New Skirt: OOP Vogue 9701

I've been longing for a wrap skirt but it really isn't all that practical in the windy city with winter fast approaching.  Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue Elements 9701 turned out to be the perfect alternative, "a semi-fitted, straight, mock wrap skirt."  And it was rated "very easy."   

What more could I ask for?  Pockets perhaps?  

Would you believe it has that too?  This pattern is perfect.

The plan is to make it in a wool suiting but I thought to make one in a fabric I wouldn't mind losing if the fit wasn't just right.  I used a medium weight denim that was in the stash likely from the same decade this pattern originates.  I'm so glad it fits because in the denim this turns out to be a skirt that will hold up over the winter. And it's a dark denim so I'm hoping that I might also get away with wearing this for work.  Maybe with a white shirt but I digress... 

I shortened the above-ankle length (view B) three inches.  Other than that I cut my size.  I could have used the adjustments for the petite markings closer to the waistline.  Even though I like a high waisted skirt, I could have benefited from this adjustment instead of taking off the length from the hemline.  Something to consider for next time.  

The Stats

Fabric:  2 metres of 100% cotton denim

Zipper:  9" invisible zipper

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 9701 (found on Etsy)

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Iron, ironing board, cutting table, pins, pin cushion, sewing machine, invisible zipper foot, zipper foot, serger, threads for the serger, sewing machine and hand-stitching, new serger needles, self-threading hand needle, tailor's chalk, ruler, measuring tape, basting tape, scissors, thread clippers, and a cup of tea.  

Happy Sewing!  

Sewing thoughts...

When did thread get so expensive?  

Seriously, I could buy lunch for the cost of one of these spools of thread. That's just bananas. 

I bought the thread.

Will be brown bagging it for the next while.

What am I thinking? I'm always brown bagging it.  It pays for the thread.   

Besides thread, there have been thoughts of winter sewing.     

Vogue Patterns came out with their new Winter / Holiday patterns this week and not one coat pattern to be found. I really thought there might be a coat pattern.  

I'm re-visiting out-of-print Vogue 8934 to make a winter coat.      

Also planning on revisiting Simplicity 8529.  

Finally decided on which fabric to get with the EmmaOneSock gift certificate. It's an "all virgin wool sweater jersey" from Italy.  They don't sell thread.  

Pretty excited about this fabric.  

Can't believe I ordered a pink fabric.  

Over-the-moon excited to find a 100% virgin wool. 

Natural fibres won over colour choice.   

First time ordering fabric on-line.  

It was weird committing to a fabric choice that I didn't feel first.  

I hope the excitement doesn't fade by the time it gets here. 

Happy Sewing!  

It Finally Happened.

Wow, it finally happened. Simplicity 2372 is now an out-of-print pattern. I can't recommend it anymore since, well, it's no longer available on the Simplicity website. It's a real gem. If you're lucky enough to stumble across it over on Etsy or Ebay, I would suggest grabbing it. It does seem rare to find coordinate patterns now-a-days. Here is one more version of the dress.  

The fabric is a 100% polyester print left-over from an earlier, much-earlier, project. It feels great to make something else with this fabric.  Even though I'm not one to love sewing polyester, the colours in this piece of fabric are perfect for the season.  

The Stats  

Fabric:  2 metres 

Interfacing:  0.3 metres of fusible interfacing

Zipper:  55 cm invisible zipper

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, silk pins, measuring tape, ruler, tailor's chalk, sewing machine, invisible zipper foot, zipper foot, blind hem foot, pin cushion, scissors, serger, thread, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.  

Happy Sewing!  

In Sewing News Today...

Another end to National Sewing month and even though September was a blur there was some sewing. This year's theme, generations of memories, seemed appropriate when it came to revisiting vintage McCall's 8548 at the beginning of the month. I haven't been inspired by the latest pattern offerings. It's been the oldies, the tested and true (TNT) patterns that I've been revisiting.  Although there was one new design that made it to the sewing table. My current sewing project continues with revisiting an out-of-print pattern (OOP), Simplicity 2372.  

During National Sewing month, Carolyn from Diary of a Sewing Fanatic has been hosting give-aways and I was blessed in winning a gift card from Emmaonesock.         

I just have to decide on what to get.  I know that it would be something that is near impossible to find is my corner of the world, wool knit. According to the local fabric stores, I live in polyester polar fleece country so it is a real treat to pick natural fibre fabric from Emmaonesock. It's between a teal blue or a soft pink colour.  And then there is the question of quantity, do I want to make a sweater, Simplicity 8529, or a sweater dress, OOP Vogue 8939 or another Iris dress? Decisions! 

Well, that's all in today's sewing news. 

Happy Sewing!  

Butterick 6509: Fancy Pants Fall Jacket, Coat, or is it a Bathrobe?

Butterick 6509 See & Sew pattern is a very easy jacket, only three pattern pieces. I picked up this pattern for the short jacket but then lengthened the long one to make myself a fall jacket coat. 

The longer jacket on the pattern envelope appears looser or at least A-shaped on the model. This is not the case. Although it has very generous ease at the bust and waist, it is not as generous at the hips. And that hood is huge!  It actually reminds me of the hood shape from a bathrobe I made back-in-the-day. Come to think about it, that hood may have been smaller than this one.  

All of this works for layering now that the cooler weather is on its way. 

The outer fabric is a silk that I found in the home décor department. The lining fabric is a striped silk duponi making this a reversible coat. I wasn't thinking of a reversible coat when I started the project, I was just looking for enough fabric that I could line it with and this is what I found in the stash.  

There were a few changes to the pattern.  As mentioned, it was lengthened.  I added five inches to the length.  The side seams were reduced to 3/8" to give me some more ease around the hips.  And the hem at the sleeves were also reduced to 3/8" as I was limited to a size small length sleeve based on my fabric width.  

The Stats:  

Fabric:  4.5 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 8509

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, scissors, tailor's chalk, silk thread for basting, polyester thread for the sewing machine and serger, sewing machine, walking foot, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, clapper, hand sewing needle, thimble, and a bandage for pricked fingers.  

Happy Sewing! 

McCall's 7946: New Top

Sometimes you just need to have basics.

And right now I could use a basic crew neck style top to layer with, now that the mornings and evenings are not quite as warm as the day time temperatures. Four pattern pieces and not much of a design challenge. An easy peasy project with a fit that I all smitten about. Thank goodness for vintage patterns that are not all about drop shoulders and over-sized fit.  

The pattern is vintage McCall's 7946, circa 1995. It's a Laundry by Shelli Segal design. The fabric is a soft cotton knit. It wasn't pre-treated and my fingers are crossed that there is not a lot of shrinkage. The shoulder seams and hemlines were stabilized with Knit-N-Stable tape. The seams and top-stitching were stitched with the lightning bolt (knit) stitch.   

The Stats:  

Fabric:  1.4 metres (150 cm wide)

Interfacing:   2 metres Knit-N-Stable tape

Pattern:  Out-of-print McCall's 7946

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scisssors, silk pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, iron, ironing board, sewing machine, walking foot, threads (for the sewing machine and serger), serger and thread clippers.  

Happy Sewing!  

Vintage McCall's 8548: Plaid Jacket

There are some patterns that just make it to the cutting table over and over again.  Vintage McCall's 8548 just happens to be one of those patterns.  

What can I say about this pattern other than how cute it is? Oh wait, it's a well-drafted pattern and all of the piece for the jacket went together just as well as for the pants and dress.  The only pattern that I haven't tried from this offering is for the little boys' cap.  Maybe one day... 

But back to the jacket.  

  

My favourite part is the little patch pocket with the self lining, sturdy enough to carry rocks or shells  that a little fella can find.  It has a twelve inch separating zipper and hi-low hemline. It is unlined with a front facing. 

The Stats:  

Fabric:  0.70 metres of a medium weight polar fleece type fabric

Zipper:  12" separating zipper

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Burda tracing paper, pens, cutting table, pins, pin cushion, hand sewing needles, iron, ironing board, sewing machine, zipper foot, walking foot, threads, serger, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, scissors, and thread clippers.  

Happy Sewing!