My vacation week

We got Monday and Tuesday as Christmas holiday. I took the rest of the week for vacation. My grand plan was to cut out lots of patterns and sew. That was the plan!

I have done some sewing related things during the week. Not according to plan though! I have only completed one item, the second knit top from Vogue 8323. Let me just say that it was a bear to complete. Compared to the first one, which was a breeze, this one was about to get tossed.

The knit I used was much less beefier than my first one; that one was a buttermilk knit. This one had more stretch and that should have been my clue that I needed to perhaps go down a size. Perhaps also because of the scoop neck, it fit different that the cowl/funnel neck one. I ended up taking an extra 1/2 inch seam in upper chest and back. I trimmed 3/8" off the shoulder and scooped out that amount in the front armscye as well. This aided in the fit. I also took deeper seams in the front princess seams from the waist line down to hemline.

The neckline binding created issues for me as well. I think again due to the softness of the fabric. I ended up stitching the binding to the neckline and then turning it under and topstitching the folded over binding to neckline. This made the binding lie flat to chest area without ripples. I think should I run into this again I will use a tricot fusible to give it a touch of body.

The knit was one I purchased from Wazoodle earlier this year. It feels great but has a tendency to not sew well. I had to continously monitor and adjust the serger thread tensions to keep it from puckering. I am glad this project is complete. I think I will be retiring this pattern for now. I may try to replicate in Pattern Master Boutique as Beth of Rusty Bobbin did. I think I would get a better fit. Here is photo of the top in progress and completed top.

I also embroidered some more on my denim jacket. This evening I embroidered a little on the front. This is proving to be more difficult and I am not sure that I will continue with this. I am just not liking the front look of the jacket. Maybe setting it aside will allow me time to think more about what I want to accomplish with the look.

I traced pattern pieces for KS 3435. I pin fitted the pattern and from first look, I will lengthened the bodice part some and need to make my usual swayback adjustment. I think the sleeves will be too long. I may need to adjust the shoulder area some as well. The knit I am using is from Sewing Studio and is soft like a sweater knit which I think is appropriate for this pattern.

Here is the pattern and the fabric: