Autumn Sewing Miscellany

I've been sewing...I have four tops to photograph and share with you...just haven't gotten there since my photographer has a pretty full life with four little ones, a full time job, house and mate. Next photo shoot is tomorrow so more posts next week.

Fall/Winter Wardrobe Thoughts/Ideas ~
However, as the temps have risen and fallen this week, I've started to think again about what I want to look like in my new world. Also, I'm becoming a YouTube junkie watching many of the vlogs that sewists are making because it's interesting to see their fabric & pattern choices, what styles they think are important going forward, etc.

Though all of this makes me realize that my view of what's stylish and wearable is different than that of a 20, 30 or 40 year old...even some of the more fit and stylish 50 year-olds. My fashion view truly is more JJill, Chicos and Talbots, because of my work situation and my age. I want to be fashionable, comfortable (as in clothing that doesn't fit tightly), and age appropriate. I love the 70s boho chic look, but seriously I did it best in my teenage years!

As I've been exploring more of where I want to take my sewing this fall/winter, I've decided to pass on sewing bottoms and live with RTW. Of course this has meant making some adjustments to the pieces I've purchased. I can live with that for now since these are easy alterations that put jeans into my wardrobe quickly. Sewing wise I've decided to explore the world of tops, blouses, shirts, tunics and toppers/jackets.

Here are a few shirt patterns that I've purchased recently or had in the pattern stash and want to sew this season ~

Style Arc Crystal Over Shirt, Cashmerette's Harrison Shirt

OOP Vogue 7854, New Look 6470, OOP Vogue 8791

Vogue 8982 a Marcy Tilton top 

BTW, I bought a couple of Style Arc Patterns from Amazon because they have several sizes in one pattern and are shipped in 2 days if you're a Prime member. I've always liked the designs from Style Arc patterns just couldn't handle that whole shipping from Australia thing. Love that they've partnered with Amazon to get patterns to the Northern Hemisphere faster!

I will make more of Butterick 5678 since I made a couple of pieces that were winners last fall.  I wore this one to #wineandcheesewithkashi that received a lot of compliments, so I will definitely use this TNT pattern again.

This is going to be my jacket/topper of choice this season ~

McCalls 7481

I've already thought up some interesting combos which means that I'm retiring my Rachel Comey hacked pattern that I used as a topper last winter. Three versions are enough right?! *LOL*

I have some quilted fabric that I want to use to make another Tamarack Jacket. Have all the supplies on hand - just have to get on that!

There will be a lot more denim in my wardrobe since I've been purchasing some interesting pieces ~

I would like to use some of the suiting fabrics in the collection in different ways that will work in my new lifestyle.  This was a goal last fall/winter and I only used one piece of fabric from the collection for this garment. I have to admit I only wore this topper to go out with friends and never to work. It just always seemed to "fancy" for work.

Finally, I miss pumps. I've added a couple of pairs of cool sneakers to my foot gear cause boy have sneakers changed. Also a few more pairs of shoe booties...but I miss pumps! *sigh*

So more posts are coming and this is an overview of where my sewing is going for fall/winter.

Social Events ~
Even though I've done some sewing and have a few items to share, I've been way more social lately. I've been to lunch or dinner with quite a few sewing bloggers that have journeyed to NYC, sadly I have few pictures of these events. I don't know why I can't remember to take a picture! Maybe because I'm so busy enjoying their company that I don't feel a need to document it for social media.

Though we did have dinner to celebrate my girl Nettie's (Sown Brooklyn) birthday. I love this woman! These are one of those friendships that I came to through sewing that I treasure.  

The women pictured at this table are true friends not internet friends, there for me in times of trouble (thanks for holding my hand during that whole job situation) times of joy, sorrow (some of the first to see me when I got back to NYC from Houston) and for encouragement...even though Aspen has some concerns about my relationship with Jesus...hahahaha!

I need to apologize if you've been in NYC and sent me a note to meet and I was unavailable to do so because most of my meetings/social events are planned weeks in advance. I'm not in NYC every day since my job allows me to work from home some days. Also, honestly I've been burnt by meeting some sewists in person who've posted some hurtful things to internet boards about meeting me. This has made me ALOT more cautious about who I meet. So please know it's me not you! I'm sure that just put me back in the cross hairs again but to me honesty is better than deception so there it is.

It's a dreary day here so I'm in the sewing cave sewing. Hope you're having a wonderful sewing weekend too!

...as always more later!

Why does Fabric Shopping feel so darn good?!

Breathe...relax...release...

Okay now I didn't fall off the wagon again...so it's okay! *LOL*  No, I took an early lunch and headed over to Mood to purchase my monthly allotment for my next Mood Sewing Network garment.  I've known for awhile that I wanted to make a transitional coat.  I don't get as cold as I use to and I really like layers to stay warm so I've been wanting a couple of new transitional coats. I'd like a short one and a medium length one. I'm finally ready to sew a coat or two especially since I've been sewing fall since the beginning of August.

I knew I wanted to use this Butterick pattern...

Butterick 5966

...and originally I'd wanted an eggplant colored boiled wool to use for the coat. However, that's not what came home with me.  What is it about going into a really great fabric store, walking the aisles and stroking the fabrics that makes it seem like everything is right in the world?  Or that its possible for you to sew anything? What is it about touching a variety of fabrications and imagining what they can be that takes you to that calming, zen-like place?

I don't know but I do know that I love to visit the fabric store and Mood in particular. Today I walked in and headed straight to the third floor and the wools. I love that floor, seriously! No, seriously, love that floor. There are so many treasures there, so many possibilities, so many unsewn outfits yet to come home with me! *LOL*

Anyway, back to the fabric choice. There are rows and rows of boiled wool on the third floor in a multitude of colors. So you would think that I would find the perfect eggplant in the perfect weight, right? You would be wrong. Now there was eggplant but they were too lightweight, more jacket weight than coat weight. So I let my fingers do the walking and then they touched this and I knew it was just right...

...but the best part of this discovery was that the back of the fabric was bonded. You know how much I love fabric that is already backed. I was thinking of lining the coat but Meg says that I should just Hong Kong finish the seams...so I'm going to go with that.  It will make it a quicker sew so I may end up making two more transitional jackets instead of just one but we'll see.

So that's what I'll be working on in October...along with finishing up "The Five in Five" dresses.  BTW, I'm running a week behind.  The Vogue 8935 pieces will be completed this weekend and I don't think I'll get the chance to start something new.

Well we shall see what come's out of the sewing machine this weekend...

...as always more later!

The Pinstripe Follies

I was digging around in the Fabric Closet last weekend.  Originally I was planning on putting the pieces that fell down from the top shelf back on the shelf because it's getting a little difficult to manuever in there.  However, when I went to put a piece on the top, this piece of blue wool crepe fell down:

What was interesting about that is at the same time this piece fell down too:

...and they went together so well that I think they planned that appearance in my life!  *LOL*  Neither piece have been in the closet long so I think they have a lot of chutzpah to cut the line in front of some of the older pieces but cut the line they did!  This combination is 15 yards of fabric...that's a lot of pieces...and the opportunity to make some really kewl garments for my fall/winter plan. 

Only it evolved.  After a couple of hours of digging around in the fabric closet and playing with different fabric combinatons, this is the composition of fabrics I ended up with...I will use them to make the 13/14 garments that will make up this wardrobe.

I've named this plan "The Pinstripe Follies" since the pinstripe fabric is the basis of the collection.  It will contain the following pieces:

Blue/Grey Pinstripe fabric ~
*Jacket (pattern TBD)
*Lined Pants (from TNT pattern)
*Vest w/collar (Vogue 7944)
*Straight lined skirt (ala Tracy Reese pattern - using my TNT pattern)
*Bolero Jacket - Vogue 7617
*Two Tone Dress - from TNT dress pattern (print top/grey pinstripe skirt)

Blue Wool Crepe ~
*Sheath dress (TNT dress pattern)
*4 gore skirt (Simplicity 5914)
*Straight lined skirt (TNT pattern)

Blue/Gray Paisley Print Wool Jersey ~
*Cardigan (Burda 8869)

Sweatery Blue Fabric ~
*Cardigan (Burda 8869)

Dark Blue Print Poly Charmeuse ~
*Blouse (Simplicity 2566)

Grey Hat Print Poly Charmeuse ~
*Sewing Workshop Mission Tank w/tie
*Top of TNT print dress

I have one piece of fabric in reserve, I'm not sure if I really want to use the fabric, but if during this process I decide that I want to add it, I probably will.  I'm really excited about this collection because it has quite a few of my favorite patterns, some new ones, an interesting color combination that will work quite nicely at my job and garments that I am comfortable wearing.

The most important thing to note is that all of these fabrics are from the fabric closet.  I thought about purchasing a shirting fabric from Fabric Mart but I have more than enough here and mixed with tops currently in my closet, I think I don't need to add anything else. 

I will begin constructing these pieces during this three day weekend...hopefully I can knock a few of them out so that I will have some new additions to my work wardrobe which can be worn next week.

Finally to all my friends in the US, I am wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope your day is full of good food, family, fun and football!  To everyone who has a family member serving overseas, please know that my prayers are with them as they perform one of the most honorable tasks, serving in uniform and protecting our country and our freedoms. 

Tomorrow I will be with my family enjoying their company and making new memories...all of my daughters, their significant others and my grandchildren will be with me, as well as, my mom and my sister and brother's families.  Friday morning I will start to sew...

...as always, more later!

Simplicity 2958 - Done!

Finally!  I've managed to get a completed jacket from this pattern.  So pictures first:

SWAP beige wool crepe dress w/jacket

Another shot of dress w/jacket

Back view

Stats:

Fabric:
2 yards of woven boucle from Parons Fabrics
2 yards rayon bemberg lining

Notions:
5 - 7/8" domed cranberry buttons
5 - 1" snaps
Rayon hem tape

I feel like I've been blogging about this jacket forever!  As you know the first version out of the black doubleknit was a fail.  And this version has had button drama - but it's done and will be worn to work next week.  This is a short week so I won't be "dressing" for work.

Some construction details:

The jacket is fully lined.  No, the pattern doesn't call for lining and I ended up improvising and honestly jerry rigging the lining.  Because I chose to line the sleeves separately from the body of the jacket, using the Nancy Zieman method of lining just the sleeves...

I forgot that without a collar and a facing piece there would be no way to cover the raw edges at the sleeve/neckline edge. So I had to add a lining piece and then hand stitch everything down. 

Now I debated whether or not to share that with you...especially since you would never see it but I like to be real with my sewing and since lining jackets is not one of my strengths ~ it's definitely a hit or miss proposition ~ I wanted you to see that I truly jerry-rigged this lining.  Again this is a case of don't do what I do, sew better! *LOL*

I would like to make this jacket again and will definitely line it by bagging the lining.  I really should have thought that lining situation out better.  However, once I got the sleeves in and turned up, I liked it so much that I just let it be.  This way also required a lot of handsewing.  One of the things that I did think about was encasing the armhole in binding to cover the seam but when I attempted to apply it, it pulled horribly on the back of the jacket - so I let that idea go and went with the hand stitching.

The second challenge I had with this jacket and one that almost made me throw it in the garbage - was that my machine would just not make buttonholes on the completed front.  No matter what I did, add paper beneath them...attempted to sew them from the inside out...change the order in which they were sewn...nuthin' worked.  Plus after removing all of those stitches a couple of times, I was worried that I was ruining the fabric because it is a loosely woven boucle.  I finally broke down and stitched the buttons down then added snaps. 

This jacket is in no way perfect.  But it's very wearable, comfortable and it achieves the look I was going for ~ so I'm content with it.  Also it works with two different dresses...the ivory silk twill dress and the beige wool crepe SWAP dress, plus a pair of beige wool crepe pants in my wardrobe. 

The coordinating cranberry dress never materialized.  I just didn't feel like pushing the sewing this weekend...instead I started crocheting a scarf to go with my new winter coat.

A parting shot:

No photography goes on in my apt these days without The Little Prince getting involved.  He's learned to say "cheese" and does it everytime a camera comes out! *LOL*

...as always, more later!

A Button Journey

Back to the Simplicity Jacket that's sitting waiting to be finished...

It needed buttons and I didn't have anything (can you believe it?!) in my extensive button stash!  And since the jacket needs button jewelry I decided to hit up M&J after work to see if I could find something special.  I brought home two choices:

paperclip buttons

leather flowers

But I was really unhappy with both choices...the buttons kind of melted into the fabric.  They are both amazing buttons and I will probably use them on future garments but not exactly what I was looking for.  So I remembered that LindsayT did a blog post on Botani Buttons and I decided that I would venture down there at lunchtime and see if I could find something better.

This time though I took the time to look at a few button sites to get a better idea of what kind of button I was looking for...so armed with a picture of the jacket and a few new ideas I took the A train down to Times Square and walked over to 36th Street. 

I don't know if I've ever been in Botani Buttons before but people I'm in love!  LindsayT did not exaggerate the wonders that is this button shop.  It actually reminds me of how the button shops use to look in the district before they started to disappear.  The shop has one section totally devoted to handbag fixings, locks in all shapes, sizes and metals, chains, feet...seriously, I have never seen so many different kinds of feet for the bottom of a handbag! 

Moving to the next room, I was in button heaven.  There are buttons in boxes lining the walls.  There are tables of buttons in all shapes, colors, sizes, geometric shapes...*sigh*  Natural materials like shell and coconut buttons...plastics in amazing colors...buttons covered in rhinestones...and buttons on rounders like at the craft store...I got a bowl and started to shop...and then I started to edit...cause I went a little crazy! *LOL*  I was in button heaven, y'know! 

These are the choices that came home with me today:

These golden ones have a scored center

these wooden ones add a nice pop of color

but DD#2 didn't like them on the jacket

and these cranberry domed plastic buttons

One of the choices from today will go on the jacket because I wanted more of a pop of color, something that stood out against the busy fabric of the jacket.  But I have to tell you that Botani Buttons will now be my go to shop for buttons.  The women in the store were way more helpful than the staff in M&J (which is a constant problem there) it must be me right?  No one else gets ignored and basically brushed off when they are being helped, right?  Whereas in Botani, they answered questions, looked for prices and offered thoughtful opinions on my button choices.  Just how I prefer Daytona Trimmings or Pacific for purchasing trims...I will use Botani for buttons.  That other place isn't the only game in town, y'know! 

I didn't mean to turn this into a mini rant, I really just wanted you to encourage you to visit Botani the next time you are in the city.  Bring a list because any button or finding that you need can be found right here!  Two more quick things...and then I'm out.  The store is well lit and well organized ~ two really big pluses to me besides the great customer service and outrageous supply.  Lastly, not only do they cover buttons and buckles but they dye them to match too!  Somehow I missed that fact when I read Lindsay's review.

The jacket will be finished up this weekend and I have a piece of cranberry doubleknit that I want to use to make a dress to go with it.  Guess the fact that I have so much in my wardrobe that matches the jacket doesn't matter, does it!  *LOL*  I need a new piece!

It's a short work week...since this year I took a vacation day for the friday after Thanksgiving and I will be avoiding the Black Friday sales.  I will be safely esconced at home working on a sewing project...which one?  I haven't a clue...but I will work that out this week...

...more later!

You asked...and I answered!

Audrey left this comment on my last post:
"I am really interested in what kind of interfacing, if any, you used in this soft sweatery look jacket. I have some similar, loosely woven tweeds that I would like to make into jackets and whether or not to use interfacing on these types of fabrics has me stumped."

I was looking to make a soft, sweatery type jacket.  Something a little more structured than my cardigans but still soft and comfortable like a sweater. To get that effect, I decided NOT to interface the body of the jacket because I didn't want to lose the soft drapability that this fabric offers.  However, I did interface the heck out of the stresspoints.

For example, here is the jacket front:

front with silk organza on the center front

back with fusible knit interfacing

Not only is there interfacing at the raglan sleeves but also at the neckline...and I added a piece of silk organza in the front band to give it a flexible stiffness which will allow me to make firm buttonholes but not alter the hand of the fabric...there is also interfacing at the hemline.

The sleeve is interfaced at all of the stresspoints ~ the hemline, the armholes and the top.

I used 1" or 5/8" strips cut from Pro-Weft Fusible interfacing purchased from Pam at www.FashionSewingSupply.com.  Yes, this involved alot of pressing but I have to tell you that assembling this puppy was a breeze because with everything interfaced, there was no worry about stretching any of the seams out during the construction process.

Here is where the jacket stands now ~ and I would like to thank Lulu for standing in for me:

I'm headed to the garment district this week because I want a really spectacular closing to add some wow to the front of the jacket.  I already have two dresses that will work with this jacket, a pair of pants and a skirt so I don't have to make any accompanying pieces.  Once it's finished it will be ready to be worn...

I have to tell you that if I was attempting to make one of the collarless set-in sleeve jackets that I featured a few posts back, I would have either fuse blocked ALL of the jacket pieces or taken the fabric to be fused in NYC and then cut the pieces out.  To get that look with this particular piece of fabric it would have needed a lot of interfaced support.

Julie C. asked:
"Won't the addition of 2" to the front and back make the neckline too large?"

No the additional inches made the jacket fronts overlap and allowed the back to lay flat.  After measuring, the "too many dislikes" jacket, I realized that I needed to add inches to not only the front but the back of the jacket to give it the look I wanted.  There might have been some challenges if I had added the collar but it was included in the dislike category!

This is where I am now...there is quite a bit of hand sewing that needs to be done and I have to find the "perfect" closures for the jacket. 

*******************************************************

Finally, I wanted to say a very heartfelt thank you for all of the lovely compliments that everyone left on the Birthday Gala Dress.  It is so nice to know that fellow sewists appreciate your work especially when you pour your heart and soul into a garment.  Thanks so much!

...more later!

    

In Search of a Relaxed Fit Jacket

Even though I featured several versions of a collarless jacket with set-in sleeves in my last post, in actuality I prefer a jacket with raglan sleeves.  I don't know if it has to do with how much activity I do during the day at work or the fact that I have very plump biceps but I am just more comfortable in a raglan sleeve jacket.

So yesterday when I was trying to figure out what to work on next, I saw this really cute sweater jacket on Dillards' site and I thought that's what I really want!  A jacket that has that soft, sweatery look and is slightly more constructed than the cardigans I adore but will still work with the dresses, skirts and pants in my wardrobe.  To that end, I went rumbling around in the fabric closet looking for a great tweedy knit to use for my version of the Dillards' sweater jacket.

Up on the top shelf of the closet this piece winked at me:

Now this piece has been in the closet for at least five years and I truly thought it was a knit.  So I grabbed it...pulling down several other pieces in the process...convinced that it was a knit and would make a great sweater jacket.  Only after getting it into my hands did I realize that it was a very soft tweedy WOVEN.

Did that stop me from using this fabric, heck no!  Obviously it was time to leave it's flat fold status behind and move into the 3D world!  What I actually said to my daughter was that if it worked out fine...and if it didn't that was okay too because I have plenty more fabric...an understatement right?! *LOL*

Now I've been promising an update of the black doubleknit version of Simplicity 2958 jacket...but the problem is that I really don't like this jacket as is...and I have no motivation to make it better because...

~ it's too short
~ it annoys me that it doesn't close in the front
~ the sleeves are too short
~ and I don't like the funny little collar

...this jacket has wadder written all over it...but I hate wadders.  I always try to rescue them or rework them but I'm crying uncle on this one because it has way too many "don't likes."  However, I am still intrigued by the jacket pattern primarily because of the raglan sleeves.  So what to do?  Why alter the heck out of the pattern to get the look that I want.

The Pattern Alterations:

* I added 2" at the waistline on both the front and back pattern pieces.

* An additional 2" were added to the hemline of both the front and back pieces.

* Two inches were added to the center front of the jacket front.

* I also added 2" to the center back piece.

So here is what the front piece looked like out of the envelope:

and here is the altered front piece:

The back piece out of the envelope:

the final back piece:

I know I originally said that this pattern would work for me right out of the envelope...and I guess it would if I wanted a too short, too tight, funny looking jacket (if you aren't catching it I'm saying I was wrong here people! *LOL*)...but the pattern alterations make it much more appropriate for me now.

Since I'm such a tease and this post is getting quite long, I will leave you with a picture of the jacket...and talk about the construction of said jacket in the next post...

I guess I wanted complicated rather than easy after all...

....as always, more later!

What Next?

I know I want to sew ~ but what?  The simple project that seemed such a sure fire bet several days ago seems boring after the adventure of sewing the Birthday Gala Dress.  I really want to begin sewing my FWPlan for November but don't really know what piece to start with...

...and I have a real hankering to make a jacket, like this one:

photo courtesy of Newport News

I even have several patterns and a TNT pattern that I think needs a little adjusting...but tho' I have the desire, I don't have the fortitude.  I know I need to work on something not as involved as my last project, but I also need to start my November sewing because I only have today, next weekend & Thanksgiving weekend and November is over...can you believe that?  November will be over soon...and then it will be December and Christmas...but I digress.

I've collected quite a few of these inspirational jacket pictures: 

Issac Mitzrah

Dolce & Gabbana/Nordstroms

St. Johns

St. Johns

All I have to decide is do I want to wade back into the sewing waters with such an elaborate garment or do I want to make something simple?  I just don't know...

...so more later!