Flower Puff

I revisited Burda 7942 as my "tried and true" shirt pattern:



Lepore's Harry's Bar Jacket from SFA for $430 from last year. The sleeves are still "in" now!


I replaced the cuffs with lantern or tulip sleeves which are so "in" right now!




Fabric Used
Lightweight corduroy with floral print

Modifications
* Shortened the upper part of the sleeve to the cutting line for the short sleeve version.
* Replaced the cuffs (used in my first version) with lantern or tulip sleeves which I drafted. My original draft seemed too long and overpowering that I folded each in half, gathered the bottom and slipstitched it to the inside seam.
* I took in the top center back seam (just below the neck) another 1/2" to eliminate the bagginess.

Conclusion
This is definitely one of my all-time favorite shirt patterns! This version took a little longer due to adjusting the center back and fussing with the sleeves so that it balances well with the rest of the shirt. I enjoyed trying to do something different for the third time around.



Very feminine and chic!


(Saksy's Just Cavalli Ruflled Blouse for $625!)

Here's Burda 7891. I just received this (finally) from PR


I cannot wait to sew this one!

Chained, Tied and Checkered

Some blouses with neck ties:
Lepore's Classical Charmeuse at Nordy's for $325:



French Connection's 'Celebrate' Tie blouse from Nordy's for $118



DKNY Jeans' Printed Chiffon Blouse with Tie


Style and Co's charmeuse from Macy's for originally $49

and those ruffled sleeves
O Oscar's silk pleated ruffle top for originally $109!

Combine some of those elements to get:
HP's 1002 Metro Tie Me Down Blouse!






Finally, my two hot patterns arrived just short of two weeks (11 days after I placed my order)! I worked on it shortly after receiving it in the mail! It was worth the wait!

Pattern Description:
Blouses with front tie, shirred shoulders, shirred center back and sleeve variations.

Pattern Sizing: Multi-sized. I used a "14"

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?Yes, but in a boldly printed fabric! I thought I would take one more pic by Heather's pink holiday tree before we put it away.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes and the accompanying illustrations were helpful. A first time sewist might need an additional illustration to see how to place the tie on the neckline. Overall, I like the new user-friendly format!

What did you particularly notice about the pattern?
* I liked the overall style with the ruched shoulders which give the blouse a nice drape and the gathered bell sleeves.

* The blouse was very easy to construct (no buttonholes!) and took me only a few hours!

* The blouse consisted of the front, back, tie, sleeve and the front and back facing pieces. I started getting somewhat cross eyed from looking at the grooves on the pattern pieces as I was cutting each to a size "14"!

* As mentioned by previous reviewers, the notches are so lightly printed that I also overlooked them as I was cutting the fabric!

* I found the top to be somewhat loose fitting than what was described and pictured on the envelope. This could be attibuted to the drape of the fabric I was using.

Fabric Used:
Chain link printed knit from GF

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
Since I do not have elastic thread available for the shirring at the shoulders and the center back, I stretched sewed 1/4" elastic on the wrong side of the fabric. I skipped the third row of ruching at each shoulder to not further add more bulk.

Instead of starting 2" from the sleeve hem with the first row of ruching, I gathered one instead of three rows 6" from the sleeve hem due to personal preference.

I discovered that the entire neckline facing (v-neck facing attached to the back facing) was a bit large as I was pinning it to the neckline. To adjust the neckline facing, I cut out an excess of a little over an inch from the combined shoulder seams and restitched the seams.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, I plan to make another one or two in another month or so, but using elastic thread. I might go down a size and/or include front darts for more shaping, I definitely recommend it and agree with the rating "Advanced Beginner" specified on the envelope.

Conclusion
I like this blouse's distinctive details: the gathered/shirred shoulders and sleeves and the tie below the neck and that can be worn over a skirt, pants, or jeans.

This is the second HP pattern that I worked with and have discovered that HP patterns seem to run a lilittle larger. Either that or the outfit was not drafted as it appears on the pattern envelope. Anyway, after making the first version, you could easily customize to fit.






******************************************************************************
I think I finished this just before the New Year!






This is absolutely a very easy dress to sew! I made this after my "Cars" gathered front knit top.

Features:
* One size, 14
* Slight aline style
* Bust darts
* Front center seam
* Omitted the zipper and replaced with a back seam due to the knit.
* Long vertical darts at the back.
* Facings for the neckline (front, back) and armholes
* Hand sewed the hem.
* Retro chic, but so "in" right now!

Another nice top that I would like to copy!
BCBG Silk Charmeuse from Macys' originally $178
Built by Wendy Bodice + Simplicity's Very easy kimono sleeves ?

What's Your Pleather or Paisley?

Juicy Couture's red pleather jacket from Saksy's for $328!!! What in the world?!




Vogue 2958



I made two versions of this freebie pattern.

The first was from "pleather" (total cost under $10!). As I can see from the puckers, I had difficulty working with this fabric.


The second from a lightweight corduroy. It actually looks better up close and personal.


Rating: Average

I got this as my freebie pattern from Vogue Patterns. I was lured by the stylish jacket!

Pattern Description:
Misses'/Misses' Petite Jacket, Bustier, Dress, Skirt and Pants. I made Jacket A which "is fitted, lined to edge with shaped front and back princess seams, collar, back has darts with slit, full length sleeves with elbow darts and shoulder pads."

Pattern Sizing:
10-12-14. I made the "14"


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? In my opinion, the collar only!

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. They were easy to follow and sufficient enough for an advanced beginner. The jacket overall was straightforward to construct, but time-consuming.


What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I liked the overall style of the jacket (especially the unusual collar!) but it ended up being too form fitted for my taste, emphasizing my hips and my tush! The neckline came lower than what I expected and which could be remedied by wearing a camisole. The jacket consists of only six pieces, but I had to take into account cutting front facings made from the same fabric and the lining pieces (for the back, the side front, side back, and the sleeves).

Oh no! This jacket requires so much fusible interfacing. The first step was to interface the front, back, side front, side back and the collar. That's quite extensive because I usually interface only the collar and front facings. It would make sense to do, especially if I were working with fabric that frays easily. With the fabric I was using, I did not think it was necessary to interface the back and the sides. But I did so, anyway.


The side fronts and side backs did not ease well into the "L"-shaped curve of the front and backs of the jacket! It seemed as if the side front and back pieces belonged to another jacket! I had difficulty matching up the notches and pinning the seams together! I ease-stitched the side fronts and side backs (similar to ease-stitching sleeve heads).

The width of the shoulder section of the front came about 1/2" wider than the back shoulder (after the dart). I was wondering if the back darts were not taken into consideration when Vogue drafted the front. I ease-stitched the front shoulders. I adjusted the front shoulder seam to fit the back shoulder seam as I pinned the seams together.

Fabric Used:
Printed lightweight corduroy.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
Shortened the sleeves by 1 3/4" By looking at the pattern envelope, the sleeves were a little past the model's wrist. The instructions were not clear on how to finish the hems of the sleeves after turning them up 2" (5 cm). I stitched a 1/4" baby hem from the raw edge, folded a 2" as instructed from the inside of the sleeve witht the baby hem tucked under, and slipstitched or hand sewed the new hem in place.

I drafted and sewed my own semi-circular shaped shoulder pads using the same fabric filled with some fleece remnants. I cut 4 pieces, two for each shoulder pad. I sewed two pieces, rights together at the curved edges, leaving the straight side to turn the pad pocket inside out. Then I filled the pad pocket with the fleece remnants. Then I sealed the filled pocket by sewing the edge with the raw edges tucked in and voila, an instant home-made shoulder pad!

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I'll give this pattern a rest for now I spent two full evenings working on the jacket. If I have a lot of time, I would sew this jacket again after redrafting the pieces. I would recommend it if you want to give yourself a challenge and you might have better luck than I did! I discovered after making the jacket according to my usual size, that it is more fitted than what is represented on the envelope! It seems like the size "14" fits like a "10" (a 10 petite?) in pattern sizing!

Conclusion
This is probably the first time that I have sewn an "Average" rated Vogue. I was disappointed in the outcome, but I might know a good friend who might like this and fit into this! So my efforts are not in vain! Now I am ready to sew a DKNY jacket (I already have the pattern pieces cut!)