Burda June '06 - 120 Top

It's been a very long time since I made a Burda pattern in the same month that the magazine was issued. In fact I made two!

This is a pattern for a sleeveless bias (or not) top, with pleated neckline and long neckties.

I cut a size 44 and did an FBA on the front, slashing vertically through the bust point to add width - and - horizontally to add length. I rotated the darts to the three pleats, slashing and spreading them.

The fabric is a squirrelly, lovely tencel herringbone weave, that got even more squirrelly on the bias.

I used fusible interfacing on the front facings and the collar/ties. The armscye binding, the hem and the ties are all hand stitched, which was a lot faster than struggling to topstitch the fabric. To stabilise the buttonhole area before machining, I hand basted a rectangle, to help keep the bias face fabric anchored to its fused (stable) facing:



Hint - When I'm going to be machining over basting stitches, I'll use silk thread for basting. It's a lot easier to pull out and less likely to split and leave fibers in the stitches.

Mid sewing I tried this on and the weight of the fabric, on the bias, had pulled the bodice down, to the point where I was completely hanging out. So I took up the shoulders by 0.5" front and back. Otherwise, the fit is pretty good, although I had to take out 1.5" from the lower front side seams.

This is so comfortable to wear and very cool in the heat, but the three pleats along the neckline are too obvious for me. They just beg for attention, especially because of the qualities of the tencel. It looks to my eye like too much detail, what with the pleats, the ties, the collar.... So I won't be making it again.

I also made these pants - 126:


I made a muslin and had it fitted by my teacher. It needed very little attention, just some more crotch room at the inseam. The above pair is from a rough linen, which bags out really badly. My third (full length) pair are from a navy linen/rayon, so I think I'll line them to the knee. My plan is to get 2-3 pants from this pattern until I lose enough weight to cut out a new one.

Burda: Love!

Estes Wool Market

There were the mountains. There were furry, sofffft, goofy looking critters,


lots of them, in different sizes;


fun things to try: now my son knows how to weave, (I don't);


and a modest numbers of yarn stalls. This was my loot for about $140. Worsted wool/mohair/silk in black, kid mohair in red and alpaca in darkest walnut:


They're all soft and luscious and going straight into stash until I can figure out what to knit.

Grrr!

What can I say? I have a 4 year old.

Grrr face cloth from the latest knitty. I made mine with less than half a ball of Lily's Sugar'n Cream. I think it took all of an hour.

I did do mine quite differently. I used an easier loop stitch from knittinghelp.com. (Find the video here under decorative stitches.) Also I just purled on the WS rows. I knit Eastern/Combination style and stocking stitch comes easier. It gave a nice nobbly texture on the back.

It's being test driven in a bubble bath right now.

Onto Sewing:

I've cut out Burda 6/07, bias top 120 and am half way through it. This is my fabric, a very drapey, squirrelly tencel rayon blend. Pretty stuff.

Because it's a little heavy, however, it's dragging down on the bias and has brought the center front V neck towards the bottom of my bra band. So I have take up the shoulder seams and re-sew the neckband seams. All of this is easy, but I'm finding knitted lions just a touch easier.

I wish I was more driven!

How To: Finish the Neckline on a Sleeveless Lined Top

This method works just as well for sleeveless top with lining or with combination facing (neckline and armscye combined). The seams have to be cut accurately or you should be able to fudge creatively!

Sorry about the tiny writing, this is my first HOW TO. If you click on the picture, it opens up to full size.

1. The side seams are sewn separately in the fashion fabric and lining. They are placed RS facing, matching armscye and neckline seams.



2. Machine the armscye seam all the way around. Machine the neckline seam (front and back) to 2-3" shy of the shoulder seam line.



3. Trim the seams, understitch if preferred, press and turn right side out.



4. Opening up the shoulder, match front shoulder to back shoulder, right sides together. Make sure the armscye seam line lines up perfectly. Pin or baste. Machine the shoulder seam.



5. Trim the shoulder seam and press. Turn right side out. Turn in the neckline seam allowance and slip stitch the seam together.

It's a good idea to practice the slip stitch. It should be indistinguishable from a machined seam.

Patrones 02/2007 - Cacharel Top

This is the first piece I've actually made for the PR SWAP competition. It's from the February 2007 Patrones and is a Cacharel design. (I had no idea they made anything other than gorgeous lingerie.) The top has very narrow shoulders and a gathered neckline with a ruffle along the front neckline only.

Size: I cut a 48 with no adjustments - this seems to be the equivalent of size 44/46 in burda which I use these days.

Fabric: Burnout cotton voile from India. I originally made this into a maternity dress, which never got worn. This top is from the skirt (same lining) and the ruffle is from the waist ties on the dress. I didn't even have to hem it.

Adjustments:

1. None for size.
   
2. The line drawings in Patrones seem like wishful thinking at times: the armscye is very low, but in the line drawing it looks high and tight. Always look at the pattern layout illustration - those pictures are much more representative of the pattern. Anyway, I made a quick muslin to confirm my suspicion. The shoulders on this are also really narrow - too narrow to cover my bra straps. So I added 1.5" all along the armscye, front and back. Almost perfect. Just over 1" would have been better.
3. I don't read Spanish - heck I don't read instructions (must be my testosterone-y side busting out), so I gathered the neckline to look flattering and gathered the ruffle to look pretty (to me) and hand sewed it on. This way I can take if off if I change my mind.
   

It's perfect for summer and fall.


Original Design:


Fanciful line drawing:

Vogue 8249 - Top

Holding that dang grin until the self-timer goes off is not part of my skill set.

This is version A of Vogue 8249.

Fabric: green burnout cotton from my local independent fabric store.
Size: 14 with an FBA
Adjustments:

1. I added length and width in the front at the bust point, feeding the excess into the gathers at the yoke.
   
2. Collar opening: to put in the yoke section, I sewed the right side yoke (interfaced with organza) to the front bodice, turned, trimmed and pressed. Then I basted the yoke facing to the yoke along the marked lines, sewed part way down the center front, stopping about 3" from the point of the V. I cut down between the machined lines only and tried on the top to see where the point of the V would be most flattering on me. (I wiggled a pin into the collar to make sure the center of my bra would be covered.) My low point is actually 1" higher than the design.
3. I lengthened the top by 2".
4. I hand finished the yoke facing, hems and armhole binding. The very fine fabric is worth the effort.
   

Full bust adjustment:


Raised point of V in the yoke:

Young Talent

Can you guess how happy and proud I am right now? He's only 4 1/2 years old.





I've been coming down in the mornings to my sewing room, with my machine is various stages of threading and with different feet on. When I found he'd changed the bobbin (successfully), I figured he needed his own machine.

It's a Janome Mini Sew, an honest-to-goodness real sewing machine, with zigzag and straight stitch, and reverse sewing. It has the cutest little foot pedal and weighs 5lbs. It makes very nice seams.

He loves it. Everyday, he has wanted to make something. So far, we've kept it to rectangular things. He's in charge of the presser foot, hand wheel and the foot pedal. I guide the fabric, because he doesn't want to get near the needle - which is a *good* thing. 4 year old fingers are tiny.

Just adorable.

Swap Update

Jacket - Eyelet Cardigan:

Well, I have one sleeve done. I wouldn't normally start with a sleeve for a knit, but the pattern gives gauge only in pattern (rather than stocking stitch). Bah Humbug! I'm on the back now.

On the fabric front, I've sorta, kinda finalised my choices.

Bottoms:


Brown tencel and Olive cotton/lycra twill

Dresses:


From left to right, my patterns are: Butterick 5029, Vogue 2960 and Vogue 8379.

Tops:

Here's where I have too much choice. I'm moving towards (from left to right) the brown floral print, the green/tan geometric voile, the vanilla tencel and, uhm, ....... I did order some fuschia rayonl/lycra from Gorgeous Things, and if it falls in the color parameters, I'll use for an extra pop of color. Given I spend most days in reds, this palette is a little demure for me.

VK Cabled Tank

Vogue Knitting Spr/Sum '07 - Cabled Tank


The front is stocking stitch with two cables running vertically - I made these mirror images, unlike in the pattern.

The back is a 4x4 rib. No, I don't have back chub at my waist. And sorry, about the dress sleeves poking out.

I used about 4 balls of Rowan Summer Tweed in Berry. It's the oddest yarn I've handled so far - it feels mostly like paper ribbon to knit, but the fabric itself is very comfortable and cool in our 80 degree weather. It's not as fitted as it's supposed to be - the instructions have you knit a size with considerable negative ease. My bust is 43" and the top has a finished measurement of 38", but it doesn't feel at all tight.

This is my first knitted item of clothing for myself in a very long time. So, I'm ridiculously proud. I've now got the Eyelet Cardigan on the needles, and Sahara in gold yarn. Both should fit in with my SWAP.

SWAP Summer 2007

Patternreview has started its summer SWAP competition. I usually have little follow through with the concept of a SWAP - I like to be able to move around. Also, I'm losing weight regularly, so I'm not invested in making a keeper wardrobe. I need elastic waists and easily adjusted clothes. And, I don't want to use my more precious fabric.

It's just a lot of fun to be part of the group endeavour. Realistically, I'll probably get 1/3 done. But I've found even a mini SWAP can have a lot of impact in my wardrobe.

Maybe if I post regularly on the SWAP thread, I'll be more committed.

Btw, my jacket is the Eyelet Cardigan, a pattern from Blue Sky Alpacas. It's small enough that I'm optimistic about finishing it.

The Golden Compass

For those of you in love with the books, go find your daemon. Here's mine:

Some Sewing...

My ledger is a little empty of completed projects. But here are two Burda patterns from last month - one hopeful and one loser:

Burda 7907



I made View B as a muslin for View C - the dress with the wide straps. The muslin looks awful frumpy on me, doesn't it? But it's actually a good look.

I lengthened the bust piece vertically and widened the lower curved portion of it. The widening was actually too much and the resulting gathers are just too thick even for the thin muslin fabric.
On the other hand, I could have lengthened the piece by 3/8" more.

This is the line drawing:


The shape of the decolletage is really pretty on me and with the wider straps, I believe the dress, in a mid-weight cotton, will be a winner for summer.

And the loser:

Burda 8269

This is the plus version of 8407. I haven't compared the two to see if the hip curves are more emphasized on the plus version.


I cut this out in a size 46 last summer, from a stretch velveteen. I'd washed and dried the fabric, which gave it a (permanent) crushed look.

The lines are really interesting and the trumpet shape should be a winner on an hourglass figure like mine. But it looked so awful on me. Maybe it's the length. The curve around the hips, followed by the flare around the calves just emphasized fat curvy to my eyes, instead of luscious curvy.


From this angle, it looks good doesn't it, but from the front, I just looked wide. I could make it in a drapier fabric, but then the lines would be lost, so the pattern is getting moved to a better place.


Btw - this makes Fabric Mart bundle fabrics 0 for 5. I think I should jettison all the bundles I got from them. No matter how nice, they just have never worked for me. I don't know if it's guilt from buying so much or lack of respect for their neverending yards, but they all end up duds.

Sportacus Take 2

For Halloween 2005, I made Connor a Sportacus costume. I got an email from a Canadian lady a couple of weeks ago, asking if I would make an adult version for her daughter's birthday. Today, I mailed if off to Canada.

To be honest, I don't enjoy making costumes. They're more fun than home dec (which makes me want to cry), but not a whole lot better. And, superhero costumes are so bitty and fiddly, especially in nylon/lycra.


This is 'my' Sportacus (gratuitous cute kid shot):



This is the real Sportacus:

Isn't he delish? :)

I ordered the dancewear nylon/lycra from Denver Fabrics and used Kwik Sew 3029:

Lots of fiddling about and steam-a-seam, we have:

I tried on the pieces to stress test them and they performed very well. I'm not too thrilled with the badge I made, but I sew, I don't craft.

Natasha, the Mom, promised pictures from the party. I have my fingers crossed that the costume performs well. It's my first adult male dance costume.

The WTH of the whole experience.

I tried on the pants to make sure it looked right. How come my tush (not male, not dance-y, not size medium) looked like a million dollars in them? Years, countless yards of paper and fabric, and I find size M KS men's pants is where I should be. Seriously, what's with that?

I *am miffed at* Debbie Bliss's pattern.

Edit: I had to change the title from "I hate DB" to " I'm miffed at DB's pattern" - because there's too much bad energy out there - & because - really I'm as much to blame as the pattern.

My little guy in a gansey-style sweater from "How to Knit". The yarn is a beautiful and silky (although a little splitty) Luxury Cotton DK from Rowan.

My temper has cooled a little on Ms. Bliss, because it's really just my fault. I borrowed the book back in August of last year. I thought it'd be a great practice sweater to learn Western knitting. (I'm an Eastern style knitter.)

I looked at the size chart and thought, "Wow, these are HUGE for kids" and so made the 2-3 year old pattern for my 4-5 year old. Guess what? It's still huge for a 4-5 year old. And mine is a big 4-5er. But, get this, the neckline is for a 3 year old.

So, what are my choices? Connor loves it, but says it's the arms are too big. I could just wait the body out for a year and re-knit the neck appropriately sized for his age. Or - frog the whole thing, treat the yarn for the kinks and knit him something else. Gah! I think I'll let it rest for a while.

I'll take him to my LYS and get some yarn for the quicko cheapo. The poor kid just wants a sweater to wear.

Oh - why all the negativity? She specialises in kids' knits - beautiful designs. Why the ridiculous sizing? It's true to gauge, knit correctly, blocked right, so there should have been some logic to the sizes. That's why I sort of trusted it, but I really should have just gone with my gut and left it alone. As it is, I'm leaving her patterns alone.

A little decadent, no?

You are The Empress

Beauty, happiness, pleasure, success, luxury, dissipation.

The Empress is associated with Venus, the feminine planet, so it represents,
beauty, charm, pleasure, luxury, and delight. You may be good at home
decorating, art or anything to do with making things beautiful.

The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea a form, the Empress is the womb where it gestates and grows till it is ready to be born. This is why her symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love. Even so, the Empress is more Demeter, goddess of abundance, then sensual Venus. She is the giver of Earthly gifts, yet at the same time, she can, in anger withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped. In fury and grief, she kept the Earth barren till her child was returned to her.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Thanks Melody!

So I did a happy dance...

All of them, y'all.

And we're moved into our lovely home, complete with original German Goth styling circa '73.

I've even been sewing. I just finished burda 7907 - I'll post photos as soon as I can find my nude bras.

Curly Wurly

Or 'ribbon scarf' as they have it in Handknit Holidays. The color is actually a deep red with the red lurex accent, the same colors as in the pattern. Because I'm that inventive.

Mine is 75% the original's length and works better as a ruffly, romantic cravat kinda thing than a regular scarf. It'll be great for those open necked winter coats. Of course, it's in the 60's now. As they say, winter comes every year. (Reminds me, I need to do our taxes!)

I've now got almost 2 balls of the Classis Elite 'Lush' yarn and quite a bit of Rowan's 'Lurex'. So maybe a hat? Would it be too darned much? Maybe all together with a pirate jacket? Huh?

Slow posting...

I made a goal when I started this blog to get something up at least once a week. Moving cross country dealt a blow to that goal last fall. Now we're moving again. We just closed on a lovely house in Boulder, which we will stay in forever (maybe at least 10 years). But it means moving one more time and renovating the house (and still selling the albatross in MA).....

We should be all moved in by end of March, so hopefully I can sew regularly again then.

Meanwhile, here's a picture of me on a Segway or "robot scooter" as Connor calls them:


Really - I was laughing the whole time, despite my face in the photo. They are so darned cool, I'd give up buying fabric and yarn for a year to buy one.

We went to a robot exhibition in London, where they had some great stuff. I do miss being near a real city (sorry Denver). But it is home.

Lookit - yarn cakes!

Guess what I got for myself! My yarn stash has now reached the point where hand winding the skeins is actually time consuming.

Here's an action shot of the yarn winder:


I got both the yarn winder and the swift at Joann's, where both are discounted and the shipping is free, so it was a great deal. The swift is Laci's brand and both are easy to use and as good as any in a LYS. And it leaves me more moolah for yarn, from the LYS.

So True...

Heehee.

I'm back from London. I'm now 37 (17th of February). We're moving again next month (we bought a lovely house and will *stay* for at least a decade). I have to do our taxes.

But I have a great family and life, and, I'm sewing again, so yay.