Friday, December 31, 2010

New Year's Eve Sewing

I started sewing on the KS top this AM.  After DH got up, sewing was put aside until later this evening.  I have just about completed the KS top.  I have mixed feelings about it but I am pleased with how the FBA came out as it worked well.  The dislike is how the front neckline is flipping over.  Obviously this is an issue that others have had as noted in the reviews on PR.  Again I am reading the reviews after the fact.

One person's solution was using a binding instead of the facings.  She then cover-stitched the bindings.  I may give this a try with the next top.    I think I will postpone making another one for now.    I have a KS top I made earlier with cowl neck that I really like the fit.  I want to make a long sleeve version of that.

I am on a kick to make several tops/blouses.  I also have some skirts in mind as well.  I also need to make some jackets.  I toyed with the idea of participating in the a jacket a month sew along mentioned on Sewing Guild.  However I know how my life and work schedule goes and I don't think I will be successful.

I am not sure that I achieved all the sewing goals I set for myself for this year.  No matter I am so happy that I love to sew.  I continue to learn more about sewing and continue to work on fitting.  I truly have enjoyed reading other sewists' blogs, always inspiring and also very helpful.  Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sewing Tidbits for 12-29-2010

First it is a balmy 39 degrees at 11:15 AM. High today expected to be in the id 40’s. I know this is much warmer than those of you in the northern regions are experiencing, and even FL is getting hit with colder weather.


I completed my Butterick cardigan. I want to thank all of you who gave me your thoughts on which side of fabric to use. I decided to use the wrong side and got, I think, a very nice contrast.


I did a review at PR this AM. For some reason it would not let me post this photo in the photo gallery.
Here is a side view of me trying on the completed jacket last night.

I really need a silver or grayish belt to wear as option with this cardigan as well.

Today I have been working on performing (it felt like a major performance) a FBA on a one piece front pattern, KS 3790.  Couple this with side gathers and the straight of grain going one way with the center front at an angle until you sew and gather the left side. I had to really think through this process. Here is what I did:

  1. Made sure the pattern was laying on cutting table on straight of grain.
  2. Folded pattern in half to line up the underarm seams and measured two inches down to give a reference point for bust point.
  3. I then drew two horizontal lines after holding pattern up to make sure bust points were lining up and in the right place. 
  4. I then drew two lines parallel to straight of grain line and angled each line into the right and left armholes. I then drew drew line from side to bust point. This is the Palmer/Pletsch method for FBA. I tackled the right side of the pattern first


I eliminated the resulting dart which then added width to right front and side. I then reduced some of that width.

Next I tackled the left side. Again eliminating the dart that was formed and split the addition into two areas creating more gathering at the left side.




Here is the overall look of the pattern. I had to adjust the center portion between the two lines I drew to makesure they matched the adjusted lengths.


And there is where I stopped for the moment. I am babysitting two cats for my neighbor so took a much needed break to go feed them. My plan is to sew this afternoon. I am using some fabric from stash that I am not totally in love with so if this is becomes a wadder then I won’t be too disappointed.

Here is my parting shot showing the fabric I will be using. It is from Fabric.com and have had it for sometime now, perhaps two years! Which reminds me-- I decided to sign up for the fabric stash contest on PR. I wish I could count the cardigan I just made. Contest starts Jan. 1. If this pattern works out, then I have another fabric piece that I want to make up into this top and it too came from Fabric.com. I will wait until January 1 to start on it.








Sunday, December 26, 2010

Post Christmas sewing

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas.  We spent time with a family friend who is almost 96 years old and his daughter.  He lives in an retirement center.  We had lunch with him and then spent time visiting.  During this it was steadily snowing.  After coming home, I spent time just dozing and watching TV.  Just a relaxed Christmas day.
Today I cut out Butterick 5394, a cardigan and vest pattern calling for sweater and/or stable knits.  I wanted to make this cardigan, View D at the beginning of fall.  I did not get to it at that time and thought with my current holiday/vacation time I would make this a priority.  It is a simple and very easy pattern to sew.
I decided that after pin fitting that I did not have to make a FBA.  I did shorten the jacket by 1.25 inches, made a forward shoulder adjustment along with swayback adjustment.
The fabric was purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics about a year ago.  It was not exactly what I expected when it arrived.  However the colors have grown on me; I have been wearing more silver jewelry of late and this fabric has silver metallic threads along with gray and pale lavender with a touch of black as well.  I think it will go well with black and gray pants.  I also think it will work with a black sheath style dress as well.
I’ve sewn the front and back pieces together.  The next steps are attaching sleeve and neck/front bands.  I am considering using the wrong side of the fabric which has more silver, black and gray weave.  Here is photo of the contrast side of the band pinned to the front:
Front with contrast side of band2
And this is with the right side of the band pinned:
Front with right side of band
Please share your thoughts about what side to use.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Black and white

Click here to see photos of the finished dress.  I may wear this dress tomorrow or Thursday.  I am thinking of black tights with black pumps to wear with it. 

It's nice to have completed this project and now I am ready for the next one.  Haven't decided but it will be an immediate gratification project before tackling something more challenging.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Dress is complete

First, thanks to all who gave me suggestions on skipped stitches.  I decided to reduce the stitch length to 2.5 and that helped. Another suggestion was using a stretch needle which I was already using.  The other thing I did was to slow down my sewing speed.  In addition to this while pulling fabric taut while sewing, I put more pressure on fabric behind the presser foot than in front and that seemed to help also.  I still had a few skipped stitches but much better than before.

The dress is complete.  I truly love the fit of the dress and the style.  Unfortunately I was not able to take photos last night of the completed dress; hope to do so tonight.  The dress has a real "mod 60's" look to it.  I like the dress so much that I am planning a second dress from it.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Double knits and skipped stitches

The dress I have been working on and the blue Kay Unger dress were both double knit fabrics.   I had skipped stitches with both of them.  I read in Clair Shaeffer's Fabric Guide that sometimes you can expect skipped stitches with double knits.  She did not offer a solution.  Sandra Betzina in her Fabric Savvy and More Fabric Savvy does not mention this as a factor.

I am wondering if any one has experienced this with sewing double knit.  If so, what do you do to aid in preventing this?   I have tried using stretch needles as well as universal.  Sandra Betzina recommends a stretch or zigzag stitch and a 2 to 2.5 mm stitch length.  I normally like to use 3mm stitch on most everything I sew with this type of weight.  I never use a stretch stitch, to hard to remove if you have to.   I do hold the fabric taut while sewing which seems to help some and sewing slow helps.  I appreciate your comments.

Another 10 minutes of sewing

I was able to squeeze in 10 minutes of sewing this evening after work.  I completed another sleeve and both are now ready to be inserted.  Once this is done and I sew up the back seam, I will have a new dress!  Perhaps I will get an opportunity to wear it next week as I think I will be staying with wearing pants or long skirts the rest of the week.  I cannot believe how cold it is.

Our normal temperature for this time of year is normally 50 degrees!  It has been in the low 20's to upper teens with wind chill factors making the "real feel" temperature anywhere from 3 to 10 degrees.  That is just too dang cold for me.

A little sewing

A sleeve is sewn with sleeve band; one more to go.  Too much activity during the week to get much done in the way of sewing.  Counting down to Christmas and the week following is holiday/vacation week!  As always I have big sewing plans in my head and hope to execute most of it.

I think I am getting an iPad for Christmas!!!!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Productive sewing day

I really enjoyed sewing today, particularly because the fabrics are wonderful to sew.  Also this is a very easy pattern to sew as well.  I completed the pattern fitting and adjusting yesterday.  This AM, I laid out the fabric and pattern and had it cut out within an hour.  I was able to start sewing before DH awoke. 

After breakfast, I resumed sewing.  If I had not had other pressing things to do I probably could have completed the dress.  All that is left to do is sew sleeve seams, attach the black sleeve band and insert all into dress. 

The dress calls for a zipper.  However I found it was very easy to pull this over my head.  Probably because it is a double knit with some give.  I think if I used a woven fabric, I would insert a zipper.

The geometric print with black trim seems to give it a '60's feeling.  I love the fit.  More later.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Sewing plans progressing

I am washing the black double knit as I write.  I plan to cut out the fabric this afternoon once I complete the pattern adjustments.  It looks like I will make my usual ones.

So looking forward to doing some sewing this weekend since last weekend provided very limited sewing time.  More later.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Butterick dress pattern

I had some time the other evening and some energy as well so I cut around the pattern pieces for a Butterick dress pattern.  I also pinned the pieces together to determine the fitting adjustments needed.  I hope to make this dress this weekend.  Some of our weekend plans have changed due to my DH's work schedule.  Thus leaving me with more time to sew!

A fellow blogger left me a suggestion for the gathers on the Vogue skirt.  I am going to give it a try.  I also have another fabric in mind to make this skirt again.  I also pulled out a knit fabric purchased from Gorgeous Things to make another dress that is also a Butterick pattern.

More later.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Vogue 8672

After letting the skirt hang for a few days, I decided I will re-evaluate what I want to do with it.  I need to try it on again and evaluate that front crossover piece.  I think too I need to get it professionally pressed and make some final decisions. 

I truly like the style of the skirt. Now that the fit is perfected, another one in a different fabric may be in the future.

Here is a shot of the skirt hanging:



















And another close up shot of gathers


Fabric purchase during my travels

Monday I traveled to Richmond, VA for business.  I arrived about 1.5 hours earlier than my meeting, so after lunch I popped in to Hancock's I was able to purchase two KS patterns.  I also had two fabric pieces jump into my cart and assisted a fellow sewist/shopper about a piece of fabric for a dress she was making.

I bought 3 yards of black double knit.  I had acquired a yard recently from Fabric.com but I did not like the look of this double knit.  It was rather thin and had a shine to it that did not go well with the fabric I was going to use it with.  I will use it with something else later.  I also found a faux snake/reptile skin fabric that I knew I wanted to make into a jacket or vest.


This looks better in real time than I could capture with my camera.  This next photo shows the wrong side.  It is a woven.


The sewing mojo is back in full swing, my problem is lack of time to sew with so many others things going on right now.  I am taking the week after Christmas off and plan to get a few items sewn.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

On to the next--

Skirt is complete. I was able to successfully use the blind hemmer.  Took some time to practice, made adjustments to the edge guide and tension.  Here's the thing, I don't like the skirt.  The gathered side is not staying gathered, it is just too limp.  I think I used the wrong wool.  The pattern calls for tropical wool and mine is a wool gabardine.  As my DH said, chalk it up to a learning experience and move on.  I am going to put it aside for a day or two and then decide to keep or donate to Goodwill.

So next is another dress pattern-Butterick 5415.  I am using a black and white geometric double knit fabric with black double knit for yoke.  I am making the black and white view on the pattern envelope, though I think I will use black fabric at hemline also.

I get so many compliments when I wear the dresses I made from Simplicity 2798 that I am also going to make another one from this pattern.  I have perfected the fit and so I think I need to make something that will be a winner.

Skirt needs hemming

Skirt is complete.  I had some trials and tribulations with this pattern.  Mainly because of how I cut the lining fabric.  I should have done it differently.  In the end I just remove the lining.  Now the skirt hangs better and the front crossover pieces have reduced bulk in the seams. There are still some concerns with the front overlapping pieces but this is pattern design not operator issues.

I have threaded the blind hemmer and trialing the hem on some leftover fabric before attempting to hem the skirt.  I purchased new needles for the hemmer, had to order them online.  I acquired them from the Sewing Warehouse Supply store in Florida.  Quick and prompt service.

Hope to share the completed skirt later.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

This and that

This was a tough work week. Had a pleasant evening Thursday with first of three Christmas events for this week. Our Rotary club had a great party with wine h'or dorves prior to dinner.

We then participated in a white elephant gift exchange. I ended up with my own gift! Glad I bought something I liked.

Today our ASG chapter had it's annual Christmas luncheon. We had nice time. I ended my 4 year term as chapter treasurer. I wore my red with black yoke and sleeves Simplicity dress.

It was snowing today, started during the ASG luncheon. We ended up with about an inch or two.

This evening I worked on the Vogue skirt. I need to hem it. Lately it is taking me forever to complete sewing projects. Just can't seem to get time to devote to sewing. Hopefully I can work on anew top to go with the skirt next.

August Sewing Simplicity 7295

 I am not doing well as a blogger. I have been working on this project since July 30. Today, I finally finished it. It has been a stop-and-g...