The O's Have It!

Help! I am a bonafide sewing addict! I just could not stop making more projects during this past Presidents' holiday weekend. I believe I sewed more than what I sewed during my 3-week winter vacation last year! I felt the need to satisfy the urge to use the new fabrics I purchased from GF and EOS a month ago! I am surprised that I still had quality time to be with my family, watch TV, make and eat dinner...

Although I have been staying away from Joann's and other local fabric stores for nearly two months now (quite a feat for me)....online stores (GF, EOS, Lucy's) have not helped me curb my fabric purchases! Help! But at least I am motivated to sew with better quality fabric and get more projects done!

Help! I am a bonafide sewing addict! I just could not stop making more projects during this past Presidents' holiday weekend. I believe I sewed more than I did during my 3-week winter vacation last year! I felt the need to satisfy the urge to use the new fabrics that I purchased from GF and EOS a month ago! I am surprised that I still had quality time to be with my family, watch TV, make and eat dinner...




















Finished projects:

* 2 Jalie 2449 crossover tops (mommy/daughter versions)
I used about 1 3/4 yds of onionsilk type fabric purchased (2 yds) from Emma One Sock for about $16/yd.


* 1 Burda 7891 ruffled blouse (had already been cut out, but does not qualify yet to be a UFO). I used about 2 yds of poly/charmeuse from Walmart for $1/yd

* 3 Jalie Sweetheart tops (made my second and third this weekend)
I used leftover knit fabric from previous projects: about 1 1/4 yard altogether.


* 1 Burda WOF bow blouse (#101 from Septemter 2007 issue)
I used about 3/4 yd fabric purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics for $8/yd,

* 1 New Look 6697 faux wrap dress
I used about 2 1/4 yds of fabric (same one used for the blouse above). Yeah, I used all of the 3 yds of this fabric!


So this weekend, I made a total of seven new garments! I guess I'll have to wait for the next time off to sew, spring break?

Total yards: 8 yards
Approximate total cost of fabric (new, not leftovers): $58
Approximate total cost of patterns used (purchased from PR, Burda WOF from ebay, New Look from Wal Mart): $40.27+$21.50+$4=$65.77
Approximate total cost of my addiction this week:
$ 123.77 :wow:

Just for fun: approximate cost of on-line garments returned to Macy's and Kohl's just recently: $150 I returned nearly everything (too bad that many blouses/tops were under $8!) How could my current size of a Misses' medium/large fit like a size jr 5/6 that I was able to wear 20 years ago? I will not buy online again! :eek: Too many inconsistencies in sizing.


Also completed a week ago:
* two Jalie v-neck tops (mommy/daughter versions) I used about 2 yds of onionsilk type fabric purchased from Emma One Sock for about $16/yd.


I completed New Look 6697 (mock wrap dress with front overlay and elasticized waist)last night and Jalie 2449 (Cross over top)today. Imagine I was able to make Heather and myself matching tops in graphic circles onionsilk with the turquoise/brown/white color scheme (sold out)!


Fabric for Hew Look 6697 dress from GF
Named "Lucy in the...jersey reds/multi" a poly/lycra jersey. I remember seeing tops from INC Concepts in this material at Macy's.

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Pattern Review for Jalie 2449




Finally, I decided to purchase this pattern (along with my previously reviewed v-neck top and increasingly popular "sweetheart" top) and hop on the board the "Crossing Jalie" express already ridden by 53 PRers!








Pattern Description
"Easy to make stretch top with crossover neckline and choice of short or 3/4 sleeves." The word in French for crossover top or something similar is "cache-coeur." Hidden heart, cross your heart were my first interpretations!

Size
Multi-size pattern consisting of 22 sizes from a toddler's size to misses' US size 22. My first version was Heather's top (size "J", age 6).




From previous reviews, the top might be a little snug fitting if you went by your exact measurements. I sewed for myself a "W" instead of a "V" for my second version.

Fabric
From EmmaOneSock, "A fabric similar to onionskin, which I am calling "onionsilk" because of its more buttery, soft hand. Very drapey, with the papyrus-like texture of onionskin, very smooth, a little sheer, very lightweight, stretch in the width, stable in the length." This fabric was so easy to work with!

Likes/dislikes
*Definitely a very comfortable and flattering cross-over top!
*Very easy to make and not time consuming
*The neckband feature was easy to attach and there is little or no need to adjust for gaposis. It could be shortened a little depending on the stretch of the fabric.
*I encountered some gaping or a little extra ease at the back neckline. Fellow PRer DrSue encountered the same. I could take in the back a little more.
*I did not like the method to finish the back neckline which was just folded over and stitched (possibly contributing to the extra ease). The front bands could be extended to finish the back neckline.


Modifications
* I raised the neckline 1/2"
* I added about 1/2" to the width of the neckband. From my experience with my first version (Heather's top), the neckband seemed to be less wide than I conceived from the front of the pattern envelope.
* I took in each hip side seams by about 1/4" due to the nature of the fabric.
* I lengthened the short (paradox?) sleeves.
* I lettuced edged the sleeves for a change of scenery.

Directions
Brief with helpful illustrations unlike Burda WOF. Immediately after cutting, the neckbands are folded lengthwise and sewn along both front sections, right sides together. One of the illustrations shows the wearer's front right portion of the top overlapping the left. However, the subsequent diagram showing the back and front being sewn at the shoulders somewhat puzzled me. From the wrong side, the diagram showed the wearer's front left section beneath the front right section which I think should be the other way around since the right section crosses over the left section on the outside. Maybe I reading too much into this!

Despite the inside of my top not matching up with the diagram, I proceeded to sew the shoulder seams, being careful not to stretch the fabric as directed. There was an excess of about 1 cm from the neckband that I folder over the front shoulder. I did this in Heather's version and it looked somewhat peculiar. In my second version, I tucked it beneath the back neckline's "free edge" inward and stitched, overlapping the little folded piece neckband at the shoulder and it looked more polished.

The rest of the top was easy to figure out - sewing the sleeves in flat and sewing the sides seams, being careful to "catch" the seams where the right and left fronts were joined.

Conclusion
I wish I had purchased this pattern earlier! This is definitely a super wardrobe builder! I highly recommend this pattern because you could easily alter it to create endless styling possibilities (the Project Runway concept comes to mind) in addition to being very flattering for all figure types and such a breeze to make. It helps to make a muslin or test version to work with sizing and fitting issues. I could see why this top is reviewed so many times and can easily become a TNT pattern for anybody, even a former skeptic (now a Jalie 2449 convert!) as myself!