Tank from the Loes Hinse Tank Dress Group Pattern

Another remnant project. I used this fabric last year for a project that didn't work out and had just enough to sew this tank. The fabric is another Textile Studios purchase--a woven rayon with some texture.

 I have made this pattern several times before in both dress and tank versions.

However, I wanted the back to have a little bit more coverage so I don't always need to wear racer back underpinnings. My test worked so it's onward with other versions of this pattern!

The SewWest Closet: old black jeans from Ross, the Foster Grants, and Th!nk Birkenstock-style sandals (also old but I'll hate to give these up when they're worn out).

Textile Studio Basic Top

I've been fooling around with this pattern and have already posted 3/4 sleeve and long sleeve versions. But it's summer--short sleeves come in very handy in the heat and as layering pieces.

For this round, I've been working on adjustments to eliminate shoulder pad ease. I think I've just about got it, although I'd like the sleeve cap to be higher on my shoulder. So that's the next round of adjustments.

Because I'm experimenting, I used a remnant of Kaffe Fassett rayon from Fabric.com that was left over from this Simplicity 2416 skirt that I made several years ago. I haven't been able to locate any more Kaffe rayons since then, only cottons. Since the top was a success, I now have coordinates that work together as a dress (with the addition of a sash that I also made from remnants), or with other garments.

FYI, that circle on the left front is actually lower in real life than it appears in the picture! :)

I'll definitely be playing with this pattern some more in the future since it's a quick make and a wardrobe builder.

The SewWest Closet: the shoes are B.O.C. by Born. Sunglasses by Foster Grant?

A Quartet of T-Shirts

I hesitated to even post these because you've seen a ton of Kwik Sew 2565 T-Shirts on this blog. But I live in Ts, and I've been remiss in posting again, so here are the latest from my TNT pattern of all time.

The first three are from the now-defunct Textile Studios. I can't swear to it, but I know I bought several fabrics from there when they were going out of business.

The first one is made of a double layered synthetic that has dimensional flowers cut from the top layer that are tacked down to a base for a tattered effect.I'm still in the process of doing some additional tacking on the machine just in case. The neckband is a mystery knit that I found in the stash. It's kind of a swimsuit type of knit but I'm really not sure where it came from.

 The next two are ITY knits and were easy to work with.

The fabric from this one came from either JoAnn's or Hancock's some years ago. It's knit in a subtle Asian design as well as having the print. Long sleeves work well at the office even though it's very hot here. The air conditioning indoors can be quite cold! We're wearing red on Fridays to support a co-worker who's overseas with the National Guard, so that's another reason I used this fabric. 

I have three more short sleeved T-shirts cut out and ready to be made from this pattern; all are solids that came from Gorgeous Fabrics. They go together quickly, so it's good to have them ready if the urge to sew hits. 

And here's another picture of the pattern that I used. It's long discontinued but a classic look.

Textile Studio Basic Top

Now this one is a blast from the past. Textile Studio was a pattern company and fabric vendor of the 1990s-2000s owned by Marcia Day, who hired Loes Hinse to design her pattern line. Several years latter, Loes Hinse went out on her own and founded her eponymous pattern line, which is still in business.

This pattern is copyrighted 1998, so it's probably one of the original patterns from the line. I'm not sure how it ended up in my pattern stash--ASG? I rally don't recall. However it ended up with me, I'm so happy that it did! Even though this is an almost 20 year old pattern, it's a classic in the true sense of the word. And can still be found online--a Google search located it at Vogue Fabrics!

I wear a lot of separates, and I'm always looking for tops that will work with the cardigans I frequently wear at work. This pattern is perfect for the little tops I was looking for. So far, I've made it up twice, once with long sleeves and once with 3/4 length sleeves (my variation, not in the pattern envelope). Here they are on the dress form:

And on the hoof:

The color is not true in either photo, but the live shot is a little closer than the dress form version. A long ago purchase from Fabric Mart. The black top with blue, turquoise, and lime is from Cutting Line Designs. I bought it from Louise at one of her shows..

The main change I made from version 1 to version 2, other than the sleeve length, was to drop the front neckline by 1/4" inch since the original neck was a little hard to get over my head (no closure on this design).

I'm sure I'll be making more of these! It's a great layering piece that can also stand on its own. I haven't made the short sleeved version yet but that's coming.

SewWest Closet: Black Not Your Daughter's Jeans and Vigotti wedges, both old.

This Week's Winner Is...

Dilliander, from Australia!  I'll send you the following items once I know where to send them.

To claim your prize, please email your name and address to me at feralito at msn dot com. I've received the address; the package was mailed on 12/13/10. Thanks Sandra (aka Dilliander)!

Thanks to everybody for entering. I'll post the next giveaway later today.

Holiday Giveaway 2: Last Call for Entries

Today is the last day to enter Holiday Giveaway 2 for the Textile Studios patterns. Be sure to go to that post and make your comment so you have a chance at this prize. Tomorrow, I'll choose the winner out of all entries submitted by today, December 11.

A recap of the rules:

Leave a comment on the Holiday Giveaway 2  post by 12/11/10 (today). I'll accept Anonymous responses, but please leave your name somewhere in your comment. Otherwise, it's too difficult to identify who's who. One entry per person. I'll randomly draw the winner on Sunday, 12/12/10, and post it on the blog.

Only one winner this time.  Good luck!!

Holiday Giveaway 2

This week's prize is a selection of 2 Textile Studios patterns designed by Loes Hinse and a set of holiday snowman buttons. The patterns are:

• Shawl Collar Jacket, an easy fitting jacket in two lengths with drop shoulder and shoulder pads. Optional dart for shaping. Sizes XS-XXL, uncut and factory folds. Copyright 1997.
• Basic Top, an easy fitting, slimming silhouette with 2 bodice lengths and 3 sleeve lengths. Sizes 34" to 44" bust, uncut and factory folds. Copyright 1998.

This is a package deal, so only one winner this week!

The rules:

Leave a comment on this post by 12/11/10, next Saturday. I'll accept Anonymous responses, but please leave your name somewhere in your comment. Otherwise, it's too difficult to identify who's who. One entry per person. I'll randomly draw the winner on Sunday, 12/12/10, and post it on the blog.

 Thanks for playing!

Another TSW Mixit Tank and No-Pattern Skirt

Well, it's only a couple of months late...


This outfit would have been perfect for Kauai in June, but oh well. I always think I can get more sewn than I do.

I made this in mid-August and planned to model it myself for the blog. Since we're into September and summer is over, I decided to post a dressform picture instead. As I often say, "done is better than perfect." If you follow this blog, you've already seen a previous version of the TSW Mixit Tank on me.

This project started with the skirt because I love border print fabrics. I was experimenting with a way to make a border print skirt simply, while still matching the design at the seams. So, I pulled this cotton from the stash and just started folding and draping around my body, then I ripped the fabric accordingly to form a rectangle. I used the Textile Workshop Brussels Skirt for reference but basically worked from the draping of the fabric. I matched the back seam by pressing under a seam allowance on the left side and basting it in place with Wonder Tape. Then it was just a matter of seaming, attaching elastic for a waistband, and hemming. Or so I thought.

Originally, the skirt was going to have just the single back seam. However, it was too wide on me and had too much ease, so I pinned out 3/4" on either side and added side seams. The amount was an arbitrary number based on pinching out what seemed to be necessary for a closer fit. It was not possible to have all seams matching and the desired circumference, so each of the side seams has a break in the pattern. This was the least obvious place, so I'm happy with how it worked out.

I realize the skirt is long, but it's in keeping with the Island-y vibe. I also tested the length in several places (including DH's choice of above the knee), but this particular fabric looked best in a longer length.

The top is based on the same TSW Mixit Tank pattern that I made in green linen. This one was shortened 4" by folding out the excess length in two places, then truing the seams by chalking a new cutting line with a french ruler right on the fabric. The result was a shorter, flared tank that (barely) fit the fabric remnants left over from the skirt. I'm planning to draft another short version that has all the length removed at the lower edge, resulting in a top that fits closer to the body

On a Roll

I made another Simplicity 9505 today, so I have enough nightgowns for the time being. I also got well underway on a border print skirt. I didn't use a pattern per se, but it's pretty close to the Textile Studios' Brussels Skirt. I also cut a TSW Mixit Tank from leftovers of the Easy Ageless Cool pants I made earlier this week. The sewing mojo has returned, I'm on a roll!

8/8/10 Addendum: I finished up the border print skirt this morning. All that was left was the waist and pressing. I'm wearing it to church today! Hopefully there will be enough left for a little top: the t I'm wearing with it is ok but a tank top/shell would be better.

Butterick 4194, View A--Modified

I wore the faux ikat skirt last night, very comfortable, but it had a slight A-line as sewn. That has nothing to do with the pattern and everything to do with me. Like most, I'm not straight up and down.

A discussion of the Textile Studios Brussels Skirt vs. Cutting Line's In the Trenches at Stitcher's Guild gave me the idea to make a modification. Here's what Louise Cutting had to say:

When the sides seams are seen, you can really see the peg at the hem as the gingham plaid chevron into each other...that is the secret for a couture look. To the eye of the observer, the circumference of the hem is what they think is the actual circumference of the hips.The ITT skirt is 2" smaller around the hem! Nice way to loose (sic) weight!!!

So, that's what I'm going to do with this Butterick on the next one, slight pegging of the side seams to give the illusion of a straight skirt. The ikat will stay as is; I'm not picking out the machine stitched hem and slits again! I'm ok with wearing it, just want to refine future versions.