Lost and Found: OOP Kwik Sew 3645

This cotton knit slip is made with out-of-print Kwik Sew 3645.  A few years ago, this pattern was in the stash and I made a couple of camisoles.  They didn't work out.  And then I made a couple of cotton slips.  There were no more requests for another slip until a couple of months ago and that is when I discovered the pattern is lost and hidden somewhere in the stash.  

I was able to find another copy of it from Textile Ward.  And it's been over forty days since I ordered the pattern and let's just say, WORSE SERVICE EVER.  There was an initial confirmation that the order was being processed and then nothing.  No notification that the order is on it's way and no response to inquiries.  I don't recommend Textile Ward based on this experience.  

I then found another copy of OOP Kwik Sew 3645 on Ebay and this was the copy that arrived this week and allowed me to get to work on this project.  First, there was some modifications based on the last version I made.  More ease, lengthen the hem and in a knit fabric.  

The fabric has been in the stash for decades.  I recently used some of the yardage to test out a top pattern.  It is a light-weight cotton knit.  There are plans to make another slip after I received some constructive feedback on this one.  

As for the pattern, I'm putting this in a safe place.  

Sewing IS Political

This is a Canadian made product.  I broke the boycott in my search for OOP Kwik Sew 3645, see above to find out how that worked out.  Although, the copy from the Ebay seller was a positive experience.  The fabric came from Fanny Fabrics, a long-closed Canadian fabric outlet.  The threads were all pulled from the stash.  The cotton thread used in the sewing machine is Gutterman and was made in Greece.  The threads used in the serger and coverstitch machines are Surelock brand for Coasts & Clark and were made in India.  The scissors used to cut out the project are from Merchant and Mills, a U.K. company and were purchased from The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightening bolt) stitch

Seam finishes:  Serged and coverstitched.  

Fabric:  1.05 metres

Pattern:  OOP Kwik Sew 3645, circa 2012

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, Burda tracing paper, pencil, paper scissors, fabric scissors, measuring tape, measuring gauge, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome CoverPro 1000CP machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, threads, iron, ironing board, tailor's ham and few breaks.  

Stand strong, elbows (back) up and keep sewing!

Scoliosis Awareness Month

June is Scoliosis Awareness Month.  And scoliosis has presented challenges both in my sewing journey and in getting dressed.  Oh, the stories I can tell!  

What is scoliosis?  

Simply put scoliosis is a three dimensional spinal deformity.  A spinal curve (C or S shaped) will only qualify as scoliosis if it measures ten degrees or greater on an X-ray.  It involves not only a curve but also a rotation of the spine.  It is estimated that 2% of the global population have scoliosis.  And there are different types of scoliosis.  Feel free to read more if you're interested.  

Detection

Once upon a time, many decades ago, Canada screened school aged children for scoliosis.  Sadly, that stopped in the 1980s.  But there is an easy detection and it doesn't require the Adams Forward Bend test.  

Clothes don't fit.  They just don't hang evenly.  Of course, RTW clothes don't fit, a curved spine, an uneven shoulder, uneven hips, uneven waist create changes in posture, movement and walking gait.  RTW clothes are designed for the other 98% of the global population.  Our curvy shapes are one of a kind.  Luckily, for there is a company that can create a dress form for our unique curvy shapes.  

What to Wear?

First, wear a green ribbon this month for support and to help spread awareness.  

Second, wear what is comfortable.  Period.  Scoliosis sucks when it comes to finding clothes that fit in the ready-to-wear environment.  Although, I do have a few suggestions.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brace Buddies is a wonderful company that makes comfortable t-shirts for wearing under a brace.  My other suggestion is wear natural fibre fabrics.  

Sewing has been a blessing and a challenge.  But let's face it, sewing pattern companies cater to the same 98% of the global population that the RTW market does.  

I have a great deal of gratitude for the designs created by Marcy and kAtheRine Tilton over the years.  They are my most cherished patterns in the stash.  Many of their patterns had an asymmetric design that made me feel comfortable when I wear them.  It is sad that Vogue and Butterick no longer carry their designs.  I'm not sure what is happening over at the Simplicity patterns other than the patterns I used to source at my local fabric outlet is disappearing.  

There are some sewing resources that address adapting sewing patterns for some fitting issues caused by scoliosis.  Most commonly addressed is the uneven shoulder issue but I haven't found any suggestions for fixing patterns to account for uneven hips.  Like I said, sewing for someone with scoliosis is both a blessing and a challenge.  And 100% worth the effort.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Me Made May Update #3

Not much to report on the Me Made May front as everyday is me made days.  This week, I've been wearing repeats of the previous weeks.  

 

Although, there are some RTW items still lingering in the closet, most of my wears are me made items.  There is only one dress that was a RTW purchase that is now considered vintage and has been re-fashioned to fit my body changes that have occurred since it entered the closet.  It only survived the decades because it's a pullover cotton knit dress when quality natural fabrics ruled the racks. 

I've been on this sewing journey for decades and at this point there is an enormous amount of gratefulness for the ability and equipment to sew what I need.  Me Made May at this point of the journey is a celebration of the skills developed over the years, the knowledge and respect gained for natural fabrics and a new found appreciation of mending.  I didn't always have the appreciation of mending as I do now.  

There is one more week to go until the end of Me Made May and things may look different as hot weather is predicted to come our way.  It might be time to put away the wool and flannel and pull out the hot weather pieces.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing / mending.  

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.  

Monday's Mending Pile

It seems like the pile of mending never ends.  It's like once something is placed back into wardrobe rotation, another item finds its way to the mending pile.  

This weekend, I was going to wear these jeans only to have someone notice that the back end needed some re-stitching.  And this is why I prefer longer shirts.   A quick fix that only required a thread change on the sewing machine. 

These wool pants required some quality time with a seam ripper and some new elastic after having a less than pleasant wearing experience out and about.  The elastic was too loose and since I couldn't find newer one inch elastic, I used some recycled elastic.  The first time wearing them out, I felt like I had to be constantly pulling them up.  I longed for a pair of suspenders until I could get back home.  

There was a bit of time dedicated to fixing these pants that was made easier with this little tool.  The best gift for someone who likes to sew.  

After the elastic waist was fixed, the hem required some attention.  Thanks to the scoliosis, I deal with asymmetrical hips and the left leg is about 5/8" shorter than the right leg.  The left leg hem required an adjustment to at least make the hem look even when these pants are worn.  

Next up, a pair of winter gloves that will have to wait for some free time later this week.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

What's Coming Up...

Did you hear about the 2026 Colour of the Year, "cloud dancer"?  

It's white.  Okay, seems a little odd, doesn't it?  White can convey a message of purity or peace or death or sadness or the sense of austerity.  Pantone Colo[u]r Institute's executive director describes it as a discrete hue needed in a time of transformation adding that the cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming.  Oh, so this is meant to be an ironic colour.  

I can't say that it sparks any creative thoughts at the sewing table.  Although, I wouldn't mind if a white shirt came off the sewing machine in 2026.  I think there might be a cloud dancer in the fabric stash.  

What's coming up, or what I hope will be coming off the sewing machine in 2026.  

1.  A pair of fleece pull-on pants.  Nothing exciting but something I hope will keep me warm this winter.  I will pull out out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 6859 for this project.  

2.  Some more charity sewing.  The church is asking for donations of socks, tuques and mittens.  

3.  More joy.  I hope that this year will bring less back, knee and wrist pain and more joy at the sewing machine.  That would be sweet.  

4.  I would like to revisit OOP Vogue 2334.  

5.  A coatdress made with OOP McCall's 2465.  

Top of the list would be to stash bust both patterns and fabric.  Here's to having a wonderful sewing journey this new year.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Refashion a Dress into a Wool Skirt

Oh, I am so thrilled with this new skirt.  It was once a turtleneck dress made with OOP Vogue 8939 nearly five years ago.  In that time, it shrank in the length and the armscye seam became distorted.  But what also happened was the merino wool became almost felted into a lovely texture.  And it still fit in the width.  

I just cut and tried to see if it might work.  

And thankfully it did.  I serged the upper edge and sewed a casing for the one inch wide elastic.  And the best part is that it is now part of a matching set.  Actually two.  I can wear the skirt with this cardigan sweater or this pullover Toaster sweater.  All three pieces are made in the same wool fabric.  

Project details

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 turtleneck dress

Elastic:  1 metre

Additional tools and supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, threads, iron, ironing board, safety pin.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

October in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations

Clockwise top L:  cotton sweatshirt fleece baby onesie OOP and vintage McCall's 7367, wool and polyester skirt Daughter Judy pattern no. 407 (Henry skirt), cream coloured cotton fleece and gray merino wool saddle covers for a scoliosis brace (no pattern used), cotton pants OOP Vogue 1739.

Surprisingly, there was some sewing this month.  Even though I felt like I spent most of the month coughing up a lung or two, I did get some work done at the sewing machine.  Two items were gifted, the skirt was a fail (I got the sizing all wrong) and the saddle covers were the best thing I sewed this month.  Oh wait, it's probably tied with that cute little baby onesie.  

There wasn't a lot of mending and alterations done this month other than I managed to fix a couple of small holes while continuing to edit the wardrobe.  A shout out to Brace Buddies for designing the body sock tank top.  I am now able to wear the brace and sweaters (jumpers) without the worry of damage them with the velcro straps on the brace.  And best part, they are made with cotton knit.  Maybe, I can try to copy this design and add a couple more down the road.  We'll see.  

Stash busting

This month I stashed busted 6.4 metres of fabric, half a metre of twill tape, one snap, two sewing labels, one vintage button, one hook and eye set, three spools of thread, three sewing patterns and 0.6 metres of elastic.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Monday's Mending (and Alteration) Pile

It is almost guaranteed that when I'm tackling the ironing there will be some mending waiting in the pile for some attention.  

This cotton slip did need some attention at various points where the binding is sewn at the upper edge.  The little holes that were starting to appear were hand sewn closed.  For an eleven year old garment made from a light-weight cotton, it has held up fairly well.  It was an easy fix, just a little bit of time investment.  Plus it is a reminder that slips are on my need-to-sew list.  

These pajama bottoms ripped when they were caught in the drawer as I tried to pull them out.  No stitching, just an interior patch job with some Knit 'N Stable tape.  Let's see how long that will hold.  I'm on the lookout for some scrap pieces of flannel to do a proper patch fix on this one.  

Speaking of quick fixes, I found a solution for the too wide neckline on this black Toaster sweater.  Last year when I made it, I chose to make an oversized version and sewed the largest size.  It has since shrank to a manageable size in the length but not in the width.  And then I caught a sinus and lung infection earlier this month and while dealing with chills, I closed off the neckline with my hands in a fruitless attempt to keep warm.  But it did give me an idea, why don't I close it off with a brooch?  I do have a collection of them!  I will be able to use this quick fix to the gray Toaster sweater as well.  No more drafty necklines and I'm going to count that as a mending win even though no sewing was required.    

This ready-to-wear (RTW) shirt has been in my closet for years but I have yet to wear it.  I love everything about it on the hanger but when I put it on, I question if it's too long and then it is hung back in the closet.  Let's face it women's RTW clothing is not designed for the below five foot crowd.  

I cut three and a half inches off the back, pressed a narrow roll hem and made my way to the sewing machine to change the thread colour on the machine.  I'm sure I'll finally start wearing this top soon.  

Mending Tools and Supplies:  Ironing board, iron, fabric scissors, hand sewing needle, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, threads, brooches, Knit 'N Stable tape.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

An Accidental Design Change: Saddle Sock

The first saddle sock worked out perfectly and there were plans on making a couple more exactly like the first.  And then an accidental redesign happened when the latest version didn't fit quite like the original.  

This happened because of the fabric choice.  There are two made with an organic cotton fleece and this fabric does not have the stretch of the merino wool version.  I struggled to pull the curved end over the section of the Gensingen brace without success.  But that is okay because it is so incredibly soft that words can not properly describe and it covers the portion of the brace that most needs covering.  

Back to this fabric, there is absolutely no comparing this fleece to the polyester imposter typically found in most fabric stores.  I found this fabric at Marshall Fabrics and walked over to the polyester fleece only to see the difference.  At first touch, I was sold on the cotton fleece.  I want all of the saddle socks made in this fabric even if it means that the front tip is not covered.  Bonus point:  cotton fleece is breathable and hypoallergenic.  

Project details

Seams:  Knit (lightning bolt) stitch

Seam finish:  None, it's fleece

Fabric:  0.3 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, paper scissors, pins, thread clippers, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot and coffee.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing. 

Scrap busting: Saddle Sock

You might be wondering what is a saddle sock?  

Basically, it's some silly name that I made up for a section of a Gensingen Brace that is irritating my underarm region.  

Since it is made from leftover scrap merino wool fabric from this project, my mind just thought of it as a sock.  But I digress.  I tried to trace out the shape by rolling the section of the back brace over some paper.  I didn't quite get the right shape but it turned out to be an easy adjustment.  

Now, I just have to test it out.  If it works out there will be more "socks" hitting the work table.

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.    

Stash Busting: A Winter Version of Butterick 6784

This is my dream-come-true dress.  It's comfortable, has the best pockets and it's made in the most incredibly beautiful cashmere and wool blend fabric.  

Butterick 6784 is a tried and true (TNT) pattern and the forth version of this dress.  The pattern is well-drafted and designed.  It's another kAtheRine Tilton design and a fun project to sew.  I enjoyed sewing this pattern and have no dislikes to report.  The hem length was shortened by two inches and hemmed with a one and a half blind hem.  I made this version without the collar and interfacing the sleeve facing.  There were no other changes.  

The fabric was pretreated before hitting the cutting table.  This beautiful cashmere and wool blend has been in the stash for eight years and it actually made a previous appearance on the blog here.  I made a shirt dress with this fabric which is still in my wardrobe.  It still fits and it's in excellent condition.  I do like a shirtdress but I haven't been reaching for it lately.  It's not the fabric, the fabric is gorgeous.  It needs the hemline shortened since I've lost some height in the past seven years.  And since I have threads in the serger and sewing machine I think that will be next.  But I digress.  

The fabric was pre-treated with a tumble in the dryer along with damp towels followed by a steam pressing.  Post-construction, this dress will be treated with care and hand washed when needed.   

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian 🍁 made and tariff free sewing project.  No sewing supplies used to create this dress contributed to the convicted felon's tariff economy.  The fabric has been in my stash for years, many years, and came from Mitchell Fabrics, a Canadian fabric outlet which closed down in 2017.  The threads used in the sewing machine and serger were Gütermann thread and likely purchased at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The "made in U.S.A." pattern, Butterick 6784, was in the stash for years prior to the convicted felon's global tariff war.  The fabric scissors used are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company and were purchased via The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company and were purchased directly from KATM last year.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.5 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  0.2 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6784, circa 2020

Labels:  2--one fabric label and one "Bespoke" label 

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting tables, pins, pin cushion, pin box, fabric scissors, measuring tape, measuring gauge, tailor's chalk, thread clippers, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, blind hem foot, screwdriver, extra bobbins, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, mini vacuum, tailor's ham, sleeve ham, clapper, iron, ironing board, good tunes, heating pad, Dr. Ho, rest breaks, and pumpkin spice latte.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Pullover Dress with Pockets: Butterick 6784

There are a couple of versions of Butterick 6784 cut and ready to sew.  This is my most recent version.  

Why so many?  Butterick 6784, designed by kAtheRine Tilton, is one comfortable dress and it has generously sized pockets.  That's it, right now in my life, dressing is all about comfort and pockets. I'm working on versions that will keep me comfortable in the autumn and winter months.  

The fabric is a medium weight cotton sateen with stretch that I found in the discounted section of the fabric store last year.  Why this beautiful fabric with this vibrant colour made it to the discounted section is beyond me.  I'm just thrilled it was there when I spotted this fabric.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press prior to cutting.    

This is a well-drafted and fun project to sew.  It's a size medium and the only changes to the pattern was to shorten it two inches and to sew a 1 1/2" hem.  

Sewing IS Political

This is another Canadian 🍁 made and tariff free project.  The fabric was found at Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet and was discovered before the convicted felon was voted back into the white house and started his global tariff war.  The "made in U.S.A." pattern, circa 2020, was in the stash before the convicted felon won a second term and did not contribute to his tariff economy.  The cotton thread used to sew the dress and the polyester threads used in the serger are Gütermann threads and were purchased from Fabricland, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The scissors used to cut this project are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company and were picked up at The Workroom, a Canadian fabric outlet.  The label is from KATM, an Australian company purchased directed from the company.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.5 metres

Knit 'N Stable tape:  0.2 metres

Pattern:  Butterick 6784, circa 2020

Label:  1--"Me Made" KATM label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting tables, measuring tape, measuring gauge, pins, pin box, fabric scissors, thread clippers, Janome 4190 QDC sewing machine, threads, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, iron, ironing board and many breaks.

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Revisiting a Favourite Pattern: Butterick 6784

I am revisiting a favourite kAtheRine Tilton sewing pattern, Butterick 6784.  

This is one of four that I cut recently and hope to get to this month.  Two are summer versions (one cotton and one linen) and the others are cut in fabrics I can wear in the cooler to colder months of the year.  Why four more?  This is such a comfortable dress to wear, that's it.  Oh, and it has pockets!  

The only change to the pattern was to shorten the length by two inches after it was all pieced together.  It has a 3/4" topstitched hem.  I decided to leave off the collar, even though I do like the design and I did cut the pattern piece.  In the end, I decided to omit it since this is a warm weather version.  I also omitted the interfacing on the sleeve facing piece.  I just wanted to keep this light.  

The 100% cotton fabric used for this version has been in the stash for some years now.  I picked up this shirt weight cotton fabric from Emma One Sock many moons ago.  It was pre-treated with a wash in the washing machine and a tumble in the dryer prior to hitting the ironing board for a good steam press.  And then it hit the cutting table.    

Sewing IS Political

This project is Canadian 🍁 made and tariff free.  The fabric was purchased from Emma One Sock, an U.S. business prior to the convicted felon down south starting his tariff war on the world and trash-talking Canadians.  The "made in U.S.A." Butterick sewing pattern has been in the stash for years and was previously used over the years.  So I am happy to report, the fabric and sewing pattern did not in any way contribute to the convicted felon's economy.   I believe this is an Obama era fabric.  The threads used were Gütermann threads.  The fabric scissors used to cut the project are from Merchant and Mills, an United Kingdom company.  The sewing label is from KATM, an Australian company.  

Project details

Seams:  2.6--2.8 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.9 metres

Knit 'N Stable:  0.20 metres

Label:  1--KATM "Ooh La La" label 

Pattern:  Butterick 6784, circa 2020

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting tables, pins, tailor's chalk, pin cushion, fabric scissors, measuring tape, measuring gauge, threads (sewing machine and serger), Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, assorted cans used as weights, good tunes and a cup of tea.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

July in Review

Sewing, Alterations and Mending

L to R:  silk noil sweatshirt (TAL High cuff top), breast feeding cover (no pattern used, just copied the design and measurements from an Amazon advertisement I was forwarded).  

There was not a lot of actual sewing done this month.  It was a quiet month sewing wise.  Yardwork, back and knee pain, a concussion and procrastination were keeping me from spending time at the sewing machine.  I did however spend a lot of time at the cutting table.  I had help setting up a work space to cut out several large projects that needed to be cut in single layers.  They are stacked up by the sewing machines waiting for a burst of energy and some free time.  

There was a wee bit of mending activity that took place when a small hole was discovered on the rib knit of the silk sweatshirt and some broken stitches were re-stitched on a pajama top.  Nothing ended up on the worktable for alterations.  

Stash Busting

This month I used from the stash 3.8 metres of fabric, two KATM labels and two spools of thread.  There were magnetic snaps purchased and used for the breast feeding cover.  And I did stock up on more KATM labels.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

Raw Silk Sweater: The Assembly Line's High Cuff Sweater

While waiting for out-of-print (OOP) McCall's 7367 to arrive, I have kept myself busy by revisiting The Assembly Line's High Cuff Sweater pattern since the toile turned out well.  Here is my silk version.  

There is something special involved with sewing with a natural fibre fabric.  As well as wearing it.  Sadly, the fabric stores and even the stores selling RTW clothing are filled with man-made fibre fabrics.  It's a rare treat to sew and wear raw silk.  Locally, Fabricland currently sells raw silk but at $80 (Cdn) / metre, it's a luxury fabric that is not in today's budget.  This is a re-sell piece pulled from the stash. 

This project was sewn with the same modifications made with the toile version.  The sleeve length was shortened three inches.  The shoulder bands and armhole seams are sewn with a 5/8" seam allowance.  The side seams were sewing with the recommended 3/8" (1 cm) seam allowance.  

Sewing IS Political

This is the latest Canadian 🍁 made project that wasn't hit by tariffs.  Everything used in the making of this top were from non-American retailers and purchased prior to the economic war on Canada and insulting annexation rhetoric.  

The medium weight silk fabric was a previously owned piece found at Winnipeg Sews.  Winnipeg Sews sadly closed down six months ago.  Some how it seems longer than six months but I digress.  The rib knit came from Marshall Fabrics, a western Canadian fabric outlet.  

After stitching the lower band, I noticed a tiny hole in the back.  Of course, it was on the right side of the garment.  Drats!  I didn't notice this flaw when cutting out the pattern piece and wonder if it became damaged during the sewing process.  Oh well, it won't be noticed when worn, just a quick couple of hand stitches and the hole was closed.  

The sewing pattern is from The Assembly Line, a Swedish company.  The Coats and Clark threads used on the sewing machine and serger were from the stash.  

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight and knit (lightening bolt) stitches

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabrics:  2.5 metres of silk and 0.6 metres of rib knit

Pattern:  The Assembly Line's High Cuff Sweater S:202

Label:  "Bespoke" KATM sewing label

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, assorted objects used as pattern weights, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, pins, pin cushions, ruler, Janome 4120 QDC sewing machine, walking foot, Janome AirThread 2000D serger, new sewing machine needle, hand sewing needle, threads, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, Chai latte, scoliosis back brace and some good tunes.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing.  

June in Review

Sewing, Mending and Alterations

Clockwise from the top:  cotton skirt (The Assembly Line, S:402 Tulip skirt), blue cotton knit t-shirt (OOP Butterick 6859) and cotton pullover top (The Assembly Line, T:202 High Cuff Sweater).

There were projects completed at the work table this month.  All of these were first-time used patterns and turned out to be wearable toiles.  I would like to re-visit all of them in the future when I can find some more free time.  These June makes turned out to be some comfortable pieces that I often reached for throughout this month.  

And there was also mending and alterations that received some attention.  Bedroom curtains that needed some hem adjustments and various broken stitches that needed to be repaired were done.  

Another Pattern Shake Up

This month the sewing community was hit with the news of a pattern shake up.  According to the online article, "Parent Company of the Big 4 Sewing Pattern Brands Sold to a Liquidator" by Abby Glassenberg, "IG Design Group cited the impact of tariffs imposed by the US as a factor."  

It was twenty years ago that Fabricland stopped carrying Simplicity and New Look patterns here in Canada.  And now Fabricland has started selling off these Big Four Five legacy patterns (Vogue, Butterick, McCall's, Burda and Know Me) at deep discounts.  

It breaks my heart that these pattern companies are the latest victim of the convicted felon's tariff scheme.  But according to an upbeat message by Mimi G, work at the Big Four continues.  So what is going on?  According to a reply to a question on the Mimi G video update, there are Fall Vogues in the works.  Deep breath.  It's heartbreaking to even think that the Big 4 may not survive the upheaval tariffs have created.  

I did take advantage of Fabricland's recent pattern discounts and, with a heavy heart and elbows momentarily down, picked up a few patterns just in case it's my last chance.

Vogue 2115, Know Me 2076, Butterick 6745 and McCall's 8147 were recently added into the stash.  And elbows are back up.  The available stock at the store is low and many patterns found in the pages of the pattern catalogues are no longer available in the dwindling collection found in the pattern drawers.  The times they are a-changin'.  

National Sewing Machine Day

Another June presents us with another reason to celebrate our sewing machines.  June 13 happened to be National Sewing Machine day.  I am intrigued with what the future will hold with artificial intelligence and the use of sewing robots to help over populate the globe with fast-fashion.  Yikes!   

The times they are a-changin'.  

Stash Busting

This month 5.6 metres of fabric, 7 spools of thread, 1 recycled zipper, 1 KATM sewing label, 1.5 metres of Knit 'N Stable and 0.8 metres of basting tape were used from the stash.   There were four new patterns added to the stash.  

Stand strong, elbows up and keep sewing