The Perfect Skirt

Stash Busting 2014:  (NY The Collection) McCall's 7870

Fabric:               2.2 metres cotton + 0.5 metres of interfacing

Zipper:              8" invisible zipper

Basting tape:    16" total

Snaps:               1 set (medium sized)

I made this skirt earlier this year as part of of Jungle January. And even though I am not a huge animal print wearing kind of gal, I like this skirt pattern so much that I would wear my animal print skirt more than I thought I would.  

This latest version is in a black cotton sateen fabric that has some stretch. It has been in my fabric stash for about a year. I chose a fusible knit interfacing for the front facing and back waistband pieces that has been in my stash for much longer. The zipper and snap were also stash busted for this project.

My favourite parts of the skirt is the double pleated kick pleat, front tucks, and top-stitched darts. The double pleated kick pleat makes this skirt wearable even though it is a slim fitting skirt that is just above the ankle length. 

Let's talk about the pattern for a moment. The shoulder pads on the peplum jacket pattern would have me guessing it was something from the 1980s. The pattern is vintage but not that old. It dates back to 1995 and is from The Collection NY by McCall's patterns. I found it on etsy.com and to be completely honest I would have skipped over it if the seller did not include the line drawings on the listing. The pattern photos don't showcase the details that make this skirt so unique.    

This skirt pattern is for sure a keeper. How about you, do you have a favourite skirt pattern that you would like to re-visit? 

Happy Sewing!  

The Urban Print Jacket

Stash busting 2014:  Vogue 1385

Fabric:   2.9 metres polyester and linen blend

Pattern:  Vogue 1385

I've wanted a jacket out of Sandra Betzina's top pattern, Vogue 1385, ever since I saw her version in the Vogue Pattern magazine earlier this year. This was found on page 81 of the April/May 2014 issue. 

Betzina states that all she did to change it into the jacket shown was to eliminate the front buttons and pleats on the sleeves.  

I followed Betzina's lead and added a couple more changes. I lengthened the jacket by three inches in order to add side pockets that I borrowed from kAtheRine Tilton's top pattern, Butterick 5891. I didn't adjust the sleeve length at all and it is not quite a long sleeve nor a three-quarter length sleeve. It is somewhere in between. If I make another jacket, I'll have to remember to lengthen the sleeve pattern two inches to have a long sleeve length.

The fabric is a polyester and linen blend that I found in the home decor department. It frays like crazy and was a challenge to press. It worked best to press it with a wool setting followed by the pounding block to tame the seam allowances.

Would you believe that there is another sewing blooper in this project. Can you spot what it might be?

This time the sewing is fine. My mistake is in the size. I cut this in a size A which I don't know what I was thinking because I should have cut a size C. Seriously, I don't know what's up with all my sewing mistakes. It is still wearable and I didn't have plans to put buttons on the jacket anyway. This certainly has turned into the month of sewing bloopers.    

Thankfully, it still worked out.  

I have to tell you, I think this is the coolest pattern with the neckline detailing. If you are worried about constructing this project, stop. Sandra Betzina offers video pattern construction for her Today's Fit patterns including this one. You can find them here at this website for a small fee or you can subscribe and have access to many other videos. I didn't order or view any of the videos but I do think it is a cool idea. 

In addition to the video instructions, Betzina provides additional information in the pattern instructions. She suggests different options for finishing the seams. The jacket is meant to be finished with flat-felled seams but Betzina also includes instructions for French seams using three-thread serging. This design also works well if you would like to finish it with Hong Kong (bound) seams. The instructions were wonderful on this pattern. And so are the neckline pleats and darts--my absolute favourite part of this pattern.   

Happy Sewing!  

My day of sewing mishaps...

Today was the day that I was going to spend some quality time at the sewing machine and tackle the Burda Style pattern #7489 with fingers crossed that the sizing will work out.  I should have also crossed my toes that the sewing would work out.

I interfaced the front, back and sleeve facing pieces and got to work.  My first mistake that I discovered was that I cut the centre front instead of placing it on the fold.  I don't even know what I was thinking when I made that error.

Luckily, using the narrowest seam allowance that I could get away with and finishing the edge, it worked out fine.  The front seam is hidden within a front pleat.  Potential disaster adverted.

This is me making my second error, clueless to this  fact when the picture was taken.  It is the front facing being sewn and do you notice that there is quite a bit of excess fabric beyond the placket corners?

For some reason, lack of coffee is my defense, I didn't clue in that I was in the process of sewing the placket band on the wrong side of the front and marked the placket band with chalk.

Thankfully, I didn't cut what I thought was excess fabric at that point!  Some quality time seam ripping my mistake while the coffee was settling in the bodum and I was set to tackle the project again.  After enjoying the cup of java, I repositioned the facing and the placket worked out nicely.

So this is it so far, almost done.  I just have to hand-stitch the sleeve facing in place and I think I will add a couple of snaps to the lower part of the placket.

There is a scene in How I Met your Mother where Lily tries to explain "I know it's a mistake, but there are certain things in life where you know it's a mistake and look back and say 'yep, that was a mistake.'  So really, the bigger mistake would be to not make the mistake, because"... this is where I interrupt ... 

... well because despite my initial near disasters, it turned out fine, just fine.  And the size worked out too!  And how boring would sewing be if you didn't have some seam ripping thrown in to reflect on the process?