2015 Fall Capsule Wardrobe: Jenna Cardi

So I went back to the fabric shop. Need I say more? It was a trip of necessity. I had to buy more of the electric blue bamboo jersey... Though Gillian suggested a genius fix, I sense that I'll need more to recut the Self-Drafted Kimono Sleeve Dress skirt, which is currently too small in the lower abdomen. I'm concerned that I just drafted the skirt too straight (and too small) for too much of the length of the side seams, to use a work around (though I'll try). With an additional 0.75 yard,  I'll have options as I tinker.

I also had to buy another yard of the teal fabric (it's a rayon sweater knit, btw) that I used to make the Jenna Cardi (modified waist-length, version A with 3/4 sleeves):

This doesn't look like much lying on the ground but it's actually quite a sweet basic.

Check out those cute vintage buttons I bought when I was on that crazy button kick:

I know there looks to be some drag between the buttons on the buttonhole band, but it's an illusion. When worn, this is not the case... I opted NOT to topstitch the waistband for a variety of boring reasons. I may yet choose to go back and do so.

In retrospect, my vintage button obsession was kind of hilarious given that I NEVER sew anything that requires buttons because that would mean, by proxy, it would require buttonholes. I had a terrible time making buttonholes using my former (entry-level Brother) electronic machine. But accomplishing them with my Husqvarna 190 is veritably a pleasure. My mechanical machine produces a lovely outcome in 4 simple steps and all I have to do is change a presser foot (at the beginning) and a couple of settings (by lever). I was freaked out about making the button band (though I refused to let it cow me) and I'm really glad I found my nerve. Do you know how much faster you can sew a cardigan vs knitting one?!

But why did I buy more of the teal, now that I'm done with this sweater? Well, I was half way through when I went to the fabric shop, and I was worried that it was going to be too snug - in which case I intended to try again with the same fabric. As it happens, though I did alter the pattern very slightly, following the completion of this version, it actualy fits pretty well - especially given that the rayon is pretty stable and I haven't been able to rely on fabric stretch.

The reason that it fits is because I made a bunch of changes to the paper pattern before I cut the fabric out:

• Altered the sleeve to follow my T shirt sloper sleeve (spans multiple sizes)
• Altered the armscyes to follow my T shirt sloper front and back armscye (spans multiple sizes)
• Made the size 34 in shoulders widening to a 36 in side bust (at side seam) and waist
• Lengthened the waist length version by 2 inches on the front body of the bodice. This, along with a bit of extra fabric at the side seam (sea above), provides my best version of an FBA.
• Lengthened the centre back by 0.5 inches lengthening to 2 inches at the side seams (my short back waist / large boobs fix that mirrors a swayback adjustment (I think).
• Lengthened the button bands to reflect additional length in the bodice.
• Added a 7th button (to reflect the extra length I require to make this thing waist-length on the front body).

See, the path to a pretty good first muslin is an hour of making changes to the paper pattern, based on tried-and-true alterations. My post-muslin changes were to add another inch, to the bust, at the side seams (0.5" each side), and another half inch of length at the bodice - effectively making this a bit roomier under the arms (cuz I may want to wear a shirt underneath it). It'll also be a bit longer which I sense will work better with stable fabrics having only horizontal stretch (such as this teal rayon).

But wait, I did buy 2 other fabrics:

• A really nice rayon/poly ponte in very dark indigo - like almost black. I got 1 yard of this because, one of the great things about my modified Jenna is that it only takes a yard of 60 inch wide fabric. I want to try it again in a different material. The ponte I bought has really great recovery but it feels soft and it doesn't seem synthetic. Nor is it shiny. This stuff was 20 bucks a yard. I might have gone for the cotton/rayon ponte, a bit heftier, but that was $45 a yard. A little too rich for me today...

• And finally, I repurchased this grey bamboo jersey (1.5 yards). I really can't say enough about how much I love the colour and the weight / quality of the bamboo fabric that Chu-Shing stocks. It's all the same stuff, dyed different colours - all beautifully.

So yeah, I did a bit more damage but I'm in the honeymoon phase!

BTW, my goal for tomorrow is to sew another Jenna cardigan and to fix the sizing on the Self-Drafted Kimono sleeve dress.

At that point, I'll have made 4 new garments for myself (I also gave one to M.):

• Sunny (Cocoon) Knit Top - navy French terry. To be photographed.
• Jenna Cardigan - teal rayon sweater knit / silver buttons
• Jenna Cardigan - indigo ponte / ? buttons
• Self-Drafted Kimono Sleeve Dress
• Sunny (Cocoon) Knit Top - sweatshirt grey bamboo jersey) For M...

My hope for the rest of the long weekend is to produce one other garment from my remaining 2015 Fall Capsule Collection options:

• True Bias Hudson Pants
• Vogue 8323 Surplice Top
• StyleArc Danni Dolman Dress

I don't know which I'll make but I guess I've got a few hours to figure it out.

Thoughts on any of this?

Local Fabric Shopping Score

Y'all know that the Canadian dollar is not having its strongest moment. After years of being able to spend online with relative abandon (within my means), I've hit the point that I am VERY discerning about online purchases. The truth is, while I'm certainly willing to go on the adventure of fabric buying sight-unseen, I'm not willing to pay 20-plus bucks a yard, pre-shipping, for the pleasure.

Absolutely, local fabric shopping is available to me - and I avail myself of it (though I did less so during the years of the strong dollar, given that my local big box shop disappeared from downtown and I was routinely disappointed by the offerings at some of the larger fashion district stores). But times change so I've been doing more local recon in the District, and I'm very pleased by what I've been able to find of late.

To clarify, on the knit front, 5 years ago I couldn't source good local bamboo jersey, tencel, modal or terry (I'd never even seen it!). It was cotton, rayon or poly all the way and, really, a girl gets sick of rayon. I'm not big on most cottons (they don't tend to have good recovery and the colour goes chalky) and I will not touch polyester, durability notwithstanding, because it feels hideous to me. I also found the quality of the rayon to be hit and miss, often corrupted with synthetics.

But let's get on with the fun because, these new fabrics, do make dreaming of new garments very enjoyable:

Oooooh - lots of pretties!!

I bought 10 yards over all. Most of what I purchased was at this place I've never paid any attention to before. I mean, I'm sure I've been in, but I don't remember. Alas, I can't recall the name but I can say that it's next door to Moog. OK, I street-view Google-mapped it and it's called Chu-Shing Textiles. BTW, I can't find much about them online but what I have found completely corroborates my experience: likely family run, extremely well-organized (they had me at hello) and expensive. What's not to love? Let's not forget the elephant in the room: Yeah, I've bought 10 yards of fabric in shades of blue and not a pattern to be seen. If we were to catalog every yardage I've ever bought, 80 per cent of it would be in shades of blue/grey/aubergine, 10 per cent would be cerise or fuchsia and the rest would be, well, who the hell knows?

What I really like about this haul is that the SA at Chu-Shing confirmed that she sells all of the fabrics I purchased, in many colours, and that they're continuity stock. So no need to freak out when and if I want more.

Lavender / Grey Modal Jersey

You know I freakin' LOVE the modal. And it's almost impossible to find anywhere (though more available now than ever before). I bought 2 yards at 70" wide (like unicorn width!) which is enough yardage to make a dress and a top, I suspect. This fabric has awesome recovery and lovely drape. It doesn't photograph particularly well, the colour is smokey but it's more on the lavender than grey side of the spectrum. See the bottom fabric of the first photo in this post for a better sense of the colour... It was (don't quote me on this - all the prices started to blend) $20/yard. Chu-Shing does cut yards, not metres, which when you're looking at fabrics of that dollar-value, can start to make a difference if you purchase in volume.

Bamboo French Terry Jersey

Gillian's always talking about the terry and I don't know where she finds it because I've NEVER seen it in a store before. She maintains that it's got lovely hand and drape but all I could envision, before I met this particular fabric, was a short robe from 1976 or a tennis skirt - you know, really bulky, non-stretch and kind of creepy to the touch. Now Gillian knows her fabric, so I've kept an open mind. But I was still shocked when I found this navy bamboo terry. It's very sleek. It has beautiful stretch and recovery (it's not overly firm). The loops on the wrong side are so tiny that they fade into the fabric (see the second photo below).

Navy Bamboo French Terry Jersey

See how TINY those loops are? But they're so cozy soft...

I loved this fabric so much, I bought it in slate blue too.

Bamboo French Terry Jersey

In truth, on purchase, I had no idea of what to make with either yardage (not that I thought it would be that hard) until G suggested another pair of the Hudson pants. That's PERFECT. And a dress is definitely in the cards. And maybe some yoga pants.

Apparently French terry isn't generally made from bamboo. This stuff is definitely of excellent quality and the price supports that. I believe it was $24/yard for 50" width. Keep in mind that tax adds 13% on all prices here (after the fact), so this wasn't a cheap haul. I got 1.25 yd of the navy (that was all they had left) and 2 yds of the slate.

A propos of fabric and pricing, I do want to detour very slightly: For years, and I know I'm not alone here, my sweet spot price for stretch fabrics was 8 - 12 bucks a yard or metre. As I've improved in my craft - and as I've had the chance to wear a lot of self-made garments many, many times - I've come to realize that my sewing may not be perfect, but the finished product warrants the best fabrics I can afford. The reason I spend a lot of money on high-end RTW is because I appreciate not only the design, but the execution (which has everything to do with the hand, weight and drape of the fabric). Good fabrics recover well. They look beautiful from a distance, and up close. They last without pilling. So if you're going to spend 15 hours making that damn dress, use a fabric you won't loathe the look of in 6 months.

Now, having said this, I've had a lot of difficulty finding fabrics of the quality I feel happy to spend $25 bucks a yard on. So I'm really pleased (understatement) to say that I've found a place locally to fit this niche. Online, it's hit or miss. Blackbird Fabrics, in my limited experience, has had the best jersey I've found online, but the cost is prohibitive (and it's in Canada). If I'm going to spend more than 15 bucks a yard, optimally, I need to feel it first. So perhaps the tanked dollar has facilitated a new awareness - not to mention that the improved quality of fabric in the fabric district seems to be playing along nicely.

Navy Cotton Jersey

Navy Cotton Jersey

Like I said, this isn't my go-to fabric. This is the kind that's manufactured in the round, so there are 2 natural folds (and no selvedge). But I have to say, this yardage is substantial (great for T shirts) and the recovery is excellent (must have more spandex than usual). In the photo it looks washed out, but the colour is pretty rich. It would make a great dress, given the fabric heft. I bought it to, perhaps, make another Tiramisu (a dress I made previously using a gorgeous pure-cotton ponte that was gifted to me. That ponte is a joy to wear, years later, and it shows off the lines of the dress beautifully. FYI, finding cotton ponte in TO has yet to happen, for me. Apparently, peeps don't want to spend the 30 bucks a yard it likely costs).

FYI, I bought this at my regular place, the name of which I cannot remember but it's on Queen West, right next to the Wool House and it's in the basement. It's run by the nephew of the King Textiles owner. They sometimes have some good jersey (of all types) and sweater fabrics but it's hit and miss. I believe I spent $12 bucks a yard for this and I got 3 yards... It's 52"wide.

Electric Blue Bamboo Jersey

Finally, back at Chu-Shing, I found a DELICIOUS bamboo jersey. Lord, once you've found bamboo jersey, the regular rayon stuff just seems cheap. This has awesome hand and even better drape than the modal. It's substantial but not bulky. It would make great leggings or yoga pants or a dress or a top or anything, really. The colour is saturated and beautiful.

Bamboo Jersey

This was $24 bucks a yard, I believe and I got 2 yards. It's 50" wide.

What you'll note about all of these fabrics is that they are predominantly natural - bamboo, rayon (modal is made of rayon) and cotton. (Sidebar clarification from Tanit-Isis: "Modal, Tencel, and bamboo are all varieties of rayon/viscose." I didn't know that! I mean, I knew about modal and tencel being part of the rayon family, but I thought that bamboo was fluffy like cotton! Don't ask me why.) Yeah, they've all got spandex in them (that's what gives them awesome recovery and drape), but there's no other synthetic to obstruct the natural properties. And yeah, we can debate the naturalness of rayon, but I'm in the camp that says, extrusion or no, it's more natural, to the feel and with wear, than "synthetics" (as I have known them). Sadly, now I have to come to terms that bamboo isn't a cute fluffy that can be turned into fabric fibre without excessive chemical intervention. Live and learn.

FYI, Chu-Shing sells a synthetic, very substantial and firm stretch fabric (a bit like scuba but more like the stuff they make bandage dresses from) for 45 bucks a yard. It is awesome, though I'm not so much in a bandage dress phase. It would go extremely well with leather, intercut, to make pants or a skirt. It's also sold in many colours.

So that's the latest haul. $200ish bucks and 10 yards later, I have at least 7 garments worth of material. Not bad when you view it through that lens.

Thoughts or feelings?

Stash Enhancement

In truth, July has been a wash up on the crafting front. But what I've neglected in sewing, I've made up for in buying! I have a couple of gorgeous new fabrics to show:

Liberty of London Dufour Viscose Jersey

Liberty of London Tana Lawn Summer D

For starters, let me tell you that I've never bought a Liberty fabric before. We do have reasonable access to the Tana Lawn in TO, but the jersey I have never come across before. In truth, I didn't even know that Liberty made jersey (though I'm sure that admission makes me seem very provincial).

I purchased both of these at Ewe Knit. (BTW, you can purchase fabrics and yarns online if you're not in the close surroundings.) I do sense that Ewe may be better off changing its name to something like Ewe Knit and Sew because, about 6 months ago, Claudia started stocking a variety of quilting fabrics. More recently she began stocking the Liberty Tana Lawn and, just this week, she got her first shipment of Liberty jerseys. I wonder, however, how many people realize that sweet fabrics are to be found in this well known yarn store.

I'm not going to suggest that Liberty is cheap-and-cheerful anywhere, but it's competitively priced here and I love that I can take a 15 minute walk and come home with all kinds of fabric including stretch fabric, the type I prefer, sewing and knitting notions and zillions of awesome yarn options. So often, one experiences the sad closure of a store that has met all the needs (Caban, anyone?). But it's terrific that Ewe has joined the 'hood because I love the stuff they stock.

A bit on the fabrics:

• The deliciously soft, woven (tana lawn) is an awesome, moody landscape that reminds me of a rural winter. I have no idea of what I'll do with the 2 yards I purchased, but it affected me the way no pretty floral ever could. Of course, I was recently reminded that it's a directional fabric, just to make it trickier to work with! But I know I will use it well, at some point in the future.

• The viscose jersey is a riot of Catalan colour, but it's busy in a way that's so intense that said fabric pattern actually recedes into neutral. Gillian has been doing some great video fabric reviews lately wherein she debates the stretch properties (and other features) of her newest fabrics, which has put me in mind of describing this one to you. The Liberty jersey is not spongy but it has an excellent weight. It's got about 50 per cent stretch in the width and 25 per cent in the length. The recovery is excellent as is the drape. I mean, it should be. This stuff is 40 bucks a yard. It's a perfect weight for a knit dress. It's got enough heft and drape to skim beautifully without being so heavy that it drags. Of course, the fabric is vibrantly dyed, per its pedigree. FYI, it's quite wide (56 inches).

So, today's questions: Do you like Liberty fabric? Have you used it? Did you know that Liberty makes stretch fabric? What do you think of my choices?

What T'will Be Will Be...

Yesterday, on my way to work I found a fabric moth. Y'all know about my bug phobia. Well, it doesn't apply to fabric moths (or most flying things, really). I smashed the shit out of that thing. Of course, it was the sign that I would once again need to shake out and review all of my fabric stash.

Just spent hours doing that. Um - it seems my late-winter fabric spree was epic people. I do not know how I've got so much yardage fitting into one tiny cupboard. Then, in addition to 55 yards of fabric, I've got notions up the yin yang, muslin, lingerie supplies and interfacing. I am officially finished with shopping for fabric for a very long time. Honestly, I have everything I could possibly ever need or want. (Actually, I have awesome fabrics - it's hardly upsetting to pet them, even as I feel vaguely overwhelmed.)

I am very grateful to say that all of my stash is whole and bug-free. I do intend to add cedar and lavender to the cupboard - and maybe to get these moth tent things my friend Nicole told me about. They're work on pheremones and mess with the reproductive cycle of the bugs. All natural, effective and odor-free!

One good thing about this seemingly endless exercise is that it has compelled me to pre-treat all of my washable fabric. When next I reach for it, it'll be all set to go. (Usually I have to factor washing and drying into my sewing experience.)

Mind you, it's derailed my sewing plans for the weekend - or delayed them, anyhow.

I've decided to make another pair of Claudia pants using the stretch cotton twill I recently bought at Fabrications. Note: This will be my third pair. The first I wear constantly. The second I put on the lawn (it was made with that hideous black Bengaline and was too big).

Here's the thing, I'm not sure that I like the twill. Don't misunderstand. It's a lovely fabric in the abstract (far lovelier than the photo below would lead you to believe). But, on washing it, the right side developed a definite brushed quality. I should say that it isn't napped - as far as I can tell - as the brushed quality isn't directional.

You can't see it in the pic, (which makes the twill look flat and grey - it's actually navy blue), but the right side almost looks like suede or velvet:

Peeps, I hate napped fabrics. Nubby fabric kind of creeps me out, not to mention that it picks up every bit of floating lint or hair (yuck). It reminds me distinctly of half of my wardrobe circa 1983. The thing that's saving this twill is that its brushed quality is very subdued. Mind you, all brushed fabrics seem to have one thing in common: they're stiff.

I do feel rather liberated though, to approach this fabric with adventure and not too much investment. It's got about 10 per cent stretch so I doubt it will create a finished product that's too big. And, who knows, I may discover a new-found love as I work with it.

Having said all this, if it doesn't thrill me, onto the front walk it goes. I don't have time to coddle. It's got to hit the mark or someone else can enjoy it on its merit.

The fabric is cut, marked and ready to go. I hope I have time to make the pants tomorrow - but if not, at least I'm proceeding. I've got to remember: it's all sewing. And every time I finish something - if I like it - I've got to find somewhere to put it. So slow is alright. I'm pacing myself with Chianti :-)

Today's questions: What do you think of napped fabric? Is velvet/suede/corduroy your fave thing ever? Does it remind you of nails on a chalkboard? Do you like brushed twill? Let's talk!

Carpe Diem

I just wrote an entire post and Blogger ate it. It was a really good post, btw.

At any rate, my mood was greatly improved when I got home today and found a box on the dining room table containing this:

Fabrics from Fabrications Online... The fabric really arrived folded just like this in perfectly creased tissue paper.

The package arrived in less than a week and escaped the eye of Customs!

Here are a few close ups:

This navy wool twill, having 5-10 per cent stretch, has a lovely hand but needs to be washed a couple of times before I can determine how it's going to drape. May be best for a skirt or dress... Of course, the pic is over-exposed to show some semblance of colour, but in real life, it's a bit truer to navy - but a rich navy.

This salmon-shade rayon jersey is some of the nicest jersey I've ever felt. It's not too thin so it would make a great dress... It would also be perfect for the Issy top. It's more pink than the wool jersey I bought from Fabrications a while ago.

And finally, the taupey-beigey merino wool suiting with approximately 12 per cent stretch. Lord, it's gorgeous. The stretch factor is perfect and the fabric looks ridiculously expensive. I cannot believe it cost 18 bucks a yard. It would have been cheap at twice the price. I got the end of the bolt, I believe. (Sorry.)

Almost forgot to mention, you get 6 free swatches with every order and they're nicely presented (for ease of ordering):

So, there you go. It may still feel like winter, but this delivery warmed my heart.

Siesta - Once Removed

You know that fabric siesta I'm on? Um, it's on a siesta.

I appear to have purchased a bunch of new fabrics but, I assure you, they have already been tagged for new projects.

To wit:

3 yards of Stretch Twill in Navy - Brushed on one side

1.75 yards of Rayon Jersey in Dark Salmon (like a cerise)

This wool suiting in taupe, with 10% stretch, is gone now - so the photo was removed from the webside (hence this tiny little image)... I bought 3 yards.

I got these at Fabrications Online, that vendor I learned about from Andrea and Gail, and I have to say I am even more impressed after this shopping experience than I was the last time I purchased from Fabrications. As you know, I'm not a discount fabric shopper. These fabrics are very well-priced for their quality. At regular price, the wool suiting was $18.00/yard. (Locally, or via other online vendors, I'd pay more like 25 bucks/yard for the same fabric.) The rayon jersey was $12.00/yard, regular price (that's the going amount) and the stretch twill was also $12.00/yard , regular price. I would pay, locally, $14.00/yard for the twill.

Why didn't I buy local? Well, the last 2 times I have bought local suiting fabric in TO, I've been disappointed in the way it responded to tailoring. I can buy excellent product locally, but it will cost me upwards of $35 bucks a yard, and I'm trying to keep things less pricey than that. Rayon jersey is hit and miss in our garment district. I can find it, but not necessarily in a solid colour that I like having the quality I expect. And the twill, which I can find here, was frankly an impulse purchase. I just added it into the batch, in the hopes that it will be a new bottom-weight fabric I can use in the future. Next time I shop local, I'll be sourcing the 10% stretch, bottom-weight fabrics that work in lieu of denim. (That's my new thing.)

Before buying, I called the shop because I was concerned about ensuring the degree of stretch in the pants fabrics - specifically the suiting (as I will also make a jacket from it). While chatting I learned about the rayons, about coding on the website (so that I can navigate it better going forward), about various other fabrics that might be of interest... I was blown away by the client service.

But what makes this an even nicer experience, above and beyond good fabric and good service, is that the shipping is a flat 20 bucks to Canada, by USPS, no matter the size of the order or its dollar amount. Oh - and you can order in fractions of yards so you're not committed to, 2 yards, let's say, if you only need 1.25 yards. That goes a long way to keep the price in check...

The wool is slated for the next attempt at the Janet Jacket. If it works, I'll use the extra to make a skirt or pants to complete a spring suit. The rayon is to make my next attempt at the Issy Top. I bought 1.75 yards as this top takes about 1.5 yards - I only have 1 yard cuts of rayon jersey in my stash right now so buying more was necessary. And the twill is a bottom-weight fabric to make another pair of Claudia pants, the most recent Bengaline version being entirely nasty in both size and feel. Since I already have a "denim" pair (albeit rayon denim), and my other denim has no stretch, I need a new fabric with which to experiment.

I did try to shop my stash before I purchased. I didn't have what was required to continue working with my most recent patterns - those I spent effort "perfecting" fit-wise, or continue to spend time improving.

Really, though, after this next batch of new sewn items, I'm going to have to work with some pre-purchased fabrics in the stash. They have projects attached to them too, after all...

So, today's questions: What do you think of my latest fabrics? Have you shopped Fabrications online (or in store) and, if yes, what was your experience? How much are you willing to pay for online shipping of fabric - regardless of where you live? What are the fabrics you find hardest to source (either online or in shop)? Let's talk!

Rayon of Sunshine

I wrote a post last week about all of my new fabrics and what I'm going to do with them and then it was unceremoniously (and mistakenly) deleted. Partly, it was a Blogger glitch. Partly is was a migraine issue.

I'm not one of those who bothers to retype a comment that gets eaten, so you can imagine how disinclined I am to reconstruct an entire post. Nonetheless, this post was relevant from the vantage point of illustrating how my recent fabric binge is a considered undertaking.

Gist: I'm only buying fabric to go with patterns I intend to actually make, like, in the next 6 months. Other gist: Can't fit any more fabric into the cupboard. Apparently, my limit is 45 yards. Now on a fabric siesta.

Stay tuned for a new version of the deleted post, when my hostility finally subsides, but in the meanwhile, let me say this:

The rayon "denim" I used to make the Claudia pants is from Gorgeous Fabrics and you should not waste time. Go buy 4 yards. But not until I buy another 4 yards (which will bring me up to having purchased 8 yards of this drapey deliciousness). Note: It appears that Ann has just updated the store site - I know this change has been in the works - so it's all new and fun, but it does appear to be loading quite slowly today and I'm having trouble logging in. Maybe order this fabric tomorrow...

Let me give you the lowdown:

• Whether you're the skinniest of minis (and you need some delicate fall in your fabric) or a more robust sort (looking for good drape with a dollop of even stretch that doesn't look stretchy), you will find 6 ways to use this stuff. It would make an excellent dress - woven or stretch woven. It's perfect for pants. It would be terrific for a skirt. You could even make an unlined (Hong Kong finished) jacket. I see possibilities for a great peplum, sleeveless top (the kind with a side zip) etc.
• It's very "modern RTW" seeming. I could see Theory or Pink Tartan using it in one of its designs.
• Yeah, it's on the synthetic side of the equation (though rayon is a hybrid). But it looks luxe and it breathes really nicely.
• OMG, IT. DOES. NOT. WRINKLE. Not straight out of two washes and twice in the dryer. Not after a day of wear. It's veritably space-aged. Have I mentioned how I loathe wrinkles? It's one of the reasons you will never see me in linen or woven cotton. (The other reason is that I really don't like most iterations of either of those fabrics.)

If I had to complain about it, I'd say that it's not the best for working with darts. The very thing that makes it beautiful to wear makes it suboptimal for clean tapering at the ends of the darts. I would NOT try using this to create tucks or pleats of any sort. You'd be going against the grain, as it were. Mind you, it does press very well (no need for pressing cloth, can deal with steam and high heat) and it holds a hem crease perfectly.

A mediocre fabric can be blamed for taking up space in your stash, but a beautiful one won't be there for long. My justification for owning lots of this (not that I want everything made in the same fabric!) is that this "denim" can be used to make just about anything. Furthermore, I did trash 2 yards of it on muslins, what with my perspective that, if you want to make a finished product you can rely on, you need to use the fashion fabric on test versions. What can I say? I'm like the very opposite of the WW2 sewist in this respect.

Auspice

I've had a punishing day, just got home, and a spider crossed my path - like CLOSELY - as I reached for my drink. To me it looked huge, but I am extremely afraid of spiders. Like phobic. It's a miracle I didn't spill red wine all over everything. Of course, Scott the bug-saver wasn't here. So I had to smack this spider about 50 times with a shoe. It's still sitting, shriveled, under the side table. I'm too afraid to go near it.

Despite that unflattering profile, I want to end this day (or move into the later evening, anyway) with a pleasant, if quick, story:

Andrea and Gail convinced me to order from Fabrications - which ships flat to Canada for 20 bucks. If I hadn't bubbleheadedly authorized the company to send by UPS (for same price), I wouldn't have had to pay 40 bucks in customs handling. Worst. Courier. Ever. And I know that. Mind you, I wouldn't have these fabrics three days after purchase:

2 yards Light-weight Coral Wool Jersey - it's much more orange than cerise...

The wool is machine washable (with delicate soap like Eucalan) and flat dry.

2 yards Silk Chiffon, pattern on navy blue. I copied Andrea with this fabric. She owns it too...

This one is coded "dry clean", which is something I don't have much appetite for. Do you think I could hand wash and dry it? Or will it go wonky? Note: It was 19 bucks a yard and I don't want to trash it.

I'm extremely fascinated by the chiffon. I may have to figure out how to make a top with a stretch-free woven. I guess the bias will be my friend...

BTW, I LOVE Fabrications. Excellent service, beautiful fabrics, reasonable prices (for well-curated, quality fabric). I mean, it's an independent boutique, not a chain store.

You should totally give them a go.

Feast or Famine

On the weekend, I visited with Andrea and Sara on a special stash expedition. Don't get excited; it was not a swap. Alas. 

We actually got together to review Andrea's patterns against her fabrics to support her in a couple of upcoming sewing projects. Sara and I played the role of Tim Gunn, setting the sewing scene by choosing 2 garments, from A's pattern stash, to be made using 2 fabrics, also from her stash. Now she has the opportunity to simply pick-up-and-go on 2 future projects. All the fussing is done! I'd go into more detail but there was a bit of wine happening and I can't quite remember which fabrics we paired with which patterns... I do hope A writes about this on her blog, in upcoming posts!

It was a terrific process in a variety of ways: fun with sewing friends, being creative in a team, learning about new materials. While I do think of myself as an upstanding sort of girl, there was a brief moment when I seriously considered, ahem, "doing away with" Andrea and running with as many pieces as I could carry. And some built-ins and patterns. Lord, that woman's stash is amazing - well-organized, colour-coded, delightfully colourful, varied in texture, luxe, interesting, exotic! I cannot believe she's on a fabric-cleanse because she's so good at accumulating it.

Kristin's Lesson-Learned Number 1: Fuck stash dieting. I need to go on a binge!

Really though, I did learn a few other things:

• Unlike myself, some sewists use independent patterns extensively. I barely know what's out there, apparently, and, even when I'm aware, I'm not increasing my pattern inventory with the indie outliers. Now's a good time to mention that, whenever I'm with other sewists, they love to talk about the (insert latest cool) pattern. They go into all kinds of details about designers, the etymology of the company name, 5 other bloggers who've also made the garment, and the list goes on. As I can barely remember the names of my freakin' TNTs, I do occasionally feel outclassed. I sense I need to pay a bit more attention.

• Moreover, if you never sew with a particular fabric, chances are you don't know anything about it. For example, having never touched a Liberty fabric till this weekend (Tana Lawn, for those of you wondering), I had no idea of its drape and hand. It's much softer than I imagined it would be. Chiffon? I confuse that with Tulle on a regular basis. I feel, if only to improve my skills, I need to branch out into sewing with new materials. Don't get me wrong, communing with fabric is one of my strengths. But, really, I'm not getting to know enough of it!

• More can be more! Leave it to me to get cozy with two committed Stash Busters only to decide that I've gotta buy stuff.

Look, I completely understand the impulse to go on the Diet. Andrea makes the reasonable point that she simply wants to get going on using the beautiful things she owns. And I totally see where she's coming from. I, on the other hand, managed to use up 10 yards of stash fabric during the construction of my last capsule collection - and I wasn't even following a program. So I'm betting on myself not to let the stuff languish. We'll see how that goes. (Clarification: I'm only talking about fabric here, not yarn. Yarn I've got enough of.)

Of course, I'm not intending to go completely insane, though I did just purchase 2 new fabrics (one of which is a navy/pattern chiffon). All of the fabrics I've bought since Jan. 1 have been targeted: I want to know more about stretch charmeuse because I sense it's going to be my go-to shirt "woven" in the future. I bought the stretch Bengaline (from StyleArc) because the designer(s) make up most stretch woven garment samples in it. Since I intend to sew StyleArc patterns, I want to see the properties of a garment made in the "optimal" material. I got a bunch of new jersey (rayon, cotton, merino - washable!) because I love it and I use it and I'd like to work with a few different weights and drapes, over and above the "very drapey" summer-weight stuff I have much of right now. More on this to come.

Mind you, there's no free pass. I still have to find a way to keep everything neatly organized in one cupboard. Dammit. I sense a scrap cull coming. And a lot of sewing in the near future. So please stay tuned.

Today's question: Does all this talk of diet make you want to binge? Certainly I cannot be alone.

Public Service Announcement

The other day, I read this post. Have to say, I was so impressed by the beautiful drape of the garment, featured within, that I immediately a) bought 3 yards of the fabric used to make it and b) went over to StyleArc and got the pattern.

I can't tell you that I've ever done that before.

Fast forward a couple of weeks (long weeks, waiting for parcels) and my fabric arrived today.

In addition to this (for making the Demi Drape Top):

White Smoke Rayon Jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics

Seagrass Rayon Jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics (Note: My Seagrass Rayon Jersey looks decidedly grey IRL but the White Smoke is exactly as shown...)

 I also bought these fabrics:

Textured T Shirt Weight Rayon Jersey

Butterfly Migration Stretch Charmeuse

Admittedly, they are all lovely. The butterfly charmeuse is not as stretchy as the canary yellow stuff I'm working with to make my latest version of the Janet Jacket (well in process, fyi). But I suspect it will be more useful as a result. This stuff might work very well to make an unaltered top designed for woven fabric, for a woman with proportionately large breasts. Not sure why there is such a difference in the properties of stretch between the two charmeuses, but I suspect it's because the yellow is pure silk and the Butterfly is a synthetic.

However, the fact is that the rayon jersey stuff is freakin' awesome. Seriously. It's the cat's ass. I don't know that I've ever seen such beautiful jersey. The hand is amazing. So is the drape. It feels like a million dollars. It's very well-priced. You can tell that it's going to sew nicely cuz it's not bitchy rayon.

Even though it's no longer on sale, (I got it at the ridiculous price of $10.50 a yard), go buy some. You will not be disappointed.

La Cage Aux Folles

I'm totally crazy. Not sort of. Not a little bit. Like 110 per cent, completely loopy crazy.

To wit: I managed to buy 7.5 yards of Tencel fabric online today:

 

Dark Grey

Sunny Yellow

Slate Blue - my go-to neutral

 

Yes, the girl who's only bought fabric online twice and both times vowed never again, has apparently done it again. 

But I have a rationale.

Y'all remember my last online fabric purchase moment. It convinced me to just say no. But my memory is short. And the fabric I purchased then - specifically the Modal I just used for yesterday's Coppelia wrap is of exceptional quality. Honestly, I'm wearing that wrap today - which everyone seems to love, btw, despite my showing off all the fit flaws - and I am nuts about the fabric.

So I went back to fabric.com to get some more. It occurred that I might just buy 3 yards in any and every colour and be done with it. No luck. Instead, I found Tencel - a very nice knit when you get the good stuff. Flattering and drapey, but not quite as firm as the Modal. It's less close-fitting, "fitness wear" than the Modal - not that the Modal looks exercise-y. 

 

(Hilarious sidebar: The reason I couldn't find my modal at Fabric.com is cuz I originally bought it at Fabric Mart. There is some modal left there. Though only in one colour (acquamarine). BTW, this fabric is a bitch to find. If you find it, and you like the colour, buy in bulk.)

A propos of that (and you can trust me): When you want good jersey, it's nowhere to be found. And, for what it's worth, just about any time is when you want a good jersey. So it pays to think ahead.

Ahem, but then there's the issue of shipping "internationally"... Last time it took weeks and way too much time to shepherd 4 yards of fabric from point A to point B. And the shipping cost was high ($30.00).

I am seriously hopeful that fabric.com supplies good Tencel, because I've just bought 7.5 yards of it in 3 colours. Um, shipping, you ask: $15.95. For 7.5 yards. Now, peeps, that's my kind of delivery charge.

On the topic of quantity: My new guideline (strangely - it's exactly what Tasia's talking about today) is 3 yards. Unless I've got a project in mind - and it'll take more than 3 yards - or it's super pricey, or kind of crazy (yellow tencel, for example) I'm going with 3. That way, I'll have enough for a muslin and a "real" garment in the same fabric. Or for a dress. Or if I make a mistake. Or enough to give away.

 

And, thought I, if I'm going to pay a crazy shipping fee, I might as well get the max fabric it will support. This philosophy kind of let me down, happily, since the shipping was way less expensive - despite volume - than I expected it would be. And it's USPS, my preferred shipping method. Sure, who knows if I'll be charged customs fees. But that's a risk I've got to take, now and again.

 

I just don't know what to do about the Modal now that I've bought Tencel to the tune of 7.5 yards.  Fabric Mart shipping costs are a) much higher and b) unknowable until you buy and they cut and package. I've been told they can get 3 yards into a mailer, which will be under 40 bucks. I have to assume it will be about $20.00. The colour's not my first choice, but it will flatter me and I FREAKIN' love the hand of this stuff. And the price of the fabric, if not the shipping, is very reasonable.

 

I sense I'm talking myself into it... 

 

Thoughts? 

The Spring Suit: Muslin 1 and Why It's Good to be Short

Today is muslin fitting 1. Tabula rasa, as it were, for this season's tailoring project. To prep for this, I've cut the muslin fabric and carefully marked it up with just about every conceivable line. 

Yeah, this was as painful as it looks - and I haven't even sewn the fucking thing.

I even added additional lines, which will facilitate reflecting alterations from the muslin to the paper pattern: a horizontal balance line (HBL) above the bust, an HBL above the waist and the 5/8" stitching line. S and I are using, among other methods, the Sarah Veblen "fitting axis" approach. The idea is to ensure that the HBLs, drawn onto the fabric before sewing, are rendered perfectly level during the fitting process (whatever alterations are required to obtain the fit). The lines highlight drag or pull (which can occur for any number of reasons and which, therefore, must be carefully considered before applying a correction).

If I sound psyched about this, it's only the hummingbird-like frequency of my anxiety taking centre-stage. I'm afraid, even as I'm excited by the process. What if this pattern treats me like the last one? I mean, I know I'm working with a design that's tried and true and written by an expert. Frankly, merely if the notches align, I'll be 100 per cent ahead of the game over last time. But I know I'm multi-sized in a fitted, tailored jacket. I mean, seriously, body-types such as mine are the reason that knits were invented! (Look, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

In the construction of the last jacket, you might recall we needed to shorten the waist, increase the full bust AND decrease the upper bust (you heard it right - I had to do an FBA and an SBA in the same freakin' five-inch zone), plus adjust the sleeve to account for shoulders that rotate forward slightly. And those were simply the big ticket alterations!

And never mind me - this time I've got someone else's body to consider! I mean, people, it's not like I've got a degree in fashion design!

This is as good a time as any to touch on the concept that becomes ever-more apparent with each passing project - and especially as I learn more about my tall sewist friends. I am 5'3" with a curvy frame. By that I mean my breasts take up a lot of circumference (relatively) but my shoulders and my waist are narrow. Effectively, I'm a short and narrow person and my shortness is all in my torso (but I'm not that tall so my proportionately-long legs are still not tall). 

S is a tall, very slender, person. She's 5'8" with a straight frame. By that I mean she is willowy, but with width in her upper back. She is also long in the torso. And she has net long legs given that she's reasonably tall.

Guess who needs more fabric to make a suit? Um, that would be the exceedingly slender one. 

Generally, I can get away with removing at least 3/4 of a yard of fabric from a suit pattern: jacket and associated bottom (either pants or skirt). We measured my neck-nape to waist and, seriously, it's so short, it's not even on the Vogue chart (13.5 inches). Think about it: When you cut fabric, you generally have enough width - especially if the bolt is 60 inches wide - to cut far more widely than you need to. Hence, all of those crazy selvedge-side scraps. My boobs are the beneficiary of that! On the flip side, what are you most concerned about, tall ladies? Not having enough length for that hip-length jacket or that pair of pants! Sorry, tall girlz. Those pants just kill the budget with the extra yardage you require.

Where's the justice in that? Well, technically, you have height so I find it hard to feel bad for you. But next time you're feeling sorry for me, just remember I save the cost of a sweet little shirt with every suit. Now if only I could figure out how to fit it.