hospital wallpaper?

Hmm.

And that's all it took, one teeny-tiny question, to have me casting it the side-eye, trying to come up with some other mental image for this shirt.

Does that look like hospital wallpaper?

Sleeve tucks

Print-matching on the pocket like a boss. (or middle manager)

I'm not sure if it's a better mental image now to associate it with the smell of livestock, corn dogs, and lemonade, but at least we've broken through that initial wear.

The Details:

Pattern: Sewaholic Belcarra

Fabric: Art Gallery voile "Mojave Illuminated"

Notions: just thread

Time to complete: an evening, but only because this was my third version of this shirt

And since I've really got nothing new to add on construction, and because I'm in denial about going back to work on Wednesday, here are some more pictures of the fair.

Raindrops Saltspring

Finally, I finished my Saltspring Dress.  I don't have a whole lot of new or interesting things to say, as honestly, I think everyone on the planet has made this dress.  Unfortunately, I don't learn from other's experiences very well, so I went out and learned the exact same thing that everyone else on the planet already knows: this dress doesn't need the zipper.

Wait, didn't I read that somewhere? Yep.  I did. 

Several places, in fact.  And now I know, irrevocably, that they were right.  All of them.  After I dicked around with the zipper, installed it, picked it out, and reinstalled it correctly.  Sigh.

I look like I'm giving the death stare here, but I think I was just checking to see that the door to the garage had gotten closed.

Top Ten Things You Should Know About This Dress

10.  Yes, it's comfortable. Unshaven legs are our little secret.

 
9.  Yes, it is cool and breezy.

 
8.  Yes, I closed it in the car door 3 different times today while running errands.

 
7.  Yes, my youngest son did bike over the hem more than once as I was "helping" him on the bike.  (He says, "Hold my hand, Mom!" I say, "You're fine. I've got you.  I won't let you fall."  x100).

 
6.  Yes, the very same son told me I shouldn't wear it today, as someone might see me...and rip it off, because they don't like it.  I have no idea what that means.

 
5.  No, I do not take style advice from the men in my home.

 
4.  Yes, a strapless bra is required.  Although, it was a comfortable one.

 
3.  Yes, those straps are crazy long. They don't need to be that long.
Thank God they didn't get stuck in the door, too.

 
2.  Yes, you can expect to spend twenty minutes getting dressed just working on getting those ties situated not in the front, but kind of toward the back side of your shoulder, where there's still a cute bow, but not so that it's flopping around in your face all day.  If you dress after your spouse has left for work, you may debate the wisdom of asking a child to tie them, and if your child can even remember how to tie a bow tie after wearing flip-flops all summer.  You may also consider stopping by your mother's house to have HER fix the ties, before ultimately deciding you've spent way too long on something lame, knot them, tie them crappily, and call it good.

 
1.  No, you don't need the zipper.  It both goes on and comes off easily over the head.

Please admire my useless, but well-installed zipper.  I was also worried that the lining would show where the bloused part hangs loose, but there you go: proof, no lining show through.

The Details

Pattern: Sewaholic Saltspring Dress

Fabric: rayon challis, Valori Wells raindrops print

Notions: 14" invisible zipper, optional, and 1/4" elastic

Notes: I do like this dress, but I think I need a little help styling it.  (I actually searched pinterest for maxi dress outfits, and everything seemed to involve a jeans jacket.  Or a scarf.  With a jeans vest. Not happening in July, people.)  Granted, these pictures aren't the most flattering, as it had suffered through a long hard day prior to dusk and pictures.  And I did get a compliment on at the vet's office.  But I had just purchased a year's supply of heart pills and flea and tick treatment, so really, it was the least they could do.

That said, it was quick and easy, and I do like how comfortable it is.  I just think my next version will be knee length, with no zipper, and bra-strap style adjustable straps.  And I adjusted my pattern for a little more room across the chest, as it feels a little tight.  No biggie.

Silk Belcarra

First off, apologies for the awful pictures.  It has been raining since noon, and the weather forecast calls for three more days of rain. 

Pattern: Sewaholic Belcarra

Fabric: 1 1/4 yards Roberto Cavalli silk, purchased from Kaplan's

Notions: thread

I originally purchased this fabric with no small amount of fear.  It's sik, and it's slippery.  It's also not at all within my comfort zone of print...but I'd looked at it and touched it and looked at the price tag everytime I went into the store.  On my last visit before they closed, Alan offered a discount, and I went with it.  I had no plans for it, but knew it needed to be something simple.  So when the Belcarra pattern was released earlier this year, I knew I'd found a match.

And then I went and decided to do the version with the tucked sleeves.

At which point I decided that maybe I should avoid handling this as much as possible.

So I decided against French seams.

You can now kick me out of the sewing community--I serged a silk blouse.

In my defense, (and I still stand by my decision):

a) there are a lot of bias seams here, which were just asking to be pulled all wonky

b) this silk has a twill weave, which wants to skew anyway

c) I did not want to risk having to unpick seams in this fabric

d) well, this isn't Project Runway.  You can't kick me out for that.

Will I still wear this?

Yes.

Am I happy with how it turned out?

Yes, if it ever stops raining.

Case closed.

On the sizing, I graded from a 10 through the shoulders to an 8 at the waist and hips, due to previous issues with tight shoulders.  I may have been able to get away with an 8 all over, as it is so drapey, and slighty prone to mechanical stretch, but I'm really okay with the looser fit through the top.  

Silk is supposed to be drapey.