Style Arc as promised

I took these photos early this AM.  I had not finished applying my makeup and decided that you did not need to see that so cropped that out for this photo.

In looking at these photos, I don't think this fabric was the most flattering for making this top. 20/20 hindsight is most helpful after the fact.  I think using a solid color fabric or coloring blocking is  better for this top, that is what is depicted on the pattern sheet.  The fullness of the top along with the lines of the fabric are not pleasing to me.

I decided that I should share the good, the bad and the ugly.  I am going to use this as my learning moment to better review and audition the fabric more before cutting and sewing.

From Style Arc to New Look

Gosh time flies, I thought I had posted something earlier this week; obviously not.  Even if I had I would not have been able to say that the Style Arc top was complete.  I finished it up today and I am not overly excited about it.  It's okay but nothing great.  Photos to follow.

Likes: the fabric, the style (though may not be best style for me), easy to understand instructions
Dislikes: the size-runs large, dropped shoulders were too dropped for me and required two adjustments for proper fit; neckline very low and I raised it an inch and 1/2- still low; neckband to fiddly to work with and cut on straight of grain, does not work well that way.  Decided to use bias binding, stitch and turn, then top stitch.

I will probably wear it around the house, perhaps not out in public as much as I thought.  Will have to see.

Moving on to New Look 6150.  This has been in my sewing line up for some time now.  I have two knit fabrics from EOS that I am considering using to make this top. One has been in the stash for over 6 months and the other for about 3 months.  From the reviews I read on Pattern Review, I think this will be a nice pattern to sew.

I also have several dress patterns I want to work on.  I need some time off again just to sew!

Updates later.

Style Arc pattern in the works

My current project was to be a quick one.   I am making this Style Arc pattern.  I purchased several patterns late last year or early this year.  I think this was the freebie for buying three patterns.  My first patterns I purchased were size 14.  They were a little big in the shoulder area and so decided to try a 12.  I made a very small FBA with this pattern simply by adding 1/2 inch at the front bust area.

The fabric I am using is from Waechter's in Asheville, NC.  I acquired it along with several other fabrics while being there on business about two years ago.  This is a rayon fabric in blues and cream.

It looks like finger painting.  For the yoke on this pattern I cut the fabric on the cross grain to give it a horizontal stripe look.  The bottom pieces were cut on the lengthwise grain and thus stripes are running down.  Even with some fitting adjustments for the drop shoulders with this pattern prior to cutting out the fabric, the shoulder drop was still rather long.  I ended up cutting off 3/8 inches at the shoulder/arm area and adjusted the sleeve pattern as well.

This project is almost complete.  I have had a very productive 4 day holiday.  

V8669

I am participating in "Starting at the Top" sew along.  I completed my third version of this top yesterday.  It was a sewing vacation day.  I was bound and determined to complete it before the noon hour and I did!  It is easy to do that when you sew something you have sewn previously.

This time I changed the 3/4 sleeves to shorten sleeves. I even decided not to hem the sleeves as I see unfinished edges on numerous tops in RTW.  I did hem the top though using my coverstitch machine.

I love the drape of this neckline.  My next version I may change the gathers at the shoulders to pleats and see how that looks.  Fabric is from Fabric.com.  It was not a fiddly knit to sew or work with; that is always a good thing.

Here I am wearing the top tucked in:

I am wearing it untucked here.  I cut out quite a bit of fullness that I had in the other two tops.  I removed 1inch from waist to hip on the back piece and 1.5 inches on the front from waist to hip.  I like it much better this way.

I am wearing my new Vince Camuto black patent open toe heels I purchased from Nordstroms a few weeks ago.















While posing for these photos I also took photos of the completed Emma top also.  Now that this is complete and I have worked through the neckline gathers, I will make another top soon.

Emma Top complete

The StyleArc Emma top is complete.  It was somewhat challenging for a simple enough top.  There are a lot of gathers at the neckline.  Attaching the collar proved to be more difficult than perhaps it should. The collar piece had notches that were to match up on the bodice pieces.  There were no markings on the bodice pieces for the collar to match up to.

I had to just gather the neckline and arrange it until all would fit to the collar.  I then rearrange after basting the collar twice to get the gathers arranged more attractively when I tried it on.  The instructions have you to attach the collar in two steps.  Next time, it will be attached in one as I did the cuffs.

Attaching the cuff to the sleeve gathers went together without much of a hitch.  With the cuff piece, I stitched the short ends together folded in half, serged the edges together and the attached as one piece to the sleeve.  I then pressed and stitched in the ditch to secure the cuff/sleeve edges to lie flat on the wrong side.

My idea is to wear this blouse with a pencil style skirt.  The fabric is very lightweight and should be cool to wear during warmer months.

One thing I did with the collar which is really a mistake was I shortened the length of it by one inch.  I found I need that one inch for the collar to completely cover the neckline area.  It does not look bad but it is intended to fold over that far.  I will change that for the next one.  I already have the fabric picked out for this one as well.

My next project is Vogue 8669, a draped neck top which I recently made.  I am going to use this material that I purchased from Fabric.com.  I am on vacation today so I get to do some more sewing.
I am participating in the "Starting at the Top" sew along sponsored by blogger Faye Lewis.  When you get a moment go visit the site to see what others are sewing.

Easy gathers

I wish I could say this method was my original idea.  It is not;  I read it about it on several different blogs and seen it in several sewing related books and magazine articles.  It is I think worth repeating and showing because someone may read this and not have tried/heard of it.

After I serged finished all edges of the fabric and began the sewing process for the Emma top, I pulled out some lightweight, gimp thread I have had forever.  I used this mostly to give buttonholes some body when necessary.  This is perfect thread for use on a lightweight fabric like the one  am using for this top.

First you lay the gimp within the seam allowance under the presser foot.

You then select a zigzag stitch.  On my machine, I select a center zigzag stitch and I increase the stitch width to 3.5 and length is on 4.  This worked well because the seam allowance for this pattern is 3/8 inch.  You then stitch over the gimp the length of the area you are going to gather.  Leave a tail of the gimp at the beginning and the end of the stitching.  This tail is what you pull to gather the fabric.

Pull the tail holding the fabric in your other hand and you then can distribute the gathers as you go.  I then pull the tail from the other end so the gathers are between the two ends.

 You can see how the gathers are starting in this photo:

I have a gathering foot for my sewing machine and an actual stitch used to sew gathers, but I never get the right gathers nor control of how the gathers will look.  This is rather easy peasy to do and I like the results.
I used this method on a heavy wool skirt and I used a piece of knitting yarn to do what the gimp does for lightweight fabric.  After all pieces are attached as the pattern calls for, you can then remove the gimp.  For this top, I cut off the tails and left the gimp as it gave the gathers a little more body.

Emma top update

Crazy week so did not post much.  Yesterday was my Friday, and today is the start of a holiday weekend.

I am making progress on the Emma Top and I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised.  This top has a lot of gathers-front and back neckline and even the sleeves at the neckline.  I took some photos of how I am handling the gathering of the fabric and will post those later.

I am off to get a mani/pedi.  More later.

More progress

All the seams have been serge finished and the sleeves are attached to the front piece.  I am liking the feel of this fabric.  I think it will be very cool wearing during warmer temperatures.

I culled through more patterns to see what other tops I wanted to complete. I am definitely going to make more of the Butterick top with the draped neckline. I washed some of my knit fabrics that I recently purchased to have them ready for some additional tops.

Updates later.

Emma Top

First I am just not happy with the completed Butterick dress.  It just does not feel comfortable to me. I knew when making it that it was described as close fitting and that's the rub.  I am just not the skinny girl I use to be and there are some parts of the dress that is just to clingy for me to feel comfortable with.  I can say I learned some new things about sewing this dress and I also listened to my inner voice about how to sew the pieces together so that it looks for more professional than the loving hands at home look.

I was not going to post this and decided why not show the good, bad and the ugly.  So here it is. 
I plan on donating it to Goodwill as I know someone will be able to wear it or upfasion it if necessary.

I signed onto "starting at the top" that Faye L has set up for the next few weeks; my time in the sewing room yesterday and thus far today is focusing on the Style Arc Emma Top.
I liked this top the first time I saw it on the site and seeing some examples of the top made by others. I recently watched an Oprah show where she interviews Lady Gaga and her mom.  Oprah was wearing similar top though her's was a long sleeve knit  with pleats more so than gathers that you see with this pattern.

I began the pattern fitting process yesterday and have completed many adjustments.  I will be using this fabric.  It was purchased from Fashionista Fabrics earlier this year.  More later.

Side zippers and pleats

Butterick 5672 has a new set of challenges.  Installing a side zipper over several pleats is proving to be somewhat difficult.  I am thinking I may move the zipper to the other side.  I am having a heck of a time trying to line up the waist line at front and back.  I have removed the zipper twice, tried to redo the pleats and find myself getting more and more frustrated.

Decided to take a break from this.  Putting the zipper in on the other side is look more and more like a better option.  Once this step is complete, then I only need to attach the lining, insert sleeves and hem.

Faye asked if I will show my Style Arc patterns.  Yes, I will.  They are all tops, though one can be a dress or top as well.

Courtesy of www.stylearcpatterns.com .  This was a freebie for this month.

Unusual top and thought it would be versatile for vacation. Again for StyleArc Patterns.

Wanted to try this pattern for cowl neck top/dress.  Similar to Vogue 1250

More of a top to wear for work than casual.

UPS and USPS delivers

I received my Style Arc patterns earlier this week.  I am excited to give them a try.  I just hope that I picked the right size.  Since they are not multi-sized, I went with what I thought would be the right size.  I have read several reviews of these patterns and decided that I would buy what I would buy in ready to wear.  My body is all over the place when it comes to sizing and I am petite also which makes lengthwise adjustments necessary also.

I also ordered from Sew Baby the My Image pattern magazine for spring/summer and that arrived the same day as well.  I have posted a note on my computer saying "No more patterns for three months".  I really have more than enough and really need to list some for others who may have a need/desire for some that I have that I know will never get made.

Yesterday the postman delivered the Spring 2012 Vogue Fabric swatches.  There are numerous fabrics in this one that I am truly drooling over.  I see something of those arriving to my house soon.  And I also received some fabric from EOS.  I got the final 2.33 yards of this cotton woven with Lycra and may have to change my plans on what this will become.  Originally I was thinking dress, but a skirt will work also.

Updates later.  Off to work on the green dress.