Stash Busting: Black Wool Pants / OOP Butterick 6717

Pull-on elastic back pants made with out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 6717, are my new wardrobe staple.  I have plans to replace the wool pants that no longer are a comfortable fit.  And there will be more of these to come now that I have the fit issues all worked out.  

The height of the waist was raised one inch and an inch was added to the side seams.  I was working with a size medium.  The pant hem was shortened two inches (2 1/2" inches on the left leg) and were sewn with a two-inch top-stitched hem.  Lower back pain made me lazy to the idea of basting before digging out the blind hem foot for the sewing machine.  I can live with the top-stitched hem even though it wasn't my preferred hem finish.  Just like the first pair I made with this pattern, I left off the side pockets.  

The fabric is a black wool suiting that has been in the stash for decades.  I believe this fabric originates from circa 1990s and that makes this vintage.  It was previously pre-treated.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.4 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Elastic:  0.6 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 6717

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, measuring gauge, ruler, tailor's chalk, scissors, Janome sewing machine, regular presser foot A, threads, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, Janome serger, safety pins, heating pad, pain meds and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

Stash busting: Zippered bag

Since this is a stash busting project let's start with the fabric.  It's a home decor fabric that has been in the stash for at least eight years.  I know this because it was back in 2014 that I made this jacket with this fabric.  And yes, I still have some left over hanging out in the stash.  

This bag will be used on the back of a chair and has a zippered closure.  Easy peasy.  I just adapted the out-of-print (OOP) McCall's 4851.  The width at the bottom was shortened to three inches and the top was straightened.  The straps are sewn at the side seams and a zipper was added.   

 

Project Details

Seams:  2.4 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  0.5 metres

Zipper:  51 cm (20") double ended

Twill ribbon:  0.70 metres

Pattern:  OOP McCall's 4851

Additional Tool & Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, clapper (used as a weight), pins, tailor's chalk, ruler, sewing machine, walking foot, zipper foot, screwdriver, serger, new serger needle, thread clippers, threads, and sweet precious time to sew and enjoy part of an audio book.  

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Yup, in this part of the world it's the Thanksgiving weekend.  And if you listen to the news it is filled with doom and gloom stories of the high cost of food, global inflation and the great turkey shortage of 2022.  What happened to being thankful?  

Sure, food prices are eyebrow raising.  This just calls for some creativity.  And as sewists, we got creativity covered.  All thanks to God.  

I'm so thankful for the gifts that God has blessed my life with, from the ability to sew and being creative in the kitchen.  It wasn't a bumper crop in the garden this year, but we were blessed with squashes and enough tomatoes to make a pot of soup.  

All thanks to God.  

There was even enough butternut squash soup and Korean Carrot Salad to allow for sharing with another family this Thanksgiving weekend.  

All thanks to God.  

And that's what I want to focus my energy on, being thankful.  Period.  That's it.  Oh, and maybe sneaking in some more sewing time this weekend.  

Happy Sewing and Happy Thanksgiving Day to those celebrating this weekend!

Stash Busting: Wool and Silk Plaid Scarf

There was a length left over of the beautiful wool and silk blend fabric that I turned into a scarf.  This project was made into an easy task with thanks to the Janome serger.  I used the 3-thread rolled hem on a Janome AirThread 2000D Professional and some Fray Check on the clipped corner threads.  Easy!  And I feel good that there are no scraps left behind from yesterday's pants project.  

Happy Sewing!

Stash Busting: Plaid Pull-on Pants / OOP Butterick 6717

This fabric has been in my fabric stash for decades, at least three.  It came with me when I moved from another part of the country.  It's not the original cut.  I actually cut some when I made myself a DKNY skirt many years ago.  I outgrew that skirt.  And I've been holding onto the last precious 1.8 metres of this beautiful wool and silk plaid fabric, too scared to cut into it.  You don't find fabric like this anymore.  

It's not perfect plaid matching, I'm only working with 1.8 metres.  That's my excuse and to be completely honest, I don't mind.  These pull-on pants will keep me warm.  

Since I was working with less yardage that is listed on the pattern envelope never mind no extra yardage for plaid matching, there were some sacrifices besides the obvious.  The side pockets were omitted.  And the length was shortened four inches which turned out to be too much.  There wasn't enough extra length for a hem allowance and a machine roll hem solved that problem.  

The pattern, out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 6717 is worth a revisit for sure.  I sewed a size medium and added one inch to the side seams for a total of four inches extra ease.  If I were to make another change when revisiting this pattern, it would be to raise the height of the center back about an inch.  And of course, leave the hem length alone.  Absolutely love the flat front and elastic back waist, these are so comfortable.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.8 metres

Elastic:  1 inch width - 0.7 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 6717

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, fabric scissors, pins, pin cushion, measuring tape, measure gauge, sewing machine, walking foot, serger, screwdriver, threads, thread clippers, iron, ironing board and snacks.  

Happy Sewing!

Stash Busting: Tweed Pants / Vogue 9246

A couple of weeks ago I tried to sew this pattern, Vogue 9246.  I made these pants in the exact same fabric.  I just made them in a much larger size than I needed.  What I thought would be my size ended up being way off the mark.  So, I thought to give this pattern another try, in another size.  

I cut this pair in a size medium with an added 1/2" to the side seam.  They fit but they are fitted on me rather than "semi-fitted" as described on the pattern envelope.  The crotch length is perfect.  Maybe a size large with a medium crotch length would have a semi-fitted fit.  If I didn't add to the side seams this pair would not have fit.  

What I do love is the design of these front pleated pull-on pants and know that there will be another pair in the works soon.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.4 - 2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  Vogue 9246

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, pin cushion, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, ruler, measuring tape, sewing machine, walking foot, hand sewing needle, threads, safety pins, serger, iron, ironing board and the radio playing in the background.  

Happy Sewing!

Stash Busting: Pajama Bottoms / OOP Simplicity 2372 and OOP Vogue 9217

Meet the latest pajama bottoms.  The last pair turned out so well, I've been making more.  Again, once this set is complete, it will be gifted.  

They were shortened and have a one-inch hem.  The waist was finished with the waistband from out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 9217.  Easy peasy.  

The fabric is from the stash, not certain how long it has been there except that it's been there for years.  There was enough to cut out a pajama top which is waiting to be sewn.  It was pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer.  It has one side that feels like a flannel.  I used the soft side as the interior for the warmth.  I'm not sure of the fibre content but I do know that the right side of this fabric does not like the cotton setting on the iron.  

Project Details 

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch (2.8 straight stitch for top-stitching)

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2 metres

Elastic:  0.8 metres

Label:  1 - "me made" label to indicate the back of the garment

Patterns:  OOP Simplicity 2372 and OOP Vogue 9217

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, measuring tape, pins, pin cushions, fabric scissors, sewing machine, walking foot, serger, threads, iron, ironing board, safety pins and tea.  

Happy Sewing!