Basically...

Let's take stock of progress on the Spring Basics Palette:


Recall that the mandate is to make 6 "basics" in 12 weeks, using a spring colour-scheme (whatever that means), wearable throughout that season.

Well, so far I've been doing pretty well. I can check off:

Kwik Sew 3115 Lounge Pants:

They may not be exciting, but they sure are practical. To wit: I'm wearing them as I type this...

Jalie 2921 Scarf Collar Top:

I liked this pattern so much I used a remnant of a cheery orange to make a second, sleeveless version:


T Shirt "from TNT":

Needless to say, as this is the Magic Blouse and not my T shirt sloper, it's not the garment I originally planned on making - nor is it in the originally planned colour-scheme. Nonetheless, it counts!

Butterick 5681 Culottes:

No photo yet, peeps. Still coming to terms with this garment, though I did wear it to work last week - with the vintage Magic Blouse, of all things - and I actually got some unprompted compliments.

Technically I have but two items left to construct before April 1, in order to meet my target timeline: one bias cut Ginger Skirt, in a gorgeous cerise fabric, and the orange, double knit, Vogue 8413 cowl neck dress (sleeves tbd).

How I've Gone "Off Road" Sewing:

The sewing journey is rarely straight, though, and I've taken a fair number of detours already (which, objectively, in no way compromise the integrity of this adventure - even as I am the arbiter of said integrity). How have things gone other than planned?

• The lounge pants were to be made in the grey cotton jersey but, in the absence of enough of that fabric, I used the aubergine bamboo jersey (chosen for the T shirt) instead.

• The idea then, was to make the T shirt in the grey cotton jersey (check) but I opted not to use that pattern in the end. Instead I used it to make the Magic Blouse (see above), embellished with pretty, pink flowers. It's totally wearable and it's made of T shirt material, so it counts.

• I loved the Jalie scarf top so much in the floral rayon jersey that I made it again, but without sleeves, using a remnant of orange rayon jersey in my stash (see both versions above). This was an unexpected but great use of stash fabric that I couldn't in good conscience trash, but that was not quite ample enough to make much of anything.

• The culottes project turned into a whole side-adventure: an experiment comparing a modern version against a vintage version to determine which would work better on me. While the culottes are wearable (see blurb above), and while they have taught me a variety of valuable sewing lessons, I feel that these (which I sensed from the get-go would be the outliers) are still in wearable muslin format. The other 4 garments, however, are well-made, durable and highly-wearable staples.

Next on the list is likely to be the Ginger Skirt. After that, I'm going to start tailoring a suit jacket, using Gertie's new tailoring Craftsy course as a complement to pattern instructions. Still determining whether I'll make this one:

this one:

or the princess seam, peplumed 40s-style suit jacket that Gertie herself designed and teaches in the Craftsy course, inspired by Dior's mid-century New Look.

I will write more about her interactive tailoring course soon but, have to say, I have rarely learned as much about sewing as I did when I followed Gertie's Lady Gray Coat sew along in Fall 2010. Gretchen brings a passion to tailoring that is utterly infectious. And she's incredibly organized in her teaching style.

So, any thoughts about where I'm at with the Spring Palette? Have you signed up for the Craftsy course? Done any suit tailoring lately - or intend to do some soon? Do tell.

The Trials of Online Shopping (Which Mimic Those of Regular Shopping)

Unfortunately, Freya is phasing out the Nieve colourway (it's at the end of its season, hence the sales), though the company also makes the Edina colourway (not as appealing to me). I'm confident that Freya will be coming out with something new and long line to replace the Nieve. Now I have to decide whether to a) keep it in the slighly tight size I purchased originally (unlikely), b) return it for the Edina (unlikely) or c) replace it with this:

Freya Nina

Y'all know how I LOVE animal print. I have a Freya from years ago (cannot remember the style, long gone now) made of a jewel blue and hot pink animal print. Lord, I love that bra but it's too big in the back so it doesn't get a lot of wear. The string of the matching thong undies is actually made of pink velvet and the back of the thong has an embroidered hot pink heart that's larger than the size of a quarter! Now, that set was surprisingly practical. It had a flat profile so it could be worn under most anything. I wish I could find a stock photo of it.

The Nina, pictured above, is an unpadded (yay) plunge. I love that the straps continue the animal print pattern. And that floral decollete is so pretty, sexy - and weird.

I say the best place to go crazy with fashion is the under layer. Seriously, who's gonna know if you've gone nutty with florals and animal prints? (Of course, one's bras have to fit and be invisible under the shirt she happens to be wearing that day, but you know what I mean. Oh, and you know of my fixation with matching undies to bras. Unless you have style coming out the yin yang and the shape of a twenty-something, mismatched can look so unintentional - so unflattering.)

What do you think? Do you like the Nina? Do you prefer it to the Nieve? Do you enjoy a good plunge bra? Do you wear crazy patterned lingerie? Do you think I'm autocratic about the matching sets? Let's talk.

Quick Note on Long Line and A Reconsideration

Hey peeps: Just back from Ottawa (which was so warm, btw, I didn't need gloves?! No skating for us...). I did receive my Figleaves package, the Freya Nieve long line and boy short undies and I must share a quick review.

For starters, the bra does fit small. Not seriously small, like that Curvy Kate Criss Cross bra, but you will probably want to go a cup size up from your norm. The construction is very kind to a bust that is full on top. It's quite low cut, almost demi as opposed to balconette, and the effect is full-on renaissance wench. The undies, on the other hand, are totally true to size and extremely flattering (as I find most Freya underwear to be).

I am happy to say that it's a rather short long line bra, so it doesn't cut into the abdomen or visually shorten an already short torso. There's only about an inch or inch and a half of "line" below the under wire.

The fabric is GORGEOUS. It's the most beautiful floral (doesn't actually look much like the photo), totally Liberty-print - but not in a twee way. Let's face it, it's hard to be twee when your tits are heaving.

On account of the low-cutness, I can't say it's the most supportive bra ever, but things are very secure from below the chest. The combo of underwire and construction (intriguingly, there is NO boning) are quite effective. It would be great, for example, peeking out from beneath a classic white button down. However, it's not a t shirt bra. There's too much embellishment, the cut is quite low, and the padding is quite observable to my eye.

On the topic of padding: There will be no nipple-shows (not that I care about that, particularly), but I think it's an utter stupidity. That's the only thing about this bra I can criticize. I understand that it's part of the design. It contributes to a very structured, very round, bust shape (hence the wench-look), but I don't appreciate the addition of any volume.

In short, this bra is an observably modern riff on an old-school style. I like it a lot and, while I debate its day-to-day practicality, it will definitely have place in my wardrobe. In truth, I prefer the flat top / pointed silhouette of the vintage long lines - I particularly love their supportiveness, but they are not widely appealing (nor are they any more flattering to the majority of breast shapes than the modern, sphere shape bras). I cannot wait for Freya to come out with a long line that is unpadded. Till then, I haven't got much negative to say about this one.

And, while I'm waxing on at length, I have to admit that I remeasured my under bust and it's actually more like 30.5 or 31 inches, not the 32 I have led you all to believe. Why is this relevant? Well, it casts some aspersions on my theory that one should wear (approximately) the same size band and one's under bust measurement in light of modern, textile improvements and construction methods. So, while I've been espousing that my (purported) 32 inch under bust is happily contained within a 32 inch band, I've actually got about an inch to an inch and a half of ease I haven't been accounting for.

How can I have made this stupid mistake? I mean, I take measurements all the time. Well, I've generally worn a bra when I measure - which is recommended - but I think the wires and under bands of the bra I've been using for this purpose have actually been adding bulk. My point - try taking the measurement both ways and see if you get different results.

I do have some 30 bands (though I'm a bit out of that range at the moment) so it's not like, case by case, a band and under bust size can't correlate exactly. But I have to rethink things. Any way you slice it, I am totally not - as a general rule - in favour of wearing a band that is more than 2 inches larger than your under bust measurement. But I'm reconsidering that those of you who describe the need for a +2 band / under bust correlation are likely onto something and not simply inculturated to wear a band that "should" be tighter. I'll certainly return to this topic when I have more perspective.

Can You Believe This?

Just when I think I'm the foremost modern-era champion of home-sewn culottes, turns out that I've got company. Moreover, Lauriana, great sewist and blogger, is also pattern drafter who has designed her own culottes - a pattern which she has graciously shared with her readers.

I'm happy to know that culottes can look chic as anything on some of us! It gives me hope.

And while we're on the topic of bloggers who design patterns, my girl Suzy (the inspiration for my mad impulse to knit - which will return soon, I assure you) has embarked on a new career path:

Right now she's looking for some pattern testers but soon she'll be showing us her new designs.

Never a dull moment.

More Bra Stories

So, the Curvy Kate Criss Cross (Lord, that alliteration is irritating) arrived in the bigger size and it fits fabulously. It's amazing what a difference a cup size makes. Note: The cup size up feels much looser in the back as well, strangely. Like too loose. I actually put it on the second hook first wear. So not my preference. Oh well. Not sending it back again or all of the sale savings will have been lost in return shipping charges. (I wonder if the first bra I tried was anomalously small in the back cuz this one is so much looser.)

I must be on a kick because I couldn't stop myself from ordering the Freya Nieve Long Line Bra:

It matches these cute undies:


I've been wanting this thing for a long while but I've held off because the cups are lightly padded. I don't do padding. I don't know what voluptuous woman does, frankly, but there must be a bunch of them out there, since there are so many padded large-cup bras, it's crazy.

Here's why I finally took the plunge:

• The vertical cup construction intrigues me. I want to study it.
• The padding is apparently almost inconsequential, according to various reviews I've read - all of which were remarkably positive.
  
• It's long line. You know of my obsession.
• It's comes in 30 and 32 back sizes so those of us who don't have 34 inch plus rib cages can still get in on the action.
• It's pretty!
• I am obvious need of more lingerie in my wardrobe.

10 points if you can tell me which one of the previous bullets is not true :-)

In truth, I'm concerned it's going to be too small a) cuz I read it fits small after buying it (Note: I did look high and low for evidence of this before purchase but couldn't find any then, natch) b) cuz the last bra I bought was so I'm a bit flippy and c) padded bras tend to fit small. I wonder if the vertical seams in the cup will make things tighter or looser than a regular 3-piece cup construction (having diagonal seams). Could I have ordered 2 of this bra in different sizes when I was buying? Yes, but I decided to live on the edge. Again.

I'm also a bit concerned that the bra is not going to flatter if it's too long in the line and it meets up with my flabodmen (ha! I just made that up!). It looks to stop before the waist curve on the model, but hell she's a model - with a very long waist as you can see.

I somehow managed to score this for 20% off - simply because I looked for a promo code online and it worked. I ALWAYS look for promo codes when online shopping. It's amazing how often they pay off.

The full set, including shipping, was $66.00 CDN. Incredibly reasonable, IMO. I only hope it fits and looks good. I've been playing fast and loose with the online lingerie choices lately - trying new brands or entirely new styles with unusual (to me) construction methods. It's a worthy adventure - but I have to remember not be irritable if the items don't fit when they arrive. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Culottes Then and Now: Knee Deep

Oh, my friends, there's a fine line between culottes and clown pants - which I suppose is one of the reasons they've been a bit out of phase these last couple of decades.

Where to begin?

Well, they're not finished and I've been working on them steadily for 2 days (upwards of 12 hrs of actual sewing now). That's to say nothing of the hours I've spent tracing and altering and muslining and blogging. Which ones have I thrown my lot in with? The modern ones - with back crotch curve and darts altered like the McCalls vintage ones.

Fucking pleats! They're like sartorial instruments of torture. Between the spatial reasoning I had to develop to fold them and the fussiness of getting the seams aligned and being careful not to sew the wrong bits (or leave holes in the right bits) - not to mention that this fabric, for its many pluses, does not want to hold a crease - I am spent. I can scarcely care about bringing back the trend.

But we haven't begun to discuss how they actually look, oh no. They're a bit like something that would no doubt have me unceremoniously thrown off Project Runway - or seriously humiliated by Michael Kors.

I should have shortened the crotch length by an additional half an inch, at least. The crotch hangs halfway to my knees. Did I say that I have now taken 5 inches off the bottom (and they're still too long) and 2.5 inches out of each side seam (that's 5 inches of width, over all) and the things just continue to grow? WTF, people. How do these pants keep getting bigger?

OK, note to self: Do not accidentally cut a size up and then say it's ok cuz you're having a fat week. I should have made these in a size 12 - down from my usual size 14 - not a freakin' 16. There is SO MUCH FABRIC. The pleats add, like, a yard of it somehow.

In an effort to smallen them up, I increasingly hacked away at the internal construction, making it look like something out of a freak show. (There are internal side pockets which is why I didn't just easily serge a whack of the side seams and call it a day. Trust me, though, I did consider just serging off the pockets.)

Then there's the fact that, inasmuch as culottes are just like a skirt mixed with pants, culottes are NOT like a skirt, nor are they like pants. Instead of bringing the best of both, in this instance they appear to be a mash up of the worst elements culminating in a kind of sack-like effect. Note: It's not flattering.

Lest you wonder if wearing things large is slimming, I assure you it's not. It's absolutely as volume-adding as garments that are too small.

I've done the best I can with these so I'm going to hem them, add a hook and eye and see if all of my franken-efforts will yield a wearable piece.

OK, let's take 2 minutes to focus on the good, yes?

• If I were to make them again in a size 14, with a shorter crotch and with a creasable fabric minus the pleats, I imagine they would work well.

• As it is, the colour and drape of my fabric is awesome. And it somehow works perfectly with the spring palette colours I chose. It's not too brown - more mulberryish - and I love it.

• I don't have to worry that they're not adequately "retro". Trust me, they're like nothing out of this century or half of the last one.
  

• It's good to have to work one's brain in a new, painful way every once in a while. It's been a long time since I've been so frustrated and confused during a sewing project. I guess it's about time. Really, there's no learning in an easy project - just fun.
  

• Given how many challenges I have encountered with this project, I have persisted. Every time the bobbin ran out in the middle of an important seam, every time I had to find some way to alter things half-sewn, each frustrating moment that, initially and arrogantly, I felt insulated from on account of my having made a muslin - I worked through. There's something to be said for that.

Yes, I'm going to show them to you - probably on me, if they are wearable in the end. I just can't do it today. I need to regroup.

Do shower me with your consolation and head pats. Please.

Just Like Magic

I've been obsessed by the vintage magic blouse since I saw Casey's post and read a comment advising that there is a similar version to be found online.

So today I made it. Not as fast or intuitive as I thought it would be, but it wasn't hard to do:

I used the cotton jersey I bought to make a t shirt for the Spring Basics Palette. Not a t shirt, exactly, but it counts as part of the palette, as far as I'm concerned.

It looks much richer than I thought it would in this fabric. The drape is lovely and the little flower appliques are from NYC. I bought them when I was notions shopping with Mardel last year.

The back is weird:

That shawl shoulder thing is what gives the front its elegant lines, but I'm not sure about the back view. On me, it hangs better cuz I'm not covered in fabric for skin.

The thing is held together with three little snaps. You could easily use a pin or just let it hang open like a cardigan.


I didn't use my serger because I wanted a more vintage effect. I used applique scissors to trim the fabric close to the stitching and it worked fine. However, I was not looking for a fussy top with lots of slip stitching (that's what it calls for). I used my machine to top stitch everything. That means I can easily throw this in the washer and dryer on delicate.