Finished Object (and Failure): Simplicity 1716 - Plus, A Sewing Recap

I just finished Simplicity 1716 and promptly threw it in the garbage. It's just not a nice pattern (as drafted) on me. It's very unlikely I'll ever make it again but, just to torture myself for an additional 30 minutes, I revised the pattern pieces to suit my shape. At least I think I did. One never knows until one tries.

My pre-sewing, standard alterations worked pretty well. The issue wasn't with the armscye or sleeves. There was enough room in the bust, but not too much. The length was pretty good. And yet, what a failure...

Here's what was wrong with it (on me):

It's simple: The proportion of the front band. The way the pattern works is that an upper front piece attaches to a band (folded in half) which then attaches to a lower front piece. These three pieces form the front of the top. The band forms a seamed segment in the middle of the front piece:

It's tough to see in the tech drawing but those wings that culminate at the the centre knot (views A, B, C) are actually seamed to the upper front and lower front pieces. In that pic, the wings seem like an overlay on top of a ruched front. It's not the case.

My issue is that, given projected boobs, the lower seam (the one attaching the lower piece to the lower band) falls half way over my bust apex. It's super unattractive. IMO, that lower seam needs to either fall above the bust apex altogether - or entirely below it. The issue (seam over bust), which I see on women all the time, just SCREAMS horrible fit. Ladies, listen to me: If you have any kind of empire seamed top that doesn't lie flat at the underbust, give it away. It just makes you seem like you don't know the size of your boobs. Frankly, it's disrespectful to the bust line.

I considered having the band fall entirely above the bust - I think that's how it's meant to be worn - but it was bulky with seams in an area where my body is proportionately short. Also, the upper front, as drafted, is too long from shoulder to upper bust on me, so I'd have to shorten the upper piece in order to get the entire band to lie above the bust.

The way I "fixed" the issue was to put the lower seam below the bust by adding 3 inches of length to the front band piece (may still not be enough because that piece is folded in half when you sew the front together). The piece is an odd, oblong shape that wasn't conducive to this alteration so I had to get spatial. We know how that goes. To compensate, since the rest of the front fit fine, I had to carve 3 inches of length out of the lower front piece. Lord, does it all look weird. But I walked the seams and it should fit together correctly. The only issue is whether or not I added enough length. I suspect I did not but it's dangerous to go crazy with huge alterations. Furthermore, I'm never going to make this again, so who cares? It was more an exercise in conceptual problem-solving than anything else.

To complicate matters (do I ever stop saying this??), the band is the piece that contains the segment that form the centre knot. Those pieces are already too bulky (see below). So my newly altered (and untested) front band looks completely different than the original. If my alteration were to work, I could actually easily modify the "knot" part of the piece to be quite a bit less bulky while maintaining the volume over the full bust. I could describe this in detail but I just don't care enough to.

Point is, I don't like the end result enough to spend a bunch of time on it. This construction mandates a very thin fabric to work at the centre knot and ruched upper bust. (Really there's a lot of fabric bulk drafted into this pattern.) But thin fabric is flimsy over one's less-than-willowy midsection.

Here's what's wrong with it (in general):

The upper front and band pieces, as mentioned above, create a bulky knot which is just not attractive, particularly if you've got an ample bust. Mind you, even if you don't, the bulkiness feels kind of "home sewist". It's not sleek enough.

Also, the knot doesn't come together nicely at all. This pattern is so Twister that it took me a long time to figure out how to get the specifics to come together in such a way that it looked right. I got the concept, but the wings that form the centre knot are too wide and it creates a messy join.

The pattern just isn't designed for a projected bust of any size given the aforementioned seamed front. Projection (not size, specifically) is what torques the lower seam. A wider frame with a wider bust would fit this top better.

The fact that one must use a seriously thin fabric to get the knot to work is at odds with the average woman's interest in wearing knits that slim and hold (i.e. those with more substance).

To Close the Loop on my Recent Sewing Venture:

I sewed 3 garments: The v neck version of the Jenna Cardigan, Simplicity 1716 (discussed here) and Vogue 8323.

Jenna Cardigan: The only wholly successful outcome was the cardigan. I wore it to work this week and got compliments. I don't love the hand of the fabric, frankly, but the fit is good and I can see that, in another fabric, my altered v neck version is going to come in very handy. One can never have too many of these and the pattern comes together easily with a yard of fabric.

V8323: I'm going to give myself half marks for V8323. It's not there yet but I know it has potential and I'm pretty close. Just wish I hadn't wasted the expensive fabric on what turned out to be an unwearable muslin. To mitigate this potential occurrence in the future, I went to FabricLand and got 3.5 yards of very adequate mixed-fibre T shirt knit in the remnants section. The lot cost me 20 bucks, including tax. I just don't get that place. Similar fabric (not in the remnant section) is listed at 24 bucks a yard. That's high on drugs, IMO, since I pay that amount on Queen Street for the good stuff. Well, at least I did a few months ago. Lord knows what the prices will be next time I go to restock. Fucking dollar.

The fabric I got isn't high-end but nor is it inferior. It would make a very nice T shirt, if not an upscale one. I think it's worth about 12 bucks a metre. So I got a very good deal and I can use it with abandon. At 5 bucks a metre it's muslin-priced. But who on earth would pay $24 bucks for it? BTW,  Gillian's the one who taught me to look in the remnants section. Since most of the offerings at FabricLand are shit (I mean really, really cheap) and the decent ones are over-priced, this is really the only way to go at that store.

Long story short, you'll be hearing more about this garment, likely in the near future.

Simplicity 1716: I enjoyed taking on a new pattern and I do think that this top looks lovely on some others who've made it. But it's a full-on failure as far as I'm concerned and I wouldn't recommend it unless you're on the small-bust end of the spectrum. Sure, you can alter it, but you can alter anything. I'd start with a pattern, the construction of which seems less homemade. There are many cute knit tops that'll work more easily for me. I'm going to spend my efforts on them.

So there you go. That's my weekend so far and my latest sewing expedition. Any thoughts on Simplicity 1716, if you've made it? Did it work for you? Let's talk!

Finished Object: Jenna Cardigan - V Neck

I'm really happy with how this version of my Jenna Cardigan has turned out. In truth, the "original" round neck version is impractical (unless you choose to wear it closed all the time). Otherwise the round neck falls open un-chicly at the collar, when unbuttoned. I much prefer an open V:

Jenna Cardigan - Modified V Neck Version

The buttons start underneath my full bust and the V lies very nicely (at the perfect length). I also really like how I placed the cable (horizontally) around the sleeve hem band.

I had to cut the button band out of 3 pieces (there are 2 short pieces seamed to the longer band at the height of the hem band seam - midway through the buttons, about 3 inches from the bottom of the hem band). Since there's already a seam attaching the hem band to the bodice, I didn't see it as too much of a deal breaker even though it isn't quite as elegant as a band unbroken by a seam would be. Nonetheless, I'm pleased that I found a totally acceptable fix for what might have been a serious problem.

Optimally, I would have considered that V neck collar and button band are attached in one piece (not a collar and a separate band, as with the round neck version) before I cut everything out, thus limiting the dimensions of my remaining fabric.

I'm surprised by how straight in the waist this garment looks when it's not being worn. It's actually super fitted and (as the pattern pieces prove), quite distinct between waist and hip. And while the band cable placement is off-centre (see below for explanation) the sleeve to back placement of the cable is spot on, on both sides.

The thing that just didn't align was the placement of the cables on the button band. They're off-centre with those on the bodice. I should have cut this band longer (wider around the high hip) so that I'd have had more options for placement. As it is, it was just the right length and, after the fact, there was no fixing the issue. The fabric is in a pretty muted colour though, so I don't think the misplacement is particularly noticeable.

I spent a lot of the sewing process convinced this was going to be too small yet again - because the fabric is SO firm and thick. It's effectively quilted jersey. There's a black piece of (smooth) fabric backing the knit. It's almost like a double knit but the 2 sides are made of different materials. Point is, the fabric sucked up just about every bit of extra ease I built into this latest version of the garment. I'd have done well to sew with smaller SAs (like 0.25" rather than 0.3"). But the fabric is also very strong, so it has the effect of seeming more like a fitted knit blazer rather than a cardigan.

Can you see how the fabric is really textured, almost spongy?

I really like how the placement of the cables sits on the front pieces. It's a perfect mirror image and the button band was cut with a recessed length of the fabric - not with one of the cables (which would have been too wide and too bulky).

I was really worried about the fabric: Would it's thickness be too much for my serger? (Thankfully no.) Would it be too firm to fit at the dimensions I cut? (It's good - if snug in the armscye- and that's before it's had any chance to stretch with wear. This is the kind of fabric that isn't going to stretch much but it also won't have much recovery. Usually I'm very in favour of recovery, but with a thick fabric and a fitted garment, sometimes that initial stretch can get the fit to cohere).

Though I made my alterations on the fly, afterwards I opted to buy the Muse pattern altered pieces in the Jenna Pattern "expansion pack" so that I could see how mine compare. I prefer mine (though the angle's fairly similar). My V neck is a couple of inches lower (more open) which is a more flattering length on my body. The expansion pack also has a collar version (so not my thing) and comes with the relevant bands and front piece for the V-version. It's a good expenditure of 3 bucks if you're new to sewing and you're nervous about how to turn a round neck into a v neck. Really, though, I didn't have to read the instructions or to trace the pattern pieces to construct my revised version of the garment. I just folded down the neckline on my existing round neck version to see how my proposed V would lie. Then I cut a longer button band (but, as we know, not quite long enough!). My error wasn't in the concept, it was in the execution.

At this point I've altered V8323 and Simplicity 1716 (I'm going to make View A but cut to the length of the top shown in View C) and I'm ready to pull out the fabric. I hope I can make these up between now and Tuesday when I go back to work. Better still if they fit! I've invested a lot of time into V8323. It would be a shame if it didn't work out cuz it's unlikely that I'll persist with it after this (unless it's really close). The Simplicity pattern is a longshot. I have made my standard alterations to the paper pieces, but the construction is not one I've done before, so I can't really modify it as effectively as I might otherwise.

That's me so far this weekend. What do you think?

Wherein I Describe My Latest Return to Sewing

By some sort of fluke, I did some sewing on the weekend. It was lame sewing. It was near disastrous sewing (in that way that only technical things that one has ignored for months can go). But it was a step in the right creative direction. I've been so busy with work and holidays and reno planning that knitting's really been my only jam. And, while I'm still deep in the yarn stash-busting weeds, if my house is going to stay in one piece till mid-summer, I'm onto to working the fabric stash angle.

Here's what I did:

• Nearly wrecked a pair of $170 jeans that I needed to hem and narrow (legs were bells). Somehow I forgot that one should turn jeans inside out before doing things like determining how much side-seam to remove and then actually removing it. Then I took off too much fabric - allow me to reiterate that I cut the jeans from the right side?!?!? - and I had to fix things on the fly. I honestly don't know what planet my brain was on as I performed this task. On the other not-so-fun side, these jeans - which sat around for 6 months waiting for me to hem them - fit too snugly for my liking when I finally tried them on. I've almost come to terms with a sombre fact (though it's taken 3 years): I'm going to have to be hungry in order to stay thin - at least at this time of my life - because I am not going up another dress size without a drag-out massacre. Moreover, I intend to go down one. Can't dwell on this right now. My stomach is rumbling and I want wine I won't drink. Fucking middle age.

• For my child, I altered a hideous, white sweatshirt with the phrase "Who Am I" written on it. No question mark. This is a sentiment I can get with, these days, on my kid's behalf. Apparently the shirt was too long to be wearable (at regular sweatshirt length) so I cropped it. After spending 15 minutes trying to rip out the serged hem between the hem band and the t-shirt body, I finally just cut one piece from the other and then cropped the bodice / re-serged on the band. It worked out alright, though it was risky. Can't say this was the most creative thing I've done all week.

• Sewed my new labels into my new, finished stash-busted knits. Didn't do a very good job and I dislike every single one. Good news is that you have to know what doesn't work in order to determine what does.

• At this point, I couldn't stop myself. I was on such a roll of mediocrity, it seemed the perfect time to pull out my Jenna Cardigan pattern and alter it (on the fly) to a V neck, while simultaneously lengthening it to account for my current dimensions. 

So I put down my challenging to lay-out fabric (it's got a raised cable pattern) and proceeded to cut each piece in one layer, neglecting to consider that the left front is a mirror-image of the right-front. Did I mention I only had one yard of the fabric and I bought it a year ago? Thank God the fabric was wide, cuz I just managed to fit the extra piece. Oh, and since I made up the V neck with, ahem, adventuresome abandon, I didn't have enough fabric for a one piece band. I came up with a seamed work around. We'll see if I called it right, because at that precise moment, sane Kristin knew it was time to step away from the sewga room.

All in all I had some fun between the moments of cursing. And there's nothing like sewing to make you aware of your body. I'm taking Friday off with an aim to sew all weekend. We'll see if I stick to that plan, but something tells me that I will.

Next up: Some new bra reviews! Spoiler alert: I nailed it on the fit.

2015 Fall Capsule Wardrobe: A Couple of Updates

So, my second version of the Jenna Cardi was not a success. Why? Well, for starters something seriously whack happened and one side of the bodice was longer than the other. I fixed it but it led to overstretched mishapen-ness. I had to trim a whole buttonhole off of the button band. But that's not even what went non-negotiably wrong.

I learned a really valuable lesson today: that stretchy fabric with great recovery can be less stretchy, on balance, than less stretchy fabric with good drape. To wit, the indigo rayon/poly ponte (used to make version 2) is SO firm that I really should have made pants out of it (live and learn). Yeah, it stretched by 60 per cent (by comparison with the teal fabric's 50 per cent) but the teal (also pretty firm and stable) actually moves. The ponte feels like armour.

I think it may have been one of those ill-fated sewing moments but I don't begrudge it because I was able to make the sweater twice (to understand it better and to get a sense of which fabrics will work best in the future). I have a TNT sewn cardigan and a place where I can get more of that teal sweater knit - in other colours! Things could be worse.

On the plus side, I followed Gillian's suggestion - I cut the existing skirt off the top of the Kimono dress, shortened it from the top by 3 inches (the part that was too narrow for me) and sewed it back onto the bodice. The wider part - below that 3 inches - which forms the new waist, works well over my, ahem, lower abdominal curve. Fortunately, I made the original skirt on the long side, a look I like in a dress, but I'll take a now-knee-length skirt under the circumstances. It's a perfectly delightful wearable muslin.

What I then had to do (which worked, but not optimally and not particularly neatly) was to narrow the waist of the bodice above the seam where the skirt attaches. Yeah, I should have done it before sewing the bodice to the shortened skirt (and done a bit of easing), but they fit together nicely so I didn't think about it till I tried on the finished garment and realized that the waist was a good 1.5" too large in the waist circumference.

Hey, that's what muslins are for, right? And if you can wear them at the end of it, so much the better. If only somehow I could get the support of that navy ponte into the waist area of the bamboo jersey dress! I know, it doesn't work that way but really, the bamboo doesn't suck anything in. At all.

Still haven't decided what to make for my last garment of the weekend. Of course, that doesn't mean that I won't make the others that remain, over the next few weeks. I'm inclined not to have to fit anything but then, I also feel like making the Emily knit top (it wasn't on the list for this collection). It might be fun. And I really should make another pair of my flat front denim trousers. Hmmm... this is getting out of control. I'm off to update my work plan.

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?

2015 Fall Capsule Wardrobe: Still Tinkering

OK, give me 3 hours and I'll change it up. Whatever it is.

I've had the opp to read the very helpful comments on my last posts - namely the one wherein Anne recommends that I should consider making the Sunny knit top in a rather drapey fabric (on the basis of feedback from another sewist who's made and blogged about it). And if there's one thing I do it's take Anne's advice seriously. Fortunately, I'm sure I've got some rayon jersey lying around in the appropriate yardage - even if I have to mix and match a bit. I'm still not sure how the hell to alter that pattern to make it fit - though I suspect it will involve narrowing the pieces at the centre back. Might as well do a (wearable) muslin, no? I could just go buy more fabric!

The other thing that I remembered was this adorable pattern I've wanted to make since first I saw it. Zoe profiled her version of it today and now I must haveone too! So I might have to either add an item to the capsule collection (egad!) or replace one of the pieces with this cardi. I'll let my energy level and fabric opportunities dictate the outcome. Yet another reason that I may need to go fabric shopping. Are you seeing a theme here?

Let me say, I sure do wish I'd bought the Jenna cardigan pattern when it came out because, when the dollar was on par, I'd have saved 25% just for clicking a button at a different time. Ah, the world economy. Who can make sense of these things?

Thoughts or feelings?

Updated: But wait - there's more... People, I have a problem. It's a serious problem and I'm only sort of joking. I am a fancy-knit-fabric-aholic. I had a doc appt at the end of the day which just so happens to be reasonably close to the new fabric store I love. A propos of Anne's suggestion that the Sunny top have drape, I knew immediately what fabric I would buy (just in case):

It's the modal from last week only in sweatshirt grey (as I like to call it):

Here it is in all it's drapey perfection!!!

I wish I could describe the drape and hand of this fabric. It's so beautiful. So stretchy with snap-back. It's got 50 percent stretch in both directions but it is nothing like your standard rayon jersey. You CANNOT see through it. It weighs a ton. It feels like a million bucks.

This shot is overexposed but it gives a sense of the fabric fall. This stuff is HEAVY but sleek.

BTW, I don't know if my French terry is too thick for the Sunny. It's pretty sleek too (which is the only reason I could get with it). I don't like puffy fabric. Also, I do want a look with a bit of structure in its oversizedness. That's not to say I shouldn't have some of this fabric on hand to make the initial version. I'm steeling myself to cut into something so, well, fine. But there's no way to make a garment in gorgeous fabric unless you actually cut into it, right? Arguably the hard part is the buying, and that's done! And honestly, if I don't feel confident cutting up nice fabric at this point, I'm wasting my time.

But look at the other fabric that actually whispered (metaphorically) from across the room: Hey, Kristin - you want me for the Jenna sweater (which I've given 4 seconds of thought to):

I truly don't know what this fabric is made of. I should have asked?!? I just saw it and said: I'll take a yard and a half please. Here's hoping that's enough.

Is this teal? I honestly don't know. As soon as you think it's blue, it looks green. Then you think it looks green, or is it? I don't even like the colour green?!?!

This is a 2 way stretch. It's a very fine sweater knit. You can see the purl stitches on the wrong side, but just. It weighs less than the modal but it's thicker, spongier with 50% stretch on the cross-grain.

Here's the problem wonderful news for the local economy: I appear to have no self-control when it comes to the good stuff. I am so awed by the possibility of sewing with this stuff - like on a regular basis - that I'm all: Pack it up. But I am going to have to show some restraint for the next little while or until I use up all the fabric I've recently purchase aka 2 weeks from now. The modal is 22 bucks a yard. The other fabric (substance and colour unknown, apparently) is 25 bucks a yard. By the time tax was thrown in, I spent 80 bucks on 3 yards of fabric. Um, yeah.

But I want you to know that I resisted this insane fabric that was part rayon, part cotton and spandex. That was 45 bucks a yard. So really, I saved money. And I'm taking the hit for all the potential buyers who read this blog, experimenting as it were. It's like my public service. :-)