Red Ruffles and Green Sleeves

Merry Holiday Wishes to You!


Heather, after we just attended Christmas mass

Heather almost ready to open more presents while visiting my parents at their home (10 minute drive) later that Christmas day.


More smiles on the birthday of our Savior.



I have not seen many styles from Burda that have captured my interest, maybe cause certain styles seem to recycle one way or another. I was tempted to start tracing from the January 2010 issue (certainly arrived early), but opted to revisit past issues. Maybe the time lapse makes me appreciates things that I overlooked or what I intended to make when I first saw it. I have not been too impressed with Burda's tribute to certain decades, but in the November 2009, I liked the looks of this blazer/jacket which would be a refreshing change from the cropped or shorter styles that I had sewn.

My Honest Rating
"Nearly a wadder after a promising start." Actually, operator error is the major reason.

I can relate to the "Nobody's Perfect" song, with the verse "Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days". If you have a Hannah Montana fan, then this song should be VERY familiar.



Burda's Description
"Happy together
This fitted velvet jacket is so wonderfully soft! The first impulse when you see it is to cuddle. We're sure he'll agree with us on that! "

Now I cannot get that song by the Turtles out of my mind!
"Me and you, and you and me, no matter how they stitched the seams, it had to be, the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together..."

My Description
Fitted blazer/jacket with wide collar and lapels, vertical front darts, pleated pockets, and buttoned sleeve vents.


Sizes
Misses' Burda sizes 36-44. I sewed a "40" instead of a "42" from a previous experience with a Burda jacket. If I wanted a "looser" option, I would have gone with the "42".

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, somewhat. I somehow moved my front vertical darts further away from the center, thereby affect the placement of the pleated pockets more towards the sides.


Fabric Used
Baby wale stretch corduroy in apple green.


Pattern Pieces
* Front (x 2)
*Front facing (x2). I traced a front facing piece from the original front, and added the 5/8" seam allowance.
*Center back (x 1)
*Side back (x 2)
*Collar (x 2)
*Collar band (x 2)
*Upper sleeve (x 2)
*Lower sleeve (x 2)




Favorite Features
*Wide collar and lapel, but not distinctively wide enough to qualify for "that 70's collar"

*The steps in my case, prior to the collar, were simple and straightforward to construct.

*The pleated pockets


Other Features
*Some steps were nebulous and others were more specific, but still seem convoluted due to not having helpful diagrams

*Had some challenges in attaching the left collar due to the bulk caused by the band. I cut into the "bulky seam" and left a hole which nearly made the jacket unwearable. I salvaged it by topstitching the collar to the neck edge (past the junction to the front facing) from the outside. There is some "asymmetry", but I decided to accept it.

*There is a lot of ease in the upper sleeves. I trimmed a maximim of nearly an inch at the top of the sleeve caps, tapering to zero along the sides.


Directions
I did not have difficulty in first few steps dealing with sewing the side backs, top yoke to the upper edge of the lower back,

I was somewhat baffled with attaching the upper band of the pleated pockets. I skipped the lining and sewed the band to the basted upper pleat, right sides together. I turned under, pressed and stitched a 3/8" hem on the other edge of the band. Then I folded the band along the halfway line, right sides together, sewed a 3/8" seam from the ends and turned it inside out.

*Bound buttonholes
They seemed fine if you are very familiar with them, and in my case, I would have used Kenneth King's or Annette1's tutorials.

*Attaching the collar to the neckline
Here is where things can go chaotic. There was no mention (at least that was what I got from reading the directions) of sewing the collar pieces together BEFORE sandwiching the collar between the collar bands and stitching them together and along the front edges of the collar band. I am familiar with then sandwiching the entire collar between the neckline and front facings (the back facing had not been yet attached).

After sewing HP's shirt for the first time, I discovered Pam Erny's (Pam-Off-The-Cuff) very helpful tutorial on placement of the collar and facing.

Part One, Collar Tutorial

Part Two, Collar Tutorial

I saw the familiar angled collar and made note of the marks on the facing and on the neckline and saw how they related to sewing this classic collar with lapel, thus avoiding the large gap I experienced from sewing the HP shirt. What stumped me was the position of the collar band as I sewed the collar to the neckline. I wondered if it would have been wiser to omit the collar band, and thus avoid that "bunching" at the neckline before sewing the back facing.

Then I recalled that last year, I sewed a 9/2008 jacket (with fabric that I admit with embarrassment, won by another PR member's creation for use in the hideous fabric contest) where I figured out what do with the collar band (had no collar) with respect to the neckline and facing.

Back facing and tab collar of unlined version of jacket, Sept 2008, #102



The directions for the collar and front facing from my 60's vintage Vogue jacket (Jo Mattli) sewn March 2008 assisted me in figuring out the collar band for this argyle jacket. For my current jacket, I assumed that the collar was sandwiched between the collar band.

Modifications
*1" petite adjustment between waist and hips.
*I also did not add the hem allowance while tracing the pattern (did not need to)
*Omitted the lining. I am glad I did, because the jacket already looked and felt bullky.
*Omitted the lining in the pleated pockets
*Double topstitched the pleated pockets
*Made machine buttonholes instead of the recommended bound buttonholes.
*Made French seams at the center back and sides.
*After getting further discouraged and did not want to spend more time on the project, I omitted the vent sleeves and buttons.


Conclusion
Despite my wrestling experience with my right collar and lapel, I still want to give this pattern another try, but next time using the recommended velour and also extending the lower edge of the collar a tad to eliminate the collar band.


I wore this jacket out of the house twice, and yes, it is surprisingly comfortable and am beginning to like the overall style.

Somebody was very happy after opening a box from her uncle/godfather Bernie (my brother) and her aunt (his wife) who reside in Texas.

Go Green!

Truth or Flare

We just saw James Cameron's Avatar yesterday late afternoon on its premiere day at a local movie theater. My husband liked it and I liked it but not as much as he did. Heather fell asleep during the last half hour of the movie. I just hope I do not dream of tiger=eyed blue-complexioned people with tails flying on enormous origami looking birds. If you watch the movie, you will know what I mean.

Now switching to a more interesting topic for many of us, sewing!

Simplicity 4135



Pattern Description:
Misses'/Petite boot leg pants in two lengths or city shorts, wide leg pants and gauchos

Pattern Sizing:
I sewed a "12" instead of my usual "14". My instinct was correct. A "14" would have been large for me. Although a sewed a "12", I still encountered a little extra ease, possibly due to using some sort of stretch denim.





















Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Not exactly. My pant legs seemed fuller than what was pictured on the envelope.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
They were surprisingly satisfactory , except for the vagueness with the positioning and the insertion of the underlap of the fly front zipper. Lizziwhizz's very helpful review differentiates between zipper stop and end of zipper. It is the zipper stop not the end of zipper that is placed at the dot, otherwise, there would be some gap at the bottom of the zipper.

I highly recommend photo album tutorials from our fellow PR'ers (Annette1, KayY) or Sandra Betzina's video.

What was different was the order of construction. It felt strange to sew the center back seams and inseam after attaching the waistband (left and right pieces). It seemed like a good idea to do those later after determining how much to take in for the center back seam and the crotch depth before stitching those seams. I thought the marked center seam was quite large. Then I discovered that after stitching a 1" center back seam, I felt I could have taken in an additional 5/8" to further stabilize the the center back.



Favorite Features
*They fit better than Burda WOF pants from my personal experience
*I like the waistband style, which I wish I could feel comfortable wearing. However, because I am short waisted, I always wear my tops untucked.
*The pockets did not flare out to emphasize my hips and/or my tummy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
*Pant sizing is somewhat off. I recommend making a muslin or a wearable muslin before cutting nicer fabric.
* I should have placed the waistband along the grain.

Fabric Used:
*Medium weight stretch denim from JA's. This is the same material that I used for Heather's Jalie jeans.

Modifications
* * I removed a total 3 3/4" from the length. I made a 1" at the petite adjustment and thinking that was not enough, I trimmed 1 1/4" from the edge of the leg. Then I used a 1 1/2" hem.

*I sewed a 5/8" seam at the crotch.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, but make sure you have a handy resource for inserting the fly front zipper.

Conclusion:
This pattern has been in my stash for awhile now and I wish I had sewn it sooner!

I Dream of Jalie Jeans

I was inspired by the lovely jeans made by the PR's who reviewed this pattern. My daughter was also impressed with this pattern and urged me to add this to my wishlist and purchase it as soon as possible. Because this was actually my first time at sewing jeans, I thought it would be a good idea to make these jeans "on a smaller scale" before making them for myself.




Pattern Description:
Women's flattering stretch jeans with slim fit through the hips and thigh and a flared leg, back and side front pockets, zip fly with button closure. View A has a low rise (2-3 inches below the navel) and View B has a regular rise (at the navel). I made View B.


Pattern Sizing:
Multi-sized pattern from toddlers to adult. I sewed an equivalent of a size "7". I should have used a "6", but it is better slightly loose than tight fitting.


What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Favorite Features
*Wonderful instructions, especially for attaching the front zipper. I made more mistakes in attaching the belt loops than in the zipper construction!





*Pant legs have a nice flare, similar to one of my daughter's Old Navy jeans.

Slight dislikes
*Loose waist (remedied by cinching with a belt)
*Long length (remedied by folding the lower hem into cuffs)

Fabric Used:
Stretch denim from ah-hem, excuse me, from Jo-Ann's

After changing needles, I highly recommend a needle specialized for sewing with denim. Being stubborn, I thought a "universal" needle would work on my medium weight stretch denim. I noticed a remarkable difference in the topstitching and the machine's handling of the fabric after switching to the new needle.


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Surprisingly yes. Even the back pockets of Heather's jeans came out low like what the young Jalie model was wearing.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Whoa! There were 50+ steps of instructions. But I expected that after reading the reviews.

Honestly, I found that they were easy to follow, decipher and perform. Don't be overwhelmed by the instructions as I was at first glance. They are user friendly and I suggest downloading the instructions from the Jalie website and read them first while referencing to the very helpful diagrams. I admit, I made some errors in placing the pieces in the wrong positions (i.e. the pockets and the yoke fronts), but it helped to re-read the steps and carefuly examine the diagrams before pinning and stitching.

Here are some highlights:



* I traced an image of a star (onto tissue paper used for gift wrapping) from a page of the craft section of the instructions in a recent Burda WOF magazine. Then I stitched it onto the back pocket. The lines helped guide my stitching.



* "Star and Swirls": I attached the back pockets, back yoke, and topstitched the seams. I also prepared the front pockets.


* "Face the Pockets": I added the facing to each pocket.





* "Got Sass on Pockets" I sewed each pocket to the upper edge of the front leg.




* Turn the front pockets to the inside




* "Putting on the Zip". I did not have to worry about shortening the zipper until the attachment of the waistband. From past experience, I would cut the zipper to size and reinforce the bottom with a little coil of stitches.


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
*No alterations. The only modification was Heather's choice of design for the back pockets.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes. After some adjustments (especially in the waist and length), I plan to make another pair for my daughter. I also will be bold and sew a pair for myself.


Conclusion:
I absolutely recommend this pattern. If you are like me, who have been intimidated by making jeans and front fly zip pants, then you will very much appreciate the friendly and fluid instructions for this pattern. I even recommend it to advance beginners who welcome a workable challenge. After making my first pair of jeans, especially with this pattern, I became inspired and courageous to make more pants with fly fronts and also to improve on technique. I need to work more on my topstitching and being familiar and being more familiar with what needles to use on certain fabrics.

Despite the jeans' "imperfections", Heather liked wearing them nevertheless and proudly replied to one of her friends' comments, "My mom made them." I was shocked and surprised that her friend responded, "I don't believe you. What store did you get them from?"

You will discover that all of your time and efforts invested in this project will be worth it.

True De-Bow-tion

In terms of fit, I have not been lucky with Hot Patterns. Why do I keep buying from this company? I admit I have been enticed by those pattern envelope illustrations showing "cutting edge" styles. Of all the patterns, Hot Patterns require more modifications/adjustments and I have noticed that I have been more fortunate with New Look patterns. It would be fun and interesting to know which pattern company or companies that you have been having more luck in terms of fit or a combination of fit and style.



Pattern Description
"Sometimes a girl just needs a pretty, dainty blouse to soften her strict tailoring. This is perfect, designed for drape-y fabrics like double georgette, crepe satin, charmeuse, rayon or washed silk. Tie-neck Top has flutter sleeves, darts front & back and deep self tie/collar. Blouse features a shaped hem & front button band. Wear this pretty Blouse with your favorite Jeans and a smart bag for a great everyday outfit, or work a fabulous 40’s look; team it with our Classix Nouveau Pants To Die For, or the cardigan from our Deco Vibe Delano Twinset."

Size
Multi-sized for women. I sewed a "12."




Fabric
Poly satin from Fabric.com. I ordered thinking it was a sort of "stretch satin" and it was the contrary when I took it out of the shipping carton. I cut it on the bias to compensate for the fabric's lack of ease. Maybe it was not a wise decision due to the strange fit and look of the lower back with the gathers.


Directions
I was able to follow them with little problems. I finally figured out the method to attach the front of the bodice to the upper yoke what I refer to as the "sausage" encasement described obsurely in the directions of a HP top that I sewed 8 months ago. The lower back is "scrunched" between the right sides of the upper yoke and its facing. The right side of the upper edge of the front bodice (gathered) is sandwiched between the right side of the upper back yoke, while its wrong side is on the right side of the facing of the upper yoke. Then all 3 layers are stitched together, while keeping the lower back separate. After turning the top inside out, I was glad to see that the seam joining the 3 layers was concealed and that there was no tangled or pieces that went astray.

Favorite Features
*Optional vertical darts in the front and back
*Front tie
*Contoured fit at the sides

Not-so-favorite Features
*I did not find the high neck bow tie flattering on me.

*I used a fabric that did not work well for this style. A lighter weight and drapy fabric would seem more suitable.



*Short upper yoke along with the gathers below do not flatter my back due to puffiness.

*Tie drafted longer than on illustrated model. After much thought, I wish I had shortened the tie.


Modifications
* I experienced difficulty machine gathering the upper edge of the front (below the forward shoulder seam). Then I tried gathering with tiny hand stitches. Wow! I was able to create nice gathers after pulling the thread, but.... they easily extended despite my delicate handling of the fabric. So, I resorted to using a 1/4" wide elastic, and stretching out until the lower edge reached the notch that signalled the end of the gathers. I had to remove the stitches, shorten the elastic less than 1/2", to account for the shorter width of the seam of the upper yoke, past the shoulders. But I noticed little ripples at the shoulders.

* 1/2" hem at the lower edge

* Due to the "batwing" effect of the sleeves, I made a 1" pleat at the lower edge to take in the sleeves. I wonder if the weight of the fabric I was using contributed to the protrusion of the sleeves.

*Made 4 instead of 6 buttonholes.

Conclusion
If I sew this again, I would use a drapier fabric, lengthen the upper back yoke and decrease the length of the lower back. I would also would redraft the lower back to eliminate or reduce the gathers.

This pattern has a lot of potential. With the right fabric and some personal modifications, it would be a lovely addition to anyone's wardrobe.

Asterisks in the Sky

After our experiences from shopping at the girls' department at Macy's and Kohl's, I have been discovering that RTW rarely offers stylish and comfortable tops for girls in my daughter's age group. My daughter is slowly distancing herself from character inspired t-shirts and tops.




Pattern Description:
"Top with criss-cross front. View A has a short flutter sleeve, View B has a flared three-quarter sleeve and View C is sleeveless." I sewed the sleeved and sleeveless versions for my 6-year-old daughter.

Pattern Sizing:
There are 27 sizes (toddler to adult) in one pattern. I sewed the size based on a girl's approximate age of "7" years.


Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.


Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. I found the diagrams particularly helpful when I was not certain about the written instructions. I made sure that I cut all notches, which certainly helped me immensely in lining the front bodice pieces along the sides with the corresponding notches.

The directions and diagrams are printed directly on folded pattern sheet. For convenience, I downloaded the directions from the Jalie website.



What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?



Likes
*The convenience of a multi-sized pattern. I recently re-traced a slightly larger size of another household favorite Jalie pattern, the twist top, for Heather.

*Easy-to-follow instructions and clear diagrams.

*The criss cross style of the front bodice.

*I agree with Kbenco, in her review regarding the top fitting nicely on a child.

Slight dislikes
* I agree with the other reviewers that there is some extra ease in the front lower piece. Next time I plan to reduce the width.

* The lower front is not fully attached to the criss-crossed bodice. It is sewn "partially" to the lower edge of the under layer or the bodice that is not fully visible. Such feature is more convenient for nursing moms.

* I omitted the elastic below the bust after reading several reviews of this pattern to eliminate the potential bunching.

*I could have taken in the side seams another 1/4" due to my daughter being slender.


Fabric Used:
Poly jersey from GorgeousFabrics.com

Modifications
*Skipped the elastic wherever indicated to reduce bulk


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes. I have already sewed 2 tops for Heather and plan to trace the pattern in my size, keeping in my mind that it will mostly likely fit differently on an adult with my proportions.

Conclusion:
This is really a nice pattern that produces a stylish top with little time and not so much fuss especially after making the first version.