A little follow up...

Just a couple of housekeeping issues...

1. Zuzana - you never contacted me about the fabric.  Please contact me in the next 3-4 days IF I don't hear from you by Tuesday, December 14th, I will draw another name for the wool double knit fabric.

2.  I didn't sew at all last weekend...I ended up putzing around.  However, I did make an alteration to this Butterick 5446 jacket:

it became a vest instead:

which I love!!!  I was having a problem with the sleeves, as my bodacious biceps seem to have become even more bodacious recently...which I think is a part of my newly found raglan sleeve love.  Anyway I removed them, added some bias tape binding to the armholes and "walah" new vest.  I wore this to work this week with a black turtleneck and black lined wool pants and it was a hit!  So I'm definitely going to look for another piece of interesting fabric from the collection to make it again!

As noted in yesterday's post, I will be sewing this weekend.  And you all have left some interesting comments...to address a few:

Nancy DaQ said:
"Carolyn, have you ever considered making a separate pants liner to wear with pants? That way, you might be able to salvage some from last winter."

Sew Great To Be Me seconded:
"Cuddl Duds make a silky-type of thermal pants that I wear under pants. I'm sure you can whip those up in about 15 minutes."

I have thought about this at various times but it's just another layer at my waistline that would drive me crazy. I already have 3 layers, underwear, tights or stockings and pants...a liner or thermals would make 4 and truly I'm not happy with the three...four would just drive me over the edge! *smile*

Jane wrote:
"I learned a neat way of lining/underling pants. Cut the lining 5/8" larger on all the vertical seams and keep the regular size on the curved ones. Sew the vertical seams right sides together with the fashion fabric using a 1/4" seam and turn. The lining wraps around the fashion fabric pieces forming a mock hong kong finish. Then serge all the curved edges. I can hem to this underling and pressing in the crease is a snap as the lining and fashion fabric are treated as one. I won't do my wool pants any other way."

Thanks Jane - that is exactly what I meant about how to handle the side seams and the inner thigh seams...I will remember and use the serging the curves portion of your comment.  I definitely can do this!  So thanks again!!!

I've also tried the add some extra to the pants leg in the lining but it tends to bunch up in my thigh area and I find I'm constantly tugging at my pants so that method is out now too!

Finally sewistafashionista left this comment from the almanac:
"Here goes: "Winter will be milder across the north but colder across the south [NY area], with the coldest periods in early and mid-December, early and mid-January, and mid-February. The snowiest periods will be in late December, mid and late January, and mid-to late-February and early March."


Umm, I don't know whether to thank you or curse the almanac! *LOL*  The one thing I hate more than the cold is snow... 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

...more later!

The Guts and the Glory

...or the construction details of Butterick  5546...I know I promised this yesterday but sadly it was not to be! 

First up, pattern alterations:

1.  As with any pattern I need to add some width to the finished garment.  Luckily I didn't need to add much to this one.  To the front piece, I sliced, diced and spread so that the bottom had a 1.5" increase.

2. To the back piece, I did a pivot and slide and added 2".  These two simple alterations provided enough space to smoothly flow over my protruding parts.

3.  The sleeves (I wish I had taken a  picture of the original pattern piece) were very large and bell shaped.  I knew I didn't want Sister Bertrille sleeves so I trimmed the side seams by 2" on either side.  Then I straightened out the hemline removing the flared shape so that I ended up with a more traditional looking sleeve.  I know that in my original post, I said that I was going to add elastic to the seam hem but when I tried the jacket on, I was fine with how it looked and let it stand.

Construction

*I pinned and then basted the front yoke to the front piece.  I was concerned about getting a proper fit and felt that a little basting would eliminate any shifting during the trip through the sewing machine.

*All of the exposed seams were finished with black rayon seam binding.  Since the jacket is unlined, I didn't want unfinished seams showing. 

*I added black piping to the collar to give it some definition...without the black framing the collar I feel like it fades into the background because the print on the fabric is very overpowering.

*The back yoke is an interesting detail to the jacket, this piece was also basted down with a bold colored thread so that I could see it on the right side when I machine stitched it down.

*I trimmed the sleeve hems with the black rayon seam binding preparing to turn them under to hem.  However, when I tried the jacket on, I felt that the binding provided an ending to the patterned material, so I left it.

Otherwise, I followed the pattern instructions.  The jacket is not terribly difficult to sew and I realize that the fabric choice is what really makes the jacket sing.  I'm almost afraid that it sings too loudly to wear to work!  And I won't be wearing it with the pants as shown, I'm going to wear it over my little black dress and hopefully I won't look like I'm going out for a night on the town!

I do want to make this with some short sleeves for a spring/summer look...I think it will work great with either a straight skirt or a sheath dress.  So you will probably see it again!

One final view of the outfit:

...more later!

I've had a Productive Day

Today was a good sewing day!  I finished the jacket, made a new pair of black pants and cut out Butterick 5415.  A very good sewing day, indeed!

First a pic:

Me wearing Butterick 5446 plus

the black stretch wool SWAP pants

A close-up of the buttons and the collar

It's late so I will share construction details on the jacket tomorrow. 

The Butterick 5415 dress:

photo courtesy of http://www.butterick.com/

from the wool that I bought with Elizabeth from Mood Fabrics...

The wool has been pretreated...the pattern pieces altered and everything cut out...I will finish this up next weekend.  I feel a little calmer now because I have plans to make a dress! *LOL*

...as always more later!

Butterick 5546 - Part Deux

They say a pictures can say a thousand words...so I'm gonna let them speak:

The front

The back

The collar

The buttons

No, it's not finished yet.  I'm having an issue with one sleeve so I want to take it out and put it back in.  It needs buttons and buttonholes and the jacket needs to be hemmed.  Otherwise its almost done, however, so am I for the night!

I'll put all the gory pattern alteration and construction details in the finishing post...and I'll probably finish it next weekend.  Oh and one more thing...I will definitely make this again during the spring/summer in a linen...I just have to figure out how to line it!

...as always, more later!

Next Up is Butterick 5446

Lately I've been feening for jackets.  I mean really wanting new and different styles to put together with pants, skirts and dresses to wear to work.  As you know I work in a very professional workplace which requires a lot of suit outfits.  Now I have no problems coming up with outfits from late March to early December when the temperatures aren't in the single digits or there isn't so much snow on the ground.  However, from late December through the beginning of March I tend to live in pants.

I know there are many women who are fans of pants...and I believe they have their purpose in my wardrobe, but they are not my most favorite article of clothing to wear.  So now that I'm deep into the coldest part of the year there is just no escaping the fact that I wear pants more than skirts or dresses.  Of course to me, this is the area of my wardrobe with the biggest holes because I need quite a few jackets to balance out the pants and have a "proper" suit type look.

However, I HATE notched collar jackets...am quite uncomfortable in them...and just don't wear them.  It has taken me a minute to acquire enough patterns and inspiration looks to come up with some different jacket types...so now I'm feening for new jackets.

Butterick 5446 is one of the new spring pattern offerings from Butterick.  The description on the back of the pattern envelope is:

"Misses' Jacket:  Loose-fitting, unlined jackets, slightly below waist length have collar, double breasted front button closures and stitched hems.  View A has short sleeves with button and button loop closures.  View B has elbow length sleeves."

Butterick 5446

photo courtesy of http://www.butterick.com/

I like this pattern because it reminds me of the yellow version of the Michael Kors suit that Michelle Obama has worn:

You know just to continue my ongoing fascination with her wardrobe! *LOL*

As usual I'm using the bones of the pattern with some slight alterations.  After reading through the instruction sheet, I realize that the only closures on this jacket are at the top neckline and I'm wondering if wearing it through the day will cause it to flap open unattractively.  So I'm going to add a side tie at the waistline to help with keeping it closed.  If that doesn't work I will try some snaps but the tie will be my first choice. 

My second change will be to the sleeves.  Okay, those large bell shaped sleeves are quite trendy...just a little too trendy for me.  I will shave a little of the width off below the elbow and add elastic to a casing at the sleeve hem.  Still trendy but a little more office appropriate, to me.

My fabric is in the dryer...its some of that blue/black polyester brocade from the Vera Lavendar collection from fabric.com.  It was one of the few $1.95 per yard purchases I made...I mean I've bought so much of it during the previous sales that there was very little left that I wanted when the last few pieces were reduced to $1.95 a yard. 

I don't have many pattern alterations to make and I'm also planning on making a pair of black lined pants to go with the jacket.  The black pants will be one of the bottoms in my SWAP collection so even though I am making something new...I am pairing it with something from the SWAP and killing two birds with one stone!

Well I'm off to sew and I'm sure that I will have more to share later!