B6687 Wearing

Yesterday, late afternoon, DH and I had to pick up a few food items as well as prescriptions. After returning, I decided to take shots of me wearing the newly completed top.

In an earlier post, I mentioned having some fitting issues. After completing and taking these photos, I feel there are other adjustments I could make should I ever attempt to make this again. I am not thrilled about this top.

This is, of course, the front. I like the look of this and the look of the sleeves in this photo.

This is a semi-side view. The top is pulling at the hip area so this is part of the diagonal lines I see. I had a lot of issues Inserting the sleeves was an issue also. Perhaps there is still a need for bust adjustment.

This is a look of the sleeves from the front. I like the sleeves and was part of the reason for trying this top. 

Now for the back! I posted previously with the top on a hanger that the odd wings with the sleeves were caused by the hanger, NOT.  They are that way while wearing also. Not what I was expecting, nor do I like! I made a swayback adjustment also but still have bunching!

I am not happy with the outcome at all.  I am also tired of the project.  At least I finally sewed this fabric and this gives me a total of close to 5 yards out of the stash.  

Next up, at this time and subject to change, is McCall's 7975. I just have not found the right fabric in my stash and still looking.

We are staying in place as much as possible and still well!

B6687 Finally completed

This project is finally completed!!

This has been a stop and go sew for this top. I had several fitting adjustments to make this fit better. I lost my sewjo along the way and my concern over the COVID 19 situation became overly consuming.

I finally started saying the Serenity Prayer over and over--
    God help me to accept the things I cannot change
    The courage to change the things I can
     And the wisdom to know the difference.

So I know the things I need to do to try to be virus-free and sewing helps me de-stress so got in the sewing room this morning and finished this top!

I took some shots of the top hanging.  It still needs some pressing.  I will wear it later for better photos and a review.

Front view

Front view of a sleeve

Back view-sleeves look wonky because of the clothes hanger used

Back view of a sleeve

Thanks for stopping by and I hope all of you are doing well. More details soon.

Update on B6687 project

I wanted to update you for the B6687 project.  I have been working on the project off and on. I had fitting issues with this top. I was going back and forth to fix the fit. The pattern runs large and I had to make adjustments to the shoulder width and to make an FBA of 1 1/2 inches. I also had problems aligning both darts on the front piece. Most of this issue was the slippery fabric and poor marking on my part.

When I sew darts, I normally baste them when sewing a new pattern. After basting darts and sides/shoulders I had to make several adjustments. I ended up sewing a 3/4 inch shoulder seam, even after I had made a 3/8 inch horizontal tuck in the upper front and back pieces.

As noted above, the markings were off and fixed that issue. I also sewed a 3/4 inch seam on the back piece from waist up. With making these changes I have now moved on to attaching the bias tape to neckline and working on the two-piece sleeves.

The sleeves are the ones the model is wearing on the pattern envelope. I have hemmed the edges and preparing to attach the upper sleeve to under sleeve.

On a personal level, I continue to have an issue with a finger tendon that cortisone shots only work for about three months.  I will go for an outpatient procedure sometime in April and not sure the impact of that when it comes to sewing.  Yesterday I had my second cataract surgery and follow up visit today so I am back on the computer once again.  I could not read on my iPad or be on the computer yesterday which created true boredom.  I am glad to say the eye is working great today and my hand is with less pain and not enough to keep me from doing things I love to do. 

The project I hope will be completed this weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Up next

Moving on to my next projects.

I purchased this pattern, Butterick 6687 in 2019. I was drawn to the top the model is wearing and also like two other versions. The fabric I am using has been in my stash since 2016.

I purchased this when Fabric Mart had precut fabrics plus a pattern to go with it as a bundle.  I never made the dress pattern that came with it even though I had good intentions.  It was a McCall's pattern which I no longer have. This is 100% polyester so when it gets to be really hot, I doubt I will wear much especially with long sleeves.  I decided also that the next project would be a woven fabric and this was already in my sewing room.

I also have decided that once this is complete, I will tackle a pair of casual pants. I am going to use Simplicity 8389. I plan to sew View D, the orange pants. I am uncertain of the fabric I will use. They need to be somewhat drapey. I had thought about using the fabric above at first and knew that I would not be comfortable wearing pants with this type of print.

As you know I am not a pant sewing sewist.  I have made a few good attempts with more fitted styles.  My last pair was okay but I had made so many adjustments and failed to keep track of all them that I really could not replicate the changes with the pattern.  I decided if this does not work out then I will have a great pair of pj's.

More later!

Let me count the adjustments!

I finally finished the New Look 6314 top! I wore it yesterday. I liked the way the fabric felt and was comfortable to wear.  If you read my previous post(s) about this pattern then you know I made many fitting adjustments after making my test of this pattern.

So let's get started:

1. 5/8 inches for a high round back adjustment 
2. Swayback adjustment of 5/8 inches
3. Forward shoulder adjustment of 5/8 inches
4. Full bust adjustment of 1.5 inches
5. Added 7/8 inches to front and back neckline. It was too wide for my comfort and aging neckline
6. Shortened the shoulder at sleeve line by 5/8 inches 
7. Took 3/8 inch tuck through the upper chest and back, to reduce length between underarms.
8. Lowered dart by 7/8

All of this was made after pattern fitting and before cutting out the fabric. I thought about eliminating the resulting dart when making the FBA; I didn't until after sewing the dart.

The bust dart ended up being too low after sewing shoulder seams and basting the dart and side seams. I started to adjust the dart after kicking myself for not eliminating it in the first place. I decided not to do this and basted side seams again with easing the front side seams to the back.  This worked pretty well. You can see from this picture the fold that I ended up with but was okay with it at this point.

After this, I attached the sleeves but ended up taking a 7/8 inch seam as the sleeves are pretty full.

I attached the sleeve bands and the neckband next. I tried on the top and thought I would add the hem band.  After cutting out the band, I realized I had not adjusted that piece to account for the extra width created by the FBA. Instead of recutting another band, I decided to leave it off. I sewed a 5/8  inch hem and left off inserting a drawstring.

I realized when I made the test garment that I added a note to increase the length by one inch as I was not going to add the hem band. But I failed to add that length, finding that note to late.  It is a little short and somewhat boxy which I am okay with.

The neckband is still looser than I normally wear but I decided this was to be a slouchy, casual top. Here are a side view and a view of the back.

I am so glad to have finally finished this and I am okay with the outcome.  I still have a little of the knit leftover that I can use for another project.  I may make this again, but not anytime soon. I will eliminate that dart but I am darn tired of making more adjustments!

I am debating on my next project.  I have decided to make a list of some have to sew patterns and move forward with that.

New Look 6314 and new sewing tools

I am working on sewing New Look 6314.

This was a project that turned into a wadder. Due mostly to the knit fabric that was just not right for this pattern.  I ordered a distressed knit to use for this project. 

The fabric has been washed and is ready when I can get all the fitting adjustments to the pattern completed.  With the first project, I made forward shoulder adjustments as well as a narrow shoulder adjustment to front and back.  I did not make an FBA for the first project and after trying on the pattern again, I decided I did need 1 1/2 inch adjustment.  Also, I made a 5/8 swayback adjustment.

After making the FBA I realized that the bust dart had to be lowered by an inch. After trying the pattern on with these adjustments I decided that I need to adjust the neckline; currently, it is too wide and low.

Here's the pattern as adjusted without neckline adjustment.

Yesterday was my birthday-69 years young!!!  I decided to buy myself a gift and purchased from Stylemaker two notions with my birthday discount.  

One tool is a self-measuring tape that has a locking mechanism in order to get a better measurement.

The other is a combination of tracing and marking tools.

One of my goals for 2020 is to be a better blogger so wanted to get this post in and now I am going to work on the neckline adjustment.  More later and thanks for stopping by.

First Project Completed 2020

I just completed my first project for 2020, another Cape Cod Caplet.  My last project for 2019 was the same pattern.  This is a first for me in making the same pattern twice in a row.  I have sewn patterns two or three times just not back to back.

I love the color of this Hacci Sweater Knit from Fabric.com.  I had to get the pictures taken so I went with the Saturday relaxed look. I cropped off my head in a couple of projects as with my light hair and complexion I felt I looked bald!  I knew tomorrow I would not have the time to take photos and wanted to get this documented. So here's the second version.

Front view

Another front view. Sleeve hem turned up not what I was going for!

Back view!

Side view

Inside the sleeve

I used my serger for sewing this as I did with the last one.  The only time you have to use the sewing machine is to enclose the sleeve area to make it a caplet.  I used my cover stitch machine to hem it and again I applied bias fusible tape to help give it a little more stability.  

I had a mix of green/gold/yellow serger threads, but not enough of the green to use just green to serge and coverstitch.  The only thing that I did not like after completing this project was that the yellow/gold serger thread in the bottom looper of the coverstitch is a little obvious and will show.  I wish I had used black thread as there is a mix of black throughout the fabric.

I also added an inch to the collar to give it a better drape.  Other than that it is straight from the printed pattern.  

An easy peasy capelet to sew. 

(Note: I am an affiliate for Itch to Stitch and if you click on the link on the left sidebar and use it to purchase a pattern I will receive some compensation. The opinions about the pattern are my own.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Last Fabric Purchase 2019

First Happy New Year!!!!
I will not be posting a 2019 garments.  I just did not sew that much!! I plan to sew much more in 2020 and have some plans to actually put in writing to keep me focussed.

This was my last two fabric purchases for 2019

The top fabric is a variegated olive green sweater knit from Fabric.com.  It feels like a medium weight sweater knit.  I plan to use this one as my next Cape Cod Capelet.  Our weather has fluctuated from cool to cold weekly.  Today was one of those days that the capelet would work well.  Tomorrow I need a heavier coat.

The bottom fabric is a distressed knit, a fabric I had been searching for for a long time. This was my very last purchase and it came from Miley Fabrics.  This will become the short sweatshirt from the New Look pattern I previously posted about.

I am getting ready to put them in the washer to prepare for cutting and sewing. I made only 7 fabric purchases this year, a record low for me.  Trust me I still have more fabric in the stash.

Updates later.

Last project for 2019

I completed the Itch to Stitch Cape Cod Capelet and had some time yesterday to take a few pics.

I really like this pattern. The most time spent was printing, taping and tracing the pattern, and hemming it. I used small at neckline, medium from bust to waist and large from the waist to bottom.  In the end, the medium was used from waist to bottom.

My dislike is not the pattern but the knit fabric used. I intentionally used this knit as this was a test run. I think this is a bamboo knit as I cannot find details about this knit in my sewing related documents. I do remember washing it twice and then put aside.

It is a fiddly knit and the dye kept coming off on my hands the more I sewed. It worked okay for this test run and perhaps I may wear it around the house when temperatures are in the 30's and 40's.

Here are the pics I took.  Not the best poses but was in a hurry to document this. I have already selected my next fabric to sew this.  I had every intention of sewing that this weekend but a family emergency has come up and I will have to put sewing aside for now.

I have a lot of Itch to Stitch patterns and have yet to sew many of them. But one of my goals for 2020 is to sew two or three of those not yet tried.

I hope your Christmas or other holidays that you may celebrate were good ones.  Ours was quiet and enjoyable. 

More updates later.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sewing Update

I am just about finished with the Cape Cod Capelet. I need to attach the collar, hem and sew. I thought I would have this done before now.  This week has been several doctor appointments for my DH and I sat in on them both.

Today we are venturing out to do some shopping-the traffic has been horrible this week and due in part to so many people shopping and kids getting out of school. I am determined to finish this capelet tomorrow.

I read reviews on PR yesterday and a new to me fabric store was mentioned. So my inquiry mind had to go check it out. It is Mily Mae Fabrics; some of you may already know about this store.

I think I mentioned in my previous post about wanting to find distressed knit that was not white.  Well, they have several colors of distressed knit. I ordered Menthol and got a notice that it was shipped, probably will not get it until after Christmas and that is okay with me. My plan is to sew the
New Look pattern short version sweatshirt.



My sewjo is returning still at level 4 at this time and I am planning to keep it going!

I want to make this McCall's top pattern. I have a burnt orange fabric (top of the pile) from Girl Charlie purchased a few years ago that I plan to use. I have read several reviews of this pattern so I have a good idea of what to look out for.

That's all for now DH is waiting for me to go!

I'm back!

Obviously, I have been missing in action! My sewing mojo has been sporadic and pretty much non-existent of late. I was motivated to sew some for the Class Reunion.

After returning from a great event, both DH and I came down with the crud and we still have a lingering, annoying cough still.  Earlier this week I cut out a pattern I have been wanting to sew for some time.

It is currently OOP and I purchased it on eBay. I fell in love with this pattern and particularly the red version above. I saw this on Dressmaking Debacles. I also fell in love with her distressed knit but now I can't find any.

I used a black bamboo knit that I purchased a long time ago and cannot find the details of it.  Normally I take a photo with who, when purchased.  I have several yards of it.  Unfortunately, the fabric was not the best choice for this pattern and the knit does not have a good recovery after stretching.  So this is now a wadder.

I have decided to sew the Itch to Stitch Cape Cod Capelet and I am going to use up the rest of this fabric.  This will be my test garment. From the numerous reviews and Instagram posts I have seen, you can practically use any kind of knits. ( I am an affiliate and if you click on my affiliate link (sidebar) I will receive a commission.  I have not been a great affiliate and did not check to see if I still am.)

That's it for now.  I have printed the pages and plan to put the pieces together this evening.