New Look 6892

OMG, I'm loving this peasant blouse! I've been looking for a peasant blouse pattern since they're on-trend right now. This pattern came together very easily and features multiple views for a variety of looks.

This one was kind of an experiment, so I used some rayon that I bought as a remnant from Denver Fabrics. It has a rumpled texture, so is perfect for warm weather.

The pattern uses bias tape for the casings but I just serged the raw edges to finish, turned under, and stitched the casings just wide enough for the 1/4" elastic to go through. Faster and much less bulk to worry about. For the cuffs, I used some lace seam binding left over from another project. I liked the ruffly cuffs but may change to a simple casing for the next long sleeved version as they are not terribly practical.

The SewWest Closet: the black jeans are old from Ross and the platforms are by Vigotti. Foster Grants again!

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.

A Remake of the TSW Icon Shirt--Presenting the Iconic Shirt

I've been interested in this shirt since it first appeared on The Sewing Workshop website.

I've even made one already, which was previously featured on this blog post back in 2013. But that time it only appeared on a dress form. It was made pretty much according to the pattern (I left off the pocket). But you have to admit, it's memorable:

Lots of asymmetry and a flanged side seam in addition to that interesting neck treatment. But face it, I can't see having several of these in my wardrobe. But I can envision having something similar; hence the Iconic shirt will be coming soon. I'm thinking about keeping the neckline but losing the flange, the uneven front hemline and the split back seam.

The SewWest Closet: I'm wearing a pair of black Not Your Daughter's Jeans with tan patent Viotti wedges, both old. The generic sunglasses are new.

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. 

TSW Border Print Liberty Shirt, Part Two

I've yet to wear this one out of the house because it's been a bit too cool, but I wanted to show you what it looks like. Since I'm home today with no plans to go anyplace, I threw it on with a pair of narrow pants and some boots. They're really for a different top I'm photographing during this shoot. However, in "real life", I'd either be wearing this with a more conservative pair of pants or black jeans.

Some more sleeve.

The SewWest Closet: Simply Vera narrow ponte pants with faux leather knee patches, Mia boots.

TSW Cortina Shirt, Part Two

Seeing that it's still Christmas vacation and I had a little time for photography, albeit inside. Here's me wearing the Cortina I made recently. Unfortunately, the pink is a bit plain for a stand alone piece, although it works well with other items in my closet.

As I mentioned in the previous post regarding this shirt, I've worn it with this cardigan I made from the Loes Hinse Sweater Set pattern.

The SewWest Closet: NYDJ jeans, Ivanka Trump suede boots.

Zen for Dia De Los Muertos, Part Two

It's done! And just in time for the upcoming Halloween and Dia de los Muertos season! As I mentioned in the last post, this is the Zen shirt from the Sewing Workshop's "Now and Zen" patterns. I've made the Now shirt a ton of times, and this my third version of the Zen shirt.

There are some cool features, such as a double collar (which I didn't change after all) a hidden buttonhole placket...

and this cool pleat in the back!

The fabric is a "quilt" cotton, and the grid pattern was challenging but fun. It'll be a lot of fun to wear!

The SewWest Closet: In addition to the Zen Shirt, I'm wearing black RTW pants by Laundry (from TJ Maxx a couple of years ago).  The velvet skull slippers are from Fergalicious (from 6 pm). The terra cotta pumpkin came from the floral department at Albertson's!

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.

Butterick 6176 Kimono

This is a kimono I recently made from a stashed poly chiffon from Joann's. I've been seeing them around lately and thought it would be a nice addition for my wardrobe. This one is a prototype to see how the pattern would work. 

I made view C, which is around knee length. As you can see from the technical drawing, there were several variations of length, trimmings, and a choice of straight or curved hem.

 

There isn't really much to say about the construction itself, since the pieces are basically rectangles. The challenge was hemming the edges all around the circumference of the garment as well as sleeves.  Because the fabric was ravelly, I serged around all the circumference, then basted in the 5/8" seam allowance before pressing in the double folded hem (including mitered corners on both fronts). Once all that was done, it was fairly simple to machine hem the entire thing. Sleeve hemming was basically the same process. 

I wore the kimono to church on Sunday and was basically happy with it, although I think there's a better way to handle the finish of the garment. I'd prefer to have a more "authentic" kimono treatment (a band) around the front openings, but that should be fairly simple to figure out. I have a couple more fabrics that I'd like to make into kimono jackets since they're nice little coverups for an otherwise plain outfit.

Another view of mine. You can see a little bit better that the fabric is sheer:

The SewWest Closet: in addition to the kimono, I'm wearing a black T shirt (Walmart!) and a pair of black linen TSW Hudson Pants. The shoes are Fly London.

TSW Hudson Pants

I've made several pairs of these because they're the perfect weekend pants for me. I've dressed them up or down and worn them with a variety of tops and shoes. They seem cooler than a full length pant, but that could also be a function of the cottons and linens I've used.

Below are an illustration and technical drawing of the Hudson Pant from The Sewing Workshop website. It appears they're currently not in stock on the site but can still be found in stores or on the internet.

I don't have too much to say about the sewing. They're pretty basic pull on pants with the addition of narrow darts at the lower hem. One thing I like about the draft is that the back leg is angled at the waistband, so the crotch depth is added at center back, not all the way across. This avoids some of the "clown butt" look (thanks, Debbie Cook for that description!). I modified the pattern for me but started with a size Small, then added 5/8" at each of the outer leg seams. In my opinion, the pant runs a bit large so check the flat pattern measurements against yourself to check the size you'll need.

This pair is made from a linen and rayon blend that I got at a local ASG fabric sale several years ago. I was a bit meh about the fabric but it has a nice hand, so I figured it could at least be used for a muslin.  However, I've come to like it as I've worked on the pants. I don't know if you'll see it again though. An entire ensemble would be too much of a good thing? Probably. The pants are more successful if a fabric with some drape is used vs. something stiff, even if you are using a heavy fabric.

It's important to mark the darts accurately and I've found that a Frixion pen is perfect for this.  Only a tiny spot of ink is needed at each dot. Once pressed, the ink disappears! I've washed the pants since making them and the ink did not come back.

The SewWest closet: the top is from Coldwater Creek (before their bankruptcy), the sandals are from Th!nk.

A Cutting Line Ensemble (Getting Back Up on the Horse)

After the sewing fail and the conference, this is what I've been working on. It's not perfect, but wearable. I took Louise Cutting's all-day workshop at ASG in 2009 and learned a lot of techniques, but there's a lot you forget. And my experience with Cutting Line Design patterns has been largely limited to the two shells (Pure and Simple and My Heart's a Flutter) that I've made over and over again. So I'm branching out, applying some techniques, and testing some new patterns.

For this outfit, I used the camp shirt from Easy, Ageless, Cool. The upper part (neckline, shoulders, armscye) is based on a Small and the rest is a Medium. Comfortably loose, but I think I'll shorten the sleeves a touch next time, as I did for the bodice. This pattern also has instructions to add front and back darts for a closer fit, but I chose the undarted version this time because of the thickness of the fabric and the embroidery. I also left off the pocket this time, which would be totally decorative anyway.

The skirt is from In the Trenches. I traced it much, much shorter than originally drafted. I'll be tracing off a longer version later on. I used a Medium to start with. The pattern includes instructions to refine the fit to your own measurements, so it's narrower than a true Medium as drafted.

The fabric is an embroidered rayon and linen from my stash. I ironed both garments before putting on and photographing the outfit, believe it or not. Hopefully it will become more pleasantly rumpled instead of creased over time. The detail pictures below show the embroidery better. The picture above is probably closest to the true shade.

One of the things that takes some getting used to with Cutting Line Designs is the amount of detail the instructions contain. Each of the patterns I've examined have had at least 6 pages of instructions. The temptation is to skip over them (like we all do on the Big 4), but I found it helpful to actually follow them step by step and not assume...some of her techniques are different than what we're all used to but they work.

Here are some more details of the garments.  The pattern piece for the collar is one piece; that is, you only cut one layer which incorporates both upper and under collar. The front edges are on the fold. One of the things that I did this time that I will do differently is to use a thinner interfacing. I just used some fusible tricot I had on hand and it was a little too heavy--that's what happens sometimes when inspiration strikes and you can't wait!

The collar features a center back seam on the underside. Once the center back seam is sewn, the collar starts to look like what we're all used to. Louise uses the one piece collar on all of her patterns that have collars because bulk is reduced. She credits Judy Barlup for this technique, and I believe there is also an old Threads article showing how to adapt conventional collar patterns to this.

The shot below also features Louise's deep back facing. She claims it helps to balance the garment. I'm not sure about this (yet), but I have seen a lot of RTW with back facings that use this deeper style.

The shot below shows the Louise Cutting elastic waist and pocket. Keep in mind that the skirt is not as gathered on me as it is on the form. My form is a little thinner than I am. :( I had my doubts about this waistband, but it is quite comfortable. It uses a soft and stretchy 1 1/2" wide elastic that Louise has sourced.

The pocket is cut on with the back of the skirt, brought forward, and then topstitched in place. Again, the purpose is to avoid the excess bulk of additional pocket seams and two pocket bags. I don't know if I'd use this style of pocket every time, but it is an interesting solution to side seam pockets.

The back vent wasn't strictly needed for this short of a skirt, but I did like it because the edges are nicely mitered.

The SewWest Closet: Nine West Sandals, Foster Grant sunglasses from Walgreen's (I forgot to take them off because I wear sunglasses all the time outside--the sun is relentless!).

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 On the Hoof

Ok, so it's been a while since I posted and I edited the post on this tunic without realizing I actually posted already (2 months ago). So here's a picture of it on me--the sun is out and I'm spending a quiet afternoon at home. No more excuses. For all the details, please refer to this post.

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 Loes Hinse Tango Skirt

It's obvious that this skirt is a favorite because it's appeared so many time on this blog. Easy to sew, beautiful in both lengths--what's not to love?

This latest one is made out of a gorgeous vintage rayon challis that my friend Sue Ellen gave me. There are 10 panels, all cut from the same pattern piece. Honestly, cutting out all the panels is probably the most time consuming part of making this pattern. I made this using mostly the new Bernina to sew it together, using its dual feed feature. It's like having a built-in walking foot, and there are several feet compatible with this feature. Love it! The seam edges were serged to finish. The casing was made in the traditional fold over, sew, and pull elastic through manner instead of the technique described in the guide sheet. I'd like to be able to alter this skirt later if needed and while Loes Hinse's elastic waist technique is great, it's a pain in the neck to rip out due to multiple layers of stitching at the edge. The hem was also serged then just turned up and machine sewn.

I made the top from Kwik Sew 2565 a number of months ago, and it was previously posted here.

The shoes are the "Sable" from Sole Society, in gray suede, and very comfortable even with a 2 3/4" heel. I bought them at the end of the season last year and there are still a few pair in stock.