tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43371740062389352512024-03-05T08:07:46.095-06:00Idle FancyMary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-39937224078134898572018-12-12T11:17:00.000-06:002018-12-12T20:54:10.909-06:00Miss Lotta Bundles Up: Ottobre 05/2018 -- Autumn Warmer Cardigan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning, kittens! I'm taking a break from Kibbe ruminations today to share my latest project, the Autumn Warmer sweater from the latest issue (05/2018) of Ottobre Woman. This was the last project I cut out before tumbling into wardrobe revamp plans, but it actually aligns nicely with some of my forthcoming style changes. </div>
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Over the past few years, I've increasingly turned to sewing magazines for both inspiration and patterns. It began with Knipmode, when they expanded their sizing to a European 54 on every pattern published, and has continued with Burda, as they've improved their plus size (EU 44-52) collections. Every time I review a pattern from those magazines, however, someone always comments with how much they love Ottobre Design. The Finnish family-owned magazine mixes what I like about the other two publications--they have an English version (Knipmode doesn't) <i>and </i>they publish every pattern in every size, up to a EU 52 (Burda doesn't)--then adds a modern, practical design aesthetic on top of it. This fall, I finally gave in and purchased <a href="https://www.ottobredesign.com/subscription/?lang=en">a subscription to Ottobre Woman</a>. </div>
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Y'all, I'm so glad I made that decision! This issue has quite a few patterns that caught my eye, from the elegant pegged pants to that simple surplice dress, and one that I absolutely loved. Their cover pattern, the Autumn Warmer cardigan, rocketed up my to-sew list. The hood/shawl collar combination is such an interesting design feature, elevating the pattern from<i> just another sweater</i> to something I desperately needed in my closet. </div>
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I wasn't alone. My fellow Curvy Sewing Collective editors, <a href="http://happilycaffeinated.blogspot.com/">Michelle</a> and <a href="http://thegreenviolet.blogspot.com/">Megan</a>, also fell hard for this pattern and we all agreed to make it for a <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/same-pattern-different-bodies-ottobre-autumn-warmer-hoodie/">"Same Pattern, Different Bodies"</a> post on the CSC. Even better, right after we committed to this plan, winter arrived early in Texas. Our first freeze this year was in October and it's been cold front after cold front ever since. We actually have snow chances in our forecast, later this week! In Central Texas! This is definitely the year for all those cozy, snuggly projects that I usually put off.</div>
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I ordered a few sweater knit options from Mood, then settled on this <a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/chili-bamboo-stretch-french-terry-320920">gorgeous red bamboo French Terry </a>as my first version. Let's be honest, the moment I see a hood in my future, my thoughts drift to Little Red Riding Hood and red is a foregone conclusion. Fairytale archetypes live large in my fashion sensibilities, it seems. Now that I've made it up, I don't think this was the right fabric choice. While it's a gorgeous terry, it's also a bit too much of a classic sweatshirting for this project, bagging out with wear. A sweater knit with better recovery is an ideal choice for this draping silhouette. Not all sweater knits are created equal and terry really is better suited to something boxier, like <a href="https://grainlinestudio.com/shop/women/linden-sweatshirt-paper/">a Linden Sweatshirt.</a></div>
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I also made a mistake in choosing my size. Having never sewn with Ottobre before, I erred on the side of caution and made this up based on my full bust measurement, which puts me in a size 50. Like with Burda, however, I would've been better suited to a 48. I had to take in the shoulders considerably, the sleeves are much too baggy, and the whole thing just feels big. If I don't pay attention to how it's laying, the sweater shifts around and looks messy, because there's too much excess fabric. With this combination of fabric and the wrong size, this sweater can easily look too messy, which is a shame because with other choices it would be gorgeous. </div>
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This is actually a problem I always have with sewn sweaters. I've had legions of failed sweater projects that haven't made this blog, y'all. I never go with my instincts and size down, then am disappointed with the baggy, saggy, shapeless results. A few years back, I made a <a href="https://sewhouse7.com/products/the-toaster-sweaters">Sew House Seven Toaster Sweater</a> that almost sent me over the edge with sizing rage. Finding the perfect combination of pattern and appropriate fabric is key to a wearable sweater, but it's a balance I rarely find. This sweater is actually pretty close to ideal, when compared to those past failures. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Riding Hood or...Handmaiden? It's a close call. </td></tr>
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All that being said, this sweater is not only wearable, but beloved despite its problems. There's something about the brightness of this color and the way the hood opens up into that wide shawl collar that I adore. One of Kibbe's recommendations for Soft Dramatics is a large open neckline like this and it's easy to see why. The proportions of that collar are rocking my world and reiterating how desperately I need to sew up the <a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6604">Butterick 6604</a> coat.<br />
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Additionally, this terry is cozy AF. Throwing this sweater on over jeans and simple blouse looks dramatic and daring, but feels like I'm wearing a bathrobe out into the world. It's not nearly as warm as a merino wool version would be, but perfect for the crisp, blustery days we keep having here. </div>
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Let's quickly talk construction, shall we? For a magazine pattern, this was a joy to assemble. Ottobre's pattern sheets are less cluttered than their competitors and it was easy to find my pattern pieces and size. Twenty minutes later, thanks to the dynamic duo of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KPLL0Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004KPLL0Y&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=e144535df75b78c09ba6ab23ed510a0b">bee paper</a> and a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00292BPII/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00292BPII&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=0dce7d7ef05a2cdad8000381426a11bd">double tracing wheel</a>, I had a traced off a pattern with seam allowances. <i>(Seriously, get a double tracing wheel if you trace off patterns! It makes adding seam allowances to magazine patterns infinitely easier. That, or use my shoddy, but reliable method: tape two classic Sharpies together for a perfect 1/2" seam allowance.)</i></div>
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Like most knit patterns, this was a really quick, easy pattern to make up. I used my sewing machine (a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TXSUOEM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00TXSUOEM&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=f157637899dbdfb689f5d53335f539ca">Janome Magnolia 7330</a>) to do all the seams and hems, deploying a lightning bolt stitch on the seams and a decorative stretch stitch on the hems. The neckline and shoulders are reinforced with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XNQLBO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=idlefancy-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B002XNQLBO&linkId=71d96b769046aea6550bcf76b0fa48ae">clear elastic</a>, to keep them from stretching out, and the bottom hem is stabilized <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YZAQJQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=idlefancy-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000YZAQJQ&linkId=72803eea5e43617bc2825d318a8e6e77">with wonder tape</a>. My only complaint about the construction is that, because the hood is part of the collar itself, cleanly finishing the neckline is a challenge. There's a pivot from the shoulder line to the back collar that I needed to redo three times, before I got it right. Baste it first, then sew a stretch stitch once you're happy with how it lays. </div>
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All in all, this pattern was a moderately successful introduction into Ottobre, and one that I'll make again before the season is out. With the right fabric--ideally a drapey wool knit with springy recovery--this can be such a chic, unexpected twist on the classic hooded sweatshirt. For me, this was also a nice entree into Kibbe's recommendations for my body type. If I ever doubted my ability to pull off bold color and large details, this sweater would quiet those doubts. </div>
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Next up, I'm taking on a dress for the holidays! If you're interested in the Autumn Warmer pattern, be sure to check out <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/same-pattern-different-bodies-ottobre-autumn-warmer-hoodie/">Megan and Michelle's great versions over at the CSC blog.</a> I always find it enlightening to see different sewists try the same pattern and share their thoughts. </div>
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<b>Currently reading: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1335946470/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=idlefancy-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1335946470&linkId=1ee58990e6b283d864b87ce31cf9cf7b">The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan</a></b></div>
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<i>Note: Any Amazon links on this or other posts are affiliate links. </i></div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-38093829213182839552018-12-04T10:53:00.001-06:002018-12-04T15:59:32.505-06:00Sewing Kibbe: Planning a Soft Dramatic Winter WardrobeGood morning, my dear marmosets! Last week, I <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2018/11/sewing-kibbe-on-style-changes-style.html">posted about the Kibbe System</a> and my incipient plans to overhaul my wardrobe. Your interest in this process--and the fact that anyone still reads my sadly neglected blog--took me by surprise. I'm not alone in this rabbit hole, it seems!<br />
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Today, I thought we'd go further into the actual nuts and bolts of my plans. While Kibbe is a deeply flawed system, it's also a useful jumping off point for these changes. Shifting my lens--thinking about my body in terms of bone structure and softness, not just measurements--is altering how I think about clothing. A lot of the suggestions need to be taken with a grain of salt, whether because of impracticality or a decidedly 1980's sensibility, but others are proving pretty insightful.<br />
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According to Kibbe, <a href="https://doctortdesigns.com/2018/11/12/sew-your-kibbe-soft-dramatic/">I'm a "Soft Dramatic." </a>He goes into the concepts of Yin/Yang and starts getting florid in his descriptors, but that's all a bit saccharine for me. It just means I have a large, angular bone structure with voluptuous curves on top of it. Think Christina Hendricks, Tyra Banks, or Sophia Loren, for platonic archetypes of this category. Tall, curvy, and extravagantly formed in every way possible.<br />
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The rule of thumb for dressing such a body is that the clothes should be proportionate to that feminine drama. Delicate details look fussy or mumsy (a problem I often have!), while overly tailored pieces look too stiff or prim. Fabrics should be soft and draping, silhouettes should have strong vertical lines and large, feminine design features.<br />
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Key Points of Soft Dramatic:<br />
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<li>Long lines</li>
<li>Ornate feminine details</li>
<li>Strong shoulders </li>
<li>Draped silhouettes,</li>
<li>Open or dramatic necklines</li>
<li>Avoid: fussy details, small details, overly tailored and simple garments, small prints, the look of separates, stiff or hard fabrics, wide shapeless silhouettes </li>
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All of that sounds gorgeous, but it can also get absurd really quickly, which we need to acknowledge. According to Kibbe, following these guidelines to a tee would mean I walked around looking something like this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZWOuPBthPh1K5Khr9B8EN0d7oRxf-z2sTVwGYQSMxB3fU983RFAWv16OUSBFk85_ogF-P7KgCQb0YH11ev7ccxECT3SgHfMI0FIaTOIkn7r8dnoMtoPTz7jrI8iblwebQnaVHN2mb5w/s1600/427435_10102288464755164_2051613845_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZWOuPBthPh1K5Khr9B8EN0d7oRxf-z2sTVwGYQSMxB3fU983RFAWv16OUSBFk85_ogF-P7KgCQb0YH11ev7ccxECT3SgHfMI0FIaTOIkn7r8dnoMtoPTz7jrI8iblwebQnaVHN2mb5w/s1600/427435_10102288464755164_2051613845_n.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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While this is my favorite dress of all time (an off-the-rack Tadashi Shoji, worn for a fancy awards ceremony), such gowns are not great for running after a toddler, working at a computer, or doing anything other than standing around and looking pretty. Impracticality is a true risk of my particular Kibbe type. The trick is to balance such exalted recommendations with how a real thirty-something human lives her life. I'm intentionally adding draped designs, vertical lines, soft fabrics, and large, feminine details to my wardrobe, just...not necessarily <i>all </i>in the same garment. </div>
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Based on the needs of my drastically reduced closet, I've picked up quite a few new patterns to make over the coming months. When the weather warms up, I'll need to reassess again, but this plan gives me a chance to experiment with new silhouettes while still making pieces I need right now. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9EmRcwdFh8PrODqW2TnbAPf2aP32APPyHvIzN-lYOssWs8GVCi_Bkiw0Q8tnweEm644AFSEWEwSgWtulYlcLQKghycqSgInhIatcbT9YkXL6DIfRCzEs1h88yyro9EL0KLDmXtXboFI/s1600/7429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="514" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9EmRcwdFh8PrODqW2TnbAPf2aP32APPyHvIzN-lYOssWs8GVCi_Bkiw0Q8tnweEm644AFSEWEwSgWtulYlcLQKghycqSgInhIatcbT9YkXL6DIfRCzEs1h88yyro9EL0KLDmXtXboFI/s400/7429.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7429"><b>McCall's 7429</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Anniversary Date</b></div>
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Later this month, Sam and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary! I cannot believe it's been that long, y'all. It somehow feels like we've been married both forever <i>and </i>for no time at all. Time is a funny thing. </div>
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Since our anniversary falls so close to Christmas, we're always visiting my parents in Austin at the time. Not only does this guarantee childcare (Yay for wonderful grandparents!), but it allows us to get dressed up and have a truly fancy dinner date. This year, I'm making McCall's 7429 for the occasion. A knit knot-waisted dress that fits so many of my new requirements--slinky fabrics, draping, and a cohesive look--this pattern is<i> </i>begging<i> </i>to be made up in stretch velvet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yNh_EtMhZn94YDeCld0J-MI-ZSp29EEITWDlT1083TYvtp1QP16jB6Uh2ffczSwC3GS-npf79_CdFYznZRQXXjCop2witAPj74dyFqNFX-gQVNoWY5Y1ZB9f1ahWdiTUaZWmUOkbeRA/s1600/7801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1147" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yNh_EtMhZn94YDeCld0J-MI-ZSp29EEITWDlT1083TYvtp1QP16jB6Uh2ffczSwC3GS-npf79_CdFYznZRQXXjCop2witAPj74dyFqNFX-gQVNoWY5Y1ZB9f1ahWdiTUaZWmUOkbeRA/s400/7801.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7801"><b>McCall's 7801</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Holiday Parties</b></div>
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In addition to our anniversary, there are also a whole slew of holiday events happening this month. My initial plan was to make McCall's 7801 before any of them began, but I encountered some bumps with the bodice of this pattern. Even though it has cup sized pieces, this pattern wasn't drafted for the bustier among us, when it comes to neckline proportions. To fix it, I'm going to sew View C, but substitute a Burda woven wrap bodice that I already know works well. The ruffles may be a smidge undersized for Kibbe's recommendations, but I think the draped skirt and those feminine details still win out. </div>
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<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7534"><b>McCall's 7534</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Day Dress</b></div>
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For everyday wear, I'm planning a few long-sleeved versions of McCall's 7534, a mock wrap dress with a shawl collar and extended shoulders. This hits Kibbe's recommendations on almost every level--strong shoulders, softly draping fabrics, long vertical lines--while still being practical for my normal day-to-day life. I have a couple of pretty rayon crepes in my stash that are going to be killer with this pattern! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8v0ioOFj8HK29LpwBkTkGV10qZl3tMKuWm8PaKLCxn4eI64UYtIryrId1yUAzaWde18LJ0snAtcO8jy35D5534x66QhIC0quAx4AfOo_v2krthfgP1mHbhnRst-7_8UTQJLBrKoC44Y/s1600/6391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8v0ioOFj8HK29LpwBkTkGV10qZl3tMKuWm8PaKLCxn4eI64UYtIryrId1yUAzaWde18LJ0snAtcO8jy35D5534x66QhIC0quAx4AfOo_v2krthfgP1mHbhnRst-7_8UTQJLBrKoC44Y/s400/6391.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.simplicity.com/simplicity-storefront-catalog/patterns/women/tops--vests/burda-style-b6391-womens-tops/"><b>Burda 6391</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Casual Top</b></div>
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And now for something completely different. Burda 6391, a artfully ruched knit top, is one of those patterns that I never would've made a few years ago, but I absolutely love now. That draping knit bodice! Those gorgeous swishy sleeves! Everything about View B screams Soft Dramatic, but also gives me low key Stevie Nicks vibes, so...you know it's at the top of my list. </div>
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<a href="https://www.cashmerette.com/products/dartmouth-top-pdf-pattern"><b>Cashmerette Dartmouth Top</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Casual Top</b></div>
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There aren't many indie patterns that fit the Soft Dramatic recommendations. Many seem to be designed for people who look great in boxy, simple shapes or more casual, laid-back silhouettes. As we've discussed, I've never done casual terribly well. One lovely exception to this indie drought is the Cashmerette Dartmouth Top, a surplice wrap top that has a gorgeous deep v-neck and ruched side seams. Made up in a cozy sweater knit, this is exactly the sort of top I want these days. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe49ugDrYYshKmUuQlFbJ7bmuUrit-W1JPCnEAxIkbI9sgHAWN8C3wPaUzqvBs_cVOPENGDvbppJV__ny6dZatH02tbb4bmL4OmloIKg9VJ106GnOH1m_ruBwjqSmCVQPt2I_lAjKrHY/s1600/770x967_BS_2018_09_125_Auswahl_2_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="475" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe49ugDrYYshKmUuQlFbJ7bmuUrit-W1JPCnEAxIkbI9sgHAWN8C3wPaUzqvBs_cVOPENGDvbppJV__ny6dZatH02tbb4bmL4OmloIKg9VJ106GnOH1m_ruBwjqSmCVQPt2I_lAjKrHY/s400/770x967_BS_2018_09_125_Auswahl_2_large.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/off-the-shoulder-sweater-plus-size-092018"><b>Burda Off the Shoulder Sweater</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Casual Sweater</b></div>
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Spoiler alert: I've already made this Burda sweater. With the giant cowl neck and ability to become an off-the-shoulder neckline, this fits all of Kibbe's recommendations and channels my love of somewhat ridiculous sweater silhouettes. I love an oversized cowl. Making this was a no-brainer, but making it a cream colored wool knit was perhaps a bit dim. I spilled spaghetti sauce on it, first thing, and needed to have it cleaned, before taking photos. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtDwAx5ChBCNdh3ehkhxvIb0spIYD-rYlBMlm3CrgGa5O7cUTTBa2pLJLFBOcAzfRf9kRyhp6SnzFcCECn1xjtHodKkSS9OVRsltS0E_XNsKtk765nqC_P6PZYQyHWOE_sDEOG5lE-hQ/s1600/NINA-CARDI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="709" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtDwAx5ChBCNdh3ehkhxvIb0spIYD-rYlBMlm3CrgGa5O7cUTTBa2pLJLFBOcAzfRf9kRyhp6SnzFcCECn1xjtHodKkSS9OVRsltS0E_XNsKtk765nqC_P6PZYQyHWOE_sDEOG5lE-hQ/s400/NINA-CARDI.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.stylearc.com/shop/sewing-patterns/nina-cardigan/">Style Arc Nina Cardigan</a></b></div>
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<b>Purpose: Casual Sweater</b></div>
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I actually <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2016/01/miss-georgina-changes-direction-style.html">made the Nina Cardigan years ago </a>and it's one of the most worn items in my closet. The graceful, but dramatic, waterfall has always suited me and I'd really like a few more of these in other colors. Thrown over skinny jeans and a camisole, it's an elevated look for running errands or dropping Louisa off at nursery school. The waist cinching of the Nina separates it from other waterfall cardigan patterns, giving it just enough extra shaping to avoid looking boxy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-l3NJCtObRhCX3CBVicMsRcV_tZKp4zgEhUXyRZAxVIF1Dusxkjejb9V0qeVTSQFpC2K-EoiBFeybO9GMWfoEOmjtDWVpV1jMzBChfcryq9UoFIvY58wvmh_VKQtVeqGS7y0E8LSQCTo/s1600/6604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-l3NJCtObRhCX3CBVicMsRcV_tZKp4zgEhUXyRZAxVIF1Dusxkjejb9V0qeVTSQFpC2K-EoiBFeybO9GMWfoEOmjtDWVpV1jMzBChfcryq9UoFIvY58wvmh_VKQtVeqGS7y0E8LSQCTo/s400/6604.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6604"><b>Butterick 6604</b></a></div>
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<b>Purpose: Everyday Coat </b></div>
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Finally, the grandest of my plans! I always want to make a winter coat, but look up to discover it's mid-February and I still haven't decided on a pattern yet. Not this year. Come January 2nd, with the holiday hubbub behind us, I'm cutting into Butterick 6604. View C, with its large collar and flared sleeves, is exactly what I want in a coat, while also having easy-to-fit princess seams. I've got all my supplies prepped and can't wait to start this "someday" project. </div>
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What do you think of my winter sewing plans, friends? Do you have a list of projects waiting to be made this season, or are you focusing on a few special pieces? I'm really excited about trying new shapes and details, thankful for <a href="https://doctortdesigns.com/">Doctor T's</a> Kibbe series for sparking such creative motivation.<br />
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<b><i>Currently reading: <a href="https://amzn.to/2rjXloV">Becoming</a> by Michelle Obama </i></b></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-26767258472434316442018-11-26T21:34:00.000-06:002018-12-04T15:59:45.607-06:00Sewing Kibbe: On Style Changes, Style Rules, and the Great Cardigan Extermination Good evening, kittens!<br />
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Tonight, I don't want to share my latest project (which is good, because it's a<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7kFxXnuAM/"> white sweater </a>that I promptly spilled spaghetti sauce on), but instead take a deep dive into personal style and the philosophy of dress. This is going to be long post, so you may want to get a cup of tea. It's also going to be: self-indulgent, extremely nerdy, and possibly include a bit of navel gazing. Since this <i>is </i>my blog and my personal style crisis, however, I'm going with it. Consider yourselves warned. It would be understandable, if you chose to watch a Hallmark Christmas movie, instead.<br />
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Are you braced? Do you have tea? Good.<br />
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Let's talk Kibbe, friends.<br />
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Or, rather, <a href="https://amzn.to/2RYHlnx">David Kibbe's Metamorphosis System</a>. The Kibbe "System" is a rather obscure set of personal style rules from the 1980's, which is having a small renaissance on YouTube and wardrobe planning forums across the internet. It was brought to my attention by the lovely Gillian, of <a href="https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/">Crafting a Rainbow</a>, who recently went down <a href="https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/down-the-kibbe-rabbit-hole/">this rabbit hole herself.</a> Style systems normally drive me crazy. People love telling women what we can't wear, or what would be more flattering on us. As soon as someone tells me what I <i>should</i> wear, my mind starts wandering to explosive devices and creative ways to burn civilization to the ground.<br />
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Kibbe's method, however, struck a chord with me. Instead of lumping all women into silly fruit-shaped categories--apple shapes, pear shapes, kumquat shapes--or treating plus size women as if they're all built exactly the same, he instead based his guidelines on how humans are actually built. His system mixes bone structure (what he calls Yin) and overall softness/musculature (called Yang, unsurprisingly) to make its recommendations. While the chosen nomenclature makes me shudder, I appreciate the nuance and thoughtfulness in the method. Even more, it's based on a positive framework. Kibbe doesn't tell you to hide body parts, or try to be thinner, but instead stresses the beauty of each woman's unique shape. He has 13 style identities, or archetypes, based on subtle differences in how women are fundamentally built.<br />
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Now, let's take an interlude here. Some notes:<br />
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<li>I'm not going to go into all 13 archetypes or their differences. There are already some great resources on that. In the sewing community specifically, <a href="https://doctortdesigns.com/">Doctor T Designs</a> is going archetype by archetype and giving descriptions of each, plus sewing patterns that fit each type. <a href="https://doctortdesigns.com/2018/10/05/sew-your-kibbe-an-introduction/">Her introductory post </a>has all you need to know, including wonderful links to resources and ways to find your own type. Her archetype posts are thorough, well-researched, and fascinating. You should definitely follow her series, if you're at all interested in such things! </li>
<li>That being said, there are YouTube Videos on this. To learn more about the types, Aly Art has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkf33PHuD-c&feature=youtu.be">video series</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLIuYHLzZpM&feature=youtu.be">test to find your type</a>. </li>
<li>You may not neatly fit into a Kibbe Type. One of my best friends does, while we couldn't clearly pin another down at all. It's an imperfect taxonomy. </li>
<li>This system is problematic. Obviously. <i>All </i>style systems are problematic. Just because Kibbe is of interest to me right now, doesn't mean I don't take issue with society telling women how to dress or even that we have to dress up at all. It's all made up nonsense that has its roots in morality, modesty, and gender role shenanigans. That being said, I like clothes. I like thinking about how I present to the world. I was in a bit of a style conundrum (more on that in a moment) and this is giving me a new framework to process fashion through. That doesn't mean that it's gospel or that it doesn't have a lot of issues. </li>
<li>When you Google Kibbe, you may stumble into weird parts of the internet. There are a few vocal anti-feminists on Reddit who have taken Kibbe up as their personal bible on how to be women, which makes for upsetting reading. Such things have nothing to do with David Kibbe himself, from what I've found, and just prove that the internet can ruin anything. </li>
<li>Wear whatever you like. Period. All style "rules" should be taken with a grain of salt, or outright broken. Wear what makes you feel the best, whether that's yoga pants or ball gowns. </li>
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Right. Now that the fine print is out of the way, let's dive in!<br />
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Based on the Kibbe types, I am a <a href="https://doctortdesigns.com/2018/11/12/sew-your-kibbe-soft-dramatic/">Soft Dramatic</a>, which is shorthand for saying I have a voluptuous figure on a large, angular skeletal system. I am tall and big boned, with large facial features, dramatic curves, and no hint of small, dainty delicacy. This really shouldn't have surprised me. My whole life, I have longed to be dainty, but am anything but. Sure, I <i>wanted </i>to be Kristen Bell, but Christina Hendricks is clearly my true style spirit guide. </div>
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If you've read this blog for awhile, you'll know the above photo is not my historical look. For every wiggle dress I've sewn, there are a dozen more poofy, floofy confections. My twenties were swathed in Liberty prints, bedecked in fit-and-flare silhouettes. Ladylike, twee, and delicate were descriptors I gleefully deployed into my wardrobe.<br />
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Over the last few years, however, such garments stopped working for me. Many of the clothes I've made in the past--pieces I've loved and worn to death--no longer feel like me. Nowadays, I put on a fit-and-flare dress with a cardigan, then immediately take it off in a huff. <i>Matronly</i>, my mind whispers. <i>Dowdy</i>, it insists. Objectively, they're still beautiful clothes, but I don't want to wear them. They no longer suit my body <i>or</i> my psyche. It has nothing to do with age, really. There are women in the sewing community who wear such pieces well into later decades and look sensational doing it. They look like Dita Von Teese in the same garments that increasingly make me look like a schoolmarm. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukbAMXQyxKoq2-Dm9QoehPvjfEW6eGnawKXyejs1-I7yMoHciqjK_YPlPnmCucmvWdihhBHOYemdzB7I-tAmP3eZIrXwjcjADS3wacS-bKLPAc7L8A_A6_hgfhajgT7yypgwijNfXSRM/s1600/Old+Style.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukbAMXQyxKoq2-Dm9QoehPvjfEW6eGnawKXyejs1-I7yMoHciqjK_YPlPnmCucmvWdihhBHOYemdzB7I-tAmP3eZIrXwjcjADS3wacS-bKLPAc7L8A_A6_hgfhajgT7yypgwijNfXSRM/s1600/Old+Style.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of these dresses were well loved, worn like crazy, and will soon be made into toddler clothes!</td></tr>
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Reading up on Kibbe's system felt like a revelation. Of course, I don't feel comfortable in such things anymore. They're not designed with someone of my proportions in mind. Soft Dramatics need long, draped lines, bold feminine accents, and rich use of color. In other words, drama. My inner style maven has been telling me this for awhile, but I've refused to listen, clinging to the pretty and dainty and sweet. Heck, even my <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2018/09/miss-marguerite-blows-out-candles-sew.html">most recent post on Idle Fancy</a> was about yet another ladylike floral dress. I loved it in theory, wore like crazy for a few months, but it never felt quite <i>right</i>. </div>
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That's the crux of it, really. It would be one thing if I felt good in such clothes. Who cares what some random style guru says, if you like the way you look? I typically don't give a fig for supposed rules. But, it's time for a change. A few years past time, honestly. </div>
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So, I'm starting over. </div>
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With Kibbe's loose recommendations and my own evolving tastes as a guide, I'm going to start taking a more analytical approach to sewing. Instead of making what I've historically gravitated toward, I'm going to try a few pieces outside of that comfort area. Bolder colors, more dramatic silhouettes. This might be a bit tricky, since I also need to balance living in a fairly casual city and chasing after a toddler. Casual has never really been my preferred aesthetic anyway, though, so maybe it's time to let that go as well. </div>
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This week, I'm doing a thorough closet clean out. I've already locally donated or consigned most of my unwanted ready-to-wear clothes, including a mind boggling 20+ cardigans, but the thought of getting rid of handmade items has been agonizing. Since most of the fabrics are still in good condition, I'm going to box them up and remake them into clothes for Louisa instead. That plan assuages my guilt, but gets them out out <i>out</i> of my closet. I can't handle staring at them any longer! </div>
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In my next post, I'll share some of the patterns I'm going to sew next and go in depth on silhouette and proportion. I know that wardrobe overhauls and style systems bore some people--including me--to tears, but I'm really enjoying looking at clothing in this way. Applying actual analysis and thought to sewing fills me with a creative motivation that's long been absent in my daily routine of getting dressed. Have you gone through a major style revamp? What sparked the way you currently look at clothing and your own style? As sewists, we all love clothing and getting dressed. I'd love to know what goes through your head, when choosing what to make and wear next. </div>
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Currently reading: <a href="https://amzn.to/2P6Mubk">The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory </a></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: "Century Gothic", CenturyGothic, AppleGothic, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Note: Any Amazon links on this post and other posts are affiliate links. If you click through and buy something, I get a small percentage of the sale. </i></div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-74202136160456033902018-09-05T23:31:00.000-05:002018-09-05T23:44:59.238-05:00Miss Marguerite Blows Out the Candles: Sew Over It Marguerite Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good afternoon, kittens! </div>
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This past weekend, I turned 33, a delightfully palindromic age that required quite a bit of celebration. There was Black Forest Cake, a bird-festooned pink birthday crown, lots of family togetherness, and--of course--a brand new dress. This year, I decided to try the<a href="https://sewoverit.co.uk/product/marguerite-dress-pdf-sewing-pattern/"> Sew Over It Marguerite Dress</a>, one of the newest patterns from the prolific British pattern company. </div>
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I own two other Sew Over It patterns, but fizzled out after making muslins. Their pattern block is drafted for someone with radically different proportions than my own, so it's easier to draft a garment myself or find a similar pattern. While I love their designs, they're not ideal for tall, busty women. I need darts and extra length and wearing ease! </div>
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The Marguerite Dress, however, was too pretty to pass up. It features a fitted waistband with a gathered bodice, full gathered skirt, and dolman sleeves. While it's designed for woven fabrics, I own a ready-to-wear dress that is almost identical and made of a stable ponte knit. I've meant to knock off that dress for years, so it seemed like a great birthday project. </div>
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How <i>does</i> one take a woven pattern and make it suitable for knits? Knits don't need much, if any, wearing ease, which necessitates a few simple changes. A good rule of thumb is to size down at least one size, remove any closures, and use construction techniques you already love from other knit patterns. To alter the Marguerite Dress, I traced off the pattern and made some fairly simple alterations: </div>
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<li><b>Sized down.</b> For a woven, by my measurements, I should have used the UK 20/US 16 size. Instead, I traced off a blend of UK16 (at the shoulders and waist) and UK18 (at the hips). </li>
<li><b>Eliminated the back zipper. </b>I took the seam allowance out of the back pieces, then cut them on the fold, to get rid of the closure all together. (For this version of the dress, I almost ran out of fabric, so actually had to seam the back bodice anyway.)</li>
<li><b>Rotated out the dart. </b>This is one of the few SOI patterns where there actually is a dart in the bodice side seam. The one time I don't want one! To get rid of it, I rotated the dart into the bodice gathers and made the gathering a wider section. </li>
<li><b>Full Bust Adjustment.</b> I lengthened the center front of the bodice an inch and did a cheater's FBA for a knit bodice. </li>
<li><b>Bound the edges. </b>Instead of using the included facings and cuffs, I bound the armscyes and necklines. My usual method for making bindings is to measure the opening, then cut a strip 15% smaller. This worked well for the neckline, but I wanted to leave the sleeve shape, so I cut those using the same measurement as the original armscye length. </li>
<li><b>Added clear elastic. </b>There is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XNQLBO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002XNQLBO&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=69e19454dd5113ed7c0057ab577240ae">clear elastic </a>in the shoulder seams and both waistband seams of this dress, so that it doesn't bag out over time. The waistband elastic is covered on the inside by a facing, so that it doesn't irritate my skin. Strictly speaking, you could also face the waistband in a very stable knit, to prevent bagging out, if you hate elastic.</li>
<li><b>Lengthened skirt.</b> Even with a knit, I'm still too tall for this pattern! To that end, I lengthened the skirt by two inches. </li>
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Aside from the structural pattern changes, switching the pattern to a knit made construction much, much easier. I sewed everything with either my serger (for major seams) or a lightning bolt stitch (for fiddly bits), then finished the skirt hem with a twin needle. Poof! A chic knit dress in less than three hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uveiOMEjNY3HZPbGp-ZLXSaOUcoqEQnkEAYpFylWhokx8Oxu5d1VSYH7IQaS__E9D7Ghw2m8Y1hMQ0ZYdzxDjndWffpNZtqGwuSItHlH7LljwX7kSH9x4feNcem3a61y4AbrDRWBbmE/s1600/IMG_3902.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uveiOMEjNY3HZPbGp-ZLXSaOUcoqEQnkEAYpFylWhokx8Oxu5d1VSYH7IQaS__E9D7Ghw2m8Y1hMQ0ZYdzxDjndWffpNZtqGwuSItHlH7LljwX7kSH9x4feNcem3a61y4AbrDRWBbmE/s1600/IMG_3902.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-d_9ACHj6FYDE1Jrb_wdrjBpx1U_kAHAf6DinNzJ_yCqFMic1hNikaXIvKSUyjOxKZzuboNFY3z-qXcxBONsdWlYFmkZVXzHillZxj9k2Iz5Agz1GtzJx3ksVU7R_v5vKvZ9d2E1IYE/s1600/IMG_3909.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-d_9ACHj6FYDE1Jrb_wdrjBpx1U_kAHAf6DinNzJ_yCqFMic1hNikaXIvKSUyjOxKZzuboNFY3z-qXcxBONsdWlYFmkZVXzHillZxj9k2Iz5Agz1GtzJx3ksVU7R_v5vKvZ9d2E1IYE/s640/IMG_3909.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
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The fabric for this dress is the real star, despite all the focus I've put on the pattern. This is a gorgeous floral cotton jersey that was given to me by the generous and lovely Susan of <a href="http://moonthirty.com/">Moon Thirty</a>, a few years ago. We met up <a href="https://www.chuys.com/">at Chuy's</a>, ate our weight in Tex Mex, and talked endlessly about sewing and blogging and general creativity. Since then, I've hoarded this fabric, waiting for the right pattern to come along. Of all the pieces I own, this fabric is one of the most "me" prints in my entire stash. It's the pretty--but not dowdy-- dark background, richly colored modern floral print of my dreams. It's all the more special knowing that it came from one of my favorite sewing friends. </div>
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In the end, I was inordinately pleased with how well the fabric matched with my knit-friendly Marguerite pattern. The jersey has a really nice stretch, so the dress looks fancy and ultra-femme, but feels like yoga pants. Since having a baby, I value stretch in my garments 100 times more. It's not only the ability to move freely, but the actual comfort of it. I haven't been able to abide tight waistbands, since having Louisa. Anything constricting drives me mad, thus rendering many of my old projects unwearable. This dress, though, blends both my aesthetic love of floofy femininity and my newfound need for comfort. Joy! </div>
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This Marguerite was such a success that I've already made another one and cut out two further. We're going to languish in summertime for a few months longer, so sensible, comfy dresses will get plenty of wear before sweater season starts. Even then, I think these would layer up well with booties and a cropped cardigan! </div>
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What are you sewing during these transitional months, friends? Do you have any patterns that work even better in a knit than a woven?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2oC_8OpSq9CxKJh2f8Luoxh52pKwEMav5TuhaRiqJReM79aBFRkDMYHGC5TfiuAqAW0WuV595TQwmVI4JUfmNYEhMMTNIo7FdtZJAVJTm1NKl9w9AJjItRgUokYjTJDJrw3p5QxX0ZM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Sew+Over+It+Marguerite+Dress+--+Floral+Cotton+Jersey-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2oC_8OpSq9CxKJh2f8Luoxh52pKwEMav5TuhaRiqJReM79aBFRkDMYHGC5TfiuAqAW0WuV595TQwmVI4JUfmNYEhMMTNIo7FdtZJAVJTm1NKl9w9AJjItRgUokYjTJDJrw3p5QxX0ZM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Sew+Over+It+Marguerite+Dress+--+Floral+Cotton+Jersey-17.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe7EdtjI5AQaSHNs75QxhoBjt3kbJQNQTLRTU3mil95gSoxhQu_Y48BD5sB_9TNE4y3u46v_iLBYuhirqcSIvy4vLx1M4NgGqDIWIE_4Nwcy6boE9VoY1wUxn71eNgfbhOnNKx6mW_GM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Sew+Over+It+Marguerite+Dress+--+Floral+Cotton+Jersey-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe7EdtjI5AQaSHNs75QxhoBjt3kbJQNQTLRTU3mil95gSoxhQu_Y48BD5sB_9TNE4y3u46v_iLBYuhirqcSIvy4vLx1M4NgGqDIWIE_4Nwcy6boE9VoY1wUxn71eNgfbhOnNKx6mW_GM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Sew+Over+It+Marguerite+Dress+--+Floral+Cotton+Jersey-4.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Currently Reading: <a href="https://amzn.to/2wNF9WW">My Oxford Year</a> by Julia Whelan</div>
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Currently Listening: <a href="https://www.dressedpodcast.com/">Dressed Podcast</a> (Specifically, the recent interview with <a href="https://www.dressedpodcast.com/podcasts/dress-like-an-egyptian-an-interview-with-egyptologist-dr-colleen-darnell.htm">Dr. Colleen Darnell</a>, Egyptologist and vintage fashion enthusiast.)</div>
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<i>Note: Any Amazon links on this post and other posts are affiliate links. If you click through and buy something, I get a small percentage of the sale. </i></div>
<br />Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-62654684753035002932018-07-31T13:19:00.000-05:002018-07-31T13:19:17.975-05:00Miss Babette and the Rose Imposters: Burda 07/2016 #124<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8hlKhUrztinVM6HYVQgEjklBAZL-LDKs92KlK-c3BDOYYqMs0VJFnA_UIvHJnWGhOK7sHg4oOF5Ht1noMaiE0VjE56WhnXFWdDOXUFlr6sQU3Zh8Z0yp6TzMqeA5uin8vXVH3aBBRao/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8hlKhUrztinVM6HYVQgEjklBAZL-LDKs92KlK-c3BDOYYqMs0VJFnA_UIvHJnWGhOK7sHg4oOF5Ht1noMaiE0VjE56WhnXFWdDOXUFlr6sQU3Zh8Z0yp6TzMqeA5uin8vXVH3aBBRao/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-21.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Good afternoon, kittens! Somehow, it's been a year since I last blogged. </div>
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Well, I <i>say</i> somehow. We all know the actual how of it, don't we? A wee bouncing bundle of joy who just turned 10 months old. If you follow me on Instagram, you've met her already, but to quickly catch everyone up to speed: </div>
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<li>We had a baby. </li>
<li>Her name is Louisa and she is the most adorable creature who's ever existed. </li>
<li>She is also shockingly high maintenance, because it turns out humans are born without any survival skills whatsoever. Who knew how many times a day I'd have to prevent such a charming, brilliant child from eating dog hair? <i>I </i>certainly didn't.</li>
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Thus, no blogging. Like many before me, keeping a child alive took precedence over blogging. We've also been renovating our house, traveling, and working like crazy. It has been a year, y'all. A happy, tiring, glorious mess of a year. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdsw9AHvAPoesmw5LKZYwsAu-1oROPAdtkWE8cBPnwBLz_6zT7418sXwKns68QhqGG7VzHLPHOzMtrVaq7olw00HLCuctbVQCbKnvvZW522bx2R62UkWrpBlQnoOjSKTj9spt26eR1BU/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdsw9AHvAPoesmw5LKZYwsAu-1oROPAdtkWE8cBPnwBLz_6zT7418sXwKns68QhqGG7VzHLPHOzMtrVaq7olw00HLCuctbVQCbKnvvZW522bx2R62UkWrpBlQnoOjSKTj9spt26eR1BU/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-30.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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More recently, this summer, I also signed on to be part of a Burdastyle program that connects bloggers with the magazine. (They're calling us influencers, which I can't say about myself with a straight face, though I know it's the accepted parlance nowadays.) Despite subscribing to Burda for a few years now, the issues sat mostly untouched on my bookshelves, serving as gorgeous inspiration but rarely anything else. There are so many of their patterns I've been <i>meaning</i> to make for eons, that signing on to make one a month seemed like a good way to work through that list. Ostensibly, I'm getting a free pattern a month, but...I do already own the last two years (plus a few) of back issues. I'm aiming to check some projects off my list and provide a bit more lived experience for anyone interested in Burda's plus size lines. </div>
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That's all to say: Look! I made a thing! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoRBxA5XCM9xIyMTF6Y4gmsG1n022t94dh1wlkhGlpaPgp2nm-rhKFvKL7djjl79idSZPxhiOtMdgTWLij9KruLAXOIMLUjYYew-v5AAAtI3jnNnWjuVgn_NfnoSN24EG1qv9S1-BZs4/s1600/124-072016-B_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="475" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoRBxA5XCM9xIyMTF6Y4gmsG1n022t94dh1wlkhGlpaPgp2nm-rhKFvKL7djjl79idSZPxhiOtMdgTWLij9KruLAXOIMLUjYYew-v5AAAtI3jnNnWjuVgn_NfnoSN24EG1qv9S1-BZs4/s640/124-072016-B_large.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This is <a href="https://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/wrap-blouse-plus-size-072016?utm_source=burdastyle.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=bs-meh-inst-180601-MaryInfluencer-JuneWrapBlouse" target="_blank">Blouse #124 from the July 2016 issue of BurdaStyle</a>. This entire collection, the <a href="https://www.burdastyle.com/blog/closet-swap-14-new-plus-size-womens-sewing-patterns" target="_blank">Closet Swap</a>, counts as something that I've wanted to make. 2016 was the year that, in my opinion, Burda began to really up its game with plus size patterns. Suddenly, they were some of the cutest patterns in the whole magazine. This woven wrap blouse, with its close-fitting silhouette and cute cap sleeves, is a great example of that new direction. </div>
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I love wrapped silhouettes, especially in woven fabrics, but they're hard to find drafted specifically for plus sizes. The number of wonky, poorly sized bodices I've wrestled with, trying to nail this silhouette, boggles my mind. More boggling still, is how few modifications I made to <i>this</i> pattern. A narrow shoulder adjustment, a small FBA. </div>
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That. Is. It. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKprxoX_BV5c8feJYg1TDSXXlHCO9WNEFUnzpKJ0qXUoNT7JQ6iemkBZgfZTxCJh0Yv-tflNYV4zqEgCHfUh3jXmpsYi0EoThP-ERYNxX5tqynGdMK1p43k9fpxxQektm2cCDPOIUXD4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKprxoX_BV5c8feJYg1TDSXXlHCO9WNEFUnzpKJ0qXUoNT7JQ6iemkBZgfZTxCJh0Yv-tflNYV4zqEgCHfUh3jXmpsYi0EoThP-ERYNxX5tqynGdMK1p43k9fpxxQektm2cCDPOIUXD4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-40.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Before I go into raptures over the finished result, let's talk about the process. I already owned the July 2016 issue of BurdaStyle and had previously traced this pattern off, though in a size bigger than my current measurements. For this blouse, I retraced the pattern in a size 48, using a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00292BPII/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00292BPII&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=0dce7d7ef05a2cdad8000381426a11bd" target="_blank">double tracing wheel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=idlefancy-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00292BPII" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KPLL0Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004KPLL0Y&linkCode=as2&tag=idlefancy-20&linkId=e144535df75b78c09ba6ab23ed510a0b" target="_blank">bee paper</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=idlefancy-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B004KPLL0Y" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. </div>
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Why the double tracing wheel? All digital and magazine Burda patterns, as with most other sewing magazines, do <b>not </b>include seam allowances. Many sewists prefer this, as it makes the patterns easier to adjust and lets you add your own preferred seam allowance width. For Americans especially, used to envelope patterns and Indie PDFs, this can be a little difficult to navigate at first. (It was for me!) Honestly, it's no big deal and doesn't add any time, as long as you know about it going in and pick a good option to deal with it. A double tracing wheel is super effective, but my other quick-and-dirty method for tracing is to use two classic sharpies taped together. Voila! Instant 1/2" seam allowance. </div>
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Tracing from the magazine really isn't that much of a headache either, as the lines are easy to see and reasonably spaced apart. I highlight the size I need, throw the bee paper over it, then trace away! If that sounds dreadful though, Burda does offer all of its patterns in PDF form. I find tracing from a magazine quicker than taping together a PDF, but everyone's preferences are different. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouIx1tntD0yIoQq5vxovp5wd6vYyBlaxdJFCx66RB1fIsAyhpUR1oOn1xJu4tHBCD6R09zetrFS43ohIPb4US94KHyAZsqOfc-PglzdOQVVyYEcIYWdd3i8_2nA1F2GRv1L1Hu-G6Ee4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouIx1tntD0yIoQq5vxovp5wd6vYyBlaxdJFCx66RB1fIsAyhpUR1oOn1xJu4tHBCD6R09zetrFS43ohIPb4US94KHyAZsqOfc-PglzdOQVVyYEcIYWdd3i8_2nA1F2GRv1L1Hu-G6Ee4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-17.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Constructing this pattern was just challenging enough to keep things interesting. The wrap bodice is finished with a neckline facing, which is top stitched in place to look like a separate band, while a self-facing on the skirt portion finishes the outside edge. Burda's directions are sparser than the usual Big 4 pattern, but this pattern magic was still easy enough to navigate.</div>
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I did sub out the armscye facings for simple bias tape, because armscye facings are evil and should be vanquished. They are temperamental, require much more finesse, and provide the same finish as bias tape. Why would anyone suffer through them? If you're not doing a couture or vintage finish on a garment, make some bias tape from your leftover fabric and life will be easier. </div>
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The fabric used for this blouse <i>looks</i> like Liberty of London Carline, but...it's actually the knock-off Carline print that Gertie did for JoAnn Fabrics. It's a lightweight clipped dot cotton lawn and, while not nearly as luxe as the original, it's still beautiful and easy to work with. When I bought this fabric, Carline was fully discontinued, but Liberty has since brought it back<a href="https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/carline-tana-lawn-cotton-000523243.html" target="_blank"> in all colorways</a>. That means I can stop hoarding the real stuff in my stash, right? While I've outgrown a lot of my style loves from the past 10 years, this fabric remains one of my favorite prints of all time. It's such a chic, timeless take on florals. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LnGdGzbjZLssbygNDplUk-aHK7srvsmAKHu8CGEfrCGZUGW3W1Xl-_PO0HQIiwDCa-1VYsjWIu8zyepV0jcd-YC2Bqfxe6qYxRXtS_U5iZFE7BX4HzMrnfTnxjBaMw7jMQt08MXNQ44/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LnGdGzbjZLssbygNDplUk-aHK7srvsmAKHu8CGEfrCGZUGW3W1Xl-_PO0HQIiwDCa-1VYsjWIu8zyepV0jcd-YC2Bqfxe6qYxRXtS_U5iZFE7BX4HzMrnfTnxjBaMw7jMQt08MXNQ44/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Burda+06-2016+124+--+Gertie+Floral+Clipped+Dot+Wrap+Blouse+-11.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Y'all, I feel a little swoony over this pattern. What took me so long to make this blouse? It is exactly what I've been looking for in a woven wrap. It fits well, doesn't have oodles of weird bust wrinkles, and makes my usual jeans and ballet flats infinitely chicer. I may need 100 more of these in my closet. I especially love the little cap sleeves, which keep the top breezy, but elevate the style another notch.</div>
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Though I'm usually a commitment phobic sewist, this blouse makes me excited about signing on to the Burda program. If their plus size block can produce a reliably well-fitting wrap, something so many other patterns failed to do, what else can it achieve? Next up, I'm trying a pair of jersey pants, so I'll keep you posted on how the experiment continues. </div>
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<i>Note: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon, which is something I'm trying out, since I link to them so often. If you purchase through those links, I will get a small referral percentage from the sale. The Burda links do not make any money and the pattern was one I already owned, though it was offered for free. </i></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-79366477654046039732017-07-16T14:39:00.000-05:002017-07-16T23:27:55.130-05:00Cashmerette Concord Tee: Maternity Pattern Hacks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-maternity-tee/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zSUjWLHanWiNYLbdB23BjVAddx6obLGljPfzqx2pOdDYK0ErG27HPxI6FdWhhFn6ZIFTebphyphenhyphen8btOyBCJc6GR8o2lj02xk-Iz8Qlwi7G1Y7fssxjmjRshy0JEa8CYFaT7r8WkqGd8E4/s1600/We+All+Sew+--+DIY+Maternity+Tee+--+Idle+Fancy-+1.jpg" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-swing-tee/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI82TqtfP4ncM0k_UzvhcNl0i7h7aYF9GCNgQZSEMJvUdAB7GXtDU02P-Fvmof4GkvOo93iBLaSIJRN8mpFGYwJP0RtmMwLi6_n8oZdLXyT_v49fQD8A7x5Ujb_mdFxEcOa0sWqmVYHcM/s1600/DIY+Swing+Tee+Tutorial+--+Idle+Fancy+for+We+All+Sew.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Good afternoon, kittens! Life is in full on baby mode at Chez Fancy. Our guest room is mid-transformation into a nursery, we spent an absurd amount on the world's safest car seat, and boxes of hand-me-down girl clothes regularly appear on our doorstep.* </div>
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My sewing is also pretty maternity focused, these days. It seems like overnight I went from wearing regular jeans to needing gigantic stretchy panels in every garment. Apparently, that's a thing that happens when you're seven-and-a-half months pregnant. While many of my current projects can<i> eventually </i>double as normal clothes, they're ideal for my current (and growing!) body. Even better, I haven't bought any additional maternity patterns since that first shopping flurry. Instead, I'm modifying straight size patterns that already fit well. </div>
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Unsurprisingly, Cashmerette patterns top my list of easiest to modify. Both the <a href="https://shop.cashmerette.com/products/turner-dress-printed-pattern" target="_blank">Turner Dress </a>and the <a href="https://shop.cashmerette.com/products/concord-tshirt-printed-pattern" target="_blank">Concord T-Shirt </a>have been hacked to death for my maternity whims. So much so that I wrote up two tutorials for BERNINA's We All Sew blog to share my favorite Concord hacks, <a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-swing-tee/" target="_blank">a swing top</a> and a <a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-maternity-tee/" target="_blank">classic maternity tee</a>. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*We have the loveliest group of local friends, many of whom have girls slightly older than ours. We couldn't be luckier! It's like having a committee of baby stuff fairy godmothers. </span></div>
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<b>Cashmerette Concord Swing Top</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjJrZXgGNW2lzmggdMVtklBRkPLm4H1hpgNMbmN4QvdYSNzPKfE_dCquq44jlu8pFo1KiRuzm2sZekLqxXC6gpYWiQxK7TfsrP77uswxD3lcIPoGAXgrjOu792pXir3eRCz1p1krCQLw/s1600/Cashmerette+Concord+Tee+Hack+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Rayon+Jersey+Swing+Tee+Mood+Fabrics-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjJrZXgGNW2lzmggdMVtklBRkPLm4H1hpgNMbmN4QvdYSNzPKfE_dCquq44jlu8pFo1KiRuzm2sZekLqxXC6gpYWiQxK7TfsrP77uswxD3lcIPoGAXgrjOu792pXir3eRCz1p1krCQLw/s1600/Cashmerette+Concord+Tee+Hack+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Rayon+Jersey+Swing+Tee+Mood+Fabrics-17.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Of all the non-maternity clothes that I've worn during pregnancy, swing tees have gotten the most mileage. I love them with jeans, when I'm not pregnant, and with pretty much every skirt or pair of trousers when I am. They hide a baby bump well, are super breezy in the Texas heat, and take an hour to whip up. Who could ask for more?</div>
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When the <a href="https://store.closetcasepatterns.com/products/ebony-t-shirt-knit-dress-pattern" target="_blank">Closet Case Ebony Tee</a> came out, I insta-bought that pattern. The high-low hem and volume of swing kept me from actually making it up, however. It was perfect for my non-pregnant swing tee requirements, but not quite right for my maternity needs. Did I really want to print out and stick together an entire pattern that would need more fiddling? Absolutely not. I am already gestating a human. There's no energy to spare for needless hours of PDF assembly. </div>
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Instead, I pulled the Concord T-shirt out and started slashing and spreading. I wanted the swing to start at the bust, to give some illusion of shape, and dropped the hemline lower to make up for that growing middle. It's a <a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-swing-tee/" target="_blank">fairly quick adjustment </a>and one that's proved invaluable to my maternity wardrobe. Thank heavens drapey, flowy styles are in fashion right now!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDyIleTK0ojz3RvOH6rKjwI-ZIxQKUzxBfZyDmE8RXpNpn44oyWWfnEFPKfDqb9jEVWF0qMs1lznJQ6vbgiaWXmp-Av8dZ16lYnlZSf71eMYHdp1eh_CoXjsZwi6uTXCqrnClS5_vOwI/s1600/Cashmerette+Concord+Tee+Hack+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Rayon+Jersey+Swing+Tee+Mood+Fabrics-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDyIleTK0ojz3RvOH6rKjwI-ZIxQKUzxBfZyDmE8RXpNpn44oyWWfnEFPKfDqb9jEVWF0qMs1lznJQ6vbgiaWXmp-Av8dZ16lYnlZSf71eMYHdp1eh_CoXjsZwi6uTXCqrnClS5_vOwI/s1600/Cashmerette+Concord+Tee+Hack+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Rayon+Jersey+Swing+Tee+Mood+Fabrics-31.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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All of my swing tops have been made up in rayon jersey, like this <a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-pink-and-purple-abstract-printed-viscose-jersey-316705" target="_blank">abstract pink one from Mood</a>. There is no better fabric for hot, humid summers, y'all. Cool, breathable, and drapey, it makes that suffocating cushion of heat more bearable. I'm pretty sure that being extra super pregnant through the summer is the universe's way of giving my mom revenge for my own September-in-Florida birthday. Swingy rayon tops are a good way to survive now...and the next two months. </div>
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Obviously, these shirts also double as non-maternity wear. Throw them on with skinny jeans and a nursing cami, this fall, and I'm both comfortable and pulled together. Pardon me, while I make a million other versions...</div>
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<b>Concord Maternity Tee</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLup20fdpJLgUS6_NhsXNvpavIpwnYWJV2a6-e-T2qf_Pp7EGn27TfSExL2oMKW0Jt_pZIeMmwR3Xgjh6RMR1BJbcmHmoAZv7j8Ue5KbqPk7r6FH2qW4DkqpZluHYv65cmPRicKnpHmJ4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Concord+Tee+Maternity+Hack+--+Striped+Maternity+Tee-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLup20fdpJLgUS6_NhsXNvpavIpwnYWJV2a6-e-T2qf_Pp7EGn27TfSExL2oMKW0Jt_pZIeMmwR3Xgjh6RMR1BJbcmHmoAZv7j8Ue5KbqPk7r6FH2qW4DkqpZluHYv65cmPRicKnpHmJ4/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Concord+Tee+Maternity+Hack+--+Striped+Maternity+Tee-5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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In the vein of true maternity wear, I've also whipped up a couple of classic maternity tees. You know the ones: long hemlines, ruched sides, enough room for the sentient watermelon attached to your torso. They sell for $25 a pop in stores, even though they're the simplest garments in the world. I just cannot bring myself to pay money for such shirts! They're practical and necessary, but sewing my own seemed much more reasonable. And cost effective. And less likely to make me resent polyester content in fabric. </div>
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<a href="https://weallsew.com/tutorial-diy-maternity-tee/" target="_blank">This adjustment</a> may be even easier than the Swing Top hack. All that's needed to turn your favorite t-shirt pattern into a maternity top is added length to the front piece, which is then ruched up into the side seams. Voila! A watermelon pocket! I haven't put on any weight or changed base sizes <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I've actually lost a bit, thanks to intense food aversions. Oh, pregnancy brain, why have you forsaken bacon?), </span>so no added width at the hips is needed either. For the tunic length shirt in these photos, I added five inches of extra ruched fabric, plus another two to the center from hemline. It seems to work pretty well for my current size, with room to grow, but some bigger ones might be in the works later on. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_y7U1a8oIU4dBcZT-3v_aEa21wE1g6Pz_4kuFvoG0EGCm_myTdjZ4kdfBq9gzQTHPR63LL-7Yb7HsvmJ8XL8_6Aq1y2LpmRTBQaZ_TNLbmDj8l4Nc2mCMTBzmUpu_y3LwbbJqsnquEw/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Concord+Tee+Maternity+Hack+--+Striped+Maternity+Tee-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1220" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_y7U1a8oIU4dBcZT-3v_aEa21wE1g6Pz_4kuFvoG0EGCm_myTdjZ4kdfBq9gzQTHPR63LL-7Yb7HsvmJ8XL8_6Aq1y2LpmRTBQaZ_TNLbmDj8l4Nc2mCMTBzmUpu_y3LwbbJqsnquEw/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Concord+Tee+Maternity+Hack+--+Striped+Maternity+Tee-2.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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Once again, rayon jersey wins all the awards. This is a <a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/navy-and-white-pencil-striped-rayon-jersey-317298" target="_blank">striped navy rayon</a> from Mood, which I've also used for a tank dress that is getting tons of wear. My solution to maternity wear is basically swathing myself in stretchy fabrics and calling it a day. Those vintage woven maternity patterns I bought early on may get zero use, this go around. </div>
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In addition to these basic tees, I've also sewn quite a few dress variations, as mentioned. The Turner has become everything from a cold shoulder maxi dress to a slinky, but roomy tent dress for these steamy summer days. If anyone else is interested, I was actually thinking of turning those hacks (and a few others) into a series of YouTube tutorials. </div>
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Given how few maternity patterns there actually are, especially as you go up in size ranges, using patterns I already love has been liberating. Ready-to-wear maternity garments are notoriously poor quality and the sizing can be so off on Big 4 maternity patterns (ahem, <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2017/06/miss-vesper-makes-her-debut-butterick.html" target="_blank">this Butterick dress)</a> that pattern hacking is actually a far, far easier route. That's been my experience, anyhow. </div>
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Now, back to the world of nursery set up. We're going to pick out paint, this afternoon, which is one of my least favorite renovation duties. The variances in the color yellow boggle my mind, kittens. How many times can one person mutter, "Hmm. A bit less buttery, a bit more lemony!" without losing her mind? We shall see. Wish me luck! Thank you again for all the well wishes, on my last post!</div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-19802195701187115132017-06-05T16:00:00.000-05:002017-06-05T17:21:59.213-05:00Miss Vesper Makes Her Debut: Butterick 6226<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOwWwpElyxNpMksMFSVO63Bw4fLPnsf1AatqQ7tq1rMklxZdkQGIyacy9icE0VRwflPXrsMUkwKLT-aThgcwJ7f20pu-8qtC45HDAeSNLRSoe2lX0Cgj5JkL85gFxRG4M_PdoLQq9BoM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOwWwpElyxNpMksMFSVO63Bw4fLPnsf1AatqQ7tq1rMklxZdkQGIyacy9icE0VRwflPXrsMUkwKLT-aThgcwJ7f20pu-8qtC45HDAeSNLRSoe2lX0Cgj5JkL85gFxRG4M_PdoLQq9BoM/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-8.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Good afternoon, kittens! </div>
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As my five month lapse in blogging may tell you, sewing dropped low on my priority list in 2017. This has been an eventful year, in both extraordinary and harrowing ways. We've planned and unplanned international moves (on hold for a few years), grappled with the possibility of major career changes (avoided, thank heavens), and are now getting ready for a new family member this fall. </div>
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That last one is, obviously, the biggest and best news. We'll be welcoming a wee baby girl in September! Sam and I couldn't be more excited about this incipient little one. We've decided on her name, picked out a nursery theme, and looked at reviews of more strollers than I knew existed. What I <i>haven't</i> done much of, however, is maternity sewing. After confirming that everything was on track in early February, I canvassed the internet for maternity patterns, ordering scads of both contemporary and vintage designs. Then...promptly sewed none of them.</div>
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Did you know that pregnancy has side effects? Shocking, right? I was lucky enough to avoid the morning sickness, but not some skeletal issues that make sewing for long periods of time difficult. I'm managing them well, but only by being exceedingly careful about how long I spend sitting. </div>
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Or standing. </div>
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Or walking. </div>
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Or doing pretty much any one thing for long periods of time. </div>
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Not that it's all doom and alignment gloom around here. Pregnancy has been a joyful experience, aside from navigating side effects, even if it has put a cramp in sewing binges. Thankfully, I haven't actually needed real maternity clothes until recently. Other than switching out to stretchier pants, most of my established wardrobe worked for the first twenty-or-so weeks. Colette Monetas, Myrtles, and Cashmerette Turner Dresses were in heavy rotation, but even my looser shirtdresses are only now becoming uncomfortable. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5z9n9RsZiCCtMReIFVlOf77f3yO25KuaNQt0Lsyf5EZB4T3fY93Eu_tshOj960EZ4AlgKS3ZsxVwI2l3pdIQsrH9wlBU34BpU_gwigP1tBk4BtVNEnic0KHiNSj7_jVtHv9vu3xNbKuQ/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5z9n9RsZiCCtMReIFVlOf77f3yO25KuaNQt0Lsyf5EZB4T3fY93Eu_tshOj960EZ4AlgKS3ZsxVwI2l3pdIQsrH9wlBU34BpU_gwigP1tBk4BtVNEnic0KHiNSj7_jVtHv9vu3xNbKuQ/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-25.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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It's getting to be that time, though. Strangers aren't asking about due dates yet, but the bump becomes more noticeable each day. Billowy maxi dresses and heavily gathered skirts suddenly sound glorious. I want to swath myself in pretty fabric, without having to worry about constricting waistbands. </div>
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Maternity sewing will have to be slow, but hopefully I can produce a few pretty pieces for these last four months. To begin that quest, I chose <a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6226" target="_blank">Butterick 6226</a>, a pattern that actually has positive reviews as a maternity and <i>non-</i>maternity dress. I love the idea of making clothes with more longevity than this summer. This pattern features a pullover, vaguely caftan-esque dress with cap or draped sleeves, three hem lengths (tunic, below-the-knee, and maxi), and even a jumpsuit variation. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEy05v8DXhs-heeX1kUJ3US7e4vFKVy75rXjLDxoZdagGSXGGasQoMP01ZgnwgVsG2yJesYsegXRVcNF9AZc4MnwCOIBcRosMXpwHBhAUhJJDiq8gOV_8m0zcgPisGTg-_7EZ0mbXe14/s1600/B6226_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="514" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEy05v8DXhs-heeX1kUJ3US7e4vFKVy75rXjLDxoZdagGSXGGasQoMP01ZgnwgVsG2yJesYsegXRVcNF9AZc4MnwCOIBcRosMXpwHBhAUhJJDiq8gOV_8m0zcgPisGTg-_7EZ0mbXe14/s640/B6226_a.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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Naturally, I opted for the dramatic maxi of View E. Hooray for yards and yards of soft, drapey fabric! </div>
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For this first version, I chose an I<a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-blue-and-green-floral-printed-jersey-316614" target="_blank">talian Blue and Green Floral Printed Jersey</a> from Mood Fabrics, who have upped their knit selection lately. They have heaps of gorgeous rayon jerseys right now, though I fell head over heels for this digital, striated blue rose print. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Plus its <a href="https://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-black-and-red-floral-printed-jersey-316605" target="_blank">red colorway sibling,</a> which is also sitting in my stash.) </span>The fabric is ideal for a billowy summer dress--cool to the touch, breathable, and not too heavy for such a gigantic skirt. It also ironed surprisingly well and didn't curl up at the ends, which is a nice change from cheaper rayon knit fabrics. </div>
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It was even more welcome, considering how infuriating its pattern partner was. I love the final result, but the construction process made me fume. So much so that I've made a list of grievances, because yeah, I'm <i>that </i>annoyed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO6646B28qtURkLNzJtE_YCO_O7DF8hWSVBmivWOx1IOp2myjShe7cwVfU7mvmjh-QgQXBDylwCI8k8TPg-yybsgM4HNMC5dw6F2h2gSsAf6TUgqFiWkDKHR-HwI-M2IDjd_28xvQiSs/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-sideback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO6646B28qtURkLNzJtE_YCO_O7DF8hWSVBmivWOx1IOp2myjShe7cwVfU7mvmjh-QgQXBDylwCI8k8TPg-yybsgM4HNMC5dw6F2h2gSsAf6TUgqFiWkDKHR-HwI-M2IDjd_28xvQiSs/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-sideback.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Gripe #1: Sizing</b><br />
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I've been bitten by Big 4 knit sizing, in the past. If I'm thankful to Indie pattern companies for one thing, it's introducing reasonable ready-to-wear ease standards into knit sewing patterns. This may be a maternity dress, but there is no reason that a pattern designed for moderate stretch knits should have over five inches of ease at the bustline. Good heavens, I want bump coverage, not my own rose-printed pop up tent!<br />
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Thankfully, other reviewers noted this issue. I heeded their advice and chose my size based on the finished bust measurement, which put me at a Size 16, well under my Butterick-advised 20/22 combination. This pattern would've been consigned to back-of-the-closet hell, if I'd chosen any larger.<br />
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If you make this pattern, do not under any circumstances, choose your printed size. Consider this your dire warning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1esGLiDAj5sH5qeiOVl1Ot6iio34DgT18ziPPoo-Y5Qdt7h4DbxQxoIdeA5WNyLjzFzLRtVPPFQXVeTPfHhdDdeL3E4tEj8HWGYJ91-So4yIMLlYGR3ixt9xHvz303dtj7xeUYPpj3s/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1esGLiDAj5sH5qeiOVl1Ot6iio34DgT18ziPPoo-Y5Qdt7h4DbxQxoIdeA5WNyLjzFzLRtVPPFQXVeTPfHhdDdeL3E4tEj8HWGYJ91-So4yIMLlYGR3ixt9xHvz303dtj7xeUYPpj3s/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-32.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The requisite "Look! There's a human inside that blogger!" photo. </td></tr>
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<b>Gripe #2: Nonsensical Construction Methods</b><br />
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Y'all, knit patterns should not be this fiddly. While the skirt is easy enough, the bodice is one absurd process decision after another. The side panels are not actually over-the-bust princess seams, but under-the-arm panels that do nothing but make your life harder. They do not form a smooth armscye curve, but instead a bizarre, half-sewn, half-open seam that makes getting a clean finish impossible. I ended up sewing them all the way up, instead of stopping inches short as instructed, and using loads of steam-a-seam, just to get a workable finish that didn't burn my eyes.<br />
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Worse yet, the sleeves. I knew they weren't traditional sleeves, from other reviews, but I didn't fully realize how ineffective they were. You see, they're not sleeves at all. They're just floppy fabric rectangles that partially cover your upper arms.<br />
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I just...<br />
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Why...<br />
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By all that is holy...<br />
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Look, I know pregnant women run hot, but that doesn't mean we need an open ventilation chamber under our arms. If I'm adding elbow-length sleeves to something, it's because I want <i>actual</i> sleeves, not dainty little fabric blankets to cover my biceps. The mess of a half-finished armscye and faux sleeves was too much to handle. I didn't add them after all and started contemplating a pattern-for-kindling bonfire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKdT5sxpoHu3plv1MsjbZrm0ZtSqy-iKtD44hwwX9EvJbfqyi3IhaCdY0MiYMobVuLzMWJ_PqC71adGVCtPrbmUNSR6bPc4JMamNFiXjLaTcSBNm7RwlJ4wIImWUEXkosPe2HEp5U9ng/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKdT5sxpoHu3plv1MsjbZrm0ZtSqy-iKtD44hwwX9EvJbfqyi3IhaCdY0MiYMobVuLzMWJ_PqC71adGVCtPrbmUNSR6bPc4JMamNFiXjLaTcSBNm7RwlJ4wIImWUEXkosPe2HEp5U9ng/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-35.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hair frizz + armscye of doom!</td></tr>
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<b>Gripe #3: Final Fit</b></div>
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A reminder: I went two sizes down in this pattern. Take that into consideration and look at the above photos. That obscenely low armscye! That halfway-down-my-sternum neckline! Can you imagine what the correct size would've looked like? I expected to wear a camisole under this pattern, which is good, because it would be unwearable otherwise. </div>
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The armscye needs to be raised three inches, while the neckline needs an additional two. I also need to rotate the shoulder back a hair, but that's a spectacular non-issue, when compared with the other two. Admittedly, the long skirt is weighing the bodice down some, but it was <i>designed</i> for this skirt. This was all somehow intentional. Oof. </div>
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The next time I make this, I'm redrafting the bodice entirely, eliminating the side panels and raising the arsmcye/neckline to reasonable levels. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgBxpI9Y7vlfNqJELdN4Mrq-Fr1MJCDAxCDNG2egl768NYc37vq2th9zDmkGFLC14g_EROI1TLwyQsaOlcIVPGeoMrDKVV1Rz58ivub_H8lAdDsF6tro3dWdtwbHEaOTge-OLYLG7c04/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgBxpI9Y7vlfNqJELdN4Mrq-Fr1MJCDAxCDNG2egl768NYc37vq2th9zDmkGFLC14g_EROI1TLwyQsaOlcIVPGeoMrDKVV1Rz58ivub_H8lAdDsF6tro3dWdtwbHEaOTge-OLYLG7c04/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Butterick+6226+-+Italian+Floral+Rayon+Jersey+from+Mood+Fabrics-48.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh look, an unironed hem! Sorry, kittens. I was apparently so blinded with anger, that I didn't press the hem upon finishing.</td></tr>
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Aside from the barely contained process rage, I like this dress. A lot. </div>
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Somehow, all the messy parts came together for a flattering, glamorous garment that receives a ton of compliments out in the world. It's bit Greek goddess, a bit ritzy resort collection caftan. That's a combination that is definitely my speed, these days. </div>
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Even better, there is a ton of room for growing a human in this dress. Right now, it makes me look more pregnant than I look in other clothes, just from all that extra fabric in the front. Later this summer, that gathering is going to be a lifesaver! After I finish altering the bodice, I'm going to make a few more short and long versions of this dress. Though, perhaps not the jumpsuit. I can only imagine the alterations <i>that</i> variation might need! </div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-25302184152892736172016-12-31T21:57:00.000-06:002016-12-31T22:05:50.311-06:00Miss Bernadette Decks the Halls: Butterick 6244 and Cashmerette Turner Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpH7h_Tds5RzdQJyqzmiAtMoJHzTc5gXMxPchSYVTeEBeDKr1qD_dh7y17UWs0ExxUtnvES933Vcfu-T1cXmK29iOiCSkRJarsTPGqQAv1L0xJmXeyNszAyOY34ksCA8097ppIl7fZQk/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpH7h_Tds5RzdQJyqzmiAtMoJHzTc5gXMxPchSYVTeEBeDKr1qD_dh7y17UWs0ExxUtnvES933Vcfu-T1cXmK29iOiCSkRJarsTPGqQAv1L0xJmXeyNszAyOY34ksCA8097ppIl7fZQk/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-1-3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Good evening, kittens! There's time for one more 2016 blog post, right?</div>
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We originally had grand plans for tonight, but after two straight weeks of travel, decided to plant ourselves on the couch and watch college football instead. Sam is making steaks, I may whip up some brownies, and we'll ring in the new year in my favorite way: clad in pajamas and drinking mimosas at home. I would make <i>such</i> a fabulous hermit, y'all. </div>
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Despite my introverted inclinations, we did spend most of the holidays celebrating in style. Not only were there a million parties to attend in December, but our third anniversary fell right before Christmas. Usually, I make up one fabulous holiday dress, then wear it endlessly for a month. This year, I made a dress <i>and </i>a coat. It wasn't overachieving, so much as self-preservation. We had a series of cold fronts, before Christmas, and I would've been a beautiful popsicle, without a festive coat to throw over my festive dress. </div>
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No shivering under the mistletoe for me, this year!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q7xL6H2NiCkzsK0y78-xXojEn7VQgNOk0uhw56-YLpuk0EFCQ_0ZEoDGcjcXS5wBkFyvg3Fqdof5OMY-6xyG_AS7yIW3NqcHQDXxQNV9oURAEMPEoE6g4fqrClIZAnU3B7xxKhileV0/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q7xL6H2NiCkzsK0y78-xXojEn7VQgNOk0uhw56-YLpuk0EFCQ_0ZEoDGcjcXS5wBkFyvg3Fqdof5OMY-6xyG_AS7yIW3NqcHQDXxQNV9oURAEMPEoE6g4fqrClIZAnU3B7xxKhileV0/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-14.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThdEKxtHx50DyJtftDi2vrB_Pj6l7vNhLHJcZPHzD7tSF12u3cu191Byi5nZwH7NwUO4Tp5H_zpL79UjZ4rA9QOQqxN17qji-n8uBHj6IFukQJa7ufB54ZscYxpM1wff4zBPHxrqRTeU/s1600/Butterick+6244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThdEKxtHx50DyJtftDi2vrB_Pj6l7vNhLHJcZPHzD7tSF12u3cu191Byi5nZwH7NwUO4Tp5H_zpL79UjZ4rA9QOQqxN17qji-n8uBHj6IFukQJa7ufB54ZscYxpM1wff4zBPHxrqRTeU/s640/Butterick+6244.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6244" target="_blank">Butterick 6244</a>, the coat in this ensemble, is a pattern I've longed to make. It's one of the new Lisette patterns for Butterick (she moved from Simplicity, last year) designed by Liesl Gibson, of Oliver + S fame. The pattern features two pieces: a simple princess-seamed dress and a drape front coat to pair with it. The dress is cute enough, but that coat! Be still my heart. Unlined, with that dramatic collar and flat-felled seams, it's the elegant, but easy-to-sew outerwear of my dreams. </div>
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Gorgeous versions of this coat first popped up, last winter. Lori, of Girls in the Garden, <a href="http://www.girlsinthegarden.net/2015/12/butterick-6244-coat.html" target="_blank">made an elegant camel version</a>; Margot, of Creating in the Gap, made<a href="http://creatinginthegap.blogspot.com/2016/01/ignorance-is-bliss.html" target="_blank"> this glorious red one</a>; and </div>
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The Frougie Fashionista made<a href="https://frougiefashionista.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/lumberjack-plaid-coat-butterick-6244/" target="_blank"> a buffalo plaid iteration </a>that I have coveted ever since. We had a remarkably mild winter, last year, and I never got around to cutting it out. This year, however, coats seemed like the smartest thing to sew. We had a cold snap early and those Arctic waves of weather keep on coming. I'm relishing them, if only for the opportunity to wear my favorite layers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL00gwEZb7hyFuco_UERIQK9ndQMYmErSPMqubGvqrfeMrTDFabsRHsA7TiUNX69qBFN76Kau2zphjWqmNBMQLxUEhZWaLQLE2xP0GCcHTHsGbOwnm3pe26nvwapsOnIGlENXNmPuKetk/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL00gwEZb7hyFuco_UERIQK9ndQMYmErSPMqubGvqrfeMrTDFabsRHsA7TiUNX69qBFN76Kau2zphjWqmNBMQLxUEhZWaLQLE2xP0GCcHTHsGbOwnm3pe26nvwapsOnIGlENXNmPuKetk/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KpZe2E2V3v_Czy5ijGUKQdgW0bEHYLYSrdw_S_-lzxAlgoqQ9lhb3Mrllgy8UI5l3FXiH3OEjsBle1cK6dgUDBGcY-gnqzmey6G9fJvnuDQOSgcA5NjxsixRBPFiCdV0hHIMC2IHjVQ/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KpZe2E2V3v_Czy5ijGUKQdgW0bEHYLYSrdw_S_-lzxAlgoqQ9lhb3Mrllgy8UI5l3FXiH3OEjsBle1cK6dgUDBGcY-gnqzmey6G9fJvnuDQOSgcA5NjxsixRBPFiCdV0hHIMC2IHjVQ/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the fabric of this coat, I chose a dishy boiled wool from Mood Fabrics in cayenne red. This color is, sadly, no longer stocked on their site, but a <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/soft-pink-solid-boiled-wool-310163.html" target="_blank">dozen or so other colors</a> are still available. Boiled wool is exactly what it sounds like–wool fabric that has been agitated in hot water, so that the fibers shrink up into a tighter, more felted fabric. It has a gloriously soft, nubby texture and a bit of springy stretch in one direction, thanks to this process. In addition to coats, I’ve had a couple of winter skirts made from boiled wool and they are such cozy layering pieces. It is one of my favorite fabrics to wear during colder months.</div>
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It's also a bit strange to work with. Boiled wool is densely packed, but isn't opaque. It's super warm and a bit heavy, but also drapes beautifully. This is the first of two projects that I'm using boiled wool for, this season, and I'm treating it differently in each case. This fabric works brilliantly for unstructured, drapey pieces like this one, as it doesn't unravel and has beautiful movement on its own. However, if you add the right lining and understructure, it's also a fantastic fabric for a more structured coat. It's almost more chameleon than cloth.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1f9viVa0Xw3WUtOlm3DF_rPYXWIUfz3l-1HiwwZUo02754Q0oA9KlNnjb1pQY5Y1wOj8R8dSULw9hxq4_b6URhE1_5ZHsdvBFPUpkg0_zzuQh9wbNRhfIXAmyB-8qRhvouftxI1yTwE/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1f9viVa0Xw3WUtOlm3DF_rPYXWIUfz3l-1HiwwZUo02754Q0oA9KlNnjb1pQY5Y1wOj8R8dSULw9hxq4_b6URhE1_5ZHsdvBFPUpkg0_zzuQh9wbNRhfIXAmyB-8qRhvouftxI1yTwE/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Butterick+6244+--+Red+Boiled+Wool+Coat+from+Mood+Fabrics-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The construction of this coat was about as easy as outerwear gets. There are two darts at the neckline, no lining to fuss with, and only five pieces in total. The instructions are pretty clear, with a lengthy explanation of flat-felled seams for beginners, and there’s<a href="http://www.sewlisette.com/blog/2015/09/lisette-b6244-coat-sew-along/" target="_blank"> a sew-along on the Lisette website</a> for the entire pattern. Boiled wool doesn’t actually unravel, as mentioned above, so if you wanted to leave the drape unhemmed and the seams unfinished, this pattern would be easier. You’ll see unhemmed boiled wool in ready-to-wear all the time and it gives a bohemian, casual look to the finished garment. Despite my penchant for perfectionism, I<i> almost </i>did that myself. This wool looks seriously beautiful left on its own. </div>
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In the end, though, I hemmed everything and finished all seams as instructed. The armscyes are the only seams left unfelled in the directions, which I kept out of pure laziness. The fabric <i>is</i> a little bulky for flat-felled seams, but it takes both pinning and pressing well, so it’s not too big of a challenge. My seams aren't perfect on the insides, but look nice and neat on the outside. I'll take that!</div>
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My only note is that, if you’re going to use boiled wool for an unlined design, expect it to wrinkle. I wore the coat for an hour, before these photos, and signs of wear are evident even after a good pressing, earlier that morning. Its organic, unstructured nature is part of the charm, in my book. For more tailored designs, definitely consider those lining options well, however.</div>
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Underneath this coat is another version of the <a href="https://shop.cashmerette.com/products/turner-dress-pdf-pattern" target="_blank">Cashmerette Turner Dress</a>, which is easily my favorite pattern of the last few months. It's a simple design, but also a timeless one. Depending on fabric and design variations, soooo many different looks are possible with this pattern. Plus, those multiple cup sizes are amazing. I will never be able to praise Jenny enough for making the FBA a thing of the past. It's freeing to skip such a major fitting step! </div>
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For this Turner, I used <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/fashion-fabrics/stretch-and-knits/rayon-jersey/black-and-white-geometric-rayon-jersey-307869.html" target="_blank">black and white geometric rayon jersey,</a> also from Mood Fabrics. This fabric is extra stretchy, drapes like a dream, and has abstract hearts and circles marching diagonally across the print. It's absolutely beautiful and just a little strange, which I dig. In order to take advantage of this fabric, properly, I made a few small changes to the pattern: </div>
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<li>Rounded the neckline and subbed in a neckband, in place of the lining. </li>
<li>Elongated the shoulder seam slightly to give it the illusion of a cap sleeve, which I thought would be fun with those diagonal stripes. </li>
<li>Kept the 1" added to both the bodice and skirt, last time. </li>
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Like my other knit makes, I constructed this one in the usual way. It's sewn on my machine, with a lightning bolt stitch for the seams and small zig-zag for the hems. Lightweight fusible webbing is used on both the skirt and sleeve hems to stabilize them and make sewing much, <i>much </i>easier. </div>
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I really adore this pairing, y’all. A black-and-white print worn with bright red statement pieces is one of my favorite combinations, especially at the holidays. It’s festive, but also works at other times of the year. You can deck the halls or just bundle up for an elegant evening out. Even better, this coat is eerily similar to wearing a gigantic blanket. Between it and the secret pajamas factor of a knit dress, it feels like I’m cheating at dressing up! When I’ve eaten record amounts of holiday food, that’s a definite win.</div>
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Happy New Year, kittens! I hope you had a joyful holiday season, filled with friends, family, cake, and maybe even a little selfish sewing time! I'm really looking forward to seeing what 2017 has in store for us all. </div>
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<i>Note: The fabric for this post was provided by Mood Fabrics, free of charge, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network. All opinions and thoughts are my own, however, and I choose all my MSN fabrics. </i></div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-32631540135798291112016-12-15T02:01:00.000-06:002016-12-15T02:12:11.237-06:00Miss Georgia Knows These Woods Well: Cashmerette Turner Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good evening, kittens! It's hibernation season, down here in Texas. We've had a surprisingly chilly beginning to winter*, the kind of weather that demands tights and coats and copious amounts of tea. It's also the kind of weather that makes me want to do nothing but lounge around, reading books and eating spice cake. Some selfless sewing has happened--a few shirtdresses for my mother, perfecting a pants pattern for Sam's lovely aunt, and the unstoppable tide of Christmas gifts--but most of my inspiration has curled up into a ball, trying to keep warm. </div>
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Luckily, the indomitable <a href="http://www.cashmerette.com/" target="_blank">Jenny</a> has rescued me, once again. Last year, my winter sewing obsession was the <a href="https://shop.cashmerette.com/products/appleton-dress" target="_blank">Appleton Dress</a>, with its slinky fit and elegant wrap front. This year, my new love is another Cashmerette Pattern, the <a href="https://shop.cashmerette.com/products/turner-dress-pdf-pattern" target="_blank">Turner Dress</a>. This fit-and-flare knit dress has a v-neck bodice, three sleeve variations, and a swishy, semi-circle skirt. No doubt, you've already seen a parade of Turner Dresses marching through your Instagram feed and blog reader. It's been a smash hit with the curvy sewing community, since its release last month. After sewing it up, I am absolutely on board with the lovefest. This is a fun, easy project with elegant results. Who could ask for more?</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Yes, Virginia, we do have winter here. Well, <i>kind of</i>. </span></div>
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Of all seasons, winter gets the least amount of love in my sewing cave. December through February are legitimately cold months in Central Texas, but I rarely sew for them. It's all ready-to-wear coats and sweaters, nothing at all like summer wardrobe, which is entirely sewn. This season, I plan on addressing that discrepancy. I prefer wearing cold weather clothes, so why shouldn't I start sewing some?</div>
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The Turner Dress is ideal for such purposes. It's a fairly basic pattern, which means fabric choice and small design variations can produce a whole wardrobe of looks. Shorten the sleeves, it becomes a casual sundress. Add an overlay, it's a super chic cocktail dress. Plus, knits are <i>so </i>quick to sew up. If you want to build a mini-wardrobe in a hurry, knits make life easier. </div>
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Luckily, I have a few great knits languishing in my stash. <a href="http://www.lillestoff.com/" target="_blank">Lillestoff </a> sent me this jersey, last year, along with the blue tropical jersey used in <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2015/09/miss-myrtle-celebrates-new-decade.html" target="_blank">my 30th birthday Myrtle Dress</a>. It's a retro floral, with yellow and pink poppies on a plum background, which makes the perfect winter print. Like other Lillestoff cotton jerseys, it's a true medium weight, with good stretch and <i>very</i> springy recovery. That makes it easy to sew with (No bagging out! Yay!), but clingier than other cotton jerseys. </div>
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Alterations wise, this was a cake walk. Like other Cashmerette Patterns, Jenny drafted the Turner Dress for multiple cup sizes, eliminating the need for a Full Bust Adjusment. Based on my 46.5" bust measurement, this means that I'm either a big 16 G/H or a small 18 E/F, depending on waist and hip measurements. I opted for the 18 variant, to counteract the fabric's clingy tendencies, and did my only adjustment: adding length to the bodice and skirt. An inch on each, to make up for my height, and voila! Adjustments finished. </div>
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The v-neck of the Turner Dress is achieved by fully lining the bodice, instead of finishing it with a neckband. I didn't have quite enough of my main fabric to pull this off, so I lined the bodice with a bright orange bamboo jersey. (Just visible in the photo above!) I ordered that jersey from Mood, last year, but it was sooooo much brighter in person. Cheetoh bright, y'all. Instead of gritting my teeth and using it for a traffic cone costume, I'm calling it a lining and hiding it inside other garments. </div>
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The construction of the Turner is that of a classic knit pattern. If you've sewn up the Colette Moneta or the Sewaholic Renfrew, there will be no surprises here. In fact, thanks to the circular skirt, this pattern is even easier to sew than the Moneta. There is none of that fussy elastic gathering to worry about! I can't tell you how many sewing machine needles I've broken on that particular task. Jenny does have you understitch the neckline, which gives a neater turn to the fabric, but there are no particularly tricky steps. Mark everything well, make sure your tension is right, and use a ballpoint needle. You can't go wrong. </div>
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Due to its simplicity, the Turner dress can be sewn almost entirely on a serger, but I used my sewing machine instead. I like that extra control it gives, especially when working with the smaller seam allowances of a knit pattern. For main seams, I used the lightning bolt stitch on my BERNINA 350 PE and for hems I used a narrow zig-zag. There is elastic at both the shoulders and the waist, for added support, and fusible webbing in the hems for stability. </div>
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Huzzah! That's it. How sick are you of reading my This Is How I Sew Knits spiel? I feel like the technical details must be included, for those who are coming to only this review, but it's the same on almost every knit pattern. Stabilize, be careful, and use a sewing machine. Maybe next time I<i> will </i>use a serger, just to keep things exciting. I'm channeling Fixer Upper, it seems. Inventing drama through perfectly planned disasters! If I accidentally slice off important fabric pieces and ruin something, I'm blaming Chip and Joanna. It's only fair. </div>
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This dress is such a hit! It's already in constant rotation in my wardrobe, worn a half dozen times before I even snapped these pictures. Not only is the fabric super cozy, but the fit is great. There is some light pulling above the bust, but everything else is perfect: the shoulders are slim enough, the neckline isn't too deep, and the waist sits at my narrowest point. I will switch to a different cup size on the pattern, next time, which should get rid of that pulling. My only other slight quibble is that the point of my v-neck has rounded itself off, after a few cycles through the washing machine. I obviously need to reinforce that neckline a bit more in future versions! </div>
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And, yes, there will be future versions. I've already made a rayon jersey one for my forthcoming Mood Sewing Network outfit and two sweater knits are in line for another round. I'm playing with the neckline and design elements, as you might expect. Bell sleeves, jewel necklines. Those are just my initial evil plans! Be warned, kittens. You're going to be <i>sick </i>of Turner Dresses on Idle Fancy, before this season is out. </div>
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In the meantime, I hope you're having a lovely holiday season! We're about to embark on The Grand Danielson-Perry Christmas Extravaganza, where we bounce between Austin, Waco, and Houston for a few weeks, visiting family and catching up with friends. Thank heavens for knit dresses and e-readers! I wouldn't survive all that driving without secret pajamas and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Carriger/e/B002BML6TE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1481788836&sr=8-2-ent" target="_blank">new Gail Carriger novellas</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1QHcT-cZ7T4Ol1XS4ObXstETvhnVDg0W7CWm05xOOjZU0J1uufOUPUopQsnqGOeTOb0kRzjJ_LXaSrGlEENz_VfWyLxcWHpt9g4h1frEj91xKrl5uQnArAC7vpn-YiGfb56f8kTNH8s/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Cashmerette+Turner+Dress+--+Lillestoff+Fabric+-1-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1QHcT-cZ7T4Ol1XS4ObXstETvhnVDg0W7CWm05xOOjZU0J1uufOUPUopQsnqGOeTOb0kRzjJ_LXaSrGlEENz_VfWyLxcWHpt9g4h1frEj91xKrl5uQnArAC7vpn-YiGfb56f8kTNH8s/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Cashmerette+Turner+Dress+--+Lillestoff+Fabric+-1-4.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
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Fabric: c/o Lillestoff </div>
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Pattern: c/o Cashmerette -- Jenny originally sent this pattern to testers, last spring, but I was traveling during that testing period and couldn't fit it into my sewing schedule. This is the final version of the pattern, which she kindly sent along anyway, right before the launch</div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-45836297855819909272016-10-07T01:46:00.004-05:002016-10-07T01:49:55.780-05:00Miss Hildy Gets a Promotion: Knipmode 03/2016 + McCall's 7351<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kwEHVGIJpslCv8eWKwVQQhdrAp78GXeVver4IVT_yGWl90t_Z-hcm9mtotLmy3sChGPmdoJBbbfUq2SZ_x1rl3qpbU6ulVh57-r1IPXKNYh_KIgo2rlxrm1ZvXhHvHd_-5UAPnWoeQg/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+09-7335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kwEHVGIJpslCv8eWKwVQQhdrAp78GXeVver4IVT_yGWl90t_Z-hcm9mtotLmy3sChGPmdoJBbbfUq2SZ_x1rl3qpbU6ulVh57-r1IPXKNYh_KIgo2rlxrm1ZvXhHvHd_-5UAPnWoeQg/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+09-7335.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Kittens, this was a <i>week</i>. </div>
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You know the kind. Everything with a plug breaks, deer jump into the road right as you drive by, and you discover that the night shift Emergency Room doctor knows you by name. I. Am. Drained. Give me a fainting couch and a cocktail, because that's all I have the energy to face. </div>
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Well, that and <i>finally</i> blogging about this outfit. Both of these garments are in heavy wardrobe rotation, so it's high time they made an appearance here. They weren't actually <i>meant</i> to go<i> </i>together, per se, but I ironed them at the same time and gave into whimsy. Polka dots in opposite colorways cancel each other out, right? We're going with it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bIWM79mVjD_s18LiBA7TWABgotpQn6PkyFH3HnDWN8vgOqYT6cJlOOR4aOL5gTytA-E7nXY6tMPlqmiycuwLrdssjTugdS-ad1TpfLkTSgn6uw9wWS9Mp8kmFn2owtA713PxagFOZzs/s1600/Knipmode+1603-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bIWM79mVjD_s18LiBA7TWABgotpQn6PkyFH3HnDWN8vgOqYT6cJlOOR4aOL5gTytA-E7nXY6tMPlqmiycuwLrdssjTugdS-ad1TpfLkTSgn6uw9wWS9Mp8kmFn2owtA713PxagFOZzs/s1600/Knipmode+1603-09.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let's talk about this skirt first, as you've seen the shirt pattern (many times) before. This skirt is <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/rok-pdf-patroon-28291" target="_blank">pattern #9 </a>from<a href="http://foxglovesandthimbles.blogspot.com/2016/02/review-knipmode-march-2016.html" target="_blank"> the March 2016 issue of Knipmode</a>,* which was filled with on-trend basics for spring. So, naturally, I waited until autumn to make this up. It's almost like there's a nursery rhyme about Marys and their contrarian ways. </div>
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Anyway, this pattern. It's a full, pleated skirt with asymmetrical pleating, a curved waistband, and an invisible zipper side closure. On both the front and the back, there are two knife pleats and an inverted box pleat. Simple enough, right? I didn't even bother translating instructions from Dutch, so confident was I in my skirt skills. I raided my stash, came up with this d<a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/black-white-polka-dotted-stretch-cotton-twill-306376.html" target="_blank">ishy polka dot stretch twill from Mood</a>, and started sewing this pattern in a straight Size 48.</div>
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Foolhardy decision. Look closer, my dears. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Note: This pattern is <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/rok-pdf-patroon-28291" target="_blank">also available as a PDF.</a> If you'd like to know more about how I use Knipmode, from translating to tracing, I recently posted about it <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/my-year-with-knipmode-part-one/" target="_blank">on the Curvy Sewing Collective</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOOArsowjoV0ITSnRaWtQIhYGljKu80xmu7As2sNyWY5nZK7k8U41L23xB4eNE-4n5tluvvhdoyqqeRENlJuakAFtdED91ftjqlvKeVQ1TCpejb2NkKLvF6PkpjrpaXweKvO6KJat27Q/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt-12-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOOArsowjoV0ITSnRaWtQIhYGljKu80xmu7As2sNyWY5nZK7k8U41L23xB4eNE-4n5tluvvhdoyqqeRENlJuakAFtdED91ftjqlvKeVQ1TCpejb2NkKLvF6PkpjrpaXweKvO6KJat27Q/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt-12-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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See those pleats? They don't look quite the same as the original, do they? There's something amiss. You can almost put your finger on it...</div>
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AHA!</div>
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Yes, I sewed the pleats in the wrong directions. Somehow, when marking up the pattern, I ended up with a knife pleat on either side of a center box pleat. It's like my persnickety devotion to symmetry couldn't stand the intended design and hijacked the whole project. Well played, subconscious. </div>
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By the time I noticed the error, I'd pleated both sides. It was either unpick the whole thing or live with a more (though not fully) symmetrical design. Obviously, I didn't care that much. All I really wanted was a polka dot skirt in a full silhouette. I tried it on, decided it looked fine, and called it a design decision. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Gt622CfxvEppNydP22N8HzPRViMsQdlv8oA8u-XVihlmSKPq5dobboEF04lmvPvdPfTBAbDyHlasK6LHsbiI8H12M6wS2wrtAVxYZnCLSBl_nLWFLilj8d7sWvWOTaF2KR-NPCnf90/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Side+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Gt622CfxvEppNydP22N8HzPRViMsQdlv8oA8u-XVihlmSKPq5dobboEF04lmvPvdPfTBAbDyHlasK6LHsbiI8H12M6wS2wrtAVxYZnCLSBl_nLWFLilj8d7sWvWOTaF2KR-NPCnf90/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Side+Back.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Other than unforseen pleating adventures, this was a quick project. There's a black invisible zipper at the side, a fairly deep hem, and a faced waistband. It really doesn't get simpler than that, does it? I've actually made two further versions of this skirt, with full linings and correct pleat orientations, for more swishy basics. Mood has a <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/fashion-fabrics/cotton/sateen.html" target="_blank">great collection of cotton sateens right now,</a> which lend themselves well to such garments. </div>
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Onto the shirt! Have you guessed what pattern this is, yet?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJV9eMltjMrQr2V5vatWV0yLhLozHJbyjg7HzZhA7NZxuQyOb_uvU7fksRXrWq50xAMOkRZ2nYvNl-uXbtctxZuG7_eZSK77zggu-ACDP31otqGHjdfPEMMeD_4EKMnE8V7fVqOYH-UY/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Polka+Dots+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJV9eMltjMrQr2V5vatWV0yLhLozHJbyjg7HzZhA7NZxuQyOb_uvU7fksRXrWq50xAMOkRZ2nYvNl-uXbtctxZuG7_eZSK77zggu-ACDP31otqGHjdfPEMMeD_4EKMnE8V7fVqOYH-UY/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Polka+Dots+%252811%2529.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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This is another version of <a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">McCall's 7351</a>, everyone's new favorite shirtdress. A couple months ago, I made a few alterations and also<a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2016/06/miss-delphine-meets-her-match-mccalls.html" target="_blank"> turned this pattern into my go-to button-down.</a> It's a simple darted top with a classic collar, separate button bands, and a back yoke. </div>
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What's fun about this garment is actually the fabric. This black and white polka dotted shirting is a gorgeous, lightweight lawn picked up from <a href="http://www.gailkfabricsinc.com/" target="_blank">Gail K Fabrics </a>in Atlanta. Back in May, Sam and I took a grand road trip through the Southeast, visiting beloved relatives, attending an academic conference, and frolicking our way through six states. </div>
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The Georgia part of this trip was <i>filled</i> with sewing shenanigans. First up, I was lucky enough to attend the annual <a href="http://www.youngdesignerssewing.com/home.html" target="_blank">Young Designers Sewing Program</a> fashion show, thanks to Sam's amazing Aunt Gail. The Young Designers program is a nonprofit in Athens, which teaches girls how to design and sew their own clothes, along with interviewing skills, college planning, and basic small business practices. Each year, they have a fashion show, where the girls show off all the clothes they've been making, from refashions of wedding dresses to vintage-inspired outfits that look straight from New York. I have never been so awed. Many of these girls were still in elementary school and already working with sergers, knits, and invisible zippers! If you're in the Athens/Atlanta area, this is a great organization to check out. They're always looking for fabric donations, financial backing, and sewists willing to donate their time! </div>
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After Athens, we headed to Atlanta for the conference and some exploring of Sam's old graduate school haunts. There, I had the good luck to run into t<a href="https://smorgasbords.wordpress.com/author/mikosan1116/" target="_blank">he gorgeous Sumiko, </a>who is both a brilliant communication scholar<i> and </i>a fellow curvy sewist. We met up for coffee and sewing gossip, then afterwards I headed to the famed Gail K Fabrics. Y'all, this store deserves its reputation. Outside of Britex and Mood, I've never been so overwhelmed by a fabric store. They had walls upon walls of fabric, many stacked all the way to the ceiling. It was a labyrinth of beautiful prints and luxe fibers. In the end, I walked away with this shirting and two Marc Jacobs voiles (sapphire and emerald). It's definitely worth a trip, if you find yourself in Georgia! </div>
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Though polka dot shirtings are fairly thick on the ground, this one is special. It washed up into a gloriously soft, draping cotton that skims over curves and is somehow impervious to wrinkles. Even better, it's printed on grain. On grain! I can't remember the last time I used a polka dot that lined up perfectly with the grain. That alone made it worth the purchase. </div>
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<a href="http://weallsew.com/secrets-sewing-perfect-collars/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4k4E9AFrFEJhF30OhWMYXzBxyN_BwM9qm7BnEFdAoP9r4NNE2A_u9827s3khg6EgaTKxMzshKLLwmHzaejpvtIA0VjpD2OU-ysHKQMWuEZ7INceZfp94ow6Q0nGuxwtOZ6PFhTFVgIA/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Sewing+a+Perfect+Collar-+Title.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The construction of this shirt was identical to my previous version, apart from the addition of two extra buttons. If you're curious about some more complicated aspects of button-downs, however, I have good news! I recently wrote a post for BERNINA's blog, <a href="http://weallsew.com/" target="_blank">We All Sew</a>, about how I construct and sew collars. If you've wrestled with turning points and getting collars to curve, the tips I share in <i><a href="http://weallsew.com/secrets-sewing-perfect-collars/" target="_blank">"The Secrets of Sewing Perfect Collars"</a> </i>should help out. </div>
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There you have it, not one, but <i>two </i>polka dotted garments. Like I said, both of these pieces have gotten heaps of wear, in recent weeks. The button-down looks killer with skinny jeans and a drapey, bright cardigan, while the skirt dresses up beautifully with Bardot tops and heels. Honestly, though, I do prefer them worn together. There's something about the inversion of the same palette that lends a certain elegance to the humble dot. It's unconventional, but still classic. </div>
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In short, I dig it. Now, where is my fainting couch?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MCVAY75dmglMQBijJUFFcr8-T2s-paUb2QDWndiqSkn_XAtVR4q9_O9D1HfgkJ2YIAHH9hfUnfuLbkJ1M7VF0UZZWxMDO3TYUd2oMeGK6OnWarzd4Id1NfO67ve-2lF3YSvCWefPJfI/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Polka+Dots+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5MCVAY75dmglMQBijJUFFcr8-T2s-paUb2QDWndiqSkn_XAtVR4q9_O9D1HfgkJ2YIAHH9hfUnfuLbkJ1M7VF0UZZWxMDO3TYUd2oMeGK6OnWarzd4Id1NfO67ve-2lF3YSvCWefPJfI/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+Knipmode+March+2016+Skirt+--+Polka+Dots+%25283%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-26778842984675766232016-09-16T14:21:00.001-05:002016-09-16T14:32:06.213-05:00Miss Margot Could Be Your Silver Springs: Butterick 5878<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good afternoon, my dear wombats! Over the last year, I've alluded to my evolving sense of style. It's something everyone goes through, of course. Your body changes, you get older, you move. All of these shifts reverberate through our wardrobes, as well.</div>
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When you make your own clothes, however, this transition can be more of a headache. My many cotton versions of Simplicity 1873 go unworn nowadays, crowding my closet with their bright, novelty prints, but there aren't <i>nearly</i> enough silk blouses to pair with skinny jeans. Add in measurements that are bouncing around like a rubber ball and my closet fills me with dread, a morass of slightly too-tight skirts and colors that don't suit my current mood. </div>
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Then again, there are new additions that get plenty of rotation. Shirtdresses continue on, beloved and easy to wear, jewel tones speak to how much I'm over summer, and the 1970's has crept onto my radar. Think a light smattering of voluminous sleeves and bohemian silhouettes. My love of Stevie Nicks is finally influencing something other than my Spotify algorithm, it seems.</div>
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Any moment, I'm going to start wearing shawls and twirling. <i>Tambourines, ahoy. </i></div>
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In all honesty, I am in <i>love </i>with peasant style dresses for the fall. <a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7431" target="_blank">McCall's 7431</a> (View C, with those dramatic sleeves!) is high on my sewing wishlist, as is <a href="http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/long-sleeve-maxi-dress-plus-size-042016" target="_blank">this maxi dress from Burda</a>. However, <a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b5878" target="_blank">Butterick 5878 </a>seemed like the best way to ease into this look, if only because I'd already cut out the pattern. </div>
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This is a woven surplice dress with a tiered skirt, three sleeve options, and elasticized waist. I'm not going to lie, kittens, that elastic waist drew me in originally. With those aforementioned bouncing measurements, sewing pieces that will fit from one month to the next is crucial right now. It's a miracle I'm not just sewing knits until my hormones even out again. </div>
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<i>Anywho.</i> I opted for View B of this pattern, which has three tiers on the skirt and elasticized 3/4 sleeves. There was a point, halfway through, when I tried on the dress and almost left off the sleeves entirely. While this version of the pattern absolutely screams peasant dress, the sleeveless view looks decidedly modern when done all in one fabric, the perfect transitional piece from summer to fall.</div>
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I'll obviously need one of those, as well. </div>
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Despite threats to leave off pieces or sub in a simple circle skirt, I embraced the design of this dress fully. Everything on the pattern is as-is, except for a Full Bust Adjustment taken before cutting. I probably could've skipped it, but the impulse for staying true to design integrity overrode me. I err toward fitting things as intended, rather than using ease to skate by with my measurements. It's always easier to take things in than to wish for more room, after all. </div>
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The fabric of this dress is a rayon challis from Fabric Mart, which has languished in my stash for years. It's a minimalist tulip design in white, teal, and sapphire on a black background, with all the swish and body you'd expect from a challis. I had scads of it and no particular emotional attachment, so it was the ideal fabric for trying out a new pattern. Plus, it wouldn't push this dress into "prairie chic" territory, which was a legit concern. The tulips point in both directions, but more one way or another, depending on which side is up. I opted for more tulips pointing down, like little Tiffany lamps. </div>
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The construction details on this pattern are what you would expect from a Big 4 dress pattern. The instructions are detailed and thorough, but I changed it up to suit my preferences. Butterick suggests that you encase the elastic in the loose seam allowance of the waist seam, which was waaaaay too messy for me. Instead, I serged that seam to finish it, then used it as a channel on the inside bodice, top-stitching the seam upwards, flat against the bodice. Leaving a few inches free, I then threaded the elastic through that channel and closed it up. Easy and much, much cleaner!</div>
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Everything else was a cinch. The tiers require a ton of gathering, but I rather like such mindless, longform sewing. Put on a podcast, zen out for thirty minutes, and you're done! On the sleeveless version of this dress, I will probably sub in a 3/4 circle skirt, though. There are only so many aggressively tiered dresses a woman needs. </div>
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The final dress looks <i>so</i> close to how I imagined it. Loose, but feminine and begging to be layered with tights and boots. Arguably, it was meant to be belted, but my favorite skinny belt went M.I.A. for these pictures and I like the shape just as much without. The elastic waist still gives the dress plenty of definition and it's shockingly breezy and cool for the warm September days we're having. Hooray for rayon!</div>
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The one thing I don't like is the sleeve length. It turns out that elasticized sleeves kind of drive me crazy on my forearms. They're not tight enough to stay still, but they're not loose enough to keep from bothering me. I keep leaving them at my elbows, as in these pictures, which gives them a bell shape. It's cute, but definitely <i>not</i> as intended. </div>
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When I change up the skirt on this pattern, I'll increase the depth of that crossover wrap on the bodice, as well. Like <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/review/pattern/110051" target="_blank">others before me</a>, I added a tack at the center front, to prevent the bodice from blousing open. With a slightly deeper crossover, I could nix the tack <i>and</i> the camisole underneath. Using the current skirt, though, the shorter waistline from a deep wrap would have messed with the top tier's size. The pieces measure one for one, along the waistline. I didn't feel like pre-gathering before the elastic insertion or narrowing that tier, so I left the bodice intact. </div>
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Can you tell I'm ready for fall? Things are getting desperate around here, when I'm willfully adding sleeves to dresses and wearing black by choice. After looking at these pictures, I'm dreaming of another version of this dress in true autumnal colors. Maybe a berry polka dot or mustard floral? Those would look gorgeous layered under cardigans and over tights. </div>
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There's nothing wrong with a spot of aspirational sewing, right? Sew for the climate you want to have and all that. I haven't even started on my winter coats yet, so I'm still being somewhat practical. We'll ignore the piles of wool on my cutting table and pumpkin cake recipes crowding my browser tabs. </div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-91448790518834292012016-08-28T13:14:00.001-05:002016-08-28T15:02:04.916-05:00Miss Gloria and the Swinging Vines: Papercut Sway Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good afternoon, kittens! This weekend was filled with Hitchcock movies, turning plums<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3783-original-plum-torte" target="_blank"> into plum cakes,</a> and a fair bit of sewing. After a summer of illness and calamity, we're reveling in the change of seasons. Well, metaphorically anyhow. It's still decidedly summer around here. To quote Stella from <i>Rear Window</i>, "You'd think the rain would've cooled things down. All it did was make the heat wet."</div>
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My fall sewing list is as long as my arm, but each piece is more impractical than the last. Stevie Nicks dresses and pink wool coats are exciting, sure, but I can't wear them until November! So, I'm instituting a rule: for every impractical garment I sew, the next piece needs to be wearable immediately. After giving <a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b5878" target="_blank">Butterick 5878</a> a spin (a swishy, long-sleeved Stevie dress yet to be blogged), it was time for something practical. Namely, that green linen tent dress I mused over a few weeks ago. </div>
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This is the <a href="http://papercutpatterns.com/products/sway-dress" target="_blank">Papercut Sway Dress</a> again, made up in a medium-weight <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/emerald-medium-weight-linen-310685.html" target="_blank">emerald green linen from Mood Fabrics</a>. When this fabric first arrived, it was stiff with sizing and scratchy against the skin. Rather dreadful prospects for a garment. However, I took the brilliant <a href="http://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/2008/07/sewing-with-linen.html" target="_blank">Carolyn's advice about sewing with linen </a>and washed it not once, but three times. This fully relaxed the linen fibers, washed away the sizing, and produced a soft, draping dream of a fabric. </div>
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This method also protects somewhat against the worst of linen's wrinkles. There are still enough for character, of course, but I can definitely tell a difference between using this method and just single pre-washing. I can wear this dress all day and not look a complete mess, two hours in. </div>
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I ordered two yards of this linen, which isn't <i>quite</i> enough for the pattern. Some creative cutting and adding a front yoke as a "design detail" sorted things out. I also changed a few things from my first version. The Full Bust Adjustment, with its angled dart at the side seam, remains, as does the fantastic all-in-one facing to finish the neckline and armscye. However, I sloped the hemline for a subtle high-low effect, giving the dress a little more swish. The waist tie is also twice as wide, which helps cinch in the heavier fabric. If you'd like more pattern construction details, check out <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2016/08/miss-gloria-feels-heat-papercut-sway.html" target="_blank">my first Sway Dress review</a>, which goes in depth about that process. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliaSxfq3MGUGIAnOCWl_RW-A6Np4W1s3aiVBfa5L2yUxD7cphGxOnXeNZ5mSKU5Sjw9IXu0e_Y6TmwZmUzDvzlhoNXENKdeMKKKHXOe-94BoAxqt135bgDxUyRXwrhLbZljGy6_1o9w0/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+papercut+Sway+Dress+--+Mood+Fabric+Emerald+Green+Linen-29+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliaSxfq3MGUGIAnOCWl_RW-A6Np4W1s3aiVBfa5L2yUxD7cphGxOnXeNZ5mSKU5Sjw9IXu0e_Y6TmwZmUzDvzlhoNXENKdeMKKKHXOe-94BoAxqt135bgDxUyRXwrhLbZljGy6_1o9w0/s1600/Idle+Fancy+--+papercut+Sway+Dress+--+Mood+Fabric+Emerald+Green+Linen-29+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let's talk about actually sewing with linen though, shall we? Linen is one of my favorite substrates to wear. Perhaps I've watched <i>Romancing the Stone</i> or <i>The African Queen</i> one too many times, but wearing linen makes me feel both glamorous and ready to swing from a vine, should the situation call for it. However, it can be a bear to sew with. The loose weave grows as you handle the fabric, causing curves to stretch and seams to warp. It will also relax around your body, with wear, so fitted garments require planning ahead for bagging out and drooping. </div>
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There's a <a href="http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4248/easy-and-elegant-linen" target="_blank">fantastic article from <i>Threads </i></a>on sewing with linen, including guidance about seam finishes, linings, and pre-washing. Cobbling together advice from that article and a few others, I changed my process for better accommodate linen's idiosyncrasies. The facing for this dress is made with a coordinating green bamboo voile, which has a hand and structure like silk organza. That gives more support where the linen needs it: around the curves of the neckline and armscyes, plus along the shoulder seam, which carries most of the dress's weight. There's fusible interfacing around the neckline to stabilize it and twill tape in the shoulder seam itself, for further support. I also stay-stitched every possible curve, immediately after cutting my pattern pieces out, to prevent warp. </div>
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In the Sway Dress instructions, we're told to let the dress hang for twenty-four hours, before hemming. This lets the bias parts of the skirt drop with gravity, so the hem won't be a dodgy, up-and-down affair after a day of wearing. With linen, this step is even more important. I let it hang for two whole days, to ensure everything dropped fully. This fabric has such a loose weave that the bias portions dropped over six inches at each side seam. Yikes! This is how that slight high-low hem came into being. I figured that I was going to spend an eon evening the hem anyhow, so why not make it more interesting? Thank heavens for dress forms, y'all. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PZ3KhSZhOsdIeazEx111n3GZ9nJzuyoHhlzfXXPQVcLvpwdwGhCNdUff2X7EVK-ki1g7K-JhLMbMpcxchIB7lspV0uvQL-iqIGKOovkFwAFxw-S3-aSKM1aZy1gSr3Fw_eZiBXuSB0g/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Emerald+Green+Linen+-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PZ3KhSZhOsdIeazEx111n3GZ9nJzuyoHhlzfXXPQVcLvpwdwGhCNdUff2X7EVK-ki1g7K-JhLMbMpcxchIB7lspV0uvQL-iqIGKOovkFwAFxw-S3-aSKM1aZy1gSr3Fw_eZiBXuSB0g/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Emerald+Green+Linen+-31.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
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Voila! A totally <i>practical</i> emerald green tent dress. This really is perfect for end-of-summer Texas wardrobe blues. Sure, I'd rather be hauling out sweaters and tights, but this billowy, bright dress makes me smile every time I wear it. The extra wide waist tie mimics a fit-and-flare silhouette well, but the linen skims every curve and dances around the body. It's ideal for running errands on muggy days and dressing up for casual summer dates. Also, if I could source it in every substrate, I would probably wear this color every day. Emerald cashmere coat, I will have you, eventually!</div>
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Now, I'm going to plot my next <i>im</i>practical project and possibly bake a loaf of challah. I've been re-watching old seasons of <i>The Great British Bake Off</i> lately and they're giving me delusions of kitchen grandeur. We've had way too many clafoutis-related emergency grocery store trips, lately. Sam even had to talk me out of making île flottante at midnight, earlier this week. Maybe a bit of frivolous sewing will curb such whimsy elsewhere? One can hope. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpvGkcV6L2rsoGhu3yP1O2Xm6idjd8Rc7_YlM0wzd7vYt6qzBuRTn4tAmQj2lw5SDt-KF01_npEMDrDhESQh0Px2A_LeqaR1v1T1K9LNHBvHE-4uNhvA3O2YMSBPpMTEEYQjgIUAj7S8/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Emerald+Green+Linen+-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpvGkcV6L2rsoGhu3yP1O2Xm6idjd8Rc7_YlM0wzd7vYt6qzBuRTn4tAmQj2lw5SDt-KF01_npEMDrDhESQh0Px2A_LeqaR1v1T1K9LNHBvHE-4uNhvA3O2YMSBPpMTEEYQjgIUAj7S8/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Emerald+Green+Linen+-41.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>Disclaimer: The fabric for this project was provided to me free of charge, as part of my membership in the <a href="http://www.moodsewingnetwork.com/" target="_blank">Mood Sewing Network</a>. However, I picked it out and all opinions are my own. </i>Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-85989786077178314542016-08-08T12:26:00.002-05:002016-08-08T13:41:50.176-05:00Miss Gloria Feels the Heat: Papercut Sway Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6dYZjmbL3pBMbk2iHBk46Qy2omD2NATAGkjAuKLUSQIB2ZxkjOkISoJESJ4LxsrSP3Nm9qyNPQdq6yuyPOLZ2ifeAVUsAQnogfzr361sQTV_dXdQHQ9YlJrW6ieYfJFWila6dEnpe8M/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252819%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6dYZjmbL3pBMbk2iHBk46Qy2omD2NATAGkjAuKLUSQIB2ZxkjOkISoJESJ4LxsrSP3Nm9qyNPQdq6yuyPOLZ2ifeAVUsAQnogfzr361sQTV_dXdQHQ9YlJrW6ieYfJFWila6dEnpe8M/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252819%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Hello, my loves! After six years of blogging, quiet summers have become something of a tradition on Idle Fancy, haven't they? The temperature skyrockets and all I want to do is wear yoga pants, drink iced tea, and wallow around in the air conditioning. Sewing begins to sound dreadful. </div>
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<i>Fit-and-flare dress?</i> Ugh. Too tight. </div>
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<i>Cozy cardigan?</i> Beyond depressing. I wouldn't be able to wear it until October. </div>
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<i>Jeans?</i> Your optimism is hilarious. </div>
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There is one silhouette that has been on my mind, however: the tent dress. They've been everywhere in stores again, this year, and have won me over. Sure, they're shapeless and--well--t<i>ent-like, </i>but they're also flowing and lightweight and ideally suited for triple digit heat. I fell hard for a <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=91406&vid=3&pid=133885002" target="_blank">striped knit swing dress</a> at Old Navy, then an <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-dresses/4130317994665.jsp#/" target="_blank">embroidered white version at Anthropologie</a>. They're not my usual silhouette, but they're the only garments I crave right now! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXXwRWBvKQg0C0eYuztpamWDycLg7venmtm5cSwM3gbaJe23bdRD8UmnQv5396NjqG751g9tIpCLiFsIjildj6aOGYOhvssP9QF5XxXrDsT3MXpJG0dbzizyCcKsSxSw-pFZ_vzHLFts/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252823%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXXwRWBvKQg0C0eYuztpamWDycLg7venmtm5cSwM3gbaJe23bdRD8UmnQv5396NjqG751g9tIpCLiFsIjildj6aOGYOhvssP9QF5XxXrDsT3MXpJG0dbzizyCcKsSxSw-pFZ_vzHLFts/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252823%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Since I'm hopelessly late to this bandwagon, there are heaps of tent/trapeze/swing dress patterns already out there. There's the voluminous, bow-tied Cynthia Rowley design,<a href="http://www.simplicity.com/simplicity-pattern-1105-misses-dresses-cynthia-rowley-collection/1105.html" target="_blank"> Simplicity 1105</a>, the notch-necked and subtle trapeze of <a href="http://www.simplicity.com/new-look-pattern-6340-misses-easy-dresses/UN6340A.html" target="_blank">New Look 6340</a>, and even a chic silk Mart Visser collaboration f<a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/jurk-van-mart-visser-pdf-patroon" target="_blank">rom Knipmode's last issue</a>. </div>
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As usual, I gravitated toward the woven options. My stash is robust, but I don't buy knits on a whim, like I do lightweight cottons and rayons. When I want to sew a knit pattern, the fabric has to be sourced, ordered, then waited on. That doesn't work for impulse sewing! So, to try out this silhouette, I settled on the woven <a href="http://papercutpatterns.com/products/sway-dress" target="_blank">Papercut Sway Dress</a>. </div>
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This pattern has been made up dozens of times in blogland, to great effect. It's a classic tent dress with a v-neck, side seam pockets, two hem lengths, and an optional tie waist. The longer, cinched version appealed to the feminine core of my style. It has all the ease of a tent dress, but in a length and general shape I'm already comfortable with. Even better, the PDF version of this pattern only has 32 pages! It was printed and cut out in less than two episodes of Stranger Things<i> </i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(#JusticeForBarb)</span>. </div>
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I paired it with a <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-orange-rust-floral-printed-cotton-batiste-310284.html" target="_blank">cotton batiste from Mood Fabrics,</a> in an orange tropical floral print. Batiste is an easy to work with fabric and the perfect weight for a light, floaty dress. I didn't bother matching the floral, since it has a large repeat, and love how the busy print worked with the simple lines of the Sway Dress. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4n6hnH8qbXDNBhv5WWgi04gG2fuD2OaB2SOuMrDRvyWX3l9gaO7aa4AsSMxU2KoXgeHX4DXXcVi4Oez7aEuBPG5XXvY2FC1-phtAPguFPBslf_ikS2SA7weXwBQQYNSGxFfu1rHckIU/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4n6hnH8qbXDNBhv5WWgi04gG2fuD2OaB2SOuMrDRvyWX3l9gaO7aa4AsSMxU2KoXgeHX4DXXcVi4Oez7aEuBPG5XXvY2FC1-phtAPguFPBslf_ikS2SA7weXwBQQYNSGxFfu1rHckIU/s640/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course, I don’t <i>quite</i> fit into Papercut’s size chart. Their final size goes to 44″-36″-46″, an inch or two off my bust and hip measurements.<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "adamina" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px;"> </span>However, with my high bust of 42″ and this pattern’s generous ease through the body, the XL fit me well. To better accommodate my bustline, I did a 1.5 inch Full Bust Adjustment, adding a dart to the side seam of the front bodice.</div>
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While that’s a straightforward adjustment, this pattern only has two main pieces: a front dress and a back dress. As drafted, the dress is fully reversible, so the wearer can choose whether she wants a v-neck or a rounded neckline on any given day. This makes a ton of sense in a voluminous design, but my FBA rendered this impossible. I had to choose which neckline I wanted as the true front and opted for the v-neck. Huzzah for open necklines!</div>
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The other adjustment I made was to lower the pockets by three inches on each side. Maybe my height caused this problem, but they sat right at my waistline initially. Egads! That might be fine for the true tent version of this dress, but I made the longer view, with a tie that cinches in the waist. Having tie and pockets at the same level seemed absurd.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrMYJITu-mBpjHzDK8O3P2oxCT0S9kpu53tQjrrJqyWD_jf6eXgzu8r5oubY95eWOVFKP_zKGA-nL1qTBcX_5lV2WZsPuSEDg9enjxJs-83B1HRGhXle1lBVLYxWy9EyeEq6RiIhALAY/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrMYJITu-mBpjHzDK8O3P2oxCT0S9kpu53tQjrrJqyWD_jf6eXgzu8r5oubY95eWOVFKP_zKGA-nL1qTBcX_5lV2WZsPuSEDg9enjxJs-83B1HRGhXle1lBVLYxWy9EyeEq6RiIhALAY/s400/Idle+Fancy+-+Papercut+Sway+Dress+-+Orange+Tropical+Floral++%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This dress was ridiculously simple to put together, kittens. There are only four body seams in the whole garment–joining the sides, front center, and back center–then the neckline and armscyes are finished with all-in-one facings. I haven’t used facings like this in years, but I love the clean finish they give. They’re more fiddly to install than traditional facings, but they don’t flip out while wearing and add a level of sophistication to the garment’s interior.<br />
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The two more labor intensive parts of this dress were the tie and the hem. While turning a tie right side out is always a trial, this one is super long, skinny, and made of fairly flimsy fabric. My usual method of turning it around a knitting needle didn’t work, so I switched over to <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-turn-a-skinny-piece-of-fabric-right-side-ou/">the safety pin method</a>, which sped things along. As for the hem, I used a narrow baby hem, after leaving the dress to hang for a day. Papercut mentions this step in their instructions and I highly recommend following it, instead of rushing through construction. My side seams dropped a good four inches, after hanging.<br />
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Overall, this is a well-written and thorough construction process. A beginner might find the method of attaching facings a bit confusing, but if you’ve put in a lining by machine before, you’ll be just fine. If you add an FBA to the pattern, remember to alter your front facing as well, to match the new curve of your armscye.<br />
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So, here's the big question. Can the cinched waist devotee fall for a tent dress?<br />
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Reach for the smelling salts, my dears. I actually love it! It’s lightweight, breezy, and swishes with every step. When suffering through another triple-digit heat index, those are priceless qualities in a garment.<br />
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Admittedly, this isn’t a silhouette I’ll wear without the waist tie or a belt. The longer length of the pattern hits me right above the knee, which is too long to make the unadorned tent work. At the shorter length, it would be flirty and kicky, even without the tie. As it is…well, the longer one really does give those muumuu vibes, doesn’t it? My waist and hips are completely lost in the dress's lines. For my purposes, though, it’s ideal. I don’t mind belting this dress, when it still has tons of ease through the bodice and hips. Either way, the Sway Dress is infinitely more comfortable than anything else in my closet!<br />
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Craving more Sway Dress inspiration? Check out the dresses that made me fall hard for this pattern: <a href="http://www.pudgeandnico.com/?p=3342" target="_blank">Nicole's flirty LBD</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BE0YWmxo71O/" target="_blank">Rachel's chic linen midi dress</a>, and <a href="http://www.thepugandneedle.com/home-blog/2016/6/papercut-sway-dress/27" target="_blank">Heather's fun crepe giraffe print.</a> The lovely Gillian is also on a recent tent dress kick, sewing up pretty knit versions, like a <a href="https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/tent-dress-trials/" target="_blank">graphic floral Jorna</a> and <a href="https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/2016/07/31/tent-dress-trials-the-groove-dress/" target="_blank">bold scrollwork Groove dress</a>. </div>
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It might not be my usual look, but I am digging this dress, y'all. To truly kick the sewing malaise aside, I’m already sewing another version in lush, green linen with a wider waist tie. Take that, Texas summer!</div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-8495666478016674392016-06-26T02:22:00.000-05:002016-06-26T03:28:07.234-05:00Miss Irene and the Yankee Doodle Dandy: McCalls 7351<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKc-8_HIGbk8RzXpCclHT565tFFgeBXmTSew1OLmAh0cXL5QRmXzzKKYzi99JFH9tqabNf692igNC5vVoB_-zw_khui3kk9DDZtWWqJCxlgDfKu_hf3VA5DxH395LD6nQ6IgqKak9Ehg/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKc-8_HIGbk8RzXpCclHT565tFFgeBXmTSew1OLmAh0cXL5QRmXzzKKYzi99JFH9tqabNf692igNC5vVoB_-zw_khui3kk9DDZtWWqJCxlgDfKu_hf3VA5DxH395LD6nQ6IgqKak9Ehg/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5038.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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In sewing, mistakes are inevitable. Perhaps you accidentally clip a seam allowance <i>and </i>the seam, or you decide to skip interfacing <i>this one time. </i>Some overzealous scissor wielding or a too hot iron and a whole project can be ruined in seconds. Kittens, I've been there. </div>
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Personally, my most regrettable mistakes all involve fabric. Whether choosing a knit with too little stretch or blindly ignoring something's polyester content, I've done it all. The worst, however, are the projects which paired beautiful lengths of fabric with mediocre, ill-fitting patterns. Most of those were before this blog started, but there have been some doozies even in the last six years! The one I look back on with genuine sadness is actually my very first shirtdress<a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2014/05/miss-sally-feels-bit-selfish.html" target="_blank">, the Sally Shirtdress from 2014</a>. </div>
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Despite that post's optimistic ending, it did not get a ton of wear. I wore the dress twice more, before consigning it to the back my closet forever. Both times, I couldn't wait to get back home and take the damn thing off. The buttons pulled constantly and the fabric bunched in odd places. Despite the luxe chambray and beautiful vintage buttons, it was a total disaster to wear. The pattern didn't work for me, simple enough.</div>
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And yet, I still loved the style. Dark blue chambray and red buttons are such a classic American combination. There's no garment more appropriate for a summer BBQ or 4th of July parade, unless you<i> actually </i>swath yourself in star spangled banners a la Pollyanna. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAt2M4Sj1887jlalB8QyXowbj_By8GLhBl7YrffyyPx_ytACEsJmrlprkg9nSNmgHrUhkKhW-CIYRoQRISFeCM3xvD7y6J8i28s-MTQkH95WbGO01Et-_GQ-PGY2BNkKb8xCzquo-cU8/s1600/f18f041e099bdcc0b910466c220e563c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAt2M4Sj1887jlalB8QyXowbj_By8GLhBl7YrffyyPx_ytACEsJmrlprkg9nSNmgHrUhkKhW-CIYRoQRISFeCM3xvD7y6J8i28s-MTQkH95WbGO01Et-_GQ-PGY2BNkKb8xCzquo-cU8/s1600/f18f041e099bdcc0b910466c220e563c.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pollyanna: Taking cheerfulness and a theme too far, since 1913.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5-ieHYO4ny04Uh4vXN2Hg0-J0nWkeHLYKVsy4sQmHGEw3AJROkqxmI_ov942yuhQ8S5EnlEkHSG2nG1ofE3l4MaNtR4c1iRGOZ0euiGvCIwOlhSKw7pbCFyv77zTHKvXZofjncrOBwI/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5-ieHYO4ny04Uh4vXN2Hg0-J0nWkeHLYKVsy4sQmHGEw3AJROkqxmI_ov942yuhQ8S5EnlEkHSG2nG1ofE3l4MaNtR4c1iRGOZ0euiGvCIwOlhSKw7pbCFyv77zTHKvXZofjncrOBwI/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5085.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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While the patriotic body bag <i>was</i> a tempting look, instead I decided to have another go at that chambray dress. This time, I armed myself with a better pattern and two more years of pattern fitting experience. Even the fabric got a little nicer, with this dishy <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/rag-bone-indigo-cotton-chambray-310128.html" target="_blank">Rag & Bone indigo cotton chambray from Mood</a>. Thanks to a plain weave and strategic thread patterns, the fabric looks like a true denim, but has the lightweight feel of a drapey shirting. There's also a soft iridescence to its face, which changes the blue in different angles. </div>
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For the pattern, I opted for my new go-to shirtdress pattern, which you've all heard about to death. This is <a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">McCall's 7351</a> (surprise!) with my altered narrow silhouette, which added waist darts and hip ease to View A. This is actually one of those dresses from my furious batch sewing binge, back in May. The other two didn't photograph as well, after a month of wearing and washing, so will have to make their debuts <a href="https://www.instagram.com/idlefancy/" target="_blank">on Instagram</a> at some point. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVcpOWZFMMWkQBHshIdhISpCbMmGFw1Sfq6wRNTWwGKsTNr08xYtrwg82PGIxmnrrD1b0cy-AE2sRBkv47Gag8LM49-G1AJpy543cLAcRfZvwRjt4gzipFDBnxg6rbdTuLV95zm-f4Gs/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVcpOWZFMMWkQBHshIdhISpCbMmGFw1Sfq6wRNTWwGKsTNr08xYtrwg82PGIxmnrrD1b0cy-AE2sRBkv47Gag8LM49-G1AJpy543cLAcRfZvwRjt4gzipFDBnxg6rbdTuLV95zm-f4Gs/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5068.jpg" width="554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why, yes, I <i>am</i> dying to snip those errant little threads on the collar. </td></tr>
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While I wanted to use the vintage embossed buttons from my original Sally Shirtdress, fate had other plans. In my manic closet cleaning, this spring, that dress accidentally ended up in a charity pile instead of the refashion box. Somewhere, I hope someone is greatly enjoying those gorgeous buttons! This dress had to settle with plain red plastic buttons from JoAnn Fabrics. Their color pops off the dark chambray beautifully and matched some stashed thread, so it all worked out rather well. </div>
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The construction details of this dress are exactly the same as my previous versions, down to top-stitching all the things and self-fabric finishes. However, if you squint at the picture above you can see a special little change. All the top-stitching thread is red! It's more apparent in real life than in pictures, but I adore it. Coordinated stitching is something that I love in ready-to-wear designs, yet rarely do myself. There's too much room for error, when every stitch is that obvious. This dress seemed worth it, though, and the extra time for perfectionism paid off. The collar and button bands look gorgeous. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgQXk44aRq3FVVnZT1_hY8wKeLyBMaelrrNecXP-kShr1czEIw-ojZ5hixTU15gnP1hFPaJPbPXvX-MujCDVKSZ01V1xkLuDNePjlX-MRdh0Rq7l_yOrYgV7zPL5YmvXThC6kDB62EiE/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgQXk44aRq3FVVnZT1_hY8wKeLyBMaelrrNecXP-kShr1czEIw-ojZ5hixTU15gnP1hFPaJPbPXvX-MujCDVKSZ01V1xkLuDNePjlX-MRdh0Rq7l_yOrYgV7zPL5YmvXThC6kDB62EiE/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5045.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEUR9FAslizXZbjibMehAILNugSjZeTWo_NiC3AGO5LrFd_c3LmJoPGZNdaTJu8QdeLGy5APq0M_dgXJ22Zx4RzywiTpysa1qCs8AIoQhcmBy06n7cfsiKWCX72wsNCt8EkyZlpT6Ce8/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEUR9FAslizXZbjibMehAILNugSjZeTWo_NiC3AGO5LrFd_c3LmJoPGZNdaTJu8QdeLGy5APq0M_dgXJ22Zx4RzywiTpysa1qCs8AIoQhcmBy06n7cfsiKWCX72wsNCt8EkyZlpT6Ce8/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Blue+Floral-5120.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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And that, my dears, is victory. The dreadful mistake is finally undone! I <i>love</i> this dress. It feels wonderful to own a version of this style that I will actually wear. There's no unsightly bunching or pulling, here. It's all perfectly fitting, perfectly comfortable chambray goodness.</div>
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Even better, that's my outfit sorted for our annual 4th of July party, next month. Now, I'll spend the next week deliberating varieties of pie to make, instead of what to wear. Apple and cherry are a must, but blueberry mascarpone or chocolate cream for the third? Decisions, decisions... </div>
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Let's be honest, much like shirtdresses, I'll probably just make them all. </div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-73932933784711241882016-06-18T07:00:00.000-05:002016-06-18T11:34:45.007-05:00Miss Delphine Meets Her Match: McCall's 7351 Variation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27111274443/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4883"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4883" height="640" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7540/27111274443_c3a2ca5492_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Kittens, meet my white whale. </div>
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For the entirety of my adult sewing career, I have longed for the perfect button-front shirt. This is, obviously, <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2016/03/miss-veronica-drafts-on-potential.html" target="_blank">a running theme</a> with me. I believe in the platonic version of every garment. It's the entire reason I picked up sewing again, as an adult. I wouldn't just go shopping for a cute sundress, I would go shopping for the <i>perfect </i>sundress. Inevitably, I'd mentally design a garment in such specific detail that it became impossible to find in stores. The color wouldn't be quite right or the cut would be wrong. Given my proportions, even if I did find my perfect piece, it rarely fit. </div>
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Buttoned shirts were the worst. If they fit my bust, the sleeves, shoulders, and waist were comically large. I ended up looking like a toddler wearing her dad's work shirt. Unfortunately, this hasn't improved much with sewing. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27109344074/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4913"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4913" height="640" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7500/27109344074_b670095949_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://shop.grainlinestudio.com/products/archer-button-up-shirt" target="_blank">Grainline's Archer </a>shirt, which worked beautifully on some of my favorite bloggers*, was all wrong for me. Even after adding a dart, the style was too boxy, losing my shape in swaths of fabric. I muslined <a href="http://www.sewaholicpatterns.com/granville-shirt/" target="_blank">Sewaholic's Granville,</a> but at the end of the day, it took too many alterations to make a pear-specific pattern work for me. Most Big 4 options lacked my favorite details, Deer & Doe's patterns didn't come in my size, and Burda's plus size shirts gave billowy a new name.</div>
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Admittedly, I could've just drafted one from my sloper or made 800 alterations to any of the above patterns. Alas, I'm lazy <i>and </i>wear dresses most of the time anyway. Every so often I would try out a new button-front pattern, be nonplussed by the results, and dive back into the safety of floofy dresses. </div>
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That could not stand. These days, I'm wearing jeans almost as often as dresses. Waco is <i>much</i> more casual than my hometown, Austin, and it's had a simplifying effect on my wardrobe. Unfortunately, my sewing hasn't really gotten that memo yet. While I wear and love all of my dresses, I also need more summer tops in the mix. Pieces that can tuck into skirts or float loosely with jeans are in heavy rotation right now. Me being me, the definition of "simple" still involves fancy fabrics and loads of tailoring details. <i>You can take the girl out of the city...</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*See: <a href="http://www.thepugandneedle.com/home-blog/2016/4/a-very-floral-liberty-archer/24" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://www.bimbleandpimble.com/amanda-vs-the-archer-shirt/" target="_blank">Amanda</a>, and <a href="http://sallieoh.blogspot.com/2013/05/summer-linen.html" target="_blank">Sallie</a></span></div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27687683636/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4950"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4950" height="640" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7419/27687683636_47e35b9020_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Unlike my more desultory attempts at button-front shirts, this time I had both gumption and a plan. Instead of using an existing shirt pattern and tweaking it to high heaven, I took McCall's 7351 and turned it into my go-to button-front blouse. The bodice already worked brilliantly as a shirtdress, with a nicely fitting collar and gape-free button band, so it was a cinch to translate those features to a shirt. </div>
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Armed with bee paper and a legion of tracing implements, I set to work. Five changes turned beloved shirtdress into favorite blouse: </div>
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<li>Lengthened the back and front bodice pieces to my fullest hip point + 5/8 inch for a hem. This erased my added waist dart and added eight inches to the bodice pattern. On the back, this also straightened the sharp curve inward at the waist.</li>
<li>Lengthened the button bands to match the bodice. </li>
<li>Flared out the hip curves, to put a little swing in the blouse. </li>
<li>Added a split at the side seam, for ease of movement. </li>
<li>Curved the final hems into a shirt-tail shape. </li>
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Voila! My platonic shirt pattern materialized. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27721683095/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-5003"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-5003" height="518" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7406/27721683095_ff7c4a7885_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The fabric for this first blouse is an <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-orange-yellow-blue-floral-printed-cotton-batiste-310305.html" target="_blank">Italian cotton batiste from Mood</a>, bought as part of my monthly Mood Sewing Network allowance, in a riotous floral print. I love all those hot colors on the bright blue background, though this fabric also comes in a dishy <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-fig-pink-blue-floral-printed-cotton-batiste-310297.html" target="_blank">fig/light pink/light blue colorway</a> and an autumnal <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-orange-yellow-black-floral-printed-cotton-batiste-310252.html" target="_blank">orange/yellow/black colorway</a>. I figured that the tailored lines of my blouse would be a good match for such a large scale print, since the top-stitching and details break up the gigantic flowers. It doesn't overwhelm my figure, as it might made into a dress, but instead is a nice, bright summery piece. </div>
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The construction details are a hodgepodge of my favorite shirtdress and flowy blouse techniques. Collar, collar bands, and button bands are all interfaced with fusible interfacing and sewn by machine, while the armscyes and yoke are finished with self-fabric. There's matching blue top-stitching all over the place, including the side seams, which are turned under and stitched. Black buttons finish it off, further grounding the loud print. The back is a bit blousy, so I may add some very small double-ended darts there in its next iteration. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhxZyc4lnGnELBaGupUvyz_Zn4JZlYy_UxHLocexjL8uJj4xdqQ5cmraPwxFtPLd8Wz2knV6cOsieHrQnJHThPM4RsmrTLwrtMOFtPM6pUimCyuCdBZEa-ZoHeJh0zCiNIGL8EsUcZ9Y/s1600/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Mood+Fabrics+Italian+Batiste-+side+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhxZyc4lnGnELBaGupUvyz_Zn4JZlYy_UxHLocexjL8uJj4xdqQ5cmraPwxFtPLd8Wz2knV6cOsieHrQnJHThPM4RsmrTLwrtMOFtPM6pUimCyuCdBZEa-ZoHeJh0zCiNIGL8EsUcZ9Y/s640/McCalls+7351+--+Idle+Fancy+--+Mood+Fabrics+Italian+Batiste-+side+back.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Y'all, I love this blouse. </div>
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Love, love, love it. I want to wear it everyday and dance around and tell complete strangers that I made it myself. So, I'd call this experiment a win. It hugs my body in just the right places, moves really well, and isn't drowning my figure in fabric. To prevent it falling apart at the seams from overuse, I am going to make a few more in fabrics picked up on our eastbound adventures. I have a white and black polka dot shirting that would be so sweet in this pattern, with little black buttons marching up the band. </div>
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Also, thank you so much for all your kind words, last week. June is definitely a better month than May, around here. Sam is hale and hearty, our house has yet to explode again, and I'm spending an inordinate amount of time in my sewing room. Summer is shaping up rather nicely, after all. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27721712515/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4893"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics Italian Batiste-4893" height="640" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7254/27721712515_92e3f2a6d0_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>Note: The fabric for this project was given to me by Mood Fabrics free of charge, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network. I picked it out, however, and all opinions are my own. </i></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-90934001324991830162016-06-08T01:30:00.003-05:002016-06-09T12:39:17.927-05:00Miss Irene Lights up the Night: McCall's 7351<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/26884743183/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton-1-2"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton-1-2" height="640" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7552/26884743183_58c8914081_b.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
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There are times when sewing is more than a craft. </div>
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In graduate school, this hobby was something I could conquer and control within a set time frame. That last part was <i>particularly </i>important. My dissertation was a year-long process of frantic writing and re-writing, but a few hours was all it took to make a well-fitting dress. Such quick project resolutions were a godsend, especially in comparison to the graduate work that wouldn't end. </div>
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Nowadays, sewing tends to be a more practical part of life. I sew, because I don't really buy ready-to-wear anymore. Other than jeans, sweaters, and lingerie, everything in my closet is homemade. If I want a new dress, or a cute off-the-shoulder blouse, I raid the fabric closet and make it myself. It's fun, but it's rarely a case of true mental self-care. </div>
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Until last month, of course.</div>
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Sam and I had a week from hell, y'all. Right after school ended, we were supposed to embark on an epic road trip of the Southeast. Instead, the night before our trip began, the plumbing in our mid-century house went haywire. Our master bath flooded, all plumbing in the house became unusable, and it took plumbers <i>four </i>days to show up and fix the problem.</div>
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Meanwhile, poor Sam came down with a vicious stomach bug. The universe has a damn fine sense of humor, kittens. </div>
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So, our trip was put on hold and we were landlocked. First, in a hotel room, then finally back at our own house, as the beloved recuperated. Sewing became a matter of sanity preservation, once again. In that one week, I cut out and sewed <i>four</i> more variations of McCall's 7351. While there are other patterns in my queue, I wanted solace from my sewing. I needed to make pieces that would definitely work out and would instantly fit into my wardrobe. Shirtdresses were a guaranteed win on all fronts. </div>
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I'm going to combine the other dresses into one big post, but this first one deserved special attention. Not only is the fabric a beloved piece, but this dress was a template for the other three. After my last version of <a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">M7351,</a> I changed the pattern to better suit my preferences. </div>
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While I loved the casual elegance of that straight skirt, it wasn't terribly comfortable to wear. It felt more restrictive than I'm used to and made me long for a pair of Spanx. In order to make the straight skirt silhouette work for me, I made a few crucial changes: </div>
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The end result is a dress that has the same casual feel of the original design, but skims my lower body more. It's still a much different silhouette than M6696 or the full-skirted M7351. With the shirt-tail hem and A-line shape, it's almost like an elongated man's shirt. You know, with that all important waist definition. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27503225165/in/dateposted/" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton -- back and front"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton -- back and front" height="480" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7430/27503225165_d92d8a9df8_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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It's funny, I'm still calling this McCall's 7351, but I've certainly veered away from the original pattern. The silhouette may be similar, but between bodice and skirt changes over multiple versions, the pattern pieces themselves look radically different. I've somehow turned a simple, two dart shirtdress into a project with twelve darts! Mary Danielson Perry: complicating the issue since 1985. </div>
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I love where the fit has ended up. The waist lays closer than the original and the bodice fits so nicely that I've already turned it into a button-down shirt pattern, as well. The experiments won't end there either. I'm currently testing how this pattern looks with the pleated skirt of M6696. I'm guessing it's going to be winner, as well. This pattern is such a great canvas for design alterations. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSeAJ-qMVWkE24DHOi9RhKkYwr5T2Ok91r6kPBmrhCwE6q0_9qCy7IK2SZfA4il0DOVQ3Cbwg70UpLhs0xKl8Wzgee05OJTiXOlqMLiniyARyFwb0V43uP6AigHm7IBZXjrIHTN9JAwg/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSeAJ-qMVWkE24DHOi9RhKkYwr5T2Ok91r6kPBmrhCwE6q0_9qCy7IK2SZfA4il0DOVQ3Cbwg70UpLhs0xKl8Wzgee05OJTiXOlqMLiniyARyFwb0V43uP6AigHm7IBZXjrIHTN9JAwg/s640/IMG_0806.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL4SK2zV_RSa0ANGtHQfWSV55fkCslEZx3ACRDZ3CufLBnibuO1w8rputkdLawWygRmoFlhyphenhyphenyLSShswph6VpYTdBVml-W37ygRD7lCCPgdq4dU3Y7J9Hrme-2DAtQaBZXXEuPljpQffs/s1600/IMG_0815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL4SK2zV_RSa0ANGtHQfWSV55fkCslEZx3ACRDZ3CufLBnibuO1w8rputkdLawWygRmoFlhyphenhyphenyLSShswph6VpYTdBVml-W37ygRD7lCCPgdq4dU3Y7J9Hrme-2DAtQaBZXXEuPljpQffs/s640/IMG_0815.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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This fabric, as mentioned, is a favorite of mine. It was a gift from my mother, for my thirtieth birthday, last year. That comes as no surprise, if you've met her. My love of bright novelty prints on black backgrounds comes honestly, friends! This is a Japanese cotton print <a href="http://bandjfabrics.com/" target="_blank">from B&J Fabrics</a>, but no longer available on their site. It's a lightweight broadcloth with a crisp hand and, as you can see, is covered in lovely, colorful paper lanterns. The color palette is a retro mix of earth tones and muted pastels, which balances the sweetness of the print in such a great way. Mom has awesome taste, right?</div>
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I only had three yards of fabric, so barely eked out this dress. To cut corners, I used a pale dotted yellow cotton batiste as the yoke lining and bias bindings. Apart from the under-stitching on the yellow, the whole dress was sewn and top-stitched with black thread. It breaks up the print enough to make the details pop. Huzzah!</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/27420310431/in/photostream/" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton-14"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Japanese Lantern Cotton-14" height="640" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7372/27420310431_e8d34e5005_b.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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Now, I know the whole world is posting shirtdresses right now. Between the McCall's sew-along and all the new patterns coming out, it's a great time to practice your shirt-making skills. You might be tired of all those collars and buttons marching into your feeds, but...I am probably going to keep posting them. I did once promise to make 1000 of the things, after all. </div>
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This one, at least, did its job well. Not only is it on constant rotation in my wardrobe, but it was the perfect comfort project for that hellish week. Luckily, since then, things have looked up! We went on an attenuated version of that trip, safely made it through the Southeast to visit Sam's family, and returned home to delighted dogs and a perfectly working plumbing system. </div>
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Small victory, but I'll take it! </div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-89459424560775042202016-04-17T01:08:00.002-05:002016-04-17T01:35:36.586-05:00Miss Irene is for the Birds: McCall's 7351<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/25866903163/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-1-2"><img alt="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-1-2" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1472/25866903163_904b2493b0_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Good evening, kittens! After too many weekends on the road, Sam and I are spending this one firmly ensconced at home. The NBA Finals are on TV, both dogs are napping by the back door, and an impressive line of thunderstorms is moving in. We couldn't ask for a lazier, more peaceful Saturday off. Dog snores and all. <br />
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At some point, I have a book to finish writing and this month's Knipmode project to trace out, but we're not going to dwell on that right now. Instead, let's dive into my comfort zone.<br />
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Oh look, I made another shirtdress!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd7ej7IUAAbngeC1Sybx2alrfsDWWpNF6OZAiV4eV6V7hpgJM4l565L-MPO5N9b2xGRh4VSHAQZdwpMCotcUr7eUIjJkTh7yXMKvSj-734AF_SHMOYA3otQVPdhr0zhagpBNOqCBNTtM/s1600/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmkwLndwLmNvbSUyRmN1cnZ5c2V3aW5nY29sbGVjdGl2ZS5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTYlMkYwMyUyRm03MzUxLWNzYy5qcGclM0ZyZXNpemUlM0Q2MDAlMjUyQzQwMA%253D%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd7ej7IUAAbngeC1Sybx2alrfsDWWpNF6OZAiV4eV6V7hpgJM4l565L-MPO5N9b2xGRh4VSHAQZdwpMCotcUr7eUIjJkTh7yXMKvSj-734AF_SHMOYA3otQVPdhr0zhagpBNOqCBNTtM/s640/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmkwLndwLmNvbSUyRmN1cnZ5c2V3aW5nY29sbGVjdGl2ZS5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTYlMkYwMyUyRm03MzUxLWNzYy5qcGclM0ZyZXNpemUlM0Q2MDAlMjUyQzQwMA%253D%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the rousing success of my <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2016/04/miss-iris-digs-for-victory-mccalls-7351.html" target="_blank">first McCall's 7351 shirtdress</a>, I began work on another variation. The slim style and shirt-tail hem of <a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">View A </a>piqued my interest. It's a more casual, modern silhouette than the full skirts overflowing my closet. We could blame personal style for that oversight, but...it's a complicated issue. Slimmer skirts easily verge into sexy secretary territory on me, thanks to the ratios of my curves. The A-line of this skirt had potential, though, and I was willing to experiment.<br />
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Even better, I had the <i>perfect </i>fabric in my stash. This<a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/navy-bird-printed-stretch-cotton-twill-113772.html" target="_blank"> navy blue cotton twill </a>from Mood has a good deal of stretch and is covered in realistic bird illustrations. Y'all, I'm trying really hard not to make obvious Portlandia jokes right now. It might be a losing battle. Anyhow, I'm a sucker for novelty prints and stretch cottons. The heft of this twill is a true medium weight, with a super crisp drape, making it ideal for the tailored details of a shirtdress. It washed and pressed like a dream. </div>
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Sewing with it was another matter. It turns out the stretch threads in this fabric are delicate, prone to snagging and running. They caught on my scissors, my rotary cutter, and even my sewing table. This cotton needed babying like you wouldn't believe. The birds are worth it, but I was glad to have the project finished without incident. Visions of massive, dress-ruining runs danced in my mind. </div>
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The actual pattern came together without incident. Once again, I sewed almost everything by machine. Top-stitching, how I love you. The yoke and armscye bindings are finished with the same fabric, while every other seam was serged with white thread. Once the seams were finished, I didn't have any further trouble with the fabric. It was only the raw edges that made it so finicky. </div>
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As you might notice, this dress is not pattern matched. The scale on this cotton was large and I didn't have enough fabric to pull it off. Instead, I paid close attention to the layout, while cutting things out. All the birds are situated right side up and there aren't any terrible twining repeats. Let's call that a win, shall we?</div>
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My alterations were the standard stuff, only slightly different from my last version. The one inch FBA remained, along with the lengthened darts, but I narrowed the shoulder further and raised the armscye by almost an inch. The bodice fit is <i>exactly </i>where I want it now. Everything is spot on, from the collar size (still awesome!) to the bodice ease. Hooray! That means I need to make six more of these dresses, to revel in the fit a bit more. </div>
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As for the slim skirt, I'm actually torn. I blended from the size 20 bodice to a size 22 at the skirt, to accommodate my hips properly. This gave me enough ease and resulted in a dress identical to that on the pattern envelope. Objectively, I know it looks good. The fit is nice, it's a chic silhouette, and all is as imagined. Only...</div>
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I like a fuller skirt. Surprise! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/25864860234/in/dateposted/" title="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-1-4"><img alt="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-1-4" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1709/25864860234_fb290d2880_b.jpg" width="426" /> </a></div>
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This dress looks great, I'm simply not as comfortable in it. Perhaps with more wear that will change? It doesn't have me reaching for Spanx, but I'm also more conscious of what I'm wearing than I normally would be. This, my dears, is why I never make wiggle dresses anymore. They sit in my closet, admired, but unloved. If this skirt were a true pencil shape, it would be doomed. </div>
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Luckily, the A-line is easy enough to wear. I still like the silhouette quite a bit, as well. It would look sensational made up in a light blue chambray for summer. I will probably tinker with the skirt a little bit, adding more ease, while keeping the simplified shape. We shall see...</div>
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In the meantime, I'm digging both the birds <i>and</i> this pattern. You can tell it's a winner, because collars and buttons are all I want to sew right now. Every length of fabric in my stash seems ideal for a shirtdress. I should take advantage of this mojo, before summer comes and my obsession with light, breezy knits returns. Today, I fantasized about a red polka dot Myrtle dress, so that time may be all too soon! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/26361706252/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-6"><img alt="Idle Fancy - McCalls 7351 - Bird Print Shirtdress-6" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1607/26361706252_175b8c376a_b.jpg" width="426" /> </a></div>
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<i>Note: The fabric for this project was provided by Mood Fabrics, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network. It was chosen by me, however, and all opinions are my own. </i> </div>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-50619689497733109032016-04-12T14:00:00.000-05:002016-04-12T15:06:32.084-05:00Miss Iris Digs for Victory: McCall's 7351<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/26298382402/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -4-2"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -4-2" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1524/26298382402_4064d6d200_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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It's remarkable how quickly things change in the sewing world. Of all the sub-cultures I'm involved with, this industry is <i>by far </i>the most responsive to changing consumer demands. In just the five years I've been blogging, we've seen a remarkable expansion of size ranges for many pattern companies, an increase in youthful, modern design aesthetics, and a greater availability of apparel fabrics from major suppliers and retailers. </div>
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On a more personal note, shirtdresses are also <i>everywhere </i>nowadays. Once upon a time, I couldn't find a single pattern that I liked. Options in my size were severely limited and those available took too many cheats--collars without stands, no separate button bands, and other things that made me want to turn green and start throwing cars. Cut to this year. Last month, I wrote a post for the Curvy Sewing Collective <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/a-plus-size-guide-to-shirtdresses/" target="_blank">outlining plus size options for shirtdresses</a>. There were so many great patterns that I had to actively cull my list to a top eleven. The mind, it boggles. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXZNO5KB_v_2XQQH4a7_2dpCCe7Yb26kQt0V-7Yze1WomUVCGAV6WSRyi8d2TNT9orRSq_o0SpILj_8rL82DzazkLJv_7cqlfS3CWNH7PSIqJct68i4OZYAIE8nLWxN2Q9ZHL3PzfEJ4/s1600/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmkwLndwLmNvbSUyRmN1cnZ5c2V3aW5nY29sbGVjdGl2ZS5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTYlMkYwMyUyRm03MzUxLWNzYy5qcGclM0ZyZXNpemUlM0Q2MDAlMjUyQzQwMA%253D%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXZNO5KB_v_2XQQH4a7_2dpCCe7Yb26kQt0V-7Yze1WomUVCGAV6WSRyi8d2TNT9orRSq_o0SpILj_8rL82DzazkLJv_7cqlfS3CWNH7PSIqJct68i4OZYAIE8nLWxN2Q9ZHL3PzfEJ4/s1600/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmkwLndwLmNvbSUyRmN1cnZ5c2V3aW5nY29sbGVjdGl2ZS5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTYlMkYwMyUyRm03MzUxLWNzYy5qcGclM0ZyZXNpemUlM0Q2MDAlMjUyQzQwMA%253D%253D.jpg" /></a></div>
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With so many new patterns available, it's time to (temporarily) retire my go-to shirtdress, McCall's 6696. While I still love its classic styling, there are too many new designs calling my name. Why tread over familiar ground, when there's a whole world of shirtdresses waiting to be explored?</div>
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First up on my list, we have View D of <a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">McCall's 7351</a>. Admittedly, I didn't stray far from the familiar here. Baby steps, kittens. This is every inch a classic, fit-and-flare shirtdress. There are separate button bands, a stand collar, and darted bodice. Unlike M6696, however, this dress has a semi-circle skirt and omits the separate waistband with belt loops. Those are actually major improvements over my TNT pattern in one way: construction time. From cutting to hemming, this dress took me three nights of sewing, or about five hours total. Maybe I'm a slow sewer, but M6696 usually takes me<i> at least</i> eight hours from start to finish. </div>
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Based on ease of sewing alone, this new pattern is a winner!</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/25787943093/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -18-2"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -18-2" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1497/25787943093_193512cc01_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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Of course, some adjustments were made. If you look at the line drawing above, you'll notice that M7351 is a single-dart bodice. Though the pattern comes with different cup sizes (up to a D-cup) that original design was a no-go for me. Based on my high bust, I chose size 20, which would still need a complete Full Bust Adjustment. That FBA meant either creating one gigantic dart or adding a second dart along the waistline. Y'all, I am not a masochist. Preservation of design integrity is all well and good, but I went with the second option. </div>
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Behold, my new bodice!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuIQ5Mb_C5TiIbxo0lWogmmC5YITEBBTIo5p96-biqUKp5ln0MXrKiGv3gDM6J9rbLectyfs4cQRYAZGBJN22nygoz58MB-p8C0ciJZFUgTV-DGHExonl-veINlMWE3c-vEubt3mKhkA/s1600/IMG_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuIQ5Mb_C5TiIbxo0lWogmmC5YITEBBTIo5p96-biqUKp5ln0MXrKiGv3gDM6J9rbLectyfs4cQRYAZGBJN22nygoz58MB-p8C0ciJZFUgTV-DGHExonl-veINlMWE3c-vEubt3mKhkA/s640/IMG_0396.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Why, yes, it <i>is</i> a grotesque and terrifying monster. I'm actually working with a clean version of this bodice now, but I thought you'd like to see all the changes in action. Here's the full line-up of alterations:</div>
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<li><b>Full Bust Adjustment </b>-- I added one inch to the bodice pattern, which is two inches of ease total. This added a second dart along the waist seam, pointing directly at my bust apex. </li>
<li><b>Lengthened Darts</b> -- After an initial muslin, I knew the darts needed quite a bit of added length, because they were pointy and ended on the side of my bust. Egads! This is pretty standard for me in cup-sized patterns, actually. Perhaps my bosoms are just weirdly spaced for their size, but I'm forever lengthening darts. An added two inches of length worked nicely.</li>
<li><b>Narrow Shoulder Adjustment</b> -- I narrowed the shoulder by 1/2 inch and will probably narrow it further on my next version. </li>
<li><b>Reshaped Armscye</b> -- This was actually done after the version of M7351 that you're seeing today. Initially I thought it was low, but perfectly fine since it didn't expose my bra at all. After wearing it once in public, I've rethought that decision and raised the armscyes by 3/4 inch. </li>
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On the back bodice, my only alterations were to narrow the shoulder and raise the armscye, in conjunction with my front pattern piece. Otherwise, the back bodice fit was on point. </div>
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<a href="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1452/26298324162_0e162439d2_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -24-2" border="0" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1452/26298324162_0e162439d2_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpXMG4dkZXwDWWB3pp8Y08txxIWDQC6a3bTtkScleCv31y2v10Onh4ADd4nZp7hUezYygqOhYi73t-Cxqgi2XVOHoxRY2yF9yoLorr1782JKlSEHxfGmD7DxjRi3lgdYfevrZcI7_if8/s1600/sideback2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpXMG4dkZXwDWWB3pp8Y08txxIWDQC6a3bTtkScleCv31y2v10Onh4ADd4nZp7hUezYygqOhYi73t-Cxqgi2XVOHoxRY2yF9yoLorr1782JKlSEHxfGmD7DxjRi3lgdYfevrZcI7_if8/s640/sideback2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When it comes to the final fit, I really like this pattern. It's demonstrably looser than my TNT pattern, but that gives it a more relaxed, casual vibe that I dig. I didn't take any pictures sans belt, so you'll have to trust me on this one, but there's a pretty large amount of ease at the waist specifically. This prevents the button band from gaping and seems intentional, judging from the modeled photos. </div>
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Without the belt, this dress <i>almost </i>has a Grainline Alder silhouette, though it's not nearly as loose. With the belt, there's a classic, blousy <i>Romancing the Stone</i> sort of look happening. This does cause some shifting of the loose fabric, but I like the extra ease a lot. When summer rolls around in Texas, a relaxed shirtdress is a godsend. </div>
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Additionally, the collar on this pattern is fabulous. If you had trouble with M6696 being way oversized at the neck, you're going to love M7351. If I put a button at the collar band, it would actually close and fit my neck properly! Admittedly, I didn't put one there, but...nonetheless. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I swear to God, the top-stitching is even. Weird camera angles FTW?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbajYFVwOQwPEWt7edyHS9oYQvgY5Ek0CY4_CPj_zwjgKU-ftOUIf-aj-UHeyj44D7SZbVtzNQamrvyPZqhyphenhyphenTNw1U0sMjTS6lfEidkEzg4U9Ib3rosqcSuSjAuIaqIrs13NHuUUWuaaC8/s1600/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbajYFVwOQwPEWt7edyHS9oYQvgY5Ek0CY4_CPj_zwjgKU-ftOUIf-aj-UHeyj44D7SZbVtzNQamrvyPZqhyphenhyphenTNw1U0sMjTS6lfEidkEzg4U9Ib3rosqcSuSjAuIaqIrs13NHuUUWuaaC8/s400/IMG_0312.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you're drooling over this fabric, I have good news for you. This<a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/medium-beige-floral-printed-cotton-sateen-306431.html" target="_blank"> floral cotton sateen</a> is from Mood, comes in three colorways, and is still available. I chose the medium beige color, because I couldn't stop imagining an updated take on the iconic khaki shirtdress. It's archaeology* chic with flowers. Who could resist? </div>
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This entire dress was sewn on a machine, because top-stitching is both a detail and a shortcut. Huzzah for shortcuts! I chose a khaki thread slightly lighter than the khaki of my fabric, so that it would pop against the print. Then, I set my stitch length a little longer than usual (2.8), popped on my edge stitching foot, and sewed everything slowly and carefully. The buttons, a neutral tortoiseshell, are from JoAnn Fabrics. </div>
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*I have been informed by dear archaeologist friends that dig clothes are actually loose, covered in dirt, and imminently practical. Personally, I will continue to imagine<i> The Mummy</i>--khaki, linen, and really awesome boots. </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/26364774996/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -22-2"><img alt="McCalls 7351 -- Idle Fancy -- Mood Fabrics - Floral Cotton Sateen -22-2" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1493/26364774996_9f3d819535_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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Y'all, I adore this dress. The full skirt, that perfect collar. It's such a dishy variation on my favorite style. Despite my pledge to sew all the shirtdress patterns, my next project <i>is</i> actually another version of M7351. This one will have the dipped hem and narrower skirt of View A, which looks lovely in the line drawing. After that, I have my eye on<a href="http://www.stylearc.com.au/stylearc/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=775&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44" target="_blank"> Style Arc's Italia dress</a>. </div>
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<b>What are you sewing right now, friends? Is anyone else giving one of these new shirtdress patterns a try, this spring?</b></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-44668267990694214792016-04-06T01:25:00.000-05:002016-04-06T13:04:54.815-05:00Miss Charlotte Rides at Night: Knipmode 11/2015<div style="text-align: center;">
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When I picked up sewing again, back in graduate school, it was for one reason only. I <i>adore</i> clothes. That's practically heresy, these days. We live in the age of capsule wardrobes and Mark Zuckerberg's gray t-shirt. In every other fashion trend piece, closets are decluttered or wardrobes are simplified. </div>
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While monitoring consumption and organizing one's life are signs of responsible adulthood, I can't bring myself to emotionally detach from clothing. A lifelong love of garments has shaped me, in so many ways. I'm better versed in Hitchcock films than 90's Nickelodeon shows, because Grace Kelly's costumes made my pre-teen heart flutter. My hair is forever a semi-natural blonde, because the one time I dyed it red, all of my clothes suddenly looked wrong. Hell, part of the reason I fell in love with Sam--apart from his boundless kindness, deep appreciation of Star Wars, and wickedly sharp sense of humor--is because the man jumped at the chance to wear a <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2014/02/miss-mary-quite-merrily-got-married.html" target="_blank">plaid, velvet smoking jacket </a>at our wedding.<br />
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Clothes have always been, and continue to be, the way I express myself to the world. Recently, I've sought to perfect that expression. For eons, I've had a list of dream garments, pieces I've always wanted to own, but haven't had the patience to sew. This list includes ball gowns, <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2014/05/project-sewn-that-touch-of-miss-doris.html" target="_blank">another vintage-inspired suit</a>, and a tailored riding jacket.<br />
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Tonight, there's a line checked off that list. </div>
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This is, quite obviously, my riding jacket! Yep, the one I've been teasing <i>forever. </i>As you might have noticed by my process shots on Instagram, this garment was quite the endeavor. Construction took six weeks from muslin to finished project, with a break to rest my shoulder, and was every bit a labor of love. </div>
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To get started on this sartorial odyssey, let's talk about the pattern. As a base for this jacket, I used the <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/jackje-pdf-patroon-3029" target="_blank">leather riding jacket from Knipmode's November 2015</a> issue, which is also available as a PDF download. This pattern is absolutely gorgeous, as is. It features a cascading, circular hemline, a close-fitting princess-seamed bodice, funnel neckline, and shoulder epaulettes. Both the jacket and the sleeves are accented with functional metal zippers. </div>
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All in all, it's a fabulous pattern...<i>if </i>you want a leather riding jacket. I did not. Instead, I imagined something a bit more Victorian. Keep the princess seams and that swirling hemline, but nix the more modern details. Instead of shoulder epaulettes and zippers, I'd sub in softly puffed sleeves and woven frogging down the bodice. The collar would shrink into a smaller stand collar and cuffs would finish the sleeves. </div>
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I sketched out my ideas, plotting changes to the construction order and researching techniques to use throughout the project. Knipmode's instructions are not only in Dutch, but pretty bare bones, so I didn't bother translating them. Instead, I used resource books to guide the way. I'm still a bit of a novice, when it comes to sewing jackets and coats. With all the warm, sunny weather we get in Texas, they're usually pretty low on my sewing itinerary. By the time I feel like sewing one, winter is halfway over! <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jackets-Real-People-Tailoring-Sewing/dp/0935278664/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459918831&sr=1-7&keywords=jacket+sewing" target="_blank">Jackets for Real People</a> </i>and Claire B. Shaeffer's<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Claire-Shaeffer/dp/1600855040/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"> <i>Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques </i></a>were both godsends. While I didn't go full out on the tailoring, this was a good project to ease into high end coating techniques with. </div>
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Fit wise, I started with a blend of sizes 46/48, which roughly translated to my measurements. Before the first muslin, I did an FBA on the princess-seams, to make room for my very full bust, and narrowed the shoulders by quite a bit. On the second muslin, I added more room to the upper sleeve piece and smoothed out the bust curve to better match my own. After two muslins, the fit was exactly where I wanted it: close enough to fit like a true riding jacket, but with enough ease to wear over blouses. One of my favorite things about Knipmode patterns is that they're definitely drafted for taller women. American patterns are universally too short for my 5'8" frame, but I haven't added length to a Knipmode pattern yet! This one fell exactly as pictured on the fit model, with the peplum starting right at my waist and the front skirt falling to the fullest part of my hip. Huzzah!</div>
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When I started fantasizing about this jacket, I imagined it done up in a stretch black velvet. In the end, though, I found something even better. This fabric is a dark emerald combed cotton suiting, from Mood Fabrics, which sold out almost instantly. I actually had to order two shorter pieces, just to eke out this pattern! Absolutely worth it, y'all. This fabric is <i>gorgeous,</i> in person. It has a shorter pile than velvet, but is still soft to the touch and has a subtle luster to the fibers. The color reads less like emerald than the description suggested, but more like a very dark <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=british+racing+green&espv=2&biw=1536&bih=739&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0mcrIofnLAhXKSyYKHXmED4gQ_AUIBigB" target="_blank">British racing green</a>. </div>
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Love. It. </div>
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There was a bit of deliberation about embellishments, thanks to this color. Originally, I'd planned to do black-on-black, but the green opened up such possibilities! A lighter mint would've lent a luxe, Georgian quality to the final product. Gold could've been fit for a royal. In the end, I obviously opted for classic black. I want to wear this jacket as much as humanly possible, so neutral was the way to go! I ordered black rayon seam binding and black woven frogs (3"), then sat around twiddling my thumbs. </div>
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When I finally got around to cutting out the jacket itself, I treated the combed cotton as I would a velvet. All the pieces were cut in the same direction, so that the nap wasn't going up on some and down on others, and on a single layer to avoid crushing the pile. To further prevent crushing that precious pile while pressing, I covered my ironing board in a towel and used a discarded scrap of velvet as a press cloth. A light hand, loads of steam, and all went well! </div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/25533082033/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Knipmode Riding Jacket (11-2015) - Mood Fabrics Combed Cotton - Idle Fancy-20"><img alt="Knipmode Riding Jacket (11-2015) - Mood Fabrics Combed Cotton - Idle Fancy-20" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1483/25533082033_db1b5e696b_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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As mentioned, I cobbled together the construction for this beauty. The bodice is fully lined in rayon crepe, which is covered in bees, because...<i>bees, y'all</i>. I snagged this fabric eons ago, from Harts Fabrics, but you can get the exact same stuff in a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-Rayon-Crepe-Buzzy-Fabric/dp/B019QWRV9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459920950&sr=8-1&keywords=bee+print+rayon+fabric" target="_blank">sage green colorway from Amazon</a>. It's super lightweight and breathable, making a perfect lining for such a close-fitting jacket. I skipped the lining on the skirt, since it would show through on that back drape. Instead, I bound all the exposed seams in black rayon binding, pressed them open, and called it a day. </div>
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There's a full neckline/frogging band facing on the inside, as well. Collars can be turned without a facing, of course, but I liked having that bit of extra stability around the neck. The edges of this facing were also bound in black rayon, then hand-stitched to the lining. I even embroidered a gold M, at the center back of my neck facing, for some added whimsy. </div>
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My last big construction note is about the sleeves. That's the one area where I wish I'd thrown out all the stops on tailoring. They're lightly puffed, as I wanted, but flimsy in motion. I added a small, flannel sleeve head underneath, but a beefier one and some extra structure at the seam would go a long way there. Alas, no one but another sewer would notice that. As ever, sewing is all about constantly learning and getting better. In my next jacket or coat? Those shoulders will be sturdy as can be.</div>
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Honestly, kittens, I could write on forever about this jacket. For now, though, I'll wrap things up. I'm planning another post on how I use Knipmode patterns, from subscribing to translating. Other people have expressed interest in this and other patterns, so I thought that might make things easier for those who want more information!</div>
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As for this jacket, I'm over the moon. This piece is completely inappropriate for all the spring weather we’re having now, but it doesn’t matter. I love it! There are a few things I would improve, here or there, but for a first tailored jacket project, I’m beyond happy. With its swirling skirt and gorgeous detailing, it’s exactly the dramatic military-style jacket of my dreams.</div>
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It looks great open over a blouse, closed over a fitted dress, and–perhaps my favorite–partially closed over skinny jeans and a tank top, as below. There’s something about that fitted bodice and swooping hem that screams steampunk superheroine, don’t you think?</div>
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Well, a girl can dream anyway.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: The fabric used for this project was provided for review by Mood Fabrics, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network. However, I chose the fabric for this project myself and all opinions are my own. There are<b> no </b>affiliate links in this post. </span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxtNL67PcxyJcjBtdGfts09qBcqXTKDr3tR5J4cOjHZHHyV0_liq_L0SFk-v6koRTHArvQnMqvJU5q-_vyAJ2v5WziDLIBGifBFRXadSLSLmn4EeVenM3-MuOE_KGvjqDqZbXvb7Hvv0/s1600/Knipmode+Riding+Jacket+%252811-2015%2529+-+Mood+Fabrics+Combed+Cotton+-+Idle+Fancy-2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxtNL67PcxyJcjBtdGfts09qBcqXTKDr3tR5J4cOjHZHHyV0_liq_L0SFk-v6koRTHArvQnMqvJU5q-_vyAJ2v5WziDLIBGifBFRXadSLSLmn4EeVenM3-MuOE_KGvjqDqZbXvb7Hvv0/s640/Knipmode+Riding+Jacket+%252811-2015%2529+-+Mood+Fabrics+Combed+Cotton+-+Idle+Fancy-2-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY7qtFnWKGA" target="_blank"><i>Angela</i></a> by The Lumineers<br />
Reading:<i> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Girl-Renegades-American-Revolution/dp/0451471024/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459923579&sr=8-2&keywords=the+dutch+girl" target="_blank">The Dutch Girl </a></i>by Donna Thorland</div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-57336250065713473472016-03-25T16:06:00.004-05:002016-03-26T22:42:34.454-05:00Miss Iris Checks It Out: McCall's 7351 + Spring Canvas Blog Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/idlefancy/25939911842/in/dateposted/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="McCalls 7351 - Idle Fancy - Style Maker Gingham Shirting-3478"><img alt="McCalls 7351 - Idle Fancy - Style Maker Gingham Shirting-3478" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1604/25939911842_b4b05f3419_h.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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Good afternoon, lovelies! If the daffodils brightening my kitchen are any sign, spring had officially arrived in Texas. As y'all know by now, my wardrobe obsessions are decidedly seasonal. This time of year, I want nothing but classic prints and bright, cheerful colors. Give me florals, plaids, and colors that belong on Easter eggs. </div>
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Luckily, Michelle of <a href="http://www.stylemakerfabrics.com/shop/category/fabrics/" target="_blank">Style Maker Fabrics</a> contacted me last month about joining in on the <a href="http://blog.stylemakerfabrics.com/index.php/spring-canvas-blog-tour-stripes/" target="_blank">Spring Canvas Blog Tour</a>. With over 150 new fabrics in stock, this tour is a chance to showcase some gorgeous fabrics and springtime fashions. Since I loved my last Style Maker garment so much--<a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2015/09/miss-myrtle-indulges-her-whims.html" target="_blank">that dress </a>gets worn every other week, I swear--I jumped at the chance to check out Michelle's newest line-up. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6XrfdpXySV33gbbaCCRsGV-GFIg4F-k1ZVcrd4E8T0a5ty2buGmYw5-N66D-zOIJcDprZblvBcVHClTKy9GC3duiDf_cQgXGGBX3UNAjZOKONGe4Oe8vI9dVD70syr9CpSr531yPBO4/s1600/spring+canvas+blog+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6XrfdpXySV33gbbaCCRsGV-GFIg4F-k1ZVcrd4E8T0a5ty2buGmYw5-N66D-zOIJcDprZblvBcVHClTKy9GC3duiDf_cQgXGGBX3UNAjZOKONGe4Oe8vI9dVD70syr9CpSr531yPBO4/s640/spring+canvas+blog+tour.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Though there were tons of great options, I was instantly smitten with this <a href="http://www.stylemakerfabrics.com/shop/product/gingham-stretch-shirting-pink-white/" target="_blank">bright pink gingham shirting</a>. With a good deal of stretch, thanks to a small lycra content, this crisp cotton was perfect for my ideal spring garment: a shirtdress. </div>
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That's right, a shirtdress. My longtime sartorial stand-by is <a href="http://www.instyle.com/news/new-york-fashion-week-spring-2016-trend-shirtdresses" target="_blank">officially<i> in</i> this season</a>. Designers, from Jason Wu to Zac Posen, are putting collars on everything and magazines are declaring buttoned dresses a "must-have." Convenient, really, when fashion falls in line with personal preference. I was planning on making another thousand shirtdresses anyway, but it's nice to do so with impunity. Even better, companies have released a slew of new shirtdress patterns to try out. There's Melissa Watson's new half-shirtdress (<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7380" target="_blank">M7380</a>), McCall's new shirt-tail version (<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank">M7351</a>), and Butterick's princess seamed beauty (<a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6333" target="_blank">B6333</a>). </div>
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For this particular project, I chose<a href="https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m7351" target="_blank"> McCall's 7351</a>. </div>
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Well, sort of. Once the fabric arrived, my brain started spinning. All those little pink checks would look fabulous as a traditional shirtdress, but they would look<i> stupendous </i>as a half-shirtdress. Visions of separate waistbands and swirling circle skirts danced in my head. So, I set about turning my new shirtdress pattern into my perfect half-shirtdress pattern. </div>
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<a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2014/12/miss-clara-and-seasonally-inappropriate.html" target="_blank">I've done this once before, </a>with the old standby M6696, though that one was paired with a gathered skirt. I really wanted to check out the bodice of McCall's new offering, so I set about making the adjustments to that pattern instead. The bodice was shortened by two-and-half inches, a waistband was drafted to make up the length, and a full 3/4 circle skirt was subbed in for the shirt-tail hemline of View A. </div>
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Additionally, I took a few fit adjustments. This pattern comes with cup sizes (Hallelujah!), but I still needed a bit more room in the bodice and a bit less room at the waist. To that end, I took a 2-inch FBA on the size 20 bodice. This added a waist dart, allowing me to also take out some extra room through my midriff. Half-shirtdress are much more fitted than full shirtdresses through the waist, so most women will need to take out room there, even if a pattern fits her well before the drafting changes. </div>
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By far, the most stressful part of making this dress was actually cutting out the pattern itself. I tend to be hyper focused on pattern matching anyway, but with gingham it's especially important. I chose to cut out a few pieces on the bias--yoke, midriff, belt loops, and collar stand--to make cutting out simpler and give the garment some added visual interest. The checks on this fabric are exactly a quarter-inch, which also made pattern matching easier than most other plaids. I cut out what I could in a single layer, laid pieces out according to gingham lines, and was good to go!<br />
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When it came to construction, everything was gloriously straightforward. This cotton takes to sewing and pressing like a dream, as you would expect from a high quality shirting. It also looks completely dishy, when top-stitched with white thread. Good news for those who like to do everything by machine! I'm a devotee of hand-sewing (Any excuse to binge watch iZombie, let's be honest), but opted for the faster route on this dress. The bodice bands are top-stitched on both sides, the hem was narrowly turned and stitched, and the collar was assembled with <a href="http://foursquarewalls.blogspot.com/2013/09/sewing-collar-different-order.html" target="_blank">Andrea's famed technique</a>. Five clear, plastic buttons finish off the bodice and the armscyes are faced with pink gingham bias tape. </div>
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Y'all, I absolutely <i>adore </i>this dress. Between the bright, springy gingham and classic styling, it makes me even more joyous about warmer days. This fabric pairs brilliantly with black accessories and other colors, alike. Though I'm sporting black in all these pictures, I'm wearing it with a bright green belt today and feel like the very personification of spring. </div>
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This dress also has me reevaluating my tried-and-true shirtdress. Though I still love my original McCall's 6696 dresses, I may actually prefer 7351, in the end. The collar on this one fits beautifully, without any adjustment, the shoulders only need the slightest bit of narrowing, and the armscye hugs the body without gaping. I'm really looking forward to trying out the full-length version, next. That shirt-tail hem is gorgeous!</div>
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Thank you again to Michelle, of<a href="http://www.stylemakerfabrics.com/shop/category/fabrics/" target="_blank"> Style Maker Fabrics</a>, for providing the fabric for this dress and including Idle Fancy in the Spring Canvas Blog Tour. Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for more spring inspiration. Tomorrow, Rachel will be posting something truly gorgeous at <a href="http://houseofpinheiro.com/" target="_blank">House of Pinheiro</a>!</div>
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Now, I have to go order more of this fabric. After Sam finished telling me how cute this dress looked, he requested a button-down in the same fabric. We'll see how long<i> that </i>takes me to finish! Does anyone have a favorite recommendation for a man's tailored shirt pattern? </div>
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<i>Listening: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpDYfkymaSE" target="_blank">In Bloom by Sturgill Simpson</a></i></div>
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<i>Reading: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/March-Geraldine-Brooks/dp/0143036661/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459050073&sr=1-1&keywords=march+geraldine+brooks" target="_blank">March by Geraldine Brooks</a></i></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-27264342063102967122016-03-23T12:48:00.000-05:002016-03-23T12:57:09.502-05:00Miss Veronica Drafts on Potential: Brazos Tunic<div style="text-align: center;">
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Hello there, kittens! After six weeks without blogging, thanks to various travels and a shoulder injury that made sewing hazardous, I have <i>things</i> to show you. Prepare for a barrage of Idle Fancy posts, in the coming weeks. My riding jacket is finished,<a href="http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/new-sewing-patterns-pages-96.php" target="_blank"> McCall's 7357 </a>has made a dent in my Liberty stash, and there is a gingham shirtdress half-sewn on my work table. However, first, we must talk about quests.<br />
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My family is big on quests. It's not enough to settle for the readily available thing. No, instead we tend to search and hunt and plot and strive for the platonic version of everything. As a child, this meant visiting every McDonald's until I found the <a href="http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/5016/mcdonalds-barbies-the-first-three-years" target="_blank">Hawaiian Fun Barbie</a> toy and scouring antique stores for <a href="http://www.series-books.com/nancydrew/formats.html" target="_blank">blue spine Nancy Drew books</a> with their original covers. As an adult, I've tempered this impulse a bit. It's not actually productive to require perfection in everything, after all. Who knew?<br />
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And, yet, I do find myself on the odd quest. Whether it's sewing the perfect shirtdress or finding the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/stila-Color-Balm-Lipstick-Ali/dp/B00AG1DZ0A/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458713858&sr=8-1&keywords=stila+color+balm" target="_blank">most hydrating lipstick</a>, my orientation to the world leans toward persnickety and goal-oriented. This spring, that impulse turned its eye toward tunic topics. March hit and, suddenly, I <i>required</i> the perfect woven blouse to pair with jeans. Something loose, but with shaping. Something swingy, but not tent-like. Something, it turned out, that only existed in my mind. </div>
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In my brain, the ideal woven top had a list of non-negotiable attributes:</div>
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<li><b>Curved, split hemline.</b> As anyone blessed with generous hips knows, woven blouses can be hell to move in. They might fit well while we're standing up, sure, but try to sit down or bend over or dance a jig! That way unsightly creases and pulling lie. A split hemline allows freedom of movement, without tent-like proportions. </li>
<li><b>Loose, but with shaping.</b> Most tunic patterns out there are dartless rectangles, aiming to cover us in yards of flowing fabric. I love the ease of those patterns, and the look of tunics in general, but my body is easily lost in such garments. Waist shaping and bust darts allow me to recognize my shape, but keep the ease of design. </li>
<li><b>Opportunities for fabric mixing. </b>Mixing prints and solids FTW! My ideal blouse allows for natural use of multiple fabrics, with separate yoke pieces and interesting design details. </li>
<li><b>Lower neckline.</b> When wearing a loose top, especially, I can't stand a high neckline. Give me a peek of collarbone and cleavage to liven things up, please.</li>
<li><b>Multiple cup-sizes.</b> All the better, if this dream pattern makes allowances for larger busts. While I am quite comfortable with FBAs, I still prefer not having to fuss with a pattern for hours before actually using it. This also rules out any pattern that would require me to grade up substantially. </li>
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Spoiler alert: this pattern doesn't actually exist. <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v9109-products-49847.php?page_id=4517" target="_blank">Vogue 9109</a>, with its multiple cup sizes and swingy silhouette, is as close as it comes. I almost sprung for it, but started tallying the pattern changes in my head. The neckline needed to come down, back shaping had to be added, and opportunities for fabric matching were slim. Add in an additional FBA and why the hell was I paying Vogue prices for a simple tunic top? </div>
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This, dear ones, is why slopers exist!</div>
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With my lackluster drawing skills, I drew up a plan. Using my oft-ignored bodice sloper, I would create my perfect woven top. Made to my specifications, it would fit beautifully and have just the right amount of swish. French curves were unearthed and inspirational questing music was turned up to 11. </div>
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Two muslins and <i>way </i>too many feet of bee paper later, we have the Brazos Tunic.*</div>
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Let's take a closer look, shall we? The front of the blouse is fairly simple. I elongated my sloper to mid-hip length and swung out from the bust line to a floating, curved hem. Shaping is added through side bust darts and a subtly cinched side seam. To avoid it becoming super basic, I opted for a more interesting notched neckline.</div>
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On the back of the tunic, the waistline is nipped in by twin fish-eye darts and a yoke gives opportunities for mixing fabrics, in the future. The back hemline dips slightly lower than the front and there's a split at the side seam, where the two meet. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*If I'm going to the trouble of drafting something, you better believe it's getting a name!</span></div>
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The fun thing about drafting my own pattern is that construction is also on my own terms. As someone with Opinions on everything, this suits me well. The finish out of this blouse ended up having a lot of my favorite techniques, which made the sewing process all the more fun. </div>
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Both armscyes are enclosed with exposed bias tape, while the neckline was turned with a facing to allow more precision with that front v-neck. On the back, I top-stitched the facing in place to secure it firmly and add a bit more interest. All the major seams are also top-stitched, which is such an underutilized method of seam finishing, but one I love. Once the seam is sewn, I fold each side under, then stitch along the fold from the outside to secure them. The resulting finish is both sturdy and super clean. Thanks for the suggestion, vintage sewing books!</div>
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For this particular tunic, I used leftover Liberty of London cotton poplin in my favorite print, Carline. If I'm breaking out the roses, you know it's true pattern love. Next time, I <i>am</i> going to add a bit more stability to the neckline, which will allow that V to lie symmetrically on the body. It didn't register to me in real life, but I definitely notice its tendency to cave inward in pictures. </div>
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All in all, though, I totally dig this tunic. It's simple, yes, but it's also exactly what I wanted. I'm wearing jeans fairly often, these days, and feel most comfortable when they're paired with swingy cotton blouses. The skinnies + tunic silhouette may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is absolutely mine. All the better that this particular tunic suits both my curves and my need to sew all the prints! </div>
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Quest status: victorious. </div>
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Reading: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-Say-Yes-Alyssa-Goodnight-ebook/dp/B0105SAS1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458673887&sr=8-1&keywords=just+say+yes+alyssa" target="_blank">Just Say Yes by Alyssa Goodnight</a></div>
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Listening:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSBl8zD9J_M" target="_blank"> Dreams by Brandi Carlile</a> </div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-7901953752617448542016-02-01T16:52:00.000-06:002016-02-01T16:52:14.906-06:00Miss Elise is All Askew: Knipmode 10/2015 Skirt<div style="text-align: center;">
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As a rule, I don't make New Year's Resolutions. They tend not to work for my personality. I am easily distracted by new discoveries and ideas--<i>Oh, look! There's a squirrel!</i>--which means smaller goals, quickly taken up before the impulse blows away, are more realistic. Until, this year. </div>
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This year, kittens, I have resolutions. The broad, sweeping sort that require attention throughout the seasons. More remarkable yet, I kept these resolutions for a whole month! It helps that both resolutions deal with my wardrobe. Apparently, if a goal is legitimately fun and involves new clothes, I can keep it. Shocking, I know. </div>
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So, what are these mysterious yearly ambitions? First off, I need to stop sewing so many secret pajamas. 2015 was a year of slipping style. Time and time again, I found myself sewing something because it seemed comfortable, not because I truly loved it. That feels both wasteful and grim. What's the point of sewing, if I'm not at least <i>trying</i> to make clothes I adore? Basics are necessary, but there's no need to lose my point of view entirely.* Comfort and beauty must coexist. This year, I resolve to sew more garments that speak to my personality. </div>
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My second resolution is heavily related to the first. After coveting their patterns for months, I finally have a subscription to <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/" target="_blank">Knipmode</a>, that glamorous Dutch pattern magazine! My mother, the Queen of Cool, sprung for it as a much-beloved Christmas gift. I am obsessed, y'all. Here are the patterns I wish Indies were making--skirts with interesting design details, dramatic jackets, and modern, feminine dresses. The aesthetic is exactly what I want to be sewing, right now. Of course, the only way I can rationalize having an esoteric sewing magazine flown to my doorstep--in a language I don't speak, no less--is to actually sew these patterns. So, I am resolving to make at least one Knipmode pattern per month, this year. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*Why, yes, I did <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo8jwJ_2l0c" target="_blank">finally watch the Iris Apfel documentary</a>. That woman is a national treasure. </i></span></div>
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All that is to say...</div>
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Look, I made a skirt! This particular pattern is from the October 2015 issue of Knipmode and is also available online, <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/rok-pdf-patroon-8867" target="_blank">as a PDF</a>. The asymmetrical style is decidedly dramatic, with knife pleats marching along the skirt and a hem sweep that dips almost eight inches from right to left. This pattern is at once a classic full skirt and something more modern entirely. </div>
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Even without instructions, an intermediate seamstress could whip this garment out easily. Make a few knife pleats, finish the seams, then add the waistband and an invisible zipper. Voila! Instant skirt. I treated this pattern as a Knipmode trial run, however, and fully translated the directions. Google Translate actually handles Dutch to English translation really well, picking up even technical sewing terms, like “seam allowance” and “overlock.” I have it installed <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-translate/aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb?hl=en" target="_blank">as a Chrome plugin</a>, for foreign-language websites, and am consistently impressed with its accuracy. For the few words that wouldn’t translate readily, the <a href="http://foxglovesandthimbles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">wonderfully helpful Marianne</a> pointed me toward this <a href="http://www.sewingpatterns.eu/glossary" target="_blank">fantastic Dutch/English sewing glossary.</a></div>
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To pull off such a bold silhouette, fabric choice was key. While this would look sensational in a solid fabric, I wanted a print similar to the modeled skirt, something heavily influenced by art. This <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/green-magenta-floral-stretch-cotton-sateen-106537.html" target="_blank">watercolor floral cotton sateen</a> from Mood matched that vision perfectly. When it arrived, I was so smitten that I promptly ordered another three yards of<a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/red-yellow-blue-floral-stretch-cotton-sateen-107377.html" target="_blank"> its other colorway</a>, which is a riot of yellows and reds. Both fabrics are a heavier cotton sateen, ideal for an unlined skirt like this one, and have just enough stretch to lend a little comfort. Better yet, they drape gloriously, creating hemlines that swirl and dance with every step.</div>
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The most time-consuming part of this garment's construction was tracing out the pattern and translating the directions. When you receive the magazine, there are pattern sheets folded up in the center, corresponding to the various garments included. Two or three patterns usually take up a sheet, overlapping each other in different colors of ink, with sizes EU 34-54 included. The process is actually deadly simple, though--I outlined my size in bright sharpie, put a roll of bee paper down, then traced over my pattern pieces. The lines are really well marked and it's easy to determine which pieces are yours. </div>
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Of course, there is one last step. Knipmode patterns, like Burda,<b> don't </b>come with seam allowances. To American sewers, this can be a stumbling block that keeps us from trying out these magazines, but it's a non-issue. There are a variety of foolproof ways to add in seam allowances. You can trace your pieces right onto fabric, then sew by seam lines and use a rough allowance, which is the couture way of sewing. Clover also <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clover-487-W-Double-Tracing/dp/B00292BPII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454364755&sr=8-1&keywords=clover+double+tracing+wheel" target="_blank">makes double tracing wheels,</a> clever little tools that add seam allowances as you trace off the pattern itself. Or...you could channel my swashbuckling ways and tape two sharpies side-by-side, then trace out your patterns with that. The resulting seam allowance, added at the same time you're tracing the original seam lines, is exactly 1/2 inch. </div>
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All in all, the tracing process took me about an hour, including cutting out the final pieces. I'd much rather do that than tape together a gigantic PDF pattern! Though, incidentally, if you <i>do </i>order a Knipmode PDF pattern, you don't have to go through the tracing bonanza. There's only one pattern per PDF and it's laid out just like a normal pattern. Add seam allowances and you're good to go. </div>
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As expected, the actual construction of this skirt was a cinch. This sateen sewed up beautifully, taking pressing really well and allowing lines of stitching to almost disappear into the print. Though the pattern's line drawing shows the asymmetry falling from left to right, I chose to copy the modeled version instead. The back and front skirt pieces are identical, so I inserted the zipper on the longer side and reversed the hem sweep. On my version, the left side now possesses the longer hem. </div>
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Construction-wise, I made things a little more elaborate to suit my preferences. The waistband is lined with coordinating royal purple cotton, which was understitched to turn the facing, then sewn to the bottom waist seam by hand. The seam allowances were finished with my serger, but I did sew the hem itself up by hand and eased it into the skirt. Originally, this pattern was meant to have a hem facing, but I prefer a fairly deep hem on such a full skirt. It gives the hem more body than a faced or narrow hem would. To that end, I lengthened the hem by three inches and turned it up twice, catch-stitching it to the inside fabric. </div>
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Finally, the invisible zipper was also put in by hand, but that’s simply because I can’t find my invisible zipper foot! It has been lost to the clutter of my sewing room. Until it appears again, everything at Chez Danielson-Perry is getting a hand picked zip. Laura Mae has a splendid article about <a href="http://www.lauramaedesigns.com/2014/04/how-to-insert-invisible-zipper-tutorial.html" target="_blank">inserting invisible zippers by hand,</a> if you're curious. </div>
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Wonders never cease! I've kept a resolution for one whole month! As I anxiously await the March issue of Knipmode, I'm turning my eye to another pattern, <a href="https://www.knipmode.nl/jackje-pdf-patroon-2870" target="_blank">a riding jacket from the November issue.</a> The pattern has been muslined already and needs a few small fitting tweaks, before I cut out some dishy black velvet for its grand debut. </div>
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For now, I'm enjoying this swishy modern skirt. Both fabric and pattern feel deeply appropriate for my current wardrobe longings. This garment seems like the logical progression of my style, from when I started this blog six years ago. It's feminine, yes, but not overly sweet. It's utterly wearable, but not something you'd find at any ready-to-wear shop. Mostly, it just feels very, very <i>me</i>. </div>
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Mission accomplished. </div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: The fabric for this project was given to me courtesy of Mood Fabrics, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network. It was chosen by me, however, and all opinions are my own. </span></i></div>
Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-24237779332949680382016-01-12T15:17:00.003-06:002016-01-22T09:31:46.251-06:00Miss Georgina Changes Direction: Style Arc Nina Cardigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year, kittens! Admittedly, I<i> am </i>twelve days late on that score. There are any number of legitimate reasons for my brief blogging absence, but honestly, it comes down to one fact: I loathe January. Of all the months, this is the one I would gladly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Van_Winkle" target="_blank">Rip Van Winkle</a> through. It's bitterly cold, the holiday merriment is packed up in boxes, and every commercial snidely suggests that I join a gym or buy a juicer. </div>
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With all that in mind, it should come as no surprise that my first garment of 2016 is a waterfall cardigan, the sartorial embodiment of a sign that says,<i> </i>"Leave me alone. I've just gotten cozy." Now, <i>that's</i> a New Year's ad campaign I could get behind. <i>Waterfall cardigans: for those days when you wish it were socially appropriate to wear a blanket. </i></div>
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There are heaps of draped cardigan patterns out there, both in the Big 4 and among Indies, but there's only one which tempted me. My wearable blanket of choice is the <a href="http://www.stylearc.com.au/stylearc/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=495&Itemid=47" target="_blank">Nina Cardigan from Style Arc</a>, which I've <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/pattern-review-style-arc-nina-cardigan/#disqus_thread" target="_blank">previously reviewed for the Curvy Sewing Collective</a>. Unlike other similar patterns, the Nina pairs that luxurious fall of fabric with<i> actual</i> garment shaping. There is a defined waist seam, natural flair toward the hips, and a princess seam effect to the front drape. This cardigan doesn't hide a woman's body, but works with her curves. It's not simply a Snuggie worn in reverse. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Which I approve of <i>wholeheartedly</i>, but wasn't my intent with this project.)</span></div>
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<span class="">The Nina also provided a chance to finally try out Style Arc patterns. For years, I admired their fashion-forward designs, but couldn't rationalize the high price point and</span><i> </i><span class="">shipping to the United States. When they opened </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/StyleArc?ga_search_query=nina" target="_blank"><span class="">their Etsy Shop</span></a><span class="">, last year, I did a happy dance.* Finally, print-at-home Style Arc patterns! Such increased availability sealed the deal and I bought three designs, the Nina cardigan, the</span><a href="http://www.stylearc.com.au/stylearc/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=864&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=45" target="_blank"><span class=""> Mavis tunic</span></a><span class="">, and the </span><a href="http://www.stylearc.com.au/stylearc/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=736&category_id=2&keyword=misty&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=42" target="_blank"><span class="">Misty jeans.</span></a><span class=""> The Nina was the quickest project of the three, so it served as a good crash course in Style Arc drafting and sizing. </span></div>
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<i><b>*Note:</b> Style Arc printed patterns are now available through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Style-Arc/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_13102242011?ie=UTF8&node=13102242011&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Style+Arc" target="_blank">Amazon Prime,</a> as well. Unlike other Style Arc offerings, they come nested in sizes 4-16 and 18-30. Unfortunately for me, I straddle the middle sizes there, so will probably continue buying PDFs, instead. </i></div>
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<span class="">Style Arc is infamous for their single-sized approach to patterns. When you order a print version, three sizes come printed on three separate pattern sheets–the size you requested, then one size up and one size down. The PDF versions work much the same way. They’re grouped by size trios, starting with 4/6/8, then going upwards from there. While it’s nice to have a back-up from your original size, this individual sizing method prevents easy grading between sizes. Worse, if you’re not the middle size of the PDF trios, you don’t actually get that advantage in the first place. I ended up not fitting perfectly into any one size, as you’d expect, so I chose based on the best size for my shoulders, waist, and hips, figuring that the bust is rather loose fitting in this design anyway. My 46-36-47 frame ended up aligning best with the Australian size 18, according to Style Arc’s sizing chart. </span></div>
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<span class="">My first Nina was a straight 18, without alterations, which turned out pretty well. I was left wanting two things, however: more stretch in the fabric and much, much narrower shoulders. I took in the pattern's shoulders by almost two inches and decided on a 50% stretch sweater knit for my second version. </span></div>
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<span class="">This navy-and-white striped fabric came from a now (sadly) defunct store in Austin, bought during a meet-up in 2014. Originally, I thought it was a cotton blend knit, but a burn test proved otherwise. My best guess is a rayon blend Hacci knit. Who knows! It is, however, perfect for the Nina. I played with stripe directionality, cutting everything but the front drape on the horizontal. As the back hip band curves into the drape, the stripes meet up for a semi-chevron effect, before straightening out together. I'm utterly smitten! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Is that a phone in your back pocket or are you just edgy, Mary?</i></td></tr>
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Other than the taxing process of cutting out striped fabric, this was an easy project. Style Arc's directions are sparse, but who really needs more? If you've sewn up <i>any</i> knit garment, you can confidently sew up this cardigan. I went my own way anyhow, as per usual. </div>
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<span class="">The shoulders are stabilized with clear elastic and most seams were sewn on my sewing machine, then finished with a serger. Y'all, the simple </span><i><span class="">thought </span></i><span class="">of sewing striped fabric on a serger gives me hives. It's hard enough to match everything correctly with tons of pins and variable speed. Sending it straight through an overlocker is for braver souls than I. To finish the drape and bottom hem, I stabilized the hemlines with fusible webbing first. This kept the fabric from rolling, as I sewed, and prevented the stitching from getting wavy. </span><br />
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<span class="">Honestly, the shoulders are still a <i>touch </i>wide. Despite trying it on, before adding the sleeves, the fabric's heavy stretch causes them to slip down a little. I didn't want to mess up the stripe intersections any more, so I'm going with it. It's a drapey cardigan, after all, things are going to drape a little. </span></div>
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<span class="">There you have it, my very first project of 2016! I really love how this sweater turned out, especially in comparison to my first Nina. It's both cozy and a wee bit dramatic, which is what I require from my wardrobe nowadays. Please don't tell me these cardigans are going out of style, though. I shall cling to my wearable blankets, like my favorite diner waitress clings to her six-inch tall 80's bangs. </span><i><span class="">Ardently</span></i><span class="">. </span></div>
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<span class="">Now, I'm going to go bake a lemon tart. Maybe I can force January to hurry on with doggedly cheerful pastries? </span><i><span class="">Here, have some sunny citrus. Turn into March already, please. </span></i></div>
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<i>Reading</i>: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Act-Like-Lucy-Parker-ebook/dp/B00Z6YMLV6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452631079&sr=8-1&keywords=lucy+parker" target="_blank">Act Like It</a> by Lucy Parker<br />
<i>Listening</i>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbVd8lp0Ppo" target="_blank">GTO</a> by Puss N Boots</div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-7479049256373370512015-12-07T01:01:00.002-06:002015-12-07T09:35:55.797-06:00Miss Lenore Wraps up Her Year: Appleton Dress<div style="text-align: center;">
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Good evening, kittens! Happy December!</div>
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Honestly, I can't believe that sentence is applicable. How is it December already? Autumn slipped right by me, a whirl of pie making, furious writing, and family invasions. I've been taking time to sew, but I haven't photographing <i>anything</i>. The sun starts to dip on the horizon and I start thinking about taking pictures...</div>
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Then, nothing. My mind is too busy to go through the whole process of primping and hair curling and thinking about smiling, but not pointing my toes, but also not doing a duck face. <i>Egads.</i> Just the thought makes me want a glass of wine and a nap. </div>
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A streak of sunny weather (We've had heaps of rain in Texas, lately!) and a new camera lens* shifted my attitude, though. With changing leaves, soft sun, and a gorgeous new dress, the impulse finally came. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photography Nerd Redux: The lens is the new <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-1-8-STM-Lens/dp/B00X8MRBCW/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1449464917&sr=1-4&keywords=canon+lens" target="_blank">50mm f/1.8 STM from Canon</a>, which the reviews claimed was leagues better than its predecessor. We don't have a ton of extra cash to spend on lenses, so I've been living with my old temperamental 50mm, but finally broke down and used a birthday gift card for this one. Y'all, it's amazing. There's absolutely no post-production on these photos and every single one (out of 150) were in focus! Trust me, that's a huge improvement. Plus, look at that light quality! I'm swooning over here. It's definitely worth the reasonable price. (Note: That's <b>NOT</b> an affiliate link. I just found the best price on Amazon.)</span></div>
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This is the <a href="http://shop.cashmerette.com/products/appleton-dress" target="_blank">Appleton Dress</a>, from Cashmerette Patterns, which I've reviewed once before. However, <i>this</i> version of the Appleton is from the actual pattern, instead of the tester version. This new version is an even better fit than the original, thanks to a few crucial changes to the finalized pattern, and I didn't have to change a thing. Cup-sized patterns, I adore you. </div>
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What really makes this particular Appleton is the fabric used. We have a fairly short winter here in the South, but I love cold weather sewing. As soon as the temperature dropped, I ordered a whole heap of wools from Mood. Among them were five yards of this dishy <a href="http://www.moodfabrics.com/hooker-green-solid-jersey-fw19467.html" target="_blank">"Hooker Green" wool jersey</a>, enough for both a sweater and a sweater dress. This fabric is a true medium-weight jersey, with a ton of stretch and complete opacity. While it doesn't quite come across in these photos, the color is a clear, dark emerald. Perfect for the coming holidays! </div>
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As mentioned, I didn't change anything about this pattern. This dress is a straight-from-the-envelope size 16 G/H, which lines up with my 46-36-46 measurements perfectly. Picking a size from a cup-sized pattern can be a bit tricky, but the <a href="http://www.cashmerette.com/2015/10/appleton-sew-along-day-1.html" target="_blank">Appleton sewalong </a>does a great job of walking you through the decision. </div>
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For me, this fit was spot-on, from my fairly narrow shoulders to my extravagant waist-to-hip curve. There's been some discussion about what sort of shape Cashmerette patterns are designed for. Personally, I think they cover a good deal of the spectrum, particularly if you're either hourglass and apple shaped. I'm a textbook hourglass and favor styles that emphasize my waist--wide skirts and fitted bodices, particularly. Though the Appleton doesn't have a waist seam, the way it nips in provides exactly that definition I gravitate toward. At the same time, the hip ease is not snug in a way that makes me self-conscious. It skims over the belly, rather than clinging to it. Even with all the holiday eating (pies!) I've been doing lately, this dress is amazingly comfortable! </div>
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TL;DR: It fits well! I adore it. </div>
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When it comes to construction, the Appleton is a sensible, well-drafted pattern. Every piece goes together beautifully and there are enough notches to guide one along the way. Honestly, I skim most instructions at this point, but Jenny's process is the one I would default to anyway. Two thumbs up on the directions! </div>
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You <i>can</i> sew this entire dress on a serger, but I would advise against it. On the neckbands/waist tie, specifically, you're going to want more control. I sewed everything on a sewing machine, with a lightning bolt stitch, then finished my seams on the serger. It takes a little more time, but it keeps mishaps to a minimum. To stabilize potentially wonky bits, I added clear elastic at the shoulders and used Wonder Tape in the skirt hem. All hems were done with a twin stretch needle, as per usual. </div>
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Y'all must be tired of my knit dress spiel by now, friends. Knits! They're comfortable! I sew them the same way every time! This one is particularly cozy, though, I promise. Wool jersey is such a fun fabric to sew with--it's resilient, mannerly, and creates such warm, breathable garments. With all the chilly weather we've been getting lately, this dress has already gotten plenty of wear. I've been layering it over tights and a slip (to prevent static build up), which keeps me perfectly comfy!</div>
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Never fear, though, kittens. My next three projects are, remarkably, not knits. Think velvet and denim and European pattern magazines! For now, I hope you're having a merry beginning to the holiday season. Stay warm and safe! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: My knit bodice post is still forthcoming. There was a tragic accident with its almost-finished draft and I haven't had the mental fortitude to rewrite the blasted thing. Soon. </i></span></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337174006238935251.post-35707382708843492672015-10-29T23:55:00.000-05:002015-10-30T13:32:43.196-05:00Miss Wren Attends the Ballet + GiveawayGood evening, friends! As you know, I've been on a knit sewing kick lately. After years of using mostly wovens, my wardrobe is now bursting with handmade, stretchy garments. Fueling this obsession have been two patterns, the Myrtle and the Moneta dresses, from Colette. I've sewn a dizzying number of both dresses, steadily building up an army of secret pajamas.<br />
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You can imagine my delight, when Colette announced that they were adding to their range of knits. More stretchy dresses to love! The Wren Dress debuted last week, a charming mock-wrap dress with two skirt options, a gored slim design and a flowy gathered option. While it's something I would have auto-bought anyhow, Meg from Colette was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of the pattern, as part of the <a href="https://blog.colettehq.com/news/announcing-wren-faire" target="_blank">Wren Faire</a>. Naturally, I was on that faster than Buffy on a vampire, Cordelia on a snappy put-down, or whatever Whedonesque metaphor you prefer.<br />
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My favorite part of the Wren dress is, hands down, the softly gathered neckband. It's a design element that ups the garment from the simple to the classic. As soon as I saw the line drawing, I knew a two-toned Wren was in my future, to make the most of that neckband. I love built-in potential for fabric mixing!</div>
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For this first version, I shopped my stash and came up with two beautiful wool knits, one full cut of a dusky rose jersey and remnants of a deep maroon, from <a href="http://www.idlefancy.com/2015/01/miss-bonnie-goes-rogue-bluegingerdoll.html" target="_blank">last winter's Bonnie dress</a>. The rose jersey has actually sat in my stash for ages, a victim of color doubts. While it's a shade I adore in theory, it's also a difficult one to pair with my complexion. To wear it alone, a ridiculous amount of blush is employed, or else I end up looking like the undead. (#normcorpse) With the deep, rich maroon as a buffer color on the neckband, however, it's sublime. The end result feels very winter-appropriate, the kind of dress one should wear on a snowy walk through the forest, with a coordinated berry pink cloak.</div>
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Not that we get snow in Waco. Or have very many forests, for that matter. <i>Still</i>...I quite like it. </div>
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Before sewing this version up, I did make a quick muslin to check the bodice fit. The Wren calls for fabric with at least 25% stretch, which my rose jersey <i>just</i> met. Any issues that cropped up needed to be sorted out in basic jersey first, before trying something with a closer fit. </div>
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As others have noted, the Wren does<i> </i>not<i> </i>resemble the block used to draft the Myrtle and the Moneta. The Wren pattern pieces are decidedly straighter, with a barely curving side seam. To accommodate my vast and wondrous bosom, I performed a Full Bust Adjustment on the XL, which added a curve to the side and lengthened the front bodice itself. Additionally, I raised and brought in the armscye, because I was getting a weird tenting thing from my arm to torso. These alterations were easy as pie, y'all. Knit FBAs are so easy to do that they feel like cheating! </div>
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As you can see from the pictures, I still have some light pulling on the bodice, which wasn't present in my muslin. I did a bit of post-construction troubleshooting to find the cause of this and landed on a front bodice that still needs more length. Knits can be so different from fabric-to-fabric, that these latent fit issues do crop up. For me, perfectly fitting a bodice usually takes a few rounds of adjustments. I muslin to a point I'm pretty happy with, try it in fashion fabric, then keep improving. It's always going to fit better than RTW, after all. </div>
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When it comes to construction, the Wren was really fun to piece together. I gave the instructions a cursory glance and they seemed sensible, especially for beginners, but I went my own way on a few things. To better preserve the neckline, I reinforced it with clear elastic, just as I did the shoulders and waistline. As always, I finished the hem with fusible stay tape, to prevent a wavy hem. All the seams were sewn on my sewing machine, with the trusty lightning bolt stitch, then finished with my serger. </div>
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There was one step that I went full on renegade with. Like the Moneta, the Wren has you gather the skirt by stretching and sewing the elastic. Y'all, I haaaaaate this technique. I know it's easy and super efficient, but it never works for me. My machine revolts; the elastic snaps. Other sewists perform it beautifully, but I've utterly given up. Instead, I like gathering knits with<a href="https://indiesew.com/blog/how-to-gather-knits-floss-method" target="_blank"> the dental floss </a>(or embroidery floss, in my case) method. It's easier to control than the classic basting stitches method and gives nice, even gathers every time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj557qJy52dk8zhtcEyz5xIf2_Vtr_DGYPk-35I4cgAxkYxyV6UKLpZCA-cNXaSe-vI6-6pPs1ZYisTMr1058fJbfo10oxoOBe7t68RmsbwUGakDTd9ESNSc2wrEEGN6hex5yWocb4YKzs/s1600/Idle+Fancy+-+Wren+Dress+by+Colette+Patterns+-+Wool+Jersey-0706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj557qJy52dk8zhtcEyz5xIf2_Vtr_DGYPk-35I4cgAxkYxyV6UKLpZCA-cNXaSe-vI6-6pPs1ZYisTMr1058fJbfo10oxoOBe7t68RmsbwUGakDTd9ESNSc2wrEEGN6hex5yWocb4YKzs/s640/Idle+Fancy+-+Wren+Dress+by+Colette+Patterns+-+Wool+Jersey-0706.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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For me, the Wren dress is another winning knit pattern from Colette! The finished dress reminds me of my old dance costumes from high school, all wide, swishy skirt and nipped-in waist. It's such a feminine silhouette. I will definitely be making more versions of this dress, starting with this <a href="http://www.lillestoff.com/lillestoffwoman/flowers-n-dots.html" target="_blank">floral Lillestoff jersey</a>, which I've been hoarding for months now. Hooray for more knit dresses! </div>
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There's more good news, however. If you comment on this blog post, Colette will enter you in a giveaway for their fabulous book, <a href="https://www.colettepatterns.com/catalog/colette-guide-to-sewing-knits" target="_blank">The Colette Guide to Sewing Knits</a>. This is actually the same book that started my knit sewing adventures. If you're new to knits, it's the perfect resource to ease you into the techniques! Additionally, you can check out <a href="http://www.misscrayolacreepy.com/2015/10/drinking-mead-for-wren-faire-and.html" target="_blank">Erin's super cute animal print Wren </a>and enter again on her blog. Thanks again to Colette Patterns, for letting me take this gorgeous dress for a spin! </div>
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<i><b>Update:</b> If you're interested in my fitting changes for the Wren, stay tuned! I'll post pictures and details of my adjustments, early next week. </i></div>
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Mary Danielsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13375674341038153250noreply@blogger.com0