January in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations

Top L to R:  beige bamboo, cotton and spandex French terry sweatpants (Vogue 8909), two black cotton pullover tops (OOP Simplicity 2372), cotton flannel pajama top (Butterick 6296), cotton flannel pajama pants (OOP Vogue 9217).  
Bottom row L to R:  cotton floral table runner (no pattern used), merino wool pullover top (Vogue 9330), four cotton reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), merino wool tuque (The Littlest Studio).

The year didn't really start off with any big sewing plans or goals.  Basically, it was just clearing off projects that were previously cut a few months ago while waiting for the serger to be repaired and stash busting some left-over fabrics from previous projects.  

This month's mending and alteration projects focused on bedding and pockets.  There were a couple of fitted sheets that required new elastic in the corners.  The patchwork quilt (I use that term loosely, I'm not a quilter) needed more patching.  And a flat flannel sheet had some fabric added to the length so that it could be securely tucked into place when making the bed.  I do believe there was some shrinkage of the flannel sheet over the years.  This skirt ended up back at the worktable.  This time, it needed to be taken in and re-hemmed after some weight loss.  And a flannel pajama top ended up on the table for the addition of pockets.  A couple of house dresses also ended up on my worktable with a request to add patch pockets.   

2024 Challenge

Inspired by Fashion Revolution's campaign to pledge "to buy #NoMorePolyester in 2024," I decided to try and apply this pledge to my 2024 sewing journey.  

We are living in the age of polyester.  You might think of the nineteen seventies as the golden age of polyester.  But a walk down the fabric or clothing store aisles or online shop would prove otherwise.  

1975 JC Penny catalogue image, the golden age of polyester?  

There is no escaping it!  Or is there?  Can I avoid sewing with polyester for a whole year?  What about thread?  I will admit there is still polyester fabrics and threads lingering in my stash.  And a polyester dress did hit the worktable for the addition of pockets.  

No new projects were sewn with polyester fabric.  Oh wait!  There were those sweatpants that contain 5% spandex.  And spandex is a synthetic material.  Can I call that a win?  No, not yet.  I can't say I managed to 100% avoid polyester, there was also some polyester in some of the serger thread, interfacing, elastic and Knit 'N Stable tape used this month.  This stuff is everywhere!  There are eleven more months to go and try to do better.  In the meantime, what to do with the lingering poly fabric still in the stash?  

Stash busted and Additions

Here are January's stash busted statistics:  

• 13 metres of fabric
• 2 metres of Knit 'N Stable tape
• 6 metres of trim
• Patterns:  5 TNT and 2 new
• 1.6 metres interfacing
• 3 sewing labels
• 4 buttons
• 2 metres of elastic
• 8 spools of thread

Added to the stash:

• 7.8 metres of cotton trim
• 4 patterns:  Vogue 8909, Merchant and Mills Trapeze dress, OOP Burda Style 7489 and OOP McCall's 7557.
• 5 spools of cotton thread

What's Next?  

There has been some sewing related day-dreaming in the workspace.  

Top Row L to R:  Reversible hooded winter jacket (OOP Vogue 2571), hood (OOP Vogue 2793) and sweatpants (Vogue 8909).  Pullover dress (SD patterns), shirt (Joker by OkiStyle), and the Trapeze dress (Merchant and Mills).  Third row:  pants and shorts (Closet Core pattern), Toaster sweater (Sew House Seven) and pullover top (Burda 7489).

Vogue 8909 sweatpants could be checked off from this wish list but I also wouldn't mind another pair for running errands in.  The Joker shirt pattern might come off the list as it will be too fitted to wear over a brace but it has also been on my sewing bucket list for years.  I made Burda 7489 many moons ago (2011) and I wouldn't mind re-visiting this pattern after finding another copy on eBay.  

Before I can get to this wish-list, I have other projects for other people to work on.  I guess we'll see what next month has in store.   

Happy Sewing!  

Scrap busting: Table Runner

 

There was enough left-over fabric from this pullover top to make a table runner.  The small piece of fabric has been sitting in the scrap pile since 2019.   I'm not sure why I held onto it all these years.  Or why I didn't think about sewing a table runner before now?  Regardless, I'm glad I was able to scrap bust this one.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  None since it's double sided

Fabric:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  None

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Janome sewing machine, walking foot, fabric scissors, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle and thread.  

Happy Sewing!

Scrap busting: Reusable Grocery Bags / OOP McCall's 4851

 

This is a scrap busting project.  I had a wee bit of leftover medium weight cotton from these 2020 projects.  And there was enough leftover fabric to cut the handles as well.  The pattern is my go-to grocery bag pattern, out-of-print (OOP) McCall's 4851.   

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  0.5 metres

Pattern:  OOP McCall's 4851

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome serger, thread clippers, iron, ironing board and safety pin.  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News

It has often been said that one should not expect vintage designer Vogue patterns to be re-issued because of expired licensing agreements.  Today, this is no longer the case, at least for one iconic design.    

Let's reintroduce ourselves to the iconic wrap dress designed by Diane Von Furstenberg.  This re-release is a celebration of the fifty year anniversary that DVF wrap dresses became the "it" garment of its time.  

Are you surprised with the re-release?  I am and excited too. 

Check out the sizing.  The original pattern, Vogue 1549, came out in single sizes as was the norm in the 1970s.  This re-release, Vogue 2000, comes in expanded multi-sized combinations.  The original was only available in sizes 6 to 16 and this release is expanded to include sizes 18, 20, 22 and 24.  That is sweet.  

One thing that I never noticed before is that this design doesn't have to been sewn in a knit fabric on both the original and re-release patterns.  The recommended fabrics remain the same over the decades, "soft fabrics such as Challis, Chambray, Pongee, Surah, Single Knits such as Wool and Cotton Jersey."  Oh, wouldn't a DVF wrap dress in Pongee (raw silk) be the ultimate in luxury!  A gal could dream, right?  

So, will you be picking up this pattern?  Only available online, it won't be released in stores.  

Happy Sewing!

Update (February 12, 2024):  Apparently Vogue 2000 will be available as a general release later in the spring.  This notice found on a Instagram post, 

Become a Sew Today VIP to shop this pattern today (link in our profile) or stay tuned for general release in the Spring.⁠

Stash busting: Merino Wool Tuque

 

A request came in for a wool tuque.  The request was for one similar The Littlest Studio Tuque made in the past but shortened to eliminate the drape effect.  Sounds simple enough but I spent way too much time looking for the pattern because this once free tuque pattern seems to have disappeared from the web.  I didn't find it so instead, I ended up cutting up a cotton knit version I had laying around to copy the pattern.  The seam allowance became the new cutting line in order to achieve a smaller fit along with removing two inches from the length.  Once I gave up looking for the previously used paper pattern, this project came together quickly.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  None

Fabric:  0.3 metres 

Pattern:  Currently lost 

Additional Tool and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, measuring tape, measure gauge, Janome sewing machine, thread, thread clippers and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

International Sweatpants Day: Vogue 8909

I need sweatpants that fit and that is how this pattern, Vogue 8909, ended up on the cutting table.  The timing of this project just happened to fall on International Sweatpants Day.  So, that is how I celebrated, sewing a pair of sweatpants.  

Happy International Sweatpants Day!  

The Pattern 

Vogue 8909 is a new-to-me pattern even though it came out in 2013.  This pattern is listed on the pattern envelope as being "fitted" and "below waist" which are two red flags since I do not typically go for those design elements.  It is the many pattern reviews found online that convinced me to give this pattern a try.  It's a keeper, I'm thrilled with how it turned out.  Several reviewers noted that the pattern runs on the big sizing scale.  I double checked the finished hip measurement and since I didn't want a "fitted" pair of sweatpants, I decided on sewing a size large.  I like the "baggy" look especially with the light weight French terry knit these are sewn in.  

There were some changes to the design.  First, there is no drawstring.  Instead, I put elastic through all three casings.  The height of the waist was raised an inch but since these were cut in a large, I didn't need to do so as these are not sitting at "below waist" level.  I should have raised the crotch length since I went up a size.  An adjustment was made to account for one leg being shorter than the other.  

The Fabric

This is a light-weight French terry knit with some drape.  The fiber breakdown is 67% bamboo, 28% cotton and 5% spandex.  I picked it up for a song from the Fabricland discount section a couple of years ago.  It is the same fabric, different colour, that I used for this top.  And since I like how the fabric has handled over the years with the previous project, I thought it might be a good choice for the sweatpants.  I cut an extra 0.15 cm to allow for shrinkage of the bamboo fiber content which is know to have a shrinkage rate of 6%.  I didn't need to add that much to the recommended yardage since it was a wide yardage and that saved on the length needed.  The fabric was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the cutting table.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit stitch (also known as the lightening bolt stitch)

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.6 metres

Elastic:  3 metres

Pattern:  Vogue 8909, circa 2013

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, wrist pin cushion, tailor's chalk, iron, ironing board, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome serger, thread clippers, tweezers, safety pins, many breaks and tea.  

Happy Sewing!

No More Polyester! Campaign in the News

CBC Radio had a segment on the local afternoon radio program, Up To Speed, titled How Well Do You Know What's in Your Closet?  It aired on January 15, 2024 and it was an interview with Elise Epp, Canada's coordinator with Fashion Revolution regarding the No More Polyester! campaign.  You can listen to it here.  

Epp raises some interesting facts about polyester in the seven minute interview about the dangers polyester poises not only to the environment but our health as well.  

Let's face it, many of us discovered in our sewing journeys that polyester is not the gold standard of fabric.  But it's loved and cherished by cheap clothing and household / bedding manufacturers and the people who peddle this fiber in their wares.  It a filler that allows them to fatten their profit margins and leaves you conned into believing it is something good.  

I've been conned into believing this in the past.  Even the recent past.  

It's hard to escape polyester's domination even in the fabric store aisles.  Today, I stopped by one of the few fabric stores in the city, the local Fabricland, to pick up some thread.  And I would easily say at least 90% of the store was filled with fabrics and other products that were polyester or polyester blends.  Even thread.  The selection of cotton threads is overshadowed by the polyester selection of thread.  

And then I stumbled across a few rolls of silk noil, not the quality of silk noil of days gone by and certainly not the price that I've seen it listed for in the past.  These thinner rolls of silk noil were priced at $80.00 Cdn / metre.  Prices like these for natural fiber fabrics make those cheaper polyester fabrics appear to be more desirable in these challenging economic times.  It's not worth it.  

Do you know polyester allergies exist?  A person can experience a skin reaction when coming into contact with polyester fabric.  And miscarriages have been tied to polyester underwear in a National Institute of Health study.  Polyester has a dark history that parallels the one described in Fake Silk, a look at the history of viscose rayon.  

This challenge, I thought might be hard when I first thought about it.  I'm not feeling that way today, I'm even more determined and energized to keep my 2024 sewing projects polyester free.  Have you signed up for the challenge to kick polyester to the curb?   Are you thinking about it?  

Oh and that thread, I picked up a 100% cotton spool.  Small steps hopefully will lead to big change.  

Book Review: Happy Hats and Cool Caps (and Happy National Hat Day!)

Happy Hats and Cool Caps to Sew for the Whole Family

Authors:  Anne-Mette Hermansen and Tina Elnef

Published:  English Translation 1998 by Lark Books

Original Publication:  Huer Og Hatte Til Born Og Voksne, Borgens Forlag, 1994 (Denmark)

Translator:  Robin Orm Hansen

Editor:  Dawn Cusick

ISBN:  1-57990-026-7 (Paperback) / 1-5799-075-5 (Hardcopy)

This vintage book was found in a second hand book sale and I have to admit that I'm quite thrilled to have stumbled across it.  

Last year I sewed some tuques to donate to those in need of winter protection.  I used The Littlest Studio's free tuque pattern.  And it was mentioned by a member of the church community that the one-size-fits-all tuque pattern didn't really fit all sizes.  There was a request for an assortment of hat sizes.  I'm not going to use that pattern this year when sewing winter gear to be donated.  This year I will be utilizing the patterns found in Happy Hats and Cool Caps.  The book offers kids to adults hat sizes and information on taking your measurements.  

If you look beyond the dated photographs from the 1990s, there are some great options for winter gear within the eighty pages.  As mentioned, there are patterns for wee little people to adult sizes.  And the added bonus, there are patterns for mitts too.  All patterns for the hats and mitts shown in the book are included as pull-out sheets in the back.  

Once I find time to trace out some of the patterns, I will start with sewing mitts and head bands.  Stay tuned.   

Happy National Hat Day!  

National Dress Up Your Pet Day!

When it comes to celebrating, do you include your pets in the festivities?  Well, today happens to be National Dress Up Your Pet day.  Of course, not recommended if your pet is not into the fête fun.  But if your pet companion is game, there are some sewing pattern options to consider for dressing up for the occasion.  Or just celebrating them any day.  

What about feline friends that want to get in the action?  The Big Four pattern companies seem to be dog lovers.  But the web is full of feline fashion options.  Have you been busy sewing something special for your furry friends?  

Happy Sewing!

Scrap busting: Reusable Grocery Bags / OOP McCall's 4851

I should have enough reusable grocery bags to keep me going but here I am restocking this item.  Some have been gifted and others have found new homes.  And then others are being used for storage of food items in the freezer.  So, it's back to the sewing table with this project.  

The pattern is my go-to for this project, out-of-print (OOP) McCall's 4851.  It is a generously sized bag pattern and perfect for carrying groceries.  

The fabric is leftover pieces from this dress project.  With a little patch work, I was able to cut enough to sew three bags.  The fabric is a 100% cotton canvas from the home décor department.  It was previously pre-washed about six months ago so I was able to just get to work on the project.  The straps were made by stitching together some cotton rooster printed trim.  This trim has been in the stash for a really long time.  I picked it up cheap thinking that it would make a cute finish on a set of kitchen curtains.  Plans change more often than not.  Anyway, it worked out great for these bags.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres or so 

Trim:  6 metres

Pattern:   OOP McCall's 4851

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, spring hinged fabric scissors, pins, pin cushions, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, thread, Janome serger, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, Jean-a-ma-Jig®, insomnia (there was some early morning sewing) and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

No More Polyester!

There is a new Fashion Revolution Canada campaign, #NoMorePolyester, starting up.  You can read about it here.  

I have, over the years, made abundantly clear what I think of man-made fibres that are overtaking the aisles of fabric stores and are mixed with natural fibres.  So this challenge is one that I can totally get  behind.  In case you want a recap,

1. "Polyester is the worst fabric you can buy," according to bodyecology.com and I happen to agree.  Unless you like your fabric decorated by pilling.  
2. It doesn't keep you warm.  
3. Greenwashing polyester doesn't make it environmentally better because it's still polyester.  
4. Polyester and allergies, is there a link?  

I can go on and on, but I won't.  You get the gist, right?  

So since I make my own clothes, I will be tweaking this challenge to reflect my lifestyle and clothing source.  It will be a challenge, there is still some polyester yardage lurking in my fabric stash.  Regardless, I'm going to give it try this year.  So far, all the me-mades this year have been natural fiber fabrics.  So far, things are on the right track.  

Happy Sewing!  

Stash busting: Pullover Top / OOP Simplicity 2372

There have been more than a few versions of tops, dresses and pants made from out-of-print (OOP) Simplicity 2372 over the decade + some.  What can I say?  It's a great pattern.  

And here is the first 2024 version of OOP Simplicity 2372.  I won't promise that it will be the last.  I'm just letting the fabric stash dictate the 2024 project list.  

This pullover top pattern went through some changes to get to this point.  

1. The center front and back seams were removed and cut on the fold
2. Hem length was shortened
3. Sleeve was changed into a long sleeve style.  

The fabric has been in the stash for about as long as the pattern.  I believe this was a Mitchell Fabric find from back-in-the-day.  The original idea for this fabric was to sew a button front shirt and then Covid happened and sewing face masks became all the rage.  That's when the fabric was cut for the lining of face masks.  And then there wasn't enough for the shirt plans.  So plans changed and with the left over cotton fabric I was able to make a pullover top. 

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre

Interfacing:  0.3 metres

Label:  1 KATM label

Pattern:  OOP Simplicity 2372

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, measuring tape, ruler, tailor's chalk, pin cushions, measuring gauge, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, cotton thread, Janome serger, tweezers, polyester serger thread, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax and a few breaks.  

Happy Sewing!  

Flannel Pajamas: OOP Vogue 9217 and Butterick 6296

Another winter's arrival along with thoughts of sewing another pair of flannel pajamas.  This new pair will replace this one that recently became drying rags for my automobile.  Once again, I turned to true and tried (TNT) patterns to make this set, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 9217 for the pajama bottoms and Butterick 6296 for the top. 

The Patterns

The pajama top, Butterick 6296, was cut in the shorter length with the front pockets near the front hemline.  I would like to say that it went together without a hitch especially after sewing a few versions in the past, but I can't.  I did sew seam binding to the edge of the front facing before I applied the fusible interfacing.  And there was the mistake from back in October when this project was originally cut.  I accidently cut the wrong cuff pattern piece.  Oops!  Thankfully, there was enough fabric to recut these pieces.  

I made an extended back facing piece and finished the facing edges with seam binding.  The sleeves were shortened and other than that, no other changes were made.  The buttons are vintage and sourced from the stash.  

The pajama bottoms, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 9217, are not an actual pajama pattern.  They are a pull-on, elastic waisted pants pattern that are comfortable and that's all that counts when it comes to sleepwear.  The pattern has a dolphin hem that was changed to a full length leg and adjusted to fit my petite height.   Since there are two front pockets on the pajama top, pockets on the pants were omitted on this pair.  

The Fabric

This is the Ojibway Floral fabric designed by local Canadian artist Jackie Traverse.   It was a lovely surprise to find that Marshall Fabrics is carrying her fabrics.  This is a 100% cotton flannel.  It's soft and full of joyful colours.  And there are other Jackie Traverse fabrics and prints to be found at Marshall Fabrics in quilting cotton and satin.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 -- 2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  5 metres of 109 cm wide flannel

Interfacing:  1 metre

Buttons:  4 recycled buttons

Patterns:  OOP Vogue 9217 and Butterick 6296

Label:  1 - KATM "BESPOKE" label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, Janome sewing machine, cotton thread, walking foot, buttonhole foot, buttonhole cutter, cutting board, thread clippers, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax, Janome serger, polyester serger threads, seam ripper, iron, ironing board and tea .  

Happy Sewing!

Looking Back at 2023: Plans for 2024

 

Butterick and Simplicity pattern use made up about 50% of the list of 2023 sewing projects.  There was a time when Vogue patterns ruled in the sewing workspace.  Not last year and I predict it will continue into 2024.  I can't really say that new pattern releases from the Big Four pattern companies have been inspiring me to try something new.  Throw in inflation hitting everything sewing related and not, the decreased discount with the Fabricland membership on patterns and the out-of-control shipping costs from ordering online, it all adds up to making what I already have work.  Most projects were sewn with repeat-use patterns or second-hand store and vintage patterns.  

Tops and pants were the most sewn items in 2023.  I didn't have a need for dress up clothes.  Twenty twenty-three was a low-key year.  

A majority of the projects sewn in 2023 were natural fiber fabrics.  Although, there is some room for improvement in the journey to move away from petroleum based fibers.  

There was a drop in charity sewing projects in 2023 from previous years.  Most of the sewing projects for moi reflected a weight gain issue.  And then thanks to Covid, I lost weight by the end of the year.  Sewing for others remains the most rewarding sewing projects of the previous year.  

So, what does this mean for 2024?  Other than finishing some projects already cut out and ready to sew, only God knows!  We'll just have to wait and see.  

Happy Sewing!  

Wool Pull-over Sweater: Vogue 9330

A few More than a few months ago, I made this skirt with the intention of sewing a matching pull-over sweater.  Let's just say this has been a slow process to complete this project.  

The Pattern

Vogue 9330 is a [v]ery loose-fitting pullover top has neckline variations and sleeve in three pieces.  

There are several reviews recommending going down a size on this pattern because of what some have describes as "very oversized".  There are a couple of makes where the undersleeve and side pieces have been omitted for a more fitted look.    

I didn't find this to be the case.  I have hips.  What I don't have is a big bust.  And I did find that it is very oversized in the bust area.  I did cut a size large based on my hip measurements and could have easily gone down a size or two in the bust, shoulder and sleeve regions.  So, there was some tweaking going on during the sewing and trying on process.  

Quite a bit was cut off (stitching was done on the chalk markings) from the sleeve and tapered towards the waistline on both underarm and side seams.  This gave me a fit that I was more comfortable with and it did not interfere with the sleeve darts that I quite like.  There is a generous amount of ease at the hemline and that is exactly what I was hoping for with this loose-fitting top.  Just beware of the generous amount of ease throughout the pattern pieces.  

Sewing Techniques

The pattern instructions call for a double stitch at the seams.  I did not use this technique and instead sewed the top with the knit stitch on my Janome sewing machine.  It is often referred to the lightning bolt stitch.  

Instead of hand stitching the hems, I top-stitched them using Knit 'N Stable tape before stitching them in place.  I wasn't all that please with how the hem finish came out on the sleeves.  If I were to sew this again, after adjusting the undersleeve pattern piece, I would make a facing and then top-stitch.  

The Fabric

The fabric is a medium-heavier weight merino wool from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric store.  They do ship and if you are looking for fabric like this, the last time I was there, they did have other colours (teal, gray, and black) as well.  

The fabric was pre-treated before hitting the cutting table and it handles the wool setting on the iron quite well.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit stitch (2.8 straight stitch for the darts)

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.1 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  2 metres

Thread:  8 spools of thread 

Pattern:  Vogue 9330

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, ruler, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, screwdriver, tweezers, Janome serger, thread clippers, threads, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham, sleeve ham, tea and months of delays.    

Happy Sewing!