Fleurs des Leis et du Soleil

A "Mai Tai" floral from Montgomery Wards

 and a "Joan Draper" floral sheath from Banana Republic. 

That sounded like an unusual concoction for some cocktail.

After mixing top #110B: "Exotic Dream...Dropped shoulders, cowl neckline, and a straight casual cut put plenty of drive in this hip-length top."

and the skirt portion of a dress #133 from the May 2012 issue of Burda Styla magazine,

I created what I call my "Fleur des Leis" dress.

The available sizes are Burda misses' 34-44. I sewed a "38" at the shoulders and a "40" elsewhere.


Fabric Used:
From the EOS website: "A beautiful printed lightweight cotton from Italy, with a delightful floral in a greenish-turquoise, pumpkin, black, light lime, khaki and cadet blue (PANTONE 15-5519, 15-1157, 13-0220, etc). Floaty, just a little bit sheer, with a cottony drape."

 Some brighter flash from the camera.

Just a few miles from the California/Mexico border.

The Instructions
I really did not use them since I had already sewed #109 (drawstring top) which uses the same pattern pieces for cowl top #110B, front and back. The front and back for the cowl top are both cut on the bias, whereas for the drawstring top only the front is cut on the bias (which I did not do for my drawstring top that I also transformed into a dress). However, for 110 B, I cut the back along the lengthwise grain to reduce ease.

The directions were the most concise of all the patterns in the issue. Sewing the shoulder seams, side seams, top stitch the hems of the neckline, sleeves, and lower edge are all you need to successfully create this top. Things are much more simpler with a serger or coverstitch.


Favorite, Not-so-favorite Features
With the "cowl" neckline still trending, this top is a quick and easy to alternative to other current patterns from other pattern companies. The only flaw I am able to point out is most likely due to using a woven instead of a knit is the tendency for the cowl to "ride up", which can easily be remedied by tacking the fabric to the inside with little hand stitches. Otherwise, the "peeping" fabric does not detract too much from the overall style of the top.


Adjustments/Modifications
*Just like with my drawstring top using #109, I created a "dress version" of pattern #110 B.

*I used my modified front and back pieces from drawstring top #109

*I used the skirt portion of dress #133 just like I had done with #109

My review for drawstring top/dress #109 contains the adjustments I made to the pattern pieces. They are under the "adjustments/modifications" subheader if you are interested.

*In top #109, the hems of the armscyes are topstitched prior to sewing the shoulder seams due to the insertion of the drawstrings through the encased seams. However, for this top #110B, the steps are reversed, which is typically done in the construction of shirts or blouses.

Sew it Again, Sam
Technically, this is the second time that I sewed with the same pattern pieces from #109 and #133. Next on my sewing queue with this pattern is a knit top version sometime soon. I still recommend this pattern as a quick gratification project and as a first-time Burda project.

After a week of intermittent rain, it was a nice day to enjoy the sunshine wearing something new!


My daughter looking up at the UCSD "Sun God", in La Jolla, California.   May 18 is just around the corner for the 30th annual festival to honor this colorful being (created by a talented French Artist). Oh, well, many of us have to work on that day!   http://sgf.ucsd.edu/

My daughter wearing some new leggings and a pair of Hello Kitty Vans sneakers.

"Tara Coys and Lima Greens" on a sunny and slightly windy day.

Coral Blossoms and May Burda without the "Marc" Up

Heather and I recently went to the mall to scout for sales at her favorite stores (The girl's section at Forever 21 and Abercombie).  Before we visited her favorite stores,  we visited Bloomingdale's, not only to use its classy WC, but also to do some "snoop" shopping.  We admired the vibrantly colored dresses at the Marc Jacobs department.

The coral nylon and lace was an appropriate length for Heather.

"Muriel Lace" for $348 was not an appropriate price for me to pay for such a dress.  Divide that by 10 and it would be more reasonable.

Somebody also had an eye for splashes of red, blue, green, yellow, and pink.  The drawstring shoulders are nice features. 

It was a coincidence to see that Heather's "hand-near-ear-and-hands-on-hip" pose "reflected" this model wearing the same dress featured on Bloomingdales.com referred to as the "Exclusive Super Nova Blossom Knit" for $298. The price is a super no-no for me.

 

 

 The drawstring shoulders of the "Super Nova Blossom Knit" dress "drew" me to this Burda top (#109) from next month's issue that I received this just a few days ago, much earlier than expected.  However the drawstring extends the entire length of the front of the neckline, with each end tied to a drawstring emerging from a back encased shoulder seam.

 

Pattern #109 from May 2012 of Burda Style magazine

I like the top, but easily envisioned it to be a dress as inspired by the Marc Jacobs colorful one. Since I had access already to the May issue, I sifted through it to find a close-fitting skirt.  Then a flash from an unknown "super nova" came to my mind.  Since I liked the look of the skirt of the "vintage dress", I decided to trace the front and back pieces and work with those, making adjustments as needed to coalesce with the top portion of  the drawstring top pictured above.

Pattern #133, dress with "revealing" back and ties at shoulders

 I "borrowed" the skirt portion of this dress

I wanted to make a dress to reflect to celebrate the season of rebirth and flowers in bloom. I selected a cotton fabric printed with coral flowers.  Altogether I cut the front, back, and three drawstring pieces of pattern #109 and the front and skirt pieces of  pattern #133.  I cut a "38" at the shoulders grading to a "40" at the sides.  For the skirt, I cut a "40".

Favorite and Not-So-Favorite Features

The top was generally simple to sew, consisting of only two main pattern pieces to put together.  The same two pattern pieces are also used for style #110, the knit top with the draped front.  The only thing that I am not to fond of is the tendency for the neckline to bunch at the curves while top stitching. After inserting the three drawstrings and extending each end of the front drawstring to be tied to a corresponding back shoulder drawstring. I encountered some "drape" at the front, which is not very noticeable on the model's neckline in the magazine.  I would rather leave it like that as a style feature then have my shoulders and upper arms be restricted in movement. 

 

Procedures/Instructions
I was able to follow the instructions without the state of being mystified that I typically associate with instructions in a Burda magazine.   Amidst the wording, I was able to figure out the scant hemming and topstitching of the short kimono-style sleeves before stitching the side seams and the method to encase the drawstrings at the front neckline and the shoulder seams (pressing open the shoulder seams and topstitch). 



Adjustments/modifications
* For the bodice sections of my dress,  I cut the front and back sections of the top approximately 1 1/2" past the waistline mark.  Above the waistline, I made a 3/4" petite adjustment at the front and back sections.   If I made the top, I would have extended 7"-8" beyond the waistline mark.   

* I made a 3/8" center seam at the back.

* While tracing the pattern, I missed marking the point that marked the lower end of the armscye and the start of the side seam.  From my experience, I usually raise those points for undergarment modesty reasons.  While tissue-fitting the front pattern piece on me,  I marked my point of preference and marked the corresponding point onto the back piece.

* After I sewed the side seams of the front and back bodice and the side seams of the front and back of the skirt, I attached the skirt to the bodice, right sides together.  With minimal fidgeting, I was able to pin the upper edge of the back portion of the skirt to the lower edge of the back bodice.   However, the front bodice was about two inches wider than the upper edge of the front skirt portion.  To resolve this, I slightly gathered the lower edge of  the front bodice, which is also done to the actual front bodice of the dress with the draped back.  While stitching the upper edge of the front of the skirt to the lower edge of the front bodice, I distributed the gathers evenly. 

*Because I was able to easily slip in and out of the dress, I omitted the zipper.


Yeah, another dress for the warm weather!
It may not look exactly like Marc Jacob's "Super Nova Blossom" but at least I can wear this with the satisfaction of wearing something that exudes playful and simple chic and having spent  approximately 1/20 of the cost.

Angie Birds

I have been seeing quite a "diversity" of cowl tops in terms of drape and depth.

Michael Kors, Macys $89.50

Ann Taylor deep cowl top, $48

Vanessa Bruno, $320

Kwik Sew 3740 with options for a cowl or  scoop neckline. This is a popular pattern on PR with 42 reviews.  Since I do not have a top with an attached cowl collar at the neckline, I was inspired to give this pattern a try. 

As described by Kwik Sew:
Close fitting pull-over tops have scoop neckline. View A has cowl collar and full length sleeves. View B is sleeveless and neckline and armholes are finished with self fabric bindings. I sewed an "M".

What I like in particular about Kwik Sew patterns are their clear directions in a user-friendly format (pamphlet style) which make them ideal for beginners and for anybody wanting to make something that is gratifyingly "quick, easy, and reliable".

Favorite Features
My likes outweigh the dislikes, because there is nothing really to dislike.

As raved about in earlier reviews of this pattern, the cowl style collar is cleverly drafted, with the upper collar slightly larger than the  under collar.  The ends of the each collar piece are stitched together, forming the center back seams.  The upper and lower collar pieces are then stitched right sides together (center seams and notches are aligned) at the un-notched edges before turning inside out to be ready to attached to the neckline.  Since the collar is sewn with the under collar adjacent to  the "right" side of the neckline, I worried that my overcast stitches would show.  Magically, they did not due to being "hidden" or pushed down beneath the upper collar's cascade of fabric, while still keeping a discreet neckline. 

I was pleasantly surprised that the cowl collar did not need additional fidgeting to get the layers of fabric to align nicely.

I noted that I should have gone with my instinct to sew an "S" instead of an "M" at the shoulders due to it being a tad wide at the shoulders.



Fabric Used:
First version:  A viscose lycra jersey from EOS, printed with birds flying out of their cages.

Second version: A poly jersey from Joann's printed with concentric circles and  trimmed with "scalloped" edges.

Pattern alterations/modifications
My typical adjustments: decrease the width and length at my upper back. I made a 3/4" petite adjustment at the printed line.

I "borrowed" the short sleeves from my Jalie 2921 scarf collar pattern. It was not a perfect "match" but I managed to successfully fit the sleeves to the armscyes as I sewed them "flat" instead of "setting them in".

Recommendations I wish that I had purchased this pattern earlier!  I plan to make several more tops varying my neckline and sleeve options.  Not only does this pattern sew up in a short amount of time (i.e. cutting fabric and sewing the pieces together in one evening), this pattern lends itself to an infinite number of style combinations. For instance, although not pictured on the envelope, you could create a top with a scoop neckline and long sleeves. You could also raise the neckline and reduce the amount of "cowl" to obtain another distinct look. If you like cowl collar tops and yet do not have this pattern, I highly recommend this pattern for its ease of construction and fuss-free style.

Copy Cats Caught in a Pony Tale

Here is another  pony "tale" about Jalie 2921:

A pair of  Equine-tessential tops and somebody showing off her Hello Kitty case.

 I just sewed another Jalie 2921 scarf collar pattern, but this time for my daughter, Heather.  I thought by now, she would not want to wear matching outfits, but she still does, especially if it is in a fabric and style that she likes.  

For Heather's top, I sewed a girl's size "9" (Jalie goes by the approximate age of the child) which corresponds to a size "M" on the pattern.  I used the short sleeve version and shortened the tie to much shorter than the one designated for the "M" (much shorter than size "F"). The fabric is a viscose lycra jersey from EOS, soft, resilient, and comfortable.

During a weekend visit,  at the backyard of my parents' home, overlooking a golf course.  

Enjoying the Sunday sunshine and more trotting with Jalie 2921 very soon!

Equine-tessential Jalie

I intended to purchase the Jalie scarf collar top pattern at the height of its popularity nearly two years ago.  But then I got caught up with new SBMV patterns.  I purchased this Jalie a month ago, after the most current reviews convinced me to GET this pattern immediately.   After my recent experience, I regret not purchasing this much sooner.  I have had unexpected successes after jumping on much "delayed" bandwagons.


Pattern Description:
" Knit top with scarf collar that can be tied in many different ways: A- Through a buckle B- In a bow C - Through opening at center front Sleeveless or with short or three-quarter sleeve."  This is a multi-sized pattern of consisting of 27 sizes.  I referred to the chart showing the RTW sizes and the lettered sizes that corresponded to them. I sewed an "8" ("U") at the shoulders grading to a "12" ("Y" ) at the bust, waist, and hips.

'

I used a delectable viscose-lycra jersey from EOS.  I did not mind paying more for a fabric that was very pleasant to work with and that is comfortable to wear due to its "breathability" factor.

Instructions
Overall the instructions for the top is understandable and more so with the diagrams.  However,  the steps for attaching the scarf collar using the burrito method (it must be my frame of mind that evening...) baffled me. Foolish me. After sewing the shoulder seams,  sewing the center seam of the scarf and attaching the right side of the edge of the scarf collar to the "wrong" side of the neckline, I relied on my experience with sewing tops with similar scarf collars such as a BWOF (now Burda Style) from September, 2007 that I sewed a few years ago:

 After sewing the collar to the neckline while making sure that the collar tie's center seam aligned with the center back of the top, I folded each of the tie ends, right sides together and stitched the seam from the front center of the blouse (where the neckline ruching starts) to the ends of the ties and turned the ties inside out. Then I folded the collar inward (outward for this Jalie due to the collar sewn to the inside of the top), with the raw edge tucked underneath, and top stitched close to the edge so that on the outside the stitching would appear very close to the seamline where the collar and neckline meet. I wonder if there is an existence of the phrase "instinctual sewing."

Favorite Features
*Scarf collar options (tied in a bow or or the ties secured with a buckle)

*Overall ease of construction

* If I had sewn this top non-stop, I would have completed the top in maybe just a few minutes short of 2 hours, wonderful for a first time user of this pattern. 

*I also like the flattering fit and the pattern seems to be drafted well to cover my figure flaws. Variations in fabric drape and stretch would seem to affect how loose or snug the wearer prefers to wear the top.

Questionable Features
*Although the depth of the neckline is still modest, I still would raise it at least an inch".

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
* I performed my typical petite adjustments at the waistline. 

* I lengthened each sleeve 3"

* Decreased width of scarf collar 1/2"


Stay Tuned
I have plans to make more with the given sleeve variations. If you do not have this pattern now, I recommend purchasing it immediately.  This pattern seems to flatter all figure types.  I wish I had purchased this Jalie sooner!

A Colorful and Cheerful Easter

That Mod Girl Marlo Thomas looking chic in a red peacoat and her flip hairdo.

Marlo during the early and mid 1970's was creatively fun and free in a wide collar and zig zags . Zig zag trims seemed to go beyond decorating Easter eggsI I wonder how many odd stares she would receive if she strolled in this outfit today.

Flashback to 1977, the year there was an outbreak of Saturday Night Fever.  1977, however, was not all butterfly collars, platform shoes, bell-bottoms, and slinky disco dresses a la Studio 54.  I found this rare jewel from ebay and liked the sleeveless dress with a folded, cowl collar.   The description on the back of the envelop was  a "high waisted, back zippered dress has cowl collar, ties included in front darts. A, B has bib and sleeves gathered into buttoned cuffs."

I sewed view "C", the sleeveless version. This is the first project that I sewed for 2012.  Entering PR's vintage contest will hopefully return my sewing mojo.

Sizing:

Although a size 12, bust 34 is printed on my pattern envelope, all the pattern pieces were for a size 10, bust 34.

Heather and I enjoying the Sunday sunshine after Easter mass. 

 

Indoor pic

Instructions

They were clearly written and supplemented with helpful diagrams.

Fabric

Cotton rayon jersey from EOS.

Favorite Features
*Cowl neck style created from a "collar piece" that encircles the entire neckline. Just in the past year, I have noticed a vast selection of dresses with varying degrees of "cowl".

Ulla Popken dress for $59.99 at Amazon.com

 

Bar III Striped Dress from Macys.com for $59.99

Jones New York dress from Macys.com for $129.99

 

*The unique construction of the tie belt: Each tie is originally basted to the front at the location of a front dart. During the construction of each front dart, the "raw edge" of the tie end is "sandwiched" between the layers of the dart, and thus becomes "hidden" from view. The belt makes it possible to either wear the tie loop at the front or the back.

*Sleeve and dress length variations.

*The only thing I disliked was what seemed to be an inordinately large "collar" piece that is cut on the bias. On a cotton jersey that I was using, the collar "bunched" and draped. On a woven, I could easily imagine a rigid scarf type of a neckline, where the collar is turned to the inside along the lengthwise "half fold", until the edge meets the inner neck seam (where the collar was sewn to the notched edge of the collar, right sides together).

Pattern Alterations/Modifications
*Eliminated the back seam for zipper attachment.

*While cutting the back bodice, I pivoted the pattern piece about 10 mm, swinging the center back downwards to reduce the "extra fabric" just below the back of neck and at my upper back. After trial and error, I have had lots of success on several tops with this adjustment.

I found this helpful blog post, referenced by a number of fellow bloggers, detailing and differentiating adjustments for swayback,  adjustments for petites, and specific types of adjustments that get mistaken for being those for swayback.  The method I am referring to can be seen after scrolling the viewing window downward and looks similar to the "pivot" one that I am familiar with.
 

Sherry's "Pattern, Scissors, Cloth" blog
Many thanks to Sherry, the owner of this blog, for her post.

*I skipped my typical petite adjustment at the waist (3/4"-1") due to the "high-waisted" style of the dress. The bodice-skirt seam landed at the waist instead of just below my bustline (or an empire waist style), which I anticipated would have happened after a petite adjustment.

*Due to using a knit, I omitted the back zipper and sleeve facings. I turned in the raw edge of each armscye and topstitched a 5/8" hem.  If I used a woven, I would have lined the entire dress which would dodge the need to face the sleeve edges for a sleeveless dress.  The attached collar piece for the cowl neckline would have to be taken into consideration when lining the dress. 

*I sewed a center back seam, for the collar/cowl piece. I additionally took in the central seam to compensate for my "back pivot adjustment" that shortened the width of the neckline.

*I removed approximately 8" from the lower edge to shorten the dress to a smidgen below my kneecap.


Future Use/Recommendations
I plan to use this pattern again after finding the ideal fabric with it ("soft" fabrics such as challis, crepe de chine, etc). If you could find it, I recommend it. The "carefree" patterns in general seemed to produce stylish and enjoyable outfits with minimal challenges in construction. Although the pattern's recommended fabrics included challis, surah, synthetic crepe, and matte jersey, I did not encounter much problems with cotton rayon jersey.

This is the third pattern from the "Marlo's Corner" series and so far, I have had lots of luck in terms of style compatibility and fit. 

Wearing a crochet cardigan with bell sleeves.

Happy Easter and have a lovely spring!