The Latest Kwik Sew 2565

Here's the Native print T that I made during winter vacation from my TNT Kwik Sew 2565. Although windy today, it's warm enough to actually wear it outside.

...with a sweater of course. 

The SewWest Closet: I styled the T with a Coldwater Creek cardigan I've had for several years, Jones NY jeans, and Ivanka Trump suede booties. Also, a black wrist brace on my left wrist, courtesy of a bout of tendonitis I've been dealing with this month. 

What I Did on My Winter Vacation

I was fortunate enough to have some time off over the holidays and was able to spend a good bit of time playing in the Sewing Cave. I was able to finish several sewing projects and a crochet one as well.

My first project is the third twin set I've made using the Loes Hinse Sweater Set pattern. It's another older one of her patterns that's still on the Casual Elegance site.

A fast make, and I loved how this set came out. This version was made with 2 yards of a rayon blend sweater knit I bought from Casual Elegance last winter. I couldn't resist the chunky knit print on the fine gauge knit fabric!

The sewing was pretty straight forward, following Loes' techniques. I used a combination of a narrow zigzag and serging for assembly, with only a few hand stitches at the hem of the cardigan (as instructed by the guide sheet) and at the center front neckline (not on the guide sheet). I added an additional button and buttonhole to the front placket since my chosen buttons were smaller than the recommended size.

My next project used the OOP Kwik Sew 2565, which I can always count on for a good T-shirt.

I've made a bunch of these over the years, but when you've got a well fitting basic, why re-create the wheel? My most current version was traced off in 2012. It's a combination of sizes, the neckline has been dropped a bit, and I've adjusted the fit due to weight fluctuations (sigh). I like that the pattern has curved side seams and even has bust ease built in, as well as a high cap for the sleeve.

I originally planned to make this T when the weather is warmer since the fabric is a printed knit lace. However, I noticed there was a big pull in the fabric that had resulted in a hole when I was getting ready to put it away. I didn't want to risk any additional damage, so I cut out the T and sewed it without even washing the yardage first. I have better control using the sewing machine when sewing delicate knits like this, so I used a narrow zigzag for assembly, and a wider zigzag for the hems.

The fabric came from Casual Elegance, but since I had this sitting on the cutting table for a couple of weeks before putting it away, I can't say if the fabric was flawed or if kitty paws were responsible. I've always had a good experience when purchasing from them in the past, so I suspect that Smudge is to blame.

I made a couple more pairs of pajama pants from cottons in my stash. These two I bought from the estate of a sewing friend. I have enough of the black print left over to make another project. For the pattern, I used the McCall's 2476 pattern that I've used many times before.

This particular pattern is probably out of print, but the major pattern companies seem to always have a few sleepwear patterns in their catalogs. I've found that most of the pants are very similar to each other. I do prefer a Miss pattern to Unisex ones because I don't need as many adjustments that way.

The last two projects didn't require patterns since they're scarves! The plaid one came from a remnant that a friend of mine gave me, so I'm not sure of the exact fiber content. One side is a plain weave and the other is brushed. I really like it, and it's already seen a lot of wear. The crochet one is just double crochet and is made from reflective yarn from Red Heart. I wear it when DH and I go on our early morning walks. It's warm and since the yarn is bright and reflective, it also adds a bit of safety.

The plaid scarf was originally a large square with fringe on all sides, but I was unhappy with the way it looked. So I re-cut it into a narrow strip, saving some fringe on either end. The long edges are machine sewn.

A close up of the crochet scarf shows the reflective qualities of the yarn a little better. I went with with double crochet throughout and improvised as I went. It's simple and utilitarian, but that's what I was going for.

Butterick 5567 Vest (OOP)

This little vest is another prototype using stashed fabric. I'm not sure exactly when or where I got this, but it's an "ethnic" cotton featuring various strips of fabric sewn onto the red base layer. Because the strips were sewn horizontally across the fabric, I cut it on the cross grain so the strips could be vertical instead. I barely had enough even for this little garment.

This pattern just recently went OOP, but it's still on the Butterick website, and I bet its still in many of the chain fabric stores like Jo-Ann's and Hancock's. I made View C with a couple of changes. I left out the darts because I didn't want to distract from the fabric appliqués. I also narrowed the hem from 1 1/2" to 1/2" so I could fit it onto the fabric.

I also used a coordinating fabric for the facing and inner collar because of thickness and not having enough left of the red. Fortunately, I had this black batik in my stash!

Is it perfect? No. But it's still something I'll wear anyway. When I make this again, I'll add some width to the front so it'll close (the pattern calls for a snap closure at the neck) and so I can add the darts. I also think this vest is a little too short, even for me, so I'll add some length.

The SewWest Closet: I'm wearing the exact base as on the last post--same photo session! So here are the Walmart T, black TSW Hudson pants, and Fly London shoes again.

2015 First Day of School Project

I wasn't sure if I'd have time to participate this year, but decided to go for it during the long Independence Day weekend. I used a different pattern this time, a circa 1998 McCall's pattern that I got from the ASG Trading Post several months ago. I made the little dress featured in the photograph:

As with previous clothes I've made for First Day of School, I mostly used remnants from clothes I've made for myself. This one is made from some cotton sateen I used for a skirt. It's a little shorter than the other two due to fabric limitations, but I'm sure it will work well for some little girl.

The facing on this one is from the Vogue 8645 dress I recently posted, and the green is a faux linen that I used last year to make little girl's pants for First Day of School. The green is more olive than in the picture.

This one is made from a heavyweight rayon that I previously used for this dress:

The construction was pretty straightforward, all machine stitching and serging. I definitely will hang onto this pattern because the dresses were so easy and fast to make! I hope the girls that get these dresses will enjoy them.

Vogue 8645 Dress

I've been on a bit of a linen binge lately, and this dress is another example. I got this fabric last year at JoAnn's, not my favorite fabric store (is it for anyone?). But I have to admit that even they have nice fabrics now and then. It's a linen and rayon blend, based on how it feels and drapes. One of the reasons I chose this fabric was because the design went all the way across the width, so I didn't need to worry about the placement of the pattern  pieces (no bullseyes or twinning).

I've been meaning to make up this pattern for a few summers but something has always gotten in the way until now. The pattern is out of print but is currently still on the Vogue website.

One of the major changes I made in sewing this dress was to eliminate the lining. I just serge finished the edges, turned them under, and topstitched. The linen is heavy enough that there's no show through.

This was an easy sew and I think the pattern's a keeper.

Patent leather slingback platform sandals by Vigotti and my standard silver hoop earrings.

Butterick 5218 Tunic View B

Back to the blog! The weather and my schedule have been cooperating at last! I finished this up in time for the Portland trip in early May but couldn't schedule a photo of me wearing it.  Finally I do!

It's par for the course on this project, which felt like I was working on it forever! I originally cut it out last fall in Material Girls but didn't get around to sewing it before the weather changed.Even though it's long sleeved, it's made of a light weight linen (from Jo-Ann's) that wouldn't have been wearable in cooler weather.  So I started working on it again this spring in bits and pieces.

This is another OOP pattern from the stash, although I noticed it's still available on the Butterick patterns web site. They do have a new one on the site that's somewhat similar in front (Butterick 6099), but the back has a yoke and pleat instead of gathers at the back neck.

I pretty much made it from the pattern, although the illustration is slightly wrong. View B actually uses the same collar as View A instead of the notched collar shown in Views C and D, but that's was fine with me. What wasn't so fine was those voluminous gathered sleeves, so I shortened and tapered them. I took about 6" off the width and about 2" off the length, and they're still full length sleeves. I also shortened the tunic by 4", so unless you're tall, you might end up with a dress instead of a tunic. I used the extra length to add a real hem instead of the narrow one directed by the guide sheet.

I do like the result though, in spite of those things and a few other wonky aspects of the guide sheet. I don't know that I'll make another though.

Collar detail:

Placket detail (aren't those buttons great? Like jewelry):

Back neck detail, with gathers:

And at last, a photo of the tunic on me! In addition to the tunic, I'm wearing a RTW pair of ponte leggings, and some Born sandals. And the silver hoops I wear most of the time. My hair's up so you can see garment details.

Latest Kwik Sew 2565

Yes, another one! This pattern is definitely a TNT; it's my first choice whenever I make a knit top.

Kwik Sew often offers similar versions of this T shirt it its line, so even though this particular pattern is out of print, you might be able to locate something like it. Other than the fact that I've tweaked it to suit me, I like this pattern because the sleeve is actually designed to fit at the shoulder instead of being dropped.

This version is made of "onion skin" knit that I bought from Emma One Sock years and years ago, so this project is also a stash buster!

I don't have a lot to say about construction. I've made this so many times that it almost comes together on its own. This time, I used my conventional machine for assembly throughout. My serger was only used for coverstitching the hems. No particular reason because I've used the serger quite often on previous versions.

The jeans are Not Your Daughter's Jeans and the clogs are Sofft. 

This and That

I'm in between major projects right now, but still keeping busy in the Cave.

DH talked me into alterations and mending on a couple pairs of his motorcycle pants. One pair done, and one to go. The alterations consist of adding some room by adding a wedge of fabric to the center back (both are the same style). Mending is fixing a zipper on one and replacing the hook fastener on the other. Only for my husband!

I cut out a couple more pairs of the TNT pajama pants (McCall's 2476)  late last year and have sewed up both of them as of this weekend.  Here's the pattern, which is out of print, I think. However, there are lots of pajama patterns out there and all of them are similar.

Here's a photo of the latest ones. Yes, folded. You know what pajama pants look like, so this is more to show the prints.

I used "quilter's" cotton for these, which is a nice weight for lounging and sleeping. I used to make flannel ones, but they're too warm to sleep in. These sew up pretty quickly because I've made so many. Instant gratification and a good way to use some of the wilder cotton prints I have. I think both of these came from Nob Hill Fabrics. If you're visiting Albuquerque and looking for souvenir fabrics to take home, Liz's store is a good one to look into. 

I also just completed a crochet project. I don't pull out the hooks often, but it's nice to make something from time to time. Plus, I can work on it while hanging out at home without having to be in the Cave. I learned how when I was in junior high with guidance from my grandma and one of my teachers (thank you Mrs. Penn!). This latest project is a scarf that I found on the Moogly blog, called the Chevron Lace Infinity Scarf. The yarn is just Red Heart, but I loved the Monet color scheme when I saw it. The photo below shows it looped twice around the neck.

I'm pretty happy with how it came out although I found the instructions a little hard to follow. I'm thinking about making the matching fingerless mitts too (so I guess the pattern wasn't that hard to follow!).

One of my latest projects is the result of the Ugly Fabric Challenge sponsored by the ASG chapter here in Albuquerque. My fabric is a beige stretch cotton bottom weight. Let's just say it's not my best color.

There's a lot of it, so I'll be muslining pants and attempting to compete one "real" pair.  I'm currently trying to narrow down the patterns I've pulled from my collection. Any leftover fabric after the challenge will be used for the First Day of School project that we've done for the past couple of years. The fabric is heavy enough for kids' pants.

Another of my latest projects is also related to ASG. We are one of the sponsoring guilds of the biannual Fiber Arts Fiesta, so we need to make some little goodies for a charity fundraiser at the event. I have been going through my Pinterest and the pattern collection to come up with some ideas for quick and cute things to make. I know, charity sewing, but my "selfish sewist" goal is to use up many of the scraps that are taking over my sewing space.

Fleece for Wintertime

I just finished a couple of fleece vests over the holidays. They're perfect for the weather here, substituting for a jacket on milder days or as an extra layer when it's colder.  Today is one of the colder days (Happy New Year!).  I'm still in pjs and probably will be for a while, so I'm going to show them on the dress form.

I cut out both vests at the same time and sewed them right after each other. This is the first one I sewed, using a cat print fleece remnant from JoAnn's.

And some detail shots, since the print obscures them a bit. Collar, yoke, zip and seams:

In-seam pockets:

The pattern is McCall's 5252 View A. Last time I looked, it was still in print.  The McCall's site appears to be down right now so I was unable to check.

I was attracted to it by the design details and the MP3 pocket. However, this is a Unisex pattern, which basically means it's designed for a guy. I used a combination of Small through the armscyes, tapering to Medium through the torso, and I had to do a lot of adjustments to make this vest work. I know, I should have known based on the fit on the female model (who looks none too happy about having to wear the sample garment).

First of all, it's very long. I ended up folding out 2" on the front yoke and upper back. I also shortened at the hem another 1 3/4". Second, the shoulders are also very wide. After sewing the vest together and basting the side seams, I tried it on and determined that I needed to narrow each shoulder by 1 1/4".  Basically, that just involved taking out the basting, laying out the vest and using the curved ruler to remove a crescent of fabric on each side. Due to the upper body adjustment, I had to move the pockets up. Fortunately I figured that out before inserting the zipper and hemming it. Oh yeah, that MP3 pocket? I left it out. I could not figure out a way to make it work with my iPhone 5 and not look ridiculous. The MP3 pocket is really  designed for a smaller device like a Nano. Good thing I have blue tooth ear buds, so it doesn't really matter. 

This pattern is also what Kathleen Fasanella calls "coffin clothes," in that all the details are only on the front--no yoke or seaming on the back. It doesn't matter so much with the print fleece, but if it were a solid... I guarantee that similar RTW garments are not designed like that, and I have the clothes to prove it. If I do use this pattern again (and I might), I will modify the back so that it's not just a blank piece of fabric. With all the issues I had with the fit, I do like the style. I think I'd like to try the pullover version of the hoodie at some point.

The next vest is made from sugar skull fleece I saw at Santa Fe Fabrics during last spring's Fiberly Train weekend. Skulls are a popular Southwestern motif due to Dia De Los Muertos.

Detail of the collar and zip:

Butterick 3257 is a copyright 2001 pattern that I've made twice before. It's a favorite, and unlike McCall's 5252, it's designed for women! Much easier to fit right from the envelope with minimal alterations. I used a combination of View C (the red vest) for the body and View D (the cat print vest) for the collar.

This pattern is designed for wovens and faux fur, so the sewing instructions assume the garment is lined. Since I used fleece, I omitted the lining, then simply turned under and top stitched hems in place. I had to improvise the collar but the instructions from McCall's 5252 came in handy when working it out. The collar is a bit high for me, but it's unlikely I'll ever wear this vest zipped all the way to the top.

Neither vest was particularly difficult to make, although the separating zipper can be a little tricky since it's important to match the upper edge, lower edge and any horizontal seams. I always use a longer zipper than called for by the pattern so I don't have to worry about sewing around the pull, then remove excess teeth later. I also try to leave the the entire zipper together when sewing it to the garment. That way it's more likely that the sides will match up.

I noticed that the JoAnn's fleece was thinner and less dense than the fleece from Santa Fe Fabrics, but it's not terrible. I wouldn't consider either to be "technical" quality fleece, but fine for normal wear. You can make a vest out of a small piece of fleece. I had a yard or less of each, and I have remnants left that I can use for mitts, etc. 

Simple Project, Simplicity 3569 (oop)

Time for a new, simple pattern--a knit friendly nightgown. 2 main pieces and 2 facing pieces.

The fabric is a cotton knit that came from Hancock's or JoAnn's, I'm not sure which one.  I just remember seeing it and thinking it would be perfect for something like this.

It was easy to make, too.  Although I included the facings due to the V-neck, I changed the instructions a bit and topstitched the edge down to eliminate the potential of the facings flopping around. I worked on this for a small amount of time after returning from the mini sewing tour, and it was ready to wear to bed that night.

I cut a 10 through the neck and shoulders and a 14 for the sides.  The shoulders and facings were sewn with a regular machine using 5/8" seams. I made narrow 1/4" side seams, using my serger.   The finished length was dowdy on me, so I cut 8" off the lower edge before hemming with a 1/2" machine stitched hem. Now it's a little above my knees.

I'll definitely make this again, and I've already selected a couple other stash knits to use. This nightgown is so comfortable, but a step up from sleeping in a T-shirt.

TSW Eureka Skirt and Another Kwik Sew T

Both of these are patterns I've made before. The skirt is from TSW's Eureka Top and Skirt pattern, that I originally made last winter from a cottony knit fabric.

This time, I used a poly knit I bought from Gorgeous Fabrics some time ago (no longer in stock).  Since brown is not my best color, I knew it would have to be a skirt. I love the drape but oh man, was it difficult to sew! I'm sure that some of the difficulty was self-inflicted--I tried a stretch needle and a universal, neither of which worked very well until I started placing strips of water soluable stabilizer between the fabric and the feed dogs.  I probably need to look into purchasing some ball point needles? In spite of all that, the skirt was fun to make. There are 2 basic pieces, each cut twice, that fit together like a puzzle. The first time I made it, I cut the lower piece on the bias. This time, I didn't bother and it worked fine while using a little less fabric. Because the drape of the fabric was so nice, I didn't bother to finish the hem edge. Works fine, as this is a knit that doesn't curl or run. 

The T is from my usual T pattern, the OOP Kwik Sew 2565 you've seen in many previous incarnations. I discovered this knit in my stash--it has a cottony hand with synthetic threads mixed in. It's not as sheer on me as it appears on the dress form; it's actually thicker than a lot of knits I work with. I'm not sure if this will be the ultimate pairing of top and skirt, but this is a T that can be worn with a lot of items in my wardrobe. 

Fast Summer Sewing and Working the Backlog

I'm on a roll with a couple of Cutting Line Designs patterns, the Pure and Simple Shell and My Heart's a Flutter shell. They are perfect for the hot Southwestern climate, make nice coordinates with other garments, and sew up quickly. The Pure and Simple Shell is no longer on the Cutting Line Designs website, but try Googling it. There are still copies out there.

I've also revisited some remnants from past garments because these tops take a minimal amount of fabric.

This Heart's a Flutter shell was made from a piece of cotton lawn that was left over from a another top I made for our Puerto Rico trip. I think it came from Louise Cutting's booth when the ASG Convention was in Albuquerque in 2009. Very lightweight and a dream to work with!

This Pure and Simple shell is an exact remake of one I made for Puerto Rico. I loved the fabric, but not the fit so I traced off the pattern one size larger and re-cut it from leftovers. The fabric is a lightweight linen from JoAnn's.

I already have a second Heart's a Flutter shell cut out and another one in the planning stage. And another Pure and Simple shell planned.

But first, I've been working on some other projects that were already cut out and waiting to be sewn. I just finished another T shirt made from a rayon jersey remnant that I found at JoAnn's--a big surprise since it's so nice. I'm used my TNT Kwik Sew 2565 (OOP).

I also have another pair of TSW Hudson Pants ready to go,

This time, I'm making them in white twill that I found at JoAnn's, similar to what I used for the brown shorts from the First Day of School Project.

And I cut out another nightgown from this Simplicity (OOP).

I'm making the one in the drawing at the upper right of the picture.

I have more in the planning stages but for now, enough. I like having items cut out and ready to go but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. Three cut and pending are enough.