I love sewing--any form of needle and thread makes me happy.

Sunday, April 30, 2017

The Cat Lady Blouse--Butterick 6185I

Although I do love cats, I'm not a cat lady.  We recently lost one of our fur babies, so we now have just the one.  If not for the wonderful judgement of my husband, however, we'd have every stray I meet.  So this top will suffice as it has kitties galore!



The cat fabric is a rayon challis from Fabric.com and the black is rayon challis from Fabric Mart.  I was very upset when the cat fabric arrived as it had a 5" inch cut in the middle of the selvedge.  That was an obstacle that had to be worked around and necessitated a change in plans.  Enter Butterick 6185 with its cute little sailor collar.  That cute little collar took some work, though, and it's thick.  There are 6 layers of fabric at the roll of the collar:  2 for the cat collar, 2 for the black collar, 1 for the blouse body and 1 for the facing.  It took some serious pressing to wrangle it into behaving. 


I did make 2 departures from the instructions.  The first was on the sleeves.  They would have you just turn and stich a hem.  I used a bias binding for a cleaner, more professional finish.  I also found it a little short on me, so instead of turning a hemming the bottom, I did a faced hem.  It gave me a little extra length. 

This is another top for Ms. Faye's Tops That Pop Sew A Long.  There are so many wonderful tops being sewn.  I really encourage you to check them out.

Parting shot of my little sewing kitty.  Happy sewing all!



Friday, April 28, 2017

Just a Simple Knit Tunic--Simplicity 8337

I got this wonderful brown ITY from Fabric Mart.  It's very thin, however, and quite clingy.  I made it up in the gray colorway into Vogue 8534, blogged here.  I found it too clingy, hugging every lump, bump and bulge I've got.  This fabric needs more room to "float".    Enter Simplicity 8337, a series of loose- fitting pullover tips with neckline and sleeve variations.  I made view A because I thought that ruffle on the front would add to the tummy camouflage. 


The ruffle is left raw per pattern instructions.  I thought this would bother me, but I actually like it.  Anything else would have been too heavy for it and it wouldn't flutter as nicely.  The neckline is more than a bit fiddly.  It's a bound seamline with a bias strip (not included in the pattern, they have you use purchased bias binding).  This requires basting and much stitching to get it in but it looks so nice, lays so smoothly and feels so nice on. 


I didn't have to do my usual narrow shoulder adjustment as it measured fine across the top and is cut in a little in the back showing my bra straps.  Really need to get a racer back bra for tops like this.    The loose tunic styling makes it comfortable summer wear falling close to the body without clingy to those parts I really want to avoid.  Unlike the last top from this fabric, this one's a winner. 

Faye at Faye's Sewing Adventure has a great sew a long called Tops That Pop.


  It's been a great motivator for me as I have sewn and entered this top and the last top.  I also have another top in the works to be blogged tomorrow.  The sew a long ends on the 30th still time for more. Happy sewing all!





Saturday, April 22, 2017

The Floral Peplum Tunic--McCall's 7390

Originally, I purchased this pattern for a different view, view A for it's clean, lean lines.  A girl can always hope that it will help.  However, the fabric that I purchased for it came in a 45" instead of 60" (my bad) leaving with insufficient fabric to make that top.  Moving on, I picked up this lovely floral challis lawn from Fashion Fabrics Club from the same shipment.  So much fun I had to jump in right away!  I didn't really like it for the peasant top I got it for, but seeing this pattern out, loved it for view B with it's angled lines, little peplum skirt and hi-low hem. 


I cut a size 18 in the neck and bust, and a 20 in the waist and hip.  I did my usual ½ inch narrow shoulder adjustment.

 


The pattern instructions have you hand stitch the front facings down but I topstitched them down and they look great and saved a ton of time.  The armscye is finished with self bias binding.  My neckband came out a little uneven but that was operator error and isn't too bad or noticeable.  I love how loose and flowy this is and it looks great with jeans.  The fabric is so cool to touch, too.  It will be a perfect top for this summer and I look forward to giving it lots of wear.

  I still hope to make view A; I just need to find the right fabric.  It will have to wait a bit as I'm on a bit of a fabric diet for a while.  Too much spending and accrual; need to sew some of it down.  Happy sewing all!

Friday, April 21, 2017

A Simple Cardigan--McCall's 5890

I needed a light cardigan for spring weather fluctuations and had this lovely lightweight sweater knit from Fashion Fabrics Club.  It really called out for something with simple lines. After searching through my patterns, I came up with the cardigan/jacket from McCall's 5890, now OOP.



The pattern is one of Nancy Zieman's 10-20-30 minute to sew patterns.  A theory I did not incorporate into the sewing of this top.  I sewed as I was able, as usual.  The pattern contains a knit travel wardrobe of cardigan, pants in 2 lengths and dress/top.  The cardigan has clean, simple lines and called for a knit so it fit the bill. It features a shawl collar extending from a pleated back neckline.


I sewed a sized 18, narrowed the shoulders by ½ an inch, lengthened the ¾ sleeve to a full-length sleeve, and tapered the wrists for a snugger fit--they were quite loose.  The fabric was just dense enough that the pleats do not show as pleats but smoothed out to nothing.  (The pattern calls for a stable knit and this is a looser weave.)   It doesn't really matter as it doesn't really change the purpose or aesthetic and doesn't show anyway because of my hair.

I love my new sweater.  It's perfect for layering on cool spring mornings and evenings.  It was a quick, easy sew, too that may well be repeated in the future. 

On to the next project, a tunic top.   Happy sewing all!


Monday, April 10, 2017

The Fever Continues-- McCall's 7472

I enjoyed my last button down so much I promptly made another--McCall's 7472

I made view C, the green tunic on the front even though I bought it for a different view.  I had this green plaid fabric with silver threads running through it just begging to be a button down.  I enjoy my other one as a jacket-shirt so much, I wanted a second one.

This one has raglan sleeves, a cute tiny collar, and cuffs with a continuous lap. The fabric is from Fashion Fabrics Club and I had enough fabric to cut the plackets on the bias. 


Isn't that little collar too cute!


The directions show a notch on the cuff pattern piece for matching up the shirt to the cuff but the cuff piece itself doesn't have this on it.   It still fits well without this aid.


I used the continuous lap pattern piece and directions from the Simplicity 1013, I liked it so much. 

I will definitely be sewing this pattern up again.  I just love the fit on it and the ease of wear.  I'd really like to sew up view B this summer.  We'll see what happens.  As they say, "So much fabric, so little time!

Hope you're enjoying your spring sewing.  Happy sewing all!