Endless Combinations!!

Hello! I have been sewing like mad!  When I discovered that Hancock Fabrics was going out of business, I went a little nuts buying fabric.  By "a little nuts", I mean a little more than a little.  ;)

I started sewing up my new-found stash and then discovered the Endless Combinations Contest going on at Pattern Review.  It was fate I tell you!!

Let me describe my entries in the following ways:

1.  Using cool fabric

2.  Replicating a cool pattern envelope photo

3.  Replicating a long gone and memories-attached jacket

First up. A skirt made from a blue/white/navy/green swirly ITY knit.  I used the trusty McCall's 6654:

Cool fabric isn't it??  Since the going out of business sale at Hancocks had 2 yard minimum cuts, I had plenty left over for a top to match.  Enter Vogue 8390:

My previous version of this pattern was in a brown knit and I still love it (but it did need some tweaks):

When the 2 pieces are worn together, it looks like a dress:

On a side note, I have started running...and apparently my waist has returned!!

Part 2 of my thoughts for this contest was replicating the Jalie Eleonore pattern cover.  In particular, the light blue capris and the striped top:

Jalie Eleonore Jeans

The model seemed so springy, cool and comfortable.  It is very unlike me to copy a pattern photo, but it happened this time.  I even bought similar shoes!!  

My attempt at the cover pose

I did a split hem on these, using this excellent tutorial from pattern~scissors~cloth.

The top was a new pattern: New Look 6384.   Let me tell you that the top runs big.  I cut a large and should have done a medium.  The neckline was both low and wide.  I took in the shoulder seams and also the center front.  The fabric was a white striped interlock knit which I used on this dress:

McCall's 6886 blogged here

I am not a big fan of interlock knit mostly because it has poor recovery.  My neckline was a wavy mess when I finished it:

I was industrious and used some stretch thread which I ran through the channeling made by the neck binding.  I did not follow the pattern instructions, but used Jalie's method of using a skinny binding. Here is a great tutorial to show how it's done.  Once the elastic thread was inside the casing, it was almost gathered.  After ironing, however, it came out perfect!  Quite the save!!

So my pattern envelope re-enactment was finished and last up was replicating a long gone and memories-attached jacket.  Back when I was 18, I was an exchange student in France (Western Brittany).  At some point during my year long stay, I purchased a white Gap jean jacket from the Kilo Shop, where everything is sold by the kilo.  I remember the jacket being a bit too big, and I remember adding velcro to the inner pockets to prevent pick-pocketing during my travels (I was really paranoid about theives).  I have fond memories of that jacket including learning that the French word for velcro was "velcro".  So when I needed something to create Endless Combinations, a white jean jacket would be perfect.

I used Butterick 5616 from my stash:

Butterick 5616

Most reviewers mentioned the pattern being boxy, which is something I meant to minimize, if not eliminate.  I wisely made a muslin and did the following changes:

1.       I tapered the center back piece to narrow at the waist.  As drafted there was about a 2” difference between the finished bust and finished waist measurement…boxy indeed!

2.       I did a swayback adjustment, taking a ~1” fisheye dart across the back & side back pieces, tapering to nothing at the side seam.

3.       I did a slight FBA adding 3/8” to the bust at the side front.

4.       Below the bust I shaved off ~ ¼ ”on the seam to fit closer to the stomach.

5.       From my muslin, I discovered that the shoulders were very wide.  I narrowed them about 5/8”.

6.       I lengthened the sleeves from ¾ length to full length.

7.       I made the sleeve cuff narrower to match the lower band and used 1 button instead of 3

8.       I added ¼” twill tape along the collar to stabilize it. 

9.       I added interior pockets to the front pieces (you must have interior pockets to thwart pickpockets!!)

10.   I added a coat hanging loop.

I had JUST enough fabric for this jacket.  This is all that was left:

"Big" Scraps

"little" scraps

I am very happy with how it turned out.  I did made a bit of a goof-up however.  The sleeves & cuffs were designed to be 3/4 length and ending at the forearm.  I made the sleeves full length, but I forgot to taper them both down to be wrist size.  I realized my error after the cuffs were attached and topstitched.  Sigh...   So I put the button on ~2" from the edge of the cuff to make them a more sensible size.  

My Endless Combinations were complete.  Here is my collage:

It is a great assortment of outfits, and I am very pleased with how they turned out.  

Mid-April I was able to tag along when my husband had to go to Miami for work.  Here is a photo of me on South Beach, all cool and windblown:

"I made them"

Yesterday, two strangers made my day.  I was leaving Sam's Club (warehouse club), pushing my cart and queuing up to have my receipt checked on the way out the door, when I heard a voice behind me:  "Excuse me, where did you buy your blue jeans?"   I was wearing my latest Jalie 2908 brown jeans with rivets.  I turned around and 2 women, probably in their late 50s, were smiling at me.  I said "I made them."  A very nice conversation followed between these two women and I, with me smiling like a fool the whole time.  I even pulled out my pockets to show them.  

They totally made my day!

In other sewing news, my Minoru jacket came in 3rd place in the PR Best Pattern contest.  While out of the official prizes, I was fortunate enough to win the Random prize of a pattern of my choice sold by PR.  I chose...the Ginger Jeans!  I wanted the pattern, but didn't want to spend money on it, so this was a very nice surprise  :)

In other non-sewing news, I am moving to the Richmond, VA area at the end of next month.  Our new house won't have a dedicated room for guests/sewing, but...there is an unfinished walk-in attic.  So I have a new project: to finish the unfinished space by adding: insulation, electricity, walls, lighting and storage to make it my own personal sewing room!  I am very excited about that; I am quite handy and love DIY projects, so I have been scouring Pinterest for inspiration.  There's lots of excitement around here, but not a lot of sewing.

If you live in the Richmond area, let me know!  :)

Jeans! With Rivets!

Pattern Review is currently holding a Jeans contest.  I love making jeans so I knew I would make a new pair to enter in the contest.  The contest requests detail photos of rivets, topstitching, etc., so this was an excellent chance to add rivets to my jeans!

I used Jalie 2908 again.  I have been tempted by the Ginger Jeans pattern, but it really doesn't seem that different from the Jalie pattern, so I haven't purchased it.  No need to spend money on another pattern when I just spent some on...a new sewing machine!!  That's right, I have upgraded my 17 year old Singer to a new Pfaff Expression 3.5!  Woo Hoo!

Pfaff Expression 3.5

Once I play with it some more, I'll write up a review, but for now I'll say this: it's so quiet and wow do I love the thread cutter feature!

Back to the jeans.  I used a black and tan stretch denim from Fabric Mart.  I think there is 2% lycra, but it's no longer listed on their website, so I can't be positive.  

I successfully installed rivets.  It took a few trials and a trip to the hardware store but I did it!  I bought my rivets from TaylorTailor.  I initially tried to use small scraps of denim as spacers for the rivets as described in this tutorial, but it didn't work for me; there were way too many layers of spacers needed. Instead I used wire cutters like this pair, to nip off the top of the rivet to just above the fabric.  I tried to use a piece of wood underneath the rivet while hammering it on, and it was not hard enough.  The wood dented before the rivet cap attached.  I went to the hardware store in search of a smooth metal plate I could use as an anvil while pounding on my rivets.  Success!  I am thankful that my locally owned hardware store staff is friendly, helpful, and doesn't look at me like I'm crazy when I ask for a "small piece of steel I can use as anvil when pounding on things." :)

Here are my beautiful antique nickel rivets:

  

The rivets really add a professional touch to the jeans.  All of my jeans from now on will have rivets!

Another thing I did differently was to make a pocket stay.  I used Closet Case File's tutorial and some cotton from the stash:

While I wouldn't describe the effect of the pocket stay as a "tummy tamer" I do like the fact that the pockets always stay in place.  That alone is worth it. :)

As far as fit and construction, I did my usual adjustments:  cut a size AA, used a curvier back yoke, straighter leg (slight flare), and since the denim was stretchy, I cut the waistband on-grain and did not interface.  To prevent the back yoke from stretching out while wearing, I added 1/4" wide twill tape to the top of the yoke before attaching the waistband.  I really really hate it when pants gap in the back, so this eliminates the possibility.  Any stretch that needs to take place around my middle can happen along the front, where my extra fluff is. 

adding twill tape to back yoke

In the past, I haven't been very daring when it comes to back pocket design, but now things have changed!  I took advantage of some of the decorative stitches on my new machine and added some interest to the back pockets:

I used top-stitching thread (Gutermann Mara 30) and let the machine do the rest!  

Here are the back views:

So there you go, another successful pair of jeans!

I love making jeans! Jalie 2908 #6!

Of all of the things I sew, I love jeans the most!  I know that every time I reach for a pair of me-made jeans, they will fit, they won't be too long, they won't stretch out over the course of the day and (I'll say it again) they fit!!!

Here is my 6th pair of Jalie 2908:

I bought the fabric last August from Harts Fabric.  It was the first and only time I saw a fabric on someone else's blog and absolutely HAD to buy some.  Katie over at The Creative Counselor, made a pair of Jedidiah Pants for her husband using this fabric.  It is a recycled hemp and organic cotton blend (found here) and I fell for it hard! 

There is no horizontal stretch in the fabric so I knew I needed to give myself more room through the hip and thigh.  I added 1/2" to the sides of the front and back pattern pieces.  Other than that, no changes other than the ones I have done in the past. 

Here are my previous pairs:

And the links:

1st version: dark denim 3% lycra
2nd: brown denim 0% lycra
3rd: medium denim 2% lycra (I strangely have no photos of these)
4th: beige denim 2% lycra (my favorites!!)
5th: Red stretch twill shorts

My Red Threads

For some inexplicable reason I have been sewing a lot of red garments lately.  Remember my Polka dot tankini?  Red.  Back in May I whipped out a pair of red twill Jalie 2908 shorts.  I know...Jalie 2908 is the jeans pattern that I have made 4 times already.  Well, the shorts make it 5 times.  Since making them, I have lost a little weight and they are now loose.  I will continue to wear them and bask in my weight loss.  :)

For Father's Day, I made my husband 2 new Hawaiian shirts (to be blogged about sometime in the future).  When ordering his fabric from Hawaiianfabric.com I ordered myself some fabric too with the intention of making myself a Hawaiian shirt.  Last week's swim meet had a "Red" theme, so I took that opportunity to sew up my Red Hawaiian Shirt.

Big thanks to my 7yo photographer!

 

 

 I used New Look 6197 which has both a men's and a woman's version of the classic Hawaiian (aka casual) shirt. 

 

 

The woman's version has a shirt-tail hem and bust darts.  I made a size 14 which had a finished bust measurement of 43" and did a 1" FBA. Thank goodness I did...it would have been too tight otherwise.   I learned my lesson from this top:  remember to ignore the ease across the back when considering whether or not it will fit over your chest.

My major complaint was that there was too much ease at the sleeve cap.  I could tell right from the pattern piece and followed this tutorial to remove the excess.    Unfortunately I chickened out and didn't remove the entire 1" of extra ease, so I wound up having to do the basting stitches and ease the sleeve into the armhole.  I will be brave and bold next time and remove it all :)  FYI: The men's version doesn't have nearly that much ease.

My final observation: shirt-tail hems are not the easiest thing to hem.  Seriously.  I'm going to straighten it out next time.

So while there is still some red fabric in my stash, next up is blue...Stay tuned :)

 

I only made one thing in March, but I made it well!

I made another pair of Jalie 2908 jeans and this pair is even better than the previous 3 pairs!  What did I do differently?  Not much.  I curved the back yoke even more which eliminated the need to take darts in it after it was assembled.  So I have finally perfected my yoke piece.  YAY!

So here they are, made in a beige denim with 2% lycra.

 

 

 

 The pockets are a cute purple floral cotton which coordinate perfectly.  I love them!

 

 

The other thing I did was make the pants longer than my other versions.  My other pairs have shrunk a little lengthwise and are now just a tiny bit too short to wear with my favorite shoes.  I am (foolishly) self conscious about the too short jeans so I wanted to make this pair extra long to account for any future shrinkage.  Of course, now I can only wear this pair with heels...

I love making jeans.  I wear them all the time and they are comfortable.  I don't even wear any of my RTW jeans anymore.  The fit of the RTW doesn't even compare to these.  If you're thinking of making jeans for yourself (and you really should) I definitely recommend 2% or 3% lycra in the denim for maximum comfort.  

 

Jalie 2908 Jeans...The Encore!

Jeans!  The second version of Jalie 2908 is done!  This time I used brown denim with no stretch.

There were a few changes/tweaks from my first pair that I made to this version.  Keep in mind that my first pair had 3% lycra and this pair has 0%.  The back yoke as drafted gaped like crazy on the first pair and I wound up taking 2 darts in it after it was stitched (and top-stitched) to the back. I redrafted the yoke making it shorter, narrower and having more curvature.  The revised yoke was much better than the original, which is good news.  There are still some weird wrinkles in it, as you can see above, which don't bother me too much.  The bad news is that I made the yoke too narrow (vertically) which shortened the back crotch length too much and the waistband pulls down when I sit.  Aaack!!  

Since there was no stretch in the fabric, I cut the waistband on the bias as the pattern states.  I will NOT do this again!!  The waistband gaped even though the yoke didn't.  Aack!  I'm pulling on the waistband in this photo, so it's not nearly so extreme in real life, but still...

Waistband gap

Rather than suffering with a gapping waistband,  I thought "Hey--you made these, you can make them better!"  So I pulled out my seam ripper and some elastic and got to work.

I undid the top-stitching on the outside of the 2nd set of belt loops on the back as seen here:

 I threaded the elastic through the waistband and sewed one end directly under the belt loops so that the belt loops would hide my stitching.  So sneaky!!  My thread was a pretty perfect match so it wouldn't be seen in any case, but it's always good to be sneaky anyway.  :)

Then I pulled the elastic in to close up the gaposis, pinned the elastic in place and sewed the other end right under the belt loop.  So this is how they look now:

Elastic inserted

The gap is gone!  Yay!  But the waistband still pulls down when I sit...Boo!  So I will re-re-draft the yoke keeping the full height at the center back.

In case you were wondering about my back pockets, I used a gadget I have owned for a while but have never used before now.  It's a tracing wheel with transfer paper.  I drew my pocket design on tracing paper and outlined the pocket itself.  Then I traced the pattern onto the pattern piece onto one pocket.  Then I flipped the tracing paper over, and traced the mirrored pattern onto the other pocket.  For this pair, my top-stitching tread was such a perfect match for the fabric, it was hard to see the top-stitching.  After a little online ordering 'oops', I bought the Gutermann 700 thread color chart from wawak.com, so that I could perfectly match my thread.  So for this pocket design, I did one line with a very narrow zig-zag stitch with a short stitch length and the other (upper) line, I did 2 rows of straight stitching side by side.

On my first version, there was too much fabric between the waist and the high hip which created wrinkles.  I took a small wedge out of the pattern which took care of those wrinkles beautifully!  

So what have I learned based on these 2 versions of jeans made with 2 very different fabrics?  

1. I love making jeans
2. I love wearing jeans that I have made
3. What fits perfectly with 3% stretch will be too tight with 0%  (I had to release the lower thigh above my knee on the 2nd pair, giving myself about 1/4"-3/8" more room there)
4. I will NOT cut the waistband on the bias ever again.
5. I need a little bit of stretch in my denim: no stretch is not enough. 
6. I will be making a 3rd version very soon

Oh yeah...in that photo on the right...I made that ivory Refrew too.  It needs some tweaks (too wide across the upper chest), but I needed a quick fix.

Today is also the last day of voting for the Pattern Review Lined Jacket Contest.  Go Vote!!