Decades of Style - Pattern adjustment

Dear readers,

I have begun my entry to the world of Decades of Style patterns.  This is the pattern I am making - with princess seams -

 - the 1944 House dress.  I love princess seams and my sloper (or basic bodice) is perfect for that.  So, I am taking the original pattern (traced) and marking, what I hope, are the correct pattern adjustments.  The original pattern is very close to my sloper - very unusual.

Below is the original fashion fabric - I hope to make it up before St. Patrick's Day.  It is a linen and I plan to underline with batiste.  It's an expensive fabric so I am making a toile or muslin before cutting (so unlike me!)

As you can see the alterations are in green.  WARNING:  My alterations are a swag - measured from the slopers -  *real* pattern making and adjustment involved detailed measurements and math.  So, I am using the "swag" method - we'll see how it shapes up!  One note is that I did "rotate" the dart to the side to match the pattern.

The back alteration below is the largest - I have a very broad back.  I also have asymmetrical shoulders  -  but because of the ease I am making both sides with the same sloper alternations (laziness!).

 I have no idea what to do with the sleeve alterations - the sleeve (in tracing paper) is nothing close to my sloper (behind, on oaktag).  So, this is part of the reason I'm making a muslin. . .

Some of my pattern making tools.

 Colored markers are key.

Slopers taking a rest on the piano.

Next up is the muslin. . . more to follow!
P.

Simplicity 1806 View E Top with Japanese Fabric

Dear Readers,

I finally finished, after two weeks, Simplicity 1806, View E with sleeves.  Although I must remark - I think you could potentially make this top in a day or less.  I spent a few hours total on the production. . . but did do some pattern drafting - which took me longer.

Side note:  It's still a bit chilly here in Ventura, the heater was on this morning, and certainly not white linen pants weather (or style, for that matter) but it does show a great contrast with the top.  I plan to wear this blouse with jeans (and probably only, jeans). . . 

 Well, I am a bit down on patterns.  First, I have a bodice sloper that fits perfectly - so any commercial pattern I use - I must adjust - and I certainly tried, with mixed results.  It is, I think, more difficult to re-draft an existing pattern to conform to my sloper (or basic block) than to draft from scratch.  That said, I did get a palatable result.  Not perfect.

The pattern:

Here was my inspiration.  My mother made me wear the blouse in the second grade - and I resisted (as usual)- Here's to my mother for her day - a top reproduced in colors, according to her, "that photograph well."  I toyed with making a lace collar.

It's still a smidge too large in the bodice.  I recommend checking the final measurements (which I did not do because after I redrafted I simply continued on).  Below, tools I used in re-drafting the pattern. . .

I did not use the pattern directions - I simply continued under my own direction after step 3.  I drafted my own collar too - another smaller Peter Pan (yes, readers, seemingly, this is my "go-to" collar) - see below.  I previously made a blouse with the collar suggested in View E and the fabric did not lay correctly once attached.

The final garment below:

The fabric I am using is a Japanese fabric that is a medium weight linen.

I did, however, use the strange "Flange" sleeve pattern suggested by Simplicity - which is a stretched oval, much like a football, folded in half - and each half forms the sleeve to be sewn into armhole.

I also attached the facing using a sloppy fell stitch to the seams. . .If anyone has any suggestions - I'm happy to take them.

Thank goodness for my serger.

I also bought a new pattern making book, used - with great ideas to transform the sloper.  It is shown on the left - I used all three books below re-drafting and sewing this pattern . .

I've spread out some fabrics I wish to sew this spring and summer. . . .

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms out there!

Update:  6/30/2012:  I wear this blouse almost every week - it's perfect!  I hardly remember the trials and tribulations in making this garment!

Yeah Super Buzzy!!

Dear readers,

Hooray - a new Japanese fabric and yarn store only a mile from my house!! I'm so happy!!

Now, I have to get the word out!  The owner, Kelly is fantastic - and has run an successful Japanese fabric internet business for quite some time now (over 6 years) - check out Super Buzzy - I'm just thrilled she has a store front on Main Street.  If fact I've bought from them online - and she has the best selection of Japanese fabrics - I've even purchased from her before.

I bought some fabrics with the intention of making and posting some pictures of bright summer shirts/dresses!

Extra wide cotton

Soft Gauze (linen cotton)

In all honesty - I'm happy our little hippy beach town of Ventura is inspiring artful entrepreneurs to start up their own shops!!

This made my day!

Colette Macaron Second Version Finished at Last!

Hello Readers!

I've finally finished the Colette Macaron - despite a blunder with my blind stitch hem this morning.

I'm fairly pleased with it.  I made it out of Echino Fabric (from the fabulous Sew-LA). . . which is a very thin cotton linen blend.  I took my time to make the dress - and I think the two mistakes I made were:  (1)  the upper band isn't totally straight (I'm thinking of re-attaching), and (2) the side with the invisible zipper doesn't match!

(Update:  Late morning day of post - the pictures on this blog convinced me to re-sew/re-attach the upper midriff band - it looks a lot better now!!). I've posted the pix below:

I did some new techniques on this dress - I stabilized the neck with silk ribbon and did the armholes the same way.  I lined the dress with a very thin high quality cotton - although I've had a hard time getting the lining perfect.

I topstitched both the neckline and sleeves because of the light weight quality of the fabric and lining - I couldn't get these areas to lay perfect despite a large amount of steaming and pressing. I even understitched, to no avail.  I believe the topstitching corrected this tendency of the fabric to roll.

Here is the side of the fabric where I actually matched the sides correctly.

I also bought a rolled hem foot and I LOVE IT!  I blindstitched the hem and then used the rolled foot on the lining - wow!  I need to perfect this technique but I really do like it.

I also used a cotton thread (rather than polyester) in sewing the rolled hem and I believe that helped!  Ah, the wonders of feet.

Finally, I include a picture of the garment on my dressform!

For the pattern review, click Here.

Progress on Macaron

Dear readers,

Yes! I've finally 90% done with the Macaron.

All I need to do is press and hem tomorrow!  

Here I am below lining up the skirt to the bodice. . .

Here, I actually took the time to line up 

and mark the straight lines so that the

waistline is seemingly straight. . . 

I am doing a quick lining.  Which means lining to the

neck and sleeve line.  So to reinforce the neckline and sleeves

I have not only used my lightweight interfacing but also

sewing in some silk ribbon I had bought "just in case" for this

project!  It has worked out wonderfully.  I also used the silk

ribbon to line invisible zipper to reinforce it.  

Of course, every project has its mistakes it seems.  Two of mine:  I couldn't figure out the lining!  For example, my last dress I lined easily - but now I remember that it has a back zipper - this dress has a side zipper.  I must have forgot how I did the lining on my other macaron!  

And, I made my usual error of cutting a hole in the lining by mistake, so I patched it on the inside with a good luck shamrock - it didn't alter the pattern, thankfully, and it does not show!  I have more to report when this is finished . . . . almost done!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. 

Macaron Again!

Dear readers!
I'm attempting to refine my sewing.  Hence, I am only completing the bodice and lining and working on precision.

This is the bodice to Colette Pattern Macaron.  Although I made it before I was not happy with the results!!  This is a basted version with a stitch size of 5.0.  It still fits well!

The skirt will be made of the material below:

It's a Japanese fabric called Echino (it's a linen cotton mix) that I bought from Sew-LA.

I am lining it - although the pattern doesn't call for it.  I chose a very light cotton material to line it.  It is very thin - so  hopefully it will work out well.

I am working to slowly fit the bodice and line the bodice (sleeveless) and I hope that this brings more precision to my work and more tailoring techniques.  I need to improve my technique! Today I plan to finish the bodice and lining and attach to the bodice only!  I am trying to slow down.

Finally, my dressform is exactly my size with the exception of the waist - which I padded.  Thanks P90X!   I am going to start working out for another 90 days of that program - so I guess it's conceivable I could get smaller than my dressform (oops!!).  I hope so:)