February in Review...

February's crazy weather presented some wardrobe challenges. Mainly, what do you wear during extreme cold warnings as the region is blanketed by a polar vortex during a pandemic? I don't have the luxury of working from home during the pandemic and there's outdoor duties as part of my workday. That wind can rip through fabric and make you feel like you're standing there naked. Like when you're lined up to get groceries in ski pants that are just not cutting it.

Once upon a time, there was a plan to sew a pair of ski-pants. I even had a pattern picked out until I started to source the materials for the project. It quickly became evident that it would be a difficult project to complete both with trying to find the materials I wanted to work with and stay within my budget. The pattern, Kwik Sew 760, has found another home this month. There was a bit of sadness in that I was letting this one go.  

Ready-to-wear ski-pants made in offshore factories just don't keep you warm enough when you're standing outside for twenty minutes at a time during extreme cold warnings. Those winds can cut you like a knife.  

One of the projects that I made this month was a jacket that was underlined with something called "joggers fleece" that is apparently supposed to block the wind. I'm thinking about making a pair of sweat pants or leggings to wear under my ski-pants for those oh-nuts-it's-cold-outside days that we sometimes get. Although, I'm not all that excited about working with this man-made fabric, I am willing to put aside my feelings on this one for the sake of keeping warm.  

Talking about the jacket, this has to be my favourite make this month. I'm so thrilled with how it turned out and I can check off one of my sewing goals, to sew a car coat. I passed on the New Look pattern after reading reviews about how the lining could use another treatment at the hemline. This jacket was made with an out-of-print (OOP) pattern sitting in my pattern drawer. I don't know why it took me so long to consider this pattern, OOP McCall's 2495.  

There were some dresses sewn as well.  A Ebony dress by Closet Case patterns which I've been wearing as pajamas lately. It's that comfortable. And a maxi-length wool turtle-neck sweater dress.  

The least favourite project was a t-shirt. A simple project that served a short-term purpose. It was made to wear for number day at work. I just didn't get the fit right in the rush to get it done and the neckline opening was too wide with the potential of exposure if I bent down. I ended up wearing it with a RTW long-sleeved wool crew-neck sweater underneath.      

My favourite themed day at work this month was dress like your favourite superhero and I chose to break out my black dress and dress like Edna E. Mode from The Invincibles.  

At least for one day this month, I got to pretend that sewing was my superpower. In reality I still feel like my sewing mojo is lacking somewhat.    

Output:  

Fabric:  12 metres (February) + 8.4 metres (January) = 20.4 metres 

Zippers:  none this month + 1 - 55 cm invisible zipper (January) = 1 zipper

Seam binding:  none this month + 7 metres (January) = 7 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  9 metres 

Twill tape:  0.50 metres 

Spools of thread:  1 - 275 metre spool (February) + 1 - 100 metre spool, 2 - 1500 metre spool of serger thread (January) = 1 875 metres 

Sewing Machine needles:  1 sewing machine needle (February) + 1 serger needle (January) = 2  

Input:  

Fabric:  None this month, 24.7 metres (January) = 24.7 metres

Sewing machine needles:  None this month, 1 package (3) serger needles (January) = 3 

Buttons:  None this month + 2 packages (10) jean buttons (January) = 10

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

Winter Wear Sewing: OOP McCall's 2495

This is my new car coat.  I'm so over down filled jackets that don't block the wind.  

It's reversible! And it's made with a scooter print that I found in the upholstery department at Mitchell Fabrics, many moons ago. Underlined with a jogger's fleece which according to one of the fabric professionals at Northwest / Marshall Fabrics will block the wind. And the other side is a wool fabric also from Northwest / Marshall Fabrics.  There is enough red wool left over to make a skirt or pair of pants. Decisions to be made at a later time.    

I added patch pockets to the wool side for somewhere to throw my keys. No button or zipper closure, I just plan to close it with a brooch or large decorative pin.  

Let's talk about this pattern. I actually almost over-looked this swing jacket pattern for this project. Mostly because of the sleeves. Flared sleeves for winter wear are not exactly practical for prairie winters.  

So I tapered them to be more like my winter coat sleeve width using pattern piece from OOP Vogue 8934 as my guide. Besides changing the shape of the sleeve and adding pockets, there's two additional inches added to the length.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 stitch length

Seam finish:  Graded seam allowances and zig-zag edges on the printed fabric, serged edges on the wool

Tips:  Invest in a clapper, it will make pressing edges so much easier.   

Fabric:  6 metres 

Pattern:  OOP McCall's 2495, circa 1999.  

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, pins, pin cushions, thread clippers, tailor's chalk, hand sewing needle, threads, tailor's wax, sewing machine, sewing machine needle, walking foot, screwdriver, iron, ironing board, clapper, serger.  

Stay safe and Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

There is another project on my want-to-make list, cotton gloves. A few weeks ago Barbara suggested using Vaseline on my painfully dried and crack hands covered with cotton gloves.   

These cotton gloves were a purchase at a medical supply business and they worked perfectly until I washed them and they shrunk. There is cotton knit in the stash and I think I can get away with making mitts instead of gloves, it's just to cover my Vaseline covered cracked hands while I sleep. I'll just have to remember to pre-shrink the fabric first.  

I just need to find some free time to sew. Oh and find some sewing mojo, it seems to be lacking of late.  

Anyway, that's all in sewing news today.  

Stay safe and Happy Sewing!

Happy Valentine's Day: Lockdown Edition

 

So last Valentine's Day, I wrote a little poem.  Who would have ever have thought it would have been a prologue to what was about to come?  Keep washing your hands, mask up and stay safe.  

Oh and Happy Valentine's Day!  

T-shirt According to Pi: OOP Vogue 9057

This is the latest t-shirt. I made it because I need a π shirt.  

It's catholic school week and tomorrow we can wear something with numbers. I thought I would throw in a little computer short-cut lesson for the symbol, mixed with my attempt at poetry. I'm not a poet.  

So, let's move on to talking about the pattern. This π-shirt was created with out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 9057, circa 2014. However, this Marcy Tilton design is still available under a new pattern number, Vogue 1733. Not sure why the pattern number change, just happy it's still available because this is a nice basic t-shirt design with hemline options.  

There were some changes made to the design.  I omitted the neckband and used Knit-'N-Stable tape around the neckline instead.  The sleeves and hem were shortened and also treated with Knit-'N-Stable tape before top-stitching.  .  

The fabric is a medium weight cotton knit.  The pi design on the front and the written message on the back were drawn on with my black Spectrum Noir® marker.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch 

Seam finish:  Serged seams.  

Tip:  Fun project if you don't feel like wearing a numbered sports jersey.  

Fabric:  1.4 metres

Knit-'N-Stable tape:  2 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, cardboard backdrop for drawing, pins, measuring tape, pin cushion, sewing machine, serger, walking foot, iron, ironing board, threads, scissors and thread clippers.  

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!

Winter Wear Sewing: OOP Vogue 8939

This weekend and into the next week, the prairies are under an extreme cold warning. Woke up to a minus thirty-three degrees Celsius, minus forty-six degrees Celsius with the wind chill. And yet all the lovely sewing bloggers are taking pictures outdoors without winter coats. Or backgrounds with green lawns. You guys are killing me here. 

So, you'll understand if I'm not sewing pretty floral dresses and looking at the spring line of patterns that are popping up. This weekend, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 8939 (circa 2013), made a re-appearance on the cutting table. Nothing turns my thoughts to sewing a turtleneck dress faster than frigid Artic air hanging over the winter landscape.  

I'm sewn a few versions of Vogue 8939 turtleneck dresses over the years but I will say that this one is by far my favourite. This one is all about the fabric. Many moons ago I came across this ridiculous sale of dead stock fabric where I found this beautiful wool knit. I made a sweater in this black knit and in pink. And the one hard lesson that I learned in the process is that I should had pre-treated my fabric. Both sweaters shrunk and no longer fit.  

So I pre-treated the last fifteen metres I had with a tumble in the washing machine followed by a tumble through the dryer. And boy, did it ever shrink! I'm not sure how many metres came out of the process, just width wise, there was a noticeable change when it hit the cutting table. I'll be hand-washing this dress from now on as I'm really thrilled with how it fits and the felted feel to this knit.  

The pattern is a favourite go-to pattern. I lengthened it five inches, graded out a size or two around the hip area and shortened the length of the sleeves. It's an easy project, highly recommend it for a beginner.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Sewing Tip:  Pre-treat your fabric and if you're lucky enough to know the fibre content, consider buying more yardage if it's a fabric that is known to shrink.  

Fabric:  3 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  2 metres

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 8939

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Pins, scissors, tailor's chalk, pin cushions, iron, ironing board, clapper, sewing machine, serger, walking foot, tweezers, thread clippers and tea.  

Stay Warm and Happy Sewing!  

Ebony Dress: Closet Case Patterns

 

I've had my eye on Ebony dress by Closet Case patterns for quite some time. Finally, it made it to the sewing table!  The thought of an easy-to-wear, pullover dress that flows away from the mid-section was a win in my books. The only thing that would make this dress more perfect would be a set of side pockets.  There just wasn't enough fabric to add pockets because I added some length.  

The illustration on the cover envelope and the sample photo lead me to believe that the sleeve fit snuggly across the arm.  If this was true it wouldn't be a good look for me.  So I increased the width of the sleeves, a totally unnecessary move that I later corrected.  I also added four inches to the length, reducing it two inches before sewing an inch hemline. Considering my five foot frame, this dress comes below the knee length.  It's a much safer option for a tent-style dress that will be worn in what can be at times, one windy city.  

The one thing that I do not like about this simple design is how the sleeve hem is drafted and angled.  Take note of this and fix it while you cut it out. 

The fabric is a beautiful 95% cotton and 5% elastane knit designed in Denmark by stoffabrics.com.  The print is Avalana, style #MSJ17-112.  I'm happy I can share these fabric details because I can't express enough how much I enjoyed sewing this knit. It was prewashed and dried in the dryer before hitting the cutting table. And the best part, it's width.  This fabric is able to accommodate the hem width of the Ebony dress design.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit stitch

Seam finish:  Serged, hems were finished with Knit 'N Stable tape before serging and hemming.  

Tips:  Knit 'N Stable tape is worth the investment.  

Fabric:  2.2 metres

Twill tape:  0.5 metres

Pattern:  Ebony Dress pattern

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, scissors, sewing machine, walking foot, serger, threads, tweezers, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!