What Was I Thinking in 2024?

Hello, it's been awhile.  

Boas Festas (Happy Holidays) to those celebrating the season.  I haven't been sewing, still taking a break.  I thought I would pop in with a look back at some of 2024's sewing bloopers.  

I started off 2024 with this top which ended up being gifted.  It was way, way too roomy in the bust and arms.  I have hips so I was okay in that region.  I don't know what I was thinking after all the reading all the reviews that recommended going down a size or two with Vogue 9330.

What was I thinking when I drafted this foam cover?  Good grief!  The first sewing blooper of the season was this self-drafted foam cover.  

Another project, Vogue 2000, that I started out making for myself but ended up gifting because it didn't fit.  What was I thinking when I decided to cut my good fabric without sewing a toile first?  

What was thinking when I made this denim gardening apron without pockets?  And why did I make it so long?  Maybe if I remove some of the length and make a pocket I might get more use from this next gardening season.  The pattern was from Tessuti patterns.  

What was I thinking when I made these sleeves so short?  I tried to use this make as a pajama top but I found that my arms were always cold.  And then I just stopped reaching for this top.  And this cotton knit fabric was too heavy for this Closet Core pattern.    

What was I thinking when I made these barrel leg pants for my short petite sized legs?  The pattern used was vintage and out-of-print (OOP) McCall's MP349.  

What was I thinking when I made this dress?  Oh yes, I wanted to use up the last of the nautical print fabric but there wasn't enough to make another top.  But it didn't turn out as I envisioned the project.  It looked like a nineties throwback and not at all my style.  Made with SD Patterns.  

 

What was I thinking?  I really wanted to make a caftan and that it might be something I could wear over the scoliosis back brace.  In reality the armhole openings were so big that it didn't hide the brace.  Even though it didn't get worn as intended, I did enjoy wearing the caftan at home.  The pattern used for this project was McCall's 8516.  

What was I thinking when I thought that a cotton sateen version of the Closet Core top designed for knits would be a good idea?   I thought that it could be worn under the scoliosis back brace  

What was I thinking when I broke my 2024 promise to sew no more polyester?  This was my last sewing project of 2024 and I never wore it.  It quickly ended up in the donation bin.  Made with a satin back polyester crepe and OOP Vogue 1730, a pattern designed for knits.  Everything about this project was just wrong. 

Happy Sewing!

June in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations 

Top L to R:  navy cotton sateen pullover top (Closet Core's Ebony), cotton caftan (McCall's 8516), denim gardening apron (Tessuti apron).  Bottom L to R:  cotton shirt (OOP and vintage Simplicity 7840), cotton butterfly print shirt (Butterick 5891), cotton sateen pull-on skirt (The Assembly Line S:403).  

This month I've been working on summer-time appropriate garments but it feels like we have skipped summer and went straight into one fierce mosquito season.  Locally, the area has seen a lot of rain, perfect conditions for mosquito breeding and hanging out indoors at the sewing machine.  

Mending wise, broken stitches were repaired on pajama tops.  No alterations, although the gardening apron was made from a recycled skirt that no longer fit.  

Sewing Challenges

This month I participated in #sewcaftan2024.  I actually picked up Vogue 1886 a couple of years ago and then never made it after reading a pattern review that advised it wasn't suitable for petite sized women.  And then McCall's 8516 came on the scene and I thought since it has a shorter version that I might give it a try.  At first, I wasn't sure about it until I put it on and now I'm a caftan convert.  It's very comfortable.  Now I want to give the Vogue caftan a try.  

Stash-busting 

Stash busted this month:

• 12.1 metres fabric + recycled skirt
• 16 buttons
• 1 metre elastic
• 2 sewing labels
• 4.3 metres interfacing

Stash-busted totals for 2024:

• 58.5 metres fabric
• 8.6 metres interfacing
• 6 invisible zippers
• 2 metres Knit 'N Stable tape
• 6 metres trim
• 8 sewing labels
• 25 buttons
• 5 metres elastic
• 14 thread spools
• 4.3 basting tape

Total additions this year:

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

Happy Sewing!

Cotton Caftan or Summer-time Pajamas: McCall's 8516

The latest project off the sewing machine is McCall's 8516, a cotton caftan.  

I'm not sure how I feel about it or how much I'll wear it.  It's huge.  Even the opening for the arms is deep.  I will certainly have to wear a camisole underneath if I were going out in public.  This is more of a beachwear cover-up rather than a tunic / dress garment.    

This was sewn in a size medium.  There weren't any finished measurements on the pattern pieces.  

Yup, that's approximately sixty-two inches around the waistline.  Sure, I was looking for something loose-fitting that I could wear over the scoliosis brace but this still shows the top of the back of the brace sticking out from my actual back.  Sigh.  If I were a summer-time outdoors / beach person I might get more use from this garment.  But I'm not.  I'm counting down the days until the first frost and snowfall.  Which makes one wonder why would I even sew a caftan?  Hmmm, perhaps this could be my summer-time pajamas.   

It was an easy sewing project.  I didn't make too many changes to the pattern, only shortening the length (view B) six inches.  And I did sew the buttonholes earlier in the process.  

It's a great pattern for colour-blocking or working with different prints.  You can have a lot of fun with fabric choices.  The fabric used here was a light-weight embroidered cotton found in the stash.  It was pre-washed and pressed before hitting the cutting table.  

  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  3.7 metres 

Interfacing:  2.3 metres

Buttons:  5--1/2 inch 

Sewing label:  1--KATM label

Pattern:  McCall's 8516, circa 2024

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, paper scissors, thread clippers, tailor's chalk, tailor's wax, hand sewing needle, thimble, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, button hole foot, screwdriver, measuring gauge, seam rippers, Janome serger, threads, cutting board, hammer, buttonhole cutter, iron, ironing board and tea.  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

Last night I found myself on the Vogue pattern website.  

Swooning over vintage reissue Vogue 1886.  

Interested even more now that there is a Vogue pattern sale.  

Until I saw International shipping rates.  

Their shipping rates went up again!  

No longer interested.  

It's a good thing.  

I really don't need a caftan.  

It just looked like a fun project to sew an iconic look.  

I'll have to find another project because I'm not paying that shipping rate increase.  

Certainly not with these inflationary times.  

Maybe I'll sew something more practical?  

There are patterns in my stash that I still haven't sewn.  

Perhaps the jean jacket that I've been talking about for way too long.  

Or a cotton knit slip?  

It will fill the needs on my sewing list.  

Why is it that we're sometimes drawn to sewing "frosting" pieces?  

I'm craving a sewing project that will satisfy my creative side.  

I feel like my sewing makes lately have been more on the practical side / "cake."  

But less satisfying that cake.  

Mmmm, cake.  

Okay, now I'm hungry.  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

Did you notice that Vogue patterns released their summer pattern line?  

If I had somewhere fancy to go and were about twenty pounds lighter, I would sew this number up, Vogue 1883.  

A gal can dream, right?  

Okay, I'm not dreaming about sewing or wearing this design, Vogue 1893.  This design screams nineteen eighties bra tops and well, I have no desire to relive that decade or expose my midriff to mosquitos.  But I was quite smitten with the printed fabric used to sew the top and skirt.  Fun print!  Could you imagine that print sewn up with Vogue 1883?  

The pattern that I'm most smitten about is the vintage reissue caftan pattern, Vogue 1886.  I wonder if there is enough yardage found in the stash to sew this project up?   It looks like a fun project to make.  

How about you, are there any patterns from the summer line that caught your eye?  

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!