Stripe Out with Kwik Sew 4189

I cut and sewed a top that took an entire evening last night.


Up until then the most recent garment I sewed, was my daughter's pants from Butterick 3460 (I added a lining beneath the slightly transparent woven) this past August.




 After her pants, I did not get a chance to complete my "summer sewing" wish list.  Now that I have this Thanksgiving week off,  I decided to squeeze in some sewing, starting with a top from Kwik Sew 4189.

"Fitted, pullover tops have angled waist seams on front and back with shaped bottom edges and full-length sleeves. A: narrow hemmed scooped neckline. B: Cowl neck collar. I sewed view "B", the one with the cowl neck" in a medium.

Instructions
The clear instructions accompanied with clear illustrated diagrams, being typical for a Kwik Sew pattern. The instructions for view "B" borrows heavily from view "A", except for the finish of the neckline.

Responses to Pattern
The "angled" or what I call "diagonal" waist seam was flattering and seemed to produce a "slimming" effect.

This was one easy gratification project. I was able to cut and sew this top in one entire evening. 

Fabric: A cotton knit jersey from Le Wal Marche or what my husband refers to as "Wally's" for $3.74 a yard.
 
Alterations/Modificatons
* Since I was working with a knit, I sewed ths sleeves in "flat", before sewing the sleeve and side seams. The instructions ask for the sewing the side seams and easing the sleeve into the armscyes.

*Performed my usual 1" petite adjustment at the waist

* Narrowed the upper center back 3/4" as well as the cowl neck piece from the fold line at the center. 

Pattern Revisitation/Recommendation:                                                      With the cooler temperatures approaching, I have another cowl neck planned with a more stable knit from my stash.

I definitely recommend not only for the simplicity of construction, but also for the distinctive flair added by the "angled" waist seam and the asymmetrical hem of the lower front and back. 

 

A VENUS dot com sweater with a cowl neck, but with no angled front and back seams

Armed and Thready with Kwik Sew 4207

"Mom, being trendy with the cold-shoulder look, huh?" "Might as well again!"
 My daughter was referring to a top I wore today from Kwik Sews 4207, that I purchased from the BMV website along with other goodies.

 
"Misses' Tops: Pullover tops have scoop neckline with neck binding and stitched hems. A: Patch pocket. B: Cold shoulder sleeve."   Sizing: Misses' XS-S-M-L-XL. I sewed a "M".

The directions were clear and concise with each step accompanied by a diagram (typical of a Kwik Sew). There are also convenient sewing procedures to finish the edges of the garment as applicable to standard sewing machines and sergers. The sleeves are stitched flat before the side seams. Besides the user-friendly instructions, I like the flattering fit, scoop neckline, and the ease to sew the entire top.
 
I sewed view "B".  The 2-way knit jerseyfabric is a remnant of a long-sleeved top from New Look 6735.

 

It is essential to match the "dots" of the "capless" sleeve to the corresponding ones at the armscye endpoints to create the two similar "openings" at the upper arms. There is a 5/8" hem to be folded under for the armhole (lower edge for the attached sleeve and the upper portion where there is no sleeve) pressed and top-stitched, forgoing need bind the armhole with a strip of fabric as what I did in Simplicity 8337.

From youtube, here's a link for a tutorial for binding a knit neckline, by Fashion Behind The Seams.  This is the best tutorial of the slick method I have been using for years.
Useful, detailed tutorial to bind a neck neckline





Modifications/Alterations
* 3/4" petite waist adjustment
*Narrow the upper back 1/2"
* Due to fabric constraints (the fabric was a remnant from a previous top), I cut two back pieces to add a center-back seam.





Kwik Sew 4207 is nicely drafted.  It has a potential to be a reliable standard as a springboard for customization: "pattern hacking" to create a variety of styles.  I definitely plan to sew with this pattern again and already will be my "go-to" pattern for those quick sewing gratification moments. 

Thread-y To Sew Again!

So my last two posts here were on October 3, 2016 and January 2, 2016?  It is about time to return to the "machine".


To fill in the juncture from January to October 2016: 
 

June 2016: my husband, daughter and myself during a little walking tour in Högsby, Sweden (population: 1,881) where my in-laws reside.  Hmmm, traffic, what traffic, except the three of us!  Click, for a caption containing more information of our neighborhood hike.

 
  

I realized that in all the photos here (except for the top left that contains 4 photos put together of my daughter and my husband and the photo after a piece of paper), I wore what I had sewn:
                                                                                                                       
 
Photo recap of 2016:
I am clueless as to what algorithm "The Book of Face" uses to generate this collage of memories of 2016.  I wish that it included more photos from family outings.  I occasionally upload photos of adventures during our vacations, trips to the amusement parts, annual car shows, concerts, and educational venues.  Also there are family milestones, Jude Law fan pics, YouTube song flashbacks, and silly math puns.  You may send a friend request if you like and you don't have to worry about me "cluttering" your news feeds since I post sparingly. 



****Now, back to being SEW-spicious! *****

From last month, the merry month of May: 

This pattern has been my stash for some time now.  The only changes I made were lengthening the sleeves, my usual 3/4" petite adjustment at the waist.  I have been using what I now call the "stitch-the-strip-from-the-inside-and-turn-to-the-outside-and-top-stitch" method to bind the neckline, thanks to a fellow sewist (I don't think she has been on Pattern Review for years).  This method (plethora are available on-line) always works like a charm for me. 

 

I wore it the next day at work and received some sweet compliments from the students.

Summer Sewing Plan 2017:This bunch purchased from sales at the Butterick-McCall's-Vogue website (except for the Pamela top) with the BMV member discount.  The money saved is offset by the shipping charges. :-(

 

 Style inspiration: Daisy Fuentes wearing her top for HSN, $59.90.  The "cold-shoulder" or what I refer to as the "bare-upper-arm" style is TOTALLY trending (again). 

 

My first pattern from my summer plan, Simplicity 8337, in particular, view "B", with the cut-out sleeves. This pattern appears to have a myriad of possibilities!

I have sewn sleeves with "split" openings along the arms, but this is the first time to sew a "bare-the-upper-arm-look" ("cold-shoulder").  It only took one evening, despite my ineptitude with binding the sleeves. 

 

 

Modifications/Adjustments: 

•  "Rounded" the neckline ( "v" to a "U")
•   Eliminated the center seam so as not to "break" the print
•   My usual 3/4" petite adjustment at the waistline
•   Inadvertently "relaxed" the lower edge of the upper arm keyhole openings (upper edge of the attached sleeve). Somehow, silly me missed making the cuts at the "pivot" points at the sleeve/armhole junctions before attaching the binding strips cut from the same fabric. 
• Since the top seemed voluminous, I went down a size and took in an additional 3/8" at the sides (I could have simply used a "S" at the sides and a "M" at the shoulders).   The body measurements can give you a better idea of what size to use as a base.

 

If time permits to revisit this pattern, I would try the sleeveless, front-flounced top, view "A" . The style options are endless.  This is a simple pattern that could be customized with trim, varying sleeve lengths, neck depths, dress lengths, and more.  Nevertheless, this is a simple pattern.  However, I find that a "split-style" flatters me more than the drop-style of the sleeves of Simplicity 8337. 

A flashback from July 2012, a draped front top Butterick 5645, in which I closed the split-sleeve with a little seam at the lower edge, to create a "cut-out" shoulder style.

 


I like this bell-sleeved top from Vince Camuto, also available on HSN, for $89.00.