Simplicity 1783 Rainy day skirt

It's a cute little skirt, the hemline vent is on the front instead of the back, and it has the contoured waist.  The waist opening is a little tight, if you are going to make this I would lengthen the zipper opening at least another  inch (which would include lengthening the inside zipper facings).  It is so tight, I couldn't get it on my dressform, and had to photograph it on a much smaller size.  I have no trouble getting into it but it could be more comfortable.  The adjustment made in the previous post on the waistband was very successful.  The pockets on the original pattern are a bit of a mystery to me.  They are patch pockets that are sewn only on three sides.  I can't imaging anything staying in there if the opened side isn't stitched up from the bottom, so I elected to go with a pocket I really like from a YSL pattern (and I already had the template for them so that was a no brainer).

With the contour waist, the pattern calls for the skirt waist area to be stay stitched, which is necessary.  Here's what the pieces look like matched at the side seam and notches.

You might even think that you've cut the wrong size, when in reality you have not.  What's required here is clipping the skirt seam allowance to the stitch line (but not through the stitches).  It will then lie flat against one another.

Other than that, the skirt is a little short at around 18", if I were to make it again, I would lengthen it another 4", and maybe add some width at the hem for walking ease.   I thought that cutting a larger size in this pattern might be needed, so I measured a skirt that I wear all the time, and the width is exactly the same.  You might do the same to be on the safe side.   It reminds me of a tennis skirt as is, but this is for knocking around the neighborhood.  It's made out of the same fabric used for the trench made last year, it's a nylon blend faille, so this may end up being my rainy day skirt, which is appropriate as Isaac is just south of us today.

The Contoured Waistband Simplicity 1783

I knock around in Banana Republic skirts and shorts most days.  I really need some more casual skirts so when this Cynthia Rowley pattern popped up I jumped at it.

You almost don't see the skirt option on the pattern envelope.

Then realized it has the contoured waist.

I decided to create a muslin, crazy right?  It's such a simple skirt why would you do that?

Primarily because every contour waistband I've ever made with one exception has given me a peak at the side seam.

So I marked the muslin with the stitching line and popped the skirt on the form.

Here's the skirt section only without the waistband.

Front

Back

Looks fabulous so far.... so here comes the waist band

The dark navy is the original pattern, and the red is the new waistband seamline.

Here we are finished marking, and below the changes that need to be made before I cut the garment.

More tomorrow....

Vogue 1317 I present the Chado Ralph Rucci City dress

For all of my belly aching yesterday, I am very happy with this dress.  It is a very flattering style, it's comfortable and the print gives it a bit of an edge, although it does hide all of the top stitching.  I ended up using 3 bobbins worth of thread on it.  So aside from the instructions yesterday, and a few other changes to the assembly order, and assorted tweaks, it went together fairly quickly over 4 days.  The zipper is not inserted yet, I need to find an invisible zipper foot for a high shank machine, but I wanted to share with you, since BMV is having a sale today through Friday August 24th.

Here's the pattern envelope and the line drawing to jog your memory.

Vogue 1317 If you ever needed proof Vogue doesn't check their pattern instructions

Here's a version of this dress that's never been seen on the runway, you might call it an exclusive design, or a wadder.  Now this isn't really how it would look if you followed the instructions to the letter, it's actually worse than this, so read on if you are planning on making this pattern.

.  If you are making Vogue 1317, be advised that there is an error in the instructions.  I was making progress on this dress this weekend, taking my time, cutting out on Friday, marking on Saturday and assembling on Sunday.  Here it is Monday Step 30



I'll play along... ok why aren't my pieces meeting?

They match in the diagram, but not on my garment, let's check the pattern pieces.  When I match small circles it's about 1/4" shorter, the edges do not meet as detailed in the instruction diagram.

Eventually that seam allowance will be caught in the fold of the topstitching at the pocket opening, but why give yourself such a small amount of fabric to catch?  Do yourselves a favor and add that 1/4" to the pattern piece before you cut the lining out.

The instruction to place right sides together will give you this.  

Hmmm that doesn't look right... and if you follow the instruction to turn right side out, the center piece will end up to the right, exposing the pocket lining beneath.

STOP AT STEP 30
Do yourselves a favor and with piece 9 (the center piece), before joining the piece, reinforce the two large circles which mark the pocket openings, clip to the stitching line.  Place the piece 9 on the u shaped piece 8, and join the pocket lining to piece 9 sewing between the large circles (RIGHT SIDES UP, as the diagram above, not as step 30).  Fold the seam allowance under and top stitch, it will look like the right side of the diagram above.   Then proceed to "EDGESTITCH AND TOP-STITCH".  This is a lapped construction which is unusual but totally acceptable if explained properly.

I would have shown you on my garment but as you see it would not be much help.


You'll see the finished project later in the week.

Funky print wardrobe ideas and new project

I've been playing again with virtual wardrobes.  I am seriously in love with this double knit shawl collar jacket, I'm going to have to try and make it sometime this year.  This wardrobe is definitely on the funky side especially for those of us who don't have a lot of prints in the closet, but it's fun.

Next project...

In this fabric... so not tropical.

Dharma Trading take 2 - Yucca

Yet another attempt at dyeing fabric at home, this one started off as 4 yards of a slightly heathered weave of thin creme colored rayon jersey.  In person it was more like a dirty beige (the pitfalls of online fabric purchases), so an opportunity to dirty up the washing machine again.

I told you it wasn't exciting.

We are using Dharma Trading Fiber Reactive Procion dye in Yucca.

First pre washing fabric.

Mix your slurry, can you say "Paranorman?"  On the right, the dye in powder form, on the left mixed with water.

Add your salt and soda ash

Drop your fabric in and agitate 30 minutes for light color, 1 hour for dark.

It's only been 5 minutes (I'm so impatient)

I am secretly hoping for streaky fabric...I just noticed my hands are green.... tic toc tic toc ding!!

The hour is up, another cycle to wash the fabric, and outside to dry.

The finished dry product!!!

Vogue 1181 modeled

Wearing 4" heels, it is still too long, but that can be remedied.  If this were in an opaque fabric, it will make it look wider still.  You really need something with transparency, fluidity, or super saturated color with sheen to show off the drape.

This highlights the seaming, which is really interesting.  You can see how the front piece seams circle around to the back.

I'm a little disappointed that the top piece couldn't be cut as intended, the piecing seams create drag lines that wouldn't be there if it were a continuous piece, but the pattern is a commitment in yardage and this was a test.

Vogue 1181 Surprise!! Chado Ralph Rucci Caftan

This was one of these patterns that gave me some trouble, not the way you are thinking.  First I ordered some fabric, since you really need at least 58", 60" would be better.  When the polyester charmeuse arrived, it had spandex in it and I didn't like the way the cones formed on the drape.  The fabric was a bit bouncy, for lack of a better term, the cones were wide instead of narrow and with as much fabric as this caftan has, the selected fabric needs to have drape.

I found some polyester georgette in the stash, not enough to cut the pattern pieces exactly as designed.  The caftan pattern is 3 pieces (upper, middle, lower) with 3 facings (front neckline, back neckline and sleeve opening.  The biggest challenge is the middle piece that needs the full width of the fabric, the top and bottom piece can be cut on a 45" width.  I ended up piecing the top portion, and finished it with a french seam instead of the flat felled seam.  On joining the three large body sections, I sewed them together with a 1/2" seam and overcast, and topstitched.

I liked this pattern, despite the huge pattern pieces and long runs of seaming.  I wonder though if it wouldn't be more practical shorter around knee length as a beach cover up or short caftan robe.  I also think that if it were open down the center front the pattern would have been more popular.  It is very long as I had suspected, at 5'6" I can shave off 4" from the hem and still be at floor length.

So technical notes:
-You need a fabric with drape if you want it to look like the pattern envelope
- The sleeves are a bit short on me, I could have used another 2"
- Measure the sleeve openings if you want to wear it pushed up the arm, they are perfect for me, but if I were just a little heavier, they would be snug.
- Mark every notch and be patient with yourself when joining the top, middle and bottom pieces
- Cut the pattern pieces carefully, the pieces are off grain very large, use plenty of pins and make sure the fabric is squared.
- Crepe de chine, georgette, silk charmeuse are all good options.
- Choose a solid color to show off seaming
- The sleeve facing is a little cumbersome, it might be easier to join the facing in the flat to the edge of the wrist opening.
- Looks better on.

Top piece with piecing seams (If made as intended you would have the center back seam and shoulder darts only)



Top piece with neckline facing

Tacked center front

Vogue 1282 Crouching Model Hidden Cowl

What do you do with Slinky?  There was a yard of this gorgeous saturated deep red slinky fabric in my stash and it was crying out to be freed!!

It is Vogue 1282 as seen below.

The pattern piece is meant for knits (it is one big pattern piece) and the orientation of the piece is on the bias.  It really didn't make that much difference with the slinky, and I'd be willing to say that it shouldn't make a lot of difference with any other knit. The top above was cut on the cross grain, and lengthened 6" to use the full yard.

I also didn't sew up the cowl down the center front as the pattern calls for, I may go back and do that, so that I can wear it without a cami or tank top underneath.  Other reviewers have also mentioned that the cowl itself it too low and they have closed it up more than the pattern called for.  This pattern is a bit like the Vogue 1250 in that it is easy to sew, a nice quick project perfect for jump starting the sewing mojo.  The only other thing you need to be very careful with are the armhole openings, which could easily be shortened 3" on the slinky version.

Versatile career wardrobe... only $6,095.00

Even if you had $6,000 to spend on 6 pieces, you may not find coordinating colors, how crazy is that?

Aren't you glad you sew?

These are some options for pattern equivalents.

The jacket may not have the signature McQueen rounded shoulders, but it's a good option for a jacket pattern. For the peplum tops Vogue 8815, comes with a long sleeve variation and the pattern is meant for wovens but could be altered for knits (the black version above is a jersey, and the white is a woven cotton).  The Claire Shaeffer pant is a ringer for the tailored pant above (although there are plenty of basic pant patterns that fit the bill), and the pencil skirt is probably already in your pattern stash somewhere.  The dress which is a fine knit is probably in Burda somewhere but I don't get the magazine, so if anyone has seen it, let me know.

Texture blocking dresses

How do we feel about the texture blocking trend this season?  It's a good use of little pieces of expensive fabrics left over from larger projects.  Is the economy inspiring these styles?  After all yields are high on smaller pieces, or are these designers just pushing the envelope?