Vintage Blouse

Pattern: McCall's Misses' and Junior Blouses and One-Yard Skirts #5533
Cost: $7
Fabric: 1 yd woven fabric, probably a thick polyester

Right after making my pants, I jumped into my next project, a blouse pattern. I have found myself admiring a lot of outfits that involve button-up shirts, and decided I should be adding more to my sewn wardrobe. I had three yards of this fabric, originally intended for this project (vastly different, I know!), and had picked up this great vintage pattern at the Alameda Antique Faire, which I thought had the greatest little collar on it.

After the quick success of the pants, however, this blouse was an exercise in patience, taking about two weeks of work. It required a lot of fitting--my usual small back adjustment, taking in the sides, lifting the shoulder seams (overall it was too big), and the fit's still not great.

The main lesson I learned is that I don't like tucks on any garment, as they haven't worked well for me on this one or the Sencha blouse. You can see them on the back of this garment, but I removed them from the front. There's too much drapey fabric, and it's it's just not that flattering on me! I do love the color (part of my color palette!), and I think it will be perfect for work. I'm also treating the blouse as a wearable muslin for this fabulous Betsey Johnson fabric I picked up on sale.

There were also some construction elements that I loved (and will definitely be using again!). For one, the front opening is cut an extra few inches wide, and folds back as a facing. This means no attaching a separate button placket, and you can encase the front of the collar in the facing, giving a cleaner-looking finish. I also love that the collar is all one piece--no collar stand. I'm a lazy sewist, so these little pieces make for a quicker, cleaner blouse. I will definitely be incorporating these elements into my other blouse pattern, Simplicity 3684, for my next button-up.

Now to just find a crew-neck sweater to pull over it when it gets cold!

You can read my review of this pattern at PatternReview.com.

I Made Pants!

Pattern: Colette's Clover Pants

Fabric: 3 yds of something stretchy, velvety, and red

Cost: $45

First, let me just say...

Wow. Just. Wow.

For the past six months I've had all the makings of a pair of pants in my cabinet--fabric, zipper, Clover pattern. You might even remember them when I laid out my palette challenge. But I was too afraid to use them. My mom had bought all of them for me back in the spring (oh god, or was it winter?). A seamstress herself, she told me it was about time I make myself a pair.

My first attempt at pants, a pair of trousers I started over two years ago when I landed my first career-type job, is still hidden somewhere in my unpublished blog list. It ended in a poor decision to cut the fabric on the bias to get more stretch and too many pattern pieces for a welt pocket. I think I still have the muslin somewhere.

But last night, I finally got up the courage to attempt THE PANTS. I thought I'd at least get a start on them... cut some fabric, baste some seams. But here's where I hands down give it to Colette. The pattern is so brilliantly crafted that I ended up sewing the entire pair in one night. Ok, it probably still took me about 8 hours--and I'm pretty sure I kept my upstairs neighbor up with the hum of my machine--but I still knocked these suckers out in one night.

And look at all the ways I plan to wear them!

Things I like love about the Clover pattern:

• The pockets! No complicated welt pockets to speak of (unless you decide to add your own in, which is totally on you). Rather, the pockets are cleverly tucked into the front in the seam between the waistband and the pant (a sort of horizontal in-seam pocket, if you will). So easy!
• The fit. Now, Colette patterns are designed for the curvy gal. That didn't quite work for me up top when I made the Sencha blouse, but down below the pants are definitely more my body type. They are completely wearable sans alteration. If your fit isn't great, her blog provides a whole cheatsheet for fit issues: how to identify them, and how to correct them, complete with full alterations instructions. Wow! I will be making some changes on the next pair (see below), but as-is they are not bad!
• The construction. Along with the pockets, Colette also has brilliant, easy construction techniques that even a lazy, short-cut sewer like me will follow. The pattern is made for beginners, and while I don't particularly consider myself to be one, it makes for some stunningly simple-to-sew pants that gave a pants-phobe like me some pants-sewing confidence!
• The instructions. I rarely follow directions. But because I had had such an awful experience with pants before, I decided I needed some help with this one. Colette has great illustrations, written directions and, for the new seamster, great tips for sewing. And did I mention the cheatsheet on her blog with help for fit issues?!

Ok, enough gushing, here are some of the more personal details.

I chose this pattern particularly because it is a nice cigarette pant. I like the slim cut of the pant without it being a skinny jean--much more appropriate for work and more versatile to wear. In case you needed any convincing, here's my little illustration of why I prefer the one to the other:

While the pants fit fine as-is, now that I have my pants-sewing confidence up, I do plan on making some alterations based on Colette's fitting cheatsheet. After some time standing in front of the mirror with my laptop open, here are some of the things I will attempt (mostly for my records if not for your viewing pleasure).

First up, a flat belly adjustment to eliminate all that extra fabric in the front.

Then, as with a lot of patterns, I do need to adjust for smaller hips. The actual pants fit fine in this area, but the curve is just too severe. If I make it into more of a straight line (I actually did this on the zipper side of the pants), then there isn't any extra fabric ballooning off my hip. I just need a little nip at the top.

The pants felt a tad too high in the front but a tad too low in the back. The front might be fixed by the flat belly adjustment, so I'll have to figure out how to lengthen the torso only in the back.

I also need to possibly adjust for a small waist to fix some minor gaping in the back, thought again that might be fixed by the flat belly adjustment.

While it looks like a lot, these changes will just be some minor tweaks on my road to a well-fitting pant. I have three (three!) more pants fabrics on the way, so I might start with just the first two or three adjustments and then re-evaluate from there. Looking on the Colette blog, Sarai's pants fit her perfectly, so I can alway aspire for more!

You can read my review of this pattern at PatternReview.com.

Paper Bag Skirt

Pattern: self-drafted; see: Cotton and Curls and Grosgrain
Fabric: wool blend
Cost: $10

The other evening, I rolled out of my bed from a nap (yes I take evening naps--don't judge) and decided I was going to make my paper bag skirt and I was going to make it now. Slightly groggy, I laid out my fabric on the floor, chalked some general lines, and started to cut.

I referenced Cotton and Curls for where to place the pleats and Grosgrain for a general pattern + my Marie Skirt. These patterns have you taper in at the leg, which creates a pencil skirt type shape. What a "paper bag" design really should be is a rectangle with pleats, and the design I was originally eyeing has definitely more of an A-line.

Because the skirt wasn't as full as I'd intended, I wanted to add a back slit for ease of movement. I ended up doing just a regular ol' slit (unpicked the seam a few inches and pressed the seam allowance to either side), but in the future I might try a back vent, with a great tutorial by A Fashionable Stitch. Of course, I don't think I made the slit long enough, because the first thing that happened when I stepped onto my bike today was a big ol' ripping sound as the seam broke. I guess that was just nature's way of helping me to adjust to a more convenient slit length.

Overall, I'd call this skirt a good first draft. My half-awake pattern-making meant the hem is not exactly on grain, and that each side of the front is a slightly different length, leading to some of that puckering you see in the pictures. Because it was wool (I know it's wool because it smells like wet dog under the steam iron), I was able to press away some of the gathers, but overall the skirt just isn't as "crisp" as it should be. Maybe next time I'll make it in a mustard cotton.

The skirt is finished with belt loops, pleats, and a front zip that goes all the way down the front of the dress.

Collared T

Pattern: self-drafted t-shirt + collar
Fabric: double woven cotton gauze from Mood
Cost: $10

I love the recent roundup of t-shirts I've been seeing with collars. They are simple, casual, and with a little bit of polish that can take them from the weekend to work.

Jill Stuart's Spring 2012

I fell in love with Jill Stuart's Spring 2012 collection and decided to make my own version of her collared shirt in a color from my sewing palette. Using a beautiful double woven cotton gauze from Mood, I set about re-creating the look.



To showcase the double woven fabric, I turned the hem and sleeves up to expose the contrasting pattern, and made the collar up in the reverse side. I did struggle a bit with the fit--the back and neck hole feel a tad tight. I think the problem is that, in comparison to my Spring Forward top, the addition of sleeves to this look made the back fit a a bit tighter. I may add a back slit and button placket to make the shirt a bit bigger. I also had a great deal of trouble getting the collar quite right. Jill's collars look so nice. I think next time I might try to cut a placket or something to hang the collar a bit differently.

Some notes on drafting the collar...
This project is not hard, dear readers, but it did remind me the importance of geometry. You see, a regular button-down shirt collar, while looking much the same, is a completely different shape than a collar added to a t-shirt like mine above.

Here's the deal: A regular shirt collar folds over a placket or collar stand, like so (please excuse my novice vocab):

via

via

It can therefore be cut from a relatively straight pattern piece to wrap around the neck:

via

In contrast, and this may seem obvious to you but it took some head scratching for me, a collar without a placket or button-up shirt to hang down from (such as the peter-pan type collars popping up everywhere) must extend OUT horizontally from the neck instead of wrapping AROUND the neck:

via

via

The pattern piece must have a much longer outer edge than inner edge, with a pattern piece curved like this:

via

This way, it will lay flat around your neck when it's sewn on to the shirt!

For a Peter Pan collar, check out these free downloads from Matters of Style and Colette.

Sewing Palette: Graphic

I'm drawn to cool graphic prints. But once I brought this fabric home, it's sat in my stash. Originally I was hoping to make some drape drape patterns, but decided that those might be better off in a solid. So after a year I've decided to come up with some new designs, and finally cut in to these babies.

Plans for this project include, clockwise from top left:

• Below-the-knee print dress inspired by Alexander McQueen
• Maxi skirt from a 3/4 circle skirt pattern

Sewing Palette: Sky

This color is all about lingerie. It's soft and sweet but more womanly than girly. I have a fabric in a flowering print, and another in polka dot. I plan to use these to try out some more bustiers, and maybe even sew up some matching panties.

Plans for this project inclue, clockwise from top left:

• Flowery bustier
• McCall's great new bathing suit pattern
• Polka dot bustier (or a top if I get tired of making bras)
• Panties!

Sewing Palette: Mustard

Loran told me that if I had grown up in the '70s I would hate the color mustard. She said they had a mustard couch, mustard curtains, mustard everything! Luckily for me, my childhood barely graced the 80s, and I am obsessed with this color. My mustard dress has been a big hit, and I can't wait to try more of this color. Looking through my stash though, some of these fabrics are erring a bit on the side of khaki, but either way I'll have some new garments in this range.

Plans for this project inclue, clockwise from top left:

• Motorcylce jacket from vintage velvet
• Some bright cotton that I could use for a top, button-up, skirt...
• The heathered yellow jersey I got at Mood
• And a simple paperbag skirt

Sewing Palette: Rust

Red has always been my favorite color. There are pictures of me as a kid dressed head to toe in it, and even today when I wear the color I feel like I get a little extra attention.

Plans for this project inclue, clockwise from top left:

• Button-up shirt in a voile print and a red peachskin, great for work and play
• Horizontal pleated top in red peachskin
• Jill Stuart-inspired print top from a double-sided cotton gauze
• And *gulp* my first attempt at pants using Colette's Clover and stretch red velvet

New Sewing Palette!

Colette's Spring/Summer Palette Challenge is on, and all those pretty mood boards got me inspired. Rather than sewing for the season, however, I have been focusing a lot on what colors work for me. Living in the Bay Area you can pretty much wear the same clothes all year around, so my aim this year is to sew a functioning wardrobe in colors that flatter.


The Palette:

According to my friends, I'm a strawberry blonde. My hairdresser says my hair is copper. And drunk people usually call me out as a ginger. Whatever my hair color is, I have that pale Irish coloring with a hint of California sunshine. "Fall" colors, if you will. So for the foreseeable future I'm planning my projects loosely around rich jewel tones. The colors in my stash: rust red, mustard yellow, sky blue, and some graphic prints mixed in.

Each day this week I'll post my mood board for each color. Every fabric in my board is already in my stash, so this really helped me solidify my sewing plan. And the best part? In looking at my planned projects and I've got everything from pants to tops to lingerie.