Mayberry Puffy and Twilly "D"!

The puffy sleeve jacket is making headwaves!
AGB's short sleeve jacket at Macy's for $72


Lafayette's New York Hollis Pinstripe at Nordy's for $468, huh?

This jacket was better than I had anticipated!


Smiling with my ray of sunshine!

Smiling in the garden!


Is the camera timer working?

Smiling in the bathroom!


Smiling in the kitchen!



Heather, I am not ready!



Pattern Description
"Semi-fitted jacket has collar, princess sams, shoulder pads, sleeve length variations and shaped hem; jackets A, B have pockets; jacket A has purchased trim; jacket B has sleeve band." I made jacket B, the one with the short and puffed sleeves with the sleeve band.

Size
Misses' 4-5-8-10-12. I sewed a "12".


Fabric
Suggested are mediumweight fabrics such as cotton, poplin, gabardine, linen blends, eyelet, patchwork.

I used a mediumweight denim with slight stretch at le Wal Marche. This fabric was easy to work with!


Directions
The directions are clear for sewists of any level who are familiar with basic sewing techniques: interfacing, bsting, gathering, easing a sleeve, hemming and so on. The illustrations speak for themselves.

Since the jacket is unlined, McCall's recommended that all raw edges of seam allowances be turned in 1/4" and stitched.

Since this jacket is unlined, there is a front facing and a back facing. The front facing is cut from the same pattern piece as the front of the jacket. I thought the back facing would make the back bulk from the back, but it pleasantly does not when worn. I decided not to omit the long vertical darts alongside the princess seams. They added some flattering shaping below the bust and still, I was so glad that I was able to button the jacket!


Likes/dislikes

Likes
* Princess seaming in the front and back of the jacket
* The long vertical darts started at the appropriate place below my bust, without any adjustments!
* The look of the wide (but not too wide!) shoulders and the short, puffed and banded sleeves which put more emphasis above the bust than below the bust.
* The elongated neckline and large lapels tapered by one button at the waist.
* Yeah! Finally I made a jacket of this style that fits! I have trouble with RTW to fit my short torso and curves!


Dislikes (although not too strong, just things that I noticed)
*I spent a little more time to get the collar to align properly, maybe because of the nature of the fabric. I wanted to ensure that the size of the notches match up after I turn the collar and facings in.

*There was quite a but of easing of the sleeves into the armscyes and the bottom edge of the band. While attaching the band over the right side of the sleeve's lower edge, I intermittently tugged at the threads to get the edge to line up with the band at the seam and notches. I noticed that sleeves on the pattern envelope were slightly less puffy than mine!

*It probably would have been easier to just line the entire jacket so as not to worry about hemming! After I turned the facings inside, I noticed that there was not enough of the bottom edge to turn up, forming the 1 1/4" hem per the instructions! I had allowance for only a 1/2" hem. There was no mention of machine stitching the hem. I handstitched the hem for a couture finish (McCall's mentions "blindstitching the front facing to side front seam and across hem".

Modifications
I opted for two buttons, instead of one as pictured on the envelope, to close the front of the jacket

I omitted the shoulder pads (I cannot wear shoulder pads with my frame) and took in slightly the armscyes.



Would you recommend this pattern? Would you sew it again?
Yes, I would because it is a great spring/summer or a transitional jacket between seasons. For those who are of average height and above, I would definitely recommend adjusting the length. You could easily adjust the pattern if you choose not to wear shoulder pads. The option for long and short sleeves make this piece very versatile for one's wardrobe. This jacket has a classic style that you could wear year after year! I would probably make another one in another color.

This jacket passed the "mom knows best" test. Heather and I visited her yesterday. I wore this jacket and my Vogue 8456 pants of the same fabric. "Another nice new outfit, where did you get it?" By the way, my mom's favorite store is Macy's.

Conclusion
This is one of my new favorite jacket patterns that really would flatter any figure type!

Sew Those Funky Flowers Right On!

The 70's wrap dress back in full swing!





Give Vogue pattern credit for creating a pattern that brings back the unforgettable look!








The last time I recall wearing a wrap dress was in the early-mid 80's! Gone are those "Charlotte Russe" and "5-7-9" shopping days! I have been hesitant about wearing one until I became inspired by the rave reviews of this pattern.

This Vogue 8379 dress with some Diane VF stylin' got me into this goofy 70's/80's dance groove.

Pattern Description
"Come on, VOGUE...let your sewing move to the music..."

MISSES’ DRESS: Wrap front dress has soft pleats, side tie, and sleeve variations. Dress B has collar.


Size
8-10-12-14. I sewed a "12"

Fabric
Jersey knit with funky flowers from Gorgeous Fabrics.


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


Were the instructions easy to follow?
"Night fever, night fever. We know how to show it. Gimme that night fever, night fever. We know how to SEW it.

Yes and as usual they were accompanied by suitable illustrations. I anticipated that the cutting would take time (whoa! two pieces of the skirt front and one of the back which seemed like nearly an infinity to cut!). I made sure I carefully marked all the dots and notches.

I decided to use the neck interfacing as directed and the neckline turned out better than expected! There was a tad of a tendency for the interfacing to "peek" out at one small section of the neckline, but overall the neckline came out nicely and not puckered or loose!

Attaching the skirt to the pleated upper bodice was somewhat tricky. I feared making a silly goof that would make the final dress look strange when worn. The skirt is folded on the front edges, thus forming a self-facing. I have to admit the diagram was not enough to figure out how to attach the front edge of the bodice to the front edge of the skirt, especially with the tie already attached to the bodice! I stared at the dress I was holding and the diagram back and forth and back at the diagram for awhile and said hmmmmm. The lower edge of the bodice facing was turned so that the right sides were together along the seam of the skirt's front facing as the construction was seen from the inside of the dress. Then once I pulled up the bodice, I could easily turn the bodice facing "in" so that the tie comes out to the front. You can figure this out once "you get into the groove" of sewing the dress!

Oops! I forgot to sew the sleeves in flat since I was trying to follow the directions to a t! Yes, I sewed the the front and back of the bodice at the sides and did not feel like undoing the stitches. I eased-stitched and set-in the sleeves and ended up cutting about a 1/2" at the top tapering off to the sides.


What did you like or dislike about the pattern?
That's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I LIKE it!

* I like this particular wrap style that flatters any figure, especially for those with short torsos and some hips as myself!

* I like the collar and sleeve style which makes the dress so similar to DVF's famous 70's wrap dress.

* Although this pattern is labeled "Very Easy" in terms of the use of basic construction methods, I admit it was time consuming for me and more so due to this being my first got to be REAL wrap dress! (I'll sew MORE, MORE, MORE!). I've sewn wrap tops, but for me a dress that really wraps around seemed like another experience. I spent one afternoon cutting the pieces and of course, there was a lot of stitching that occupied my two free evenings (not entire evenings), especially at the hem of the skirt!

* There is nothing much to dislike, except for one of my cuff notches, which ended up having a slight "U" instead of a "V" curve most likely due to not being careful with my "break" stitch at the circle before turning the cuff band right side out!


Modifications/alterations
"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes Ch-ch-changes...."

I took out a few inches from the bottom edge so that the hem lands on my kneecap. Other than that, I really like the fit and the look! When I wore this dress at a family reunion, my mom who would be more suitable for a position of critiquing who is wearing what on the red carpet asked me if I lost 10-15 lbs (actually 3-5 lbs)! To have my mom say that, especially when her build is different from mine (possessing a slightly taller and more proportioned figure which her granddaughter inherited) is a wonderful compliment. This goes to convey that the dress does work WONDERS!

Conclusion
I highly recommend this dress! It was really worth putting in the time and effort to create something that makes me want to put on my red shoes (I am motivated to buy a pair) and dance to David Bowie's "Let's Dance!"

"We just sewed something tonight. Let's CELEBRATE, it's alright!"

I Heard It Through the Grape Lines, Curves, and Flounces!






Pattern Description
From Burda:
"Shimmering emerald silk satin, a raised waist seam and fluttering tied flounces – this blouse porivides a perfect example of the new feminine Safari Style. Narrow épaulettes (shoulder tabs) and cuffs add sporty counterpoints."

Sing to the music and "The Beat Goes On"...

Chorus
And the flounces go round, the tiers go on
Needles keep pounding a rhythm to the plate,
La de da de de, la de da de da

The bodice posed no outrage, uh huh
Flouncing has turned the page, uh huh
Edging became the thing uh huh
Needle bopping became the king uh huh

Size
34-36-38-40-42.


Fabric
'Peter Max' style mod purple silk (100%) charmeuse from Emma One Sock


Pattern pieces
Front (x2), front band with self-facing (x2), back on fold (x1), flounce (1 pattern piece that is later separated on the cutting layout: upper, middle, and bottom flounce (x2 for each flounce), sleeve (x2), collar on a fold (x2). Shaded regions on layout are reserved for interfacing.

Directions
They were typical Burda lingo. I thought that the bodice went fairly easily (stitch shoulder seams, stitch front and back darts, stitch front bands (look like front facings to me) to the front edges, and creating the collar. The buttonholes were done before the flounces and sleeves. Seam numbers are included in the diagram of the pattern layout which came in handy when putting the pieces together.

But..... the flounces are another story. I was surprised that something really simple turned out to be complicated when done, when actually it was my fault for having that "piece of cake" attitude and not taking more time (which I already have) to really go over the cutting layout because I was so caught up in going over the directions word for word! It all started when not having the common sense to visualize which the upper, middle and lower flounces altogether! The cutting layout really did not help any because the flounces were not labeled adequately, just piece #4, flounce, which were cut on the bias! What happened was that I cut three flounces of the same width, with different lengths, instead of noticeably increasing widths (not very evident in the cutting layout) and different lengths! I was even careful to cut the other half of each flounce by inverting the pattern piece!

After finishing the blouse, I realized that the bottom flounce was the original pattern piece left uncut and the others were cut on the lines provided, being that the middle flounce was larger than the upper flounce.

Anyway, the assembly of the flounces seemed very vague or could have been rewritten. "On the middle and top flounces, turn the left opening alowances to the inside, baste at the top. Lay the middle flounce on the bottom flounce, wrong side to right, the top flounce on the middle flounce, wrong side to right, the top flounce on the middle flounce. Baste top edges together. Leave the opening allowances of the bottom flounce free. Stitch flounces to the bottom edges of front and back..." Huh? A little diagram would have helped here. So it's really easy to just to give up and put the top aside. I then realized that I cut the flounces incorrectly and do not have enough material to redo them! Arghhhh!

It would have helped it Burda put it this way and include an illustration:
Align the top edges of the flounces so that the that the right sides are showing for all pieces and the largest piece is the bottom layer with the smallest piece the upper flounce, giving a tiered effect. Maybe using too many words did not work after all in the flounce section!

Likes/Dislikes
*I like the upper bodice and sleeves.

*A serger would be handy to edge the flounces!

* The three tier flounces were not what I had hoped for. I stopped after the second tier of flounces.

* This top simply did not work for my figure type! I should have followed my initial instinct to do away with the flounces and lengthen the bodice!

Modifications
* The length of the upper bodice was fine, although I preferred it a tad longer. For those with longer torsos, plan to adjust the length accordingly.

* Omitted the size zipper. There was a "helpful hint" section on adding zippers. I also opted for size snaps. Since, I was able to slip the top over my head I sewed up the left side seam originally reserved for the zipper.

* I resorted to "doing my own thing" and attaching the middle layer (folded upper edge) to the already edged top flounce layer. I did not continue with the third flounce.

* I skipped the shoulder tabs and buttons. They would have been easy to add, but I thought they would look better on unprinted fabric.

* I added a front tie.


Conclusion
This is actually a fairly easy top if I had not assumed as I do when working with any of the big 4 patterms! Burda really tested the type of thinkers and learners we are: global vs. analytical. I over analyzed before getting the whole picture!

If I ever do sew this pattern again, I would skip the flounces and redraft a slightly aline lower bodice. Otherwise, this top is easy to construct and to modify.

I'll reserve the flounces for skirts or for the lower edges of dresses!

This blouse did not work for me, but would certainly work for another! ;-}

Raven and Clover, Over and Over!


Once I saw the jacket from the Vogue Patterns website, I just had to get and make this!




Once I saw this Vogue 8491 pattern from the Vogue Patterns online site, I picked it up from the most recent JoAnn's sale! Lesson learned: Better to buy a few cool styles from a Vogue pattern sale online for a few dollars extra per pattern than spending much more than expected at JA's!


Pattern Description
"Misses/Misses' petite jacket, belt and dress: Semi-fitted, lined jacket with above elbow length sleeves, button closing and belt. Close-fitting, sleeveless, lined dress with darts, back zipper and slit opening." I made the jacket.


Size
Size 8-10-12. I really hoped to find the envelope with the next sizes up! Either somebody beat me to it or there were others that were misfiled! I took a leap of faith and cut out a 12. Semi-fitted as described? Vogue misled me and should have printed semi loose or about semi tent! Fortunately the belt pulled the jacket's look together.


Fabric
Cotton with slight stretch from Gorgeous Fabrics.
Dress with clover power!


Reactions to Pattern

* The front princess seams went together fine and constructing the raglan style sleeves were a pleasant reprieve from easing and setting in sleeves!

* I really like the belted look of this jacket and slightly bell sleeves. This is quite a change of scenery from the "poofy" sleeve top that I constructed recently.

* I liked the length of the jacket on me. I did not have to make any adjustments.

* I am still sort of in a quandary about the large lapels and the collarless neck maybe because I'm accustomed to wearing the "blazer" look: neck collar and lapel.

* I think Vogue mislabled the sewing level! I agree with the adjective easy, maybe because there are no sleeves to ease and set in the armscye and collar to assemble, but words "time consuming" should be included!

* Whoa, the jacket is more roomy than expected, even when I went down by a size! Fortunately there is a belt to cinch the waistline.



Directions

They were brief, to the point, and easy to follow. The illustrations were alongside the steps which were very helpful and speak for themselves. I found it helpful to mark on the wrong side of the fabric ("SLF", "SLB"), or put a colored dot stickie to distinguish among the FRONT and BACK sleeves pieces (their silhouettes look identical, except for the notches, if I had cut them well enough!). The directions assumed the that you know how to do basic techniques. For instance, Vogue assumes you know how to make buttonholes and slipstitch. Clipping curves at the princess seams is probably assumed that the sewist knows also since it was not mentioned.

Constructing lining starts with sewing the fabric facings with the side fronts and the rest is constructed the way as in the original jacket. Then the lining is placed right sides together with the original jacket and sewn at the outer edges, leaving a large enough gap at the lower hem to turn the jacket inside out, which I call the "quick and dirty" way to line a jacket. I would rather "bag" the lining for a more smoother finish especially at the bottom hem, where the lining tends to "peek" out, which I temporarily resolved with my handy dandy iron and tacking stitches.


Modifications
* I added another 1 1/2" to the belt length.
* I raised the lower button placement so that it is above the wrap around area.
* Since I was working with a print, I did my best to match the left and right fronts. I can see why I would next time add myself to the list of people who dread working with prints because of taking the time to align the prints of pieces sewn together to achieve fashion symmetry. Coincidentally, the top button placement nearly coincided with a certain part of the print that would look aesthetically and geometrically ideal, (buttonholes, buttons placed inside a printed shape instead of "on" its edges)


Conclusion
Very easy??? I recommend that the big 4 (even Burda does this!) come up with a category for "easy, but time consuming"! I do recommend this pattern because it is really straightforward to sew and for its distinctive styling, but for now one of these will do for me now! I plan to make the dress sometime soon.

McCall Me Mellow Yellow!

I just completed my vibrant version of McCall's ruffled shirt!


Ruffles are "in"!









Yeah! I finally completed my blouse for the fitted blouse contest on PR!

Maybe it is not as top notch as the other entries, but at least I gave myself credit for working on a blouse with 6 panels below the upper bodice, a ruffled front, a shaped lower hem, and cuffed balloon sleeves! I do not have the fitting expertise as many members do. That's just something that comes with more time, willingness, and patience. Also it would be hard to "figure" out consistent alterations, if I choose to alter my figure by losing weight.

I was hesitant to enter this in the fitted blouse contest because of the silly goofs I made in this blouse with $16/yd fabric, but I thought I would motivate myself and get it completed anyway. I think of the contests as motivation to do something I have not done in awhile or have never done. I was so unsuccessful with a blouse that consisted of several lower panels (Butterick 4985) that I mustered up the courage to try this McCall's from my stash.

This is labeled "4 One easy pattern", which is misleading because McCall's has easier patterns that are not labeled as such. I would label this as "easy, but somewhat time consuming."

Just when I pulled out this pattern, I see a number of ruffled tops online!
Ruffled front top by Pink Tartan at Nordy's

MARC by Marc Jacobs Ruffled Bib Tank


Pattern Description
"Shirts have front gathers, princess seams with topstitching, front bands, collar (stand up or pointy collar with collar band) and sleeve options) and sleeve variations (bubble, gathered with cuffs, pleated with cuffs)....." I sewed view B that has the ruffled front, gathered sleeves with cuffs, and the collar with the collar band.

Size
Misses' 12-14-16-18-20 with separate pieces for A/B, C, D cup sizes. I sewed a 14, cup C.

Fabric
From EmmaOneSock, a Dolce and Gabbana fun flowery print in cotton. "From Dolce & Gabbana, made in Italy, this is an exquisite cotton lawn with a lovely floral in brighter and softer yellow, a sprinkling of muted orange, with outlines in greenish-black."

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except my sleeves billowed out more!

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes and the illustrations helped. However, there was an error on my pattern piece #5, which was labeled lower back which should be lower "front." It was easy to discover this from the layout and the directions. I am uncertain as to whether McCall's corrected this in subsequent versions.

It's been awhile since I have sewed a blouse with these many pieces! They were the upper front (x2) and upper back bodice (x1), lower front (x2), lower side front (x2), lower side back (x2),lower center back (x1), front band (x2), ruffle (x2), sleeve (x2), sleeve cuffs (x2), collar (x2), collar band (x2). I interfaced the bands, the sleeve cuffs, one piece of the collar band and both of the collar pieces (instead of just one to add more stability) with a lightweight fusible. Although the cutting took some time, the pieces fit together nicely as they were sewed in each step.


What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

Overall, I like the princess seams and the ruffled front.

This is the first top I made that more closely resembles a tuxedo shirt due to the ruffles in the front which were very easy to make. One end of each ruffle is gathered and the other has a narrow hem. Each front band is then attached along raw edges of the ruffle and front edge of the shirt, right sides together and turned in prior to topstitching or hand sewing.

I like the options for cup sizing. I sewed a "C" to be on safe side, although one side of me is a "B".

I like the simple collar/collar band construction. I have to constantly remind myself that the collar is inserted between the two collar band pieces prior to stitching them together since I am used to collars without the band. except it seems a tad larger than what I expected. McCall's seems to draft collars larger than what are on the pattern envelopes, from my experience with current patterns and patterns from several years ago.

Whoa, talk about sleeves that made me think I could fly in the air! The ones illustrated on the envelope suggest otherwise. If I ever sew another version of this blouse I would decrease the circumference of the sleeves. They add a certain character to the blouse, but I'll just have one version.

Escada top with puffy sleeves, but not as puffy as mine!


Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I found it strange that there was a 12/14 size on each lower piece! I added 1/8" seam allowance to each lower panel of the shirt and the side seams because I did not want to take away too much from the ruching/gathering below the bustline. This helped somewhat, and of course silly me, was remiss in placing the needle on the front band resulted in stitching the first buttonhole off-center and so, instead of ripping out stitches, I stitched the other four buttonholes in the same way. Maybe I did this subliminally thus increasing the width of each front band by 1/2", making the blouse less snug. I would have preferred to make other modifications, but I do not want to spend more time on already a multi-pieced lower bodice.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Maybe one more in a few months or so. This as an easy pattern which I would recommend to sewists who have experience with collared and button-down shirts. I found this top straighforward to make, but somewhat time consuming (one evening and one afternoon of sewing time).


Conclusion:
This is a stylish and versatile shirt with collar and sleeve variations.

You're on CBS!





Technical drawing of blouse:






First version:
"You Spin Me round, round, round like a record, baby!





Second version:
"You're on CBS!"




First version

Technical drawing of blouse

Anne Klein blouse with front tie and printed circles

Pattern Description
Tie front blouse with ruching in the center front by the tie and long sleeves

The "Duh" Burda Code
Hip, hip, hooray! I finally sewed my first official Burda WOF pattern! It was probably the easiest pattern from the September 2007 issue. I enjoyed reading the reviews and seeing the projects from the PRers who previously reviewed this pattern.

Although I sewed with Burda commercial patterns before, the Burda WOF patterns do not come with illustrations besides the technical drawings and layouts. The sparse directions can contribute to the "duh?" and then the "aha!" moments. I am at the start of my learning curve to master the Burda code!

Being E"spatial"y Patient
I was confused for the first time looking at the pattern layouts! Various types of lines (dotted, solid, alternating circles/dashes, etc) are overlapping each other all over the large sheet! The colored numbers at the top and bottom margins line up with the corresponding numbers that refer to the specific pattern pieces that are printed somewhere alongside them. This reminds me of an interesting form of mapreading without the gridlines!

I purchased three Burda Moden pattern magazines from the 60's and 70's and they are so much more convoluted (like colored pick up sticks strewn all over the place!!) than the current patterns! The vintage Burda magazine patterns layout have more pattern reference numbers on the margins, more color coded markings (beyond the dotted, solid, i.e. wavy) and so many patterns overlapping, enough to cause severe eyestrain!


Paper or Plastic?
For those desperately finding an alternative to tracing paper (I had some at one time at home). I finally figured out a use for those ever growing number of white plastic grocery/shopping bags (Vons, Ralphs, Target, etc) stashed in my kitchen somewhere. Yup, you guessed it, the cheap, but "green" alternative to tracing paper! Wow, I could easily see and trace the lines beneath a bag! I snipped the bags to have them lie flat, cutting across the creases and traced what I can with a black sharpie pen over the pattern outlines. Then if the tracing surpasses the piece of plastic, I tape on another piece, continuing where I left off. What's nice is that the plastic clings nicely to the fabric while cutting! I even used a huge K-B toystore bag to trace out a pattern piece for the front of a coat!

Sizing
Multi-sized 36-46. I sewed a 42, according to my measurements. Although I forgot to add the seam allowances, it blouse fits fine.

Fabric
Both versions are nice jersey knits from Gorgeous Fabrics. The "CBS network" looking fabric appears to be sold out.

Directions
They consisted of very brief and vague statements (i.e. Stitch shoulder seams...)I was perplexed by unclear directions on how to attach and finish the collar ties. A diagram would help immensely because I was not clear as to how Burda wanted the tie collar attached to the neck. Burda's verbage: "Stitch collar to the neck, leaving the tie bands free from tne marking. Fold collar lengthways, right side in, leaving the tie bands free from the marking. Stitch tie band edges together. Trim seam allowances, cut corners off. Turn and press ties. Press joining seam on the collar. Turn in inner collar edge and sew to the joining seam. " Questions that popped in my mind, "Tie bands, or the ends of the collar meant for tying or making a cute bow?....Sew to the joining seam?...." If Heather had her digital camera, she would have savored the opportunity to capture my "duh, what in the world?" expression! I had to ponder carefully what I was going to do next.

My interpretation:
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, with the raw edge tucked underneath, and 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."

Likes, dislikes
*I like the style with the tie front, a modern day interpretation of secretarial blouse.
*Easy to construct
*Pattern consists of only four pattern pieces: front, back, sleeve, and tie collar!
*I forgot to add the side seam allowances and to lengthen the sleeves by 1" for my arms! But I was glad that I omitted the side seam allowances because the blouse is still somewhat roomy.
*The neckline came lower than expected. Fortunately I could bring the neckline up a little by pulling and tightening the ties. If I make this again, I'll raise the neckline another 1/2".

Modifications
* I sewed the sleeves in flat. Why set in sleeves for knits?
* It seems as if there was a lot ease in the top of the sleeves. I trimmed 3/4" from the top edge, tapering to the sides.
* I added 1 1/2" to the length of the sleeves for the second version after forgetting to do it to the first version.


Conclusion
The gathering in the front is a nice feature of this blouse and overall this blouse would flatter all figure types! So far, I have been impressed with Burda commercial patterns due to that distinctive and flattering fit that I could not acquire from the Big 4 and it seems like Burda WOF would be no exception. If you can get ahold of this September 2007 issue (lots of great stuff!), I definitely recommend making this blouse as a first Burda WOF project or as a very versatile and trendy top!

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!

Ruffle-Y Speaking

I like the look of this very feminine, yet very alluring top!
(Saksy's Just Cavalli Ruffled Blouse for $625!)







Likes/Dislikes
* I liked the overall style and fit!
* The ruffles draped the neckline nicely. Since they did not flare out, they would not overwhelm those with petite frames.

*Ruffle took longer than expected. It would have been easier to make a "rolled" hem.
*Need to wear a modesty camisole because the neckline came lower than expected.
*I encountered a little problem aligning the front facing with the bottom edge of the ruffle. Even though I snipped the corner prior to folding the facing inward, I had to do some pressing so that the ruffle's bottom corner remains intact.
*The construction is straightforward but is time-consuming, especially making it for the first time.

Modifications
*Decreased the width of the front and back darts

*Changed the orientation of how the sleeve cuff was attached to the edge. I am accustomed to placing and stitching the cuff on the outside (right side of the sleeve). Then I folded the cuff lengthwise right sides together, stitched at the edge and turned the cuff to the outside.

Conclusion
I would definitely make this blouse again by raising the neckline, slightly lowering the armscye and adjusting the sleeve heads accordingly (for a little more freedom in arm movement.

I like Burda overall for providing patterns that yield cutting edge but still classy styles and that indescribable distinctively flattering fit. I highly recommend this blouse if you are familiar with basic shirt construction and if you like to wear a top that combines the look of a classic shirt with a touch of feminine and frilly flair!

Jolie, Jolly, et Jalie!


I like the flattering style of this INC V-neck top:


Here's a nice substitute, Jalie 2682!





I am #17 (pattern reviewer) hopping aboard the Jalie bandwagon
Here are the events leading to making this top (the pattern pieces had been traced several days ago):
(1) I received two boxes of goodies (on-line purchases) from Macys.com, one day after the other. The prices were great! For instance you cannot go wrong with an $80 top selling for $12.99! But I did...
(2) I tried on all the goodies and was disappointed that only four (better than none at least!) of the fourteen items the fit nicely! Some items looked better on the online pics than in reality; one blouse was too large and others definitely would fit my sister with the supermodel figure. For instance, a cute misses' size 12 shirt fit like a 5/6 in juniors! Maybe that's why it was so cheap! I immediately returned the items to my neigborhood Macy's.
(3) I should have learned this lesson from previous on-line purchases to "Try before I buy" or
(4) Sew my own clothes

Pattern Description
"Stylish V-neck top, raised neckline at back, with or without sleeves. View A has a zipper at front neckline for more coverage. I sewed the non-zippered V-neck front, view B.

Size
Multi-sized, 27 sizes, from child to adult! I thought I would not use a pattern sized for children and adults. I made my daughter a dress version of the child's v-neck top two weeks ago. For mommy's version, I sewed a "Y" equivalent to US size "12". With the fabric I was using I could have sewn a "W".

Likes/dislikes
* I liked the overall style and fit of this top!
* The top is very easy to sew. My second version took only 2 hours to sew (sans tracing and cutting time)
* I like the polished look of the v-neckline. I did not have to fiddle with the neckline to prevent gaposis as in other tops!
* I sewed the sleeves in flat, with no problem.
* I savored the opportunity to read French and increase my French couture vocabulary. Sewing now looks and sounds so romantic. Oui, oui, oui!
* I liked the convenience of 27 sizes in one pattern!
* I got over my initial dislikes of the pattern (tracing the pattern, vague directions) once I sewed it once and knew what to expect.

Directions
Whoa! When I sewed this for the first time (Heather's version), I was quick to jump into the first step of sewing the front bodice pieces together (self-facing and visible portion) at the center line, up to the marked circle. Then I kept referring to the illustration after turning the front bodice, so that the line of stitching became the center seam of the v-neck and the top seam of the two pieces became the neck's back center seam.

Wait....Something seemed very wrong! I had to remove the stitches because I was sewing on "right" side of the fabric instead of the "wrong" side! Then I discovered that Jalie referred to the shaded side of the fabric as the "wrong" side whereas in other familiar-maker patterns the shaded is the "right" side of the fabric. Oops! Once I got beyond that first hurdle, things started coming together, so to speak!

Overall the directions were brief and to the point (i.e. sew back to bodice back....huh?). The illustrations helped, even though there might be a discontinuity from one step to another due to steps that were common to view A and B.

Fabric used
Nice knit with groovy "Erte-esque" looking print, dotted with small sequins, from Gorgeous Fabrics. Heather's dress has the same fabric.

Modifications
* Eliminated the back center seam for a continuous flow of the print and design of the fabric.
* Shortened the length by 1". The top is still a little long, but I prefer wearing my tops that way.
* Shortened the sleeves to give the top another dimension.

Conclusion
I would rate my first experience with Jalie not so bad after all! It was a matter of getting acclimated to the experience of tracing the patterns and deciphering the instructions. Hmmmm...maybe this will prepare me for the journey to Burda WOF (waiting for 6 weeks to receive my first official issue!)

I plan to use this pattern again and again! It's now one of my favorites! I purchased two other Jalie patterns and also am looking forward to using them!

I definitely recommend this pattern if you want something tres chic that sews quickly and easily after being familiar with Jalie instructions.