Swing Jacket Started

Now that my other jacket is complete. I am starting the Swing Jacket. I decided to add some embroidery to this one. I embroidered on the center back panel last night. The design is from Viking Design Card-Fantasy Flowers. Funny title for the designs, most have a floral look. Interestingly, the design I chose is circles and spokes-not a flower look at all. You can go to this site to see it.
http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/us/430_1829.htm

I then took the design using 3D Embroidery Software and Embird and I split some of the circles off from the other parts of the design, combined, saved and transferred them to disk for sewing onto the collar for this jacket.

Here is the back panel that I embroidered thus far. The topping stablizer is still attached. Thus you see shining film.
Does not look like flowers! But it is what I wanted, somewhat simple with a monochromatic color theme but one that can be seen.

Photos of Jacket

Here are photos of the completed jacket. I am not a real photographer but gives you some idea of the project. First is the completed jacket. This jacket has raglan sleeves.



This this addition of the back neck facing to the fold back front facing. This then allowed me to re-draft the original lining I cut out and attach this to the facings. Most jacket patterns with linings have pattern pieces drafted to attach lining fabric to facings (front and back).


This is the sleeve with lining attached.


This is some of the topstitching I did with the jacket. This was my embellishment to this jacket. Pattern did not call for it.

Coat/Jacket Complete

Finally, I have completed V8123. I had to make the buttonholes and sew on the buttons. Because of trip to visit MIL yesterday, I did not get all this completed as I had hoped. I also added more topstitching.

I am now going to start on the Swing Jacket. I set up my serger for wide overcast as a decorative edge finish to the jacket and will use Sulky Rayon Embroidery Thread for this. Somewhat of a contrast but not overly so. I am considering embroiderying some small designs on the jacket back inset piece as well as on the collar. I haven't embroidered much of anything since doing FSL bowls for Christmas presents.

Once this jacket is completed, I am going to develop a SWAP for spring. Not entering any contests, doing this for me and to use up some of my fabric collection as well as some of the newer pieces I purchased.

I need to develop an inventory of fabric on hand. I have read Lisa L's blog and her system. I have yet to master Access. I am thinking of using Excel. Pattern Master Boutigue has a program one can purchase that allows you to scan/photograph fabric swatches and track yardage and usage. Not sure if I want to spend the $$$$ or develop something myselft with what I have on hand already.

I will post photos of my completed jacket later. Also need to complete review of this for PR.

Eureka!

This morning right before I got out of bed, it hit me! Eureka! Add a back facing to the cut-on facing that you fold back at the collar and stitch down from shoulder to neck edge. Why, why, did it take me a whole week to figure this out?

Once I fixed me a pot of coffee and had my first cup of jo', I went to sewing room measured the shoulder to shoulder back neck area, cut a piece of fabric and made a back neck facing which I stitched to the folded back, cut-on facing. I then had to retrofit the lining jacket piece to accommodate the stitching of it to the front and now back facing. Perfect!!!!! I took pictures and will post them later.

I then bagged the sleeve linings to jacket sleeve. I had already stitched the hem of the lining jacket as I wanted it to hang separate from the jacket. The jacket is now ready to be hemmed and I found some buttons in my stash that I might use. They are smaller than the ones called for. I have four of these, pattern calls for three of one size larger than the ones I have. Thus four may work. I will try to check out buttons tomorrow during lunch.

The end is almost in sight. Next is the Swing Jacket from Anne Claire that I purchased through Nancy's Notions.

Jacket Almost Complete

I cannot believe how a simple jacket has become such a difficult item to complete. The hang up for me is the lining with cut-on facing. I cut the front piece and the lining from the same pattern. I should have made a change to the lining piece but for the life of me I cannot visualize how it should have been cut.

I have finally figured out how I will sew it to the fabric fold back facing. I will end up with some additional fabric though. I will figure out how to eliminate it. This has been gnawing at me for days now. Finally tonight I got it worked out and trial basted the lining to the front fold back facing. This is how I learned I will have this extra fabric.

I laid the pattern on the material and I folded back the facing on the lining piece trying to determine the look of how the piece should be redrafted.

I really wanted to have finished this jacket today. I have another one cut out and ready to sew. I have many projects in my head and limited time to get them done. I will finish this up tomorrow. I will not have buttons to go with it. Did not have time while I was out today to spend time looking for some. I may use fabric buttons. I will make a decision on that tomorrow as well.

Purses and Nordstroms

I receive numerous emails from various stores where I sign up for them to send me information about new clothing for an upcoming season, as well as for accessories and shoes.

One of those stores is Nordstroms and the recent one I received was in reference to new purses. Here are two purses that I saw immediately.

These caught my attention because I just purchased a Vogue purse pattern recently during Hancocks' 75% off on Vogue patterns. I wish I had access to some nice leather, but I have some pleather in my collection so will plan on using that to make this pattern.

I am impressed that this pattern is so "in".

20 minutes to sew

Yeah!, I got a few minutes yesterday evening after work to sew on my jacket. I completed the shoulder seams which are the last of the seams to sew before adding the collar. I will attached the lining next after I ponder some more on how to attach it with the cuton facing for front. I am hung up on this because all I can think of with this is that it will will add some bulk at the front area.

In addition to this I play with the Embellisher to felt some yarn to the collar. I am not going to do that though this fabric and yarn felted together well. I am thinking I may have enough fabric left over to make a purse and will felt this with the yarn.

I will finish this jacket this weekend. I hear that the weather will cool down again for our area. It has been unseasonably warm this winter. Though I admit I am not a fan of winter so I personally am enjoying the warmth. But some coolness will make this a nice jacket to wear upon completion.

Sewing Blurb for Wednesday

I am thinking about sewing my jacket. I have not found time to squeeze in the actual sewing.

My thoughts have to do with the lining. Pattern did not call for one but I cut one from the original pattern pieces. My issue is that the front facing of this jacket is a cut-on facing. I used this piece for the lining as well. I keep thinking that I need to redraft that part so I could just sew it to the facing part of the actual jacket. I also think that I can just sew the lining as is to the jacket. I did not allow any seam allowance for this, so I am thinking I will sew a 1/8 or 1/4 seam.

I really need to sit down and work this out. So little time, so many things to design and sew. Speaking of time, got to go, time for work.

Jacket Progression

I am working on this pattern. I cut out this jacket pattern as well as the Swing Jacket pattern. I decided to pursue this one first. Mainly because I had all the matching thread for the jacket as well as the lining. The view I am making is the green one shown on the pattern envelope.

One of the many things I learned from the SNF Sewing Class on Pattern Review with Shannon Gifford is it is time saving and easy to cut out the lining at the same time as you cut out the fabric provided that the lining pieces are the same as the jacket. I just placed the lining fabric on top of the wool fabric. The pattern does not call for a lining but the cashmere wool fabric I think will wear better with one.

I debated whether to use the SNF method or not. I opted not to simply because I have not made the pattern before. Also from a few reviews on Pattern Review, I was concerned I might have some fitting issues. I did make the lining first, also a tip from PR. I then tried on the lining and it fit well. I still have some concerns about the sleeve length. I did take up the sleeve by 1 1/4 inches when I tissue fitted it and made all my fitting adjustments.

The fabric is a cashmere wool fabric I purchased over a year ago from Wazoodle's. It sews great. The lining is not exactly a green I wanted but it is an acceptable green.

I thought about adding some embellishments to the jacket but opted to not do that. I did topstitch the sleeve seams and the back seam. I have to decide how I am going to attach the lining. Mainly the concern I have is the self front facing. I may need to make some adjustments to the lining for that area. Also I may have to adapt the sleeve lining as well.

I am pleased with progress I made this weekend with the jacket. I hope to be able to sew some on it during the week. That is always my hope/thought. Life sometimes gets in the way.

Quick Blurb

Well I came home from work yesterday after stopping at grocery store to pick up few items since it was calling for snow today (and it is snowing). I had felt rather ill during the afternoon and thought it was something I ate (and apparently it was). After putting up the few items, I then changed into casual clothes and went into sewing room.

I laid out fabric to cut out one of two jacket patterns. I then got hot and clammy and decided I needed to just lay down for a moment.

DH had to work late and thus thought I could get a little uninterrupted sewing time. (Not!) By the time he came home around 7:30 pm, I was truly ill. Thus laid on sofa between intermittent bouts of being sick and then fell asleep. Waking up around 9:30 and feeling somewhat better.

This morning I was able to go to sewing room and have cut out two jacket patterns. These I have talked about doing in previous posts. I feel like I am sewing again. Though cutting out patterns is my least favorite thing about sewing, though obviously a very necessary step in the whole process.

I spent a good two hours of cutting and now taking a break just to write down a few things in my sewing diary. Off to shower now and back to sewing room soon.

No Sew

The most I have been able to do in the way of sewing since Sunday is playing around with my Embellisher. I felted some merino wool roving together and then added a strip of brown. I was really trying to see what happens when you felt another color roving onto another. In my mind it is looking like brown tree branch onto a background felted fabric. It actually caused the base felted roving to pucker some. Since there are no real instructions with the Embellisher, I am not sure what I need to do about puckers. Perhaps it can be a design item.

Anywho, at least I am seeing what the machine can do.

Another idea with the above, was to embroider a bird onto the "branches". It would require stabilizing the piece which would be okay. You do that with any fabric when you embrodier on it. I am trying to decide how I would use that piece if I did do the embroidery. Many thoughts and possibilities to consider.

Got to go, work beckons!!!!!

KS 3339 Complete

I completed the KS3339. Easy pattern to sew. My fabric was rather stretchy so had some difficulties for such an easy pattern. Wrote review for PR.
Here is photo of completed top.


I put the Cashmere chartreuse colored fabric in dryer and used Dryel product. I then pressed it on wool setting. Pattern is ready to cut out and I hope to do that during the week.

Swing Jacket is ready for cutting also.

Here is photo of the Cashmere fabric and the lining. Lining is not quite chartreuse but a nice but somewhat contrasting green. Best I can do with fabric sources in the area.





I hope to get started on this during the week by at least getting fabric laid out and cutting begun.

Some sewing

I was able upon return from Big D visiting family to sew a little on the v-neck KS top last night. I used this fabric before and now remember that it is very stretchy to sew and not the best recovery. I decided to not follow the instructions for the neckband with the pattern but to use my TNT method based upon the Threads article written probably two years ago now. I gave a tip on Pattern Review to use this method.

This morning, early, before DH awoke I was able to spend a little time in my sewing room working on the top again. I basted the neckband and had to do this twice due to the stretchy fabric and being "sew" fiddley. It is now inserted and have sewn the side seams. But now DH is up and fixing breakfast. Got to run, bacon is about done.

A little sewing-2/3/06

DH had to go to work early this morning, so I ended up getting up early as well. As a result, I got to play a little with my Embellisher. I felted some of the new wool roving I recently purchased.

I saw a beautiful sweater at our local ASG meeting last month. Angel shapes had been felted onto it. I did not get to look at it close enough to determine how this was done. They were some type of material, not sure what, that had been felted on to the material it appeared from a distance. An outline embroidery around the felted material become an angel.

Instead of felting directly onto fabric, I decided to felt a large piece of the wool roving. From this I will cut out some sort of design and perhaps then felt this onto the material. I will add embellishment to this. There are not many books out there that explains the process, most particularly using the Babylock Embellisher.

I met DH for dinner this evening; once home, I went into the sewing room to finish pattern adjustments for the Swing Jacket. I then cut out the KS pattern for a sleeveless, v-neck knit top. See early post showing a photo of the pattern. This is the last of a piece of fabric I purchased over a year ago. If this is not a good fit for this pattern, I don't feel like I will have wasted good fabric.

That's all the sewing for today. Tomorrow we go to Danville to visit family. So sewing unfortunately will be limited this weekend. Sunday I will end up having to go grocery shopping. (Ugh!) Hopefully I can sew the KS top on Sunday afternoon.

All for now!

Maybe this should be called WorkingGirl Diary

I always hope to have time to sew somedays after work. Yet there is always things to do and checking emails on computer and going to this website and that get in my way. Work is the biggest chunk of my time. But without that, I could not afford my habit!!! Sewing, buying stuff for sewing, buying embroidery designs for embroiderying on things I am sewing and on and on and on.

I am going to do like I do with my work, schedule the time on the calendar on PDA and have alarm go off to remind me that it is sewing time.

This morning before work I ordered a pattern for Christine Jonson, her new one shirred top. I have seen two reviews on Pattern Review and think this will make up nicely. I was also notified I won an auction on Ebay from "bestonlinefabric", which is webstore on Ebay. Photos of fabric being sold look good and most appear to be knits. This is my first purchase from them and hope I will be pleasantly surprised.