April in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations 

Top L to R:  Colour-blocked over-sized sweatshirt (OOP Simplicity 8529), wine coloured wool coat (OOP Vogue 8934).  Bottom L to R:  Chambray DVF wrap dress (Vogue 2000), pull-on elastic waist cotton knit skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) and cotton pull-over dress (Butterick 6784).

This month I managed to finally finish a winter coat project started months ago and a wrap dress that was previously abandoned until someone expressed interest in it.  Both of these projects were gifted.  The remaining projects were for moi.  Simple and comfortable pieces.  

Mending and alterations took a back seat this month as I tried to edit and change over the wardrobe to reflect the upcoming spring and summer seasons.  

Stash Busting and Additions

Here are the stash busting stats for this month.  Note:  the fabric for the wrap dress was counted last month.  

• 13.1 metres fabric
• 5 buttons
• 1 metre elastic
• 2 sewing labels
• 2 spools thread

Additions this month:  

• 1 sewing pattern

Stash busted totals for this year:

• 46.4 metres fabric
• 4.3 metres interfacing
• 6 invisible zippers
• 2 metres Knit 'N Stable tape
• 6 metres trim
• 6 sewing labels
• 9 buttons
• 4 metres elastic
• 14 spools of thread
• 4.3 metres basting tape

Total stash additions this year:  

• 14 spools of thread
• 8 sewing patterns
• 10--20 mm buttons
• 7.8 metres trim
• 15 metres fabric
• 1 cover stitch machine

Happy Sewing!

Upcycled Project: Dress to Sweatshirt / OOP Simplicity 8529

 

Changing over the closet as spring and summer approach is also a time to reassess what items should be packed away for the next seasonal change over.  

Three and a half years ago I made a dress with the red sweatshirt fabric used in this sweatshirt project.  I haven't worn the dress all that much over the past couple of winters and now that I'm supposed to wear a scoliosis back brace I don't know how I would manage to put it on.  An oversized sweatshirt is more my preference now-a-days.  

I was able to harvest most of the fabric from the dress with the exception of the sleeves.  The sleeves and a small portion of the bodice front were cut from left over scrap fabric from this sweatpants project.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  Upcycled

Pattern:  OOP Simplicity 8529

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Fabric scissors, iron, ironing board, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, Jean-a-ma-Jig, Janome serger, threads, thread clippers and a break or two.  

Happy Sewing!    

Cotton Summer Dress: Butterick 6784

Ever since I made this version of Butterick 6784 last summer, I was smitten over this kAtheRine Tilton design with its Lagenlook vibe.  I longed for a casual cotton version for surviving in the prairie summer heat.  

This can now be checked off the want-to-sew list.  And just in time, as this dress will replace this once go-to summer dress that no longer fits.  But I digress. 

There were some small changes to Butterick 6784.  The right side pocket and petal shaped collar were omitted.  And the hem was shortened two inches.  Otherwise, it's a straight out of the envelope size medium.  The instructions are wonderful.  The pattern is well-drafted and came together without any issues.  Just one warning, many of the pattern pieces are cut one at a time on a single layer of fabric so you'll need space to to lay out the pattern pieces.  

The fabric is a printed cotton with a Moroccan or Portuguese tile vibe I couldn't resist.  The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble through the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press.  

Project details

Seams:  2.6 to 3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  4 metres (narrow width)

Interfacing:  0.2 metres fusible

Knit 'N Stable:  0.1 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6784  

Sewing Label:  1 KATM "You Can't Buy This" label

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, additional table legs, measuring tape, measuring gauge, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome sewing machine, screwdriver, walking foot, Janome serger, threads, iron, ironing board, seam ripper, thread clippers, heat pad for treating back pain and cup of tea.  

Happy Sewing!

Lowering the White Flag: The DVF Reissued 50th Anniversary Wrap Dress / Vogue 2000

 

I have to admit, I do like this DVF wrap dress that Vogue patterns re-issued earlier this year.  I'm just sad that this one doesn't fit me very well.  I made a size 14 and the bust dart sits too high and there is not enough coverage in the front to feel comfortable to wear it out into the public sphere.  I finished it because I found someone who likes it and it will soon be gifted to them.  I'm glad it's going to a good home.  

I did pick up another copy of the pattern, this time in the larger size range.  And I do intend to make another version that I hope I can fix the fitting issues I had with this one.  Last month when I posted about my wrap dress woes, Victoria commented with a link to an article on raising the neckline on a wrap dress.  Thank you!  I'm going to keep these tips in mind for the next one.  

Happy Sewing!  

Stash busting: Pullover Skirt / OOP Butterick 5790

Do I need another pull-on maxi skirt?  Not really, this project is all about stash busting this small piece of cotton knit fabric with a tried and true pattern, OOP Butterick 5790.  I know that I will get lots of wear from this skirt over the summer, it's comfortable and it will go with tops already in rotation.  It's a win.   

This medium weight cotton knit fabric has been in the stash for decades.  It was pretreated with a tumble through the washing machine and dryer before hitting the cutting table.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Hem finish:  Cover stitched

Fabric:  1 metre

Elastic:  1 metre

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5790

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, measuring gauge, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, Janome serger, threads, thread clipper, Janome cover stitch machine, iron, ironing board, safety pins and tea.  

Happy Sewing!

Wool Winter Coat: OOP Vogue 8934

I know it's officially spring and we didn't even feel like we experienced a winter here this year.  And yet I've been busy sewing a winter coat.  This has actually been months in the making.  This wool coat is made with a favourite Marcy Tilton design, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 8934.  

 

I may have mentioned in past versions that this coat is a labour of love as there is a lot of basting and hand-stitching involved in the making of this coat.  There are a total of twenty-four hemline darts, a set of eight on the fashion, lining and underlining fabrics.  It's one of my favourite features that gives this coat it lantern effect.  It has hidden buttons and buttonholes and side pockets.   

Fabrics

The fashion fabric for this coat is a previously owned 100% wool coating from Winnipeg Sews.  It's a gorgeous, thick and warm, wine coloured wool.  And it was a fraction of the cost of the wool blend options found new at the local fabric store.  There is no comparison of this fabric to the coating options found in the fabric stores this past winter.  This fabric is of superior quality and is a gem.  It was a pleasure to sew.  

Care was taken with the placement of the pattern pieces as this wool fabric has a nap.  The other kind of nap may or may not have contributed to the lengthy time it took to complete this sewing project.  But I digress.  

The nap, found in the wool coating fabric, is the texture of a fabric with raised fibers going in one particular direction.  The nap can be easily felt by running your hand over the fabric.  If your hand is running downwards "with the nap" it will feel smooth.  Whereas if you run your hand upwards "against the nap" it will feel rough.  The pattern pieces had to be pinned and cut in the same direction downwards "with the nap."  

The coat is lined with a black cotton back satin and underlined with a wind breaking fleece.  Both of these fabrics were in the stash for many moons. 

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged lining pieces.  Wool did not require serging.  

Fabrics:  6.7 metres

Buttons:  5--1 inch buttons

Sewing Label:  2--1 "Vogue Patterns Designer Original" and 1 KATM "Bespoke" sewing labels.  

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 8934

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric shears, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, measuring gauge, hand sewing needle, threads (coat thread for hand stitching facings and buttons, polyester threads for the serger and cotton thread for the sewing machine), Janome sewing machine, walking foot, screw driver, buttonhole foot, cutting board, buttonhole cutter, small hammer, Janome serger, iron, ironing board, clapper, tailor's ham, sleeve ham, procrastination and tea.  

Happy Sewing!