No More Excuses: Fixing a Silk Top, McCall's 7630

Almost five years ago, I made this silk noir pullover top using McCall's 7630.  In recent years, I haven't worn it as often as I wished because with my ever evolving body shape, crop like tops are not comfortable to wear now-a-days.  I want more coverage.    

McCall's 7630:  Left is the original hem, right is lengthened hem.

Thankfully, I have more silk in the stash that I was able to cut a band to sew at the hemline.  First, I spent some time taking out the stitches from the narrow hem.  It was a slow process while wearing a cast but I managed to get it done.  This morning, I managed to cut a 47 1/8" x 9 1/4" rectangle to give a wide band at the bottom.  Another slow process that just proved that I have no more excuses for not sewing while wearing a cast.  

And the best part of having this top back in rotation is the perfect elbow length sleeves roomy enough to get over the cast.  

Project details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1.2 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Seam ripper, scissors, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, pins, Janome serger, iron, ironing board, cutting table, Tylenol, coffee and a CD playing in the background.

Happy Sewing and No More Excuses!

Sew What You Need June: Pullover Cotton Top / McCall's 7630

 

This is my latest top made with McCall's 7630.  About five years ago I made a couple using this pattern.  This time I made a few changes to fit my current physique.  There is added ease achieved by pinning the center at the top of the front and back pattern pieces and fanning out from the hemline.  There was also four inches added to the length (view B).  The hems are top-stitched with a one inch hem.  That's about it.  

The fabric was a one metre length so there was some creative pattern placement to make it work.  Luckily, it didn't interfere with the grainline placement of the pattern pieces.  I found this 100% cotton in the home décor department at the local Fabricland store a few years ago.  It was pre-treated with a tumble through the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press.  

Update

The next morning the top ended up back on the sewing worktable for a patch pocket addition.  Thankfully, there was enough scraps to cut a pocket and facing piece.  This will be perfect for holding my keys.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  1 metre

Interfacing:  0.4 metre

Pattern:  McCall's 7630

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, spring-hinge fabric scissors, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, pencil, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, Janome serger, threads, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, heating pad and a few breaks.  

Happy Sewing!

McCall's 7630: Just What I've Been Looking For!

I have this vintage cotton skirt that is perfect for the warm summer weather but it hardly sees the light of day because I struggle to find a suitable top to wear with it. 

Until now, McCall's 7630, a loose-fitting pullover top pattern just happens to be what I've been looking for. And there's some raw silk that was sitting in my stash that was perfect for the project.  

I'm really thankful that this weekend all of the new patterns that I tried out worked. I read review of this pattern that others wished they added length to this pattern so to caution on the safe side, I added an inch to the hemline. And then I removed the added length. The original length on me was perfect.

The only change I made was take advantage of the many options that come with this pattern.  I basically used view B with view E's back.  

The Stats:

Fabric:  1.3 metres

Pattern:  McCall's 7630

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Iron, ironing board, cutting table, scissors, measuring tape, pins, pin cushion, sewing machine, thread, tailor's chalk, seam ripper, serger and more thread.  

Happy Sewing!  

McCall's 7630: Pullover Top

It's an easy sewing project for a loose-fitting pullover top. It's my second go with this pattern and I still want to make another just because it's so comfortable.  

And the pattern offers sleeve and hemline variations making this pattern a keeper. This time I made view B minus the breast pocket. I wanted a top that would go with this skirt I made three years ago. Finally, I have a top that I think goes well with it. But would you believe that I found it also goes with other items in my closet like this skirt. There is nothing like a good basic in a neutral colour.    

The fabric is my favourite, silk noir, a rare find at the fabric store now-a-days. I wouldn't let any scraps of this fabric make it to the garbage bin. It's too precious and I plan to piece it together for a future project. That's the plan.  For now, I just plan to enjoy wearing this one.  

The Stats:  

Fabric:  1.3 metres

Pattern:  McCall's 7630

https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7630

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Iron, ironing board, cutting table, scissors, pins, tailor's chalk, sewing machine, serger, threads, and a cup of coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

  

Rescue Sewing: Adding a Ruffle to McCall's 7630

In a short span of three years I managed to outgrow this top thanks to pandemic pounds and my sweet tooth.  It still fits in the sleeves and bust area.  It was the hem line that became a little too snug for comfort.  

I had three options, put it in the donate pile, exercise like I've never exercised before, or diet.  Or I could try to save it.  Considering that this top is made out of raw silk it would hurt to part with it.  Luckily, I had left over fabric from the original project.  

The original hemline was straightened and then an additional inch and a half was removed.  I cut a ten inch wide length and went to work gathering.  

The length of the gathered piece was then shortened by two inches, serged and finished with a rolled hem.  Funny thing, I still fit into the vintage lemon print skirt that I originally made this top for, weird eh?  I'm thankful that I can still get at least another summer from the outfit.  

There is one more McCall's 7630 raw silk top that can use some rescuing.  

Happy Sewing!  

Top 5 of 2018: The Hits

So, I'm supposed to chose the five most worn or most loved makes from 2018. This should be easy because there wasn't a whole lot of sewing this year.  But it's a tough decision.  My most loved makes of the year are not my most worn.  Actually, I'm not sure if they have been getting a lot of wear.  In 2018 I did a lot of charity / gift sewing this year.  So perhaps I'll start with the most worn items.   

The Most Worn List

#1.  This top, made with McCall's 7630, has been worn a great deal.  It's conservative enough to wear to work, neutral colour that goes with many different options and it's raw silk which makes it comfortable even when I was sweating at work during the heat wave.

2.  The summer heat wave did come to an end, seasons changed and I had a need for a winter coat that could keep me warm during a deep freeze. I think I did it with this one, Marcy Tilton's OOP Vogue 8934, melton wool fashion fabric, quilted lining fabric and underlined with microfleece.   

3.  Paco Peralta's Vogue 1567 skirt pattern caught my eye when it was released in 2017 but it wasn't until early this year that I finally got around to making one in a silk wool blend fabric.  Then a second British wool navy version was made later in the year and the two of them have become most worn items for sure.  

4.  Another skirt made it to the most worn list, Rachel Comey's OOP Vogue 1247.  This one became a replacement for one that was ready to be retired.  It's a comfortable work wear basic.

5.  These pajama bottoms might be a recent make but they are quickly becoming a go-to item.

The Most Loved List

Now, the most loved sewing projects are a totally different list.  The most loved items I sewed were not for me, they were gifted to others.

1.  A cardigan sweater made with the most beautiful Italian virgin wool that I picked up with a gift certificate to EmmaOneSock I was lucky enough to win during National Sewing month.

2.  Little girl dresses!

3.  I was over-the-moon thrilled when I discovered this vintage pattern at a second hand store in mint condition.  I used some vintage denim that has aged in my stash.

4.  And a little wee jacket.

5.  The simplest things that came from the sewing machine seemed to bring the most joy.

Happy Sewing!  

June in Review

Sewing, Alterations and Mending Projects

It was a slow month at the sewing table, more dreaming about sewing than actual work.  With the appearance of warmer weather yardwork certainly monopolized my time and cut into my sewing time.  L to R:  Orange cotton dress (Simplicity 9744), cotton pull-over top (McCall's 7630) and navy cotton sateen pull-on pants (out-of-print Butterick 6717).  

I guess all the projects were items I need, pullover easy-to-wear clothes.  The orange print dress ended up in someone else's closet but there are plans to revisit this pattern.  

And there was some mending.  But would you believe a fitted sheet?  I do love my flannel so of course when my flannel bedding required some tender care, it became a priority project.  Other than this the navy pants that I made this month quickly ended up on the mending pile to have the back elastic waist tightened.  

Stash Busting 

This month I managed to stash bust 5.6 metres of fabric, 2 buttons and 0.75 metres of elastic.  I did enter the stash busting contest over on Pattern Review but did not make anything that qualified to be entered.  This year there was a twist.  Contestants had to have both a piece of fabric and a pattern that was in the stash prior to 2023.  I only met one of the two.  By the time I would test a pattern, using fabric from the stash it would disqualify the entry because the pattern was already used, so I mentally dropped out of the contest not wanting to enter a toile.  The other two projects I was willing to cut into fabric that would have qualified were paired with a TNT pattern therefore disqualifying the entry.  

Upcoming Plans

I'm not really thinking about summer wear.  This year with all the smoke from forest fires and dealing with allergy symptoms I'm not all that keen on venturing outdoors.  I am thinking ahead to when the weather cools down and that I will need sweaters due to some stubborn weight gain over the last couple of years.  But I digress.  I've been on the search for a copy of the Toaster Sweater pattern by Sew House Seven but the only copies I can find are from international sellers and the shipping.  Oy!, the shipping costs are putting a halt to those plans.  

We'll have to wait and see.  

Happy Sewing!

Day 10: Me-Made-May '19

If I could have stayed in my pajamas all day, I would.  I didn't get a good flat-lay photo of today's wears. So here's a quick recap, 57% me-made, 4 out of 7 items.  

Another raw silk top, McCall's 7630, this one in yellow. I really like that this is made out of a natural fibre and it's a really comfortable fabric to wear. 

Today for some reason it was feeling a bit too short. Maybe I wasn't feeling my most fit and just wanted something with more coverage.  Like pajamas.  

The wool skirt, Vogue 1567, provided more coverage and I would have felt comfortable in it if it weren't for the static cling that was going on. It's the first time wearing this skirt that I wish I had a slip.  

Yup some days you just wish you could stay in your pajamas.  That about sums up day 10.  

Me Made May 2021: Day 17

Today was a hot summer-like day with the temperature reaching +31 degrees Celsius.  It's hard to believe that two weeks ago I wore a winter coat.  I also worked indoors with air-conditioning.  So what to wear?  I picked my floral knit skirt, circa 2014, OOP Vogue 9060.  And a raw silk pullover top, circa 2018, McCall's 7630. I threw on a RTW shawl for the day sitting at the computer. Sleepwear:  Silk pajama set, circa 2020, top made with Butterick 6296 and the bottoms were made with OOP Vogue 9217 with a sweatshirt fleece cardigan, circa 2019, Butterick 6495, thrown over top to fight off the air-conditioning chill before heading to bed.  

I noticed that now that we're remote learning and I am chained to my desk, my step count is a 1/3 of what it used to be--YIKES!  I might have to start going for walks at lunch time.