Miss Hildy Gets a Promotion: Knipmode 03/2016 + McCall's 7351

Kittens, this was a week. 

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.  

Well, that and finally 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 meant to go 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. 

Let's talk about this skirt first, as you've seen the shirt pattern (many times) before. This skirt is pattern #9 from the March 2016 issue of Knipmode,* 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. 

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 dishy polka dot stretch twill from Mood, and started sewing this pattern in a straight Size 48.

Foolhardy decision. Look closer, my dears.  

*Note: This pattern is also available as a PDF. If you'd like to know more about how I use Knipmode, from translating to tracing, I recently posted about it on the Curvy Sewing Collective.

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...

AHA!

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. 

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. 

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 great collection of cotton sateens right now, which lend themselves well to such garments. 

Onto the shirt! Have you guessed what pattern this is, yet?

This is another version of McCall's 7351, everyone's new favorite shirtdress. A couple months ago, I made a few alterations and also turned this pattern into my go-to button-down. It's a simple darted top with a classic collar, separate button bands, and a back yoke. 

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 Gail K Fabrics 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. 

The Georgia part of this trip was filled with sewing shenanigans. First up, I was lucky enough to attend the annual Young Designers Sewing Program 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! 

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 the gorgeous Sumiko, who is both a brilliant communication scholar and 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! 

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. 

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, We All Sew, about how I construct and sew collars. If you've wrestled with turning points and getting collars to curve, the tips I share in "The Secrets of Sewing Perfect Collars" should help out. 

There you have it, not one, but two 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. 

In short, I dig it. Now, where is my fainting couch?

Miss Charlotte Rides at Night: Knipmode 11/2015

When I picked up sewing again, back in graduate school, it was for one reason only. I adore 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. 

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 plaid, velvet smoking jacket at our wedding.

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, another vintage-inspired suit, and a tailored riding jacket.

Tonight, there's a line checked off that list. 

This is, quite obviously, my riding jacket! Yep, the one I've been teasing forever. 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. 

To get started on this sartorial odyssey, let's talk about the pattern. As a base for this jacket, I used the leather riding jacket from Knipmode's November 2015 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. 

All in all, it's a fabulous pattern...if 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. 

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! Jackets for Real People and Claire B. Shaeffer's Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques 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. 

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!

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 gorgeous, 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 British racing green. 

Love. It. 

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. 

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! 

As mentioned, I cobbled together the construction for this beauty. The bodice is fully lined in rayon crepe, which is covered in bees, because...bees, y'all. I snagged this fabric eons ago, from Harts Fabrics, but you can get the exact same stuff in a sage green colorway from Amazon. 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. 

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. 

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.

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!

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.

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?

Well, a girl can dream anyway.

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 no affiliate links in this post. 

Listening: Angela by The Lumineers
Reading: The Dutch Girl by Donna Thorland

Miss Elise is All Askew: Knipmode 10/2015 Skirt

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--Oh, look! There's a squirrel!--which means smaller goals, quickly taken up before the impulse blows away, are more realistic. Until, this year. 

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. 

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 trying 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. 

My second resolution is heavily related to the first. After coveting their patterns for months, I finally have a subscription to Knipmode, 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. 

*Why, yes, I did finally watch the Iris Apfel documentary. That woman is a national treasure. 

All that is to say...

Look, I made a skirt! This particular pattern is from the October 2015 issue of Knipmode and is also available online, as a PDF. 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. 

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 as a Chrome plugin, for foreign-language websites, and am consistently impressed with its accuracy. For the few words that wouldn’t translate readily, the wonderfully helpful Marianne pointed me toward this fantastic Dutch/English sewing glossary.

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 watercolor floral cotton sateen from Mood matched that vision perfectly. When it arrived, I was so smitten that I promptly ordered another three yards of its other colorway, 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.

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. 

Of course, there is one last step. Knipmode patterns, like Burda, don't 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 makes double tracing wheels, 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. 

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 do 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. 

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. 

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. 

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 inserting invisible zippers by hand, if you're curious. 

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 riding jacket from the November issue. 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. 

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 me. 

Mission accomplished. 

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.