V7903 ad tedium

Dear readers, Are you very tired of looking at V7903 (heavily modified) variations? I am rather tired of making them, but they are becoming lovely quick projects. I made this last one in several very short sewing periods after work this week. I also managed to put some buttons on the earlier version - all 19 of them.

 

The most recent version is terribly plain. No piping, no embellishment, just frivolous buttons. The fabric is a lovely cotton sateen from Ewan Gardam fabrics. I bought it in Brisbane City in January, so it is practically new fabric, almost raw in stash terms.

 

The fabric of the previous blouse is much less high class, and even more raw. It is a cotton quilting print from Stitch Bliss in Gympie. I thought it was rather fun for a blouse, and that I could get away with it for work without anyone picking that it was originally designed for quilting. I am now quite happy with the fastening - as Gwen commented, it is no longer a mistake (chopping off the facing at centre front for piping instead of a few cm to the side)but a design element :)

 

I am really, really hoping to finish another pair of Marlene pants by the midnight sewing cut off for the SWAP. I have had 6 months to get it finished, but I still end up working more to a deadline! I am the procrastination Queen.

Vogue 7903 and the SWAP

I made yet another version of Vogue 7903 today, except for a few hiccups which mean I didn't actually finish it.
Here it is hanging on the verandah in a buttonless, but otherwise completed state.

 

The reason it is unfinished is due to one of those blinding last minute marvellous ideas. This time the idea was that the rather plain blouse could do with a little inseam trim on the sleeves and on the edges of the front placket. I carefully trimmed an appropriate amount from the sleeve, then cut out a tiny cuff, no problems, sleeve went together nicely (aside from some topstitching that I thought better of and unpicked). Next I trimmed very carefully down the front pieces of the blouse, measuring precisely to make sure everything lined up. I applied the folded batiste trim, added the facings, then sat back to admire my work. It was only at this point, admiring the eveness of the piping in a smug sort of way, that I realized I had carefully cut exactly on the centre front marking, instead of a few centimetres to the side, making a blouse that could not be fastened. :(
Whilst unpicking my lovely double stitched piping and trimmed to the bone seam allowance I decided that the next blouse would have no trim, no design changes and be made from the easiest possible fabric.
I "fixed" this particular blouse by inserting elastic loop between the facing and the right side of the blouse, and adding an underplacket to the same side. Naturally I managed to apply this over the loops on my first attempt, so had a little more unsewing to do. I have put it away waiting for several gazillion little round pearl buttons instead of the cute jade green ones that look terrific against the green dot fabric.

This blouse is a late entry as a SWAP contender. Just like last year, I have ended up with several partial SWAPs by the last week instead of one completed SWAP. At this point I have nearly 5 versions of V7903, which look very good with both pairs of Marlene pants. However, the orange blouse is too loud for the multicoloured knitted cardigan/bolero jacket, so really I only have 4 blouses and 2 pants + 1 jacket. (3 garments missing!)

 

I have cut out a plain beige V7903 blouse, and washed some tropical wool for another pair of pants. Maybe I will finish these by Thursday.
Instead I could work on the missing garments from my other SWAP, which currently contains 1 brown stretch denim skirt, 1 dark denim skirt, 1 olive gabardine skirt and 1 pair of jeans, 1 chiffon blouse, 1 silk blouse, the orange shirt, a knit top and 2 knit tanks and 3/4 of another knitted cardigan - so missing 1 top and 1/4 of a 4 ply cardigan. Maybe I won't finish either SWAP by the deadline! I need to plan better.
I think I will spend the evening knitting my cardigan whilst watching the last episode of "So you think you can dance" and drinking a glass of red wine.

BWOF 04-2009-101 Gabardine cotton version

After making the denim version of this skirt #101 from BWOF 04-2009, I received some very helpful suggestions from a few people.
Cidell and gwensews suggested that the stiffness of the denim might contribute to the hip poochiness, so for this second version I chose a quite drapey cotton gabardine from Michaels Fabrics, that just happens to be left over from the Marlene pants I made a few weeks ago. (This skirt is very useful for remnant type pieces.
I think this has helped a little in minimizing the poochiness, but unfortunately I think this fabric seems to have amazing wrinkle revealing properties in photographs. I would swear this just came out of the washing pile rather than straight from the ironing board!

 

Goodworks felt that the skirt did not look like an A line except from the side, and that this was probably due to fitting issues.

 

I thought this sounded feasible, especially as Cidell also mentioned fitting issues for people with more backside than hip (relatively for me!), so embarked on some fitting adjustments. I took some hip curve away from the side seams, and added the same amount to the side -back to back panel seams. There is now plenty of room over my behind, and my side seams are now straight, but I agree, the skirt still does not look much like an a line from the front or the back, so maybe all my adventures in different skirt shapes should be undertaken with a different pattern!

 

 

Carol also offered some really good suggestions about changing the skirt length and the width of the a line to see which is more flattering. I did make this skirt a smidgeon shorter, but I think I need a bilateral leg replacement in order to look as good as Carol in a short skirt, no matter what shape it is.
The next step was to try out a whole heap of different tops as suggested by Katherine. It really does change the overall shape. I did have some photos as examples but they have fallen off the post. I found that tucked in woven blouses effectively remove my waist, and increase apparent fatness, tucked in fitted t shirts replace my waist but make me look shorter, and that the best look is close fitted stretch t shirts with asymetrical hem
- I have one of these only, and it also completely obscures the waist detail of the skirt! Back to the drawing board for this wardrobe plan.

BWOF 04-2009-101 Skirt

I finished a skirt today. It is 101 from the April 2009 Burda World of Fashion Magazine. I made this from the left over denim I used for the 118 trousers, so this skirt is free according to my internal accounting system.

 

It is highly unreasonable of me to expect two wildly successful sewing projects in a row, but I admit to feeling a little lukewarm about this skirt. I am about to write at tedious length about why I am lukewarm about A line skirts, so if you are just interested in the construction and photos, scroll down quickly!
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I have been following the sewing for the hourglass figure thread at patternreview with great interest. Although this figure type is commonly described as balanced, and has little space devoted to it in most advice on illusion dressing, I find my figure, fitting into every different classification system I have seen so far as "hourglass" is really very difficult to dress in a flattering manner, and this seems to be the experience of many participants in the thread.
In around 99% of RTW, and 99% of unaltered patterns, I look much fatter and shorter than I think I am. I am not actually overweight, but I think this has a lot to do with the extra padding, short arms and legs and considerable curviness in front and behind. IMO the "ideal" hourglass figure described in classification systems is not just hippy and busty in equal measures (and has reasonably broad shoulders) but about 6 foot tall, has long limbs, never eats chocolate, and somehow has a B cup bust (so as to fit into standard dress sizes)and a small behind (I gather hourglass figure types are supposed to be 2 dimensional). I think that the slapdash sewist's April 3 post about personal deviations from figure type generalizations is spot on. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, so I will quote her with enthusiastic agreement
Style depends so much more on your personal body than on a generic way of describing your shape.
I think that developing a personal style and knowledge of what suits you does require a lot of trial and error. You would think that around 25 years of buying or sewing all my own clothes would have taught me something, but I am still trying to work out what suits me.
To sort of get back on topic, reading the thread at pattern review, there was some discussion of the X type and 8 type hourglass figures. In the opinion of this style consultant, for those of us with hourglass figures tending to put on weight first in the thighs, (X type)A line skirts are more flattering, whereas for those who have most post chocolate dramatic curve increases at the derriere and bust (8 type), a pencil skirt is more suitable. As I seem to fit into both categories - putting on flesh easily and possibly equally in every place, I was a bit confused by this sub-typing, but willing to experiment. According to other criteria, such as not having sloped shoulders, I should look better in A line skirts than straight or slightly pegged skirts. I have not really been a fan of A line knee length skirts in the past, thinking them a bit dowdy on me, but as stepping out of my rut and attempting bell bottom trousers was very pleasing I thought this shape of skirt was worth another try.

 

I am still not sure if I like A line knee length skirts. I am not completely happy with the fitting in this skirt. Despite a toile and multiple waist and hip alterations, there still is some side seam poochiness over the hip. I know that a lot of my hip measurement is actually at my backside, but it is a bit tricky to move all the room back there!

 

I do like the 2 openings of this skirt - working button front and a zipper. This makes it much easier for me to put the skirt on - due to the difference between my hip and waist measurement I often have trouble getting pants or skirts over my hips.The zipper in the pattern is in the side seam, but this is such a curved seam on me that I usually move it to the back. However I recently looked more closely at my back seams and realized that the back seam is nearly as curved as the side, so I have moved the zip to the front side piece. I am quite pleased with this. The pattern has two pockets applied over the front panel seams. This reminded me of apron pockets, so I took one off.

 

I think I will need to wear this skirt for a while to decide whether or not I like it.

BWOF 4-2009-118 Trouser jeans

Photo of these pants on model from Burda World of Fashion Magazine.

I think I may have waxed a little too enthusiastic about these trouser jeans in my last post. You have to remember how dreadful normal jeans appear on me (I am trying to forget Jalie 968 - wonderful on my daughter, disastrous on me) in order to appreciate how terrific I think these trousers are in a mock jeans style.

Dawn suggested that the model showing these trousers in the magazine has no backside. This is entirely possible, she is a model after all, but I think these are definitely backside minimizing pants, a factor that is extremely pleasing to me.


As you can see, I made these trousers with a more normal jeans style front pocket (thanks Jalie 968) using a cotton print for the pocket backs, waist facing and zipper guard. The adjustments I made to the pants were minimal for me - front thigh enlargement as described in my last post, and a large backside wedge addition to the back. I did take a photo of this but Blogger does not seem to want to include it today - I will put it in the review on patternreview. I also took in the back waist - about 1 and 1/2 inches, after starting with waist sz38 and hips sz42.

BWOF to the rescue

Thank you for commiserating with my sewing woes. I got my act together, I really did not want to waste a work free Easter by not sewing.
ejvc, in addition to reminding me about all the Easter chocolate in the house, queried the deviations of my disaster pocket from the Marlene pants pocket. My pocket was intentionally different, as well as disastrously different, from the Marlene pocket. I was attempting this style of pocket.

 

These pants are the RTW men's trousers I mentioned in the last post. I thought the buttonhole placement would be a pleasant change from messing around with the skinny little tab on the Marlene tabs. This was before the sewing gremlins visited my machine and showed me that a disastrous buttonhole on a tab means sewing a new tab, and a disastrous buttonhole on the back trouser piece means a whole new back leg (the fabric marks too much for unpicking). The now complete Marlene pants have the tab. I am sorry not to have any finished clothes photos, but we are in the middle of an incredible amount of rain, and the light is too bad. The other change I made to the Marlene pants was to make the front pocket with a slanted front opening. I reinforced the slant with selvage to prevent gapping, and the pockets sit quite nicely.

 

I also finished the orange blouse, but after some thought, felt that one of the factors in my sewing woes was making 4 versions of V7903 and two versions of the Marlene pants as my last 6 projects. I am tired of these patterns.
Fortunately, the April BWOF just arrived before Easter. Yesterday I cut out toiles for the pants 118

and the skirt 101.
Cabinbaby posted about the trousers a few days ago, and mentioned that they were a little tight in the thigh. Knowing that if Dawn thought this, I would be wearing sausage skins, I made a full thigh adjustment to my paper tracing before I cut out the toile.

 

After I made the toile I took in the back waist, added some extra backside room and now have the best pair of jeans I have ever worn. I am in a state of considerable euphoria about these pants - sewing is fabulous! I will post adjustment photos and hopefully some outfit photos once the weather improves.

Edited to fix link to Dawn's trouser jean post.

Sewing is not like riding a bicycle

Somehow, I seem to have forgotten how to sew. I keep making the most incredible basic mistakes, which is very bad for my mojo.
Here is a litany of mishaps. 1. My "persimmon" twill cotton fabric, which incidently prompted me to obtain a pantone colour guide in order to minimize internet colour challenges, is rather off grain, in the nasty habit of twill weaves. For some reason it took me 2 hours of fiddling around with wonky tucks before I realized this.
The second, cross grain, tucks look much more even, don't you think?

 

Here is another hiccup. I am still not sure how I managed to cut an extra slash for my placket. Fortunately I had plenty of fabric left for another sleeve.

 

I have now finished this blouse, except for the buttons. I cannot quite face it at the moment (too many production mistakes have given me a dislike of the garment), so I started on another pair of Marlene pants.
See my welt pocket disaster? Last night I actually considered that my hotchpotch mending effort would do - after all, my husband's Geoffery Bene pants (RRP $140) have satin stitched ends on the welt pocket, but this morning I came to my senses. There goes the straight skirt I was also making from this fabric!

 

It is now Saturday lunchtime, and I have not sewed a stitch this weekend, despite finishing work at 11am on Good Friday, and (thank the weather) not having to pack and cook for our usual Easter trip to Fraser Island. Sewing is hard work sometimes. No wonder I am getting a lot of knitting and cooking done. Hot cross bun anyone?

More Origami Jacket

Mary Pat and Uta asked for photos of the Origami jacket laid flat - for structural education purposes no doubt, and as soon as I could wrest the jacket from my Mum (she borrowed it almost as soon as I finished it), I took some more photos.

 

 

The pattern is very clever. As gwensews points out in the comments (I love comments!) the jacket starts out as a shrug, with the sleeves and back knit in one piece, then the top and bottom pieces are knitted on, each having a different shape as collar or jacket base.
The pattern is from this book, Knit 7 by Jo Sharp. It is readily available at Australian newsagents and knitting shops ($Aus 18.95) and the pattern is also available in a kit, in two colourways, neither of which are the same as mine. If anyone wants the pattern or a kit I would be happy to act as an enabler. Lovely people in the USA have certainly posted me enough hard-to-find patterns and notions.

 

Jo Sharp Origami Jacket

I did not sew as much this week as I would like. I was too tired in the evenings. However, I was able to knit, so long as it was not too hard, and I have finished this cool cardigan from Jo Sharp Knit 7. I am showing it to you here as a possible SWAP jacket contender with the Marlene pants and the Vogue 8304 silk blouse.
I quite like it with this blouse, but must admit that I like it even better with the Vogue 2975 knit top from last years SWAP. I am hugely tempted to evict all my button front blouses from the SWAP and to whip up several versions of this very quick and easy t shirt.





I love how the jacket can be worn upside down, fastened or not, and am really hoping it looks OK over the blouses. I cannot bear to have so many clothes on for any longer though - it is too hot, so the next photo trial will have to wait. I am off to work on my "persimmon" actually bright orange blouse that definitely will not match this cardigan. Something will have to go. SWAP eviction is tough.