Waisting Time

Life after my holiday staycation keeps getting in the way of my skirt. However, I remain thankful because my job allows me to continue to buy fabric and sewing accessories! I have a new fabric-hoarding philosophy, but that will be a later post. Back to the skirt.

In my infinite wisdom, I originally traced the size 24 waistband and promptly lost the pieces. In a second stroke of brilliance, I decided that after so many alts in the waist and high hip areas on the skirt, I should trace the size 26 waistband and size it down. 

When I tried on the skirt muslin, without the waistband, I was very excited because the skirt at least resembled the picture on the pattern envelope. Then I noticed how the grain line and CF markings were pulling to the right. Also, my right side seam pulled to the front at my high hip. It was odd because there weren't a ton of horizontal wrinkles indicating tightness. I guess when I was tissue fitting, which took days, I must have pulled, tugged and pinned without paying attention to the CF line and grain line.

The swingy side seam is something that happens on every skirt. It does the same in my RTW jeans. Carolyn often mentions how she has to adjust patterns for her "bodacious biceps;" I have TTT -- tremendously thick thighs. They are as big an issue (almost literally) as my rear.  

But this post is about the waistband. I remembered that during my Thanksgiving Craftsy Marathon, Sandra Betzina, in her Pants Fitting Class, said that she starts by fitting the waist. She makes up a test in the actual fabric, including interfacing and stay tape, and fits it to make sure she got the size right.  

I made up a 26 --- waaay too big, 18 -- waaay too small, 22 and 24.  (I am having a glorious time wasting my poly crepe muslin fabric. Seriously.) I'm getting pretty good at sewing around curves and adding stay tape. 

I was utterly confused about the sizing because I need a 24 minus 1/2" at the top of the band, but the bottom of the band was a different issue.  Thank goodness I found this resource. I think it's from Pants for Real People. Of course I have the book, but I never would have thought to check it because this was a skirt. Silly me.

Here's their illustrated slash and spread. 

Here's my actual. This is the back.

Front and back together.

Front with adjustments for my high hip. *Sigh*

I'm tracing these onto Swedish tracing paper. I will cut them out in the muslin to test the fit. Then, my evil plan is to lay those pattern pieces across the skirt pattern pieces and adjust the skirt to fit the waistband. We'll see ,,,

Practice What You Preach *Learn* (Know)

Hope your Christmas was awesome! I've finished the pattern alts, tissue fitting and more pattern alts on Burda 8269. My tissue fitting was shocking. I'd spent all this time meticulously adjusting the pattern based on measurements I took so carefully. Why was the skirt still too tight? 

I'm in no way bold enough to say that I'd done all the width adjustments correctly. User error was probably a component, but I think the bigger issue is that I do width adjustments first and then length. Given that I have to add 3" at the center back, I should probably do that first. That way when I add width, I'm adding it to the right place!  

I know this! In Fitting and Pattern Alteration, the rules are simple: first make even changes in length, then uneven length, follow with even width and lastly uneven width adjustments. I know this by heart. Why didn't I put it into practice? I know exactly why. To me, it's the hardest of my alts. This is why I save it for last. 

I think there are two ways to do it, cut the pattern at the waist seam and add the length or use this method from Burda. To get this pdf and more helpful ones like it from old Burda World of Fashion magazines, join the Burda English Yahoo Group. 

Back to the tissue fitting. I have some 'interesting' contours. After adding the length, I still had to contend with the extra fabric at the waist. I tried to dart it out and I ended up with crooked darts. 

I've never seen crooked darts before, so I'm going to assume I need to fix this. I will just trace them straight when I do the first muslin (notice how I'm assuming multiples).  When I was looking for the Burda article above, I ran across the one below again. I'll give it a thorough read in a few hours.  I'm also going to check Sewing and Fitting with Darts.

I'll start the muslin in a few hours. More to come!

10 Count 'em 10

That's all 10 pieces of Burda 8269 traced and seam allowances marked. All ready for fitting.
I tried to alter the pieces for my waist and hips. I know I need to do to the sway back and full backside alts, but I need to get the puzzle pieces together first.
On to pin fitting...

My Mind Is Made Up. No Turning Back

I decided on Burda 8269 as my Christmas break sewing project.  While it's a more distinctive (aka memorable and can't wear it as often) as Simplicity 2152, I think it is a better match for the eventual Vogue 8815.

This Burda skirt is supposed to be an easy project. The sewing is. It's the tracing and altering 10 pattern pieces that's a bit challenging -- four down, six to go. I have a relatively quick transition to make from waist to high hip. Luckily, it's just one size. From high hip to full hip is where it get's interesting. That's three sizes, which is two sizes bigger than the pattern! I'm being very methodical, so I hope it turns out really close when I get everything done. I'm using Swedish Tracing Paper, so I'm just going to baste that together for the first fitting.

I bought silk organza for the underlining. This skirt is happening!

Peplum Pondering

I'm really late on the peplum trend.  Here's why: when it's worn with dresses and skirts, the skirts tend to be straight. Straight skirts are not my thing at all.

               

I got really, really excited about V8815 because it's part of my favorite Craftsy class.


I found this beautiful poly print for it at Hancock.

                               

I already have brown poly poplin that matches. I even have Ambiance lining in the stash for my skirt. Now the question is: which skirt? I kinda had my heart set on this as my Christmas sewing project. I knew it would go great with a knit top. I have doubts about it with a peplum.

                           

Then I remembered my love affair with this Burda skirt, 8269. It will be not be as quick or easy to sew, but I think it wold be a better choice with a peplum.  I've attempted this skirt before. I cut it, sewed it and was ready to put the zipper in when I realized that I was using a brushed twill fabric with a no nap layout. Live and learn! I guess I was too ashamed at the time to post about my error when it happened.  

       

On a side note, I noticed that on Craftsy, the instructors really champion the use of natural fabrics. Is polyester really that evil? I love rayon and cotton too, but for these projects, aren't poly and her girl ester okay? 

That leads me to the extra time it will take for this skirt versus the Simplicity skirt. I can't remember if the instructions tell you to press the seams open or to one side. I do know pressing can be an issue with polyester, so I'm thinking about underlining the skirt too. Then, the seam allowances could be pressed open and attached to the underlining with a catch stitch. They'd stay flat forever. (It's amazing what you learn on Craftsy.  Got that technique from The Couture Dress. I couldn't keep myself from buying the class.) 

What fabric should I use for the underlining?  The fashion fabric is poly poplin and the lining will be Ambiance.  Silk organza means dry clean only, which is okay. I'm just clueless about what silk organza will do for the fullness at the bottom of the skirt. It also seems weird to use silk to underline polyester, but whatever. Lightweight cotton? Seems like wrinkle city, but that would happen anyway because of the Ambiance right?                             

Pattern Palooza

Woo Hoo! I think I went from six to only three doses of the pain medication yesterday. This means that probably for the first day in two weeks, I was awake more than I was asleep! While I've been on the mend, I've noticed three new spring collections -- New Look, Burda and Vogue.

I think spring collections are my favorites because it's all about the dress! These did not disappoint. New Look is first. Please forgive the wonky formatting. Blogger and I are not friends today.

Fav!                                                                            Happiness!

There are very few maxi dresses I don't like.


Love a breezy skirt.                                   Knit coordinates! What's not to love??

And here comes Burda! I'm glad these are on the Simplicity site, so I can read them in English. I just wish the Simplicity site was designed differently. It's too hard to pull good-sized pictures of the patterns.

I think this is my fav. Summer can't get here quick enough.














Close runner-up for favorite. How hot is this top? Two things I love cowl-y/drape-y neckline and a tie.


More maxi love! How cool is the skirt??!


These look chic and comfy.


Thinking about this one                                     Pants!

On to Vogue! (I kept the pictures the same size as the ones from the Simplicity site.)  Some of the designer patterns are also in larger sizes!!! Thanks Vogue!


I just want the top.                                                       Winner!

Dresses and more dresses!

Last, but not least


On to what would be a fave, if I had the skill to make it.  I love this top! I'd like to pair it with wide-legged, dressy pants.



Vogue, I do have a bone to pick with you. Not one single Very Easy Vogue Custom Fit Dress?? Guess I've been spoiled. And *ahem* it looks like you're still working out the bugs with the pictures.

Fall Burda Patterns

Burda has made it so hard to keep up the enthusiasm since they got rid of the English version of their site. This is courtesy of my trip to Vogue. I was in the store yesterday and saw the catalog. Here are my picks:

7288 -- cowl necks get me every time.




7279 -- won't be attempting this anytime soon, but I want it for future use.


7283  -- love it short and love it long.



7278 -- Honorable mention. I'm not sure if this would work on me, but I like it.



7287 -- it's the separate turtle neck thingy I love.



7281 -- how cute is this?



7300 -- my kinda skirt!