Another Peplum Top

Well, it didn't take me long to stitch up another peplum top once I found where I put the pattern pieces. I was close to running out to the store to pick up another copy of the pattern. I revisited Vogue 9056 and can I say how comfortable this top is to wear. I love the raised waist on this one so I'm happy I found the pattern pieces. I accidentally put them in another pattern envelope.  

The fabric is a super soft cotton knit that I picked up at Northwest Fabrics this year. I really like this fabric as it has some stability to it and is not as light-weight and see-through as many of the cottons I'm seeing at other fabric stores. I picked it up for a song too. 

It should have been a quick make if I didn't mistakenly sew the wrong side of the back piece to the right side of the front. I think I spent more time removing the stitching than I did fusing and hemming the peplum. Silly me. To be completely honest, you couldn't tell the difference if you were far away, but I would know. So, I set out to painstakingly remove those tiny knit stitches without damaging the fabric. It was worth it in the end.  

The Stats:  

Fabric:   1.4 metres

Fusible Tape:  2 metres

Pattern:   Vogue 9056

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Janome sewing machine and serger, ball point sewing machine needle, polyester thread for both machines, cutting table, pins, scissors, thread clippers, tweezers, iron, ironing board, sleeve roll, tailor's ham, seam ripper, chai tea latte, a break to shake my head, and a good night's sleep before finishing the project.   

Happy Sewing!  

Do These Stripes Make Me Look Like Beetlejuice?

I made a new peplum top and to make optimal use of the small pieces of striped knit that I was trying to use up, I think I ended up with sleeves that reminds me of Beetlejuice.  

Do you want to see? Okay, don't say that I didn't warn you.  

I had two remnants of striped fabrics that were similar weight and both were two-way stretch allowing me to play around directionally with the pattern pieces. The pattern, Vogue 9056, is my idea of perfect. The raised waist works for my body shape so this pattern will go down as my favourite peplum make.  

Vogue patterns weren't kidding when they rated this as "very easy" as I managed to whip this up in no time. I didn't even look at the instructions. 

The pattern calls for a "raw edge finish" but I decided to finish the edges with fusible interfacing tape, serge the edge and turn over once and stitched it with the knit stitch on my sewing machine. I can see myself making another one before the summer is over. It is so comfortable and I really like the fit.  

The Stats:  

Fabric:   1.4 metres 

Pattern:  Vogue 9056

Fusible Interfacing:  2 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Sewing machine, serger, walking foot, thread, scissors, pins, cutting table, thread clippers, iron, ironing board and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!  

Peplum Top

Stash busting 2014:  There's a New Peplum on the Block

Fabric:     1.4 metres of a 100% cotton print.

Zipper:     22" invisible zipper

Pattern:    Vogue 8936

Basting Tape:  44" length

Bias Tape:  .5 metre

Despite the epic failure of the first peplum top that I made (I still can't believe that Vogue 8815 was voted a Best Pattern by Pattern Review), I decided to give another Vogue peplum pattern a try.

Vogue 8936

This time I made one with princess seams using Vogue 8936. 

The fabric was a piece that I had in my scrap stash. I used it to make a Marcy Tilton Top/Jacket a couple of years ago. It is a 100% cotton fabric that I picked up at the now close Fabric Centre. Gosh, I miss that place. I'm happy that there was enough fabric to make this top.

The pattern, Vogue 8936, is quite lovely with the way the peplum is cut. I like the princess seams in the front, drape and shape of the peplum and the top-stitching is a nice finish.

I did not like the shape of the neckline and I did re-shape it in the front. I also left out the bodice lining and opted to finish the neckline edge with some black bias tape.

The sewing machine gave me some issues and I stopped mid-sewing to clean the machine after changing the needle and adjusting the tension did not seem to work. The stitching has been off-and-on  since I made the wrap dress. It might be time to take it in for a tune-up? I guess I'll see if the latest cleaning makes a lasting difference. It did make a brief difference and I was able to finish the garment without changing sewing machines.

Back to the pattern, I will agree with Sewmanja that the pattern does run large. For me, it was in the bodice side seams that I had issues. I found that I was running back to the sewing machine and taking in the sides a wee bit more. I started at a size 14, my usual size, and graded up to a larger size at the waist. I'm happy with the new waistline as I do not like things tight fitting. But the side seams above the waist was in some immediate alterations and needed to be taken in (much smaller than my usual size 14 measurements).

I also did the order of things differently when piecing together this project. The instructions suggest sewing the side seams of the bodice first and then the side seams of the peplum before attaching the bodice and peplum pieces together. I didn't do this because I wanted my centre back seam open to sew my invisible zipper.  I sewed the peplum piece to the bodice pieces before sewing the side seams. Then I sewed the invisible zipper and then sewed the side seams.

There seems to be an error in the pattern instructions. Along the sleeve cap it suggests ease stitching between the markings. I found that this was not enough and ripped out that stitching and replaced it with stitching between the notches. It must have been a typo?

All-in-all (now that it is done), I'm happy with all the tweaks and final results.

Happy Sewing!
   

In Sewing News Today... (restless in the sewing room)

Not much sewing...

I'm still in post-op recovery mode and following instructions to keep my leg straight and do the straight leg physio exercises. Let's say that I'm more than restless and starting to suffer from cabin fever. Yup, I'm restless in the sewing room.

Later this morning I have my second post-op appointment, fingers are crossed that the bandages will come off and replaced with some good news.

On the up side it has made my first week on the Ready-To-Wear fast quite easy. I have not purchased a single item and to top it off I haven't even step into a mall. Check me out!

Joking aside, I'm thrilled to be part of this challenge. There is a facebook page for all the fasters and it is quite interesting to read what has motivated them to fast and what everyone is working on. Sarah said that there are over 200 peeps who signed up and it appears that each continent is represented. How cool is that? A real global movement.

I'm also going to fast from the permitted items too. I don't need any shoes, socks or tights. And underwear--well, I would really like to make my own. I'll see how that goes.

I will admit that I do have three ready-to-wear items that I purchased over a month ago. All three items still have the price tags on them and it just doesn't seem right to hold onto them. Sew, I've decided to return them when I'm able to get out-and-about. One is a Rachel Roy peplum top that I absolutely adore, I'm going to try and copy it before I take it back. It is made out of a double knit and has no front darts or princess seams. It should be an easy item to reproduce. The other item is a cardigan sweater with much-too-long sleeves. I'm going to replace it with a me-made cardigan using McCall's 6844 which I've been reading rave review about. And the third item is a sleeveless turtleneck sweater that I don't need to replace with a sewn item. I only picked it up because it was on sale. My bad. I'll feel better when I return these items.

Since I haven't been able to do much sewing I've been able to get my sewing fix by tackling that mountain of a mending pile. I've been mostly replacing buttons and hand-stitching holes but at least it is helping to pass the time.

I've also been organizing. I've tidied up the sewing drawers where I store my cut projects and put the pattern envelopes in protective plastic sleeves.

I can't wait to get back to work and sewing these up (hopefully soon).

And in other sewing news, there are just two days before the Pattern Give-away winner is announced. Did you enter?

Well, that is all in sewing news today.

Happy Sewing!

The "Classic" Peplum: Vogue 8815

Stash Busting 2013:  Project # 27

Fabric Used:                1.2 metres stretch cotton sateen

Pattern Used:              Vogue 8815, circa 2012

Basting Tape Used:   44"

Zipper Used:                22" invisible zipper

Thread Used:               finished off another spool of thread

*****

Okay, I'm not lovin' this top. But I don't hate it either. Let's just chalk it up to experiment gone wierd. Wrong style for the wrong body type, I guess. And do those darts look oddly off?  

Rachel Roy Mix Media Peplum Top
{Source}

I've seen some cute peplum style tops in the store. Actually one, by Rachel Roy, and I thought I would give the peplum a try. Yeah, I'm not lovin' it like the Rachel Roy version.  

Rachel Roy's striped top has a shorter peplum that is gathered into the raised waist. It is made in a double knit with a open laced back. It is cute.  

My Vogue 8815 version is not cute. I guess I could get away with it as work clothing. With the high neckline and long sleeves, it is conservative enough for work. Yup, I'm calling this one boring.  

The fabric has been in my stash for quite some time. I was holding onto it with plans to mix it with another piece of cotton sateen in a dress but there was enough for this top and that was that.  

The pattern was easy to sew, six darts. I probably would like it if it didn't have darts as they don't really sit all that well. I did make a few changes:  

• The plan was to make view B with the short sleeves, I found that by shortening the length on the sleeve to fit me I could actually make a long sleeve version.  
• I used an invisible zipper instead of a regular zipper.
• I trimmed an inch off the hemline and may have trimmed more if the zipper end was not in the way.  

I kind of feel like Judy Jetson in this peplum top. Cartoon character was not the look I was going for but there is a good side to this top. If I spill coffee it would blend in with the print.  

Happy Sewing!  

Peplums

1930s peplem
{Source}

1940s detatchable peplums
{Source}

I'm late to the 2012 peplum trend but then it had me thinking is it really a trend if it has been around over the decades?

1940's gown with peplum {Source}

It was the it fashion feature in the early twentieth century as part of jackets, dresses and interchangeable as detachable peplums.

Sew, what is a peplum?

pep·lum  

/ˈpepləm/

Noun A short flared, gathered, or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman's jacket, dress, or blouse. (in ancient Greece) A woman's loose outer tunic or shawl.

Synonyms peplos

The 1950s peplum

The nineteen forties were the hay-day of peplums.

Oh wait, the 1950 certainly celebrated the peplum for its ability to make waistlines appear smaller and hips to appear curvier.

The 1960s peplum

Peplums continued to appear in the sixties despite the fashions of the mods and hippy movement being the it look.

1960s Peplum blouse

1980s peplum

The 80s peplum

The peplum continued to appear in the 1970s but it was in the 1980s that it was popularized again. Valentino interpreted the peplum with bold padding and exaggerated decorated bows.

The 1990s

The 1990s peplum shirt

The peplum took a more streamline look in the
1990s but it never left the fashion landscape.

The peplum continues to grace the fashion landscape.

Sew, is it really a trend? Or can we consider the peplum a classic?

Happy Sewing!