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.

Maddy Starbucks

70's flash and splash


70's floral glare


Shirt dresses in wild geometric printed fabric are coming in full force.

Tory Burch dress in interlock silk for $465 from Bloomingdale's.

I like shirt dresses, but ironically I have only two in my current wardrobe.




Pattern Description
Misses'/miss petite dress with sleeve variations.


Size
Misses' sizes, 4-6-8-10-12. I sewed a "12" for the entire dress, instead of the usual "14" at the bust, waist, and hips. Since there seemed to be more ease in the tummy area, I went down a size.





Fabric
Cotton in some atrociously bizarre geometric print from Fabric.com. It reminds me of coffee beans encased in teardrops. Just call me "Maddy Starbucks". I feel so "Carol Brady" going 70's full force in a dress with a flighty collar and bizarre printed fabric.



Directions
I did not have problems following them and occasionally strayed from their order of construction. For instance, I attached the sleeves to the bodice before the collar whereas Simplicity has vice-versa. I paid attention to the markings such as the circles at the corners of the front plackets and sleeve plackets and the pleats on the sleeves. I give credit to Simplicity for providing clearer directions to attach the plackets, in comparison to those for my Hot Patterns' Plain and Simple Iconic Shirtdress. For me, the tricky part was to sew the plackets (after crossing the left over the right) to the lower edge or simply closing the lowest gap of the placket. The bulk caused by the overlap of the placket edges made it somewhat of a challenge to sew a very short seam (approximately an inch) without a slight pucker. The sleeve plackets are attached the same way, but on a smaller scale.

I prefer theFearless placket construction because it looks more sleek.
I was worried that the dress started looking like a billowy house dress or night shirt. Once I added the sleeves and collar, the dress started having some form and character.


Favorite Features
*Shirt dress style

*Retro-styled collar. I you are not a fan of "big" collars, you might want to trim the edges to a wearable width.

*Collar construction
I liked the idea of attaching the collar to the inside instead of on the outside. Then the collar is flipped to the outside and topstitched to the neckline. I recall a similar method I used to construct a 1950's blouse. This leaves a sleeker and cleaner finish from the inside of the neckline leading to the top lapel of the upper front facing, and no erratic topstitching on the neckline seam on the outside.


Not-so-favorite Features
*Overestimate of the fabric yardage requirements for certain parts of the dress.

I actually used less than fabric than what was mentioned on the back of the envelope, typical of many who sewed with Project Runway-inspired patterns. I used less fabric for the entire dress than the sum I calculated from the estimated yardages. I did not think that the sleeves and cuffs would take more than a yard of fabric and the rest and the dress (front, back, yoke), more than 2 yards of fabric.

Modifications/Alterations
*I shortened the upper yoke 3/4". I should have gone with my instinct to take out the length from the gathered back below the yoke, hopefully to also eliminate the ripples due to extra ease.

*1" petite adjustment

*Removed 1'' from the lower edge of the dress.

*I was not sure if I threw away or misplaced the cuff piece. I re-drafted one (6" width, 13" length), eliminating the need for the button holes. I sewed the seam of the first cuff and the seam of the corresponding sleeve before sewing the cuff to the pleated edge of the sleeve and due to the small circumference, I had difficulty maneuvering the seam below the needle. For the second cuff and sleeve, I sewed the cuff to the sleeve before sewing their side seams. Then I took a short cut and sewed a button below each placket.



Conclusion
This is the second shirt dress I have sewn during the past year and plan to sew more because I actually miss wearing shirt dresses (an incentive to wear long boots). I might shorten the pattern to a top and sew a short-sleeved version. I was hesitant to use this pattern due to the impression of creating a voluminous piece. This has now become a "why-didn't-I-sew-this-sooner" item.

If you have this pattern and have not tried it yet, give this one a chance.

Giving Many Thanks

Heather shared her Thanksgiving projects that she completed at school.

I was particularly intrigued by her "I am thankful" booklet.

As I turned each page, I encountered a cutout that represents one of the true wonders of our world.

"I am thankful for...

The good brown soil,
The green hills,
The tall trees,
The clear, clean water,
The tall purple mountains,
The bright warm sun,
The big blue sky."

Now I feel that I have not really been appreciative enough of the "natural" gifts whose importance transcends that of our technological gadgets.



I chuckled at one of "Heather's feathers": "Heather's thankful for squirrels". I asked Heather about this and she responded, "Because they are so cute." I added that they are not so cute when they are disease-ridden. We occasionally spotted a squirrel or two at the school where I work, especially when there are no students on campus. The little critters must reside somewhere on campus, certainly on the lookout for food. Heather has a high appreciation for nature and its inhabitants.




Here's one of my favorite songs that so nicely expresses my gratitude and thanks for the generosity of others...

la la la la la la la la la.................


You've been so kind and generous, I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
For your selflessness, my admiration
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to
thank you for it....

la la la la la la la la la ...........................


You've been so kind and generous, I don't know how you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
And I never could have come this far without you
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound, I'm bound to
thank you for it....

Na Na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na


Oh, I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave with love and tenderness,
I wanna thank you
I want to thank you for your generosity, the love and the honesty that you gave me
I want to thank you, show my gratitude, my love and my respect for you,
I wanna thank you

Oh I want to thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you...

(by Natalie Merchant)

Many thanks to you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Star Spangled Manner

I discovered on-line this earlier last year, a Banana Republic silk geometric blouse for $69.50.




Here's Talbot's top in a solid:

The version of my pattern envelope.


Another version of the pattern envelope.


Pattern Description:
Blouses with front bow, front and back vertical fronts, buttoned front, and sleeve variations.

Pattern Sizing:
Misses' 8-18. I sewed a "12" at the shoulders and sleeves, tapering to a "16" for the first version and a "14" for the second version.


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?
They were fine. The only thing I made a note of was to exercise caution in attaching the front facing (which I used in my second version), especially at the top end, where the bow started. I should have made the top little seam 1/8" wider, leading into the collar, where the raw edge is turned under and hand-stitched or topstitched.


Favorite Features
*Bow
*Vertical darts for shaping
*Sleeve variations
*Relatively easy to sew

Slight dislikes
* The neckline is low, but fortunately as mentioned by the other reviewers, the bow makes the neckline modest, by covering up the lowest portion.

*The bow can be bulky depending on the fabric used.

*More noticeable on my second version than on my first, some bunching above the bust. I might have cut the "12" instead of the "14" or took in the bust darts more than I should. The model wearing the fuscia top is experiencing a tad of it.


Fabric Used:

First version in printed cotton left over from Heather's patriotic dress.




Heather's patriotic dress that I made last year from McCall's 5308. Now in first grade, Heather just learned several patriotic songs and has been singing them a lot around the house (America, Grand Old Flag) with Star Spangled Banner, being her favorite, of course.

"Campaign" buttons from the back view.




Second version: Cotton from Fabric.com

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

First version
*Eliminated the center front seam

*Reinforced the the upper center front by creating a narrow 3/8" seam which will be covered by the bow when worn.

*I took out 2" in width of the bow for the first version, because I was using a double knit.


Second version
* 3/4" horizontal tuck to eliminate the slight "puff" in the upper back
center back seam. I made this alteration after my first version.

* I used the front facing for the button down portion

* In making my second version to a "14", I reduced the width of the darts and had to eliminate the front darts. My fabric had less ease than the one I used on my first version. I should have eliminated the center back seam.


Both versions
*Made a 3/4" petite adjustment


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes. I might try the longer sleeve version.

I realize the importance of creating a muslin version (in my case with "less serious" fabric) before making a very wearable outfit in more luxurious fabric. It took me years to realize what adjustments I needed to make something fit better after looking at things I have made with a critical eye. I still have a long way to go.

Conclusion:
Nice pattern to try, as a diversion from collared tops.

O say can you sew, by the dawn's early light...

Chasing Rainbows

I have been on a woven cotton sewing spree. I sewed this before my HP princess seamed shirt.




Pattern Description:
Misses' tunics and dresses

Pattern Sizing:
Misses' 10-22. I sewed a "12" at the shoulders and a "14" everwhere else.

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



Fabric Used
Another 100% cotton from Fabric.com. Those special deals advertised in their email newsletters are just too enticing...

Were the instructions easy to follow?
They were fine and I did not have problems with them. Some cf the construction details are reminiscent of my Kwik Sew 3062 scoop neck top in terms of the the slight gathers below the front bodice and the bias skirt. The back of Kwik Sew 3062, however, is cut as one piece.

The only tricky part for me was to attach the front band. If I were not careful, it would have been a front facing. I made sure I attach the notched edge to the front edge of the bodice, right sides together. I did not have any problems attaching the front and back facing. After turning the facings to the inside, I handstitched the edges to the inside seams, instead of stitching in the ditch to avoid misaligned stitches to show on the outside.

Adjusting the crossover portion of the neckline might have caused the notches to not to line up precisely when attaching the skirt portion. I aligned the bodice and skirt at the side seams and made very minor adjustments in the gathers at the lower edges of the bodice before sewing the bodice and skirt together. I did not encounter the skirt stretching that was cut on the bias. I can easily imagine having issues with fabric that are usually tricky to deal with. Wendlesue's review addresses this issue very well.

Favorite Features
*Top/dress options
*Sleeve options
*V-neck or buttoned front options
*Slight gathering below the shoulders and below the bust.

Not-so-favorite Features

* Potentially revealing neckline.
To avoid undergarments from showing or simply a free peep show, I made sure that I crossed the right side of the bodice over the left at a suitable point. I tried the bodice and pinned the cross-over several times, making sure I achieved a comfortable fit and an acceptable neckline, before basting it in place.

*Bias skirt, especially if it is fitted, below the bodice is not flattering on me due to potentialy revealing things that I like to be hidden, like the non-muscular portions of my abs, if you know what I mean.


Fabric Used:
Cotton from Fabric.com

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
*1" petite adjustment

*3/4" horizontal tuck in the back, 3" below the shoulder seam

*Due to fabric constraints, I made short sleeves, gathered the lower edges, and attached bands (right or visible side of band to wrong side of sleeve) that were originally cut from the cuffs for the long sleeves with added length of 1 1/4". Then I turned the cuff to the outside, pressed it in half, pressed under the raw edge and topstitched 1/8" from the edge.

*I thought the top was unproportionately long for me. I shortened the skirt portion 2".

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, it is not a difficult top to show. I spent most of the time handstitching the band's facing to the inside.

Conclusion
This is a versatile and stylish top that can be suitable for various occasions. I can also easily envision it in a knit.

Crush Hour Traffic

I was in an "Orange Colored Sky" mood when I made this shirt. Adorable Natalie Gauci from Australian Idol Season 5, singing the Nat King cole classic. I like her voice and also her outfit, especially that skirt...


Pattern Description:
Princess seamed top with collar and lapel with sleeve variations.



Here's HotPatterns' narrative description:
The basic, go-anywhere, wear with anything shirt, designed for shirting weight cottons, crisp silks or soft rayons, or any shirt-weight fabric you wish! Fitted, single-breasted shirt has Princess seams front & back, a classic collar & rever, and finishes at the high hip. Shirt features a choice of three sleeve lengths: full length with a classic shirt cuff, as well as 3/4 length or short sleeve, both finished with a deep hem. Wear this versatile shirt with your favorite pants or skirt for a slick, classic look...it’s perfect for school, college, work, interviews, and any time you need to look your polished best.

Pattern Sizing:
Misses' multisized: 6-26 I sewed a "12" at the shoulders, tapering to a "14" at the bust and hips. I should have gone with my original instinct and sewed a "12".

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
At the princess seams, yes. Otherwise, my top does not seem to come from this pattern as illustrated on its envelope.


It more closely resembled a top (a 1969 McCall's pattern) I made three years ago with a wild collar.



Fabric Used
"Zazu Chandelier Lace Persimmon" in 100% cotton from Fabric.com (sold out) that I purchased just before Halloween, last month. I was surprised that for $2.4/yd, I received really quality fabric. I paid just under $5 for 2 1/2 yards (50% off the original and an additional 30% with a special online code).

Were the instructions easy to follow?
They were adequate. The diagrams are in my opinion, are not very helpful and seem to serve as prompts, or symbols of the actual steps. Because HP's presentation of the methods such as creating and finishing the sleeve vent and creating and attaching a collar are vague, I recommend referring to sewing reference books, online tutorials, or even directions from a Big 4 pattern or a Kwik Sew.

Thanks to Rebecca and Karla Kizer for mentioning about Pam's tutorials for the collar and lapel which are very helpful in constructing the collar and lapel, especially where they overlay. I wish I had these handy!

Collar tutorial, part one.

Collar tutorial, part two.



There is also no reference to what are wrong or correct sides of fabric and how to for instance, lay the front and back facing onto the rest of the shirt, prior to sewing them on (as one unit).

Something I do not recollect doing with wovens, is sewing the sleeves in flat, per the directions.


Favorite Features
* Princess seams

* Sleeve variations

* Whoa, my collar made me feel like Johanna Travolta ready to boogie beneath the glitter ball......Caution: the collar is larger than illustrated on the envelope.


Not-so-favorite Features
*The shirt is not fitted as I had anticipated. It seems to run a size or even nearly sizes larger on me. Even after taking in each seam 1/4", the shirt is still roomy.

* My collar and lapels are further apart (most likely my doing), whereas the illustrations show them nearly overlapping on the models.

* There was some extra pleating at the front between the upper sleeve and lapel due to excess fabric.

*The sleeve caps have excess ease.

*After I sewed the seams of the long sleeves, I felt overwhelmed by their size, which contradicted the more fitted look on the envelope. Along with the large collar and really bright orange, they threw the shirt out of balance. I felt the need to shorten them.


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
*I wanted to eliminate the drag lines on the sides when I wore my Deco Vibe Tango shirt. I suspect they were visible because I did not make my needed adjustments.

* I made a 3/4" horizontal tuck on the side and center back pattern pieces to eliminate the familiar little ripples and/or puffiness in the upper back.

*I made a 1" petite adjustment to all pieces. However, I added 3/4" to the length to also accommodate for the lower hem. According to HP's description, the shirt is hip level and I like mine a little below that. If you have a longer torso, beware the length, especially if you like to wear your tops below hip level.

*I reduced the collar 1/4" along the edges.

*I took in the sleeve sleeve caps a maximum of 1/2".

* I shortened the sleeves and still I was not satisfied with the way the sleeves jutted out, making me look like I was ready to go bowling, retro style. To simultaneously balance the entire look of the shirt due to the the roominess at the waist and hips, and to avoid the "retro bowler" sleeve look, I added an elastic casing (5/8" hem) and elastic (1/4" wide, cut two inches longer than the circumference at my upper arm and adjusted) at the sleeve hem.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I am not sure if I would sew it again. I had high hopes for it. Then I created a little temporary belt from the remaining fabric and liked it much better. If you have or intend to purchase this pattern, I definitely recommend making a muslin or wearable muslin before delving into scrumptious fabric.

Conclusion:
It was really not a difficult top to sew, although it was not "Minute Made", but more like 5-6 Hours Made.

Cute, clever, and entertaining clip from The Nat King Cole Show, 1957. Betty Hutton and Nat King Cole's sing each other's song, especially Orange Colored Sky and more when they later appear on stage (even opera!). Today's shows do not compare to this.