Set It Off

Peeps, that's not bad for a rookie :-) That's machine-basted. Yeah, the basting threads are still there. This is on Ruby, who is now a few sizes smaller than me, but you get the point.

The front

The back

A tight shot of the shoulder, where my seam matching is not the greatest. I forgot to check how I did at the underarm.

Much love, again, to Craftsy! Linda Lee's Ultimate Guide to Sewing Knit Fabrics was on constantly. I must have have watch the part about setting in a sleeve a gazillion times. I guess I should write my review of the class soon.

I wish I had time to try it on me, but work got in the way (gotta keep the funding going for fabric). I'll probably wait until I get the other sleeve basted in. I'm still pleased because I set in a sleeve today :-)

A Bodice!

                         

People, I have a bodice! It took seven muslins. I am so unbelievably excited. If I hadn't already planned my days off for the rest of the year, I would have stayed home to work on the sleeves. I think that's funny because I didn't do any sewing this weekend. However, I was on it at 4:30 Monday morning.

Check out the back.

                           

The back neckline is a wee bit loose, but I can deal with it. I want to see what the cowl does before I make any more changes to it. I'm hoping the fix will be simple like snugging it up with clear elastic.

Here's the pattern -- a true testament to the number of alts. The aqua line is the final dart. From the previous muslin, it's 1/2 longer and 1/4" shallower.

                                     

                                     

So about darts. I'm so thankful for Craftsy's Couture Dressmaking Techniques. I now start sewing at the point! Takes a lot of the stress out of sewing darts.

Now about that dart. The one on the right came out great. I messed up the left one when I stitched the side seam. It's a basted muslin, so no big deal. However. After extremely careful pressing, the dart only lays flat when I tug on the bodice. Otherwise, it looks like this:

                               

See that weird thing below the pinned dart? That's a stitched and pressed dart. Is it the bulk? Is it the length? Should I slash the dart? I'm working with a Ponteroma Knit from Hancock Fabrics. Do you slash darts in knits?

I'll figure it out eventually. Right now, nothing is bringing down my bodice high!

New Year, New Determination

Where was I in 2013? Apparently not sewing. Oh well. No use in crying over spilled milk. I have been watching a lot of Craftsy.com. I mean really devouring the courses. There are some great classes that are really helping me understand fit.

I don't think I'm going to set any sewing goals for the year, I just want to finish stuff. OK, well I do want to make some pants this year. It is really impossible to find lined pants! I also want some flirty, girly dresses.

Here's what I've been working on and what I hope will be my first finished project in 2014, B5523.

I thought this would be the dress I would wear to a funeral. The diagnosis changed (God is so good), but now I have a much more pressing need for it -- work clothes! Let's see how disciplined I can be in terms of working on this every day.

This easy dress has presented a few challenges so far. the process has been slow, because I am aiming for perfection, which means multiple muslins. The first is the neckline. It thought it was wide, so I made some adjustments. Ignore the wrinkles. I had to dig that piece out. I've been concentrating on the back bodice.

Next up was the shoulder fit. I knew I had square shoulders, but I think they may be narrow too. I may need to shorten them a bit more. Then came the back. I cut a 16 based on my upper bust, but I'm using a double knit with less stretch than the pattern requires. It was snug to say the least. I added 1/2" to the upper back and a dart to take in the excess at the shoulder.

I like this method of alteration. I got it from Craftsy's Custom Fitting:  Back, Neck & Shoulders with Kathleen Cheetham. I like that it gives me a sharper angle at the side seam.

So glad I added an inch to the side seams. I need every bit of it. My next task is to sew re-sew the side seams on the muslin using a 3/8" seam allowance. Hopefully that will allow it to skim over the rolls and then I can move on to the bust.

I' hoping this dress will become a closet staple. I want it in double knit and stretch velvet. Here are my fabric options ;-)

Stretch velvet from Fabric.com


Ponteroma knit from Hancock.

Sewing Kit HD

This app is a great concept with seriously flawed execution. This should have been released as a beta or even alpha version -- for free. It's simply not worth $9. To add insult to injury, I purchased this app weeks ago and there hasn't been a single update.

I love the idea of a sewing app that tracks patterns, notions and fabric. Bonus because this is not just for your collection, but you can also tie things to a specific project. Brilliant! Just what we all wanted.

The aggravation comes with the app's clunky navigation. It's neither intuitive nor streamlined. There are times when the fabric types load automatically, but the notions never do. When you add them manually, you get generic choices like "zipper." Really? Why not give me the option of selecting the type and size? If you want that level of detail, I guess that's why there are Notes. Backup to Dropbox is manual.

This app is very buggy; I don't expect this with a $9 app. The big appeal is the barcode scanner. However, the databases are incomplete! I scanned about nine recent McCall patterns. Some loaded fine. Others loaded without an image. Some are nowhere to be found in the database. Scanning thread spools proved to be just as frustrating. I'd started with the simple task of black and white thread in different sizes from Mettler and Gutermann. They don't all come up in the app's database.

Sometimes when you scan a pattern, the fabric types populate. When they don't, it's because all of the fabric types aren't in the database. How hard was that data to obtain before the launch of the app if you're working in partnership with the pattern company??

Even the language and symbols used in the app are irksome. The text is overly formal in some places and not quite right in others. "Threads" and "Inspirations" (plural instead of singular) annoy me. The red circle with a slash through it means both stop and go back. Who does that in web/app design??

I was hoping that this app could replace the combination of apps and sites I use to track my tiny sewing world. My fabric stash is on a secret Pinterest board. I snap a picture and type in the specifics for each piece. Pattern Review tracks my patterns; I enter all of the relevant envelope info. I track projects on Evernote. Each note contains a pattern pic and any alteration and construction notes. Evernote has desktop and mobile apps and is cloud based. You can get to your notes from anywhere. I use Grocery King for Android as my shopping list. Because I've been using it for years, I've built a pretty extensive database. I love that I can do price comparisons. There is an Apple version on the way. I use Google Drive to track purchased thread and tapes.


However, all is not lost in the world of ready-made sewing apps. I am thoroughly enjoying the Craftsy app (wish they would get a move on with the Android version) and the Schmetz Needle app. The Schmetz app is very utilitarian/no frills in its design, but it gets the job done. There isn't an Android version yet. I really enjoy reading Threads Magazine on Apple devices.

When you think about it, it kind of makes sense that sewing would be slow going for apps. I'm glad it's starting to get some tech attention! I'm sure our patience will be rewarded one day.

Biased Coverage

Yep. I am STILL working on this Simplicity bias skirt. I could have finished a few by now, if I would get out of my own way. I had to start over on the pattern alts. I winged raising the back waist and high hip alts. I have since learned that winging it ain't so great. I will not scare you with the picture of how bad the fit was at the back waist. However, it's now all good using the seam method.

Really proud of this high hip alt

Then there's my obsession to add lining to this skirt...The lining and my decision to use French seams late at night comprised my next oops. This is my first time using Bemberg rayon (thanks Mood!) It is not to be toyed with. Between some very suspect cutting, sewing the first seam of the the French seam on the orginal 5/8" stitching line, ripping it out and finally finishing the French seams Lord knows what seam allowances, my lining was bigger than my skirt.

For the life of me, I can figure out why it's so short!

The dashed line is supposed to be the cutting line!

I was going to cut new lining, but cheap me said hell-to-the-naw. I went to bed around 2:30 a.m. after deciding to cut the seams out of the current lining and seeing what happens. It will obviously be shorter than a traditional lining, but I do not care.

To help me help myself, I added seam lines for French seams to the lining side of the pattern pieces. I'm kinda proud of that idea. I had already marked a shorter hemline on the pattern piece to accommodate 3/4" hem lace. My brilliance is so spotty.

Seam line for French seams in red

I am also watching Craftsy's Sewing on the Bias with intense interest. Click here for a 50% off coupon from Sandra Betzina's site. I don't know when the coupon will expire.

*Sigh* All I really wanted was  two skirts, two simple tops and perhaps a maxi dress or two by July. Things have certainly not gone to plan. I broke down on Friday and headed to Nordstrom. I purchased two dresses, which were extremely reasonable at $70 each. Alterations totaled $142. That's just so wrong. This is why I am learning to sew.

Changing Lanes

I'm taking a break from the Burda skirt. When I first tried on the muslin, I think I was just excited because I'd managed to stitch something together. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I would have to figure out solves for wavy side seams, crooked darts and getting the waist right. The good news is I don't feel defeated; I know I need to refresh and retrench. The good news is I have resources lined up that are helping me understand what I need to do:

I've mentioned this Burda article before.

 

This article by Kenneth D. King is like the holy grail.



However, it took Craftsy.com to bring it on home. I was so unbelievably thankful to receive this:

Linda Maynard is simply awesome! There's now a tie for new favorite instructor and new favorite class. Like Susan Khalje in The Couture Dress, you learn because she demonstrates in an organized and methodical way. Sandra Betzina's classes are great; it's just that at some point, you find yourself feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm extra pleased because Linda's models have my fit issues. This class hits some of my major hangups!  

As I'm letting all of this info sink in, I'm going back to KS3740. I have attempted this top a gazillion times. I'm claiming a breakthrough this weekend. The finished version will not look like this!

I will be much obliged if anyone can tell me why my shoulder seam is too far forward at my neck and what is causing the wings over the girls. Are they the result of my square shoulders?

Last but not least, I need some cold weather gym attire. I ordered these two Kwik Sew patterns:

     

It is with great sadness that I report the patterns are on white tissue paper. I haven't been excited by the newer Kwik Sew pattern releases. When I finally purchase a couple of patterns (more for necessity than style), they come on tissue. (I also got two page three instruction sheets in the sweatsuit pattern.) Thanks McCall pattern company. When I learned about the merger, I was hoping to see more of Kwik Sew's construction methods shared with the BMV brands, but I don't think that's been the case. Seems like Kwik Sew is getting the worst of the deal. The one bright spot is that the new pattern envelopes aren't glued at the top, so you don't have to damage the envelope to get to the pattern.

This is How You Do It!

This email popped up in my inbox earlier this week.

Get the Perfect Fit - Fashion For Every Size at Simplicity

It made me very happy, but it also reminded me of a source of great frustration. This is not a rant about the lack of plus size patterns. Since Carolyn put the industry on blast so eloquently, I feel no need to elaborate. (Insert plug here for Barbara Deckert's Plus Size Pattern Fitting & Design on Craftsy.)

This is a rant about website design and functionality. Simplicity.com makes it so easy to find patterns for me. The links for plus-size and patterns with multiple cup sizes are wonderful. I remember when McCall's started adding the bra icon to its patterns to denote multiple cup sizes.  How about a clickable link to all such patterns across Vogue, Butterick and McCall's?!

This is not rocket science, but marketing common sense. The powers that be figured out there was a market for patterns with multiple cup sizes, but make them hard to find. Vogue's patterns with multiple cup sizes (Custom Fit) are always in the Very Easy Vogue line. There isn't even a link to Very Easy Vogue when you first see site's main left-hand navigation, but it is a separate section in the printed catalog. On the site, you have to first select a category like dresses to get to to them. Then you have to look at each one of the patterns to figure out which are Custom Fit. Geez. Make it easier for me. What if I wanted to see all of the Custom Fit tops and dresses at once?

I'll end my rant by pleading for more patterns with multiple cup sizes. I heart Silhouette because the work is done for me. Palmer/Pletsch has great merit in teaching fit, but I honestly prefer being able to choose the correct cup size. Shout-out to In-House Patterns because they start with a D-cup and give you instructions to add or subtract as you see fit.

Craftsy is at it Again

First, let me say how much I love Crafty's Couture Dress. Of all the classes I've watched, this is the one that is teaching me how to sew. Even though this is probably an advanced class, the information is presented in such a way that even I get it. I'm using some Susan Khalje's techniques on my humble Burda 8269 skirt.

Anyhoo. There are two new Craftsy courses that I would love to take (as soon as the next awesome sale comes up.)

 

I don't plan on making anything with silk soon, but I'm just eager to learn. I'm not a fan of the pattern included with the class, but clearly it's not a deal breaker. It does give me another reason to wait for a good sale.

I'm really excited about the fit class. Of the two classes this is definitely the higher priority. It comes with Vogue 8766, which was on my pattern wish list anyway.












Well, break's over. Back to my skirt muslin. I'm copying the pattern markings now. Let's see if I can get it put together tonight.

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?                             

My New Love

                                 

I know I'm late to the game, but I have a crush on Craftsy that so strong -- it's ridiculous! Whoever thought of this should be awarded with medals (handmade of course)! During my not-so-awesome Thanksgiving break, it's what kept me sane. We are up late at night with wine and early in the morning with coffee and tea. I'm thinking about it at work. This is damn near an obsession.

My world changed in August when I received an email to try a class for $14.99. At the time, all that interested me was Sewing with Knits.  I'd read nice things about The Couture Dress, but I thought that would be out of my skill range. I wasn't ready for Jeanius either because I didn't have any jeans I wanted to reverse engineer (hence the need to learn to sew).

Then Craftsy started adding courses. Sandra Betzina??! Game on! But wait, I would need another sale. I waited (not so patiently) for $14.99. When the next one hit, why not add the A-line skirt class?

               

I was a more than a little miffed because I think two classes showed up the day after the sale was over, The Classic Tailored Shirt and Plus-Size Pattern Fitting and Design. Grrr. The big girlz class would have been my first choice!
                                           

I was hoping and almost praying that there would be a $14.99 Black Friday sale. I got half my wish! The classes were $20. I exercised amazing restraint by purchasing only two.

I'm holding out on Jeanius and The Classic Tailored Shirt. I really, really want them, but I know those are projects I just won't get to for a long while.

             

So of the courses I've watched (I'm still getting through Plus-Size Fitting and Design), here are my favs:

   

• Debora Moebes (Design & Sew an A-Line Skirt) is perhaps my favorite instructor. She has a great personality and I get what she's teaching. 
• Sandra Betzina is simply awesome! Her Pant Fitting Techniques Class is unbelievable. There is so much good information packed into that course.  
• Plus-Size Pattern Fitting and Design is my favorite course so far. I've skipped around the lessons, but I've watched about half of them. I have complete confidence that I will end up with a beautiful version of V8815. For me, this is the one course that has everything:  wonderful instructor (Barbara Deckert is so refreshing); a project I want to make; it gives me the skill set to fit and sew the project; and provides transferable skills.

By the way, my Craftsy interests also include photography and cake decorating. Perhaps I can get from Craftsy what I only faintly grasped after three Wilton attempts. Go Craftsy!