Me Made May Update

It briefly snowed yesterday morning [shaking head], the weather is all over the place and so is my Me Made May selection.  Don't be fooled with that white, orange and black t-shirt in the mix, I just needed a short sleeve top to wear that day.  There was a wool cardigan and RTW jean jacket over top to keep the morning chill at bay.  

Top row, L to R:  sweatpants, circa 2024 (Vogue 8909); flannel pajamas, circa 2024 (Butterick 6296 and Vogue 9217); t-shirt, circa 2023 (Vogue 9057); t-shirt, circa 2026 (Named Clothing, Anneli top).  
Lower row, L to R:  wool toaster sweater, circa 2026 (Sew House Seven); pull-on elastic back skirt, circa 2026 (Vogue 1247 and 9918); cotton pull-over top, circa 2026 (Butterick 5561) and wool top, circa 2025 (Style Arc, Elita top).  

A true representation of which me-made items I wore this past week would include these pull-on jeans and this patchwork sweatshirt that have become my yardwork outfit.  There was a bit of time spent doing yardwork this week instead of sewing.  I do have two pairs of cotton me-made yardwork pants somewhere but during the seasonal changeover I haven't came across them yet.  So I'm currently in the process of ruining my jeans.  And my plaid wool pants.  

This week's me-made picks were all about easy pull-on or pullover comfortable options that were easy to layer.  There was one thing missing that I wanted to wear, a jacket that can fit over the back brace.  The issue is trying to fit my arm into the left sleeve where the hard plastic rides up towards my underarm.  Maybe it might be time to think about breaking out Vogue 2571 to make a spring / fall version.  Perhaps, a quilted version?  Or a denim version.  Or a quilted denim version?  Hmmm, something to consider as a future project.  

Me Made May Editing

Right now, editing is still in progress, I'm trying to decide what is worth keeping in the undergarment department.  I moved past traditional bras long ago without sewing one while on this sewing journey.  I'm now living through a sports bra era and Jalie 3679 is still sitting here waiting to be sewn.  It might be waiting a bit longer as other projects are jumping queue.  

The big question during Me Made May is do I really need to hold onto pantyhoses and tights if they can't be worn with the back brace?  Since pantyhose and tights are apparently having a bit of a resurgence in fashion after being replaced with the legging / jegging era, what to do with the ones I have in my drawers?  I'm thinking if I can find some silicone grip elastic without paying tariffs and breaking the boycott, I would try to refashion tights into stay-up stockings.  

Well, that is all in sewing news today.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

In Sewing News Today

This first week of Me Made May (MMM) flew by in a blink of an eye.  

Top row, L to R:  Toaster sweater by Sew House Seven made in 2026.  A remodel of my favourite skirt pattern Vogue 1247 (front) and vintage Vogue 9918 to make a pull-on elastic back skirt made in 2026.  Black merino wool cardigan made in 2022 with Kwik Sew 4192.  
Middle row:  Wool pull-on pants made in 2026 with Butterick 6717.  Pink pullover dress made with Butterick 6784 in 2025.  A raw silk pullover made with The Assembly Line's High Cuff Sweater pattern in 2025.  
Bottom row:  Cotton pullover dress made in 2025 with Butterick 6784.  And what I live in most of the time, flannel pajamas.  These two sets are made with Butterick 6296 for the tops and Vogue 9217 for the bottoms.  They were made in 2024 and 2022.  

I'm not really photo documenting what I wear this MMM.  I just don't have the time.  Besides, everyday is a "me made" day.  Same old, some new.  May usually means yardwork so I'm wearing grubby "me made" clothes that I don't mind getting dirty.  And then sometimes, I might throw on a dress or dress pants and clean myself up.   

Being May means unpredictability with the weather.  This past week we've seen temperatures one day in the +20 Celsius range as well as snow flakes and near zero temps.  So throw in a mix of cardigans and winter jackets and I do believe I wore a tuque this week.  

In sewing news, I did journey into the Sudoku challenge that ends tomorrow.  I also threw up a white flag and deleted the grid last weekend.  It was more difficult than I could imagine to sew up ten pieces in nine weeks.  I admire those who were able to accomplish all of the sewing and come up with eight cohesive outfits plus photos.  I was two items short when I threw up the white flag.  So close.  It was fun for awhile. 

Now, that I am no longer under a time crunch, I would like to revisit Named Clothing's Anneli top pattern which I made for the Sudoku challenge.  And I have a request for cotton knit cycling shorts to sew.   

Well, that's all in sewing news today.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Anneli Tee / Named Clothing Patterns

This double front t-shirt by Named Patterns has become my new favourite top pattern.  Here is the description found inside the pattern instructions:

The Anneli pattern includes two variations:  A straight, ankle-length jersey dress and a casual t-shirt.  Both variations have a round neck finished with a neckband and a double-layered front which creates an interesting wrap effect.  The dress is sleeveless and you can tie a belt at the waist.  The t-shirt is hip-length and has loose-fitting sleeves.  

It is so comfortable to throw on and wear over the back brace.  It is exactly what I've been looking for in a t-shirt.  And this pattern is so easy to sew.  I am already planning another one.  I will fan out the lower centre back next time, just for a little more ease.  If I am not wearing the back brace, the extra ease is not needed.  The pattern is perfect and well drafted.  The seam allowance on the pattern is 3/8" which I followed with the exception of the neckband.  It was sewn with a 1/2" allowance.  It appears a wee bit narrower than intended but I'm good with the look and how it fits.  

The fabric has been in the stash for decades.  I actually purchased four metres of this light-weight cotton knit with thoughts of sewing a wrap dress.  My wrap dress wearing days are long behind me, so the fabric lingered until I could figure out what to do with it.  It ended up being a good toile fabric for the Anneli pattern.  The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  The fabric was hiding in the stash for decades and came from Fanny Fabrics, a long closed down Canadian fabric outlet.  The pattern is from Named Clothing, a Scandinavian company.  And I picked up this printed copy via The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors used to cut out the fabric were from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company and also came from The Workroom.  The threads were what I could find already in the stash, there was an assortment of white Coats and Clark and Gütermann threads that were made in Mexico and Greece.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged and Coverstitched.  

Fabric:  1.15 metres

Pattern:  Anneli (Double Front Dress & Tee) from Named Clothing's "Playground Collection"

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, tailor's chalk, assorted heavy objects to use as pattern weights, pins, pin cushion, paper scissors, fabric scissors, seam ripper, tweezers, threads, thread clippers, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome 1000 CP CoverPro machine, Janome 2000D AirThread serger, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.   

Stash busting: Lightweight Wool Toaster Sweater

This is another Toaster Sweater that I made to go with this skirt.  In reality, it will go with a few more pieces in the closet.  Bonus:  it is oversized, so, it can be worn over the back brace.  

There are two Toaster Sweater patterns in the stash, out-of-print (OOP) Simplicity 8529 and this Sew House Seven version.  This one has a cuff-less sleeve and the finish on the neckline is quite nice.  Even though both patterns are by Sew House Seven, this version is my favourite.  The sweater was cut as a size 20 on the sides.  The length on the sleeves were shortened.  That is about it.  

The fabric is a lovely lightweight wool knit from Winnipeg Sews.  It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and the dryer.  I know, gasp!  Thankfully, it survived the pre-treatment.  It's soft and I will be taking greater care going forward.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  Most of the supplies needed to sew this project were found in the stash.  The previously mentioned fabric was in the stash for a few years and came from a now-closed Canadian fabric reseller.  The pattern is from an American independent pattern designer and came into the stash prior to the convicted felon and his cohort starting a global tariff war and disrespectful rhetoric.  Therefore, the pattern did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff economy. 

The label is from KATM, an Australian company.  The fabric scissors are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads are a recent purchase since I didn't have any threads that were close in colour to the fabric.  For the sewing and CoverPro machines, I ended up going with Coats and Clark cotton thread which were made in Mexico.  The threads for the serger are Gütermann threads.  All of the threads came from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged and cover stitched.  

Fabric:  1.7 metres

Pattern:  Sew House Seven's Toaster Sweaters

Label:  1--"Made with love" KATM label

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, assorted heavy objects used as pattern weights, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, threads, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, Janome CoverPro 1000CP, tweezers, thread clippers, hand sewing needle, basting thread, iron, ironing board, heating pad, many breaks, and tea. 

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Monday's Mending Pile

These me-made sweatpants from 2024 made it to the mending pile because I wanted to replace the cuffs.  There was no ribbing in the stash when I made Vogue 8909 back then and I thought that I could get away with cutting the cuff pattern pieces in the fashion fabric.  It was a mistake.  One that was evident during the construction process.  And it didn't feel right when I wore these otherwise very comfortable pants.  

Today, I finally corrected that mistake and cut out some navy ribbing that has since entered the stash.  

First I had to cut off the cuff at the stitching line.  There was no way I was going to even attempt to remove a knit stitch by hand.  I'm at the stage of life that I am losing height so I don't think I will miss that 5/8" allowance from the leg length.  

Ah, that feels better.  

Elbows up and keep sewing.  
 

Stash busting: Black Cotton Pants / Butterick 6717

The latest version of Butterick 6717 was given a little more ease at the sides to see if they will fit more comfortably over the lower part of the back brace.  

And it worked!  There was also a little more ease added at the inner leg near the crotch area.  The length was shortened as well.  The hem lengths differ because of the shortness of one leg, all thanks to scoliosis.  But I didn't want to commit to a one inch hem because the shoes that I will wear with these have not been adjusted for the height difference.  This will give me the option to fix the hem if I loosen the purse strings for the shoes adjustments.  But I digress.  I left off the pockets on this pair, with the hard plastic of the brace it won't be an easy feature to use.  I'm just happy that I can wear these with the back brace.  

I used a printed copy of this pattern which I picked up years ago.  It is currently only available in PDF format.  I'm not a fan of PDF format patterns and I would have skipped this pattern if it were the only option back then.  I grateful to have the printed copy, the pattern for the pants is wonderful.  I like the dart free front and the elastic back is comfortable to wear.  I also like the shape of the leg.  

The fabric was labelled as a 100% cotton, I'm not a 100% sure about that claim.  I guess time will tell in how it wears.  It is the same fabric that I used to make this skirt.  It was pre-washed before hitting the cutting table and ironing board.  

Sewing IS Political

This project is another Canadian and tariff free creation.  All of the supplies required to make the pants were found in the stash.  The fabric came into the stash via Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The elastic is Tailor brand and was made in China and also came from Fabricland.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine is from Gutermann threads and was made in Greece.  The threads used in the serger are a combination of Gutermann threads and H.A. Kidd, a Canadian company, and were labelled as made in China.  All of the threads were purchased from Fabricland.  The scissors used to cut this project were made in Taiwan and purchased from Fabricland.  Butterick 6717, is an American product that entered the stash in twenty twenty-two before the convicted felon's resumed his tariff war on the world.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6717, circa 2019

Label:  1--KATM label

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushions, measuring tape, measuring gauge, fabric scissors, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham, screwdriver, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, safety pin, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, threads, back brace and tea.  

Stand Strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Gift Sewing: Cardigan / OOP Butterick 5760

It's been a few years since I made a cardigan with out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 5760.  The last time I made one was in 2018.  And then another request came for one with pockets and more ease.  I'm not quite sure what happened to my original copy of the pattern, lost in time I guess.  So I felt very grateful that I found an uncut copy of this pattern through a reseller.  

There were a few more changes to the pattern this time around.  The shoulders, armhole and neckline were cut at a size fourteen.  The sides were cut at a size twenty-two and the lower centre back was fanned out from the neckline to the hem on the centre fold to give a little more ease.  The sleeves and bodice pieces were shortened.  And front patch pockets were added.  

The fabric is a bonded knit that I found at Marshall Fabrics and one that has been seen before.  I used this fabric to make this top.  I found that this fabric worked best with OOP Butterick 5760.  It was a lovely fabric for the cardigan.  The fabric was previously pre-treated and ready for the cutting table.  There is still a couple metres left so there may be another appearance in the future.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  Everything used to make this cardigan, except for the pattern, was found in the stash.  The fabric, as previously mentioned, came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The out-of-print pattern, circa 2012, is a product of the U.S.A but did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff econony.  I found the new copy of the pattern through a Canadian reseller.  The scissors used to cut this project were made in Taiwan and were purchased at Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine is Gütermann threads and were made in Greece.  The threads used in the serger were from H. A. Kidd, a Canadian company and they were made in China.  All of the threads were purchased from Fabricland.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.6 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5760, circa 2012

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, tailor's chalk, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, paper scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Jean-a-ma-jig®, thread clippers, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, iron, ironing board, measuring gauge, clapper, sleeve roll, good tunes and tea.  

Elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: And Then There Were Two

There was just enough cotton knit left over to sew one more body sock.  And a head band.  

Now that I have two extra body socks made, the original ones from Brace Buddies were shortened, basted and cover stitched.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged and Coverstitched

Fabric:  1 metre

Pattern:  None used for the head band, the body sock was copied from the original Brace Buddies

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, straight ruler, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, hand sewing needle, silk thread for basting, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, lint brush, screwdriver, tweezers, threads, Janome CoverPro 1000CP, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.  

Elbows up and keep sewing.   

Stash busting: I Cracked the Code!

I've been singing the praises of Brace Buddies garments since I discovered them.  But I've also been trying to copy them at the sewing machine.  I have the fabric, equipment and time, so why not?  Although, I do still recommend Brace Buddies with all my heart. I'm so grateful that this company exists and their service is absolutely wonderful.  But I do realize they can not ship everywhere at this time.  So if you are not able to access Brace Buddies and you or someone you love wears a scoliosis back brace, this post might be of interest.  

Let me start off by saying that in this project was created in admiration for the Brace Buddies body sock.  All the design credit goes to this Canadian company.  

I recently ordered and received two body socks and two more t-shirts.  The t-shirt is one of my favourites to wear.  It has a protective flap where the brace sits at the underarm.  The body sock is a new to me order.  I did try to copy it before but did not quite get it right.  In these pictures you can see both of them the t-shirt laying on top of the body sock.  

 

But let me tell you, in case you didn't pick it up from the picture above the strapless body sock is very long.  It's fifty-six inches long which is too long for my four eleven tall height.  I will have to shorten it.  But first, I wanted to make another one to test out the size.  You see, the previous one I made is a wee bit too short and parts of the plastic brace peak through the edges.  

This one turned out just right!  I cut the length at forty-nine inches and it has one inch hems at both ends.  The fabric was folded in half and cut eighteen and three quarters of an inch from the fold.  The seam was sewn with an half inch allowance.  

There was something else that I noticed with the original perfectly designed Brace Buddies version, it was cut on the cross grain.  This was something that I didn't do with the first try at copying this design.  The red version is cut on the cross grain and it is comfortable to wear.  

This is how it fits under and over the brace.  

And how it looks under a dress.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the supplies and equipment were sitting in the stash.  The cotton knit fabric came from Mitchell Fabrics, a local Canadian fabric store from a bygone era.  It's actually the fabric I used for this dress and there is enough left-over to make another body sock.  The Gütermann threads used in the sewing machine, coverstitch and serger were all labelled as made in Germany.  The scissor used to cut the project were made in Tiawan and were picked up at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged and coverstitched

Pattern:  The original Brace Buddies Body Sock

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, thread clippers, Janome CoverPro 1000CP, tweezers, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, iron, ironing board, hand sewing needle, silk thread for hand stitching and tea.  

Elbows up and keep sewing!

Pullover Top: OOP Butterick 5561

I've made a few versions of out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 5561 over the last decade.  Most were gifted and there is only one currently in the wardrobe.  It fits over the brace so I thought I would revisit this pattern.  

This is the latest version.  Yes, a floral print for spring.  Actually, it was the egg shell blue colour that drew me to this print.  

The fabric is a lovely cotton fabric that reminds me of a Liberty cotton print.  It's not a Liberty cotton.  I found this in the quilting side of the local Fabricland.  It's not a stiff quilting cotton.  It's actually quite lovely both in the print and texture.  I picked up the last two metres just because I was seduced by the colour, print and feel of the fabric.  Oh and it was on sale.  That helped too.  But I digress.  The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble through the wash cycle and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press.  It did have a shrinkage rate of about five percent.  Thankfully, with shortening the sleeve length, there was enough yardage of this 114 cm fabric to make this top.  The pattern calls for 2.4 metres.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  This current copy of OOP Butterick 5561 recently came from a Canadian reseller.  The original copy I had of this pattern is lost.  The fabric and interfacing came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The paper and fabric scissors used to cut this project were made in Tiawan and purchased at Fabricland.  The cotton Gutermann threads used in the serger were made in Greece and the silk thread used in the sewing machine were Swiss made.  The cotton threads were purchased from Marshall Fabrics and the silk thread came from Fabricland, both are Canadian fabric outlets.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres (115 cm wide)

Interfacing:  0.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 5561, circa 2010

Additional Tools and Supplies:  cutting table, paper scissors, fabric scissors, pins, wrist pin cushion, measuring tape, ruler, tailor's chalk, canned air, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, iron, ironing board, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, tweezers, hand sewing needle, tailor's wax, sleeve ham, heat pad, many breaks and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

The Mending Pile: Blankets and Dresses

The never ending mending pile was calling for some attention.  First up was a duvet, it has been shedding feathers and needed some patch work.  

This was done by machine, once the holes were identified along the edges.  It is nice to have this piece of bedding back in service.  

I am going through the challenging work of editing my wardrobe.  I didn't wear this much loved turtleneck maxi dress at all this past winter.  And to be honest, I can't remember that last time I wore this dress.  It's time to change this into a pull-on skirt.  I know I will be able to wear it over the lower part of the brace.  

I did the same fix to this dress and it's one of my favourite pieces this past winter.  It's comfortable as a skirt.  The upper part of the dress is set aside with hopes to make a patchwork cardigan or pullover.  

I made another dress that ended up on the chopping block, the Merchant and Mills Trapeze dress I made a year ago didn't work out for me.  I felt frumpy wearing it over the brace.  And the gold metallic dots did not retain it's shimmer in high stress points such as the front underarm edge.  So it ended up on the cutting table and turned into another reusable grocery bag.  

Tools and supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, seam ripper, fabric scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, safety pin, Janome AirThread serger, threads, heat pad, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Yes!, It's Another Elastic back skirt / OOP Vogue 1247 and Vintage Vogue 9918

The plan to replace out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247 skirts with the waistband and back zipper continues.  The versions I had once upon a time have found a new home and yes, it was hard to let them go.  These are versions that reflect my new reality and can be worn over the lower part of my back brace.  

This skirt was made with a medium weight 100% cotton fabric that I found in the home décor department.  The design is a combination of OOP Vogue 1247 and vintage Vogue 9918.  The front of the skirt resembles OOP Vogue 1247 and the back is all vintage Vogue 9918.  The front of OOP Vogue 1247 kept the integrity of those lovely pockets.  The front dart were eliminated and the front waist adjusted.  And of course, I lengthened the bottom of the skirt Vogue 1247 but also shortened the hem from the back piece of Vogue 9918.  The skirt hits below the knee.  

Sewing IS Political

This skirt is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  The fabric is a cotton print found in the home décor department at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  As was the elastic used in this project.  The Vogue patterns, although being products of the U.S.A., did not contribute to the convicted felon's wars or tariff economy.  Vogue 1247 has been in the stash for years and I made the first version in 2012.  Vintage Vogue 9918, circa 1980s, came into the stash in 2023 prior to the global boycott against annexation rhetoric and tariffs.  The threads are cotton Gütermann threads and were labelled as made in Greece.  They were purchased from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors used to cut this project are from Merchant and Mills, a company from the United Kingdom.  They were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.2 metres

Elastic:  0.45 metres

Patterns:  OOP Vogue 1247 (circa 2011) and vintage Vogue 9918 (circa 1980s)

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, dressing making ruler, curve ruler, pins, pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, tweezers, safety pin, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Merino Wool Cardigan / OOP Kwik Sew 4192

 

Out-of-print (OOP) Kwik Sew 4192 hit the cutting table one more time.  And I am almost finished stash-busting the last of this black merino wool fabric.  Looking back on the blog, this fabric has been in the stash for at least nine years.  There is not enough left-over fabric for another cardigan, but maybe a sleeveless turtleneck?  Or more socks?  But I digress.  This cardigan is another piece that will fit into my Sudoku Wardrobe grid as a layering piece.  

The fabric is a lightweight merino wool that I found at Marshall Fabrics many moons ago as a bolt priced at $3.99 / metre or 99¢ if I purchased the whole bolt.  It was part of a collection of used bolts from a closed dressmaking shop.  And it was a bargain unheard of today.  How times have changed!  Of course, I took the whole bolt.  I can't remember how many metres were on the bolt but over the years, I've made five sweaters, many socks and a maxi-length turtleneck dress that is now re-fashioned as a skirt.   

There were a few modifications made to this version.  I added more ease at the side seams.  And pivoted at the centre back fold line at the neck adding more ease at the hemline at the centre.  I decided to leave the edges unfinished.  The previous versions have a rolled hem finished on the serger.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free garment.   The fabric, as mentioned, came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Kwik Sew pattern entered and left the stash before the convicted felon started a global tariff war.  I made a copy of the cardigan pattern before I resold the original pattern.  The scissors used to cut out this project are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company, purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Gütermann threads were pulled from the stash and likely came from Fabricland or Marshall Fabrics, both Canadian fabric outlets.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Pattern:  OOP Kwik Sew 4192

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pattern weights, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, pins, wrist pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Elastic back skirt / OOP Vogue 1247 and Vintage Vogue 9918

Since the first one turned out, I cut three more versions.  Here is the first of the lastest versions I am currently working on.  I want to replace my Vogue 1247 (Rachel Comey) skirts with elastic waist versions so I can wear them with the back brace.  The three versions that I previously had in my wardrobe have found a new home.  

There is a wee bit more ease with the versions I am currently working on, a half inch extra ease.  The hem length was extended and an inch and a quarter blind hem was sewn.  Otherwise, it's similar to the first version.  I really hope this is not a cotton and polyester blend because if there is pilling, it will be sad.

The fabric was labeled as a black cotton twill but after cutting the fabric and observing the fraying, I'm starting to suspect a misleading label hiding another fibre in the mix.  I will have to do a burn test to see if my suspicion is correct.  It doesn't feel or sew like other cotton fabrics I have used in the past.  I really hope and pray this is not a cotton / polyester blend which I have sewn in the past and dealt with pilling after a few wears.  I will be sad if that happens with this one since I really like the fit of this skirt.  

Sewing IS Political

This skirt is a Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the required supplies were pulled from the stash.  The fabric and elastic came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue patterns are  made in the U.S.A. items but they did not contribute to the convicted felon's tariff and blackmail economy.  Vogue 1247, circa 2011, has been in the stash for years.  Vogue 9918 is a vintage pattern from the 1980s that I picked up from an American reseller in 2023, prior to the convicted felon's 2.0 economic threats against Canada and the resulting boycott.  The cotton Gütermann threads used in the sewing machine was made in Greece and purchased from Fabricland.  I am finding that Fabricland's selection of polyester Gütermann threads made in the USA is expanding and their selection of European made cotton threads is dwindling.  And I've even noticed that some of their stock is void of the country of origin on the label.  Hmmm?  The fabric scissors used to cut out this project are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The label was recycled from a previous project.  It originally came from KATM, an Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.2 metres

Elastic:  0.5 metres

Label:  1--recycled "Me Made" KATM label

Patterns:  OOP Vogue 1247 (circa 2011) and vintage Vogue 9918 (circa 1980s).

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, thread clippers, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, iron, ironing board, seam ripper and safety pin.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Black Wool Knit Palazzo Pants / OOP Vogue 1334

Out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1334 is all about comfort.  It has an elastic waistband that I can slip over the lower part of the back brace.  And I love the wide legs on these palazzo style pants.  It has a retro vibe that remind me of late 1960's Italian fashion and designers like Emilio Pucci.  Minus the vibrant patterned fabric, this pair is all about comfort in a neutral colour.  

This is a Today's Fit pattern by Sandra Betzina.  They actually turned out better than I hoped after reading some insights found on Pattern Review.  I have no dislikes to report.  This is an easy pattern to sew and came together quickly.  I would absolutely recommend this pattern for a beginner willing to give sewing knits a try.  Sandra Betzina lays out different fabric, fit and fabric scenarios to help make this pattern a success.  I highly recommend reading the "Before You Start" section of the pattern instructions. 

The only changes to the pattern was to cut the pants at a size F with the exception of size G at the side seams which I graded back down to F by the notch marking.  I wanted the extra bit of ease since I will be wearing these over the brace.  The hem length were cut at the smallest size.  The elastic width that the pattern calls for is a one inch width but I thought that the crotch length looked too big so I went with a two inch wide elastic.  I could have gone with a one and a half inch elastic if there was any left in the stash.  I was working with what I have on hand.  I would like another pair of these pants (they are that comfortable!) and I do have some gray French terry to make another pair, so I think there might be an elastic run in the near future.  

The photo of my pants do look much wider than the photo on the pattern envelope.  I wonder if this a reflection of the "Make the legs narrower" instructions listed within the "Before You Start" section?  Or maybe the pants on the pattern photo were made in a woven fabric?  Sandra Betzina also outlines how to make the fabric switch.  I wish the patterns would mention what fabric was used in their samples.  Anyway, these are the only things that may explain why there appears to be a difference in the drape and width between this project and the sample photo on the pattern envelope.  

The fabric is a medium weight wool knit and it has a lovely drape.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the dryer along with damp towels. 

Sewing IS Political

This is a Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the supplies used to make these pants were found in the stash.  The medium weight merino wool is the same fabric used for this hooded scarf and has been in the stash for a couple of years prior to the convicted felon's tariff war.  It came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue pattern is a recent Etsy purchase from a Canadian reseller.  The threads are Gütermann Threads and have been in the stash for a long time, likely from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors are from Taiwan and were purchased from Fabricland.  The elastic is also came from Fabricland.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  4.5 metres (this fabric was 110 cm wide)

Elastic:  1.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 1334, circa 2012

Label:  1--"one off" KATM label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, cardboard cutting mat (for table extention), pins, wrist pin cushion, paper scissors, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, safety pin and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Elastic Back Skirt / OOP Vogue 1247 and 9918

Redesigning out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247 skirt pattern into an elastic back version is all about comfort.  With an elastic back waist, there was hope that it can be worn with the back brace.  And I'm thrilled that it worked out.  

There were two patterns, OOP Vogue 1247 and vintage and OOP Vogue 9918, merged to create this skirt.  The front of the skirt with those lovely pockets is cut from Vogue 1247 and the back piece is cut from Vogue 9918.  

There were also several changes to the pattern pieces to make this fit over the lower part of the brace.  The back piece from 9918 was cut as a size 18 and an inch width was added at the centre front.  The front pieces also had an inch width added at the centre front.  The front darts were removed and the waistline adjusted accordingly.  The waistline curve at the front side seam was eliminated and straightened to match the shaping with the back side waist.  There is an added ten inches of length added to the front and the back piece was adjusted to match.  I should add an inch or two to the length on the next version so I could sew a blind hem.  This one is finished with seam binding to keep the length.  The waistband was cut narrower, shorter to fit the front section only and was not interfaced. 

The fabric is a medium weight cotton sateen with stretch.  It's been in the stash for years, many years.  It was pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam pressing.   

Let's talk about thread for a moment.  I like Gütermann threads, but lately not so much.  Most of the Gütermann threads in the stash are cotton and made in Greece.  Love the quality, there are no complaints with the cotton threads made in Europe. 

But there are some spools that are polyester Gütermann threads in the stash that are the absolute worst for my Janome sewing machines.  The polyester threads entered the stash because I was trying to match colours with a project fabric and they were on sale.  Sometimes a sale is not a good deal even if the colour selection is wonderful.  These spools are made in the U.S.A., very thin / fine and feel like plastic.  When used in any of my sewing machines and serger, I have problems, skip stitches and constantly having to rethread the machines.  It's not a tension or needle issue, I've checked and adjusted and the problems persist.  I wish I checked online before picking these polyester thread spools as I would have discovered that others had issues as well.  And this doesn't seem to be a recent issue according to the two year old Reddit post.  So, I was careful to pick out spools of cotton thread for this project.  Now, what to do with the remaining Gütermann polyester threads in the stash?  Thankfully, there are not a lot of these lingering in the stash.  

 

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  All of the supplies used to make this skirt were found in the stash.  The fabric has been in the stash for a decade and was found at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The elastic was also sourced from Fabricland.  The scissors used to cut this project are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company.  They were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The Vogue patterns are products from the U.S.A. and are from a pre-Trumpian era, not contributing to the convicted felon's tariff economy.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.5 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Seam binding:  1.3 metres

Patterns:  OOP Vogue 1247, circa 2011 and OOP Vogue 9918, circa 1980s.

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, iron, ironing board, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, tweezers, seam ripper, thread clippers, measuring gauge, tailor's ham and tea.   

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.