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.  

Stash busting: Scoliosis Brace Cover / Body Sock

 

One more extended tube top / scoliosis brace cover / body sock.  Chose your label.  This is an undergarment that I can wear under the brace and turn it up from the bottom to cover the velcro straps and hopefully protect my clothing that I wear over the brace.  I copied the genius design from Brace Buddies, they get all the credit.  I highly recommend their products, I'm just trying to use up the stash and make a few at home. 

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  I should also mention that my inspiration from Brace Buddies is also a Canadian company--Go Canada!   The fabric is a cotton knit French terry from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The fabric scissors used to cut this fabric is a product from Taiwan, purchased from Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were pulled from the stash, all Gütermann Threads.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine was made in Greece.  The polyester thread used in the serger was made in the U.S.A. purchased prior to the boycott.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre

Pattern:  None used, copied shape from a previously purchased Brace Buddies body sock.  

Additional Tools and Supplies:  cutting table, pins, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, measuring tape, measure gauge, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Neck-to-Back Heating Pads

In less than two weeks, my copy-cat version of a neck-to-back heat pad was in need of mending.  The serged edge closing the top of the bag opened and started spilling some of the filling.  Since that happened until the time I found some free time to repair it, I went without.  And that is how I ended up making three back-up neck-to-back heat pads.  

The fabric is a medium-weight 100% cotton denim.  It has been in the stash for years.  The filling is what I would find on hand, a mix of rice and lentils.  The fabric was previously pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer.  The pattern is a copy of the original Magic Bag.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8--3.0 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.0 metre

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, seam ripper and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: New Batch of Panties / OOP Simplicity 8229

This batch of panties will replace the previous batch made about sixteen months ago because the elastic feels like it is cutting into my leg.  These are made in a lighter cotton knit than the previous batch.  The fabric will be more comfortable to wear.  The other cotton knit has less stretch and was a bit thicker.  And the elastic will be a little looser in the thigh area.  So for now, it's back to the cutting table with out-of-print (OOP) Simplicity 8229.  

The pattern has been a keeper and a go-to for making panties.  Looking back at previous posts for this pattern, it first made an appearance at the worktable in 2017.  It's a great pattern.  The 97% cotton / 3% spandex knit fabric has been in the stash for quite awhile, same with the elastic.  Years already.  It's nice to finally have this want-to-make project done.  There was enough fabric to cut out six pairs of panties.  That wasn't the case for the elastic, two pairs were sewn with an ivory coloured elastic whereas four have matching pink elastic.  

Sewing IS Political

This is a Canadian made and tariff free project.  All of the supplies used to make these were found in the stash and did not contribute to the convicted felon's economy.  The out-of-print pattern, Simplicity 8229, is a U.S.A. product that has been in the stash for years.  The fabric has also been in the stash for years and came from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The picot elastic is from Marshall Fabrics, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The fabric scissors used to cut out this project were made in Tiawan and were purchased at Fabricland.  The threads are an assortment of various shades of pink and purple pulled from the stash, some from Woolworth's which was a retail store from back in the day.  Since it's underwear, I didn't feel the need to run out and pick up matching thread and just made do with what was found here.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) and zig-zag stitches

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Elastic:  14.4 metres

Pattern:  OOP Simplicity 8229

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, thread clippers, pins, Janome 4190 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, a lot of thread, tweezers, heating pad and tea.    

Good tunes:  Bad Bunny.  I became a fan huge fan the other night.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.   

The Hidden Story Behind the Heated Rivalry Fleece

 

Lately, it seems like a fleece jacket is all the rage since it appeared on an episode from the show Heated Rivalry.  Last night a local sewing business, Lilax Studio, was featured on the news for offering classes for sewing the fleece.  And last month this fan of the fleece created her own version.  I've never watched the show or read the book which the show is based on and I'm not into leisure sports garb.  But what I find it interesting all the attention this simple zip front style fleece is getting in the media lately.  

Photo source

Even the Prime Minister of Canada has been photographed in the fleece.  It's that popular and the question lingers who is behind this pop cultural moment.  Is it the actor who modelled this garment on the show.  Or does the credit go to the show's Toronto costume designer, Hanna Puley, who has been credited for designing the fleece?  Not so fast.  

Kuwalla Streetwear brand is behind the fleece design, a Canadian label based in Montreal whose clothes are available in Simon stores.  It was a Kuwalla-Tee Bonded Sherpa fleece jacket that was decorated by the show's costume designer to look like an Olympic jacket for the show.  Yet, nowhere in all the press coverage or celebration of this jacket is it mentioned that this is a Kuwalla Streetwear jacket.  So why is Province of Canada, a Toronto based fashion line releasing the jacket.  Not cool.  

Hey, I've been known to sew copy cat designs at the sewing table.  Most recently, a couple of days ago I copied and made my own Magic Bag heating pad.  It was another great Canadian design but I didn't try to hide the fact that I'm copying someone else's design ideas.  That's the part that is not cool.  It would have been cool if they worked with Kuwalla to re-release the jacket.  Is this another Montreal vs. Toronto rivalry?  Oh, the drama and heated rivalry of these two Canadian fashion brands.

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Neck to Back Heat Pad

The Magic Bag Heating Pad that I've been using has been hitting the mending pile recently.  And when the latest patch work started to open again, I decided that it was either time to buy another (these are a Canadian product) or sew a new one.  I decided to save some money and sew my own.  

I cut open the straight edge and removed the filling, saving it to reuse in the new bag.  I used the old Magic Bag as my pattern and cut out the fabric, a medium weight 100% cotton fabric.  

I transferred the topstitching line on one side and folded it over to transfer the design on the other side.  Then I topstitched the lines before filling the bag.  The bag was closed with the serger.

Project Details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  0.4 metres

Pattern:  Old Magic Bag

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, tailor's chalk, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Raw Silk Pullover Top / OOP Vogue 9246

This project is all about stash busting this beautiful piece of raw silk.  There was a struggle to find a project worthy for this fabric.  You see, with only 1.9 metres to work with the plan for Vogue 1899 didn't work as there wasn't quite enough width for the 114 centimetre wide fabric to accommodate the corner of the sleeves.   But OOP Vogue 9246 worked out for this small piece of silk.   

OOP Vogue 9246 has a super easy pullover top to sew.  It is an excellent project for a beginner.  It's a well drafted pattern.  I made it in a size large and there is ample ease, I could have gone down to a medium at the neckline and yoke seams.  The neckline and yoke were cut as a size large and the side seams and length on the sleeve is cut as an extra-extra large.  It's big on me but I will be able to wear this over the back brace and that is a good thing.  The bodice hem was increased to two inches and the sleeve is finished with a three quarter of an inch hem.  The neckline was finished with seam binding.  

The fabric is a medium to heavy weight silk noir in a beautiful raspberry colour.  It was an absolute pleasure to sew.  I wish that fabric like this were easily found in the fabric store aisles, but I believe this is a fabric from bygone days.  I picked it up at Winnipeg Sews when they acted as a fabric reseller.  It was pretreated before hitting the cutting table.  Going forward, this will be a hand washed garment.   

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free project.  Everything needed and used was sourced from the stash.  The fabric is a second hand find from Winnipeg Sews, a now closed down Canadian fabric outlet.  The pattern, OOP Vogue 9246, is a made in the U.S.A. product that was in the stash prior to the convicted felon's tariff war against the world.  The fabric scissor is from Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The paper scissors were made in Taiwan and were purchased at Fabricland, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads used were from Gütermann Threads, a German company.  There are labelled as made in Greece and were purchased from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.9 metres

Pattern:  OOP Vogue 9246, circa 2017

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, paper scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, tailor's chalk, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, thread clippers, lint brush, canned air, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham, sleeve ham and tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting: Scoliosis Brace Cover / Tube Top

This is basically a tube top for my scoliosis brace.  But let's call it a brace cover.  It is for the original brace, the one that I wear during the day and especially when clearing snow.  Since it's winter, I would like to wear sweaters but I'm scared to damage them with the Velcro straps on the brace.  I took inspiration from Brace Buddies and made a brace cover and it works like this top, just without sleeves.  

It's currently a little snug but it works.  I'll take it out for a test run before I make more or changes.  The fabric has been in the stash for many years.  To be honest I'm not sure when it entered the stash or if it came from Mitchell Fabrics or Marshall Fabrics.  All I do know is that you don't see cotton knit like this in the fabric stores now-a-days.  The last time I used some of the yardage was for this top about five years ago.  It is a medium weight cotton knit.  And it was previously pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before returning back to the stash and making it onto the cutting table for this project.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made and tariff free sewing project.  Everything used to create this project was sourced from the stash.  The beefy knit has been in the stash for decades.  I do not remember where I bought this but I know it wasn't Fabricland, it was either Mitchell Fabrics or Marshall Fabrics.  Anyway, all three mentioned companies are all Canadian.  The scissors used to cut out the project are from Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, another Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were all pulled from the stash and are a mix of Gütermann and Coat's and Clark threads.  

Project Details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre

Pattern:  None

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, pin cushion, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, threads, thread clippers, and the Janome AirThread 2000D serger.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Stash busting and Revisiting a Favourite Issey Miyake Pattern: OOP and Vintage Vogue 2334

This top will see a lot of wear.  The fabric is a wool overlay on a knit, it's beautiful and warm.  I could really use some warm pieces right now.  The pattern is one of my favourites, a vintage Issey Miyake design, that is making a reappearance on the cutting table.  

This is a fun project.  It has some basic shaped pattern pieces that drape into an unique style.  The band on the bottom is off centre creating draping to one side.  There is more volume in the front to help with the draping effect created by the neck hole being cut on the back piece and having the circle piece drape over the shoulders into the front.  

The fabric is a black wool overlay with some lace like designs on top of a white knit.  I used the dryer and damp towel method to pre-shrink this fabric.  This fabric is warmer than the sweatshirt fleece fabric that I used on the first version.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian made project.  Everything used to sew this project came from the stash.  The fabric originally came from Marshall Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The pattern in a vintage and previously used item pulled from the stash.  It was sadly a tariffed item after the convicted felon started a tariff war with the world.  I have since learned my lesson about not jumping off the boycott wagon even for an Issey Miyake pattern that I was searching for over the past few years.  It is not a mistake that I will repeat.  The scissors are from Merchant and Mills, an U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company.  The threads were from Gütermann, a German company and were made in Greece.  All of the threads were purchased at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  partially serged

Fabric:  2.1 metres 

Pattern:  Vintage and out-of-print Vogue 2334, circa 1989

Label:  1--"circa 2025" label by KATM (I'm trying to use them up)

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

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Monday's Mending Pile

Lately, it seems like I've been spending more time mending than sewing something new.  This past week it was all about altering curtains.  Two sets of kitchen curtains required some additional length so there was some quality time with the seam ripper to open up the upper casings and to add length by adding a facing and new casing.  Not my favourite type of sewing but I'm happy that it is off the list of things to do.  

My heart broke a little when I found this fraying at one of the edges of this duvet cover.  I wasn't sure how I was going to mend this one.  In the end, I just used some linen fabric to make a patch and hand stitched it in place.  

I would like to go back to this and do some decorative stitching.  For now, it's covered up and safe to put away.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep mending.  

Monday's Mending Pile

So, the first day that I wore these pants, this happened.  This is the second pair that recently required this type of repair.  

This time the crotch seam broke in three sections.  Thankfully, the seam is serged and I wore a hip length jacket avoiding any cold drafts or exposure.  Just a run through the sewing machine with a 2.6 straight stitch to repair the stitching.  

The corner edge of the patch pocket on this pajama top was starting to expose a hole in the fabric.  This mending job called for some hand stitching and strong thread.  

Talking about jobs that require strong thread, the winter work gloves finally received the attention it needed before the cold weather returns.  The original stitching was in brown thread, and the first mending was done in black, this latest fix is done in the ivory coloured thread.  They're not the cleanest looking mending job and I'm okay with that as long as they can get me through a few more winters. 

My heart sank a little when I pulled this 100% cotton duvet cover out and discovered this rip in it.  It's a nine inch by 2 inch fraying on the underside of the duvet cover near the edge. I thought, for a brief moment in time, that it might become fabric but I really would like to keep this as a duvet cover.  And that is how it ended on the mending pile.  

The question I need to answer is if this will be a hand mending project or do I turn to the sewing machine for help?  Until I decide on the method of repair, I will be trying to find a solution.  I'm open to suggestions.  

These 100% wool pants had three small holes in need of repair at the back crotch seam.  This was a hand stitching job and going forward I will choose a longer shirt / sweater to wear and cover the area of repair.  Hopefully, I can get another winter out from these pants.  

Besides crotch seam fixes, seam breakage is also common around the armholes.  This robe needed repair in this area, a quick fix with the sewing machine.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.