Butterick 6132, or may I say another TNT?

I purchased this pattern the first time I stumbled across it and can you blame me?  Just look at that neckline would you?  It's unique, it looks like it can be dressed up or down and that is something I need in my pattern wardrobe.




I love views A and B.  I'm not overly fond of C and D as I don't ever want to emphasize my midsection--ever!  So, I went ahead and created B but used the 3/4 length sleeves.

I didn't deviate much from the pattern directions, that is order wise.  The order of construction is logical, even for putting the sleeves in the round, instead of flat.  For some reason, I am preferring to put them in by easing, not sure why, but when you use a bizzilion pins, it's super easy!  

So, let's talk about the yoke for a minute.  I think it is important to staystitch knits, no matter what.  I staystitched both the yoke and facing before attaching them.  Next, I used stay tape on one of the seams to stabilize this knit.  It's pretty, unusual, and the recovery isn't super awesome, so this was my insurance of keeping everything nice and neat.  

I didn't even top stitch this neckline, but I did under-stitch the facing to keep it from rolling. Oh, and I almost forgot that I added a bias band at the back neckline to stabilize that area as well.  The pattern calls for just turning and hemming, but I don't like to do that ever.  

I thought about a pocket at the usual place or breast area but decided against it.  I didn't want to not have some sort of embellishment so I put the pocket at the waistline, on the left side.  It's a two piece pocket with a band on the top portion, which you can sort of see in the pictures.  I used a curved edge ruler to press the lower portion around in order to get both sides to match.

I should know better by now to take photos in the compete shade!  

I love the fit of this, with the FBA and my usual 1/2" swayback adjustment, this is what I consider perfect for a spring/summer top.  

I love my new top!  I wore it to work and received many comments.  In fact, people I've never officially met stopped me to comment on it.  What a great compliment!

Thanks for reading!  I hope you'll give this pattern a try!
Sue

Barb's Stretch Pant Muslin

Can you tell I am trying to make more pants?  I love making pants!  Even if they don't fit perfectly right off the bat they are so much fun to refine the fit!  So here is my muslin of Barb's Stretch Pant.


From the back of the pattern pdf...this is a new version of the famous Linda pant.  It features a slimmer leg but is not too slim, perfect for the office.

I like how slim this line drawing is!

I cut this out and made them in about 2 hours flat.  Use a high quality stretch woven and they will be super awesome!  I wasn't quite sure how these would work since there isn't any type of closure, but they are well drafted and they just for out of the package, it fit well.

My fabric was from Fabric Mart and was part of a free bundle package I received for ordering a while back.  I wasn't sure what to do with it and then I ran across this pattern and the lights went off and bam, I had a muslin!

I made a straight up size 12.  When I make these again, I would like to work with my flat booty and the ripples I get at the back of my upper thighs.  I almost took a fish eye dart in the back but wanted to give them a shot prior to any alterations at all.  What I learned was that I still need a fish eye dart!
I also need to a slight swayback adjustment and to adjust the width of the leg seams from top to bottom.

I really like this pattern!  I think it is ripe for adding all sorts of things like welt pockets, cargo pockets, play with the length to make them cropped, etc.

Thanks for reading!  You'll see me make more of these!

Sue

Burda 'Scene Queen' Top or 130-A-11-2014

I really wanted to be a quality participant in the Burda challenge.  I mean, I put a badge on my site and everything.  I But to date, I haven't made very many.  I think I've come to the conclusion that Burda doesn't fit my lifestyle as much as I'd like it to.  

Here is my review for the top from the Winter 2015 issue. 

This top is from the Dark Nights collection and the unusual neckline really drew me to this pattern.  From the magazine, it is described as: This stylish twist-neck top looks even more intriguing sewn in eye-catching tie-dye fabric.  I didn't have tie-dye fabric, but I did have a very lightweight poly blend knit in my stash that worked pretty well.  

This top takes quite a bit of yardage as it is a double layer of fabric, front and back which is nice as the mesh-weight the top calls for isn't exactly opaque.  I didn't have enough fabric to make it a double layer.  In fact, you really need a double layer to make the scandalously low cut out piece.  I didn't but I had enough to make a partial facing which works.  

I pretty much followed this pattern verbatim--however I could tell this top was ridiculously low and I raised it 2 inches.  It's still silly low cut.  Please pattern designers, we don't all want to flash our navels when we bend over to the world!  We also don't want to always wear a cami underneath. Am I right?

One thing I found a little head-scratching was the dimensions of the scarf-type piece that runs from the back shoulders around to the front and to the other shoulder.  I winged it and feels like it works.  I ended up edgestitching the keyhole opening to keep the facing from rolling out of place.  

I sort of like this is a fitted top but the length is really long and so are the sleeves.  Both of which are easily remedied.  In fact, before I wear this, I must chop off at least six inches from the bottom as I don't like how it hugs every lump and bump on my over 50 body!  

If you decide to create this,  use a very light weight fabric so it all lays nicely.  I tried to make another with a more substantial knit and it just doesn't work.  The scarf portion won't lay right and it is just a mess!  I won't even show it to you is't so bad!  

All in all, this is okay for me.  I really am trying to get on the Burda bandwagon but I'm just not sold yet.  I'll try several more just to give them a fair shot.  

Thanks for reading!

Sue  

Colette Moneta round 2!

I really love the feminine look of this dress, in fact, all Colette dresses are super girly and it's nice, know what I mean?



I've already made one version of this dress, but on the cover of the latest Threads, there was such a beautiful version made with a simply divine fabric from Marcy Tilton.
         


Marcy no longer had that stunning fabric so I searched high and low and found this lovely floral from Gorgeous Fabrics.  I think it is just about as pretty!

So I made pretty much the same version this time but used the elbow length sleeves.  I hope I don't regret those sleeves this summer!

I took so precautions with the collar, to keep it from stretching out of shape.  First, I interfaced with a sheer and lightweight version from Fashion Sewing Supply.  I really love this stuff!  Next, I staystitched the seam line and then I stitched stay tape to the seam.  This might be overkill, but this fabric was pretty stretchy.  Then I stitched the undercollar to the collar.

This kept everything from shifting and shimmying across my machine.  Since I didn't line the bodice, I stitched the undercollar to the wrong side of the garment.  I flipped the collar to the right side of the bodice, edge stitched to keep it from rolling to the wrong side and viola!  No neckline hem to deal with!  You can see how it looks in the photo below.

I really like the overall fit of this dress.  It is designed with negative ease, so measure carefully what size you need.  Oh and I almost forgot that I stay taped the shoulder seams as well.  

Just for reference, I made a medium, which in the Big 4 is my typical size.  

The cross over collar detail in the back is a nice little touch.  You could eliminate this if you wanted. In fact, on Colette's site, there is a free download for more versions of the little collar so you can be as creative as you'd like with contrasting fabrics and such.  If I remember correctly, there are eight additional versions!

This dress is very comfortable and with the right knit can feel like you are wearing ultra comfortable pajamas and who doesn't want to feel like that when you are working or at an event where you need a pretty dress?

I put this dress together in about 3 hours from cutting to stitching the hemline.  It helps I had made it once before but it is such a simple to make pattern that any beginner would have great success.  Even if you are experienced, this dress is just fun to make!

It was chilly today, so I am modeling it with black leggings.  I do like it with the belt! It was also very windy so of course I am having a bad hair day! 

I used my serger on all the seams and to hem, I used steam a seam and folded the lower hem twice to create a nice, neat edge.

 One deviation from the pattern I made was to eliminate the elastic at the waistline.  Why, well, let me back up a bit.  The cover of Threads shows an ultra gathered skirt and I couldn't get my first one to look that way with the elastic I used so I just skipped that step, gathered the skirt and attached it.  It is still pretty gathered but not nearly as much as the cover.

I am thinking they made the skirt extra wide so it gathered so much.  Oh, and I almost forgot, I eliminated the side seam pockets.  In a knit dress, I don't like them at the side seam as it seems to weigh the dress down when I put my phone, lip gloss, driver's license inside.  To avoid that temptation, I don't even mess with them.

Thanks so much for reading!  What are you sewing lately?
Sue

Spring and sprung Burda 6912 top!

Are you sick of your winter clothes like I am?  Not that I don't love my clothes, but sometimes you need a change whether it is a new color, texture, style, or all of these!

I found myself needing some new shapes and textures in my life.  On a recent trip to Louisiana to visit DD1, we HAD to find a fabric store...that is a real, live fabric store, not a JoAnn's or Hancocks and we did!  I found two patterns I really liked and so of course I purchased them!

Burda and I have struggled in our relationship.  There have been a few Burda's that have been good for me but I'm not sure why I don't like the finished garments.  It could be the style is for someone much younger and hipper than I am or it could be a lifestyle thing however, when I came across View B of Burda 6912 I thought it was a match.  I love the simple lines and the cool looking shape and peplum.

So, back to my stash I went and found a floral print Swiss dotted Voile I purchased from Fabric Mart. It is a nice quality fabric with great texture, thanks to the dotted Swiss.  I like the lightness of it and thought it would be a great candidate for this top.

The description is simply a semi-fitted blouse and dress.  As you can see, it can be sleeveless or three-quarter sleeves or a dress.  You need less than 2 yards of fabric for the top with sleeves.

All sizes are in one envelope.  I made a size 14 or 40 and am happy with the fit.  

Instructions are minimal but more than adequate for this easy pattern.  There are adequate visuals as well.  This top/dress would be great for beginners as there really isn't anything difficult nor is the fitting tricky.  I made an FBA at the dart by expanding the pattern tissue and lowering the apex by about 1/2".  

Sorry about the back wrinkles, I wore this to work today and should have taken it off and ironed it before taking photos, but it was a long day and well, I really don't like ironing all that much!  

I still have some drag lines at the bust so if I do decide to make this again, I will need to adjust the bust again.

I'm not entirely sure about the proportions of this top.  I feel like the peplum needs to be lengthened or higher up on my waist or something.  

I really didn't feel like making eight button holes, so I used my Kam snap pliers and Got Lux snaps in spring green to create closures on the front.  I like the green and it adds some color and makes the green in the fabric stand out a bit more.  Besides, green is a favorite color of mine! 

See how nice and neat the inside is finished?  I simply serged the edges of the facing at the neck and front edges, turned, pressed, edge stitched to prevent the facings from flipping to the right side, turned, and topstitched with two evenly spaced rows the first being 1.5" from the edge and the second just slightly inside that or closer to the edge of the garment.  I was a little concerned about show through to the right side of the fabric, but for some reason it works with this top--or am I delusional?

I am trying to decide if I like or will be willing to tackle more Burdas but first I need some honest opinions.  What do I do about the proportions?  Is this top okay and just something different than I am used to?  Should the peplum be lengthened?  Shortened?  Help!

As always, thanks for reading!

Sue