Playing the Numbers

Though I'm not one for dwelling on the finished product (not that I don't enjoy it), I feel an urge to return, briefly, to this Summer Series' Five in Five.

Why?

Well, that capsule wardrobe is the best fucking thing I've ever put together - as a fulsome fashion endeavor, I mean.

You'll recall I searched my stash and made:

• A denim skirt (New Look 6843) - very easy and so useful "basic", you should have one in every colour

• A slate blue, ruched, sleeveless top (Vogue 8790) - so not easy, but still very wearable, it's a fancy, cool summer shirt

• A slate grey, tailored, knit dress (Vogue 1287) - insanely tricky, but man, it's fine...

• A floral sack dress (Vogue 1179), which still manages to be insanely chic for all of its sack-ness

• A faux wrap dress (Vogue 1027) in peacock blue, with pockets!

At first I was quite dismayed because a) it was a fairly un-fun process making these garments and b) much of my stitching looked like the work of a person who's never sewn before.

However, as time has passed - and as experience has taught me - the stitching is almost irrelevant. The good drape and fit, I'm happy to say, are what has endured.

The Toronto summer began a mere month ago, and in that time I have worn every garment each week. Every time I wear one of these pieces, at least one person asks me about it complimentarily, in such a way that I know it's a solid hit.

Every time I put on one of these garments I feel terrific. Stitching notwithstanding, I would have been thrilled to buy any of them at the shops.

And what makes it utterly fabulous is that I spent less on the whole lot than I might have on a skirt or top. Including tax, shipping and notions/extra materials.

• The denim was 10.00 a yard and I used a remnant of about .75 yards
• The Tencel I used on the top and the sexy, tailored knit dress was 10.00 a yard and I used 3.5 yards over both garments
• The floral, cotton jersey was 5.00 a yard and I used 1.5 yards
• The blue Modal was 10.00 a yard and I used 2.25 yards

(I seem to be very comfortable spending 10.00 a yard...)

Even including the notions I spent only 80.00 for what I consider to be 7 garments - because the skirt and top are perfect worn together but they can also be worn with many other things. These are garments that fit my body in a made-to-measure sense.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know that for every Five in Five there are 9 bras that don't fit. Hell, I'm the first to say I hated much of the process and the workmanship is crap.

But seriously, it doesn't matter. I wear it. I love it. It fits me. It suits me. I made it. Lord, I love this constellation of events.

What's the best (from the perspective of overall wearability) garment or capsule collection that you've ever made?

The Summer Series: Five in Five, Take Five

OK, brief intro on other matters - the next in the Ask The Bra Fitter series will be up tomorrow. Veronica just moved house and she's been getting settled...

But back to the Five in Five. It's done. It's over. I've met the terms of the challenge I set for myself (five garments in five weeks). Can't say I had much fun, all things considered, but I learned a LOT.

Here's Vogue 1287, a dress that does not photograph well on a mannequin (alas):

I swear I steamed the shit out of this thing and it still looks like a pile of wrinkles

Oooh, pretty pleats (and a little shot of the coverstitched sleeve hem). Man, I love that coverstitch machine.

The piece de resistance is the back - particularly the pocket construction:

I'm about to say a lot about this thing, so apologies in advance.

For starters - as you can probably tell, this is a wearable muslin. One might argue barely wearable.

My new Viking is not handling knits well at all. I believe I'm going to have to take it for a tune-up because all of the top stitching (not done by coverstitch) looks like the work of drunk mice. It's very distressing to spend 20 hrs making a fucking knit dress only to find the final seam makes it look like crap.

But never mind the mea culpas, let's get down to the crux of the matter. This is most definitely an advanced project, amongst the most advanced I've ever tried. It's as close to tailoring as you can get with a knit dress. The instructions, as always with Vogue knit patterns, are horrible, and given the complexity of construction, I would have been lost without this video tutorial that shows, very clearly, how to insert the pockets. I am so grateful for these resources...

On the body it is a Grecian delight. This thing is so, so gorgeous. I will most definitely make it again, now that I've ironed out the kinks. It's elegant. Sophisticated. Intricate. Interesting. And it fits me like a glove.

You'll recall, most of the (few) reviews of this pattern are not complimentary. I sense that's because the minuses of construction far outweigh the pluses of the finished product for most wearers. While I cut anywhere from a 10 to a 14 in Vogue patterns, this one does fit large. Mind you, I made my standard Vogue knit size - a 10 - and with very few alterations this fits me very well. Honestly, I shortened the skirt by 3 inches (I could have stopped at 2 or 2.5 inches, in truth) and I shortened the bodice by 1.5 inches. That's it. There's no other project I've made in the last year that required so little fit fussing.

Why? Well, my friends, this is a dress for a true hourglass with a substantial rack. I mean, seriously, if you're not in an E cup or higher, just give it a miss. In light of the pleating complexity, and the way the shoulder and neck unit is constructed, it would be painful to alter it to fit a smaller bust. Furthermore, if your hips are on the wide side, stay away. It gives a lot of profile to the derriere, in light of the volume of the pockets. There is no hiding from your curves in this dress. If you don't want to show them off - or if you don't have them - just walk away.

I'm not going to talk about the many issues I had - namely on the neck/shoulder unit construction, the pocket construction and the waistband construction but said issues were numerous - and I made much of it up on the fly, given that the instructions are just short of useless. When I said my spatial reasoning is alright, I overstated the case. Apparently, it sucks. In the end I had to remove (by a tuck on either side of the back seams) 4 inches of fabric from the skirt. I must have missed something because it was a very specific sort of excess. As a result of the drape, you can't really tell, but I mean - I worked hard and I still don't understand how this thing turned into a dress.

I'll also admit that this garment reflects some of the poorest sewing I've done in a long time - from the serging to the regular seams, it's a dog's breakfast. I'm actually embarrassed by the workmanship and, at a certain moment, I just had to give into the idea that what I've made is a legitimate muslin and the interior shows that. The fact that I may wear it a couple of times (just to test it out in the real world) is beside the point.

Here's who should NOT make it (like I'm the arbiter of who should make what?!):

• If you're small of boob - or really, even if you're on the small end of moderate of boob, just say no. Gotta say, it's nice to find a pattern that's only for the ladies with the sizeable rack.

• Those having a wide derriere or bulky hips.

• Those who don't wear bras that fit properly. This dress requires breasts that defy gravity.

• Those without all of the knit-sewing gizmos - serger and coverstitch. Sure, you could make this but it's going to look homemade on the inside and, given how complex and professional a pattern it is, it's unfortunate that the inside will not reflect the outside.

• Those who don't love working with knits. I mean it, you've gotta have the love cuz this is TRICKY.

• Those who love knits but haven't made numerous varieties of knit garments in the past. This is not like making a t-shirt or a pair of leggings. This is tailoring that requires a real sense of how to drape and how to apply a variety of techniques. You don't want to try to learn any basics on this one. All of the other shit you have to learn will keep you adequately busy.

• Those who don't have access to the appropriate fabric. Don't try this with an ITY knit. You need something like a silk jersey or a firm rayon. Even a ponte would work (if it weren't too thick and spongy). I used Tencel and it was perfect - though the fabric was on the cheap side for Tencel and it is, alas, vaguely see-through.

Everyone else, I urge you to try it! :-)

Final Thoughts on The Summer Series first bracket - The Five in Five:

I'm happy that I set and achieved this goal. In the end (btw, use the search feature with the search term "Five in Five" for more info), I made:

• a denim skirt
• a surplice sleeveless top and 
• three dresses: one with a cowl, one with a mock wrap and the one profiled above

I used only stash fabric and I've decided that, from now on, I'm buying 3 yards, as a standard, especially when working with knit fabric. I had to recut many pieces because I "muslined" as I went (as one "optimally should" with stretch garments). Not having to worry about how much fabric I had to use really helped to calm me down. The only garment I made, working on fabric fumes, was the simple denim skirt and it was stressful!

I learned, in this process, to keep my cool. I encountered numerous issues which would have, even a year ago, derailed an entire project. Sure, I have more skill now than I did then. But my greatest resource was my ability to stay calm when things went wrong. It's pretty rare to be completely unable to find some way to fix a problem. Even the mystery extra 4 inches of skirt width in the dress you see above, was easily managed with a clear head. Is it perfect? No. Is it a solution that worked? Yup.

With the exception of the mock wrap dress (the weather has been hideous, rainy and cold this spring/summer), I've worn every garment at least once - and some of them on a few occasions.

This palette is sensible (weather notwithstanding) and suitable for my lifestyle and my sartorial tastes. I like things that are stylish, basic (which is to say a well-fitted, elegant back-drop for accessories and my natural personality :-)), made of good material (I'm getting better at sourcing these) and easy-to-wear. All of these items fit the bill.

My biggest disappointment in the process is that I didn't have as much fun as I would have liked. I encountered a lot of set-backs and they undercut the pleasurable aspects of sewing. I also feel that much of my construction (esp. given how my new machine handles knits) could have been better.

Another lesson I can take from this experience is that, as long as the fabric is good, the style is attractive and the fit is excellent, the quality of sewing doesn't really matter (she says, trying to make herself feel better). Even I don't care as much about imperfect seams as I did when first I completed these garments (and I care about these kinds of things). What I notice most is the drape and hand. Of course, here's hoping I can pull it all together in the long run!

Next up, some knitting. And the Cherry Bomb bra and undies set. But I need to chill on the sewing for a couple of weeks. I'm spent.

So, today's questions: Which is your fave of the five? Do you have any interest in making V1287? What are the elements of your handmade clothes that you appreciate the most (and therefore wear the most)? Let's talk!

De-pleated

I'm home today, working on V1287. Sure, it took me an hour to consider alterations and to cut the pieces. Then it took an hour to cut. Then an hour to mark. Then an hour to baste in the pleats. But I think my low fun-expectations are standing me in good stead.

There really are a LOT of pleats:

This is the actual colour of the fabric...

This is the weirdness that happened as my flash died (following which, my camera wouldn't take any non-blurry photos)

In the end, I cut the size 10 and I don't think it's going to be too large. I altered it minimally, by shortening the skirt 3 inches and the bodice by 1.5 inches on the front and back pieces. There are lengthen-shorten lines on all of the relevant pieces, which is the only way I could figure out where exactly to make these alterations. The pieces are very tricky to interpret before the pleats go in.


So, whatcha you think of pleat insertion on knits? Do you hate it? Do you find it kind of fun in an "it never ends" way?

The Summer Series: Five in Five, Take 4 (Finished)

I'm really glad this is over:

 Vogue 1027

Bizarrely, as I was finally finishing it off (trying it on), Scott saw it and freaked out (in a good way). He was all like: That's really nice! Apparently he thinks very highly of this colour. I don't, so much, but I have to admit it complements my blond fairness.

A few things:

• Roni - sorry but I had a lot of trouble with this pattern and I didn't have the wherewithal to take pics of all the places on this dress I interfaced with knit fusible: the entire neckline/surplice, the armholes, the sides of the dress where I attached the pockets and the pocket bag fabric (where it attaches to the side), maybe I'll interface the hem (it's hanging right now to allow the bias drape to settle before I hem it, if I hem it). It's very easy to do and Sunni has a few great tutorials on it (go through the Sewing School link). 

• In the end, I didn't use either the serger or coverstitch to work the armholes because my fabric was really unhappy in that area and I didn't want to tax it with anything I might have to rip out. I opted for finished garment rather than perfectly finish. Can't tell you how that irks me.

• If everyone but me finds this pattern easy, then it must be me. Am I off my game? I feel so wretchedly bad at sewing right now. I end up having to redo everything (despite the fact that I'm paying attention). A bobbin runs out. Or I sew something together inside out. Or the shoulder seam elastic decides to eat the fabric (almost) where its seamed in. It's really no fun.

• Mind you, recent end products are turning out to be very wearable. Is it much harder because I'm working that much more consciously (while yet I still lack experience and many skills)? I have to admit, my fit is really improving lately, especially with knits (which are so forgiving).

• My alterations in this pattern were pretty on, gotta say. I managed to give more ballast to this dress by adding an inch to the neckline and the bottom of the front and back bodices. It works very well. Next time (and I will do this again, despite the challenges I've had - because I think those challenges were circumstantial more than anything), I will add another half an inch to the front (tapering at the sides). The front on this garment pulls up very slightly. It's wearable though.

• Keep in mind that, even if I'd cut a size 16 in the bodice, it still would have been too small (except in the sides). And the skirt is marginally too big. So, what, I'm like an 8 in the skirt and an 18 in the bodice? (Even though I'm not entirely of one Big 4 size, unaltered, I'm not a range of 6 sizes between bust and hips.) This thing was cut for a body very different than mine. I managed to make it work and I'm proud of that.

• One of the Pattern Review reviews I read showed a great pic of how the waistband affixes at the back waist. It's actually only attached on the topside. The back band (a double layer of fabric with wrong sides together) floats on the back body between the side seams. You can actually lift it up from the bottom. I would not have been able to figure out, from the instructions, how this works so I'm grateful to the writer for the photograph. I really find Vogue patterns (especially the knit ones) to be INCOMPREHENSIBLE. And I'm not horrid at reading and interpreting instructions. I mean, I'm not great at it, but I'm fine. All the independents write totally clear instructions that I have no issue with. It's a combo of Vogue's horrid technical drawings and its mediocre descriptions that throw me off. They seem to contradict each other.

• In the end, as mentioned, I interfaced with fusible interfacing. (It's the kind that's cut on the bias and rolled into a tape). It was better than the fusible web I used which competed with the fabric for drape.

• Oh, I should mention that I cut 6.5 inches out of the bottom of the skirt (on the paper pattern, prior to cutting fabric). It's still long on me and, though I'm short, my legs are not. Don't waste the fabric unnecessarily. You may end up cutting the bodice 3 times. :-) Mid-calf is almost universally dowdy (whether it works with your proportions or not). If you are over the age of 40, do not make it much than an inch shorter than the knee or it will likely age you.

The final garment for Summer Series: Five in Five is this one:

Vogue 1287 (Photo from the website)

I'll write more about this soon but, I have to say, I'm a bit concerned. This dress has relatively few proponents. I can't find many reviews and those which I have found are not overly complimentary.

Of course, everyone's problem is that the bodice is swimmingly huge. Hmmm, I wonder about that.

In truth, I can't see how my next project will be any easier than the last. And this pattern is Average (aka Vogue-speak for Advanced).

The only settling influence is my belief that my mind doesn't see "easy" and "hard". It's all a bunch of instructions to me. If I can figure out what they're saying, generally I can do it. Sure, not necessarily so well (the first few times), but with increasing skill.

Today's questions: What do you think of V1027? If you've made it, do you wear it? And V1287... Do you think I'm crazy for taking on something potentially tricky at this juncture?

The Summer Series: Five in Five, Take 3 (aka the knit top that warrants a muslin)

Ooh la la. Let's talk about V8790, shall we?

Get a coffee. It's gonna take a while but I promise to make this the most thorough and exposé-like of all the reviews of this top that you might ever read.

It's hard to know where to start. I kind of love this top (at least on others!), despite how badly my muslin turned out. I kind of think it might not be for me (or those having large breasts - despite how the surplice design leads one to think the opposite). I kind of think the pattern may be flawed. I kind of adjusted the crap out of the pattern so, I suppose, that's what could be flawed. (Note to reader: I don't think so. I was very careful and considered while altering. And the knits are my spiritual people. When it comes to stretch-fabric, I have intuition on my side.) I definitely think the instructions are mediocre.

But let's go back to the second sentence of the last paragraph, the one wherein I tell you that I deliberately made a muslin of this top. Um, in what world is that "quick summer knits-ish"? Do I just like making things difficult?

Actually, I think it was the best idea I've had in a long time. And this is why:

• The instructions are crap. I mean, the written portion is ok, but the photos are SO cryptic that you oughtn't bother.

• I didn't know how the gathers were going to work - or the sizing (I cut a size 10 and it was definitely on the snug side) - or the facing (I freakin' hate facing) and, really, I spent a lot of time learning about them in the course of the muslin construction.

• It's nice not to care about ruining something as you're trying to figure it out. Furthermore, I had this yellow tencel that was never gonna be used for anything else - it's 100 per cent see-through - but it's the same fabric I have in my stash in two other colours (that, I really hope, are less see-through). This was a chance to know I'd be able to a) get rid of unwearable stash while b) making something that I'll be able to remake in a fabric having the same properties. Sweet.

• I altered this pattern quite a bit (the topic of another section of this post, below) so I wanted to see if I'd maintained its integrity. I believe I have.

First let me tell you some neutral observations about V8790:

• This is not a pattern for a beginner! Or even for an experienced sewist who really doesn't dig working with knits. I can't believe the Vogue people have put it in the very easy category. That's high on drugs, IMO.

• It's cut for an Amazon princess with a waist that's 4-feet long.  OK, I'm exaggerating slightly, but if you're short of waist, you should know you'll need to alter it or you're gonna have a tunic on your hands. I removed 3.5 inches and I stand by it.

• This top is all about the fabric. The instructions advise a 2-way stretch knit only (I've seen other reviews that say it requires 4-way but it's not the case.) I think that Vogue peeps are worried about excessive vertical drape stretching the surplice neckline all to hell. In truth, unless you're working with a very stretchy fabric (like rayon jersey) and you make a size that's on the large end of your normal size (i.e. the exact opposite of how I like to wear my knits), excessive drag is unlikely to occur.

• That's because this thing is constructed such that the surplice attaches under the arm at the top of the side seam (where your underarm starts). The net result is that this thing is apt to strangle you with its insanely high cut. I say, go crazy with the stretch-factor. Note: On me this was unwearable - as well as tremendously uncomfortable. I had to alter it. (See below) Egad: I just had another look at the technical drawing and, either I totally misinterpreted the instructions (possible) or the photo is inaccurate?! It shows the front surplice panel attaching at the waist, not under the arm. I've so got to go back and see whether they suck or I'm an idiot! Yet another reason why making a muslin was a good idea.

• It won't work with a thick fabric. The front is two layers thick (as both sides of the surplice attach under each underarm). If you have a thick fabric, not only will it get bulky fast, but it will be ridiculously hot. Even the sleeveless version. The thinner the jersey, the better.

What I Changed:

• I cut 3.5 inches of length from the lengthen/shorten line at the waist. Given the complexity of the front piece, this made it quite difficult to true at the neckline-side of the front (the part with the facing). It took a long time and, in the end, I compared the curve against the original and just did my best to recreate it. Let's call this a workable change.

• I interfaced the facing. I thought it would be too baggy, particularly at the back neck. As it happens, my instinct at the neck-edge is probably sound (as it was in applying interfacing where the neck unit of this top is sewn to the shoulder unit - it's a bit weird, but you'd know what I mean if you were making this). It was not a good idea to interface the facing because that part really needs optimal opportunity to drape. Let's call this a mistake.

• How the surplice attaches to the side seams at the underarm (See above for the part where I might have read the instructions wrong.) Is it shocking that I can't even be bothered to go look at them right now so that I might clear this all up before I press Publish on this post? Hmmm...

• The length of the facing. I found it too long at the side seam (even as the neck was too high). I know - whack. This is possibly because the interfacing altered the drape of the fabric and altered the way it eases over the bust. As I fit and sewed, I ended up removing 2 inches of its length, where it meets the side-seams. I suspect the need to do this will depend on the fabric used so I won't alter the facing length out of the pattern.

What's flat out dubious about this pattern:

• The way the back piece attaches to the neck unit is totally weird and it's as if the pieces aren't meant to go together. Instead of being curves that attach, the attachment is with a series of right angles. Hard to explain. And just as hard to sew.

• I was gonna say, the way the surplice piece attaches at the underarm seam but that could backfire on me. :-) What I do know is that at least one side of the surplice (the one that goes underneath) is supposed to attach at the underarm - that much I'm sure of. I didn't like this. It was very bulky over the thickest part of my chest. So I lowered it - as I did the surplice panel at the other side seam. 

• The facing?! Did I say I hate facing? The only reason why I'll let it go here is that, presumably - were I to have left off the fusible interfacing on the facing, it would have draped better and looked less like a facing and more like an extension of the front side of the neckline.

Why I utterly love my serger and would suggest you give this pattern a miss if you don't have one:

• I finally decided to figure out some of the more fancy features of my serger. In this instance, ruching/gathering. Seriously, it is SO not hard. Essentially, using 4-spools of thread and a longish stitch length, you crank up the differential feed to the highest number (2) and the thing takes care of itself. It took me about half an hour of experimenting with my fabric to determine how I wanted to proceed (with clear elastic to hold the gather, rather than without). Without clear elastic, potentially, one must pull on threads to redistribute the gather - like one does with a regular machine. Note: should you decide to avoid clear elastic, the serger still makes it easier to use the thread-pull gathering method, than a regular machine, and and it maintains the initial gathers better, those created without thread pulling and by the differential feed action). I now realize that, with the serger, I could have done all of my gathering at the last stage of the project, when sewing up the three-layers of side seam fabric, by switching from regular serging to gather-setting serging (at which point I'd feed my clear elastic into the little groove), and then back to regular serging all on the same seam. It's a bit finicky and it takes courage, but it's totally possible. Keep in mind, I serged the side seams after basting them together! Don't just start hacking away at your fabric with a serger before establishing that the seams align.

• If you intend to work with clear elastic (which, admittedly, is not what the pattern calls for but which is the best material to a) gather the sides and b) stabilize the armholes, especially if you're doing the sleeveless version, then doing it with a regular machine is a nightmare.

• This is one of those patterns that really is bound to look homemade on the wrong side, without a serger. There are lots of layers atop one another. There are facings. There are strings for gathering (or else clear elastic). I mean, it'll look nice from the front, but the inside runs the risk of being untidy. And, without a serger, the likelihood is that your straight stitches might skip or inadequately hold the fabric. There's a lot of stress on a lot of seams and I think a serger will contain everything much more securely.

Is anyone still reading??

Will I make this again? Yes, next weekend, likely. If it works, great. If not, I gave it a good try and learned a lot about my serger, sewing with knits, surplice tops and clear elastic.

So, today's questions: Have you made V8790? Did you find the instructions challenging? Did the top fit you nicely? Did you alter it in any way? Let's talk!

The Summer Series: Five in Five, Take 2

Do you ever feel (rightly or wrongly) that you can't catch a break?

I spent today, and yesterday, making the New Look 1-hour skirt. About 8 hours, it took me. And just about everything that could have gone wrong went in that direction.

OK, I'm being dramatic. Here's what went wonky:

• The fucking zipper insertion. I can see that my new machine doesn't like that double-sided tape I'm so attached to when it comes to putting in zips. I went through 3 needles on this task and I think the end result looks vaguely "made by drunk mice".

• The waistband. Oh Lord. I've finally come to terms with something (which I've mentioned before but I'm going to clearly admit to it right now): I have "issues" with waistbands. The problem is, I can't figure out the difference between a waistband and a facing. I know! It's ridiculous. Of course, I know the difference. It just doesn't make any difference when I'm trying to make one. Or the other. And good luck following the directions. It's like my brain stops thinking as soon as start looking at the waist section. This waistband was supposed to have a button but, um, that didn't happen. (More on this below...)

• The topstitched hem.  See "made by drunk mice". I should have lengthened the stitch but, in my sew-blood sugar state, I forgot. I've also got this whack need to make the hem look as consistent on the wrong side as on the right side and, really, short of a cover stitch machine or serious talent, that just doesn't happen. I've got to get a cover stitch machine.

Now, given that this is a 4-piece, 1-hour skirt, I don't even know how I managed to find so many challenges. And it's always when you have the exact amount of fabric and not an inch more, that the gremlins turn up.

On the plus side, I've discovered a little waist trick that's genius (and stupidly easy): Make every waistband 5 inches longer than it needs to be. Then you will NEVER have to worry that it doesn't ease in properly. I did this, this time, and it's the only thing that saved my ass.

Some pluses of this project:

• I don't know where I found it, or what it's called?!?!, but I used the best fucking interfacing ever. It's fusible, white and it doesn't have a bit of stretch. I was skeptical (locating it at the bottom of my stash), but I'm a convert. If only I knew how to find it again...

• The fabric (stash stretch denim) is awesome. I'm so sad not to have anymore. I've made a few things with it, having bought it a number of times, and it has perfect stretch and drape.

• It's a really great skirt and it fits perfectly. It's simple but it does the trick and I can see myself making it a zillion more times. The last time I made it - that being the first time I'd ever sewn anything - it didn't look so hot on completion. OMG, when I look at that first skirt now, I'm part proud, part amused and part horrified. Just the perfect reaction, I suspect. On the nascent-sewist, first go-round, I cut the pattern tissue in the size 12 - not really understanding size when first I started sewing - and it means that this time, with my current dimensions, I need to use scant 1/2 inch seams on a fabric with little give. That's fine, since I have a serger. This skirt reminds me that I should consider making 12s with smaller seams, rather than making 14s that are just nominally too big everywhere.

The major-est plus:

• I kept my cool when this could have failed quite a few times and, as a result, I have a wearable garment: I had some pretty serious waist issues and no extra fabric and I'd ripped out seams twice (about the limit before fabric starts to stretch and get yucky) when I figured out some things... I couldn't reinsert the zipper, which would have been best given how I'd positioned it with the metal zip top at the exact top of the back pieces (how you want it when you're inserting a facing but not a waistband!). That was just bound to end in disaster, I could tell. So I finagled the seams such that the band actually rises as you move towards the zip (it's impossible to explain this, but you'd know what I mean if I showed you) in a very gradual, which is to say unobservable, way. Then I decided that the worst part of a waistband is that it gets bulky where all of those seam allowances meet, so I opted not to press up the wrong-side seam. The fabric was serged and neat so I just stitched in the ditch from the front so that the seam caught the single-layer (vs regular-style double-layer) serged edge on the wrong side. Not only did it give me a slightly wider waistband, but it cut down on bulk considerably. This technique is like a cross between facing (slim but potentially floppy) and a waistband (secure, but bulky and hard to sew down from the right side so that the wrong side still looks neat). And I finally realized that stitching in the ditch is actually under stitching - it's simply done from the right side of the fabric.

It seems I'm gonna have to stop looking at directions when it comes to making waists of simple skirts. I'm just going do what I want to, in the way that makes sense to me.

So, I can't say that the Five in Five has been fun, so far (ask me about the pattern alterations I've spent quite a while making on V8790, the next top I'm intending to make). But it has yielded two wearable items.

I'm so hoping that I'm going to start enjoying this soon.

Today's questions: Do you ever get into a phase where all the sewing seems difficult - even the "easy" things? Do you sew some crappy hems and mediocre zippers and still wear the garments they're attached to out of the house? Do waistbands confuse you??? I don't know why they're so complicated but I always have to think 8 times when I encounter one. Kind of takes the easy out of garments that cover one's lower half :-) Make me feel better, please!

The Summer Series: Five in Five, Take 1

Lord, I've had an irritating day. Yesterday, I prepped for the first of the five in five - V1179:

This is the one I've made before - once for myself and once with my friend Nicole.

I'd forgotten how much I hate putting it together. Which is just as well...

For such a simple sack of a dress, it sure is a pain in the ass. This time I made such a fuck up of the cowl attachment that I had to pick it out 3 times and then serge the pieces together and top stitch the serged edges down about .25 of an inch from the cowl seam. So much for stitching in the ditch.

If you looked at the guts, you'd probably say it looks fine. That's cuz I wouldn't let you look for long.

It's still not done, if you can believe it (10 hrs later), because I've had to rip out the hem. Finally, I rolled some wooly nylon for the bobbin (you can only wind this by hand but it does tend to help even out hems on stretchy fabric). My new machine is not adapting as quickly to knits as I might have imagined. The tension is challenging, despite much testing. Even at 3mm, the stitch looks much tinier. Tiny stitches on knits tend to get wavy and ugly. I'll have to come back to the hem tomorrow. I've been really struggling with headaches lately and the last few days have been a bitch. There's just no more juice for sewing today.

I've been very critical of my sewing lately. I sense I've got to park the perfectionism. I mean, I'm only as competent as I am. If I don't intend to stop doing this craft (and I don't), then I'm going to have to manage occasional mediocrity. I don't know why I'm so much more forgiving of my knitting than sewing. Is it that I have so much time with the garment before completion that I come to terms with it?

What's interesting about this dress is that it's very flattering, bad sewing technique aside. It drapes beautifully. I made the 10 and it fits well what with that being my size from the vantage of shoulder width. Given that my rayon jersey is mega stretchy and the dress has a lot of wearing ease, it's just the right size.

I did two things differently this time and I think they're going to stand this garment in good stead:

• Last time I made this, I didn't own a serger. As I do now (and it's got a little spot built into the presser foot wherein one can feed in stabilizing tape like that clear stuff that's almost impossible to maneuver on a regular machine), I stabilized the shoulder seams in a jiffy and with the optimal material. It was so easy! (I do love my serger.) I also used this on the wrong side of the armscye to stabilize it. I folded over the serged-with-stabilizer edge and topstitched it before sewing up the side seams. Looks good and feels firm.

• Then I stabilized the (very inclined to wave) hem by fusing some interfacing to it. Note: You have to fuse the interfacing from the bottom of the hem to the point at which you'll sew or it won't provide the integrity you'll have spent that extra 30 minutes to achieve. I intend to sew a 1.5 inch hem, so I used 3 inches of interfacing width.

In truth, I've worn the original (badly made) version to death and it's held up really well. The wide hem, uninterfaced, is just lovely and the shoulders are solid enough. But this version's rayon jersey is its own thing and I want to treat it properly.

Today's questions: If you've made this dress, did you find it fun to sew? Or was it really unpleasant? Do you hate sewing rayon jersey? (I'm starting to feel really pissed off by it. Modal, double-knit, tencel - they all sew very nicely. Even though rayon jersey has a great drape, it's SO tricky to stitch.) What's your fave knit from a sewing perspective? And finally, do you sew with headaches? What are your strategies for managing the pain while doing finicky work?

The Summer Series: Which Five are the Five in Five?

Fucking hell! Blogger just ate a post I'd spent 30 minutes writing and I'm finding it very hard to bring myself to rewrite it. And it was a good freakin' post, dammit.

Alright, Cole's Notes version: I've chosen the Five in Five (the five easy, namely knit, pieces I will make to tide me through work and play over the summer).

The One That's Not a Knit (but is a skirt): NewLook 6843 mashed up with an RTW skirt I own

I'll make it straight and mini - but not too much of either. Fun fact: This is the pattern I used to make the first thing I ever sewed. It took 15 hours.

Fabric: Denim I used on the skinnies I made recently

The Chic Top: Either Maria Denmark 103:

You can find this in Craftsy Patterns

or a shortened (for my hourglass and short-waisted frame) version of Vogue 8790:

Please use your imagination with these photos. It's hard to see past some of the styling...

Note that all Vogue Patterns photos can be found on the website... Individual linking is a luxury of the woman who hasn't worked all day and then written 3/4 of a post that opted to disappear.

The Fabric: My remaining yard of this fantastic Modal:

The Fancy Dress: V1287 by DKNY

Don't worry, it's not so fancy that it isn't made of jersey with hidden elastic shaping at the waistband.

Fabric: Tencel in slate blue

I sure do hope this fabric isn't too sheer...

What you'll notice is that Vogue and DKNY make some very wearable summer dresses, as evidenced by the fact that I'll be making two others:

Le Sac: I've made V1179 twice before and it's terrific with a belt:

Yeah, everyone and her sister's made this cuz it flatters so many shapes.

The fabric: The remainder of this floral, last used on Jalie 2921

And finalement...

The Dancer Dress: V1027

The Fabric: That peacock shade of Modal that I suspect isn't Modal (no pic available, apparently - I'll photograph my stash when I start working with it...)

I have a couple of other pattern ideas up my sleeve but these top the queue.

Today's questions: Which of these do you like best? Have you made any of them and, if so, how do they wear? What summer projects are in your plan?

The Summer Series

Yesterday I began to plan my summer projects. Really, who doesn't love planning? You get to pick your fabrics, notions, buy and check your patterns. You get to decide whether to purchase anew or shop your stash. You get to look at a calendar (while using your imagination), to write down dates. All of the potential in the universe is before you. The arbitrary becomes concrete (sort of) - but in the most attractive way.

I'm not going to bog this post down with the minutiae. There's time enough for that as time goes by. But I do want to introduce the abstract:

The High-Level Deets:

Planning - April 25 - May 10
Making Stuff - May 10 - August 25
Number of Garments - 9
Sewn - 7
Knitted - 2

The Breakdown:

Sewing Bracket 1 - The Five in Five 

(I'm fairly certain there's no way I've actually made up this concept. If y'all know who's done a series with this title, pls. advise and I'll link.)

Sewing Bracket 2 - The Cherry Bomb

Knitting 1 - A Guernsey Triangle of My Own

Knitting 2 - The Late-Summer Abbreviated Coat

The Concepts:

The Five in Five: This is a group of 5 (mainly knit) garments for mid-summer - 3 dresses, 1 top and a skirt which I will aim to make over 5 weeks, give or take. I hope that these pieces will be chic and tough -  great for work or play, throughout the summer, but never fussy. Please stay tuned as I determine which patterns and fabrics I intend to use.

The Cherry Bomb: This is the bra/undies set I intend to make - after making a muslin that is radically different than any of the others (which haven't worked). No, I don't have much hope for this either. But one must try. And I've accepted that this is about the learning.

A Guernsey Triangle of My Own: Do I really need to explain this one? I LOVE this thing. Sure, the idea of knitting it again is vaguely concerning. But there's nothing like knitting in one's garden. Or, over lunch, in the gardens at work.

The Late-Summer Abbreviated Coat: Sure, it's a sweater (though it calls itself a coat), but I suspect this one is the outlier. I'm still swatching and thinking, but I have the yarn and I'd love for this to be ready by the early fall.

The Back Story:  Something tells me that I may have a reputation for being a bit spendthrift, which is why I'm pleased to report that - with the exception of sewing machine needles and thread - I'll be shopping my stash this summer.

Sure, if you dig deep even the slightest amount, it might occur to you that, initially, I bought my stash (and some of it as recently as this month). But I choose to believe that's not the point.

What About That Other Suit You're Gonna Make?

Don't you know it's rude to bring up this omission? 

OK, my goal is to make the suit in September. I will consider (and trace) the re-drafting I intend to do on the jacket throughout August. I'm likely to buy the fabric as early as early-May. The truth is, I need a break. Not cuz I'm overwhelmed (though that's not a bad supposition) but because I need to dwell on this and wear the spring version of the suit for the next while.

Today's questions: What do you think of this? Have you planned your summer projects? Do you even craft in the summer, or is that just wrong? Which of these projects is most appealing, as far as you're concerned? Let's talk!